and so of plaine and euident sentences for the opening of the hidden couert ones But otherwise if vnder the colour of obscuritie thou labor to gather any point of new doctrine Irenaeus will say vnto thee Thou must reason from the cleare places of the Scripture and not from parables Saint Basil The things that may seeme darkly spoken in one place are most cleare in another Saint Augustine Who is so impudent as to expound anie place of Scripture for himselfe by an Allegorie if he haue not an other verie cleare place in the Scripture which may make it plaine Seeing likewise saith he in another place That of all that which is obscure therein Lomb. l. 3. d. 5 there riseth not any thing almost but that which is cleare elsewhere Lombard Tho. in Sum. q. 147. art 10. Pet. de Alliac Where as the Scripture is silent it will be good for vs not to affirme any thing Thomas Thou canst not reason from an Allegoricall sense c. To be briefe the Cardinall Alliaco That the scripture is a lampe that giueth light and that wee must haue recourse thither to haue saluation Gerson That an idiot a woman yea a childe Gers de Script de exa doct Pic. in Quest an Papa sup Concil are better to be beleeued alledging the Scripture then the Pope and a whole Councell And the Counte Iohannes Picus Mirandula after the same manner So farre off were these men who yet were the lights of their time from this darke opinion sprung no doubt out of the pit of vtter darknesse That the Scriptures were not any thing but darknesse But in a word the mischiefe is for that we will finde it difficult because that in the clearnesse thereof it is impossible for vs to finde out our inuentions obscure because that our traditions cannot stand before this light and imperfect because that neither by it nor before it we are able to defend our imperfections Yet so it is that our aduersaries replie that there are controuersies amongst vs that wee cannot agree of the expounding of the places which are alledged respectiuely How they must be expounded and therefore who shall expound them vnto vs who shall cause vs to admit of one exposition more then of another Let vs striue thitherward hauing Gods grace to assist vs let vs come thereto with the Zeale of his glorie the loue of the truth and the desire of saluation and then a meane knowledge ioyned with a good conscience would speedily attaine the ende And for some small taste thereof may it please the reader to examine certaine rules that follow being those which the auncient fathers doe teach vs. The first is That we be agreed vpon the Canonicall Scriptures thereby to auoyde the confounding of them with the Apocrypha that is To agree of the bookes called Canonical of the setting downe of the spirit of God for iudge rightlie discerned and distinguished from euerie spirit of man for humane scripture after the maner of monie is so much the more hurtfull and damnable by how much the coine that it hath counterfeited is the better and hereof the olde Church hath had a speciall regard I call this the first because that by this doore it did perceiue both vanities and heresies to enter into the Church vnder a fained name of our Lord and his Apostles They tell vs that the Scripture is the ballance the rule and the squire c. Hieronym ad Laetam And therefore to render to things their weight measure and streightnesse it is necessarie that it should be iust And this is that which S. Ierome telleth vs Let vs looke vnto our selues to beware of the Apocrypha bookes and if we will reade them c. let vs know that they are not theirs by whose names they are called that many faultie things are mingled there amongst that it craueth a singular prudencie in him that looketh to gather golde out of mud and in a worde that we must not reade them ad dogmatum veritatem for the confirming of doctrines So farre off is he from beeing of iudgement that wee shoulde rake togither the dregges of all manner of such Authours from all parts therewith to defile the Church And in another place In Symb. Ruf. in Praefat in Prou. in Reg. in prolog Galeato Hiberas naemas Certaine peruerse men to strengthen their opinions haue inserted vnder the name of holie personages things that they neuer writ and notwithstanding there are some which preferre these Hiberian fables before the Authētike bookes And this is the cause why S. August doth presse the heretikes continually with the Canonicall Bookes and refuseth the Apocrypha wherin they did their whole indeuour to ground themselues Let vs lay aside both on the one part the other that which we produce frō elswhere then out of the Canonicall bookes let vs shewe forth the holy Church by the holy Oracles let vs search for it in the holie Canonicall Scriptures c. To them I yeeld this honour that their Authour could not erre any maner of way the others I read in such sort how holy or lerned soeuer they might be as that I beleeue them not in that which they say because they say it but because they perswade me either by the Canonicall bookes or else by probable reason c. And therefore he saith further Ep. 19. ad Hieronym l. 2. con Dona. c. 3. con Faust l. 11. c. 5. The aduised searcher of the holy Scriptures shall reade them first all ouer but those onely which are called Canonicall for then he shall be able to reade the others more safely being alreadie instructed in the faith of the truth for feare that otherwise they might forestall and get the aduantage of a weake spirit abuse it with dangerous lies infect it with some preiudicate opinion cōtrarie to sound vnderstanding Lib. de Ciuit. Dei c. 15.23 For although therin be found some truth notwithstanding because of many vntruthes they are vtterly without all Canonicall authoritie And in the meane time what impudencie is it to go about to make him to giue credit to the decree by committing the offence of a most notorious lie D. 9. c. in Canonicis acknowledged also by Alphonsus of Castres to haue said That the Decretall Epistles of the Bishops of Rome are of the same authoritie Cyril Hierosol Catech. 4. that the Canonicall Scriptures Cyrill Patriarke of Ierusalem Studie these Scriptures onely which wee boldly and confidently reade in the Church but haue not any thing to doe with the Apocrypha Nazian de veris Scripturae libris Nazianzene In them wee see the light c. But to the ende that the bookes that are excluded from thence may not deceiue thee learne to know the true and legitimate number c. If you find any other then those holde them for base and bastardlie ones Yea and this was one of
and bookes Nay rather how can we receiue and admit of them seeing they belie themselues or build our selues vpon them seeing they plucke downe themselues hauing receyued the black sentence by the Primitiue Church and being confounded by their owne mouthes wordes And in all this who goeth away with the losse our aduersaries for producing false witnes or we for charging them therewithall they for offering to make vp theyr payment of counterfeyte coyne and that in a bargaine of merchandize of such prices and worth or we for touching and making an assay thereof But what is the greatest gaine that riseth by such faining and counterfeyting of bookes Certes euen such as ordinarilie attendeth Sathan in all the trauell and paine hee putteth himselfe vnto namelie to drawe and allure and afterwarde to keepe man kinde in the snares of ignorance or errour by his counterfeyte and fained deuises The same which fel vpon those deceyuing Spirits in the first ages of the christian Churches for foisting in the goodlie Gospells of Nicodemus S. Iames S. Bartholomew S. Thomas and others which was a derogating from the authoritie of the holy true Scriptures so much as in them laye by the bringing in of those which were false What did the Manichies pretend sayeth S. Augustine by their false Actes of the Apostles Euen nothing else but to weaken the truth of the holie historie and to strengthen the arme of falshoode which suteth verie well with that which Leo the first saide That these pretended writinges of the Apostles which vnder this faire name contained the seedes of manie false doctrines ought not onelie to bee forbidden in the church but quite banished yea burned Againe it is most certaine that one of the hotest persecutions that euer the Primitiue Church endured and whereof it so grieuously complayneth was that which was kindled with the bellowes of false and counterfeyte writinges and those proceeding so farre as euen to shrowde themselues vnder the name of Iesus Christ of the truth it selfe so ragingly did the spirite of lying ouerflow and so licentiouslie did he run loose at his libertie in these first ages as there was not to be found a more deadly wound then that against the puritie of the Gospell so the ancient Fathers did fortifie and arme themselues to the vttermost of their might for the keeping out of the same as Ireneus Iustine Origene Melito and others by distinguishing the Canonicall bookes from the Apocrypha whereas our aduersaries now a dayes that they may haue the better meanes to support and beare out their lies are nothing so carefull for or so zealously and earnestlie set vppon anie thing as to shake and weaken the authoritie of the holie Canonicall Scriptures and that partlie by slipping in amongst thē such books as the Primitiue Church had cut off as dead vnprofitable members partlie by reuiuing yea by new coining such store of such manner of fables such store of such such fooleries as possiblie they could deuise al to that end that amongst so much filthie and durtie stuffe as they brought and as had beene of olde swept and cast out of the Church by the auncient Fathers they might at the leaste finde out some scantlins more or lesse of the stuffe wherewith they did infect and corrupt their Church CHAP. III. What manner of diuine Seruice was vsed in the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples NOw it may not content vs to know that the Masse which is vsed at this day was no parte of the diuine seruice of God in the Christians Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples nor yet anie other thing comming neare vnto the same but wee must goe further and search what manner of seruice it was though wee bee put to fish and finde out the truth from the botomles lake of lying deceitfulnes a thing become very hard and difficult for vs to atchieue by reason of the piled heaps of ceremonies and the mighty multiplying of Nouelties for men to play and sport themselues withall throughout the whole continuance of so manie ages and because also that besides all such we shall bee forced to vndertake the clearing of this so intricate and intangled a matter by the darke and dimme traces as they may be found which are apparant in the bookes that are left vs and which our aduersaries themselues doe approue to the ende that on the one side we may bee able to discerne of Superstition from which we must depart and that on the other side we may not hang in suspence what is the true seruice of God wherunto we are to cleaue and according whereunto we ought as neere as may bee to desire and labour for the reformation of the Church Now this ought to suffice vs 1. Cor. 11. that S. Paule hath tolde vs that he hath not taught the Churches anie thing but that which he had receyued from the Lord and which also he hath declared vnto vs and againe that S. Peter by the bookes of our verie aduersaries is sayed to haue tyed and kepte himselfe to his institution And who is hee that would receiue or belieue otherwise of anie one or al the rest but yet notwithstanding men will not be content herewithall wee must be forced for their satisfaction to handle the matter in a more large and ample manner And here first we are to consider what S. Angustine telleth vs that is What the seruice was amongst the Christians that the church of God yea of Christ had his beginning in Adam shall end in this world by the last Christian which is asmuch to say as that there is but one Church euer since the beginning euen vnto the worlds end howsoeuer it haue his diuerse periods amongst all which that was the chief and principall which happened vpon the change of Iudaisme into Christianitie for to speake properlie a good Iewe was no other thing then a Christian by faith looking and waiting for the Messias which is Christ as in like manner a Christian is a true and naturall Iew of the true seed of Abraham in asmuch as by the same faith he hath receiued Iesus for the Christ The diuine seruice likewise amongst the Iewes notwithstanding that they were darkened in their opinions by the peruerse glosses of the Pharisies was abiding sincere and pure purged and free from all Idolatrie in as great measure as euer at any time before when our Sauiour Christ came into the world whereupon wee see he made it not straunge neither yet his Disciples to be conuersant in their Temple and Synagogues But on the contrary there was the place where our Lord did chuse oftentimes to take occasion to teach instruct the people to interprete the Scriptures which were therein diligentlie read as in like manner his Apostles did after his example Iohn 18. Actes 15. and to this end we haue infinite store of plaine and manifest places both
and qualitie that their doctrine and pure life hath aduaunced them vnto in the Church for there is some such a one that is worth manie according to their times according I say as they haue beene nearer or further off from the true light seeing that Saint Ierome complaineth himselfe S. August ad Ianuarium Bed l. 4. in Sam. c. 2. that he was in his time come vnto the lees Saint Augustine That all was now become full of presumptions preiudicate opinions and more then Iudaicall Ceremonies Beda likewise That it was a lamentable thing and not to bee vttered without teares how that in his time the Church grewe worse and worse euery day And this will proue true in counting cleane contrarie to our Iesuites for they to cast dust in the eyes of the world doe tell vs Such a one who liued 800. or 1000. yeares since hath said this or that whereas they should say such a one who liued 200. 300. or 400. yeares next after the Apostles hath spoken thus c. For our question is not how long time a lie hath indured The diuell saith the Lord is a liar from the beginning but what manner of doctrine that was which was first that is according to Tertullian the truth then when how by what degrees falsehood and lying sprung vp increased and grew great aduaunced it selfe against Vincent Lyrinens c. 39. and aboue this truth c. And this is that which Lyrinensis saith For the expounding of the Canonicall Scripture we must summon and call togither the aduises of the fathers but preferre that euermore which they haue spoken either all or the greatest part of them and that verie manifestly often constantly assuredly c. what hath beene otherwise deliuered what Saint Martyr or Teacher soeuer he hath beene let vs hold it inter proprias occultas priuatas opiniunculas for Apocrypha and priuate opinions Furthermore we are euer to proceed forward to the fifth that they are to be read as great personages That we must reade them in such sort as they will be read but neuerthelesse as men whose writings cannot be equall with the Scripture as little as their spirits can match the holy Ghost yea such on the contrarie as must be iudged by the scripture examined one by another euen the old with those which in regard of them are new as they haue sufficiently learned in some places to reproue them of whom they had beene instructed in many things Cyrâ—l in Leuit. l 5. according to the rule which S. Cyril giueth vs. If there be any thing in the scripture to be decided besides the two Testaments let vs know that we haue not any third the authoritie whereof we are bound to receiue This also is the same that the Fathers say vnto vs. S. Ierome Let euery thing that shall haue bin spoken after the Apostles time be cut off Hieronym in Psal 86. let it not carrie any authoritie with it how holy or eloquent soeuer the Author may bee Saint Augustine Augu. de vnit eccles c. 6. Reade to me of the Law Prophets Psalms Gospel and Epistles reade we wil beleeue c. Al others saith he how holy or learned soeuer they be I read them not to belieue that which they affirme to bee true because they say it but in as much as they proue it vnto me by these canonical Authors Ep. 19. ad S. Hieronym Ep. 111. 112 c. For how Catholike so euer they may be there is alwaies something in their writings which their honour reserued it is lawfull for vs to reproue if it doe not agree with the truth Thus am I affected in other mens writings and such wish I them to be in mine c. And if you would know of what manner of men hee purposeth to speake he speaketh of his owne bookes Rest not thy selfe saith he in my books Lib. 3. de Trinit contr Crescon l. 2. c 21 Ep. 112. but correct them by the reading of the Scriptures Of those of Saint Cyprian I doe not hold them for Canonicall but I examine them by the Canonicall Wherein I find them conformable I praise him where otherwise there with his good leaue I reiect and forsake him Of these namely Saint Ambrose and Saint Ierome Contr. Faust l. 11. c. 5. l. 2. Contr. Donat. c. I purposed not saith he to intermingle their opinions that so thou maiest not thinke that wee should follow the sence of any man as the authoritie of the Scripture Of all them in generall that haue written since the time of the Apostles In them all saith be the reader or hearer hath free iudgement to approue or disprouethem not being bound of necessitie to belieue them but with libertie of iudging c. Yea saith he elswhere All the letters of Bishops without any exception to those of the Bishops of Rome which haue beene written or are written after the Canon of the Scriptures may be reprehended by the Councels and the prouinciall Councels giue place to the generall and the first generall are oftentimes amended by the latter Sine vllo typo sacrilegae superbiae without any swelling of wicked pride In like manner saith hee to Maximinus Bishop of the Arrians August contr Maxim l. 3 c. 14. I alleadge not vnto thee the Councell of Nice though the worthiest that euer was by way of preiudice neither alleadge thou against me that of Rimini For as I hold not my selfe bound to the authoritie of the one so neither doe I take thee to be bound to the authoritie of the other wherefore let vs reason the matter together by the authoritie of the Scriptures c. Of which onely saith hee against the Donatists by a speciall priuiledge denied to all others that come after it is not lawfull to doubt And in the meane time Peter Abbot of Clugnt Petr. Cluniac l 2. amongst the pretended errours for which Peter Bruits who read the Diuinitie Lecture at Tholosa was burned about the yeare 1200. obserued this That hee belieued in the Canonicall Scripture only and would not consent that the Fathers had the same authoritie with it And that this was the errour of that time appeareth in Gratian who liuing at this time maketh the Decretall Epistles of the Popes equall with the Epistles of Saint Paul and falsifieth Saint Augustine to fortifie his owne saying How farre better dealt Gerson and the Count Picus of Mirandula who doe more accompt of a lay man an idiot an olde man a child with a place of Scripture then a Pope or vniuersall Councell without Scripture Now who so shall read the Scriptures and the Fathers vpon the Scriptures furnished with these rules calling vpon the name of God and bringing a right zeale to the searching out of the truth let vs not doubt but that hee may easily discerne of the controuersies of this time as to know on which side truth or
let him know that tendeth any other course that he shall not attaine vnto the light of the truth which he shal grope after in darknes To be short saith he what soeuer is said since the apostles times is cut off it beareth no authority with it c. Hieronym in Psal 87. how holie prudent soeuer the Authors thereof might be S. August The Canonicall Scripture is set vpon a throne and euerie faithfull vnderstanding must be subiect thereunto If we yea if an Angel from heauen August contr Faust l. 11. c. 5. cont lit ras Petil. 6 lib. 2. contr Donatist c. 6. tract 2 in Ep. S. Iohan do teach any thing more then that which is contained in the Scriptures the Law or the Gospel let him be accursed In our cōtrouersies let vs bring this ballance these gold waights as out of the closet of God to iudge that of weight from that which is light Let vs there iudge of errors for God hath placed in the Scriptures a bright and cleare shining firmament to discouer confute them The Councels for saith he vnto the Arrians I alledge not vnto thee the Councell of Nice Cont. Maxim Episc Arrian l. 3. c. 14. De Ciuit. Dei l. 11. c. 1. Epist 166. De vnit eccles c. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 16. neither therefore doe thou alledge vnto me the councel of Rimini but let vs trie the maistry by the Scriptures which both you and I my selfe doe well approue c. The Church likewise for The citie of God doth beleeue in the Scriptures and by them is faith conceiued In the Scriptures saith he we haue learned Christ therein also haue we learned to know the Church we haue knowne the head and therefore cannot misknow the bodie thereof VVhether we or the Donatists be the Church the Scriptures alone will teach and instruct vs. Saint Chrysostome The ignoraunce of the Scriptures hath begotten heresies c. Though the dead should liue again or an Angel descend frō heauen Chrysost in hom de Laza. yet we must principally and before them beleeue the Scripture The Angels are but seruants ministring spirits but the Scripture is the Lord maister In Epi. ad Gal. hom 1. In 5. Mat. hom 43. 49. In 1. ad Thess homil 7. In 2. ad Corin. homil 33. In Psal 5.95.142.147 In at this gate doe both the sheepe and shepheard enter they driue away heretikes who so entreth not by them is a theefe The Scripture is the kingdome of heauen it is inclosed therein and fastned thereunto The gate of this kingdome is the vnderstanding of the Scriptures Setting our course and sailing after them wee haue the sonne of God for our patron and protector they are our rule and our squire As the light is vnto the eies so is the law of God vnto our spirits without it all our senses halt An heire doth willingly possesse himselfe of his fathers will and testament and so should we no lesse of the Scriptures the furniture and prouision for our warre against sinne and Sathan himselfe c. In which saith he in another place wee must either denie Christ or blot out the Scriptures or else become the obedient seruants of the Scriptures And if he said this then against the heretikes of his time then much more against Antichrist to come and vpon farre more iust causes and considerations For saith he when this cursed heresie the armie of Antichrist shall possesse the Churches there will not bee found any proofe or maner of helpe to trie and know Christendome by but the holy Scriptures By them alone a man shall know where and who shall bee the true church In this confusion and hurlie burlie there will bee no want of broching and blasing abrode of miracles for euen alreadie the counterfet Christians haue most but and if a man looke any other way then to the Scriptures hee cannot but bee offended perish and fall into the abhomination of desolation which shall bee in the holie places of the Church And therefore our sauiour Christ knowing afore hand that such confusion should follow in the latter daies will that we flie vnto the Scriptures And now also this is the cause why according to the aduertisement of Saint Chrysostome we call you thereunto we which thus alledge and contend with the hazard of our liues and for the working of your saluation and our owne that that Antichrist is alreadie come and seated in your Church and all this according to the Scriptures and by the Scriptures Hereto you replie If his Scriptures alone take place in this controuersie then what shall become of so many goodly traditions What becommeth them of the traditions 1. Cor. 11. What shall become of our Church Verely if you speake of diuine traditions such as whereof Saint Paule saith I haue receiued of the Lord Quod tradidi vobis whatsoeuer I haue deliuered vnto you of those which haue their foundation in the Scriptures and whereof Irenaeus saith vnto vs Looke what Gospel the Apostles preached the same they deliuered vnto vs tradiderunt inquit nobis in the Scriptures Of them saith Saint Cyprian which descend from the authoritie of the Gospel Cypri in Epi. 74. ad Pomp. and the writing of the Apostles Verelie we will be readie to defend them if you will beleeue vs with common armour we shall be both the one and the other quit and freed from all our paines and trouble for the Scriptures and they wil mutuallie acknowledge one another as doe the little riuers and their heads or springs being touched with the touchstone of the Scripture they will hold their value But if by Traditions you meane mans inuentions and doctrines that are without and out of the Scriptures then we tell you that Christ hath giuen definitiue sentence thereof In vaine do you serue me Matth. 15 9 teaching for doctrines the commaundements of men And thus spake he to the Pharisies who wholy rested themselues in the Church in the Sorbone of that time which said as you do of yours at Trent that it was no lesse grieuous an offence to commit against or omit any thing contained in their traditions In Thal. ord 4. tract 4. dist 10 Esay 29 13. then and if such commission or omission had beene in respect of any point of the law it selfe And there is great like lihoode that it is come vpon you which was forespoken by the Prophets They haue serued mee according to the ordinances of men Ierem. 8 8. and therefore wisedome shall perish from their wise men They haue cast behind them the worde of the Lord and there is no wisdome in them But if you suspect the soundnesse of the Scripture Iust in Tryph or rather the vprightnesse of God in his owne cause then let vs heare the fathers Iustine We must giue credite to God and his ordinances alone and not vnto humane traditions And that he ruleth them
according to the Scriptures appeareth by that which he said before That Dauid that the Euangelists that the Apostles doe teach vs c. Cyp. in Epi. 74 Saint Cyprian If it be commaunded in the Gospel if it be contained in the Epistles or acts of the Apostles let vs obserue it as diuine and holie But if it be not there then what followeth but the contrarie Saint Basil VVe must learne the Scriptures Basil regul 95 as concerning that which is to be practised in them as well to replenish our spirit with pietie as to leaue of to accustome humane constitutions Saint Ierome Hiero. in Esas It is no maruell saith he speaking of the Iewes if you follow your traditions seeing that euerie country goeth to seeke counsaile at their Idols but God verely hath giuen vs his scriptures and darknesse shall ouerwhelme you if you follow them not As also vnto Christians for euen in his time saith he it was come to the lees In. Matth. 23. VVo be vnto you wretched Christians to whom the sinnes of the Pharisies are translated and come euen that damnable tradition of theirs c. wee swallow downe against the commaundement of God the things that are great and hunt after the opinion of religion in the small and little ones c. And once for all The sworde Ad Laetam saith he of the Lord striketh at all those doctrines which are found bearing the shewe of Apostolicall traditions without the authoritie and testimonie of the Scriptures And this is the verie thing whereof Saint Augustine so greatly complained himselfe in his time that in the Church euery thing was full of presumption S. August in Epi. ad Iouin In S. Ioha tract 96.97 and preiudicate opinion that contrarie to the expresse worde of Christ the yoke of Christians was become more heauie and greeuous then that of the Iewes That men made lesse conscience of the law of God then of the least humane ordinances or rather fansies All this or the most part thereof comming from heretikes and certaine Apocripha bookes vnder the shadow saith he of this worde From the Lord I haue yet many things to say insomuch as that there is not the veriest foole that is that dareth not to abuse the same A place that some obiect against vs euen vnto this day about the same matter But saith he when the Lord hath kept any thing hidden from vs who is he that is so vaine as to goe about to gesse at it or so rash and foole-hardie as to take vpon him to reueale it And this is the cause why Saint Bernard wearie of those insupportable traditions Bern. Epist 91 ad Abba Suissioni congreg said I desire with all my hart to present my selfe as a partie in that Councel wherin traditioÌ„s are not obstinately defended nor suspersticiously obserued but rather the good and perfect will of God with all humilitie and diligence searched after and sought for And againe De precepto dispensat If there be any such as charitie hath beene the inuenter of it is iust that by the same charitie they bee ceased and giuen ouer if it bee so found expedient Againe The precepts which are of the ordinances of God are necessarie but those which are of humane constitution arbitrarie and at discretion c. And in deed the Ecclesiasticall historie doth witnesse vnto vs that the ancient fathers did leaue such things as were meere obseruations indifferent both vnto whole Churches and particular persons not inforcing any thing but what was of the pure and vndefiled commaundement of God as is to be read in Socrates Nicephorus c. Can not the Church then ordaine any thing Socrates Niceph. l. 12. c 14. Wherein or how far the authority of the Church stretcheth And wherein shall the authoritie thereof consist Nay let vs not feare that it hath ouer little to doe It is not a small thing in the blindnesse wherewith man is blinded and in the darknesse of this worlde to keepe it selfe from straying and wandring out of the way of life to keepe it selfe from loosing the heauenlie light through the sight of the eyes and to guide it selfe and others by the same And would to God it would haue contented it selfe to haue knowne this onely and to haue beene ignorant in all the rest Where as hauing toucht the forbidden tree and hauing transgressed this worde Deute 4. 12 Cursed be they which adde thereunto shee hath opened her eyes to these false and deceyuing fiers but shut them at the light and so consequentlie lost her puritie loyaltie and innocencie and leauing the truth of God is further become left vnto herselfe The ancient fathers verily The Fathers made faith the limits of the Church and the Scriptures the bounds limits of faith Colos 2.8 1. Cor. 4.6 Iohn 8.13 Not by succession Iren. l. 3. con heres c. 11. l. 4. c. 43. 44. Tertul. de prescript de pudicit Id verius quod prius Tertul. de virg â—â—land Con. Praxeam Tertul. de prescript Cypr. Ep. 55. De lapsis In tract de simplicit pontif in ep 74. Gregor Nazianz in orat habit ad laudem S. Athanas cont Arrian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue not thought it any thing dishonoured when they tyed it to the obedience of her Spouse for they bounded it by faith and faith by the Scriptures And it would haue beene on the contrarie a verie strange doctrine vnto them that it shoulde haue spoken or heard any other language then her owne seeing it is said vnto her by the Apostle See that none spoile you through Philosophie or vaine deceitfulnesse according to the traditions of men Againe Learne of vs not to be wise aboue that which is written And in vs saith the Apostle that is to say by our example And by her Spouse himselfe If you abide in my worde you shall be truly my disciples Irenaeus saith The Gospel is the pillar and foundation of the Church It behoueth it to flie from all those which flie from and forsake the principal succession and cleaue vnto theÌ„ that keepe the doctrine of the Apostles Tertul. The Church is knowne to be apostolical not by nuber not by succession of Bishops but by the consanguinitie of doctrine And this doctrine again In this saith he in that the most ancientis most true that is most ancient which was from the beginning and that which is from the beginning is that which is froÌ„ the Apostles from the Apostles saith he who left the Scriptures for vs vpon whom are come the last ages the Scriptures by which the truth is defended and not by tradition or custome For how saith he could a man be able to speake of the things of faith but by the writings of faith Saint Cyprian Those are the Church saith he which dwell in the house of God But how Verily saith he who so is separated diuided
the first workes of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church to seale vp vnto vs the Canon of theese bookes by the same spirit which had inspired them and so called them Canonicall as if a man should say Reguler because they are ordained the rule of Christian doctrines and stand as a law to guide all our discourses And to this first number it belongeth not neither hath belonged since then to any either man or Church to chop in or to adde other bookes without the violating of the iudgement of the Apostolike Primitiue Church For what other thing were it but to say that it had excluded the bookes which it should haue admitted Wherefore we may thinke that what they haue said of such as at this day leade vs to Iewish fables Tit. 1.14 and to the commaundements of men which Saint Paule so earnestly warneth vs of to the pretended Gospels of Saint Iames Saint Bartholmew Nicodemus Ioseph of Aremathia c. yea and to the verie bookes which the Church both Christian and Iewish haue pronounced Apocrypha was not done to teach vs to draw from thence anie patternes of good manners as sometimes the olde fathers do but pretended articles of faith not to strengthen any poynt of Canonicall doctrine but to lay a foundation of a new inuented one such as neuer came in the Canon Euen as Saint Augustine after his modest maner would tell them the same that he said to the Donatists These men wanting examples of their wickednesse do boast themselues to haue found in the booke of the Machabees August cont Gaudent l 2 c. 23. one Razias to imitate who slue himselfe but the Iewes make no such account of these bookes as they doe of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which God hath giuen testimonie as to his witnesses They haue beene receiued not vnprofitablie of the Church if so be they be soberly read principallie in respect of these brethren the Machabees who laboured and tooke paines for the law of God c. Could he haue spoken thus of the diuine bookes inspired of God without blasphemie Caletan in 1. ad Cor. c. 12. v 28. Not vnprofitablie if they be read soberlie c. And this is the same that in our time Cardinall Caietan hath acknowledged laying out the difference betwixt the Apostles and all others in the Church The vniuersall gouernment of the church saith he belongeth onely to the Apostles not onely by worde and action but also by writing and therefore the onely writings of the Apostles or those which haue beene approued by them must haue the authoritie of holy writ The second rule is That for the vnderstanding of these Canonicall bookes To haue recourse to the originals Hebrew and Greeke Ambros de S. Spir. l. 2. c. 6. de incarna c. 8 or any place in them that is in controuersie we haue recourse for the olde Testament to the truth of the Hebrew and for the New to the Greeke seeing there is neuer a translation by whom soeuer it may haue beene performed which can be called either Canonicall or Authenticall Seeing also that as from false premisses or propositions there cannot follow but a false conclusion so from false Grammar there cannot proceede true Diuinitie And this is that which the Fathers say vnto vs If any man striue about the diuersitie of Latin copies that some vnfaithfull persons haue falsified them let him in such case looke vpon the Greeke c. Againe We haue found it so in the Greeke copies Hillar in Psal 11◠the authoritie whereof is farre more to be preferred Saint Hillarie We haue oftentimes tolde you that we cannot be satisfied in the vnderstanding of the Scriptures by the Latine translation And this Saint Ierome spoke to him that was ignoraunt in the Hebrew tongue Saint Ierome also whose translation some men doe so highly esteeme howbeit that the best learned doe doubt if it be his and all agree that all of it is not S. Hier. in Epi. ad Paulin. Marcel ad Suniam ad Damas in Prefat in 4. Euang. in Zac. c. 4. 8. ad Lucin. Augu. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 11 Epist 59. 19 De doct christ l. 2. c. 10 15 in Decret D. 9 c. in veterum Genes 3. It behooueth vs to haue recourse to the originall of the Hebrew for the Olde testament and to the Greeke for the New For saith he there are so manie diuerse Latine copies as there are bookes and by these originals wee must alter and correct that which hath beene ill translated by the Interpretors Saint Augustine The Latins to attain to the knowledge of the Scriptures haue neede of two wings of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues let the Latines haue recourse vnto the Hebrew and Greeke copies c. Againe For to correct the Latins let vs vse the Grecians c. Let vs rather beleeue the tongue from whence the Expositors haue translated the Scriptures into other tongues c. Saint Augustine I say who knew nothing in the Hebrew And that they had iust cause to say so may be made to appeare vnto vs by infinite examples In Genesis it is said That the seed shall breake the head of the Serpent that is to say Christ The Vulgar translation saith Ipsa she◠not Ipsum that is to say semen and so by that means it is referred vnto the virgin Marie◠and so a Sauioresse set vp in stead of a Sauiour At this stone good S. Barnard stūbled as Burgensis Caietanus Canusius do acknowledge c. And still they would that wee should leaue it in the way to the ende that euerie man may stumble thereat S. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes saith Hebr. 13. That God is well pleased with charitie and well doing The Interpreter hath translated it That by them men merit at Gods bands See you not therefore say some vnto vs Merit proued in the Scripture Yes were it not that euerie man knoweth what the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth nemely that God taketh pleasure c. Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine to Abraham In stead of Protulit he hath translated it Obtulit Genes 18. and see you not how thereupon also the sacrifice of the Masse◠But Vatablus and Pagnine and Caietan also doe acknowledge the sooth and therefore reforme the translation and withall you wipe out the Masse So vpon the Psal 68. For To sleepe amongst pots or Andirons he translateth it Inter Cleros amongst the clergie The lots or heritages ex lapidibus sacculi is made lapides saeculi stones of the ballance that is of weights are made eternall stones and fiue hundred such like Where is the Doctor how holie or great soeuer he may be who resting and relying vpon any such translation shall be able to gather any true sense Who shall not be forced thereby to deceiue both himselfe and others No lesse then Accursius
in the law when he vnderstandeth not by reason of his time either some exquisite Latin or some Greeke word alledged by the lawier And yet the Councell of Trent who set it downe for their position to make errours authentike will haue this translation to be authentike and that in lectures disputations Sermons and Expositions it be vsed ordinarily yea and that before that of Pagnines or Arias Montanus who haue kept themselues nearer vnto the Hebrew And why Not for any other cause then that ignorance may continue so as that errour vnder the darknesse thereof may hide it selfe seeing it cannot stand before the truth true vnderstanding or the light The third is Scripture is expounded by Scripture That we expound Scripture by Scripture one place by another one by manie obscure and darke ones by cleare and plaine ones or one darke one by many plaine ones In which attempt we haue a farre greater facilitie then they who should assay the like in prophane authours because that we are assured that there is no contrarietie therein because also that there is a perpetuall correspondencie betwixt the new Testament and the old and both in the one and the other in it selfe betwixt the new Sacraments and the old and in the olde and new in themselues c. And finally because that in obscure places wee are not to search for or gesse out any thing that is new yea on the contrarie not any thing said Saint Augustine which is not clearely apparant in such places as are most cleare This is the order Nehem. 8.8 which we reade to haue beene practised by Esdras who saith Nehemiah read in the booke of the law of God and therewith gaue the meaning causing it to be vnderstood by the Scripture it selfe The question at that time was about the purging and casting out of certaine abuses Actes 17.11 which were crept into the Church during the time of the captiuitie by being mingled amongst the Gentiles And hence are they of Berea commended as conferring the Scriptures most diligently one with another to see if it were so as Saint Paule preached vnto them The question was of the resoluing of themselues by them against the opinion of the Pharisies and Doctors of the Law by the Scriptures Whether Iesus crucified were that Christ or not And this also is the precept which the Fathers teach vs. Irenâ—us The demonstrations which are in the Scriptures Iren. cont Haeres 1.2 c. 46. 67. Basil in asceticis 267 Chrysost hom 13. in Gen. in Psalm 147. Aug. de verb. dom serm 2. 11. Tho. 1. p. sum q. 1. art 9. Aegid l. 2. Dist 37. cannot bee shewed but by the Scriptures Againe The exposition which is according to the Scriptures is that legitimate and safe c. Saint Basil That which seemeth darke and ambiguous in one place of Scripture is cleare and plaine in another Chrysostome The Scripture is expounded by it selfe this is ourarmorie against the Diuell c. Saint Augustine The wordes of the Gospel doe carrie their interpretation with them Againe VVe vnderstand the darke places by the cleare what is darkly deliuered in one place is clearly set downe in another c. S. Thomas That which is spoken metaphorically in one place is spoken simplie in another Aegidius Romanus Of manie expositions we must take that which agreeth with the other scriptures and not that which hurteth any part of them Following also that which is said by the Canon Relatum Can Relat. That we must not seeke out a sense at our pleasure from the purpose to confirme it any maner of way by the authoritie of the Scriptures but take the meaning of the truth from the Scriptures themselues if the place may be drawne into diuerse senses The fourth is In all expositions the analogie of faith must be kept That we see that the exposition which we giue or take do alwaies retaine and keepe the analogie of faith that it be proportionable and correspondent to the bodie of Christian doctrine which some of the olde fathers haue called the rule of faith I say not to establish any new principles or articles of Christianitie but to conforme and referre themselues to those which haue beene receiued therein from all times For the holy Scripture is the vniuersall principle of our faith and it is well said That there are as many articles of faith as sillables in it because it is said of the least iota that it shall not passe and by consequent that we must most firmely beleeue it all But notwithstanding as this said Aegidius saith All the Scripture is resolued into certaine articles of faith to which all the doctrine therein is to be referred and those as principles abide firme in themselues and are not resolued into others And from these principles we deduct our Theoremes and answere our Problemes no lesse then the Mathematicians doe their Maxims 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Axiomes and demaunds but so much the more firmely by howe much wee are the faster founded vpon the Creator then vpon the creature vpon the Law-giuer to the whole world then vpon the law which he hath giuen it which is Nature Thom. in Sum. q. 1. art 5.6 8. And this is it which Thomas saith That the holy doctrine taketh not his principles from any humane science but from the wisdome of God from which as from the most soueraigne wisedome all our knowledge must take his direction and ordering and that this skill commeth not vnto vs from naturall reason but by reuelation that is from the Scripture diuinely inspired and therefore that it iudgeth of all Verie farre differing from them who dispute of diuinitie according to the principles of Philosophie or other sciences against the law of Logicke which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That we must not leape out of one science into another but rather from a true vse of Logicke discourse of reason from principles of one science to draw the propositions and consequences that belong to the same Our principles then are articles of faith against which we must beware that our expositions doe not strike and dash themselues but one the contrarie it is necessarie that they become conformable thereto To strike thereupon that is amongest the Mathematicians Deduci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be brought to an impossibilitie that is to say froÌ„ out of the bounds of reason of Nature of true diuinitie this is according to the lawes of combate to rub against the bands or ropes that pale in their ground that is to bee ouercame to be conuinced of falshood Now the primitiue Church hath gathered them for vs into a briefe collection al those which the Councels put forth afterward are nothing but Commentaries thereupon and it is the same which Tertul. calleth RegulaÌ„ fidei Vnder which Tertul. de vela viâ—g de praes aduers Praxeam August de Symbol Beda in S. Ioh. l 1.
of the obseruations of the Primitiue church seeing that a verie strong preiudicate opinion hath seazed the spirites of the greatest part that nothing is done now a dayes in the church of Rome but after that sort maner that to require any reformatiō therin is nothing else but a longing after nouelties and a remouing of the ancients their markes and limittes and lastlie seeing that they which make their aduantage of such abuses are not without store of colours thereby corrupting and disguising the olde and auncient monumentes and writinges and besmoking the new and latter ones that so they may carrie the greater shew of antiquitie amongst which that of making as to receiue the thinges for olde and auncient which haue meerelie regarded the succeeding times of the church is verie newe and latelie hatched This I say is the taske and text which we are now to finish and make plaine by the grace of God that so wee may prouide helpes for the strengthning and supporting of some simple men and preuent the malice of the contrarie minded to the end that antiquitie may shew it selfe antiquitie and noueltie may appeare to bee but noueltie and also to the end that the superstitious and long obseruation of some ill established noueltie may not carrie away the title of antiquitie from olde and auncient veritie That truth which is of all other most ancient may not grow out of date by reason of the antiquitie thereof That the disagreements in religion are for the most parte aboute traditions established without the warrant of the word carelesly and negligentlie looked vnto Ne inquam antiquissima illa veritas vel ipsa antiquitate antiquari videatur Certainelie hee that shall weigh and consider with sound and vpright iudgement the controuersies which are at this day in christian religion shall not finde them to be anie such things for the most part as are founded vpon any doctrine that is trulie auncient vpon anie doctrine I say that is taught or mentioned in the holie Scriptures notwithstanding that the Scriptures bee the true and proper boundes of whatsoeuer may fall into mens fansies and the olde and authentike Registers and Maisters of the church to line and square out whatsoeuer is the proper due and true possession of any one And further we doo freelie declare testifie that whosoeuer shall dare to remoue the same though neuer so little shall worthilie fall into the curse pronounced by the Prophet against them which remoue auncient boundes and markes But the question is of Traditions which haue insinuated themselues and are sprung vppe together with the time by the industrie of men and that to the choaking of the true plantes of Christes fielde Of Traditions which by the reading of Antiquities wee see and behold first in the bare and naked seede then in the bud putting forth growing and rising vp into a stalke bearing fruite ouergrowing in the end the good corne ouerspreading the earth watred with the vanitie and ordinarie curiositie of men manured and fed with the ignorance of the most darke and ouershadowed ages Of Traditions one marke or step whereof for the most part we cannot espie or finde out eyther in the holie Scriptures or in the Primitiue church but which from age to age we finde and see to haue sprung vp of some crosse or ouertwhart word or else of some vnexpected action as hearbes cōming by chance wherof there is no great regard or reckoning made or else to grow by a priuation or negatiuelie in some doubtfull question from thence proceeding into some affirmatiue not well and firmelie grounded and finally ending in a full and absolute conclusion from whence is drawne within some space of time after and so throughout euerie age such strange increase and ouerrunning measure such consequences so far differing from the first steps and footinges as that they which first cast the seede into the grounde not thinking of any such haruest would not bee able as it falleth out with the fowles of the aire letting fall some nut or acorn euer to auouch the same for theirs if they should returne to beholde them yea which would rather haue smothered and stifled them in the birth if they had foreseen anie shew of such monstrousnes to haue eusued And finallie of Traditions which smoothlie conuey themselues vnder the habite of indifferencie and a certaine kinde of pretended seemlines into thercome and place of profite of necessitie of subiection yea and that greater then any Iudaicall seruitude and of the Articles of faith Articles I call them seeing that men now a dayes such as are our aduersaries are farre more tenderlie affected and deeplier doting vpon their owne inuentions then vpon faith it selfe And for the which they let not to stand and contend a great deale more in the church of Rome to maintain the same then they do striue and seeke to root out Atheisme notwithstanding it iet vp and downe like a Lord and spreade it selfe into euerie coast and quarter vnder the name of Philosophie priuilie vndermining and thereupon forciblie ouerturning the foundations of the church of Christ the holie Scriptures and the holie Sacramentes Articles againe for the strengthning whereof they are not ashamed to weaken so much as lieth in them the force and authoritie of Gods word and for the procuring of authority thereunto they defend the sufficiencie integritie and simplicitie of the same they make no conscience to call the ministerie of death the ministery of our life and to pronounce as imperfect and vnsufficient vnto Saluation the Scriptures whereof the essentiall worde did say vnto the Iewes and then by a stronger reason to vs Examine the Scriptures diligentlie and carefullie for you thinke to haue eternall life by them and they are those that beare witnes of me Now it were no hard or difficult matter to demonstrate and shew foorth the same throughout all the Articles which are in controuersie and indeede the matter hath beene performed by diuerse alreadie But I will rest my selfe for this time in shewing the truth thereof in the matter of the Masse and the appendances thereof because at this day it occupieth the principall place of Diuine Seruice in the church of Rome because it seemeth vnto them the badge cognizance to distinguish betwixt the good and euill Christian because that in not going thereunto or in going thereunto is as they hold in their opinion to worke a mans damnation or saluation And lastly because that it containing comprising in it eyther the doctrine or the practise of the principall pointes which are in controuersie betwixt vs it shall stand for a full reuew of the whole bodie of their religion or not want much thereof if it bee throughlie examined and sifted If then it be of such moment and importance vnto saluation as they would make vs belieue we need not to doubt anie thing at all but that we shall finde it so most clearelie and euidentlie by the holy Scriptures
Nestorius euen hee the verie man by whome they woulde beare vs in hande that this Lithurgie of Saint Iames was first brought to light Againe it would as little haue beene omitted in the first councell of Constantinople against the Macedonians calling in question the deitie of the holie Ghost seeing that it calleth him Consubstantiall with the Father And so in the first Nicene Councell at such time as they sought to confute Arrius to establish the word Homousion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to declare the Sonne to be Coeternall and Consubstantiall with the Father And in manie other councels following as that of Sardis of Rimini c. where it should haue decided the difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether the Sonne should be held to be of the same or of the like substance seeing that in this Lithurgie these wordes are verie ordinarie both concerning the Sonne and the holie Ghost and so might haue ended all the strifes and preuented without anie more to doe so manifold tragicall accidentes as fell out in Christendome Let vs ioyn vnto the former Saint Ciprian one of the most auncient Fathers and writers as one that felt himselfe sufficientlie confirmed in the lawfulnes of mingling of water with wine in the holie Supper in the place where he hath recourse vnto Allegories And so likewise Saint Ierome who had not got a small aduantage against Vigilantius about the ceremonies for which he did contend and striue with him For who can belieue that he which had read all manner of writinges extant and which dwelled in Ierusalem where they would that this Masse should be borne and where by consequent it should find most carefull tender custodie for the preseruing of the same should not so much as haue knowne it As in like manner it is most certaine that these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuer vsed in the Primitiue Church before the Councels of Nice and Ephesus were not onelie receyued in the Church where they were brought to light aswel as the substance and doctrine but also grounded in expresse and plaine sort vpon the worde of God and manie others of the like nature which may serue notoriously to proue vnto vs that the deuise of this Lithurgie was not hatched till after these Councels for besides that our aduersaries know well inough how to alledge for the authoritie of the Church that the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the ordinance of the Councell of Nice and not of the Scriptures nor of the Apostles It is euident that before this time it was not read in anie author that can bee defended and auouched Some there are which alleadge one Prochorus a pretended Disciple of our Lord but hee himselfe which hath caused it to be imprinted hath by the same reason made it to be suspected for false counterfeyte and the stile or manner of writing in his own iudgement carrieth no resemblance of an Apostolike spirite As also Iustin Martyr likewise about the year 150. Iustinus tom 3. in a book intituled The exposition of the Creed of the right confession or of the Trinitie consubstantial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But besides that this booke is not named by Photius Honorius S. Ierome Eusebius or anie others amongst the workes of Iustine as also for that it is knowne not to aunswere or bee like vnto his stile It is to bee noted that this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not mentioned so much as in anie one place of this Treatise and therefore may bee thought out of all doubt that some man hath slipt it into the title for the plainer declaring of the meaning of these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the right confession c. And for these reasons it is doubted of euen by Perion himself You haue afterward in the same Lithurgie a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sung and it signifieth asmuch as thrise holie or most holie it consisteth vpon these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou O holie God O Holie Mightie O Holie immortall haue pittie vpon vs. But how did this rise Behold and see how Pope Felix the third writing vnto the Emperour Zenon layeth downe the originall and first beginning of the singing thereof in the Church as namelie that the Cittie of Constantinople being sore shaken with continuall earthquakes and the people crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew mercie Lord a little child in the sight of the people and of the Patriarke Proclus was rauished and carried vp into heauen for the space of an houre where he learned this Hymne and comming downe againe taught the same vnto the people who singing the same the earthquake ceased And hereupon it came that this was receyued of the Church into the beadroule of holy Hymnes and ratified by the Councell of Calcedon For this Felix the third liued aboute the yeare 480. the Patriarke Proclus about the yeare 460. and this is that Proclus whome they obtrude vnto vs for a speciall witnes concerning this Lithurgie And can it possiblie come to passe that this Hymne falling out vpon this miracle coulde not be receyued into the Church til neare fiue hundred years after our Lord and yet notwithstanding to be found placed that in the same place that it is vsually set in in others in this Lithurgie But let vs go forward There was publike prayers made for them which were in the Monasteries At this time nor yet for three hundred years after were there anie Monkes in Syria that is to say in the countrie where Ierusalem is scituate much lesse were they then in Monasteries S. Hieronim in vita Hilar. S. Ierome a witnes of that assemby in the place aboue mentioned they did run sayeth hee with emulation from Syria and Egypt to Hilario in such sort as that manie belieued in Christ and became Monks for at that time as yet there were no Monasteries in Palestina neyther yet did anie know in Syria what they meant there was Hillario the first founder and ordayner of this kind of life and conuersation he prayed to God that he would giue vs to find grace with the Apostles Martyrs and Confessors But where is read the name Confessors Bellarminde missa lib. 2. cap. 20. but of a long time after And for their better instruction I wold haue them yet at the least to belieue Bellarmin who would proue the antiquitie of the Romaine Canon because it is not mentioned in that place In asmuch sayeth he as the name of Confessors was not admitted into the prayers of the church til after long time euen a little before Charles the great He bringeth in Temples Altars burning of incense and making of censors In a time wherein euerie man knoweth that no man speaketh of anie thing but persecution and priuate prayers in houses and caues and who knoweth not how manie ages were expired and spent before euer it grew to
to receiue the Romish Order they preuailed by might against such as with stoode them Vide literas Zachariae ad Bonifacium cius rursus ad Zachariam Item Iuraniētum quod Papae dedit as Virgilius the Bb. of Iuuauia otherwise called Saltzburge Clement Scotus Samson and other great personages as also one Albert a French man by nation whome Boniface suffered to dye in prison for writing of a booke against his innouations then to continue this order hee created new Bbs. in the countrie and there accordingly installed thē after his manner as namely at Wirtzburge Bamberg Erford Eichstat Hirtafeld c all which were shortly after confirmed by Pope Zacharie and these in their places instituted and set vppe the Romish ceremonies the which that they might bee so much the more strongly auouched it was ordained Munster aetat 3. that there should be a Synod held yearelie in Germany The particular wordes of the oath that Boniface made vnto the Pope are not to bee ouerpassed without noting Fidem meam atque concursum tibi vtilitatibus Ecclesiae tuae exhibebo I promise thee my faith and help in Auent lib. 3. and about euery thing which shall concerne the profites of thy Church Againe writing to Zacharie As manie Disciples sayeth hee as God doth giue mee in this my embassage I am not slacke or cold in drawing their affections vnto the obedience of the See Apostolike Wherupon may easily be discerned whether his chief scope drift were to win them to Christ or to the Pope to preach the Christian faith or the Romish authoritie Neuerthelesse Annales Carētanorum wee reade that about the yeare 860. a great and holy Personage named Methodius Illiricus did bend himselfe againe and againe against these abuses turning the holie Scripture to this end into the Sclauonian tongue reestablishing the auncient seruice in all the Churches of this language assaying likewise to doe the same in Bauaria Austria Sueuia and other Prouinces of Germany abolishing from thence the Latine Masse and the ceremonies of Rome against whome these new Bbs. raised the princes and people which notwithstanding he dyed peaceably in Morauia being buried in Olmuntz the Metropolitane Cittie of the Countrie and where his name is yet had in great reuerence In Spaine the people being giuen to cleaue fast vnto the thing which they shall once take hold of the Popes had not so soone wonne this goale The Masse receiued in Spaine In the beginning they had many prescript formes of seruice as wee learne out of the Councell of Gerund wherein it was ordained that vnder one Metropolitane at the least there should bee but one forme of seruice And after that in the fourth councell of Toledo it was decreede that in all Spaine there shall bee vsed one order in prayers in singing Concil Tolet. 4. cap. 2. C. Bracar 1. c. 22. in the Sacramentes and in the solemne celebrating of the Masses c. which thing also was confirmed by the councell of Bracare and it may seeme that the forme or order instituted eyther by S. Leander or by Isidore the Bb. of Siuill and Disciple of Saint Gregorie cōmonly called the Office of the Mozarabes was preferred before all the other because the Moores mixt amongst the Christians did vse the same in Spaine not much differing in the rest from the Gregorian seruice no not any more then the Disciple differeth from the Maister And indeede it appeareth by the Councell of Bracare that the Metropolitane Profiturus had brought it from Rome into the Church of Bracare by the authoritie of the See of Rome Notwithstanding the Popes to procure vnto themselues all manner of further credite woulde haue that all manner of considerations consultations deliberations or aduises being omitted and quite forgotten the order of Rome should bee receiued in Spaine but this they coulde not obtaine till a long time after that they had gained all other nations namelie in the time of Gregorie the seauenth and Vrban the seconde aboute the yeare 1090. and that because of the contradictions and resistances which were brought in and made against the same Then sayeth Roderico Archbishoppe of Toledo in his historie Pope Vrbane the second reprouing the waies of Pope Gregorie the seauenth Roderie Tole lib. 6. c. 24. called Hildebrand his predecessor sent a Legate into Spaine named Richard Abbot of S. Victors of Marseilles at the request of king Alphonsus the 6. to reforme the Churches of Spaine endamaged by the long and hard persecutions which they had suffered which Richard vnder this colour hauing perswaded the king Alphonsus by the means of the Queen Constance his wife which was a French woman hee ordained that the French Order and that was then the Romish or Gregorian Order should bee receiued and that of Toledo otherwise called Mozarabique abolished and banished out of Spaine The three estates of the Realm fell to be verie turbulent and yet notwithstanding the king would not goe backe from his worde to the procuring of his least discredite insomuch as that in the end the thing came to this issue namely that it should bee decided by a combat and thereuppon there was named and chosen for the king a Knight and hee should fight for the French or Gregorian Office and by the States an other and hee should fighte for the Office of Toledo But the kinges Champion as sayeth the historie was quicklie ouercome not without the exceeding ioye and reioycing of the States for the victorie obtayned of their Champion for the Order of Toledo who was of the house of Matanza neere vnto Pisorica whereof there is a hardie and valiant race and offpring remaining aliue yet vnto this daye The Queene Constance hauing so much the more edge set vppon her did not giue ouer to follow the point with the king her husband alleadging for herselfe that the triall of the combat should not stand as a righteous sentence or become Iudge and Vmpier in such matters c. vppon which wordes the States were much discontented and neare vnto the raising of a tumulte and mouing of sedition Insomuch as that it was the seconde time agreede vppon that the booke of the French Office and that of Toledo should be both of them cast into a great fire and that the Primate the Legate and the Church men should in the meane while keepe all the people in fasting and prayer And now likewise it so fell out as that the booke of the French Order was burned and consumed all into ashes whereas on the contrarie that of the Order of Toledo remained whole not so much as smelling of any flame And notwithstanding sayeth the Historiographer The king continued as yet obstinate without being moued to feare at the sight of the miracle and nothing turned at the humble sutes and requestes of the people but on the contrarie commaunded vnder the paine of loosing goodes and life that the French that is the Romish Order should
Trinity Of Idolatry for feare that we shold worship the Image for so goeth the case saith he that God doth not forbid onlie to worship Images but likewise to worship him in Images Of heresie also least that by such meanes wee should attribute to God a corporall and bodilie Masse or essentiall difference such as we may obserue to be giuen vnto him in these three figures and shapes And thus much be saide by the way of the pictures of the Trinitie And in another place S. Augustine sheweth the daunger generally of all Images in these wordes saying When men see them set in places appointed to honour in the resemblance which they haue with our members toucheth and striketh the spirites of the infirme and weake with some affection of praying and sacrificing vnto them especiallie at such time as the multitude is seene to runne and flocke thether August l 1. de consens Euang. c. 10. And in an other place speaking of such as deuised Epistles letters from Iesus Christ to S. Peter and S. Paule Can it bee sayeth hee because they had seene them pictured together And thus deserue they to bee mocked which haue sought Christ and his Apostles on painted wals and not in the holy scriptures Chrysostome vpon Genesis Chrysost in Gen. c. 31. ho. 57. mocketh at Labans Gods Wherefore saieth Laban vnto Iacob hast thou stolne away my God A deepe dotage And thy Gods sayeth hee are they such as that one may steale them from thee Again You know that when you were Gentiles you were turned aside vnto dumbe Idols euen you who speake see and heare vnto insensible thinges and is it possible that this thing should bee pardoned But and if in the Temples of Constantinople any such abuse had beene how had hee beene able to haue spoken these things and not to haue become ridiculous But yet sayeth hee to the ende that it might be known that these rules reached to the Images of the Christians We haue not to deale but with the Images of our Saintes for wee doe not inioy their presence by their bodilie Images but by the Images of their soules which wee haue in asmuch as that which they spake Litur Chrysost was the Image of their soules Now there is no cause why any shoulde obiect that in the Lithurgie attributed to him there is mention made of the Image of the Crucifixe for how can that be Chrysostomes seeing therein is prayer made eyther for Pope Nicholas the first neere hand 500. yeares after him or for Nicholas the Patriarke of Constantinople who was more then 700. yeares after likewise for the Emperour Alexius the first more then 700. yeares after for who cannot perceiue see that it was made 400. Hieronym in Esa c. 2. Idem in Iere. Idem in Danicl c. 3. yeares or thereabout after his death a long time also after the second Councell of Nice which established Images S. Ierome sayeth Man a liuing and reasonable creature doth worship copper and stone c. And againe This error hath ouertaken vs euen to place and put religion in riches And in another place notwithstanding that he entreat of the matter of the three children in the bote fierie furnace yet he giueth this generall rule The seruantes of God must not worshiâ—â—e Images And vpon the 113. psalme hee dealeth no better with them then S. Augustine did before But amongst the rest of his Epistles there is one of the famous man â—piphanius Bb. of Salamine in Cipres writing vnto Iohn Patriarke of Ierusalem which S Ierome hath not disdained to translate by which it appeareth manifestlie vnto vs what opinion the Church had conceiued of Images euen vnto this time Epist Epipha ad Ioh. Hiero although as hetherto it neuer came in their mindes to worshippe them but onlie to haue them as remembrances As I was come sayeth hee into a village called Anablatha had espied as J went along a burning lampe and therewithall learned after some enquirie made that it was a Church I went in to pray and found at the entrance into the same a vaile hanging dyed and painted hauing the Image as it were of Christ or of some Saint for I doe not perfectlie call to mind of whome it was Then when I had seene this thing that in the church of Christ against the authoritie of the Scriptures was hung vp the image of a man I cut in pieces the vaile furthermore gaue counsell to the keepers of the place to burie some poor dead persoÌ„ therin c. And now also I am to entreat you that you wold giue in charge by straight commandement that there be not any moe such vailes hung vp in the church of Christ as do stand against our religion for it is more seemlie to take away this disquieter of a tender and soft conscience being vnworthie of the church of Christ of the people which are committed vnto thee They labour themselues fall into a great pusle about this place some one way some an other way some disputing against Athanasius and indeed these are they that haue vndertaken the waight and burtheÌ„ of the strife and contention others in most solemn and deep sort auouching that this Epistle was but lent him which notwithstaÌ„ding is alleadged vnder his name in the famous Synod of Paris whereof we shall speake by by But whome may we better belieue then himselfe if he teach the same in his works Epiphanius tom â— cont haereses l. 3. In the second tome against heresies hee maketh a beade-roule of the traditions then obserued in the Church and our aduersaries would make vs belieue that images come in by Apostolike tradition but of images notwithstanding not one word What is there of more honor in the Church of Rome then the image of the holy virgine and yet you shall see what he saith euen of her selfe We vnderstand saith he that there are some which would bring her in for a God and which doe sacrifice vnto her Collyridem this was a certaine kind of tarte or cake and which assemble and come together in her name but this is a blasphemous worke contrarie to the preaching of the holy spirite a diuelish worke and the doctrine of the vncleane spirit And herein are accomplished the wordes of the holy Ghost Some shall depart from the faith giuing themselues to fables and the instructions of deuils c. And let it be then saith he that she be dead and buried admit that shee were taken vp or suppose that she abideth and liueth still let vs take out this lesson that we may not in any case honour the Saints further then is decent and becommeth but rather the maister of the Saintes our Lord. And let this errour broached by these seducers vanish and cease for Marie is no God let no man offer in her name for hee that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule c. Who will belieue that hee which spake these
S. Ierome Fulgentius Lactantius c. That they ought not to be honored either with inward affection or worshipped with outward gesture That wee ought not either to worshippe or serue any creature c. And that it is likewise an error to do it for the contemplating of them whose Images they are made to bee And it is so far off that Ionas should gainsaye this as that on the contrarie hee saith As for those that maintaine the worshipping of Images and saye that they giue not that worship vnto the similitude and thing representing but vnto them which are therein represented as do saith he they of the East Churches who are ouertaken with this most mischiuous error wee doe reproue and detest them euen as thy selfe And the Lord become both to the one and the other gracious and fauourable as that they may bee pulled from this vile and detestable superstition Claudius affirmed against the worshippers of Images The law Exod. 20. forbiddeth vs not onelie the Images of Gods but all whatsoeuer in generall that wee shoulde worshippe them And Ionas acknowledged that this was a wholesome sound and holie beliefe Againe If the workes of Gods hands be not to be worshipped said Claudius much lesse the workes of mens hands And Ionas thereto addeth Sobrie nobiscum sapis testifying that in that point he dealt like a wise prudent teacher What is then the oddes betwixt them Truely this saith Ionas namely that Claudius ought to haue condemned superstition and reproued ignorance and not to haue defaced the Images and that he ought to haue left them as they were not to the end that anie worship shold be done vnto them but that they might serue both for an ornament in the Temple and for a memoriall of thinges past vnto the ignorant As indeed saith hee France hath and suffereth them howsoeuer it be held and reputed for a great abhomination to worshippe them and so likewise the case standeth with Germany In briefe that it is a plaine and manifest fault ignorance error and superstition to fall down before the Images of Saintes but yet that the offenders are to bee reclaimed by reason not by curses in asmuch as that it can hardlie bee belieued that they abiding and continuing in the free and holy confession of the blessed Trinitie should haue anie purpose or resolution to turne aside to the worshipping of Idols But how far I pray you was the beliefe of the French and Germaine Churches at that time that is about the yeare 850. differing from the faith and beliefe of the times that now are yea and what great oddes is there betwixt the present and that which Ionas held and belieued notwithstanding that he was fullie armed and prouided for the defence of Images And indeed Nicetas teacheth vs that euen in the time of Fredericke Barberossa about the yeare 1160. Nicetas in vita Isaac Angel l. 2. the worshipping of Images was forbidden the Germaines For sayeth hee as hee tooke surprised Philippople the Armenians staying in the Cittie did not estrange themselues because of the Germaines inasmuch as the worshipping of Images was condemned and vtterlie detested both of the one and the other As also Anastasius the Library-keeper in his Epistle vnto pope Iohn the eight Anno. 1160. Anast Bibliot in praef in Syn. Nycen 2. witnesseth that the worshipping of Images was freelie receiued in his time in the Church of Rome but not in France and this was about the yeare 900. But the storie following will make vs to see the truth much more clearelie It is therefore to bee known that in the yeare 824. the Emperours Michaell and Theophilus the Father and the Sonne being troubled in the East about the contention raised for Images the same not being possiblie able to bee quieted by the second Councell of Nice doe send Embassadors of purpose vnto the Emperour Lewes and Lotharius in France setting before them on the one side the superstitions that were practised about Images since the breaking out of this pretended Councell on the other side the seueritie vsed for the beating downe and suppressing of them euerie where that so the very rootes of superstition might be plucked vp and dye desiring their best aduise and councell therupon Synod Paris Ann. 825. Lewes and Lotharus for the shaping of their answere caused a verie famous Nationall Synod to be holden at Paris which is yet forth comming entire and whole wherein the learned that were assembled made a collection of the iudgementes and opinions of all the auncient writers vppon this point and the same was sent with a goodlie Epistle from the whole Synod vnto the said Lewes and Lotharus by the hands of Halitgarius and Amalarius Bbs. Halitgarius The summe and brief wherof behold as followeth That with speciall care they haue read the letters of Pope Adrian the first who ordained that Images should be worshipped calling them Saintes and pretending that it was the way to great holines to serue and worship them which with the leaue of his pontificall authoritie bee it spoken is contrarie to the truth and cannot be auouched without the note of vndiscreetnes superstition and error and that all the places whereuppon hee groundeth himselfe whether they bee out of the Scriptures or out of the old Writers are drawne by the haire and that the same was likewise well aduertised the Emperour Charles the Great by Engelbert the Abbot sent for the same purpose vnto him who finding himselfe hardlie pressed did in the end declare and make known that he would containe and keepe himselfe within those limits and boundes which Saint Gregorie had drawne and set downe which were that Images might be had for memorials and remembrance sake but for to worshippe or honour them was open impietie That this superstition did afterward preuaile in some Countries partlie through ignorance and partlie through mischieuous custome and that in very deed they are not ignorant how that the Seat and Sea of S. Peter is tainted and defiled with this plague and pestilent error Pessimae consuctudinis vsu for so they call it but that as yet sustained and strengthned by Gods grace they had not giuen it place of entrance in France and by his further fauour and assistance aiding them they ment not to giue it anie more in anie time to come To this end they brought in all the places before by vs alleadged out of the Fathers that all along in their whole answer but it shall be more fit and conuenient to reade thē as they are there set down in the Synode then tomake any repetition of them here again If any should goe about to establish this action and course of worshipping Idols with custome Their originall is from the Pagans Egyptians Simon Magus Carpocrates c. That God is not to bee found out or knowne by his old age but by his eternitie That this is in summe to run as Ieremie sayth after the
Epistle which he writ vnto the Gnosians about the yeare 170. disswadeth Pynitus who laboured to bring in the condition of a single life amongst his brethren that is amongst his fellow ministers That he would not impose the heauie yoke of a single life vpon his brethren as of necessitie to be obserued but rather that he would haue regard vnto the infirmitie of many And it is to be noted that in the Index expurgatorius Ind. Expurg pag. 76. the Councell of Trent ordained that Langus should be raced which had noted the same in his annotations vpon Nicephorus And Spiridion vsed the like custome Sozomen l. 1. c. 11. Eccles histor l. 10. c. 5. Tripart l. 1. c. 10. who being ordained Bishop of Cypres was reported by Sozomene to haue beene neither worse in that which concerned pietie nor lesse diligent in his charge and whom the story calleth a person of the order of the prophets hauing a daughter whose name was Irene And so likewise in Dionisius Faustinian Syluerus Cecilius Sergius Hormysdas Talatus Valerius Tertullian Leo and Felix all Bishoppes and Priestes and confessed by our aduersaries themselues to bee maried Athan. in ep ad Dracont and in many others of these first ages of whome Athanasius reporteth that hee knew in his time many Bishoppes yea many Monkes that had children and this continued for many ages after To be briefe the determination of the Synode is expresly for the same as it was set downe in the first generall Councell of Nice about the yeare 330. where it hauing argued by many that from that time forward Bishops priestes Deacons and Subdeacons should not lie with their wiues Paphnutius a Confessor rose vp and said Mariage is honourable and the companie of a lawful wife is chastitie as we shall declare more at large hereafter Whereupon all the Councell being moued Socrat. l. 1. c. 8. Sozom. l. 1. c. 22. it was left to the libertie of ecclesiasticall persons to continue maried c. Neither will the lie or double dealing which Bellarmine chargeth vpon Socrates and Sozomene the ecclesiasticall historiographers in this place bee sufficient to salue the sore CHAP. IX What bath beene the manner of growth and proceeding of the ordinance of abstaining from mariage in the Romish Church vntill the time of Calixtus his decree ANd thus behold we are come to the first councel of Nice a notable Period of the Christian Church ended shut vp with a law containing great fauour to the cause which we defend But notwithstanding let vs not perswade our selues that this spirit of lying 1. Timoth. 4.2 wherewith the Apostle hath threatned vs was asleepe all this while but rather that vnder the shape of an Angell of light he was sowing the doctrine of the Deuill vnder the hypocriticall maske of chastitie he set vp the standart of shamefastnesse and honestie but in deed bringing in all lasciuiousnesse foolish loue adulteries and yet worse then all these into the world Abstinente from mariage proceeded from the Gentils Hieronym l. 2. contr Ioum. Clem. Alex l. 3 The Christian Church was compounded of Iewes and Gentils and was not wel at ease till it had brought their leauen into it Now the spirite of fornication had so blasoned marriage amongst the Gentiles as that it was forbidden to many of their Priestes namely to their Hierophantes who as we reade did make themselues chast with the vse of hemlocke to those which were consecrate to the Mother of the Gods and to those of Egypt c. And of them saith Clement the first heretickes learned to condemne marriage And the heretickes called Essaei about the time of the wearing away and declining of the Iewish religion had likewise learned of the Gentiles but especially of the Pythagoreans as saith Iosephus to contemne and dispise marriage Ioseph Antiquit l. 15. c. 13. l. 18. de bell Iudaic. c. 2. Philo apud Eus l. 8. Epiphan l. 1. t. 1. and those are they of whom Philo speaketh and not any Christian Monkes as wee haue obserued before Likewise Epiphanius teacheth vs that this superstition passed on euen to the Scribes and Pharisies whereby we need not doubt but that by the husbandrie of the spirit of lying it glided forward very smoothly First amongst the heretikes called Marcionites and Gnostikes who by Irenaeus and Epiphanius are reported to abhorre and detest mariage altogether grounding themselues vpon an vncertaine Gospell written as Clement saith by the Egiptians The Manichies also who defended the same at the least in their elect and chosen and finally by contagion into the Church of Christ The dispute which is in S. Paule affordeth a liuely round testimony as the thing is 1. Cor. 7. For let vs not thinke that Saint Paul fighteth there with his shadow but that he maketh way for his entrance into the matter namely that to liue and leade a single life is not fitting all men that hee hath no commandement from God for virgines that hee would not put a snare about their necke that he that cannot containe himselfe should marrie And in another place he stretcheth this generalitie vnto the seuerall kindes and sorts of people as meaning thereby to represse and beate downe the lightnesse of young widowes counselling them to marrie and to keepe the Bishops in the way of giuing good example to direct them in expresse and plaine tearmes euen so farre as to say Ehiphan l. 1. c. 2. haeres 25. that the forbidding of mariage is the doctrine of Deuils c. Then it infected Nicholas one of the seuen Deacons Epiphanius reporteth that he seeing that many were admired and highly accompted of by reason of the leading of a single life resolued and renounced his wife notwithstanding that she was a faire and beautifull woman then not being able to contain himself neither for shame to returne vnto her again he gaue himselfe as did likewise all his sect followers to all kind of vncleannes euen to the committing of Sodomitrie perswading himselfe that all was holy vnto him or at the least tollerable prouided that he came not neare his wife to touch her And as there is not any sect so infamous but it hath his followers so there was no wast of these kind of people in Asia being a delicious pleasant country who of their captaine were called Nicolaitanes But S. Iohn who taught in the cities of Asia did oppose and set himself in his holy and godly zeale against this seducing deceiuer and shut the Church dores against him The Apostles for the most part being dead Apocal. 2. and thereby the great lights wholy and for euer eclipsed the spirit of darknes assured himself the better to work his feats but the holy scriptures which they had in this point left so cleare and bright Apocripha bookes did stand in his way to his great trouble Wherevpon he opposeth and deuiseth others against theirs namely Apocripha
and bastardly writings against the canonicall and manifest bookes of the scriptures As for example a certaine pamphlet of the peregrination of S. Paul Tecla made by a priest the contents therof are that S. Paule hauing found this young maid betrothed to a certain man named Themirus in Iconium Tertul. de baptism Ambros de virginit Hieronym de script Eccesiast did so ouercome her by the praises of virginity as that hee should take her away from her espoused husband drawing and leading her after him throughout the world that he had put a vaile vpon her and giuen her power to do the like to others as also to teach and baptise Now thinke with your selues how answerable this is to the scope of S. Paul his doctrine who teacheth that wiues should cleaue to their husbands who will not haue them to speak in the Church c. S. Iohn who was as yet aliue saw the book caused the priest to come before him coÌ„uinced him of hauing forged it deposed him from his ministerie and for the instruction of the posterity to come condemned the booke which booke notwithstanding the Monks of our time haue absolued set at liberty againe vnder the name of the legend of Tecla for the founding of their Monkery although it haue beene reiected put downe again since the first time by Pope Gelasius And therby we learne how to esteeme think of the traditions which they thrust vpoÌ„ vs vnder the name of the Apostles also of those goodly books wherupon they so build stay theÌ„selues the ProtoeuaÌ„gelion Abdias the Babilonian such like After false and counterfeit scriptures what remained but a forged and false holy Ghost Montanus And here behold starteth out Montanus his Comforter about the yeare 230. who buckleth himselfe with speare and shield to bid mariage the combate He maketh Tertullian holding a hot and fierie pen Tertul. de Monogam his champion especially after that being turned about vpon a certain conceiued spight and stomack he had embraced the heresie of Montanus but yet not being able to purchase the establishing of a single life to be obserued by the Priestes he standeth and striueth that they may not be permitted any moe then one single mariage he presseth I say and vrgeth that against the sincere and Orthodoxe Church falling vpon the same in plaine tearmes with bitter reproaches for the practising of the contrary And in as much as he was a man of great reputatioÌ„ he caused to fall away a great number after him wherby we may see that some thinke that they haue neuer sufficiently praised virginitie if they reproach not and speake euill of the married estate and life others make scruple that maried persons should administer holy thinges Euseb in l. 9. de monst c. 9. Opinions which at the first were amongst some few the seedes whereof we haue in Eusebius Origen vttered in some dumbe and muttering manner and defended as yet in very faint and feeble sorte That it seemeth to them that it would doe better so that the Bishops might bee at more leasure to receiue this great multitude of people which flocke in so fast vnto Christianitie c. And which notwithstanding within a while after had so farre prospered and preuailed Prouincial Synodes c. 10. 2. c. 19. Concil Elibert c. 33. Concil Arelat c. 2. D. 16. Concil Ancyr c. 10. as that in the Prouinciall Synode held at Neocaesarea it is said That the Priest that is married shall bee deposed and hee that shall commit adulterie shall bee reiected of the Church And in the Synode assembled at Rome That he that shall bee married shall bee depriued and put from his charge for tenne or twelue yeares And in that of Elibert in Spaine That Church men shall abstaine from their wiues vppon paine of being degraded And in that of Arles the second somewhat more mildly That married men shall bee no more receiued or admitted vnto the same and all these were held vnder Pope Syluester the first before the Councell of Nice which fell to bee in the time of Pope Iulius the first And in that of Ancyra That the Deacons which shall protest that they cannot contain themselues may marie but with the licence of the Bishop Thus the presumption of man runneth on headlong when once it hath taken liberty to it selfe further then the word of God doth graunt it In the end The generall Councell of Nâ—ce D. 31. C Nicena Synodus the question alreadie forestalled by these Prouinciall Synodes commeth to be debated and examined in the Councell of Nice The writ giuen out the parties heard the holy scripture sitting as Iudge by the report of Paphnutius an old man who had beene alwaies maried and suffered much for the testimony of the truth setting before them the pollutions manifold vncleannes which might spring vp in the Church by this inforcement vnto a single and vnmaried life it falleth out that the libertie of mariage as wee haue seene remaineth whole and entire vnto the Church men And yet so great is the subtiltie and wilinesse of the Deuill and of such power with fraile weak men is a preiudicate opinion when it hath once taken further libertie theÌ„ euer the word of God did giue it as that rather then all shold be lost they wold be content with small pay so they obtain That those which shal haue beene receiued into the ecclesiasticall orders vnmaried shall not be permitted to marry because of the tradition of the Church Euen as it fell out with Montanus his Spirite of Comfort who not being able to obtaine a lawe for the cutting off of second mariages in the laitie did forciblie and violently wrest it out against ecclesiasticall persons Now this generall Councell became a bridle vnto superstition for some time and held backe the execution of the Canons of these Prouinciall Synodes in as much as the most famous notable Bbs. from out of all the nations and prouinces of Christendome were found to be present at the same Hosius Bb. of Corduba did subscribe thereunto for Spaine Mantuan de Hilario Non nocuit tibi progenies non obstitit vxor legitimo coniuncta thoro who carried away with him from thence instructions for the correcting of the Canon of Elibert Hillarius Bb. of Poitiers so renowned much spoken of in auncient writers who without all contradiction was married testifieth likewise that it was obserued and kept amongst the Frenchmen notwithstanding the Synode of Arles And so likewise of other prouinces as appeareth by Oceanus Numidicus Seuerius Restitutus Cheremon Philogonius Apollinaris and Synesius all of all them Bbs. or famous priestes who liued and exercised their charges with great commendation yet were maried Whereunto for an ouerplus we will adde Gregorie Nazianzene his father S. Basil his father and Gregorius Nyssenus his brother Greg. Nazian in Monach. Niceph. de Basil Mantuanus Praesule
patre satus nam tunc id iura sinebant Pastorale pedum gessit post funera patris Sozom. l. 3. c 44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Gangrens c. 4. Epipha l. 2. t. 1 haeres 59. contra Cathar all Bbs. and great men in their time But this Nicene Councell was not better executed in any place then in Armenia by the diligent endeuour of the fathers of the Councell of Gangres Now Sozomene saith that a certain Bb. in those countries called Eustathius brought in new deuises amongst other did forbid the mariage of the Elder of the Church commanding all men to abstaine and refraine the praiers and Sacraments administred by such as were maried as prophane and polluted and vnder the shadowe of holinesse this abuse preuailed in certaine countries the neighbour Bishops not daring to make head against it Those then who had beene present at the Councell of Nice being returned condemned his Monkerie and sutable to that of Nice they make the Canon vnder mentioned If any man put difference betwixt a maried Priest and another let him be accursed About some 40 yeares after Iouinianus was not thought to speake highly enough in the commendation of virginity S. Ierome maketh himselfe an aduersary partie in the matter and taketh him vp very roughly as it was his manner to doe in all other things And Epiphanius in the Greeke Church becommeth of a strong opinion that the Church ought not to receiue into the priesthood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such persons as yet did beget children These were the remainders of the old leauen that had beene cast out in the Councell of Nice And these men did not thinke themselues to haue praised virginitie sufficiently if they had not detracted from the married estate and yet both of them the gifts of God as Iustine and Clement doe both of them teach verie well Of this controuersie did rise hyperbolicall and improper kinds of speech about this doctrine which by reason of the reputation of the persons deliuering them did proue to be of great moment in the Church and yet notwithstanding to signifie that the vse and practise of the church was contrary to their opinion Hieronym l. 1. contr Iouinia S. Ierome teacheth vs in the example of Bb. Carterius who had had two wiues that without contrarying of the precept of S. Paul 1. Tim. 3. that the Bbs. of his time might be maried Against Iouinian he vseth these words If Samuel brought vp in the temple was maried what maketh that against virginity Are there not at this day priests enough maried and that so far as that in some places he would break forth into some signes of anger that there was choice made rather of such as were maried then others And against Vigilantius hee saith That in his time the Deacons were maried before they were made Deacons Sacerdotes Idem contra Vigil to the end that they might afterward be promoted preferred to higher dignities orders very contrary to that which he would seeme to conclude out of S. Paul namely that those which had been maried might be made Bbs. prouided that they were not so any more But wee haue shewed before that he letteth not to be contrary to himselfe And as for Epiphanius how hard soeuer he be yet he praiseth a Bb. of Cōstantinop for that he was descended frō a priestly race teacheth vs that in his time it was an vsual thing for priests Deacons Subdeacons to haue wiues and children He addeth that it is against the Canons But what Canons considering what we haue shewed out of the scriptures and pretended canons of the Apostles out of Ignatius Clemēt Tertul. al the old writers Chrysost contra heretic yea frō the generall Councel it self which was held at Nice And therfore Chrysost himselfe in that point vnto him and that roundly maintaining that mariage is no impeachment vnto pietie seeing that Moyses Peter and the Centurion were maried and that S. Paule hath freed and set the Church at libertie from such heresies Idem in 1. Tim. 3. when he placed mariage in the Episcopall chaire and seate of the Bishops themselues And although that these disputes had left some doubt and scruple in some places of the East as in Thessalia where hee that was married after hee had taken orders in the Church was put out of his place yet Socrates telleth vs that this was against the custome of other Churches Socrat. l. 5. c. 22. Nicephor and that as many famous Bishops in the East did abstain from mariage of their owne voluntarie inclinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not compelled thereto by any law so also very many during the time of their exercising of their Bishoprickes had did beget children of their lawfull wiues and that in the houses belonging to their Bishoprickes In the end notwithstanding the authoritie of the scriptures of the old Church of this famous worthy Councell the Church of Rome Syricius his law about the yeare 400. made a firme stable law of these particular opinions And in deed from whence could it rise or spring but from the mother of fornications seeing that according to the prophecie of Paphnutius she was to broach and set abroad Sodomitrie throughout the whole world And whereas this law is fathered vpon Syricius it may be that he hath wrong Syricius ep 4. c. 9. Innoc. 3. c. 1. ep 3. D. 27. 32. 81. 82. in like manner as certaine decretal Epistles written concerning the same matter may seeme falsly to be attributed to Vrbanus the first Lucius the first and Calixtus the first for thus they haue delighted and pleased themselues to abuse the people vnder the colour of antiquitie Wherefore it saith Suademus sacerdotib Leuitis c. Our aduice councell is to priests and Deacons not to lie any more with their wiues because they are occupied in the ordinarie Ministerie then it fowlloweth that they were married as yet at that time D. 14. c. Is qui C. Christiano But this milde aduice ended in a fierce and furious commination in these words If anie man carie himselfe contrarie to this Canon be it knowen to him that he is not to be partaker of our Communion and furthermore that he is to indure the paines of the infernal Lake 1. Cor. 7. And by the Consuls concerning the date it appeareth that this Epistle was written in the yeare 405. But that which the Apostle calleth The bed vndefiled it there calleth Carnall concupiscence And whereas the Apostle hath tearmed him blamelesse that is the husband of one onely woman it interpreteth it that it is vpon condition that he shall forsake her cease to keep any company with her adding this reason Because that they which are in the flesh cannot please God And shall God then haue commanded a man to displease him for he hath ordained and appointed That they shal be two one
the cause why the verse saith O bone Calixte nunc omnis Clerus odit te Quondam Presbyteri poterant vxoribus vti c. And Polydore Virgil writeth that aboute the yeare 1100. marriage was taken from ecclesiasticall persons in the Westerne Church Polydor. l. 5. as shall appeare true hereafter in other nations Now our good Fathers of Trent haue not forgotten to note down in their Index Expurgatorius that these words Coniugium quando Sacerdotib Occidentalib interdictum should be raced out and others which we shall set down hereafter Index expurg pag. 195. CHAP. X. The further proceeding and growth of abstinence from Mariage and the full and peaceable establishing of the same vntill our time THis thing wil further verifie it selfe by the sequele of other nations In England Some holde that the Gospell came into England in the yeare 170. so that they heard not of abstaining from marriage till such time as Augustine the Monke was sent vnto them from S. Gregorie to establish the Romane ceremonies there The beginning there was with the preaching of the praises of chastitie and after by the planting of Monkes of the Order of S. Benet and in the end as other inuentions of Rome were laid for a foundatiō they assaied to bring in this single life Brithwoldus Bb. of Londō began about the year 714. assisted by the authoritie of Beda the Monks banding and opposing themselues against the Priestes the hypocrisie of the one against the loosenes which the people knew wel to be in the other but for this time without preuailing or profiting in their enterprise Otho Archb. of Canterburie about the yeare 950. declared marriage of Priestes to be hereticall but hee was conuinced mightilie by the authoritie of the scriptures and of the ancient Church so that his attempt tooke no better effect then his Predecessors On the contrary Elserus Prince of Marsh tooke vpon him the defence of the maried Priests against the Monks who had driuen them out of their Churches and set them in againe by force Polyd. Malmesburiens Dunstan a man much spoken of in stories for the Art Magicke doth reprehend and take him vp for the same verie sharpelie goeth to Pope Iohn the 13. at Rome and there offereth him his seruice a president example much commēded in the stories of that time bringeth backe with him the Archb. of Canterburie his Palliū for to succeede Otho as also thunderboltes newly forged and sharpened causeth a Councell to bee held at Winchester And yet notwithstanding the cause being debated and decided by the scriptures he was ouercome notwithstanding all the sophistrie that Etheluold the Monke whome he had brought from Scotland could bring out of his budget to help him withall Wherupon he presētly bethinketh himself of other sleights courses so it was fained that the Angel Gabriel had brought a certain schedule which condēned the mariage of priests And S. Paul saith vnto vs Although it shold be an angell from heauen c. Polyd. l. 6 M. Imsburiens And further in the heat of the disputation causeth a voice to be heard from behind a crucifixe These men do not well which maintaine the mariage of Priests The people being astonished vpon the cōming of the same the priests replied couragiously and saide that the voice of God could not bee contrarie to his own word And a Bb. of Scotland named Fathbodus amongst others being called thether by Elfred the K. as one recommended for his great godlines learning maketh all the faction and partakers of Dunstan to be ashamed and at their wits end Ranulph l. 6. c. 11. Capgranius Polyd l. 6. In which extremitie he hath recourse either to his magicke as some writers of that time do affirme or else to some other diuelish practise and saith I am now too old for to dispute but much more for to studie and yet you shall not carrie it away on this sort And by and by after hauing caused his aduersaries to bee called into a hall it shrunke vnder them and ouerwhelmed the greatest parte hee onely hauing prouided for his owne safetie stoode still vpright possessed his Archbishopricke in peace and established the Monkes of Saint Bennet in steade of the Priestes which were called Canons Regulars This was continued by king Canutus about the yeare 1020. in the Church of Cambridge and by K. Edward in that of Oxford c. And yet for all this priestes did not cease to take them wiues in England whether it were as some say that king William tooke a certaine tribute for to permit them or that the libertie thereof could not bee taken from them in so generall a contradiction and gainsaying at one blowe Anselm ad ad Arnulph The truth hereof appeareth by Anselmus the Archbishoppe of Canterburie his letters vnto Prior Arnulph which acknowledge that vnder the former king and Lanfranke the Archbishoppe his predecessor they had both Churches and wiues together Anselme then returning from Lyons out of exile helde a Councell at London aboute the yeare 1100. wherein after manie solemne protestations hee forbiddeth the Priests to marie A few yeares being ouerpassed there grew a general complaint throghout the whole realm that of abstaining from mariage they were come to fall to adulteries and incestes and from them to Sodomitrie and that it spreadeth by the infection and contagion thereof from the Cleargie to the Laitie and getteth whole Countries euen to the publike committing of the same Anselme thereupon made notable ordinances for the repressing of the same in a Synode held for the purpose in the Church of S. Paul in London he excommunicateth them which were conuicted of Sodomitrie vntill such time as they shal be thought worthy by reasō of their confession and penance to be absolued and the like to be done with thē who shal be furtherers vnto them in the cōmitting of this crime he ordaineth that such as are religious shal not be aduanced vnto higher order becomming by this his ouer mild and soft correction no lesse faultie then the offenders themselues On the contrary he excommunicateth the Priests who shall haue beene found talking with their wiues without two or three witnesses not contenting himselfe with hauing depriued them of their offices and benefices c. In the end the mischief cōtinuing he goeth being perplexed in his mind for a remidy vnto Rome wherupon the Pope in steade of hauing recourse to that which God hath ordained sent one Iohn of Creme a Cardinal into England with letters to the Cleargie of England that he should be receiued with all due reuerence as the Vicar of S. Peter and the like also to Dauid K. of Scotlād then keeping his Court at Roxbourg who caused the profession of a single and vnmaried life to become much more authentike that is caused the plant of Sodomie to propagate and multiplie far more plentifully in a Synode held at London Ranulph
ages did euer acknowledge the Purgatorie of the Church of Rome BVt say they if we should go to it but according to mans reason would not it giue sentence with vs that so many persons as die so quickly haue need of this manner of purging their soules departing impure and vncleane out of this world and so vnfit to be receiued into heauen with that their pollution Wherevnto we answere them that the barre and iudgement seat that is directed by humane reason hath no place in the Church that in that skill of the law which professeth the defence and maintenance of Christianitie it is a shame to speake without testimonie and authoritie out of the word and that a great deale more then to speake in the ciuill law without law But how much more shame is it then when a man vndertaketh to speake for Christianitie and holdeth a course contrarie to the scriptures And this we haue learned from the ancient writers Tertullian Let vs reuerence the fulnesse of the scriptures if we will not vndergoe the woe ordained for such as adde vnto them Basill This is to fall away from the faith either to cast away and cut off any parte of that which is written or to adde any thing that is not Chrysostome The thoughtes of the hearers halt when they haue a doctrine deliuered them without any scripture S. Augustine Let vs see if this be taught in the law or prophets or in the Gospell or Epistles Gerson in like manner Let vs suspect all manner of reuelations if they bee not confirmed by the law and the Prophetes But these ancient fathers here alleadged haue also belieued Purgatorie Let vs admit that it is so as it is not in deed yet we answere as we haue done before that we do not allow of the old fathers as lawgiuers in the Church For there is but one law maker saith the Apostle euen Iesus Christ and themselues tooke it as an iniurie offred vnto them to be so reputed only they accompted of themselues as expounders of the law ordained by our Lord and of the scriptures which he hath left vs. And this is the greatest honour that can be giuen them in the Church and in this respect and consideration we honour their bookes we weigh and ponder their expositions where they are found to differ one from another we endeuour our selues to make our choice of the best euen those which come neerest vnto the analogie and proportion of faith If wee doe otherwise if wee admit of them as authours of doctrines and not interpretors wee shall be in danger to bee as we said Anabaptistes with Saint Cyprian Montanistes with Tertullian Chiliastes with Ireneus c. In stead that wee are to abide and continue Christians with Christ whose voice the sheepe heare who alone hath the woraes of eternall life Now we haue heretofore cited all the Doctors to the interpreting of the places produced and alleadged by our aduersaries for purgatorie who could not see it there where they did find it who for the most part haue in the said places found the contrarie and yet we will proceed on further as namely to shew that the auncient fathers haue affirmed such Maximes as wherewith the Romish Purgatorie cannot stand As that when they haue at any time spoken of it they doe it not affirmatiuely but doubtfully and not as of an article of religion but as of a fantasie or opinion that may bee propounded and receiued for arbitrarie that for the most parte what they haue saide cannot agree with that which wee are in controuersie about at this day And finally that if they had belieued it for a necessarie article they had collected and gathered from thence as from a principle of faith such corollaries consequences as wee see at this day which neuer came to light till a long time after one long after another and that by the succession of many ages And to the end that this may more clearely be seene let vs call to mind at our entrance into the same what purgatorie it is whereof we speake as namely of a certaine third place whither the soules of the faithfull dead in the faith of Christ go at the time of their departure out of this life there to bee tormented with fire before they bee receiued into the place of blisse yea and that so long as vntill by the praiers and suffrages of those that are liuing there be satisfaction made for the temporall punishments due for the same and that all the spottes of vncleannesse bee purged and cleansed away that is for that say they vnto vs by faith in Christ wee haue remission of the fault and sinne onely and not of the eternall punishment due to the same which by the fauour and power of the keies is changed from being eternall and made temporall and for that wee must of necessitie satisfie this temporall punishment either in this life or in the life to come by our selues or by some others c. And now behold the Maxims of the ancient fathers contrarie to Purgatorie The propositions held by the old writers contrarie to purgatory Basil reg bren inter 10. 13. Ambr. in Luc. l. 10. c. 22. The first that God by Iesus Christ doth wholly and altogether deface and blot out both the sinne and the punishment S. Basill Thesoule wallowing in the mire of sinne how can it approach or come neere vnto God verily by constantly and stedfastly belieuing that the purging and cleansing of his sinnes is accomplished by the blood of Iesus Christ in the multitude of the mercies of God according to that which he himselfe hath spoken If your sinnes were as red as skarlet they shall be made as white as the wooll Saint Ambrose We embrace and take hold on Christ that so hee may say vnto vs be not afraide of the sinnes of this worlde neither of the floodes of afflictions which vexe and besiege the bodie J am the remission of sinnes c. Saint Augustine August de verb. Dom. ser 37. 31. Idem de Trini l. 4 c. 2. Christ in taking vpon him the punishment and not the fault hath blotted out and vtterly defaced both the fault and punishment due to the same Againe Wee liue not in this world without sinne but wee shall go out of this world without sinne Againe What shall wee pray for in this life verily that wee may finde remission and forgiuenesse in the worlde to come What profiteth this pardon and forgiuenesse it wipeth not away the staine He that acknowledgeth a wrinkle laboureth to smooth and make it plaine And where then are our wrinkles stretched out and smoothed c. verily vpon the crosse of Christ for vpon this crosse hee hath shed his blood and this is that whereby the Church is cleansed from all spottes and wrinkles as a thing verie cleane and bright c. Againe There is but one purging of the vniust the blood of that iust