I am the lesse moued with their speaches because it is the custome of lamed creeple men to be mounted vp on horsebacke an euil cause supporteth the own infirmitie by the loude trumpet of rayling wordes yet haue they not cleared to the world that wee maintaine obstinatly any point of doctrine repugnant vnto the articles of true faith and vnto the principall grounds of Christian religion preached by Christ and committed to write by the holy Apostles Let them be as prodigall in their curses as they please crying out against vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I answere with simplicitie of a humble mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a thing hanged vp in the Lordes Temple and dedicat to God Haue we not seene with our owne eyes deepe woundes made in the flesh of man that haue beene needled by skilfull Chirurgians and in end cured and healed and the skinne of man cutted in twaine by the sword vnited againe by the needle medicinable plasters That doctrine which endenoureth to needle the wounded world and to vnite it againe vnto that holy doctrine taught by the Apostles and Euangelistes and professed in the first hundreth yeere of our Lord shall we call it hereticall Shall we be so babish that wee cannot discerne the sword from the needle conjunction from separation healing from hurting welfare from woe If we knew Christ Iesus and the power of God working by his word we had not so rashly condemned the trueth of God The Iewes spake as confidently against Christ as euer the Councill of Trent hath spokeÌ„ against vs We hâ—…ue a law according to our lawe hee ought to de because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God Ioh. 19. ver 7 Vnder pretence of zealous keeping of the Law made against blasphemers Leuit 24. 15. they condemned the holy One of God as a blasphemer But his father by loosing the sorowes of death receiuing him into heauen placing him at his owne right hand annulled ipso facto that rash sentence giuen out in earth against the innocent Lamb of God Euen so the Lord in his owne appointed time by receiuing our soules into those celestiall mansions prepared for his owne Saintes shall vndoe the rash decreetes that are giuen out against vs in the earth In all ages this matter hath bene contrauerted and Heretiques haue obstinatly maintained their bad and reprobat opinions and as obstinatly refused the odious and vile name of Heretiques and this question in our dayes is like to a flame of fire which no aboundance of water can sloken The definition of an heresie we haue alreadie set downe in the 3 chap resteth nowe in this treatise to ponder the name it selfe to consider the ground of heresie the propagation and preuailing power of it at sometimes the greater and more preuailing power of the curse of God making heresie in end to wither as the figge tree did that was cursed by Christ And finally to declare what should be the cariage both of Pastours magistrats and people toward Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the Greeke language and very ample in signification for it signifieth a choosing Now it is certaine that it is no fault to a man to take a choise when God doth offer it vnto him as when it was offered to SALOMON to aske what hee liked best he choosed rather to craue wisdome then riches from God 1. Reg. 3. and when DAVID choosed rather to fall into the hands of God then of man 2. Sam. 24 ver 14. DAVID in choosing the pest rather then the sworde or famine tooke a choice which was offered vnto him by God And the pondering of the generalitie of the worde may declare that in things indifferent wherinto God hath granted vnto men a libertie free choice such as eating of flesh or abstinence from it marying or not marying a man may take his choice in these things at such times as he findeth it granted by God as well as DAVID and SALOMON and a man is not to be called an Heretique because he marieth because God hath giuen him libertie to marie or not to marie as a man listeth best prouiding alwayes he seeke counsell of God to dispose him in such indifferent things that way whereby he shall be most meete and able to glorifie God For true it is that the Euangelist writeth No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God who is in the bosome of his Father he hath reueiled him Ioh. 1 which words plainly doe testifie that in matters of faith God hath not giuen vnto a man a free choice to embrace what opinion he pleaseth but God hath tied bound vs in matters of faith to the mouth of his deare Sonne to the ende we should thinke no other thing of God then Iesus Christ hath reueiled vnto vs. Now anent the ground of heresie I followe the opinion of AVGVSTINE in his booke of exposition of some places of the epistie to the Galathian wherein hee compareth Heretiques to the sonnes of KETVRA whome ABRAHAM maried after the death of SARA Gen. 25. These children were procreated of an old father and of a yong mother euen so Heretiques pretending antiquitie of Scripture but forging vnto them a new yong sense whereinto Scripture was not written they become defenders of a false opinion The words of S. AVGVSTINE are these Ex occasione antiquaeveritatâ—…s in novitio temporalique nati sunt mendacio that is through occasion of antiquitie of the trueth they are borne into the noveltie of a temporall lie so that AVGVSTINE his judgement soundeth to this that Heretiques pretend antiquitie of scripture for their father but they are more like to KETVRA then ABRAHAM following rather the noueltie of error then the antiquitie of veritie In this maner IRENEVS thinkèth that heresies do spring vp of a false vnderstanding of holy Scriptures vsing the comparison of men who breake the golden image of the king after it is molten againe fashion it according to the similitude of a Foxe now it can not be called the kings image any longer albeit it be composed of that selfe same golde whereof the kings image was made euen so when wordes of Scripture are drawen to a new false hereticall sense count that new sense heresie not Scripture Iren adversus Ualent lib. 1. cap. 1. Now these opinions of IRENEVS and AVGVSTINE concerning the originall ground of heresie do well agree with the word of Christ himselfe written in holy Scripture Are ye not therefore deceiued because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Marc 12. 24. The Sadduces knew wel eneugh the wordes of scripture but not the right sense and meaning of them And therfore it is great wisdome to mixe our reading with prayer to the ende that the Lorde who guided the
person which indignitie done vnto him hee tooke it so grieuouslie that hee bounde himselfe by an oath That hee shoulde neuer see the Towne of ROME nor returne againe to his Bishopricke for hee was Episcopus PORTVENSIS But Pope MARTINVS absolued him from his oath and repossessed him into his Bishopricke againe and in ende hee was made Pope as saide is Neuerthelesse the faction of his competitor SERGIVS ceassed not to vexe and molest FORMOSVS so that hee sent secrete aduertisement vnto ARNVLPHVS the Nephewe of Carolus Crassus to come to ROME who came with an Armie and was crowned Emperour by Formosus as hath beene alreadie declared To Formosus succeeded Bonifacius the sixt who concluded his course after he had continued twentie and sixe dayes After Bonifacius the sixt succeeded Stephanus the sixt and ruled one yeere and three monethes Hee not onely annulled all the Decrees of his Predecessor Formosus but also caused his dead bodie to bee taken out of his graue and cutte off his three fingers wherewith hee was wont to consecrate persons admitted to spirituall offices and threwe them into Tyber and caused all them who had receiued ordination by Formosus to receiue newe ordination This fact of Stephanus the sixt is so full of vncouth and vnnaturall inhumanitie that Onuphrius denieth that any such thing was done whose impudencie Morneus discouereth by the testimonie of Luitprandus who liued at that same time and was a Deacon of the Church of Ticinum and maketh mention of this vile fact not without horrour and detestation thereof Baronius is not so impudent as Onuphrius and will not denie the fact but extenuateth the atrocitie and vilenesse thereof for hee saieth Non fuit error in side sed violenta tyrannis in facto that is to saye It was no errour in the faith but a violent tyrannie in the fact And like wise hee annulled the inauguration of the EMPEROVR ARNVLPHVS and annointed ALBERT or Lambert Marques of Tuscia who followed the Popes course to bee Emperour Nowe is the Popedome encreased to the measure of a full strength when they dare authorise and disauthorise place and displace Emperoures at their owne pleasure So that there remaineth nothing but to enter into grippes with the Emperour to throwe him downe to the grounde and to treade vpon the excellent honour of his Soueraignitie which in the next CENTVRIE will follow To Stephanus succeded Romanus and continued onely three monethes Hee abrogated the Decrees of Stephanus his predecessour Theodorus the successour of Romanus continued in his Popedome twentie dayes onely In this short time hee allowed the Decrees of Formosus Patriarches of Constantinople PAtriarches of Constantinople in this Centurie were changed according to the disposition of Emperoures fauouring or disliking the worshipping of Images Nicephorus was a defender of adoration of Images and was banished by the Emperour Leo. Theodotus againe Antonius and Syngelus who had beene Schoole-masters to the Emperour Theophilus were haters of Images But after the death of Theophilus Theodora his Wife aduaunced Methodius a superstitious man and an obstinate defender of adoration of Images and intercession of Sainctes Concerning Ignatius and Photius and the great troubles that arose about placing and displacing of them occasion will bee offered to speake of these thinges in the head of Councels Of other Pastors and Doctors IN this corrupt and backe-sliding age wherein the Romane Antichrist had so great vpper-hande the head of Councels will compell mee to make mention of the names of a number of Learned men At this time the name of Claudius Taurinensis putteth a great number of the rest out of my remembrance because hee was a faithfull witnesse vnto the trueth of God in a difficill time Hee was a man borne in Spaine and vnder the reigne of Ludouicus Pius hee was made Bishop of Thurin in P◅emont At his first entrie to his Bishopricke hee threwe the Images out of his Church affirming that the Sainctes who in their lifetime were not content to bee worshipped much lesse coulde they bee content to haue their pictures worshipped after their death In speciall hee condemned the worshipping of the Crosse. affirming that if it shoulde bee worshipped because Iesus died vpon it then the Shippe in the which Christ sailed the Asle whereupon Christ did ride into Hierusalem and infinite other thinges which Christ touched by the like reason behoued also to bee worshipped Concerning the Bishop of Rome he said that hee was not to bee counted an Apostolicke Bishop who sate in the Apostolicke Chaire but hee who fulfilled an Apostolicke office Hincmarus bishop of Rhemes liued vnder Carolus Magnus and continued in office almost vntill the reigne of the Em. Arnulph He had great strife with his nephew Hincmarus b. of Laudunum who refused to be vnder his Diosie and appealed from him vnto the b. of Rome Likewise in the cause of Rhotardus b. of Soission whom Hincmarus deposed and remoued from his office Nicolaus the first b. of Rome absolued him Hadrian 2. gaue him commandement to excommunicate C. Caluus k. of Fraunce his soueraigne lord but hee refused to performe such an vnlawfull commandement and writ vnto the Pope to be circumspect and not precipitate rashly his sentences of excommunication The question wherunto Hadr. 2. was so serious was about diuision of lāds betwixt C. Caluus his brother Lotharius C. Caluus denied that hee did vnjustly inuade any of his brothers landes but landes duely belonging vnto himselfe by paction and couenant And the Nobles of the countrey saide that it was a strange and an vnaccustomed thing that the Pope would take vpon him to be judge in a controuersie concerning the Titles and Rights of Kingdomes because hee coulde not bee both a Bishop and a King CHAP. III. Of Heretiques THEY who of olde were accustomed to condemne Heresies nowe they are become the chiefe Patrones and maintainers of adoration of Images a notable heresie whose pusillanimitie argueth the weaknesse of their cause for vnder the reigne of Ludouicus Pius Claudius Taurinensis wrote bookes against the adoration of Images and the Emperour by a publicke edict commanded them who were disposed to answere to his bookes to answere whilest Claudius was aliue But Ionas bishop of Orleans concealed and obscured his bookes during Claudius lifetime But after his death with impotencie of railing wordes rather than with power of solide arguments he endeuoureth to refute Claudius Taurinensis But I entrait the judicious Reader without partialitie to reade the bookes of Ionas bishop of Orliens the very stinking breath of the adversary of the trueth shall giue great allowance to the trueth of God Godescalcus a man of the Lowe Countreyes is reckoned in the number of Heretiques of this age about the yeere of our Lord 849. because hee spake of Predestination perilously to wit that these who were predestinated to life by the decree of Gods predestination were forced to doe well and those who were predestinated to
A SHORT COMPEND OF THE HISTORIE OF THE FIRST TEN PERSECVTIONS MOVED AGAINST CHRISTIANS DIVIDED INTO III. CENTVRIES WHEREVNTO ARE ADded in the end of euery Centurie treatises arising vpon occasion offered in the historie clearely declaring the noveltie of Popish Religion and that it neither flowed from the mouthes of Christs holy Apostles neither was it confirmed by the blood of the holy Martyrs who died in these ten persecutions IEREM 6. ver 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand in the wayes and behold and aske of the old way which is the good way and walke therein and ye shall find rest vnto your soules but they said we will not walke therein LVC. 10. ver 42. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Hart and are to be solde at his shop on the North side of the high streete a litle beneath the Crosse ANNO DOM. 16. 13. TO THE MOST NOBLE VERtuous and elect Ladie MARIE Countesse of Mar wisheth Grace Mercie and eternall Felicitie IT hath pleased God most noble and elect Ladie to prolong my life these yeeres bypast vnder many infirmities of a dayly decaying tabernacle yet my good God hath not left me destitute of comfort to the end I might fulfil my course with joy One of my chiefe comforts vnder God was your La. reuerent hearing and faithfull practising of the worde of God I delited to see that thing begun in earth which shal be perfited in heauen The glorified Saintes in heauen they cast down their crownes at the feete of the Lambe who sits vpon the Throne When noble persons in earth humblie kisses the feete of the Son of God beares ' his light burden and submittes themselues vnto his easie yoke then some resemblance of the heauen is found in the earth The rarer this vertue is the more I reverenced it in your La person and the oftener I commended your noble houshold to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified The Queene of Adiabene HELENE when she left her owne countrie and came to dwell at Ierusalem she filled the bellies of the poore with the cornes of Egypt and the fruits of Cyprus forit was a yeere of vniuersal famine and spared for no cost to doe good to the Saincts that were in Ierusalem therefore her name is vntill this day in reuerent remembrance And in our dayes honorable Ladies who refreshes the barren soules of ignorant people in this land with examples of humilitie modestie godlinesse and all other Christian vertues many generations after vs shall call them blessed The Lord in mercie augment the number of honorable persons who rejoyce to goe vnto the house of the Lord. These are the toppes of the mountaines which beeing once free and not couered with ouerflowing waters it is a comfortable presage that the great flood that drowned the world shall be abated These are the Minerals of gold and siluer which are not easily found out but after they are discouered they replenish the land with infinit treasures of riches The Prophet ZACHARIE when he saw in that celestiall vision IEHOSHVA his body honoured with change of apparell wished also the Diademe to be set vpon his heade but if he had seene the Diademe set vpon his head and the body lapped vp with ragges of vile apparel hee had wished the body also to be honoured with ornaments proportionallie agreeing to the heade It hath pleased the wisedome of our God in this part of the countrie whereinto I dwell first to decke with glorious ornaments the head the Lord in mercie cloth the body also with change of rayment to the end that Satan that vigilant enemie who delighteth in the filthie ragges of our beggerly apparel may be grieued for our change from worse to better I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse that it is lawfull to me toreuerence the image of Christ where euer I see it clearely shining either in rich or in poore And so much the more because it was my lot to conferre with many persons of a contrarie religion whom I found to be like reprobat siluer fra whō the drosse could not be separated What is next If they will harden their heartes against the truth of God then let the dead burie their dead but let the noble house of Mar follow Christ. Receiue from my hands Madam this short cōpend of the ten first great persecutions with certaine treatises added to the compend of the historie and be not afraid to follow the religion and faith of the Apostles and Euangelists because their eares heard the words of the great shepheard of our soules their eyes saw God manifested in the flesh they were chosen to be faithful witnesses to the world of the doings sufferings and doctrine of Christ the holy Ghost was sent to teach them in all trueth Here we may rest vpon a sure foundation against the which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Next to the Apostles their true successours are to be had in reuerent regard who sealed vp that faith which they receiued from the Apostles with riuers of blood for the space of three hundreth yeeres To this antiquitie of Apostolicke doctrine let vs firmely adhere This is the clearest mirrour whereinto the precepts of wholesome doctrine are contained After the holy Apostles had finished their course the disciples of the Apostles were worthie men yet not like vnto the Apostles who had bene both called taught immediatly by Christ. If any doūg was in their sacrifices it was couered by the glory of their sufferings the fire wherwith they were burnt the water wherinto they were drouned the aire wherinto their bodies were hanged vp the mountaines wildernes through which they wandered the darke prisons whereinto they were enclosed as people vnworthie of libertie whom notwithstanding the Son of God had made sree and they were free indeede Yea all the verie elements the light of Heauen wherefra by most vnrighteous violence the righteous heires of heauen were excluded all these I say were witnesses of their glorious sufferings Vnder pretence of climming to this antiquitie the Papists would cloacke the turpitude of their new found doctrine So did the Hagarenes boldly vsurpe the name of Saracenes yet they were but the brood that spran◅s out of the bellie of HAGAR the handmaid of SARAH And the Priests boy in the daies of ELI came vnto the Caldron while the flesh of the peace offering was seithing and thrust in his flesh-hooke all that the flesh-hooke brought vp the Priest tooke for himselfe This thing was done by violence but the Priest had not just right to euerie piece of the sacrifice that the flesh-hooke brought vp The Romaine Church in our dayes hath borrowed the flesh-hooke of the Priestes boy and violently arrogates vnto themselues the faithfull keeping
the woman described 12. Apocal. she was clothed with the sunne and had the Moone vnder her feete she had a diademe of twelue starres vpon her heade which vndoubtedly was the celestial light of Apostolicke doctrine she trauailed in birth to bring foorth children to God she was persecuted by the Dragon to her was furnished wings of an Eagle and shee fled vnto the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they should feede her there a thousand two hundreth and threescore dayes Now I say I demand of the Papistes what wildernesse was this whereinto the woman lurked so long time for no man dare deny but this woman representeth the true Church of Christ the mother of vs all Lurked she in the wildernesse of Nitria or Schethis Or lurked she in the wildernesse of Arabia or Lybia Or lurked she in the wildernesse of Persia where IVLIAN the Apostat concluded his wretched life Or in what other wildernes of the world did she lurke When they haue giuen me an answere to this second question let them thinke in their own mind that they haue answered the question proponed against vs. If they can giue no answere to this question neither doe I tell them where our Church was sixe hundreth yeeres ago but let them demand this question at him who furnished Eagle wings to her and prepared a place for her in the wildernesse Alwayes it is an article of our faith I beleeue the holy caâ—…holicke Church albeit she was lurking yet she was not dead nor gone out of the world And like as the blood of Christ was not shed in vaine euen so there is in all ages a number of men and women washen in the fountaine of that precious blood and prepared for heauen albeit wee can not at all times point them out by the finger Now errour in religion consisting in adding or pairing or altering or contradicting the trueth contained in the word of God It is euident I say that errour in religion is a cursed and execrable thing To him that addeth vnto the Lordes worde shall be added all the plagues written in the booke of God and if any man take away from the wordes of Gods booke God shall take away his parte out of the booke of life Apoc. 22. ver 18. 19. The like condemnation no doubt abideth them who dare presume to alter the truth and change the right sense or meaning of it or to make a flat opposition and contradiction thereto And truely all these curses which God commanded to bee pronounced out of mount Ebal Deut. 27 euery Christian is commanded to say Amen vnto them a part whereof may justly be applyed against maintainers and forgers of errour in religion First Cursed be the man that shal make any carued or molten image which is an abomination to the Lord and all the people shal answere Amen ver 15. In the 17. verse he who remoueth his neighbours marke is accursed how much more hee who remooueth the marches of Gods most holy Lawe and couenant In the 18 verse Cuâ—…sed he bee that maketh the blind goe out of the way But a thousand times more cursed is he who peruerteth the mindes of ignorant people from the simplicitie of the trueth ofGod Vnto all these curses openly pronounced we are bound by the commandement to say Amen And like as errour in religion is a thing accursed of God so in like maner it is in itselfe an absurd thing and full of horrible confusion not onely repugning vnto the trueth but also to it selfe much like vnto IONAS gourd which had into it a worme that smote it so that it withered Ionas 4. 7 euen so there lurketh into the bowels ofancient errours a worme consuming them vntill they vtterly wither and evanish The errour of EVTYCHES may serue for example He thought that the immensitie of the diuine nature of Christ did so swallow vp his humane nature that in Christ there is no more two natures but one alanerly namely his diuine nature Nowe if so be howe are we saued by the death of Christ Can the diuinitie die Which absurditie of EVTYCHES errour was well marked by ALAMVNDARVS prince of Saracens as writeth THEODORVS lector lib. 2. More ouer the ancient errours which sprang vp euen in the Apostles owne dayes and immediatly after had some portrate and shape of that absurditie that should continue in all errours that were to spring vp afterward euer pairing the glorie that was due vnto the most High and aduancing creatures out of measure EBION and CERINTHVS denied Christes diuinitie and on the other parte MENANDER thought that the world was created by Angels Here we see Christs honour impaired but the honour of Angels infinitly augmented In like maner afterwarde ARRIVS denied that the Sonne of God was consubstantiall with the Father diminishing and pairing the honour due to Christ. But PFLAGIVS another Heretique magnified the power of mans corrupt nature as if in it there were an abilitie to performe all the commandements of God Thus we see that the very shape and similitude after the which Satan fashioned the errour of EBION CERINTHS and MENANDER continueth in ARRIVS and PELAGIVS And in our dayes the Papistes will not goe out of the byas of old Heretiques for Christ must not be the onely Mediator both of redemption and intercession but some thing must bee paired from the honour of Christ to the ende that the Sainctes may be enriched with the spoyle of Christ and be made vp mediators of intercession Here I leaue off to speake any further of the absurditie of ancient and execrable errours But now it may be demanded how commeth it to passe that absurd errours haue so many followers To this question let the Prophet IEREMIE answere who speaking of the people of his owne dayes vtterly addicted to olde idolatrie and to the worshipping of the hoste of heauen hee declareth also the reason mouing them to be so bent to old errours O say they When we sâ—…rued the host of heauen then had we plentie of all things but since we left off to doe so wee are consumed wâ—…th the pest the famine and the sword Ier. 44. ver 17. 18. Heere we see that the multitude judgeth that religion to bee best the professours whereof injoyes greatest ease wealth and worldly prosperitie But in the booke of the Psalmes we receiue a better instruction to judge of the trueth of God and professours thereof according to the hearing of faith and not according to outward things There are glorious things spoken of thee ô citie of our God Psal 87. ver 3. And these who judge according to outwarde appearance they erre in two things first they know not the right cause of the prosperitie of Idolaters secondly they knowe not the right cause of the penuritie of those who apparently haue forsaken idolatrie The Apostle saith that God ouerlooked the time of ignorance Acts 17. ver 30. but in time oflight when the candle
Canon containing a rehearsal of the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture it declareth the book to be supposititious wherein the 3. bookes of Maccabees are comprehended as bookes of the old Testament And againe among the bookes of the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note the preeminent dignitie it reckoneth the two epistles of CLEMENT and his precepts giuen to Bishops comprehended into 8. bookes which were not to be published to all men in respect they contained some secret mysteries Canon Apost cap. 84. Is then the epistles of CLEMENT the 8. bookes of his precepts written to Bishops the actes of the Apostles written by him Canonicke Scripture books of the new Testament equall to the writings of the Apostles yet dited for the most part as secret mysteries to Bâ—…shops to be concealed and hid from the people when as the Apostle PAVL by the contrarie writing to TIMOTHIE and TITVS writeth vnto them wholsome precepts to be communicat to the people And the Apostle IOHN writeth to the Angels of the seuen Churches of Asia nothing but wholesome precepts to be imparted and communicat to the 7. Churches Apoc. 2. 3. such a candle that shall be hid vnder a bushel and not set vpon a candlesticke to giue light vnto the houshold of God I dare not imagine that either the holy Apostles or yet CLEMENT one of the Apostles faithfull successours did euer light such a candle The allowance which these Canons of the Apostles got in the sixt generall Councill Anno 681. whereof GREGORIVS HOLOANDER the conuerter of them out of Greeke into Latin glorieth so much was vpon an occasion whereof the Romaine Church hath cause to blush and to be ashamed rather then to glorie much First because in that generall Councill HONORIVS 1. sometime Bishop of Rome was condemned of heresie Secondly because in that Council the Bishop of Constantinople was ordained to be in equall authoritie with the Bishop of Rome And thirdly because the constitutions of the Latin Church forbidding men who were in ecclesiasticall offices to marie these constitutions I say were vtterly disallowed and the 5. chapter of the Canons of the Apostles gote better allowance because in it it was statute and ordained that the Bishop Elder or Deacon who repudiateth his own wife vnder pretence of religion shall be excommunicat and if he continue so doing he should be deposed Now this generall Councill making in so many principall points against them and onely gracing the supposititious booke of the Canons of the Apostles of purpose to disgrace the constitutions of the Romaine Church if HOLOANDER had remembred what he had bene doing he had bene more sparing in alledging the authoritie therof The shortnes of the treatise wil not permit me to make plaine to the reader how the Council gathered by CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS and the fathers of that same Councill gathered againe by IVSTINIAVNS 2. to perfite the worke they had immediatly afore begun both constitute but one generall Councill Alwayes if any thing seeme to be made vp against vs by the alledgance of a testimonie out of the booke of the Canons of the Apostles remember in what time this testimonie is alledged namely in the 68 1 yeere of our Lord. If IVSTINVS MARTYR or IRENEVS or any ancient father neere vnto the Apostles dayes had cited a testimonie out of this supposititious booke it had bene more likly that the Apostles had giuen command to CLEMENT Bishop of Rome to write that booke As touching the third maske of antiquitie to wit the decretall epistles in the first Tome of Councils and the distinctions of GRATIAN falsly ascribed to the ancient Bishops of Rome I hope in the mercy of God to remember a few of them specially in the 3. Centurie but not to the honour of impudent and vnlearned fellowes who haue forged these decretall epistles as if the world in all ages could produce no broods of better spirits then the asses compositours of these decretall epistles As concerning the accurate speculations of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA who was neuer rauished vp vnto the third heauen as PAVL was neither sawe things that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is things that cannot be spoken and which are not possible for any man to vtter as PAVL did 2. Cor. 12. ver 4. I say of him onely two things First if he had beene so ancient a writer as Papistes speake and the disciple whom PAVL conuerted by his preaching in Mars street Acts 17 then ancient writers had made mention of him such as IVSTINVS IRENEVS and CYPRIAN and such others but of his writings no mention is made in the greatest antiquitie Secondly I say with that reuerent Doctour of our own nation Mr THOMAS SMETON that the books giuen out vnder the name of old DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA sunt prorsus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are altogether fecklesse impertinent frivolous books Of Heresie EPIPHANIVS Bishop of Cyprus when hee writeth against Heretiques he intituleth his booke Panarium that is a medicinable boxe or shrine whereinto are contained sauing medicaments against the venome oflying doctrine albeit heresie be a poysonable and hurtfull thing yet treatises of heresie haue bene compiled not to hurt any man but to giue warning to eschewe the pernicious snares of the deuil Like as learned men who haue written of the nature of herbes haue not onely written of such herbes as are meete for food and of such as haue a medicinable vertue to cure diseases but of those also that are venemous and poysonable to the end that men beeing warned of the perill that is in eating of them they may escape danger and be kept in safetie In all ages wicked men haue bene like vnto IVDAS when hee entred into the garden of Gethsemane where Christ was praying and sweating bloodie teares for the saluation of mankinde he stepped in into the garden only of purpose to betray his master so doe wicked men in our daies read the holy Scriptures diligently walking as it were in the middes of the garden of God but onely of intention to betray Christ Iesus and to gainsay his euerlasting trueth On the other side it becommeth vs well when we are driuen either by necessity or by some honest occasioÌ„ to be in places where Satan hath set vp his throne to be walking as it were through the garden that Satan hath planted then let vs mark diligently the abominatioÌ„s of the deuill the multitude of serpents and vipers that are lurking there and giue warning to poore soules who are intangled with error to leaue that habitation of Dragons to come forth out of that comfortlesse den to the end their soules may be refreshed with the delectable flowres of the garden of God I hope in the mercy of God so to speake of heresy as I shal moue no man to be an Heretique And as concerning the rayling words of the aduersaries of the truth who haue with opeÌ„ mouth proclaimed vnto the world that we are Heretiques
the holy martyre of Christ POLYCARPVS B. of Smyrna He was willing to haue remained in the towne of Smyrna but by the earnest supplications of friendes was mooued to leaue the towne lurke secretly in the countrie Three dayes before hee was apprehended by his persecuters he dreamed that his bed was set on fire and hastely consumed which hee tooke for a diuine aduertisement that hee behooued to glorifie God by suffering the torment of fire His conference with the Romane Deputie and how he refused to deny Christ whom he had serued 80. yeres and euer found him a gratious Master also how he refused to sweare by the fortune of CAESAR and how patiently he suffered death for the Name of Christ this historie is set downe at length by Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 15. 16. IRENEVS B. of Lions in France and successor to PHOTINVS a martyr disciple of POLYCARPVS in his youth Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 5. flourished in the dayes of the Emperour GOMMODVS whose meeke conuersation peaceable cariage answering to his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is peaceable made his name to be in great account amongst Christians How he pacified the furie of VICTOR B. of Rome and the pernicious schisme springing vp in the Church of God vpon very small occasioÌ„ it hath bene alreadie declared He lacked not his own infirmities errours euen in doctrine He was intangled with the errour of the Chiliasts lib. 5. contra Valentin He supponed that as Christ being 30. yeere old was baptized so likewise he began to teach when he was 40. yeere olde and suffered when he was 50. because he came to saue all therefore he wold taste of al the ages of mankind Iren. lib. 2. cap. 34. Yet is this opinioÌ„ repugnaÌ„t to the narratioÌ„ of the 4. Euangelists CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS liued in the dayes of the Emperour COMMODVS He was the disciple of PANTENVS These two seeme to be the authors of Vniuersities and Colledges For they taught the grounds of religion not by sermons Homilies to the people but by catechetical doctrine to the learned in the schooles Bucolc Chron. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 11. This CLEMENS esteemed too much of tradition like as PAPIAS did of whome we spake in the former Centurie wherby it came to passe that he fell into many strange absurde opinions directly repugnant to the written word of God affirming that after our calling to the knowledge of the truth possibly God may grant to them that haue sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if we sin ofter then once or twise there is no more renuing by repentance or pardon for sinne but a fearful expectation of judgmeÌ„t Strom. li. 2. And in his 4. book of Strom. as it were forgetting his owne rigorous sentence against these who sin ofter then once or twise after their illuminatioÌ„ with the light of God he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say whether here or else where viz. creatures doe repent for no place is void or the mercy of God In which words he wold in sinuat that these who repeÌ„t either in this world or else where that is in the world to come may possibly obtaine fauour at Gods hande nothing can bee written more repugnant both to the word of God and also to his owne fore-mentioned opinion Many other worthy preachers and learned men flourished in this Centurie whose names of purpose are pretermitted In Athens PVBLIVS and ATHENAGORAS In Corinth PRIMVS DIONYSIVS and BACCHILVS In the Isle of Candie PHILIPPVS and PINYTVS In Anticchia HIERON THEOPHILVS MAXIMVS SERAPION hist Mâ—…gdeburg In Jerusalem before the dayes of the Emperour HADRIAN the Bishoppes of Jerusalem were of the nation of the Iewes But after the dayes of HADRIAN who banished the Iewes from their natiue soile Christian preachers of other nations were bishops in Jerusalem such as MARCVS CASSIANVS PVBLIVS MAXIMVSIVLIANVS CAPITO VALENS DOLICHIANVS NARCISSVS Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 12. the most part of all these liued in this Centurie but NARCISSVS with some others are knowne to haue liued in the dayes of SEVERVS the fift persecuter and some space after him Euseb lib. 6. cap. 9. But to write of all other worthy preachers and doctours in particular it were an infinite labour and far surmounting the habilitie of these ecclesiasticke writers who wrote in ancient times and much more our habilitie who liue in a posterior age Chap. 3. IN this second Centurie Satan inuying the propagation of the Gospel sent foorth a pernicious swarme of Hetiques such as SATVRNINVS of Antiochia and BASILIDES of Alexandria the one of them through Syria and the other through Egypt dispersed the venome of their hereticall doctrine To whome EVSâ—…BIVS addeth CARPOCRATES most properly counted the father of the Heretiques callâ—…d Gnostici Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. They receiued this name because they profesled a knowledge of darke hid mysteries The golden age of the Apostles and Euangelists was now spent and false teachers tooke the greater incouragement to teach a doctrine of deuils disallowing mariage commanding fornication and practizing abominable and filthie things which mine heart abhorreth to thinke vpon What necessitie drone EPâ—…PHANIVS in particular to manifest to the worlde the detestable and execrable mysteries of those Heretiques I cannot tel One thing I know that it shuld not be comely in my person to offend the chaste eares of Christians by renuing the memorial of that beastly vncleannes wherof EPIPHANIVS expresly writeth Epiph contra haerâ—…s They were justly called Borboritae or Caenosi because they were filthily polluted in the mire of vncleannesse August index hares Ad Quodvultdeum The followers of CARPOCRATES had in secrete places images of golde and siluer which they called the images of Iesus and therewithal the images of PITHAGORAS PLATO and ARISTOTLE and they worshipped them all Epiph. contrahaeres So that the worshipping of images and the adoration of the image of Iesus himselfe is not a custome borrowed from the ancient fathers of the first three hundreth yeeres but rather a custome borrowed from olde Heretiques such as CARPOCRATES and his follower MARCELLINA By their vnhonest and filthie conuersation it came to passe that the true professours of the Gospell were vilely slandered by persecuting Pagans objecting to Christians the bankets of THYESTES the chamberiug of OEDIPVS Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. This superlatiue degree of excessiue vncleannesse could not endure long because euery one of these Heretiques SATVRNINVS BASILIDES and CARPOCRATES with augmentations of new inuented absurdities changed the fashion and countenance of their error and so in ende it euanished But the beautie of the true Church of Christ euer like vnto it selfe in gravitie sinceritie libertie temperancie and holinesse of vnreprouable conuersation brightly shined among the Gâ—…ecians and Barbarians Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. The countrie of VALENTINVS was vnknown to EPIPHANIVS Hee was brought vp in learning in the schooles of Alexandria In his foolish opinions
credited that God hath suffered the world to goe astray in such wayes so long time and so many yeeres What is this but as a wette sacke wherewith a naked man is couered as a learned Pastor said it is so farre from arming him against the cold that it encreaseth his shuddering and grwing euen so this excuse vtterly vndoeth their cause they say God would not haue suffered his visible Church to haue erred so many yeeres but the Apostle PAVL saith otherwise that the Spirit speak th euidently that in the latter times some shal depart frō the faith so that it is not a wonderfull thing to see apostasie fall out in the bowels of the visible Church and the golden calfe to be worshipped by carnal israclites Exod. 32. But it is a wonderful thing indeede to see sinceritie of doctrine and puritie of maners to continue long among the very watchmen of the Church so prone and bent is the world to defection that sometime the ordinarie watchmen cannot declare where Christ is whom the soule of the Church loueth Cant. 3. ver 3. Secondly consider that the doctrine of prohibition of meates and mariage is called a defection from the faith a doctrine of deuils When these odious stiles are applied to Gnostici T atiani Or Encratitae Montanistae and Manichai and others all this is heard patiently without sturre and excesse of choler and why because the ancient fathers examining all these opinions according to the rule of the word of God haue found thē heretical opinions But whē we come neerer to say that the prohibition of mariage in some persons and the prohibition of meates at some times is also a doctrine of deuils and a defection from the faith O then it is cast in as a wal of brasse that the anciēt fathers who damned all the forenamed heresies yet liked very well of supplications prayers to be made to God euery Fryday and consequently of abstinencie from delicat meats for the furtherance of prayers in remembrance of the Lords suffering Sozomen lib. 1. cap. 8. And like wise that Priests should bee chaste and continent Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 9. And to damne these opinions also is all on◅ as if we should damne all antiquitie and imagine that the trueth was euer buried since the Apostles dayes vntill our time To this I answere that the fathers are not to be balanced with the Papistes of our dayes in the opinion of meates and mariage for many causes first because the fathers of the first 300. yeeres made no lawes and constitutions to astrict the consciences of men in matters of meate and mariage as the Papists of late dayes haue done The Councill of Ancyra which is a towne in Galatia clearely manifesteth vnto vs what was the custom of the ancient Church in admitting men to ecclesiasticke offices namely this If a man in time of his ordination did protest that he had not the gift of continencie but that hee was purposed to marrie and after his ordination hee maried a wife hee remained still in his ministetie But so many as in time of imposition of handes did professe continencie abstinence from mariage if afterward they maried they were debarred from their ministrie Tom. 1. Concil Here euidently appeareth that in the primitiue Church there was no lawe made anent prohibition of mariage to men in spirituall offices In like maner we reade vnder DECIVS the seuinth persecuting tyrant of whome mention will be made in the third Centurie that DIONYSIVS B. of Alexandria was a maried man and had children and that by the great prouidence of God both hee and his children escaped the hands of the cruell enemie who was laid in wait for him to take him Yea and after the Nicene Councill the assembly gathered at Gangra a towne in Paphlagonia detested the opinion of EVSTATIVS who admiring the monasticke life as a conuersation angelicall began to damne mariage and to perswade maried women to separate from the companie of their husbands and to perswade the people not to receiue the holy sacraments from the handes of maried preachers But when the fathers conueened in the Councill of Gangra pondered the opinion of EVSTATIVS in a just balance they found it to be cursed and execrable not only in the question of mariage but also anent his doctrine in prohibition of meates for he thought that a religious man who eated flesh by so doing was cut off from the hope of better pleasures which God hath laid vp for saintes in heaucn But let vs heare a fewe of the Canons of the Councill of Gangra Tom. 1. Concil CANON 1. If any person vituperat mariage and will detest a faithfull woman because the sleepeth with her husband and counteth her to be culpable and that shee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Let him be accursed CANON 2. If any man condemne him who in faith and religion eateth flesh that is neither mixed with blood nor sacrificed to idoles as if by such participation of slesh hee wanted hope Let him be accursed CANON 4. If any man make difference and will not receiue the oblation from a preachers hand when he ministreth it because he hath a wife Let him be accursed CANON 10. If any person keeping virginitie for the Lords sake extoll himselfe aboue those that are maried Let him be accursed In all these constitutions of the councill of Gangr◅ there is no vsurpation of authoritie ouer the conscience in matters of mariage and meates Secondly because euen at that time when custome without a ratified lawe had brought in an vse in the Church of God that vnmaried men should be admitted vnto Bishoprickes and spirituall offices rather then others Yet when such continent men could not be had GRATIANVS himselfe witnesseth that a maried man was admitted by PELAGIVS I. Ann. 556. to be Bishop of Syracuse Distinct. 28. Thirdly the fathers of ancient time spake reuerently of mariage but the Papistes of late dayes haue called it a worke of the flesh and the errour of the Nicolaitanes These two doctrines of the prohibition of meates and mariage are called an apostasie from the faith and endited by the spirit of errour Here it may be objected that the Apostle PAVL himselfe who writeth this in another place saith that the Kingdome of God is neither meate nor drinke but righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Spirit Rom. 14. ver 17. How then is that thing to be counted an apostasie from the faith wherein no matter is touched that pertaineth to the Kingdome of God To this I answere that there is a great difference betweene abstinence from meates and prohibition of meates for these whose conscience is weake will abstaine from many meates and content themselues with hearbes Rom. 14 ver 2. as it were contenting themselues with the foode of the beastes rather then that their mouth should eat that thing that should perturbe their conscience but such men as take vpon them
to the calling of GOD was leauing Athanasius in his young yeeres and childish playes was counterfeiting diuine mysteries baptizing children yet after such due forme of interrogatories answeres preceeding Baptisme that Alexander then Bishdurst not presume to rebaptize those who apparently in childish simplicitie had beene made partakers of diuine grace Hee began no sooner to accept the weightie charge of the Church of Alexandria anno 333. but the Arrians began to fret and offend knowing how diligently he attended vpon Alexander his predecessor at the Councill of Nice and how vigilantly wisely hee had detected the lurking absurdities of the vilde 〈◊〉 of Arrius And they thought the preferment of Athanasius was the vtter vndoing of their opinion Therefore they coÌ„spired against him and by a multiplied number of false accusations preuailed somewhat against him euen in the dayes of the good Emper. Constantine But in the dayes of Constâ—…ntius and Iulian almost the whole world conspired against him so that except he had bene vp-holden by that grace that commeth from aboue it was not possible that hee coulde haue consisted and borne out such vnsupportable hatred Iustly did Nazianzene compare him in time of aduersitie to the Adamant and in time of prosperitie to the Magnet In time of aduersitie no trouble ouercame him in time of prosperitie hee allured the heartes of men more intractable then yron to embrace the trueth of GOD. Now seeing Athanasius liued sixe and fourtie yeeres gouernour of the Church of Alexandria his great troubles can not bee comprised in better order then by declaring shortly what troubles hee susteined first in Constantines dayes next vnder the reigne of Constantius thirdly vnder the reigne of Iulian and last to speake of his peaceable end vnder the reigne of the Emperour Valens albeit he was an Arrian Persecuter In the dayes of Constantine first he was accused by an effronted harlot whom the Arrians had suborned to beare false witnesse against him but Athan. guided the matter with wisedome suffered Timotheus a worthie presbyter to speake whom hee had brought in with him to the Councill but hee was silent himselfe The impudent woman pointing out Timotheus by the finger as if he had bene Athanasius with clamours voide of all womanly modestie affirmed that hee had abused her in whosedome so that all who were present were ashamed of her impudencie This was done in the Councill of Tyrus to the perpetuall shame of the Arrians who suborned an harlot to accuse the faithful seruaÌ„t of CHRIST without a cause Secondly they accused him for this that hee had cutted off the hand of Arsenius some time his owne seruant and for greatâ—…r euidence they produced in the Councill of Tyrus before the Iudges the hand of a man inclosed in a case which hande they affirmed that Athanasius had cut off from Arsenius This they spake the more confidently because they supponed that Arsenius remained still secretly kept in their owne custodie but by the prouidence of GOD hee escaped came to Tyrus and was presented before the Councill hauing both his handes perfect sounde and vnmutilated After this the Councill was full of confusion for the Arrians cried that ATHANASIUS by magicke artes deluded the sences of men and they were purposed by violence and force to lay handes vpon him and to teare him in pieces But he fled by a ship and came to Constantinople where the Emperour was as shall bee declared GOD willing in the fourth CHAPTER The rest of his accusations and howe they dealt against him moste vnjustly and falsely and gaue out a sentence of deposition against him in his absence I remit vnto the place foresaid Vnder the reigne of Constantius Athanasius was compelled to flie at two diuers times First while the Emp. Constans was yet aliue who procured a Councill to be gathered in Sardica wherein the cause of Athanasius was tried and he found innocent and was sent backe againe and reâ—…ored to his place For Constantius feared the minaâ—…ng letters of his brother Constans who threatned to lead an armie to the Fast and to possâ—…sse Athanasius in his place againe incase his brother linguered in doing of it After the death of Constans Sabinianus was sent to kill Athanasius but he escaped miraculously as hath beene declared Againe he was compelled first to flâ—…e and afterward to lurke in the dayes of Iulian He was restored againe by the good Emp. Iouinian and he continued in his ministration vntill the dayes of Valentinian and Valens And although Valens was a crue I persecuter yet hee absteined from persecuting of Athanasius for honour of his gray haires and for that he was reuerently regarded of all men Thus Athanasius full of dayes died in peace after he had gouerned the Church of Alexandria 46. yeeres To worthie Athanasius succeeded Peter whom the Emp. Valens caused to be imprisoned and Lucius an Arrian bishop to be seated in his roome Lucius was made bishop of Alexandria against all kind of Ecclesiasticall order neitheir did the people craue him nor the Cleargie of Alexandria approue him nor any Orthodox bishop giue him ordination Peter escaped out of prison and fled to Damasus bishop of Rome Lucius like vnto a rauenous wolfe not onely banished the Homousians out of Alâ—…xandria and Aegypt but also that which was more insolent and neuer attempted before he persecuted the Monkes who dwelt in solitarie places of the wildernesse and banished them who had â—…lready banished themselues from all the delicate pleasures of the world But marke To what place could men bee banished who inhabited the desert places of barren wildernâ—…sses Hee caused them especially Macarius Isidorus to be transported vnto an Isle whereinto no Christians were to be found but only Pagans and worshippers of deuilles When these prisoners of CHRIST approached neare vnto the Isle the deuill left his olde habitation to wit the mouth of the image from whence hee was accustomed to speake and hee posâ—…essed the Priests daughte who ranne vnto the shore and cried words not vnlike to those which were spoken to Paul and Silas in Philippâ—… by the maid who had the spirit of diuination and after this the deuill left her lying vpon the ground as though she had bene dead But the men of GOD by their supplications to GOD restored the young woman to health and deliuered her to her father The inhabitants of the Isle who saw the wonderfull works of GOD receiued the faith and were baptized in the Name of CHRIST LUCIUS was so dashed with the fame of this wonderfull worke and with the out-crying of the people against him that hee permitted the foresaid monkes to returne backe againe to their owne places Afrer Peter succeeded Timotheus for one cause worthie to bee blamed because he fauoured the usurpation of Maximus Cynicus who presumed without a lawfull calling to bee Bishop of Constantino And after him Theophilus succeeded whose
Timotheus to bee their bishop The Emperour banished Timotheus beeing first foreseene that not onely Leo bishop of Rome but also all other bishops of chiefe account damned the ordination of Timotheus The terrible earthquake which destroyed a part of Antiochia and the more terrible fire which wasted a great part of Constantinople were fore-running tokens of the great desolation that should ensue by the detestable heresie of Eutyches Zeno. THE Emperour Leo left his Kingdome to his nephew the sonne of Zeno called Leo but hee fell sicke and died when he had scarce reigned 1. yeere So his father Zeno had the emperiall soueraignitie 17 yeeres he was of a bad religion dissolute in manners intemperate effeminate and hated of all men Therefore Basiliscus conspired against him and Zeno fled Basiliscus was a persecuter of the true faith damned by his encyclicke letters the Councell of Chalcedon restored Eutychian bishops to their places againe such as Timotheus Arideus to Alexandria Petrus Cnapheus to Antiochia Paulus to Ephesus fiue hundreth preachers were found who subscribed Basiliscus letters and cursed the councell of Chalcedon So great a plague it is either to haue ignorant Pastors who know not the trueth of GOD or cowardly teachers who will suffer no rebuke for the knowne trueth of GOD. Zeno returned to his Kingdome againe within 2 yeres he banished Basiliscus to Cappadocia where he was slaine with his wife and children He abolished the encyclicke letters of Basiliscus and eiected Petrus Cnapheus out of Antiochia and Paulus out of Ephesus Timotheus of Alexandria was old infirme and neere to the last period of his life els also he had bene eiected out of Alexandria for Zeno not for loue of the true faith but for hatred of the name of Basiliscus endeuoured to vndoe all that he had done Vnder the reigne of Zeno came Odoacer assisted with people of Pannonia called Rugi Turcilingi and Heruli and inuaded Italie and slew Orestes at Papia and compelled his sonne Augustulus to denude himselfe of emperiall honours so that the Romane empire as it beganne in the person of Augustus Caesar so likewise it ended in the person of Augustulus the sonne of Orestes Odoacer would not vsurpe the glorious title of an Emperour but called himselfe King of Italie and reigned 14 yeeres Zeno on the other part stirred vp Theodoricus King of Gothes to expell Odoacer out of Italie Theodoricus encountred with him diuerse times and preuailed In end he besieged him in Ravenna vntill a couenant of peace was bound vp betwixt them but it lasted short time for Theodoricus vnder pretence of friendship called Odoacer his sons to a banket caused them cruelly to be slain Afterward he reigned himselfe alone in Italic 33 yeres he reedified the townes in Italie which by violence of warres had bene wasted made desolate was well beloued of the people albeit in religion he was an Arrian yet he abstained from persecution of those who professed the true faith The Eutychian persecution is alreadie begun but the Arrian persecution is not as yet ended Hunnericus sonne of Gensericus King of Vandales was an Arrian persecuter so vnmercifull that in Africke where his dominion was he had neither compassion on sexe or age he banished at one time fiue thousand professors of the true faith And such as were infirme and weake could neither trauell by foot nor horse he commanded cords to bee knit to their legges and to traile them through the rough places of the wildernes and by such merciles dealing the death of many innocent people was procured but the LORD suffered not this crueltie to be vnpunished for the LORD plagued the Vandales with famine and pest and Hunnericus was so long tormented with venemous biles that in end he was cōsumed with vermine and in great miserie ended his most wretched life In this Centurie studying to brevitie I haue ouerpassed some remarkable thinges such as the deceitfull practises of the wise men of Persia to diuert the affection of their King Isdige◅des from the loue he caried to Maruthas bishop in Mesopotamia and Embassadour of Theodosius 2. This historie is set downe at length by Socrates In like maner the calamitie of the Iewes who dwelt in the Islle of Candie and were piteously abused by a deceiuing fellow who called himselfe Moses and promised to lead them through the Mediterran sea to their owne lande as Moses ledde the people of Israel through the read sea this calamitie read in the 7. booke of the ecclesiastical historie of Socrates chap. 38. The Jewes were cōmanded to cast themselues into the sea to swim vnto a rocke but they were drowned in the sea dashed vpon the hard rocke and by the meanes of Christian fishers some few escaped This historie is referred vnto the 434. yeere of our LORD so that it sell foorth vnder the reigne of Theodosius 2. The miraculous conucrsion of the Burgundians to the faith of CHRIST about the same time I haue of purpose ouerpassed willing to be short to giue a viewe of the historie to those who are desirous to read CHAP. II. Of Pastors and Doctors Patriarches of Rome AFTER Siricius succeeded Anastatius and gouerned the Church of Rome 3. yeeres About the yeere of our LORD 401. he entred into his office vnder the reigne of Honorius He made a constitution that men should not sit but stand when the gospell was read After him succeeded Innocentius and continued in his office 15. yeeres hee was an aduersare to the Novatians and Pelagians and was friendly to Iohn Chrysostome whose deposition Eudoxia the Emperours wife had procured Innocentius sent to Honorius and Arcadius 5. Bishops and two Presbiters to procure the appointment of a generall councill whereinto the cause of Chrysostome might be examined for he counted the gathering of an aecumenicke Councill the only remedy whereby the vehement tempest of so great commotions as followed the deposition and banishment of Chrysostome could be settled but the aduersares of Chrysostome procured the messengers of Innocentius to be ignominiously entreated sent backe againe Heere let the iudicious Reader marke that the power of conuocating generall Councills appertained to the Emperour and not vnto the bishop of Rome In this mans time according to mine opinion the Romane Church began to swell in pride and to vsurpe iurisdiction ouer other Churches hauing no better ground than a personall and temporall act of the Councill of Sardica Zosimus the successor of Innocentius continued not aboue the space of a yeere and 5. moneths in office or 2. yeeres as Socrates writteth To him Platina ascribeth this constitution that no seruant should bee assumed into the clergie but he lamenteth that not onely seruants but also the sonnes of strange women and flagitious persons were admitted to spirituall offices to the great detriment of the Church He sent Faustinus a B. to the Councill of Carthage with 2. presbyters
longer and since that time they giue no price I am the shorter in this Treatise lest I should hinder any man from reading the learned writings of Chcmnicius de Indulgentiis who hath accurately written the beginning progresse and ripenesse of this filthie errour of Popish Pardones A TREATISE Of a great heape of Errours which kithed in the sixt Centurie SEING the time was now at hande whereinto the Antichrist should exalt himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped and that he should sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God The LORD punishing the contempt of his euerlasting Trueth suffered a departing from many pointes of Faith to fall out as Tapestrie of errours hung vp in the Temple to welcome the Antichrist The signe of the Crosse is nowe filthily abused In the first 300. yeere of our LORD and a litle after the Pagans so abhorred the doctrine of the Crosse and that Saluation should be offered to all men in the suffering of one man that they persecuted this doctrine with vnspeakable crueltie The Christians on the other part in word deede and gesture adhered so fast vnto the doctrine of saluation which commeth by the sufferings of CHRIST that by crossing of themselues they would avow besore the Worlde that they were Christians this was of olde a piece of externall profession but they attributed no vertue to the signe of the Crosse to saue them from enill insomuch that S. Augustine in a certaine place speaking of theeues who would goe out by night to steale they would garde themselues by the signe of the Crosse which signe banished not the power of the Deuill from them but rather sealed vp the power of Sathan within them but in this Centurie Crossing was in vse with opinion that by vertue of that signe made in the are euill was banished from men and good things were procured to them The superstition of Pilgrimages began in the dayes of Constantine and Gregorius Nyssenus damned the conceates of men who imagined that GOD would giue a rewarde in the Worlde to come to workes which he hath not commanded to bee done in this Worlde but in this Centurie this superstition mightily increased in so far that men trauelled to the sepulchers of the Sainctes with intention to obtaine health both of soule and body in those places This resorting vnto the sepulchers of the Sainctes fostred not onely inuocaâ—…ion of Sainctes but also a confidence in them that they could support all troubles both of soule and bodie whereinto any person had fallen insomuch that in the fist Centurie and before the time of the fulnesse of all corruption Atticus bishop of Constantinople was compelled to raise the bodie of Sabbatius out of his graue by night and to burie him into a secret place vnknowne vnto the people to slay their superstition of inuocating Sainctes and confidence in them who were departed The doctrine of the Apostle PAVL wishing all chinges to bee done vnto edification and his owne example who albeit hee was furnished with moe languages than all the Corinthians yet hee had rather speake fiue wordes with vnderstanding that he might instruct others than ten thousand into a strange tongue This doctrine I say and example of PAVL banished from the Church a long time Liturgies into a strange language albeit the Latine Church borrowed from the Hebrewe Liturgie Allellâ—… iah and from the Greeke Liturgie Kyrie eleison yet the Liturgie and seruice of the Church continued into an intelligible language amongst Gods people The vaine assertion of the Romanc Church is that the Liturgie was conceiued in Latine language in Numidia about the foure hundreth of our Lord. It is easily answered that at this time the Africans were vnder the dominion of the Romanes and learned their language in such sort that they were not more familiarly acquainted with the Africane speach than they were with the Latine tongue To this Augustine beareth witnesse that with difficultie he learned the Greeke language but with great facilitie hee learned the Latine language Inter blandimenta nutricum ioca arridentium latitias alludentium that is to say Amongst the flattering speeche of Nourses and amongst the sportes of them who arsided one to another and amongst the solaces of them who were deliting one another so that in Augustines time if the Latine Liturgie had place it was was all one as if the Africane Liturgie had beene in vse because that both were alike intelligible Nowe these who by such places would prooue that seruice may bee said into an vncouth language not onely they flatly gainesay the doctrine of PAVL but also they abuse the testimonies of ancient times in most miserable maner After the time that one man was made vniuersall Bishoppe of all the Church then comes in that deuilish imagination that for setling vnitie into the Church the Liturgie must bee onely in the Latine language in Europe In the Councill called Valentinum because it was assembled in Valentia a towne of Spaiâ—…e it was ordained that the Gospell should bee read after the Epistle in respect that by such reading some were found to bee conuerted to the faith This behooued to bee reading of the Gospell in a knowne tongue so that the custome of reading Liturgies into an vnknowne tongue did not hastily take place Oblationes defunctorum of olde were legacies left by defunct persons for sustentation of the poore these oblaâ—…ions they who did not thankfully pay were counted murtheâ—…ers of the poore and were separated from the fellowship of the Church but nowe all things tending to a lamentabâ—…e decay in steade of Oblationes defunctorum oblationes pro defunctis creepes in into the Church Grâ—…gorius the first learned not this doctrine in holy Scripture but from the narration of Foelix bishoppe of Centumcellae in Hetrruia as I haue alreadie written in the Historie of his life It is a wearisomething to read the foolish fables of miraculous workes confirming this head of Popish doctrine At this time also as Gregorius the first witnesseth in his Homilies vpon the Gospell when men of vnreproouable life were sicke many came to visite them not so much to helpe them in their agonie to fight a good fight and happily to conclude their course as to recommend their owne soules to the castodie of them whome they supponed to haue led an honest life This is a great noueltie vnknowne to sacred Scripture to recommend our soules to the custodie of any person whatsumeuer except onely to GOD the Father of Spirits Reliques of Sainctes were excessiuelie honoured insomuch that Giegorius the first sendeth pieces of the chaine wherewith S. PETER was bound in time of his martyredome to diâ—…erse persons with promise that this piece of his chaine beeing hung about their neckes by the intercession of PETER should purchase vnto them absolution from their sinnes The wrong vnderstanding of the words of Christ
full of pride and he followed the footsteps of Joannes Cappadox and would bee called vniuersall bishoppe against whome Gregorius 1. contended mightily euen as Lactantius of olde contended against the Pagans impugning the error more mightily than solidly confirming the trueth It is supponed that he ministred 13. yeeres vnder the Emperour Mauritius To whom succeeded Cyriacus Patriarches of Alexandria AFTER Iohn called Tabennesiota succeeded another Iohn who kept the true faith and was banished by Anastatius because he would not damne the Councill of Chalcedone To John succeeded Theodosius an obstinate defender of the errour of Eutyches He was familiarly acquainted with Severus of Antiochia and Anthimus of Constantinople whereby the miserie of these dayes may bee easily espied whereinto three notable heretiques gouerned principall townes such as Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia He was so obstinate in his errour that he was rather content to be banished vnder the reigne of Iustinian than to renounce his errour After him succeeded Zoilus and after him Appollinarius who was present at the fift generall Councill To whome succeeded Eulogius and after him Petrus who ministred vnder the reigne of Mauritius Patriarches of Antiochia AFTER Palladius succeeded Flavianus who suffered great troubles for the true faith namely by the cruell persecution of the Emperour Anastatius and the calumnies of Xenaeas B. of Hierapoâ—…is a stranger indeed from the couenant of GOD as his name importeth for hee blamed Flavianus most vniustly of the heresie of Nestorius but when Flavianus both by worde and write had cleared himselfe of that calumnie the malice of Xenaeas ceased not for he brought with him to Antiochia a great number of Monkes to compell Flavianus to abiure the Councill of Chalcedone The towne supported their bishop against a raskall number of seditious and hereticall Monkes Notwithstanding the Emperour Anastatius infected with the heresie of Euâ—…yches counted Flavianus who was most vniustly persecuted to be the author of this tumult and banished him and placed Severus in his roome The Emperour Iustinus the elder displaced Severus and punished him and appointed Paulus to be bishop of Antiochia To Paulus succeeded Euphrasius who died in that feareful calamitie of the towne of Antiochia when it was shaken and ouerthrowne with earthquake as Evagrius witnesseth Euphraimius was a ciuile gouernour in the East parts who pitied the decayed estate of the towne of Antiochia furnished all necessarie things for the repairing of the towne of Antiochia for which cause the people was so affectioned to him that they would haue him to bee their bishop So Euphraimius becomes bishoppe of Antiochia or Theopolis for at this time it had both thâ—…se names Evagrius writeth that hee vndertooke the charge of the Apostolicke chaire in which wordes it is manifest that not onely the chaire of Rome but also the chaire of Antiochia was called the Apostolicke chaire The towne of Antiochia at this time was taken by Cosroes King of Persia set on fire and many of thâ—… people were cruelly slaine Euphraâ—…us their bishop at this time left the towne a perilous example except the people had beene in safetie and he onely persecuted yet he left behinde him so much as might redeeme all the Church goods AFTER Eâ—…phraimius followed Domnius And after him Anastatius He ministred vnder the Emperour Iustinian at what time the â—…mperour fell into the errour of them who saide that our LORD IESVS in his very conception adioyned vnto his diuine natâ—…e an immortal body which was subiect to no humane infiâ—…mities Anastatius opponed himselfe to the Emperours opinion the bishops followed Anastatius not the Emperour for this cause Iustinian was purposed to haue banished him but he escaped this trouble by the Emperours death Neuerthelesse hâ—…e was banished by Iustinus the younger for some alleadged cause of dilapidation of Church-gooods and Gregorius was placed in his roome Gregorius ministred in Antiochia 23. yeeres vnder Justinus 2. Tiberius and Mauritius hee was in great account with Mauritius to whome he foretolde that he would be promoted to the Imperiall dignitie And Mauritius imployed him in great and weightie businesse such as in pacifying the tumult of his armie which made insurrection against Germanus their captaine Also hee sent him ambassadour to Cosroes King of Persia who was astonied at the grace that was in his speaches Notwithstanding he was accused by Asterius a Deputie of the East of the filthie sinne of incest but he cleared his owne innocencie so euidently that his accuser was with ignominie scourged and banished Hee died of the gowtes infirmitie after his death Anasiatius whome Iustinus banished for dilapidation of Church-goods beeing yet aliue was restored to his owne place againe To whom succeeded Euphemius Patriarches of Jerusalem AFTER MARTYRIVS succeeded HELIAS a feruent defender of the true faith Neither would hee condescend to the banishment of EVPHEMIVS bishop of Constantinople nor to the admission of Severus to be bishop of Antiochia therefore the Emperour Anastatius banished him To him succeeded Iohn of whose politicke dealing in circumueening Anastatius the Emperours captaine I haue sufficiently declared in the preceeding historie To John succeeded Peter after him Macarius after Macarius Eustochius who impugned the bookes of Origen draue out of his bounds the Monks of Nova Laura defenders of the opinions of Origen Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia tooke this in an euill part The Emperour Iustinian caused a generall Councill to bee gathered at Constantinople whereinto not only the bookes of Origen were damned but also Theodorus himselfe the defender of them This displeased the Emperour Iustinian because hee loued Theodorus dearely therefore hee procured that Eustochius B. of Ierusalem should be remooued and Macarius restored againe After whome succeeded Ioannes Neamus and Isieius In this Centurie whereas I pretermit the names of other Pastors and Doctors in the Church I haue done it vpon this consideration I find in this Centurie that by the irruption of barbarous people such as the Gothes Uandales Hunnes Auares Schythians Lombards youth was hindred from studies many memorable bookes were burnt ancient languages were vtterly spoyled learning was greatly diminished flatterie of preuailing powers increased ambition in the West heresie in the East turned the estate of the Church vpside downe so that scarcely could men of good giftes and keeping integritie of faith be furnished vnto the principall Apostolick chaires Now after a maner the sunne is going downe the shadowes waxe great the darknes approacheth the Antichrist is at the doore worthy to bee welcomed with darknesse and decay of knowledge What shall I now write of other Pastors and Doctors shall I followe the foolish conceates of Historiographers in whose opinion the gift of miracles increased when the gift of knowledge decayed but the contraâ—…e is knowne by Scripture that the holy Apostles whome CHRIST induced
with extraordinarie giftes of working miraculous workes hee indued them the departure of Valerius he was B. of Hippo his vncessant trauels in teaching GODS people and in stopping the mouthes of Heretiques and gainsayers of the trueth of GOD specially Donatists Pelagians and Manichean Heretiques his learned writings doe testifie When hee had liued 76. yeeres he rested from his labours before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo which in time of Augustines sicknesse they had besieged In this Centurie flourished worthie preachers in France such as Eutherius B. of Lions Saluianus B. of Marseill who liued at that time when the nation of the Gothes oppressed France and many beganne to doubt of the prouidence of GOD in respect that wicked men had so great vpper-hand Salvianus in his godly and learned bookes doeth declare that it is a iust thing with GOD to punish men who knowes their dutie best with greatest punishments in respect that oft times they are most negligent doers of it Claudianus Mammertus B. of Vienne is praised by Sidonius with excessiue coÌ„mendations as if all the graces of Ierom Augustine Basilius Nazianzenus and many other fathers had beene in corporated into his person Hilarius first bishop of Arls and afterward as appeareth of Vienne opponed himselfe directly to Leo B. of Rome and would acknowledge no iurisdiction nor domination of the B. of Rome ouer the Churches of France for this cause Leo accused him as an vsurper of supremacie onely because hee would not stoupe vnder his feete but Hâ—…larius came to Rome nothing regarding the anathems and cursings of the Romane bishop and in his face affirmed that neither did CHRIST appoint Peter to bee hâ—…ad of the rest of the Apostles neither had the B. of Rome a soueraignitie ouer the Churches of France All the grandure of Leo his speaches who doth talke of those few words Tues Petrus super hac petra c. that is thou art PETER and vpon this rocke c. as if CHRIST had breathed vpon him and had bidden him receiue the holy Spirit so confidently did hee affirme that in these wordes was allotted a supremacie to the bishops of Rome the successors of PETER But this grandure I say of his proud conceats vaine interpretation of Scripture made not men of vnderstanding incontinently to stoup vndâ—…r the feet of a proud Prelat Vincentius Lirinensis a mighty impugner of herâ—…sies PROSPER AQVITANICVS SIDONIVS Bishop in some part of Ouerme MARTINVS TVRONENSIS is commended for the gift of many miraculous workes that were wrought by his hands He compared virginitie marriage and fornication to a medow a part where of was eaten by the pastoring of beastes another part was holled by the rudenes of wourting swine and the third part was vntouched but flourishing in the perfect growth of grasse neere to mowing time Fornication hee compared to the part of the medow that was holled and misfassioned with swine Mariage to that part of the medow that was pâ—…stored so that the herbes had their rootes but wanted the beautie of their flowres but virginitie is like vnto that part of the medow that is vntouched flourishing with roote blade flowre and all kinde of perfection In counting mariage good but virginitie better hee followeth the doctrine of the holy Apostle PAVL Reon gius B. of Rhemes by whom Clodoueus the first Christian king of France was baptized the whole countrie of France was purged from Paganisme and Arrianisme whereby it was miserably polluted by the Gothes and Vandales was a man of great account Concerning Aurelius and the bishops of Carthage Memnon and the bishops of Ephesus some occasion will bee offered to speake of them in the head of Councils neither will the nature of a Compend and breuitie whereunto I studie permit me to write of euery worthie man of whom I read in this Centurie CHAP III. Of Heretiques PELAGIVâ—… BRITO and his followers IVLIANVS and Coelestius maintained damnable heresies in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius their pernicious heresies may be easily knowne by the learned writings of Augustine who directly impugneth the Pelagians by the Councils of Arausio in France Milevitanum in Numidia which damned the error of the Pelagians They affirmed that men by nature were able to fulfill the whole Law of GOD howbeit more easily better if they were supported by the grace of GOD. They denied Originall sinne and said the posteritie of ADAM were sinners by imitation of ADAMS sinne but had not receiued sinne by carnal propagation They said moreouer that children had not need to be baptized for remission of sinnes and that godly fathers in Scripture when they confessed their sinnes they did it rather for example of humilitie than for necessitie and guiltinesse of sinne This pestilent heresie was spread abroad in many places but chiefly in the Isle of Britaine because Pelagius being driuen from Rome came to the Isle foresaid and infected it with his errour but by the diligent trauelles of Germanus Altisidorensis and Palladius sent from Coelestinus B. of Rome both England and Scotland were freed from that errour Nestorius B. of Constantinople liued in the dayes of Theodosius 2. He was an eloquent man but his head lacked braines when he spake against the personall vnion of the divine and humane Nature in CHRIST He denied that the Virgine MARIE could becalled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Deipara that is the mother of GOD but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mother of CHRIST He was damned as an hereticke in the Councill of Ephesus and banished by the Emp. Theodosius to the wildernes of Thebaida was plagued by GOD with extraordinare iudgements as other heretiques had bene before for his blasphemous tongue was consumed with wormes rotted in his mouth and so he ended his wretched life most miserablie Eutyches was an abbot in Constantinople he fell into an errour farre different from the heresie of Nestorius for Nestorius would not grant the personall vnion of two natures in Christ but Eutyches confounded the natures and would haue the humane nature so swallowed vp by the immensitie of the diuine nature in CHRIST that there was not two natures in CHRIST but one alanerly to wit the diuine nature Hee was damned in the Council of Chalcedon as wil be decla ed hereafter Godwilling This heresie much perturbed and troubled the Church in respect of the fautors and fauourers thereof both in policie and Church Chrysapbius a principal ruler in the Court of Theodâ—…sius 2. Basiliscus and Anastatius Emperours were fauourers of this heresie and of bishops not a few such as Dâ—…scorus B of Alexandria Timotheus Aelurus who entered into the chaire of Alexandria like vnto a Wolfe with shedding the blood of Proterius the true shepheard and Petrus Moggus B. of Alexandria and Petrus Gnapheus B. of Antiochia all these maintained the heresie of Eutyches a long time And now appeareth the fruit
MOST NOBLE VERTVOVS AND ELECT LADIE LADIE MARIE COVNTESSE OF MARRE P. S. wisheth grace mercie and eternall felicitie WHatsoeuer thing I haue hitherto written Most noble Ladie concerning controuersies of Religion it is of that nature that incase no further were added it would bee the more easilie comported with for manie of the Romane Church condiscende vnto this that worshipping of Images is not necessarily required nor an essential point of Christian Religion Neither can they find one example in all the Booke of God of Inuocation of Saincts Purgatorie is an opinion whereinto they themselues much differ and they talke of it sometimes with derision and mocking words Reade the History of Thuanus what was thought of the soule of Francis the first P. Castellanus was in one opinion the Doctors of Sorbone in another Mendosa as a courtesant in the third opinion assuring himselfe that if king Francis soule went to Purgatory it stayed not long there because it was neuer his custome in his life time to stay long in one place But now Madam the course of the History hath led me so far forward that I must touch the very apple of their eye and enter into their most holy place and declare that their seruice which they count most holy is but vile abomination in the sight of GOD And their doctrine concerning the Vicar of Christ the successour of Peter and the holinesse of the Masse and the plurality of their Sacraments added to Baptisme and the Lordes Supper is but like wind And wee are warned by the Apostle Paul that wee should no more bee children wauering and carrie◅ about with euery winde of doctrine for false doctrine is justly compared to winde in the baddest quality of it Sometimes it is easterne cold stormy withering so that the eares of corne blasted with the easterne wind are counted thinne and empty eares Euen so false doctrine exicateth dryeth vp that appearance of sap grace that seemed to be amongst people The Romane Church in our dayes bring vp their disciples as the harlots of Heliopolis in Phaenitia brought vp their children before the dayes of the good Emperour Constantine These children afore-saide knewe not their Fathers for they were strangers and the Harlots of Heliopolis had liberty to prostitute themselues to the lust of strangers so it came to passe if children had bene procreated in this libidinus copulation the stranger was gone and the procreated child depended onely vpon the mother for hee knewe not his father Euen so in the subsequent Centuries the Romane Church disacquaint their children with the voyce of God sounding in Holy Scripture It is now enough to beleeue as the Romane Church the mother of all Churches beleeueth and the chaire of Rome in matters of Faith it cannot erre But wee must depende vpon the voyce of God our Heauenly Father who hath begotten vs by the vncorruptible seede of His word who hath also fostered vs with the sincere reasonable milke of His word who hath anointed vs with the Balme of Gilead who maketh glad His owne citie euen with the waters of His own Sanctuarie The lowde sounding trumpet of vaine and railing wordes wee leaue to the aduersaries of the trueth for that is their armour wherewith they fight against the Gospell of Christ. Yet let them vnderstand that God hath hanged vp a thousand shields in the towre of Dauid euē all the targats of the strong men Thus leaning vpon the strength of the armour of God I set forward to the Historie and Treatises beseeching the Lord of His vnspekeable fauour and grace to blesse your Ladiship and all your Noble house for euer Amen Your Lad. humble seruant PAT SIMSON A CATALOGUE OF ALL THE TREATISES contained in the nine CENTVRIES CENTVRIE I. Of Antiquitie Heresie The foundation of the Church CENT II. Of Scripture and Tradition The doctrine of Deuils Succession CENT III. Of Purgatorie and prayer for the dead The reliquikes of Saincts The supremacie of the Bishop of Rome CENT IIII. Of Inuocation of Saincts The authoritie of Councels The Monasticke Life CENT V. Of Mans free will Originall sinne Iustification onely by faith CENTVRIE VI. Of Worshipping of Images Pardons and indulgences Diuers errours that crept in in this Centurie CENT VII Of The vniuersall Bishop The Antichrist The Sacrifice of the Masse CENT VIII Of Trans-substantiation The Sacrament of Pennance The Sacrament of Confirmation CENT IX Of The Sacrament of extreamevnction The Sacrament of orders The Sacrament of Matrimonie TO THE READER LIke as in the Tabernacle of GOD all things were holy and that thing that was within the vaile and hidden from the eyes of the people was moste holy In the Court there was an Altar of brasse in the Sanctuary there was an altar of gold but in the most holy place there was an holy Oracle sounding the blessed will of God from aboue the propitiatorie To the which Oracle neither the brasen Altar nor the golden Altar could bee compared yea both heauen and earth is not worthie to bee compared vnto the Oracle and word of the Lord. Euen so good Christian Reader vnderstand that when the history leadeth you to a consideration of the mystery of iniquity then you shall see a beginning and a progresse of vngodlinesse vntill in end the Antichrist is permitted to sit in the temple of God and to extoll himselfe against all that is called God or is worshipped And when ye reade this horrible defection of the visible Church let not your heart bee troubled this was fore-spoken by the Apostle and this be◅ued to come to passe So that thou mayest see the great power of the wrath of God punishing the contempt of His trueth His holy Couenant Albeit we be filthy beasts nothing regarding that precious treasure of the L◅es Couenant yet the Lord is vnchangeable and like vnto Himselfe and Hee counteth more of the worthinesse of His holie Couenant than of the pompe and glorie of all the kingdomes of the world Whom like as He destroyed in the dayes of Noah with a flood of waters because they prefirred the concupiscence of their flesh to the religion of God Euen so in the last age of the world Hee suffered the hearts of men to bee ouer-whelmed with the floods of horrible ignorance because they reuerenced not as became them the holie Couenant of the Almightie God Let vs learne to reuerence our God euen when Hee is clothed with His red garments when He casteth all Nations like grapes into the Wine-presse of His wrath The Lord vouchsafe vpon vs such measure of grace out of His rich treasure as may teach vs to reuerence not onelie the workes of His mercie but also the workes of His justice at the Angels did who cryed Holie holie holie Lord God of Hostes euen at that time when a sentence of induration and reprobation was going foorth from the Tribunall of God against the vnthankefull Iewes God
and the holie Sacramentes were seldome ministred and with filthie addition of ceremonies inuented by the braine of man to Baptisme and a sacrilegious with-holding from the people the cuppe in ministring vnto them the holie Supper and so the fountaines of liuing water were stopped and cisternes were opened and the wholsome foode of GODS people was turned into ashes and in steade of preaching GODS Worde sincerelie all Church-seruice was turned into a dumbe guise of the Masse and in reading of prayers and passages of Scripture into an vnknowne language so the people for fault of good instruction withered as grasse when it is not refreshed with dewe and raine Yea and SALOMON saieth Where there is no vision the people decay PROV 29. 18. The thirde and moste venomous consequence of the Masse is procession and adoration for hosties consecrated in time of Masse although not broken and eaten they are counted CHRISTES bodie and carried about in procession and worshipped This was not the ancient custome of the Church for the sacrament consisting in the action and vse thereof so long as the blessing and the actions of breaking distributing and eating lasted the bread was counted holie and represented the bl◅ssed bodie of IESVS but after these holie actions were ended the rest of the bread that was not vsed in the Sacrament it was distributed to the poore but it was not kept in boxes to bee carried in procession and to bee adored and worshipped by ignorant people And of all thinges that are deficient in Poperie I haue of◅ times obserued that antiquitie whereof they principallie bragge is moste deficient and lacking in them The ground of Popish procession no doubt was the sending of the Sacraments to those who were sicke and absent by some necessitie But they reade not in IVSTINVS nor in any other ancient writer that people who met the deacon carrying the Eucharist to sicke persons fell downe vpon their knees and worshipped it This abominable idolatrie more vile than the idolatrie of the Gentiles was not of ancient time in vse in the Church Nowe the LORD who hath redeemed our soules from death and who hath called vs from darknesse vnto His marucilous loue establishe our soules in the trueth of GOD through CHRIST IESVS our LORD AMEN FINIS THE VIII CENTVRIE CHAP. I. OF EMPEROURS PHILIPPICVS AFTER IVSTINIAN the second was slaine PHILIPPICVS reigned two yeeres and nine monethes Great dissention fell out betwixt the Emperour Philippicus and Constantine Bishop of Rome for razing as appeareth the pictures of Fathers who were present at the sixt Generall Councell which beeing pictured in the Temple of Sophia were abolished by the commandement of Philippicus Constantine Bishop of Rome declared the Emperour an heretique and commanded that his name shoulde bee rased out of charters This was the first great direct and violent opposition that the Bishops of Rome attempted against noble Emperours Philippicus was taken and his eyes were put out by Anastasius otherwise called Artemius his Secretarie who reigned in his stead ARTEMIVS ARTEMIVS otherwise called Anastasius reigned one yeere and three monethes hee deposed Ihonne patriarch of Constantinople who kept not the true faith and placed Germanus in his steade Hee was taken by Theodosius and sent prisoner to Nice and from thence to Thessalonica where hee was compelled to renounce his Emperiall dignitie and to be cloathed with the habite of a Monke THEODOSIVS THEODOSIVS reigned scarce one yeere and when hee heard that Leo Isaurus gouernour in the East partes was saluted Emperour by the armie hee willinglie gaue ouer his Emperiall dignitie and liued a priuate and peaceable man LEO ISAVRVS LEO ISAVRVS reigned twentie foure yeeres great commotions were in his time both in Church and policie In Church-affaires hee was an hater of Images and burnt images made of wood other images hee melted and misfashioned against whome Gregorius the seconde puft vp with antichristian pride hee opponed himselfen ◅t only allowing worshipping of images but also forbidding to paye tribute to the Emperour Leo. The Emperour on the other part irritated with the proude attempts of Gregorius the second he vsed indirect meanes to cut him off but the enterprises of his deputies Marinus Paulus Eutychius and their followers succeeded vnprosperously Moreouer the Bishop of Rome sought support from the Lombardis who had beene at all times preceeding enemies to the chaire of Rome yet in Leo his dayes they were bounde with the bishop of Rome in a couenant of friendship for none other cause but this onely to shake off the yoke of the Emperours obedience And when the bishop of Rome sawe that the Emperour had great businesse in warres against the Saracens he thought it a sit occasion to drawe the dominion of Italic vnto his owne subjection and therefore with aduise of his Clergie hee both excommunicated the Emperour as a destroyer of the images of the Saincts and disauthorised him of his Emperiall soueranitie So early began the increasing grandour of the Antichrist to sende foorth the thuńder-boltes of cursinges against the annointed of the Lord. In this Emperours dayes the Saracenes passed ouer the Straites inuaded the kingdome of Spaine slewe Rodericus king of Gothes and his sonne and put an ende to the kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine after they had reigned 346. yeeres and being incited by Eudo Duke of Aquitania they marched towardes France but thorowe the valour of Carolus Martellus a man of noble birth in France they were so encountered that three hundreth thousand and threescore and ten thousand Saracenes were slaine and the countrey of France was made free of the feare of the Saracens CONSTANTINVS COPRONYMVS AFTER LEO his sonne CONSTANTINVS COPRONYMVS reigned 35. yeeres Chytreus reckoneth onlie 23. yeeres because hee hated the worshipping of images which errour had taken deepe roote in this age the writers of the historie of this time haue dipped their pennes in gall and worm-wood to blaspheme the honourable name of Constātinus but whatsoeuer Paulus Diaconus or zonaras haue written to his disgrace his name will bee in honourable account and regarde in the Church of CHRIST The Senate and the people of Constantinople addicted to the worshipping of images hated the Emperour and were glad of the false rumoured tithings of his death when hee went to fight against the Arabians they chose Artabasdus to bee Emperour in his steade But Constantine returned to Constantinople besieged the towne and recouered his owne kingdome againe Hee gathered a Generall Councell in Constantinople anno 755. wherein the worshipping of images was damned as shall bee declared God willing in its owne place In this Emperours dayes were warres betwixt the kings of Lombardis and the Bishops of Rome but the Romane Bishops begged the helpe of Carolus Martellus against Luitprand and the helpe of Pipinus against Aistulphus and the helpe of Carolus Magnus against Desiderius all kinges of Lombardis and so by continuall imploring the helpe of the Nobles Kinges of France the
Lombardes were vtterly fubdued the chaire of Rome was inriched the reuenewe of the Emperour of the East was impaired and a ground was laide of the aduancement of the kinges of France to the Emperiall dignitie In this Emperours dayes the Turkes or Schythians inuaded the Armenians and molested the Saracenes and some countreys of Asia minor in ende they accorded with the Saracenes But this agreement could not bee perfected without condition That the Turkes in Persia shoulde vndergoe the name of Saracenes hoping thereby that they woulde easily embrace the Mahometane religion wherein their exspectation was not frustrate In the yeere of our Lord 579. and in the 18. yeere of the reigne of Constantine a wonderfull thing fell out amongst the wise men of Persia called Magi and Maurophori Persae they perswaded both themselues and others also That if any man would fell all that hee had and throwe himselfe headlonges from the walles of the cities his soule should incontinent bee tranfported to heauen So prone and bent is the corrupt nature of man to leane vpon vaine hopes and to belceue promises which GOD hath not made LEO the sonne of COPRONYMVS LEo the son of Constantinus Copronymus reigned 5. yeeres he followed the foote-steps of his father in zeale against worshipping of images and punished the Groomes of his owne chamber such as Iames Papias Strateius and Theophanes for worshipping of images The superstitious writers of the historie of this time such as Zonaras and Paulus Diaconus reckon the aforesaid persons in the Catalogue of holy Confessors But Christ he will neuer count them to be His martyrs who fight obstinatelie against his trueth euen vnto the death neither will Hee count them to be His Confessors who suffer justly inflicted punishmēt for contempt of the lawes of Magistrates beeing agreeable to the law of God IRENE and CONSTANTINVS her sonne AFter the death of Leo reigned Irene his wife with her sonne Constantine ten yeeres Afterwardes Constantine deposed his mother from her authoritie and reigned alone 7. yeeres And Irene on the other part taking this indignitie done vnto her grieuously she spoyled her sonne both of his eyes of his Empire cast him into prison where he died for heart griefe and she reigned againe 4. yeeres after her sonnes imprisonment So all the yeeres of the reignes of Irene her sonne conjunctly and ◅euerally first last were 21. yeeres This Empresse was superstitious malicious craftie infortunate She was a superstitious defender of the worshipping of images A malicious venomous hater of the name of Constantinus Copronymus whose dead body she commanded to bee brought out of his graue to bee burnt with fire resolued into ashes and to be casten into the sea albeit Constantine was her owne father in lawe The mercies of the wicked are cruell Her craft appeared in bringing her forces to Constantinople in the sixt yeere of her reigne vnder pretence of fighting against the Arabians and in disarming of them whom she knew to haue beene aduersaries to worshipping of images sending them in ships to the places from whence they came For before the dayes of Constantinus Copronymus the towne of Constantinople by famine pestilence being besieged 3. yeeres by the Saracens was miserably dispeopled so that 30000. of the people of Constantinople died But Copronymus for repairing of that losse sent for strangers and replenished the towne with new inhabitantes These strangers she sent back againe to the places from whence they came especially because in populare commotion they had set themselues in armes and minassed the Fathers conuened in Constantinople by Irene and her sonne for allowance of adoration of images Shee was infortunate because the Empire of the East was so extenuate in her time that it was rather like vnto a shaddowe than vnto an Empire So that in the subsequent historie I will forget after a manner the Emperours of the East and make mention of the Emperours of the West Now Irene was deposed and banished by Nicephorus who reigned eight yeeres after her banishment CHAP. II. Of Popes Patriarches Pastors and Doctors AFTER Pope SERGIVS succeeded IOANNES the sixt and continued three yeeres and three monethes And after him Pope Ioannes the seuenth continued two yeeres and seuen monethes he liued in the dayes of Iustinian the second who sent Ambassadours vnto him for procuring an vnion betwixt the Churches of the East and the West because they differed in opinions concerning the Canons of the sixt Generall Councell wherein prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices was disalowed and the Patriarch of Constantinople was equalled in authority to the Patriarch of Rome These Ambassadours aforesaide returned from Pope Ihonne the seuenth without any answere which proud carriage or as others doe thinke a cowardly forme of dealing all writers doe vituperate And after him succeeded Sisinius who continued not aboue twentie dayes in his Popedome After Sisinius succeeded Constantine the first and gouerned seuen yeeres and twentie dayes His Popedome was vnd◅r the reignes of Iustinian the seconde Philippicus and Anastasius The Emperour Iustinian supported him against Foelix bishop of Rauenna who had refused to paye to the bishop of Rome the summe of money imposed to him in time of his ordination so that Foelix was taken prisoner by the Emperours Admirall and sent to Constantinople where his eyes were put out and hee was banished to Pontus Against the Emperour Philippicus he contended as one hauing authoritie to rase the name of the Emperour out of charters as hath beene alreadie declared This is the Pope who was made judge betwixt the bishops of Ticinum and Millane who contended for superioritie And Constantine eximed the bisshop of Ticinum from the jurisdiction of the bishop of Millan but in such way as he should be subject to the Church of Rome The Emperour Iustinian the seconde sent for pope Constantine who came to Constantinople and from thence went to Nicomedia where hee met with the Emperour and the Emperour kissed his feete Marke the growing and daylie increasing pride of the Romane Antichrist After Constantine succeeded Gregorius the second continued sixteene yeeres nine monethes and eleuen dayes Hee liued vnder the reigne of the Emperour Leo Isaurus whom he rashly excommunicated for abolishing of images Also hee drewe awaye from the obedience of the Emperour the countreys of He speria Aemilia Liguria and other parts of Italie forbidding them to paye tribute to the Emperour expresse contrarie to Christes commandement Matth. 22. 21. where He saith Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars c. and this Christ spake concerning paying of tribute Gregorie the thirde gouerned ten yeeres eight monethes and 24. dayes and followed the foote-steps of his predicessor both in aduancing the doctrine of the worshipping of images and in with-drawing the people of Italie from the obedience of the Emperour More-ouer he gathered a Councell at Rome wherein the worshipping of images had
and he married another woman named Hildegarde of the Dukerie of Sweue These are the fruits of antichristian pride to threaten the torments of hell against the princes of the worlde for marriage if so be they fore-see anie damnage may redound to the chaite of Rome by the marriage of princes After Stephanus the thirde succeeded Adrian the first and gouerned 23. yeeres ten monethes and seuenteene da◅es In his dayes Charles the Great came into Italie with an armie and banished Desiderius king of Lombardes his wife and children to Lions in France and vtterly suodued the kingdome of the Lombardes which had continued in Italie 204. yeeres Nowe in the yeere of our Lord 776. this kingdome was abolished vndone by Charles the Great king of France for the fauour he carried towards the chaire of Rome Likewise he augmented the donation of his father Pipinus and he bestowed vpon the Church of Rome the Isle of Corsica and the places interjacent betwixt Luca and Parma with the Dukedomes of Spoleto and Beneuento This being done Charles returned backe againe to France carying with him Bertha his brothers wife and hir children who came to Adrian bishop of Rome hoping for fauour at his handes and that hee should haue annointed her sonnes to be kings of France seeing Carolomannus their father was now dead but hee deliuered them into the hands of Charles and so Charles the Great reigned without exception as absolute commander of France Irene the Empresse of the East during the time of Adrians popedome assembled a great Councell at Nice in Bythinia where the adoration of images was allowed In this Councell the popes Ambassadours were present and his owne letter was read in the Councell no man gaue greater allowance to the worshipping of images than pope Adrian did as shall be declared God willing in the head of Councels It is to be marked that Platina writing of the death of Constantinus Copronymus is compelled to beare witnesse to the trueth and testifie that the opinion of the leprosie of Constantine the Great was a notable fable and that it sprang vp by occasion of the disease of Constantinus Copronymus the father in law of the Empresse Irene To Adrian succeeded Leo the third and gouerned 21. yeeres he was hated by Pascalis and Campulus who lay in waite for him at the Church of Sainct Syluester threw him downe to the ground spoy led him of his pontificall garments beate him with manie strokes and finally cast him into prison and bands but he escaped by the meanes of a cubiculare named Albinus lurked in the Vaticane vntill the time that Unigisius duke of Spoleto conuoyed him safely vnto his boundes At this time Charles king of France had warres against the Saxones The bishop of Rome who came to him to complaine of the injuries which hee had receiued was sent back againe verie honourably accompanied with the souldiours of Charles king of France and with promise that hee shoulde without delay addresse his journey towardes Italie When Charles came to Italie the popes enemies were so dashed with feare that they durst not appeare to accuse him and the Clergie of Rome thought meete that no man shoulde judge of the Apostolike chaire but the bishop of Rome should be his own judge Leo tooke the booke of the Gospell in his handes and swore that he was innocēt of all the crimes objected against him and so he was absolued Pascalis Campulus the friēds of the late deceassed pope Adrian were counted worthy of death but pope Leo intercided for safetie of their liues so they were banished to France For this benefite Leo caused Charles to bee declared Emperour of the West and crowned him with the Emperiall Diademe And from that time forwardes the custome beganne that Emperoures shoulde receiue their Coronation from the Bishop of ROME Notwithstanding of this it was ordained that no man shoulde bee elected Bishop of ROME without aduice of the Emperour of the West and without receiuing inuestment from him THE Patriarches of Constantinople in this CENTVRIE were placed and displaced according to the changeable conceits of the Emperours Vnder the reigne of Iustinian the seconde Cyrus was Patriarch whom Philippicus remoued and aduanced one named Ihonne who had fore-tolde that he should be made Emperour This Ihonne was infected with the heresie of the Monothelites and was remoued by Artemius by whome Germanus was aduanced to the chaire of Constantinople Germanus continued vntill the reigne of Constantinus Copronymus Hee was deposed and excommunicated by the Generall Councell assembled by Constantinus because hee allowed the worshipping of images To him succeeded Anastasius who albeit hee disliked images yet hee was vnthankefull to the Emperour and fauoured the seditious attemptes of the people of Constantinople who aduanced Artabasdus to the Emperiall dignitie More-ouer hee slandered the Emperour as if he had spoken against the diuinitie of Christ. Hee receiued a just recompense of his vnthankefulnesse for hee was deposed and scourged and set vpon an Asse with his face towards the Asses taile and made a ridiculous spectacle to the people After him Constantine a Mōke was made Patriarch who at the first seemed to damne images but afterward he was found to be a maintainer and allower of them The Emp. banished him to Iberia where hee spake contumeliouslie both of the Emperour and of the Councell holden at Constantinople therefore hee was brought backe againe from banishment and was beheaded and his bodie was trailed through the towne with a corde casten into a pit where the bodies of male-factors were accustomed to bee casten After him succeeded Nicetas a man vnlearned aduāced by the Em. Const. Copron. for none other cause but only for his zeale against the worshipping of images After him succeeded Paulus Cyprius who in the dayes of Const. Copron. damned the worshipping of images but afterward repented vnder the reigne of Irene entered into a Monastery lamented that he had cōsented to the abolishing of images The vaine repentance of this timorous and superstitious man was the chiefe occasion of the conuocation of the seconde Councell of Nice by the Empresse Irene To him succeeded Tarasius who was present at the second Councell of Nice and gaue allowance to the adoration of images The preuailing power of the Saracenes in Alexandria Antiochia and Hierusalem did so obscure the names of the Patriarches of these cities that I haue no remarkeable thing to write of them in this CENTVRIE IN this declining age wherein spirituall grace dayly decayed and nothing encreased except an heape of earthly treasures which God permitteth to be powred into the bosomes of them who loue the wages of iniquitie Alwayes euen at this time some men of good literature and learning did manifest themselues vnto the world such as Bonifacius bishop of Mentz Damascene alearned Monke Paulus Diaconus a learned writer of histories and Beda a man counted venerable in his time yet all
is the true bread The doctrine of Transsubstantiation importeth also accidentes without a subject as hath beene touched in a part before in the definition of Transsubstantiation This is admirable that the Scholasticke Doctors who make Aristotle to be Master Caruer of this most holy banquet who haue acquainted themselues better with his Preceptes than with the heauenlie doctrine of the Apostles yet in this point they haue forgotten euen the doctrine of their Schoole-master Aristotle who saieth that accidentes can haue no subsistence but into a subject as if a man bee talking of blindnesse hee must also talke of eyes that are blinded and if hee talke of deafenesse hee must also talke of the eare and if hee talke of lamenesse hee must talke of some member of the bodie that is maimed and finallie if hee talke of a disease hee must also talke of some bodie either of man or beast that is diseased and this hee must doe either expressely or couertly because accidentes haue no subsistence without a subject There can bee nothing imagined more absurde more repugnant to reason than to talke of whitenessâ—… roundnesse and rednesse and in the meane time to saye there is nothing that is white round or redde The recourse which they haue to the Omnipotent power of God who is able to make accidents to subsist without a subject declareth that they neuer rightly considered the cause wherefore the Omnipotent power of GOD is mentioned in holie Scripture to wit to bee one of the strong pillars of our faith which faith commeth onely by hearing Then let this order bee kept First let GOD speake in His owne worde Secondlie let vs beleeue the worde of GOD by faith Thirdlie let the assured pillars of the Omnipotent power and infalâ—…ible trueth of GOD vpholde our faith as it did the faith of ABRAHAM But let vs not grounde vpon the Omnipotent power of GOD in matters whereof wee haue no assurance in His written worde as some of the wise men of PERSIA did who assured both themselues and others that incase they woulde distribute all their goods to the poore and throwe themselues headlonges from eminent places then their soules shoulde bee transported immediatelie to Heauen This madnesse fell out about the yeere of our LORDE and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST 759. What was this leaning of theirs to the Omnipotent power of GOD without assurance of his word but only the conceits of braine-sicke men And so let Papistes talke what they please In this purpose that God by his Omnipotent power can make accidentes to subsist without a subject I will conclude that the Omnipotent power of God is ordained to bee a confirmation to our faith and not to be a citie of refuge to foolish fables The doctrine of Transsubstantiation also importeth that the body of Christ at one time may bee in infinite places which repugneth vnto the nature of a true body which like as it is circumscribed and may be seene so likewise at one time it is onely in one place as Augustine writeth to Dardanus in these wordes Tolle spatia locorum corporibus nusquam â—…runt nec â—…runt that is to say Take from bodies the rowmes of places and they shall be no where and consequently they shall not bee at all And Theodoretus prooueth that the body of Christ is a true humane body albeit it be glorified euen in the latter daye when hee commeth to judge the quicke and the dead because it shall bee seene according as it is written Matth. 26 64. Yee shall see the sonne of man comming in the cloudes of heauen and like as it may be seene so likewise it is circumscribed and consequently it is in a place and is not turned into his diuine nature which is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it cannot be seene and it cannot bee circumscribed as the humane nature is It is well remarked by that learned Preacher Du Moulin that in the last edition of S. Augustines workes at Parise anno 1571. a notable place of the foresaid epistle of Augustine to Dardanus is vtterly left out by aduice of the Fathers correctors of the writings of the Auncientes namely this Destrai naturam humanam Christi si non detur ei certum spatium quo more aliarum rerum corporearum contineatur that is The humane nature of Christ is destroyed if a certaine place be not attributed vnto it wherein it is contained according to the custome of other corporall thinges What credite is to bee giuen vnto Popishe Doctors when they cite testimonies of auncient Fathers after they are deprehended to be deceitfull deprauers of their bookes Ancient Fathers a long â—…ime before the question of Transsubstantiation of the substance of the elementes in the holy Supper came in head they were reâ—…soning of the two natures in Christ to wit the diuine and humane nature and that the one nature was not turned into the other they could not find a fitter similitude than that which is borrowed from the Sacrament as I haue alreadie declared Alwayes they thinke that if any man shall imagine that by vertue of these wordes This is my body the substance of bread was chaunged into the substance of Christes body as many doe thinke euen vntill this day then in steade of one Transsubstantiation of the substance of bread into the substance of Christs body there should be two Transsubstantiations and the substance of Christs body should againe be turned into bread for like as Christ speaking of bread saith This is my body euen so Christ speaking of his body calleth it corne of wheat in these words Verily I say vnto you except wheat corne fall into the grounde and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth foorth much fruit If by vertue of the former wordes bread bee changed into the substance of Christes body then in like manner by vertue of these words for both are spoken out of one blessed mouth the body of Christ should be turned into the substance of corne of wheat I grant there is a difference betwixt a Sacrament and a metaphore yet in neither of them is there such vertue in the word is to change the substance of any thing IN the last head let vs consider with what strife and reluctation this erronious doctrine was intruced vpon the Church I holde the Monke Damascene to bee the first author thereof who perceiuing that his opinion was repugnant to the doctrine of ancient Fathers namely to the doctrine of Basilius Magnus who calleth the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is figures of the body and blood of Christ. He forgeth a friuolous shift to excuse his contradiction to Basilius because saieth hee Basilius calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the wordes of the blessing but after the pronouncing of the wordes of the blessing they are no longer figures but the very body and