Magistrate or Earls but he and all his Company shall obey the Bishop and come to him Cap. 10. No Bishop shall be Deposed but by twelve Bishops no Presbyter but by six Bishops no Deacon but by three Cap. 21. In Controversies Lay-men must swear but Clergy-men must not be put to swear Cap. 22. There is allowed Tryal by fire Per ignem Candenti ferro Caute examinetur § 6. CCCIV. A Council at Nantes made more disciplinary Canons § 7. Who was next Pope is not agreed Platina and Onuphrius say that Boniface was rightly Chosen and Reigned but twenty six days saith Platina or fifteen saith Onuphrius others saith Platina say twelve years Baronius and Binius saith that he was no Pope and that he did but invade the Pope-dome and was homo nefarius a wicked man twice before this Degraded First from his Deaconship and next from his Presbyterate Damned in a Romane Synod under John the Ninth He addeth that both of them Boniface and Stephen got the place by Force Fear and Tyranny and so it was but one Intruder that thrust out another Intruder But how then is the Succession secured Why it 's added Yet Stephen is numbred with the Popes by the common Sentence or Opinion because to avoid the danger of Schisme though he was homo scelestissimus a most wicked man yet all the Clergy approved bim and the whole Catholik Church took him for Christs Vicar Peters Successor How prove you that why because Fulke Bishop of Rhemes owned him A Noble proof that all the Christian World did so § 8. Say Barronius and Binius he began his Pope-dome with that Sacriledg as to take the Corps of Formous out of his Grave and cloathing him in his Pontifical Robes he set him in a Chair and saith Platina there judged him as no Pope because he had been first a Bishop which indeed by the old Canons nullified his calling For Formosus was the first Pope that had been before a Bishop as is said unless the Emporour Basil truly charged Macrinus with the same Having Expostulated with the dead man why he being a Bishop would take the Pope-dome he cut off his three four Fingers with which he had Anointed and cast them into the River Tyber and commanded that all that he had Ordained should be Ordained again and so Conform to him And they wonder with what face of Reason Onuphrius rejecteth all this as a Fable when the Antient Monuments Synodal Acts and Historians testify it Do you wonder at this why it is because he was not willing it should be believed a Reason that is not strange to your selves § 4. CCCV Pope Stephen called a Council in which his usage of Pope Formosus was approved Bin. ex Baron p. 1047 so ready were the Bishops to follow the strongest side in such things as the Papists mention with abhorrence And say they this portentum attended the Synod That the Laterane Church the chief Seat of the Pope by the impulse of an evill Angel fell down quite from the Altar to the doors the Walls not being able to stand when the Chief Cardinal Door was shaken with the Earthquake of so great a Villany § 10. But here the Authors calling us Novatores as if such Popes were of glorious Antiquity are hard put to it to Vindicate against us the Popes infallibility And how do they do it Why 1st They say that all that Stephen did against Formosus a man stricken with Madness did it fulfilling the perswasion of his boyling Rage But in the lawful use of his Papal Authority he defined nothing against Faith or good manners For the Bishops that were for this Cause called to the Council and the Presbyters not unlike to Stephen himself did prosecute Formosus with the same hatred and therefore pronounced that Sentence against him which they fore knew would be pleasing to a man smitten with Fury so that we confess violent Tyranny but no Errour in Faith defined or approved by him Lawfully using his Papal Authority And yet it were no prejudice to the Papal Seat if we grant that a false Pope not lawfully Chosen but invading and obtruded did err in asserting Articles of Faith Thus the Author Ans. 1. But if you grant this is not your Succession interrupted 2. And was your Church a true Church when an Essential part was Null 3. Howver was it the Holy Church when an essential Part was such a Villain 4. Will not your Argument as well prove every Bishop Priest or man Infallible For no one of them all can define falsly against an Article of Faith as long as he lawfully useth his Power For it is no lawful use of power that so defineth and belieth God 5. But is all your foundation of Faith come to this It is then but saying when ever your Pope and Church Erreth that they did not use their Power lawfully And what relief is that to the deceived How shall we know when your Popes have used it lawfully and when not and so what is true among you and what false 6. And were your Roman Council of Bishops and Priests all as bad as this Villainous Pope and ready to please him in their Decrees And was this a Holy Church and like to be an Infallible Council And must the World follow them 7. And how then shall we know that it was not just so with many other former and following Councils and that it will not be so with you again O miserable shifts against plain Truth § 11. The same great Authors after Luitpraudus l. 1. c 9. say that Stephen an Invader of the Papal Seat by the faction of the Nâ—bles against Adelbert Prince of Etruria was thrust into prison An. 900. and after he had been Pope Six Years being strangled in the same Prison ended his Days by Gods Vengeance in an infamous Death Yet Platina saith that he died the first Year and third month of his Reign and Onuphrius saith he sate one year two moneths and ninteen days § 12. It 's strang that Luitpraudus saith that Stephen condemned the Corps of Formosus for being a Bishop before when Platina and Onuphrius say that he himself was Episcopus Anagninus when made Pope § 13. And Platina saith that This Controversie against Formosus was great and of ill Examples seeing that after this it was almost always kept as a Custome that following Popes did either Infring or wholly undoe the Acts of those that went before them And yet were they Infallible § 14. The next Pope was called Romanus whose Life Platina thus Describeth Romanus as soon as he was Pope presently Abrogateth and Condemneth the Decrees and Acts of Stephen For these Popes thought of nothing but to Extinguish the Name and Dignity of their Predecessors than which nothing can be worse or the part of a narrower mind For they that trust to such Acts as these having no Virtue themselves endeavor to rase out the
null and giveth no Authority which nullifieth the Roman succession § 56. Decrees about Souls § 57. Leo 10. a Cardinal at 13. and an Archbishop in his Childhood His Wars and bloodshed § 58. Luther The Reformation The end of Charles 5. § 59. Leo's death § 60. Reformers drive the Papists to Learning § 61. All Papist Princes owe their safety Crowns and deliverance from Papal deposition to the Reformation and Italy its peace § 62. The History of the Reformation and of Papists Murders of Martyrs passed by § 63. Freder of Saxony refuseth the Empire and Money and chose Charles § 64. Thirty five cases for which men must be denyed Communion in the Eucharist § 65. Later Reforming Papist Councils § 66 c. The Conclusion what this History specially discovereth § 70. A Poem of Mr. Herbert's called The Church Militant CHAP. 14. A Confutation of Papists and Sectaries who deny and oppose the Ministry of the Reformed Churches CHAP. 15. A Confutation of the prophane Opposers of the Ministry An Account of some Books lately Printed for and to be Sold by Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Arms in Ludgate-street A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice Wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained and several new Directions given for the promoting of real Holiness both of Heart and Life To which is added a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and Customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Uncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice and Idleness by Sam. Cradock B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somersetshire Vseful for the instruction of private Families Price bound 4 s. De Analogia sive Arte linguae Latinae Commentariolus In quo omnia etiam reconditioris Gramaticae Elementa ratione novâ tractantur ad brevissimos Canones rediguntur In usum Provectioris Adolescentiae Opera Wilhelmi Baxteri Philistoris Price bound 1 s. 6 d. The lively Effiges of the Reverend Mr. Mathew Pool So well performed as to represent his true Idea to all that knew him or had a Veneration for him Design'd on purpose to befriend those that would prefix it to his Synopsis Criticorum Price 6 d. Moral Prognostications 1. What shall befall the Churches on Earth till their Concord by the Restitution of their Primitive Purity Simplicity and Charity 2. How that Restitution is like to be made if ever and what shall befal them thenceforth unto the end in that Golden Age of Love Written by Richard Baxter when by the Kings Commission we in vain treated for Concord 1661. and now Published 1680 Price 1s The Nonconformists Advocate or an Account of their Judgment in certain things in which they are mis-understood Written principally in Vindication of a Letter from a Minister to a Person of Quality shewing some Reasons for his Nonconformity Price 1s There is Published every Thursday a Mercurius Librarius or A Faithful Account of all Books and Pamphlets Published every Week In which may be inserted any thing fit for a Publick Advertisement at a moderate Rate Directions to the Binder of Baxter's Church History c. After the Title Sheet follows a b c d e then B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S then AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II KK LL MM NN OO PP then SS TT VV XX YY ZZ AAA BBB CCC DDD EEE then GGG and so on to QQQ which Signiture ends the Book Church-History OF BISHOPS And their COUNCILS ABRIDGED c. CHAP. I. Of the sacred Ministry Episcopacy and Councils necessary Premonitions and of the Design of this Book § 1. GOD that could have enlightned the Earth without the Sun and Stars could immediately alone have taught his Church and communicated knowledge to mankind But as he is the most communicative good he was pleased not only to make his Creatures receptive of his own influx but also to give them the use and honour of being efficient sub-communicants under him and causes of good to themselves and to one another And as his Power gave Being and Motion his Wisdom gave Order and Harmony and his Love gave Goodness and Perfection felicity and love as he is the creating and conserving Cause of Nature and this in much inequality as he was the free disposer of his own so in the Kingdom of Grace he doth by the Spirit of Life Light and Love 1. Quicken and strengthen the dead and weak souls and awaken the slumbering and slothful 2. Illuminate the dark with Faith and Knowledge and 3. Sanctifie the malignant Enemies of holiness by the power of his communicated love making them friends and joyful lovers This Spirit first filled the Humane Nature of Christ our Head who first communicated it to some chosen persons in an eminent manner and degree as Nature maketh the heart and brain and other principal parts to be organical in making preserving and governing the rest To these he gave an eminence of Power to work Miracles of Wisdom to propagate the Word of life and infallibly by Preaching and Writing promulgate and record his sacred Gospel and of holy love to kindle the like by zealous holiness in the hearts of others To these organical persons he committed the Oeconomy of being the witnesses of his words and actions his resurrection and ascension and of recording them in writing of planting his first Churches and sealing the truth of their testimony by many Miracles promising them his Spirit to perform all that he committed to their trust and to bring all to their remembrance and to lead them into all truth and to communicate instrumentally his Spirit to others the sanctifying gifts by blessing their Doctrine and the miraculous gifts by their imposition of hands § 2. By these principal Ministers the first Church was planted at Ierusalem fitliest called the Mother-Church and after by those that were sent thence many Churches were gathered in many Kingdoms of the world darkness being not able to resist the light The Apostles and Evangelists and Prophets delivered to them the Oracles of God teaching them to observe all things that Christ had commanded them and practically teaching them the true Worship of God ordering their Assemblies and ordaining them such Officers for sacred Ministration as Christ would have continued to the end of the world and shewing the Churches the way by which they must be continued and describing all the work of the Office appointed them by Christ. § 3. The Apostles were not the Authors of the Gospel or of any essential part of the Christian Religion but the Receivers of it from Christ and Preachers of it to the world Christ is the Author and finisher or perfecter of our faith But they had besides the power of infallible remembring knowing and delivering it a double power about matters of Order in the Church 1. By the special gift of the Spirit 's inspiration to found and stablish
Council hath the like Canons adding to this aforesaid as Gratian citeth it Vniversalis autem nec etiam Romanus Pontifex appelletur To which Binnius hath no better an answer than 1. That it is only swelling titles and not the superiour power that is forbidden 2. That the Africans had no power to make Laws for Rome But 1. Sure the Name is Lawful if the Power be Lawful 2. They that could make no Laws for Rome might declare their Judgment of Gods Laws and that Rome might make no Laws for them This Council also forbiddeth going beyond Sea with Appeals § 34 XCII The next Carthage Council hath 104 Canons for Discipline most very good Divers Canons lay so much on the Bishop as plainly shew each Bishop had but One Altar Can. 14. That the Bishops Cottage be not far from the Church Can. 15. That the Bishop have but vile or cheap houshold stuff and a poor table and diet and seek his authority or dignity by his faith and desert of life 16. The Bishop must not read the Gentiles Books 19. Nor contend for transitory things though provoked 20. Nor take on him the care of Family or common business but only be vacant to the Word and Prayer 23. The Bishop shall hear no Cause but in the presence of his Presbyters else it shall be void that is sentenced without them unless confirmed by their presence 28. The unjust condemnation of Bishops is void 30. And judgments against the absent 35. The Bishop to sit higher than the Presbyters at Church and their Meetings but at home know that they are his Colleagues 51. A Clerk how Learned soever in Gods Word must get his living by a trade 52. That is by a trade or husbandry without detriment to his Office 53. All Clerks that are able to work should learn both trades and Letters 55. The Bishop must not admit an accuser of the brethren to Communion Nor to enter into the Clergy though he amend Many against Clergy-men that are flatterers betrayers foul-tongued quarrellers at discord scurrilous of filthy jeasts that swear by creatures that sing at feasts of former scandal c. 83. The poor and the aged of the Church to be honoured before the rest 88. He that goeth to any Shows or Sâ—ghts on publick days instead of going to the Church-assembly let him be Excommunicate 98. A Lay-man must not teach when the Clergy are present unless they bid him 100. A woman must not baptize § 35. XCIII An. 398. Another Council was at Carthage of 73. Bishops for Discipline § 36. XCIV An. 399. Theophilus held a Synod at Alexandria against a dead man Origen The occasion Baronius and Binnius thus deliver Melania a Woman of greatest Nobility in Rome in Valens the Arians Pesecution hid five thousand Monks and a while susteined them and when they were banished with great zeal followed them to maintain them out of her substance or estate When they were restored from banishment she built for her self a Monastery at Ierusalem in which besides fifty Virgins that dwelt with her she entertained and maintained holy Foreign Bishops Monks and Virgins twenty seven years Whereby it happened that both she and Ruffinus were by Didymus Alexandrinus a man blind but of great learning and fame too great an admirer of Origen's works entangled as their accusers said in Origen's errours and received and divulged his Book called Periarchon After 25 years absence in Egypt and Palestine returning to Rome with great fame of Holiness and bringing with them a piece of the Cross they with fraud bring to Origen's Periarchon that is Translated and Corrected by Ruffinus Another Woman Marcella accuseth them of Origen's errours which they deny and geting Communicatory Letters from Pope Siricius forsake Rome where such Merits and Holiness would not procure an aged Lady a quiet habitation without being Hereticated because she highly valued Origen's Works which had divers errours and who hath not Hereupon Pamachius and Oceanus write to Hierome to publish Origen's Periarchon entire and detect his errours which he did shewing that Ruffinus had mended some and left others unmended This occasioned stirs against Hierome and a Council call'd at Alexandria an 399. where Origen is condemned Theophilus by his Legates expells Origen's followers out of Egypt and Palestine Being expelled they go to Chrysostome to Constantinople and complain of Theophilus as persecuting them that were innocent Catholicks and desired his help He undertaketh to reconcile them to Theophilus Epiphanius followeth them to Constantinople and requireth Chrysostome to Excommunicate them and Expel them Chrysostome durst not do it against people professing truth and piety without a Synod Whereupon Epiphanius irregularly accuseth Chrysostome and publickly inveyeth against him in his own Church of the process of which more anon § 37. For the better understanding of these matters I will insert somewhat of Theophilus and Chrysostome out of Socrates because he is a most credible Historian and saith they were things done in his own days Theophilus was noted for a Lordly Prelate Isidore Pelusiota saith more When Chrysostome was to be Ordained Bishop of Constantinople Theophilus refused to Ordain him because he would have preferred to it one Isidore a Presbyter of his own But Eutropius a Courtier having got Articles against Theophilus shewed them to him and bid him choose whether he would Ordain Chrysostome Bishop or stand at the Bar and answer those crimes Theophilus was so afraid at this that he presently Consecrated Chrysostome Socr. l. 6. c. 2. But presently after began busily to devise how he might work him mischief which he practised privately by Word and by his Letters into foreign Countries But was vexed that his malicious practices had not better success for he thought to bring in this Isidore cap. 5. § 38. One of the Articles against Theophilus was this When Theodosius was going to fight against Maximus the Tyrant Theophilus sent presents by this Isidore to the Emperour with two Letters charging him to give the presents and one of the Letters to him that should have the upper-hand Isidore got him to Rome to hearken after the Victory But his Reader that kept him company stole away his Letters Whereupon Isidore in a fright took his heels presently to Alexandria § 39. Another thing to be fore-known to this story is in Socrat. l. 6. c. 7. The schisme of the Anthropomorphites now rose from Egypt some of the more unlearned thought that God had a body and the shape of a man but Theophilus and the Judicious condemned them and inveighed against them proving that God had not a body The Religious of Egypt hearing this flocking in blind zeal to Alexandria condemned Theophilâ—â—s for a wicked man and sought to take away his life Theophilus very pensive devised how to save his life He came to them courteously and said When I fasten mine eyes on you methinks I see the face of God These words allayed the heat of the Monks who said If that
assert One Nature of God incarnate after the Union and yet called Orthodox and those that said as he and much less were damned Hereticks Some that confessed two Natures yet denying two Wills after the Resurrection supposing the Humane Will called Natural had been laid by were here damned with the rest § 36. CCXVI An. 681. King Ervigius held another Council at Toletum for the Royal Power and reforming the Clergy The Pope had so little to do and the Kings so much in all these Spanish Councils that it 's strange Spain is now become so servile to the Pope Binnius is forced to confess here To. 3. p. 110. that The study and labor of chusing fit men to be made Bishops was in the power or hands of the Gothish Kings which by the indulgence of the Roman Popes is in the Spanish Kings even to our times which he proveth O indulgent Popes who let go what they cannot keep An. 682. Some Synods in France did we know not what § 37. Leo 2d is made Pope by the Emperor and because he confirmed the Acts of this Council which damns Honorius as an Heretick the Papists know not which way to turn themselves Baronius would have Leo's Epistle forged Binnius will have either the Acts corrupted by Theodore Const. before they were sent to Leo or that necessity compelled him to this hard condition by the iniquity of the times and that Heresie else would have revived c. so that by their reckoning they that relie all on Tradition and Fathers leave not Fathers Councils or Traditions certain for one Age. § 38. CCXVII An. 683. K. Ervigius had another Synod of 48 Bishops at Toletum for restoring some guilty of Treasons securing the King c. § 39. Constantine Pogon restored to Rome the power of making Popes without the Emperor which the Gothish Kings and other Emperors had long denied them § 40. Benedict 2d is made Pope A new Controversie in his time is raised The Spanish Bishops write an Epistle in which they assert Three Substances in Christ his Divinity his Soul and his Body and say withall that a Will begat a Will that is the Divine Will begat the Humane The numbers of One Two and Three had so confounded Men in those times that the words frightned the Pope and he expostulated and warned them to take heed in what sense they used them which hath made it a question whether this Pope were not erroneous himself § 41. CCXVIII Another Council at Toletum against the Monothelites § 42. Pope Iohn 5th was the first Consecrated without the Emperor since the liberty granted Theodoric King of France called a Council An. 685. in which he deposed several Bishops § 43. Constantine Pog. dying Iustinian 2d his Son is Emperor Binnius saith he was not sound in the Faith a hard thing then And that he repented of the liberty granted in chusing Popes and so ordered that the Exarch of Ravenna approve them by which Bribery was used with the Exarchs And while the Soldiers and Clergy could not agree they were fain to consent to a third Conon to be Pope § 44. Conon being dead Theodore and Paschal strove for the Popedom and got their Parties to stand it out for them Paschal promised the Exarch a great Sum of Gold to make him Pope When they could not agree Sergius a third was chosen The Exarch forced him to pay the Gold and so he got the Soldiers love and the Popedom § 45. CCXIX. An. 688. Another Toletan Council writ a defence of their assertion that Christ had three Substances and that Voluntas genuit Voluntatem § 46. CCXX A Council at Caesar-Augusta made five Canons the last was that when the Kings dyed the Queens should lay by their civil Habits and be put into a Monastery and profess Chastity § 47. CCXXI An. 692. Was the famous great Council called the Quini-Sextum at Constantinople by Iustinian 2d's Order why it should not be called a 7th General Council I know not It was called by the persuasion of Callinicus Constant. to make a full Body of Canons for Practice because the 5th and 6th Councils made none Binnius saith It could not be a General Council because the Pope was not there by himself or his Legates and yet confesseth that neither was he or his Legates at the first Constantine Council and yet it was universal And why doth not another Bishops absence E. G. Alexand. Ierusal c. null a General Council as well as the Popes The Papists rail at this Council as a Convention of Malignants Bin. p. 154. and against Balsamon that defendeth it as a wicked Greek Impostor the word wicked in these Mens writings is a term of art and interest and no moral term They recited abundance of old Canons many of great use One would wonder whence the anger against them ariseth It was per summam nequitiam saith Binnius that they called themselves a General Council And the Holy Ghost was not with them because the Pope was not with them p. 154 155. and they ordained many things contrary to Apostolical Constitutions and the Canons of General Councils Reader you see here 1. How little trust Papists lay on that part of Tradition which dependeth on Councils 2. That it is the Pope one Man that is the certainty of Tradition and Iudgment without whom Councils are nothing 3. That if the Pope be absent all the other Bishops assembled in Councils by the command of Emperors may be called Knaves and wicked Malignants Alas how few Bishops adhered to the Pope when Italy was not yet cured of Separation from him in comparison of those that met in these Eastern Councils which they revile 4. You see here how far they are from truth that say the Universal Church still cleaved to the Pope when most by far of the Bishops in the world forsook him you see Luther was not the first § 48. Note that Tharasius Bishop of Constantinople An. 692. in the 2d Council of Nice tells them that it was the same Bishops that met in the 6th General Council at Constantinople who met again here under Iustinian And were not the Bishops of the place so near the time competent Judges of the matters of so notorious Fact And were the same Bishops an infallible General Council at the 6th Council and yet all wicked Schismaticks or Knaves and wicked Men when they meet again but to make Church-Canons for Reformation If this do not tell you how truly Binnius saith in their own judgment that Councils have just so much authority as the Pope giveth them what can tell it you § 49. Yea Binnius makes this Council to be Monothelites And were the same Men Orthodox in the 5th or 6th Council ten years before and Hereticks in this Is this the constancy of the Church and Bishops Faith § 50. The 13th Canon is one that displeaseth them in which the practice of the Church of Rome in separating Priests from
contrite Confessor have been certainly pardoned without such formalities § 28. In divers following Sessions they prosecute Pope Eugenius and declare the Council at Ferrary to be but a Schismatical Conventicle and they establish these Catholick Verities or Articles of Faith Sess. 33. 1. That a General Council representeth the whole Church and hath its power immediately from Christ and that over the Pope and every other person and that this is a truth of Catholick Faith 2. That such a Council lawfully congregate may not without their own consent be dissolved prorogued or transferred and that this is an Article of Catholick Faith 3. That a pertinacious repugner of these Verities is to be judged a Heretick § 29. Sess. 34. They depose Pope Eugenius as a sentenced notorious obstinate persisting Rebel against the Precepts of the Vniversal Church and a daily violater and contemner of the Canons a notorious perturber of the Peace and Vnity of the Church of God and a notorious scandalizer of the whole Church a notorious Simonist incorrigible perjured person devious from the Faith a pertinacious Heretick with much more sucb § 30. Here I would crave the Readers consideration 1. If this extraordinary Great Council erred in all these matters of fact whether the judgment of a Council be a good proof of the Papists sort of Tradition 2. If they erred in these Articles of Faith whether it weaken not both their Tradition and grounds of their faith and whether such an heretical perjured Popes consent would have made them Infallible 3. Whether their General Councils be not contradictory de â—ide as this and that at Florence and Lateran expresly are 4. Whether a great part of the Church of Rome and their last named Councils be not Hereticks in the judgment of this Council 5. Seeing Pope Eugenius continued when the Council had deposed him as a Simonist and perjured pertinacious Heretick and all their following succession is from him is there not a nulliâ—y in that succession § 31. Sess. 36. They decreed the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary as a point of Faith and yet many of their Doctors take it yet as undetermined and many still are of the contrary mind § 32. After this follow Decrees about Election of a Pope and they make the Duke of Savoy Pope Faelix 5. and so we have two Popes again Onuphrius calls this the thirtieth Schisme He continued Pope above nine years and then resigned to Eugenius for Peace Sess. last They recite the Heresies of Pope Eugenius as against the foresaid Verities § 33. Next is added the Bull of Pope Nicholas the 5. approving the Acts and deeds of the Council at Basil And then are divers Synodical Epistles and Answers specially proving Councils above the Pope and against his Crimes and of the justness of his deposition very large as also against his Conventicle Council and against his Adherents that is most of their Church since with Answers to his Invectives and Monitories to draw men from his obedience In the Appendix are many more Epistles and Orations and a Treatise of the Patriarch of Antioch to prove the Pope above Councils There are many Epistles of the Pope against the Council and of the Emperour to the Council and of many other Princes § 34. The Bohemians Epistles place their main cause upon the four forementioned Articles I. The Sacrament in both kinds II. That the Word of God may be freely publickly and truly preached by those that it belongeth to for they were silenced c. III. That Civil Dominion they mean not all Propriety but Power of the Sword or force over mens Estates and persons which is the Magistrates as a deadly poyson be taken from the Clergy they spake from feeling IV. That publick and great or heynous sins may be extirpated from among the vulgar of the faithful by lawful Powers This was the Religion of the Bohemians and the denying of these was the cause of all their cruel Persecutions and the blood there shed § 35. In confutation of these Demands are adjoyned four Treatises of the four Preachers that spake against them What Cause so great or plain that men cannot talk against with many and confident words I. Ioh. Ragusius acknowledged the regulating sufficiency of the Scripture hath hath an Oration a Treatise against the Sacrament in both kinds II. Aegidius Carberius Decanus Cameracensis hath a Treatise four days Oration against their request for correcting heynous publick sins where much learning and reading is poured out to save sin And in particular it is maintained that the Clergy may not be punished by the Laity some few cases excepted not being therein their Subjects It seems the Bohemians would have had wicked Priests punished And it is specially pleaded that no wickedness of Clergy or Laity will warrant any Nation to separate from their Unity that is Roman Government and to that end the badness of the Church Militant to be endured is described When he cometh to the Popes pardons he denieth that Pardons à culpâ poena are usually the Popes stile whereas I have before cited their express words so speaking often And he honestly maintaineth out of the School-men that God only can give pardon à culpâ save as any Priest as instrumentum animatum may vi clavium dispose the receiver and declare Gods pardon and remit part of the temporal punishment but sometimes the Pope remitteth part of the Church-penances and so it is that Priests are said to forgive sins Mark this against our present Papists that reproach the Protestants for this Doctrine III. Next is Henr. Kalteisen a Dominican Inquisitors Oration against the free preaching of Gods Word by Ministers for this would have undone the Pope and his Clergy The Bohemians whom he confuteth maintained 1. That Gods Word is so perfect that nothing should be added or diminished 2. That the wickedness of Priests is the great cause of the peoples ruine 3. Against Venial sin as against Gods Counsels differing from Laws 4. That every Priest and Deacon is bound to preach Gods Word freely or else sins mortally and after Ordination he should not cease that is when he was forbidden by silencing Bishops or others no not when excommunicated because he must obey God rather than man and that Bishops are bound to preach as well as Presbyters The Answer first noteth that Papa non est nomen Ordinis sed Iurisdictionis that Gods Word is Incarnate inspired written that it is expounded by the same Spirit that inspired it But hath the Pope the same gifts of that Spirit That the Inspired Word is publick or private that the Bishops Decrees in Councils are Gods publick inspired Word see here the Enthusiastical pretence of Episcopal Inspiration is the ground of all the Roman Usurpations and tyrannies and deposition of Princes to them he applieth He that heareth you heareth me whence he gathereth the danger of disobeying that Council and so
have corrupted sacred Societies Doctrine Worship Discipline and Conversation and when the Prince of pride and darkness the God of this World could not directly expugne Christianity he hath under pretence of Government Unity and Advancement to the Church set his Malignant Ministers in the Chairs and Pulpits of the Church to do his work and fight down piety love and peace in the name of Christ and as it were by his Authority and instead of persecuting Heathens Satan hath set up contentions dividing and silencing and persecuting Prelates to smite the true Shepherds and scatter the Flocks and as for Faith and Order to tread down the true life of Faith Love and Order and to be the Capital Enemies of the Church while they would make themselves its Heads Advancers and Defenders so that the chief good and the chief mischief hath come to the Church by the means of the Pastors And no Schismes no Heresies no Persecutions have been more grievous than those that have been caused by a tyrannical and contentious Clergy witness all the Conciliary Episcopal Schismes Wars and Bloodshed mentioned in this Collection witness the many hundred thousand Albigenses Waldenses and Bohemians murdered as for the Faith and Church witness the 30000. or 40000. at once murdered at the French Massacre witness the horrid cruelties of the Inquisition witness the Volumes of burned and otherwise murdered Protestants and witness the Irish Zeal stirr'd up by their Clergy that murdered two hundred thousand in so narrow a room as that small Country and in so few Weeks And whoever is the Antichrist certainly in Rome and the Militant Tyrannical Church-Clergy is found the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus and as proud contentious Patriarchs and Prelates ruined Religion and the Empire in the East and gave it up to Mahometan darkness and cruelty so have they under the name of Christianity impugned the Christian Interest in the West I end with G. Heebert Only the West and Rome do keep them free From this contagious infidelity And this is all the Rock whereof they boast As Rome will one day find unto her cost Sin being not able to extirpate quite The Churches here bravely resolv'd one night To be a Churchâ—man and to wear a Mitre The old debauched Ruffian would turn Writer I saw him in his Study where he sate Busie in controversie sprung of late A Gown and Pen became him wondrous well His grave aspect had more of Heaven than Hell Only there was a handsome picture by To which he lent a corner of his eye As Sin in Greece a Prophet was before And in old Rome a mighty Emperour So now being Priest he plainly did profess To make a Jest of Christs three Offices The rather since his scattered juglings were United now in one both time and sphere From Egypt he took petty Deities From Greece Oracular Infallibilities And from old Rome the liberty of pleasure By free dispensing of the Churches Treasure Then in memorial of his Ancient Throne He did sirname his Palace Babylon Yet that he might the better gain all Nations And make that name good by their transmigrations From all these places but at divers times He took five Vizards to conceal his Crimes From Egypt Anchorisme and retiredness Learning from Greece from old Rome stateliness And blending these he carried all mens eyes While Truth sate by counting his Victories Whereby he grew apace and scorn'd to use Such force as once did captivate the Iews But did bewitch and finely work each Nation Into a voluntary transmigration All post to Rome Princes submit their Necks Either to his publick Foot or private Tricks It did not fit his Gravity to stir Nor his long Journey nor his Gout and Fur Therefore he sent out ABLE MINISTERS States-men wiâ—â—in without door Cloysterers Who without Spear or Sword or other Drum Than what was in their Tongue did overcome And having conquer'd did so strangely rule That the whole World did seem but the Popes Mule As new and old Rome did one Empire twist So both together are one ANTICHRIST Yet with two Faces as their Ianus was Being in this their old crackt Looking-glass How dear to me O God thy Counsels are Who may with thee compare Thus Sin triumphs in Westerns-Babylon Yet not as Sin but as Religion Of his two Thrones he made the later best And to defray his journey from the East Old and new Babylon are to Hell and Night As is the Moon and Sun to Heaven and Light CHAP. XIV LEst this treatise be mistaken abused to the dishonour of the Christian Religion Church or Ministry I adde two papers which I long agoe published for the Ministry 1. Against profane Malignants 2. Against Sectarians especially those called Seekers as also Papists others that for interest or faction deny or vilifie the Pastors One sheet for the Ministry Against the Malignants of all sorts AS mans first felicity was attended with the malice of the Serpent so is the wonderful work of his Restauration The promise of Reconciliation by the seed of the woman is joyned with a proclamation of open war with the Serpent and his seed The enmity was hottest in the Devil and his seed against Christ himself who bare and overcame it and is become the Captain of our salvation that his Church may overcome by his Cross and Strength and Conduct The next degree of malice is against his officers the most eminent the General Officers had the hottest assault and his ordinary Officers bear the next That we shall be hated of all men for the name of Christ Mat. 10. 22. is still verified to our experience Not only the openly prophane abhor us for our work sake but false-hearted professors that turn from the truth do presently turn Malignants against the Ministry and many weak ones that are better minded are dangerously seduced into a guilt of the sedition To all these I here proclaim in the name and word of the Lord Numb 16. 26. Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sins Which I shall now open to you 1. The office of the Ministry is an undoubted Ordinance of God to continue in the Church to the end of the world No man can pretend that they ceased with the Apostles for it is Gods will that ordinary fixed Presbyters shall be ordained in every Church Acts. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 2. And Pastors and Teachers are appointed for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to a perfect man Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. A Ministry authorized to Disciple the Nations baptize and teach them is instituted by Christ as King and Saviour and have his Promise to be with them alway to the end of the world Mat. 28. 18 19 20. The same necessity and work continueth
such Orders as were to continue to the end and none that came after them might change they being the Ordinances of the Holy Ghost in them 2. Temporarily pro re natâ to make convenient mutable Constitutions in matters left by the great Legislator to humane prudence to be determined according to his general regulating Laws In this last the Apostles have Successors but not in the former No other have their Gift and therefore not their Authority No men can be said to have an Office that giveth them Right to exercise abilities which they never had nor shall have § 4. Christ summed up all the Law in LOVE to God and Man and the works of Love and all the Gospel in Faith and Hope and Love by them kindled and exercised by the Spirit which he giveth them even by the Belief and Trust of his Merits Sacrifice Intercession and Promises and the prospect of the future Glory promised fortifying us to all holy duties of obedience and diligent seeking what he hath promised and to patient bearing of the Cross conquering the inordinate love of the world and flesh and present life and improving all our present sufferings and preparing for his coming again and for our change and entrance into our Masters joy § 5. Christ summed up the Essentials of Christianity in the Baptismal Covenant in which we give up our selves in Faith Hope and consenting Love to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier and in which God receiveth us in the Correlations as his own And all that are truly thus baptized are Christened and are to be esteemed and loved as Christians and to be received into Christian Communion in all Christian Churches where they come until by apostasie or impenitency in certain disobedience to the Laws of Christ in points necessary to Christian Communion they forfeit that priviledge Nor are men to deprive them of the great benefit thus given them by Christ on pretence of any wit or holiness or power to amend Christs terms and make the Church Doors narrower or tie men to themselves for worldly ends Yet must the Pastors still difference the weaker Christians from the stronger and labour to edifie the weak but not to cast them out of the Church § 6. The sacred Ministry is subordinate to Christ in his Teaching Governing and Priestly Office and thus essentiated by Christs own institution which man hath no power to change Therefore under Christ they must teach the Church by sacred Doctrine guide them by that and sacred Discipline called The power of the Keys that is of judging who is fit to enter by Baptism to continue to partake of the Communion to be suspended or cast out and to lead them in the publick Worship of God interceding in Prayer and speaking for them and administring to them the Sacraments or holy Seals of the Covenant of God § 7. The first part of the Ministers Oâ—â—ice is about the unbelieving world to convert them to the Faith of Christ and the second perfective part about the Churches Nor must it be thought that the first is done by them as meer private men § 8. As Satan fell by pride and overthrew man by tempting him to pride to become as Gods in Knowledge so Christ himself was to conquer the Prince of pride by humility and by the Cross by a life of suffering contemned by the blind and obstinate world making himself of no reputation despising the shame of suffering as a Malefactor a Traitor and Blasphemer And the bearing of the Cross was a principal part of his Precepts and Covenant to his Disciples without which they could not be his Followers And by Humility they were to follow the Captain of their Salvation in conquering the Prince of pride and in treading down the Enemie-world even the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life which are not of the Father but of the world § 9. Accordingly Christ taught his chief Disciples that if they were not so converted as to become as little children they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. 3. His School receiveth not masterly Disciples but humble teachable Learners that become fools that they may be wise And when they were disputing and seeking which of them should be greatest he earnestly rebuked all such thoughts setting a little child before them telling them that the Princes of the Earth exercise authority and are called Benefactors or by big Names but with them it should not be so but he that would be the greatest must be servant ofâ— all Luk. 22. shewing them that it was not a worldly grandeur nor forcing power by the Sword which belongeth to Civil Magistrates which was to be exercised by the Pastors of the Church But that he that would be the Chiefest must be most excellent in Merit and most serviceable to all and get his honour and do his work by meriting the respect and love of Volunteers The Sword is the Magistrates who are also Christs Ministers for all Power is given him and he is Head over all things to the Church But they are eminently the Ministers of his Power but the Pastors and Teachers are most eminently Ministers of his Paternal and saving love and wisdom And by wisdom and love to do their work The Word preached and applied generally and particularly by the Keys is their Weapon or Arms and not the Sword The Bohemians therefore knew what they said when they seemed damnable Hereticks to the worldly Clergie that destroyed them when they placed their Cause in these four Articles 1. To have the whole Sacrament Bread and Wine 2. To have free leave for true Ministers to preach the word of God without unjust silencing of proud worldly men that cannot stand before the truth 3. To have Temporal Dominion or Government by the Sword and power over mens Bodies and Estates taken from the Clergie 4. To have gross sin suppressed by the lawful Magistrate by the Sword § 10. Had it been necessary to the Churches Union against Schism or Heresie for Christians to know that Peter or some one of his Apostles must be his Vicar-General and Head of his Church to whom all must obey who can believe that Christ would not only have silenced so necessary a point but also at a time when he was desired or called to decide it have only spoken so much against it to take down all such Expectations Yea we never read that Peter exercised any Authority or Jurisdictions over any other of the Apostles nor more than other Apostles did much less that ever he chose a Bishop to be Lord of the Church as his Successor Nay he himself seemeth to fore-see this mischief and therefore saith 1. Pet. 5. 1 2 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a Witness of the Sufferings of Christ and also a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed These are his Dignities
not temporal estates under them to take any oath of allegiance or fidelity to any Lay-man The 44. is to invalidate Lay-Ruler's Laws about ecclesiastical matters as Glebes Mortuaries c. the rest I pass by § 196. In this Council besides the Albigenses and Abbot Ioachim Almaricus a learned man was condemned they say he said that All Christians were Christs members and they add how truly is doubtfull suffered by the Iews with him that Christ's body was no more in the sacrament than in another thing That Incense as offered in the Church is Idolatry That every Christian is bound to believe that he is a member of Christ That if Adam had not sinned there should have been no generating in Paradise nor difference of sexes We must take these things on the report of such as Sanders with some other that they charge on him for which when they had killed him with grief they dig'd up his corps and burnt it as they were then burning multitudes of the living § 197. In this Council Stephen Laughton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed for taking part with the Barons of England against King Iohn whose case was now become the Pope's when he had given him his Kingdom in so much that when the Arch-Bishop confessed and begged absolution his Holiness answered By St. Peter Brother thou shalt not so easily get absolution who hast done so many and so great injuries not only to the K. of England but to the Church of Rome § 198. Let the Reader note that 1. General Councils are the Papists religion 2. That this is one of their greatest approved General Councils 3. That therefore by their Law and Religion they are bound to exterminate all Protestants and that all Princes must be deposed that will not execute it and their dominion given to others that will 4. That all Protestants and others called Hereticks are dead men in Law and want but judgment and execution where their Law is in force 5. That the Henrician heresie is one that is judged such by their Councils 6. That therefore not only all Protestant Kings but all Papists that are for the safety and power of Kings against the Popes pretended power of condemning and deposing them are Hereticks to be exterminated and burnt by many Canons 7. Therefore Kings are beholden to the Protestant reformation disabling the Pope to execute his Laws and Religion for their Crowns and lives 8. That when ever any King or others set up Popery and the power of their Laws and Councils in a Kingdom that is reformed the subjects are presently dead men in Law being to be destroyed as Hereticks though Policy or want of power may hinder the execution 9. Qu. Whether it be lawful for any King or in his authority so to destroy his Kingdom or to make all or the generality of his subjects dead men in Law 10. Whether by these Laws the Pope and his consenting Bishops have not published themselves to be hostes Regum et Regnorum if not humani generis and are not so to be esteemed § 199. Note also that D. Heylin in his Certamen Epistolare against me answereth that it is not Kings but temporal Lords that are mentioned in this Council and that he and Bishop Taylor and Bishop Gunning and Bishop Pearson in their dispute published by Terret or Iohnson and others before them have maintained that these Canons were but proposed by Pope Innocent and not consented to and passed by the Council But to the first It is clear 1. that by Domini Temporales Councils ordinarily mean Emperors and Kings as well as any others 2. That the words of the Council are express eâdem nihilominus lege servatâ circa eos qui non habent Dominâ—s principales And to the 2d I answer 1. The Church of Rome actually taketh this for one of their approved General Councils and will not be beholden to our Bishops for their friendly favour and excuse And therefore it is all one to us whether the Council consented or not 2. Mr. Henry Dodwel in his late considerations how far Papists may be trusted by Princes c. pag. 167 pag. 174 c. hath fully answered all the reasons given by these Bishops as Terret did in part before and hath added abundant proof that these Canons were passed in that Council 1. From the Council at Oxford where Stephen Laughton himself was 2. From Mat Paris who is alledged for the contrary 3 From Gregory 9th's decertals 4 From the case of Iohn Blunt elect Bishop of Canterbury recited by Mat. Paris an 1233. 5. From Otto the Pope's Legate in M. Paris an 1237. and that London Council 6. From the Popes Letter to Otto an 1238 in M. Paris 7. From Honorius the 3d's condemnation of Rich. de Marisco Bishop of Durham 8. From P. Clement the 5th's Bull for King Philip the Fair. 9. From the Council of Tarragon 10. From the Council at Vienna under Clement 4th 11. From the General Council at Lyons under Gregory 10th 12. From the Sabine Council in Spain 13. From a Council at Toledâ— under Benedict 12th 14. And from the Council of Trent 15. From the Common sense of the Case of Abbot Ioachim 16. And of the word Transubstantiation 17. And of annual confession All taken as setled by this Council So that as the Papists will not accept of this Charity of our Bishops in excusing their Religion from this part of guilt so there is little place indeed for an excuse § 200. The Papists themselves though they have many other Councils and instances to prove the Popes Claim and Practice of deposing Princes yet will not let go this as being a famous General Council But when here in England they would excuse their Religion from Rebellion they use to say that this being not an Article of Faith but a Canon of Practice they are not bound to take it as infallible To which the said Mr. Henry Dodwell ibid. pag. 185. hath largely answered to which I refer the Reader adding only that That which must be Believed to be of God is not alway matter of practice yet what must be done as by the wiâ— of God must alwaies be first the matter of faith we must believe that it is God's will before we can obey it as his will The full answer see as aforecited § 201. In the performance of the Laws of this Council multitudes called hereticks were burnt Their St. Dominick preaching to the people to perswade them to take arms under the Sign of the Cross to destroy the Hereticks for to get pardon of their sins so that from first to last many hundred thousand some say two millions but that seemeth too much were killed in France Savoy Germany Italy and other Countreys see Sam. Clerk Martyrol and Arch-Bishop Vsher deâ—success Eccles Thus hath Papal Rome been built and maintained by Blood Rebellion and Confusion under pretence of Church Purity Unity and Government and all by