condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill But I remit a further Treatise of this vnto the head of Councels Concerning olde extinguished Heresies such as the Manicheans Arrians and Donatists and such like who preassed to builde vp the wallesâ—… of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attâ—…ptes without anie successe CHAP. IIII. OF COUNCELS IN the yeere of our LORD 813. by the commandement of Carolus Magnus in the Towne of Mentz were conuened 30. Bishops 25. Abbots with a great number of Priestes Monkes Countes and Iudges about reformation of the dissolute maners of Ecclesiasticke Laicke persons After 3. dayes abstinence fasting joyned with Litanies publicke Prayers and imploring the helpe of God they diuided themselues into three companies In the first company were the Bishops with some Noters reading the history of the Euangell and the Epistles the Actes of the Apostles together with the Canons and workes of ancient Fathers and the Pastorall booke of Gregorie to the ende that by the Preceptes contained in these bookes the enormitie of mens liues might be corrected In the second companie were Abbots and Monkes reading the rules of S. Benedict for the reformation of the liues of Monkes In the thirde companie were lordes and Iudges pondering the causes of all men who came to complaine that wrong was done vnto them The 1. 2. and 3. Canons of this Councell entrait concerning Faith Hope and Chatitie 4. Concerning the Sacramentes to be ministred chiefely at Easter Whitsonday except necessitie and seare of death require preuening of these times 5. That vnitie and concord should bee kept in the Church because wee haue one common Father in heauen one Mother to wit the Church in earth one Faith one Baptisine and one Celestiall inheritance prepared for vs Yea and God is not the God of dissention but of peace according as it is said Blessed be the peace makers for they shall bee called the children of God The 6. and 7. Canons entrait of Orphanes and poore people whose weaknes is to bee supported but no man should take vantadge of their poore and desolate estate The 8. Can. recommendeth vnitie to be kept betwixt men in spirituall offices and ciuill Iudges a Canon indeede if it had beene obserued verie necessarie for the estate of this time The 9. and 10. Canon prescribeth to the Clergie Preceptes of a modest and sober life with abstinence from the delicate pleasures of the worlde and from Theatricall Spectacles from pompes and vnhonest banquets and to bee more readie to goe to the house of mourning to comfort them who are heauie hearted than to the house of banquetting Vsurie auarice ambition and taking of rewardes for the benefites of God such as vse to bee taken for medicinall cures is forbidden To beware of deceit and conjurations to flec hatred emulation backe-biting and enuying wandering eyes an vnbridled tongue a petulant and proude gesture are forbidden filthie wordes and workes are altogether abhorred chastitie is recommended the frequent visitations of the houses of Widowes and Virgines is prohibited due obedience is to bee giuen to Seniors to take heede to doctrine reading and spirituall songes as it becommeth men who haue addicted themselues vnto diuine seruice Precepts concerning the behauiour of Monkes and Nunnes and the fabricke of their dwelling places I ouer-passe with silence lest I shoulde ouercharge a short Compend with an heape of vnnecessarie thinges In the 32. Canon the difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set downe 33. The great Litanie or Rogations to bee obserued three dayes by all Christians with fasting sackecloth ashes walking barefooted and all kinde of humble carriage 34. 35. and 36. Publicke Fastinges and keeping of Festiuall dayes is commanded 37. The Sabboth daye is to bee kept holy In it no Merchand Wares to be sold and no criminall cause to bee judged 38. and 39. Tythes are precisely to bee payed And men fleeing to Churches for safeguarde are not to bee violentlie drawne out of the place of their refuge 40. In Churches and the portches thereof let no secular judgements be exercised 41. Let no ancient Church be spoyled of tythes and possessions for the building of new Oratories 42. Concerning Church rentes bestowed for reparation and vpholding of Churches 43. and 43. That no Priest saye Masse himselfe alone for if hee haue no person present except himselfe howe can hee say Dominus vobiscum or sursum corda or such other passages Also frequent offering of the Sacrifice of the Masse and presenting of the Paxe is recommended to Christian people 45. That euery person bee acquainted with the Lordes Prayer and the Beliefe and they who can no otherwayes comprehend these thinges let them learne them in their owne vulgare language 46. Drunkennesse is detested and they who continue in this sinne without amendement are ordained to be excommunicated 47. God-fathers shall attende that their spirituall children bee brought vp in the true Faith 48. Filthie libidinous songes are not to bee sung about Churches 49. The cohabitation with women is forbidden to all the members of the Clergie 50. Let all Bishops Abbots and Church-men haue such Aduocates and Agentes in their affaires who are men that feare GOD and are haters of all vnrighteous dealing 51. Let not the dead bodies of the Saincts bee transported from place to place without the aduice of the Prince of the countrey or the Bishop and Synode 52. No dead bodie shall bee buried within the Church except the bodie of a Bishop or of an Abbot or of a worthie Presbyter or of a faithfull Laicke person 53. Incestuous persons are to bee searched out and separated from the fellowship of the Church except they bee penitent 54. 55. and 56. Marriage in the fourth degree of consanguinitie is forbidden and that no man shall marrie his spirituall daughter or sister neither the woman whose sonne or daughter hee hath ledde to the Sacrament of Confirmation and incase they bee founde to bee married they shall bee separated againe And no man shall take in marriage his wiues sister neither shall a woman marrie her husbandes brother IN the yeere of our LORD 813. a Councell was assembled at Rhemes by the commaundement of Charles the Great for it is to bee remarked that hee not onely assembled that famous Councell of FRANKFORD anno 794. in the which adoration of Images was condemned but also when hee was nowe aged and saw many abuses in the Church hee endeuoured by all meanes possible to procure reformation of the lewde manners of Church men Therefore hee appointed at one time to wit anno 813. fiue Nationall Councels to be conuened in diuerse places for reformation of the Clergie and people One was conuened at Mentz as hath bene declared Another at Rhemes the third at Towrs the fourth at Cabilone or Chalons and the fist at Arles In all these Councels no
Godefridus King of Denmarke a fearce aduersary against the Christians who dwelt in Saxonie Likewise he subdued the Sclavonians and Bohemians enemies to Christian Religion and was justly called Magnus for his great exploytes valiant acts which God prospered in his hand Pipinus the sonne of Emperour Charles was declared King of Italieâ—… who died before his father and after his death he appointed Bernard his nephew to reigne in Italie with expresse commandement That he should be obedient to his sonne Ludouieke whom hee ordained to be successour to himselfe in the Emperiall office So the Emperour Charles full of dayes died in the 71. yeere of his age and was buried in AKEN LVDOVICVS PIVS AFter Charles succeeded his sonne Ludouicus Pius and reigned 26. yeeres For his gentle and meeke behauiour hee was called Pius Hee receiued the Emperiall Diademe from Stephanus the fourth at Aken Bernard his brothers sonne forgetfull of the mandate of Charles the Great rebelled against Ludodouicus Pius and was beheaded at Aken Likewise his owne sonnes assisted with Hugobortus Bishop of Lions and Bernhardus Bishop of Vienne and other bishops who did excommunicate the Emperour for adherence to Iudith his wife they behaued themselues very vnduetifully towards their father Neuerthelesse hee freely pardoned his sonnes and accepted them againe into fauour Also Fredericke bishop of Wtrecht threatned to excommunicate the Emperour if he did not for sake the company of Iudith his welbeloued wife and daughter to the Duke of Bauaria because shee was his neare kinswoman to wit in degrees of consanguinitie forbidden in the Popish law The Empresse willing to be reuenged of the bishop she hired two gentlemen who set vpon him after Church seruice and slewe him in his Priestly garments In his time also the Saracenes in hudge numbers like vnto Locusts swarmed out of Aegypt and Africk and inuaded the Isle of Sicill By cutting down all fruitful trees burning Townes Temples and Monasteries and by killing bishops priestes and monks they brought the Isle to an vtter desolation Gregorie the fourth at this time was Pope and hee exhorted the Emperour and his sonne Lotharius to support the distressed estate of the Isle of Sicill They answered That albeit that matter duely belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople yet neuerthelesse they refused not to vndertake the worke vpon the common charges of the countrey Nowe whilest these thinges were in reasoning Bonifacius Count of Corsica and his brother Bertarius with support of the people of Hetruria arriued with a Nauie at Africke and betwixt Vtica and Carthage encountered with the Saracenes foure times and slew of them so great a number that they were compelled to recall their forces backe againe from Sicill Like as of olde the Carthaginians vexed by Scipio recalled Hanniball for the safety of his owne countrey So Bonifacius returned backe againe with an armie victorious and richly ladened with the spoyle of his enemies Nothing was more vnprouidently done by the good Emperour Ludouicus Pius than the ouer-giuing of that right voluntarily conferred to Charles his father by Adrian the first and Leo the third to wit That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour This fore-saide right Ludouicus gaue ouer to the Clergie and people of Rome onely the Romanes for keeping of friendship should sende an Ambassadour to the Kinges of Fraunce declaring whome they had elected to bee Pope Heereby a patent doore was opened to all mischiefe which after followed and to that horrible contention betwixt Emperoures and Popes concerning investment of Bishops In his time three Emperoures reigned in the East at Constantinople to wit Leo Armenius Michaell Balbus and Theophilus Leo Armenius reigned seuen yeeres Hee banished Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople for defending adoration of Images Michaell Balbus slew Leo his predicessour whilest hee was praising God in the Church and reigned in his steade nine yeeres In his time the Saracenes mightilie preuailed a number of them issued out of Spaine and tooke the Isle of Candie Another companie comming from Africke wasted the Isle of Sicill Theophilus reigned tenne yeeres and faught against the Saracenes who did oppresse the Countrey of Asia but hee had no good successe LOTHARIVS LOTHARIVS the sonne of LVDOVICVS PIVS was declared King of Italie and Augustus before his fathers death Hee was anointed by Pope Pascalis in the Church of Sainct PETER and hee reigned fifteene yeeres Great hostilitie and bloodie warres fell out amongst the children of Ludouicus Pius to wit Lotharius Lewes Charles and Pipinus for diuiding of their fathers Landes In this ciuill dissention the Nobilitie of Fraunce was so miserably weakened that the Normandes and Daines tooke boldnesse to inuade the Countreye of Fraunce which they vexed for the space of twentie yeeres In the East after Theophilus had concluded his life his sonne Michael with his mother Theodora gouerned the estate Michael reigned foure and twentie yeeres Theodora continued onlie eleuen yeeres Shee persecuted those who woulde not worship Images albeit her husband before his departure from this life had seriously admonished her that shee should not trouble the Church for restoring of Images LVDOVICVS the second LVDOVICVS the seconde and sonne of Lotharius reigned twentie yeeres and one The intestine dissention betwixt him and his brother Charles seemeth to bee like vnto an hereditarie sicknesse Howsoeuer the Emperour Ludouicke had dishonour thereby because the reballes of Charles desired the Emperoures protection against his owne brother which when hee had graunted the rebelles were reconciled againe with their owne King Charles and the Emperour with dishonour was compelled to retire from his brothers Dominions In the East Michael Emperour of Constantinople slew his brother Theoctistus and thrust his mother Theodora and her sisters into a Monasterie and reigned himselfe alone after his mothers deposition thirteene yeeres So the whole time of the gouernement of Michael was twentie and foure yeeres Hee faught against the Saracenes but very vnprosperously and was slaine by Basilius who reigned in his steade seuen yeeres CAROLVS CALVVS LVDOVICVS the second dying without children his brother Carolus Caluus king of Fraunce obtained at the handes of the Bishop of Rome by many liberall giftes to bee annointed Emperour He continued Emperour not aboue two yeeres and was poysoned by one Sedekias a Iewe whome hee vsed for his Physition CAROLVS CRASSVS CAROLVS CRASSVS was the sonne of Lewes king of Germanic he reigned 10. yeere Carolus Balbus the son of Carolus Caluus was incontinent cut off by death Therefore I haue ouer-passed his name with silence In this Emperoures time the Normandes and Daines made such horrible excursions and desolations in FRAVNCE that the Emperour who came with a great Armie to support the distressed estate of Fraunce was compelled to make peace with them anno 888. and assigned vnto them that part of Fraunce which lieth beyonde Seane towardes the Britannicke Ocean to bee their habitation which hath the name of Normandie vntill
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
Basilius Bishop of Casarea in Cappadocia the peaceable death of Athanasius which hapned in the verie time of the Persecution of this Arrian Emperour Valens together with the surie madnesse of the Arrian Bishop Lucius intruded in Alexandria All these thinges GOD willing shall bee touched in their owne places Amongst all the facts of vnspeakeable cruelty committed by Valens oâ—…e fact ouerwent all the rest While the Emperour was at Nicomedia fourescore Ambassadours were directed vnto him amongst whom Menedemus Urbanus and Theodorus were the chiefe These complained to the Emperour of the manifolde injuries done to the Homousians The Emperour gaue commandement to Modestus the Gouernour of his armie to embarke them into a ship as if they were to bee banished vnto some remote and far distant place but secret direction was giuen vnto the ship-men to set the ship on fire to retire themselues into a boat So it came to passe that these fourscore Martyrs circumuented by the craft of Valens glorified the NAME of CHRIST by patient suffering of many deathes at one time both tormented by fire and drowned in water Terentius and Traianus two worthie Captaines used some libertie in admonishing the Emperour to absteine from persecuting of innocent people because his fighting against GOD procured good successe to the Barbarians but the LORD was minded to destroy him therefore hee coulde receiue no wholsome admonition for a number of the nation of the Gothes whom he intertained as souldiers meet to defend his Dominions against the inuasion of forrainers and strangers they began to waste the countrey of Thracia and they faught against the Emperour Valens and preuailed against him so that he fled and was ouertaken in a certaine Village which the Gothes set on fire So this Emperour died miserably brunt with fire by his enemies without succession and left his name in curse and execration to all ages after he had reigned fifteene or sixteene yeeres as Sozomenus reckoneth Nowe to returne to the Emperour Valentinian Hee was a defender of the true faith and was so highly offended against his brother Valens that hee would make him no support against the inuasion of the Gothes for he said it was an impious thing to strengthen the hande of a man who had spent his dayes in warrefare against GOD and his CHURCH In his dayes the Sarmatians inuaded the bounds of the Romane Dominions Valentinian prepared a mightie armie to fight against them but they sent vnto him Ambassadours to intreate for peace When the Emperour sawe that they were but a naughtie people hee was moued with excessiue anger whereby he procured the ruptuâ—…e of some arters or vaines whereupoÌ„ followed great effusion of blood And so he himselfe died leauing behind him two sons Gratianus whose mother was Seuera and Valentinian the second whose mother was Iustina Gratianus Valentinianus the second and Theodosius GRATIANUS the sonne of Valentinian after the death of Valens his fathers brother had the gouernament both of West and East His brother Valentinian the second was his associate in the gouernement of the West But when hee perceiued that the weightie affaires of the kingdome required the fellowship of a man who was ripe in yeeres hee choosed Theodosius a man of Noble parentage in Spaine to whom hee committed the gouernement of the East contenting himselfe and his brother Valentinian with the gouernement of the West Gratianus in the beginning of his reigne reduced from banishment those Bisshops whom the Arrian Persecuter Valens had banished Hee was slaine by Andragathius Captaine of the armie of Maximus who usurped the Empire of the West This Andragathius not by valour and might but by circumuention falshood and treason ouerthrew the good Emp. Gratian for he made a report to passe in Lions where the Emp. Gratian had his remaining that his wife was comming to visite him and he in simplicitie went foorth to meete his wife beyond the riuer of Rhonne but Andragaâ—…hius who was couertly lurking in a chariot stepped out and slewe Gratianus after he had reigned with his father with his brother and with Theodosius 15. yeeres His brother Valentinian young in yeeres was seduced by the intising speeches of his mother Iustina after the death of her husband in whose dayes she durst not presume to auow the Arrian Heresie yet after his death she intised the flexible minde of her sonne to persecute Ambrose Bishop of Millane because hee would not consent to the Arriane doctrine The zeale of the people affectioned to their faithfull Pastor hindered the cruell purposes of Iustina Likewise the miracle wrought at the sepulchres of Protasius and Geruasius opened the mouthes of the people to glorifie GOD and to magnifie that Faith which Protasius and Geruasius had sealed vp with their blood these holie men of GOD were martyred in the second great Persecution moued by the Emp. Domitian The dolorous tithinges of the death of Gratianus and the neere approaching of the tyrant Maximus to Italie compelled Iustina to leaue the persecuting of Ambrose to fly to Illyâ—… for safety of her own life her sons life Theodosius being mindfull of the kindnes of Gratianus toward him led an army against the tyrant Maximus The captains of Maximus armie terrified with the rumor of he might of Theodosius armie deliuered him bound into the haÌ„ds of Theodosius he was justly punished vnto the death Andragathius who slew the Em. Gâ—…atian as said is seeing no way to escape threw himselfe headlonges into a riuer so ended his wretched life About the same time Iustina the mother of Valent. the II. she died her son was peaceably possessed in his kingdome Theodosius returned to the east againe But within few dayes he was compelled to gather a new army fight against the tyrant Eugenius his chiefe captaine A bogastus who had conspired against Valent. the II. strangled him while he was lying in his bed This battel went hardly at the beginning but Theodosius had his recourse to GOD by prayer the LORD sent a mighty tempest of winde which blew so vehemently in the face of Eugenius army that their dartes were ramueâ—…sed and turned backe by the violence of the winde in their owne faces Of which miraculous support sent from aboue the Poëâ—… Claudian writes these Verses O nimium dilecte Deo cui fundit ab antris Eolus armatas hiemes cui militat ather Et conjurati veniunt ad classica ventâ—… The tyrant Eugenius fell downe at the feete of Theodosius to beg pardon but the souldiours pursued him so straâ—…tly that they slew him at the Emp. feete Arbogastus the author of al this mischiefe hee fled being out of all hope of safetie slew himselfe Like as there was no sacrifice wherein dung was not fouÌ„d eueÌ„ so the life actions of this noble Emp. was spotted with some infirmities Against the inhabitants of
that her body saw no corruption Alwayes shee died and was buried in the valley of Iosaphat and shee did not beare the chastisement of our transgressions as her Sonne CHRIST IESUS did Howe then could shee die if shee had beene free both of originall actuall sinne as Papistes affirme â—…uvenalis Bishop of â—…rusalem is saide to haue made narration of the assumption of the blesâ—…ed Virgine to Pulcheria Empresse and wife of the Emperour Martianus at that time when the Generall Councill of Chalcedon was assâ—…mbled But there are so many circumstances derogating creditâ—… to that alleadged history of the assumption of the Virgine Marie that it is hard for a Christian to leane vpon such vncertaine and doubtsome groundes First the writer of it is Nicephorus the father of many fables Secondly the reporter of it was Iuvenalâ—…s Patriarch of Hierusalem an Eutychian Heretique vntill the feare of the authoritie of the Generall Councill compelled him to reuoke his errour Thirdly in what place and to whom made Iuvenalis this narration namely in the chamber secretely to Pâ—…lcheria not in the Generall Councill openly where manie learned Fathers well acquainted with holy Scriptures were present who could haue controlled him declared that amongst those who died one onely to wit the holy One of GOD hath that priuiledge not to see corruption Epiphanius for causes knowne to himselfe for hee had heard this narration long before the dayes of Iuvenalis standeth not vpon the refutation of the assumption of the blessed Virgine but hee vtterly damneth the Collyridians as Heretiques who worshipped the Virgine Marie And in the matter of worshipping hee compareth her to the fruite of the forbidden tree It was a faire fruite but herewith a fruit forbidden to bee eaten So was the mother of our LORD a blessed woman aboue all women yet was shee not GOD and consequently not to bee worshipped So that Epiphanius passeth by the ground of the argument giuing and not granting that the tradition of her assumption were true yet this consequence can not followe that shee shoulde bee adored and worshipped In like maner Ambrose saieth that the Virgine Marie was the Temple of GOD but not the GOD of the Temple In which wordes like as hee alloweth the worshipping of the holie Ghost so in like maner hee disalloweth the worshipping of the Virgine Marie The Booke of August De assumptione beatae Mariae Vâ—…rginis together with a Sermon of his In festo assumptâ—…onis beatae Mariae are knowne to be supposititious and Censura Lovaniâ—…nsis in the frontispice of that booke prefixeth this superscription NON EST AUGUSTINI The honourable titles and stiles giuen vnto the Virgine Marie by Ecclesiasticall Writers is another grounde wherevpon they doe leane vvho vvorshippeth the mother of our LORD shee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The mother of GOD our Ladie vndefiled complete holy a perpetuall Virgine vnspotted Paradise a liuing Altar the mountaine ouer-shadowed by the holy Spirit All these honourable stiles I say were giuen vnto her in the writinges of ancient Fathers not of purpose to Deifie the blessed Virgine nor to bring in pluralitie of Gods but to magnifie the worke of the LORDES Incarnation Methodus is so prodigall in his stiles that hee calleth her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the bread of life attributing to her the honour due to CHRIST onely It were better done to abstâ—…ine from wordes of superlatiue honoures belonging onely to CHRIST then after they are vttered to bee compelled by tolerable interpretations to lenifie the absurditiâ—… of vncompetent speaches The blâ—…ssed Virgine while shee was conuersant with mortall men directed such as came to her selfe to goe to hir Sonne and to depend vpon his blessed will and plâ—…asure saying vnto the seruantes Whatsoeuer hee saieth vnto you doe it much more now when shee dwelleth in celestiall mansions it is her will that we should depend vpon IESUS CHRIST her sonne her Sauiour her sonne her GOD her sonne the creator of her bodie whereinto hee was content to bee conceiued by the Holy Ghost As concerning the Inuocation of other Saintes Papistes rejoice in the multitude of Fathers who inuocate Saintes not onely Orators such as Basilius and NaZianZenus and Poets such as Prudentius who prayed vnto S. Laurence Vincentius the Virgine Agnes the Martyr Cassianus S. Cyprian S. Foelix and the Martyrs called Calaguritani Spanish Martyrs and Vascones as appeareth but also manie others were intangled with this error of whom I may justly say that thing which our maister CHRIST spake of the Samaritanes who worshipped GOD vpon mount Garizim Yee worship that which yee know not in which wordes CHRIST declareth that whatsoeuer worship is exhibited 〈◊〉 GOD without the warrand of his owne commandement it is naught And in that point the Fathers who prayed vnto Saintes they also worshipped that which they knew not For like as the Sunne when hee riseth and spreadeth his beâ—…mes throughout the worlde then the light of the Starres giue place to the glorious light of the Sunne euen so all the writinges of Fathers must needes giue place vnto the written worde of GOD whereinto wee are commanded to call onely vpon GOD in the day of our trouble and there is neither commandement promise nor example in Scripture to warrand the doctrine of Inuocation of Saints as hath beene already declared Now the authors of the doctrine of Inuocation of Saintes if they would search out the first originall of it they haue cause to bee ashamed for it came not from the Apostles but from the Gentiles No man who hath read the Dialogues of Plato can bee ignorant that vpon consideration of the dissimilitude that is betwixt mortall men and the immortall GOD he imagined some mid-creatures whose endeuour was this to carie the prayers and sacrifices of men to GOD and againe to carie the commandementes and oracles of GOD to men these mediate persons hee calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom hee saieth that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is betwixt GOD and mortall man to wit mediators No such doctrine is conteined in holy Scripture Yea and ancient Fathers who attribute too much vnto Martyrs in calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thas is helpers phisitions GODS friendes and beloued seruantes yet they abhorred from the wordes of Plato to call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Theodoretus saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let vs not bee so mad Yet Papistes rush forward to this excesse of madnesse not onely to call the Saintes departed Intercessors but also mediators of intercession which is Plato his errour viuely expressed in the words aboue mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To conclude the question of Inuocation of Saintes it is not vnlike to the controuersie that was betwixt Iphtah and the king of Ammon for the landes lying
Chastity seeing that Marriage is honourable among all and the bed vndefiled But the vow of Virginall chastitie is the sacrifice of fooles as if a man would vow to bee a Preacher before hee were perswaded that GOD had vouchsafed vpon him the gift of preaching Euen so it is a foolish thing to any man to binde himselfe by a solemne vow to Virginall chastitie before hee bee fully perswaded that GOD hath vouchsafed vpon him that rare gift Vnder pretence of the vow of pouertie a number of Monks especiallie Abbots Channons and Capitulare Monkes as it were Bishops chiefe Counsellers haue heaped vp infinite riches and in pompe wealth ciuile preheminence and splendor of worldly magnificence haue ouer-went Earles Lordes and Barons in many Countreys and in the meane time they were but a nest of idle bellies keeping for a fashion seuen Canonicall houres which they spent in reading singing oftener by their substitutes then by themselues as if they had beene ca◅led Canonici for keeping Canonicall houres and not for st◅dying holy Canonicke Scripture to the ende they might bee able to interprete it to the vtilitie of others Concerning the vowe of obedience kept in all Orders but more stricktly amongst the Layolites then all the rest The commandement of GOD should haue beene obserued whereinto the authoritie of the father must bee regarded in such sort that if hee ratifie not the vowe of his young daughter remaining as yet in his house then her vowe is vndone and cannot stande Euen so the vowes that mortall men doe make in earth if they bee not ratified by the allowance of our Heauenly Father they are vndone and cannot consist and stand Notwithstanding the commanders amongst the Layolites will trie the obedience of their disciples in maters vnhonest vncomly vngodly and deuilish such as to walter themselues into a filthie mire if so it please the commander to enjoine to violate the commandement of the Phis◅ion in rubbing that thing outwardly vpon the bodie which the Phisition commanded to bee eaten by the diseased person and in drinking that liquor of oile wherewith the Phisition appointed the bodie to be anointed Also in commanding ◅heir disciples to kill Christian Princes Hath GOD kept silence in his blessed word and by his taciturnitie giuen a secrete allowance to such vngodly commandementes Reade the Scriptures of GOD whereinto hee forbiddeth to touch the Anointed of the LORD but they haue touched the Anointed of the LORD euen betwixt the Porch and the Altar not ashamed to defile their holy sacrament of auricular confession with treasonable consultations against the Anointed of the LORD To conclude The Orders of Monkes from appearance of commendable beginninges haue degenerated so farre that they who seemed to bee Starres fixed in Heauen and shining with the splendor of Celestiall light in end they are become busie-bodies practisers of treasons vnder colour of late inuented sacraments whom the LORD in his owne time with the tempest of his wrath will scatter as dust and no man shall bee able to gather them againe FINIS CENTVRIE V. CHAP I OF EMPEROVRS Arcadius and Honorius THE good Emperour Theodosius left behind him two sonnes Arcadius to gouerne the East parts and Honorius the West Arcadius reigned 14. yeeres Hee was a meeke and godly Emperour but not couragious as his father had bene His simplicitie was abused by Eudoxia his wife Ruffinus his chiefe Counseller and Gania his chiefe Captaine Eudoxia was offended at the freedome that Chrysostome vsed in reprouing of sinne And by the meanes of Theophilus B. of Alexandria procured his deposition Theophilus had gathered a Synode at the oake of Chalcedon because Chrysostome beeing warned refused to compeare they conuict him of contumacie and deposed him after deposition followed banishment from which the affectioned minds of the people toward their Pastor constrained the Emperour to reduce him againe yet Eudoxia continued in her malice and procured by the meanes of Theophilus his second deposition and banishment with commandement to iourney his weake body with excessiue trauailes from place to place vntill he concluded his life Reffinus stirred vp Alaricus King of the Gothes to fight against Arcadius secretly presuming to the kingdome but his tre sonable interprises beeing espied he was slaine his head and right hand were hung vp vpon the port of Constantinople Gama of a simple souldier was made generall commander of Arcadius his armie he waxed insolent and proud affected the Kingdome beeing in blood a stranger of the Nation of the Gothes in religion an Arrian Hee craued a petition of the Emperour that he might haue one of the Churches of Constantinople whereinto hee might serue GOD according to his owne forme but this petition by the prudent aduise of Chrysostome giuen to the Emperour was reiected and the pride of Gaina for a time was something abated Honorius reigned in the West a'l the dayes of his brother Arcadius and 15. yeere after his death The whole time of his gouernment was very troublesome Gildo his lieuetenant in Africke vsurped the dominion of Africke and Maseelzer his brother who at the first detested treasonable interprises in his brother yet afterward followed his brothers footsteps and receiued the iust deserued reward of his vnconstancie for hee was slaine by his owne souldiers In like maner Stilico the Emperours father in law for Honorius maried his daughter and the Emperours chiefe Counseller presumed to drawe the Kingdome to Eucherius his sonne and stirred vp the Uandales Burgundians Almans and diuerso others to inuade the Kingdome of France to the end that Honorius beeing ouercharged with the multitude of vnsupportable businesses might permit Stilics to set forward to the designes of his own heart About this time Rhadagisus a S◅ythian accompanied with an armie of two hundreth thousand Gothes came to Italie And the helpe of Valdinus and Sarus captaines of the Hunnes and Gothes beeing obtained Rhadagisus was suddenly surprised himselfe was taken strangled many were slaine the most part were sold whereupon followed incredible cheapnesse of seruants so that flockes of seruants were sold for one piece of gold in Italie The next great trouble came by Alaricus King of the Westerne Gothes who inuaded Italie and camped about Ravenna with whome Honorius entred into a capitulation and promised to him and his retinue a dwelling place in France The Gothes matched toward their appointed dwelling place But Stilico the Emperours father in law followed after them and set vpon them at vnawares when they suspected none euill and slew a great number of them By this the Emperour clearely perceiued the treason of Stilico and caused him and his sonne to be slaine but to his owne great hurt he appointed no generall cōmander of the armie in his place Alaricus and his armie were inraged partly by their losse and partly by remembrance of the couenant made with them and incontinent violated Therefore they turned backe againe inuaded
he was banished Seuerus a notable Eutychian heretique was placed in his roome this is he of whom I haue mentioned diuers times that Alamundarus prince of Saracens deluded his messengers and sent them backe ashamed and confounded The next attempt was against Helias B. of Ierusalem against whom this quarrell was forged that he would not subscribe the Synodicke letters of Seuerus and damne the Council of Chalcedone and by the Emperours commandement Olympius his captaine came to Ierusalem expelled Helias and placed Iohn a familiar friend of Seuerus in his roome This Iohn by the perswasion of Sabas a Monke of Palestina forsooke the fellowship of Severus was cast into prison by Anastatius the Emperours captaine but when he was brought foorth out of prison againe he disappointed the expectation of Anastatius the captaine for hee openly auouched the foure generall Councills and anathematised the followers of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches In doing whereof he was mightily assisted both by the people and the Monks so that Anastatius the Emperours captaine fearing popular commotion fled and returned againe to the Emperour but Severus B. of Antiochia moued with wrath against the Monks of Syria set vpon them slew 300. of them gaue their carcases to the foules of the heauen and the beastes of the earth such mercie was and is to bee found in headstrong heretiques In all this desolation the courage of Cosmas B. of Epiphania and Severianus Bishop of Arethusa is to be admired who wrote a booke conteining a sentence of deposition of Severus B. of Antiochia which booke Aurelianus a deacon of Epiphania clad in a womans apparrell deliuered vnto him in Antiochia and afterward conueyed himselfe away secretly The Emperour was highly offended against Cosmas and Severianus and he wrote to Asiaticus gouernour of Phoenitia that he should eiect them out of their places but when answere was returned to the Emperour that it could not be done without blood the Emperour left off further pursuing of them Many counted Anastatius a peaceable Emperour because he would haue setled controuersies in the Church as ciuile controuersies at some times are settled namely by a lawe of obliuion but there is no capitulation betwixt darknes light but darknes must yeelde vnto the light of GOD. In Africke moe than 900. were crowned with martyrdome vnder the reigne of Anastatius as the Magd. historie recordeth out of the first booke of Regino de Anastatio Platina writteth that he was slaine with thunder Justinus the elder AFTER Anastatius succeeded Iustinus a godly Emperour and gouerned nine yeeres 3. dayes Hee restored the Bishoppes whome Anastatius had banished Hee banished also Arrian bishoppes who were found within his dominions Severus bishop of Antiochia a vilde Eutychian heretique and a bloody Foxe hee displaced and caused him to be punished by cutting out his tongue as some affirme Theodoricus King of Gothes obtaining dominion in Italie persecuted true Christians with great hostilitie and sent ambassadours to the Emperour Justinus to restore the Arrian bishoppes whome hee had banished else hee would persue the bishoppes who were in Italâ—…e with all kinde of rigour And because the ambassadours returned not backe againe with such expedition as he expected hee put hand to worke and slewe two noble Senatours Symmachus and Boâ—…tius Likewise when the ambassadours were returned he cast in prison Ivannes Tuscus Bishop of Rome and his companions whom he had before imployed to goe in message to the Emperour Iustinus The bishop of Rome died in prison for lacke of sustentation but the LORD suffered not this barbarous cruelty of Theodoricus to be long vnpunished for the LORD strake him with madnesse of minde so that when he was sitting at table and the head of a great fish was set before him he imagined it was the head of Symmachus whome hee had slaine and was so stupified with feare that incontinent after he died In the dayes of this Emperour Iustinus was a terrible earthquake the like whereof hath not bene heard at any time before wherewith the towne of Antiochia was shaken vtterly ruined With the earthquake fire was mixed consuming resoluing into ashes the remnant of the towne which the earthquake had not cast downe In this calamitie Euphrasius B. of Antiochia perished The good Emperour mourned for the desolation of Aâ—…tiochia put on sackcloth on his body was in great heauinesse whereof it is supponed that hee contracted that disease whereof he died When hee found his disease dayly increasing he made choose of Iustinian his sisters sonne to bee his collegue who gouerned foure moneth in coniunct authoritie with his vncle and then Iuslinus ended his course Justinianus AFTER the death of Iustinus Iustinianus his sisters sonne gouerned 38. yeeres He would suffer no faith to be openly prosessed except the faith alowed in the foure general Councills Notwithstanding the Emprice Theodora his wife was a fauourer of Eutyches heresie This Emperour was bent to recouer all that was lost by his predecessours in Asia Africke Europe he had a good successe through the vertue valour of his captaines especially Belisarius Narses Belisarius first sought against the Persians who had ouercome not onely Mesopotamia but also many parts of Syria Antrochena Caua He ouercame them in battell compelled them to go backe beyond Euphrates Next he was employed to fight against the Uandales in Africke who possessed a great boundes of the Romane dominion euer since the dayes of Gensericus King of Vandales And it is to be marked that the time is now come whereinto the LORD will declare that the blood of his Sainctes is precious in his eyes For since the daies of Dioclesian that bloody persecuting Emperour no race of people persecuted GODS Saincts with so barbarous crueltie as the Vandales did for zeale they had to the Arrian heresie wherewith they were infected After Gensericus Hunericus and Amalaricus and Trasimundus who closed the doores of the Temples of Christians and banished their bishops to Sardinia Childericus would haue shewed some fauour to Christians reduced their bishops from banishment for this cause the Vandales did slay him gaue his Kingdome to Gillimer Now the LORD remembred the grones of his own prisoners wold not suffer the rod of the wicked perpetually to lye vpon the lot of the righteous Belisarius fought against the Vandales prosperously recouered Carthage al the bounds pertaining to the Romane Empire possessed by the Vandales Also he tooke Gillimer their King caried him captiue to Constantinople It is worthy of remembrance that Iustinian would not receiue into his treasure the vessels of golde which the Emp. Titus when hee burnt the Temple of Ierusalem transported to Rome These same vessels Gensericus King of Vandales when hee spoyled Rome transported to Carthage Belisarius after he had conquessed Carthage againe he brought them to Constantinople but Iustinian sent them to
professing the true faith in his roome Alwayes Agapetus died at Constantinople after hee had beene chosen B. of Rome 11. moneths 21. dayes and his body was put into a chest of lead and transported to Rome Siluerius the sonne of Hormisda sometime B. of Rome was successor to Agapetus Theodatus King of Gothes compelled the Clergie to subscribe to his election he gouerned the Church of Rome at that time when Iustinian sent Belisarius to fight against Vitiges Theodora the Emperour Iustinians wife sent to Siluerius desiring him that hee would condescend to the restitution of Anthemius an Eutychian heretique and to the deposition of Menas B. of Constantinople Siluersus refused to obey such impious commandements Therefore Theodora sendeth a commandement to Belisarius to banish Siluerius and to appoint Vigilius B. of Rome who had promised to fulfill her desires Thus was Siluerius banished to the Isle of Pontia after hee had ruled the Church of Rome one yeere 5. moneths Vigilius succeeded to Siluerius and ruled 17. yeeres 26. dayes His entrie to this office is inexcusable for by open force secret bribes and promises to performe the impious desires of the Emprice he obtained the chaire of Rome so that Onuphrius cannot finde out an excuse for his vnlawfull entrie Theodora the Emprice vrged him to performe his promise to restore Anthemius But Vigilius as appeared repenting of his great temeritie and rashnes answered that euill promises were not to be keeped for this cause he was led away violently to Constantinople and a cord was fastned about his necke he was drawne through the streetes and cast into prison hee indured all this contempt the more patiently because hee confessed that for his srâ—…nes he had deserued greater punishment at the hands of GOD than this was In end he was deliuered out of prison by the earnest request of Narses captaine of Iustinians armie in Halie but he died by the way and he whom so many cares could not destroy the sicknes of the grauell destroyed him at Sicile his body was transported to Rome and buried there But now let vs consider the ineptitude of Baronius who keepeth no measure in his historie but as the Poet speaketh of a ship tossed with a vehement tempest Tollimur in coelum sublato gurgite iâ—…dem Subducta admanes imos descendimus unda When Baronius speaketh of the entrie of Vigilius he calleth him athiefe a brigand a man who entred not by the doore of the sheepe-fold a false bishop an Antichrist yet soone after he calleth him the Vicar of Christ as though by the crueltie whereby he draue his predecessor Siluerius to death hee was incontinent worthy of the name of the Vicar of Christ. Albeit hee restored not Anthemius according to his impious paction with Theodora yet hee wrote vnto the heretiques Anthemius Theodosius and Severus and confirmed their errour by his secret missiue letters as Morneus in his booke called Misterium iniquitatis Proueth His cariage in the fift generall Councill he beeing present in the towne of Constantinople shall be declared God willing in the owne place the cord that was lapped about his necke and drewe him through the streetes of Constantinople could not draw out of his proud stomacke the conceate of supremacie for he sent his opinion in write to the Councill but would not be present to sit in a lower place than Eutychius B. of Constantinople and moderator of the Council AFTER Vigilius succeeded Pelagius 1 hee ruled the Church of Rome 11. yeeres 10 moneths 28. dayes In a very perilous time this charge was committed to him namely when the nation of the Gothes had chosen Totilas to be their King who was a fierce and cruell man and was called for his fiercenes Flagellum Dei that is the scourge of GOD he led a great armie from Taruisium through Italie destroying and wasting the countrie whithersoeuer he went but he set his face chiefly against Campania By the way hee addressed himselfe in the habite of a simple souldier to mount Cassinates where was S. Benedict the father of Monkes not because he inuented the Monasticke life but because the most part of Monkes adhered to the forme inuented by him he was but lately sprung vp in the dayes of the Emperour Iustinus the elder and of Pope Iohn the first yet was his name in great account so that Totilas in a disguised habite went vnto him and conferred with him Platina writeth that S. Benedict knew him notwithstanding of his deepe dissimulation and with terrifying words disswaded him from vsing cruelty against Christians The Counsell was good but Totilas was not obedient vnto it He was slaine in battell by Nases neere to Brixellum and Teias whome the Gothes choosed in his rocme was slaine in battell at Nuceria so the Kingdome of the Gothes in Italic was vtterly vndone by the valour of Narses After the first comming of Theodoricus into Italie they reigned in Italie 72. yeeres Now their name dominion and all their might is vtterly quenched Pelagius depended much vpon the friendship of Narses And when Macedomus B. of Aquileia died Honoratus B. of Millan ordained Paulinus to be his successour Pelagius B. of Rome grieued at this Neuerthelesse hee complâ—…ineth not to Narses that Paulinus was made bishop of Aquileia without his consent but rather because this was done without the foreknowledge of the most noble Emperour Iustinian who like as he had deliuered Istria and Venice from the grieuous bondage of Totilas so likewise it became them to expect the Emperours answere before they had appointed a bishop in Aquileia Mark the hypocrisy of the bishops of Rome vnder colour of obedience to the ciuile Magistrate secretly creeping to their owne soueraignity the chiefe marke whereat they continually aimed Iohn 3. succeeded to Pelagius gouerned 12. yeres 11 months 26. dayes In the dayes of Iustinus the younger who was successor to the Emp. Iustinian did he minister in the Romane Church at that time when Alboinus King of Longobards came into Italie with a great armie with their wiues children setled their abode in that part of Italie which lieth about the riuer Padus The Emprice Sophia had irritate Narses that valiant captaine with contumelious wordes and he gaue both to her to the estate of the Empire this hard meeting that hee possessed the Longobards in Italie weauing a web vnto her according as he promised which she wâ—…s not able all her time to vndoe againe The Deputie of the Emp. of Constantinople kept a part of Italie which was not conquessed by tâ—…e Lombards this was called Exarchatus Ravenna the B of Rome with assistance of the countrie kept Rome free from the dominion of the Lombards for a short â—…ime At this time did Iohn 3. gouerne the Church of Rome He brought â—…n newe constitutions in the Church that Chorepiscopi otherwise called Vicarâ—… Episcoporum should haue no power at all of
teach vs our duetie in all thinges AMEN P. S. CENTVRIE VII CHAP. I. OF EMPEROURS PHOCAS THE Heresie of EVTYCHES continued in this CENTVRIE from the beginning to the ende thereof countenanced by the Emperours such as Heraclius and Constans Neuerthâ—…lesse I haue cut off the Eutychtan Persecution at the end of the VI. Centurie because Heraclius albeit he fauoured the errour of the Monothelites a branch of Eutyches hercsy notwithstaÌ„ding he was so employed with warres against the Auares in the West and the Persians and Saracenes in the East that hee had not a vacant time to persecute them who professed another faith And Constans began to persecute but was incontinentinterrupted by new occasion of sea-warre-fare against the Saracenes wherein also he was ouer-come For this cause I haue referred the Eutychian persecution rather to the former Centurie than to this Moreouer in this CeÌ„tury the vniuct sall Bish. the Antichrist beginneth to spring vp so that all the rest of the Historie must bee spent in three heads First in declaring The grouth of the Antichrist in the VII VIII and IX Centuries Secondlie in declaring his tyrannie and preuailing power ouer the Romane Emperours and Monarches of the worlde in the X. XI and XII Centuries And finallie in declaring his discouerie and his battell against the Sainctes especiallie against those who discouered hâ—…m and this shall bee done God willing from the XIII Centurie vntill our owne time In the Historie I am compelled to bee short because it may bee read in manie Authors Chronol gies and Compendes and place must be giuen to Treatises to be lengthened when the Historie by a briefe coÌ„memoration may be susficientlie knowne Phocas aftâ—…r the cruell slaughter of his master Mauritius was proclaimed to bee Emperour by the Romane souldiours in the yeere of our Lord 604 and he reigned eight yeeres in crueltie drunkennesse lecherie he surpassed beyond all men justlie was called The calamitie of the Romane Empire nothing succceded prosperouslie with this parricide Cosroes on the East side the Auares on the West the Slauonians on the North side inuading Dalmatia and Agâ—…lulphus king of Lumbardis in Italie adding vnto his dominion Mantua Cremona and Vulturnia all these at one time weakened the Romane Empire so farre that it could neuer attaine again to the former strength splendor that it was wont to haue Great strise had bene betwixt the chaires of Rome 〈◊〉 for supremacy The Patriarch of ConstaÌ„â—…no thought it due to him because 〈◊〉 was the seat of the Empire The Patriarch of Rome on the other part saide that Constantinoâ—…le was but a Colonie of Rome and tha the Grecians themselues in thei Letâ—…ers called the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this controuersie Phocas put an ende ordained Bonifacius the third to be called Universall 〈◊〉 and the Church of Rome to be head of all other Churches This dignitie the Romane Church begged as Platina granteth and not without great contention obtained 〈◊〉 the handes of Phocas This is that stile which Gregorius the fiâ—…st counted Antichristian in the person of Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch of Constantinople In end Priscus his owne sonne in law Heraclianus the faâ—…her of Heâ—…aclius the Emperour and Phocius whose wife Phocas had vnhonestlie abused conspired against him and ouer-came him and brought him to Heraclius who commanded his head feete and secrete members to bee cut off and the stumpe of his bodie was giuen to the souldiers to bee burnt with fire HERACLIUS AFter Phocas reigned Heraclius thirtie yeeres Cosroes king of Persia had mightilie preuailed and had conquered Syria Phenicta and Palestina and had taken Hierusalem and Zacharias the Bishop thereof and the Holie Crosse and had giuen manie thousands of Christians to the lewes to be slaine Neither would hee accept anie conditions of peace with Heraclius except hee would condiscend to forsake the worshipping of Christ worship the Sunne as the Persians did For this cause Heraclius was compelled to make peace with the Aâ—…ares on his West side and to leade his Armie to Asia against the Persians which indured the space of six yeeres wherein he preuailed against Cosroes and recouered all the Prouinces which Cosroes had taken from the Romane Empire Finallie Cosroes was taken cast in prison and cruellie slaine by his owne sonne Siroes because he had preferred Medarses his younger sonne to Siroes his elder brother This Siroes made a couenant of peace with Heraclius and deliuered vnto him Zacharias Bishop of Hierusalem with the Holie Crosse and the prisoners whom his father had carried captiue And so Heraclius in the seuenth yeere returned backe againe to Constantinople with great triumph After this the Emperour beeing circumuened by Pyrrhus Bishop of Constantinople Cyrus Bishop of Alexâ—…dria fell into the Heresie of the Monothelites And to this fault he added other faults such as incest for he married his owne sisters daughter and hee was giuen to curious Artes and to seeke out the euent of thinges by judiciall Astrologie and was admonished by the Astrologians to beware of the circumcised people Heraclâ—…us onlie deemed that the lowes should trouble him but it was the Saracenes in whom this prophesie had performance for in his time beganne the Monarchie of the Saracenes and the blasphemous doctrine of Mahomet The Saracenes were people dwelling in Arabia the posteritie of Hagar and not of Sara These faught vnder the banner of Heraclius in his 6. yeeres warrefare against the Persians wheÌ„ they craued the wages of their seruice in stâ—…ad of money they receiued coÌ„tumelious words were called 〈◊〉 by the Em. treasurer This coÌ„tumely did so irritate them that they choosed Mahomet to be their captaine anno 623 inuaded Damascâ—…s took it within few yeeres coÌ„quered Syria Phenicta Palestina Aegypt And not content with this they inuaded the kingâ—…ome of the Persians subdued it cut off the kings seed The blasphemous AlcaroÌ„ alsurca of Mahomet which he said he receiued froÌ„ heaueÌ„ was a doctrine of lies coÌ„taining a mixture of the reâ—…igioÌ„ of the Jewes PagaÌ„s ChristiaÌ„s to the making wherof coÌ„curred Sergius a Nestorian herâ—…ke Iohâ—… of Antiochia an ArriaÌ„ 〈◊〉 some Iwes Mahomet also ordained that all people whom the Saracenes could conquere should be coÌ„pelled by fire sword all kind of violence to receiue the doctrine contaiâ—…ed in these bookes Heraclius perceiuing the sudden great increase of the dominion of the Saracâ—…nes gathered a gr at army faught against them but he was ouâ—…r-come in battell lost 150. thousand meÌ„ of his army And wheÌ„ he renewed his forces again to fight against the Saracâ—…nes he found that 52. thousand of his army died in one night suddenly as those did who were slain by the Angell of God in the army of Senacheâ—…b Heraclius was so discouraged with the calamitie of his aâ—…mie that he contracted sicknesse and died CONSTANTINUS and HERACLEONAS AFâ—…er
the death of Heraclius reigned his son Constantine 4. moneths was made out of the way by poison giueÌ„ vnto him by Martina his fathers second wife to the end that Heracleonas her son might reâ—…gn But God suffered not this wickednes to be vnpuâ—…ished for Martina Heraclconas were taken by the Senators of Constantinople her tongue was cut out his nose cut off lest either her flaâ—…ering speaches or his beauty comlines should haue moued the people to compassioÌ„ they were both banished About this time the Saracenes had taken Caesarea in Palestina after they had besieged it seuen yeeres and they slew in it seuen thousand Christians CONSTANS AFter the banishment of Martina Heraclâ—…onas her son reigned Constans the son of ConstaÌ„rine 27. yeeres in religion he followed the footsteps of Heraclius was infected with the heresie of the Monothâ—…lites persecuted Martinus 1. bish of Rome because he had gathered a Synode in Rome damned the heresie of the Monothelues whom also he caused to be brought in bands to Consiantinople cut out his tongue cut off his right haÌ„d banished him to Chersonâ—…sus in Pontus where hee ended his life Hee faught also against the Saracenes in sea-warre-fare was ouer-come by them like as interpreters of dreames had fore-tol le him for he dreamed that he was dwelling in Thessalonica the interpreters said it portended no good but that others should ouer-come him as if the word Thessalonica did import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is render victory to another Constans was sâ—…aine by one of his owne seruants as he was washing himselfe in the bathe-houses of Siracuse CONSTANTINUS POGONATUS Constans being slâ—…ine in Sicile the army in those paâ—…ts appointed Mezentius a man of incomparable beauty to be Emp. but Constantinus the eldest son of Constans sailed to Sicile with a great nauie slew Mezentius the murtherers of his father and recouered his fathers dominion to himselfe Hee was called Pogonatus because his face was not bare voide of haiâ—…e when hee returned from Sicile as it was wheÌ„ he sailed thithâ—…r from Byzans but his face was rough couered with haire He had 2. brethreÌ„ whome the people reuerenced with equall honour as they did him therfore he disfigurated their faces by cutting off their nose reâ—…gned himself alone 17. yeeres In religioÌ„ he was not like vnto his predicessors who had bin fauourers of heretiques but he assembled a generall CouÌ„cell at Constantinople vulgarly called the sixt Oâ—…cumenick Councell whereinto the heresie of the Monothelites was vtterly damned as in the owne place shall be declared God willing Likewise the estate of the Emp. was more peaceab'e than it had bene in time of his predicâ—…ssors for the Saracens were compelled to seeke conditions of peace from him and to offer yeeâ—…ely paimenâ—… of 3000. pound weight of gold vnto him with other tribâ—…tes of horse seruâ—…nts and prisoners IUSTINIANUS the second LEO NTIUS and ABSIMARUS AFter the death of Constantine reigned his sonne Iustinian the second sixteene yeeres to wit tenne yeeres before his banishment and sixe yeeres after his banishment His gouernement was cruell and bloodie by perswasion of Stephanus and Theodoâ—…us whose counsell hee followed euen till the purpose of exstirpation of all the Citizens of Constantinoâ—…le But Leontius a man of noble birth pitying the Citie tooke Iustinian the Emperour cut off his nose and banished him to Chersonesus ponti where hee remained in great miserie tenne yeeres Steâ—…hanus and Theodorus his bad counsellâ—…rs receiued a condigne punishment for they were burnt quicke in the bellie of an hot brasen bull After this banishment of Iustinian the second Leontius reigned three yeeres The flâ—…xible mindes of vnconstant people and souldâ—…ers choosed Absimarus to bee their Emperour who dealt with Leontius as hee had dealt with Iustinian and cut off his nose and thrust him into a Monasterie where hee remained seuen yeeres to wit all the time of Absimarus gouernement In ende Iustinian after tenne yeeres banishment recouered his Emperâ—…all dignitie againe by the helpe of Terbellis Prince of Bulgaria Hee caused Leontius and Absimarus to bee brought vnto him whome hee tramped vnder his feete and after commanded that they should bee beheaded The crueltie thaâ—… hee vsed against the Citizens of Constantinople and against the â—…habitants of Cheâ—…sonesus Ponti is almost vnspeakeable He was hated of all men Philippicus conspired against him and hee was slaine by one named Elias his owne 〈◊〉 CHAP. II. OF POPES BISHOPS PASTORS AND DOCTORS AFTER Sabinianus succeeded Bonifacius the third and continued onelie nine moneth in his Popedome finding oportunitie of time by the disliking that the Emperour Phocas had of the Patriarch of Constantinople Bonifacius insinuated himselfe in the fauour of the Emperour and obtained at his hands that the Church of Rome should bee called the supreme head of all other Churches To him succeeded Bonifacius the fourth and gouerned sixe yeeres eight monethes and thirteene dayes He obtained from Phocas a Temple of olde builded to the honour of all the gods of the Gentiles called Pantheon this he purged from the abominations of Heathen people and dedicated it to the Virgine Marie and the Saincts Likewise he instituted a Festiuall day to be kept in honour of all the Saincts in which day the Bishop of Rome himselfe should say Masse Thus wee see at what time the Bishop of Rome vsurped gouernement ouer all Churches At this same time the chaire of Rome fell awaye from the worshipping of the liuing God to the worshipping of dead creatures Hâ—…e esteemed much of the Monastike life and gaue vnto the Monkes equall honour with the Cleargie in priueledge of prâ—…aching ministring the Sacraments binding and loosing c. so were the Monks associated into the tribe of the Priâ—…sts After him succeeded Theodatus otherwayes called Deus dedit and gouerned three yeeres and three dayes He made an ordinance that no man should marrie the woman to whome or with whom he had beene witnesse in Baptisme because this was counted Spirituall consanguinitie This was an vndoubted note of the Antichrist to make lawes in the matter of marriage not agrâ—…eable to the law of God Manie doe write that hee cured a leprous man with a kisse But from this time forward let vs beware to giue hastie credite to miracles which are brought in for none other cause but onâ—…ie to confirme a lying doctrine and in holy Scripture they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is miracles of lyes To him succeeded Bâ—…nifacius the fift and ruled fiue yeeres and ten monethes he made a constitution that no man who ranne for safeâ—…e to a religious place should be drawne out of it by violence how grieuous soeuer his offence had beene A lawe Antichristian indeede and much impairing the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate Honorius the fiâ—…st succeeded to Bonifacius the fift and ruled 12. yeeres 11. monethes and
Lombardes were vtterly fubdued the chaire of Rome was inriched the reuenewe of the Emperour of the East was impaired and a ground was laide of the aduancement of the kinges of France to the Emperiall dignitie In this Emperours dayes the Turkes or Schythians inuaded the Armenians and molested the Saracenes and some countreys of Asia minor in ende they accorded with the Saracenes But this agreement could not bee perfected without condition That the Turkes in Persia shoulde vndergoe the name of Saracenes hoping thereby that they woulde easily embrace the Mahometane religion wherein their exspectation was not frustrate In the yeere of our Lord 579. and in the 18. yeere of the reigne of Constantine a wonderfull thing fell out amongst the wise men of Persia called Magi and Maurophori Persae they perswaded both themselues and others also That if any man would fell all that hee had and throwe himselfe headlonges from the walles of the cities his soule should incontinent bee tranfported to heauen So prone and bent is the corrupt nature of man to leane vpon vaine hopes and to belceue promises which GOD hath not made LEO the sonne of COPRONYMVS LEo the son of Constantinus Copronymus reigned 5. yeeres he followed the foote-steps of his father in zeale against worshipping of images and punished the Groomes of his owne chamber such as Iames Papias Strateius and Theophanes for worshipping of images The superstitious writers of the historie of this time such as Zonaras and Paulus Diaconus reckon the aforesaid persons in the Catalogue of holy Confessors But Christ he will neuer count them to be His martyrs who fight obstinatelie against his trueth euen vnto the death neither will Hee count them to be His Confessors who suffer justly inflicted punishmēt for contempt of the lawes of Magistrates beeing agreeable to the law of God IRENE and CONSTANTINVS her sonne AFter the death of Leo reigned Irene his wife with her sonne Constantine ten yeeres Afterwardes Constantine deposed his mother from her authoritie and reigned alone 7. yeeres And Irene on the other part taking this indignitie done vnto her grieuously she spoyled her sonne both of his eyes of his Empire cast him into prison where he died for heart griefe and she reigned againe 4. yeeres after her sonnes imprisonment So all the yeeres of the reignes of Irene her sonne conjunctly and ◅euerally first last were 21. yeeres This Empresse was superstitious malicious craftie infortunate She was a superstitious defender of the worshipping of images A malicious venomous hater of the name of Constantinus Copronymus whose dead body she commanded to bee brought out of his graue to bee burnt with fire resolued into ashes and to be casten into the sea albeit Constantine was her owne father in lawe The mercies of the wicked are cruell Her craft appeared in bringing her forces to Constantinople in the sixt yeere of her reigne vnder pretence of fighting against the Arabians and in disarming of them whom she knew to haue beene aduersaries to worshipping of images sending them in ships to the places from whence they came For before the dayes of Constantinus Copronymus the towne of Constantinople by famine pestilence being besieged 3. yeeres by the Saracens was miserably dispeopled so that 30000. of the people of Constantinople died But Copronymus for repairing of that losse sent for strangers and replenished the towne with new inhabitantes These strangers she sent back againe to the places from whence they came especially because in populare commotion they had set themselues in armes and minassed the Fathers conuened in Constantinople by Irene and her sonne for allowance of adoration of images Shee was infortunate because the Empire of the East was so extenuate in her time that it was rather like vnto a shaddowe than vnto an Empire So that in the subsequent historie I will forget after a manner the Emperours of the East and make mention of the Emperours of the West Now Irene was deposed and banished by Nicephorus who reigned eight yeeres after her banishment CHAP. II. Of Popes Patriarches Pastors and Doctors AFTER Pope SERGIVS succeeded IOANNES the sixt and continued three yeeres and three monethes And after him Pope Ioannes the seuenth continued two yeeres and seuen monethes he liued in the dayes of Iustinian the second who sent Ambassadours vnto him for procuring an vnion betwixt the Churches of the East and the West because they differed in opinions concerning the Canons of the sixt Generall Councell wherein prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices was disalowed and the Patriarch of Constantinople was equalled in authority to the Patriarch of Rome These Ambassadours aforesaide returned from Pope Ihonne the seuenth without any answere which proud carriage or as others doe thinke a cowardly forme of dealing all writers doe vituperate And after him succeeded Sisinius who continued not aboue twentie dayes in his Popedome After Sisinius succeeded Constantine the first and gouerned seuen yeeres and twentie dayes His Popedome was vnd◅r the reignes of Iustinian the seconde Philippicus and Anastasius The Emperour Iustinian supported him against Foelix bishop of Rauenna who had refused to paye to the bishop of Rome the summe of money imposed to him in time of his ordination so that Foelix was taken prisoner by the Emperours Admirall and sent to Constantinople where his eyes were put out and hee was banished to Pontus Against the Emperour Philippicus he contended as one hauing authoritie to rase the name of the Emperour out of charters as hath beene alreadie declared This is the Pope who was made judge betwixt the bishops of Ticinum and Millane who contended for superioritie And Constantine eximed the bisshop of Ticinum from the jurisdiction of the bishop of Millan but in such way as he should be subject to the Church of Rome The Emperour Iustinian the seconde sent for pope Constantine who came to Constantinople and from thence went to Nicomedia where hee met with the Emperour and the Emperour kissed his feete Marke the growing and daylie increasing pride of the Romane Antichrist After Constantine succeeded Gregorius the second continued sixteene yeeres nine monethes and eleuen dayes Hee liued vnder the reigne of the Emperour Leo Isaurus whom he rashly excommunicated for abolishing of images Also hee drewe awaye from the obedience of the Emperour the countreys of He speria Aemilia Liguria and other parts of Italie forbidding them to paye tribute to the Emperour expresse contrarie to Christes commandement Matth. 22. 21. where He saith Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars c. and this Christ spake concerning paying of tribute Gregorie the thirde gouerned ten yeeres eight monethes and 24. dayes and followed the foote-steps of his predicessor both in aduancing the doctrine of the worshipping of images and in with-drawing the people of Italie from the obedience of the Emperour More-ouer he gathered a Councell at Rome wherein the worshipping of images had
miserable to keepe in their bosomes the testimonies of their owne condemnation as the Jewes did who kept the bookes of MOSES and of the Prophets which beare testimonie of Christ Ioh. 5. yet they beleeued not in Christ they kept them indeede to our great profite but to their own just condemnation because they neither beleeued the promises of the worde neither were terrified with the threatnings of that same booke which they kept I pray God we may be better keepers of holy writings then the reprobate Jewes were In this controuersie to defend vnwritten traditions the bookes of ancient fathers are sifted and raked and infinite paines are taken to holde vp this maine and yet dayly decaying pillar of their kingdome It is not my purpose neither to defend nor to excuse euery thing that fathers haue written Onely I say in good conscience that great injurie is done to some of them by the Papistes namely to the most ancient father IRENEVS B. of Lions Hee striueth against VALENTINVS an Heretique and conuicteth him by tradition of the Churches which were thought in his time to be Apostolicke but the heades that he proueth by tradition are the principall articles of our faith That there is one God maker of heauen and earth and that Christ was borne of a virgin and suffered under Pontius Pslate and rose againe and was receiued into the brightnesse of glory and that hee shall come againe to saue such as are to be saued and to judge such as are to be judged c And such sort of traditions as are altogether agreable to holy Scriptures we contrauert not vpon Secondly IRENEVS had a conflict with Heretiques who regarded not scripture but saide they were ambiguous and doubtsome had no authority that tradition was more ancient then scripture and therefore necessitie compelled IRENEVS to fight against him with his owne weapons as PAVL did against the Athenians with testimonies of Poets Acts 17. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 2. cap. 3. Yet was it not IRENEVS purpose to prooue any thing repugnant to scripture The traditions which they reade of in other fathers if any be bound to keepe them it is they themselues who leane vnto them as a necessarie supplement of the want that is in scripture but they themselues will not be bound to the obseruation of them all but haue let many of them goe out of vse such as praying betweene Easter and Whitsonday not vpon their knees but standing on their feete to put them in remembrance of Christes resurrection such like three dippings in water whereof wee spake in the heade of antiquitie And after Baptisme the taste of a temper of milke and honie to signifie their spirituall infancie and many other traditions they haue suffcred to euanish and go out of vse so that we are the lesse bound to them To drawe vnto an ende of this treatise It may be demanded Was not tradition at some time in honourable regard in the house of God and how it commeth to passe that now in the last age of the world we wil bring al traditions vnto the balance of the written word counting light all these traditions that are not agreable to the Scriptures For answere vnto this question we shall distinguish the worlde into three ages and speake of the force of tradition in euery age Godwilling In the first age of the world from ADAM to the flood of NOE tradition had the greater place because the Worde ' of God was not as yet written but God spake by Oracles to ADAM and that which the Lorde spake to him hee deliuered it by faithfull tradition to his postēritie Nowe in this first age it cannot be denied but tradition had great place and to the ende the faith of the posteritie should not leane vpon the naked report of their fathers as vpon an vncertaine ground it pleasedGod to bestow vpō these fathers of the first age two great priuiledges First they were indued with the spirite of prophecie for ADAM prophecied of secret things that were done when hee was sleeping Gen. 2 ver 23 And HENOCH the seuinth from ADAM prophecied in the first age of the world of things that are to be done in the last age of the world Epist. Iud ver 14. 15. And LAMECH prophecied of his sonne NOAH Gen. 5. Beside this God bestowed vpon these fathers long life so that ADAM liued vntill he deliuered the Oracle of God spoken vnto him to HENOCH and HENOCH liued till he deliuered the same to LAMECH and LAMECH to NOE so that NOE needed not to bee in doubte whether the reporte of his fathers concerning the Oracle spoken to ADAM was true or not because it was conueied to him by the handes of faithfull witnesses of vnsuspect credite yea holie Prophets deliuered the holie Oracle of GOD to NOE and holie Prophct of GOD also as they were In the second age of the world it pleased God to register his blessed will in write in the dayes of MOSES and then tradition was nothing else but a page and handmaide to the written worde of God For true it is that God commanded fathers to tell their posteritie the wonderful works of God in slaying the first borne of Egypt and sparing the first borne of the I ewes Exod. 13. ver 8. yet this tradition of fathers to their children was agreable to the word of God written by MOSES in so far that the posteritie beleeued not the writings of MOSES because they were agreable to the report of their fathers but rather the reporte of their fathers because it was agreable to the worde of God written by MOSES and so tradition in this age was a page and handmaide to the written worde of God neither doe wee reade after the worde was written that God commanded fathers to tell anything to their children that was not expresly contained in the written word of God In the last age of the world we should be more attentiuely addicted to the written worde and lesse to tradition in regard the Apostles were moued to put the summe of their most wholesome doctrine in write because their doctrine was not rightly reported euen by those who heard the Apostles teach as said is And if the writing of the summe of their wholesome doctrine was a remedie deuised by the Apostles themselues against false traditions wrong reports of Apostolicke doctrine what injurie doe we to the Romaine Church when we examine al their traditions by the rule of the writtē word that which is not agreable to the written word wee reject it as a doctrine neither catholicke nor Apostolicke because that it is found light when it is weighed in the just balance of the written word of God Now consider howe damnable an inclination is in this our corrupt nature When God reueiled his blessed will by tradition men were not attentiue to it but preferred their lust vnto the will of God reueiled by tradition for the sonnes of
God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and tooke wiues vnto themselues whome they liked Gen 6. ver 2. And on the other parte when God will needes reueile his blessed will by the written word then will wee flie to vn writteÌ„ traditions euen to such as be repugnaÌ„t to the writteÌ„ word And so men become like to a shadow wheÌ„ the sun shineth in the East the shadow goeth toward the West when the sunne goeth down in the West the shadow inclineth to the East so do men obstinatly repine against the wil ofGod Beside this wee are to consider what great detriment hath ensued vpon those who leauing the certaintie of the written worde leaned vpon the vncertaintie of Apostolicke traditions Beside PAPIAS B. of Hicrapolis who fell into the errour of the Chiliasts CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS trauailed through many nations but tooke better heed to tradition then to the written word of God whereby it came to passe that he filled his bookes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with most vngodly and foolish opinions as hath bene declared in the historie of his life When we haue said all that we can say that place of the second epistle to the The ssalonians cap. 2. ver 15. ringeth so lowd in their eares that they can heare nothing that soundeth to the contraric wherefore we are to consider the illatiue words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is therefore which coupleth this verse with the preceeding text wherinto the Apostle admonished the Thessalonians of the comming of the Antichrist whose comming is after the working of Satan in all power and signes and lying wonders ver 9. And his comming shall be so strengthened by the hand of the deuil that he cannot be borne downe but by the breath of the mouth of God and brightnesse of his comming Now to the ende that the poore handful of the sheepe of Christ may be saued from the deceite of the Antichrist hee exhorteth them to adhere fast vnto the Apostolicke doctrine which they had receiued both by word and write Scripture is abused when it is wrested to another sense different froÌ„ the meaning of the writer but it is more abused when it is drawen to the cleane contrarie sense This place is set downe to teach vs to beware of the deceit of the Antichrist by fast adhering to the Apostolick doctrine but the Papists abuse it to make vs beleeue that their traditions repugnant to the word of God should haue alike authoritie with the writren word of God which is the ready way to fall into the snare of the Antichrist and not to be fred from his deceits To conclude like as DAVID did great honour to ABISHAI when as in great matters of weight importance hee tooke him to be his follower to viewe the host of SAVL 1. Sam. 26. ver 7. euen so God doth great honour to his holy scriptures when he vseth them as an instrument to doe his great works by them Christ reigneth as a King and he hath made his word to be the scepter of his kingdome Psal. 110. Christ is the shepheard of our soules the word is his shepheards staffe Ps. 23. Christ is the builder of his fathers house the word is the measuring line of the building Christ is our Sauiour and the word of God is the power of God to saluation toeuery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. ver 16. Seeing Christ hath done so great honour to the scriptures what are we that we should regard any thing spoken in the contrary God graunt wee may conforme our selues to the will of Christ Amen Of the doctrine of Deuils THe Heretiques called Gnostici disallowed mariage allowed fornication and the Heretiques called Encratite damned the eating of flesh and drinking of wine as a sinne and abhorred the Epistles of PAVL as hath beene declared in the historie and the Romanists themselues acknowledge that Gnostici and Encratitae were Heretiques and taught a doctrine of deuils as likewise the Manicheis of whome we shall speake in the next Centurie Godwilling but the doctrine of the Romaine church concerning prohibition of mariage and meates is different from the doctrine of Gnostici Encratitae and Manichaei True it is there is some difference concerning persons times some other circumstances For the Heretiques called Gnostici damned mariage in all persons the Romaine church damneth it only in the person of Priests men hauing church orders Likewise Eucratitae damned at all times the eating of flesh drinking of wine but the church of Rime only prohibits the eating of flesh at certaine seasons and vpon certaine dayes such as in Lent and vpon Fryday c and that without prohition of drinking of wine moderatly Thirdly the Manicheis counted the good creatures of God flâ—…sh and wine to be in themselues polluted and vncleane but the Romaine church thinketh not so but for memorie of the Lordes suffering for mortification of the flesh for preparation to receiue the sacraments and for testimonie of obedience to the vicar of Christ successor of PETER it is necessary to abstaine in maner abouewritten This difference is cast in to exeeme the Romaine church from the imputation of the doctrine of deuils yet is not the difference very great for the Romaine church forbiddeth mariage meats to some men at all times and to all men at sometimes but consider againe that differences of magis and minus that is of more and lesse doe declare a communion rather then a contrarietie as IRENEVS speaketh Plu. minus non de his dicitur quae inverse communionem non habent sunt contrariae naturae pugnant aduersus se sed de his quae sunt ejusdem substantiae communicant secum solum autem altitudine magnitudine differunt lib. 4. cap. 22. As a litle water and a litle fire differeth from a great water and a great fire not in substance but in quantitie euen so the Papistes differ from the Manicheis not in substance but in the discrepance of Plus and Minus The wordes of the Apostle are the ground whereupon all this treatise is founded Nowe the Spirite speaketh euidâ—…ntly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing beede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of deuils speaking lies in hypocrisie hauing their conscience seared with an hote yrone forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiuâ—…d with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue and kâ—…ow the trueth for euery creature of God is good and nothing to bee refusâ—…d if it be receiued with thankâ—…sgiuing 1. Tim. 1. 2. 3 4. In these words the Popish church will grant that the Mam. hets and other forenamed Heretiques are damned but they denie that these predictions of the holy Apostle doe damne the doctrine of the Romaine church anent forbidding of mariage to some persons and meates at some times as a doctrine of deuils crying out that it is not to be