the lye whereunto his heart was inclined But in the Councell of Constantinople holden after the Councels of Ariminum and Seleucia he transferred all the blame vpon Aëtius whom the Emperour banished so that it is a strange thing that this errour should haue had the name also from such a feeble patron as Eudoxius was to be called the errour of Eudoxiani Macedonius rather by the authoritie of the Emp. Constantius then by the consent of the people was made Bishop of Constantinople Paulus lawfull Bishop of Constantinople was banished to Cucusus a towne of Armenia and there hee was strangled by the Arrians also 3150. of the people were slaine and troden vnder feete at his violent entrie This bloody Tyrant denyed the diuinitie of the holy Ghost He was deposed by the Emperours procurement because hee durst presume at his owne hand to transport the bones of the Emp. Constantine from one Church to another His followers were abhorred more then any other branch of the Arrian heresie for their inconstancie They sent Messengers to Liberius Bishop of Rome and consented in all points to the Nicene Faith but afterward like vnto dogges they returned to their vomit a gaine Hee was damned as a notable heretike by the second Generall Councell gathered at Constantinople by the Emperour Theodosius Anno. 386. He died in a little Village neere to Constantinople and Eudoxius obtained his place Photinus Bishop of Sirmium in Illyria was the Disciple of Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra in Galatia These two renewed both the heresie of Sabellius and Samosatenus and augmented the blasphemous opinion of Samosatenus with this addition That the kingdome of Christ was not euerlasting but it had a beginning when he was borne of the Virgin should haue an end at the latter day This heresie hath the name from the disciple and not the master in regard that Marcellus continued not so obstinately in his errour as did Photinus his disciple but renounced his errour was receiued into the fellowship of the Church in the Councell of Sardica but Photinus was deposed at the Councell of Sirmium and banished by the Emperour Constantine Neuerthelesse after his deposition banishment he continued obstinately in his errour wrote bookes both in Latine and Greeke in defence of his heresie whereby his name became infamous and he was counted the author of this heresie Audaeus was a man of Syria vnder the raigne of Valentinian and his brother Valens He published an errour That God was like the similitude of a mans bodie This errour hee conceiued through wrong vnderstanding of the words of Scripture wherein it is said Let vs make man in our owne Image according to our likenesse With this errour many vnlerned Aegyptian Monkes were intangled They pretended great innocencie and chastitie in their liues and separated themselues from the societie of the Church couering their impietie with this pretext that they saw vsurers and vncleane persons tolerated in the Church About this time saith Theodoretus that is in the dayes of Valentinianus and Valens sprang vp the heresie of Messaliani Albeit this name be vnquoth yet the Greeke names giuen vnto this heresie are more significatiue they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they counted prayer the onely exercise necessary to the children of God euen as if a man could talke with God by prayer before he hath first heard God talking with him by the preaching of the Word Likewise they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men rauished in the spirit after long continuance in prayer When they were transported and out of their wits then they supposed that the holy spirit was sensibly infused into them whereby their bodies were made free of all perturbation and their soules were auerted from all inclination to euill in such sort that they had no neede of fasting to subdue their bodies nor of Doctrine to restraine the disordered affections of their soules This Pestilent heresie was ouerspred in many places but it was mightily suppressed by Letoius B. of Meletina Amphilachius B. of Iconium in Lycaonia Flaniāus B. of Antiochia who with great dexterity drew out a cōfession out of the mouth of Adelphius an aged man a propagator of this heresie in Edessa This Heresie albeit it had many patrons such as Dadoes Sabas Adelphius Hermas Simeones yet from none of them it receiued the name but rather from the actions and passions wherevnto they inclined Apollinaris Bishop of Laodicea in Syria gloried in the quickenesse of his wit and delighted to make contradiction to euery thing that any man could speake and so it came to passe as Ruffinus writeth Heresim ex contentione generauit that is to say Through contention he procreated an heresie affirming that in the dispensation of Christes Incarnation hee assumed the body of a man onely but not the soule of a man because his diuinitie supplied the place of his soule And when hee was argued by euident places of Scripture that Christ in his humane nature was a perfect man hauing not onely a body but also the soule of a man as when he sayd His soul was heauy vnto the death left he should haue seemed to bee vtterly conuinced and ouercome hee confessed that Christes bodie was quickned with a naturall life but the diuinitie o f Christ was in place of a reasonable soule This heresie was damned in Councels conueened at Rome Alexandria and Constantinople Hee augmented the schisme at Antiochia where there had beene alreadie three factions to wit Eustatiani Meletiani and Pauliniani Now Apollinaris dwelling in Laodicea a towne of Syria neere approaching to Antiochia hee was the author of the fourth faction In the dayes of Iulian hee compiled histories of Scripture in Greeke Poesie In the dayes of Valentinian and Gratian he defended his Heresie In the dayes of the Emperour Theodosius he concluded his life His sonne in name learning and bad vse of excellent gifts was like vnto his father Vitalius presbiter in Antiochia was a serious defender of the heresie of Apollinaris in so much that the followers of Apollinaris were called Vitaliani Donatus was a Bishop in Numidia who contended with vnsupportable hatred against Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage challenging him that he had receiued ordination from Foelix Altungensis who was proditor that is who in time of persecution had deliuered the booke of holy Scripture to be burnt or as others say because hee admitted to an Ecclesiasticall office a Deacon who had committed the like fault The cause of Cecilianus was oft agitat before the Councell of Carthage before Miltiades B. of Rome before the Councell of Arles and by the Emp. Constantine but the Donatistes at all times succumbed in probation Therefore they were enraged because they could not accomplish their wicked designes against Cecilianus they fell from the vnity of the Church Inueterate schismes oft times
in office aboue the space of two yeeres And after him Gulielmus ruled fifteene yeeres After whom succeeded Fulcherus and continued Patriarch twelue yeeres Hee was hated of Raymond master of the Templaries who caused the bells to bee rung in the time when hee preached to the people so that the people could not profit by hearing his Sermons For this cause he went to Rome to complaine of the iniuries done vnto him but some of the Cardinalls were corrupted with money so that he obtained nothing at the hands of Adrian the fourth who was Pope at that time and so returned againe with shame After him followed Amalricus and ruled two and twenty yeeres In whose dayes Saladinus a Prince of the Turkes recovered Ierusalem out tht hands of the Christians Of other Pastors and Doctors FRom the beginning of this Compend I haue kept this order that I haue not overcharged a little booke with mention-making of all things that are written neither haue I pretermitted in the heads which I entreat matters of greatest importance so farre as my memory and vnderstanding could comprehend In this age the Scholastique Doctors began to arise of whom Petrus Lombardus was the first who afterward was made Bishop of Paris but I supersede to write of them vntill the next Centurie Arnulphus was an eloquent man and a mighty preacher who reprooved the Clergie of Rome for the lewdnesse of their conversation Wherefore the Clergie hated him and drowned him secretly in the night time as hath been declared in the historie of the life of Honorius the second At this time was set forth a booke called Opus Tripartitum Arnulphus was supposed to bee the Author thereof It contained an heavie complaint of the enormities and abuses of the Church of the number of their holy-dayes and all lusts of vncleannesse according to the saying of whores and naughty women who bragged that they gained more in one day then in fifty other dayes Likewise it complained of the curious singing in Cathedrall Churches whereby many are occasioned to spend much time in singing which might bee better spent in more necessarie sciences It also complained of the rabble and multitude of begging Fryers shewing what idlenesse and vncomely behaviour hath proceeded thereof Also it toucheth the vnchaste and voluptuous behaviour of Church men aggravating their faults by the similitude of storks who are accustomed to beate those storkes out of their number that having a mate ioyne themselues vnto another What then is to bee done with Church-men who professing chastity doe defile other mens houses so that the stinke of their vncleannesse is knowne to the whole world Finally it wisheth reformation to begin at the Sanctuary as the Prophet speaketh In this age also was Vualdus a Merchant-man of Lions in France whom God enlightned with the true knowledge of his word and remooved from the eyes of his minde the common vaile of ignorance that overcovered the eyes of the most part of men who liued at this time in such sort that albeit Antichrist was sitting in the chaire of Christ yet very few either perceived him or abhorred his tyrannie This man Vualdus was stirred vp by God after this manner Some of the chiefest heads-men of Lions were walking abroad and it chanced one of them the rest looking on to fall downe by sudden death This Vualdus being one of the company and a rich man beholding the matter more earnestly then the rest was touched with a deepe and earnest repentance whereupon followed a carefull study to reforme his former life in so much that hee first begun to distribute large almes to the poore and to instruct his familie in the knowledge of the Word of God and to exhort all them who resorted vnto him to repentance and amendment of life The Bishops envyed the travels of Vualdus nothing regarding the words of holy Scripture Let the Word of God dwell plentifully in you and edifie one another with Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs And being mooved with great malice against him threatned to excommunicate him if hee ceased not from catechizing those who resorted to him But Vualdus neglecting the threatnings of the wicked sayd hee must rather obey God then men Whereupon followed cruell persecution of him and of all his adherents So that they were compelled to fly from Lions and the Bishop seazed vpon their goods These were called Waldenses or Pauperes de Lugduno The doctrine and articles which they professed were these 1. That onely the holy Scripture is to bee believed in matters pertaining vnto eternall life and that it contayneth all things necessary to salvation 2. That there is onely one Mediator of God and man the man Christ Iesus and that Saints â—re not to be invocated as Mediators 3. That there is no Purgatorie fire but all men are either iustified by faith in Christ or else they are in the state of condemnation 4. That all masses namely such as are sung for the dead are wicked and to be abrogated 5. That all mens traditions are to be reiected at least not to be accounted necessary vnto salvation 6. That constrained and prefixed fasts bound to dayes and times difference of meats such variety of degrees and orders of Priests Fryers Monkes and Nunnes superfluous holy-dayes so many sundry benedictions and hallowing of creatures vowes peregrinations with all the rablement of such rites and ceremonies brought in by man should be abolished 7. The supremacie of the Pope vsurping aboue all Churches and especially aboue all politique Realmes and Governments or for him to vsurpe both the swords is to be denyed 8. That no degrees are to bee received into the Church but onely Priests Deacons and Bishops 9. The Communion vnder both kinds to bee necessarie to all people according to the institution of Christ. 10. That the Church of Rome is Babylon spoken of in the booke of the Revelation and the Pope the fountaine of errors and the very Antichrist 11. The Popes pardons and indulgences to be reiected 12. The mariage of Priests and men in spirituall offices they hold to be lawfull and necessary 13. Such as heare the true Word of God and beleeue it are the true Church of God to whom the keyes belong to driue away wolfes to institute true Pastors to preach the Word and to administer the Sacraments These are the most principall articles of Vualdenses to the which the rest may be reduced 14. Concerning the Supper of the Lord their faith was that it was ordayned to be eaten and not to bee shewed and worshipped for a memoriall not for a sacrifice to serue for the present ministration not for reservation to be received at the table not to be caryed out of the doores in pomp And this they proue by an old Chronicle called Chronica gestoruÌ„ and by the testimonie of Origen who writing vpon Levit. saith thus Whosoever receiveth this bread of Christs Supper vpon the
matter of Faith to be first entreated others craving that the liues of such as were accused or deposed should be first examined and both parties grounded themselues vpon the warrant of the Emperours letters The principall ring leaders of the one faction were Acacius Bishop of Caesarea Palestinae Georgius Bishop of Alexandria Vranius of Tyrus Eudoxius of Antiochia and their followers exceeded not the number of two and thirtie On the other side were Georgius Bishoppe of Laodicea in Syria Sophronius of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia Eleusius of Cyzicus and the greatest number of the Councell followed the opinion of these Bishops So it came to passe that the most part thought it expedient that the matter of Faith should bee first entreated After this the Councell was of new againe divided into three factions Acacius and his complices thought meete that the forme of Faith should bee altered The most part were in a contrary opinion that the summe of the Nicene Faith should be kept onely the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should bee left out Sylvanus Bishoppe of Tarsus was in the third opinion that the summe of Faith compiled in Antiochia at the dedication of the Temple should be kept Pluralitie of voyces prevayled that the Sonne of God should neither be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is like vnto his Father because in Scripture hee is called the image of the invisible God And they consented to excommunicate all those who called the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnlike vnto the Father Now Acacius and his complices who were indeede Anomaei would haue seemed to accord with the rest of the Councell but when it was demanded of them in what sense they counted the Sonne alike vnto the Father They answered that hee was like in will but not in substance After that much disputation and little agreement had beene Leonas a secret favourer of Acacius dissolved the assembly Neverthelesse the Fathers of the Councell convened to iudge the cause of Cyrillus Bishoppe of Hierusalem whom the Acacians had deposed and warned the Acacians to bee present but they would not compeare Therefore the Councell proceeded to the deposition of Georgius Bishop of Alexandria Acacius Bishop of Caesarea Vranius Bishoppe of Tyrus Patrophylus Bishope of Schythopolis and Eudoxius Bishop of Antiochia in whose place they substituted Avianus a Presbyter in Antiochia others call him Adrianus The Acacians layd hands on Avianus and delivered him into the hands of Leonas and Lauritius and they banished him The Councell protested against Leonas and Lauritius and the Acacians that they violated the Decree of the Councell and without further delay they addresse to Constantinople to giue information to the Emperour But the Acacians prevented the rest and misinformed the Emperour and accused the Councell and perswaded him to reiect the summe of Faith agreed vpon in Seleucia THe wrath of the Emperour against the Fathers of the Councell of Seleucia made the rest to bee dispersed only the Acacians remained stil in Constantinople and they gathered together fifty Bishops out of Bithynia and other neere adiacent places In this Synode they confirmed the summe of Faith read by Vrsatius and Valens in Ariminum It is iudiciously observed by Socrates that after the Councell of Nice the Arrians in the multiplyed conceits of their wauering minds set forth nine divers summes of faith to wit in the dedication of the Church of Antiochia two formes The third by those who adhered to Narcissus was exhibited to Constance in France The fourth was sent by Eudoxius to Italy In Sirmium three formes were indited whereof one was read in Ariminum with noting the names of the Consuls in whose time it was written The eight was the summe of Faith set forth in the Councell of Seleucia The ninth was the sum of faith set downe in Cōstantinople with this addition that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be silenced when Preachers spake of God Thus we see that there is no end of wandering when men haue once forsaken the narrow path of the truth of God THe Emp. Constantius the rest of the Arrians were like vnto a troubled sea that cānot take rest yet another coūcel must be gathered in Antiochia for abjuring both the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that in time to come no man shall call the Son of God consubstantiall with the Father nor yet of a different substance frō the Father The bishops conueened thought expedient before they intreated concerning the Faith that the chaire of Antiochia vacant at that time without a B. should first be prouided choise was made of Meletius some-time B. of Sebastia in Armenia Hee receiued ordination by Arrians who subscribed also to his admission their hand-writs were deliuered into the custody of Eusebius Samosatenus But when Meletius disappointed the expectatiō of the Arrians they procured his banishment that Euzoius should be placed in his stead Likewise Eusebius Samosatēus for no minassings threatnings of the Emp. would deliuer backe againe the subscriptions of the Arrians so that the Emp. both commended admired the magnanimous courage of Eusebius This Coūcel was holden in the 25 yeere of the raigne of Constantius In it the Arrians could not perfect their intended purpose to inuent a new sum of faith which would haue made not the tenth forme of faith indited by thē because Constātius got knowledge of the seditious attempts of Iulian he left the Councel to preueene the enterprises of Iulian but he fell sicke by the way and died at Cilicia Vnder the raigne of Iulian Iouinian some particular councels were assembled such as a Councel in Alexandria gathered by Athanasius Eusebius Vercellensis for dāning old heresies and confirming the Faith Another in Palestina for ordaining a B. in Maiuma Another in Antiochia by the Acacians vnder the raigne of Iouinian These wandering stars accustomed to accommodate themselues to times places and persons to gaine fauour at the Emperours hands they subscribe the Nicene Faith But I set forward to the rest LAodicea is the Metrapolitane towne of Phrygia and one of the seuen Churches of Asia to whom the Apostle Iohn when hee was banished in Pathmos for the word of God did write his Epistles This description I haue premitted to distinguish Laodicea of Syria a citie neere approaching to Antiochia and whereof frequent mention is made in the Ecclesiasticall Historie from Laodicea of Asia In this towne Laodicea of Asia a Synode was gathered after the death of Iovinian about the yeere of our Lord 368. Nothing was determined in this Councell concerning matters of Faith but onely constitutions concerning Ecclesiasticall policie were made in number 59. In this assembly the worshipping of Angels is damned as horrible idolatry and a forsaking
Bishops Elders and Deacons is recommended with abstinence euen from matrimoniall societie so earlie began men to bee wiser then God But in the twelfth Canon of the third Councell of Carthage it may bee perceiued that this constitution as disagreeable from Gods word was not regarded because Bishops in Africa married and had sonnes and daughters and these are inhibite to marrie with Infidels and Heretikes in the Canons a fore-saide The making of Chrisme and consecrating of holie Virgins is ordained onely to belong to Bishops The Canons of this Councell for the most part tend to this to aduance the authoritie of their Bishops fore-smelling as appeares the vsurpation of preheminence in the Bishops beyond sea THe third Councell of Carthage was assembled in the yeere of the Lord 399. Aurelius Bishop of Carthage seemeth to haue bin Moderatour of the Councell Augustine Bishop of Hippo was present Many good constitutions were accorded vpon in this Councell as namely that the Sacramentes should not bee ministred to the dead That the sonnes and daughters of Bishops and others in spirituall offices should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans Heretikes or Schismatikes The men in spirituall offices should not be intangled with secular businesse according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. verse 4. That men of the Cleargy should practise no kind of vsury That no man shall be ordained Bishop Elder or Deacon before hee haue brought all persons of his owne familie to the profession of Christian Religion That Readers who are come to perfect yeeres shall either marrie or els professe continencie That in the ministration of the Sacrament or Sacrifice to wit Eucharistike nothing should bee offered except bread and wine mixed with water of the fruites of the Cornes and Grapes That the Bishop of Rome should bee called the Bishop of the first seate but not the high Priest nor the Prince of Priestes That nothing except holy Canonicke Scripture should be read in the Churches vnder the name of holy bookes ABout the yeere of our Lord 401. vnder the raigne of Honorius was assembled againe a great nationall Councell in Carthage of 214. Bishops Augustine Bishop of Hippo was also present at this Councell Manie Canons were set downe in this Councell almost equall with the number of conueened Bishops That persons married for reuerence of the blessing pronounced to the marriage should not companie together the first night after their marriage That the Bishop should haue his dwelling place neere vnto the Church his house-holde-stuffe should be vncostly his fare should be course and vndelicate and that hee should conquiese authoritie vnto himselfe by fidelitie and vprightnesse of an holy conuersation That a Bishop should not spend time in reading the bookes of Pagans the bookes of Heretikes if necessitie required he might reade That a Bishop entangle not himselfe deepely with houshold businesse to the end hee may attend vpon reading Prayer and Preaching That a Bishop admit no man vnto a spirituall office without aduice of the Clergie and consent of the people That a Bishop without aduice of his Cleargie pronounce no sentence els it shall haue no force except they confirme it That a Bishop sitting shall not suffer a presbyter to stand That an assembly of Heretikes conueened together shall not be called Concilium but Conciliabulum That hee who communicateth with an Heretike shall be excommunicate whether he be of the number of the Laikes or of the Cleargie That such as refuse to giue vnto the Church the oblations of defunct persons shall bee excommunicate as murtherers of the poore Heere marke what is meaned by Oblationes Defunctorum not soul-masses said for the defunct but the charitie which they haue in testamentall legacy to the poore That no woman shal presume to baptize CENTVRIE V. COncerning Councels gathered in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius by Epiphanius in Cyprus and Theophilus in Alexandria vnder pretence of damning the bookes of Origen and in Constantinople first and last by the malice of Eudoxia the Emperour Arcadius wife to the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople I hope I haue not need to make a new declaration of things which are amply declared in the preceding history ABout the yeere of our Lord 419. a great number of Bishops were assembled in the Towne of Carthage whose names are particularly expressed in their Synodicke letters sent to Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome In this assemblie they damned the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius which hath been aboue rehearsed as hereticall The answer that Innocentius returned to the Councell is intermixed with words of swelling pride as if no Decree could be firme vntill it had allowance of the Romane chaire yet the fift Councell of Carthage had pronounced Anathema against the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius before they sent their letter to Innocentius Amongst the canons of this Councell the two last are to be remarked namely the fourteenth and fifteenth canon The one declareth that no Church was consecrated without the reliques of the Martyrs the other declareth that adoration of reliques at this time was the custome of Ethnickes supplication is appointed to be made to the Emperors that reliques which are found in Images groues or trees or such other places should bee abolished THe first Councell of Toledo in Spaine was assembled vnder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius The yeere of our Lord wherein this Councell was gathered is much contraverted therefore I overpasse it contenting my selfe with some notice of the time of the Emperour in whose time the Councell was gathered It seemeth to haue beene assembled for confirmation of the Nicene Councell and refutation of some errours The canons concerning prohibibition of marriage to some persons are foolish and the admitting of a man to the communion who wanteth a wife and contenteth himselfe with one concubine onely is foolisher so perilous a thing it is in a iot to depart from the certaine rule of the written Word of God MIlevitum is a towne of Numidia in it many Bishops were assembled vnder the raigne of Arcadius whose names are particularly expressed in the letter sent from the Councell to Innocentius Bishop of Rome which letter is inserted in the Epistles of Augustine together with the answer of Innocentius the first Two principall causes mooved them to assemble together First to finish the work they had begun in the fift Councell of Carthage in condemning the heresies of Pelagius and Coelestius by whom as yet many were deceiued and perverted from the true faith Augustine Bishop of Hippo was not onely present but also President The opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius concerning the power of mans nature not supported by the grace of God and free-will of man to doe good of it selfe is so solidly refuted and that by arguments taken out
purpose to the ende hee may abolishe his sinnes by Almes-deedes for that is all one as if a man should hyre God to grant vnto him a libertie to sinne 37. Seeing all Canons of Councels are to be diligently read in speciall such as appertaine vnto faith and reformation of manners should bee most frequently perused 38. Bookes called Libelli Poenitentiales are to abolished because the erroures of these Bookes are certaine howbeit the authors of them be vncertaine and they prepare pillowes to lay vnder the heads of them who are sleeping in sinne 39. In the solemnities of the Masse Prayers are to bee made for the soules of them who are departed as well as for them who are aliue 40. Presbyters who are degraded liue like seculare men neglecting repentance whereby they might procure restitution to their office let them be excommunicated 41. A Presbyter who transporteth himselfe from his owne place shall not be receiued in any other Church except hee prooue both with witnesses and letters sealed with lead containing the name of the Bishop and of the Citie which he liued in that he hath liued innocently in his own Church and had a just cause of transportation 42. Let no Church bee committed to a Presbyter without consent of the Bishop 43. In some places are found Scots-men who call themselues Bishops they ordaine Presbyters Deacons whose ordination we altogether disallowe 44. Presbyters must not drinke in Tavernes wander in Markets nor goe to visite Cities without aduise of their Bishop 45. Many both of the Clergie Laickes goâ— to holy places such as Rome Turon imagining that by the sight of these places their sins are remitted and not attending to the sentence of Ierome It is a more commendable thing to liue well in Hierusalem than to haue seene Hierusalem 46. In receiuing the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ great discretion is to be vsed Neither let the taking of it be long differred because Christ saith Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Neither let vs come without due preparation because the Apostle saith He who eateth and driâ—keth vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 47. The Sacrament of the body blood of Christ which in one day is accustomed to be receiued of all Christians let no man neglect to receiue it except some grieuous crime doe hinder him from receiuing of it 48. According to the precept of the Apostle Iames Weake persons should be annointed with oyle by the Elders which oyle is blessed by the Bishop these words inclosed in a parenthesis are added to the Text for he saith Is any man sicke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the Name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shal saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if he haue committed sin it shal be forgiuen him I am cap. 5. vers 14.15 Such a medicine as cureth both bodily spirituall maledies is not to be neglected 49. In the Councell of Laodicea it was forbidden that Masses should bee said and Oblations offered by Bishops or Presbyters in priuate houses This question also was disputed in this Councell 50. The authoritie of the Emperour is to be interponed for reuerent keeping of the Lords day 51. Because the Church is constituted of persons of diuerse conditions some are Noble others are ignoble some are seruants vassalles strangers c. It becommeth them who are in eminent rowmes to deale mercifully with their inferiours knowing that they are their brethren because God is one common Father to both and the Church is one common mother to both From the 52. Canon vnto the 66. are contained precepts of chaste and honest liuing prescribed to Prioresses and Nunnes which I ouer-passe as I haue done in the preceeding Councels 66. It is ordained that prayers and supplications shall be made for the Emperour and his children and for their well-fare both in soule and bodie 67. These things haue we touched shortly to be exhibited to our Soueraigne Lord the Emperour Hee who desireth a more ample declaration of all vertues to be followed and vices to be eschewed let him read the volume of the holy Scriptures of God IN the same yeere of our Lord wherein the preceding foure Councels were conueened by the mandate of the Emperour Charles the Great another Councell was conneened at Arles The Canons of this Councell were in number 25. 1. They set downe a Confession of their Faith 2. They ordaine That Prayers shall bee made for the Emperour and his children 3. They admonish Bishops and Pastors diligently to reade the bookes of holy Scripture To teach the Lords people in all truth and To administrate the Sacraments rightly 4. Laick people are admonished not to remooue their Presbyters from their Churches without consent of their Bishops 5. That Presbyters be not admitted for rewards 6. It is ordained That Bishops shall attend that euery person liue ordinately that is according to a prescribed rule The 7. and 8. Canons belong to the ordering of Monkes and Nunnes The 9. Canon pertaineth to the payment of Tythes and first fruits 10. It is ordained That Presbyters shall preach the word of God not only in Cities but also in euery Parochin 11. Incestuous copulations are to be vâ—terly abhorâ—ed 12. Peace is to bleeâ— kepâ— with all men according to the words of the Apostle Follow peace and sanctification without theâ— which no man shall see God Heb. cap. 12. vers 14 1â— Let Lords Iudges and the rest of the people be obedient to their Bishop let 〈…〉 judgâ—ment be vsed and no bribes receiued nor false testimonie be admitted 14. In time of Famine let euery man support the necessitie of his owne 15. Let all weightes and measures be equall and just 16. Let the Sabboth day be kept holy without Markets Iustice Courtes and seruile labour 17. Let euery Bishop visite his boundes once in the yeere if he finde the poore to be oppressed by the violence of the mightie then let the Bishop with wholesome admonitions exhort them to desist from such oppression and in case they will not desist from their violence then let the Bishop bring the cause to the eares of the Prince 18. Let Presbyters keepe the Chrisme and giue it to no man vnder pretence of Medicine 19. Parentes and Witnesses shall bring vp baptized children in the knowledge of God because God hath giuen them vnto Parents and Witnesses haue pawned their word for their faith 20. Ancient Churches shall not be depriued of Tythes nor of none other possession 21. That the constitution of ancient Fathers shal be kept concerning Buriall in Churches 22. Ciuill Iudgment-seates shall not bee in Churches 23. The goods belonging vnto the poore if they bee bought let it bee done openly in sight of the Nobles
occasion it hath beene alreadie declared He lacked not his owne infirmities and errours euen in doctrine He was intangled with the errour of the Chiliasts He supposed that as Christ being thirtie yeere old was baptized so likewise he began to teach when he was fortie yeere old and suffered when he was fiftie because he came to saue all and therefore he would taste of all the ages of mankinde Yet is this opinion repugnant to the narration of the foure Euangelists Clemens Alexandrinus liued in the dayes of the Emperour Commodus He was the disciple of Pantenus These two seeme to be the authors of Vniversities and Colledges For they taught the grounds of Religion not by Sermons and Homilies to the people but by catecheticall doctrine to the learned in the schooles This Clemens esteemed too much of tradition like as Papias did of whom we spake in the former Centurie whereby it came to passe that he fell into many strange absurd opinions directly repugnant to the written word of God affirming that after our calling to the knowledge of the truth possibly God may grant to them that haue sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if we sin ofter then once or twise there is no more renuing by repentance or pardon for sin but a fearefull expectation of iudgement And in his 4. booke of Strom. as it were forgetting his own rigorous sentence against those who sinne ofter then once or twise after their illumination with the light of God he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say whether here or els-where viz. creatures do repent no place is void of the mercy of God In which words he would insinuate that those who repent either in this world or els-where that is in the world to come may possibly obtaine fauour at Gods hand nothing can be written more repugnant both to the word of God and also to his own forementioned opinion Many other worthy Preachers and learned men flourished in this Centurie whose names of purpose are pretermitted In Athens Publius Athenagoras In Corinth Primus Dionysius and Bacchilus In the Isle of Candie Philippus and Pinytus In Antiochia Hieron Theophilus Maximus Serapion In Ierusalem before the daies of the Emperour Adrian the Bishops of Ierusalem were of the nation of the Iewes But after the daies of Adrian who banished the Iewes from their natiue soile Christian Preachers of other nations were Bishops in Ierusalem such as Marcus Cassianus Publius Maximus Iulianus Capito Valens Dolichianus Narcissus the most part of all these liued in this Centurie but Narcissus with some others are knowne to haue liued in the dayes of Seuerus the fift persecuter and some space after him But to write of all other worthy Preachers Doctours in particular it were an infinite labour and far surmounting the abilitie of these ecclesiastick Writers who wrote in ancicient times and much more our abilitie who liue in a latter age CENTVRIE III. Bishops of Rome TO Victor succeeded Zephyrinus the 14. Bishop of Rome who liued in that charge eight yeeres seauen moneths ten dayes Eusebius attributeth vnto him 18. yeeres so vncertaine is the computation of the yeeres of the gouernment of the Bishops of Rome Eusebius writeth nothing of his decretall Epistles and these that are forged by late Writers are foolish and ridiculous Consecration of the holy cup to be in a vessell of glasse onely A Bishop to be accused before honest Iudges twelue in number whom the Bishop himselfe shall chuse if need be Honest and vnspotted witnesses to be heard in this cause no fewer then 72. conforme and aboue the number of those 70. Disciples whom Christ adioyned as fellow-labourers in Preaching with his Apostles And finally that no definitiue sentence should be pronounced against a Bishop vntill the time his cause were heard of the Patriarch of Rome This is but a mocking of the Church of God to attribute such smelling pride such vnaccustomed formes of Iudicatory such defencing armour fencing guarding vnrighteous men against iust deserued punishment to the simplicitie of an ancient Church humbled vnder the crosse and fighting vnder the yoke of heauie and long-lasting afflictions These false and forged decretall Epistles altogether vnknowne to the Fathers who liued before the dayes of Constantine will procure one day a decree sentence of wrath against those who haue giuen out new intended lies vnder the names of ancient and holy Fathers The canons of the Apostles albeit a booke falsely attributed to the Apostles doe agree better with Scripture then the constitution of Zephyrinus for the scripture saith That by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall be confirmed The canons of the Apostles say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let not an Heretique be admitted to beare witnes against a Bishop neither yet one witnesse onely albeit he be faithfull because that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall be confirmed The writer of the canons of the Apostles had some remembrance of the words of Scripture but the forger of the decretall Epistles of Zephyrinus is like vnto a ship-man who hath hoised vp his saile and aduanced his ship so far into the sea that he hath lost the sight of land and townes as the Poet speaketh Provehimur Pelago terraque vrbésque recedunt Surely this lying fellow who euer he hath bin that hath written this supposititious decretall Epistle of Zephyrinus he hath hoised vp his saile and is so bent to lie that he hath lost both sight remembrance of the words of holy Scripture Callistus the 15. Bishop of Rome continued in his charge fiue yeeres Platina saith 6. yeeres 10. moneths 10. dayes The fable of Pope Damasus who affirmeth that Callistus builded a Church to the honour of the Virgin Mary beyond Tyber is reiected by Platina himselfe because the hystorie of the time cleerely prooueth that in the dayes of Seuerus and his sonnes the conuentions of the Christians could not haue beene in magnificke temples but rather in obscure chappels or subterraneall places so that the multiplied number of lies written of the Bishops of Rome who liued in this age and the decretall Epistles falsly attributed vnto them plainly proue that the garment of antiquitie vnder the lap whereof Papists would so gladly lurke is altogether wanting to them Vrbanus 1. was the 16. Bishop of Rome He continued in his office 8. yeeres Platina 4. yeeres 10. moneths 12. dayes Of his martyrdome Eusebius maketh no mention Others who record his martyrdome are not certaine in what Emperours dayes he was martyred I proceede to his successour Pontianus the 17. B. of Rome He continued in his charge 9. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes Euseb saith 6. yeeres He was banished to the Isle Sardinia where he died Of the two decretall epistles ascribed vnto him the second is general written to al men who feare and loue God the
consciences of their Church-men but prohibition of marriage which I haue prooued to be a doctrine of deuils cannot be referred to so ancient a beginning The Romane church desirous to be masked with a shewe of antiquitie they haue attributed Canons to the Apostles which are not found in their writings Yet it is a shame to the forgers of these canons to be found the principall impugners and transgressers of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say A Bishop elder or deacon who vnder pretence of religion putteth away his owne wife if he cast her off let him be excommunicated and if hee perseuere in so doing let him be deposed How can this constitution of Stephanus agree with the Canons of the Apostles Heere I appeale to the consciences of honest and vpright men if they finde not that the lie is not onely repugnant vnto the veritie but also vnto it selfe The supposititious Canons of the Apostles and the supposititious constitutions of Stephanus cannot both consist I know what they answere viz. that the Canons of the Apostles speake of those Bishops Elders and Deacons who had wiues when they were admitted to ecclesiasticall offices these should not put away their wiues vnder pretence of religion but concerning others who were vnmarried in the time of their admission the 25. Canon declareth otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to vnmarried men who are promoted to the clergie we command that if they please they shall marrie but onely readers and singers to wit shall haue this priuiledge It is an vnsufferable thing to heare such leuitie and inconstancie imputed to the holy Apostles that they debarred no man from the office of a Bishop Elder or Deacon because he was a married man O but if any man enter vnmarried to be a Bishop Elder or Deacon then hee must not marrie If marriage had beene an vncleane thing it might haue debarred men from entering into holy offices but if it be a cleane thing it cannot exclude them after they haue entred The other decreet alledged out of Gratian dist 79. Oporrebat ut haec c. that by the constitution of Peter and his successors it was ordained that one of the Cardinall Elders or Deacons should be consecrated to be Bishop of Rome no other Such stiles of preheminence are vnknown to scripture and to the antiquitie of this time Xistus or Sixtus the 2. of that name and in number the 23. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Stephanus and gouerned 2. yeeres 10. months 23. dayes And Func Chron 11. yeeres such vncertaintie is in counting the yeeres of their administration The chaire of Rome through the vehemencie of persecution was vacant without a successour 1. yeere 11. months 15. dayes as Damasus granteth and Onuphrius the corrector of Platina cannot denie If the Bishop of Rome be the head of the Church then was the Church headlesse almost for the space of two yeeres To Xistus 2 succeeded Dionysius 24. Bishop of Rome and continued in his ministration 9. yeeres according to the computation of Eusebius Damasus assigneth vnto him 6. yeeres 2. months Marianus 6. yeeres and 5. months such certaintie is in the cheife and principall ground of the Romane faith concerning the succession of the Romane Bishops that scarse two writers doe agree in one minde concerning the time of their succession To Dionysius succeeded Felix 1. the 25. Bishop of Rome and gouerned 5. yeeres He liued in the dayes of Aurelian the 9. persecuter and obtained the honour of martyrdome In the three supposititious decretall epistles assigned to him the second epistle written to the Bishops of the Prouinces of France very sollicitously careth for Bishops that they be not accused by secular men but with so many caueats as in effect exempteth them from all accusation The language wherin the epistle is indited cannot agree with the ornat stile of the Latin tongue in this age he being a Romane borne as Platina writeth Post quam ipse ab â—s charitativè conventus fuerit Ad summos primates causa ejus canonicè defertur ConciliuÌ„ regulariter convocare debebunt c. The Galilean language manifested not more euidently that Peter was a man of Galile then the first of these 3. phrases manifesteth that the foresaid epistle was compiled in a time of great barbaritie Eutychianus the 26. Bishop of Rome followed after Felix 1. HeeÌ„ continued scarce ten months in his ministrie Caius the 27. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Eutychianus and continued 15. yeeres He liued in the dayes of the persecution of Dioclesian and lurked for a time in subterraneall places In the end he was found out by the persecuters and put to death and with his brother Gabinius and his brothers daughter Susanna suffered martyrdome Here it is to be marked that many martyrs died before the edict of horrible persecution was set forth in the 19. yeere of Dioclesians raigne For Marcellinus succeeded to Caius Anno 298. but the cruell edicts of persecution of Dioclesian were not set forth before the 308. yeere of our Lord. Whereby it appeareth euidently that many Christians were put to death before the edicts of horrible persecution were renued by the Emperour Dioclesian So hard was the outward estate of Christians that they were put to death vpon the warrant of the edicts of Valerian and Aurelian before the edicts of Dioclesian and Maximian came forth To Caius is attributed the constitution of ecclesiastical orders and degrees by which men must mount vp to the dignitie of a Bishop First he must be Ostiarius next Lector 3. Exorcista 4. Acoluthus 5. Subdiaconus 6. Diaconus 7. Presbyter and last of all Episcopus This order of ascending by degrees to the dignitie of a Bishop is confidently referred to the constitution of the Apostles but I say Beatus qui non credit that is happie is he who beleeueth it not Like as within scripture there is no lie so likewise without scripture there is no truth in matters of faith ordering of maners and appointing of ecclesiastical offices all that is necessarie is contained in the written Word of God But now to performe a part of that which I promised in the end of my treatise of Antiquitie and to let eueÌ„ry man see what vnlearned Asses they haue been who haue set foorth the fained decretall epistles of the fathers of this age In the epistle written by Caius to the Bishop Felix aboue-mentioned hee saith If any man of what dignitie so euer he be delate such persons viz. Bishops Elders Deacons for faultes that cannot bee proued let him vnderstand that by the authoritie of this constitution hee shall be counted infamous This constitution hath three parts First that no ecclesiasticall 1 person should be accused before a secular Iudge Secondly if any accusation be intended against Bishop Elder or Deacon it should be qualified by sufficient probation Thirdly if the accuser succumbe
brought vp amongst the Monkes of Palestina and Egypt In the ende he was ordained Bishop of Salamina the Metropolitane towne of the Isle of Cyprus He refuted the Heresies preceding his time in his booke called Panarium and set downe a summe of the true faith in his booke called Anchoratus He had a great regard to the poore in so much that he was called Oeconomus pauperum And like as Cyprus was naturally situated in a place neere approaching to Asia the lesse and to Syria and to Egypt and Pentapolis and not farre distant from Europe so it fell out that Christians who were disposed to support their indigent brethren they sent their collections to Epiphanius and he distributed them to the poore With all these commendable vertues there was mixed a reproueable simplicitie in him he was circumveened by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria and tooke a dealing against Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople because he would not be suddaine in damning the Books of Origen Also he taught in Constantinople with indeuour to alienate the hearts of the people from their owne Pastour and celebrated the communion and ordained a Deacon in Constantinople without the foreknowledge and consent of Chrysostome and contrary to the Church order Chrysostome on the other part sent him aduertisement that in case he receiued any disgrace or harme in the fury of popular commotions he should blame himselfe who by his own inordinate doings was procuring the same After this Epiphanius ceased from such doings and entered into a ship of purpose to returne backe againe to Cyprus but he died by the way It is reported of him that when he entered into the ship he said he left three great things behinde him to wit a great towne a great pallace and great hypocrisie It were a matter of infinite labour and not agreeing with the nature of a Compend to write of all the worthie men of God in the Easterne parts who did fight a good fight runne a good race and kept the Faith Asclepas in Gaza Luciâ—â— in Adrianopolis Basilius presbyter in Ancyra a mightie adversarie to the Arrians vnder the raigne of Constantius and to the Pagans vnder the raigne of Iulian in whose time he was martyred Philogonius Bishop of Antiochia Hellanicus Bishop of Tripolis and Spyridion who of a keeper of cattell became Bishop of Trimythus Hermogenes Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia who was present at the Councell of Nice Iames Bishop of Nisibis in Mesopotamia in the dayes of Constantius by whose prayers the armie of Sapores King of Persia was miraculously disappointed Paulus Bishop of Neocaesarea this towne is situated vpon the bankes of Euprates and Paphnutius Bishop in Thebaida two notable Confessors who were both present at the Councell of Nice Eusebius Samosatenus to whom many of Basilius Epistles are directed and who refused to redeliuer vnto the Emperour Constantius the subscriptioÌ„s of the Arrian Bishops who consented to the admission of Meletius to be Bishop of Antiochia which subscriptions were put in his custodie And albeit the messenger sent from the Emperour threatned to cut off his right hand in case he deliuered not the subscriptions aforesaid yet he constantly refused to deliuer them and the Emperour both admired and commended his constancie Barses Bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia Eulogius and Protogenes presbyters there vnder the raigne of Valens were banished to Antinoe in Thebaida whose travailes God wonderfully blessed to the conversion of many soules to the kingdome of God Theodulus Bishop of Trianopolis Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium in Lycaonia Pelagius Laodicenus whose name is the more famous for his insolent fact for he married a young woman and the first night after her marriage he perswaded her to preferre Virginall chastitie to matrimoniall copulation Antiochus the brother sonne of Eusebius Samosatenus could not abide the imposiâ—on of the hands of an Arrian Bishop Letoius Bishop of Meletina in Armenia who burnt the Monasteries or rather as Theodoretus writes the dennes of theeues wherein the Heretiques called Massaliani had their abiding Ephem Syrus a man borne in Nisibis brought vp in the wildernesse was counted a famous Writer in the Syrian Language The bookes shrowded vnder his name are thought for the most part to be supposititious Aeas who liued in company with Zenon Bishop of Maioma neere vnto Gaza is much reported of because he married a young woman procreated three children with her and in the end left her and entered into a Monasterie forgetting his matrimoniall couenant Zebeâ—nius Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Phaenicia to whom Sozomenus affirmeth that by diuine revelation the places were manifested wherein the bodies of the Prophets Habacuk and Micheas were buried So superstitious are Ecclesiasticall Writers alreadie become that the searching out of things nothing appertaining to eternall life are ascribed to divine revelations The judicious Reader will pardon me that I write not in particular of the liues of all the fore mentioned Bishops and Pastors because the nature of a short Compend cannot permit it to be done Bishops and Doctors in Africke IN Africke ouer and besides the Bishops of Alexandria was Didymus a Doctor of the schoole of Alexandria who through occasion of a dolour that fell into his eyes became blind from his very youth Yet by continuall exercise of his minde he became excellently learned in all Sciences But aboue all things the exact knowledge of divine Scriptures made him a terrour to the Arrians Many doe write that the very last period of time wherein Iulian the Apostate concluded his wretched life was revealed to Didymus in a dreame and that he againe tolde it to Athanasius who lurked secretly in Alexandria during the time of the raigne of Iulian. Arnobius was an Oratour in Africke afterward he became a Christian and craued to be baptized Christian Bishops lingered to conferre the holy Sacrament to a man who had beene a hater of Christian Religion of a long time Yet Arnob. freed himself from all suspition of Paganisme by writing Bookes wherein he confuted the Idolatrie of the Pagans and was baptized about the yeere of our Lord 330. About the suffering of our Lord he writes very judiciously That like as the beames of the Sunne that shine vpon a tree when the tree is cutted the Sunne-beames cannot be cutted Euen so in the suffering of Christ the diuine Nature suffered no paine Lactantius Fâ—rmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius In eloquence he was nothing inferior to his Master yet it is thought that he impugned errours with greater dexteritie then he confirmed the Doctrine of the Truth Optatus Bishop of Meleuitanum in Africke in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens set his Pen against the Donatistes especially against Parmenianus whose absurd assertion he clearely refutes First Whereas the Donatists affirmed that the Church of Christ was onely to be found in a corner of Africke He refutes it by Scripture
weaknesse was found in him At the councell of Syrmium he was compelled to be present in that assembly of Arrian Bishops to whose wicked constitutions fearing torture and banishment from which he was lately reduced he subscribed Ierom was borne in a towne of Dalmatia called Stridon and was instructed in the Rudiments of Learning at Rome From Rome he went to France of purpose to increase his knowledge and to diuerse other places and he returned againe to Rome where he acquainted himselfe with honourable women such as Marcella Sophronia Principia Paula and Eustochium to whom he expounded places of holy Scripture for he was admitted presbyter He was counted worthie to succeed Damasus B. of Rome his gifts were enuied at Rome therefore he left Rome and tooke his voiage toward Palestina By the way he acquainted himselfe with Epiphanius B. of Cyprus with Nazianzenus B. in Constantinople with Didymus Doctor in the Schoole of Alexandria and sundry other men of Note and Marke In the end he came to Iudea and made choise of the place of the Lords Natiuitie to be the place of his death At Bethlehem Paula a Noble woman who accompanied Ierom and his brother Paulinianus from Rome vpon her owne charges builded foure Monasteries Ierom guided one Monasterie wherein were a number of Monkes The other three wherein there were companies of holy Virgines she guided her selfe Ierom was a man of sterne disposition and more inclinable to a solitary and Monkish life then to fellowship and societie Neither Heliodorus in the Wildernesse nor Ruffinus out of the Wildernesse could keepe inuiolable friendship with him The Letters that passed betwixt August and Ierom declare that Ierom knew not how great a victory it was in loue in humilitie and friendship to ouer-come them who seemed to contend against him Ierom wanted not his owne grosse errours Concerning the creation hee thought that Angels Thrones Dominations were existent before the world was created In his Bookes written against Iouinian he writeth not reuerently of Mariage and he seemeth to condemne the second Mariage He ended his life about the twelfth yeere of the raigne of Honorius in the yeere of his age 91. Ecclesiasticall Writers haue filled their Bookes with excessiue commendations of Heremites and Monks of whom God willing I shall write in a particular Treatise of Monasticall life CENTVRIE V. Patriarches of Rome AFter Stricius succeeded Anastatius and gouerned the Church of Rome three yeeres About the yeere of our Lord 401. hee entred into his office vnder the raigne of Honorius Hee made a constitution that men should not sit but stand when the Gospell was read After him succeeded Innocentius and continued in his office fifteene yeeres hee was an aduersarie to the Novatians and Pelagians and was friendly to Iohn Chrysostome whose deposition Eudoxia the Emperours wife had procured Innocentius sent to Honorius and Arcadius fiue Bishops and two Presbiters to procure the appointment of a Councell wherein the cause of Chrysostome might be examined for hee counted the gathering of an Ae cumenicke Councell the only remedy whereby the vehement tempest of so great commotions as followed the deposition and banishment of Chrysostome could be settled but the aduersaries of Chrysostome procured the messengers of Innocentius to be ignominiously entreated and sent backe againe Heere let the iudicious Reader marke that the power of conuocating generall Councells appertained to the Emperour and not vnto the Bishop of Rome In this mans time according to mine opinion the Roman Church began to swell in pride and to vsurpe iurisdiction ouer other Churches hauing no better ground than a personall and temporall act of the councel of Sardica Zosimus the successor of Innocentius continued not aboue the space of a yeere and 5. months in office or 2. yeeres as Socrates writeth To him Platina ascribeth this constitution that no seruant should be assumed into the clergie but he lamenteth that not onely seruants but also the sons of strange women and flagitious persons were admitted to spirituall offices to great detriment of the Church He sent Faustinus a Bishop to the Councell of Carthage with 2. Presbyters of the Romane Church to craue that no matter of moment and importance should be done without aduise of the Roman Bishop He pretended an act of the councell of Nice allotting this dignitie to the Romane chaire but after diligent search of the principall register no such act was found I expected that Onuphrius now should haue compeared in so maine a point said something to the cause which with tooth naile he defendeth but in his annotations I see nothing except a diuersity of couÌ„ting of yeres for in his reckoning Zosimus continued 3. yeeres 4-months To Zosimus succeeded Bonifacius 1. and gouerned 3. yeeres At his election there was a schisme in Rome Some elected Bonifacius others Eulalius to be their bishop The Emperour Honorius baÌ„ished them both from Rome but after 7 months Bonifacius was restored and was Bishop of Rome at this time they were bishops of Rome to whom the Emperour gaue allowance but they were not Emperours to whom the Bishop of Rome gaue allowance After Bonifacius Coelestinus gouerned the Church of Rome eight yeeres ten months and seuenteene dayes He was an aduersary to the Novatians Pelagians and to Nestorius and his adherents Socrates taketh him vp right that hee was bitter against the Novatians for desire of preheminence In Constantinople they who professed the true faith had libertie to meete together â—albeit in matters of discipline their opinion was not found but Coelestinus silenced Rusticola the Bishop of the Novatians For desire to haue all Bishoppes stouping vnder his soueraignitie Marke the words of Socrates in the Latine translation bearing these words Romano Episcopatus iam â—dim periâ—de atque Alexandrinâ— ultra sacredâ—â—â— luâ—â—tes aâ—d exterum dominatum progrâ—ssâ— that is the bishoprick of Rome euen of old hauing stepped beyond the limites of Priesthood to an externall domination as the Bishopricke of Alexandria had done before Pelagius had propagated his heresie in the Isle of Britaine But Coelestinus hindred the propagation of a wicked heresie by sending Germanus to the Brittaines and Palladius to the Scots Coelestinus more impudently than his predecessours Innocentius Zosimus and Bonifacius vrged a submission of the Churches of Carthage vnto the Romane chaire and that they should accept in fauour Appiarius whom they excommunicated for his appellation from his owne Bishop to the Bishop of Rome but the fathers of the sixt Councell of Carthage would neither absolue Appiarius before his repentance were knowne neither would they stoup vnder the iurisdiction of the Roman Church To Coelestinus succeeded Sixtus the third and continued in office eight yeeres ninteene dayes Hee was accused of the crime of Adultery by Bassus but Sixtus was found innocent and Bassus was found a calumniator and a false accuser
and Eutyches they in like maner absolued him And finally after his death in the fift general councell his writings against the twelue heades of Cyrillus were damned All these troubles proceeded from one and the selfe same ground to wit vpon the extraordinarie loue hee caried toward his Patriarch Iohn This one thing laid aside hee was nothing inferiour to the most wise accurate and learned writers of the ancient time In the first of his learned dialogues called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prooueth that the Word became flesh without changing of the diuine Nature into the humane Nature or the humane Nature into the diuine Euen as in the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord the bread becomes the body of the Lord not by changing the substance of it but by assuming by grace an other vse than it had the very symbol obtaineth the name of the thing represented by the symbol When Papists doe read the dialogues of Theodoritus let them leaue off to bragge of the antiquitie of the doctrine of Transubstantiation and take them to the Monke Damascene the first authour of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he continued at least thirtie yeeres in his ministrie and ended his life as is supposed vnder the raigne of Leo the first Augustine in his young yeeres was infected with the errour of the Manicheans His mother Monica watered her face many times with teares in her prayers begging at God his conuersion to the truth God heard her prayers he was sent to Millan to be a teacher of Rhetoricke by the preaching of Ambrose Bishop of Millan and the deuote behauiour of the people in singing Psalmes to the praise of God the like whereof Augustine had neuer seene in any place before for men in earth praising God with ardent affection seemed to represent the Angels of heauen who incessantly prayse God with vnspeakable desire Also with the reading of the life of Antonius the heremite he was wonderfully moued and began to dislike his former conuersation which hee had spent in worldly pleasures and went vnto a quiet garden accompanied with Alipius with many teares he bewailed the insolencie of his bypast conuersation wishing the time to be now come wherein without farther delay his soule should be watred with the dew of the conuerting grace of God And as he was powring out the griefe of his wounded heart to God with a flood of teares hee heard a voyce saying vnto him tolle lege and againe tolle lege that is to say take vp and read take vp and read At the first hearing he tooke it to haue beene the voyce of boyes or maides speaking in their play such words one to another but when he looked about could see no body hee knew it to be a celestiall admonition warning him to take vp the booke of holy Scripture which he had in the garden with him and read Now the first place that fell in his hands after the opening of the booke was this Not in gluttonie nor drunkennes nor in chambring nor wantonnesse nor in strife or enuying but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought of the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof At the reading whereof he was so fully resolued to forsake the vanities of the world and to become a Christian that immediatly thereafter he was baptized by Ambrose Bishop of Millan with his companion Alipius and his sonne Adeodatus After this hee returned to Africke and was coadiutor to Valerius Bishop of Hippo as Chrysostome was to Flauianus in Antiocha and after the departure of Valerius he was Bishop of Hippo his vncessant trauels in teaching Gods people and in stopping the mouthes of heretikes and gainsaiers of the truth of God specially Donatists Pelagians and Manichean heretikes his learned writings do testifie When he had liued 76. yeeres he rested from his labours before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo which in time of Augustines sicknesse they had besieged In this Century flourished worthy preachers in France such as Eutherius Bishop of Lions Saluianus B. of Marseill who liued at that time when the nation of the Gothes oppressed France and many beganne to doubt of the prouidence of God in respect that wicked men had so great vpper-hand Salvianus in his godly and learned bookes doth declare that it is a iust thing with God to punish men who knowes their dutie best with greatest punishments in respect that oft times they are most negligent doers of it Clauaianus Mammertus Bishop of Vienne is praised by Sidonius with excessiue commendations as if all the graces of Ierom Augustine Basilius Nazianzenus and many other fathers had beene incorporated into his person Hilarius first Bishop of Arls and afterward as appeareth of Vienne opposed himselfe directly to Leo Bishop of Rome and would acknowledge no iurisdiction nor domination of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Churches of France for this cause Leo accused him as an vsurper of supremacie onely because hee would not stoupe vnder his feete but Hilarius came to Rome nothing regarding the anathems and cursings of the Romane B. and in his face affirmed that neither did Christ appoint Peter to be head of the rest of the Apostles neither had the Bishop of Rome a soueraigntie ouer the Churches of Fraunce All the grandure of Leo his speeches was to talke of those few words Tu es Petrus super haâ— petra c. that is thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke c. as if Christ had breathed vppon him and had bidden him receiue the holy Spirit so confidently did he affirme that in these wordes was allotted a supremacie to the Bishoppes of Rome the successors of Peter But this grandure I say of his proud conceites and vaine interpretation of Scripture made not men of vnderstanding incontinentlie to stoup vnder the feete of a proud Prelate Vincentius Lirinensis a mightie impugner of heresies Prosper AquitaÌ„icus SidoÌ„ius B. in some part of Ouernie Martinus Turonensis is coÌ„mended for the gift of many miraculous workes that were wrought by his hands He coÌ„pared virginitie marriage fornication to a medow a part wherof was eaten by the pastoring of beastes another part was hollwed by the rudenes of rooting swine and the third part was vntouched but flourishing in the perâ—ect growth of grasse neere to mowing time Fornication he compared to the part of the medow that was hollowed and misfâ—shioned with Swine Mariage to that part of the medow that was pastored so that the herbes had then rootes but wanted the beautie of their flowres but virginitie is like vnto that part of the medow that is vntouched flourishing with roote blade flower and all kinde of perfection In counting marriage good but virginitie better hee followeth the doctrine of the holy Apostle Paul Râ—â— gius Bishop of Rhemes by whom Clodoâ—eus the first Christian king of France was baptized and the whole countrie of France was purged
conversant with secular men I am discontented and as it were dilacerate with a multitude of secular cares Hee was a stout defender of the authority of the Bishoppe of Rome in so much that he was content to forgoe the favour of his Prince and to bee banished for the excessiue loue hee caryed to the priviledges of the Romane Chaire After the death of Rufus Anselmus was received from banishment by King Henry But because hee would not admit and consecrate those Bishops who had received investment from the King but called them bastards and abortiue births whosoever received investment from secular men great contention arose betweene the King and the Prelat the issue whereof was this that the decision of the question was referred to the Bishoppe of Rome who gaue sentence in favour of Anselmus because Anselmus suffered trouble for maintaining of the Popes authoritie The King was irritate and exasperate with the Popes decree and spoyled Anselmus of all his dignities Who remained for the most part in Lions during the time of his second banishment But the King reduced him againe from banishment and was reconciled with him After his returning from his second banishment hee lived three yeeres and died in the yeerâ— of our Lord 1109. having continued Bishop of Canterburie thirteene yeeres In his bookes no errour is more intollerable then this that hee equalleth the Virgine Mary with Christ attributing to her all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge as the Apostle Paul atiributeth them to Christ our Saviour CENTVRIE XII Popes of Rome AFter Vrbanus the second followed Paschalis the second and ruled eighteene yeeres 6. moneths and 7. dayes Called before Reginerus a man brought vp in the Monasteries of Italy hee seemed to shun the high preheminencie of the Popedome but the acclamations of the people often repeating that Saint Peter had chosen good Reginerus to be Pope bowed his flexible minde and inclined it to the Popedome hee then putting on a purple garment and a Diadem vpon his head was brought vnto the Church of Lateran vpon a white pamphrey where a Scepter was put in his hand and a girdle tyed about him having seven Seales and seven Keyes hanging thereupon for a recognizance of his seven-fold power and seven-fold grace of God resting vpon him to wit of binding loosing shutting opening sealing resigning and iudging He excommunicated the noble Emperor Henry the fourth following the example of three of his predecessors to wit Gregorie the seventh Victor the third Vrbanus the second Hee stirred vp Henry the fift against his naturall father Henry the fourth and caused the body of the noble Eemperour Henry the fourth who died at Leodim to bee raised out of his sepulchre to be carryed to the towne of Spire and to want the honour of Christian buriall five yeeres O Antichristian pride O barbarous inhumanity O cruelty and rage ranscending the cruelty of Pagans who persecuted the Church of Christ for the space of three hundred yeeres In his time the Bishop of Florence taught that Antichrist was already borne and manifested to the world Vpon which occasion Paschalis assembled a Councell at Florence and with terrible threatnings put him to silence and damned his bookes Also hee assembled another Councell at Tretas a famous towne in Campanie in France where hee ratified the decrees of his Predecessors in condemning the mariage of Priests as the heresie of the Nicolaitans and receiving Ecclesiasticall rents from Lay persons as Simonie Of his revocation of the priviledge of investment of Bishops granted to the Emperour Henry the fift I haue spoken already in the historie of the life of the Emperour His Competitors were Albertus Theodoricus and Maginulphus whom hee easily subdued To him succeeded Gelasius the second and ruled one yeere and fiue dayes He was elected without consent of the Emp. Henry 5. which procured vnto him great griefe For Cincius a noble man of Rome of the family of Frangepanis invaded the Pope and Cardinals and trod the Pope vnder foot and cast him in prison and bonds but the citizens of Rome relieved him and threatned to destroy the familie of Frangepanis if they set not the Pope at liberty After this trouble another followed the Emperour sent an army to Rome and authorized another to be pope whom they called Gregorius the eight The Pope fled to Caieta the place of his nativity but when the army returned to Germany hee came to Rome where hee found his estate to be ieoperdous Therefore hee fled to France and dyed of a plurisie in the Abbey of Clumack After Gelasius succeeded Calixtus the second sometime Bishop of Vier and kinsman to the King of France he governed fiue yeeres ten moneths and thirteene dayes Hee compelled the Emperor Henry the fift to agree to his election albeit Mauritius Burdinus otherwise called Gregorie the eight whom the Emperour himselfe had authorized was yet aliue Also hee compelled the foresayd Emperour to ouergiue all right which hee claimed to investment of Bishops and election of Popes so much did the Roman Antichrist prevaile by the thunder bolts of his curses that hee compelled the Emperour by these means to stoupe vnder his feete Also he besiedged Sutrium a Towne of the Romans wherein Mauritius Burdinus his Competitor had his remaining Hee tooke the Towne and his Competitor hee carried Captiue to Rome setting him vpon a Camel with his face toward the hinder-parts thereof and in the end thrust him into a Monasterie He assembled a Councell at Rhemes wherein he renewed the ordinance against married Priests ordaining that not onely they should be spoyled of their liuings and offices but also that they should be debarred from the communion of Christian people Like as these verses doe testifie O bone Calixte nunc omnis clerus odit te Quondam presbyteri poterant vxoribus vti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti Also hee held another Councell at Rome where it was statute and ordained that it should not be lawfull to the people to repudiat their Bishop or to choose another during his life-time grounding their ordinance vpon a place of Scripture a wife is bound to the law of her husband so long as her husband is aliue After hee is dead shee is loosed from the Law of her husband So learnedly did these Aecumenique Asses expound places of holy scripture After Calixtus succeeded Pope Honorius the second and ruled fiue yeeres and two months In his time Arnulphus an eloquent man a famous Preacher came to Rome whether out of the wildernesse or out of any other place wherein he had exercised a ministeriall office it is vncertaine alwayes it is thought of all men that he was sent of God hee sharpely rebuked the dissolute Loosnesse incontinencie auarice and pride of the clergie of Rome so that hee incenced their hearts against him speciallie for this that hee said it was no wonder that they sought his life for if
neuer at Rome Eightly That the Clergie of Rome is a den of Theeues Ninthly That the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leades to eternall death In another treatise he disputes of free iustification by grace and that workes are no efficient cause of Saluation Sed causa sine qua non for the which doctrine hee was condemned by the Pope I passe by a great number who clearelie discouered the corruptions and Apostasie of the Church of Rome such as Ioannes de Gunduno Gregorius Ariminensis Andreas de Castro Dante 's an Italian Taulerus a Preacher of Argentine in Germanie Franciscus Petrarcha a man famouslie learned who in his workes in Italian verses speaking of Rome calles it the whoore of Babilon the schoole and mother of errour the Temple of heresie the nest of treacherie growing and increasing by the oppression of others Likewise Ioannes de rupe scissa who was cast in prison by Pope Innocentius the sixt also Conradus Hager a Germane of the citie of Herbipoli Gerardus Ridder Michael Cesenas Provinciall of the Gray friers Petrus de Corbaria with one Ioaxnes de Pâ—liato This foresaid Michael general of the gray friers writ against the tyrannie pride and primacie of the Pope accusing him to be Antichrist and the Church of Rome to be the whoore of Babilon drunken with the blood of the Saints He affirmed there were two Churches one of the wicked florishing wherein raigned the Pope the other of the Godly afflicted also that the veritie was almost vtterlie extinct and for this cause hee was depriued of his dignitie and condemned by the Pope Notwithstanding he stood constant in his assertions and left behind him many fauourers and followers of his doctrine of whom a great part were slaine by the Pope Some were condemned as William Ockam who writ both in defence of the Emperour Lewes whom the Pope excommunicated and likewise in defence of Michael generall of the gray friers whom the Pope had cursed for an heretike and some were burned such as Ionnes de Castellione and Franciscus de Arcatara Likewise Armachanus a Bishop in Ireland and Matthias Parisiensis Ioannes Montziger rector of the Vniuersitie of Vlme Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica Iacobus Milnensis and one Milezius Henricus de Iota and Henricus de Hassia Likewise in this most desperate time when the estate of religion was vtterlie corrupted and the onely name of Christ remained amongst Christians his true and liuely doctrine being vtterly vnknowne and turned into an heape of shadowed Ceremonies which so increased that there was no end of heaping vp of ceremonies invented by man at this time I say the Lord raised vp Iohn Wickliffe a professor of Diuinitie in the vniuersitie of Oxford who seeing that error by long vse and custome had beene so deeplie rooted in the hearts of men that it could hardly be plucked out hee medled not with all at once bâ—â— firsâ— bâ—gâ—â—nne to touch the matter of the Sacraments and discoâ—er 〈◊〉 â—rrours that men were fallen into in this head of 〈◊〉 but this byle could not be touched without the great griefe and paine of the whole world For first of all the whole rabble of Monkes and begging Friers were set on rage and madnes against him and after them the Priests and then after them the Archbishop Simon Sudburie tooke the matter in hand who for the same cause depriued him of his benefice which then he had in Oxford Notwithstanding being supported by the friendly assistance of the Duke of Lancaster sonne to king Edward the third and some other friends whom God raised vp for his protection he bare out the malice of the Friers and Archbishop Likewise Pope Vrbane was so busied with suppressing of another Pope Clement the seuenth set vp against him that he could not spare any time to suppresse Iohn Wickliffe and so it came to passe thorow the prouidence of Almightie God that the enemies of the true light with fretting minds were compelled to see the sparkles thereof not being able to quench them The chiefe heads of doctrine which hee maintained against the Roman church were these That the substance of bread remained in the Sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration That it is not found in the Gospell that Christ instituted or confirmed a masse That it is a presumptuous Speaking to affirme that the infants of the faithfull who die vnbaptised are condemned That in the time of Paul there were onelie two orders of Clerks to wit Elders and Deacons neither was there in the time of the Apostles any distinction of Popes Patriarches Archbishops Bishops but these the Emperours pryde did finde out That the causes of diuorcement for spirituall consanguinitie or affinitie are not founded on the scriptures but onely by the ordinance of men That he who is most seruicable and humble in the church and most inamored with the loue of Christ the same is the neerest vicar of Christ in the militant Church If corporall vnction were a Sacrament then Christ and his Apostles would not haue left the ordinance of that vntouched Whatsoeuer the Pope and Cardinals doe command which they cannot deduce cleerely out of the Scriptures the same is to be accounted hereticall and not to be obeyed That it is but a follie to beleeue the Popes Pardons That it is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the church of Rome to be supreme head of other Churches A Deacon or Priest may Preach the word of God without the authoritie of the Apostolike sea The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Sathan neither is the Pope immediatlie the vicar of Christ nor of the Apostles That the Emperour and Secular Lords are seduced who so inrich the Church with ample possessions If any man enter into any priuat religion whatsoeuer it be hee is thereby made more vnapt and vnable to obserue the commandements of God Of Monkes POpe Clement the sixt bearing rule Iohn king of France sonne of Philip invented the sect and order of those Monkes which in Latine are called Stellati whose maner is alwayes to weare a starre vpon their brest signifying thereby that there is nothing in them but the light of perfection and the cleere shining of good workes Yea that they themselues are the light of the world according to the saying of Christ vos eslis lux mundi yea are the light of the world Item That they shall rise againe at the later day all shining and glistering as the most cleere and pleasant starres according as it is written by the Prophet They that informe many into righteousnes shall be as the starres world without end In Anno 1336. Pope Boniface the ninth raigning a certaine man called Gerardus being of great learning and vertuous conversation ordained a certaine fraternitie or brotherhood of learned godlie men to teach schollers and to bring vp youth not onely in good letters but also in good maners that by those means there might be
of Nestorius as Platina recordeth in the life of Donus the first The heresies of Severitae Apartodotitae Momphysitae Acephali Theopafcitae Iacobitae Armenij all were Eutichian Heretiques differing one from another in some ceremonies in absurditie of speeches in authors whom they principally admitted and followed in places where the heresie chiefly increased and in their carriage Likewise Staurolatrae were Eutychian Heretiques but the worshipping of the Crosse was a note distinguishing them from other Heretiques of their owne opinion Priscillianistae were Heretiques who borrowed absurd opinions from Samosatenus and Photinus from Cerdon and Marcion and from the Manicheans but all these ancient errours were sufficiently refuted in ancient times The heresie of the Monothelites was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches by a secret and crafty conuoy insinuating it selfe into credite againe after it was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon The authors of this heresie were Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Patriarches of Constantinople and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Petrus Bishop of Nicomedia with many others They denyed not directly the two natures of Christ personally vnited but onely affirmed that after the vnion of the natures there was onely one will and one operation in Christ whereas the holy Scriptures attribute vnto Christ as hee is man the action of sleeping and to Christ in respect of his divine nature the action of compescing and calming the rage and stormy tempest of blowing windes and swelling Seas This heresie was damned in the sixt generall Councell as wee shall heare God willing in its owne place CENTVRIE VIII MAny were accounted heretikes in this age because they worshipped God sincerely according to the rule of his owne blessed word and would not giue consent to the fond errours of the Roman Church But some were counted heretikes iustly and without all controuersie as namelie they who call Christ in his human nature the adoptiue son of God This wicked heresie repungeth vnto the celestiall Oracle which the three Apostles heard in the holy mountaine This is my wellbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased we are adopted in Christ to be the sons of God But Christ euen in his manly nature is the son of God by the excellent prerogatiue of personall vnion with the diuine nature It is not certainlie knowne whether Elipandus Bishop of Hispalis or another named Foelix with whom some affirme that Elipandus consulted about this damnable opinion was the author of this damnable heresie CENTVRY IX THey who of old were accustomed to condemne Heresies now they are become the chiefe patrons and maintainers of adoration of Images a notable heresie whose Pusillanimitre argueth the weakenesse of their cause For vnder the raigne of Lodouicus Pius Claudius Taurinensis wrote bookes against the adoration of Images and the Emperour by a publike edict commaunded them who were disposed to answere to his bookes to answere whilst Claudius was aliue But Ionas Bishop of Orleans concealed and obscured his bookes during Claudius lifetime but after his death with impotencie of railing words rather then with power of solide arguments hee indeuored to refute Claudius Taurinensis Let the iudicious reader without partialitie peruse the bookes of Ionas Bishop of Orleans and the verie stinking breath of the aduersarie of the truth shall giue great allowance to the truth of God Godescalcus a man of the low Countries is reckoned in the number of Heretikes of this age about the yeere of our Lord 849. Because hee spake of Predestination perilouslie to witt that these who were Predestinated to life by the decree of Gods Predestination were forced to doe well and those who were Predestinated to condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill Concerning old extinguished heresies as the Manicheans Arrians Donatists and such like who preased to build vp the walls of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attempts wiihout any successe CENTVRIE X. IN this age darkenes had gotten such vpper hand that the eye it selfe was darkened as our Lord speaketh The Spirit of errour so possessed the verie teachers that the most part of them worshipped Images yea the verie elements in the holy Sacraments of the Supper Churches were replenished with the bones of dead men whereunto the people kneeled worshipping dead bones in place of the liuing God And the small sparke of knowledge which remained not extinguished seemeth to be in the people rather then in the Pastours for the people saw that the Preachers entered not at the right doore but rather like vnto thiefes robbers they entered by bribes and gifts into spirituall offices and therefore the Historie recordeth that Henricus Auceps when hee did fight against the Hungarians made his vowe to God that if the Lord would giue him victorie against his enemies hee would purge his countrie from Simonie which was an euident token that the vilde heresie of Simon Magus in buying and selling spirituall things did at this time mightily abound CENTVRIE XI IN this Centurie the Pope had such vpper-hand both ouer Princes and Pastors that they accounted euery thing that displeased them to be heresie The inuestment of Bishops by secular men was called Simonie and marriage of Priests was called the Heresie of the Nicolaitans Likewise betweene the Latine and Greeke Church fell out such contention for a matter of small importance that they accounted one another to be heretikes The Greeke Church called the Latines Azymitae because they celebrated the Lords supper with vnleauened bread and the Latine Church on the other part called the Greeke Church Fermentarij because they vsed leauened breade yea and the Roman Church in this age so obstinately maintained the errour of Transubstantiation that they accounted all them heretikes who dissented from their opinion CENTVRIE XII IN this Centurie is found a French man Petrus Abelardus an accurat Philosopher who vttered vncouth things concerning the blessed Trinitie That the holie spirit was the soule of the world and that hee was not of the substāce of the father whose opinions were dāned by the Theolgues of Paris by Bernard of Clarauall in the Councells of Seison and Senon as also by Pope Innocentius the second after he had receiued this foyle hee entered into the Monasterie of Cluniacke where he concluded his life CENTVRYE XIII AMongst Heretikes in this age were reckoned Albigenses so called from the name of the part in France where they dwelt They were fauoured and assisted in many parts of France but namelie in Tolosa not only by the inferiour sort but also by the Count himself It is to be lamēted that the heads of their doctrine are not acuratly set downe by the writers of this age For it is verie likely that they haue taught otherwise then their aduersaries doe report of them who attribute vnto them the errours of the Manicheās who supposed that there
fornication of Athanasius of the hand of Arsenius of the Table Cuppe and bookes aboue mentioned but they forged new accusations against him whereunto the Emp. gaue too hastie credit and banished Athanasius to Triere Immediatly after the Councell of Tyrus many Bishops were assembled at Ierusalem for the dedication of the Temple which the Emperour Constantine had builded at the place of the Lords sepulchre Concerning the Councell of Antiochia wherein the Arrians deposed Eustatius and the Councell of Arles wherein Cecilianus was absolued from the accusation of the Donatists no further discourse is needful then is contained in the history of the liues of these two Bishops GAngra is a towne of Paphlagonia In this towne were assembled certaine Fathers to the number of 16. about the yeere of our Lord 324. The occasioÌ„ of their meeting was the heretike Eustatius who admiring the Monasticke life or as others affirme fauouring the heresie of Encratitae and the ManicheaÌ„s he spake against Marriage against eating of flesh and hee damned the publicke Congregations of Gods people in Temples and said a man could not be saued except he forsooke all his possessions and renounced the world after the forme of monkish doing These opinions were daÌ„ned in the Councell of Gangra The subscriptions of the fathers of this Councell after their Canons are worthie to be remarked These things say they haue wee subscribed not vituperating them who according to Scripture chooseth vnto themselues an holy purpose of a continent life but them onely who abuseth the purpose of their minds to pride extolling themselues against the simpler sort Yea and damne and cut off all those who contrary to Scripture Ecclesiasticall rules bring in new commandements But wee admire humble Virginity and we approue continencie that is vnder taken with chastity and Religion And we embrace the renounciation of secular businesse with humilitie And wee honour the chast boÌ„d of Marriage And we despise not riches joined with righteousnesse good workes And we coÌ„mend a simple course apparrel vsed for couering the body without Hypocrisie Likewise we reject loose and dissolute garments And we honour the houses of God assemblies that are in them as holy and profitable not debarring men from exercises of pietie in their owne priuate houses But places builded in the name of the Lord we honour and Congregations assembled in the places for the common vtilitie wee approue And good workes which are done to poore brethren euen aboue mens abilitie according to the Ecclesiasticall traditions we blesse them And we wish all things to be celebrated in the Church according to holy Scriptures and the ordinances of the Apostles IN the time of the raigne of Constantine in Eliberis a towne of Spaine were assembled nineteene Bishops of Presbyters thirty six The end of their meeting was to reforme horrible abuses both in Religion manners which in time of the ten Persecutions had preuailed in Spaine And now in time of peace such enormities and festered manners could hardly be amended Many Ecclesiasticall Canons were made in this Synode to the number of 81. Whereof wee shall rehearse but a few and such as clearely pointeth out the principall end of their meeting They ordained the Heaâ—hnicke sacrificing Priests called of old Flamines if they were content to abstaine from sacrificing to Idols and to learne the groundes of Christian Religion after three yeeres repentance they should be admitted to baptisme Likewise they ordained that Christian Virgins should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans lest in the floure of their youth they should be entangled with spiritual whooredome In like maner that Bishops should receiue no reward from men that did not communicate with the Church They ordained that nothing that is worshipped should be pictured on the wall And that in priuate houses no Idols should be found And in case the masters of houses were afraid of the violence of their seruants at least they should keepe themselues pure and cleane which if they did not they should be counted strangers from the fellowship of the Church And that if any man happen to be slayne in the action of breaking downe images his name shall bee enrolled in the catalogue of Martyrs because it is not written in the history of the Gospell that the Apostles vsed any such forme of reformation whereby they signifie that by wholsome doctrine images should be cast out of the hearts of men rather than broken with popular violence and with the tumultuary attempts of priuate men Any iudicious man may perceiue by these Canons both the time when and the cause wherefore this Councell was assembled THey who count the first Councell of Carthage to be that Councell whereinto Cyprian with aduise of many other bishops of Numidia Lybia and other partes of Africa ordained men who were baptized by Heretikes to be rebaptised againe they commit a great ouer sight to reckon the first Councell of Carthage to be holden vnder the raigne of Constantine whereas it is certainely knowne that Cyprian was martyred in the dayes of Valerian the eight persecuting Emperour But the first Councell of Carthage that was kept in Constantines dayes was that Councell whereinto the Donatistes coÌ„demned Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage whose innocencie afterward was tryed by many Iudges In it there was no matter of great importance concluded and therefore I ouer-passe it with few wordes as an assemblie of little account All these Councells aboue mentioned were assembled in the dayes of Constantine the Great Now followeth Councells gathered in the dayes of his sonnes The cause pretended for the gathering of the Councell of Antiochia in the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine was the dedication of the Church of Antiochia which albeit Constantine had builded yet fiue yeeres after his death and in the seuenteenth yeere after the foundation of the Temple was laide Constantius his sonne finished and perfected the worke And vnder pretence of dedication of this Temple as said is this Assemblie of Antiochia was gathered Anno 344. but indeed of purpose to supplant the true Faith To this Assemblie resorted many Bishops to the number of 90. But Maximus Bishop of Ierusalem and Iulius Bishop of Rome neither came they to the Councell neither sent they any messenger in their name fearing as the truth was that they were gathered for euill and not for good At this time Placitus the success out of Euphronius gouerned Antiochia Now when they were meâ— together many accusations were heaped vp against Athanasius First that hee had accepted his place againe without aduise of other Bishops Secondlie because at the time of his returning backe againe to Alexandria there fell out great commotion amongst the people and some were slaine others were contumeliouslie beaten and violently drawne befor justice seates Mention also was made of the decrete of the Councell of Tyrus against Athanasius It was an casie matter for the
had renued the heresies of Sabellius and Samosatenus A disputation was instituted betwixt Basilius Bishop of Ancyra an Arrian Heretique and Photinus a Sabellian Heretique in which disputation Photinus was thought to be overcome and was damned by the Councell as an Heretique and banished by the Emperour In this Councell they set downe summes of Faith one in Greeke and two in Latine wherein albeit they abstained from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neverthelesse they gave great glorie to the Sonne of God But in the end they repented and by the Emperours authority would haue recalled backe againe the copies of the summes of Faith set forth at Sirmium but the mandates of the Emperour commanding in most rigorous forme to deliver backe againe the copies that were past abroad could not bring to passe that that thing which was once divulgated should be againe suppressed The weaknesse of Osius Bishop of Corduba kythed in this Councell hath been touched in the history of his life AFter that the Emperour Constans was slaine by Magnentius the whole Soveraignty both of the East and West was in the hands of Constantius alone The Arrians moved him to assemble a Councell at Millan partly for ratification of the sentence pronounced against Athanasius in Tyrus amd partly for the subversion of the Nicene Faith The Occidentall Bishops to the number of three hundreth at the Emperors commandement assembled at Millan But neither would they ratifie the deposition of Athanaesius nor yet alter the summe of faith And some of them with libertie and freedome accused the Emperour of vnrighteous dealing For this cause many worthie Bishops were banished such as Liberius Bishop of Rome Paulinus B. of Triere Dionysius B. of Alba Lucifer B. of Calaris in Sardinia Eusebius B. of Vercellis in Liguria If in this Councell Osius B. of Corduba was banished as Theâ—doretus recordeth it would appeare that the Councell of Millan preceded the Councell of Sirmium because that Osius immediatly after he was reduced from banishment was compelled to addresse to the Councell of Sirmium But I haue followed the order of Ecclesiasticall writers IN the yeere of our Lord 363. and in the two and twentith yeere of the raigne of Constantius the Arrians having a great vantage of the flexible minde of Constantius mooved him to appoint a place wherein a generall Councell should be gathered for confirmation of their Faith Whether this place was the towne of Nicomedia or Nice alwaies it was shaken with earth-quake and the God of heaven hindered the purposes of their mindes The next course was that two nationall Councels should be convened one at Ariminum in Italy as a meet place for for the Bishops of the West to convene at and another in Sâ—lâ—â—cia of Isauria as a meet place for assembling of the Orientall Bishops To the Councell of Ariminum more then foure hundred Bishops did resort In this nationall Councell compeared Vrsatius and Valens with Germanus Auxentius and Caius and Demophilus desiring that the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as words not found in Scripture and grounds of vnsupportable contention in the Church should bee cancelled and razed out of the summe of Faith and that the Sonne of God should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of like substance with his Father The Fathers convened at Ariâ—ninum altogether disliked this proposition of Vrsatius and Valens and adhered for the most part of them closely to the Nicene Faith and excluded from the fellowship of the Church Vrsatius and Valens with their complices aboue menâ—ioned as the letter of the Councell written to the Emperour cleerely beares With the letter the Councell sent twenty Ambassadors chosen and selected men who should giue further instruction to the Emperor concerning the matter of Faith But Vrsatius and Valens prevened the Ambassadours of the Councell and by sinistrous informations hindered them from accesse to the Emperour onely their letter was read whereunto the Emperour turned a differing answer bearing that for the present hee was busied with weighty affaires of the kingdome but when hee should finde any breathing time hee would hearken vnto them The Councell sent the second time to the Emperour desiring they might haue libertie before the winter season to returne to their owne flocks and herewithall they assured the Emperour that in the matter of Faith they would adhere to that which was comprehended in the former letter To this second message no answer was returned Therefore the Bishops wearied with long attendance returned every man to his owne flock the Emperor counted this dissolution of the Councell without warrant of his anthority to bee a contempt of his Soveraignty Therefore he gaue charge to Valens to publish the summe of the Arrian Faith read in Ariminum albeit it was both disapproued and reiected with power also to Vrsatius and Valens to eiect those bishops out of their places who would not subscribe to the Arrian Faith and to ordaine others in their roome Vrsatius and Valens being strengthned with the Emperours commandement not onely troubled the Churches of the West but also went to Nica a towne in Thracia where they gathered a number of Bishops of their owne faction and approved the summe of Faith read by Arrians in Ariminum being first translated into the Greeke language and this they called the Nicene Faith deceiving themselues with vaine hopes as if men had beene so senselesse as to be altogether deceived by the similitude of words Nica in Thracia and Nice in Bithinia Moreouer Athanasius was as yet aliue who could haue discovered both the blasphemie of the Arrians at Sirmium and the falshood of the Arrians at Nica for at Sirmium in the first Session of the Councell it was written by the Clerke of the Councell Presente Constantio sempiterno Magna Augusto Consulibus Eusebio Hypatio Loe saith Athanasius writing to his friends the Arrians will not call the Sonne of God everlasting but they say there was a time wherein hee was not but they call the Emperor Constantius being a mortall man everlasting Emperour SElucia is a towne of Isauria or Cilicia from whence Paul and Barnabas sayled to Cyprus Isauria lyeth betwixt Lycaonia and Cilicia and in an ample signification it comprehendeth Cilica In this towne convened 160. Bishops of the East in the moneth of December of that same yeere of our Lord wherein the Councell of Ariminum was assembled Leonas one of the Princes of the Emperours court and Lucius otherwise called Lauritius Captaine of the bands of souldiers in Isauria were appointed to attend the peace of the assembly and that all things should bee done decently and in order The Emperour gaue commandement that the matter of faith should bee first intreated but afterward hee gaue commandement that the liues of them who were to bee accused should first bee examined Whereupon arose contention in the assemblie some vrging the
widow who hath had concubines who is in a servile condition who is vnknowne Neophycus who is given to war-fare or an attender in Court who is vnlearned or hath not attained to the age of thirtie yeares who hath not proceeded to honour by ascending degrees who by ambition or bribes hath presumed to honour who hath been elected by his predecessor who hath not beene elected by the Clergie and people of his owne citie He who is approved shall be consecrated on the Lords day by all the comprovinciall Bishops at least by three of them Let Levites be of the age of 25. yeeres before their admission and Presbyters of 30. Let Bishops be vnreproveable according to the precept of the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. Let Bishops not onely haue the testimony of a Good conscience in the sight of God but also the testimony of an vnruproueable conversation amongst men Presbyters Levites whom infirmity of old age permits not to abide in their secret chambers yet let them haue witnesses of their honest conversation and remaining places Youth-hood is prone and bent to evill therefore let them that are young be all brought vp in one conclaue vnder the instruction and government of some well approved Senior But they who shall be found lascivious and incorrigible let them bee thrust into a Monastery to the end that stricter discipline may correct the proud minds of insolent youths Seeing that ignorance is the mother of all errours it becommeth Presbyters who haue vndertaken the office of teaching continually to meditate vpon holy Scripture according to the words of the Apostle Take heed to reading exhortation and doctrine 1 Tim. 4. for by meditation of holy Scripture and the Canons of the Church men are made able to instruct others in knowledge and in precepts of good manners Presbyters shal receiue from their owne Bishops an officiall booke to the end that through ignorance they doe nothing amisse neither in celebration of the Sacraments nor in their Letanies nor in their forme of comming to Councels When Presbyters and Deacons are admitted to their offices they must vow chastitie and binde themselues to their Bishops to lead a continent life and after such profession let them retaine the discipline of an holy life A Bishop Presbyter or Deacon who shall happen to be vniustly deposed if they bee found innocent by the tryall of the Synode let them be restored to their former dignities before the Altar by the hands of Bishops in this manner If hee bee a Bishop let him be restored to his Orarium with Staffe and Ring If hee be a Presbyter to his Orarium and Planeta If he be a Deacon to his orarium and Alba If he be a Sub-deacon to his Plate and Chalice and other orders let them receiue in their restitution that which was given vnto them in their ordination If any of the Clergy be found to haue cōsulted with diviners sorcerers let him be deposed from his dignity put into a Monastery to make cōtinual penance for his sacrilege Church-men who dwell in borders confining to a Nation that is vnder hostility with their owne countrey let them neither receiue from the enemies of the countrey nor direct any secret message vnto the enemies If any Church-man sit in iudgement or be iudge in a sentence of blood let him bee depriued of his dignity in the Church Let Bishoppes haue a care of such as are oppressed to reproove the mightie men who oppresse them and if the word of wholesome reproofe profite nothing let them complaine to the king to the ende that by regall authoritie impietie may be subdued Seeing auarice is the roote of all euill let Bishops so gouerne their dioceses that they spoyle thē not of their rightes but according to the determination of anteriour Councels let them haue the third part of Oblations Tithes Tributes Cornes the rest let it remaine vnto the Paroches free and vntouched That thing which one Bishop possesseth without interpellation for the space of thirtie yeeres let no man in that same Prouince be heard in an action of repetition But as concerning them who dwell in diuerse Prouinces the case standeth otherwise lest while Dioceses are defended the boundes of Prouinces be confounded A Church newly builded shall appertaine vnto that Bishop in whose diosie it is knowne that spiritual conuentions haue beene kept A Bishop shall visit yeerelie all the paroches of his diosie and in case he be hindered by infirmitie or by weightie businesse he shall appoint faithfull Presbyters and Deacons to take inspection of the fabricke of the Churches and of their rentes Whatsoeuer reward a Prelate promiseth to a man who vndertaketh any worke tending to the vtilitie of the Church let him faithfully performe his promise Seeing that a part of Church-rentes is bestowed vpon sustentation of strangers and of poore and indigent people if it shall happen at any time those persons or their children to be indigent who haue rendered any rent to the Church let them render a just deserued retribution to their bene-factors in sustaining them to whose beneuolence they are addoted The Deacons are decerned to be inferiour to Presbyters Let the Leuites be content to be cloathed with their Orarium onely vpon the left shoulder and not vpon their right shoulders and let it neither be beautified with colours nor with gold Platina in the life of Zosinus calleth it Linostima Let Clergie-men haue the vpper-most part of their heads bare and shauen and the lower-part rounded not following the example of the Readers of Gallicia who did shaue onelie a little of the vpper-most part of the haire of their head conforming themselues in so doing to the custome of some Heretikes which dishonour is to bee remoued from the Churches of Spaine No strange women shall cohabite with Church-men only their mother or sister or her daughter or fathers sister may dwell with them amongst which persons the bandes of nature permitteth not to suspect any sinne according to the constitutions of auncient Fathers Some of the Clergie who are not married are intangled with the forbidden lust of strange women let the Bishop separate them sell the women and redact the men infected with their lust for a space vnto penance If a man of the Clergy marrie a wife or a widow or a deuorced woman or an harlot without aduise of his Bishop let the Bishop separate them againe Clergie-men who haue cloathed themselues with armour voluntarilie and haue gone to warre fare let them be deposed from their office and bee thrust into a Monasterie there to remaine all the dayes of their life Church-men who are found spoyling the sepulchers of persons departed let them be deposed and be subject vnto three yeeres penance By the commandement of king Sisenandus Churchmen are exempted from all publike indictions and labours to the end
children and that they shall be accursed who dare presume to seeke the kingly authority without the consent of the whole countrey of Spaine and the Nobility of the nation of the Gothes and that no man shal raile vpon the King or lie in waite for his life IN the yeere of our Lord 652. or as others reckon 650. Pope Martinus gathered a Councell at Rome of moe then an hundred Bishops The errour of the Monothelites obstinately defended by Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was the occasion of this Councell together with the impious edict of the Emperour Constans set out in favour of the heresie of the Monothelites In this Councell over and besides an ample confession of Faith many decrees and constitutions were made all tending to damne those who denyed the Trinity or the divine vnity in the divine nature or the manifestation of the second person of the Trinitie and his suffering in the flesh or the perpetuall virginity of the Lords mother or the two nativities of Christ one before all times and another in time by the operation of the holy spirit or the distinction of the two natures after the ineffable vnity or the distinction of wils and operations in Christ. In like manner all were damned who made opposition to the fiue preceding generall Councels In particular Theodorus of Pharatrita Cyrus of Alexandria Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Bishops of Constantinople were condemned as patrons and obstinate defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites There is more frequent mention of Fathers than of Scriptures in this Councell a perilous example to the posterity IN the yeere of our Lord 653. and in the third yeere of Chintilla King of the Gothes in Spaine the sixt Councell of Toledo was assembled of 52. Bishops Eugenius Bishop of Toledo being President The occasion seemeth to haue beene the renovation of old heresies and contradiction to preceding Councels After a confession of the Faith Letanies are ordained to be said as was appointed yeerly for preservation of the King It was ordained by the advice of the Councell with consent of the King and his Nobles that no man should be tolerated to dwell in the kingdome of Spaine who did not professe the Catholike Faith and that Kings in all time to come before they were placed in their royall seate should be bound by the obligation of a solemne oath to interpose their authority that this act might bee obeyed Otherwise let the King refusing to put this act in execution be counted accursed and be a faggot of the flames of everlasting fire What Ferdinandus King of Spaine did in driving out of his dominions the Iewes and the Saracens some alledge that it was done vpon the ground of this act but now it is not a fit time to examine that question No man shall presume by Simony or largition of mony to attaine to Ecclesiasticall offices If any of the Clergie obtaine a pension out of the Church-rents let him possesse it vnder the title of Praecaria lest by long possession the Church rents be diminished If any person be cloathed with a religious habite which hee hath voluntarily accepted if afterward hee forsake it let him be excommunicated if hee returne not againe vnto his order The seuenth Canon is a renewing of the foure and fifty Canon of the fourth Councell of Toledo A married man who voweth chastitie in time of sicknesse if he recouer health and haue not the gift of continencie let him cohabite againe with his wife but if shee die he is debarred from the second marriage which notwithstanding is permitted to the wife if shee haue not vowed This Canon is not set downe by precept and commandement but permissiuely through indulgence and a consideration of humane infirmitie Seruants whom the Church hath set at libertie when one Prelate dieth and another succeedeth they are bound to renew the charters of their land which they possesse else their charters shall be voyde and of none effect if they be not renewed within the space of a yeere next after the election of the new Prelate The children of them whom the Church hath set at libertie if their parents bring them vp in learning they shall be brought vp in that same Church from which their libertie did arise and shall serue the Bishop of that Church alwayes without prejudice of their libertie Let no man vpon occasion of an accusation be punished vnlesse his accuser be presented and in case he be a vile and infamous person let no sentence be giuen out vpon the ground of such accusation except in an action of treason against the life of the King He who hath committed hainous offences and fearing punishment fleeth to the enemies of his countrey for refuge let him be excommunicated Let young men honour them who are in great credite and fauour with Princes And let Seniors louingly cherish the younger sort and present vnto them profitable examples of a good conuersation The 14. and 15. Canon intreate of the reward due to them who are found faithfull seruants to the King in whatsoeuer estate especially in the Church and that rentes and landes bestowed vpon the Church shall abide firmely in their possession without reuocation In the 16.17.18 and 19. Canons there is a commemoration of the bountiful kindnesse of king Chintilla toward the Church a prouision that no Church-men should be allured by no deceitfull perswasion to take a course against the king A protestation before God his Angels Prophets Apostles Martyrs and whole Church That no man should enterprise any attempt against the King his Noble estate And they who shall presume to doe to the contrarie are appointed to eternall damnation In the end prayers are made to God to giue a good successe to their meeting and thankes are giuen to the King by whose authoritie they were assembled So it is manifest that by the authoritie of Princes Nationall Assemblies were conueened at this time IN the yeere of our Lord 662. as Functius reckoneth and in the 6. yeere of Chindasuvindus king of Spaine the 7. Coūcel of Toledo was assembled consisting of 4. Archbishops 30. Bishops and a great number of presbyters and messengers from them who could not be present The occasion of this meeting was Theodisclus Bishop of Hispalis a Graeciā borne He had corrupted the bookes of Isidorus and dispersed many errours in his Church he contended for supermacie with the Bishop of Toledo In this Councell Theodisclus was remooued from his office The prioritie of dignitie was conferred to the Bishop of Toledo In the second Tome of Councels six Canons are referred to this meeting First Laickes and men also in spirituall office are forbidden to attempt any thing against the estate of their countrie either by sedition or treason Secondlie it is appointed and ordained That in case any man ministring the Sacrament of the Lords holy Supper be hindred by
any superuenient sicknesse that another shall bee readie to finish the worke which hee hath begunne Thirdly That the Presbyters and the whole Clergie shal be present at the funerall of a bishop Fourthly It is forbidden that Bishops in their visitation should extort or oppresse the Churches which they visite Fiftly That men inclosed into a Monasterie should first receiue instruction in their Monasteries before they presume to teach others Sixtly A commandement is giuen That the Bishops in neare adjacent places should bee obedient to the Bishop of Toledo and at his commaundement they should appeare in the towne of Toledo CAbillonum vulgarlie called Chalon is a towne in Burgunnie not farre distant from Matiscone In this towne by the commandement of Clodoneus king of France conueened 44. Bishops Gandericus Bishop of Lions was President and Laudilenus Bishop of Vienne Theodorus Bishop of Arls because hee refused to appeare before the Councell was suspended from his office vntill the next Councell In this Synode the Canons of the Councell of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two Bishops should be ordained in one towne That no man should sel a Christian seruant to a Iew And that two Abbots should not be chosen to gouerne one Monasterie That no labouring of the ground or other secular worke should be done on the Lords day with many other Canons coincident with the Canons of other Councels IN the dayes of the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus and vnder the Popedome of Agatho a Councell was gathered at Rome about the question of the willes and operations of Christ wherein it was decerned by the suffrages of 125. Bishops of Italy France Lombardy of the nation of the Gothes of Britanes and Sclauonians That two willes and two operations were to bee acknowledged in Christ And the opinions of Theodorus Cyrus Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites was damned The vaunting words of the letter of Agatho written to the sixt generall Councell wherein he braggeth that the Bishops of Rome neuer erred in matters of Faith I lay them aside at this time for they are false and vntrue as I haue alreadie prooued and shall prooue hereafter if it please the Lord. IN the yeere of our Lord 671. and in the fift yeere of Recesuvindus King of Gothes the eight Councell of Toledo was conueened To this Assemblie resorted two and fiftie Bishops Great disputation was in this Councell concerning perjurie In end it was resolued That no necessitie bindeth a man to performe an vnlawfull oath For Herod and Iephthah sinned in making vnlawfull oathes but they sinned more grieuouslie in performing vnlawfull oathes Marriage is vtterlie forbidden to Bishops and places of Scripture are miserablie abused to confirme this interdiction of marriage Be yee holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 And in another place Mortifie your members which are on the earth Coloss. 3.5 Miserable ignorance in this age counteth marriage to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vncleanenesse a member of the bodie of sin which the Apostle commandeth to mortifie Yea and the sub-deacons who pleaded for retaining of their wiues in regard that in their admission no such condition was required of them are in most seuere manner interdited from the companie of their wiues or else to be thrust into a Monastery to suffer penance vntill the last period of their liues Vnlearned men are not to be admitted to the celebration of diuine misteries especially such as are not well acquainted with the Psalter Eating of flesh is forbidden in Lent for three principall causes First Because the fourtie dayes of Lent are the tithes of all the dayes of the yeeres and the tithes should be consecrated to God Secondlie because that Christ by fasting fourtie dayes expiated the sinnes of mankinde Thirdly because it is conuenient that a man made of the 4. elementes for breaking the ten precepts of the decalogue should afflict his bodie foure times ten dayes In the 10. Canon the vertues where with the king shall be indewed who shall be chosen to raigne in Spaine are rehearsed In the last Canon the ordinances of preceding Councels are to be obeyed and the Iewes are to bee deale with according to the actes of the 4. Councell of Toledo Can. 56. 57. 58. 59. and 60. c. IN the yeere of our Lord 673. and in the 7. yeere of the raigne of Recesuvindus king of Gothes by the commandement of the King 16. Bishops conueened in Toledo and made these ordinances following First That founders of Churches and bestowers of rentes vpon the Church and their posteritie should haue a sollicitous care that Church-rents be not abused with misorder if it shall happen to fall out let complaint be made to the Bishop to the Metropolitane or to the king of the countrey Founders of Churches during their life-time haue power to appoint men who shall attend vpon the fabricke of the Church or Monasterie which is builded that it decay not If any Church-man bestow any part of Church-rent vnder the colour of prestation let the cause be clearely contained in an euidence or else it shall be voide Let the goods of the defunct administrator of the Church-affaires be equally diuided betwixt his heires and the Church If a Bishop build a Monasterie let him not bestow aboue the fiftie part of the rent of his prelacie in the charges of building and in case he build a paroch Church for honour of his buriall place let him not bestow aboue the hundreth part of his rent for charges of building To the Bishop belongeth the third part of rent of euery paroch Church in his diosie and whether he leaue that third part to the Church it selfe out of which it is raised or to any other Church his gift shall stand firme without reuocation Let no man vnder pretence of propinquitie and because he is heire intromet with the goods of the defunct Bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Metropolitan and in case the Metropolitan depart this life let no intermeddling with his goods bee made without the foreknowledge of is successour lest by fraud and deceit the Church be damnified If any man ministring in a Church-office alienate a part of Church-rents the supputation of time shall begin to bee reckoned from the houre of his death and not from the time wherein the charter was subscribed and so after his death let the prescription run on The ninth Canon measureth the commodity which a Bishop shall receiue who hath taken paines to burie another Bishop Children procreated by Bishops Presbyters Deacons c. shall not onely be deprived of the heritage some time belonging to their parents but also they shall be mancipated to perpetuall service of those Churches wherein their fathers served Let the reader marke that there is a greater businesse in Councels to procure obedience to one Antichristian
precept concerning prohibition of marriage than to all the ten Commandements of Gods law Let not a servant be accepted to serue in the Ministery of the Church before he be first set at liberty When servants are set at liberty let the supputation of time begin at the death of him who set them at liberty and not at the time when the charter was made Servants set at liberty shall neither marry a woman of the Romane nor of the Gothes blood and they shall be subiect to the Church that set them at liberty and if necessity compell them to sell lands let the land be first offered for a competent price to one Minister in that Church from which their liberty did arise Iewes who are baptized shall in time of solemne feastes attend vpon the Bishop of the parts where their dwelling is to the end that hee may beare testimony of the integrity of their faith If this cōmmandement be◠ansgresed the Bishop shall ordaine the Iew either to be scourged or to be subiect to such abstinence as he thinketh most fit In the end thanks being rendered to God for their meeting and for the vnitie of their iudgements and supplications being made to God for the weale of the King Recesuvindus in soule and body the Councell was dissolved IN the eight yeere of the raigne of Recesuvindus King of Gothes assembled in Toledo one and twenty Bishops They decerned concerning the Feasts of the nativity of our Lord and of the Lords mother at what times they should be kept Punishments are appointed for men of the Clergy and Monkes who are not found dutifull to the King and the Countrey That men vnmeet for spirituall offices should not bee intruded into the Church neither for propinquity of blood nor for hope of lucre and gaine That widowes professing a religious order shall receiue an habit convenient for that order And that women who depart againe from their professed order shall be punished That Parents shall not render their children to religious orders before they be eighteene yeeres of age Finally Protamius Bishop of Bracara being convict of adultery was removed from his office and Fructuosus was placed in his roome IN the seventh yeere of the raigne of Bamba King of the Gothes ninteene Bishops and seven Abbots were assembled in Toledo by the Kings Commandement Quiricus Bishop of Toledo being President In the beginning after a protestation of a decent order to be kept in their Assembly that no tumult nor contentious disputation nor indecent laughter should disturb the comely modesty of their Assembly they set downe a prolixe confession of Faith and Canons belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline in the forme following 1. That Bishops should bee well acquainted with Scriptures and apt to teach 2. That Metropolitan Bishoppes should try how the Pastors of their Dioces increase in knowledge◠That the forme of singing vsed in the Metropolitane Church shal be likewise vsed in other inferiour Churches 4. That persons who haue discorded shall not stand at the Altar vntill the time they bee reconciled againe 5. That Church-men shall not judge in actions of blood 6. That Bishops should not giue sentence before a sufficient triall of the cause 7. Bishops who commit adulterie or murther shall be deposed and excommunicated beside the punishment to be inflicted by the secular Iudge 8. No reward shall be taken for ministration of the Sacramentes 9. Bishops before their ordination shall giue their oath that they haue not acquired that dignitie by rewards either giuen or to be giuen 10. He who is to be preferred to any Ecclesiasticall office let him first sweare that hee shall continue constantly in that true Catholicke faith and that hee shall be obedient to Ecclesiasticall Canons 11. Let no man refuse to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper when it is offered by him who hath a lawfull calling to ministrate it 12. Absolution should bee pronounced when perill of death impendeth albeit complet satisfaction be not made 13. The holy Sacrifice shall not be ministered by persons possessed with deuils or transported with the passions of madnesse 14. He who ministreth at the Altar shall haue other concurring with him to the end that if he be suddenly oppressed with any infirmitie the other assistant brother may supply his place 15. Councels are ordained yeerely to bee kept IF order of time be not precisely kept in commemoration of the Councels of Bracara and Toledo let no man maruell some regard must be had to the memorie of the Reader and it is not meet◠that the Councels of Toledo being many in number and so frequently conueened following vpon the necke of another except the eleuenth Councell conueened twelue yeeres after the 10 should be miserably disioyned if such things be not comported with by the fauorable Reader it will bee hard to abridge this head of Councels to the contentment of a learned Reader This Councell of Bracara by Caranza is called the first Councell of Bracara In it many old opinions of the Priscillianists and Manicheans concerning prohibition of marriage and meates are condemned together with the heresies of Samosatenus Photinus Cerdon and Marcion Canons set forth in this Councell are so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that there is no necessity to make rehearsall of them In the 30. Canon of this Councell it is ordained That no poesie shall be sung in the Church except the Psalter of the old Testament IN the 4 yeere of Bambas King of Gothes eight Bishops were assembled in Braga In the beginning of the Councell for confession of their Faith they made a new rehearsall of the summe of the Nicene Faith After this they set downe eight ordinances in manner following 1. That all superstitious opinions being reiected bread and wine mixed with water onely should be offered in the Sacrifice and not the liquor of milke nor pure vnmixed wine nor bread dipped in wine Here marke that the giving of vnmixed wine to the people in the Sacrament or Sacrifice is called superstition such bitter fruits do ensue vpon magnifying the traditions of men that Christs owne institution is called superstition 2. That vessels dedicated to God bee not abused and imployed to secular and humane vses 3. A Presbyter when he sayeth masse let him bee cloathed with his Orarium on both his shoulders and be signated on his brest with the signe of the Crosse. 4. Let no person of the Clergy cohabit with women no not with their owne sisters without witnesses of their conversation 5. Vpon Festivall dayes reliques enclosed in an Arke shal be borne vpon the shoulders of the Levites as the Arke of God in the old Testament was accustomed to bee borne 1 Chron. 15.15 and not about the necke of a Bishop and in case the Bishop will needs carry them himselfe then shall he walke on foot with the rest of the people and not be carryed in a coach by his Deacons Here marke
a forme of receiuing of confessions and prescribing of penance according to the Canonicall institutions 13. They reasoned about the eight principall vices to the end their diuersitie being distinguished every man might know what vices he should eschew and teach others to beware of the same 14. That Bishops should take heed of the reading of the bookes of the Canonicke Scripture and the bookes of Fathers and should attend vpon the preaching of the Word of God 15. That Bishops should preach the Sermons and Homilies of holy Fathers in such sort as all the people might vnderstand them The 16. Canon is coincident with the 12. 17. That Bishops and Abbots permit no man to solace the company with filthy gesting in their presence but let poore and indigent people be refreshed at their tables with lectures of divine Scripture and praising of God according to the Precept of the Apostle that whether wee eate or drinke let all things be done to the glory of God 18. Gluttony and Drunkennesse forbidden to Bishops and the Ministers of God 19. Let not Bishops bee rash to iudge in things secret which are to bee referred to the iudgement of God who can manifest things hid vp in darknesse and discouer the secrets of the heart 20. Presbyters shall not transport themselues from a low place to a greater 21. Whosoever by paying money procureth a preferment in the Church shall be deposed 22. No Church-man shall cohabite with a woman except it be with his mother or sister or such like persons by whose company no suspition of vncleannesse can arise Precepts given to Monkes and Nunnes I passe by as I did in the former Councell Canon 35. The Sabbath day shall be kept holy and in it no servile worke shall bee done according to the Lords commandement 36. Let no man bestow vpon the Church that thing which by vnlawfull meanes hee hath fraudulently with-drawne from others 37. Nor yet by lies and deceitfull meanes with-draw any thing duly belonging to the Church 38. Let tythes be precisely payed 39. Let no man presume to receiue rewards for his decreet and sentence 40. Let prayers and oblations be made for the Emperour and his noble race that it would please God to preserue them in all happines in this present life and vouchsafe vnto them celestiall ioyes in company of the Angels in the life to come In the 41. Canon mention is made of a certaine rent left by King Pipinus of Good memory which they wish the Emperour Charles Pipinus sonne should not alter nor transferre into another summe in respect that by so doing many periuries and false testimonies might ensue 42. And that no man should be remoued from his mansion to whom the Emperours almes is distributed 43. And that the statute may bee confirmed by his Highnesse allowance whereby all contentions and strifes are ordained to haue a decision and end 44. And that the statute made in Bononia concerning false witnesses may be ratified and confirmed with augmentation if neede require for eschewing of periuries false testimonies and many other inconueniences IN the yeere of our Lord 813. and at the commandement of the Emperour Carolus Magnus a Councell of many Bishops and Abbots was assembled about establishing of Ecclesiasticall discipline in the towne of Towers In the first Canon all men are admonished to be obedient to the Emperour Charles the Great and to keepe the oath of allegeance made vnto him and to make prayers and supplications for his prosperity and wel-fare 2. All Bishoppes shall diligently reade and frequently peruse the bookes of holy Scripture the histories of the Euangels and the Epistles of Paul together with the bookes of ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawfull for any Bishop to bee ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastorall booke of Gregorius in the which every man as in a liuely mirrour might see himselfe 4. Let every Bishop feede the flocke committed vnto him not onely with doctrine but also with examples of good conversation 5. A Bishop must not be giuen to sumptuous banquets but be content with a moderate diet lest hee should seeme to abuse the counsell of our Lord saying Take heed that your hearts be not surfeited with gluttony or drunkennesse but let holy lecture be at his table rather then the idle wordes of flattering fellowes 6. Let strangers and indigent people bee at Bishops tables whom they may refresh both with corporall and spirituall repast 7. The delicate pleasure of the eare and eyes are to bee eschewed left by such pleasures the minde be effeminate and inchanted 8. Let not the Lords servants delight in vaine gesting nor in hunting nor hawking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons follow the foot-steps of their Bishops assuring themselues that the good conuersation enioyned vnto their Bishops is also enioyned vnto them 10. Let Bishops haue a great sollicitude and care towards the poore and be faithfull dispensators of Ecclesiasticall goods as the Ministers of God and not as hunters after filthy lucre 11. It is lawfull for Bishops with consent of Presbyters and Deacons to bestow out of the Church treasure to support indigent people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to be ordained vntill hee bee thirtie yeere old 13. Let the Bishop make diligent inquisition in his owne parish Church that no Presbyter comming from any other parts make seruice in his Church without letters of recommendation 14. Let a Presbyter leaving a low place and presuming to an higher incurre that same punishment which a Bishop deprehended in the like fault should incurre 15. A Presbyter who attaineth to a Church by giving money for it let him bee deposed 16. Let tythes bestowed vpon Churches by advice of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poore by the Presbyters 17. The families of Bishops shall be instructed in the summe of the true faith In the knowledge of the retribution to be given to good men and the condemnation of people and of the resurrection and last iudgement and by what kinde of workes eternall life may be promerited and that the Homilies containing these instructions shall bee translated into Rusticke-Latine-language to the end that every person may vnderstand them Marke in what estimation the Latine language hath beene at this time that instructions in Rusticke and barbarous Latine are counted better then instructions in good French language 18. It is the dutie of the Bishop to instruct his Presbyter concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme what it is that they should desire the people baptized to renounce namely that they should renounce the divell and all his workes and his pomps Now the workes of the Diuell are murther fornication adulterie drunkennesse and other such like faults But the pompes of the Divell are pride ostentation swelling conceits vaine-glory loftinesse and such other faults as spring vp from such grounds 19. Presbyters are precisely to be admonished that when they say the masse and do communicate they doe
not distribute the Lords bodie indiscreetly to children and to all persons who happen to be present who if they be entangled with great sinnes they procure vnto themselues rather damnation then any remedie to their soules according to the saying of the Apostle Whosoeuer eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cup unworthily hee shall be guilty of the bodie and blood of the Lord Let a man therefore try himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. By this let the iudicious Reader marke that even in the dayes of Carolus Magnus priuate masses had no place but they who were duly prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrisme to be touched by every man 21. Presbyters shall not resort to Tavernes to eate or drinke 22. Bishops and Presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who haue confessed their sinnes penance discreetly according to the waightinesse of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in Cities let them eate in one Cloyster and sleepe vnder one roofe to the end they may bee ready to celebrate their Canonicall houres From the 24. Canon vnto the 32. are contained constitutions concerning Monkes and Nunnes which I ouer-passe with silence fearing to be prolix Canon 32. All men should studie to peace and concord but especially Christians forsaking hatred discord and envie 33. Lords and Iudges should be obedient to the wholsome admonitions of their Bishops and Bishops on the other part should reverently regard them to the end they may be mutually supported every one with the consolations one of another 34. Lords and Iudges are to bee admonished that they admit not vile and naughty persons to beare witnesse in their iudicatories because there are many who for a contemptible price are ready to make shipwracke of a good conscience 35. Let no man for his decreet receiue a reward For divine Scripture in many places forbiddeth this as a thing that blindeth the eyes of the blind 36. Let euery man be carefull to support indigent persons of his owne family and kindred for it is an impious and abominable thing in the sight of God that men abounding in riches should neglect their owne 37. Christians when they make supplications to God let them in humble manner bow downe their knees following the example of the Martyr Steven and of the Apostle Paul Except vpon the Lords day and other solemne dayes on the which the vniversall Church keepeth a memoriall of the Lords resurrection and at such times they are accustomed to stand and pray 38. Faithfull people must be admonished not to enter into the Church with tumult and noyse and in time of prayer and celebration of the masse not to be occupied in vaine confabulations and idle speeches but even to abstain from wicked cogitations 39. Let not the Consistories and Iudgement-seates of secular Iudges be in the Church or portches thereof in any time to come because the house of God should bee an house of Prayer as our Lord Iesus Christ saith 40. Let it be forbidden that Merchandize be vsed vpon the Lords day or Iustice-Courts because all men should abstaine from servile labours to the end this day may be spent in praising and thanking God from morning till evening 41. Incestuous persons parracides and murtherers are found who will not hearken to the wholsome admonitions of Church-men but persevere in their vitious conversation who must be reduced to order by the discipline of the secular power 42. Let the people be admonished to abstaine from Magicall Arts which can bring no support and helpe to the infirmities of men and beasts but they are the deceitfull snares of the Divell whereby he deceiveth man-kinde 43. A frequent custome of swearing is forbidden wherein men vpon euery light occasion willing to purchase credit to that which they speake they take God to be witnesse of the verity of their speeches 44. Many free subiects by the oppression of their Masters are redacted to extreame pouerty whose causes if our element Soveraigne please to examine hee shall finde that they are vniustly redacted to extreame indigence 45. A false measure and a false ballance is an abomination vnto the Lord as Salomon recordeth The 46. Canon containeth a regrate that tythes were not duly payed to the Church notwithstanding that the Church had giuen in their complaint to the civil Magistrate whereby it came to passe that not only lights in the Church and stipends to the Clergie began to inlacke but also the very parish Churches became ruinous 47. When generall Fastings are appointed for any impendent calamity let man neglect the fellowship of the humble Church for desire to feed his belly with delicate foode 48. Drunkennes and surfeiting are forbidden as offensiue both to soule and bodie and the ground of many other sinnes 49. Lords and Masters are to be admonished not to deale cruelly and vnmercifully with their subiects yea and not to seeke that which is due vnto themselues with excessiue rigour 50. Let Laicke people communicate at least thrise in a yeere vnlesse they be hindred by some grivous sinnes committed by them 51. In the last Canon mention is made that they diligently examined the cause of them who complained to the Emperour that they were dis-inherited by thâ— donation of lands which their Fathers and friends had bestowed vpon the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complaine Alwaies in that matter if any thing was done amisse they humbly submitted themselues to be corrected by their Soveraigne Lord and King THe Councell of Chalons was the fourth Councell convened in the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Charles the Great for the reformation of the Ecclesiasticall Estate Many of the Canons of this Councell are coincident with the Canons of the former therefore I shall be the shorter in the commemoration thereof 1. That Bishops acquaint themselues diligently with reading the bookes of holy Scripture and the Bookes of ancient Fathers together with the Pastorall bookes of Gregorius 2. Let Bishops practice in their workes the knowledge which they haue attained vnto by by reading 3. Let them also constitute Schooles wherein learning may be increased and men brought vp in them that may be like to the salt of the earth to season the corrupt manners of the people and to stop the mouthes of Heretiques according as it is said to the commendation of the Church A thousand Targes are hung vp in it even all the Armour of the strong Cant. chap. 4 vers 4. â— 4. Let Church-men shew humility in word deed countenance and habite 5. Let Priests bee vnreproueable adorned with good manners and not given to filthy lucre 6. The blame of filthy lucre wherewith many Church-men were charged for this that they allured secular men to renounce the world and to bring their goods to the Church they endeuour with multiplyed number of words to remoue 7. Bishops and Abbots who with deceitfull speeches haue circumvened
the sustentation of the Ministery the support of the poore and the fabricke of the Church 15. Let mens bodies be buried in that Parish vnto the which they payed their tythes 16. No buriall place shall be sold for mony 17. Let Laicke people be buried in the Church-yard not in the Church but if they be buried already let not their bodies be remooved 18. The vessels wherein holy mysteries are celebrated are Challices and Platters whereof Saint Bonifacius a Bishop and Martyr being demanded if it was lawfull to celebrate the Sacrament in vessels of wood Hee answered that of old there were golden Bishops and woodden vessels but now by the contrary saith hee the Bishops are wooden Bishops and the vessels are vessels of gold And Sepherinus ministred the Sacrament in vessels of glasse Neverthelesse this Councell straitly inhibiteth the Sacrament to be consecrated in vessels of wood 19. Let not wine without water be offered in the holy Challic◠because both blood and water flowed out of the side of Christ. 20. Priests are shaven to the end they may carry vpon their heads a similitude of the crowne to wit of thornes wherewith the Lord was crowned who is their lot and portion 21. Let not Presbyters who are called before Iustice-seats be compelled to sweare but let them bee put in rememberance of their holy consecration in stead of an oath 22. The tryall of persons defamed by the burning iron is ceased but let no man giue out rash iudgement in secret matters 27. They who haue vndertaken a spirituall office should not goe to war-fare nor accept vpon them ciuill offices according to the seventh Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon 31. A theese or a robber who is slaine in the perpetration of his diabolicall fact let no man pray for his soule nor distribute almes for his reliefe 35. Let no iustice-Courts be holden on the Lords day neither of Festivall nor Fasting dayes 39. A man who marrieth a woman of a strange countrey but not of a strange religion shall bee compelled to cohabite with her 40. It shall not bee lawfull for a man to marrie a woman whom hee hath polluted in adultery during her husbands life-time 45. Hee who hath defiled two sisters let him be subiect to penance all his dayes and remaine continent 46. A woman that hath committed adultery and for feare of her husband who pursueth her vnto the death shee fleeth vnto Bishoppes to seeke reliefe let them travell seriously for the safety of her her life and if that can be obtained let her bee restored to her husband againe but if that cannot be obtained let her not bee restored but her husband during his life-time shall not marrie another 54. A forme of externall repentance is prescribed to them who of precogitate malice and of purpose haue committed slaughter CENTVRIE X. IN the yeere of our Lord 903. a Councell was convened at Ravenna of 74. Bishops It seemeth to bee assembled by Iohn the tenth whereat was present Carolus Simplex the King of France In this Councell the acts of Pope Formosus had allowance and the Decrees of Stephanus the sixt were condemned and burnt VNder the raigne of Carolus Simplex King of France a Councell was gathered at Rhemes apparantly for the place is not certaine for correcting the abuse of Church-rents Noblemen in Court such as Hugo and his brother Robert Master of the Kings horses and Vinemarus with diverse others vnder pretence of sustayning the Kinges honourable estate and paying wages to souldiers had converted to their owne vse a great part of Church-rents especially belonging to Abbies Fulco Archbishop of Rhemes vttered his minde freely in the Councell Vinemarus one of the notable oppressors in the Court defiled the Councell with blood and killed Fulco Bishop of Rhemes The Fathers of the Councell returned vnto their owne Churches with great feare for the like of this was not heard since the second Councell of Ephesus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Councell of briggandrie because in it Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople was slaine IN the dayes of Otto the first a great Councell was assembled at Rome against Pope Iohn the thirteenth or as others doe reckon Pope Iohn the twelfth The principall faults wherwith he was charged besides perfidiousnes obiected against him by the Emp. were these following to wit 1. Peter a Cardinall Presbyter affirmed hee saw him say masse and communicated not himselfe 2. Iohn Bishoppe Narrien and Iohn a Cardinall Deacon affirmed they saw him ordaine a Deacon in an horse-stable 3. Benedictus with the rest of Deacons and Presbyters affirmed he received money for the ordination of Bishoppes 4. Likewise they sayd albeit they saw it not with their eyes yet they were fully perswaded that hee accompanied with the widow of Rainer and with Stephana his Fathers Concubine and that he made the sacred Pallace like vnto a bawdy-house 5. That he was an open hunter 6. That he thrust out the eyes of Benedict his spirituall Father and by so doing procured his death 7. That he had gelded Iohn an Archdeacon raised fire and cloathed himselfe with armour in military manner 8. That he did drinke to the divell all the Clergie bare witnesse 9. And that in playing at dice hee craved the helpe of Iupiter and Venus and the rest of the gods of the Gentiles whom the Apostle Paul calleth divels 10. That hee sayd not Mattins nor kept his Canonicke houres nor signed himselfe with the signe of the Crosse. 11. That he distributed the golden crosses and chalices of the Church to his harlots 12. That hee had consecrated one Zacheus a wicked man and vnlearned to be Bishop to the Hungars to the end that by his seditious Sermons he might concitate them against the Emperour Concerning the letter written to Pope Iohn by advice of the Emperour Otto and his proud answer sent backe againe to the Councell together with their last good night to him granting to him such power of binding as Iudas had that is to binde his owne necke to the Gallowes Of these things I haue spoken in the Treatise of Succession IN the yeere of our Lord 975. a Councell was gathered in England at Canterburie The question debated in the Councell was concerning the marriage of men in spirituall offices Dunstanus at this time was Bishop of Canterburie and he was an adversarie to the marriage of men in spirituall offices But the question was so wel discussed by testimonies of Scripture and the Fathers of the Primitiue Church that Dunstanus had cause to be ashamed For this cause hee implored the helpe of the Diuell for he was knowne to be a Sorcerer Satan compelled him to persist in his argument And when they were convened againe and in the heate of their disputation a voyce sounded from the Image of the Crucifix which was in the place of their convention that Dunstanus his opinion was the best This lying miracle so dashed the
of holy Scripture onely that it is to be wished that other Councels had followed the example of this Councell wherein Augustine was President The other cause of the meeting of this Councell was to constitute canons concerning Ecclesiasticall discipline specially that no man should make appellation from his owne Bishop to Bishops beyond Sea but in case his owne Bishop did him wrong then hee should appeale vnto an assembly of African Bishops but hee who would needes appeare to Bishoppes beyond Sea meaning chiefly of the Bishop of Rome let him be secluded from the communion of all African Bishops The cause of Apiarius and his Bishop Vrbanus Siccensis seemed already to bee wakened and the Fathers of this Councell fore-smelled that he was to appeale to the Bishop of Rome like as he did indeed to Zosymus the successor of Innocentius and therefore like wise men in due time they made this constitution Innocentius received the Councels letter from a brother named Iulius and approoved the condemnatory sentence pronunced against Pelagius and Coelestius but marke the words of Innocentius letter Frater Coepiscopus noster Iulius dilectionis vestraeliteras quas ex Milevitano cura fideâ— propensiore misistâ—s mihiâ—nopinanter suggessiâ— that is to say Our brother and fellowship Iulius brought vnto mee vnawares your brotherly letters which ye sent vnto me from the Councell MilevitanuÌ„ with a care very bent for the Faith The word inopinanter declareth that hee received their letter before hee knew that any such Councell was gathered for the Bishops of Rome as yet tooke not vpon them that authority to bee the onely appointers of generall and nationall Councels Pelagius after this Councell compeared before a Councell in Palestina and seemed to renounce his errors but hee spake deceitfully as Heretiques are accustomed to doe but hee set forth nothing in writing to destroy the errour hee had builded and to procure the safety of them whom hee had intangled with the snares of deceitfull errours as the Epistle of Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Evodius and Possidius written to Innocentius doth declare Obscure Covncels I haue not overpassed with silence and do minde God willing to keep the like order in time to come IN the yeere of our Lord 402. and vnder the raignes of Honorius and Theodosius the second a great nationall Councell was assembled in Carthage two hundred and seventeene bishops were present at this Councell and it continued for the space of six yeeres Aurelius Bishop of Carthage was Moderator Three Bishops of Rome to wit Zosymus Bonifacius the first and Coelestinus endevoured with all their might to perswade the African Bishops that they were vnder the soueraignty and iurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome but all in vaine as the issue of this Councell will proue The ground of the great controversie betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the sixt Councell of Carthage was Apiarius Presbyter Siccencis a wicked man and iustly excommunicate not onely by his owne Bishoppe Vrbanus but also by a Synode of other neere approaching Bishops Hee appealed to Zosymus Bishop of Rome a Citie of refuge to all villanous men as appeared by the insolent forme of his cariage toward his brethren in Africke for before hee had heard the causes wherefore they had excommunicated this wicked man Apiarius hee absolued him and admitted him to his communion Moreover vnderstanding that a Councell was to be convened in Carthage hee sent thither Ambassadours to plead the cause of Apiarius to procure the excommunication of Vrbanus and in case this succeeded not to desire that this question might be remitted to the determination of the Romane Bishop as vndoubted Iudge of appellations according to an act of the Councell of Nice The Fathers of the Councell of Carthage answered with great modesty that they knew no such act to haue beene made in the Councell of Nice Alwayes time is granted to the Bishop of Rome to prooue that such right belongeth to him by an act of the Councell of Nice Zosymus the first alleadger of this false act continued short time in office for hee ended his course within the space of one yeere and few moneths Bonifacius the successor of Zosymus seriously vrging the same prerogatiue to be iudges in all causes of appellation according to the act of the Councell of Nice When all the acts were read both in the Latine and Greeke exemplars and no such act was found the Ambassadors of Bonifacius returned to him with this answer that the principall Registers ought to bee searched which were to bee found in Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia and in the meane time no man should bee challenged for appealing to the Bishoppe of Rome vntill this question had an end by viewing of the authentique Registers Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople sent to the Councell of Carthage the iust copies of the acts of the Councell of Nice but no such act was found as was alledged by Zosymus and Bonifacius and by this time Bonifacius also ended his life for hee sate not aboue three yeeres The Epistle sent from the sixt Councell of Carthage declaring that they found the act aforesayd alledged by the ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome to bee supposititious and false this Epistle I say was directed to Bonifacius but seeing hee had ended his life it came into the hands of Coelestinus the successor of Bonifacius who insisted by the same ambassadours who were employed before to wit Faustinus a Bishop and Philippus and Asellus two Presbyters to haue Apâ—arius received into fauour and the African Bishops to bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome but their travels were bestowed in vaine The last period of this controversie was this that Apâ—arius despairing of helpe from the Bishops of Rome confessed his faults and humbly submitted himselfe to the Councell of Carthage And the Ambassadours of Coelestinus returned with this answer that the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie over the Bishops of Africa but hee who thought himselfe to bee wronged let him complaine to a nationall Councell and if the nationall Councel also did him wrong then let him complaine to the generall Councell but no appellation to be made in time to come from Africa to the Bishop of Rome VNder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius and about the yeere of our Lord 433. The Donatists assembled themselues in a towne of Africa called Bagaia in frequent number for they are counted 310. who were present at this Councell The principall purpose of their meeting was for deposition of Maximianus Bishop of Bagara who fell from their societie and drew many others from their heresie him they deposed and accursed I haue made mention of this vnhappy Councell for two causes First to declare the vncessant diligence of Heretiques in advancing a doctrine of lies for it was a strange thing that for the deposition of one man so many should assemble themselues in one towne seldome were so many present