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
did teach that the body and blood of Christ which are offered upon the altar throughout the earth are not the very body and blood of Christ but onely a figure or certain similitude howbeit indeed Berengarius had said nothing so To the intent Adelman may bring his Brother from this opinion he intreateth him brotherly not to depart from the doctrine of their master Fulbert and of the Catholike Church Then he appealeth to the testimony of Augustin Ambrose and Jerome who never taught any transubstantiation or impanation He writeth also that the very flesh and blood of Christ was given unto the Apostles at the first institution and are still given unto faithful communicants for he who said in the beginning Let there be light and the light was made of nothing why saying of the bread This is my body may he not cause it to be the same Afterwards he sheweth how Christ worketh this by the mystery of man for when he was made immortal and going up to heaven he said Behold I am with you unto the end of the world because he was compersonate of two natures one circumscribed another uncircumscribed by his circumscript nature he went from place to place by his uncircumscript nature he is whole every where illocally and abode with them yet he did not separate the Son of Man from the Son of God and when the Son of Man ascended up to heaven he was there as the Son of God as he witnesseth himself No man ascendeth up to heaven but he who came down from heaven the Son of Man who is in heaven If therefore he was there by the unity of person whether he had not ascended by property of nature for in the same unity he abode still on earth with men after he had ascended up to heaven Therefore that faith may be exercised in believing because that vital Sacrament appeareth not under a bodily shape it is hid profitably as the soul in the body Last of all The water in Baptism seemeth to be common water and a baptised man What seemeth he but what he was before he declareth this at great length that neither sense nor reason can reach to comprehend this mystery where sense judgeth that water to be an humide liquor cold in substance and which may be turned into air or earth but how by the water and the Spirit a soul is regenerate and forgiveness of sin is given unto this unsearchable mystery neither sense nor reason can attain and nevertheless we must surely believe That the unbodily soul is created by bodily water c. Mark here as Christ's body was not in heaven when he said Behold I am with you and yet even then he was in heaven wholly in respect of his person so now his body is in heaven and not on earth where notwithstanding he is personally Again mark We have here an union of the water and the Spirit to the regeneration of the soul but who ever thought that that water is the Spirit or that the thing signified is corporally or locally in the water or who can imagine that the body is turned into the soul when the body and soul are united And yet Adelman writeth that the union of bread and wine with the body and blood of Christ is like to these two unions to wit by these comparisons he would shew that though the elements remain still the same and Christ's body be always in the heavens till he come again to judge yet there is a real and sacramental union twixt the sign and the thing signified and that the faithful certainly communicate of both together What answer Berengarius did return to his con-disciple we cannot finde But he wrote an Epistle to the forenamed Lanfrank declaring the abuses of the Sacrament and commending the book of John Scotus on that question And he wrote expresly that the body of Christ is not in the Sacrament but as in a sign or figure or mystery He spake also in his preachings against the Romish Church in the doctrine of Marraiage and necessity of Baptism Io. Oecolampad epist lib. 3. fol. 154. print at Basil anno 1536. And Bellarm. in praef before his Books de Pon. Rom. witnesseth that Berengarius called the Church of Rome the Malignant Church the Council of Vanity and the Seat of Satan and he called the Pope not Pontificem vel Episcopum sed Pompificem Pulpificem It happened that Lanfrank was not at home and the Convent opened the Letter of Berengarius and sent it with a Clerk of Rhemes unto Pope Leo IX The Pope summoned a Synod at Verceles Berengarius was advised not to go himself but send some Clerks in his name to answer for him The two Clerks were clapt in prison Scotus was condemned 200. years after his death and the doctrine of Berengarius was condemned yet nothing done against his person at that time because many favored him Lanfrank was now a pleader for him but he was commanded by the Pope to answer him under no less pain then to be as great an Heretique as he Lanfrank following the sway of the world for afterwards he was made Bishop of Canterbury performed the charge In that Book he sheweth that Berengarius in the words of Institution This is my body did appoint them this that is this bread and the bread remaineth saith he bread so that it becometh what it was not to wit the body of Christ sacramentally Even as Ambrose said The Sacrament consisteth of two things one visible another invisible the thing signified and the sign which thing signified if it were before our eyes on earth it were visible but since it is lift up to the heavens and sitting at the right hand of the Father it cannot be brought until the time that all things be restored Again Lanfrank saith Thou believest the bread and wine of the Lord's Table to remain unchangeable in respect of the substance that is to have been bread and wine before the consecration and to be bread and wine after the consecration that they are called the flesh and blood of Christ because they are celebrated in the Church in remembrance of his flesh which was crucified and of his blood which was poured out of his side to the end we being admonished thereby may call to minde the Lord's passion and when we call it to minde we should incessantly crucifie our own flesh and the vices and infections thereof What absurdity could be in these words worthy of so many curses and what was against the Scriptures But Lanfrank hoping to catch some advantage by these last words as if Berengarius had said These signs are naked signs he did beat the air and nothing impugned the true doctrine of Berengarius for this is the special argument of Lanfrank against him The doctrine of the Apostles ordained to be preached that the flesh and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is eaten with the mouth of the body and with the mouth of the
small like a tree Then the Spirit of the Lord said unto me It signifieth the condition of the Roman Church Again he saith As I was the same way exercised I saw in the Spirit and behold a man walking in the same habit carrying sweet bread on his shoulders and very good wine by his side and he held in his hands a round stone biting it with his teeth as an hungry man biteth bread but he did nothing then two heads of Serpents came out of the stone and the Spirit of the Lord instructing me said This stone is unprofitable and curious questions wherewith the hungry souls are turmoiled when they leave substantial things And I said What meaneth those two heads He said The name of the one is Vain Glory and the other is Overthrow of Religion It is to be observed that about that time the chief questions in the Schools were Whether the bread of the Mass be turned into the body of Christ or whether the substance of it evacuateth what eateth a mouse when she eateth the Sacrament wherein subsisteth the accidents of the bread whether in Christ's body or by themselves c. Again he saith I saw a clear Cross of Silver like to the Cross of Tolouse but the twelve apples of it were like to vile apples that are cast out of the sea What is this Lord Jesus The Spirit said The Cross is the Church which shall be clear with pureness of life and shril with the clear voice of the truth preached Then I said What meaneth those rotten apples The humiliation of the Church-men which shall come to pass Here he prophecied of the Reformation Possevin in Apparto 2. calleth this Robert An excellent Preacher of the Word Mornay in Myster pag. 427. 6. Marsilius Paravinus wrote the book Defensor pacis about the year 1324. there he debateth the question between the Emperor and the Pope and by the holy Scriptures Laws Canons and Histories Ecclesiastical and Civil he maintaineth these positions Christ is the only head and foundation of Rare Theses in those days the Church He made none of the Apostles to be universal Vicar of the Church nor made he the other Apostles subject unto Peter It is more probable that Peter was never at Rome far less had he his seat there who had no fixed seat as also not any of the Apostles The fulness of power in any man is a manifest lye an execrable title the beginning of many evils and the use thereof should be discharged in a good Councel The authority of the keys is that judiciary power that consisteth in dispensing the Word the Sacraments and Discipline Christ whose Vicar the Pope calleth himself did never exercise temporal authority on earth he was subject unto the Magistrate and so were his Apostles after his ascension and they taught others to obey Princes If a Pope usurp temporal authority Princes should by the Law of God resist by word and deed or they are unjust and sin against God and those who fight for the Pope should be accounted the Soldiers of Satan Unto the Pope belongeth not the election nor confirmation of the Emperor but contrarily the Christian Prince with consent of Clergy and People should name the Pope or if one be chosen in his absence he should confirm him If the Pope go astray or be accursed the Emperor should reduce him into the way and judge him in a Councel When Peter lived he might have fallen and erred neither hath the Pope any priviledge against error That that Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee is to be extended unto the other Apostles Only the Canon of the Bible is the fountain of truth against which Canon we may not believe either Pope or Church Concerning the sense of Scripture or any Article of the faith we may not believe the Pope and his Cardinals seeing not once have they seduced silly souls into hell The Christian Church is the universality of believers and not the Pope and his Cardinals she is represented in a lawful and general Councel A Councel should be assembled by the Emperor with consent of Christian Princes as anciently it was always The Word of God should be the only rule and chief judge in deciding causes Ecclesiastical Not only the Clergy by Lay men also if they be godly and learned should have voice in general Councels The Clergy and Synagogue of the Pope is a den of thieves c. This book was printed at Basil An. 1522. In another Treatise he saith Good works are not the efficient cause of salvation but causa sine quanon Mornay ibid. pag. 452. He was condemned as an Heretick by Pope John the XXIII Catal. test ver lib. 18. Consider what a Modern could say more of this matter and whether they shew not themselves to be ignorant of antiquity who accuse us of novelty 7. The same positions were held by John de Janduno or Gandanensis at the same time as is manifest by his books printed at Venice and Florence So wrote also Luitpold Bishop of Bamberg namely in a Treatise De Translatione Imperii printed Lutet An. 1540. he saith The Authority of governing the Empire belongeth unto the Emperor so soon as he is chosen and the Coronation by the Pope addeth nothing since Caesar is not his vassal nor feudatory The donation of Constantine is but a fable He was also condemned by Pope John Catal. test ibid. Michael Cesenas General of the Franciscans was bolder saying expresly The Pope is the Antichrist and Rome is Babylon drunk with the blood of the Saints Therefore Antonin par 3. tit 21. cap. 5. reckoneth him among the poor men of Lions For the Valdenses still suffered persecution in sundry Countries and under divers names as the adversaries pleased to brand them Many errors are imputed unto them by the writers of those times but because they did abhor the Pope and his Court they were reviled as we have heard from Arnold de Villanova and sought out to the fire as An. 1302. Nogaret the Father of him who took Pope Boniface the VIII was burnt in Aquitania Clemens the V. caused it to be proclaimed to take up the flag of the Cross against them and destroyed 4000 near the Alps whether they had sled Platin. Others went higher unto the mountains of whom some remained in his days saith Antonin par 3. tit 22. cap. 10. From them were the in-dwellers of Angronia and adjacent parts continuing until the Councel at Trent Trithemius testifieth of many that were burnt in Austria about that time howbeit he believing the reports of malice imputeth many errors unto them yet he testifieth that they abhorred the Mass calling the Hosty a god invented by man the Church of Rome a Synagogue of unbelievers and not the flock of Christ they denied all mens merits intercession of Saints the difference of days and meats c. He witnesseth also that the professore of the same doctrine were innumerable in Bohemia Austria
his conclusions by writting Because neither Faber nor any other would object the Burg-master in the name of the Senate breakes up the assembly and they give Order that through their jurisdiction all traditions of men be layd aside and the gospell be taught sincerely according to the books of the old new Testament So saith Pe. Soave when neither the diligence of Doctours and bb nor the condemning Bulls of the Pope nor the rigid edict of the Emperour could prevaile any way against the doctrine of Luther but it rather took deeper root all men almost did judge a generall Councell to be the only remedy but the severall aimes of severall sorts as of the Princes people Romane Court and of the Pope cast them upon severall thoughts concerning the way of ordering and place of the Councell Pe. Soave writes of these aimes and purposes particularly The death of Pope Leo makes a pause heerin At that time Satan was busy sowing his tares by the first Anabaptists whose names let them perish The Anabaptists against them Luther was the first that did write from his Pathmos as he spoke They pretend to have revelations from the Spirit and conferences with God Melanchton was not a little troubled with them The epistle of Luther unto Melanchton is worth the reading wherein he saith I commend not thy timorousness and first seing they bear witnes of themselues they should not be heard for that but as John adviseth Try the Spirits Ye have the Counsell of Gamaliell to delay for as yet I heare of nothing either done or said by them which Satan can not do My advice is that you try whether they can proove their calling For God never hath sent any but being either called by men or declared by signes no not his own Sonne The Prophets formerly had their power according to the Law and propheticall Order as we now by men I would in no way accept of them if they assert their calling by a naked revelation seing God would not let Samuel speak but by the accessory authority of Heli. This is especially necessary unto the publick function of preaching And that yee may try their private Spirit you may enquire whether they know anguish of mind divine birth death and hell If you hear that they speak all things smooth pleasant devote as they call it and religious albeit they say they have been ravished into the third heaven approove them not because they want the signe of the Son of man which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only proover of Christians and sure searcher of Spirits Wouldst thou know the place and way of talking with God heare As a lion he hath broken all my bones and I was cast forth from his face and My soul was filled with sorowes and my life drew neer unto hell The Divine Majesty speakes not as they say immediatley so that a man may see him yea man shall not see him and live Nature can not endure the little starr of his speach and therefore he speakes by men because wee can not endure him speaking The Virgine was troubled when she heard the Angell so did Daniel and Jeremy complaine Correct me in judgement and be not a terrour unto me What more Is it possible that his Majesty can speak familiarly with the old man and not first kill and make him wither lest his wicked smells do stinck seing he is a consuming fire Even the dreams and visions of the Saints are terrible at least when they are known Try therefore and hear not a glorious Jesus unless thou know that he was crucified Ex tom 2. epist Lutheri fol. 41. XII In March 1522. Luther returneth into Wittembergh and by Luther returnes An. 1522. Letter he shewes unto the Elector the cause of his returning saying Your Highness knowes my cause or now be pleased to know that I have not the gospell from men but from heaven by Jesus Christ our Lord so that I truly may as here after I will call my self his servant and Evangelist Whereas I did offer my selfe unto congnisance of my cause and became subject unto the judgement of others I did it not that I had any doubt of my doctrine but in modesty that I might call others but when I see that too much modesty turns to the detriment of the gospell and Satan when I have scarcely given him ahandbreadth would take up all the field my conscience presseth me to take another course I hope I have satisfied your H. that I have yielded for a year for the Devil knowes well that I did it not for fear or distrust ..... Now I am come back to Wittembergh with a higher and stronger guarde than the Elector of Saxony can give me nor came it ever into my thought to seek defence from your H. yea I am confident your H. shall have better guarde and defense by me than you can give me and if I knew that your H. either would or could maintaine me I had not returned at all It is not any sword that can provide for or helpe this cause God only must rule and worke here without any industry or help of man therefore in this cause he who trusts most firmely in God shall defend himself and others most safely And seing I find your Ho. so weak in faith I can no way attribute so much unto your Ho. that I can think to be defended or delivered out of danger by you I shall preserve your Ho. soul body and estate free from all damnage and danger in this my cause whether your Ho. believe it or not Let your Ho. know also and doubt not that it is decreed otherwise in heaven then at Norinbergh concerning this business for we shall see that they who think they have devoured and destroyed the Gospell are not yet come to a Benedicito He is another and more potent Prince then Dude N. with whom we have to do He knowes me and I him pretty well If your Illustrious Ho. did believe you should see the wonderfulness and glory of God and seing you believe not you have seen none of those things Unto God be glory and praise for ever Then more particularly he saith I was called by the letters of the Church and people of Wittembergh now in my absence Satan hath fallen upon my flock the Anabaptists were there and some other troubles and hath stirred such troubles that require my presence necessarily and further I fear a great sedition in Germany which they will desire to remove or for a time delay by joint prayers Ard in another epistle unto Melanchton he saith Prepare me a lodging for the translation of the Bible presseth me to return unto you After his returning he preached every day and in his Sermons as Abr. Scultet expresseth his words he spoke against not what was done in reformation during his absence but the manner and the necessity of doing some things In his absence he by letters had exhorted them to
place it seemes not expedient to be in Italy but in Germany where the controversy is for the most part Nor thought they it reasonable to oblidge themselves by oath to observe the decrees absolutely for that is contrary unto Christian liberty unless they knew what were to be the forme of the Councel who were Moderatour especially that the party defendent were not Mederator whether the Acts were to be determined by tradition or by the holy Scripture alone Ibid. In the next year Pope Clemens died but by the providence of God thus the liberty of religion was confirmed by the Pope as well as by the Emperour XXX An. 1533. George Duke of Saxony banished out of Lipsia 1533. all who would not go to Masse Luther hearing of this ordinance wrote unto the Protestants there exhorting them to suffer death rather than do against conscience and he called Duke George an Apostle of Satan George accuseth Luther before the Elector not only that he had reviled him but had stirred his subjects unto rebellion The Elector chargeth Luther to make his clear purgation or he must suffer Luther publishes a book declaring that he had exhorted the Lipsianes not to resist their Prince but rather to suffer which concerneth not rebellion Jo. Sleidan commen lib. 9. That year Erasmus publisheth a treatise De amabili Ecclesiae concordia but this Neutrall forme pleaseth neither Papists nor Protestants and the next year Luther accuseth him that he did but mock religion and turn it all into doubts sporting himself with ambiguous words whereas religion requireth plainness and cleareness Osiand Epit. cent 16. lib. 2. c. 26. XXX The Franciscan Friers were in danger at Orleans An. 1534. upon A craft of the Franciscanes in France this occasion The Praetor's wife by testament willed that she should be buried without pompe here husband desirous to satisfy here will hath a care to bury her beside her father and grandfather in the cloister without shew and he gave unto the Monks sixe crowns they expected much more and therefore they divisea way to make up their losse they accuse the defunct of Lutheranisme and cause a young Monke go upon the roof of the Church in the night time and make a noise an exorcist adjureth the wicked spirit to declare what he is whether he be that lately damned soul and for what sinne The Monk was informed what to answer and how They take witnesses The fraud was tryed the Friers were imprisoned and the young monk revealeth all The King hearing this voweth to throw down the Monastery but fearing that it might be matter of joy unto the Lutherans he dismisseth them In November of the same year in Paris and other places of France even within the Kings palace about one time of the night were papers set up against the Masse and other points of religion Inquiry was made many were apprehended and racked and burnt in the next year King Francis excuseth King France writes unto the Protestants in Germany him to the Protestants assembled at Smalcald that seing they intended the destruction of the Commonwealth said he the Germanes should not blame him more than he did blame them for suppressing the bowres or Manzerianes and he having a purpose to revenge himself on the Emperour craves by the same Ambassade that the Protestantes would make a league with him for reformation of religion So he pretendeth and entreates them to send some Divines namely Melanthon to dispute with the Masters of Sorbon he said He knew certainly that many superstitions were creept into the Church by insufficiency of priests and the Pope assumeth too much authority how beit by mans law he is the highest of all bb yet not by Gods word the traditions of the Church may be altered as time requires and therefore he is desirous to hear reasoning that things amisse may be amended He said also Pope Julius had excommunicated King Lewes XII John King of Navarre because they held that the Pope hath not power to call a Councel without consent of Christian Princes and he had raised Monarchs against them offring their Kingdoms as a prey In end he concludes suting a league without the Emperour They answer Without the Emperour they could and would do nothing In this assembly the former league was continued for ten years and into it were received all who were willing to professe the Augustan Confession So that they were 15. Princes and 30 Cities Cownt de Nassow was also admitted Henry VIII sent thither requiring that they would not admitt a Councell which would not abolish the abuses of former times or would confirme the Popes power They also required of him that he would receive the Augustan Confession but that he would not do That year Vergerius the Popes Legate had gone unto all the Princes The policies of Vergerius in Germany severally shewing them that the Pope had called the Councel to conveen at Mantua They all gave him one answere that they would advise in their meeting at Smalcald and there they told him they hope that Caesar will not depart from his promise and decree that the Councel should be in Germany nor can they understand what it meaneth that the Pope promiseth to provide for the safety of them which shall assemble when they look back into former times nor how in the Councell the way of treating can be rightly ordered where he who hath so oft condemned them will have the power in his hand Nor can it be rightly called a Councel where the Pope and his priests command all but where men of all conditions in the Church even Seculares also have a like power Vergerius had also been with Luther at Wittembergh and said The Church of Rome made great account of him and were sory for the want of such a man who might do good in the service of God and the Church which two are inseparable and the court was ready to vouchsave him all favour it was displeasant unto them that former Popes had used such bitterness against him Nor had he who professeth not Divinity a purpose to dispute controversies with him but to shew him the weight of humane reason how expedient it were unto him to be reconciled unto the Church he may consider that doctrine of his was not heard before those 18 years and hath brought forth innumerable sects where of each accurseth another whence many tumults and broils have arisen and therefore it can not bee from God but he was singularly blown up with selve-love who would endanger all the world rather than not to vent his own opinions seing he had continued without sting of conscience the space of 35 years in that faith wherein he was baptized he should still mantaine it He may remember how Aeneas Sylvius was once addicted unto his own opinions and hardly attained unto a silly chanonry in Trent but when he changed his opinions he became a Bishop and then a Cardinal and lastly was Pope and
verb. Apost saith This is the tradition of the Fathers and observed by the whole Church thar when the defunct are mentioned at the sacrifice we should pray for them who have departed in the Communion of the Bodie and Blood of Christ and that it should be told that it is offered for them It is without doubt that these things are available unto the defunct but such as have lived so before their death that they may profit them after death But they who have gone out of their bodies without faith which worketh by love such duties of holiness are bestowed on them in vain seeing while they were here they received no grace or received it in vain and did treasure unto themselves no mercie but wrath And Confess lib. 9. cap. 3. he praieth for his mother Monica and addeth Lord I believe that thou hast done what I crave yet approve the voluntaries of my mouth for she did crave to be remembred at thy Altar Bellarmine saith that the Church was wont to pray on the Feast daies for particular Saints as on the Feast of Leo they said We beseech thee Lord grant that this oblation may be helpfull unto Saint Leo But saith he this sentence is now changed And Ambrose did pray for the soul of Theodosius but as they who did so pray do never bring any warrant from Scripture for it so neither can they tell what to make of such prayers Epiphanius contra Aâ—ri haeres 75. saith These prayers and oblations were at first instituted partly as Thanksgivings unto God to glorifie him in his servants partly in commendation of their praises who sleep in the Lord partly that others might thereby be moved to the imitation of their godliness and partly to shew publickly the faith hope charitie and love of the living their faith saith he because albeit these were departed yet the living believe they are injoying a blessed life hope because they are awaiting the same their charitie because they retain a sweet remembrance of the departed and their esteem because they judge them who are departed in the fear of the Lord howbeit in a blessed estate yet to be inferiour unto Christ seeing they praied unto him for them So far he Augustine in the fore-named Sermon saith It is not to be doubted that the dead are helped by the prayers of the holy Church and sacrifices and alms that is given for their souls that the Lord would deal more mercifully with them than their sins have deserved Where Cyprian in 34. Epistle saith We offer sacrifices continually for them Pamelius expounds it not to be otherwise then in remembrance of them and he proves this out of the Canon of the Mass presently in use and out of Augustine in Ioh. tract 84. where he saith The Martyrs we remember at the Table not so as we remember others who rest in peace to pray for them also but rather that they would pray for us that we may cleave unto their steps This washing excuse doth add more guilt as followeth Bellarm. de Purgat lib. 1. cap. 18. saith Their prayers were thanksgivings to God for their glorie or petitioneth not that their Saints might be augmented in glorie but that their glorie might be augmented with us or that their glorie might be more known unto the world or they were petitions for some accidental glorie of their bodie at the resurrection And whereas it is commonly said He doth wrong unto a Martyr who prayeth for a Martyr Bellarmine saith it is to be meaned of them only who pray for remission of their sins or for essential glorie unto a Martyr which is not lawfull saith he Thus we see they are contrarie one to another concerning prayers for them who are in blessedness and albeit Augustine calleth it a tradition of the Fathers and saith that it was observed by the whole Church yet none of them can shew that it is a Tradition or that it was observed by the Church in the time of the Prophets or Apostles nor some hundred years after them As for the souls damned in Hell Epiphanius loc cit saith We remember sinners and seek mercie for them and our praiers are helpfull unto them although they take not away all the blot Chrysostom homil 22. ad pop Antioc saith Read the Scriptures of our Saviour and learn for none can help us when we depart hence into that place a brother cannot redeem a brother out of those endless torments nor one friend another nor the Parents their children nor the children their Parents But you will say where is the proof of that Behold him who was thrust out from the marriage and none interceding for him consider the five Virgins that were excluded and their neighbours not praying for them and Christ calling them fools Ye have heard how that the rich man had no pitie on Lazarus and when he was tormented he craved a drop of water and how Abraham could not ease his torment and on 1 Cor. 16. hom 41. he biddeth rejoice that the sins of the wicked are by their death come to an end lest their punishment were increased yet saith he strive so far as ye can to help them not with tears but with prayers supplications alms and oblations So is he contrarie to himself and which is especially to be marked in the first place he gives reasons of his doctrine and none for his exhortation save only that Job offered sacrifice for his children But we find not that Job offered for them when they were dead but while they were alive in their bodies Likewise Augustine a little before said that duties of pietie are bestowed on such in vain but in Enchir. cap. 68. he saith prayers for the damned if they be no ease unto the dead yet they are comfortable to the living but he shews not what manner of comfort Pope Gregorie the I. prayed for the soul of Trajan an heathen Emperour and Bellarmine loc cit saith this was an ungodly praier unless we will hold that it was a particular motion of the spirit So he will neither approve nor condemn the Pope but he condemneth the like praier But Augustine had a by-way of his own concerning a third sort of souls that were not reprobates and yet in pain he had been a Platonick and retains so much of the Elisian fields and thought that praiers for such souls is a propitiation to God for their relief as followeth But after the 600. year this opinion was received by many especially by the authoritie of Pope Gregorie the I. that praiers and oblations should be offered for the dead to the end their torments in Purgatorie may be eased or ceased Now if we compare the practice of the Fathers in the preceding 400. years with the opinion of Gregorie and of the Roman Church after him we find that both sorts praied for the dead but with great difference The Greeks thought that the elect souls were not in Heaven yet not any of them in
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
of virginity be commended so that the humility of marriage be not despised Catal. test ver lib. 9. Trithem in Catal. Illustr saith that he writ of redemption superfluously even to the salvation of Reprobates Here Trithem doth him wrong as appears by the book it self which was Printed lately at Rotterdam with a Preface of the learned Doctor Rivet or Renatus Deviraeus who hath a part of his XXX Epistle written unto Gotteschalk answering unto that question Whether we shall after resurrection behold God with bodily ey Here he commendeth the modesty of Augustine and denieth that God can be seen in his substance which priviledge is reserved unto the Spirit and then he saith Though I pay my debt of love unto thee much respected brother I cannot fully discharge it but I exhort thee that thou spend not thy spirits any more on such questions lest being taken up with them more than is needfull thou be less able to search and teach profitable things ...... In the mean time let us walk in the most large field of holy Scriptures and give our selves wholly unto the meditation of them and seek the Lord's face humbly piously and continually for no good shall be lacking unto them who seek him Then that Preface shews that this Abbot was not Authour of that Book which Trithemius and others do call his but another Lupus who did live at the same time to wit 20. Lupus Servatus a Benedictine in the Abbey of Saint Amand in the Diocy of Tornac writ a Treatise of free-will predestination and of the price of Christ's blood The sum of that Treatise the Authour did collect in an Epistle unto King Charls the Bald who had commanded him to write on that subject His words are God made Adam upright as the holy Scripture teacheth and in him he created us all originally upright this father of mankind forsaking natural uprightness none forcing him did sin so grievously that himself and in him he condemned us all which are begotten of both sexes God therefore made human nature excellently good but man hath corrupted it miserably by his spontaneous fault Adam was then as saith blessed Ambrose and we all were in him but Adam perished and we all perished in him Let us praise God's work and confess that nothing but punishment is due unto our fault But God to whom all things which were are and which are to come are present for he is what he is nor can be any addition or diminution of his knowledge seeing he fore-knew the whole mass of mankind to be corrupted with sin would not hold from it the good of his creation seeing he could use well even evil things and before the foundation of the world he did chuse out of that mass whom by grace he would deliver from deserved punishment as the Apostle saith As he hath chosen us before the foundation of the World But others on whom he vouchsafes not this grace of mercy he in just judgment leaveth them in damnation which they have deserved by sin And thus as the Apostle saith he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth He shews mercy on such whom he assumeth by grace and he hardneth those whom he doth not mollifie by the same grace but howbeit in hid yet in just judgment he leaveth them Those then on whom he shews mercy are predestinated for glory as the Apostle saith Whom he hath foreknown he hath predestinated and they are called the vessels of honour These do ow unto him what they are and what they have because they are made by his goodness when before they were not and of his bountifulness they are saved when they were lost But those whom he hardneth that is whom he softneth not which are left in damnation which they have originally and actually deserved are called vessels fitted unto contumely and prepared for destruction That those are created it is the good gift of God and that they are punished it is their own evil Blessed Augustine in many of his books and especially in that he writ last doubteth not to say that they ar predestinated to punishment not meaning a fatal necessity on them which shall perish but the unchangeable desertion of them which are forsaken For he had read If God shut up a man who shall open unto him And also consider the works of God that none can correct what he hath despised And that also I have given them over into the desires of their hearts and they shall walk in their own devices And I think he was led into this thought especially by that testimony concerning God Which made what was to come And to whom it is said Thou wilt give to every one according to their works which indeed he will do to each one except whom he blesseth by forgiving their iniquities and hiding their sins which advancing his grace with highest praises can say He deals not with us according to our sins nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities With Augustine do in other words agree Jerom Gregory Beda Isidore ... as I could easily demonstrate Certainly the first man did by sinning lose free-will in good which he did despise and he holds it in evil which he chose But as if a man willeth he can kill himself by with-holding food from himself but when he is killed he cannot make himself to live so man could willingly lose the use of free-will in good by forsaking it but he cannot resume it by his own strength even although he would therefore he shall not have free-will in good unless it be made free by the grace of God Our Lord Jesus which knew as it is written what is in man declareth this soundly when he said Without me ye can do nothing to wit no good thing for he cannot be the Authour nor co-worker of ill who as John Baptist saith is the Lamb of God and takes away the sins of the World to wit both which were and that they be not done And elsewhere If the Son shall make you free ye shall be truly free ..... God's grace preveneth us as it is written My God his mercy shall prevene me that we may both will and begin and his grace followeth us as it is written Thy mercy shall follow me that in vain we will not or begin These then are principally of God as is clear by these testimonies and but consequently ours because they are done by us willingly as it is written Lord thou wilt give us peace for thou workest all our works unto us ....... Lastly whom God hath redeemed by his blood it is learned by the Gospel In Matthew the Lord saith Drink ye all of this for this is my blood of the new Testament which shall be shed for many for remission of sins And in Mark This is my blood of the new Testament which shall be shed for many But in Luke This is the new Testament of my blood which shall be shed for you Then two
how oft all do eat at the Altar indifferently one eats the flesh of Christ spiritually and another not although we see that he takes a morsel from the Priest's hand What then getteth he seeing there is but one consecration if he get not the body and blood of Christ Truly because he eateth unworthily as Paul saith he eats and drinks damnation to himself Ca. 15. Drink ye all of this as well Ministers as Beleevers In many Chapters he distinguisheth between the sign and the thing signified Biblioth de la Bigne tom 6. 24. When Leo Armenius Emperour of Constantinople had Wars with The conversion of the Bulgarians Martagon Prince of Bulgaria his sister was taken Captive the Emperour caused her to be instructed in the Christian faith and she was baptized Martagon sent for her and in lieu of her he sent her husband Cuphara When she was returned she did commend unto her Brother the Christian religion many a time but he did nothing regard her speeches untill the Country was plagued with pestilence and famine and then he called upon that God whom his sister had so oft talked of that he would deliver him and his people Soon thereafter they were delivered and he did acknowledge the power of Christ and sent unto the Emperour for Teachers then he was baptized But the people moved insurrection against him because he had forsaken the rites of his Ancestours He was nothing afraid but became victorious and then they all became Christians Zonar Ann. tom 3. After the death of the Emperour Theophilus the Prince of Bulgaria seeing the Empire to be governed by a woman and a young child sent unto Constantinople alledging his League now to be out of date and he denounceth wars Theodora returned answer that she would defend the Empire and if it shall please God that she prevail he would be overcom by a woman and he may consider what a shame that were unto him but if she were overcom his victory were not honourable in taking advantage of a woman When he received this answer he was content to renew the former league Zonar ibid. I mark this History to shew the difference of people in old times from them who have lived lately when Kings will make Wars without any denounciation or accepting any reasonable intreaty The Emperour Basilius Macedo did perswade many Jews to imbrace and many Iews Christian religion and to effect that he gave them both money and liberty He made also a League with the Rhossiti a Nation of Scythians by the Mountain Taurus but upon condition that they would accept Christianity and some Scythians and sent Teachers unto them But they lingre and said unto the Bishop That they would see some of those miracles which he said Christ had wrought or else they would not beleeve him Then said he Say what you would have done They answered Throw that book into the fire which teacheth of Christ and if it burn not it shall be an argument unto us that Christ is God whom thou preachest The Bishop was content a fire is kindled and the Bishop lifting up his eys and hands unto Heaven said O Jesu Christ very God glorifie thy own name So before them all he threw the Gospel into the fire It continued in the fire a long space without any change The Barbarians were astonished and beleeving in Christ did crave to be baptized Zonar loc cit 1. Note how he calleth the elements Sacraments as it was usual then and it hath been observed in others 2. Platina in Sixto 1. and Prayer without book Pol. Vergil de invent rer lib. 5. cap. 10. say These things were done simply at the first for when Peter did consecrate he used the prayer Our Father which art .... and others have augmented them Platin. in Celestin 1. saith When the Epistle was read and the Gospel the sacrifice was ended Which is so to be understood that they at first had not a set or prescribed form of prayer but only the Lord's Prayer which they did use and the Apostles and other Ministers in every Church when believers were assembled made their prayers unto God as the spirit gave them utterance Chrysostom on Rom. 8. hom 14. saith With other gifts they had also the gift of prayer which was also called The Spirit and he who had this gift did pray for the whole multitude for because they were ignorant of expedient things and we pray for things which are not profitable the gift of prayer came upon one who being set in place of them all did pray for what was expedient unto the Church and also did instruct others to pray So here the Spirit is called that gift of prayer which then was given and it is the soul which did pray unto God and sigh for he who was honoured with this gift did stand and with much compunction and many groans supplicating unto God according to the earnestness of his mind did pray for those things which were expedient unto all And Tertullian in Apologet. mentioning the same custom in his time saith We looking up to Heaven with our hands stretched forth as being innocent and bareheaded as not ashamed make our prayers Sive Monitore without a Directory as coming from the free motion of our own hearts And by that testimony of Platina in Celestin 1. who lived about the year 423. what other parts of the Mass besides the Gospel and the Epistles are fathered upon others and are of later standing and were not in use in the Roman Church before Celestine Iustin in Apolo 2. fully sheweth the manner of Christian Service in his time The ancient Christians saith he had their meetings on the Sunday they began with prayers for the Church especially for the inlightned which were to be baptized Then the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles are read as time permits When the Reader causeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he who hath the charge hath a Sermon unto the people and exhorts them all unto the imitation of the best things then all do rise up and pour forth prayers again When the prayers are ended Bread and Wine being mixed with Water is brought forth which being taken he who hath the charge goeth before the people with an earnest voice in praising God and thanksgiving and the people do answer with a loud voice Amen Then the Deacons divide the holy signs unto all them which are present and carry the same unto the absent This food we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanksgiving whereof none may partake unless he beleeve the true doctrine and be washed in the laver unto regeneration and remission of sins and live so as Christ hath directed and the ordinance of Christ is thus observed after this is a gathering of Alms. That Father which lived in the second Century hath no more of the Christian Liturgy unless ye will add that in another place he saith After the prayer they did kiss one another and of that
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
recovered many Lands which his Ancestors had lost The Venetians took sundry Islands in the Archipelagus from him and from that time they keep Creta Pe. Maxia when he was sick he calleth his friends and The speech of a dying Emperor Nobles together and setting his yonger Son Manuel before them he said I had other hope then now you see O Romans when I came into Syria I thought to have gone beyond the limits of my Ancestors and to have washed securely in Euphrates and to have seen the river Tigris and to have subdued all the adversaries about Cilicia or who have made apostasie unto the Agarenes and I thought to have like an eagle this may seem a presumptuous word flown into Palaestina where Christ having stretched forth his hands on the Cross hath by his death restored the ruine of our nature and by his drops hath united all the world and to have gone up unto the mountain of God as the Psalmist speaketh and to have stood in that holy place and to have invaded the enemies round about it as sometimes the Barbarians had taken the Ark so they have often taken the Lord's sepulchre But because I am disappointed for what cause the Lord knoweth I can do no otherwise nor am I unwilling to yield unto the things which ye see approaching for who is wiser then God who shall fathom his minde or change his judgements by adding or impairing for the thoughts of men are changeable but God's purpose is not vain or variable And seeing God hath bestowed many benefits on me yea which scarcely can be told in your audience as my witnesses I with a thankful heart do proclaim the bountifulness of God toward me My Father was Emperor I have succeeded in the throne and have lost nothing that I received but whether I have encreased the talent which God hath committed unto me I leave that to the censure of others howbeit without offence and ostentation but to the praise of God's miraculous providence I may say this Both West and East have seen me in arms I have not been afraid of the Nations in both the Continents short while was I in my Palace I have spent my time for the most part under pavilions and have delighted under the vault of heaven this Land where now we are encamped hath seen me twice for a long time the Persians and Arabans have neither feared nor seen a Roman Army but as it hath pleased God they have given over many Cities unto us his servant which as yet we do possess and they do obey our commands God grant that I who have fought for Christian people may attain the eternal inheritance which the humble and those who are accepted of God shall possess and the same God give strength and success unto your indeavors against these bloody people which call not on the holy name of our God And so it shall be if you acknowledge that the success is in the hand of the most High and by his blessing ye shall have a Governor who shall not be cruel vain-glorious sullen nor a slave to his belly or who cannot be drawn from his palace more then a painted image from its colours for as is the disposition of the Ruler so are all things almost ruled seeing he hath a great influence on them if he be naughty they decay or if he have spirits they do flourish because as David teacheth God blesseth the godly and with the froward he dealeth frowardly And seeing I am to speak of the Successor of the Empire after my death which now inevitably approacheth I wish ye may hearken unto me To shew how the Empire came unto me it is not more necessary to declare then to hold up a lamp at noon for seeing ye have consented unto the Father's will and ye are equally affected toward my Sons being ready to obey one of the two Isaacius and Manuel and they also have submitted themselves unto my will It is true Nature is wont to bestow the Government on the eldest but I have observed that in designation of Kings God hath often taken another course Ye know that Isaac was yonger then Ismael Jacob came forth after Esau Moses was yonger then Aaron David was the yongest of his Brethren and many more for God is not a respecter of persons after the maner of men nor judgeth he by years but he regardeth the frame of the heart and especially humility and meekness And therefore in many occurrents I have not followed corrupt nature but despising the custom thereof in more weighty affairs I would rather follow God who is free from all depraved affection Now if without all scruple the Government were to be given unto my elder Son Isaacius it were needless to speak of their conditions but seeing I incline unto my yonger Son Manuel to prevent the wrong suspitions of the vulgar sort that I do prefer the yonger before the elder through affection rather then judgement it is requisite I speak a word of my motives There is no more unity of affections then of forms which have great variety though we all are men equally some are thus set and all do not take pleasure in one thing seeing otherwise neither God would accuse any of us nor could we be blamed one by another for we would all be necessitated unto the same conceits and follow the same purposes So my two Sons though they have one Father yet have they not the same minde albeit they both be eminent in strength of body comliness of countenance and gravity of carriage yet unto me it seemeth that Manuel is fitter for the Government for Isaacius hath been tasty in my sight often and being commoved upon a light occasion could not rule his passion and such anger is a great enemy to wisdom yea hath undone many otherwise good men But the other besides a multitude of other vertues which Isaacius also hath can yield at a time and follow the command of reason and therefore seeing in the uprightness of heart which the King and Prophet David doth commend we think men should obey a judicious minde rather then a strong hand I have determined that Manuel shall be Emperor wherefore accept ye the yonger man as Emperor ordained of God and entring into Government by my sentence as ye have many predictions that he is advanced and ordained of God which if ye will consider ye shall finde that I have not without reason designed him to succeed unto me but hereby have answered unto his vertue c. Nice Choniat Annal. 2. CONRADE III. the Sister-son of Henry V. and Duke of Suevia strove for the Empire but many Papalines in Germany as they had been enemies to Henry were against him and Pope Honorius causeth Lotharius Duke of Saxony to be chosen Emperor and he prevailed and was Crowned by Pope Innocentius He subdued many Cities in Italy which had usurped liberty as also he overthrew Roger King of Sicilies he drove him out
Dei he saith The word of God sounding in the ears of the soul doth trouble terrifie and judge but anon if you observe it quickeneth melteth warmeth enlighteneth and cleanseth briefly it is our food and sword and medicine confirmation and rest it is also our resurrection and consummation And think it not a wonder that God's word is called now all in all in respect of justification seeing it shall be all in all unto glorification Then let a sinner hear it note and be afraid a carnal soul shall tremble at that voice for that word is lively and efficacious it searcheth all the corners of the heart so that though thou wert dead in sin if thou wilt hear the voice of the Son of God thou shalt live for the word that he speaketh is spirit and life If thy heart be hard remember how the Scripture saith He sendeth forth his word and it melteth them and My soul melted when my beloved spoke If thou be lukewarm and fearest to be cast out go not away from the word of God and it will warm thee for his word is hot as fire and if thou bewailest the darkness of ignorance hearken diligently what the Lord will speak in thee and his word shall be a light unto thy feet and a lantern unto thy steps and if thou be the more sad that the more thou art enlightened thou seest the more clearly even thy least offences the Father will sanctifie thee by the truth which is his word that thou mayest hear with the Apostles Now ye are clean for or through the word that I have spoken unto you and when thou washest thy hands behold he hath prepared a table before thee that thou shalt not live by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God and by the strength of that food thou mayest run the way of his commands if an army were set against thee and a skirmish of tentation take unto thee the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and thereby shalt thou easily triumph or if it shall happen as in battels it is usual that thou be wounded he will send forth his word and heal thee and he shall deliver thee from death that in thee also it may be verified what the Centurion said Lord onely say the word and my servant shall be healed But if yet thou stumblest confess and cry My feet are almost gone and my steps are well nigh slipt and by his word he will strengthen thee that thou shalt learn experimentally that even the heavens are made strong by the word of the Lord and all their power is by the breath of his mouth In Epist 91. ad Abbates Suessioni congreg I would be in that Councel where the traditions of men are not obstinately defended nor superstitiously observed but where they search diligently and humbly what is the good acceptable and perfect will of God thither am I carried with all my desire and there would I abide devoutly God onely willeth not to be better then he is because he cannot Let them be gone both from me and from you which say We will not be better then our fathers protesting that they are the children of the lukewarm and dissolute the remembrance of these is with a curse for they have eaten sour grapes wherewith the childrens teeth are set on edge or if they do glory in holy parents of good memory let them follow their holiness while they stand for their dispensations and connivences as for a law And in Tract de Praecept Dispens Many things were devised and ordained not because they might not be otherwise but because it was so expedient and certainly but for conserving charity therefore so long as the things do serve charity let them stand without change nor can they be changed without offence no nor by the Rulers But contrarily if they be contrary unto charity in the judgement of such onely unto whom it is granted to see so and unto whom it is committed to foresee is it not clearly most righteous that what things were devised for charity should also be omitted or intermitted for charity when it is so expedient or at least that they be changed to another thing more expedient as on the other side certainly it were unjust if these things that were ordained for charity be held against charity Let them therefore hold fast what is immoveable nor do I onely think so or first speak so the Popes have so spoken Leo saith Where it is not needful change not the institutions of the holy Fathers but if there shall be necessity for the benefit of the Church let him who hath power dispense with them for a law is changed upon necessity Now by necessary or unviolable I understand not what is delivered by men but what is proclamed by God that they may not be changed but by him which gave it for example Thou shalt not kill and all the other commandments of that Table albeit these can no way be dispensed with by men nor was it ever lawful nor shall it ever be lawful unto any man to loose one of these any way yet the Lord hath loosed them when he pleased as when he commanded the Hebrews to spoil the Egyptians and therefore when we read that any good man hath done any time otherwise and the Scripture doth not witness that God hath commanded him we must confess that they have sinned as men or that they have received a particular warrant from God as some Prophets did But what will I have to be thought necessary and unchangeable truly that onely which is confirmed by Divine and eternal reason so that is changed no way not by God himself under this kinde is all which our Lord did teach in that Sermon on the mount and whatsoever is delivered in the Old and New Testaments concerning love humility meekness and other vertues to be observed spiritually for these are such that it is not lawful nor expedient to do otherwise at any time At all times unto every person these things bring death if they be dispised and life if they be observed c. Behold how these Abbots had a purpose of Reformation but were hindered by others upon that ground of former practice or ordinances and how Bernard excuseth former practices and yet would have had a change and still maketh the word of God to be the rule In the same Treatise he saith True obedience knoweth no law nor is restrained to any bounds by vigor of free and a glad minde it considereth not measure but is inlarged into infinite liberty this is the property of the just man for whom the law is not made not that he should live without a law but because he is not under the law and is not content with the vow of any profession which he overcometh by the devotion of his minde In Tract de Gra. lib. arbit This work of sanctification cannot be done without two one by
have the investiture of the Sacrament note of the Lord 's precious body and blood for that Sacrament worketh two things in us it diminisheth the feeling in the smaller sins and taketh away the consent in the more grievous If now any of you do not feel so oft so bitter motions of wrath envy letchery and such others let him give thanks unto the body and blood of our Lord because the vertue of the Sacrament worketh in him and he should rejoyce that the wretched ulcer is like to be healed But what shall we do seeing so long as we are in this body of sin and in this evil time we cannot be without sin shall we despair God forbid Blessed John saith If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us but if we confess our sins God is faithful to In many things we all offend yet none should dispise or think little of that for it is impossible to be saved with these and it is impossible they can be washed away but by Jesus Christ and unless he wash them I say therefore let none be perniciously careless and use the words of wickedness to excuse his sins for as he said unto Peter unless Christ shall wash them away we shall have no part with him and yet we should not for them be too solicitous he will forgive as readily and gladly if we acknowledge what we are for in such sins as inevitable both immoderate fear and carelesness is worthy of blame hence it is that he hath taught us to pray dayly for the forgiveness of sins for as I said of lust he hath taken away the damnation of it as the Apostle saith There is no damnation unto them that are in Christ nevertheless for to humble us he suffereth it to live in us and to afflict us grievously that we may know what grace doth unto us and that we should always run unto him for help so doth he with us in these lesser sins by a pious dispensation that they are not altogether taken away but by them God will teach us that seeing we cannot shun these lesser things we might be sure we do not overcome greater sins by our own strength and so we should be ever in fear and watchful that we lose not his grace which we see to be so many ways necessary unto us Super. Cant. Serm. 13. Hearken what God saith My glory I will not give unto another Lord what wilt thou give unto us he saith Peace I give unto you peace I leave unto you It is enough for me I take it thankfully what thou leavest and I leave what thou reservest so I am content and I doubt not but it is for my advantage I do altogether abjure glory lest if I do usurp what is not given I do miss that which is offered and lose it justly peace I would have and I desire no more he who is not content with peace is not content with thee for thou art our peace who hast made both one this is necessary this is enough to be reconciled with thee and to be reconciled with thy self for since I became an adversary unto thee I have been grievous unto my self and now I am more wary and I would not be ingrate for the benefit of peace which thou givest nor a sacrilegious usurper of thy glory unto thee Lord unto thee be glory wholly happy am I if I have peace Serm. 14. The Law which never brought any man to perfection is a yoke that neither they nor their fathers could ever bear but the Synagogue is strong and careth not for a light burthen nor a sweet yoke she is whole needeth not a physician and trusteth in the Law Ser. 22. Whosoever being grieved for his sins hungreth and thirsteth for righteousness let him believe in thee who justifiest the ungodly and being justified by onely faith he hath peace with God Ser. 61. Confidently will I take what I have need of out of the bowels of the Lord they abound in mercy the piercing nail is unto me an opening key that I may see the Lord's will why should I not see through these holes the nails cry the wounds cry that verily God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself therefore the mercy of the Lord is my merit I shall not have need of merits so long as he wanteth not merits and if the mercies of the Lord be manifold I have merit enough Shall I sing of thy righteousness Lord I will mention thy righteousness only for it is also mine seeing that thou wast made even of God to be righteousness unto me Shall I fear that it be not sufficient for us both it is not a short mantle the righteousness of the Lord endureth for ever What is longer then eternity it will cover both thee and me sufficiently it is a large and eternal righteousness and indeed in me it will cover a multitude of sins but in thee Lord what will it cover but treasures of piety and riches of bountifulness Ser. 62. The vine of the Lord is the Church of them who are predestinated Ser. 63. What is so powerful to heal the wounds of conscience and to purge the sight of the minde as the frequent meditation of Christ's wounds Ser. 65. By the vine I mean her which filleth the earth whereof we are a portion that large vine planted by the Lord's hand redeemed by his blood watered with his word propagated by his grace and made fertile by his Spirit Ser. 66. The Spirit saith manifestly that in the last days some shall depart from the faith giving heed unto the spirits of errors and doctrines of divels certainly he speaketh of these men now for they forbid to marry and abstain from meat which God hath created but see now whether this be not properly the craft of the divel and not of men as the Spirit hath foretold Ask the Author of that Sect they can give you none What Heresie hath not a principal Author among men the Manichees had Manes each of these pests had their master from whom they had their beginning and name but what name or title will ye give these none because that Heresie is not from men and yet we will not say that it is by the revelation of Christ but rather and without doubt as the Spirit hath fortold by the fraud of divels speaking lyes in hypocrisie and forbidding to marry certainly they speak so in hypocrisie and guile of the fox faining that they do it for love of chastity which they have devised to increase and multiply filthiness The matter is so plain that I admire how a Christian could ever be perswaded thereunto except they are so beastly that they could not perceive how he that condemneth marriage looseth the bridle unto all uncleanness or certainly they are so full of wickedness and divelish malice that though they know it yet they dissemble and rejoyce in the destruction of men Take away
man had told them 1. That their Counsellors were the Ministers of Satan under shew of Religion and zeal drawing them from ancient purity 2. Whatsoever those angels of Satan did advise them they should not authorise and execute And it was told them if they shall contemn this warning God shall cause them to feel here the presage of everlasting judgement Boniface believed not this until he felt it And it was told to Benedict by writing that God would shortly pull him from his seat and it came to pass for he sate not thirty five days after that And it was told them That they who glory of evangelical perfection are corrupters of evangelical doctrine by wicked lives and pestiferous preaching seeing the Friers in their Sermons do traduce them whom they do envy and flatter such as they would rob they deprave divine Oracles with false expositions impertinent applications and sophistical distinctions they omit things necessary and useful and in the spirit of Antichrist they seduce people from their ordinary shepheards they go unto all Provinces and buy the office of Inquisition and like raging divels they persecute all true believers with false calumnies furious vexations clamorous lyes and unjust punishments and yet none reproveth nor restraineth such madness All this said he I have seen among the Apostolical writings And it was contained in the same denuntiation that these false prophets had conspired against the Divine truth covenanting that none of them should touch those passages of Scripture which the Ancients had in their Commentaries expounded of false teachers but to teach the Prophets rather then the Evangelists that some of them taught that the commistion of man with man was no sin and if any of their own society do rebuke their faults he is condemned to death as superstitious or enemy of their Religion if any do appeal unto the Apostolical See not for severity of discipline but for corruption of the Gospel he is imprisoned cruelly or exiled all the books declaring the truth of the Gospel and describing their ungodliness are condemned to the fire under pretence of superstition and error for an ambiguous sentence they persecute all who would live in evangelical poverty whether without or within their order some of them do always attend the Apostolical See lest the complaints of the people come there they are like the drake and ostrich for the drake hath pleasure in waters so they in fleshly lusts and the ostrich hath feathers like an eagle but never riseth from the earth so their austerity of outward carriage is like to heavenly Religion but their hearts cleave fast to earthly ambition ..... They have forbidden all their fellows under pain of death to read the Scriptures declaring the truth and they stop the fountain of living waters from them that thirst after the water of life ...... Seeing God hath foretold those things and now hath twice denounced them although the messenger was contemned and cast into bonds he is not moved but continueth constant in the faith neither should it move thee O King to doubt of the truth of the Gospel and I know that God will cause those things to be denounced the third time unto the Apostolical See but determinately by whom and where and when I cannot tell because it is not shewed unto me and if that man whom God shall send undertake it and prosecute it with the zeal of Moses and Phinehas he will by the power of God adorn it with excellent things both old and new but if he neglect it be you assured God will within these three years bring most fearful judgements to the astonishment of the East and West c. The third denouncer was himself and at that time began the contention between the Pope and Lewis King Frederick was perswaded by these words and wrote unto his Brother James King of Arragon of all these things and received Letters from him tending much to the same purpose Mornay testifieth that both the Letters of the date An. 1309. are extant and the copies of them are full in Catal. test ver lib. 18. 4. Dante 's Aligerius a Florentine was then famous for piety and learning and an excellent Poet saith Platin. in Bonifac. VIII He wrote a book De Monarchia mundi where he proveth that the Pope is not above the Emperor nor hath any power over him he confuted that which was called Donatio Constantini that the Emperor neither gave such a gift nor could give it He derided the comparison of the Pope to the Sun and of the Emperor unto the Moon and averred contrarily that the Pope hath his priviledges from the Emperor In a Poem of Paradise in the Italian tongue he complaineth that the Pope in stead of being a shepherd is become a wolf and driveth Christ's sheep out of the right way that the preaching of God's Word is omitted and vain fables of Monks and Friers and Decretals are most heard the flock is fed with the winde He saith The Pope is the whore of Babylon and the Patriarchs or Cardinals are the towers of it in old time the Church was persecuted by the sword but now by famine for the bread which was gave for her nourishment is taken away I. Fox in Act. Mon. 5. Robert a French man by name and Nation a Franciscan by profession the longer he was in that order he loved the Friers the worse he lived about that time A Treatise under his name is printed with the Prophecies of Hildegrandis In the sixth Chapter he speaketh in the name of God unto the The Pope is an Idol Pope saying Who hath set this idol in my seat to rule my flock he hath cars and heareth not the voice of them who go down mourning into hell he hath eyes and seeth not the abomination of the people and the Bacchanal excesses of their pleasures how great evil doth this people before me neither will he see them unless he see a treasure ...... Wo to the Idol who shall be equal unto this Idol on the earth he hath exalted his name saying Who shall controle me ...... they who ride on horses do serve me what was not done unto my Predecessors is done unto me c. This was his exposition of that in Zech. Wo to the Idol shepherd In chap. 1. and chap. 12. Some prophetical visions he describeth the Pope under the name of a serpent who exalteth himself above measure oppressing the small number of godly men and hath many false prophets about him to obscure the name of Christ and advance the name of the serpent only Again he saith I was praying on my knees mine eyes being lift up to Heaven and I saw an high Priest clad in white silks before me his back was towards the East lifting up his hands towards the West as Priests are wont at the Mass his head appeared not and as I marked more attentively whether he had an head I saw his head withered and
illusions is at hand which that I may see I shall not live so long Behold every good man was then waiting for the fall of Babylon and the Reformation of the Church In Epist 17. he sheweth that against his admonition this friend would try with his eyes whether it were true what he had written and by experience had found that whatsoever wickedness was in the world all did flow to Avenion as to the Sea Petrarcha said further unto him If thou worship Christ as thou hast done religiously hitherto the wickedness of his adversaries which thou hast seen shall be a spur unto thy faith and make thy piety more zealous for thou seest a people who are not only adversaries of Christ but which is worse under his banner they fight against himself and for Satan and being filled with the blood of Christ they say Who is Lord over us ..... Truly if Judas would come with his price of blood he should be welcome and poor Christ should be thrust from the doors that it is so no Christian is ignorant none bewaileth it none seeketh remedy but while one looketh unto another wickedness is unpunished and waxeth as thou seest and which at the first was a curable malady is now altogether corrupt I confess it began before our days as we have learned from our Grand-fathers ..... and now this pest looketh toward the end In Epist 18. he directeth his speech to Babylon in France that is to Avenion thus Shall I call thee a famous or infamous whore who hast played the harlot with the Kings of the earth indeed thou art the same that the Evangelist saw in the Spirit thou I say art the same and none other for thee sitting upon many waters the people and Nations are the waters upon which thou sittest Whore know thy habit a woman clothed in purple and scarlet and gold and precious stones having a golden cup in her hand full of abomination and uncleanness of fornication Doest thou not know thy self Babylon unless that deceive thee which is written in her forehead Great Babylon and thou art Little Babylon little indeed in compass of walls but in vices and compass of infinite passions and lusts and multitude of all evils thou art great yea greatest yea infinite And surely what followeth agreeth unto thee and no other Babylon the mother of fornications and abominations of the earth a wicked mother of most wicked seed ...... If thou wilt yet dissemble mark what followeth And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus Why art thou silent either shew another drunken with this blood or if thou canst deny that thou art drunk for the vision must be true ..... of all the whoredoms wherewith all Nations and Kings are drunk what lookest thou for but that that John saith Babylon is fallen it is fallen and become a den of divels who do reign in thee though with faces of men Then returning to his friend he saith But thou my friend hear with the Apostle another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people c. Morn in Myster pag. 465. 10. Hayabad a Franciscan preached in Avenion An. 1345. before Pope Preachers at Avenion Clemens that he was commanded by God to declare that the Church of Rome is the whore of Babylon and the Pope and his Cardinals are the very Antichrist and that his Predecessors Benedict and John are condemned When the Pope challenged him he said He was commanded in a vision to speak so and therefore he durst not fail to speak it Catal. test ver lib. 18. ex Henr. de Erford Chron. John Rochetalaida another Franciscan preached the same and is said to be one of them who were burnt at Avenion An. 1353. In the year 1351. a Carmelite in a Sermon spake against the vices of the Pope and his Cardinals but he was quickly hurled from the place Mornay ex Albert. Argentin The same Author saith A Letter was affixed upon a Cardinal's door which was directed unto the Pope and his Cardinals when it was opened they found written Leviathan Prince of darkness saluteth his Vicar the Pope and his Servants the Cardinals by whose aid he overcometh Christ he commendeth them for all their vices and he remembreth the salutation of their mother pride and of their sisters avarice and others who prosper well by their help ...... It was dated In the centre of hell The Author could not be known by all their inquisition 11. At the same time Gregory de Arimino opposed the Doctors in the Articles of justification by works and of free-will at Paris he taught that man hath free-will to do evil but no good without special grace and that we are justified by faith only And he said The School-men deserve to be called Semipelagians Andreas de Castro and John Buridan two famous men at that time agreed with him 12. Then Eudo Duke of Burgundy perswaded the French King that he should not receive into his Realm the new Decretals and Extravagants His sage advice is extant among the Records of France 13. John Tauler a Preacher in Argentine about the year 1350. taught against all the merits of men and in a Sermon upon that Text Simile est Regnum coelorum Patrifamilias he confuteth invocation of Saints and proveth that we are justified of grace only referring all mens trust in the only mercy of God He was bitter against all superstition In a Sermon on the Epiphany he saith The Prelates are blinde guides of the blinde and it is to be feared that both guides and people fall into condemnation In Dominit 2. quadrages on Matth. 15. he saith We must do as the Cananitish woman she passed by the Disciples and made her petition unto the Lord himself On his Sepulchre in the Monastery of the Dominicans in Strawsburgh is an image of a man pointing with his finger unto the Lamb of God whereby was signified that his aim was to teach that Jesus Christ had taken away the sins of the world and that he dispised mans merits Catal. test ver lib. 18. 14. John Rupessa or de Rupe Scissa was imprisoned by Innocentius the IV. and then was burnt because he called the Church of Rome the whore of Babylon and the Pope the minister of Antichrist and the Cardinals false Prophets He wrote in prison a book of Prophecies with this title Vade mecum in tribulatione there he saith Surely God will send a scourge among the spirituality Two Cardinals went to talk with him and he told them a parable Once a bird was brought into the world all naked and without A bird without feathers is supplied and again made naked feathers other birds hearing of her would visit her they saw her marvelously fair and pitying her that she could not live well without feathers they consult how she might be helped and they all resolved to give her some of their own feathers so she
word of Luthers propositions and he preached against the superstitious running of the people unto the Eremites In the year 1517. he was called to be preacher of Zurick and at his admission he protested that he would declare the History of Christ out of the Gospell not according to the expositions of men for he would be tied to none but to the mind of the Spirit which he trusted to attain by prayer and meditation of the Scriptures Many rejoiced at this protestation and others were offended Ex vita Zuinglii prefixed unto his Epistles When the books of Luther came into Helvetia he had heard of them but he professed publickly that he would not read them yet exhorted the people to read them diligently Behold his intent he would that the people hearing him and reading the other and knowing that he did not read them might the better see the unity of the Spirit flowing in them both out of Divine Scriptures and so the more willingly believe the Truth And by Gods blessing there followed a wondrous successe as here after we shall heare VIII In January 1519. comes from Pope Leo Carol. Miltitius with a 1519. present of a golden rose and consecrated unto Duke Frederik and with Letters unto his Counseller Degenhart Pfessinger entreating him to assist Miltitius for bannishing Luther that child of Satan In the mean time word is brought that the Emperour is dead Januar. 12 then the eies of all men were toward Frederik as successour whereby Luther had rest for a time and the fury of his adversaries was abated He spoke with Miltitius at Altenburgh and promised silence if the same were enjoyned unto his adversaries and to recant whensoever he shall be covinced of an errour To the same purpose he wrote unto Leo March III. adding he could not recant simply because it would be an imputation unto the Apostolicall See seing many learned and judicious men in Germany understand all the controversy On the first of May Erasmus writes unto the Duke of Saxony that so long as he is President of justice an innocent man should not be given into the hands of ungodly men under pretense of piety all do commend the innocency of Luther nor is he to be thought an heretick who displeaseth this or that man his accusers do but seek their own interests nor should he be rashly condemned of heresy who leadeth a godly life as becometh a Christian In the end of Juny and some days of July there was a disputation at Leipsich betwixt Eccius and Carolstad there was also Luther and Melanchton all under the protection of George uncle of the Duke Frederik When Tecelius heard of this appointment he said So would the Devill and he died in the mean time This disputation is written by many Agrippa telleth the substance of it in few words thus Hoghstrat and Eccius gained nothing but scorne They dispute most of the power of the Pope After the dispute the Duke George touches Eccius and Luther with his hand saith Whither Jure Divino or Jure humano yet the Pope of Rome is the great highpriest This disputation brought forth many books especially from Carolstad and Eccius whereby both their names were much empaired Then Luther publisheth his Sermons of a twofold righteousness of the saving meditation of Christs passion of baptisme of preparation unto death Also a declaration of the propositions disputed at Leipsich concerning the power of the Pope A confutation of the Antidotes falsely imputed unto him by the Monks of Jutrebok And a Commentary on the epistle to the Galatians In October the Bohemians write from Prague unto Luther exhorting him unto constancy and patience and affirming his doctrine to be pure Divinity Likewise Wolfgang Capito wrote from Basile unto him that Helvetia and the country about Rhine even unto the sea did love him yea and the Cardinall Bishop of Sedun a learned and very faithfull man and many other chief men when they heard he was in danger were willing to have bestowed on him not only for his sustentation but a safe refuge where he might either lurk or live openly but when they had seen the coppy of the letter which the Duke had sent unto the Legate they perceived that he had no need of their aid and that they had caused his books to beprinted and spread them in Italy Spain France and England heerin regarding their common cause The same Capito wrote also then unto Erasmus exhorting him that he would not oppose Luther albeit saith he I do misse or wish that he would write otherwise many things yet it is expedient that he be encouraged that young men may be the more heartned for the liberty of the Church I know that the adversaries wish nothing more than to have you provoked against him but it is better to have all the other Divines against You then to have his abettours your enemies many Princes Cardinals Bishops and the best of the clergy do affect his business Schultet Annal. This summer the Monks made it the principall matter of their preaching to inveigh against Luther and so they spread among the people what was before packed up in Latine within the walls of the Schooles and Luther for this cause spread his books in the vulgare language In August the University of Colen and in November the University of Lovan came forth with their bare articles and Sentences of damnation or as Erasmus then spoke prejudged opinions thinking with the fire of words to quench a stronger fire of reason but they made the books of Luther the more vendible The University of Paris had been held most famous for many years their judgement was also exspected but they would not write Erasmus in Epistol ad Cardinal Campeg dated Lovan Natal Nicol. Anno 1520. IX In January 1520. a new broile ariseth upon a Sermon of the Eucharist 1520. that Luther publishes in it he saith It seemes good unto mee that both the Species of the Supper were given unto the communicants Therefore George Duke of Sayony writes unto Duke Frederik accusing Luther of the Bohemian heresy And the Bishop of Misna by a published mandate condemneth that Sermon The Elector answered his uncle that Luthers cause was not legally decerned Unto the Bishops mandate Luther writes he did judge as he had written if it were permitted by authority of a generall Councell and in the mean time the Acts of the last Councell should be obeyed and he thinks that Christ is not partially but wholly under both the bread the wine Januar. 15. Luther writes unto Charles V. and afterwards unto Albert Bishop of Mentz and unto the Bishop of Mersburg humbly beseeching that they would not condemne untill they heare him These two bb admonish him to temper his pen for the love of Christ and to write of other things more usefull for advancing piety than to medle with the Popes power as for themselves they had not leisure to read his books only they
Brethren and did conferre in the doctrin of faith of them he writes unto Nicol. Hausman to 2. epist pag. 167. saying Pighardi judge so of the sacrament that Christ is not bodily under the bread as some say they have seen blood and the babe there ..... but spritually or sacramentally that is he that receives the bread visibly verily receives naturally the blood of him which is at the right hand of the Father but receives it invisibly I can not blame them more for this And that they do not worship the bread they say it is for the same cause that he is not there visibly as we speak of seeing but invisibly and he is at the right hand of the Fathet Here is the Bohemians their judgement and Luthers approbation thereof Then Ab. Schultet in Annal. ad Ann. 1524. shewes that when Andrew Carolstad was still at Wittembergh he was scandalised at some words of Luther who said Christ is in the bread of the Supper tantus quantus in cruce pependisset so bigg as he did hang up on the cross and that this was an occasion of alienation of their minds We have seen other causes of their schisme On August 22. Luther preached at Jena against the fanaticall spirits of Anabaptists pretending revelations and at that time he said Of the same Spirit are the breakers of images and Sacramentaries Carolstad was present and took these words as spoken against him because he had noted and challenged Luther upon these former words After Sermon they meet in an Inn and in end Luther provoketh Carolstad to writ concerning that question of the Supper and so began that Sacramentary strife Luther hath written of that Conference at Jena one way Scultetus saith falsly and Martin Rheinhard preacher at Jena at that time hath writen of it another way Within two dayes Luther went to Orlamund where Carolstad was preacher at that time but he would not speak with Carolstad yet some of his hearers disputed with Luther and did maintain that what they had done in breaking down images was warranted by the word of God so that Luther went away being almost ashamed Not long after by the means of Luther and at command of John Frederik Duke of Saxony Carolstad was exiled out of Thuringia and so was Rheinhard who had written the Conferences at Jena and Orlamund Carolstad wrot Letters unto Orlamund these were read in a publick meeting and all the people did weep at the reading of them the subscription of the two Letters was this Andrew bodeynstein neither heard nor convicted yet exiled by Luther Bodenstein was his fathers sirname When Luther heares of this subscription he writes to Amsdorfius saying you see how I which should have been a Martyr am come so far to make martyres you can scarcely believe how largely this doctrine of Carolstad concerning the Sacrament hath spread Carolstad went to Basile and there he converseth with the Anabaptists only and set forth sixe little books concerning the Lords Supper Upon which occasion Erasmus wrote unto Henry Stromer 4 id Decembr saying Carolstad hath been here and scarcely did visite Oecolampade he hath set forth sixe little books the printers were imprisoned on the third day after at the command of the Magistrate especially because as I heare he teaches that in the sacrament the very body of Christ is not None can endure this for the vulgare sort are offended that God is taken from them as if God were in no place unless he be under that signe and the learned are moved by the words of holy Scripture and decrees of the Church This business will breed a huge tragedy when we have too many tragedies So far he The sum of Carolstad's doctrin concerning the Supper is The body of Christ neither is nor can bee eaten with the mouth but there is a celebration of the remembrance of his body broken for us and of his blood shed for us So he acknowledges a figurative speach in the words of institution and the word This he expoundes not of the bread but of the body as if the meaning must bee Take eat this bread in remembrance of mee for here is the body that was given for you He addeth there must be a trope necessarily lest we be forced to maintaine that the bread was crucified for us and that the Scripture commandeth us to eat his flesh which is false and that flesh profiteth which is also false and that his body is given and broken for us in the use of the Supper which is also false In the book which he called Of the un-Christian abuse of the bread and cup of the Lord he pleadeth against their errour which bid men seek remission of sin in the sacrament and he asserts that the Sacrament should be often celebrat to declare the Lords death and the annunciation of his death to flow from the remembrance of Christ and this remembrance to flow from the discerning of his broken body and shed blood and that the body is discerned and not the bread or the sacrament when we distinguish his body and blood from other bodies and bloods and that we then discern the body and blood of Christ when we consider that his body was broken for us and his blood was shed for us they who consider not these things are guilty of the body of the Lord even as the wicked men which killed him because such do eat of the bread of the Lord and drink of his cup Therefore a man should examin himself to wit whether he thinkes rightly upon the death of Christ and whether he be such as Christ would have him to bee He denieth also that the sacrament can be called an earnest or pledge of redemption by Christ because what is proper unto Christ and his Spirit should not be attributed unto the bread and wine and the Scripture saith not that consciences are quieted by the bread and wine but rather the Apostle commandeth that a man should first examin himself and then eat of that bread which examination were superfluous if one were made more sure of the remission of his sin by the Supper The Senate of Zurik were offended at the newness of this doctrine and therefore had forbidden the selling of these books But both Zuinglius and Oecolampade had spoken of a trope in the words of institution long before they knew how to make it cleare and thereupon Zuinglius in a Sermon exhorts the Magistrat to let the books pass and be read that so the victory of truth may be the more ingenuous and he said Carolstad was lyke unto a souldier which hath arms and a good mind to fight but hath not skill of arms and puts his helmet on his shoulder and takes his brestplate as a buckler in his hand .... so Carolstad is sensible of the truth but because he knowes not throughly the proper nature of tropes hee disposeth and places the words not in a right ordet Likewise Oecomlapade wrote unto severall friends
is a different lection He answereth He could not change a word contrary unto all the Greek coppies for so he might have been condemned as a falsifier The Bishop in great wrath sent unto the Divines and tolde them that Robert Steven had deceived his expectation and he will no more assist him let them therefore advise what they will do with him for that edition of the New Testament Gallandius the messenger shewes his order unto Robert and adviseth him to preveen another storm Robert shewes some of the Divines what he had done and craves the approbation of the Faculty before he vent the books They commande him to bring the old coppies that he had followed He answered They are in the Kings bibliothek he can not have them when he would but he had conferred them diligently and saved them a labour Two were appointed to examine the book He waites upon these and could have no answer At last the Faculty conveenes Some said The man had been troublesom unto them and now if they shall approve any thing that he doeth it will be a commendation of the man and an acknowledgement of their fault Others did coldly commend the work and they were commanded by the greater part either to be silent or go out of the house So they dissolve without any determination He asketh the Dean What have yee concluded What shall I report unto the King He answereth The Masters are not of the opinion that the books be vented Why sayth Robert The Dean answereth Because of the marginall annotations There be no annotations said he but only diverse readings He craves the Sentence of the Faculty in writ which he may shew unto the King and when this was denied he told the Dean he would relate what answer was given him The next day he presenteth a coppy as the first fruit of his work unto the King before the Cardinals and Peers and shewes what he had done with the Faculty and what their answer was If we will believe his testimonie All without exception did laugh and said The mens impudence ignorance temerity and foolishness is intolerable So he had liberty to sell the books but to appease the Faculty he promiseth to print no more without their advice Then for fear of their implacable malice he went without their reach and dweltin another place where he printed His answer unto their Censure of which I will give you a taste Art 11. on Deut 9. 4. the summary on the margine is God gives not unto men any thing for their righteousness or equity of their hearts The censure This proposition is hereticall His answer Let the unpartiall reader iudge how windy are these bellies that so oft blow forth so many heresies The question is Whether men do purchase Gods favour so that He rendereth any thing for their deserving The Scripture teaches plainly that a reward is rendred unto the good works of believers But wee must first see whether men doe purchase grace for their works or if God embracing them freely and then their works which he hath wrought by them by vertue of his Spirit doeth vouchsave them the reward But all men are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. all men come short of the glory of God none doth good Rom. 3. 12 all are enemies of God Rom. 5. 10 of ourselves we have no good thoughts 2. Cor. 3. 5 all the devices of mans heart are ill from his childhood Gen. 6. 5. Whence it followes that God who is debter unto none gives graciously unto men whatever good they have Remember also that of Paul Who hath given unto him first and it shall be rendred unto him Rom. 11. 35. The annotation which is condemned was on the text of Moses where the Lord sayth he gave not the lande unto the people for their righteousness or uprightness of their hearts And far less can man attain more excellent benefits for his merits for he who deserves not a litle possession on earth how shal he be worthy of the kingdom of heaven Finally he who thinks it an heresy God bestowes nothing on men for their righteousness denieth and abolishes the gracious bovntifulness of God in Christ Art V. on Ps 62. 10. Annotation Wee must run unto God for the defences of men are meer vanity The censure This annotation is hereticall and impious Answer Where the opposition is betwixt the defences of God and of men certainly these are called of men which God doth not blesse David went against Goliah with a sling and stones yet he saith Thou comest against mee with a spear and weapons and a buckler but I in name of the Lord of Hosts 1. Sam. 15. 45 And There is no King saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength a horse is a vain thing for safety Ps 33. 16 And There is no safety by the children of men Ps 146. 3. And yet more clearly Vain is the help of man Ps 60. 13 Certainly this sentence is hereticall in their judgement if they condem mine For David by the name of help understandes all defences wherein he findeth meer vanity And that wee may know that God is delighted with this form of speaking it is repeated in another Psalme 108. 13. Neither meaneth he otherwise when he sayth It is vain to rise early but Without God nothing is prosperours Ps 127. 2. In the same sense it is said Our eies yet have failed for our vain help Lame 4. 17. Art VI. on 2. Sam. 7. 7. God will have nothing to be done without his word The censure This proposition is heretical Ans When Paul teaches Whatsoever is without faith is sin Rom. 14. 23 by the name of faith he meaneth certainty which is not grounded but on Gods worde Therefore to undertake any thing without Gods command is not more acceptable unto God than if a servant will attempt this or that rashly in his masters service And there it is spoken of the worship of God wherein that rule holdeth Obedience is better thē sacrifice 1 Sa. 15. 22. Therefore the Lord saith by Jeremy When I brought your fathers from the Land of Egypt I gave no commande concerning sacrifices but that they should obey my voice Hither belongeth that he forbade to offer sacrifice without salt Levi. 2. 13 and to lay strange fire upon his altare Lev. 101. And what account he maketh of worship done without his word we may learn from the Prophet saying Who required that at your hands Esa 1. 12. And there is no word more frequent What I command thee that only shall thou do And every one shall not do what is good in his eies Deut. 12. 8. 32. and elswhere And Christ speakes not otherwise in vain they worship mee teaching for doctrines the precepts of men When Paul calleth supersition will-worship by this word he despiseth whatsoever men do of themselves thrust upon God Col. 2. 23. Seing such sobriety is hereticall
the worde and sacraments and other things belonging thereunto doth acknowledge neither Pope nor any humane Magistracy nor the Preachers themselves for Head and Lord but only Jesus Christ after whose lawes will and commandements the Church should be ruled and unto whom both Preachers and Elders and deacons and also the whol Christian Church of whatever rank should be obedient But it were longsom now to declare this it is sufficient to hint it in a worde If the liberty and ministry of the Churches should absolutely depend upon the Magistrats and their commandes a great confusion would follow the purity of doctrin might soon decay all enormities abound and piety would fail as by the grace of God the greatest part of the Magistrats do well understand and may know yet better when they shall duly hear the answer of the Churches against the unjust complaint of some who seem to stand for Libertinisme more then for Christian liberty for when there is no end of their complaints and as it shall be found true they with their written and printed Remonstrances will not be directed by the High States themselves so the Church must apologize for the cause of Christ and his Gospell howbeit wee do it not unwillingly and would rather plead it by word of mouth But to return unto the purpose it hath so far come that it hath been propounded unto his Princely Excellency and the high States as reasonable that in no town or willage should be any convention or consistory but with advice of the Magistrats of the towns or of the States by which the meetings and Ministry of the Church should be brought into great danger but his Excellency and the States understanding the cause better have established the former ordinances and administration whereby it may be seen that the Churches have increased and multiplied Afterwards by the pacification of Ghent and by the death of those great Commanders then Governors of the other Netherlands it came to pass that not only in Holland and Zeeland was Popery forsaken and the preaching of the Gospell accept but also the good subjects in Brabant Flanders Gelderland Friseland the bishoprik of Utrecht the land of Overisel c. have begun to embrace the trueth whereby in some places publickly in other places howbeit privily in houses yet in great assemblies of people and also with the knowledge and consent of the Magistrats Gods worde is preached c. So far there Before that time Gaspar Colhaes a Minister at Leiden who had been a priest in time of Popery and yet had professed the Reformed Religion in time of the persecution had made no small sturre for the government of the Church as he had also retained other dregs of Popery and other preachers likewise So that the Churches of the Netherlands was seldom free of one stichler or other yet alwise maintained and keept pure by the vigilancy of Synods and by protection of Magistrats from the corruption of such subdolous Ministers In time of the troubls moved by Colhaes the States of Holland called for one Minister out of each Classis and sent two Commissioners Gerhard van Wingaerd and Leonard Caesenbrood unto them requiring them to shew the form of the Church-government and to shew the distinction between the Civil and ecclesiastical government Those answered The Church-discipline was considered and penned by the Synod at Dort in the year 1578. which was authorized by the High The distinction of Magistracy Ministry States And they had been traduced unjustly that they would have usurped dominion over the Magistrates for they acknowledge themselves to be subject unto the Magistrats as any other subjects are both for body and goods except only that according to Gods worde they may exercize the Office committed by God unto them conform unto the writings of the Prophets Apostles As for the distinction of the Offices they gave it in write whereof the authentick copy Triglandius Lib. cit saith he hath not seen but he gives the summa of it from another to wit Both Offices are ordained by God both are preservers of godly righteousness both should be reverenced for conscience sake The Magistrate should not only preserve godly righteousness but provide for the commonweel-fare in which respect Church-men as well as others are subject unto them in body goods the Magistrat's Office is to establish and promote by their authority and example so far as concerneth the outward man that Gods Worde be obey'd but the Office of Ministers is to set that Worde before the people with faithfull teaching and godly conversation The Office of the Magistrat is to compell the despisers and falsefiers of Gods word that they hinder not the outward peace of the Church and if any do disturbe it to punish them with imprisonment or other punishment in hody or goods And the ministers should exhort the people in Christ's name to serve God peaceably and to shew forth their dutifull regarde of Gods worde and should call unto repentance the inward man that is the spirit or soul with spirituall weapens that is by preaching eternall life and threatning everlasting death The Magistrats office is to ordain punishment in body and goods and according to circumstances of oceasions to mitigate or straiten them And the Ministers should prudently exercize the exhortations and menaces that are prescribed in Gods Word and the excommunication The Magistrate should provide that the external peace of the Church as the Civil peace be keept safe and as occasion requires to punish the transgressions of the disturbers And Ministers should endeavour out of love that according to the rule of discipline in Gods Worde the souls of offenders may be brought unto salvation The Magistrate should preside when punishments of life or goods are handled And Ministers govern in the Church-counsell when matters of conscience are judged The Ministers and Church-counsel should appoint the discipline of the Church according to the rule of Gods Worde and the Magistrate hath power by himself whether present or absent to examine it and if he dissallow any thing therein he may commande the Church-men to reform it according to Gods Worde The Magistrate as also the Church hath power to seek and to use their authority if need shall be that Ministers of the Worde be called and the Church be provided with them and also to punish the faults even in the pulpit that deserve Civil punishment and it is the office of Ministers and Elders to choose persons sufficient for the office and then to present those before the Magistrate that he may approve them if there no be lawfull impediment which then should be confirmed by the Ministers When the Church shall be troubled with any division it is the office of the Magistrate to call together a Church-assembly and to rule it as concerning the external action But when the Church is in peace it belongs unto the Ministers to call the Ecclesiasticall assemblies and to preside in
communication is extended We believe that upon the personal vnion followes so reall a communication of properties whereby the Son of God communicates unto the assumed nature his omnipotence omnipresence omniscience power of quickning c. by which communication the Godhead becomes not weaker but his humane nature is exalted and not abolished as is the union of the body and soul and of the fire and iron the body lives verily but by vertue of the soul and the iron burneth but by vertue of the fire neither is any of them turned into another therefore we believe that because of this personal union Christ according to his manhood is almighty or which is all one the humane nature of Christ is almighty For the Scripture gives unto him even as he is man all power which is no other thing but omnipotency and in testimony of this he gave sight unto the blind ........ We believe that Christ in his manhood now in the estate of glory and Majesty perfectly knowes all things that have been or shall bee For the Spirit was given him not in measure ..... but where it is said he knew not the day of judgement it is not meant simply of his manhood but of the form of a servant which afterwards he layd aside The Scriptures also bear witnes that Christ in his humanity is present with all creatures especially with his Church Beloved I am with yow untill .... but the manner of this presence is not exprest and so we believe not that he is locally or physically but supernaturaly with all his creatures how this is in true humility we confess that we are ignorant We believe also that in his flesh he hath the power of quickening as he said I am the bread of life and he had this majesty of omnipotency and of ..... as he is man because of the personal vnion even in the wombe of his mother but he shew it not then after he was born he shew it in miracles so oft as it was needfull and so far as the respect of his office and calling did require for he was then in form of a servant and had abased himself that he might suffer But the exinanition or form of a servant which was but for a time derogates nothing from his Majesty into which he entred fully when he went up to heaven and sate at the right hand of God this right hand is the Majesty of Christ reigning praesenter according to both natures both in heaven and earth this is to sit at the right hand of God And this our Mediator is to be adored with all religious worship according to both natures for we have not two Christs whereof the one should be worshipped and not the other but of wholl Christ it is said Let all the Angels worship him On the morow Beza answered thus There is ambiguity in the word communication it signifieth the personal union and also the effects of it We believe a real communication that is an union of natures in which union both natures remain distinct both in their own properties and therefore that communication whereby his humane nature is said to be every where and almighty is not so much as verbal but is as false as if yow would say His humanity is become his Deity Although all the properties of the Deity may be attributed unto Christ-man that is unto his person even named by his manhood or in concreto as we say The man Christ is almighty and eternal but neither may the natures be spoken one of another neither the properties of the one be given unto the other for this is a sure rule In the personal vnion both natures remain distinct and they both distinctly do what is proper unto them So the Word is distinctly that which the worde is as the flesh remaines distinctly the flesh Briefly as are two natures in Christ distinct in number and not separated one from the other so there are two wills and two workings or operations but one work as there is but one person Neither can that saying of Athanasius be otherwise understood It pleased the Worde to shew his Divine nature by that flesh in it and with it As for the alledged places of Scripture those concerning the power and authority of Christ are impertinently brought because his power or authority should be reckoned amongst the gifts bestowed on his flesh And so those places concerning his omnipotency and omnipresence must be understood of his person or Deity and not of his manhood To this purpose he cited some testimonies as of Tertullian Wee see a twofold estate not confounded but united in one person God-man and the properties of both natures are so safe that the Spirit or Deity shewes his own things in him that is his virtue works and signes and the flesh exerciseth its passions being hungry when with Satan and thirsty with the woman of Samaria As for that power of vinification we deny not that the flesh of Christ hath that power but not in that sense as yee take it for the flesh is vivificative not with that virtue which is proper unto the Deity that is not communicable but first because in this flesh Christ hath abolish'd death for us having fulfilled all things that were required to acquire eternal life unto us and then because by means of this flesh being communicated spiritually unto us by faith we receive life from Christ God-man It 's manifest that those gifts which were powred on the flesh of Christ were not at one instant perfectly bestow'd on his soul and body because he is said to have grown as in stature so in knowledge and grace and he was verily subject unto all our infirmities excep sin in time of his humiliation and so after his ascension he began not the use and declaration but the consummation of his power and glory The form of a servant and the exinanition signify not both one thing as yee suppose but by the form of a servant we understand his very humanity according to which he ever was is and shall be inferior to himself the Word and by which he is of the same nature with us though he hath laid aside all our infirmities when the work of our redemption was finished but among those infirmities circumscription is not to be numbred or else when he shall come in a bodily circumscribed substance he were not then most glorious but base having resumed that infirmity We profess also that Christ reigneth now and hath all power both in heaven and earth according to both natures but not praesenter in respect of his flesh for now as the Apostle saith we are strangers from Christ and he desired to be out of the body that he might be with Christ And it is said He will come again to wit visibly and bodily Lastly in that one adoration of our one and only Mediator according to both natures we divide not the person but we distinguish the natures for the Worde
their books and practises The other book is written by one of that Society bewailing the corruptions thereof as appeares by his epistle unto the Reader and in Pag. 37. he hath the words of Claud. Aquaviva their General complaining thus Secularity and Aulicism insinuating into the familiarity and favor of strangers is a disease of our Society dangerous both within and without unto them that are infected and Us the Superiors who almost know nothing of it Under a fair shew indeed of gaining Princes Prelats and potent Men of concilâ—ating such persons unto the Society for divine obedience of helping others but in truth wee seek ourselves and by degrees we decline into secular affaires And in Pag. 43. are these words of Joh. Mariana a Jesuit in his book De Morbis Societatis Cap. 19. Our rules have been oftymes changed the body of the Society is altogether contrary unto that which our Fundator Ignatius conceived and framed men are scandalized grumble and hate us for no other cause but that they see us so singular and interessed or seeking our own gain ..... None can deny that our society hath departed from right reason And in Pag. 49. he shewes that by the first foundation and also by later constitutions under Aquaviva they should follow the doctrin of S. Thomas Aquinas but because many questions are started up that were not known by him they follow no precedent He speaks of their prudence Pag. 12. as of men desirous to serve God and Mammon who because they have gone unto the world and hate God as Christ teaches Matt. 6. all good men should hate them and follow David who said Do I not hate them who hate thee o Lord Their last aim or end which they profess and fain is the glory of God and salvation of their own soul The middle and remoter end is the spiritual salvation of their nighbours and the nearest is the honor of the Apostolical See But really the end aimed-at and the rule of all things done by the Society according to the mind of their Superiors is the last the proper good of each one gain pleasure and glory And the middle remoter is the glory and vast dominion of their Generall And the nearest is the Monopoly of things that are of greatest necessity and worth as 1. of grace with God that none should be in favour with God nor obtain remission or absolution of sins but by Jesuites and that none should attain to honor Offices and wealth from Princes but by Jesuites 2. Of faith that none should be turned from paganism to Christianity nor from heresy to the catholick faith but by means of Jesuites 3. Of perfection that none should be held perfect or a Saint but by Jesuites that is unless he be of the Iesuites 4. Of learning that now none may learn Divin or humane Letters but under a Jesuite 5. Of vertue or good manners that none should be instructed but by the admonitions and example of Jesuits 6. Of fame or good name that none should be thought good or learned but by the suffrage of the Jesuites at least these not resisting In Pag. 28. he speakes of the fruits of this depraved Society and distinguishes them into inward and outward The inward are special or general The special are 1. in Superiors the ambition of the general affecting a Monarchy and vast Empire Courtliness secularity and Polypragmosyne or medling with many affaires and tyrannicall manner of domineering that is deceitfulness and violence 2. in the subjects effeminate and dainty breeding of Novices a great number and great licence of laiks Mangonia or a divelish way of alluring men into their society an unwillingness of mind or a desire to forsake the Society aloss of goods brought into the Society and beggery a hunting of inheritances flattering of Superiors and potent strangers quadruplies or delaying of pleas from time to time envy against the learned and famous without their Society contumacy against Superiors courtliness and secularity The general fruits are the multiplication of Colledges contrary unto the ordinances multitude of but half-learned Masters a sophistical way of teaching not for advancing of learning but serving unto the ambition of the General who would have many colledges and many Masters to be planted in new Schools paucity of men eminent in learning ........ hypocrisy doubleness simulation and dissimulation as of men living sparingly and disclosing themselves simply unto none a shameless denying of the things that are done by catholicks especially by the clergy though these things are known certainly a contumelious way of contending and disputing with the heterodoxe and stirring up of Princes into violence against them The external fruits are privat or publick the private are many children and young men do unwarily by impulsion of Jesuitesâ—ty themselves with the vow of chastity that they must be Jesuites many hate learning and forsake it being terrified by the multitude of Grammare rules many are craftily cheated of their patrimony many indigent are deprived of godly mens alms many are through envy so diffamed that they can do no good in publick especially if the Pharisees conspire with the Herodians ..... The publick fruits are the first or secondary the first are ecclesiastical or Politicall The ecclesiastical are 1. rarity of Councels for they persuade men that Councels are not necessary seeing they can perform all thing concerning the preservation of faith and discipline 2. the unfitness of Bishops seeing by the teaching and example of their Masters the Jesuits they know not a contemplative life nor Apostolical patience ... Epicurism of the Sadducees or clerks who live so as if they believed neither resurrection nor that there is a soul and spirit .... the infamy of the antient sort of Monks as if they had been the broachers of all heresies some scandalous wicked and heretical opinions which they have hid for a long time and now having power dar vent them as may be seen in Apologia Perfectionis Mic. Ã Jesus Maria printed twice at Rome and again at Ravensburg c. The Political fruits are in respect of Princes or subjects through the flattering and indulgence of Confessary Iesuits is the tyranny of some Princes who account their will a law and their proper interest to be the end of their power seeing the Superiors of the Society commanding the same way and not only absolve Princes their imitators but also pronounce them blest c. In subjects the corruption of faith and manners ignorance imprudence for Jesuits partly by their traditions and partly by exemple persuad the people that God and Mammon may be both served and he may enter into the Kingdom of heaven who puts his hand to the plough and looks back again ..... as may be seen more fully in that Apologia The secundary fruits are the offense of God by profaning ecclesiastical goods ... civil wars arising from that warre that sinners have against God and from the bloody doctrin of Jesuites
The power of Presbyteries 1. The power of a Presbytery is to give diligent labours in their own bounds that the churches be keept in good order to enquired diligently of naughty ungodly persons and travell to bring them into the way again by admonition and threatning of Gods judgement or by correction 2. It appertaines to them to take heed that the word of God be purely preached within their bounds the Sacraments rightly administred the disciplin mantained and the church-goods incorruptly destributed 3. It belongs unto them to cause the ordinances made by the Assemblies Provinciall and Generall to be observed and put execution 4. To make constitutions which concern TÃ’ PREPON in the Church or good order for their particular churches Providing that they change no rule made by the Provinciall or Gener. assemblies and that they shew unto the Provinciall the rules which they make and to abolish constitutions tending to the hurt of these churches 5. It hath power to excommunicate the obstinat His Majesty agrieth in this manner It hath power to excommunicat the obstinat formall process being led and due intervall of time 6. Faults to be censured in the presbytery are heresy papistry idolatry witchcraft consulters with witches contempt of the word not resorting to hear â—he word continuance in blasphemy against God and his truth perjury fornication dunkennes these things for the present and more when order shall be taken in the Conference IV. Particular The power of Church-Sessions or Counsels Churches if they be lawfully ruled by a sufficient Minister and Session have power of jurisdiction in their own congregation in matters ecclesiasticall to take order therewith and what things they can not conveniently decide to bring them unto the Presbytery XI Commissioners are appointed to present unto his Majesty and Counsell the humble petitions complaints Articles and Heads delivered to them and humbly to crave his Ma s answers thereunto To treat conferr reason thereupon and upon such heads and articles as shall be propounded unto them by his M. or his Commissioners and what herein shall be done to report unto the Assembly For clearing what is here I will only adde from The Historicall Narration that the Synod of Fife did cut off Pa. Adamson as a rotten member not only for the notoriety of offenses for which he was suspected before but likewise for impugning the setled order of Generall assemblies and presbyteries for contempt of the Synod and for other notorious slanders whereof he was to be accused but refused to underly the tryall The next day after the Sentence pronounced against him two of the Bishops servants went to the church of the city at time of publick prayer as the custome was then evening and morning on the days when there was no Sermon and without any citation or process caused Samuel Cuningham Reader pronounce the Sentence of excommunication against And. Melvin James Melvin and some others who he thought had been most forward against the Bishop Wee see in the last Session of this Assembly the censure and tryall of this fact was remitted unto the Presbytery I have not read what was done in the matter but I knew the man and that he could never be admitted unto the Ministry though he often suited it untill another change came into the Church and then he was promoted by a Bishop into an obscure charge and was hatefull all his days and durst scarcely appear in a presbytery The bare narration of the proceedings of this Assembly as they be extracted out of the Assemblies books confute the perverse imputations and slanders of the contrarily minded The rest of that year the King was taken up partly with setling some troubles in the Isles and Kentyre and partly in the Articles of a League with England and immediatly thereafter with a process that was intended and went on against his mother This last purpose was occasion of some variance be twixt the King and the Ministers of Edinburgh For XXIII In January of the year 1587. the King hearing that the death 1587. of his mother was determined gave order unto the Ministers to pray for her The adversarics of the Church-disciplin say The Ministers denied it absolutely and they call that denyall a barbarous inhumanity But Vindiciae Philadelp Pag. 56. shew that the Papists were plotting the destruction of Queen Elisabeth nor was Queen Mary free of these plots and by that means the ruln of religion was intended and the Ministers of Edinburgh answered unto the King that they would pray for the salvation of her soul but they could not pray against her punishment if she had deserved and in that case his Majesty should rather give God thanks because they understood that both his person and the Church would be delivered from imminent danger For whosoever trespasseth against the publick no man should preferr his particular interest unto publik duty This answer did not satisfy the King he did appoint the third of February for solem prayers to be made in behalf of his mother and commanded Pat. Adamson to preach that day John Couper a young man was set up in the pulpit before the Bishop came The King seeing him said That place was appointed at this time for another but seing you are there if you will obey the charge and pray for my mother you shall go-on He replied He will do as the Spirit of God shall direct him Whereupon he was commanded to leave the place and because he made no haste the Captain of the Guard went and pulled him out and he burst out into unreverent speaches Then the Bisbop went up In the after-noon the young man was called before the Counsell where Wi. Watson Minister accompanying him for offensive speaches the two were discharged from preaching in Edinburgh during his Ma s pleasure and Couper was sent prisoner to Blackness The The 48. Assembly Assembly conveenes at Edinburgh Juny 20. Andrew Melvin Is chosen Moderator I. Two Ministers being directed unto the King to sute his Ma s presence report that he had named the Lord Secretary and Justice-Clerk to be present and concurre and they had promised to be present as their opportunity could serve yet willing that the Assembly according to his Ma s mind do treat before any other thing of John Cowper's cause and nevertheless after some reasoning were content it be delayd till the next day and that the brethren of the Conference shall consider it II. His Ma s Commissioners offer theyr concurrence to the recovery of the Assemblie's books if it may be known in whose hands they are The Moderator craves that if any can give light in this matter they would shew it and namely Pa. Galloway who was directed by the last Assembly unto the King to seek the delivery of the Register he answereth that his Majesty promised to deliver them John Brand declares that at the last Assembly in his house Pa. Adamson in presence of David Ferguson said he knew
with advice of his Counsell certain Barons and gentle men are directed to remain in the south parts of this realm hath promitted and by these presents promits in the word of a Prince that the same Barons shall not be licenced to return unto the said north parts nor shall any favor or pardon be granted unto the said Earles Iesuits nor other above specified any order be taken nor dispenced with without the speciall knowledge and advice of the Lieutenent or Commissioner for the time and sixe of the principall Barons at least inhabitants of the said north parts subscribers of this present Band And this to do wee the said Noble men Barons and other foresaids have sworn and swear by the great God our Creatour Jesus Christ his Sone our Redeener and the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier witness of the verity here agreed upon add revenger of the breach thereof and further wee oblige us thereunto under the pain of periury infamy and losse of credite of honor estimation in time coming besides the Lawes to be executed against us In witnes whereof we have subscribed these presents with our hands as followes even as his Ma. in token of allowance and approbation of the premisses hath subscribed the same Act At Aberdien the day of March 1592. Sic subscribitur Ja. R. Lennox Athol Mar Marshall James L. Lindsay John L. Innerness John Mr of Forbes c. With this is written the Proclamation made at Halirudhouse Jan. 5 1592. 1593. according to the reckoning now Forsomuch as albeit the dangerous effects of the couered and busie travells of Jesuits Seminary-priests born subjects of this realm and others strangers in these late years have been feared and espied and for that cause by sundry lovable lawes Acts proclamations both their own remaining and the receiving of them have been prohibited under diverse high paines yet their coloured simplicity hath so far prevailed as they have not only purchased unto themselves favor credite to be keept huirded entertained in sundry parts of the realm After many promises made that they shall depart forth of the same but also have taken occasion and leisure to persuade sundry of his Hieness's subjects to apostasie from that religion wherein they were once instructed grounded and have confirmed in their errors and at last have seduced them to cast off their due obedience which they owe unto his Majesty and enter into a treasonous conspiracy for in-bringing of strangers Spainards into this realm the next Spring or sooner to the overthrow of his Hieness and all professing the true religion with him and to the ruin and conquest of this antient Kingdom and liberty which this Nation hath enioyed so many ages that it may be subject hereafter to the slavery tyranny of that proud Nation which hath made so unlawfull cruell conquest in diverse parts of the world alâ—well upon the Christians as infidels wheresoever the aid of Spain hath been sought Regarding in end no better the inbringers than them against whom they were brought being once victors commanders as easily may be proved by speciall exampls which the malitious aâ—d minaturall subjects of this Land would repute but as generall and improbable discourses published in hatred of that Nation to which they have already sold themselves slaves and are their friends factors in this Land as they speak and write Were it not thath it pleased the almighty God to make the proof heerof certain and without all doubt by detecting of the simple trueth of the intention finall causes of all the crafty practises of these pernicions trafficking Papists Jesuites and Seminary-priests against God true religion his Ma and liberty of this Country namely Mr Iames Gordon father-brother to the Earle of Huntly Ro. Abercromy father-brother to the Laird of Murtle whose letters directions advices yea and the messingers or carryers of their credits and certain others chieff instruments and furtherers of their trade God hath casten into his Hieness hands when the ship appointed for their transporting was in full readiness Whereby his Majesty is now not only sufficiently forewarned of the imminent danger to the true religion his own estate person his realm and faithfull subjects but resolved with Gods help by whose providence he hath been so wonderfully delivered from many former perrills to try the full circumstances of this so high a conspiracy and detestable treason To withstand it and punish it and on all guilty thereof in example to all posterity that none of his subjects heretofore abused and deceived by the crafty illusions of these pernicious and busie workmen shall remain any longer doubtfull of the truth of his Majesties mind intention Ordaines Letters to be directed to Officers of arms shirrefs in that part to make publication of the premisses by open proclamations at the market-crosses of the head burghs of this realm and other places needfull for warning them of the many dangers if they shall suffer themselves to be any longer in error by these deceiving spirits to the perrill of their souls landes and goods And therefore to abstain from further hearking to their treasonous persuasions and from all entertaining receiving supply intercommoning or having intelligence with them directly or indirectly under whatsoever pretext or color Under pain of treason Commanding also all sundry his Ma s faithfull obedient subjects that love feare God wish the standing wel fare of his Majesty their Soverain Lord King professing with him the true and Christian religion and desire that their own wifes chidren and posterity should now and hereafter enjoy the commodities of this their native Countrey unconquest and made slaves in souls bodies to merciless strangers That they implore the mercy protection of the Almighty God for their defense save guard and put themselves in arms by all good meanes they can remaining in full readiness to pursue or defend as they shall be certified by his Majesty or other wayes find the occasion urgent in the mean time diligently espying and getting intelligence of the treasonable courses and proceedings of the said Jesuits priests their favorers mantainers and receipters and make advertisement to his Counsell thereof with all speed celerity as they will answer unto God and his Majesty thereupon Sic subscribitur James R. These being read the Assembly gives their power commission unto Pa. Galloway Pe. Black burn Pa. Simson to give information unto his Majesty residing then at Sterlin of the evident dander imminent to the Church of God within this realm according to the instruction given unto them and to present unto his Majesty their humble articles petitions for removing the said dangers and to insist with all humility and due reverence for hit Ma s good answer thereunto and to report with all diligence his Ma s answer before the Assembly dissolve The tenor of the articles followes The same dangers which before by the crafty pernicious