the Church in the Councill of Sardica but Photinus was deposed at the Council of Sirmium and banished by the Em. Constantius Neuerthelesse after his deposition banishment he continued obstinately in his errour wrote bookes both in Latine Greeke in defence of his Heresie whereby his name became infamous and he was counted the author of this Heresie Audaus was a man of Syria vnder the reigne of Valentinian and his brother Valens Hee published an errour That GOD was like vnto the similitude of a mans bodie This errour hee conceiued through wrong vnderstaÌ„ding of the words of Scripture wherein it is saide Let vs make man in our owne Image according to our likenesse With this errour many vnlearned Aegyptian Monkes were intangled They pretended great innocencie and chastitie in thier liues and separated themselues from the societie of the Church couering their impietie with this pretext that they saw usurers and vncleane persons tolerated in the Church About this time saith Theodoretus that is in the dayes of Valentinianus and Valens sprang vp the Heresie of Messaliani Albeit this name bee vnquoth yet the Greeke names giuen vnto this Heresie are more significatiue they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becâ—…use they counted prayer the onely exercise necessary to the children of GOD euen as if a man could talke with GOD by prayer before he hath first heard GOD talking with him by the preaching of the Word Likewise they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men rauished in the spirite after long continuance in prayer When they were transported and out of their wits then they supposed that the holy spirit was sensibly infused into them whereby their bodies were made free of all perturbations and their soules were auerted from all inclination to euill in such sort that they had no need of fasting to subdue their bodies nor of Doctrine to restraine the disordered affections of their soules This pestilent Heresie was ouerspred in many places but it was mightily suppressed by Letoius B. of Meletina Amphilochius B. of Iconium in Lycaonia and Flaviaenus B. of Antiochia who with great dexteritie drew out a Confession out of the mouth of Adelphius an aged man and a propagator of this Heresie in Edessa This Heresie albeit it had many patrones such as Dadoes Sabas Adâ—…lphius Hermas Simeones yet from none of them it receiued the name but rather from the actions and passions whereunto they inclined Apollinaris bishop of Laodicea in Syria gloried in the quickenesse of his ingine and delited to make contradiction to euery thing that any man coulde speake and so it came to passe as Ruffinus writeth Heresim ex contentione generauit that is to say Through contention he procreated an Heresie affirming that in the dispensation of CHRISTES Incarnation hee assumed the body of a man onely but not the soule of a man because his diuinitie supplied the place of his soule And when hee was argued by euident places of SCRIPTURE that CHRIST in his humane nature was a perfect man hauing not onely a body but also the soule of a man as when he said His soule was heauie vnto the death lest he should haue seemed to bee vtterly conuinced and ouercome hee confessed that CHRISTES bodie was quickned with a natural life but the diuinitie of CHRIST was in place of a reasonable soule This Heresie was damned in Councils conueened at Rome Alexandria and Constantinople He augmented the schisme at Antiochia where there had bene alreadie three factions to wit Eustatiani Meletiani and Pauliniani Now Apollinaris dwelling in Laodicea a towne of Syria neere approaching to Antiochia hee was the author of the fourth faction In the dayes of Iulian he compiled histories of Scripture in Greeke Poesie In the dayes of Valentinian and Gratian he defended his Heresie In the dayes of the Emp. Theodosius he concluded his life His sonne in name learning and bad use of excellent gifts was like vnto his father Vitalius presbyter in Antiochia was a serious defender of the Heresie of Apollinaris in so much that the followers of Apollinaris were called Vitaliani Donatus was a Bishop in Numidia who contended with vnsupportable hatred against Cecilianus B. of Carthage challenging him that hee had receiued ordination from Foelix Altungensis who was proditor that is who in time of persecution had deliuered the booke of holy Scripture to bee brunt or as others say because hee admitted to an Ecclesiasticall office a Deacon who had committed the like faule The cause of Cecilianus was oftagitat before the Councill of Carthage before Miltiades B of Rome before the Councill of Arles and by the Emp. Coustantine but the Donatistes at all times succumbed in probation Therefore they were enraged because they coulde not accomplish their wicked designes against Cecilianus and they fell from the unitie of the Church Inucterate schismes oft times turne to Heresies So the Donatistes in end were defenders of Hereticall opinions namely that the Catholicke Church was no where els to be found but onely in that corner of Africke whereinto they themselues dwelt and that Baptisine was not effectuall except it had beene ministred by one of their societie Of all the branches of this Heresie Circumcelliones was the most reprobate branch a people cruell and sauage not onely against others but also against themselues throwing themselues headlonges from high places or casting themselues in fire and water and this sort of death they countâ—…d Marâ—…yrdome The diuersitie of names wherewith this Heresie was pointed out clearely declares that the Donatistes wanted not a great number of fauourers for they were called Parmeniani Rogatistae Cirtenses and Maximianistae Against this Heresie and the Heresie of the Pelagians August B. of Hippo contended with mightie grace as likewise against the Heresie of the Manicheans whereinto he had beene nursed himselfe Collyridiani were a sort of superstitious people who worshipped the Virgine Marie the mother of our LORD with diuine adoration and with baking little pasties which in the Greeke language are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they offered to the Virgine Marie as to the Queene of Heauen Epiphanius counts them Heretiques because the Virgine Marie albeit shee bee a blessed woman yet is shee not GOD. Manie late Heresies are nothing els but a renewing of old decayed Heresies Such was the Heresie of Priscillianus a man of Noble birth in Spaine verie eloquent rich temperate with great show of humilitie who easilie insinuated himselfe in the fauour of the people In his youth he was inclined to Magical Arts and renewed the filthie Heresie of Gnostici who disallowed Marriage and commended fornication Some bishops of Spaine were entangled with this Heresie such as Iustantius Salvianus and Helpidius whom Adygimus Bishop of Corduba damned in a Councill gathered at Caesar-augusta This was done in the dayes of the Emp. Gratianus and Valentinian The
argumentes whereby the seconde Councell of Nice endeuoured to approue the adoration of images are all refuted in the Councell of Frankford as I haue declared alreadie in a Treatise concerning worshipping of Images Concerning the argument taken from the authotitie of Epiphanius who in his booke called Panarium reckoneth not the worshippers of images in the roll of Heretiques it is answered by the Councell of FRANKFORD that incase Epiphanius had counted the haters of the worshippers of images Heretiques hee had likewise inferted their names in the catalogue of Heretiques but seeing hee hath not so done the Councell of Nice had no just cause to triumph so much in this friuolous argument which maketh more against them that it maketh for them More-ouer in the Councell of FRANKFORD the Epistle of Epiphanius written to Ihonne bishop of Hierusalem was read wherein hee disalloweth the verie inbringing of images into Churches and this Epistle was translated out of Grieke into the Latine language by Ierom. The Epistle is worthie to bee read Reade it in the Magdeburg Historie Cent. 8. Chap. 9. TREATISES Belonging to the VIII CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of Transsubstantiation SATHAN is a vigilant enemie setting himselfe in most opposite manner against euerie thing that is a comfort and refreshment vnto the sheepe-folde of God Now the principall comforts of the sheepe of God are the pastures wherein they feede and the waters wherewith they are refreshed Doubtlesse these two comforts are the preaching of the word and the ministration of the Lordes holy Sacraments If Sathan by any meanes can hinder the true preaching of the worde and the right ministration of the Sacramēts then his malice against Gods people is descried as the malice of the Philistimes of olde against Isaac and his cattell was manifested when they stopped with earth the foūtaines of water which Abraham had digged whereof the cattell of Isaac were accustomed to drink It cannot bee sufficiently expressed in words what malice Sathan hath born against the true preaching of the word of God the right ministration of the Sacraments The sixt persecution of Ethnick Emperoures was so directly set against the Preachers of Gods worde as the worlde might easily discerne that the intention of Maximinus was to vndoe the sheepe-folde of God for lacke of pastures and of refreshing waters For this cause let not our cogitations be rauished with admiration when we heare or reade that manie questions haue beene mooued concerning the holie Sacrament of the Lords Supper If there were not plenty of spirituall consolation to bee receiued by the right participation of this holy Sacrament Sathan had neuer busied himselfe so earnestly against it as if the throate of his kingdome were cut if this Sacrament be rightly ministred by the Preachers rightlie receiued by the people Let the Christian Reader remember that of olde vnder the tenne persecuting Emperoures the receiuing of the holy Sacrament of the Lordes Supper was called the banquet of Thyestes This proceeded from none other ground but from the malice of the Deuill hating the Lords holy banquet Secondly the Manichean heretiques so peruerted the Lords holy Sacrament that Augustine to whom their secret mysteries were not vnknowne was compelled to call their Communion Execramentum and not Sacramentum that is an execrable thing and not a Sacrament Thirdly the Donatists in ministring the Lords Sacraments were in an opinion That the Sacrament was onely effectuall when it was ministred by one of their owne number But seeing the malice of Sathan is an infinite thing and hath not a period wherein it endeth For defacing of the right vse of the holy Sacrament Sathan filled the heart of an hereticall Monke called Damascene with a lewde opinion to affirme That the bread in the holy Sacrament was transsubstantiate into the body of Christ and that the wine was transsubstantiate into His blood Which opinion I may justly call a Noueltie because it was neither in worde nor writ hearde before the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord. But it is the custome of Papists to follow Nouelties and in the meane time to bragge of Antiquitie What abuses of the holy Sacrament followed after the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord God willing shall bee declared in its owne time for the present thus much I say That vpon a time I saw the images of Cain and Abel pictured by an vnlearned painter with such habite as the Germanes are appareled with in our dayes These pictures made mee not to thinke that the Germane habite was in vse in the dayes of Cain and Abel but rather that the painter was a foolishe man destitute of vnderstanding Euen so when I reade the works of Damascene albeit I was at that time but young in yeeres yet I thought not that the opinion of Damascene was agreeable to Apostolicke doctrine but rather that Damascene was a foolishe and doating Monke and somewhat ambitious also desiring to be coūted the author of some new opinion which no man had maintained before him IN this TREATISE I shall first declare God willing what it is that they call Transsubstantiation secondly howe absurde an opinion it is and thirdly with what relùctation it was insinuated into the bosome of the Latine Church but euer vntill this daye was rejected of the Grieke Church Nowe Transsubstantiation as they saye is an euanishing of the substance of bread and wine after the wordes of consecration and a substitution of the bodie blood of Christ in place of the euanished substance of bread and wine the accidents of bread and wine alwayes remaining without inherence into anie subject Albeit the worde Transsubstantiation seemeth to import a change of one substance into another and the moste part of them define it to bee a chaunge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie yet some of them doe forsee a great inconueniencie if Transsubstantiation be defined to a chāge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie namely this that Christes bodie in heauen cladde with a most glorious and celestiall brightnesse and Christes bodie in earth ouershaddowed with the accidentes of bread and wine shall not bee counted one and the selfe same bodie in respect that the bodie of Christ that is in heauen was formed by the holy Spirit of the substance of the Virgine Marie and the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament woulde bee founde to bee made of the substance of bread This is the cause wherefore they who are more subtile than the rest abstaine from the grosse definition afore-saide Howsoeuer concerning the word Transsubstantiation I admonish the Reader that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an euanishing or disparition hath no affinitie with Damascenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a change of one thing vnto another thing that is better so that there is no good agreement amongst themselues concerning the signification of the word Transsubstantiation Concerning consecration of the elementes there are diuerse opinions The
sinne to eate flesh that wine was the gall of the Prince of darkenesse that mariage was an euill thing and a meane to bring in captiuitie a parte of the substance of the good God namely the soule within the bands of the substance of the prince of darkenesse that is within the body hath the Spirit of God I say foretolde nothing of these vile heresies in this prediction I answere That the Spirit hath both foretolde the hypocrisie of some and the open blasphemie of others And this is insinuated in these wordes For eue◅y creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be receiued with tha◅kesgiuing Truely in these words the Apostle would turne our harts both from blaspheming Manicheis and from hypocrite Papists The Manicheis say that it is neuer lawfull to eate flesh and that the doing of it aduanceth the kingdome of the prince of darknesse The Papists againe say that the eating of flesh on Eryday is a grieuous sinne but what saith the Apostle guided by the Spirit Euery creature is good and nothing to be refused so that both the Manicheis speake blasphemously and the Papistes hypocritically both willing to abridge Christian libertie the Manicheis by their opinion the Papistes both by their opinion and authoritie The Manicheis will needes haue some creatures of God vncleane at all times the Papists wil needes haue men polluted by eating of flesh at sometimes both these opinions are cut off in this word Euery creature of God is good Marke that in this diuersitie of opinions of Manicheis and Papists both of them shoot at one marke to wit that Christ Iesus shall not be the onely Lawgiuer in his Church but something shall be abridged of that libertie that Christ hath giuen to his Church Now the aiming and shooting at one marke is more forcible to proue the vnitie of Manicheis and Papistes then the diuersitie of opinions whereby either of them laboureth to attaine to their intended purpose can proue their diuersitie and therefore let the reader the lesse offend with this fellowship of Manicheis and Papists These two diuerse opinions shooting at one marke as said is are both to bee damned but chiefly that opinion that with greatest subtiltie and craft would thrust God out of his chaire and spoile him of his glory not to bee counted the only Lawgiuer in his Church And I do confidently compare Manicheis and Papistes as AVGVSTINE compare◅h APOLLO and HECATE lib. 19. de civit Det cap. 23. disapproouing both of them because both shot at one marke to hinder people from Christianitie but HECATE more then APOLLO because in praising of Christ as a just man whom APOLLO dispraised as an vnrighteous man justly cōdemned to death by the Iewes yet she called him onely a man not God hindering people after a more subtle maner from adhering to Christianitie then APOLLO did And truly the Manich is by damning flesh at all times as a creature in it selfe vncleane did not so great hurt to the Kingdome of God as the Papists who grant that both flesh and wine are the good creatures of God and yet they dare be bold to set out lawes commanding men vnder the paine of cursing and condemnation that they taste not flesh at some times If these times were times of a publicke calamitie whereinto God by a secret voyce latent in the trouble did cali vs to fasting mourning abstinence frō fish flesh wine Isa. 22. ver 13. then no new or vncouth yocke should be presented 10 mens consciences but Christs owne yocke which we are commanded to beare Mat. 11-but to appoint certaine daies of fasting and abstinence from this meate and not from anothe◅ meace is a noueltie vnder the Gospell and not the yocke of Christ but of the Antichrist Whereas mention is made of thankesgiuing the Apostle will not haue vs to set our hearts vpon the creature vpon the gift but vpon the Creator the giuer Whatsoeuer delite we haue in the creature there is infinitly greater delite in the face of the reconciled Creator and therefore lift vp our harts let our tongues be loosed to praise his blessed name from whose hands we haue receiued the vse of his creatures This if wee doe we haue both the gift the giuer and the presence of the giuer shall not onely sanctifie the gift to our vse but also shall turne our water into wine Iohn 2. when as by the contrarie if wee deuoure and glut vp the benefites of God without thanksgiuing we haue the gift without the fauour of the giuer eating of Gods creatures as the carnall I◅wes eated Quailes in the wildernesse Numb 11. ver 33. and the wrath of God was kindled against them and assuredly those who haue the gift without the giuer some day their wine shall be turned into water But there is not great controuersie in this point and therefore I passe it ouer in fewer words In end the Apostle leadeth vs vnto a sure ground that may quiet our consciences so that we shall not be troubled with the commandements of men for bidding vs to eat of meats which God hath created for our vse namely this thatGod hath sanctified his creatures to vs by his word Gen. 9. ver 3. And incase we joyne with this sanctification of them prayers proceeding from faith that we also may be sanctified receiueGods creatures with a good conscience there is not great peril whether we eat this or that meat moderatly Here marke that the Apost in the very matter of meat drinke corruptible food will haue vs to depend vponGods word to think that we haue not liberty to put one morsel of meat in our mouthes but so farre as God giueth vs allowance in his word how much more in matters pertaining vnto eternall life we are to depend absolutely vpon the vndoubted assurance of Gods written worde In all this discourse it may seeme that we loose the raines to licentious liuing to eating drinking marying and liuing wantonly as the original worlde did when they were drouned with waters but it is not so indeed Only in maters of religion we would haue the yocke of the cōmandements of men taken off mens cōsciences to the end that the yock of Gods commandements only may ly vpon the conscience according as Christ speaketh Take vp my yock vpon you Mat. 11. ver 29. Yea in the very mater of meats mariage there is a time wherinto God calleth vs to mourning lamentation baldnesse and sackcloth Isa. 22. ver 12. and to abstinence from eating of flesh and drinking of wine Yea the very bridegrome must come out of his chalmer fast and lay aside his costly apparell to the end hee may mourne with the humbled societie of Gods people loel 2. ver 16. And this commeth to passe whensoeuer the heauie hande of God is laide vpon a familie vpon a towne or vpon a countrie in the
sepulchres with IEROMS fauour for honour of his learning his comparisons are not good for MARIES fact was done in zeale mixed with knowledge hath an approbation in Christs own mouth but the sact of those women was done in zeale without knowledge and hath but a slender approbation in IEROMS own mouth Hieron contra Vigilant Againe if it be objected that miracles were wrought at the graues of the Martyrs as namelie in Millain where AVGVSTINE was present at the sepulchres of PROTASIVS and GERVASIVS a blinde man was restored to his sight and AVGVSTINE himselfe beareth witnesse of this miracle because he saw it done with his owne eyes August lib. confess 9. cap. 7 To this I answere that God wrought a miracle at the sepulchre of this holy Martyr PROTASIVS to confirme that true faith for which he suffred martyrdome Like as God wroght a greater miracle at the sepulchre of ELISEVS in restoring a dead man to life againe 2. Reg 13. to confirme the doctrine of ELISEVS that it was of God But the end of these miracles was not to raise vp their bones out of the graue to worship them in regarde that such superstitious facts plainly repugned to the summe of their faith and doctrine Now by good reason the Papists are reduced to this strait that either they must prooue that the adoration of dead mens bones was a point of ELISEVS doctrine and PROTASIVS faith or else these miracles were wroght to teach men to raise out of the graue and to worship the dead bones of the Prophets martyrs of God And AVGVSTINE himselfe clearelie declareth what was the issue of this miracle First men tooke occasion by the sight of hat miracle to glorify God but not to worship PROTASIVS GERVASIVS bones The other end of the working of that miracle was to stay the fury of IVSTINA the mother of VALENTINIAN the second in persecuting of AMBROSE B. of Millain albeit the fame and notoriousnes of this miracle did not convert her to the true faith yet it auailed to abate her furie and rage in persecuting the innocent feruant of Christ. August ibid. confess lib. 9. cap. 7. Againe if it be objected that the dead bones of BABYLAS stopped the mouth of APOLLO so that he could not vtter his oracle vntill BABYLAS bones were raised and transported into an other place Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 19. and therefore there is vertue in the bones of the Saints to helpe the godly and to confound the power of the deuill For answere I say we should not hearken to the deceitfull speeches of Satan who seeing Christians already inclined to transport the dead bones of the Saints for al his simular and fained dumnesse yet he could speake that whereby superstition afterward should be mightilie increased and augmented Hist. Magdeb. Cent. 4. cap. de miraculis But arguments drawen out of the fountaines of Scripture if they were rightly inferred should haue greater countenance credite and regarde then the testimonies of all the fathers joyned together Therefore they will not seeme to be destitute of this armour also The shadow of PETER Acts. 5. 15. was helpfull to diseased persons and the napkins and hand-kercheefes taken from the bodie of PAVL helped diseases and made vncleane spirits to depart from men And therefore say they to attribute vertue to reliques of Saints is no derogation to the glorie of God but rather a great confirmation of Gods trueth To this I answere that scripture hauing intention to glorifie God indeed doth in these miracles neither magnifie PETER nor PAVL nor PETERS shadow nor PAVLS napkins wherin there was no sauing vertue but the text clearlie saith that Godw ought miracles by the hands of PAVL Acts 19. ver 11. Which verse is cast in of purpose to turne our hearts from PAVL the instrument alanerly to God the author of these miracles And if the holy Scripture will not suffer vs to repose vpon PETER and PAVL and other Apostles as if by their owne power and vertue they had made any man whole Acts 3. ver 12. how much lesse can God be pleased with this that power and vertue be attributed to PETERS shadowe and PAVLS napkins And albeit vertue had bene in these things yet PETERS shadow could not haue bene kept as a permanent relique to the posteritie nor yet PAVLS napkin except miraculouslie could haue continued so long But this sufficeth our purpose that in al the scripture there is not a word of the worshipping of PETERS shadow nor PAVLS napkin If I were disputing vpon words I would demand of those that recken PETERS shadow among reliques by what reason they do it seeing that it hath no remaining amongst vs after that his body is taken from vs and therefore cannot be called a relique But I leaue off to speake of the shadow of words aswell as of the shadow of bodies Let vs remember this well that GOD worketh great works by very contemptible meanes to the end the glory may be attributed to GOD alone Now seeing that GOD wrought great workes by the sheep-heards staffe that was in the hand of MOSES he dantoned the land of Egypt divided the red sea and by the stroke of the staffe broght forth waters out of the hard rocke Seing I say that God wroght so great workes by so contemptible a meane what became of this sheepheards staffe after the death of MOSES Some of the learned say that God buried it with MOSES in the plain of Moab lest it should haue bene an occasion of idolatry How euer it be the remembrance of it is buried in scriptures and we cannot tell what became of it But if it had bene in time of Poperie it had bene laid vp and worshipped among their principall reliques The câ—…oake of ELIAS where-with ELIZEVS divided the waters of Iordan semeth to be a relique of ELIAS hauing vertue to worke miraculous works but the text it selfe declareth the contrary that there was no power in the cloake but in the GOD of ELIAS for when ELIZEVS came to the riuer side he lifted vp his heart to GOD saying where is now the GOD of ELIAS 2 Reg. 2. ver 15. So that all scripture both in old and new Testament with one consent sendeth vs from cloakes staues shadowes hand-kerchiefes and such like means to the power of almighty GOD working where when and by what meanes he pleaseth Now if al things wherby or wherin God wroght miracles should be kept as holy reliques then the church of the Iewes might haue surpassed the Romane church infinit degrees For who can deny but God wrought miraculous workes in and by ail the coates hose shooes shirts headcouerings napkins and such other garments that were among the people of the Iewes Their garments waxed not old and their feete swelled not all the space of fourtie yeeres that they were in the wildernesse Dâ—…ut 8 ver 4. If all these garments had bene laide vp in store after they
contrarie we affirme that ifâ—…in these wordes Christ had giuen any supremacie to PETER aboue the rest then afterward when they stroue who should be greatest Christ had not damned this fault in all his disciples but he had only damned the eleuen disciples for that they were not voluntarly subject to PETER whom he had alreadie made head of all the rest But in so farre as striuing for superioritie is damned in them all Mat. 18. it is certaine that Christ appointed none of the Apostles to be supreme head of all the rest And CYPRI AN plainly affirmeth in his booke de simplicitate Praelatorum Hoc erant utique 〈◊〉 cateri Apostoli quodfuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis that is Al the rest of the Apostles were that same thing that PETER was furnished with like fellowshippe and honour The second part of the argument that the Bishop of Rome is the successour of PETER hath beene alreadie intreated in the head of succession Another argument proouing the supremacie of the Romaine Bishops is taken out of the decretall epistles attributed to the Bishoppes of Rome who liued in the second Centurie making mention of the superioritie of the Bishop of Rome aboue all other Bishoppes To this I answere that these epistles attributed vnto them are supposititious and false as hist. Magdeburg clearly prooueth by many reasons whereof I shall rehearse a fewe First the stile and ditement of all these epistles declareth that one and the self-same man hath endited them all Secondly the ineptitude and barbaritie of language no wise agreeing with the tightnesse of the Latin tongue vsed in this age Thirdly these decretall epistles agree not with the estate of the Church at that time persecuted by Tyrants troubled by Heretiques slandered by the world If these forenamed Bishops had writteÌ„ epistles indeed they had coÌ„tained exhortatioÌ„s to patieÌ„t suffring apologies against slaÌ„drous mouths refutatioÌ„ of Hereticks but seing they souÌ„d for the most part to the establishing of their own supremacy the very circumstaÌ„ce of time declareth that they are supposititious forged Fourthly the reasons whereby these epistles doe prooue the supremacie of the Romaine chaire are foolish ridiculous vnworthie to be attributed to so worthie men As namely that PETER was called CEPHAS that is an heade for his supremacie Likewise PETER and PAVL died at Rome therefore the Romaine B. is head of all other Bishops Also PAVL saide that hee had continuall remembrance of the Romans in his prayers Rom. 1. therfore the Romaine Church must be head of all other Churches Fiftly these decretal epistles were vnknown to IVSTINVS martyr IRENEVS CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS who liued about this time as likewise to IEROME an accurat searcher of al an tiquities for none of theÌ„ mak meÌ„tioÌ„ of these decretal epistles Sixtly when the question of appellation to the Romaine Bishop and the question of supremacie was reasoned in the sixt Councill of Carthage if such decretall epistles had bene then exstant the ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome had alledged them for corroboration of their cause but they were not as yet fashioned and shaped Finally in these decretall epistles CLEMENS B. of Rome is broght in writing to IAMES surnamed IVSTVS after the death of PETER it is known by the history that IAMES surnamed IVSTVS was slain at the least 8. yeres before the martyrdome of PETER For Iames was slaine before NERO entended his persecution but PETER was martyred in the very furic of NEROES persecutioÌ„ Ioseph antiq I. 20. c. 8 Euseb. I. 2. c 23 25. The 3. principall argument they vse is taken from the vtilitie of the Church of God whereinto vnitie is very requisit Ioh. 17. for keeping of vnitie one ministeriall head vnder Christ is necessarie like as in the Church of the Iewes one high Priest to whom all the people were subject in matters of religion was a band of vnitie amongst the Iewes euen so say they one ministeriall head viz. the B. of Rome is necessary for keeping vnitie peace concord amongst Christians-To this I answere that all things happened to them in figures 1. Cor. 10. and like as the nation of the Iewes had one high Priest as a band of vnitie so likewise they had one altar one citie of their conuentions Isa. 33 these also were bands of vnitie to keepe the nation of the Iewes into an holy fellowship yet no man wil say that it is necessary to vs in our dayes to resort thrise in the yere to any one citie for keeping the vnitie of Christ No more is it necessary in our dayes for keeping of vnitie to haue one high Priest vpon whome we shall all depend but rather this beeing a figure as said is teacheth vs to depend vpon Iesus Christ the great bâ—…shop of our soules because we are all members of his body we are quickned with his spirit wee haue one hope of calling we haue one faith one Baptisme Eph. 4. These are the bands of our coÌ„junctioÌ„ both with Christ our head with his meÌ„bers but the Apostle PAVL in reckoning out the bands of our conjunction with Christ and amongst our selues speaketh nothing of one ministeriall head vnderChrist neither is it possible that there can be onâ—… ministerial head in al the world as there was one high Priest in one nation of the Iewes The second head of this treatise is to consider the steps degrees wherby the B. of Rome was mouÌ„ted vp in the chair of Christ. 1. The honorable stiles attributed by other churches vnto the chair of Rome began to puft vp some of them into great coÌ„ceit of theÌ„selues The chaire of Rome was called the Apostolick chaire the B. of Rome was called the vniuersal Bishop such honourable stiles by hyperbolicall speaches giuen vnto them should not haue puft them vp in pride to conceit supremacie ouer all other Bishops because the like stiles of dignitie are attributed to other Bishops and other chaires who neuer vsurped superioâ—…itie ouer all Churches Nazianz. in laudem Cypriani saith that he was counted in his time not only a gouern our of the Church of Carthage and of all Africke of all the regions of the West but also of al the East South North. The like is written of ATHANASIVS Nazian in laudeÌ„ Athanasâ—… The like also the EmperorCONSTAN TINE spak of EVSEBIVS PAMPHILIB of Caesarea Palestinae wheÌ„ he refused the bishoprick of Antiochia In this saith CONSTAN TINE to EVSEBIVS thou art blessed that by the testimony of the world thou art thoght worthy to be B. of the whol church Euseb. invita CoÌ„stantn l. 3. c. 59 yet for al this neitherCYPRIAN nor ATHANASIVS nor EVSEBIVS were puft vp in pride to think more of themselues then became the humble dispensators of the mysteries of God Here is to be noted that similitude of BASILIVS that a good Christian should be like vnto a
and are to be solde at his shop on the North side of the high streete a litle beneath the Crosse ANNO DOM. 1613. A SHORT COMPEND OF THE ARRIAN and EVTYCHIAN PERSECVTIONS Comprised in the IIII. V. and VI. CENTVRIES Whereunto is added TREATISES DECLARING THE noueltie of POPISH Religion EDINBURGH PRINTED BY ANDRO HART Anno Dom. 1615. TO THE MOST NOBLE VERTVOVS AND ELECT LADIE MARIE COVNTES OF MARRE Wisheth grace mercie and eternall felicitie THE prouident care of our GOD most noble Ladie hath appointed that the vertues of his Saintes like vnto gold should bee tried in the furnace purged from drosse counted pretious In the first 300. yeeres of our LORD the faith patience of Christians was tried with the yoke of tenne cruell persecutions In the next 300. yeeres the knowledge of the Church was tried by heretiques who by the mistie cloudes of errour endeuoured to blind-fold the eyes of men and to lead them captiue from the simplicitie of the trueth of God But in these ages also the power of the light of God was manifested euer dissipating darknesse as the Sunne rising abolisheth the darknesse of the night This is an incouragement to vs when wee see false Teachers dayly renewing their Fortes to fight against the trueth as the Philistimes did who faught against Dauid in the valley of Rephaim after they had bene oft ouercome by him The last period of all their obstinate reluctation against the Anointed of the Lord was losse and hurt vnto them selues and dishonour to their gods whom they were compelled to leaue behind them and Dauid tooke them and brunt them with fire and the place was called Baal perat-zim that is the rupture of Baal The aduersaries of the Gospell in our land by renewing their forces againe are procuring a newe name vnto their idoles They cannot bee content with the names of Baal-Pâ—…or Baal-Meon Baal-Thamar Baal-Chatsor Baal-Gad But they will spread out their banners in the valley of Rephaim against our Soueraigne LORD his Highnesse Statutes and Lawes longing for the last name Baal-Peratzim The grandour of the speeches of Scottish Papists is not vnknowne to mee but tumour and swelling in the flesh is seldome joined with salubritie and health It is time for mee to bee afraide of the din of emptie pitchers when I finde them furnished within with holie Lampes and to be backed with the sound of holy Trumpets blowne by the Commandement of GOD I meane such as were in the Armie of Gedion Of this I am fully perswaded that the light of GOD the trumpet of GOD the sword of GOD and Gedion shall haue the vpperhand in GODS appointed time Some of them seeme to be deuout and they lament for vs as Iaakob lamented for his sonne Ioseph whom he supposed to haue beenedead But our lamentation for them is grounded on better knowledgâ—… as the lamentation of Ioseph was when he fell vpon his Fathers face and wept vpon him and kissed him Alwayes Madame consider that the sense of feeling the chiefe of all senses the most vnseparable companion of the spirituall life is most inlaking in them who striue against the Gospell of CHRIST preached in this land They haue so many easie remedies at hand to vnladen their soules of the heauy burthen of sinne such as sprinckling of holy water auricular confessions and pennance indulgences and pardons that they neuer suffer men to enter into a deepe consideration of their own miserie of the superabundant compassions of GOD freely pardoning sinne but they are content with the superfice and scruif of new inuented remedies In the meane time Madame receiue vnder the shadow of your Ladysh fauourable protection this Booke also Of the Arrian and Eutychian persecution wherein as in a viue mirrour is represented the falshood deceite and subtilty of lying Teachers and likewise their mercylesse inhumanity and cruelty against GODS seruants when they are assisted by the supporting strength of secular powers And let your La. and your noble house continually beware of Teachers whom yee find to bee deceitfull and bloody for they walke in the way of Cain Now the mercies of the LORD IESUS the author and finisher of our faith attend vpon my Lord your Husband vpon your Ladiship and all your noble house for now and euer AMEN Your La. humble seruant P. SIMSON TO THE READER IN writing of COMPENDES euery man who hath presumed to doe such a worke hath found difficulties and it hath not beene an easie thing to any man to satisfie either himselfe or others beeing inuironed with many straites If he be short in his Compend hee seemeth obscure if hee write at length then his Compend seemeth to haue need of an other Compend to abridge his prolixity Yet in all these difficulties it is better to set forward to doe some good both to our selues and others then to spend our time in idlenes lest our cogitations bee like vnto the vpper and lower Milne-stones lacking good graine to grind vpon they rub violently one vpon another vntill both be broken and incase our cogitations bee not well exercised our thoughtes will bee spent vpon vaine things which wil procure harme both to our soules and bodies In my TREATISES I haue ouerpassed with silence the question anent Festuall dayes lest I should seeme â—…t one time to contend both against friends foes as some men haue done who if they had more increased their charitie and diminished the feruent heat of their contentious spirits they had benefited the Church of Christ more then they haue done Would GOD LUCAS OSIANDER had walked in the foote-steps of Christian loue Now I will begge this fauour at thee Christian Reader that my weake trauels may be taken in good part The house of our GOD in this land is large and ample praised bee his moste holy NAME therefore it hath need of bright-shining torches for the Halles Parlours and Chambers and it hath need of smaller Lightes for Sellers and office houses let my pennie Candle giue light in the lowest Seller of the House of our GOD and mine heart is fully content Farewell CENTVRIE IIII. CHAP. I. OF EMPEROVRS CONSTANTINE THE CHURCH of CHRIST flourished in time of the ten persecutions as a Palme tree groweth vnder the burthen and spreads out her branches by increasing growth toward Heauen Sathan on the other part that pearcing and crooked serpent who striues against the militant Church of GOD both by might and slight when his might faileth it is time to trie his slight which hee did by the Canker-worme of hereticall doctrine Now therefore let vs intreat of the ARRIAN and EUTYCHIAN Persecutions in the three subsequent CENTURIES Other Heretiques albeit they were fierce and cruell such as the Donatists yet their crueltie was like vnto the stighling of a fish when the water is ebbed and she is not couered with the deepenesse of ouer flowing water the more stir she maketh the nearer she is vnto her death
to wit in those that are dead If they had followed the certaintie of Scripture what needed such doubtsome and staggering speeches When a tall Cedar falleth many little trees are bruised by the fall of it and when worthie men doe fall into an errour it is offensiue to manie The dolorous examples of Iacob Dauid Salomon and the plurality of their wiues contrary to the first institution of GOD proueth this to bee true Helcana the father of Samuel was not free of this fault And when the Apostle Paul writeth of the giftes that are requisite in a bishop hee would haue him to bee the husband of one wife which exhortation had beene vnnecessary except the preposterous following of the faultes of holie Fathers had beene so uniuersally ouer-spread that scarce the Pastors themselues were free of the contagion of this disease But the GOD of Heauen hath permitted this to bee for our triall euen to trie whether wee loue the LORD our GOD with all our heart or no for if wee loue the LORD with all our heart wee will neuer prefer men to GOD nor mens examples to GODS Commandements how holy and godly so euer they haue beene But now to returne to these two learned Fathers of whom I began to speake Some excuse this weakenesse by the libertie of Rhethoricall ornamentes And indeede incase a lap of this transparent-couering bee not spred ouer the speeches of Nazianzenus who preferreth the paineâ—…ull trauâ—…ls of Basilius to the trauels of the Apostle Paul who filled the world with the preaching of the Gospel from Iudea to Ilyricum If I say this forme of speaking bee not excused by Rhethoâ—…icall ornamentes and namely the figure Hyperbole no Christian man coulde gladly lende his eare to such speeches But now to leaue the sandie ground of mens speaches to conuert our selues to the doctrine of diuine Scriptures as to a sure foundation wherevpon if wee leane we shall not bee deceiued The LORD saith in his word Call vpon meâ—… in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee From this ground of holy Scripture let our Treatise arise wherein GOD willing first wee shall consider the purpose of the Prophet next wee shall declare that Prayer is a part of spirituall worship onlie belonging to GOD thirdly that IESUS CHRIST is the only mediator of our intercession and last that prayers to Angels to the blessed Virgine the mother of our LORD and to the Saintes departed hath no grounde in Scripture and this custome was disliked by many of the ancient Fathers Now the purpose of the Prophet in the fifty Psalme is manifest namely this to conuict Hypocrites who contenting themselues with outward sacrifices neglected the spiritual worship of GOD wherein GOD hath principall delight as CHRIST saith GOD is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and trueth But Hypocrites will needes present vnto GOD chaffe in stead of Corne drosse in stead of Golde and an outward scroofe of externall worship in stead of the very substance of his spirituall seruice To draw them from this grosse imagination he brings in GOD himselfe speaking from his holy Sanctuarie and declaring that outward sacrifices haue bene oft times intermitted without any reproofe of them who beeing compelled by necessitie and not willingly left off the offering of sacrifices In Aegypt the Iewes coulde not offer such beasts as the Aegyptians worshipped els they would haue stoned them to death In Babylon they had not an Altar whervpon they coulde offer sacrifices to GOD lawfully And at some times when both Alter and sacrifices were at hand yet Dauid complaineth that by violence he was debarred from the Courtes of the LORD All these times GOD did not reproue his people for omitting of externall sacrifices because they were constrained by necessitie to intermit such outward exercises In the meane time they worshipped GOD in spirit and trueth and it lay not in the power of their hatefull enemies to hinder them from worshipping GOD spiritually Secondly the Prophet brings in the LORD declaring that hee had no pleasure in bloody sacrifices because hee neither eateth flesh nor drinketh blood and in case hee delited in such things hee would not require them at mens handes seeing that all the foules in the Mountaines and all the beastes in the Forrest are the LORDS and hee may use them according to his owne will and blessed pleasure But the LORD did institute such kind of sacrifices to last for a time as shadowes of thinges to come but they coulde neuer sanctifie the commers the reunto Therefore if they bee separated from CHRIST to whom they led the people as Types and Figures of his euerlasting sacrifice the LORD had no kind of regarde of them True it is that Sathan hath a delite in bloody sacrifices euen in so far as they are bloody and a destruction of the creatures of GOD as the sacrifices in the valley of Ben-hinnon doe testifie and the sacrifices offered to Diaâ—…a in Taurica chersonesus and the bloody tribute paied by the Athenians to Minos King of Candie by the expresse aduice and counsel of Apollo as Chrysostome clearelie affirmeth And this declareth that the deuill who was a murtherer from the beginning hath a delite in bloody sacrifices But God delited not in such sacrifices except only in so far as they were types and figures leading to the sacrifice of Christ. Yea the sacrifices of the Law were like vnto the fire set vpon the top of the marble towre of Pharos for the wellfare of ships and to direct them vnto the right harboure of Alexandria and like vnto the fire set vp vpon the vttermoste wall of HIERUSALEM on the North side called by Cosmographers Turris furnorum This serued to direct the foote-steps of them who in the night season were journeying to the holy Citie that they shoulde not aberre from the right entrie of the gates of HIERUSALEM Notwithstanding children sate about these fires and warmed themselues and knewe none other use wherefore they were appointed saue onely to warme those who were acolde in winter nightes euen so carnall Iewes reposed vpon sacrifices but marked not the right ende wherefore they were appointed by God But the Prophet leades a carnall people from externall sacrifices vnto spirituall exercises and namely vnto prayer and thankesgiuing and consequently to the obedience of faith the very vndoubted grounde of prayer and thankesgiuing for in these exercises consist deeper pointes of the worship of God then in outward sacrifices whether we looke to God or to our selues when wee looke to God hee is a spirit and consequently hee deliteth in spirituall seruice and when wee looke vnto our selues wee haue an earthly bodie and a spirituall soule and if we present vnto God the seruice of the most base part of our person and not the best part then wee fall vnder the curse threatned by
for the barbarous butcherie of Phocas the Emperour who conferred vnto him that eminent stile to bee called bishop of bishops Gregorius flattering epistle written to Phocas after hee had traiterously murthered his master Mauritius his wife and children will bee a perpetuail blot to the name of Gregorius but of this I haue spoken in the treatise of supremacie The constitution he made anent prohibition of mariage to men in spirituall offices he was compelled in his owne time to abrogate againe because it was not only the occasion of vncleannes but also of secret murthers of innocent babes whereas the Apost PAVL said It was better to marie than to burne Gregorie was compelled to say It was better to marrie than tomurder The sending of the Monks Augustine Melito and Ioannes to Britanne was not so much to conquesse them to Christian religion which they had embraced in the dayes of Lucius King of Brittons and of Eleutherius bishoppe of Rome as hath beene declared in the second CENTVRIE cap. 2. as to conquesse them vnto the ceremonies and rites of the Romane seruice Gregorius was the first of whome we read that writeth of sacrifices to be offered for relieuing of soules tormented in Purgatorie and hee leaneth vpon such ridiculous fables which hee heard of one Foelix B. of Centumcellae as it is a shame to rehearse them but seeing they are not ashamed of lyes let the dung of thâ—…ir owne inuentions be cast into their owne faces he writeth that a Presbyter of Centumcellae went to the bath house to wash himselfe where he found a man vncouth vnknowne to him but very humble and seruiable and after hee had serued him sundrie dayes the Presbyter to requite his kindnesse brought vnto him two consecrated hostes as a blessing and a reward to him who had serued him so duetifully but the man with sad countenance answered This bread is holy and I am not worthie to eat it I was sometime master and proprietare of this house but nowe for my sinnes I am appointed to this seruile occupation if thou would doe a benefite to me offer them to the Almighty GOD as a sacrifice for my sinnes thinke that ye are heard of GOD when yee cannot finde me in this place any longer Surely Popish Purgatorie and soule Masses are first grounded vpon foolish fables and afterward confirmed by dreames of foolish Monkes Patriarches of Constantinople EVPHEMIVS before he would annoint Anastatius to be Emperour who came to that honour by Ariadne the wife of the Emperour Zeno whom he maried hee craued a confession of his faith with a promise sealed by his hand-write that hee should make no nouation in religion during his time The Emperour craued his hand-write againe which seeing that Euphemius refused to render backe againe the Emperour procured his deposition and banished him and placed Macedonius in his roome To Euphemius succeeded Macedonius to whose custodie the hand-write foresaid was committed by Euphemius which when hee would not render the Emperour banished him also and commanded to slay him at Gangra the place of his banishment To Macedonius succeeded Timotheus an vnconstant man and justly compared to the narrow Firth that runneth betwixt Baeotra and Calchis which floweth and ebbeth seuen times in 24. houres so was this bishop wauering minded and more bent to please men than to bee approoued of GOD. In witnesse where of I haue set downe one example The Abbot of the monasterie called Studitum refused to bee ordained by imposition of his handes for hee saide the handes of that man who hath damned the Councill of Chalcedone shall not be laide vpon me whereunto Timotheus answered whosoeuer accuseth or damneth the Council of Chalcedone let him be accursed when this was reported to the Emperour Anastatius to eschew his indignation he said the contrare whosoeuer accepteth the Council of Chalcedone and alloweth of it let him be accursed Iohn of Cappadocia is not worthy that his name should be insert in this Catalogue a proud avaritious and ambitious heretique who could neuer behaue himselfe duetifully neither in a ciuile nor in a spirituall calling He was first the Emperour Anastatius his Deputie and was deposed for aspiring to an higher place Next hee became Patriarch of Constantinople and aspired to the dignitie of Oecumenicke and vniuersall bishop It is true that Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsurped the title of preheminence therefore this Ioannes Cappadox was laid aside as an Eutychian heretique and the great inuectiues against this vsurped authoritie are chiefly set against Ioannes Jeiunator But marke how Pelagius 2. ere Gregorius tramped vpon this pride with a proud mind as Diogenes did vpon the couering of Plato his bed he is not content to damne the decreet of the Councill of Constantinople but also hee affirmed that it was not lawfull to him to assemble a Councill without libertie first obtained from the bishop of Rome which thing no man spake before him so Sathan wrought mightily in them both as he doth in the children of pride and disobedience After him succeeded Iohn called Scholasticus and continued not aboue one yeere Evagrius calleth him Ioannes Sirmiensis lib. 4. cap. 39. To Iohn succeeded Epiphaenius in the dayes of Iustinian who blessed his armie which went to fight against the Vandales vnder the conduct of Belisarius he ministred 16. yeeres as Chytreus writeth The name of Anthimus is worthy of the rolle of obstinate heretiques He was bishop of Trapezus but by the meanes of Theodora the Emperour Instinians wife hee was promoted to be bishop of Constantinople Theodora was too busie in Church affaires and Sophia the wife of Iustinus 2. was too busie in civile affaires The estate both of Church and Kingdome had beene in better plight if both of them had bene lesse busie Anthimus beeing deposed and banished for herefie succeeded Menas who kept the true faith and gouerned the Church of Constantinople 16. yeere Evagrius reckoneth Basilides in the rolle of bishops of Constantinople and Anthimus to be bishop of Alexandria To Menas suceeded Eutychius of whome occasion will be offered to speake in the fift generall Councill wherein he disputed iuditiously in the question whether or not it was lawfull to excommunicate heretiques after their death His opinion anent the bodies of the Saintes after their resurrection that they should be subtle like vnto the aire and winde and not solide and palpable was refuted by Gregorius I. who proued by the example of CHRIST his body after his resurrection that the bodies of the Saintes should not be like vnto the aire and the winde for CHRIST saith Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue After Eutychius followed Iohn called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ieiunator this name he obtained by the sobrietie and temperancie of his life Notwithstanding when his stomacke was emptie of meat his heart was
are iustified by faith onely The Apostle wisely considered that no man could liue spiritually except hee had a fellowshippe with GOD. Againe there is no fellowshippe that mortall and sinfull men can haue with GOD without remission of sinnes Neither is there any remission of sinnes without 〈◊〉 Mediatour and Aduocate And wee can take no holde of this Mediatour except onely by faith so that by faith wee liue and by faith we are made iust in the sight of GOD. Then this place of Scripture teacheth vs that it is faith onely that leadeth vs vnto CHRIST in whome wee finde righteousnesse and life but by a due and competent order to wit by stripping vs naked of all conceate of our owne strength and righteousnesse to the ende wee may haue the greater delite in the saluation that is offered to vs in CHRIST Faith is not like vnto a robber who strippeth a mannaked without any purpose to clothe him with a better garment But faith doth to vs as the father of the forlorue sonne did to him and as the Angell of GOD did to IEHOSVA the high Priest Both these were vnclothed of their beggerly rayments but onely of purpose to clothe them with better apparell so doth faith strippe vs naked of all vaine conceate of our owne righteousnesse to the ende it may leade vs to the wardrope of GOD there to bee cladde with the garment of the righteousnesse of CHRIST which is able to couer our nakednesse and to present vs holy blamelesse and vndefiled before his father Before I leaue the wordes of the Prophet HABACCVK let vs yet againe ponder the Emphaticke worde Behold for by seeing and hearing some good lessons may bee learned Beholde men who haue leaned vpon the staffe of GOD in our owne time how peaceably haue they concluded their dayes with SIMEON reioycing that they had scene the saluation of GOD. And on the other side men who haue leaned to their own righteousnesse albeit only in a part what agonie trouble of conscience haue they found in their last battell vntill they haue forsaken all confidence in their owne merits and leaned onely vnto the merites of the passion of our sweet LORD and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST The Papistes in our COVNTRIE for the most part haue beene like vnto the fishes called Amphbia which can liue both in the Sea and on the Land but when any man approaches neere to doe them harme they trust more to the sca than to the land euen so when the terrors of death beginnes to shake our countrey people then they leaue confidence in their owne merites and betake themselues vnto the deepe Ocean sea of the mercies of GOD in IESVS CHRIST In the second heade I promised to speake of the difference betwixt Iustification Sanctification betwixt the righteousnes of the Law and the Gospell Our Iustification is a free forgiuenes of our sinnes for CHRISTS sake and a free imputation of his righteousnesse to vs. Our Sanctification is an inherent holinesse begunne in vs by the operation of GODS Spirit to bee a testimonie that wee are in CHRIST The not obseruing of the difference betwixt these two hath beene and as yet is the ground of great errours True it is that these two gifts are freely bestowed vpon vs at one and the selfe-same time yet are they distinct in order of causes because Iustification is the ground from whence Sanctification as an effect doth flow And like as the starres called Pleiades or Vergiliae they doe arise and manifest themselues vnto the worlde all at one time yet are they distinct starres and Electra is not Alcinoe nor Alcinoe Celeno nor Celeno Mâ—…ia And the like may bee spoken of the other tâ—…ree whose apparition and disparition albeit it bee inseparable yet are they distinct starres Euen so Iustification and Sanctification are inseparably linked together yet are they two distinct giftes of GOD. I will vse yet another similitude for declaration of the same purpose If a sword be laide into the fire vntill the mettall thereof be firie coloured this sworde at one time hath two powers one to cut and another to burne yet is not cutting burning nor burning cutting but these two distinct powers are at one time inseparably in one subiect Euen so are wee at one and the selfe same time both iustified and sanctified yet are they still two different giftes of GOD. Nowe the doctrine of Iustification rightly taught is our cihefe incouragement to Sanctification and on the other parte the doctrine of Sanctification rightly taught giueth vnto vs the greatest assurance of our Iustification A man who is assured that his sinnes are freely forgiuen that hee is beloued of GOD in CHRIST yea and that hee hath put on CHRIST as the Apostle speaketh he may with courage and gladnesse addresse himselse to lead an holy life being fully perswaded that GOD will accept of his willing obedience albeit it can not be perfect in all points so long as wee dwell into this sinsull tabernacle And on the other side when the spirit of sanctification worketh in our members it is a token that we are incorporated into the stocke of CHRIST by true faith For like as the spirit of man quickneth no member that is cut off from his bodie euen so the spirit of CHRIST worketh not true sanctification in any person who is not made a member of Christes body by true iustifying faith For this cause the Romane Church blames vs vndeseruedly as though by teaching that we are iustified only by faith we had impaired the zeale of the people in doing of good workes To this I answere that more credite is to be giuen to the holy Apost PAVL who was taught in all trueth immediatly by Christ himselfe nor to the calumnies of the aduersaries of the doctrine of grace for the Apostle exhorting the Romanes to agodly conuersation he saith I beseech you brethren sor the mercies of God that yee offer vp your bodies an holy liuely and acceptable sacrifice to God and what mercies are those I pray you whereof the Apostle speaketh but the mercies whereof hee hath intreated in the former parte of that Epistle to wit GOD hath freely elected vs he hath freely instified vs he hath freely sanctified vs and hee shall freely in his appointed time glorifie vs. Nowe in regard of all these mercies let vs endeuoure to leade a holy conuersation as it becommeth them who are partakers of so great mercies This holy exhortation could not haue beene drawne from a more pithie more persuasiue and mouing ground Therefore wee will walke in the footsteps of the holy Apostles and continue still exhorting the people to leade an holy conuersation in regarde of the rich mercies of GOD in CHRIST who hath freely elected them to eternall life and freely iustified them by faith in CHRIST alanerly Whereas they obiect that experience it selfe testifieth that people are not nowe so bent and readie to doe good
fauoured Theodorus others promoued Paschalis and neither of the parties would yeeld to the other In end the people thought expedient to reject them both and to choose some third person to the Popedome So they elected Sergius the first and carried him vpon their shoulders to the Church of Laterane In his time Iustinian the second gathered a Councell at Constantinople to perfect and finish the worke which his father had begunne Sergius refused to subscribe the Acts of the sixt generall Councell albeit his Ambassadour who was present at the Councell had subscribed them Of the consecrated Hostie hee ordained one part to be put into the Chalice to represent the bodie of Christ which was risen from death another part to be eaten to represent the bodie of Christ walking vpon the earth the third part to bee laide vpon the Altar vntill the ende of the Masse to represent the bodie of Christ lying in the Sepulchre He gou◅rned thirteene yeeres eight monethes and 24. dayes COncerning the Patriarches of Constantinople in this Centurie little mention is made of them because for the most part they kept not the right Faith but were intangled with heresie After Cyriacus Thomas and Ioannes and constantinus succeeded whose faith as vnspotted with anie blame of heresie hath an honest testimonie in Church rolles called Sacra diptytha Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus were miserablie infected with the heresie of the Monothelites Pyrrhus once recanted his heresie and was absolued from excommunication by pope Theodorus but hee returned incontinent againe as a dog to his vomite Pope Theodorus whē he excōmunicated him the second time vsed a new insolent forme of doing the like wherof was neuer heard at any time before for he infused some drops of the consecrated cup into inke writ a sentence of cursing against Pyrrhus Paulus also obtained at the hands of the Em. Constans edicts to be affixed in diuerse places whereby all men should be compelled to subscribe the errour of the Monothelites After them Petrus Theodorus albeit they maintained not the fore-mentioned heresie with so high and proude attempts as others had done yet they were addicted vnto it Georgius successor to Thcodorus in the 6. generall Councell had defended the errour of the Monoth but when he was clearly refuted by testimonies of Scripture by places cited out of the Fathers he yeelded embraced the true faith Callyni◅us ministred vnder the reigne of Iustinian 2. who demolished a Church neare approching to his palace builded an house of presence wherein the people might cherish the Em. Callinycus was compelled to consecrate the house by prayer but in regard he was enforced against his heart to pray he made his prayer short in this maner Giorie be to God who patiently comporteth with vs both now for euer Am◅n For this cause Iustinian hated Callynichus whē he returned back again from his 10. yeeres banishment he caused the eyes of Callyn to be put out sēt him to Rome there to remain in banishmēt IN Alexandria before the Saracenes vnder the conduct of Mahomet conquered the countrey of Aegypt few of note marke were to be found in that chaire After Eulogius Ioannes scribo continued in office only 2. yeeres After him Ioannes Eleemosynarius is highly commended for his liberalitie toward the poore Cyrus his successour was an her◅tique following the errour of the Monothelues He payed tribute to the Saracenes but when the Em. Heraclius wearied of the payment of tribute then all the countrey of Aegypt was possessed by the Saracenes which incursion of the Mahumetans albeit it cutted not off the personall succession of the patriarches of Alexandria yet it obscureth the cleare notice of their succession vnto vs who are farre distant from them IN Antiochia Anastasius Sinaita is found to haue beene bishop of Antiochia in the dayes of the Emperour Phocas Hee obtained this name to bee called Sinaita because hee had macerated himselfe with long fasting and with hard exercises of an heremiticall life vpon mount Sina anno 610. hee was slaine in a seditious commotion stirred vp by the Iewes who dwelt at Antiochia who slewe manie other Christians but they vttered great crueltie joyned with vile inhumanitie against Anastasius in whose mouth they cast the verie excrements of his owne bodie as the MAGDEBVRG historie recordeth citing the testimonie of Nicephorus After him another of that same name called likewise Anastatius succeeded was B. of Antiochia he was a Syrian a man of a subtile spirit who circumuened the Em. Heraclius for at the Em. command he subscribed the decrees of the Councell of Chalcedon only simulately for desire of preferment but after he had subscribed that two natures personally vnited were to be acknowledged in Christ he demanded of the Em. what he thought of the will operation of Christ whether was two willes operations in Christ or one will and one operation only The Em. troubled with the nou◅lty of the question consulted with Sergius B. of Constantinople who returned this answere to the Em. that one will one operation was to be acknowledged in Christ. The Em. Heraclius being circumuened by false deceitfull teachers was ashamed to forsake that opinion which hee had once condiscended vnto So this heresie of the Monothelites tooke deepe roote in the East vntill the time that God punishing the contempt of his truth suffered the Saracenes with their blasphemous Mahometon doctrine to be vniuersally ouer-spred in the East To Anastatius succeeded Macarius a most obstinate defender of the heresie of the Monothelites for the which cause he was both excommunicated and deposed in the sixt generall Councell and Theophanius an Abbor in Sicile was made bishop of Antiochia After him are reckoned Petrus Thomas and Ioannes without anie further discourse except a bare commemoration of their names THE Church of Ierusalem in this age was pitifullie defaced as lying nearest to the incursions of strong enemies both Persians and Sa◅cenes Zacharias Bishop of Ierusalem was carried captiue by Cosroes king of Persia and remained a prisoner for the space of fourteene yeeres In ende he was restored to his former dignitie at that time when the Emperour Heraclius ouercame Cosroes in warre-fare and recouered the Crosse of Christ againe which the Persians had spoyled and taken out of Ierusalem This came to passe in the yeere of our Lord 624. To Zacharias succeeded Sophronius of a Monke He was made Patriarch of ◅erusalem Hee lacked not his owne commendation in the sixt generall Counce◅l as one who kept the true Faith inuiolablie Hee was present in Ierusalem when Haumar Prince of Saracenes entered into the Towne and Temple and he was a beholder of the last desolation of the Church in that Towne OF OTHER PASTORS AND DOCTORS IN this CENTVRIE there is great scarsitie of learned men yet that which was inlacking in l◅arning it must bee supplied one way or other Some were
Socrates also in his Ecclesiasticall Historie writeth of Eusebius Emisenus an Arrian Heretique vnder the reigne of Constantius who had the gift of working miracles And Platina writeth of miracles wrought at the sepulchre of Rhotaris king of Lombardis an Arrian prince Yea and the Apostle Paul saieth if I had all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Nowe what wisedome is it to count working of miracles one of the principall notes of the true Church of Christ. which is found also in the kingdome of the Antichrist and amongst Heretiques amongst them who in the sight of God are counted nothing if we taught a doctrine either in substaÌ„ce or forme different from the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles it were good reason that we should confirme it with new miracles But if wee teach no doctrine except the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles then is that ancient doctrine alreadie sufficientlie confirmed by ancient miracles wrought by Christ his Apostles Nowe let vs set forward to the purpose and let vs speake of the false miracles whereby the kingdome of the Antichrist was aduanced and that through the mightie operation of Sathan for like as Achab is saide to haue consented to the death of Naboth because the letters which procured his death were sealed with his ring Euen so Sathan liked well the aduancement of the Antichrist because he set himself to worke by many lying miracles to aduance the kingdome of the Antichrist Before the 600. yeere of our Lord when the way was preparing for the Uniuersall Bisshop was not the worshipping of the Crosse confirmed in Apamea by the fiâ—…e which shined about Thomas bishop there and burned him not The towne of Edessa was thought to bee saued by the picture of Christ dipped in water which picture was alledged to haue beene sent to King Agbarus The towne of Sergiopolis to haue beene sâ—…ued by the reliques of the martyr Sergius But after the 600. yeere of our Lord false miracles were so multiplied that it would be tedious to reade the shortest abridgement of them that could bee compiled The miracles wrought by the reliques of Sainct Oswald King of ENGLAND written by Beda The miracles wrought by the reliques of Iohn Baptist written by Sigebertus and of S. Sebastian written by Paulus Diaconus The miracles of the popes Deus dedit and pope Agatho written by Platina The miracles of S. Dionyse S. Maurice and S. Martine who miraculously deliuered the soule of Dagoberius King of France out of the handes of euill spirites written also by Platina The miracle of Immas a captiue and a prisoner in ENGLAND whome no bandes could binde because his brother beeing a Priest and supposing that Immas had beene slaine in the battell and that his soule had beene in purgatorie hee made prayers to GOD and saide Masse oft times for reliefe of his brothers soule the benefite whereof as Beda supposeth redounded to the weale of Immas soule and bodie O foolishe fable and yet thought worthie by master Brestow by a newe coÌ„memoration thereof to be kept in continuall remembrance To bee short the Legendes Portuses Festiuals Promptuaries Sermones and other bookes of the Romane Church which are all stuffed so full that nothing almoste is thought to bee sufficiently proued that is not confirmed by a number of false and friuolous miracles all these I saye clearely prooue in what account false miracles were and are in the kingdome of the Antichrist Euery man who is a judicious Reader may consider that I leaue this point not for lâ—…cke of aboundance of matter but for feare to offende the Reader with superfluitie of miracles vnworthie to bee rehearsed The thirde cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is set downâ—… in the 10. verse in these wordes In all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perishe In which wordes the Apostle pointeth out vnto vs three thinges First that the marke and butte whereat the Antichrist shooteth is vnrighteous Secondly the meanes whereby hee endeuoureth to attaine vnto his intended purpose are deceitfull and thirdly that the deceitfulnesse of the Antichrist shall not hurt the elect of God but onely them that perish The principall butte and ende whereat they aimed continually was superioritie and preheminence aboue their brethren The deceitfull meanes whereby they attained to that preheminence were flatterie lies and fâ—…lse accusations of good men They flattered the Emperours Phocas and Basilius They falsified the actes of the Councell of Nice for excessiue desire to bee counted judges of appellations They accused the bishops of Rauenna moste falsely of the Heâ—…esie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not content with superioritie ouer their brethren they aimed continually at the honour due to Christ that is to bee law-giuers in the Church of God This was a matter of greater difficultie to bee brought to passe for albeit a man may climbe vp vnto the toppe of the highest mountaine in the worlde yet can hee not reach his hand aboue the Sunne and Moone and the glistering lightes of the firmament Euen so when all the Bishops in the worlde are casten vnder the feete of the Bishops of ROME howe dare they presume with sacrilegious boldenesse to make themselues companions to CHRIST and to bee Lawe-giuers in the Church By deceiueable meanes also this vnrighteousnesse behooued to bee brought to passe for a false opinion was setled in the heartes of the people That in matters of Faith the Bishop of ROME coulde not erre So ignorant people bewitched with vaine hopes without all due examination receiued all their ordinances howe repugnant soeuer they were to the ordinances of CHRIST The last cause wherefore the ANTICHRIST shall preuaile so mightilie is the power of the wrath of GOD justlie punishing the contempt of His trueth in the worlde The contempt of mercie deserueth punishment and the contempt of great mercie deserueth great punishment Nowe it is certaine that amongst all the rich treasures of the mercie of GOD CHRIST is the greatest with whome and for whose sake all other thinges are giuen as the Apostle PAVL speaketh in the eight Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes and the thirtie and two verse And seeing CHRIST is manifested to the worlde by the preaching of the Gospell the contempt thereof is an vtter rejecting of CHRIST And what wonder is it that GOD suffer them to bee deluded with errours who will not belecue the trueth of His worde The strong delusions or efficacie of errour as the GREEKS worde soundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather to bee referred to the ostentation of signes and wonders than to the power of the doctrine that shall bee vnder the ANTICHRIST for it is saide In the Gospell according to Sainct MATTHEW in the twentle and fourth Chapter and the twentie and fourth verse thereof There shall arise false christes and false prophets and shall shewe great signes and wonders so that if it
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