have Painters enow 2. Where shall we have Money to pay them 3. Where shall we find room to hold them 4. Is not here a new Article of Faith and a new Commandment necessary to Salvation 5. Was not their Church Universal as it stood before all or most here cursed 6. Was it not a hard matter to be saved or be a Conformist on these terms when a Man that did but doubt of Images yea that did not teach them to the People and that from his heart must be cursed 7. Was not such a cursing sort of Bishops a great Curse Shame and Calamity to the Church Did they not tempt Infidels to curse or deride them all while they thus cursed one another even their Councils Tharasius joyfully received all this and Constantine Bishop of Constance in Cyprus said That this Libel of Theodosius drew many tears from him I suppose of joy And now they all saw the way § 60. But now cometh a Crowd more to do their Pennance Hypatius Bishop of Nice Leo Rhodi Gregory of Pisidia Gregory of Pessinunt Leo of Iconium Nicolas of Hierapolis Leo of Carpathium And now Tarasius was sure of them he groweth more upon them and will know of them Whence it was that in the last Council they did what they did against Images whether it was through meer Ignorance or by any reason that drew them to it If through Ignorance he bids them give a Reason how they came to be so ignorant If upon any Reason to tell what that Reason was that it might be refuted Leo Bishop of Rhode answered We have sinned before God and before the Church and before this holy Synod Ignorance made us fall from the Truth and we have nothing to say in our own defence Tharasius would know what Reason now moveth and changeth them some say because it is the Doctrine or Faith of the Apostles and Fathers Another alledgeth a saying as of the Antioch Council and another as of Isidore Pelus which the learned Reader examining may see what proof it was that Images were brought into Churches by it 's worth the noting But another alledgeth the Apostles and Prophets Tradition But what 's the proof And did not the Council at Constant nor the Bishops in the Reign of the three former Emperors know what Tradition was Was it unknown till now How came it now known then Or who told it this Council when the last knew it not Or if the last were false Knaves how shall we be sure that these were honest Men Or that the same Men were suddenly become wise and honest Tharasius asketh one of the Bishops Leo How it came to pass that he that had been ten or eight years a Bishop never knew the Apostolical Tradition for Images till just now He answered Because through many Ages or Times Malice endured and so wicked Doctrine endured and when this persevered for our sins it compelled us to go out of the way of Truth but there is hope with God of our salvation But Constantine Cypr. answereth him You that are Bishops and Teachers of others should not have had need to be taught your selves Leo replied If there were no expression of sin in the Law there would be no need of Grace Another Hypatius replied with the rest We received ill Doctrine from ill Masters Yea but saith Tarasius The Church ought not to receive Priests from ill Teachers Hypatius Bishop of Nice replieth Custom hath so obtained § 61. Hereupon the Synod desired to be informed on what terms Hereticks were to be received when they returned so the Canons were brought and read And though many Canons and Fathers have said that no Repentance for some Crimes must restore a Man to the Priesthood though it must to the Church and there is an Epistle of Tarasius put by Crabbe before this Council in which he determineth that a Simoniack may be received upon Repentance to Communion but not to his Office yet Tarasius here being desirous of their return knowing that these Penitents that renounced the errors of their Education and former practice would draw others to conformity with them did resolutely answer all that was objected against their reception § 62. Here in Crab. p. 472. a question fell in upon their reading the Proofs that repenting Hereticks were by the Church to be restored to their Bishopricks and Priesthood What Hereticks those were And it was answered that they were Novatians Encratists and Arrians and Manichees Marcionists and Eutychians And then one asketh Whether this Heresie against Images was greater or less than all those And Tharasius answereth like a Stoick Evil is always the same and equal especially in matters Ecclesiastical in the Decrees of which both great and small to err is the same thing for in both God's Law is violated O Learned Patriarch worthy to be the setter up of Church-Images A venerable Monk that was Vicar of the Oriental Patriarch answereth That this Heresie is worse than all heresies and the worst of all Evils as that which subverteth the Oeconomy of our Saviour Note Reader how the Patriarchal Thrones did govern the Church and this Council and by what reasons Images and Saints intercessions were set up Arrianism Manicheism Marcionism no Heresie that denied the essentials of Christianity no evil was so bad with them as to deny Church-Images c. And so the late General Council and Bishops for three Emperors Reigns had been under the worst of Heresies and Evils worse than Arrianism itself § 63. But here Constantine the Notary of the Const. Patriarchate happily brought in so pertinent a Testimony as much made for the pardon of the penitent Bishops He read out of the Council of Calcedon how the Oriental and other Bishops that had lately set up Eutyches and Dioscorus in the 2d Ephesian Council cryed at Calcedon We have all sinned we all ask forgiveness And how Thalassius Eusebius and Eustathius cryed We have all erred we all ask forgiveness And after them Iuvenal and after him the Illyrican Bishops cryed We have all lapsed we all ask pardon And so the President was undeniable and effectual These were not the first Bishops that went one way in one Council under one Prince and cryed peccavimus for it as Heresie in the next § 64. But Sabas the Monk starts yet a greater doubt than this and that is whether they had true Ordination and so were true Bishops For seeing they were bred in the times of Heresie which had prevailed under so many Emperors and had Heretical Teachers it 's like they had Heretick Ordainers seeing the late Council shewed what the Bishops then were And the Fact was confest that they were Ordained by Bishops that were Hereticks that is against Church-Images and praying to Saints for their intercession and using Reliques The Bishop of Rome's Vicars pleaded hard against their Ordination but Tarasius knew what a breach it would make in the Church if a General Council
only to Creatures under Heaven intend to give it to Creatures in Heaven for they appropriate it elsewhere to God by which they greatly differ from Aquinas and such Papists § 71. Note also that whether well or ill both these adverse Councils curse Pope Honorius as an Heretick see Crab. p. 560 c. § 72. Another Argument which the first 7th Council at Const. useth against Images in Churches is that Christ himself hath chosen and instituted such an Image as he would be represented by and that is the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament and therefore we must not presume to make another as if he had not done it well This sheweth that this General Council and the Church then held that the Bread was not nullified nor become Christ's Essence but was the Image or Representation of his broken Body and so called The Body of Christ as we say of Caesar's Image This is Caesar. But the adverse Council or the Answer raileth at this as an abominable Speech Crab. p. 567. as if the Sacrament might not be called The Image of Christ though de re they seem not at all to differ saith the Constantine Council Imaginem totam electam viz. substantiam panis mandavit apponâ— ne scilicâ—t humanâ effigie figurata idolatria induceretur A Deo tradita Imago Carnis ejus panis scilicet Divinus impletus est Spiritu Sancto cum poculo quoque sanguinis lateris illius vivificantis Haec igitur vera incarnatae dispensatienis Christi Dei nostri Imago sicut praedictum est quam ipse nobis verus naturae vividus Creator propriâ voce tradidit § 73. Note also Crab. p. 568. that the Constantin Council plead That this use of Images began neither by the Tradition of Christ nor of the Apostles nor of the Fathers And that the Answer saith that The Veneration of Images was delivered with many other things without Scripture from the Apostles time c. Here note 1. How those Papists in particular which I have elsewhere answered are confuted who say that Tradition is universal sure known constant and no Churches pleaded Traditions against each other at least in necessary things or Faith but if we have not the right now it must be because the Councils went all to Bed in one mind and rose in another You see here that the 2d Nieene Council took the Doctrine of the former to be Anathematized Heresie and that 338 Bishops in one of the Councils and the most under many Emperors and 350 Bishops in the other Council pleaded Tradition against each other But sure any Man that hath read the Fathers of the first 300 or 400 years will easily see which of them was in the right excepting the sign of the Cross. 2. Note also that it is here confessed that there is no Scriptural Tradition of this use of Images § 74. In the Definitions of the Constantine Council it is to be noted 1. That they are not so much against the intercession of the Virgin Mary or Saints as the Protestants mostly are nor as the Papists make them For Crab. p. 589. they say Defin. 15. If any confess not holy Mary ever a Virgin properly and truly the Parent of God and superior to every Creature visible and invisible and doth not with a sincere Faith crave her Intercessions as having this liberty with him that is born of her God let him be Anathema And Defin. 17. If any confess not that all who from the beginning to this day before the Law and under the Law and in the Grace given of God being Saints are venerable in the presence of God in soul and body and doth not seek their intercessions as having liberty with God to intercede for the world according to Ecclesiastical Tradition let him be Anathema Were not these Men high enough in Creature-worship to escape the Curse of Hereticks 2. I noted before how they do Defin. 7. conclude that Christ's Body glorified is not proper Flesh and yet not incorporeal but his true Body § 75. That you may see that this Council were of one mind in the conclusion they all say Omnes se credimus Omnes idem sapimus Omnes approbando probando volentes subscripsimus c. We all thus believe against Images We are all of one mind We all subscribe willingly as approving c. Only Germanus George and Manzurus supposed to be Damascene are found among the Anathematized Dissenters Crab. p. 592. § 76. The 7th Action of the Nicene Synod containeth their Definition in which they deny indeed Latria to Images but yet say more than before That they that see the Pictures may come to the memory and desire of the Prototypes as by the sight of the Cross and by the holy Gospels and holy Oblations For the honour of the Image resulteth to the Prototype and he that adoreth the Image in it adoreth the described Argument So that they that began lower in the conclusion came up to Adoration They all profess full consent and curse all that bring Scripture against Images and that call them Idols c. They curse the last Council as Rugiens Conciliabulum and three dissenting Bishops and three former Patriarchs of Const. two more Bishops they add They curse all that receive not Images and all that salute them not in the Name of the Lord and his Saints and that care not for unwritten Tradition of the Church Next they write an Epistle to the Empress and her Child applauding them and adding that Denying Latria to them they judge them to be adored and saluted and pronounced every one Anathematized that is so minded as to stick at and doubt of the Adoration of Images and this as empowred by God's Spirit so to curse them which Anathema say they is nothing else but separating them from Christ. Judge now what the use of such Councils was To curse Men and separate them from Christ and that if they do but doubt of adoring Images Reader if thou believe that in these Heretications Separations and Damnations of such they were of Christ's mind and did his work and served not his Enemy against him and his Church I am not of thy mind nor am ever like to be Another Epistle they wrote to the People and one Tharasius sent to Adrian § 77. Some Canons of theirs are added of which this is the third Every Election of a Bishop Priest or Deacon which is made by Magistrates shall remain void by the Canon which saith If any Bishop use the Secular Magistrates to obtain by them a Church let him be deposed and separated and all that communicate with him The 4th Canon is Paul saith I have desired no Mans silver or gold c. If therefore any one exacting money or any other thing or for any affection of his own shall be found to drive from his Ministry or to segregate any one of his Clergy or to shut the venerable Temple forbidding in it
under him as frighted many against their Judgements to Curse the Council and those that held two Natures as Hereticks Some Bishops stood out and refused some fled from their Churches for fear The Isaurian Bishops when they had yielded repented and when they had repented they Condemned Severus that drove them to subscribe Two stout Bishops Cosmas and Severianus sent a Sealed Paper to Severus and when he opened it he found it was a Condemnation under their Hands The Emperour had notice of it and he being angry that they presumed to Condemn their Patriarchs sent his Procurator to cast them out of their Bishopricks himself at last being against the Council The Procurator found the People so resolute and bent to Resistance in defence of their Bishops That he sent word to the Emperour that these two Bishops could not be cast out without bloud-shed The Emperour sent him word that he would not have a drop of bloud shed for the business for he did what he did for peace § 46. Helias Bishop of Ierusalem found all the other Churches in such Confusion the Bishops Condemning one another that he would Communicate with none of them save Euphemius of Constantinople before his Ejection Niceph. c. 32. The Monks were engaged for the Council by such a means as this One Theodosius a Monk or Abbot gathering a great assembly lowdly cryed out in the Pulpit to them If any man equal not the four Councils with the four Evangelists let him he Anathema This Voice of their Captain resolved the Monks and they thenceforth took it as a Law that the four Councils should be saoris libris accensenda added or joyned with the sacred Books And they wrote to the Emperour Certamen se de eis ad sanguinem usâ—â— subiturâ—s that they would make good the Conflict for them even to blood Thus Monks and Bishops then submitted to Princes These Monks went about to the Cities to engage them to take their side for the Councils The Emperour hearing of this wrote to the Bishop Helias to reform it He rejecteth the Emperours Letters and refuseth The Emperour sendeth Souldiers to Compâ—ll or restrain them The Orthodox Monks that were for the Council gathered by the Orthodox Bishops tumultuously cast the Emperours Souldiers out of the Church Niceph. c. 34. After this they had another Contention and there Anathematized those that adhered to Severus The Emperour more provoked by all this sent Olympius with a band of Souldiers to Conquer them Olympius came and cast out Bishop Helias and put in Iohn The Monks gather again and the Souldiers bieng gone they come to Iohn and make him engage himself to be against Severus and to stand for the Council though it were unto Blood He yielded to the Monks and ingaged himself to the Council and brake his Word made to Olympius The Emperor is angry with Olympius for doing his Work no better and puts him out and sendeth another Captain Anastatius who came and put the Bishop Iohn in Prison and Commanded him to despise the Council Iohn consulting with another Bishop craftily promised to obey him if he would but let him out of Prison two days before that it might not seem a forced act This being done the Bishop on the contrary in the Pulpit before the Captain and the People cryeth out If any man assent to Eutyches and Nestorius Contraries and Severus and Soterichus Caesariansis let him be Anathema If any follow not the Opinions of the four Vniversal Synods let him be Anathema The Captain seeing himself thus deluded fled from the Multitude and was glad to save himself the Emperour being offended more at this The Bishops write to him that at Jerusalem the Fountain of Doctrine they were not now to learn the truth and that they would defend the Traditions if need be even to blood Niceph. 16. c. 34. At Constantinople the Bishop Timothy would please both sides and pleased neither To some he spake for the Council to others he Cursed it Being to make an Abbot the Man refused his Election unless he consented to the Council of Calcedon Timothy presently Cursed those that received not the Council His Arch-deacon hearing him reproached him that like Euripus roled every way The Emperour hearing it rebuked him And Timothy washt away the Charge and presently Cursed every one that received the Council Niceph. l. 8. c. 35. § 47. But what did Rome all this while It were too long to recite their proper History They were for the Council and they had other kind of Conflicts The Goths held them in Wars and had conquered them and Theodorick reigned there as King and so they were broken off from the Empire Arians ruled them who yet if Salvian say true did after shame the Orthodox in point of Temperance Truth and Justice But besides their following greater Schisms this Schism also did reach to them Festus a Roman Senator was sent by Theodorick to the Emperour on an Embassie which having done he desired of the Emperour that Constantinople might keep the Festival days of Peter and Paul which they did not before as they did at Rome and he prevailed And he secretly assured the Emperour that Anastasius Bishop of Rome would receive the Honoticon to suspend the consenting to the Calcedon Council and would subscribe it When this Ambassadour came home the Pope was dead To make good his Word to the Emperour he got a party to choose Laurentius Pope who would receive the Honoticon The People chose Symmachus their Bishop And so there were two Popes settled and the sedition continued three years not without Slaughter Rapines and other Calamities Nicephor cap. 35. Theodorick an Arian more rightuous than the Popes would not deprive them of their liberty of choice but called a Synod to judge which was the rightful Bishop and upon their judgment confirmed Symmachus But Laurentius loth to lose the prey stirred up the People to Sedition and thereupon was quite degraded This was a beginning of Schisms at Rome § 48. The Emperour at Constantinople favouring the addition Qui crucifixus est pro nobis the People who disliked it seditiously cut off a Monks head and set it upon a pole inscribing An Enemy to the Trinity The Emperour overcome and wearied with their Confusions and Orthodox Murders and Rebellions called an Assembly and offered to resign his Empire desiring them to choose another This smote them with remorse and they desired him to reassume his Crown and promised to forbear Sedition But he dyed shortly after § 49. Anno 452. Valentinian the Roman Emperour attempted a great alteration with the Bishops by a Law recalling the Judicial Power of the Bishops in all Causes except those of Faith and Religion unless the parties contending voluntarily chose them for the Judges This Binnius and the other Papists take for a heinous injury to the Church In all mens judgment saith Binnius it is absurd that the Sheep should judge his Shepherd If to day
servants of Satan do and be at peace among your selves Heb. 13. 7 17 24. Remember them which have the rule over you which have spoken to you the word of God Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Salute all them that have the Rule over you The Elders of the Church are to pray with and for the sick Jam. 5. 14. They must feed the Flock of God among them taking the oversight of it 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Thus you see their Office and work 2. And that they were not to bring any new Doctrine further appears in that they have a charge to Preach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 3. Nor to be tossed as children with every wind of doctrine Eph. 4. 14. Nor carried about with divers and strange doctrines Heb. 13. 9. 3. Yea if any man bring not the doctrine of Christ we must not receive him into our houses or bid him God speed lest we be partakers of his evil deeds for he that abideth not in this doctrine hath not God 2 John 9. 10 11. Gal. 1. 8. 9. Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel to you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel to you then that ye have received let him be accursed And Rom. 16. 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them 1 Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doating 4. And if all Ministers must be receivers of new Doctrines the Church would never know when it hath all but would be still obeying an imperfect Law 5. And it would be an oppression to the Church instead of a Direction to be so overwhelmed with new Doctrines and Precepts 6. And it would accuse Christ the Lawgiver of such mutability as wise Princes are not guilty of to be still changing or adding to his Laws 7. There was great occasion for the New Testament or Gospel upon the great work of our Redemption but there is no such cause for alterations since 8. The Priests before Christ were not to receive new Laws as is said 9. The Companions of the Apostles that wrought Miracles had not all new Revelations but did it to seal up this Gospel 10. What need we more then actual experience that God doth not give New Revelations to the world and none since the Scripture times have sealed any other by Miracles And thus I have proved to you the two sorts of Ministers as Paul plainly distinguisheth them 1 Cor. 3. 10 11 12. Eph 2. 20. There are Planters and Waterers Master builders that lay the foundation and others that build thereon Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid but every man that buildeth hay or stuble and loseth his work doth not nullifie the Ministry We are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the head corner-stone but we are not built on the foundation of every Pastor Teacher Elder Bishop or Deacon Though both in their places Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4. 11 12. That we might be one united Body having one fixed standing doctrine ver 14 15 16. And how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him mark whence the Church receiveth it God also bearing them witness but not every Elder or Teacher both with signs and wonders and with divers Miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Heb. 2. 3 4. Prop. 2. And now that these later Ministers need not prove their calling by Miracles I prove thus 1. God never imposed such a task upon them nor commanded the people to require such a proof and not to believe any but worker of Miracles 2. God gave not all the gift of Miracles that were employed in his work even in the Apostles daies Are all workers of Miracles saith Paul some had by the Spirit the word of wisedom and of knowledge and others Tongues and others Interpretation and others Miracles 1 Cor. 12 29 7 8 9 10. 3. They that have the Holy Ghost are owned by Christ and so have many without working Miracles See Rom. 8. 9. 1 Cor. 12. 3. Gal. 5. 18 22 23 24. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 3. 16. 5. 9 18. 1 Pet. 1. 2 22. Rom. 15. 13 16. Tit. 3. 5. 4. The Law of Moses was kept and taught by Priests and Levites that wrought not Miracles 5. If the Laws of all Nations may be kept without Miracles so may the Laws of Christ. 6. If humane writings are kept without Miracles as Homer Virgil Ovid Cicero Livy c. so may the Laws of God much more as being the daily subject of the belief meditation conference preaching controversies devotions of Christians through the world and translated into so many Tongues 7. There is nothing in the Nature of the thing that requireth ordinary Miracles Cannot men sufficiently prove without Miracles that there have been such men as Caesar Pompey Aristotle or which be Calvins or Bellarmines writings c. Much more evidently may they prove what doctrine is essential to Christianity and the Scripture that contains the whole 8. Else Parents could not teach their children nor bring them up in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6. 4. Nor teach them with Timothy from a child to know the Scriptures which are able to make men wise to salvation through faith in Christ 2. Tim. 3. 15. Must no Parents teach their Children to know Christ but such as can work Miracles 9. The Doctrine which we preach is fully confirmed by Miracles already by Christ and his Apostles There needs no greater then Christs own Resurrection nor more then were done which Universal unquestionable History and Tradition hath brought down to our hands 10. It is a ridiculous expectation that every person should see the Miracles before they do believe Then if Christ had done Miracles before all Ierusalem save one man that one man should not be bound to believe Or if I could do miracles in this Town or Country none must believe me ever the more but those that see it And so you may as well say I should not believe that there is any Sea or Land City or Kingdom France Spain Rome c. but what I see Are these men
b By what Authority c Who made you the Governors of the Empire Judges of such matters Are Rebellions of Sons the Fathers fault d Must the King answer to a Court of Bishops all the evils that he permitteth the Bishops and such others to do e Lotharius had got the Nobles to begin f O humble Princeâ—â— O trayterous Prelates (g) It s pity but he had better Judges (h) It s like he lookt for better measures (i) Of a trayterous Son and Subjects (k) Was this keeping the fifth Commandement and Honouring the King O wicked Son and wicked Prelates l O insulting Traytors (m) They wrote him his Lesson confessed his sins for him (n) A Traytor in open Rebellion o O Oath (p) Against the Arms of his own Sons (q) Rebels must not be resisted in the Lent or Easter (r) Bâ—t a Bishop that doth but differ from the rest in a word must be banished * Here is a new sort of Imposition of the Bishops hands to depose a King so as never to be restored But it failed An. 835. In France Claudius Taurinensis set against Image-worship and going to Rome c. And Ionas Aurel writeth against him citing some of his Sentences too strong for the Answerer but in his Preface professeth that he never read or saw his Book Was not this an excellent Confuter * Thinking they would have resisted him The Pope submitted himself to all that was desired of a Subject till Ludovicus was gone ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ * Because he was made Deacon only by Ebbo ☜ ☜ ☜ * What a Council would those make ☜ ☜ * At Metz. ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ * Saith Harmar to his in Bin. p. 876. Ad hortos a Basilio spectante Michaele interfectus est ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ * i.e. I pray you give up your Crown ☞ ☞ ☞ * Did the Church then hold that the Pope was the Supreme Ruler and Judge ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ * How oft have such Oaths and Subscriptions been condemned in Councils And yet alas ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ * By you * So great and holy a man also against the Pope * Luther was not the first ☜ ☞ So Epist. 62. for another Murderer See also Ep. 184 185 189 190 192. ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ * we now know them ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Saith Baronius and Binnius But in the 12th saith Pâ—atina and in the 8th say others What certainty is here ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ * Luitpr aud l. 1. c 8. Anno 897 ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ See Petaâ—â—s Hist. or l. 8. c. 1◠☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ Binius p. 1057. Frodoard in Chronic ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ How many Canons did John and his perjured Adherents violate ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ Platina speaks this of John 16. called by him the 17th ☞ ☞ ☞ * He had saith Platina been Schoolmaster to Otho and the King of France and other great men Platina after others tells a terrible story of his Covenant with the Devil and his confession But I rather believe Onuphrius's vindication from that ignorant age This Othâ— was but a Child of ten years of age when he was made Emperor ☞ ☜ ☜ * Onuphr will tell you better that it was the 20th (*) So say Platina and many others also ☞ ☞ (*) Though a King may not ordain a Bishop Question whether he may remove an ordained Bishop from one Church to another the people only accepting him by free consent ☜ ☜ * Remember that rindx rindx lindx rindx rindx lindx lindx rindx An. 1059. (*) But others say the Emperor's consent also was put in lindx lindx rindx Bin. p. 1132. rindx ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ (*) And are Prelates so bad too that rule the Church (*) Was it a mark of a reprobate to obey the King against the Pope b And are there more Popes saved c How few Popes ever wrought miracles d It 's worth the enquiry what is the reason that we have no holy days Churches or Masses named for the honor of Kings save a few of late that were devoted to the Pope * Ah poor Pope then that must answer for all the world or Church even for those at the Antipâ—des which Pope Zachary believed not But you use to say that Kings are not for souls but for the body ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ * These were no Protestant Bishops and either wronged him or he was greatly changed ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ * See in the Schoolmen what they hold particularly Menrisse de Trinit And Petaâ— de Trinit ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ * That is so called by themselves so that not only the denying of transubstantiation but also the Henrician heresie that is Royalty or that Kings are not to be deposed by Popes is here included and all Royalists to be exterminated or else the King to be deposed for not doing it a what upon suspicion ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ * O bountiful Pope ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ The Emperor saith Mat. Paris was forced to return from Ierusalem and make a truce because the Pope took his Cities in his absence and sought to betray him to the Soldan ☞ ☞ ☜ Mat. Paris an 1254. p. 893. ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ * Or pardoning Id. ibid. ☜ * The Bishop was for Magna Charta and the countreys liberties * Quod tamen saith he nec faceâ—e potuit nec debuit ☞ * Or Nassau or Holland as they diversly called him ☜ Mat. Paris p. 904. 905. ☞ But Platina saith this was done in Victor the 4ths days ☞ ☜ ☞ He died the first year ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ They forbad any below a Bishop to examine or judge a Priest as his ordinar◠☜ ☜ ☜ The Emperour Lodoviâ— died ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ * A calumâ—◠†Vâ—der the Turks ☞ * What was the Church then â— * Which Councils have judged Heresie †Like a Lay Chancellour and his Surrogate ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ Bin pag. 319. ☞ See the old Reformers Doctrine ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ See Paul Iovius and Guiâ—câ—ardine ☞ ☞ See the History of Charles Prinâ—e of Spains's death ☞ ☞ ☞ Councils by Anathema's
Church-History OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BISHOPS AND THEIR COUNCILS ABBREVIATED Including the chief part of the Government of Christian Princes and POPES and a true account of the most troubling Controversies and Heresies till the REFORMATION Written for the use especially of them I. Who are ignorant or misinformed of the state of the Antient Churches II. Who cannot read many and great Volumes III. Who think that the Universal Church must have one Visible Soveraign Personal or Collective Pope or General Councils IV Who would know whether Patriarchs Diocesans and their Councils have been or must be the cure of Heresies and Schismes V. Who would know the truth about the great Heresies which have divided the Christian World especially the Donatists Novatians Arrians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians Monothelites c. By RICHARD BAXTER a Hater of false History LONDON Printed by B. Griffin for Thomas Simmons at the Princes Arms in Ludgate-Street MDCLXXX THE PREFACE THE great usefulness of History needs not many words to prove it seeing natural inclination it self is so much for it and reason and experience tell men that they cannot spare it as to Natural Civil or Religious use God himself hath highly commended it to us by writing the Sacred Scriptures so much Historically yea and making some of it part of the necessary Articles of our Creed Children that yet understand not the Doctrinal part of the Bible do quickly take delight in the Historical part which prepareth them for the rest Ignorant and ungodly persons that have no true sense of Sacred Doctrine can yet understand and with lesse aversness and weariness read the history Melancholy and sad persons who can hardly bear long Doctrinal studies are often eased and recreated with useful History Man is a part of the Vniverse and every man is a part of the world of mankind and therefore thinketh the case of the whole to be much of his concerne And were not narrow selfishnes much of our Pravity we should take the universal and publick good and Gods Love to it and Pleasedness and Glory in it to be much more our end and the object of our desire and delight than any personal felicity of our own It is a Monster of inhumanity in the Doctrine of the Sadducees Spinosa Hobbes and their bruitish followers that they set up Individual self interest as a mans chiefest end and object of rational Love and desire and own no Good but that which Relatively is Good to me that is either my personal life and pleasure as the end or other things as a means thereto Though Grace only savingly cure this base inhumane maladie yet common reason beareth witness against it and only sense and reason captivated by sense do patronize it Put not the question to a reasonable man though wicked what he can do or doth But what in reason he should do and he cannot deny but that he should think of a more excellent person at the Indies that never will do anything for him as more amiable than himself much more many thousands such And as Goodness and Amiableness are all one so that which is best should be loved best And he that would not die to save his Country is worse than sober Heathens were And he that would not rather be annihilated than all or halfe the world should be annihilated is so basely selfish that I should sooner believe that analogical Reason ruleth some bruites than that true Reason determineth this mans choice Spinosa taketh the Knowledge of our Union with Universal nature which he calleth God to be mans perfection and his chief good in comparison of which sensual Pleasure Riches and Honour are but troubles further then they are a meanes hereto And if he had better known God as the Creator and Governour and end of the material Vniverse which he took to be God and had joyned holy Uniteing Joyful Love to the Universe and specially to the Heavenly Society and above them all to God himself unto this Knowledge and extended it to the perpetuity of an Immortal state he had been happily in the right which missing he became a pernicious seducer of himself and others But thus nature and Grace do loudly tell us that each part should be greatly concerned for the whole and therefore every one should desire to know as much of the whole as he is capable and as tendeth to his duty and delight And how small a parcel of Time or Men or Actions are present or in our daies How little knoweth he that knoweth no more than he hath lived to see What Religion can he have who knoweth not the History of Creation Redemption or the giving of the Holy Ghost or the planting and propagating the Church and also what will be when this life is ended But it is not all History that is needful or useful to us There are many things done which we are not concerned to be acquainted with But the History of the Church of the propagation of the Christian faith and what the Doctrine was that was then received and how it was practised promoted and defended and how it was corrupted invaded and persecuted is of so great use to posterity that next to the Scripture and the illumination of Gods Spirit I remember nothing more needful to be known When Philip Nerius set up his Oratorian exercises at Rome as to win the people they found it necessary to use large affectionate extemporate prayers and expositions and Sermâ—â—s so the next thing found necessary was to bestow constantly one exercise in opening Church-History to the people And this did both entice their attentions by delight and also by fitting reports more to the Papal interest than to the truth did greatly bewitch them into a confident beliefe that the Papal sect was all the true Church and all other Christians were but sectaries and branches broken off and withered and therefore to be burned here and hereafter abusing Joh. 15. 5. c. And I have oft thought that the right use of such an Historical exercise in an ordinary congregation would be of great use to the ignorant vulgar and unlearned zealous sort of Christians For I find that for want of the knowledge of Church-History and how things have gone before us in all former times many errours and sins are kept up that else would more easily be forsaken To instance in some few I. As it was the craft of Baronius who performed that exercise in Nerius his Conventicles at Rome to write afterward his Church-History in Latin so voluminously that few but the Clergie byassed by interest would read it and so the Clergy might be the credited reporters of all to the vulgar so to this day the Papist-Priests contrive to be the Masters and reporters of Church-History as well as of unwritten Tradition and to keep the Laity so far ignorant of it that when they tell men confident stories for their advantage few or none may be able to contradict them and so their report
null and giveth no Authority which nullifieth the Roman succession § 56. Decrees about Souls § 57. Leo 10. a Cardinal at 13. and an Archbishop in his Childhood His Wars and bloodshed § 58. Luther The Reformation The end of Charles 5. § 59. Leo's death § 60. Reformers drive the Papists to Learning § 61. All Papist Princes owe their safety Crowns and deliverance from Papal deposition to the Reformation and Italy its peace § 62. The History of the Reformation and of Papists Murders of Martyrs passed by § 63. Freder of Saxony refuseth the Empire and Money and chose Charles § 64. Thirty five cases for which men must be denyed Communion in the Eucharist § 65. Later Reforming Papist Councils § 66 c. The Conclusion what this History specially discovereth § 70. A Poem of Mr. Herbert's called The Church Militant CHAP. 14. A Confutation of Papists and Sectaries who deny and oppose the Ministry of the Reformed Churches CHAP. 15. A Confutation of the prophane Opposers of the Ministry An Account of some Books lately Printed for and to be Sold by Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Arms in Ludgate-street A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice Wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained and several new Directions given for the promoting of real Holiness both of Heart and Life To which is added a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and Customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Uncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice and Idleness by Sam. Cradock B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somersetshire Vseful for the instruction of private Families Price bound 4 s. De Analogia sive Arte linguae Latinae Commentariolus In quo omnia etiam reconditioris Gramaticae Elementa ratione novâ tractantur ad brevissimos Canones rediguntur In usum Provectioris Adolescentiae Opera Wilhelmi Baxteri Philistoris Price bound 1 s. 6 d. The lively Effiges of the Reverend Mr. Mathew Pool So well performed as to represent his true Idea to all that knew him or had a Veneration for him Design'd on purpose to befriend those that would prefix it to his Synopsis Criticorum Price 6 d. Moral Prognostications 1. What shall befall the Churches on Earth till their Concord by the Restitution of their Primitive Purity Simplicity and Charity 2. How that Restitution is like to be made if ever and what shall befal them thenceforth unto the end in that Golden Age of Love Written by Richard Baxter when by the Kings Commission we in vain treated for Concord 1661. and now Published 1680 Price 1s The Nonconformists Advocate or an Account of their Judgment in certain things in which they are mis-understood Written principally in Vindication of a Letter from a Minister to a Person of Quality shewing some Reasons for his Nonconformity Price 1s There is Published every Thursday a Mercurius Librarius or A Faithful Account of all Books and Pamphlets Published every Week In which may be inserted any thing fit for a Publick Advertisement at a moderate Rate Directions to the Binder of Baxter's Church History c. After the Title Sheet follows a b c d e then B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S then AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II KK LL MM NN OO PP then SS TT VV XX YY ZZ AAA BBB CCC DDD EEE then GGG and so on to QQQ which Signiture ends the Book Church-History OF BISHOPS And their COUNCILS ABRIDGED c. CHAP. I. Of the sacred Ministry Episcopacy and Councils necessary Premonitions and of the Design of this Book § 1. GOD that could have enlightned the Earth without the Sun and Stars could immediately alone have taught his Church and communicated knowledge to mankind But as he is the most communicative good he was pleased not only to make his Creatures receptive of his own influx but also to give them the use and honour of being efficient sub-communicants under him and causes of good to themselves and to one another And as his Power gave Being and Motion his Wisdom gave Order and Harmony and his Love gave Goodness and Perfection felicity and love as he is the creating and conserving Cause of Nature and this in much inequality as he was the free disposer of his own so in the Kingdom of Grace he doth by the Spirit of Life Light and Love 1. Quicken and strengthen the dead and weak souls and awaken the slumbering and slothful 2. Illuminate the dark with Faith and Knowledge and 3. Sanctifie the malignant Enemies of holiness by the power of his communicated love making them friends and joyful lovers This Spirit first filled the Humane Nature of Christ our Head who first communicated it to some chosen persons in an eminent manner and degree as Nature maketh the heart and brain and other principal parts to be organical in making preserving and governing the rest To these he gave an eminence of Power to work Miracles of Wisdom to propagate the Word of life and infallibly by Preaching and Writing promulgate and record his sacred Gospel and of holy love to kindle the like by zealous holiness in the hearts of others To these organical persons he committed the Oeconomy of being the witnesses of his words and actions his resurrection and ascension and of recording them in writing of planting his first Churches and sealing the truth of their testimony by many Miracles promising them his Spirit to perform all that he committed to their trust and to bring all to their remembrance and to lead them into all truth and to communicate instrumentally his Spirit to others the sanctifying gifts by blessing their Doctrine and the miraculous gifts by their imposition of hands § 2. By these principal Ministers the first Church was planted at Ierusalem fitliest called the Mother-Church and after by those that were sent thence many Churches were gathered in many Kingdoms of the world darkness being not able to resist the light The Apostles and Evangelists and Prophets delivered to them the Oracles of God teaching them to observe all things that Christ had commanded them and practically teaching them the true Worship of God ordering their Assemblies and ordaining them such Officers for sacred Ministration as Christ would have continued to the end of the world and shewing the Churches the way by which they must be continued and describing all the work of the Office appointed them by Christ. § 3. The Apostles were not the Authors of the Gospel or of any essential part of the Christian Religion but the Receivers of it from Christ and Preachers of it to the world Christ is the Author and finisher or perfecter of our faith But they had besides the power of infallible remembring knowing and delivering it a double power about matters of Order in the Church 1. By the special gift of the Spirit 's inspiration to found and stablish
such Orders as were to continue to the end and none that came after them might change they being the Ordinances of the Holy Ghost in them 2. Temporarily pro re natâ to make convenient mutable Constitutions in matters left by the great Legislator to humane prudence to be determined according to his general regulating Laws In this last the Apostles have Successors but not in the former No other have their Gift and therefore not their Authority No men can be said to have an Office that giveth them Right to exercise abilities which they never had nor shall have § 4. Christ summed up all the Law in LOVE to God and Man and the works of Love and all the Gospel in Faith and Hope and Love by them kindled and exercised by the Spirit which he giveth them even by the Belief and Trust of his Merits Sacrifice Intercession and Promises and the prospect of the future Glory promised fortifying us to all holy duties of obedience and diligent seeking what he hath promised and to patient bearing of the Cross conquering the inordinate love of the world and flesh and present life and improving all our present sufferings and preparing for his coming again and for our change and entrance into our Masters joy § 5. Christ summed up the Essentials of Christianity in the Baptismal Covenant in which we give up our selves in Faith Hope and consenting Love to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier and in which God receiveth us in the Correlations as his own And all that are truly thus baptized are Christened and are to be esteemed and loved as Christians and to be received into Christian Communion in all Christian Churches where they come until by apostasie or impenitency in certain disobedience to the Laws of Christ in points necessary to Christian Communion they forfeit that priviledge Nor are men to deprive them of the great benefit thus given them by Christ on pretence of any wit or holiness or power to amend Christs terms and make the Church Doors narrower or tie men to themselves for worldly ends Yet must the Pastors still difference the weaker Christians from the stronger and labour to edifie the weak but not to cast them out of the Church § 6. The sacred Ministry is subordinate to Christ in his Teaching Governing and Priestly Office and thus essentiated by Christs own institution which man hath no power to change Therefore under Christ they must teach the Church by sacred Doctrine guide them by that and sacred Discipline called The power of the Keys that is of judging who is fit to enter by Baptism to continue to partake of the Communion to be suspended or cast out and to lead them in the publick Worship of God interceding in Prayer and speaking for them and administring to them the Sacraments or holy Seals of the Covenant of God § 7. The first part of the Ministers Oâ—â—ice is about the unbelieving world to convert them to the Faith of Christ and the second perfective part about the Churches Nor must it be thought that the first is done by them as meer private men § 8. As Satan fell by pride and overthrew man by tempting him to pride to become as Gods in Knowledge so Christ himself was to conquer the Prince of pride by humility and by the Cross by a life of suffering contemned by the blind and obstinate world making himself of no reputation despising the shame of suffering as a Malefactor a Traitor and Blasphemer And the bearing of the Cross was a principal part of his Precepts and Covenant to his Disciples without which they could not be his Followers And by Humility they were to follow the Captain of their Salvation in conquering the Prince of pride and in treading down the Enemie-world even the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life which are not of the Father but of the world § 9. Accordingly Christ taught his chief Disciples that if they were not so converted as to become as little children they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. 3. His School receiveth not masterly Disciples but humble teachable Learners that become fools that they may be wise And when they were disputing and seeking which of them should be greatest he earnestly rebuked all such thoughts setting a little child before them telling them that the Princes of the Earth exercise authority and are called Benefactors or by big Names but with them it should not be so but he that would be the greatest must be servant ofâ— all Luk. 22. shewing them that it was not a worldly grandeur nor forcing power by the Sword which belongeth to Civil Magistrates which was to be exercised by the Pastors of the Church But that he that would be the Chiefest must be most excellent in Merit and most serviceable to all and get his honour and do his work by meriting the respect and love of Volunteers The Sword is the Magistrates who are also Christs Ministers for all Power is given him and he is Head over all things to the Church But they are eminently the Ministers of his Power but the Pastors and Teachers are most eminently Ministers of his Paternal and saving love and wisdom And by wisdom and love to do their work The Word preached and applied generally and particularly by the Keys is their Weapon or Arms and not the Sword The Bohemians therefore knew what they said when they seemed damnable Hereticks to the worldly Clergie that destroyed them when they placed their Cause in these four Articles 1. To have the whole Sacrament Bread and Wine 2. To have free leave for true Ministers to preach the word of God without unjust silencing of proud worldly men that cannot stand before the truth 3. To have Temporal Dominion or Government by the Sword and power over mens Bodies and Estates taken from the Clergie 4. To have gross sin suppressed by the lawful Magistrate by the Sword § 10. Had it been necessary to the Churches Union against Schism or Heresie for Christians to know that Peter or some one of his Apostles must be his Vicar-General and Head of his Church to whom all must obey who can believe that Christ would not only have silenced so necessary a point but also at a time when he was desired or called to decide it have only spoken so much against it to take down all such Expectations Yea we never read that Peter exercised any Authority or Jurisdictions over any other of the Apostles nor more than other Apostles did much less that ever he chose a Bishop to be Lord of the Church as his Successor Nay he himself seemeth to fore-see this mischief and therefore saith 1. Pet. 5. 1 2 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a Witness of the Sufferings of Christ and also a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed These are his Dignities
Feed the Flock of God which is among you not out of your reach and hearing in a vast Diocess taking the oversight not by constraint but willingly and on willing men not for filthy lucre but of a ready wind neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage but being Examples to the Flock and when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away § 11. Nothing is more certain than that the Church for above 300 years had no power of the Sword that is forcibly to meddle with and hurt mens Bodies or Estates except what the Apostles had by miracle And to this day no Protestants and not most Papists claim any such Power as of Divine Institution but only plead that the Secular Powers are bound by the Sword to destroy such as are judged Hereticks by the Bishops and to punish such as contemn the censures of the Church § 12. He that would see more for the Power of Princes vindicated from the Clergies Claim and Usurpation may find much in many old Treatises written for the Emperours against the Pope collected by Goldastus de Monarch and in Will. Barclay but much better in Bishop Bilson of Obedience and in Bishop Andrew's Tortura Torti and in Bishop Buckridge Roffensis of the Power of Kings and much in Spalatensis de Repub. § 13. The Vniversality of Christians is the Catholick Church of which Christ is the only Head or Soveraign but it is the duty of these to worship God in solemn Assemblies and to live in a holy Conversation together and to join in striving against sin and to help each other in the way to life therefore Societies united for these ends are called Particular Churches § 14. When the Apostles had converted a competent number of Christians they gather'd them into such Assemblies and as a Politick Society set over them such Ministers of Christ as are afore described to be their Guides § 15. These Officers are in Scripture called sometime Elders and sometimes Bishops to whom Deacons were added to serve them and the Church subordinately Dr. Hammond hath well described their Office in in his Annotat. which was to preach constantly in publick and private to administer both Sacraments to pray and praise God with the People to Catechize to visit and pray with the sick to comfort troubled Souls to admonish the unruly to reject the impenitent to restore the penitent to take care of the poor and in a word of all the Flock § 16. The Apostles set usually more than one of these Elders or Bishops in every Church not as if one might not rule the Flook where no more was necessary but according to their needs that the work might not be undone for want of Ministers § 17. They planted their Churches usually in Cities because Christians comparatively to the rest were few as Sects are among us and no where else usually enough for a Society and because the Neighbour-scattered Villages might best come to the Cities near them not but that it was lawful to plant Churches in the Country where there were enough to constitute them and sometimes they did so as by Clemens Roman ad Corinth by History appeareth § 18. Grotius thinketh that one City at first had divers Churches and Bishops and that they were gathered after the manner of the Synagogues and Dr. Hammond thinketh that for some time there were two Churches and Bishops in many Cities one of Jews and one of Gentiles and that in Rome Paul and Peter had two Churches whom Linus and Cletus did succeed till they were united in Clemens § 19. There is great evidence of History that a particular Church of the Apostles setling was essentially only a Company of Christians Pastors and People associated for personal holy communion and mutual help in holy Doctrine Worship Conversation and Order Therefore it never consisted of so few or so many or so distant as to be uncapable of such personal help and Communion But was ever distinguished as from accidental Meetings so from the Communion of many Churches or distant Christians which was held but by Delegates Synods of Pastors or Letters and not by personal help in presence Not that all these must needs always meet in the same place but that usually they did so or at due times at least and were no more nor more distant than could so meet Sometimes Persecution hindred them somtimes the Room might be too small Even Independent Churches among us sometimes meet in divers places and one Parish hath divers Chappels for the aged and weak that are unfit for travel § 20. Scotus began the opinion as Davenport Fr. a Santa Clara intimateth and Dion Petavius improved it and Dr. Hammond hath largely asserted it that the Apostles at first planted a single Bishop in each Church with one or more Deacons and that he had power in time to ordain Elders of a different Order Species or Office and that the word Elder and Bishop and Pastor in Scripture never signifie these subject Elders but the Bishops only and saith he there is no evidence that there were any of the subject sort of Presbyters in Scripture-times Which concession is very kindly accepted by the Presbyterians but they call for proof that ever these Bishops were authorised to make a new Species of Presbyters which were never made in Scripture-times and indeed they vehemently deny it and may well despair of such a proof § 21. But for my part I believe the foundation unproved that then there was but one Elder in a Church and think many Texts of Scripture fully prove the contrary But I join with Dr. Hammond in believing that in Scripture-times there was no particular Church that had more stated meetings for publick Communion than one For if there was so long but one Elder there could be but one such Assembly at once for they had no such Assemblies which were not guided by a Presbyter or Bishop in Doctrine Worship Sacraments and Discipline And they used to have the Eucharist every Lords day at least and often much more And one man can be at once but in one place § 22. I have elsewhere fully proved that the ancient Churches that had Bishops were no bigger than our Parishes and few a quarter so big as the greatest of them and consisted of no more than might have such present personal Communion as is before described the proofs are too large to be here recited Ignatius is the plainest who saith that this was the note of a Churches Unity that To every Church there was one Altar and one Bishop with his Fellow Presbyters and Deacons And elsewhere chargeth the Bishop to take account of his Flock whether they all come to Church even Servant-men and Maids Clemens Romanus before him intimateth the like mentioning even Country Bishops Martyr's Description of the Christian Assemblies plainly proveth it Tertullian's Description of them and many other passages in him prove it more fully He professeth that
§ 31. But if these two great Cities had indeed had yet more Altars and Churches Orbis major est Vrbe saith Hierome Two singular Cities may not over-weigh the contrary case of all the Churches If any other had been like them it would have been Antioch the third Patriarchate when as in Ignatius time as is aforesaid the Churches unity there and elsewhere was notified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Altar or Altar-place and One Bishop with his Presbyters and Deacons And hence came it to be the note of a Schism to set up Altare contra Altare because one Bishop and Church had but one Altar Mr. Mede no injudicious nor Factions man saw this and asserteth it from the plain words of Ignatius § 32. How the case came to be altered it is easie to know But whether it was well or ill done is all the controversie or the chief I confess there want not some that think that the Apostles had their several assigned Provinces and that they left them to twelve Successours and this is the foundation of Patriarchal or Provincial Churches with such unproved Dreams 1. We doubt not but that the Apostles wisely distributed their Labours But we believe not that they divided the Countreys into their several Dioceses or Provinces nor that two of them e. g Iohn and Paul Peter and Paul Iames and other Apostles might not and did not do the work of an Apostle in the same Country and City Much less do we believe that one of them e. g. Iames at Ierusalem whether an Apostle or not I contend not was a Bishop over the Apostles when they resided there 2. Nor do we believe that they left any such divided Provinces to their Successors If they had it 's strange that we had not twelve or thirteen Patriarchal or Provincial Churches hence noted Which were they and how came they so soon to be forgotten and unknown And why had we first but three Patriarchs and one of those Alexandria accounting from no Apostle but from S. Mark and the other two reckoning from one and the same Apostle save that Rome reckoned from two at once Peter and Paul when as one City must say they have but one Bishop § 33. The case is known that 1. When Christians so multiplyed that one Assembly would not serve but they became enough for many the Bishops greatness and wealth increasing with the People they continued them all under their own Government and so took them all to be their Chapels setling divers Altars but not divers Bishops in one Church 2. And herewith their work also by degrees was much changed and they that at first were most employed in Guiding the whole Church in Gods publick worship and exercised present discipline before them and were the sole usual Preachers to them all the rest of the Elders Preaching but when the Bishop could not or bid them did after become distant Judges and their Government by degrees degenerated to a similitude of Civil Magistracy 3. And then they set up the old exploded question which of them should be the chief or greatest And then they that had the greatest Cities being the richest and greatest Bishops in interest because of the greatness and riches of their Flocks they got the Church Government to be distributed much like the Roman Civil Government within that Empire And where the Civil Magistrate had most and largest command they gave the Ecclesiastical Bishop the like And so they set up the Bishops of the three chief Cities as Patriarchs Rome being the first because it was the great Imperial Seat as the Chalcedon Council giveth the true reason Afterwards Constantinople and Ierusalem being added they turned them into five And Carthage and other places not called Patriarchal Seats had exempt peculiar Jurisdictions with a power near to Patriarchs And the rest of the Bishops strove much for precedency and got as large Territories as they could and as numerous Flocks and many Parishes though still the name Paroeciae was used for the whole Episcopal Church when it was turned into a Diocess § 34. I conceive that this Change of One Altar into a Diocesane Church of many Altars and Parishes was not well done but is the thing that hath confounded the Christian World and that they ought to have increased the number of Churches as the number of Christians did increase as the Bees swarm into another Hive My Reasons are 1. Christ and the Holy Ghost in the Apostles having setled a Church Species and Order like that of the Synagogues and not like that of the Temple no man ought to have changed that Form Because they can prove no power to do it and because it accuseth the Institution of Christ and the Holy Ghost of insufficiency or errour which must so soon be altered by them Perfective addition as an Infant groweth up to Manhood we deny not But who gave them power to abrogate the very Specices of the first Instituted Churches That the Species is altered is certainly proved by the different uses and Termini of the Relation For a Church of the first Institution was a Society joyned for personal Communion in Doctrine Worship and holy living But a Diocess consisting of many score or hundred Parishes that never see or know or come near one another are uncapable of any such present personal Communion and have none but Mental and by Officers or Delegates 2. By this means all the Parish-Churches being turned into Chapels and un-Churched are all robbed of their Right seeing each one ought to have a Bishop and Presbyters and the benefit of that Office and Order which is now denied them and many hundred such Parishes turned into Chapels have no Bishop to themselves but one among them all to the Diocess 3. Because by this means true Discipline is become impossible and unpracticable by the distance and multitude of the people and the distance and paucity of Bishops What Christ commandeth Mat. 18. being as impossible to be done in many hundred Parishes by one Bishop and his Consistory as the Discipline of so many hundred Schools by one School-master though each School have an Usher or the care of many hundred Hospitals by one Physician perhaps at twenty or forty or eighty or an hundred miles distance 4. Because it altereth the antient Office of a Bishop and of a Presbyter and setteth new ones in the stead As a Bishop was the Bishop of one Church so a Presbyter was his Assistant Ejusdem Ordinis in the Government of the Church who now is turned into a meer Usher or Worshipping-Teacher or Chaplain 5. Because it certainly divideth the Churches For Christians would unite in a Divine Institution and the exercise of true Discipline that will never unite in a humane Policy which abrogateth the Divine and certainly destroyeth commanded necessary Discipline § 35. The very work also of the Bishop and so the Office came thus to be changed Christ having appointed no other Church
Governours besides Magistrates but such as Philosophers in their Schools who were appointed to set up Holy Societies for Divine Doctrine Worship and Holy Living and to Guide them accordingly by Teaching Worship and Government by the Word forbidding them the Sword or Force they are said to have the Keys of the Church and the Kingdom of Heaven because as Grace is Glory in the seed the Church is Heaven in the seed and the Pastors were the Administrators of Sacraments and Church-priviledges and therefore the Judges who were fit for them who should be Baptized who should Communicate and in what rank and who should be denied these admonished or excluded and who should as far as belongeth to others be judged meet or unmeet for Heaven And so the Christian Societies were to be kept clean and not to be like the polluted World of Infidels And the Pastors had no other power to use but were to judge only those within and leave them without to Gods own judgment and to the Magistrate who was not to punish any one for not being in or of the Church or for departing from it which is a grievous punishment it self But Magistrates being then Heathens the Christians were hard put to it for the decision of their quarrels For the love of the world and selfishness were but imperfectly cured in them They went to Law before Heathen Judges with each other and this became a snare and a scandal to them S. Paul therefore childeth them for not ending differences by Christian Arbitrators among themselves as if there were none among them wise enough to Arbitrate Hereupon the Churches taking none to be wiser or trustier than their Pastors made them their Arbitrators and it became a censurable scandal for any to accuse a Church-member to a Magistrate and to have Suits at Law By this means the Bishop becoming a Stated Arbitrator thereby became the Governour of the Christians but with his Presbyters and not alone But because Bishops had no power of the sword to touch mens bodies or estates but only to suspend them from Church-Communion and Excommunicate them or impose penitential Confessions on them therefore they fitted their Canons which were the Bishops Agreements to this Governing use to keep Christians under their Government from the Magistrates And so they made Canons that a Fornicator or Adulterer should be so long or so long suspended and a Murderer so long and so of the rest § 36. And when Constantine turned Christian he had many reasons to confirm this Arbitrating Canonical power to the Christian Bishops by the Civil Sanction 1. Because he found them in possession of it as contracters by mutual consent and what could a Christian Prince do less than grant that to the Christians which they chose and had 2. Because the advancement and honour of the Teachers and Pastors he thought tended to the honour of their Religion and the success of their Doctrine upon the Heathens with whom they dwelled Grandure and Power much prevail with carnal minds 3. Because he had but few Magistrates at first that were Christians and none that so well knew the affairs of Christians as their own chosen Bishops And he feared lest the power of Heathen Magistrates over the Christians might injure and oppress them 4. He designed to draw the Heathens to Christianity by the honouring of Christians above them 5. And withal his interest lay most in their strength For they were the fastest part of his Souldiers and Subjects that for Conscience and their own Interrest rejoyced to advance and defend him to the utmost when he lost many of the Pagans and they were not of the spirit of the old Pretorian Souldiers that set up and pulled down Emperours at their pleasure Had Constantine faln the Christians had much faln with him and had the Christians been weakned he had been weakened They were become his strength And he fore saw not the evils that afterwards would follow Some must govern and there were then no wiser nor better men than the Bishops and Pastors of the Churches And their interest in the Christian people that chose them was greatest As now all differing parties of Christians among us Papists Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists would desire nothing as more conducing to their ends than that the King would put the greatest Power especially of Religion into the hands of those Teachers whom they esteem and follow even so was it with the Christians in the days of Constantine And hereupon Laws were made that none should compel Christians to answer in any Court of Justice saving before their own Bishops and so Bishops were made almost the sole Governours of the Christians § 37. By this means it is no wonder if multitudes of wicked men flock'd into the Church and defiled and dishonoured it For the Murderer that was to be hanged if he were no Christian was but to be kept from the Sacrament if he were a Christian and do some confessing penance which was little to hanging or other death And so proportionably of other Crimes Bad Christians by this device were multiplyed The Emperour also being a Christian worldly men are mostly of the Religion of the Prince or highest powers § 38. And no man that can gather an effect from an effectual cause could doubt if neither Nazianzen or any Historian had told it him but that proud and worldly men would strive then to be Bishops and use all possible diligence to obtain so great preferment Who of them is it that would not have Command and Honour and Wealth if he can get it While the great invitation to the sacred Ministry was the winning and edifying of Souls those that most valued Souls desired it yet desired it to be kept from such Poverty and Persecution as exposed them to hinderance and contempt But when Riches Reputation and Dominion were the Baits who knoweth not what sort of Appetites would be the keenest Christ telleth us how hardly Rich men are good and come to Heaven Therefore when Bishops must be all Great and Rich either Christ must be deceived or it must be as hard for them to be honest Christians as for a◠Camel to go through the Needles eye And thus Venenum funditur in Ecclesiam § 39. The World being thus brought into the Church without the cure of the worldly mind and the Guides being so strongly tempted to be the very worst no wonder if the Worldly Spirit now too much rule the Church and if those that are yet of the same Spirit approve plead and strive for what they love and despise the business of the Cross and Christian Humility and Simplicity to this day And if Bishops have done much of their work accordingly ever since Constantine and much before it hath been the Devils Work to carry on his War against Christ and Piety under Christ's own name and the pretence of Piety as an Angel of Light and Righteousness and Unity and to set up Pastors over the Church
and here also had too much success X. And it must be remembred that God hath made use of many proud and turbulent men to propogate and defend the truth of the Gospel And their Gifts have served for the good of the sincere As the husk or chaff and straw is useful to the Corn so many worldly Prelates and Priests have been learned Expositors and useful Preachers and taught others the way to life which they would not go in themselves Besides that their very Papal power and grandure which hath corrupted the Church hath yet been a check to some that would have assaulted it by force and as a hedge of thornes about it Worldly interest engageth Pope Patriarchs and Prelates to stand up for the Christian Religion because they gain by it as Leo the 10th is said to have odiously confessed § 42. And the old Fathers till Constantines time did most of them think that the last thousand years would be a time of fuller glory to the Church as many yet think though I confess my self unskilful in the Prophesies But I make no doubt but though this earth be so far deâ—erted by God the Glorious Kingdom which we shall shortly see with the new Heaven and Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness will fully confute all our present temptations to think hardly of God or the Redeemer because of the present corruptions and dissentions of this lower world § 43. We may conjecture at former times by our own We see now that among the most Reformed Churches too often the most worldly part are uppermost and perhaps are the persecuters of the rest and though they may be the smaller part it 's they that make the noise are the noted part that carry the name and that Histories write of A few men got into places of power seem to be all the Church or Nation by the prevalency of their actions which few dare contradict They may give Laws They may have the power of Press and Pulpit so that nothing shall be published but what they will They may call themselves the Church and call all that obey them not Schismaticks and Sectaries and strangers may believe therefore that it is but some few inconsiderable fellows that are against them when yet the far greatest part may utterly dissent and abhor their pride I have lived to see such an Assembly of Ministers where three or four leading men were so prevalent as to form a Confession of Faith in the name of the whole party which had that in it which particular members did disown And when about a controverted Article One man hath charged me deeply for questioning the words of the Church others that were at the forming of that Article have laid it all on that same man as by his impetuousness putting in that Article the rest being loth to strive much against him and so it was he himself that was the Church whose authority he so much urged at least the effectual signifying part We cannot judge what is commonest by what is uppermost or in greatest power In divers Parishes now where the Minister is conformable perhaps ten parts of the people do dislike it and sometimes you may see but three or four persons with him at the Common-prayers And yet all know that Dissenters are talkt of as a few singular Fanaticks I compare not the Causes but conclude that so also for the Numbers humble Godly persons might be very numerous though only the actions of worldly Prelates do take up most of the History of the Church Yea I believe that among the Papists themselves five to one of the people were they free from danger would declare their dislike of a great part of the actions and Doctrines of their Prelates and that the greatest part that are named Papists are not such throughly and at the heart When the Rulers Scribes and Pharisees were against Christ and persecuted him and the truth the common people so much adhered to him that the persecutors durst not seize on him openly by force but were fain to use a Traytor to apprehend him in the night and in a solitary place lest they should be stoned by the people who said Never man spake as this man speaketh § 44. Let us not therefore turn Church-History into a temptation nor think basely of the Church or Christianity or Christ because of Papal and Prelatical pride and tyranny God can make use of a surly porter to keep his doors yea a mastiff-dog may be a keeper of the house and his Corn hath grown in every Age not only with straw and chaffe but with some tares And yet he hath gathered and will gather all his chosen § 45. Nor is the Ministry it self to be therefore dishonoured For as at this day while a few turbulent Prelates persecute good men and much of the Ministry is in too many Countries lamentably corrupted yet is Religion piety and honesty kept up by the Ministry and never was well kept up without it For the Faithful Ministers labour still and their very sufferings further the Gospel and what they may not do publickly they do privately Yea their very Writings shew that still there are such as God doth qualifie to do his work even among the Papists he that readeth the pious Writings of such men as Gerson and Gerhardus Zutphaniensis and Thaulerus Thomas a Kempis Ferus and many such others will see that Gods spirit was still illuminating and sanctifying souls And he that readeth such Lives as Philip Nerius persecuted by the Bishop as an ambitious Hypocrite for setting up more serious Exercises of Religion than had been ordinarily used among the Formalists to say nothing of such privater men as M. de Renâ—y and many others will see that it is not all Church-tyranny and corruption though very heinous that will prove that Christ hath not a Holy Generation whom he will save § 46. Yea among the very corrupted sort of the Clergy many that are overcome with temptations in that point and take usurpation and tyranny and worldly pomp and violence for Order Government and the interest of the Church have yet much good in other respects Even among the Cardinals there have been such men as Nerius's companion Bellarmine and others that would Preach and practise the common Doctrines of serious piety Yea among the Jesuits there have been divers that have Preacht Written and lived very strictly much more among their Fryars and such Bishops as Sales And though their times and corruptions blemished their piety I dare not think they nullified it § 47. And it sheweth the excellency of the Sacred Office 1. That Christ did first make it as the noble Organical part of his Church to form the rest 2. That he endued the first Officers with the most noble and excellent gifts of his spirit 3. That he founded and built his Church by them at first 4. Yea that he himself preached the Gospel and is called The Minister of the Circumcision the chief
Lover of Truth he used to do such things as these which are familiar with men of exquisite honesty who through their excellent study of Godliness use this great liberty of Speech Therefore when he saw things ill carried in the Churches he sometimes spake his thoughts and could not forbear blaming them As if he saw any of the Clergy over covetous of Money be it Bishop or Priest he would reprehend them or if any abounded in luxury and pleasures or if they corrupted any part of the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church he would not bear with them but blame them Which was troublesome to men of a dissolute life And therefore he underwent the greatest contumelies being exagitated by the hatred and malicious words of them all But he being thus tossed about and beaten and reproached did bear it all with an equal mind and thus long continued in the Communion of the Church Till some that were more vehemently offended with him for these Causes cast him out But yet he patiently bore all this but being more earnestly intent for the promoting of the Truth he still studied not to be drawn away from the Conjunction and Society of the Catholick Church But when he and his friends were still beaten and suffered unworthy usage groaning under these evils he took Counsel of the violence of these calamities and contumelies And so he separated himself from the Church and many falling away with him a new Divorce was hereby made For he did not in any thing depart from the right faith but he with his partakers held in all things sincere Religion Though in one small matter they are too stiff About the Father Son and Holy Ghost they judg excellently and as the Catholick Church and swerve not a jot and the rest of the order of their Lives is truly most excellent and admirable so that not only He himself but even the Bishops Priests and all the rest of them live by the labour of their hands Indeed they had a conceit that the Body did partake of the Image of God and they thought that to please Constantine the Nicene Council had altered the Custom and Tradition of the Church about Easter But these were not the causes of their departure from the Church but the violence of dissolutâ— Bishops that cast them out as being impatient of their strictness and opposition to their sin § 8. About Easter saith Epiphanius p. 821. Neque â—ruditis ignotum est quà m saepe diversis temporibus de illius festi celebritate varii Ecclesiasticae disciplinae tumultus ac contentiones obortae sint praesertim Polycarpi ac Victoris aetate cùm Orientales ab Occidentalibus divulsi â—acificas à se invicem literas nullas acciperent Quod idem aliis temporibus accidit velut Alexandri Episcopi Alexandrini Crescentii quemadmodum contra se mutuò scripserint acerrimè pugnaverint Quae animorum opinionumque distractio ex quo semel post Episcopos illos qui ex circumcisione ac Iudaeorum sectâ ad Christum se converterant agitari coepit ad nostra usque tempora eodem est tenore perducta By which we see 1. With what caution Tradition must be trusted 2. How early Bishops began to divide the Church about things indifferent § 9. That men that all in the main fear God should thus contend abuse and persecute one another is sad and hath even been a hardening of Infidels But alas the remnant of corruption in the best will somewhat corrupt their conversations It is a sad note of Epiphanius ib. p. 816. I have known some of the Confessours who delivered up Body and Soul for their Lord and persevering in confession and chastity obtained greatest sincerity of faith and excelled in piety humanity and Religion and were continual in fastings and in a word did flourish in all honesty and virtue yet the same men were blemished with some vice as either they were prone to reproach men or would swear by the name of God or were over talkative or prone to anger or got gold and silver or were defiled with some such filth which yet detract nothing from the just measure of virtue § 10. But as God made a good use of the falling out of Paul and Barnabas so he did of Audius his unhappy case Being cast out of the Church he took it to be his dâ—ty to Communicate with his own party and a Bishop that suffered for the like made him a Bishop and the Bishops accused him to the Emperour that he drew many people from the obedience of the Church and hereupon the Emperour banished him into Scythia Dwelling there he went into the inner parts of Gothia and there instructed many of the barbarous in the principles of Christianity and gathered many Monasteries of them wâ—o lived in great religious strictness p. 827. But it is hard to stop short of extreams when men are alienated by scandal and violence They caâ—â—e to so great a dislike of the Bishops of the common Churches that they would not pray with any man how blameless soever that did but hold Communion with the Church Vranius a Bishop and some others joyning with them made Bishops of the Goths Note out of Epiphanius p. 827 828. what Country was called Gothia in those times § 11. It is not to be past over that at the Nicene Council the first speaker and one of the chief against the Arians was Eustathius Bishop of Antioch And when Eusebius Nicomed was made Bishop of Constaâ—tinople he pretended a desire to see Ierusalem and passing through Antioch secretly hired a Whore to swear that Eustathius was the Father of her child and getting some Bishops of his Faction together they judged Eustathius to be deposed as an Adulterer and got the Emperour to consent and banish him And after the Woman in misery confessed all and said that it was one Eustathius a Smith that was the father of her child § 12. In Pisanus's Conâ—il Nic. Bin. p. 332. this Eustathius is made the first Disputer against a Philosopher And whereas the great cause of the Arians Errour was that they could not conceive how the Son could be of one substance with the Father without a partition of that substance Eustathius tells the Philosopher that took their part and urged Faciamus hominem ad Imaginem c. that The Image of God is simple and without all composition being of the nature of fire but he meaneth sure but analogically § 13. In the same Pisanus lib. 3. p. 345. Bin. the description of the Church is There is one Church in Heaven and Earth in this the Holy Ghost resteth But Heresies that are without it are of Satan Therefore the Pope was not then taken for the Head of the Catholick Church For he pretendeth not to be the Head of them that are in Heaven See what the Catholick Church then was § 14. Note that 1. the Council of Nice nameth none Patriarchs 2. They nullifie the Ordination
Eutychian and having shewed you what work both the heretical and hereticating Bishops and Council made in the world about not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Nature and the condemning of dead men I shall next shew you what work they made also about the words One Operation and One Will or Two Operations and Two Wills Reader Wouldst thou think that there were venom enough in one of these words to poyson almost all the Bishops in the world with the Plagues of Heresie or Heretication and Contention § 2. The old Controversie still keeping the Churches all in pieces some being for two Natures after Union and for the Calcedon Council and others against it and but for one Nature after Union Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria was told that it would unite them all if they would confess One Operation and One Will in Christ or at least lay by the talk of One and Two and use the words Dei virilis Operatio The Operation and Will of God-man CXCVII He therefore called a Synod at Alexandria in which this was decreed called Satisfaction For they said that Dei virilis signified two Natures and so they thought they had at last hit the way of concord which neither the General Council of Ephes. 1. Ephes. 2. Constant. 2. Calcedon Constant. 3. had found out but all set the Bishops but more by the ears Cyrus sent his Decrees to Sergius Bishop of Constantinople Sophronius Bishop of Ierusalem persuaded the silencing of the names of One or Two Operations or Wills Sergius sent the Case to Honorius to Rome Honorius rationally persuaded them to use neither the one word nor the other One or Two foreseeing that a new quarrel was arising in these words and little knowing how for this he was by General Councils to be Hereticated when he was dead persuaded them to a silent Peace It is but few Popes that were so wise and peaceable and this one must be a Heretick for it or General Councils be fallible and much worse § 3. Because knowing the effect of the old unhealed Cause I foresee that such men will go near to Hereticate me also when I am dead for condemning Hereticating Incendiaries in the Nestorian Eutychian and Monothelite quarrels I will recite the words of Binnius himself who saith the same that I have said from the beginning though I justifie him not from self-contradiction Tom. 2. p. 992. Honorius fearing which after came to pass and which he knew had fallen out in former Ages about the word Homoousion ☜ and many others lest that Contention should grow to some great Schism and seeing withall that Faith might be safe without these words he was willing to reconcile both Opinions and withall to take out of the way the matter of Scandal and Contention Writing therefore to Sergius he advised him to abstain from the word One Operation lest they should seem with Eutyches to assert but One Nature in Christ and yet to forbear the word Two Operations lest with Nestorius they seemed to assert Two Persons A Slander contrary to his words I again say If all the Hereticating Bishops and Councils had followed this discretion and moderation O what had the Church escaped Yet they are fain to stretch their wits to excuse his words elsewhere Unde Unam Voluntatem fatemur Domini nostri Iesu Christi But it 's certain that in some sense it is One and in another sense Two § 4. The Emperor Heraclius interessed himself in the Controversie Binnius saith by the fraud of Anastasius Patriarch of the Iacobites he was deceived Animo defendâ—ndi Concilium Calcedonense The Iacobites were Eutychians the greatest enemies of the Calcedon Council and it 's strange then how they deceived him to defend it by destroying it But saith he While he besides his place and office by the persuasion of the Devil was wholly taken up in defending questions of Faith by his own judgment c. Here you may see what the Papists Clergy would make of Kings and all Lay-men If they be wholly taken up in defending questions of Faith by their own judgment they pronounce them to be persuaded to it by the Devil Error is from the Devil but sollicitous searching after the defence of Truth is liker to be of God But they must not do it by their own judgment By whose then By the Bishops no doubt What Bishops General Councils And had not the Emperors long enough followed Councils and banished such as they condemned till while they almost all condemned one another the world was scandalized at the odious Divisions and Cruelties of the Church But must they follow Bishops without using their own judgments about the Case What as their meer Executioners Must the Princes of the world act as Brutes or Idiots or Lictors Was this the old Doctrine Let every Soul be subject to the higher Power c § 5. CXCVIII. King Sisenandus the second that had all Spain called a Council at Toletum of all his Kingdom An. 633. of 70 Bishops who made many good Canons for Faith Order and Reformation the last is a large defence of the King against Rebellion But they order that when a King is dead the Prime Men of the whole Nation with the Priests by common consent chuse another that retaining the Concord of Unity there should be no strife through Force or Ambition And they decree the Excommunicating of wicked Kings that live in great sin which I doubt whether the fifth Commandment forbid them not to have done it being a purposed dishonour § 6. CXCIX Another at Toletum was called 636 by King Chintillane which went the same way Kings were Rulers here and not Popes § 7. CC. Another at Toletum An. 638. by the same King to the same purposes § 8. The Emperor Heraclius published an Edict for the Monothelite Opinion called his Echtesis and Sergius Const. joined in it § 9. Sergius dyeth and Pyrrhus a Monothelite succeedeth him § 10. Severinus is chosen Pope but being not Confirmed as was usual by the Emperor's consent he is plundered of his wealth § 11. The Saracene Arabians conquer Persia and the Eastern parts of the Empire § 12. Sergius before his death called a Council at Constantinople which confirmed the Emperor's Faith and the Monothelite Opinion § 13. An. 640. Iohn 4th was made Pope who condemned the Emperor's Echtesis and it 's said the Emperor disowned it and said that Sergius made it and desired it might be published in his name § 14. Heraclius dyeth Constantine succeedeth him and dyeth in 4 months Heracleo succeedeth After six months the Senate depose him and cut off his Nose and cut out his Mother's Tongue on suspicion that they poysoned Constantine whose Son Constans is next set up § 15. Pyrrhus thought guilty of Constantine's death flieth into Africa and Paulus a Monothelite hath his place Pyrrhus seemeth converted by Maximus in Africa cometh to Rome and is owned by the Pope against Paulus
first Act of the Council as Baronius tells us Iohn Bishop of Heraclea spake much against the Church of Rome which he said was the original of all the mischief that had beâ—aln them to overthrow and and cure which this Council was called Much also against Pope Nicolas and Hadrian he spake but for Pope Iohn as being for them In the 2d Act was read an epistle of the Patriarch of Alexandria to the Emperor for abrogating the former 8th Synod And Thomas one of the three Legates of the Eastern Patriarchs that consented to the former Synod the rest being dead made his penitent recantation Then the epistles of the Patriarchs of Ierusalem and Antioch for Photius are read c. In the third Act Pope Iohn's letters were read as endeavouring the peace of the Eastern Church which the Council took as a busy pretending to more power than he had and therefore said that they had peace before his letters came and that they were superfluous And whereas he made it his business by this complyance to get the Bulgarian Diocess They said this was to controvert the bounds of the Empire and therefore left it to the Emperor In the 4th Act the Eastern Patriarchs letters were read disclaiming their Legates at the last Council as being not theirs but the Saracens Legates and condemning that Council The Papists think Photius forged these Here also Lords professed repentance saying that the false Legates deceived them In the 5th Act Metrophanes Bishop of Smyrna is accused of Schism for being against Photius Three Canons also were made 1. That those excommunicate by the Bishop of Rome should not be restored by the Bishop of Constantinople Nor those that were excommunicated by the Bishop of Constantinople be restored by the Bishop of Rome and so Rome was shut out from troubling them with pretended jurisdiction 2. That those that forsake their Bishopricks shall not return to them 3. Against Magistrates that enslave and beat Bishops In the 6th Act the Creed was recited without silioque And in the 7th all those that should add to it or diminish are Anathematized § 91. CCXCVI. A Council of the Popes at Rome excommunicated Athanasius Bishop and Prince of Naples for not breaking his league with the Saracens § 92. Iohn dyed Marinus is made Pope commanded by his predecessâ—r called by Platina Martin who saith that he came to the Popedom malis artibus and therefore did nothing and soon dyed But Barcnius saith he lived long enough to do something viz. 1. He condemned Photius again and thereby provoked the Emperor Basilius as if Rome did still set the imperial Church in contention and hinder peace The Emperor affirmed that he was no Bishop of Rome because he had been ordained Bishop of another place 2. He destroyeth what Pope Iohn had done who had deposed Formosus preacher to the Bulgarians and Bishop Portuensis and had made him swear that he would never return to the Episcopal seat but rest content with Lay-Communion But Pope Marinus recalled him to the City and restored him to his Bishoprick and absolved him from his oath which Baronius and Binnius doubt not but he had power to do yea and to dispense with the ill acts of the Pope which he did out of private affects and partiality § 93. In his time also the Church of Rome used Filioque in opposition to Photius Spain and France having used it before Because saith Baronius and Binnius Photius had wrote about it to the Ignorant and Schismatical Archbishop of Aquileia There was it seems there so many of the greatest Bishops Imperiti et Schismatici in the Papal sense as intimateth that as the Popes greatness rose in height it did not grow equally in length and breadth § 94. Marinus having reigned a year and twenty dayes a short pleasure to sell eternal happiness for Hadrian the third succeeded him and had longer part of the usurped Kingdom viz. a year and three months and nineteen dayes He also damned Photius and was bitterly reproached by the Emperor Basilius whose contumelious letters found him dead and his successor answered them Was all the Christian world now till Luther subject to the Pope Platina saith of this Pope that He was of so great a spirit that in the very beginning of his Papacy he straitway decreed that Popes should be made without expecting the Emperors authority and that the suffrages of the clergy and PEOPLE should be free which was before by Pope Nicolas rather attempted than indeed begun He was I suppose encouraged by the opportunity of Charles his departing with his army from Italy to subdue the rebelling Normans Rome was still on the rising hand § 95. Stephen the 5th alias 6th succeeded him In his time Carolus Crassus the Emperor is by a convention of Lords and Bishops deposed from his Empire as too dull and unworthy Kings were brought under as elective by the Pope and now are at the mercy of their subjects Arnulphus a base son of Carolomannus got an interest in the subjects and they deposed the Emperor and set him up Baronius and Binnius ascribe it to Gods judgment for Charles his wronging of Richarda a pure Virgin yet repudiated by him They say that he was reduced to such poverty that he was fain to beg his bread of Arnulphus and dyed 888 in the 4th year of his Empire § 96. The Letter against the Pope written by the Emperor Basilius the Papists will not let us see But this Pope Sthephen ' s answer to it they give us which runs on the old foundation trayterous to Magistracy as such Telling the Emperor that The Sacerdotal and Apostolical dignity is not subject to Kings and that Kings are authorized to meddle only with worldly matters and the Pope and Priests with spiritual And therefore his Place is as far more excellent than Emperors as heaven is above earth He tells the Emperor that in reviling the Pope of Rome he blattered out blasphemy against the God of all the world and his immaculate Spouse and Priest and the Mother of all Churches And that he is deceived that thinketh that the Disciple Princes is above his master the Priests and the servant above his Lord. He wondereth at his taunts and scoffs against the holy Pope and the curses or reproaches which he loaded the Roman Church with to which he ought with all veneration to be subject as King who made him the judge of Prelates whose doctrine he must obey and why he said Marinus was no Bishop c. By this the reader may perceive whether yet all the Christian world obeyed the Pope or judged him to be their Governor § 97. How Pope Formosus set up Wido Duke of Spoleto trayterously as Emperor till he was forced to loyalty is after to be said § 98. CCXCVII. An. 8â—7 A Council at Colen under Charles Crassus made Canons against Sacrilege and Adultery § 99. CCXCVIII An. 888. A Council at Mentz while they were
spoken of by Platina he sate above one year It 's said that he dyed of grief for the loss of Ierusalem in his time CCCCXXXI A Council he had at Paris they say for Ierusalem too late § 186. Gregory the 8th succeedeth him two months and dyeth § 187. An. 1187. Clement the 3d succeeded him who importuneth the Christian Kings to recover Ierusalem The Emperor Frederick the King of France and Richard King of England go in person The Emperor was drowned in Asia as he was waâ—â—ing himself in a River The rest do much but all to little purpose but to the great destruction of many Christians The Pope sendeth an Army into Sicily to claim it for the Church because the King dyed childless There also bloody havock is made An. 1188. An Assembly at Paris furthered the Holy War Binnius will call it a Council § 188. Though this Clemens sate but three years and five months he ended the long War between the Romans and the Pope granting them their Senators but deposing their Patricius or Head that Union might not strengthen them § 189. Caelestine the 3d cometh next who to get Sicily from Tancred gets out of a Nunnery a devoted Virgin that was the Heiress and marrieth her to the young Emperor Henry the 6th and giveth him with her the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples when he can get them and so wholly obligeth him to the Church and to surrender Tusculum which the Romans utterly demolish Sicily the Emperor gets and puts out Tancred's eyes but Naples was too hard for him his Soldiers dying of the Plague How the King of France and the King of England disagreed in Palestine and how the King of France returned home and treacherously joined with Iohn the King's Brother to invade the King of England's Dominions and so called him from attempting the Siege of Ierusalem and how he was taken Prisoner by the way home many Histories acquaint you § 190. Binnius out of Urspergens tells us how this Pope that had sent the King of France into Palestine for his repudiating his Wife after interdicted the whole Kingdom of France the use of holy thing O horrid Villany worse than Heathenish For one Man's Family-sin to forbid so great a Kingdom to worship their God and Saviour Saladine when he had taken Ierusalem dealt better with the Christians O bewitched Princes and People that by their degenerate Prelates would be brought to suffer or submit to such a wickedness contrary to the nature of all Religion O wicked Prelates and Clergy that would obey an Usurper in sucâ— a wicked Interdict But the King of France grievously punished his Clergy for the Fact For it was done by the Pope's Legat and the Bishops at a Council at Divion the CCCCXXXII here § 191. Next cometh the great Pope Innocent the 3d a young man of 30 years old called Lotharius An. 1198. § 192. The Duke of Saxony Otho the 4th succeedeth the Emperor Henry the 6th But Philip of Suevia is his Competitor and the King of France was for Henry's Brother and the Pope for Otho hating Frederick's Line Some say Philip conquered and deposed Otho but Petavius after divers others saith that they agreed that Philip should Reign quietly during his life and Otho afterward succeed him After ten years Otho a Palatine of the Rhine killeth Philip and Otho again Reigneth quietly marrying Philip's daughter But seeking to possess Apulia and Calabria by Arms and not obeying the Pope's Prohibition the Pope Excommunicateth him first and after sentenceth him deprived or deposed which at his command the Archbishop of Mentz publisheth which Otho despising the Pope to shew that he can make and unmake Emperors and Kings sets up Frederick King of Sicily Henry the 6ths Son by Câ—nstantia the Nun formerly saith Binnius which Petavius denieth and commandeth all to take him for Emperor The King of France stands for Frederick and the King of England for Otho Otho is overcome being forsaken and dyeth for grief and Friderick a young man twenty years old prevaileth § 193. Passing by the English and Scottish Councils for the Sabbath or Lords day CCCCXXXIII The Roman Council that deposed the Emperor Otto for rebellion against the Pope was An. 1210. § 194. This Pope excommunicated our King Iohn for rejecting Stephen Laughton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Yea he deposed him quantum inse and interdicted Gods worship to the whole Kingdom for six years three months and fourteen dayes O wicked Bishops and Priests that would give over the worship of God because an Usurper forbad it The Pope gave the King of France commission to seize on England King Iohn is constrained to please the Pope What wars were hereupon in England and how he gave up his Kingdom at last to the Pope and to hold it as of him our own Historians certifie us yea and how he offered the King of Morocco to turn Mahometan for his help § 195. CCCCXXXIX Next cometh the famous 4th Laterane Council called by the Papists the 12th General approved of 400 Bishops and 800 other Fathers for others they have an 1215. Regn. Frider. 2. In the first Cap. is the Creed and their Transubstantiation asserted as the way of Union between Christ and us we taking his flesh as he took ours and that no one can make this Sacrament but a Priest ritely ordained according to the Keyes of the Church which Christ gave to the Apostles and their successours But the Sacrament of Baptism saveth by whom soever it is ritely done The 2d Cap. condemneth Abbot Ioachim's doctrine who opposed Lombard as making a quaternity for saying that Quaedam summa res est Pater Filius et Spiritus Sanctus et illa res non est generans nec genita nec procedens which the Council owneth The 3d. Cap. is this We excommunicate and anathematize every Heresie extolling itself against this holy Orthodox Catholick faith which we before expounded condemning all Hereticks by what names soever called having indeed divers faces but tails tyed together because they agree in vanity in the same thing And being damned let them be left to the present secular power or their Bailiffs to be punished by due animadversion the Clerks being first degraded from their orders so that the goods of such damned ones if they be Lay-men be confiscated but if Clerks let them be applied to the Churches from which they had their stipends But for those that are found notable only by suspicion unless they shew their innocency by a congruous purgation according to the considerations of the suspicion and the quality of the person let them be smitten with the sword of anathema cursed from Christ and avoided by all till they have given condign satisfaction so that if they remain a year excommunicate they be then condemned as Hereticks And let the secular powers be warned and induced and if need be compelled by ecclesiastical censure what offices soever they are in that as they desire to be
not malice or sacrilegious covetousness that frameth this accusation Whose are the Tithes are they ours or theirs The same Law of the Land that makes the nine parts theirs doth make the tenth ours If we have no title to the tenth they have none to the rest We ask none of our people for a farthing They give it not to us It was never theirs When they buy or take leases of their Land it is only the nine parts that they pay for and if the tenths were sold them they should pay themselves a tenth part more And would these men make all the people thieves and covetous to take or desire that which never was their own Nay would they have them rob God to whom for his service the Tithes were devoted Read Mal. 3 8 9 10. Rom. 2. 22. Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 6 9. And whether Tithe it self be of Divine institution still is more then they are able to disprove Sure I am when Christ told them of tithing mint and cummin he saith These ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone Mat. 23. 23. 2. But most certain I am that God hath made it our duty to meditate on his word and give our selves wholly thereto 1 Tim. 4. 15. and that we may Forbear working and not go on warfare at our own charge and sowing to men spiritual things should reap their carnal things Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Alter Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 6 7 13 14. 3. And know you not that the primitive Christians gave not only the tenths but all that they had and laid it at the Apostoles feet to shew that the Gospel teacheth more clearly then the Law the necessity of Dedicating our selves and all that we have to God 4. And yet I must say that we are content with food and rayment Most Minist in England would be glad to give you all their tithes if you will but allow them food and raimâ—â—t for themselves and families and such education for their children as is fittest to make them serviceable to God And I hope it is no sin to have mouths that must be fed or backs that must be cloathed What! must Gods Ministers above all others be grudged food and rayment and that of the Lords portion which none of you pay for I fear not to imitate Paul stopping the mouths of malicious accusers and to tell you that the Ministers whose expences I am acquainted with do give 500. pence for 50. that they receive by gift from their people and that they take all that they have as Christs and not their own and if they have never so much they devote it wholly to him and know he 's not beholden to them for it and some of them lay out in charitable uses much more then all the tithes that they receive for their Ministerial maintenance And if the Quakers that accuse them of covetousness would cast up accounts with them I doubt not but it will be found that they receive more by gift then Preachers and give not the fourth part so much when they have done 3. Another accusation is that we preach false Doctrine and deceive the people Answ. It 's easie to say so of any man in the world But when they come to prove it you will see who are the deceivers 4. Another is that we are persecutors and like the Priests of old and so all the reproofs of them and the Pharisees belong to us Answ. This is soon said too but where 's the proof For themselves we have no mind to be troubled with them Let them let us alone as long as we will let them alone But yet they shall be taught one day to know that if the Magistrate stop the mouths of such railers and abusers of God and men he doth no more persecute them then he persecuteth a thief when he hangeth him or then Paul persecuted Hymenaeus and Philetus when he delivered them up to Satan or Elymas Acts 13. 11. or then Peter persecuted Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5. or then God would have had the Churches be persecutors against the woman Iezebel that was suffered to teach and seduce the people or against the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans which God hated Rev. 2. 15 20. If hindering sin be persecuting the calling of a Magistrate is to be a persecutor Rom. 13. 4. and all parents mâ—st pesecute their own children 5. Another accusation is that we are against the preaching of any but our selves Answ. Who doth not desire that all the Lords people were Prophets But yet we know all are not Prophets 1 Cor. 12 29. nor Teachers We would have none of Gods gifts in our people buried but all improved to the uttermost for his glory But we would not have men turn Ordinary Teachers that are neither sound nor able nor sent nor every self-conceited ignorant man have leave to abuse the name and word of God and the souls of men What would you have more then is granted you When any unordained man that is judged competent by the Commissioners of Approbation of whom some are Souldiers may be a constant preacher and have fullest maintenance as well as Presbyters 6. Another Charge is that we are some weak and some scandalous Answ. We do all that we are able to cast out such and I think never more was done The Magistrate sets his Guard at the door and lets in none but whom he please and sure if he knew where to have better than those that are in he would put them in or else he is too blame If he do not know will you blame him for using the best that he can get But if you will come and help us to cast out any that are vicious and unworthy we will give you thanks 7. Another Accusation is that we differ among our selves and one saith one thing and another another thing Answ. 1. And are all these Sects that oppose us better agreed among themselves Enquire and judge 2. Do not all preach one Gospel and the same Essentials of the Christian Faith And we expect not perfect Unity till we have perfect Knowledge and Holiness which we dare not boast of whatever Quakers do 8. Another Accusation is that we are not true Ministers And why so Because we have not an uninterrupted succession of lawful Ordination Answ. This Objection is the Papists who have little reason to use it while it is so easie a matter to prove so many interruptions of their Papal succession At large and often have we answered them and are still ready to deal with any of them herein and to prove 1. That an uninterrupted succession of right Ordination is not of necessity to the being of the Ministry 2. And if it were we have more to
and govern the Churches of Christ according to his Laws and to go before the people in the worship of God The Prophets and Apostles did both these both reveal the Doctrine which they received from Christ and teach and guide the Church by it when they had done but the latter sort of Ministers do but the latter sort of the work The Papists and Seekers cheat men by jumbling all together as if there were no Ministers of Gods appointment but those of the former sort and therefore they call for Miracles to prove our Ministry Here therefore I shall first prove that the second sort of Ministers are of Gods Institution 2. That such need not prove their Calling by Miracles though yet God may work Miracles by them if he please 3. That we are true Ministers of Christ of this sort 1. Christ found such Ministers under the Law that were to teach and rule by the Law before received and not to receive new Laws or Massages I mean the ordinary Priests and Levites as distinguished from Prophets These Priests were to keep the Law and teach it the people and the people were to seek it at their mouth and by it they were to judge mens Causes and also they were to stand between the people and God in publick worship as is exprest Deut 31. 26. Iosh. 23. 6. Neh. 8. 1 2 3 8 18. 9. 3. Levit. 1. 2. 4. 5. 7. 13. 14. throughout Num. 5. 6. Deut. 17. 12. Mal. 2. 7. Ier. 18 18. The Prophet had Visions but the Priest had the Law Ezek 7. 26. Isa. 8. 16 20. Hag. 2. 11 12. Num. 1. 50 1 Chron. 9. 26. 16. 4. 2 Chron 19. 11. 20. 19. 30. 17 22. He was called A Teaching Priest 2 Chron. 15. 3. Lev. 10. 10 11. Deut. 24. 8. 2 Chron 17. 7 9. Ezek. 44. 23. 2 Chron. 35. 3. And Christ himself sends the cleansed to the Priest and commandeth them to hear the Pharises that sat in Moses Chair though they were no Prophets so that besides the Prophets that had their message immediately from God there were Priests that were called the Ministers of the Lord Joel 1. 9. 2. 17. and Levites that were not to bring new Revelations but to teach and rule and worship him according to the old For Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Acts 15. 21. The Iews rejected Christ because they knew him not nor the voice of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day Acts 13. 27. And even unto this day when Moses is read the Vail is on their heart 2 Cor. 3. 15. And they that would not believe Moses and the Prophets thus read and preached neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 29 31. 2. And as Priests and Levites were distinct from Prophets before Christ so Christ appointed besides the Apostles and Prophetical Revealers of his Gospel a standing sort of Ministers to 1. Teach 2. Rule 3. And worship according to the Gospel which the former had revealed and attested and proved to the world These were called Overseers or Bishops Presbyters or Elders Pastors and Teachers and also the Deacons were joyned to assist them Acts 14 23. They ordained them Elders not Prophets or Apostles in every Church Tit. 1. 5 Titus was to ordain Elders in every City Timothy hath full direction for the ordaining of Bishops or Elders and Deacons 1 Tim 3. That their work was not to bring new Doctrine but to teach rule and worship according to that received I now prove 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Mark that its the same and not a new Doctrine and that as heard from Paul among many witnesses and not as received immediately from God and others were thus to receive it down from Timothy And v. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth It is not to bring new Truths but rightly to divide the old And 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the form of words which thou hast heard of me not which thou hadst immediately from God in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus that good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us The Holy Ghost is to help us in keeping that which is committed to us and not to reveal more 2 Tim 6. 13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable till the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. There was a form of Doctrine delivered to the Church of Rome Rom. 6. 17. And 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine You see their work was to rule and labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 15 16. Till I come give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Take heed unto thy self and unto the Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 5. 6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained Mark here the description of a good Minister of Christ one that 's nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine which is the use of Schools and Universities and having attained it makes it his work to teach it and put others in remembrance of it Tit. 1. 7 9 10 11. For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God holding fâ—ast the faithful word as he hath been taught mark that that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not c. So 1 Tim. 3. 1 5. The Office of a Bishop is to rule and take care of the Church of God To take heed to themselves and to all the Flock and feed the Church of God and to watch hereunto according to the word of Gods grace which is fully and wholly delivered by his Apostles and is able to build us up and give us an inheritance among the sanctified as Act. 20. 28 20 27 35 32. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you this is their Office and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and not revile them as the
of Christ that hate the Doctrine and Life and Cross of Christ that by pleading for Godliness and Concord may be the effectual Enemies of both and may fight against Christ in his own Livery under his Colours and with his own Arms. Whose God is their Belly who glory in their shame who mind earthly things being Enemies to the Cross of Christ The History of whom you will find in the following part of this Treatise § 40. But here I must above all remember the Reader that he is not for this Corruption of the Clergy and Government of the Church to think that the Church here ceased to be a true Church or that the Ministry was lost or that it became unlawful to hold Communion with any such Churches much less to think hardly of Christianity it self as if it were no better than false Religions because so many of its Pastors were so bad None of God's Counsels were frustrate by mans sin None of his Promises to his Church have failed For all this Christ is the Saviour of the World the Prince of Righteousness and Peace that came to destroy the Works of the Devil and to save his people from their Sins and all that are given him of the Father shall come to him and he will cast none of them out nor shall any take them out of his hands § 41. I. Let it be still remembred that as the Chronicles of Kingdoms mention only the publick Actions of Princes and great Men but name not the poor and private sort so also our Church-History of Councils and publick things say little of godly private Christians but of Patriarchs and great Prelates who yet are themselves but a very small part of the Christian World II. Note also that every Bishop had many Presbyters whose work was not to strive for superiority nor trouble the world in Councils where usually they came not and so had not a quarter of the temptations that the Bishops had And though we find mention sometimes of the Presbyters also that were naught yet the number so reproved and proved bad is not proportionable to the number of Prelates compared among themselves that miscarried in Councils The Presbyters that staid at home and followed their work in private with the Flock and came not on the Stage in publick affairs kept up the substance and practice of Religion III. And the private Christians had yet less temptation and were not so overwhelmed with worldly things nor carryed away by pride and ambition and covetousness as the ruling party were IV. And the Monks and other retired Christians that saw the Prelates sin and sâ—ares though many of them had their failings too yet no doubt kept up much serious piety and a holy life V. And no doubt but very many of the Bishops themselves were humble holy faithful men that grieved for the miscarriages of the rest Though such excellent persons as Gregory Neocesareae Gregory Nazianzen Gregory Nyssen Basil Chrysostome Augustine Hillary Prosper Fulgentius c. were not very common no doubt but there were many that wrote not Books nor came so much into the notice of the world but avoided contentious and factious Stirs that quietly and honestly conducted the Flocks in the ways of piety love and justice And some of them as S. Martin separated from the Councils and Communion of the prevailing turbulent sort of the Prelates to signifie their disowning of their sins VI. And oft times when the Prelates were at the worst God raised up some very Godly Princes that maintained Religion more than the Clergy and were an honour to it when the Bishops dishonoured it VII And it is not to be contemned that much piety was kept up among great numbers of Christians whom for some mistake the rest reviled and condemned as Schismaticks or Hereticks Little know we how many holy souls were among those that are in Epiphanius Catalogue Of the Audians and some others he seemeth to confess as much himself The Novatians were tolerated in almost all the Empire and had their Churches and Bishops having the testimony of the Orthodox that they were usually of sound faith and upright lives and stricter than other Christians were And God pardoneth the infirmity of a small mistake in judgment when men are sincerely addicted to his service Now and then a cruel Prelate did prosecute them but so did not the gentler sort as Atticus Proclus c. at Constantinople c. nor the Emperours themselves save when so instigated VIII And though the Churches in the Roman Empire kept up this grandure of Patriarchs Metropolitans and rich Prelates that after over-topped Kings it was not so in other parts of the Christian world but the Clergy lived more humbly and quietly The Scots under Columbanâ—s and their other Presbyters long lived in great piety without any Bishops And when the Scots Presbyters Finan Aidan c. ordained Bishops in Northumberland they were commonly humble holy men like themselves And both Scots and Britains so much misliked the Romane-grandure and way that when Augustine the Monk came in they would not subject themselves to the Pope or any Foreign Prelates nor so much as eat and drink with the Missionaries And the like we may say of some other Extra-imperial Churches The Spaniards themselves not only while Arian Goths of whom see the testimony of Salvian to the shame of the Orthodox but after Recaredus days for many ages lived in great quietness while Italy France and Germany were employed in Hereticating Cursing Excommunicating or bloudy Wars The great Empire of Aâ—assia as the crediblest History saith never had Bishops to this day but only one called the Aâ—uâ—â— while the whole Clergy are exercised though in too much ignorance in their Priestly Office Brocardus that lived at Ierusalem testifieth that those Eastern Christians called by the Papists Nestorians Iacobites Eutychians were commonly plain honest Religious people free from Heresie and of better lives than even the Religious of the Church of Rome and that there were not worse men at Ierusalem than the Romaâ— Catholicks The Armenians have many Bishops and one chief but live though too ignorantly and superstitiously yet in great austerity of life IX In all ages since Prelacy swelled to the corruption of the Churches and annoyance of the Peace of Kings and Kingdoms there have been still a great number of pious lamenters of the Corruptions of the Church that have groaned and prayed for reformation Insomuch that Dr. Field maintaineth that even in the Church of Rome there have been still considerable numbers of Doctors that owned truth and piety and misliked the Papal usurpations and errours The Waldenses and Albigenses exceeding numerous said they had continued from the Apostles and so from the days of Sylvester or Constantine had dissented from the Roman pride and corruptions And God hath made the Protestant Churches since the Reformation as his Vineyard where truth and piety have prospered though Satan hath been still at work
Rome by the Emperour Charles the 5th army under Charles Duke of Bourbon and all the progress of their broils Historians have at large recorded and therefore I shall pretermit § 64. The day before Charles the 5th was chosen Emperour the Senate of Electas chose Iohn Frederick Duke of Saxony but he ingenti animo recusavit refused it and being asked whom he thought most eligible he said none but Charles was fit For this noble mind he was offered 30000 Florens of money which he constantly rejected And when they urged him that 10000 might be given to his servants he said let them that will take it but he that taketh any shall not stay to morrow with me and taking horse went his waies lest they further troubled him Thus saith Erasmus Epist. l 13. â—p 4. I was assured of by the Bishop of Liege that was presenâ—t See Bâ—â—â—â—zar Chronol p. 533. § 65. The Reformation forced the German Bishops to make many reforming Canons at Colen c. Among those of an Augustine Synod our own strife about communicating maketh me think of no loss of time to recite their Catalogue of persons that were to be denied the Sacrament of Communion viz. as followeth 1. Heathens Infidels and Hereticks 2. The Excommunicate 3. All men at a time of common Interdict 4. Men that go from their own Parishes for it 5. Those that are under age And distracted possessed Ideots 6. Those that are troubled with crudity of stomacks till cured 7. Infamous persons as Juglers Players Jesters c. 8. Women that wear Mens apparel 9. Separatists and Conventiclers 10. The Sect of the Beggars of Lyons 11. The superstitious 12. Those that have not contrition and confession living in sin 13. That live in notorious wickedness as Adultery Usury c. till their actual reformation 14. Deserters of Marriage unallowed 15. Those that play much at Dice 16. That are given to drunkenness gluttony comessations spend daies in Taverns And if they amend not they are to be put to death 17. That detain other mens goods 18. That break and spoil Temples 19. That encroach on others lands and grounds 20. Servants that being corrected refuse their duty to their Master after it 21. They that use false weights and measures 22. That pay not Tythes 23. That delay to execute Testaments 24. That obstinately despise the Customes of the Church and meet elsewhere 25. That disturb the Preachers or go out of Church contemptuously 26. That will not hear Mass and stay the end 27. That use unnecessary labour on the Lords day or holy daies 28. That marry secretly 29. That slothfully or contemptuously refuse to learn the Lords prayer and Creed 30. That blaspheme or prophanely swear 31. That reproach and dishonour Priests 32. Murderers Enemies revengeful and oppressors 33. That preserve not carefully their Childrens Lives 34. That make Laws against Church Liberties or Judge by such Laws or lay burdens and exactions on Churchmens persons or goods 35. Those that judge that money received on Usury is not to be restored § 66. The Reformers accusations of the Popish Clergy had this effect to make them confess many of their faults especially drunkenness and Whoredome as being the cause of the peoples distaste and desertion see the Orations at the Councils of Augusta and Trevers and the Council at Trevers made strict Canons against them especially for removing Concubines from the Priests And one at Colen 1549. is large for some reformation but especially careful to keep out true Reformation forbidding the books of Protestants by name Among other things they forbid baptizing Children in private houses except Kings Children c. And another Council at Mentz hath the whole sum of the Roman Doctrine and Discipline at the best save the matters of the Papacy and these late provincial Councils made Canons in the frame of them not much of our English Canons and our Articles of Religion set together And another Council at Trevers repeateth their disciplinary Canons in part and addeth more § 67. The History and Canons of the Council of Trent are sufficiently published and Pope Pius his Oath conjoyned so that I need not speak of that which I intend not to make any part of the matter of this Epitome which extendeth but to the time of Luthers Reformation 68. Even after the Reformation the Pope could not live in Italy without fighting Pope Iulius the 3d fought with Octavius Farnesius at Parma Pope Paul sought with the King of Spain but was beaten He set sixteen Cardinals over the Inquisition the defence of his Kingdome He imprisoned Cardinal Morrovius suspected of heresie absolved after by Pope Pius the 4th who yet strangled Caraffa and beheaded Cardinal Leonard Count Montarius c. § 69. Cardinal Charles Borrhomeus sainted by them at divers Millane Councils shewed a great deal of Reforming and some deforming zeal In the first Council I shall note that they decreed that men once admitted to the Communion and returning to their sin be no more admitted till the Priest see that they have actually reformed their lives And that before any young persons first receive they shall some dayes be examined and taught the use and reason of the Sacrament Priests notoriously criminal must not say Mass till they amend their lives No Physician must give physick to any after four dayes sickness that is not confest to the Priest on pain of excommunication Bishops are forbidden to stand when Princes sit no not for saying Grace at meat nor otherwise to depress and abject themselves to Princes Parish Priests must have a book of the Names Sex Age and State of every Parishioner Whores are to dwell in their assigned places and to be known by their apparel from others Dancing Playes Dice Selling c. forbidden on the Lords dayes and holy dayes Indeed the Roman Religion was never set out with greater advantage of piety and reformation than in the copious Decrees of Carolus Borrhomeus in the Milan Councils To which a Council at Aquileia added endeth Binnius his History of Councils § 70. In all this History of Councils Bishops and Patriarchs it appeareth that Corruptio optimi est pessima As the sacred Ministry in pious humble wise peaceable and sincere men hath been Gods great means of planting ordering preserving and encreasing his Church and converting edifying and saving Souls and such to this day are as Paul called Timothy not the Church A Pillar and Basis of the truth in the Church which is the House of the Living God the Husbandmen that still cultivate the Vineyard of the Lord while with self-denial and faith and heavenly minds they labour to promote holy WISDOME LOVE SPIRITUALITY and PEACE abhorring pride and worldly designs and being mostly little noted in the Histories of the Church as not appearing in the turbulent and publick affairs of the world so contrarily Pride and worldliness seeking Dominion favour and wealth to feed also sensuality with fleshly pleasure by Satans great diligence
have corrupted sacred Societies Doctrine Worship Discipline and Conversation and when the Prince of pride and darkness the God of this World could not directly expugne Christianity he hath under pretence of Government Unity and Advancement to the Church set his Malignant Ministers in the Chairs and Pulpits of the Church to do his work and fight down piety love and peace in the name of Christ and as it were by his Authority and instead of persecuting Heathens Satan hath set up contentions dividing and silencing and persecuting Prelates to smite the true Shepherds and scatter the Flocks and as for Faith and Order to tread down the true life of Faith Love and Order and to be the Capital Enemies of the Church while they would make themselves its Heads Advancers and Defenders so that the chief good and the chief mischief hath come to the Church by the means of the Pastors And no Schismes no Heresies no Persecutions have been more grievous than those that have been caused by a tyrannical and contentious Clergy witness all the Conciliary Episcopal Schismes Wars and Bloodshed mentioned in this Collection witness the many hundred thousand Albigenses Waldenses and Bohemians murdered as for the Faith and Church witness the 30000. or 40000. at once murdered at the French Massacre witness the horrid cruelties of the Inquisition witness the Volumes of burned and otherwise murdered Protestants and witness the Irish Zeal stirr'd up by their Clergy that murdered two hundred thousand in so narrow a room as that small Country and in so few Weeks And whoever is the Antichrist certainly in Rome and the Militant Tyrannical Church-Clergy is found the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus and as proud contentious Patriarchs and Prelates ruined Religion and the Empire in the East and gave it up to Mahometan darkness and cruelty so have they under the name of Christianity impugned the Christian Interest in the West I end with G. Heebert Only the West and Rome do keep them free From this contagious infidelity And this is all the Rock whereof they boast As Rome will one day find unto her cost Sin being not able to extirpate quite The Churches here bravely resolv'd one night To be a Churchâ—man and to wear a Mitre The old debauched Ruffian would turn Writer I saw him in his Study where he sate Busie in controversie sprung of late A Gown and Pen became him wondrous well His grave aspect had more of Heaven than Hell Only there was a handsome picture by To which he lent a corner of his eye As Sin in Greece a Prophet was before And in old Rome a mighty Emperour So now being Priest he plainly did profess To make a Jest of Christs three Offices The rather since his scattered juglings were United now in one both time and sphere From Egypt he took petty Deities From Greece Oracular Infallibilities And from old Rome the liberty of pleasure By free dispensing of the Churches Treasure Then in memorial of his Ancient Throne He did sirname his Palace Babylon Yet that he might the better gain all Nations And make that name good by their transmigrations From all these places but at divers times He took five Vizards to conceal his Crimes From Egypt Anchorisme and retiredness Learning from Greece from old Rome stateliness And blending these he carried all mens eyes While Truth sate by counting his Victories Whereby he grew apace and scorn'd to use Such force as once did captivate the Iews But did bewitch and finely work each Nation Into a voluntary transmigration All post to Rome Princes submit their Necks Either to his publick Foot or private Tricks It did not fit his Gravity to stir Nor his long Journey nor his Gout and Fur Therefore he sent out ABLE MINISTERS States-men wiâ—â—in without door Cloysterers Who without Spear or Sword or other Drum Than what was in their Tongue did overcome And having conquer'd did so strangely rule That the whole World did seem but the Popes Mule As new and old Rome did one Empire twist So both together are one ANTICHRIST Yet with two Faces as their Ianus was Being in this their old crackt Looking-glass How dear to me O God thy Counsels are Who may with thee compare Thus Sin triumphs in Westerns-Babylon Yet not as Sin but as Religion Of his two Thrones he made the later best And to defray his journey from the East Old and new Babylon are to Hell and Night As is the Moon and Sun to Heaven and Light CHAP. XIV LEst this treatise be mistaken abused to the dishonour of the Christian Religion Church or Ministry I adde two papers which I long agoe published for the Ministry 1. Against profane Malignants 2. Against Sectarians especially those called Seekers as also Papists others that for interest or faction deny or vilifie the Pastors One sheet for the Ministry Against the Malignants of all sorts AS mans first felicity was attended with the malice of the Serpent so is the wonderful work of his Restauration The promise of Reconciliation by the seed of the woman is joyned with a proclamation of open war with the Serpent and his seed The enmity was hottest in the Devil and his seed against Christ himself who bare and overcame it and is become the Captain of our salvation that his Church may overcome by his Cross and Strength and Conduct The next degree of malice is against his officers the most eminent the General Officers had the hottest assault and his ordinary Officers bear the next That we shall be hated of all men for the name of Christ Mat. 10. 22. is still verified to our experience Not only the openly prophane abhor us for our work sake but false-hearted professors that turn from the truth do presently turn Malignants against the Ministry and many weak ones that are better minded are dangerously seduced into a guilt of the sedition To all these I here proclaim in the name and word of the Lord Numb 16. 26. Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sins Which I shall now open to you 1. The office of the Ministry is an undoubted Ordinance of God to continue in the Church to the end of the world No man can pretend that they ceased with the Apostles for it is Gods will that ordinary fixed Presbyters shall be ordained in every Church Acts. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 2. And Pastors and Teachers are appointed for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to a perfect man Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. A Ministry authorized to Disciple the Nations baptize and teach them is instituted by Christ as King and Saviour and have his Promise to be with them alway to the end of the world Mat. 28. 18 19 20. The same necessity and work continueth