God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and tooke wiues vnto themselues whome they liked Gen 6. ver 2. And on the other parte when God will needes reueile his blessed will by the written word then will wee flie to vn writteÌ„ traditions euen to such as be repugnaÌ„t to the writteÌ„ word And so men become like to a shadow wheÌ„ the sun shineth in the East the shadow goeth toward the West when the sunne goeth down in the West the shadow inclineth to the East so do men obstinatly repine against the wil ofGod Beside this wee are to consider what great detriment hath ensued vpon those who leauing the certaintie of the written worde leaned vpon the vncertaintie of Apostolicke traditions Beside PAPIAS B. of Hicrapolis who fell into the errour of the Chiliasts CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS trauailed through many nations but tooke better heed to tradition then to the written word of God whereby it came to passe that he filled his bookes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with most vngodly and foolish opinions as hath bene declared in the historie of his life When we haue said all that we can say that place of the second epistle to the The ssalonians cap. 2. ver 15. ringeth so lowd in their eares that they can heare nothing that soundeth to the contraric wherefore we are to consider the illatiue words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is therefore which coupleth this verse with the preceeding text wherinto the Apostle admonished the Thessalonians of the comming of the Antichrist whose comming is after the working of Satan in all power and signes and lying wonders ver 9. And his comming shall be so strengthened by the hand of the deuil that he cannot be borne downe but by the breath of the mouth of God and brightnesse of his comming Now to the ende that the poore handful of the sheepe of Christ may be saued from the deceite of the Antichrist hee exhorteth them to adhere fast vnto the Apostolicke doctrine which they had receiued both by word and write Scripture is abused when it is wrested to another sense different froÌ„ the meaning of the writer but it is more abused when it is drawen to the cleane contrarie sense This place is set downe to teach vs to beware of the deceit of the Antichrist by fast adhering to the Apostolick doctrine but the Papists abuse it to make vs beleeue that their traditions repugnant to the word of God should haue alike authoritie with the writren word of God which is the ready way to fall into the snare of the Antichrist and not to be fred from his deceits To conclude like as DAVID did great honour to ABISHAI when as in great matters of weight importance hee tooke him to be his follower to viewe the host of SAVL 1. Sam. 26. ver 7. euen so God doth great honour to his holy scriptures when he vseth them as an instrument to doe his great works by them Christ reigneth as a King and he hath made his word to be the scepter of his kingdome Psal. 110. Christ is the shepheard of our soules the word is his shepheards staffe Ps. 23. Christ is the builder of his fathers house the word is the measuring line of the building Christ is our Sauiour and the word of God is the power of God to saluation toeuery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. ver 16. Seeing Christ hath done so great honour to the scriptures what are we that we should regard any thing spoken in the contrary God graunt wee may conforme our selues to the will of Christ Amen Of the doctrine of Deuils THe Heretiques called Gnostici disallowed mariage allowed fornication and the Heretiques called Encratite damned the eating of flesh and drinking of wine as a sinne and abhorred the Epistles of PAVL as hath beene declared in the historie and the Romanists themselues acknowledge that Gnostici and Encratitae were Heretiques and taught a doctrine of deuils as likewise the Manicheis of whome we shall speake in the next Centurie Godwilling but the doctrine of the Romaine church concerning prohibition of mariage and meates is different from the doctrine of Gnostici Encratitae and Manichaei True it is there is some difference concerning persons times some other circumstances For the Heretiques called Gnostici damned mariage in all persons the Romaine church damneth it only in the person of Priests men hauing church orders Likewise Eucratitae damned at all times the eating of flesh drinking of wine but the church of Rime only prohibits the eating of flesh at certaine seasons and vpon certaine dayes such as in Lent and vpon Fryday c and that without prohition of drinking of wine moderatly Thirdly the Manicheis counted the good creatures of God flâ—…sh and wine to be in themselues polluted and vncleane but the Romaine church thinketh not so but for memorie of the Lordes suffering for mortification of the flesh for preparation to receiue the sacraments and for testimonie of obedience to the vicar of Christ successor of PETER it is necessary to abstaine in maner abouewritten This difference is cast in to exeeme the Romaine church from the imputation of the doctrine of deuils yet is not the difference very great for the Romaine church forbiddeth mariage meats to some men at all times and to all men at sometimes but consider againe that differences of magis and minus that is of more and lesse doe declare a communion rather then a contrarietie as IRENEVS speaketh Plu. minus non de his dicitur quae inverse communionem non habent sunt contrariae naturae pugnant aduersus se sed de his quae sunt ejusdem substantiae communicant secum solum autem altitudine magnitudine differunt lib. 4. cap. 22. As a litle water and a litle fire differeth from a great water and a great fire not in substance but in quantitie euen so the Papistes differ from the Manicheis not in substance but in the discrepance of Plus and Minus The wordes of the Apostle are the ground whereupon all this treatise is founded Nowe the Spirite speaketh euidâ—…ntly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing beede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of deuils speaking lies in hypocrisie hauing their conscience seared with an hote yrone forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiuâ—…d with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue and kâ—…ow the trueth for euery creature of God is good and nothing to bee refusâ—…d if it be receiued with thankâ—…sgiuing 1. Tim. 1. 2. 3 4. In these words the Popish church will grant that the Mam. hets and other forenamed Heretiques are damned but they denie that these predictions of the holy Apostle doe damne the doctrine of the Romaine church anent forbidding of mariage to some persons and meates at some times as a doctrine of deuils crying out that it is not to be
followed the opinion of ORIGEN without examining it in the balance of holy scripture Ambros. in Psal. 118. saith that all men must goe through the fire at the latter day euen IOHN himselfe the belooued disciple of Christ of whose death also some doubted yet no man can doubt of his passing through the fire Thus AMBROSE suffered this opinion of ORIGEN to sincke into his heart as though it had beene the vndoubted Oracle of God which no man should call in question HILARIVS maketh no exception of the blessed Virgine the mother of our Lord in Psa. 118 but she must also go through this fire at the latter day And this is a foolish thing to followe any man further then he doth follow Christ the warrant of the written word of God 1. Cor. 11. And therefore the first generall Councill Ann. 551. as wise behind the hand was compelled to examine the bookes of ORIGEN to excōmunicat himself albeit dead long afore to damne his books and vaine opinions specially anent his Purgatorie This Origenian errour before it was seriously impugned it was changed to the worse and grew neerer to the originall of PLATOES Phlegeton againe for ORIGEN AMBROSE and HILARIVS spake of a fire that should burne at the latter day which al men behooued to passe through before they could enter into the place of refreshment but PLATO in his dialogue Phedo spake of a flood of fire whereinto men behoued to bee tried and purged immediatly after their soules were separated from their bodies and what soules I pray you Not the soules of the best men which went to heauen nor the worst men for they went to hell but the soules of men that were not into a mid rancke neither very good nor very euill This opinion I say somewhat neerer to the opinion of PLATO then to the opinion of ORIGEN beganne to take place about the foure hundreth yeere of our Lord as the distinctions of AVGVSTINE clearely witnesse Valde bom valde mali non valde mali Augustin enchiridion ad Laurent Idem de octo Dulcitii quaest Thus wandering errours once taking place became like vnto a fretting canker euery day worse worse If any man think strange that so vile an error neither agreable to scripture neither yet to it self but changing the similitude of it as the Chameleon doth his collour it preuailed wonderfully and was so fastened into the peoples hearrts that scarcely can it be rooted out of their mindes in our dayes To this I answere that besides the authoritie of the fathers aboue specified who were entangled with errour euen they also who found out the opinion of Purgatorie fire to be erroneous and repugnant to scripture yet did they not fully and in all points impugne this false and lying doctrine but onely in a parte As namely AVGVSTINE refuteth that part of CLEMENS and ORIGENS opinion wherein they thought that the deuils and wicked men after suffering of long tormentes may possibly be forgiuen and finde mercy By one place of scripture he vtterly vndoeth that opinion Depart'vnto the cuerlasting fire prepared for Sathan and his angels Mat. 25. ver 4 And in the booke of the Reuelation And they shall bee tormented night and day for euer and euer Apoc. 20 August lib. 20. 21. de civit Dei Yet the other parte of the errour that tooke deepe root in his dayes AVGVSTINE knewe it better then he impugned it lest he should gain-say the receiued opinion among all the people who thought that the soules of many men after their death were tormented with fire for a while vntill a full satisfaction were made for the faultes that men committed in their life-time Against this opinion AVGVTINE speaketh but softly Non valde coarguo for sitan verum est that is I doe not greatly reprooue it possibly it is true August De civit De◅lib 21. cap. 26. This was also some strengthening of errour that it was not fully in all points clearely refuted by godly fathers whose comporting with the weakenesse of the people in a parte CHEMNIICIVS himselfe calleth prudence and wisdome but serious impugning of erroneous doctrine had beene more agreable to the will of God Alwayes AVGVSTINE in his doubtsome speach giueth no ground to Papists to make vp a newe article of faith anent Purgatorie For like as Constantinople was a great citie yet when it was shaken with an earthquake three dayes and three nights no man taried in that great towne to builde a new house during that time euen so AVGVSTINE is a great doctour yet when hee taketh him to forsitan or per◅aps this is not a sure ground to leane vpon This vnhappie conceit of Purgatorie fire had many handmaids waiting vpon her some going before and others following after her Before the conceit of Purgatorie goeth an opinion of our owne satisfactions For the faultes committed by vs after Baptisme if we do not perfitly satisfie for them before our death it resteth that in Purgatorie fire we should absolue the rest of our pennance that is vnfulsilled How much this first handmaide derogateth from the glory of Christ the Apostle witnesseth when he saith The blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne I. Ioh. I. making no exception ofsinnes after Baptisme committed The other handmaide preceeding the conceit of Purgatorie is praier for the dead albeit in all the old and new Testament there be not one example of praying for the deade or yet offering of sacrifice for the dead Pardon 's followed sometimes called indulgences in another sense then now they are these pardons I say are the handmaids following Purgatorie by which the B. of Rome as absolut commander of Purgatorie hath made vnto himselfe infinite gaine Before I proceede any further I exhort all true Christians as they detest Paganisme euen so to detest all Ethnick errours when they are creeping in into the sanctuarie of God The golden Eagle of the Romanes was more abominable when it was set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem by HEROD Ioseph de bello Iudaico lib. 1. cap. 21. then when it was set vp in the Capitoll of Rome And the image of CAIVS CALIGVLA sent to PETRONIVS his Deputie to be set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem made all the Iewes agast and they were more willing to die then to see their Temple so filthily abused with idolatrie Ioseph antiq lib. 18 cap. 11. It is more seemely then that the golden Eagle and image of CAIVS remaine at Rome where they were first fashioned then to bee brought to the Temple of Ierusalem And it is more seemly also that the opiniō of Purgatory remaine in the schoole of PLATO at Athens or in the schoole of CLEMENS at Alex andria rather then to send it abroade through all Christian Congregations to bee beleeued For Christians ought to be like to the forlorne sonne after he returned home againe to his father Luc. 15. Hee was so well fed and
Apostate who permitted no Councils to be assembled in time of his gouernement are haters of free and lawfull conuocated assemblies And incase good men fortuned to bee assembled together by any occasion as it happened in the Councils of Millan and Ariminum in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius the indeuours of the Emperour sometimes to circumueene at other times to terrifie or to wearie the honest mindes of vpright men plainely testified that hee was afraide of the sentence definitiue of a lawfull Councill Therefore let vs thinke with our heart and say with our mouth that lawfull assemblies are necessary for the furtherance of the Kingdome of GOD. Concerning the authoritie of Councils which is the principall subject of this Treatise there are three diuerse opinions Some with excessiue praises aduance Councils and count them equall to holie Scripture namelie the foure first Generall Councils The Councill of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and they compare them vnto the foure Euangels and to the foure Riuers of Paradise Others doe vilipende Councils and striue against them for euerie light cause as the Arrians did against the Councill of Nice for that one worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not founde in Scripture The third opinion is of those who neither will vilipende Councils nor equall them to sacred Scripture because holie Scripture is absolutelie and without all contradiction to bee belâ—…eued but Councils may bee corâ—…ected one by another as namelie Nationall Councils by Generall Councils and anterior Generall Councils by posterior at such times as thinges that were hidden from the vnderstanding of men before are brought to a more manifest light and notorious knowledge And in this opinion is that holy Father AUGUSTINE in his bookes written against the Donatists Now they who were in the first opinion to wit that the first foure Generall Councils were equall vnto the writinges of the foure Euangelists euery one of them leaned vpon an vnsure and deceitfull ground and so it came to passe that they were both deceiued themselues and likewise they deceiued others For Gratianus was the bolder so to speake because Pope Gregorie had spoken the â—…ame before him Pope Gregorie spake so because hee had a resolution in his owne minde to bee obedient to the acts of the Councill of Nice O but after him there commeth in a succession of Popes who will not bee content to bee ruled with the Canons of the Councill of Nice albeit they spake as Gregorie spake yet they did not as Gregorie did for they usurped jurisdiction aboue all the rest of the Patriarches expresse contrarie to the Canons of the Councill of Nice wherein it is statuted and ordained that the Bishop of Alexandria shoulde attende vpon the Churches of Aegypt and the Bishop of Rome should attende vpon the towne of Rome and the suburbicarie Churches according to the custome obâ—…erued of old What is this els but a mocking of the world in word to â—…ay that the 4. first Generall Councils are like vnto the 4. Euangelists and in deed manifestly to transgresse the ordinances of the Councill of Nice Are not the Bishops of Rome in this case like vnto Theophilus B of Alexandria when a great number of Monks came from the Wildernesse of Nitria to Alexandria of purpose to slay him Theophilus met them and with pleasant wordes mitigated their wrath for hee sâ—…id vnto them Brethren I see your faces as the face of God This he said not because he had a good liking of them but rather to bee free of their danger So doeth Gelatius and other Bishops of Rome speake reuerentâ—…y of the Councill of Nice to the end that the sixt Canon foresaide which they haue so manifestly transgressed may bee ouer-passed with the more fauourable pardoning of the transgressours because they speake good of the Councill If this bee a good forme of dealing let the wise Readeâ—… judge The Hypocrites also will praise the Law-giuer to wit the eternal GOD but they wil not be obedient vnto his Lawe yea they will take his Holy Couenant in their mouthes yet they hate to bee reformed But the Romane Bisshops should doe well either to bragge lesse of the Nicene Councill or els to be more obedient vnto the acts thereof Moreouer if the 4. first General Councils be like vnto the 4. bookes of the Euangâ—…l then is it as great a sin to falsifie the acts of the Coun. of Nice as to falsifie the Gospel of IESUS CHRIST according to S. Maâ—…hew But so it is that the Bishops of Rome for desire of preheminence falsified the acts of the Councill of Nice alleadging an act of that Councill whereby the Bishops of Rome were ordained to bee Iudges of appellation whensoeuer anie man did appeale from his owne ordinarie Bishop then shoulde his cause bee judgâ—…d by the Bishop of Rome But when all the principall Registers were sighted by the Councill of Carthâ—…ge no such constitution was founde in the Canons of the Councill of Nice for it was but an act of the Councill of Sardica and that both temporall and personall as wee haue before declared Therefore the sixt Councill of Carthage ordained such persons to bee excommunicated as should at anie time hereafter appeale from their owne ordinarie Bishop to anie Bishop beyond sea meaning inspeciall of the Bishop of Rome because the question agitat in the late Councils of Carthage was concerning his authoritie The second opinion concerning the authority of Councils is the opinion of Heretiques who altogether vilipend the authorâ—…tie of good Councils albeit they haue weyed mens opinions in the just ballance of the holy Scripture onâ—…ly and haue rejected no doctrine but that onely which being weyed in that most perfect ballance is found light Concerning these men it is superfluous to speake much they are like vnto dogges whose friendship goeth by acquaintance and is not ordered by reason and therefore if a friend come to the house hee barketh at him because hee hath not seene him before but incase hee see a thiefe and prodigall waster of all the substance of his maisters house hee will not barke against him if so bee hee bee familiarlie acquainted with him euen so notable Heretiques they raile against the trueth of GOD euidently proued by Scriptuâ—…e and confirmed by authoritie of Councils onelie because they are well acquainted with the lye and they are strangers from the trueth of GOD. The third opinion is best of all the rest forasmuch as by it neither are Councils vilipended nor yet honoured out of measure but they are regarded in so farre as they speake that thing which GOD hath spoken in his sacred Scriptures before them No greater honour did the Councill of all Councils conuâ—…ened at Hierusalem desire wherein the Apostles were presâ—…nt who were taught in all trueth by the holy Spirit yet did they not prâ—…tende the warâ—…and of the Spirit without the warrand of the writtâ—…n
martyred at Rome ANDRO to haue beene crucified in Achaia MATTHEW beheaded in Ethiopta IAMES the brother of IOHN was beheaded by HEROD in Iudea Acts 12. IAMES the sonne of AIPHEVS called IVSTVS was throwne downe headlong from the pinacle of the Temple of Jerusalem SIMON of Canaan was crucified in the dayes of TRAIANVS for he was an hundreth and twentie yeeres old when he suffered martyrdome Euseb eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 32 Ierom. catalog script eccles BARTHOLOMEW is said till haue bene martyred in Armenia and SIMON ZELOTES to haue bene crucified in Brittaine IOHN died at Ephesus PHILIP in Hierapolis FVNCTIVS calleth the towne Hierosopolis Iudas LEBBEVS at Edessa THOMAS in India and MATTHIAS in Ethiopia Ierom. catal script ecccles As concerning the Euangelists they were fellow-labourers with the Apostles in the worke of Christ and were also partakers with them of Christs sufferings The Euangelist MARKE died in Alexandria Funct chronol LVKE in Buhynia others say in Constantinople Ierom. PHILIP who first was a Deacon and afterward an Euangelist died in Cesarea BARNABAS in the Isle of Cyprus Where TIMOTHIE and TITVS did compleete their dayes it is not certainly knowne CHYTRAEVS opinion anent TIMOTHIE I haue alreadie declared IEROM supponeth that TITVS died in Candie The successours of the Apostles Euangelists are not to bee reckoned as the successours of Emperours because hee who next obtaineth the Emperiall diademe and place of gouernement is counted the successour of the defunct Emperour But he who obtaineth a faithfull Pastors chaire and teacheth a doctrine contrarie to that which a faithfull Pastor hath taught is to be counted a grieuous Wolfe stepped vp into his roome Acts 20. And NAZIANZENVS calleth such a man an aduersarie standing vp into the place of a faithfull Pastor darkenesse succeeding to light a tempest succeeding to calme weather madnesse obteining place where right reason was wont to bee Nazian in orat in laudem Athanasu And therefore those Bishops and doctours following who keepe inviolably that forme of wholesome doctrine which they receiued from the Apostles these I say alanerly are to be counted true successours of the Apostles Of this number was LINVS Bishop of Rome who after the martyrdomes of PETER and PAVL gouerned that Church 10. yeeres 3. months 12. daies EUSEBIVS thinketh this is that same LINVS of whō the Apostle PAVL writeth in the last chap. of his 2. epist. to TIMOTHIE Eubulus Pudens Linus Claudia salute thee Eccl. hist. lib. 3. cap. 2. After him succeded ANACLETVS and gouerned 9. yeeres 3 months 10. dayes and after him CLEMENS ruled 11. yeeres EVSEBIVS also thinketh this is that CLEMENS of whom the Apostle PAVL writeth to the Philip. cap. 4 ver 3. Yea I beseech thee faithfull yoke-fellow helpe those women which laboured with me in the Gospell with Clement also and with other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the booke of life IGNATIVS Bishop of Antioch had his heart so inflammed with the loue of Christ that when his dissolution was neere approaching he saide to the Romaines nowe doe I begin to be the disciple of Christ I couet for no thing that can be seene with bodily eyes to the ende that I may enjoy Iesus Christ let the fire the crosse the beasts the breaking of bones convulsion of members and bruising of the whole body and the torments of the deuill sease vpon me prouiding I may bee partaker of Iesus Christ. He was deuoured with beasts in the dayes of TRAIANVS and so patiently indured death for the Name of Iesus that he allured the deuouring beasts to approach neere vnto his body that it beeing ground with the teeth of beastes he might be found as fine flowre in the house of his father Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 36. About the same time also flourished PAPIAS Bishop of Hierapolis who was a man of great authoritie because of his neerenes to the Apostles dayes yet leaning more to the report of the doctrine of the Apostles then to the certaintie of their own writings he fell into the errour of the Chiliastes who imagined that Christ should raise the godly first liue with them a thousand yeeres in this earth in all kinde of delicat pleasures Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 39. CENT I. Cap. 3. BEcause it is the accustomed dealing of Satan to peruert men from the simplicitie of Gods trueth also it standeth well with the justice of God to giue ouer men to strong delusions who will not beleeue the trueth of God Therefore in the third head wee are to speake of the Heretiques that sprang vp in this age Heresie I count to be an opinion repugnant to the grounds of our Christian faith obstinately maintained by those that professe the Name of Christ. As touching them who leade an euill life yea and in effect denie the Son of God by a prophane conuersation but maintaine not an opinion that it is lawfull so to doe they may be counted Atheists and not Heretiques Iewes and Turkes also who denie the diuinitie of Christ because they doe not professe the Name of Christ wee call them infidels but not Heretiques And the Corinthians who erred in some foundamentall points of the Christian faith yet seeing they maintained not their errour with obstinate mindes but yeelded to the wholesome doctrine of PAVL no man doth count the Corinthians Heretiques but infirme and weake Christians And the Apostle himselfe writing to them calleth them Gods building and Gods husbandrie 1. Cor. 3. ver 9. But when these three things concurre together that men professe the Name of Christ and yet they maintaine opinions repugnant to the very grounds of true faith and will not receiue instruction but obstinatly perseuere in their errour they are to be counted Heretiques Of this number was SIMON MAGVS the father of Heretiques who being confounded in Samaria by the great power of God which appeared in the ministerie of PHILIP and of PETER Acts 8. he fled from the East to the West and came to Rome where he preuailed so far in short time that he was counted a god and an image was set vp for him with this superscription Simoni deo sancto that is to SIMON an holy god Thus the Romaines who in the dayes of TIBERIVS refused to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ in the dayes of CLAVDIVS they honoured a sorcerer and a seducing Heretique with diuine honours He taught them who followed him to fal downe before pictures and images and in speciall to worship his owne image and the image of HELENA a certaine woman who accompanied him in his journey from Asia to Rome Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 2. cap. 13 14. After SIMON sprang vp another suppost of Satan called MENANDER like to his master SIMON in many things for he was both a Samaritane and a sorcerer but in absurditie of monstrous opinions hee was far beyond SIMON for hee said that the world was created by Angels and
similitude In like maner to represent the plenitude of his wisdome the vnspeakable goodnesse and vnresistable power of Christ this similitude is brought in Hee is a stone cut out of a rocke without hands Dan. 2. ver 34. Here is his natiuitie represented His sufferings by the similitude of a carued stone Zach. 3. ver 9. His latter judgement by the similitude of a stone that falleth vpon a man and grindeth him to powder the fulnesse of wisdome and vnderstanding in Christ by a stone full of eyes Zach. 3. ver 9. His power by a stone smiting the feet of the great image and destroying all the glory of it And finally his vnspeakable goodnesse by the similitude of a corner stone and of a stone that is a sure foundation The second comfort contained in this description is this that Christ is a precious stone a corner stone a sure foundation Wherefore Christ is called an elect or tried stone we shall heare Godwilling hereafter in the description that the Apostle PETER maketh of this same stone Now Christ is not like vnto the stones of other buildings more different one from another in place then in nature for the stone in the foundation is but a senslesse stone as wel as the stone of the wall that is builded vpon it And it is possible that if the house building be casten downe that some of the stones that were in the wall be laide in the foundation and some againe that were in the foundation be laide in the wall whereupon ariseth this vicissitude that the stone sometime sustained nowe sustaineth and by the contrarie the stone now sustaining sometime was sustained But Christ Iesus is a precious stone sustaining vs at al times and neuer sustained by vs partaker of our nature but not of our sinnes in many things like but in infinit things vnlike vnto vs holy blamelesse vndefiled separat from sinners and made higher then the heauens Heb. 7. And in this also that he is a corner stone hee hath a prerogatiue aboue all other corner stones for other corner stones joyne wals together that are not far distant one from another such as the side-wall and the gauell of an house but Christ hath joyned Iewes and Gentiles together so infinitly separate one from another that none could vnite them but Christ alanerly For who could cast downe the partition wall and abolish the lawe of ceremonies which made infinite alienation of the mindes of the Iewes from the Gentiles but onely Christ Ephes. 2. 14 The Prophet vnto the two comforts addeth an wholesome admonition that hee who beleeueth in him shall no make haste this speach is borrowed from men that make haste to flie from their townes and holes for feare of the force and power of the preuailing enemie as the people of the tribe of ISSACHAR did when SAVL IONATHAN were slaine by the Philistims vpon the mountaines of Gilboa they left their townes for feare and the Philistims dwelt in them 〈◊〉 Sam. 31. But they who haue once betaken themselues to the holy mountaine of God and rocke of their saluation Christ Iesus they haue no neede to make haste and to flie because in him they finde assured protection and defence The people of the Iewes in the daies of ISAIAH sent down to Egypt and had confidence in the horses of PHARAOH but they fande the strength of PHARAOH to be their shame Isa. 30. ver 3 And the Iewes in the dayes of IEREMIE who would not leane vpon the suretieof Gods promises and tarie in Ierusalem but they would needes flie to Egypt in Egypt they died by the sword Ier. 43. ver 16. But hee who leaneth with constant faith to this sure foundation shall not make haste or as the Apostle PETER expoundeth it Hee shall not be ashamed 1. Pet. 2. ver 6. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called a foundation as said is because it leadeth to Christ. Wherfore we haue to learne how firmly we ought to adhere vnto the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as a lanterne leading to Christ for this cause let no man mixe light with darknesse nor obscure the bright shining light of Apostolike doctrine with the traditions of men for this doctrine is like vnto pure gold Psal. 19. ver 10. And like as fine gold is marred with mixture because there is no other mettall in finenesse comparable vnto it euen so propheticall doctrine is vtterly spoyled when it is mixed with the traditions and doctrines of men For that is a mixing of drosse with golde and of rotten waters with pure and cleare waters After this vnhappie forme of dealing CAROLVS 5. Emperour presumed to mixe together the dregs of Poperie with the wholesome Apostolicke doctrine by the mercy of God professed in many nations as appeareth in the booke called Interim set forth at his commandement Anno 1548. which booke neither pleased the Romaine Church neither those of the true reformed religion but within the space of foure yeeres it wallowed and euanished as an abortiue birth Now it is to be remarked in this point what difference is betweene the persons of the Prophets and their doctrine The Prophets continued not long aliue Zach. 1. ver 5. but their doctrine continued because it was after a maner a foundation The like may be saide of the Apostles In like maner faith in some sense may be called a foundation Epist. Iud. ver 20. because it is the meane whereby wee are coupled to Iesus Christe Ioh. 3. ver 16. And the Apostle IVDE calleth it our most holy faith no doubt opponing faith to infidelitie for infidelitie vtterly polluteth the soule and maketh it prophaneHeb 3 ver 12. And in another place Let there be no fornicatour or prophane person like Esau who for one mease of meat sold his birthright Heb 12. 16 Thus wee see if infidelitie once take roote in the heart it will make it so prophane that the Couenant of God the land of Canaan the blessing yea and heauen it selfe will be set at light auaile But on the other parte when the heart is coupled by faith to Christ then is faith like vnto a whippe in Christs hande scourging out infinite abuses out of our soules Iohn 2. Now seeing that Christ is the onely true foundation by the determined counsell of God appointed to sustaine the weight of the whole house Let vs consider how meete a foundation Christe is in respect of all his offices for the Church is weake and Christ is an almightie King able to sauâ—… Isa 63. The Church militant is subject vnto sinne Christ is an high Priest whose sacrifice once offered hath a perpetuall vertue to saue those that beleeue seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Heb 7. ver 25. Finally the Church is naturally ignorant and Christ is the great Angel of the counsels of God who hath reueiled vnto vs all things needfull to be knowne Iohn 4. ver
the holy martyre of Christ POLYCARPVS B. of Smyrna He was willing to haue remained in the towne of Smyrna but by the earnest supplications of friendes was mooued to leaue the towne lurke secretly in the countrie Three dayes before hee was apprehended by his persecuters he dreamed that his bed was set on fire and hastely consumed which hee tooke for a diuine aduertisement that hee behooued to glorifie God by suffering the torment of fire His conference with the Romane Deputie and how he refused to deny Christ whom he had serued 80. yeres and euer found him a gratious Master also how he refused to sweare by the fortune of CAESAR and how patiently he suffered death for the Name of Christ this historie is set downe at length by Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 15. 16. IRENEVS B. of Lions in France and successor to PHOTINVS a martyr disciple of POLYCARPVS in his youth Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 5. flourished in the dayes of the Emperour GOMMODVS whose meeke conuersation peaceable cariage answering to his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is peaceable made his name to be in great account amongst Christians How he pacified the furie of VICTOR B. of Rome and the pernicious schisme springing vp in the Church of God vpon very small occasioÌ„ it hath bene alreadie declared He lacked not his own infirmities errours euen in doctrine He was intangled with the errour of the Chiliasts lib. 5. contra Valentin He supponed that as Christ being 30. yeere old was baptized so likewise he began to teach when he was 40. yeere olde and suffered when he was 50. because he came to saue all therefore he wold taste of al the ages of mankind Iren. lib. 2. cap. 34. Yet is this opinioÌ„ repugnaÌ„t to the narratioÌ„ of the 4. Euangelists CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS liued in the dayes of the Emperour COMMODVS He was the disciple of PANTENVS These two seeme to be the authors of Vniuersities and Colledges For they taught the grounds of religion not by sermons Homilies to the people but by catechetical doctrine to the learned in the schooles Bucolc Chron. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 11. This CLEMENS esteemed too much of tradition like as PAPIAS did of whome we spake in the former Centurie wherby it came to passe that he fell into many strange absurde opinions directly repugnant to the written word of God affirming that after our calling to the knowledge of the truth possibly God may grant to them that haue sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if we sin ofter then once or twise there is no more renuing by repentance or pardon for sinne but a fearful expectation of judgmeÌ„t Strom. li. 2. And in his 4. book of Strom. as it were forgetting his owne rigorous sentence against these who sin ofter then once or twise after their illuminatioÌ„ with the light of God he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say whether here or else where viz. creatures doe repent for no place is void or the mercy of God In which words he wold in sinuat that these who repeÌ„t either in this world or else where that is in the world to come may possibly obtaine fauour at Gods hande nothing can bee written more repugnant both to the word of God and also to his owne fore-mentioned opinion Many other worthy preachers and learned men flourished in this Centurie whose names of purpose are pretermitted In Athens PVBLIVS and ATHENAGORAS In Corinth PRIMVS DIONYSIVS and BACCHILVS In the Isle of Candie PHILIPPVS and PINYTVS In Anticchia HIERON THEOPHILVS MAXIMVS SERAPION hist Mâ—…gdeburg In Jerusalem before the dayes of the Emperour HADRIAN the Bishoppes of Jerusalem were of the nation of the Iewes But after the dayes of HADRIAN who banished the Iewes from their natiue soile Christian preachers of other nations were bishops in Jerusalem such as MARCVS CASSIANVS PVBLIVS MAXIMVSIVLIANVS CAPITO VALENS DOLICHIANVS NARCISSVS Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 12. the most part of all these liued in this Centurie but NARCISSVS with some others are knowne to haue liued in the dayes of SEVERVS the fift persecuter and some space after him Euseb lib. 6. cap. 9. But to write of all other worthy preachers and doctours in particular it were an infinite labour and far surmounting the habilitie of these ecclesiasticke writers who wrote in ancient times and much more our habilitie who liue in a posterior age Chap. 3. IN this second Centurie Satan inuying the propagation of the Gospel sent foorth a pernicious swarme of Hetiques such as SATVRNINVS of Antiochia and BASILIDES of Alexandria the one of them through Syria and the other through Egypt dispersed the venome of their hereticall doctrine To whome EVSâ—…BIVS addeth CARPOCRATES most properly counted the father of the Heretiques callâ—…d Gnostici Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. They receiued this name because they profesled a knowledge of darke hid mysteries The golden age of the Apostles and Euangelists was now spent and false teachers tooke the greater incouragement to teach a doctrine of deuils disallowing mariage commanding fornication and practizing abominable and filthie things which mine heart abhorreth to thinke vpon What necessitie drone EPâ—…PHANIVS in particular to manifest to the worlde the detestable and execrable mysteries of those Heretiques I cannot tel One thing I know that it shuld not be comely in my person to offend the chaste eares of Christians by renuing the memorial of that beastly vncleannes wherof EPIPHANIVS expresly writeth Epiph contra haerâ—…s They were justly called Borboritae or Caenosi because they were filthily polluted in the mire of vncleannesse August index hares Ad Quodvultdeum The followers of CARPOCRATES had in secrete places images of golde and siluer which they called the images of Iesus and therewithal the images of PITHAGORAS PLATO and ARISTOTLE and they worshipped them all Epiph. contrahaeres So that the worshipping of images and the adoration of the image of Iesus himselfe is not a custome borrowed from the ancient fathers of the first three hundreth yeeres but rather a custome borrowed from olde Heretiques such as CARPOCRATES and his follower MARCELLINA By their vnhonest and filthie conuersation it came to passe that the true professours of the Gospell were vilely slandered by persecuting Pagans objecting to Christians the bankets of THYESTES the chamberiug of OEDIPVS Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. This superlatiue degree of excessiue vncleannesse could not endure long because euery one of these Heretiques SATVRNINVS BASILIDES and CARPOCRATES with augmentations of new inuented absurdities changed the fashion and countenance of their error and so in ende it euanished But the beautie of the true Church of Christ euer like vnto it selfe in gravitie sinceritie libertie temperancie and holinesse of vnreprouable conuersation brightly shined among the Gâ—…ecians and Barbarians Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. The countrie of VALENTINVS was vnknown to EPIPHANIVS Hee was brought vp in learning in the schooles of Alexandria In his foolish opinions
owne infirmitie but onely for our sake who are sheepe of the sheepfold of Christe to guide vs by it to correct our wandering wayes and to holde vs in decent order Therefore of all things in the worlde let vs count Scripture a thing most pertinent to vs according to the saying of MOSES the secret thinges belong vnto the Lorde our God but the things reueiled belong to vs and our children for euer that wee may doe all the wordes of this Lawe Deut. 29. ver 29. to wit the Lawe written as is clearely declared Deut. 27. ver 2 and 3. When thou shalt passe ouer Iorden into the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shtli set up great stones and plaster them with plaster and Shelt witte upon them all the wordes of this Lawe c. Now if the writteÌ„ word be that very portion that belonged properly to our fathers to vs to our children we should sticke as fast to it as euer NABOTH did to his vineyarde remeÌ„bring euer these words of MOSES Things that are reuei led to wit in writ pertaine to vs to our children for euer According to the patterne of this written word were al reformations of religion made not according to the vncertaine report of traditions IOSIAS made reformation according to the booke of the couenant that was founde in the house of the Lord 2. Reg. cap. 23. ver 2. And therefore this worde of God ought diligently to be kept as the very patterne of all true reformation in religion if any abuse fall out at any time In our natiue countrie men are not so careful by diligent custodie to keep other measures as the measure whereby all other measures in the lande are measured one towne hath the weightes another hath the jug the third hath the furlot another hath the el-wand these are diligently kept because that bythem all faulty measures are corrected and reformed so aboue all things in this worlde the holy Scriptures should be most diligently kept Now before I speake of humane traditions the very end wherefore the Apostles committed to write the summe of their wholesome doctrine is a sore prejudice to tradition For some persons who hearde the Apostles preach went from Ierusalem to Antiochia and troubled the hearts of the Gentiles saying that they behooued to be circumcised and keepe the Law of MOSES to whome the Apostles gaue no such commandement Actes 15. Therefore the Apostles tooke occasion to put in write the summe of their doctrine Nowe if tradition was not a faithfull keeper of the Apostolicke doctrine in the very dayes of the Apostles and in the mouthes of them who heard the Apostles preach with their owne eares howe shall wee leane vnto the vncertaintie of traditions after the issue of sixteene hundreth yeeres The generalitie of the worde tradition is an occasion of errour to many for so soone as this word soundeth in their eares incontinent they thinke that all things necessarie vnto eternall life is not contained in Scripture but the want of Scripture must be supplied by traditions yet the Apostle calleth the very articles of our faith traditions namely that Christ died for our sinnes that he was buried and that he rose the third day againe 1. Cor. 15 ver 3. The Papistes take good heede to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say here mention is made of tradition but they obserue not so diligently the subsequent wordes albeit they be twise repeated by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Scriptures If they will needs obtrude vnto vs traditions at the least let them be agreable vnto Scriptures and then the controuersie will cease For I may boldly speake of Popish traditions that which CLEMENS speaketh of the Philosophie of the Grecians comparing it vnto a nut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all the nut is not meet to be caten the kirnell is for eating but the hard shels whereinto the kirnell is enclosed are not nourishing food euen so saith CLEMENS not all the Grecian Philosophie is to bee embraced and credited The like I say of Romaine traditions that we must not glut ouer their traditions shels and kirnell altogether but those that are agreable to Scriptures we receiue but traditions repugnant to Scripture such as worshipping of images which DAMASCENE granteth to be an vnwritten tradition we vtterly detest and abhorre The place of PAVLS Epistles that seemeth to fauour vnwritten tradition is this Therefore brethren stand sast keep the instruction which yee haue beene taught either by worde or by our epistle 2. Thess 2 ver 15. Heere I affirme that like as they who rehearsed Christs wordes and wrested the true sense and meaning of them they are called false witnesses against Christ Math. 26. ver 61. Christ spake these words indeede Destroy this Temple and within three dayes I wâ—…ll build it vp againe but not in that sense that the false witnesses reported Euen so they who cite a testimonie out of the Epistles of PAVL in another sense then PAVL writeth it they are false witnesses against PAVL for PAVLS tongue in preaching was guided by the holy Ghost and PAVLS hand and pen in writting was guided by the holyGhost that same selfe trueth he preached that same selfe trueth he committed to write to the ende that the faith of the Thessalonians might be the better confirmed and strengthened If they will obstinatly contend that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is disjunctiue I will constantly affirme with the most learned ANTONIVS SADEEL that in this place it is copulatiue in this sense Keepe that instruction which yee haue receiued both by word and epistle And in the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken 1. Cor. 13. ver 8. Whether prophecying shall be abolished or tongues shall cease that is both prophecying shall be abolished and tongues shall cease Stand fast and keepe the instruction 2. Thess. 2. ver 15 It is not the purpose of the Apostle in these wordes to exhort any man to wilfulnes and obstinacie but vnto constant adherence vnto the veritie of God For the Apostle PETER describing the qualities of false teachers calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men presumptuous standingon their own conceits 2. Pet. 2. ver 10. Wherfore a difference is to be noted betwene obstinat men constaÌ„t men It is obstinacie when a man walketh in his own wayes will not be corrected by the wisdome of God but it is constancie when a man walketh in the wayes of God and will not depart out of them for the fauour or feare of men CAIN was obstinat Gen 4. PETER and IOHN were constant Also to keepe fast the doctrine whereby they were taught both by word and Epistle is not onely to keepe it in memorie and to keepe the volume wherein scriptures are written but to keepe it indeede by the obedience of faith For men are thrise
miserable to keepe in their bosomes the testimonies of their owne condemnation as the Jewes did who kept the bookes of MOSES and of the Prophets which beare testimonie of Christ Ioh. 5. yet they beleeued not in Christ they kept them indeede to our great profite but to their own just condemnation because they neither beleeued the promises of the worde neither were terrified with the threatnings of that same booke which they kept I pray God we may be better keepers of holy writings then the reprobate Jewes were In this controuersie to defend vnwritten traditions the bookes of ancient fathers are sifted and raked and infinite paines are taken to holde vp this maine and yet dayly decaying pillar of their kingdome It is not my purpose neither to defend nor to excuse euery thing that fathers haue written Onely I say in good conscience that great injurie is done to some of them by the Papistes namely to the most ancient father IRENEVS B. of Lions Hee striueth against VALENTINVS an Heretique and conuicteth him by tradition of the Churches which were thought in his time to be Apostolicke but the heades that he proueth by tradition are the principall articles of our faith That there is one God maker of heauen and earth and that Christ was borne of a virgin and suffered under Pontius Pslate and rose againe and was receiued into the brightnesse of glory and that hee shall come againe to saue such as are to be saued and to judge such as are to be judged c And such sort of traditions as are altogether agreable to holy Scriptures we contrauert not vpon Secondly IRENEVS had a conflict with Heretiques who regarded not scripture but saide they were ambiguous and doubtsome had no authority that tradition was more ancient then scripture and therefore necessitie compelled IRENEVS to fight against him with his owne weapons as PAVL did against the Athenians with testimonies of Poets Acts 17. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 2. cap. 3. Yet was it not IRENEVS purpose to prooue any thing repugnant to scripture The traditions which they reade of in other fathers if any be bound to keepe them it is they themselues who leane vnto them as a necessarie supplement of the want that is in scripture but they themselues will not be bound to the obseruation of them all but haue let many of them goe out of vse such as praying betweene Easter and Whitsonday not vpon their knees but standing on their feete to put them in remembrance of Christes resurrection such like three dippings in water whereof wee spake in the heade of antiquitie And after Baptisme the taste of a temper of milke and honie to signifie their spirituall infancie and many other traditions they haue suffcred to euanish and go out of vse so that we are the lesse bound to them To drawe vnto an ende of this treatise It may be demanded Was not tradition at some time in honourable regard in the house of God and how it commeth to passe that now in the last age of the world we wil bring al traditions vnto the balance of the written word counting light all these traditions that are not agreable to the Scriptures For answere vnto this question we shall distinguish the worlde into three ages and speake of the force of tradition in euery age Godwilling In the first age of the world from ADAM to the flood of NOE tradition had the greater place because the Worde ' of God was not as yet written but God spake by Oracles to ADAM and that which the Lorde spake to him hee deliuered it by faithfull tradition to his postēritie Nowe in this first age it cannot be denied but tradition had great place and to the ende the faith of the posteritie should not leane vpon the naked report of their fathers as vpon an vncertaine ground it pleasedGod to bestow vpō these fathers of the first age two great priuiledges First they were indued with the spirite of prophecie for ADAM prophecied of secret things that were done when hee was sleeping Gen. 2 ver 23 And HENOCH the seuinth from ADAM prophecied in the first age of the world of things that are to be done in the last age of the world Epist. Iud ver 14. 15. And LAMECH prophecied of his sonne NOAH Gen. 5. Beside this God bestowed vpon these fathers long life so that ADAM liued vntill he deliuered the Oracle of God spoken vnto him to HENOCH and HENOCH liued till he deliuered the same to LAMECH and LAMECH to NOE so that NOE needed not to bee in doubte whether the reporte of his fathers concerning the Oracle spoken to ADAM was true or not because it was conueied to him by the handes of faithfull witnesses of vnsuspect credite yea holie Prophets deliuered the holie Oracle of GOD to NOE and holie Prophct of GOD also as they were In the second age of the world it pleased God to register his blessed will in write in the dayes of MOSES and then tradition was nothing else but a page and handmaide to the written worde of God For true it is that God commanded fathers to tell their posteritie the wonderful works of God in slaying the first borne of Egypt and sparing the first borne of the I ewes Exod. 13. ver 8. yet this tradition of fathers to their children was agreable to the word of God written by MOSES in so far that the posteritie beleeued not the writings of MOSES because they were agreable to the report of their fathers but rather the reporte of their fathers because it was agreable to the worde of God written by MOSES and so tradition in this age was a page and handmaide to the written worde of God neither doe wee reade after the worde was written that God commanded fathers to tell anything to their children that was not expresly contained in the written word of God In the last age of the world we should be more attentiuely addicted to the written worde and lesse to tradition in regard the Apostles were moued to put the summe of their most wholesome doctrine in write because their doctrine was not rightly reported euen by those who heard the Apostles teach as said is And if the writing of the summe of their wholesome doctrine was a remedie deuised by the Apostles themselues against false traditions wrong reports of Apostolicke doctrine what injurie doe we to the Romaine Church when we examine al their traditions by the rule of the writtē word that which is not agreable to the written word wee reject it as a doctrine neither catholicke nor Apostolicke because that it is found light when it is weighed in the just balance of the written word of God Now consider howe damnable an inclination is in this our corrupt nature When God reueiled his blessed will by tradition men were not attentiue to it but preferred their lust vnto the will of God reueiled by tradition for the sonnes of
it that is vile and filthie as hee did vnto the Priests of the succession of AARON If any man wil obstinatly contend that the promise made to the Apostles and their successours was absolute and not conditionall consider the inconuenients that will follow Seeing this promise was not made to PETER onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their successours then as none of the Romaine Bishops can erre in religion because they are the successours of PETER as they alledge so in like maner the Bishops of Ierusalem Alexandria Antiochia Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica Corinth diuerse other places are all exeemed from errour because the Apostles and Euangelists preached and constitute Churches in all-these places they are successours to the Apostles in that same sense that the Bishops of Rome are successours to PETER And if none of all these can erre what priuiledge hath the church of Rome aboue all other Churches Or how can that be performed which was foretolde by the Apostle concerning apostasie that should fall out the reuelation of the man of sinne childe of perdition 2. Thess. 2 For all the successours of the Apostles beeing exeemed from error what place could be giuen to the Antichrist or what doore could haue bene opened to MAHOMET by whose delusions the Orientall Church hath bene so miserably abused But seeing the Apostles had some extraordinarie things such as calling gifts and prerogatiues They were called immediatly by Christ and were taught immediatly by his Spirit and mouth Gal. 1. They receiued from heauen the gift of tongues and languages to vtter this celestiall knowledge to all tongues nations Act. 2. They had power by imposition of hands to conferre to others the gift of the holy Spirit Act 8 With these extraordinarie giftes they had also extraordinarie prerogatiues that in teaching the doctrine receiued from Christ they should not erre Now these who cal themselues successors to the Apostles they dare not clame to the Apostles immediat calling nor yet to their extraordinarie gifts but that which of all the rest was most extraordinarie to the Apostles viz. to be exeemed from errour in teaching and writing that is so fast adhered vnto that it is one of the principal grounds of the Romaine faith in our dayes that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in faith and religion Yea so infortunate are the Bishoppes of Rome of late dayes that they would climme vp to the highest top and preeminence of Apostolicke dignitie to be exeemed from errour when as in things of lesse importance they cannot attaine as we speak to the Apostles garters This proud conceit of Apostolick succession with power of binding and loosing exemption from errour made some of the Bishops of Rome so high minded so vaine and ridiculous that learned fathers conueened together in Councils thought their pride more worthie to be receiued with scoffing wordes then with prolixe refutations Example whereof wee haue in a Councill gathered at Rome in the time of the Emperour OTTO the first about the yeere of our Lord 956. In which Councill IOHN 13. Others write Pope IOHN the 12. hee fled for feare of the Emperour OTTO Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against him such as incest murther saeriledge playing at dice and drinking to the deuill admitting of boyes to be Bishops for money with many other villanous things ouâ—…r and beside his perfidie in assisting BERENGARIVS and his sonne ALBERTVS against the Emperour OTTO contrarie to his promise and oath made before to the Emperour Libertie being granted to Pope IOHN to compeare without feare to answere to the accusations objected against him he beeing conuict in conscience would not compeare but he sent a short letter to the Council bearing that he was PETERS successor and had power of binding loosing by vertue of this power hee band them vnder paine of cursing that they should not proceede to his deposition To this proud letter the Councill gathered at Rome returned this answere that Christ gaue power of binding loosing to all his disciples as well as to PETER but one of them to wit IVDAS by abusing his power lost his power only he retained some power of binding to wit he had libertie to binde his owne necke to the gallous In which wordes they call him IVDAS and biddes this vile beast goe and hang himselfe if he lift Hist. Magdeb urg Cent. 10. cap. 9. PLATINA callâ—…th IOHN 13. homo sceleratissinus a most wicked man ONVPHRIVS the aduocate of all wicked causes blusheth and dare not stand at the barre to pleade the cause of IOHN 12. the predecessour of LEO the eight for both are one man he whom PLATINA calleth 13. and he whome ONVPHRIVS counteth 12. The Bishops of Rome might haue bene admonished by this one example if there were no mo not to be high minded not to cum to the supreame top of Apostolicke preeminence In a worde the Bishops of Rome of late yeeres are moâ—…e like to the successours of CAIAPHAS who would needes haue Christe to stand before his judgement seat judge of Christ his doctrine disciples Ioh. 18 ver 19. then they are like to the successours of PETER for I can see no inexcusable boldnes in CAIAPHAS damning Christs doctrine but I grope the like in the Romaine church that vsurpeth authoritie ouer the written word ouer Councils and consequently ouer Christ himselfe To conclude this treatise I will compare succession wherof the Romaine church braggeth so much to the way that lay betweene Samaria and Jerusalem this way led the people of Ephraim Manasse Jssachar Zabulon Nephthali and Aser to Jerusalem when they set their face Southward when they went vpward but the same way againe led them from Jerusalem when they turned their faces Northward when they went downward Euen so if a man set his face toward heauenly Ierusalem he shal finde a number of holy successors of the Apostles in puritie of doctrine honestie of conuersation patience in suffering that shall leade him to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem but againe it is as certaine if a man will set his face Northward to defection to backsliding and to preferre the traditions of men to the ordinances of God there shall not inlacke a number of guiders in the roll of personall successours as they call it to the Apostles who shall lead him from Jerusalem to Samaria from the mountaine of God to the valley of Benhinnon Therefore while we are in the way take heed what way our faces are set whether to Ierusalem or to Samaria and if they be set to Ierusalem let vs followe these sure guides who were true successours to the Apostles and they shall indeede leade vs to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem and to the glory which in heart and minde we waite for whereunto God lead vs for his Christs sake Amen CENTVRIE III. Chap. 1. Seuerus AFter PERTINAX and IVLIAN SEVERVS gouerned 17 yeeres 8. months
would send from the Heauen the diuine flame of his celestiall loue to the ende that the fleshly conceits of mens hearts may bee brunt vp and that they may bee fully perswaded that the LORD who made the Heauen and the Earth is hee alone to whom spirituall sacrifices are to bee offered and that through IESVS CHRIST to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee praise and glorie now and euer AMEN A TREATISE Of the authoritie of COUNCILS IN the first three hundreth yeeres of our LORD Councils were few in number and verie obscure and few of them had great authoritie except the Councill holden in HIERUSALEM by the Apostles yet was the first age after CHRIST the golden age whether wee consider doctrine or maners in doctrine more sincere in maners more vnreproueable then any age after following in so much that all the accusations forged against their doctrine and conuersation were but calumnies and lyes The banquets of Thyestes and the chambring of Oedipus perpetually objected to the Christians of the primitiue Church what were they but cauillations in thinges whereof they had no vnderstanding They knew not what the spirituall eating of the flesh of CHRIST did meane neither knew they how necessary it was for Christians to keepe holy assemblies in the night time when they had not libertie to doe it in the day time And they spake euill of things they could not nor would not comprehende as the Gracians and Romanes counted the Hebrues Barbarians because they had no regard to vnderstand their language But out of all question the first age was the golden age of the worlde after it was renewed by the comming of CHRIST in doing of good more willing in suffering of euill more patient then anie age that followed the first 300. yeeres of our LORD And that thing where into the primitiue Church seemeth to be inferiour to posteriour times to wit in number and splendor of Councils in that same point it hath a prerogatiue such as Iuda had ouer Israel there were more altars in Israel then in Iuda but that one altar in Hierusalem was better then all their altars And the Councill holden in Hierusalem by the Apostles in the dayes of the Emperour Claudius was better then all the Councils either Generall or Nationall that euer were gathered since those dayes Now before I speake in particular of thâ—… necessitie of Councils of their authoritie of the abuse of Councils and power to conuocate them and who should haue vote in Councils somewhat is to bee premitted concerning the name giuen vnto Gâ—…nerall or Nationall assemblies Gratianus busieth himselfe in manie vnnecâ—…ssarie thinges and in this also to secke out the Etymologie of the Latine word Concilium and hee deduceth it from the word Cilium called in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the eye lid and the compound word Concilium signifieth the companie of men who agree in one minde as the eye liddes doe when they couer the eyes they couer both together and when they open againe to giue place vnto the sight of the eyes they open both at once And so Gratianus thinketh that Concilium is Coelus consentientium that is a company of men who agree in one mind The fourth Councill of Garthage requireth beside consent and agreement in one minde a consent to the veritie and trueth of GOD therefore they say that the assemblie of Heretiques should not bee called Concilium but Conciliabulum But in acurate seeking out of Etymologies scarce can Plato himselfe in his Dialogue called Cratylus escape the blame of curiositie the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainer and is borrowed by the Latinists who usually call a Councill Synodus and it is used in this sence to betoken a meeting of men in spitituall offices for timous suppressing of corruptions either in Doctrine or maners springing vp into the Church The necessitie of Councâ—…ls may bee proued by these arguments following First those ordinarie meanes which the Prophets and Apostles who had their callinâ—… and gifts immediatly from GOD did use for suppressing of false doctrine and corrupt maners should of necessitie continue in the Church But so it is that conuentions assemblies was one of these ordinary meanes ergo they should continue in the Church The seconde part of the argument is proued by the example of the great assemblie gathered at Silo in the dayes of Iosua to suppresse the apparent defection of the Reubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasses from the true worship of GOD as seemed vnto them And this Assemblie had allowance of GOD forasmuch as it was ordered with wisedome the glory of GOD was onely respected and the ende of it was peace in ISRAEL Next the great assemblie of the ten tribes at mount Carmell procured by Helias the Prophet but gathered by the commandement of Achab the king of Israel declareth that assemblies of Church-men and others of chiefe authoritie was an ordinarie meane to reforme abuses in Religion albeit no reformation followed after this assemblie yet the enemies of the true Religion were conuicted in their consciences false teachers were disgraced and punished and the zeale of Helias toward the glory of GOD had allowance by a miracle of fire from Heauen In like maner Samuel by gathering a great assemblie of all Israel at Mizpah procured a reformation both in Religion and maners amongst them Dauid in transporting the Arke to the citie of Dauid Salomon in the dedication of the Temple both used the support of holie assemblies gathered to that effect And in the new Testament the Apostles Elders and Deacons met together in an holie assemblie at Hierusalem and timouslie suppressed the doctrine of false teachers who affirmed that the Gentiles could not bee saued by faith in CHRIST onely except they had also beene circumcised and kept the law of Moses All these examples and manie more contained in holy Scripture teach vs that the meeting of holie assemblies was an ordinarie meane to suppresse corruption in doctrine and maners and to aduance the kingdome of GOD. Secondlie that thing which godlie Emperours did for the suppressing of Heresies following the examples of the Prophets Apostles especiallie when no better meanes could be found out is necessarilie to bee obserued But so it is that the godlie Emperours Constantine Theodosius Valentinian the third and Theodosius the second the sonne of Arcadius and Martianus conuocated Councils for suppressing of the Heresies of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches and no better meanes could be found out neither as yet can bee founde out for suppressing of Heresies Therefore the custome of conuocating Councils at times requisite is necessarilie to bee obserued Other arguments albeit they haue not so necessarie a consecution as the former notwithstanding they proue that lawfull Councils are a terrour to the kingdome of the Deuill and that the instrumentes of Sathan such as Iulian the
word of GOD and therefore their ordinances were worthie to bee obeyed because the warrand of the Holy Spirit and the warrand of the Holy Scripture and Apostolicke authoâ—…itie all concurring together gaue a full grace to the Councill of Hierusâ—…lem For this cause in the famous Councill of Nice all their constitutions haue not a like reuerence the sentence pronounced against Arrius was well confirmed by testimonies of holâ—…e Scripture but in appointing Patriarches in attributing vnto them jurisdiction and power to conuocate Councils within thâ—…ir owne bounds for timous suppressing of Heresies they bring no testimonie of Scripture but in stead of Scripture they set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let ancient customes haue place The Councill of Nice in this point did as Iosua did who 〈◊〉 a couenant with the Gibeoniâ—…es but consulted not wâ—…th thâ—…m 〈◊〉 of the LORD Euen so the Counâ—…ill of Nice in 〈◊〉 â—…o gâ—…eat preâ—…eminence to a few men they consulted not with Holy Scripture which warnâ—…th Pastors to feede the flocke of GOD which â—…ependeth vpon them And the issue declared that Gâ—…D gaue not such a blessing to the constituting of Patriarchâ—…s as hee gaue to the condemnatour sentence pronounced against Aâ—…rius For whereas they imagined that these Patriarches 〈◊〉 great authoritie shoulde timously gather Synodes and suppresse Hâ—…reticall doctrine it fell ouâ—… by the contrary that the Patriarches were the chiefe Hereâ—…iques themselues and chiefe defenders of Heresie such as Macedonius and Nestorius Patriarches of Constantinoâ—…le both damned for Heresie the one in the Counciâ—…l of Constantinople the other in the Council of Ephesus In like maner Honorius Patriarch of Rome Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia with Sergius Pyrhuâ—… and Paulus Paâ—…riarches of Constantinople were al condemned of Heresie in the sixt Generall Councill holden at Constantinoâ—…le ANNO 681. Oâ—… this that I haue already spoken it is euident that the best way whereby Generall or Nationall Councils may maintaine tâ—…eir authoritie and bee reuerently regarded is this if in all tâ—…eir determinations they set before them the bookes of Holie Scripture and conforme all their definitiue sentences to the wisedome which they haue learned out of the volume of those holy bookes following the example of the Church of Antiochia who remitted the decision of harde questions wherewith they were troubled to the mouthes of the Apostles of IESUS CHRIST And seeing wee haue not the Prophets and Apostles personallie present in our time the next is to haue recourse vnto the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles whereby the LORD speaketh nowe to vs as hee spake of olde time by the personall presence of the Prophets and Apostles to our Fathers And it is certaine that these of Antiochia went vp vnto Hierusalem not for any prerogatiue the towne had but because the Apostles were in Hierusalem And wheresoeuer wee see the Apostolicke doctrine vnuiolably obserued in that place let vs seeke resolution of all our doubtes and if the Apostolicke doctrine be departed from Hierusalem it selfe it is but a denne of theeues as CHRIST saieth Matth. 21. 13. and if it bee departed from Rome then is Rome it selfe spirituall Babylon it is an habitation of Deuils and the Hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane hatefull bird and the constitutions that come from Rome are not to bee regarded Notwithstanding of this the Councils that hath casten the Apostolicke doctrine behinde their backe they haue guarded themselues with another kind of armour and they indeuour to haue credite and reuerence by the multitude of Princes people and learned Doctors assenting to the determinations of their Councils by the multitude of Anathemaes more in number then those that were pronounced out of mount Eball whereby they deliuer to the Deuill and that in most prodigall forme all those that will not assent vnto their Decretes By these meanes I say such like they purchase authoritie reuerence and credite to their late Councils Neuerthelesse there is one curse in Holy Scripture more to bee feared then all the curses of the Councill of Trent namely that which Paul pronounceth in these wordes But though that wee or an Angell from Heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed And like as Aarons rod deuoured the Serpents of the Sorcerers of Aegypt albeit in number they were many euen so this one curse swalloweth vp all their curses pronounced against innocent people because they will not depart in a jot from the rule of wholsome Apostolicke doctrine In like maner it is said by Moses Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Lawe to doe them Consequently blessed are they who firmely adhereth vnto the Law of GOD. And by no authoritie of Princes Nations Councils or Doctors will bee withdrawne from the Law of GOD. And this BULLINGER hath wisely obserued in these wordes Tametsi caeat totus hic mundus minime tamen potest creatura quâ—…quam contra verbum creator is statuere neque decreta DEI aeterni abrogare Neque valet hic eruditio aut multitudo aut sanctitas aut ulla denique authoritas nam loquente DOMINO DEO universorum merito conticescit omniâ—… caro SAMUEL certe dicebat loquere DOMINE quoniam audit servus tuâ—…s that is albeit all the uniuersitie of this worlde shoulde bee assembled together yet the creature can ordaine nothing against the worde of the Creator neither can they abrogate the Decretes of the Eternall GOD neither can learning multitude holynesse or anie kinde of authoritie auaile in this matter for when the GOD of all creatures speaketh then justly all flesh shoulde keepe silence SAMUEL indeede saide Speake LORD for thy seruant heareth Likewise hee bringeth in a worthie sentence of PANORMITANE a famous Iurist saying that greater credite shoulde bee giuen to a Laike-man speaking the trueth according to Holie Scripture then to a whole Generall Councill speaking a lye contrarie to Scripture Moreouer albeit there were worthie Assemblies holden in SILO MISPAH and CARMEL in the dayes of the Prophets yet the Prophets are verie sparing to use argumentes tâ—…ken from the authoritie of these Assemblies but the Prophets leade the people continuallie to the Lawe of GOD as to the right grounde and Fountaine of all lawfull Councils so that their ordinarie speach is this This saieth the LORD and not this saieth the Assemblie gathered at MISPAH SILO or CARMEL they were so farre from equalling Councils to the Lawe of GOD that whensoeuer they did desire reformation of the people then they laide before them the Law of GOD but not the authority of Councils whose authority is nothing els but borrowed from the Law of GOD and therefore whosoeuer aduancâ—…th Câ—…uncils so high that they would equall Councils to Holy Scripture in my opinion they are not well acquainted with the Scriptures of GOD. In the new Testament mention is
made how Paul and Silas visiting the Churches where Paul and Barnabas had preached before they deliuered them the Decrees to keepe ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Hierusalem Heere mention is made of the Decrees of a most worthie Councill but heerewith remember two thinges First the Decrees of such a Councill whereinto many Apostles were present who were taught in all trueth by the Holie Spirit according to the prediction of CHRIST Secondly Paul and Silas were not now planting Churches in Asia the lesse but they were waâ—…ing and visiting the Churches already planted and no man denieth but the authoritie of good Councils is profitable to confirme men in the trueth of GOD. But it is the doctrine of the Holy Scripture of GOD that begetteth Faith in the soules of men Therefore let the Holy Scriptures of GOD haue the first and principall honour and no man will be offended that good Councils be regarded in their owne ranke In the next head let vs speake of the abuses of Councils they are manifold But the first and principall abuse of Councils I thinke to bee this when the very end wherefore they were wont to bee gathered is inuerted Of old Councils were gathered to suppresse Heresies and Schismes But when they are gathered to maintaine Hereticall doctrine or to strengthen the handes of Schismatiques directly or indirectly this is a great abuse of Councils Like as the Councill of Ariminum was assembled for confirmation of the Arrian Heresie the second Councill of Ephesus gaue allowance to the errour of Eutyches The Councils of Tyrus Millan indirectly in labouring to suppresse Athanasius were in verie deede supplanting the true Faith which Athanasius professed There is infinite difference betwixt Nimrod and Nehemiah and betwixt Babel and Hierusalem In the re-edifying of Hierusalem there was a purpose to glorifie GOD but in building Babell there was a farre contrarie intention Secondly Councils are abused when they take libertie to statute and ordaine any thing repugnant to the Holy Scriptures of GOD whether it be in forbidding to doe that thing which the Scripture licentiateth to bee done or in allowing thinges disallowed in Holy Scripture This abuse began very early euen in the famous Councill of Nice wherein they forbid men who are conuerted to Christian Religion and are baptized in the Name of CHRIST to returne againe to the warre-fare as if these two thinges were repugnant to be a warriour and a Christian Did not Dauid Iosaphat and Iosias fight the battels of the LORD and in so doing they made not defection from the Couenant of GOD. Was not Cornelius both a Centurion and a Christian And Iohn Baptist when hee was demanded of the Souldiours what they should doe did hee command them to forsake their calling and not rather to use it aright that is to doe violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and to bee content with their wages And was it lawfull to militate vnder the banner of Augustus and Tiberius And shall it be found vnlawfull to fight vnder the banner of Constantine a most Christian Emperour In my judgement this was too much libertie that the Councill of Nice tooke vnto themselues to disallowe anie calling that in Holy Scripture is not disallowed except onelie the abuse of it And of olde the Iewes made no Conscience to fight vnder the banner of Alexander the Great whome hee honoured also with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with equall honour and freedome of Burgeship with the Graecians in the principall towne of Aegypt called Alexandria builded by himselfe But this constitution of the Councill of Nice might bee excused because all thinges that are lawfull are not also expedient possibly they haue seene at that time great danger to Christian mens saluation in warre-fare vnknowne to vs and therefore they tooke boldnesse to forbid Christians to goe to warrefare But manie other Councils both Nationall and called by the Romane Church generall haue allowed thinges expressely forbiddâ—…n in the written word of GOD such as adoration of Images and the sapramacie of the Bishop of Rome not only ouer all Pastors but also a souereignitie in ciuill thinges ouer the Emperour and Princes of the earth which is an vnsufferable disorder to make the taile the head the head the taile In particular I speake of the Councils holden at Rome by Gregorius the seconde and Gregorius the thirde and Stephanus the thirde and the seconde Councill of Nice holden in the seuenth yeere of the Empresse Irene with the consent and procuration of Adrian Bishop of Rome ANNO 790. The vnhappie Generall Councill of Vienne assâ—…mbled by Clemens the fift ANNO 1311. whereinto it is statuted and ordained that the Emperour shall giue his oath of alleadgeance to the Pope to whom hee is no lesse inferiour then the Moone is infinitely inferiour vnto the splendor of the Sun Can any thing bee spoken more repugnant to the seconde precept of the first Table and the first precept of the seconde Table then the Decretes of the Councils foresaid Therefore let euerie Christian man thinke of Councils as they thinke of Riuers of water which are verie profitable so long as they hold themselues within the compasse of their owne accustomed bankes but if they swell and by vntimous inundation ouer-flowe their owne accustomed boundes then are they verie hurtfull to the neere adjacent fieldes Enen so Councils that take libertie to allowe any thing disallowed in Holie Scripture are very pernicius and hurtfull Thirdly Councils are miserably abused when they are blamed vnjustly and without a cause The Arrians moste vnjustly blamed the Councill of Nice for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because this word is not found in Scripture Neuerthelesse the matter it selfe expressed by this word is manifestly coÌ„tained in Scripture as namely when the Apostie Iohn saith There are three which bearâ—… recorde in Heauen the FATHER the WORD and the Holie GHOST and these three are one but the Arrians who blamed the Coun. most wrongfully said there was a time wherein the Sonne was not existant and that Deuilish opinion neither in word nor in matter is to bee found in Scripture Moreouer Councils are abused when as their authoritie is impared not with solide reasons taken out of the Scripâ—…ures of GOD but rather with the railing speaches of contentious men like as a number of Heretiques called Acephali with tumultuarie murmuring and crying out against the Councill of Chalcedon dispersed themselues heere and there and left not off their vngodly courses vntill a new Heresie of the Monothelites an vngracious budde of the rotten and cutted-downe stocke of the Heresie of Eutyches did arise But no man aught to contende against Councils with pride of a contentious minde but rather with humilitie of a modest minde search out whether their Ordinances bee agreeable to the booke of GOD or not Finally Councils are abused when they who are assembled together
and saith shee hath committed none iniquitie ambition so blindeth her eyes that vnconstancie is counted no fault and taking deepe roote in her heart hideth from the eyes of her mind the sight of heauen and all heauenly vertues such as humilitie modestie constancie and vprightnesse of a siable and vnwauering heart The preheminence that God licenciateth to bee sought ouer brethren is like to the preheminence of Moses ouer the Elders he ascended higher vpon the mountaine of God than they did and when he came downe againe from the mountaine of God his face shined with greater splendor of celestiall glorie than the faces of others did Would God Pastors could striue to attaine to such preheminence for the striuing for prerogatiue of places hath bred many vnnecessary and vnfruitfull contentions in the Church as an ancient Father hath well marked This supremacie aforesaid so vnhonestly sought was vsed tyrannously vnrighteously Pope Bonifacius the fourth dedicated the Temple called Pantheon wherein all the Gentile gods were worshipped this Temple I say he dedicated to the Virgine Marie and to all the Martyrs rather changing than correcting the vile abomination of Idolatrie Honorius the first in the sixt generall Councell was found to haue bene an Eutychian heretique The Popes Martinus the first and Eugenius the first Vitalianus and Adeodatus were so puft vp in pride that they counted the Bishops of Râ—…uenna heretiques onely for this because they receiued not their ordination from the Bishops of Rome were not subject to their authoritie And this heresie they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pope Sergius 1. obstinately refused to subscribe the decrees of the sixt generall Councell partlie because in it the doctrine and lawes of prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall functions was damned and partlie also because the Bishop of Constantinople was equalled in honour with the bishop of Rome Constantinus the first and Gregorius the second were the first open and auowed traitors against the Emperours the one of them rased the name of the Emperour Philippicâ—…s out of charters the other assoyled the subjects of Italie from the oath of all edgeance to the Emperour Leo Isaurus because these two Emperours dâ—…tested the worshipping of Images What villanie was in Pope Stephanus the thirde who perswaded CAROLVS MAGNVS king of FRANCE to repudiate his wife BERTHA the daughter of DESIDERIVS king of LOMBARDIS abusing in moste impudent manner the wordes of holie Scripture What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse 2. Coriâ—…t chap. 6. vers 14. In that place the Apostle is giuing counsell to Christians who are disposed to marrie not to couple themselues in matrimoniall band with infideles but the counsell of the Apostle to them who are alreadie married euen with infideles is this If any brother haue a wife that beleeueth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not for sake her 1. Cor. 7. 12. So that albeit Bertha the daughter of Desiderius had bene an infidell shee beeing willing to cohabite with her husband there was no reason to repudiate her But now the bishops of Rome are become wiser than the Apostles of Christ and they bid repudiat the wife with whome the Apostle Paul in expresse wordes biddeth a Christian man cohabite It is more intolerable that Suphanus the third calleth Bertha an infidell was she not baptised in the name of Christe was not her father Desiderius before him Aistulphus partakers of the Lordes holie Sacramentes was not Rachis the brother of Aislulphus so deuout according to the superstitious forme at that time commended in the Romane Church that hee forsooke his kingdome and entered into a Monasterie there to leade his life But the bishops of Rome are become so prodigall of their reproachfull speaches that all persons are counted Infideles who followe not absolutely all the conceites of their changeable mindes Pope Adrian the first with aduise of a great Councell ordained that no man should bee consecrated bishop of Rome before hee had receiued investment by staffe and ring by the Emperour but Gregorius 7. by the contrarie cursed them who receiued inuestment from the Emperour anno 1073. These two popes speak contradictory things yet they must be counted holy Fathers who cannot erre Pope Leo the third tooke vpon him boldnesse to change the Empire and to proclaime Charles the Great king of FRANCE to be Emperour in the West And Baronius the moste inâ—…pt expounder of Scriptures of anie learned men of late dayes defendeth this doing of Lâ—…o by a place of Scripture The moste High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whome hee will Dan. 4. 22. Daniel in that place speaketh of the Eternall GOD who indeede is moste high and giueth the kingdomes of the worlde to whome hee pleaseth but Baronius applieth this to the bishop of Rome as if hee were moste high and had the kingdomes of the worlde at his owne dispensation to giue them to whome he pleased So saide the Deuill of himselfe Luke 4. 6. but hee lied for hee had no such power and Baronius attributing this power vnto the Pope lieth as impudentlie as the Deuill did sergius the second with his brother Benedictus for gaining vanta e vnto themselues were not ashamed to sell bishoprickes and to preferre men to spirituall offices not for the worthinesse of their giftes but for the weight of their numbered money and so the chaire of ROME was filthilie spotted with simonic Yea it came to passe that the pridâ—… and simonicall auarice of the bishops of ROME brangled their late vsurped authoritie so that AVGVIBERTVS bishop of MILLANE with allowance of many bishops of ITALIE disclaimed the authority of the bishop of ROME and with great difficultie after the issue of two hundreth yeeres was the chaire of MILLANE reduced againe to the obedience of the bishop of ROME in the dayes of Pope Stephanus the ninth It grieued the bishops of ROME that they were bound by the constitution of Adrian the first to haue the allowance of the Emperour to their election and therefore by degrees they endeuoured to shake off that yoke of bondage Stephanus the fourth was elected without the fore-knowledge of Ludovicus ' Pius but he pacified the Emperours wrath by his comming to FRANCE Pascalis the first in like manner was chosen bishop of Rome without the foreknowledge of the Emperour Neuerthelesse by his letters sent to the Emperour Ludouicus he excused himselfe and ratified the constitution of Adrian In like manner Leo the fourth following the example of his predecessors was admitted without the fore-knowledge of Lotharius hee likewise excused himselfe to the Emperours sonne Ludouicus pretending that the sudden incursion of the Saracenes was the cause mouing the people to precipitate his election and hindering himselfe to make due aduertisement to the Emperour Lotharius in whose time he was elected But the issue after following declared that all these excuses
like obedience the Rom. Antich demandeth to all his lawes ordinanâ—…es euen to such as are repugnant to the law of God as namely to inuocation of Saincts worshipping of images c. therefore he is justly counted the principall aduersary of Christ. The Antichrist is said to exalt himselfe against all that is called God or is worshipped because he taketh vpon him to dispense against the law of GOD which argueth that he arrogateth vnto himselfe authoritie aboue the lawe-maker for no lawe as I haue declared alreadie can bee dispensed withall but either by the same authority by which it is made or by a greater Against Christes Kinglie Priestlie and Propheticall offices hee aduaunceth himselfe in abrogating the institution of Christ concerning the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament of the Supper vnder both formes of bread and wine In prohibition of marriâ—…ge and meates and in setting vp a newe propitiatorie sacrifice in the Church as it were protesting the insufficiencie of the sacrifice of Christ once offered Let vs in this point marke the degrees of the defection of the visible Church not vnlike vnto the decaying estate of a diseased man First his naturall sappe and moysture decayeth Secondly corrupt humours doe abound Thirdly his blood is inflamed perilous feuers seazing vpon his bodie doe threaten death Euen so in the Church when holy exercises of prayer and preaching are intermitted this is a biginning of euill Next when superstitions rites and ceremonies seruing to no profitable vse doe abound in the Church as vitious humours in the bodie then is the defection increased But when the visible Church admitteth another Law-giuer than Christ and stoupeth vnder the yoke of his obedience then is the defection from the faith come vnto a ripenesse and the Antichrist then siueth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God and if the Lord had not kept vnto himselfe a remnant by his gracious election the visible Church had beene like vnto Sodome and Gomorrha In the 5. verse hee saieth Remember yee not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thinges This verse is not superfluously casten in to admonish the Thessalonians that the comming of the Antichrist was a matter of great moment and tending to the hurt of manie mens soules therefore it was needefull that timous premonition shoulde bee made vnto the Saincts to eschew the danger to come This is the Lordes customable dealing in matters graue weightie and serious to giue aduertisementes proportionallie agreeing with the nature of the thing fore-tolde But what shall wee speake of the lethargie and securitie of the worlde wee neuer read that men were so sluggishe and ouer-laide with so deepe securitie as when they were fore-warned of great thinges to come as if the loude sounde of the trumpet of God serued to none other vse but onelie to lull men into a heauie sleepe The deluge of waters the first comming of Christ the destruction of Hierusalem the comming of the Antichrist and the great tempest of the wrath of God that shall be reueiled at Christes second appearance all these things I say haue bene fore-tolde but the contempt of the warnings of God haue procured and will procure the heauie weight of Gods indignation Wee reade of Christes Disciples that when they sawe their master walking vpon the waters they supposed hee had beene a spirite or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a fantasie and delusion this they did onely at one time in fâ—…are and weaknesse but the wicked at all times and in the obstinacie of their vnbeleeuing heartes call both the promises and threatninges of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fantasies and delusions For this cause the Apostle both by worde and writ inculcateth this prophâ—…sie of the coÌ„ming of the Antichrist into the eares of the Thessalonians to the ende they should not lightlie regarde the fore-warnings of God as the sonnes-in-law of Lot did in Sodome Now follow the 6. and 7. verses with the beginning of the 8. verse And now yee know what with-holdeth that he might beercueiled in his owne time for the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke onlie he who now with-holdeth shall let till he bee taken out of the way and then shall the wicked man be reueiled The naturall order requireth that in these wordes three things should bee entreated First howe the mysterie of iniquitie beganne to worke in Paules dayes Secondlie who is this that should bee a let and hinderance to the Antichrist And thirdlie when was it that hee was made out of the way so that he could hinder the Antichrist no longer The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke euen in the dayes of Paule because some Heretiques sprang vp at that time who denied the diuinitie of Christ such as Ebion and Cerinthus these appertained to the kingdome of the Antichrist because they were his fore-runners beginning with entising speaches to seduce men from the trueth of God And what was wanting in them except power and vncontrolled authoritie to bring to a full ripenesse the worke of defection alreadie begunne So Heresies and the doctrine of lies is the very first foundation of the kingdome of the Antichrist And like as an Eagle that buildeth her nest in the face of a steepie rocke the first sticke that shee carrieth to her nest belongeth to the masse thereof Euen so without all controuersie the Heretiques who prepared a way to the kingdome of the Antichrist they are members of the bodie of his kingdome If any man shall object that the chaire of Rome damned the olde Heresies of Ebion Cerynthus and of the Manichies and therefore such men cannot bee justlie reckoned to appertaine to his kingdome whome hee separated from his fellowship by detesting their opinions To this I answere That like as the golde and siluer the brasse and yron and likewise the claye of the great image which Nebuchadneser sawâ—… in his vision had no agreement one with another yet in this they agreede to constitute one stately image opposite vnto the little stone hewne out of the rocke without handes euen so heresies are repugnant one vnto another yet all belong vnto the kingdome of darknesse and to the throne of the Antichrist set vp against the glorious throne of the kingdome of Christ Yea and these Heretiques who impugned the true doctrine of the person of Christ they brake the yce as it were gaue example to others to impugne the doctrine of his office also In the second place by him that letteth Chrysostome vnderstandeth the Romane Empire which consisting into its owne integritie with vndiminished and vnbrangled authoritie the Romane Antichrist durst not attempt high things and thinges farre surmounting the modest carriage of subjects And heere by the way it is to bee marked that like as the Apostle by him who letteth and hindereth vnderstandeth not one particulare Emperour onely but an Empire wherein one Emperour succeedeth to another Euen so by him that is letted hee
opposition is made to the Councell of Frankâ—…ord neither was the adoration of Images auowed in any of thâ—…se Councels So much auaileth the authoritie of a Prince for suppressing of false doctrine heresie In this CouÌ„cel at Rhemes Wulfarius archbis was presideÌ„t 44. canons are rehearsed in the 2. Tome of Councels made in this Councell In the 1. Can. it was concluded That euery man should diligently acquaint himselfe with the Articles of his Faith 2. That euery man should learne the Lords Prayer and comprehend the meaning thereof 3. That euery man promoted to Ecclesiasticall orders shall walke worthily conforme to his calling 4. The Epistles of Paule were read to giue instructions to sub-deacons howe they should behaue themselues Yet is there not one worde in all the Epistles of Paule of a subâ—…deacon 5. The Gospell was read to giue instruction to Deacons to minister condingly in their office 6. Ignorant Priestes are instructed to celebrate the Seruice with greater vnderstanding 7. In like manner they are instructed howe to prepare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Sacrament of Baptisme 8. The holy Canons were read out of the Decretall of Innocentius for ordering the life of Chanons 9. The rule of Sainct Benedict was read to reduce Abbots and their Conuents to a remembrance of their order 10. The Pastorall booke of Gregorius was â—…ead to admonish Pastors of their duetie 11. Sentences of diuerse ancient Fathers were read to admonish men of all â—…aÌ„ks both Prelats subjects to bring forth the fruit of a good conuersation 12. These things being done they set down a forme of receiuing of confessions prescribing of pennance according to the Canonicall institution 13. They reasoned about the eight principall vices to the ende their diuersitie beeing distinguished euerie man might know what vices hee should eschewe and teach others to beware of the same 14. That Bishops should take heed to the reading of the bookes of the Canonicke Scripture and the bookes of Fathers should attend vpon the preaching of the word of God 15. That bisshops should preach the Sermons and Homilies of H. Fathers in such sort as all the people might vnderstand them The 16. can is coincident with the 12. 17. That bishops abbots permit no man to solace the company with filthy gesting in their preseÌ„ce but let poore indigent people be refreshed at their tables with lecture of diuine Scripture and praysing of God according to the Precept of the Apostle that whether wee eate or drinke let all thinges bee done to the glorie of God 18. Gluttonie and drunkernesse for bidden to bishops and the Ministers of God 19. Let not bishops bee rash to judge in thinges secret which are to bee referred to the judgement of God who can manifest thinges hid vp in darknesse discouer the secrets of the heart 20. Presbyters shall not transport themselues from a lowe place to a greater 21. Whosoeuer by money-paying procureth a preferment in the Church shall bee deposed 22. No Church man shall cohabite with a woman except it bee with his mother or sister or such like persons by whose companie no suspition of vncleannesse can arise Precepts giuen to Monkes and Nunnes I passe by as I did in the former Councell Can. 35. The Sabboth day shall be kept holy and in it no seruile worke shall be done according to the Lords Commandement 36. Let no man bestow vpon the Church that thing which by vnlawfull meanes hee hath fraudulently with-drawne from others 37. nor yet by lies and deceitfull meanes withdraw any thing duely beloÌ„ging to the Church 38. Let tythes be precisely payed 39. Let no man presume to receiue rewards for his decreet and sentence 40. Let Prayers Oblations be made for the Emperour and his noble rase that it woulde please God to preserue them in all happinesse in this present life vouchsafe vpon them Celestiall joyes in companie of the Angels in the life to come In the 41. Canon mention is made of a certaine rent left by king Pipinus of good memorie which they wish the Emperour Charles Pipinus sonne shoulde not alter nor transferre into another summe in respect that by so doing manie perjuries and false testimonies might ensue 42. And that no man should bee remooued from his mansion to whome the Emperoures Almes is distributed 43. And that the statute may bee confirmed by his Highnesse allowance whereby all contentions and strifes are ordained to haue a decision end 44. And that the statute made in Bononia concerning false witnesses maye bee ratified and confirmed with augmentation if neede require for eschewing of perjuries false testimonies and many other inconueniences IN the yeere of our LORD 813. and at the commaundement of the Emperour Carolus Magnus a Councell of manie Bishops and Abbots was assembled about establishing of Ecclesiasticall Discipline in the Towne of Towrs In the 1. Canon all men are admonished to bee obedient to the Emperour Charles the Great and to keepe the oath of alleadgeance made vnto him and to make prayers and supplications for his prosperitie and well-fare 2. All Bishops shall diligently reade and frequently peruse the bookes of holy Scripture the histories of the Euangell and the Epistles of Paul together with the bookes of ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawfull for any Bishop to be ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastorall booke of Gregorius in the which euery man as in a viue mirrour might see himselfe 4. Let euery Bishop feede the flocke committed vnto him not onely with doctrine but also with examples of a good conuersation 5. A Bishop must not bee giuen to sumptuous banquets but be content with a moderate diet lest hee should seeme to abuse the counsell of our Lord saying Take heede that your hearts be not surfetted with gluttonie or drunkennesse but let holy lecture be at his table rather than the idle wordes of flattering fellowes 6. Let strangers and indigent people bee at Bishops tables whome they maye refreshe both with corporall and spirituall repaste 7. The delicate pleasures of the eare and the eyes are to bee eschewed lest by such pleasures the minde bee effeminate and inchaunted 8. Let not the Lordes seruantes delight in vaine jesting nor in hunting nor halking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons followe the foot-steps of their Bishops assuring themselues that the good conuersation enjoyned vnto their Bishops is also enjoyned vnto them 10. Let Bishops haue a great sollicitude and care towards the poore and be faithfull dispensators of Ecclesiasticall goods as the Ministers of God and not as hunters after filthie lucre 11. It is lawfull for Bishops with consent of Presbyters Deacons to bestow out of the Church treasure support to indigent people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to bee ordained vntill hee bee 30. yeeres olde 13. Let the B. make diligeÌ„t inquisitioÌ„ in his own Paroch Church that no Presbyter coÌ„ming from any
yeere of Tiberius The Senat of Rome refuseth to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ. Pilat killeth himselfe Caius would be counted a god The Iewes abhorred the vpsetting of the image of Caius in their Temple The petition of Agrippa The bloodie letter of Caius written to Petronius his Deputie The hypocrisie of Agrippa Contention betweene the Iewes and Grecians who dwelt at Alexandria New Iupiter in worse case then old Iupiter The famine foretold by Agabus The Council of Jerusalem ANNO 48. Romaine deputies The ten persecuting Emperours wrestled against God The first persecution ANNO Chr. 65 The martyrdome of Peter Paul Romain Deputies Contention betweene Agrippa and the Iewes The martyrdom of Iames surnamed Iustus The ground of the warre betweene the Iewes and the Romanes Foreranning tâ—…kens of the destruction of Ierusalem The destruction of Ierusalem ANNO Chr. 71. The flood of Noe the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem types of the great iudgement to come The second persecution AN. Chr. 96. The banishment of the Apostle John Domitian afraide by rumors of the Kingdome of Christ. Apostles Euangelists The true successours of the Apostles Bishops of Rome Linus Ignatius Papias Heretiques Simon Magus Menander Ebion Cerinthus Nicolaitansâ—… A Treatise of antiquitie Antiquitie of veritie Antiquitie of errour Antiquitie of custome Where veritie is to be â—…ound The power of the veritie The reue rence that should be câ—…ried to the veritie The more the veritie is despised in the world the more ardently it should be loued Antiquitie is no honoar to errour Errour in religion an execrable thing Errour repugneth to itselfe Both ancient and late errours magnifie creatures With the diminution of the glory of the Creator The trueth is not to be judged by outward appearance Antiquitie of custome differeth from antiquitie of commandement How ancient truth may be discerned from ancient lies Foure counterfaite masks of antiquitie in Poperie Wicked men reade holy Scripture of intention to gainesay the trueth of God †Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confident speaking without a sure ground is not to be regarded What the word heresie doth signifie The grounâ—… of heresie Similitudeâ—… Pride accompanying ignorance The propagation of herâ—…sie Heresie strengthened by the arme of manalanerly The curse of God vpon Heretiques heresies and places of their meetings How Heretiques should be dealt with by the Pastours HAV the magistrate should deale with Heretiques Similitude How the people should deale with Heretiques The word foundation taken properly 〈◊〉 oâ—…ly to Christ. Take heede to the demonstrations of God and beware of Satans demonstrations The similttude of a stone frequently vsedin Scripture The seconâ—… comfort An wholsom admonition In what sense the doctrine of the Prophets c. is called the foundation â—…imilitude Faith is called afoundation The offices of Christ declare that he is a true foundation Christ is a liuing fâ—…undation Similitude The contempt of men cannot impaire the glory of Christ. Similitude We drawe nere to Christ by faith Of Emporours The thirde persecution ANNO Chr. 108 The martyrdome of Simon the son of Cleopas The letter of Plinie 2. written to Traian Gregorieâ—… prayed for the soule of Traian Barcochebas a false prophet seduced the nation of the lewes Adrianus his intention to builde a Church for the honour of Christ. The fourth persecution ANN. Ch. 168. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and Iustinus Slanderous speeches against Christians The Romain armie supported by the prayers of the Christians Contrarie lâ—…wes Bishops of Rome Martyre Mâ—…tyre Maâ—…tyre Martyre The rashnes of Victor Of other Doctours and Preachâ—… Agrippas Castor Hegesippus Melito Iustinus Martyr Polycarpus Ireneus Clemens Alexandrinus Of Heretiques Gnostici Valentinuâ—… Marcus Cerdon Marcion Tatianus Encratitae Montanus Cataphryges Aquila and Theodosion rathâ—…r Apostatstben Heretiques Sacred scripture cannot be sufficiently commended Similitude It is perillous to separat the booke of the worde from the booke of the workes Similitude The spirit the word are not to be separated The Word of God is to bee found in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles The Prophets and Apostlâ—…s added nothing to Moses Similitude Three inturies done to the Written Word by reueiencing of traditions False accusations of holy Scripture Vnsufficiencie Difficultie Perill Things necessarte are to be kept al-beit they be abused Similitude Why Heretiques doe hate the Scripture Similitude The care of Christians of olde to keepe the scripture from burning A remarkable speech of an old honorable Lady Scriptures belong to the sheepe of Christ as their proper treasure Reformation of religion made according to the Written word The cause wherfore the Apostles put in write the summe of their doctrin Be not deceiued with the generalitie of the word tradition Similitude The true meaning of the words of Paul 2. Thess. 2. 15. Constancie differeth froÌ„ wilfulnesse The testimome of Ireneus abused Papists will not binde themselues in all points to old traditions The value of tradition in the fâ—… age In the Second age In the last age The word therefore to be considered 2. Thess. 2. ver 15. Christ doth great honour to the Scriptures Defection in the visible Chuâ—…ch no new thing Differences betweene the ancient fathers and Papists of our time con cerningmeats and mariage The Council of Ancyra Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria a maried man The Council of Gangra The probibition of meats and mariage is an apostasie from the faub. Our seruice to God should be a reasonable seruice The Popish church speak lies in hypocrisie rather then old Heretiques What is meant by a consâ—…ence seared with an hote yron Forbidding and biddâ—…ng wordes of authoritie We ought to hearken vnto the voyce that commeth downe from heauen Similitude Great arrogancie in prohibition of meates Arrogancie mixed with foolishnesse Similitude Similitude The last age of the worlde more senslesse then the first Similitude Both blasphemie and hypocrisie in the matter of mariage and meats is condemned by the Apostle The Papistes more subtle â—…en the Manicheis were The grace of thanksgiuing witnesseth that we enjoy both the gift and the giuer We ougâ—…t 〈◊〉 be ruled by Gods word iâ—… all things both corporat spirisuali The conscience is subject to the yocke of God The cause wherefore the succession of Romam Bishops was magnified of old The succession of Dauid The succession of Aaron The succession of the Prophets The succession of the Apostles The alledged succession of the Romaine Church spotted with heresie schisme and idolatry The heresie of the Collyridians renued increased by the chaire of Rome Eugenius 4. B. of Rome a notable schismatick The chaire of Rome defiled with idolatrie Lkeerrours haue like grounds The Romain church like to the successours of Aaron What inconuenients follow if the promise made to the Aposâ—…les successors be absolute The Apostles had calling gâ—…es prerogatiues extraordinarie The fist persecution ANN. Ch. 205. Leonides the father of Origen Alexander fellow laboureâ—… with Naâ—…cislus Rhais a mar tyre hrunt before she
Hincmarus bishop of Laudunum as a man disobedient to his Metropolitane and a man who for priuate injuries had excōmunicated all the Presbyters of his Church debarring them from saying of Masse baptizing of Inphantes absoluing of Penitents and burying of the dead And Hincmarus bishop of Rhemes proponed vnto the Councell 50. Canons which hee desired to bee read in the Synode and they allowed all the Canons written by the bishop of Rhemes Also they condemned Hincmarus bishop of Laudunum of petulancy and compelled him to subscribe obedience to Charles his King and to his Metropolitane hee was also depriued of his office and his eyes were thrust out But Pope Ihonne the ninth vnder the reigne of Carolus Crassus restored him to his office againe beeing the more affectioned vnto him because he had appealed from his owne bishop and from the decreet of a Synode in his owne countrey to be judged by the Chaire of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 899. and in the eight yeere of the reigne of the Emperour Arnulphus in the Towne of Triburium twentie and two Bishops of Germanie were assembled who made many constitutions a great number whereof Caranza is compelled to ouer-passe with silence lest he shoulde make a superfluous repetition of Canons mentioned before First it was concluded in this Councell That excommunicate persons if they repent not are to be subdued by the Emperour Canon 10. That a Bishop shall not be deposed before his cause be judged by twelue Bishops and a Presbyter by sixe Bishops and a Deacon by three Bishops 11. A Church man who committeth slaughter shall be deposed albeit he hath beene inforced vnto it 12. Baptisme shall not be ministred except at Easter Whitsonday without necessitie require 13. Tythes are to bee payed for the sustentation of the Ministerie the support of the poore and the fabricke of the Church 15. Let mens bodies bee buried in that Paroch vnto the which they payed their Tythes 16. No buriall place shall bee solde for money 17. Let Laicke people be buried in the Church yarde not in the Church but if they be buried alreadie let not their bodies bee remoued 18. The vesselles wherein holy mysteries are celebrated are Challices and Platters whereof Sainct Bonifacius a Bishop and Martyr being demanded If it was lawfull to celebrate the Sacrament in vesselles of wood He answered That of olde there were golden bishops and woodden vessels but nowe by the contrary saith he the Bishops are woodden bishops and the vesselles are vesselles of golde And Sepherinus ministred the Sacrament in vessels of glasse Neuerthelesse this Councell straitly inhibiteth the Sacrament to be consecrated in vesselles of wood 19. Let not wine without water bee offered in the holy Challice because both blood and water flowed out of the side of Christ. 20. Priestes are shauen to the end they may carrie vpon their heads a similitude of the crowne to wit of thornes wherewith the Lord was crowned who is their lot and portion 21. Let not Presbyters who are called before Iustice seates bee compelled to sweare but let them bee put in remembrance of their holy consecration in stead of an oath 22. The triall of persons defamed by the burning iron is ceassed but let no man giue out rashe judgement in se◅ret matters 27. They who haue vnder-taken a spirituall ofsice shoulde not goe to warre-fare nor accept vpon them ciuill offices according to the seuenth Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon 31. A thiefe or a robber who is slaine in the perpetration of his diabolicall fact let no man praye for his soule nor distribute almes for his reliefe 35. Let no justice Courtes bee holden on the Lordes daye neither on Festiuall nor Fasting dayes 39. A man who marrieth a woman of a strange countrey but not of a strange religion shall be compelled to cohabite with her 40. It shall not be lawfull for a man to marie a woman whome hee hath polluted in adulterie during her husbandes life-time 45. Hee who hath defiled two sisters let him bee subject to pennance all his dayes and remaine continent 46. A woman that hath committed adulterie and for feare of her husband who persueth her vnto the death shee fleeth vnto Bishops to seeke reliefe let them trauell seriouslie for the safetie of her life and if that can bee obtained let her be restored to her husband againe but if that cannot bee obtained let her not bee restored but her husband during his life time shall not marie another 54. A forme of externall repentance is prescribed to them who of precogitate malice and of purpose haue committed slaughter TREATISES Belonging to the IX CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of Extreame Unction THE Councell of TRENT entraiting of this subject of Extreame Unction setteth downe a glorious Preface before their Canons That Sathan that vigilant enemie who is readie at all occasions to take his aduantadge he is most readie in the last conflict to assault poore soules when naturall powers are weakened and the feare of approaching death doeth perturbe the cogitations of sinfull people then hee endeuoureth to brangle their faith and to bring them to a distrust of the mercies of GOD. But on the other part saye they Christ hath instituted the Sacrament of Extreame Unction as an armour to guarde vs at our last breath against the subtile inuasions of that deceitfull aduersarie This Preface importeth that all the weapons of our spirituall warrefare both defensiue and offensiue wherewith wee faught against spirituall wickednesse in our life-time are not sufficient to guarde vs in our last combate except wee bee annointed with oyle at our last departure Neuerthelesse the holie Scripture expresselie saieth I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee liue and whosoeuer liueth and belecueth in mee shall neuer die Ioann Chap. 11. verse 25. 26. In which wordes it may bee euidentlie perceiued that the word of GOD apprehended by faith can saue vs both in life and death The Romanistes in proouing Extreame Unction to bee a Sacrament of the Newe Testament in the which there is a signe instituted by GOD and to the signe there is added a promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes and consequentlie of eternall life They are like to the drunkardes of our Nation who when their stomacke is ouer-laden with too much drinke then they laye them downe to sleepe but incase by any occasion they be wakened before the drinke be digested and gone out of their heads they arise like madde men and make such a stirre and businesse that all men wishe that they were in their bedde againe Euen so the Romane Church hath beene so miscarried with the traditions of men with the writinges of auncient Fathers especiallie in poinctes of doctrine in the which they were weake and with the authoritie of Councels that they layed them downe and slept securelie as people who were perfectlie instructed in the way of GOD. But nowe they
awake after a manner out of their sleepe and they will seeme to grounde their doctrine vpon Scripture which they so miserablie abuse that they are in no better case but rather in a worse than when they misregarded Scripture layed it aside and counted the Decretalles of Popes to bee of as great authoritie as the holie Scriptures of GOD. True it is that about the yeere of our LORD 520. Chemnisius reckoneth the yeere of our LORD 528. Foelix the fourth the successour of Ioannes the first and predecessour of Bonifacius the seconde hee ordained That Christians before they departed this life shoulde bee annointed with oyle And this is the true originall of Extreame Unction yet in such manner that in the dayes of Pope Foelix the fourth it had not the name of a Sacrament But seeing the Councell of TRENT referreth it vnto a more auncient beginning let vs examine the places of SCRIPTVRE whereupon they grounde this their opinion The wordes of the APOSTLE IAMES are these Is anie sicke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them praye for him and annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if hee haue committed sinne it shall bee forgiuen him Iacob Chap. 5. vers 14. 15. For better vnderstanding of this place of SCRIPTVRE let vs consider these three thinges to wit That when the Gospell was first preached for the propagation and aduan cement thereof GOD appointed extraordinarie offices EPHES. 4. which were not to continue in the Church such as the office of Apostles Euangelistes and of Prophets Likewise hee endued them and some other beleeuers with extraordinarie giftes such as the gift of tongues of prophesie and working of miraculous workes And like as the extraordinarie offices continued not in the Church euen so the extraordinarie giftes continued not long in the Church for they were giuen to open a doore to the Gospell which beeing once opened Christians must content themselues with ordinarie offices and gifts Secondlie let vs consider that persons who had receiued a gift of GOD to cure diseases miraculouslie they vsed not at all times the selfe same signes and ceremonies in curing of diseases but sometimes they sent hand-kirches to the diseased persons ACT. CAP. 19. vers 11. sometimes they ouerlayed the dead and restored them to life ACT. CAP. 20. vers 10. and sometimes they annointed them with oyle MARC CAP. 6. vers 13. Which diuersitie of signes had not beene lawfull to vse if Extreame Unction had beene an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church For like as it is not lawfull to baptize with anie other liquor except water because Baptisme is a Sacrament instituted by GOD Euen so in curing the diseased it had not beene lawfull to vse anie other signe and ceremonie but annointing with oyle if so bee it had beene an ordinarie Sacrament Thirdlie it is to bee considered that when signes and ceremonies doe accompanie extraordinarie giftes incase the gift doe cease it is a foolishe thing to keepe in vse the signe and ceremonie except it were to bee a memoriall of a thing done of olde as the people of GVIDVS dedicated the shelles of the Fishe Remora to VENVS GVIDEA for a memoriall of their deliuerance But wee reade not of anie Prophet to whome GOD gaue not the gift of working miraculous workes who counterseited HELISEVS by sending their staffe to raise the dead 2. REG. CAP. 4. vers 2â—… or directing anieâ—…eprous person to washe his bodie seuen times in the waters of Iordane as HELISEVS directed NAAMAN the Syrian to doe 2. REG. CAP. 5. vers 10. For in vaine is the outward signe adhibited when the gift of miraculous he ling of diseases is ceassed Yea and the Priestes in the Romane Church conuicted in conscience that by annointing with oyle they cannot restore a diseased person to health they delaye to applie Extreame Unction vntill all hope of recouerie bee vtterlie past But nowe lest it shoulde seeme that their Extreame Unction is altogether vneffectuallie applied the verie wordes vsed in the application thereof testifieth that they belieue that remission of sinnes shall bee conferred with to the diseased person by vertue of Extreame Unction for these are their wordes Peristam sanctam Unctionem piissimam suam misericordiam indulgeat tibi DEVS quicquid peccasti per visum per auditumodoratum tactum gustum that is to saye By this moste holie Unction let GOD bestowe vpon thee his mercie for all sinnes thou hast committed by seeing hearing smelling touching or tasting Heere remember that the benefite which the APOSTLE saieth is chieselie obtained by prayer they referre it vnto annointing with oyle Next they take not heâ—…de to whome the APOSTLE directeth this exhortation namelie to the faithfull members of CHRIST whome in the twelfth verse hee calleth his brethren and in the soureteenth and fifâ—…eenth verses hee speaketh to such as reuerenced the order of Church-gouernement Nowe it is certaine that faithfull men are so taught in the schoole of GOD and perswaded that other mens prayers can auaile them nothing except there bee faith in their owne heartes for the prayer of SAMVEL coulde benefite King SAVL nothing in respect of his reprobate and vnbeleeuing heart 1. SAM CHAP. 16. vers 2. But these men of whome Sainct IAMES speaketh were faithfull men penitent sinners obedient to the ordinances of GOD And when the Seniors of the Church prayed for such men their sinnes were forgiuen them GOD hauing regarde to their owne faith and to the prayers of the Elders of the Church for them In this they glorie much that Extreame Unction may be called a Sacrament of the newe Testament in a proper sense forasmuch as in it there is a signe instituted by CHRIST Marâ—… cap. 6. and vnto the signe there is added a promise to wit the healing of the diseased person if the LORD thinke it expedient at least a promise of remission of sinnes But all this is nothing except the thirde circumstance bee added to wit that CHRIST hath giuen vnto vs this signe to bee vsed and hath annexed the promises afore-saide as belonging vnto vs for who can denie but in circumcision there was a signe instituted by GOD whereunto a diuine promise was annexed Neuerthelesse both the signe and promise appertained vnto them who liued vnder the olde Couenant GALATH. CAP. 5. vers 3. and not to vs euen so the signe and the promise aforesaide appertained vnto that time onelie in the which extraordinarie giftes had place in the CHVRCH of GOD and not to vs. Nowe to the ende that this their Sacrament of Extreame Unction might bee holden in the greater reuerence they haue founde out manie circumstances not mentioned in holie SCRIPTVRE as namelie that it shall bee made onelie by a Bishop It shall bee saluted with bowing of knees and nine congratulations in this manner It shall bee saide thrise Aue sanctum