Amelphis John or Gregory VI. Because Satan could not openly persecute Christ by Pagans he craftily intends to subvert the name of Christ by a false Monk under shew of Religion but albeit God permit such things to be done our sins so deserving yet the time of recompense is at hand Catal. test ver li. 13. Many other Books were written against this Hildebrand there is named one in the German tongue written by Waltram Bishop of Niembergh as is thought the Author bewails the miseries of the Church and lewdness of Clerks then he addes Hence the Catholique faith is defiled hence that unrighteousness hath waxed so that instead of truth false testimonies and for common faith perjuries do abound since Laws are silent giving place to wars that saying of Hoseah is fulfilled There is no truth nor knowledge of God nor mercy in the land cursing and lyes murther and stealing have overflowed Behold some Bishops have joyned unto the faction of Hildebrand accounting more of him then of all the Catholique Church so it comes to pass that while the enemy so weth in the Lord's field the tares of many scandals that now in Bishopricks are no Sacraments of Christ and his Church which should be the work of the Bishops of God but execrations which are the works of the Servants of Satan who as Cyprian writes seeing Idols forsaken and his Temples left by the multitude of Believers hath devised a new craft under the name of a Christian he deceives the unwise and by Heresies and Schisms he overthrows the faith c. In another place he saith Now it appears Satan is loosed out of the pit seeing as it is written he is come forth to deceive the Nations Ia. Vsser de Eccles statu c. 5. hath the same The above-named Waltram in another place lamenteth That then a new sort of Bishops swelling in pride because of the gifts of Believers drew all things unto themselves under cloke of Religion and they were painted walls and hypocrites 12. When Gregory and Victor the two heads of that pernicious faction More opposition against that faction were gone the Bishops of Germany and France considering the calamities of the Church by that unhappy Schism thought good to meet at Garstung for debating their strife no more with swords but with reasonings so the Bishops of both factions conveen in January There Conrad Bishop of Utrecht had a long Oration to this purpose We are assembled prudent Fathers to establish peace which our Saviour at his departure did leave the temerity violence and pestiferous errors of those who are not ashamed to dispise that heavenly gift I wish I could cut in sunder with the two-edged sword and confute with the testimonies of the two Testaments according to Christ's command Who despiseth an Oath breaks covenant and keeps not promise dispiseth him by whom he hath sworn he offends him whose name the other party hath believed As I live saith the Lord the Oath that he hath dispised and the Covenant that he hath transgressed shall I bring upon his pate Shall he who hath transgressed his Covenant escape You must consider not so much unto whom as by whom thou hast sworn and he is more faithful who did believe thee swearing by the name of God then thou art who hatchest mischief against thy enemy or rather now thy friend and that by reason of divine Majesty We finde it commanded concerning Tiberius and Nero who were not onely most cruel Tyrants but most vile Monsters Give to Caesar what is Caesars and fear God and honor the King and not onely be obedient unto Princes who bear not the sword in vain even though they be evil but supplicate the most high God for them that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life All power is of God and he who resists power resists the providence of God Therefore those are ambitious and presumptuous who dare with whorish faces misinterpret that saying of our Lord and God What ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven and what ye binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and force it to serve unto their own lust and indeavor to gull us as if we were children without all knowledge Our heavenly Teacher did open the hearts of his disciples to understand the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and the Psalms and he commanded them to preach in his name unto all the Nations repentance and forgiveness of sins and that they should be witnesses of those things Therefore Hildebrand was carried headlong into ambition when he usurped the power of the eternal God whose Messenger he should have been such are the times now such are the maners and such are the men The most high Majesty had provided but slenderly for the affairs of mortals if he had so intrusted the sword into the hand of any man Who could restrain the lust of men who could rule it truly the wisest is not sufficient for such a burthen We have not need that any should teach us in what maner Peter and his Colleagues did use their spiritual power or to speak more properly the dispensation and administration of God's stewardship for they were but stewards of the divine Oracles It is as clear as the light by the book which the Physitian Luke hath written of the Acts of Christ's Messengers the weapons of our warfare are spiritual and not iron nor robberies murthers killing of men nor perjuries and our helmet breast-plate girdle buckler and sword are peace love righteousness hope of salvation truth the word of God and faith These Divine Gifts our most Christian Emperor did often proffer most willingly unto Hildebrand but he refused to accept them c. The Papal party had chosen Gebhard Bishop of Salisburgh to speak in their name but when he heard this Oration he would not open his mouth to speak in the contrary Avent Annal. lib. 5. It was appointed at that time to assemble again in May at Mentz The Papal party did preveen the time and assembled at Quintelburgh now called Quedlinburgh in April there they wrested some words of Wezilo Bishop of Mentz and condemned him as an Arch-Heretique they called themselves the true Church and consented unto the election of Clemens III. The Synod at Mentz was very solemn there was the Emperor the Electors and many Dukes Peter Bishop of Portua and Legate of Clemens and many Bishops of France and Germany by common suffrage the faction of Hildebrand was condemned as contrary unto Christian piety and a Decree was published to this purpose All Christians should shun the company of those accursed persons whom we have named seeing they have made defection from us and not we from them they promised to be present at this Synod but they will not come they abuse Christian piety and leaving the sheep they run unto the enemies of the Republique they not onely exhort unto fire and sword but also are ring-leaders and Captains of the war What would
intend the Action against a Laick and on the account of this Court they are most attentive unto their own gain and leaving nothing unto the Seculars they usurp upon all men as under their reach Or if any escape this snare there remaineth one jin to catch them to wit a general Rule for the foundation of faith Every Action belongeth unto the Ecclesiastical Court if the Magistrate will not do right or if he delay to do it And if the pretensions of the Clergy had held within these bounds the condition of the Christian Republique had not yet been undone for it had been in the power of Nations and Princes when they tolerably exceeded the bounds of equity to have reduced them by Laws into some tolerable measure as in time of extream necessity it had been done But he who hath laid the yoke upon Christians even he hath taken away all way of shaking off the yoke for after the year 1050. when all the Actions of the Clergy are made proper unto the Bishops Court and so many Actions of Laicks under the pretence of spirituality and almost all others upon the account of the mixt Court do some way belong unto that Court and lastly They have made Secular Power subject unto them under colour of delayed right At last they are come so far as to affirm That the Bishop hath so large and wide power of judging neither by connivance nor grant of Princes nor by the will of the people nor by ancient custom but it is the very property of Episcopal Dignity and essential unto it and gifted by Christ himself And albeit there be extant many Laws of the Emperors in the Books of Theodosius and Justinian and in the Books of Charles the Great and Lewes the Godly and other Princes after them both in the East and West whereby it is clear after what maner at what time and by whom that power was granted and all Histories both Ecclesiastical and Civil do agree in the report of these Grants and Customs and in their causes and reasons nevertheless this so manifest a truth could not hitherto have place and is fallen before a naked contrary and groundless assertion even so far that the Doctors of the Canon-Law have openly declared them Heretiques who will not suffer themselves as blinde men to be led into the ditch Nor do they contain themselves within these limits but they do also add That no Magistrate not the Prince himself may meddle with any of these Actions which are proper unto the Clergy seeing they be spiritual whereof Laicks are altogether incapable And nevertheless the truth was not so unknown but that even at the beginning of this error the learned and godly did oppose it and did convince both the parts of this assertion of manifest falshood First They maintain that the major Laicks are incapable of spiritual things is absurd and impious seeing they are adopted by the heavenly Father called the children of God the brethren of Christ made partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven and worthy of divine Grace of Baptism and communion of the flesh of Christ for what be spiritual things if these be not And if there may be any other should there be any question concerning him which is partaker of these highest and most excellent things as if he were uncapable of spiritual things And they said The minor is as false The proper causes of the Bishops Court are meerly spiritual seeing faults and contracts which belong unto this Jurisdiction if we consider these qualities that the Scripture attributeth unto spiritual things are as far distant from them as heaven is from the earth But the opposition of the better part could not hinder the greater And after the same maner concerning the spiritual power of binding and loosing which Christ gave unto the Church and concerning the exhortation of St. Paul for composing differences among Christians and not appearing before Infidel-Judges by progress of time a temporal throne was set up by many degrees more gloriously then any now or that hath been at any time and in the midst of every Civil Government is another set up no way depending thereon so that they which at first did prescribe the forms of that administration could not possibly imagine such an Idea of a Republique neither is it my purpose to report how they are not content to have attained their aim in building a Court independant any way from the Civil Government and have likewise attained another end unexpectedly and have made up an Empire by a new and Mark a strange Novelty strange opinion which in a moment of time hath made wondrous progress now they ascribe unto the Roman Pope alone which so many Bishops in the space of 1300. years had been purchasing for themselves by so many admired wiles and they made the foundation of his Jurisdiction to be not as before in the power of binding and loosing but a power of feeding and by vertue thereof they hold that all Jurisdiction was given by Christ in the person of Peter unto the Pope alone in these words Feed my sheep I say I have not purpose to speak more of this c. So far in the History of that Synod at Trent Here I add how the Canons began and how they were distinguished The original of Canons into several sorts Ge. Cassander sheweth this in Consultat Artic. de Canonicis saying In ancient time a Monastical life was private and distinct from all Ministery of the Church so that at first they had need of a Presbyter from some other place to administer the Sacrament and thereafter it was granted that one of their Order should be ordained a Presbyter by whose Ministery they did receive the Sacraments And so the Orders of Monks and Clerks were altogether distinct for Monkery as Jerome saith was the office not of a Teacher but of a Mourner But then Religious men in imitation of the Monastical life did also appoint Colledges of Presbyters and Canons where Clerks that were aiming or appointed unto the Ministery and Priests that were already placed in the Ministery should live according to a prescribed Rule which albeit it was a little more free then the Monkish yet was tied to certain Canons hence that life was called Canonical and they who professed it were called Canons and the Society or Colledge was called a Monastery which name continueth in some most famous Colledges And so in some ancient Councils is mention of the Monasteries of Monks and of Clerks a Bishop was Governor of the one and an Abbot of the other Blessed Augustine is said to have been the chief Author of this Institution who when he had gathered a Society of godly men to live without a Town and apart from the multitude of men thereafter was made a Bishop and he would have within his Bishoprick a Monastery of Clerks and Presbyters with whom he might live in a community Some say Urban I. was the beginner of this
Order in Scintilla Divi. amor cap. 5. writeth of him thus Our holy Father Dominicus did every day lash his own body most sharply once for dantoning the flesh next for satisfying for the souls in Purgatory and the third time for living sinners But Antonius Arch-Bishop of Florence about the year 1420. goeth further comparing Dominicus with Christ in number and greatness of miracles in name in life death and after death and in all these almost preferring Dominicus O blasphemy saying Christ raised three dead bodies Dominicus raised three dead bodies at Rome what shall I say of four hundred which were drowned at Tolouse and at the prayer of Dominicus were brought forth safe after they had been a long space under the water Christ being immortal came twice unto his disciples when the the doors were shut but Dominicus being as yet mortal came into the Church in the night when the doors were shut lest he did awake his disciples Christ after his death said unto his disciples All power is given unto me in heaven and earth but this power was given unto Dominicus in heaven on earth and in hell for he had Angels to serve him and the Divels trembled at his nod nor were they able to disobey him The prayer of Christ was heard so oft as he would for when he prayed in the garden Let this cup depart from me albeit he was not heard in so far as he prayed in sensuality yet according to his minde or reason he wished not to be heard but Dominicus shewed unto one of his companions Iacob de Vorag in Legend Aurea calleth him Prior Monasterii Cassamariae in a familiar conference that he never did seek any thing from God which he did not obtain to his hearts desire to wit because he was more perfect then Christ and never did pray by appetite of senses These and many other blasphemies were paralelled by that Bishop and canonized Saint of the Roman Church Anton. par 3. tit 23. cap. 1. § 2 38. The next was Francis of Assisio an Italian the Father of the Franciscans were the the Minorites or Franciscans he also is exalted above the Prophets Apostles yea and above Christ In Francis say they the passion of Christ is renewed of him David saith Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor and thou hast set him above the works of thy hands He is given as a light to the Nations It is most certain for one Mass of St. Francis God hath been appeased with all the world They are all saved who die in that Order and under the rule of St. Francis He hath obtained from God that none can die evilly in his habit Christus oravit Franciscus exoravit P. Morn in Myster iniq ex libro Conformitat Vitae B. Francis ad vit Christi The Author of that book was Barth de Pisis An. 1389. it was approved by the Roman censurers and printed at Bononia An. 1510. with this inscription Liber aureus These two Dominicus and Francis were canonized and their Orders confirmed And by the Bull of Pope Gregory the IX it was commanded that all should believe the holiness and power of these men or shall be punished as Hereticks That Legenda sheweth the cause of their honor Pope Innocentius did refuse two as the Iesuits now are the onely pillars of the Roman Church to confirm their Order until he dreamed as Mantuanus also hath expressed it in Fastor lib. 8. Viderat in somnis Laterani ungentia Templi Tecta ruinosum caput inclinare vtrumque Supposuisse humeris sustinuissi ruinam Taliter admonitus pastor succurrere fessis Posse hominem rebus fidei regnoque labenti Annuit c. This dream is in Legenda Aurea and in Fascic temp After that dream Innocentius craved that Dominicus would draw up the rules of his Order but before the rules were digested Innocentius died and then Pope Honorius received and confirmed them Legen Aurea Bonaventura in vita Francis saith that dream was meant of his Father Francis How was the Lateran Church then like to fall The Emperor for a long time was striving against the Popes and the Waldenses were preaching against the heresies of Rome and calling the Pope the Antichrist therefore power and authority was given to Dominicus and Francis with their disciples to allure with their pale faces to sting with fained words and to preach that all men should send money for maintaining the holy wars against the holy wars against the Emperor and that none should believe the new doctrine of the Waldenses This was the scope of their preachings at first and so did they uphold the Lateran Church And because the Bishops were not diligent enough to resist the Waldenses the Pope commiteth unto Dominicus the office of Inquisition and he took with him others which either with sword or by tongue would oppugn all the adversaries of the Roman Church Afterwards these Friers became Bishops Cardinals and Legati à latere and what were they not to gather collections of money and to incite Kings and Nations against the Infidel Emperor as they spake and Princes and against them whom they called Hereticks For their diligence in this Commission Dominicus and Francis were called the two Olives and the two Candlesticks standing before the Lord Revel 11. and the two Cherubins full of wisdom Exod. 37. Antonin loc cit Their Institution Their institution was to have a white coat and a black one above it to live by the works of their hands or by alms but to have no proper goods and lest their piety turn to idleness they should go abroad and preach every where as Christ did Pope Innocentius the III. commended this Institution and after him Honorius confirmed it Pol. Virg. de inven rer lib. 7. cap. 4. From their preaching they were called Praedicatores Francis had been an Augustinian but he would being a more strict life all Monks had possessions in common though nothing in propriety but he would have nothing in common nor in propriety nor two coats but one coat of the natural colour girded with a girdle of leather This he commended as the very life of a Christian and commanded and practised by Christ and to the end that these of his Order should beware of pride which often followeth sanctity saith Pol. Virg. loc cit he would have them called Minorites He vowed obedience unto Pope Honorius the IV. and his Successors and his Brethren must vow obedience unto him and his Successors When they were advising in the Colledge at Rome upon the confirmation of this Order some Cardinals said It was a new thing and more then man is able to perform John Bishop of Sabinien said It is blasphemy against Christ and his Gospel to say that it containeth any thing new and impossible So it was confirmed at that time And afterwards by Pope Gregory the IX in these words We say that neither in common no◠in special should they
more contrary unto the Apostles or more hateful unto Christ Jesus then to destroy souls by defrauding them of the Ministry ..... In a word the holiness of the Apostolical seat cannot do any thing but unto edification and not to destruction for this is the fulness of power to edification But those things which they call Provisions are not to edification but most manifest destruction The Pope hearing this Letter foamed as in a rage and sware by Peter and Paul that he would hurl such a phrenetick wretch into confusion which durst so boldly controle his command and make him a fable unto the world Is not the King of England our vassal yea and slave whom I at my nod may thrust into prison The Cardinals namely Aegidius a Spaniard and some others touched in conscience could scarcely appease his fury and among other words they said To confess the truth unto your Holiness it is true what he saith and we cannot condemn him for it he is a Catholick man more holy and religious then we our selves are and as it is judged amongst all the Prelates there is none better nor his equal this is not unknown universally nor can our contradiction avail against him wherefore we think best to pass by such a thing lest perhaps some tumult arise thereupon especially seeing it is manifest unto all men that once must come a defection and departure from the Church of Rome When Robert lay on his death bed he said unto the brethren coming to visit him Heresid is an opinion taken up by human sense contrary Heresie white unto the holy Scriptures openly avowed and pertinaciously maintained Is not Innocentius therefore an Heretick and since Christ came into the The Pope an Heretick and Antichrist World to save souls may not the Pope be justly called the Antichrist who feareth not to destroy souls The Pope doth impudently annul the priviledges of his Ancestours .... and therefore the contemner should be contemned according to that saying of Esay Wo to thee who despisest ..... Matth. Parisien 9. In the year 1240. a Carthusian Monk at Cambridge said openly before Otho the Legate Gregory is not the head of the Chutch but there is another head thereof Satan is loosed the Pope is an Heretick Gregory which is called Pope defileth the Church and the World The Legate said unto him Is not power given from above unto the Pope to loose and bind souls and to exerce the charge of Peter on earth The Monk replied How can I think that such power as was given unto Peter is given to a Simoniack and Usurer yea and who is defiled with greater crimes The Legate did blush for shame and said We may not strive in words with a fool Idem 10. Seval Arch-Bishop of York followed in the same footsteps when he saw the pride of the Pope usurping and tyrannizing above the Kings he was astonished and in the grief of his heart he intreated Pope Alexander the IV. by Letters that he would leave off from such daily enormities or at least refrain himself and follow the example of good men that he would feed Christ's Lambs as Peter did and not pull the skins off them and devour them like an hungry Wolf The Pope had given the fattest of his Benefices unto some wanton young men and ignorant of the language as he made Jordanus Dean of York c. Seval would admit none of them wherefore the Pope excommunicated him with bells and candles He could suffer these ceremonies but he could not suffer strangers to be set over the people and the more he was cursed by the Pope he was the more beloved of the people and they did bless him yet quietly for fear of the Romans Although he was not murthered yet for his sufferings he was called a Martyr Idem ad An. 1257. 11. Matthew of Paris whom I have often named was a Benedictine of Saint Alban he wrote the History of England from the days of William the Conqueror until the year of his own death 1260. where he describeth how others spoke against the abomination of Antichrist to the end that posterity might know and abhor it and thereby he giveth us to understand what were his own thoughts as here and there he expresseth himself e. g. ad An. 1237. he saith It is manifestly known that the Church of Rome alas hath deserved the wrath of God for the guides thereof seek not the devotion of people but their full purses not to gain souls unto God but to collect revenues to themselves to oppress the religious and many ways impudently to catch other mens goods ...... hence ariseth grumbling among men and the wrath of God is provoked dayly Ad An. 1238. he calleth the Pope the Successor but not the imitator of Peter Ad An. 1245. he saith The Pope sent unto the King of Arragon and then unto the King of England craving that he may come and abide in their Kingdoms and the Nobility did refuse because the Papal Court was so infamous that the strength thereof went up unto the clouds Ad An. 1251. he saith The threatning of the Apostle may be thought to be fulfilled Vnless there be a departing the son of perdition shall not be revealed Behold that mens hearts depart and not their bodies from the Pope who is enraged like a step-father and from the Church of Rome which is cruel in persecuting like a step-mother 12. John Russel an English Gentleman who married the Widow of Walter Cumin Earl of Lenox about the year 1262. afterwards he purchased Letters from the Pope to summon a number of Scots to appear in England before the Legate for slandering his wife of witchcraft and poisoning her first husband The Scots dispised the citation alledging their ancient priviledge that Scotch men cannot be charged to answer without their own Country and so the summons turned to nothing saith Buchan Hist lib. 7. 13. Within some few years King Alexander the III. was encombred with The Lords and Bishops strive for precedency the pride of Priests and Monks saith the same Author there he understandeth certainly Bishops and Abbots which being enriched saith he by former Kings and enjoying long prosperity began to grow rank and would go before the Nobility as in wealth so in all other things or at least be equal with them The Noble men took this in ill part and dealt roughly with them wherefore they complain unto the King Whether he thought these injuries not to be so hainous as the Priests called them or if he thought that they were not without cause yet he made no account of them therefore the Bishops did excommunicate all the Noble men excepting the King only and with many threats do prepare themselves to go unto Rome Then the King calling to minde what broils Tho. Becket had raised in England by his ambition called the Bishops from their journey and compelled the Nobility to yeild unto their pride Thus the spiritual
manners the power of calling a Councel returns unto the Cardinals which is the most ready remedie in such a necessity especially seing the authority of the Emperour and of the most Christian King and the consent of the Clergie of Italy and Germany doe all concurre in one and it is according to the practise and Acts of the Councels at Constance and Basile Pope Pius V. caused Thomas Manricus revise and gheld or mangle that book as may bee seen in Biblioth Possevini 9. The Waldenses have been often mentioned and their doctrin hath The Confession and a supplication of the VValdenses been related from the report of others now in the year 1508. these of Bohem being accused before their King Vladislaus and fearing a persecution sent unto him the Confession of their faith with an apologeticall supplication Because I have seen this Confession in Fasciculo rerum expetendarum fugiendar only and so it is not common I think good to insert it heer Most glorious King and our most gracious Lord Wee afflicted men and humbly subject unto your Majesty and falsly cloathed with a contemptible name doe first declare our humble request and also our earnest desire of your long health with the increase of every good thing and freedom from every evill in your happie Empire even at it is our duty to wish unto your Highnesse Wee declare unto your Excellencie that heertofore your Grace's Write is come unto us not by common rumor only but by actuall deed also into many of our hands in which Wrire by the accusation of our enemies which have unjustly given forth their Sentence of wicked judgement against us wee understand that wee ar called wicked and ungodly men seducers of ignorant people and through the craft of the Devill more noisom than the false nation of Turks ..... Wherefore wee most humbly pray that your pietie would patiently heare us for the justice of God and for his mercies sake which wee wish continually that God would give unto you and what wee shall now write you may wirhout doubt think that every point thereof comes from the sincerity of our heart for what wee believe in our heart before God that doe wee in this manner professe with our mouth First wee with a believing mind have received this in which now for some space wee having continued doe intend constantly to persevere with a stable mind and free intention to wit All the truth of faith revealed by the Holy Ghost and then by the H. Ghost layd up in the Scriptures and briefly summed up in the Creed of the Apostls and also really keept by the primitive Church and confirmed by signes miracles sinceer teaching and martyredom and lastly diligently explained by the Nicene Councel by the Bishop Athanasius and many Teachers against hereticks this faith wee confesse to be necessary even in this age for the salvation of our souls So lively faith is the universal fundation of mens salvation which faith is by the gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed principally and by the merite of Christs grace is ministerially preached in the Church by the voice of the Gospel and word of truth and is exemplarly confirmed by the Holy Sacraments We believe and confesse constantly while we live by the same fountain of faith that the authour of faith and giver of Salvation is God almighty one in the substance of Godhead but three in Persons the Father Sonne Holy Ghost one God blest for ever By this faith wee believe of God the Father wee believe God the Father and in God the Father We believe of God the Father that he begetteth his only Son eternally whom of his mercy he hath given unto the World for redemption salvation by whose merite the only Father worketh salvation according to the purpose of his own election By the same faith wee believe God the Father when we doe acquiesce upon his testimony which came down from heaven concerning his beloved Sonne This said he is my beloved Sonne hear him Which also the blessed and ever unviolate Virgin Mary said with a suitable mind VVhatsoever said she my Sonne shall say unto you doe it With the lyke faith wee say also that his commandements are faithfull and true and of God that who ever of ripe age living in faith shall forsake these can no way attain salvation through Christ Wee believe in God the Father when wee knowing that he is the almighty maker of heaven and earth love him with our heart and really keep his commandements according to our knowledge and power The Catholick faith which wee have once received from God maketh us believe of Christ believe Christ our Lord and in Christ Wee believe and professe of Christ the eternall wisdom that he is the true and only God equall in Godhead with the Father and Holy Ghost in power wisdom and that he is eternall life proceeding from the Father by perpetuall generation by whom he made the world Who to fulfill the promise made unto the Fathers came personally from the high heavens for the salvation of the Nations was inclosed in the wombe of the Virgine in the fulness of time seen on earth cruelly racked on the cross when Pilate was President of Judea and with his holy blood gave up the ghost when he was taken off the cross he was layd in a rock ye grave and on the third day was raysed from sweet sliep and lastly on the fourtieth day being taken up in a cleare cloud we believe that he reigneth at the right hand of the Father to wit in a most honorable place and most worthy unto him that all the desires of our heart and all the confidence of our hope may be lifted unto that glory prepared by his blood which sitting on the throne of grace pleadeth as a faith full Advocate for them who shall enioy the inheritance of glorie He leaveth not his Church for which he offered him self unto death destitute of grace vertue and aid by his free gift which Church he preserved diligently in the dayes of his flesh unto him every knee of things that live in heaven on earth and under the earth is so subject that they should worship and reverence the Sonne with the same glorie honour and majesty as God the Father and confesse with their toungs that he sits in his glorie and seat of the majesty of his Father Nor shall he at an time descend untill al contrary Nations being made subject under his feet bee at last consumed with everlasting damnation Wee believe Christ Jesus when wee say that his commandements which oblidge us to believe in him trust and love him for attaining the eternall life of glory are true faith full And we believe in Christ when knowing him to be our God and Saviour wee doe imbrace all his words with full faith and loving him with perfect love are united with his true members in faith love Lastly by vertue of the same faith which we
prosperously be a note of the Antichrist the Pope cannot be called Antichrist seeing he wanteth so many Provinces I answer in the first part Bellarmine saith that the Pope hath lost what he never had and in the latter part he hath lost more for he might have added Scotland Ireland a great part of Poland Prussia c. But all these had given their power and Kingdom unto the Beast until the word of God was fullfilled and they do now hate the Whore and have made her naked as it is said Rev. 17. But it is no where written in Scripture nor do Protestants say that the Beast or Antichrist had or shall have dominion over all the earth although he make such a claim falsely yea the fourth part of the earth was never subject to the See of Rome at once or at one and the same time 4. As the Papishes do glory in vain of the Pope's Supremacy over the The Pope had no power to give Kingdomes Church so they pretend his power over all the Kingdomes of the earth this they do hold but with some difference amongst themselves for the â—anonists as they are called hold that all the Kingdomes of the earth do directly belong unto the Pope and the Jesuits say not directly but indirectly and these two sects write against one another in this matter as for life and death But whether directly or indirectly both do agree that the Pope may give any Kingdom of the earth to whom he pleaseth Satan did once say so And in the 9. Century Pope Nicolaus did not say so as followeth Let them shew any such practice before this eighth Century Did all the Bishops of Rome before this time give Kingdomes to whom they would Or were they ignorant of their power But say they at that time Pope Zachary gave the Kingdom of France unto Pipin and his line So unto this place belongeth neither gave he the Kâ—ngdome of France unto King Pipin that controversie which Bellarmine hath de Ro. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 17. lib. 5. cap. 8. By what means and by what persons Pipin obtained the Kingdom of France Gratian. caus 15. quest 6. cap. Alius saith Zachary deposed Childeric King of France and placed Pipin in his room And the gloss saith Deposuit idest deponentibus consensit he consented unto them who deposed him Platina in Zachary saith By his authority the Kingdom of France was adjudged unto Pipin The Jesuit Dion Petavius in Rationar temp par 1. lib. 8. saith Pipin by the authority of Pope Zachary and by consent of the French Peers did add a new Title of King unto his Royal Power which he had not before If we look to the more ancient Writers the story is thus About the year 663. Clotharius King of France gave himself to the lusts of the flesh and committed the government unto Ebroin Master of the Palace or as others call him Constable This example turneth into a custom and An. 694. Pipin Duke of Austrasia attained this charge under Clodoveus or Clovis the III. as Io. Serres calleth him and he keepeth it in the daies of King Childebert the II. and his son Dagobert so that then there was the Title of a King and all the power was in the hand of the Constable Abb. Vrsperg in Chron. pag. 170. Edit An. 1538. The King was seen once in the year publickly to wit the first day of May then he received and gave gifts without any other discharge of Royal power and all affairs of State were managed by the Constable After Pipin was great contention for so honourable a place his son Charls Martel prevaileth who in the daies of Theodoric or Therric the II. enlargeth the Kingdom of France and as the fore-named Petavius ex Gest Franc. Epit. lib. 1. sheweth he overthroweth Raginfred his Competitour or as he saith who was chosen Mayor and Eudo Duke of Aquitania An. 718. then he subdued the Saxons Alamanes Bavarians and Aquitans Eudo hath his refuge unto the Sarazens in Spain and perswadeth their King Abdirama to invade France Charls did slay in one Battel 375000. Sarazens with the loss of 1500. French at Towrs Fascic temp fol. 45. Edit Venet. An. 1484. and Io. Serres and others Thereafter he did take-in Burgundy and Lions An. 727. and the next year Eudo being dead he possessed Aquitania peaceably In the year 731. the Sarazens did come again into France Charls overthrew them and did gain Avenion and Narbon from them Therefore by a more honourable Title he was called Duke and Prince of France and under that name he governed the Kingdom 19. years and died An. 741. Platin. in Gregor II. He had four sons Carloman Pipin Egidius and Grypho some say Grypho was the son of his first wife a daughter of Bojaria Pipin made Egidius Bishop of Rotomayum and left his government unto Carloman and Pipin and they two divide the Kingdom and govern either his own part under the Title of their father as is apparent by the first words of the Councel under Carloman In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I Carloman Duke and Prince of the French in the year 742. from the Incarnation of Christ on the 11. of the Calends of March by the advice of the servants of God and of my Nobles I have assembled the Bishops in my Kingdom c. Note these words and see what power he had Within 7. years after this Synod he laid aside his Princely authority saith Bellarm. loc cit and entred into a Cloister at Sotacte and then all the authority was in Pipin alone Grypho rebelled against Carloman but at last Pipin took him in Italy and caused him to be beheaded An. 753. Pipin having the government alone and wanting no occasion did aim at a higher Title The Sarazens in Spain were preparing to make new Wars against France but Pipin did prevent the storm he seized on the passages of the Pyrene hills and forced those redoubted enemies to receive Laws from him Then he did help the Cities that had been spoiled he disburthened others of publick charges and established justice and dealt so valiantly and discreetly both in Wars and Peace that he gained the hearts of all the countries also it did not a little add unto his esteem what he had done against the Lombards and in other parts of â—taly Blondus dec 1. lib. 10. saith I find in Alcuinus Paulus and several others who have written the Acts of the French that the Nobility and Commonalty of that Nation duly considering the worthiness of Pipin and sottishness of Childeric consulted with Zachary Bishop of Rome whether they should tolerate so foolish a King any longer and defraud Pipin of his deserved Princely honour And when the Bishop made answer That he was best worthy to be King who could best discharge the Office of a King the French with the publick consent of the whole Nation did pronounce Pipin for their King and Childeric was
The German Emperour and was many waies troubled for Bodislaus who had killed his brother because he had submitted unto the Emperour or rather for covetousness of the Dukedom of Bohem rebelled and with the aid of the Hungars continued Wars the space of 14 years And in the mean time his own brother Henry with other Princes of Germany fought many Battels against him In the end they all convened their forces and as he was crossing the Rhine with his Army they came unawares upon that part which had crossed and at first took his Ships The Emperour was sorely moved that he could not come at his Army and betook himself with such as were with him unto prayers and the next morning all his Adversaries were scattered neither knew they upon what motive such fear had overtaken them The Italians now hearing of his success and being oppressed by Berengarius the III they and especially Pope Agapet did invite Otho to deliver the Church and Italy He was not makes conquest in Italy slow and vanquished the oppressour and then by all the Italians he was saluted Augustus and Emperour Tho. Couper ad An. 962. Afterward his eldest son Ludolf taking it ill that his father did marry again and Conrade Duke of Lorrain the Emperour's son-in-law taking it also ill that he had left Berengarius Governour of Italy they conspire against Otho Ludolf was taken and Conrad fled within some moneths he received them both into favour Then the Hungars did raise such an Army that they thought themselves invincible and in the mean time on the other side the Sclavonians rose against Otho he subdued them both Then Pope John the XIII and his faction at Rome began to envy the prosperity of the Germans and sent to Adelbert the son of Berengarius promising assistance if he would deliver Rome and Italy and their adverse party with two Cardinals sent unto Otho intreating that he would come unto the aid of the Church and Common-Wealth for both were in danger When Pope John had intelligence hereof he caused the nose of the one Cardinal to be cut off and the hand of the other Otho composed his affairs in Germany the best way he could and hastned into Italy he took Adelbert captive and came to Rome and was Crowned by Pope John against his will He thought it not a fit time to arraign Pope John because all Italy was in uproar but did exhort him to live as it became the Apostolical See he sent Berengarius captive to Bamberg in Germany and Adelbert into Constantinople to gratifie the Emperour there Thereafter the people and Clergy of Rome intreat Otho to reform the Church and Republick for there had been no Councels in a long time c. Otho having appeased the tumult in the City and having assurance and calleth the Pope to an account of fidelity calleth a Synod in Lateran which from the great number of Bishops out of Germany Italy and France was termed The Great Synod and summoned Pope John to appear and hear his cause examined John returned answer that he would not appear because he knew that the Emperour purposed to dispossess him and he accursed them all who sate in that Synod and degraded them all of their functions Notwithstanding his curses the Synod continued and the Articles against the Pope were read First That Pope John did not observe the Canonical hours 2. When he said Mass he did not communicate 3. He ordained Deacons in a stable 4. He had committed Incenst with two sisters 5. When he was playing at dice he called on the Divel for help 6. For money he had made boys of ten years old to the Bishops 7. He deflowred Virgins and of the Lateran Palace he made a stew 8. He lay with Stephana his fathers concubine 9. He caused houses to be set on fire 10. He drank to the Divel Catalog test ver lib. 11. hath more Articles from Luithpr lib. 6. cap. 7. When these things were propounded the Emperour said I know that envy follows honour .... and in this case I conjure you all that ye do not propound any thing against him in his absence but what you know to be true All the Synod as if they had been one man do answer If these and worse crimes have not been committed by Pope John let Saint Peter the Prince of the Apostles which by his word shuts heaven upon the unworthy never absolve us from our sins let us be accursed and at the last day let us be ranked on the left hand The Emperour sent in his own name and in the name of the Synod unto the Pope a copy of these Articles willing him to come and purge himself and he promised by Oath that nothing should be done in that cause otherwise then then the Ecclesiastical Laws did prescribe He returned answer thus Pope John unto all those Bishops contempt We hear say that you will make The Pope contemneth another Pope which if ye do I excommunicate you from the Almighty God that ye have no power to consecrare nor say Mass When this was read more Bishops were come from France and Italy to wit Henry of Trevirs Wido of Muzia Sigulf of Placentia c. And with one voice they writ again and is contemned unto him thus Unto the great High-Priest and universal Pope John Otho by the clemencies of God Emperour Augustus and the holy Synod of Rome gathered in the Lord for the service of God greeting In the last Synod which was held the 6 of Novemb. we did direct Letters unto you wherein were contained the words of your accusers and the causes of their accusation and in these also we did intreat your greatness as was just and we have received Letters from you not as the condition of the time but as the vanity of your Counsellers would ..... it is written in your Letters not as becomes a Bishop but a foolish child to write for ye have excommunicated us all that we shall not have power to sing Mass or order any Church affairs if we shall ordain another Bishop for the Romish sea .... If you delay not to come unto the Synod and purge your self certainly we will obey your authority but if which God forbid you dissemble to come and purge you of those capital crimes especially seeing nothing hindreth you no sailing by Sea nor distance of way nor health We will not regard your excommunication but rather we throw it back on you because we may do it justly Judas the traitour and seller of our Lord Jesus Christ did receive with the other Apostles power of binding and loosing .... and so long as he continued good amongst the Disciples he could bind and loose but when the murtherer was killed with the poison of covetousness and would kill LIFE whom could he bind or loose but himself whom he did strangle in an unhappy rope Given Novemh 21. and sent by Adrian a Cardinal Priest and Benedict
consider most what thou art most to wit a man even as thou wast born And thou must consider not onely quid sed qualis natus what but what an one thou wast born take away therefore therefore in thy predication the cover of these leaves which hide the shame and heal not the wound blot away the false colour of fading honor and the glance of counterfeit glory that thou mayest nakedly consider thy self naked because thou camest naked out of thy mothers womb Wast thou born with a mitre or glancing with Jewels or shining with silks or crowned with feathers or burthened with metals if thou blow with thy meditation these things as a morning cloud thou wilt see thy self a naked man poor wretched miserable lamenting that thou art a man ashamed that thou art naked weeping that thou art born of a woman and therefore with guiltiness and therefore with fear and filled with miseries both of soul and body for what calamity wanteth he who is born in sin a frail body and barren soul A modest man will moderate his cares abstain from superfluities and not fail in things necessary a just man will not presume on things higher then himself but will say with that just man If I be just I will not lift up my head therefore in thy meditation walk warily that thou neither ascribe unto thee more then enough nor deny more then is just and thou ascribest unto thy self more then truth not onely by arrogating any good thou hast not but by ascribing what thou hast c. In lib. 3. he saith Thy fathers were ordained to overcome not some nations but the whole world for it was said unto them Go into all the world and they sold their coats and bought swords to wit zealous eloquence and a vehement spirit weapons powerful through God Whither went those famous Conquerors occumbebant non succumbebant these mighty warriors did die but never gave over they triumphed when they were dead Thou hast succeeded into their inheritance so thou art the heir and the world is thine inheritance but it is to be seriously considered how this inheritance concerneth thee and how it did concern them for I believe not every way yet in some way I think a dispensation is committed unto thee and possession is not given thee if thou wilt usurp this too he contradicteth thee who saith The earth is â—â—ine and the fulness thereof Thou art not he of whom the Prophet said All the earth shall be his possession This is Christ to whom the possession belongeth by right of creation merit of redemption and by gift of the Father What sayest thou wilt thou deny me power and forbid me to rule yea plainly as if he had not power who hath care Praesis ut prosis So govern that thou do good so govern as a faithful and wise servant whom the Lord hath set over his house Unto what to give them food in season that is to steward and not to command do this and thou being a man affect not to rule over men lest unrighteousness rule over thee I am afraid for no poison unto thee and no sword more then this desire of ruling certainly albeit thou think much of thy self yet if thou be not much deceived think that thou hast not received more then the great Apostles remember therefore that word I am debtor to the wise and to the unwise and if thou think that belongeth to thee remember also that the grievous name of a debtor agreeth to a servant rather then to a ruler therefore if thou acknowledge thy self a debtor to the wise and unwise thou must earnestly consider how both they who are not wise may be wise they who are wise become not unwise and how they who are become unwise may grow wise again But no kinde of foolishness is worse then infidelity therefore thou art a debtor to Infidels Jews Greeks and Gentiles therefore it should be thy work that Infidels may be brought unto the faith the converted be not turned away and who are turned away may return who are perverted may be made straight according to rectitude and the subverted may be recalled unto the truth the subverters may be convinced with unvincible reasons to the end that themselves may be amended if possible or if not they may not have power and authority to subvert others Albeit the Apostle excuse thee concerning the Jews seeing they have a term which cannot be prevented the fulness of the Gentiles must come in But what sayest thou of the Gentiles themselves yea what answerest thy consideration unto this question thinkest thou that the Fathers have set bounds unto the Gospel and suspended the word of faith while infidelity continueth by what reason think we hath the word which did run so swiftly come to a standing who did first hinder the running of salvation possibly some cause which we know not or necessity might hinder them but what reason have we to dissemble by what confidence or what conscience do we not so much as tender Christ unto them which have him not do we withhold the truth of God in unrighteousness But certainly the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in sometime do we expect that faith shall fall upon them who hath ever believed by chance how shall they believe without a Preacher I add concerning the pertinacy of the Greeks who are with us and not with us joyned in the faith and severed in peace albeit in the faith they do halt from the right paths And also of heresie which spreadeth quietly every where almost note among some doth rage openly for it devoureth quickly the babes of the Church every where and openly You ask Where is this Yours which visit the South so oft behold they know and can tell thee they go and return thorow the midst of them or pass by them but as yet we have not heard what good they do among them and possibly we had heard if they had not made more account of Spanish Gold then of mens souls It is thy duty to provide a remedy unto this malady but there is a foolishness which in these days hath almost made foolish even the wisdom of faith note How hath this poison envenomed almost all the Catholique Church for while even in her each one seek our own things it is come to pass that by mutual envying and contention we are taken up with hatred encouraged to injuries ready unto strises use cavillations unto guile carried to slanders break out into curses are oppressed by the mightier and do oppress the weaker How worthily and laudably might the meditation of thy heart be exercised against so pestilentious a kinde of foolishness which thou seest to possess the very body of Christ which is the multitude of believers Alas ambition the cross of the ambitious how doest thou vex all men and please all men nothing doth vex men more bitterly nothing disturbeth them with more turmoil and nevertheless nothing is
erroneously nameth one for another often c. By this ingenuous testimony of the Printer we may see what account they make now of their ancient Master and seeing these books have been so oft changed little credit can be given to any of their late Editions and thirdly that even the Master himself had not written soundly according to the Fathers which he citeth The Edition of Lombard at Paris An. 1550. hath in the end a catalogue of these which they call his errors in quibus Magister non tenetur I will shew some instances In the Edition at Lovane An. 1568. lib. 4. Dist 2. F. They who had not hope in the baptism of John and did believe the Father Son and holy Ghost were not baptised thereafter but the Apostles laid hands on them and then they received the holy Ghost Here on the margint it is Erronea Magistri opinio Dist 5. C. Christ might give unto them his disciples power to forgive sins yet not the same power that he himself had but a created power by which a servant may forgive sins yet not as the author of remission but as a servant and yet not without God the Author On the margin it is added Hic Magister non recipitur Dist 13. A. It may be truly said that the body of Christ is not eaten by the brute beasts albeit it seem so what then doth a mouse take and eat God knoweth In the margin it is said Non probatur haec Magistri opinio Dist 17. B. It may truly be said that without confession of the mouth and paying outward punishment sins are forgiven upon contrition and humility of the heart In the magin it is added Non rectè hic sentit Magister Dist 18. F. Unto the Priests he gave power of binding and loosing that is of shewing that they are bound or loosed In the margin it is Gravis Magistri lapsus In many other particulars though they have not put such a censure on him he is no less adversary unto the doctrine of Rome now as lib. 1. Dist 1. A. Let the diligent and modest speculation of Divines take heed to hold the Divine Scripture as the prescribed form in doctrine Dist 2. C. As Augustin lib. de Trini teacheth we must first shew whether faith hold out so according to the authority of holy Scriptures and then against babling disputers which are more proud then capable use Catholique reasons and fit similitudes for defense and asserting the faith that so satisfying curiosity we may the more fully instruct the modest or if they cannot finde the truth which they seek they may complain of their own minde rather then of the truth or of our assertion D. Therefore let us propound the Authority of the old and new Testaments Dist 40. D. Seeing predestination is the preparation of grace that is Divine election whereby he hath chosen whom he would before the foundation of the world as the Apostle saith on the other side reprobation must be understood the foreknowledge of the iniquity of some and the preparation of their damnation for as the effect of predestination is that grace whereby now we are justified and helped to live well and to continue in good and whereby we are blessed in the future so the reprobation of God whereby from eternity by not electing he hath rejected some is considered in two particulars whereof the one he foreseeth and prepareth not that is iniquity the other he foreseeth and prepareth that is everlasting punishment Whence Augustin ad Prosp Hilar. saith This rule must be held without wavering that sinners are foreknown in their sins and not prepared but that the punishment is prepared for God in his presence as Augustin in lib. de bono persever hath prepared his good things unto whom he would and unto whomsoever he giveth certainly he foresaw that he would give them Dist 41. A. If we seek the merit of obduration and mercy we finde the merit of obduration but we finde not the merit of mercy because there is no merit of mercy lest grace be made nothing if it be not given freely but rendered unto merits So he sheweth mercy according to grace which is given freely but he hardeneth according to judgement which is rendered unto merits whence we may understand that as God's reprobation is that he will not shew mercy so God's obduration is that he sheweth not mercy so that not any thing proceedeth from him whereby a man is made worse but onely it is not given whereby he may be better Hence it is clear saith he what the Apostle understandeth by mercy and hardening and because mercy admitteth not merit but obduration is not without merit and by the word mercy here is understood predestination and especially the effect of predestination but by the word obduration is not meant the eternal reprobation of God because there is no merit thereof but the privation or refusing of grace which is some way the effect of reprobation yet sometimes reprobation is taken for obduration as predestination for its effect which is grace given for grace which is given is the effect of predestination therefore seeing there are no merits of grace which is given to man for justification and far less of predestination it self whereby God hath from eternity chosen whom he would can there be any merits so nor of reprobation whereby from eternity he foresaw that some would be evil and be condemned as he did chuse Jacob and denied Esau which was not for their merits which they had then because they had none because themselves were not nor for the future merits which he could foresee did he either chuse the one or refuse the other In the next Section he sheweth how Augustin once thought that God had chuse Jacob because he foresaw that Jacob would be such and therefore Augustin recanted that error and he concludeth the Section thus Augustin in lib. de praedest sanctor saith Not because he foresaw that we would be such did he therefore chuse but that we might be such by the very election of his grace whereby he hath accepted us in his beloved Son Dist 46. B. Unto that objection from Matth. 23. 37. he answereth That is not to be understood so as if the Lord would have gathered the children and it was not done what he would because Jerusalem would not but rather that she would not have her children gathered by him and yet against her will he gathered her children even all whom he would because in heaven and on earth there be not some things that he would and doeth and some things that he would and doeth not but all whatsoever he would he hath done and therefore the meaning is whomsoever I have gathered by my ever efficacious will I did against thy will Behold it is clear that these words of the Lord are not contrary unto that is said Lib. 2. Dist 25. G. In man may be observed four estates of free-will for before
occasion to speak of it in the third Chapter The See was then vacant two years and three months and the Cardinals at last did submit all their suffrages unto Jacob de Ossa Cadurcensis who afterwards went up unto the Papal Chair and said I am Pope This was 3. JOHN the XXIII who was so desirous of novelties and to leave remembrance of him that he turned Bishopricks into Abbeys and Abbeys into Bishopricks he divided one into two and united two into one he erected new Colledges and destroyed the old he appointed new Scribes and taxes of every Bishop and Priest Pol. Virgil. de inven rer lib. 8. cap. 2. By a Decree he pronounced them Hereticks who say Christ did teach perfect poverty that is to renounce the possession of all goods both in particular and in common for said he it is impossible to retain the use of consuming things and to quit the right of them both in particular and in common This Decree saith Platina doth scarcely accord with sacred Scripture which testifieth in many places that Christ and his Disciples had not of their own and it condemneth all the Franciscans teaching and disputing in their schools against the ambition and avarice of the Clergy and it was made directly against the Decree of Pope Nicolaus the IV. Bellarm. de Ro. pont lib. 4. cap. 14. saith These two Decrees fight not because Nicolaus denieth not that Christ had some propriety although in common but he denieth that Christ lived so always and John denieth not that Christ sometimes had not propriety in particular nor in common but he denieth that he lived so always Thus the Jesuit will have the two to agree although John would purposely condemn the others Decree This John believed that the souls do not enjoy the presence The Pope was an Heretick of God before the day of judgement Bellarm. loc cit testifieth that the Cardinals did resist this opinion and that he repented the day before his death nor was it an error saith he because it was not defined in any Councel Naucler saith Many Divines of approved knowledge and life held that this Pope was an Heretick for holding some errors which they say he recanted coldly at his death and his Successor Benedict did publickly condemn those errors Note here the Pope was an Heretick and the Pope recanted but he recanted coldly Erasmus in Praefat. before the fifth book of Irenaeus saith He was compelled by the Divines of Paris to recant his opinion Bishop Jewel against Harding pag. 668. declareth this ex Massae lib. 18. Pope John taught and professed error and he sent two Preachers to Paris the one a Dominican and the other a Franciscan to maintain the same heresie But one Thomas an English Preacher withstood the Pope and the Pope threw him into prison hereupon the King summoned a Councel unto his Palace in Vintiana Sylva the whole Assembly subscribed against the Pope immediately the King sent unto Pope John and willed him to reform his error and to set the Preacher at liberty and so he did At that time Peter de Corbaria John and Michelin three Minorites did openly teach that St. Peter was no more the head of the Church then any of the other Apostles that Christ left no Vicar upon earth that the Pope hath no power to correct or punish to set up or cast down an Emperor all Priests of whatsoever degree are of equal degree power and jurisdiction by the institution of Christ and it proceedeth from mans authority that one hath more power then another neither the Pope nor all the Church can by coactive power punish any man unless they be authorised by the Emperor At that time the Pope and Emperor were at variance as followeth and when the Emperor went to Rome Pope John was deposed by the Cardinals as a fugitive and the now named Peter was chosen and called NICOLAUS the V. When he was installed Pope John accursed him for those his articles his excommunication is in the Extravagants of Pope John the XXII and beginneth Ad audientiam and Pope Nicolaus accursed Pope John At last Boniface Earl of Pisa brought Pope Nicolaus to Avenion and there shut him up in a Monastery till he died Antonin par 4. tit 11. cap. 7. § 5. Nicolaus had advanced the Minorites and John degraded them the more and declared them Hereticks He sat twenty years His Heirs found in his treasury 25. millions of crowns Io. Naucler 4. BENEDICT the XII sent 25000. florens for reparation of S. Peter's Church at Rome His contention with the Emperor followeth His Epitaph describeth his life briefly Hic situs est Nero laicis mors vipera clero Debius à vero cuparepleta mero He sat seven years and died An. 1342. 5. CLEMENS the VI. took upon him at the first to enrich all his Cardinals with the Bishopricks and Benefices of England Edward the III. was not a little offended and annulled all the provisions which the Pope had given within his Realm commanding under pain of imprisonment and death that none presume to bring from the Pope any such provisions At the same time all the tenths of Templaries were paid unto Edward as followeth Clemens exchanged a fue-duty which the French were wont to pay out of Naples for the City Avenion and so that Kingdom was made free and Avenion was a part of St. Peter's patrimony Boniface the VIII had ordained The Iubilee the Jubilee to be kept every hundred year to the imitation of the ancient Secular Plays in honor of Apollo and Diana now Clemens thought he could have no benefit if it were delayed so long time therefore he ordained that it should be kept every fiftieth year after the maner of the Jews and so it was kept at Rome An. 1350. Though he did change the time yet he would keep the Rites of the Secular Plays 1. In invitation Before the Secular Games Heraulds were sent through Italy to make publication and they cried saying Come see the Plays which none living hath seen nor shall see again So all men throughout the Papal jurisdiction were invited by his Trumpeters and at that time they were exhorted that in respect of the uncertainty of mans life they should not let so gracious an occasion slip 2. The Emperors Claudius and Domitian being desirous to have the glory of the Secular Games did shorten the time of an hundred years so Clemens the VI. and Urban the IV. have done 3 The Heathens promised the remission of sin and there was no wickedness so grievous which the Jubilee promised not to blot away 4. The Emperor went in great pomp and confluence of people so do the Popes 5. In the beginning they were wont to uncover a certain Altar dedicated to Pluto and Proserpina and when the Plays were finished that Altar was covered again with earth So at the Jubilee opened a Gate which they called The holy Gate with a silver hammer and when he shut it again he
the valiantness of his Father and Grandfather Pope John said Solomon's Son was not very wise So he rejected them both and alledged that according to former Acts of his Predecessors now he was Emperor Wherefore wars continued eight years and John proclaimed against them both alledging that the Imperial Crown is the gift of the Pope since it was decreed that the Germans may elect their King but then he is Emperor when the Pope of Rome who is Father and Prince of all Christendom doth approve him and when the Electors cannot agree none is King but the Bishop of Rome governeth at his pleasure even as the soul should command the body by whose benefit it liveth and so shall the world be well ruled when profane things are subject unto spiritual ...... For these causes seeing two are chosen .... and neither of the two seemeth worthy unto us said he we command that within three months they both renounce c. The most did follow Lewis At Frankford was a frequent Diet of the Princes and all the Electors Frederick was a captive there many things were decreed for the honor of the Empire and that Lewis should provide that the liberty of Germany be not turned into bondage and whosoever will maintain the Acts of Pope John is an enemy of the Republick Immediately Otho Bishop of Carintha and Lambert Bishop of Tolouse the Pope's Legates were expelled out of Germany All the Bishops Prelates Priests and Monks obeyed the Decree only the Dominicans inclined sometimes unto the Emperor and sometimes unto the Pope By Authority of that Assembly an Act was A description of the Pope published that is in Aventin lib. cit The heads are Christ the Savior our Lord and God and his chief Apostles Peter Paul James and John have foretold that perillous times were coming after their departure and they have sorewarned especially that we should beware of false Christs false Apostles and false Prophets who are so called from the lyes of their feigned Religion terming themselves Priests when they are the messengers of Antichrist their insatiable thirst of honor and money their letchery and pride being most manifest bewray them we deny not but confess sincerely that our times cannot endure any censure ...... long custom prevaileth above truth indignation breaketh our silence seeing from Heaven we are set in the highest watch of human affairs we cannot be silent lest we prove to be dumb dogs that cannot bark as the Prophet speaketh although we cannot drive away the wolves because of the iniquities of the times yet it is our duty to resist them and declare who they are although we cannot prevail against them lurking under sheeps skins as we would yet it is in some measure sufficient unto those who cannot attain to have a willingness to do Then they apply unto John shewing how that he vexed the Church of Christ and compelled Christians to draw their swords against Christians and brought people into a custom of perjury rebellion and conspiracies and they add Neither can Christians keep peace when God giveth it they are so troubled with this Antichrist so great is the madness of this man or rather Satan that openly in Assemblies he proclaimeth his wickedness as if they were good works When Christian Princes are at variance then indeed he is Priest of Rome the great Priest then reigneth and domineereth when all things are wasted with jars and broils and his power becometh terrible he might have most easily restored peace with one Letter but he hath no will that peace be among us yea by him rather was the discord increased he feigned now to favor Lewis and then to love Frederick as each of them was weaker he promised his aid unto the weaker he did purposely invite both unto the Coronation and gave fair words unto both when they were ready to have agreed he peswaded them unto Arms all these things he doth craftily that when we are undone by intestine wars he may destroy the Empire and possess Castles Towns and Republicks ....... When he is capital foe and publick enemy yet he will be Proctor Witness and Judge in his own cause .... what he pleaseth he judgeth lawful ...... he assumeth the spirit of Satan making himself like unto the most High and suffering himself to be worshipped which the Angel forbad John to do and his feet to be kissed after the manner of Dioclesian and Alexander two most cruel Tyrants ..... Those Popes have thrust Caesar out of Rome and Italy and Christ out of the Earth they permit the Heavens unto him and have taken Hell and Earth unto themselves and they will be believed not only called gods of the earth and of men as if they reign over the souls and tongues or as if they had divided the Empire of the world with Jupiter how contrary are these things Crucified and Supream power a Soldier and a Priest an Emperor and a Pastor ..... he is the two headed Beast who is Augustus and the great high Priest as we read of Nero Decius c. Then they refute the particulars of the Pope's Bull finally concluding If he be not the Antichrist certainly he is his forerunner from whom we appeal unto the Christian Senate of the world This Apology of Lewis prevailed even among his foes that the Earl of Tirolis and some others dealt for peace between Lewis and Frederick Lewis had the other captive and he set him at liberty on condition that he should renounce the title of Emperor and within few years he died Then Lewis was sole Emperor and he went into Italy An. 1327. being invited by the Gibelines to aid them against the Gwelphs and he exercised the Imperial Authority where he came therefore the Pope excommunicated him Platin. But Tho. Couper in Epist saith He was accursed because Udalrick the Emperor's Secretary without the Emperor's knowledge in an Epistle had called the Pope the Beast rising out of the Sea The Emperor did often profer a treaty of peace but the Pope would not hear of it Many learned men both Divines and Jurists of Bolonia and Paris wrote then against the Pope as followeth When Lewis could not obtain confirmation from the Pope he entred into Rome and was received gladly he and the Empress were crowned by Stephen Colonna Vicar of Rome with full consent saith Platin. of Nobles and Cardinals The City was then governed by their own Citizens under the title Vicars of the King of the Romans Plat. in Iohan. There he assembled a very frequent Synod and declared more fully 1. What wrongs he had suffered from Jac. de Cadurco alias Pope John the XXII or rather the mystical Antichrist said he and Abiathar who had followed Absalom against David And he did not only thus complain but also the Orators of the Armenians and other Nations against whom John had covenanted with the Turk 2. He shewed what Authority other Emperors had exercised against the Popes when they were found vicious
his Progenitors time out of minde have been possessed with special priviledges and custom observed from time to time that no Legate from the Apostolick See should enter into the Land or any of the King's Dominions without calling petition or desire of the King and for as much as Richard Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal of S. Eusebie hath presumed to enter as Legate not being called nor desired by the King Therefore the said Proctor in presence of the Council of England then in the house of the Duke of Glocester Lord Protector in the King's minority did protest that it standeth not with the King's minde by advice of his Council to admit or approve the coming of the said Legate in any way or to assent to the exercise of this his Legantin Authority either attempted or to be attempted in this respect contrary to the foresaid Laws and custom c. By these Acts it is manifest that the usurpation of the Popes was odious unto the Nations and that their avarice and innovations were restrained but the Kings did not exclude them especially in England the persecution that was begun in the latter days of Edward the III. continued all the time of King Richard the II. and Henry the IV. and V. though not always with a like cruelty But in Scotland their Acts had more strength for when James Kennedy Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews who founded and perfected the most famous Colledge of Scotland now called the Old Colledge of Saint Andrew's died An. 1466 his Brother of the same Mother Patrick Graham was elected by the Canons to succeed but he could not obtain the King's consent for the Courtiers perswaded him that he should not admit such elections because by such means the greatest honors were in the power of the basest men to wit Canons gave Bishopricks and Monks made Abbots and Priors whereas said they all should depend on the King that he may reward punish and forgive according to the service done unto him Wherefore that Patrick went to Rome and easily obtained The first Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews from Pope Sixtus the IV. not only confirmation of the election but likewise the Title of Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrew's and that all the other Bishops should be subordinate unto that See and power to be Legate for three years for preventing the dangers insuing unto the Church Notwithstanding all this his authority he durst not return into Scotland for fiye years but abode at Rome for he knew that the people were exclaiming against the contempt of the Laws In the year 1472. he would adventure to return but sent before him the Bull of his Legation They which were advanced or hoped for advancement by the King did fear that this Legation would be to their prejudice and they ceased not to shew the King that his authority was contemned by that Bull his Acts were annulled and the liberties of the Realm were turned into the hands of the Romans Then by Act of Council an Herauld was sent unto Patrick at his landing before he entred into any house to inhabit him from attempting any thing in any of these Offices untill such things as were to be laid unto his charge were examined before the King Thereafter he was reconciled unto the King but with express charge that he attempt nothing beyond the custom of his Predecessors Nor had any in that place so little authority for he was excommunicated by the Rector and then again accursed by Husman the Pope's Inquisitor and the Arch-Deacon Sevez was placed in his Chair and Patrick was hurried from place to place as to a stronger prison whether justly or unjustly it is not certain since the cause nor process is not made known except that he paid not the money for his Bull of priviledges Others were so affraid at his miseries that they attempted not to recover that priviledge of election from the power of the King and whom the King did recommend unto the Pope were all accepted Hence it came to pass that Benefices were bestowed upon unqualified men at the pleasure and suit of Courtiers so great corruptions followed Buchan lib. 12. 7. About the year 1465. a Carmelite preached at Paul's Cross that Christ on earth was poor and begged The Provincial of that Order and others held the same opinion But others did inveigh bitterly against them as teachers of pestiferous errours The fame of this controversie went over the Alps and Pope Paul the II. writ his Bull into England informing his Prelates that it is a pestiferous heresie to affirm that Christ had publickly begged and it was of old condemned by Popes and Councels therefore it should now be declared as a condemned Heresie In the year 1473. John Goose or as some write John Huss was burnt on the Tower-hill for the doctrine of the above-named Martyrs The next year an old Matron about 90. years of age Johan Boughton was burnt at Smith-field and her daughter the Lady Young was in danger An. 1498. a godly man at Babram in Norfolk was burnt and in the same year and place a Priest was burnt whom all the Clarks of Canterbury could not remove from his faith The next year another was burnt at Smithfield Io. Fox in Acts Mon. 8. About the year 1492. Robert Blaketer went to Rome for his confirmation The first Arch Bishop of Glascow a persocuter in the Bishoprick of Glascow he obtained from Pope Alexander the VI. the Title of Arch-Bishop and that three other Diocies should be subject unto him Sevez Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews would not acknowledge him nor his Title because it was in prejudice of his former Title Upon this occasion both Clergy and Nobility went into factions at last they were reconciled so that they both should be called Arch-Bishops but Saint Andrews should precede In the year 1494. by this Robert was summoned before the King and Councel thirty persons from Kyle and Cunningham among these George Campbel of Cesnok Adam Reed of Barskyning John Campbel of Newmills Andrew Shaw of Polkennet c. The Articles laied unto their charge were 1. Images should not be worshipped 2. Nor Reliques of Saints 3. Christ gave power unto Peter and not to the Pope to bind and loose 4. The Pope is not the Successour of Peter but where it was said unto him Go behind me Satan 5. After the Consecration bread remains and the natural body of Christ is not there 6. The Pope deceives the people by his Bulls and Indulgences 7. The Mass profiteth not the souls which are said to be in Purgatory 8. The Pope exalts himself against God and above God 9. Priests may have wives 10. True Christians receive the body of Christ every day by faith 10. Faith should not be given unto miracles now 11. We should pray unto God only 12. We are not bound to beleeve all that Doctours have written 13. The Pope who is called the head of the Church is the Antichrist They were accused upon other
and therefore wee are the more bold to exhort you to walk more circumspectly than for such vanities to trouble the godly For all things that may seem lawâ—ull edifie not If the commandement of Authority urge the conscience of you and our brethren more than they can beare wee unfainedly crave of you that yee remember yee are called The light of the world and the salt of the earth All civill authority hath not the light of God shining always before their eies in their statuts and commandements but their affections favour too much of the earth and of worldly wisdom and therefore wee think yee should boldly oppose yourselves not only unto all that power that will or dar extoll the selfe against God but also against all such as dar burden the consciences of the faithfull further than God hath burdened them by his own word But here in wee hope yee will excuse our freedom in that wee have entred further in reasoning than wee intended and promised in the beginning therefore wee briefly return to our former supplication which is that our brethren who among you refuse the Romish rags may find of you the Prelates such favor as our Head Master commandeth every one of his members to shew one to another this wee expect to receive of your courtesie not only because yee fear to offend Gods Majesty in troubling your brethren for such triffles but also because yee will not refuse the humble request of us your brethren and follow-preachers in whom albeit appear no worldly pomp yet wee suppose that yee will not so far despise us but that yee will esteem us to be of the number of them that fight against the Romane Antichrist and travell that the Kingdom of Christ Jesus may be universally advanced The dayes are evill iniquity aboundes Christian charity alas waxeth cold therefore wee should the more diligently watch the hour is uncertain when the Lord Jesus shall appeare before whom yee must give account of your administration In conclusion once again wee crave favors to our brethren which being granted yee in the Lord may command us things of double more importance The Lord Jesus rule your hearts in true feare unto the end and give unto you and us victory over that conjured enemy of all true relgion ouer that Roman Antichrist whose wounded head Sathan by all means strives to cure again but to destruction shall hee and all his members go by the power of our Lord Jesus to whose mighty protection wee commit you From Edinburg out of the generall assembly and third Session thereof Decemb. 17. 1566. by your loving brethren and fellow preachers in Christ Jesus 3. The same day this Supplication was A supplication ac gainst Episcop all jurisdiction ordained to be penned and then sent unto the Lords of the Secret Counsell The Generall assembly of the Church .... Unto the Nobility of this realm which professe the Lord Jesus with them and have renounced the Roman Antichrist wish constancy in the Spirit of righteous judgement Seeing Sathan by all our negligences Right Honorable hath so far prevailed within this realm of late dayes that wee stand in extream danger not only to lose our temporall possessions but to be also deprived of the glorious Evangell of Jesus Christ and so our posterity to be left in damnable darknes wee can not longer contain ourselves nor keep silence lest in so doing wee might be accused as guilty of the blood of such who shall perish for lack of admonition as the prophet threatneth Wee therefore in the fear of our God and with grieff and anguish of heart complain unto your Honors yea wee must complain unto God and all his obedient creatures that that coniured enemy of Jesus Christ and cruell murderer of our dear brethren most falsly styled Archbishop of Santandrews is reponed and restored to his former tyranny for not only are his former iurisdictions as they are termed of the wholl bishoprick of Santandrews granted unto him but also the execution of judgement confirmation of testaments and donation of his Benefices as more amply in his Signature is exprest If this be not to â—ure the head of that venemous Beast which once within this realm by the potent hand of God was so banished and broken down that by tyranny it could not hurt the faithfull judge yee His antient â—urisdiction was that he with certain his colleagues collaterall might have damned of heresy upon probation as pleased him and then to take all that were suspect of heresy what they have judged heresy heretofore yee can not be ignorant and whither they remain in their former malice their facts travells declare openly The danger may be feared say yee but what remedy It is easy and at hand richt Honorable if yee will not betray the cause of God and leave your brethren which never will be more subject to that usurped tyranny than they will unto the devill himselfe Our Queen by lyke is not well informed She ought not nor iustly may break the lawes of this realm and consequently she may not set up against us without our consents that Roman Antichrist again for in a lawfull and most free Parliament that ever was in this realm was that odious beast deprived of all jurisdiction office and authority within this realm Her Majesty at her first arrivall and by diverse her proclamations afterwards hath expressly forbidden all other form and face of religion than that which she found published at her arrivall therefore she may not bring us the greatest part of the subjects of this realm back again to bondage till that al 's real a Parliament as justly damned that Antichrist and his usurped tyranny have given decision betwixt us and him If heer of and of other things which no less concern yourselves than us yee will plainly admonish our Soveraigne and without tumult crave justice only the tyrants dar not more be seen in lawfull judgement than the Owles in the day light Weigh this matter as it is and ye shall finde it more weighty than to many it appeares Further at this present wee complain not but humbly crave of your Honors a reasonable answer what yee will do if such tyrants devouring wolves begin to invade the flock of Jesus Christ within this realm under whatsoever title that bee for wee boldly professe that wee will never acknowledge other Pastors to our souls nor Judges to our causes And if for denyall thereof wee either suffer in body or goods wee doubt not but we have one Judge to punish them that uniustly trouble us but also an Advocate and strong champion in heaven to recompence them who for his names sake suffer persecution whose holy Spirit rule your hearts unto the end your L. L. answer yet again wee crave c. 4. Questions were proponed I a marryed man went to the wars in Denmark four years thereafter his wife joyneth herself in whoordom to another man and now these
created by God and infused into the soul whereby that man is made acceptable unto him Here a new controversy is started about the word Justificare some said It must be taken effectivè to make just and not declarativè Amongst those was Soto but the Caâ—melite Marinarus would prove from Rom. 8. by the judiciall process of accusing and condemning that justification must also be a judicialact Hereupon was another sharp dispute Whether the habite of grace be the same with the habite of charity or a distinct one The Scotists held the first part and the Thomists the later In this neither party would yeeld into the other Then they dispute Whether beside that inherent justice the justice of Christ be imputed unto the justified person as his own All said Christ dd merite for us and we are made partakers of his righteousnes but some loved not the word Imputed because it is not among the Fathers and for the bad consequences which Lutherans draw from it to wit this only is sufficient without inherent righteousnes the sacraments confer not grace punishment is abolished with the guilt there remaines no place for satisfaction c. These contentions were fostered by sundry persons upon several interests the Imperialists would had them leave the doctrin and the Pa palines sought a way to divide the Councel and so a void the apparent or aimed-at reformation others sought to deliver themselves from appearing and heavier incommodities in Germany and they feared dearth and others had little hope to do good At that time the Emperour sent Letters unto the Pope and unto the Councel representing a necessity of holding the Councel on foot for avoiding mis-reports if it be dissolved and he promised to bend up all his wit to keep Trent secure he earnestly entreated that they would not handle controversies lest the Protestants be provoked with contrary decrees and therefore to treat of reformation only or at most medle with points of lesser weight The Pope was desirous to be freed of the Synod but to gratify the Emperour in respect of the present confederacy he wrote unto the Legaâ—s to hold the Councel a foot but without any Session untill he give new advertisment and to entertain the Prelats and Divines with congregations and such exercise as seemed best July 25. a Jubilee was published at Trent to pray for good success unto the German warrs and the Session was adjournied untill a new intimation and the congregations were discharged for 15. dayes nor did they sit untill the 20. day of August Then the Legat de Monte judged it inconvenient to suspend the Fathers any longer but De Sancta Cruce a man of melancholy nature took it upon him When they came to the congregation this Legate and three Bishops and three Generals were deputed to frame the Decrees and anathematisms So he set on edge the heads of the former opinions shewing that the points were weighty and should be sifted and he gave place to other controversies as whether a man can be assured of grace Some said It is presumption pufts up and makes a man negligent Of assurance of grace in doing good and to doubt is more profitable and meritorious to this purpose they cited Eccles 9. 1. and 1. Pet. 1. 17. and some testimonies of the Fathers Those were Vega Soto c. On the other side Catharinus Marinarus and others alledged other passages of the same Fathers and they said The Fathers had spoken occasionally somtimes to comfort and at other times to repress but if we hold close to the Scripture it shall be more certain seing Christ said often Believe that thy sins are forgiven but He would not give occasion of pride nor drowsiness neither would he deprive men of merite if doubting were usefull The Scripture bids give God thanks for our justification which we can not do unless we know that we have obtained it St. Paul confirmes this when he willeth the Corinthians to know that they are in Christ except they be reprobats The Holy Spirit beares witnes with our Spirit that we are the children of God and to deny his testimony is no less then to accuse them of temerity who believe the Holy Ghost speaking with them for S. Ambrose saith The Holy Ghost never speaks to us but when he makes known that he speakes then they added the words of Christ The world can not receive the holy Ghost because it knowes him not but the disciples know him because he dwelles in them It is like a dream to say A man hath received grace and can not know whether he hath received or not The other party shrunk a little with the force of these reasons some granting a coniecture and some confessing a certainty in the Apostles and Martyres and them who have been lately baptized and some by extraordinary revelation Vega fearing conformity with the Lutherans said Certainty is not Divine faith but humane and experimental as he who is hote is sure by sense that he is hote Then the defenders of certainty ask Whether the testimony of the Holy Ghost can be called Divine and whether every one be tied to believe what God reveeles They went so far in sifting this question as who listeth may see in the large history that the Legate willed them make an end of it It was twice commanded to leave it as doubtfuli but their affections led them to it again Then the Legate propounded to speak again of preparatory works and the observation of the law whereupon depends the question of free-will So sixe Of free will articles were framed as maintained by the Protestants Of the first God is the total cause of our works both good and bad Some said It was a fanatik doctrine condemned antiently in the Manichees Abelhard and Wicklif and deserves not dispute but punishment Marinarus said As it is foolish to say No action is in our power so it is absurd to say Every action is in our power seing every man findes that he hath not his affections in his power Catharinus said A man hath no power to do moral good works without Gods special assistance Vega spake a while with ambiguity and concluded there is no difference in this point But it seemed unto some to be a prejudice to reconcile different opinions and composition is for Colloquies Here arose that question Whether it be in mans power to believe or not to believe The Franciscans said As knowledge necessarily followes demonstrations so faith followes persuasions and it is the understanding which is naturally moved by the object and experience teaches that no man believes what he willeth but what seemes true and none could feel any displeasure if he could believe what he pleases The Dominicans said Nothing is more in the power of the will then to believe and by the determination of the will only a man may believe that the number of the starrs is even The second article was to the same purpose On the third
Whether free-will be loosed by sin many passages were brought from Augustin to the affirmative So to answered There is a liberty of necessity and another from servitude and Augustin speakes of this This difference was not understood and so Luther was said not worthy of blame in the tittle of his book Of servile will Many thought the fourth article absurd Man hath free-will to do ill only for said they free-will is a power to both contraries But they were made to acknowledge their error when they heard that the good Angels have power to do good only In examining the 5. and 6. articles concerning the consent of the free-will unto Divine inspirations or preventing grace the Franciscans strove that the will is able to prepare itself and hath more power to accept the Divine prevention when God gives assistance then before when it acteth by strength of nature The Dominicans denyed that works preceeding our calling are truly preparatory and they gave the first place unto God But these were at variance among themselves So to held Albeit a man can not obtain grace without the special prevention of God yet the will may ever some way refuse and when the will accepts it is because it gives assent and if our assent were not required there were no cause why we are not all converted for God stands ever at the door and gives grace unto every one who will have it to say otherwise were to take away the liberty of the will and as if one would say God useth violence Aloisius a Catanea said God worketh two sorts of preventing grace as Aquinas teaches one sufficient and the other effectual the will may refuse the first but not the other for it is a contradiction to say Efficacy can be resisted And he answered unto the contrary reasons All are not converted because they are not efficaciously prevented The fear of everting free-will is removed because things are violently moved by a contrary cause but not by their own cause but seing God is the cause of the will to say The will is moved by God is to say The will is moved by itself And God converts albeit man will not or spurn at him and it is a contradiction to say The effect spurneth against the cause It may happen that God effectually converts one who before had spurned against sufficient prevention but afterwards he can not because when gentleness is in the will the efficacy of Divine motion must nieds follow yet so that the will followes not as a dead or unreasonable creature but it is moved by its own cause as reasonable and followes as reasonable Soto replied Every Divine inspiration is only sufficient and that whereunto free-will hath assented obtaines efficiency by that consent without which it is not effectual not by defect of itself but by defect of the man or else it would follow that the separation of the elect from the reprobate were from man and this is contrary unto the perpetual doctrine of the Church that vessels of mercy are separated by grace from them of wrath Each party thought their own reasons invincible and admonished the other to take heed that they leap not beyond the mark by too earnest desire to condem Luther Here the Legate had occasion to wave any conclusion by propounding the question Whether Divine election bee by foreseen works So it was ordained to collect articles of this matter Of Election In the books of Luther they found nothing worthy of censure out of the books of Zuinglius they drew 8. articles 1. Predestination and reprobation are only in the will of God The most part judge this to be Catholik and agreeing with Thomas and Scotus because before the creation God of his meer mercy hath out of the common masse elected some unto glory for whom he hath prepared effectual means of obtaining it their number is certain and others who are not chosen can not complain for God hath prepared for them sufficient means albeit only the elect can or shall be saved to this purpose they cited the examples of Jacob and Esau and the similitude of the potter Rom. 9 and the conclusory words of the Apostle there and 1. Cor. 3 5 4 7 2. Tim. 2 19 c. Others called this hard and inhumane as if God were partial if without any motive he choose one and not another or he were unjust if of his only will and not for mens fault he created so great a multitude unto damnation and it destroyes free-will because the elect can not finally do evill nor can the reprobate do good it casts a man into dispair it gives occasion of bad thoughts in not caring for pennance for men think if they be elected they can not perish They confessed not only that works are not the cause of Gods election because it is before them but also that works foreseen can not move God to predestinat because he is willing in his infinit mercy that all should be saved and for this cause he prepares sufficient assistance for all and this grace man acceptes or refuses as he listeth but God in his eternity foreseeth both who will accept this help and who will reject it and He rejectes these and chooseth those The first opinion keeps the mind humble and not relying on itself but on God and the other is more plausible and being grounded on humane reason prevailed more but when the testimonies of Scripture were weighed it was manifestly overcom For resolving the passages of Scripture Catarinus propounded a midle course God of his goodnes hath elected some few whom he will save absolutly and unto them he hath prepared infallible and effectual means he also desireth for his part that all others be saved and hath provided sufficient means for all leaving it to their choice to accept or refuse amongst those some few accept and are saved albeit they were not elected and others will not cooperate with God and are damned it is the only good will of God that the first are saved and that the second sort are saved it is their acceptation and cooperation with Divine assistance as God has foreseen and that the last sort are reprobated it is their foreseen perverse will the number of the first is determined but not the second and according to this distinction the different places of Scripture are understood diversly He said he wondered at the stupidity of them who think the number to be certain and yet others may be saved and also of them who say Reprobates have sufficient assistance for salvation and yet a greater assistance is necessary to him who is saved then said he the first is a sufficient insufficient or an insufficient sufficiency The second article was The elect can not be condemned nor the reprobate be saved The different opinions of the first caused diverse censures of this Catharinus held the first part true in respect of his first sort of men and the other part false in