another reason the opinions of Haymo are different from that Exegesis I will name but one Haymo on the Revel lib. 1. near the end saith The Pillars of the Temple are not only they who are more perfect as Paul saith Peter and James and John which seemed to be Pillars c. Here Haymo not only calleth these three more perfect but Pillars also which is more then Paul saith but this Exegesis speaks not so much of them for on Gal. 2. at these words which seemed to be something or as we have Who were of reputation it is written there They seemed unto themselves to be something for they did seem to have learning and vertue of themselves but they neither had learning nor vertue of themselves nor of their own merits and therefore although they did seem unto the people to be something they were nothing He who writes so liberally of the three Apostles would not probably have written so sparingly of them in the other place and so the Authour of the Exegesis but by Remigius Bishop of Lions and is contrary to the present Church of Rome in many particulars following would not have called Peter the head of the Church Who then is the Authour of that Exegesis The above-named Remigius Bishop of Lions as Bishop Usher proveth loc cit and we may find that his doctrine in that Exegesis doth accord with that which we have heard he did maintain concerning election free-will c. as appears by these passages On Rom. 5. he saith As by Adam sin and death did enter so by Christ came justification and eternal life therefore the Apostle saith We are reconciled unto God because as by one man sin entred into the World that is into the universality of mankind except Christ which is from above and by sin death came so death both of body and soul hath gone over all men even as on the first man in whom all have sinned So by our Lord Jesus Christ justification hath entred and by justification life eternal ... for in him all men have sinned which were in his loins as Levi was in the loins of his father when he paied tithes And he saith congruously that sin entred first and then death by sin because so soon as he did sin he became mortal as the Lord had foretold saying In whatsoever day thou shalt eat thereof thou shalt die the death He did sin by coveting and eating and he was made mortal in sinning Amongst other things observe here that Remigius makes no exception of sin in the universality of mankind but only of Christ and therefore the Virgin Mary is not excepted and after the same manner do all the Ancients speak in this point On Cap. 9. What man can declare why the Almighty God did chuse Jacob before he was born and rejected Esau when neither the one nor the other could do any good or ill except that on him that is on Jacob he would bestow his grace and mercy and on Esau he would fullfill his just judgment .... therefore as it was not the purpose of God and his predestination according to election of the good merit of Jacob so the election of the Gentiles was not according to the election of merits but according to the free grace and predestination of God therefore for what cause Jacob was chosen without good works and Esau was hated without ill works it is only known unto God who knows all things before they be and whose judgment is alwaies just ..... He said unto Moses I will have mercy on whom ... This is the order On whom I will have mercy by calling him unto my faith I will have mercy by giving him my faith that he may beleeve in me and I will shew compassion on him that he may live righteously and be mercifull and persevere in good works according to which he shall receive the reward Therefore not of him who willeth understand is the will nor of him who runneth is the race but of God shewing mercy is mercy that he giveth unto man to will good to do and to persevere The only good will is not sufficient unless also the mercy of God prevene him unto this end to give unto him to will what is good and to perfect the same good as the Psalmist saith His mercy shall prevene me and his mercy shall follow me But haply one will say Why are the Elect rewarded or what reward have they deserved if both the good will and the perfecting of the good work be given unto them of God I answer therefore are the Elect worthy of remuneration because so soon as they do perceive that they are prevened by the grace of God they do labour with all their indeavours to obey his will For the Scripture saith to Pharao The Scripture speaketh not by it self but another by it as here God speaketh These last words I have marked against them which say The Scriptures is dumb and dead At these words Hath not the Potter power ... he saith So the Almighty God the Potter of mankind hath power out of the mass of perdition and sin that is out of the mass of mankind to make one vessel unto honour that is to create one for this end that he may be honoured in him and that he honour him by calling him unto his faith and by saving him unto life and another unto dis-honour that is in his just judgment to destroy the Reprobates because of their wickedness for of a corrupt mass all the vessels are corrupt but if the Potter by the Engine of his Art will purifie some of them from the fault of the mass by baking it in the fire may he not be magnified in those And that he suffereth some unpurified he is not to be blamed because he continueth in his power for the mass is his On Cap. 11. at these words I have left 7000 ... saith he neither saith he Are left unto me but I have left and reserved unto my self 7000 men which when others became Idolaters have not bowed ....... And it is to be considered because according to the election of God's grace that is according to the gift of Predestination the remnant is saved not according to the merit of their works wherefore he saith in the Epistle unto the Ephes As he hath chosen us before the foundation of the World in him i. e. in Christ that we should be holy and unblamable And if of grace they are saved who beleeve amongst the Jews not now was it of the works of the Law by which they thought to be justified who continue in infidelity else grace were not grace that is if they were saved otherwise which cannot be but by the grace of God or else grace it self were not grace but a merit ..... But the election hath obtained it that is they who were chosen out of that multitude whom before he called a remnant now he calleth election and as before circumcision is taken for the
said he may easily understand who will compare the new Divines with the ancient both Latine and Greek So far Berald Out of these two testimonies observe that Theophylact doth agree with the Ancients before him as Chrysostom Basilius and others of those ages whom he often quoteth and doth disagree from the multitude of Preachers in the Roman Church about the year 1533. Where then is their frequent gloriation of the constancy and unity of the Roman Church with the Ancient Fathers Hear then what Theophylact saith in the Articles of controversie in those daies In Prolog before Evang. Matth. he saith Because heresies were to bud forth which are ready to wast our manners it was thought necessary that the Gospels should be written to the end that we learning truth out of them should not be deceived with the lies of heresies and our manners should not altogether be undone On Cap. 13. near the end speaking of Christ and his mother he saith The mother would shew some human thing that she had power over her son for as yet she had no great thoughts of him and therefore while he was yet speaking she would draw him unto her Porsena here addeth on the margine Lege cautè To wit he saw that these words are against the Tenets of Rome that the Virgin was free from all sin and by right of her mother-hood she can command her son On Cap. 16. Because Peter had confessed that Jesus is the son of God he said that this confession which he had confessed shall be the foundation of Beleevers so that every man which shall build the house of faith shall lay this foundation for although we build many vertues and have not this foundation a right confession we do build unprofitably ..... They have power of binding and forgiving who receive the gift of Episcopacy or oversight as Peter did for although it was said unto Peter I will give unto thee nevertheless it was granted unto all the Apostles When when he said Whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven For when he said I will give he signifieth the time coming that is after the resurrection ...... When Peter speaks rightly Christ calleth him blessed but when he feareth without reason and will not have him to suffer he lasheth him and saith Go behind me Satan In Luc. cap. 2. Bishops should keep their Flock and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sing in the field sing spiritual things and teach the people and hear divine visions and sayings Bethleem is the house of bread and what other is the house of bread but the Church in which bread is provided it is therefore the duty of spiritual Shepheards to seek heavenly bread which when they have seen they must preach it unto others ..... The things whereof the Scripture is silent we should not inquire On Cap. 16. Nothing is so profitable as diligent searching of the Scriptures the Divel may falsely and apparently make a search of the dead to deceive the unwise and from Hell he may sow doctrine according to his wickedness but those who do duly search the Scriptures nothing can delude them for the Scriptures are a lantern and light which when it shines the theef is found and made manifest therefore we should beleeve them and not regard the rising of the dead And a little before he saith As it is impossible for any man to pass from the company of the just into the place of sinners so it is impossible as Abraham teacheth us to pass from the place of punishment into the place of the just .... The bosom of Abraham is the possession of good things which are prepared for the just passing from the Waves of the Sea into the Haven of Heaven On Ioh. cap. 1. The new Testament is called grace because God gives freely unto us not only remission of sins but the adoption of children And it is called truth because whatsoever the Fathers saw in figure or spoke He hath here preached these clearly ........... Here we learn that the miracles of Christ's childhood are but feigned and lies and made up by them who would scorn the mystery for if these had been true how could the Lord have been unknown which wrought them for it is no way likely that he was not famous which did such miracles But it is not so for before he was baptized he wrought no signs neither was he known On Cap. 3. If thou knowest not the wind which is a Spirit subject to sense how searchest thou curiously of regeneration by the Spirit of God how and from whom it is breathed If this spirit cannot be comprehended far less is the grace of the Holy Ghost subject to the laws of nature Confounded therefore be Macedonius the fighter against the Holy Ghost and Eunomius before him for he would make the Spirit a servant although he hear in this place that the Spirit bloweth whither it will far rather hath the Holy Ghost a more free motion and doth work where he willeth and after what manner he willeth ...... When thou hearest that the Son of man came down from Heaven think not that his flesh came down from Heaven this did Apollinarius teach that Christ had a body from Heaven which did pass thorow the Virgin as thorow a Conduit But because Christ is one person consisting in two natures therefore whatsoever belongs to the Man-hood is spoken of the Word and again what belongs unto the Word is spoken of the Man So here the Son of Man is said to come down from Heaven because He is one person and again lest when ye hear it said The Son of Man came down you would think that he is not in Heaven He saith even he which is in Heaven for do not think that I am not there because I came down but both am I here bodily and I sit there as God with the Father ..... Here we learn that the old Testament is like or of the same nature with the new and there is but one giver of the old and new Testament although Marcion and Manicheus and that rabble of Hereticks deny it He teacheth also that since the Jews beholding the brazen Serpent did escape death far rather we looking on him which was crucified and beleeving shall escape the death of the soul ..... Adam died justly because he sinned but the Lord died unjustly because he had not sinned .... and because he died unjustly he overcame him by whom he was killed and so delivered Adam from death which was laid justly upon him On Cap. 6. Diligent faith is a guide unto good works and good works do conserve faith for both works are dead without faith and faith without works ....... He saith I am the bread of life he saith not I am the bread of nourishment but of life for when all things were dead Christ maketh us alive by himself who is that bread in so far as we beleeve that the leaven of mankind is heated by the fire
Gregorie for Gregorie believed that the soul of Paschasius was purged in a bath at Puteoli and Damian thought that the soul of Severinus was purged in a flood and therefore saith Bellarm the Fathers both Greeks and Latines before the School-men have erred and nevertheless Bellarm. and other Papists for proof of their Purgatorie do bring all the testimonies of these Fathers to prove this their opinion whereas the opinions differ 1. In regard of the persons who are to be purged 2. The place 3. The durance there 4. The nature of the fire 5. Which is the principal they hold now that the pains of Purgatorie may be mitigated and taken away by the prayers and offerings of the living Augustine that renowned Bishop of Hippo was the first amongst the Ancients who spoke of such a place and he spake but doubtinglie for in Enchir. ad Laur. cap. 68. he saith As well they who build gold as they who build straw shall pass through the fire whereof the Apostle speaketh and therefore that fire is the tentation of tribulation in this life but whether there be any such thing after this life is not incredible and it may be asked But in serm 62. ad fra in Erem and ser 232. de temp he saith There be onlie two sorts of places for two sorts of souls after this life and this is no third In lib. 5. hypognost he saith The Catholick Faith by Divine authoritie believes that the first place is Heaven wherein the Reprobate his word is the not-baptized is excepted The second is Hell where everie Apostate and alliant from the faith of Christ shall suffer everlasting punishment We are altogether ignorant of a third place nor shall we find it in the holie Scriptures saith he And de Civit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 25. after the words of Gal. 5. 19 20 21. he saith Certainlie this saying of the Apostle is false if such men being delivered after what time soever shall possess the Kingdom of God but because it is not false trulie they shall not possess that Kingdom and if they shall never enter into the Kingdom of God they shall be held in everlasting punishment because there is no middle place where he is not punished who is not brought into the Kingdom Pope Gregorie Dial. lib. 4. cap. 39. moveth the question Whether after death there be a Purgatorie fire He answereth In the Gospel the Lord saith Walk while ye have light and by the Prophet In an acceptable time have I heard thee which the Apostle Paul expoundeth saying Behold now is the acceptable time now is the day of salvation Solomon also saith Whatsoever thy hand can do do it instantlie because there is neither work nor reason nor knowledge nor wisedom in the grave he hath it apud inseros whither thou goest David also saith His mercie indureth for ever out of which sayings it is certain that in what condition everie man departeth in the same shall he be represented in judgement But yet for some light saults a purging fire may be believed to be before judgement because truth saith If any speak blasphemie against the holie Spirit it shall not be forgiven unto him in this life nor in the life to come In which saying it is given to understand that some faults may be forgiven in this life and some in the life to come for what is denied of one it follows consequentlie that it is granted of some But as I said it is to be believed of little and very small sins as all idle words continuallie c. Thus unto Augustin's question Whether it be Gregorie answereth It is to be believed and that he gathereth out of one negative and contrarie unto the affirmative that he had confirmed by several sentences of Scripture And concerning the Text in 1 Cor. 3. he adds there Although this may be understood of the fire of tribulation in this life yet if one will take it of the fire of the future purging it may be diligentlie considered In the following chapter he sheweth his motive to think so But first consider that the Doctrine of the Church before him was that the dead doth not appear as Chrysostom to 1. de Laza. con 4. saith If souls did return to shew men what were done after this life Satan might verie easilie deceive the World for as when God sent Prophets Satan sent false Prophets when Christ came Satan sent false Christs when the Apostles were sent he sent false Apostles still mixing tares with wheat so if God did send the dead back into the World most easilie might Satan counterfeit that also not raising dead men but by deceiving the eies with false inchantments or by suborning some men to feign themselves dead or to say they have been dead and so he might confound all things But the all-knowing God hath prevented this falshood and he sparing us suffereth none to come from the dead to tell the living what things are done there to the end we should learn and believe the Scriptures But now Pope Gregorie saith he was induced to think that there is a purging fire after death because the soul of Paschasius a Deacon of Rome in the contention betwixt Laurentius and Symmachus had appeared before Germanus Bishop of Capua as he heard it said when he was young in a bathe and did service unto him and when the Bishop asked him Why he was there he answered For no other cause am I appointed to this place of punishment but because I was on the side of Laurentius against Symmachus but I beseech you pray the Lord for me and by this you shall know that he hath heard you if when you return hither you shall not find me The Bishop did so and after a few daies returning he found not Paschasius in that place Thus we see what was Pope Gregorie's opinion of Purgatorie and what were his grounds and motives Bellarm. de Purg. lib. 1. cap. 7. promiseth to prove Purgatorie by more apparitions from testimonies of most grave Authours but he cannot alledge one before this Gregory who as I said before from Mel. Canus was too credulous In a word as Roffensis hath well observed and ingeniously confesseth in Respons contra Luther art 18. and Pol. Verg. de invent rer lib. 6. cap. 1. repeats it Little or no mention of purgation is amongst the ancients and the Greeks untill this day believe it not so long as there was no fear of Purgatorie none sought indulgences for upon it depends all esteem of indulgences The beginning of indulgence take away Purgatorie and what need is there of indulgence say they Nor was it universally believed in the Latine Churches nor was it reckoned an article of faith till it was established by the Councel at Florence an 1439. where the Greeks did oppose it till they were hastning to an end and then they would not strive against the word but would never believe the thing 4. About the same time another
question like unto the former began to Prayer for the dead decline from worse to worse to wit Whether it be lawfull to pray for the dead We read of the practice and divers opinions of the Ancients but some of them bring no confirmation of their opinions from Scripture and their diverse opinions were according as they thought diversly of the condition of departed souls all did consider the souls either in the estate of salvation or damnation Some Greeks did believe the souls of the Elect to be without the Court of Heaven in a place of rest as they call it So saith Chrysostom on 1 Cor. hom 39. What saiest thou Paul shall not the souls live yea and shall be immortal but although they were six hundred times immortal yet without the flesh they shall not enjoy these wonderous good things neither shall they be punished with pain for if the bodie rise not the soul shall remain uncrowned and without the bless of Heaven And before him Irenaeus lib. 5. near the end saith Seeing the Lord went away in the midst of the shadow of death where the souls of the dead were and thereafter he arose again bodily and after his resurrection was taken up it is manifest that the souls of his Disciples for whom the Lord did these things shall go into an invisible place appointed of God for them and there they shall abide awaiting the Resurrection and thereafter when they have received their bodies and are perfectly risen that is corporally they shall come into the presence of God Unto them may be adjoined Theophylact though he lived in another age on Hebr. 11. near the end he saith Without us that is without our honour and glorie for lest they might seem to take that which belongeth unto us he hath appointed one time for crowning all men neither saith the Apostle they shall not be crowned but they shall not be perfected that is receive perfection whereby it appears that then they are perfected when they receive their Crowns and in the mean time they have a most sure pledge of their honour and glorie Doth not God wrong them seeing they have been first in suffering that they must await us but such delay is very acceptable unto them that they may with their brethren receive perfection and glorie we are all one bodie and surely it is great pleasure unto the bodie when it is wholly crowned c. The same is the Doctrine of the Greek Churches at this day as I learned from Antonius who had famous attestations calling him Metropolitan of Dirrachium when he was in Scotland an 1626. But many of the ancient Greeks thought otherwise for Polycarpus a Disciple of the Apostles and placed Bishop of Smyrna by them who saw the Lord in an Epistle unto the Philippians saith Paul with the rest of the Apostles being perswaded for certain that all these ran not in vain but in faith and righteousness now resting with the Lord. Euseb hist lib. 3. cap. 36. according to the Greek and 32. in English Iustin Martyr lib. Quaest resp ad orthod qu. 75. After the departure of the souls out of the bodies immediately the just are separated from the unjust and are carried by Angels where they injoy the companie and sight of Angels and Arch-angels by seeing our Saviour himself as it is said We are from or without the bodie and are present with the Lord But the souls of the unjust go into Hell Athanasius lib. de Virginit near the end There is no death unto the righteous but a translation for they are translated out of this World into everlasting rest not otherwise than if one were going from his Watch so the Saints depart from this evil life unto the good things that are prepared for them which the eye hath not seen nor the ear hath heard nor have entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that love him on the other side Hell waiteth for the sinners And Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria on Ioh. lib. 12. cap. 36. We should believe when the souls of Saints depart out of the bodies they are commended unto God's goodness as into the hands of a most dear Father neither do they abide on earth as some Unbelievers have thought untill they be honoured with burial nor are they carried as the souls of sinners into the place of torment another way being prepared for them by Christ but they flie into the hands of the Father for He also delivered his soul into the hands of the Father to the end that beginning at it and by it we might have certain hope of this believing firmly that after death we shal be in the hands of God and live a far better life and for ever with Christ therefore Paul did wish to be dissolved and to be with Christ They of the Latine Churches were of this faith as is manifest out of many parts of Cyprian especially lib. de mortalit he saith We should not put on black cloaths for them who have now received white robes nor should we give occasions to check us as if we mourn for them as lost and gone whom we say that they are living with God And near the end he saith Who being abroad will not hasten to return into his native soil Who desiring to sail home doth not earnestlie wish a fair wind that he may quicklie embrace his dear friends We call Paradise our native Countrie and have begun to call the Patriarchs our Parents why then do we not hasten and run that we may see our native soil and greet our Parents A great companie of friends do expect us how sweet is the great pleasure of the heavenlie Kingdoms without fear of dying and with eternitie of living how great and perpetual is that felicitie there is the glorious Queer of the Apostles there is a number of rejoicing Prophets there is an innumerable multitude of Martyrs that are crowned after their warring and suffering there are who having kept the Lord's commandments have translated their earthly Patrimonies into the heavenlie Treasures Beloved brethren let us with all earnestness hasten that we may be speedilie with them and let us wish that we may come soon unto Christ Bellarm. lib. 1. de Sanctor beat cap. 5. declareth the same of the Fathers generally excepting only some few who did believe otherwise as Lactantius did believe that all souls both of good and reprobate did remain in one place till the day of resurrection Instit lib. 7. cap. 21. Augustine in Ench. ad Laur. cap. 68 69. hath that opinion that I have mentioned lately But in Ioh. tract 49. he saith All souls departing this life have not the same mansions the good have joy and the wicked have torments And on Ps 116. he saith All the just all the holy men behold in the face of God that which is written unto us Now to return unto the prayers and oblations for the dead Augustine in Ser. 32. de
more and more and the Church was wondrously darkned with mens Traditions apparitions of spirits were frequent which when the Bishops and Priests did receive they were deceived and made no small Apostasie from the true faith into the confidence of merits and mens satisfactions So that Iohn de Molin in Specul Carmel cap. 6. hath truly observed that from the time of the Emperour Heraclius unto his own time The day declined to the evening and the Church hath suffered an Eclipse yea and almost made defection Io. Bal. cent 1. 74. appr 2. About these times saith another men were as it were made for barbaritie and many of the Ancients in whose books was the doctrine and acts of antiquitie being forsaken through negligence did suffer another and worse death In all which following calamities the Monks were not the least Agents for when the Monkish life was had in admiration the Popes thought them the fitter instruments in prosecuting their pleasure Before that time they had not authoritie to preach the word nor administer the Sacraments as may be seen at length in Gratian. caus 16. especially qu. 1. cap. Adjicimus there is an ordinance of Pope Leo I. that none but the Priests of the Lord should preach the word whether he were a Monk or Laick whatsoever measure of knowledge he had and Cap. hinc est etiam it is said The Ecclesiastical historie testifieth that untill the daies of Eusebius Losinius and Siricius Monks were only Monks and not Clergie And Gregorie lib. 4. Ep. 1. No man can serve in the Office of a Church-man and continue in a Monkish rule ordinarily And they all were Laicks except the Abbot saith Bellarmin de Monac lib. 2. cap. 4. and Spalatens de Rep. Eccles lib. 2. cap. 12. proveth it at length but they were subject unto the Priests of the Parish in receiving the Sacrament or if they were many they had their own Priest as Epiphanius ordained Paulinian Priest of Saint Jerom's Monasterie Bellarm. de not Eccles lib. 4. cap. 10. But Pope Boniface the IV. gave them libertie to preach and his successours gave them power of binding and loosing and although they had not charge of souls they made them equal in power everie where with the Priests in their own Parishes Gratian. caus 16. qu. 1. Sunt tamen They did cloak their idleness with profession of povertie according to the order of Saint Basil Augustine and other fathers which rules of the late Monks were so far from the institution of the Fathers that they never had dreamed any such thing could follow saith Pol. Vergil de invent rer lib. 7. cap. 3. for according to the institutions Monks had nothing of their own neither did live chargeably unto others but upon the works of their hands and they gave their works unto their Decanus saith August de mori Eccles Cathol lib. 1. cap. 31. and in Reg. 2. tradita Fratrib cap. 2. he commandeth them to read some hours to pray some hours and to work some hours Chrysost hom 59. ad pop Antioch saith They know not begging and Bellarm. de monast lib. 2. cap. 43. and Durae contr Whitak fol. 387. out of Jerom Epiphanius and others shew that all the Monks in old times did work as the Apostle had commanded except one Monasterie of Saint Martin so writeth Basil in exercit ser 4. But in the seventh Centurie they had fair Cloisters Princely Abbies rich Revenues and what did they not purchase But no work at all amongst the most part of them so that Bernard crieth in Apolog. ad Guil. abbat O how far different are we from the Monks in the daies of Antonius And in Epist 42. he saith Work dark places voluntarie povertie these do nobilitate Monks but your eies behold everie thing your feet tread in everie market your tongues are heard in all Counsels your hands do pull unto you everie patrimonie As they were not sloathfull in their own affairs so when the Popes and Bishops began to have more care of policie preferment and such earthly things and each one to strive against the usurpation of another more then they did study the Scriptures Then the Benedictines and afterwards other sorts of hypocrites were sent under colour of preaching Christ but indeed to deceive the world and to perswade men to submit themselves unto the See of Rome The Monks propined the cup of fornication to all nations they perswade Kings to subject their Crowns unto the High-priest and they were the sowers of his superstitious rites and other errours as may be seen at length in the Historie of the Councel at Trent in the Congregations of the 4. and 5. Sessions where the Bishops and Rulers sought to take these liberties from Monks but the Romish Courtiers would not The Bishops of Spain and Gallicia in the 4. Councel at Toledo did espie this hypocrisie and Cap. 52. did ordain That Bishops should restrain all Religious persons so did the Monks call themselves as if there were no religion in others who were not of the number of the Clergie and went from place to place And each Bishop should compell them within his Diocie to return into some Monasterie or take them to a Parish unless they were dismissed for age or sickness This Act could not stand for the mysterie of iniquitie must go on So that justly doth I. Hooper Bishop of Glocester and Martyr an 1555. call the Monks the pale horse saying This pale horse is the time wherein hypocrites and dissemblers entred into the Church under pretence of true religion they killed more souls with heresies and superstition then all the Tyrants that ever were did kill bodies with fire sword or banishment as it appears by his name who sitteth upon the horse that is Death for all souls who leave Christ and trust to these hypocrites live unto the Divel in everlasting pain these pretenced and false hypocrites have stirred the Earthquakes that is the Princes of the World against Christ's Church Letters of Saints and Martyrs Printed an 1564. pag. 116. By their Sermons they did commend the primacie of the Pope everie where and Boniface the V. and then other Popes gave them so many Prerogatives that they who had the greatest desire of libertie became Monks Erasmus in Vita Hieron Yea and Kings forsaking their Scepter betook them to a Monkish life as Bambas King of the Goths in Spain and some retaining their Crowns professed themselves of the Order of Monks by dispensation With provision that they give Revenue to one Abbey or more and the Church that is the Popes and their Members the Monks suffer no loss or in a word that Monasteries may be enriched At first out of the Monasteries as Colledges were chosen Presbyters who were esteemed of an higher degree August Epist 76. ad Aurel. and Pelagius the I. Bishop of Rome writing to Antonia and Decia saith I wish that those who are nourished by us in this habit and in Monasteries may when they shall
but ye may see that Oswald did not worship the wooden Cross and that no such Cross is to be adored but that he set his mind on the suffering of Christ by which Cross or Suffering he did believe to be saved In the same Chapter he saith The Apostle saith not in vain Death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them which had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression who is the figure of him who was to come This figure of him who was to come I do so understand as the first Adam was the cause of our death even unto us who did not eat of the forbidden Tree so is Christ the cause of eternal life As the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil through its own nature had not death so the Tree whereby eternal life is granted unto us hath not this vertue of it self but of his vertue who although he was infirm for us liveth by the power of God which power can never and in no respect be resisted This is against the hymns of the Cross and the resistibility of God's grace In Cap. 17. he sheweth that the Romans had then candles and lamps of Wax and what signification they gave unto them he had not seen them before neither is there any record of them before that time and then saith By every thing should we bring Christ unto our mind as Augustine writeth to Januarius but foolish men who will not be amended should not think that these candles are to be adored because by them some similitude of Divine mysteries is figured seeing from every creature we may bring a similitude Doth he not here condemn all the devised rites of men Lib. 2. cap. 5. he speaketh against the keeping of Lent and denieth that the Authour thereof can be shewed And Cap. 25. The Office of a Bishop and a Priest is almost the same but because they differ in name and honour they are distinguished by variety of slippers or pantofles He hath many such rites and the meaning of them as seemeth by way of derision Lib. 3. Cap. 24. Christ took bread and also the cup whereof Cyprian saith to Caecilius We find that we observe not what Christ hath commanded unless we do also the same things which the Lord did and so mixing the cup we depart not from the Divine instruction Although he Cyprian hath concluded this of mixing the wine and water yet he may understand that it is to be done of the whole institution wherein consisteth the command of the Lord and of his Apostles So saith he and so do the Reformed Churches practice but the Roman Church doth not so Afterward Amalarius became Bishop of Trevers and was sent by Charls the Great unto the Emperour Michael and as Trithemius writeth from the Records of Trevers by his wonderfull industry and eloquence he did establish peace and amity between the two Emperours He died An. 813. 11. In the last part of this Century arose the great men in the service of Romish forgeries the Pope to wit Johannis Diaconus surnamed Digitorum and Riculph Bishop of Mentz John did forge the Bull of Constantine's donation wherein he would perswade the world that Constantine had given unto Bishop Sylvester and his Successours for ever the City of Rome with other Cities and parts of Italy Io. Bodin de Repub. lib. 1. cap. 9. ex Actis Vatica The falshood of this feigned donation was known unto the World by every History but at that time who did dare to controle it The Bishops and Clergy thought that it was for their advantage and there was no established Prince in Italy yet under pretence thereof the Pope did inlarge their power even although many did convince that donation of falshood Then Hincmar Bishop of Rhemes in his book against the Bishop of Laudun testifieth that Riculph in the daies of Charls the Great gathered together some forged Epistles of the old Bishops of Rome and brought them from Spain into France and binding them with the foresaid Donation gave them forth in the name of Isidore Of the authority of these Epistles Gratian hath written Dist 20. cap. de libellis there is an Epistle of Pope Leo the IV. directed unto the Bishops of Britan In the Epistle Leo taketh all the authority from the decretal Epistles and other Writs of Popes except Sylvester Siricius Innocentius Zosimus Coelestine Leo Hilarius Gelasius Ormisda and Gregory These saith he are all and only by whom the Bishops do judge and by whom the Bishops and Clergy are judged if any doubt cannot be determined by them nor by Augustine Jerom Isidore and other holy Doctours it should be brought unto the Apostolical See But all others that were before these with one dash he contemneth that is he renounceth all the writings of the Bishops of Rome who lived the first 300. years as suppositions The Authour of Catal. test ver lib. 8. is very large in describing the usurpations and many policies of the Popes for inlarging their power and incroaching upon Bishops in several Nations as also their infinite rites that were then devised 12. In the daies of Dagobert King of France Rudbert was Bishop of Some Provinces in Germany and Hungary receive the faith Worms a singular good man and very learned and Theoto was Duke of Bavaria an Heathen yet hearing of the good fame of Rudbert he sent and intreated him to come into his Country The good man went and was received by the Duke in Ratisbon with great liking and did teach him the Christian religion and then did inform others both noble and ignoble all along the Danube thence he went unto Vualarium and Juvavia where the Christian faith had been taught long before there were some Churches but were decayed as Rudbert understood by report therefore he sought leave from Theoto to go thither to reform these parts so finding many people willing to be informed he returned into Worms and brought other twelve Teachers into these places with him and having established Churches did return in his old age and died in Worms At the same time Samo Duke of Slavi an Heathen did kill several Merchants coming from France for to trade in his land and took their goods therefore Dagobert sent an Army against Samo and brought him into subjection Not long thereafter the Hunni did oppress that land and their Duke Boruth sent for aid unto the Bavarians who did overthrow the Huns and for keeping the Slavi under better obedience of the King they would have hostages Boruth granted to give his son Cacatius and his brothers son Chetumar and did desire to have them informed in the Christian faith When Boruth died Dagobert sent back Cacatius being now a Christian and after three years he dying Pipin sent Chetumar who was diligent to have Preachers and to instruct the people in the faith he did invite Virgilius Bishop of Juvavien who would not go but sent Modestus Wato Regimbert Latinus Gontharius Presbyters and
began to profess that the Divinity of the Poets was true at last he was challenged and condemned by the Patriarch Peter But many in Italy Sardinia and in Spain followed the same impiety and were punished some with the sword and some with fire Rodolp Histo l. 2. c. 12. 3. Berno excellent in all learning was set over the Augianes anno 1008. he wrote many Books in Marc. Evang. sect 3. he saith In the holy Scriptures do hang the armor of our salvation Serm. de concor offic c. 5. Our weakness can do nothing without God as Lazarus could not rise by himself Serm. de ascend Dom. Christ is the head of the whole Church and all the elect are his members At that time lived Oecumenius and Olympiodorus two famous Greek writers Guthet Bishop of Prague was famous for learning and holiness and was put to death by the enemies of the faith Platin. in Benedict 8. and in Benedict 9. he saith Gerard a Venetian and Bishop of Hungary a good and learned man suffered martyrdom the Infidels tied him to the wheel of a Cart and let it run from the top of an high mountain so that he was all crushed yet he suffered it with joy 4. Fulbert Bishop of Charties or Carnatum was a learned man sundry Sermons and Treatises that are among the works of St. Augustine are said to be his He wrote an Epistle to Adeodatus wherein he first reproveth a gross opinion of some men who held that Baptism and the Eucharist were naked signs Then he proveth that these should not be considered as mere and outward signs but by faith according to the invisible vertue of mysteries The mystery of faith it is called saith he because it should be esteemed by faith and not by sight to be looked on as the spirit and minde and not as sight of body seeing onely by faith beholdeth the secret of this powerful mystery for what seemeth outwardly bread and wine now inwardly it is the body and blood of Christ we being encouraged by the authority of our true Master when we communicate of his body and blood we confess boldly that we are transfounded into his body and that he abideth in us Taste and see how savoury that meat is unless I be mistaken it tasteth like Angels food not that thou canst discern it with thy mouth but mayst taste it with thy inward affection open the mouth of faith enlarge the hope and the bowels of love and receive the bread of life even the food of the inward man from faith of the inward man proceedeth the tasting of the inward food while certainly by the infusion or preception of the gracious Eucharist Christ floweth into the bowels of the communicating soul when a godly soul receiveth into her chaste corners in that form wherewith she beholdeth him present with her under remembrance of the mystery and as the Spirit revealeth to wit as an infant lying in his mothers bosome or offered upon the alrar of the cross or lying in the grave or verily having trampled death under foot and rising again or carried high in glory above the heavens according to which forms Christ entreth into the acceptable habitation of the communicant and refresheth his soul with so many to speak so several blisses as are the ways that the eye of holy meditation can behold him neither let it seem a vain thing unto thee that we say that according to the beholding of a desirous soul Christ is found within the bowels of the communicant seeing thou art not ignorant that our fathers sojourned through the wilderness and were refreshed with Angels food to whom a fertile rain brought meat of one colour but of divers tastes and according to the appetite of every one it gave sundry delights of taste that whatsoever their appetit did covet the secret dispensation of the Giver did furnish the same to whom their gust gave what their eye could not see because it was one thing which was seen and another which was taken therefore wonder thou no more What Manna under the law did signifie by shadow the revealed verity of Christ's body layeth open in which body the divine Majesty condescendeth mercifully unto our weakness that with what sort of punishment mans body is punished he should taste the same in his body sensibly but God performeth this in the breast as he saith himself He who cometh of me shall live by me Now therefore the scruple or doubt is to be removed seeing he who is the Giver is a witness of the truth Then he illustrateth the same by comparison of a baptised man who albeit outwardly he be the same he was before yet inwardly he is another being made greater then himself by increase of invisible quantity that is of saving grace c. here is no word of substancial change of the elements the bread is still bread but we finde two other changes to wit the faithful are transfounded into the body of Christ and Christ is infounded into the habitation of a faithful soul yet so that Christ's body remaineth in the heavens and by the revelation of the Spirit faith beholdeth Christ present or lying in his mothers bosome and dying and rising and ascending and he entreth into the gracious habitation of a faithful communicant and refresheth him so many ways as is said Here also we see that the substance of bread remaineth as the substance of him who is baptised remaineth albeit inwardly he be another Biblioth part de le Bigne tom 3. 5. Berengarius Deacon of St. Maurice in Angiers was his disciple who hearing Math. Parisiensis calleth him Archiepisc Turonen a contrary error unto the former was broached in his days to wit that the bread of the Eucharist was the very body of Christ and the wine his blood substantially or properly Berengarius I say hearing this taught that the body of Christ is onely in the heavens and these elements are the Sacraments of his body and blood as followeth The occasion of this controversie at that time is written by Guitmund in his second book against Berengarius to wit when Lanfrank Abbot of Bec-heloin in Normandy was a boy in Italy it hapned that a priest as he saith saying Mass found very flesh upon the altar and very blood upon the chalice he burned to take them and immediately declared the matter unto the Bishop who assembling with moe Bishops ordained that that flesh and that chalice with the blood should be kept in that altar for ever as a most worshipful Relique From this deceiving Impostor many were moved to believe that the body and blood of Christ was present in the elements not onely sacramentally as the Fathers spake but substantially Berengarius wrote and preached against this Capernaitis error and therefore Adelman Bishop of Brixia wrote unto him In the beginning he saluteth him his holy and beloved Brother and condisciple under Fulbert Bishop of Carnatum Then he sheweth he heard it reported that Berengarius
to tell you plain too much commoved without cause your Fatherhood may consider that the days be evil 1. The holy Land lieth in misery and peril 2. All the Greek Church is departed from us 3. Frederick the mightiest Prince of Christendom is against us 4. Both your Holiness and we are exiled from your Papal seat and thrust out of Italy 5. Hungary and all the Nations thereabout look for nothing but utter ruine from the Tartars 6. Germany is tossed with intestin wars 7. Spain is fierce and cruel against us even to the cutting out of Bishops tongues 8. France is by us impoverished and like to conspire against us 9. Now wretched England so oft plagued by us much like Balaam's ass goared with spurs begineth to complain of her intolerable griefs and we after the maner of Ismael hating all men do provoke all men to hate us ...... Matth. Parisien ad An. 1246. But Innocentius would relent nothing yea made his exaction more grievous and began to excite Lewis King of France to slay or expel King Henry France remembred former times and Lewis refused to vex his Cousin But saith the before named writer the hearts of all men were provoked to mislike the Pope and Church of Rome whereof the one sought to be esteemed a Father and the other to be the Mother of all Churches but he proved a step father and she a step-dame 4. In the year 1222. the in-dwellers of Caithnes refused to pay tenths unto Adam their Bishop and therefore he excommunicated them all then they came into his house and in his chamber they slew a Monk and his Servant and they drew him into his kitchin and burnt him with all the house Pope Honorius rested not till he had caused King Alexander to hang four hundred of them and the Earl of Caithnes hardly obtained pardon albeit he was not accessory unto the deed Boet. lib. 13. cap. 14. About that William Bishop of St. Andrews brought from France some Dominicans Franciscans Jacobines and some Monks called vallis umbrosae these by their crafty insinuations with people did supplant the credit of Priests and drew unto themselves both credit and means of the Ministry and were maintained by the Popes because they studied especially to advance their designs Spotsw Hist p. 43. 5. Nigellus Vireker a learned and much respected Monk at Canterbury writ a Book De abusu Verum Ecclesiae and sent it unto William Bishop of Ely Chancellour of England a man saith Bale most envious In this Book he rebuked not the proud Prelate only but all Teachers under the Tyranny of the Pope because they committed the cure of souls unto children belly-gods and despisers of the sacred Word 6. Walter Mapez Arch-Deacon of Oxford was once sent by King John unto Rome after his return he did write several books against the Pope and his Clergy closely reproving the Pope somtimes under the name of Goliah somtimes of Pluto and shewing manifestly that then Antichrist was reigning in the World He had a fellow with him who made shew of a Pleasant or Rimer but all his rimes were said to be written by Mapez himself In them he plainly paints forth the Roman Court and calleth the Prelats proud beasts The rimes begin thus Roma Caput Mundi sed nil capit mundum Quod pendet à Capite totum est immundum Trahit enim vitium primum secundum Et de sundo redolet quod est juxta fundum Roma capit singulos res singulorum Romanorum Curia non est nisi forum Ibi sunt venalia jura Senatorum Et solvit contraria copia nummorum In hoc Consistorio siquis causam regat Suam vel alterius hic imprimis legat Nisi des pecuniam Roma totum negat Qui plus dat pecuniae meliùs allegat c. Io. Bale In Catalog test verit lib. 14. we find these rimes ascribed unto this Mapez Vide Deus ultionum Vide videns omnia Quod spelunca vespillonum Facta est Ecclesia Quod in Templum Solomonis Venit Princeps Babylonis Et excelsum sibi Thronum Posuit in medio These words are to no sense unless the Temple signifie the Church of Christ and the Prince of Babylon signifie the Pope of Rome 7. An. 1237. was a conference at York between Henry the III. King of England and Alexander the II. King of Scots where they did accord upon the matters of debate between the kingdoms Then Otto the Pope's Legate would go into Scotland for redressing as he said the affairs of the Church But Alexander said unto him I remember not that evera Legate was in my Land neither have I need of one thanks be unto God neither was any in my Father's time nor in any of my Ancestours neither will I suffer any so long as I may Otto returned with King Henry Matth. Parisien Nevertheless this Alexander did suffer Peter Red to take away 3000. pounds for the Pope which no King of Scotland had suffered before Idem ad An. 1240. But Boet. lib. 13. cap. 20. addeth He sent the Earls of Carrict and Athale to accompany Lewis King of France into Syria and he sent unto the Pope a thousand marks lest he should think himself despised 8. Robert Grosshead alias Capito Bishop of Lincoln was the most renowned Bishop of his time a godly man an admonisher of his King a fearfull rebuker of the Pope a bold reprover of Prelates a corrector of Monks a directer and teacher of Priests a favourer of Students a Preacher to the people a defender of fatherless and widows a persecutor of the incontinent a searcher of the Scriptures a lover of truth a hammerer and contemner of the Romans saith Matth. Paris In the year 1237. his own Clarks gave him poison in a drink but as it pleased God he escaped death at that time by help of medicine The Priests which taught not the word of God but human traditions he called the Ministers of Satan theeves of the night robbers in the day corrupters of manners murtherers of souls and Angels of darkness and he called their exemptions snares of the Divel An. 1253. Pope Innocentius sent unto him a Letter commanding him to provide a Canons place for an Italian in his Diocy nihil obstante He returned answer I am most willing to obey Apostolical commandments but those things which are contrary unto the Apostles command I will gain-stand since I am obliged unto both by the command of God ..... The tenor of your aforesaid Letter agreeth not with Apostolical holiness but plainly disagreeth 1. Because by that word non obstante in that and so many other Letters do abound a deluge of inconstancy shamelesness lying deceiving difficulty of trusting any and innumerable other vices following thereupon shaking and confounding the purity of Religion and the quietness of all sociable conversation ..... 2. Except the sin of Lucifer which is also the sin of Antichrist there cannot be a greater sin nor
unto the Councel of Constance this was four moneths before the going away of Pope John which was judged a most fit time to treat of that purpose He began his Preface with the words of Bernard in Serm. 33. in Cantic A rotten malady creepeth to day through all the body of the Church and the further the more desperately ... seeing from that time the Church hath become worse and worse continually after the fearful darkness of so many schisms unless timely provision be made more fearful things may be feared to insue according to the Prophâ—sies of Abbot Joachim Then he sheweth what he thinketh needful unto Reformation 1. That General and Provincial Councels be kept especially General Councels for amending all Persons and Estates neither should remedy be looked for from the Church of Rome because many are suspicious that she dissembleth and is unwilling to have Councels that she may râ—ign the more at her own pleasure and usurp power over other Churches Because before Constantine it was not free unto the Church to hold General Councels openly then arose many Heresies therefore it is no marvel that in these last times when Councels have been contemned that she is fallen into divers schisms and other infinite evils as experience teacheth General Councels are necessary for Reformation of the body of the Church especially the Roman which must be Reformed Whereas the Gloss saith in Dist 19. c. Anastasius The Pope should ask the Councel of Bishops When matters of faith are to be inquired it is to be understood not only of the articles of faith but of all those things also that concern the universal estate of the believing Church and otherwise it is dangerous to commit our faith unto the arbitrement of one man And if ever they were necessary far more now to procure an union of the Greeks with the Latines to repress the enterprises of the Turks who having destroyed the Empire will rush into the Church and straw a way unto the Antichrist as now many most godly men fear both these dangers at hand 2. For Reformation of the Roman Court it is sufficient that there be but one Cardinal out of every Province because the Cardinals are the causes of schisms and the Pope should provide to relieve ease and to remove the grievances of the Nations he should abate the exactions his pomp and luxury he should not excommunicate but in weighty causes as was done in the primitive Church 3. Prelates should not be chosen young imprudent nor ignorant but of ripe age apt to teach exemplar in manners moderate in lives not medling with weapons or worldly business abstaining from pomp in clothes and horses and feasts hating all simony they should moderate the Lent in respect of some persons and circumstances they should bring the Divine Service to devout brevity repress the number and variety of Images in Churches put order to new Feasts and Saints that men cease from work only upon the Lord's day and the most famous Feasts that have been appointed by the Church because when people are idle sin is multiplied in Taverns dancings and other abuses 4. He cometh to the Reformation of Monks in respect of their multitude and pernicious diversity and he taxeth the Romish Court that they dispise Divines and advance only such as can bring gain so that now it is come into a Proverb The Church is not worthy if Papists will have the word meretur expounded so to be governed but by wicked men c. He complaineth also of Pagan abuses and diabolical superstitions at Rome but saith he as there were seven thousand who Note never bowed to Baal so we may be confident that there are some desirous of the Churches Reformation This Book is in Fascic rer expetend and was presented unto the Councel November 1. An. 1415. But they who should have reformed were to be reformed and so little or nothing was done 14. Thomas Rhedonensis a French Carmelite and as Antoninus saith a famous Preacher went to England France and Italy and in his Sermons said Rome is the mother of abominations the Church hath need of great Reformation Prelates should leave their pride and luxury and follow the example of Christ and his Apostles For such preaching he was burnt in Rome at the command of Pope Eugenius An. 1436. Baptista Mantuanus speaking of this mans death lib. de vita beat c. ult saith Ah mad envy what doest thou thou hast not killed him for his soul cannot die but by hurting his earthy body he is the sooner partaker of eternal life Catal. test ver lib. 19. 15. Laurentius Valla a Senator's Son of Rome and Canon of St. John of Lateran about the year 1420. wrote a Book which he calleth a Declamation against the pretended donation of Constantine In the end thereof he shews the estate of the Church saying I say and I cry for I trust in God and do not fear men In my life time hath been in the high Priesthood no faithful nor wise Steward he hath not given bread to God's family the Pope annoyeth with wars people that love peace and stirreth up Princes and Cities he maketh his advantage not only by the loss of the Republick so as Verres or Catilina durst never attempt the like but of the Church and holy Ghost so that Simon Magus would abhor it .... In no place is there any Religion no holiness no fear of God and which maketh me tremble when I speak it wicked men bring the excuse of all crimes from the Pope for in him and his Court is the example of all wickedness that against the Pope and them that are nearest unto him we may say with Isaiah and Paul The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles for you ye who should teach others teach not your selves The late high Priests abounding in wealth and pleasures seem to contend to be as ungodly and foolish as the ancient Bishops were holy and wise and by their shame to surmount the praises of the former There also he complaineth that they have corrupted the faith with old wives fables and that they are not ashamed to preach what a Christian should be ashamed to name And he saith unto the people When we discern bad money we throw it away and we will not discern a bad Lord but will keep him still All the Book is such For this Book he was forced to flee But he was received honorably by Alfonso King of Naples and was his Secretary Orthae Gra. in epist post declam 16. Thomas de Corsellis a Frier had a large Oration in the Councel of A Councel is above the ope Basil Aen. Sylvius hath inserted it in his Commentaries There he proves that the Councel is above the Pope the Pope may err and experience shews it when the Pope abuseth the keys he may be deposed if he hear not the Church he is a Publican and Heathen a general Councel representeth the Church some for vain glory
John Major à Scot famous Professour of Divinity in Paris publisheth some propositions which he handleth more largy on lib. 4. Sentent dist 24. quaest 3. First the most great high priest hath no temporal government over Kings c. 2. If thou say he succeded unto Christ and Christ is Lord of all thou canst not prove that Christ according to his manhood is Lord of all seing he said unto Pilat My Kingdom is not of this World and albeit the antecedent were granted the consequent is weak and impossible to be proved for the Vicar is not of such authority as his Superiour and Christ did institute Sacraments and gave the law of grace and he may revoke all the positive law of Godâ— but the Pope may not doe so 3. If we grant the contrary then it followeth Constantin gave nothing unto Silvester but only restored his own unto him but the contrary is dist 96. c. Constantinus 12. q. 1. c. Futurum 4. The Popes confesse that temporal jurisdiction belongeth not unto them neither will they derogate from the right of Kings Innocentius III. in cap. Novit de judiciis and Alexander in C. causam Qui filii sint legitimi 5. Many devote Kings who are canonized by Popes never acknowledged the Pope of Rome to be their superiour in temporal things and died in that belief for earthly power dependeth not upon the Spiritual power of the Pope as a Centurion on his Colonell but as two powers that are not subordinate or whereof the one dependeth not on the other for a King is not the vassall of the Pope so neither is the Emperour any way subject unto him These were not the opinions of one Scote alone but the common tenentes of France as is also manifest because on the 27. day of March An. 1517. was a solemne appellation of the Vniversity of Paris in their general congregation at S. Bernards for themselves and for all who would adhere unto them by their Proctour Arnulph Monnart before William Huk Docto. V. I and Dean as an authentik person because they could not compeare before him to whom they did appeale wherein they protest that they will attempt nothing against the catholick Church nor power of the Pope being wel advised then they declare that the Papall power maketh not the Pope impeccabilis that is such as can not sin neyther hath leave to sin and therefore if he command any thing that is not just he should patiently endure if it be not done which is wickedly suggested unto him neyther should obedience be given unto him if he decree any thing to be established against the preceptes of God yea justly may he be resisted But if he be aided with assistance of potent men who are perhaps deceived with wicked suggestion or no good Counsell so that he can not be resisted yet one remedy remaineth by the Law of nature which no Prince can take away to wit the remedy of appellation which is a kind of defense competent unto every man by the law of God of nature ofman Then they approove the Councells of Constance and Basile they do urge the constitutions made in them for reformation of the Church which was necessary at that time this they declare particularly to wit the remedies against simony annates c. In prejudice where of say they Leo X. in a certain assembly within Rome wee know not how yet not gathered in the Spirit of the Lord with whom nothing can be discerned nor decerned aganst the law of God Holy Councells he I say gaping after his own lusts Iucre Therefore we the Rectour University feeling ourselves burthened wronged opprest doe appeal-from our Lord the Pope not being well advised in abrogating the ordinances of the said Sacred Councell of Basile of the pragmatike sanction in setting forth new statutes unto a Councell to be lawfully assembled instantly more instantly and most instantly protesting that we will prosecute this appellation by way of nullity abuse iniquity or any other way that we best may option remaining unto us c. The chieff members of the University did all subscribe solemnely and their seall was affixed Fasc rer expet Fol. 34 35. 22. Vlâ—ichius Vttenus caused to re print the book of Laurentius Valla against the forged Donation of Constantine and he prefixed an epistle unto Pope Leo An. 1517 where he saith Let it come to light if any thing hath been a long time hid and let it come with the more confidence as it is more true or hath been written the more sincerely What a booke is this which other Popes could not endure because they would not heare the truth ..... What doth that concerne you that they said It is written against the honour of the Ecclesiasticall estate or that they said it speaks amisse of the highpriests for certainly they were not highpriests which did forge the Donation of Constantine because they were not shepheards Nor was it the Church that received it because it was not the Congregation of believers in Christ For if these had been shepheards they would have fed Christs sheep and not invaded and devoured them And if they had been the Church certainly they had called the Nations unto life and liberty and not have drawn Empires and Nations under their yoke ..... Certainly all the most bitter speeches and all the most cruell deeds are justly due unto these high priests who have forged that detestable crime And why not unto robbers thieves tyrants For who is a more violent robber then he which catcheth so that he holds no measure in robbing such were they who upon the least occasion have gone into infinite boldnesse of robbing who have sold grace and for so long a time have set to sale pardons dispensations and bulls of I know not how many kinds who have appointed prices for remission of sins and have purchased gain from the punishments of hell ..... who are not content to crave extraordinarily once a year but sent so oft as they would to require some pretending for one thing and some for another some at is were for a levie against the Turks and some to build a temple in Rome unto bl Peter and they never doe it And when they had done all these things they would be called most blessed and most holy nor could they suffer a word to be spoken against their manners much less any thing to be done against them But if any man had spoken of liberty or made the least obstacle unto these robbers they would have raged against him to death and quickly have undone him ..... Therefore they were not shepheards because they did not save souls but undid them and they made the sheep of Christ a ready prey unto the devouring wolves I say therefore they were not shepheards but rather wolues nor guardians but traitours and thieves Wherefore it is lawfull to speak ill of them for certainly God did not regard them seing they regarded
Pope gives the bishoprick unto Adolph Count of Schavenburg and writes unto the Estates of the Province to accept him and so doth the Emperour The Clergy obey readily but the Civil Estate complain that they are unjustly deprived of their godly Bishop So both had their parties but Herman chuseth to quit the Bishoprick and did renounce it Januarie 20. 1547 and with him Frederik Bishop of Munster was deprived of the Provestry of Bonna and the Count of Stolbergh was deprived of his Deanship because they did cleave unto Herman So the new Bishop restoreth the old errours at Colein Osiand Libr. Cit. Cap. 48 50. XXXVIII So bitter was the malice of the Papists against Luther A Popish lieing tale that in the year 1545. they put forth in print a tale of his death A horrible miracle say they and such as was never heard that God who for ever is to be praised in the fowle death of Martin Luther damned in body and soule shewed for the glory of Christ and confort of the godly When Martin Luther fell sicke say they he craved the body of our Lord Jesus to be communicated to him which having received he died soon after and when he saw his end approach he willed his body to be layd on the altar and to be worshipped with divine honours But God willing at last to make an end of horrible errours by a strange miracle warned the people to cease from the impiety which Luther had begun for when his body was layd in the grave on a sudden such a tumult terrour arose as if the foundation of the earth had bin shaken they which were present at the funerall grew amazed with fear and lifting their eies they saw the holy hoast hanging in the aire wherefore with great devotion they took it and layd it in the holy place when that was done the hellish noise was heard no more The next night a noise and tumult was heard about Luthers grave much lowder than the former and raised all that were in the City out of their sleep trembling and almost half dead for fear In the morning they open the sepulcher where Luther's detestable body was layd and found neither body nor bones nor cloathâ—â— but a stinck of brimstone coming out of the grave c. This merry tale being spread over Italy a copy was brought to Luther and when he read it he writes under these words I Martin Luther by this my hand-writing confesse testify that on March 21. I received this fiction concerning my death as it was full of malice and madnes and I read it with a glad mind and chearfull countenance but deteste the blasphemy whereby a stinkingly is fathered on the Majesty of God As for the rest I can not but rejoice laugh at the Devils malice wherewith he and his rout the Pope and his complices persue mee God convert them from their devilish malice But if this my prayer be for the sin unto death that it can not be heard then God grant they may fill up the measure of their sin and with such lying libels let them delight themselves to the full It 's also remarkable that when Luther heard some to be called Lutheranes and some Zwinglianes he was greatly offended and he entreated that his name be keept in silence and that none be called Lutheran but Christian What is Luther said he the doctrine is not mine nor was I crucified for any the Apostle would not have any Christians called Paulinianes nor Petrinianes whence therefore shall this happen unto mee that the children of Christ should be called by my vile name away with it ô friends away with schismaticall names Tom. 2. edit Witemb fol. 4. In Decemb. An. 1545. he was intreated by the Earls of Mansfield to be arbiter of a controversy Luthers Death between them for respect to their persons and the Province wherein he was born he would not refuse When he was fitting himselfe for this journey he said to Melanthon that he had gone too far in the controversy of the Sacrament Melanthon exhorts him to explain his mind by publishing some book he answered Thereby I may bring a suspicion upon all my doctrine but I will commend it unto God and I request thee to amend by thy watchfulness after my death what I have done amisse John Foxe in Act. Monim from the testimony of Melanthon Alex. Ales Daniel Buren Herbert de Langen c. January 17. he preached his last Sermon at Wittembergh on the 23. day he took journy he was sickly before he came to Isleben yet after some fomentations he recovereth a little and attendeth the business about which he came untill February 17. during this time he preached somtimes and administred the Lords Supper twice That day he dined and supped with his friends and among other discourses he was talking of heaven and said We shall know one another there as Adam knew Eve at the first sight After supper his pain increaseth in his breast he went aside to pray and then went to bed about midmight his pain wakened him out of sleep then perceiving his life at an end he said unto his friends attending him Pray God that he would preserve unto us the doctrine of his Gospell for the Pope and Councel at Trent have grievous things in hand When he had said so he was sleepy but the pain made him complain of a stopping in his breast and then he praied in these words Heavenly father even God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the God of all confort I give thee thanks that thou hast revealed thy Sonne unto mee in whom I have believed whom I have professed loved and preached and whom the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the wicked do persecute and reproach I beseech thee my Lord Jesu Christ receive my poor soul and heavenly Father though I be taken out of this life and shall lay down this my body yet I believe assuredly I shall abide for ever with thee and that none shall be able to pull me out of thy hands After this prayer he repeated the 16. verse of Joh. 3. and the 20. verse of Ps 68 and thrice he said Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit with tokens of much confort untill as a man falling a sleep by little little he departed this life His body was honourably convoied to Wittembergh and by appointement of the Electour was buried in the Tower-church in the 64 year of his age The next year the Electour was taken captive and when the Emperour came into Witembergh the Spaniards would have taken his body to burn it but the Emperour said Suffer him to rest till the day of resurrection and judgement of all men XXXVIII When the Electour was captive and many of the confoederats The reconciliation of the captive Princes were reconciled unto the Emperour the Electour of Brandeburgh and Duke Maurice did solicite for the Lantgrave Charles was high
was unexpected and calming herself a litle she said Wee will think how to remedy these evils in the best and quiet way The same day report was brought that a Minister had preached publickly in the Church of Perth this did provoke her yet more and calling the Lord Ruthuen Provost of the town She commandeth him to go and suppresse these of the new Religion He answered that he would make their bodies and goods subject but he had no power over their consciences She was more eommoved and vowed that she would make him and them repent of their stoutness When the day appointed for appearing of the Ministers drew neer the Professours went with them from all parts of the country in Anguise and Merns such was their zeal that scarcely any man abode at home all crying that they would go and give confession of their faith with their Ministers So many came before the day that the Regent was agast albeit they came without weapons Then She calleth for John Erskin of Dun and employeth him to dismisse that needless multitude and promiseth to do nothing against any of that sect Nevertheless in the Counsell all the Ministers were condemned and outlawed which had not answered John erskin seeing how none can trust her promises did hasten unto the Gentlemen at Perth from Strathiern Anguise Merns not as yet being severed and excused himself of the advice he had given Then they understood certainly that no favour was to be expected from the Regent VVhill they are in perplexity John knox newly being returned into the country comes to Perth and in a Sermon takes occasion to speak against the worship of images and exhorted the people unto constancy After Sermon this was May 11. some people abode in the church and then a priest not so much for devotion as for to try men's affection would say Masse he openeth a glorious case standing by the high altar wherin were many brave pictures A young man said This is intolerable the word of God condemnes it as idolatrie and wee stand and see it used in despite The priest gives the young man a blow the young man goeth and finding aston casts it at the priest and therewith breakes one of the images whereupon a stur is raised some fall upon the priest and others unto the images so that on a sudden all was pulled down that had any mark of idolatry Upon this noise in the church the people of the town gather in great numbers and run into the cloisters of the Dominicans Franciscans and Carthusians where they saw by experience that these were not poor men as they had professed the plunder was left to poor people the richer sort abstaining from any part of it they demolished these glorious edifices with such speed that within two dayes all the stones were removed They of Couper in Fife hearing of this did the like in their town and defaced all the instruments of idolatry which the Curate took so heavily that the night following he put violent hands in himself When this was reported unto the Regent She dispatches Letters to the Duke and others Earls of Argile and Athol willing them to come unto her with speed and she calleth for the French souldiers entending to surprise Perth unaworse and vowed to destroy man woman and child and turne the town into dust and salt it with salt as she was stirred up by the Prelats and priests crying in her ears Foreward foreward upon these hereticks and once rid the kingdom of them When they of Perth had intelligence hereof they assemblâ— to publick prayers and resolue to send a Supplication in this manner To the Queens Maiesty regent all humble obedience and duty premised As heertofore with ieopardy of our lifes and yet with willing hearts a supplication unto the Q. Regent wee have served the Authority of Scotland and your Majesty now Regent in this realm in service to our bodies dangerous and painfull So now with most dolorous mindes wee are constrained by uniust tyranny purposed against us To declare unto your Majesty that excep this cruelty be stayd by your wisdom wee shall be compelled to take the sword of just defense against all that shall persue us for the matter of Religion and for our conscience sake which ought not nor may bee subiect to mortall creatures further than by Gods word man is able to prove that he hath power to command us Wee signify more over unto your Ma. that if by rigour wee be compelled to seek the extream defense that wee will not only notify our innocency and petition to the King of France to our Mistress and to her Husband but also to the Princes and Counsell of every Christian Realm Declaring unto them that this cruell unjust and most tyrannicall murder intended against Towns and Multitudes was and is the only cause of our revolt from our accustomed obedience which in Gods presence wee faithfully promise to our Soverain Mistresse to her Husband and unto your Majesty Regent Provided that our consciences may live in that peace and liberty which Christ Jesus hath purchased unto us by his blood and that wee may have his word truly preached and holy Sacraments rightly administred unto us without which wee firmly purpose never to be subject to mortall man For better wee think to expose our bodies to a thousand deaths than to hazard our souls to perpetuall damnation by denying Christ Jesus and his manifast verity which thing not only do they who commit open idolatry but also such as seeing their brethren persued for the cause of Religion and having sufficient means to confort and assist them do nevertheless withdraw from them their comfortable support Wee would not your Ma. should be deceived by the false persuasions of these cruell beasts the Church-men who affirm that your Ma. needeth not greatly to regard the losse of us who professe Christ Jesus in this realme If as God forbid yee give eare to their pestilent counsell and so use against us this extremity intended it is to be feared that neither yee nor your Posterity shall at any time after this find that obedience and faithfull service within this realme which at all time yee have found in us Wee declare our judgements freely as true and faithfull subjects God move your Princely heart favourably to interpret our faithfull meaning Further advertising your Ma. that the self samething together with all things that wee have done or yet intend to do wee will notify by our letters to the King of France Asking you in the name of the Eternall God and as your Ma. tenders the peace and quietnes of this realme That yee inuade us not with any violence untill wee receive answer from our Mistress and her Husband and from their advised Counsell there And thus wee commit your Majesty to the protection of the Omnipotent From Santiohnstoun May 22. 1559 and it was subscribed thus your Majesties obedient subiects in all things not repugnant to