That the lawes whereby their Church is to bee gouerned are onely the Canons of the more ancient Councels and their owne Nationall Decrees and not the Decretals of the Bishops of Rome That the Councell of Constance assembled by Sigismund the Emperour with a concurrent consent of other Christian Princes decreeing a Generall Synode to be superiours vnto the Pope and correcting many enormious abuses in the Roman Church which yet remaine in practise was a true oecumenicall Councell and so likewise the Councell of Basill That the Assembly of Trent was no lawfull Councell and the Canons thereof are rather to be esteemed the Decrees of the Popes who called and continued it then the Decrees of the Councell it selfe because in this Assembly Bishops onely contrary to the practise of the Councell of Basill had decisiue voyces and the greatest parts of Bishops were Italian the Popes vassals and besides nothing was then determined that was not at Rome fore-determined by the Pope That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ought to be administred vnder both kinds and at the least a great part of diuine seruice is to be performed in their vulgar tongues Thus are the greater number of Lawyers and learned men in France affected and those who are throughly popish are for the most part men of the basest sort wholy leauened with the bitter slanders and calumniations of malicious Friers Now if to all the forenamed kingdomes Principalities Dukedomes States Citties abounding with professors of the trueth we adde the Monarchies of Greate Britannie Denmarke Sweden wholy in a manner Protestant wee shall finde them not much inferiour in number and amplitude to the Romish partie especially if we consider that the very bulke and body hereof Italy and Spaine are by a kinde of violence and necessity rather then out of any free choice and iudgement deteined in their superstition namely by the iealousie crueltie and tyrannous vigilancy of the inquisition and their owne ignorance being a Vide indiceÌ„ libro prohi edâ—t iussu Clem. 8. Et Azou lin 8. Morel Insâ—t cap. 26. by Clement the 8. vtterly debarred from all reading of the Sacred Scriptures whereby they might come to the knowledge of the Truth And if any shall except that the Protestants in diuerse Countries before mentioned cannot bee reputed as one body and of one Church by reason of many differences and hot contentions amongest them let such remember that howsoeuer some priuate men in this holy society rather then of it preferring their nouell and passionate fancies before the peace of the Church purchased with Christs precious bloud and the publicke weale of Christian Monarchies vnnaturall toward their owne deere Mother rending that wombe wherein they were new borne by the lauer of Regeneration forgetfull of their heauenly embassage which is not onely to reconcile men vnto God but men with men so farre neglecting their owne eternall saluation as to be vnmindfull of that most vndoubted truth He that is not in charity is in death trampling vnder foote that glorious legacie of their Lord and Maister My peace I giue vnto you my peace I leaue with you haue in heat of contention and bitternesse of their soules strained and racked their weake vnderstandings to make differences betweene themselues euen in the maine Articles of Faith and branded one another with blasphemy and heresie yet these vnchristian and vncharitable dissensions are not to be imputed to the whole sacred community of Orthodox Churches whose harmony and agreement in necessary points of Faith are onely to be esteemed by their confessions which by publicke authority they haue diuulged vnto the world How many are the differences both in doctrine and discipline betweene the Proctors for the Papall faction touching Discipline some teach their cheefetaine the Pope may erre others that he cannot some that he is subiect vnto a Generall Councell others that hee is aboue it some that all Ecclesiasticall authority is immediately in the Prelates of the Church others that it is onely in the Pope and from him deriued vnto inferiour Bishops some that he hath temporall authorities ouer Princes others not concerning doctrine some at firme that predestination both by grace and glory is meerely from Gods free pleasure others from foreseene desert and merit some that all the bookes or part of them belonging vnto the old Testament which were not in the Canon of the Iewish Church are Apocriphall others canonicall euen in the matters of Faith some that there is no originall sinne inherent in vs but only imputed others that it is both inherent and imputed some that wee are most freely iustified by the meanes of Faith Hope c. others by the value and merit of these vertues some that faith is onely a generall assent vnto diuine truths others that it is a speciall perswasion touching the remission of our sinnes through Christ some that wee appeare righteous in Gods sight partly through imputed partly through inherent righteousnesse others onely by inherent some that eternall life is due vnto our works onely by vertue of Gods free and gratious promise others through the merit of the worke done some that all the morall good works of Infidels and Ethnicks are sinnes others that they are without sinne some that the B. Virgin was conceiued without originall sinne others the contrary and that with such eagernesse that the one condemne the other of heresie yet because these contentions are betweene priuate men and they all in Spaine and Italie but not in France as hath beene hewed accord in the cheefe points of doctrine publiquely established in the Councell of Trent they boast much of their vnity Although then some priuate men vnworthy to take the word of peace and reconciliation into their virulent and contentious mouthes led more by passion and their owne selfe-pleasing conceipt then by the sacred rules of truth and piety haue laboured to sow the tares of dissention in the vineyard of the Lord and heereby haue made crooked some few branches cleauing vnto them yet the generall societies of Orthodox Churches in the publicke confessions of their faith doe so agree that there is a most sacred harmony betweene them in the more substantiall points of Christian Religion necessary to saluation This is manifest out of the confessions themselues which are these the Anglicane the Scotiane French Heluctian former and later the Belgie Polonie Argentine Augustane Saxonicke Wirtenbergicke Palatine Bohemicke or Weldensian confession for there is none of the Churches formerly pointed out in diuers places of Europe which doth not embrace one of these confessions and all of them harmoniously conspire in the principall Articles of Faith and which neerest concerne our eternall saluation as in the infallible verity and full sufficiency of the Scriptures diuine essence and vnitie of the euerlasting Godhead the sacred Trinitie of the three glorious persons the blessed incarnation of Christ the omnipotent prouidence of God the absolute supreame head of the Church Christ iustification by
Iacobites touching one onely nature in Christ was the last of that loÌ„g and wicked traine of heresies which vpon the contempt of the councell of Chalcedon exceedingly wasted and ruined the East Church for after that the detestation of Nestorius heresie touching two Persons in our Sauiour condemned in the third generall Councel had so immoderately distempered the phantasies of Eutiches in Constantinople of the Patriarch of Alexandria Dioscorus with other their adherents that they thought not themselues safe enough from the heresie of two persons till they were fallen into the other and opposite extremity of one nature in Christ the Diuine and humane natures in Christ in their conceits by permixtion and confusion of substances of properties growing into one vpon their adunation and withall that the humane nature of Christ was not consubstantiall to ours but of another kind condition which phantasies the fourth generall councell condemned After I say this heresie of Eutiches and Dioscorus had growne to that head in Aegypt Syria that like a violent furious streame whose course would not bee stayed it bare downe before it all oppositions and among the rest that great reuerend councell of Chalcedon that had condemned it and was contemned by it it gaue occasion for an infinite traine of heresies to follow at the breach which it had made For first to omit infinite extrauagant branches Vid. Nicepl or Histor. Eccles. l. 18 c 45. â—â—quent Leont de Sectis Action 5. c. that sprang from it and infinitely deformed the Church renting with many schismes the vnity with as many heresies wounding the faith of it It drew after it the heresie of the passiblenesse of the deitie because the deity of Christ was become in their conceits the same nature with the humanity that was passible Secondly the absurdity of that being discerned it occasioned an other extremely opposite namely of the Impassibility of the humanity of our Sauiour but on the same ground because namely it was become one nature with the deitie which now we know to bee vnpassible Thirdly when the fondnesse of both were discouered It bred a new deuise touching one nature in our Sauiour as the wit of Heretiques will better serue them to deuise a thousand shifts to delude the truth then their pride will suffer them once to yeelde and acknowledge it It bred I say a new deuise namely to be one not by permixtion or confusion of substances as Eutyches first taught but onely by composition the deitie and humanitie by coalition becomming one nature in Christ as the bodie and soule grow into one nature in Man And fourthly when this phantasie began also somewhat to abate and relent in manie yet still a fraction as it were or rather a consequent of it was retained for indeede it implieth by necessarie consequence the vnitie of nature namely that there was but one will and one action of both natures in the person of our Sauiour And God knowes what a traine and succession of heresies might haue followed these if that Lord whom they had infinitely wronged by their wanton and wandring conceats of him had not to stop the course and streame of their wickednesse and follie brought on them the Sarracens of Arabia for euen while the Church specially that of the Easterne parts was in great perplexitie and trauaile with the heresie of the Monethelites which I last mentioned the Mahumetans of Arabia like a mightie inundation brake forth and ouerwhelmed all and them first that first and most had wronged the Sonne of God by fostering the forenamed heresies and the infinite brood that sprung of them I meane Aegypt and Syria and to this day both they and the neighbouring nations that had beene infected by them remaine in thraldome But yet as in the diseases and distempers of our bodies contraries are vsually healed by contraries so seemeth it to haue fallen out in the distempers of these mens religions for as worldly prosperitie and wantonnesse of wit ordinarie companions wherewith these nations in those times abounded bred in them their ordinarie children namely prosperitie of the world pride and wantonnesse of wit errour which couple in matter of faith and religion is wont to produce no better issue then heresie So on the other side hauing now at length their harts humbled and their wits taimed by that pouertie and affliction wherein the tyrannie and oppression of the Arabians and Turkes hath long holden them it seemeth the Lord hath taken piâ—tie on them as it is his propertie not to dispise humble and broken spirits and to remember mercie in the middest of iudgement and reduced them or the most of them to the right acknowledgement of his sonne againe For certainely that they and other Christians of the East haue at least in these later times disclaimed and abandoned those hereticall phantasies touching our Sauiour wherein by their misleaders they had beene aunciently plunged and which many Christians of these West parts still charge them with all doth manifestly appear First of ** Biblioth Vot Patr. Tom. 4 pag. 1049 1â—3 the Iacobites and Secondly of the * Confess Armen de Trinitate Art 26.27.28.29.30 Nestorians by their seuerall confessions translated out of the Syriaque tongue by Masius and extant in Bibliotheca Veterum patrum Thirdly of the * Baron Tom 6. Annal. in fine Armenians by their owne confession also translated by Pretorius Fourthly of the * De Relig Morib Aethiop ap Domian a Goes Cophti by the profession of their faith extant in Baronius Fiftly of the * Posseuin Appar sac in Nestoriani Habassines by the relation of Zaga Zubo a Bishop of their owne Sixtly of the * Posseuâ—n lib. citat in Maronitae Indians by their reconcilement to the Church of Rome mentioned by Posseuine And Seuenthly of the Boter Rel. pa. 3. l. 2. c. Maroniti Maronites by their like reconcilement recorded by him and by others Of the seuerall Languages wherein the Liturgies of Christians in seuerall parts of the World are celebrated CHAP. XXVI ANd thus haue I related the seuerall sects of Christians that are abroad in the world with the places of their habitations and the special characters that are recorded of their religions One point notwithstanding of their difference haue I left purposely as yet vntouched both for the amplenesse of the matter and because I conceaue you would haue it declared seuerally Namely touching the different languages in which all these seuerall sorts of Christians celebrate their Liturgies or diuine seruice But first to speake a word or two of the publique seruice of the Iewes and of the Mahumetans in their Synagogues and Meskeds seeing I intreated before of those religions The Iewes where they obtaine libertie for their Synagogues celebrate theirs in the auncient Hebrew tongue Michou l. 2. de Sarmatia c. 1. Crus Turcog l. 7. pa. 487. c as Michouius with manie others hath
vsuall in the Apostles time either in consonants or vowels or both which could not bee the alteration of any short course of time Of the Iacobites CHAP. XXI THe Iacobites obtained that appellation as Damascene and Nicephorus haue recorded Damas. l. de hâ—eresib post med Niceph. Hist. Eccles 〈◊〉 l. 18. c. 52. of one Iacobus surnamed Zanzalus of Syria who liuing about Anno. 530. was in his time a mighty inlarger of Eutiches sect and maintainer of his opinion touching the vnity of nature in our Sauiour And his followers are at this day in great numbers knowne by the name of Iacobites in Syria in Cyprus in Mesopotamia in Babilon and in Palestine For the Patriarch of Ierusalem who keepeth his residence still in Ierusalem in which city there yet remaine * Chitrae de stat Ecclesiaâ— pag. 25. tenne or more Churches of Christians is also a Iacobite But although in al these forementioned regions these Iacobites are found where they bee esteemed to make about * Namely 15. Crus in Turcoâ—raeâ— l. 4. p. 297. 160000. families or rather 50000. as Leonard the Bishop of Sidon * Boteâ— Relat. pa 3 l. 2. c. de Gâ—â—kobiti the Popes visiter in those parts hath recorded ap Th. a Ies. l. 7. p. 1. ca. 14. yet chiefly they inhabit in Aleppo of Syria and in Caramit and the mountaine Tur of Mesopotamia But yet their religion vnder other titles is extended much farther in so much that it is recorded to be spread abroad in some * Breitenbach Peregrin c. de Iacobitâ—â— Vitria hist. Orient c. 76. 40. kingdomes All which Iacobites of the places before specified haue and long haue had a Patriarch of their owne religion for I finde the * Paul DiacoÌ„ Hist. Miscell l. 18. Patriarch of the Iacobites spoken of Zonar Annal. Tom. 3. in Heraclio in the Emperour Heraclius his time to whom they render obedience The Patriarchall Church of which sect is in the * Mirae in Notitia episcopor Orb. pag. 35. Boter Relat. pa. 3. l. 2. c de Giacobiti Monasterie of Saphran neere to the citie of Merdin in the North part of Mesopotamia But the Patriarch himselfe keepeth ordinarie residence in the citie of Caramit the ancient Metropolis of Mesopotamia and which at this day consisteth for the greatest part of Christians for that Caramit is the same citie which the auncient writers called Amida Caramit is Kara Amida that is in the Turkish toung black Amida because it was walled with blacke stone Sabellicus Sabellâ—c Supplem Histor. l. 18. and others haue left obserued and Amida to haue beene anciently the Metropolis of Mesopotamia I finde in the subscriptions of the auncient councels plainely recorded * Concil Chalced. Action 1 c. But till Eutichianisme so mightely preuailed in those parts as to worke in them a detestation of the councell of Chalcedon and a departure withall from their auncient obedience They belonged till then I say to the Iurisdiction of the Patriarch of Antiochia as being * Notitia prouinciar prouinces of the dioces of the Orient which wee finde in the * Concil Constantinop 1. prim Con. 2. second Generall councell to be the circuit and limitation of that Patriarchs authoritie which is the reason that the Patriarch of the Iacobites keeping euer the name of Ignatius intitleth himselfe Patriarch of Antiochia And that the * Mirae Notit epâ—scop Orbis pâ—â— 36. Patriarch of Ierusalem who is also as I said a Iacobite acknowledgeth him as some record for superior Hauing therein if it be so but in some sort returned to the auncient obedience wherein the Bishops of Ierusalem stood to the Patriarchs of Antiochâ—a euen till the time of the councell of Chalcedon for then began Ierusalem to be erected into a Patriachship And as we reade in the * Co 〈…〉 Aâ—â—â—â—on 7. actions of that Councell with the consent and allowance of the Patriarch of Antiochia the three prouinces of Palestina which till then An. 451. belonged to Antiochia were withdrawne from it and assigned to the Bishop of Ierusalem for his Patriarchall Iurisdiction Now as touching the Characters of their Religion 1. They acknowledge but one nature 1.2.3 4. Iacob a Vitriaco Histor. Oriental c. 76. Villamont l. 2. c. 22. and but one will and one operation ex catechism Iacobitar ap Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. ca. 15. in Christ as there is but one person and in token of that they make the signe of the Crosse with one finger onely which the other ChristiaÌ„s of the East do with two 2. They signe their Children before baptisme many in the face 2. Bucebing Hist. Eccles. part 2. pa. 33â— Sali 〈◊〉 Iâ—ner Toâ— 8. c. 1. some in the arme with the signe of the Crosse imprinted with a burning Iron 3. They vse Circumcision Saligniac Itin. Tom. 8. c. 1. euen of both sexes Vitriac vt ibi 4. They confesse their sinnes to God onely nor to the priest Thâ—a Ieâ—â— pa. 1. c 14.4 Bucebing loco citato Alâ— honsâ— Castro l. 4. conuâ— Heâ—es T it Confeslie Baungar Itiner 2. c. 9. as others record but verie seldom so that many communicate without auricular confession Leonam Sidon ap Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c. 14. 5. They admit not of purgatorie nor of praiers for the dead Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c. 23. 6. They consecrate the Eucharist in vnleauened bread Salign Itin. Hieros Tom. 8. c. 1. They minister the Sacrament of the Eucharist in both kindes 7. The priests are married 8. They beleeue all the soules of iust men to remaine in the earth till the day of Iudgement expecting Christs second comming ex Catechism Iaâ—obit 9. They affirme the Angels to consist of two substances fire and light ex Catechism Iacobit 10. They honour Dioscorus and Iacobus Syrus as Saintes but yet condemne Eutyches as an Heretique Patriarch Iacobit ap Th. a Ies. l. 7 pa. 1. c. 14. These are the Properties that I finde registred of the Iacobites religion namely of them that are properly so called and still retaine the auncient opinions of Iacobus Syrus But it seemeth that their principall errour and which occasioned their first schisme and separation from the Church Namely the heresie of Eutiches touching one nature in Christ is for the most part long since abolished for as Vitriacus hath long agoe recorded Vitriac Histor Orient c. 76. they denied to him then the Popes legate in those parts and demaunding the question that they beleeued one onely nature in Christ And being further asked why then making the crosse they signed themselues onely with one finger their answer was that they did it in acknowledgement of one diuine Nature as also they did it in three seuerall places in acknowledgement of three persons in that one nature And beside of late time Leonard another legate of Pope Gregories the 13 in those parts hath recorded of the Patriarchs profession made
to himselfe that although they held indeede but one personated nature to bee in Christ resulting of the vnion of two natures not personated yet they acknowledged those two natures to bee vnited in his person without any mixtion or confusion and that they themselues differed not in vnderstanding but onely in termes from the Latine Church Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c. 14. And although as it is storied by some writers of these times some there bee among them that still retaine that errour yet certainely that it is no generall and receaued opinion among them is most manifest for wee haue extant the confessions of the * Tom. 4. Biblioth Veteâ— Patrum pag. 1050. Iacobites of Mesopotamia and of those of * Apud Baron in fine Tomi 6. Annal. Aegypt and * Zag Zaho de Religion Morib Aethiop apud Damian a Goer of Aethiopia and of * Confess Armenior Num. 26.27.28.29 c. Armenia that is to say all sorts of Iacobites out of which it is euident that that errour of Eutiches is clearly renounced as articularly acknowledging that the humane nature of Christ was taken of the Virgin and of the same substance with ours and remained after the adunation with the deitie without any mutation of properties distinct from the diuine nature * Vid. Concil Chalcedon Action 1 Theodoret. de haeres l. 4 in Eutiche All which the heresie of Eutyches denied Of the Copthi or Christians of Aegypt CHAP. XXII THe Sect of Christians named Cophti are no other then the Christians of Aegypt And it is the name of their Nation rather then of their Religion in respect whereof they are meerely Iacobites for as Masius hath obserued Mas. in Syror. Peculio the Aegyptians in some ancient Monuments are termed Aegophâ—i whom vulgarly wee name Cophti or Copti and so they also name themselues as may be seene in the Confessions of these Aegyptians recorded in Baronius Baron in Leâ—at Eccles. Alexand ad sed Apostolic â—â—om 6 Annal in sine Oâ—ted in Theâ—aâ—â—o in Aegypâ—â—s Sealig ad Eu. sebâ—â— Chronic. ad An. M DC CXXXIV Dâ—us de Trib. secc Iudaeor l. 2. c. 14. tit de Philacterijs Damascend de haeresib post med And certainly that the Aegyptians themselues name their Country Chibth Ortelius after Theuet hath recorded As also it is obserued by Scaliger that in the Talmud it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And by Drusius out of R. Dauid and R. Shelomo that Aegypt is by them named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not without some traiection of letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Dauid in praef l. Radic R. Shelom in Exod. 13. But touching their Religion to omit curiosities about the name they differ not as I said from the Iacobites Insomuch that as Damascen hath obserued the same sectaries that first were termed Aegyptij because among the Aegyptians that heresie of one onely nature in Christ found the mightiest patronage were after of Iacobus Syrus aboue mentioned named in Syria Iacobites And till this day Seuerus Dioscorus and Iacobus the principall parents and patrons of the sect are by the Aegyptians honoured in the memorials of their Liturgies Th. a Ies-l 7. pa. 1. cap. 5. â—â—oter Rel. p. 3. l. 3. c de â—hristiani del â—â—gitio 1. Vsing Circumcision Yet I am not very certain whether for religion or which I obserued it before to haue beene as an ancient custome of that nation which custome yet is reported Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c. 6 Boter p. 3. l. 3. c. de Christ. de Egitto to bee now abrogated among them by the perswasion of the Bishops of Romes Legates in a Synode held at Caire about 30 yeares agoe An. 1583. 2. The confer the inferior sacred orders vnder priesthood eueÌ„ to infants preseÌ„tly after baptisme altogether their parents promising for them and performing in their steads till they be 16 years old or thereabout what they promise in their behalfes namely chastitie and fasting euery Wednesday and Friday and in the 4. lents of the yeare Th. a Ies. l. 7. p. 1. c. 5. They repute not baptisme of any efficacy except ministred by the Priest and in the Church in what necessitie soeuer Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c. 5. 3. Neither baptise their children afore the 40 day though they should die without baptisme Th. a Ies. Ibid. 4. Minâ—string the Sacrament of the Eucharist in both kindes 2 Theueâ— in Cosm. de Leuant c. 48. 5. They minister the sacrament of the Eucharist in leauened bread Th. a Ies. Ibid. 7. Giue the sacrament of the Eucharist to Infants presently after their baptisme Id. Ibid. 8. To sicke persons they neither minister extreame vnction nor the Eucharist Id Ibid. 9. Athough they acknowledge the holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son yet in relating of the Nicene Creed they leaue out those words and from the Sonne as the Grecians do Id. Ibid. 10. They admit not to Purgatorie nor of prayer for the dead Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1.23 11. They contract marriages euen in the second degree of consanguinity without any dispensation Tecla Abissin ap Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c. 13. 12. They obserue not the Lords dayes nor other feasts except in the Citties Tecla Abissin Ibid. 13. In celebrating of the Eucharist they eleuate not the Sacrament Tecla Abissin Ibid. 14. Reiect all the generall counsels after that of Ephesus expressely condemning the counsell of Chalcedon Id. Ibid. 14. Read the Gospell of Nicodemus in their Liturgies Prateol de Heresib in Cophti 15. Repute the Roman Church hereticall and auoide the communion and conuersation of the Latins no lesse of Iewes And although Baron in fin Tom. 6. Annal. haue registred an Ambassage from Marcus the Patriarch of Alexandria to Pope Clement the 8. wherein hee is said to haue submitted reconciled himselfe the Prouinces of Aegypt to the Pope yet the matter being after examined was found to be but a trick of imposture as Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c. 6. hath recorded 16. Maintaining the opinion of one nature in Christ Thom. a Iesu de Conu gent. l. 7. par 1. c. 5. yet in such sort that although in the generall position touching one nature in our Sauiour they follow Eutyches yet in the speciall declaration at this day they differ very much from him For they acknowledge him to be truely and perfectly both God and man 3. Thom. a. Ies. loc citato Botor loc cit And that the Diuine and humane natures are become in him one Nature not by any confusion or commixtion of them as Eutyches taught but onely by coadunation Wherin although they catholiquely confesse that there is no mutation of properties in either nature being united in Christ from what the diuine and human natures seuerally obtaine in seuerall Persons Yet being not well able as it seemes to distinguish betweene the nature
sent froÌ„ the Catholique to the Bishop of Rome in his time that the iurisdiction of the Catholique of Armenia was then farre larger as namely that he had aboue a thousand Bishops vnder his obedience Except Otho perhaps mistooke as I verily beleeue he did obedience for communion for as touching the communion which the Armenians mainteined with other Iacobites it extended indeede verie farre But the iurisdiction of Armenia for ought I can finde in any record of antiquitie contained onely foure prouinces namely the two Armeniaes before mentioned the greater and lesse and the two prouinces of Cilicia In which small circuit that such a multitude of Bishopâ— should bee found is vtterly vncredible especially because we finde registers extant both of the Bishops of the two Armeniaes in the * Tom. 1. Iuris Oriental l. 2. Nouell of Leo-Sophus the Emperour touching the precedence of Metropolitans and likewise of the bishops of Cilicia in * De Bel. sacro l. 14 c. 12. Guilielmus Tyrius and all of them put together exceede not the number of thirtie And although I finde that * Nouel 31. cap. 1. Iustinian diuided the two Armeniaes into foure prouinces which yet to haue beene after reduced ' againe into two the Nouell of Leo euen now mentioned assureth vs yet were not for that cause the number of Bishops encreased anie whit the more Now touching the properties of their religion 1. They are charged with the opinion of one nature in Christ 1 Niceph. hist. Ecclesiastic l. 18. c. 53. yet not as Eutyches imagined it one namely by a permixtion and confusion of the diuine and humane natures but yet by such a coniunction and coalition of them that they both together make but one compounded nature in our Sauiour as the body and soule but one compound nature in man But neuerthelesse it seemeth by the confession of the Armenians which wee haue extant touching the Trinitie sent by the mandate of the Catholique of Armenia Confess Armenior Art 26 27.28.29.30 c. to the Patriarch of Constantinople not 50 yeares agoe that at this present they haue vtterly renounced that phantasie 2 Alfons a Castro l. 5. cont Haeres Titul de Dâ—o Haeresi 13. Boem de Morib gent. l. 2. c. 10. 2. They beleeue the Holy Ghost proceedeth onely from the father 3. They celebrate the sacrament of the Eucharist with vnleauened bread as the Romans doe 4. They denie the true body of Christ to be really in the sacrament of the Eucharist vnder the Species of bread wine 3 Nicephoâ— loc sup citato Luturgia Armen apud Cassandrum de Liturgijs Guido sum de heresib They mingle not water with wine in the Eucharist An auncient opinion property of theirs for I finde it * Concil Constantinop 3. Can. 32. recorded of them and condemned in the sixt generall councell 4 Niceph. loc citat Liturg. Armenior vbi supra But they retaine it notwithstanding still 5. They receaue infants presently after baptisme to the communion of the Eucharist affirming that baptisme cannot bee conferred without the Eucharist 5 Boem de Morib gent. l 2. c. 10. Guid sum de heresib 6. They denie the virtue of conferring grace to belong to the sacraments Guido loc alleg They reiect purgatorie and pray not for the dead 6 Guido in Sum. de haeresib Alfons a Castr l. 12. coâ—t Haeres Tit. de Purgâ—torio haeresi 1. BoeÌ„ loc citato Th. a Ies. l. 7. pa. 1. c 17. 7. They beleeue that the soules of holy men obtaine not blessednesse till the vniuersall iudgement Th. a Ies. l 7. pa. 1. c. 17. They admit married priests and as Burchardus hath recorded deser terr sanct pa. 2. c. 2. § 9. admit none to be secular priests 7 Bellon Obsâ—ru l. 3. c. 12. Postel in Lingua Tzeruiana except they be married They rebaptise those that come to their communion from the Latine Church Guid. Sum. de heresib but exclude their second mariage 8 Boem loc citat 8. They abstaine from eating vncleane beasts 9 Nichol. Peregr Orient l. 4. c. 19. Boter Rel. pa. 3. l. 2. c. Dioscoriani 9. They eate flesh on fridaies betweene Easter and Ascension day 10. They fast lent most strictly without egges milkemeats flesh oile wine c. onely with fruites herbes 10 Vitriac histor Orient c. 7.9 rootes and pulse 11. They celebrate not Christmasse day when other Christians doe Decâ—mb 25. but fast on it And in stead of it 11 Vitriac loc citato celebrate the feast of our Sauiours baptisme namely on the day of the Epiphanie 12 Boter loco â—itato 12. They solemnise the feast of the Annunciation the sixt day of Aprill The purification the 14 of Februarie c. Of the Maronites CHAP. XXV THe Maronites who were so named not of an heretique called Maron as many falsely write Prateol de sect Heretic in verb. Maronitae But of a holy man of that name for wee finde mentioned in the booke of Councels the Monastery of S t. Maron Concil Constantinop sub Men. act 5. the Monks only wherof at first were termed Maronites they are fouÌ„d in small numbers in Aleppo Damascus Tripolie of Syria and in Cyprus But their maine habitation is in the Mountaine Libanus Which although it containe in circuit about * Posseuin Appar Sacr. in Maronitae 700 miles and is possessed onely in a manner by the Maronites who for that priuiledge namely to keepe themselues free from the mixture of Mahumetans pay the Turke * Namely for euery one aboue 12 yeares old 17 Sultanines by the yeare the Sultanine weigheth a dramme of gold about 7 s 6 d of our money and for euery space of grounde 16. spannes square one Sultanine yearely as is recorded by Posseuine large tribute yet of all sects of Christians they are the least as being esteemed not to passe in all * Boter Relat. pa. 3. l 2. c. de Maroniti Posseuin loco citato 12000 houses all in scattered villages beside a few Monasteries by reason of the indisposition of Libanus in most places for frequent habitation For beside the craggednesse or steepenesse of that Mountaine which maketh many parts of it in a maner inaccessible the higher Ridges of it which by Brocardus his relation are so eminent Brocard in Dâ—sâ—r Terr sâ—nctae Tacit historiar l. vltimo that they may be discerned 40 leagues off are also couered in a manner continually with snow which it retaineth as Tacitus with * Vitâ—iac hist. Oâ—iâ—nt c. 84. Postell descâ—ipt Syrâ—ae pag 33. others hath left recorded notwithstanding the heat of that climate euen in the nearest approach of the Sun And is scarcely as hath been obserued by Postell in one Summer of thirtie to be found cleare of it for which very cause and no other that Mountaine seemeth to haue gotten the name of Lebanon For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the
Faith through Christ and the nature of a liuely faith repentance regeneration and sanctification the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell touching freewill sinne and good works the Sacraments their number and vse the notes of the Church the diuine authority of Magistrates the resurrection and state of soules after death And for the cheefe point of difference which is conceiued to be betweene the professors of the Gospell about the presence of Christ in the sacred Eucharist such as are parties in this contention ingenuously confesse that de reipsa touching the thing it selfe there is no oppositioÌ„ but only we varie in some ordinances and circumstances of the thing We agree reipsa in the matter it selfe although we differ according to the diuersity of Gods gifts in expressing aptly and cleerely what we conceiue concerning this matter We all acknowledge that the holy Symboles or signes are not inanes significationes barely significatiue but what by diuine institution they represent and testifie vnto our soules is as truly and certainly deliuered vnto vs from God as the symboles themselues But the question is whether as the signe with the thing signified is preseÌ„t in respect of our body and not rather in regard of our well receiuing it by faith Moreouer whether as both the signe and thing signified are exhibited to all so all receiue both some to life others to their perdition So that wee all beleeue the true communication of the true body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ onely concerning the manner of communication is the controuersie But who can rightlie iudge that for this the sacred vnion and fellowship of Churches is to be dissolued There being so excellent a foundation and firm ground-worke of vnity betweene the Protestants how worthy a worke would it be for Christian Princes to imitate the professors of the Gospell in the kingdome of Polonia and by a generall Assembly of moderate and vnpartiall Iudges and sensible of the bleeding wounds religion receiueth by sects and discords make vp the ruines and breaches of Churches caused hitherto through priuate contention to sement them together if it shall please God out of the riches of his mercy to prosper their heroicall and religious endeauours with an euerlasting bond of concord There were neuer greater hopes of the successe of so noble and â—ncomparable a worke then in this age which hath affoorided vs the blessing of our most gratious Soueraigne so religiously studious of publicke peace and so exquisitelie enabled with many rare endowments to promote so pious and renowned an action In the meane time if any in these priuate distractions concerning matters of Religion excited by the malice of Sathan and his wretched instruments shall doubt which way to take let him folow the graue diuine instructions of that excellent light of the Church S. Augustine who first exhorteth vs not to busie our selues ouermuch in enquiring after those things quae nihil certi habent in Scriptura which haue no firme footing in the Scriptures but in receiuing or reiecting them to follow the custome practise of particular Churches wherein we liue otherwise saith a Epist. 86. he If we will dispute of these things contend one with another orietur interminata luctatio there will hence arise an endlesse strife And his second admonition is that for the establishing of our consciences in points of faith necessary to obtaine eternall life we would follow our blessed Sauiours commandement Search the Scriptures Why b In Psal. 21. saith this deuout and learned Father speaking to contentious Christians doe we striue we are brethren Our Father hath not dyed intestate he hath made his last wil he is dead risen againe There is contention still about an inheritance as long as the Testament is not made knowne but when it is published in judgement all are silent to heare it The Iudge attentiuely listneth vnto it the Aduocats hold their peace the cryers command silence the whole multitude present stand in a suspence that the words of a dead man lying in his graue without sense and life may be rehearsed Are the words of a dead man interred so powerfull aualeable and shall the Testament of Christ sitting in heauen be impugned Open it let vs read we are brethren why do we striue Our father hath not left vs destitute of his last wil he that made it liueth for euer he heareth our voice acknowledgeth his owne voice Let vs reade why contend we Hauing found the inheritance let vs lay hold of it aperi lege open and read OF THE ANCIENT LARGENES of the Greeke tongue CHAP. 1. GREECE as it was ancientlie knowen by the name of Hellas was inclosed betwixt the Bay of Ambracia with the riuer Arachthus that falleth into it on the West and the riuer Peneneus on the North Strabo l. 8. noÌ„ longè a principio the Sea on other parts So that Acarnania and Thessalie were toward the ContineÌ„t the vtmost regions of Greece But yet not the Countreys onely contained within those limits but also the kingdomes of Macedon and Epirus being the next adioyning prouinces Macedon toward the North Epirus toward the West had aunciently the Greeke tongue for their vulgare language for although it belonged originally to Hellas alone yet in time it became vulgare to these also Secondly it was the language of all the Isles in the Aegaean sea of all those Ilands I say that are betwixt Greece and Asia both of the many small ones that lie between Candie and Negropont named Cyclades there are of them 53. and of all aboue Negropont also as farre as the Strait of Constantinople Thirdly of the Isles of Candie Scarpanto Rhodes and a part of Cyprus and of all the small Islands along the coast of Asia from Candie to Syria Fourthly not only of al the West part of Asia the lesse now called Anatolia and corruptly Natolia lying toward the Aegaean sea as being verie thicke planted with Greeke Colonies Senâ—e CoÌ„sol ad Helu c. 6. Plâ—n l. 5. c. 29. Isocrat in Panegiric long post med Lucian in Dialog de Amorib noÌ„ longè ab Init. of which some one Miletus by name is registred by Seneca to haue bene the mother of 75. by Plinie of 80. Cittyes But on the North side also toward the Euxine sea as farre saith Isocrates as Sinope and on the South side respecting Afrique as farre saith Lucian as the Chelidonian Isles which are ouer against the coÌ„fines of Lycia with Pamphylia And yet although within these limits onely Greeke was generally spoken on the Maritime coast of Asia yet beyond them on both the shoares Eastward were many Greeke Cities though not without Barbarous Cities among them And specially I find the North coast of Asia euen as farre as Trebizond to haue bin exceedingly well stored with them But it may be further obserued likewise out of histories that not onely al the maritime part of