happen on a Sunday Easter day is the Sunday after This is one of the things that about 2000 Ministers are silenced for not Declaring Assent Consent and Approbation of yea to the use of it and so to keep Easter at a wrong time But how Sylvester came to have power to say all and to banish men and Constantine sit by and say nothing I know not Dedit eis anathema damnavit eos extra urbes suas Cap. 3. He Decreed that no Presbyter shall accuse a Bishop no Deacon a Presbyter c. and no Layman any of them And that no Prelate shall be condemned but in 72 Testimonies nor the chief Prelate be judged of any one because it is written The Disciple is not above his Master And no Presbyter shall be condemned but in 44 Testimonies no Cardinal Deacon but in 36 c. And what may they not then do or be Cap. 5. He Decreed clarâ voce thaâ— no Presbyter should make Chrisme because Christ is so called of Chrisme The 12. Cap. is Nemo det poenitentiam nisi quadraginta annorum petenti Let no man give repentance or penance but to one that seeketh forty years Cap. 14. Let no man receive the witness of a Clergy-man against a Lay-man Cap. 15. For no man may examine a Clergy-man but in the Church Cap. 16. Let no Clerk Deacon or Presbyter for any Cause of his enter into any Court because Omnis Curia à Cruore dicitur every Court is so called from blood and is an offering to Images For if any Clergy-man enter into a Court let him take his Anathema never returning to his Mother the Church Cap. 17. Let no man put a sunning Clergy-man to death no Presbyter no Deacon no Bishop that is over a Clerk or Servitor of the Church may bring him to death But if the Clergy man's cause so require let him be three days deprived of honour that he may return to his Mother-Church Cap. 18. No Deacon may offer against a Priest a Charge of filthiness Cap. 20. No man shall judge of the Prime seat because all seats desire justice to be tempered of the first seat The Subscribers were 284 Bishops what did the other 57 45 Priests and 5 Deacons and the two following and Constantine and his Mother Helena O brave Pope and Clergy O patient Council that subscribed to one man and pretended to no judgment O humble Constantine that subscribed to all this and said nothing And a womans subscription perfecteth all And O credulous Reader that believeth this CHAP. III. The Council of Nice and some following it § 1. XXX WE come now to the first General Council General only as to the Roman World or Empire as the History and Subscriptions prove and not as to the Whole World as the Papists with notorious impudence affirm which I have elsewhere fully proved This Council was called as is probably gathered Anno 325 in the 20th year of Constantine though others assign other years That they were congregate about the Arian Heresie and the Eastern Controversie is commonly known As also what wisdom and diligence Constantine used to keep the Bishops in peace Who presently brought in their Libels of accusations against each other which he took and burnt without reading them earnestly exhorting them to peace and by his presence and prudent speech repressing their heats and contentions whereby the Synod was brought to a happy end as to both the controverted Causes And Eusebius Nicomed and Arius were brought to counterfeit repentance and consent to the Nicene Faith which Constantine perceiving being set upon the healing of the divided Bishops and Churches he commanded that Arius should as reformed be received to Communion which Athanasius refusing caused much calamity afterward § 2. Because the Case of the Meletians is brought in by this Council I think it useful for our warning in these times to recite the sum of their story out of Epiphanius p. 717 c. Haer. 63. Meletius saith he was a Bishop in Thâ—bais in Egypt of sincere Faith even to the death In Diocletians Persecution Peter Bishop of Alexandria and he were the chief of the Bishops that were laid in Prison as designed to Martyrdom while they were there long together with many fellow-prisoners many called to Tryal before them were put to death and many for fear subscribed to Idolatry or denyed Christ And when they had done professed repentance and craved peace of the Church As it had been in Novatus his Schismes so it fell out here Peter Bishop of Alexan. was for peace and pardon Meletius and most of the other suffering prisoners were against it and said If they may thus revolt to save themselves and be presently pardoned it will tempt others to revolt Peter seeing his opinion was rejected rashly took his Cloak and hang'd it like a Curtain over the midst of the prison-room and said Those that are for me come to me on this side and those that are for Meletius go on that side to him Whereupon far most of the Bishops Priests Monks and people that were in prison went to Meletius and but few to Peter A â—ouler Rupture than that of the English Fugitives at Frankford This unhappy word and hour began the misery among good men expecting death From that hour they keep all their meetings separate Shortly after Peter was Martyred and Meletius was judged to the Mines As he went thither through the Country he every where made new Bishops and gathered new Churches so that there were two in the several Cities Those old ones that followed Peter called their Meeting The Catholick Church The other called theirs The Martyrs Church But yet they held a Unity of Faith Even the sufferers that laboured in the Mines divided and did not pray together At last Meletius and the rest were restored unto peace and at Alexandria Alexander and he lived in familiarity and Meletius was he that detected Arius and brought him to Alexander to be tryed But when Meletius was dead Alexander grew impatient at the private separate Meetings of his followers and troubled them and vexed them and began to use violence against them and would not have them depart from his Church They refused still and this bred stirs and Tumults Alexander persecuting them and following them yet more sharply they sent some men eminent for piety and parts to the Emperours Court to Petition for Liberty for their private Meetings without impediment Of these Paphnutius and Iohn their Bishop and Callinitus Bishop of Pellusium were chief who when they came to Court being named Meletians the Courtiers rejected them and drove them away and they could not get access to the Emperour On this occasion being put to wait long at Constantinople and Nicomedia they fell into acquaintance with Euschius Bishop of Nicomedia the Head of the Arians who pretending repentance was become great with the Emperour who was all for the Clergies peace and concord To Eusebius they open all
of scandalous and uncapable men Can. 9. and 10. Which will justifie Pope Nicholas forbidding any to take the Mass of a Fornicating Priest 3. That Rural Bishops were then in use and allowed by the Council Can. 8. 4. That no Bishop was to remove from one Church to another Can. 15. which Euseb. Nicom soon broke 5. Even in the Arabick Canons the 4th si populo placebit is a Condition of every Bishops Election 6. The 5th Arab. Canon in case of discord among the people who shall be their Bishop or Priest it is referred to the people to consider which is most blameless And no Bishop or Priest must be taken into anothers place if the former was blameless So that if Pastors be wrongfully cast out the people must not forsake them nor receive the obtruded 7. Those Ordained by Meletius were to be received into the Ministry where others dyed If by the suffrage of the people they were judged fit and the Bishop of Alex. designed them Sozom. l. 1. c. 23. § 15. XXXI The next Council in Binnius and in Crabs Order is said to be at Rome under Sylvester with 275. Bishops But this is confessed to be partly false if not all And is the same that is before mentioned which ordered that no Bishop should ordain any Clerk nisi cum omni adunatâ Ecclesiâ But with all the Church united or gathered into one Which Canon seemeth made when a Church was no more than could meet together and when the People had a Negative Voice But the Concil Gangrense is Binnius's next though Crab put afterward some of the forementioned also said to be in Sylvesters days and yet Sozomen and some others say that the Council of Nice was in Iulius days though most say otherwise Here were sixteen Bishops who condemned some Errours of Eustathius of Armenia or rather one Eutactus as Bin. thinks who was too severe against Marriage as if it were sinful and against eating Flesh and against receiving the Sacrament at the Hands of a married Priest he made Servants equal with their Masters he set light by Church-Assemblies he drew Wives to leave their Husbands for Continency and on pretence of Virginity despised married Persons These superstitions they here condemned § 16. XXXII An. 335. The Council at Tyre was held for the Tryal of Athanasius where he was unjustly condemned and thereupon by Constantine banished though his innocency was after cleared Had not his severity against the Meletians driven them to joyn with the Arians against him Epiphanius saith they had not been able to make head thus against him Constantines Epistle to the Alexandrians lamenting and chiding them for their Discords is well worth the translating but that I must not be so tedious See it Bin. p. 391. § 17. XXXIII The next is a Council at Ierusalem An. 335. where Arius Faith was tryed approved and he restored to Alexandria and the favour of Constantine The Creed which he gave in was this We believe in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Iesus Christ his Son begotten of him before all Ages God the Word by whom all things were made which are in Heaven and in Earth Who came down and was Incarnat◠and Suffered and Rose again and Ascended to the Heavens and shall come again to Iudge the Living and the Dead And in the Holy Ghost The Resurrection of the Flesh The Life of the World to come and the Kingdom of Heaven In one Catholick Church of God extending it self from one end of the Earth unto the other Arius with this protesting against vain Subtilties and Controversies desireth the Emperour to accept of this as the Evangelical Faith and the Council and the Emperour receive him as for the joyful restoration of Unity and Peace and so would undo what was done at Nice The Emperour was so greatly troubled at the continued divisions of the Bishops that he was glad of any hope of Unity and Peace But this proved not the way § 18. XXXIV An. 336. A Council was called at Constantinople in which they accused condemned and banished Marcellus Ancyranus an Adversary to the Arians as if he had denyed the Godhead of Christ upon some wrested word though it was their denying it that offended him Here also Arius was justified and Athanasius condemned But Arius dyed shortly after § 19. XXXV The next is a Council of 116 Bishops at Rome in or about An. 337. under Iulius in which the Nicene Creed was owned and the Arians condemned and nothing else down that is recorded § 20. XXXVI The next was a Council at Alexandria which vindicated Athanasius from his Accusations when Constantinus junior sent him home from his Banishment § 21. XXXVII The next was a Council at Antioch of near 100 Bishops of which 36 were Arians the most Orthodox and the holy Iames of Nisibis one yet they deposed Athanasius and the Arians it 's like by the Emperours favour carryed it In his place they put George a Cappadocian suspected to be an Arian whom as I said before the People murdered burnt and scattered his Ashes in the Wind and he was one of the Arians Martyrs Unless England had ever been Arian I cannot believe them that say that this is the St. George that the English have so much honoured § 23. This Arian Council finding that the Emperours favour gave them the Power made many Canons against Non-Conformists The first Can. is against them that keep not Easter at the due time The second against them that come to the hearing of the Word but communicate not publickly in the Lords Supper and Prayers and against them that keep private Meetings and that communicate with them Can. 4. Was to make their Case hopeless that exercise the Ministry after they are Silenced or Deposed be they Bishops Priests or Deacons Can. 5. Was that if any Priest or Deacon gathered Churches or Assemblies against the Bishops Will and took not warning he was to be Deposed And if he go on to be oppressed by the exteriour Power as Seditious There is their Strength Can. 6 and 7. None suspended by his own Bishop was to be received by another nor any Stranger without Certificates Can. 8. Country-Priests may not write Canonical Epistles but Rural Bishops may Can. 9. No Bishop must do any thing without the Metropolitane save what belongeth by Ordination and Guidance to his own Church Can. 10. Though the rural Bishops are consecrated as true Bishops yet they shall only govern their own Churches and Ordain such lower Orders as they need but not Ordain Presbyters or Deacons without the City-Bishops to whom they are subject Can. 11. Casteth out all Bishops or other Clergy-men that go to the Prince without the Metropolitane's Counsel or Letters Can. 12. Deposed or silenced Ministers must not go to Princes for relief but appeal to a Synod Can. 13. Bishops must not go or ordain in other Diocess unless sent for by the Metropolitane else their Ordinations there
Western Empire and Africa being divided between many late conquering Kings they all labour to settle themselves in a peaceable possession by pleasing the Clergy who as they found had no small interest in the People § 71. CXLVII Hincmazus in the life of Remigius tells us of a strange thing done at a Council at Rhemes that one Arian Bishop challenged all the rest to dispute and when Rhemigius came in would not rise to him but upon the shaddow of Remigius passing by him he was struck dumb and falling at Rhemigius feet by signs askt pardon and was suddenly cured of his dumbness and Heresie confessing the Deity of Christ. § 72. CXLVIII Because Iohan. Nicopolit did but call some of his Bishops to flatter the Pope and to curse all Heresies and Acacius this is put in among the Councils But the Concil Tarracense Anno 516. seems more regardable under Theodorick where the Clergy are restrained from buying cheaper and selling dearer than others this it seems grew to be a part of their priviledges and from judging causes on the Lords day And it is ordered that the Bishop send a Presbyter one week and a Deacon another to the Country Congregations and to visit them himself once a year because by the old custome he is to have a third part of all the Church profits Quâ—r Whether a Bishops Diocess then was any bigger than one of our Corporations with the Neighbour Villages And if one of our Bishops that have above a thousand Parishes or many hundred should have the third part of all or as other Canons say the fourth Would not our Bishops be yet richer men than they are Especially if they that confine Bishops to Cities could get a Prince to call no Corporation a City but one or two in a Kingdom and be as the Abuna is in Ethiopia that hath the thirds of all the Ecclesiastical benefits in the Empire This Council had ten Bishops § 73. CXLIX The Concillium Gerundense is next Anno 517. under Theodorick It consisted of seven Bishops Bishopricks began to grow so big that they could not so suddenly meet by the scores and hundreds as when every Church was known by one Altar and one Bishop as Ignatius speaks The seven men made Canons that the same Liturgy should be used in the other Churches of that Province as were used in the Metropolitan Church For formerly every Bishop in his own Church did pray as he thought best without Imposed or agreed Uniformity of many Churches much less of all in a Nation They Decree also that Litanies be used on the Kalends of November A Litany then signified a solemn supplicating of God by the People Assembled Fasting Walking Singing and Praying as is used here in the Rogation Week sometime they walked to the Memorial of some Martyr sometime about the streets oft bare foot continuing it with Fasting for certain times The Last Canon is That the Priests say the Lords Prayer twice a Day Morning and Evening That was a short Liturgy § 74 CL. When Iustin was made Emperour the Bishops turned in the East and down went the Eutychians and a Synod of 40 Bishops at Constantinople resolved that the Names of Euphemius and Macedonius should be restored into the Dyptick their Book of life and that Soverus should be condemned with his Adherents § 75. The Case hath been oft intimated before In those times when all the Empire was in confusion between Eutychians and the Orthodox and some Emperours took one side and some the other and some in vain endeavoured peace The Churches of Antioch and Alexandria were more Eutychian than Constantinople though the Emperour that favoured the Eutychians were present Acacius was Orthodox but pleased the Emperour so far as to Communicate with or not curse and excommunicate the Bishops of Antioch and Alexandria For this as you have oft heard the Pope Excommunicated him and he so dyed having done as much for the Pope Euphemius and Macedonius that succeeded were both Orthodox and commanded by the Emperour to Communicate with the Eutychians and persecuted and both cast out by him for not obeying him as is before described in that and another such matter The Pope had required them to blot Acacius name out of the Dyptick The Court Clergy and People were against it thinking it arrogancy in one man to Excommunicate the Patriarch of the Imperial City that was Orthodox upon his personal revenge or quarrel They obeyed not the Pope The Pope is against them for not cursing a dead Orthodox Bishop Acacius The Emperour was against them for being against the Eutychians as the Pope was for not being more against both them and all that did not curse them as much as he did Were not these Bishops in a hard case Both agree to their extirpation and when they were dead to damn their names But the Clergy and People agreed not The Eastern and Western Churches were hereby divided that is Constantinople and Rome Is not the Christian World beholden to such Tyrants and proud pretenders for its distractions and calamities That will rather divide the Christian World than endure the names of Orthodox persecuted Bishops to be honoured when they are dead because they would not blot out and abhor the name of another dead Orthodox Bishop their Predecessour when the Pope cursed him for Communicating with an Eutychian I know the Papists will cry up The preservation of the Faith and Purity But if ever any did overdo the Pharisees that reproved Christ for eating with Publicans and Sinners If ever any became Plagues of the World by being Wise Orthodox and Righteous overmuch and made use of the name of Faith to destroy Faith Love Humanity and Peace and cryed up the Church and Vnity as Catholicks to destroy the Church and Unity and crumble it into Sects and Factions it is certainly these men But the East and West that thus began their separation by the spirit of Pride and Envy that Rome had against the growing greatness of Constantinople continue their Division to this day And it hath been no small cause of the ruin of the Empire and the Christian Cause and delivering all up to the Mahometans Which the good Pope seemed to judg more tolerable with all the streams of Blood that went before and after than that he should not have his will upon an Orthodox dead mans name Sure fiut Iustitia ruat Coelum was devised by these precise over righteous Popes § 76. Evagrius lib. 3. saith that Iustin came to the Empire as followeth Amantius was one of the Greatest men but uncapable of the Empire because he was an Eunuch He gave a great sum of Money to Iustine to hire the Souldiers to choose Theocritus his bosom friend Iustine with that Money hired them to choose himself and quieted Amantius and Theocritus by murdering them both And because Vitalianus that had usurped and laid down was then great he drew him in to be a Commander near him and
Bishop of Mentz and his great agent even about this foresaid English Council which was to set up Church-Images and recommended him to many Christian Princes And why was all this and what was his rare merit He took this Oath to the Pope Bin. p. 178 In the name of the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour in the Reign of Leo the great Emperour c. I Boniface Bishop by the Grace of God do Promise to thee Peter Prince of the Apostles and to thy Vicar Pope Gregory and his Successors by the Father Son and Holy Ghost the inseparable Trinity and this most Holy Body of thine that I will exhibite all faith and purity of holy Catholick faith and in unity of the same faith God operating will persist in which all the salvation of Christians is proved undoubtedly to consist and will no way consent whoever perswadeth me against the unity of the common and universal Church but as I said will exhibite my faith and purity and concourse to thee and to the Profits of thy Church to whom by the Lord the Power of binding and loosing is given and to thy aforesaid Vicar and his Successors in all things c. Nothing is more meritorious with a Pope or any Prelate of that Spirit than to be absolutely devoted to him and swear obedience to him Indeed they that are fully fallen from God as Satan is would be as Gods to the world themselves and have all men depend upon them and obey them § 7. What Arguments moved the Emperor to be against Images specially the 2d Commandment and how Gregory thought that it was not the Images of God and Christ and Angels and Saints that were forbidden you may see in his Epistles too long to be here recited § 8. Here Binnius inserteth three Roman Councils One cursing unlawful Marriages Another persuading Corbinianus to keep his Bishoprick who would fain have laid it down And a third for Images against the Iconoclasts the Emperor's Heresie § 9. Gregory 3d succeedeth Gregory 2d He sendeth his Epistles for Images to the Emperor The first Messenger durst not deliver them The rest were stopt at Sicily and kept Prisoners The Lombards infested Italy and Rome The Pope importuneth the French King for help Alphonsus is made King in Spain against the Saracens and first called himself Catholick King Two Councils Binnius saith were held at Rome for Images The Title of the second is Pro Imaginum Cultu for the Worship of Images An. 732. Image-worship was then avowed But the Eastern Churches did more obey the Emperor § 10. Pope Zachary coming next in whose time Italy was distressed by Luitprandus King of the Lombards who took four Cities from the Pope because he protected Trasimundus Duke of Spoleto The Romans helped Trasimund on condition he would restore to them the four Cities he performeth not his promise wherefore Pope Zachary turned to Luitprand and to win him Salutaria illi praedicavit saith Anastasius and he promised him to restore the four Cities For the performance whereof this Pope travelled to him himself noted by Anastasius as a great act of self-denial as venturing his life for the Cause of God that he would go to the King to ask for four Cities which he happily obtained § 11. In this Pope's time the Crown of France was translated from the King and his Line to a Subject his Major Domûs Charles Martell the great French Conqueror was the Pope's Patron against the Emperor who was his Sovereign Gratian. d. 16. q. 1. post Can. 59. tells it us as a matter of Church-credit that when he was dead he was damned to Hell much blood and defending Popes that rebel against their Sovereign are a very likely proof Carolomannus succeeded him who after two years Reign resigned his Crown and chose a Monastery Chilperic that came after proved very dull and sensual and giving himself to his pleasure let the business of Government lie most on the hands of Pepin who was his Major Domûs who thereby got the power and the respect that was proper to the King while the King grew into contempt And if Kings cannot keep up their Power and Honour by the meer dignity of their place without personal worth and performance why should Popes Prelates and Priests whose Power and Honour as a Physicians depend upon their Worth and Work expect to keep up their Power and Honour meerly by their Offices Pepin won first the Nobles of France and then the Pope For as Baronius and Binnius p. 197. tell us It seemed to the most Potent Pepin Major Domus and to the rest of the chief Men and to all the People that he that had not the Matter and Force of the Kingdom should not have the name of a King and on the contrary he that had the Riches Power and Virtue should also have the name of King And because these Princes and People were Christians they judged that these their Councils would neither stand ratified to Posterity nor be acceptable enough to God unless they received Authority and Force from the common Father and Pastor of the Christian Church the Vicar of the Lord Christ and Successor of St. Peter Therefore they send Legates to Rome to Zachary of whom Bishop Burchardus Herbipol was the chief who were to ask the things aforesaid of him He consented and decreed and wrote back that Chilperic being thrust into a Monastery St. Boniface should declare and anoint Pepin King in Germany and France Boniface Bishop of Mentz obeyed Pope Zachary and by the Authority of the See Apostolic deposed Chilperic called also Childeric and placed Pepin in his stead Thus Ieginhart in Vit. Car. Mag. Annal. Franc. an 751. Paul Diac. li. 22. Marianus Scotus li. 3. Regino li. 2. an 749. Sigebert in Chron. Lambert in Hist. Germ. Otho Frising li. 5. 21. Ado. aetate 6 fol. 213. Aimoinus li. 4. c. 65 c. Yea say they the Hereticks of our times deny not the History But they sharply impugn two circumstances The first is that it was a great wrong to Chilperic that the Kingdom was taken from him The second that the said Translation was made by the consent of the Council Nobles and Commons without the Authority of the Apostolic Seat Serarius proveth that the cause of the Translation of the Kingdom was just 1. Because all the best men did desire and wish it and did by their counsel and help co-operate to it 2. Because St. Bishop Burchardus did as Legate sollicite the Pope for it 3. Pope Zachary commanded it to be done 4. And the most Holy Boniface at the Pope's command did execute it 5. And being approved by Divine Testimony it is recited in the sacred Canons 15. q. 6. c. alius 6. And by none of the old Historians not praised or disallowed Only our new Hereticks that love Novelty Arrogance and Rebellion by their perverse judgment by Contumelies and Lyes disallow it And that it was by the Authority
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
Lover of Truth he used to do such things as these which are familiar with men of exquisite honesty who through their excellent study of Godliness use this great liberty of Speech Therefore when he saw things ill carried in the Churches he sometimes spake his thoughts and could not forbear blaming them As if he saw any of the Clergy over covetous of Money be it Bishop or Priest he would reprehend them or if any abounded in luxury and pleasures or if they corrupted any part of the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church he would not bear with them but blame them Which was troublesome to men of a dissolute life And therefore he underwent the greatest contumelies being exagitated by the hatred and malicious words of them all But he being thus tossed about and beaten and reproached did bear it all with an equal mind and thus long continued in the Communion of the Church Till some that were more vehemently offended with him for these Causes cast him out But yet he patiently bore all this but being more earnestly intent for the promoting of the Truth he still studied not to be drawn away from the Conjunction and Society of the Catholick Church But when he and his friends were still beaten and suffered unworthy usage groaning under these evils he took Counsel of the violence of these calamities and contumelies And so he separated himself from the Church and many falling away with him a new Divorce was hereby made For he did not in any thing depart from the right faith but he with his partakers held in all things sincere Religion Though in one small matter they are too stiff About the Father Son and Holy Ghost they judg excellently and as the Catholick Church and swerve not a jot and the rest of the order of their Lives is truly most excellent and admirable so that not only He himself but even the Bishops Priests and all the rest of them live by the labour of their hands Indeed they had a conceit that the Body did partake of the Image of God and they thought that to please Constantine the Nicene Council had altered the Custom and Tradition of the Church about Easter But these were not the causes of their departure from the Church but the violence of dissolutâ— Bishops that cast them out as being impatient of their strictness and opposition to their sin § 8. About Easter saith Epiphanius p. 821. Neque â—ruditis ignotum est quà m saepe diversis temporibus de illius festi celebritate varii Ecclesiasticae disciplinae tumultus ac contentiones obortae sint praesertim Polycarpi ac Victoris aetate cùm Orientales ab Occidentalibus divulsi â—acificas à se invicem literas nullas acciperent Quod idem aliis temporibus accidit velut Alexandri Episcopi Alexandrini Crescentii quemadmodum contra se mutuò scripserint acerrimè pugnaverint Quae animorum opinionumque distractio ex quo semel post Episcopos illos qui ex circumcisione ac Iudaeorum sectâ ad Christum se converterant agitari coepit ad nostra usque tempora eodem est tenore perducta By which we see 1. With what caution Tradition must be trusted 2. How early Bishops began to divide the Church about things indifferent § 9. That men that all in the main fear God should thus contend abuse and persecute one another is sad and hath even been a hardening of Infidels But alas the remnant of corruption in the best will somewhat corrupt their conversations It is a sad note of Epiphanius ib. p. 816. I have known some of the Confessours who delivered up Body and Soul for their Lord and persevering in confession and chastity obtained greatest sincerity of faith and excelled in piety humanity and Religion and were continual in fastings and in a word did flourish in all honesty and virtue yet the same men were blemished with some vice as either they were prone to reproach men or would swear by the name of God or were over talkative or prone to anger or got gold and silver or were defiled with some such filth which yet detract nothing from the just measure of virtue § 10. But as God made a good use of the falling out of Paul and Barnabas so he did of Audius his unhappy case Being cast out of the Church he took it to be his dâ—ty to Communicate with his own party and a Bishop that suffered for the like made him a Bishop and the Bishops accused him to the Emperour that he drew many people from the obedience of the Church and hereupon the Emperour banished him into Scythia Dwelling there he went into the inner parts of Gothia and there instructed many of the barbarous in the principles of Christianity and gathered many Monasteries of them wâ—o lived in great religious strictness p. 827. But it is hard to stop short of extreams when men are alienated by scandal and violence They caâ—â—e to so great a dislike of the Bishops of the common Churches that they would not pray with any man how blameless soever that did but hold Communion with the Church Vranius a Bishop and some others joyning with them made Bishops of the Goths Note out of Epiphanius p. 827 828. what Country was called Gothia in those times § 11. It is not to be past over that at the Nicene Council the first speaker and one of the chief against the Arians was Eustathius Bishop of Antioch And when Eusebius Nicomed was made Bishop of Constaâ—tinople he pretended a desire to see Ierusalem and passing through Antioch secretly hired a Whore to swear that Eustathius was the Father of her child and getting some Bishops of his Faction together they judged Eustathius to be deposed as an Adulterer and got the Emperour to consent and banish him And after the Woman in misery confessed all and said that it was one Eustathius a Smith that was the father of her child § 12. In Pisanus's Conâ—il Nic. Bin. p. 332. this Eustathius is made the first Disputer against a Philosopher And whereas the great cause of the Arians Errour was that they could not conceive how the Son could be of one substance with the Father without a partition of that substance Eustathius tells the Philosopher that took their part and urged Faciamus hominem ad Imaginem c. that The Image of God is simple and without all composition being of the nature of fire but he meaneth sure but analogically § 13. In the same Pisanus lib. 3. p. 345. Bin. the description of the Church is There is one Church in Heaven and Earth in this the Holy Ghost resteth But Heresies that are without it are of Satan Therefore the Pope was not then taken for the Head of the Catholick Church For he pretendeth not to be the Head of them that are in Heaven See what the Catholick Church then was § 14. Note that 1. the Council of Nice nameth none Patriarchs 2. They nullifie the Ordination
made him Emperour and whose power then was great was the same that before had been against Nestorius in her Brothers reign Never was it truer than in the Case of General Councils that the Multitude of Physicians exasperateth the Disease and killeth the Patient The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one nature after union the words one will and one opperation had never done half so much mischief in the Church if the erroneous had been confuted by neglect and Councils had not exasperated enraged and engaged them and set all the World on taking one side or another One skilfull healing man that could have explicated ambiguous terms and perswaded men to Love and Peace till they had understood themselves and one another had more befriended Truth Piety and the Church than all the Hereticating Councils did § 15. If what Socrates writeth of Theodosius junior be true as we know no reason to doubt God owned his Moderation by Miracles notwithstanding his favouring the Eutychians more than he did any ways of violence Socrates saith l. 7. c. 41 42. that Theodosius was the mildest man in the World for which cause God subdued his enemies to him without slaughter and bloodshed as his Victory over Iohn and the Barbarians shew Of which he saith First Their Captain Rugas was kill'd with a thunder-bolt Secondly A Plague killed the greatest part of his Soldiers Thirdly Fire from Heaven consumed many that remained And Proclus the Bishop being a man of great Peace and Moderation hurting and persecuting none was confirmed by these providences in his lenity being of the Emperours mind and perswading the Emperour to fetch home the bones of Chrysostome with honour wholly ended the Nonconformity and Separation of the Ioanites § 16. Before Theodosius dyed Leo Bishop of Rome set Placidia and Eudoxia to write to him against Dioscorus and for the cause of Flavianus Yea and Valentinian himself Theodosius wrote to Valentinian and the like to the Women That they departed not from the Faith and Tradition of their Fathers that at the Council of Ephesus second things were carried with much liberty and truth and the unworthy were removed and the worthy put into their places and it was the troublers of the Church that were deposed and Flavianus was the Prince of the Contentions and that now they lived in Concord and Peace § 17. The Council at Calcedon was called an 451. Dioscorus is accused for his Ephesine General Council and for his violence and defence of Eutiches and the death of Flavianus He alledgeth the Emperours Order to him Authoritatem Primatum tuae praebemus beatitudini If the Popes Universal Rule be essential to the Church then the pious and excellent Emperour Theodosius and the General Council that consented were none of them Christians that knew it but went against it Eos qui per additamentum aliquod aut imminutionem conati sunt dicere praeter quae sunt exposita de fide Catholica à sanctis Patribus qui in Nicaea post modum qui in Epheso congregati sunt nullam omnino fiduciam in sancto Synodo habere patimur sed sub vestro judicio esse volunus Here Binnius accuseth the good Emperour as giving that which he had not but by usurpation and this through ignorance of the Ecclesiastical Canons But were all the Bishops ignorant of it also Or was so good an Emperour bred up and cherished in ignorance of such a point pretended by the Papists to be necessary to the Being of a Church and to salvation The Bishops of Ierusalem and Seleucia also partook of the same power by the Emperour's Grant Dioscorus answered that All the Synod consented and subscibed as well as he and Juvenal Hieros and Thalassius Seleuc. The Bishops answered that they did it against their wills being under fear Condemnation and Banishment was threatned Souldiers were there with Clubs and Swords Therefore the Oriental Bishops cryed out to cast out Dioscorus Stephen Bishop of Ephesus who had been Dioscorus chief Agent there cryed out that fear constrained them The Lay-Judges and Senate asked who forced them Stephen said Elpidius and Eulogius and many Souldiers threatned him They asked Did Dioscorus use violence with you He said that he was not suffered to go out till he had subscribed Theodorus Bishop of Claudiopolis said that Dioscorus Iuvenal and the leading men led on them as simple ignorant men that knew not the Cause and frightned them with defaming them as Nestorian Hereticks Thus they cryed out that they were frightned The Egyptian Bishops answered that A Christian feareth no man and yet they were afraid before they ended A Catholick feareth no man we are instructed by flames If men were feared there would be no Martyrs Dioscorus noted what Bishops those were that said they subscribed to a blank Paper when it was about a matter of Faith But asked who made them by their several interlocutions to speak their consent Hereupon the Acts of the Ephes. Council were read among which were the words of Dioscorus Anathematizing any that should contradict or retract any thing held in the Nicene or the Ephesine Synods Adding how terrible and formidable it was If a man sin against God who shall intercede for him If the Holy Ghost sit in Council with the Fathers he that retracteth cashiereth the Grace of the Spirit The Synods answered We all say the same Let him be Anathema that retracteth these Bishops that curse themselves will easily curse others Let him be cast out that retracteth Dioscorus said No man ordereth things already ordered The holy Synod said These are the words of the Holy Ghost c. Theodorus denyed these words recorded Dioscorus said they may as well say they were not there § 18. Here also Eutyche's Confession at Ephesus was read in which he professeth to cleave to the former Ephesine Council and to the blessed Father Cyril that presided disclaiming all additions and alterations professing that he had himself Copies in a Book which Cyril himself sent him and is yet in his hands and that he standeth to the definition of that Council with that of Nice Eusebius Bishop of Doril. said He lyeth that Council hath no such Definition Dioscorus said There are four Books of it that all contain this Definition Do you accuse all the Synodical Books I have one and he hath one and he hath one Let them be brought forth Diogenes Bishop of Cyrilum said They deceitfully cleave to the Council of Nice The Question is of additions made against Heresies The Bishops of Egypt said None of us receive additions or diminutions Hold what is done at Nice This is the Emperour's Command The Eastern Bishops clamoured Iust so said Eutyches The Egyptian Bishops still cryed up the Nicene Faith alone without addition Dioscorus accused the Bishops for going from their words and said If Eutyches hold not the Doctrine of the Church he is worthy of punishment and fire ex ore tuo My regard is
his Constitutum in defence of the tria Capitula by vertue whereof the Western Churches should be united and the contempt of the Calcedon Council should be avoided which the Impugners of the tria Capitula did fraudulently contrive and that the Universal Church should learn by this example that no man that dyed in the true Faith should be condemned when he is dead But did Vigilius stop here No saith Binnius But when after the end of his Council the Church received yet greater damage and the Emperor persecuted them that contradicted the Synod and it was feared that the whole East would be divided and separated from the Roman and Western Church unless the Bishop of Rome approved the fifth Synod then Pope Vigilius in a Cause which could bring no prejudice to the Orthodox Faith did well and justly change his former sentence and approved the Synodal Decree for condemning the tria Capitula and revoked and made void his Constitutum which he before published in defence of the tria Capitula The prudent and pious Pope that came to the Popedom by Bribery Tyranny and Murder of his Predecessor did in this prudently imitate St. Paul about Circumcision c. O what certainty and constancy is here in the Papal judgment For a Pope about one Cause to judge for it against it and for it again in so short a time And all this upon reason of Policy and State Did the same so often change and prove first true and then false and then true again But the Papists excuse is that it was de Personis non de Fide Answ. But 1. Is it lawful to take the same thing for true and false good and bad de Personis as our interest requireth 2. Why are the Persons condemned but on supposition that their Faith was condemnable 3. You confess that it was for the advantage of the Eutychian Faith and the depression of the Faith of the Calcedon Council that the tria Capitula were condemned Reader If all this will not tell thee how much need there is of a surer and more stable support of our Faith than Popes and Councils yea and better means of the Churches Unity and Concord I must take thee for unteachable what have such Councils done but set the Churches together by the ears § 23. Liberatus in his Breviary saith c. 3. 10. 24. that Theodore Mopsu his Works were approved by Proclus Iohan. Antioch the Emperor the Council of Calced c. But Binnius saith Nimis impudenter incautè Yet all acknowledge Liberatus a most credible Historian and lived in Iustinian's time He saith also that Nefandissimum haereticum Theodoretus Sozomenus laudarunt adeo ut hac de causá uterque magnam nominis sui jacturam passus fuerit c. But wise men are apt to think as hardly of such as can cry out Nefandissimum haereticum against all that speak as unskilfully as this man did as of charitable men that praise them for what is good while they disown their frailties and imperfections If it be as he saith many thought that â—heodoret assumed his own name from this Theodâ—re by reason of his high esteem of him it 's like he had some special worth though he hath many culpable expressions And Sozomen is an Historian of so deserved reputation that it seemeth to me no argument of Pope Gregory's Infallibility that he saith lib. 6. ep 95. Sozomenùm ejusque Historiam sedes Apostolica recipere recusat quoniam multa mentitur Theodorum Mopsuestiae nimium laudat atque ad diem obitus sui magnum Doctorem Ecclesiae fuisse perhibet I think the Author of Gregory's Dialogues did plura mentiri and yet that Gregory was Magnus Ecclesiae Doctor § 24. The Controversie whether Vigilius were the Author of the Epistle to Menna I pass by But methinks Binnius is very partial to justifie so much what he did after Silverius ' s death as beginning then to have right to his Papacy and to give him so differing a Character from Sanctissimus Papa before while he possessed the same Seat as these words of his express Cum omnium c. seeing that Villany or Crime of Vigilius did exceed the Crimes of all Schismaticks by which making a bargain with Hereticks and giving money by a Lay-man he by force expelled Silverius Bishop of the prime Seat and spoiled of his Priestly induments or attire banished him into an Island and there caused him to dye it should seem no wonder to any man if a desperate wretch homo perditus the buyer of another's Seat and a violent Invader a Wolf a Thief a Robber not entering by the true door a false or counterfeit Bishop and as it were Antichrist the lawful Pastor and Bishop being yet living did add most pernicious Heresie to his Schism Yet this man became the most holy Pope by the vertue of his place as soon as he had but murdered Silverius and was accepted in his stead and then it became impossible for him to err in the Faith § 25. CLXXIV Anno 553. A Council was called at Ierusalem by Iustinian's Command who sent to them the Acts of the Constantine Council de tribus Capitulis to be by them received the Bishops all received it readily save one Alexander Abysis who was therefore banished and coming to Constantinople say Baronius and Binnius was swallowed up and buried by an Earthquake If this was true no marvel if it confirmed the Emperor in his way But I doubt the obedient Bishops were too ready to receive such reports § 26. CLXXV The same year 553. the Western Bishops held a Council at Aquileia out of the Emperor's power where as Defenders of the Council of Calcedon they condemned the fifth Constantine Council aforesaid and so saith Binnius separated themselves from the Unity of the Catholick Church and so continued for near an Hundred years till the time of Pope Sergius who reduced them Were not these great Councils and Bishops great Healers of the Church that about condemning some written Sentences of three dead men thus raise a War among the Churches Were Hereticks or Hereticaters the great Dividers § 27. But here followeth a Case that raiseth a great doubt before us Whether the Pope alone or all his Western Bishops when they differ from him are the Church After the death of Vigilius the Secular Power procured Pelagius the Archdeacon to be made Pope the Western Bishops disclaiming Iustinian's Council and Pelagius obediently receiving it and the Popedom there could not be three Bishops got that would ordain him as the Canons required so that a Presbyter Ostiensis was fain to do it Besides the Question Which now was the Church here are other hard Questions to be solved Qu. 1. Whether Iustinian's Election of a Pope was valid And if so Whether other various Electors may do it as validly Qu. 2. Whether a Presbyter's Ordination of a Bishop or Pope was valid If so Whether Presbyters may not
Paulus persuadeth the Emperor to publish a Typus requiring all the Bishops to lay by the Controversie and Name of One and of Two Wills and Operations of Christ. But this which was approved in Pope Honorius is cryed down as Heretical in the Emperor Pyrrhus returneth to his Opinion and Paul dying he is again put in his place at Constantinople Binnius no better answereth the Objection that the Emperor's Edict said but what Pope Honorius said than by saying that the time made the difference It was good in Honorius's time and bad after to be quietly silent in such a Case § 16. They say there was a Council in Numidia another at Byzacene at Carthage another of 68 Bishops about the Monothelites § 17. CCI. Another Council was at Toletum uâ—der King Chindascrindus § 18. CCII. The Pope with one of his little Councils at Rome for the foresaid Italian Bishops yet disowned him and obey the Patriarch of Aquileia presumed to condemn Paulus Const. Pyrrhus and the Emperor's Edict Typus Wherefore his Agents at Constantinople were cast out beaten their Altar overthrown c. § 19. Martin is made Bishop at Rome He condemneth the Emperor's Edict of Silence as to Two Wills and Operations or One. The Emperor sendeth for him he is brought Prisoner to Constantinople laid in Irons under several Accusations banished and dyed Here the Pope pretendeth that Truth must not be silenced The Emperor saith Peace must not be broken for needless words Quer. Whether he be a Martyr that suffers for oppugning such Peace § 20. CCIII His Laterane Council An. 642. is very largâ—ly recorded in which the Emperor's Edict with Cyrâ—s Alex Sergius Pyrrbus Pauluâ— Constant. are condemned and two Operations and Wills asserted § 21. CCIV. Passing by a Synod at Orleance An. 653. another Council was held at Toletum against incontinent and ignorant Priests Kings here used to preach to the Bishops by their Letters and Decrees Dukes and Lords here subscribed § 22. Eugenius is Pope and dyeth Vitalianus succeedeth him Constans the Emperor cometh to Rome giveth them gifts and communicateth with them It 's said he kill'd his Brother Theodosius and after was kill'd himself Mezentius usurpeth the Empire Constantine Pogonatus Son to Constans conquereth him and reigneth Pope Vitalianus helpeth him and therefore expecteth his help Rome stood so much between the Eastern Empire and the Western Kings Goths Lombards Franks c. that both sides flattered the Roman Clergy though they oft suffered from both The Empire to keep them from turning to the Goths c. and the Goths to keep them from turning to the Empire And they that had most need of the Popes most advanced them and they that had least need and most dominion kept them under § 23. CCV Another Council at Toletum An. 655. called by K. Recessuinthus not the Pope made divers good Canons for Church-order among which the tenth is that because all the Canons oft made could not keep Bishops and Priests from Lechery they tryed this additional way to decree that all their Children begotten of their Servants Maids c. should be uncapable of inheritance and should live in continual servitude to the Church King Recaredus made a Law that Bishops and Priests Concubines should be whipt with an hundred Stripes and others that they should be sold for Slaves § 24. CCVI. The King of France Clodoveus called his Bishops together at a Village called Clypiacum and made a Sermon to them and they applauded him § 25. CCVII. He called another Synod at Cabilone for Church-order where Can. 10. it was decreed that all Ordination of Bishops should be null that was otherwise made than by the election of the Comprovincials the Clergy and the Citizens A threefold Lock is not easily pickt Let England understand this to be the old Canons and Custom § 26. CCVIII A Concil Emeritense called by King Recessuinthus made more Orders for regulating Bishops and Priests c. § 27. CCIX. A Synod at Rome justified a Bishop of Crete wronged by his Archbishop § 28. CCX Another at Toletum under King Wamban An. 675. sought to reform the Bishops and Clergy § 29. CCXI. An. 675. the same King Wamban had a Synod at Braccara for reforming the Clergy Can. 5. was to correct the Bishops that had turned Piety into Pride and Vanity going to the Solemnities of the Martyrs with Reliques hanged about their necks carried in Chairs by Deacons in white c. O what hath the Pride of Prelates done in the world § 30. Pope Adeodatus and after him Donus reigned at Rome and the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Antioch were Monothelites and Constantine needing the West having lost the East took part with Rome After Donus came Agathy in whose time the Bishop of Ravemia after long rejecting the Bishop of Rome as heretical returned to communion with him Constantine sent to Rome to require the Bishop to keep Missionary Legates at Constantinople and intreated them to lay by Philosophical Controversies and preach the pure Scripture that the Churches at last might have Peace But alas how long was that counsel vain § 31. CCXII. Beda saith an English Council met An. 679. under Theodorus to own the Catholick Faith Bed l. 4. c. 13. § 32. CCXIII. The same year 679. A Council at Milan told the Emperor their opinion for Two Wills and Operations § 33. CCXIV. A Synod at Rome prepared matter for the General Council against the Monothelites This tended to please the separating Bishops of Italy that divided from the Pope for seeming to desert the Calcedon Council by condemning the tria Capitula § 34. CCXV Now cometh the 3d Council of Constantine called the 6th General Council in which 289 Bishops condemned the Monothelites that were for One Will and Operation Constantine Pog. being against them Macarius Patriarch of Antioch was the chief of them who would have consented to name neither One nor Two but when they had done all professed that he would be cast into the Sea before he would say there were in Christ two Wills and Operations thinking that he held to Cyril and the first Ephesian Council against Nestorius George Bishop of Constantinople deserted him and he was deposed and banished to Rome no hard Banishment but for ill company § 35. A long stir there was among them perusing former Writings Macarius and his Party producing many which others said were falsified so little certainty is there oft of Copies The Epistles of Sergius Const. Honor. Rom. are read which I should think peaceable and honest but the General Council damned and cursed them both as Hereticks The Papists say General Councils may err in matter of Fact How much more then in matter of Faith which is more obscure and matter of Fact is much of the matter of our Faith No Man's name had so strange a Fate against Hereticaters as the great Hereticater Cyril's who in this Council in Cyrus artic and many others was fully proved to
both to summon a Council they cunningly would not agree of the place and so forced the doing it without them § 265. CCCCLXVII To put a shew on the business Greg. calleth a Council at Aquileia whether by long delays he creepeth with a few to do nothing § 266. CCCCLXVIII And the other Pope Bened. 13. Anno 1409 also calleth his Council in Arragone of his Subjects which calleth it self a General Council and pronounce him the true Pope and no Schismatick or Heretick and Greg. to be the Usurper but exhort him to endeavour Unity § 267. CCCCLXIX The two Popes giving no better hopes some of the Cardinals of both sides slipt from them and by the Countenance of the Florentines and King Ladislaus chose Pisa for a General Council where they met and summoned both the Popes who scorned them and they deposed them both as Hereticks and Schismaticks saith Binius forbidding all Christians to obey them and they chose a third Alexander 5. and the two old ones kept up still and so there were three Popes at once § 268. An. 1409. Alex. 5. is chosen much commended but died in eighteen Months some say saith Antoninus poysoned by a Clyster But to shew himself a Pope in that little time he deposed King Ladislaus and gave his Kingdome to Lewis Duke of Anjou § 269. Balthasar Cossa is next chosen called by some Ioh. 21. by others 22. by others 23. and by Platina Ioh. 24. so little are they agreed of their succession Platina saith the Cardinals of Greg. were yet poor and he hired them with Money to Create him He got Sigismund King of Bohemia chosen Emperour and would have had the Council to be at Rome Italy continued still in blood the Popes having parcelled it into so many small Principalities to secure it against the Emperours no part of the whole World lived from Age to Age in such continual War and confusion This Pope saith Onuphrius Panvinus viz. fuit bello armis quam Religioni aptior utpote qui neque fidem norat neque Religionem rebus profanis magis quam Divino cultu accommodatus How he was accused deposed imprisoned how the other two Popes Greg. 12. and Bened. 13. were all deposed with him and Martin 5. chosen the next Chapter sheweth CHAP. XIII The Council of Constance Basil and some others § 1. CCCCLXX AN. 1414. the Council of Constance was called by the means of the Emperour Sigismund and the consent of Pope Iohn who the more trusted the Emperour because he had promoted him There were then three Popes Bened. 13. in France whom the Kingdomes of France Spain Arragon England and Scotland followed and Greg. 12. and Iohn 23. at Rome that divided the rest of the Papalines It was not certainly to represent the Trinity but to profane the Name and abuse the Kingdome of the blessed Trinity Oct. 28. P. Iohn called by them Sanctissimus Dominus Noster entereth the City Nov. 5. The Pope began the Council Nov. 16. was the first Session the Pope speaking to them and his Bull being read shewing that he would have had the Council at Rome but the miserable case of Rome by contention and confusion hindering it was agreed with the Emperour to be at Constance commanding to be there for the peace of the Church and appointing a Weekly Mass to be said for obtaining Gods blessing and pardoning a years penance for every Mass to every Mass-Priest that said it exhorting all to fasting and prayer for good success charging them to look after Errours especially those that rose from one Iohn Wickliff and also to reform the Church c. March 2. 1415. The Pope took an Oath for the peace of the Church to lay down his Popedome if the other two Popes would do the same and the Emperour kist his feet The Cardinal of Florence read these Decrees 1. That the Council was lawfully called 2. That it will not be dissolved by the departure of the Pope or other Prelates 3. That it be not dissolved till the present Schisme be healed and the Church reformed in Faith and Manners in Head and Members 4. That it be not removed but on just cause 5. That the Bishops depart not § 2. In the fourth Session they decreed that the general Council representing the militant Catholick Church hath its power immediately from Christ to which every man of what State or dignity soever though it be Papal is bound to obey in the things that belong to Faith and the extirpation of the said Schism and the general reformation of the Church in head and members 2. That the Pope withdraw not himself or the Officers and if he should or should thunder out Church censures against them or any adhering to the Council they are void 3. That no Translations Promotions or Cardinals be made to the prejudice of the Council 4. That three of each Nations be chosen to judge of departures c. But the Pope fled and sent them word that it was not for fears but for his health § 3. Sess. 5. The Emperor being among them they decreed again the Power of the Council as immediately from Christ which the Pope and all must obey and that the Pope is punishable if he disobey that he is bound to surrender in any case of great and evident profit to the Church that he unlawfully departed that if he will return and perform his promise he shall be safe Next they proceeded to condemn the Books of Iohn Wickliff and to prosecute Iohn Huss Next they applied themselves to the Emperour to reduce the Pope who told them he was in the hands of the Duke of Austria but if they pleased he would write to him or try to fetch him by force c. § 4. Sess. 6. They order the Procuration for the Popes Resignation to be demanded and Process to be made against Iohn Huss and Hierome of Prague A Letter is read from the University of Paris to the Pope to submit to the Council § 5. Sess. 7. They accused Hierome of Prague for not appearing and summoned the Pope promising him safe Conduct sed salvâ Iustitiâ c. § 6. Sess. 8 They condemned Wickliff's Bones to be dig'd up upon 45 Articles instead of 260 which they had gathered Art 1. was 1. That the substance material of Bread and Wine remain in the Sacrament of the Altar 2. The Accidents of Bread remain not without the substance 3. Christ is not identically and really in his proper bodily presence in the Sacrament 4. If a Bishop or Priest live in mortal sin he Ordaineth not Baptizeth not Consecrateth not 5. The Gospel saith not that Christ instituted the Mass. 6. God ought to obey the Devil 7. If a man be contrite aright outward confession is needless and unprofitable 8. If the Pope be a Reprobate and wicked and so a Member of the Devil he hath no power over the faithful given him by any but Caesar. 9. Since Vrban the
right ends 5. And if he be called to be the Pastor of a particular Church he moveth the people to consent or accept him And thus God according to his appointed Order doth call his Ministers Besides which he afterward 1. Helps them in his work 2. And procureth them liberty and often furtherance from Christian Magistrates 3. And giveth them success Proposition 5. The faithful Pastors of the Reformed Churches are these ordinary Ministers of Christ approved by him and given in great mercy to his people who are bound to know honour and obey them in the Lord. I exclude not all others but I now prove that these are true Ministers Argument 1. They that have all that is essential to true Ministers are true Ministers But such are these Pastors of the Reformed Churches as I prove thus If the Office it self be of Gods Institution and their Qualifications competent and their entrance right in every point of flat Necessity then they have all that is essential to true Ministers But the former is true as I shall prove in the three several parts 1. That the Office it self is of Gods appointment is proved fully before and confessed by all Christians that ever I knew Acts 14. 23. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. 1 Thes. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 7 17 24. Acts 20. 28. 2. For Qualifications they have 1. competent Knowledge 2. and Vtterance 3. and Godliness and these are the Qualifications that God accepteth 1 Cor. 12. 8. 1 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Mark the Canons of the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 2. 2. They must be 1. Faithful men 2. Able to teach others But such are those in question 1 Tim. 3. A Bishop must be blameless that is not scandalous the husband of one Wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not given to Wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler not covetous one that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity To which is added Tit. 1. 8 9. A lover of good men sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Let all here note 1. That here is not only the mention of the Vertues necessary to the Being but to the well-being also of a Minister 2. And yet through the great mercy of God all these are the qualifications of multitudes of the Pastors of the Reformed Churches as malice it self must be forced to confess But if any deny it of any particular men as that is nothing to the rest so an unproved accusation is not by honest men to be believed The world knows that the Act for rejecting scandalous insufficient negligent Ministers is very strict and Commissioners in each County forward to execute it and Ministers have enemies enough to search out their faults and yet none are more forward than Ministers themselves to have the Act put in execution so that their standing justifies them before the world Or if any will yet deny them the necessary Qualifications I here challenge and provoke them to accuse all that are guilty and cast them out or else to confess themselves meer slanderers and back-biters and learn more truth and modesty hereafter 3. And for the third point their entrance into the Office They have all that God hath made necessary to a just entrance as I prove They that have a true Ordination and the Peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance have all that God hath made necessary to a just entrance and more than all But the said Pastors of the Reformed Churches have true Ordination and the Peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance That they have true Ordination I shall shew anone in answering all that can be said against it The Peoples consent by Electing or Accepting is known by the fact and so is the Magistrates by Law and fact I put in all this though more than necessary that all Objections may be satisfied at once So that the Enumerations being unquestionable the Conclusion is so to In short All those are true Ministers that are in an Office of Gods own Institution and are competently fitted for that Office by Knowledge Godliness and Vtterance and have all and more than all that God hath made necessary to a right entrance or admission even true Ordination consent of the Flock and the Magistrates allowance But such are the said Pastors of the Reformed Churches therefore they are true Ministers of Christ. Argument 2. Those that have not only the Essentials but excel all other Ministers on Earth that are known to the world are certainly the true Ministers of Christ. But such are the Ministers before-mentioned of the Reformed Churches Ergo. This will be proved at once with the next which is Argument 3. Either these Pastors of the Reformed Churches are the true Ministers of Christ or else there are none such visible in the world But there are such visibly and certainly in the world as was proved else there is no Church no Ordinances no Christianity no Christ For he can be no King without Subjects and Laws no Master without a School and Scholars no Physitian without Patients no Husband without his Spouse no Head without a Body no Intercessor without a Church to intercede for And to believe the holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints is part of our Belief and therefore the Christian Faith is gone if these be gone And that either we or None are Christs true Ministers I prove thus 1. We challenge the Adversary to name us the true Church and Ministry if these be none of them where be they and who are they speak out or give up your wicked Cause If you know not who they be or where then how know you that there are any such True Ministers are like a light that shineth to all the house even the lights of the world and like a City on a Hill that cannot be hid Mat. 5. 14 15 16. 2. But let us try the particulars 1. The Seekers have no Church or Ministry 2. The Quakers have no Ordination that we know of and are every way so unworthy and had no being in the world till a few years ago that he is either no Christian or of a crazed brain that thinks Christ hath no Church or Ministry but them 3. The Anabaptists Socinians Swenlfeldians Familists Paracelsians Weigelians and such like have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches than we but their Errours and are so few and so lately sprung up that of them also I may say that he that takes them for the only Church or Ministers is either out of the Faith or much out of his wits 4. The Eastern and Southern Churches have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches than we but are incomparably more ignorant and erroneous few of them doing more
to the Catholick and Apostolick Faith and not the Faith of any man I look to God himself and not to the person of any man nor care I for any man but for my soul and the true and sincere Faith The Egyptian Bishops cryed out Let no man separate him that is indivisible No man calleth one Son two The Eastern Bishops cryed Anathema to him that divideth Basil Seleuciae said Anathema to him that divideth two natures after the union and Anathema to him that knoweth not the property of the natures The Egyptian Bishops cryed out As he was born he suffered There is one Lord and one Faith None calleth one Lord two This was Nestorius voice The Eastern Bishops cryed Anathema to Nestorius and Eutyches The Egyptian Bishops cryed Divide not the Lord of Glory that is indivisible Basil Bishop of Sileuc reported how rightly he had spoken at Ephesus and how the Egyptians and Monks with noise opposed and cryed Cut him in two that saith Two Natures he is a Nestorian The Lay Judges asked him If he spake so well why did he condemn Flavianus He said Because he was necessitated to obey the rest being 130 Bishops Dioscorus said Out of thy own mouth art thou condemned that for the shame of men hast prevaricated and despised the faith Basilius Seleuc. said If I had been called to Martyrdom before the Iudges I had endured it but he that is judged of a Father useth just means Let the Son dye that speaketh even things just to a Father But the Eastern Bishops better cryed out We have all sinned we all beg pardon And Thalassius Eusebius and Eustathius leading Bishops cryed the same We have all sinned we all crave pardon After this the Acts of Ephes. and Const. were read § 19. By what I have recited out of Binnius and others these two lamentable things are undeniable I. That this doleful Contention Anathematizing and ruining each other was about the sense of ambiguous words and that they were of one mind in the matter and knew it not The Egyptians Eutychians took two Natures and two Sons to be of the same sense which the others did not And they thought that the rest had asserted a Division of the Natures when they meant but a Distinction And the rest thought that the Egyptians had denyed a Distinction who denyed but a Partition or Division II. And it is plain that while all sides held that Nestorius did hold that there were Two Sons which he expresly denyed that they cursed Nestorius in ignorance and maintained his Doctrine except of the aptitude of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while they curse his person or name The Doctrine of this Council is found and Nestorius's was the same for two natures in one person and one Son This is true whatever Faction say against it III. That these Bishops though we honour them for all that was good in them were so far from the Martyrs Constancy that they turned as the Emperours Countenance and the Times and worldly Interest turned voting down Things and Persons in Councils and crying omnes peccavimus in the next Only Peter's Ship saith Binnius scaped drowning at Ephesus and yet here at Calcedon under Martian all are Orthodox IV. But that which is worst of all is that yet the same men that cry peocavimus are here violent against any mercy to the Egyptian Bishops and Monks with whom they had joined at Ephesus § 20. When an Epistle of Cyrils was read the Illyricane Bishop cryed out We all believe as Cyril did Theodorete that had been for Nestorius against Cyril and cast out by Dioscorus spake more warily and said Anathema to him that saith there are two Sons We adore our Lord Iesus c. All the Bishops cryed We believe as Cyril Had not Cyril's name better hap than Dioscorus and Eutyches that followed him as far as they could understand him and spake the same words as he The Orientals cryed We believe as Cyril The Egyptians cryed We believe as Cyril We are all of the same opinion and mind Let not Satan get place and advantage among us The Eastern Bishops cryed Leo and Anatolius are of this mind The Emperour and Senate are of this mind The lay Judge Senate and all the Council cryed The Emperour the Empress and all of us are of one mind The Egyptian Bishops cryed All the World are of this mind We are of a mind And who would think that yet they were disagreed even to Hereticating and Deposing Persecuting one another O but say to the Egyptian Bishops If you are all of this mind Why did you communicate with Eutyches and condemn Flavianus Dioscorus appealed to the Records And here Eustathius Beryl shewed what labour Cyril used to explain his own meaning in his Epistles to Acacius Valerianus and Successus Bishops and that these are his words We must not understand that there are two natures but one nature incarnate of God the Word And this saying he confirmed by the Testimony of Athanasius The Oriental Bishops cryed out This is the saying of Eutyches and Dioscorus yet these men just now were all of Cyril ' s mind◠Dioscorus said We affirm neither confusion of natures nor division nor conversion Anathema to him that doth Doth not this shew that they all agreed in Distinction of Natures as also Cyril did The Judges say Tell us whether Cyril ' s Epistles agree to what is here reported of them by Eustathius Eustathius sheweth the Book and saith If I have said amiss see the Book Anathematize Cyril's Book and Anathematize me The Egyptians applaud Eustathius saying Eustathius reporteth Cyril ' s words in which were We must not understand two natures but one incarnate nature of God the word And Eustathius added He hath saith there is but one nature so as to deny Christs flesh which is consubstantial with us let him be Anathema And he that saith there are two natures to the Division of the Son of God let him be Anathema one would have thought this should have ended their quarrel And Eustathius added of Flavianus himself that he received these naked words and gave them the Emperour Let it be ordered that his own hand be shewed The Judges said Why then did ye depose him Eustathius answered Erravi I erred § 21. Let it be here noted that these Eutychian words of Cyril are here openly proved past denial yet shamelesly doth Binnius say that this is Eustathii allegatio pessima haeretica What to repeat a mans Words Secondly Is it not here plain that they were all of a mind and did not or through faction would not know it when Eustathius by a clear distinction had proved it and none of them did or could contradict him § 22. Dioscorus said that Flavianus in the words following contradicted himself and was deposed for holding two natures after the union adding I have the testimony of the holy Fathers Athanasius Gregory Cyril in many places that we
blameless Man and kill him cruelly with six more and dragging his wounded Carkess every where and cruelly drawing it about almost through all the parts of the City did mercilesly beat the senseless Corps and divided his Parts and spared not to tast his Entrails with their Teeth like Dogs whom they should have thought the Mediatour of God and Man and casting the rest of his Body into the Fire they scattered his Ashes into the Wind transcending the fierceness of all Beasts And the Architect of all this was their new Bishop Timothy first an Adulterer taking anothers Church and then a Murderer doing it in a manner as with his own hands in that he bid others do it This man ruleth the Alexandrian Church and going on doth worse This is in the Epistle to the Emperour Leo The like they write in another to Anatolius adding that he Anathematized the Council of Calcedon and all that communicate with it and received none that receive it till they renounce it § 35. On the other side Bishop Timothy's Adherents wrote to Leo in praise of their new Bishop professing the Nicene Faith and declaring what great Concord and Peace their City now had and craving the Emperours approbation of him § 36. In Palestine also the same Fire kindled The Monks that had been at Calcedon returned lamenting that the Nicene Faith was there betrayed and stirred up their Fraternity to rescind the Acts They got together and expelled Iuvenal Bishop of Ierusalem as a Traytor to the Catholick Faith and a Changer The Empress Eudocia saith Nicephorus took their part and strengthned them At Schythopolis they killed Severianus the Bishop they compelled men to joyn and communicate with them At Ierusalem they killed Athanasius a Deacon for contradicting them and gave his Flesh to Dogs Dorotheus the Emperous Lieutenant would have kept the Peace and they compelled him to joyn with them But after twenty moneths Iuvenal was restored Thus in many Countreys the War went on And they that knew not the Arcana Imperii thought all this was done by Bishops and Monks But the truth is Theodosius's Widow and Theodosius's Sister and Martian's Wife were of two sides And Women had great power with Emperours and consequently with Bishops But at last Pulcheria procured the conversion of Eudocia to her side and then she owned the Council and then others owned it This was in Martians days § 37. The great number of Letters sent from the Bishops to Leo when he was made Emperour which were sent in answer to his own to them engaged him the more for the Council Party and against Timothy Aelurus He deposed him and put Timothy Salophaciolus in his place But the City was all in confusion between the two Timothies Bishops The Egyptian Bishops write to the Emperour against Timothy and Eutychiane The Emperour sends forth his circular Letters commanding all to own the Calcedon Council At Antioch Petrus Cnapheus ambitious of the Archbishoprick got into Martyrius place by Zeno's help And thinking they were still managing only the Controversie against the Nestorians and taking the Orthodox for Nestorian Hereticks all were accursed by Anathema's that would not say that God was crucified and suffered The Orthodox doing the same and thus they increased the Confusions Martyrius their true Bishop when he saw that he could do no good upon them forsook them with these words Clero rebelli populo inobedienti Ecclesiae contaminatae Nuncium remitto I renounce a rebellious Clergy a disobedient People and a defiled Church Petrus Cnapheus kept the Bishoprick and reviled the Calcedon Council Leo the Emperour banisheth him Stephanus a friend to the Council is put into the place That you may know how the Council had united the people even the Boys were set on to kill this new Bishop with sharp Quills Common execution was too easie a death Being killed they cast his Corps into the River for favouring the Council of Calcedon and succeeding their desired Bishop But Calendion succeeding him made them Anathematize the same Peter Cnapheus § 38. While Martian and Leo reigned thus the Council of Calcedon was kept up and almost all the Bishops were brought to subscribe to it But death changeth Princes and thereby Bishops Leo dyeth and dissolute Zeno succeedeth him He would fain have had his peace among them in sensuality Basiliscus taketh the advantage of his dissolute life and usurpeth the Empire and maketh use of the Bishops Schism and contentions to get him a party For the Bishops Schisms greatly serve Usurpers ends And first he publisheth his Circular Letters against the Council of Calcedon requiring all the Bishops to renounce it because his Predecessours had been for it To this saith Nicephorus lib. 6. cap. 4. three Patriarchs and no fewer then five hundred subscribed and renounced the Council And yet how violently they damned all that would not receive it and writ for it to Leo but a little before you have heard But quickly after Acacius Patriarch of Constantinople and Dau. Columnella perswaded Basiliscus to write clear contrary Circular Letters Commanding all to own the Council For they convinced him that this was the more possible way And these also were obeyed But Zeno was shortly after restored to the Empire who was for the Council And then the Asian Bishops turned again and wrote to get their Pardon saying That they subscribed to Basiliscus first Letters not voluntary but for fear O excellent Martyrs Niceph. l. 16. c. 9. § 39. Upon this the Council was up again and the Bishops became Orthodox once more Till at last Zeno thought as the Acacians did about laying by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the only way to unite these Bishops was to leave all free neither forbidding any to own the Council of Calcedon nor yet compelling any to it And so he wrote an Edict of Pacification silencing the case which he called his Henoticon For he thought that the Bishops would never agree either for it or against it But yet this ended not the quarrels The fire still flamed Liberty contented not the Bishops They were zealous for God as against his Enemies the Hereticks And every Party were these Hereticks and Enemies in the judgment of the rest All must be damned and ruined that would not be for God that is that was not of their minds When Liberty was once up the people were significant and their mind was soon known At Antioch Calendion was cast out of his Seat and Peter Cnapheus got in again For a Combat for a Bishoprick was a War which they scrupled not And at Alexandria the whole City was in confusion while Peter Moggus and Iohn strove who should be Bishop Moggus of Alexandria anathematizing the Calcedon Council and persecuting Dissenters the Emperour laboureth to reconcile them Acacius at Constantinople though supposed Orthodox Communicateth with Peter Moggus whether in obedience to Zeno's Henoticon or weary of hereticating and why is not known O how common
Eutychian and having shewed you what work both the heretical and hereticating Bishops and Council made in the world about not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Nature and the condemning of dead men I shall next shew you what work they made also about the words One Operation and One Will or Two Operations and Two Wills Reader Wouldst thou think that there were venom enough in one of these words to poyson almost all the Bishops in the world with the Plagues of Heresie or Heretication and Contention § 2. The old Controversie still keeping the Churches all in pieces some being for two Natures after Union and for the Calcedon Council and others against it and but for one Nature after Union Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria was told that it would unite them all if they would confess One Operation and One Will in Christ or at least lay by the talk of One and Two and use the words Dei virilis Operatio The Operation and Will of God-man CXCVII He therefore called a Synod at Alexandria in which this was decreed called Satisfaction For they said that Dei virilis signified two Natures and so they thought they had at last hit the way of concord which neither the General Council of Ephes. 1. Ephes. 2. Constant. 2. Calcedon Constant. 3. had found out but all set the Bishops but more by the ears Cyrus sent his Decrees to Sergius Bishop of Constantinople Sophronius Bishop of Ierusalem persuaded the silencing of the names of One or Two Operations or Wills Sergius sent the Case to Honorius to Rome Honorius rationally persuaded them to use neither the one word nor the other One or Two foreseeing that a new quarrel was arising in these words and little knowing how for this he was by General Councils to be Hereticated when he was dead persuaded them to a silent Peace It is but few Popes that were so wise and peaceable and this one must be a Heretick for it or General Councils be fallible and much worse § 3. Because knowing the effect of the old unhealed Cause I foresee that such men will go near to Hereticate me also when I am dead for condemning Hereticating Incendiaries in the Nestorian Eutychian and Monothelite quarrels I will recite the words of Binnius himself who saith the same that I have said from the beginning though I justifie him not from self-contradiction Tom. 2. p. 992. Honorius fearing which after came to pass and which he knew had fallen out in former Ages about the word Homoousion ☜ and many others lest that Contention should grow to some great Schism and seeing withall that Faith might be safe without these words he was willing to reconcile both Opinions and withall to take out of the way the matter of Scandal and Contention Writing therefore to Sergius he advised him to abstain from the word One Operation lest they should seem with Eutyches to assert but One Nature in Christ and yet to forbear the word Two Operations lest with Nestorius they seemed to assert Two Persons A Slander contrary to his words I again say If all the Hereticating Bishops and Councils had followed this discretion and moderation O what had the Church escaped Yet they are fain to stretch their wits to excuse his words elsewhere Unde Unam Voluntatem fatemur Domini nostri Iesu Christi But it 's certain that in some sense it is One and in another sense Two § 4. The Emperor Heraclius interessed himself in the Controversie Binnius saith by the fraud of Anastasius Patriarch of the Iacobites he was deceived Animo defendâ—ndi Concilium Calcedonense The Iacobites were Eutychians the greatest enemies of the Calcedon Council and it 's strange then how they deceived him to defend it by destroying it But saith he While he besides his place and office by the persuasion of the Devil was wholly taken up in defending questions of Faith by his own judgment c. Here you may see what the Papists Clergy would make of Kings and all Lay-men If they be wholly taken up in defending questions of Faith by their own judgment they pronounce them to be persuaded to it by the Devil Error is from the Devil but sollicitous searching after the defence of Truth is liker to be of God But they must not do it by their own judgment By whose then By the Bishops no doubt What Bishops General Councils And had not the Emperors long enough followed Councils and banished such as they condemned till while they almost all condemned one another the world was scandalized at the odious Divisions and Cruelties of the Church But must they follow Bishops without using their own judgments about the Case What as their meer Executioners Must the Princes of the world act as Brutes or Idiots or Lictors Was this the old Doctrine Let every Soul be subject to the higher Power c § 5. CXCVIII. King Sisenandus the second that had all Spain called a Council at Toletum of all his Kingdom An. 633. of 70 Bishops who made many good Canons for Faith Order and Reformation the last is a large defence of the King against Rebellion But they order that when a King is dead the Prime Men of the whole Nation with the Priests by common consent chuse another that retaining the Concord of Unity there should be no strife through Force or Ambition And they decree the Excommunicating of wicked Kings that live in great sin which I doubt whether the fifth Commandment forbid them not to have done it being a purposed dishonour § 6. CXCIX Another at Toletum was called 636 by King Chintillane which went the same way Kings were Rulers here and not Popes § 7. CC. Another at Toletum An. 638. by the same King to the same purposes § 8. The Emperor Heraclius published an Edict for the Monothelite Opinion called his Echtesis and Sergius Const. joined in it § 9. Sergius dyeth and Pyrrhus a Monothelite succeedeth him § 10. Severinus is chosen Pope but being not Confirmed as was usual by the Emperor's consent he is plundered of his wealth § 11. The Saracene Arabians conquer Persia and the Eastern parts of the Empire § 12. Sergius before his death called a Council at Constantinople which confirmed the Emperor's Faith and the Monothelite Opinion § 13. An. 640. Iohn 4th was made Pope who condemned the Emperor's Echtesis and it 's said the Emperor disowned it and said that Sergius made it and desired it might be published in his name § 14. Heraclius dyeth Constantine succeedeth him and dyeth in 4 months Heracleo succeedeth After six months the Senate depose him and cut off his Nose and cut out his Mother's Tongue on suspicion that they poysoned Constantine whose Son Constans is next set up § 15. Pyrrhus thought guilty of Constantine's death flieth into Africa and Paulus a Monothelite hath his place Pyrrhus seemeth converted by Maximus in Africa cometh to Rome and is owned by the Pope against Paulus
per Christum intrant sed ut ipsa veritas testatur fures sunt latrones Therefore it is no sinful separation to disown and avoid such obtruded Bishops or Pastors as are not so ordained by the Common Consent of the Clergy and the People § 76. In this Council the Pope to keep up some pretensions yet to a power in the East excommunicated the new made Emperor Nicephorus Botoniates for deposing wrongfully the Emperor Michael and his Wife Mary and his Son Constantine Porphyrus and putting them into a Monastery and invading the throne whom the Patriarch Cosmas lately set up by Michael had Crowned But thus matters were then often carryed § 77. That we may a little take along some of the Greek affairs note here that Zimisces being dead an 975. the Empire returned to Basil and Constantine the Sons of Romanus jun. Basil held it 50 years and Constantine three more Against them rose first Bardas Scleros and then Bardas Phocas Basil overcame and subjected the Bulgarians An. 1028. Argyâ—us Romanus took the Empire with Constantine's daughter putting away his Wife for her and the Empire After five years Zoe killed him and took her adulterer and the agent Michael Paphlago to her bed and Empire He being afflicted in body penitently turned Monk and reduced Zoe to some order But being dead she took Michael Calephate who sware to obey Zoe but breaking his Covenant she deposed him and put out his eyes And an 1042. She took to her bed and the Empire Constantine Monomachus in whose times the Greeks had divers losses by the Sueves and by the Normans that got Apulia At which time the Turks being Soldiers under the Persians revolted and oft overcame them Zoe and her Sister Theodora having ruled all dye In Constantines time Michael Cerular Patr. of Const. wrote against the Church of Rome Theodora being dead Michael Stratonicus reigned one year who was forced to resign to Isaac Comnenus 1057. Who being diseased turned Monk and made Constantine Ducas Emperor an 1059. He dyed 1067 swearing his wife Eudocia not to marry and make a Father in Law to his three Sons but she brake her oath and marryed Romanus Diogenes and made him Emperor He is taken in fight by the Sultan and released and when he came home his eyes put out by his own Subjects of which he dyed an 1071. and Eudocia is thrust into a Monastery Michael Paripinacius the Son of Const. Ducas is chosen Emperor The Turks and others greatly weaken the Empire Two Nicephori usurp One called Botoniates helped by the Turks getting possession Michael entred a Monastery and the other Nicephorus Byennius is overcome and his eyes put out Botoniates after three years is deposed and made Monk by Alexius Comnenus who was made Emperor an 1081 and being worsted by Robert D. of Apulia and having dealt ill with Godfrey and his army going for Palestine and beaten by them an 1096. living 70 years and reigning 37 he dyed an 1118. forsaken first of all and succeeded by his son Calojohannes Sect. 78. CCCLXI. A Roman Council an 1079. Forced Berengarius to recant and to own Transubstantiation Sect. 79. CCCLXII An. 1080. Another Roman Council renewed the deposition of the Emperour and gave his Empire to Rodulph the Pope excommunicating Henry and saying Confidens de judicio misericordia Dei ejusque piissimae matris semper Virginis Mariae fultus vestra authoritate saepe nominatum Henricum quem Regem dicunt omnesque fautores ejus excommunicationi subjicio anathematis vinculis alligo iterum Regnum Teutonicorum Italiae ex parte omnipotentis Dei vestra interdiceâ—s ei Omnem Potestatem dignitatem illi regiam tollo ut nullus Christianorum ei sicut Regiobediat interdico Omnesque quiâ—i juraverunt vel jur abunt de regni dominatione a juramenti promissione absolvo Ipse autem Henricus cum suis fautoribus in omni congressione belli nullas vires nullamque in vita sua victoriam obtineat Then he giveth absolution from all their sins to all that take part with Rodulph and blessing in this life and that to come Adding Go on then holy Fathers and Princes I beseech you that the whole world may understand and know that if you can bind and loose in Heaven you can on earth both take away the Empires Kingdoms Principalities Dukedomes Marquisates Earldoms and Possessions of all men according to their merits and grant them to others for you have often taken away from the evil and unworthy Patriarchates Primacies Arch-Bishopricks Bishopricks and given them to religious men For if ye judge spiritual things what must men believe that you can do about things secular and if you judge the Angels that rule over all Proud Princes what can you do with their servants Let Kings and all secular Princes now learn how great you are and what you can do and let them hereafter be afraid to set light by the Command of your Church And exercise your Iudgment so speedily on the said Henry that all may know that he falls not by chance but by your power I wish he be confounded to repentance that his Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. O brave Pope From this Council the Pope sent Rodulph a Crown with this inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodulpho But all this was but as Balaam's attempt It destroyed not Henry nor saved the life of Rodulph that was after killed Sect. 80. CCCLXIII An. 1080. The Emperor called a Council at Brixia which deposed Gregory as a false monk the pestilent Prince of all villanie the invader of the Roman Seat never chosen of God impudently intruding himself by fraud and money subverting all Church-order perturbing the Kingdom of a Christian Empire designing the death of Soul and Body to a quiet Christian Emperour defending a perjured King sowing discord where there was concord and strife where there was peace scandals among brethren divorces between Husband and Wife and shaking all that seemed to be in quietness among godly men a proud preacher of Sacriledge and flames defending perjuries and murders questioning the Catholick doctrine of Christs body and blood an old Disciple of Berengarius a follower of divinations and dreams a manifest Conjurer possessed with a divining evil Spirit and so swerving from the true Faith And they made Guibert Pope in his stead as was aforesaid § 81. CCCLXIV A Council at Lyons An. 1080. deposeth Manasse Bishop of Rhemes for refusing to give account to the Pope c. § 82. CCCLXV Another at Avenion maketh Hugo Bishop of Gratianople § 83. CCCLXVI Another at Meaulx maketh Arnulph Bishop of Soissons § 84. CCCLXVII Another at Rome An. 1081. Excommunicateth the Emperor again § 85. CCCLXVIII An. 1083. another at Rome the Pope kept three days in sighs and groans being besieged and then dismist it § 86. CCCLXIX An. 1084. in another the besieged Pope again excommunicated the
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
reputed taken for believers so they publickly take an oath for the defence of the faith that they will study in good earnest to exterminate to their utmost power from the lands subject to their jurisdiction all Hereticks denoted by the Church so that every one that is henceforth taken into any power either spiritual or temporal shall be bound to confirm this Chapter by his oath But if the temporal Lord required and warned by the Church shall neglect to purge his countrey of this Heretical filth let him by the Metropolitane and other Comprovincial Bishops be tyed by the bond of excommunication And if he contemn to satisfie within a year let that be signified to the Pope that he may denounce his vassals thenceforth absolved from his fidelity or allegiance and may expose his countrey to be seized on by Catholicks who exterminating the Hereticks may possess it without any contradiction and may keep it in the purity of faith saving the right of the principal Lord sobeit he himself put no obstacle hereto nor oppose any impediment The same Law notwithstanding being kept about them that have no principal Lords And the Catholicks that taking the badge of the Cross shall gird themselves for the extermining of Hereticks shall enjoy that indulgence and be fortified with that holy priviledge which is granted to them that go to the help of the holy land And we decree to subject to excommunication the believers and receivers defenders and favourers of Hereticks firmly ordaining that when any such an one is noted by excommunication if he contemn to satisfie within a year let him thenceforth be ipso jure made infamous and not be admitted to any publick Offices or Councils nor to chose any to such nor to be a witness and let him not have power to make a Will nor to witness nor have succession to any inheritance And no man shall be compelled to answer him in any business or suit but he shall be compelled to answer others And if he be a judge his sentence shall be void and no Causes shall be brought to his hearing If he be an Advocate his plea or defence shall not be admitted If a Register the instruments made by him shall be of no moment at all but be damned with the damned Author And the like we will have observed in the like cases But if he be a Clergyman let him be deposed from all office and benefice that as he is in the greater fault the greater vengeance may be exercised on him And if any after such are marked by the Church shall contemn to avoid them let them be smitten with the sentence of excommunication till he give due satisfaction And let no Clergyman give such pestilent persons the ecclesiastical Sacraments nor presume to give them Christian burial nor receive their alms or offerings otherwise let them be deprived of their offices and never be thereto restored without the especial indulgence of the Apostolick seat And so the Regulars on whom this shall be inflicted that their priviledges be not kept in that Diocess in which they presume to commit such excesses And because some under pretence or form of Piety denying as the Apostle saith the virtue or power thereof challenge to themselves the authority to preach when the same Apostle saith how shall they preach unless they be sent Let all those be tyed with the bond of excommunication who being prohibited or not sent do presume publickly or privately to usurp the office of preaching without authority received from the seat Apostolick or the Catholick Bishop of the Place And if they speedily repent not let them be punished with other competent punishment And we moreover add that every Arch-bishop or Bishop by himself or his Arch-Deacon or fit honest persons shall twice or once in a year go about his parish where Fame saith that Hereticks dwell and shall there compel two or three men of good testimony or if he see fit the whole neighbourhood to swear that if they know any Hereticks there or any that seek secret conventicles or that differ in life or manners from the common conversation of the faithful he will study to tell them to the Bishop And let the Bishop himself call the accused to his presence who unless they purge themselves of the guilt objected or if after purgation made they relapse into the former perfidie shall be Canonically punished And if any of them refusing by damnable obstinacy the bond of an oath will not swear let them be for this very thing reputed Hereticks We will therefore and command and stritcly command in the vertue of obedience that the Bishop do watch diligently through their Diocess for the effectual execution of these things if they will Escape Canonical revenge And if any Bishop be found negligent and remiss in purging his Diocess from the leaven of Heretical pravity when this appeareth by certain signs let him be deposed from his Episcopal office and another fit man be substituted in his place who will and can confound heretical pravity The 4th Chap. is against the Greeks for rejecting the Roman Pope and and so far abhorring the Latines that if Latine Priests did but celebrate at their Altars the Greeks would not use them again till they had washed them as being defiled yea they rebaptized those that the Latine Priests baptized the world did not then obey the Pope how insolently soever be trod on the divided Princes of the West by the conspiracy of their Prelates And here he was used in his kind and hereticated and excommunicated and cursed as he did by others The 5th Chap. was to confirm the old Patriarchate on condition they receive the Pall from the Pope and swear fidelity and obedience to him and make those under them to do the like O daring challenge and innovation And yet Chap. the 9th they grant that diversity of Rites by Bishops of their own languages and customs be used so they will but be the sworn vassals of the Pope And yet Cap. 8 in their direction for inquisition even this Council decreed that the accused be admitted to speak for himself and not only the words of the witnesses but their names also to be told him and published and the exception and replyes admitted lest by suppressing their names men be emboldned to defame and by excluding exceptions emboldned to swear falsly Because the supposed Hereticks got ground by preaching the Cap. 10. decreed the setting up of Preachers instead of the Bishops or to help them because they wanted ability or time The 13. Cap. was to forbid making any more new Religions there were so many made in their Church before The 17. Cap. was against Bishops that sate up feasting drinking or prating till after midnight and lie in bed the next morning and come not four times in a year to Mass and then talk with Lay-men at the time of worship Cap. 43. forbids all Clergy men that have
them what good they had done the City For when they came thither they found three or four bawdy houses but at their departure they left but one But this one reached from the East Gate of the City to the West gate § 194. The Pope returneth into Italy and seeketh to get men to ruine Conrade the late Emperor Fridericks Son The King of Englands brother Richard is first invited but deniâ—d due help and refuseth King Henry the third himself at last is drawn in and furnisheth the Pope with a great deal of money and the Croisado Soldiours are turned against Conrade from the relief of Palestine Bitter accusations against him are published by the Pope which Conrade answereth He and Robert Grosthead the famous Learned holy Bishop of Lincoln dying near together the Pope biddeth all that belong to the Church of Rome to rejoyce with him because these two their greatest enemies are gone And if such wise and holy men as this Bishop were numbered with the enemies of the Pope we may conjecture what he was and did and whether all the Christian World were then his Subjects and whether Rome then needed reformation § 195. But though the King of England had so far served him it was not enough Nothing less than all would serve as Matth. Paris tells us when the King would yet be King and did not fully obey the Pope which he manifested in his rant against this rare and excellent Bishop of Lincoln the occasion of which I think well worthy of our recital as it is in Matth. Paris Anno 1453. pag. 87â— 872. A credible Monk though oft reviled by Baron and Bin for telling truth This Bishop was one of the famousest men in the whole world for knowledge piety and justice The Pope had sent him an order as saith Matth. Paris he often did to him and other English Bishops to do somewhat which the Bishop judged to be unjust It was not so bad as an interdict to silence Christs Ministers but whether it was the promoting of bad Ministers or hindering or excommunicating good men some such thing it was as you may see by what followeth The Bishop writeth a Letter to the Pope and Cardinals in which he tells them That he would obey the Apostolical precepts but that was not Apostolical which was contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles Christ saying he that is not with us is against us And that cannot be Apostolical that is against Christ as the Tenour of the Popes Letters were His non obstante so often repeated shewed his inconstancy and his blotting the purity of the Christian Religion and perturbing the peace and quiet of Societies a torrent of audaciousness procacity immodesty lying deceiving hardly believing or trusting any one on which innumerable vices follow And next after the sin of Lucifer which in the end of time will be that also of Antichrist the son of perdition whom the Lord will destroy with the Spirit of his mouth there neither is nor can be any other sort of sin so adverse and contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles and the Gospel and so hateful detestable and abominable as to kill and destroy souls by defrauding men of the care of the Pastoral office and Ministry which sin those men are known by the most evident testimonies of the sacred Scripture to commit who being placed in power of pastoral care do get the salary of the pastoral office and ministry out of the milk and the fleece of the sheep of Christ who are to be quickened and saved but administer not to them their dues For the very not administring of the Pastoral ministeries is by the testimony of Scripture the killing and destroying of the sheep And that these two sorts of sins though unexpectedly are the very worst and beyond all comparison exceed all other sort of sin is manifest by this that they are in the two existent foreâ—aid things though with disparity and dissimilitudes directly contrary to the best things And that is the worst which is contrary to the best And as for these sins as much as in them lieth one of them is the destruction of the Godhead it self which is superessentially and supernaturally best and the other is the destruction of that conformity and deiâ—ication of souls by the gracious participation of the Divine beams which is the best thing essentially and naturally And as in good things the cause of good is better than the effect so in evils the cause of evil is worse than the effect is manifest that the introducers in the Church of God of such most mischievous destroyers of holy formation and deification in the sheep of Christ are worse than the destroyers or murderers themselves the nearer to Lucifer and Antichrist and in the greater degree of mischief or priority by how much the more superexcelling and by the greater and diviner power given by God for edification and not for destruction they were the more bound to exclude and extirpate such most mischievous murderers or destroyers from the Church of God It cannot be therefore that a holy Apostolick Seat to which all power is given by our Lord Iesus Christ the holy of holies for Edification and not for destruction as the Apostle testified should command or require any thing that bordereth on or tendeth towards so hateful detestable aud abominable a thing to Iesus Christ and so utterly pernitious to mankind or by any way endeavour any thing that tendeth thereunto For this were either a defection or a corruption or an abuse of Christs own power which is evidently most holy and most full or it were an absolute elongation from the Throne of the Glory of our Lord Iesus Christ and the next sitting together of the two foresaid Princes of darkness and of hellish punishments in the chair of pestilence Nor can any one with unspotted and sincere obedience who is a subject and faithful to that same Seat and not by schism cut off from Christ and that holy Seat obey the said mandates and precepts or any endeavours whatever and whensoever they come yea though it were from the highest order of Angels but must necessarily contradict them and rebel with all his strength or power And therefore Reverend Lords from the duty of obedience and fidelity in which I am bound to both the parents of the holy Apostolick Seat and from the Love which I have to Vnion in the body of Christ with it I do only filially and obediently disobey contradict and rebel to the things which in the foresaid Letter are contained and specially because as is before touched they do most evidently tend to that sin which is most abominable to our Lord Iesus Christ and most pernitious to mankind and which are altogether adverse to the Sanctity of the holy Apostolick Seat and are contrary to the Catholick Faith Nor can you discretion for this hint conclude or decree any hard thing against me because all my
the Context and Explication All these are mentioned as taken out of Wickliff but Huss is condemned for these following Articles § 13. 1. That there is one holy Vniversal Church of all the Predestinate 2. That Paul was never a Member of the Devil 3. That Reprobates are not parts of the Church for no part of it finally falleth away Predestinating Love never forsaking him 4. Two Natures the Divinity and Humanity are one Christ. 5. The same as afore 6. Taking the Church for the Predestinate it is an Article of Faith 7. Peter was not nor is the Head of the Catholick Church 8. Priests of wicked lives polute the Priestly power 9. The Papal dignity arose from the Emperour and the Popes prefecture and institution flowed from Caesars power Divers of Popes and Priests that live wickedly are not the Apostles Successors Delivering men to Secular powers because excommunicate is to imitate the Scribes and Pharisees above Christ. Ecclesiastical obedience is obedience after the Priests invention without any express authority of Scripture All humane Acts are distinguished into virtuous and vicious A Priest of Christ living after his Law and understanding the Scripture and desirous to Edifie the people ought not to obey the Pope or any Prelate that forbids him to preach and excommunicateth him Every one made a Priest hath a command to preach and must obey it notwithstanding excommunication By Church Censures of excommunication suspension and interdict the Clergy keeps the Laity under their feet for their own exaltation and multiply avarice protect malice and prepare the way to Antichrist It is an evident sign that such Censure proceed from Antichrist in which the Clergy principally proceed against those that open the nakedness of Antichrists wickedness which the Clergy will for themselves usurp If the Popes be wicked men and reprobates then as Judas an Apostle was a thief and traitor and son of perdition so they are no heads of the Church when they are no members The grace of predestination is the bond of the Churches union with the head A wicked and reprobate Pope and Prelate is equivocally a Pastor and truly a thief and robber The Pope should not be called most holy Right election makes not him that cometh not in by Christ to have right Wickliffs 40 Articles were unjustly condemned There is no spark of appearance that there must be one head in spirituals to rule the whâ—lâ—e Church that must alwayes converse with it and be conserved Christ Ruled his Church better throughout the world by his true Disciples dispersed than it is by such moâ—strous heads The Apostles and faithful Priests of the Lord did strenuously regulate the Church in things necessary to salvation before the Office of a Pope was introduced and so would do were there no Pope to the end of the world There is no Civil Lord no Prelate no Bishop while in mortal sin Of which oft before These Articles are mentioned which they say were proved against him It is to be noted that Huss called God to witness that he never preached nor owned many of these Articles which false witnesses brought in against him and yet renounceth nothing that he held And whether he or his accusers better knew his mind and faith its easie to conjecture They condemned Huss to be burnt and condemned another Article that any Subject may kill a Tyrant that is an Usurper by any secret or open means Then they made an Order against Robbers of such as came to the Council and went back § 14. Sess. 16. Deputies are appointed to go to Arragon to the third remaining Pope Bend. 13. to resign and other matters The Sess. 17. was an honourable dimission of the Emperour The Sess. 18. about the Councils Bulls c. The 19. Sess. was against Hierome of Prague where they recite a long Recantation which they say he made and from which they said he afterward revolted Also the Council decreed that they might proceed against Hereticks notwithstanding the safe conducts and promises of the Emperour Kings or Princes by what Bond soever they tyed themselves therein though the Hereticks had not appeared but trusting herein And that the said Emperour Kings c. having done what in them lieth are no way obliged by their promises The 20. Sess. Decreed a monitory against the Duke of Austria on behalf of the Bishop of Trent about estate The rest was about the Ejection of Pope Benedict the 13th They swore to certain Capitula about it § 15. Hierome of Prague having recanted through fear repented and openly professed that he dissembled and stood to his former doctrine and was condemned § 16. Many following Sessions are against Pet. Luna or Bened. the 13th and treating with the Arragonians about him He refused to resign being lest sole Pope I think chosen by more Cardinals than the rest in the 37 Sess. they pass Sentence against him § 17. Sess. 39. It is decreed that there should be henceforth General Councils celebrated One five years after this another seven years after that and thence forward every ten years one Or if there fall out another Schism then within a year none of the contending Popes being presidents with much more about the Councils Next they frame a Profession which every Elected Pope must make viz. That he firmly believeth and holdeth the holy Catholick Faith according to the Traditions of the Apostles of General Councils and other holy Fathers especially the eight holy General Councils viz. Nice Const. 2. Eph. 3. Calced 4. Constant. 5. and 6. Nic. 7. Constant. 8. As also the Laterane Lugdune and Vien and to hold that faith unchanged in every title and to confirm even to life and blood defend it and predicate it and every way to prosecute and observe the rite of Ecclesiastical Sacraments delivered the Catholick Church Sess. 40. There are eighteen heads of reformation named And the form of Electing Popes decreed Sess. 41. An Oath for the Electors Otho Columna Cardinal is made Pope Wickliffes errors again repeated and Husses some Constitutions of Frederic 2. Confirmed and the Council dissolved § 18. Platina tells us that Pope Iohn was deposed only by those that had adhered to him before the other parties came He was kept Prisoner three years none but Germanes whom he understood not attending him Gregory died of grief that Carolus Malatesta had too hastily published his resignation which he hoped to frustrate by delay Benedict refusing to resign the Arragonians and Spaniards forsook him as obstinate The Scot stuck last to him Platina saith Huss and Hierome were burnt for saying that Church men should imitate Christ in poverty when their wealth and luxury was the common Scandal There was great joy at the choice of Martin 5. but Rome and Italy were still in Wars and confusion § 19. Gregory was preferred till he died and this P. Iohn so odiously described by the Council is yet after some years imprisonment made Cardinal Bishop
not malice or sacrilegious covetousness that frameth this accusation Whose are the Tithes are they ours or theirs The same Law of the Land that makes the nine parts theirs doth make the tenth ours If we have no title to the tenth they have none to the rest We ask none of our people for a farthing They give it not to us It was never theirs When they buy or take leases of their Land it is only the nine parts that they pay for and if the tenths were sold them they should pay themselves a tenth part more And would these men make all the people thieves and covetous to take or desire that which never was their own Nay would they have them rob God to whom for his service the Tithes were devoted Read Mal. 3 8 9 10. Rom. 2. 22. Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 6 9. And whether Tithe it self be of Divine institution still is more then they are able to disprove Sure I am when Christ told them of tithing mint and cummin he saith These ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone Mat. 23. 23. 2. But most certain I am that God hath made it our duty to meditate on his word and give our selves wholly thereto 1 Tim. 4. 15. and that we may Forbear working and not go on warfare at our own charge and sowing to men spiritual things should reap their carnal things Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Alter Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 6 7 13 14. 3. And know you not that the primitive Christians gave not only the tenths but all that they had and laid it at the Apostoles feet to shew that the Gospel teacheth more clearly then the Law the necessity of Dedicating our selves and all that we have to God 4. And yet I must say that we are content with food and rayment Most Minist in England would be glad to give you all their tithes if you will but allow them food and raimâ—â—t for themselves and families and such education for their children as is fittest to make them serviceable to God And I hope it is no sin to have mouths that must be fed or backs that must be cloathed What! must Gods Ministers above all others be grudged food and rayment and that of the Lords portion which none of you pay for I fear not to imitate Paul stopping the mouths of malicious accusers and to tell you that the Ministers whose expences I am acquainted with do give 500. pence for 50. that they receive by gift from their people and that they take all that they have as Christs and not their own and if they have never so much they devote it wholly to him and know he 's not beholden to them for it and some of them lay out in charitable uses much more then all the tithes that they receive for their Ministerial maintenance And if the Quakers that accuse them of covetousness would cast up accounts with them I doubt not but it will be found that they receive more by gift then Preachers and give not the fourth part so much when they have done 3. Another accusation is that we preach false Doctrine and deceive the people Answ. It 's easie to say so of any man in the world But when they come to prove it you will see who are the deceivers 4. Another is that we are persecutors and like the Priests of old and so all the reproofs of them and the Pharisees belong to us Answ. This is soon said too but where 's the proof For themselves we have no mind to be troubled with them Let them let us alone as long as we will let them alone But yet they shall be taught one day to know that if the Magistrate stop the mouths of such railers and abusers of God and men he doth no more persecute them then he persecuteth a thief when he hangeth him or then Paul persecuted Hymenaeus and Philetus when he delivered them up to Satan or Elymas Acts 13. 11. or then Peter persecuted Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5. or then God would have had the Churches be persecutors against the woman Iezebel that was suffered to teach and seduce the people or against the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans which God hated Rev. 2. 15 20. If hindering sin be persecuting the calling of a Magistrate is to be a persecutor Rom. 13. 4. and all parents mâ—st pesecute their own children 5. Another accusation is that we are against the preaching of any but our selves Answ. Who doth not desire that all the Lords people were Prophets But yet we know all are not Prophets 1 Cor. 12 29. nor Teachers We would have none of Gods gifts in our people buried but all improved to the uttermost for his glory But we would not have men turn Ordinary Teachers that are neither sound nor able nor sent nor every self-conceited ignorant man have leave to abuse the name and word of God and the souls of men What would you have more then is granted you When any unordained man that is judged competent by the Commissioners of Approbation of whom some are Souldiers may be a constant preacher and have fullest maintenance as well as Presbyters 6. Another Charge is that we are some weak and some scandalous Answ. We do all that we are able to cast out such and I think never more was done The Magistrate sets his Guard at the door and lets in none but whom he please and sure if he knew where to have better than those that are in he would put them in or else he is too blame If he do not know will you blame him for using the best that he can get But if you will come and help us to cast out any that are vicious and unworthy we will give you thanks 7. Another Accusation is that we differ among our selves and one saith one thing and another another thing Answ. 1. And are all these Sects that oppose us better agreed among themselves Enquire and judge 2. Do not all preach one Gospel and the same Essentials of the Christian Faith And we expect not perfect Unity till we have perfect Knowledge and Holiness which we dare not boast of whatever Quakers do 8. Another Accusation is that we are not true Ministers And why so Because we have not an uninterrupted succession of lawful Ordination Answ. This Objection is the Papists who have little reason to use it while it is so easie a matter to prove so many interruptions of their Papal succession At large and often have we answered them and are still ready to deal with any of them herein and to prove 1. That an uninterrupted succession of right Ordination is not of necessity to the being of the Ministry 2. And if it were we have more to