of the Church the schisme of Donatus and the heresie of Pelagius where both were condemned and Pelagius concerning whose doctrine Pope Innocent thought fit to suspend his judgement was excommunicated And all this done without consulting the Bishop of Rome onely sentence being alreadie passed he was entreated to joyne his authoritie and voyce with theirs for so goe the words of those Fathers in a letter which they sent vnto him reported by S. Augustine We haue say they Concil Carth. ad Innocent to 1. pa. 469. August Epist 90 by common consent pronounced Pelagius and Caelestius to be excommunicated c. for the amendment if not of them yet of those whom they haue seduced Which done we haue thought good deere brother to signifie so much vnto thee to the end that vnto this ordinance of our mediocritie thou shouldest ioyne the authoritie of the See Apostolike So that here we see a sentence plainely and absolutely giuen and yet vnder these tearmes of humilitie there is no disparagement or inequalitie to be obserued In like sort the Fathers of the Mileuitan Councell Concil Mileuit in Epist ad Innocent to 1. Concil apud August Epist 92. Concil Mileuit c. 3. Seeing say they that the Lord of his speciall grace hath placed thee in that Apostolike See being such a one as that our negligence would be condemned if we should conceale anything from thee which maketh for the good of the Church rather than our feare excused as if we doubted of thy good acceptance we therefore entreat thee to vse thy Pastorall care and diligence in these so great perils and dangers of the members of Christ c. Their meaning was that hee should doe in these cases of heresie within the limits of his jurisdiction in the West as they had alreadie done in the East But when they saw that vpon their round dealing with them in the East he was the rather inclined to absolue them in the West they made short worke and passed this decree in full Synod Whosoeuer shall say that the grace of God in which we are iustified by Iesus Christ is auailable onely for the remission of sinnes past and that it is no helpe to vs against sinne hereafter let him bee Anathema And thereupon adde they farther This errour and impietie which hath euerie where so many followers and abettors ought also to be Anathematised and condemned by the See Apostolike As if they should haue said It is high time Innocent that now you shew your selfe and doe your duetie All which Innocent as one not willing to breake with them passed ouer and seemed not to vnderstand but as if they had fled to him as to their superiour frameth them an answer onely to futher his owne ambition Apud August Epist 90. to 1 Concil apud August Epist 91 You haue saith he well obserued the ordinances of the ancient Fathers and not troden vnder foot that which they not in humane wisedome but by diuine order haue established namely that whatsoeuer is done in places though neuer so remote should for finall conclusion be referred to the audience of the See of Rome And againe You haue Apud August Epist 92. saith he had due regard of the Apostolike honour I say of him which hath the charge and care of all other Churches in asking aduise of him in these perplexities and intricate causes Following herein the ancient Canon which you as well as my selfe know to haue beene obserued in all the world And where I pray you good Innocent and when was it so obserued for saw you not the contrarie in Afrike it selfe and in these two last Councels practised But let vs see whether they vse him any better in his matter of Appeales The Fathers of the Mileuitan Councell spake plainely Concil Mileuit Can. 22. It hath beene say they thought fit in the case of Priests Deacons and other inferiour Clergie men if in their causes they complaine of the wrongfull iudgement of the Bishop that then the next adioyning Bishops shall heare and end their cause by the consent of their owne Bishop And if they thinke fit to appeale from them also yet that they appeale not but onely to the Councels of Afrike or to the Primate of the Prouince But if any shall presume to appeale beyond the seas that no man presume to receiue that man to his communion And it is verie probable that the like decrees were made in other Churches of the West howsoeuer Gratian 2. q. 6. c. 35. to saue the Popes jurisdiction addeth these words Vnlesse saith he they appeale to the See of Rome whereas it was properly against that See that they raised this countermure and bulwarke of defence Bellarmine yet goeth more finely to worke and saith That this Canon concerneth only the inferior Orders But the Canon next precedent which properly prouideth for the cases of Bishops is linked with this as wel in reason as in order the conclusion is general Whosoeuer shall offer to appeale beyond the sea c. without any distinction betweene Priest and Bishop Concil Carthag apud Balsam Can. 31. ex Concil African and in the margent there is noted this diuers lection Aliàs That they appeale not beyond the sea but to the Primates of their Prouinces as it hath often beene ordained in case of Bishops and so are all sorts of Clergie men comprised And in like manner is this Canon read in the Greeke copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to conclude this point we may not forget that Saint Augustine himselfe was present at this Councell All these things standing as they doe let vs now see what arguments Baronius hence draweth to the preiudice of the Churches of Spaine and Afrike in fauour of the Pope And first saith he in the third Councell of Carthage Baron to 5. an 497. art 55. can 48. it is decreed That concerning the baptisme of the Donatists Syricius Bishop of Rome and Simplicianus of Milan should be consulted The one saith he as head of the Church the other for the worthinesse of his person whereas the Fathers themselues make no such difference but say they we haue thought good to consult our brethren and fellow Priests Syricius and Simplicianus and no maruell seeing that Aurelius Bishop of Carthage wanting fit ministers to furnish his Churches wrot ioyntly to Anastasius Bishop of Rome and to Venerius Bishop of Milan to supplie his want calling them Holie Brethren Secondly Concil Carthag 3. ca. 26. Distinct 99. ca. primae sedis he taketh on because we alledge the Canon Primae sedis That the Bishop of the first See should not be called Prince or the Chiefe of Priests or High Priest or by any such like name And I would know whether these are not the verie words of the Canon it selfe or are they not so reported by Gratian in the Decrees Yea but he wil not that we should extend them to Rome especially
of his mouth water after the woman like a floud that shee might be carried away of the floud But there were then giuen to the woman two wings of a great Eagle that shee might flie into the wildernesse And of a flight in the ayre there remaines no trace In such sort that we are not bound to search after it much lesse to shew it accounting it sufficient that we beleeue the Scriptues That God knoweth who are his That the Church is knowne vnto God as in the time of Eliah though vnknowne to the Prophet whereof after so many ages past there is no reason why any account should be demaunded of vs. But I will not deale so rigorously with you will you know where and what manner of Church ours was in all your time Our Church was that Primitiue Apostolike Church inspired with the holie Ghost grounded vpon the word of God which hath left vnto vs the Canon of the holie Scriptures the rule of our faith and life the Symboll of the Apostles the badge of our Christian warfare To vs therefore that embrace all these and to hold and defend them reject all humane inuentions stoppe our eares against the voice of a stranger the societie of this Church spread farre and wide through the world and as our Sauiour saith continuing to the last day of the world cannot be denied But on the other side against you is that curse threatened by S. Paule who besides and against this preach another Gospell If we or any angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise let him be accursed Our Church is that which hath continued with this Gal. 1. v. 7.8.9 yea hath been euer ioyned vnto it shining with so manie and so great miracles made red with so many and glorious martyres For these are the miracles that witnesse the truth of this Gospell Martyrdomes that gaue testimonie to Christ the onely begotten sonne of God the onely redeemer of mankind Mediator Sauiour the only true Priest of the new Couenant which we onely vrge refusing all other and are readie to seale it with our bloud Ours therefore are these miracles and these Martyrdomes since we are incorporated with them by one and the same faith into one and the same Church Now tell me I pray haue your traditions beene confirmed by these miracles Can you or dare you affirme that any of your martyres haue suffered for the Papacie for the Popish doctrine for the adoration of Images the worship of Saints the traffike of Purgatorie the sacrifice of the Masse Transubstantiation By what right then doe you arrogate vnto your selues the miracles and martyrdomes of that Church by what right nay rather what wrong doe you take them from vs the true heires of their faith I would to God wee could as truely say of their constancie Againe our Church is that that heretofore confuted and confounded Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches Pyrrhus yea Pope Honorius himselfe who called into question the diuinitie of the onely begotten sonne of God and of the holie ghost and the two natures and two wils in one Christ Ours are those generall Councells of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and others In which they with theirs were condemned and ouerthrowne Forasmuch therefore as we approue and embrace all these and consequently the Catholike Church represented in them as we neuer wandred in any thing from their doctrine so are we not to be seperated from their bodies Tell me againe whether you dare to say as much And if for shame you will seeme to dare See ye not that your Pope is to be brought into order that he is presently to fall to the ground Find you any where in any of those approued and auncient Councells any place for those your inuentions And yet these bring vs to the six hundreth yeare after the natiuitie of our blessed Sauiour In all which time if those points of doctrine which we affirme are confirmed by the holie Scriptures Symboles Myracles Martyres decrees of Councels and contrarily those things we denie doe no where appeare nay are not so much as affirmed may we not by good right and reason professe that Church to be ours And with better reason aske you where your Church was for those six hundred yeares together Vbinam Gentium for to say the truth there shee was there shee fed Not vpon the hill of Sion but the little hils and groues of Garisim the mountaines of Seyre the pastures of Paganisme From whence ye haue gathered whatsoeuer either the proud schoole of the Pharisies brought into the Sinagogue or the vaine superstition of the Greeke Philosophers into their Academy From thence-forward the authoritie of one man by the contempt of the word of God gathering strength in the Church of Rome the Princes likewise according as it was foretold striuing to giue their assistance he made and vnmade lawes at his owne pleasure preferring humane inuentions before the diuine oracles his decrees before the Canons of Councells Nouelties before antiquities things profane before holie borrowed from elsewhere before his owne adulterat before lawfull superstition before religion and all this furniture of Paganisme before Christian simplicitie by which meanes the Church by degrees fell into this corruption and languishing consumption In such sort neuerthelesse that in the middest of this corruption this confusion a part of our selues did still remaine and that in a twofold manner This Church was a part of our selues though corrupt cloked and couered with wood and hay and stubble yea in a manner ouerwhelmed 1. Corinth 3. so long as shee stood vpon her onely true foundation Christ Iesus so long as the saluation of man depended vpon him onely his merit the bloud of his crosse Not vpon our owne or other mens workes not vpon Popish absolutions and indulgences and other blasphemous toyes of that nature And as it falleth out that the wind changing the wether altereth so for a time the matter hung in an equal ballance vntill impietie ouer-weighing the mind of man by a kind of selfe-loue being prone to human inuentions true pietie was taken away Againe this Church was a part of our selues and the purer part inasmuch as many excellent men famous for their pietie and learning sprung vp therein almost in euerie Nation lifting vp their heads in the middest of this darkenesse Assemblies of Bishops and whole vniuersities striuing with all their force against that swift and violent streame shewed thereby the newnesse of the doctrine But striuing in vaine broke out into mournings and clamours and complaints calling heauen and earth to witnesse against the Popes and their followers who speaking with so cleere and audible a voice being so manie in number and in so manie places and that not out of any compact or agreement but a common sence of that publike calamitie is it not to be presumed that manie held their peace for feare possessing their pure soules in silence Such of whom the Lord speaketh by Eliah I haue
reserued vnto my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seuen thousand men who haue not bowed their knees to Baal Rom. 11. v. 2. To my selfe saith he They stand to their Lord and master insomuch that thou needest not doubt of them Much lesse it is to be doubted that there are seuen times seuentie thousand yea innumerable numbers in the whole world since tyrannie and corruption grew more slowly in some places than in other and Eliah alone in Israell withstood the false worship of God That there were so many in so many kingdomes and Countries though we had no other witnesses to proue it than our aduersaries than the Popes slaues who either concealed or disguised whatsoeuer might be noted in the errors of true religion as appeares by the example of the Iesuits in these dayes let no man doubt And these things fell out in the seuenth eight and ninth ages in which the East Church was directly opposite against the West the West at variance with it selfe their Councells wauering and in one and the same Councell voices diuided different opinions we call these times the twilight of the Church growing by little and little into an obscure and darke night A moonelesse night wherein there are few starres and those that twinckle most for the most part wandring not fastened in the firmament the word of God In such sort that whither you respect doctrine or manners this night seemed to be the last night of the Church her brest yea her heart being pierst and her throat cut The doctrine of the onely mediator redeemer sauiour of mankind Christ Iesus of his onely propitiatorie sacrifice almost extinct and reserued if we looke into the outward face of things amongst a few This no doubt was that time wherein that Woman Deut. 32. v. 11. the true Church being put to flight by the Dragon and borne vpon the wings of that great Eagle was enforced to retire her selfe to the wildernesse Of that Eagle the eternall omnipotent Iehoua who when there is neede knoweth how to carrie and keepe his Church as the Eagle doth her young This likewise was that time Apoc. 12.15 wherein that Dragon cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a floud that shee might be carried away of the floud But shee whom thou seekest and persecutest to the death being got out of thy sight cutteth the ayre with her wings seekes the steepie tops of the mountaines where shee resteth and hideth her selfe vnder the wings of the Almighty And shee whom thou like a wretch thinkest to be perished in the beginning of the twelfth age tooke her flight towards the plaine God mouing and leading her the way into Dauphin Prouince Languedock Guyenne the plains of Italie filling all from the Pirenei hills to the Alpes from the Alpes to the Appenine with the preaching of the Gospell At the last her enemies the Popes exercising their furie against her after many bloudie slaughters and massacres being rather sowed than scattered she springs vp takes root in Germanie Slauonia Hungary England it selfe there hath founded extended her Colonies No otherwise than that first Apostolike Church driuen from Hierusalem by the furious priests dispersed it selfe by the great prouidence of God into all parts of the world publishing the Gospell which otherwise had been included within a little circuit in all the corners therof Read my good friend the Histories of this time set downe by your owne writers we produce our witnesses out of thine owne bosome we haue no other either for you or against you It shall be easie for thee thereto note her foot-steps Heere some by flocks are massacred there others by multitudes are consumed with fire For feare least thou shouldest loose thy way and go astray he hath marked it out for thee with these euerlasting cinders the bloud of these Saints other foot-steps others to shew thee the way thou needest not But thou contemnest this poore and ragged Church though not so full of wrinkles and proudly disdainest her natural colour though it be white louing rather delicious and delicat as thou art a Church proud and glorious in her vestments of scarlet painted with colours more glittering though borrowed wantonly lusting after nouelties It is therefore no maruell if thou haue embraced that Babylonian Whore beautified with false and counterfeit colours The chosen vinyard of the Lord like a negligent husbandman thou sufferest to grow vnto a tree to be ouer ranke with leaues and little care thou takest whether it yeeld weeds or grapes But the eternall God the true husbandman doth not so but humble and lowly as his vinyard is the better to continue it in that humilitie hee pruines it and affoords now and then an eye vnto it and that bedewed with tears that it might yeeld the more and the better fruit yea and sometimes hee pluckes away the leaues that it may lye more open to the beames of the Sunne and so ripen the better that when they come to the presse they may yeeld a more excellent wine And now thou knowest where our Church was in all this time Thou rude and simple as thou art thinkest perhaps when thou seest the Sunne to set in the West that it is swallowed vp in the Ocean and quite extinguished wherein indeed when it sets to thee it riseth to others and returnes againe to thee in his due time and misseth not a minute The riuer Rosne when it entreth into the lake of Lozanna thou thinkest it is quite deuoured but that liuelie and running water cutteth and diuideth that dead and standing poole making way through her swallowing depthes Our Church in like manner hath made her way through many ages hath runne into the lake yet not ouerwhelmed but hath past through the bottomelesse gulfes thereof with glorie and triumph and many riuers meeting her she passeth through many countries and at the last falls into her Ocean the Church of Christ into God the bottomelesse sea of all goodnesse and there is drowned loosing her selfe to find her selfe in him Remember Ionas a figure of the bodie of Christ in the Sepulchre and therefore of his Church Thou seest him swallowed by the Whale and thou thinkest him deuoured Ionas c. 2. 3. and thou hast reason to beleeue too for he saith The waters compassed me about vnto the soule the depth closed me roundabout and the weeds were wrapt about my head in as much that I said I am cast away out of thy sight out of the sight of God himselfe if we may so say not of men not of his aduersaries But I saith he will yet looke againe toward thy holie Temple Out of the bellie of hell it selfe the bowels of that beast I cried and thou heardest my voyce At the verie becke of the omnipotent God this monster cast out Ionas vpon the drie land to be sent as an Herauld to preach repentance vnto the Niniuites a people seperated from the Church What maruell then
is it that the Popedome hauing swallowed vp this poore Church at the word of the Lord in these later times should cast it out againe that so the Gospell might be preached more gloriously than before euen to your selues But now giue me leaue to aske thee againe In all this long space of time where was thy Church and of all loues answer me In those six hundred yeares next after Christ in the whole world was there any that was thy Church and that worshipped burnt incense adorned adored and inuocated Images Doubtlesse there was none such except thou seeke it among the Heathen with Simon Magus not Simon Peter In a whole thousand yeares was there any Church that called the Hoast Lord thought it a god adored it In a whole thousand two hundred yeares that shut it vp in a box carried it about appointed vnto it a proper feastiuall day set it out with pomp to be gazed vpon by the people as in a publike Theatre Againe in a whole thousand yeares after Christ was there any Church howsoeuer otherwise corrupted that placed Christ the sonne of God betweene the hands of a Priest yea created him that sold his sacrifice for money to be offered at all times yea euerie moment of time and in all places That abolished the auncient institution of Christ and Communion of the faithfull bringing into the place thereof their solitarie Masses for the liuing and the dead mumbled vp in a corner That depriued the people of the Cup of the Lord to feed them with the smoke of this pretended sacrifice And since I am entred into it to lay open these monstrous abuses to the view of the world Was there any Church that accused the Scriptures of insufficiencie or imperfection writing bookes to that purpose That forbad the reading of them as being daungerous and deadly vpon paine of grieuous punishment and that by a publike Decree Againe was there any Church in the whole world for six hundred yeares after Christ that beleeued the Pope of Rome to be the Vniuersall Bishop an earthlie Prince armed with both swords spirituall and temporall That for a thousand yeres out of Rome acknowledged him to be Pope and Emperour the Lord of the world the true Spouse of the Church That for twelue hundred yeares did affirme him to be aboue generall Councels the Catholike Church the Scriptures That did affirme or teach That he had power to dispose of the state of our soules by his Indulgences That he could shut Purgatorie open heauen canonize for a Saint or damne to hell at his pleasure whom it pleased him commaund the Angels abrogat the lawes of God and therefore a god and aboue God Adde if you will to make vp the matter What Church in those ages euer knew those multitudes of Monkes the foure Orders of begging Friers the scarlet Cardinals this Pontificall pompe his Ianizaries and Mamalukes and lastly his Iesuites who are as it were the rereward of the Popes armie And yet of these doth your Church now consist and they must be beleeued vpon paine of damnation Herein Bellarmine and Baronius spend their labours and he that abates but a haire of that they affirme let him bee accounted as a Heathen or Publican That man on the other side that beleeues all this especially all those poynts that concerne the Pope though he be otherwise an heretike a prophane person an Atheist yet he is a good Catholike and in the right way It is now then your part to proue this your Church out of the Fathers Councels Histories yea euen your owne for I refuse not any But perhaps thou wilt aske though against the rules of disputation By what apparent reason it appeares that your Church hath erred and how it should bee likely that it hath hitherto receiued Christ his enemie for Christ his Vicar and how and in what part that corruption thou speakest of hath crept in Hearken my friend let not this preposterous presumption deceiue thee the Angels in heauen haue erred our first parents in Paradice haue erred Iacob amongst so many visions of God Israel in the desart in the middest of so many myracles haue erred the Church the Spouse of God vnder the Iudges the Kings in the presence of the Arke in that holie land though reproued by the Prophets verie often in the time of the first Temple and as often vnder the second and that which is more puffed vp with the doctrine of the Law euen to the forsaking of Christ himselfe the crucifying of him with her owne hands and consequently in her owne saluation hath erred What then should hinder but that it may now likewise erre euen to the receiuing of Antichrist that man of sinne the sonne of perdition and the adoring of him since both the one and the other proceed from the same spirit of presumption not to erre both the one and the other foretold by the same mouth by the spirit of God in his word and therefore of like certaintie Doubtlesse the Church then hath erred erred by neglecting the word of God and shall erre as often as she shall forsake the sea-mans compasse without which all things are to it vncertaine the heauens the sea the earth In so much that being left to her own discourse her owne cogitations it is no maruell if she haue erred if she doe erre yea rather it were a wonder and more than a wonder if without that compasse she should hold her course but a moment of time and not bee split in peeces against some rocke or suffer shipwracke vpon some vnknowne shore But whereas thou desirest to know the moment of time when this accident happened vnderstand my friend that this Mysterie was wrought in the darke for Antichrist is compared to a theefe that digs through the wall in the dead time of the night At what watch therefore he began his worke it is your part to know and to tell vs that stand sentinell that haue so long time before beene forewarned by God himselfe by whose either negligence or treacherie he hath inuaded the Roman castle and therefore your Church But thou art perhaps sicke of a dropsie thy bellie is swolne as big as a tunne thy bloud turned into water and yet thou wilt not hearken to the Physitian change the course of thy life vntill he tell thee the verie instant time when thy liuer began to be distempered to bee inflamed to grow drie and to be hardened into a Schyrrus whereas thou shouldest haue beene the first that should haue knowne that if it might be because there is no man so neere vnto thee as thy selfe There is nothing more ridiculous than to thinke that another should know it before thy selfe especially considering it is one of those diseases according to Hypocrates that at the first is most hardly knowne most easily cured afterwards by tract of time the symptomes or accidents belonging thereunto encreasing it is easily knowne hardly cured But yet I will not refuse to
of some spirituall tyrannie neither let anie man thinke that this is a chicke of my â—aâ—ching but the interpretation of the most auncient Fathers which in all likelyhood receiued it by hand from the Apostles for to haue named the destruction of the Romane Empire had in those dayes beene a capitall offence and therefore S. Paule to the Thessalonians Cap. 2. Remember yee not saith he how that when I was with you I told you of these things he told those things to the disciples in plaine words which he would write but in cipher and S. Iohn sayth A mysterie that great Babylon c. and Here is vnderstanding who hath wisdome c. And they which came after recounting the euents as they fell out could more plainely decipher this secret Caball and drawing wide the curtaine see more clearely into this prophesie than they which went before them But before we goe anie farther let vs here take a view and see what was the opinion of the ancient Fathers and Doctors concerning the person of Antichrist the time of his appearing and the place of his residing As touching the first namely whether Antichrist be a Man or else an Estate or Kingdome a Tertul. de Resurrectione cap. 25. Tertullian calleth him Ciuitatem prostitutam a People prostituted vnto whoredome meaning no doubt that spirituall whoredome which is Idolatrie And S. b Ambros in Apocal. cap. 17. Ambrose tearmeth it the Citie of the deuill and Rome the harlot c Hieron ad Marcel viduaÌ„ S. Ierome stileth it by the name of Babylon and of Rome and the verie Church it selfe of Rome d Augustin Hom. 10. in Apocal. idem Homil. 11. S. Augustine brandeth it with the title and appellation of the wicked Citie and corporation of wicked ones fighting against the Lambe e Idem lib. 13. de Ciuitat Dei cap. 2. lib. 20. cap. 19. A people contrarie to the people of God which together with their Head is called Antichrist an hereticall Church in name Christian but indeed Infidell meaning Rome that second Babylon f Gregor in Moral lib. 33. cap. 26. S. Gregorie calleth it a multitude or companie of the Preachers of Antichrist Adde we vnto these our moderne Doctors g Tho. in Apocal cap. 13. Thomas Aquinas sayth That Antichrist is a Bodie or Corporation and not a Man h Gloss ordinar ib. the ordinarie Glosse The whole Antichrist consisteth of a Bodie and a Head and lastly i Hugo Cardin ib. Hugo Cardinalis sayth That it is an Vniuersitie that is a Communaltie or People and in like sort speake manie others Concerning the second point which is the time of his reuealing they say that it shall fall vpon the decline of the Romane Empire whose ruines he shall appropriate to himselfe First k Tertul. de Resur carnis c. 24. Tertullian Antichrist sayth he shall not come Donec é medio fiat vntill he be taken out of the way who sayth he but euen the Romane Empire which once comming to be distracted into ten kingdomes shall draw Antichrist after it at the heeles And thence it was that those old Christians to put off this lamentable time of Antichrist from their dayes were wont in their ordinarie Liturgie to pray l Idem in Apologet cap. 32. ad Scapul ca. 1. Pro mora finis that it would please God to deferre the fall of this Empire And after him m Hieron ad Algasiana S. Ierome sayth That Antichrist shall not come vntill the Romane Empire be first rased to the ground and that the Nations be first wholly reuolted from it which S. Paule durst not speake openly because they tooke it to be an eternall Empire fearing to draw on a persecution vpon the tender blossome of the Church to wit vnder pretence of treason against the State and n Ambros in 2. ad Thessalon cap. 2. S. Ambrose vseth almost the same words vpon that place to the Thessalonians so doth o Augustin de Ciuitat Dei lib. 20. cap. 19. S. Augustine interpreting the same words of the Apostle in his 20 booke de Ciuitate Dei And p Chrysost in 2. ad Thessal cap. 2. Chrysostome giueth a reason of his not comming sooner For sayth he so long as the feare of this great Empire shall endure no man shall willingly subiect himselfe to Antichrist but so soone as that shall fall he shall inuade the vacant Empire and shall appropriate to himselfe the authoritie both of God and man that is the temporall power in consequence of the spirituall As for his Seat we say he shall haue it in the most eminent and conspicuous place of the visible Church q Orig. in Matt. tract 27. Origen saith That he sitteth vpon the chaire of the Scriptures whence he taketh the proofes of his false doctrines He sitteth vpon the buildings of the Scriptures and vaunteth himselfe as if he were God And whence I pray you doth Antichrist in these dayes take his proofes to shew that all power is giuen him both in heauen and in earth but from the Scriptures r Hieron ad Algasiam Saint Ierome expounding that place He shall sit in the temple of God that is saith he either at Ierusalem as some thinke but we know that according to the prediction of our Sauior there is now not one stone of that citie left vpon another or as we thinke more properly in the Church And Å¿ Chrysost in 2. Thess c. 2. Hom. 3 Chrysostome more resolutely Not saith he at Ierusalem but in the temple of the churches and the Scholiast speaketh after the same maner And againe t Idem in opere impers Hom. 49. That wicked Heresie That armie of Antichrist shall sit in the holie places of the Church and shall possesse them and then he that will know where the true Church of Christ is where should he find it but in the Scriptures And u Hilar. contra Auxentium Saint Hilarie Doubt you saith he that Antichrist shall sit vpon the buildings of the Church The wild forests prisons and dungeons and hollow dennes of the earth where sometimes the Prophets prophesied are to my seeming lesse to be feared than the churches And w Theodor. in epitome diuin decret lib. 2. in 2. ad Thess c. 2 Theodoret though so farre off yet saw most cleerely into this point The Apostle saith he calleth the Church the Temple of God wherein Antichrist shall take vnto himselfe the Prime seat seeking to make himselfe to be reputed and taken as a God And x Oecumen Oecumenius also speaketh after the same manner And y et Theophil ib. Theophilact Not properly sayth he in the Temple which is at Ierusalem but in the churches and in euerie holie temple And z Thomas ib. Aquinas In the temple saith he that is in the churches rather than at Ierusalem And S. Augustine goeth farther Shall Antichrist saith he
persecution began to flame out more violently than before Baronius in the meane time hunteth on vpon the old sent and not able to contradict the veritie of these proceedings will yet persuade vs that the Bishops of Rome commaunded absolutely in all the Churches and so did they I confesse and we haue alreadie seene but too much of their ambition but as carelesly were they obeyed as hath alreadie beene declared and more plainely hereafter shal appeare First therefore saith he when as Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria Baron vol. 2. an 263. art 30. sequent in oppugning the heresie of Sabellius was accused by those of Pentapolis vnto Dionysius Bishop of Rome as hauing spoken some things not so properly concerning the sonne of God hee purged himselfe to the Bishop of Rome by letters And what I pray you could this good Bishop doe lesse in a slaunder of such importance especially to those to whom he had beene defamed But what of this forwardnesse of his must wee needs erect a Consistorie in the Church or doth Athanasius report it as a suit at law These fellowes saith he without euer asking him how he would be vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 went to Rome and misreported of him He saith not That they accused him in forme of law but brandeth onely their pretended zeale with a marke of leuitie and rashnesse And as touching Dionysius Bishop of Rome he saith Athanas de Sententijs Dionysij That he sent him word what they had said of him and that thereupon the other wrot him backe presently his apologie And what I pray you is all this more than a brotherlie communication and entercourse of kindnesse betweene two good Bishops Secondly saith Baronius in the case of Samosatenus when he hatched his heresie in Antioch Baron an 265. art 10. sequent an 272. art 1. 2. Athanas lib. de Synod Euseb lib. 7. c. 29 30. Graec. c. 23. 24. Lat. they presently ran to the Bishop of Rome whereas yet Athanasius joyneth another with him in part of this praise and commendation Two Dionysius saith he the one of Rome the other of Alexandria ouerthrew Samosatenus What difference here betweene these two And Eusebius In a Synod saith he of verie many Bishops assembled in Antioch he was coÌ„demned of heresie cut off from all the Catholike Churches vnder heauen He saith not that these Bishops sent to Rome for a commission but wel he saith That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this was the proper word i. assembled together with one accord they wrot a letter directed to Dionysius Bishop of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to Maximus of Alexandria who lately had succeeded the other Dionysius in that See in particular and to the Bishops of all other Prouinces in generall to let them vnderstand what care they had taken in the quenching of this heresie And so goeth the verie inscription of this letter To Dionysius and to Maximus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to all other Bishops our fellow seruants throughout the world and to all the Vniuersall Church which is vnder heauen And what trace of that pretended Primacie find we in all this Thirdly Baron to 2. an 272. art 18. when as the heretike would not relinquish the Bishops house to Domnus elected in his roome by the Synod of the place he ran to Aurelian the Emperour not yet engaged in his persecutions against the Church And he saith Baronius as Eusebius reporteth Euseb li. 7 c. 24. Lat. c. 30 Graec. verie religiously ordained that liuerie of the house should be made and seisin giuen to whom the Bishops of this doctrine which were in Italie and in the citie of Rome should assigne it These are the words of Eusebius and thence concludeth he that Aurelian Pagan as he was yet acknowledged the power of the Bishop of Rome ouer all the world How so when as it appeareth that the other Bishops were joyned with him and consequently in this respect are made his equals this matter being referred by the Emperour to the Bishops that were neere adjoyning to Rome rather than to those of Alexandria because he answered this petition at Rome But the mysterie is this the Latine translation of Eusebius hath it thus To whom the Christians of Italie and the Bishops of Rome should assigne it Which Baronius to serue his purpose with this place hath voluntarily followed though knowing it to be corrupted because the originall in Greeke make the other Bishops of Italie to enter into concurrencie with him and in order of nomination to stand before them Fourthly what will you say if Baronius telleth vs That euen in those dayes it was the fashion to kisse the Popes feet for hee durst not say the pantofâ—e Baro. an 294. art 8. sequeÌ„t For proofe he telleth vs a tale out of a certaine old Legend of one Praepedigna wife vnto one Claudius who was conuerted to Christianitie by one Susanna his neece neere of kin to the Emperor Dioclesian and that Praepedigna for joy hereof because she her selfe was long since in heart a Christian ran to Caius Bishop of Rome cast her selfe at his feet and according as the custome was saith the Legend kissed them And hath Baronius no better authors than these which himselfe with others of like stuffe hath in so many places vtterly condemned Where can he shew vs that this Caius Bishop of Rome was nephew to the Emperour Dioclesian or that Susanna was his grand child a name not vsed among the Heathen But grant we all this to be true doth not he himselfe tell vs in that verie article That this same Claudius also kissed the feet of Gabinius the Priest If so what greater honour then hath the Pope than a simple Priest or if this be only an argument of zeale and affection in the one why should it be interpreted for adoration or fealtie in the other 4. PROGRESSION 1 That peace and plentie bred corruption in the Churches 2 Constantine his bountie and liberalitie to the Churches 3 Sundrie reasons summarily rehearsed to ouerthrow that pretended donation of Constantine vnto the Church of Rome 1 IT cannot be denied but that the Church whilest she had rest from persecution began euer to decline vnto corruption Cyprian obserued as much after the persecution of Decius Cyprian lib. de Lapsis and yeeldeth the reason namely Because euerie man stept in the couetous desires of his owne heart adding farther That it was high time for God to awake them with his rod speaking principally of the Pastors of the Church Non in Sacerdotibus deuota religio There was saith he no longer any deuotion left in the Priests no sincere faith in Ministers no mercie in their workes no gouernement in their manners c. The Bishops themselues who should haue serued for a spurre and patterne of well doing vnto others abandoning their holie functions dealt in matters of the world leauing their
first had and obtained thereunto Let vs therefore briefely examine this Epistle also whether according as we find it in the Councels Baron an 314. art 67 68 69. or whether as he alledgeth it out of Pytheus The title it selfe in the first is worth the noting Domino fanctissimo fratri Syluestro Episcopo i. To our most holie brother Syluester Bishop The exordium followeth in this manner The things which we haue with one consent decreed we here make knowne charitati tuae to your charitie to the end that all may know what they ought to doe hereafter Now this word Decree importeth no suspension of authoritie in them nor yet implieth that they were to learne of him but rather that the Pope as well as all others should learne of them neither doth that other copie much differ in sence Communi copula charitatis c. We say they knit together in one and vnited by that common bond of loue and charitie and met together in this citie of Arles by the good pleasure of the most godlie Emperour greet thee most religious Father with all due reuerence Religiosissime Papa Would God beloued brother you had beene present with vs at the hearing of this cause so should a more seuere decree haue passed against the Donatists and we all finding your iudgement to concurre with ours should haue had the greater ioy And comming a little after to signifie vnto him what had passed in the Councell It seemed good vnto vs say they the holie Ghost and the Angels being present with vs c. I would know whether this be to craue confirmation or to fetch the holie Ghost from Rome in a budget or is it not rather to determine of the cause absolutely without the Pope And againe Placuit c. It seemed good to vs say they because you hold the greater Diocesse therefore not all as if all the world were but one Diocesse and that subiect to his jurisdiction to make knowne vnto all men what we haue done and principally by you And who seeth not that to make knowne is one thing and to craue confirmation is another To conclude the Donatists finding themselues to haue the worse appeale to Constantine in person who though all wearie of their contentions and debates yet assigned the parties a day to appeare before him at Milan and there confirmed he by his decree all the former sentences giuen against them witnesse Saint Augustine in many places The Emperour saith he being constrained to iudge this cause after the Bishops caused the parties to appeare before him and with all care August Epist 168. diligence and wisedome entring into the knowledge of the cause pronounced Cecilian innocent and his aduersaries a companie of vngodlie persons And againe Post Episcopalia Iudicia saith he i. After the iudgements of the Bishops c. meaning as well that at Rome as that at Arles what King or Emperour in these our dayes attempting to doe the like should not be excommunicated and cut off from the Church yet Syluester at that time neuer grudged or repined at it And thus they still abuse the world Fourthly he alledgeth the case of Arrius let vs see therefore whether his successe be like to proue better in this than in the former Arrius therefore hauing disgorged his poyson in Alexandria and afterwards by his ballad-like letters dispersed it into all corners of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epâ—phan Haer. 69. Alexander Bishop of Alexandria opposed himselfe against him and sent likewise his Epistles general into all parts to the number of seuentie as Epiphanius reporteth Here Baronius without any authoritie or reason groweth verie peremptorie It is apparent saith he that Alexander before all others wrot first concerning this matter to Syluester Bishop of the first See But why should we take his bare word for proofe Proofe ynough Baron an 318. art 59. Epist Liber to 9 Biblioth Socrat. lib. 1. c. 3. sayth Baronius for haue we not a certaine Epistle of Liberius wherein it is thus written We haue euen at this day the letters of Alexander vnto Syluester And what of that for haue not we likewise euen at this day another of his Epistles generall in Socrates with this inscription To our most honored fellow Ministers throughout the Church wheresoeuer And haue not we another of the same in Theodoret written in particular to the B. of Constantinople Were we disposed to take such aduantage what might not we conclude out of this But we say farther That Alexander Bishop of Alexandria without attending any aduise from Rome Ibidem excommunicated Arrius and cut him off from the Church as appeareth by his owne letters and moreouer published an orthodoxall confession for an antidote against the poyson of his doctrine and raised both East and West against him in all which we heare no newes of Syluester Here againe Baronius runneth to his likelihoods Baron an 318. art 88.89 All other Bishops of the East saith he rising as it were in armes to ioyne with Alexander Haud par est credere we may not thinke that Syluester Bishop of Rome stood all the while idle But seeing it was heretofore said vnto him Feed my sheepe we may well imagine nay rather constantly affirme That he bestirred himselfe in the businesse as well as the best And hath Baronius indeed no better proofes than these Euseb de vita constantin l. 2. c. 63. Socrat. l. 1. c. 4. Sozom. l. 1. c. 15. Yes saith he for Syluester sent Hosius Bishop of Corduba his Legat into Aegypt This I confesse is somewhat to the purpose if it were true True it is that the Emperour to quench that fire dispatched his letters both to Alexander and Arrius by Hosius a man of note and one whom the Emperour honoured verie highly Euseb de vita Constant l. 2. c. 63. And Eusebius speaking of the same man saith That he was one much honoured among good men for his vertue and whom the Emperour had neere about him And the title of that chapter in Eusebius is Legatum de Pace componenda mittit i. He sendeth a Legate or Embassadour to make peace betweene them Theodor. l. 1. c. 7. Theodoret hath the like and withall a copie of that letter wherein the Emperour admonisheth them to handle such questions with discretion reuerence and good agreement As for Syluester or what hee did herein there is not in all these either word or sillable to be found And must Baronius his conjecture goe for currant That sure it was so but that Eusebius would not report it But to proceed This fire beginning now to flame out it was thought fit to assemble that first generall Councell in the citie of Nice But who then called it or by whose authoritie and commaund was it assembled All histories agree in one Euseb de vita Constant Edit Lat. c. 6. l. 3. Eusebius saith The Emperour Constantine assembled the generall
when Caelestins letters were read the Synod cried out To Caelestin a second Paule I confesse and did they not the like of Cyrill crying out To Cyrill a second Paule there is but one Caelestin but one Cyrill And what other demaund I pray you did those Legats make but onely that they might haue the Acts to subscribe vnto them a thing not to haue beene denied to anie ordinarie Bishop which had come late as they did And yet Baronius would faine haue it Iterata damnatio that this subscription of theirs was a second sentence confirmatorie of that which had beene giuen by the Councell whereas they themselues writing to the Emperours signifie only this that they are of the same beleefe and opinion with the Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if Cyrill had beene Legat what need of this Or if this were needfull then it followeth that Cyrill was not Legat for the Pope but was onely requested to passe his word vnto the Councell for the Orthodox beleefe of Caelestin Fourthly Philippicus a Priest of Rome and one of the Legats in his speech said that he rejoyced to see that the members did so well agree with their holie Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 195. And hereupon Baronius maketh a flourish and because these Fathers had the patience to heare him Doest thou see Reader saith he how all these Fathers were content to heare him without repining For my owne part I know not what he would haue had them to doe in this case vnlesse it be that they should haue made an vprore in the Synod and haue fallen by the eares about it He should rather haue considered how at the ouerture of this Councell they placed Christ in his Gospell for Head of this Councell or if the doubt be of the ministeriall Head that then in their Synodal Epistle they call Cyril the Head of the Congregation of Bishops but of euerie such insolent pranke which the Popes or their Legats play Baronius is euer readie to make a Title But will you now know who was Soueraigne in this Councel The Synod by their letters to the Emperours in all humilitie aske leaue to depart euerie man to his owne home seeing that all controuersies were now decided And the Emperour vpon relation of what they had done gaue his confirmation in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 273. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duely informed hath pronounced That the holie Oecumenicall Councell hath done all things according to the Canons and therefore hath displaced and banished Nestorius commaunding the Bishops of the Synod to enter vpon the Church and to elect and consecrate a Bishop of Constantinople and thereupon the Fathers ordained Maximinus And farther the Emperor commaunded them to returne euerie man to his owne home Consider we also that the Fathers of those times speak of this Primacie by vertue of Saint Peters chaire in farre other tearmes than now men vse to doe Saint Ambrose expounding those words of Saint Paul to the Galathians Ambros ad Gala ca. 2. where hee compareth himselfe to Peter He nameth saith he onely Peter and compareth himselfe to him because he had receiued the Primacie to lay the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles Now I would know whether Rome were not of the Gentiles if so to what purpose then serueth the Primacie of Saint Peter But hee addeth yet farther Yet we see ful and absolute authoritie giuen to Saint Peter for the preaching to the Iewes and so likewise full and absolute authoritie was giuen to Paul to preach vnto the Gentiles For which cause also hee tearmeth himselfe the Teacher of the Gentiles in truth and veritie and yet was he neuer Bishop of Rome For saith he euerie man according to his abilitie tooke vnto him as by lot the dispensation And a harder matter it was to draw those vnto the faith which were a farre off than those which were neere at hand as if he meant to preferre Paul before Peter as one which vndertooke the harder taske August in Iohan Tract 124. in Epist Iohan Tract 10. And Saint Augustine The Church saith he is founded vpon the rocke from which rocke Saint Peter tooke his name vpon this stone saith our Sauiour that is vpon this stone which thou hast confessed will I build my Church meaning vpon this faith Those which would build vpon men said I am of Cephas i. of Peter but those who would not build vpon Peter but vpon that stone said I am of Christ. Saint Basil doubtlesse neuer dreamed of this Primacie he saw indeed and grieued to see the pride and hautinesse of the Bishop of Rome for with what indignation speaketh he of him in his tenth Epistle Yea but say they in his 52 Epistle to Athanasius speaking of the combustions in the East he saith That hee purposed to write to the Bishop of Rome I confesse but to what purpose would hee write onely for this Basil Epist 10.50.52 To request him to giue them his aduise and that hee would admonish such as were peruerse How much more gloriously doth he speake of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria saying That it was he which vnderwent the care of all the Churches and calling him the shelter and refuge of them all And speaking of the Church of Antioch Miletius saith he presideth there as ouer the bodie of the Catholike Church Chrysost in Math. c. 16. in serm de Pentecost Euseb Emiss in serm de Natiui Chrysost Homil. 43. in Math. and of which all other Churches are but as parcels And Chrysostome Vpon this stone he saith not vpon Peter for he hath not built his Church vpon a man but vpon that faith and confession and words of pietie And in like manner speaketh Eusebius Emissenus And Chrysostome hauing laid this doctrine for a ground goeth on and speaketh plainely Whosoeuer saith he among the Bishops he excepteth none shall desire this Primacie here on earth shall vndoubtedly find confusion in heauen and be which affecteth to be the first shall not be numbred among the seruants of Christ And vpon the Epistle to the Galathians speaking of Saint Paul He had saith he Idem in Epist ad Galat. c. 2. before declared that he was equall to the rest in honour but now he compareth himselfe to the greatest that is to Saint Peter shewing that euerie of them had receiued equall dignitie Now if the Apostles themselues were equall how commeth there one superiour among their successors And yet this was spoken at what time the Pope began apparently to exalt himselfe aboue his fellowes for of this verie age it was that Socrates speaking of Innocentius Zozimus Boniface and Caelestin Socrat. li. 7. c. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops of Rome vnder the Emperor Theodosius the yonger testifieth That the See of Rome like vnto that of Alexandria passing the bounds and borders of the Priesthood
haue receiued saith he his Synodall Epistle Epist 34. wherein he requireth vs not to trouble the peace of the Church and I haue likewise aduertised him of that superstitious and haughtie name of Vniuersall Bishop that he could haue no peace with vs vnlesse he did reforme the haughtinesse of this word c. otherwise saith he we corrupt the faith of the Vniuersall Church c. and not to speake of the wrong which he doth vnto vs Eleuationem if there be one called Vniuersall Bishop then must the Vniuersall Church goe to the ground if he which is Vniuersall happen to fall but neuer may such foolerie befall vs neuer may this weaknesse come vnto my eares But to Cyriacus himselfe he wrot requesting him at his first entrie to abolish that word of pride by which there was so great scandale giuen in the Church for whosoeuer saith he is desirous of honour contrarie to the honour of God shall neuer be accounted honourable by me tearming this title of Vniuersalitie a thing contrarie to God and to his honour And because Antichrist that enemie of the Almightie Epist 28. is now at hand my earnest desire saith he is that he may find nothing of his owne or anie waies appertaining to him either in the manners or in the names of the Priests And when the Emperour Maurice commanded that for a friuolous name there should no such scandale arise betweene them Consider saith he vnto the Emperour that when Antichrist shall call himselfe God the matter it selfe is but small and friuolous yet most pernitious if you looke to the qualitie of the word it consisteth only of two sillables but if you regard the weight of iniquitie which dependeth thereon you shall see an vniuersall enemie Wherefore I speake it boldly that whosoeuer calleth himselfe or desireth to be called by others the Vniuersall Priest or Bishop is in his elation of mind the forerunner of Antichrist because that in like pride he preferreth himselfe before others like I say for that as that wicked one would seeme as God aboue all men so will this man exalt himselfe aboue all Bishops And in like manner writeth he to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria Epist 30. And that no man may say That Gregorie went to take away that from another which he yet reserued as due vnto himselfe in his Epistle to the same Eulogius he thus writeth You haue beene carefull saith he to aduertise me That you forbeare now to write vnto any by those proud names which spring meerely from the root of vanitie and yet speaking to me you say Sicut iussistis i. As you commaunded Let me I pray you heare no more of this word Commaund for I know well ynough both what I am and what you are In degree you are my Brethren and in maners you are my Fathers Wherefore I commaunded you nothing onely I aduised you what I thought fittest to be done And yet I do not find that you haue perfectly obserued that which I desired to leaue deepest grauen in your best remembrance for I told you That you should not write in any such manner either to me or to any other and yet in the verie Preface of your Epistle you call me by that name of pride and vanitie Vniuersall Pope which I would intreat you to forbeare hereafter seeing that your selues lose whatsoeuer you giue vnduely to another For my owne part I seeke to encrease in vertue and not in vanitie of Titles That addeth nothing to my honour which I see taken from my brethren my honour is the honour of the Vniuersall Church and the sound vigour of my brethren Then am I truely honoured when my brethren haue euerie man his due For if you call me Vniuersall Pope you denie your selues to bee that which indeed you are in that you call me Vniuersall but God forbid let vs rather put farre from vs these words which puffe vs vp to pride and vanitie and woundeth charitie to the death Distinct 99. c. Ecce in praefatio 5. All which part of his Epistle is inserted in the Decret which Gregorie the thirteenth in his Reformation of the Canon Law knew not how to redresse but onely by giuing S. Gregorie the flat lye Now we may not for all this thinke that Gregorie would lose any thing of his owne or was carelesse to set foot and to encroach vpon another mans for it appeareth by his Epistles that he spread his wings as farre and farther than his neast would giue him leaue taking all occasions to gaine credit and to be dealing not onely in Italie but also in other more remote Prouinces of the West making himselfe sometimes arbitrator betweene parties and sometimes Iudge of controuersies betweene Church and Church and eftsoones a sanctuarie and refuge for those who had beene censured and cast out by their own Metropolitans whereof we haue but too many examples in his Epistles And if we will ground our opinion vpon certaine Epistles which goe commonly vnder his name he was the first which brought in the Pall of the Archbishops which was a certaine Mantle or Cloake which he sent vnto them in honour thereby to oblige them to the subiection of his See namely to Virgilius Bishop of Arles and by vertue thereof conferred vpon him his Vicarship ouer the Churches of king Childebert with power to watch ouer their doctrine and behauiours But it hath beene right well obserued that those Epistles are of another growth because the whole course of the Historie of Gregorie of Tours who liued in the same time with Gregorie the Great sufficiently teacheth vs That the authoritie of our Prelats and Archbishops depended not of the Popes neither did they euer heare talke of that Pall which is more than probable Greg. li. 4. Epist 51. 52. because that in so many changes of Bishops and Metropolitans as we read of we find no mention at all made thereof Wherefore those words Idem ad Interroga Augustin ca. 9. Quod iuxta antiquum morem Pallij vsum ac vices Apostolicae sedis postulasti And Cum priscam consuetudinem Fraternitas vestra repetat by which they say That Virgilius requested of Gregorie the vse of the Pall and the Vicarship of the Roman See according to the ancient custome were ill deuised And how vnlikely a thing is it that Childebert should intreat the Pope to commit the ouersight and charge of the Churches of his kingdome to the Bishop of Arles who was at that time subiect to king Gontran with whom hee might in time vpon occasion haue open warre Adde we hereunto That notwithstanding this pretended Pall Gregorie expresly forbad Augustine his Legat to exercise any jurisdiction ouer the Churches of France We saith he giue you no authoritie in the Churches of France c. Thou mayest not presume to iudge them by thine authoritie but onely by warning and speaking them faire and by making thy vertues to shine before them To
all along giuing him fairely to vnderstand That all the Apostles were endowed with equall authoritie and certifying him onely An. 649. That he was consecrated Bishop of Carthage without euer asking confirmation at his hands only he requesteth him to recommend him in his prayers vnto God that he might wel discharge his office After this came Martin who taking occasion vpon the fame and suspition that was of the Patriarches of the East that they were Monothelites sent thither certaine Bishops and made some of those which yet remained Orthodox in the East his Vicars This was a faire attempt but the Emperour Constans hindered him in his walke for the yeare following he sent and caused him to be apprehended in Rome and to be brought prisoner to Constantinople where he died a banished man hauing beene accused for conspiring with the Sarasens against the Emperour as appeareth by his letters written to Theodorus Martinus in Epist ad Theodor 14. Sanctuâ— Audoenus in vita Sancti Eligij Sacerdotalem Concilium This Martin was a man of a hautie mind and a great vndertaker yet could not he maintaine his pretended authoritie no not in the West For when a certaine Heretike had crept into the Bishopricke of Authun the Bishop of Noion who was then in Court solicited the king and obtained of him saith Saint Ouin That by his commaundement a Councell of Priests or Bishops should be called at Orleans where the Heretike was condemned and banished the realme of France without expecting any higher authoritie So likewise vnder Pope Eugenius his next successor there was a Councell held at Chaalons vpon the riuer of Saosne which as appeareth in the verie front thereof Ex euocatione ordinatione Domini Clodouaei Regis Synod Epist ad Theodo Arelat was assembled by the conuocation and ordinance of king Clouis as also in the Synodall Epistle to Theodore Archbishop of Arles wherein they presume to declare vnto him by the authoritie of that Synod That considering the time of his penance was not yet expired he might not offer to meddle with his Bishopricke nor with the good belonging thereunto Ordaining farther Ib. can 10. That vpon a vacancie no successor might be chosen but by the Clergie and people of that Prouince that otherwise the election should be held as voyd and of none effect where you shall find no exception or reseruation at all to the Pope of Rome And in Spaine there were held at that time the 7 8 9 and 10 Councels of Toledo all which acknowledge their assembling to haue proceeded onely from their owne care and from the authoritie of the Prince namely the seuenth By our deuotion say they and by the care of king Chindasuinda the eighth By the commaund of the king Reccesuinda and the tenth By his most holie desire Sanctissimâ— Vote without any mention of the Pope at all though in those Synods the highest points of our religion were in question as namely in the eight whose Synodall Epistle hath yet onely this inscription The Decree of the Vniuersall Councell published in the name of the Prince And againe A law published in the same Councell Imperante Principe glorioso by the commandement of the renowmed Prince In all which besides those high poynts of Christian religion order was also taken against intrusions extortions and other abuses of Bishops proceeding to the punishment of some and finall deposition of others insomuch that in the tenth Synod one Pontamius Bishop of Bracara a thing neuer before heard of accused himselfe and was thereupon deposed by the Synod and Fructuosus Bishop of Duna chosen in his place with these words We doe here constitute and appoint by a common election Fructuosus to be Gouernour of the Church of Bracara to take vpon him as Metropolitan the care of all the Prouince of Galleece and of all Congregations and Bishops of that countrey Patrum sententia And this was done by the Decree of the Fathers annexed to his letters of Ordination without binding him to take a journey to Vitalian at Rome for confirmation who sat not in that pride which Popes now vse to sit in For as Anastasius reporteth when the Emperour Constans came to Rome he with all his Clergie went to meet him six miles off and there receiued they him with all tokens of submission and reuerence though he was a sacrilegious and bloudie Emperour and one which had confined Pope Martin the first to a certaine place in banishment as Baronius reporteth 24. PROGRESSION Wherein the religion of this age principally consisted and what was the purpose of the Popes when they sent Preachers into forreine Countries THe good Bishops of the Primitiue Church heeded onely the building and reedifying of the spirituall Temple of God in gathering together liuing stones but from hence forward shall you find the Histories stuffed onely with relations of materiall Edifices Oratories Images Marbles Incrustations Ouerlayings with gold and such like which the worser sort of men were euer most spendfull in thereby to shadow and obscure the memorie of their euill acts And those princes which all histories leaue vnto vs stained with dishonor recouer fame and good report of vertue pietie and religion by either building or beautifying some Church or other after their example Beda l. 1. c. 20. 26. 29. Histor Eccl. l. 4. c. 1. 2. 16. 19. Galfri Monumet l. 8. c. 4. And if any Bishops of Rome did send to make a conquest of some farre countrey as Gregorie the Great into England and after him Honorius Vitalis and others it was not principally to preach the Gospell but to broach their owne ceremonies their Singings their Seruice in Latine Houres Organs Altars Tapers Anelings and such other nifles stirring vp Princes to inforce their subiects to the vse practise of them who would faine haue kept themselues to the first institution of the Church in the puritie of the Gospell Malmesbu de gest Anglo li. 1. c. 50. And the more to win vnto themselues credit in forreine parts where euer they saw any ambitious spirit thirsting after some preheminence ouer the rest of his brethren presently their fashion was to send him their Pall either as a bare token of honour or as a liuerie of their Vicarship and to vse meanes to draw all causes vnto them yet found they not credit in all places alike but as they caried it away cleere in some places so in others they met with a balke especially in those Churches which being well planted at the first grew vp and prospered in puritie of doctrine OPPOSITION Wherefore doe they what they could yet the Churches of the East euer reiected that Decree of Phocas 2. To. Concil Epist Vitalian 2 3 4. Sigo de Reg. Italiae l. 2. Blond Deca 1. li. 9. An. 680. neither would Paule Archbishop of Candia suffer Iohn Bishop of Lampeon when he had beene condemned by his owne Synod to appeale to Rome as
loth to lose his money came thither in all hast and finding Sergius quietly in possession demaunded of him the money which was promised to him by Paschal Sergius to content him gaue him the Vessell and Crownes of gold which hung vp before S. Peters House and yet all was too little This fell out about the yeare 690. And so within foure yeares after their libertie of election restored to them fell out two schismes next kinne to commotions in the State and the souldiors began alreadie to haue a hand in the election of the Popes as the Praetorians had heretofore in the choice of the Emperours Anastas in Sergio And Anastasius farther reporteth That this Paschal one of the competitors was afterwards thrust into a Monasterie for worshipping of trees for lotteries and other enchantments which he vsed Also we may obserue that after the time of Leo the second the Popes were consecrated by three Bishops namely those of Ostia Port and Velitre as all other Bishops were whereas before he was only consecrated by him of Ostia but after all they grew impatient to see themselues so ordered by the sixt Generall Councell and Iustinian the second sonne to that Constantine of whom they had receiued so manie and so large fauours felt it to his cost OPPOSITION Sigon l. 2. an 692. This Iustinian therefore after the death of his father who had before his death associated him in the Empire following as Sigonius saith the steps of his father wrote presently to Pope Iohn the fift That he had found the holie bookes of the sixt Generall Councell digested and set in order by his father which eftsoones he presented to the Patriarchs Sacra Iustin ad Iohan. 5. in 2. To. Concil and to his Holinesse his Solicitor to the sacred Senat to the Metropolitans and Bishops to the chiefe officers both of his Court and Armie to be read before them and to be subscribed by them to the end that they might neuer hereafter be falsified or corrupted whereof he thought good to aduertise him assuring him that he purposed neuer to depart from them But this dispatch found Iohn dead Lib. Pontif. in Conone and Conon placed in his roome who receiued the letters and the Emperour shortly after vnderstanding of his election spared for no kind of gratulations which are not I warrant you forgotten in the Historie But this Conon happening to die shortly after his election hauing beene all the while sickly Sigon l. 2. de Reg. Jtal. Anastas in Conone and Sergius succeeding in his place Iustinian sent like letters vnto him requiring him to subscribe to this Councell so carefully compared with the Originals and alreadie subscribed by his Lieger Solicitors Sergius because there were some Acts there which pleased him not namely those which concerned the ordering of his See tooke occasion to say that some bodie had falsified the Acts and thereupon he disauowed his Solicitors Anastasius saith his Legats and refused to subscribe vnto them Anastas in Sergio Whereat Iustinian tooke such offence that he renounced the Church of Rome which vntill then he had euer maintained and sent to apprehend Iohn Bishop of Port and Boniface chiefe Counsellor of the See Moreouer Zacharie Protospatarius or as we say High Constable came himselfe to apprehend the Pope But Sergius had taken such order that all the souldierie of Rome was at his deuotion Anastas in Sergio so that Zacharie was faine to submit himselfe and to crie him mercie The pretence of his not subscribing was as Anastasius sayth because he would not consent to errors of nouelties Paul Diacon de gest Longobard l. 6. c. 11. or as Paulus Diaconus reporteth to a Synod of Error as if they had beene Monothelites But the Canons which are come vnto our hands haue no such smell about them but in expresse tearmes they pronounce Anathema against them neither indeed was there anie thing in them that troubled his conscience saue onely that they equalled the Bishop of Constantinople with himselfe And Anastasius seemeth to say as much when he sayth it was by reason of certaine articles there added contrarie to the Rites of the Church and therefore not contrarie to anie article of religion or point of doctrine but in the life of Iohn he speaketh plainely saying it was for certaine articles contrarie to the Romane Church for indeed the Emperor sent him an Orthodox confession of his faith withall And this came vnto the yeare 700. An. 700. Baronius seeketh to discredit and to annihilate the Canons of this Councell Baron vol. 8. an 692. art 1 2. Pseudosynodum but we haue sufficiently justified them elsewhere he calleth it a false and erronious Synod grieuing to see his Head bounded and limited by law and reason as if all the members should thereby fare the worse But let him thanke those Fathers for it and the Popes Legats themselues who were present at it But aboue all Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople is he which offendeth him for that in the second Councell of Nice he sayth Syno Nice Act. 2. What ignorance is this of some which trouble themselues about these Canons It is a scandale to doubt whether they are of the sixt Generall Councell or no Know all men therefore that that Councell was first assembled vnder Constantine c. And afterwards the same Fathers assembled themselues vnder Iustinian his sonne and then made these Canons and that therefore no man should doubt thereof And is it ynough now to find some little error in the date thereby to reject all these Canons And Balsamon Bishop of Antioch pleaseth him as little Because sayth he that the fift and this sixt Synod had made no Canons this therefore came in supplement vnto them c. and is also reckoned as Generall For although the Westerne Bishops to wit Italians and Latines because they are there touched say it is no Councell and that the Popes Legats were not there c. yet I find looking ouer the old Nomocanon Balsamon in Nomocanone that Basill Bishop of Gortyna Metropolitan of Candie and another Bishop of Candie were there as Lieutenants of the whole Synod of the Church of Rome and not they onely but also the Bishops of Thessalonica Sardana Heraclea in Thrace and Corynth as speciall Legats from the Pope and were called Legats a facie who also had particular iurisdiction as appeareth by the second title of the fift booke Imperiall What spunge can wipe this out or who can thinke that this can be controlled by giuing Balsamon the lye or by saying that he was an heretike Can Gratian endure this injurie who hath canonized these Canons Or the second Councell of Nice Actio 2. 3. or the Popes Gregorie the second and Adrian who haue cited them for good proofe alledging the 83 Canon to justifie their vse of Images Or is it ynough for Baronius to say that these Popes kill the Greekes with their
we thinke in this so great an alteration both in the doctrine and also in the gouernment of the Church that euerie man held his peace for the doctrine we haue elsewhere declared how euerie article and when it came to be corrupted as also what opposition was alwaies made against it so that we shall not need to rehearse it here farther than as it was vsed by the Popes to the corruption of the policie and gouernment of the Church The Popes as we haue said thrust the Emperors out of Italie the colour was because they rejected the adoration of Images it being therefore cleare that the three seuerall Councels of Constantinople the one held in the yeare 713 the other in the yeare 729 and the third called the seuenth vniuersall Councell An. 713. An. 729. An. 755. consisting of 338 Bishops in the yeare 755 all held in the times of Constantine Gregorie the second and Stephen the third who were those that did abuse this article of Images to thrust the Emperours out of Italie it being I say cleare that all these condemned the adoration of Images Is it not manifest what they judged of the Popes proceedings against the Emperours seeing they condemned the ground of their proceedings And we may easily imagine what the Churches of Fraunce thought of those Popes whom they saw to trouble the world vnder a colour of Images seeing themselues neither at that present nor in long time after vsed them or at least vsed no religious honour towards them no not those who yet condemned the Greekes for breaking and defacing them Anastas Biblioth in ep ad Joh. 8. Baron in Annal. an 794. art 40. witnesse Anastasius a Writer of that verie time and Baronius of this present and seeing that a Councell held at Gentilli others say at Saumur in Fraunce vnder Pepin himselfe not daring to speake more plainely for feare of the Pope yet counsailed the Emperours of Greece to hold them to the ancient vsage of the Church seeing also that another Councell of the Westerne Churches held vnder Charlemaigne at Francford composed as sayth Sigonius of a great multitude of Bishops of Fraunce Germanie and Italie present there the Legats of the Pope condemned openly and shamefully that second Councell of Nice and consequently censured all those Councels which were held at Rome in the yeare 713 716 742 768 vnder Constantine Gregorie the second Zacharie and Stephen the third for the support of Images Moreouer they published a booke against that second Councell of Nice declaring it to haue beene a false Synod and no Councell at all against Pope Adrian who had approued it and who can doubt but that Pepin and Charlemaigne themselues would haue condemned it but that they could not meddle with the point of state without quarrelling the Pope vpon a matter of the Church But to come vnto the Historie of those times Zacharie had holpen Pepin in his vsurpation of the Crowne of France and Pepin in thankfulnesse came to assist him in his exaltation ouer the Emperors and Lumbards in Italie Carloman his owne brother which was entred into a Monasterie at Mount Cassin in Italie tooke a journey of purpose into France to dissuade the enterprise Annon lib. 4. c. 62. and with great earnestnesse in open Parliament pleaded the cause of the Lumbard King which how could he doe without condemning the Popes ambition Some say he did it not of his owne will Sigon l. 3. de Reg. Jtal. Anastas in Stephan 3. but by the commandement of his Abbot but was not the good of the Church if he had so thought it more to haue beene regarded Or what could an Abbot haue done to so great a Prince as he was In the end Charles came to an end of his conquests in Italie then was he moued to ratifie to Adrian the pretended donation of Pepin at what time Charles let him to vnderstand well ynough that he held not his Crowne from the Pope but that the Pope held both his dignitie and Rome it selfe in fee from him and homage to his Empire for there it was by generall consent of Bishops and Abbots ordained That Charles should be Prince of the Senat in which verie point Adrian encroached vpon the prerogatiue of the Emperour to whom onely it appertained to giue that title and that he should haue power to inuest the Archbishops and Bishops of all Prouinces meaning of Italie with prouiso That if they were not allowed and inuested by him they could not be consecrated by anie moreouer that he should elect the Pope and dispose of the See Apostolike all which we find in Gratian in the Decrete standing yet after the correction of Gregorie the thirteenth So likewise Sigebert Abbot of Gemblons D. 63. C. Hadrianus 22. Sigon de Reg. Ital. l. 4. Dignitatem Principatus Sigibert in Chron. Charles saith he held a Councell at Rome with Pope Adrian with 150 other Bishops and Abbots to whom the Pope with the whole Synod gaue authoritie to elect the Pope and to prouide the See Apostolike and gaue him also the title of Prince ordaining farther that the Archbishops and Bishops throughout the Prouinces should receiue inuestiture from him and that a Bishop not approued and inuested by him should not be consecrated by anie and that such as should be refractarie to this decree should be Anathema and if they repented not their goods should be confiscated Which Gratian expresseth in these words Whosoeuer shall doe contrarie to this decree the Synod layeth the band of Anathema vpon him and ordaineth that his goods shall be confiscated if he repent not So also saith Sigonius adding farther that this Rite of Inuestiture was so called because it was giuen them by a Ring and a staffe in regard no doubt of those lands which they euen then possessed This Rite of confirming the Popes continued as we haue alreadie shewed in the Emperors hands vntill the time of Constantine Pogonatus who about 100 yeares past had released it to Pope Benedict the second and so it continued vntill now when Charlemaigne tooke it into his hands againe Sigonius graunteth all this to be true but he addeth that Charlemaigne out of his good nature released it againe but there is no author for it and the practise long after was to the contrarie Baronius here setteth vpon poore Sigibert Baron vol. 9. an 774. art 10 11 seq and crieth out ô scelus ô imposture ô fraus laying to his charge that he was of the Emperor Henrie his faction and that in fauour of him he inuented this fable and that the Historians of Charles say no such matter But what was Gratian were all the rest of later times schismatikes for reporting the same thing after the same manner Was Gregorie the 13 a schismatike who hath in his late correction left that Canon standing and vncontrolled yea but Gratian had it from Sigibert and gaue too light credence to him It is true that Gratian hath
time of their first Christian Princes Waltram Bishop of Naumbourg to this purpose speaking Gregorie the Great saith he wrot to Theodoric and to Brunichild To grant inuestitures of Bishops without simonie so that this right began in the first race of the kings of France And it followeth That long time before that decree of Adrian and his successors the kings once annointed and the Grand Master of their houshold Waltramus apud Naumburgensis granted inuestitures of Bishoprickes as did Dagobert Theodobert and Sigebert by whom were in throned Remaclus Amandus Audomarus Antpertus Eligius Lampertus and other holie Bishops c. We also find in histories how the Bishops of Spaine Scotland England and Hungarie came in alwayes by the authoritie of the kings following the ancient custome vntill this present noueltie meaning which the Popes brought in about the yeare 1100 So that where we read That about the yeare 779 Charlâ—maine would haue Turpiâ— or Tilpin Archbishop of Reims to accept of the Pallas Pope Adrians hands wee must take it for a speciall fauour which he meant to doe him at their present and which he knew well how to restraine when he saw himselfe at an end of his purposes which he had in hand Adde we hereunto That both Pepin and Charles made lawes meerely Ecclesiasticall not concerning Church gouernment onely but also concerning points of doctrine whereof we haue the articles to this day Capitularia and at Modena saith Sigonius are those lawes yet kept by which he fashioned the State of the Church after a new order whereof he alledgeth the prâ—â—me onely but thereby by appeareth that he purposed seriously to execute his power mentioned in the chapter Hadrianus in reforming the Church and 〈◊〉 Apostolike See it selfe But no cable could hold the violent ruine and corruption of that Church and all his diligence serued onely to their greater condemnation For the Scripture must needs be fulfilled That this ambition must raise it selfe vpon the ruines of whatsoeuer was good just or holy As indeed their 〈◊〉 deuotions and whatsoeuer seemed in them to participat most of the spirit had ouer reference to some worldly respect and purpose Gregorie the second and third sent Boniface into Germanie where they found Christian Churches of long continuance yet they call Boniface the Apostle of the Germans as if he had first coâ—â—ed them to Christ For what his chiefe drift and purpose was we may learne by the oath which he tooke to Gregorie the second at his going in these words I doe promise to S. Peter and to you his Vicar c. that with all integritie I will serue and bend my course to the behoofe and profit of thy Church c. If I shall otherwise do let me in the day of iudgement incurre the punishment of Ananias and Saphira and he deliuered him this oath signed with his owne hand And yet Gregorie writing to the Germans saith That he sent him for the illumination of the Gentiles promising to whomsoeuer that should assist him place with the blessed Martyrs 2. To. Concil in Decret Greg. 2. and threatning euerie one that should resist him with Anathema who yet preached nought vnto them but the authoritie of the Pope and Romish inuentions The like may we learne by the letters of Gregorie the third to Boniface Ib. in Epist ad Epist Praebyt Diacâ—n wherein he rejoyceth with him for that God had opened to him among these nations the way of saluation and the doore of mercie and had sent his Angell before him to prepare his way This Angell was Charolus Martellus who fauoured him and the cause why we haue seene before Neither doth he sticke to tell vs in this verie Epistle To. 2. Concil in Epist 2. ad Bonifac what this way of saluation was to wit the Apostolicall Tradition of creating Bishops there ex nostra vice that is in true construction after his owne mind and humor Neither did Boniface faile one jot of his promise as we may farther learne by his Epistle to Zacharie Ib. Epist Decret Zachar. wherein hee protesteth That looke how many auditors and disciples God had giuen him in this his embassage bee had not ceased to draw them euerie one to the obedience of his See As also by that Epistle of Zacharie to the Bishops of France and Germanie wherein he congratulateth them not for the vnion which they had with him in Christ but that they were conuerted to Saint Peter whom God had appointed as a fauourer and master ouer them that is That they acknowledged the Bishop of Rome deliuering them withall a doctrine no doubt verie necessarie to saluation to wit That Christians aboue all must beware of eating Gaies Dawes Storkes Beauers Hares wild Horses c. with such like fooleries for more necessarie doctrines of saluation shall you there find none referring himselfe for the rest to the sufficiencie of Boniface in these matters Ib. Epist Greg. ad Bonifac. to whom he writeth and holie brother saith he thou art well instructed in all things by the holie Scriptures Yet could not the Popes effect all that they attempted in France and Germanie for all their support by Princes For Gregorie the second is faine to write to Charolus Martellus vpon the information of Boniface and to request That hee would represse a certaine Bishop accused of some idlenesse in his charge And Zacharie was not well content with the Bishops of France for that contrarie to promise they regarded not the Pall when it was sent vnto them It may be hee tooke too deepe of them as he can hardly denie in his Epistle to Boniface but in the end If they will not saith he aduise them But which is more Carloman himselfe in the Synod which he assembled in his kingdomes assisted by Boniface saith in expresse words By the aduise of our Bishops and great men we haue appointed Bishops and for Archbishop ouer them Boniface Missum Sancti Petri. Synod Franc. sub Carlomanno An 742. the messenger or deputie of Saint Peter by which it appeareth That Carloman himselfe prouided or appointed them And this is the first time that we euer find a Legat of Rome assisting in any of the Councels of France namely in the yeare 742. To be short if Boniface sought to blemish any of the Bishops whom he found there at his comming they died not in his debt calling him Auenti Annal. â—oior li. 3. The author of lyeâ— the disturber of peace pietie and the corrupter of Christian doctrine who yet were Monkes and the most learned of those times Clemens and Sampson of Scotland Adelbertus of France disciples of Beda and others whom they seeke to staine by sundrie imputations But if any angred him or seemed to be more learned than himselfe his next way was to accuse him of Heresie to make the Pope damne him for an Heretike and the Prince to bee ill persuaded of him As for example Virgilius a
the Archbishop was enforced to restore him againe with all his habiliments Here saith the Author Abbas Vrsperg in Chronico in this thing we are to consider the Prelats authoritie and the Popes humilitie whilest the one contended to defend the dignitie of his office the other though his dignitie were greater yet thought it fit to yeeld to a Metropolitan in his owne Diocesse Baron an 1052. art 16.17 Idem an 1053. art 53. se But Baronius growes into choller against the Abbot and censures him and in like manner against Petrus Damianus though verie jealous of that See because he did not allow that the Pope should intermeddle with matter of armes and likewise because he durst to say That an Emperour was to doe that which became an Emperour and a Pope that which was befitting a Pope Petrus Damianus in Epist ad Firmin For saith Damianus in his Epistle to Firminus as the sonne of God himselfe ouercame all the obstacles of this furious world not by a reuengefull and strict examination but by an inuincible maiestie of vndaunted patience so he teacheth vs rather willingly to beare the furious rage of this world than to raise armes and to answer wrongs with wrongs especially since betweene a Kingdome and a Priesthood their proper offices are distinguished a King must vse the arms of this world a Priest gird himselfe with the spirituall sword which is the word of God c. And to this purpose he alledgeth many places of Scripture with other reasons and examples yea he extendeth this law euen to the Pope and particularly to Leo himself If any man shall obiect against this I haue said saith he that Pope Leo doth often trouble himselfe with warlike affaires yet I affirme that which I say to be true because Peter obtained not the chiefe place among the Apostles because he denied Christ nor Dauid was therefore a Prophet because he defiled another mans bed for good and bad actions are not iudged according to the merit of the persons but their owne proper qualities Haue we euer read that Gregorie euer did this or by his letters taught it who endured so many wrongs and violences by the raging crueltie of the Lombards Did Ambrose make warre against the Arrians who cruelly vexed him and his Church Or haue we read of any of the holie Popes that haue risen vp in armes Let the lawes therfore decide all Ecclesiasticall causes or the Edicts of Councels least that which should be determined in place of iudgement being decided by warres turne to our greater shame and reproach What then saith Baronius Baron an 1053. art 14.15.16 sequent The Maximes of Damianus are contrarie to those of the Catholike Church which condemne those of Heresie who attribute not both swords to the Pope and so of a worthie Cardinall because he diued into this mysterie he makes him an Heretike but by what judges Gregorie the ninth and Boniface the eigth who were long after him than whom there was neuer more insolent tyrans who in their owne proper causes and the heat of their furie vomited out their Decrees against the Emperours He that knowes but the principles of Logicke will here presently obiect Principij petitionem He addeth againe That the vse of the Church approueth this doctrine What will he say if we replie Not the vse but the abuse the corruption And here hee alledgeth certaine places of S. Gregorie exciting those that were called to armes by the commaund and authoritie of the Emperour against the Lombards But did he make warre with his owne powers Did he proclaime warres Did he goe into the field in his owne person He replieth Neither did Pope Leo fight but was onely present at the warres and when they came to joyne battell he withdrew himselfe out of the field where with safetie he might attend the euent and so of this his Monarch he maketh a Trumpeter or an inciter vnto warre Here let the Reader note this mans impudencie who feared not to accuse Damian of the heresie of Tertullian who dissuaded Christians from warre or rather of Iulian the Apostata who commaunded Christians according to the Gospell to suffer all manner of wrong and violence without resistance Is therefore the vocation of all Christians one and the same By that argument a Captaine may be permitted to say Masse as well as a Priest by which it is made lawfull out of Baronius for the Prince of Priests to make warres or to be a Leader in the field But the state of the Court of Rome we may no where better learne than out of Damianus who in horrour of the abhominations thereof of a Cardinall became an Hermit and being drawne from thence vpon some pretence of seruice to be done to the Pope he seemes to be brought into hel againe and expostulats this great wrong done vnto him with the Pope and Hildebrand Writing therefore to Hildebrand though he tooke part with Alexander against Honorius But it may be saith he that this flattering tyran who with a Neronian pietie condoles my estate strokes me when he buffets me handles me gently with the talants of an Eagle that is to say the Pope that he might retaine him at Rome and get him thither againe will complainingly breake out into these speeches Behold how he seekes a lurking corner vnder colour of penance forsakes Rome he goes about to gaine idlenesse by his disobedience and whilest others run into the field to fight he seekes to hide himselfe in the darkenesse of a degenerat ignoble shadow c. And he protesteth to his holie Diuell for so he calls the Pope that he will euer be readie vpon all occasions to assist him against Honorius vpon condition that he may returne againe to his hermitage What then moued him hereunto Doubtlesse if we beleeue him the lasciuious life of the Clergie of Rome from which he did flie as from a pestilent infection that inuaded his bowels his heart his mind Petrus Damianus in Epist ad Alexand. Hildeb which he expresseth in all kind of actions and speeches vnworthie Church-men From which grieuous enormities saith he if we striue either for shame or feare to free our selues presently we are iudged to be rude and vnciuile descended from the tygres of Hircania but I stay my pen. And speaking of their excesse and superfluitie There are euerie day kinglie feasts daily preparations nuptiall banquets whilest the poore abroad dye for hunger c. And that which is worse than all the rest and more than diabolicall is that hauing spent their reuenues at the warre they lay their hands vpon the tithes and make them temporall too To conclude speaking of the generall corruption It is such saith he that the Spiritualtie is discerned from the Temporaltie by the shauing of their beards onely not the sanctitie of their actions neither doe they meditate vpon the sacred Scriptures but vpon the ciuile lawes and controuersies of temporall Courts The
to the Apostolike See and are or shall be in my power I will so agree with the Pope that I will neuer incurre the danger of sacriledge and the perditition of my owne soule and to God and Saint Peter by the assistance of Christ I will doe all worthie honour and seruice and the first day that I shall see him that is Gregorie I will plight my faith with my hands to be a faithfull souldier of S. Peter and his for euer But Henrie in the meane time gaue him no leaue to doe what pleased him for hauing by his victories and prosperous successe appeased the tumults of Germanie he takes his journey with his armie into Italie And this was the last act of Hildebrands tragedie Henrie therefore who in the Synod held at Brixen had caused Gilbert of Corrigia Archbishop of Rauenna to be named Pope who was called Clement the third was absolued by him and so passed the Alpes and remouing all obstacles that stood in his way or did any way detract from his Empire pitching his tents as the manner is in the Neronian fields he determined to besiege the citie of Rome but being encountred at the first with strange difficulties by reason it was Winter he retired himselfe to Rauenna and there wintered But the yeare following 1082 An. 1082. in the beginning of the Spring he sets forward in the same steps as before An. 1083. and assailes the Vatican and in the yeare 1083 after a long siege he tooke the citie and entring into the Capitoll there fortified himselfe William of Malmesburie and others that writ the historie of Godfrey of Bulloine say That he was the first who with a ladder scaled the citie entred into Rome for which seruice the Emperour granted vnto him the inuestiture of the Duchie of Lorain There remained the fort of Crescentius otherwise called the castle S. Angelo into which Gregorie with some of his deerest friends was fled These wearied by Henrie resolued with themselues to offer twentie hostages and to take day vpon certaine conditions to deliuer the citie But Gregorie vnwilling to fall into his hands whom he had so much offended made choyce rather to hazard the bringing of Robert with his Normans to Rome though it were a course full of danger This Robert therefore being at an appointed time let in by the gate Flaminia by some of Gregories friends tooke the Pope out of the castle and caried him to Cassin Sigebert in Chron. Math. Paris in Histor Angl. and from thence to Salerne Whereupon Henrie returned into the citie by whose authoritie Gregorie was againe condemned and Clement confirmed who crowned and annoynted the Emperour with Bertha his wife But Henrie returning into Germanie to appease some tumults that were newly risen Gregorie making benefit of the occasion though he were absent stirreth vp his followers at Rome to rebellion but in the moneth of May being suddenly taken with a disease An. 1085. he died in the yeare 1085 but yet not without aduice giuen to the Cardinals to chuse either Desiderius Abbot of Cassin or if he refused it Hugh Bishop of Lyons or Otho of Ostia that it might be said That the ambitious enterprises of Gregorie outliued himselfe But Sigebert Abbot of Gembloux a writer of those times saith in expresse words That he called one of the twelue Cardinals whom he loued aboue the rest and confessed himselfe vnto him That by the suggestirn of the diuell he had stirred vp that anger and hatred against mankind hauing neuerthelesse published his Decree throughut the whole world vnder a colour of the encrease of Christianitie Whereupon he sent the aforesaid Confessor to the Emperour and to the whole Church receiuing both him and all Christian people that stood excommunicated into the Church both dead and liuing Clergie and Laitie desiring them and the whole Church to pray for the remission of his sinnes It is now of some importance to know what manner of man this Hildebrand was because the judgement of him throughout all Christendome was diuers some imputing all this to his ambition more than humane some to his zeale of the glorie of God Touching his priuat life therefore Lambert of Schaffnabourg Abbot of Hirtzaw a graue writer speaking of the Countesse Mathilda his good friend saith That she her husband Goselon Duke of Loraine yet liuing pretended a kind of widowhood farre from her husband she refusing to follow her husband to Lorain out of her natiue countrey and he employed about the affaires that belonged to his dukedome tooke no care for the space of three or foure yeares to visit his Marquisat in Italie after whose death she seldome or neuer parted from the Popes side following him with a strange affection And for as much as a great part of Italie obeyed her and she abounded aboue all other Princes with whatsoeuer men most esteemed of whensoeuer the Pope had need of her helpe she was presently at hand and was euer duetifull to doe any office vnto him as to her Father and Lord Whereupon she could not escape the suspition of an incestuous loue the Kings fauourers euerie where reporting and especially the Clergie whom he had forbidden lawfull mariage against their Canons That night and day the Pope did impudently sleepe in her bosome and she preoccupated with the stolne loue of the Pope after the losse of her husband refused to marie againe Others adde That she hauing maried Azo Marquesse of Este the Pope impatient therewith the yeare following dissolued the matrimonie Sigon l. 9. de regno Italiae vnder a pretence of kindred in the fourth degree of consanguinitie Whereby that suspition of adulterie that was before did more appeare to be a manifest truth and deseruedly too nothing in those dayes being more common than dispensations in an equall degree of kindred and neerer And if he loued her not but in the way of honestie what reason had he but to dispence with Mathilda too There is therefore one that speakes yet more freely Tractatus de vnit Eccl. conseruanda By this their frequent and familiar conuersation he ingendred a cruell suspition of dishonestie whilest he obserued not more carefully that diuine precept of Pope Lucius That a Bishop ought not at any time to be without the companie of two Priests and three Deacons as witnesses of his conuersation Which he should so much the more carefully haue obserued by how much the more seuerely he proceeded against lawfull matrimonie In this all Authors consent That Mathilda ruled both Pope and Popedome and by her the goods of the Church were administred Whereupon saith Benno Benno Cardin. in vita Hildeb Rome hath seene and heard how he liues with what persons day and night he conuerseth how he hath remoued the Cardinals from him who should be witnesses of his life and doctrine Neither was Sigonius ashamed to write Sigon l. 9. de regno Ital. Annales Godefrid Monachi That he appoynted
a place in Councels to Mathilda Doubtlesse the Monke Godfrey saith plainely That being circumuented by the Pope she gaue vnto S. Peter without the knowledge of the Magistrats and rulers the Marquisat of Ancona But as touching his publike life and gouernement Gerochus his follower Gerochus in vita Hildebrand who writ the historie of his life describes him to be verie obstinat and proud in his own conceit The Romans saith he vsurpe a diuine honour they will giue no reason of their actions neither can they endure it should be said vnto them Why doest thou this and they haue alwayes in their mouthes these Satyricall words Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas So I will so I command For reason my will shall stand And that indeed was his humor according to the description of all writers Sigebert who writ of those times saith That by his example and by reason of his new decrees many things were done in the Church against all lawes diuine and humane and there arose in the Church by this occasiō Pseudomagistri false Doctors who by their prophane nouelties had diuerted the people from the discipline of the Church and that he excommunicated the Emperour for this very cause that the Peeres of the Realme should withstand their King being for iust cause excommunicated Againe that the Pope meeting the Emperour in Lumbardie vnder a false shew of peace absolued him For all they who had first abiured Hildebrand adding periurie to periurie abiure the Emperour and appoint Rodolph Duke of Burgundie their King the crowne being sent vnto him by the Pope Hereby we may easily gather what opinion he had of him Another saith He receiued for accusation of the King the writings of his enemies and thereupon excommunicated him Histor Saxonica in literis Henrici ad Hildebrand Benno Cardin. in vita Hildebrand And with what furie he was caried appeareth by that his Apothegme I will either die or take from thee thy life and kingdome But Cardinall Benno noteth the manifest iudgement of God As saith he he rose from his chaire to excommunicate the Emperour then newly made of strong timber by the sudden hand of God it was strangely torn into diuers peeces to giue all men to vnderstand how many horrible schismes by that dangerous excommunication and presumption he that sate in that chaire should sowe both against the Church of Christ and the Sea of S. Peter how cruelly he should dissipate the chaire of Christ trampling the lawes of the Church vnder his feet and bearing rule with power and austeritie And another saith From hence there arose a more than ciuile warre without respect of God or man the Diuine and humane lawes were corrupted without which neither the Church of God nor common-wealth could stand and the publike and Catholike faith is violated And if you aske them where the fault was they tell you speaking of the extraordinarie submission of Henrie to Gregorie Apologia Henrici that hee omitted nothing that might mollifie the heart of Gregorie and regaine his grace and fauour insomuch that at the last for a testimonie of his reconciliation he receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus at the hands of the Pope sits at table with him and so is sent backe in peace But the author addeth That peace which Iudas dissembled not which Christ left Insomuch that Leo Bishop of Ostia Leo Ostiens li. 3. Chron. Cassinen c. 48. who then flourished saith The businesse being brought to an end the Pope by the counsel of Mathilda sent one of his ouer the mountains with the crowne of the Empire to Rodolph persuading him to rebell against the Emperour And the letters whereby he incited him are yet to be read in the Historie of Saxonie Historia Saxonica Apologia Henrici yea some repeat his owne words Trouble not your selues saith he I restore him vnto you more faultie than before for the person of the King shal be more contemptible in his kingdome if satisfying he lay aside the ensignes of his kingdome and if without permission he resume his regal ornaments I shall haue the iuster cause to excommunicate him But of both the kings this is his iudgement Henry born brought vp in the kingdome by the ordinance of God succeeded his progenitors in the kingdome c. But Rodolph saith he was obedient to the Pope who had discharged him of his faith and allegiance and assured him that bearing armes against Henrie he could be no way condemned of periurie and disloialtie because being excommunicated he could be no longer King it being the dutie of all the faithfull in the Church to persecute and kill all those who fauouring Henrie the King excommunicated refuse to forsake him This was a new Doctrine saith the Authour neuer heard of before there being no other sword permitted in the Church Helmold in Historia Sclauorū c. 28. 29. 30. than that of the spirit which is the word of God But the iudgement of God acknowledged by Rodolph himselfe giues better satisfaction who being neere his end vsed this speech to some of his familiar friends You see heere my right hand wounded with this right hand I sware to my Lord Henrie that I would neuer hurt him or hinder his glorie but the commaund of the Pope and request of the Bishops haue brought me to this that laying aside all respect of mine oath I should vsurpe an honour that was none of mine But what comes of it you now see In that hand which hath violated mine oath I am wounded to death Let those therefore consider hereof that haue prouoked vs hereunto how they haue led vs least perhaps we fall into the bottomlesse pit of eternall damnation And so with these wounds and great anguish of heart he departed this life The same author addeth that the Saxons gathering heart againe chose one Herman surnamed Cluffloch king who had conquered Henrie in the field Who by the iust iudgement of God entring victoriously into a Citie the Gate fell off the hinges and killed him and diuers others Whereupon the Saxons seeing their purposes frustrated they gaue ouer the creating of a new King or to beare armes any more against Henrie manifestly perceiuing that the kingdome was reserued vnto him by the approbation and permission of God himselfe What now remaineth but that we adde the confession of Gregorie himselfe alledged before by Sigebert and confirmed by Mathew Paris That by the instigation of the Diuell he had stirred vp wrath and reuenge against mankind I willingly here omit the contradictorie writing of this age with the replications and duplications of those that tooke part with Gregorie to maintaine his excommunication who say that a Pope excommunicated Chilperick King of Fraunce for his idlenesse and vnprofitable gouernement onely and established Pepin in his place That Kings are not lesse subiect to the key of Rome then the rest of his subiects for
Gregorie the seuenth would take vpon him to describe vnto vs the Idea of a most wicked Pope R. Why then hath he marked eight or nine Popes with the same coale and as many Cardinals Neither is Benno the only author of these narrations since we haue produced before such and so many witnesses of the like things Thirdly this Benno saith he was a Cardinall created by the Antipope Clement the third and therefore no friend of Gregories and Onuphrius saith he placed him among the Cardinals of Clement R. How easie a matter it is to lye where there is no man to contradict But Benno who could not foresee Bellarmines fiction named himselfe among the Cardinals that were created before Hildebrand Leo saith he the Archpriest of the Cardinals and Benno and Hugobaldus and Iohn Onuphr de Pontisicibus maximis Alexand 2. Clement 3. and Peter Cardinals ordained before his time Natro Innocent and Leo consecrated by himselfe And Onuphrius himselfe among the present Cardinals promoted by Alexander the second the predecessor of Gregorie nameth Benno a German a Prelat Cardinall afterward the Archpriest of the Church of Rome This is that Benno no doubt who in the title of his booke is described by these names for he that by Onuphrius is placed vnder Clement hath no other but the title of a Priest And so the testimonie of Benno stands yet good In the meane time it is to be noted That this Magitiā that is this disciple or feudatarie of the diuels is the very same that thundered so loud that spit his fire and flame against the lawfull mariage of Ecclesiasticall persons and who for this verie matter filled both Church and common-wealth with fire and ruine which putteth vs in mind of that which the Apostle spake to Timothie That in the later times some shall depart from the faith 1. Tim. 4.5 c. 2.3 and shal giue heed to spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hot yron forbidding to marie c. And from hence he confesseth before that he raised this doctrine Adde hereunto That it was about the middle of these times that the disputation grew hot about the carnall presence of Christs bodie in the Sacrament vnder the Popes Victor and Nicholas the second Hildebrand being the brand that kindled it who made Berengarius subscribe vnto it That all the faithfull in the Sacrament doe really teare with their teeth the bodie of Christ which Thesis neuerthelesse in these dayes is with them accounted hereticall And to say the truth they really teare the bodie of Christ who by their ambition doe miserably teare in peeces the Church of Christ Baronius endeuoureth to defend Gregorie in all things Baron an 1073 art 16. yea following the other extreame he striues to make him a Saint He begins with his natiuitie He was saith he borne at Soane in Tuscane the sonne of a Carpenter And hereby he thinks he hath gotten much because saith he our Sauiour taking our flesh vpon him by reason of Ioseph his father was called the sonne of a Carpenter But which is more from his infancie he wrought myracles For being a child and playing at the feet of his father who was hewing of timber with the chips that flew from it before he knew letter in the booke he formed certaine characters that being joyned together expressed that Dauidicall Oracle Psal 72. Dominabitur à mari vsque mare Psal 72. His Dominion shall be from sea to sea which the princelie Prophet did once speake of our Lord and Sauiour What could he gather from hence but that this Gregorie as it was foretold should leape into Christs place inuade the throne of God himselfe From what spirit did this wicked blasphemie proceed and consequently what was this myracle but that of Pytho which the whole remainder of his life made good Secondly he cries out against Cardinall Benno calling him schismatike and a man in no sort to be beleeued c. But we haue shewed Bellarmine out of Onuphrius that he deceiues himselfe in this point neither can a Cardinall be called a schismatike when for so long a time together these Popes contended one against the other neither of them both approued by Baronius To conclude is Benno alone Doth not Sigebert a writer of these times so many other recited by Auentine so many Bishops assembled in generall Councels of Germanie France Italie speake the same An. 1074. Doe they not giue the same testimonie of his violences poysonings Negromancies Thirdly he endeuoureth to excuse the loue of Gregorie and Mathilda But how doth he it By contradicting all historie He thinkes he hath proued that this Mathilda maried to Azo Marquesse of Este which mariage Gregorie did vndoe is not the same that is here spoken of which wee will giue him leaue to dispute with his owne fellowes and friends But so long as he doth acknowledge that this Mathilda of whom we speake was first maried to Godfrey le Bossu Duke of Loraine that presently by the authoritie of Gregorie they made a diuorce with the great offence of her husband that this diuorce saith he was not for any cause of consanguinitie which he proueth not for any impotencie for he maried another and had children by her not for fornication for he might haue maried another Yet saith he this diuorce was lawfull because so great and so holie a Father did it by his authoritie permitted it Doth not he giue vs reason to beleeue what the historie told vs before And to say the truth with what face could this holy man familiarly conuerse with Mathilda farre from her husband from whom by his authoritie she was diuerted seduced taken How seemely a thing was it for her to follow him in euerie place to accompanie him for him to sit with her in Councell in Consistorie in Senat Did this become the modestie of a virgine if so he will haue her or if one that had beene maried the grauitie of a matron who ought to haue beene the more modest the more bashfull the more solitarie by how much the more subiect she was to calumnie by reason of her diuorce At the last when she was fortie fiue yeares of age according to Baronius after the death of Gregorie this virgine maried Welpho a young man the sonne of the Duke of Bauaria Will any man now vpon the faith of Baronius warrant her chastitie nay her virginitie or admit of his excuse That it was done for the good of the Church Baron an 1085 art 14. by the commaund of Vrban the second At the last it pleaseth him to couer all this turpitude with fables That the garments of Gregorie after his death wrought myracles as Pauls Semicinctia did in the Acts of the Apostles which selfesame power and vertue was in the apparell of Gregorie And to proue this true he alledgeth the Legend of S. Anselme Lucensis Yuo
Bishops but because he that is Apostolicall should not wander from the Apostle we humbly in euerie particular circumstance enquire whether these words of this Apostolicall person sauoring the grauitie of the Apostle be sound and irreprehensible He promiseth Apostolike benediction to Robert but doth he commaund him to doe that that should obtayne benediction c. who hath euer persecuted the Church of God without punishment And here are alledged many examples out of the Scriptures See here the workes of iust malice that this father ordayneth for his sonnes to come to the heauenlie Hierusalem by impugning the Church of God We giue thankes to thy wisedome saith the Church for that thou hast done at Cambray who can thinke of the ruine and desolation of that Church without teares I a daughter of the Church of Rome did condole their estate for that brotherhood that was betwixt vs but now hearing that all these mischiefes haue lighted vpon them by the Apostolike authoritie I grieue the more because I feare least that should light vpon my mother Esay 10. that the Lord saith by the mouth of his Phrophet Esay Woe vnto them that decree wicked Decrees and write grieuous things to keepe backe the poore from iudgement c. That there should be such desolation of the Church such oppression of the poore and widowes such crueltie such rapine and which is worse such effusion of bloud without respect of good and euill and all this and worse than all this done by the commaund of the Pope who would beleeue it if his owne mouth had not spoken it We remaine astonished with the noueltie of these things and wee enquire from whence this new example should come that the Preacher of peace with his owne mouth and the hand of another man 2. Tim. 4. should make warre against the Church of God c. For Apostolike men improoue rebuke exhort offendors with all long suffering and doctrine c. And Christ saith Math. 8.15 If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him c. And here they alledge the example of S. Gregorie towards the Bishop of Salonne reprehending the Emperour Maximus for that he vsed force against Priscillian and his fellows He say they that condemned Itachius their accuser for the death of Heretikes doubtlesse if he were now aliue he would not commend Paschal by whose commaund so many people are murdered for the cause of Cambray c. We commaund the like to be done saith he against the excommunicat falsly called Clerkes of Liege And why excommunicated we are all baptised in one spirit into one bodie c. when hath the Church of Rome heard that there are contentions amongst vs we thinke and say of Christ one and the same thing we doe not say I am Paules I am Cephas I am Christs Are we excomunicated for this our concord c Because we keep the law of God they obiect against vs that we transgresse their new traditions But God saith vnto them wherefore doe you transgresse the commaundement of God by your traditions God commandeth vs to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods which S. Peter and S. Paule doe likewise teach Honor the King Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers c. He that commaunds euerie soule to doe this whom doth he exempt from this earthlie power Because therefore we honour the King and serue our Lords and masters in the simplicitie of our hearts are we therefore excommunicated But we are simoniacall persons No we auoyd all such and those we cannot by reason of the time and place we tollerate and we no lesse flie those who couer their auarice with an honest title and vnder the name of charitie boast themselues to giue that freely which in effect they sell dearely and like the Montanists vnder the name of oblations they cunningly receiue gifts Alas with griefe we wonder why when and by whom we are excommunicated we know we are not excōmunicated by our Bishop by our Archbishop and we thinke much lesse by the Pope because he cannot be ignorant of that which Nicodemus saith Our Law iudgeth no man before he be heard Johan 7. Genes 18. neither had God condemned the Sodomites except he had first come downe to see whether they had done altogether according to that crie which came vp vnto him Seeing therefore he hath heard nothing of vs neither hath beene sollicited by the Bishop or Archbishop against vs who would euer beleeue that he would excommunicate vs c. But perhaps you will say that therefore he doth it because we fauour our Bishop who takes part with the Emperour This is the beginning of our sorrow and that which may make the cause of the wicked to blush because Satan being let loose and walking through the earth hath now diuided the Kingdome and the Priesthood Forasmuch therefore as the Diuell came vnto vs Apocal. 20. hauing great wroth as it is in the 20 of the Reuelation we pray to our father which is in heauen for this especially that he lead vs not into this temptation but that hee deliuer vs from the euill thereof c. But who can reprehend a Bishop for keeping his faith and loyaltie to his Prince And yet they that teare in sunder the Kingdome and Priesthood with new schismes and new traditions promise to absolue those from the sinne of periurie that break their faith to their King c. Hereby let all men iudge who of the two deserueth punishment he that giueth vnto Caesar according to the decree of God himself those things that belong vnto Caesar or he that dishonoreth his King and takes that name of God in vayne by which he plighted his faith to the King See here the reason why we are excommunicated and why we are called false Clerkes who liuing Canonically deserue by our liues and conseruations to be called Clerkes He is I say no part of Gods lot alluding to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clerkes that is to say he hath no portion in his inheritance who will exclude vs out of his inheritance where then doth he place Paschal It is an iniurie which out of his wicked heart he vomiteth against vs as old witches vse to do S. Peter teacheth vs not to rule as Lords in Clero ouer Gods heritage 1. Peter 5.3 Galla. 4.19 but that we may be examples to the flocke And S. Paule My little children of whom I trauell in birth againe in in the Lord. These should be examples for Paschal to imitate or rather admonishers and not impious raylers and slaunderers The curse of excommunication our Lord Paschal hasteneth vpon vs but aboue all we feare that which the spirit of God by the mouth of the Psalmist hath sayd Cursed are all they that decline from his commaundements That curse of excommunication that Hildebrand Odoardus and this third haue by a new
tradition indiscreetly brought in we wholly reiect and we hold and reuerence those first holie Fathers vnto this day who by the motion of Gods spirit not carried by their owne affections haue otherwise ordayned Our Bishoppe communicateth with his King and Emperour to whom for those Royalties he holds from him hee hath sworne fidelitie It is a long time since this custome began and vnder the same many holie and reuerend Bishoppes haue departed this world giuing vnto Caesar that which belongs vnto Caesar and vnto God those things that are Gods And here they produce many places out of Ambrose and Augustine Now behold saith the Church of Liege why wee are held for excommunicats euen because wee hold and to our vttermost power doe imitate the holie and moderate auntient Fathers We hold with our Bishop and Archbishoppe our prouinciall and conprouinciall Synod according to the auntient tradition and whatsoeuer is there determined by the holie Scriptures we goe not to Rome but for such matters as are not determined by the Scriptures And as for those Legats a Latere who runne through the world to fill their purses wee wholly reiect them according to those Councels of Africa held in the times of Zozimus Caelestnius and Boniface For that we may know them by their fruites there proceeds from their Legations no correction of manners or amendement of life but the slaughters of men and the spoyle of the Church of God Forasmuch therefore as we sticke to the auntient rule are not caried with euerie wind of doctrine we are called excommunicats false Clerkes c. But rather let Paschal lay aside his spirit of presumption and let him aduisedly consider with his Councellors how from Siluester to Hildebrand the Popes haue obtayned the Chaire at Rome what and how many outrages haue beene committed by the ambition of that See how they haue beene defined by the Emperours and the false Popes condemned and deposed and he shall easily see that the imperiall power preuailed more than the excommunication of Hildebrand of Odoardus and of Paschal c. Paule the Apostle resisteth Peter the Prince of the Apostles to his face and therefore laying aside the wind of the Roman ambition why should not the Bishops of Rome be reprehended and corrected for great and manifest offences He that refuseth to be corrected is a false Bishop a false Clerke but we who by the mercie of God are obedient and corrigible according to the rule by the assistance of Gods spirit will auoyd Schismes and simonie and excommunications in all things c. Which if we were to be destroyed it were to be done by the edict of Kings and Emperors who beare not the sword in vayne But Sathan is let loosse Apocalip 12.12 hauing great wrath whom the powerfull hand of God will put to flight c. Alluding to that place in the Apocalips of the church persecuted by Sathan The authoritie of the Romans will free vs from excommunication Pope Hildebrand who was the Authour of this new Schisme and the first that raysed the Priestlie launce against the Princelie Diademe did first excommunicat those that indiscreetly fauoured Henrie but condemning himselfe of intemperancie he excepted those out of that excommunication that by a necessarie and lawfull subiection and no desire to doe ill tooke part with the Emperour And this hee set downe for a Decree c. Hee still proceedeth in the examination of this Epistle to Robert Persecute Robert the head of the heretikes and his maintayners thou canst offer no sacrifice more acceptable vnto God c. When Alaricus King of the Gothes went to take Rome being admonished by one of the seruants of God to desist from so wicked an enterprise I goe not willingly saith he to Rome but a certaine man doth daily vrge me to destroy it By this example doth the Pope vrge his Esquire to wast and ouerrunne the whole kingdome which cannot be done without slaughter and bloud and the ruine of the Church of God Alaricus was more mild who hauing taken Rome spared the Churches of God and abstained from the slaughter of men Now nothing is excepted but Robert is sent by the Pope not onely to ruinate those of Cambray and Liege but to indeauour wholly the destruction of all Who will crie out now with Esay How beautifull are the feet of those that preach peace c Doubtlesse that Zeale which S. Peter had when he cut off the eare of Malchus the same hath the Vicar of Peter in cutting off the eare of an hereticall King but he that will imitate Peter in wounding let him imitate likewise in putting his sword into his sheath c. Suppose our Emperour be an heretike as you would haue him yet he is not to be repelled as such a one by vs by taking armes against him but by prayer vnto God Against Pharao whose heart was hardned against God Moses brought frogges and flies and grashoppers and bayle These onely plagues he could no way auert but by praying with stretched out hands to heauen Ieremiah prayed for Nabuchad-nezzar and Paule for Nero c. And these examples he relateth more at large Which of the Popes of Rome hath by his Decrees giuen authoritie that a Bishop should vse the sword of warre against offendors Gregor l. 7. Regist c. 1. Gregorie the first Pope of that name telleth vs what all the Popes before him did thinke hereof all that succeeded him should think writing to Sabian the Deacon c. All contented with this example from Gregorie the first vsed the spirituall sword alone vnto the last Gregorie who was the first that armed himselfe and by his example others with the sword of warre against the Emperour c. You say with Gregorie howsoeuer the Shepheard bind let the flocke feare the band of the shepheard that is his censure Gregor Homil 26. And we say with Gregogorie that he depriueth himselfe of the power of binding loossing that bindeth loosseth not according to merit but his owne will You say likewise that be a man excommunicated for what cause soeuer if he die in that state he is damned The authoritie of the Church of Rome helpes vs in this For Gregorie the first hath authorised by writing and deed that the Pope of Rome hath power to absolue any man vniustly excommunicated by any man If then the Bishoppe of Rome can doe it who will say that God cannot absolue whomsoeuer the Pope hath vniustly excommunicated No man can be hurt by another that is not first hurt by himselfe But Robert can offer no sacrifice more acceptable vnto God than to persecute vs. I demaund of thee my mother the Church of Rome Can that sacrifice please God which is not cleane and without spot How then should this sacrifice of warre be acceptable vnto God which cannot be but vncleane full of murder rapine And this he amplifieth with many places of Scriptures And this saith he we commaund thee
in so much that to assuage his anger the Emperor was content to send certaine of his followers to persuade him About this time Salerne yeelded to the gouernement of Lotharius whereupon grew a new contention betweene the Pope and the Emperor for the right thereof for they creeping as it were into his bosome and seeking to bee protected and defended by Lotharius did the more inwardly fret him euen to the heart Likewise An. 1137. Abbas Vrsperg de Lotharia Petrus Diaconus in Chron. Cassin l. c. 21. sequent Sigon ex eodem regno Ital. l. 10. as it was a question to inuest Ranulph Duke of Apulia into the place of Roger being a fauourer of Anaclet and that the Pope and Emperour together were to giue him the Ensigne and Standerd of a Duke it was no maruell if Lotharius wearied with so many troubles was resolued being come to Rome to returne into Lombardie in whose absence Roger lost no time recouering by the farre distance of Lotharius that which he lost by his presence In the meane time died Lotharius in the yeare 1137 neere to Trident as he past into Germanie a Prince commended by all histories for his great pietie justice and vertue and of such patience and moderation as he could without any passion support the hereditarie insolencie of this Pope After him succeeded Conradus the second duke of Sueuia who before had contested with him for the Empire through whose oppositions Henrie Duke of Bauier Lotharius sonne in law could not so readily order the affaires of Italie At this time Anaclet died S. Bernard being at Rome through whose authoritie the See remained peaceable to Innocent And now to consolidat the former wounds Otho Frisingens l. 7. c. 23. Abbas Vrsperg an 1139. he held a Councell at Lateran in the yeare 1139 where assembled all nations of the West neere to a thousand Bishops and Abbots and in this mightie multitude notwithstanding we read of nothing that was there propounded or decided touching the reformation of the Church either in doctrine or discipline though it was manifestly most corrupt both before and at this present which many bewailed with the hope of a better state This Councell therefore had no other end but to establish Innocent and condemne the fauourers of Anaclet vnlesse they would performe the penance they were appointed to weaken the ordinances made by him or by those whom he had ordained And here let the Reader judge what scruples they left in the consciences of so many and diuers nations when both Anaclet and the ordinances made by him almost for the space of eight yeres were farre the better Roger remaining Duke of Apulia and Calabria and naming himselfe King of Sicilia these good Fathers resolued also to suppresse and bring into order Innocent therefore hauing prepared an armie of the Romans he in his owne person intended to lead them against him yet had hee the same successe as sometimes had Leo the ninth for Roger retiring himselfe to the castle of Gallutz he verie sharpely besieged it but William the sonne of Roger Prince of Tarent comming with a valiant companie of souldiers put the Popes armie to flight tooke him with all his Cardinals and carried him to Naples But he was set at libertie not long after vpon two conditions that is To absolue Roger of the Excommunication and to declare him King of Sicilia Duke of Apulia and Calabria and Prince of Capua and a liege man of the Church which Anaclet before had done And in this manner the Popes naturally regard not any but themselues thinking all others how great soeuer to be borne to doe them seruice In the meane time Ranulph and Robert were robbed of their right whom Lotharius and he for their good seruice some few yeares before had inuested in these domininions Now as he thought he had ended all his affaires the Romans themselues vexed with the pride of the Popes An. 1143. and their Clergie in the yeare 1143 earnestly studied to recouer their libertie and restore the auncient customes of the Clergie whom when he could neither represse by feare of excommunication nor by taking away the libertie of Suffrages in the election of the Popes and bring it onely to the Cardinals a notable augmentation of their greatnesse and honour being spent and ouercome with griefe sorrow ended his life But because this motion had his progressions it were fit we should further discourse thereon neither is it in the mean time to be forgotten that we make it appeare how by diuers degrees their pride rose alwayes against God and not onely against men For this Innocent in the yere 1131 holding a Councell at Rheimes An. 1131. a certaine Monke speaking in fauour of him thus began Great and weightie is the charge that is imposed vpon me that is to teach the Doctors to instruct the Fathers seeing it is written Aske the Fathers and they will shew thee But this Moses Innocent that was present commaundeth me whose hands are heauie who is to be obeyed not onely of me but of euerie one and is here greater than Moses To Moses was committed the people of Israell but to him the Vniuersall Church Behold he is here of greater power than any Angell for to whom of the Angels did God euer say Whatsoeuer thou bindest vpon earth c. alluding to that which the Lord said of himselfe And he hath more here than Salomon he followeth on I say according to his office not according to merit Except God there is none like vnto him mark like either in heauen or in earth This is that Peter who cast himselfe into the sea when the other Disciples sayled vnto Iesus Euerie one of you Bishops is content with his barke that is his Archbishopricke his Abbie his Priorie but this man hath authoritie in all Archbishoprickes Abbies Priories c. He saith Misit se And truely he casts he puts nay he intrudes sent of himselfe not of God without mission without commission This Sermon in the meane time to deceiue the world Baron an 1131. art 4. vol. 12. is inserted into the workes of Saint Bernard but Baronius himselfe denyeth Bernard to be the author thereof Furthermore this Innocent was the first who ordained That the Pope shold celebrate the Masse sitting If this then were to be done before God if holding him really in his hand did he thinke he should yeeld him too great reuerence Neither is it to be forgotten that vnder Innocent succeeded to the Archbishopricke of Tire William the author of the holie warre who according to the imitation of his predecessors after he had beene consecrated by the Patriarch of Ierusalem went to Rome to receiue the Pall. He himselfe sayes that the Patriarch hindred him by all the meanes he could and that Innocent abusing the necessitie of the East handled him hardly by his letters Moreouer Radulph Patriarch of Antioch compared his Church to the Roman as being no
the rod of a Pastor of which the Apostle saith What will yee shall I come vnto you with the rod or in the spirit of meekenesse And what say I she hath a rod yea she hath a sword also according to the same Take vnto you the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God c. And yet by that which followeth it is apparent that against some which had troubled him he would not haue refused the helpe of another sword I let passe the Satyres of Bernard a Monk of Clugni vnder this Peter his venerable Abbot wherein he wonderfully disciphereth the Pope and the Court of Rome not to wearie the Reader I wil quote onely some few verses to this purpose although the rest be of the same nature O mala secula venditur insula pontificalis Infula venditur haud reprehenditur emptio talis Venditur annulus Hinc lucra Romulus auget vrget Est modò mortua Roma superflua quando resurget Si tibi det sua non repleat tua guttura Craesus Marca vel aureus à modo non Deus est tibi Iesus O wicked times wherein the Crowne and See is sold And yet the merchandise thereof is vncontrold The Ring is also sold But Romulus doth gaine Superfluous Rome now dies when shall it rise againe Not Craesus could suffice if Rome should giue he his Nor any gold for now no God or Christ there is Also Peter Deacon continuer of the Chronicle of Mont Cassin sheweth Chron. Cassinens Petri Diac. l. 4. c. 116. 117. that when the Emperour of Greece had sent his embassadours to Lotharius when hee assisted Innocent in the warre against the Monkes of Mont Cassin there was among others a Greeke Philosopher who disputed against him Peter Deacon that Pope Innocent was excommunicated his words are these In the Westerne climat we see that prophesie fulfilled As the people is so shall the Priest he Whilest Bishops goe out to warre as your Pope Innocent doth He distributeth money presteth souldiers for the warres and is clothed in purple No doubt but hee alledged other reasons which he telleth not But besides them that in the midst of the Roman Church we haue heard thunder it out so lowd against Popes and the Court of Rome and their actions there are found some in these times which openly fell away from it assailing their doctrine it selfe and in our France by their preaching drew many Prouinces from it and from thence as hereafter we shall see spred themselues into neighbour nations These were Peter Bruis in the yeare 1126 and after him his disciple Henrie about the yeare 1147 the first being a Priest and the other a Monke who first in the Diocesses of Arles of Ambrum and of Gap then after throughout all Auuergne Languedoc and Guienne preached against Transubstantiation the sacrifice of the Masse Masses Suffrages and Oblations for the dead Purgatorie worshipping of Images inuocation of Saints single life of Priests Pilgrimages superfluous holydayes consecrations of water oyle Frankinsence and other Romish trash but especially they inueyed against the pride and excesse of Popes and of his Prelats whom they called Princes of Sodome and the Church of Rome they tearmed Babylon the mother of fornication and confusion Which we learne from that venerable Peter Petrus Abbas Cluniacen l. 1. Epist 1. 2. Abbot of Clugni in some of his Epistles where he taketh vpon him to confute them And it is great pitie that their bookes are with so great diligence abolished that we are constrained to vse the writings of our aduersaries for to picke out their doctrine whose testimonie by reason of their hatred and calumnie may justly be suspected For it is imputed vnto them That they beleeued onely the foure Euangelists and reiected all the other bookes of the Bible And here Peter truely skirmisheth with his owne shadow seeing that they verily affirme following the auncient Fathers That the rule of religion is to be sought onely out of the Canonicall Scripture And the Abbot himselfe seemeth to haue perceiued that he had done them iniurie when he saith of these things and the like But because I am not yet fully assured that they thinke and preach so I will deferre my answer vntill I haue vndoubted certaintie of that they say Also I ought not easily giue assent to that deceiuing monster rumour or common report c. I will not blame you of things vncertaine So Saint Bernard more credulous than reason required reproueth them That like the Maniches they condemned the vse of matrimonie and of flesh and denied also baptisme to infants But especially against Henrie he obiecteth the keeping of a concubine and playing at dice. In like manner we read in Tertullian That monstrous opinions and crimes were imputed to the first Christians Bernard in Cantic serm 66. Yet Bernard in the meane time saith They are sheepe in habit Foxes in craft Wolues in crueltie These are they that would seeme good and yet are not wicked and yet would not seeme so It must needes be then that their outward conuersation was good It is also confessed that their disciples went cheerefully to the fire and constantly suffered all extremities for the doctrine of their faith Can that agree with a dissolute life doctrine And they were in the meane time followed with such a multitude Epist 240. 241. in vita Bernard l. 2. c. 5. that the Temples saith Bernard remained without people the people without Priests Priests without their due reuerence Christians without Christ the Churches to wit the Romish were reputed Sinagogues The argument brought against them was as in these dayes Haue our Fathers then so long a time erred are so many men deceiued Yet were they defended by notable persons both of the Clergie and Laitie and by some also of the Bishops and nobles of the realme namely by Hildefonsus Earle of S. Giles vnder whose protection they preached in his countries The people of Tholouse also where Peter preached the word of God the space of twentie yeares with great commendation and in the end was burned Henrie also his disciple some few yeares after being betrayed to Albericus Cardinall of Ostia was carried bound to in chaines into Italie and neuer afterward seene notwithstanding the persecution was hot all that time against the poore people without any difference of age or sex Now as we haue noted that the corruption of doctrine euer accompanied the iniquitie of this Mysterie there arose in this time Peter Abayllard a man of most subtile wit who brought in againe the opinions of Pelagius and others following who destroyed as we haue elsewhere shewed the free justification in the faith of Christ Iesus that is to say tooke the Christian Church by the throat against whom Saint Benard writeth diuers treatises and maintaineth the aunceint truth taught by S. Augustine S. Hierome Prosper and Fulgentius in the Church sweepeth
of the Creed onely they blaspheme the Church of Rome and hold it in contempt and therein they are easily beleeued by the people To the end that all accusations may vanish away which were spred against them among the people although Baronius following the report of certain Monkes is not afraid to recite Baron an 1178. vol. 12. art 17.21 that they haue fained thē to be sometimes Arrians sometimes Manichees but wrongfully as he himselfe acknowledgeth although Rainerius was more impatient in his whole discourse against them Iacobus of Riberia in his collections of Tholouse hath these words Jacob. de Riberia in Collectaneis de vrbe Tholosae The Waldenses or Lagdunenses haue continued a long time the first place they liued in was in Narbone in France and in the diocesse of Albie Rhodes Cahors Agen And at the same time there was of little or no estimation such as were called Priests Bishops and Ministers of the Church For beeing verie simple and ignorant almost of all things it was verie casie for them through the excellencie of their learning and doctrine to get vnto themselues the greatest credit among the people and forasmuch as the Waldenses disputed of Religion more subtilly than all others were often admitted by the Priests to teach publiquely not for that they approued their opinions but because they were not comparable vnto them in wit In so great honour was the sect of these men that they were both exempted from all charges impositions and obtayned more benefit by the Willes and Testaments of the dead than the Priests A man would not hurt his enemie if he should meet him vpon the way accompanied with one of these heretikes insomuch that the safetie of all men seemed to consist in their protection What greater testimonie could a man expect from an aduersarie As touching their doctrine we cannot better learne what it was than by their owne confession presented sundrie times to the Kings of Bohemia who after their dissipation in Fraunce fled thither agreeing in substance with the profession of our Churches although according to the rudenesse of the time not so clearely expounded as also by their Catechismes wherein they instructed their children Neither will we refuse to giue credit to the acts of the Court of Inquisition and the writers of those times who for the most part caried away with malice endeuoured to make it odious to the world The aforesayd Rainerius noteth among the causes of their heresies That men and women little and great day and night cease not to learne Rainerius de Waldensibus and to teach I haue heard from the mouth of a credible person that a certaine heretike whom I knew that he might diuert him from our faith and peruert him to his owne did swim ouer the riuer Ibis in winter and euen in the night to come vnto him Let the Doctors of the true Religion blush at their owne negligence who are not so zealous of the truth of the Catholike faith as the Leonists are of the errour of infidelitie Moreouer they haue translated the new and old Testament into the vulgar Tongue and so they teach and learne it so well that I haue seene and heard saith he a Countrie Clowne recite Iob word by word and diuers others that perfectly could deliuer all the new Testament Then he distinguisheth their errors into three parts against the Church of Rome against the doctrine of the Sacraments and of Saints against the honest customes and rites of the sayd Church Of the Church of Rome saith he they teach that it is not the Church of Christ but the Church of the malignant which fell from Christ euer since the time of Syluester when the poison of temporall dominion entred into it that it is that whore described in the Apocalyps that the Pope is the head of all errours his Prelats Scribes his Monkes Pharisies and all turned from the Doctrine of the Gospell to follow their traditions As touching the Sacraments they disallow the administration of them in an vnknowne tongue the Godfathers vnderstanding not what they answere or promise in the Baptisme as also the exorcismes and the signe of the crosse and others the like They hold the Masse as nothing and that the Apostles neuer knew what it meant and as little did they know their Canon holding themselues to the words of the institution of Christ deliuered in a vulgar tongue That the oblation of the Priest serueth to no purpose And as touching the sacrament that it ought to be consecrated in a knowne tongue that for this purpose there needed no altar and that the changing of the formes is not done in the hand of the Priest consecrating but in the mouth of him that worthily receiueth it And all this because they admit nothing into their Church but what is written in the Bible no decrees no epistles decretals not the Legends of Saints nor Traditions of the Church and condemne also the inuocation and praying to Saints and whatsoeuer is comprehended vnder the name of honest customes the feasts of candles the adoration of the Crosse vpon Good friday the consecration of Palmes of Ashes of the Chrisme of fire of the Agnus dei of salt and water of certaine vestments and places of Pilgrimages to Rome and other places They denie also Purgatorie saying there is only but two waies the one heauen for the elect the other hell for the damned they condemne Masses and oblations for the dead besides anniuersaries and other suffrages for the soule These are the points that may be gathered out of that Authour who bestowed much time afterward in refuting them and mingled by the way many false accusations Aeneas Syluius in historia Bohemica ca. 35. from which they were afterward freed by Aeneas Syluius called Pope Pius the second whose doctrine he comprehended in these few words That the Bishop of Rome is equall to other Bishops neither is there any difference between them one Priest being not greater in dignity than another but in holinesse of life That the soules departing the body passe either to paine or to ioy eternall That there in no fire in purgatorie That a man prayeth in vaine for the dead being nothing else but an inuention of the auarice of Priests That the images of God and Saints were fit to be abolished That the halowing of waters and palmes are but mockeries That the religion of begging friers was inuented by some euill spirit That Priests ought to be poore and content to liue by almes That the preaching of the word of God is free to euery man That no man should sinne to auoid any euill whatsoeuer That whosoeuer is guilty of deadly sinne they mean a crime ought not to be admitted either into any secular or ecclesiasticall dignity That the confirmation by the Chrisme and extreme vnction are no Sacraments of the Church That auricular confession is but a friuolous and vaine thing and it is
sufficient for euery man if he confesse his sinnes priuatly to God That Baptisme ought to be done with common water without the mixture of oyle That Churchyards haue been inuented for gaine for the earth is all one euery where to burie in That the world is the temple of God and that they that builded Churches Monasteries and Oratories would reduce the maiestie of God into a narrow strait as if a man should find his diuine goodnesse more propitious there than else where That the Priests vestments that ornaments of the altar robes caps Chalices dishes and other the like vessels are little worth and of no moment That a Priest in what place or time soeuer may consecrate the body of Christ and administer the same to others vsing only the words of the institution of the Sacrament That it is in vaine to implore the fauour of Saints who raigne in heauen with Christ who can no way helpe That a man loseth his time in singing or saying his Canonicall houres That no day a man may cease from his labour except the Sunday and not the feasts of Saints That to obserue the fasts ordained by the Church is of no merit Which opinions the Author who had looked more inwardly into them carried by that malice he bare towards them setteth downe maliciously ynough in his owne words but being rightly vnderstood nothing differed from the true doctrine if distinctly set downe as well in their confession as in ours At the least they free themselues from their false accusations which charge them with errours against the due obedience to Magistrats and against a lawfull oath and diuers others mentioned by Rainerius And much more they defend themselues from the sorceries or diuinations by lots which the malice of the time had blazed abroad although sorcerers wicked persons were and also are in diuers Prouinces called Waldenses and from that putting out of candles to commit whoredome one with another auncient subtilties of the diuel to defame the first Christians and by him renewed againe when it pleased God to send the light of the Gospell Frederick the second therefore in the costitutions which he made against them accused them not but for seperating themselues from the Church of Rome and from the ceremonies and seruices thereof without imputing any other crime vnto them Petrus de Vineis li. 1. c. 25.26.27 as appeareth in the Epistles of Peter of Vineis his Chancelor And also Claudius Seisellienses Archbishop a man of great credit vnder Lewis the twelfth although he had written a booke expresly against them he acknowledgeth them to be a good people vpright and honest innocent and irreprehensible in their conuersation and obseruations of the commandement of God Notwithstanding they were excommunicated by Iohn de Bellamaine Archbishop of Lyon at the commaundement of Alexander the third and soone after were summoned to the Councel of Lateran but they would not appeare because they knew they should haue the Pope both their judge and aduersarie Guido de Perpinian pag. 79. de haeresibus Whereupon he proceeded against them with all persecutions as warres slaughter spoils massacres and whosoeuer could most cruelly pursue them obtained forgiuenesse of all their sinnes But at length through the great prouidence of God it came to passe that through their dissipation and scattering abroad were gathered together a great number of Churches ouer all Europe as shall bee hereafter declared We may adde That some writers of this Age albeit aduersaries tell vs that there was held a conference at Realmont among the Albienses where disputed on their side Ponticus Iordanus Arnoldus Aurisanus Arnoldus Otho Philibertus Caslienus and Benedictus Thermensis On the other side Peter de Castro nouo a Monk of the order of the Cistertians and the Popes Legat and also Rodolphus deputed by the Pope Didacus Bishop of Erenenses and Dominicus a Canon of the same Church both Spaniards And there were chosen as Arbitrators two of the Nobilitie Bernard of Villa noua and Bernard of Arre and of the Comminaltie Raimond Godeus and Arnold Riberia There they say Guilielm de Podio Laurentij Noguier en l'historie Tolouse that these Doctors of the Waldenses did constantly affirme That the Church of Rome was not the holie Church nor the spouse of Christ but a Church polluted with the doctrine of the diuell and that Babylon whom S. Iohn describeth in his Apocalyps the mother of fornications and abhominations ouerwhelmed and drowned in the bloud of Saints That the Masse was not instituted by Christ nor his Apostles but a humane inuention and many the like things and so departed not agreeing vpon any thing 49. PROGRESSION The contentions and seuerall differences betweene the Emperour Frederick Pope Lucius the third Of the voiage to the Holie Land by the Emperour and the Christian Princes for the recouerie of Hierusalem from the Souldan with the death of the said Emperour and of the troubles that afterward arose to his sonne Henrie The solemnitie and manner of the coronation of the Emperour ALexander the third held the seat two and twentie yeares which happeped to few either before or since and in all this time it fell out so happily for him that the Antipopes liued not long so that by these mutations he aduanced not a little his owne affaires Foure the one after the other had opposed themselues against him whereof euerie one being entred the throne labored with new slights either to doe or vndoe The onely power of Frederick made head against him being often disturbed as wel in Germany as in Italie through the rebellions which Alexander had stirred vp against him whereby the cities and Princes tooke occasion vnder the colour of his Ecclesiasticall reformations to reuolt Neither did the ambition of his sonne Henrie lesse troble him who at what price soeuer would be King of Italie yet feared least the death of his father then engaged in the Popes warres might surprise him in that estate and so much the rather because the Popes seemed to be Arbitrators of the greatest part of the Empire of Italie Alexander therefore being dead and Hubald Cardinall of Ostia named Lucius the third elected in his place according to the order decreed in the Councell of Lateran by the Cardinalls onely without the consent of the Clergie and the people Henrie to persuade his father to be at peace with Italie omitted no meanes or opportunitie whatsoeuer but first of all remouing all lets procured the friendship of Lucius the third who hauing a desire to gratifie the citie of Lucca where he was borne Frederick at his request soone granted that no other money should be currant through all Tuscane Marchia Romania and Campania but that which should be coyned in Lucca in the Emperours name Lucius in the meane time did no better agree with the Romans than his predecessors who when hee sought to put downe the Consuls they cruelly chastising his faction and threatning himselfe worse
that iudge the world saith he let them see and iudge these things least wrong should seeme to proceed from whence equitie and iustice should be had We shall bee condemned of rashnesse and said to open our mouthes against heauen but we write not these things out of a spirit of pride but with the inke of griefe wee feele our owne priuat miseries and deplore the publike c. The Apostle speaking to the Romans saith Euerie creature ought to be subiect to the higher powers If the Apostle so writ to the Church of Rome who in the Church of Rome will presume to contradict this Apostolicall doctrine c. Some Angels are greater and higher in dignitie than others yet they admit not the pride of emancipation or freedome the one aboue the other One of them long since would be freed from the power of God and of an Angell became a diuell by these extraordinarie liberties now adayes are wrought the vtter ouerthrow of many But to dispute of the doings of the Pope is held they say for sacriledge besides the disputation is not equall where it is not lawfull for the defendant to answer neither is it a quarell when thou strikest and I onely must endure the blowes In the same sence in the Epistle 158 to Iohn Bishop of Chartres and vpon the same subiect which was then pleaded by the Author before the Pope he saith All the lawes and the Canons and whatsoeuer we could alledge out of the word of God Petrus Blaesens Epist 158. to affirme and make good our cause Maiores inter caeteros the greatest haue held detestable and sacrilegious and did publikely iudge vs enemies to the Church of Rome vnlesse we would relinquish these word by which we endeuoured to proue the Church of Saint Augustine which they affirme particularly to be his to be subiect to the Church of Canterburie c. For hauing no regard of the losse of soules they permit in the Monkes all vnlawfull things to cast off the yoke of all discipline to follow all pleasures of the flesh and to pay for their riot and excesse through the whole yeare an annuall pension Wee hauing then beene publikely forbidden to produce in this cause either Canons or Lawes but onely priuiledges if we had any readie at hand whereof they knew none we had at that time saw that in this respect we were destitute of all humane comfort and they being resolued to prouide a lay man and not learned but rich ynough to purchase honors who had bought this Abbie by simonie not priuily but publikely and as it were in open market I put my selfe forward to accuse him and to make my selfe a partie against him but when I layed open manifest and notorious things they whom he had made friends with the Mammon of iniquitie poured wine and oyle into the wounds of his infamie Moreouer hauing gotten much money from the Marchants of Flanders and in a manner drawne them drie notwithstanding borrowed an infinit quantitie of gold of the Romans so by this meanes the Doues wings were all siluer and the hinder parts of her backe glittering all in gold in such sort that they would heare no more of the libertie and dignitie of the Church of Canterburie for the which the Martyr Saint Thomas fought euen vnto death This pretended Martyr notwithstanding suffered for the Popes authoritie who as Peter of Blois here tells vs according to the example of the Pharisies gilded his sepulchre that he might the better rob his Church Neither are we to forget also That in his treatise of the Institutions of a Bishop written to Iohn Bishop of Worcester he attributeth to euery Bishop that authoritie which the Church of Rome restraineth to the Popes as successors of Saint Peter We read saith he that our Sauiour said to Peter Petrus Blaesens de Institutione Episcopi If thou louest me feed my sheepe thou art the heire and Vicar of Peter feed my sheepe In being an Euangelist doe the workes of an Euangelist and of a Pastor be not ashamed of the office of a Pastor Thy ministerie hath more charge than honour if thou affect honour thou art mercenarie if thou wilt imbrace the burthen the Lord is strong to encrease his grace that profit may come by profit and gaine by gaine But if thou canst not endure the burthen and knowes thy selfe insufficient it is too late to complaine He said before Take heed by all meanes thou wrap not thy selfe in secular affaires for there is no agreement with the spirit of God and the spirit of this world persist in thy vocation the world is wholly giuen to wickednesse And this hee afterward recited Animabus Praelatus es non corporibus Thou hast the charge of soules and not of bodies Nihil Praelato commune est cum Pilato A Prelat hath nothing common with Pilat thou art Christs Steward Peters Vicar thou art not to make an account to Caesar but to Christ of that iurisdiction that is committed vnto thee And by these and the like places we may judge what he thought of the Popes who so violently drew all secular power vnto them But he was constrained verie often to temper his stile according to the tyrannie of those times Petrus Blaesens in Tractatu de Peregrinat Hierosolimit as when he said The sword wherewith Peter cut off these seruants eare exceedeth in these daies according to all mens opinion the weapons of Alexander and Caesar Abbas Vrsperg Let vs now come to Innocent the third The Abbot of Vrsperge tells vs of his entrance into the Popedome I haue heard in those times saith he things incredible to be related and hard to be beleeued that the same Pope said That he would take away the Kinglie Diademe from Philip or that Philip should take from him the Apostolical Ensigne Now albeit it were not to be beleeued that he would prefer his will before the will of God neuerthelesse it appeareth that he was at all times contrarie vnto him But God foreseeing from aboue permitted not that through all Germanie his diuine seruice and the Ecclesiasticall dignitie should perish which continued there more permanent than in other countries albeit much corrupted and depraued through the instigation of sinne and chiefly carnall pleasures And he noteth especially that Innocent opposed the authoritie of the Apostolike See against Philips Vt regium genus deperiret To ruinat the royall race But Auentine saith That he raised cognatas acies Auent l. 7. brother to fight against brother and the sonne against the father and the one to pollute himselfe with the bloud of the other and then crying out Who saith he can giue any other reason of the discord among Christians but the spectacle of the Roman Bishop quasi paria componentis taking pleasure to see and to cause them like Fencers to murder one another euen so the Christian people were slaine the Bishops of Rome encouraging the one against the
sea coasts blame not mee and so with discontent hee departeth the Court. Lewis being resolued to this enterprise who also chalenged a title to the kingdome by the right of his mother protested to his father euen with tears That hauing giuen his word to the Barons of England to aid and succour them he had rather for a time to be excommunicated by the Pope than incurre the discredit of falshood and so presently embarking himselfe with a mightie army past into England and instantly followeth him the Legat Waldo who with all the Bishops of his faction excommunicateth Lewis with burning lights with all his adherents and followers ordaining that euerie Saboth and festiuall day throughout all England this sentence should be published Lewis neuerthelesse proceedeth in his expedition whom the death of Iohn in the meane time stayeth which ended the hatred of the Barons Wherefore recompensing Lewis for his paines and expences imployed in their defence they established his sonne in his place All the circumstances of these proceedings are wholly related by Mathew Paris Math. Paris in Iohan. who was an eye witnesse of these affaires and are there worth the reading Vnder this Innocent the Westerne people hauing taken Constantinople created Emperour thereof Baldwin Earle of Flanders and he as depending of the Latine Church made the Greeke Church forthwith subiect thereunto Notwithstanding he could not hereby keepe the fauour of Innocent who required such things as seemed vniust vnto him complaining That he let the Patriarch of Constantinople sit beneath him on his left hand signifying that Innocent preferred the dignitie of the Priesthood farre aboue the Imperiall and thinking that what in this behalfe he tooke away from the Emperour would be so much the more gayned for himselfe Baldwin therefore writing vnto him could not hide from him that this was not the voyce of Peter who on the contrarie commaundeth 1. Pet. 2. vers 13. 14. Be yee subiect to the King as vnto the superiour and vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment c. And therefore he subiected Ecclesiasticall dignities vnto secular powers Hence it is that we haue that Decretall of Innocent directed to Baldwin wherein he expoundeth vnto him this place of S. Peter and his diuinitie here is worth the noting The Apostle saith he wrot vnto his subiects and prouoked them to the merit of humilitie yea rather vnto strangers of all sorts scattered in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia c. By what right were these his subiects vnlesse it be in as much as they were Christs sheepe who acknowledged his voyce in Peter He proceedeth If thy exposition take place it will then follow Extra de Maioric obedientia c. 6. solicitae that euerie seruant also should beare rule ouer Priests for it is there said Be ye subiect to euerie humane creature for Gods sake But hee ought not to be ignorant that the Greekes interpret the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excellencie power And here it is he alledgeth that pleasant allegorie of the two great lights of which we haue aboue spoken Whence consequently saith the Summe The Empire is not aboue the Priesthood but vnder it and is held to obey it Also Bishops ought not to be vnder Princes but aboue them and this saying is very worthy to be alledged We haue before made mention of new traditions intruded for articles of the faith in the Councell of Lateran Peter Cantor a most learned Diuine was there present who deliuered there a long speech of the multiplicitie of vayne ceremonies and of the profanation of the seruice of God by occasion of which that which was chiefest in Religion was neglected And we haue yet his Booke intituled Verbum abreuiatum where he sharpely inueyeth against them but he told a tale to them that had no eares to heare Also florished at the same time in England Walter Mapez Archdeacon of Oxford a man of excellent wit who in his verses painteth forth in their right colours the life of Popes the exactions and rapines of the Court of Rome the excesse hautinesse and pride of the Prelats as may be read in his Booke entituled Diuerse poemes of the corrupted state of the Church which are longer than can be here fitly inserted The beginning thereof is thus Roma mundi caput est sed nil capit mundum Quod pendet à capite totum est immundum Rome is our head which nothing but vncleanenesse doth imbrace And in the same all filthinesse that is hath wholly place But among the rest he composed a treatise entituled Apocalypsis Pontificis Goliath by which name he signified that Antichist was reuealed in the Pope Also praedicationem Goliath the beginning whereof is Viri venerabiles c. and other treatises in Papam Curiam de malis Curiae Romanae against the Pope and his Court Girald Cambrens l. 3. c. 1. 14. in speculo Ecclesiae and of the euils of the Court of Rome Giraldus Cambrensis maketh mention of him in his Mirrour of the Church and witnesseth that he was a man in great estimation in that age In the meane season the Waldenses or Albigenses multiplied in France maintayning and publishing euerie where their doctrine aboue mentioned and did so spread themselues from the Alpes to the Pyrenean mountaines that verie many both in Cities and Countries departed from the traditions of the Church of Rome yea many great and noble men joyned vnto them as namely Raymund Earle of Thoulouse and of S. Giles the Kings cousen Raymund Roger Vicount of Besiers and of Carcassonne Peter Roger Lord of Gabaret Raymund Earle of Foix nere kinsman to the King of Arragon Gasto Prince of Bearne the Earle of Bigorre the Ladie de la vaur the Earle of Carman Raymund de Termes Americ de Montrueil William de Menerbe and infinit others both Lords and Gentlemen men truly of that ranke that no man of sound judgement will thinke they would haue exposed to manifest daunger their life fortunes and honour for the defence of vices and errours so execrable as they were charged withall On the contrarie it must needs be whatsoeuer the Monkes of that time and the Popes champions doe prate that by the onely force of their consciences they were moued thereto And this doth William Paradin acknowledge in his Annales of Bourgundie who testifieth that he had red Histories that clearely justified the Albigenses and the Princes and Lords their fauourers from all these false imputations affirming that they were vexed onely because they reproued openly the traditions and corruptions of the Church of Rome Pope Innocent then about the yere 1208 sent first vnto them two Legats the Bishop of Oxford and Dominicus to haue a conference with them at Carman and presently joyned vnto them the Cistertian Abbot with twelue others of the same order and againe held a conference with
according to our calling In which words Krantzius expresseth their doctrine though verie contrarie vnto them Mathew Paris saith further That they spread themselues so farre as into Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia and there tooke such such root that they drew vnto them many Bishops And thither came one Bartholomew from Carcassonne in the countrey of Narbon in Fraunce vnto whom they all flocked who in his letters wrot himselfe Bartholomew seruant of the seruants of the holie faith and he created Bishops and ordained Churches These words are taken out of the letter that the Cardinall of Port the Popes Legat wrot to the Archbishop of Rouan full of abashment and he calleth him Anti-Pope without imputing vnto him any other crime or doctrine namely because this Bartholomew reestablished the order of the Church a new in those Countries and laboured to set true Pastors in the places of the false And the Cardinall commanded the Archbishop to be present in a Synod holden in the Citie of Sens to giue counsell in a businesse of that importance otherwise he threatned he would signifie his disobedience to the Pope This was about the yeare 1220 vnder Honorius the third and it must needs be that they haue largely multiplied since for the same Author telleth vs that in a certaine part of Germanie vnder Gregorie the the ninth a great number of them were enclosed in a place with marish on the one side and the Sea on the other where they were all slaine At the same time also in Spaine they ordayned Bishops which preached the same doctrine though the aduersaries faine lies of the same at their owne pleasure for to make them the more odious But we cannot be ignorant what manner of doctrine it was partly by their confession and partly by the acts of iudgement passed against them We read of one Robert Bulgarus who was fallen away from them and become a Iacobin Frier wholly gaue himself to persecute them in Flanders especially deliuered vp many to the fire But he being found to abuse his power and that he imputed crimes vnto them of which they were clearely innocent hee is presently discharged of his office and beeing found guiltie of many crimes which saith the Auhour it is better to conceale than to speake of is condemned to perpetuall prison Let the Reader judge considering the furious rage wherewith they were transported against these men whether as well their innocencie as that mans filthinesse be not hence manifestly and sufficiently proued In Lombardie at last they were very greatly multiplied when in the yeare 1229 An. 1229. Sigon l. 17. de regno Jtaliae at the instance of the Popes Legat it is ordayned that they should be banished both out of Cities and Countries their houses rased their goods confiscat they which receiued them put to a great fine and in the Citie of Milan is appointed in euery quarter two Friers Preachers and Minorites who in the authoritie of the Archbishop should make enquirie after them and take care that hauing taken them and deliuered them to the Gouernour they should be at the charges of the Commonwealth carried whether the Archbishop should appoint when also the Emperour Frederick in the yeare 1225 in the letters he wrote to Gregorie An. 1225. Jdem l. 18. complaineth that they encreased imo siluescant yea grew vp to a forrest In Italie and in the Cities began alreadie to choke the good come so spake he according to the stile of the time And to conclude when the truce being made betweene Gregorie and Frederick from which them of Milan were excluded that they might iustifie themselues to each other and gratifie one the other they tooke a great number of these poore men whom they offered vp in sacrifice by putting them to death Wherunto may be added also that which an ancient writer of those times wrot of the Waldenses that in the only valley Camonica they had tenne schooles as also that of Petrus de Vinei in his Epistles that their little riuers streamed so farre as to the kingdome of Sicilie who in the meane time alledgeth none other cause for which they should be persecuted but for that they with-drew the sheepe from the keeping of S. Peter to whom they had beene committed of that good Sheepheard to be fed and departed from the Romane Church which is the head of all Churches But were in this their profession aboue all beliefe constant prodigall of their life and carelesse of death and which is more hard than can be spoken saith he the suruiuours are nothing terrified by example affecting to be burned aliue in the presence of men This vertue in the minds of men whence can it flow but from the spirit of God 52. PROGRESSION Innocent to disturbe Conrades proceedings returnes into Italie but after many contrarieties of fortunes his hopes were frustrated and he dyed at Naples THe death of Frederick thus occurring affoorded opportunitie to Innocent not onely of renewing his owne designes in Italie but also of disturbing other mens affaires in Germanie He intending therefore these molestations to Conrade Fredericks sonne he thought good to returne into Italie But it is not altogether vnworthie of obseruation how ceremoniously he tooke his leaue of those of Lyons after the Councell was dismissed For assembling together the Lords and Nobles therein assisting as also the whole people Cardinall Hugo made a farewell sermon in behalfe of the Pope and the whole Court of Rome and so at last began to speake in these words Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. Louing friends since our arriuall in this citie we haue performed much good and done great almes for at our first comming hither wee found three or foure stewes but now at our departure we leaue but one marrie this extends it selfe from the East to the West gate of the citie And these were verie scandalous words in the eares of all the women who were present at the sermon in great numbers for the inhabitants of the citie were cited by publike proclamation in name of the Pope readie to depart He therefore went downe to Genoa and from thence he went to Mylan where being receiued in triumphant sort he obliged the cities by new oathes against the Emperour many he drew againe into a new league and they which perseuered in fidelitie towards Conrade he excommunicated and most seuerely persecuted to conclude he omitted no meanes whereby he might preuent Fredericks successors entrie into Italie When he came to Ferrara he preached to the people out of a window and he vsed preualent persuasions to intimate that this citie was his His text was Happie is the nation that hath the Lord for their God and the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance inferring by this that the city and people was happie which were particularly subiect to the Pope and so he made but a mocke of the holie Scripture But Historiographers wonderfully extoll this sermon because it was no small
remoue than confirme the opinion she formerly conceiued of it Katherine also gaue the like censure of the state of the Roman Church nay and if we may beleeue Antoninus she presaged That euen then the Churches confusion was at hand and that presently a reformation would ensue When she heard of the Perugians rebellion against the Pope Begin not your lamentation saith she so soone for you shall haue weeping too much for this you now see is but milke and honie in respect of those miseries to ensue Thus doe the Laitie and presently you shall see the Clergie will doe worse for they shall giue a generall scandall to the whole Church of God which like an hereticall pestilence shall disturbe and dissipate the same It shall not properly be an heresie but as it were an heresie and a certaine diuision of the Church and all Christendome This saith Raimond who writ her Legend we see accomplished in the schisme that followed vpon Gregories death For when the schisme began Raymond told her That what she had prophesied was now come to passe and she replied Euen as then I told you that the present molestations were but milke and honie so I say vnto you That this you now see and behold is but childrens sport in comparison of future miseries especially in adiacent and bordering Prouinces Which we haue seene come to passe saith he ouer all Italie and Sicilia whereunto wee may worthily annex France which neuer felt a more sharpe and terrible warre than at this instant Then Raymond againe prosecutes Being curious saith hee to demaund of her what would follow after this wonderfull agitation and reuolt because it manifestly appeared that shee entertained celestiall reuelations she replied God shall purge his Church from all these tribulations and miseries by a meanes altogether inperceptible and vnknowne vnto men and after this shall occurre such a wonderfull reformation of Gods Church and a renouation of sacred and holie Pastors that through the cogitation thereof onely my spirit euen reioyceth in the Lord. And as otherwhiles I haue many times told you the spouse that now is deformed and rent shall then hee adorned with goodlie and precious iewels and all the faithfull shall exult for being honoured with such holie Pastors Antoninus addes further What this sacred virgine foretold of schismes and tribulations we haue seene them cleerely and euidently come to passe but for that shee denounced touching good Pastors and the Churches reformation that hath not yet beene effected And yet he wrot in the yeare 1450 after the schisme extinguished and the dissolution of the Councels of Constance and Basil the which as it seemes he thought had not sufficiently prouided for the reformation of the Church conformable to this virgines predictions neither can it any wayes be perceiued in the Church of Rome or in the Popes whether you consider doctrine or manners so as this prophesie may verie well be applied to that reformation that began not long after which purged both the errors of doctrine and the abuses of discipline through the diligence and zeale of those godlie ministers which God stirred vp in the age following by a meanes as she said inperceptible of men the which was then a preparing before his death In Bohemia mention is made of one Militzius a famous Preacher of Prage whom Iacobus Misnensis tearmes renowmed and venerable This man declared how against his will he was enioyned by the holie Ghost to search out of the holie Scriptures the comming of Antichrist whom he found to be now alreadie come the same spirit conducting him he was constrained to go to Rome where he preached publikely and afterwards before the Inquisitor he confirmed That the great Antichrist of whom the Scriptures doe prophesie was already come The same man said That in the Church Idols should be erected which would destroy Ierusalem and make desolat the Temple but that they were couered with hypocrisie That many know the truth and yet through iniustice suppressed it and therefore in this silence they renounced Christ and durst not auouch his truth before men He also inueyed particularly against many abuses as we may see in Iacobus Misnensis his treatise de Aduentis Antichristi which he wrot about the yeare 1410. An. 1410. We find also a Bull of Gregorie the eleuenth directed to Iohn Archbishop of Prage wherein he is commanded to excommunicat and persecute Militzius and his auditors who were taught and instructed by him That the Pope and his companions were Antichrists That there was no truth amongst them vndepraued So as it is manifest that the Church in Bohemia came to haue some reformation and so much the rather because the Waldenses as we formerly saw fixed here their habitations long time before In these verie dayes about the yeare 1460 one Iohn Wickliffe An. 1460. a man of singular vnderstanding began to lift vp his head who was trayned vp at Oxford in all learning and science being both a famous Diuine and Philosophâ—â— who was for these parts highly honoured and esteemed of all the Faculties and Degrees in that Vniuersitie This man questionlesse charged the Roman Church on euerie side verie stoutly for not satisfying himselfe in shewing the Pope to bee an Heresâ—arch the Antichrist deciphered in the Scriptures the abhomination of desolation in abstracto in abstract brought in by Sathans guile and their Churches impostume and that he conuinced him to be the same both by the Scriptures the course of all histories diuers preualent reasons and his owne proper actions but further he assaileth the inward poynts of his doctrine taxing it with vanitie superstition and idolatrie reprehending the seruice of the creator conuerted to the creature to mortall men to Saints to reliques to images That the Sacrifice of the Redeemers Passion was turned into the foolish spectacle and mummerie of a Masse the benefit of the death and passion of Christ the sonne of God into dispensations absolutions pilgrimages and indulgences the benefits or rather inchauntments not of a pure but most impure man The people were fallen away from the incomparable merits of Christ our Sauiour to their owne workes from the firme tuition and defence of Christs crosse to the shaken reed of their owne demerits To conclude from God the generall creator to a ridiculous host which must bee worshipped as God though it were knead and made with mens hands And for the furtherance of this so high a worke of Gods he translated the whole Bible into the vulgar Tongue all those heads of doctrine he deliuered to the learned in Latine and to the ignorant in the vulgar Tongue In publique lectures at Oxford he was a Doctor in ordinarie Sermons of the Church a Pastour putting on a brasen forehead against the shamelesse strumpet and a breast of Diamant against the power and violence of the whole Clergie thundring the like euen into the eares of Edward the third then raigning in England and he drew vnto himselfe the attention
Court of Rome Secondly I will confute the writings and sayings thereof as erronious and lesse Catholike Thirdly I will declare out of most true grounds that the Court of Rome is wholly erronious and sick in the state of damnation c. And he handleth each of these in order At last after many complaints despairing that it would suffer reformation and much lesse that from it selfe any were to be expected The onely sonne of God saith Paul vouchsafe to reforme his Church himselfe And to shew that it was not his opinion alone he plainely saith in his Preface All men truely doe inwardly murmure but none crie out And the Doctors themselues that sat nere Boniface the ninth seeing this so manifest corruption partly could not dissemble it and partly were diuided in opinions concerning the remedie thereof Theodorick à Niem saith Many also skilfull in the Law Theodor. à Niem l. 2. c. 32. by reason of the continuation of Simonie in the Church of Rome in the time of the sayd Boniface would publiquely argue and hold That the Pope could not commit Symonie yea in benefices and goods Ecclesiasticall by interuention of gaine or couenant of money What will they not say as that harlot in the Apocalyps I sit as Queene neither can be a widow I cannot erre And what readier way is there vnto all mischiefe The Authour addeth Which seemed vnto me verie vniust seeing that at least it is vnciuile and against good manners if that which ought to be giuen gratis to persons worthie be gaunted for vile gaine of money to the vnworthie and that the Pope who is ouer all and from whom others ought to take example of life should be so defiled with such a crime not being able to punish another for that wherein himselfe offendeth for it is a shame for the Doctor that the fault should rebuke himselfe For this cause euen among the common sort the Popes authoritie is abased blamed and defamed namely in this saith he that dispensations which should bee done with great deliberation of his brethren he did them in his Chamber after the maner of Merchants being himselfe Bullator scriptor forsan numerator the maker of the Bulls the writer and teller of mony But he also addeth In his life time some Doctors in Diuinitie and others learned in the sciences grieuing that Symonie was so commonly and openly committed in the Court and that many Iurists and others obstinatly affirmed that it might be so done arguing to the contrarie determined conclusions which they reduced into volumes yet with great feare That the Pope in selling Ecclesiasticall benefices by bargaine made was a Simmoniack that is the successour of Simon Magus not of Simon Peter because he is not established for to sell them but to bestow them freely on persons worthie But in all Nations there arose vp some that passed further Vincent at Venice about the yeare 1400 An. 1400. a great Preacher and famous for holinesse who freely condemned all the Roman Hierarchie Prophetiae editae Parisijs in 8. ex varijs authoribus collectae ibi Epist S. V incentij affirming That religious persons that ought to be the way of lyfe vnto soules are throughout the world become vnto them the way of perdition That Priests fish for honours but not for maners That the bishops none excepted haue no care of the soules of their Diocesse That they sell the Sacraments for money yea he passeth so farre as to pronounce the Pope to be Antichrist himselfe In a certaine Epistle also printed at Paris entituled The Epistle of S. Vincent he saith That Antichrist is alreadie in the world whom he expected not to come from the Iewes or from auntient Babylon but alreadie beheld him raigning at Rome In Bohemia Mathius Parisiensis wrote a great volume de Antichristo where he proueth that he is come by this That fables and humane inuentions beare sway in the Church That images are worshipped Saints are adored in Christs stead euerie Citie and each person choseth out some one of them for to worship as their Sauiour whom by consequent they place in Christs seat That our Lord himselfe had fortold Loe here is Christ loe there That the Monkes themselues haue left him and haue sought vnto themselues other sauiours in whom they boast as Frauncis Dominick and others The word of God being neglected they bring in their Monkish rules That such like hypocrites raigning in the Church are those Locusts of which the Apocalyps speaketh Neither is it to be doubted but that Antichrist is come who hath seduced all the Vniuersities and all the Colledges of learned men so that they now teach nothing sound neither can they any more giue light to Christians by their doctrine But God hitherto as seed raised vp godly Doctors who inflamed with the spirit and zeale of Elias both refuted the errours of Antichrist and discouer him to the world And he inferteth in this Booke the opinions of many famous men nere to those times concerning this matter amongst whom he extolleth the Diuines of Paris who perceiuing the tares of the begging Friers to grow brought to light againe and published the booke of William de S. Amour Of the perils of the last times which before time Alexander the fourth had laboured to abolish These Doctors saith he in his Preface faithfull in Christ c. Whose multitude was then the health of the world acknowledging partly that most wicked Antichrist and his members and his â—â—â—re and parly prophesying for the time to come haue openly and nakedly reuealed these things for the holie Church and her gouernours to take heedof In England Iohn Puruey Disciple of Wickliff wrote many bookes in defence of his doctrine but among others a Commentarie vpon the Apocalyps the Title whereof was Ante centum annos There he openly saith Seuen yeares are passed since generally the Pope of Rome was published to be that great Antichrist by the Preachers of the Gospell namely from the yeare 1382. And behold how God worketh in our infirmities his owne glorie I neuer had written such like things against Antichrist and his if they had not imprisoned me for to make me hold my peace And then it was God infused his spirit into him so much the more that beeing deliuered he might speake so much the more boldly although by force of torments he had beene constrained by the Archbishop of Canterburie to abiure This booke was since set forth in Germanie in the yeare 1528 where he applieth that famous prophesie in the Apocalyps from point to point to the Church of Rome and out of the 10 and 11 chapters it is manifest that he wrot the same lying fettered with yrons in prison Lastly the Waldenses in this time euery where for the testimonie of the truth submitted themselues to the fire for in Saxonie and Pomerania in the yeare 1490 An. 1490. there were taken of them foure hundred and more and examined
the support of Ladislaus king of Sicilie Charles Malatesta his Proctor appeared in Councell hauing on him the Pontificall robes which in token of renunciation he put off before all the assemblie But Benedict hauing beene verie oftentimes cited in vaine by sentence of the Councell is declared to be a periurer Session 11. a scandalizer of the Church a fautor and entermedler of schisme an heretike straying out of the way of faith and for these causes is depriued of his Papall dignitie and cut off from the Church as a withered and dried member forbiddeth all men therefore from obeying him vnder paine of excommunication And though he were almost of all men forsaken yet he continued still in obstinacie Idolum cum idolis suis Cardinalibus saith Krantzius An Idoll with the Idols his Cardinalls Krantzius in Metrop l. 9. c. 1. An. 1414. Yea being at poynt of death in the yeare 1414 he adiureth the Cardinals which remained with him in the castle of Paniscola that they should incontinently chuse him a successor which was Giles Munion Canon of Barcelon by them called Clement the eighth who the fourth yeare after renounced his charge Of this Benedict was that saying of Gerson verie often repeated in Councell There will be no peace to the Churches till Luna be taken away So much did Luna darken the Sunne so much also had these good Popes their hearts set on the vnion of the Church It was meet that impietie of doctrine should grow after the measure of the abuse of power Paulus Aemilius in Carolo 6. Therefore we read that this Benedict the thirteenth was the first that instituted That the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ should be carried before him for the safegard of his bodie that so he might seeme to haue a protector against his aduersaries on earth whom he beleeued to be none in heauen which without doubt he had inuented by the example of the kings of Persia who made their god be caried before them Alexander the fift also because he was a Minorite that he might gratifie the Friers of that Order Theodor. Ã Nyem l. 3. c. vltim who wonderfully reioycing at his creation ran about the streets euerie day verie many in troupes together as if they had beene mad men made a law That all Christians should be bound to beleeue the wounds of S. Francis and in veneration also of those wounds instituted a feast These things as we haue said before although they are judged doubtful yet are found in their owne Histories of those times So Iohn the foure and twentieth Waldensin Fasciculo for that Wicklif had translated the holie Scriptures into the English Tongue would needs haue that translation of the Bible into the vulgar Tongue to be heresie in England But our wise king Charles the fift was of another mind when a little before he commaunded that the sacred Bible should bee translated into the French Tongue for his owne and his peoples vse And let the Reader judge of the inuentions by the pietie and honestie of the deuisors In the meane time the Councell of Constance it selfe whilest it arrogateth power aboue the Pope doth not withall omit in emulation of Popes to extoll it selfe aboue the Lord Christ For when many nations complained vnto them That against the expresse institution of Christ in the participation of the Eucharist the cup of the Lord was taken away from them the Fathers of this Councell feared not to publish a Decree commaunding it seuerely to be excuted which was conceiued in these execrable words Concil Constant Session 13. Although Christ after supper hath instituted and administred to his Disciples this venerable Sacrament vnder both kinds of bread and wine yet notwithstanding the authoritie of the sacred Canons the laudable and approued custome of the Church hath obserued and doth obserue that this Sacrament ought not to be finished after supper c. And seeing that this custome hath beene according to reason brought in and a long time obserued by the Church and holie Fathers it is to be held for a law In which words this clause Non obstante notwithstanding so odious as we haue seene to the Church in former ages for that by it added to the Popes Bulls no lawes so holy but were reuoked now by the authoritie of this Synod manifestly abrogateth not only the vse of the Primitiue Church but the expresse commandement of the Lord himselfe in instituting a Sacrament of so great moment And these things extend to the yeare 1417. An. 1417. OPPOSITION Let vs now consider what the Christian Church thought hereof being distracted and as it were torne in peeces by two sometimes three Popes openly warring one against the other We haue alreadie noted something out of the historie of Theodorick Theodor. Ã Nyem l. 1. c. 7 8. who was successiuely Secretarie to Vrban Boniface Innocent Gregorie and Alexander Neither doth he conceale from vs the murmure and distraction of minds that then was in the whole world whilest some take part with one others content with the conduct of their owne Bishops hold with neither from whence in the meane time this benefit did arise vnto vs in this so great mischiefe That by occasion of this schisme there was a way made vnto the truth and the mouth thereof in diuers things opened And therefore he confesseth ingeniously that it is agreeable vnto reason that the Roman Emperour with the Prelats and Christian people as the spirituall sonne of the Church whose power is immediatly from God should by his authoritie appease these troubles and that they are fooles and flatterers that say That the Pope or Church hath two swords the temporall and the spirituall which great errour being brought into the Christian Church they raise a perpetuall emulation and discord betweene the Pope and the Emperour trampling vnder their feet the Imperiall authoritie to the great hurt of the whole Commonwealth That it appeareth out of the Decrees themselues that whensoeuer any schisme shall arise in the Church that the Emperors are bound and by law haue power to prouide a remedie Which he likewise proueth by the example of Theodoricus the king taken out of the Decree it selfe and is much offended that the Emperor Robert did so flatter and gently intreat Gregorie the twelfth who should haue compelled both parts to haue restored the peace of the Church D. 17. C. Consilia Theud l. 3. c. 9. 10. That the power of the Emperour doth especially tend to the repressing of a wicked and incorrigible Pope scandalizing the Church as it appeareth out of the acts of the Roman Emperours and kings where he alledgeth the example of Otho the first who came out of Germanie to Rome to chasten the disorderly stubborne behauior of Iohn the 13 whom by the authoritie of the Councell notwithstanding he were vpheld by his kindred and friends at Rome he deposed For saith he in those daies the
Nation differeth neuerthelesse from them in his life and conuersation Know that this flight suffiseth so long as the force of the furie compelleth not a man to wickednesse and so long as Gods mercie tollerateth the sinnes of the place not yet growne to their full height of corruption But where their state is desperate and past hope of amendement they admit no counsell no remedie no wholsome helpe whatsoeuer but refusing to be cured they rage like madd men and from all parts they send vp a continuall crie vnto God for the destruction of that place whosoeuer therefore he bee that abideth long time in that place and feareth not that vengeance of God that hangeth ouer that place how different soeuer hee be in manners hee is madd Neither is it lawfull for him that differeth in manners to liue there where the plague of corruption is growne to that strength that all are infected with the contagion thereof especially the cure being remedilesse Is he different in manners that hauing drunke of the cup of Babylon beene corrupted with her poyson polluted with her sinnes carried with her rage is constrained to appproue with commendation consent imitation those things that are done by wicked men not daring to open his mouth to the contrarie or to oppose himselfe with any freedome of conscience Thou askest whither thou canst goe where thou shalt not find a confused Babylon and thou seest no quiet resting place or contented abode for a peaceable mind as if Babylon were not in thy mind too For what mind canst thou euer make me instance of so peaceable setled and contented in which I will not say sometimes or often but euerie day and houre there is not some iarre some conflict wherein the tempestuous stormes of perturbations doe not arise which the blustering winds of pride doe tosse the murmuring noyse of diuers passions doth not disquiet and wherein there are not many times horrible and furious tempests in so much that it is needfull for vs daily to crie out Lord saue vs we perish Thence it was that one speaking of a mind meditating heauenly things and not earthly which therefore he called heauen sayd and not ineligantly though in meetre Confusa sunt hic omnia Spes metus moeror gaudium Vix hora vel dimidia Fit in coelo silentium All things are confused here Sorrow ioy hope and feare Scarce for a moment of time Peace in heauen can we find If thou seeke here an assured setled rest in all respects thou seekest a knot in a rush Gerson in Tractat de potestate Ecclesiastica consid 10. 11 as one said and thou shalt neuer find it either within or without thee All things are full of warre confusion danger euerie thing compassed with snares and subtilties neither canst thou retire thee within thy selfe but they follow thee In Tractat. de Anseribilitate Papae consid 4.9.10 12.14.15.16.18 Jtem in propositione facta coram Anglicis euntibus ad Concil consid 4. Jtem in Tractatu an liceat in causis fidei appellare Papae Item in Tractatu de examine doctrinarum But yet notwithstanding though there be something of Babylon euerie where yet that Babylon is not euerie where that is the mother of the fornications and abhominations of the earth whose iudgement as Iohn saith is ascended vp to the heauens which hath made drunken all the nations with the wine of her whoredome and constraineth all her inhabitants to commit fornication to blaspheme to eat things sacrificed to Idols to worship the dragon With which impieties whosoeuer is polluted how can he find peace within himselfe except he hate the fornications of that whore forsake condemne detest them to which whosoeuer shall adhere is made one bodie with her because so long as he conuerseth with her hee cannot bee freed from her manners being by force and furie drawne vnto them But if thou flie the habitation of cities and the course of people as being infected with a Babylonish contagion there are secret places seuered from cities fit for the seruice of God religions approued deuout Monasteries sauouring rather of Ierusalem than Babylon To bee briefe Item in propos vtilib ad extirp schismat if thou feare all humane companie there are solitarie places wherein thou mayest dwell with thy selfe and retire thy selfe to thine owne heart liue to thy selfe haue onely God to be a witnesse and companion of thy life Item in regul moral where at the last thou mayest more easily and more happily find that peace of thy mind which thou professest is so much to thy desire In the same stile writ master Iohn Gerson the Chauncellor of the Vniuersitie who was likewise present at that Councell Item de loco Pauli ad Thessal in Tractatu de signu ruinae Ecclesiae for I leaue to speake of his inuectiues in many places Against humane traditions because we haue spoken thereof elsewhere and likewise against the corruption of Ecclesiasticall discipline and the simonies of the Court of Rome in selling graces and dignities which they call spirituall because all these are couered vnder a pretext of the infallibilitie either of the Church or of the Pope Gerson de vita spirituali aiae Lect. 2. Corol. 7. to 3. num 61. But this in diuers his treatises he closely yet elegantly teacheth That the Pope can erre and abuse that power committed vnto him to the ruine of the Church That he can prostitute and oppresse it fall into schisme heresie idolatrie in which case he may bee corrected by the meanest Lay-man that professeth the Gospell That hee may be reproued repressed deposed by a Councell representing the Church Item in Tractatu an liceat in causis fidei à summo Pontific appellare propos 3 tom 1. num 14. sub finem since the Church saith he can subsist without the Pope without his ministeriall head and yet bee gouerned well ynough by Christ the Spouse of the Church For it is not sayd saith he When you are assembled in the name of Peter or of the Pope but In my name c. And this doctrine hath displeased many but the Councells of Constance and Basil haue freed the Church from this pernitious heresie which placeth the Pope aboue the Church So farre hee proceedeth by reason of those inconueniences he found thereby that hee alledgeth some cases wherein it is lawfull to make an assault vpon his owne person But because hee handleth these propositions in whole Treatises we will content our selues with the quotations in the margent Touching the question Whether the Pope be aboue the Councell and the Church he peremptorily saith Gerson de examine doctrinar That it is as much as if one should aske Whether the part bee greater than the whole That the Pope is subiect to the Church That the keyes are properly giuen to the Church and not to Saint Peter much lesse to the Pope The Church in the meane time subiect
and bound to the holie Scriptures Gerson de examine doctrinar consid 5. tom 1. Neither is it saith he in the power of the Pope or Councell to change traditions giuen by the Euangelists and Paul as some doe dote Yea we are to giue more credit in a case of doctrine to the assertion of a simple man learned in the Scriptures than the declaration of the Pope For it is manifest that we are rather to beleeue the Gospell than the Pope In so much that any such learned man being present at the Councell ought to oppose himselfe against him if hee shall perceiue the greater part against the Gospell either by malice or ignorancee to decline from the truth And touceing that place of Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospell but that the authoritie of the Church moueth mee thereunto He meaneth sayth he the Primitiue congregation of the faithfull who had seene and heard Christ and were witnesses vnto him Neither is it in the power of Pope or Bishop of a proposition not hereticall or not Catholike to make it hereticall or Catholike All which Theses destroy the tyrannie of the Pope and the Church of Rome with those inuentions likewise and vsurpations which vnder the cloke of his pretended authoritie they brought into the Church Let the Reader here note Vide Tractatū de Ecclesia That this was then the doctrine of the Vniuersitie of Paris yea the Sorbonists themselues We haue elsewhere quoted many places by which it may appeare how much they despaired of the reformation of the Church by reason of the malignitie of the Popes and Prelats Touching Indulgences he saith Iohan. Gerson in Tractat. de Indulgentijs Christ is the onely Pope that can grant those Indulgences for a thousand thousand dayes and yeares c. Againe Perhaps such enormous graunts haue beene inuented by wicked men who seeke their owne gaine And againe The graunt of Indulgences will hardly be taken away c. since it is most certaine that Purgatorie ends with the world Idem de absolutione sacramentali consequently the daies of their punishments Again Those institutions of Indulgences for twentie thousand yeares and the like to him that shall say fiue Pater nosters before such an Image c. are sottish and supersitious and contrarie to the truth c. At these fooleries all men in those dayes began to bend their browes But in this sermon intituled Of the ruines of the Church he manifestly proueth the fearefull judgement of God to be then at hand The signes which he setteth downe are these First 2. Thessalonians 2. The dissipation of the Roman Empire betwixt which and the persecutions of Antichrist following therein S. Hierome he setteth downe no distance of time And now saith he the state of the vniuersall Church is so doubtfull that it knoweth not on which side the See of Rome is except perhaps God should reueale it to some one or the iudgement of Salomon touching the diuiding of the infant into two parts giue vs to vnderstand who is the true mother Secondly Impudencie wherein as touching maners it is worse than the Synagogue when the ruine thereof approached for that permitted Pigeons to be sold in the Temple and this sells Spirituall charges for money that honoured God but with the lips onely this dishonours God both in word and deed taking no care at all to couer her owne shame Thirdly Inequalitie or rather Iniquitie the like whereof was neuer amongst the ministers of the Church the vnworthie being exalted the worthie trod vnder foot some set aboue Princes others more contemptible than the basest of the people And from hence arise schismes in the Church Fourthly The pride of the Prelats which purchaseth rather hatred than reuerence And from hence arise schismes in the Church Fiftly The tyrannie of those that beare rule who feed not the flocke but themselues they deuour the flesh and plucke off the skinne Sixtly The troubles of Princes and commotion of the people which we haue experience of in so many kingdomes and Prouinces Seuenthly The refusal of correction in the Principall of the Clergie who detest those that reprehend them hold the Scriptures for a fable and those that meditate thereupon for fantasticall persons Eightly Noueltie of opinions from whence arise heresies schismes are defended and being defended take root c. And this he applies to those that accommodat the Scriptures to their owne affections make them speake according to that loue or hatred hope of aduancement or reuenge wherewith they are carried And some of them vpon euerie light occasion call them heretikes whom they neuer knew to be tainted with heresie All which signes he rehearseth Gerson de signis ruinae Ecclesiae and compareth them with others of former times which being confirmed by the examples of his age and the threats of the auncient Prophets he applieth to the present state of the Church Of the same opinion were diuers others in diuers parts of the world In Germanie Theodoricus Vrias an Augustine in his worke of the consolation of the Church especially in his third book Theodor. Vrias in consolatione Ecclesiae lib. 3. Idem apud Paulum Langium in Chron. Citizensi where inueying against the wickednesse thereof the whoredome simonie ambition contempt of the word of God neglect of the saluation of mankind he pronounceth the Pope to be the forerunner of Antichrist Yea wee haue his verses recited by Paulus Langius in his Chronicle not vnworthie the reading in number eighteene whereof these are the first Papa stupor mundi cecidit secumque ruêre Coelica templa Dei membra simulque caput c. The Pope the worlds astonishment is dead With him are falne Gods house members and head c. Wherein he describeth how the Pope hath drawne the whole Church with himself into ruine supplying the place of Simon Magus not Simon Peter That the Churches vnder his gouernment were fairs of treacherie wherin the Sacraments and all holie things were put to open sale That the Church of Rome grew euerie day worse worse of a golden Church was become a siluer of a siluer an yron of an yron an earthly durtie Church in so much that nothing now remained but that it wold likewise turne into a stinking dung-hill And yet such a Church it was at that time when neuerthelesse it made a beautiful a glorious shew There was likewise another Theodor. Minorita in prophetia vna cum pluribus alijs rithmicis impressa one Theodoricus a Minorite Bishop of Croatia who foretold in a certaine prophesie written in verse That this See polluted with so much corruption should shortly come to naught and the Pope be vtterly ouerthrowne euen by those that had extolled him and that contrarily the Church and in her true pietie should recouer her pristinat beautie more than before Petrus Dresdensis likewise and Iacobus Misnensis the Disciples of the auncient Waldenses were for this
cause banished their countrey Theodor. Ã Nyem de schismate l. 3. who repaired to Iohn Hâ—s who as Aeneas Siluius saith gaue him great light in many principall poynts In Italie it selfe Nicholas Lucensis a Carmelite and Doctor of Diuinitie was not afraid out of the pulpet at Lucca in the presence of Gregorie the twelfth to preach against his and the Papall tyrannie whereupon he was cast into prison and hardly got out againe notwithstanding that fauour and helpe he had from the gouernour and from thence forward he was put to silence Besides infinit numbers of all estates and conditions whom euerie where with exquisit torments they put to death in France England and elsewhere some shut vp in barrels some hanged on gibbets some burnt whose memorie remaines in the bookes of their aduersaries themselues Thom. Waldens in Fasciculo Zizoniorum Baptista Panaetius in Chron. in sermon Thom. Walsing in Chron. Thom. Walsing an 1413. in Henr. 5. Waldensis Baptista Panetius Walsingham and others Amongst whom we must not forget Iohn Oldcastle a nobleman of England heire by right of his wife to the Lord Cobham A man saith Walsingham Regi propter probitatem charus acceptus in great fauour with king Henrie the fift for his honestie and likewise renowmed for his valour and great knowledge in feats of armes who in the yeare 1413 is in the historie called the Protector and defender of the Lollards for that name or title was giuen to all those who protested against the corruptions of the Church who sent into the Diocesses of London Rochester Hereford some to publish the truth of the Gospell without the leaue and license of the Ordinaries who were especially in their sermons to confute the doctrine of Transubstantiation the Sacrament of Penitence Perigrinations the worshipping of Images the Keyes vsurped by the Church of Rome For these speciall heads the Authour reciteth Hee therefore reporteth That Oldcastle being by the authoritie of the king committed to the Tower of London and being brought before the Archbishop of Canturburie hee tooke out of his bosome a copie of the confession of his Faith and deliuered it vnto him to read which the Archbishop hauing read said That it contained in it much good and Catholike matter but yet he must satisfie him touching other poynts that is to say the abouenamed but especially that that concerned the power of the Pope and Cardinals and the Roman Hierarchie which Oldcastle refused not to doe but ingeniously professed withall That the Pope was true Antichrist that is his head the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelats his members the Friers his tayle And as touching the other poynts Idem in Ypodigmate Neustriae an 1413. They are ordinances sayth he of the Church of Rome made against the Scriptures after that it grew rich and the poyson had dispersed it selfe therein and not before The place it selfe is worthie the reading that we may acknowledge the agreement of their doctrine with ours against which no man can cauill Wherefore the Archbishop pronounced Oldcastle an heretike and excommunicated him requiring the secular power for the putting of him to death But the king proceeding slowly and vnwillingly in this businesse he escaped out of prison to whom there gathered a great multitude to haue freed him from that danger who were almost all put to the sword and such amongst them as were taken prisoners as well Clergie as Lay vnder a pretence of heresie were put to death whose constancie appeares in these words That the greatest part of them nec quidem poenitere curabant tooke no care to repent If wee may credit Walsingham there were not then lesse than an hundred thousand who made publike profession of this doctrine Another Annalist in few words sayth Iohannes Capgrauius l. 2 de Nobilibus Henricis That Oldcastle was not afraid in the Parliament to say That England would neuer be at peace vntill the Popes power were banished beyond the seas And learned and eloquent as he was he caused many bookes to be scattered in the streets against the inuocation of Saints auricular confession the single life of Priests Transubstantiation and other abuses of the Church of Rome for which cause being led prisoner to London at the last he was burnt But there comes now vpon the stage euen with open faces Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage men by the testimonies of their aduersaries themselues renowmed for their learning and godlie conuersation who being called to publike charge in the Church did publikely preach against the abuses of the Church of Rome euen those that we in these dayes detest and abiure namely against the tyrannie of the Pope whom as their owne Iudges doe testifie they called Antichrist Aeneas Siluius in historia Bohemia c. 35. Aeneas Siluius himselfe who was afterwards Pope Pius the second sayth With the sound of their voyce the spirit of God assisting the word of God thundering in them the people were awakened out of their dead sleepe ran by flockes to this great light enuiting likewise their neighbours from diuers parts And whereas about that verie time Pope Iohn the foure and twentieth had granted a full remission of sinnes to all that would beare armes in defence of the Church of Rome against Ladislans king of Naples Certaine mecanicall persons saith Pius the second hearing this published with a lowd voyce Pope Iohn to be Antichrist bearing the crosse against Christians These good Fathers in the meane time assembled at the Councell of Constance for the reformation as they sayd of the Church as well in the head as in the members who should haue beene stirred vp thereunto by the sound of these Heraulds vnder a pretence of fidelitie as much as in them lay supprest and opprest them Being therefore called to the Councell vnder the trust of a safeconduct granted by the Emperour Sigismond who had called that Councell there to giue a reason of their doctrine they willingly came but presently they were cast into prison declared heretikes and in the end burnt aliue Iohn Hus first and Hierome about a yeare after Cap. 35. These Fathers leauing this Decree for an example and law to all posteritie Haereticis non seruandam fidem That we are not to keepe faith to Heretikes For such they accounted all those as we haue seene that withstood their opinions euen in matters meerely ciuile and that not without an apparent purpose to cut off all hope of a reformation of the Church by a free and lawfull Councell Siluius telleth vs That they were admonished not to thinke themselues more wise than the Church and that it would be easie for them to obtaine an honourable place in the Church if they would renounce their opinions In which meanes of conuerting we may easily note the stile of that auncient Doctor tempting our Sauiour in the desart Cap. 36. But they answer saith Pius That they teach the truth being the disciples of Christ directing themselues
according to his Gospell That the Church of Rome with other Churches in the world were departed from the traditions of the Apostles That they all sought after riches and pleasure and dominion ouer the people consumed in wickednesse and luxurie the goods destinated to the poore people of Christ That they either knew not the commaundements of God or if they knew them made little account of them These are Pius the second his own words in which who acknowledgeth not the voyce of truth He addeth immediatly The principall men of this great Synod perceiuing the obstinacie and immouable courage of these miserable men gaue sentence That putrified members of the Church which could not bee healed were to be cut off least they should infect the whole bodie putrified members because they accuse their putrifaction In the assemblie therefore it was concluded That such were to be burned that reiected the doctrine of the Church So that they who held that it belonged not to Ecclesiastical persons to sentence any man to death by the testimonie of Pius himselfe were their judges in this case Touching the sentence pronounced against Hus he expresly saith That he appealed from them to Christ Iesus the soueraigne Iudge which was not the least part of their crime But as touching their death Both of them saith Pius suffered death with a constant mind and went ioyfully to the fire as if they had beene inuited to a feast neither of them yeelding any one word that might discouer any shew of heauinesse or a discontented mind When they began to burne they began to sing a hymne which hardly the flame and noyse of the fire could let to be heard Neuer haue we read of any of the Philosophers that suffered death with better resolution and greater courage than these endured the fire Poggius a Florentine an honorable writer of our age writes an eloquent Epistle of the death of Hierome to Nicholas Nicholai though he seeme according to his maner to inueigh a little against the manners of the Clergie This Poggius whom hee here alledgeth who was Secretarie to the Councell Poggius Concilij Constantiens Secretar in Epist. ad Leonard Aretinum writ an Epistle to Leonard Aretine which for as much as it is worthie the reading I haue here thought good to set down at large Soiourning for many dayes at the Bathes saith he I writ from thence a letter to our friend Nicholas which I thinke you haue read Afterwards some few dayes after my returne to Constance the cause of Hierome whom they tearme an heretike was heard and that publikely which I haue thought good to relate vnto you both for the weightinesse of the matter and especially for the eloquence and learning of the man I confesse I haue neuer seene any man that in pleading a cause especially that concerned his life who hath come neerer to those auncient Orators we haue so much admired It is a wonderfull thing to see with what words what eloquence what arguments what cariage what countenance what confidence he answered his aduersaries and at the last concluded his plea in such sort as that it is much to be lamented that so noble a spirit and so excellent should applie it selfe to those studies of heresie si tamen vera sunt quae sibi obijciunt if neuerthelesse note the words of Poggius the matters obiected against him be true for it belongs not vnto me to iudge of so great a cause but I refer myselfe to the opinions of those who are wiser than my selfe Neither would I haue you to thinke that according to the maner of Orators I relate vnto you euerie particular circumstance of this businesse for it were too tedious and a worke of many dayes I will onely touch some principall places whereby you may in some sort vnderstand the learning of the man This Hierome being charged with many matters which tended to heresie and those confirmed by witnesse it was at the last determined placuit that he should answer publikely to euerie poynt that was obiected against him Being therefore brought before the assemblie and commaunded to answer to such poynts as were obiected a long time he refused to doe it alledging that hee was first to plead his owne cause before he answered to the false accusations of his aduersaries but this condition being denied him standing in the middle of the assemblie What iniustice is this saith he that hauing lyen for three hundred and sixtie dayes in prison in ordure in stench in fetters and want of all earthly comforts whatsoeuer in all which time you haue heard my aduersaries speake against me and yet you will not now suffer me to speake one houre for my selfe Hence it is that whilest euerie mans eares are open vnto them to heare in so long a time whatsoeuer may persuade that I am an heretike an enemie of the faith a persecutor of Ecclesiasticall persons and shut against me whereby I haue no meanes to defend my selfe that you haue concluded me to bee an heretike in your owne conceipts before you know what I am And yet notwithstanding all this yee are but men and not gods not perpetuall but mortall such as can stumble and fall and erre be deceiued be seduced c. In the end it was decreed that first he should answer to those errours that were obiected against him and afterwards he should haue leaue to speake what he would There were read therefore out of the pulpet all the heads of his accusation which were likewise confirmed by witnesses Then it was demaunded whether he had any thing to obiect It is incredible to be spoken how cunningly he aunswered with what arguments he defended himselfe He neuer spake any thing vnworthie a good man insomuch that if he thought that in his heart which he professed in words there could not be found in him any iust cause of death or of the least or lightest offence He affirmed all to be false and that they were all crimes deuised against him by those that hated him But by and by the cause for the multitude and weight of the offences which could not be determined in one day was put off for three dayes longer At which time the arguments of euerie crime being recited and by many witnesses affirmed he arising Forasmuch saith he as you haue with such diligence heard mine aduersaries it is right and conuenient that with indifferent minds yee likewise heare me speake Which after much adoe being graunted vnto him he first began with praier vnto God that he would be pleased to giue him that mind and that facultie of speech that might redownd to the saluation of his owne soule And then I know saith hee many excellent men that haue suffered many things vnworthie their vertues oppressed by false witnesses condemned by vniust Iudges c. And againe it is an vniust thing that a Priest should be condemned by a Priest and yet this was vniustly done by the Colledge and Councell of Priests
ignominie to the Maiestie Royall shame to the glorie Imperiall and eternall infamie to the Christian Commonweale Aeneas Syluius Histor Bohem. c. 46. That our age hath seene Sigismund a Prince of good yeares borne of Emperours and himselfe an Emperour whose name Italie France Germanie and all Europe honoured and whom barbarous nations feared a suppliant vnto this man not borne otherwise of any great nobilitie an old man blind an heretike giuen to sacrilege and all wickednesse to offer vnto him money and the greatest honours that he might vouchsafe to take his part But the death of Zischa partly broken with trauels partly with yeares brake off the treatie And some write that hee dyed of the plague Whereupon Syluius hath this bitter taunt Him whom the hand of man was not able to kill the finger of God destroyed By how much better right ought hee in the basenesse and infirmitie of the man which he representeth to haue acknowledged the arme of God Neither yet were this miserable poore people destitute of Gods protection although by his death they thenceforth named themselues Orphans as shall bee seene in his place The Epitaph written on his tombe in the citie of Tabor which he had builded is memorable I Iohn Zischa rest here in skill of militarie affaires not inferiour to any of the Emperours or Captaines Paralipom Abbatis Vispergensis a seuere reuenger of the pride and couetousnesse of the Clergie-men and a most valiant defender of my countrey That which Appius Claudius being blind did for the Romans in well counselling and Furius Camillus in valiantly exployting the same haue I done for my Bohemians I neuer was wanting to the good fortune of the warre nor it to mee I haue foreseene though blind all importunities of well-doing and with Ensignes spred haue fought eleuen times euer victorious It seemed vnto mee that I haue verie well done to take in hand the most iust cause of the miserable and hungrie against the delicat fat and crammed Priests and in this doing haue felt the helpe of God If their enuie had not hindered it no doubt I should haue merited to be numbred among the Illustrious men Neuerthelesse my bones lye here in this sacred place etiam insalutato inuitoque Papa Euen without hauing saluted the Pope and in despight of his teeth And vnderneath was written in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn Zischa enemie of the Priests couetous of dishonest gaine but in a godlie zeale Neither is it to be omitted That when a certaine Picard came into Bohemia had by his illusions enticed after him some people into an island of the riuer Lusmik where he had taught them to goe naked and promiscuously to couple themselues one with another whence they were called Adamites as it is an ordinarie thing with Sathan to cast such mistie clouds ouer the light of the Gospel when he seeth it begin to shine forth Zischa and his people were the first that set vpon them with open force inuaded the island and put them all to the edge of the sword excepting two onely of whom they might learne the particularities of their impious superstition When notwithstanding the Preachers of the Romish Church burden the doctrine of Iohn Hus with diuers calumnies the Fathers of the Councell of Constance condemned it for the opinions of Wickliffe but they imputed to wickliffe such opinions after their owne pleasure as he neuer thought off and one monstrous aboue the rest That God ought to obey the diuell although the calumnie it selfe is such as sheweth their vntrue dealing and none of them that wrot against Wickliffe whilest he was aliue doth make mention of any such And as for Iohn Hus Pope Pius the second recounteth in his historie the articles of his doctrine agreeable to our confessions And there is extant the confessions of the Bohemians exhibited to their kings when libertie of their religion was permitted them in which is nothing which agreeth not with true Christian pietie In the meane time Pope Martin loseth not courage on the contrarie thinking as indeed it was that the vnion of this people was shaken by the death of Zischa determined to contriue against them They had two different captaines for the warre the great and the little Precop and thence their concord seemed to be but ill repaired He therefore sendeth the Cardinall of Winchester an Englishman into Germanie to stirre vp the mind of the Emperour command the Germans to take the Crosse against this people and so is a threefold armie leuied the first out of the circuit of Saxonie and the townes by the sea coast commaunded by the duke of Saxonie the second out of the territorie of Franconia by the Marquesse of Brandebourg and the third out of the jurisdictions of Rhine of Bauaria and of Sueuia by Otho Archbishop of Treuer who by three wayes enter into Bohemia and joyne themselues together joyntly to recouer the citie Mizla which the night before the enemies had surprised That handfull of men seemed vnable to stand against so mightie an armie neuerthelesse hauing gathered themselues together in hast they march directly towards their enemies Aeneas Syluius c. 48. But they saith Pius the second fled without seeing the enemie and comming to Thacoâ—ia left their artillerie and bootie there The Cardinall commeth to meet them admiring at the fearefull and shamefull flight of so many Captaines and valiant men He earnestly entreateth them againe and againe to turne backe their face to the enemie euerie way weaker than they But when hee could not obtaine this hee is constrained to accompanie them in their flight I durst not write thus much if Pope Pius the second had not first written it and in so many words Scarcely were they entred into the forest when the Bohemians comming vpon them began to assaile the hindmost troupes then their flight is made more disorderly and fearefull neither doe the Germans giue ouer sooner to flie than the Bohemians to follow Therefore they take their baggage winne Thacouia by assault and make themselues masters of the artillerie Thence they wast Misnia taxe Franconia Bamberg Nuremberg and other cities to redeeme themselues Here Sigismund and Pope Martin bethinke themselues of another armie stronger than the former vnto which all the Princes States and cities doe contribute Iulian Cardinall of S. Angelo commaunded for the Pope and the Elector of Brandebourg for the Emperour many Princes accompayning them there was in the army fortie thousand horse but the number of the footemen was not so many And with these great forces the Cardinall entreth into the countrie putting all he can to fire and sword and sparing neither sex nor age Yet scarcely haue the feet of all touched the borders but that whether there were treason in the armie of the faithfull meaning the Papall as many supposed or that a vaine feare had inuaded the mindes of men without cause they trembled throughout all the campe and before there was one enemy
some the three and twentieth sat neere to his heart who had found meanes for the price of thirtie thousand Crownes to redeeme himselfe out of the hands of the Palatine who had him in custodie departing thence visited his antient friends throughout Italie for that it seemed to portend vnto him a new Schisme yet he commeth to him to Florence and saluteth him humblie trusting in the friendship and faith of Cosma de Medicis who had all power and authoritie in the citie though it were a free citie Martine therefore made him Cardinall of Tusculum where a few daies after he dyed Peter de Luna called Benedist the thirteenth raigned yet imaginarily in his rocke of Arragon with some of his Cardinals and Alfonsus king of Arragon was offended against Martin for that to his prejudice he had declared king of Sicilie Lewis of Anjou adopted by Queene Ioane In the meane season fell out the time appointed for the Councell of Pauia which hee could not with honestie shift off though Alfonsus threatned to oppose Benedict against him He therefore sendeth thither Peter Donatus Archbishop of Candie with some Cardinals to begin the Councell at Pauia then after by reason of the pestilence transferreth it to Siena to which place resorted a greater number of all Nations than to Pauia Neither wanted there the Embassadours of Alfonsus to prolong the Councell till he might with bountious gifts promote the businesse of Benedict But Martin thinking it good to preuent the worst suddenly breaketh vp the Councell and putteth it off for seuen yeares And therefore Antoninus saith it was onely held perfunctoriè for fashion sake Till at last Martin is deliuered of this feare first by the death of Benedict in the yeare 1424 An. 1424. Antonin tit 22. cap. 7. hauing surpassed the yeares of S. Peter for the full measure saith the Authour of his damnation but not in the seat of S. Peter to whom neuerthelesse his Cardinals created a successor named Clement the 8. But afterwards the sayd Clement renouncing the Popedome in the yeare 1428 An. 1428. whom Martin compelled so to doe he being forsaken of most of his Cardinals and giuing him the bishopricke of Maiorca and reseruing to the Cardinals that were about him their dignities and furthermore hauing also before all things appeased the mind of Alfonsus when he perceiued that the warres of Lewis had no good successe at Naples then Martin being receiued at Rome bendeth his care to the re-edifying and repayring of the buildings and the Cardinals by his example euerie one in their parishes did the like and that was sayd instaurare to restore or repaire the Church He gaue himselfe also to the gathering of money on all sides For saith Antoninus this thing common report reproued in him that he too greedily laboured to heape vp money so that he was in no wise able to say with the chiefe Apostle Siluer and Gold haue I none But that his exceeding great temporall treasure was consumed by the hands of his kinsmen and chiefely of his nephew the Prince of Salerne to whom it fell by his death in bestowing it on hired souldiers and enemies against the Church And in the yeare 1431 he dieth happie in this that thereby he escaped the Councell of Basill which fell out at the same time and was so much the more to be feared for that the Fathers of the Councel of Constance had made a law both by word and in effect wherby it was decreed That a generall Councell is aboue the Pope This is that Pope of whom Angelus de Clauasio a Frier Minorite authour of the Angelicall Summa writeth on the word Pope Hauing communicated the matter with his Doctors he gaue to a certaine man leaue to marrie with his owne sister And this Angelus flourished almost about the same time vnder Sixtus the fourth Now he had alreadie assigned this Councell at the instance of Sigismund and for to hold it ordayned Legat Iulian Cardinall of S. Angelo who had alreadie begun it and hauing had but bad successe of the warres in Bohemia had graunted in the Councels name a safe conduct to the Bohemians and Morauians to come thither with all assurances requisit But it was to be doubted whether Cardinall Condelmero his successour called Eugenius the fourth would continue it and so much the rather for that in the second Session it had beene deceed these words That the Synod gathered together by the assistance of the holie Ghost making a generall Councell and representing the Church militant hath power immediatly from Christ Concil Basiliensi Sess 2. whereunto all men of what estate or dignitie soeuer yea be it the Pope himselfe is bound to obay in those things that pertaine vnto Faith and he that shall disdaine to obay the statutes vnlesse he repent Monstrelet vol. 1. An. 1431. let him be duely punished And indeed hee endeuoured alreadie to put it off for a yeare and a halfe longer and to transferre it to Bononia that thereby as he sayd the Greekes might more easily repaire vnto it For which cause Sigismund fearing delay wrot vnto him verie vehemently That vnder pretence of the Greekes he ought not deferre the peace of the Church among the Latins That the Bohemians had alreadie accepted of the safe conduct of whose conuersion there was some good hope which if it would not be they would then ioyntly take counsell together of the meanes to destroy them That seeing they professe to proue their doctrine by the holie Scripture if the Councell should either be dismissed or deferred till another time they would say that the Fathers could not aunswer them and that the Catholikes themselues to whom so long time Reformation was promised frustrate of that hope at Pisa and at Constance would verily deeme all to be but mockerie and collusion That the Princes also neighbours of the Bohemians would make truce with them as some alreadie haue done and it may be would ioyne together with them both in their minds and forces Therefore that he should giue commission to the President Cardinall Iulian to continue the Councell otherwise it were to be doubted that the delaying of the Councell would prouoke the Laitie to play the mad-men against the Church Moreouer That the Councell it selfe would by no meanes consent to the dissoluing of it and in that behalfe should be followed and out-borne by the greatest part of the Kings Princes Prelats and of all in generall who would hold him by good right for an authour and fauourer of heresies and schismes among Christians whereby he would be an occasion of a new disobedience in the Church and of new troubles and that it would be much better if he himselfe were present in person Eugenius was yet but young in the Popedome and had not as yet ynough tried his strength at Rome also was disagreement betweene him and the Colonni whom he had diuersly molested for to recouer of them the money of Martin which as
Constance sayd Although Christ hath instituted the holie Supper vnder both kinds c. Yet notwithstanding c. These of Basill say hauing well examined the Diuine Scriptures and the doctrines of the holie Fathers That the faithfull of the Laitie or of the Clergie communicating are not bound by the commaundement of the Lord to receiue the Sacrament of the Eucharist vnder both kinds of bread and wine altering and wresting the decision beside the purpose whereas indeed the Bohemians complayned not that they were constrained to a whole Communion by the Romish Church but that they were excluded from it And what greater necessitie can there be to a Christian man than to sticke vnto the precept and prescript rule of his Sauiour These are euer their subtile deceits Lastly this Councel of Basil had forbidden to exact or pay Annates vnder pain of Simonie Eugenius who willingly wold loose nothing complaineth as of an iniurie done to the Church That this could not neither ought to haue beene done without hauing first consulted with Eugenius and his Colledge of Cardinals Respons factae per Domin Anton Auditorem pro parte Eugenij If any pretended abuses in them they ought to haue prouided against them without priuation of the substance that so Iustice and peace might meet each other euidently abusing the Scriptures For said he whence shall the Apostolike See defray charges in prouiding for the necessities and commodities of the vniuersal Church and for those things that belong vnto peace and the extirpation of heresies and errors And with the same reason ouerthroweth he that which they had ordained concerning indulgences election causes and vacations of Scribes and Abbreuiators of the Court of Rome and other like pillages And this was not the least cause why he would dissolue the Councell An Authour of those times not to be suspected saith That he was so prodigall of Indulgences that the Englishmen Thomas Gascoigne in Dictionario Theologico who perceiued it commonly sayd Rome commeth now to our gates The church of Rome is a great harlot for now she prostituteth herselfe to euerie one that offereth money And all being full of pardons the Popes negotiators at length gaue indulgences for a supper for a lodging for a draught of wine or beere for tennis play and sometime for brothelrie or leacherie We are not to omit that Eugenius who from the time of Martin his predecessour had accustomed himselfe to warfare and all the time of his Popedome had beene entangled in warre made such a wound in Christendome as hath bled euer since Vladislaus king of Hungarie had made peace with the Turke Eugenius sendeth vnto him Cardinall Iulian who promising vnto him some succours and a Nauie at Sea to stay and incumber the enemies persuadeth him to breake that peace seeing that it could not subsist with the enemies of Christ without his commaundement whereupon ensueth a bloudie battaile in which the Turkes had the victorie Aeneas Syluius l. 1. Epist 81. for to shew vs saith Aeneas Siluius after Pope Pius the second That oaths ought to be kept not onely with the domestick friends of faith but also with the enemies thereof In that battaile was slaine king Vladislaus a patterne of singular valour and of renowned Nobilitie Cardinall Iulian was wounded and in his retiring is slayne of the Christians themselues as Author of this miserable discomfiture by the desloyaltie of which he was instrument And from this misfortune arose others without end and without number so daungerous is it for any to enterprise any thing against faithfulnesse and beyond his vocation Memorable against perfidious persons Bonfinij Hist Hungar. Dec. 1. lib. 6. is that which we read in the Hungarian Historie When Amurath beheld his armie put to flight by king Vladislaus not without great slaughter pulling forth of his bosome the Articles of peace solemnely sworne vnfoldeth it and lifting vp his eyes stedfastly vnto heauen saith These are O Iesu Christ the couenants of peace which thy Christians haue made with me they haue holily sworne by thy Diuine Maiestie and haue violated the faith giuen in thy name they haue perfidiously denied their God Now O Christ if thou be God I beseech the reuenge here these thine iniuries mine and to them that as yet acknowledge not thy name shew the punishment of violated faith Scarcely had he said these words who expected the last of extremities against himselfe when the battell which before had beene doubtfull enclined towards his side c. This happened in the yeare 1444 An. 1444. from which time the state of Christendome could neuer well recouer it selfe More our the Councell of Basill or at leastwise they which in their name wrot against the Bohemians on their part set forward the progresse of abomination For when those Churches had determined not to admit any doctrine that was not grounded on holie Scripture Cardinal Cusan was charged by letters to confound them with this Axiome which they were not ashamed to maintaine That the Scriptures can by no meanes be of the essence of the Church either begun or continued but onely of the seemely order thereof Item That the Church is not knowne by the Gospell but the Gospell by the Church Item That so much the more worthily is the word of God giuen of God by how much the farther off it is from all Scripture yea and from all vocall word That by this reason he might reduce all things to the Church which they call Catholike from the Catholike to the Roman and at last draw them from the Roman to their Councell And when those Churches replied That that was not the mind nor voyce of the auntient Church which had otherwise celebrated the holie Eucharist and had in another sence interpreted the Scripture than now in these dayes it is Cardinal Cusanus Epist 2 3. ad Bohemos Let not this moue thee saith he that in diuers times diuerse are the ceremonies of Priests and that the Scriptures be found applied to the time and diuersly vnderstood so that in one time they be expounded according to the vniuersall ceremonie then currant but the ceremonie being changed the sence thereof again is changed Wherfore although of the same precept of the Gospel the interpretation of the Church be other than in times past yet this sence now currant in vse inspired for the gouernement of the Church ought to be receiued as befitting the time and as the way to saluation The reason followeth because the iudgement of the Church being changed the iudgement also of God is changed And by this accoūt whether it be their Church or their Councell it is not onely extolled aboue the holie Scripture but also aboue God himselfe who is held if we beleeue them to change his counsell after their pleasure of which doctrine truely euen the Iewes in their Thalmud and the Turkes in their Alcoran would be ashamed And when afterwards the Popes haue reduced the
the begging Friers ought to be bridled being burdensome to the people dammageable to spittles and hospitals and to other truely poore and needie wretches preiudiciall also to the Curats and poore of Parishes and likewise if it be well considered to all estates of the Church Those Preaching money-gatherers aboue all because they defile the Church with their lyes and make it ridiculous and the office of Preaching contemptible Monkes after the Canon of Chalcedon to be restrained in their monasteries to fastings and prayer excluded from Ecclesiasticall and secular affaires and to be debarred from all studies Diuinitie excepted seeing it is euident That the Court of Rome in contemning Diuines haue preferred to all Ecclesiasticall degrees the students of gainefull sciences when neuerthelesse the Primitiue Diuines haue edified the Church which some wrangling Lawyers haue destroyed and now seeme to bring to extreame ruine so that now this horrible prouerbe is vsed of some That the Church is come to that state that it is not worthie to be gouerned by any but reprobats Neither doe they withdraw themselues from the jurisdiction of Ordinaries against the holie Decrees by humane priuiledges obtained by importunitie For it is not a little to be doubted saith hee whether such men are in state to be saued All which things although they respect more the circumstance than the substance of Christian religion yet are they in no sort touched in that Councell Moreouer Petrus de Alliaco in Vesperijs this same Peter de Alliaco in his Questions hath disputed Vtrum Petri Ecclesia lege reguletur Whether the Church of Peter meaning the Roman may be ruled by a law where he concludeth affirmatiuely and subiecteth both the Pope and the Roman Church to a Councell Yet there wanted not at the same time euen in France it selfe busie spies of the Pope who maintained contrarie positions for in the yere 1429 one Frier Iohn Sarazenus of the order of Preachers durst teach and maintaine these same that follow First That all powers and iurisdictions of the Church which be other than the Papal power are from the Pope himselfe as touching their institution and collation 2. Such like powers are not de jure diuino of diuine right nor immediatly instituted of God 3. It is not found that Christ hath expressed such powers to wit different from the Papall but only that supreme power to whom hee hath committed the foundation of the Church 4. Whensoeuer any Statuees are made in any Councell the whole authoritie giuing force to those Statutes resideth in the Pope alone Fiftly It is not expresly shewed by the text of the Gospell That the authoritie of iurisdiction was bestowed on any of the Apostles sauing onely on Peter Sixtly To say that the power of iurisdiction of inferiour Prelats whether they be Bishops or Curats is immediatly from God like as is the Popes power is after a a sort repugnant to the truth Seuenthly Like as no flower no bud neither yet all flowers and buds together can doe any thing in the tree which are all ordained for the tree and deriued from the tree so all other powers can de jure by right doe nothing against the chiefe Priesthood or Priest being instituted by him Here after is said that the Spirituall power is the Pope as sayd Hugo de Sancto Victore 2 De Sacramentis out of which it may seeme that here by chiefe Priesthood hee meaneth the Pope Eightly That the Pope cannot commit Canonicall simonie prohibited by the positiue law The professors of Diuinitie in Paris being solemnely assembled on the eighth day of March and hauing duely weighed these positions condemne them publikely and compell the said Iohn to abiure them and force him to answer vnto others contrarie which here doe follow First That all powers of iurisdiction of the Church which are not the Papall power are from Christ himselfe as touching their primarie institution and collation but from the Pope and from the Church as touching their limitation and ministeriall dispensation Secondly Such like powers are de jure diuino of diuine right and immediatly instituted by God Thirdly It is found in holie Scripture that Christ hath founded the Church and hath expresly ordained the powers diuers from the Papall Fourthly Whensoeuer in any Councell any Statutes are made the whole authoritie giuing vigour to the Statutes resideth not in the Pope alone but principally in the holie Ghost and in the Catholike Church Fiftly By the text of the Gospell and by the doctrine of the Apostles is expresly shewed That the authoritie of iurisdiction was bestowed on the Apostles and on the Disciples sent of Christ Sixtly To say that the power of iurisdiction of inferiour Prelats whether they be Bishops or Curats is immediatly from God is consonant to the Euangelicall and Apostolicall truth Seuenthly Any power that is to say of the Church by right may doe something and in certaine cases against the Pope Eightly Any whosoeuer that is but meere man hauing the vse of reason of whatsoeuer dignitie authoritie and preheminence yea though he be a Pope may commit simonie Lastly If I haue vttered or written any other things which seeme contrarie to the foresayd truthes or which are otherwise written I will not stand in them but will and entreat that they be accounted for not sayd or written and all other things whatsoeuer which may seeme to yeeld occasion of scandall or errour The Acts of all which are solemnely kept in the Arches of the Sorbone The Councell of Basil was able perhaps to take in hand a reformation with more courage than that of Constance but it had Eugenius to contend with who as before we haue seene defended stoutly euen the least articles so that by admonitions gaine sayings and oppositions he left nothing vnattempted Notwithstanding the historie of the Councell of Basil written by Aeneas Syluius then Clerke of the Ceremonies who was there present and since Pius the second and therefore a most fit witnesse assureth vs that many things were there grauely pronounced according to the truth although he plainely sheweth that Eugenius had intruded into it many of his which were incorporated and had taken oath in the Councell and yet neuerthelesse in all things tooke the part of Eugenius who were vulgarly named the Grisean sect An. 1438. In the yeare then 1438 when Eugenius had assigned his Councell at Ferrara to the preiudice of that of Basil the Emperour Albert came in betweene to be a mediator of peace and for that intent assembled a Parliament first at Norimberg and after at Mentz wherein were present the Deputies of the Councell of Basil of all nations in Eugenius name appeared none in shew yet verie many in deed who set forward his intention The Fathers of Basil consented that for the commoditie of the Greekes the place of the Councell should be changed Eugenius for to retaine his authoritie would haue the Councell of Basil bee dissolued In the meane
consent to the dissolution of the Councell of Basill And if any be moued at it that they are readie to aunswer actum est ne agas That hee hath that promise from the Chauncellour of Fraunce that they had heard that the kings Embassadours allured with certaine promotions made great shew that the king would consent to the dismission of the Councell but that they had resolued to resist him to his face And there we haue a Treatise concerning that matter written in the yeare 1434 by Iohn Patriarch of Antioch An. 1434. which he caused publiquely to be pronounced in the great hall of the Couent of Franciscan Friers in Basill That a generall Councell is aboue the Pope It beginneth Ad ostendendum Where out of the Fathers and by the Decrees he bringeth it to this In 3. vol. Concil in Append. Concil Basiliens ad ostendend That the Pope is the seruant of the Church to be chastised by it if he doe his duetie amisse and confuteth at large whatsoeuer is alledged to the contrarie Let the Reader see the booke it selfe in the Councels At the same time whilest the Popes boasted that the Greekes did acknowledge obedience vnto them are published two bookes of Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica against the Primacie of the bishop of Rome In the first booke he sheweth Nilus Archiepisc Thessalon de Primatu That the principall controuersies between the Greeke and Latin Church proceed from this that the Pope will not be judged by an vniuersal Councell but contrariwise as a master among his disciples will be Iudge in his owne cause whereas he ought to be ruled by the prescriptions of the Councel and contain himselfe within the Decrees of the Fathers That the bishop of Rome hath not the same power ouer other bishops as a bishop hath ouer his Diocesans but hath onely the prerogatiue of the first seat to be higher than other And here hee enlargeth himselfe to shew the commoditie and authortie of Councels In the second book he teacheh That the bishop of Rome hath not the right of Primacie from Christ nor yet from S. Peter nor from the Apostles but that the Fathers for some causes haue giuen vnto him the first seat That he is not the successour of S. Peter but inasmuch as he is a bishop by which reason also all other bishops are his successors That he is not an Apostle much lesse prince of the Apostles That in those things which pertain to the rules of faith they may haue often erred That he hath no right to alledge his Tu es Petrus because that promise respecteth the Church of Christ and not S. Peter and much lesse him whom they would haue to be his successours That though we yeeld him to be first in order yet he is not therfore to beare domination ouer others this Primacie not inferring an order aboue others but a co-ordination with others Moreouer he rejected these presumtions of the Bishop of Rome That he is the Iudge of all to be judged of none That he is not bishop of a certaine place but absolutely bishop That he alone by his owne right ought to assigne an vniuersal Councell and the like seeing that the Primacie or rather first Seat was granted to him onely propter vrbis principatum because Rome was the first or chiefest in order among cities We need not here repeat how openly and as they speake formally the greatest part of the kingdome of Bohemia opposed themselues earnestly desiring reformation of the Church according to the holie Scriptures exhibiting to this end a confession of their Faith to their King to the Emperour and to the Councell and preaching the same publikely in the Temples which by publike authoritie were then granted vnto them Also after faith was broken with Iohn Hus how stoutly they defended it by just and necessarie armes God from heauen fighting for the safegard of that poore people vtterly frustrating all the endeuours of the Emperour and of the Popes against them as we haue aboue shewed out of Aeneas Syluius for they haue continued without interruption vntill these our times But it is worth the adding That those Waldenses who some ages before had brought this light of the Gospell into Bohemia abode still in the mountaines of Languedoc and Prouence and in many places within the Alpes and there kept themselues safe from the persecution of Popes and Papists In Lombardie also as witnesseth Antonine vnder the name of Fratricelli were some knowne to the time of Eugenius But in England especially the seed of Wickliffe was largely propagated where without repeating any thing of Sir Iohn Oldeastle of whom wee haue before spoken we read of verie many to haue suffered martyrdome for the same doctrine William Taylour Priest and professor of Artes in the Vniuersitie of Oxford An. 1422. An. 1428. in the yeare 1422 and William White in the yeare 1428 Author of many Treatises vpon matters controuerted in that time was burned for thirtie articles which by word and writing he had defended He taught among other things That the Roman Church was that withered fig tree which the Lord had cursed for barrennesse of faith That the Monkes and Friers were the annoynted and shauen souldiers of infernall Lucifer That against these the Bridegroome when he shall come will shut the gate for that their lampes are out With the same mind also Alexander Fabritius in his Treatise intituled Destructorium vitiorum wrot many excellent things against the corruptions of the Romish Church against the antiquitie of which he opposed this saying of S. Cyprian If Christ alone saith he ought to bee heard we are not to attend what men before vs haue thought fit to bee done but what Christ first before all hath done If Christ had knowne that man might more easily get eternall life by the lawes of Iustinian than by the law of God he would haue taught them vs with his owne mouth and would haue let goe the law of God till another time which notwithstanding he hath taught with great diligence and wherein is contained all the doctrine requisit to saluation Againe He is a betrayer of the truth who openly speaketh a lye for the truth and he which doth not freely pronounce the truth the Pastors of the Church which refuse to pronounce the truth of the Gospell and by their euill examples slay such as be vnder them are traytors and most manifest Antichrists The Pastors and Prelats of the Church take great paines in these dayes for the obtaining of dignities one in the kings kitchin another in the Bishops Court another in seruice of his Lord but none in the Court of the Law of God Proud Priests and Prelats against the doctrine and example of Iesus Christ doe beare dominion as the kings of the Gentiles Being vniust they oppresse theirs with superfluous traditions vniust constitutions These moderne Priests doe whatsoeuer flesh and bloud reuealeth vnto them therefore are they cursed
it was afterwards printed by it selfe at Basil in 8o. in Italian Latine French The title of the booke is Francisci Guicciardini loci duo c. which it were not labour lost to read Baptista Mantuanus a Carmelite a man famous for his learning in those times in many places but especially in his ninth Eclogue freely describeth the state of the Church of Rome in his time which he saith was in such sort degenerated that the shepheards and their dogs were become rauening wolues and those whom they should feed and defend they deuoured But let that which he hath in his third booke of Calamities be to vs in stead of the rest Petrique domus pollûta fluente Marcescit luxu nulla hîc arcanareuelo Non ignota loquor licet vulgata referre Sic Vrbes populique ferunt sic fama per omnem Iam vetus Europam mores extirpat honestos Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara Cynaedis Seruit honor andae Divum Ganimedibus Aedes Quid miramur opes recidiuaque surgere tecta Thuris odorati globulos cinnama vendit Mollis Arabs Tirij vestes venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes Altaria sacra Coronae Ignis Thura preces coelum est venale Deusque And Peters house defil'd pines with excesse I name not things vnknowne nor secrets I rehearse Things common let me speake all countries say the same Yea through all the parts of Europe it is the same That honestie from Rome is fled that holie place Serues jeasters buggerers the Altars doe disgrace The houses of the gods with Ganimedes are fild Why doe we admire their wealth the houses they build Arabia Frankincense and Cinamon sells The Tirians goodlie garments Rome all things else Temples and Priests Altars and Crownes they fell for pelfe Fire Frankincense prayers heauen and God himselfe And all this in Italie Neither were they silent in Germany for it is noted that about these times the prouerbes were verie common The neerer to Rome the worse Christian In the name of God begins all mischiefe for this was the beginning of their Bulls He that goes once to Rome sees the man of sinne he that goes twice knowes him hee that goes thrice brings him home with him that is to say being neere the man of sinne is made like him But among the learned many haue left behind them a good testimonie of their conscience Iohn of Vesalia a Doctor and Preacher at Wormes was accused before the Inquisitors for holding these propositions That Prelats haue no authoritie to ordaine new lawes in the Church but to persuade the faithfull to the obseruation of the Gospell That the best interpreters of the Scriptures expound one place by another because men obtaine not the spirit of Christ but by the spirit of Christ That the Doctors be they neuer so holy are not to be beleeued for themselues and the Glosse as little That the commaundements of the Church bind not to sinne That the elect are saued by the onely mercie of God That the Popes Indulgences are vaine and so are the Chrisme Lent difference of meats holie-dayes auricular confession pilgrimages to Rome c. But for as much as he impugned the opinions of Thomas the Frier-Preachers who were of the Inquisition were moued against him Diether also Archbishop of Meniz to auoyd that suspition of heresie the Pope had of him was enforced to yeeld vnto them in so much that without any respect of his yeares or his long sicknesse they proceeded against him whereby he was enforced to reuoke his opinions He that writ his examination which bare date the yeare 1479 saith and takes God to witnesse That he was compelled to that recantation that he made and the burning of his bookes Examen Magistrate Iohannis de Vesalia Moguntia 1479. M. Engeline of Brunswic a great Diuine and M. Iohn Keiserberg withstanding it both men learned and free addicted to neither part especially it seemed to M. Iohn Engeline that they had taken too precipitat a course with so great a personage yea he feared not to affirme that most of his articles yea the greatest part might verie well be defended There are many bookes of his extant and among the rest a Treatise of Indulgences where he peremptorily affirmeth That the supremacie of the Pope is a humane inuention That the Church militant may erre That all things necessarie to saluation are contained in the Scriptures There liued at the same time but somewhat younger Doctor Wesellus of Groning called The Light of the world who in a certaine Epistle of his saith That he did expect that the Inquisitors hauing condemned Vesalius would haue come vnto him hauing defended his opinion both at Paris and at Rome against diuers articles of the Church of Rome And he feareth not to say That many of the Court approued it though it differed not much from the opinion of the Waldenses as we may gather by his writings Iohan. Wesellus de subditis superioribus In his booke of Subiects and Superiors he affirmeth That the Pope can erre and that erring we ought to resist him That by his simonie and wicked gouernement he made it to appeare that he had no care either of God or the good of the Church That his commands bind no farther than they are agreeable to the word of God That his excommunications are no more to be feared than those of any other learned and godlie man for so did the Councell of Constance hearken rather to Iohn Gerson than Iohn the 24 and all good and godlie men to S. Bernard sometime than to Pope Eugenius the third Philip. Melancton in vita Rodolfi Agricolae His workes are to be read printed by pieces at Leipsic Antuerpe Basill Also in this countrie his familiar friend Rodolphus Agricola was verie famous a man worthily accounted one of the lights of this darke age who was of the same opinion And Iosquin of Groning then yong witnesseth That he had often seene them both send forth many a sigh and grone to thinke of the doctrine of the Church so much deformed Gocchius Pupperus a Priest and Curat of Malin in Brabant taught the same reformed doctrine almost in all the Articles especially in that of the free justification of a sinner by the bloud of Christ rejecting all the glosses of Sophisters and Schole men betaking himselfe wholly to the Scriptures and namely to that which S. Paule teacheth vs That those interpretations which they commonly alledge differ from the word of God and smel of the heresie of Pelagian That they haue turned Christianitie into Iudaisme and Pharisaisme His bookes are Printed in Germanie namely Of grace faith the dignitie of the holie Scriptures and others In the Vniuersitie of Tubingue Paulus Scriptoris a Doctour in Diuinitie expounding the fourth booke of the Master of sentences openly condemned transubstantiation as not being grounded vpon the holie Scriptures whom the Augustinians the Disciples of Iohn Stauffich Prouinciall followed with diuers
Sermons publiquely foretold That Italie should be inuaded by foraine powers with so great astonishment that neither Councell nor walles nor armes should be able to resist them And this he did for fifteene yeares together whilest he liued at Florence But saith he when Charles was returned into Fraunce and the Pope freed from his feares he began to remember Hieronimus who hauing beene long before accused vnto him for inueying against the Clergie and Court of Rome not without the great scandall of them both for nourishing discords at Florence for preaching doctrines that were not Catholike was for these causes many times cited to Rome but he refused to appeare and therefore in the yere 1479 he was excommunicated But he still continuing in his preaching his aduersaries by the authoritie of the Pope getting the vpper hand drew him out of the Monasterie of S. Mark where he liued cast him into the common prison-house In which tumult the kinsfolke of those who the yeare before lost their heads slew Franciscus Valori an excellent citizen and his chiefe patron This saith Guicciardine Sauanarola was examined with tortures vpon which examination a processe was published which discharging him of those calumnies which were imposed vpon him touching his auarice his dishonest behauiour his secret practises with foraine Princes tended onely to this that such things as he had foretold were done not by Diuine reuelation but out of his owne opinion grounded vpon the doctrine and obseruation of the Scriptures And that he was not moued thereunto for any ill intent or out of couetousnesse to obtayne any ecclesiasticall dignitie but this one thing he onely respected that by his meanes a generall Councell might be called wherein the corrupt manners of the Clergie might be reformed and the degenerate estate of the Church of God as farre forth as was possible might be reduced to the similitude of that it was in the Apostles times or those that were neerest vnto them And if he could bring so great and so profitable a worke to effect he would thinke it a farre greater glorie than to obtaine the Popedome it selfe because that could not proceed but from excellent learning and vertue with a singular reuerence of all men whereas the Popedome is obtayned for the most part either by wicked meanes or the benefit of fortune Here let the Reader judge how great a sinne it is with them to desire or to forward the reformation of the Church by a generall Councell and to make it conformable to that of the Apostles times Hauing confirmed this processe in the presence of diuers religious of the same order he with two others his fellowes was depriued of his holie orders by the sentence of the Generall of the Dominicans and the Bishop Romolin who was afterward Cardinall of Surrenta deputed Commissaries by the Pope This being done he was left to the power of the secular Court by the iudgement whereof they were first hanged and then burnt which their deaths forasmuch as they did constantly endure the diuersitie of iudgements and opinions of men still continued for diuers there were that thought him an Impostor and abuser of the people others were of opinion that that confession that was published was forged or that being a man of a weake constitution it was extorted from him by torments against the truth excusing his fragilitie and weakenesse with the example of the Prince of the Apostles who being neither imprisoned nor constrained by torments or any extraordinarie force but onely terrified with the words of a simple maid denied himselfe to be the Disciple of his master notwithstanding he had heard many of his godlie admonitions and seene his miracles And hereby are those slaunders sufficiently disproued which we read in Nauclerus to be imputed vnto him Naucler Genar 50. Guicciardine charging him with no other crime but that those predictions which before he affirmed to proceed from diuine reuelation being neere his death he acknowledged to be gathered from the obseruation and interpretation of the Scriptures no doubt of the Apocalyps which sound no other things but reuelation and which no man doubts but they are written by the penne of the holie Ghost Flaminius a famous Poet of Italie in his Epitaph thought farre otherwise Dum fera flamma tuos Hieronime pascitur artus Religio fleuit dilaniata comas Fleuit ô dixit crudeles parcite flammae Parcite sunt isto viscera nostra rogo B Whilest furious flames O Ierome thy bodie weare Religion weepes and teareth her haire She weeps and cries O cruell flames O stay your ire O stay our bowels burne in this same fire Now if any man shall aske what points of Religion he desired to haue reformed in that Councell he so much thirsted after it sufficiently appeares in his bookes wherein hee ouerthroweth as much as in him lyes all humane traditions placeth all his hope in the free iustification by faith in Christ Iesus stickes onely to his passion acknowledgeth Christes merits onely maintaineth the communion vnder both kinds thundreth against indulgences and as well for life as doctrine acknowledgeth Antichrist in the Court of Rome The doctrine especially of free iustification is excellently handled in his meditations vpon the thirtieth and fiftieth psalme which Posseuinus acknowledgeth to bee composed the night before his punishment As for his sermons and other bookes the Romane Index hath purged them according to their maner But if vnder that yoake of oppression to thirst after a reformation were heresie and worthie fire and fagot doubtlesse he was not onely faultie onely in daunger for Europe was then full of excellent men whose vowes and praiers vnto God tended to the same end Neither wanted there those who foretold a reformation at hand so plainely that there was no man but saw that it proceeded from diuine inspiration We haue spoken before of Wesselus of Groening called the light of the world Iohn Ostendorp a Canon of the Church of Deuentrie visiting that reuerend old man Gerad Nouiomagus in Historia hee sayd vnto him Young man thou shalt liue to see the day wherein the doctrine of these moderne contentious diuines Thomas and Bonauenture and others of that stamp shall bee contemned and hissed at of all diuines that are truely Christian Tilemanus Spengerberg speaking to his children and neighbours Shortly saieth hee this religion which now florisheth shall grow into contempt then shall yee see the Priests and Monkes for their wickednesse auarice hatred vncleanenesse cast out of the Temples and Monasteries and another true religion shall bee reestablished For God will no longer suffer the corrupt manners of these men teaching no one word of the Gospell and leading a life worse then Painims Paulus Scriptoris a Doctor of diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Tubingue spake likewise to that purpose so did Iohn Keiserberg a preacher at Strasbourg and an Author of certaine diuinitie bookes There shall one come saith hee raised by God that shall establish it
wishing verie earnestly that hee might bee his disciple A certaine ecclesiastical person in the citie of Coire a countrie of Grisons speaking to his fellowes You haue saith he cast S. Paule vnder the bench but a time shall come when hee shall come forth and put you where yee placed him Andreas Proles the Prior of the Augustines at Leipsic in his Lectures was wont to say You heare bretheren the testimonie of the Scriptures that by grace wee are whatsoeuer wee are and by grace wee haue whatsoeuer wee haue From whence then is there so much darkenesse such horrible superstitions O my brethren the state of Christendome hath need of a great and a seuere reformation which I now see to bee neere at hand But his brethren demaunding of him why hee beganne not this reformation and opposed not himselfe against these errours his aunswere was this You see my brethren that I am old and weake of bodie and I confesse my selfe for my learning industrie and eloquence insufficient to performe so great a worke but the Lord will raise a man fit and able for his age his strength his industrie his learning wit and eloquence who shall beginne the reformation and oppose himselfe against all errours God shall giue him a heart to withstand the mightie men of the world and you shall find his ministrie by the great grace and goodnesse of God profitable vnto you All this is reported by Heningus an Augustine Monke in the monasterie called The gate of heauen neere Weringherad whereof this Proles was Prior whom the Pope afterwards excommunicated because he opposed himselfe in the Councell of Lateran against a certaine new feast alleadging that the people of God deliuered from bondage by the bloud of Christ were too much oppressed with multitudes of traditions from which opinion he could neuer be withdrawne Iohn Hilten a Monke in Henac of Turingia beeing cast into prison for reprehending some Monasticall abuses beeing verie sicke called the Gardian or keeper and said vnto him Philippus Melanthon in Apologia Cap. de votis Monasiticis I haue said little or nothing against our Monkish Societie but there will come one in the yeare 1516 who shall ouerthrow them all whose proceedings they shall not bee able to withstand And that verie yeare Luther began to preach which did farre excell any humane diuination Diuers like vnto him did euerie where appeare who out of the palpable darkenesse of those times as if the dawne of the day did approach began to discrie the light of the Gospell after which all the people of God had a long time longed in such sort that Paulus Langius a Monke of Citique Paulus Langius Citicensis Monachus in in Chron. the disciple of the Abbot Trithemius about the time of Luthers first appearance though he had not yet left his Monasterie gaue him this excellent testimonie Martin saith hee is a perfect diuine profound incomparable he endeauoureth to bring diuinitie to her first fundamental dignitie and puritie and to her Euangelicall sincere and simple innocencie altogether banishing all prophane Philosophie Againe In imitation of that most Christian Diuine Simon de Cassia who florished about the yeare 1340 contemning all Philosophie hee handled and taught the Scriptures purely bringing into the light euerie day many venerable and almost vnknowne mysteries of the word of God beeing for the greatnesse and dexteritie of his wit famous through the whole world notwithstanding with S. Ierome hee wanted not the malice of his Competitors that is the persecution of Schole-diuines who frame the Scriptures to the rule of Philosophie In an other place about the yeare 1503 hee ioined vnto him Carolostadius and Melanthon They handle and teach the studie of Diuinitie and the wheat of the word of God purely without the mixture of any Chaffe that is of humane Philosophie and Syllogismes tying themselues wholy to the Gospell of Christ and to his Apostle S. Paul whom they take for their Patron and foundation with the Studie of learning sowing by their preaching the seed of all vertue and by their example pen in the hearts of their Disciples the feare of God And least thou shouldest replie that this was before Luther began his warre with the Pope heare what he saieth about the yeare 1520 hauing before discoursed of the abuse and excesse of Indulgences Hee saith he by his admirable learning and preaching brought to nothing the force of all Indulgences called them into question and dissuaded the people from buying of them affirming them to bee no way necessarie to saluation that they were no remission of sinnes but a neglect of repentance a hinderance and relaxation from good workes and a vice And that the merits of Christ and the Saints were not the foundation and treasurie of these indulgences since in the primitiue Church and a thousand yeres after we find nothing written of them by the holie Doctors of the true Church neither was there any such opinion or esteeme had of them as now there is for the loue of that money that is gotten by them Moreouer affirming and prouing that the Church of Rome by the law of God is not the head of all others c. And therefore hee saith againe Vntill this time they haue by all meanes like another Athanasius persecuted him especially for defending this Thesis That the Pope by the law of God is not the head of the Church and some other rare and high points of doctrine which not onely the Romans doe still impugne but diuers other learned men especially the Thomists Neuerthelesse this Martin the prince of all the Diuines of this age fortifying and approuing his doctrine with the testimonies of the Scripture and of S. Paul as also with the originall authorities of the auncient fathers hath hitherto continued vnconquered not wanting in the meane time in other nations diuers learned Doctors in Diuinitie who stucke vnto him and consented with him as that most learned and eloquent interpreter of the Scriptures Erasmus Roterodamus Iohn Reuschlin Iacobus Stapulensis Idocus Clithoueus and diuers others And thus much saith the Monke non assertiuè saith hee but admiratiue not by way of affirmation but admiration suspending his iudgement according to the manner of diuers others vntill it were determined by a generall Councell what is to bee held in a matter of this difficultie But it is now time to see what hath passed in our Fraunce in these times Pius the second as wee haue seene before had shaken the Pragmaticall sanction vnder king Lewis the eleuenth which neuerthelesse partly hee liuing the Court of Paris had maintained and partly vnder Paul the second his successor by the mediation of the Vniuersitie did throughly restore Sixtus the fourth comes who againe impugned it for this was then the principall marke they shot at and had beene then quite ouerthrowne had not Lewis the eleuenth being then in his owne power and withall offended with the wicked cariage of Sixtus vndertaken
to fill againe his emptied coffers As likewise saith Langius de Citica All the gold and siluer by little and little raked and drawne out of Germanie was carried to Rome as into a broken bagge and insatiable gulfe the gouernement also of Churches was committed not to the best deseruing but to him that offered most Moreouer he created thirtie Cardinalls for the price of fiue hundred thousand Ducats And this is euer the lawfull vocation which they so much brag of He addeth that for to satisfie both his owne and his Cardinals greedie desire he exacted great summes of money throughout all Europe by his Legats vnder colour of making warre against the Turkes and no little summe also by his Commissaries vnder pretence of building the Temple of Saint Peter But saith he the stones which were hewen by day were carried away priuily by night to the great Palace of Florence and the money it selfe that was gathered was not for the vse of the building nor against the Infidels but was distributed among the Cardinalls and the Popes friends Now this his prodigalitie being joyned with want there was nothing so abhominable which he inuented not or hearkened not vnto for to get in mony therefore Guicciardine saith He vsed verie licentiously the authoritie of the Apostolike See when he followed the counsell of Laurence Pucci Cardinall of the Title of foure Saints he sowed abroad through all the world without any difference of times and places most ample Indulgences not onely to succour the liuing but also to deliuer the soules of the departed out of the paines of Purgatorie And because it was notorious that such Indulgences were onely graunted to draw money from men which his Commissaries who had bought those Commissions of the Popes officers impudently demaunded hee procured to himselfe the euill will of men in most places and caused many scandals especially in Germanie where his ministers for a verie small price sold those their wares and in Tauernes played away at dice the power of deliuering soules out of Purgatorie But that which most encreased their indignation was that Leo who by reason of the facilitie of his nature administred his Pontificall charge with lesse grauitie than became the Maiestie of so great a function gaue to his sister Magdalene the money that came of the Indulgences in many Prouinces in Germanie who appoynted her Commissarie for that businesse the Bishop of Arembauld a man worthie of such a Commission which hee executed with exceeding great couetousnesse and extortion So that the Preachers were not ashamed by suggestion of his ministers to publish in the pulpit That at the sound of the money as it was cast into the bason the soules skipped for joy amidst the flames and presently flew out of Purgatorie Yea some also pronounced That vpon the paiment of this taxation all sinne was pardoned not fearing to expresse particularly the most horrible which my pen abhorreth to vtter No more modestie was vsed in France England Poland and other countries where the Commissaries were woont to assure the people That hee which gaue ten soulz should deliuer the soule for whom he gaue it out of the paines of Purgatorie desperatly affirming That God whensoeuer they pleased would presently doe it Christoph Massaeus in Chron. An. 1515. according to that saying Whatsoeuer yee shall loosse on earth c. But if there was but one farthing lesse than ten soulz they could doe nothing And this gaine sayth Langius displeased the holie children of the Church seeing the power of the Vicar began to be called into question and from whence should come this new doctrine in these later Prelats which the auncient Popes had beene ignorant of and yet he is a Monke that speaketh it Martin Luther among others then arose against whom Leo in stead of reformation cast forth his thunderbolts but of that wee will speake more in his place At last hauing kindled warre betweene the Emperour Charles the fift and Francis the first king of France to driue the Frenchmen out of Italie newes was brought vnto him to Maliagno his place of pleasure That Milan and Parma were taken from the French whereupon he entred into such an excesse of joy that the same night he fell into a little feuer whereof a few dayes after hee dyed Pasquil comparing Leo and Iulius together drew the difference out of their names and concludeth his Epigram with these verses Iulius est hominis bruti Leo Iulius egit Quae suasit ratio quod libet iste facit Iulius a mans name Leo a bruit beasts had He did as reason will'd this what his lust him bad And Sanazarus yeelding a reason why being at poynt of death hee had not receiued the Sacrament saith Sacra sub extremâ si forte requiritis horâ Cur Leo non poterat sumere vendiderat Why Leo receiued not at his last houre The Sacraments aske not they were not in his power But more rightly if he had said Because he had in him no religion For Cardinall Bembo his Secretarie alledging vnto him one day something out of the Gospell he feared not to answer him It is sufficiently knowne to all ages how greatly that fable of Christ hath profited vs and ours That man of sinne the sonne of perdition of whom the Church hath so long aforehand beene warned thinke wee he could adde any thing to this Jndex Hispan fol. 129. But their Index Expurgatorius hath commaunded those verses to be rased out of Sanazarus The writers of that age doe note some signes which portended his fall at hand The Angell which stood on the top of the castle S. Angelo vnder Alexander the sixt was cast downe by lightning from heauen At Rome also on the same day that Leo the tenth created one and thirtie Cardinals a sudden tempest happened in the verie Temple where they were assembled which struck and carried away the keyes out of the hands of the Image of S. Peter there And this was in the yere 1517 An. 1517. at which verie time Luther began to thunder out against the Pope OPPOSITION The Councell of Pisa was a manifest opposition against the Popes tyrannie though in a better cause as Guicciardine noteth Guicciard l. 9. they of Pisa were no better than the others but as the Angels of Sathan destroyed each other And yet by occasion thereof were published many notable Treatises against the temporall power of the Pope Philip Decius among others a most famous Lawyer of Milan in his writings publikely set forth defended the cause of them of Pisa That the Pope being hardened in simonie and infamous in wicked manners the power of assembling a Councell was come to the Cardinals which in so vrgent euils are the fittest remedie especially seeing their proceedings therein were approued by the authoritie of the Emperour elect by the consent of the Most Christian King and with the concourse and assistance of the German and French Clergie and that according to the
Decree of the Councels of Constance and Basil But Pope Pius the fift caused all his workes to be gelded by Thomas Manriques as may be seen in the librarie of Posseuin the Iesuite who gathered those notes But truely as it was a most grieuous vniuersall euill yet in diuers nations there openly shewed themselues both notable men who acknowledged that tyrannie and also whole corporations that rightly and formally opposed themselues against it In Germanie Bernard de Lublin writing to Simon of Cracouia in the yeare 1515 against the Popes Primacie maintained That it cannot bee that any one man should commaund the whole world That it is sufficient to saluation to embrace the faith of Christ alone That they which neuer heard any thing of the Pope are not the lesse for all that saued That we must stand to the Gospell and lay aside the traditions of men without which saluation may consist but it is a miserable condition of Christians who for the Decrees of men may not giue their assent to the manifest truth the Popes flatterers persuading them That it is not to be endured that any thing should be spoken of them though in a right good and honest zeale whilest in the meane time themselues take libertie to speake against whatsoeuer they list In the Vniuersitie of Erford Sebastian Brand Doctour of Diuinitie and Preacher of the Cathedrall Church of Strasbourg in the yeare 1508 publikely inueighed against Roman Indulgences in these words Deare friends we should this Whit-Sunday haue opened vnto you our wares but here is a Merchant-stranger who boasteth he hath better when he shall be departed hence we will vnfold ours namely the doctrine of the Gospell after the sellers of Indulgences were gone And the same against satisfactions which are performed by other mens workes We haue some which goe to church which pray which sing which mumble ouer their portueis which celebrat Masses for vs but who will goe into hell in our stead This in his Sermon which of many remaineth vnto vs for it is a wonder that they haue left vs any but he was for this occasion driuen away and retired himselfe to Magdebourg chiefely because he was woont to say to his Auditors The time will come when the Gospell shall be read vnto you out of the booke it selfe some of you shall see it Ioh. Alman de domineo naturali Ciuili Ecclesiastico but I shall not liue till then Iames Alman Doctour of Diuinitie in his booke set forth at Colonia 1514 of the Popes power against Thomas de Vio after Cardinall Caietan Legat of Leo for the collection of Tenths Of Indulgences by name It seemeth not to me that the power of binding and loosing ought to be extended to them that be in Purgatorie seeing that wheresoeuer in the Gospell it is promised or giuen it is sayd Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth and whatsoeuer thou shalt loosse on earth super terram mention is neuer made of them that are departed out of this life And hence it followeth that the soules which are in Purgatorie cannot be loossed from payne by bestowing of Indulgences but indeed by suffrages What shall then become of all the Iubilies whereby for so many thousands of yeares true remission by Popes is promised for the deceased And Ludolfe Castrik Curat of S. Michaell at Magdebourg preaching against Indulgences admonished the people to aske remission of sinnes at Gods hands for Christs sake alone giuing them hope of a reformation whereby they should shortly be taken away And Conradus Celtes at Vienna a most learned man in his time many of whose writings yet remaine was excommunicated for that he condemned the Roman Hierarchie and doctrine but being borne out by the Emperour Maximilian he made little account of it Wee read likewise that about this time in Germanie arose one that was held for a Prophet who ran about from Church to Church preaching repentance to Christians and that vnlesse they obeyed and repented they shold vtterly perish Joseph Grundperg in specuto Visionis impresso Norimbergae Anno 1508. these were his words Awake O yee Christians out of the heauie sleepe of wickednesse and blacke darkenesse of death and circumcise your eares and your hearts for to heare with attention my words For yee haue cast the law of the Lord into the takes and his words into the filthy sinkes of obliuion and contempt c. Yee haue wasted the patrimonie of Christ on harlots and haue also fulfilled your vnbridled lusts in adulteries and incests and your insatiable couetousnesse with thefts and sacriledges Lastly the Temple of God by your wickednesse and great iniquitie is made a stewes and the house of theeues and robbers in which soundeth forth not hymmes of prayses to the king of heauen but blaspemies c. In Fraunce in the beginning of that age a little after the yeare 1500 flourished Iames Faber of Estaples a man of excellent learning and knowledge but chiefely in Diuinitie Auentine testifieth that he had heard him sixe hundred times together with Iosse Clithou Doctour of Diuinitie his Master saying That Lumbard had confounded and troubled the trueth and the most pure fountaine of holie doctrine with contaminated and muddie questions and streames of opinions But his Psalter printed in the yeare 1508 and his Commentaries on the Gospels and Epistles of S. Paule doe testifie what his judgement was in many principall points of Christian Religion by occasion of which he was so vexed by the Sorbonists brought to that trouble in his old age such was their rage that king Frauncis then prisoner in Spaine was forced to write from thence for his safegard in fauour of his learning And there need no further proofe thereof vnto vs than this Index Expurgat Hispanic fol. 110. vsque ad 111. 120. That the Diuines of Spaine in their Index Expurgatorius in our time commaunded many places and whole Pages to be raced out in the later editions aboue all that his Commentarie vpon S. Iohn should be wholly abolished because it could not be well amended That is to say because all of it wholly repugned against their corruptions traditions inuentions presumptions of men and imaginarie authorities About the same time grew into reputation William Budè of Paris Master of requests to king Frauncis the first who in many places of that famous booke de Asse describeth the state of the Church in his time The Clergie men in all sorts of vices wickednesse and wanton dissolutenesse worse than the worst of the people the Prelats ignorant enemies of learning hauing no care of the saluation of Christians whom they contrariwise cast headlong into hell both by their ill teaching them and by beeing vnto them examples of all wickednesse moreouer Epicures and Libertines and worse if may be He saw in his time with what violence the Pragmaticall sanction was shaken Therefore after hee had discoursed that the riches of his time was nothing to that of
rageth euerie where and thirsteth after the bloud of the miserable Yee can by no meanes appease this Cerberus but with a golden riuer there is no need of armes nor armies the Tenths will be of more force than troopes of horsemen and regiments of footmen It seemeth vnto me when I diligently consider the matter that a two fold way is proposed on the one side gold is demanded which superstition commandeth on the other side if we refuse it the Popes excommunication is threatned Take which way of them yee please But O foolish and superstitious opinion of them that beleeue That the God of heauen beholding all things with the eyes of iustice will be led and turned at the becke and pleasure of the Florentines will be angrie with him that giueth not and againe pacified with him that giueth The excommunication of the Vicar of Christ is not to be contemned but yet not alwayes to be feared especially when it is done for humane affections I feare the indignation of Christ but of the Florentines I feare not And now indeed is in hand the affaires of Florence not of Christ The last Summer with great expence and charges was warre made against Frauncis Duke of Vrbin who being cast out of his Dukedome but first appeased with money Laurence de Medicis succeeded in his place Iulius the second being not prouident ynough that he left no more gold there was inuented a certaine new fraud against all the Cardinals that were the richest that they had conspired the Popes death and thereupon were their goods confiscat I speake not of the Crosses erected in euerie towne propitious according to the measure of the giuers I omit the comedie of S. Peters Church full both of laughter and of indignation The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord crieth the Prophet but it is not the Temple of the Lord It is Laurence buildeth and not Peter the stones in the night wander away I faine nothing here most excellent Princes of the Roman Empire Why is the world solicited for the Church of S. Peter whereon there is but two Masons onely in that worke and one of them lame sauing that of late in the great concourse of straungers is stirred vp a tumult of artificers there running and shouting there were seene foolish painted Angels receiuing gifts from the giuer and carrying them vp on high c. Consider now what is to be done euerie day will now bring forth new care The Duke of Vrbin being hunted away the like fortune is threatned to the Duke of Ferrara and then shall wee salute Laurence de Medicis or the Florentine Duke of Tuscanie Thus haue yee now briefely the summe of the Tenths and the Ambuscadoes of the Turke to wit of the Pope by meanes of superstition robbing your verie bowels And this was then the iudgement of Germanie The other followeth A solemne Appeale of the Vniuersitie of Paris assembled the seuen and twentieth of March 1517 in which after they had protested that they intend not to speake or doe any thing against the Catholike Church or against the Popes power benè consults well counselled they declared That by this power he the Pope is not made impeccabilis exempt from sinne So that if he commaund any thing to be done that is vniust which hath bin suggested vnto him by naughtie insinuation he ought to beare it patiently if it be not done and if he decree any thing against the commaundements of God he must not be obeyed yea he may be by right resisted But if he be so ayded by the power of the Prince vpon the false suggestion or euill counsell of flatterers or deceiuers that he cannot be resisted and the remedies of resisting be taken away yet by naturall right there remaineth one thing which no Prince can take away namely the remedie of Appeale seeing it is a certaine defence competent to euerie one by diuine natural and human right which cannot be taken away by the Prince And there they approue the Councels of Constance and Basil and vrge the reformations there ordayned which they specifie in particular as the remedies against Simony a prohibition not to raise or pay Annuities and other statutes confirmed by the nationall Councell of Fraunce held at Bourges and consequently strenghthened by the perpetual Edict of Charles the seuenth In preiudice of which things notwithstanding say they Leo the tenth in a certaine assemblie held at Rome which is against vs conuocated we know not how but not in the spirit of the Lord with which nothing can be decreed or ordayned against the law of God and sacred Councells which assemblie gaping after their lusts and commodities and expecting by these meanes gold and siluer to be brought vnto them at their wish out of the kingdome and out of the territories of Dauphinie enuying these Statutes that hindred it they haue laboured to abrogate them And for proofe that this Councell to wit of Lateran is vnlawfull they alledge That against the Catholike Faith it condemned the Councell of Basill and particularly the pragmaticall Sanction and in this deed king Frauncis by cunning meanes was deceiued who then was in Italie amidst the noise of armes and that vnder pretence of certaine Concordats which he commaunded to be published not sufficiently considering how great dammage it would bring to his realme Out of which they conclude Wee the Rector and Vniuersitie of Paris feeling our selues grieued endammaged and oppressed doe appeale from our Lord the Pope not well counselled and from the abrogation of the sayd sacred Councell of Basill and of the Statutes of the pragmaticall Sanction depending vpon it and from the edition of the new Statutes and yeelding consent thereto Vnto a future Councell lawfully assembled c. Protesting instantèr instantiùs instantissimè most instantly to prosecute this Appeale by way of nullitie of abuse of iniquitie or vniustice and otherwise the best we may to reserue the election and choise vnto our selues c. And moreouer all the principalls there present vnder-signed the same in solemne maner with all the formalities requisit thereunto Professio fidei fratrum Waldensium Regi Vladislao in Hungarian missa An. 1508. Responsio excusatoria Fratrum Waldensium contra binas literas R.P. Angustani sacrae Theologiae doctoris ad eundem data Anno 1508. But besides these oppositions among themselues in the kingdome of Bohemia and Prouinces of Morauia and Silesia the Churches in great number continued and openly opposed themselues against the Papacie and by publique preachings impugned the abuses of the Romish Church These same in the yeare 1508 presented againe a confession of their faith to Vladistaus king of Hungarie together with an Apologie wherein they vehemently confuted the Calumnies vsually laid against their doctrine and plainely laid open the reasons for which they had justly and lawfully departed from the Church of Rome which are longer than can be here inserted such notwithstanding as that
the Reader may judge worthie the reading wherein he shall find the same doctrine which wee hold and defended by the same arguments wherewith we maintaine ours There is onely this one difference that by the grace of God both they and we haue profited in his knowledge in tract of time hauing learned by vexations and conflicts to expresse the same more clearely Also in the mountaines of Languedoc Prouence Dauphinie valleys of Piedmont and other places continued in the same faith puritie and simplicitie the Churches of the antient Waldenses whose footsteps we haue followed clearely traced out for the space now of more than 300 yeares These were accused to our good king Lewis the twelf by some Cardinals Prelats of most enormous vices and of most wicked opinions and thereupon they incited the king their cause vnheard without any forme of law to exterminat them as sorcerers incestuous and heretikes But they being aduertised of this sent from amongst them their deputies in all humilitie to his Maiestie to declare vnto him their innocencie And the Prelats conuicted in their consciences of the calumnie were instant vpon the king not to heare them but the king made them answer That if he were to make warre against the Turke he would first of all heare him Caroli Molinaeus de Monarch Francorum Vpon the declarations therefore of the said deputies hee sent into the places namely of Merindol and Cabrieres M. Adam Fumee his Master of Requests and one Doctor Parui a Iacobine Frier his Confessor to search and enquire both into their life and religion who related in that whole discourse which they made plaine out of their acts That infants were baptized the articles of faith were taught the Lords prayer the ten commaundements the Saboth day obserued the word of God preached no shew of wickednesse or fornication to bee perceiued onely they would admit no Images into their Churches nor ornaments belonging to the Masse which being vnderstood the king did sweare That they were better than himselfe and the rest of his subiects And the same testimonie of their innocencie euen at the same time Claudius Seisselius Archbishop of Turin yeeldeth of them albeit he writ against their doctrine To conclude there were not wanting in all places such as for this profession constantly offered themselues to the fire as in England Thomas of Bongay N. of Eccles Iohn Frith William Tindall men greatly commended both for their doctrine and sanctitie of life and others of whom mention is made in books which expresly handle the same subiect And these things bring vs euen to the preaching of Martin Luther who as yee shall hereafter heare being stirred by the spirit of God caused at this verie time the sound of the Gospell to ring through all Europe CONCLVSION THese are the Progressions of that Mysterie of Iniquitie whereof the Apostle Saint Paule foretold 2. Thess 2. Apoc. 17.5 That it began to worke euen in his time that it did insensibly creepe into the Church by secret and indirect passages by fraud and wicked meanes till at length it should bee as a frontlet vnto her couering her countenance and taking from her all shame vntill her pride ascend to that height wherein the Apostle Saint Iohn in his Reuelation describeth the Roman Church in whose forehead is written A Mysterie Great Babylon 2. Thess 2. the mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth and all this saith S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the operation or efficacie of Satan working and exercising his power in his ministers with signes and lying wonders Adde also that God did send 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong delusions to those who receiued not the loue of the truth and pleased themselues in iniquitie not obeying those Admonitions and Oppositions which from time to time were iterated vnto them by his seruants that they should beleeue lyes because it was foretold that an Antichrist should come that there should bee a great Apostacy or reuolt that the kings of the earth should with one accord agree thereto Apoc. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to giue their power to the Beast for so doth the Apostle call her yea rather saith he because the counsell of God which worketh all things to his glorie would haue it so That they should conspire together and giue their kingdomes to the Beast vntill the word of God should be fulfilled That the whole world may the rather know that the endeuours and counsels of the world or the Princes thereof are able to doe nothing against God and how farre soeuer they seeme to wander from his prouidence yet will they nill they must they submit themselues to his jurisdiction and all their endeuours tend to his glorie when he shall see the conspiracie of the sonne of perdition with his kings as that of Iudas the sonne of perdition with the Pharisies to redownd to the victorie of the Lambe and the saluation of all his and as it were to be recapitulated by the vertue and conduct of the supreme and soueraigne counsell whereof S. Peter saith to the Iewes Act. 2. v. 23. Him haue you taken that is Christ by the hands of the wicked and haue crucified and slaine him But being deliuered by the determinat counsell and foreknowledge of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No otherwise than as S. Iohn speaketh here of Antichrist or the man of sinne God hath put into their hearts to doe his will and pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what is that that they should giue their kingdome to the Beast to consent to his exaltation against the Lambe To the end it may not seeme wonderfull or strange to any that hauing ouercome and troden vnder foot all obstacles which from time to time be opposed against him he make his owne way as S. Paul saith because it was necessarie he should ascend to that height it was as necessarie as S. Iohn saith That the word of God might be fulfilled And God by that selfe same power which remoueth all impediments shall with the like facilitie end the remainder of his worke in his time Now then we haue declared the Progressions or proceedings and that by the degrees obserued in historie or out of the bookes and instruments common to vs both or from their owne Authors and especially the writings of Monkes of them for the most part which applied their ministerie to this Mysterie for there were none other that wrot for many ages together but onely they The Oppositions also we haue poynted at from time to time according as it pleased God to stirre them vp either from among themselues or from elsewhere who set themselues either against the oppressors or corrupters of the Church being themselues in the meane time forced and carried away for the most part either by the violence of the streame or by the forcible endeuors of the aduersaries Because it was so foretold and that this victorie was reserued
THE MYSTERIE OF INIQVITIE That is to say The Historie of the Papacie Declaring by what degrees it is now mounted to this height and what Oppositions the better sort from time to time haue made against it Where is also defended the right of Emperours Kings and Christian Princes against the assertions of the Cardinals Bellarmine and Baronius By PHILIP MORNEY Knight Lord du Plessis c. Englished by SAMSON LENNARD Falleris aeternam qui suspicis ebrius Arcem Subruta succensis mox corruet ima tigillis LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip Anno Dom. 1612. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE HENRIE Prince of Wales Sonne and Heire apparent to our Soueraigne Lord the King IF the Lord du Plessis most high and mightie Prince hauing finished this his worke out of that reuerend and honourable conceit hee had of your Fathers greatnesse that vnfained loue which true religion wrought in his heart and that hope he had of his future endeuors to beat downe Antichrist thought it a sinne though a stranger to thinke of any other Patron but himselfe to whom hee might dedicate these his labours much more I his naturall subiect linked vnto your Highnesse his naturall sonne with the same bond rapt with the same admiration fed with the same hope must say hauing finished these my labours Cui dicâre debeam ambigere nefas For the same reasons that moued him must likewise encorage me your greatnesse must encourage because the same being a Princelie branch sprung from that Royall stocke your religion must encourage because the same which your worthie father and all the Fathers of the Primitiue Church haue made profession of your hopefull endeuours must encourage because the same for what he conceiues of your Princelie father the whole world expects should be performed if not by his by your hand His pen hath made way for your sword and his peace if God giue long life may farther your warres Glorious be his peace and your warres and Gods glorie the end of both His Highnesse can best iudge what is fitting we can but wish and if hee haue begged at Gods hands with Hezekiah That there may be peace in his daies we all say Amen and with one voyce we all crie out Let there be peace vpon Israel onely we wish he may neuer haue reason to say as Dauid did I seeke peace and when I speake thereof they are bent to warre they intend mischiefe And therefore renowmed Prince leauing your royall father to Gods peace and his owne hearts desire giue me leaue though altogether vnworthie in a matter of such moment to aduise yet to wish with du Plessis that I may liue to march ouer the Alpes and to trayle a pike before the walls of Rome vnder your Highnesse Standard It was my first profession oh that it might be my last The cause is Gods the enterprise glorious O that God would be pleased as he hath giuen you a heart so to giue power to put it in execution Jn the meane time whilest our hopes are in the bud let me humbly beseech your Highnesse till my sword may doe you seruice to accept of the poore endeuours of my vnskilfull penne and as it hath pleased your Highnesse not long since graciously to protect my sorie labours bestowed vpon Charron his three bookes of Wisedome so now to pardon my boldnesse in vndertaking a worke so farre vnbefitting my strength and to protect my infirmities The God of heauen euer blesse your Highnesse and euer defend you from Antichrist and his bloudie designements that you may liue and liue long euen in perniciem to the ruine of him and all his Antichristian rabble Amen Amen To your Highnesse most humbly deuoted SAMSON LENNARD TO THE RIGHT REVErend Fathers in God GEORGE Archbishop of Canturburie and Metropolitan of England and IOHN Bishop of London RIght Reuerend and my verie good Lords I am bold out of that duetie I owe to two so great Prelats and pillars of this our Church of England to present vnto your learned and judicious censures my vnlearned and simple labours bestowed vpon a worke worthie the reading in it selfe howsoeuer by my vnskilfull pen it may be disfigured I confesse I was vnfitting amongst a thousand to vndertake a worke of such consequence and yet better I as I thought than none being a Mysterie fit to be layd open to as many as can read it in their mother tongue My good Lords pardon such faults as either by too much speed or too little skill or otherwise haue slipt my pen There is nothing past that may not be amended in a second edition if your Grace shall be pleased to giue the encouragement The God of heauen as he hath multiplied his gifts and graces vpon you fit for so high a calling euen in the highest measure so euer assist you with his holie spirit in that great worke you haue vndertaken to his glorie and the good of his Church Your Graces and Lordships in all dutie to be commaunded SAMSON LENNARD TO THE READER GEntle Reader I haue once againe aduentured my selfe vpon your gentle censures with this onely request That though perhaps a curious eye may find faults ynow yea sometimes where there are none you would be pleased to doe mee this fauour that if at any time you shall find mee to disagree sometimes from the Latine copie sometime from the French not to condemne me without the examination of both because in this translation I haue followed both the one and the other as occasion was offered and as I found them agreeing in one and the same sence This is all I request and so much the rather because I know the most vnskilfull is more readie to iudge than he that can iudge iudiciously S. L. TO THE FRIENDS AND FOLlowers of the Church of Rome LEt me once againe my brethren and friends speake vnto you and though perhaps I shall seeme to importune you ouer much yet it is with the same importunitie which the Apostle commends to his disciple 2. Tim. 4. v. 2. Be instant in season and out of season yea with that wholesome and opportune importunitie wherewith we pluck those that are neerest and deerest vnto vs euen by the haires of the head out of the furious rage of fire and water wherewith we pinch and prick those euen till they bleed that are dying of a Lethargie What shall I then say vnto you To some that are floating or rather fleeting betwixt many opinions and to others that haue alreadie stept ouer the threshold gotten one foot out of Babylon the huge height and greatnesse of the Popedome like a scar-crow is obtruded She is old indeed and by how much the more strucken in yeares in so much that she lyes groueling vpon her bellie by so much the more stupendiou◠Whereas contrariwise the reformed Church being little and of small continuance either by the noueltie thereof or the pouertie is contemptible And here that common crie of the Iewes
to Christ of the Philosophers to Paule they double vpon vs euen till they be hoarse What new doctrine is this Mark 1. v. 27. Act. 17. v. 19. Math. 19. v. 8. Joh. 9. v. 29. Joh. 5. v. 46.47 We know that God hath spoken to Moses but this man we know not whence he is To whom preposterously boasting of their antiquitie we may easily answer with the words of Christ himselfe From the beginning it was not so Had ye beleeued Moses or his writings yee had likewise beleeued me Had yee beleeued the sacred word of God the holie Scriptures inspired from aboue the true antiquitie the onely treasurie of the Charters of the Christian Church ye had likewise beleeued me But truely if yee be not ouer hard of beliefe I doubt not but in this worke I shall satisfie you touching both these scruples Let them not make you beleeue the Popes haue bin alwaies such as you now adore Behold here their beginning their progression their encrease their secret subtile cruell outragious enterprises violences assaults A Mysterie not without mysterie so called vnder pretence of the ministerie ending in this prodigious estate that we see in this two-headed monster whilest the ministers of the Gospell the Prelats Bishops Archbishops Patriarches partly vnder Heathen Princes endured cruell persecutions partly vnder Christians though greatly enriched by them whom they obeyed willingly and in all humilitie at the first but afterwards their desires encreasing with their meanes more carelesly and rather for a fashion than otherwise shortly after by open ambition and flattering some in their sinnes especially Phocas in his murder they were made Vniuersall Bishops and secular Princes in Italie excluding Emperours and not content to withdraw themselues from their obedience they likewise absolued both the nobles and people of that oath of allegiance wherewith they were bound At the last threatening with both swords they mingled prophane things with holie confounding and deuouring the holie in the prophane They set kings together by the eares that so they might ruin at one the other and they by their ruine and ouerthrow rise to the highest step of their power They crowne Emperours make and vnmake them at their pleasure trampling them vnder their feet They are now Emperours and Popes together the Lords and Monarches of the world now higher than the Angels equall with God himselfe nay gods great and omnipotent subrogating and abrogating the commandements of the highest God creating God himselfe at their pleasure nay causing him to be created by those whom they call their creatures Now let him whosoeuer he be that yet doubteth couple compare these two extreames together A minister of God sometime a Prelat of the Church now made a god sitting in his throne vsing God if we may beleeue it as his officer Sometime humble and gentle yea the seruant of seruants yeelding obedience to all Princes whatsoeuer now proud cruell treading vpon the neckes of the greatest powers the greatest Princes Sometime glorious for the sanctitie of his life suffering ioyfully for the name of Christ all torments and tortures whatsoeuer now prophane puffed vp with a vaine title of holinesse embrued made drunken with the bloud of Saints What reason what proportion can there be I pray you betwixt two extreames so different so repugnant And what should stay vs but that with astonishment we may crie out A Mysterie great Babylon In so strange a noueltie so diuers changes is it possible that any man should obiect the antiquitie of the Popedome where Satan raigneth so visibly vnder the onely name to say no more the maske of S. Peter Let them not abuse you with the name of the Church the Catholike they call it thereby inferring the Roman Church For the Church of Rome is not nor euer was the Vniuersall the Catholike Church a part thereof it was so long as it continued pure and vnpolluted but yet but a part with others not aboue others And therefore by her fall her ruine the flock of Christ cannot perish though that perish vtterly by her defection the flocke of Christ cannot fayle though that faile vtterly True it is that the Church of Rome was once pure and chast and no small part of the Spouse of Christ so long as she hearkened to his voyce and stopped her eares against the voyce of strangers hauing alwayes before her eyes her vow and contract of mariage But the adulterer with false keyes crept into her bed-chamber nay perhaps by her selfe was let in by the posterne Hee hath defiled her bed and with that contagious copulation her beautifull countenance is become pale and gastly her naturall colour defiled with paintings her true doctrine infected with forged tales in so much that in a manner she is become nothing else but falshood and lyes Other Churches haue done their best endeuours to oppose themselues against her as that of Africa France Germanie Greece and other the East Churches Neither were there wanting in her selfe faithfull dogs who with the danger of their liues ceased not so long as they might to barke at him when he began first to increase to dig and to breake through the wall opposing and interposing their defences making head against him euen in the breach vntill at the last by the collusion of the Roman Clergie hauing obtained the end of his designments and ouerrunning all things at his owne pleasure he made the house of God according to the prouerbe the stable of Augia the caue of Cacus miserably oppressing all the godlie yea pietie it selfe From thence forward the suppressed gronings of the godlie brake forth and the mournefull plaints of that woman that flew from the dragon of our doue the purer Church were euery where heard Her footsteps sometimes though flying from the face of the persecuters you might discerne but yet by the persecuting rable vnmanured defaced halfe couered Her voice amongst the Salmonean thunders of the Popes was hardly heard being euery where interrupted by the noise of the sparkling flames about her and as it were in Phalaris bull in the writings of the Monks and the mouthes of her aduersaries least we should lament the tortures of the godlie turned into the bellowing of an Oxe Doest thou aske therefore where our Church was so manie ages past Where it fed her flockes where it lay at noone Cant. 1. v. 7. Heare I pray thee what S. Iohn the Euangelist saith The woman that is the Church persecuted by the Dragon Apoc. 12. v. 6. 16. did flie into the wildernesse where shee hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes that is propheticall daies a time certaine and that not short Shee is not therefore to be sought in the Popedome in the light of the world in the middest of pride and excesse It is likewise sayd that the dragon which deceiued the whole world hauing great wrath persecuted the woman and cast out
which the Author himselfe attributeth vnto all The like care sayth he did Alexander the Bishop take in Antioch being the first which caused his name to be registred in the writings of the Church which is true But Baronius addeth that he did it at the instance and request of Innocentius hauing no other argument for this assertion but this that Innocent wrote a letter to him for as touching anie such matter Theodoret speaketh not a word 8. PROGRESSION Of the attempts of Innocentius and Syricius vpon the Churches of Spaine and Afrike THe Bishops of Rome finding no passage open to their intended Supremacie through the constancie of the Easterne Church bent their course backe vpon the West especially vpon Africke where they thought to meet with lesse opposition To. 1. Concil Damasus had alreadie broken the ice vnto them as appeareth by that Epistle of his written to Stephanus Bishop of Mauritania wherein hee qualifieth the Church of Rome with the title of the Firmament of all Bishops and Top of all other Churches emboldened no doubt thereunto by letters sent before that time vnto him from the said Stephanus who complained that certaine Bishops had bin deposed in Africke adding that this was so done notwithstanding they all knew well ynough Ibid. That censures of Bishops and all other Church causes of moment ought to be reserued to the audience of the Bishop of Rome whom he there tearmeth The Father of Fathers being of the verie brood and ofspring of those rebell Bishop of Africke of whom Saint Cyprian complained in his dayes who being reproued and censured for their faults would presently crosse the seas and run to Rome for Sanctuarie All which to be vnderstood with this condition If those decretall Epistles inserted among the Councels ought to haue any credit which as wee haue alreadie said the more learned sort reiect as counterfeit vntill the time of Pope Syricius who now entreth vpon the stage And indeed the old Roman Code leaueth them all out vntill the time of this Syricius This Syricius about the yeare 386 An. 386. in his first Epistle to Himerius Bishop of Arragon is verie quicke and saith That it is not lawfull for any Priest of the Lord to be ignorant of the decrees and statutes of the See Apostolike and therefore requesteth him to make knowne such ordinances and decrees as he shall send vnto him not onely to those of his owne Diocesse but also to those of Carthagena Andalusia Portugall Galeace and others that is in effect to all the Prouinces of Spaine Which could not saith he but hee glorious vnto him which was a Priest of so long continuance Pro antiquitate sacerdotij sui purposing to vse the ambitious humor of this Prelat onely to make himselfe and the authoritie of his See great in Spaine And in his fourth Epistle to the Bishops of Africke he goeth a step farther and telleth them That without the priuitie of the See Apostolike that is to say of the Primat none might presume to ordaine a Bishop And this word Primat some interpret for the Bishop of Rome in regard of the claime which was made vnto the Primacie not long before by Damasus and these late presumptions of Syricius himselfe in his first Epistle the rather because it is improbable that hee would impart this title of The See Apostolike to any saue onely to the See of Rome OPPOSITION Concil Carth. 2. ca. 12. The Africanes therefore assembled vpon this occasion a second Councell at Carthage in the time of this Syricius where they decreed in this manner It seemed good vnto all that without the leaue of the Primat of euerie Prouince no man hereafter presume in what place soeuer to ordaine any Bishop without any reference at all to the Bishop of Rome But say they if necessitie so require any three Bishops by order from the Primat may consecrate a Bishop And it is to be noted That in this verie Canon they call the chaire of the Metropolitan the First Chaire or Chiefe See and that Gratian inserting this Canon in his booke of Decrees Distinct 64. C. extra conscientiam 5. followed the intent of this Councell of Carthage and not of Syricius referring it to the Metropolitan Bishop not to the Apostolike See though he falsely report it vnder the name of Innocent And in the yeare 397 An. 397. the third Councell of Carthage went a little farther Syricius at that time also sitting Pope and decreed That the Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince or Chiefe of Priests Concil Carthag 3. ca. 26. or High Priest or by any other such name but onely The Bishop of the first See As for the name of Vniuersall Bishop that the Bishop of Rome it selfe should not bee called by that name Which last words are also in Gratian though now Distinct 99. ca. primae sedis 3. through the good order which of later times hath beene taken in these matters they are no longer to be found in the Councell it selfe A thing not to be forgotten for it was fit that all these things should meet and march together Corruption of doctrine as well as of discipline and that Syricius should be the man who should first establish the forbiddance of Priests mariages though by generall consent reiected in the Councell of Nice and not receiued for six hundred yeares after in the West doe what his successors could doe Bringing in also the the commemoration of Saints into the Liturgie and daily seruice of the Church in imitation perhaps of that Carmen Saliare vsed heretofore among the Romans wherein the names of all their gods werewith much solemnitie rehearsed For that was the disease of that age to fashion themselues in all points after the rites and ceremonies of the Heathen 9. PROGRESSION Of the decree of Pope Innocent concerning Appeales to Rome IN the yeare 401 came Innocent who would not be so put backe he An. 401. Innocent Epist 2. ad Victric Rothomagens c. 3. in his second Epistle to Victricius Bishop of Roan published this generall decree That the greater causes after that they had beene censured by the Bishop should be referred to the See of Rome as the Synod saith he hath ordained and the laudable vse and custome of the Church requireth Yet haue we hitherto seene the contrarie both in the one and also in the other But he goeth on seeking to practise what he proiected Epist 7. ad Episc Maced vpon the Macedonians and persuading them that he did the like in all other places Let vs therefore now see whether he found any better successe in this his attempt than his predecessors had before him OPPOSITION The question then is as you see about great causes An. 402. In the yeare 402 was held the Mileuitan Councell and after that in the yere 413 another at Carthage An. 413. where no petie causes were in handling but the maine doctrine
away by the same meanes many filthie doctrines which the Semi-Pelagians Faustus Cassianus and others had brought in easily getting foundation of their doctrines out of the naturall pride of men But Saint Bernard being once dead the schole of Abayllard continued in the Schole-men who haue so followed his methode that he by right may be acenowledged their father It little wanted then but that the tares choked the good corne when with them little or no mention is made of justifying by faith the fortresse of saluation is thenceforth placed in dead workes as if Christian doctrine that most profound secret hidden before all time and reuealed in his time were nothing but a certaine morall discipline In the same time also Gratian compiled his Decrees not more fortunatly than Iustinian his Pandectes out of the Canons and auncient Decrees which hee in many places applieth to the abuses of the time and especially to the Roman ambition although he leaue vs therein many good footsteps by helpe of which the diligent searchers may find out the ancient doctrine practise of the Church Auentine an Author most studious of antiquitie teacheth vs Auent l. 6. that before Gratian the Canon law was farre otherwise For saith he as it is perfect and whole in our Libraries it containeth two parts the first the Acts of vniuersall Councells which are manifestly receiued the other of the Constitutions Epistles and Rescripts of Popes as euerie thing was done the causes assistants witnesses with the circiumstances of places and times Would to God he had not taken so much paines And in the meane time Pope Eugenius approueth it and commaundeth it to be read in all Vniuersities because without doubt he reduced the whole Church vnder the Popes yoke little remembring the good counsels that Saint Bernard gaue him in his bookes of Considerations The same methode hath Peter Lumbard this Gratians brother in his foure bookes of Sentences collected out of the places of auncient Fathers compiled into a certain order which he oftentimes maketh to serue by changing leauing out or adding some word to the corrupt diuinitie of his time so that from thenceforth onely Gratian is consulted with and onely Lumbard is read in scholes In these two consists all Christian law and diuinitie No man hence careth for seeking to the fountaine in the holie Scriptures of the old and new Testament in the monuments of the Fathers or Acts of auncient Councels to looke more neerely into the matter is counted heresie Auentine to this purpose saith Auent Annal. Baior l. 6. I haue learned and heard of my Masters Iacobus Faber and Clitouous more than a thousand times That this Lumbard had troubled the pure fountaine of Diuinitie with muddie questions and whole riuers of opinions which experience if we be not blind doth more than ynough teach vs. Which notwithstanding as well as himselfe are most famous among them of the Church of Rome 47. PROGRESSION Of the humilitie of the Emperour Frederick and the pride and insolencie of Pope Adrian the fourth The Pope stirreth vp the subiects of William King of Sicilia to rebell against him TO the Emperour Conrade succeeded in the yeare 1152 Frederick his nephew An. 1152. in the Empire of Germanie a Prince by the testimonie of all writers qualified with many vertues And in the yeare 1153 dieth Eugenius An. 1153. whom Anastasius succeedeth created as abouesaid by the Cardinals alone who continued but one yeare neuerthelesse peaceable at Lateron because he let the Romans doe what they listed Then behold Adrian the fourth an English man borne entreth into the Popedome who could not be consecrated at Lateran vnlesse first the people chased away Arnold who as we haue said preached at Rome against the superfluous pompe of Popes and withall would put downe the Senat which they had established Both which being refused him he waxeth angrie forsaketh the citie and with his Court retireth to Orvietto Frederick in the meane time setteth forward to be crowned in Italie who in his way inuested Anselme of Hauelburge with the Bishopricke of Rauenna then vacant by the death of Moses being chosen by the voyce of the Clergie and of the people and moreouer maketh him Exarch whence he tooke the title of Seruant of seruants Archbishop and Exarch of Rauenna Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 12. This set Adrian alreadie into an ague who neuerthelesse met him at Viterbe where Frederick stepping to him held his stirrop for him to light from his horse and conducted him into his tent There the Bishop of Bamberge speaking for the Emperour declared vnto him with much respect That all the Church was come from the end of the world for to bring him this Prince and that seeing prostrat at his feet he had rendred him due honour he besought him to doe what lay in him to set the Imperiall Crowne vpon his head Sigonius saith here that he paused a while seeming as it were to conceale from vs the insolencie of this Pope which we read in Helmold Helmold in Histor Sclauorum c. 81. an Author not to be suspected because he was rightly ashamed of it The answer then of Adrian was this Brother these are but words that thou tellest vs thou sayest thy Prince hath giuen due reuerence to Saint Peter but Saint Peter hath rather been thereby dishonored Instead of holding our right stirrop he hath held the left This being told againe by the Interpreter to the King he humbly answereth Tell him that it was not want of deuotion but of knowledge for I haue not much learned to hold stirrops and he is the first to my knowledge that euer I did that seruice vnto The Pope replied If he haue through ignorance neglected that which is most easie how thinke yee that he will acquit himselfe of that which is greater Then the King somewhat moued I would be better instructed saith he whence this custome hath taken footing from good will or of duetie if from good will the Pope hath no cause to complaine that I haue failed in a seruice which is but arbitrarie and not of right but if you say that of duetie from the first institution this reuerence is due to the Prince of Apostles what importeth it betweene the right and left stirrop so that humilitie be obserued and that the Prince prostrat himselfe at the Popes feet Helmold l. 1. c. 73. Thus saith the Historie was this point long and eagrely disputed and in the end they departed each from other sine osculo pacis without the kisse of peace Let the Reader note here the charitie of this Bishop to reiect an Emperour onely for hauing held the left stirrop for the right and an Emperour endued with such vertues as the Author faileth not to say That his wisedome and courage was greater than of all the inhabitants of the earth And he addeth The principall Lords which were as the pillars of the realme were afraid to returne without