the Divine Ministeries shewing his madness even on that which hath no sense such an one is truly sensless and shall be obnoxious to the Lex Talionis and his work shall fall upon his own head as being a transgressor of God's Law For the chief Apostle Peter commanded Feed the Flock of God overseeing it not by force but freely and voluntarily according to God not for filthy lucre sake but readily and chearfully not as having a dominion â—ver the Clergy but as being examples to the Flock The 15th Canon forbids one Man to have two Churches The 22d Canon forbids Canting and Minstrels and Ribald Songs at meat But the 7th savors of their Superstition forbidding any Temple to be Consecrated without Reliques and ordering Temples that have no Reliques to be put down § 78. In the Letter to Adrian Tharasius tells him that he had a year before attempted the like at Const. but was hindered a whole year by violent Men which further sheweth how far the opposition to Images had obtained when Irene began to set them up § 79. So much of the 2d Nicene Council in which by the power of one Woman and Stauratius a Senator that ruled her the judgment of the Universal Church if the Council or most of the Bishops in the Empire signifie it was suddenly changed from what it had been during the Reign of the three last Emperors and made that Church-use of Images which some thought sinful and no judicious Christian could judge necessary but indifferent and of use to some to be henceforth so necessary that the Denyers are sentenced for cursed Hereticks yea the Doubters cut off from Christ. § 80. CCXXXIII Binnius next addeth a Council at Forojulium An. 791. held by Paulinus Bishop of Aquileia in which is a Speech of his to the Bishops and an excellent Creed and 14 Canons written as by himself all in a far more understanding sober pious manner than is usual among the Patriarchs at General Councils The 13th Canon is an excellent Precept for the holy observation of the lord's-Lord's-day wholly in Holiness and in Hymns of Praise to the Holy Ghost that blessed it by his admirable Advent calling it God's Sabbath of delight beginning the 7th day evening not for the honour of the 7th day but of this Sabbath c. § 81. Yet rash and unskilful words set the Bishops into more divisions Faelix Urgelitanus and from him Elipandus Bishop of Toletum taught that Christ as the eternal Word was God's Natural Son but that as Man he was his Adopted Son Hence his Adversaries gathered that he was a Nestorian and held two Sons A Council An. 792. at Ratisbonne was called to condemn this Heresie Yea Ionas Bishop of Orleance saith That it infected Spain for a great part and he knew their Followers to be certain Antichrists by their faces and habits But wise Men think that the Controversie was not de re but de nomine And that if one Christ be said to be one Son of God in two natures by a twofold fundamentum of the Relation of a Son and that the foundation of the eternal Relation was the eternal Generation and the foundation of the temporal Relation in the Humanity was the temporal Generation and Union with the Deity yet this proveth not two Sons yea or if it had been said that two Generations being the fundamenta two Relations of Sonship result from them If this be unskilfully and illogically spoken it will not follow that the Speakers held two Persons or made any more division of Christs natures than their Adversaries did but only might think that a double filiation from a double fundamentum might be found in one Person Let this Opinion be wrong I see not how the Hereticators could make it a damnable Heresie But it 's pity that Faelix had not taken warning by the Churches long and sad experience to avoid such wordy occasions of Contention and not to set again on work either the Heretical or the Hereticating Evil Spirit § 82. Claudius Taurinensis a great and worthy Bishop at this time did set in against the Worship and Church-use of Images against whom Ionas Aurelianensis wrote whose Writings are in the Biblioth Patrum by Marg. de la Bigne Read them and judge as you see cause § 83. About the time of the Frankford Council came out a Book-against Images which is published as written by Carolus Magnus himself A great Controversie it is Who is the Author No small number say it was Charles his own indeed Others that it was written at his Will and Command But Binnius and some others deny it and say it was written by Serenus Massiliensis an Iconoclast and his Disciples How we shall know the Truth in such Cases I cannot tell But it is confessed that Spain and France were then much infected with the Doctrine which is against Church-Images It is certain that Pope Adrian saith that Carolus Mag. sent him such a Book by Engilbert an Abbot and his Epistle against it is extant § 84. CCXXXIV We come now to a great Council at Frankford called by Charles Mag. present and by Adrian And as late as it is all the Historians cannot tell us whether it was Universal or what they did Some say it was a General Council because Charles summon'd it as such and 300 Bishops were there Others say No it was but Provincial because none of the Bishops of the East were there a sufficient reason and the like may be brought to prove that there never was a General Council in the World so called from the whole World but only from the whole Empire That they dealt with the Case of Elipandus Bishop of Toletum and Faelix Urgel is agreed on but what they did about Images is not agreed on Ado Rhegino Aimonius Urspurg and many Historians say They condemned the Nicene Council that was for Images Even Baronius is of the same mind thinking the Liber Carolinus deceived them He proveth this to be the common judgment of Historians and ancient Writers Bellarmine his Brother is of the same judgment And is not their Concession more than twenty later Mens denial Yea Genebrard concurreth yet Binnius leaveth his Master Baronius and giveth his Reasons against them And he doth well prove that it could not be by ignorance and surprize that the Frankford Council should condemn the Nicene and he is loth to think that they were wilful Hereticks especially when they profess to follow Tradition But he knew that the 7th Constantin Council against Images profest to follow Tradition And if French Men will make us Hereticks for speaking English it is no wonder if we make them Hereticks for speaking French If Men will Hereticate others for Images or Ceremonies or Words others will measure the like to them This kind of Hereticating is circular and hath no end Suarez will have either the Historians to have erred or their Books to be corrupted with what
Church-History OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BISHOPS AND THEIR COUNCILS ABBREVIATED Including the chief part of the Government of Christian Princes and POPES and a true account of the most troubling Controversies and Heresies till the REFORMATION Written for the use especially of them I. Who are ignorant or misinformed of the state of the Antient Churches II. Who cannot read many and great Volumes III. Who think that the Universal Church must have one Visible Soveraign Personal or Collective Pope or General Councils IV Who would know whether Patriarchs Diocesans and their Councils have been or must be the cure of Heresies and Schismes V. Who would know the truth about the great Heresies which have divided the Christian World especially the Donatists Novatians Arrians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians Monothelites c. By RICHARD BAXTER a Hater of false History LONDON Printed by B. Griffin for Thomas Simmons at the Princes Arms in Ludgate-Street MDCLXXX THE PREFACE THE great usefulness of History needs not many words to prove it seeing natural inclination it self is so much for it and reason and experience tell men that they cannot spare it as to Natural Civil or Religious use God himself hath highly commended it to us by writing the Sacred Scriptures so much Historically yea and making some of it part of the necessary Articles of our Creed Children that yet understand not the Doctrinal part of the Bible do quickly take delight in the Historical part which prepareth them for the rest Ignorant and ungodly persons that have no true sense of Sacred Doctrine can yet understand and with lesse aversness and weariness read the history Melancholy and sad persons who can hardly bear long Doctrinal studies are often eased and recreated with useful History Man is a part of the Vniverse and every man is a part of the world of mankind and therefore thinketh the case of the whole to be much of his concerne And were not narrow selfishnes much of our Pravity we should take the universal and publick good and Gods Love to it and Pleasedness and Glory in it to be much more our end and the object of our desire and delight than any personal felicity of our own It is a Monster of inhumanity in the Doctrine of the Sadducees Spinosa Hobbes and their bruitish followers that they set up Individual self interest as a mans chiefest end and object of rational Love and desire and own no Good but that which Relatively is Good to me that is either my personal life and pleasure as the end or other things as a means thereto Though Grace only savingly cure this base inhumane maladie yet common reason beareth witness against it and only sense and reason captivated by sense do patronize it Put not the question to a reasonable man though wicked what he can do or doth But what in reason he should do and he cannot deny but that he should think of a more excellent person at the Indies that never will do anything for him as more amiable than himself much more many thousands such And as Goodness and Amiableness are all one so that which is best should be loved best And he that would not die to save his Country is worse than sober Heathens were And he that would not rather be annihilated than all or halfe the world should be annihilated is so basely selfish that I should sooner believe that analogical Reason ruleth some bruites than that true Reason determineth this mans choice Spinosa taketh the Knowledge of our Union with Universal nature which he calleth God to be mans perfection and his chief good in comparison of which sensual Pleasure Riches and Honour are but troubles further then they are a meanes hereto And if he had better known God as the Creator and Governour and end of the material Vniverse which he took to be God and had joyned holy Uniteing Joyful Love to the Universe and specially to the Heavenly Society and above them all to God himself unto this Knowledge and extended it to the perpetuity of an Immortal state he had been happily in the right which missing he became a pernicious seducer of himself and others But thus nature and Grace do loudly tell us that each part should be greatly concerned for the whole and therefore every one should desire to know as much of the whole as he is capable and as tendeth to his duty and delight And how small a parcel of Time or Men or Actions are present or in our daies How little knoweth he that knoweth no more than he hath lived to see What Religion can he have who knoweth not the History of Creation Redemption or the giving of the Holy Ghost or the planting and propagating the Church and also what will be when this life is ended But it is not all History that is needful or useful to us There are many things done which we are not concerned to be acquainted with But the History of the Church of the propagation of the Christian faith and what the Doctrine was that was then received and how it was practised promoted and defended and how it was corrupted invaded and persecuted is of so great use to posterity that next to the Scripture and the illumination of Gods Spirit I remember nothing more needful to be known When Philip Nerius set up his Oratorian exercises at Rome as to win the people they found it necessary to use large affectionate extemporate prayers and expositions and Sermâ—â—s so the next thing found necessary was to bestow constantly one exercise in opening Church-History to the people And this did both entice their attentions by delight and also by fitting reports more to the Papal interest than to the truth did greatly bewitch them into a confident beliefe that the Papal sect was all the true Church and all other Christians were but sectaries and branches broken off and withered and therefore to be burned here and hereafter abusing Joh. 15. 5. c. And I have oft thought that the right use of such an Historical exercise in an ordinary congregation would be of great use to the ignorant vulgar and unlearned zealous sort of Christians For I find that for want of the knowledge of Church-History and how things have gone before us in all former times many errours and sins are kept up that else would more easily be forsaken To instance in some few I. As it was the craft of Baronius who performed that exercise in Nerius his Conventicles at Rome to write afterward his Church-History in Latin so voluminously that few but the Clergie byassed by interest would read it and so the Clergy might be the credited reporters of all to the vulgar so to this day the Papist-Priests contrive to be the Masters and reporters of Church-History as well as of unwritten Tradition and to keep the Laity so far ignorant of it that when they tell men confident stories for their advantage few or none may be able to contradict them and so their report
administring the Communion without his Licence and yet refusing to do it when he desired it Wherefore he bid him take heed lest he set the People in an uproar for if ought came amiss he had his remedy in his Hands Epiphanius hearing this went away in fear and took Ship for Cyprus The report goeth saith Socrates cap. 13. that as he went he said of Iohn I hope thou shalt never dye a Bishop And that Chrysostome answer'd him I hope thou shalt never come alive into thy Countrey And it so fell out For Epiphanius dyed at Sea by the way and Chysostome dyed deposed and banished § 42. The Empress Eudoxia was said to set Epiphanius on work Chrysostome being hot made a Sermon of the faults of Women which was interpreted to be against the Empress She irritated the Emperour against him and got Theophilus to call a Council against him at Quercus near Chalcedon and Constant. Thither came Sâ—verianus and many Bishops that Chrysostome had deposed and many that were his Enemies for his strictness but especially time-servers that knew the will of the Empress if not the Emperours When they summoned him to appear before them He answered that by the Canon there must be more Patriarchs and he appealed to a General Council yet not denying to answer any where if they would put out his Enemies from being his Judges and that in his own Patriarchate But they sentenced him deposed for not appearing The People were presently in an uproar and would not let him be taken out of the Church The Emperour commanded his banishment To avoid Tumult the third day he yielded himself to the Souldiers to be transported The people hereupon were all in an uproar and it pleased God that there was an Earthquake that night Whereupon the Emperour sent after him to intreat him to return When he came back he would not have officiated till his Cause was heard by equal Judges but the People constrained him to Pray and Preach which was after made the matter of his Accusation Theophilus was hated as the cause of all and Severianus as the second After this Theophilus turned his Accusation upon Heraclides Bishop of Ephesus put in by Chrysostome They condemned him unheard in his absence Chrysostome said that should not be The Alexandrians said It was just They went hereupon together by the Ears and some were wounded and some were killed and Theophilus glad to fly home to Alexandria but was hated by the People § 43. After this a Silver Image of the Empress was set up in the Street and Plays and Shows about it which Chrysostome perhaps too sharply reproached This provoked the Empress to call another Council which deposed Chrysostome for seizing upon his place before a Council restored him He ceased his Office The Emperor banished him His People in passion set the Church on Fire which burnt down the Senatours Court for which grievous sufferings befell them Upon this they forsook the Church and the new Bishop Arsacius an old useless man and gathered Conventicles by themselves and were long called Ioannites from his Name and taken for Schismaticks But they never returned till the Name and Bones of Chrysostome were restored to Honour § 44. The Novatians quarrelled with Chrysostome as too loose in his Doctrine and too strict in his Life because he said in a Sermon If you Sin an hundred times the Church Doors shall be open to you if you repent And Chrysostome angry with Sisinnius the Novatian Bishop told him There should not be two Bishops in one City and threatned to silence him from Preaching He told him that he would be beholden to him then for saving him his labour But Chrysostome answered him Nay if it be a labour go on § 45. XCV A Council in Africk to renew the Priviledges of Churches for Sanctuary that none that fled to them for any Crime should be taken out by force Justice was taken for Wickedness § 46. XCVI Two Councils met one at Const. to judg Antonius Bishop of Ephesus for Simony and many other Crimes Another at Ephesus to judg six Bishops for Simony § 47. XCVII About An. 400. A Council of 19 Bishops at Toletum repress the Priscillians and make divers Canons for Discipline as that a Clergy-Man shall have power over his offending Wife by force but not to put her to death that a man that hath no Wife but one Concubine shall not be kept from Communion though some think that this Concubine is truly a Wife but not according to Law but private Contract and more servile Many other better there be There is adjoyned a Regula fidei of many Bishops approved by Pope Leo in Bin. p. 563. To which are adjoyned Anathematisms against the Priscillians One of them is If any one say or believe that other Scriptures are to be had in Authority and Reverence besides those which the Catholick Church receiveth let him be Anathema Yet the Papists receive more Another is If any one think that Astrology or Mathematicks is to be believed or trusted let him be anathema There are in Bin. divers Fragments cited as of the Tolet. Councils One saith that Arch-Presbyters are under the Arch-Deacons and yet have Curam animarum over all the Presbyters Another determineth that there shall be but one Baptismal Church which is there called The Mother Church with its Chapels in the Limits assigned And another distinguisheth of Offerings made at the Parish Church and Offerings at the Altars which sheweth that then there were no Altars but where the Bishop was § 48. XCVIII Two Councils were held at Carthage about 401. The later about the Donatists § 49. XCIX An. 402. Was the Council Melevitan about certain Bishops quarrels and who should be the highest Bishop in Numidia § 50. C. An. 403. Was the Synod ad Quercum which deposed Chrysostoâ—◠§ 51. Câ— An. 403 404 c. There were seven Councils in Africk against the Donatists to procure Honorius to suppress them by the Sword not as a Heresie but because they rose up by Fire and Sword against the Catholicks and abused and killed many But when Attalus invaded Africk the Emperour proclaimed Liberty for them to quiet them which he after recalled Another Synod was held against them at Cyrta One at Toletum about Ordinations and one at Ptolemais to Excommunicate Andronicus an oppressing Governour § 52. CII The Donatist Bishops held a Council decreeing that when a sentence of banishment was passed on them they would not forsake their Church but rather voluntarily die as many did by their own hands For they took themselves to be the true Church and Bishops and the rest persecuting Schismaticks § 53. CIII The Concilium Diospolitanum of 14 Bishops in Palestine acquitted Pelagius upon his renouncing his Errours § 54. An. 416. A Council at Carthage of 67 Bishops condemned Pelagius and Câ—lestine whom the former had absolved § 55. CV A Council of 60 Bishops at Milevis condemn Pelagius The 22.
of the Apostolick Seat that the Kingdom was translated from Chilperic to Pepin the foresaid Historians do so expresly say that it 's a wonder with what front the innovating Hereticks dare call it in question Lastly It is here to be noted that it was by this same Pope Zachary that the nomination or postulation of Bishops for the vacant Churches in his Kingdom was granted to King Pepin Therefore if elsewhere you read that the Kings of France give Bishops to the Churches remember that it is not done by their own Right but by the Grant of the Apostolick Seat In vain therefore do the innovating Hereticks glory in this Argument who endeavor to subject the Church to Kings So far Binnius after Baronius § 12. From this Story and these words let the Reader think how to answer these Questions Quest. 1. Had not Kings need to take heed of making any one man too great if greatness and exercise of Government give him so much right to the Kingdom Qu. 2. Had not Kings need to look to their manners for their Crowns sake as well as their Souls if Lust Sensuality and Dulness forfeit their Kingdoms Qu. 3. Did not Wars and weakning of the Empire make a great change with Popes when they that were set up and banished at the Emperor's pleasure can now first depose the Emperor in the West for being against Images and Persecuting and then can translate the Crown of France Qu. 4. Was not an ambitious Pope a fit Tool for Pepin and his Confederates to work by to put a pious gloss on their Conspiracy Qu. 5. Did not the Pope rise thus by serving the turns of Conspirators and of Princes in their quarrels with one another Qu. 6. Are Subjects Judges when a King's Sins make him unworthy of the Crown Qu. 7. Yea is the Pope Judge and hath he power to depose Kings if he judge them such Sinners and unfit for Government Qu. 8. Is it a good Reason that a King is justly deposed because Good Men and Holy Bishops are the Desirers and Promoters of it Qu. 9. Would not this Reason have served Maximus against Gratian Was it not Cromwel's Plea If he had but had the Pope and People on his side you see how it would have gone Qu. 10. Is it the mark of an Innovating Heretick to say that the Church should be subject to Kings when Paul and Peter said it of all Christians so long ago Qu. 11. Is it a Note that Protestants love Rebellion because they are against Popes deposing Kings Or is there any heed to be taken of the words of impudent Revilers that dare speak before God and Man at this rate Is deposing Kings the Papists freedom from Rebellion and is our opposing it a character of Rebels Qu. 12. Is it any wonder that Bishop Burchardus desired it and that Bishop Boniface executed the Pope's command who had been translated from England by him to such dignity and had sworn Obedience and Service to him Qu. 13. Is it any wonder that the Pope made these Bishops Saints Qu. 14. I hope they were really godly Men But is it any wonder that some good Men at such a time as that did think it had been for the interest of Religion to have all Power in the Clergies hands especially being themselves Bishops that were to have so great a share How few Bishops are afraid of too much power or ever do refuse it Qu. 15. If the King of France had his Kingdom by the Pope's gift what wonder if he had the power of nominating Bishops also by his gift Qu. 16. Whether he that hath power to give hath not power to take away and be not Judge when the Cause is just Qu. 17. With what face do Papists at once make these claims and yet profess Loyalty to Kings Qu. 18. Whether it concern not Kings to understand on what terms they stand with the Pope and his Clergy that must not be subject to them but have power to depose them Qu. 19. If there be any Party among them that hath more Loyal Principles is it a sign of the concord of their Church that agreeth not in matter of so great moment Or a proof that the Pope is the infallible Judge of Controversies that will not determine so great a Point on which the Peace of Kingdoms doth depend § 13. About the same time they persuaded Rachis King of the Longobards Successor to Luitprand for the love of Religion to lay down his Crown and go into a Monastery so that Monasteries are places for the worst and the best some too bad to reign and some too good lest they should over-master the Clergy § 14. It may be you will think that this Pope Zachary and his sworn Vassal St. Boniface were some very profound Divines that could by their wisdom and piety thus master Kingdoms Doubtless they were zealous Adversaries to Heresies except their own and Successors of the Hereticating and Damning Fathers For Epist. 10. Bin. p. 206 207 208. Zachary writeth to Boniface to expel Virgilius from the Church and Priesthood for holding Antipodes viz. that Sun-shine and Moon-light and Men are under the Earth as well as here which we call over it The words are De perversa autem iniqua doctrina quae contra Dominum Animamsuam locutus est si clarificatum fuerit ita eum confiteri quod alius mundus alii homines sub terra sint seu Sol Luna hunc habito Concilio ab Ecclesia pelle Sacerdotii honore privatum That is But as to the perverse and unjust Doctrine which he hath spoken against the Lord and his own Soul if it be made clear that he so confesseth that under the Earth there is another world and other Men and Sun and Moon call a Council and depriving him of the honour of Priesthood drive him out of the Church That by another world is meant Antipodes or the other side of the Earth inhabited is doubtless § 15. Qu. 1. Did God make Popes to be the Governors of the Antipodes for so many hundred years before they knew that there was any Antipodes And when they excommunicated and silenced those that affirmed it Qu. 2. Were these Popes and Bishops Men of such wisdom as were fit to hereticate Dissenters as they did Qu. 3. Do we not see here what some Councils were and did in those times Qu. 4. Do we not see what Heresie signified at Rome and how little heed there was to be taken of their outcry against some Heresies Qu. 5. Whether was all the World or all the West bound to avoid Communion after with Virgilius Qu. 6. Do we not see here of what Infallibility the Pope is in judging of matters of Faith and how happy the World is to have such a Judge and of what credit his Heretications and Excommunications are Qu. 7. Do we not see how Religion hath been depraved and dishonoured by the Pope and his Clergy calling
off their Virilia c. before Seventy-Two VVitnesses O shameful Holy-Church that is thus Essentiated III. They say He should have been thrice cited Ans. 1. What! When he would not be found 2. Is that necessary to the being of the Sentence IV. They say No delay was granted Ans. He was not to be found And to what was delay necessary when the Babylonians Iberians and Indians had notice of his Diabolical Life V. They say contrary to all Councils the Emperour Condemneth him who may not Condemn any Clerk Ans. But you may Condemn Kings and Emperours Is not this Heresy contrary to Rom. 13. and the 5. Commandement How shall Mens Lives Wives and Estates be saved from Clergy-men if Kings may not judge and punish them This Doctrine calleth for timely restraint VI. They say Execution went instead of Sentence Ans. Is not a plain Sentence here expressed VII The Pope is exempt from all humane judgment The whole Council therefore were impudent or ignorant to Condemn a Pope which none ever did but a Heretick or Schismatick Ans. 1st That is such as you are able to call General Councils Emperours and Kings Hereticks and Schismaticks if they presume to judge a Heretick Schismatick or devillish Pope But your faculty proveth not another culpable 2. Did not Solomon judge Abiathar Did not many Councils Condemn Honorius and many other Popes 3. What a case is your miserable Catholick Roman Church in then when Popes may kill ravish blaspheme and destroy and no Man can judge them neither King nor Council 4. Why said you that the whole Church did consent to your Pope when all this Council and all the Clergy and People at Rome thus begged for another 5. If all your Bishops of Italy Germanâ— c. are utterly impudent or ignorant as you call these What an honour is this to the Prelacy of your Church And is it not because your Popes ordained them and like will generate its like Such other triflâ—ng objections they frame § 57. But now we have two Popes Iohn and Leo and to this Day it is not known nor agreed among the Roman Doctors which was the true Pope Most say Leo Baron and Bin. say Iohn and call Leo a Schismatick confessing yet that Scriptores in finiti numeri call him Leo 8th and own him How then shall we derive their succession Iohn's Kindred got the better when the Emperour was gone and called him again and cast out Leo. Now we have two Heads and so two Churches the Church of Iohn and the Church of Leo. § 58. CCCXVII Anno 963. A Council at Const. gave the Emperor Nicephorus Phocas leave to marry Theophanes the Widdow of Romanus § 59. CCCXVIII Anno 964. The monstrous Beast Pope Iohn got up again call'd a Synod of Bishops And what will not Bishops do He is here still called The most Godly and most Holy Pope The Bishops at his motion Condemn Leo and those that Ordained him and those that were Ordained by him And this Council Binius justifieth and cryeth down Leo 8th as no Pope But he confesseth that by the common consent of Writers Leo was the true Pope but Scriptorum error veritati nihil praejudicare potest Ans. 1. How then shall all the world that knew not the Case be sure that Binius and Baronius are to be believed before all their own Writers whose common Sentence is against them and that Romes Succession from Iohn is good 2. Remember this when you plead for your supposed Tradition that infinite Writers prejudice not the Truth § 60. But saith Platina It s reported that just then John was punished by Gods just judgment lest a Schisme should have followed And it is commonly agreed that being in bed with a mans Wife the Devil struck him on the head and killed him But some think it was rather the VVomans Husband that did it § 61. But yet we are never the nearer conceding still there are two Roman Popes and Churches Iohn being dead one Benedict is Chosen by the parties Totius cleri populi Romanae Consensu saith Bin. p. 1067. Yet had this Clergy and People sworn before to Otho to Choose no Pope without his Consent and Choise and tied themselves to Leo. But to to be Perjured and change with the Ruling Power alas how common was it § 62. The godly Emperor Otho was offended at these Villanies and brought an Army again to Rome Benedictus made them stand out a Siege till Famine forced them to yield and the Emperor set up Leo and carried away Benedict to Hamburgh where he died And think you but this Pope is therefore by Binius and Baronius made a Martyr that by Rebellion and common Perjury was thus set up § 63. While Otho was at Rome Anno 964. He and Leo 8. called another Council of Bishops Italian Roman from Loraine Sâ—xony c. and all the Roman People Pope Benedict is brought forth Benedict the Deacon tells him of his Perjury having broken his Oath to Leo and to Otho Pope Benedict said If I have sinned have mercy on me The pittiful Emperour with Tears intreated the Bishop to have mercy on the man Whereupon he fell down at the feet of Leo and the Emperour and confessed that he had sinned and invaded the Papacy and delivered the In signia to Leo yet our foresaid Annalist and Historian make him and not Leo the true Pope still The Council Deposed and Banished him but continued him a Deacon as he was before They removed him to Hamburgh to prevent new broiles § 64. Here Baronius and Binius cry out on the History of Lâ—ilâ—raudus as Forg'd on Crantzius c. But there is a great reason why Leo must not be taken for a Pope It is because by a Canon of this his Council they gave Otho the same power for choosing Popes as Charles the great had O how much Interest prevaileth with these Historians judgments But alas Reader is it not a sad thing to read how fast Bishops and People did thus Swear and Forswear and do and undo making Councils as weather-cocks that turn with every Wind that is strong Is this the honour of Prelacy and their stability in governing the Church § 65. Next comes another Iohn 13th who was not Chosen till Leo dyed and expresly chosen to succeed him and so by that Account of Baronius and Binius the Succession was interrupted Leo being no Pope whom he Succeeded But alas had it not been for the great Zeal of Otho that came so oft with Armies to defend them and to cast out intolerable Popes what had become of the Roman Papacy This Iohn was a Bishop before as Formosus was and so by the Canons his Election was Null on that account Almost as soon as he was setled saith Platina the Romans having now got a Custome of Expelling their Popes yet Baron saith the Universal Church owned them did by Seditions tire out this also By the help
excellency of the Truths that I am to preach and for the will of God and the good of Souls I would be a Plow-man or the meanest Trade if not a Sweep Chimney rather than a Minister Must we break our health and lay by all our worldly interest for you even for you and think not our lives and labours too good or too dear to further your Salvation and must we by you even by you be reproached after all God will be Judge between you and us whether this be not inhumane ingratitude and whether we deserve it at your hands 13. Yea it is Injustice also that you are guilty of The labourer saith Christ is worthy of his hire Luke 10. 7. Mark that you that call them Hirelings The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5. 17. Especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine And will you throw stones at their heads for endeavouring to save your souls Will you spit in their faces for seeking with all their might to keep you from Hell Is that their wages that you owe them But blessed be the Lord with whom is our reward though you be not gathered Isa. 49. 5. But as you love your selves take heed of that Curse Ier. 18. 20. Shall evil be recompenced for good for they have digged a pit for my soul Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them c. O how many a time have we besought the Lord for you that he would convert you and forgive you and turn away the evil that was over you And when all these our prayers and groans and tears shall be remembred against you O miserable souls how dear will you pay for all 14. And is it not a wonder that these Malignants do not see what evident light of Scripture they contradict and how many great express Commands they violate They break the fifth Commandment which requireth honour as well to spiritual Ecclesiastical Parents as to Civil and Natural And he that curseth Father and Mother his Lamp shall be put out in darkness Prov. 20. 20. The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Did these wretches never read 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake and to be at peace among your selves And Heb. 13 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God And so ver 24. And 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour c. with abundance more such passages as these Do not you feel these fly in your faces when you oppose the Ministers of Christ Doth a Thief or Murderer sin against plainer light than you 15. These Malignants sin against the consent and experience of the Universal Church of Christ till this day The whole Church hath been for the Ministry and instructed by them and as the Child doth seek the Breast so did new-born Christians in all Ages seek the Word from the Ministers that they might live and grow thereby And all the Nations of the Christian World are for the Ministry to this day Or else they could not be for Christ and for the Church and Gospel Is it not plain therefore that these Malignants are dead branches cut off from the Church that are so set against the Spiriâ— and interest of the Church 16. Moreover they sin against the experience of all or almost all the true Christians in the world For they have all experience that Ministers are either their Fathers or Nurses in the Lord And that by their means they have had their life and strength and comforts their sins killed their graces quickned their doubts resolved the taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come May we not challenge you as Paul oft doth his Flock Whether you did not receive the illuminating sanctifying Spirit by the Ministry if ever you received it I tell you it is as much against the new and holy nature of the Saints to despise the Ministers of Christ as it is unnatural for a Child to spit in the face of his Father or Mother And the experience of sound Christians will keep them closer and help them much against this inhumanity what ever Hypocrites may do 17. And if these Malignants had not Pharaohs heart they would sure have considered that the experience of all Ages tells them that still the most wicked have been the Enemies of the Ministry and the most godly have most obeyed and honoured them in the Lord and that this Enmity hath been the common Brand of the rebellious and the fore-runner of the heavy wrath of God and that it hath gone worst with the Enemies and best with the Friends of a godly Ministry Do I need to prove this which is so much of the substance of the Old Testament and the New Was it the Friends or Enemies of all the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of Christ that Scripture and all good Writers do commend Do not the names of all Malignants against the godly Ministry stink above ground as the shame of mankind except those that are buried out of hearing or those that were converted 18. Nay such as are noted for the highest sort of the wicked upon Earth worse than Drunkards Whoremâ—ngers and such filthy Beasts The Persecutors of Gods Ministers have been ever taken as walking Devils And the hottest of Gods wrath hath faln upon them Take two instances 1. When the Iews went into Captivity this was the very cause 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 2. And when the Iews were cut quite off from the Church and made Vagabonds on the Earth this was the very cause Acts 28. 28. Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and that they will hear it 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. These Jews both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost 19. It is the Devils own part that these Malignants act For it is he that is the great Enemy of