HISTORY Of the CATHOLICK CHURCH From the Year 600 untill the Year 1600. Shewing Her DEFORMATION And REFORMATION Together with The RISE REIGN RAGE and BEGIN-FALL Of the ROMAN ANTICHRIST With many other profitable Instructions Gathered out of divers WRITERS of the several times and other HISTORIES BY ALEXANDER PETRIE Minister of the Scots Congregation at Rotterdam Psalm III. What we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us we will not hide them from their Children shewing unto the Generation to come the praise of the Lord and his strength and his wonderfull Works that he hath done Cyprian de zelo livore Evill shall be eschued the more readily if the beginning and greatness of it be known Origen contra Celsum Lib. 3. As he is deemed to have made progress in Philosophy who being acquainted with the disputes of different opinions hath chosen the best reasons among them So I am bold to say that he is the wisest among Christians who hath most diligently considered the several Sects of Jews and Christians HAGUE Printed by ADRIAN VLACK M. DC LXII HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE TO HIS HIGHNES WILLIAM THE III By the Grace of God PRINCE of ORANGE Count of Nassaw Catzenelbogen Vianden Dietz Lingen Moeurs Bueren Leerdam c. Marquess of ter Vere and Vlissingen Lord and Baron of Breda of the City of the Grave and Land of Kuyck Diest Grimbergen Herstall Kranendonck Warneston Arlay Noseroy S. Vijt Doesbourg Polanen Willemstadt Niewart Ysselstein S. Martensdijck Geertruydenberg Chasteau-regnard the High and Lower Swaluw Naeldwijck c. Vicount Hereditary of Antwerp and Besançon c. Marshal Hereditary of Holland c. I Will honour them that honour me saith the LORD But who can tell what shall be done unto them whom the Lord will honour Certainly those do honour him who serve him religiously They who are careless of Religion do pretend that they cannot serve God because there be so many Religions and they cannot know which is the right But if they were unfeignedly desirous to know they might be resolved since our Lord who is gracious mercifull and abundant in goodness and truth leaves us not in the mist or unto uncertainties but at several times and in divers waies hath spoken unto the Fathers by the Prophets and in the last daies hath spoken unto us by his Son and hath commanded all men to hear Him He is the Way the Verity and the Life none comes unto the Father but by Him On which words Chrysostom writes thus It is as if our Saviour had said I am the Way that is By me ye shall come The Verity because assuredly those things shall be which I have promised neither is any lie in me And the Life because Death cannot hinder you from me And since I am the Way ye need not another Guide Since I am Truth I speak no false thing Since I am Life although ye shall die ye shall injoy what I have promised And Cyrill Alexandr on the same words saith By three things we shall come into these Heavenly mansions by the action of true verity by right faith and the hope of eternal life of all which none is the giver none is the fountain nor is any the cause but our Lord Jesus Christ for he hath given commandments above the Law he hath shewed us the Way And he is also the Truth that is the true streightness and determination the uprightest rule and the best square of faith And he is also the Life for none but he can restore unto us that life which we hope shall be in holiness and blessedness without perishing He certainly shall raise us up though we die from that curse for sin and bring us into Heaven therefore all excellent things come and shall be unto us through him But those Worldlings say The Word of Christ is large and so many things are in it that we cannot search them Nevertheless He directs all men to search the Scriptures and the Evangelist teacheth that those are written that we might beleeve that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that beleeving we might have life through his name Yea in that written Word he hath certain rules and notes whereby the true Religion may be known Certainly that is the most true Religion which ascribes most glory unto God and most transcends the natural reason of men and most elevates the hearts and affections of men towards God and Heaven By application of those undoubted and unquestionable principles each one may understand that among all Religions the Reformed is the only true Religion for not only our Profession in the general but all the branches of our Doctrine are grounded on God's written Word and tend unto God's glory transcend our natural reason and lead men to think continually of God and to hope for blessedness in Heaven by Christ alone And amongst those who profess this Religion they are most devoted unto God and most constant in their profession who aim most at God's glory who are most acted by supernatural principles who do most think of God and whose hope of felicity in Heaven is most active And such as seek but their own or other mens interests or be led by political or human reasons mainly are the wavering Professors On the other side all other Religions though they pretend the glory of God they are not truly grounded on God's Word but are underpropped with natural reason and tend to earthly mindedness as appears by induction of the particulars wherein they differ from us some aiming at the advancement of mens abilities and others at worldly honour and gain This is clear in the Romish Religion for what else is the advancing of man's ability without or with a little help of God their Justification by works their Deifying of the Pope above all that is called God their equalling of Mens Traditions and Decrees with the Sacred Scriptures What else is their Mass their fancy of Purgatory c Here it is remarkable what is written by their Jesuit Cardinal Bellarmin de Indulg Lib. 1. Cap. 12. Sect. Rationes We see saith he that the amplest Indulgences are given for a very slight cause as when plenary Indulgence is given unto all who stand before the Door of St. Peter's Church and the Pope blesseth all the people solemnly And Sect. Observandum he saith That standing before St. Peter's Porch is a very light and slight cause if it be considered absolutely in it self and nevertheless it is a weighty and just cause because that frequency of the people at that time is a fit and usefull means of protesting their Faith concerning the Head of the Church and it serves for the honour of the Apostolical See which honour is the end of that Indulgence So he The Pope then and the People do aid one another mutually for the People confirms the Supremacy of the Pope by their presence and receiving that Indulgence and He by dispensing his
They shall give signs and wonders that the very elect if it were possible should be deceived Why speaks he as doubting seeing he fore-knows what shall be It is one of two because if they be elected they cannot be deceived and if they be deceived they are not the elect Therefore that doubting of our Lords words designeth tentation because they who are elected to persist shall be tempted to fall by the signs of the Preachers of Antichrist for they shake but fall not It is said therefore if it were possible because they shall tremble and neverthelesse they are called the elect because they fall not Again on Iob lib. 25. cap. 20. in that he saith He causeth an hypocrite to reign for the sins of the people Antichrist may be understood the head of hypocrites for that deceiver feigneth holiness that he may draw into wickedness but for the sins of the people he is suffered to reign albeit many have not seen his principality yet they serve his principality by their sins are they not his members who by a shew of affected sanctily would seem to be what they are not Certainly they come out of his body who hide their iniquities under the cover of sacred honour And in an Epistle to Wimund Bishop of Aversa which is in Gratian. dist c. 8. Sâ— consuetudin he saith If thou oppose custom observe what the Lord saith I am truth and life he saith not I am custom but I am truth And truly to use the words of blessed Cyprian Whatsoever custom how old soever is altogether to be postponed unto truth and custom contrary unto truth should be abolished In lib. 7. Ep. 1. unto Sabinian then his Resident at Constantinople amongst many particulars he saith Shew my most gracious Lords that if I their servant would have medled with the death of the Lombards this day that Nation should not have had either King Dukes or Counts and it might have been in utter confusion but because I fear God I am afraid to meddle with any mans death Certainlie his Successours neither have carried themselves as loyal servants of the Emperours nor have they feared God in this manner nor have they been so sparing of bloud In humilitie he first called himself The servant of the servants of God and his Successours retain the same Title but they will not willinglie hear the name given them by another Pol. Verg. de invent rer lib. 8. cap. 2. for they will be Lord of Lords Concerning the Lords Supper his words are remarkable in Dialog lib. 4. cap. 58. His bodie is taken and his flesh is divided for the salvation of the people his blood is now poured forth not into the hands of unbelievers but into the mouths of believers therefore let us consider what a sacrifice this is for us which for our absolution representeth or follows continuallie the Passion of the only begotten Son Here though he call the breaâ— Christ's bodie and flesh and the wine the blood and the Sacrament a sacrifice yet he shews 1. That the bread was then divided 2. The wine was given unto the people 3. That the Sacrament is a continual representation or imitation of Christ's passion All which are contrarie to the Doctrine of the Romish Church now nor can they consist with the opinion of transubstantiation Upon other occasions we shall yet see more of Gregorie 3. It was received by many of the ancients in the third Centurie and others Purgatory entreth by degrees following that the souls departing must be purged from corruption lest any unclean thing enter into heaven Origenes wrote this purgation must be by fire and thereupon many have written of a purging or purgation fire as Bellarmin lib. 1. de Purgator cap. 6. hath a role of such testimonies The Fathers did think that all men must passe that fire but they who had committed the most sins or had been most superficial in their repentance on earth must suffer the more pain So Gregor Nissen in Orat. pro mortuis saith He who goeth out of the bodie cannot be partaker of the Divinitie unless the purging fire cleanse away the filth of the soul And Origen in Psal 36. All men must come to that fire even Paul or Bellarm. de Purg. lib. 2. cap. 1. Theodoret. on Cor. 3. saith The day of the Lord shall reveal i. e. the day of judgement if any mans work abide Doctours teach heavenly things but the hearers do chuse according to their own mind what is to be done but in the day of the Lords coming there shall be a sharp and great examination and them that have lived rightly that fire shall make them more glorious then gold or silver but them who have committed iniquitie it shall burn up like wood and hay But the Teacher of good things shall not suffer punishment but shal be judged worthie of salvation for this he saith he shall be saved to wit the Teacher And the work shall be burned that is they who have made themselves evil work For if we read the words so we shall perfectly find the meaning of the words that are written c. Ye see he differeth from the former concerning the faithfull Teacher they who thought that all shall suffer did pray for the souls of all who die in hope of resurrection so excluding the Reprobates only as is manifest in some Greek Liturgies who say We offer unto thee O Lord sacrifice for the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and especially for the blessed mother of God and we remember all the faithfull who are dead Bellarm. loc Amongst others he quoteth Lactantius Firmian as a teacher of Purgatory his unsolid and different opinion is Institut lib. 7. cap. 21. thus All souls abide in one place untill the great day and then they must all be examined by fire they who have been perfectly righteous and who are they if the words be taken strictly shall not feel the fire they who have not been so godly shall quickly pass through the fire and be cinged about and the wicked shall burn for ever But Basilius surnamed the Great when he was a dying did expect to be received quicklie among the Angels and Gregor Nazianzen who writ his life did believe that his soul departing should be received in the eternal Tabernacles and with Basil behold the blessed Trinitie Neither did any of the Fathers before Augustine dream of such a place in Hell where they say this purging is before the day of judgement nor speak they of any place thereof and so they knew not of such an Inn in Hell which the Romanists now call the place of Purgatorie yea the Jesuits Duraeus cont Whitek fol. 338. and Bellar. de purgat lib. 2. cap. 2. say expresselie that the Fathers expound that Text 1 Cor. 3. of a metaphorical fire and in cap. 6. of that book Bellarm. saith neither the Fathers nor Gregorie himself know where Purgatorie is nor Petrus Damianus who lived 400. years after
and countrie but I dare not inclose the omnipotencie of God in narrow bounds and restrain him in a little part of the earth whom the Heaven cannot comprehend Every one of the believers are weighed not according to the diversitie of places but by excellencie of faith and true worshippers do adore the Father neither at Jerusalem nor on mount Garizim because God is a Spirit and his worshippers must worship him in spirit and truth the spirit bloweth where he pleaseth the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof since the Fleece of Judea is dried up and all the World is wet with the dew of Heaven and many comming from the East and West are set down in the bosom of Abraham God hath ceased to be known in Juda only and his name to be great in Israel but the sound of the Apostles hath gone thorow all the World and their words unto the ends of the earth Our Saviour being in the Temple said unto his Disciples Arise let us go hence and unto the Jews Your house shal be left desolate seeing Heaven and Earth shall pass away certainly all earthly things shall pass away therefore the places of the Cross and Resurrection are profitable unto them who bear their Cross and they rise with Christ daily who shew themselves of so great habitation Moreover they say The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord let them hear from the Apostle Ye are the Temple of the Lord and the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you both from Jerusalem and from Brittan is the gate of Heaven equally patent Antonius and all the multitude of Monks of Aegypt Mesopotamia Pontus Cappadocia and Armenia have not seen Jerusalem and without this Citie the gate of Paradise is patent unto them Blessed Hilarion although he was born and lived in Palestina saw Jerusalem but one day only that he might not seem to despise the holy places for their vicinitie nor yet include the Lord in one place You will say Why go I so far off To the end thou shouldest know that nothing is deficient to thy faith though thou hast not seen Jerusalem and that thou think not us the better that we enjoy the habitation of this place but whether here or there thou shalt have alike reward according to thy works Augustine also in his book de morib eccl cathol cap. 34. complaineth that many did adore graves and pictures and some did drink upon the dead and luxuriously burie themselves upon the buried which abuses the Church indeavoureth daily to amend Agreeable unto this complaint is that passage in Gregorie lib. 9. Ep. 71. Whereas the English were wont to sacrifice Oxen to their Gods and on that day they did feast and make merrie Gregorie adviseth Way was given unto rites for a time Augustine to turn that Divelish solemnitie into a feast of dedication or birth-day of some Martyr and then to kill the Oxen not to the Divel but to praise God when they did eat to the end that the hard-hearted people be not discouraged for want of a merrie day to forsake their idolatrie and because they who will climb high must go by degrees And lib. 12. Ep. 31. speaking of the English he saith according to the Apostle who saith I gave you milk to drink and not strong food I have yeelded now these things unto them but not to be held or continued in after-times lest the good which is lately planted and yet but of a tender root be pulled up but rather being begun may be strengthned and carried to more perfection Truly if those things that we have done be otherwise then we should have done know thou that it was not done for the thing it self but by commiseration Whence it appears that not only these feasts at the graves but many other rites came into the Church by condescending unto the rudeness of the Gentiles and they who at first did indulge them did not simply allow these rites but would by degrees bring the people unto the Christian faith and they would not have used them if the rude people would have imbraced the puritie of God's worship But afterwards especially in the Western Churches religion did consist for the most part in such rites and if people would observe these little care was to inform them in the faith Then as in the preceding 200. years people had affection towards Jerusalem so when the Bishop of Rome was called the Universal Bishop people forgat Jerusalem for a space and looked towards Rome and would go thither to confess their sins as we will find more particularly and yet even then many did reprove it as followeth for the present I will add but one testimonie of Bernard in Ep. 113. ad Lelbert Abbat S. Michae saying This your son having forsaken by my counsel his peregrination though he undertook it by your licence hath returned for when we knew that he had attempted it in levitie and you had yeelded because of his importunitie we reproved him sharply as he was worthy and perswaded him to return repenting so far as we could guess of his levitie and improbitie and promising amendment hereafter we judging righteously that howsoever one be guiltie he should exerce repentance in his own Monasterie rather then by going from Province to Province for the purpose of Monks is not to seek the earthly but heavenly Jerusalem and that not by walking on foot but by amending in affections thus Bernard And when the worship of Saints and reliques was once received it was easie for Priests to perswade pilgrimages unto this or that monument either for pennance or some special remedie to be found there more than in another place Bellarm. de cult Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 20. Of this hear Pol. Vergil saying We read not go to any part of the earth to seek God who is everie where but some have no such intention but rather go to behold the image of some Saint never thinking in all their journey of God far contrarie to the worship that was prescribed by the Fathers Against such men may well be applied that of Persius O souls prone to the earth and void of Heaven Why should we use such rites in our Churches and in the way they feed themselves delicatelie and lest they wax sad they have with them some Pleasant I will not say their Whores or Mistresses to cause them to laugh and tell them merrie sports as it were to refresh their wearied minds O vain travel we should sojourn that being sequestred from domestick cares which divert us from thinking upon the other life to dart the bodie and cause it to do service unto reason and give unto the poor as Christ commandeth Vergil in Interpret Orat. Dom. 9. Out of what is said may be partlie seen what was the estate of the Western Of Monks Church in the daies of Pope Gregorie the I. and that after him a thicker mist arose out of the Sea as indeed puritie of Doctrine perished
Evangelists say For many and one For you because the Disciples are amongst the many but none saith For all And lest I be judged to search thus rashly holy Jerom expounding that Text The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his soul a ransom for many saith When he took the form of a servant that he might shed his blood for the World and said not he would give his soul a ransom for all but for many that is for them which were to beleeve in him In this exposition according to the Catholick faith he teaches that only Beleevers are understood ....... Who dare contradict so clear lights confirming their doctrine by Evangelical sense but which are not ashamed to appear without light And that I may speak with leave and reverence of so great a man John Bishop of Constantinople Chrysostom not seeing this sense flowing from the fountain of the Gospel when he expounds that of the Apostle That by the grace of God he should tast death for all men not for Beleevers only said he but for all the World and truly he died for all men But what if all men beleeve not He hath done his part But when he thought thus he hath not confirmed it by a Divine testimony And if any hath shewed or shall shew unto your Excellency that one Faustus hath written far otherwise of the things credit ye not him who erreth c. 21. At the same time was also question of the presence of Christ's body in the Sacrament Charls the Bald gave in command unto Bertram a Priest at Corbey to search and write what was the doctrine of the Fathers and ancient Church in this article Trithemius saith Bertram was singularly learned of an excellent eloquence and utterance pregnant in judgment and no less famous for holiness of life and writ many excellent Treatises whereof few have come to our hands In obedience unto his Soveraign he did compile a Treatise De Corpore Sanguine Domini which is all inserted in Catal. test ver lib. 10 and was lately translated into our language and Printed at Aberdeen so that who pleaseth to read it may easily find it Only the estate of the question I set down here with an argument or two and his conclusion your high Excellency desireth to understand Whether that Body and Blood of Christ which is received by the mouth of Beleevers in the Church be taken in a mystery or according to literal verity that is whether it contain some secret thing which is only manifest to the ey of faith or without the vail of any mystery if the eys of the body behold that outwardly which the soul and mind do behold inwardly Unto this he adjoineth another Whether it be the same body which was born of the Virgin Mary and which suffered and died Concerning the first he shews that the word literal verity signifieth a demonstration of a thing in its proper and manifest signification as when it is said Christ died And that in a figure is when a thing is signified in an over-hallowing vail or trope as when Christ saith I am the Vine such speeches say one thing and signifie another saith he His first reason is If the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood be celebrated without any figure it is not properly called a mystery wherein is no secret thing nothing removed from our corporal senses But that Bread which by consecration of the Priest is made the body of Christ shews one thing to the outward senses of men and crieth another thing inwardly to the souls of Beleevers outwardly the bread is the self-same that it was before for we see the same shape and colour and the same tast is perceived but inwardly a far more excellent different and precious thing is signified and exhibited because it is heavenly and divine that is the body of Christ is shewed unto us yet not seen with fleshly eys but is seen taken and eaten by the looking of a beleeving soul The wine also which by consecration is made the Sacrament of Christ's Blood representeth one thing outwardly and contains another thing inwardly for what see we outwardly but the substance of wine tast it and it is wine smell it and it savoureth wine look on it and you see the colour of wine But if it be considered inwardly in the mind it tasts not as wine but as the blood of Christ unto the beleeving soul and it is acknowledged such when it is seen and so it is approved when it is smelled These to be such it is manifest because none can deny but that bread and wine is only figuratively the body and blood of Christ for as is clearly seen and known no flesh is in that bread nor can any drop of blood be pointed forth in that wine whereas nevertheless after consecration they are not called bread or wine but the body and blood of Christ After thirty other arguments proving a figure in these words This is my body he comes to the other question and hath this argument The flesh of Christ which was crucified did shew no more outwardly then it was in it self because it was the flesh of a very man to wit a true body under the form of a true body But we must consider in that bread not only the body of Christ but the bodies of all Beleevers are also represented in it for which cause it is made of many grains of wheat because the body of the Church is made up of many beleevers of the word of Christ for this cause as in the mystical bread the body of Christ is understood so also in the same mystery the members of the Church are represented to be one in Christ and as not corporally but spiritually that bread is called the body of the Church or beleeving people after the same manner also it must be understood to be the body of Christ not corporally but ........ Also the things which are alike are comprehended under the same definition But concerning the true body of Christ it is said He is very God and very Man who in the latter time of the World was born of the Virgin and these things cannot be said of the body of Christ which is consecrated in a mystery in the Church therefore according to a certain manner only is it to be the body of Christ and that manner is by a figure and in resemblance that so the truth of the thing it self may be the more sensibly understood In the prayers also which are said after the mystery of the body and blood of Christ and wherein the people answer Amen the Priest uttereth these words We beseech thee O Lord which are partakers of the pledges of eternal life that what we touch in resemblance in this Sacrament we may receive it in the manifest participation of the thing it self Now we know that a pledge or resemblance is of another thing resembled that is they are not to
necessity that he could not be otherwise but that He in his Almighty and unchangeable Majesty as he knows all things ere they be did foreknow that the wicked were to be such of their own will Nor do we beleeve that any is condemned in His prejudice but according to the merit of their own iniquity nor that the wicked do perish because they could not be good but because they would not be good and through their own fault continue in the mass of perdition or original and actual sin Ca. 3. But concerning the Predestination of God it pleaseth and faithfully doth please according to the authority of the Apostle saying Hath not the Potter power over the clay to make of the same mass one vessel unto honour and another unto dis-honour We confidently confess the predestination of the elect unto life and predestination of the wicked unto death and in the election of them who are to be saved the mercy of God precedes the good merit but in the damnation of them who perish their wicked merit precedes the just judgment of God And in that predestination God hath only appointed what he was to do either in his gracious mercy or just judgment as the Scripture saith Which hath done what things were to be But in the wicked he foreknew their wickedness because it is of them and he did not predestinate it because it is not of him but because he knows all things which he did foreknow and because he is just he did predestinate the punishment that follows their merit for with him as Augustine saith is as well a fixed decree as a certain knowledge of every thing and hither belongs that saying of the Wise Man Judgments are prepared for the Scorners Prov. 19. Of this unchangeableness of the foreknowledge and predestination of God by which the future things are already done may that well be understood Eccles 3 I know whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to it and nothing taken from it and God doth it that men should fear before him But that any are by the power of God predestinated unto evil as if they could not be otherwise We not only do not beleeve it but even if there be any which will beleeve such evil with all detestation as did the Arausicane Synod we say Anathema unto them Ca. 4. Item of the redemption of the blood of Christ because of so great an errour which hath begun in this point so that some as their writings declare define that it was shed even for the wicked which from the beginning unto the coming of Christ being dead in their wickedness are punished with everlasting damnation contrary to that of the Prophet O death I will be thy death and O grave I will be thy destruction it pleaseth us to hold and teach simply and faithfully according to Evangelical and Apostolical truth that this price was given for them of whom our Lord saith So must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever beleeves in him shall not perish but .... And the Apostle saith Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many And moreover the four Articles that were defined unadvisedly in the Synod of our brethren at Carisiac for their inutility are also errour contrary unto truth and likewise other things concluded foolishly in the 19 Syllogisms of John Scot and glorious with no secular literature although it be boasted otherwise in which rather the argument of the Divel then any argument of the faith is found we discharge them altogether from the hearing of Beleevers and by the authority of the Holy Ghost we inhibit them that those and such things be altogether shunned and we do judge that introducers of new things should be corrected lest they be smitten more severely Ca. 5. We believe that it should be held firmly that all the multitude of the faithfull is regenerated by the water and the Spirit and thereby truly incorporated into the Church and according to Apostolical doctrine are baptized into the death of Christ and washed in his blood because neither could be true regeneration in them unless there were also true redemption seeing in the Sacraments of the Church nothing is in vain and nothing in mockage but altogether all things are true and relieth upon its truth and sincerity And yet of that multitude of the faithfull and redeemed some are saved by eternal salvation because through the grace of God they continue faithfully in their redemption hearing in their hearts the voice of their Lord Matth. 10. 24 Who continueth unto the end shall be saved and others because they would not continue in the salvation of faith which before they had received and did chuse rather to make the grace of redemption in vain through their wicked doctrine and life then to keep it attain no way to the fullness of salvation and possession of eternal blessedness Seeing in both we have the doctrine of the godly Doctour Whosoever are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death and All which are baptized into Christ have put on Christ and Let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and being washed in the body with clean water let us hold fast the profession of our hope without change And again For them which sin willingly after the received knowledge of the truth there remains no other sacrifice for sin and He that despised the Law of Moses ..... Ca. 6. Item of grace by which the Beleevers are saved and without which never any reasonable creature hath lived blessedly and of free-will which is weakned by sin in the first man but by the grace of Jesus Christ is renewed and healed in his Beleevers We beleeve constantly and with full faith the same that the most holy Fathers have left to be kept according to the authority of the Holy Scriptures what the Arausican and African Synods have professed what the blessed High-Priests of the Apostolical See have held in the Catholick faith and presuming to decline no way into another side concerning nature and grace But we reject altogether the foolish questions and almost the fable of old women and Scot's pottage which the purity of faith cannot disgest and which have miserably and lamentably arisen in these most dangerous and grievous times unto a heap of our labours and breach of charity lest Christian minds be corrupted and fall from the simplicity and purity of faith which is in Jesus Christ So far they What they say here of Scot's pottage they understand that Treatise of Iohn Scot and have borrowed the phrase from Jerom's Prologue on Ierem. lib. 1. speaking of Celestius a Disciple of Pelagius a Briton and not a Scot. And from this word Baronius ad An. 855. § 1. writes that this Synod was convened against some vagring Scots of whom Gotteschalk was the prime man and thereby hath brought not only his Binius
said he may easily understand who will compare the new Divines with the ancient both Latine and Greek So far Berald Out of these two testimonies observe that Theophylact doth agree with the Ancients before him as Chrysostom Basilius and others of those ages whom he often quoteth and doth disagree from the multitude of Preachers in the Roman Church about the year 1533. Where then is their frequent gloriation of the constancy and unity of the Roman Church with the Ancient Fathers Hear then what Theophylact saith in the Articles of controversie in those daies In Prolog before Evang. Matth. he saith Because heresies were to bud forth which are ready to wast our manners it was thought necessary that the Gospels should be written to the end that we learning truth out of them should not be deceived with the lies of heresies and our manners should not altogether be undone On Cap. 13. near the end speaking of Christ and his mother he saith The mother would shew some human thing that she had power over her son for as yet she had no great thoughts of him and therefore while he was yet speaking she would draw him unto her Porsena here addeth on the margine Lege cautè To wit he saw that these words are against the Tenets of Rome that the Virgin was free from all sin and by right of her mother-hood she can command her son On Cap. 16. Because Peter had confessed that Jesus is the son of God he said that this confession which he had confessed shall be the foundation of Beleevers so that every man which shall build the house of faith shall lay this foundation for although we build many vertues and have not this foundation a right confession we do build unprofitably ..... They have power of binding and forgiving who receive the gift of Episcopacy or oversight as Peter did for although it was said unto Peter I will give unto thee nevertheless it was granted unto all the Apostles When when he said Whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven For when he said I will give he signifieth the time coming that is after the resurrection ...... When Peter speaks rightly Christ calleth him blessed but when he feareth without reason and will not have him to suffer he lasheth him and saith Go behind me Satan In Luc. cap. 2. Bishops should keep their Flock and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sing in the field sing spiritual things and teach the people and hear divine visions and sayings Bethleem is the house of bread and what other is the house of bread but the Church in which bread is provided it is therefore the duty of spiritual Shepheards to seek heavenly bread which when they have seen they must preach it unto others ..... The things whereof the Scripture is silent we should not inquire On Cap. 16. Nothing is so profitable as diligent searching of the Scriptures the Divel may falsely and apparently make a search of the dead to deceive the unwise and from Hell he may sow doctrine according to his wickedness but those who do duly search the Scriptures nothing can delude them for the Scriptures are a lantern and light which when it shines the theef is found and made manifest therefore we should beleeve them and not regard the rising of the dead And a little before he saith As it is impossible for any man to pass from the company of the just into the place of sinners so it is impossible as Abraham teacheth us to pass from the place of punishment into the place of the just .... The bosom of Abraham is the possession of good things which are prepared for the just passing from the Waves of the Sea into the Haven of Heaven On Ioh. cap. 1. The new Testament is called grace because God gives freely unto us not only remission of sins but the adoption of children And it is called truth because whatsoever the Fathers saw in figure or spoke He hath here preached these clearly ........... Here we learn that the miracles of Christ's childhood are but feigned and lies and made up by them who would scorn the mystery for if these had been true how could the Lord have been unknown which wrought them for it is no way likely that he was not famous which did such miracles But it is not so for before he was baptized he wrought no signs neither was he known On Cap. 3. If thou knowest not the wind which is a Spirit subject to sense how searchest thou curiously of regeneration by the Spirit of God how and from whom it is breathed If this spirit cannot be comprehended far less is the grace of the Holy Ghost subject to the laws of nature Confounded therefore be Macedonius the fighter against the Holy Ghost and Eunomius before him for he would make the Spirit a servant although he hear in this place that the Spirit bloweth whither it will far rather hath the Holy Ghost a more free motion and doth work where he willeth and after what manner he willeth ...... When thou hearest that the Son of man came down from Heaven think not that his flesh came down from Heaven this did Apollinarius teach that Christ had a body from Heaven which did pass thorow the Virgin as thorow a Conduit But because Christ is one person consisting in two natures therefore whatsoever belongs to the Man-hood is spoken of the Word and again what belongs unto the Word is spoken of the Man So here the Son of Man is said to come down from Heaven because He is one person and again lest when ye hear it said The Son of Man came down you would think that he is not in Heaven He saith even he which is in Heaven for do not think that I am not there because I came down but both am I here bodily and I sit there as God with the Father ..... Here we learn that the old Testament is like or of the same nature with the new and there is but one giver of the old and new Testament although Marcion and Manicheus and that rabble of Hereticks deny it He teacheth also that since the Jews beholding the brazen Serpent did escape death far rather we looking on him which was crucified and beleeving shall escape the death of the soul ..... Adam died justly because he sinned but the Lord died unjustly because he had not sinned .... and because he died unjustly he overcame him by whom he was killed and so delivered Adam from death which was laid justly upon him On Cap. 6. Diligent faith is a guide unto good works and good works do conserve faith for both works are dead without faith and faith without works ....... He saith I am the bread of life he saith not I am the bread of nourishment but of life for when all things were dead Christ maketh us alive by himself who is that bread in so far as we beleeve that the leaven of mankind is heated by the fire
estrange from himself Christ who is life and salvation Lib. 12. cap. 1. The interposition of lots is the manifest commendation of God's grace for as when a lot discerns deliberation of men is idle and neither of the parties looks unto himself but awaits the trial of lot so in us all who are the children of wrath .... it is not considered who would come forth but whom the mercy of God would deliver ... Nor in saying so do we destroy man's free-will for man hath liberty if he be helped from heaven otherwise it is nothing if it be destitute of grace for the Lord saith Without me ye can do nothing ..... Man hath nothing that he hath not received for in all things the mercy of God preveneth us for we knew him not when he was working our salvation in the midst of the earth Lib. 17. cap. 5. The suffering of Christ is preached unto the end of the World by the Teachers of the people that salvation may be unto the Nations by remembring it and as the woman which had the flux of blood was healed by touching the hem of his garment so the Church by remembring his Passion which is let down from the corporal presence of Christ unto us obtains eternal salvation Ibid. The Holy Scripture is unto us a well furnished Table and spiritual cordial given unto us to comfort our heart-qualms against our enemies Lib. 20. cap. 1 Who is he which can do all that the Lord commandeth we have not that blessedness nor are of that worth that we can obey him in all for none on earth is free of sin nor can any living be justified in his sight Ibid. No man is worthy to ascend into heaven unless he be purged from his sins sin looketh for hell rather than for heaven and deserves death not life torments not glory the Paschal Lamb could not take away these but he could take it away of whom it is said Behold the Lamb of God which takes ... Catal. test ver lib. 11. 5. Gerard Bishop of Laureacen or Laurisheimen did accuse the Bishops A complaint against the Bishops of Bavier before Pope Leo the VII for several crimes wherewith they had not only stained their lives but undone the Churches of Christ The Pope writ unto Elilulph Juvavien Eisingrin Regmoburgen Lambert Fruxinen Visund Sabonen and other Bishops of Bavaria First he laieth to their charge their slackness as he had heard it of Gerard then he rebuketh them that they do flatter Princes and Magistrates they did wink at the faults of the wealthy they corrupt godliness defile religion they do prophane holy Philosophy and disturb Christian peace that by authority of Bishops which were dumb dogs not able to bark and blind watch-men Christians do deceive one another and the weakest were oppressed .... by magnificent buildings out of measure and luxurious feastings they did not carry themselves as becomes the Shepheards of Christ's flock The disease must be most dangerous which is spread from the head c. Here is a complaint against Bishops and a warning of them but no mention of reformation Catal. test ver lib. 11. ex Aventin 6. Otho the Great was more active for as it is written above he called A reformation necessary and intended but upon sinistrous grounds the Pope to an account and when he heard of the multitude and dissoluteness oâ— Monks he did judge it more expedient that they be few and good than many and idle or hurtfull Alb. Crantz in Saxon. lib. 3. cap. 22. saith that he had much to do with them and that this began at the Bishops being miscontent that Abbots were in so great favour with the Emperour Nevertheless this example sheweth what was the condition of those times and what should be done But after that time multitudes of new orders came up as followeth but few Otho 's for many ages he caused many to lay off their hoods and to live a secular life but the Popes were more desirous that many idle men were depending on them then that any should say unto them What doest thou and Emperours and Kings had more power at that time which their posterity did suffer to be possessed by Bishops and Popes 7. Smaragdus Abbot of the Benedictines of Saint Michael in Britany of France about the year 980. writ Commentaries on the New-Testament On Ioh. 3. How is the Son of Man said to have descended from Heaven or to be in Heaven even when he was speaking on earth the flesh of Christ came not down from Heaven nor was in Heaven before the time of his ascending but because the person of Christ is one consisting in two natures and therefore the Son of Man is rightly said both to have descended from Heaven and also before his Passion to have been in Heaven because what he could not in his human nature that he did in the Son of God by whom it was assumed But this also may be asked how is it said None ascends into Heaven but he who came from Heaven seeing all the Elect do truly confide that they shall ascend into Heaven as the Lord hath promised Where I am there shall my servant be also Clear reason untieth this knot because the Mediatour of God and Man the Man Christ Jesus is the head of all the Elect and all the Elect are the members of the same head as the Apostle saith He gave him to be the head over the whole Church .... therefore none ascends into Heaven but Christ in his body which is his Church .... Whosoever desireth to ascend into Heaven must conjoin himself by true unity of faith and love unto him which came down from Heaven and is in Heaven giving to understand that we can ascend into Heaven no other way but only by him which came down from Heaven as he saith elsewhere No man comes unto the Father but by me On Cap. 11 If faith be in us Christ is in us therefore if thy faith be on Christ Christ is in thy heart On Cap. 10 He is an hireling who hath the place of a Shepheard but seeks not the gain of souls who hunteth after earthly wealth rejoiceth in the honour of preferment and delighteth in reverence given him by men On Act. Cap. 10 He rose from the death and went up on high and he alone makes request in Heaven for us he doth with the Father what he sought of the Father because he is Mediatour and Creatour Mediatour to pray and Creatour to give On Rom. cap. 1. The same is the predestination of the Saints as it was most apparent in the Saint of Saints which none can deny if he understand the Oracles of truth for we see that the Lord of glory as he was man was predestinate ... and therefore as he only was predestinate to be our head so many are predestinate to be his members and God calleth them which are predestinate his children that he may make them members of his
Amelphis John or Gregory VI. Because Satan could not openly persecute Christ by Pagans he craftily intends to subvert the name of Christ by a false Monk under shew of Religion but albeit God permit such things to be done our sins so deserving yet the time of recompense is at hand Catal. test ver li. 13. Many other Books were written against this Hildebrand there is named one in the German tongue written by Waltram Bishop of Niembergh as is thought the Author bewails the miseries of the Church and lewdness of Clerks then he addes Hence the Catholique faith is defiled hence that unrighteousness hath waxed so that instead of truth false testimonies and for common faith perjuries do abound since Laws are silent giving place to wars that saying of Hoseah is fulfilled There is no truth nor knowledge of God nor mercy in the land cursing and lyes murther and stealing have overflowed Behold some Bishops have joyned unto the faction of Hildebrand accounting more of him then of all the Catholique Church so it comes to pass that while the enemy so weth in the Lord's field the tares of many scandals that now in Bishopricks are no Sacraments of Christ and his Church which should be the work of the Bishops of God but execrations which are the works of the Servants of Satan who as Cyprian writes seeing Idols forsaken and his Temples left by the multitude of Believers hath devised a new craft under the name of a Christian he deceives the unwise and by Heresies and Schisms he overthrows the faith c. In another place he saith Now it appears Satan is loosed out of the pit seeing as it is written he is come forth to deceive the Nations Ia. Vsser de Eccles statu c. 5. hath the same The above-named Waltram in another place lamenteth That then a new sort of Bishops swelling in pride because of the gifts of Believers drew all things unto themselves under cloke of Religion and they were painted walls and hypocrites 12. When Gregory and Victor the two heads of that pernicious faction More opposition against that faction were gone the Bishops of Germany and France considering the calamities of the Church by that unhappy Schism thought good to meet at Garstung for debating their strife no more with swords but with reasonings so the Bishops of both factions conveen in January There Conrad Bishop of Utrecht had a long Oration to this purpose We are assembled prudent Fathers to establish peace which our Saviour at his departure did leave the temerity violence and pestiferous errors of those who are not ashamed to dispise that heavenly gift I wish I could cut in sunder with the two-edged sword and confute with the testimonies of the two Testaments according to Christ's command Who despiseth an Oath breaks covenant and keeps not promise dispiseth him by whom he hath sworn he offends him whose name the other party hath believed As I live saith the Lord the Oath that he hath dispised and the Covenant that he hath transgressed shall I bring upon his pate Shall he who hath transgressed his Covenant escape You must consider not so much unto whom as by whom thou hast sworn and he is more faithful who did believe thee swearing by the name of God then thou art who hatchest mischief against thy enemy or rather now thy friend and that by reason of divine Majesty We finde it commanded concerning Tiberius and Nero who were not onely most cruel Tyrants but most vile Monsters Give to Caesar what is Caesars and fear God and honor the King and not onely be obedient unto Princes who bear not the sword in vain even though they be evil but supplicate the most high God for them that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life All power is of God and he who resists power resists the providence of God Therefore those are ambitious and presumptuous who dare with whorish faces misinterpret that saying of our Lord and God What ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven and what ye binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and force it to serve unto their own lust and indeavor to gull us as if we were children without all knowledge Our heavenly Teacher did open the hearts of his disciples to understand the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and the Psalms and he commanded them to preach in his name unto all the Nations repentance and forgiveness of sins and that they should be witnesses of those things Therefore Hildebrand was carried headlong into ambition when he usurped the power of the eternal God whose Messenger he should have been such are the times now such are the maners and such are the men The most high Majesty had provided but slenderly for the affairs of mortals if he had so intrusted the sword into the hand of any man Who could restrain the lust of men who could rule it truly the wisest is not sufficient for such a burthen We have not need that any should teach us in what maner Peter and his Colleagues did use their spiritual power or to speak more properly the dispensation and administration of God's stewardship for they were but stewards of the divine Oracles It is as clear as the light by the book which the Physitian Luke hath written of the Acts of Christ's Messengers the weapons of our warfare are spiritual and not iron nor robberies murthers killing of men nor perjuries and our helmet breast-plate girdle buckler and sword are peace love righteousness hope of salvation truth the word of God and faith These Divine Gifts our most Christian Emperor did often proffer most willingly unto Hildebrand but he refused to accept them c. The Papal party had chosen Gebhard Bishop of Salisburgh to speak in their name but when he heard this Oration he would not open his mouth to speak in the contrary Avent Annal. lib. 5. It was appointed at that time to assemble again in May at Mentz The Papal party did preveen the time and assembled at Quintelburgh now called Quedlinburgh in April there they wrested some words of Wezilo Bishop of Mentz and condemned him as an Arch-Heretique they called themselves the true Church and consented unto the election of Clemens III. The Synod at Mentz was very solemn there was the Emperor the Electors and many Dukes Peter Bishop of Portua and Legate of Clemens and many Bishops of France and Germany by common suffrage the faction of Hildebrand was condemned as contrary unto Christian piety and a Decree was published to this purpose All Christians should shun the company of those accursed persons whom we have named seeing they have made defection from us and not we from them they promised to be present at this Synod but they will not come they abuse Christian piety and leaving the sheep they run unto the enemies of the Republique they not onely exhort unto fire and sword but also are ring-leaders and Captains of the war What would
of Italy and gave his Lands of Pulia and Calabria unto his Cousin Reynold with the Title of Duke The Pope was not content and pretended that these Dominions appertain unto St. Peter so variance was like to arise betwixt Lotharius and the Pope but the difference was composed so Reynold took his badge and Title from them both This Lotharius caused the Civil Laws to be reduced into a method which were almost forgotten he commanded them to be read in Schools and pleas to be determined by them Since the days of Charles the Great no Emperor had done greater exploits in Italy he suppressed the rebellious in Cremona Papia Bononia c. he had curbed the Popes and had recovered the priviledge of Investing Prelates if he had not been perswaded by Bernard He died not far from Trent ann 1138. Then Conrade was sole Emperor against the minde of the Pope and was confirmed by his Legate He was vexed by Henry Duke of Bavier who had married the onely Daughter of Lotharius and aimed at the Empire At that time the fourth King of Jerusalem Fulco was in great danger of the Persians who had taken the famous City Edessa and the Saracens were besiedging Antiochia wherefore Pope Eugenius by his Letters and Bernard by words perswade the Emperor to go into Palestina as Lewes King of France was ready they both went but did no good unto Baldwin the Successor of Fulco Manuel the Eastern Emperor was blamed for their unlucky success he promised them victuals but disappointed them and sent traitorous guides with them At this time began the long continued and troublesome factions of Gwelphs or Welphs and Gibelines that is Papalines and Imperialists the one faction had their name from Welpho a Duke of Bavier and Brother of Henry with whom the Pope conspired and the other from Henry Son and General to the Emperor and so named from a Village where he was born By the procurements of the Popes these factions waxed so that all the Towns and people of Italy bragged in one of these two names Ann. 1152. Conrade was poysoned by his Physician hired thereunto as was suspected by Roger King of Sicilie he gave the Imperial Ensigns unto his Brothers Son Frederick and recommended his yong Son unto him the elder Brother Henry being defunct 3. FREDERICK I. surnamed Barbarossa or Red-beard attained Difference betwixt the Emperor and Civil State of Rome the Crown without any contradiction he was endowed with all excellencies of body and minde The Romans were taking of their ancient liberty and of a free Government under Consules and they sent unto the new Emperor promising to consent unto his Coronation if he would consent unto their former liberty seeing they should not be subject unto Germans who had received their honor from the Romans The Emperor partly in anger and partly in dirision writeth saying They had been Romans as they boast but now no footsteps of their ancient State appeareth it being altogether wasted behold the wound of the first Beast first by Charles and then by Otho the Great and that old Common-wealth was translated into Germany and there are Consules Senatores Equites They were deceived in thinking the Germans had received the Empire from them for it was not given by the Romans but conquered by the arms of Charles whom certainly they in their necessity had implored for their defense from the Tyrants Desiderius and Berengarius it was not therefore a gift of the Pope and therefore it was not convenient that they prescribe unto their Emperor This Letter exasperateth them so that the Emperor must march toward Rome Pe. Maxia Pope Hadrian was ill intreated by them and vexed by the Castellanes and now hearing of his coming went to Sutrio to meet him When the Emperor saw the Pope he lighted from his horse to receive him The pride of the Pope and held his stirrop and bridle on the left side the Pope sheweth himself a little angry because he should have done it on the right side when the trench-men reported his words unto the Emperor he laughingly excused himself that he was not accustomed to hold stirrops and seeing he had done so much of curtesie and not of duty less matter it was what side he held The next day to make amends unto the Bishop he inviteth him and received him holding the stirrop on the right side When they came to Rome the Pope sheweth how his Ancestors had left some special token unto the See of St. Peter and he intreateth him to take in from William King of Sicilie the Dutchy of Pulia especially Beneventi Ceperano and Banco unto the See which if he would promise to do he was ready on the other side to perform all duty unto him The Emperor being advised by the Princes promiseth to do all that was required and the next day was Crowned In time of the Coronation the Citizens shut the gates and slew a great number of the Germans within the City the Emperor was called out of the Church he brake open the gates brought in his army slew many Romans and took others captive by intercession of the Pope a reconciliation was made and the Captives were set free Platin. Then the Emperor returned into Germany and having prepared an army against Sicilie he promised to make speed again In the mean time the Greek Emperor Manuel His falshood punished had covenanted with the Pope to expel William out of Sicilies and Manuel should have the three Sea-ports of Pulia He sent an army and William overthrew them and the Pope's forces both together and took the Pope captive and caused him to confirm his Title of both Sicilies upon condition that he should not trouble the Church-Lands in time coming Platin. Then the Emperor began to consider how the Popes had abused his Ancestors had extorted from them the priviledge of Investing Prelates and now this Bishop had deluded himself in confirming King William in that Land which appertaineth unto the Empire therefore he began to require homage and oath of fidelity of all the Bishops and he commanded that none of the Pope's Legates be received without his licence and that none of Germany make appealation to Rome What more stir was then may be gathered from the Pope's Letter accusing and threatning and Frederick's Answer The Pope wrote thus Hadrian Bishop the servant of God's servants unto Friderick The Popes Letter unto the Emperor the Roman Emperor greeting and Apostolical blessing As Divine Law promiseth length of days unto them which honor their parents so it denounceth death unto them who curse father or mother and we are taught by the voice of truth that each who exalteth himself shall be made low wherefore beloved Son in the Lord we admire not a little at your prudence that thou seemest not to give that reverence unto blessed Peter and the holy Roman Church as it becometh thee For in thy Letters sent unto us thou puttest thy name
Scripture so many as are predestinated unto life are they not called Kings and Priests therefore what God hath conjoyned let no man put asunder but rather what divine Authority hath ordained mans will should endeavor to fulfil and they should joyn in hearts who are conjoyned in ordinances let them cherish one another defend other mutually and bear one anothers burthens The wise man saith A brother aiding a brother both shall be comforted but if they bite one another which God forbid both shall come into desolation Let not my soul come into their counsels which say That either the peace and freedom of the Church is hurtful unto the Crown or the prosperity and exaltation of the Crown is hurtful unto the Church for God the Author of them both hath conjoyned them not to destruction but to edification If ye know this how long will ye dissemble the common contumely and common injury Is not Rome as the Apostolical Seat so also the head of the Empire therefore though I would not speak of the Church is it the honor of the King to have an headless Empire I know not what the wise men and Princes of the Kingdom do advise you herein but though I speak imprudently I will not be silent in what I do judge The Chuch of God from the beginning even till these times hath been oft afflicted and oft delivered it is her voice They have often afflicted me from my youth but they could not prevail against me Be sure O King that neither now will the Lord leave the rod of the wicked upon the back of the righteous the hand of the Lord is not shortned nor become unable to help At this time he will deliver his Spouse which he hath redeemed by his blood endowed with his spirit furnished with heavenly gifts and nevertheless enriched with earthly things He will deliver I say again he will deliver but if by the hand of another let the Princes of the Kingdom consider whether this be to the honor and advantage of the King certainly not Wherefore gird thy sword O most mighty and let Caesar recover unto himself what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's Vtrumque interesse Caesaris constat undoubtedly both these appertain to Caesar to maintain his own Crown and to defend the Church the one becometh the King and the other the Advocate of the Church The victory as we trust in the Lord is at hand the Romans are more arrogant then potent for what did ever any great or mighty Emperor or King presume so vile a thing both against Crown and Priest-hood but this cursed and tumultuous people which cannot measure their strength nor think on the end nor consider the event in their foolishness and fury durst attempt so great sacriledge the temerity of the multitude cannot stand for a moment before the King's face c. I will not here add observations Bellarmin de Ro. Pont. l. 2. c. 31. The original of the title â—icar of Christ alledgeth That Bernard did first give unto the Pope the Title Vicar of Christ It was not from the beginning so but the Cardinal mistaketh it Bernard was not the first if Platina do truly report the words of Gregory VII he used this Title before him and according to the language of the Court at that time Bernard giveth this Title unto all Priests even from whom all iniquity procedeth as he speaketh in festo Convers Pauli ser 1. and giveth unto Eusebius both this and loftier Titles for lib. 2. de Consider he calleth him The Great Priest the Prince of Bishops the Heir of the Apostles Abel in Primacy in Government Noah in Patriarchship Abraham in Order Melchisedek in Dignity Aaron in Authority Moses in Iudging Samuel in Power Peter in Vaction Christ here is a rhapsody of glorious Titles and he addeth these passages of Scripture that are wrested to maintain the ambition of the man of sin but whether he speak so in derision or according to his own minde it may be judged by his words following immediately but first see what he And confuted by Bernard at large said a little before What hath the holy Apostle left in legacy unto thee he saith What I have I give thee What is it One thing I know it is not silver nor gold seeing he said Silver and gold have I not If thou happen to have it use it according to the time and not at thy pleasure so use them as not abusing them seeing these in respect of the souls good are neither good nor ill but the use of them is good the abuse ill the care of them is worse and seeking is filthier by whatsoever way thou may have them certainly thou hast them not by title of the Apostle for he could not give what he had not what he had that he gave the care of all the Churches Gave he Lordly power hear himself Not domineering over the people but being an example of the flock And lest you think he said so in humility onely and not in truth the Lord saith in the Gospel The Kings of the earth have dominion but not ye so It is clear dominion is forbidden unto the Apostles Go then and take if thou darest either Apostleship if thou be a Lord or dominion if thou be Apostolical thou art clearly forbidden to do either of the two if thou wilt have them together thou shalt lose them both or else think not thy self to be excepted from those of whom God complaineth saying They have reigned but not by me they were Princes and I knew them not And if thou wilt reign without God thou hast glory but not with God We see what is forbidden now hear what is commanded Who is the greater among you let him be as the yonger and he that is chief as he that serveth There is the model of an Apostle dominion is forbidden and serving is commanded which is commended also by example of the Law-Giver for it followeth I am in the midst of you as he who serveth Bernard there hath many things to this purpose and after he hath mentioned these former Titles and prerogatives he saith I have spoken of who thou art but forget not what consider what thou wast and now art why wilt thou not behold what thou canst not cease to be Indeed it is one thing what thou wast and art and another who thou art â—ecome the one must not be forgot in searching thy self for thou art what thou wast and thou art not less after thou art become such and perhaps more thou wast born that and changed this but not changed into this the former is not cast off but this is added If thou consider what remember thy nature thou wast born a man if thou ask who thou art a Bishop this thou art made and not born which of these thinkest thou nearest or chiefest unto that thou art made or that thou wast born is not that thou wast born therefore I advise thee to
the Greek Emperor and the Pope embraced him for his homage albeit neither he nor his people were conformable in Religion Naucler saith Lucius ordained That a Priest having a concubine might say Mass and others might receive a Sacrament from him if his Bishop did tolerate him He sate four years and died An. 1185. 14. URBAN III. had peace at home but in his time Saladin conquered Jerusalem by dissension of the Christian Princes there He sate one year and ten moneths 15. GREGORY IX called the VIII by Letters exhorted the Princes to send aid unto the distressed Christians in Asia and died on the 57. day 16. CLEMENS III. condescended unto the Romans concerning their Magistrates that strife had continued fifty years In his time was the greatest expedition into Asia then went the Emperor Frederick Philip King of France Richard King of England Otho Duke of Burgundy with many Bishops from Italy Flanders Denmark c. but all in vain for after the death of Frederick when they should have been supplied with victuals Clemens was busie in conquering Sicily from Tancred who had furnished them Platina He spoiled sundry Cities and when he despairing of victory turned to Church affairs he ordained That onely a Pope hath power of transporting a Bishop from one seat to another that Bishops should be in honor above Princes He sent Peter Cardinal of Capua into Poland to reform the Clergy to wit to discharge all married Priests for until that time that liberty was not taken from them The same Cardinal attempted to do the like in Bohemia but they had almost killed him An. 1196. Spalat de Rep. Eccles lib. 2. cap. 10. § 47. He went also into Denmark but the Clergy would not obey him so he did excommunicate them all Clemens sate five years 17. CELESTIN IV. gave the Romans liberty to raze Tusculo because that City in a kinde of emulation had been offensive unto Rome yet gave he the people license to abide in the suburbs Now with Tancred and then with Henry VI. he had continual wars and died An. 1198. In that Century the strange pride of the Popes was apparent and it was strongly opposed by the Emperors and manifestly manifested unto the world even by themselves one condemning another in open Councels and ye shall anon see it contradicted and bewailed by some Bishops Abbots and others CHAP. III. Of divers Countreys 1. MAny and fearful signs were seen in the beginning of this Century bloody Armies appeared in the air two Suns were seen in heaven the Stars seemed to fall as thick as rain many Comets were seen one of them was marvellous in bigness continuing in the evening the space of eighteen days and with great light A marvellous earthquake is reported to have been in the year 1117. so that Churches and Towns fell to the ground in Italy and other Nations the sea in some places overflowed 1000. paces Platin. 2. Fluentius Bishop of Florence preached that these signs did portend great miseries and that Antichrist was then reigning in the world Platina saith Paschalis was not fearful and said All these things have natural causes but he would not let Fluentius pass without a censure he conveened a Councel of 340. Bishops at Florence and made a shew of dispising him as a broacher of new opinions and enjoyned him silence Bellarmin de Ro. Pont. lib. 3. cap. 3. 3. Arnulph a singular preacher of Christian Religion in a Sermon at Rome reproved the dissolute wantonness incontinency avarice negligence and immoderate pride of the Clergy he said they should follow Christ and his Apostles in purity of life Many Nobles did reverence him as a true disciple of Christ saith Platina in Honor. II. Others write no less of him Naucler calleth him Bishop of Lions In the second Tome of Councels is a Book under his name where he complaineth of the multitude of holy days as the occasions of many vices namely incontinency he complaineth of curious singing in learning whereof much precious time was spent which might be better employed of the multitude of idle Monks and Nuns of the corrupt promotion and negligence of Prelats of the lascivious apparel in the families of Bishops of their non-residence at their Churches of the negligence of the Clergy in not perusing and observing the Acts of ancient Councels of the unchaste lives of Priests c. P. Mornay in Myster ex Chro. Hirsaug sheweth that this Arnulph said He was sent by an Angel to preach at Rome and the Angel told him that he was to glorifie God in suffering for his cause and therefore he said publikely I know that ye will kill me but wherefore because I tell you the truth and rebuke your pride covetousness and luxury I call heaven and earth to record that I have told ye what God hath commanded me but ye contemn me or rather your Creator Neither is it a marvel that ye will kill me a sinner for telling you the truth seeing if Peter would rise again and tell you of your faults ye would not spare him I am ready to die for the truth and I tell you in the name of the Lord that the Almighty God shall not spare your filthiness ye shall go into hell God is a revenger of such wickedness c. The people loved him dearly but the Clergy laid wait for him and murthered him in the night All the Clergy was defamed for his death The Pope took it ill but he revenged it not Platin. 4. Paschalis II. sent a Palle unto the Bishop of Panormitan in Sicily and craved of him an oath of fidelity both the Bishop and the King Roger was offended and said It is a new usurpation for it was never decreed in any Synod that Bishops should be tied unto the Pope by an oath Catal. test ver lib. 15. 5. Moses a Jew was baptized on the feast of Peter and Paul from that feast he would be called Peter and because Alfonso King of Spain answered for him at his baptism he was called Petrus Alfonsus in the 44. year of his age In a book against the Jews he saith All the sacrifices of the Law are fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ once offered on the Cross after his death the Church useth no sacrifice but one of thanksgiving in bread and wine as David had prophesied when he sang Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats offer unto God the sacrifice of praise where he intimateth that all sacrifices should be abolished and onely this of thanksgiving should continue There also he saith Christians have no images for adoration and as no account was made of the stones whereof the altar had been made so we make no reckoning what become of the reliques of the cross or of any image that had been set upon it Catal. test lib. 14. 6. Hildebert Bishop of Towers about the same time wrote many Epistles in one unto an Earl going a pilgrimage he condemneth pilgrimages for visiting
and to teach the people but let him teach these things that he hath learned from God and not of his own heart or the mindes of men but what the holy ghost teacheth Dist 9. cap. 6. As the truth of the old Books is to be examined by the Hebrew Books so the truth of the new craveth the rule of the Greek Language Dist 99. cap. 3. The Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince of Priests nor the highest Priest or any such way but onely the Bishop of the first See but let not even the Bishop of Rome be called universal Dist 95. c. olim In old time he was a Bishop that was a Presbyter and ere that by instinct of the divel factions and schisms were in Religion and it was said among the people I am Apollo's and I am Cepha's the Churches were governed by the Common Counsel of the Presbyters so let Bishops know that by custom more then by truth of the Lord's dispensation they are greater then the Presbyters and that they should govern the Church in common Caus 1. qu. 1. c. Augustinus Take the word from the water and what is it but water the word is added unto the element and then it is a Sacrament whence is this vertue unto the water that it toucheth the body and washeth the heart the word doth it not because it is spoken but because it is believed for in the word it self the passing sound is one thing and the abiding vertue is another De Consecra Dist 2. c. Comperimus We have found that some when they have taken onely the portion of the holy body do abstain from the cup of the holy blood who without doubt because I know not by what superstition they are taught to be restrained should either take the whole Sacrament or be debarred from all because the division of one and the same Sacrament cannot be without great sacriledge Ca. prima quidem Till this world be finished the Lord is above and yet the truth of the Lord is also here with us for the body in which he arose must be in one place but his truth is diffused every where C. Hoc est The bread is after a maner called the body of Christ whereas indeed it is the Sacrament of his body and the offering which is by the hand of the Priest is called Christ's passion death and crucifying not in truth of the thing but in a signifying mystery Where the Gloss saith The bread i. e. the Sacrament which truly representeth the flesh of Christ is called his body but improperly that is it signifieth Ca. In Christo What do we then do we not offer every day yea but in remembrance of his death it is done in remembrance thereof what is done Ca. Quia corpus Because he was to remove his body from our eyes and carry it above the Stars it was needful that on the day of the Supper he should consecrate the Sacrament of his body and blood to the end it should be always reverenced in a mystery which was once offered in payment Many such passages are in these Decrees which differing from the doctrine of the Church of Rome now do prove that the Romish Church now is not such as it was then Pope Eugenius did approve all these Decrees and ordained that these should be read in Schools and Universities instead of all Canons and Decrees that so he might the more easily draw them all under one yoke 30. Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris at the same time followed the footsteps Some notes of Lombard's sentences of Gratian and gathered the sum of Divinity into four Books of sentences out of the writings of the Fathers but as I said of Gratians Decrees with adding mincing and changing of words and letters and suitably unto his time and these sentences were authorised as the Text in all Schools to the end none from thenceforth should search antiquity and truth any more from Fathers or Councels under no less danger then guiltiness of heresie Hear what Cor. Agrippa De vanit scient cap. 97. saith of this Scholastick Theology It is saith he of the kinde of Centaures a two-fold discipline blown up by the Sorbon of Paris with a sort of mixtion of Divine oracles and Philosophical reasonings written after a new form and far different from the ancient customs by questions and slie syllogisms without all ornament of language but otherwise full of judgement and understanding and profitable to convince hereticks It cometh to pass that the faculty of Scholastick Theology is not free from error and wickedness these cursed hypocrites and bold Sophists have brought in so many heresies which preach Christ not of good will as Paul saith but of contention so that there is more agreement among Philosophers then among these Divines who have extinguished ancient Divinity with opinions of men and new errors c. Here Barth Gravius a Printer at Lovane about the year 1565. giveth us some light In his Epistle before his Edition of these Sentences he telleth that he had a purpose to reduce all the testimonies unto the first fountains in sincerity but to his great admiration he was informed by the Masters there it could not be so because albeit in other Editions innumerable places were corrected yet many errors as yet were remaining and these not little ones and not a few things as in the Edition at Paris were changed not according to the truth of the old books but in conjecture yea and the old words were corrupted oft times through an immoderate desire of amending and in not a few places the worse was put for the better and saith he this may not be dissembled that the genuine reading of the Master in quoting the testimonies of the ancient writers is very oft changed into the truth of its original especially no old Copy witnessing that he had left it so written for the Master was not so solicitous to repeat all their places wholly but thought it sufficient to propound the matter briefly and leave out many lines in the middle and therefore it were not according to his minde to fill up what he hath omitted yea they have found by sure arguments that he had transcribed many things not from the very fountains but from Hugo Victorian and especially out of the Glossa Ordinaria where these passages are not found in a continued context as in their own Authors but maimedly and sometimes but in broken pieces as it were out of sundry Books and Chapters and mixed together as in a hotchpotch and so if any thing be corrupt in the Master it must not be reduced unto the first fountains but rather unto the Books of the Glossa because it was last taken thence And also he was sometimes deceived in reading it wrong possibly and lead into error in which case to amend him according to the square of his Author were most absurd and madness they said also that in quoting the Authors he
neck unto the sword nor do I think it expedient to advise any more with my Lords the Prelates nor if they will do otherwise do I consent unto them for it is more honest to deny quickly what is demanded unjustly then to drive off time by delays seeing he is the less deceived who is refused betimes When Gilbert had so made an end some English both Prelates and Nobles commend the yong Clerk that he had spoken so boldly for his Nation without flattering and not abashed at the gravity of such Authority but others because he spoke contrary unto their minde said A Scot is naturally violent and In naso Scoti piper But Roger Arch-Bishop of York which principally had moved this business to bring the Church of Scotland unto his See uttered a groan and then with a merry countenance laid his hand on Gilbert's head saying Ex tua phareta non exiit illae sagitta as if he had said When ye stand in a good cause do not forethink what ye shall say for in that hour it shall be given unto you This Gilbert was much respected at home after that And Pope Celestin put an end unto this debate for he sent his Bull unto King William granting that neither in Ecclesiastical nor Civil affairs the Nation should answer unto any forain Judge whatsoever except onely unto the Pope or his Legate specially constituted So far in that Register of Dunkel 5. The above named Henry II. was so admired thourgh the world for his Henry II. prudent and unfortunate prudence and prowess that Manuel Emperor of the Greeks Frederick Emperor of Germany the French King with many other famous Princes sent unto him as a School-Master of justice for determination of obscure doubts Alfonso King of Castile and Saucius King of Navar being at variance for some possessions did of their own accord submit themselves unto his judgement and he found an overture to both their good liking This is to be marked because the worshippers of Becket call him a vitious Prince In the year 1181. the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Master of the Templaries having no King and being distressed by Saladin did profer unto the same Henry the Kingdom of Jerusalem and brought unto him the keys of their Cities He refused because of his weighty affairs at home They were opprest by the Infidels and he had no more prosperity for his Son would have the Government as well as the Title of the Kingdom and the Father did the service of a Steward unto his Son yea and more disdainfully did the Son entreat his Father till he was taken away by death and his Brother Richard was also a grief unto his Father and so was the third Brother John The true cause of all his woes may be thought the oppression of some professors of truth for Pol. Virgil. in Hist Anglor lib. 13. testifieth that about the year 1160. thirty teachers came from Germany into England and taught the right use of Baptism of the Lord's Supper c. and were put to death It is true Virgil calleth them worshippers of Divels but we shall hear anon how all professors of truth were reviled and John of Sarisbuny at the same time wrote saying He who speaketh for the truth of faith or sincerity of maners according to the Law of God is called superstitious envious and which is capital an enemy of the King After four years others which were in contempt called Publicans and Waldenses taught in England that the Roman Church had left the faith of Christ and was become the whore of Babel the barren fig-tree no obedience should be given unto the Pope or his Bishops Monks were dead carion their vows frivolous their characters were the mark of the Beast Io. Bale Cent. 2. § 96. in Appen And in the year 1166. the same Henry drew some professors unto judgement at Oxford because they were said to dissent from the doctrine of the Roman Church he caused them to be burnt with an hot iron and banished them I. Fox in Act. Mon. 6. At that time were many married Priests in Britanny Ephleg left his Married Clerks Son Cedda to be his Successor in the Priesthood at Plinmouth Arnold Dunprust left his Son Robert likewise in the same County unto Robert did his Son succeed In Norfolk Wulkerel dimitted his Priest-hood at Dyssa unto his lawful Son William Hugh Howet in Sarisbury John in Exchester and Oliver in Nottingham all succeeded unto their Fathers Io. Bale Cent. 3. § 10. in Appen In Ireland fifteen Bishops of Lesmore succeeded lineally and hereditarily for the space of 200. years and of them eight Sons succeeded unto their fathers Bernard in Vita Malac. until the year 1121. when the Bishop Celsus having no Son did as by testament name Malachias Bishop of Connereth to be his Successor and his friends as heirs did resist for five years Malachias had correspondence with Bernard of Claraval and had two Monks sent from that Abbey to begin an Abbey of that Order in Ireland but they returned against the Bishops will wherefore Bernard wrote unto him his 317. Epistle exhorting that he would not leave off the purpose but rather be more vigilant in that new place and Land so unaccustomed with Monastical life and excusing the Monks that their returning was occasioned by the unto wardness of these brethren living in a Land without discipline and especially not accustomed to submit unto such counsels This Malchias did urge the single life of Priests in Ireland He went to Rome and became Legate but died in the way beside Bernard 7. John of Sarisbury Bishop of Carnotum was familiar with his Countrey-man Iohn Bishop of Sarisbury Pope Hadrian IV. when they were alone in a chamber at Benevento Hadrian asked him what the world thought and spake of him and of the Church After a little form of excuse he said I will tell what I hear spoken every where they say The Church of Rome which is the Mother of all Churches is become a step dame unto them and the Pope is called across and grief unto all men and intolerable for pride as the zeal of their Fathers had erected Churches so now they do decay and the Pope was glorious not onely in purple but in glancing gold the Cardinals and Bishops are called Scribes and Pharisees laying heavy burthens on mens shoulders which themselves will not touch with their finger their Palaces are glorious and the Churches of Christ are polluted by their hands they spoil the Nations as if they would scrape together the treasures of Croesus But the most High dealeth most wisely with them for they become often a prey unto others and I think so long as they stray out of the way they shall never want a scourge from God Then said the Pope What thinkest thou He answered There is danger on every side I fear the blame of flattering or lying if I alone do speak contrary unto the world and I
other alterations of that Gloss all which do shew how the Church of Rome changeth from it self so oft 20. Elias rubeus Tripelaniensis wrote seven books which he called Semidialia he writteth there first against the Idolatry of the Gentiles and then against the vices of all estates When he cometh to the Clergy he taxeth their superstition prodigality pride and abominable enormities arising from their usurpation or abuse of alms Lib. 4. he saith If we will truly cleave unto the truth we can speak no good of the universality of them without a lye Catalog test ver lib. 17. 21. Maenard Count of Tirolis took the Castle of Trent from Henry then An appeal from the Pope Bishop and compelled him to leave that See When Henry was dead Pope Nicolaus the IV. sent into his place Philip Mantuan a Franciscan and caused him to excommunicate the Count. Maenard by open proclamation publisheth his Apology that he had not raised but repulsed wars that nothing was more dear unto him then peace especially with Bishops but they which should be holy Fathers are corrupt with love of the world and have bereft him of his ancient patrimony If any would assure him that the Bishops shall not wrong him nor his hereafter he will render all that he hath taken from them otherwise he will not be such a fool to quit his inheritance unto these effeminate Antichrists and prodigious eunuchs none did trouble the common peace as they do they are not readers of Scriptures nor teachers of people but fathers of bastards wine-bibbers avaricious usurpers of Lands and Kingdoms If they be not Antichrists what are they worse are they then Turks or Tartars or Jews and do more offend Christian simplicity whereas they are our inferiors they would have us to be their servants against the Law of God and the Nations and therefore said he I appeal from the cruel and unjust high Priest unto our true Pastor and Divine Father Catalog test ver lib. 17. ex Aventi lib. 7. 22. When Pope Nicolaus the IV. did advance the Minorites An. 1294. Friers have no truth the University of Paris had a meeting against them the Bishop Ambianensis had the Semon his text was The Lord is near unto all that call upon him in truth There he declared a three-fold truth of life of doctrine and of righteousness The Friers have none of these not of life for their hypocrisie is notorious not of doctrine because in words they teach pleasant things but they carry gall in their hearts not of righteousness because they usurp the charge of the office and Benefice of others the Priests 23. We have often heard how the Popes were busie to send Christian The loss of the Christian conquest in Asia Princes into Syria their aim was the enriching and enlarging the See of Rome and the event was the shedding of Christian blood The particular exploits fill up volumes but the general may be understood partly by what is touched already I will summarily add an example or two more In the year 1220. when Pope Honorius had excommunicated the Emperor many Princes and Bishops went thither The Pope's Legate Pelagius would be General Commander wherefore John King of Jerusalem withdrew himself and his Army and these fresh Soldiers would not be marshalled by a Bishop Then the Legate seeing he could do nothing without the presence of a King sent Letters intreating him to have compassion on the Christian Army The King as a wise man saith Io. Naucler generat 41. considering howbeit it was not honorable that such affairs should be managed by Priests yet to satisfie the commands of the Roman Church he gathereth the Christians in Syria and marched to Damiata When he was come his advice was that it was not expedient at that time to go into the fields because about that season Nilus is wont to overflow The Legate was impatient of delay and threatened them all with excommunication who would speak in the contrary The Army was about 70000. men The Sultan would not fight but stoppeth their passage until Nilus did overflow the Land and the Christians were brought into that extremity that they could neither continue nor march and so were forced to quit Damiata unto the Sultan if he would let them return to Aca and Tirus and he to satisfie their superstition gave them a piece of Christ's Cross which he had brought from Jerusalem The Venetians Genoways Pisanes and others within the Town hearing of this agreement refuse to give over the Town and the Army did threaten them to deliver Aca unto the Saracens if they would not leave Damiata according to the agreement now many of them had their families in Aca so Damiata was lost After the loss of Tripolis Beritus Tirus and Sidon Pope Nicolaus the IV. stirreth up the Christians to go unto the defense of Ptolemais but they had no government nor discipline and so did more harm then good for the Patriarch of Jerusalem the Masters of the Templarii Hospitalarii and Teutonici and the Kings of Cyprus and Sicily strove for the command and when they were at this dissention the Sultan invadeth them and they left it 196. years after it was conquered by Godifrid saith Io. Naucler gener 44. and of all the purchase then no place was in the power of Christians but Cyprus and Cilicia 24. The Christians could not prevail against the Turks yet God stayed Of the Tartars the Infidels that they could not make new invasions against the Christians at that time for the Scythians or Tartars came out of the North like grasshoppers for multitude saith Nic. Gregoras and Matth. Parisien saith in infinite multitudes they divide themselves in their own countreys the one party went against the Turks in Asia about the year 1220. and the other under Bato saith Platin. in Innocen IV. Matth. Paris calleth him Bathchatarcan came into Europe overran Russia Polonia Bohem Hungaria c with so many and huge calamities that the like was not heard from the beginning of the world saith Matth. Paris ad An. 1241. When the Emperor Frederick went against them they fled through Bulgaria and Thracia into Asia and joyned with the other party at Iconium the Palace of the Turks Nicep Gregor as saith John Ducas Emperor of the Greeks received ten thousand of them and gave them Lands in Macedonia and Phrygia to be in readiness against his adversaries These did prevail mightily against the Turks and took many of their Lands and made up a vast Kingdom in Asia and called their Prince Chan or Cham. About the year 1250. the Cham Mango by perswasion of Hyatho King of Armenia was converted to Christian profession His Brother Chaolon conquered all the Kingdom of Persia and vanquished the Calipha of Babylon he overran all the Lands about Jerusalem but spared to come near the City at the request of Hyatho The third Cham was Mango and after him Cobila or Gobelus kept the faith and
and Lordships and if any wise man gain-say the open errors of Antichrist and teach men to give their alms to poor needy men to escape the pains of Hell and to gain the bliss of Heaven he shall be imprisoned as a man of unchristian belief and traitor to God and Christian Kings and Lords And whereas King Hezekiah was busie to cleanse God's house and put away all uncleanness from the Sanctuary ..... some Christians Lords in name and Heathens in conditions defile the Sanctuary of God and bring in simoniacal Clarks full of covetousness and heresie and hypocrisie and malice to stop God's Law that it be not known and kept or freely preached and some Christian Lords keep many Prelats and Curats in their Courts and in secular offices openly against God's Law and mans and withhold them from their ghostly office and helping of Christian souls ...... let these unwise Lords know that Eli the Prophet one only had the truth of God and King Ahab with 850 Priests and Prophets of Baal had the false part and after Micheas one alone Prophet of God had the truth against 400 Prophets of Baal that counselled Achab to war to his own shame and death so now a few poor men and Idiots in comparison of School-Clarks may have the truth of holy Scripture against many thousand Prelates and religious that be given to worldly pride covetousness simony hypocrisie and other fleshly sins and the rather seeing poor men desire only the truth and freedom of the holy Gospel and Scripture and accept mans law and ordinances only in as much as they be grounded on holy Scripture or good reason and common profit of Christian people ...... But it is to be feared full sorely that Kings and Lords now have been in the former sins of Manasses God grant that they repent verily and make amends to God and man as he did in the end And near the end of that Chapter he saith Now in England it is a common protection against persecution of Prelates and some Lords if a man be accustomed to swear needless false and unadvised oaths by the bones nails and sides and other members of Christ and be proud and letcherous and speak not of God's Law and reprove not sin about him and to abstain from needless oaths and not lawful and to reprove sin by way of charity is cause enough why Prelates and some Lords slander men and call them Lollards Hereticks raisers of debate and treason against the King ...... How much blood have Lords shed in wars for pride and covetousness by counsel of false Prelates Confessors and Preachers it passeth mans wit to tell fully in this life but of shedding blood and slaying poor men by withdrawing alms and giving it to dead stocks or stones or to rich Clarks and feigned religious were to speak now if a man had the spirit of ghostly strength now men kneel and pray and offer fasts to dead Images that have neither hunger nor cold and despise beat and slay Christian men what honoring of God is this c. The Bishops and Friers could not endure such doctrine but so long as Edward the III. lived he was safe for that King loved him and as some write the above named Acts were by his information máde against the Pope and Prelates when the King became old and unable his second Son John Duke of Lancaster was Regent for the King 's eldest Son was dead and his Son Richard was yong he approved the doctrine of Christ which Wickliff did teach so did Henry Percey Lord Marshal William Rigge Chancellor of the University and many more of account Simon Langham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury summoned him to appear at Lambeth An. 1376. The Duke of Lancaster went with him and the contention was great yet nothing was done against him at that time In the beginning of the reign of Richard the II. John the Regent and the Lord Marshal gave up their Offices then the Bishops thought to have the more advantage against Wickliff Nevertheless he continued preaching 1. The holy Eucharist after consecration is not the body of Christ but figuratively or sacramentally 2. The Church of Rome is not the head of all Churches nor had Peter any more power given him by Christ then any other Apostle had 3. The Pope hath no more power of the keys then any other within the order of Priesthood hath 4. If God be temporal Princes may lawfully and justly take their temporalities from Church-men sinning habitualiter 5. The Gospel is a rule sufficient by it self to rule the life of all Christians here c. These and such other Articles were brought to Pope Gregory the XI by him and twenty three Cardinals they were condemned as heretical And the Pope sent his Bulls unto the University to Simon the Arch-Bishop and unto the Bishop of London that they should apprehend the Heretick as he spoke he wrote also unto the King to assist the Bishops A convocation was held at Lambeth where Wickliff appeared professing himself to be a true Christian he explained the Articles and he denied some to be his assertions saying they had wrested his words At that time whether the Queen-Mother had discharged the Bishops to do him violence as some write or that the Londoners took his part as others say or both he was dismissed only they charged him that he should preach no more of that doctrine The Schism of the Antipopes gave some respite unto Wickliff and Simon was slain in a dissension between the Nobility and the Commons His Successor William Courtney was more fully against him and prevailed so with the King to banish him and in the fifth year of the yong King procured an Act that Hereticks as it pleased them to speak should be imprisoned until they justified their cause This Act mentioneth great numbers of them throughout all the Kingdom convening to Sermons in Churches Church-yards Market-places and other places where are great assemblings of people Philip Repington a Batchelor of Divinity had been summoned for the same doctrine but after this Act he forsook it and became Bishop of Lincoln and a cruel persecutor of the truth which he had professed John Ashton also fell away Nicolas Herford another Batchelor made his appeal from the Bishop unto the King and his Council but William caused him to be apprehended and imprisoned he escaped and continued preaching as before John Wickliff in the time of his banishment wrote unto Pope Urban a confession of his faith wherein he affirmeth that seeing the Bishop of Rome calleth himself the Vicar of Christ of all men he is most bound to follow the Law of Christ in the Gospel since the greatness among Christ's Disciples consisteth not in worldly honors but in exact imitation of Christ in life and doctrine and he advised the Pope to leave unto the Secular Powers all temporal rule as Christ did and he prayed that he and his Cardinals might follow the Lord Jesus and faithfully teach
for the remission of sins This profession of our faith is confirmed by the words of Christ which are written by the Evangelists and Holy Paul Unto this profession may be added this body of Christ and his blood should according to the institution of Christ and his Church should be taken in both kindes of bread wine in remembrance of his death and of his blood shed as he said Doe this in remembrance of mee Then this death of Christ as it is declared in the Gospel and the fruits of his death should be preached as also the hope of his blood shed as the Apostle witnesseth saying So oft as ye eat of this bread and drink of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lords death untill He come Thirdly according to the sure knowledge of spiritual truth of which the Euangelist John doth write as also for assurance of giving taking using and of truth by faith in hope as the Lord saith Take and eat Take and drinke Fourthly for the conjunct use for according to the institution and practise of Christ and the primitive Church the Priest should then administer when the necessity of believers requireth and he should receive with them as He saith Doe yee this in remembrance of mee And Paul saith The cup which we blesse is it not the communication of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is it not the partaking of the body of Christ for wee many are one bread and one body who are partakers of that one bread and one cup. Fifthly for distinction of believers from the unbelievers and unworthy and for excommunication and rebuke of those who being defiled with the spot of vices do refuse to amend Of this saith Paul I would not have you partakers with the Devils yee can not drinke of the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils And again he saith Put away the evill from yourselves for if any who is called a brother among you be covetous or a fornicator or an idolater or a dronkard or a railer or a thief with such a one eat ye not Behold this is our faith most Gracious King concerning the body and blood of Christ which as we are afraid to change or forsake these things which our Lord JESUS hath been pleased to testifie and for which end we doe now declare it so neither dare we add any thing unto it which the Lord of the Sacrament hath not added as also the primitive Church which followed Christ in poverty and affliction in singleness of heart hath not altered the ordinances of his law Concerning this Sacrament which our Lord through his great mercy hath ordained for love of his elect have many contentions arisen in opinions expositions and addition of sanctions or decrees so that contrary unto the intention of the Lord's institution they have furiously raged against others even to take away their lives But we for eschuing so great mischief have our refuge unto the faith of Christ even unto his words and meaning so often repeated in his word so that what He commanded to believe we do believe it simply and what He hath commanded to do we would do it faith fully truly we doe not only believe that that bread is His body which being taken and blessed and broken He testifieth to be his body but also if He had taken a stone and said This is my body we would have fully believed it Because of this our simple faith and because we will not suffer ourselves to forsake it for the opinion of men wee are called hereticks likwise for the actuall use unto which the word of Christ and his Apostles and the example of the work of the same sacrament doe invite us because we doe and use it so with upright faith in remembrance of the death of Christ wee are condemned judged worthy of prison and are afflicted for wee being tied unto Christs command and dissuaded by his forbidding doe worship him with reverence and honour due unto him and we feare to worship any other thing as him only sitting at the right hand with the Father and the Holy Ghost Wherefore gracious King let your highness understand that we do so not in contumacy or any contempt but for feare of God and in obedience unto him and wee pray that your Highness would shew compassion on us who are condemned for the faith of Christ as wee wish that the most High would of his grace be pleased to preserve and keep your honour from his wrath By the same faith we believe that the ordination of priests is truly from the high Bishop and great priest that in stead of the embassage of Christ the ministery preaching of the gospell doctrine judging offering of prayers by men thanksgivings and praises may be done unto God by them And it is from God unto men that the promise of God may be verified in hope of the received true faith and by excommunication the wicked may be debarred from that good And by the same faith wee confesse that the promises of God may be verified in hope of the received true faith and by excommunication the wicked may be debarred from that good And by the same faith wee confesse that they who intend to ordain others should follow the example of Christ and should consummate his ambassage with a right mind without respect of persons free from covetousness and simony By the same faith we declare that they which are to be ordained or promoted to higher or inferior orders should excell other believers in a godly life and faith in Christ for a lively faith sanctifieth and maketh fit unto all offices and possesseth the blessing and life for good works of an honest conversation are the garments and ornaments of a priest to the glory of the heavenly Father and example of the people and shew the vertue of the word they should also have more aboundant gifts of the Holy Spirit to wit more servent love toward Christ confidence of their own and their nieghbours salvation trust in God equity of mind a wholsome feeling of faith in a good conscience theire feet prepared unto the Gospell of peace prudence of Spirit knowledge of Gods law discerning of Spirits and the like What clerck soever by such an ordination is advanced unto the priesthood wee professe that such an ordination is a Sacrament because it is a signe of the true priesthood of Christ Jesus and of his ordination by God the Father and a forme of the ministry as of the head of his Church to offer unto God the incense of truth in Christ Wee approve that three things are necessary unto the full gradation of a presbyter first the the triall of his life faith gifts and fidelity in lesser things that are intrusted unto him another prayers with fasting thirdly the giving of power with words suitable there unto and the imposition of hands for corroboration By faith wee doe testify that marriage is a lawfull honest and
and there entred into the monastery of the Augustinians After three years he was inuited to be professour of Philosophy in Witembergh and there he was graduat Doctour of Divinity by Andr. Catolstadius An. 1512. In Erford he had learned of an old Augustinian that it is not sufficient to believe generally the remission of sin or that it belongs unto them only whose names are registred in Scriptures but every true penitent may believe that his own sins are forgiven him freely in Christ and accordingly is that to be understood Wee are justified by faith freely Afterwards he read the works of Augustin and despised not the Sententiaries namely Thomas Biel Occam c. In the year 1516. he had a publick disputation of Free-will against the common doctrine of the School-men as Lu. Osiand in Epit. hist cent 16. li. 1. c. 19. rehearseth His Question was Whether man being created after the image of God can by his naturall power keep the commands of God the creator or do or think any good and by grace deserve and know his merites Hee answereth in three Conclusions and so many Corollaries unto each of them Conclu I Man in respect of his soul made to the image of God and so fitted for the grace of God doth by his naturall strength only make every creature which he useth subject to vanity and seeketh himself and things according to the flesh Corollar 1. The old man is vanity of vanities altogether vanity and makes all creatures even which are good to be vain Coroll II. The old man is called flesh not only because he is led with sensuall concupiscence but albeit he be chast wise just because he is not renewed of God by the Spirit Corol. 3. Albeit all unbelievers be vain and do no good yet they shall not all suffer alike punnishment Conclus 2. A man without Gods grace can no way keep his commandements nor prepare himself unto grace vel de congruo vel de condigno but necessarily abides under sin Goroll 1. The will of man without grace is not free but serveth albeit not unwillingly Cor. 2. When a man doeth what is in himself he sinneth seeing of himself he can neither will nor think well Cor 3. Seing the righteousnes of believers is hid in God and their sin is manifest in themselves it is true that only the un just are damned and sinners whoores are saved Conclus III. Grace or charity which helpeth not but in extream necessity is very dull or rather no charity unless by extream necessity be understood not the perrill of death but every one's want Coroll 1. Christ Jesus our strength our righteousnes the searcher of the hearts and reines is the only searcher and judge of our merites Cor. 2. Seing unto a believer all things by the power of Christ are possible it is superstitious to depute other helps unto mans will or of other Saints Cor. 3. According to the premisses is the answer unto the Question He wrote unto an Eremite thus I desire to know what thy soul doeth whether now in the end it be weary of it's righteousness and learneth to be refreshed with and trust in the righteousness of Christ for in our time the tentation of presumption is strong in many and chiefly in those who study to be just and good by their own strength and being ignorant of the righteousness of God which is in Christ abundantly and is given freely seek by themselves to do well so long untill they have confidence to stand before God as it were adorned by their own strength and merites which is impossible Thou wast some time in this opinion or errour and so was I but now I fight against this errour but as yet have not overcome therefore dear brother learne Christ and him crucified learne to sing unto Him and despairing of thyself to say unto him Thou Lord Jesus art my righteousness but I am thy sin thou hast taken mine and hast given mee thine thou hast taken what thou wast not and hast given mee what I was not Take heed lest at any time thou aspire unto so great purity that thou wouldst not seem to thy self a sinner yea or not to be a sinner for Christ dwelleth not but in sinners for therefore came he down from heaven where he dwelt among the righteous that he might dwell in sinners Think upon that his love and thou shalt see his most sweet consolation For if we must come by our labours and afflictions to the peace of conscience why hath he died therefore thou canst not finde peace but by him and by fiduciall despairing of thyself and thy works and further thou shalt learne thereby that as he hath taken thee and made thy sins his so hath he made his righteousness thine Howbeit Luther had so disputed and written yet none did oppose him but rather he purchased love and estimation 3. When the Indulgences were proclaimed and preached in the manner Luthers first assault named before his zeal could not endure the vanity of them and the blasphemies wherewith they were commended At the first he spoke not against the use of indulgences but against the abuses of them and against the blasphemous commending of them and as he shewes in his Apology which is in Sleidan lib. 13 he wrote unto the Bishop of Mentz exhorting him humbly to inhibite or restrain these Friers but the Bishop returned him no answer yet the Bishop of Brandenburgh hearing of that epistle did admonish Luther to take heed lest he brought himself into danger Likewise Alb. Crantzius the historian said unto him Brother you speak truth but you can not help it go into your cell and pray Lord have mercy upon us And the Prior and subprior of Wittembergh did entreat him that for respect unto their Order he would be silent and not bring it into contempt and the rather that the Franciscanes were beginning to rejoice that the Augustinians were falling into contempt even as they Luther answereth All this will fall if it be not begun in the name of the Lord but if it bee let us trust to God that he will carry it on Schultet Annal. ad An. 1517. John Bishop of Misna at that time said he had lately read the holy Scriptures and therein had found a religion very unlike unto that that was presently professed And a litle before his death he heard of Tecelius and said This will be the last seller of such wares for intollerable is his impudence Ibid. A rich woman of Magdeburgh after confession could not have a pardon from a Dominican unless she would give a hundred florenes she adviseth with a Franciscan her former Confessour and he said unto her God forgives sin freely and selleth not as a merchant And he besought her that she would not tell Tecelins who had informed her so But when Tecelius knew that for this cause she would not give the mony he said that he shall be either burnt or banished
the next yeare they were both put out by the Vicar of Spira and Bucer went to Strawsburgh In the country of Greichga by the river Neccan many towns received preachers Henry Sutphan an Augustinian having escaped from the hands of the Inquisitours in Antwerp went to Breme and preached in S. Ansgarie's Church which the Chanons had left because a man had been killed in it The Clergy seeing the people following his preaching did complain unto the Magistrates and then unto the Bishop but Sutphan defends his doctrine by authority of the Scriptures and promised to surcease if they shall convince him of errour So the Magistrates maintained him The light of the Gospell went a long to Magdeburgh Stetin Sund in Pomer to Riga Derbat and Reval in Liveland to Scaphusen Berna S. Gall in Helvetia to Dantsick Vienna Ulma Wila Creilsheim Cothuse Arnstat c. From Delph in Holland Friderik Canirm wrote unto Caspar Hedio then in Mentz saying The adversaries do attempt much by their mandates letters and messages but God infatuateth the Counsell of Achitophel and it comes to passe that Monte parturiente nascatur ridiculus mus this I know that if we had liberty to preach in publick the Monks which are bitter against the truth would turn to nothing for their credite is gone already by a few preachings in the Schoole But we must patiently wait upon the will and good pleasure of the Lord who when he seeth that we are so earnest doth purposely delay to help lest we sacrifice unto our nets and take the praise unto ourselves if every thing went on smoothly He hath respect not only of them which are to be called that they may be brought unto grace but likewise of them that are called that they may continue in grace but when he shall see us giving over or despairing of salvation unto Israel and to be altogether doubtfull then that he alone may be seen to work on the earth he will help his Church unexpectedly that unto him alone may be praise and glory Amen I am very sorry that Erasmus becomes colder dayly and so far as I can judge he retraits indirectly what he did seem to have written and spoken freely and I perceive his childish fear in respecting the honour of men more then of God And there bee many such Nicodemuses with us but certainly they would stand more stoutly if the glory of Christ who only doth strengthen weak consciences were publickly preached Abr. Schultet Annâl 15. In that summer Luther published the New Testament in the Dutch Opposition by others language and a book against the falsely named Order of Bishops there he accuseth them for condemning and persecuting the truth of the Gospell howbeit when he had so oft provoked them to dispute they could neither oppugne the doctrine of the Gospell nor defend their Popish errours He telleth that they will not come to speed with their tyranny for he regardeth not the Papall curse nor the Cesarean edicts that for them he will not forsake the profession of truth but the rather shall it spread through the world and he endeavours to do it the more heartily because that they rage so cruelly neither shall the Gospell fail albeit he were killed but God will punish them grievously if they will continue in their fury When the bb abbots and Monks heard of this book and of the Dutch New Testament they were the more enraged and sought by all meanes they could to have Luthers books burnt and in some places they prevailed as in Wittembergh Ferdinand the Emperours brother the lawfull Duke being exiled put in execution the Edict of Worms and in November put many to death As also Henry Duke of Brunswike George Duke of Saxony and Philip Bishop of Frisinga Naumburgh were violent against all having any of Luthers books Likewise Erasmus sent a Letter unto Jodoc President of the Senate of Mechline dated Basil prid Jd. Jul. An. 1522. saying Here and there I have turned away partly by my words and partly by epistles many from Luther's faction nor doth any thing so much discourage the Lutheran affections as that I have declared plainly by my divulged books that I do cleave unto the Romane Pope and do disallow Luthers business Scultet writes that Pope Hadrian had exhorted Erasmus to employ his pen against Luther XVI We have heard before in part what Pope Hadrian had written The Diet at Norenhergh An. 1522 1523. unto the Diet of the Germane Princes at Norinbergh in November An. 1522 now hear their answer they say unto the Legate They had with all reverence read the Popes Brieve and heard his commands against the Lutherans they give God thanks that his Blessednesse was come into that See and unto him they wish all happiness And after they had spoken of their unanimity to joyn in war against the Turk they say they are ready to execute the ordinances against the Lutherans and to root out all errours but for weighty causes they had delayed because many had understood by Luthers books how Germany was oppressed many and grievous waies by the Court of Rome and if they had attempted to execute that Edict many would have thought that they were confirming all these vexations and thence had certainly a popular tumult arisen even open rebellion and Civill warr wherefore in such difficulties it were safer to use softer cures and seing the Legate had confessed in the name of the Pope that sin was the cause of all those miseries and he promised to Reforme the court of Rome and if these abuses be not amended and the grievances removed with others which the Princes will now propound it is impossible to calme the present broils or to settle peace again Especially seing Germany had consented unto the paiment of Annates expressely on condition that they should have been employed in warrs against the Turks and these have been payed for many years and never applied unto that use they entreat that the Romane Court would permit that money be brought in to the Emperiall Chamber for that use And where he craves their Counsell for healling the present and imminent maladies they think they have not to do with Luther alone but to root up many vices that are festered by long custom and which some through imprudence and others through impudence do defend therefore they see not a more expedient and efficacious way then if a godly and free Councell be called with the Emperours consent in some convenient part of Germany so soon as possible and at farthest within a year and there must it be lawfull unto all both laick and Ecclesiasticall persons to advise and pronounce freely without danger of any oath or former tye but so far as is expedient for the glory of God and the salvation of souls c. The Legate replieth That excuse of delaying the Edict is but weak for albeit it may seem that scandals might have arisen yet evill things may not be
licence nor enact constitutions without his consent Item that all cases that were before reserved from the power of the bb unto the Pope were declared to appertain unto the King and his commissioners as to dispense with Canons to divide or unite bishopricks Item all annats or first year's fruits and tyths of Benefices were forbidden to be carried out of the Country and An. 26 c. 3. they were ordained to be payd unto the King as before unto the Pope Item no appellation should be made to Rome Item Peter-pence pensions all such exactions shall cease With express provision that the King nor his subjects shall not intend to vary from the articles of the Catholick faith of Christendom Item the degrees of consanguinity affinity that are prohibited by the law of God were explained published The Kings marriage with Catherin was declared unlawfull and his marriage with Anna daughter to the Earle of Wiltshire was approved The excommunication of the King was affixed on the church-doors of Dunkirk because the Nuntio durst not come into England But the King proceeds in parliament An. 26. c. 1. renouncing and causing the subjects to renounce the Pope and establishing the Papal authority in his own person The oath of the clergy unto the Pope is made void and they are ordained to give their oath unto the king The bb and Doctours of Divinity and of both lawes do both by word write and in their Convocations confirme all that the king had done in Parliament Jo Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Thomas Moore refuse to subscribe therefore they were committed Pope Paul hearing of Fisher's constancy as they called it there creates him a Cardinall for he said The King will not put hands in a Cardinal but ere the Bull came the king had intelligence of it and caused to execute the Bishop and Thomas Moore An. 1535. It was the just judgement of God on them for they had incensed the king against many Martyrs namely Fisher caused his Dean Do. Parker to take up and burn the body of William Tracy an Esquire in Rochester-shire after it had lyen in the grave three years because he said in his latter Will he would have no pompe at his buriall and he trusted in Christ only hoping to be saved by Him and by no Saint Tho cooper at An. 1532. Likewise lest the Pope did provoke other Princes against king Henry he sent Ambassadors with Letters and informations unto the Emperour the kk of France .... entreating them to keep amity The summe of his Letter unto James V. king of Scotland was Forasmuch as the Pope without the knowledge of the Emperour or French king or Germane Princes hath excommunicated King Henriâ—â— Letter uâ—â—o king Iamâ—â— V. against the Pope and Card. mee and now the Popes Nâ—ntio the Cardinal of Scotland is arrived with commission as I hear it brooted but have no intelligence to practâ—ze some anoisance by his pretended censures against mee thy uncle Therefore I premonish and require thy Grace and most heartily pray thee to consider 1. the Supremacy of Princes granted by the holy Scriptures unto mee and other Princes in their Churches 2. to weigh what Gods word calleth a Church 3. what superstitions idolatries and blind abuses have crept into all realmes to the high displeasure of God 4. what is to be understood by the censure excommunication of the Church and how no such censure can be in the power of the Bishop of Rome or of any other man against mee or any other Prince having so just ground to avoide from the root and to abolish so execrable authority which the Bishop of Rome hath vsurped and vsurpes upon all Princes to their great dammage My request therefore to my nephew is to consider of what moment it should bee unto yourself having your subiects evill instructed in the premisses if you agree unto such censures and by such example give upper-hand over yourself and other Princes unto that vsurper of Rome as is like to happen in other places of Christendom where the true declaration of the word of God shall have free course to scourge them unless they will adore and kiâ—â—e the foot of that corrupt holiness which desireth nothing but pride and the vniversall thrall of Christendom under Rome's yoke I aâ—so premonish your Grace that you would not receive the Popes Cardinal into your Countrie for he will not be content to be next unto you but assuredly he will be equall yea and usurp over you and be a heavie burden unto your conntrie as experience teaches in England c. After this Henry enioyeth peace notwitstanding all that the Pope wrought against him Jo. Fox Act. moni But upon this occasion the King of France was persuaded by the Pope not to pay as he was wont yearly 95000 Crowns and other 10000. crowns as a Treatie of peace betwixt the kingdoms did specifie In the year 1536. Q. Catherin died Q. Anna and her brother were beheaded with Henry Norreys and Francis Weston and other two gentle men of the bedchamber for what cause it is not known â—aith Jo. Foxe but within three Dayes the king married Lady Jane Seimer First by a Convocation and then by Parlament An. 32. Henry VIII his marriage with Lady Anna was declared unlawfull no reason is alledged in the Act and he excludes his daughters Mary and Elisabet from succession and declareth the Crown to appertain uâ—to the heirs to be begotten In the next year prince Edward was borne and within 12. dayes his mother died Then by determination of Synods and Sentence of both Universities it was acknowledged that unto the king did belong the title The Supream head of the Church that is as they expounded it under Christ the Supream member of the Church within his own dominions to commande for trueth and not against trueth Fran. Mason lib. 3. c. 3. According to this title he began Steps of Reformation to consider the estate of the Church by advice and prudence of the godly Lord Cromwell and others of his Counsell he understood that the corrupt estate of the Church had need of Reformation in many things yet because so many superstitious persons were to be turned from their olde customs he procures an Act of Parlament An. 32. of his reigne that whatsoever article of faith and declaration of other expedient points the Archbb. Bishops and a great number of the learned Doctors with consent of the King shall think needfull expedient together with their determination of other points and ceremonies in Divine Service shall have the strength of an Act of paâ—liament Then he would not Reforme all at once but purposing to lead them softly he intendeth to proceed by degrees First he publisheth a litle book bearing the inscription Articles deuised by his Highness to estable Christian quietnes vnity In this were 1. the articles of the Creed necessary to be believed by all men 2. the doctrine of
by our Master Christ Jesus we are taught in these words In vain Do they worship mee teaching for Doctrines the precepts of men So without respect of men those did cleave unto the Word of God and did iudge What soever is without the Word either in doctrine or religious worship or in Ecclesiastical discipline can not be accepted of God as service when he requires it not But England upon account that those who had been enured with Popish doctrine and superstitions might be the more easily allured to forsake that doctrine if the rites and discipline were retained and hoping as is hinted in the former part that by time a more perfect Reformation might be attained took this prudential course as it is called trusting especially that bishops and priests might be the more easily enduced to joyn with the Reformation So both in the Confession in King Edwards time and in the articles of the Convocation An. 1564. or according to the English Style 1563. they allowed liberty unto dissenting judgements and made large expressions and capacious words being loath to drive off from the communion any who differing in the branches meet in the main grounds of religion Those things that were retained upon such plausible motives had a twofold influence Such is the nature of humane corruption to wit 1. one superstition draweth-on another as a link of a chain If this may be used why not that 2. what was at first retained by way of toleration condescension was afterwards pressed upon mens consciences by authority that men must conform in practise of rites and to the opinion of Superiors or suffer punishment The first particular exception was made by the Papists against the The Head of the Church and Supream Iudge in al causes title The Head of the Church which was given unto King Henry and The Supream Iudge in causes Ecelesiastical which was given unto Queen Elisabet They excepted against this alwayes but the first that hath written of it was Harding in his pretended refutation of Englands Confession Bishop Jewell answereth him in his Defence of the Apolog. part 6. cap. 11. divis 1. saying Concerning the title The supream head of the Church wee need not search the Scriptures to excuse it For 1. We devised it not 2. We use it not 3. our Princes at this time claim it not Your Fathers first enrituled that noble Prince King Henry VIII with that unused and strange Style as it may wel be thought the rather to bring him into the talk and slander of the world Howbeit that the Prince is the highest Iudge and Governor over all his subjects whatsoever alswel priests as laymen without exception c. He insists at length upon this purpose as also Doct. Fulk against the Rhemists Annotations on Matth. 22. and others I shall add the Answer of Thom. Bilson sometime Warden of Wincester unto the Jesuits Apolog. Lib. 2. where the Iesuit or Philander saith You would have our faith and salvation so to hang on the Princes will and lawes as if there could be no nearer way to religion then to believe what our temporal Lord and Master list He answereth It is a cunning when you can not confute your adversaries at least to belie them that you may seem at least to say somwhat against them indeed your fourth chapter is wholly spent in refelling this position which we detest as much as you Philander replieth You begin to shrink from your former teaching He answereth in name of Theophilus You will never shrink from your former facing Did ever any man on our side affirm the Princes will to be the rule of faith have we not earnestly written and openly taught that religion must not depend on the pleasure of men Have not thousands here in England and elsewhere given our lifes for the witnes and confession of Gods Truth against Princes Lawes and Popes decrees In Spain France and Italy and other places at this day do we not endure all the torments you can devise because we will not believe what temporal Lords and Masters will your conscience knowes it is ttue that we say Why do you then charge us with this wicked assertion from which we be farther off then you For you hold opinion of Popes they can not err we do not of Princes Why do you Father your fancies upon us why do you purposely pervert the question heaping absurdities and alledging authorities against that which we do not defend Philander The oath which yee take yourselves and exact of others induces us thus to think of you for there you make Princes the only supream Governors of all persons in all causes aswell spiritual as temporall utterly renouncing all forrain jurisdictions and Superiority Upon which word mark what an horrible confusion followes If Princes be the only Governors in ecclesiasticall matters then in vain did the Holy Ghost appoint Pastors and Bishops to govern the Church If they be Supream then are they Superior to Christ himself and in effect Christs Masters If in all things and causes spiritual then they may prescribe unto the Priests and Bishops what to preach and which way to worship and serve God how and in what form to Minister the Sacraments and generally how men shall be governed in soul If all forrain jurisdiction be renounced then Christ and his Apostles because they were and are forrainers have no jurisdiction nor authority over England Theophilus VVake you or dream you That in matters of no less weight then your duty to God and the Prince you fall to these childish and pelting sophisms VVhat kind of concluding call you this Princes only bear the sword to command and punish Ergo Bishops may not teach and exhort Princes are not subject unto the Pope Ergo Superiors to Christ They may by their laws establish what Christ hath commanded Ergo they may change both Scripture and Sacraments No forrainer at this this day hath jurisdiction over this Land ergo Christ and his Apostles 1500. years ago might not preach the gospell Philand We make no such reasons Tâ—eop The former propositions are the true contents of the oath we take the later are the very absurdities which you infer upon us fortaking the oath ..... Philan. Do you not make Princes supream Governors of all spiritual things Theoph. you reason as if we did but ourwords since you will rest upon words are not so Philan. What are they then Theoph. We confess them to be supream governors of their realms and dominions Philan. And that in all spiritual things and causes Philan. Not of all spiritual things and causes Philan. What difference between those two speeches Theoph. Just as much as excludes your wrangling we make them not governors of the things them selves but of their subiects which I trust you dar notwithstand Philan. I grant they be Governors of their subjects bur not in ecclesiastical things or causes ..... Theoph. Where we profess that her highness is the only Governor of
of the offender was by his publick pennance satisfied now absolution shall be pronounced thogh that be not accomplished Then the party offending should in his own person hear the Sentence of absolution pronounced now Bishops archdeacons Chancelors officialls commissares and the like absolve one man for another And this is that order of ecclesiasticall disciplin which all godly wish to be restored to the end that every one may by the same be keept within the limits of his vocations and a great number may be brought to live in godly conversation Not that we mean to take away the authority of the Civil Magistrat and chief Governor to whom wee wish all blessedness and for the increase of whose godliness wee pray dayly but that Christ being restored into his Kingdom to rule in the same by the scepter of his word and severe disciplin the Prince may be the better obeied the realm flourish more in godliness and the Lord himself more sincerely and purely according to his word served than heretofore he hath been or yet at this present time is Amend therefore these horrible abuses and reform Gods Church and the Lord is on your right hand you shall not be removed for ever For he will deliver and defend you from all your enemies either at home or abroad as he did faithfull Jacob and good Jehoshaphat Let these things alone and God is a righteous Judge he will one day call you to your reckoning Is a reformation good for France and can it be evill for England Is discipline meet foâ— Scotland and is it unprofitable for this realm Surely God hath set these exampls before your eies to encourage you to go forward to a thorow and speedy reformation You may not do as heretofore you have done patch and peece nay rather go backward and never labor or contend to perfection But altogether remove whole antichrist both head body and branch and perfectly plant that purity of the word that simplicity of the sacraments and severity of disciplin which Christ hath commanded and commended to his Church And here to end wee desire all to suppose that we have not attempted this enterprise for vain glory gain preferment or any worldly respect neither yet judging ourselves so exactly to have set out the estate of a Church reformed as that nothing more could be added or a more perfect form and order drawn for that were great presumption to arrogat so much to ourselves seing that as we are but weak and simple souls so God hath raised up men of profound judgement and notable learning But hereby to declare our good wills towards the setting forth of Gods glory and the building up of his Church accounting this as it were but an entrance into further matter hoping that our God who hath in us begun this good work will not only in time hereafter make us strong and able to go foreward herein but also move others upon whom he hath bestowd greater measure of his gifts and graces to labor more throughly and fully in the same The God of all glory so open your eyes to see his truth that you may not only be enflammed with a love thereof but with a continuall care seek to promote plant place the same among us that we the English people and our posterity enjoying the sincerity of Gods gospell for ever may say always The Lord be praised To whom with Christ Jesus his son our only Savior and the H. Ghost our only Conforter be honor praise and glory for ever and ever Amen Now excepting these whose faults are here touched who can say but this was a wholsom admonition and certainly it doth concern all in power which shall read it untill the end of the would But what followed upon it the Bishops rage and persecute the Ministers which dar speak against their dominion or will not conform unto their toyes I will here remember one passage An. Archpriest Blackwell being about that time prisoner in the Clink where sundry Ministers were also prisoners said to one of them he marvelled of what religion the Bs of England were us they committ said he because we are papists and you they commit because yee will not be papists that they persecute us it is not much to be marveled because there is some seeming difference betwixt them and us though it be not much but that one Minister of the gospell should persecute another or that one protestant doth pursue another to bonds and imprisonment for religions sake is a strange thing but of the two they love us better a Papist they like well enough if they durst shew it but Puritanes they hate with their heart and that all the world may see So said he It was their custom to revile with the name of Puritanes all who did oppose their course What the Priest said tauntingly was the lamentation of many I will name the testimony but of one a learned and piousman as his works yet extant do demonstrate I mean John Udall somtimes Minister at Kingstown upon Thames who in the year 1588. ended his life in the Whyte-lion in Southwerk as prisoner for opposing episcopacy among other pieces he The testimony of I. Vdal concerning the practises of Bb. describeth The estate of the Church of Enlgland in a Conference there he shewes 1. That a Bishop and a Papist were sent by the other Bishops into Scotland to subvert their Generall Assemblies and the rest of their jurisdiction for fear that if the Ministers in Scotland had got up their disciplin the Soverainety of Bishops had fallen in England also he saith they prevailed a while in Scotland but the whole Land cried out for diciplin again and the Noble men did so stiffly stand to it and the Ministers that came home from England dealt so boldly with the King that I said the Bishop was utterly cast out without all hope ever to do any good there again 2. He telleth of a Minister declaring unto the Bishop as not knowing one another three abominations committed by the Bishops in England first rhey bear such enmity against the kingdom of Jesus Christ that they put to silence one after another and will never cease if God bridle them not untill they have rooted out of the Church all the learned godly and painfull teachers The second is that they enlarge the liberties of the common enemies the Papists The last is that they committ the feeding of the flocks of Christ unto those that prey upon them and either can not or will not labor to reclaim the wandring sheep So that the conclusion may be gathered upon their actions it must needs be the eversion and overthrow of the gospell and so consequently the bringing-in of popery and atheism 3. a gentle man askes the Bishop Why he had taken a Papist with him into Scotland seing if he be a right Papist he would labor to erect the Popes Kingdom The B. answered That man was thought fit above all
mean time all Commissioners Presbyteries that they give not Collation or admission to any person presented by these new patrones Untill the next Generall Assembly V. James Gibson presenteth a supplication craving that he may be heard to purge himself of contumacy for not compearing in the last Assembly and to repone him into his function And being admitted he declares first before the brethren of the Conference which report that he had declared upon his conscience that the cause of his absence was not rebellion stubborness or ill will but only in respect of the good affection he had to the wee l of the Generall Church being informed that if he had compeared and had not been punished the affaires of the Church would been cast off The Brethren judge this reason sufficient to purge him of contumacy but not to be reponed VI. Three Ministers were directed unto his Majesty to conferr and understand by what meanes Religion may stand and be continued unto Posterity VII All Ministers are exhorted in their Sermons to declare the prejudice done unto the Church by the spoil of the patrimony thereof and publickly to oppone against such abuse VIII The Assembly considering the appearing ruin of the Evangell within the realm for want of provision unto Ministers and Schools and Colledges Give their Commssion unto certain Ministers to compear before his Majesty and Counsell on such dayes as his Majesty shall appoint To conferre and advise upon this Head and to crave humbly of his Majesty that the assignations may be given about Novenber 1. unto Ministers Readers and that these which are already provided ad vitam and that others which are content with their assignations be not altered untill they may obtain better provision and to report answer unto the next assembly IX The assembly gives commissioon and authority unto the Presbytery of Edinb to call before them Papists and apostates which shall happen to resort into that town or bounds and specially to summon the Lords Huntly Seton c. X. The Assemby thinketh meet and ordaines that in time coming so oft as it shall please God to conveen the Gen. church of this realm the first day of the assembly there be a publick fast and humiliation both of the inhabitaints and Pastors there conveening and the pulpit both before and after noon be occupied by the ordinary Pastors of the place To the effect it may please God to give his blessing unto the convention and good issue unto their travells And intimation hereof to be made in that town the Sunday before the assembly After this Assembly James gibson seeing that he could not be restored into his function went into England and lived there When certain newes was brought of the dispersing of the Spanish Navy the king caused solem thankes-giving unto God for this deliverance to be given in all the Churches of the kingdom beginning in his own Court for example unto others XXVI The hope of the Papists now failing by the overthrow of that 1589. Huntly subscribes the Confession practized contrarily Navy they begin to make a form of submission Huntly at the Kings desire subscribes the ConfessioÌ„ of faith and was reconciled unto the Church But immediatly he excused himself by a Letter unto the Prince of Parma then Governor of Flanders professing that he was so pressed by the King that hee must either yeeld or depart out of the Countrey or to have taken the fields which he could not wee l do all hope being taken from him by the return of the Navy but in what he had failed he shall endeavour to amend by some good service seing God had put him in such credite with the King as he had broken his former guards and made him establish others about his person by whom at all occasions he might assure himself and be Master of the King and so when the promised support shall arrive he shall spoil the heteticks of his authority and make sure the Catholick enterprises c. This Letter was dated at Edinburgh Januar 24. 1589. Others also sent Letters to the same purpose And the Jesuites lurking in the Countrey advised these Lords to attempt somewhat by themselves which might move the King of Spain more readily to send them succourse a plot was layd to take the King from the Chancelor Maitlane and the Treasurer the Lord Glames under pretence that the Nobility were neglected and publick affaires ill mannaged They said this way they might procure the assistance of other Noble men and the country would resist the less when no mention is made of religion This plot goeth-on and in the very nick of time when Huntly thought to have catched the Chancelor in the Kings chamber of presence the Chancellor upon suspicion retieres escapes and advertiseth the King of his suspicion The next day the King examineth Huntly and finding the truth committes Huntly into the castle of Edinburgh but after a few days upon new promises gives him liberty These Papists will not yet cease in Aprile Huntly and these Lords in Anguise make an open insurrection at Aberdien The King goeth against them when they heard that he was at Cowy they come to the bridge of Dee but their courage failes and they evanish afterwards they offer themselves unto any punishment the King wil impose They were put to an assise convict and warded the King delayeth to pronounce sentence At this time the Assembly conveenes at Edinb Juny 17. James melvin is chosen Moderator The 51. Assembly I. The King gives his presence he speakes of his good affection toward the Church and craves that Patrick Galloway be appointed one of his Ministers The Assembly by the mouth of the Moderator rendreth his Majesty humble thankes for the beginnings he had made in suppressing the enemies of religion they entreat to prosecute the business and made offer of their humble service to the uttermost of their power As for that he craves they acknowledge his Majesty may command any Minister within the realm to attend himself and â—his Court II. It is appointed that at the conveening and loosing of every Assembly the role of Commissioners shall be called and all absents be censured III. Universall tryall shall be made of all the Ministers within every presbytery and the tryall to be of their life doctrin especially of simony if any be suspect to have entred that way the tryall shall be by questions and preaching and where any shall be found unqualified he shall be deposed without respect of age or other condition And this tryall shall be concluded before the next Provinciall Synod which is now appointed to be Septemb. 3 As every presbytery will answer unto God and his Church IV. It is appointed that in every presbytery they shall dispute concerning the mariage of adulterers and report their judgement unto the next assembly V. The Act made in the last assembly concerning the giving of admission upon the presentation of late
patrons Shall stand untill the next assembly with this addition That the person who shall admit shall incurr the censure of the Church VI. Violaters of the sabbath under which are comprehended parishoners absenting themselves from the Sermons of their own parish without a just cause and blaspheemers of God are ordained to be tryed and censured by the particular Sessions of the parish and who shall be convict of these offences shall be denied of the benefits of the Church with further censure as the word of God will allow VII The aged and wee l meriting in the Ministry should be preferred to young men caeteris paribus being found qualified by the Presbyteries where Churches are vaiking and they agreeing with the Congregation VIII The Presbytery of Edinb having received commission from the former Assembly to call Pa. Adamson before them for solemnizing the marriage of Huntly now deliver their process shewing that for his contumacy in not compearing after citations they had deprived him from all function in the Church The Assembly judgeth the process formall ratifieth their sentence and ordaines it with other sentences that were pronounced against him to be published in all the churches B. Spotswood saith The Bishop complained unto the king who shewed himself extreamly displeased with their doings but espying no better way he resolved to dissemble his anger toward them and to take the imprisoned Lords in favor lest he make himself too much business Thereupon he returnes to the North gives Arroll a pardon puts Crawford to liberty and fully remits him Huntly and Both well he freeth from imprisonment but to hold them in awe he deferres the declaration of his will concerning them The Lord Maxwell upon his bond not to practize against religion under pain of a hunder thousand pounds is likewise dimitted So far he In many other passages he saith that what good the king had done for the Church he did it against his own mind and dissembling for the time and here he forgeth that for envy against the Church the king takes the Popish Lords into favor What could an enemy of the religion write more perversly against the fame of the king But the truth is as he also expresseth it but mixed with these calumnies the king at that time was every day expecting the arrivall of his Queen and was desirous to have all things quiet at her coming and therefore he took that course with the Popish Lords As for Pa. Adamson the king knew what commission the assembly had given unto the Presbytery of Edinburg and he knew their proceedings and nevertheless in the beginning of this Assembly as this Bishop speakes he spoke of his good affection toward the Church and in the Assemblies following he declared his good affection more and more But as the historicall Narration shewes the King was so vexed with complaints against Pa. Adamson especially for debts for which he was lying registred at the horn and he was so ashamed of him because he was so odious for others faults that he rejected him and disponed his life-rent unto the Duke of Lennox whereby the man became miserable that enduring his sicknes he had not to maintain himself and was bâ—ought into such necessity to seek relieff of others whom before he had accounted his enemies he sent also to the presbytery of Santandrews and craved to be absolved from the Sentence of excommunication Some Ministers were sent unro him to try his sincerity before them he cried often and pitifully Loose mee for Christ's sake Upon their report he was absolved His recantation in certain articles was presented in his name by a Minister John caldcleugh unto the next Synod of Fife thence some were directed unto him again and he gave them a more ample and clearer recantation subscribed with his hand and as the Writer of Vindic. Philadelp pag. 62. shewes it was subscribed before many witnesses of whom some were Noble men some Ministers some Lawiers some Burgesses all of good credite Here also wee see as it is written in that place last cited the force of excommunication howbeit before he had despised the Sentence yet ere he died all his wretchedness did not so much grieve him as that did and he wished nothing on earth more than that he might die in the bosom of the Church In another place the enemy of the Church discipline saith Whether he knew what was contained in these articles it is uncertain If it be uncertain unto that writer why doth he oppose it so denying the credite of so many famous witnesses But I goe-on Because the Queen having once taken the sea was put back by storm to Norway the King would go unto her and without knowledge of the Counsell takes the sea October 22. and some Noble men with him on the fourth day he landeth In Norway and stayd there and in Denmark untill May. All that time was no sturre in the country which was matter of great joy unto him when it was reported unto him XXVII When the king retured with the Queen May 20. 1590. he went straight way to Church and caused publick thankes be given unto God for his save return then he gave thankes unto the Noble men and Counsell for their care of the publick quietnes Then was great joy in the Country and a great concourse of people unto Court The Assembly conveens The 52. Assembly at Edinburgh August 4. very frequently the kings Commissioners the Lords Chancelor and Blantyre Patrick Galloway is chosen Moderator I. Commissioners were particularly enquired what diligence they had used in the execution of the late Act against Papists excommunicat persons profaners of the sabbath non-residents and other heads that were committed unto the Presbyteries and Commssioners II. In Sess 3. John Inness Commissioner of Murray was accused for admitting Robert Dumbar to the Ministry without the advice of the Presbytery of Forress he answeretâ— he had done it by the advice of the presbytery of Elgin wherein he confesses he had done rashly The Assembly ordaines Robert Dumbar to be tryed de novo by so many as be present of the Presbyteries of Edinb Forress In Sess 12. the admission of Robert Dumbar without the advice of the presbytery of Forress is declared null III. Because the Earle of Montrose is said to entertain Fentry an excommunicat Papist it is ordained that the Presbytery where he dwelleth for the time shall charge him before them try the matter and accordingly proceed against him according to former Acts IV. A sentence of excommunication pronounced against the Earle of Anguise is reduced because of informality but because in the Sentence was sufficient cause of such censure if the process had been formally led the Church now craves that he would remove the cause especially that he will have care in time coming that the sabbath be not profaned within his bounds by faires or markets that no working nor carrying of burdens therein that vasalls compell not their tennants to
nevertheless not only did the Ass approve it but the K. also in his fifth article calleth them the excommunicate Lords and albeit the L. Hume was at the same time excommunicated yet when he came into the Ass he named not that exception whereupon he might have had such benefite as the Earle of Anguse had found in the Assembly of the year 1590 he was guilty of the objected crime and yet the Sentence was declared to be null because of informality But an enemy is ever objecting whither true or false What he hath of the Assembly slighting the business of John Ross and An. Hunter is clear by what is above In the Parliament following in Iuny the excommunicated Lords were forfeited and Lawes were made against all willing hearers of Masse against all that are or shal be excommunicated by the Church After the Parliament because Both well had failed of his attempts by himself he joyned with the Lords in the North whereupon followed more troubles yet so that the rebells were fain to leave the Country before February XXXII The Assembly conveened at Montros Juny 24. James 1595. The 57. Assembly Nicolson was chosen Moderator I. The Assembly declares themselves Judges of marriages what are lawfull and what are unlawfull in so far as concerneth the spirituall part thereof In Sess 9. they declare two sorts unlawfull 1. When a person marryeth another whom he had before polluted by adultery 2. If the innocent person is content to remain with the nocent and the guilty or adulterer will take another Likewise marriages made by priests or by them who had served in the Ministry and are deposed from the function or by a private person such marriages are unlawfull II. All presbyteries are ordained to proceed against Papists within their bounds and against all their receipters or entertainers Under pain of deposition of the Minister in whose default the disciplin of the Church shall not be executed And the same disciplin to be used against all that have intercommoning intelligence or familarity with excommunicates III. Because many professing the truth of the Gospell do abstain for many years from participation of the Lords table under pretence of â—eud thereby declaring how litle they esteem that great benefite and in very deed cut off themselves from the communion of the Church Therefore ordinance is given unto all presbyteries to charge all such persons within their boundes to do as it becomes the members of Christ And if any person throgh infirmity or weakness of conscience shall refuse the Presbytery shall by information bring them into duty granting them some competent time to resolve themselves and if they continue obstinat to proceed against them to the sentence of excommunication IV. Sundry Sessions were taken up wiâ—h advising upon a way and meanes of a constant Plat for setling of Ministers stipends or assignations which were wont to be changed yearly V. Sir Iames Chissholm in humility confesses his offences namely his apostasy from the religion for which he was excommunicated he craves mercy from God he declares that now he renounceth Antichrist with all his errors and resolves by the grace of God to continue in the true religion and he craves to be received into the bosom of the Church again The Assembly appointes some to deal with him by conference and others to draw up the form of his satisfaction In Sess 9. he was received and the Sentence of his absolution was pronounced by the Moderator VI. Some articles of inquisition concerning the dilapidation of Benefices are prescribed unto Presbyteries VII The Kings Commissioners give the articles following to be read and answered 1. His Ma. craves that an Act be made ordaining that whosoever shall practize any treasonable enterprice or conspiracy against his Ma s person or estate being found and declared culpable by the Law shall also for that incurre the Sentence of excommunication That thereby an inseparable union may be betwixt the two swords 2. that an order be taken in excommunication specially in three points first that it be not at the appetite of two or three persons but by a convenient number of the Church gravely assembled secondly that it be not for civill causes or small faults specially for any Minister's particular interest lest it be thought they imitate the Pope's curse and so incurr the like contempt thirdly the form of summary excommunication without any citation to be abolished 3. Because Mr Craig is waiting in sicknes what hour it shall please God to call him and is altogether unable to serve any more and his Maj. intends to place J. Duncanson with the Prince and so hath no Minister but Pa. Galloway therefore craves an ordinance granting two Ministers whom he shall chuse The humble answers 1. The Assembly grantes the first Legitima cognittone Ecclesiastica praeeunte 2. Concerning the first particular of the second the Assembly agrees and the other two importing great weight and requiring deliberation the Assembly thinks meet to conclude nothing therein untill the next Assemb when by Gods grace these shall be determined and in the mean while ordaineth that none in the Ministry proceed to excommunicate without citation nisi periclitetur Ecclesia 3. It is agreed that his Maj. shall have his choise of godly and learned Ministers and to this effect ten Ministers or any sixe of them are directed to advise with his Maj. in his choise VIII In favor of the exequitours of Ministers it is ordained If a Minister dy after September 29. quia fruges sunt separaâ—ae à solo his exequitors shall have all that years stipend or rent and the half of the next IX Because there is great cause of humiliation before God whose anger is visible on this Land and is litle regarded by the most part therefore the Assembly indictes a generall fast and humiliation to be observed universally in all churches upon the first two sundayes of August next and the causes thereof to be gravely declared according to the grounds they see and conceive X. It is ordained that Presbyteries take order within their own boundes for visitation of Grammer Schools and reformation of them as occasion shall require And certain brethren are ordained to visite Colledges to examine the life and doctrine of the Masters the discipline and order there and where they find any abuse to reform it so far as they can and to report both what they shall do and what abuse they can not reform That year was quietness in the countrey excepting great troubles betwixt the Maxwells and Johnstons in the South and the like in the Hielands and by windy harvest followed great scarcety and dearth XXXIII The King knowing that the Gen. Assembly was to conveen 1596. in March sent for Robert Bruce one of the Ministers of Edinburgh and as B. Spotsword hath it hoping that by the sway he carried in these meetings some proposition that tended to the reclaiming of the exiled Lords should be made by the