bold reprover of Kings he became a shameless flatterer of Popes for he is said to have first moved the decree in Gratian. dist 40. cap. Si quis if a Pope carry with him innumerable souls into Hell no man ought to say unto him What doest thou He spoke so and afterwards the Popes did aim at exemption from censure untill they did attain it he had from Rome a power Legantine in Germany neither preached he only unto the Heathens but did corrupt several Provinces where Christ had been preached as Thuringia Argentina c. with Roman Manicheism condemning some meats forbidding marriage of Priests and permitting to have Nuns or Whores urging the worship of images in a word his care was not so much for Christianism as for Papism for he writ unto Pope Zachary saying How few soever Disciples God giveth me in this my charge I cease not to incline them to the obedience of the Apostolick See he caused the Monastery of Eulda to be built in favour of English men and was killed at Borna being suspected of a conspiracy 5. Many did preach and write against him and his superstitions as Adelbert The opposers of his Rites a French Bishop and Sidonius an Arch-Bishop of Bavaria Samson a Scot Bishop of Auxerre and Virgilius an Irish man Bishop of Juvavia as Nauclerus and Aventine do record Boniface dilateth them unto Pope Zachary and as Bern. Lutzenburg in Catol writeth the Pope in a Synod at Rome condemneth them depriveth them of their Priesthood and excommunicateth them before they were heard and when they sought to be heard and plead their cause in a Synod Boniface denied access unto them and said Excommunicated men should not be admitted into a Synod nor have the benefit of the Law So partly by tyranny of the Pope and partly by authority of Pipin Boniface did oppress all his adversaries Catal. test ver ex vita Bonifac. Particularly one Clemens did reprove Boniface 1. That he did so advance the authority of the Roman Bishop seeing all Teachers are equally successours of the Apostles 2. That he condemned the marriage of Priests 3. That he did speak too much for the Monkish life 4. That he had anointed the King of France contrary to the undoubted right of the Merovei 5. That he appointed Masses for the dead and other new Rites unknown in the Church heretofore Aventin Annal. lib. 3. Epist Zachar. ad Bonif. in tom 2. Concil 6. Albine or Alcwin had good knowledge of the Latine and Greek languages Alcwin and his doctrines Charls the Great calleth him his Master in an Epistle written unto him deseptuages sexages Biblioth de la Bigne tom 3. where are some of his works On Ps 51. he writeth thus It is said unto the Father Then wilt thou accept the sacrifice of righteousness that is the most glorious passion of the Son who offered himself a sacrifice for all men that they might attain salvation which the world did not deserve by their works Ibid. When I look on my self I find nothing in me but sin thy righteousness must deliver me it is thy mercy and not my merits that saveth me we are quickned by the mercy of God in the name of our Saviour and not by our merits In his works he often useth the word merite but here we may see in what sence he and others do understand it On the fourth poenit Ps I could defile my self but I cannot cleanse my self unless thou Lord Jesu do cleanse me by sprinkling thy holy blood No good can be in us unless it be thy working grace who hast made us On Ps 118. Thou hast made me to be desirous of thy Commandments make me also able to do help that I may do what thou commendest and give what thou commandest And in another place Free-will abideth as yet in men by nature that in whom God willeth he may be pleased to make free by grace that they have not an evil will for since the first man by free-will was sold under sin the freedom of man is evil because the goodness of the will is taken away from the free-will which goodness none can have of himself unless he have it being helped by the grace of God's mercy without whose help free-will can neither turn unto God nor make any progress unto God He hath the like words in lib. 2. de Trinit cap. 8. On Eccles cap. 1. The Sun Christ inlightneth all things with the splendour and vertue of his spiritual grace in whose punishment is our salvation he ariseth to them who believe in him and he goeth down to every unbeliever Ibid. cap. 3. We should rejoice in this spiritual pleasure of meat and drink not only in the Sacrament but in reading the Holy Scriptures also where we may eat and drink of the Tree of life Ibid. cap. 7. Let us consider the works of God how great and wondrous they are and how in his free mercy he hath chosen one and in his just judgement he despiseth another as it is written of the Twins I have loved Jacob and hated Esau In Praefa lib. 1. de Trinit We should all pray that the Catholick faith which only quickneth mankind and only doth sanctifie may be truly fixed in the hearts of all men by one confession Ca. 1. Although we be thrown down from the joy of blessed felicity into the miserable blindness of this exile for the just punishment of original sin yet we are not so cut off that even in this changable and temporary estate we know not to seek and desire eternity truth and blessedness which is clear in that we have not a will to die nor be deceived nor be miserable whence is this natural instinct that all men would be blessed although this appetite is diversly in the minds of particular persons some think to be blessed in riches The whole divine Scriptures exhort us to be lifted up from earthly unto heavenly things where is true and eternal blessedness unto which it is most certain that none can attain but by the faith of the Catholick peace In Praefa lib. 2. All the authority of the holy books serve unto us to make us believe rightly of God and to love him with all our heart but the sight of man's mind is not able to behold the most excellent light of God's Majesty unless it be inlightned by the brightness of the righteousness of faith and love through the gift of God's grace therefore we should pray for the grace of God that the ey of our heart may be cleansed to see how properly the Trinity is the one and only and true God and how rightly the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit is said understood and beleeved to be one and the same substance Lib. 3. cap. 1. What did the human nature in the man Christ deserve that it should be assumed into the unity of the person of the only Son of God what good will what desire of
he leaveth others in their wickedness and hath condemned them unto everlasting death In the Preface before 3 Reg. In all things we have need of aid from the Holy Spirit In 4 Reg. cap. 19. Whosoever by true faith toucheth the death of Christ and truly laieth hope on him shall without doubt be pertaker of his resurrection Catal. test ver lib. 10. 8. Raban Magnentius otherwise surnamed Maurus was famous in the University of Paris for Poesie Rhetorick Astronomy others Philosophy and Theology unto whom neither Germany nor Italy brought forth an equal saith Trithemius He became Abbot of Fulda where he was born and there he writ Commentaries on all the Books of the Bible His Monks were offended that he did so study the Scriptures and did not attend their Revenues as Trithem writeth therefore after 24 years he gave place to their anger and left the Abbey but they besought him to return and he would not but did abide with the Emperour Lewis untill Otgar Bishop of Ments died and Raban succeeded Tho. Walden in the daies of Pope Martin the V. reckoned him and Herebald or Reginbald Bishop of Altisiodor amongst Hereticks because they favoured Bertram Out of some of his works I have picked out these passages In Eccles lib. 4. cap. 7 he saith In meditating and reading The perfection of Scripture the Holy Scriptures we should be wary neither to add any thing to that which is written nor take away from those things which are comprehended by the Authours of Divine Scriptures in those books but we should thing of them with the highest veneration and with all our strength fullfill the commandments thereof Ibid. cap. 1 Man can now be saved no other way but by the death of Jesus Christ who is our Redeemer Ibid. lib. 5. cap. 5 The foundation A sure foundation which the Apostle Paul hath laied is one the Lord Jesus Christ upon this foundation both firm and stable and strong in it self is the Church of Christ builded In Ier. lib. 18. cap. 2. Lest they would say Our fathers were Against merits accepted for merits and therefore did they receive great things from God he adjoineth this was not for their merits but because it so pleased God whose free gift it is whatsoever he bestoweth De modo satisfact cap. 2. 17. Whatsoever one remembreth that he hath done wickedly let him declare it Confession unto the Priest by confession but if thou art ashamed to reveal thy sins before men cease not with continual supplications to confess them unto him from whom they cannot be hid and say Against thee only have I sinned he useth to heal not publishing thy shame and to forgive sin without upbraiding De Eucharist cap. 24. Behold what these two Sacraments do by Two Sacraments baptism we are regenerate in Christ and by the Sacrament of the body and blood regeneration is proved to continue not only by faith but by unity of flesh and blood Here he speaks but of two Sacraments and so he calleth them expressly But de Institut Cleric lib. 1. cap. 31. one may think that he speaks of more Sacraments for he saith Because we have spoken of more Sacraments Baptism and Chrism it remaineth that we speak of the other two that is of the body and blood of Christ But when he calleth the body and blood of Christ two Sacraments it is clear that he calleth the two elements two Sacraments and that is improperly And in cap. 28. of the forenamed book When the baptized person ascends out of the Fount immediately he is signed in the face by the Presbyter with holy chrism here he speaketh not of extream unction as they now speak but of an appendix of baptism as they were wont in those daies and this he calleth improperly another Sacrament but in that chap. de Eucharist he speaketh properly and nameth two baptism and the body and blood of Christ Ibid. cap. 41. And The signs are distinguished from the thing signified because he Christ according to the flesh must pierce the heavens to the end those who by faith are renued and born again in him might more earnestly and confidently long after him he hath left unto us this Sacrament as a visible figure and resemblance a sign and seal of his body and blood that by these things our minds and our bodies by faith may be more plenteously nourished to partake of invisible and spiritual things now it is the sign which we outwardly see and feel but that which is inwardly received is all substance and truth and no shadowing or resemblance and therefore there is nothing but truth and the Sacrament of the very flesh of Christ which is manifested unto us for the very flesh of Christ which was crucified and buried even the Sacrament of that true flesh it is which by the Priest upon the Altar through the word of Christ and power of the Holy Spirit is consecrated and hallowed See how Raban distinguishes that which is received outwardly and inwardly in the Sacrament and he calleth the outward part a visible figure and representation a sign and seal of the body and blood and that which is received inwardly is no shadow or resemblance but substance and truth even the very body of Christ which was crucified and as he saith in the first part of this testimony which hath pierced the Heavens De Institut Cleric lib. 2. cap. 30. Satisfaction is to exclude the occasions and suggestions of sin or not to commit sin again Reconciliation is that which is done after repentance for as we are reconciled unto God when we are converted first from gentilism so we are reconciled when after sin we return Lib. 2. cap. 57. He hath the Confession that was professed at that time saying 9. This is next unto the Creed of the Apostles the most certain faith A confession of faith which our Teachers have given That we should profess the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit of one essence of one power and sempiternity one invisible God so that the propriety of persons being reserved unto each one neither the Trinity should be divided substantially nor confounded personally to confess also that the Father is unbegotten the Son is the only begotten and the Holy Spirit is neither begotten nor unbegotten but proceedeth from the Father and from the Son that the Son proceedeth from the Father by generation the Holy Spirit not begotten but proceeding also that the Son did assume of the Virgin perfect manhood without sin that whom of his goodness only he had created of his mercy he might restore after he was fallen who verily was crucified and rose again the third day and with the same flesh being glorified he ascended into Heaven in the which flesh he is expected to come and judge the quick and the dead and that Christ in one person beareth both the divine and the human nature being perfect in both because neither the
and countrie but I dare not inclose the omnipotencie of God in narrow bounds and restrain him in a little part of the earth whom the Heaven cannot comprehend Every one of the believers are weighed not according to the diversitie of places but by excellencie of faith and true worshippers do adore the Father neither at Jerusalem nor on mount Garizim because God is a Spirit and his worshippers must worship him in spirit and truth the spirit bloweth where he pleaseth the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof since the Fleece of Judea is dried up and all the World is wet with the dew of Heaven and many comming from the East and West are set down in the bosom of Abraham God hath ceased to be known in Juda only and his name to be great in Israel but the sound of the Apostles hath gone thorow all the World and their words unto the ends of the earth Our Saviour being in the Temple said unto his Disciples Arise let us go hence and unto the Jews Your house shal be left desolate seeing Heaven and Earth shall pass away certainly all earthly things shall pass away therefore the places of the Cross and Resurrection are profitable unto them who bear their Cross and they rise with Christ daily who shew themselves of so great habitation Moreover they say The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord let them hear from the Apostle Ye are the Temple of the Lord and the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you both from Jerusalem and from Brittan is the gate of Heaven equally patent Antonius and all the multitude of Monks of Aegypt Mesopotamia Pontus Cappadocia and Armenia have not seen Jerusalem and without this Citie the gate of Paradise is patent unto them Blessed Hilarion although he was born and lived in Palestina saw Jerusalem but one day only that he might not seem to despise the holy places for their vicinitie nor yet include the Lord in one place You will say Why go I so far off To the end thou shouldest know that nothing is deficient to thy faith though thou hast not seen Jerusalem and that thou think not us the better that we enjoy the habitation of this place but whether here or there thou shalt have alike reward according to thy works Augustine also in his book de morib eccl cathol cap. 34. complaineth that many did adore graves and pictures and some did drink upon the dead and luxuriously burie themselves upon the buried which abuses the Church indeavoureth daily to amend Agreeable unto this complaint is that passage in Gregorie lib. 9. Ep. 71. Whereas the English were wont to sacrifice Oxen to their Gods and on that day they did feast and make merrie Gregorie adviseth Way was given unto rites for a time Augustine to turn that Divelish solemnitie into a feast of dedication or birth-day of some Martyr and then to kill the Oxen not to the Divel but to praise God when they did eat to the end that the hard-hearted people be not discouraged for want of a merrie day to forsake their idolatrie and because they who will climb high must go by degrees And lib. 12. Ep. 31. speaking of the English he saith according to the Apostle who saith I gave you milk to drink and not strong food I have yeelded now these things unto them but not to be held or continued in after-times lest the good which is lately planted and yet but of a tender root be pulled up but rather being begun may be strengthned and carried to more perfection Truly if those things that we have done be otherwise then we should have done know thou that it was not done for the thing it self but by commiseration Whence it appears that not only these feasts at the graves but many other rites came into the Church by condescending unto the rudeness of the Gentiles and they who at first did indulge them did not simply allow these rites but would by degrees bring the people unto the Christian faith and they would not have used them if the rude people would have imbraced the puritie of God's worship But afterwards especially in the Western Churches religion did consist for the most part in such rites and if people would observe these little care was to inform them in the faith Then as in the preceding 200. years people had affection towards Jerusalem so when the Bishop of Rome was called the Universal Bishop people forgat Jerusalem for a space and looked towards Rome and would go thither to confess their sins as we will find more particularly and yet even then many did reprove it as followeth for the present I will add but one testimonie of Bernard in Ep. 113. ad Lelbert Abbat S. Michae saying This your son having forsaken by my counsel his peregrination though he undertook it by your licence hath returned for when we knew that he had attempted it in levitie and you had yeelded because of his importunitie we reproved him sharply as he was worthy and perswaded him to return repenting so far as we could guess of his levitie and improbitie and promising amendment hereafter we judging righteously that howsoever one be guiltie he should exerce repentance in his own Monasterie rather then by going from Province to Province for the purpose of Monks is not to seek the earthly but heavenly Jerusalem and that not by walking on foot but by amending in affections thus Bernard And when the worship of Saints and reliques was once received it was easie for Priests to perswade pilgrimages unto this or that monument either for pennance or some special remedie to be found there more than in another place Bellarm. de cult Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 20. Of this hear Pol. Vergil saying We read not go to any part of the earth to seek God who is everie where but some have no such intention but rather go to behold the image of some Saint never thinking in all their journey of God far contrarie to the worship that was prescribed by the Fathers Against such men may well be applied that of Persius O souls prone to the earth and void of Heaven Why should we use such rites in our Churches and in the way they feed themselves delicatelie and lest they wax sad they have with them some Pleasant I will not say their Whores or Mistresses to cause them to laugh and tell them merrie sports as it were to refresh their wearied minds O vain travel we should sojourn that being sequestred from domestick cares which divert us from thinking upon the other life to dart the bodie and cause it to do service unto reason and give unto the poor as Christ commandeth Vergil in Interpret Orat. Dom. 9. Out of what is said may be partlie seen what was the estate of the Western Of Monks Church in the daies of Pope Gregorie the I. and that after him a thicker mist arose out of the Sea as indeed puritie of Doctrine perished
Provence or Narbone and Lorain and a part of Burgundy which with Italy and the Title of Emperour appartaineth to Lotharius Platin. in Serg. Sigonius de reg Ital. lib. 5. addeth As much as was taken from the power of France so much the more waxed the power and liberty of the Italians that is the Popes For before Lotharius was crowned the people and clergy of Rome did chuse and consecrate Pope Sergius the II. not respecting the consent of the Emperour and some Cities in Italy were talking that they would be no more in subjection unto French blood Then Lotharius designeth his son Lewes for his successour and went together unto Rome On the way he exerceth security on some Cities who had made shew of Rebellion when he approached unto Rome the Citizens came forth to meet him after them came the Priests with their Crucifixes and sing Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the most high and they convoy him unto the steps of Saint Peter where Pope Sergius was waiting they kissed each other Nauclerus and Platina say no more of their courtesie Sigonius saith Lotharius kissed his holy foot but this is falsly added for Baronius would not have omitted that particular who saith ad An. 844. ex Anastas They embraced one another and the King held the Pope's right hand they went together unto the Silver-gate Then said Sergius If thou comest in peace and for the utility of the Christian Common-Wealth and not for rapine come in but if thou be otherwise minded remember that thou hast above thee a revenger of all wickedness Platin. The Emperor biddeth him to be of good courage and so they went forward They sate down on their knees and gave thanks unto God and Saint Peter that no harm was for they were afraid that the Emperour would have done there as he had done by the way After eight daies Sergius declared Lotharius King of Italy anointed him and put the Crown upon his head The Sarazens were glad that the Empire was divided and entring into Italy they took Barri and other Cities which they kept 30. years Lotharius had no Martial spirit and being weary of government he divided the Empire again To his second son Lotharius he gave that part of France which from his name was called Lotharingia or Lorain to his youngest son Charls he gave Provence and Languedoc and to his eldest son Lewes he gave Italy with A decay of Discipline in the Church the Title of Emperour together with this charge that because the discipline of the Church which was so well prescribed by his father and grand-father was now failed therefore so soon as he could have peace he should assemble the Nobility and Clergy and by his authority restore the same unto its former integrity Io Lampad in Mellif and he did impute his infelicity unto his own iniquity and with sorrow did remember his attempts against his father he entred into a Monastery and died An. 855. Pet. Mexia Theodora the Widow of Theophilus governed the Eastern Empire 14. years she set up Images and restored the Bishops and others whom her husband had banished or imprisoned Her son Michael coming to age closed her in a Monastery Zonar He threatned the Pope that he would come and cast down Rome if he did not cast Images out of the Churches he was the only Prince that durst give Battel unto the Sarazens in Italy but his Captain was overthrown by them After this Battel they raised a greater Army and had made a prey of Italy if God had not by a stormy wind drowned their Navy except a few ships which returned to Affrick They repaired their forces and return the third time they wast Italy and besiege Rome till Pope Leo gave them Battel as followeth After Michael succeeded his Uncle Michael Bardas 5. LEWES the II. had only the Kingdom of Italy with the Title of Emperour Weak in power and magnanimous and had his manure now at Pavia then at Millan but oftest at Rome in the Palace of Saint Peter and the Pope lodged at S. Apostolos Continuator Eutropij who lived at that time addeth Because this Emperour dwelt in Italy he exerced the more authority having in the City prudent men who knew the priviledges of the old Emperours and did intimate unto him that he should recover the ancient authority He entred with Arms into the lands of Benevento and sought to bring all the bounds of Italy under his command he expelled the Sarazens out of Barri When he returned to Rome the Pope gave him to understand that he did not sufficiently account of his Supremacy The Emperour sent him answer that he should not trouble himself seeing according to ancient Canons no Prelate can excommunicate a Bishop without consent of a Synod and the calling of Synods is in the power of the Emperour and not of the Pope When the Pope heard such an answer he went into Saint Peters and intreated the Emperour gently thenceforth they were more familiar and the Emperour's Court continued at Rome untill his death Lotharius King of Lorain died without succession An. 876. Basilius a man of mean birth but advanced by the Emperour Michael Bardas even to be partner of the Empire slue his Master and became Emperour alone His entring did not look well yet he relieved the Subjects of some Taxes he drove the Sarazens out of Slavonia and Dalmatia with the help of the Venetians and also out of Candy by his Captain and vexed them in Asia 6. CHARLES the Bald King of France and Lewes King of Germany Contest for the Empire strove for the Empire the one for his age and the other for his place seeing the Empire had been annexed to the Crown of France They went towards Rome Charls preveneth his brother and having agreed with Pope John the IX was crowned Lewes made many vows that he would take both Empire and Kingdom from him but was arrested with sickness at Franckford There he divided his Kingdom amongst his three sons to Lewes he gave Saxony Turingia Frisia and the Provinces within them with the Title King of East-France To Carloman he gave Bojaria Austria Bohem and Moravia with the Title of King of Bavaria To the third son Charls he gave Suevia Franconia with some parts of Lorain which he had taken after the death of Lotharius with the Title of King of Germany The Emperour thought to have catched advantage by this division and made speed against them but the brethren held together and caused him to return with shame The Sarazens entred again into Italy and besieged Capua Pope John advertiseth the Emperour and he expelleth them In the mean time his Nephews prepare against him and he returning to meet them was poisoned by a Jew his Physitian and died at Mantua in the third year of his reign 7. CHARLES the Fat King of Germany strove for the Empire Another contest for it and was crowned by
accept them as it pleased thee to aceept the gifts of thy righteous servant Abel and the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham These words did still untill the Reformation remain in the Canon of the Mass And on Paul's day the words of the Secretum were read We beseech thee O Lord sanctifie the gifts of the people by the prayers of thy blessed Apostle Paul that those things which are acceptable unto thee by thy institution may be more acceptable by the patrociny of him praying These and many other prayers of the Mass cannot otherwise be understood without blasphemy Then of the gifts of the people Cassander in Liturgic cap. 27. hath these words from Expositio Ordinis Romani All the people coming into the Church should sacrifice and ex Decretis Fabiani We ordain that on every Lord's day the oblation of the Altar be made by all the men and women both of Bread and Wine Again at first they were wont to communicate daily Cyprian de Orat. Domi. at the 4 petition saith We receive the Eucharist daily On these words Pammelius hath marked that the same custom continued at Rome and in Spain till the daies of Jerom and at Millan till Ambrose but had failed sooner in the East Church Augustine in his 118 Epistle sheweth the different custom of communicating in some places ofter and in others more seldom It may be thought that when Christians had place zeal did decrease and the people did not communicate so oft and so the offerings were the fewer Then the Fathers did complain of the rarity of Communicants and exhorted the people to communicate at least every Lord's day and did absolutely inveigh against their rarity as absurd and zeal-less and said that when they came it was not for thirst of grace or remorse of sin but for solemnity Chrysost on 1 Cor. 11. hom 28. These exhortations and reproofs prevailed not therefore an Act was made binding the people to communicate each Lord's day Gratian. de consecr dist 2. cap. Quotâ—die Neither was this order obeyed therefore was another that they should communicate thrice yearly at the Feasts of Christ's Nativity Resurrection and the Pentecost Ibid. cap. Saeculares For all this the people would not communicate so oft therefore a Law was made that all the people should communicate at Pasch And then daily communion was forgot amongst the people When the Priests saw that Laws would not move the people to communicate oft and to bring their offerings they devised another damnable means they taught the people that the Lord's Supper is not only a Sacrament and so profitable to them only but it is a Sacrifice to God and profitable to all the beholders of it and by their offerings they may find mercy and grace Yea lastly not to the offerers and beholders only but to all for whom the Priest offereth it as well absent as present whether alive or dead and at last both to the soul and all other necessities They were the more bold to teach so because the Fathers had improperly and dangerously called the Sacrament a Sacrifice And upon this doctrine was multiplied the riches and wealth of the Church by donations of prebendaries chanouries lands yearly revenues as is to be seen in their Charters I offer unto God the things contained in this clanter for the remission of my sins and of my Parents sins to maintain the service of God in Sacrifices and Masses They who have seen the Rights or Writs of Church-lands or revenues know this This doctrine took deep root for it was gainfull unto the Priests and easie unto the people for what can be thought more easie Men wallowing in sin hear a Mass and bring an offering to a Priest and get remission no searching of the heart nor mortification required this was not the streight way and who was not able to do it Nor can it be shewed that such doctrine was heard in the Church before the seventh Century to wit they give heed to lies and apparitions of deceiving spirits or deceitfull and feigned apparitions and so left the truth All that is spoken of this purpose declares that at first the action of offering was not the action of the Priest but of the people and the thing offered was not the Sacrament nor the Son of God but the gifts of the people as is manifest for in the daies of Pope Gregory the I the words a little from the beginning of the Canon are not Which we offer unto thee but Which each of them offer unto thee Afterwards the Priests turn them to their action and their action was called the sacrifice and all their prayers which before were in dedication of their offerings the Priests turn to the consecration of the Bread and Wine which the Priest and one with him do take This change is manifest by the Canon of the Mass whereof I have touched some words and namely Accept the gifts as thou didst accept the gifts of Abel Abraham and Melchisedek .... command that these things be carried by the hands of thy Angel unto the Altar above And when it was generally so called a Sacrifice Raban sheweth in what sense the best sort understand it De Institut Cleric lib. 1. cap. 31. Sacrificium dictum quasi sacrum factum .... that is a sacrifice is an holy action because by mystical prayer it is consecrated in remembrance of the Lord's passion And Thomas Aquin. part 3. qu. 83. art 1. The celebration of this Sacrament is called a Sacrifice for two causes first because as Augustin ad Simpli Images are called by the names of things whereof they are Images as looking to a Picture we say This is Cicero But the celebration of this Sacrament is a representative Image of the Passion of Christ who is the true Sacrifice Hence Ambrose on Hebr. cap. 10 By Christ was the Sacrifice once offered c. What therefore do we we do therefore every day offer in remembrance of his death Another way in respect of the effect of Christ's passion to wit because by this Sacrament we are made partakers of the fruit of the Lord's suffering and therefore in a secret Dominical Prayer it is said How oft the commemoration of this Sacrifice is celebrated the work of our redemption is exerced And therefore saith he in respect of the first way it may be said that Christ was offered even in the figures of the Old-Testament as it is said Apoc. 13. the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World but in respect of the other way it is proper unto this Sacrament because Christ is offered in celebration thereof So far he If he and many others who have written the like had beleeved that the Sacrament is properly a Sacrifice or else the same Sacrifice with Christ's suffering or an iteration of it why did they not teach so in express words Therefore we may conclude that for 1300 years they thought not the Sacrament to be a Sacrifice properly but did
said he may easily understand who will compare the new Divines with the ancient both Latine and Greek So far Berald Out of these two testimonies observe that Theophylact doth agree with the Ancients before him as Chrysostom Basilius and others of those ages whom he often quoteth and doth disagree from the multitude of Preachers in the Roman Church about the year 1533. Where then is their frequent gloriation of the constancy and unity of the Roman Church with the Ancient Fathers Hear then what Theophylact saith in the Articles of controversie in those daies In Prolog before Evang. Matth. he saith Because heresies were to bud forth which are ready to wast our manners it was thought necessary that the Gospels should be written to the end that we learning truth out of them should not be deceived with the lies of heresies and our manners should not altogether be undone On Cap. 13. near the end speaking of Christ and his mother he saith The mother would shew some human thing that she had power over her son for as yet she had no great thoughts of him and therefore while he was yet speaking she would draw him unto her Porsena here addeth on the margine Lege cautè To wit he saw that these words are against the Tenets of Rome that the Virgin was free from all sin and by right of her mother-hood she can command her son On Cap. 16. Because Peter had confessed that Jesus is the son of God he said that this confession which he had confessed shall be the foundation of Beleevers so that every man which shall build the house of faith shall lay this foundation for although we build many vertues and have not this foundation a right confession we do build unprofitably ..... They have power of binding and forgiving who receive the gift of Episcopacy or oversight as Peter did for although it was said unto Peter I will give unto thee nevertheless it was granted unto all the Apostles When when he said Whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven For when he said I will give he signifieth the time coming that is after the resurrection ...... When Peter speaks rightly Christ calleth him blessed but when he feareth without reason and will not have him to suffer he lasheth him and saith Go behind me Satan In Luc. cap. 2. Bishops should keep their Flock and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sing in the field sing spiritual things and teach the people and hear divine visions and sayings Bethleem is the house of bread and what other is the house of bread but the Church in which bread is provided it is therefore the duty of spiritual Shepheards to seek heavenly bread which when they have seen they must preach it unto others ..... The things whereof the Scripture is silent we should not inquire On Cap. 16. Nothing is so profitable as diligent searching of the Scriptures the Divel may falsely and apparently make a search of the dead to deceive the unwise and from Hell he may sow doctrine according to his wickedness but those who do duly search the Scriptures nothing can delude them for the Scriptures are a lantern and light which when it shines the theef is found and made manifest therefore we should beleeve them and not regard the rising of the dead And a little before he saith As it is impossible for any man to pass from the company of the just into the place of sinners so it is impossible as Abraham teacheth us to pass from the place of punishment into the place of the just .... The bosom of Abraham is the possession of good things which are prepared for the just passing from the Waves of the Sea into the Haven of Heaven On Ioh. cap. 1. The new Testament is called grace because God gives freely unto us not only remission of sins but the adoption of children And it is called truth because whatsoever the Fathers saw in figure or spoke He hath here preached these clearly ........... Here we learn that the miracles of Christ's childhood are but feigned and lies and made up by them who would scorn the mystery for if these had been true how could the Lord have been unknown which wrought them for it is no way likely that he was not famous which did such miracles But it is not so for before he was baptized he wrought no signs neither was he known On Cap. 3. If thou knowest not the wind which is a Spirit subject to sense how searchest thou curiously of regeneration by the Spirit of God how and from whom it is breathed If this spirit cannot be comprehended far less is the grace of the Holy Ghost subject to the laws of nature Confounded therefore be Macedonius the fighter against the Holy Ghost and Eunomius before him for he would make the Spirit a servant although he hear in this place that the Spirit bloweth whither it will far rather hath the Holy Ghost a more free motion and doth work where he willeth and after what manner he willeth ...... When thou hearest that the Son of man came down from Heaven think not that his flesh came down from Heaven this did Apollinarius teach that Christ had a body from Heaven which did pass thorow the Virgin as thorow a Conduit But because Christ is one person consisting in two natures therefore whatsoever belongs to the Man-hood is spoken of the Word and again what belongs unto the Word is spoken of the Man So here the Son of Man is said to come down from Heaven because He is one person and again lest when ye hear it said The Son of Man came down you would think that he is not in Heaven He saith even he which is in Heaven for do not think that I am not there because I came down but both am I here bodily and I sit there as God with the Father ..... Here we learn that the old Testament is like or of the same nature with the new and there is but one giver of the old and new Testament although Marcion and Manicheus and that rabble of Hereticks deny it He teacheth also that since the Jews beholding the brazen Serpent did escape death far rather we looking on him which was crucified and beleeving shall escape the death of the soul ..... Adam died justly because he sinned but the Lord died unjustly because he had not sinned .... and because he died unjustly he overcame him by whom he was killed and so delivered Adam from death which was laid justly upon him On Cap. 6. Diligent faith is a guide unto good works and good works do conserve faith for both works are dead without faith and faith without works ....... He saith I am the bread of life he saith not I am the bread of nourishment but of life for when all things were dead Christ maketh us alive by himself who is that bread in so far as we beleeve that the leaven of mankind is heated by the fire
just and I suffer for the sins of my youth but ye are not guiltless and because ye do contrary unto your Oath ye shall not escape the hand of the just avenger and your portion shall be with him who betraied his Master They stopped their ears and departed with the Royal Ornaments Alb. Crantz in Saxon. lib. 5. cap. 20. saith Some report these circumstances another way Thereafter they sent him as Prisoner to Ingelheim where he was advertised that they were talking of cutting off his head wherefore he made an escape and went to Leodium as appears in Epist Henrici Regi Celtar in Fascic rer expet There he was entertained honourably by the Bishop and therefore the Bishop Otbert with all his Church was excommunicated by Pope Paschalis who writ also unto Robert Earl of Flanders to pursue Henry with all his followers assuring him that he could not offer better sacrifice unto God Epist Paschalis tom 2. Concil Edit Colon. An. 1551. Otbert was not silent and in the name of the Church of Leodium published an Apology wherein he saith It were Apostolical to follow the Apostle as it were Prophetical to follow a Prophet but as our sins deserve the Apostolical who should pray for the King howbeit a sinner that we may live a quiet and Apostolical life under him is so contentious that he will not suffer us to live in peace Seeing the words both of the Apostle and Prophet do so sound I the daughter do humbly ask my mother the holy Church of Rome Whence comes this authority unto him who is called Apostolical that besides the sword of the spirit he useth another sword of blood against her Subjects Then he shews how far this Pope hath departed from the steps of Gregory the I. both in life and doctrine This Apology is loc cit Also the Emperour writ unto his son unto the Bishops Dukes and other Potentates of the Empire that they would cease from pursuing him and his friends against all equity and piety and at several times he appealed unto the Pope as is evident by his Letters in Fascic rer expetend But Apologies Supplications and Appeals had no place so that in the end the old Emperour was brought to the necessity of begging a prebendary from the Bishop of Spira although he had preferred the Bishop unto that See and had erected a glorious Monastery of the blessed Virgin there he could not obtain so much So he returned privately unto Leodium and died his body lay unburied in an old deserted Chappel five years and then was buried at Spira He had fought 62 battels and was never foiled he died An. 1107. Alb. Crantz writes much to excuse the Son and the Popes and bitterly against the Father yet he hath no particular fault against him but as he speaks simony and contumacy Of the Eastern Emperours it follows in Henry the V. CHAP. II. Of POPES 1. SYLVESTER the II. before called Gerebert had been a Monk in A Pope covenanteth with the Divel Orleance and made a contract with the Divel to advance him unto the Papacy Thence he went to Hispala in Spain where becoming a Doctour he had amongst his hearers Otho the III. Robert King of France Lotharius a man of noble birth afterwards Bishop of Senon and others Robert gave him the Bishoprick of Rhemes the Emperour advanced him to Ravenna lastly by great ambition and aid of the Divel he attained the Papacy saith Platina and others The Emperour for favour of his Master gave unto Saint Peter eight Counties Pisa Senogallia Favum Aucona Fossabrum c. Vsser de stat Eccles cap. 3. ex Gerber Epi. 158. Benno Cardinal of Ostia saith When the 1000. years were expired Gerebert coming out of the bottomless pit of God's perdition sate 4. years and as by the responses of Satan he had deceived many so by the same responses he was deceived and in the just judgment of God he was taken away by suddain death What he saith briefly Platina declares more fully thus Once Sylvester asked the Divel how long time he might injoy the Papacy The answer was ambiguous If thou go not to Jerusalem thou shalt never die After four years and one month he was saying Mass in Lent in a corner of the Rood-Church that was called Ierusalem within Rome and he asked how that Chappel was called They said Ierusalem Then he knew the time was come when he must die wherefore he became sad and confessed his sin before the people and exhorted them to beware of ambition and craft of the Divel and to live holily Then he commanded them to cut his body into pieces and lay it on a cart and to bury it wheresoever the horses of their own accord would draw it The report is saith Platin. that by the Providence of God whereby sinners may learn the hope of forgiveness if they repent in their life the horse stood at Lateran and there he was buried whereas yet saith he by the ratling of his bones and moistness of his tomb is portended the death of the Pope It were a shame to relate these things if they were not the words of their own Writers Platina saith he had it from Mar. Polon Vincentius Belluacensis Laurent Schrader in Monimen Italiae lib. 2. and Galfrid And the same is written by Pol. Vergil de invent rer lib. 5. cap. 8. but he speaks not of the Presage Naucler had all in generat 34. Onuphrius would purge him of this blot and alledgeth that the knowledge of the Mathematicks in these rude daies was taken for Magick But the words of the now-named Authours are more clear it is certain say they that he attained to the most secret things of all Sciences and especially of the Mathematicks but as quick wits can scarcely hold themselves within bounds he entred into Necromancy and it is so thought by many Authours not without great infamy by which Necromancy he made way unto the Papacy He was the first Pope who caused to beat the drum unto the Wars in the holy land as they spoke and published an Epistle with this inscription Wasted Jerusalem unto the Universal Church commanding the Scepters of Kings Gerebert Epist 18. but the expedition was not so soon begun Of all the Popes from Sylvester the II. unto Gregory the VII inclusivè Benno testifieth that they did exceed Jannes and Jambres in jugleries although the height of Antichristian pride be referred unto Gregory the VII and others after him Io. Naucler in volum 2. generat 31. faith The Popes of that time had departed from the foot-steps of Peter ..... and it is horrour to hear what vile things were done by almost 28. Popes immediately succeeding After the death of Sylvester saith Benno was strife among his Necromancing Disciples each contending to usurp the Papacy 2. JOHN the XIX aliàs XVII by the help of the Divel who then gave The election of the Pope is changed the Papal Chair followed the Sorcerer Sylvester saith Bale
obit Quem sacrae fidei vestigia summa tenentem Huic jam quinta dies abstulit ausa nefas Illa dies damnosa dies perfida mundo Quâ dolor rerum summa ruina fuit Quâ status ecclesiae quâ spes quâ gloria cleri Quâ cultor juris jure ruente ruit Post obitum secum vivam procor ac requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte sua Platina in Iohan. 15. calleth Berengarius famous for learning and holiness He is reported to have been an hearty friend to learning and did breed many Students of Divinity at his proper charge and by means of them his doctrine was sowed through all France and the Countries adjacent this was matter unto his adversaries to envy him the more Albeit he did waver as Peter did and albeit his doctrine was so oft condemned by the Popes yet it could not be rooted out of men for Math. Paris in Hist ad ann 1087. writeth that all France was affected with this doctrine And Math. Westmonast at the same time saith That the doctrin of Berengarius had corrupted all the French Italian and English Nations so that the Berengarians that is the Preachers of the true faith which the Romanists call Heresie against the rising errors did not lurk in a corner And Sigebert Gemblac in Chron. saith Much was disputed by many both for him and against him by word and by writing Ex edit Antwerp anno 1608. where it is to be marked saith Vsser de eccles succes c. 8. that in the Edition at Paris anno 1589. the words For him are omitted Also Thuan in the Epistle Dedicatory of the Hystory of his time hath marked That in Germany were many of the same doctrine and that Bruno Bishop of Treveres banisht them all out of his Diocess but sparing their blood And Io. Tossington a Franciscan in his confession set forth anno 1380. saith thus The heretical sentence which is raised of the dreams of Berengarius affirmeth openly that all the Fathers of the Church and doctors of the second thousand years as they speak that is who have been within 380. years have been after the loosing of Satan and the doctrine which we saith he commonly hold to be the faith of the Church concerning the blessed Eucharist they say It is not right but an error and heresie and the tares of Satan being let loose Vsser c. 3. 6. To defend the words of the former recantation which was given in Twofold eating with the mouth was devised then and is refuted the Synod at Lateran unto Berengarius these flatterers of the Romish Idol have devised a new distinction of orall eating to wit orall eating is either visible or invisible And they called the opinion of eating Christ's flesh visibly the error of the Capernaites and they said the eating of Christ's flesh with the mouth invisibly was the explication of Christ so writeth Ivo Bishop of Carnotum anno 1092. Catalo test ver lib. 12. But the Fathers of higher antiquity condemned all orall eating as Capernaitism neither were the Capernaites so subtile to make such distinctions Yea surely Christ would have made his correction according to their error Behold what Augustine saith Tract 27. in Iohan. Who abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not without all doubt he neither spiritually eateth Christ's flesh nor drinketh his blood albeit carnally and visibly he with his teeth do press the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ And Tract 28. What is it they are spirit and life they are spiritually to be understood understandest thou them spiritually they are spirit and life understandest thou them carnally so also they are spirit and life but not to thee They understanding spiritual things carnally were scandalised Here Augustine opposeth carnal eating whether visible or invisible unto spiritual eating and understanding and he saith that carnally men eat not the flesh of Christ but the Sacrament of his flesh 7. Bellarmin writeth in his second Book de Pon. Rom. c. 21. that the great The causes of the schism twixt the Latins and Greeks Schism twixt the Greeks and the Latines began anno 1054. because in that year Michael the Patriarch of Constantinople did excommunicate the Pope and all the Romanists for adding Filioque unto the Decree of the Ephesin Council concerning the procession of the holy Spirit Here we may see who made the Schism the Greeks kept the Decree as it was first enacted but the Latins added Filioque And when in the same place Bellarmine saith It is uncertain when the Latins added it but certainly saith he not before the 600. year and the Greeks espied the addition in the days of Pope Nicolaus LAt this time Pope Leo IX wrote against the Greeks and Michael the Patriarch and Nicolas a Monk wrote against the Latins Of this difference I will speak God willing when I come to the Council at Florence where they disputed this question Why was there so great a Schism then Bellarmin de Cleri li. 1. c. 19. saith The differences were not confined within that one but there were many others of which these are rehearsed by Fox in Act. Mon. out of an old Register of Hereford 1. The Church of Constantinople is not subject but equal unto Rome 2. The Bishop of Rome hath no greater power then the four Patriarchs and whatsoever he doeth without their knowledge and concurrence is of no strength against them 3. Whatsoever hath been concluded or done since the seven general Councils is not of full authority because from that time they convince the Latins to be in an error and to be excluded from the holy Church 4. The Eucharist is not the very body of Christ also whereas the Romish Church doth use unleavened wafers they have great loaves of leavened bread 5. They say that the Romish Church erreth in the words of Baptism for the Romanists say I baptise thee c. but the Greeks say Let this creature of God be baptised in the name c. 6. They hold that the Spirit proceedeth from the Father and not from the Son of this in another place 7. They hold no Purgatory nor that the prayers of the Church do help the dead either to lessen the pain of them in hell or to increase the glory of them who are ordained for salvation 8. They hold the souls of the dead whether elect or reprobate have not their full pain nor glory but are reserved to a certain neutral place till the day of judgement 9 They condemn the Church of Rome because Women as well as Priests anoint children when they baptise them on both shoulders 10. They call our bread Panagria 11. They condemn our Church for celebrating Mass on other days then Sundays and certain Feasts 12. They have neither cream nor oyl nor Sacrament of Confirmation 13. Neither do they use extream unction expounding the place of St James of spiritual infirmity and not of corporal 14. They injoyn
consider most what thou art most to wit a man even as thou wast born And thou must consider not onely quid sed qualis natus what but what an one thou wast born take away therefore therefore in thy predication the cover of these leaves which hide the shame and heal not the wound blot away the false colour of fading honor and the glance of counterfeit glory that thou mayest nakedly consider thy self naked because thou camest naked out of thy mothers womb Wast thou born with a mitre or glancing with Jewels or shining with silks or crowned with feathers or burthened with metals if thou blow with thy meditation these things as a morning cloud thou wilt see thy self a naked man poor wretched miserable lamenting that thou art a man ashamed that thou art naked weeping that thou art born of a woman and therefore with guiltiness and therefore with fear and filled with miseries both of soul and body for what calamity wanteth he who is born in sin a frail body and barren soul A modest man will moderate his cares abstain from superfluities and not fail in things necessary a just man will not presume on things higher then himself but will say with that just man If I be just I will not lift up my head therefore in thy meditation walk warily that thou neither ascribe unto thee more then enough nor deny more then is just and thou ascribest unto thy self more then truth not onely by arrogating any good thou hast not but by ascribing what thou hast c. In lib. 3. he saith Thy fathers were ordained to overcome not some nations but the whole world for it was said unto them Go into all the world and they sold their coats and bought swords to wit zealous eloquence and a vehement spirit weapons powerful through God Whither went those famous Conquerors occumbebant non succumbebant these mighty warriors did die but never gave over they triumphed when they were dead Thou hast succeeded into their inheritance so thou art the heir and the world is thine inheritance but it is to be seriously considered how this inheritance concerneth thee and how it did concern them for I believe not every way yet in some way I think a dispensation is committed unto thee and possession is not given thee if thou wilt usurp this too he contradicteth thee who saith The earth is â—â—ine and the fulness thereof Thou art not he of whom the Prophet said All the earth shall be his possession This is Christ to whom the possession belongeth by right of creation merit of redemption and by gift of the Father What sayest thou wilt thou deny me power and forbid me to rule yea plainly as if he had not power who hath care Praesis ut prosis So govern that thou do good so govern as a faithful and wise servant whom the Lord hath set over his house Unto what to give them food in season that is to steward and not to command do this and thou being a man affect not to rule over men lest unrighteousness rule over thee I am afraid for no poison unto thee and no sword more then this desire of ruling certainly albeit thou think much of thy self yet if thou be not much deceived think that thou hast not received more then the great Apostles remember therefore that word I am debtor to the wise and to the unwise and if thou think that belongeth to thee remember also that the grievous name of a debtor agreeth to a servant rather then to a ruler therefore if thou acknowledge thy self a debtor to the wise and unwise thou must earnestly consider how both they who are not wise may be wise they who are wise become not unwise and how they who are become unwise may grow wise again But no kinde of foolishness is worse then infidelity therefore thou art a debtor to Infidels Jews Greeks and Gentiles therefore it should be thy work that Infidels may be brought unto the faith the converted be not turned away and who are turned away may return who are perverted may be made straight according to rectitude and the subverted may be recalled unto the truth the subverters may be convinced with unvincible reasons to the end that themselves may be amended if possible or if not they may not have power and authority to subvert others Albeit the Apostle excuse thee concerning the Jews seeing they have a term which cannot be prevented the fulness of the Gentiles must come in But what sayest thou of the Gentiles themselves yea what answerest thy consideration unto this question thinkest thou that the Fathers have set bounds unto the Gospel and suspended the word of faith while infidelity continueth by what reason think we hath the word which did run so swiftly come to a standing who did first hinder the running of salvation possibly some cause which we know not or necessity might hinder them but what reason have we to dissemble by what confidence or what conscience do we not so much as tender Christ unto them which have him not do we withhold the truth of God in unrighteousness But certainly the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in sometime do we expect that faith shall fall upon them who hath ever believed by chance how shall they believe without a Preacher I add concerning the pertinacy of the Greeks who are with us and not with us joyned in the faith and severed in peace albeit in the faith they do halt from the right paths And also of heresie which spreadeth quietly every where almost note among some doth rage openly for it devoureth quickly the babes of the Church every where and openly You ask Where is this Yours which visit the South so oft behold they know and can tell thee they go and return thorow the midst of them or pass by them but as yet we have not heard what good they do among them and possibly we had heard if they had not made more account of Spanish Gold then of mens souls It is thy duty to provide a remedy unto this malady but there is a foolishness which in these days hath almost made foolish even the wisdom of faith note How hath this poison envenomed almost all the Catholique Church for while even in her each one seek our own things it is come to pass that by mutual envying and contention we are taken up with hatred encouraged to injuries ready unto strises use cavillations unto guile carried to slanders break out into curses are oppressed by the mightier and do oppress the weaker How worthily and laudably might the meditation of thy heart be exercised against so pestilentious a kinde of foolishness which thou seest to possess the very body of Christ which is the multitude of believers Alas ambition the cross of the ambitious how doest thou vex all men and please all men nothing doth vex men more bitterly nothing disturbeth them with more turmoil and nevertheless nothing is
they are letcherous in such a maner that they have not broken any bond of marriage Ibid. cap. 3. It is not possible that any of these whom God hath predestinated unto the Crown can lose their Crown it may be and it hath come to pass that some lose the Crown whom God hath called by a visible calling or which might have been heard by man Ibid. lib. 6. cap. 11. Excepting the Apostles whatsoever other thing afterwards is said let it be cut off neither have any authority therefore albeit after the Apostles there be any holy man how wise soever he be let him not have that authority seeing the Lord speaketh in the Scriptures Ibid. lib. 11. cap. 20. Possibly one will say Since Christ overcame death and ascended into the heavens doth he descend thence again surely he descendeth but invisibly all the world hath heard his descending when a sound was heard from heaven as of the Spirit coming and filled the house where they were sitting did not Christ then descend from heaven Is the substance or Majesty of the Son separated from the Spirit that when the holy Ghost descendeth the Son of God descendeth not also certainly he descendeth not in the form of his manhood yet undoubtedly he descendeth in his uncircumscribed Deity or in the Spirit that he giveth and he descendeth to visit the Nations by his Messengers whom he inspireth 9. Bernard in Epist 56. ad Gaufrid Episco Carnot writeth that Notbert Praemonstratensis did teach that Antichrist was before the doors and to be revealed in the same age Within these few days saith Bernard there I obtained to see this mans face and I learned many things from an heavenly fistule to wit from his mouth Behold what account this Author made of him who spake thus Hen. Oraeus in Nomenclat saith this Notbert was the beginner of the Order of Monks in the Diocy of Magdeburgh Pol. Vergil de inven rer lib. 7. cap. 3. calleth him a Priest of Lorrain and saith that he began that most exact Order after the rule of Augustinians as also in that Chapter and the preceeding he sheweth that sundry others seeing about that time that the Monastical institutions were not observed men becoming always worse and worse and godliness was corrupted by riches quae pietas ut mater illas à principio Ordini pepererat quotidie sunt qui ignaviae suae potius quà m religioni consulant therefore they would reform the Order and added some new Rites for distinction from others of the same Order who were become looser and by these means the number of Orders were multiplied 10. Theodoricus Abbot of St. Trudo at Leodium about the year 1120. said Simon Magus now reigneth at Rome and not Simon Peter and Simony is in place of the Gospel what may we not have if we have money In Catal. test verit lib. 14. are some of his verses concerning the Government of the Church he saith Vt Mopso Nisa corvo datur ecâ—e columba Qualis pullus erit quem fert commixtio talis Hence it appeareth that good men at that time bewailed the wretched condition of the Church 11. Hugo de S. Victore by Nation a Saxon and Abbot of S. Victor at Paris was in great account about the year 1130. His works are extant in three Tomes In one place he saith The Clerks of our time know not the Law nor learn they it but they study vanity ease surfeiting and drunkenness they are often in the streets seldom in the Churches slow to search the faults of sinners and ready to follow the trace of hares they give more bread to dogs then to the poor their beds are better arayed then the altars the barking of dogs and lowing of oxen is more pleasant unto God then the singing of such Clerks their preaching may be dispised whose life is contemned Of our communion with Christ he saith on Iohn 6. The Lord shewing a difference betwixt the bread he gave and which they did eat in the wilderness saith I am the bread of life for he is the bread wherewith an hungry soul is refreshed which is when true faith embraceth him for by faith we love him and by love we are united unto Christ which is our life therefore this spiritual bread is eaten by faith even without Sacramental eating and is profitable unto salvation dayly we have need of this bread while this present life endureth and so said Augustine Why preparest thou thy teeth and stomach believe and thou hast eaten On Chapter 20. he saith Whose sins ye forgive i. e. whose sins are forgiven by you God also forgiveth them this is spoken generally not onely unto the Apostles as some say this is the prerogative of the Apostles but it is spoken and granted unto all their successors On Rom. 3. The written Law is called the Law of works because men under the Law thought that all their righteousness was in the works of the Law but the Law of Faith and Grace is so called because men under Grace set the sum and efficacy of their salvation on Grace onely knowing that as no man is saved by righteousness of his works so none is justified by works of his righteousness for righteousness is not of good works but good works are of righteousness On Chapter 4. If man had not sinned he should have had perfect righteousness which consisteth in the perfect fulfilling of God's commands so that he should have had no lust against reason and he might have loved God with all his heart but after sin and for sin man cannot have this perfect righteousness unto which eternal life is justly due but God of his grace giveth faith unto man and of the same grace reputeth it for that perfection as if he had the perfection of righteousness De Scriptura Scriptor Sacris cap. 1. he saith That Scripture onely is truly called Divine which was from the Spirit of God and written by those who spoke by God's Spirit that maketh a man divine and reformeth him according to the image of God by teaching to know him and by exhorting to love him whatsoever is taught therein is truth whatsoever is commanded is good and whatsoever is promised is blessedness for God is truth without falshood goodness without wickedness and blessedness without misery In cap. 6 7. All Divine Scripture is contained in the Old and New Testaments and when he hath divided the Old Testament into the Law Prophets and Hagiographa and hath reckoned the Books that are in the Hebrew Canon he addeth There be also other Books as Wisdom the Books of Syracides Judith Tobias and the Maccabees that are read indeed but are not rolled in the Canon Catol test ver lib. 15. Likewise De Sacramentis fidei lib. 1. cap. 28. If it be asked What is original sin in us It is a corruption or vice by which in our birth we draw ignorance in our minde and concupiscence in the flesh And cap. 19. In the
fear laese-Majesty lest it seem that I deserve the gibbet as opening my mouth against the heaven nevertheless because Wido Cardinal of St. Potentiana beareth witness with the people I dare not altogether contradict them for he saith There is a root of duplicity in the Roman Church and I do ingenuously profess I never saw more honest Clergy-men then in the Church of Rome but seeing you press and command me and it is not lawful to lye unto the holy Ghost I profess ye are not altogether to be followed in your works for he who dissenteth from the truth is a Schismatick and Heretick but of the mercies of God there be some who will not follow all our works but I fear lest while you continue asking these things as you are pleased you hear from your foolish friend things that will not please you Why is it Father that you search other mens lives and search not your own all men rejoyce with you you are called the father and Lord of all men and all the oyl for sinners is poured on your head If you be a Father why cravest thou gifts from thy children or if thou be a Lord why causest thou not the Romans to stand in awe of thee and having brideled their presumption bringest them not again into the faith But thou wilt preserve the City unto the Church by thy gifts did Pope Sylvester so conquer it thou art a Father in the by-ways and not in the right ways it is to be conserved by such means as it was purchased c. The Pope told him the fable of the members grumbling against the womb and the same said he would befal unto Christendom if they should not resort unto Rome their head And then the Pope smiling at the mans boldness did require him that how oft he heard any thing spoken amiss of him he would presently advertise him Without doubt this Bishop had more things in his minde which he uttered not P. Morn in Myst ex Io. Sarisbu in Policrat lib. 6. cap. 24. In the same work lib. 6. cap. 16. he saith The Roman Legates do so rage as if Satan were come forth from the face of the Lord to oppress the Church oft do they harm and herein they are like the divel that they are called good when they do not evil with them judgement is nothing but a publick reward they do account gain to be godliness they do justifie the wicked for gifts and vex the afflicted souls they adorn their tables with silver and gold and rejoyce in the worst things seeing they eat the sins of the people they are clothed with them and in them do they riot many ways whereas true worshippers should adore the Father in the Spirit if any do dissent from them he is judged a Schismatick or Heretick O that Christ would manifest himself and openly shew the way wherein men should walk Lib. 7. cap. 10. We should be servants unto the Scriptures and not domineer over them unless one will think himself worthy to rule over Angels Cap. 17. One cometh into the Church trusting in the multitude of his riches and followeth Simon nor findeth he any that saith thy money perish with thee Another feareth to come unto Peter with his gifts yet privily Jupiter slideth in a shower of gold into Danae's bosome and the incestuous wooer entereth so into the bosome of the Church The Author of Catal. test ver lib. 14. sheweth ex Petro Paris Cantor in Abbreviat Verbo how this John did oppose the Pope and the Cardinals when they would enjoyn some new Rites and said ye should be so far from enjoyning new Rites that ye should rather take away some ancient ones albeit they were profitable for Christians are much burthened with the multitude of these useful traditions ye should rather endeavor that the word of Christ may be kept for now it may be objected unto us that the commandments of God are made of no effect in respect of mens traditions 8. Edmond Rich Arch-Bishop of Canterbury about the year 1181. was The cause of the ruine of the Church wont to say By gifts that are given on the one side and taken on the other Christianity is already corrupted and it will fail ere they be aware unless they be so wise as to cure themselves from this pest By these gifts some do understand not so much what was given by Intrants as what the Popes and Bishops gave to stop the mouths of such as spoke against their vices and errors to divert their reproofs Catal. test ver 9. Petrus Blesensis once Chancelor of Canterbury and then Bishop of Rotomagum for his learning and honesty of life was in great favor with Princes and Prelates saith Trithem He did very sharply rebuke the manners of the Clergy especially that they did abuse the power of the keys to satisfie their avarice In Epistle 25. unto a friend who was an official of a Bishop he saith Because I love thee affectionately in the bowels of Christ Jesus I have decreed to exhort thee with wholesome admonitions to come timely out of Ur of the Chaldees and from the midst of Babylon and forsake the ministry of that damnable stewardship I know covetousness hath subverted thy heart in so far as thou art become an official unto a Bishop I think officials have their name not from the nown officium but from the verb officio all the business of the official is in lieu of the Bishop to strip and excoriate the silly sheep which are concredited unto him these are the Bishops blood-suckers spuing out other folks blood after they have drunk it the riches which the wicked hath gathered he shall spue it out and God shall draw it out of his belly these are as a spunge in the hand of a strainer what he hath gathered by oppressing the poor goeth unto the Bishop's pleasures but to the official's torment as the bees gather honey not for themselves but for others so ye gather riches not for your selves but for others these are the privy doors by which the servants of Bell do thievishly carry away the sacrifices which the King had laid on the table so the Bishop taketh away other mens goods with long hands and layeth the blame of the crime and infamy on the official they have their eye on the reward but look not to the fatherless and widow what is done under pretence of counterfeit Religion and justice availeth not unto life nor edifieth unto salvation Saul did spare the fattest of Amaleks flocks as if he would sacrifice unto God and he did provoke God unto wrath I could the more patiently endure that damnable office if thou wert not eminent in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures these causes and judgements wherein thou hast entangled thy self imprudently I will not say impudently are fitter for a secular man a learned and ecclesiastical man should not meddle with secular affairs I wish that thou wouldest forsake these noisome
and also in other Sciences do lament that simony is so frequent and manifest in the Court and many Jurists do dispute in the contrary and have written although with fear sundry Treatises That the Pope by selling Church-Benefices is a Simoniack a Successor of Simon Magus and not of Peter 24. About that time was written another book De aetatibus Ecclesiae therein Aparallel of times the Author sheweth what had been the estate of the Church in former ages namely that Bishops were not ambitious of superiority or earthly authority the Bishop of Rome had not supremacy above other Bishops the name Papae was common to other Bishops by divers steps the Pope hath usurped this tyranny he calleth himself the Servant of Servants and striveth to be Lord of all Lords he taketh Divine honor and praise and he maketh or suffereth men to be Idolaters Catal. test ver lib. 18. 25. In the end of that Century or beginning of the next lived Nilus The cause of the Schism between the Greeks and Latines Arch-Bishop of Thessalonica who wrote two books of the causes of the Schism between the Greek and the Latine Churches In Lib. 1. he saith The cause is not the sublimity of doctrine surpassing mens capacities and far less is it any word of holy Scripture as if it did not declare what concerneth this controversie for to accuse the Scripture is all one as if man would accuse God ..... What then is the cause of the difference the question is not confirmed by a Decree of an Oecunomical Synod and the Romans would be Masters and make all others their disciples ...... It is very absurd that whereas the Fathers had no precedents yet by themselves rhey saw the right we having their examples cannot discern it and indeed the ignorance of those at the first contention might be pardoned ...... but when so many ages have passed and the way of peace is not as yet known who can think but it is the fault of them who will not have peace But they say The Pope is the Prince of Priests and the Father who hath power to call universal Synods and by himself or without others may discern in Church-affairs But Julius was Pope and Damasus and Leo and Agatho and none of these ever said so but conveening with their Brethren by the assistance of the good Spirit they established Acts and peace in the Church And if this was the only way and it is not now observed who can doubt but the cause of the variance standeth herein and certainly the blame lieth not upon our side And if the power of discerning belong unto the Pope it were superfluous to call Assembliet but it is not so for we know that Agatho Celestin and others had their particular Synods for deciding questions and nevertheless they referred those unto the universal Synod and craved the confirmation of the truth by common decree which had been needless if when the Pope had discerned all others must assent unto him Now if this question were concerning a private man it might seem needless to call all the world unto an Assembly but seeing the chief heads of the world are at variance it is absurd to determine the cause without the consent of the world since the Fathers by their writings and example have shewed the way But if they will still object unto us the primacy of the Pope we say that in so doing he overthroweth his primacy but by holding the ancient way he doth what becometh a good man and maintaineth his place for he may consider what should be the â—ssue if the controversie were decided after common suffrage and what hath hapned unto the Latines arrogating unto themselves the power of prescribing Laws for in that way the Church might be free from all tumults and live in peace since none could readily contradict that which was established by common sentence for though some in former times have been so mad yet they were but few and vanished soon But when the peace of the Church is disturbed he loseth what he might have for he is deprived of the primacy of the four Patriarchs neither is there any peace Many have thought upon remedies there have been many conferences and Ambassays but the malady continueth and shall continue so long as the Latines hold their tenets The Pope say they hath power in Ecclesiastical affairs So say I let him not be contrary unto the Decrees of the Fathers they established things by universal Councel and each had need of anothers aid being conscious of humane frailty let the Pope therefore follow their statutes and discern not any point before it be debated by others or if he hath his power not from the Fathers but from the Apostles let him hearken unto the Apostle who said I have not used my power lest I lay a stumbling-block unto the Gospel of Christ and in another place The power which the Lord hath given us to edification and not to destruction And therefore if he hath any power let him not use it but for advancing the Gospel to the end that in following Paul's example he may shew himself an Apostolical man bet now none can be ignorant whether he useth it for edification or destruction ...... And that president of the twelve Apostles St. Peter was rebuked by Paul and when he was rebuked he was silent and although he might have said more reasonably then the Pope What I the President have done should be a law unto others yet he said not so but accepted the admonition and contradicted not what Paul had said ..... And when Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem for that question of the circumcision Peter usurped not primacy nor said he It belongeth unto me to discern in such things but the Apostles and Elders were assembled neither did Peter debar the Apostles usurping power nor did the Apostles exclude the Elders that were at Jerusalem for they had learned from Christ to usurp no primacy Peter indeed began to speak and after him St. James and all the rest of the Apostles and Elders even Peter himself consented unto the words of James so did these blessed men love Christ and so studious were they of peace and truth in the Church and the Apostles seeking truth this way have given us a law in such cases but seeing ye take a contrary course can ye blame any but your selves for this variance This is a touch of more whence we see that the Romans wanted not admonition 26. With the book of this Nilus is usually printed another of Barlaam a Greek Monk to the same purpose In cap. 16. he recapitulateth all the particulars that he had handled saying I have shewed that each one of the Apostles were immediately appointed by our Lord Christ to be a Pastor and Teacher of the whole earth 2. That blessed Clemens was created by Peter not Bishop of the whole world but of Rome especially and properly and that the Roman See
intend to hold unto our last breath wee firmly believe of the Holy Ghost wee believe the Holy Ghost and in the Holy Ghost Of the Holy Ghost that he is the one true God with the Father and the only begotten Sonne distinguished in this only that he proceeds from both by vertue of which faith quickning renewing reforming every one attaineth the participation of Christs meritorions grace justification truth fortitude and perfect salvation by which Spirit also the Holy Church is grounded in the faith of Christ against which the gates of hell are not able to prevaile which also by the same Spirit in the members of true faith he washeth justifieth sanctifieth ordereth governeth gathereth strentheneth fructifieth As also by the same Spirit were the Holy Scriptures inspired and are known by him the members of the Church are vnited from him are the gifts of ruling the Church and many other things which by the same Spirit are made perfect unto the life of glory Wee believe the Holy Ghost when wee fully consent unto the Divine Scriptures or Apostls of God Wee believe in the Holy Ghost when with clear knowledge and unfained faith wee love him and with the members inspired by him wee keep his revealed truth unto eternall glory By the same fulness of formed faith wee believe that the holy Catholick Church in respect of the foundation of lively faith is the number of all the elect from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof whom God the Father in Christ by his Spirit hath chosen justifieth calleth unto the glory of salvation and magnifyeth without which is no salvation unto man But in respect of ministry and dispensations wee believe that the holy Catholick Church is the congregation of all Ministers and people subdued by obediente obeying the will of God from the beginning of the world unto the end of it whom God only sendeth inspired by his Spirit giving them the word of truth peace reconciliation that they may bring forth the fruit of salvation in the unity of the Church and their travell be not disappointed of the saving reward whose names and number He only knoweth because he hath writen them in the book of life That first Church hath none that shal be damned and the other is mixed untill the appointed time of the last judgement But the Church of malignants seekes them that are of that evil one whom Satan sendeth in this time of mortall life to the perdition of the world and tryall of the elect On this Church all the curses and sad things that Christ his Apostls have foretold shall be heaped to wit that they who are unworthy of ecclesiastical honour may rule over them by their power The promises also of renovation are fulfilled in her And yet wee arrogate not so much unto us as that we would be called or bee the only Catholick Church as if salvation were to be found with us only but wee endeavour with all diligence to be partakers of the ecclesiasticall truth and wee are afraied to be subject unto orobey evill workers whom wee find to be enmies of the Church and its truth for fear of everlasting damnation and for obedience unto Christ and because they doe minde speak and doe unto his Church things contrary unto his law Wherefore wee willingly endure oppression tauntings and calumnies for the salvation of our souls for un less Holy fear and the horrour of hell did withhold us we would embrace the liberty of the world with it's vanities wherin one may live as he listeth But wee would rather choose the strait derided and sad way in which our Redeemer Christ and the Church his spouse condemned by the world and despised yet following the example of Christ have walked than to taste and follow the momentany pleasures of the world The first and chief ministry of the Church is the Gospell of Christ whereby grace and truth that were painfully purchased by the torment of the cross is revealed which grace is given for salvation by the Holy Ghost and God the Father unto the Elect which are called by the gift of faith Another necessary ministry of the Church wee declare to be the word of teaching by which the saving truth is known in the sense of faith through which knowledge the life of grace and glory is administred unto the men of good desire Likewise wee declare that the seven sacraments are useful unto the Church of Christ by which Sacraments the promises of God are signified to be fulfilled unto believing people and by them entrance into the Church of God for keeping unity among them that walk unto glory is ministred Faith which God gives causeth us think of baptisme the first Sacrament these things whosoever of ripe age by hearing Gods word believeth and believing is renewed in soul and is enlightened such by outward washing for argument of inward cleanness attained by faith should be baptized in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost into the vnity of the holy Church Our profession is also extended unto children which by the decree of the Apostles as Dionysius writes should be baptized and then by the guidance of their God-fathers being instructed in the law of Christ should be invited unto and accustomed with the life of faith By faith received out of the Holy Scriptures wee professe that in the dayes of the Apostls this was observed whoesover in their young years had not received the promises of the gifts of the Holy Ghost such did receive them by prayer and imposition of hands for confirmation of aith Wee thinke the same of infants Whosoever being baptized shall come to the true faith which he purposeth to follow through adversities and reproaches so that new birth appeareth in his spirit and life of grace such a one should be brought unto the Bishop or priest and being demanded of the truths of faith and of Gods commandements and of his good will and constant purpose and works of truth and shall testify by confession that all these things are so such a one is to be confirmed in the hope of attained truth and he is to be helped by the prayers of the Church that the gifts of the Holy Spirit may be increased in him for the constancy and warrefare of faith and finally for confirming the promises of God and the truth that he hath he may be associated into the Church by laying on of hands in vertue of the name of the Father of the Word and of the Holy Spirit By this faith which we have drunk from the Holy Scriptures we believe and confesse with our mouth Wheresoever a worthy priest with believing people according to the mind and purpose of Christ and order of the Church shall shew forth his prayer with these words This is my bodie and This is my blood immediatly the present bread is the body of Christ which was offered unto death for us and so the present wine is his blood shed
for the remission of sins This profession of our faith is confirmed by the words of Christ which are written by the Evangelists and Holy Paul Unto this profession may be added this body of Christ and his blood should according to the institution of Christ and his Church should be taken in both kindes of bread wine in remembrance of his death and of his blood shed as he said Doe this in remembrance of mee Then this death of Christ as it is declared in the Gospel and the fruits of his death should be preached as also the hope of his blood shed as the Apostle witnesseth saying So oft as ye eat of this bread and drink of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lords death untill He come Thirdly according to the sure knowledge of spiritual truth of which the Euangelist John doth write as also for assurance of giving taking using and of truth by faith in hope as the Lord saith Take and eat Take and drinke Fourthly for the conjunct use for according to the institution and practise of Christ and the primitive Church the Priest should then administer when the necessity of believers requireth and he should receive with them as He saith Doe yee this in remembrance of mee And Paul saith The cup which we blesse is it not the communication of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is it not the partaking of the body of Christ for wee many are one bread and one body who are partakers of that one bread and one cup. Fifthly for distinction of believers from the unbelievers and unworthy and for excommunication and rebuke of those who being defiled with the spot of vices do refuse to amend Of this saith Paul I would not have you partakers with the Devils yee can not drinke of the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils And again he saith Put away the evill from yourselves for if any who is called a brother among you be covetous or a fornicator or an idolater or a dronkard or a railer or a thief with such a one eat ye not Behold this is our faith most Gracious King concerning the body and blood of Christ which as we are afraid to change or forsake these things which our Lord JESUS hath been pleased to testifie and for which end we doe now declare it so neither dare we add any thing unto it which the Lord of the Sacrament hath not added as also the primitive Church which followed Christ in poverty and affliction in singleness of heart hath not altered the ordinances of his law Concerning this Sacrament which our Lord through his great mercy hath ordained for love of his elect have many contentions arisen in opinions expositions and addition of sanctions or decrees so that contrary unto the intention of the Lord's institution they have furiously raged against others even to take away their lives But we for eschuing so great mischief have our refuge unto the faith of Christ even unto his words and meaning so often repeated in his word so that what He commanded to believe we do believe it simply and what He hath commanded to do we would do it faith fully truly we doe not only believe that that bread is His body which being taken and blessed and broken He testifieth to be his body but also if He had taken a stone and said This is my body we would have fully believed it Because of this our simple faith and because we will not suffer ourselves to forsake it for the opinion of men wee are called hereticks likwise for the actuall use unto which the word of Christ and his Apostles and the example of the work of the same sacrament doe invite us because we doe and use it so with upright faith in remembrance of the death of Christ wee are condemned judged worthy of prison and are afflicted for wee being tied unto Christs command and dissuaded by his forbidding doe worship him with reverence and honour due unto him and we feare to worship any other thing as him only sitting at the right hand with the Father and the Holy Ghost Wherefore gracious King let your highness understand that we do so not in contumacy or any contempt but for feare of God and in obedience unto him and wee pray that your Highness would shew compassion on us who are condemned for the faith of Christ as wee wish that the most High would of his grace be pleased to preserve and keep your honour from his wrath By the same faith we believe that the ordination of priests is truly from the high Bishop and great priest that in stead of the embassage of Christ the ministery preaching of the gospell doctrine judging offering of prayers by men thanksgivings and praises may be done unto God by them And it is from God unto men that the promise of God may be verified in hope of the received true faith and by excommunication the wicked may be debarred from that good And by the same faith wee confesse that the promises of God may be verified in hope of the received true faith and by excommunication the wicked may be debarred from that good And by the same faith wee confesse that they who intend to ordain others should follow the example of Christ and should consummate his ambassage with a right mind without respect of persons free from covetousness and simony By the same faith we declare that they which are to be ordained or promoted to higher or inferior orders should excell other believers in a godly life and faith in Christ for a lively faith sanctifieth and maketh fit unto all offices and possesseth the blessing and life for good works of an honest conversation are the garments and ornaments of a priest to the glory of the heavenly Father and example of the people and shew the vertue of the word they should also have more aboundant gifts of the Holy Spirit to wit more servent love toward Christ confidence of their own and their nieghbours salvation trust in God equity of mind a wholsome feeling of faith in a good conscience theire feet prepared unto the Gospell of peace prudence of Spirit knowledge of Gods law discerning of Spirits and the like What clerck soever by such an ordination is advanced unto the priesthood wee professe that such an ordination is a Sacrament because it is a signe of the true priesthood of Christ Jesus and of his ordination by God the Father and a forme of the ministry as of the head of his Church to offer unto God the incense of truth in Christ Wee approve that three things are necessary unto the full gradation of a presbyter first the the triall of his life faith gifts and fidelity in lesser things that are intrusted unto him another prayers with fasting thirdly the giving of power with words suitable there unto and the imposition of hands for corroboration By faith wee doe testify that marriage is a lawfull honest and
answered Seeing those have accused us of horrible errors we can not conceive how we can acknowledge them as brethren as for invectives we approve them not but we will oppugne their errors Beza said Seeing yee refuse us to give us the right hand of fraternity neither acknowledge us as brethren wee do not regard your hand of friendship So the Conference was ended March 29. Lu. Osian Cent. 16. lib. 4. IX In February An. 1589. Pistorius a Papist in Baden vanted that he The conference at Baden would confound all the Lutheran Divines and convince them by the Scriptures only and by the same ground maintain the Roman Religion No other Papist had attempted so much before But when James Marques of Baden had obtained from Lewes Duke of Wurtembergh some of the Divines there should come unto a Conference Pistorius shifted from day to day untill November Then the Marques and Frederik Duke of Mompelgart with consent of both parties set down the order and conditions of the dispute and especially to handle in the first place the question Whether the Lutheran or the Roman be the Catholik Church Both parties gave their Theses concerning that but in all the four Sessions Pistorius brought not one argument from the Scriptures he insisted only in discussing the ambiguity of words and sought to find captious sophisms at last against the will of the Noble men and of his adversary party he break off the Conference neither was any thing remarkable in that dispute saith Osiander Lib. Cit. but their Theses may be desired Pistorius said The Church ever was is and shall be conspicuous so that it can never be extinguisht nor obscured nor lurk nor be silent Though the notes of the Church be four to wit unity holiness perpetuity and universality yet all may be reduced into one for vniver sality is the absolute note of the Church As error can not be the signe of the false Church so purity of the word and sacraments whether in whole or in part can not be the mark of the true Church because purity depends on the Church rather then it upon purity and purity is known better by the Scripture On the other side the above named Iacob Andreae said The Church on earth is one in all times and places and the Scripture shewes clearly that the Church hath not one and alike face in all ages and places for it had one face in the dayes of the Apostles when she was most pure because by faith she kept the doctrine of Christ albeit her chastity was even then tempted by false teachers and she had another face when she was governed by the Fathers the successors of the Apostles for by lapse of time some errors creept-in as the Apostles had foretold The third and most miserable face was under Antichrist of which estate Christ and his Apostles had forewarned diligently then was the Church so deformed that she could scarcely be known as the Prophet said of the Jewish Church How is the faithfull city become an harlot ... neuertheless even then the Lord had his 7000. who had not defiled them selves with idolatry And because before the glorious coming of the Lord the Holy Ghost hath foretold that the man of sin shall be reveeled and killed in the hearts of many men he foretelleth another and a fourth face of the Church which is answerable unto the first in time of the Apostles And albeit Satan will by fanaticall spirits defile her no less them he did at the first and the number of the elect shall be small as Christ saith When the son of man shall come shall he find faith on the earth nevertheless the true Church shall continue in despite of al the craft of Satan untill the last judgement-day It is sufficient to prove the true Church to be Catholik now whether a particulare or uniuersal if it be demonstred oy the Prophets and Apostles or by their writings that she is conform in doctrine unto her which was in the dayes of the Apostles Neither is the purity of doctrine and Sacraments better known by the Church then the Church is known by the doctrin and sacraments for the Church depends on the word and Sacraments but the purity of doctrin and Sacraments depends on God only and his reveeled will even albeit all the world forsakeit speak against it as it is written All men are liars but God is true c. X. At Kracow An 1591. on the Ascension-day the Popish party especialthe Troubles in Poland Students being stirred up by their Masters the Iesuits began with a huge tumult to pull down the houses wherein the reformed were wont to assemble The King Sigismund and the Nobility being in the town sent some of the Guard to hinder them and stayd them for a time nevertheless at midnight those did gather again and burnt the houses wholly The Nobility of the nearest Provinces called this a beginning of the Massacre of Paris and fearing greater danger did meet in Chimiolinscia they resolve first to send unto the king and excuse them selves that they had assembled without his knowledge and to shew that their main bâ—siness was to Provide for his safty and honor agnaist the like tumults and that they intend to have a more frequent meeting September 23. in Radom where the Nobility of Lithvania professing the gospell will be present and to supplicat that the churches might be restored unto the Reformed in Cracow and that a Parliament might be called to establish peace of religion The King shew his displeasure for that they had assembled without his knowledge seing he had al ready promised unto the Messingers of Sendomiria and Cracow that he would vse all the means of Peace and to punish the authors and chief actors of that tumult and he dischargeth that other meeting he gave them liberty to rebuild the churches In the year 1595. was a more frequent covenntion of the Reformed or Euangelici as they The agree ment of the Resormed there called them selves at Torun in August there were two Palatini the Deputies of five others two Castellani and many Nobles of Poland and Lithuania and fourty four Divines After prayer they choosed Swietoslaus Otzelsci to be president a Marshal and Scribes Otzelsci declared the causes of their assembly 1. to advise how to preserve a consent in doctrine as it had been agreed by their fathers in Sendemiria And 2. because they are obnoxious unto the malice and violence of adversaries to consult how to preserve peace of religion as both present King and the former Kings havesworn to continue it When this was propounded the Deputies of the absent Palatini as also of the Senators of Volhinia Russia Podolia and Podlassia declared the excuses of their Authors and their desire of the same particulares A Messinger in the Kings name forbids them to sit any more They answer They intend nothing against the King nor Kingdom nor the lawes or constitutions
Christ and with most pithy words he exhorted them to stand fast in the faith they had received In time of his sicknes which was not long thereafter he Ioh Knox exhortions before his death was much visited by persons of all sorts and spoke unto them confortably He said unto the Earle Morton in the audience of many others My Lord God hath given you many blessing he hath givens you wisdom riches many good great friends and is now to prefer you to the government of the râ—alm In his name I charge you that you use these blessings aright and better in time coming than you have done in times past in all your actiâ—ns seek first the glory of God the furtherance of his Gospell the mantenance of his Church and Ministry and next be carefull of the King to procure his good and the well fare of the realm If you shall do this God will be with you and honour you if otherwise you do it not he will deprive you of all these benefits and your end shall be shame and ignominy John Knox two days before his death sent for Da. Lindsay and James Lowson and the Elders of the Church and said to them The time approaches for which I have long thirsted when I shall be relieved of all cares And be with my Savior Christ for ever And now God is my witness whom I have served with my spirit in the Gospell of his Son that I have preached nothing but the true and solide doctrin of the Gospell and that the end I proponed in all my preaching was to instruct the ignorant to confirm the weak to confort the consciences of these who were humbled under the sense of their sins and beat down with the threatnings of Gods judgements such as were proud rebellious I am not ignorant that many have blamed and yet do blame my too great rigor severity but God knowes that in my heart I never hated the persons of these against whom I threatned Gods iudgements I did only hate their sin and laboured with all my power to gain them unto Christ That I forbear none of whatsoever condition I did it out of the fear of my God who had placed mee in the function of the Ministry and I knew would bring mee to an account Now Brethren for yourselves I have no more to say but to warn you rhat you take heed to the flock over which God hath placed you overseers and whom he hath redeemed by the blood of his only begoten Sâ—n And you Master Lowson fight do the work of the Lord with courage and with a willing mind and God from above blesse you and the Church weereof you have the charge c. Then he dismisseth the Elders and calling the two preachers said There is one thing that grieveth mee exceedingly yee have somtime seen the courage forewardness of the Laird of Grange in Gods cause and now unhappy man he hath cast himself away I pray you two take the pains to go unto him and say from mee that unless he forsake that wicked course where in he hath entred neither shall that rock in which he confideth defend him nor the carnall wisdom of that man whom he counteth half a God this was young Lethingtoun make him help but shamefully shall he be pulled out of that nest and his carkase hang before the sun The soul of that man is dear unto mee and if it be possible I would fain have him to be saved The two went and conferred with Grainge but prevailed not which being reported to John Knox he took it heavily The last night of his life on earth he sleeped some hours together but with many sighs and groans when he awoke they asked him how he did find himselfe and what had moved him to mourn in his sleep He answered In my time I have oft been assaulted by Satan and oft hath he cast my sins in my teeth to bring mee into despair but God gave me grace to overcome all his tentations And now that subtle Sâ—rpent who never ceaseth to tempt hath taken another course he seeks to persuade mee that my labours in my Ministry and the fidelity I have shewd in in that service hath merited heaven and immortality But blessed be God who brought to my mind these Scriptures What hast thou that thou hast not received And Not I but the Grace of God in mee With which he hath gone away ashamed and shall no more return and now I am sure my battell is at an end and that without pain of body or trouble of Spirit I shall shortly change this mortall life with that happy immortall life When the prajer was made one asked Whither he had heard it He answered Would God yee had heard it with such an eare and heart as I have done Then said he Lord Jesus receive my spirit After these words he spoke no more but without any motion he ended this life Within three days the Earle Morton was chosen Regent by consent of the States The Laird of Grange was Captain of the castle and when orhers of that faction did yeeld unto the agreement he would not agree because the Estates would not yeeld unto some high demands of his own he gave a proclamation from the castle-wall commanding all the Queens subjects to depart out of the town within 24. hours after which time he thundered with cannons against the town to their great terror yet not great hurt In May following an assault was made upon the castle the beseeged rendred themselves Lethinton was sent to Lieth and died suddenly throgh grief and Grainge with his brother and two others were hanged in the market-striet of Edinburgh X. A Parliament was held in January wherein many Acts were made 1573. partly for maintaining the Kings authority and partly for maintaining the true Religion these two causes at that time were so linked that the enemies of the one were esteemed enemies of the other Therefore it was enacted that none should be reputed loyall subjects unto the King or his authority but be punished as rebells who made not profession of the true Religion And that all who made profession thereof and were not obedient to the Kings authority should be admonished by their Teachers to acknowledge their offence and return to his Majesties obedience or els should be excommunicated as putrid members The Nationall Assembly conveenes The 24 Assembly at Edinburgh March 6. here were members according to the order and John Archbishop of Santandrews David Ferguson Minister at Dumfernlin is chosen Moderator 1. Where as a complaint was made against John Row for solemnizing the marriage of the Master of Crawford with the Lord Drummond's Daughter without proclamation of bans and he did alledge that he did it by the order of the Session of the Church whereof the Lord Ruthuen was one and present at that time The Assembly ordaines that the Act made against Ministers solemnizing mariage of