are transported with incertainetie of doubtfull opinions so that albeit they bee met together to settle others in the certainetie of the true Faith yet they themselues are so wauering minded that they can neuer bee at rest Like as the Arrians not content with the summe of Faith set downe at Nice assembled themselues many times set downe 9. diuers formes of Faith as Socrates recordeth yet coulde they neuer agree vpon one certaine forme of Faith which they woulde not alter Likew◅se in the affaires of Discipline so great discrepance of opinion was founde that neither Councill agreede with Councill nor Bishop with Bishop nor yet Bishops with Councils The Councill of Ancyra thought expedient for order taking with those who had sacrificed vnto Idoles in time of persecution that vnto Bishops should bee adjoined Chorepiscopi that is Countrey Bishops or Landward Bishops to whom they gaue not power to ordaine Elders and Deacons but onely Readers and Subdeacons Damasus Bishop of Rome coulde not agree to this subordinate order of Bishops called Chorepiscopi The Councils of Neocaesarea Antiochia liked of this forme of gouernament Other Councils in not making mention of this name declared their misliking so that this abuse likewise of diuersity of opinions frequently altered both in Doctrine and Discipline impaired much the authoritie of Councils Before I declare who hath power to conuocate Generall Nationall Councils something is to bee premitted concerning the assemblies vpon the LORDS holy Sabboths These assemblies of all other were counted moste holy in so much that when the Princes of the people of Israel were to conueene with Moses to consult concerning matters of ciuil gouernament they were warned so to doe by the blowing of one of the siluer trumpets onely but when both the siluer trumpets did blowe then the people were warned to conueene at the doore of the Tabernacle for the exercise of diuine seruice which as it was of all Conuentions most holy so in like maner it was foresignisied in most solemne maner These holy meetinges were warranded by the LORDES expresse commandement Remember the Sabboth day to keepe it holy c. And in the new Testament Christians hauing receiued power to meete together in CHRISTES Name with promise that CHRIST woulde bee amongst them they conueened secretely to the hearing of the worde and ministration of the Sacramentes albeit they were most straitely inhibited so to doe by the Edictes of persecuting Tyrantes and these who were comprehended and put to death for their conuentions profession they died Holy Martyres how soeuer the Pagans did put them to death as traitors because they disobeyed the Emperours commandement both in their conuentions and profession Yet this ground beeing once laide that they died Holy Martyrs it wil follow that Christians haue power to conucene to heare the worde preached especially vpon the LORDES day albeit all the Princes of the worlde woulde forbid them to meete And this libertie granted by CHRIST and sealed vp by the blood of innumerable martyrs Confirmed also by the lawes of Christian Princes euer since the reigne of Constantine it will continue vnto the blessed appearance of the LORD IESUS to judge the world albeit all the enemies of the Gospell of CHRIST shoulde grinde their teeth and fret against this libertie These fore-saide weekely conuentions are necessarie at all times and in all ages euen albeit there were no H◅retique nor Scismatique in the worlde to diuert people from the trueth of GOD because euen the best of vs all is but like vnto a barren husbandrie that hath neede continually to bee dressed and laboured and watered with the streames of the riuers of the Sanctuarie of our GOD lest wee wither in the barrennesse of a corrupt nature But Councils Generall or Nationall are not necessarie at all times but onely when the peace of the Church is troubled with Heresie and Schisme or an uniuersall ouer-spreading scab of corrupt maners and at such times it is meete that Pastors acquaint the supreame Magistrate with the danger who hath not neede at all times to conuocate a Councill except the maladie that hee would rem◅die be vnsupportable After this wise forme of dealing did Constantine send Osius Bishop of Corduba to Aegypt to see if by his trauels the Heresie and Schisme springing vp in Alexandria could bee timously suppressed but when the good Emperour sawe that this Gangrene dayly increased then there was no remedie but to gather a Generall Councill for suppressing of Heresie and for keeping of intestine peace into the Church of CHRIST Now to proue that Nationall and Generall Councils ought to bee gathered by Monarches and Princes In the olde Testament the great Conuentions at Carmell Silo and Mizpeh were assembled by Princes and the assembly conueened at Mizpeh by Samuel hee gathered it as a ciuill Gouernor of the land and not in so farre as hee was a Prophet for as yet Saul was not allowed by the people to bee king The Conuention appointed at Gilgal was with the expresse consent and allowance of King Saul who was also personally present at that Assemblie In the new Testament the assembly of the Apostles at Hierusalem albeit it was gathered without the knowledge and allowance of the Emperour Cluadius in whose time it was assembled Yet the Apostles had such extraordinary warrandes of the Spirite such extraordinary giftes and their painefull trauels fell in such an extraordinary time when there was no Christian Magistrate fauouring the Gospel that hee who furnished vnto them courage to preach without libertie granted vnto them by Princes furnished also courage and grace vnto them to meete at Hierusalem for the well of the Church without the fore-knowledge and allowance of the Emperour Claudius But thinges done extraordinarily leane vnto their owne extraordinary warrandes and are no impediment to vs to proceede and to speake of thinges that are ordinary And it is to be noted that euen during the time of the 10. Persecutions Christians neglected not to seeke the support of Emperours against Heretiques whē it could be obtained as clearelie appeareth by the ninth Persecuting Emperour Aurelian who with his ciuil authority assisted the Synode of Antiochia against Samosatenus as hath beene declared in the thirde CENTURIE and the Church had craued the support of the Emperours authoritie to that effect From the dayes of the Emperour Constanti◅e vntill the yeere of our LORD 1215. the Emperours were in use to conuocate Councils But Innocentius the thirde to whose tuterie Fredericke the seconde was recommended by his father Henrie the sixt more like to the successour of Iudas then the successour of Peter made Otto Duke of Saxon Emperour in prejudice of Fredericke vntill the spirit of dissention fell betwixt Otto and Pope Innocentius the thirde Then was Otto excommunicated and the Empire was giuen to Fredericke the seconde to whom it rightly belonged Notwithstanding Pope Innocentius tooke vpon him boldnes to
A SHORT COMPEND OF THE HISTORIE OF THE FIRST TEN PERSECVTIONS MOVED AGAINST CHRISTIANS DIVIDED INTO III. CENTVRIES WHEREVNTO ARE ADded in the end of euery Centurie treatises arising vpon occasion offered in the historie clearely declaring the noveltie of Popish Religion and that it neither flowed from the mouthes of Christs holy Apostles neither was it confirmed by the blood of the holy Martyrs who died in these ten persecutions IEREM 6. ver 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand in the wayes and behold and aske of the old way which is the good way and walke therein and ye shall find rest vnto your soules but they said we will not walke therein LVC. 10. ver 42. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Hart and are to be solde at his shop on the North side of the high streete a litle beneath the Crosse ANNO DOM. 16. 13. TO THE MOST NOBLE VERtuous and elect Ladie MARIE Countesse of Mar wisheth Grace Mercie and eternall Felicitie IT hath pleased God most noble and elect Ladie to prolong my life these yeeres bypast vnder many infirmities of a dayly decaying tabernacle yet my good God hath not left me destitute of comfort to the end I might fulfil my course with joy One of my chiefe comforts vnder God was your La. reuerent hearing and faithfull practising of the worde of God I delited to see that thing begun in earth which shal be perfited in heauen The glorified Saintes in heauen they cast down their crownes at the feete of the Lambe who sits vpon the Throne When noble persons in earth humblie kisses the feete of the Son of God beares ' his light burden and submittes themselues vnto his easie yoke then some resemblance of the heauen is found in the earth The rarer this vertue is the more I reverenced it in your La person and the oftener I commended your noble houshold to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified The Queene of Adiabene HELENE when she left her owne countrie and came to dwell at Ierusalem she filled the bellies of the poore with the cornes of Egypt and the fruits of Cyprus forit was a yeere of vniuersal famine and spared for no cost to doe good to the Saincts that were in Ierusalem therefore her name is vntill this day in reuerent remembrance And in our dayes honorable Ladies who refreshes the barren soules of ignorant people in this land with examples of humilitie modestie godlinesse and all other Christian vertues many generations after vs shall call them blessed The Lord in mercie augment the number of honorable persons who rejoyce to goe vnto the house of the Lord. These are the toppes of the mountaines which beeing once free and not couered with ouerflowing waters it is a comfortable presage that the great flood that drowned the world shall be abated These are the Minerals of gold and siluer which are not easily found out but after they are discouered they replenish the land with infinit treasures of riches The Prophet ZACHARIE when he saw in that celestiall vision IEHOSHVA his body honoured with change of apparell wished also the Diademe to be set vpon his heade but if he had seene the Diademe set vpon his head and the body lapped vp with ragges of vile apparel hee had wished the body also to be honoured with ornaments proportionallie agreeing to the heade It hath pleased the wisedome of our God in this part of the countrie whereinto I dwell first to decke with glorious ornaments the head the Lord in mercie cloth the body also with change of rayment to the end that Satan that vigilant enemie who delighteth in the filthie ragges of our beggerly apparel may be grieued for our change from worse to better I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse that it is lawfull to me toreuerence the image of Christ where euer I see it clearely shining either in rich or in poore And so much the more because it was my lot to conferre with many persons of a contrarie religion whom I found to be like reprobat siluer fra whō the drosse could not be separated What is next If they will harden their heartes against the truth of God then let the dead burie their dead but let the noble house of Mar follow Christ. Receiue from my hands Madam this short cōpend of the ten first great persecutions with certaine treatises added to the compend of the historie and be not afraid to follow the religion and faith of the Apostles and Euangelists because their eares heard the words of the great shepheard of our soules their eyes saw God manifested in the flesh they were chosen to be faithful witnesses to the world of the doings sufferings and doctrine of Christ the holy Ghost was sent to teach them in all trueth Here we may rest vpon a sure foundation against the which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Next to the Apostles their true successours are to be had in reuerent regard who sealed vp that faith which they receiued from the Apostles with riuers of blood for the space of three hundreth yeeres To this antiquitie of Apostolicke doctrine let vs firmely adhere This is the clearest mirrour whereinto the precepts of wholesome doctrine are contained After the holy Apostles had finished their course the disciples of the Apostles were worthie men yet not like vnto the Apostles who had bene both called taught immediatly by Christ. If any doūg was in their sacrifices it was couered by the glory of their sufferings the fire wherwith they were burnt the water wherinto they were drouned the aire wherinto their bodies were hanged vp the mountaines wildernes through which they wandered the darke prisons whereinto they were enclosed as people vnworthie of libertie whom notwithstanding the Son of God had made sree and they were free indeede Yea all the verie elements the light of Heauen wherefra by most vnrighteous violence the righteous heires of heauen were excluded all these I say were witnesses of their glorious sufferings Vnder pretence of climming to this antiquitie the Papists would cloacke the turpitude of their new found doctrine So did the Hagarenes boldly vsurpe the name of Saracenes yet they were but the brood that spran◅s out of the bellie of HAGAR the handmaid of SARAH And the Priests boy in the daies of ELI came vnto the Caldron while the flesh of the peace offering was seithing and thrust in his flesh-hooke all that the flesh-hooke brought vp the Priest tooke for himselfe This thing was done by violence but the Priest had not just right to euerie piece of the sacrifice that the flesh-hooke brought vp The Romaine Church in our dayes hath borrowed the flesh-hooke of the Priestes boy and violently arrogates vnto themselues the faithfull keeping
maine and principall grounds vpon the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome and vpon the authoritie of generall Councils ONVPHRIVS to vphold the one vndoeth the other and to cleare HONORIVS of all suspition of heresie he bringeth the generall Councill vnder a suspition of falsification Then let ONVPHRIVS either produce the true and vncorrupt acts of the sixt generall Councill which he will neuer be able to doe or else for all his fectlesse apologie HONORIVS name is spotted with the blame of heresie And of late dayes the Romaine chaire hath not onely renued but also doubled the heresie of the Collyridians damned in the dayes of EPIPHANIVS For the Collyridians gaue onely some piece of diuine honour to the blessed virgin the mother of our Lorde but the Romaine Bishops in suffering by their toleration conniuence or rather allowance the Psalter of our Lady as they call it to be printed diuulgat and vsed by Christian people wherein all the honour due to Christ not excepting the sitting at the right hand of the Father Psal. 110. is all attributed vnto the virgine MARIE In so doing I say they haue not onely renued but also doubled the heresie of the Collyridians In the Councill of Basil gathered Ann. 1431. EVGENIVS 4 then B. of Rome was deposed by the general Councill of Basil as a notable schismaticke and perturber of the peace of Christes Church Yet his name is in the roll of the succession of Romaine Bishops and all these who haue sitten in the chaire of Rome since the dayes of EVGENIVS 4. are successors to a perjured schismaticke justly deposed by the generall Councill of Basil with consent of the Emperour SIGISMVND Now let Romanists advise whether they will blame the generall Councill or the Bishop of Rome EVGENIVS 4. If they blame the general Councill then the generall Councill may erre euen in great fundamentall points of their owne faith for it leaneth vpon the authoritie of the B. of Rome Councils And if they wil blame EVGENIVS 4. as a schismaticke worthy of deposition then is their succession whereof they glorie so much vtterly cut off since the dayes of EVGENIVS the fourth As touching idolatrie I dare boldly set the Romaine chaire in higher degree then the idolarrous Jewes of old of whom IEREMIE speaketh that according to the number of their cities was the number of their gods Ier. 2. ver 28 Nowe there are not so many cities in Juda as there are Angels Apostles martyres and Saints in heauen to whom the Romaine chaire giueth the glory of Christ maketh them mediators of intercestion Therefore it is an impudent presumption to brag of Apostolicke succession when as by heresie schisme and idolatrie they haue so oft fallen and yet continue in falling away from the footsteps of the Apostles Now because commonly like errours haue like grounds let vs consider what was the ground of the error of the succession of AARON and thereby may easily be discerned the ground of the error of the alledged Apostolicke succession The posteritie of AARON beeing reprooued by IEREMIE the Prophet tooke the reproofe in a very euill part supponing that they were exeemed from errour in maters of religion because of the promises of God made to the tribe of LEVI therfore they say Come and let vs imagine some deuise against Jeremiah for the Lâ—…w shâ—…ll not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet Cone and let vâ—… smite him for his tongue and let vs not takâ—… heede to his words Ier. 18. ver 18. The promises made to the tribe of LEVI are contained Deut. 33 ver 8. 9 10. 11. And after the captiuitie of Babylon MALACHI making an ample declaration of the promises made to LEVI saith My couenant was with him of life peace Igaue him feare he feared me was afraid before my name The Lawe of trueth waâ—… in his mouth and there was none iniquitie found in his l ps he walked with me in peace and equitie did turne many away from iniquitie For the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should secke the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Mal. 2. ver 5. 6. 7. Of this promise of God spoken by MOSES and long after amplified by the Prophet MALACHI many did collect that the successors of AARON LEVI could not erre in religion but how erroneous false this conclusion was the wordes of the Prophet MALACHI immediatly after following do declare But ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the Lawe ye haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of Hostes Mal. 2. ver 8. If we had no further to alledge but these two testimonies that IEREMIE MALACHI did reprooue the successors of LEVI AARON of great errours defection notwithstanding of the promises made to them their posteritie yet these two witnesses being Prophets of God doe aboundantly prooue that promises made to LEVI and AARON do not exeeme their succession from error in religion But marke another circumstance in the ground of this errour of AARONS succession which was this God made a promise conditionall which they supposing to be absolute tooke libertie to doe what they lifted The conditions are clearely set downe by the Prophet MALACHI cap. 2. If they feared God conuerted others from their wicked waies kept the key of knowledge then they should be counted the Ambassadours of the Lord of hostes but these conditions being broken they hauing gone out of the way hauing caused many to fall by the law hauing broken the couenant of LEVI they were so far from being counted the Ambassadours of God that God made them vile before al the people ver 9 Yea the Lord cursed them cast doung vpon their faces euen the doung of their solemne feastes made them like vnto it ibid. ver 3. This was the tragicall euent of AARONS successours who opened one of their eares to heare the promise of God but closed the other eare from hearing and marking the conditions that were required of them to whom the promise was made The Romaine Church not vnlike to the successors of AARON haue their eare opened to heare the promise of God made to the Apostles their successors in these words Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world Mat 28 ver 20. but they close their eares from hearing the condition required of the Apostles their successours contained in the same verse in these words teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I command you Although they teach a doctrine repugnant to Christs commandement yea and a doctrine of deuils as PAVL speaketh 1. Tim. 4. yet must they be counted the Apostles successors and that Christ is with them that they do not erre But God wil cast their doung in their faces and make them like to
shall happen at anie time those persons or their children to bee indigent who haue doted anierent to the Church let them render a just deserued retribution to their bene-factors in sustaining them to whose beneuolence they are addoted The Deacons are decerned to be inferiour to Presbyters Let the Leuites bee content to bee cloathed with their ORARIVM onelie vpon their left shoulder and not vpon their right shoulder and let it neiâ—…her bee beautified with coloures nor with golde PLATINA in the life of ZOSINVS calleth it LINOSTIMA Let Clergie-men haue the vpper-moste part of their heads bare and shauen and the lower-part rounded not following the example of the Readers of GALLICIA who did shaue onehe a little of the vpper-moste-part of the haire of their head conforming themselues in so doing to the custome of some Heretiques which dishonour is to bee remoued from the Churches of Spaine No strange women shall cohabite with Church-men onelie their mother or sister or her daughter or fathers sister maye dwell with them amongst which persons the bandes of nature permitteth not to suspect anie sinne according to the constitutions of auncient Fathers Some of the Clergie who are not married are intangled with the forbidden lust of strange women let the bishop separate them sell the women and redact the men infected with their lust for a space vnto pennance If a man of the Clergy marrie a wife or a widow or a deuorced woman or an harlot without aduise of his bishop let the bishop separate them againe Clergie-men who haue cloathed themselues with armour voluntarilie and haue gone to warre-fare let them bee deposed from their office and bee thrust into a Monasterie there to remaine all the dayes of their life Church-men who are found spoyling the sepulchres of persons departed let them bee deposed and be subject vnto three yeeres pennance By the coÌ„mandement of king Sisenandus Churchmen are eximed from all publike indictioÌ„s labours to the end with greater libertie they may attende vpon spirituall seruice Let bishops haue some of their owne Clergie to bè rulers of their house-holde-affaires according as the Councell of Chalcedon hath ordained A man is made a monke either by his parents deuotion or by his own profession but whether he be embarked into the Monastike life the one way or the other there is no regresse againe vnto a seculare estate Persons of the Clergie who are desirous to enter into a Monasteriâ—… and to lead a comtemplatiue life let not their bishops hinder the purpose of their minde because they haue intention to enter into a better trade of liuing Bishops haue power to constitute Abbots to gouerne Monasteries and to correct enormities that shall happen to fall out amongst them but not to redact them to seruile offices nor to conuert the rents of the Abacie to their owne vse as a possession duelie belonging to themselues The Monkes who leaue their Monasterie returne againe to a secular life and marrie wiues let them be brought backe againe to their owne Monasterie there to doe pennance and to lament for their by-past sinnes Religious men who wander vp and downe in a nation and are neither members of the Clergie nor Monkes of anie Monasterie let the bishop restraine their licentious libertie and appoint them either to serue in the Clergie or in a Monasterie except such as through infirmitie or age haue gotten an exemption They who haue confessed the committing of anie deadlie sinne cannot be promoted to Ecclesiasticall honours Secular men who in receiuing their pennance haue beene content to bee shauen and to put on a religious habite if they reuolt againe and will needes become Laikes and bee incorrigible then let them be counted apostates and excommunicate from the fellowship of the Church Widowes who haue put on a religious habite and vowed chastitie if they marrie they haue damnation according to the wordes of the Apostle 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 12. Iewes are not to be compelled to receiue the Christian faith but these who alreadie by constraint haue receiued it in the dayes of the noble king Sisebutus seeing they haue beene alreadie partakers of our Sacramentes let them bee compelled to perseuere lest the Name of the Lord Iesus be blasphemed and the faith which they haue embraced be counted vile and contemptible They who receiue bribes and rewardes from the Iewes to cloake their vngodlinesse and to foster them in their infidelitie let them bee accursed and counted strangers from the Church of Christ. Iewes after their conuersion to the Christian faith if they bee found to haue circumcised their sonnes or seruantes by the commandement of the moste religious king Sâ—…senandus it is ordained That the circumcised children of the Iewes shall bee separated from the fellowship of their parentes and the sâ—…ruants shall bee set at libertie for the injurie done vnto their bodie by circumcision Iewes who are punished to the death for any contempt done by them against CHRIST after their baptisme this punishment shall not prejudge their children from right to enjoye their goods if they bee faithfull because it is written The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father Ezech. 18. 20. Let not Iewes after their conuersion haunt the companie of other superstitious Iewes as yet addicted to the abolished lawe of ceremonies lest they be perucrted if they transgresse this ordinance such of them as haue professed Christianitie shall bee giuen in seruice to Christians others shall bee appointed to bee publikely scourged Iewes who haue maried Christian women if they will not embrace Christian religion let them be separated from their wiues companie and let the children bee brought vp in the faith of their Christian mothers Iewes who haue once professed Christian faith and haue sliden backe againe from it shall not bee admitted witnesses before a Iudge albeit they professe themselues to bee Christians because like as their faith is suspected so in like manner their humane testimonie is to be doubted of Let no Iew bee preferred to any publike office Let no Iew presume to buy a Christian seruant which if hee doe the seruant shall bee taken from him and shall bee set at libertie Bishops who haue not benefited the Church by any proper donation of their owne goods they should not empouerish their Church by setting at liberty Church seruantes which thing if hee presume to doe his successour shall reduce those seruants againe to the possession of the Church whom iniquitie without any just right hath absolued A Bishop who setteth a seruant at libertie hauing first by permutation set another of the like worth and merite in his place shall denie libertie to the fore-saide seruant either to accuse or to beare witnesse against the Church whereinto he was a seruant else hee shall forfeit his libertie and bee reduced to his former seruile condition in
of ancient Apostolike traditions When we demand where is the charter containing their title and right we see nothing but the flesh-hook with three teeth in their hand The Church cannot erre We are the true Church And Cursed be he who saith that in matters of faith our general Councils can erre Madame accept vnder your La. fauourable protection these my trauels in weakenesse not vnlike to the writer alwayes containing a faithfull testimonie of my humble endeuoure to confirme the branches of your noble housholde in the true faith of Christ. Nowe the great Mediator of the couenant of God stablish all your heartes in the certaintie of his vndoubted trueth vnto the ende and in the ende Amen Your La. humble seruant P. SYMSON The Preface THE estate of the Church of Christ whereoâ—… we 〈◊〉 to be counted feeling members hath bene very troublous froÌ„ the beginning of the world not like vnto the estate of Moab setled vpon her dregs not powred out from vessell to vessel Ierem 48. 11. yet the more afflicted the more beloued of God Whose face watred with teares is faire and whose mourning voyce is pleasant in the sight of God Cantic 2. 14. And like as doing of good willingly hath a great recompense of reward from God eucn so patient suffering of euill for righteousnes sake is highly commended in Scripture and richly rewarded in heauen Yea the very Ethnicke Philosopher PLATO to whome the glorie of the sufferings for Christ was vnknowne affirmeth that men who suffer scourging binding tormenting boring out of eyes and finally strangling of their breath for righteousnes sake are exceeding happie or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports thrise happie PLATO in Repub. Howbeit the superlatiue degree of suffering that can bee found amongst the Ethnickes could neuer equall the glorie of the sufferings of Christian people They who were initiated in the mysteries of MITHRA this word in the Persian language signifieth the sunne could not be admitted to that honour before they had bin tried by suffâ—…ring of four score diuerse sorts of tormentes such as long abstinence from meate and drinke solitarie liuing in the wildernesse a long time triall of suffering the feruent heate of fire and the coldnesse of water and many other torments vntill the number of four score had bene completely filled out Nazian in Iulianum These voluntarie sufferings like as in the beginning they wanted the warrand of Gods calling so likewise in ende they shall want the hope of Gods reward But the mouth of God himselfe pronounceth Christians to be blessed who die in the Lord for they rest from their laboures and their workes follow them Apoc. 14 13. The manifold persecutions of the Church may bee diuided into three ranckes some of them were fierce and bloody some were craftie the third was and is both cruâ—…ll and craftie The ten Ethnick Emperours NERO DOMITIAN TRAIAN c. were so prodigall of the blood of the Lordes Saintes that they powred it out like water vpon the ground The Arrian Emperours were subdolous and craftie but the persecution of the Antichrist which is the third goeth beyond the rest both in crutltie and craft The experience we haue had in our own dayes of the crueltie of the supposts of the Antichrist and their craftie conuey of their malicious interprisesintended against our Soveraigne Lord his royall race and noble Counsellers doth clearâ—…y prooue that the malice and craft of the Antichrist goeth as farre beyond the malice craft of all Emperours as the flood of NOAH goeth beyond the inundation of Nilus ONVPHRIVS confoundeth the first two ranâ—… of the persecutions by a secret preterition of the name AVREâ—…AN and counteth DIOCLETIAN to be the ninth persecuting Emperour and the ARRIAN persecution for the tenth I can neither haue a good liking of his opinion nor of himselfe His opinion smelleth of nouâ—…ltie himselfe was an aduocat for heretiques and all bad reprobat causes he will pleade the cause of HONORIVS condemned as an herctique in a generall Councill and the cause of GREGORIE the seuinth and impudently dare denie that euer there was a Pope of the feminine sexe sitting in the chaire of Rome True it is that all the Emperours who liued after the ascension of our Lord into heauen vntill the Halcyon dayes of CONSTANTINE the great onely some few except such as NERVA and PHILIPPVS and few moe might haue their names most iustly inrolled into the Catalogue of persecuting Emperours because they suffered the fire that others had kindled to burne on still and quenched it not by the might of their authoritie But these are chiefly counted persecutours who either kindled the fire as NERO did or else by nâ—…we edicts and commandements set foorth in their names they added fâ—…well to the fire to the ende that the augmented flame of the fornace might strike the greater terrour into the heartes of Christians A short compend of the first ten great persecutions I haue collected out of sundrie authors whereinto necessitie driueth me to write of persecuting Emperours so far as appertaineth to the historie of the Church and no further and of persecuted Christians specially teachers against whome the rage of persecuting Tyrants was most baâ—…efully bent The names of the heretiques also behoued to be remembred the most malignant vleer that euer bred in the Church of Christ. These are the wandering stars of whome the Apostle Iude speaketh to whome is reserued the blacknesse of darkenesse for euer Epist. Iud. ver 13. I haue made litle mention of Councils except of that famous Councill holden at Ierusalem by the Apostles Acts 15. Prouinciall and nationall Councills during the space of the first three hâ—…ndreth yeeres were few in number by reason of the rage of persecuting Emperours and some of them that were gathered were obscure and the lâ—…sse regarded in respect of their contradiction one to another There was a Council gathered at Rome another in Caesarea Palestinae another in France the fourth in Pontus and one in Asia all these were gathered for one and the selfe same purpose to deliberate anent the keeping of Pasch day Euseb. lib. 5 cap. 23. In Rome VICTOR was in one opinion POLYCRATES in Asia held another opinion IRENAEVS in France was wiser then the rest and was more carefull to keepe vnitie in the Church of Christ then to dispute contentiously anent keeping of dayes The nationall Councill of Philadelphia in Arabia against ARTEMON and BERYLLVS wherein ORIGEN was present Euseb. hist. eccl lib 6. cap. 37. A Councill holden at Rome by CORNELIVS and another in some partes of Africke for the timous suppressing of the error of NOVATVS Cyprian epist. lib. 1. Epist 2. A notable Councill holden at Antiochia against PAVIVS SAMOSATENVS a pernicious heretique Euseb lib. 5. cap 29. All these were gathered for suppressing of heretiques Some Councils were gathered by CYPRIAN B of Carthage for rebaptising of those who were baptized by heretiques This weakenesse both in CYPRIAN and
trumpet was heard to these places I say did people bewitched by Satan resort in frequent numbers to bee taught by the mouth of him who was a liar from the beginning and who remaineth a liar albeit he speake at some time the trueth because he speaketh it animo fallendi vpon a purpose to deceiue It is very credible that the blessed Seede who came to breake the heade of the Serpent did stoppe his mouth also in the time of his blessed Natiuitie The countrie of Iudeâ—… at this time was subject to the Romanes and payed tribut to CAESAR Luc. 2. The deputies of AVGVSTVS in Iudea and Syria were CYRENIVS COPONIVS AMBIBVCHVS and ANNIVS RVFVS one succeeding to another Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. HEROD the sonne of ANTIPATER by fauour of ANTONIVS obtained this honour to be gouernour of the nation of the Iewes but the honourable name of a King hee receiued from AVGVSTVS CAESAR this was ratified for his further assurance by the Senat of Rome Ioseph Antiq. lib. 15. cap 10. for which cause HEROD to testifie his thankfull minde toward ANTONIVS builded a Castle in Ierusalem very neere to the temple called Arx Antonia And to the honour of AVGVSTVS he builded Caesarea Palestinae sometime called the towre of STRATON Now a forreiner and stranger of his fathers side an Idumean of his mothers side an Arabian Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 1. and an aliant both from the stocke of DAVID and also from the Commonwelth of Israel was reigning in Iudea and the scepter was sliding from Iuda now I say was it time that SHILOCH should come according to IACOBS prophecie to whome the people should be gathered Gen. 49. 10. Now was it time that the promised Mâ—…SSIAS should come and sit in the Throne of his father DAVID and of his Kingdome there should be none end And indeed how can the Kingdome of Christ haue an end who acquireth a new title and right of gouernement by death which is the last period of other Kings gouernements and in death they leaue a vacant roome to a successour but Christ Iesus by dying and rising againe hath a right to rule both ouer deade and quicke Rom 14. 9. Yea in verie death it selfe he was practising his kingly office in most effectuall maner and tramping Satan vnder feete and vndoing the power of death Hos. 13. 14. In AVGVSTVS time also IOSEPH was admonished in a dreame to take the babe and his mother and to flee into Egypt Mat. 2. 13. SOZOMEN not content with the certaintie of Scripture addeth a particular nomination of the towne Hermopolis in Thebaida whereinto Christ sojourned vntil the death of HEROD the great This he had by the vncertaintie of tradition The miracle of the hudge and high tree Prestis that bowed the top lowlie to the ground and worshipped her maker Christ and afterward had a medicinable vertue in fruit leafe and barke to cure diseases rather derogateth credit to that Egyptian tradition then assureth vs of the veritie of that report Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 21. HEROD before his departure from this life had put to death three of his sonnes ARISTOBVLVS ALEXANDER and ANTIPATER and by testamentall legacie had diuided his dominions amongst his remanent sonnes ARCHELAVS HEROD ANTIPAS and PHILIP which testament being ratified by AVGVSTVS Iudea Samaria and Idumea were alloted to ARCHELAVS the Tetrarchie of Galile to ANTIPAS and Iturea and Trachonitis to PHILIP Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 13. IOSEPH being returned from Egypt when he heard that ARCHELAVS did reigne in Judea in stead of his father HEROD feared to dwell in Iudea but beeing warned of God in a dreame went to the partes of Galile and dwelt in a citie called Nazaret Mat. 2. ver 22 23. All this was done in the dayes of AVGVSTVS After he had reigned 56. yeeres or as Iosephus writeth 57. yeeres viz. with ANTONIVS 14. yeeres and after he ouercame ANTONIVS and CLEOPATRA Queene of Egypt in sea-warfare ouer against Epirus he had the imperiall soveranitie himselfe alone all his dayes and died in the 77. yeere of his age Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. Tiberius AFter AVGVSTVS reigned TIBERIVS NERO 22. yeres 7 moneths 7. dayes Bucolc Index The Romane Deputies that were sent to Iudea in the time of his reigne were VALERIVS GRATVS PONTIVS PILAT and VITELLIVS VALERIVS GRATVS for loue of gaine remooued the Priests of the Iewes from their offices at his owne pleasure ANANVS ISMAEL ELEAZARVS SIMON the sonne of CAMITHVS all these were denuded of their priestly dignitie when as two of them viz. ELEAZARVS and SIMON had continued scarse one yeere in office In end IOSEPHVS CAIAPHAS is aduanced to the priesthood This is the cause wherefore the Euangelist Iohn calleth CAIAPHAS the high Priest of that same yeere Iohn 18. ver 13. Matters of religion were now come to an horrible abuse and were not ordered according to Gods holy ordinance but according to the appetite of the Romaine Deputies Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 3. After GRATVS PONTIVS PILAT was sent to be Deputie in Iudea a man vigilant and actiue in all civile adoes as the blood of the Galileans mixed with their sacrifices clearely prooueth Luc. 13. 1. but in the cause of Christ remisse negligent and slacke After the issue of ten yeeres VITELLIVS is appointed Deputie in Iudea and PONTIVS PILAT addresseth toward Rome By gratifying of the Iewes in a matter of small importance he conquessed great fauour The priestly garments were wont to be kept in the Castle called Antonia but VITELLIVS gaue commandement to the Captaine of the Castle to let the high Priest haue the vse of them when he pleased and to choose what place he liked best for the custody of the priestly garments He disauthorized CAIAPHAS following as appeareth the example of VALERIVS GRATVS and gaue his office to IONATHAN the sonne of ANANVS sometime high Priest Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap 6. In the 15. yeere of the reigne of TIBERIVS Christ our Lord and Sauiour was baptized by IOHN in Iordan was led to the wildernesse fasted fourtie dayes was tempted of the deuil and began to preach Euseb. hist. eccl lib. 1. cap. 10. Mat. 3. and 4. In the eighteenth yeere of TIBERIVS the Lord Iesus was crucified and offered a sacrifice for our sinnes which hath a perpetuall vertue to saue such as beleeue Heb. 7. He arose againe the thirde day from death The high Priestes and rulers of the people gaue money to the souldiers to obscure the glory of his resurrection yet it was sufficiently knowne not onely to Christes disciples by his frequent apparitions to them but also to PONTIVS PILAT the Romaine Deputie himselfe who had giuen out a sentence of death against Christ. PILAT by letters signified to TIBERIVS the miracles of Christ his resurrection and that he was supponed of many to bee God but the Senat of Rome refused to acknowledge the divinitie of Christ because hee was worshipped as God before
his Godheade was approoued by the Senate of Rome Euseb. eccles hist lib 2. cap. 2. The words of the Apostle PAVL had performance in the Romaine Senat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse when they professed themselues to bee wise they became fooles Rom. 1. ver 21. 22. The verie smoke that riseth from the fornace seemeth to be somewhat at the first but when it mounteth vp into the aire the hier it ascendeth the more it scattereth the sudden disparition of it declareth it is but a vaine thing Such was the wisedome of the Romaine Senate when they mounted vp so hie as to judge of diuine things far surpassing the reach of the naturall vnderstanding of man they proued starke fooles and people destitut of true vnderstanding and PILAT himselfe ouerladen with many heauie calamities in the dayes of CAIVS put handes into himselfe and so ended his wretched life Euseb. lib 2. cap. 7. Caius Caligula CAIVS CALIGVLA successour to TIBERIVS reigned three yeeres and nine months Euseb. lib 2. cap. 8. He was a proud tyrant enemie to all righteousnesse the verie childe of the deuill I insist only vpon Church matters Hee was an hatefull enemie to the Iewes dwelling at Ierusalem and at Alexandria For one and the selfe-same cause were they both despised and hated of CAIVS because they would not giue vnto him diuine honours by building Temples and altars and offering sacrifice to new IVPITER CAIVS and swearing by his name First concerning Ierusalem he had sent PETRONIVS to be Deputie in Judea with commandement to dedicat the Temple of Jerusalem to IVPITER CAIVS and to set vp his image in the Temple Euseb eccles hist. lib. 2. cap. 6. Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 11. The Iewes were more willing to die then to see the Temple of their God polluted PETRONIVS aduertised the Emperour of the grevance of the Iewes but before his letters came into the hands of CAIVS somewhat interueened that both disappointed the purpose of CAIVS and also incensed his heart with furie and rage against his Deputie PETRONIVS At that time HEROD AGRIPPA was at Rome whome afterward the Angell of God smote at Casarea so that he was consumed with wormes Acts 12. he was exceedingly beloued of CAIVS because in the daies of TIBERIVS he had bene cast in prison and bound with bands for the loue he caried to CAIVS in so farre that CAIVS inuited AGRIPPA vpon a certaine time to a banquet and bade him aske what he pleased and it should be granted AGRIPPAES petition was this that CAIVS would suffer the nation of the Iewes to liue according to their own law CAIVS was moued somewhat with this vnexspected petition yet partly for his excessiue loue toward AGRIPPA also lest he should seeme to them which sate at table to be a promise-breaker the petition is granted But the venome of his indignation against the Iewes he poured out against PETRONIVS because that by lingring in executing his commandement occasion was offered to AGRIPPA to present this foresaide petition The letter of CAIVS sent to his Deputie was cruel and bloodie the like whereof was seldome heard because hee fulfilled not the Emperours desire hee is commaunded to giue out a sentence of death against his owne life and to be both judge burrio to himselfe Ioseph antiq lib. 18 cap. 11 Such mercie was in this new IVPITER CAIVS Before I writ anything of his crueltie against the Iewes that dwelt in Alexandria it is a meete place to admonish the reader of the hypocrisie counterfaitholines of HEROD AGRIPPA who seemed both in the dayes of CAIVS and also in the dayes of the Emperour CLAVDIVS to be a paterne of godlinesse preferring at the banquet of CAIVS the libertie of the people of God the inviolable obseruation of the law of God to all the riches that the liberalitie of an affectioned Emperour could be able to afford In CLAVDIVS dayes he sailed from Italie to Judea he acknowledged God to be the author of his deliuerance from prison bands offered a chaine of gold to be hung vp in the Tēple of Ierusalē in testimonie that he receiued that benefit with a thankfull minde out of Lords hands Ioseph antiq lib 19. cap. 5. In outward things he was a builder of the wals of Ierusalem vntill the emulous enuy of MARSVS or enuyous emulation the hinderer of all good workes compelled him to desist to leaue the worke imperfited Ioseph antiq lib. 19. cap 7. For all this outward shew of holines the lessons of CAIVS whom he loued beyond all things neuer left him till his last breath CAIVS desired to be counted a god so did AGRIPPA in Caesarea delite when his oration was called the voyce of God not of man Acts 12. CAIVS persecuted the Iewes without a cause so did HEROD AGRIPPA the Christians Acts 12. CAIVS the higher hee aduanced himselfe the greater was his fall the like also happened to AGRIPPA So pernicious a thing is vngodly companie burning their associats with their fire or els blecking them with their smoke and hurtfull euery maner of way In the towne of Alexandria the Grecians contended against the Iewes both parties sent ambassadours to Rome the Grecians sent APPION the Iewes sent PHILO a very prudent and learned man APPiON with flattering words insinuated himselfe in the fauour of the Emperour CAIVS and accused the Iewes that they neither builded temples nor offered sacrifices to the honour of CAIVS as the Grecians did PHILO was readie to answere but CAIVS ruled with affection rather then with reason caused PHILO to be thrust out of his palace and would not hearken vnto him Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 10. Euseb. lib. 2. ecles hist. cap 5. In these two mirrours we may see the cruell disposition of this Emperour whose dependers were persecuters of Christians like as hee himselfe was a persecuter of the Iewes If any good turne fell into his hand it was rather by accident then of purpose to glorifie God or to punish sinne hee banished HEROD ANTIPAS who beheaded IOHN the Baptist and his wife HERODIAS that incestuous harlot who ended their lifes in penuritie and miserie in Lyons of France Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 2. cap 4. But all this was done for fauour of AGRIPPA Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap 9. but not for detestation of murther and incest In ende CAIVS was slaine by his owne seruants CHEREAS and LVPVS whom the Emperour CLAVDIVS afterward punished vnto the death Ioseph antiq lib. 19 cap. 3. This new IVPITER I count him to haue bene in worse case then old IVPITER the sonne of SATVRN albeit both of them died yet the one after his death was counted a god but the other after his death was counted a deuill Claudius CLAVDIVS reigned thirteene yeeres eight months Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 19. Hee ratified the gift of the kingdome
historie of the Romaine Emperours and I haste to that which is the principall purpose of this compend howe wicked NERO kindled the first great Fornace of horrible persecution against the Christians It cannot be denyed but in the dayes of TIBERIVS our Lord Christ Iesus was crucified in the dayes of CALIGVLA and CLAVDIVS the hands of that cruell persecuter HEROD was mightily strengthened by the fauour countenance and bountifulnesse of both these Emperours so that hee layed handes vpon the pillars of the house of God and so I deny not but the Church of God before the dayes of NERO was in the fornace of trouble but nowe come the dayes whereinto the Romain Emperours like vnto NEBVCHADNEZAR werefull of rage and the forme of their visage was changed against the Christians and they commanded that the fornace should be hoate seuen times more then it was wont to be hoate Daniel chap. 3. ver 19. This historie hencefoorth conteineth on the one parte the great wrestling of persecuting Emperours against God not like to the wrestling of IACOB with God Genes 32. The place of IACOBS wrestling was Peniel where he sawe God the forme of wrestling was with many teares and strong supplications Hos. 12. the ende was that the Angel should not hastely depart from him leauing him comfortlesse the successe was the obtaining of a blessing which was the armour of God to saue him against the hatefull malice of ESAV but by the contrare NERO DOMITIAN TIAIAN ANTONIVS and the rest set their faces against the heauen commanded the holy One of Israel to departe out of the worlde endeuoured to quench the sauing light of his Gospell and by so doing brought downe vpon themselues in stead of a blessing that wrath that is reueiled from heauen vpon all them who detaine the trueth of God into vnrighteousnes Rom. 1. ver 18. On the other part is set downe the constant faith and patient suffering of the Saintes who hated not the burning bush because it was set on fire but they loued it because in it they were refreshed with the comfortable presence of the great Angell of God Exod. 3. who would not for gaining of their life 's once fashion themselues according to the similitude of Idolaters in outward and externall things TERTVLLIAN in his booke de corona militis declareth that true Christian souldiers abhorred from setting a garland of flowres vpon their heades when they receiued wages for their painfull seruice in warfare because it was the habite of Idolaters who sacrificed to IVPITER O happie men of God whose vertues the dead coloures of Painters cannot represent and the feastered maners of this corrupt age cannot imitat Oh when shall our shadowes departe when shall the fresh oyle of the grace of God bee powred into our lampes that the light of our faith patience and constant perseuerance may shine clearely to the world as theirs did The occasion of this first great persecution of NERO was his owne barbarous and cruell fact he caused the towne of Rome to bee set on fire which wasted the buildings of the towne for the space of sixe daies Bucol Index chron Funct chron Chytr chron to eschew the vile infamy of this barbarous fact he layde the blame vpon the Christians gaue foorth edicts and commandements to persecute them to the death NERO was so hatefull an aduersarie to all righteousnes that EVSEBIVS following the example and words of TERTVLLIAN affirmeth that if the Gospel had not bene an excellent good thing it had not beene condemned by NERO Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 2. cap. 25. It is supponed that PETER was crucified and PAVL was beheaded at Rome in time of this persecution And EVSEBIVS is in that opinion lib. 2. cap. 25 If this betrue the very deade bones of PETER PAVL are witnesses against the Romaine Church if they continue not in that same faith that PETER PAVL sealed vp with their blood The estate of the Iewes vnder NERO was very hard in respect of the oft change of the Romaine Deputies For in NEROES time continued FELIX for a space whome the Emperour CLAVDIVS had sent to Iudea after him FESTVS ALBINVS and FLORVS This last Deputie was fashioned according to the similitude of the maners of NERO his master the Prouerb holdeth true in NERO FLORVS Such man such master In the time that FELIX was Deputie a certaine Egyptian man pretending to bee a Prophet promising great things perswaded foure thousand of the Iewes to follow after him Acts 25. but FELIX sent foorth companies of horsemen and footmen who slew foure hundreth of the people that followed the Egyptian and tooke two hundreth of them aliue the rest were scattered but the seducing Prophet escaped and could not bee found Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 6. When FESTVS was Deputie King AGRIPPA hearde the Apologie of PAVL and said that in a part PAVL perswaded him to be a Christian Acts 25. This AGRIPPA I say the sonne of HEROD whome the Angell of God slewe Acts 12. was aduanced to great honoures by the Emperour CLAVDIVS as his father had beene before him by the fauour of CAIVS and he possessed not only his fathers dominions but also the Tetrarchie of Iturea and Trachonitis sometime belonging to PHILIP the sonne of HEROD the great His might and riches procured trouble to the nation of the Iewes Hee had a palace situat vpon the West-side of the Temple of Ierusalem in regard it was builded vpon a mountaine he had a delectable profpect of the towne of Jerusalem yet not content with this he mounted vp the walles of the Palace by a new building so high that they who were in the palace might haue seene the altar and sacrifices of the Iewes offered in the inner court which at that time was called Atrium Iudeorum This doing grieued the harts of the Iewes They on the other part to cut off the sight of those who dwelt in the palace from beholding their sacrifices raysed vp the wall of the inner court on the West-side to such eminencie that no man could behold the sacrifices of the Iewes from the palace King AGRIPPA and FESTVS with authoritie cōmanded the Iewes to demolish their new builded wall In end this matter was referred to the Emperour NERO who being solisted by his wife POPPEA gratified the Iewes in this point compelled them not to cast downe their wall Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 7. FESTVS died in Iudea and ALBINVS was sent to bee Deputie in Iudea ANANVS was the high Priest of the Iewes in these dayes and finding opportunitie of time to practise the malice of his heart against IAMES the sonne of ALPHEVS surnamed IVSTVS an holy Apostle kinseman of our Lord Iesus When ALBINVS was vpon his journey had not as yet arriued neither to the coastes of Egypt nor of Iudea this ANANVS I say caused IAMES surnamed IVSTVS the brother of our Lord to be stoned
lifted vp against him for the litle stone hewed out of the rocke without hands it dashed in pieces and bruised into powder the golde siluer brasse and Iron of the hudge and terrible image set against it Daniel 2. euen so the veritie wherof Christ is the author is like vnto himselfe in outward appearance weake but in operation strong and mightie defacing and abolishing all the apparent pompe glory and power of the lie To this well agreeth the ruine and ignominious fall of DAGON to the very breaking of his necke and palmes of his hands 1. Sam 5. In the third roome consider what reuerence loue and honour we ought to carie to this ancient veritie after it be manifested vnto vs. Bee not like the babes of Alexandria in the dayes of PTOLEMEVS PHILOPATER when the maine huge and great ancre of the ship Thalmegos was laide out vpon the shore the children did ride on the stalke and crept through the ring of the ancre as it had beene made for the pastime of children but wise ship-men knewe it was appointed for a better vse namely to stable and make sure that great vessel in time of great and tempestuous stormes euen so when wee haue found the ancient veritic of God let vs carie a great reuerence to it as vnto the holy and sacred ancre fashioned by God to stablish our soules that no tempest of false doctrine or cruell perfecution make vs to shrinke from that ancient veritie of the Almightie Moreouer consider what commandement is giuen from God euen concerning hoare headed men Leuit. 19. ver 32. to whome we are commanded to rise and to honour their countenance but greater reuerence is to be caried toward the hoare-headed veritie for the commandement giuen concerning ancient men sustaineth some exceptions The soueraigne King of a nation and his honourable counsellers for the eminencie of their places will not arise to honour ancient men but ancient men rather arise to honour them as IACOB arose sat in the bed because his infirmitie could not permit him to rise and stand on his feete to doe honour vnto IOSEPH Gen. 48. ver 2 But as concerning the ancient veritie of God it should be honoured of al men without exception EGLON King of Moab arose out of his chaire when EHVD said vnto him that he had a message vnto him from God Iudg. 3. ver 20. and BALAAM vttering his propheticall reuelation saith Rise Balak and heare and take heede vnto me thou sonne of Zippor Numb 23. ver 22. With reuerence should be joyned an ardent loue and constant following of the ancient trueth vnto the end following the worthy example of godly IOSIAS who despised not the holy booke of the Couenant of God because it had beene long misregarded despised vnreade and far lesse expounded vnto the people in the dayes of his father AMON and of his goodsire MANASSE for the booke of the Lordes Couenant all this while lay in an obscure corner of the Temple neglected and couered with dust yet when it was drawen out of the dust and presented vnto the King hee receiued it reuerently hee loued it ardently and followed this holy Couenant euen vnto the daye of his death so ought wee to loue the ancient veritie of God at all times but specially when it is despised and misregarded by men as IOSIAS did 2. King 22. The loue of the natural mother when she pleaded before SALOMON for the liuing child was not abated but rather inflammed increased by the apparent danger of her child 1. King 22. And that which is more admirable the loue that IEZABEL caried toward the idolatrous seruice of BAAL was not quenched by all these dashes that BAALS seruice got from heauen aboue and in the earth beneath The fire that came miraculously from heauen witnessed the falsh oode of the worship of BAAL and the couenant made betweene HELIAS and the priestes of BAAL with aduise of the King and whole body of the people whereinto the priestes of BAAL with shame skaith and vnspeakable disgrace succumbed 1. King 18. Yet all this I say quenched not the fond loue that IEZABEL caried to that idolatrous worship as appeareth 1. King 19. where shee bindeth her selfe with an oath to pursue HELIAS to the death Should we not then be ashamed to carie lesse loue to the veritie of God which bringeth rest vnto our soules then this woman did to a false worship which led her soule headlong to perdition As touching Antiquitie of errour it is to be marked that whatsoeuer honour antiquitie addeth vnto the veritie the like dishonour rebuke and shame it heapeth vpon the errour For Satan himselfe who is the author of all errours when he is called metaphorically a serpent hee is thereby rebuked but when hee is called an olde serpent Apocal. 12. ver 9 hee is more mightily rebuked euen so when antiquitie is joyned with errour then errour is not graced but utterly disgraced as who would say this woman is an olde harlot or this man is an olde foole or this canker or rottennesse in the flesh is an old feaster all these are reprochful speeches pointing out the maladie of an vnsupportable euil So the paines that are taken in our daies to proue error to be an old thing is al takeÌ„ in vaine for by so doing they only discouer the turpitude shame of the error The Grecians bragged much of antiquity so do the Papists But the Chaldeans Egyptians Phenicians to whoÌ„ antiquitie was better known said no lesse confidently then truely of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat in Timeo Theodo serns 1. de fide The like I say of the Papists who brag of antiquitie more then of any other thing that in such heads of doctrin wherin they differ from vs they are not so much as countenanced by antiquitie As touching their foolish questions demanding of vs where was our Church 600 yeeres before our time I answere by two other questions First Where was their church 1600 yeres ago that is WheÌ„ the Apostles called by Christ immediatly were dispensators of the Gospell to the world where was there a Church saying Masses worshipping images beleeuing Purgatorie They will answere that the Apostle PAVL himselfe said Masse at Rome In testimonie whereof they keepe vntil this day amongst their reliques that table or altar whereupon the Apostle PAVL said Masse at Rome But I will replye that Poperie is a kingdome of lies For the Apostle in his epistle to the Hebâ—…wes setteth down these two things as flat opposit the one to the other a sacrifice propitiatorie and vnbloodie saying Without shedding of blood there is noremission Heb. 9. ver 22. But the Papists will confidently affirme that the Masse that PAVL said at Rome was propitiatorium sacrificium and incruenta hostia that is to say a propitiatorie vnbloodie sacrifice which is vnpossible and repugnant vnto his owne doctrine Secondly I demand of them another question anent
pen of Prophets in writing may guide also our hearts in reading With this ignorance of the meaning and true sense of holy Scripture is joyned an vnspeakable and deuilish pride for they make no account of any body vnder heauen but of themselues alanerly and hypocrites haue their owne opinions in so wonderfull admiration that they stop their eares from hearing all wholesome admonition which pertinacie and pride is the cause wherefore the Apostle PAVL calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is condemned of themselues Titus 3. For like as there are some persons so bent to destroy their owne bodies that it is not possible to the vigilant attendance of friendes to keepe them from mischiefe and harme the experience whereof kythed in PORCIA the daughter of CATO and wife of BRVTVS euen so there are a number of men caried so headlong to hell that no wholesome doctrine or admonition can be heard because like to the Gadarenes swine the swift pace of their race cannot be stayed vntill they be drowned in the lake Of this cause of heresie NAZIANZEN writeth ad Cledonium that the heretique APOLLINARIS counted of his owne songs as we count of the olde and newe Testament euen so his associates counted his songs and rhymes to be the third testament In like maner the heretique MARCION was a patterne of incorrigible pride who came to Rome after the death of HYGINVS and when he heard that he was not admitted to an ecclesiasticall office hee demanded of the preaching Elders there what was the meaning of Christes words when hee saide That no man pieceth an olde garment with a piece of new clothe for that that should fill it vp taketh away from the garment and the breach is worse Mat. cap. 9. ver 16. 17. In their answere they declared the true meaning of Christes words But the proud stomacke of an head-strong Heretique applyed the parable to himselfe and auouched that he should make a remedilesse breach among them because they had refused to receiue him into their fellowship Epiphan contra hareses which thing he endeuoured to performe vntill his last breath Heresie was propagated and increased rather in the Halcyon dayes of CONSTANTINE VALENTINIAN THEODOSTVS and MARTIANVS then in the wofull dayes of NERO DOMITIAN TRAIAN ANTONINVS SEVERVS MAXIMINVS DECIVS VALERIAN AVRELIAN DIOCLETIAN through the wise prouidence and wisdome of God who would not at one time ouercharge his Church with vnsupportable burthens neither would he suffer his Saints to be tempted aboue their strength For if heresies had bene in number as many and in power as strong before the daies of CONSTANTINE as they wer after his dayes it had bene hard till haue borne foorth so many mightie assaultes but our mercifull Lord would haue the faith and patience of his Saints to be tried by persecuting tyrants in some ages and againe the knowledge of the Church to be tried mightily by Heretiques in other ages So that wee shall finde moe heresies springing vp in the 4. Centurie then in all the preceeding 3. Centuries yea if it had pleased that godly father AVGVSTINE to haue abridged his abridgement of heresies written ad Quod vultdeum the number of heresies in the first 300. yeeres should not be found great But AVGVSTINE diuiding these Heretiques who were called Gnostici in three bandes to wit in Saturniniani Carpocratiani and Basilidiani who all were but one rancke of Herctiques he maketh the number to seeme greater then it was And in like maner dâ—…iding the Moâ—…tanists in Pepuziani Cataphâ—…yges Prisâ—…lliani and Montanistae maketh also the number to seeme great how beit all these foure are but one heresie receiuing sometimes a name from the author MONTANVS sometime froÌ„ the countrie of Phrygia whereinto this heresie was bred soâ—…time froÌ„ the town of Phrygia called Pepuzum where they dwelt sometimes from the false prophetesse PRISCILLA who propagated the error of MONTANVS In like manerthere were many obscure heresies who could finde few or no followers because it seemeth that the heresie died as soone as the Heretique such as Helcâ—…saitae Caiani Scâ—…hiani And there is no great necessitie to discourse of such abortiue birthes as incontinent died before they came to any kinde of ripenesse EVSEBIVS saith haeresis helce saitarum simul etiam at que coepit extincta est That is the heresie of Helcesaitae mmediatly after it was begun it was quenched Euseb lib. 6. cap. 38. And finaily AVGSTINE reckoneth among Heretiques of the first 300 yeeres Tessaresâ—…aidecataitae in the Latin Quaterdecimani who maintained no opinion repugnant to the grounds of faith but onely kept Easter vpon another day then the Romaine Church did obserue it But albeit heresies sprang vp in the dayes of good Emperours yet were they not fostered and nourished by them but by all possible meanes were abandoned but God punishing the contempt of the truth and the loue of false and lying doctrine suffered an euill Emperour to rise after a good such as CONSTANTIVS after CONSTANTINE and ANASTASIVS after MARTIANVS and these euill Emperours by their own profession countenance authoritie strengthened the heresies of ARRIVS and EVTYCHES which were bred in the dayes of the good Emperours forenamed so that the strength of an heresie was borne out by the arme of man allanerly and it was not a plantation that our heauenly father had planted and therefore in end behooued to be rooted out Then marke the power of the wrath of God against Heretiques heresies and sometimes against the very places of their meetings It is knowne that ARRIVS brast asunder as IVDAS did and that his bowels gushed out a just recompense of his troubling of the intestine peace and bowels of the Church of God MONTANVS and his two mad prophetesses PRISCILLA and MAXIMILLA hanged themselues as IEROM doth write citing APOLLONIVS for his authour Ierom. catal script PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS a man leper both in soule and body was excommunicat in all Churches professing Christ in the whole world and by the authoritie of the Emperour as shall be declared Godwilling with shame and ignominie was driuen from his vsurped chaire in Antiochia MANES was excoriat by the king of Persia. The bad fortune of the priests of BAAL contending against HELIAS and slaine at the brooke Kâ—…shon 1. Reg. 18. ver 40. The most infortunate condition of AMAZIA the priest of Bethel whose wife became an harlot in the citie and his sonnes and daughters fell by the sword and his lande was diuided by line and himselfe died in a polluted land Amos 7. ver 17 All these examples I say declare that terrible is the wrath that the Lorde will powre out against false prophets and false teachers In like manet the heresie of ARRIVS when it was at the very height beganne to shed it selfe into three contrarie opinions as a kingdome diuided in it selfe and could no longer stand some were still called Arrianes and vtterly denied that the Sonne of God was 〈◊〉
25. Therfore on this sure rocke and holy mountaine let vs repose with assured confidence of faith Now I come to the wordes of the Apostle PETER a faithfull interpreter of the words of the Prophet ISAIAH Hâ—…e calleth Christ A liuing stone refused of men but chosen of God and precious 1. Pet. 2. ver 4. Hee is a liuing foundation not so much in respect of our naturall life where of also he is the author For in him We liue we mooue and we haue our beeing Acts 17. ver 28 as in respect of our spirituall life where of also he is the author and where of the Euangelist IOHN speaketh In him was life and the life was the light of the world Ioh. 1 ver 4 Christ is the authour of that life that consisteth in the true knowledge of God And this is life euerlasting that they know thee and whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ Ioh. 17. ver 3. What is the life of a man without the true knowledge of God reconciled to him in Christ but spirituall deadnes yea deadnesse more miserable then the deadnesse of dogges killed in their mothers belly miserable for this that they neuer sawe the light and more miserable because the light neuer saw them And these who haue not seene by the eyes of faith God reconciled to them in Christ they are double miserable neither haue they seene the true light neither hath the true light euer looked vpon them but in anger and wrath This liuing foundation saith the Apostle was disallowed of men but chosen of God and precious But I pray you wherefore did men disallow him Because hee appeared in the similitude of a servant because he was like vnto a root in a dry ground because he was a man ful of sorowes had experience of infirmities because hee was wounded for our transgressions broken for our iniquities and because of his chastisments and his stripes Ifa 53. So miserably is our corrupt nature disposed that not onely we erre anent persons despising them whome we ought to reuerence but in despising them for the selfe-same cause for the which they should most reuerently be regarded Christ is to be regarded of vs for many causes chiefly for this that hee humbled himselfe to the end he might exalt vs and hee was content to be wounded to the end we might be cured by his stripes Ifa 53. In the next wordes the A postle admonisheth vs that all the attempts of men against the souerainitie of Christ are foolish and vaine because he euer is and shall be the very elect and precious stone whereupon the house of God is builded The gainsayings of men against Christ are liâ—…e vnto the tempests of winde that are mooued in the aire whereby men and beastes and trees and ships are mightily troubled and shaken but the sunne moone and stars are so highly eleuate aboue the aire and the region of the winds that they cannot perturbe nor trouble those câ—…stiall creatures Euen so the contempt of men done against Christe cannot impaire one jote of his most excellent honour He is chosen of God and a precious and a worthie foundation albeit all the whole world should grind their teeth and speake in the contrarie To this foundation so viuely described both by the Prophet Isa. 28. and by the Apostle PETER 1. Pet. 2. wee are exhorted to draw neere to wit by faith For like as infidelitie separateth the heart from Christ euen so faith coupleth the heart to Christ. The Apostle saith Take heede lest at any time there bee in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe that departetâ—… from the liuing God Heb. 3. ver 12. An vnbeleeuing heart departeth further from the Lord then the East is distant from the West For the vnbeleeuing heart in doubting of the veritie of the promises of Christ would make Christ no Christ. If he who promiseth to saue vs do not saue vs then is hee no Sauiour indeede but in worde onely But the faithfull and beleeuing heart draweth neere to Christ toucheth the hemme of his garment draweth vertue out of him yea Hee that 〈◊〉 hath receiued the testimonie of God and sealed up that God is true Ioh. 3. ver 33. Of all hand-writes the hand write of the heart is the principall God deliteth to Write his couenant in our hearts Ier. 31 ver 33. Euen so in like maner God deliteth to haue his Couenant sealed and subscribed with our heart blood which no man can do but he that beleeueth in Christ. To conclude this shorte treatise after that the ground of the house of God is so clearely knowne by the very demonstration of the finger of God to them who will not beleeue that may justly be said which Christ spak to the vnbeleuing Iewes Doe not thinke that I will accuse you to my Father there is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome yee trust For had yee belecued Moses yee would haue beleeued meeâ—… for he Wrote of me Iohn 5. ver 45. 46. The like I say to the Papistes in our dayes they shall not want an accuser for the Apostle PETER shall be their accuser who sending vs from himselfe to Christ the elect and precious sure foundation of the Church conuicteth all those who adhering to the person of the seruant misregardeth the honor due to the Soueraigne Lord Master The Lord worke true faith in vs that we cleauing fast to Christ haue neuer need to be ashamed Amen CENTVRIE II Chap. 1. Traianus TRAIAN the adoptiue sonne of NERVA was the first stranger who obtained that honour to be king of the Romaines Hee reigned 19. yeeres 6. months Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 3. A man so exceeding wel beloued of the Senat people of Rome that after his dayes whensoeuer a new Emperour was elected they wished vnto him the good successe of AVGVSTVS and the vprightnesse of TRAIANVS Notwithstanding of this he was a cruell persecuter of Christians And this third persecution is justly counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame It was no great dishonour to be hated of NERO and DOMITIAN wicked men and haters of righteousnesse but to bee hated and persecuted by TRAIAN a man counted a patterne of vpright dealing this was a great rebuke Notwithstanding Christians looked to Iesus the Author and finisher of their faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hande of the throne of God Heb. 12. ver 2. Many haue more patiently endured paine in their flesh then shame and contempt in the world but Christs true disciples must resolue to be a gazing stock to al the world to be countedthe off-scourings of the earth as the holy meÌ„ ofGod did in the daies of the Emperour TRAIAN These were citizens of heauen liuing in earthly tabernacles liuing vpoÌ„ the earth but not
fashioned according to the similitude of this world Rom. 12. In doing great things by faith they surpassed mightie Monarches In patient suffering of cuil they ouerwent admired Philosophers In this persecution SIMON the sonne of CLEOPAS an ◅oly A postle suffered martyrdome being now an hundreth and twentie yeeres olde he was first scourged and then crucified but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the Name of Christ Euseb. eccl hist lib. 3. cap. 32 Of IGNATIVS martyrdome wee haue spoken in the first Centurie the time of his suffering was in the time of TRAIANVS Plin. 2. Deputie in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of them to the death In ende he was commoued and troubled in his owne minde considering both the number and patient suffering of Christians that were put to death hee wrote to the Emperour declaring that Christians were men of good conuersation and detested murther adulterie and such other vngodlinesse onely they had conuentions earely in the morning and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ whom they worshipped as God but they would not worship images here make the portrait of the ancient Apostolicke Church what conformitie the Romaine Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth This letter of PLINIVS mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue he no absolute commandement to stay the persecution but only that the judges should not search them out narrowly but if any happened to be presented before them then let them be punished Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 33 What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by TERTVLLIAN the one part of it repugneth to the other In forbidding to search them out narrowly he declareth their innocencie but in commanding to punish them when they were presented hee pronounceth them to be guiltie Tcrtul Apol. This is that Emperour for whose soule GREGORIE the first made supplications to God 400. yeeres after his death and was heard of God as DAMASCEN writeth serm de defunctis This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if hee supponed GREGORIE to be so full of charitie that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours to the ende that they being all deliuered from the condemnation of hel heauen might be counted a mansion both for Christes true disciples and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies Adrianus AFter TRAIAN AELIVS ADRIANVS reigned 21. yeeres Chytr Chron. In his time ARISTIDES and QVADRATVS the one a Bishop the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion and did so mitigate the Emperors mind that in his time no new commandement was set foorth to persecute Christians Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4 cap. 3. Ierom Catal. script eccles BARCOCHEBAS at this time peruerted the nation of the Jewes and called himselfe the promised MESSIAS whome the foolish Iewes followed to their owne ouerthrow and destruction TYNIVS RVFVS Deputie in Iadea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Jerusalem and destroyed him with all his adherents Also the whole nation of the I◅wes was banished from their natiue soyle and the towne of Jerusalem was taken from the Jewes and deliuered to other nations to be inhabitants of it and was called by the Emperours name Aelia Euseb. eccl hist lib. 4. cap 6. Thus we see that the Iewes who would not receiue Christ who came in his fathers name yet they receiued another who came in his owne name and like vnto babes who are easily deceiued with trifles they were bewitched with the splendor of a glorious name for BARCOCHEBAS signifieth the sonne of a starre and he saide to the Iewes that hee was sent as a light from heauen to succour their distressed estate but he might haue beene called more justly BARCHOSBA the sonne of a lie Here I giue warning againe that wee take heede to our selues lest we be circumveened with the deceitful snares of the deuill for it is an easie thing to fall but a difficill thing to rise againe The Christians who liued in the dayes of ADRIAN were glad to be refreshed with the crums of outward comfort which are denied to no accused persō in the whol world viz. that Christians shall not be condemned to death for the importunat clamors and cryes of a raging people accusing them except it be proued that they haue transgressed the Law and haue committed some fact worthie of death Reade the epistle of ADRIAN written to MINVTIVS FVNDANVS Deputie in Asia Euseb eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 9. The good intention of ADRIAN in building a Church for the honour of Christ voide of images because such was the custome of Christians was impeded and hindered by some of his familiar friendes who said that if he so did all men would for sake the temples of the gods of the Gentiles and become Christians Bucolc citing the testimonie of LAMPRIDIVS writing the life of ALEXANDER SEVERVS In this point good reader marke what Church is like vnto the ancient primitiue and Apostolicke Church whether the Church decked with images or the Church voide of images Antoninus Pius TO ADRIAN succeeded ANTONINVS PIVS his adopted sonne reigned 23. yeeres Chytr Chron. Hee was so carefull to preserue the liues of his subjects that he counted it greater honour to saue the life of one subject then to destroy the liues of a thousand enemies Carion lib. 3. Monarch 4. In this Emperours time IVSTINVS MARTYR wrote notable bookes of Apologie for the Christians which were presented and reade in the Senate of Rome and mollified the Emperours minde toward Christians as clearely appeareth by his edicts proclaimed at Ephesus in time of most solemne conuentions of all Asia Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 13 Antoninus Philosophus L. Uerus AFter ANTONINVS PIVS succeeded his sonne in law ANTONINVS Philosophus otherwise called MARCVS AVRELIVS with his brother L. AVRELIVS VERVS This is the first time whereinto the Romaine empire was gouerned by two Augusti Albeit TITVS had associated his brother DOMITIAN to be a fellow labourer with him in the worke of governement yet was not DOMITIAN counted or called AVGVSTVS vntill the death of his brother TITVS But nowe at one and the selfe same time two Emperours doe reigne ANTONINVS Philosophus reigned 19. yeeres LVCIVS VERVS his brother 9. yeeres And so after the death of VERVS the whole gouernement returned to ANTONINVS Philosophus alanerly Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 5. cap. 9. Bucolc He was called a Philosopher not onely in regard of his knowledge but also in respect of the practise of Philosophie Hee was neither greatly puft vp by prosperitie nor greatly casten downe by aduersitie yet he was a cruell persecuter of innocent Christians Now is the fuell added to the fornace the fourth time and the flame is great and the arme of wicked men who hated
life Is there any euill that wee haue done that is not written with a penne of Yron and with the point of a Diamond in the booke of the conscience Ierem. 17. ver I These two bookes are perfite Ho but the thirde booke of the Lawe and written Worde of God is not perfite In the day of the Lordes blessed appearance wee shall finde it perfite containing all that wee should haue either done or beleeued Secondly they say that the Scriptures are difficill to be vnderstand and therefore should not bee reade by common people And indeede the Apostle PETER granteth that some places of the Epistles of PAVL are hard to bee vnderstood 2. Pet. 3. but hee biddeth no man for this abstaine from the reading of PAVLS Epistles To ouercome difficulties there are better remedies The blessed virgine the mother of our Lord when she vnderstood not Christes wordes she kept and pondered them in her heart Luc. 2. IVSTINVS MARTYR was admonished by an ancient and reuerent Christian to joyne prayer with reading that God would please to open the ports of light and vnderstanding that he might conceiue the true sense meaning of that he read Iustin dialog Tryphen CHRYSOSTOM in his preface vpon the Epist. to the Romanes declareth that if a man would acquaint himself familiarly with the scriptur by continuall exercise of reading he should the more easily vnderstand Scripture as he who is familiarly acquainted with his friend wil know by his nod or becken what is his meaning AVGVSTINE likewise saith that as there is difficill places in Scripture to exercise the vnderstanding of the strong so likewise there is plaine and easie passages of Scripture as pleasant medowes whereinto babes may securely walke August Aboue all the rest our master Christ Iesus hath taught vs by his owne example to confer Scripture with Scripture Math. 4. to the end we be not deceiued by Satans false glosses and commentaries vpon Scripture This is better then vpon occasion of difficultie to reject and cast away from vs a thing so necessarie Thirdly they say that the reading of Scriptures is dangerous to simple people because they may easily fall into an errour for fault of vnderstanding the right meaning of that which is reade I might answere compendiously that by this argument no man should reade sacred scripture neither learned nor vnlearned men For many learned men by reading Scripture and not vnderstanding it aright haue beene patrons of heresie such as ARRIVS MACEDONIVS NESTORIVS EVTHICHES and diuers others Also the very Monkes whose solitarie life and continuall exercise in reading and praying might seeme to exeeme them more then others from errour and heresie yet by mistaking the places of Scripture that spake of the eyes the nostrels the face of God the breath of God the arme of God they supponed God to bee fashioned according to the likenesse of a man And so both learned and vnlearned Priestes and people men liuing in townes and lurking in cottages of the wildernes haue erred through misvnderstanding of Scriptures Yet Scriptures must be reade by all true Christians and our meditation night and day must be vpon the Lawe of God Psal. 1. ver 2. Let vs here consider that some things are not necessarie vnto eternall life and when they are abused it is not amisse that they bee remooued and put out of the way such as the brasen serpent which HEZEKIAS brake in pieces and called it Nebustan 2 Reg. cap. 18. ver 4. But other things are so necessarie vnto eternall life that albeit they were a thousand times abused yet they cannot be forsaken such as is that foode that feedeth our soules vnto eternall life Ioh 6. for the which we are commanded continually to labour And like as when many thousands are poysoned in meate or drinke as it fell out in the armie of CONRADVS 3. yet necessitie compelleth men to cate and drinke cuen so we must reade and meditate vpon the written worde albeit infinit numbers of people haue beene miscatied by not taking vp the right sense and meaning of Scripture Now the cause wherefore so many accusations are forged against Scripture is this because it is the powerfull instrument of God whereby teachers of lying doctrine are conuicted and confounded Places of holy Scripture are like vnto the smooth stones that DAVID tooke out of the brooke and fastened one of them into the head of GOLIAH 1 Sam. 17. ver 49. Euen so Heretiques are so confounded by the testimonies of Scripture that aboue all things they hate Scripture This IRENEVS toucheth shortly spealing of Heretiques in these words Cùm ex Scripturis arguuntur in accusationem convertuntur ipsarum Scripturarum lib. 3. cap. 2. that is When they to wit Heretiques are argued by Scriptures they turne themselues to the accusation of Scrip tures Thieues do hate the light and traitours the face of a ludge and Heretiques hate Scripture the very axe that is laid to the root of their tree that it may be hewed down cast into the fire and vtterly abolished Notwithstanding of all these false accusations let vs fast adhere to the written Word The fathers that liued in the time of these ten persecutions counted the volume of holy Scripture so precious a treasure that they could willingly offer their bodies to bee burned with fire for the faith of Christ but they would not giue one page of the holy Scripture to be burned and if any man did it he was called proditor that is a betrayer and was counted a companion to the traitour IVDAS who betrayed his master which custome was the ground of that great and long-lasting controuersie betwene CECILIANVS B. of Carthage the Donatists For the Donatists alledged that he had admitted to an ecclesiasti cke office a man who in time of persecution had bene proditor had deliuered a volume of holy Scripture to be burned If we will not followe the zeale of ancient Christians I will set downe a more familiar example of an ancient and honourable Lady of blessed memorie My eares heard her call the Scripture the charter of our heauenly inheritance because we haue no right to heauen but only by the promises contained in the Scriptures of God No man wil be content to haue their charter rest out of their hande If any difficil question arise by reading of it they will send for a wise Lawier and seeke resolution at him but they will assuredly keepe and reade their owne charter Euen so saith the foresaid nobleLady Gods people should not haue bene debarred from reading the holy Scriptures of God the very true charter of their heauenly inheritance This written word is the shepherds staffe of Christ wherby we are comforted in our life vpholden euen when wee walke through the shadowe of death Psal. 23. ver 4. Which staffe Christe holdeth in his hande not for his owne sake as other shepherdes doe to rest vpon it and to relieue their
God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and tooke wiues vnto themselues whome they liked Gen 6. ver 2. And on the other parte when God will needes reueile his blessed will by the written word then will wee flie to vn writteÌ„ traditions euen to such as be repugnaÌ„t to the writteÌ„ word And so men become like to a shadow wheÌ„ the sun shineth in the East the shadow goeth toward the West when the sunne goeth down in the West the shadow inclineth to the East so do men obstinatly repine against the wil ofGod Beside this wee are to consider what great detriment hath ensued vpon those who leauing the certaintie of the written worde leaned vpon the vncertaintie of Apostolicke traditions Beside PAPIAS B. of Hicrapolis who fell into the errour of the Chiliasts CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS trauailed through many nations but tooke better heed to tradition then to the written word of God whereby it came to passe that he filled his bookes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with most vngodly and foolish opinions as hath bene declared in the historie of his life When we haue said all that we can say that place of the second epistle to the The ssalonians cap. 2. ver 15. ringeth so lowd in their eares that they can heare nothing that soundeth to the contraric wherefore we are to consider the illatiue words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is therefore which coupleth this verse with the preceeding text wherinto the Apostle admonished the Thessalonians of the comming of the Antichrist whose comming is after the working of Satan in all power and signes and lying wonders ver 9. And his comming shall be so strengthened by the hand of the deuil that he cannot be borne downe but by the breath of the mouth of God and brightnesse of his comming Now to the ende that the poore handful of the sheepe of Christ may be saued from the deceite of the Antichrist hee exhorteth them to adhere fast vnto the Apostolicke doctrine which they had receiued both by word and write Scripture is abused when it is wrested to another sense different froÌ„ the meaning of the writer but it is more abused when it is drawen to the cleane contrarie sense This place is set downe to teach vs to beware of the deceit of the Antichrist by fast adhering to the Apostolick doctrine but the Papists abuse it to make vs beleeue that their traditions repugnant to the word of God should haue alike authoritie with the writren word of God which is the ready way to fall into the snare of the Antichrist and not to be fred from his deceits To conclude like as DAVID did great honour to ABISHAI when as in great matters of weight importance hee tooke him to be his follower to viewe the host of SAVL 1. Sam. 26. ver 7. euen so God doth great honour to his holy scriptures when he vseth them as an instrument to doe his great works by them Christ reigneth as a King and he hath made his word to be the scepter of his kingdome Psal. 110. Christ is the shepheard of our soules the word is his shepheards staffe Ps. 23. Christ is the builder of his fathers house the word is the measuring line of the building Christ is our Sauiour and the word of God is the power of God to saluation toeuery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. ver 16. Seeing Christ hath done so great honour to the scriptures what are we that we should regard any thing spoken in the contrary God graunt wee may conforme our selues to the will of Christ Amen Of the doctrine of Deuils THe Heretiques called Gnostici disallowed mariage allowed fornication and the Heretiques called Encratite damned the eating of flesh and drinking of wine as a sinne and abhorred the Epistles of PAVL as hath beene declared in the historie and the Romanists themselues acknowledge that Gnostici and Encratitae were Heretiques and taught a doctrine of deuils as likewise the Manicheis of whome we shall speake in the next Centurie Godwilling but the doctrine of the Romaine church concerning prohibition of mariage and meates is different from the doctrine of Gnostici Encratitae and Manichaei True it is there is some difference concerning persons times some other circumstances For the Heretiques called Gnostici damned mariage in all persons the Romaine church damneth it only in the person of Priests men hauing church orders Likewise Eucratitae damned at all times the eating of flesh drinking of wine but the church of Rime only prohibits the eating of flesh at certaine seasons and vpon certaine dayes such as in Lent and vpon Fryday c and that without prohition of drinking of wine moderatly Thirdly the Manicheis counted the good creatures of God flâ—…sh and wine to be in themselues polluted and vncleane but the Romaine church thinketh not so but for memorie of the Lordes suffering for mortification of the flesh for preparation to receiue the sacraments and for testimonie of obedience to the vicar of Christ successor of PETER it is necessary to abstaine in maner abouewritten This difference is cast in to exeeme the Romaine church from the imputation of the doctrine of deuils yet is not the difference very great for the Romaine church forbiddeth mariage meats to some men at all times and to all men at sometimes but consider againe that differences of magis and minus that is of more and lesse doe declare a communion rather then a contrarietie as IRENEVS speaketh Plu. minus non de his dicitur quae inverse communionem non habent sunt contrariae naturae pugnant aduersus se sed de his quae sunt ejusdem substantiae communicant secum solum autem altitudine magnitudine differunt lib. 4. cap. 22. As a litle water and a litle fire differeth from a great water and a great fire not in substance but in quantitie euen so the Papistes differ from the Manicheis not in substance but in the discrepance of Plus and Minus The wordes of the Apostle are the ground whereupon all this treatise is founded Nowe the Spirite speaketh euidâ—…ntly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing beede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of deuils speaking lies in hypocrisie hauing their conscience seared with an hote yrone forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiuâ—…d with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue and kâ—…ow the trueth for euery creature of God is good and nothing to bee refusâ—…d if it be receiued with thankâ—…sgiuing 1. Tim. 1. 2. 3 4. In these words the Popish church will grant that the Mam. hets and other forenamed Heretiques are damned but they denie that these predictions of the holy Apostle doe damne the doctrine of the Romaine church anent forbidding of mariage to some persons and meates at some times as a doctrine of deuils crying out that it is not to be
conueene for exercise of diuine seruice this fauour I say seemeth to haue proceeded from the coun sell of MAMMEA his Christian mother rather then from the counseli of VLPIANVS that renowmed lawyer an hatefull aduersarie to Christians But MAMMEA his mother hearing the report of the learning of ORIGEN sent for him and by him was instructed in the groundes of Christian faith The learned doctour who wrote the booke of the martyrs very judiciously obserueth the iniquitie of this time whereinto no Christian Churches were erected when as yet notwithstanding of the fauour of the Emperour at some times no publicke house could quietly be obtained for the Christians so that by reason hereof may appeare the decretall epistle of Pope HYGINVS concerning the dedication of Churches is forged fained because the reigne of ALEXANDER is a long time posterior to the dayes of HYGINVS who liued vnder the reigne of ANTONINVS PIVS and in the reigne of ALEXANDER as yet there was great difficultie to obteine a place whereinto Christians might assemble together The just deserued punishment of TVRINVS whome the Emperour caused to bee fastened to a stake in the open market place and there to be killed with smoke the Herald standing by and crying to the people Smoke he sold and with smoke he is punished This punishment I say declareth that this Emperour counted flatterers worthy of great punishment ALEXANDER and his mother MAMMEA were both slaine by his owne souldiers Bucolc Index Chron. Maximinus AFter ALEXANDER SEVERVS MAXIMINVS was Emperour and reigned 3. yeeres Euseb lib 6 cap. 28. A man of base parentage of an huge stature promoted to honours by ALEXANDER who nounished a serpent in his owne bosome as the prouerbe speaketh when he aduanced MAXIMINVS an ingrate foster to great dignities and honours For by his meanes the armie killed ALEXANDER and his mother MAMMEA and saluted him and his sonne Emperours without aduise of the Romaine Senat a man hated of all good men beloued of euill men more grieuous to the citizens of Rome then to their enemies Bucolc Index Chron. who for hatred of the house of ALEXANDER as EVSEBIVS recordeth raised vp the sixt persecution against Christians specially against the teachers and leaders of the Church thinking the sooner to vanquish the rest if the Captaines and guiders of them were made out of the way Euseb. eccl hist. lib 6. cap. 28. ORIGEN at this time wrote a booke de martyrio and dedicated it to AMBROSIVS PROTECTETVS a preaching elder of the Church of Casarea because these two vnder this persecution had susteined great afflictions and constantly perseuered in the true faith Eusebilib 6. cap. 28. No persecution was more violent no persecution endured shorter time In no persecution are the names of suffering martyrs so obscured and couered with silence possibly because the booke of Origen de martyrio through injurie of time is not to be found therefore some learned men do referre the martyrdome of such as wee haue spoken of in the dayes of ALEXANDER to this time or to the persecution of DECIVS I will not dispute of such doubtsome things Three other things that are more necessarie to the edification of the Church I will touch First the malice of the deuill who hateth the welfare of the sheepfolde of Christ and laboureth either to spoyle it of true Pastours or to send in among the poore sheepe hyrelings and men not regarding the well of the flocke but their owne gaine or clse if they haue true pastours to mooue the flocke to be disobedient to faithfull and vigilant Pastors The flocke that can eschew all these three snares of the deuill and all these three wofull calamities so oft seasing vpon the poore sheepesolde they are in good estate Reade CHRYSOSTOME writing vpon the 13. chap Heb. ver 17. Another thing is worthie to be marked that in three great persecutions in the fift sixt and seuenth ORIGEN a man more renowmed in his lifetime then after his death God vouchsafed vpon him two great honours but not the third whereof he was most of all desirous He encouraged his father LEONIDES and his disciples PLVTARCHVS two SERENI HERON HERACLIDES patiently to fuffer martyrdome in the dayes of SEVERVS Next he wrote a booke de martyrio in the daies of MAXIMINVS the sixt persecuter whereby doubtlesse many were incouraged patienly to suffer euill for Christs sake What remaineth now but the third principal honour of martyrdom it selfe whereunto he had a bent desire in the daies of DECIVS the 7 perseter but then he fainted as shall be declared hereafter God-willing When we call to minde this weaknes of ORIGEN let all the cogitations of our heartes stoupe and thinke that wee are not meete for great things but if the Lorde call vs to suffer great things for his Names sake the Lorde perfite his strength in our infirmitie and weakenesse Thirdly let vs marke the great difference that is betweene the volume of the booke of holy canonicke sacred Scripture all other bookes whatsoeuer In Scripture the ouerpassing of maters of great importance and moment is not for ignorance misknowledge or doubting of those things that are ouerslidden but for mysterie and representation of things more necessarie to be knowne as namely when MOSES a most accurat writer of the life death genealogies of holy Patriarches yet hee ouerpasseth the description of the genealogie death beginning of the life MELCHISEDECK this was done of purpose to bring in MELCHISEDECK as a type and figure of the true king of peace Christ Icsus as the Apostle declareth Heb. 7. but among ecclesiasticall writers I finde a preterition of the names of these worthy Pastours who were martyred for the cause of Christ in the sixt persecution and this ouerpassing with silence so weightie a matter is a secret confession of ignorance in this part of the historie together with a doubting whether VRBANVS the first VALERIANVS TIBVRTIVS CECILIA and MARTINA suffered vnder ALEXANDER or vnder MAXIMINVS or vnder DECIVS Yea PLATINA writeth it was the opinion of some men that VRBANVS 1. was martyred in the persecution of DIOCLETIAN I haue insisted at greater length in this purpose to the end that euery man may giue vnto sacred scripture that reuerence that is due vnto it but other writings let vs reade them with judgement for assuredly there is palpable weakenes into them In ende this wicked persecuter MAXIMINVS and his sonne were slaine by his owne souldiers at the siege of Aquileia Func Chron. Gordianus THe tyrannie of MAXIMINVS enforced both the senate of Rome and likewife their oppressed confederates in Afâ—…icke to aduise by what meanes the distressed estate of the Commonwell might be supported And first GORDIANVS a man of noble birth in Rome and at that time PROCONSVL in Africke with his sonne bearing the name of GORDIANVS with his father these two were declared to bee Emperours to resist the tyrannie of
a worthy Presbyter in Casarea whose life and death EVSEBIVS hath described in a seuerall treatise all these I say were crowned with martyrdome Euseb lib. 8. cap. 13. MAXIMIANVS Emperour of the West whose persecution EVSEBIVS describeth not at such length as the persecution of DIOCLETIAN in the East hee was like vnto a wilde Boare trampling vnder his feete the vine-yarde of God Hee slewe MAVRITIVS a noble Captaine with a legion of Christian and Thebane souldiers because they would not consent to offer sacrifice vnto idoles This was done beside the riuer of Rhonne hist. Magd. Cent. 4. The martyres of France Italic and Germanie specially at Colen and Triers where the blood of Christians was shed in such aboundance that it ranne like small brookes and it coloured great and maine riuers the multitude I say of these holy martyres and the diuersitie of tormentes dayly excogitate against them what memorie is able to comprehend or what tongue is able sufficiently to expresse In ende when these two Emperours were drunken with the blood of the Saintes of God and sawe that the numbers of Christians dayly increased they beganne to relent their forie and madnesse a litle beeing at last content that the punishment of Christians should bee the thrusting out of their right eyes and the maiming of their left legges with condemning them to the mines of Mettalles Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 12. The mercies of the wicked are cruell saith SALOMON Prou. 12. ver 10. Before two yeeres were fully compleete after the beginning of this tenth persecution these two furious persecuters for what cause God knoweth gaue ouer their imperiall function and remained not Emperours any more but as priuate persons Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 13 DIOCLETIAN after he had denuded himselfe of the imperiall dignitie liued almost 9. yeeres MAXIMIAN within foure yeeres after was slaine by the commandement of CONSTANTINE Bucolc The imperiall dominion then remained with CONSTANTIVS CHLORVS and GALERIVS MAXIMINVS These two diuided the whole monarchie betweene them CONSTANTIVS contented himselfe with France Spaine and Brittaine GALERIVS MAXIMINVS had the rest CONSTANTIVS tooke CONSTANTINVS his sonne to bee CAESAR vnder him and GALERIVS MAXIMINVS chused his two sonnes MAXIMINVS SEVERVS to be CAESARS vnder him The Romaine souldiers also set vp MAXENTIVS the son of MAXIMIANVS HERCVLEVS to be their Emperour against whom GALERIVS sent his sonne SEVERVS who beeing slaine he chused LICINIVS in his stead Of these fiue who reigned all at one time the like whereof came not to passe at any time before two Emperours and three Caesars three of them viz. GALERIVS and MAXIMINVS his sonne and LICINIVS prosecuted the persecution begun by DIOCLETIAN neere the space of 7. or 8. yeeres which was to the yeere of our Lord 318. The other two CONSTANTIVS and his sonne CONSTANTINE were fauourable to Christians Constantius Galerius Maximinus CONSTANTIVS CHLORVS reigned as Emperour 13. yeeres Others say 16 some say 11 yeeres Hee ended his life in peace at Yorke Hist. Magd. Hee was not onely friendly to Christians but also hee counted them the only faithful subjects to Emperours And such as hee perceiued that for loue of honour gaine or any worldly commoditie would make shipwracke of a good conscience and sacrifice to idoles albeit they had allowance by his owne fained commandement giuen out for exploration of the religion of his Captaines and souldiers rather then seriously and from his heart allowing the worshipping of idoles these I say who made no conscience to worship idoles for conquessing fauour at the Emperours hands he disauthorized them remoued them from offices and counted them men who were false to God and would neuer be true to him Euseb. de vita Constantini lib. 1. MAXIMINVS elder yonger in the East parts of the world were cruell persecuters Because ecclesiastical writers do not clearly distinguish the crueltie of the father from the crueltie of the son I shal comprise al vnder the name of GALERIVS MAXIMINVS the father of the other MAXIMINVS He was not vnlike vnto PHARAO for when the correcting hand of God was vpon him then he relented his furie but when the plague ceased hee returned againe to his wonted malice First God smote him with a wonderfull vncouth disease so that his flesh began to putrifie innumerable multitude of vermine swarmed out of his inward parts then hee commanded that the persecution should cease and that Christians should pray for him he published edicts of peace in their fauours throughout all his dominions But scarce continued he in this good resolution 6. months when as he sent out contrarie edicts and caused them to be engraued in brasse which thing was not done at any time before to be set vp in euery citie Euseb. lib. 9. cap. 7. whereupon ensued grieuous persecution SILVANVS B. of Emisa LVCIANVS B. of Antiuchia who suffered martyrdome at Nicomedia after hee had giuen in his apologie to the Emperour and PETER B. of Alexandria Euseb. lib 9. cap. 6. The martyrdome of king ANTHEAS and 37. thousand moe martyrs with him 1 passe by as a thing vncertaine because EVSEBIVS could not haue ouerpassed with silence such a rare and wonderful crueltie committed in his owne time if it had bene of veritie done as some alledge Other thirtie thousand are said till haue beene martyred in sundrie places and this is very probable because the martyres who suffered in this tenth persecution were innumerable QVIRINVS B. of Scescania a towne of vpper Pannonia was throwne into the flood hauing an hand mill hanged about his necke and so was drowned I leaue a recitall of the names of all the rest of the martyres of whom I reade to haue suffered martyrdom at this time like as I haue done in all the preceeding persecutions Now to speake somewhat of the cruell edict of this Emperour ingraued in brasse and hanged vp in all principall cities specially in Tyrus In it he gloried that peace wealth prosperitie and plentie of all good things were in his time and he attributed the glory of all this aboundance to the deuote worshipping of the heathen gods At this time saith EVSEBIVS was that fulfilled which the Lord Iesus foretold that the tribulation of those dayes should be so great that except those dayes had bene shortened no flesh could haue bene saued but for the Electes sake those dayes should be shortened yea and if it were possible the very Elect should be deceiued Mat. 24. ver 22. ver 24. But the Lord pitying the infirmitie of his Saintes and to stop the blasphemous mouthes of heathen people turned suddenly al their joy into mourning and lamentation with famine pestilence warfare and vncouth diseases whereby the eyes of men and women were blinded the Lord dantoned the insolent pride of this bloodie Tyrant It is to be noted that in time of this publicke calamitie Christians and no others but they onely were found to be fraughted with loue and full of
after many torments was in end laid vpon the altar whereupon they vsed to offer sacrifice to idols while there was yet some streÌ„gth in his hande they put franckincense into his right hande thinking that he would haue scattered the incense vpon the altar and sacrificed but he endured the torment patiently saying the words of the Psalme 145. Blessed be the Lord who teacheth mine hands to fight In end LICINIVS made warre against CONSTANTINE and being diuerse times ouercome both by sea and land he yeelded himselfe at length and was sent to Thessalia to liue a priuate life where he was slaine by the souldiers SO CONSTANTINE obtained the whole empire alone Here ende the ten persecutions CENT III. Cap. 2. TO VICTOR succeeded ZEPHYRINVS the 14. Bishop of Rome who liued in that charge 8. yeres 7. months 10. dayes Platin. EVSEBIVS attributeth vnto him 18. yeeres Euseb. lib 6 cap. 21. so vncertaine is the computation of the yeeres of the gouernement of the Bishops of Rome EVSEBIVS writeth nothing of his decretall epistles and these that are forged by late writers are foolish and ridiculous Consecration of the holy cuppe in a vessel of glasse alanerly A Bishop to bee accused before honest Iudges twelue in number whome the Bishop himselfe shall chuse if neede bee honest and vnspotted witnesses to bee heard in his cause no fewer then 72. conforme and aboue the number of these 70. disciples whome Christ adjoyned as fellow-labourers in preaching with his Apostles And finally that no definitiue sentence should bee pronounced against a Bishop vntill the time his cause were heard of the Patriarch of Rome This is but a mocking of the Church of God to attribut such swelling pride such vnaccustomed formes of judicatorie such defensiue armour fencing and gwarding vnrighteous men against just deserued punishment vnto the simplicitie of an ancient Church humbled vnder the crosse and sighing vnder the yocke of heauie and long-lasting afflictions These false and forged decretall epistles altogether vnknowne to the fathers who liued before the dayes of CONSTANTINE will procure one day a decreete and sentence of wrath against these who haue giuen out new inuented lies vnder the names of ancient and holy fathers The canons of the Apostles albeita booke falsly attributed to the Apostles doe agree better with scripture then the constitution of ZEPHYRINVS For the Scripture saith that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shall bee confirmed Matt. 18 ver 16. The Canons of the Apostles say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let not an Heretique be admitted to beare witnesse against a Bishoppe neither yet one witnesse alanerly albeit hee bee faithfull because that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shall be confirmed Canon Apost cap. 74. The writer of the Canons of the Apostles had some remembrance of the words of Scripture but the forger of the decretall epistles of ZEPHYRINVS is like vnto a ship-man who hath hoised vp his saile and auanced his ship so far into the sea that hee hath tint the sight of lande and townes as the Poet speaketh Provehimur Pelago terraeque vâ—…besque recedunt Surely this lying fellowe who euer hee hath bene that hath written this supposititious decretall epistle of ZEPHYRINVS hee hath hoised vp his saile and is so bent to lie that he hath tint both sight and remembrance of the words of holy scripture CALLISTVS the 15. Bishop of Rome continued in his charge 5. yeeres Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 6. cap. 21. PLATINA saith 6 yeeres 10. months 10. dayes The fable of Pope DAMASVS who affirmeth that CALLISTVS builed a Church to the honour of the virgine MARIE beyond Tyber is rejected by PLATINA himselfe because the historie of the time clearely prooueth that in the daies of SEVERVS and his sonnes the conuentions of the Christians could not haue bene in magnificke temples but rather in obscure chappels or subterraneall places so that the multiplied number of lies written of the Bishops of Rome who liued in this age and the decretall epistles falsly attributed vnto them plainely proue that the garment of antiquitie vnder the lap whereof Papistes would so faine lurke is altogether inlacking to them VRBANVS 1. was the 16. Bishoppe of Rome He continued in his office eight yeeres saith Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 22. PLATINA foure yeeres ten months twelue dayes Of his martyrdome EVS EBIVS maketh no mention Others who record his martyrdome are not certaine in what Emperours dayes hee was martyred Iproceede to his successour PONTIANVS the 17. B. of Rome He continued in his charge 9. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes Platin Euseb. saith 6. yeeres He was banished to the Isle Sardinia where he died Of the two decretall epistles ascribed vnto him the second is generall written to al men who feare and loue God the very first words of it prooue it to be false forged Pontianus sanctae uniuersalis Ecclesiae Episcopus c. that is PONTIANVS Bâ—…shop of the holy vniuersall Church to all them who feare loue God wisheth welfare Tom. 1. Concil Such magnificke stiles as these were not as yet in vse and when they crept in into the Church afterward they were giuen by persons who admired the vertues of some singulare and rare men such as CYPRIAN and ATHANASIVS and EVSEBIVS but no man did vsurpe such proud and arrogant titles of dignitie in his owne writings direct to other Christians and therefore the learned reject this epistle as composed by some late vnlearned and flattering fellowe After PONTIANVS succeeded ANTERVS the 18 B. of Rome to whome EVSEBIVS assigneth but one mouth of continuance in his ministrie lib. 6. cap. 29. DAMASVS assigneth to him 12. yeeres PLATINA 11. yeeres 1 month 12. dayes and this diuersitie of counting cannot be reconciled Next to ANTERVS succeeded FABIANVS the 19. Bishop of Rome vpon whose head a doue lighted when the people were coÌ„sulting anent the election of a Bishop therfore with full consent of the wholeCongregation he was declared to be theirBishop The people at this time were so far from beeing secluded froÌ„ giuing their consent to the electioÌ„ of him who should be ordained their Pastour that the consent of the people had the principall swey in the election of Pastours Func Chron Commentar He suffered martyrdome vnder the reigne of DECIVS the 7 great persecuter after hee had continued in his office 14. yeeres 11. months 11. dayes Platin de vit Many constitutions made by him are cited by GRATIANVS insert Tom 1. Concil One of them I cannot pâ—…sse by We constitute that vpon euery Lordes day the oblation of the altar shall be made by euery man and Woman both of bread and wine to the end that by these oblations they may be deliuerea from the heapes of their sinnes First marke in this constitution that the bread and wine which the people brought with them vpon the Lords day for
this If any thinke I haue done wrong in praying in few words for her who prayed so ofi for me let him not mockeâ—…mee but if he hath great charitie let him weepe for my sins to the common father of â—…l Christs brethren If AVGVSTINE speake so doubtsomely of Purgatorie de civit dei lib. 21. cap. 26. and of prayer for the deade Confess 9 cap. 12. LINDANVS had no great ground to proclaime the triumph of victorie for this alledged sermon of AVGVSTINE The place cited out of CHRYSOSTOME writing vpon the first chapter of the Epistle of PAVL to the Philippians homil 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It was not in vaine that the Apostles constituted this as a law that in the reuerent mysteries a remembrance should be made of those that are departed For answere First I demande of LINDANVS if all these of his religion beleeue this that CHRYSOSTOME speaketh that prayer for the deade in time of celebration of the holy communion is an Apostolick tradition IS GREGORIVS 1. in that opinion who affirmeth that the Apostles in ministring that holy sacrameÌ„t vsed no other prayer but only the Lords prayer Gregor in regist lib. 7. epist. 63 IS PLTAINA in that opinioÌ„ who writing the life of XISTVS 1. saith thus Petrus enimubi consecr auerat oratione Pater noster usus est This being the opinioÌ„ of the most part of the Romaine Church that the Apostles vsed no other prayer but only the Lords praier before the ministration of the holy coÌ„munion howe can they adhere to this place of CHRYSOSTOME who calleth it an Apostolicke institution to make mention of the dead in these prayers Secondly I demande of LINDANVS if the passages in that same homilie be not excused by the figure hyperbole howe doth CHRYSOSTOME agree with himselfe when hee speaketh of them that are departed this life without Baptisme hee saith that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is They are without the palace with them who are appointed for paine and with them who are condemned Which opinion or rather hard and mercilesse sentence he would confirme by testimonie of scripture Except a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. ver 5. and yet a litle after for such hee biddeth distribute almes to the poore and this distribution of almes saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it worketh some refreshment vnto them What is this that CHRYSOSTOM speaketh persons whoÌ„ he calleth condemned perpetually excluded from the kingdome of heauen may haue some refreshment by the almes deedes done by their friends on earth In this CHRYSOSTOME neither agreeth with scripture nor with him selfe hee agâ—…eeth not with scripture because it is plainely saide that not so much as a drop of colde water can be ministred to those that are condemned Luc. 16. He agreeth not with himselfe in one word counting them perpetually excluded from the kingdome of heauen and soone after speaking of some refreshment that they may get by actions done by the liuing Are we more louing kinde and mercifull then ABRAHAM in whome loue and all true vertues are perfited yet he sawe no refreshment to a condemned man Thirdly I demand of LINDANVS and those that bee of his opinion if CHRYSOSTOME was as deepe in the opinion of Purgatorie as in the opinion of prayer for the dead CHRYSOSTOME neuer knew what Popish Purgatorie meaned because in his time men who died in the faith albeit not altogether faultlesse yet they were conueyed to the burial places with torches and hymnes and spirituall songs And wherefore were these funerall rites vsed saith CHRYSOSTOME Do we not conuey them saith he as victorious warriours Do we not praise God because hee hath crowned with glory him who is departed Chrysost. in cap. 2 epist ad Heb. homil 4 The funeral Psalme that was vsually sung was the 116. Psalme the 7. verse whereof is this Returne my soule vnto thy rest for the Lord hath bene beneficiall vnto thee This was not to Purgatorie but to endlesse rest But to speake freely what I thinke of that ancient father CHRYSOSTOME in calling prayer for the dead an Apostolicke tradition I think he hath spoken hyperbolically calling all these opinions Apostolick traditions which were deliuered to him by good men who kept the chiefe heads of Apostolicke faith and this amongst the rest albeit no article of faith yet beeing deliuered to him by Christians more ancient then himselfe he calleth it by a figure an Apostolicke tradition But the conceite of Popish Purgatorie neuer entred into the heartes of NAZIANZENVS BASILIVS ATHANASIVS albeit DAMASCENE falsly alledgeth his testimonie THEODORETVS CHRYSOSTOMVS and the ancient learned fathers of the Greeke Church as clearely appeareth by the first protestation giuen in at the Councill of Florence by the Gâ—…ecians there conueened Ann. 1439. How socuer weake râ—…en for hope of helpe from the West were feeble defenders of the truth yet they clearly knew that the opinioÌ„ of Popish Purgatorywas vnknown to their ancient orthodoxe fathers In end Purgatorie finding no sure allowance in scripture nor yet in the writings of ancient fathers began to creepe vnder the skirts of apparitions of dead men by dreames fables apparitions and foolish inuentions it was so strengthened that the verity of the Gospel was not so much regarded by a foolish bewitched people as the fables confirming Purgatorie It were tedious to rehearse all the fables of DAMASCENE in his sermons de defunctis Yet all are not to be past ouer with silence He saith that THECLA one of the first feminine mattyrs prayed for FALCONILLA after her death and obtained pardon to her albeit shee was an Ethnicke idolattesse and died without the knowledge of Christ. This woman behooued to be deliuered out of hell and not out of Purgatorie But who should lend his eares once to hearken to fables so repugnant to scripture Luc. 16. In like maner he saith that holy MACARIVS prayed night and day for the dead and in end he demanded at the dry pow or head of a deade man if hee felt any comfort by the prayers of the liuing and the dry pow or braine pan answered that they found some litle refreshment Likewise he bringeth in the fable of an ancient teacher whose name he expresseth not because fables delite to haue their head lapped vp in darknesse of shadowes and silence who had a disciple that liued licentiously in excesse and â—…iot all his dayes and so without repentance concluded his life the teacher made prayers night and day for his disciple and in end the Lord opened his eyes to see his disciple burning in flames of fire to the necke after this hee increased the earnestnesse of his prayers afterward he saw his disciple burning in fire vnto the middle part of his body Finally by the feruencie of multiplied prayers he was fully deliuered The fable of GREGORIVS 1. cited also by DAMASCENE goeth beyond
entred into the land of Canaan the Iewes might say that their Church was holier then all the Churches in our daies if holines be esteemed according to the multitude of reliques Let vs now set forward and declare when this corruption of worshipping of reliques crept in into the Church of God In the Apostles dayes no such thing In time of the ten persecutions was burying of Martyrs and celebration of Natalitia Martyrum as hath bene declared From the three hundreth yeere of our Lord till the foure hundreth almost till the fiue hundreth yere there was some transporting of holy mens bones to be buried in a more honorable place as said is but not worshipping There were torches and waxe candles caried to the sepulchres of the martyrs which custome was disallowed by some and excused by others there was also banquetting at the sepulchres of the Martyrs which custome hath not great allowance of AVGVSTINE de moribus ecclesiae catholicae cap. 34. for he thought that some of them who banquetted in such places buried themselues aboue buried men Yet all this time no worshipping of reliques But after the fiue hundreth yeere of our Lord in the daies of ANASTASIVS IVSTINVS the elder IVSTINIAN IVSTINVS the yonger TIBERIVS MAVRITIVS PHOCAS c. superstition began to abound and reliques were worshipped and the very pens of ecclesiasticall writers who wrote the historie of that time such as EVAGRIVS smell of superstition We reade that the crosse of Christ was caried through Apamia worshipped Euag. lib 4. cap. 26. The reliques of S. SEBASTIAN were caried out of Rome to Ticinum laid vpon an altar for staying of the deuouring plague PAVLVS DIACONVS de gestis Longobard lib. 6. cap 2. SERGIOPOLIS is saide to bce preserued from the furie of COSROES king of Persia by the vertue and holinesse of the reliques of the martyre SERGIVS gEuagr lib. 4 cap. 28. Yea the blind guides of this time were not content to fill the world with the reliques of the Saints but also to ground this opinion in the peoples hearts that these reliques ought to be worshipped they found out a thousand lieing miracles so that it was fulfilled that was spoken by the Apostle PAVL that the comming of the Antichrist should be by the operation of Satan in all power and sigâ—…es and Wonders of lying 2 Thess. 2. ver 9 Surely at this time the fore-runners of the Antichrist were ryding poste and busilie preparing the way to that man of sin and child of perdition and therefore lying miracles were neuer more frequent then at this time The miracle wrought at Apamia in the bearing about of the crosse by THOMAS Bishop of Apamia is more regarded then many other miracles because EVAGRIVS witnesseth that he himselfe was present in the town and that he saw the bearing about of the crosse Likewise that he saw a fire compassing the crosse and the Bishop THOMAS whithersoeuer he went and that this sight was more miraculous that this fire had a shining vertue to encrease light but not a consuming power to offend the Bishop that bare the crosse And the sight of this miracle so mooued the heart of EVACRIVS that he himselfe fell down worshipped the crosse that was in the hands of THOMAS Bishop of Apamia To this I giue these answers First that EVAGRIVS in describing the deliuerie of Apamia from the expected siege of COSROES King of Persia and the miraculous deliuerance of SERGIOPOLIS and EDESSA two townes besieged indeed is so fabulous that he deserueth no more credit in this narration then in the description of the life of BARS ANVPHIVS an Egyptian monke of whom EVAGRIVS writeth that he inclosed himselfe within a shop beside Gaza fiftie yeeres seene of no man and vsing no kind of earthly thing that is neither meat drinke raiment nor any other refreshment of earthly things Euagr. lib. 4. cap. 33. He who can excuse this ouersight of EVAGRIVS let him accuse me that I giue not credite to all that EVAGRIVS writeth Secondly the authority of THOMAS Bishop of Apamia EVAGRIVS an ecclesiastical writer are both nothing in comparisoÌ„ of the authoritie of AMBROSE who was nerer vnto the Apostles dayes tooke better attendance to the scriptures of God then EVAGRIVS did he writeth of HELENA the mother of CONSTANTINE who is saide to haue found out the crosse wheron Iesus suffered yet he saith of her Regem adoravit non lignum that is shâ—… worshipped the king not the tree for that had bene saith he the error of Ethnickes the vanitie of vngodly people Ambros. de obitu Theodosu Thirdly I affirme that in scripture is set downe two sortes of lying miracles both are to be misregarded alike 1. false miracles wherein the senses of men only are deluded but nothing wroght neither contrarie to nature nor aboue nature such as were the miracles wrought by the sorcerers of Egypt Exod. 7. 8 9. Other miracles are called lying miracles not because the senses of men are deluded but because they are brought forth by the operatioÌ„ of Satan to coÌ„firme a lying doctrine Deut. 13. 1. 23 And in 2. Thess. cap. 2. 9. they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are both wrought and alledged to confirme a doctrine of lies In this rancke let vs eount the miracle cited by EVAGRIVS Finally I say that if the coÌ„fidence in the crosse was so powerful as to stay COSROES king of Persia froÌ„ besieging Apamia why was it not also as powerful the people remaining no lesse superstitious theÌ„ they were afore to saue Apamia froÌ„ the siege of ADAARMANES the captain of the armie of COSROES who afterward tooke the towne of Apamia set it on fire Euagr. lib. 5. cap. 10. Notwithstanding of their confidence in the crosse this superstitioÌ„ was no defence vnto them but rather fuell to augment the flame of the wrath and indignation of God against them And thus I leaue EVAGRIVS sporting himselfe with his own conceits wherof what account I make I haue already declared In end Satan counting the ignorance of mankinde to be his gaining brought in false reliques into the world which were worshipped with no lesse reuerence and deuotion then the true reliques were And Satan vsed the world as the Philistimâ—… vsed SAMSON Iudg. 16. First they bound him secondly they pulled out his eyes thirdly they compelled him to grind in their mil and last of all they made a play-soole of him But when they were at the hight of their contempt then suddenly came their destruction Euen so after that Satan had bound the world with the bands of idolatrie and blindfolded them and made them to serue in vile and filthy offices in end with false and forged reliques he would mak a playfoole of the world but then in the mercie of God the kingdome of the deuill began to be shaken and ouerturned The coat of Christ his purple garment his
teares the foreskin of his circumcision the crowne of thornes the speare that pearced his side the lots that were cast for his garments the linnen clothes whereinto his blessed body was wrapped all these reliques the Romaine Church bragge that they haue them together with the very house of Bethleam wherein the Lord was borne miraculously transported from Iudea to Italie so impudent are they in forging lies But if all these things had bene left by Christ in testamental Legacie to the Church of Rome they had not bene so careful in keeping of thē as the negligent keeping of the purity of the word holy sacramēts clearly declareth for they haue lost the key of knowledge They haue added many things to Baptisme and paired a substantiall part from the Supper of the Lord. And no doubt if the forenamed reliques had bene left in Testament also to the church of Rome like vnto false executers they had made hauocke of these in like maner The false reliques attributed to the blessed Virgin the mother of our Lord to MICHAEL the Archangel and to the martyrs saints some of them haue such babish conceits in them others such absurditie as it were a shame to make rehearsall of them if so be we had not to do with a shamelesse harlot who hath dighted her mouth saith I haue cōmitted none iniquity Prou 30. ver 20. The virgins haire in quantitie more then is beseeming to attribute to one person her milke in qualitie better then is beseeming to attribut to any mortal creature her combe wherwith she combed her haire her girdle many other reliques vnknowne to antiquitie In the strife of MICHAEL the Archangell of God against the deuil for the body of MOSES epist. Iud. ver 9. the dagger and shield wherewith he fought are among the number of Popish reliques as if Satan could be ouercome with the weapons of corporal warfarc whē as men themselues are taught by the Apostle to fight against spirituall wickednesse with spirituall armour Ephes. 6. The coales of S. LAVRENCE the incorruptible finger of IOHN Baptist that pointed out Christ the yron chaine that boūd PETER the teeth of APOLLONIA the body of S. DIONISE cōplet aleged to be both in France Germany the multiplied body of S. SEBASTIAN innumerable other forged reliques wherof they who haue inuēted thē haue cause to be ashamed And what shal we say of the superlatiue degree of al absurditie in defending forged reliques The arrowes that pearced S. SEBASTIAN the stones that stoned S. STEPHAN the 30. pieces of money which the traitor IVDAS receiued to betray his master shall all these also be consecrated worshipped SIMON MAGVS mony was cursed execrable as wel as himself Act 8. 20. because he thoght that the gift of the holy spirit could be bought with money Shall not the 30. pieces of money wherewith the blood of Christ was bought be also cursed execrable Now we see in our time a filthie stable ful of forged reiiques more filthy then euer the stable of AVGIAS king of Elis was which couldby no other means be purged but by the riuer of Alpheus which beeing let in into the stable the great heape of 30 yeres dung was in few dayes washed away Euen so the great heape of forged reliques wherewith the world hath bene bewitched these many hundreth yeres can by no other means be abolished but by the spate of the authoritie of godly Princes whose harts the Lord stir vp to purge the world from the filth stincke of false reliques by false teachers so obstinatly defended The best remedie to correct all abuses in the Church was euer this to reduce all things vnto the first originall purity which was this to do as the men of God in the Apostles daies did They followed the saints in so farre as the saintes followed Christ 1. Cor. 11. If the saints departed this life they buried them honestly as deuote men did burie STEPHAN Act. 8 2. with some lamentation but not excessiué as they doe who are without hope 1. Thess. 4. 13 After their death if they remembred any good they had done in their lifetime they commended it that others might follow their example because Christ saith that the fact of MARIE should be told for a memoriall of her that in all places whersoeuer the Gospel should be taught Mat. 26. ver 13. If they had patiently suffered any euill for Christs sake they kept a memoriall of that also as the godly fathers of the primitiue Church did in natalitus martyrum Thus doing we honour the saintes and follow them as they followed Christ but we cloth them not with the royall apparell which is only due to Christ to whom be euerlasting glory and honour Amen CENT 3. A Treatise of the supremacie of the B. of Rome ALbeit that the Bishop of Rome was not openly proclaimed to be the heade of all Bishops vntill the yeere of our Lord 607. by the Emperour PHOCAS yet is this supremacie coloured with forged lies appearance of greater antiquitie for refutatiō of alledged antiquitie I cast in this treatise in the third Centurie And first of all let vs consider the grounds of this alledged supremacie next let vs consider the steps of this ladder not like to the ladder of IACOB leading vp to heauen but like to the manifestation of the man of sinne wherby the B. of Rome by litle litle climmed vp vnto this soueraignitie that in end he sat as a lawgiuer in the chaire of Christ. And thirdly God-willing we shal declare the tragical euent of this supremacie Now first the principall ground whereupon Papistes doe ground the supremacie of the Pope is the supremacie of PETER aboue the rest of the Apostles which if it were grantes they will inferre the superioritie of the Bishop of Rome as his successour aboue all Bishops In this argument I perceiue great businesse to aduance the Antichrist and to set him vp into an eminent chair like as when Christ was borne there was great businesse to make him out of the way Mat. 2. but all in vaine the crueltie and craft of HEROD cannot vn doe the counsell of God so great businesse is to aduance the Roman Antichrist and to make vs beleeue that Christ himselfe hath set him in his own chaire giuē vnto him a soueraine gouernment ouer al his sheep but al this trauel is also taken in vain for the roome of Christ must not be filled vntill it be vacant the breath of Christs mouth destroying the man of sinne will one day declare that Christ is liuing sitting in his owne chaire and mightie in operation to make his enemies his footstoole Psal. 110 Now to examine the parts of this argument the first part is PETER is the heade of the Apostles and this they proue by the words of Christ I Will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. Mat. 16. In the
Thessalomca the Emp. was moued with excessiue anger so that 7000. innocent people were sâ—…in inuited to the spectacle of Playes called Ludi circenses in the Grieke laÌ„guage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this fault the good Em. was reproued by Ambrose Bish. of Millane confessed his fault in sight of the people with teares and made a lawe that the like coÌ„mandements anent the slaughter of people should not hâ—…ue hastie execution vntill the time that 30. dayes were ouerpassed to the ende that space might bee left either to mercie or to repentance In like maner he was angry out of meaâ—…ure against the people of Antiochia for ouerthrowing the brasen portrate of his beloued bedde-fellow Placilla The Emp. denuded their towne of the dignitie of a Metrapolitane Citie conferring this eminent honour to their neighbour towne Laodicea Moreouer he threatned to set the towne on fâ—…e and to redact it vnto the base estate of a Vil age But Flauiannus Bishop of Antiochia by his earnest trauailes with the Emperour mitigated his wrath for the people repented their foolish fact were sore afraide the good Emp. moued with pitie pardoned the fault of the towne of Antiochia His lenitie toward the Arrians whom he permitted to keepe conuentions in principall Cities was with great dexteritie wisedome reproued by Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium For hee came in vpon a time and did reuerence to the Emperour but not vnto Arcadius his sonne albeit alreadie associated to his Father in gouernament declared Augustus whereat Theodosius being offended Amphilochis very pertinentlie and in due season admonished the Emperour that the GOD ofHeauen also would be offended with them who tolerated the blasphemers of his onely begotten Sonne the LORD IESUS CHRIST Wherupon followed a lawe discharging the conuentions of Heretiques in principall Cities In all these infitmities it is remarkeable that the good Emperour 〈◊〉 gaue place to wholsome admonitions The excessiue raines hee was compeâ—…led to vndertake in Waâ—…re-fare hastened his death for hee contracted sicknesse soone after his returning from the battell faught against Eugâ—…nius and died in the 60 yeere of his age and in the 16. yeere of his reigne He left behind him his two sons Arcadius to gâ—…uerne the East and Honorius to gouerne the West CHAP. II. Of Pastors and Doctors AFTER Eusebius Miltiades gouerned the Romane Church 4. yeeres 7. moneths and 8. dayes as Platina writeth His ministration was in the dayes of the reigne of Constantine to whom the Emperour remitted the controuersie betwixt Cecilianus and the Donatistes to bee judged by him and his Collegues Rheticus Maternus and Marinus The Donatistes would not acquiesce to the determination of Miltiades and his Collegues The good Emperour appointed this cause of new againe to be judged in Aâ—…les by a number of Bishops of Spaine Italie and France because the Donatists would not acquiesce to the determination of Miltiades and his Collegues In the Councill of Aâ—…les Cecilianus was likewise absolued and the Donatistcs againe succumbed in their probation Notwitstanding they appealed to the Emp. Constantine and when the Emp. heard the cause of Cecilianus pleaded before himselfe the Donatists could not proue that either Cecilianus had beene admitted Bishop of Carthage by a man who was Proditor or yet that hee had admitted any other man culpable of the like fault to an Ecclesiasticall office If the Bishop of Rome had beene supreame Iudge in all Ecclesiasticall causes Constantine had done him wrong to appoint other Iudges to cognosce in this cause after the Bishop of Rome and his Collegues had giuen out their definitiue sentence His ordinance anent prohibition of fasting vpon the LORDS day was expedient at that time to bee a distinguishing note of true Christians from Manichean heretiques whose custome was vpon the LORDES day to fast The purple garment the palace of Lateran the superioritie of the towne of Rome and gouernament of the West which honours some alledge were conferred by Constantine to Miltiades and Silvester is a fable not worthie of refutation all these honours the Emperours of the West successours of Constantine possâ—…ssed and not the Bishop of Rome for the space of many hundreth yeeres To Miltiades succeeded Silvester and ministred 23. yeeres 10. monethes 11. dayes In his time was the Heretique Arrius excommunicated by Alexander without the fore-knowledge of the Bishop of Rome It was enough that after excommunication intimation was made to other bishops which duety the Bishop of Alexandria neglected not Learned men should be ashamed of fables to say that Constantine was baptized by Siluester for Siluester was dead before Constantine was baptized And Platina himselfe is compelled to grant that Marcus the successor of Siluester gouerned the Church of Rome in Constantines dayes And Eusebius testifieth that Constantine was baptized in Nicomedia immediately before his death Concerning the donation of Coâ—…stantine wherein he conferreth the dominion of the West to the Bish. of Rome it is like vnto a rotten egge which is cast out of the basket lest all the rest bee set at the lesse auaile No ancient writter maketh mention of any such thing Yea Constantine in his testamentall legacie allotted the Dominion of the West to two of his sonnes namely to Constantinus younger and to Constans How then had hee by an anteriour disposition resigned these Dominions to the Bishop of Rome If Papistes bee not better countenanced by Antiquitie in other thinges then in this point they haue no great cause to bragge of Antiquitie To Siluester succeeded Marcus and ministred 2. yeeres 8. monethes and 20. dayes After Marcus Iulius gouerned the Romane Church 15. yeeres Sozomenus attributes to Iulius 25. yeeres His ministration was in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius and his brethren Hee was a defender of the true Faith and a Citie of refuge to those who were persecuted by Arrians as namely to Athanasius Bisshop of Alexandria Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Asclepas Bishop of Gaza Marcellus Bishop of Aneyra and Lucius Bisshop of Adrianopolis All these were vnjustly deposed from their offices by the Arrians and had recourse to Iulius Hee was neither ashamed of the Gospell of CHRIST nor of his afflicted seruantes In the Councill of Sardica great honour was conferred vnto him to wit that men vnjustly condemned by Arrians shoulde haue refugâ—… to Iulius to whom they gaue power of newe againe to judge their cause This was an Act of the Councill of Sardica and not of the Nicene Councill as was confidently alledgâ—…d in the Councill of Carthage and a personall honour conferred to one man alone for respectiue causes but not extended to his successours as though all the Bishops of Rome at all times shoulde bee Iudges of appellation The Arrians were sore grieued for this that Iulius both in worde and deede and writ assisted Athanasius and his complices The chafing letters and mutuall expostulations that passed
of imposition of hands by their silence had professed continencie if afterwarde they married they shoulde bee remoued from their Ministrie Also it was ordained that Chorepiscopi these were Countrey Bishops in the Latine language called Vicarit-Episcoporum These I say were commanded to absteine from ordination of Elders and Deacons and from usurping of domination ouer the preaching Elders who were in Cities Likewise it was ordained that whosoeuer did absteine from eating of flesh as from a creature in itselfe vncleane he should be depriued of his dignity This Council was subscribed by 18. Bisshops In the yeere of our LORD 330. and in the 20. yeere of the reigne of Constantine as Eusâ—…bius reckoneth others referre it to the 333. yeere of our LORD for there is great diuersitie in this counting The Councill of Nice in Bithynia was gathered not by Silvester nor by Iulius but by the authoritie of the Emperour The name of the towne answered to the successe of the Councill for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke language signifieth victory and when the veritie encountered with the lie in this Councill the veritie preuailed and got the victorie The matter entreated in the Councill was concerning the opinion of Arrius a presbyter in Alexandria who denied that the SONNE of GOD was consubstantiall with the FATHER but affirmed there was a time whereinto the SONNE was not and that hee was created of thinges not existant This opinion was so vnquoth and abominable to the Fathers conueened in the Councill of Nice that they vtterly damned and anathematized the opinion of Arrius Onely 17. Bishops adhered to his blasphemous opinion The Emp. liked well the determination of the Councill and threatned to punish them with banishment who did refuse to subscribe the determination of the Councill for they had concluded that the SONNE of GOD was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is consubstantiall with the FATHER Of the number of 17. who were fauourers of Arrius onely two to wit Secundus a Bishop of Ptolemaida in Aegypt and Theonas bishop of Marmarica adhered to Arrius vntill the end of the Councill with a fewe moe whom the Fathers conueened at Nice deliuered vnto Sathan the Emp. banished them the rest for feare of punishment subscribed to the deposition of Arrius with their handes but not with their hearts such as Eusebius B. of Nicomedia Theogonius of Nice Menophantus of Ephesus Patrophilus of Scythopolis Narcissus of Neronias otherwise called Irenopolis of Cilicia These I say and some others subscribed the summe of Faith set downe by the Nicene Councill and the deposition of Arrius Anent the controuersie of keeping the festiuitie of Easter day a conclusion was taken that it shoulde bee kept vpon the LORDES day and not vpon the 14. day of the first moneth of the Iewes called Nisan And this was done for keeping of unitie and peace in the Church for it was expedient that that thing which was uniuersally done should also be uniformely done for auoiding of schismes in the Church Neuerthelesse Socrates granteth that it is but an ancient custome not authorized by any Apostolicke commandement Anent Mariage many were in the opinion that Bishops Elders and Deacons who were married before their ordination shoulde in time to come absteine from the companie of their wiues But Paphnutius a B. in a towne of Thebaida a chaste man who neuer companied with a woman entreated the Councill that they should absteine from making such an ordinance because Marriage is honourable and the cohabitation of a man with his married wife is chastity Likewise it was a difficil matter to be performed and it opened a doore to vnchaste liuing Yet Paphnutius inclined too much to this opinion That Bishops Elders and Deacons who were vnmarried should absteine from Marriage The Councill woulde make no constitution anent such matters but remitted marriage as a thing indifferent to euery mans free arbitriment The Canons of the Nicene Councill pertaining to matters of discipline in number 22. reade them in the history of Ruffin The appointing of three Patriarches one in Rome another in Alexandria the thirde in Antiochia with power to conuocate within their owne boundes particulare Councils for timous suppressing of Heretiques It was like vnto a faire morning presenting vnto the worlde the countenance of a faire day but at Euen the face of the Heauen is couered with blacke cloudes troubling the earth with the tempest of changed wether Euen so these Patriarches for the moste part became in end the chiefe propagators of notable Heresies as the historie following GOD willing shall declare The Nationall Councill of Tyrus was gathered by the commandement of the Emp. Constantine in the 30. yeere of his reigne Eusebius by ouer-passing with silence a due commemoration of the malice falsehood of the Arrians against Athanasius giueth occasion to Socrates to suspect that Eusebius Pamphili was not a sounde follower of the Nicene Councill To this Nationall Councill conueened threescore Bishops from AEGYPT LYRIA ASIA and EUROPE The moste part of them were Arrians who had solde themselues to iniquity of purpose with faise accusations to oppresse the innocent seruant of CHRIST Athanasius The crimâ—…s laide vnto his charge were fornication the slâ—…ughter of Arsenius and cutting off of his hand the ouerthrowing of the holy Table the breaking of the holy Cup and the burning of the holy volumes No assembly was so full of partialitic confusion clamour and vnrighteous dealing as this assembly at Tyrus in so much that Paphnutius a B. in Thebaida arose and left the Councill of vngodly men and drew with him Maximus B. of Hierusalem fearing lest his simplicitie shoulde haue beene circumueened by the subtiltie of deceitfull Arrians How Athanasius fled to the Emp. and declared the vnrighteous proceedings of the Councill of Tyrus it hath beene declared already In this assembly Potamion B. of Heraclia a man full of spirituall libertie finding Eusebius Pamphili sitting as a Iudge and Athanasius standing outbraided Eusebius as a man who in the persecution of Dioclesian was enclosed in that same prison with himselfe but Eusebius escaped out of prison without the marks of the rebuke of CHRIST which Potamian and other faithfull Confessors could not get done In like maner Athanasius refused to compeare in Caesarea Palestinae where Eusebius was Bishop as a place suspect for fauour carried to Arrians All these things brought the name of Euseb. Pamphili in some disliking The issue of the Councill of Tyrus was this the Arrians in his absence deposed him and amongst the rest Arsenius was one of them who subscribed the deposition of Athanasius with that same haâ—…de that the Arrians had alleadged was cut off by Athanasius so effronted are Heretiques defenders of a false lying doctrine The Emp. Constantine commanded the bishops assembled at Tyrus to addresse to Constantinople but when they came thither they durst make
the Essenes a sect of the Iewes of whose customes Iosephus accurately writeth And indeede the similitude of the maners of the Monkes and the Essenes conuerted to Christian Religion agreeth in many points for they had all things common they laboured with their hands were men accustomed with long abstinence from meate and drinke Eusebius reserreth the beginning of the Monasticke forme of liuing to the auditors of the Euangelist Marke in Alexandria for a number of them inclined their minds to the contemplation of diuine mysteries and separated themselues from the companie of the multitude who dwelt in townes and they had their habitation in the wildernes about the lake Maria or Maris This place was called the Wildernesse of Nitria Eusebius confirmeth this opinion by the testimonie of Philo. Finally some referre it to the time of the tenne Persecutions at what time many fled to the Mountaines to the Wildernesse and to solitary places wherein they contracted such a custome and habite of solitary liuing that euen in time of peace and when Persecutions were ended they continued still liuing in the Wildernesse Whatsoeuer was the originall of the Monasticke life it is certaine there was a greater show then substance of Religion in it for bodily exercises they profite little the not sparing the bodie is counted by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a voluntary Religion which men haue inuented to themselues and GOD hath not commanded it True it is that men doe well if they subdue their bodies as Paul did to bring it in subjection lest by any meanes when he had preached to others he himselfe should be reproued And as true it is on the other part that incase men repose vpon these outwarde exercises as thinges in themselues meritorious and referre them not vnto the right ende as Paul did yea and if they joine not with abstinence from meate an abstinence also from sinne the LORD regardeth not the outwarde affliction of the bodie as the Prophet Isai clearely declareth in these wordes â—…s it such a fasting that I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day and to bow downe his head as a bulrush and to lie downe in sacke-cloth and asshes Wilt thou call this a fasting or an acceptable day to the LORD In the very originall ground of the Monasticke life I see this infirmitie That men imagined by changing of place to bee free of the snares of the Deuill But it is otherwise Adam was tempted in Paradise CHRIST was tempted in the Wildernesse and Sathan is ready to spreade his nette both in the prison and in the palace and by changing of place we cannot be free from his malice In the Epistle written by Basilius Magnus to Gregorius this is illustrate by the fit similitude of a man who saileth in a ship and findeth himselfe to bee sicke and secretely in his owne mind blameth the greatnesse of the vessell whereinto hee saileth but when hee steppeth downe into the little bote that accompanieth the ship his sicknesse continueth and is not abated whereby hee is compelled to come to a consideration of the right cause of his sicknesse that it is neither the great vessell nor the little vessell that is the cause of his grieuance but rather the corrupt humours that lurke within his owne bodie Euen so the permutation of place will not make vs free of the tentations of the Deuill as some men imagined And like as the consolations of GOD are not tyed to any certaine place for Moses in Arabia and vpon Mount Horeb was delited with the sight of GOD and in Pisga with the long expected sight of the promised land and the Apostle Iohn in the Isle of Pathmos saw many comfortable reuclations euen so the perilous snares of Sathan are spred out euery where no lesse then the consolations of GOD are The Monkes of olde were not all of one ranke for some of them were called Coenohitae or Conventuales Others were called Anchoritae The conuentuall Monkes albeit they were separated from the fellowship of the common people yet they had a fellowship amongst themselues and some of them dwelt in the Wildernesse such as the Conuentuall Monkes of Aegypt dwelt in the Wildernesse of Nitria and Schethis but the Conuentuall Monkes of Syria Persia Armenia and other places not so neere approaching to the Equinoctiall line as those of Aegypt were they dwelt in Townes and Villages because the inclemencie of alterable weather permitted them not to dwell in the Wildernesse as the Monkes of Aegypt did Notwithstanding some of the Conuentuall Monkes of that part of Syria which is called Interamnis or Mesopotamia as it were striuing against nature ouer-went the Monkes of Aegypt in that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a not sparing of the bodie for the Monkes of Aegypt dwelt in little Cottages and ate some quantitie of bread after long abstinence but the Monkes fore-saide had their remaining vpon the Mountaines and were couered with no roofe of any shop or lodge defending them against the injurie of the weather except onely with the roofe of Heauen and they ate no bread but only refreshed their hungrie bodies with the rootes of hearbes which they houcked out of the ground and for this kinde of pasturing the people called them Greges Of this ranke of conuentual monks about Nisibis Mount Sigeron were the monks following famous and much renowned to wit Batthaeus Eusebius Barges Abbos and Lazarus who afterward was ordained a Bishop and Abdaleos Zenon and Hetrodorus an olde man of whom Sozomen in the place aboue specified maketh particular mention To all these Conuentuall Monkes wheresoeuer they dwelt this was common that they were diuided into Conuentes and euery Conuent was gouerned by one Gouernour whom they reuerenced as children reuerence their father The Anachorites were Monks who dwelt in the Wildernes seuerally by themselues not deliting in fellowship as the Conuentual monks did Ruffin maketh the more reuerend record of the Anachorites or Eremites of Aegypt because he visited them had the honour to be blessed by imposition of their hands such as two Eremites bearing the name of Macarius Isidorus Pambus Moses Benjamin Scyron Helias Paulus in Apeliote Paulus in Focis Poemen Ioseph in Pispiri of whom there are large treatises in the Ecclesiâ—…sticall Historie Some of the Anachorites were so rude and iâ—…mane that they bowed their faces to the ground and ate 〈◊〉 and hearbes as beastes doe and if they had seene another mâ—…n they fled from him hid themselues as if they had no bâ—…ne procreated of the race of mankind The brethreÌ„ of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom Plutarch writeth are to be set by as vnworthie of any further remembrance And the common people justly called them Armenta that is Cattell There was yet another ranke of Eremites
Righteousnesse the affaires of their Kingdome Bambaâ—… King of Gothes which nation reigned in Spaine resigned the title of his Royall authouritie to Euringus and entred into a Monâ—…erie Sâ—…bbus King of the Orientall Saxons left his Kingdome and entred into a Monasterie to the end that it might seeme that GOD gaue allowance vnto this superstition false miracles were inuented to grace this fact of sebbus for the tombe whereinto his bodie was laide beeing â—…n length an hand brâ—… shorter then his corpes was miraculously enlarged and lengthened to the just proportion of his dead bodie so that in the seuenth CENTURIE and about the dayes of Pope Vitaliaâ—…s it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of the people that three adm rable thing s feil out in their age First innumerable Abbaciâ—…s were builded Secondly the heads of King were shauen and they entred into Monastries Thirdly that whoredome waâ—… canonized that is notable â—…arlots were counted Saintes So with the increasing number of Monastâ—…ies superstition false miracles and a lewde conuersation in like maner daily increased In the eight CENTURIE Rachis King of Lom-bardis entred into the Abbacie called Cassinerse in Italie and his brother Aistulphus gouerned the affaires of the Kingdome in the dayes of Pope Zachariâ—… Caralomannus the elder brother of Pipinus King of France was first in the Monasterie builded vpon the Mount Sarapte afterwarde in the Monasterie called Cassinâ—…nse whether voluntarily or against his will I dispute not and hee ended his life in the Monasterie of Vienne in France beeing transported thither against his heart by the violence of his brother Pipinus In the ninth and tenth CENTURIES the Bilshops of Rome finding that their estate was mightily aduanced by Abbacies and Nunneries they also on the other part endeuoured to aduance the Monasticke life in so farre that Kings Princes were allured to profefâ—… themselues to be of the order of Monkes with dispensation not the lesse to them from the Bisshop of Rome vnder whose souereignity all high powers began to stoupe to gouerne their owne Kingdomes prouiding alwayes that with liberall giftes they had enriched the chaire of Rome So it came to passe that the world saw a rare and vnquoth spectacle to wit Kingly Monks and Monkes Kinges Yea and Kings were so bewitched with seducing speaches that they who would not abase their Royall estate with participation of Monkish orders yet they thought it was so holy and meritorious a turne to build Monasteries that by so doing they might merite forgiuenes of hainous sins As Edgarus king of England a man contaminated with many vild spots of sinne such as adultery murther tyranny and an aâ—…tender vpon three notable harlots yet because hee was accustomed euery yeere to build an Abbacy this holy fact abolished the remembraÌ„ce of all his faultes and made him worthie afâ—…er his death to haue his name togâ—…ther with the name of Wâ—…frida an holy Nunne and yet the Kings whore the name of her daughter Edâ—…ha whom she did beare to the King All their names I say were counted worthie to bee enrolled in the Catalogue of Saintes Caziminus King of Poll beeing driuen from his Kingdome entered into a Monasterie of France in the dayes of Benedict the ninth and the Poloâ—…ian Ambassadours who came to France to entrait their king to returne againe to his Kingdome wâ—…re fore grieued at his negatiue an were Yet by the meanes of Pope Benedict the ninth at whose handes all thinges might haue beâ—…ne obtained for money they obtained their King againe with libertie to him to marrie and to procreate children If Monasticke vowes bee lawfull the loosing of the bandes of Monasticke vowes for money was not lawfull This Benedâ—…ctus the ninth is he of whom Platina writeth that after his death his effigie appeared vnto a câ—…rtaine man horrible and monstrous more like the similituâ—…e of a Beast then of a man which betokened the beastly conuersation of this vnhappie Pope in his lifetime The examples of late dayes that are recent in all mens memorie of Lordes Earles Dukes Ladies yea and of the Emperour Charles the fift in his olde dayes who entered into Monastries and Nunneries whether to leade or to conclude their lifetime I passe ouer with silence This was the glorie of Monkes since the six hundreth yeere of our LORD vntill our dayes that Kinges Monarches Popes and mightie men in the world magnified their estate by repairing olde Monasteries building new Abbacies and bestowing great reuenewes and rents vpon them and some times as saide is entering themselues into Monastries either to leade or to ende their liues Monasteries also of late dayes became places of imprisonment especiallie of Noble persons dejected from their anteriour dignities so that Pope Christophorus himselfe in the dayes of the Emperour LODOVICUS the thirde beeing dejected from his Papall dignitie was thrust into a Monasterie Unicum 〈◊〉 refugium as saieth Platina that is the onely refuge of men who were in calamitie Constantine the sonne of the Emperour Leo thrust his brethren into a Monasterie rendri gâ—…vnto them a just recompence of the like inhumanitie that they had practised against their owne father Likewise Monastries became places whereinto men entered to sorrowe for by-past offences imagining that by the strickt obseruation of the rules of the Monasticke life they might obtaine forgiuenesse of sins at the handes of GOD. Paulus Cyprius Bishop of CONSTANTINOPLE before the seconde Councill of NICE entered into a Monasterie and lamented for that hee had consented to the abolishing of Images in the Councill assembled by CONSTANTINUS COPRONYMUS This PAULUS CYPRIUS was a man of a base timorous and feeble spirite who neuer knewe what the Godlie sorrowe described by the Apostle PAULE did meane which causeth repentance to saluation not to bee repented for hee had great neede to haue repented this his repentance and his sorrowe was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Paul speaketh 2. Corint 7. This bastard glorie aboue specified whereof Monkes rejoiced when the firâ—…t ornamentes were lost did rather belong to the Conuentuall Monkes than to the Anachorites Wee reade not of Kinges who delited to exchange their Kingdomes with the solitarie liuing by themselues apart in the Wildernesse except Suatacopius King of Moravia who beeing ouercome in battell by the Emperour Arnulphus hee went to the Wildernesse wherin hee continued vntill the day of his death eating hearbes and drinking water with greater contentment of mind then hee liued before in the pleasures of his Kingdome As concerning â—…saphat King of India of whom Damascene writeth that hee forsooke his Kingdome and went to the Wildernesse and exercised himselfe continually in reading and praying for the space of fiue and thirtie yeeres it is but a fabulous narration and the writer of it cannot cite so much as one approued Author for confirmation of his alleadged Historie But the purpose of Damascene is to confirme a
of Caesarea No man is so senslesse or ignorant but may perceiue that this lying miracle is brought in to the confirmation of the excellency of the monastick life The miracle of Thomas B of Apamea tendeth to the adoration of the tree of the Crosse. The miracle of the fire that came out of Barsaunphius shop at Gaza consumed the most part of them who were in companie with Eustochius B of Jerusalem is a notable lie and tendeth onely to confirme superstitition The miracle of the Image of the virgine MARIE detesting Anatolius an hypocrite an Idolater and a sorcerer and yet insinuating himselfe in familiar acquaintance with Gregorius B. of Antiochia in the dayes of the Emperour Tiberius any man may perceiue that this miracle is forged not so much for detestation of hypocrisie Idolatrie and sorcerie as for worshipping the Image of the Virgine with a deuote minde The miracle of Simeones who in his youth miraculously tamed a Pard and fastened his girdle about the necke thereof and brought it like a catte into the Monasterie and afterward liued vpon the toppes of pillars and mountaines sed with branches of trees 68. yeeres this fable whereunto it tendeth all men doe see And finally the golden Crosse sent by Cosroes to Sergiopolis tendeth not onely to the invocation of Saintes but also to put our trust and confidence in them as the last wordes of the Epistle of Cosroes and his wife Sira clearly proporteth No we let the iudicious Reader pardone mee in preâ—…ermitting many things written by others lest I should wearie them by filling their eares with fables and lyes CHAP. III. Of Heresies IN this and the next Centurie I finde that the error of Eutyches is like vnto a root of bitternesse which budding out with new branches not seene before but fostered with the venemous sappe of the old root that seemed to bee abolished did mightily perturbe the Church The errour of the Monothelites was but a branch of the errour of Eutyches but this belongeth to the seuenth Centurie In this Centurie a great number of people especially of Monkes fauouring the heresie of Eutyches spake against the Councill of Chalcedone these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they had no principall heade vpon whom they depended and they were anteâ—…iour to Anthimus or Anthimius B. of Constantinople and to Theodosius B. of Alexandria and Severus B. of Antiochia therefore they were not called Anthimians Theodosians or Severues but indeede they might haue beene called Eutychians alwayes the vulgare name giuen vnto them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another branch which sprang vp from the root of Eutyches heresie was the errour of those who supponed that the flesh of CHRIST was voide of all kinde of humane infirmitie expresly contradicting holy Scriptures which attributeth to the body of CHRIST hunger and wearines and other infirmities which he voluntarily accepted for our sakes And where it is said that the LORD IESVS did eate and drinke To this they answered that hee seemed to eate and drinke as hee did after his â—…esurrection but hee had no necessitie of eating and drinking but the veritie of his death stoppeth the mouthes of these heretiques for CHRIST was content to taste of all our infirmities death it selfe not except that we might know he will be a mercifull high Priest because he hath tasted of our infirmities and can haue compassion of those who are in trouble In this opinion was the Emperour Iustinian in his olde dayes whose vices did almost equall his vertues especially in comporting so much with Theodora the Empresse to the great aduancement of the errour of Eutyches and hinderance of the Gospell In this Centurie the defenders of the bookes of Origenc such as Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea Cappadocia and the Monkes of Nova Laura whom Eustochius B. of Jerusalem eiected out of their monasteries were counted heretiques as wil be declared hereafter Godwilling in the head of Councills Finally there were some heretiques who durst derogate perfection of knowledge to the Sonne of GOD in his diuine Nature these were called Agnoitae whome I leaue as buried in the dust and according to their name neuer worthy to haue beene knowne in the world CHAP. IIII. Of Councills THE schisme that fell out in the election of Symmachus was the cause of the gathering of the Councill of Rauenna Laurentius was his competitour In this Councill it was found that Symmachus was first ordeined and that the most part both of Clergie and people adherâ—…d to him therefore he was declared to be bishop of Rome and Lanrentius was ordeined bishop of Nuceria The multiplied number of Councills in Symmachus time all conueened by the authoritie of Theodoricus King of Gothes who reigned in Italie All this number of Councills I say was assembled for matters of litle importance except the fourth and fifth Councill whereinto a lible of accusations was giuen in against Symmachus but he compeared not before the Councill to answere yet was hee absolued by the most part of the Councill beeing his owne fauourers chiefly for this reason because they thought that the high Pricst should be iudged by no man but his doings should bee examined onely before the Trihunall of GOD. Marke how this matter goeth the bishoppes of Rome are lying vnder the feet of the Gothes neither haue they libertie to assemble themselues together except that licence be sought and obteined from Theodoriâ—…us King of Gothes Not withstanding supremacie that great Idole whereat they aimed continually runneth so high in their heades that the flatterers of the bishop of Rome would absolue him as a man whose actions came not vnder the iudicature of mortall men His accusers protested in write that if the successours of PETER should bâ—…e iudged by no man then with the â—…est of the priui'edges of their chaire they had also a pâ—…iuiledge to sinne and to doe what they pleased The Councils of Spaine called Ilerdensc and Valâ—…ntinum assembled in Valentia are very obscure Councils In the one â—…ight bishoppes were present in the other sixe bishoppes Many new and superstitious Canons were made in these assemblies and farder I see nothing In the first called Ilerdense a prohibition of mariage in time of Lent and three weekes before the sestiuitie of Iohn the Bapâ—…st and betwixt the dayes of the Aduent of our LORD and the dayes called Epiphania In the other Councillit was appointed that in the ordinarie seruice the Gospell should be read after the Epistle partly in respect that all the people of GOD haue entresse to heare the wholesome precepts of their Sauiour and partly in respect that by such hearing some were found to bee conuerted to the faith where of it may bee perceiued that the Gospell was read vnto the people into a knowâ—…e and intelligible language els it could not worke faith in the heartes of the hearers In the twentieth yeere of the reigne of the
Emperour Anaslatius a nationall Councill was assembled at Sidon of eightie bishops by the procurement of Xenâ—…as B. of Hierapolis for vndoing the Councill of Chalcedone The Emperour had al eadie banished Euphemius and Macedonius bishops of Constantinople Yet he found that Flavianus B. of Antiochia and Helias bishop of Ierusalem altogether disliked and reprooued his proceedings neither could they admitte the lawe of oblinion called in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Emperour would haue brought in to pacifie controuersies in the Church as ciuile controuersies at some times haue beene pacifiâ—…d for this cause the Emperour Aanastatius set himselfe directly against the trueth of GOD and gathered this Councill to vndoe the authoritie of the Councill of Chalcedone Flavianus Helias would not bee present at this vngodly Councill whereinto they damned the Councill of Chalcedone yet they abstained from damning Flavianus and Helias for a time Neuerthelesse by continuall accusations of these two bishops as if they had bene mockers of all the Emperours doings they procured their banishment as hath bene declared in the preceeding historie In the 22. yeere of the reigne of Anastaâ—…us and vnder the reigne of Clodoueus King of France conueened 32. bishops in the towne of Aurâ—…lia of purpose to settle some order in Ecclesiasticall discipline which through iniurie of time and irruption of barbarous people into the countrie of France had beene brought to great dissolution and misorder The Canons of this Councill are coincident for the most part with the Canons of all other Councils The two former Councils assembled in Spaine namely Ilerdense and Valentinum were vnder the reigne of Theodoricus Now these two Gerundense and Casaraugustanum are ceâ—…ebrated vnder the same King to wit Theodoâ—…us of the nation of the Gothes reigning in Spaine In Gerunda seuen bishops conueened made Ecclesiasticall constitutrons chiefly anent Baptisme that Catechumeni should bee baptized on Pasâ—…he day and at Pentecoste when most sâ—…lemne conuentions of people were gathered They who were vnder infâ—…mitie and sicknesse might bee baptized at any time and the infant which was likely to die mightlee baptized that same day where into it was borne In Caesaraugusta elenen bishoppes seeme to haue beene conueened They forbid fasting vpon the LORDS day for supersution or for respect of times or for perswasion It would appeare that this Councill had a desire to abolish the rites and customes of the Matichean heretiques who were accustâ—…med to fast vpon the Lords day In the dayes of Hormisda by the mandate of Theodoricus King of Gothes reigning in Italie a Councill was assembled at Rome vpon this occasion It was thought meet by the Emperour Anastatius Theodoricus King of Italie and many others that a Councill should be conueened at Heraclea for deciding controuersies in religion Many bishops resorted to Heraclea aboue the number of 200 but Anastatius suffered no Councill to be holden thereby incurring the great blame of inconstancie and carelessenesse in seeking out the trueth for this cause Theodoricus willed Hormisda bishop of Rome to gather a Councill at Rome whereinto the errour of Eutyches is damned of newe againe and ambassad ours are ordeined to bee sent to Anastatius the Emperour and to the bishop of Constantinople to diuert them if possible were from the errour of Eutyches but howe in humanely the ambassadours were intreated it hath beene declared in the description of the life of Hormisda Vnder the reigne of the Emperour Iustinus a Synode was gathered in Constantinople by Ioannes Cappadox Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against Severus B. of Antiochia such as sacrilegious spoyling of Temples vnder pretence of eschewing causes of Idolatrie he tooke away the golden doues that hung aboue the fontes and the altars and hâ—…e vttered many blasphemous speeches against the Councill of Chalcedone Ioannes Cappadox albeit hee was of a bad religion himselfe yet the authoritie of the Emperour and consent of the Councill procured that Severus should be damned of heresie whom the Emperour also banished and as some affirme punished him also by commanding that his blasphemous tongue should bee cut out In like maner the Monks of Apamea in a Council conueened in Syriasecunda accused Severus of bloody cruelty oppression in besieging of Monastries slaying the Monks spoyling their goods The like accusation was giuen in against Peter B. of Apamea which accusations beeing sufficiently proued by vnsuspect witnesses this Council damned Severus Petrus B. of Apamea In the fifth yeere of King Abnaricus was the second Councill of Toledo conueened partly for renuing the ancient constitutions of the Church and partly for making new constitutions belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline It was ordeined that children whome their parents had dedicated to the Church they should not be admitted to the office of a Subdeacon vntil they were 18. yeeres of age neither to the office of Deacon before they were 25. yeeres old and at the beginning of their admission to the office of a Subdeacon namely when tâ—…ey â—…re full 18. yeeres olde and not before that time they should bee presented before the Clergie and people to make an open declaration whether they were of purpose to leade a continent life or to marie and these who protested they had not the gift of continencie are tolerated by the first Canon of the second Councill of Toledo to marrie In the yeere of our LORD 551 and in the 24. yeere of the reigne of the Emperour Iustinian was a generall Councill assembled at Constantinople The principall causes of this meeting are expresly set downe by Evagrius lib. 4. cap. 38. First in reâ—…pect of the controuersie betwixt Eustochius B. of Ierusalem and Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea Cappadocia Eustochius cast out the Monkes of Nova Laura who obstinately defended the errours of Origen Theodorus Ascidas assisted them and saide that Eustochius B. of Ierusalem had dealt cruelly and inhumanely with his brethren to pacifie this controuersie was this Councill conueened Also great disputation was in the Church anent the bookes of Origen of Theodorus B. of Mopsuesta and some writings of Theodoritus B. of Cyrus and Ibas B. of Edessa this was the second cause of this great conuention to put an ende vnto these contentious disputations At this time MENAS was bishop of Constantinople but hee ended his life in the very time of the generall Councill The first question mooued in the Councill was this Whether or no men who were deade and had ended their course might lawfully bee cursed and excommunicated To this EVTYCHIVS a man before this time of no great account answered That 〈◊〉 as IOSIAS not onely punished Idolatrous Priestes who were aliue but also opened the graues of them who were dead to dishonour them after their death who had dishonoured GOD in their lifetime euen so the memorialls of men might be accursed after their death who had harmed Christes Church in
he was banished Seuerus a notable Eutychian heretique was placed in his roome this is he of whom I haue mentioned diuers times that Alamundarus prince of Saracens deluded his messengers and sent them backe ashamed and confounded The next attempt was against Helias B. of Ierusalem against whom this quarrell was forged that he would not subscribe the Synodicke letters of Seuerus and damne the Council of Chalcedone and by the Emperours commandement Olympius his captaine came to Ierusalem expelled Helias and placed Iohn a familiar friend of Seuerus in his roome This Iohn by the perswasion of Sabas a Monke of Palestina forsooke the fellowship of Severus was cast into prison by Anastatius the Emperours captaine but when he was brought foorth out of prison againe he disappointed the expectation of Anastatius the captaine for hee openly auouched the foure generall Councills and anathematised the followers of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches In doing whereof he was mightily assisted both by the people and the Monks so that Anastatius the Emperours captaine fearing popular commotion fled and returned againe to the Emperour but Severus B. of Antiochia moued with wrath against the Monks of Syria set vpon them slew 300. of them gaue their carcases to the foules of the heauen and the beastes of the earth such mercie was and is to bee found in headstrong heretiques In all this desolation the courage of Cosmas B. of Epiphania and Severianus Bishop of Arethusa is to be admired who wrote a booke conteining a sentence of deposition of Severus B. of Antiochia which booke Aurelianus a deacon of Epiphania clad in a womans apparrell deliuered vnto him in Antiochia and afterward conueyed himselfe away secretly The Emperour was highly offended against Cosmas and Severianus and he wrote to Asiaticus gouernour of Phoenitia that he should eiect them out of their places but when answere was returned to the Emperour that it could not be done without blood the Emperour left off further pursuing of them Many counted Anastatius a peaceable Emperour because he would haue setled controuersies in the Church as ciuile controuersies at some times are settled namely by a lawe of obliuion but there is no capitulation betwixt darknes light but darknes must yeelde vnto the light of GOD. In Africke moe than 900. were crowned with martyrdome vnder the reigne of Anastatius as the Magd. historie recordeth out of the first booke of Regino de Anastatio Platina writteth that he was slaine with thunder Justinus the elder AFTER Anastatius succeeded Iustinus a godly Emperour and gouerned nine yeeres 3. dayes Hee restored the Bishoppes whome Anastatius had banished Hee banished also Arrian bishoppes who were found within his dominions Severus bishop of Antiochia a vilde Eutychian heretique and a bloody Foxe hee displaced and caused him to be punished by cutting out his tongue as some affirme Theodoricus King of Gothes obtaining dominion in Italie persecuted true Christians with great hostilitie and sent ambassadours to the Emperour Justinus to restore the Arrian bishoppes whome hee had banished else hee would persue the bishoppes who were in Italâ—…e with all kinde of rigour And because the ambassadours returned not backe againe with such expedition as he expected hee put hand to worke and slewe two noble Senatours Symmachus and Boâ—…tius Likewise when the ambassadours were returned he cast in prison Ivannes Tuscus Bishop of Rome and his companions whom he had before imployed to goe in message to the Emperour Iustinus The bishop of Rome died in prison for lacke of sustentation but the LORD suffered not this barbarous cruelty of Theodoricus to be long vnpunished for the LORD strake him with madnesse of minde so that when he was sitting at table and the head of a great fish was set before him he imagined it was the head of Symmachus whome hee had slaine and was so stupified with feare that incontinent after he died In the dayes of this Emperour Iustinus was a terrible earthquake the like whereof hath not bene heard at any time before wherewith the towne of Antiochia was shaken vtterly ruined With the earthquake fire was mixed consuming resoluing into ashes the remnant of the towne which the earthquake had not cast downe In this calamitie Euphrasius B. of Antiochia perished The good Emperour mourned for the desolation of Aâ—…tiochia put on sackcloth on his body was in great heauinesse whereof it is supponed that hee contracted that disease whereof he died When hee found his disease dayly increasing he made choose of Iustinian his sisters sonne to bee his collegue who gouerned foure moneth in coniunct authoritie with his vncle and then Iuslinus ended his course Justinianus AFTER the death of Iustinus Iustinianus his sisters sonne gouerned 38. yeeres He would suffer no faith to be openly prosessed except the faith alowed in the foure general Councills Notwithstanding the Emprice Theodora his wife was a fauourer of Eutyches heresie This Emperour was bent to recouer all that was lost by his predecessours in Asia Africke Europe he had a good successe through the vertue valour of his captaines especially Belisarius Narses Belisarius first sought against the Persians who had ouercome not onely Mesopotamia but also many parts of Syria Antrochena Caua He ouercame them in battell compelled them to go backe beyond Euphrates Next he was employed to fight against the Uandales in Africke who possessed a great boundes of the Romane dominion euer since the dayes of Gensericus King of Vandales And it is to be marked that the time is now come whereinto the LORD will declare that the blood of his Sainctes is precious in his eyes For since the daies of Dioclesian that bloody persecuting Emperour no race of people persecuted GODS Saincts with so barbarous crueltie as the Vandales did for zeale they had to the Arrian heresie wherewith they were infected After Gensericus Hunericus and Amalaricus and Trasimundus who closed the doores of the Temples of Christians and banished their bishops to Sardinia Childericus would haue shewed some fauour to Christians reduced their bishops from banishment for this cause the Vandales did slay him gaue his Kingdome to Gillimer Now the LORD remembred the grones of his own prisoners wold not suffer the rod of the wicked perpetually to lye vpon the lot of the righteous Belisarius fought against the Vandales prosperously recouered Carthage al the bounds pertaining to the Romane Empire possessed by the Vandales Also he tooke Gillimer their King caried him captiue to Constantinople It is worthy of remembrance that Iustinian would not receiue into his treasure the vessels of golde which the Emp. Titus when hee burnt the Temple of Ierusalem transported to Rome These same vessels Gensericus King of Vandales when hee spoyled Rome transported to Carthage Belisarius after he had conquessed Carthage againe he brought them to Constantinople but Iustinian sent them to
imposition of hands which constitution he confirmed with a foolâ—…sh reason because none of the 70. disciples whom Christ adioyned as helpers to the Apostles had power by imposition of hands to coÌ„fer the gift of the holy Spirit Now the time is come wheÌ„ euery man endeuoureth with some nouelty and new toy which hath not bene heard before to goe beyond his predecessors Benedict 1. continued in his charge 4. yeres 1. months 28 dayes Hee had great griefe in his time because the preuailing power of the Lombards oppressed the countrie of Italie the town of Rome was sore pinched with famine The heart griefe he conceiued for the calamitie of the country is thought to haue hastned his death Neuerthelesse he had this comfort that the Emp. Tibâ—…rius 2. in whose time hee ministred sent shippes loadned with cornes froÌ„ Aegypt to support the distressed estate of the Romans Tiberius was indued with many good qualities princely gifts he was valiant godly and liberall and the more bountifull hee was to the poore his riches so much the more abounded for beside the treasures of Narses that were brought to him from Italie when Narses died he found also in his owne palace vnder a crosse of marble which he commanded to be raised and not to be tread vnder feet any longer but to be set in a more honorable place there I say he found an infinite treasure of siluer gold Finally when he ouercame the Persians such quantitie of gold siluer precious things were atchieued as none of his predecessors had obtained the like so that the prouerbe hee who soweth largely shall reape largely had viue performance in the person of the noble Emperour Tiberius After Benedict succeeded Pelagius 2. and ministred vnder the reignes of Tiberius Mauritius 10. yeeres 12. months 10. dayes Hee was elected without the foreknowledge of the Emperour contrare to the custome obserued in those dayes but he excused himselfe to the Emperour Mauritius by sending Gregorius ambassadour vnto him and declaring that the towne of Rome was besiâ—…ged by Lombardis so that no messenger could bee sent from Rome to Constantinople to acquaint the Emperour with his election The forme of the siege of Rome was this The Emperour Mauritius had hired Sigibertus King of France to make warre against the Lombards and to driue them out of Italie but his armie was ouerthrowne by Eucharis King of Lombards with this victorie the Lombards were puft vp and they besieged the towne of Rome they had also taken it if they had not bene hindered by great inundation of waters The inundation of Tiber was extraordinarie it ouerflowed the walles of the towne of Rome and brought with it a multitude of Serpents which afterward putrifying corrupted the aire whereof arose a vehement pest in Rome and Pelagius 2. in this contagious sicknes ended his life Gregorius 1. called Magnus succeeded to Pelagius 2 and ministred 13. yeeres 6. moneths 10 dayes He was chosen with consent of the Clergie and people but he was vnwilling to accept the office And hee wrote to the Emperour Mauritius that he should not assent neither to the desire of Clergie nor people but his letters were intercepted by the gouernour of the towne of Rome and rent in pieces And other letters were written vnto the Emperour requesting him to condescend that Gregorius might haue the office whom both Clergie and people had elected The Emperour agreed willingly to his election for he had beene acquainted with him in Constantinople when he came ambassadour from Pelagius 2. to excuse his ouersight in accepting the office of the bishop of Rome before the Emperour was foreseene of that purpose He brought into the Romane Church the forme of the Greeke Letanies and ordained that in their prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should bee nine times repeated This prayer is thought to haue beene vttered by multiplied repetitions in the dayes of the Emperour Iustinus when Antiochia was terribly shaken with a vehement earthquake the few number that were aliue saide LORD haue mercie LORD haue mercie which in Greeke Kyrie Eleison hee borrowed also from the Liturgie of the Iewes Allelu-iah and added these wordes vnto the Latine seruice Diesque nostros in pace disponas that is in peace dispone our dayes He was the first that deuised the stile of Seruus servoram Dei that is the seruant of the seruants of GOD taking occasion as appeareth so to doe by the arrogant attempt of Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or iciunator who had vsurped the stile of Oecumenick or vniuersall bishop to whom Pelagius 2. and Gregorius 1. mightily opponed themselues and called him the forerunner of the Antichrist who durst vsurpe such an arrogant stile But marke now I pray you how farre ambition preuailed both in the chaire of Constantinople and in the chaire of Rome The humilitie of Christ was now laide aside notwithstanding of their humble stiles servus servorum Dei and the first occasion that was presented vnto them of vsurpation of the stile of vniuersall bishop it was greedily embraced First Iohn called Ieiunator Patriarch of Constantinople saw that the Emperiall seate was in Constantinople and that the towne of Rome was besieged by the Lombards Now he thought it was time to stirre and to aduance his owne chaire aboue all chaires And incontinent after Bonifacius 3. finding himselfe in fauour with the Emp. Phocas gladly accepted that same preheminence in his owne person which his predecessors had damned in the person of Ioannes Ieiunator so they were all for the most part a nest of ambitious Prelats preaching the humilitie of CHRIST but hunting for the supremacie foretold of the Antichrist Read the Epistles which Gregorius writeth to Mauritius detesting and abhorring this supremacie whereat the Patriarch of Constantinople aimed Amongst other things he saith Exclamare compellor ac dicere O tempora ô mores ecce cuncta in Europae partibus barbarorum iurisunt tradita Destructae urbes euersa castra depopulatae prouinciae nullus terram cultor inhabitat tamen sacerdotes qui in pavimento cinere flentes tacere debuerunt vanitatis sibi nomina expetunt novis ac prophanis vocabulis gloriantar that is to say I am compelled to cry out O times O maners beholde in all the parts of Europe all things lye vnder the reuerence of barbarous people townes are destroyed castles are ouerthrowne provinces are spoyled no labourer inhabiteth the lande Notwithstanding the Priests who should lye in ashes vpon the ground weeping they are seeking vnto themselues nâ—…nâ—…s of vanitie and they glory in prophane stiles Nowe apply these wordes of Gregorius 1. to Bonifacius 3. and it shall be found that hee embraced the name of vanitie and the glory of prophane stiles at that same time when it became him better to be lying in sackecloth and ashes and to be mourning for the preuailing power of barbarous people and
as when the Romane doctrine was sounded in their cares that we are iustified partly by faith and partly by workes If by good workes theymeane workes of superstition such as leaning in their legacies rents to sacrificing Priestes for saying of soule Masses wee are glad that by the preaching of the Gospell superstition is somewhat abated like as the great d◅luge of waters beganne by degrees to bee diminished in the dayes of NOE and that by meanes of the winde which the LORD sent foorth to blow vpon the waters But if they meane by good workes such workes as GOD hath commanded in his holy law then I answere that the faults of some people are not to be imputed to the doctrine of the Gospell but to the corruption of mans nature continually repining against the knowne trueth of GOD. Like as when RACHEL left her fathers house and followed IACOB her husband and the ca◅ling of GOD and in the meane time shee stale her fathers Idoles with them polluted the house of IACOB Nowe who shall beare the blame of this fault whether the holy calling of GOD or IACOB the preacher of the LORDS calling to his wiues or RACHEL who followed not the calling of GOD aright Here I know euery man will lay the blame vpon RACHEL because shee left in outward appearance her fathers house yet she left not the corrupt maners of her fathers house In like maner in our dayes the feastred maners of the people are not to bee imputed to the Gospell neither to the true preachers of it but to the corrupt nature of man taking occasion by the Lawe to worke all kind of iniquitie And in like maner taking occasion by the Gospell to bee more bent to euill doing than euer it was before but let true Christians marke that albeit the doctrine of Iustification by faith only were a thousand wayes abused yet because it is the holy Apostolicke doctrine and necessare vnto eternall life it must needes be preached and beleeued of all the true disciples of CHRIST The Law and the Gospell goe not so in handes together as Iustification and Sanctification does but rather by the great prouidence of GOD the one standeth ouer against the other and either of them pointeth out the finger to the other The Law is a paedagogue to CHRIST and pointeth out the finger to the Gospell that in it wee may finde CHRIST and in CHRIST Saluation The Gospell on the other parte pointeth out the finger to the Law not to find in keeping of it saluation which we haue already found in CHRIST but to testifie our thankfulnes to GOD who hath freely forgiuen vs in CHRIST his sonne for what better testimonie of thankfulnesse can wee render to GOD than a voluntare obedience to his holy Commandements according as CHRIST saith If any man loue mee hee will keepe my Commandements and my Father will loue him and wee will come and dwell with him It may be demanded Can not the righteousnes of the Law the Gospell be mixed together in the matter of our Iustification the Apostle PAVL giueth a negatiue answere vnto this question that like as one woman cannot lawfully haue two husbands at one time but when the first husband is dead shee may be lawfully coupled to another who is liuing Euen so we cannot adhere to the righteousnes of faith in CHRIST vntill we giue ouer the righteousnes of the Law because in the matter of Iustification the Law is vnto vs like a dead husband of whome we can receiue no comfort so dead is our nature that the Lawe cannot quicken it but we must be coupled to CHRIST as vnto a liuing husband who by the righteousnes of faith shall bestowe vpon vs that comfort which the Law could not afford vnto vs. And in this Allegorie let vs consider that the Law is called the first husband not because it was anterior to the Gospel for the Apostle PAVL prooueth the contrare in his Epistle to the Galatians but because a man naturally seeketh first helpe in his own workes and seeketh not helpe in CHRIST vntill the time hee be vtterly denuded of all hope of the righteousnes of the Lawe that is of the righteousnes of his owne workes Surely ignorance is the mother of many errours and they who seeke righteousnes in the Law they are ignorant in many things First they knowe not the right end wherefore the Lawe was giuen to wit for transgression that is to manifest it but not to wipe it away Secondly they know not the nature of the Law that it is spirituall to the perfection whereof carnall men cannot attaine Thirdly they are ignorant of the strict condition of the legall Couenant which binds vs vnto a full obedience of all things commanded in the Law Fourthly they are ignorant of the perill that insueth vpon the seeking of the righteousnesss of the Lawe that they cannot submit themselues to the righteousnesse of GOD. When all these inconueniences doe follow vpō secking iustification by the Law or by works it were a wise course to seeke righteousnes where it may be found that is to say in faith which coupleth vs to CHRIST whome the father hath giuen vnto vs to be our wisdome our iustification our sanctification and our redemption and let it not be said that the fishers of Busphorus Tracius in seeking fish are wiser than we in seeki◅g the saluation of our soules For they spread not out their nets in the shallow coast of Chalcedone where no fish can bee found but in the deepe coast of Byzantium where abundance of fih are to bee found Euen so if wee bee wise let vs seeke saluation where it may be found In the thirde heade it is to be declared that neither in our owne workes neither in other mens works CHRITTS workes only excepted can a sauing power be found to worke our saluation Our workes are considered two maner of wayes First as they are before our regeneration altogether sinfull and no man doth affirme that such workes can saue vs either in whole or in part Secondly as they are after our regeneration and of these workes much is spoken namely that Christs death is so meritorious that by vertue of it he hath purchased a power to our workes after regeneration that they might merite good things at the hands of GOD. To this I will returne such an answere as Alamundarus prince of Saracens returned to the Eutychian Heretiques sent by Seuerus to perswade him to their opinion To whome hee replied that strange tythings were lately come vnto his eares namely that GABRIEL the Angell of GOD was dead When they answered that was impossible and repugnant to reasoun that an Angel should die Then the Prince subioyned that like as they would not r◅ceaue his information because it was repugnant to reason euen so hee would not receiue their instructions because they neither agreed with Scripture nor yet with good reason In
a spirituall office and That no man should consult concerning the election of another Bishop or Pope before three dayes were expired after the death of the detunct that the Bish. should be elected by 〈◊〉 Clergy people their election should be ratified by the Magistrate of the citie and the Pope by these wordes voluâ—…us jubâ—…mus that is Wee will and wee command otherwise the election shall bee voyde and of none effect Bonifacius the fourth gathered another Assembly in the eight that is in the last yeere of the reigre of Phocas wherein hee gaue power to Monkes to preach to minister the Sacramentes to heare confessions to bind and loose and asâ—…ociated them in equall authoritie with the Clergie Bracara or Braecara vulgarlie called Braga is a towne in â—…ortugall In the yeere of our Lord 610. and vnder the reigne of Gundemarus king of Gothes reigning at that time in the countrey of Spaine assembled some Bishops of Gallicia Lusitania and of the Prouince called Lucensis of olde It was ordained That euerie Bishop shoulde visit the Churches of his Diosie and see that Baptisme was duelie ministred and that Catechumeni twentie dayes before their baptisme shoulde resort to the purifications of Exotcismes and shoulde bee instructed in the knowledge of the Apostolicke Symbole and that the people shoulde bee exhorted to beware of Idolatrie Adulterie Murther Peâ—…jurie and all other deadlie sinnes That Bishops should not lift vp the third part of 〈◊〉 oblations of the people but that it should remaine in 〈◊〉 paroche Church for furnishing light and for repairing the fabrike of the Church and that the Bishop shoulde compell none of the Clergie to attende vpon him in seruile workes That bishops for ordination of the Clergie shoulde receiue no rewardes That neither a little balme nor yet the price thereof should bee exacted from the people for their baptisme in any time to come lest they should seeme with Simon Magus to sell the gift of God for money That bishops before the dedication of Churches shall see a charter containing a sufficient maintenance for them who shall serue in the Church and for a substantiall furniture of lightes thereunto A Church builded for gaine contribution of the people redounding to the vantage of the builder shall not bee consecrated Parents who are poore present their children to baptisme if they offer anie thing voluntarilie it shall bee accepted but they shall not bee compelled to pay anie thing neither shall a pledge bee required from them lest poore people fearing this with-holde their children from baptisme If anie of thâ—… Clergie bee accused of fornication let the accuser proue his accusation by 2. or 3. witnesses according to the precept of the Apostle cls let the accuser be excommunicate That Mâ—…trapolitane Bishops shall signifie to others of the Clergie the time of theobseruation of Easter or Pashe day and the Clergie after the reading of the Gospell shall in like manner intimaâ—…e the day vnto the people That whosoeuer tasteth meate or drinke before hee consecrate the oblation of the Altar shall bee deposed from his office In the yeere of our Lord 613. assembled in a Towne of France called Altissidorum otherwise Antissidorum vulgarlie Auxerre a number of Abbots and Presbyters with one bishop and three deacons In this Councell they damned sorcerie and the seeking of consultation at sorcerers in the first third fourth and fift Canons Whereby it appeareth that sorcerie hath bene in frequent vse in France Manie superstitious constitutions were set downe in this Synode concerning the number of Masses prohibition of tasting meate before Masse concerning buriall prohibition of baptisme before the festiuitie of Easter daye except vpon necessity and feare of approching death prohibition of Matrimoniall copulation with their own wiues to presbyters and deacons after their blessing and consecration with prohibition of marriage also to the widowes of the defunct presbyters deacons or sub-deacons this was a yoke of Antichristian subjection indeed Brother and sisters children are forbidden to marrie It is not lawfull for a presbyter to sit in judgement when any man is condemned to death It is not lawfull for a Clergy man to cite another of the Clergie before a secular Iudge It is not lawfull for a woman with a naked hand to touch the holie Eucharist It is not lawfull to take refreshment of meate with an excommunicate person If any of the Clergy receiue an excommunicate man without the knowledge of him who hath excommunicated him he shall receiue the like sentence that is he shall likewise be excommunicated It is not lawfull for a presbyter in banqueting time to sing or dance Manie Canons to the number of 45. were concluded in this Councell but I haue determined not to ouer-lade a little booke with commemoration of an heape of vnprofitable vnnecessarie and superstitious Canons In the yeere of our Lord 364. and in the 24. yeere of the reigne of the Emp. Heraclius a Councell was gathered in Hispalis a towne of Spaine vulgarly called Ciuill la grand It was gathered by Isidorus B. of Hispalis at the command of king Sisebutus who was both present and President in this Councell For two principall causes was this Synode conueened namelie for suppressing the heresie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches secondly for decision of questions which arose amongst bishops concerning the marches and boundes of their diocesis with some other Ecclesiasticall causes They had 13. Sessions or meetinges as is declared 2. Tom. Concill In the first action Theodulphus bishop of Malaca complained that by injurie of warres an ancient paroch Church was separated from his towne and possessed by others It was concluded that he should be repossessed again into his ancient priueledges that prescriptioÌ„ of time should haue no place if it were known that hostilitie and warre-fare had hurt a man in his rights In the second Session the controuersie betwixt Fulgentius bishop of Astigita and Honorius bishop of Corduba concerning the marches of their dioceses was debated and men were chosen to visite the boundes and to decide the controuersie In the third Session compeared Cambra bishop of Italica a Towne of the prouince of Spaine of olde called Baetica hee complained against one of his Clergie named Passandus that he being brought vp from his infancie in the Church of Italica yet had fled without anie just cause to Corduba It was ordained that whosoeuer fled from his owne Church vnto another should be sent backe againe and should be thrust into a Monasterie and should bee deuested of his honour for a time to the end that the sharpenesse of Discipline might correct the licencious libertie of vaging and wandering In the 4. Session it was complained that some were consecrated to be Leuites in the Church of Astigita who had maried widowes
This ordination was annulled and it was ordained that none of these Leuites shoulde bee promoted to the honour of a Deacon In the fift Session a Deacon of the Church of Agabra complained of the ordination of three persons in that Church one was ordained to bee Presbyter and two to bee â—…euites The bishop beeing blinde laide his handes vpon them but one of the Presbyters pronounced the blessing Nowe the Presbyter who had pronounced the blessing was dead before the Councell of Hispalis therefore they remitted him to his owne judge but the three persons afore-saide admitted to Church-offices they deposed them from their offices as persons vnlawfullie admitted In the sixt Session it was found that Fragitanus a presbyter of the Church of Corduba was moste vnjustlie both deposed and banished by his bishop For remedie that the like mis-order shoulde haue no place in time to come it was statuted and ordained That a bishop without aduise of his Synode shoulde not presume to depose a presbyter In the seuenth Session Chore-episcopi and Presbyters are debarred from the high priueledges of the Episcopall office namelie from the consecration of presbyters of holie Virgines Churches and Altâ—…rs from laying hand vpon men conuerted from heresie and conferring vnto them the holie Spirit from making of Chrisme and signating with it the fore-heads of them who are baptized from absoluing publikelie in time of Masse anie penitent person and sending testimonials to foraine partes called Formatae epistolae and finallie from baptizing consecrating the Sacrament blessing the people and teaching them receiuing penitentes when the bishop was present Now the ground of all these prohibitions is not brought out of holie Scripture but from the authoritie of the Apostolicke chaire Earlie beganne the Antichâ—…ist to establish an Hierarchie in the Church which neither Christ nor His Apostles had commanded The eight Session intreated concerning Helisens a seruant whome the bishop of Agabra had set at libertie and hee on the other part abused his libertie so farre that hee prâ—…sumed by Magicall Artes to cut off the bishop who had beene so beneficiall vnto him hee was ordained to bee redacted againe to his former seruile estate that hee might learne obedience to his superiours by the heauie yoke of seruile subjection In the ninth Session it is forbidden that bishops shoulde haue Leke-men to bee masters of their house but oneliâ—… some of their owne Clergie shoulde bee dispensators of their householde affaires because it is written Thou shalt not plowe with an Oxe and an Asse together By the way marke that nothing was so miserablie abused at this time as testimonies of holie Scripture In the tenth Session the Monasteries latelie builded in the Bâ—…tike prouince were allowed and confirmed In the eleuâ—…nth Session the Monasteries of Virgines are recommeÌ„ded to the ouer-sight of the Abbot gouerning the Monasterie of Monkes with caueates that all appearance of euill should bee prouidentlie eschewed In the twelfth Session one professing the heresie of Acephali compeared who denied the distinction of two natures in Christ and affirmed that the diuinitie of Christ did suffer vpon the Crosse but hee was seriouslie dealt withall and conuicted by testimonies of holie Scripture and Fathers so that hee renounced his hereticall opinion and embraced the true Faith and the whole Councell gaue praise and thankes vnto God for his conuersion Iâ—… the thirteenth Session there is a prolixe refutation of the opinion of those who supponed that the two natures of Christ were confounded and that the diuinitie suffered Isidorus seemeth to bee the compiler of this Treatise against Acâ—…phali giuen in to the Councâ—…ll of Hispalis and manie doe thinke that he collected into one volume the Councels that preceeded his time for hee was a man more learned than his fellowes in his dayes IN the yeere of our Lord 639. and vnder the reigne of Sisenanâ—… king of 〈◊〉 by the kinges commandement moe than 70. bishops and pâ—…esbyters were conuened in the towne of 〈◊〉 vpon occasion of diuersitie of Ceremonies and Discipline in the countrey of Spaine First they set downe a short confession of the true Faith which they ordained to be embraced and kept Secondly that there should be an vniforme order of praying singing of Psalmes solemnities of Masses Euen-song-seruice throughout all Spaine and Gallicia like as they all professed one Faith and dwelt in one kingdome lest diuersitie of ceremonies and rites should offende ignorant people and make them to thinke that there was a schisme in the Church It was statuted and ordained That at least once in the yeere prouinciall Councels should be assembled and incase anie controuersie should fall out in matters of Faith a generall Councell of all the prouinces of Spaine should be assembled Here let the judicious Reader marke that in processe of time almoste all thinges are subject to alteration and Councels of olde called Nationall now abusiuelie beginne to be called Generall The order of incomming of bishops to the Councell and sitting in the first place and of the presbyters after them and sitting in a place behinde the bishops and of deacons who should stand in presence of bishops and presbyters is described at length in the third canon That the festiuitie of Easter or Pashe daye should bee kept vpon the day of Christes resurrection Concerning the diuersitie of rites vsed in baptisme some vsing the ceremonie of thrise dipping in water others one dipping onelie It was thought most expedient to be content with one dipping because the Trinitie is so viuely represented in the names of the Father Sonne and holie Ghost that there is no necessitie by three dippinges in water to represent the Trinitie and for eschewing all appearance of schisme and lest Christians should seeme to assent vnto heretiques who diuide the Trinitie For all these causes it was expedient to keepe vniformitie in the ceremonies of Baptisme It was statuted and ordained That vpon fryday immediately preceeding Easter day the doctrine of the suffering of Christ of repentance remission of sinnes should be clearly taught vnto the people to the end that they being purged by remission of sins might the more worthily celebrate the feast of the Lords resurrection and receiue the holie Sacrament of the Lords bodie and blood The custome of putting an ende vnto the fasting of Lent vpon fryday at nine a clocke is damned because in the daye of the Lordes suffering the Sunne was couered with darknesse and the elementes were troubled and for honour of the Lords suffering that daye should bee spent in fasting mourning and abstinence and hee who spendeth anie part of that day in banqueting let him bee debarred from the Sacrament of Christes bodie and blood on Pashe day That the Tapers and Torches which shined in the Church in the night preceeding the daye of the resurrection shoulde bee solemnly blessed to the end that the mystery
that same Church which hee would haue harmed and in the meane time the permutation afore-saide shall stand firme and stable Hee who hath augmented Church-rentes either by conferring or acquiring some augmentation vnto it hath some libertie to set Church-seruantes at libertie prouiding alwayes they abide vnder the patrocinie of the Church Because the patronage of the Church neuer dieth let those seruants whom the Church hath set at libertie and their posteritie be obedient vnto the Church and depende vpon their patrocinie If they be vnthankfull let their libertie be forfeite and let the Church defende them from all insolencie and wrong Seruants who are set at so full libertie that their patrones haue kept no band of subjection ouer their heads if they be vnspotted and vnreproueable they may be promoted to Ecclesiasticall offices But it is vnseemelie that anie man shall bee receiued into a spirituall office who is bound vnto the seruile subjection of an earthly master In ende earnest supplications are ordained to bee made to God for preseruation of king Sisenandus and the nation of the Gothes and many Anathems are pronounced against them who shall presume to violate the othe of alledgeance made to the king In ende the Actes of this Councell are subscribed by Isidorus bishop of Hispal◅ and other seuentie bishops IN the first yeere of Chintilla king of the Gothes and about the time of the reigne of the Emperour Heracleon conueened with Eugenius bishop of Toledo other twentie bishops In this Councell nothing was entreated except a mandate was giuen concerning the yeerely Letanies that shoulde bee made three dayes immediately following the Ides of December and if the Lords day interueened then these 3. dayes Letanies should bee differred vntill the beginning of the next weeke In these 3. dayes pardon for sins should be humbly begged at the hands of God with teares The rest of the ordinances of this Councell appoint supplications to bee made to God for preseruation of the king and his children and that they shall bee accursed who dare presume to suite the kinglie authoritie without the consent of the whole countrey of SPAINE and the Nobilitie of the nation of the GOTHES and that no man shall raile vpon the king or lie in waite for his life IN the yeere of our Lord 652. or as others reckon 650. Pope Martinus gathered a Councell at Rome of moe than 100. Bishops The errour of the Monothelites obstinately defended by Paulus bishop of Constātinople was the occasion of this Councell together with the impious edict of the Emperour Constans set out in fauours of the heresie of the Monothelites In this Councell ouer and besides an ample confession of faith manie decrees and constitutions were made all tending to damne those who denied either the Trinitie or the diuine vnitie in the diuine nature or the manifestation of the second person of the Trinitie and his suffering in the flesh or the perpetuall virginitie of the Lordes mother or the two natiuities of Christ one before all times and another in time by the operation of the holie Spirite or the conformitie of Christ to vs in all thinges sinne excepted or the distinction of the two natures after the ineffable vnitie or the distinction of willes and operations in Christ. In like manner all were damned who made opposition to the fiue preceeding generall Councels In particular Theodorus of Pharatrita Cyrus of Alexandria Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus bishops of Constantinople were damned as patrones and obstinate defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites There is more fr◅quent mention of Fathers than of Scriptures in this Counc◅ll a perilous example to the posteritie IN the yeere of our Lord 653. and in the third yeere of Chintill◅ King of Gothes in Spaine the 6. Councell of Toledo was assembled of 52. bishops Eugenius b. of Toledo being president The occasion seemeth to haue bene the renouation of old heresies contradiction to preceeding Councels After a confession of the Faith Letanies are ordained to be said as was appointed yeerelie for preseruation of the King It was ordained by the aduis◅ of the Councell with consent of the King his Nobles That no man should be tolerated to dwell in the kingdom of Spaine who did not professe the true Catholicke faith that kings in al time to come before they were placed in their royall seat should be boūd by the obligation of a solemne oath to interpone their authority that this act might bee obeyed Otherwise let the King refusing to put this act in execution be counted accursed and bee a faggot of the flames of euerlasting fire What Fe◅dinandus king of Spaine did in driuing out of his dominions the Iewes and the Saracenes some alleadge that it was done vpon the ground of this act but nowe it is not a fit time to examine that question No man shall presume by Simonie or largition of money to atteine to Ecclesiasticall offices If any of the Clergie obtaine a pension out of the Church rentes let him possesse it vnder the title of Praecaria lest by long possession the Church rents be diminished If any person be cloathed with a religious habite which hee hath voluntarily accepted if afterward he forsake it let him bee excommunicated if he returne not againe vnto his order The seuenth Canon is a renewing of the 54. Canon of the 4. Councell of Toledo A married man who voweth chastitie in time of sicknesse if he recouer health and haue not the gift of continencie let him cohabite againe with his wife but if shee die hee is debarred from the second marriage which notwithstanding is permitted to the wife if shee haue not vowed This Canon is not set downe by precept and commandement but permissiuely through indulgence and a consideration of humane infirmitie Seruants whome the Church hath set at libertie when one Prelate dieth and another succeedeth they are bound to renew the charters of their land which they possesse else their charters shall be voyde and of none effect if they be not renewed within the space of a yeere next after the election of the new Prelate The children of them whom the Church hath set at libertie if their parents bring them vp in learning they shall be brought vp in that same Church from which their libertie did arise and shall serue the Bishop of that Church alwayes without prejudice of their libertie Let no man vpon occasion of an accusation bee punished vnlesse his accuser bee presented and incase hee bee a vile and infamous person let no sentence be giuen out vpon the ground of such accusation except into an action of treason against the life of the King He who hath committed hainous offences and fearing punishment fleeth to the enemies of his countrey for refuge let him be excommunicated Let young men honour them who are in great credite and fauour with Princes And
Papistes woulde make it to sâ—…eme probable that the Antichrist is one singulare man onelie is taken from the force of the prepositiue article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A childish argument indeede as who woulde saye that it were not lawfull to praye in anie chamber except in one onâ—…lie in respect of the prepositiue article set before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Enter into thy chamber The time of the continuance of the Antichristes persecution three yeeres and an halfe is borrowed from Augustine who supposeth that the horne which shall speake words against the moste High and who shall chaunge times and lawes as thinges giuen vnto his handes vntilla time and times and the diuiding of a time by this horne I saye Augustine supposeth the Antichrist to be presented how beit others more judiciously haue referred this prophesie to Antiochus Epiphanes who blasphemed God chaunged Sabboâ—…hs and Festiuall dayes yea and by his impious lawes presumed to abrogate the law of the Almightie God and immediatelie after such presumptuous attempts God shortened his dayes for within the space of three yeeres and some fewe dayes hee ended his life in moste miserable manner They haue no better grounde to affirme that the Antichrist shall be of the Tribe of Dan than this Because the Tribe of Dan is not reckoned amongst the rest of the Tribes Apocal. 7. yet this was not done to exclude this Tribe from the sauing marke of Christ but to giue place to the Tribe of Leui and not to exceede the number of twelue Tribes for Holie Scripture which commendeth the faith of Barak of the Tribe of Nephtali and Gideon of the Tribe of Manasse and Iphtah of the Tribe of Gad commendeth also the faith of Samson of the Tribe of Dan Hebr. cap. 2. vers 11. One thing I cannot passe by The inuenters of such fables that the Antichrist shoulde bee of the Tribe of Dan borne in Babylon c. in some thinges haue ouer-seene themselues miserablie namelie when they affirme that the Antichrist shall build the Temple of Hierusalem and shall sit there in the Temple of God and the nation of the Iewes shall adhere vnto him and immediatelie after this the ende of the worlde shall come and Christ shall destroye the Antichrist by the Spirit of his mouth Heere marke the great contradiction that is betwixt the prophesie of Paul concerning the conuersion of the Iewes before the seconde comming of Christ and the foolish opinion of Papistes Paul saieth that the Iewes shall bee conuerted to the true faith before the Great daye of the LORDES seconde appearance but Papistes saye that the Iewes shall bee adhering to the Antichrist when Christ shall come to judge the worlde and to destroye the Antichrist by the brightnesse of his comming These two opinions cannot both consist therefore let the fable inuented by men fall that place may bee giuen to the trueth of God who is blessed for euermore AMEN A TREATISE Of the Antichrist CONTROVERSIES in ciuill matters are not all of like moment therefore it was ordained by the counsell of Iethro that great matters shoulde be brought to Moses and that inferiour Magistrates should judge in small causes But in controuersies of religion all causes both great and small are to bee brought vnto the mouth of Christ our true Moses who will speake from his Sanctuarie vnto vs and giue vnto vs resolution of all our doubtes out of His blessed worde In this TREATISE especially let vs runne to the month of Christ speaking by his Apostle Paul and vttering a notable prephesie concerning the comming of the Antichrist in the wordes following Let no man deceiue you by anie meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne bee dâ—…sclosed euen the sonne of perdition Who is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee doeth sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God Remember yee not that when I was with you I tolde you these things And nowe yee knowe what with-holdeth that hee might bee reuealed in his time For the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke onelie hee who nowe with-holdeth shall let tell hee bee taken out of the way And then shall the wicked man bee reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming Euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders And in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might bee saued And therefore God shall sende to them strong delusion that they shall beleeuelies That all they might bee damned who beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse The occasion mouing the Apostle to embarke into this Prâ—…pheticall prediction concerning the comming of the Antichrist was this Because some in Thessalonica spake of the second comming of Christ that it was neare approaching and euen at hand The Apostle on the other part woulde assure the Thessalonians that before the comming of that Great day there should first be a defection from the true faith and that the Antichrist should be disclosed It is not the purpose of the Apostle to disswade anie man from remembring the terrour of that Great daye wherein the verie Elements shall melt and if so be what manner of men aught we to be in holy conuersation looking for and hastening vnto the comming of the day of our Lord yea and the obliuion of the second comming of Christ is the principall grounde of the securitie of the euill seruant But the Apostle ledde by the conduct of the Holy Spirite fore-seeing that two things were needfull to bee remembered to wit the seconde comming of the Lord Iesus and the preceeding comming of the Antichrist hee would haue them so to remember the one that they should not forget the other lest whilest wee runne fast to the marke without marking the perilles that are in the waye wee fall into the snares of the Deuil Our maister Christ when he corrected the foolish precipitation of the sonnes of Zebedeus who woulde haue sitten at the right and left hand of Christ in His kingdome before they had beene baptized with his baptisme and before they had drunken of the cuppe of the sufferings of Christ hee disswadeth them not from continuall fastning their eyes vpon the glorie of Christes Kingdome but rather so to looke vnto the marke that they ouer-leape not the waye leading to the marke God hath indâ—…edep epared a kingdome for vs but by many tribulations we must enter into that kingdome The apostasie whereof the apostle prophecieth is not a desection in manners onely but also a departing from the faith as
when as of olde the people were wont to communicate euerie daye and therefore hee calleth the Lordes Supper a daylie sacrifice The Papistes are so farre from reproouing the people for not communicating that they make prouision onely for one to eate and drinke at the Altar and not for manie and they inuite not the people to communicate with them but rather by the noueltie of their newe inuented religion they distinguishe the Altar from the Communion table and the Sacrifice from the SacrameÌ„t farre contrarie to the custome of the Primitiue Church who by a Metaphore called the Sacrament a Sacrifice and by the like Metaphore called the Communion table an Altar If anie man will rudely presse the wordes of Chrysostome expresse contrarie to his meaning let him vnderstand that the like forme of speaking is vsed in Holy Scripture where it is saide And no â—…an receiued his testimonie to wit the testimonie of Christ. The meaning is not that no bodie receiued the testimonie of Christ but that verie fewe receiued it Euen so the meaning of the words of Chrysostome is that verie fewe of the people did communicate And this hath bene verie judiciously marked by Master IEWELL that worthie Bishop in his disputation against master Harding To bee short in this head of Antiquitie of the Popish Masse Their bragging of Antiquitie is not vnlike to the Gibeonites shoos which were olde and put on of purpose to deceiue yet were not their shoos so olde as the shoos of GODS people which by the miraculous worke of GOD lasted fourtie yeeres in the Wildernesse and were not rent GODS people might haue bragged indeede of ancient and vnrent shoos but the deceitful Gibeonites they bragged and deceiued Gods people with antiquitie falsely pretended Such is the antiquitie of the masse and no better Before I leaue this head I will admonishe the Reader not to bee deceiued with olde Latine transations of Grieke Authors Socrates writeth of the fauourers of Paulinus that after hee died they communicated not with Flauianus bishop of Antiochia but they kept Assemblies apart by themselues Nowe the wordes of the Grieke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is better translated this way Separatim conuentus faciebant than as some olde Latine interpreters translate the wordes Separatim missarum celebrabant solennia howbeit the olde interpreters by missarum solennia vnderstand nothing but Ecclesiasticall conuentions IN the second head we haue the definition of the Masse to be set downe and to bee examined The Masse is called a sacrifice propitiatorie vnbloodie wherein the Priest offereth the bodie of the Sonne of God to the Father vnder the formes of bread and wine and that without suffering for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead From the worde of Sacrifice auncient Fathers did not abhorre but they called the Holy Sacrament a Sacrifice of thankesgiuing and a commemoratiue Sacrifice of the death of Christ the wordes of Augustine are these Hujus sacrifitii caro ante aduentum Christi per victimas similitudinum promittebatur in passione per ipsam veritatem reddebatur post ascensum Christi per sacramentum memoriae celebratur that is to say The flesh of this sacrifice was promised by sacrifices of similitudes In the suffering of Christ it was in verie deede exhibited and after the ascension of Christ it is celebrated by a Sacrament of His memoriall In these wordes Augustine distinguisheth a sacrifice prefiguratiue before Christes comming and a sacrifice commemoratiue after the Lordes ascension from the sacrifice of Christes bodie in veritie and actually exhibited vpon the crosse other sacrifices point out as types and figures the great sacrifice of the bodie of Christ once offered vpon the crosse but they are not that selfe same sacrifice except by a figuratiue manner of speach And like as the towne Nicopolis was not the victorie of Augustus Casar when hee faught against Antonius and Cleopatra but it was onely a memoriall of the victorie Euen so the commemoratiue sacrifice of the new Testament is not the true sacrifice of Christes bodie but only a memoriall of that blessed sacrifice Iustinus Martyr had good occasion offered vnto him to write of the sacrifices of Christes Church because Paganes slaundered Christians and called them Atheistes in regarde they offered not bloodie sacrifices nor incense vnto their God to whome Iustinus returned this answere That Christians offered to GOD such sacrifices as they knew to bee moste acceptable to Him to wit the sacrifices of prayer and thankesgiuing And as concerning the creatures of God appointed for the sustentation of mankinde we keepe them saith hee for our owne vse and for the sustentation of indigent people but we consume them not with fire If there had bene anie corporal sacrifice in the Church of the bodie of the Sonne of God vnder the formes of bread and wine Iustinus had occasion offered vnto him to haue spoken of it but hee knew no such sacrifice in his time Yea and the sacrament of the Lords Supper is called by Iustinus a Sacrifice of thanksgiuing who confidently affirmeth that prayer thanksgiuing are the onely sacrifices perfect and acceptable to GOD euen at that time when the Sacrament is ministred which putteth vs in remembrance of the Lordes suffering Testimonies out of the bookes of ancient Fathers should bee cited without fraude and deceite and should not bee wrested to another sense and meaning than they were spoken into by the Authors And so the worde Sacrifice could offend no man if it were spoken in such sense as ancient Fathers spake it The Romane Church shoulde doe well so to remember the names that ancient Fathers haue giuen to the Sacrament that they shoulde not forget that Holy Scripture calleth it a Communion of the bodie and blood of Christ. Then let it be such a sacrifice wherein many participates of one bread and one cup and thereby sealeth vp that they are all members of one mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ but not such a sacrifice wherein the people standeth gazing and looking and the Priest alone eateth and drinketh and distributeth nothing vnto the people They answere that the Priest who offereth at the Altar he communicateth with others who doe the like seruice in other places This is but falsehoode in reasoning arising vpon the deceitfull handeling of one worde hauing two significations The worde Communion importeth two things First a Communion in religion Secondly a participation of the Holy Supper in one place and an eating of one bread and drinking of one cuppe and in this second sense it is taken by the Apostle in the 10. Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians in which sense their priuate Masse cannot be called a Communion The second word of the definition of the Masse is propitiatorie This word doeth signifie a sacrifice purchasing remission of sinnes as the Apostle witnesseth And this honour doeth onelie appertaine to the sacrifice of Christ who
and he married another woman named Hildegarde of the Dukerie of Sweue These are the fruits of antichristian pride to threaten the torments of hell against the princes of the worlde for marriage if so be they fore-see anie damnage may redound to the chaite of Rome by the marriage of princes After Stephanus the thirde succeeded Adrian the first and gouerned 23. yeeres ten monethes and seuenteene da◅es In his dayes Charles the Great came into Italie with an armie and banished Desiderius king of Lombardes his wife and children to Lions in France and vtterly suodued the kingdome of the Lombardes which had continued in Italie 204. yeeres Nowe in the yeere of our Lord 776. this kingdome was abolished vndone by Charles the Great king of France for the fauour he carried towards the chaire of Rome Likewise he augmented the donation of his father Pipinus and he bestowed vpon the Church of Rome the Isle of Corsica and the places interjacent betwixt Luca and Parma with the Dukedomes of Spoleto and Beneuento This being done Charles returned backe againe to France carying with him Bertha his brothers wife and hir children who came to Adrian bishop of Rome hoping for fauour at his handes and that hee should haue annointed her sonnes to be kings of France seeing Carolomannus their father was now dead but hee deliuered them into the hands of Charles and so Charles the Great reigned without exception as absolute commander of France Irene the Empresse of the East during the time of Adrians popedome assembled a great Councell at Nice in Bythinia where the adoration of images was allowed In this Councell the popes Ambassadours were present and his owne letter was read in the Councell no man gaue greater allowance to the worshipping of images than pope Adrian did as shall be declared God willing in the head of Councels It is to be marked that Platina writing of the death of Constantinus Copronymus is compelled to beare witnesse to the trueth and testifie that the opinion of the leprosie of Constantine the Great was a notable fable and that it sprang vp by occasion of the disease of Constantinus Copronymus the father in law of the Empresse Irene To Adrian succeeded Leo the third and gouerned 21. yeeres he was hated by Pascalis and Campulus who lay in waite for him at the Church of Sainct Syluester threw him downe to the ground spoy led him of his pontificall garments beate him with manie strokes and finally cast him into prison and bands but he escaped by the meanes of a cubiculare named Albinus lurked in the Vaticane vntill the time that Unigisius duke of Spoleto conuoyed him safely vnto his boundes At this time Charles king of France had warres against the Saxones The bishop of Rome who came to him to complaine of the injuries which hee had receiued was sent back againe verie honourably accompanied with the souldiours of Charles king of France and with promise that hee shoulde without delay addresse his journey towardes Italie When Charles came to Italie the popes enemies were so dashed with feare that they durst not appeare to accuse him and the Clergie of Rome thought meete that no man shoulde judge of the Apostolike chaire but the bishop of Rome should be his own judge Leo tooke the booke of the Gospell in his handes and swore that he was innocēt of all the crimes objected against him and so he was absolued Pascalis Campulus the friēds of the late deceassed pope Adrian were counted worthy of death but pope Leo intercided for safetie of their liues so they were banished to France For this benefite Leo caused Charles to bee declared Emperour of the West and crowned him with the Emperiall Diademe And from that time forwardes the custome beganne that Emperoures shoulde receiue their Coronation from the Bishop of ROME Notwithstanding of this it was ordained that no man shoulde bee elected Bishop of ROME without aduice of the Emperour of the West and without receiuing inuestment from him THE Patriarches of Constantinople in this CENTVRIE were placed and displaced according to the changeable conceits of the Emperours Vnder the reigne of Iustinian the seconde Cyrus was Patriarch whom Philippicus remoued and aduanced one named Ihonne who had fore-tolde that he should be made Emperour This Ihonne was infected with the heresie of the Monothelites and was remoued by Artemius by whome Germanus was aduanced to the chaire of Constantinople Germanus continued vntill the reigne of Constantinus Copronymus Hee was deposed and excommunicated by the Generall Councell assembled by Constantinus because hee allowed the worshipping of images To him succeeded Anastasius who albeit hee disliked images yet hee was vnthankefull to the Emperour and fauoured the seditious attemptes of the people of Constantinople who aduanced Artabasdus to the Emperiall dignitie More-ouer hee slandered the Emperour as if he had spoken against the diuinitie of Christ. Hee receiued a just recompense of his vnthankefulnesse for hee was deposed and scourged and set vpon an Asse with his face towards the Asses taile and made a ridiculous spectacle to the people After him Constantine a Mōke was made Patriarch who at the first seemed to damne images but afterward he was found to be a maintainer and allower of them The Emp. banished him to Iberia where hee spake contumeliouslie both of the Emperour and of the Councell holden at Constantinople therefore hee was brought backe againe from banishment and was beheaded and his bodie was trailed through the towne with a corde casten into a pit where the bodies of male-factors were accustomed to bee casten After him succeeded Nicetas a man vnlearned aduāced by the Em. Const. Copron. for none other cause but only for his zeale against the worshipping of images After him succeeded Paulus Cyprius who in the dayes of Const. Copron. damned the worshipping of images but afterward repented vnder the reigne of Irene entered into a Monastery lamented that he had cōsented to the abolishing of images The vaine repentance of this timorous and superstitious man was the chiefe occasion of the conuocation of the seconde Councell of Nice by the Empresse Irene To him succeeded Tarasius who was present at the second Councell of Nice and gaue allowance to the adoration of images The preuailing power of the Saracenes in Alexandria Antiochia and Hierusalem did so obscure the names of the Patriarches of these cities that I haue no remarkeable thing to write of them in this CENTVRIE IN this declining age wherein spirituall grace dayly decayed and nothing encreased except an heape of earthly treasures which God permitteth to be powred into the bosomes of them who loue the wages of iniquitie Alwayes euen at this time some men of good literature and learning did manifest themselues vnto the world such as Bonifacius bishop of Mentz Damascene alearned Monke Paulus Diaconus a learned writer of histories and Beda a man counted venerable in his time yet all
commanded to confesse his faults to his neighbour whome hee hath offended Luke 17. 4 And it belongeth nothing to auricular confession except Popish Priestes would confesse in particular all their sinnes to the people like as the people confesseth all their secret sinnes in particular to the Priestes And our Lord and Master Iesus Christ when hee receiued a particular confession of secret sinnes from the Samaritan woman hee sent away his Disciples to Samaria to the ende the weakenesse of a poore penitent sinner should not bee troubled by a particular confession of secret sinnes before them who knewe not thinges which were done in secret But let vs confesse secret sinnes to God who knoweth things that are done in secret But sinnes whereby the Church of God is openly slandered let them also bee openlie confessed Seeing that auricular confession hath no testimonie in Scripture it followeth to search out by diligent examination whether or no it had place after the dayes of the Apostles in the first three hundreth yeeres of our Lord. Wee reade of the first Christned Emperour Philippus who slewe Gordianus and was slaine by the Emperour Decius anno 250 that hee was desirous about Easter time to bee admitted vnto the participation of the holy Sacrament but this benefit was refused vnto him vntill the time that he made his publicke repentance and vntill hee stood in the place where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were accustomed to stand They were so called because they were demaunded concerning the sinnes which they had committed and the sense and feeling of griefe that God had wrought in their heartes for their preceeding offences This was not a secret and auricular confession but an open confession of publike sins in sight open audience of the people So we see that for the space of two hundreth and fiftie yeeres after the Lords ascension auricular and secret confession of sinnes to the Bishop or Presbyter was vnknowne in the Church Nowe if at any time open confession of sinnes shoulde haue ceassed and giuen place to secrete and auricular confession it was in time of the tenne Persecutions because that Christians were drawne continually before the judgement seates of vnbeleeuing Iudges from whom the weaknesse and faultes of Christians might haue beene obscured if auricular confession had beene in vse at that time But the Fathers who liued in that age were so carefull to purge the Church from slander that they preferred the puritie of the Church vnto their owne liues True it is that euen before the ten Persecutions had an ende some good Christians woulde consult with their Pastors wâ—…ether it was expedient to confesse their sinnes openly before the people to the edification and good of the Church or secretly onely to God But this secrete consulting with the Pastor what was most needfull to bee done was not an auricular confession to him of all secret sinnes but rather an aduisement concerning some sinnes whether the sinner himselfe and the Church might receiue greater benefite by open confession before the people or by secret confession to God onely The wordes of Origen very pertinently cited by Chemnisius are these Consider circumspectly to whom thou shouldest confesse thy sinne Trie first thy Physition if hee vnderstand and fore-see thy disease to bee such as should bee confessed in the Congregation of the whole Church and so be cured whereby possibly others may be edified and thou thy selfe may bee easily healed then saieth hee make haste to vse the counsell of thy Phisition If the custome of the Primitiue Church were proponed in simplicitie and sinceritie it shoulde bee founde that the newe toye of auricular confession cannot bee shrowded vnder the vaile of great Antiquitie Whatsoeuer a fewe men wounded more deepely with a sense of sinne than others they did voluntarily in powring out their sinnes in the bosome of their Pastors albeit they had neither sacrificed vnto Idoles nor yet giuen vp their names in the Romane deputies rolles promising conformitie but only they confessed other faults of lesse moment to their Pastors with dejected and humbled mindes seeking comfort to their afflicted soules This is a matter rarely contingent wherewith wee are acquainted in our dayes as familiarly as Cyprian was in his time Yet was there no mandate and Church commandement ordaining people so to doe in Cyprians dayes And people likewise who powreth out the dolour of their wounded coÌ„sciences for secret sinnes in our bosome they doe it voluntarily and vncoacted hoping for some mitigation of their griefe through vnburthening of their heart by confession as Nazianzenus writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It is some medicinall cure of heart griefe to powre out our words into the verie aire After the three hundreth yeere of our Lord and after the tenne Persecutions ceassed the discipline of making open repentance for open sinnes continued in the Church as is euident by the Act of the Councell of Nice in the 11. Canon in the which a forme of Publicke satisfaction is prescribed vnto them who in time of the Persecution of Licinius had sacrificed to Idoles But concerning a particulare confession of secrete sinnes to the Pastor there is no mention in the Councell of Nice The Historie hath declared that auricular confession had place in the East Churches in the dayes of Nectarius bishop of Constantinople whose Ministerie was vnder the reigne of the Emperour Theodosius Here two thinges are to bee noted First that the discipline of the East and West Churches was different and in the West Church there remained a publicke confession of notorious and publicke sinnes in so much that the Emperour Theodosius himselfe confessed his fault openly and in sight of the people at Millane for the slaughter of the innocent people of Thessalonica Secondly it is to bee marked that Nectarius in abolishing the custome of auticular confession he acknowledged it to bee but an humane and not a diuine constitution for who dare abolishe either in doctrine or discipline the constitutions and ordinances of God Lindanus a man in the Latine Language more eloquent than godly cannot suffer that it shall be thought that Nectarius abolished auriculare confession but rather that hee abolished the custome then in vse that one shoulde onely bee Presbyter Poenitentiarius to whome secrete sinnes shoulde bee confessed and that in time to come a man should make choise of any presbyter whom he pleased to be his father Confessor But let the historie bee judge Socrates saith that Eudaemon gaue councell to Nectarius to abrogate presbyter poenitentiarius to remit euery man to the triall of his owne conscience when he approached to the participation of holy mysteries Satisfaction in the Romane Church is an obedience to the injunctions of the Priest by performance wherof they are in hope to obtaine forgiuenesse at the handes of God for sinnes committed after Baptisme But besides the Nouelâ—…y that is in Popish Satisfaction it is also a blasphemous opinion
foure dayes About the yeere of our Lord 854. being Pope she played the Harlot and by the prouidence of God this viilanie of the Romane Church which cannot erre was manifested to the whole worlde For in the time of a solemne Procession as she was going to the Church of Latcraâ—… she trauelled in birth and died and was buried without honour Onuphrius the Aduocate of all euill causes cannot ouer-passe this matter with silence but hee bringeth an argument from the authoritie of Anastatius a writer of Chronologie to infringe the credite of this historie in this manner Anastatius saith hee liued about this time and knew best who succeeded to Leo the fourth and hee maketh no mention of Ioannes the eight but of Benedictus the thirde as successour of Leo the fourth To this Philip Morney answereth That an argument taken from authoritie negatiuely hath no force Anastatius maketh no mention thereof ergo it was not done It followeth not for hee bringeth in the restimonie of Ranulphus declaring the cause wherefore Anastatius omitted the name of the foeminine Pope to wit Propter deformitatem facti that is For the deformitie of the fact The nature of a short Compend permitteth me not to insist but let them who are desirous accurately to trie out the veritie of this matter reade that worthie Booke of Philip Morney called Mysterium iniquitatis Then followed Benedictus the third and ruled two yeeres six monethes and nine dayes A man in honouring the Funeralles of the Clergie with his presence readie at all times and desirous likewise that the Funerall of the Bishop shoulde bee honoured with the presence of the whole Clergie To Benedict the thirde succeeded Nicolaus the first and gouerned seuen yeeres nine monethes and thirteene dayes Hee subdued the Bishop of Rauenna to his obedience He suffered the Emperour Ludouicke the seconde to light from his horse and to leade his bridle vntill hee came to the Campe which was the space of a mile Hee permitted diuorcement betwixt married persons for Religions cause without consent of partie And that persons in spirituall offices shoulde not bee subject to the justice seates of ciuill Magistrates He ordained also that no man shouâ—…de receiue the holy Sacrament from a married Priest And that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall Conuentions except when questions concerning Faith shoulde bee entraited Likewise hee ordamed That the seruice of GOD in all countreyes should bee celebrated in Latine dispensing in the meane time with the Sclauonians and the Polonians to haue the seruice of GOD in their owne Vulgare Language Hee added vnto the Liturgie of the MASSE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS Hadrianus the second succeeded to Nicolaus the first and ruled fiue yeeres nine monethes and twelue dayes He vsed Antichristian authoritie not onely against Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes but also against Carolus Caluus king of Fraunce whome hee commanded imperiously to present one Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum and nephewe to Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes to the ende that his cause might bee judged by the Apostolicke seate The King tooke these letters in a very euill part and writ vnto the Pope That the Kings of Fraunce had euer beene Soueraigne lordes in their owne countreye and not vice-gerentes and vassalles to Bishops and That hee woulde not permitte any man who had bene damned in a lawfull Councell in his owne countrey to wit in the Councell of Acciniacum to make appellation to Rome In this Popes time the eight generall Councell was assembled whereof I shall speake in its owne time GOD willing Ioannes the ninth succeeded to Adrianus the seconde and gouerned ten yeeres and two dayes This is hee who for rewardes crowned Carolus Caluus to bee Emperour and was casten into prison because hee was more affectionated to Ludouicus Balbus sonne to Carolus Caluus and king of Fraunce than to Carolus Crassus king of Germanie Neuerthelesse hee escaped out of prison and fledde to Ludouicke king of Fraunce whome also hee crowned to bee Emperour But Balbus after his coronation incontinent died and Pope Ihon the ninth must seeke newe acquaintance because his olde friendes were gone therefore hee crowned Carolus Crassus to bee Emperour This was the first Pope who in time of his Popedome crowned three Emperours Martinus the seconde rulâ—…d one yeere and fiue monethes Hadrianus the thirde succeeded to Martinus the time of his gouernement was also short for hee continued not aboue one yeere and two monethes yet neuerthelesse men who are busie may make much stirre in short time Hee perfected that worke which his predecessours had beene busied in bringing to passe many yeeres preceeding namely That the Clergie and people of Rome should not attend vpon the allowance of the Emperour but they shoulde freely choose whome they thought meetest to bee Pope Hee tooke the greater boldnesse to doe this because the Emperour Carolus was occupied in warre-fare The Nation of the Normandes were now so sauadge and mightie and molested Fraunce with an hudge Armie that the Emperour was compelled to transact with them in manner as is aboue rehearsed in the Historie of the life of Caralus Crassus Another constitution was made by Pope Hadrian to wit That after the death of Carolus Crassus who died without succession the Emperiall Title together with the gouernement of Italie shoulde belong to one of the Princes of Italie This was the grounde of vnsupportable debate and of factions in Italie euery man according to the greatnesse of his power contending to bee King and Emperour But chiefely Albertus Marques of TVSCIA Bâ—…rengarius Duke of FOROVILIVM and Guido Duke of SPOLETO This seditious plotte also perturbed the Ecclesiasticall estate For after this euery one of the Princes of ITALIE stroue with all their might to haue such a man seated in the Popedome as coulde best aduance his faction as will clearelie appeare in the election of Pope Formosus To Hadrian the thirde succeeded Stephanus the fifth and ruled sixe yeeres and eleuen dayes The lesse Holinesse Learning and Vertue that hee had the greater audacitie and boldnesse was founde in him for hee made a constitution whereof GRATIAN recordeth Distinct. 19. Cap. Enimvero Quicquid ECCLESIA ROMANA statâ—…ie quicquid ordirat perpetuo quidem irre-fragibiliter obseruandum est that is Whatsoeuer the ROMANE CHVRCH doeth statute and ordaine it 〈◊〉 perpetuallie and without all contradiction to bee obserued After STEPHANVS the fifth whome others doe call the sixth succeeded FORMOSVS and continued fiue yeeres and sixe monethes Hee obtained the Popedome not without strife For one SERGIVS a Deacon was his competitor supported with the TVSCVLAN faction Alwayes FORMOSVS preuailed It was supposed that hee was one of them who conspired against Pope IHONNE the ninth and cast him into bandes After this hee seared the authoritie of Pope IHONNE and fledde into FRAVNCE but Pope IHONNE denuded him of all Ecclesiasticall office and put vpon him the habite of a Laicke
opposition is made to the Councell of Frankâ—…ord neither was the adoration of Images auowed in any of thâ—…se Councels So much auaileth the authoritie of a Prince for suppressing of false doctrine heresie In this CouÌ„cel at Rhemes Wulfarius archbis was presideÌ„t 44. canons are rehearsed in the 2. Tome of Councels made in this Councell In the 1. Can. it was concluded That euery man should diligently acquaint himselfe with the Articles of his Faith 2. That euery man should learne the Lords Prayer and comprehend the meaning thereof 3. That euery man promoted to Ecclesiasticall orders shall walke worthily conforme to his calling 4. The Epistles of Paule were read to giue instructions to sub-deacons howe they should behaue themselues Yet is there not one worde in all the Epistles of Paule of a subâ—…deacon 5. The Gospell was read to giue instruction to Deacons to minister condingly in their office 6. Ignorant Priestes are instructed to celebrate the Seruice with greater vnderstanding 7. In like manner they are instructed howe to prepare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Sacrament of Baptisme 8. The holy Canons were read out of the Decretall of Innocentius for ordering the life of Chanons 9. The rule of Sainct Benedict was read to reduce Abbots and their Conuents to a remembrance of their order 10. The Pastorall booke of Gregorius was â—…ead to admonish Pastors of their duetie 11. Sentences of diuerse ancient Fathers were read to admonish men of all â—…aÌ„ks both Prelats subjects to bring forth the fruit of a good conuersation 12. These things being done they set down a forme of receiuing of confessions prescribing of pennance according to the Canonicall institution 13. They reasoned about the eight principall vices to the ende their diuersitie beeing distinguished euerie man might know what vices hee should eschewe and teach others to beware of the same 14. That Bishops should take heed to the reading of the bookes of the Canonicke Scripture and the bookes of Fathers should attend vpon the preaching of the word of God 15. That bisshops should preach the Sermons and Homilies of H. Fathers in such sort as all the people might vnderstand them The 16. can is coincident with the 12. 17. That bishops abbots permit no man to solace the company with filthy gesting in their preseÌ„ce but let poore indigent people be refreshed at their tables with lecture of diuine Scripture and praysing of God according to the Precept of the Apostle that whether wee eate or drinke let all thinges bee done to the glorie of God 18. Gluttonie and drunkernesse for bidden to bishops and the Ministers of God 19. Let not bishops bee rash to judge in thinges secret which are to bee referred to the judgement of God who can manifest thinges hid vp in darknesse discouer the secrets of the heart 20. Presbyters shall not transport themselues from a lowe place to a greater 21. Whosoeuer by money-paying procureth a preferment in the Church shall bee deposed 22. No Church man shall cohabite with a woman except it bee with his mother or sister or such like persons by whose companie no suspition of vncleannesse can arise Precepts giuen to Monkes and Nunnes I passe by as I did in the former Councell Can. 35. The Sabboth day shall be kept holy and in it no seruile worke shall be done according to the Lords Commandement 36. Let no man bestow vpon the Church that thing which by vnlawfull meanes hee hath fraudulently with-drawne from others 37. nor yet by lies and deceitfull meanes withdraw any thing duely beloÌ„ging to the Church 38. Let tythes be precisely payed 39. Let no man presume to receiue rewards for his decreet and sentence 40. Let Prayers Oblations be made for the Emperour and his noble rase that it woulde please God to preserue them in all happinesse in this present life vouchsafe vpon them Celestiall joyes in companie of the Angels in the life to come In the 41. Canon mention is made of a certaine rent left by king Pipinus of good memorie which they wish the Emperour Charles Pipinus sonne shoulde not alter nor transferre into another summe in respect that by so doing manie perjuries and false testimonies might ensue 42. And that no man should bee remooued from his mansion to whome the Emperoures Almes is distributed 43. And that the statute may bee confirmed by his Highnesse allowance whereby all contentions and strifes are ordained to haue a decision end 44. And that the statute made in Bononia concerning false witnesses maye bee ratified and confirmed with augmentation if neede require for eschewing of perjuries false testimonies and many other inconueniences IN the yeere of our LORD 813. and at the commaundement of the Emperour Carolus Magnus a Councell of manie Bishops and Abbots was assembled about establishing of Ecclesiasticall Discipline in the Towne of Towrs In the 1. Canon all men are admonished to bee obedient to the Emperour Charles the Great and to keepe the oath of alleadgeance made vnto him and to make prayers and supplications for his prosperitie and well-fare 2. All Bishops shall diligently reade and frequently peruse the bookes of holy Scripture the histories of the Euangell and the Epistles of Paul together with the bookes of ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawfull for any Bishop to be ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastorall booke of Gregorius in the which euery man as in a viue mirrour might see himselfe 4. Let euery Bishop feede the flocke committed vnto him not onely with doctrine but also with examples of a good conuersation 5. A Bishop must not bee giuen to sumptuous banquets but be content with a moderate diet lest hee should seeme to abuse the counsell of our Lord saying Take heede that your hearts be not surfetted with gluttonie or drunkennesse but let holy lecture be at his table rather than the idle wordes of flattering fellowes 6. Let strangers and indigent people bee at Bishops tables whome they maye refreshe both with corporall and spirituall repaste 7. The delicate pleasures of the eare and the eyes are to bee eschewed lest by such pleasures the minde bee effeminate and inchaunted 8. Let not the Lordes seruantes delight in vaine jesting nor in hunting nor halking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons followe the foot-steps of their Bishops assuring themselues that the good conuersation enjoyned vnto their Bishops is also enjoyned vnto them 10. Let Bishops haue a great sollicitude and care towards the poore and be faithfull dispensators of Ecclesiasticall goods as the Ministers of God and not as hunters after filthie lucre 11. It is lawfull for Bishops with consent of Presbyters Deacons to bestow out of the Church treasure support to indigent people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to bee ordained vntill hee bee 30. yeeres olde 13. Let the B. make diligeÌ„t inquisitioÌ„ in his own Paroch Church that no Presbyter coÌ„ming from any
other parts make seruice in his Church without letters of recommendation 14. Let a Pres byter leauing a lowe place and presuming to an higher incurre that same punishment which a Bishop deprehended in the like fault should incurre 15. A Presbyter who attaineth to a Church by giuing money for it let him be deposed 16. Let tythes bestowed vpon Churches by aduise of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poore by the Presbyters 17. The families of Bishops shall bee instructed in the summe of the true faith In the knowledge of the retribution to be giuen to good men and the condemnation of vngodly people and of the resurrection and last judgement and by what kinde of workes eternall life may bee promerited and that the Homelies containing these instructions shall bee translated into Rusticke Latine language to the end that euery person may vnderstand them Marke in what estimation the Latine language hath bene at this time that instructions in Rusticke and Barbarous Latine are counted better than instructions in good French Language 18. It is the duetie of the Bishop to instruct his Presbyters concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme what it is that they should desire the people baptized to renounce namely they should renounce the deuill all his works his pomps Now the works of the Deuill are murther fornication adulterie drunkennesse and other such like faultes But the pompes of the Deuill are pride ostentation swelling conceites vaine glory lostinesse and such other faultes as spring vp from such groundes 19. Presbyters are precisely to bee admonished that when they say the Masse and doe communicate they doe not distribute the Lords bodie indiscretely to children and to all persons who happen to bee present who if they bee entangled with great sinnes they procure vnto themselues rather damnation than any remedie to their soules according to the saying of the Apostle Whosoeuer eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cuppe vnWorthilie hee shall bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of the LORD Let a man therefore trie himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cuppe By this let the judicious Reader marke that euen in the dayes of Carolus Magnus priuate Masses had no place but they who were duely prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrisme to be touched by euery man 21. Presbyters shall not resort to Tavernes to eate or drinke 22. Bishops and presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who haue confessed their sines pennance discretly according to the weightinesse of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in Cities let them eate in one Closter and sleepe vnder one roofe to the ende they may bee readie to celebrate their Canonicall houres From the 24. Can. vnto the 32. are contained Constitutions concerning Monkes and Nunnes which I ouer-passe with silence fearing to bee prolixt Can. 32. All men should studie to peace and concorde but especially Christians forsaking hatred discorde and enuie 33. Lordes and Iudges should bee obedient to the wholsome admonitions of their bishops and bishops on the other part should reuerentlie regarde them to the ende they may bee mutually supported euery one with the consolations of another 34. Lordes and Iudges are to bee admonished that they admitte not vile and naughtie persons to beare witnesse in their judicatories because there are manie who for a contemptible price are readie to make shipwracke of a good conscience 35. Let no man for his decreet receiue a rewarde for diuine Scripture in manie places for biddeth this as a thing that blindeth the eyes of the wise 36. Let euerie man bee carefull to support indigent persons of his owne familie and kinred for it is an impious and abominable thing in the sight of God that men abounding in riches should neglect their owne 37. Christians when they make supplications to God let them in humble manner bowe downe their knees following the example of the Martyr Steuen and of the Apostle Paul Except vpon the Lordes daye and other solemne dayes on the which the vniuersall Church keepeth a memoriall of the Lordes resurrection and at such times they are accustomed to stand and pray 38. Faithfull people must be admonished not to enter into the Church with tumult and dinne and in time of Prayer and celebration of the Masse not to be occupied in vaine confabulations and idle speaches but euen to abstaine from wicked cogitations 39. Let not the Consistories and Iudgement seates of secular Iudges bee in the Church or portches thereof in any time to come because the house of God shoulde bee an house of Prayer as our Lord Iesus Christ saieth 40. Let it bee forbidden that Merchandize be vsed vpon the Lordes daye or Iustice Courtes because all men should abstaine from seruile laboures to the ende this day may bee spent in praysing and thanking God from Morne till Euen 41. Incestuous persons parracides and murtherers are found who will not hearken to the wholsome admonitions of Church men but perseuere in their vitious conuersation who must bee reduced to order by the discipline of the secular power 42. Let the people bee admonished to abstaine from Magicall Artes which can bring no support and helpe to the infirmities of men and beastes but they are the deceitfull snares of the Deuill whereby hee deceiueth mankind 43. A frequent custome of swearing is forbidden wherein men vpon euery light occasion willing to purchase credite to that which they speake they take God to bee witnesse of the veritie of their speaches 44. Manie frie subjectes by the oppression of their Masters aro-redacted to extreame pouertie whose causes if our clement Soueraigne please to examine hee shall finde that they are vnjustlie redacted to extreame indigence 45. A false measure and a false ballance is an abomination vnto the Lord as Salomon recordeth The 46. Canon containeth a regrate that tythes were not duely payed to the Church notwithstanding that the Church had giuen in their complaint to the ciuill Magistrate whereby it came to passe that not onely Lightes in the Church and steependes to the Clergie beganne to inlacke but also the very Paroch Churches became ruinous 47. When generall Fastinges are appointed for any impendent calamitie let no man neglect the fellowship of the humbled Church for desire to fearce his bellie with delicate foode 48. Drunkennesse and surfetting are forbiddē as offensiue both to soule and and bodie and the ground of many other sinnes 49. Lords and Masters are to bee admonished not to deale cruelly and vnmercifully with their subjectes yea and not to seeke that which is due vnto themselues with excessiue rigour 50. Let Laicke people communicate at least thrise in the yeere vnlesse they bee impeded by some hainous sinnes committed by them 51. In the last Canon mention is made that they diligently examined the cause of them who complained to the Emperour that they were disherited by the donation of landes which their fathers and friends had bestowed
or resemblance of a SACRAMENT therein The office of a sab-Deacon is not mentioned in Holie Scripture and their seruice in carrying the Challice and the Paxe and the potte with water to washe the handes of them who minister at the Altar and the Towell they are such a masse of friuolous toyes inuented by the braine of man that I will leaue of to speake anie further of them remembring alwayes this auncient saying That which Scripture hath not commaunded maye bee as easilie rejected as it maye bee furtherlie obtruded NOwe seeing I haue remembred in all my preceeding Treatises to speake of Antiquitie I shall not ouer-passe with silence this poinct GOD willing in this Treatise also Albeit the Hierarchie of the Romane Church were founde to bee auncient yet it sufficeth for this Treatise to declare that of olde these Orders were not called a Sacrament And there is no ancient Writer whome I haue read who reckoneth Church Orders in the number of Sacramentes As for the wordes of Cyprian and Pope Leo cited by Lindanus they are not worthie of refutation because in a generall signification manie thinges maye bee called Sacramentes But to call Order a Sacrament in a strict signification it is a newe inuention founde out by the Scholasticke Doctors who behooued to bee serious in some thing after they had lost the substance of Religion But I will set forwarde and declare that the Hierarchy it selfe is not so auncient as they affirme it to bee True it is that about the yeere of our LORD 250. Cornelius Bishop of Rome abhorring the arrogancie of Nouaius describeth the Hierarchie of the Romane Church in the which there was one Bishop fourtie and sixe Presbyters seuen Deacons and seuen sub-Deacons fourtie and two Acoluthi of Exorcistes Readers and Ianitors fiftie two of Widowes afflicted people aboue a thousande and fiue hundreth persons who were all sustained by the liberalitie and goodnesse of GOD in the Romane Church Heereof it appeareth that ouer and beside offices instituted by the Apostles to continue ordinarilie in the Church other offices crept in into the Church by humane institution hauing no such warrand as Elders and Deacons had And after the time of the promotion of the Bishop of Rome to the honour of Vniuersall Bishop the number of Church offices encreassed and to Presbyters were added Arch-priestes and to Deacons were added Arch-deacons And Lindanus lamenteth that other inferiour offices which were inuented by men had ceassed in the Church such as Fossores Syngeli Copiatae When the liberalitie of the people bestowed superfluitie of riches vpon the Church then newe offices behooued to bee founde out to the ende that all which was bestowed might seeme too litle because manie Church offices were to bee sustained the prouerbe spoken of olde of women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A woman is naturally sumptuous nowe it might bee justly transferred to the Church Hierarchie that it was a sumptuous and costly thing About the yeere of our Lord 308 and vnder the reigne of Dioclesian a constitution is attributed to Caius Bishop of Rome that men should bee promoted to superiour Orders by degrees ascending from inferiour Orders And all the fore-mentioned Orders are reckoned in that Decretall of Caius to wit Ostiarius Lector Exorcista Acoluthus Sub-diaconus Diaconus Presbyter and Episcopus But the Epistle of Leo the fourth written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credite to all the decretall Epistles written before the dayes of Pope Siricius except onelie to the decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So that argumentes taken from decretall Epistles preceeding the 384. yeere of our Lord hath the lesse credite amongst vs because they cannot obtaine credite at the handes of their owne Popes But seeing nothing is to beee called auncient which hath not flowed from the mouth of Christ and His Apostles lest they should seeme to be discountenanced in this poinct they cite the booke of the Canons of the Apostles to prooue that the degrees afore-saide were Apostolicke constitutions This booke is not onely supposititious but also moste impertinently cited by Papistes because in the Councell of Trent De Sacramento ordinis cap. 2. Anathema is pronounced against them who acknowledgeth not all their Orders both superiour and inferiour But the booke of the Canons of the Apostles acknowledgeth onely fiue Orders namely Bishops Presbyters Deacons Readers and Psalmists or Chantors but no mention is made of Exorcistes and Sub-deacons Therefore it were good for them either to bragge lesse of Antiquitie or to prooue better that their Hierarchie is auncient Ambrose in cap. 4. ad Ephes. reckoneth fiue Orders to wit Bishops Presbyters Deacons Readers and Exorcistes making no mention of Subdeacons and Acoluthi The Canonistes recken nine Orders adding to the seuen aboue mentioned Bishops and Psalmists This diuersitie of opinions concerning Church Orders declareth two thinges First that of olde there was no Sacrament of Orders Secondlie that there was no setled opinion in the Church about Orders but one Church vsed one forme and another Church another forme as is customably obserued in thinges indifferent insomuch that when it was thought expedient that all house-holde seruantes in Bishops houses shoulde bee Clergie men then the number of Church offices were multiplied according to the number of Oecumenicke offices accustomed to bee in Noble mens houses Would God that in matters of faith of manners and Church Discipline men had fixed the eyes of their minds as attentiuelie vpon the written worde of GOD as Ship-men doe vpon their Compasse then had there beene lesse aberration and lesse disputation and lesse diuersitie of opinions The LORD worke this in His owne time to whome bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euer and euer worlde without ende Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Matrimonie IN the TREATISE of the Sacrament of MATRIMONIE the inconstancie obliuion contradiction and head-strong insolencie of the Romane Church maketh mee vncertaine whereat to beginne For who coulde once imagine that they who call Marriage a worke of the fleshe and an estate of liuing vncompetent to them who are called to holie Orders forgetting what they had spoken they woulde make of it an holie Sacrament as if the Ministers of GOD should bee debarred from the holie Sacramentes of GOD. If they saye that they debarre men in spirituall offices onelie from copulation with women yet in this they debarre them from the Sacrament forasmuch as they debarre them from the externall signe whereby the spirituall grace is represented Can anie man bee partaker of Baptisme and not washen in water Or can anie man bee partaker of the LORDES Super and not be permitted to eat and drinke at the holie Table And how is a man admitted to the Sacrament of Matrimonie and debarred from copulation which they themselues graunt to bee the externall signe of the Sacrament But let vs marke the fraudulent dealing of the ROMANâ—… Church who hath made Marriage to bee a Sacrament albeit all the members
of the holy resurrectioÌ„ might be expected with coÌ„secrated lights Such voluntary seruice inuented by the braine of man had great sway at this time That in the daylie Church-seruice the Lordes prayer vulgarly called Pater noster should be rehearsed because it is vsually called Oratio quotidiana that is a daylie prayer That Alleluiah bee not sung in time of Lent because it is a time of mourning and humiliation vntill the dayes of resurrection be celebrated which is a time of joye and gladnesse That after the Epistle a part of the Gospell shoulde bee read That Hymnes and spirituall songes not contained in holie Scripture may be sung in the Church The song of the three children shall be sung in all the Churches of Spaine and Gallicia In the ende of Spirituall songes it shall not bee simplie saide Glorie to the Father to the Son c. but Glorie and honour to the Father and to the Son to the H. Spirit to the end that hymnes sung in earth may bee correspondent to the song of Elders in Heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 4. 11. In Responsories if it be a matter of gladnesse the ende shall be Gloria c. and if it bee a matter of sadnesse the ende shall be Principium c. The booke of the APOCALYPS of Sainct Iohn is declared to bee a booke of Canonicke Scripture and to bee preached in open audience of the CHVRCH betwixt EASTER and WHITSONDAY It is forbidden that the holy Communion should be celebrated immediately after the saying of the Lordes Prayer but let the blessing bee first giuen and then let the Priestes and Leuites communicate before the Altar the Clergie within the Quiere and the people without the Quiere No man shall bee promoted to the honour of Priesthood who is infamous who hath bene baptized in heresie who hath gelded himselfe who hath married the second wife or a widow who hath had concubines who is in a seruile condition who is vnknowne Neophycus or a Laike who is giuen to warre-fare or an attender in Court who is vnlearned or hath not attained to the age of thirtie yeeres who hath not proceeded to honour by ascending degrees who by ambition or bribes hath presumed to honour who hath beene elected by his predicessor who hath not beene elected by the Clergie and people of his owne citie He who is approued shall bee consecrated on the Lordes day by all the comprouinciall bishops at least by three of them Let Leuites bee of the age of 25. yeeres before their admission and presbyters of 30. Let bishops bee vnreproueable according to the precept of the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. Let bishops not onely haue the testimonie of a good conscience in the sight of God but also the testimonie of an vnreproueable conuersation amongst men Presbyters and Leuites whom infirmitie of olde age permitteth not to abide in their secrete chambers yet let them haue witnesses of their honest conuersation in their shoppes and remaining places Youthhood is prone and bent to euill therefore let them who are young be all brought vp in one conclaue vnder the instruction and gouernement of some well approued Senior But they who shall be found lasciuious and incorâ—…igible let them be thrust into a Monasterie to the end that stricter discipline may correct the proud minds of insolent youthes Seeing that ignorance is the mother of all errours it becommeth presbyters who haue vndertaken the office of teaching continually to meditate vpon holy Scripture according to the wordes of the Apostle Tâ—…ke hâ—…ede to reading exhortation and doctrine 1. Tim. 4. for by meditation of holy Scripture and the Canons of the Church men are made able to instruct others in knowledge and in precepts of good maners Presbyters shall receiue from their owne bishops an officiall booke to the ende that through ignorance they doe nothing amisse neither in celebration of the Sacramentes nor in their Letanies nor in their forme of comming to Councels When presbyters and deacons are admitted to their offices they must vowe chastitie and binde themselues to their bishops to leade a continent life and after such profession let them retaine the discipline of an holy life A bishop presbyter or deacon who shall happen to bee vnjustly deposed if they be found innocent by the triall of the Synode let them bee restored to their former dignities before the Altar by the hands of bishops in this manner If he be a bishop let him be restored to his Orarium with Staffe and Ring If hee be a presbyter to his Orarium and Planeta If he be a deacon to his Orarium and Alba If hee bee a sub-deacon to his Plate and Chalice and other orders let them receiue in their restitution that which was giuen vnto them in their ordination If anie of the Clergie be found to haue consulted with diuiners and sorcerers let him be deposed from his dignitie and be thrust into a Monasterie to make continuall pennance for his sacrilâ—…dge Church-men who dwell in the borders coÌ„fining to a nation that is vnder hostilitie with their owne countrey let them neither receiue from the enemies of the countrey nor direct anie secret message vnto the enemies If anie Church-man sit in judgement or bee judge in a sentence of blood let him be depriued of his dignitie in the Church Let bishops haue a care of such as are oppressed to reprooue the mightie men who oppresse them and if the word of wholesome reproofe profite nothing let them complaine to the king to the ende that by regall authoritie impietie may be subdued Seeing auarice is the roote of all euill let bishops so gouerne their dioceses that they spoyle them not of their rightes but according to the determination of anteriour Councels let them haue the thirde part of Oblations Tithes Tributes and Cornes the rest let it remaine vnto the Paroches free and vntouched That thing which one bishop possesseth without interpellation for the space of thirtie yeeres let no man in that same Prouince be heard in an action of repetition But as concerning them who dwell in diucrse Prouinces the case standeth otherwise lest while Dioceses are defended the boundes of Prouinces be confounded A Church newlie builded shall appertaine vnto that bisshop in whose diosie it is knowne that spirituall conuentions haue beene kept A Bishop shall visit yeerelie all the paroches of his diosie and incase hee been impeded by infirmitie or by weightie businesse hee shall appoint faithfull Presbyters and Deacons to take inspection of the fabricke of the Churches and of their rentes Whatsoeuer rewarde a Prelate promiseth to a man who vnder-taketh anie worke tending to the vtilitie of the Church let him faithfully performe his promise Seeing that a part of Church-rentes is bestowed vpon sustentation of strangers and of poore and indigent people if it
blood of Christ. It is hard to bee a prolocutor for an euill cause for it is like vnto a bulge in a wall which falleth and bruiseth him who woulde sustaine it which cannot sustaine it selfe It is certaine that the bread and wine are not types and figures of Christs body before the words of consecration for it is after the words of blessing that the elements receiue this great honour to be called Christs bodie and blood that is signes externall wherewith Christes bodie and blood is spiritually exhibited vnto vs. And therefore Sainct Ambrose calleth the bread before the wordes of consecration panis usitatus that is common bread but it is after the wordes of consecration that they receiue this honour to beare the names of things represented by them as Theodoreius in expresse words writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is â—…ee hath honoured the visible signes with the appellation of his bodie and blood not changing their nature but adding grace to nature Which place clearly prooueth that the elementes obtaine not that great honour to bee called Christes body or types of his blessed body vntill the time that by diuine grace they bee consecrated to that holy vse Mailrosius Scotus liued vnder the reigne of Charles the Great about the yeere of our Lord 800. and likewise RABANVS Bishop of Mentz these two had so acquainted themselues with the doctrine of Augustine that they could in no manner of way giue allowance to the doctrine of Transsubstantiation And about the yeere of our Lord 840. Carolus the second the sonne of Ludouicus Pius and brother to Lotharius and Ludouicus Germanicus he writ to Bertramus a Presbyter to haue his resolution concerning the mysterie of the Sacrament and after what manner of way the body and blood of Christ was present in the Sacrament To whome hee returned this answere That in the Sacrament of the holy Supper there were some thinges that were perceiued with bodily senses other thinges were taken holde of onelie by faith And the bread and the wine were to vs the body blood of Christ as MANNA and the waters of the spirituall rock were Christs body and blood to the people of the Iewes in the wildernesse This opinion aggreeth well with the doctrine of Paul that the Fathers in the wildernesse ate that same spirituall food which we eat which they could not doe by corporall manducation of Christs flesh because as yet the word was not made flesh So this opinion of Transsubstantiation did no sooner put out its head but assoone also contradiction was made vnto it About the yeere of our Lord 1020. Berengarius maintained the opinion of Augustine and other auncient Fathers hee was a presbyter of Angiers in Fraunce and denied the doctrine of Transsubstantiation and the Romane Bishops were coÌ„mooued with great indignation as appeareth by the number of Councels assembled against one poore man who durst presume to speake against the opinion once embraced by the Romane Church Leo the ninth gathered a Councel at Rome in the which he condemned the opinion of Berengarius and excommunicated him euen before he was warned to be present at the Councell and before hee was heard Hee assembled also another Councell in Vercellis about the yeere of our Lord 1051. in the which Borengarius was not present but Messengers who came to pleade his cause were imprisoned and casten into bands and the booke of Ioannes Scotus Mailrosius De Eucharistia was condemned By the way if any equitie had beene kept in these Councels looke by what reason they condemned Ioannes Scotus whose opinion Berengarius followed by the like reason they shoulde haue condemned Augustine Bishop of Hippo whose opinion Ioannes Mailrosius followed But the Romane Church cannot erre ' Another Councell was assembled by Pope Victor the successor of Leo the ninth in the which the Decree of the CouÌ„cell of Vercellis was allowed Yet all this coulde worke no contentment in their heâ—…rtes because the people of Angiers and Towrs in Fraunce liked the doctrine of Augustine Mailrosius and Berengarius about the Sacrament of the Supper Therefore another Councell was assembled at Rome by Pope Nicolaus the seconde anno 1058. in the which Berengarius yeelded to the opinion of the Pope and his Councell and his weaknesse strengthened the errour already receiued in the Romane Church mightily But the number of them who abhorred this newe found out doctrine was exceeding great therefore the Romane Church after the yeere of our Lord 1079 and after the dayes of pope Gregorie the seuenth put hand to worke And being now mightie strong they stirred vp Kings and Princes to persecute with fire and sword and all kind of hostilitie as heretiques all those that spake against worshipping of Images corporall presence and manducation of the body of Christ in the Sacrament of the holy Supper So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transsubstantiation was mightily contradicted vntill the dayes of pope Innocentius the third who in the Councell of Laterane anno 1215. gaue full allowance thereunto But when all this is done râ—…member that the vniuersall Catholicke Church dwelleth not in one countrey or city When the Romane Church was miserably infected with this miserable scabbe of pestilent errour what consent gaue the Churches of Asia and all the Grieke Churches They euer disâ—…ssented from this doctrine vntill this daye as appeareth by the last Sessions of the Councell of Florence anno 1439. Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as they please the doctrine of Transsubstantiation shall neuer be found an ancient doctrine but a doctrine newe false absurd and borne out more by might of the preuailing authoritie of men than power of argumentes grounded vpon holy Scripture God teach them to returne to the ancient trueth from which they haue sliden To whom be praise and glory for euer Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Pennance IN this CENTVRIE it was a receiued custome to men to confesse their sinnes secretly to Presbyters and to receiue from them such forme of injunctions as they counted satisfactions for their faultes as appeareth clearly by the Councell gathered in Fraunce anno 742. in the which Bonifacius bishop of Mentz was Moderator In the first Canon of that Councell it was statuted and ordained That no man of the Clergie should put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two bishops with their presbyters and chaplens to prescribe pennance vnto them who should happen to confesse their sinnes By this it is euident that the custome of secret confession of sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius which was excluded out of the Church in the dayes of Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople yet it returned againe and it was in vse in the VIII CENTVRIE Now in the inseription of this TREATISE I call it a SacrameÌ„t as the Romane church in our dayes call it not as though I were in the opinion that in this age the number of seuen Sacramentes
was receiued for that is a Noueltie not hearde of before the 1200 yeere of our Lord at which time the Scholasticke Doctors who peruerted all Theologie woulde needes forge Sacramentes in number agreeing with the number of seuen principall vertues to wit FAITH HOPE CHARITIE IVSTICE PERSEVERANCE PRVDENCIE and TEMPERANCE So that Baptisme should answere to Faith Confirmation to Hope the holy Supper to Charitie the Sacrament of Pennance to Iustice extreame Unction to Perseuerance the Sacrament of Ordor to Prudencie and the Sacrament of Marriage to Temperancie These were the idle speculations of Scholasticke Doctors whereof the Romane Church in our dayes are almoste ashamed because if the number of Sacraments be numbered according to the number of principall vertues who seeth not that the number of Sacramentes in the olde and newe Testament must bee equall and neither moe nor fewer to the ende they may proportionally agree with the number of principall vertues But Augustino saieth that our Sacraments are fewer in number more easie to bee done and more significatiuely expressing the grace of God than the Sacramēts of the olde Testament Seeing the principall purpose of my TREATISES is to manifest the Noueltie of Popish Religion therefore in this TREATISE I affirme that the number of seuen Sacramentes was not mentioned by any Father preceeding this time Therefore the Councell of Trent in the prodigalitie of their Anathems and Cursings against all them who will acknowledge either moe or fewer Sacraments of the new Testament than seuen hath pronounced very vnaduisedly like as Aedipus slewe his father Laius king of Thebans in time of a sedition hauing no intention to slaye him Euen so the Councell of Trent willing to deliuer vs vnto the Deuill they are not aware that they haue deliuered Iustinus Martyr Ireneus Tertullian Ambrose Augustine and many other auncient Fathers to the Deuill who neuer acknowledged the number of 7. Sacraments as the Councell of Trent hath done Nowe a good ord◅r required that a definition of the Sacrament of P◅nnance should be set downe that we should search and inquire when it had a beginning and finally inquire what are the parts thereof and what things are necessarily required in it First concerning the definition of the Sacrament of Pennance all learned writers whome I haue read haue justly blamed the Scholasticke Doctors for this that they haue confidently affirmed that the Sacramentes are seuen in number yet haue not set foorth a definition which did agree with euerie one of the Sacramentes which they haue added to Baptisme and to the Lords Supper Concerning the time whereinto it had its beginning they are more particular namely that it had a beginning after that Christ arose from death and breathed vpon his Disciples and said R◅ceiue the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. Before this time say they there was no sacrament of Pennance neither in the olde Testament nor in the Baptisme of IHON nor in the Preaching of CHRIST when Hee preached the doctrine of Repentance And when the cause is demaunded wherefore there was no Sacrament of Pennance when men confessed their sinnes with a contrite heart and were baptized by IHON and brought foorth the fruits of amendement of life Wee can heare no answere except this that men confessed their sinnes in generall before they were baptized of IHON But in the Sacrament of Pennance a particular confession of sinnes is required And in this they discouer their owne weaknesse for in the action of repentance instituted by GOD it is enough that all things be present which God requireth But in the Sacrament of Pennance instituted by man not by God if any thing be inlaking which humane cogitation hath founde out the doctrine of Ihon Baptist the contrition consession and satisfaction of the people together with Ihon Baptists absolution all is nothing There is yee one new piece inlacking which the Romane Church hath sowed to an olde garment and when that new clout is absent which they haue imagined themselues all is naught Now seeing that in the olde Testament there are found m◅nie testimonies of true repentance the heart the mouth and conuersation all witnessing that the penitent sinner was vn◅ainedly conuerted vnto God How commeth it to passe that the Romane Church ouer-giueth the old Testamēt as a time whereinto the Sacrament of Pennance had no place because it was not as yet instituted by Christ But they count it a Sacrament of the new Testamēt instituted by Christ after his resurrection The Apostle Paul is not so vncouth in his speaches who attributeth Baptisme to the Iewes and Circumcision to vs 1. Cor. 10. Phil. 3. in regarde their Sacramentes differed from our Sacramentes rather in the signe than in the thing signified But the Romane Church is so disgusted of the olde Testament that they cannot admit that the Sacrament of Pennance had place at that time Notwithstanding whatsoeuer can bee spoken of the repentance of Marie Magdalene and Zaccheus in the newe Testament the like may be spoken of the repentance of Dauid in the olde Testament 2. Sam. 12. 13. God mollified his heart and it was pearced with a deepe sense of his sinne God lowsed his tongue and he confessed his iniquitie against himselfe Psal. 32. 5. hee patiently endured the fatherly chastisementes of GOD inflicted vpon him for his sinne and the Prophet NATHAN pronounced forgiuenesse from GOD. Heere no man can deny but true repentance is founde in DAVID consisting in contrition of the heart confession of the mouth satisfaction in his deedes and absolution by the mouth of the Prophet And what more is requisite in Popishe Pennance Yet because DAVID consessed his sinnes vnto GOD and not to the Priest and hee patientlie sustained the chastisementes of GOD but not the pennance injoyned to him by the Priest All that DAVID did appertaineth nothing to the holy Sacramēt of Pennance which now is in vse in the Romane Church The Romane Church in this case is not vnlike vnto an herde of cattell possessed a long time into a folde if any vncouth beast enter in amongst them they will rudely putte at it because it is vncouth none of their fellowship Euen so when we speake of the repentance of Dauid which hath allowance in the holy Scripture of God of the repentance of Miriam whose satisfaction I meane to remooue the slander shee gaue to Gods people it was prescribed by Gods owne mouth and the repehtance of Ionas sealed vp by a miraculous worke of his deliuerance from the Whales belly All this is nothing to them for albeit here be founde repentance and absolution yet saye they not such as is founde in the Sacrament of Pennance in the Romane Church For in the olde Testament there is but a prediction that GOD will forgiue their sinnes prouiding that they repēt But in their Sacrament there is an actuall conferring of remission of sinnes ex opere operato to such