though he oft reproach him for speaking truth Many are about Tho. Becket Archbishop of Canterbury and against the Emperor and the King of England forbidding the Coronation of Henry the 3d and suspending Roger Archbishop of York for Crowning him and such like to shew how he was King of Kings § 179. CCCCXXI Of the Councils in Alexander's time recorded by Binnius the first is An. 1160. at Papia called by the Emperor which voted Victor Pope and condemned Roland called Alexander The Letters of the Emperor and the Bishops tell us that this Council consisted of immunerable Bishops and Abbots and that the Emperor after a good Speech departed and left all to their judgments And that it was there proved by the Oaths of many Witnesses that Victor was chosen by the full consent of the People and Clergy and some Cardinals and that twelve days before Roland was chosen and that Roland was present and contradicted not but bid them obey him that was chosen And that after being Chancellor he stole out of the City and the major part of the Cardinals having before the death of the last Pope entered a Confederacy to choose none but one of themselves that confederated against the Emperor they secretly chose Roland the People and Clergy a multitude subscribing all desiring Victor There or four Kings also consenting to accept him when the Council declared him the onely true Pope and Roland a perfidious Usurper Here is all the Romans Clergy and People the Emperor and many Princes and a Council of innumerable Prelates of Germany Italy c. against the major Vote of an upstart sort of Men called Cardinals that had confederated treacherously before And yet the Roman Papacy is by Succession from this Man that was no true Bishop himself CCCCXXII CCCCXXIII CCCCXXIV CCCCXXV An. 1161. Alexander got a Council at Clermont and another at Newmarket and another at Belvacum and An. 1164. another at Tours to curse the Emperour and Pope Victor The French taking his part and the English at last kept up the Schism and Contention The Reader must take this notice by the way that such Meetings as we call Parliaments the Popish Historians often call Councils that they may draw Men to think that what Parliaments did was done by Clergy Power And when Lords Commons and Bishops met in the same Assembly some called them Parliaments and some Councils And as Spelman saith pag. 529. The same Assemblies were indeed mixt and partly Civil or Royal as he calleth them because called by the King and partly Ecclesiastical But among the Romanists Councils are greatly advanced by this ascribing to them the Acts and Power of Parliaments Accordingly the Parliament at Clarendon is called a Council by Binnius CCCCXXVI by the reproachful name of Conciliabulum because they setled the Rights of the King as Ruler of the Clergy and would not let the Pope be King of England which is the Henrician or Royal Heresie to be punished by Fire or other death on Kings themselves when the Pope is big enough to do it In this Council or Parliament Thomas of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops concurred with the rest for fear But Thomas when he came home repented and imposed so strict Penance on himself that the Pope hearing of it was sain in absolve him § 180. CCCCXXVII An. 1171. Binnius saith that Ireland being given to the Pope as soon as they became Christians the Pope gave it to King Henry the 2d as soon as he had conquered it and a Council at Cassel was called for Reformation Note here 1. That the Pope hath great reason to seek the Conversion of the Kingdoms of the world if they are his when they are converted 2. That it is no wonder if five parts of six of the world be still Infidels or at least that they are unwilling to yield to Popish Christianity when Heathen and Infidel Kings must lose their Kingdoms and become Subjects to the Pope if they turn to Popish Christianity 3. That it hath long been a cunning way of Bounty with Popes to give Princes their own Kingdoms and Conquests when they cannot take them from them CCCCXXVIII An. 1179. was the Synod at Venice for reconciliation § 181. CCCCXXIX An. 1180. Alexander being at peace called a Council at Rome which they call General or the 11th General Council approved at Lateran In which are many reforming Canons and many for the Papal power The first is as aforesaid to confine the power of Pope-making to two third parts of the Cardinals only Another to degrade those ordained by the three Anti-Popes Another that no one have many Churches c. And the last against some called Cathari Patrini or Publicani as Hereticks giving those Indulgences that will fight against them and absolving all Inferiors from all Fidelity and Duty to them c. Some think that these were the Waldenses some the Albigenses But I have elsewhere shewed against Mr. Danvers that there were several sorts then in those Countries some Manichee Hereticks and some good Christians called Waldense and Albigenses but against the Pope and his Superstitions whom the Papists would jumble together to disgrace the best who were as some of their own Writers e.g. Sanders lib. 7. de vis Monar say A portion of the Henricians that is of the Emperor Henry's Heresie that held the Pope's false usurping Excommunications were to be contemned not as from Henry their Teacher that is they were Royalists and against the Pope's ruling the abused world by the Cursing way § 182. To this Council Crab and Binnius have annexed a voluminous Appendix of Decrees of which many are notable As that no Bishop may suspend a Presbyter without the judgment of his Chapter That a Perjured Clergy-man is to be perpetually deprived and may not govern a Church That in case of ambiguity of words we must have recourse to the common understanding of them with divers others § 183. Alexander dying Lucius the 3d is the first chosen by the Cardinals according to Alexander's Lateran Council as is aforesaid And to perfect the Papacy having got the choice of the Bishop out of the hands of the Clergy and People of Rome his Flatterers next persuade him to put down the Order and Name of Senators which attempting his Party by the Cities insurrection had their eyes put out and the Pope forced to leave the City and at Luca while he provoked Princes to send Soldiers to Ierusalem and Asia he dyed § 184. CCCCXXX One Council this Pope had at Verona as they say where the Emperor Frederick met him and sollicited him to restore all the Bishops and Clergy deposed that had adhered to him and the Anti-Popes The Pope consented but said he could not do it without another Council By which it appeareth that this at Verona was no true Council § 185. Urbanus the 3d is next Pope called Turbanus as an Incendiary by Ab. Ursspergens but better
the fear of God is much more to be believed than a worldly wicked bloody unconscionable man 7. Caeteris Paribus many agreed honest impartial men are more to be believed than one or a few odd and singular persons who have no more advantage than the rest to know the truth 8. The young and unexperienced owe some eoverence to the judgment of their Seniors as more credible by age and experience than their own 9. Accordingly Children to their Parents and Scholars to their Masters and Tutors owe such belief as is answerable to their difference and the use of their learning of them By this you may see on the contrary who is not worthy of belief I. One that pretendeth Inspiration Vision Revelation and giveth the hearer no sufficient proof of it II. One that pretendeth to tell you things beyond his reach as many Philosophers do about the mysteries of Nature spiritual and corporeal Elements or mixt bodies above and below of which the Books of many are full and malignant men that take on them to tell you other mens hearts without just proof that they are hypocrites and intend that which they never did or meant ill when they said or did well and when false Historians will tell you with what unproved ill purposes or deceits persons a thousand miles off and perhaps a thousand years past whom they never knew did say and do all that is reported of them III. When there are but few reporters of things pretended to be known publickly in the world especially when more credible persons contradict them IV. When the person is deeply ingaged in a Party and carrying on all for the interest of his Party doth give you but his word or the report of his own Party for what he saith so that you may perceive that interest byasseth him to partiality V. When the Historian sheweth a malignant spirit that extenuateth or denieth all the good that was in his Adversaries and fasteneth on them as much Odium as he can without just proof and justifieth all the reproach that is used against them VI. When the Historian liveth so far off from the place and time that he is no competent reporter having all his notice but by the fame of his own Faction as uncapable as himself VII When the sober moderate men of his own party contradict him and speak well of the persons whom he reproacheth VIII When the reporter is manifestly a proud worldly wicked unconscionable man especially of a bloody hurtful disposition For as Gods threefold Influence or the Vnderstanding Will and Life is but one so the Devil doth usually vitiate together the Vnderstanding Will and Life and he that is from the beginning an Enemy and a Murderer is also a Lyar Though a wicked malignant and cruel man may yet have an opinionative faith and knowledge and preach the truth when it is for his carnal interest yet when his malice and interest tempteth him against it there is no trusting his word IX When an ignorant proud man thinketh that he must be believed meerly for the reverence and authority of his place X. When the reporter liveth in a time and place where carnal interest hath got the major Vote for falshood and it passeth commonly for truth especially where Tyranny Civil or Ecclesiastical silenceth the truth in Press Pulpit and Discourse that it dare not be spoken by which the Papists have not only made their own writings and reports incredible but by their Indices Expurgatorios and base corrupting of ancient Writers have weakned our certainty of much of the old History and Fathers XI When the reporter is a weak and silly man that hath not wit to sift out the truth XII When he is passionately rash and of hasty judgment and hath not patience to stay and suspend his judgment till he hear all XIII When it is a Novice or raw Student that hath not had time helps and experience to know what he pretends to know and yet contradicteth wiser men of more advantage and experience XIV When present experience telleth us that the party that he writeth against as unlearned or wicked are men of Eminent Learning and the fear of God and that the party that he magnifieth as such are contrary by such marks incredible History may be discerned Qu. But how can we know mens wisdome and piety and honesty and impartiality when we never knew the men Ans. Though hypocrites may much counterfeit truth and goodness its hard so to do it but the contrary which ruleth in them will break out as a sâ—ink will get through narrow passages and though truth and honesty may be much clouded they have like light a self-revealing power To give you some instances as among Physitians Hypocrates and Galen and Celsus of old and of late Montanus Crato Fernelius Platerus Hildanus and such others do speak with that self-evidencing honesty and many Paracelsians with that palpable vanity that one of them will constrain belief and the other unbelief even in them that never heard what they were So among Historians Eusebius though counted an Arrian and Socrates and Sozomen though called Novatians and Theodoret and Liberatus and some others do write so as to constrain belief of things which were within their notice and with honest impartiality Among the Papists what clear footsteps of understanding honesty and impartiality and so of truth is there in Thuanus and much in Commines Guicciardine Father Paulus Servita Hist. of Trent Council and divers others Though Doctor Iames bid us keep Crab because the later Councils are corrupt and all of them must be taken with due Antidotes yet because most of the matter is fetcht from publick Acts and Records they are more credible than most single History Acosta speaketh impartially of the West Indies and Godignus of the Abassians Matth. Paris of England and the Pope and so of some others Of Protestants some do but recite recorded testimonies or publick acts and the very writings themselves of the times they speak of when others do but tell you stories on their bare word Goldastus Ruberus Freherus and Pistorius do but give us Collections of the writings of those former Ages and nothing of their own So doth Mr. Rushworth now in his three Volumes of Collections and Mr. Fuller hath partly done so and writeth moderately Mr. Gilbert Burnet thus writeth the History of the Reformation laying not the credit on his word but on his Evidences and Cambden impartially thus writeth of Queen Elizabeth and in his Brittania Vsher hath done the like de succes Eccles. of the Waldenses and in his de Primordiis Eccl. Brit. of the Pelagians not saying but proving by Records and old Evidences what he delivereth besides the advantage of his known extraordinary learning honesty and impartiality so doth Fox for the most part in his Martyrology give you but the publick Record or proved Histories though Cope call him lyar Melancthon and Bucholtzer were men of such known sincerity as
spoken of by Platina he sate above one year It 's said that he dyed of grief for the loss of Ierusalem in his time CCCCXXXI A Council he had at Paris they say for Ierusalem too late § 186. Gregory the 8th succeedeth him two months and dyeth § 187. An. 1187. Clement the 3d succeeded him who importuneth the Christian Kings to recover Ierusalem The Emperor Frederick the King of France and Richard King of England go in person The Emperor was drowned in Asia as he was waâ—â—ing himself in a River The rest do much but all to little purpose but to the great destruction of many Christians The Pope sendeth an Army into Sicily to claim it for the Church because the King dyed childless There also bloody havock is made An. 1188. An Assembly at Paris furthered the Holy War Binnius will call it a Council § 188. Though this Clemens sate but three years and five months he ended the long War between the Romans and the Pope granting them their Senators but deposing their Patricius or Head that Union might not strengthen them § 189. Caelestine the 3d cometh next who to get Sicily from Tancred gets out of a Nunnery a devoted Virgin that was the Heiress and marrieth her to the young Emperor Henry the 6th and giveth him with her the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples when he can get them and so wholly obligeth him to the Church and to surrender Tusculum which the Romans utterly demolish Sicily the Emperor gets and puts out Tancred's eyes but Naples was too hard for him his Soldiers dying of the Plague How the King of France and the King of England disagreed in Palestine and how the King of France returned home and treacherously joined with Iohn the King's Brother to invade the King of England's Dominions and so called him from attempting the Siege of Ierusalem and how he was taken Prisoner by the way home many Histories acquaint you § 190. Binnius out of Urspergens tells us how this Pope that had sent the King of France into Palestine for his repudiating his Wife after interdicted the whole Kingdom of France the use of holy thing O horrid Villany worse than Heathenish For one Man's Family-sin to forbid so great a Kingdom to worship their God and Saviour Saladine when he had taken Ierusalem dealt better with the Christians O bewitched Princes and People that by their degenerate Prelates would be brought to suffer or submit to such a wickedness contrary to the nature of all Religion O wicked Prelates and Clergy that would obey an Usurper in sucâ— a wicked Interdict But the King of France grievously punished his Clergy for the Fact For it was done by the Pope's Legat and the Bishops at a Council at Divion the CCCCXXXII here § 191. Next cometh the great Pope Innocent the 3d a young man of 30 years old called Lotharius An. 1198. § 192. The Duke of Saxony Otho the 4th succeedeth the Emperor Henry the 6th But Philip of Suevia is his Competitor and the King of France was for Henry's Brother and the Pope for Otho hating Frederick's Line Some say Philip conquered and deposed Otho but Petavius after divers others saith that they agreed that Philip should Reign quietly during his life and Otho afterward succeed him After ten years Otho a Palatine of the Rhine killeth Philip and Otho again Reigneth quietly marrying Philip's daughter But seeking to possess Apulia and Calabria by Arms and not obeying the Pope's Prohibition the Pope Excommunicateth him first and after sentenceth him deprived or deposed which at his command the Archbishop of Mentz publisheth which Otho despising the Pope to shew that he can make and unmake Emperors and Kings sets up Frederick King of Sicily Henry the 6ths Son by Câ—nstantia the Nun formerly saith Binnius which Petavius denieth and commandeth all to take him for Emperor The King of France stands for Frederick and the King of England for Otho Otho is overcome being forsaken and dyeth for grief and Friderick a young man twenty years old prevaileth § 193. Passing by the English and Scottish Councils for the Sabbath or Lords day CCCCXXXIII The Roman Council that deposed the Emperor Otto for rebellion against the Pope was An. 1210. § 194. This Pope excommunicated our King Iohn for rejecting Stephen Laughton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Yea he deposed him quantum inse and interdicted Gods worship to the whole Kingdom for six years three months and fourteen dayes O wicked Bishops and Priests that would give over the worship of God because an Usurper forbad it The Pope gave the King of France commission to seize on England King Iohn is constrained to please the Pope What wars were hereupon in England and how he gave up his Kingdom at last to the Pope and to hold it as of him our own Historians certifie us yea and how he offered the King of Morocco to turn Mahometan for his help § 195. CCCCXXXIX Next cometh the famous 4th Laterane Council called by the Papists the 12th General approved of 400 Bishops and 800 other Fathers for others they have an 1215. Regn. Frider. 2. In the first Cap. is the Creed and their Transubstantiation asserted as the way of Union between Christ and us we taking his flesh as he took ours and that no one can make this Sacrament but a Priest ritely ordained according to the Keyes of the Church which Christ gave to the Apostles and their successours But the Sacrament of Baptism saveth by whom soever it is ritely done The 2d Cap. condemneth Abbot Ioachim's doctrine who opposed Lombard as making a quaternity for saying that Quaedam summa res est Pater Filius et Spiritus Sanctus et illa res non est generans nec genita nec procedens which the Council owneth The 3d. Cap. is this We excommunicate and anathematize every Heresie extolling itself against this holy Orthodox Catholick faith which we before expounded condemning all Hereticks by what names soever called having indeed divers faces but tails tyed together because they agree in vanity in the same thing And being damned let them be left to the present secular power or their Bailiffs to be punished by due animadversion the Clerks being first degraded from their orders so that the goods of such damned ones if they be Lay-men be confiscated but if Clerks let them be applied to the Churches from which they had their stipends But for those that are found notable only by suspicion unless they shew their innocency by a congruous purgation according to the considerations of the suspicion and the quality of the person let them be smitten with the sword of anathema cursed from Christ and avoided by all till they have given condign satisfaction so that if they remain a year excommunicate they be then condemned as Hereticks And let the secular powers be warned and induced and if need be compelled by ecclesiastical censure what offices soever they are in that as they desire to be
Christ and the Saints and he that is the Accuser of the Brethren which accuseth them before God day and night And is not this the work of Quakers Drunkards Papists and all Malignants But the Lord will rebuke them and be the glory of his servants Zach. 3. 1 2. He shewed me Joshua the High-Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem 20. These Malignants do most of them condemn themselves for they honour the Ancient Ministers of Christ that are dead even while they oppose and hate the present that are living who are the nearest Imitators of their Doctrine and life that are on Earth The name of Peter and Paul and Iohn they honour and some of them keep Holy-days for them and at the same time hate and reproach those that preach the same Doctrine and that because they tread in their steps They honour the names of Austin and Chrysostom and Hierom and other Ancients and hate those that preach and live as they did They speak honourably of the Martyrs that were burned to death for the Doctrine of Christ and at the same time they hate us for doing as they did What difference between the Calling Doctrine and lives of those Martyred Ministers and these that are now alive O wretched Hypocrites do you not know that these Apostles Fathers and other Ministers did suffer in their time from such as you as we now do and more Hear what Christ saith to such as you Mat. 23. 29 30 31. Woe to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites because ye build the Tombs of the Prophets and garnish the Sepulchres of the Righteous and say If we had been in the days of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets Ye are witnesses to your selves that ye are the children of them which killed the Prophets fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers Ye Serpents ye Generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of Hell 21. Moreover these Malignants do harden themselves against the freshâ—st of the Judgments of God which some of their own hands have executed and justifie the Presecutors and succeed them in their fury Have you forgotten what God hath done here against the Papal Enemies of the Gospel and Ministry in 88. and the Powder-plot and many other times Have you already forgotten how the persecutors of a godly Ministry have sped within these sixteen years in England and Ireland And dare you now stand up in their room and make your selves the heirs of their sin and punishment and justifie them in all their Malignity What do you but justifie them when you rave against and revile the same sort of Ministers and many of the same persons whom the former Malignants persecuted and oppose the same sort of Ministers that the Papists burned And would not you do the like by them if you had Power in your hands Can any wise man doubt of it Whether Papists and Quakers and Drunkards that now make it their work to make the Ministry odious would not soon dispatch them if they could Blessed be the great Protector of the Church for were it not for him our lives would soon be a prey to your cruelty 22. And indeed if these Malignants had their wills they would undo themselves and cut down the bough they stand upon and destroy the little hope and help that is yet leâ—t for their miserable souls It is for the sake of Gods servants among them that judgements are so long kept off them And as long as the Gospel and Ministers remains salvation is offered them the voice of mercy is calling after them Repent and live They have the light shining in their eyes which may at last convince them as Paul was convinced of his persecution the voice which they despise may possibly awake them Though they have less hope then others yet there is some But if they had their will and were rid of the Ministry alas what would the forlorn wretches do Then they might damn themselves without disturbance and go quietly to hell and no body stop them and say Why do you so 23. And I pray you consider what it is that these men would have What if the Ministers were all cast out would they have any to do Gods work in their stead or none If none you may see what they are doing If any Who and where are they Is it not horrible Pride if all these silly souls do think that they can do it better themselves And what else do Quakers and all these sects that are the enemies of the Ministry Do they not go up and down the Land and say to the wisest holyest Teachers as if they took them by the sleeve Come down and let me preach that can do it better Come down thou deceiver and ignorant man and let me come up that am wiser and better and known more Out with these proud Lordly Preachers and let us be your Teachers that are mâ—re holy and humble and self-denying then they Is not this the loud language of their actions And can you not hear the Devil in these words of highest Pride and Arrogancy But really Sirs do you think that these men would teach you better And is there enow that are wiser and better then we to fill up our rooms if we were out Do but prove that and you shall have my consent to banish all the Ministers in England to some place that hath greater need of their labour that they may no more trouble you that have no need of them and keep out better 24. Lastly consider on what sensless pretences all this enmity against the Ministry doth vent it self You shall hear the worst that they have to say against us though but briefly and then judge 1. The Quakers say We are idle drones that labour not and therefore should not eat Answ. The worst I wish you is that you had but my ease instead of your labour I have reason to take my self for the least of Saints and yet I fear not to tell the accuser that I take the labour of most Tradesmen in the Town to be a pleasure to the body in comparison of mine though for the ends and the pleasure of my mind I would not change it with the greatest Prince Their labour preserveth health and mine consumeth it They work in ease and I in continual pain They have hours and dayes of recreation I have scarce time to eat and drink No body molesteth them for their labour but the more I do the more hatred and trouble I draw upon me If a Quaker ask me what all this labour is let him come and see or do as I do and he shall know 2. They accuse us of covetousness and oppression because we take tithes or hire as they call it Answ. 1. Is it