vncleane because they were procreated by mariage Origeniani Turpes These were vile and filthie beastes not abhorring from whoredome but from procreation of children to the end they might seeme to be chaste They were like to ONAN the sonne of IVDAH whome the Lord destroyed Gen. 38. ver 9. 10. All these heresies mentioned by Epiphan contra haereses lib. 2. I passe by almost with silence because they were like vnto abortiue birthes and continued not long to perturbe the peace of the Church Now concerning other Heretiques by whose venemous doctrine the Church of Christ had greater strife and perturbation ARTEMON and BERYLLVS B. of Bostra in Arabia denied the diuinitie of Christ and affirmed that he was not existent before hee tooke flesh of the Virgine With BERYLLVS ORIGEN conferred reduced him backe againe to the true faith and therefore I set not his name in the Catalogue of Heretiques because he added not vnto the fault of his bad opinion an obstinate defending of the same Euseb eccl hist lib. 6 cap. 33. The heresie of Helcesaitae otherwise called Sampsei because of the shorte continuance of it is scarce worthy to bee reckoned as I haue declared in the treatise of heresie They mixed the religion of the Iewes Gentiles and Christians together but were more addicted to the superstition of the Iewes then to any one of the other two Epiphan contra haereses lib. 2. They rejected the writings of the Apostle PAVL and affirmed that a man who denied the Lorde with his mouth in the time of persecution if so be he adhered to the faith in his hart he had committed no sinne They caried about with them a singulare book which they said was sent downe from heauen and they promised remission of sinnes to euery man who would hearken to the wordes of that booke Comment Func in Chronol NOVATVS a Presbyter at Rome was a man of a contentious spirit and men that are humorous high minded and contentious they are wise to doe euill but they can do no good Such a man was NOVATVS who disquieted with schisme and heresie two of the most notable Churches in the world at that time viz Carthage and Rome by giuing out a rigorous sentence against those who in time of persecution had fallen albeit they had repented after their fall and all outward tokens of vnfained repentance had beene seene in them yet his opinion was that they should not be admitted againe to the fellowship of the Church This opinion was not onely repugnant to the wordes of ISA 1. Ezech. 18. Mat. 11. to innumerable moe places of sacred scripture but also it was a foolish opinion aduancing the kingdome of the deuill and not the kingdome of God For the two great wheeles of the cart of the deuill whereby hee carieth men headlong to hell are presumption and desperation mercilesse NOVATVS taching a doctrine that strengthened not the knees of the weake he did what in him lay to moue sinners to despare Therefore CYPRIAN B. of Carthage who excommunicated him and CORNELIVS B. of Rome who did the like with aduise of a graue and worthy Councill gathered at Rome Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. are to be counted wise men because they endeuoured timonsly to suppresse those errors that weakened the harts of the children of God I reade of no heresie preceeding the heresie of ARRIVS and EVTYCHES that continued longer time in the Church of God then the heresie of NOVATVS partly because it crept in vnder pretence of zeale to the glory of God and vnder pretence of a detestation of sin partly also because the Novatian Heretiques in the question concerning the diuinitie of Christ were comformable to the opinion of the true Church Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 12. Thirdly because in time of the Arrian persecution the Novatians were banished and troubled with no Iesse hatefull malice and despite then the members of the true Church were yea and the true Catholickes and Novatianes beeing companions of one and the selfe-same suffering were content also to giue their liues one for another Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 38. And the foresaide authour saith Parúmque abfuit quin coadunarentur Socrat ibid. that is They were neere by vnited and agreed together to wit the true Catholickes and Novatians But what was the impediment that hindered their vnion Reade the historie and it shall not bee found in the true Catholickes but in the obstinacie and wilfulnesse of the Novatians And so it falleth out at all times that men who are authours of heresies and schismes are also the principall hinderers of the redintegration of the vnitie of the Church The razing and demolishing of the Temple of the Novatians in Cyzicum a famous towne of Bithynia together with the calamitie of the people of Mantinium a towne of Paphlagonia Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 38 clearely proueth that the Novatian heresie continued vntill the dayes of CONSTANTIVS the sonne of CONSTANTINE an Arrian Emperour and persecuter of the true faith The fauour that they obtained in the dayes of IVLIAN I passe ouer with silence But in the dayes of the reigne of THEODOSIVS the Novatians by the Emperours edict were permitted to haue publicke conuentions in Constantinople to enjoy such priuiledges as other Christians had to possesse the oratories and temples whereinto they were accustomed to serue God All this toleration and libertie was granted to them by the good Emperour THEODOSIVS because in the heade of doctrine anent the diuinitie of Christ they damned the Acrians agreed with the Homousians Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 10. The Magdeburg historie saith that this heresie continued in Constantinople vntill the time that it was conquessed by the Turkes Cent. 3. cap. 5. I haue written of this heresie at greater length to admonish all true Christians that it is not enough to adhere to some pointes of the true faith and to suffer persecution for righteousnesse at some times and to loue brotherly fellowshippe at some times so that we are content 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life for our brethren all these things did the Novatians and were fauoured by the Emperour THEODOSIVS as said is yet were they both sehismatickes and Heretiques because they would be wiser then God and debarred them from the bosome of Christs compassions whom Christ inviteth to come vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Mat. 11. ver 28 Let the example of the Novatians admonish men who studie to singularitie and to bring in newe customes or opinions into the Church of God to take heede that their opinions be not repugnant vnto the written word lest after they haue continued a long time in ende they be rejected as opinions foolish vaine hereticall and not agreeing with the scriptures of God His followers were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or puritans Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. Hist. Magd. cent 3. cap. 5. Let this name rest in the bosome of Heretiques And men
Sacramentes ordained by God wee might fight a good fight and finishe our journey with joye This is the Apostolicke doctrine But Papistes will correct the Apostolicke doctrine in all points they wil haue a Christiā to be corroborated by Chrisme the sacrament of confirmation to the end he may passe ouer the stormie tentations of this world in peace Let mee now demand of them two thinges One concerning the signe Another concerning the thing signified Concerning the signe I demand who gaue commandement to vse it Concerning the thing signified I demaunde who hath promised to conferre the seuen-folde grace of the holy Spirite to them who are signated vpon the fore-head by the bishops thombe with the signe of the Crosse These two thinges to wit the commandement and the promise are inlacking in Popish Sacramentes and so their newe found out Sacramentes are like vnto a bodie that is not quickened with a soule The Scholasticke Doctors the first inuentors of this pluralitie of Sacraments they confesse roundly that the Sacrament of Confirmation hath no authoritie in holy Scripture such as Alexander Alensis Bonaventura and Thomas Aquinas who after much fatigation of himselfe and others also hee cannot finde that euer Christ or yet His Apostles conferred this Sacrament to any person Whatsoeuer they can cite out of Tertullian or Basilius or any ancient Councell for the confirmation of Chrisme it is certaine that they confesse that this custome hath no authoritie of the written worde of God And this is the principall marke whereat I aime in all my writinges to prooue that there is no Antiquitie where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the written word of God doeth not confirme the antiquitie of that which is alleadged The Romane Church waketh great businesse to proue that in holy Scripture many promises of confirmation and corroboration of the worke of God begunne in vs are contained But they bestirre themselues in vaine in proouing that thing which no man denieth But incase they would prooue that the Sacrament of Confirmation is a Sacramēt in a proper sense then it became them to proue that God in His word hath promised the grace of confirmation to such as are signated vpon the fore-head and annointed with Chrisme and buffeted vpon the chieke with the bishops hand Seeing none of these thinges can bee prooued by Scripture it is a friuolous thing for them to alleadge a promise made by God when as they inuent the element whereunto this promise shall bee annexed If this bee a forme according to the which Sacraments should be fashioned then I dare affirme that the number of Sacraments may be multiplied according to the number of the promises contained in the word of God So that God shall make a promise and man shall inuent without anie warrand of Gods commandement an external element wherevnto the promise shall bee annexed By this forme of doing not onely may they make vp seuen Sacramentes but also seuentie times seuen Sacraments True it is that the holy Apostles by imposition of handes conferred the gift of the holy Spirit that is the gift of Languages to many professors of the true Faith and this gift conferred vnto them confirmed them in the faith of Christ. But what belongeth this vnto the Popish Sacrament of Confirmation in the which the externall signe of imposition of handes is inlacking and the promise of a spirituall grace annexed to the signe is also inlacking and finally that thing which was extraordinarie and appertaining to a few is brought in as the ground of an ordinarie Sacrament which shoulde appertaine to all them who beleeue I will not insist long to speake of this new Sacrament of Confirmation Onely this I say that whatsoeuer is brought in into the Church of God with derogation of the dignitie of Baptisme an holy Sacrament instituted by Christ himselfe it should be abhorred But so it is that the Sacrament of Confirmation is brought in with a derogation to the dignitie of Baptisme ergo c. The seconde part of the argument is prooued by their slender and derogatiue speaches of Baptisme together with their superlatiue aduancements of the eminencie of the Sacrament of Confirmation In Baptisme they say that wee receiue not the vpholding defending gouerning and strengthening Spirite of God but all these graces are conferred in the Sacrament of Confirmation Likewise in Baptisme is prepared an habitation to God but the Father Sonne and holy Ghost enter not into this habitation before wee receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation What can be more directly repugnant to H. Scripture wherein it is expressely said He who beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Can any man be saued befor his soule be an habitation and Temple in the which God is content to dwell So that the doctrine of the Romane Church is like vnto the nauigation of men who dare presume to saile in deepe and dangerous Seas without a Compasse Euen so they talke of matters of great importance without the warrande of holy Scripture whereby it commeth to passe that their doctrine in many pointes is flatte repugnant to holy Scripture Concerning the testimonies of Fathers whereby they endeuour to proue the Sacrament of Confirmation I might answere compendiously with S. Augustine Quicquid attulerint undecunque attulerint audiamus potius si oues sumus vocem pastoris nostri non ergo audiamus haec ego dico haec tu duis sed haec dicit Dominus that is Whatsoeuer they bring in and from whence soeuer they haue brought it in if we be the Lords sheepe let vs rather bearken to the voyce of our shephearde therefore let vs not hearken to them who saye This I saye or this thou sayest but this saieth the Lord. Neuerthelesse seeing they glorie so much of ancient Fathers let the judicious Reader beware of supposititious writings and he shall not find this Chrisme in ancient writers The Sermon of Cyprian De Chrismate is knowne to be supposititious The opinion of Tertullian who writeth that they who are baptized with water haue not receiued the Holy Spirit but are prepared to receiue it by anointing with oyle and imposition of handes after baptisme doeth not euery man who is versed in the reading of Fathers smell that Tertullian writte this when hee made defection from the trueth and was intangled with the errour of the Montanistes And Cyprian in the bookes of his epistles when he attributeth too much to Vnction with Oyle and imposition of hands after baptisme it is easie to perceiue that he borrowed this errour from Tertullian whom he acknowledged as his Master But neither Tertullian nor Cyprian are speaking of the Popishe Sacrament of Confirmation but of annointing with oyle and imposition of handes immediately after baptisme Marke the words of Cyprian where he saith Non posse esse filios Dei si non utroque sacramento nascantur lauacro scilicet aquae in verbo unctione Chrismatis that is They cannot
These are points whereof no man doubteth and a large and fruitfull discourse vpon this subject is a commendation of the superabundant goodnesse of God but it belongeth nothing to prooue that Chrisming is a Sacrament distinct from Baptisme The African Councell called Mileuitanum pronounced an Anatheme against all those who saye that the grace of God in Baptisme conferreth only remission of sinnes already coÌ„mitted that in it there is no support promised to preserue men from sinnes in time to come that they bee not committed Whereby wee may euidently perceiue that the spirituall graces which the Romane Church referreth to the Sacrament of Confirmation were of olde referred to the Sacrament of Baptisme Likewise Antididagma Coloniensis as Themnisius declareth demandeth for what cause doth the Presbyter anoint him who is baptized with Chrisme seeing that he is to be anointed of new againe with Chrisme in the Sacrament of Confirmation And out of the booke De Gestis Pontificum he recordeth a constitution of Syluester That for the perill of vnexpected death it is meete that the Presbyter shall anoint with Chrisme him who is to bee baptized lest through absence of the Bishop the person baptized should depart this life without Confirmation but if the bishop be present let him be anointed by the bishop This declareth that of olde Chrisming was annexed to Baptisme But afterwards to multiplie the number of the Sacraments they separated it from the action of Baptisme and made it a peculiar Sacrament to bee ministred some space of time after Baptisme at the least seuen dayes for reuerence toward the seuen-folde graces of God conferred in the Sacrament of Confirmation as Durandus citeth out of RABANVS vsually twelue or fifteene yeeres interuene betwixt Baptisme and the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Romane Church Onely this I request of the judicious Reader that when hee readeth of Chrisming in the ancient Church hee would not take it for the Sacrament of Confirmation but for anointing with oyle in Baptisme And this custome also had no allowance in the written worde of GOD as Basilius expressely graunteth in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is What Scripture hath taught vs anointing with Oyle Doeth not this proceede from secret and mysticke tradition Finally let vs search out this matter to the very grounde whereby it may bee euidently knowne howe this Sacrament of Confirmation crept in into the Church It was a custome of auncient time that children were presented to Baptisme by their Christian parentes and albeit their infancie coulde not comprehende the summe of Christian Faith yet neuer thelesse they were instructed and catechised when they came to yeeres of discretion and when they had sufficiently comprehended the summe of Christian Faith their parentes of newe againe presented them to the Bishop who after hee had receiued in audience of the people a cleare confession of their Faith hee blessed them and with the ceremonie of imposition of handes prayed to God that these persons who had giuen out of their owne mouth a confession of that same Faith which their parentes had professed in their name in Baptisme might continue in that same true Faith constantly vnto their liues ende This imposition of handes was vsed to imprint into the heartes of the persons who had made a confession of their faith a deeper reuerence of God and a greater care to continue constant But in doing of this there was no purpose to institute a newe Sacrament of Confirmation in the Church Moreouer persons who were baptized by Heretiques when they forsooke their heresie they were not rebaptized but they were receiued into the Church by the ceremonie of imposition of handes as hath beene declared in the life of Stephanus bisshop of Rome CENT III. CHAP. II. And this imposition of handes was joyned with prayer That it woulde please God to vouchsafe vpon him who was receiued into the bosome of the Church by imposition of handes the gift of the holy Spirit which was offered vnto him in Baptisme but it was not receiued because hee professed not the true Faith Neither can there bee founde in this seconde sort of imposition of handes anie grounde for the Sacrament of Confirmation To conclude this Sacrament of Confirmation is either of God or man If it bee of God let the warrande of His commaundement bee brought foorth in the which Hee commaundeth to anoint with Chrisme those who are alreadie baptized And is it not a disficill thing to these who are content to sacrifice their life for Christes sake to offer their children also to bee signated with Chrisme when they are twelue or fifteene yeeres of age But if no diuine commaundement can bee founde out commanding vs so to doe but it is a plaine humane inuention Then let the Romane Church bragge lesse of Antiquitie than they doe seeing there is nothing in humane inuentions but Antiquitie of Errour FINIS CENTVRIE IX CHAP. I. OF EMPEROURS CAROLVS MAGNVS IN the yeere of our LORD 801. CHARLES THE GREAT King of FRAVNCE was declared Emperour by LEO the thirde Bishop of ROME and hee reigned sixteene yeeres in his Emperiall dignitie for hee continued King of FRAVNCE fourtie and sixe yeeres The Empire of the West had beene cut off since the dayes of Augustulus the sonne of Orestes whom Odoaser king of Rugiheruli c. had compelled to denude himselfe of the Emperiall dignitie Nowe after the issue of 300. yeeres and after the Hunnes the Gothes the Lombardes and other Nations had obtained dominion in the West all abstaining notwithstanding of their preuailing power from the name dignitie and stile of Emperoures Nowe at length I saye Charles the Great is anointed and crowned Emperour by Leo the thirde in the Towne of Rome And this was the beginning of that euill custome which after followed to wit That Emperours should receiue their coronatioÌ„ from the Bishops of Rome At this time the Empire of the East was in the hands of the Empresse Irene in the hands of the Emperour Nicephorus who had banished Irene and reigned in her steade The Empire of the East was also weake at this time as apppeareth by a Couenant of Peace which they coÌ„cluded with Charles Emperour of the West in the which no mention is made of Exarchatus Rauenne to be rendered again vnto them only that the Isle of Sicâ—…ll and the Townes Landes which lie from Naples Eastwarde on the right hande and from Manfredonia sometimes called Syponto on the left hand compessed about with the Seas called Superum Inferum these should remaine in the possession of the Emperours of Constantinople Charles was a prudent godly Emperour more sound and vpright in sundry heads of christian doctrine than many others for he detested the worshipping of Images as vile Idolatrie as appeareth by his bookes written against the seconde Councell of Nice Charles was very friendly to Christians and defended them against the violence and tyrannie of their persecuting enemies namely against
life Is there any euill that wee haue done that is not written with a penne of Yron and with the point of a Diamond in the booke of the conscience Ierem. 17. ver I These two bookes are perfite Ho but the thirde booke of the Lawe and written Worde of God is not perfite In the day of the Lordes blessed appearance wee shall finde it perfite containing all that wee should haue either done or beleeued Secondly they say that the Scriptures are difficill to be vnderstand and therefore should not bee reade by common people And indeede the Apostle PETER granteth that some places of the Epistles of PAVL are hard to bee vnderstood 2. Pet. 3. but hee biddeth no man for this abstaine from the reading of PAVLS Epistles To ouercome difficulties there are better remedies The blessed virgine the mother of our Lord when she vnderstood not Christes wordes she kept and pondered them in her heart Luc. 2. IVSTINVS MARTYR was admonished by an ancient and reuerent Christian to joyne prayer with reading that God would please to open the ports of light and vnderstanding that he might conceiue the true sense meaning of that he read Iustin dialog Tryphen CHRYSOSTOM in his preface vpon the Epist. to the Romanes declareth that if a man would acquaint himself familiarly with the scriptur by continuall exercise of reading he should the more easily vnderstand Scripture as he who is familiarly acquainted with his friend wil know by his nod or becken what is his meaning AVGVSTINE likewise saith that as there is difficill places in Scripture to exercise the vnderstanding of the strong so likewise there is plaine and easie passages of Scripture as pleasant medowes whereinto babes may securely walke August Aboue all the rest our master Christ Iesus hath taught vs by his owne example to confer Scripture with Scripture Math. 4. to the end we be not deceiued by Satans false glosses and commentaries vpon Scripture This is better then vpon occasion of difficultie to reject and cast away from vs a thing so necessarie Thirdly they say that the reading of Scriptures is dangerous to simple people because they may easily fall into an errour for fault of vnderstanding the right meaning of that which is reade I might answere compendiously that by this argument no man should reade sacred scripture neither learned nor vnlearned men For many learned men by reading Scripture and not vnderstanding it aright haue beene patrons of heresie such as ARRIVS MACEDONIVS NESTORIVS EVTHICHES and diuers others Also the very Monkes whose solitarie life and continuall exercise in reading and praying might seeme to exeeme them more then others from errour and heresie yet by mistaking the places of Scripture that spake of the eyes the nostrels the face of God the breath of God the arme of God they supponed God to bee fashioned according to the likenesse of a man And so both learned and vnlearned Priestes and people men liuing in townes and lurking in cottages of the wildernes haue erred through misvnderstanding of Scriptures Yet Scriptures must be reade by all true Christians and our meditation night and day must be vpon the Lawe of God Psal. 1. ver 2. Let vs here consider that some things are not necessarie vnto eternall life and when they are abused it is not amisse that they bee remooued and put out of the way such as the brasen serpent which HEZEKIAS brake in pieces and called it Nebustan 2 Reg. cap. 18. ver 4. But other things are so necessarie vnto eternall life that albeit they were a thousand times abused yet they cannot be forsaken such as is that foode that feedeth our soules vnto eternall life Ioh 6. for the which we are commanded continually to labour And like as when many thousands are poysoned in meate or drinke as it fell out in the armie of CONRADVS 3. yet necessitie compelleth men to cate and drinke cuen so we must reade and meditate vpon the written worde albeit infinit numbers of people haue beene miscatied by not taking vp the right sense and meaning of Scripture Now the cause wherefore so many accusations are forged against Scripture is this because it is the powerfull instrument of God whereby teachers of lying doctrine are conuicted and confounded Places of holy Scripture are like vnto the smooth stones that DAVID tooke out of the brooke and fastened one of them into the head of GOLIAH 1 Sam. 17. ver 49. Euen so Heretiques are so confounded by the testimonies of Scripture that aboue all things they hate Scripture This IRENEVS toucheth shortly spealing of Heretiques in these words Cùm ex Scripturis arguuntur in accusationem convertuntur ipsarum Scripturarum lib. 3. cap. 2. that is When they to wit Heretiques are argued by Scriptures they turne themselues to the accusation of Scrip tures Thieues do hate the light and traitours the face of a ludge and Heretiques hate Scripture the very axe that is laid to the root of their tree that it may be hewed down cast into the fire and vtterly abolished Notwithstanding of all these false accusations let vs fast adhere to the written Word The fathers that liued in the time of these ten persecutions counted the volume of holy Scripture so precious a treasure that they could willingly offer their bodies to bee burned with fire for the faith of Christ but they would not giue one page of the holy Scripture to be burned and if any man did it he was called proditor that is a betrayer and was counted a companion to the traitour IVDAS who betrayed his master which custome was the ground of that great and long-lasting controuersie betwene CECILIANVS B. of Carthage the Donatists For the Donatists alledged that he had admitted to an ecclesiasti cke office a man who in time of persecution had bene proditor had deliuered a volume of holy Scripture to be burned If we will not followe the zeale of ancient Christians I will set downe a more familiar example of an ancient and honourable Lady of blessed memorie My eares heard her call the Scripture the charter of our heauenly inheritance because we haue no right to heauen but only by the promises contained in the Scriptures of God No man wil be content to haue their charter rest out of their hande If any difficil question arise by reading of it they will send for a wise Lawier and seeke resolution at him but they will assuredly keepe and reade their owne charter Euen so saith the foresaid nobleLady Gods people should not haue bene debarred from reading the holy Scriptures of God the very true charter of their heauenly inheritance This written word is the shepherds staffe of Christ wherby we are comforted in our life vpholden euen when wee walke through the shadowe of death Psal. 23. ver 4. Which staffe Christe holdeth in his hande not for his owne sake as other shepherdes doe to rest vpon it and to relieue their
MAXIMINVS but they were both cut off by CAPELLIANVS Captaine of the Mauritanians Within a short time the senate of Rome chused MAXIMVS PVPIENVS and BALBINVS to be Emperours and to resist the tyrannie of MAXIMINVS But this election displeased the people of Rome therefore they were compelled to associat GORDIANVS a young man of 13. yeeres olde in conjunct authoritie with them This GORDIANVS was the nephew of him who was Procâ—…nfull in Africke and the souldiers made out of the way MAX. PVPIENVS and BALBINVS So GORDIANVS reigned himselfe alone without associats sixe yeeres Chron Func Philippus PHILIPPVS a man borne in Arabia and his son reigned fiue yeeres Chron Func Bucolc EVSEBIVS saith 7. yeeres He was the first Emperour who became a Christian and was baptized by FABIANVS B. of Rome Hee was content to stand among the number of the penitents who made confession of their sinnes for his life was reproouable in some things before his conuersion Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 34. especially in slaying of GORDIANVS an Emperour inclined to peace DECIVS one of the Captaines of his armie conspired against him and slewe him and his sonne and reigned in his stead Decius DECIVS and his sonne obteiued the empire 2. yeeres Chron. Func Whether for hatred of PHILIP his master whome hee had slaine or for detestation of Christians or for couetous desire of the treasures of PHILIP left in the custodie of FABIAN B. of Rome or for some other cause it is not certaine Alwayes he mooued a terrible persecution against the Christians The martyrs who suffered death in the time of this persecution were innumerable Some few of the principall martyres I shall rehearse ALEXANDER Bishop ' of Jerusalem died in prison at Casarea BABYLAS B. of Antiochia died likewise in prison FABIAN B. of Rome suffered martyrdome DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS by a wonderfull prouidence of God escaped the handes of persecuting enemies CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was banished and reserued to the honour of martyrdome vntill the dayes of VALERIAN the eight persecuter ORIGEN who from his childhood was desirous of the honour of martyredome in this persecution of DECIVS he fainted and his heart was so oucrset with feare to haue his chaste body defiled with an vgly Ethiopian that he choosed rather to offer incense to the Idole then to be so filthily abused For this cause hee was excommunicate by the Church of Alexardria and for very shame fled to Judea where hee was not onely gladly receiued but also requested publickely to preach at Ierusalem Neuerthelesse in stead of teaching hee watred his face with teares when he reade these words of scripture To the wak d man sath God What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinancse that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy month Ps. 50. ver 16. These words so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that hee closed the booke and sate downe and wept all the congregation wept with him Hist Mag. Cent. 3. cap. 10. No pitie nor compassion was had neither of sexe or age In this persecution APOLLONIA a virgine of good yeeres after they had dashed her face with battons till all her teeth were stricken out of her jawes they burned her quicke at the port of Alexandria This is that holy martyre whose teeth the Romaine church in our dayes say that they haue them as holy monuments kept in the treasures of their reliques vntill this time But the tryall that was taken of late dayes by HENRIE the eight king of England seeking for the teeth of APOLLONIA as a remedy of the toothach clearly prooueth that many teeth are supponed to be the teeth of APOLLONIA that were neuer fastened in her jaw bones Chemnisius dereliquiis The death of QVINTA AMMONARION MERCVRIA DIONYSIA clearly declareth what pitie was had of the weakenesses of women IVLIANVS an olde and gowtie man burned with fire testifieth what regard was had to the gray haires of ancient men DIOSCORVS a yong man not exceeding 15. yeres of age albeit they were ashamed to condemne him to death yet he escaped not many painfull torments was a glorious Confessour with patient expectation awaiting vntill the Lord should call him to the honour of martyrdome NEMESION was accused in Alexandria as a companion of brigants and was punished with stripes and fire vnto the death with greater seueritie then any brigant albeit his innocencie was sufficiently knowne AMMON ZENON PTOLEMEVS INGENVVS THEOPHILVS warriours and knights standing by the tribunall seate beckened with their hands to a certaine weake Christian who for feare was readie to incline and fall that hee should continue constant and stepped to the bench and professed themselues to be Christians This dayly increasing courage of Christians who were emboldened by the multitude of sufferings astonished and terrified the Iudges Euseb lib. 6. cap. 41. ISCHYRION was slaine by his owne master The number of martyres in Alexandria and Egypt of whome DIONYSIVS in his epistle written to FABIVS Bishop of Antiochia maketh mention clearely testifieth that if the names of all those who suffered martyrdome in the townes of Rome Carthage Antiochia Ephesus and Babylon were particularly set down ouer and beside others who suffered in other townes of Asia Africke and Europe subject to the dominion of the Romaine Emperour it were not possible in the volume of a litle booke to comprehend them all For mine owne part I presume not to do it but I reuerence the painfull trauelles of learned men who haue dipped deepely into such a fruitfull subject specially the writer of the booke of martyres Onely I find somethings in this seuenth persecution which the principall purpose wherefore I haue collected this compend will not permit mee to passe ouer with silence Namely these first let no man thinke that the veritie is weake and hath neede to bee strengthened by a lie as NICEPHORVS is accustomed to doe The seuen martyres of Ephesus whose names were MAXIMIANVS MALCHVS MARTINIANVS DIONYSIVS IOANNES SERAPION and CONSTANTINVS were lurking in a caue the entrie where of DECIVS commanded to be closed with great heapes of stones to the end that the forenamed Christians might be killed with famine which came to passe indeede Yet famine could not sâ—…parate these holy Martyres from Christ. But NICEPHORVS the father of many other fables also saith that they fell on sleepe in which they continued till the time of THEODOSIVS that is from the 250 vntill the 379. yeere of our Lord and then they did awake out of their sleepe saith NICEPHORVS lib. 5. cap. 27. But he who will giue hastie credite to NICEPHORVS fables writing of the 7. martyres who lurked in a caue of mount Caelius and to EVAGRIVS description of BARSANVPHIVS an Egyptian monke who enclosed himselfe in a cottage beside Gaza for the space of 50. yeeres and vsed no kinde of bodily refreshment to sustaine his earthly tabernacle he may be easily led to all kinde of errour The second thing worthy to be marked is that
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 entered The other decreet alledged out of Gratian dist 79. Oportebat ut haec c. that by the constitution of PETER and his successours it was ordained that one of the Cardinall Elders or Deacons should be consecrated to be Bishop of Rome no other Such stiles of preeminence are vnknowne to scripture and to the antiquitie of this time XISTVS or SIXTVS the 2. of that name and in number the 23. Bishop of Rome succeeded to STEPHANVS and gouerned 2. yeeres 10 months 23. dayes Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 27. 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 one yere 11 months 15. dayes as DAMASVS granteth and ONVPHRIVS 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 XISTVS 2. succeeded DIONYSIVS the 24 Bishop of Rome and continued in his ministration 9. yeere according to the computation of EVSEBIVS DAMASVS assigneth vnto him 6. yeeres 2. months MARIANVS 6. yeeres 5. months such certaintie is in the maine and principall ground of the Romaine faith anent the succession of the Romaine Bishops that scarse two writers doe agree in one minde anent the time of their succession To DIONYSIVS succeeded FELIX 1. the 25. Bishop of Rome gouerned 5. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 32. Hee liued in the dayes of AVRELIAN the 9. persecuter and obtained the honour of martyrdome Platin. 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 exeemeth them from all accusation The language whereinto the epistle is dited cannot agree with the ornat stile of the Latin tongue in this age he being a Romaine borne as PLATINA writeth Pustquam ipse ab its charitativè conventus fuerit Adsummos primates causa ejus canonicè deferatar Concilium regularâ—…ter convocare debâ—…bunt c. The Galilean language manifested not more euidently that PETER was a man of Galile Mat. 26. ver 73. then the first of these three phrases manifesteth that the foresaide epistle was compiled into a time of great barbaritie EVTYCHIANVS the 26. B. of Rome followed after FELIX 1. He continued scarce ten months in his ministrie Euseb lib. 7. cap. 32. CAIVS the 27. B. of Rome succeeded to EVTYCHIANVS continued 15. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 32. Func Chron He liued in the dayes of the persecution of DIOCLETIAN lurked for a time in subterraneall places In end he was found out by the persecuters and put to death and with him his brother GABINIVS his brothers daughter SVSANNA suffered martyrdome Platin de vit Here it is to be marked that many martyres died before the edict of horrible persecution was set forth in the 19. yeere of DIOCLETIANS reigne For MARCELLINVS succeeded to CAIVS Ann 298. Func but the cruel edicts of the persecutioÌ„ of DIOCLETIAN were not set forth before the 308. yere of our Lord. Wherby it appeareth euidently that many Christians were put to death before the edicts of horrible persecution were renued by the Emperour DIOCLETIAN So hard was the outward estate of Christians that they were put to death vpon the warrant of the edicts of VALEPIAN AVRELIAN before the edicts of DIOCLETIAN MAXIMIAN came forth To CAIVS is attributed the constitutioÌ„ of ecclesiasticall orders 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 last of all Episcopus Platin decret Caii ex lib. Pontif. Damasi 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 quinon crediâ—… that is happie is he who beleeneth it not Like as within scripture there is no lie so likewise without scripture there is no trueth in matters of faith ordering of maners appointing of ecclesiastical offices al that is necessarie is contained in the written Word of God But nowe to performe a part of that which I promised in the end of my treatise of Antiquitie and to let euery man see what vnlearned Asses they haue bene who haue set foorth the fained decretall epistles of the fathers of this age In the epistle written by CAIVS to the Bishop FELIX aboue-mentioned he saith If any man of what dignitie so euer he be delate such persons viz. Bishops Elders Deacons for faultes that cannot bee prooued let him vnderstand that by the authoritie of this constitution he shall be counted infamous This constitution hath three partes First that no ecclesiasticall person should be accused before a secular Iudge Secondly if any accusation be intended against Bishop Elder of Deacon it should be qualified by sufficient probation Thirdly if the accuser succumbe in probation he should be counted infamous how eminent so euer his dignitie and estate shall be The compiler of this supposititious decretall epistle had no consideration of the time whereinto CAIVS liued It was a time of persecution Christian Bishops were continually drawne before seculare Iudges accused of odious crimes wherof they were most innocent CAIVS himself was compelled to lurke a long time in a subterraneal caue At this time to bring in CAIVS as it were sitting in a throne coÌ„manding that no B should be accused before a secular Iudge c. what is this else but profusion of words without judgement and vnderstanding If this decretall epistle had beene attributed to BONIFACIVS 8. GREGORIVS 7. ALEXANDER 3. it had bene a more competent time and the constitution had seemed more probable to the reader Moreouer the language is like vnto the matter it selfe Intelligat jactur am infamiae se sustinere in place of jacturam famae MARCELLINVS the 28. B. of Rome succeeded to CAIVS ruled 9. yeeres Platin Func Chron he fainted in time of the persecution of DIOCLETIAN and sacrificed to idoles but afterward he repented as PETER did gaue his life for the testimonie of Christ. He who accuseth himselfe closeth all other mens mouths from accusation of him hee who truly repenteth by his repentance is restored to all the dignities of the children of God which were lost by sinne hee who suffered martyrdome for Christ and he whose body lacked the honour of buriall for the space of 30. dayes for the cause of Christ alanerly this man I say his name should be kept in reuerent remembrance as if he had not fallen After MARCELLINVS succeeded MARCELLVS
when as of olde the people were wont to communicate euerie daye and therefore hee calleth the Lordes Supper a daylie sacrifice The Papistes are so farre from reproouing the people for not communicating that they make prouision onely for one to eate and drinke at the Altar and not for manie and they inuite not the people to communicate with them but rather by the noueltie of their newe inuented religion they distinguishe the Altar from the Communion table and the Sacrifice from the SacrameÌ„t farre contrarie to the custome of the Primitiue Church who by a Metaphore called the Sacrament a Sacrifice and by the like Metaphore called the Communion table an Altar If anie man will rudely presse the wordes of Chrysostome expresse contrarie to his meaning let him vnderstand that the like forme of speaking is vsed in Holy Scripture where it is saide And no â—…an receiued his testimonie to wit the testimonie of Christ. The meaning is not that no bodie receiued the testimonie of Christ but that verie fewe receiued it Euen so the meaning of the words of Chrysostome is that verie fewe of the people did communicate And this hath bene verie judiciously marked by Master IEWELL that worthie Bishop in his disputation against master Harding To bee short in this head of Antiquitie of the Popish Masse Their bragging of Antiquitie is not vnlike to the Gibeonites shoos which were olde and put on of purpose to deceiue yet were not their shoos so olde as the shoos of GODS people which by the miraculous worke of GOD lasted fourtie yeeres in the Wildernesse and were not rent GODS people might haue bragged indeede of ancient and vnrent shoos but the deceitful Gibeonites they bragged and deceiued Gods people with antiquitie falsely pretended Such is the antiquitie of the masse and no better Before I leaue this head I will admonishe the Reader not to bee deceiued with olde Latine transations of Grieke Authors Socrates writeth of the fauourers of Paulinus that after hee died they communicated not with Flauianus bishop of Antiochia but they kept Assemblies apart by themselues Nowe the wordes of the Grieke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is better translated this way Separatim conuentus faciebant than as some olde Latine interpreters translate the wordes Separatim missarum celebrabant solennia howbeit the olde interpreters by missarum solennia vnderstand nothing but Ecclesiasticall conuentions IN the second head we haue the definition of the Masse to be set downe and to bee examined The Masse is called a sacrifice propitiatorie vnbloodie wherein the Priest offereth the bodie of the Sonne of God to the Father vnder the formes of bread and wine and that without suffering for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead From the worde of Sacrifice auncient Fathers did not abhorre but they called the Holy Sacrament a Sacrifice of thankesgiuing and a commemoratiue Sacrifice of the death of Christ the wordes of Augustine are these Hujus sacrifitii caro ante aduentum Christi per victimas similitudinum promittebatur in passione per ipsam veritatem reddebatur post ascensum Christi per sacramentum memoriae celebratur that is to say The flesh of this sacrifice was promised by sacrifices of similitudes In the suffering of Christ it was in verie deede exhibited and after the ascension of Christ it is celebrated by a Sacrament of His memoriall In these wordes Augustine distinguisheth a sacrifice prefiguratiue before Christes comming and a sacrifice commemoratiue after the Lordes ascension from the sacrifice of Christes bodie in veritie and actually exhibited vpon the crosse other sacrifices point out as types and figures the great sacrifice of the bodie of Christ once offered vpon the crosse but they are not that selfe same sacrifice except by a figuratiue manner of speach And like as the towne Nicopolis was not the victorie of Augustus Casar when hee faught against Antonius and Cleopatra but it was onely a memoriall of the victorie Euen so the commemoratiue sacrifice of the new Testament is not the true sacrifice of Christes bodie but only a memoriall of that blessed sacrifice Iustinus Martyr had good occasion offered vnto him to write of the sacrifices of Christes Church because Paganes slaundered Christians and called them Atheistes in regarde they offered not bloodie sacrifices nor incense vnto their God to whome Iustinus returned this answere That Christians offered to GOD such sacrifices as they knew to bee moste acceptable to Him to wit the sacrifices of prayer and thankesgiuing And as concerning the creatures of God appointed for the sustentation of mankinde we keepe them saith hee for our owne vse and for the sustentation of indigent people but we consume them not with fire If there had bene anie corporal sacrifice in the Church of the bodie of the Sonne of God vnder the formes of bread and wine Iustinus had occasion offered vnto him to haue spoken of it but hee knew no such sacrifice in his time Yea and the sacrament of the Lords Supper is called by Iustinus a Sacrifice of thanksgiuing who confidently affirmeth that prayer thanksgiuing are the onely sacrifices perfect and acceptable to GOD euen at that time when the Sacrament is ministred which putteth vs in remembrance of the Lordes suffering Testimonies out of the bookes of ancient Fathers should bee cited without fraude and deceite and should not bee wrested to another sense and meaning than they were spoken into by the Authors And so the worde Sacrifice could offend no man if it were spoken in such sense as ancient Fathers spake it The Romane Church shoulde doe well so to remember the names that ancient Fathers haue giuen to the Sacrament that they shoulde not forget that Holy Scripture calleth it a Communion of the bodie and blood of Christ. Then let it be such a sacrifice wherein many participates of one bread and one cup and thereby sealeth vp that they are all members of one mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ but not such a sacrifice wherein the people standeth gazing and looking and the Priest alone eateth and drinketh and distributeth nothing vnto the people They answere that the Priest who offereth at the Altar he communicateth with others who doe the like seruice in other places This is but falsehoode in reasoning arising vpon the deceitfull handeling of one worde hauing two significations The worde Communion importeth two things First a Communion in religion Secondly a participation of the Holy Supper in one place and an eating of one bread and drinking of one cuppe and in this second sense it is taken by the Apostle in the 10. Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians in which sense their priuate Masse cannot be called a Communion The second word of the definition of the Masse is propitiatorie This word doeth signifie a sacrifice purchasing remission of sinnes as the Apostle witnesseth And this honour doeth onelie appertaine to the sacrifice of Christ who
yeere of Tiberius The Senat of Rome refuseth to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ. Pilat killeth himselfe Caius would be counted a god The Iewes abhorred the vpsetting of the image of Caius in their Temple The petition of Agrippa The bloodie letter of Caius written to Petronius his Deputie The hypocrisie of Agrippa Contention betweene the Iewes and Grecians who dwelt at Alexandria New Iupiter in worse case then old Iupiter The famine foretold by Agabus The Council of Jerusalem ANNO 48. Romaine deputies The ten persecuting Emperours wrestled against God The first persecution ANNO Chr. 65 The martyrdome of Peter Paul Romain Deputies Contention betweene Agrippa and the Iewes The martyrdom of Iames surnamed Iustus The ground of the warre betweene the Iewes and the Romanes Foreranning tâ—…kens of the destruction of Ierusalem The destruction of Ierusalem ANNO Chr. 71. The flood of Noe the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem types of the great iudgement to come The second persecution AN. Chr. 96. The banishment of the Apostle John Domitian afraide by rumors of the Kingdome of Christ. Apostles Euangelists The true successours of the Apostles Bishops of Rome Linus Ignatius Papias Heretiques Simon Magus Menander Ebion Cerinthus Nicolaitansâ—… A Treatise of antiquitie Antiquitie of veritie Antiquitie of errour Antiquitie of custome Where veritie is to be â—…ound The power of the veritie The reue rence that should be câ—…ried to the veritie The more the veritie is despised in the world the more ardently it should be loued Antiquitie is no honoar to errour Errour in religion an execrable thing Errour repugneth to itselfe Both ancient and late errours magnifie creatures With the diminution of the glory of the Creator The trueth is not to be judged by outward appearance Antiquitie of custome differeth from antiquitie of commandement How ancient truth may be discerned from ancient lies Foure counterfaite masks of antiquitie in Poperie Wicked men reade holy Scripture of intention to gainesay the trueth of God †Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confident speaking without a sure ground is not to be regarded What the word heresie doth signifie The grounâ—… of heresie Similitudeâ—… Pride accompanying ignorance The propagation of herâ—…sie Heresie strengthened by the arme of manalanerly The curse of God vpon Heretiques heresies and places of their meetings How Heretiques should be dealt with by the Pastours HAV the magistrate should deale with Heretiques Similitude How the people should deale with Heretiques The word foundation taken properly 〈◊〉 oâ—…ly to Christ. Take heede to the demonstrations of God and beware of Satans demonstrations The similttude of a stone frequently vsedin Scripture The seconâ—… comfort An wholsom admonition In what sense the doctrine of the Prophets c. is called the foundation â—…imilitude Faith is called afoundation The offices of Christ declare that he is a true foundation Christ is a liuing fâ—…undation Similitude The contempt of men cannot impaire the glory of Christ. Similitude We drawe nere to Christ by faith Of Emporours The thirde persecution ANNO Chr. 108 The martyrdome of Simon the son of Cleopas The letter of Plinie 2. written to Traian Gregorieâ—… prayed for the soule of Traian Barcochebas a false prophet seduced the nation of the lewes Adrianus his intention to builde a Church for the honour of Christ. The fourth persecution ANN. Ch. 168. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and Iustinus Slanderous speeches against Christians The Romain armie supported by the prayers of the Christians Contrarie lâ—…wes Bishops of Rome Martyre Mâ—…tyre Maâ—…tyre Martyre The rashnes of Victor Of other Doctours and Preachâ—… Agrippas Castor Hegesippus Melito Iustinus Martyr Polycarpus Ireneus Clemens Alexandrinus Of Heretiques Gnostici Valentinuâ—… Marcus Cerdon Marcion Tatianus Encratitae Montanus Cataphryges Aquila and Theodosion rathâ—…r Apostatstben Heretiques Sacred scripture cannot be sufficiently commended Similitude It is perillous to separat the booke of the worde from the booke of the workes Similitude The spirit the word are not to be separated The Word of God is to bee found in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles The Prophets and Apostlâ—…s added nothing to Moses Similitude Three inturies done to the Written Word by reueiencing of traditions False accusations of holy Scripture Vnsufficiencie Difficultie Perill Things necessarte are to be kept al-beit they be abused Similitude Why Heretiques doe hate the Scripture Similitude The care of Christians of olde to keepe the scripture from burning A remarkable speech of an old honorable Lady Scriptures belong to the sheepe of Christ as their proper treasure Reformation of religion made according to the Written word The cause wherfore the Apostles put in write the summe of their doctrin Be not deceiued with the generalitie of the word tradition Similitude The true meaning of the words of Paul 2. Thess. 2. 15. Constancie differeth froÌ„ wilfulnesse The testimome of Ireneus abused Papists will not binde themselues in all points to old traditions The value of tradition in the fâ—… age In the Second age In the last age The word therefore to be considered 2. Thess. 2. ver 15. Christ doth great honour to the Scriptures Defection in the visible Chuâ—…ch no new thing Differences betweene the ancient fathers and Papists of our time con cerningmeats and mariage The Council of Ancyra Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria a maried man The Council of Gangra The probibition of meats and mariage is an apostasie from the faub. Our seruice to God should be a reasonable seruice The Popish church speak lies in hypocrisie rather then old Heretiques What is meant by a consâ—…ence seared with an hote yron Forbidding and biddâ—…ng wordes of authoritie We ought to hearken vnto the voyce that commeth downe from heauen Similitude Great arrogancie in prohibition of meates Arrogancie mixed with foolishnesse Similitude Similitude The last age of the worlde more senslesse then the first Similitude Both blasphemie and hypocrisie in the matter of mariage and meats is condemned by the Apostle The Papistes more subtle â—…en the Manicheis were The grace of thanksgiuing witnesseth that we enjoy both the gift and the giuer We ougâ—…t 〈◊〉 be ruled by Gods word iâ—… all things both corporat spirisuali The conscience is subject to the yocke of God The cause wherefore the succession of Romam Bishops was magnified of old The succession of Dauid The succession of Aaron The succession of the Prophets The succession of the Apostles The alledged succession of the Romaine Church spotted with heresie schisme and idolatry The heresie of the Collyridians renued increased by the chaire of Rome Eugenius 4. B. of Rome a notable schismatick The chaire of Rome defiled with idolatrie Lkeerrours haue like grounds The Romain church like to the successours of Aaron What inconuenients follow if the promise made to the Aposâ—…les successors be absolute The Apostles had calling gâ—…es prerogatiues extraordinarie The fist persecution ANN. Ch. 205. Leonides the father of Origen Alexander fellow laboureâ—… with Naâ—…cislus Rhais a mar tyre hrunt before she
me Luc 1 ver 43. So might old customes speake to olde commandements Whéce coÌ„meth this to me that coÌ„mandement my mistresse Lady wil tolerat me to be within the doores of the house of God wherein she hath such soueraignitie and swey In the fourth heade we are to intreate by what meanes ancient errours may be distinguished from ancient veritie And first veritie is not in all pointes like vnto an olde man whose strength is dayly abated by debilitie and weaknesse till at length the old man die goe to the graue yea rather veritie the older it be the vertue strength and vigour of it is the better knowne but errours when they waxe old they become weake they die and euanish and are vile as a filthy and stinking carion so as if any man in our dayes should open the graue of ARRIVS and renue his vngodly opinion he should see all Christians shake their heades stop their eares and grip after a maner their noses with their handes that the abominable flewer of that filthie carion should not be felt but by the contrarie the sweete smell of the ancient Veritie of Christ is like a precious oyntment powred out filling the house of God with no lesse delite now then it did of old when it was first preached by the Apostles in Ierusale Acts 2. And as the house of DAVID dayly waxed stronger the house of ISHBOSHETH dayly waxed weaker 2. Sam. 3. 1. such like is the estate of the Veritie and the lie Secondly veritie and errour are best distinguished when they are riped vp into the very ground and frivolous superficiall trialls are laide aside As NEHEMIA did when hee tried after the captiuitie who had a right of Priesthood to stand at the altar to offer sacrifices he commanded them to produce their writes and genealogies and make good their lineal descent from the loynes of AARON which right â—…ey who could not find out were put from the Priesthood Nehem. 7. ver 64 Euen so they who pretend veritie of ancient doctrine let them verifie clearely by the written word that this their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ his holy Apostles For as the procreation of AARON gaue a right to stand at the altar so also the doctrine that came froÌ„ the mouth of Christ and his Apostles hath an vndoubted right to be sounded in the Church of God Remember now that wise NEHEMIAH was not superficiall in his triall The sons of HABAIAH the sons of HAKKOZ the sons of BARZILLAI could haue shewed in write that they were come of the descent of LEVI and of the familie of COAH but that which was of greatest moment of all that they were descended from that branche of the familie of COAH which was separated to the scruice of the altar to wit from AARON Numb 16. ver 40. that they could not proue So the Papistes of our time can prooue that their doctrine hath had place sixe seuen or eight hundreth yeeres and more also before our dayes but that which is of greatest weight to wit that their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ and his holy Apostles in that probation they succumbe Thirdly let vs trie and discerne the lie from the veritie as AVGVSTVS CAESAR discerned him who falsly called himselfe ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD and the sonne in law of ARCHELAVS King of Cappadocia and husband of GLAPHYRA Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap 14. This ALEXANDER son of HEROD the great with his brother ARISTOBVLVS were both executed to the death by the commandement of their father But after the death of ALEXANDER an artificer bearing that same name and in stature beauty lineaments and all agreeing proportion so neerely resembled the very similitude of ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD that they who best knew HERODS son did most confidently affirme that this same artificer was he indeede and he himselfe affirmed that he was HERODS sonne and had escaped death by the fauour of the executioner Alwayes when he was brought to Rome to the Emperour AVGVSTVS would not be deceiued with the liklyhood of his face but groped his hand and found it to be hard like to the hand of an artificer and discerned him to be a deceiuing fellow and punished him This I grant may be applyed more properly to Christ then to vs. For albeit we be easily deceiued seduced with lies yet the great King of heauen Christ Iesus cannot be deceiued hee will not regard the brasen face of the lie calling it selfe trueth but he will wisely grope the hand of the lie examine what operations it hath wrought among the people it hath blinded mens vnderstanding it hath har dened their heartes it hath learned them to be proud obstinat contemners of the trueth of God finally it hath learned theÌ„ to honour creatures with impairing of the glory of the Creator Then wil the great King say O full of al deceit thy hand and thy operations that thou hast wrought amongst men testifieth that thou art not of God Neuerthelesse the members of Christ also in some meane measure may be groping the hand of the lie finding it to be hard dric voyde of all sap moysture of spirituall grace we may say in our harts O doctrine of lies barren withered within thy selfe and communicating no grace vnto thy hearers the Lord separat vs from thee thee from vs that we may adhere firmly vnto our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus vnto the end Finally when wee haue done all that we can doe to discerne the lie from the veritie yet let vs not liue in securitie as though wee could neuer be deceiued IOSVA that holy man of God was deceiued with old garments old bottels of wine old bread and shoes because he consulted not with the mouth of God Ios. 9. ver 14. Then aboue all things we should seeke counsell at the mouth of God by earnest prayer diligent reading of the written word attentiue hearing of godly sermons and if we seeke we shall finde and if wee knocke it shall be opened vnto vs. And the Lorde direct vs both in seeking and finding with the gratious conduct of his holy Spirit Heere I purposed to haue finished my treatise of antiquitie but when I remember with whome I haue to doe and that they will say I haue purposely passed by the principall demonstration of antiquitie in the Romaine Church therefore I haue subjoyned the foure forged fained and counterfaite maskes of antiquitie in Poperie which will neuer proue them to be an ancient church The false interpretation of Scriptures the booke of the Canons of the Apostles the decretall epistles falsly ascribed to the fathers of the first three hundreth yeeres of our Lord and the booke of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA Anent the false interpretation of Scriptures Godwilling I shall speake in the treatise of heresie Anent the booke of the Canons of the Apostles if there were no more but onely the last
very calamitie hinging ouer their heades there is a secret voyce of God calling them to humiliation and repentance with fasting and abstinence from all lawfull pleasures when the Priest bloweth the trumpet in Sion and sanctifieth a fast vnto the Lord he layeth not the yocke of mens commandements vpon the consciences of men but the yocke of God's commandements For the Prophet bringeth in the Lord saying that he calleth them to mourning lamentation and to abstinence The Lord is our Soueraigne commander and Lawgiuer hauing power to bid to forbid at his blessed pleasure Vnder this yocke will we gladly stoupe but the yocke of bondage that men would lay vpon our consciences the Apostle PAVL expresly forbiddeth vs to admit but to stand to our libertie Galat. 5. ver 1. And so I conclude this treatise misliking disaprouing the loose raines of fleshly wantonnesse but wishing from my heart that the bit of the Lord may bee cast in our jawes to turne vs from the delite of earthly pleasures to the delite of that celestiall citie that hath a foundation and whose builder is God Amen Of Succession IT hath bene the custome of godly men in all ages who were descended from the loynes of godly fathers not to brag of their parentage but to be so much the more ashamed of sinne that the vnreproouable liues of their predecessors were a great testimony cóuicting them of some piece of defection Therefore the Prophet ISAIAH bringeth in the Lordes penitent people in humble maner acknowledging that they were not worthy that ABRAHAM and ISRAEL should once knowe them to be their posteritie but they entreat the Lord by a free forgiuenesse of sinnes to become their father Isa. 63. 16. But on the other part a wicked generation descended from godly parents could boast of their parentage ' and say to Christ himselfe ABRAHAM is our father Iohn 8. ver 39. and againe We are not borne of fornication wee haue one father which is God ibid. ver 41. Notwithstanding of all this confident bragging of their parents the Lorde Iesus who judgeth righteously saith to carnall Iewes Yee are of your father the deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe He hath bene a murtherer from the beginning abode not in the trueth because there is no trueth in him When he speaketh a lie then speaketh hee of his owne for hee is a lyar and the father thereof Iohn 8. ver 44. This place of scripture will clearely prooue that God will nothing regard the vaine ostentation and vaunting speeches of men who brag of their descent from godly parents and their succession to godly preachers yet the dissimilitude of their faith and maners from the faith and maners of their predecessours declareth that they are the very children of the deuill In this age I find succession whereof the Romanes bragge so much to be in some reuerent regard For IRENEVS Bishop of Lions in France reasoning against VALENTINVS MARCION whose errours haue beene before declared to confute these Heretiques hee bringeth in the succession of the Romaine Bishops After PETER saith he were LINVS and ANACLETVS and CLEMENS and EVARISTVS and ALEXANDER and SIXTVS and TELESPHORVS and HYGINVS PIVS and ANICETVS and ELEVTHERIVS the twelfth from the Apostles Now saith IRENEVS these receiued the wholesome doctrine from the Apostles and deliuered it faithfully to others yea some of them also sealed it vp withtheir blood Yet none of them spake such things concerning God the father his sonne Christ Iesus as VALENTINVS MARCION and BASILIDES haue spoken Therefore he condemneth their doctrine to be false and hereticall Iren lib. 3. cap. 3. contra Valent. Now the followers of the Romaine church demand why we do not as reuerently esteeme of the succession of Romane Bishops now as IRENEVS did of old why do we not count them to be Heretiques who bring in a new doctrine not agreeing with the doctrine of the B. of Rome as IRENEVS counted VALENTINVS MARCION and BASILIDES Heretiques because they vttered a strange doctrine which the B. of Rome had not receiued from the handes of the Apostles To this I answere that we count reuerently of al the Bishops of Rome who kept faithfully that forme of wholesome doctrine which they receiued from the Apostles Yea and we count them Heretiques also who departe from that veritie which LINVS ANACLETVS CLEMENS and the rest receiued from the Apostles But the question standeth in this whether these holy fathers of whom JRENEVS maketh such reuerent record receiued from the mouthes of the Apostles preached to the world such heades of doctrine as are now sounded in the Romaine church that is inuocation of Saints worshipping of images pluralitie of mediators of intercession purgatorie and infinite other things As concerning the Apostles the summe of their doctrine is contained in their writings they taught not LINVS ANACLETVS CLEMENS otherwise then they taught the rest of the Romaines the Corinthtans Galatians Ephesians the inhabitants of Pontus Cappadocia Asia Bithynia 1 Pet. 1. And in all their writings there is no mention of inuocation of Saintes worshipping of images c. The cause wherefore godly father 's rejoyced in the succession of the Bishops of Rome was this because they were nearest to the danger of persecuting tyrants and kept the faith of Christ most inviolablie Many of them were martyres such as ALEXANDER SIXTVS TELESPHORVS and ANICETVS Others were Confessours who suffered prisonment pouertie and diuerse other rebukes albeit they were not put to death for the Name of Christ. And what marucll was it that these who loued Christe had their hearts inflamed with a loue of this holy succession whose commendation was puritie of wholesome doctrine receiued from the Apostles whose glory was sufferings and whose preeminence was examples of constant continuance in the true faith And like as the dayes of MOSES and IOSVA were happie dayes they had among them the Tabernacle of God and therewith also the Arke and propitiatorie which was the glorious ornament of the Tabernacle so were the dayes of these holy fathers happie dayes hauing personall succession from the Apostles and therewith succession of true doctrine the glorious ornament of personall succession As concerning the decretall Epistles falsly ascribed to them wee shall speake hereafter in the heade of supremacie Godwilling But when all these things are inlacking for which the succession of the Romaine Bishoppes was regarded in this Centurie and men erring in the true faith of a long time possessed the chaire of Rome what auaileth it to glorie of that olde commended succession when the glory of true doctrine patient suffering constant perseuerance in the Apostolicke doctrine is vtterly lost among them so that the succession whereof the Romaine Church now glorieth is not vnlike their transubstantiation wherein are accidents without a subject in their succession are persons of men succeeding one to another without puritie of doctrine In Scripture we finde succession
the 29. B. of Rome who continued in that ministration 5. yeres 6 months 21 dayes He liued in the dayes of MAXENTIVS by whom he was enclosed into a filthie stable to the end that lacking the salubritie of wholsome aire he might be destroyed with the filth stinke of the dung of beasts which thing also came to passe indeede for he died in the stable This holy martyr so long as he liued he made the stable like vnto a sanctuarie for hee neuer intermitted the holy exercises of prayer fasting and the Church when peace was granted to them by the mercie of God they builded a temple in that same place where the stable had beene whereinto MARCELLVS died Platin. de vitis The name of MARCELLVS is pretermitted by EVSEBIVS After MARCELLVS succeeded EVSEBIVS the 30. B. of Rome and continued 6. yeeres 1 month 3. dayes In his time PLATINA writeth that HELENA the mother of CONSTANTINE found the crosse of Christ. But ONVPHRIVS himself is compelled to grant that both DAMASVS and PLATINA erred in that narration because CONSTANTINE at this time had no dominion in Syria neither was hee as yet conuerted to the faith of Christ. But the tyrant MAXIMINVS with great crueltie oppressed the Church of Christ in the boundes of Syria and Iudea And therefore such as read the historie of the primitiue Church let them read with judgement because it is an easie thing to erre if any man giue such vndoubted credit to ecclesiasticall writers as he giueth to sacred scripture TERTVLLIAN a learned preacher of the African prouince of the citie of Carthage a man of a quicke wit pregnant ingine flourished vnder the reigne of SEVERVS the 5 persecuter When he came to Rome he vas not free of the enuy and reproches of the clergie of the Romaine church and mooued with anger he declined to the opinion of the Heretique MONTANVS wrote books against the true Church such as the volumes following De pudicitia De peâ—…cutione De jejunâ—…s De monogamia De exstasi lib. 6. his 7. booke against APOLLONIVS This lamentable defection of TERTVLLIAN may be an example to all men of great vnderstanding and excellent learning not to be puft vp nor to be high minded lest they fall into the snare of the deuill For TERTVLLIAN wrote learned apologies for the Christians and mightily confuted the errour of MARCION notwithstanding of al this he was high minded joyned himself to the opinioÌ„ of MONTANVS Ierom. Catal. script eccl if he had kept himself free of this foule spot he was worthy for his giftes to haue ben counted amoÌ„g the most famous doctors of the Church after the dayes of the Apostles Hist. Magd. Cent. 3. cap. 10. ORIGEN the sonne of LEONIDES an Egyptian was a yong man of 17. yeeres of age when his father was martyred in the persecution of SEVERVS Ierom Catal. script eccles His ingine was so pregnant in his youth and so capable of all kinde of instruction that his father would oftimes vncouer his brest when he was on sleepe and kisse it giuing thanks to God who had made him father of so happie a sonne hist. Magd Cent. 3. cap. 10. After his fathers death he sustained himselfe his mother sixe brethren by keeping a schoole for all his fathers goods were confiscate for his confession of Christ. When ORIGEN had spent his young age the description of his life in Greeke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when he was in his mid age the Churches of Achaia vexed with Heretiques sent for him as he was vpon his journey to Athens he went through Palestina was ordained to be a preaching Elder by ALEXANDER B of Ierusalem THEOCTISTVS B. of Caesarea This fact offended DEMETRIVS B. of Alexandria so highly that he was full of rage against ORIGEN and wherefore because he beeing a man of Alexandria receiued ordination to an ecclesiasticall office from the Bishops of Ierusalem and Caesarea When Bishops become serious in trifling matters and haue a greater regarde to their owne gloâ—…y then to the aduancement of the kingdome of God then that may bee spoken of them which IEROM writeth of DEMETRIVS Qui tanta in eum debacchatus est insania ut per totum mundum super ejus nomine seriberet that is He was so ful of rage against him that he replenished the world with writings mentioning the name of ORIGEN But consider what fault was in ORIGEN who was crauing no ordination And what fault was in ALEXANDER and THEOCTISTVS men whose names shall be had in euerlasting remembrance They did nothing of intention to grieue the heart of DEMETRIVS B. of Alexandria but onely beeing carefull of the aduancement of the kingdome of God they endeuoured to strengthen the hands of ORIGEN against the Heretiques of Achaia by conferring vnto him the calling of a Presbyter No man can justly offend against me if I cast in this sentence as a common admonition to all preachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let vs not be ouer serious in ridiculous matters The name of ORIGEN was so famous that not onely the Bishops of Achaia sollicited him to come to their bounds for stopping the mouthes of Heretiques but also he was sent for at two diuerse times to bee present at the Councils conucened in Arabia against Heretiques Some Heretiques affirmed that the soules of men perish with their bodies and are raised vp againe in the day of the resurrection with the bodies whom ORIGEN mightily refuted Comment Func in Chron. lib. 6. Likewise he was present at the Councill in Arabia gathered against BERYLLVS B. of Bostra who denied that Christ was existent before his manifestation in the flesh and by the trauelles of ORIGEN BERYLLVS was reclaimed and reduced to the true faith therefore I reckone him not into the roll of Heretiques Euseb lib. 6. cap. 33. FIRMILIANVS B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia inuited ORIGEN to come to Cappadocia where he deteined him a long time Likewise MAMMEA the mother of ALEXANDER the Emperour sent for him to come to Antiochia and had him in reuerent regarde Likewise hee wrote to the Emperour PHILIP and to his mother who was the first Emperour that professed the Name of Christ Ierom. catal script eccl He studied to be acquainted with the Hebrew language farre contrarie to the custome of his own nation he conferred the Hebrewe text with the Greeke translations not onely the Septuagints but also the translations of AQVILA THEOLOSION and SYMMACHVS and hee found out the fift sixt and seuenth editions Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 17. Ierom catal scrip eccles Notwithstanding of all these excellent gifts and renoumed fame of ORIGEN he wanted not his owne grosse errours foolish facts In expouÌ„ding of scripturs he became a curious searcher out of allegories Yet this father of allegories ORIGEN took the words of Christ spoken of Eunuches There be some chaste which haue made thâ—…mselues chaste for the kingdome of
dâ—…liuered not the subscriptions foresaide yet hee constantly refused to deliuer them and the Emp. both admired and commended his constancie Barses bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia Eulogius and Protogenes presbyters there vnder the reigne of Valens were banished to Antinoe in Thebaida whose trauailes GOD wonderfullie blâ—…ssed to the conuersion 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 maried a young woman the first night after her mariage hee perswaded her to preferre Virginall chastitie to matrimoniall copulation Antiochus the brother sone of Eusebius Samosatenus could not abide the imposition of the hands of an Arrian bishop Leâ—…oius bishop of Meletina in Arâ—…enia who brunt the Monastrees or rather as Theodoretus writes the Dennes of theeues whereinto 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 Syriah language The bookes shrowded vnder his name are thought for the most part to be supposititious Aeas who liued in companie with Zenon Bishop of Maioma neere vnto Gaza is much reported of because hee maried a young woman procreated three children with her and in end left her and entered into a Manastrie forgetting his matrimoniall couenant Zebennius Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Phaenicia to whom Sozomenus affirmeth that by diuine reuelation the places were manifested whereinto the bodies of the Prophets Habacâ—…k and Micheas were buried So superstitious are Ecclesiasticall Writers already become that the searching out of thinges nothing appertaining to eternall life are ascriued to diuine reuelations The judicious reader will pardon mee that I write not in particulare of the liues of aâ—…l the fore-mentioned Bishops and Pastors because the nature of a short COMPEND cannot permit it to bee 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 hee became excellently learned in all Sciences But aboue all thinges the exact knowledge of diuine SCRIPTURES made him a terrour to the Arrians Manie doe write that the verie last period of time whereinto Iulian the Apostate concluded his wretched life was reuealed to Didymus in a dreame and that hee againe tolde it to Athanasius who lurked secretly in Alexandria during the time of the reigne of Iulian. Arnobius was an Oratour in Africke afterward hee became a Christian and craued to bee baptized Christian Bishops linguered to conferre the holy Sacrament to a man who had bene a hater of Christian Religion of a long time Yet hee freede himselfe from all suspition of Paganisme by writing bookes wherein hee confuted the Idolatrie of the Pagans and was baptized about the yeere of our LORD 330. Anent the suffering of our LORD hee writes verie judiciously That like as the beames of the Sunne that shine vpon a tree when the tree is cutted the Sunne beames cannot bee cutted Euen so in the suffering of CHRIST the diuine Nature suffered noe paine Lactantius Firmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius In eloquence he was nothing inferior to his Maister yet it is thought that hee impugned errours with greater dexteritie then hee confirmed the Doctrine of the Trueth Optatus Bishop of Meleuitanum in Africke in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens set his penne against the Donatistes especially against Parmenianus whose absurde assertion hee clearelie refutes First whereas the Donatistes affirmed that the CHURCH of CHRIST was onely to bee founde in a corner of Africke Hee refutes it by Scripture wherein it is written Aske of mee and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the endes of the worldâ—… for thy possession This place proues the CHURCH to bee Catholicke Also whereas they saide that Baptisme was not auaileable except some of their sect had beene present at the administration thereof hee answereth That when GOD first created the Element of water the presence of the Trinitie was powerfull in operation to create water albeit none of the Donatistes were then present Euen so the Trinitie can worke effectually in Baptisme albeit none of the Donatistes bee present Yea and that it was GOD the author of Baptisme and not the Minister that did sanctifie according as it is written Wash mee and I shall bee whiter then the snowe c. Bishops and Doctors of Europe ACHOLIUS Bishop of Thessalonica baptized the Emperour Theodosius after here returned from the slaughter of Maximus The Emp. fell sicke by the way before hee came to Constantinople and was desirous to be baptized Neuerthelesse he would not suffer Acholius to baptize him vntill he was assured that Acholius was not spotted with the Airian Heresie After baptisme the Emperour recouered his health againe Acholius was brought vp in Monastries like as Epiphanius many other worthie men were brought vp Hilarius Bishop of Poitiers in FRANCE liued vnder the reigne of Constantius a man in Religion constant in maners meeke and courteous Hee was banished immediately after the Councill of Millane to Phrygia as some suppose Theodoretus writeth that hee was banished to Thebaida and relieued againe from banishment vnder Iulian. But it is more apparent that hee remained in Phrygia vntill the Councill of Seleucia vnto which Councill he was brought from banishment not by any speciall commandement from the Emp. but by a generall commandement giuen to his deputie Leonas to assemble together the Bishops of the East Vnder pretence of obeying this commandement Hilarius beeing banished in the East was brought to the Councill of Seleucia from Seleucia he went to Constantinople The Emp. refused to heare him reason with the Arrians in the matters of Faith but gaue him liberty to returne to his owne countrey againe Hee tooke great paines to purge the countrey of FRANCE from the poison of Arrian heresie and he preuailed so farre that Ierom compares him to Deucalion who both sawe the flood of waters ouer-flowing Thessalia and the abating of them also Euen so Hilarius sawe both the growth and decay of Arrianisme in FRANCE Hee liued sixe yeeres after his returning from banishment and concluded his life vnder the reigne of Valentinian Ambrose the sonne of Symmachus was a man of noble parentage vnder the Emp. Valentinian he was gouernour of Liguria At this time Auxentius bishop of Millane an Arrian died Great sedition was in the towne for the election of a newe bishop euery man contending to haue a bishop chosen of that faith which he himselfe best liked Ambrose fearing the vndoing of the towne by this intestine contention exhorted them to unitie and concord with words and reasons so perswasiue that
great Citie of refuge to Heretiques was to addresse themselues to the B. of Rome and to leane vnder his shadow But Damasus who was bishop of Rome at this time would not admit these Heretiques to his presence Neither would Ambrose B. of Millane to whom they ad dressed next in any wise accept of them when al other meanes failed them last of al with buddes and bribes they sollicited the Emp. cubiculers were sent backe againe to enjoy their owne places Neuerthelesse GOD suffered not Priscillianus to escape punishmeÌ„t for he was conuict of sorcery was punished to the death after the death of Valentinian the seconde whether by Maximus an usurper of the Emperiall Soueranitie or by Theodosius I am not certaine Lucifer was bishop of Calaris in Sardinia He was present at the Councill of Millan and was banished by Constantius because hee would not consent to the deposition of Athanasius Hee was reduced from banishment by the Em. Iulian. He visited Antiochia a towne miferably distracted with Schismes and by ordaining Paulinus B. of Antiochia hee rather augmented then paired the scisme he perceiued that this his fact was disproued by Euseb. b. of Vercellis many others therefore he his followers did not coÌ„municate with such as disproued the ordination of Paulinus This seemes rather to be rekoned in the catalogue of schismes then of heresies Theod. disprouing Lucifer saith that he made faith to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a weapon of contentions but not a weapon of heresie These who supposed that after the Natiuitie of the LORD the Virgine Marie companied with her husband Ioseph and did beare childreÌ„ to him were called Antidicomarianitae In this opinion was Helvidius a man more curious then wise The opinion of the Fathers of the Church not repugnant to Scripture was this That like as no man did lie in the sepulchre wherein Christ was buried before him Euen so in the wombe wherein hee was conceiued no man was coÌ„ceiued after him so the Fathers tooke the wordes of the Apostolicke symbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as iâ—… it had bene said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is born of Mary a perpetual Virgine In holy scriptures by the brethren of our LORD is meaned the kinsmen of the LORD according to the flesh to which exposition the consent of Ancient Neotericke writers for the most part aggreeth Augustine cites out of Philaster a sort of Heretiques called Metangismonitae whose heresie sounded to this That the SONNE is in the FATHER according to the similitude of a little vessell comprehended within the compasse of a greater vessell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke Language signifieth a vessell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the entering of one vessel within another which in our language caÌ„not be expressed by one word as it is in the Greeke From Seleucus and Hermias this heresie had the name where they dwelt or in what Emperours dayes this Heresie was propagated August maketh no mention their opinions were most abominable namely that the Masse whereof GOD created the elements was coeternall with him and that the Angels not GOD created the soules of men that CHRIST in his ascension vnclothed himselfe of the flesh of man and left it in the globe of the Sunne They receiued not baptisme by water They denied the resurrection of the dead supposing that by new generations one succeeding to another that is performed which in Scripture is written concerning the resurrection The rest of the Heresies of this age were all obscure and had few followers such as Proclianitae who denied that CHRIST was come in the flesh Patriciani who affirmed that the bodie of man was formed by the Deuil not by GOD Ascitae who carried about with them newe vessels to represent that they were vessels filled with the new wine of the Gospell Patalorynchitae foolish men who counted it religion to stop their breath with their fingers and to vtter no intelligible speach Aquarii who in stead of wine receiued water in the holy Sacrament The beginning of this errour seemes to haue beene in the dayes of Cyprian Coluthiani denied that any euill either of sinne or punishment came of GOD. Floriani who by the contrarie affirmed that GOD created creatures in an euill estate The 8. Heresies which Philaster commemorates without any name either taken from the Author or from the heresie it selfe Augustine scarcely will reacken them into the roll of Heresies CHAP. IIII. Of Councils COUNCILS may bee diuided in Generall Nationall or Prouinciall and particulare Councils Generall were called Oecomenik Councils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke language signifies the World because from all quarters of the World whereinto CHRIST was preached commissioners were sent to these Councils and they were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour Nationall or provinciall Councils were such as were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour in one nation with asfistance of other neere approaching nations for suppressing of Heresies desyding of questions pacifying of schismes and appointing Canons and constitutions for decent order to be keeped in the Church The third sort of Councils were particular Councils by Bullinger called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as the Councils of Gangra Neocaesaria many others gathered vsuallie by Patriarchs and Bishops in a corner of a countrie but for the like causes as nationall Councils were assembled Let no man expect a recital of particular Councils except at such times as some matter of great moment enforceth me to speake of them Ancyra is a towne of Galatia In this towne were assembled Bishops of diuerse prouinces about the yeere of our Lord 308. as is supposed The principal cause of their meeting was to constitute a forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to which they who either willingly or vnwillingly had sacrificed to idols in time of persecution should bee receiued into the bosome of the Church againe when they were found penitent There were many rankes of persons who had defiled themselues with Heathnicke Idolatrie such as Libellatici Thurificati Sacrificati Proditores The Council of Anâ—…yra tooke order chiefely with those who were called Thurificati and Sacrificati that is with them who either had casten vp incense vpon Idolatrous Altars or els had eaten of meates sacrificed to Idoles to whom it was injoyned to testifie the r repentance a long time before they were receiued to the communion of GODS people some one yeere some two yeeres others three or foure yeeres some fiue or sixe yeeres and aboue according to the heauinesse of their transgression In this Councill it was ordained that Deacons who in time of their ordination did protest that they had not the gift of continencie but were disposed to marry if they married they shoulde remaine in their Ministrie but they who in time
no mention of the fornication of Athanasius of the hande of Arsenius of the Table Cuppe and bookes aboue mentioned but they forged newe accusations against him whereunto the Emp. gaue too hastie credite and banished Athanasius to Triere Immediately after the Councill of Tyrus many bishops were assembled at Hierusalem for the dedication of the Temple which the Emp. Constantine had builded at the place of the LORDS sepulchre Anent the Councill of Antiochia wherein the Arrians deposed Eustatius and the Councill of Arles wherein Cecilianus was absolued from the accusation of the Donatists no further discourse is needefull then is conteined in the historie 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 occasion of their meeting was the Heretique Eustatius who admiring the Monasticke life or as others affirme fauouring the Heresie of Encratitae and the Manicheans he spake against Marriage against eating of fl◅sh he damned the publicke Congregations of GODS people in Temples and said a man could not be saued except he forsooke all his poss◅ssions and renounced the wo◅lde after the forme of monkish doing These opinions were damned in the Councill of Gangra The subscriptions of the Fathers of this Councill after their Canons are worthie to be remarked These things say they haue we 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 minde to pride extolling themselues against the simpler sort Yea and damne and cut off all those who contrary to Scripture and Eccl◅siasticall rules bring in new Commandements But we admire humble Virginity and wee approue continencie that is vndertaken with chastity and Religion And wee embrace the renounciation of seculare businesse with humilitie And we honour the chast band of Mariage And we despise not riches joined with righteousnesse and good workes And we commend a simple and cou◅se apparrell used for couering the body without Hypocrisie Likewise wee reject loos and dissolute g◅rments And we honour the houses of GOD and 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 wee honour and Cong◅egations assembled in the same places for the common utilitie we approue And good workes which are done to poore brethren euen aboue mens habilitie 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 reigne of Constantine in Eliberis a towne of Spaine were assembled 19. Bishops and of preaching Elders 36. The ende of their meeting was to reforme horrible abuses both in Religion and maners which in time of the tenne Persecutions had preuailed in Spaine And nowe in time of peace such enormities and festered maners co◅lde hard◅ly bee amended Manie Ecclesiasticall Canons were made in this Synode to the number of 81. Whereof wee shall rehearse but a fewe and such as clearely pointeth out the principall ende of their meeting They ordained that Heathnicke sacrificing Priests called of olde Flamines if they were content to absteine from sacrificing to Idoles and to learne the groundes of Christian R◅ligion after three yeeres repentance they shoulde bee admitted to baptisme Likewise they ordained that Christian Virgines shoulde not bee giuen in marriage to Pagans lest in the flou◅e of their youth they should bee entangled with spirituall whoredome In like maner that Bishops should receiue no rewarde from men that did not communicate with the Church They ordained that nothing that is worshipped shoulde be pictured on the wall And that in priuate houses no Idoles should be founde And incase the maisters of houses were afraide of the violence of their s◅ruantes at least they should keepe themselues pure and cleane which if they did not they shoulde bee counted strangers from the fellowship of the Church And that if any man happen to bee slaine in the action of breaking downe images his name shall not bee enrolled in the catalogue of Martyres because it is not written in the history of the Gospell that the Apostles used any such forme of reformation whereby they sig◅isie that by wholsome doctrine images should be castē out of the hearts of mē rather then broken with popular violence with the tumultuary attempts of priuate men Any judicious man may perceiue by these Canons both the time when and the cause wherefore this Council was assembled They who count the first Councill of Carthage to bee that Councill whereinto Cyprian with aduise of many other bishops of Numidia Lybia and other partes of Africke ordained men who were baptized by Heretiques to bee rebaptized againe they commit a great ouer-sight to recken the first Councill of Carthage to bee holden vnder the reigne of Constantine whereas it is certainely knowne that Cyprian was martyred in the dayes of Valeriane the eight persecuting Emperour But the first Councill of Carthage that was kept in CONSTANTINES dayes was that Councill whereinto the Donatistes condemned Caecil◅anus Bishop of Carthage whose innocencie afterwarde was tryed by manie Iudges In it there was no matter of great importance concluded and therefore I ouer-passe it with few wordes as an assemblie of li◅tle account All these Councils aboue mentioned were assembled in the dayes of CONSTANTINE the Great Now followeth Councils gathered in the dayes of his sonnes The cause pretended for the gathering of the Councill of A◅t ochi◅ in the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine was the dedication of the Church of Antiochia which albeit C◅nstantine had builded yet fiue yeeres after his death and in the seuenteenth yeere after the foundation of this Temple was laide CONSTANTIUS his sonne finished and perfected the worke And vnder pretence of dedication of this Temple as saide is this assemblie of Antiochia was gathered ANNO 344. but indeede of purpose to supplant the true Faith To this Assemblie resorted manie Bishops to the number of 90. But Maximus Bishop of HIERUSALEM and ◅ulius Bish◅p of Rome neither came they to the Councill neither sent they any me◅enger in their name fearing as the trueth was that they were gathered for euill and ◅ot for good At this time Placitus the s◅ccessour of Euphronius gou◅rned Antiochia Now when they were met together many accus◅tions 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 r◅turning backe againe to ALEXANDRIA there fell out great commotion amongst the people and some were slaine others were contumeliouslie beaten and violently drawne before justice seates Mention also was made of the decrete of the Councill of Tyrus against
made how Paul and Silas visiting the Churches where Paul and Barnabas had preached before they deliuered them the Decrees to keepe ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Hierusalem Heere mention is made of the Decrees of a most worthie Councill but heerewith remember two thinges First the Decrees of such a Councill whereinto many Apostles were present who were taught in all trueth by the Holie Spirit according to the prediction of CHRIST Secondly Paul and Silas were not now planting Churches in Asia the lesse but they were waâ—…ing and visiting the Churches already planted and no man denieth but the authoritie of good Councils is profitable to confirme men in the trueth of GOD. But it is the doctrine of the Holy Scripture of GOD that begetteth Faith in the soules of men Therefore let the Holy Scriptures of GOD haue the first and principall honour and no man will be offended that good Councils be regarded in their owne ranke In the next head let vs speake of the abuses of Councils they are manifold But the first and principall abuse of Councils I thinke to bee this when the very end wherefore they were wont to bee gathered is inuerted Of old Councils were gathered to suppresse Heresies and Schismes But when they are gathered to maintaine Hereticall doctrine or to strengthen the handes of Schismatiques directly or indirectly this is a great abuse of Councils Like as the Councill of Ariminum was assembled for confirmation of the Arrian Heresie the second Councill of Ephesus gaue allowance to the errour of Eutyches The Councils of Tyrus Millan indirectly in labouring to suppresse Athanasius were in verie deede supplanting the true Faith which Athanasius professed There is infinite difference betwixt Nimrod and Nehemiah and betwixt Babel and Hierusalem In the re-edifying of Hierusalem there was a purpose to glorifie GOD but in building Babell there was a farre contrarie intention Secondly Councils are abused when they take libertie to statute and ordaine any thing repugnant to the Holy Scriptures of GOD whether it be in forbidding to doe that thing which the Scripture licentiateth to bee done or in allowing thinges disallowed in Holy Scripture This abuse began very early euen in the famous Councill of Nice wherein they forbid men who are conuerted to Christian Religion and are baptized in the Name of CHRIST to returne againe to the warre-fare as if these two thinges were repugnant to be a warriour and a Christian Did not Dauid Iosaphat and Iosias fight the battels of the LORD and in so doing they made not defection from the Couenant of GOD. Was not Cornelius both a Centurion and a Christian And Iohn Baptist when hee was demanded of the Souldiours what they should doe did hee command them to forsake their calling and not rather to use it aright that is to doe violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and to bee content with their wages And was it lawfull to militate vnder the banner of Augustus and Tiberius And shall it be found vnlawfull to fight vnder the banner of Constantine a most Christian Emperour In my judgement this was too much libertie that the Councill of Nice tooke vnto themselues to disallowe anie calling that in Holy Scripture is not disallowed except onelie the abuse of it And of olde the Iewes made no Conscience to fight vnder the banner of Alexander the Great whome hee honoured also with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with equall honour and freedome of Burgeship with the Graecians in the principall towne of Aegypt called Alexandria builded by himselfe But this constitution of the Councill of Nice might bee excused because all thinges that are lawfull are not also expedient possibly they haue seene at that time great danger to Christian mens saluation in warre-fare vnknowne to vs and therefore they tooke boldnesse to forbid Christians to goe to warrefare But manie other Councils both Nationall and called by the Romane Church generall haue allowed thinges expressely forbiddâ—…n in the written word of GOD such as adoration of Images and the sapramacie of the Bishop of Rome not only ouer all Pastors but also a souereignitie in ciuill thinges ouer the Emperour and Princes of the earth which is an vnsufferable disorder to make the taile the head the head the taile In particular I speake of the Councils holden at Rome by Gregorius the seconde and Gregorius the thirde and Stephanus the thirde and the seconde Councill of Nice holden in the seuenth yeere of the Empresse Irene with the consent and procuration of Adrian Bishop of Rome ANNO 790. The vnhappie Generall Councill of Vienne assâ—…mbled by Clemens the fift ANNO 1311. whereinto it is statuted and ordained that the Emperour shall giue his oath of alleadgeance to the Pope to whom hee is no lesse inferiour then the Moone is infinitely inferiour vnto the splendor of the Sun Can any thing bee spoken more repugnant to the seconde precept of the first Table and the first precept of the seconde Table then the Decretes of the Councils foresaid Therefore let euerie Christian man thinke of Councils as they thinke of Riuers of water which are verie profitable so long as they hold themselues within the compasse of their owne accustomed bankes but if they swell and by vntimous inundation ouer-flowe their owne accustomed boundes then are they verie hurtfull to the neere adjacent fieldes Enen so Councils that take libertie to allowe any thing disallowed in Holie Scripture are very pernicius and hurtfull Thirdly Councils are miserably abused when they are blamed vnjustly and without a cause The Arrians moste vnjustly blamed the Councill of Nice for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because this word is not found in Scripture Neuerthelesse the matter it selfe expressed by this word is manifestly coÌ„tained in Scripture as namely when the Apostie Iohn saith There are three which bearâ—… recorde in Heauen the FATHER the WORD and the Holie GHOST and these three are one but the Arrians who blamed the Coun. most wrongfully said there was a time wherein the Sonne was not existant and that Deuilish opinion neither in word nor in matter is to bee found in Scripture Moreouer Councils are abused when as their authoritie is impared not with solide reasons taken out of the Scripâ—…ures of GOD but rather with the railing speaches of contentious men like as a number of Heretiques called Acephali with tumultuarie murmuring and crying out against the Councill of Chalcedon dispersed themselues heere and there and left not off their vngodly courses vntill a new Heresie of the Monothelites an vngracious budde of the rotten and cutted-downe stocke of the Heresie of Eutyches did arise But no man aught to contende against Councils with pride of a contentious minde but rather with humilitie of a modest minde search out whether their Ordinances bee agreeable to the booke of GOD or not Finally Councils are abused when they who are assembled together
the braine of man Likewise Christ in holy Scripture is called the Lambe of God who taketh away the sinnes of the world It is great obliuion in men to magnifie the finger which pointed out Christ so much as to count it incorruptible that the fire hath no power to burne it and it is an holy relique in the Romane Church and on the other part to bee so forgetfull of the golden sentence which hee vttered at the pointing foorth of his finger namely that CHRIST was the Lambe of GOD that is the onely propitiatorie sacrifice for our sinnes for that Lambe which was offered in the morning and the euening in the olde TESTAMENT did not represent our satisfactions but only the propitiatorie sacrifice which CHRIST offered vpon the Crosse for our sinnes The doctrine of Augustine agreeing with Scripture was this That CHRIST taketh away our sinnes three maner of wayes First by forgiuing the sinnes wee haue committed Secondly by supporting vs with his grace that wee should not commit the like in time to come and thirdly by bringing vs vnto eternall life where wee shall be free from committing of sinne Finally the writings of the Prophets and Apostles anent the doctrine of Satisfaction pointeth out CHRIST alanerly by whome wee obteine forgiuenesse of our sinnes as the Apostle PETER speaketh to CORNELIVS in these words To him also giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name all that beleene in him shall receiue remission of sinnes If this bee the summe of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apoâ—…es they who contend so seriously to prooue mens satisfactions for faultes committed after Baptisme they striue against the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles As concerning the worde Indulgentia what it did signifie of olde in the primitiue Church I haue already declared to wit a mitigation of the strict discipline vsed against great offenders but this matter will bee better vnderstood if it bee deduced froÌ„ the very first ground In time of the ten great persecutions many were found weake who fell away from the open profession of the trueth and sacrificed to Idoles The dayly increasing number of back-sliders from the trueth compelleâ—… the Church to enter into a deepe consideration howe this defection might bee stayed Novatus was in this opinion that they who made defection in the time of the ten persecutions should not bee admitted againe to the fellowship of the Church albeit they did repent This opinion was too rigorous and repugnant to Scripture Others thought it more expedient to institute Sermoâ—…s to bee preached at solemne times such as Natalitia MartyruÌ„ whereby the great coÌ„mendation of the constant Faith sufferings of the Martyres euen vnto the death might make these timorous backsliders ashamed of their defection on the other part if any of them craued to bee receiued againe into the bosome of the Church that they should testifie their repentance by publicke Satisfaction so many yeeres as was prescribed vnto them by Church discipline the mitigation of the rigour of this discipline was called Indulgentia In our dayes it is taken in another sense for an absolution from fault and punishment at the least from one of them and a dispensation of the merites of CHRIST and his Sainctes to offenders This abuse of ancient wordes to the noueltie of a new fact vnknown to Fathers makes Popish Religion iustly suspect to such as considereth their aberration from antiquitie albeit they bragge of it continually in so much that it may bee saide of them which Philip King of Maccdone spake of a Iudge who dyed his haire that he who was false in a matter of haire would ncuer bee true in a matter of Iudgement so the miserable abuse of the worde Indulgentia prognosticateth horrible abuse in the matter it selfe If any man demand howe doth this Treatise of Indulgences belong vnto this Centurie seeing that Indulgences and Pardones against which I write were not as yet in vse in the Romane Church yea we read not of Plenissimae Indulgentiae à poena à culpa before the 1200. yeere of our Lord. To this I answere that in this Centurie they were opening a passage to that which after followed As Iulian the Apostate when hee cutted a parcell of ground hee opened a passage to Euphrates to runne into Tigris and so procured that his shippes should arriue at Ctesiphon a towne situated vpon Tigris and not vpon Euphrates euen so in this Centurie the bishoppes of Rome were inlarging the power of their keyes which power they extended so amplie that they durst excommunicate Emperours at their pleasure and the posteritie following them finding the power to bee ample they tooke vpon them authoritie to absolue in earth from fault and paine persons whome GOD promised not to absolue in heauen because they were not penitent The two greatest absurdities in late Pardones are these First an absolution from fault punishment vnder another condition than is contained in the written worde of GOD. For there it is expresly written When the wicked turneth away from his wickednesse that hee hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right hee shall saue his soule aliue But the Pardone of Pope BONIFACIVS the eight containeth a full absolution from fault and punishment vpon condition that men trauell to Rome in time of Iubile and visite the Church of Lateran If an Officer to whom the Kings letters are concredite did proclame his Highnes letters another way than they were first conceiued and stamped with the Kings signet hee would be counted a false messenger and would bee remooued from his office but hee who dare presume to alter the message of the great King to promise forgiuenesse to him to whom GOD hath not promised it in his owne written worde hee is a false teacher Promising liberue to others when as himselfe is a seruant of corruption as the Apostle speakes Before this great sinne was amended another greater sinne was added vnto it and Pardones were solde for money by which doing the bishoppes of Rome ceased from beeing the successours of SIMON PETER and became successours of SIMON MAGVS The Apostle commendeth in the Corinthians before they absolued the incestuous Adulterer godly sorrowe care a clearing of themselues holie indignation feare zeale and punishment amongst other thinges hee commendeth in them an earnest desire to wit of the conuersion of him who had fallen into an hainous transgression The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the Apostle is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say an earnest desire of money but rather an carnest desire of the repentance of him who had offended The horrible abuse of Pardones solde for money were knowne to all Nations in Europe especially to the Countrie of Germanie to whome Pardones were sent both for sinnes by-past and for sinnes to come with Ticelius an eloquent Orator but Pardones at that time were come to the height and could consist no
longer and since that time they giue no price I am the shorter in this Treatise lest I should hinder any man from reading the learned writings of Chcmnicius de Indulgentiis who hath accurately written the beginning progresse and ripenesse of this filthie errour of Popish Pardones A TREATISE Of a great heape of Errours which kithed in the sixt Centurie SEING the time was now at hande whereinto the Antichrist should exalt himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped and that he should sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God The LORD punishing the contempt of his euerlasting Trueth suffered a departing from many pointes of Faith to fall out as Tapestrie of errours hung vp in the Temple to welcome the Antichrist The signe of the Crosse is nowe filthily abused In the first 300. yeere of our LORD and a litle after the Pagans so abhorred the doctrine of the Crosse and that Saluation should be offered to all men in the suffering of one man that they persecuted this doctrine with vnspeakable crueltie The Christians on the other part in word deede and gesture adhered so fast vnto the doctrine of saluation which commeth by the sufferings of CHRIST that by crossing of themselues they would avow besore the Worlde that they were Christians this was of olde a piece of externall profession but they attributed no vertue to the signe of the Crosse to saue them from enill insomuch that S. Augustine in a certaine place speaking of theeues who would goe out by night to steale they would garde themselues by the signe of the Crosse which signe banished not the power of the Deuill from them but rather sealed vp the power of Sathan within them but in this Centurie Crossing was in vse with opinion that by vertue of that signe made in the are euill was banished from men and good things were procured to them The superstition of Pilgrimages began in the dayes of Constantine and Gregorius Nyssenus damned the conceates of men who imagined that GOD would giue a rewarde in the Worlde to come to workes which he hath not commanded to bee done in this Worlde but in this Centurie this superstition mightily increased in so far that men trauelled to the sepulchers of the Sainctes with intention to obtaine health both of soule and body in those places This resorting vnto the sepulchers of the Sainctes fostred not onely inuocaâ—…ion of Sainctes but also a confidence in them that they could support all troubles both of soule and bodie whereinto any person had fallen insomuch that in the fist Centurie and before the time of the fulnesse of all corruption Atticus bishop of Constantinople was compelled to raise the bodie of Sabbatius out of his graue by night and to burie him into a secret place vnknowne vnto the people to slay their superstition of inuocating Sainctes and confidence in them who were departed The doctrine of the Apostle PAVL wishing all chinges to bee done vnto edification and his owne example who albeit hee was furnished with moe languages than all the Corinthians yet hee had rather speake fiue wordes with vnderstanding that he might instruct others than ten thousand into a strange tongue This doctrine I say and example of PAVL banished from the Church a long time Liturgies into a strange language albeit the Latine Church borrowed from the Hebrewe Liturgie Allellâ—… iah and from the Greeke Liturgie Kyrie eleison yet the Liturgie and seruice of the Church continued into an intelligible language amongst Gods people The vaine assertion of the Romanc Church is that the Liturgie was conceiued in Latine language in Numidia about the foure hundreth of our Lord. It is easily answered that at this time the Africans were vnder the dominion of the Romanes and learned their language in such sort that they were not more familiarly acquainted with the Africane speach than they were with the Latine tongue To this Augustine beareth witnesse that with difficultie he learned the Greeke language but with great facilitie hee learned the Latine language Inter blandimenta nutricum ioca arridentium latitias alludentium that is to say Amongst the flattering speeche of Nourses and amongst the sportes of them who arsided one to another and amongst the solaces of them who were deliting one another so that in Augustines time if the Latine Liturgie had place it was was all one as if the Africane Liturgie had beene in vse because that both were alike intelligible Nowe these who by such places would prooue that seruice may bee said into an vncouth language not onely they flatly gainesay the doctrine of PAVL but also they abuse the testimonies of ancient times in most miserable maner After the time that one man was made vniuersall Bishoppe of all the Church then comes in that deuilish imagination that for setling vnitie into the Church the Liturgie must bee onely in the Latine language in Europe In the Councill called Valentinum because it was assembled in Valentia a towne of Spaiâ—…e it was ordained that the Gospell should bee read after the Epistle in respect that by such reading some were found to bee conuerted to the faith This behooued to bee reading of the Gospell in a knowne tongue so that the custome of reading Liturgies into an vnknowne tongue did not hastily take place Oblationes defunctorum of olde were legacies left by defunct persons for sustentation of the poore these oblaâ—…ions they who did not thankfully pay were counted murtheâ—…ers of the poore and were separated from the fellowship of the Church but nowe all things tending to a lamentabâ—…e decay in steade of Oblationes defunctorum oblationes pro defunctis creepes in into the Church Grâ—…gorius the first learned not this doctrine in holy Scripture but from the narration of Foelix bishoppe of Centumcellae in Hetrruia as I haue alreadie written in the Historie of his life It is a wearisomething to read the foolish fables of miraculous workes confirming this head of Popish doctrine At this time also as Gregorius the first witnesseth in his Homilies vpon the Gospell when men of vnreproouable life were sicke many came to visite them not so much to helpe them in their agonie to fight a good fight and happily to conclude their course as to recommend their owne soules to the castodie of them whome they supponed to haue led an honest life This is a great noueltie vnknowne to sacred Scripture to recommend our soules to the custodie of any person whatsumeuer except onely to GOD the Father of Spirits Reliques of Sainctes were excessiuelie honoured insomuch that Giegorius the first sendeth pieces of the chaine wherewith S. PETER was bound in time of his martyredome to diâ—…erse persons with promise that this piece of his chaine beeing hung about their neckes by the intercession of PETER should purchase vnto them absolution from their sinnes The wrong vnderstanding of the words of Christ
MOST NOBLE VERTVOVS AND ELECT LADIE LADIE MARIE COVNTESSE OF MARRE P. S. wisheth grace mercie and eternall felicitie WHatsoeuer thing I haue hitherto written Most noble Ladie concerning controuersies of Religion it is of that nature that incase no further were added it would bee the more easilie comported with for manie of the Romane Church condiscende vnto this that worshipping of Images is not necessarily required nor an essential point of Christian Religion Neither can they find one example in all the Booke of God of Inuocation of Saincts Purgatorie is an opinion whereinto they themselues much differ and they talke of it sometimes with derision and mocking words Reade the History of Thuanus what was thought of the soule of Francis the first P. Castellanus was in one opinion the Doctors of Sorbone in another Mendosa as a courtesant in the third opinion assuring himselfe that if king Francis soule went to Purgatory it stayed not long there because it was neuer his custome in his life time to stay long in one place But now Madam the course of the History hath led me so far forward that I must touch the very apple of their eye and enter into their most holy place and declare that their seruice which they count most holy is but vile abomination in the sight of GOD And their doctrine concerning the Vicar of Christ the successour of Peter and the holinesse of the Masse and the plurality of their Sacraments added to Baptisme and the Lordes Supper is but like wind And wee are warned by the Apostle Paul that wee should no more bee children wauering and carrie◅ about with euery winde of doctrine for false doctrine is justly compared to winde in the baddest quality of it Sometimes it is easterne cold stormy withering so that the eares of corne blasted with the easterne wind are counted thinne and empty eares Euen so false doctrine exicateth dryeth vp that appearance of sap grace that seemed to be amongst people The Romane Church in our dayes bring vp their disciples as the harlots of Heliopolis in Phaenitia brought vp their children before the dayes of the good Emperour Constantine These children afore-saide knewe not their Fathers for they were strangers and the Harlots of Heliopolis had liberty to prostitute themselues to the lust of strangers so it came to passe if children had bene procreated in this libidinus copulation the stranger was gone and the procreated child depended onely vpon the mother for hee knewe not his father Euen so in the subsequent Centuries the Romane Church disacquaint their children with the voyce of God sounding in Holy Scripture It is now enough to beleeue as the Romane Church the mother of all Churches beleeueth and the chaire of Rome in matters of Faith it cannot erre But wee must depende vpon the voyce of God our Heauenly Father who hath begotten vs by the vncorruptible seede of His word who hath also fostered vs with the sincere reasonable milke of His word who hath anointed vs with the Balme of Gilead who maketh glad His owne citie euen with the waters of His own Sanctuarie The lowde sounding trumpet of vaine and railing wordes wee leaue to the aduersaries of the trueth for that is their armour wherewith they fight against the Gospell of Christ. Yet let them vnderstand that God hath hanged vp a thousand shields in the towre of Dauid euē all the targats of the strong men Thus leaning vpon the strength of the armour of God I set forward to the Historie and Treatises beseeching the Lord of His vnspekeable fauour and grace to blesse your Ladiship and all your Noble house for euer Amen Your Lad. humble seruant PAT SIMSON A CATALOGUE OF ALL THE TREATISES contained in the nine CENTVRIES CENTVRIE I. Of Antiquitie Heresie The foundation of the Church CENT II. Of Scripture and Tradition The doctrine of Deuils Succession CENT III. Of Purgatorie and prayer for the dead The reliquikes of Saincts The supremacie of the Bishop of Rome CENT IIII. Of Inuocation of Saincts The authoritie of Councels The Monasticke Life CENT V. Of Mans free will Originall sinne Iustification onely by faith CENTVRIE VI. Of Worshipping of Images Pardons and indulgences Diuers errours that crept in in this Centurie CENT VII Of The vniuersall Bishop The Antichrist The Sacrifice of the Masse CENT VIII Of Trans-substantiation The Sacrament of Pennance The Sacrament of Confirmation CENT IX Of The Sacrament of extreamevnction The Sacrament of orders The Sacrament of Matrimonie TO THE READER LIke as in the Tabernacle of GOD all things were holy and that thing that was within the vaile and hidden from the eyes of the people was moste holy In the Court there was an Altar of brasse in the Sanctuary there was an altar of gold but in the most holy place there was an holy Oracle sounding the blessed will of God from aboue the propitiatorie To the which Oracle neither the brasen Altar nor the golden Altar could bee compared yea both heauen and earth is not worthie to bee compared vnto the Oracle and word of the Lord. Euen so good Christian Reader vnderstand that when the history leadeth you to a consideration of the mystery of iniquity then you shall see a beginning and a progresse of vngodlinesse vntill in end the Antichrist is permitted to sit in the temple of God and to extoll himselfe against all that is called God or is worshipped And when ye reade this horrible defection of the visible Church let not your heart bee troubled this was fore-spoken by the Apostle and this be◅ued to come to passe So that thou mayest see the great power of the wrath of God punishing the contempt of His trueth His holy Couenant Albeit we be filthy beasts nothing regarding that precious treasure of the L◅es Couenant yet the Lord is vnchangeable and like vnto Himselfe and Hee counteth more of the worthinesse of His holie Couenant than of the pompe and glorie of all the kingdomes of the world Whom like as He destroyed in the dayes of Noah with a flood of waters because they prefirred the concupiscence of their flesh to the religion of God Euen so in the last age of the world Hee suffered the hearts of men to bee ouer-whelmed with the floods of horrible ignorance because they reuerenced not as became them the holie Couenant of the Almightie God Let vs learne to reuerence our God euen when Hee is clothed with His red garments when He casteth all Nations like grapes into the Wine-presse of His wrath The Lord vouchsafe vpon vs such measure of grace out of His rich treasure as may teach vs to reuerence not onelie the workes of His mercie but also the workes of His justice at the Angels did who cryed Holie holie holie Lord God of Hostes euen at that time when a sentence of induration and reprobation was going foorth from the Tribunall of God against the vnthankefull Iewes God
This same Author about the yeere of our Lord 1350. writeth to one of his friendes Let none euill desire entangle thee that thou shouldest dresse thy selfe againe to those Princes of darknesse c. To what purpose wouldest thou goe thither That thou mightest see good men borne downe and euill men aduanced Eagles creeping and Asses flying Foxes in chariots and Rauens in castles and Doues in the dungâ—… Wâ—…lues to bee free and Lambes to bee in bandes Finally Christ to bee bâ—…nished and Beelzebub to bee judge To these spectacles am I called backc againe I will not hearken neither doe I agree with them nor they with me O cruell and wicked sect of men louing no-bodie but themselues and that altogether preposterously and wickedly Who shall relieue the oppressed woilde and the afflicted towne Who shall reforme the enormitie of manners Who shall collect the dispersed sheepe Who shall reproue errontous Pastors Who shall reduce and bring them backe againe vnto their owne chaires Shall there bee none ende of licentiousnesse and sinne Hath the Spirit in vaine threatned by the Prophet These thinges hast thou done and I helde â—…y tongue therefore thou thoughtest that I was like vnto thee John Wiklef a Professor of Diuinitie in Oxford affirmed that whatsoeuer the Pope and his Cardinals command which cannot bee deduced clearely out of Scriptures this same is to bee counted Hereticall and not to bee obeied These few witnesses of God holy like vnto Hanoch the seuenth from Adam and zealous like vnto Helias by the example of their couragious zeale and zealous courage incited a greater number of Holy men in Germanie Switserland France Britanie and Poll to be witnesses to the truth of God whose number albeit it was as contemptible in the eyes of Romane Prelates as the number of the armie of Alexander of Macedo was in the eyes of Darius king of Persia. Notwithstanding by these witnesses of God the Antichrist hath bene discouered the citie of spirituall Babylon hath bene shaken the head of the beast hath beene wounded and all his Physitions haue much adoe to cure his wound againe But let vs proceede to that which followeth in the ende of the 8. verse namely that the Antichrist should not only be reueiled but also should bee consumed by the Spirit of the mouth of Christ whereof it may bee perceiued that the Lord will not abolish the kingdome of the Antichrist as hee did abolish other Monarchies of the Babylonians Persians Grecians and Romanes but hee keepeth the kingdome of the Antichrist afore-hand to bee consumed by the tempest of his owne wrath This argueth the great indignation of God against the kingdome of the Antichrist wherein hee findeth might joyned withslight so that the Lord will drawe out against him his great and mightie sworde wherewith hee visiteth Leuiathan that piercing Serpent and Leuiathan that crooked Serpent and hee slayeth the Dragon that is in the Sea for all his might the wrath of God shall bee reueiled against him from Heauen because hee hath with-holden the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Whatsoeuer shal be done against this mother of whoredomes in this worlde is nothing else but an earnest-pennie of that vnspeakeable wrath of God that shall seaze vpon the kingdome of the Antichrist at the latter daye More-ouer the equitie of the justice of God is to bee noted in this that God rendereth vnto the Antichrist such punishment as doeth moste proportionallie agree with the nature of his fault for by the Anathemes and Curses of his mouth hee subdued the mightie Monarches of the earth so shall Christ pronounce a Curse against him by the power whereof hee shall bee sent vnto the fornace of euerlasting punishment Nowe it might haue beene objected Howe could it come to passe that euer the Antichrist shoulde haue obtained so great place in the Temple of God To this objection the Apostle returneth a foure-folde answere First it came to passe by the mightie operation of the Deuill Secondly by lying miracles Thirdly by the deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse And fourthly by the incredulitie of men who would not beleeue the trueth of God therefore the Lord suffered them to be deluded with errours These foure causes are set downe in the 9. 10. 11. and 12. verses whereof when wee haue spoken a little GOD willing wee shall conclude this Treatise The first cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is the mightie operation of Sathan concurring with him who is to bee considered two manner of wayes sometimes as bound at other times as lowse and set at libertie hee is a perillous enemie at all times euen when hee is bound in respect of our childish simplicitie wee are like vnto babes who through curiositie at sometime will come within the reach of a bounde Lyon and will bee harmed by the meanes But when Sathan is set at libertie then hath hee a mightie operation euen so great that albeit light bee offered vnto men yet they loue darknesse better than the light of God If euer Sathan was set at ample libertie who is euer for the Elects sake somewhat restrained hee was set at greatest libertie when the Romane Antichrist had greatest preheminence for at that time the smoake of the bottomlesse pitte so ouercouered all thinges with darknesse that men sawe neither Heauen nor Hell nor yet themselues The Heauen was darkened because men sought an entrie into it another waye than by the blood of the euerlasting Couenant of God by the worthinesse whereof the moste Holy place is made patent to vs and none other way And Hell was darkened because men liued in a deepe securitie as if they had made a couenant with Death and Hell the Popes pardon and the fulfilling of the pennance injoyned by the Priest was counted a complete armoure to saue them against the fierie indignation of Gods wrath Yea and men saw not themselues but in seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse they were not subject to the righteousnesse of God Now it is our duetie with all our heartes to blesse the King of Heauen who hath begun to cast Sathan into bandes againe for experience of our wauering mindes declareth that if Sathan were set at libertie againe it were an easie thing to transport vs headlonges to all kinde of errours The second cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is signes and lying wonders in the Grieke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth miracles confirming a lying doctrine All the miracles of the Antichrist are either false miracles wherein nothing is wrought aboue nature nor contrarie to nature or else the ende of his miracles is the confirmation of a false doctrine The Romane Church braggeth much of miracles as if the power of working miraculous workes were a gift continuallie to remaine and an vndoubted token of the true Church of God Howbeit Holy Scripture attributeth to false Teachers who intise people to worship strange gods power to worke signes and wonders
chap. 8. vers 3. For euerie high Priest is appointed to offer giftes and sacrifices wherefore it is necessarie that this man haue somewhat also to offer What is in this place that countenanceth the sacrifice of the Masse Like as euerie priest was furnished with an offering euen so the High priest and Bisshop of our soules CHRISTIESVS hee had an offering to wit his blessed bodie which hee offered for our sinnes But papists referre this place to an offering which euerie priest must offer presently so long as hee enjoyeth the honour of his priesthood and therefore saye they seeing CHRIST offereth no externall sacrifice in Heauen he must doe it in earth by the sacrifice of the Masse But the verie Grammer refuteth them for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a worde of the preterit and not of the present tense and importeth that CHRIST hath alreadie offered a sacrifice for our sinnes which hath no neede to bee iterated because it hath perpetuall vertue to saue them that beleeue Another place of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 13. vers 10. they abuse wherein it is saide Wee haue an altar whereof they haue no power to eat who serue in the tabernacle Here say they mention is made of an altar therfore in the Church there must not only bee a Communion table but also an altar in a proper sense to offer CHRISTES bodie vpon it To this I answere That in the newe Testament like as there is but one high priest and one propitiatorie sacrifice so in like manner there is but one altar euen Iesus Christ who is in Heauen and in whom our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable vnto God as the Apostle Peter saieth Bee you made a spirituall house an holie priesthoode to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. 1. Pet. chap. 2. vers 5. Of this Altar to wit Christ the Iewes who were miserablie addicted to the ceremoniall lawe they could not be partakers for by adhering to shaddowes they neglected to embrace the veritie represented by those shaddowes after it was indeede exhibited vnto the worlde In the booke of the Reuelation wee reade of an Altar in Heauen vnder which the soules of them who were slaine for the worde of GOD doe repose Apocal. chap. 6. vers 9. This is not a materiall altar because it is in Heauen but this Altar is Christ vnder whose shaddow the soules of the Godlie finde comfortable refreshment And Ireneus in expresse wordes saieth Est ergo Altare in Coelis illue enim preces nostrae diriguntur that is Therefore our Altar is in Heauen for thithertoe our prayers are directed The Romane Church woulde deceiue vs in this point as Zebul of olde deceiued Gaal the sonne of Ebed when Gaal sawe men comming from the mountaines Zebul answered The shaddowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee IVD CHAP. IX VERS XXXVI Euen so when holy Scripture speake of Christ the true Altar they would perswade vs that Scripture is speaking of a materiall altar such as is among them The fift absurditie of the Masse is a contradiction to it selfe In the description of the Masse there are two manifest contradictions First it is called a sacrifice propitiatorie and vnbloodie which two thinges are so opposite that they cannot consist together because the Apostle in the ninth chap. to the Hebrewes and the 22. verse saieth Without shedding of bloode there is no remission of sinnes Secondlie they saye that in the Masse the body of Christ is offered without suffering these two things also are so flatte contradictorie one to another that the Apostle continuallie joyneth suffering with offering in so much that hee saieth If Christ had offered himselfe often hee behooued also to haue suffered often Heb. chap. 9. vers 25. and 26. The sixt absurditie is a foolishe multiplication of vnprofitable ceremonies both before the Masse and in the celebration thereof with neglecting the essentiall rites of the Sacrament instituted by CHRIST himselfe such as breaking distributing eating c. for in their sacrifice that which they brake in three pieces to represent the threefolde estate of Christs bodie dead buried and risen againe from death by the ordinance of Pope Sergius the first this bread I saye which they breake they distribute not and the bread which they distribute in the Sacrament to the people they breake it not These essentiall rites beeing laide aside they haue inuented manie vnprofitable ceremonies as namelie before the celebration of the Masse Vestmentes Altars Altar-clothes Corporasses Paxes Torches and Candles and manie other preparations In the verie action and celebration of the Masse are diuerse histâ—…ionicall gestures of the Priest to lift vp his eyes and cast them downe againe to spreade abroade his handes and to close them againe to warble with his fingers to bow downe to bende vp to turne from the right hand to the left and from the left hand to the right with manie other vnnecessarie ceremonies All these they count ceremonies of signification representing viuelie the passion of CHRIST But it appertaineth vnto GOD to institute ceremonies of signification who can seale vp by them some inwarde grace in mens heartes The Church maye content themselues with ceremonies of order as the Apostle writeth in his first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS in the fourteenth chapter and fourtieth verse thereof where hee saieth Let all thinges bee done honestlie and by order The seuenth last absurditie is the vnhappie consequences of the Masse Albeit they bee manie yet at this time I reduce them to three heads First prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices is a consequent of the Masse for albeit in the Councell of NICE this matter was seriouslie vâ—…ged and IEROME in the furie of his disoutation against IOVINIAN speaketh not so reuerentlie of marriage as became him yet this prohibition preuailed not fullie vntill the sacrifice of the Masse was receiued and established Then it was thought meete that like as married persons for prayer and fasting I. CORINTH CHAPTER VII VERSE V. shoulde abstaine for a short time from matrimoniall fellowship In like manner these who are called to a continuall exercise of praying and sacrificing they shoulde also continuallie abstaine from the bed of marriage So that prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices attended the Masse as a Page doeth his master And Popes such as SIRICIVS CALIXTVS GREGORIVS the seuenth c. did vrge prohibition of marriage with no lesse vehemencie than they did the establishing of the Masse The seconde consequence of the Masse is a miserable abusing of the people of GOD because by this sacrifice for the moste part the people were bereaued of the preaching of the Worde and the ministration of the Sacramentes the verie ordinarie meanes whereby the Kingdome of GOD is builded amongst them The Worde was seldome preached and in verie vnfruitfull manner and mixed with fables and lying miracles borrowed out of legendes not worthie to bee read
blood of Christ. It is hard to bee a prolocutor for an euill cause for it is like vnto a bulge in a wall which falleth and bruiseth him who woulde sustaine it which cannot sustaine it selfe It is certaine that the bread and wine are not types and figures of Christs body before the words of consecration for it is after the words of blessing that the elements receiue this great honour to be called Christs bodie and blood that is signes externall wherewith Christes bodie and blood is spiritually exhibited vnto vs. And therefore Sainct Ambrose calleth the bread before the wordes of consecration panis usitatus that is common bread but it is after the wordes of consecration that they receiue this honour to beare the names of things represented by them as Theodoreius in expresse words writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is â—…ee hath honoured the visible signes with the appellation of his bodie and blood not changing their nature but adding grace to nature Which place clearly prooueth that the elementes obtaine not that great honour to bee called Christes body or types of his blessed body vntill the time that by diuine grace they bee consecrated to that holy vse Mailrosius Scotus liued vnder the reigne of Charles the Great about the yeere of our Lord 800. and likewise RABANVS Bishop of Mentz these two had so acquainted themselues with the doctrine of Augustine that they could in no manner of way giue allowance to the doctrine of Transsubstantiation And about the yeere of our Lord 840. Carolus the second the sonne of Ludouicus Pius and brother to Lotharius and Ludouicus Germanicus he writ to Bertramus a Presbyter to haue his resolution concerning the mysterie of the Sacrament and after what manner of way the body and blood of Christ was present in the Sacrament To whome hee returned this answere That in the Sacrament of the holy Supper there were some thinges that were perceiued with bodily senses other thinges were taken holde of onelie by faith And the bread and the wine were to vs the body blood of Christ as MANNA and the waters of the spirituall rock were Christs body and blood to the people of the Iewes in the wildernesse This opinion aggreeth well with the doctrine of Paul that the Fathers in the wildernesse ate that same spirituall food which we eat which they could not doe by corporall manducation of Christs flesh because as yet the word was not made flesh So this opinion of Transsubstantiation did no sooner put out its head but assoone also contradiction was made vnto it About the yeere of our Lord 1020. Berengarius maintained the opinion of Augustine and other auncient Fathers hee was a presbyter of Angiers in Fraunce and denied the doctrine of Transsubstantiation and the Romane Bishops were coÌ„mooued with great indignation as appeareth by the number of Councels assembled against one poore man who durst presume to speake against the opinion once embraced by the Romane Church Leo the ninth gathered a Councel at Rome in the which he condemned the opinion of Berengarius and excommunicated him euen before he was warned to be present at the Councell and before hee was heard Hee assembled also another Councell in Vercellis about the yeere of our Lord 1051. in the which Borengarius was not present but Messengers who came to pleade his cause were imprisoned and casten into bands and the booke of Ioannes Scotus Mailrosius De Eucharistia was condemned By the way if any equitie had beene kept in these Councels looke by what reason they condemned Ioannes Scotus whose opinion Berengarius followed by the like reason they shoulde haue condemned Augustine Bishop of Hippo whose opinion Ioannes Mailrosius followed But the Romane Church cannot erre ' Another Councell was assembled by Pope Victor the successor of Leo the ninth in the which the Decree of the CouÌ„cell of Vercellis was allowed Yet all this coulde worke no contentment in their heâ—…rtes because the people of Angiers and Towrs in Fraunce liked the doctrine of Augustine Mailrosius and Berengarius about the Sacrament of the Supper Therefore another Councell was assembled at Rome by Pope Nicolaus the seconde anno 1058. in the which Berengarius yeelded to the opinion of the Pope and his Councell and his weaknesse strengthened the errour already receiued in the Romane Church mightily But the number of them who abhorred this newe found out doctrine was exceeding great therefore the Romane Church after the yeere of our Lord 1079 and after the dayes of pope Gregorie the seuenth put hand to worke And being now mightie strong they stirred vp Kings and Princes to persecute with fire and sword and all kind of hostilitie as heretiques all those that spake against worshipping of Images corporall presence and manducation of the body of Christ in the Sacrament of the holy Supper So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transsubstantiation was mightily contradicted vntill the dayes of pope Innocentius the third who in the Councell of Laterane anno 1215. gaue full allowance thereunto But when all this is done râ—…member that the vniuersall Catholicke Church dwelleth not in one countrey or city When the Romane Church was miserably infected with this miserable scabbe of pestilent errour what consent gaue the Churches of Asia and all the Grieke Churches They euer disâ—…ssented from this doctrine vntill this daye as appeareth by the last Sessions of the Councell of Florence anno 1439. Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as they please the doctrine of Transsubstantiation shall neuer be found an ancient doctrine but a doctrine newe false absurd and borne out more by might of the preuailing authoritie of men than power of argumentes grounded vpon holy Scripture God teach them to returne to the ancient trueth from which they haue sliden To whom be praise and glory for euer Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Pennance IN this CENTVRIE it was a receiued custome to men to confesse their sinnes secretly to Presbyters and to receiue from them such forme of injunctions as they counted satisfactions for their faultes as appeareth clearly by the Councell gathered in Fraunce anno 742. in the which Bonifacius bishop of Mentz was Moderator In the first Canon of that Councell it was statuted and ordained That no man of the Clergie should put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two bishops with their presbyters and chaplens to prescribe pennance vnto them who should happen to confesse their sinnes By this it is euident that the custome of secret confession of sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius which was excluded out of the Church in the dayes of Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople yet it returned againe and it was in vse in the VIII CENTVRIE Now in the inseription of this TREATISE I call it a SacrameÌ„t as the Romane church in our dayes call it not as though I were in the opinion that in this age the number of seuen Sacramentes
as obeye the injunctions of the Priest What haue we to doe with such foolish and babbling speaches which are not grounded in Scripture For the Apostles who preached repentance and remission of sinnes after Christes ascention to heauen they ledde the people expressely to the promises made to the Patriarches and Prophets concerning the comming of Christ and of remission of sinnes in him heereby acknowledging no difference in substance betwixt repentance vnder the olde Testament and vnder the new Testamēt because both they and wee are ledde to one fountaine of the house of Dauid there to be washen and to be cleansed from all spotte of sinne Truely the doctrine of repentance taught in holy Scripture declareth that it is a worke wrought in vs by the Lord himself according as Christ our Lord witnesseth saying No man commeth vnto mee except my Father who sent me draw him The meanes whereby this worke is wrought in vs is by the fearefull trumpet of the law and by the sweet promises of the Gospell The instrumentes which GOD vseth in this worke are the Prophets Apostles their successors None of these things can be denied for the Apostle saieth God was in Christ and reconciled the Worlde vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed vnto vs the worde of reconciliation no we then are wee Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs sleade to beereconciled vnto God In these fore-mentioned places of Scripture three thinges are set downe First God is counted the efficient worker of repentance Secondly the promises of the Gospell whereunto the terroures of the lawe prepare an open doore are the meanes alluring vs to repentance Thirdly the Ministers of the Worde are the instrumentes to carrie the message of reconciliation vnto vs. The very law it selfe and the Gospell cannot haue the honour due to God who is the efficient worker of repentance because both law and Gospell was preached to reprobate Iewes but they were not conuerted by repentance to the trueth of God in regarde the Lord who is the efficient worker of repentance wrought not inwardly in their hearts As concerning the Preachers of the doctrine of reconciliation they receiue their honour from their Ambassadrie and they giue no honour vnto it except by accident in respect of the people who carry the greater reuerēce to an holy message when they see the Ambassadour who carrietith to bee an holy man But now let vs consider God in the worke of repentance as the head the message of reconciliation as the stomacke the preachers of the word who carrieth this message as the feete whose feete albeit they bee called beautifull in regarde of the sweete message which they carry yet the feete must neither haue the honour of the head nor of the stomack But the Romane church by giuing this honour to a priest that hee conferreth exopere operato remission of sinnes to the person who confesseth in particular all his faults vnto him they giue the honour of the head to the feete Like as in all their Religion their principall drift seemeth to bee this to leade the people from the Creator who is blessed for euer to an excessiue confidence in the creatures of God The grounde of the Sacrament of Pennance is a conceite of satisfaction which men can make for their own sinnes committed after Baptisme as if the promise of remission of sinnes made in Baptisme did extende onely to sinnes preceeding Baptisme What is this else but directly to contradict the words of Christ spoken to his Apostles Hee who beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued Can any man be saued by an absolution from a part of his sinnes and not from all his sinnes This doctrine of the Romane Church bringeth in Christ as a Sauiour and not a Sauiour deliuering vs from the debt of by-past sinnes and setting vs once without the prison doore but knowing assuredly that wee shall be thrust into the prison againe there to remaine vntill wee satisfie for our own sins cōmitted after Baptisme And they make vs to be our owne sauiours rather than Christ for he who deliuereth a man from his last and greatest trouble is rather to bee counted his deliuerer than he who deliuered him from his first trouble The particular thinges required in the Sacrament of Pennance they say are foure to wit Contrition in the heart Confession in the mouth Satisfaction in the deede and Absolution of the Priest If these things were rightly conceiued in repentance all these thinges are necessarily required But as they are in the Romane Church all are meere abominations and displeasing vnto God First concerning the Contrition of the heart the Psalmist speaketh The sacrifices of God are a contrit◅ spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise But in the Romane Church when a Poenitentiare commeth to his father Confessor and discouereth a sinne not such as he hath already committed and for the which he is pearced with sore displeasure as Dauid was but rather hee discouereth to his father Confessor a treasonable attempt which he is minded to practise with obstinate purpose of an incorrigible heart shall such a man bee counted to haue a contrite and a broken heart Yet in our dayes no man is more welcome to a father Confessor than such a man as discouereth to him horrible treasons plotted against Noble Princes Yea and no confessions are more secretly buried in the mindes of father Confessors than those confessions are Is this a contrite spirite and a broken heart wherein the Lord delighteth Or can there bee a greater abuse of the doctrine of Contrition than to count them contrite in heart who are bent obstinately to runne forward in the course of vngodlinesse Popish Contrition is not vnlike vnto the fighting of Marcus Crassus both father and sonne against the Parthians Crassus the elder in his Oration made to encourage his army to fight valiantly his voyce failed him Marcus Crassus his sonne in his first out-going out of the house he stumbled Both these things were counted euill presages of the vnprosperous successe of the battell which after followed And what esperance can wee haue of this new found out Sacrament of Popish Pennance when as they judge so boldly of the first point thereof that is of Contrition counting traitors to bee men of a contrite spirit whome God hath appointed for the flames of euerlasting burning except they repent The forme of Confession vsed in the Romane Church hath neither warrand nor example in the Scripture of God that anie person should bee bound in particulare to confesse all his secret sinnes to the Priest The place of Scripture vildly abused Acknowledge your faultes one to another and praye one for another that yee may be healed c. it should bee expounded by another place of Scripture wherein a man who hath offended his neighbour is
commanded to confesse his faults to his neighbour whome hee hath offended Luke 17. 4 And it belongeth nothing to auricular confession except Popish Priestes would confesse in particular all their sinnes to the people like as the people confesseth all their secret sinnes in particular to the Priestes And our Lord and Master Iesus Christ when hee receiued a particular confession of secret sinnes from the Samaritan woman hee sent away his Disciples to Samaria to the ende the weakenesse of a poore penitent sinner should not bee troubled by a particular confession of secret sinnes before them who knewe not thinges which were done in secret But let vs confesse secret sinnes to God who knoweth things that are done in secret But sinnes whereby the Church of God is openly slandered let them also bee openlie confessed Seeing that auricular confession hath no testimonie in Scripture it followeth to search out by diligent examination whether or no it had place after the dayes of the Apostles in the first three hundreth yeeres of our Lord. Wee reade of the first Christned Emperour Philippus who slewe Gordianus and was slaine by the Emperour Decius anno 250 that hee was desirous about Easter time to bee admitted vnto the participation of the holy Sacrament but this benefit was refused vnto him vntill the time that he made his publicke repentance and vntill hee stood in the place where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were accustomed to stand They were so called because they were demaunded concerning the sinnes which they had committed and the sense and feeling of griefe that God had wrought in their heartes for their preceeding offences This was not a secret and auricular confession but an open confession of publike sins in sight open audience of the people So we see that for the space of two hundreth and fiftie yeeres after the Lords ascension auricular and secret confession of sinnes to the Bishop or Presbyter was vnknowne in the Church Nowe if at any time open confession of sinnes shoulde haue ceassed and giuen place to secrete and auricular confession it was in time of the tenne Persecutions because that Christians were drawne continually before the judgement seates of vnbeleeuing Iudges from whom the weaknesse and faultes of Christians might haue beene obscured if auricular confession had beene in vse at that time But the Fathers who liued in that age were so carefull to purge the Church from slander that they preferred the puritie of the Church vnto their owne liues True it is that euen before the ten Persecutions had an ende some good Christians woulde consult with their Pastors wâ—…ether it was expedient to confesse their sinnes openly before the people to the edification and good of the Church or secretly onely to God But this secrete consulting with the Pastor what was most needfull to bee done was not an auricular confession to him of all secret sinnes but rather an aduisement concerning some sinnes whether the sinner himselfe and the Church might receiue greater benefite by open confession before the people or by secret confession to God onely The wordes of Origen very pertinently cited by Chemnisius are these Consider circumspectly to whom thou shouldest confesse thy sinne Trie first thy Physition if hee vnderstand and fore-see thy disease to bee such as should bee confessed in the Congregation of the whole Church and so be cured whereby possibly others may be edified and thou thy selfe may bee easily healed then saieth hee make haste to vse the counsell of thy Phisition If the custome of the Primitiue Church were proponed in simplicitie and sinceritie it shoulde bee founde that the newe toye of auricular confession cannot bee shrowded vnder the vaile of great Antiquitie Whatsoeuer a fewe men wounded more deepely with a sense of sinne than others they did voluntarily in powring out their sinnes in the bosome of their Pastors albeit they had neither sacrificed vnto Idoles nor yet giuen vp their names in the Romane deputies rolles promising conformitie but only they confessed other faults of lesse moment to their Pastors with dejected and humbled mindes seeking comfort to their afflicted soules This is a matter rarely contingent wherewith wee are acquainted in our dayes as familiarly as Cyprian was in his time Yet was there no mandate and Church commandement ordaining people so to doe in Cyprians dayes And people likewise who powreth out the dolour of their wounded coÌ„sciences for secret sinnes in our bosome they doe it voluntarily and vncoacted hoping for some mitigation of their griefe through vnburthening of their heart by confession as Nazianzenus writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It is some medicinall cure of heart griefe to powre out our words into the verie aire After the three hundreth yeere of our Lord and after the tenne Persecutions ceassed the discipline of making open repentance for open sinnes continued in the Church as is euident by the Act of the Councell of Nice in the 11. Canon in the which a forme of Publicke satisfaction is prescribed vnto them who in time of the Persecution of Licinius had sacrificed to Idoles But concerning a particulare confession of secrete sinnes to the Pastor there is no mention in the Councell of Nice The Historie hath declared that auricular confession had place in the East Churches in the dayes of Nectarius bishop of Constantinople whose Ministerie was vnder the reigne of the Emperour Theodosius Here two thinges are to bee noted First that the discipline of the East and West Churches was different and in the West Church there remained a publicke confession of notorious and publicke sinnes in so much that the Emperour Theodosius himselfe confessed his fault openly and in sight of the people at Millane for the slaughter of the innocent people of Thessalonica Secondly it is to bee marked that Nectarius in abolishing the custome of auticular confession he acknowledged it to bee but an humane and not a diuine constitution for who dare abolishe either in doctrine or discipline the constitutions and ordinances of God Lindanus a man in the Latine Language more eloquent than godly cannot suffer that it shall be thought that Nectarius abolished auriculare confession but rather that hee abolished the custome then in vse that one shoulde onely bee Presbyter Poenitentiarius to whome secrete sinnes shoulde bee confessed and that in time to come a man should make choise of any presbyter whom he pleased to be his father Confessor But let the historie bee judge Socrates saith that Eudaemon gaue councell to Nectarius to abrogate presbyter poenitentiarius to remit euery man to the triall of his owne conscience when he approached to the participation of holy mysteries Satisfaction in the Romane Church is an obedience to the injunctions of the Priest by performance wherof they are in hope to obtaine forgiuenesse at the handes of God for sinnes committed after Baptisme But besides the Nouelâ—…y that is in Popish Satisfaction it is also a blasphemous opinion
vpon the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complaine Alwayes in that matter if any thing was done amisse they humbly submitte themselues to be corrected by their Soueraigne lord and king THE Councell of Chalons was the fourth Councell conuened in the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Charles the Great for the reformation of the Ecclesiasticall estate Manie of the Canons of this Councell are coincident with the Canons of the former therefore I shall bee the shorter in the commemoration thereof 1. That Bishops acquaint themselues diligently with reading the Bookes of holy Scripture and the Bookes of auncient Fathers together with the Pastorall booke of Gregorius 2. Let Bishops practise in their workes the knowledge which they haue attained vnto by reading 3. Let them also constitute schooles wherein learning maye bee encreassed and men brought vp in them maye bee like to the sault of the earth to season thecorrupt manners of the people and to stoppe the mouthes of heretiques according as it is saide to the commendation of the Church A thousande Targâ—… are hung vp in it euen all the Armour of the strong Cantiel cap. 4. vers 4. 4. Let Church men shew humilitie in worde deede countenance and habite 5. Let Priestes bee vnreprooueable adorned with good manners and not giuen to filthie lucre 6. The blame of filthy lucre where with many Church men were charged for this that they allured secular men to renounce the worlde and to bring their goods to the Church they endeuour with multiplied number of wordes to remoue 7. Bishops and Abbots who with deceitful speaches haue circumuened simple men and shauen their heads by such meanes doe possesse their goods in respect of their couetous desire of filthie lucre let them bee subject to Canonicall or Regulare repentance But let those simple men who haue laide downe their haire as men destitute of vnderstanding who cannot gouerne their owne affaires let them remaine in that estate which they haue once vndertaken but let the goods giuen by negligent parentes and receiued or rather reaued by auaritious Church men bee restored againe to their children and heires 8. If Church men lay vp prouision of Cornes in Victuall houses let it not bee to keepe them to a dearth but to support the poore in time of neede therewith 9. Hunting and halking and the insolencie of foolishe and filthie jests are to bee forsaken of Church men 10. Gluttonie drunkennesse is forbidden 11. The Bishop or Abbot must not resort to ciuill judicators to pleade their owne cause except it bee to support the poore and the oppressed Presbyters Deacons and Monkes hauing obtained licence from the Bishop maye compeare in Ciuill judgement seates accompanied with their Aduocate 12. Let not Presbyters Deacons or Monks bee fermers or labourers of the ground 13. It is reported of some brethren that they compell the persons who are to bee admitted in time of their ordination to sweare that they are worthie and that they shall doe nothing repugnant to the Canons and that they shall bee obedient to the Bishop who ordaineth them and to the Church in thewhich they are ordained which oath in regarde it is perilous wee all inhibite and discharge it 14. Bishops in visiting of their parishioners let them not be chargeable vnto them but rather comfortable by preaching the word and by correcting things that are disordered 15. It is reported that some Arch-deacons vse domination ouer the Presbyters and take tribute from them which smelleth rather of tyrannie than of due order For if the Bishop should not vse domination ouer the Clergy but by examplares to the flocke as the Apostle Peter writeth Much lesse shoulde these presume to doe any such like thing 16. Like as in dedication of Churches and for receiuing of orders no money is receiued euen so for buying of Baulme to make Chrisme the Presbyters keepers of Chrisme shall bestowe no money but Bishops of their owne rent shall furnish Baulme for the making of Chrisme and Lightes to the Church 17. It hath beene found in some places that Presbyters haue payed 12. or 14. pennies in yeerely tribute to the Bishop which custome wee haue ordained altogether to bee abolished 18. The receiuing of paunds from incestuous persons from men who pay not their Tythes and from negligent Presbyters is forbidden as a thing which openeth a doore to auarice but rather let Ecclesiasticall discipline strike vpon transgressours 19. Let people giue their Tythes to those Churches wherein their children are baptized and whereunto they resort all the yeere long to heare Church seruice 20. Let peace bee kept amongst all men but in speciall betwixt Bishops and Countes whereby cuery one of them maye mutually support another 21. Ciuill Iudges ought to judge righteously without exception of persons and without receiuing of rewardes and let their Officiars Vicars and Centenaries bee righteous men lest by their auarice and griedinesse the people bee grieued and impouerished And let the witnesses bee of vnsuspect credite for by false witnesses the Countreye is greatly damnified 22. The Abbots and Monkes in this part of the Countreye seeing they haue addicted themselues to the Order of Sainct BENEDICT let them endeuoure to conforme themselues vnto his institution and rules 23. The ordination of Presbyters Deacons and other inferioures is to bee made at a certaine prescribed time 24. Concerning Bishops Presbyters Deacons and Monkes who shall happen to bee slaine let the Emperour giue determination to whome the satisfaction of blood shall belong 25. In manie places the auncient custome of publicke repentance hath ceasted neither is the auncient custome of excommunication and reconciliation in vse Therefore the Emperour is to bee entraited that the auncient discipline maye bee restored againe and they who sinne publikely may be brought to publike repentance and euery man according as hee deserueth maye either be excommunicated or reconciled 26. It is reported that in some Churches there is contention strife for diuiding of Church rentes It is ordained therefore That no Masse shall bee saide in those Churches vntill they who are at variance be reconciled againe 27. Neither the Sacrament of Baptisme nor the Sacrament of Confirmation should bee reiterated 28. Concerning the decrees of affinitie and in what degree Marriage may bee bounde vp euery man is sent to the Canons of the Church to seeke resolution 29. Seeing that the man and the woman are counted in SCRIPTVRE as one fleshe their Parentage is to bee reckoned by like degrees in the matter of Marriage 30. The Marriage of seruantes is not to bee dissolued which is bounde vp with consent of both their masters euerie seruant remaining obedient to his owne master 31. It is rumoured that some women by negligence and others fraudulently doe present their owne children to the Sacrament of Confirmation to the ende they may bee separated from the companie of their husbandes Therefore wee statute and
awake after a manner out of their sleepe and they will seeme to grounde their doctrine vpon Scripture which they so miserablie abuse that they are in no better case but rather in a worse than when they misregarded Scripture layed it aside and counted the Decretalles of Popes to bee of as great authoritie as the holie Scriptures of GOD. True it is that about the yeere of our LORD 520. Chemnisius reckoneth the yeere of our LORD 528. Foelix the fourth the successour of Ioannes the first and predecessour of Bonifacius the seconde hee ordained That Christians before they departed this life shoulde bee annointed with oyle And this is the true originall of Extreame Unction yet in such manner that in the dayes of Pope Foelix the fourth it had not the name of a Sacrament But seeing the Councell of TRENT referreth it vnto a more auncient beginning let vs examine the places of SCRIPTVRE whereupon they grounde this their opinion The wordes of the APOSTLE IAMES are these Is anie sicke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them praye for him and annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if hee haue committed sinne it shall bee forgiuen him Iacob Chap. 5. vers 14. 15. For better vnderstanding of this place of SCRIPTVRE let vs consider these three thinges to wit That when the Gospell was first preached for the propagation and aduan cement thereof GOD appointed extraordinarie offices EPHES. 4. which were not to continue in the Church such as the office of Apostles Euangelistes and of Prophets Likewise hee endued them and some other beleeuers with extraordinarie giftes such as the gift of tongues of prophesie and working of miraculous workes And like as the extraordinarie offices continued not in the Church euen so the extraordinarie giftes continued not long in the Church for they were giuen to open a doore to the Gospell which beeing once opened Christians must content themselues with ordinarie offices and gifts Secondlie let vs consider that persons who had receiued a gift of GOD to cure diseases miraculouslie they vsed not at all times the selfe same signes and ceremonies in curing of diseases but sometimes they sent hand-kirches to the diseased persons ACT. CAP. 19. vers 11. sometimes they ouerlayed the dead and restored them to life ACT. CAP. 20. vers 10. and sometimes they annointed them with oyle MARC CAP. 6. vers 13. Which diuersitie of signes had not beene lawfull to vse if Extreame Unction had beene an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church For like as it is not lawfull to baptize with anie other liquor except water because Baptisme is a Sacrament instituted by GOD Euen so in curing the diseased it had not beene lawfull to vse anie other signe and ceremonie but annointing with oyle if so bee it had beene an ordinarie Sacrament Thirdlie it is to bee considered that when signes and ceremonies doe accompanie extraordinarie giftes incase the gift doe cease it is a foolishe thing to keepe in vse the signe and ceremonie except it were to bee a memoriall of a thing done of olde as the people of GVIDVS dedicated the shelles of the Fishe Remora to VENVS GVIDEA for a memoriall of their deliuerance But wee reade not of anie Prophet to whome GOD gaue not the gift of working miraculous workes who counterseited HELISEVS by sending their staffe to raise the dead 2. REG. CAP. 4. vers 2â—… or directing anieâ—…eprous person to washe his bodie seuen times in the waters of Iordane as HELISEVS directed NAAMAN the Syrian to doe 2. REG. CAP. 5. vers 10. For in vaine is the outward signe adhibited when the gift of miraculous he ling of diseases is ceassed Yea and the Priestes in the Romane Church conuicted in conscience that by annointing with oyle they cannot restore a diseased person to health they delaye to applie Extreame Unction vntill all hope of recouerie bee vtterlie past But nowe lest it shoulde seeme that their Extreame Unction is altogether vneffectuallie applied the verie wordes vsed in the application thereof testifieth that they belieue that remission of sinnes shall bee conferred with to the diseased person by vertue of Extreame Unction for these are their wordes Peristam sanctam Unctionem piissimam suam misericordiam indulgeat tibi DEVS quicquid peccasti per visum per auditumodoratum tactum gustum that is to saye By this moste holie Unction let GOD bestowe vpon thee his mercie for all sinnes thou hast committed by seeing hearing smelling touching or tasting Heere remember that the benefite which the APOSTLE saieth is chieselie obtained by prayer they referre it vnto annointing with oyle Next they take not heâ—…de to whome the APOSTLE directeth this exhortation namelie to the faithfull members of CHRIST whome in the twelfth verse hee calleth his brethren and in the soureteenth and fifâ—…eenth verses hee speaketh to such as reuerenced the order of Church-gouernement Nowe it is certaine that faithfull men are so taught in the schoole of GOD and perswaded that other mens prayers can auaile them nothing except there bee faith in their owne heartes for the prayer of SAMVEL coulde benefite King SAVL nothing in respect of his reprobate and vnbeleeuing heart 1. SAM CHAP. 16. vers 2. But these men of whome Sainct IAMES speaketh were faithfull men penitent sinners obedient to the ordinances of GOD And when the Seniors of the Church prayed for such men their sinnes were forgiuen them GOD hauing regarde to their owne faith and to the prayers of the Elders of the Church for them In this they glorie much that Extreame Unction may be called a Sacrament of the newe Testament in a proper sense forasmuch as in it there is a signe instituted by CHRIST Marâ—… cap. 6. and vnto the signe there is added a promise to wit the healing of the diseased person if the LORD thinke it expedient at least a promise of remission of sinnes But all this is nothing except the thirde circumstance bee added to wit that CHRIST hath giuen vnto vs this signe to bee vsed and hath annexed the promises afore-saide as belonging vnto vs for who can denie but in circumcision there was a signe instituted by GOD whereunto a diuine promise was annexed Neuerthelesse both the signe and promise appertained vnto them who liued vnder the olde Couenant GALATH. CAP. 5. vers 3. and not to vs euen so the signe and the promise aforesaide appertained vnto that time onelie in the which extraordinarie giftes had place in the CHVRCH of GOD and not to vs. Nowe to the ende that this their Sacrament of Extreame Unction might bee holden in the greater reuerence they haue founde out manie circumstances not mentioned in holie SCRIPTVRE as namelie that it shall bee made onelie by a Bishop It shall bee saluted with bowing of knees and nine congratulations in this manner It shall bee saide thrise Aue sanctum
signe of subjection vnto him that is a thing no lesse reprooueable than the fact of Samson Wee reade of CONDALVS Gouernour of LYCIA vnder MAVSOLVS King of CARIA that hee gained infinite summes of Golde and Siluer for suffering the people of LYCIA to weare their haire as an ornament of their bodies wherein they much delighted But it is otherwise with the shauelinges of the ROMANE Church whose expectation of gaine beginneth not vntill their heads bee shauen then they gette some benefice by ascending degrees their estate is aduanced vntill they become companions to Princes LINDANVS according to his accustomed manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye Serious in trifles hee will needes haue this custome of shauing the heads of Church-men to bee referred vnto the APOSTLE PETER whose head saieth hee the enemies of the GOSPELL did shaue before they executed him vnto the death And this rebuke of CHRIST the CHVRCH conuerted it into an honourable rite of shauing the heads of Church men after the similitude of the shauing of Simon Peters head But if the ROMANE Church had beene verie sollicitous to haue kept the doctrine of the true faith of CHRIST iâ—… puritie as it was deliuered by SIMON PETER and the rest of the APOSTLES they had not beene so serious in matters of haire ANOTHER custome in the ROMANE Church is to annoint with oyle all them who are admitted to Church Orders Where haue they learned this custome from the sonnes of AARON who were annointed with oyle LEVIT CAP. 8. vers 30. and consecrated to the worke of their ministration Maye it not justlie bee spoken of them which was spoken of olde vnto him who was too loftie in his vaunting speaches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye Either encrease your strength or diminishe your loftinesse Euen so I saye to the Chaplens of the ROMANE Church That they shoulde either bee liker vnto CHRIST who was a Priest according to the order of MELCHISEDECK or else they shoulde bragge lesse of the ceremonies of the LEVITICALL Lawe seeing that the Priesthood of Melchisedeck is farre different from the Priesthood of Aaron To grace this Sacrament of Order all these seuen Orders afore-saide are attributed vnto CHRIST himselfe Hee was a Doore-keeper saye they when He cast out the buyers and sellers out of the TEMPLE IOANN CAP. 2. VERS 15. Hee was a Reader when Hee read the place of ISAIAS in the Synagogue of NAZARETH saying The Spirite of the LORD is vpon mee c. LVKE CAP. 4. vers 17. Hee did the office of an Exorcist when Hee cured a man possessed with a Deuill LVKE CAP. 4. vers 33. Hee practised the office of Acoluthus when Hee saide Hee who followeth Mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of Life Ioann Cap. 8. vers 12. The office of a sub-Deacon when Hee washed His Disciples feete Ioann Cap. 13. vers 4. The office of a Deacon when Hee distributed Bread and Wine to His Disciples Matth. Cap. 26. vers 26. And finallie Hee executed His Priestlie office when Hee offered Himselfe vpon the Crosse a Sacrifice for our sinnes Matth. cap. 27. vers 50. Who can bee so babishe ignorant but hee maye vnderstande that CHRIST in working sauing miracles Hee declared Himselfe the promised MESSIAS and Sauiour In reforming the abuses of the Temple Hee declared Himselfe to bee both King and Priest to whome reformation of abuses in the Church belongeth In reading Holie Scripture and opening the sense and meaning thereof to the people Hee declared Himselfe to bee the Great Prophet whom GOD promised to sende into the worlde DEVTER XVIII And when CHRIST saieth Hee who followeth Mâ—…e shall not walke in darkenesse c. these wordes doe import That wee who followe CHRIST are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not that CHRIST himselfe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who could once imagine that the hearts of men coulde bee ouer-casten with such horrible darkenesse as to attribute to the Lorde of the House of GOD the basest rowme in all the House and to make a Doore-keeper of him for a time NOwe the Ceremonies which are vsed in the Consecration of them who are admitted to inferiour Orders are these The Doore-keepers are admitted with the signe of deliuering the keyes of the Church-doore vnto them The Readers by deliuering vnto them the Holie Bible The Exorcistes by deliuering vnto them certaine formes of adjuration of persons possessed with Deuils or transported with madnesse And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by deliuering vnto them Tapers of waxe with a little water potte Are these elementes instituted by GOD and hath GOD annexed vnto Keyes Bookes Adjurations and Tapers of waxe a promise of spirituall grace If these two thinges cannot bee prooued by Holy Scripture then no Sacrament can bee acknowledged in these Orders especiallie since the administration of these offices is committed to boyes to ignorant fellowes and to men who haue no extraordinarie gift of casting out of Deuils as the Exorcistes of the Primitiue Church had of olde The like I speake of superiour Orders The signes and Ceremonies which are vsed in admitting of Presbyters whome now they call Priestes are the presenting vnto them a platter in the which consecrated Hosties are contained to declare that they are called to stande at the Altar to consecrate the elementes and to offer vp the bodie and blood of CHRIST as a propâ—…tiatorie Sacrifice to the Father Howe blasphemous this opinion is I haue alreadie declared in the TREATISâ—… Of the Sacrifice of the Masse but for the present this I saye That if the auncient Ceremonie of Imposition of handes had beene kept in admission of Presbyters yet it coulde not haue beene called a Sacrament of the Newe Testament because a Sacrament is a visible signe of the inuisible grace of GOD and belonging to all them to whome the Couenant of GOD belongeth Onelie this obserued that euerie Sacrament must bee applied in its owne time as GOD hath ordained The Ceremonie of breathing vpon them who are admitted Priestes conjoyned with these wordes Receaue the Holie Spirite Ioann Cap. 20. vers 22. it is a preposterous counterfeiting of CHRIST whome wee aught to followe in such thinges as Hee hath sette downe to bee followed but not to presume to doe all thinges which Hee did for demonstration of His diuine power The Deacons in the Romane Church are ordained by a Bisshop who cloatheth them with their Stoles and their Oraria vpon their left shoulders and putteth into their handes the Booke of the Euangell whereof they shoulde bee Preachers Their office is to attende vpon the Presbyters when they minister the Sacramentes to laye the Hosties vpon the Altar to prepare and to couer the LORDES Table to carrie the Crosse and to preach and sing the Gospell and the Epistle to the people In the ordination of Deacons there is neither a regarde of the first institution of Deacons appointed by CHRISTES Apostles Acts 6. neither is there anie similitude
of their Hierarchle haue forsaken it yet this they gaine that Marriage beeing counted an holie Sacrament they haue drawne the cognition of all Matrimoniall causes vnder their judicatorie This beeing done and their authoritie beeing setled they tooke boldnesse to make lawes both impious against GOD and injurious to men as namelie that Marriages bound vp betwixt young persons without consent of Parentes shoulde bee firme and itable That amongst kinsfolke it shoulde not bee lawfull to marrie within the seuenth degree and these were alreadie married within these degrees shoulde bee separated againe That a man who is diuorced from an adulterous woman shall not haue libertie to marrie during her life-time That they who are spirituall brethren and sisters by the Sacrament of Baptisme and Confirmation shall not haue leaue to marrie one another And Marriage is forbidden at certaine seasons of the yeere And finallie that the Church may dispense with the degrees of consanguinitie forbidden in the eighteenth CHAPTER of LEVITICVS and finde out moe degrees impeding Marriage to bee bound vp The Apostle PAVL when hee calleth Marriage a great mysterie EPHES. CAP. 5. VERS 32. hee is speaking concerning CHRIST and concerning His Church And it is indeede a mysterie vnspeakeable whether wee consider the beginning or the progresse or the consummation of this Marriage It is begunne in Earth and perfected in Heauen And the loue of CHRIST and His Church is vnspeakeable For euen the Spouse of CHRIST albeit shee bee infirme and weake in the Earth yet her heart is so inflamed with the loue of her husband that shee forgetteth all thinges and remembereth vpon Him shee counteth all thinges to be dongue in comparison of him one sight of His reconciled face is dearer to her than all the treasures of the worlde His name is like a sweete oyntment powred out and delighting her soule with the sweete smell of saluation And if the loue of the Church towardes CHRIST bee vnspeakeable who can comprehende the length breadth and deepnesse of the loue of CHRIST towardes His Church who hath purged her from all spotte of sinne in this worlde and prepared a glorious mansion for her in His Fathers house that is in Heauen But this is not spoken of the marriage of mortall men with their wiues True it is that the Apostle PAVL in that same place setteth downe some similitude betwixt corporall marriages and the spirituall marriage betwixt CHRIST and His Church But that is not enough to furnishe out an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church of GOD for then shoulde there bee infinite Sacramentes For the Kingdome of GOD MATTHEW 13. is compared to a man who soweth good seede in his fielde It is compared to leuen and to a treasure that is hidden in the fielde and to a drawe nette and to a graine of Mustard seede yet all these thinges are not Sacramentes in the Church Yea and in the marriage of ADAM and EVA wee see a certaine similitude of the spirituall marriage betwixt CHRIST and His Church for ADAM loued the woman which was fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones and in whom hee saw his owne similitude GENES CHAP. 2. VERS 23. And CHRIST in like manner by feeding vs with His owne bodie and blood Hee maketh vs fleshe of His owne fleshe and bone of his owne bones and more-ouer Hee stampeth vs with His owne similitude to assure vs that He loueth vs whom Hee hath stamped with His owne likenesse In like manner a matrimoniall bande is more indissoluble than other bandes for other bandes like as they are bounde vp with consent of parties so in like manner they maye bee dissolued and vndone with consent of parties but the bande of Marriage cannot bee vndone except by death or fornication But the conjunction betwixt CHRIST and His Church ROMAN CHAP. VIII cannot bee vndone by death it selfe As concerning spirituall whordome the true Church which consisteth of a number whome GOD hath elected called justified sanctified and whome Hee intendeth to glorifie These I saye the LORD in mercie preserueth from spirituall whordome and apostasie from the knowne trueth And like as a chaste woman delighteth in her husbande whether hee bee present with her or absent from her if hee bee present shee delighteth to conferre with him if hee bee absent shee delighteth to talke of him to reade his letters to beholde the tokens of his fauour towardes her and finallie in the secrete parloure of her heart to meditate of his goodnesse towardes her Basil. Magn. De vera Virginiâ—… Euen so the Church is rauished with an vnspeakeable delight of her husband IESVS CHRIST Hee is spirituallie present and by holie prayers shee talketh with Him night and daye Hee is corporallie absent therefore shee delighteth to talke of His loue and goodnesse towardes her and to reade the bookes of holie Scripture wherein His good will towardes her is clearlie manifested and in the secrete chamber of her heart continuallie to meditate of His second blessed appearance IN nothing doeth the ROMANE Church agree better with vs for a time than in magnifying Marriage as an holie bande instituted by GOD in PARADISE and hauing a type and similitude of the loue of CHRIST towardes His Church and therefore they make it an holie Sacrament in the Church which no man euer did before the dayes of Pope GREGORIE But when they perceaued that this was not consented vnto that Marriage shoulde bee counted one of the ordinarie Sacramentes in the Church especiallie the whole Hierarchie of the ROMANE Church disclaiming it and the East Church in a generall Councell disallowing prohibition of Marriage to men called to spirituall offices The ROMANE Church tooke offence at euerie thing which was repugnant to their opinion They coulde neither abide them who denied that Marriage was a Sacrament nor yet them who gaue libertie to Church men to marrie And so beeing irritated on all sides they beganne to speake euill of Marriage as a worke of the fleshe and an estate vncompetent to men in spirituall offices Is not the ROMANE Church in this poinct like vnto the Riuer EVPHRATES which flowing out of the Mountaines of ARMENIA setteth its course Westward vntill it forgather with the skirtes of Mount TAVRVS and then when the course of it is hindered it fetcheth a contrarie course and runneth directlie East vntill it bee mixed with the water of TYGRIS Euen so the ROMANE Church which coulde neuer abide to bee controlled it tooke occasion to speake vnreuerentlie of Marriage because their opinions were not receaued in the Church without contradiction NOwe seeing the cause is euidentlie knowne wherefore they were so serious to drawe in Matrimonie into the number of Sacramentes namelie to the ende that matrimoniall causes might bee founde spirituall causes and might bee judged by spirituall Iudges Let vs consider what constitutions they made in matters of Matrimonie without anie warrand or regarde of Scripture insomuch that their vilepending of Scripture maketh a number of