as man and not as God That it was not God that was ignorant he meant not as God or not the Deity but the form of a Servant which knew no more than the Deity revealed And so of many other properties or acts of the Humanity he saith It was not Deus Verbum that wept that learnt obedience c. meaning only not quâ Deus or not Deitas for want of care in speaking And Ep. ad Ioh. Antioch Bin. p. 559. it 's apparent that he also misunderstood Cyril and thought he held that by Unity of Natures the Deity was properly become very flesh A severe Epist. ad Ioan. Antioch against Cyril after his death is there charged on him in which he with great saltness rejoiceth in his death Miserum illum nec ad similitudinem aliorum dimisit nostrarum animarum gubernator diutius eorum potiri quae videntur esse delectabilia sed crescentem quotidie viri malignitatem sciens corpori Ecclesiae nocentem quasi pestem quandam amputavit abstulit opprobrium à filiis Israel Laetificabit superstites ejus discessio Contristavit verò forsitan mortuos timor est ne praegravati ejus conversatione iterum ad nos remittant vel illos diffugiat qui eum abducunt sicut ille tyrannus Cyri Ciliciam Procurandum est igitur oportet tuam Sanctitatem maxime hanc suscipere festinantiam jubere collegio mortuos asportantium lapidem aliquem maximum gravissimum Sepulchro imponere ne iterum huc perveniret instabilem voluntatem iterum demonstraret Infernis nova dogmata adferat Ibi diu noctuque sicut vult sermocinetur Non enim timemus ne illos divideret silet miser invitus Nudata illus facta alligant linguam obstruunt os fraenant sensum Ideo plango miserum ploro Nec enim puram mihi delectationem fecit mortis ejus denunciatio sed dolore permixtam Laetor jucundor ejusmodi pestilentiâ commune Ecclesiae videns liberatum Contristor vero ploro cogitans quod nec requiem malorum miserabilis susceperit sed majora pejora pertentans defunctus est somniavit enim ut dicunt regiam urbem perturbare tuam Sanctitatem accusare utpote ea colentem Sed vidit Deus non despexit Immisit fimum in os ejus fraenum in labia ejus c. Binnius thinketh some bad man fathered this falsly on Theodoret I would hope so too But it 's strange that the Council fathered it on him and none did vindicate him And the next Charge Bin. p. 559. rebuketh his Charity viz. his Speech at Antioch in the presence of Domnus Nemo neminem jam cogit blasphemare non jam est contentio Oriens Aegyptus sub uno jugo est Mortua est invidia cum eo obruta est contentio requiescant Theopathitae Is not this of the same kind And this is not denied to be his Whosoever it was it was sad that Bishops should have such minds and use such words of one another especially if it be as I confidently believe viz. that not distinguishing the concrete from the abstract and Qui Deus from Quâ Deus they both meant the same thing and differed but about the aptitude of words for want of explication and distinction § 18. In brief After the reading of many Papers and Ibas Epistles the tria Capitula were condemned viz. Theodore Mopsuest and the writings of Theodoret against Cyril and Ibas Epistle And so the Emperor found the Council as obedient as he desired § 19. But Vigilius Bishop of Rome who would not come to the Council now giveth in his Constitutum or his own judgment upon the whole Case and that with great moderation He first reciteth many passages of Theodore Mopsuest which he renounceth and he dispraiseth the passages of Theodoret and Ibas but he refuseth to join in the anathematizing of them alledging that good men have their errors and instancing in many whose errors were noted and yet their persons not condemned especially when they had either recanted them or better explained their words And he noteth that it would be a great injury to the Calcedon Council to have its own members now thus condemned that were by them accepted Quid enim aliud est mendaces aut simulantes professionem rectae fidei Patres in sancta Calced Synodo residentes ostendere quam dicere aliquos ex eis similia sapuisse Nestorio quorum judicio Nestorium ejusque dogmata fuisse damnata And soberly he saith It is not lawful to pass any new judgment on the persons of the dead but we must leave all men in the case that death found them and in special Theodore Mopsuest what the Fathers did is evident from what is said I dare not condemn him by my sentence nor yield that any one else condemn him but far be it from me to admit his wrong opinions This was the right way If they had all dealt as wisely and Christian-like Counsels had not been the Confounders of the Churches § 20. Nicephorus nameth many of Origen's Errors that were condemned in this Council but it is not found in the Acts. Binnius doubteth not but the Origenists stole them out and falsified the Records and also forged those Epistles of Vigilius in which the opinion of One Operation is asserted But will they allow us equally to suspect such Records as have been kept at Rome § 21. What good this Council did and how the peaceable Emperor attained the end that Theodore Caesar. promised him of uniting Dissenters I shall tell you but in the words of Binnius who followeth Baronius in almost all What Theodore Caesar. promised that the Eutychian Hereticks called Hesitants when the three Capitula were condemned would receive the holy Calcedon Council was not obtained when this was ended but rather a most grievous mischief was added to the Church For when the Defenders of the three Capitula with Vigilius the Pope did not acquiesce in the Councils decree the whole Catholick Church was torn by Schism and which is worse the Emperor stir'd up Persecution in which he deposed or banished Vigilius holding to his Constitutum Victor Afric and others § 22. I do impartially commend Vigilius ' s moderate Constitutum but I must needs say that there needeth no other instance than Vigilius that Interest is a Law to some Roman Bishops and that their pretences of Infallibility Tradition and Antiquity notwithstanding they have changed their very Faith or judgment of Councils at least as their wordly motives changed Vigilius first flattered the Emperor and joined with him against the tria Capitula Conc. Calced that is against Theodore Mopsu Theodoret and Ibas three Bishops saith Binnius p. 608. Seeing therefore that before this Council a Schism arose in the Western and Africane Church because Vigilius had consented to the Emperor's opinion it became necessary for the avoiding of Schism Sacriledge and Scandal that he should publish
Paulus persuadeth the Emperor to publish a Typus requiring all the Bishops to lay by the Controversie and Name of One and of Two Wills and Operations of Christ. But this which was approved in Pope Honorius is cryed down as Heretical in the Emperor Pyrrhus returneth to his Opinion and Paul dying he is again put in his place at Constantinople Binnius no better answereth the Objection that the Emperor's Edict said but what Pope Honorius said than by saying that the time made the difference It was good in Honorius's time and bad after to be quietly silent in such a Case § 16. They say there was a Council in Numidia another at Byzacene at Carthage another of 68 Bishops about the Monothelites § 17. CCI. Another Council was at Toletum uâ—der King Chindascrindus § 18. CCII. The Pope with one of his little Councils at Rome for the foresaid Italian Bishops yet disowned him and obey the Patriarch of Aquileia presumed to condemn Paulus Const. Pyrrhus and the Emperor's Edict Typus Wherefore his Agents at Constantinople were cast out beaten their Altar overthrown c. § 19. Martin is made Bishop at Rome He condemneth the Emperor's Edict of Silence as to Two Wills and Operations or One. The Emperor sendeth for him he is brought Prisoner to Constantinople laid in Irons under several Accusations banished and dyed Here the Pope pretendeth that Truth must not be silenced The Emperor saith Peace must not be broken for needless words Quer. Whether he be a Martyr that suffers for oppugning such Peace § 20. CCIII His Laterane Council An. 642. is very largâ—ly recorded in which the Emperor's Edict with Cyrâ—s Alex Sergius Pyrrbus Pauluâ— Constant. are condemned and two Operations and Wills asserted § 21. CCIV. Passing by a Synod at Orleance An. 653. another Council was held at Toletum against incontinent and ignorant Priests Kings here used to preach to the Bishops by their Letters and Decrees Dukes and Lords here subscribed § 22. Eugenius is Pope and dyeth Vitalianus succeedeth him Constans the Emperor cometh to Rome giveth them gifts and communicateth with them It 's said he kill'd his Brother Theodosius and after was kill'd himself Mezentius usurpeth the Empire Constantine Pogonatus Son to Constans conquereth him and reigneth Pope Vitalianus helpeth him and therefore expecteth his help Rome stood so much between the Eastern Empire and the Western Kings Goths Lombards Franks c. that both sides flattered the Roman Clergy though they oft suffered from both The Empire to keep them from turning to the Goths c. and the Goths to keep them from turning to the Empire And they that had most need of the Popes most advanced them and they that had least need and most dominion kept them under § 23. CCV Another Council at Toletum An. 655. called by K. Recessuinthus not the Pope made divers good Canons for Church-order among which the tenth is that because all the Canons oft made could not keep Bishops and Priests from Lechery they tryed this additional way to decree that all their Children begotten of their Servants Maids c. should be uncapable of inheritance and should live in continual servitude to the Church King Recaredus made a Law that Bishops and Priests Concubines should be whipt with an hundred Stripes and others that they should be sold for Slaves § 24. CCVI. The King of France Clodoveus called his Bishops together at a Village called Clypiacum and made a Sermon to them and they applauded him § 25. CCVII. He called another Synod at Cabilone for Church-order where Can. 10. it was decreed that all Ordination of Bishops should be null that was otherwise made than by the election of the Comprovincials the Clergy and the Citizens A threefold Lock is not easily pickt Let England understand this to be the old Canons and Custom § 26. CCVIII A Concil Emeritense called by King Recessuinthus made more Orders for regulating Bishops and Priests c. § 27. CCIX. A Synod at Rome justified a Bishop of Crete wronged by his Archbishop § 28. CCX Another at Toletum under King Wamban An. 675. sought to reform the Bishops and Clergy § 29. CCXI. An. 675. the same King Wamban had a Synod at Braccara for reforming the Clergy Can. 5. was to correct the Bishops that had turned Piety into Pride and Vanity going to the Solemnities of the Martyrs with Reliques hanged about their necks carried in Chairs by Deacons in white c. O what hath the Pride of Prelates done in the world § 30. Pope Adeodatus and after him Donus reigned at Rome and the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Antioch were Monothelites and Constantine needing the West having lost the East took part with Rome After Donus came Agathy in whose time the Bishop of Ravemia after long rejecting the Bishop of Rome as heretical returned to communion with him Constantine sent to Rome to require the Bishop to keep Missionary Legates at Constantinople and intreated them to lay by Philosophical Controversies and preach the pure Scripture that the Churches at last might have Peace But alas how long was that counsel vain § 31. CCXII. Beda saith an English Council met An. 679. under Theodorus to own the Catholick Faith Bed l. 4. c. 13. § 32. CCXIII. The same year 679. A Council at Milan told the Emperor their opinion for Two Wills and Operations § 33. CCXIV. A Synod at Rome prepared matter for the General Council against the Monothelites This tended to please the separating Bishops of Italy that divided from the Pope for seeming to desert the Calcedon Council by condemning the tria Capitula § 34. CCXV Now cometh the 3d Council of Constantine called the 6th General Council in which 289 Bishops condemned the Monothelites that were for One Will and Operation Constantine Pog. being against them Macarius Patriarch of Antioch was the chief of them who would have consented to name neither One nor Two but when they had done all professed that he would be cast into the Sea before he would say there were in Christ two Wills and Operations thinking that he held to Cyril and the first Ephesian Council against Nestorius George Bishop of Constantinople deserted him and he was deposed and banished to Rome no hard Banishment but for ill company § 35. A long stir there was among them perusing former Writings Macarius and his Party producing many which others said were falsified so little certainty is there oft of Copies The Epistles of Sergius Const. Honor. Rom. are read which I should think peaceable and honest but the General Council damned and cursed them both as Hereticks The Papists say General Councils may err in matter of Fact How much more then in matter of Faith which is more obscure and matter of Fact is much of the matter of our Faith No Man's name had so strange a Fate against Hereticaters as the great Hereticater Cyril's who in this Council in Cyrus artic and many others was fully proved to
the more for this Accusation he seemed an Hypocrite indeed but whether an Heretick I know not The Scot Heretick is accused as denying the Church Canons and the meaning of some Fathers despising the Synods Laws saying that he may still be a Bishop for so he was though he had two Sons in Adultery saith Boniface perhaps in Marriage and as he saith holding that a Man may marry his Brothers Widow and that Christ at his Descent delivered all Souls out of Hell This was a foul Error indeed if truly charged These were charged by Boniface and the Roman Synod to be forerunners of Antichrist and how like are Aldebert's Pretensions to many Roman Saints A Prayer also of Aldeberts was read in which he prayed to Angels under several strange names Bishops and Presbyters had Votes in this Council and subscribed the Hypocrites condemnation Bin. p. 218. But there is no certainty that he named more than three Angels § 23. Stephen the 2d was chosen Pope by ALL THE PEOPLE after Zachary and dyed four days after suddenly § 24. Stephen the 3d was chosen by all the People saith Anastasius Aistulphus King of the Longobards threatned Rome took their Gifts and demanded their Subjection The Pope after Gregory the 2d's Rebellion was glad to send to the Emperor to crave an Army to save Rome and Italy when he could get no help from Constant. he sent to Pepin King of France One that he had made King by Rebellion was obliged to help him and by an Army forced Aistulphus to covenant to restore Ravenna and many other Italian Cities not to the Emperor whose Agent claimed his right and was denied by Pepin but to the Pope to reward him and get the pardon of his sins Aistulphus broke his Covenants Pepin with another Army forceth him to deliver them and returneth Aistulphus dyeth Desiderius a Captain by Usurpation invadeth the Kingdom Radchis that had been King before and went into a Monastery and the Nobles of the Longobards resist the Rebel He sendeth to the Pope offering him all that he could desire more Cities to help him The Pope maketh his own bargain with him as he did with Pepin and Charles Martell before and by the help of the French setleth the Rebel Desiderius in the Kingdom Pepin maketh a Deed of Gift of all the foresaid Cities to the Church of Rome Was this Constantine's Gift He gave away another Mans the Emperor's Dominions and with Desiderius's additions now the Pope is become a Prince § 24. CCXXVIII We come now to a great General Council of 338 Bishops at Constantinople An. 754. under Constantine Copronymus against the worshiping of Images The Adversaries of it will not have it called the 7th General Council because divers Patriarchs were absent and it decreed say they against the Truth They not only condemned the worshiping of Images and Germanus Constantinus Georgius Cyprius Jo. Damascenus and other Worshipers of them as Idolaters but destroyed the Reliques of Martyrs and exacted an Oath of Men by the Cross and the holy Eucharist that they would never adore Images but execrate them as Idols nor ever pray to the holy Apostles Martyrs and blessed Virgin saith Baronius and Binnius p. 235. But the 15th and 17th definitions of this Council recited in the 2d Nicene Council shew that they were not so free from praying to the Virgin Mary and Saints as we could wish they had For they decree we must crave her intercessions and theirs but they forbad praying to their Images § 25. The Acts of this Council not pleasing the Adversaries are not delivered fully to us but it fell out that their Decrees are repeated word by word in the 2d Nicene Council and so preserved § 26. There is one Doctrinal definition of this Council owned also by their Adversaries the 2d Concil Nicen. which by the way I will take notice of about the glorified Body of Christ and consequently ours after the Resurrection that it is a Body but not Flesh Bin. p. 378. defin 7. Siquis non confessus fuerit Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum post assumptionem animatae rationalis intellectualis Carnis simul sedere cum Deo Patre atque ita quoque rursus venturum cum Paterna Majestate judicaturum vivos mortuos non amplius quidem Carnem neque incorporeum tamen ut videatur ab iis à quibus compunctus est maneat Deus extra crassitudinem carnis Anathema To which saith the Nicene Council by Epiphanius Huc usque recte sentiunt Patrum traditionibus convenientia dicunt c. Two sorts I would have take notice of this 1. The Papists who say that the Bread is turned into Christ's very Flesh when he hath no very Flesh in Heaven And therefore the meaning must be of the Sacramental Sign that it is the Representation of that real Flesh of Christ which was sacrificed on the Cross. 2. Some prejudiced Protestants that think he that saith Our Bodies and Christs in Heaven will not be Flesh and Blood formally and properly so called but spiritual glorious Bodies doth say some dangerous new assertion such gross thoughts have gross heads of the heavenly state To these I say 1. You contradict the express words of God's Spirit 1 Cor. 15. Flesh and Blood cannot enter c. That it is meant of Formal Flesh and Blood and not Metaphorical Sin is plain in the Context see Dr. Hammond on the Text. 2. Give but a true definition of Flesh and Blood and it will convince you of itself 3. You see here that you maintain an Opinion which these two even adverse General Councils anathematized § 27. By this Council we may see how little General Councils signifie with the Papists either as to Infallibility Authority or preservation of Tradition longer than they please the Pope As to their Objection that call it Pseudo-septimum that the Pope was not there I answer 1. No more was he by himself or Legate at the first of Constant. called the 2d General Council as Binnius professeth 2. Is not the Church the Church if the Pope be not there Then he may choose whether ever there shall be more General Councils as indeed he doth § 28. CCXXIX An. 756. King Pepin called a Council in France declaring that things were so far out of order that he could attempt but a partial Reformation leaving the rest till better times The first Canon was that every City have a Bishop of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified every such Town as our Corporations and Market-Towns are And by all the old Canons and Customs except some odd ones every such Town of Christians was to have a Bishop and in Phrygia Arabia c. the Villages had Bishops saith Socrates c. And in many places the Villages had Chorepiscopos which Petavius Annot. in Epiphan Arian fully proveth were true Bishops And yet then the most of the People in most Countries were without the Church
Irene will do as the Pope would have her She is as much for Pictures as the Pope himself She calling this Council at Constantinople the old Soldiers bred up under the former Emperors being against Images haeresin medullitus imbiberant saith Binnius p. 396. Would not endure them in Constantinople but routed them At which the Empress being troubled dismissed the Bishops till they had purged the Army of those old Soldiers and then she called the Bishops to Nice and there they knowing their errand before-hand damned themselves and their Brethren that had held the former universal Synod and set up Images again § 55. By the way I appeal from Pride and Ignorance to Christian Sobriety and Reason how the taking down of Images can in the Roman sense be called an Heresie unless it be an Article of Faith that Images must or may be used And can any Man that ever read and believed the Scriptures and the Writings of the first four hundred years believe that having or worshiping of Images or Saints by Images is an Article of Faith or necessary to Salvation The best of them that any Man can plead with Modesty is that they are indifferent or lawful and useful to some Persons The Papists tell us now that they would not compel us to bow toward Images but leave it to our liberty Must it be Heresie and the Christian world cast into distractions about it when yet this Image-worship is Idolatry in the sense of one part of Christians and but indifferent and convenient to the ignorant that have other helps enow in the sense of others O what a Plague hath it been to the world to have a worldly Clergy invade the Churches § 56. At the meeting of this Council we have first the Call and Title in which 1. The Emperor and his Mother are called the Governors of the whole world Orbis Terrarum And yet our Papists as W. Iohnson in his Novelty represt c. would make Men believe that if they find but such a saying of a Council or of the Church it must needs signifie more than the Empire even all the Earth indeed 2. It 's expresly said over and over that this Council was called by the Emperor and by their Decree and Command Tharasius beginneth with telling them the need of Reformation for Images and reporting how they were assaulted at Constantinople when they met there and so removed to Nice c. § 57. Next the Letters of the Empress and her Son are read in which they are before made know what they must do They are told what Paul Const. on his Death-bed said for Images and that Tarasius would not take the Patriarchate till he had promise of a Council to restore them and some hopes of it The Emperor here saith that he called and Congregated the Synod and that ex universo terrarum orbe out of the whole earthly world and yet it was only out of the Roman Empire § 58. When the Bishops business was so well made known by the Woman that called them first three Bishops that had been lately forward speakers against Images in the former General Council under Constantine did humbly confess their sin to the Council and asked forgiveness that is Basil. Ancyrae Theodorus Myron and Theodosius Amorii And first Basil Bishop of Ancyra gave them his Creed in which he professed to believe in the Trinity and to embrace the intercession of the Mother of God and of the heavenly Powers and of all the Saints and with all honour to receive and embrace their holy Reliques firmly believing that he may be made Partaker of their holiness Also that he embraceth the venerable Images which the Oeconomy of our Lord Iesus Christ c. and of the inviolate Virgin our Lady the Mother of God and of the holy Apostles Prophets Martyrs and all Saints and giveth them due honour Rejecting and cursing with all his mind that called the 7th Synod that was gathered by a depraved mind and madness a false Council as alien to all Piety and Religion impiously barking against Ecclesiastical Legislation reproaching venerable Images and commanding them to be taken out of the Churches c. And to shew his zeal and lead others the way he delivereth in nine Curses or Anathemas One against those that demolish Images Another against those that expound the Scripture words against Idols and Gentile Images as against Christians Images Next he execrateth all that embrace not Images so it is now become necessary unto salvation Another Curse is against those that favour them that are against Images c. Was not the Church ill used by her Bishops when they are sure to be cursed by them one year cursing all that be for Images and another cursing all that be not for them Was it such a cursing Clergy to make a cursed Church that Christ ordained And that the Council might not suspect that this Bishop was a Temporizer and changed his Opinion with the Times first he professeth to declare all this With his whole Soul Heart and Mind and next he wisheth That if ever by any means he revolt again from Images he may be alienated from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Catholick Church And thus he renounceth Repentance cursing himself if ever he repent § 59. Tharasius and his Synod glorifie God for this excellent Confession And next cometh Theodore Bishop of Myros and he doth the like and is joyfully received And next cometh Theodosius Bishop of Amorium and he more dolefully lamenteth that being a sinner and seduced he had blattered out many evils untruly against venerable Images and therefore confessing his fault he condemneth and curseth or detesteth himself resolving hereafter to do the same thing which he had cursed or spoken ill of and to teach it to the world and begging to be received among Christians though unworthy Next he offereth his Libel viz. First I approve receive salute and venerate before all things the intemerate Image of our Lord Iesus Christ our true God and the blessed Mother Virgins who brought him forth without seed whose help protection and intercession I pray for night and day that she may help me a sinner as having that power from him whom she brought into the world Christ our God And I receive and venerate the Images of Saints Apostles Prophets Martyrs Fathers Eremites not as Gods c. And with all my mind I beseech them to intercede with God for me that I may find mercy in the day of judgment On the same account I venerate the Reliques of Saints c. So he proceedeth also to his Curses and first he anathematizeth all that venerate not Images Then he curseth those that reproach them And next that speak evil of them And next he curseth those that do not from their hearts teach Christian People the veneration of holy and honourable Images of all Saints which from the beginning pleased God Qu. 1. Where shall we
As an usurping Magistrate oweth us protection though he shall answer for his Usurpation so an usurping Minister oweth us his labour so that the people are bound to hear and obey men when they are uncertain of their due Call if they possess the place and shall have the blessing of such Administrations For we are sure the Office and work is of God Proposition 11. The truth of our Doctrine depends not on our Calling Were we no Ministers we can prove the Gospel true which we deliver And any man must be believed that brings a truth that concerneth our peace Therefore let Quakers and Seekers and Papists first disprove our Doctrine if they can and not cheat the people by perswading them that our Calling must first be proved as a Prophets must be Object But you have your learning only from Books and Vniversities and so have not true Ministers Answ. We have it from God in the use of his means even by prayer reading study and learning his works and word of our Teachers whether at Universities or elsewhere And we are commanded to study and meditate on these things and give our selves wholly to them and to meditate on Gods Law day and night Psal. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 4. 13 15. Christs Ministers must be Teachers or Tutors to others and commit the things which they have heard to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2. â— Good Ministers of Christ are nourished up in the words of faith and good Doctrine and so attain to it 1 Tim. 4. 6. All should learn according to their time of teaching Heb. 5. 11 12 14. We study nothing but the Word and works of God And is not that a Wretch and not a man that will reproach us as no Ministers for doing that which we have our Reason for and which must be the work of our lives Poor Christians as you love God and your Souls and would not cast off Christ and Heaven let not Deceivers draw you to cast off the Ministry Scripture or the Ordinances of God FINIS * That 〈◊〉 local Altar is here meant I elsewhere prove against them that say it is but one communicating Body adhearing to one Bishop See Mr. Iones Hearts Soveraign excellently describing the English Succession Alpaspinaeus learnedly maketh the best of it But of Can. 34. confesseth a worsâ— sence than this of Binnius And no General Council had judged against them for there had been none ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ Sâ—crat l. 7. c. 3. Socr. ib. c. 7. Socr. c. 15. ☜ Niceph. l. 14. c. 17. ☞ Socr. l. 7. c. 28. Socr. c. 29. c. 31. c. 32. c. 33. ☞ â—in p 786. ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ Bin. Tom. 2. p. 7 8. ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Bin. p. 151. Niceph. l. 15. c. 19. Niceph. l. 15. c. 17 18 19. ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ And more largely Ep. 13. ad Episcop Dardainae ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Evagr. l. 3. cap. 4. ☜ Evagr. l. 6. cap. 6. Ann. 518. ☞ Evag. l. 4. c. 10. 11. and Nicep l. 17. c. 7. ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Some late Historians tell us of incredible numbers of the Egyptian Christians whom Iastinian destroyed in this blind zeal for Christ but I find no such thing in the old Historians though it was too bad ☞ ☞ ☞ Constant. an 547. ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * And would not Papists have Princes do so ☜ ☜ ☜ * Barâ—nius contradicteth Anastasius others in this point ☞ * Baronius thinks that Theodomire was Father to 〈◊〉 ☜ ☜ ☞ * No not the Roman ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ Bin. pag. 127. ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ * Pag. 217 218. vide caetera ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * No wonder * Were not Monks holy men then * If you will needs have the honour of so had a work that you may have power to do the like take it ☜ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ Sixtus Seneâ—sis Pet. Crabbe p. 458. say it was at Ephesus but Binnius confuteth them ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * See Hen. Fowlis of Papists Treasons P. 120. proving the whole Story false ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ * The Verb is left out (*) Where he was lately a Leader * How was he then of her substance ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ Crab. p. 485. ☜ * At Constantinople ☞ ☜ (*) What! superior to Christ's Humanity How prove you that she is superior to the highest Angels (*) Are the bodies of all Saints already risen Crab. p. 605. ☞ * Alas Must all be Separatists from the Bishops in England France c * As by Interdicts ☜ ☞ ☞ Bin. p. 288 Bellarm. de Imag. lib. 2. It was such a Western General Council as that at Trent was for extent * Lib. 2. de Imagin cap. 14. Even Dion Petavius after all saith In which Synod of Frankford the 7th General Council was rejected by the Bishops that were ignorant â—f its Decrees An. 794. Hist. l. 8. c. 7. ☜ ☞ Bin. p. 428. Ex quadam Elipandi confessione quae in Biblioth Toletana reperitur in quodam libro à Beato Heterio contra Elipandum scripto aiunt nonnulli Faelicem Elipandum non in mysterio Incarnationis sed tantum abutâ—ndo voce Adoptionis instar Durandi aberrâsse Idemque conjecturis affirmant istis quod nihil eorum quae Nestorio objecta fuerant in Conc. Ephes. contra Elipandum attulerent c. See the rest ☞ Vid. Not. Bin. p. 428 ☜ ☜ ☜ See Petav. Hist. li. 8. c. 6. ☞ ☞ ☞ * This is not the first time that Councils have 〈…〉 Catholick Church * They mean but the Canons of the Church * A new Controversie ☜ ☜ * Council-Curses for Opinions take place Bin p. 470 Epist. Theod. * It 's like Iulius Marinus as Onuphrius saith was his name * Saith Vita Ludovici in Bin. p. 525. Congregatis Episcopis c. fecit componi ordinarique librum Canonicae vitae normam gestantem in quo totâ—us 〈◊〉 erdinis perfectio continetur In quo inseri jussit câ—â—i potusque omnium necessarrorum sâ—mmam Quem librum per omnes Civitates Monasteria Canonici ordinis sui imper◠〈◊〉 per manus missâ—rum prudeâ—tium See the rest so that it was the Emperor's Book and not the Council's work ☜ * Quae si vera sunt saith Binnius himself ☜ * An unlikely thing ☜ ☜ ☜ * Mark that it is the Rights of the Empire ☞ ☜ a O wicked use of Bishops b Whom should they have feared more than God and their King c Is this the use of Reliques An. 833. * Here is a High Court of Prelatical Justice against a good Emperor * Lotharius accusing his Father a No doubt but you made this known too far
must passe as undenyed truth And thus false History is made the chief foundation of the Roman Kingdom Thus they will face you down that you are ignorant or impudent 1. If you question whether Peter was a true Bishop at Rome yea or ever there which Nilus hath shewed to be somewhat uncertain 2. Or that he setled the Roman Bishop as his successour in a supremacy over all the Christian world 3. Or that the Popes Primacie was over all the Churches on earth which indeed was but as Canterburie is in England in one Roman Empire only 4. They will perswade you that this Primacie was setled by Christ or his Apostles which was done only by Councils and Emperours of Rome 5. They would make you believe that this was from the Apostles daies which began long after 6. They would perswade you that all the Christian world submitted to it even Abassia and all the extra-imperial Churches which is no such matter 7. Yea that before Luther none contradicted the Papal power and claime but all the Christian world were Papists By many such lies they deceive thousands of the ignorant And when they challenge men to dispute by word or writing their last refuge is to bring them into a wood of History that there they may either win the game or end the chase And if a Minister of Christ be not armed here to confute their historical forgeries they will take it for a victory and triumph which made me write my last book against Johnson or Terret to shew Historically the Antiquity of our Church and the novelty of theirs which I could wish young Ministers unacquainted with Church-History would peruse But if our people were truely acquainted how things have gone in the Church from the beginning it would be one of the most effectual preservatives against Popery when now the falsifications are become its strength I have oft thought that it had been greater policy in the Papists if they could to have burnt all Church-History but specially of the Councils that the credit might have depended on their bare word For verily once reading of Crab Binnius Surius or Nicolinus would turn against them any stomack that is not confirmed in their own disease But they have overdone Baronius and now made so great and costly a load of the Councils as that the deficiency of money time wit and patient industry shall save the most even of the Priesthood from the understanding of the truth And such Epitomes as Caranza's leave out most of the culpable part and yet even such they can hardly tolerate II. The more moderate French Papists who magnifie Councils aboue Popes would make us believe that though Popes are fallible and may miscarry yet General Councils have been the universal Church-representative which have a Legislative and Iudicial Vniversal power and that our concord must be by centring in their decrees and all are Schismaticks at least that take not their Faith and Religion upon their trust But if men knew that there never was a General Council of all the Christian Churches but only of the Empire and how wofully they have miscarried it would do much to save them from all such temptations III. The overvaluers of Church grandure and wealth and maintainers of the corrupt sort of Diocesane Prelacy Patriarks c. write books and tell the ignorant confident stories how such a Prelacy hath been in the Church ever since the dayes of the Apostles and that all the Churches on earth consented to it But if the people were acquainted with Church History they would know that the primitive fixed Episcopacy was Parochial or every Church associated for personal present Communion had a Bishop Presbytery and Deacons of their own unfixed Itinerant General Pastors indefinitely taking care of many Churches And that it was the Bishops striving who should be greatest and turning single Churches into an Association of many Churches and to be but Chappels or parts of the Diocesan Church that their power and wealth might be enlarged with their Territories and the turning of Arbitrating Bishops into the Common Indicatures which must govern all Christians and such like which poysoned the Church and turned the species of particular Churches Episcopacy Presbytery and Discipline quite into another thing And to speak freely it was the many blind volumes and confident clamours of some men that rail at us as denying an Episcopacy which the universal Church hath always agreed in which drew me to write this abridgement of the Church History of Bishops Councils and Popes IV. And those that make the Ignorant believe that seditious disobedient Presbyters have in all Ages been the dividers of the Church and the Bishops the means of Vnity concord and suppression of such Schismaticks and Hereticks could never thus deceive the people were but so much Church-History commonly known as I have here collected Read Church-History and believe that if you can V. And many that take up any new opinion or dotage which is but newly broached among them would have been saved from it if they â—aâ— but known how that same opinion or the like was long ago taken up by Hereticks and exploded by the faitbful Pastors and people of the Church VI. And the sectaries who rashly seperate from some Churches because of some forms opinions or ceremonies which almost all Christians on earth have used in the former purer ages and still use would be more cautelous and fearful in examining their grounds and would hardly venture to seperate from any Church for that which on the same reason would move them to separate from almost all Christians in the whole world if not Vnchurch the Church of Christ And ancient errours and crimes would affright us from imitating them VII And those that make new ambiguous words or unnecessary practices to become necessary to Church Communion and hereticate all that differ from them or persecute them at least would be more frightened from such pernicious courses if they well knew what have been the effects of them heretofore VIII And it is not unuseful to Princes and Magistrates to see what hath corrupted and disturbed the Churches in fâ—rmer times and what cause they have to keep the secular power from the Clergies hands and to value those that for knowledge and piety are meet for their proper guiding office and use of the Church Keys but not to corrupt them by excess of worldly wealth and power nor to permit them by striving who shall seem GREATEST WISEST and BEST to become the incendiaries of the Church and world and the persecutors of the best that cannot serve their worldliness and pride The Reader must Note 1. That though much of the History be taken from others the Councils are named and numbred according to Binnius and Crabbe 2. And that because so much evil is necessarily recited I thought it needful in the beginning and end to annex a defence of the Pastors and their office and work lest any should be tempted
Feed the Flock of God which is among you not out of your reach and hearing in a vast Diocess taking the oversight not by constraint but willingly and on willing men not for filthy lucre but of a ready wind neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage but being Examples to the Flock and when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away § 11. Nothing is more certain than that the Church for above 300 years had no power of the Sword that is forcibly to meddle with and hurt mens Bodies or Estates except what the Apostles had by miracle And to this day no Protestants and not most Papists claim any such Power as of Divine Institution but only plead that the Secular Powers are bound by the Sword to destroy such as are judged Hereticks by the Bishops and to punish such as contemn the censures of the Church § 12. He that would see more for the Power of Princes vindicated from the Clergies Claim and Usurpation may find much in many old Treatises written for the Emperours against the Pope collected by Goldastus de Monarch and in Will. Barclay but much better in Bishop Bilson of Obedience and in Bishop Andrew's Tortura Torti and in Bishop Buckridge Roffensis of the Power of Kings and much in Spalatensis de Repub. § 13. The Vniversality of Christians is the Catholick Church of which Christ is the only Head or Soveraign but it is the duty of these to worship God in solemn Assemblies and to live in a holy Conversation together and to join in striving against sin and to help each other in the way to life therefore Societies united for these ends are called Particular Churches § 14. When the Apostles had converted a competent number of Christians they gather'd them into such Assemblies and as a Politick Society set over them such Ministers of Christ as are afore described to be their Guides § 15. These Officers are in Scripture called sometime Elders and sometimes Bishops to whom Deacons were added to serve them and the Church subordinately Dr. Hammond hath well described their Office in in his Annotat. which was to preach constantly in publick and private to administer both Sacraments to pray and praise God with the People to Catechize to visit and pray with the sick to comfort troubled Souls to admonish the unruly to reject the impenitent to restore the penitent to take care of the poor and in a word of all the Flock § 16. The Apostles set usually more than one of these Elders or Bishops in every Church not as if one might not rule the Flook where no more was necessary but according to their needs that the work might not be undone for want of Ministers § 17. They planted their Churches usually in Cities because Christians comparatively to the rest were few as Sects are among us and no where else usually enough for a Society and because the Neighbour-scattered Villages might best come to the Cities near them not but that it was lawful to plant Churches in the Country where there were enough to constitute them and sometimes they did so as by Clemens Roman ad Corinth by History appeareth § 18. Grotius thinketh that one City at first had divers Churches and Bishops and that they were gathered after the manner of the Synagogues and Dr. Hammond thinketh that for some time there were two Churches and Bishops in many Cities one of Jews and one of Gentiles and that in Rome Paul and Peter had two Churches whom Linus and Cletus did succeed till they were united in Clemens § 19. There is great evidence of History that a particular Church of the Apostles setling was essentially only a Company of Christians Pastors and People associated for personal holy communion and mutual help in holy Doctrine Worship Conversation and Order Therefore it never consisted of so few or so many or so distant as to be uncapable of such personal help and Communion But was ever distinguished as from accidental Meetings so from the Communion of many Churches or distant Christians which was held but by Delegates Synods of Pastors or Letters and not by personal help in presence Not that all these must needs always meet in the same place but that usually they did so or at due times at least and were no more nor more distant than could so meet Sometimes Persecution hindred them somtimes the Room might be too small Even Independent Churches among us sometimes meet in divers places and one Parish hath divers Chappels for the aged and weak that are unfit for travel § 20. Scotus began the opinion as Davenport Fr. a Santa Clara intimateth and Dion Petavius improved it and Dr. Hammond hath largely asserted it that the Apostles at first planted a single Bishop in each Church with one or more Deacons and that he had power in time to ordain Elders of a different Order Species or Office and that the word Elder and Bishop and Pastor in Scripture never signifie these subject Elders but the Bishops only and saith he there is no evidence that there were any of the subject sort of Presbyters in Scripture-times Which concession is very kindly accepted by the Presbyterians but they call for proof that ever these Bishops were authorised to make a new Species of Presbyters which were never made in Scripture-times and indeed they vehemently deny it and may well despair of such a proof § 21. But for my part I believe the foundation unproved that then there was but one Elder in a Church and think many Texts of Scripture fully prove the contrary But I join with Dr. Hammond in believing that in Scripture-times there was no particular Church that had more stated meetings for publick Communion than one For if there was so long but one Elder there could be but one such Assembly at once for they had no such Assemblies which were not guided by a Presbyter or Bishop in Doctrine Worship Sacraments and Discipline And they used to have the Eucharist every Lords day at least and often much more And one man can be at once but in one place § 22. I have elsewhere fully proved that the ancient Churches that had Bishops were no bigger than our Parishes and few a quarter so big as the greatest of them and consisted of no more than might have such present personal Communion as is before described the proofs are too large to be here recited Ignatius is the plainest who saith that this was the note of a Churches Unity that To every Church there was one Altar and one Bishop with his Fellow Presbyters and Deacons And elsewhere chargeth the Bishop to take account of his Flock whether they all come to Church even Servant-men and Maids Clemens Romanus before him intimateth the like mentioning even Country Bishops Martyr's Description of the Christian Assemblies plainly proveth it Tertullian's Description of them and many other passages in him prove it more fully He professeth that
Sin 2. His errour is practical and not only notional 3. It excludeth the contrary truth and is predominant so that what contrary truth he acknowledgeth he doth not soundly practically and prevailingly believe § 12. Were it not besides my present purpose I might manifest that every carnal ungodly man among us 1. Doth not truly believe any one Article of the Creed with a serious practical belief 2. Nor doth he consent to the Baptismal Covenant 3. Nor sincerely desire and put up one Petition of the Lords Prayer rightly understood 4. Nor sincerely obey one of the Ten Commandements 5. Nor can sincerely receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Nor 6. Is a sincere Member of the holy Catholick Church nor can sincerely hold Communion with the Saints He is an Hypocrite and damnably erroneous even while he seemeth to be Orthodox and pleadeth for the Truth and cryeth out against Heresies and Errours which he may easily and ordinarily do § 13. It hath still been one of Satans effectual Snares to deceive and damn ungodly men by to hide their own practical errour and wickedness from their Consciences by seeming to be Orthodox and crying down Errours and Heresies in others But alas how unfit persons are they for such Work And how dreadfully do they condemn themselves It is a pitiful thing to hear a man that is false to the very essence of his Baptismal Vow to revile and prosecute a poor Anabaptist though erroneous for holding that Baptism should be delayed till years of discretion that it may be the better kept Or to hear a man that obeyeth not God himself but his fleshly Lust to cry out against every Dissenter how conscionable soever for not obeying the Church in some questionable points or to hear a man that sticketh not at any wickedness that maketh for his worldly ends or pleasure to cry out against those that in fear of Perjury or Lying or other sinning against God dare not take some Oath Subscription Profession or Covenant which is imposed As these notorious Hypocrites who live quite contrary to the Christian Religion which they profess do use to call those Hypocrites that labour in all things to please God if they do but mislike any thing in their Lives So also while they are drowned in damnable Errour they cry out against Errour in those that practically hold all the Essentials of Christianity and are certainly in the way of Life if they do differ in any thing from them or are ignorant of any thing which they know He that never puts up a sincere Prayer to God for his Grace nay that would not have it to make him holy and deprive him of his sinful pleasure will yet call others erroneous and Schismaticks if they pray not by his Book or in all his Circumstances while his Heart and Family are prayerless and God's Name ofter heard in Oaths and Curses than in Prayer § 14. Because bare opinion may consist with worldliness and fleshly lusts therefore it hath long been the trick of the ungodly to seem zealous for the true Church and for right opinions and to over do here to quiet their Consciences in Sin And it hath been a Snare to many conscionable People to tempt them to suspect and dislike the Truth because ungodly Men thus stand for it and to think it must be some bad thing which wicked men seem so zealous for when as they do it but for a cover for their Sin as Hypocrites and Oppressors use long Prayers which would not serve their turn if there were not some good in it § 15. And yet Errour is such a blinding thing that it 's very usual even for grosly erroneous men to cry out most fiercely against Errour For they know not themselves and they are proud and self conceited and oft by malignity apt to suspect and condemn others What did the Jews persecute the Christians for For supposed Heresie and Errour What did the Heathens cast them to wild Beasts and Torments for For supposed Impiety and Errour because they would not erre in their Idolatry as they did What hath disquieted and torn in pieces the Christian World but erroneous and worldly Popes Patriarcks and Prelates inordinate out-crys against supposed Errours For what have they silenced hundreds and thousands of faithful Ministers of Christ for Errour For what have they racked tormented burnt to ashes and slain by the Sword so many thousand and hundred thousands O it was for Heresie or Errour And are not these men perfectly free from Errour themselves that have so great a zeal against it No so grosly erroneous are they that they deny credit to all mens Senses and know not Bread and Wine when they see and touch and taste it and would have all those destroyed that will not deny belief to sense as well as they So erroneous are they that they pretend a mortal man to be the Church Governour of all the Earth so erroneous that they think God well Worshipped by praying in words not understood and dare deny half the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the People which they confess that he instituted and all the Church did use so erroneous that they think the flames of Purgatory will help them the better to love that God that doth torment them How foul and many are their Errours that kill and burn and damn others as erroneous But S. Iames hath told us Iam. 3. That the Wisdom is not from above but is earthly sensual and devillish which hath an envious striving zeal and that if it work not by â—eakness of wisdom and be not pure peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and hypocrisie sowing the fruit of righteousness in peace by peace-making but hath bitter contention it is not of God but bringeth confusion and every evil work § 16. The Arians were cruel Persecutors on pretence of zeal against Errour as they accounted it They banished godly Pastors they killed them they cut out the Preachers Tongues they reproached them The Emperours Valens and Constantius were more fierce than the Arian Goths themselves Macedonius that denyed the Deity of the Holy Ghost was a great pretender to Orthodoxness and a great decryer and persecuter of others as erroneous and Hereticks Nestorius though somewhat worse judged of by Cyril than he deserved was justly condemned were it but for his heat and fierceness against others He fell presently upon the Novatians and other Parties and began with this overdoing zeal at his entrance O Emperour give me a Church without Heresie and I will give-thee Victory over the Persians that is Destroy all these dissenting Parties and God will prosper thee And very quickly was he deposed condemned and at last banished even to misery and death as an Heretick whether justly or no I shall say more anon The Eutychians were as great Zealots against Errour and Heresie as any of the rest They took Cyril for their Captain whom Theodoret and
beck of the Emperor and at the will of a Monothelite Patriarch the holy sixth Synod is condemned and what they decreed of two Wills in Christ and two Operations and all retracted by the Decree and Subscription of very many Oriental Bishops that were in one moment turned from being Catholiques to be Monothelites Is this the constancy of Bishops and the certainty of their Tradition But why have we not the Acts of this great Council as well as of the rest CHAP. IX Councils called about Images and some others § 1. POpe Gregory the 2d is the Man that must set up Image-worship against all opposition rebel against his lawful Sovereign and confederate with other Princes to alienate the Western Empire when the East was almost ruined before and so to weaken the Christian Power that the Turk might shortly win the Empire § 2. To have recited all along as we went on what new Ceremonies Formalities and Orders were invented and brought in by the Popes and how Doctrine and Practice grew corrupted being a thing done already by many others would have been tedious here and besides the design of this writing which is but to shew how Prelates have used the Church by their contentions about JURISDICTION and HARD or AMBIGUOUS WORDS and what hath been the work especially of General Councils But we cannot tell you well the work of the following Councils without telling somewhat of the occasion of the matter The Primitive Christians used not Images in the Worship of God read Dalaeus de Imaginibus But the contempt of Christianity by the Heathens occasioned many to oppose their contempt by glorying in the Cross of Christ and by making the transient sign of it with their fingers and thence they grew to use the fixed sign of it and thence to speak of and believe many Miracles wrought by it and thence to make the Image of Christ crucified which yet Epiphanius condemned and thence by degrees to make the Images of the Apostles and Martyrs and thence to make in their Churches the Images of their deceased Bishops till an Excommunicater arâ—se of another Opinion that pull'd any of them down And abundance of Dreams Visions Apparitions and Revelations were the pretended Proofs that prevailed for many such Superstitions but especially for Images and Purgatory and Prayers for the dead Among others an English Monk Egwin of Evesholme chosen Bishop of Worcester must lead the way by pretence of a Vision a Dream no doubt see Spelman's Concil p. 209. in his own Chart Egwin saith That the Virgin Mary first appeared to a certain Shepherd called Eoves and afterward to himself with two Virgins holding a Book in her hands and told him in what place she would have him build her a Monastery The crafty Dreamer divulged the Vision and some good Men opposing it the Pope must have the hearing of it The Pope put it to the Oath of Egwin whether ever he saw such a Vision or not Egwin sware it and the matter was past doubt just as honest Commenius took Daubritius's Prophesies to be of God because the melancholy Man sware that they were true Hereupon Egwin is sent home and a Council called to take Egwin's words again that he had such a Vision and in the end was added That the Virgin Mary ' s Image must be set up in the place The Pope sent to King Kenred and King Offa by Bishop Brithwald to grant what the Vision intended who obediently make over a great part of the Countrey to that Monastery as you may see described in Spelman Conc. p. 209 210. in Charta Kenredi Offae Regum And p. 211. in Charta Egwini who saith himself that God being propitious to him he had in a little time got for the said Church an hundred and twenty Farms given as is written and confirmed in the Charter of that Church Many Villages are there named and some great ones in the fattest and richest part of the County of Worcester Was not this a profitable Dream or Vision And should we not have many Dreamers and Swearers if they could get as much by it as Egwin did And herewith Images are set up § 3. But Baronius and Binnius question whether Naucler and Bale say true that this Council first brought Image-worship into England because it came in before with Austin the Monk To which Spelman well answereth That the use of the Cross in banners and otherwise was here before and some Images for Instruction and Commemoration as Beda's own words intimate but not any worship of Images or worshiping before and towards them And Sir H. Spelman saith proving that Image-worship was not then in use among the Saxons that even praying to the Saints themselves was not then in use mentioning an old Psalter of his written about the time of the 2d Nicene Council in which there were an hundred seventy and one Prayers inserted between the Sections of the 119th Psalm and in them all not one name of any Saint or the Virgin Mary much less any Prayer directed to them § 4. If one talk now with our English Papists they are so loth to own their own Doctrine and Practice that they will tell you they hold not the worshiping of the Image but of the Person signified by it But to tell them how commonly their Writers defend worshipping Images if Colere and Cultus signifie Worship and what Aquinas saith of giving the worship of Latria to the Image of Christ and to the Cross though undeniable yet will not be taken for sufficient proof I shall therefore give you here thâ— sense of the Papal Church in England in the form of Abjuration which they prescribed to those that they then called Lollards as it is found in the Tower Records and you must take it in the old English in which it is written because I do but transcribe it and must not alter it the sense of it being plain and obvious Ex Rotulo Clausax de Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi 19 membr 18 dors MEmorand quod primo die Septembris Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi post Conquestum decimo nâ—no Willielmus Dynel Nicholaus Taillour Michaelus Poucher Willielmus Steynour de Nottingham in Cancellar ipsius Regis personaliter constituti Sacramenta divisim prestiterunt sub eo qui sequitur tenore I William Dynel befor yhow worchipefull Fader and Lorde Archbyshop of Yhorke and yhowr Clergie with my free will and full avyside swere to Gode and to all his seyntes uppon this holy Gospelle that fro this day forthwarde I shall Worship Ymages with preying and offering unto hem in the worschip of the seintes thae they be made after and also I shall never more despyse pygremage ne states of holy Chyrche in no degree And also I shall be buxum to the lawes of holy Chirche and to yhow as myn Archbyshop and to myn other ordinares and Curates and kepe yo lawes uppon my power and meynten
have Painters enow 2. Where shall we have Money to pay them 3. Where shall we find room to hold them 4. Is not here a new Article of Faith and a new Commandment necessary to Salvation 5. Was not their Church Universal as it stood before all or most here cursed 6. Was it not a hard matter to be saved or be a Conformist on these terms when a Man that did but doubt of Images yea that did not teach them to the People and that from his heart must be cursed 7. Was not such a cursing sort of Bishops a great Curse Shame and Calamity to the Church Did they not tempt Infidels to curse or deride them all while they thus cursed one another even their Councils Tharasius joyfully received all this and Constantine Bishop of Constance in Cyprus said That this Libel of Theodosius drew many tears from him I suppose of joy And now they all saw the way § 60. But now cometh a Crowd more to do their Pennance Hypatius Bishop of Nice Leo Rhodi Gregory of Pisidia Gregory of Pessinunt Leo of Iconium Nicolas of Hierapolis Leo of Carpathium And now Tarasius was sure of them he groweth more upon them and will know of them Whence it was that in the last Council they did what they did against Images whether it was through meer Ignorance or by any reason that drew them to it If through Ignorance he bids them give a Reason how they came to be so ignorant If upon any Reason to tell what that Reason was that it might be refuted Leo Bishop of Rhode answered We have sinned before God and before the Church and before this holy Synod Ignorance made us fall from the Truth and we have nothing to say in our own defence Tharasius would know what Reason now moveth and changeth them some say because it is the Doctrine or Faith of the Apostles and Fathers Another alledgeth a saying as of the Antioch Council and another as of Isidore Pelus which the learned Reader examining may see what proof it was that Images were brought into Churches by it 's worth the noting But another alledgeth the Apostles and Prophets Tradition But what 's the proof And did not the Council at Constant nor the Bishops in the Reign of the three former Emperors know what Tradition was Was it unknown till now How came it now known then Or who told it this Council when the last knew it not Or if the last were false Knaves how shall we be sure that these were honest Men Or that the same Men were suddenly become wise and honest Tharasius asketh one of the Bishops Leo How it came to pass that he that had been ten or eight years a Bishop never knew the Apostolical Tradition for Images till just now He answered Because through many Ages or Times Malice endured and so wicked Doctrine endured and when this persevered for our sins it compelled us to go out of the way of Truth but there is hope with God of our salvation But Constantine Cypr. answereth him You that are Bishops and Teachers of others should not have had need to be taught your selves Leo replied If there were no expression of sin in the Law there would be no need of Grace Another Hypatius replied with the rest We received ill Doctrine from ill Masters Yea but saith Tarasius The Church ought not to receive Priests from ill Teachers Hypatius Bishop of Nice replieth Custom hath so obtained § 61. Hereupon the Synod desired to be informed on what terms Hereticks were to be received when they returned so the Canons were brought and read And though many Canons and Fathers have said that no Repentance for some Crimes must restore a Man to the Priesthood though it must to the Church and there is an Epistle of Tarasius put by Crabbe before this Council in which he determineth that a Simoniack may be received upon Repentance to Communion but not to his Office yet Tarasius here being desirous of their return knowing that these Penitents that renounced the errors of their Education and former practice would draw others to conformity with them did resolutely answer all that was objected against their reception § 62. Here in Crab. p. 472. a question fell in upon their reading the Proofs that repenting Hereticks were by the Church to be restored to their Bishopricks and Priesthood What Hereticks those were And it was answered that they were Novatians Encratists and Arrians and Manichees Marcionists and Eutychians And then one asketh Whether this Heresie against Images was greater or less than all those And Tharasius answereth like a Stoick Evil is always the same and equal especially in matters Ecclesiastical in the Decrees of which both great and small to err is the same thing for in both God's Law is violated O Learned Patriarch worthy to be the setter up of Church-Images A venerable Monk that was Vicar of the Oriental Patriarch answereth That this Heresie is worse than all heresies and the worst of all Evils as that which subverteth the Oeconomy of our Saviour Note Reader how the Patriarchal Thrones did govern the Church and this Council and by what reasons Images and Saints intercessions were set up Arrianism Manicheism Marcionism no Heresie that denied the essentials of Christianity no evil was so bad with them as to deny Church-Images c. And so the late General Council and Bishops for three Emperors Reigns had been under the worst of Heresies and Evils worse than Arrianism itself § 63. But here Constantine the Notary of the Const. Patriarchate happily brought in so pertinent a Testimony as much made for the pardon of the penitent Bishops He read out of the Council of Calcedon how the Oriental and other Bishops that had lately set up Eutyches and Dioscorus in the 2d Ephesian Council cryed at Calcedon We have all sinned we all ask forgiveness And how Thalassius Eusebius and Eustathius cryed We have all erred we all ask forgiveness And after them Iuvenal and after him the Illyrican Bishops cryed We have all lapsed we all ask pardon And so the President was undeniable and effectual These were not the first Bishops that went one way in one Council under one Prince and cryed peccavimus for it as Heresie in the next § 64. But Sabas the Monk starts yet a greater doubt than this and that is whether they had true Ordination and so were true Bishops For seeing they were bred in the times of Heresie which had prevailed under so many Emperors and had Heretical Teachers it 's like they had Heretick Ordainers seeing the late Council shewed what the Bishops then were And the Fact was confest that they were Ordained by Bishops that were Hereticks that is against Church-Images and praying to Saints for their intercession and using Reliques The Bishop of Rome's Vicars pleaded hard against their Ordination but Tarasius knew what a breach it would make in the Church if a General Council
out as is aforesaid by an Army § 34. CCCXLIX In a Council at Barcelon the Spaniards abrogated their old Gothish Laws and made new ones but would not change the Gothish Church rites Here also Alexander was owned § 35. An. 1065. A Council was at Rome against incest § 36. Another for the same the former not prevailing § 37. In a Synod at Winchester William the Conqueror puts down and imprisons Bishops and sets up others for his own interest § 38. CCCL A Council at Mentz was to have separated the young Emperor and his Queen but the Popes Legate hindred it § 39. CCCLI In a Council at Mentz the Bishop of Constance is cast out for Simony and many crimes the Emperor being for him § 40. An. 1072. They say an English Council subjected York to Canterbury and owned Wolstan Bishop of Worcester accused for being unlearned as he was § 41. CCCLII. An. 1073. In a Council at Ersord the Emperor got the Bishops to fulfil his will about some Tythes threatening them that appealed to Rome § 42. Now cometh in the Foundation of the new Church of Rome Hildebrand called Gregory 7th An. 1073. a man of Great wit and for ought I find in the most probable History not guilty of the gross immoralities or sensuality of many of his predecessors but it 's like blinded with the opinion which the Papists Fifth-monarchy men have received and Campâ—nelia de regno Dei opened and pleaded for viz. that Christs Kingdom on earth consisteth in the Saints judging the world that is the Pope and Prelates ruling the Kings and Kingdoms of the earth he did with greatest animosity set himself to execute his opinions And withal the factions of Rome and tyranny of their petty Princes and Whores and debauched Citizens having long made the Papacy the scorn of the world and the lamentation of all sober Christians constrained the better part to beg help from the Emperors against debauched monstrous Popes and their upholders And by this means sometimes the choice fell into the Emperors hands and sometimes when they were far off the City-prevailing-part rebelled and chose without them or pulled down them that the Emperors set up And then the Emperors came and pulled down the Anti-Popes and chastised the City faction and thus between the Italian and the German powers the City was a field of war and the richer by bribes and the stronger by the sword how monstrous villanies soever were set up It was no wonder then if Hildebrand first by Pope Nicholas 2. and Alexander and then by himself did resolve to run a desperate hazard when he had two such great works at once to do as first to recover the debauched and shattered shamed Papacy from this confusion and then to subdue all Kings and Kingdoms within their reach to such a Priest-King as was then under so great disgrace And tibi dabo claves must do all this § 43. Hildebrand however had the wit to settle himself at first by seeking the Emperor's consent And being settled he got Agnes the Emperor's mother and Guardian mostly on his side He then began to claim presentations and investitures and to take the power over the Bishops out of the Emperor's hands and to threaten him as Simoniacal and for communicating with the excommunicate The Emperor after some treaty submitted and was reconciled to the Pope but the Pope said he did not amend The Pope calls a Council at Rome where he excommunicated Simoniacks openly saying that he would excommunicate the Emperor unless he amended Guibert Arch-Bishop of Ravenna being there accuseth the Pope for such threats against the Emperor and got Cincius the Prefect's Son to apprehend him and imprison him The People rise up in arms and deliver the Pope and pull down Cincius's house to the ground and cutting off their noses banish his family out of the City Cincius got to the Emperor Guibert Arch-Bishop of Ravenna Theobald Arch-Bishop of Milan and most of all the other Bishops on that side the Alpes conspire against the Pope And yet they say that all the world were his subjects He calls another Synod of his own Bishops for Synods were still the great executioners where Gibert and Hugo one of his Cardinals that was against him are deposed and curst from Christ. This Emperor also calls a Council at Wormes where by the means of Sigifred Arch-Bishop of Mentz it is decreed that no man in any thing obey the Pope of Rome Roland a Clerk is sent to Rome to command the Pope to meddle with the government no more and the Cardinals are commanded to forsake Gregory and seek for another Pope Now the War began between the Sword and the Keys Gregory by sentence deposed the Arch-Bishop of Mentz and the other Clergy that were for the Emperor and he Anathematized the Emperor himself having first deprived him of all Regal Power and administration as far as his decree would do it The form of his curse and deposition Platina reciteth where are these words I cast him down from his Imperial and Regal Administration And I absolve all Christians Subject to the Empire from that Oath by which they have used to swear Fidelity to true Kings For it is meet that he be deprived of dignity who endeavoureth to diminish the Majesty of the Church Mark O ye Kings and be wise Some told the Pope that the Emperor should not be so hastily Anathematized To whom he answered Did Christ except Kings when he said to Peter Feed my Sheep when he gave him the Power of binding and looseing he excepted none from his power The Emperor wrote Letters to many Christian Princes and States to acquaint them with the Papal Injuries and the Pope wrote his accusations of the Emperor and his own Justification The Empire was presently all in Division One part was for the Emperor and another for the Pope Most of the Bishops of Germany obeyed the Emperor and some were against him as excommunicate Some Councils were for him and some against him And as Abbas Vrspurgensis said they did so often swear and forswear according as Power and Interest moved one time for the Emperor and another against him that Perjury was become a common thing both with the Bishops and the Laity He that will see the many treatises that Learned men then wrote for the power of Princes against the Papal tyranny and rebellion may find them in the Voluminous Collections of Michael Goldastus de Monarchia The party that obeyed the Pope chose another to be Emperor Rodulph Duke of Suevia The Emperor requireth the Pope to Excommunicate Rodulph He refuseth The Emperor calleth a Council of Bishops at Brixia They depose the Pope and make Gibert of Ravenna Pope called Clement the 3d. who saith Onuphrius sate 21 years so long had they two Popes at this 23d Schism or doubling But did the Emperor nothing to prevent all this Yes at the motion of the German Princes to avoid
yet stronger in Vices he made divers Officers purposely to manage his Simony as his Bailiffs for all fat Cathedrals Abbeys Monasteries Priorles and vacant Benefices reserved c. 12. That he charged his Registers to receive all the money before they granted c. 13. That he appointed certain Merchants to put vacant Benefices in the Balance and grant their Petitions that offered most for them 14. He ordered that no Petition for a Benefice be offered him till it were signed by the Refundary who then was to pay it out of his own Estate if he took too little 15. That against God and his Conscience he oft sold his Bulls to Eminent men in which he wrote that they that had Benefices had resigned them to him and that by lying forged Resignation which never was made sold them again for great sums and beggar'd many 16. By this it came to pass that without all difficulty he that gave most carried it And the same course was held in Sacraments Indulgences Dispensations and other Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Gifts 17. That he usually sold the same Benefice divers times over to divers persons or to the same silencing Claims of Right whereby the whole Church was defiled with Simony filled with the unworthy both in higher and lower Prelacies c. 18. That he refused to Confirm those that were Canonically Elected unless even to satiety they glutted him with Money putting the unworthy in their stead and translated men against their wills from their Churches that he might sell them dearer 19. That promising Church-Reformation in the Council at Pisa he called one at Rome and being there publickly admonished being incorrigible by the Devils instinct did worse 20. That he sold for Money Indulgences at the hour of death the Predication of the Cross Absolutions from fault and punishment Concessions of Churches and portable Altars Consecrations of Bishops Benedictions of Abbots Relicks of Saints Holy Orders power in Confession to absolve from sins and Acts that may be ministred only by the Operations of the Holy Ghost for Grace 21. That one Nic. Pistorius a Florence Merchant and the Popes Secretary a Lay married man was made by the Pope his Legate Apostolical sent into Brabant to exact and receive a Subsidy which was the tenth part of the fruit of all Benefices in divers Cities and Diocesses and to excommunicate the refusers by a certain deputed Sublegate and suspend Colledges Covents Chapters c. 22. That he authorized this Nicholas to grant to all persons of each Sex for Money to choose their Confessors that might absolve from fault and punishment by which the Merchant got vast sums of Money seducing the people 23. That all the Premises are known true proved c. 24. That Anno 1412. Ambassadors from the King Bishops and Universities of France admonished him charitably of this scandalous infamous Simony 25. That he amended not by it but did worse 26. That he is defamed of all this in all Kingdomes of the Christian World 27. That he abused Rome and the Churches Patrimony exhausting the people and imbursing it himself by Taxes Gabels c. Many instances are added 28. For these things many Crimes Sacriledges Adulteries Murders Spoils Rapine and Thefts were committed in Rome through his fault 29. It is the common voice opinion assertion and belief that in these and innumerable other evils he is the greatest Dilapidator and Dissipator of the Church Affairs that ever was scandalous to the Universal Church a Witch a Murderer a Killer of his Brethren Incontinent in all things serving the Vices of the flesh of infinite crimes called infamously Balderinus 30. That all this is notorious by common fame repute c. 31. That he hath sold the goods of Cardinals Bishopricks Parishes Colledges Priories c. 32. And this not only in the City about many instances named 33. That he destroyed University Studies by taking the Salaries to himself 34. Besides he laid such burdens on the Parsons as forced them to sell the Church-goods Ornaments and Books 35. That hereby the whole Church was notoriously scandalized 36. The Infamy was so great that Princes and the Emperour besought him to amend 37. Hereupon he promised to amend and to call this Council 38. But he went on and did worse than before 39. He forbad the righting of the injured in judgment 40. That the Bishop of Salisbury and other English Embassadours admonished him to amend and he gave them ill words and threatned and abused them 41. That at Constance he swore to resign for Peace 42. And he promised to submit to the judgment of the Council 43. He bid all say what they would against him 44. He was humbly intreated by the Council to perform his word 45. Yet thought by hiding himself to evade 46. Yet he professed before that he intended not to depart 47. And when the Church longed for peace by the Council he plotted to dissolve the Council and so fled in a disguized habit 48. He fled to Schafhausen and commanded some Cardinals and Bishops to come to him 49. Thence he fled to Lauffenberge and towards Brisac 50. The Council desired his return 51. He denied to answer but fled to Nurenburg to frustrate the Council 52. He is an obdurate sinner and incorrigible Fautor of Schism c. 53. That all this is notorious and the common repute of men 54. And all the premises are the common fame and voice Here somewhat is left out And they begin as anew 1. Declaring his wickedness from his Youth 2. That he is notoriously suspected to have poysoned Pope Alexander and hâ—s Physitian Daniel 3. That he committed Incest with his Brothers Wife and with the holy Nuns and ravished Maids and committed Adultery with Wives and other crimes of Incontinence 3. That he Simonaically sold six Parish Churches in Bononia to Lay men who set Priests in them at their pleasure 4. That for Money he sold the Mastership of the Order of S. Iohn of Ierusalem in Cyprus to a Child of five years old Bastard to the King of Cyprus with the fruits of Vacancies and spoils of the last Master c. 5. That he would not recall this but on condition 1. That the K. of Cyprus should be paid by them that succeeded all the Money back which he gave to the Pope 2. That the Pope should have more six thousand Florins of Gold which the Prior of Rhodes paid and for which the Hospitallers are yet in debt 3. He reserved for the said Bastard the Magistral Chamber worth two thousand Florins 4. That the said Pope Iohn gave Fryar Iacobus de Vitriaco an ancient man and expresly professing the Hospitallers Religion an Absolution from his Vows Rule and habit of Religion and reduced him to a Secular life and Marriage c. for six hundred Ducats Many other Articles I pass by as tedious to be repeated One was That he was a notorious Simoniack and a pertinacious Heretick Another was That often
and all the Bishops that were at it and all the rest that consented to it and were bred up in that Opinion should be degraded and the new Conformity receive so great a stop and what confusion it would make among the People as they had seen in many former instances and therefore he is against their deposition And first there are two passages read in their favour out of Ruffinus and Socrates and somewhat of Athanasius And then when Peter Vic. Rom. alledged the instance of Meletius against it Tarasius brought a notable expeditious Argument viz. The Fathers agree among themselves and do not contradict one another ergo the rest consent to these that have been cited Methinks I could make great use of this Argumentation to save time labour and difficulty in disputing E. G. Nazianzen wisht there were no difference of Bishops Seats one above another and said that he never saw Councils that did not more harm than good The Fathers differed not among themselves ergo the rest of the Fathers were of Gregory's mind In conclusion they offered their Confessions and were absolved § 65. In the 2d Action the Rulers send in the Bishop of Neo-Caesarea to do his Pennance and he also cryeth for mercy and confesseth that his errors and sins were infinite but now he believed as the Synod doth Tharasius asketh him whether he be not ashamed to have been ignorant so long and questioneth the sincerity of his Repentance which he earnestly professeth condemning his Sin and promising Conformity Next a long Epistle of Adrian's to the Emperor and Empress and another to Tharasius for Images are read For Popes use not to travel to General Councils but to send their Letters and Legates lest in their present Disputes they be found no wiser than other Men and their Infallibility be proved less at hand than at a distance where they hear not the Debates Here Adrian to the Empress relateth the foresaid Vision of Constantine Mag. to be healed of his Leprosie a Fable fit to introduce Image-worship and for an Infallible Pope to use fully confuted as aforesaid by Henry Fowlis after many others of Popish Treasons § 66. Tharasius professeth his consent to Adrian's Letters yet professeth That he giveth the Worship called Latria to God alone and placeth his belief in him alone Contrary to Aquinas and his Followers and other such Roman Doctors And the whole Council ecchoed their consent and voted for Images so much can one Woman do in Power § 67. In the 3d Action Gregory Bishop of Neo-Caesarea is to receive his Absolution fully and Tharasius puts in an Objection that it 's said that some Bishops in the late Persecution did scourge dissenting Bishops and such were not to be received But Gregory protested that he scourged none But he is accused by others to have been a Leader of the last Council against Images and so he is deferred And the Epistle of Tharasius to the Eastern Patriarchs is read and their Answers in which it is to be noted that yet Image-worship was not owned For he professeth in his Creed to them that We admit Pictures for no other use but that they may the more perfectly be exhibited to the sight and eyes as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World c. And the 4th Action containing all their Proofs from Scripture and Fathers plead but for the memorative and instructing use of Images by which they are to the eye what words are to the ear But they should have considered the danger of abuse and foreseen how much further they were like to be carried as with the Papists they are And in the fifth Action they proceed in reading more to the same purpose for commemorative Images till one read the Itinerary of the Apostles which they voted to be a cursed Book and said it was that Book that the Synod against Images made use of whereupon Greg. Neo-Caes Theodos. Amorii are asked whether that Book was read in the false Synod and they sware by God that it was not but only some recited words as out of it Pretorius a Nobleman said But they did all by the Royal Procuration And they proceed to refell the Testimonies that were brought against Images Cosmas Cubicularius brought out an Old Testament with Scholia blotted out where was yet legible on the second Commandment If we make the Image of Christ truly we do not for the similitude adore it but that the mind might be raised upward by what is seen The Expunction was said by Tarasius to be done by his Predecessors Anastasius Constantine Victor all Hereticks And here they cursed Concealers and Cancellers of Writings Wo then to Rome Other rased Books were read and Curses added against the Adversaries of Images and those that communicate with them § 68. In the 6th Action the words of the 7th Council against Images are brought forth in a Book with a Confutation of them which the Reader that hath leisure may compare Greg. Neo-Caesar read the Councils words Ioan. Cancellarius read the Confutation It fell out well that this Confutation was undertaken or else we had lost the Decrees of this Council as the Acts for ought I know are buried In general every sober Reader may perceive a great deal of difference between the style of the Council of Constantinople and the Answer The Council speaks with as much temper and gravity as most of the best Councils have done The Answer aboundeth with such railings and reviling words as are meeter for a common Scold than for Divines The common language of it is to call the Bishops of the Council Blinded Ignorant Fools Wicked Deceivers Blasphemers and such like And if all the Bishops on earth be present or represented in a General Council what a Case then was the Church in And how shall we know what Council is to be believed unless the Pope make all the difference § 69. The number of the Bishops were 338. They first shew how Satan hath brought in Idolatry One of their chief Arguments against Images of Christ is that they savor of Nestorianism representing Christ by his meer Manhood when they cannot paint his Godhead calling that Picture Christ and overthrowing the Oeconomy and Union of his Person I meddle not with the weight of their reason but only recite it § 70 It 's again worth the noting that the Answer to them saith For their charging Images as drawing down the mind to Creature-worship Latria O insanien'em linguam quam instar machaerae acutae veneno imbutae possident c. O mad tongue which they possess like a sharp sword imbued with poyson c. For no Christian ever gave Latriam to the Image of those that are under Heaven for this is the Fable of the Gentiles and Devils invention and the aggression of Satanical Action Our Latria is in Spirit and Truth Other passages forbid us to think that they juggle here and denying Latriam