refuse if upon no other account yet ro save themselves from suspition But when he had sent his Nuntio unto them severally none of them would consent every one had their own excuse and a common one was the hindering of the Councell and yet saith Pe. Soave many thought the raising of the Councell had not been displeasing unto him seing he did alwaies furnish occasions of fomenting that opinion Of his relation unto the Councell more followes in that place After the Councell he published a Bull which is annexed to the Canons of the Councell out of it I have extracted these words The duty of the Apostolick service which is committed unto us requires that the things which the almighty Lord hath vouchsafed for provident direction of his Church to inspire from above unto the holy Fathers assembled in his name Wee should speedily execute the same to his praise and glory Observe what false and hypocriticall pretenses Therefore seeing according to the disposition of the Tridentine Councell all who shall hereafter happen to be advanced unto Cathedrall and superiour Churches or who shall happen to be Overseers of dignities chanonries or other Church-Benefices having the cure of souls are obliged to make open profession of the orthodox faith and to promise and sweare that they shall continue in obedience unto the Romane Church Wee willing ..... that the tenour it self which is noted by these presents be published .... and observed and under paines .... wee command that it be framed by Apostolick authority .... after this and no other forme .... to wit I. N. do with firme faith believe and professe all and every thing contained in the summ of faith which the holy Church of Rome useth to wit Here is the Confession of Athanasius and immediatly it followes I most firmely embrace the Apostolicall and ecclesiasticall traditions and other obseruances and constitutions of the same Church I do admitt the holy Scripture according to that sense which the holy mother the Church held and holdeth unto which Church it belongeth to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures nor shall I ever accept or expound the Sctiptures but according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers I confesse also that there be truly and properly seven sacraments of the new law instituted by Jesus Christ for salvation of mankind albeit they be not all necessary unto every one these are baptisme confirmation the eucharist pennance extreme unction orders and marriage and that these do conferre grace and of these baptisme confirmation marriage should not be reiterated without sacriledge I receive and approve all the received and approoved rites of the Catholick Church in the solemn administration of all the forenamed sacraments I embrace all and every thing that was defined and declarad concerning originall sin and justification in the Synode of Trent I professe also that in the Masse is offered unto God a very proper sacrifice of attonement for the quick and the dead and that in the most holy sacrament of the Euchatist is verily really and substantially the body and blood together with the soul and Deity of Christ Jesus and that there is a conversion of the whole substance of the bread into his body and of the whole substance of the wine into his blood which conversion the Catholick Church calleth Transsubstantiation I confesse also that all and whole Christ and the very sacrament are received under one kind only I hold constantly that there is a purgatory and that the souls there-in are aided by the prayers of believers also that the Saints reigning with Christ are to be worshipped and invocated and that they offer prayers unto God for us and that their relicques are to be worshipped I most constantly affirme that the images of Christ and of the mother of God ever a Virgine and of other Saints should be had and retained and that due honour worship should be given unto them That the power of indulgences is left by Christ in the Church and that the use of them is very profitable to the salvation of Christians I acknowledge that the holy Catholick and Apostolick Church of Rome is the mother and Mistris of all Churches and I promise and swear obedience unto the Romane Pope the successour of blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ And all other things that were delivered defined and declared by holy canons and Occumenicall Councells and especially by the most holy Synode at Trent These do I undoubtedly receive and professe And also all contrary things and whatsoever heresies were condemned rejected and anathematized I also doe condemne reject and anathematize And the same true catholicke faith without which no man can be saved which I do at this present willingly professe and sincerely hold I the same N. doe vow and swear that I shall have care so farre as lieth in mee that the same faith shall be kept whole and unviolated most constantly with the help of God untill the last breath of my life and that it shall be kept and taught preached by my subjects or by such as I shall have charge of in my calling So may God help mee and these holy Euangels of God Wee will that these present Letters be read in our Apostolicall Chancelary ...... Given at S. Peters in Rome An. 1564. Novembr 13. and fifth year of our Papacy These were read and puplished Decembr 9. Here is a tenure of Episcopall profession and it is a summ of Papistry After the Councell the Pope thought himself secure and spent the rest of his time in building sumptuous houses and entertaining some Princes with Princely feasts He built in the Vatican a place like unto the amphitheater for all such games He was most expert in dissembling addicted to all pleasures of meat wyne and venery which were thought to have hastened his death for he died ex nimia venere Decembr 9. An. 1565. Jac. Thuan. CHAP II. Of EMPEROVRS CHARLES V. the nephew of Maximilian and King of Spain c. was chosen King of the Romanes he had the largest Dominions of any Emperour for many hundred years he was crowned at Aken An. 1520. and held a Diet at Worms An. 1521. where unto Luther was summoned there it was ordained that Luthers books should be burnt and himself be bannished out of the Empire but of his Acts concerning Religion we will God willing speak more hereafter The Pope had been his Tutour and the King of France was prevailing in Lombardy wherefore the Pope and the Emperour made a League against France and they drewe in Henry VIII King of England with them Charles began his warrsin Lombardy but was not there personally at the battell of Pavy Francis was taken prisoner and carried to Madrid afterwards he was dismissed and gave his two sonnes in hostage and marryed Leonor the Emperours Sister But Francis got from Pope Clement a dispensation of his oath which he had given to Charles for
equal in the thing signified or diverse in visible signes and the same in the intelligible signification those were promissory and these are demonstrative or as others speak the old were prenuntiative and the new are contestative Therefore it is not expedient to put that in a Decree Others said The opinion of the Lutherans and Zuinglians must be condemned without descending into particulares seing they say there is no difference but in rites and no other difference hath been shewed Article 6 Immediatly after the sin of Adam the sacraments were instituted by God and by means of them grace was given The Dominicans would have this absolutly condemned The Scotists said It is probable because of the sacrifices and circumcision and if as Thomas saith children were saved before Christ by faith of their parents children now are in a worse estate seing the faith of parents availes not their children without baptism for Augustin holds if a parent were carrying his child to be baptised and the infant to die on the way this infant were condemned They all condemned the 7. and 8. articles In the sacrament grace is given unto him only who believes that his sins are remitted Grace is not alwayes given in the sacraments nor unto all in respect of the sacrament itself but when and where and to whom it pleaseth God The 9. article denying a character in a sacrament gave occasion of more talking Soto said It is grounded on holy Scripture and was ever held as an Apostolical Of the character of the sacrament tradition albeit the word character was not vsed by the Fathers Others said Gratian makes no mention of it and Scotus saith It is not necessary by the words of Scripture nor Fathers but only by authority of the Church this is vsual unto that Doctor by a kind of courtsy Then it was questioned What is a character where is it Some called it a quality and those were of four several opinions as there be so many sorts of qualities Some called it a spiritual power some an habite others a spiritual figure and others called it a metaphorical quality Others called it a relation Some said It is ensrationis No less variety was for the subiect of it some placed it in the essence of the soul some in the understanding some in the will and some in the tongue or hands Then how many sacraments have a character Some said Only three which are not iterated Others said That is probable but not necessary Others said It is a necessary article of faith because Innocentius 3. mentioneth it and it was so defined by the councell of Florence Article 10. All Christians of what soever sexe have equal power in the ministration of word and sacraments Albeit none VVho may administer hold this article so much as the Romish Church doth especially in baptism yet they condemned it as contrary unto Scripture to tradition and the use of the Church As also they condemned article 11. A bad Minister conferreth not a sacrament Article 10. Every pastor hath power at his pleasure to protract or contract or change the forms of the sacraments It was distinguished as having a double sense by formes may be understood the essential words as it is said A sacrament hath a sensible element for the matter and a word for form or may be understood the rites which include some things not necessary but decent In the first sense they made a canon condemning the article and for the other they made another canon that albeit accidental things admit mutation yet when a rite is received by publick authority or confirmed by common custom it should not be in every mans power to change it excep the Pope only Concerning article 3. of the Minister's intention they would not change from the councel of Florence holding the Minister's intention necessary But what Of the ministers intention intention The common opinion was Intention to do as the Church doth is sufficient Here arose a difficulty Because mens opinions are different in that What the Church is their intention to do as the Church doth might also be different Some said It might rather be said It is not different when one hath the same aime to do what was instituted by Christ and observed by the Church though a false Church be taken for the true if the rite be the same The Bishop of Minori said It is no difficulty among the Lutherans for the Minister's intention but it is otherwise amongst us holding that the sacrament gives grace and it seldom happeneth that grace is obtained by any other means surely little babes and many having but small understanding are saved no other way If a priest having the charge of 4. or 5000. souls were an infidel or hid hypocrite and had intention not to do as the Church doth it must follow that the children are damned and all penitents and communicants were without fruit Neither is it sufficient to say Faith suppleeth the defect because faith suppleeth nothing to the children according to our doctrine neither availeth it unto others so much as the sacrament and to attribute so much unto faith were to take it from the sacraments as the Lutherans do He nameth other in convenients and then said He who saith God suppleeth by his omnipotency will sooner make one believe that God hath provided that such accidents should not happen by ordaining that to be a sacrament which is administred according to the instituted rite albeit the Minister hath another intention This doth not cross the common doctrine or Florentin counsel because that intention is only to be understood which is manifested by external work tho inwardly it may be contrary He confirmed this by example of Athanasius being a child and the censure of his fact by the famous Alexander Bishop of Alexandria The Divines abode still for the intention either actual or virtual as if without it a sacrament can be of no force And to speak by anticipation this Bishop wrote a little book of this question the year following and said The determination of the Synod is understood and should be expounded in this his sense The 14 article was readily condemned Sacraments were ordained only to cherish faith There was not much debate of baptism or confirmation some of them were calumnies and others were contradictory to all their Divines They agreed â—asily in framing the anathematismes Difficulty in framing the decreeâ— but no way could they agree in the positives of doctrine nor of reformation In the doctrine every sect was stieve for their own opinions wherefore some said Positive articles are not necessary lest one party be condemned Others said The order that is begun can not be left and diligence may be used to satisfy all parties Some said Albeit the factions were contentious in delivering their opinions yet all submit unto the determination of the Synod Others said Such protestations of submission are terms of reverence and should be ansvered with
pain and therefore they would pray for increase of their blessedness but the Latines believe they are all in Heaven and gave thanks for them and praied for the increase of their glorie by the resurrection of their bodies and so forth as is said except only Augustine who thought that some of the elect may be in torment And of them Fra. Junius in his Notes on Bellarm. de Purgat lib. 1. cap. 10. observeth That the former ages sought only an increase of good things but the latter ages do pray for relief or ease of torments the first opinion saith he is tolerable and the other is contrarie unto veritie and to the vertue of Christ's death For as Augustine de verb. Dom. ser 37. saith In thy two evils one is a fault and the other is punishment the fault is thou art unjust and the punishment is thou art mortal But he Christ Jesus that he might be thy neighbour took on him thy punishment but not thy fault and if he took it he took it to abolish and not to commit it and by taking on him the punishment and not the fault he hath abolished both the fault and punishment And de temp ser 66. Now is the time of forgiveness to them who repent but the time of vindication to them who have neglected to confess their sins But after this age arose another difference for Pope Innocentius the III. being asked what his judgment was in this matter he answered Some be verie good they need no prayer of the living some are verie bad they cannot be helped some are mid-way good to them prayers are profitable for expiration and some are mid-way bad to them prayers are profitable for propitiation Bellar. de Purg. lib. 2. c. 18. will not approve this judgement of his ghostly father he gives assent unto the first three parts of that distinction and he makes a gloss on the last part saying I suspect that Innocentius hath forgot himself when he thinks that Augustin's division hath four parts which hath only three for they who are mid-way good are the same who are mid-way bad And in the beginning of that 4. chapter he saith It is certain the prayers of the Church are profitaable neither unto the blessed nor the damned but onlie unto them who are in Purgatorie Augustin's division is in Enchir. cap. 110. Praiers avail not unto all who are departed and why not but for the difference of life which everie one hath made in the bodie Therefore when the sacrifices of the Altar or of Alms are offered for all them who were baptized and are defunct for the verie good they are thanksgivings for the not verie bad they are propitiations for the verie bad although they do not help the dead yet they are comfortable to the living but to whom they avail they avail to this end either that there may be a full remission or that their damnation may be the more tolerable and because we know not what is their estate we should pray alike for all that our benefit may be superfluous rather then deficient To conclude this point seeing praier for the dead as it was used in the second age of the Church is now condemned by the Romish Church and such praiers as are now used in the Romish Church are a branch of the opinion of Purgatorie which the Ancients knew not their praiers now for the dead are but a noveltie and as we may say a plant of that third age and unknown unto the Church of Rome in this seventh Centurie For in the Synod at Toledo an 627. when were assembled 62. Bishops it was ordained that the dead should be conveied to the graves with the voices of men singing Psalms onlie in hope of the resurrection they forbid all mourning and they will have no word of praiers for them which they would not have omitted in such a place if they had thought upon any necessitie or utilitie thereof conc Toleta 3. cap. 22. But the Romanists say These oblations are comfortable to the living It is true the Priests and Monks receive no small gain for them but the other people are handsomlie cheated 5. A third question of this age and nature is Whether living Christians Praâ—â—r unto the dead may lawfullie pray unto the departed Saints The Councel at Trent hath discerned That they think wickedlie who denie that Saints should be invocated Sess 25. cap. 2. Therefore it ought to be inquired when and how this honour was given unto the Saints Here we may borrow some help from the Jesuits Salmeron on 1 Tim. 2. disp 8. answereth it was not the custom of the Old-Testament nor was so great honour due unto them Ibid. disp 2. Nothing is found of this matter in the Epistles of Paul or Canonical or Catholick books of others But possiblie somewhat hereof is found in the Evangelists or Revelation No saith he Ibid. disp 7. It is not expressed under the New-Testament in the Scriptures but by tradition for in the primitive Church it had been hard to command such a thing unto the Jews and occasion had been given to the Gentiles to think that instead of manie Gods whom they had left they had received manie other Gods yet saith he without doubt the Apostles delivered this Doctrine unto the Churches But he telleth not unto what Churches whether Jews or Gentils or if there be a third Bellarm. de beat Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 19. saith Before the coming of Christ the Saints entred not into Heaven neither saw they God nor ordinarilie could they know the praiers of them who did invocate them therefore it was not the custom of the Old-Testament to say Holie Abraham pray for me but the men of these times praied onlie unto God I will not quarrell with him that some of his words seem contrarie Io. Eckius in Enchir. loco comm saith more The invocation of Saints was not commanded in the Gospel lest the converted Gentiles would believe that according to their former custom they should worship the Saints not as Patrons but as Gods as the Lycaonians would have sacrificed unto Paul and Barnabas and if the Apostles and Evangelists had taught that Saints should be worshipped it might have been judged their arrogancie as if they had craved such glorie after their death Wherefore the holy Spirit would not by express Scriptures teach the invocation of Saints We see then by the testimonie of Papists that praiers to the departed Saints hath no warrant in Scripture but is grounded on tradition onlie If this tradition was first revealed by the Apostles how was the scandal of Jews and Gentiles taken away by the tradition If it were concealed induring the more general conversion of the Jews and Gentiles then it was not in use for a long time in the Church whereunto the practice of the Reformed Church is agreeable How began it then Eusebius hist lib. 4. cap. 15. hath a large Epistle of the Church of Smirna concerning the
have any propriety but they may have the use of utensils of books and other moveables that they shall get lawfully and the Friers may use such things as their General or Provincials shall think good reserving the dominion of the houses and places unto such as is known it belongeth unto neither may they sell their moveables or give them away from their Order unless a Cardinal of the Roman Church who shall be Governor of the Order shall give power and consent unto their General or Provincials Innocentius the IV. declared that the propriety of the Minorites goods belongeth unto the Apostolical See and he gave them power to appoint Procurators who might sell or any way change their goods for their use and to change the Procurators as they thought good And so though they had vowed simple poverty yet they devised ways of possession yea they sought the possessions of other Monks and as Matth. Paris saith ad An. 1235. it was told them It is a shame unto them and scandal unto others to change their rule and profession so soon Their way of purchasing was thus They had liberty to hear confessions as the Dominicans had to preach and they did ask persons of whatsoever quality Hast thou made thy confession If it were answered Yea they said To whom if it were answered To our Priest the Frier said What an idiot is that he never learned Divinity nor hath he read the Decrees nor hath he learned to solve a question those Priests are blinde guides of the blinde come unto us we can distinguish between leprosie and leprosie unto us are the mysteries and secrets of God revealed confess unto us to whom so great priviledges are granted by the Apostolical See Therefore many Nobles and others left their Bishops and Priests and made their confessions unto the Friers and gave them their tithes and offerings as is manifest by the querulous Letters that were collected by Petrus de Vineis Epist lib. 1. And then the Friers began to rear up georgeous buildings for themselves and the Priests were for the most part but contemned and poor Some Popes made Decree in favor of the Friers for the benefit of the Church and some made contrary Decrees for them Honorius the IV. Gregory the IX Alexander the IV. Clemens the IV. and V. against them and for the Curates was especially John the XXII who made himself Pope and others after him In his time some that were called pauperes de paupere vita and Beguini separated themselves from their Order and returned to their Institution Pope John condemned them and their constitution but these were zealous of their first rule even so zealous that at Massiles four of them were condemned by their own Order the Inquisitors and were burnt because they would not consent unto the dispensation that was granted unto them Others in many places of France called these four Martyrs and said If the Pope hath consented unto their death he is an Heretick Such doings and speeches provoked Pope John the XXII first to suspend and then to condemn the Decrees of his Predecessors that had confirmed the Institution of that Order as commanded and practised by Christ Geo. Calixtus in his book De nova arte hath those things at more length ex Nic. Eimer the Author of Directori Inquisitor and Alvar. Pelagius de Planctu Eccles After Pope John were many Bulls both for and against the Friers Then starteth up a new controversie between the Friers and the Priests The Priests said Of Tithes The Tithes being the proper patrimony of the Church should be paid unto them who serve in the Church and not unto idle bellies who have not charge in the Church The Friers move other two questions 1. By what Law should Tithes be paid 2. Unto whom they should be paid For the first they say It was the uniform consent of the Church that God commandeth the payment of Tithes under the Gospel as under the Law So Origen on Numer cap. 18. August de temp Ser. 219 48. and such was the practise in many ages saith Concil Matiscon 2. cap. 5. But at that time the Friers held It was a judicial Law binding the Jews only yet so as it may be continued by Princes and the Church hath enjoyned the payment of the tenth part of the increase neither may any refuse to pay the Tithe and more also if the Church shall enjoyn more as she hath power indeed Tho. Aquin. in Sum. 2. 2. qu. 87. The other question was before without scruple that Tithes should be paid unto Church-men and a division should be of them as of all other Church-goods one unto the Bishop another for the Curate and a third for the fabrick of the Church and the fourth for the poor and strangers But the Friers made a new distinction saying In Tithes two things are to be considered to wit the power of receiving them and the Tithes themselve the power is spiritual and belongeth unto them that serve at the altar for their service but the things called Tithes are corporal and therefore may be given unto Laicks Tho. Aquin. ib. By this distinction the Priests were cheated and afterwards the Tithes were given to Abbeys and Monasteries By the way note that the Frier Thomas calleth the Friers Laicks as they were never reckoned among the Clergy unless they were promoted and received Orders And we may Their subdivisions see how the Franciscans were subdivided as also other Orders into Sects some kept the first Institution and go coursely apparelled living onely by begging and others want not their ease nor abundance they say They have nothing and yet enjoy plenty and they excuse their practise which is contrary unto their profession with a distinction They have riches in common but nothing in propriety This cause why Friers are so many ways subdivided is marked by Bellarmin de Monach. l. 2. c. 2. Every Sect saith he is hot at the beginning and then they become colder then ariseth some one or other who reduceth the Sect to the first Institution with some particular Rite in remembrance of himself and this is called a new Religion Until this day these two Orders kept the Office of Inquisition wheresoever the Pope commandeth Their office saith Francis Pegna in Directo Inquisitor but principally the Fransciscans exercise it How they discharge this Office Agrippa de vanitat scien cap. 96. sheweth saying Whereas their jurisdiction should be grounded upon Theological traditions and holy Scriptures they exercise it according to the Canon-Law and Papal Decrees as if it were impossible the Pope can err and they throw away the holy Scriptures as a dead letter or but a shadow of truth yea and they say as a buckler and fortress of Hereticks neither admit they the ancient traditions of Fathers and Doctors saying Those might be deceived and deceive but the holy Church of Rome cannot err nor the Pope the head thereof and they set before
schismatical side This Cardinal Cusan in his Books De Concordantia Catholica which he directed unto the Councel at Basil maintaineth these positions All the promises which Christ spoke unto Peter as I will give thee the keys I have prayed for thee and such other things should be understood of the Church universally and not particularly of Peter or his Successors especially since many Popes have been Schismaticks and Hereticks Every Prelate hath place in the Church according to the Dignity of his Seat and so the Bishop of Rome hath attained such precedency in the Church as Rome had antiently among the Nations Or if they have place according to the holiness of him which first sate there certainly Jerusalem should have the primacy where the great high Priest did wash his Church with his blood And why should not Ephesus the seat of St. John be preferred to Alexandria the seat of Mark and so of the rest The Councel dependeth not upon the head thereof but upon the consent of all the Assessors although the Bishop of Rome were present there he hath not more power there then a Metropolitan in his Provincial Synod Without all controversie a universal Councel is above the Bishop of Rome whose power is sometimes said to have been from Christ yet in more places we finde that his primacy is from man and dependeth on the Canons wherefore as he may be judged and deposed by a Councel so he cannot abrogate nor change nor destroy the Canons of Councels In lib. 3. cap. 2. ss by many testimonies of Antiquity he proveth it false that Constantine gave or could give the Empire of the West unto the Pope These testimonies are exstracted and subjoyned to the Declamation of Laur. Valla in Fascic rer expetend There also Cusanus saith Neither is it true that the Pope gave it unto Charls or transferred it from the Greeks unto the Germans and it is most false that the Princes Electors were instituted by the Pope and that they discharge the office of Election in his name In the contrary The Emperor dependeth on God alone and it is not necessary that he be confirmed by the Pope nor may the Pope depose him The Emperors in old time called the General Councels as other Princes have taken care of Provincial Synods When he was Legate in Germany he hindred and discharged the carrying of the Sacrament in their Processions Crantz in Metrop He addeth Because the Sacrament was ordained for use and not for ostentation 23. In the year 1442. the Emperor Frederick had a Diet at Mentz where they spoke of casting off the Pope's yoke in time of the schism But in the time of Pope Nicolaus this Neutrality was taken away by the mediation of Aen. Sylvius and therefore he got a red hat Nevertheless because the conditions that he had made in name of the Pope were not fulfilled the Germans assembled again and by advice of Diether Bishop of Mentz they would provide for themselves according to the Pragmatica Sanctio against the tyranny of the Roman Church and they agree upon Decrees concerning the election of Prelates the collation of Benefices the pleading of causes the granting of pardons the exactions of tenths c. And if the Pope shall discern against them they resolve to provide for themselves by an appellation 24. Martin Meyer Chancellor unto this Diether wrote an Epistle unto Cardinal Aen. Sylvius and complaineth in his Master's name that the Canons of Constance and Basil were not observed that Calixtus as if he were not tied to the covenant of his Predecessors did oppress Germany he contemneth the election of their Prelates and reserveth their Benefices of all sorts unto his Cardinals and Secretaries expectative graces are given without number Annates or mid-fruits are exacted rigorously yea more is extorted then is owed the Government of Churches is not given unto them which deserve best but who payeth most new Indulgences are sent dayly for squeezing money ..... a thousand means are devised whereby the See of Rome draweth gold from us as if we were witless Barbarians .... Our Princes being awakened have resolved and decreed to cast off this bondage and to defend their former liberty In the end he congratulateth his late advancement and lamenteth that so many evils hapned in his time But saith he God will have it otherwise and his decree must have place By these words Meyer giveth to understand more then he speaketh This Epistle is printed with Sylvius his description of Germany 25. The Greeks wrote unto the Bohemians in this manner The holy A Letter from Greece unto the Bohemians Church of Constantinople and Mother of all Orthodox Believers unto all the Masters and each of the famous Brethren and Sons beloved in Jesus Christ in Bohemia salvation by the Son of the glorious Virgin and an hundred-fold increase of spiritual fruit The holy Church of the heavenly Bridegroom which is the Head of the whole Church hath not greater pleasure then that she heareth that her Sons walk in the truth therefore when not without most great pleasure and as it were a pledge of common fruit the fertility and growth of them who couragiously suffer persecution for the testimony of true faith came unto the ears of the same godly and bountiful Mother especially by a Brother and Son Constantinus Anglicus the bearer of these presents and a reverend Priest we were more plainly advertised that ye hearken not unto the novelties that are brought by some into the Church of Christ but that ye are constant in the foundation of faith which was given unto us by our Lord and his Disciples The holy Church hath incontinently written unto you and intended to exhort you into concord with her and not according to the forged union of Florence which was separate from the true and lawful Councel which union should rather be called a diremption from the truth for which cause we received not that union but altogether refused it and according to the immoveable decree of truth wherein only we can be truly and safely united for the Church of Christ doubteth not of these things which she heard reported of you as is said Seeing therefore you have judged it expedient to contraveen the perillous novations of Rome ye shall be of one mind with this Church by means of the Holy Scriptures which is the true Judge For although no good report of you came unto us before that ye did not resist the Roman novelties but rather were enemies to the ancient traditions of the Catholick and Christian Church yet now we are informed more surely that ye are revived and returned unto the common religion of Christians and unto true godliness and that you leave not your Mother but being zealous with true love of your true Mother have a singular desire to promove and inlarge her which we understood by the coming of this devout Priest as we have said who hath declared unto us particularly the estate
Canons that each Presbyter dwelling in a Parish be subject unto the Bishop in whose Parish he dwelleth and alwaies in Lent that he shew and give account of their Ministry whether of Baptism or Catholick Faith and Prayers and order of Masses Then he forbiddeth sacrifice to the dead and other prophane rites of Heathens he appointeth punishment against the fornications and adulteries of Monks In the end it is Dâ—creed that Monks and Nuns should live within their Abbeys and Alms-houses according to the rule of their Father Benedict Concil tom 2. edit Crab. Behold how little mention is here of the Bishop of Rome 2. In the year 747. at Clonesho in England was a frequent Synod where At Clonesho it was Decreed 1. That Bishops should be more diligent in taking heed to their charge and admonishing people of their faults 2. They should maintain the devotion of true peace and love and serve God in the same faith hope and love praying for one another mutually 3. That once in the year each Bishop should visit all the Parishes of his Diocy and restrain the Heathenish observations which as yet were amongst the people 4. That none should be admitted into Orders till his life and conversation and literature were examined 7. That Bishops and Abbots should diligently take heed that all under them be diligent in reading for instruction of souls for it is to be lamented say they that so few are found to be ravished with the love of holy knowiedge but are rather mis-carried with vanities and love of idle glory and trace not the study of holy Scriptures 10. That Presbyters should learn to know all the duties of their Office especially they should learn to interpret in their own language the Creed the Lord's Prayer and the words that are said in the Mass and in Baptism and they should study to know what the words signifie spiritually â—8 That the Fast of the fourth seventh and the tenth months should be observed King Aelfwald and Offa were present and they two with many Dukes and Counts confirm the Decrees with their subscriptions Spelman ad An. 747. 3. Constantine Copronymus assembled a Councel at Constantinople of At Constantinople 338. Bishops out of Asia and Europe An. 755. this they called the seventh General Councel Here was Theodore Bishop of Ephesus Basil Bishop of Pisidia Pastiles Bishop of Pergamenum John of Nicomedia Cosmas of Epiphania in Apamea c. The controversie of Images was discussed Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople Gregory Bishop of Cyprus and John Damascene Patrons of Images were accursed and Constantine Bishop of Salaeum was made Patriarch Images of Christ of Mary and of the Apostles were condemned as having no warrant from Christ nor the Apostles nor the Fathers And if any would say that the Images of Christ only were condemned because they cannot represent his two natures but the Apostles had two natures and therefore they may be tolerated The Synod answereth it is the subtlety of divelish men following the errours of the Gentils but it is said in the Scriptures God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth No man hath seen God at any time but ye heard his voice and Blessed are they who have not seen and believe c. Then they alledge many testimonies of the Fathers against Images They conclude Let none of whatsoever estate henceforth follow so wicked and impure institution who dare from henceforth make any image or worship or set up any image in a Church or private house or have it privily if he be a Bishop or Deacon let him be deposed if he be a Laick let him be accursed and subject to the Emperour's censure because he fighteth against the Scriptures nor observeth the traditions c. Lastly follow the Canons accursing particularly all them who have images of the Trinity or of Christ as he is God or as he is man or as he is both God and Man in the hypostatical union or as if he were two persons to paint on the one side the son of God and on the other the son of Mary And they accurse all who have an image of any Saint 4. In the year 787. by perswasion of Tharasius Patriarch Irene called a Councel at Constantinople Here were Pe. Vicedon a Priest and Pe. Hegumen a Monk Legates of Pope Adrian John Patriarch of Antiochia Thomas of Alexandria c. Augustus made disputation of the worship of Images it was scanned on both sides Tharasius and other Bishops and Monks were for them against them was Basilius Bishop of Ancyra Theodore Bishop of Myri Theodosius Bishop of Amorio with many more Bishops and a great number of Teachers and Lay-men The Patriarch could not prevail by number and went about to exclude the better part from the Synod or disputation whereupon a tumult was like to arise for the people could not be content that so great a part should be debarred when the Patriarch saw that he could not prevail the Synod was dissolved The Image-worshippers report this story as if their adversaries had dealt only by faction and not by reason But thus writeth Pa. Diacon lib. 23. rer Roman Irene retaineth the Legates of Rome and by their advice banished a great number of them whom they called Iconomachi or fighters against Images Then she assembled another Synod at Nice in Septemb. An. 788. where the matter was quickly dispatched as Adrian and Tharasius would when there was no great opposition to wit as it is declared in Act. 3. they Decree that Images should be had embraced saluted kissed and adored but that which is called Latria they reserved unto the Trinity only Their chief pretence is because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to imbrace and to love and the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addeth unto the signification as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what a man loveth or imbraceth that doth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as David did Jonathan and Christ saith the Pharisees love the first places at Bankets and salutations in the Market-places Also the fore-named Basil Theodore and Theodosius with the Bishops Hippatius of Neece Leo of Rhodos Gregory of Pisidia Gregory of Pessinus Leo of Iconium Nicolaus of Hierapolis and Leo of Carpathe were perswaded to profess repentance and confess an errour in the former Synod So Images were set up and worshipped both in the East and West saith Pa. Diacon loc cit and Zonar lib. 3. Not long after Constantine did annull the Acts of this Convent Platin. which they call the seventh General Councel Baronius in Annal ad An. 794. sheweth that many learned men and of great esteem in those daies as Jonas Aurelianen Walfrid Hincmarus and others writ against the worship of Images and directly did contradict that Councel although it was confirmed by the Pope Yea and 5. In the year 792. Charls the Great summoned a Councel at Franckford At Franckford which he did moderate
the I that authority is derived from Peter and the other Apostles unto all the Bishops of the Church for the priviledge of Saint Peter is wheresoever according Rome and Rhemes compared to his equity justice is done no less in Rhemes then in Rome and no more in Rome then in Rhemes but is alike unto all every where according as Bishops more or less discharge their office And he expounds these words Thou art Peter ... as Augustine doth in Ser. 13. de verb. Dom. I will build my Church upon that firm and solid confession which thou hast confessed Ph. Morn in Myster in an Epistle to Hincmar Bishop of Laudun saith The seventh general Councel so called by the Greeks indeed a wicked Councel concerning Images which some would have broken into pieces and some would have to be worshipped was kept not long before my time by a number of Bishops gathered together at Nice the Acts thereof the Bishop of Rome did send into Francia in the Reign of Charls the Great the See Apostolick willing it to be so a Synod was held in Germany by the convocation of the same Emperour and there by the path-way of Scriptures and the tradition of the Fathers the false Councel of the Greeks was confuted and utterly rejected of whose consutation there was a good big volumn sent from Charls by some Bishops unto Rome which in my young years I did read in the Palace This testimony is of more credit then a hundred late Writers who deny that Synod at Frankford or that a Synod under Charls did condemn the second Synod at Nice Thereafter in that Epistle he saith We should beleeve that the motion of repentance is from God as the Apostle saith If God will give them repentance .... To have Church is not to have a primacy in Divine things for then all rulers of the Church should have primacy all those wicked men rule not the Church who seem to be within neither is it denied but they give baptism In the same Epistle he rebuketh his Nephew for denying baptism unto Infants Catol test ver lib. 9. 17. At that time was much to do in the doctrine of Predestination Gotteschalk The five Articles of Gotteschalk by birth a Frank or Belgik as Aventin lib. 4. Annal. Boior calleth him was ordained a Priest by Rigbold chorepiscopus in the vacancy of the See of Rhemes The now named Hincmar in an Epistle unto the Church of Lions which is in Biblioth Sixt. Senen part 1. pag. 1053. edit Colon. writes that he held these five Articles First God before all ages and ere he made any thing even from the beginning did predestinate unto the Kingdom whom he would and did predestinate unto destruction whom he would 2. They who are predestinate unto destruction cannot be saved and who are predestinate unto the Kingdom cannot perish 3. God willeth not that all men be saved but only them who be saved and whereas the Apostle saith Who willeth that all men be saved he meaneth only all them who shall be saved 4. Christ came not to save all men nor did he suffer for all men but only for them who shall be saved by the mystery of his Passion 5. Since the first man fell of his free will none of us can use free-will to do good but only to do evil Remigius Bishop of Lions in the name of the Church of Lions are defended and opposed defended these five Articles as is to be seen loc cit Whereupon Hincmar writ unto Pope Nicolaus as Baron Annal. ad An. 948. relates against Gotteschalk and calleth these Articles the heresie of the Predestinatians which was overthrown in Affrick and thereafter in France by authority of Pope Celestine and by the care and vigilancy of Prosper When Gotteschalk returned from Italy Raban Bishop of Mentz summoned him into a Synod and when he could not perswade him to change his mind he did write unto Hincmar and others and did oppugn some conclusions which he had wrested from these five Articles Remigius writes again shewing that all the arguments of Raban did not touch the Articles as it is in the above named Bibliotheca Then Hincmar summoned Gotteschalk unto a Synod of 12 Bishops and some Priests and Abbots in Carisiac on Isara where four Articles were enacted against him he was condemned of heresie and contumacy and he condemned The Articles at Carisiac he was whipped with rods and cast in prison The Church of Lions after sight of these four Articles sent forth their censure of them both which are in Biblioth cit pag. 1082. The Canons are these First God Almighty made man without sin upright with free will and set him in Paradise whom he would to abide in the holiness of righteousness 2. Man using ill his free-will did sin and fall and became the mass of perdition of mankind but the good and just God did chuse of the same mass of perdition according to his fore-knowledge whom by his grace he did predestinate to life and prepared life eternal for them 3. But others whom in the judgement of righteousness he left in the mass of perdition he foreknew them to perish but he did not predestinate that they should perish yet because he is just he did predestinate everlasting punishment unto them and therefore we say there is but one predestination of God which concerneth the gift of grace or the rendring of righteousness Can. II. In the first man we have lost the freedom of will which we have received by Christ and we have free will unto good being prevened and helped by grace and we have free will unto evil being forsaken of grace and we have free-will because it is freed by grace and by grace healed from corruption Can. III. God will have all men without exception to be saved although all men be not saved and that some are saved it is the gift of him who saveth and that some perish it is the merit of them who perish Can. IV. Our Lord Jesus Christ as there was not is nor shall be any man whose nature is not assumed in him so there was is and shall be no man for whom he did not die although all be not redeemed by the mystery of his Passion it concerneth not the greatness and copiousness of the price but it concerneth the part of unbelievers and them who beleeve not with that faith which worketh by love for the cup of man's salvation which was made through human infirmity and divine vertue hath in it self that it may be profitable unto all but if it be not drunken it cureth not Followeth the sum are censured by the Church of Lions Can. I. of the censure of the Church of Lions in the first part of the first Canon is no mention of the grace of God without which no rational creature ever could or now can or shall be able to be or abide or persist in righteousness and holiness as if man had been
man had told them 1. That their Counsellors were the Ministers of Satan under shew of Religion and zeal drawing them from ancient purity 2. Whatsoever those angels of Satan did advise them they should not authorise and execute And it was told them if they shall contemn this warning God shall cause them to feel here the presage of everlasting judgement Boniface believed not this until he felt it And it was told to Benedict by writing that God would shortly pull him from his seat and it came to pass for he sate not thirty five days after that And it was told them That they who glory of evangelical perfection are corrupters of evangelical doctrine by wicked lives and pestiferous preaching seeing the Friers in their Sermons do traduce them whom they do envy and flatter such as they would rob they deprave divine Oracles with false expositions impertinent applications and sophistical distinctions they omit things necessary and useful and in the spirit of Antichrist they seduce people from their ordinary shepheards they go unto all Provinces and buy the office of Inquisition and like raging divels they persecute all true believers with false calumnies furious vexations clamorous lyes and unjust punishments and yet none reproveth nor restraineth such madness All this said he I have seen among the Apostolical writings And it was contained in the same denuntiation that these false prophets had conspired against the Divine truth covenanting that none of them should touch those passages of Scripture which the Ancients had in their Commentaries expounded of false teachers but to teach the Prophets rather then the Evangelists that some of them taught that the commistion of man with man was no sin and if any of their own society do rebuke their faults he is condemned to death as superstitious or enemy of their Religion if any do appeal unto the Apostolical See not for severity of discipline but for corruption of the Gospel he is imprisoned cruelly or exiled all the books declaring the truth of the Gospel and describing their ungodliness are condemned to the fire under pretence of superstition and error for an ambiguous sentence they persecute all who would live in evangelical poverty whether without or within their order some of them do always attend the Apostolical See lest the complaints of the people come there they are like the drake and ostrich for the drake hath pleasure in waters so they in fleshly lusts and the ostrich hath feathers like an eagle but never riseth from the earth so their austerity of outward carriage is like to heavenly Religion but their hearts cleave fast to earthly ambition ..... They have forbidden all their fellows under pain of death to read the Scriptures declaring the truth and they stop the fountain of living waters from them that thirst after the water of life ...... Seeing God hath foretold those things and now hath twice denounced them although the messenger was contemned and cast into bonds he is not moved but continueth constant in the faith neither should it move thee O King to doubt of the truth of the Gospel and I know that God will cause those things to be denounced the third time unto the Apostolical See but determinately by whom and where and when I cannot tell because it is not shewed unto me and if that man whom God shall send undertake it and prosecute it with the zeal of Moses and Phinehas he will by the power of God adorn it with excellent things both old and new but if he neglect it be you assured God will within these three years bring most fearful judgements to the astonishment of the East and West c. The third denouncer was himself and at that time began the contention between the Pope and Lewis King Frederick was perswaded by these words and wrote unto his Brother James King of Arragon of all these things and received Letters from him tending much to the same purpose Mornay testifieth that both the Letters of the date An. 1309. are extant and the copies of them are full in Catal. test ver lib. 18. 4. Dante 's Aligerius a Florentine was then famous for piety and learning and an excellent Poet saith Platin. in Bonifac. VIII He wrote a book De Monarchia mundi where he proveth that the Pope is not above the Emperor nor hath any power over him he confuted that which was called Donatio Constantini that the Emperor neither gave such a gift nor could give it He derided the comparison of the Pope to the Sun and of the Emperor unto the Moon and averred contrarily that the Pope hath his priviledges from the Emperor In a Poem of Paradise in the Italian tongue he complaineth that the Pope in stead of being a shepherd is become a wolf and driveth Christ's sheep out of the right way that the preaching of God's Word is omitted and vain fables of Monks and Friers and Decretals are most heard the flock is fed with the winde He saith The Pope is the whore of Babylon and the Patriarchs or Cardinals are the towers of it in old time the Church was persecuted by the sword but now by famine for the bread which was gave for her nourishment is taken away I. Fox in Act. Mon. 5. Robert a French man by name and Nation a Franciscan by profession the longer he was in that order he loved the Friers the worse he lived about that time A Treatise under his name is printed with the Prophecies of Hildegrandis In the sixth Chapter he speaketh in the name of God unto the The Pope is an Idol Pope saying Who hath set this idol in my seat to rule my flock he hath cars and heareth not the voice of them who go down mourning into hell he hath eyes and seeth not the abomination of the people and the Bacchanal excesses of their pleasures how great evil doth this people before me neither will he see them unless he see a treasure ...... Wo to the Idol who shall be equal unto this Idol on the earth he hath exalted his name saying Who shall controle me ...... they who ride on horses do serve me what was not done unto my Predecessors is done unto me c. This was his exposition of that in Zech. Wo to the Idol shepherd In chap. 1. and chap. 12. Some prophetical visions he describeth the Pope under the name of a serpent who exalteth himself above measure oppressing the small number of godly men and hath many false prophets about him to obscure the name of Christ and advance the name of the serpent only Again he saith I was praying on my knees mine eyes being lift up to Heaven and I saw an high Priest clad in white silks before me his back was towards the East lifting up his hands towards the West as Priests are wont at the Mass his head appeared not and as I marked more attentively whether he had an head I saw his head withered and
of the Sacraments preaching and the like nothing should be received as a price This is against the practise of that time as we have now heard in the testimony of Jo. Vitoduran On chap. 16. He calleth Peter blessed because the confession of true faith leadeth unto blessedness ...... and I say unto thee i. e. for thee and thy companions thou art Peter i. e. a confessor of the rock which is Christ and upon this rock which thou hast confessed i. e. upon Christ will I build my Church and the gates of hell i. e. persecution of tyrants the assaults and tentations of evil spirits shall not prevail against her to turn from the true faith Whence it is clear saith he that the Church consisteth not by men in respect of power or dignity Ecclesiastical or Secular because many Princes and chief high Priests and others inferiors have made apostasie from the faith and therefore the Church consisteth in those persons which continue in true knowledge and confession of the faith and truth By these few words he overthroweth the Popedom as it is taught now And then he saith These keys are not material but are a spiritual power which is two-fold one a power of discerning sin from what is not sin as under the Law the Priests discerned between leprosie and not leprosie But observe that although one cannot discern this without knowledge yet knowledge is not the key but a power of judging by knowledge which he must first have and therefore although knowledge is not the key yet it is necessarily requisite unto the due exercise of the key The other key is the power of receiving into the Kingdom or of shutting out according to true judgement for the unworthy should be excluded and the worthy should be received On Ephes 1. at the words Before the foundation of the world he saith The election is from eternity but the effect thereof is in time which effect is the sanctification of the reasonable creature therefore it followeth that we should be holy ..... according to the pleasure of his will from which dependeth election and predestination and not for our merits not onely in deed or actually but also in the foresight of God 30. The third age of the School-men began from the year 1320. or thereabout The third age of School-men and continued until 1516. of the condition whereof we have had somewhat by the way but because we promised to speak of it here we add more particularly The School-men of this age had a three-fold power teaching in Schools preaching in Pulpits and giving Indulgences of their Inquisition is enough before For the little modesty of former ages was now turned into impudence for because in their Inquisition they had refused the holy Scriptures to be their rule now in their Schools they durst say The Scriptures are the buckler of Hereticks and therefore all Laicks must be discharged from reading the Scriptures under no less pain then to be accounted Hereticks They blamed the Scriptures of obscurity imperfection ambiguity and compared it unto a nose of wax Will. Tindal in his book of obedience Edit at Marlborough in Hesse An. 1528. fol. 16. saith The Scripture say they is so hard that thou couldest never understand it but by the Doctors that is I must measure the measuring yard by the cloth ...... They will say yet more shamefully None can understand the Scriptures without Philautia that is Philosophy a man must be well seen in Aristotle before he can understand the Scripture say they And fol. 62. They pervert the holy Scripture and all Doctors wresting them unto their abominable purpose quite contrary to the meaning of the Text and circumstances going before and after which divellish falshood lest the Lay-men should perceive is the very cause why they will not suffer the Scripture to be in English Then also it began to be doubted among them whether the Pope be a god or a man or neither of the two to be the Vicar of Christ was thought to be a small honor In Prooem Clementin Iohannes Epist the Gloss at the word Papa saith Nec Deus est nec homo sed neuter inter utrumque And in the margin Papa nec Deus est nec homo Pope Pius the V. in his Edition An. 1572. was ashamed of these words and left them out But Pope Gregory the XII in his recognition An. 1580. omitteth the words of the margin and in the Gloss the words are thus Papa id est admirabilis dicitur à Papa quod est interjectio admirantis verè admirabilis quia vices Dei in terris gerit Inde dixit ille Anglicus in poetria nova Papa stupor mundi circa finem Qui maxima rerum Nec Deus es nec homo sed neuter inter utrumque Etymologia vero nominis est pater patrum But the man of sin is yet advanced higher therefore in these extravagants Ioha XXII tit 14. c. Cum inter nonnullos the Gloss saith To believe that the Lord God our Pope cannot ordain otherwise it is heretical Ye may see such other passages in Morn Myster pag. 444 445. and Spalaten de Repub. Eccles lib. 2. cap. 6. § 15. cited out of their books So those times were darkened with clouds of most gross ignorance and divellish illusions And who can any more doubt but the Pope is the Antichrist we The Pope is the Antichrist have heard not onely the profession of their opposites and the confessions of those which were held to be Popes and called Antipopes calling one another the Antichrist but likewise we see the gloriation of the Popes admitting that title The Lord God our Pope and not only laying the Scriptures in their footstool but dispising them and preferring their own Canons and traditions in comparison of the sacred Scriptures But to make more clear what was the order of the Schools in that age hear yet more from Will Tindal in that book and place cited One of you teacheth contrary to another when two of you meet the one disputeth and brawleth with the other as if it were two scolds and for as much as one of you holdeth this doctrine and another that as one followeth Duns another St. Thomas another Boneventure Alexander de Hales Raymond Lyra Brigot Dorbel Holcot Gorran Trumbet Hugo de S. Victor de Monte Tegio de Nova Villa de Media Villa and such like out of number so that if thou hadst but of every Author one book thou couldst not pile them up in any were-house of London and every Author is contrary to another in so great diversity of spirits how shall I know who lieth and who saith truth And fol. 18. speaking of the same School-men he saith Ye drive men from God's word and will let no man come thereunto until he have been two years Master of Art first they nosel them in sophistry and in bene fundatum in the margin he saith The School doctrine as
of your affairs he hath given unto our holy Mother his godly and acceptable confession and hath received the Doctrine of the true Faith from her wherein all men should agree who desire to be saved which also we will declare unto your charity Wherefore beloved Brethren and Sons if it be so as we believe and trust hasten the unity together with us for where can ye be more zealous against tempters then in the bosom of the true Church and under the shield of true salvation and where can ye better refresh your selves then where the fountain of the water of life is open All therefore who are thirsty come unto the waters come buy the wine of sober joy without money and receive milk from the teats of her comfort we trust then that in all things ye agree with us wherefore from henceforth with singular care and love we will provide unto you spiritual Pastors which shall have care of your souls and feed you with the word of truth and example of life and shall not afflict you Moreover concerning the Rites of the Church we will graciously yield unto you with the Apostle in these whatsoever have a good ground and a pure intention the granting of which may tend to your edification and shall not be contrary to the honor of this our holy and true Mother and her communion and obedience for verily we intend to dispense and deal with good will and discretion in the difference of Customs and Rites The Almighty God grant that we may hear as we have heard that many others have likewise received the spirit of true life to the increase and multiplying of the beloved Children of the true Mother and cause you together with us to rejoice in the house of the Church with the same Professions and Rites yea that we may praise him with heart and mouth for ever and ever Amen Given at Constantinople Ianuary 18. An. 1451. Rer. Bohem. autiqui Scriptor pag. 235. Edit Hannoviae An. 1602. 26. George Pogiobratz King of Bohemia was a good Warriour and did not fear the threats of the Pope and Emperour and he restored the ruined estate of the Kingdom Vratislavia and Silesia refused to obey him because he was an Heretick as Cochlaeus speaks Hist Huss lib. 12. But Pius the II. then intending Wars against the Turk did by all means perswade them to yeeld obedience and the King did require the Pope to keep the Compacts of Basil in favours of the Bohemians The Pope refused to grant so much Wherefore the King called the Estates together and protested before that he would live and die in that faith which they did profess and so did the Nobles An. 1462. Cochl ibid. Pope Paul gave that Kingdom unto Matthias King of Hungary and when he was busie against the Turks and had recovered several Towns and had entred into Thracia with good success Rodulph the Pope's Legate drew him back from the Turks to invade the Christians in Bohemia but God protected them against him although he had the aid of the Pope and the Vratislavians and some Cities did accept him yea God defended that Kingdom so that when George died An 1471. and the Pope had stiled Matthias King of Hungary and Bohemia the Estates of Bohemia would not accept him even howbeit he had married the daughter of George before the Wars but hated him for his unnatural usurpation and did chuse Ladislaus the son of Casimire King of Poland And the two sons of Pogiobratz prevailed in Wars against Matthias and the Emperour made them both Dukes This was so offensive unto Matthias that he proclaimed Wars against the Emperour but he was taken away by death Pet. Mexia 27. Stephen Brulifer a Doctor of Sorbone and a Franciscan taught in his lessons and maintained in disputes that neither the Pope nor Councel nor Church can make any Article or Statute to bind the conscience of a Christian that all their authority consists in the urging of obedience unto God's word in preaching it and administring the Sacraments which he hath instituted so that they bring nothing without his command he called justification by merits a Divellish doctrine since the Lamb of God was sacrificed and hath satisfied God's justice for us The Doctours of Sorbone would not suffer him amongst them But he went to Diether Bishop of Mentz which had been deposed for speaking against the avarice of Rome and was restored Fascic rer expet fol. 164. 28. John de Wesalia a Preacher of Worms was delated by the Thomists unto the same Diether he gathered his books and sent them unto the Universities of Colein and Heidleburg to be examined They convened this John before them at Mentz in February An. 1479. After they had viewed his books they found these Articles which they called errours 1. All men are saved freely by the meer grace of Christ through faith 2. We should beleeve the Word of God only and not the glosses of any man 3. God hath from all eternity written in a book all his Elect whosoever is not written there shall never be written in it and whosoever is written in it shall never be blotted out 4. Our Doctours do expound the Scriptures wickedly and falsly 5. Christ never appointed a Fasting nor Festival day neither forbad to eat any meat upon any day 6. When Peter did celebrate the Eucharist he said the Lord's Prayer and the consecration and then did communicate with others but now the Priest must stand an hour and more when he saith Mass 7. They are fools who go in Pilgrimage to Rome for they may find as much good elsewhere 8. The Word of God should be expounded by conferring one Text with another 9. Prelates have no authority to expound Scriptures by any peculiar right given unto one more than to another 10. Mens traditions as Fasts Feasts Pardons set Praiers Pilgrimages and such other things are to be rejected 11. Extream unction confirmation auricular confession and satisfaction are to be contemned They demanded of him several questions as Whether Christ was present bodily in the Sacrament or spiritually He answered Christ's body was there present and the substance of Bread and Wine remain also 2. What he thought of the Procession of the Holy Ghost Ans He beleeved not that he proceeds from the Father and the Son as from one principium because the Scripture speaks not so 3. What he thought of the Vicar of Christ Ans He beleeved not that Christ hath a Vicar for he said Behold I am with you unto the end of the World 4. What he thought of pardons Ans He had written a book wherein he had shewed that the Treasure of the Church cannot be distributed by Popes because it is written Revel 14. Their works follow them After these interrogatories and others of that sort three Doctors were appointed to deal with him privately He said unto them As ye deal with me if Christ were here you would condemn him as an Heretick but he
Christ that one and the same work of Indulgence shall have vertue sometimes for six years sometimes for seven sometimes for seven hundred sometimes for seven thousand and sometimes full and absolute Then answering unto that position The Church is ruled by the Spirit of God he saith It is true in so far as the Church is holy but not in these particulars whereof she is ignorant and in which she erreth as alas we lament that she erreth grievously as appears by the unsavoury salt the delated Husband-man and the unfaithfull Steward whom Bernard expoundeth to be Mercenaries in place of Shepheards yea and Wolves for hirelings and Devils for Wolves In his Book De subditis superioribus he averreth That the Pope may err and when he erreth he should be resisted Pius the II. did usurp all the Kingdoms of the earth and Sixtus the IV. dispensed with all maner of oaths in causes temporal not only that were already made but that shall be made which is nothing else but to give unto men licence to forswear themselves and deceive others Because the Pope and his Cardinals are contrary unto Christ they are the Antichrist John Ostendorp a Canon of St. Levin in Daventry went once to visit him and Wesselus said unto him O diligent youth thou shalt live until that time when the doctrine of these late Divines and contentious School-men shall be forsaken Wesselus died in the year 1490. and Ostendorp lived until the year 1520. Gerhard Gelderhavrius writeth that he heard his Master Ostendorp report this Prophesie Ja. Triglandius in his Church History against â—tenboga par 3. writeth of him that when Pope Sixtus the IV. was chosen Wesselus went to visit him because he had been his good friend in Paris The Pope bade him ask what he would and it should not be denied unto him He answered I wish that since now you are universal Pope you would demean your self in your office according to your name that in due time you may hear that approbation Come thou good and faithful Servant enter into thy Master's joy The Pope said Why seekest thou not somewhat for thy self He said I crave no more but an Hebrew and Greek Bible out of the Vatican The Pope answered That you shall have but fool thou mightest have sought a Bishoprick or some such thing Wesselus answered Because I have not need of so great things When he died some Friers burnt all his books and papers but he had given sundry books unto others which were collected and printed at Wittemberg in the year 1522. When Luther saw them he spake of the Prophet Elias who thought that he was left alone and yet the Lord had preserved seven thousand that had hot bowed the knee to Baal so said he hath God preserved many thousands from the Idolatry of the Pope And he wrote of him as followeth There is one Wesselus come forth whom they call Basilius a Friselander of Groning a man of wonderful understanding and of an excellent spirit who hath been taught of God as Isaiah hath prophesied of Christians for it cannot be thought or said that he hath learned such things from men as neither I have If I had read those books before mine enemies might have said Luther hath taken all this out of Wesselus we do so agree But by these my joy and courage increaseth and I doubt not but I have learned the truth since he and I do agree in so constant unity and almost in the same words although differing in place and time and occasions And I admire by what mishap it is come that so Christian works were not published by another 37. Among the lights of that time Rodulph Agricola may justly be reckoned he was born in Friseland Ph. Melanchthon writing his life saith Josquin Groningensis had reported unto him that when he was young he heard Vesselus and Agricola often lamenting in their Sermons the darkness of the Church the abuses of the Mass the single life of Priests and that they both taught that men are not justified by works but by faith as Paul oft teacheth and they condemned the multitude of traditions He died An. 1489. Buxtorf Ind. 38. Paul Scriptor teaching on Scotus in Tubing when he came to the fourth Book Dist 10. did speak against transubstantiation and said All things should be tried by the Word of God as a true touch-stone all Scholastical teaching shall shortly be abolished and the doctrine of the primitive Church shall be restored according to the holy Scriptures Conradine Pelicanus was his Auditor and testifieth that he heard him reprove many errors and abuses of the Roman Church therefore the Minorites caused him to be banished and as Rud. Gualter in his Epistle before his Homiles on Matthew testifieth he was put to death as many did suspect being not moved with uncertain conjectures He died at Keiserberg in the year 1499. 39. Nicolaus Rus a Batchelor of Divinity preached at Rome and wrote The Pope hath not such power as is commonly believed the Pope should not be heard when he strayeth from the Scripture his Indulgences are but fraud those only are true pardons which God giveth of his free grace in Christ Saints should not be adored and far less their bones they who are called the Spiritualty to wit the Roman Clergy have packed up all Religion in mens traditions and vain superstitions and they are careless of their office and are Ministers of Antichrist These things are written in his Threefold Cord where he expoundeth the Lord's Prayer the Creed and the ten Commandments which he wrote in the Saxon Languauge that the common people might understand he left Rome and abode there and had many Auditors The Pastors of the Waldenses in Bohemia came and visited him At last he was forced to flee into Liveland where he died 40. Jerome Savonorola a Dominican in Florence taught these Articles 1. Men are justified freely by faith 2. The Communion should be administred in both kindes 3. The Pope's Indulgences are frivolous 4. The keys were given unto the Church and not to Peter alone 5. The Pope hath not from Christ any primacy above other Bishops 6. The Pope followeth neither the life nor doctrine of Christ and therefore he is the Antichrist 7. He who feareth the Pope's excommunication is excommunicated of God 8. He preached against the vices of the Clergy Io. Fox in Act. Mon. Philip Cominaeus did confer with him and testifieth that he was a man of most upright life He foretold that God would raise up a King to punish the Tyrants of Italy and that God would shortly reform the Church therefore some did hâ—te him and some believed him namely the Senate of Florence was perswaded by his preaching to give way unto Charls the VIII King of France When the league was made in Italy against the French he foretold that Charls should return in safety of his person maugre all the power of his adversaries Charls returning from Naples sent for
were instant to begin and the most part condescend to treat of doctrin and Reformation jointly so that also a Letter was sent unto the Pope craving to further the Synod and to solicite the Princes for continuing peace among themselves as also other Letters were written unto the Emperour unto the French Roman Portugal Kings and other Princes requiring them to conserve peace to send Ambassadors to secure the high-wayes and to cause their Prelats resort unto the Synod Those Letters should have been read and sealed in the ensuing congregation but they could not agree what seal to use In a word before the next Session they could agree only that they should begin with heresy and because they were informed of more prelats a coming they delay the next Session untill Aprile 8. Again the Legats send for their oft demanded instructions and they advise to begin at the controversies between them and the Lutherans concerning the holy Scriptures and the abuses brought into the Church in that matter About that time the Conference in Germany was dissolved and the Pope thought it scandalous to delay any more so he gave information to begin according to the advice but so that they be slow in the Reformation Accordingly on February 22. 1546. it was ordained to read Luthers books and frame articles concerning the Scripture to be censured by the Divines and so matter to be prepared for Decrees As for abuses every one should call to mind what he thought needfull to be Reformed and what remedy is fittest The articles of doctrine were propounded of the sufficiency of the Scriptures 2. Of the number of the books 3. of the Latin Translation 4. Of the perspicuity of the Scriptures In the first article all did agree to make Traditions Of the Scriptures equal with the Scriptures excep Antonius Marinarus a Carmelite whose discourse was called Lutheran They all agree to canonize the Apocrypha on these two they spend sixe congregations In the third article was difference between them who were ignorant of the languages and a few having a taste of Greek Frier Aloisius de Catanea did prove by authority of Jerom and Cardi. Caietan that the Hebrew edition of the old Test and the Greek of the New are the pure fountains and all Latine translations are but impure brooks and so have been accounted in all time by past The greater number said This opinion openeth a door unto Lutherans the doctrin of the Roman Church is by Popes and Divines founded upon the Latine Bible and if it be lawfull to scan whether it be rightly translated the base Grammarians shall be preferred unto the Bishops and Cardinals and the Inquisitors shall have no place if they be ignorant of Hebrew and Greek Do Isidorus Clarus a Brescian and Benedict an Abbot discourse historically of the old and later Translations and of their account at the first and how at last that which is called vulgata was patched of them both Andreas Vega a Franciscan commends that Latine but preferreth the Hebrew and Greek In the end sixe Divines were deputed to correct the Vulgata to be printed by auhority of the Councel There was no less difference concerning the expounding of Scripture some alledging the authority of Car. Caietan said The Spirit of God is tied to no age and all men should be encouraged unto the diligent and sober study of Gods Worde Others said Vnbridled spirits must be curbed or else can be no hope to see an end of the late pretences neither do the Lutherans gain upon any but such who study the Scriptures the study of Aristotle is safer and the Word of God should be kept in due reverence from it is much derogated when it is too common Dominicus Soto a Dominican said In matter of faith every one should be tied to the exposition of the Church but in manners let every one abound in his own sense so that piety and charity be preserved otherwise men may fall into inconvenients by contrariety of expositions among the antient Fathers who never required that they should be absolutely followed The opinion prevailed which held that the Scriptures are already so well expounded that there is not hope of any more good and if any man will not be content with the Antients let him not trouble the world with his whimsies The Divines had discoursed so irresolutely that the Prelats who scarcely understood the discourses and yet have the power of suffrage doubted what to say in the canons and anathema's therefore overture was found to add anathema unto the Decree concerning the number and species of the books but the other canons should have no anathema lest they accuse their own Divines They talk of many abuses and a Decree was made against the pettiest for hast because the Session was approaching There the Decrees were read and the fifth Session was appointed to be Juny 17. Five Cardinals were present and 48 Bishops and none of them saith my author remarkable for learning The canons were sent to Rome The Court after information how particulares were debated began to think they must attend the Synod more narrowly therefore the Pope sendeth moe Cardinals and admonishes the Legats that the Decrees should not be published before they be advised at Rome he admonishes also to avoid too much flowness but bewar of celerity lest there be not time to receive order from him what to propound deliberat and conclude and spend not time in points not controverted as they had done now in some undoubted points finally take heed that the Papl authority be not permitted unto disputation At that time the Pope had deposed Herman Bishop of Colein for heresy as was pretended and ordained Adolph Count of Scavenburgh into his place and he wrote unto the Emperour for this effect Charles loved not Herman for the same heresy yet fearing that he would joyn with the ptotesâ—ants would not consent Hence arose a new jealousy between the Pope and the Empetour The Protestants complain that they were condemned not only being not heard but without the Councel by the Pope alone and therefore it is needless for them to go unto Trent IV. In the first congregation the Prelats urge two points of Reformation Sess V that were propounded and left-of in the former Session The Legats would treat of original sin Because they could not agree Letters were sent to Rome and in the mean while another order was prescribed for dispatching affaires to wit there must be a congregation of Divines to treat of doctrin and Canonists must be joyned with them when they come to Reformation yet so that Prelats might be present if they please And another Congregation of Prelats to frame the Heads of doctrin and Reformation which being examined and digested according to the most common opinion should be brought unto the generall congregation and there the voice of every one being known decrees may be framed by the determination of the greater part and then
articles collected as they said out of the books of Zuinglius and Luther and they commanded the Divines to confirm their opinions by holy Scripture by Apostolicall traditions and approved Councels by authorities of the holy Fathers to use brevity and avoid superfluous questions they who were sent by the Pope should speak first then they who were sent by the Emperour and in the third place the Secular Divines after the order of their promotion and lastly the Regulars after the precedence of their Orders This method pleased not the Italian Divines and they said It is a novelty condemning all School-Divinity which in all difficuities vseth reasouning in the first place as Thomas and others have done and the collecting of Sentences out of the Fathers and Scriptures is a faculty of the memory and full of toil in writting it was used in old times but it is known to be insufficient and unprofitable as appeares by those Doctors who in these 350. years have defended the Church yea it is to grant the victory unto the Lutherans who do alwayes overcom by those weapons for they know many tongues and read many Authors But those reasons had no place IX In sundry congregations they censured ten articles of the Eâ—charist little is noted worthy of memory untill they came to the framing of the Decrees Some would had anathematisms only condemning the contrary doctrine as they had done in the other sacraments Others said The first order was better decerning the positiues with the anathematisms as was done in Justification The Italians cherished this opinion because they thought it to be some mean of regaining their former reputation The Cownt of Montfort Ambassade of the Emperour and the Orator of King Ferdinand dissuade to make any Decree concerning the communion with both kindes because it would offend the Protestants who certainly shall not be brought unto the Synod if that be put in Decree and so both the Emperour and Councel have laboured in vain These shew also that the Of a Safe-conduct Emperour had given a safe-conduct unto the Protestants and they are not content with it alledging that it was decreed in the Councel at Constance and also executed that a Councel is not tied to the Safe-conduct of any man and therefore they demand a Safe-conduct from the Synod and the Emperour hath promised it unto them as also he hath commanded them to crave and purchase it The Presidents referred the answer unto the next Session or rather unto the Pope and the Ambassade said It is not fit that the points of the Eucharist be debated before their coming especially seing they want not matter of reformation where is no controversy The Legate answered This method is already decerned An account of all those is sent to Rome where the Safe-conduct found variety of opinions Some said It should not be granted because the like was never done but at Basile and that should not be followed because it is a prejudice unto the Synod to tie themselves unto rebels especially when there is no hope to gain them Others said Not for hope to gain them but to take from them all excuse it were not amiss to give them all probable satisfaction seing the Emperour is so earnest for it As for prejudices it may be so framed that it shall tie little or nothing for if it be conceived generally of Ecclesiastical and Secular persons in the German Nation and of every condition it may be said afterward that the Protestants are not comprehended or that it is meaned only of the Catholiks and a special mention is necessary for the Protestants Or the Synod may give a Safe-conduct and the Pop's authority shall be safe According to this opinion a form of a Safe-conduct was sent to Trent and a direction to omit the question of the cup and to expect the Protestants but not beyond three months neither to be idle in the mean while but hold a Session within 40. dayes and treat of pennance While this consulation was a Rome they were proceeding at Trent as is before but when they came to declare the manner how Christ is in the sacrament and of transsubstantiation a contention arose between the Dominicans and Franciscans The Dominicans said All the Contention for transsubstanâ—â—ation substance of the bread is turned into Christs body and the body is in the place where the bread was and because the whole bread is turned that is the matter of the bread is turned into the matter of his body and the form of the bread into the form of his body therefore it is called transsubstantiation and so there be two sorts of Christ's existence both real and substantial the one natural as he conversed on earth or is now in heaven and the other as he is in the sacrament which is a proper manner of his existence and can not be called natural nor sacramental as if yee would say He is not there really but as in a signe seing a sacrament is but a signe Vnless by sacramental yee understand a real existence proper unto this sacrament The Franciscans would have it said One body by Gods omnipotency may be truly and substantially in many places at once and when it comes into a new place it is in it because it goeth thether not by a successive mutation aâ—leaving the first place but in an instant it getreth the second without losing the first and God hath so ordained that where the body of Christ is no other substance â—hall abide there but by annihilation because the body of Christ succeeds in steed of it so it is truly called transsubstantiation not because the one substance is made of the other but because the one succeeds unto the other The manner of Christs being in heaven and iâ— the sacrament differ not in substance but in quantity only because in heaven the magnitude of the body possesseth a place proportionable unto it and it is substantially in the sacrament not possessing a place therefore both sorts are substantial and natural in regard of the substance but in respect of the quantity the existence in heaven is natural and in the sacrament is miraculous differing only in that in heaven the quantity is truly a quantity and in the sacrament it hath the condition of substance Much dispute was for hearing and understanding this matter but none could give satisfaction namely unto the Nuntio de Verona who for the time had the place of moderating October 11. was the Session the decrees of faith with the anathematisms and of reformation were read with express reserving some points of faith untill the coming of the Protestants and the Safe-conduct was framed according to the direction from Rome yet so that the Presidents caused all the same things be first concluded in the congregations The French Orators appeared not to receive answer to their protestation for they had received order not to contest nevertheless the Councel framed an answer denying that they were
other his works I therefore subjoyn a taste of it and because some poison is in it I add a litle antidot which may be usefull unto some In his preface unto the Emperour he shewes his Rule of judging the evangelical and Apostolical Scripture which being Divine and a most sure rule the antients had used in judging of controversies after the departure of the Apostles and because in such contentions ariseth controversy about the interpretation and sense of some passages of the Scriptures it is necessary to have recourse unto the Universall consent of Writers chiefly of those who lived in the time of the Emperour Constantin untill the time of Leo I. or of Gregory yet so that it is not necessary to produce the testimonies of them all nor of the most part which were an infinite work but it is sufficient to bring one or two by whom the judgement of the whol Church may be known and with this caution that every testimony of those Fathers may not be rashly received seing in many places they speak according to their privat judgement and wherein even the most learned and best maintainers of the Apostolical and Catholick doctrine have not agreed with the safe unity of faith but only such things as belong unto the confirmation of the Apostolical and Catholick tradition and have the weight of irrefragable and undoubted testimony wherein they declare constantly the publick and common faith of the whole Church His method is conform unto the Articles of the Augustan Confession His principal scope seemes to be contained in the seventh Article de vera Ecclesia where he holdes that the true Church is always manifest and though the present Roman Church hath departed from the primitive not a little in integrity of manners and discipline yea and in sincerity of doctrine yet she standes on the same foundation and professeth communion with the antient Church and therefore is one and the same albeit different in many particulares Neither should we separate from her as Christ did not separat from the Jewish Church albeit corrupt neither did the Prophets nor Apostles violate the union but only spake against her and came out of her but by dissenting from the errors neither did Cyprian and some others violat the union with the Roman Church how beit they did complain of the envy of the Roman clergy and the pride of the Pope This may be called his privat judgement as he spake of others in his preface and not the constant faith of the whole Church that the Church should be manifest always was not the judgement of Eliah 1. King 19. 14. nor of John who prophecied of the woman fleeing into the wilderness Revel 12 and it is without all doubt in the general that in the dayes of the Antichrist the Church shall not be manifest 2. he grantes that the Roman Church hath departed not a litle in manners and doctrine but how far she hath departed may be in some measure known by the history 3. his advice that we should not have departed from her is a main question but certainly his reason is not sufficient for though our Saviour made not separation from the Jewish Church yet he foretold that when these labourers of the vine-yard shall have killed the heir the vineyard shal be taken from them and not a stone of their temple should be left upon another Where was their Church then if they had no place for their Religion As for the Pophets and Apostles distinguish the times before the time was come which God had appointed they had no reason to depart but when the appointed time was come then they departed and for this very point Steeven was Martyred Act. 6. 14. The same distinction serveth for the Roman Church Cyprian and Paulin had no reason to violat the vnion when she had not departed from the true faith but when she became the whoore and all nations had drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication then was the time to obey the commande Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Gods people was with her and in her and they must not only protest against their adulterous mother but come out from her Then for reconciliation of the Church he seemes to despair that ever they will accept of his Overture to wit that those who have given the cause of distraction that is saith he the governors of the Church would remit some what of their too much rigor and yeeld a little for the peace of the Church and following the wishes and admonitions of many good people would reform the manifest abuses according to the rule of Divine Scripture and of the antient Church from which they have departed And next that those who eschuing those vices have fallen into the other extremity would confess their faults and return into the right way In other Articles that differ from the Popish Church he puts often a blame upon the Reformed if not for their Tenet yet for their practise For example of justification he saith What is said in the fourth article that men can not be justified before God by their own strength merits or works but are justified freely by faith it was evermore allowed by the Church and untill this day it is approved by all the writers of the Church So that I wonder why the Apology saith that they are condemned in this article as if it were taught that men obtain remission of sins for their own merits and not freely for Christ's sake Afterwards he cites the testimony of Bernard saying I consider three things whereupon all my hope stands the love of adoption the truth of the promise and the power of performing And saith he the Doctors of this age say not that they teach doubting whereby men should doubt of Gods mercy and mistrust but such fear of God whereby a diligence of living well and of keeping the received grace may be stirred up and increased in us as the Apostle saith Work forth your salvation with fear and trembling And they call this sear chast and filial which perfect love casts not forth but retaines and cherishes Which fear hath always adjoyned confidence and hope of Gods fatherly good-pleasure And seing those things are taught tooday in the Catholick Church the Protestants do not rightly in accusing the present Church that she bidds and teaches to doubt of Gods favor and of eternal life and put this blasphemous doctrin as they speak among the chief causes for which they should depart from her Of free will he saith on the 18. Artick The sum of this controversy which had been formerly and now is consists in this What the will of man can do to attain righteousness by which we are justified before God is not to be asscribed unto the power of free-will corrupted by sin but unto the singular grace of God which we have not by nature wherein we were
and possess the City as Constantine and Justinian had done and from thence to rule all Italy and Germany and they complain that the Clergy had conspired with Sicilie against the City and they promise all maner of obedience and loyalty The sum of their sute was comprised in few verses Rex valeat quicquid cupit obtineat super hostes Imperium teneat Romae sedeat regat orbem Princeps terrarum ceu fecit Iustinianus Caesaris accipiat Caesar quae sunt sua praesul Vt Christus jussit Petro solvente tributum The whole Letter is in Otho Frissing de gest Frider. l. 1. c. 28. But Conrade was so pestered with wars in Germany that their imploration was in vain When Eugenius was come into the City he understood of plots against him and fled down the river in a ship the Citizens pursue him with weapons and darts as once they did with Gelasius saith Naucler He went to Pisae and thence to France This is the sum of the Historians now hear Bern. in l. 4. de consider he saith unto Eugenius Name but one man in all the great City who hath accepted thee for Pope without price or hope of price When he was chosen Bernard wrote unto the Roman Court the 236. Epistle saying The Lord forgive you what have ye done one which was buried ye have brought again among men one that was fleeing from cares and troubles ye have pestered with cares and troubles ye have made the last first and behold his last condition is more perilous then his first he who was crucified to the world is by you revived unto the world hath he left Pisae that he might have Rome he who could not manage the Vicounty of one Church was he seeking the Government of the whole Church But seeing it is so and many say It is of God it is your duty oh most dear that it be diligently cherished by your fervent endeavors and faithful obedience which certainly is wrought by your hands and therefore if any consolation be in you if any vertue of charity in the Lord if any miseration of piety if any bowels of compassion do ye aid and work with him in the work whereunto he is assumed of the Lord by you And in the next Epistle unto Eugenius he saith I was expecting that some of my sons would come and lighten the father's sorrow and say Joseph thy son is living and ruleth in all the Land of Egypt therefore have I now written not so much of mine own accord as of necessity being constrained by the intreaties of friends unto whom I cannot refuse the residue of my life And seeing I have begun I will speak unto my Lord for now I dare not call thee my son because the son is turned to be the father and the father is the son and he who came after me is preferred before me but I do not envy it because what was deficient in me I am confident that I have it in him who came not onely after me but even by me for if you offend not I have begot thee by the Gospel what then is our hope our joy and the hope of our glory is it not you before God In a word a wise son is the glory of his father And henceforth thou shalt no more be called son but a new name shall be given unto thee which the mouth of the Lord hath named this is the change of the right hand of the most High and many shall rejoyce in this change for as of old Abram was turned unto Abraham and Jacob unto Israel or rather to speak of thy predecessors as Simon to Cephas and Saul to Paul so my son Bernard into my father Eugenius by a very joyful and as I hope profitable change This is the finger of God raising the needy out of the dust and the poor from the dung that he may sit with the Princes and possess the throne of glory It followeth that this change being made of you that the Bride of thy Lord which is committed unto thee be also changed into the better note and that she be no more called Sarai but Sarah understand what I say and the Lord give thee understanding If thou be the friend of the Bridegroom call her no more my Princess but the Princess usurping nothing as thine in her but that if it be needful thou shouldest give thy life for her if Christ hath sent thee thou wilt think that thou camest not to be served but to serve and to minister not onely thy means but even thy life as I have said A true successor of Paul will say with Paul Not that we domineer over your faith but we are helpers of your joy An heir of Peter will hear Peter saying Neither as Lords over the people but we were examples of the flock for so now not a servant but the free-woman and the fair one of the most fair Bridegroom shall by thee come unto his long wished for arms for by whom other shall this so necessary freedom be hoped if you also which God forbid seek in God's inheritance your own things who even before had learned I will not say not to possess any thing as your own but not to be your own therefore she having such confidence in you as she seemed to have in none of your predecessors in many ages before note all the Church of the Saints every where is justly glad and glorieth in the Lord and especially she whose womb hath born thee and whose breast thou didst suck What then may I not rejoyce with them that rejoyce shall I onely not be of the number of them which are glad I confess I have joyed but with fear I have joyed but in the very moment of my exaltation fear and trembling hath come upon me for albeit I have laid aside the name of father yet have I not laid down fear nor care nor affection and bowels of a father I consider the height and fear a fall I consider the pinacle of honor and I behold the surface of the gulf below I look up to the top of dignity and I fear danger approaching as it is written Man when he was in honor did not understand which in my judgement relateth to the cause and not to the time that it is so meant as if it were said Honor swalloweth understanding c. When Eugenius fled out of Rome Bernard wrote unto the Emperor Conrade thus The Kingdom and Priest-hood could not be more sweetly more friendly yea more straitly conjoyned and complanted one in another then when they were both together in the person of our Lord which was made unto us of both the tribes according to the flesh the highest both Priest and King yet not onely so but he hath commixed and coupled them together in his body which is the Christian people and he the head thereof so that this sort of men are by the Apostolical word called a chosen royal Priest-hood and in another
Scripture so many as are predestinated unto life are they not called Kings and Priests therefore what God hath conjoyned let no man put asunder but rather what divine Authority hath ordained mans will should endeavor to fulfil and they should joyn in hearts who are conjoyned in ordinances let them cherish one another defend other mutually and bear one anothers burthens The wise man saith A brother aiding a brother both shall be comforted but if they bite one another which God forbid both shall come into desolation Let not my soul come into their counsels which say That either the peace and freedom of the Church is hurtful unto the Crown or the prosperity and exaltation of the Crown is hurtful unto the Church for God the Author of them both hath conjoyned them not to destruction but to edification If ye know this how long will ye dissemble the common contumely and common injury Is not Rome as the Apostolical Seat so also the head of the Empire therefore though I would not speak of the Church is it the honor of the King to have an headless Empire I know not what the wise men and Princes of the Kingdom do advise you herein but though I speak imprudently I will not be silent in what I do judge The Chuch of God from the beginning even till these times hath been oft afflicted and oft delivered it is her voice They have often afflicted me from my youth but they could not prevail against me Be sure O King that neither now will the Lord leave the rod of the wicked upon the back of the righteous the hand of the Lord is not shortned nor become unable to help At this time he will deliver his Spouse which he hath redeemed by his blood endowed with his spirit furnished with heavenly gifts and nevertheless enriched with earthly things He will deliver I say again he will deliver but if by the hand of another let the Princes of the Kingdom consider whether this be to the honor and advantage of the King certainly not Wherefore gird thy sword O most mighty and let Caesar recover unto himself what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's Vtrumque interesse Caesaris constat undoubtedly both these appertain to Caesar to maintain his own Crown and to defend the Church the one becometh the King and the other the Advocate of the Church The victory as we trust in the Lord is at hand the Romans are more arrogant then potent for what did ever any great or mighty Emperor or King presume so vile a thing both against Crown and Priest-hood but this cursed and tumultuous people which cannot measure their strength nor think on the end nor consider the event in their foolishness and fury durst attempt so great sacriledge the temerity of the multitude cannot stand for a moment before the King's face c. I will not here add observations Bellarmin de Ro. Pont. l. 2. c. 31. The original of the title â—icar of Christ alledgeth That Bernard did first give unto the Pope the Title Vicar of Christ It was not from the beginning so but the Cardinal mistaketh it Bernard was not the first if Platina do truly report the words of Gregory VII he used this Title before him and according to the language of the Court at that time Bernard giveth this Title unto all Priests even from whom all iniquity procedeth as he speaketh in festo Convers Pauli ser 1. and giveth unto Eusebius both this and loftier Titles for lib. 2. de Consider he calleth him The Great Priest the Prince of Bishops the Heir of the Apostles Abel in Primacy in Government Noah in Patriarchship Abraham in Order Melchisedek in Dignity Aaron in Authority Moses in Iudging Samuel in Power Peter in Vaction Christ here is a rhapsody of glorious Titles and he addeth these passages of Scripture that are wrested to maintain the ambition of the man of sin but whether he speak so in derision or according to his own minde it may be judged by his words following immediately but first see what he And confuted by Bernard at large said a little before What hath the holy Apostle left in legacy unto thee he saith What I have I give thee What is it One thing I know it is not silver nor gold seeing he said Silver and gold have I not If thou happen to have it use it according to the time and not at thy pleasure so use them as not abusing them seeing these in respect of the souls good are neither good nor ill but the use of them is good the abuse ill the care of them is worse and seeking is filthier by whatsoever way thou may have them certainly thou hast them not by title of the Apostle for he could not give what he had not what he had that he gave the care of all the Churches Gave he Lordly power hear himself Not domineering over the people but being an example of the flock And lest you think he said so in humility onely and not in truth the Lord saith in the Gospel The Kings of the earth have dominion but not ye so It is clear dominion is forbidden unto the Apostles Go then and take if thou darest either Apostleship if thou be a Lord or dominion if thou be Apostolical thou art clearly forbidden to do either of the two if thou wilt have them together thou shalt lose them both or else think not thy self to be excepted from those of whom God complaineth saying They have reigned but not by me they were Princes and I knew them not And if thou wilt reign without God thou hast glory but not with God We see what is forbidden now hear what is commanded Who is the greater among you let him be as the yonger and he that is chief as he that serveth There is the model of an Apostle dominion is forbidden and serving is commanded which is commended also by example of the Law-Giver for it followeth I am in the midst of you as he who serveth Bernard there hath many things to this purpose and after he hath mentioned these former Titles and prerogatives he saith I have spoken of who thou art but forget not what consider what thou wast and now art why wilt thou not behold what thou canst not cease to be Indeed it is one thing what thou wast and art and another who thou art â—ecome the one must not be forgot in searching thy self for thou art what thou wast and thou art not less after thou art become such and perhaps more thou wast born that and changed this but not changed into this the former is not cast off but this is added If thou consider what remember thy nature thou wast born a man if thou ask who thou art a Bishop this thou art made and not born which of these thinkest thou nearest or chiefest unto that thou art made or that thou wast born is not that thou wast born therefore I advise thee to