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
discouer the reliques of his body left it should haue bene an occasion of idolatrie because MICHAEL the Archangell of God stroue against him in this point epist. ◅ud ver 9. The graue of the Prophet ELIZEVS was opened not of purpose to raise his bones and to honour them but vpon a great suddentie to cast in another dead man and albeit the Lord wrought a great miracle by touching of ELIZEVS bones 2. Reg. 13. ver 21. yet no man was so foolish as to raise them out of the graue or to carie them into the Temple to be adored and worshipped The bones of IOSEPH that were in a chest and transported out of Egypt by MOSES Exod. 13 ver 19. yet in the wildernesse were not worshipped no not by these carnall Iewes who worshipped the golden calfe And so the historie of the old Testament may be laide aside as an holy historie furnishing no fuel to hold in this fire of Popish superstition anent adorations of dead mens bones In the new Testament like as the doctrine of resurrection was clearely preached and beleeued amongst all Christian people so likewise a great care was had that the bodies of the Saintes should be honourably buried as bodies appointed to an happie resurrection This perswasion grounded in the heartes of Christians made them to count death a sleep the graue a bed resurrection a wakening of men out of their sleepe Ioh. 11. Act. 7. Now this sleepe differeth from other sleepes in this that when a seruant conueyeth his masters sonne to bed to sleepe and rest pos◅bly this same seruant will waken him againe in the morning that he may rise and walke but when we are conueyed to the graue by the Lordes seruants these seruants will not get that honour to raise vs vp againe out of our bed but let vs sleepe on still vntill it shall please our Lord and master Christ Iesus to come againe and raise vs vp out of our bed and sleepe But foolish seruants to be troubling the graues of the Saintes and digging out their bones which they cannot cloth with flesh sinewes and skin neither can they breath a spirit in them it is both foolish superfluous and vntimous diligence whereof no example is to be found in the new Testament In the ecclesiasticall historie it is to be noted that the fathers who liued neerest vnto the dayes of the Apostles were also freest of this superstition of worshipping of bones and other reliques In the fourth persecution POLYCARPVS Bishop of Smyrna was martyred as hath bene declared at what time great care was taken both by Iewes and Paganes that the dead body of POLYCARPVS should not come into the handes of Christians and to this purpose it was burned with fire The Christians who waited on diligently to honour that blessed body which had patiently suffered rebuke for the cause of Christ in end they got his bones which albeit they counted to bee more pretious then gold and siluer yet they worshipped them not as EVSEBIVS clearely declareth lib. 4. eccles hist. cap. 16. but they buried them honourablie into a convenient place Moreouer that day whereinto hee was burnt for the Name of Christ was called by the fathers natalis or natalitium POLYCARPI that is the birth-day of POLYCARPVS because by his death he made it manifest that he was the true childe of GOD begotten and borne of the vncorruptible seede of the Word And in that place where his bones were buried and vpon the very day of his martyrdome Christians conveened to glorifie God for the constant suffring of the Martyr to exhort others with constant perseuerance to be ready to do the like Euseb. ibid. These things no man can justly vituperat in the ancient Church because their purpose was to glorifie GOD by meanes not vnlawfull and to f◅ster in the heartes of the people the assurance of the resurrection of the dead by honourable buriall of such as died for Christ And so much the more they were moued so to do because the persecuting Pagans hindered the Christians from burying their dead to the end they might quench the hope of the resurrection in their hearts as Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 1. clearely declareth speaking of the Martyrs in France who suffered death in the fourth persecution vnder ANTONINVS VERVS whose bodies were left vnburied for a ti◅e and afterward were burnt with fire and resolued into ashes and the ashes were cast into the riuer of Rhodanus ne ullam amplius resurrectionis spem habeant that is to the end they should haue no more hope of the resurrection And doubtlesse there is no Christian heart that liued in these dayes but behoued to encrease their cair in burying the bodies of the Saints because in want of buriall the Pagans wold haue quenched the hope of refurrectiō The custome of transporting the bones of the holy men of God from one place to another more honourable place as seemed to the transporters it was not so ancient as it can be prooued by examples for the space of three hundreth yeeres after the ascension of our Lord yet these bones were transported after a manner as the bones of IOSEPH from Egypt to Canaan to be buried in a more honourable place Iosu. 24. vers 22. without any kind of adoration as the bones of BABYLAS B. of Antiochia in the dayes of IVLIAN the apostat Theodoret. lib. 3. cap 3. 10. The bones of PAVL B. of Constantinople were transported and buried in the Church of Constantinople that was builded by his persecuter MACEDONIVS Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 10. This was done in the dayes of THEODOSIVS the Emperour and the wordes are to be marked transtulis corpus ejus in Ecclesia condidit quam MACEDONIVS persecutor ejus adificaverat that is to say he transferred his body and buried it into the Church which his persecuter MACEDONIVS had builded In the dayes of the Emperour ARCADIVS the reliques of SAMVEL were brought to Constantinople Theodor. lector collect lib. 2. in the daies of THEODOSIVS 2. his son the bones of CHRYSOSTOM were transported to Cōstantinople Al this time bones other reliques were trāsported buried but not set vp vpon altars nor worshipped If it be objected that IEROME disputing against VIGILANTIVS defendeth the custom of women who in the very day time went to the graues of the martyres with lighted torches of waxe to honour them by so doing To this I answere that the wordes of IEROME make litle against our opinion First because his wordes import that the bones of the saintes were lying in their graues Secondly the women who lighted these waxe torches IEROM granteth that they had a zeale to God but not according to knowledge Thirdly IEROM in cōpating these lighted torches to the pretious oyntment powred out by MARIE vpon Christs head Ioh. 12. whereof Christ had no neede and no more haue the martyres neede of waxe torches to bee lighted at the places of their
Constantine The Arrians finding themselues to be vtterly rejected by Athanasius they addressed themselues to Constantinople vnder the conduct of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia and threatned Alexander that incase hee woulde not voluntarily receiue Arrius into the fellowship of the Church then they should bring him in authorized with the Emperours commande to the grieuance of his heart Alexander clothed himselfe with the armour of GOD and all the night long prayed in this sence LORD if Arrius be to be receiued to morrow into the communione of thy CHURCH then let thy seruant depart in peace and destroy not the just with the wicked but LORD if thou wilt spare thy CHURCH whereunto I am assured thou wilt be fauourable then LORD turne thine eyes toward the wordes of the Eusebians and giue not thine inheritance to a desolation and reproach and cut of Arrius lest while he entreth into the CHURCH his heresie also seeme to enter with him and so no difference seeme to bee betwixt Pietie and Jmpietie The day next following the prayer of Alexander Eusebius bisshop of Nicomedia with his retinue came with great confidence pompe to performe all which they had threatned they would doe But Arrius was compelled to goe to a secret place whereinto his bowels gusihed out and hee concluded his wretched life with ignominie and shame To Alexander succeeded Paulus His lot was to gouerne this Church vnder the reigne of an Arrian Emperour Constantius who rejected him and seated Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia in his place But this great parrone of the Arrian Heresie scarcely was placed in Constantinople when he ended his life The Homousians receiued againe Paulus to bee their bishop The Arrians choosed Macedonius This was the câ—…use of great debate in Constantinople and the people diuided in factions hatefully inuaded one another The Emperour hearing of the tumult sent Hermogenes the generall commander of his horsâ—…-men to remoue Paulus from Constantinople Hermogenes was very ready to execute the Emperours commandement but the people being affectioned toward their Pastor arose vp with popâ—…re tumult compassed the house of Hermogenes set it on 〈◊〉 slâ—…w himselfe and fastned a corde to his legges and trailed him along the streetes For this cause the Emper. Constantius willing to punish the authors of this tumult hastened to come to Constantinople The people went foorth to meete him and with reares confessed their fault and craued pardon The Emperour absteined from punishing them vnto the death but he cutted off the one halfe of the victuall which the liberalitie of his father had bestowed vpon Constantinople to bee payed yeerely out of the tributes of Aegypt He banished Paulus the second time and seated Macedoâ—…ius in Coâ—…stantinople not without effusion of blood Paulus was againe restored by the meanes of the Emp. Constans but after the death of Constans he was banishâ—…d to Cucusus a towne of Armenia where he was strangled by the bloody Arrians The Church of Constantinople was miserably troubled with Arrianisâ—…ne vnder the reignes of Constantius Valens The reignes of Graiianus and Theodosius was a breathing time to the professors of the true Faith At this time Nazianzenus a constant defender of the Faith was chosen Bishop of Constantinople who notwithstanding voluntarily left the great Citie in regarde the Bishops assembled in the second generall Councill gaue not a full and uniuersâ—…ll consent to his admission Yet gaue they all without hesitation their consent to Nectarius a man of noble birth of the countrey of Cilicia at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who had receiued no ecclesiastical preferment before that time This man I say they made Bishop of Constantinople with full consâ—…nt and allowance both of the Councill and people ouerpassing Nazianzenus so fraile are the cogitations of men euen in generall Councils that they are oft times more ruled with affection then reason Nectarius continued in that office vntill the third yeere of the reigne of Arcadius that is vntill the yeere of our LORD 401. In his time the confession of sinnes done in secrete to presbyter poenitentiarius was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople vpon this occasion as Socrates writeth A certaine noble woman was confessing in secret her sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius and shee confessed adultery committed with one of the Church Deacons Eudaemon this was the name of the father confessor gaue counsell to Nectarius to abrogate this custome of auricular and secrete confession because the Church was like to bee slandered and euill spoken of by these meanes Socrates can scarse giue allowance to this fact of Nectarius in respect that by abrogation of this custome the vnfruitfull works of darknesse were lesse coargued and reproued But Socrates considered not that CHRIST when hee talked with the Samaritane woman at the Well sent away his disciples to buy bread to the ende the poore Samaritane sinner might more freely poure out her secrete sinnes in the bosome of CHRIST who knew all thinges that were done in secrete It is not my purpose to contend with Socrates he is writing an historie I am writing but a short Compend of an historie hee taketh libertie to declare his judgement concerning this fact of Nectarius in abrogating confession of secrete sinnes to pres byter poenitentiarius No man can blame mee to write my judgement concerning auricular confession It is in our dayes not like vnto the mantle where with Sem and Iapheth couered the nakednesse of their Father Noe but it is in very deed a lap of the mantle of the deuill couering the nakednesse of his children that is the horrible treasons that are plotted in secrete by the children of the deuill against Christian Magistrates Nowe is auriculare consession for greater causes to bee abrogated then of olde presbyter poenitentiarius was discharged by Nectarius Bishops of Hierusalem TO Thermon succeeded Macarius anno 318. about the 7. yeere of the reigne of Constantine In his time it is thought that Helena the mother of Constantine founde the Crosse of CHRIST but Ambrose writes that shee worshipped it not for that saith he had beene Gentilis error vanitas impioram that is an errour of Pagans and vanitie of vngodly people But now to lay aside the inexcusable fault of adoration of the tree wherevpon our LORD suffered What necessity had Helena to bee so serious to seeke out this tree and to commit it to the custodie of all posterities seeing that Ioseph of Arimathea who sought the body of IESUS at the hands of Pilate to the end he might burie it honourably yet sought he not the tree whereon CHRIST was crucified which with little adoe might haue bene obtained Secondly during the time that the Crosse was easie to bee found and eâ—…sie to haue bene discerned from other crosses How could the blessed virgine the mother of the LORD and holy Apostles haue committed such an ouersight in not keeping
that precious treasure if so be in the keeping of it there be so great deuotion as the Romane Church now talks of Thirdly what is the cause that the Romane Church brags so much of antiquity when as the worshipping of the crosse one of the maine points of their Religion was vnknowne to the first 300. yeeres of our LORD now in the 4 Cent. the crosse is found but not worshipped yea and the adoration of it is detested abhorred as an error of Pagans To Macarius succeeded Maximus who had be ne his fellow-labourer as of old Alexander was to Narcissus Macarius gouerned the Church of Hierusalem in the peaceable dayes of Constantine but Maximus gouerned that same Church himselfe alone in the dayes of Constantius Hee was present at the Councill of Tyrus but Paphnutius a Bishop and confâ—…ssor in Thebaida pitied the simplicitie of Maximus whom the Arrians with deceitfull speeches had almost circumueened and he stepped to him and suffered him not to sit in the assembly of vngodly people wherâ—…upon followed a bande of indissoluble conjunction not onely with Paphnutius but also with Athanasius who was charged with many false accusations in that wicked Councill of Tyrus This warning made him circumspect and wise in time to come so that hee was noâ—… present at the Arriane Councill of Antiochia gathered vnder pretence of dedication of the Temple which Constantine began to build but his sonne Constantius perfected the building of it To Maximus succeeded Cyrillus a man greatly hated by the Arrians in so much that Acacius bishop of Casarea Palestine deposed him no doubt by some power granted to him by the Emp. Constantius with aduise of Arrian Bishops Notwithstanding Silvanus Bishop of Tarsus receiued him and hee taught in that Congâ—…egation with great liking and contentment of the people The strife of Acacius against him in the Councill of Seleucia I remit vnto the owne place In time of famine hee had a great regard to poore indigent people and sold the pretious vessel and garments of the Church for their support This was a ground of his accusation aftâ—…rward because a costly garment bestowed by the Emp. Constantine to the Church of Hierusalem Cyrillus sold it to a merchant in time of famine and againe the merchant sâ—…ld it vnto a lasciuious woman and such friuolous thiâ—…ges wâ—…re aggreaged by the Arrians who hated the men of GOD. Of other Pastors and Doctors in Asia Africa and Europe BESIDES the Patriarchs of principall places GOD raised vp in this CENTURIâ—… a great number of learned Preachers who were like vnto the Ibides of Aegypt a remedie prepared by GOD against the multiplied number of venemous and flying Serpents Euen so learned Fathers of whom I am to speake were instrumentes of GOD to vndoe the Heresies which abounded in this age aboue al other ages Did not Nazianzenus vndoe the Heresie of Apollinaris Basilius the Heresie of Eunomius Hilarius like vnto a sâ—…conde Deucalion saw the ouer-flowing speate of Arrianisme abated in FRANCE Ambrosius Epiphanius and Ierom set their hearts against all Heresies either in their time or preceâ—…ding their dayes It were an infinite labour to write of them all who in this age like vnto glistering starres with the shining light of celesticall doctrine illuminated the darknesse of the blind worlde but the names of some principall Teachers GOD willing I shall remember Eusebius Pamphili Bishop of Caesarea in Palestina liued vnder the Emp. Constantine with whom he was familiarly acquainted He was desired to supply the place of Eustatius bishop of Antiochia whose deposition the Arrians without all forme of order had procured most vnrighteously but he would not consent to accept that charge so that the chair of Antiochia vaked without a Bishop eâ—…ght yeeres Some expecting the restitution of Eustatius others feeding themselues vpon vaine hopes that Eusebius woulde accept that place The Emp. Constantine commended his modestie and counted him worthie to be bishop of the whole world Neuerthelesse hee was not altogether free of the Heresie of Arrius before the Nicene Councill and hee was remisse and slacke in the cause of Athanasius He was so familiarlie acquainted with Pamphilus who suffered martyrdome in Caesarea that hee clothed himselfe with his name and called himselfe Eusebius Pamphili Hee died about the time that Athanasius first returned from banishment by the meanes of Constantine the younâ—…er about the yeere of our LORD 342. Nazianzenus liued in the dayes of Constantius Iulian and Theodosius He was borne in a little towne of Cappadocia called Nazianzum from which he receiued his name Hee was trained vp in learning in Alexandria in Athens his familiarity with Basilius Magnus began in Athens and it was increased in the wildernesse hee preached in Sasima but because it was a place vnmeete for studies hee returned to Nazianzum and was a helper to his aged father After his fathers death he went to Constantinople where he founde the towne in a moste desolate condition in regard the Arrian Macedonian Heresies had so mightily preuailed that all the principall Churches wâ—…re occupied by them Nazianzenus only had liberty to preach in a little Church called Anastatia because the trueth of GOD which seemed to haue bene buried now by the preaching of Nazianzenus was reuiued againe In the second generall Councill gathered by Theodosius because some Bishops of Macedonia and Aegypt murmured against his admission he counterfeited the fact of Ionas and was content to bee cast out of his place to procure peace and concord amongst his brethren He benefited the CHURCH of CHRIST in the dayes of Iulian by writing bookes of Christian Poesie whereby the Christian Youth shoulde haue no harme by the interdiction of Iulian prohibiting the children of Christians to bee brought vp in the schooles of learning Hee detected the Heresie of Apollinaris and the abominations of Heathen idolatrie whereunto Iulian had sold himselfe more clearely then any other man had done A man worthie for excellencie of giftes to bee caâ—…led THEOLOGUS Basilius Magnus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia was so united in heart and mind with Nazianzenus that the pen of Socrates will net separate the treatises of their liues His father Basilius his mother Eumele his nuise that fostered him named Macrina all were Christians His father was martyred vnder the persecuting Emp. Maximus Hee left behind him fiue sonnes three of them were Bishops namely Basilius bishop of Caesarea Peter bish of Sebasta and Gregorius B. of Nyssa Hee was instructed in all kind of learning in Caesarea in Constantinople in Athens vnder Himerius and Proaeresius in Antiochia vnder Libanius At his second returning to Athens hee acquainted himselfe with Nazianzenus They spent too much time in searching out the deepenesse of humane learning and it repented Basilius that he had spent so much time in searching out thinges that are not necessary to eternall life Hee was
out let complaint be made to the bishop to the Metropolitane or to the king of the countrey Founders of Churches during their life-time haue power to appoint men who shall attend vpon the fabricke of the Church or Monasterie which is builded that it decay not If any Church-man bestowe any part of Church-rent vnder the colour of prestation let the cause bee clearely contained in an euidence or else it shall be voyde Let the goods of the defunct administrator of the Church affaires be equally diuided betwixt his heires and the Church If a bishop build a Monasterie let him not bestow abcue the fiftie part of the rent of his prelacie in the charges of building and incase he build a paroche Church for honour of his buriall place let him not bestowe aboue the hundreth part of his rent for charges of building To the bishop belongeth the third part of rent of euery paroch Church in his diosie and whether he leaue that thirde part to the Church it selfe out of which it is vp-lifted or to anie other Church his gift shall stand firme without reuocation Let no man vnder pretence of propinquitie and because hee is heire intromet with the goods of the defunct bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Metropolitane and incase the Metropolitane depart this life let no intromission with his goods bee made without the fore-knowledge of his successor lest by fraude and deceit the Church be damnified If any man ministring in a Church-office alienate a part of Church rentes the supputation of time shall begin to bee reckoned from the houre of his death not from the time wherein the charter was subscribed and so after his death let the prescription run on The ninth Canon measureth the commoditie which a bishop shall receiue who hath taken paines to burie another bishop Children procreated by bishops presbyters deacons c. shall not only be depriued of the heritage sometime belonging to their parents but also they shall be mancipated to perpetuall seruice of those Churches whereinto their fathers serued Let the Reader marke that there is greater businesse in Councels to procure obedience to one antichristian precept cōcerning prohibition of marriage than to all the ten Commandementes of Gods holy law Let not a seruant be accepted to serue in the Ministerie of the Church before he be first set at libertie When seruants are set at libertie let the supputation of time beginne at the death of him who set them at libertie and not at the time when the charter was made Seruants set at libertie shall neither marrie a woman of the Romane nor of the Gothes blood and they shall be subject to the Church that set them at libertie and if necessitie compell them to sell landes let the land bee first offered for a competent price to one who ministreth in that Church from which their libertie did arise I◅wes who are baptized shall in time of solemne feastes attende vpon the bishop of the parts where their dwelling is to the ende that he may beare testimonie of the integritie of their faith If this commandement be transgressed the bishop shall ordaine the Iewe either to bee scourged or to be subject to such ◅bstinence as he thinketh most fit In ende thankes beeing rendered to God for their meeting and for the vnitie of their judgementes and supplications beeing made to God for the weale of the King Recesuvindus in soule and bodie the Councell was dissolued IN the eight yeere of the reigne of Recesuvindus king of Gothes assembled in Toledo 21. bishops They decerned concerning the Feastes of the Natiuitie of our Lord and of the Lordes mother at what times they should bee kept Punishmentes are appointed for men of the Clergie and Monkes who are not found loyall and duetifull to the King and the countrey That men vnmeete for spirituall offices should not bee intruded into the Church neither for propinquitie of blood nor for hope of lucre and gaine That widowes professing a religious order shall receiue an habite conuenient for that order And that women who depart again from their professed order shall be punished That parents shall not render their children to religious orders before they bee eighteene yeeres of age Finally Protamius bisshop of Bracara beeing conuict of adulterie was remoued from his office and Fructuosus was placed in his rowme IN the 7. yeere of the reigne of Bamba King of Gothes 19. bishops and 7. Abbots were assembled in Toledo by the Kinges commandement Quiricus bishop of Toledo beeing President In the beginning after a protestation of a decent order to be kept in their Assembly that no tumult nor contentious disputation nor indecent laughter should disturbe the comely modestie of their assembly They set downe a prolixe conf◅ssion of Faith and Canons belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline in the forme following 1. That bishops should be well acquainted with Scriptures and apt to teach 2. That Metropolitane bishops should ◅rie how the Pastors of their diosie increase in knowledge 3. That the forme of singing vsed in the Metropolitane Church shall be like wise vsed in other inferiour Churches 4. That persons who haue discorded shall not stand at the Altar vntill the time they bee reconciled againe 5. That Church-men shall not judge in actions of blood 6. That bishops shoulde not giue sentence before a sufficient triall of the cause 7. Bishops who commit adulterie or murther shall be deposed and excommunicated beside the punishment to bee inflicted by the secular Iudge 8. No rewarde shall bee taken for ministration of the Sacramentes 9. Bishops before their ordination shall giue their oath that they haue not acquired that dignitie by rewards either giuen or to be giuen 10. He who is to be preferred to any Ecclesiasticall office let him first sweare that he shall continue constantly in the true Catholicke faith and that he shall be obedient to Eccl siasticall Canons 11. Let no man refuse to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper when it is offered by him who hath a l◅wfull calling to ministrate it 12. Absolution should bee pronounced when perill of death impendeth albeit complete satisfaction be not made 13. The holy Sacrifice shall not bee ministred by persons possessed with deuils or transported with passions of madnesse 14. He who ministreth at the Altar shall haue others concurring with him to the end that if he be suddenly oppressed with any infirmitie the other as◅stant brother maye supply his place 15. Councels are ordained yeerely to be kept IF order of time be not precisely kept in commemoration of the Councels of Bracara and Toledo let no man ma◅uell some regard must be had to the memorie of the Reader and it is not meete that the Councels of Toledo being many in number and so frequently conueened one following vpon the necke of another except the 11. Councell conu◅ened 12. yeeres after the 10. should
mariage and affirmed that PAVI gaue libertie to widowes to marie because hee knewe the will of God but onely in a part August Index hâ—…eres Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 14 16. I purposely passe ouer that rable of obscure Heretiques whome I compared in the treatise of heresies to abortiue births such as Opbitae Caiani Sethiani and such like of whom notwithstanding EPIPHANIVS vouchsafeth to writ at leÌ„gth no doubt to manifest the corruption of mans nature stouping sometimes so basely that not onely they hearken to the counsel of the old serpent the deuil but also they wor ship the very instrument of the Deuil viz. the serpent as these Ophitae did Againe some Heretiques magnified CAIN and called him their father And others gaue to SETH the honour due to Christ. So it commeth to passe that men destitute of the grace of God that commeth from aboue are like vnto drunkards staggering on the right hande and on the left hande and falling on their faces and beating out their owne braines Sometimes they extoll wicked men like vnto CAIN and fall at the left hande at other times they praise good men like vnto SETH with excessiue prayses with derogation of the glory of Christ and fall at the right hand And at sometimes are so benummed that they spare not to set the very deuill and his instruments in the chaire of God and fall like drunken fooles on their faces and knocke out their owne braines Let no man maruell wherefore the names of AQVILA a man of Pontus and THEODOSION of Ephesus are not reckened in the rolle of Heretiques in this age True it is that they once professed the faith of Christ made defection againe but this defection made not a diuision into the Church which is the body of Christe because they joyned themselues to the vnbeleeuing Iewes who vtterly denied the diuinitie of Christ and therefore of Christians became infidels rather then Heretiques Like as no man calleth the Emperour IVLIAN an Heretique but an apostate so AQVILA and THEODOSION were notable apostats from the faith of Christ. Howe they laboured to peruert by sinistrous translations of places of Scripture giuing cleare testimonie to Christ who was borne of a virgin EVSEBIVS declareth lib. 5. cap. 8. The translation of the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Behold a virgin shall conceiue Isa. 7. was translated by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold a young woman shall conceiue But this bad translation of Apostat christians and Proselites of the Iewes so well liked of the Iewish nation could neuer take place in the Church of Christ because the Prophet ISAIAH in that chapter is speaking of a miraculous signe which God will giue vnto his people to confirme their faith such as is the birth of a maide which indeede is a mitaculous worke but the birth of a young woman clad with an husband is no miracle Of Scripture and Tradition IN the first Centurie PAPIAS deceiued by tradition sell into the errour of the Chiliasts In the second Centurie CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS stumbling at the same stone fell into diuerse errours as hath bene alreadie spoken This presenteth vnto vs manifest occasion to speake of the certaintie of Scripture and the vncertaintie of tradition Scripture dited by diuine inspiration as the Apostle speaketh of it 2. Tim 3. is such a sacred and holy thing that to doubt of the perfection puritie vtilitie and operatiue vertue of it is notable blasphemie and a manifest contradiction to the spirit of God speaking by his seruant DAVID Ps. 19. from the 7. verse to the 11. verse So that these barking dogges who speake vnreuerently of the Scripture are more worthy of a whip wherewith dogs are driuen out of Churches then of an answere This is the incorruptible seede wherby we are begotten to be Gods children 1 Pet. 1. the sincere milke whereby we are nourished in Gods house 1 Pet. 2. this is the wine and milke that God hath giuen vs without money Isa. 55. ver 1 wine fine and purified Isa. 25. ver 6. This is a mirrour wherein we see the glorious image of Christ into the which we should be transformed 2 Cor. 3. ver 18. This is a lanterne to our feet a light to our pathes Psal. 119. ver 105. and a very diademe to the heade of the woman that trauaileth in birth to bring forth children to God Apoc. 12. The holy Scriptures are like vnto the authour of holy Scriptures of whome MOSES saith that God is fearefull in praises Exod 15. ver 11 When wee prayse a mortall man it is to be feared lest wee giue too much honour vnto him but when wee praise the immortall God it is to bee feared lest wee holde backe a part of his due honour And truely the worde of God in this point is like vnto God himselfe When a man entreth into a commendation of the Scriptures of God he hath nothing to feare but this one thing that he speake not so reuerently of it as becommeth him to doe It is the witnesse of Christ Iohn 5. It is the candle of God shining in a darke place 2. Pet 1. It is the sword that the spirit furnisheth vs to fight against spiritual wickednesse Ephes. 6. ver 17. In a word let vs be wise like men who finde precious stones they goe to the Lapidars to trie the value vertue of the stones that are found for euery man hath not skill to judge of such precious things so let vs consider diligently what the Prophets and Apostles the very pen-men of the holy Ghoste haue spoken anent the written Worde of God and wee shall finde it a pearle of infinite value Matt. 13. This volume of the booke of the Worde is one of the two principall bookes wherein wee learne to knowe God as the Prophet declareth Psal. 19. In the booke of the workes we know the power diuinitie of God Rom. 1. but in the booke of the written worde of God we know the will of God and his fauour toward vs in Christ lesus and therfore the Prophet saith that the statutes of the Lord rejoyce the heart Psal. 19 ver 8. Satan knowing what profitc commeth to men by joyning these two volumes together hath laboured to separat them to the ende that men seeing the beautie of the creature should worship it in stead of the Creator And like as a ship that is spoiled of a prudent Pilot or shipmaster it is drowned in the sea euen so the worde of God when it directeth not the knowledge that men haue by the looking vpon the creature then men mal e shipwracke of their saluation and worshippe the creature in place of God the Creator of all things Another artifice of Satan is to separat the word and the Spirit which God hath joyned together as two vnseparable meanes to set vp the Kingdome of God in our hearts as the Prophet ISAIAS saith And I will make this
more dutifull to their enemies then others were vnto their friends If any man would defend worshipping of images to be an ancient custome in the Church by the two brasen images which wer set vp in Caesarea Philippi for a memorial of the miracle that Christ wrought in curing of the woman who had the bloodie issue Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 18. the foresaide place of EVSEBIVS wil make nothing for him For these images were not mâ—…de for adoratioÌ„ neither were they set vp in teÌ„ples nor worshipping places but in the very street before the doore of the womaÌ„ who had ben cured The places wherunto Christians were gathered together for diuine seruice at this time are called in the mandat of the Emperour GALLIENVS Coemiteria Euseb. li. 7. cap. 13. In these places no man readeth that images were set vp Beside this these images were grauen or moiten by the handes of Pagans and not of Christians and this fact was done by imitation of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to the custome of the Gentiles he faith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of her owne kinred but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as said is Yet may we take warning by this place to beware of the small beginnings of errour Images haue bene like vnto a base borne fellowe who at the first can haue no credite to set his head into the Kings palace but afterward he getteth ingresse into the vtter court in end his credite dayly increasing by degrees he getteth fauour to ly in the Kings bed chalmer euen so in the first 300. yeere of our Lord images were not brought in into places of holy conuentions afterward they were brought in into Churches but not worshipped as the Epistle of GREGORIVS the first written to SEVERVS B. of Marsil clearely testifieth But in end adoration of images was in so frequent vse as if it had beene the principall point of the worship of God Claudius Quintilius CLAVDIVS after GALLIENVS reigned 2. yeeres Euseb. lib 7 cap. 29. And his brother QVINTILIVS 17. dayes He is not reckoned by EVSEBIVS in the rol of Emperours Aurelianus AFter QVINTILIVS AVRELIANVS possessed the crown 6. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap 30. In the beginning of his reigne he was not a great disturber of Christians Notwithstanding in continuance of time his nature somewhat inclinable to seueritie was altered to plaine tyrannic which tyrannie first he shewed beginning with the murther of his own sisters sonne as witnesseth EVTROPIVS After that he proceedeth to moue the ninth persecution against Christians albeit the mercifull working of God did soone ouerthrow all the wicked purpose of the Emperour For as the edict and proclamation should haue bene denounced for the persecuting of Christians the mightie hand of the Lord from aboue did suddenly stop his purpose clearely declaring to all men that there is no power to worke any violence against the seruants of God vnlesse his permission doe suffer them and giue them lieue Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. Func Chron. Here I see that D. I. FOXE writer of the booke of martyres taketh lieue of VINCENTIVS martyrologie If others had done the like they had not heaped vp so many martyres in the dayes of CLAVDIVS QVINTILIVS and AVRELIAN as they haue done For EVSEBIVS had assuredly made mention of it if the number had beene so great as VINCENTIVS recordeth Before the Emperours minde was altered and inclined to tyranme against Christians hee assisted with his authoritie the Bishops conueened at Antiochia for the deposition and excommunication of the Heretique SAMOSATENVS And so the Emperours authoritie beeing interponed this proud Heretique was compelled to stoop and to giue place and with great ignominie was driuen from the towne of Antiochia Euseb. lib. 7 cap. 30. In his place DOMNVS was elected to be Bishop of Antiochia a man endued with good graces the sonne of DEMETRIAN who immediatly before SAMOSATENVS gouerned the Church of Antiochia And heere againe it is to be marked that the Bishops at this time albeit it was a time of persecution yet did they not abhorre from mariage for DEMETRIANVS Bishop of Antiochia was a maried man and had children and DOMNVS was his sonne so that the prohibition of mariage to men in spirituall offices is not an ancient doctrine Annius Tacitus Florianus AFter AVRELIAN was flaine betweene Bizans and Heraclea the imperial chaire was vacant 6. months The Senat of Rome elected ANNIVS TACITVS to be Emperour He continued but 6. months in his gouernment EVSEBIVS oue rpasseth his name with silâ—…nce as likâ—…wise the name of his brother FLORIANVS who aspired to the imperiall dignitie Func Chron. Aurelius Probus AVRELIVS PROBVS a gentle and peaceable Emperour reigned 6. yeeres 3. months Euseb. Func chron He was inuied by his captaines souldiers because hee appointed them to plant vineyardes and saide there was no great neede of souldiers where no enemie was to be feared Hee was slaine by his souldiers Func Chron. Bucolc Carus Carinus Numerianus CARVS with his two sonnes CARINVS and NVMERIANVS reigned after PROBVS All these three continued not aboue the space of 3. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. And NVMERIANVS was slaine by his owne father in law called APER Func Chron. CARVS was slaine by thunder and CARINVS was ouercome in battell and slaine by DIOCLETIAN whome the Romaine armie had declared to be Emperor while CARINVS was yet aliue Bucolc Index chro Diocletianus Maximianus Like as DIOCLETIAN ouercame CARINVS the sonne of CARVS in battell euen so likewise he slew APER the father in lawe of NVMERIANVS with his owne hands Func Chron. Whether this was done for detestation of sin or for desire of gouernment it is vncertaine Alwayes some affirme that his concubine DRVAS had said vnto him that he should kill a wilde Boare before he should be Emperour And after the killing of APER which name by interpretation signifieth a wilde Boare hee became Emperour In the beginning of his reigne he chused for his college MAXIMIANVS surnamed HERCVLEVS father to MAXENTIVS And these two chused other two viz. GALERIVS CONSTANTIVS CHLORVS the father of CONSTANTINE whoÌ„ they called Casars but the honourable title of AVGVSTVS DIOCLETIAN MAXIMIAN retained to themselues These two A A. reigned 20 yeers CONSTANTIVS CHLORVS CAESAR continued 15. yeeres GALERIVS CAESAR 21. yeeres DIOCLETIAN and MAXIMIANVS HERCVLEVS abstained from persecuting of Christians vntill the 19 yeere of their reigne Before I touch the historie of the tenth persecution three things are to be premitted First that after the persecution of VALERIAN the 8. persecuter the Church enjoyed great peace which albeit it was like to be cut off by the altered minde of AVRELIAN yet the wise dispensation of the wisdome of God prouided that all his cruell enterprises were disappointed The righteous Lord cutted the cords of the wicked Psal. 129. ver 4. Secondly Christians were in great fauour and credite with Emperours and
who are not guiltie of the faultes that were in the Novatians if they be vndeseruedly charged with this name giuen of olde to Heretiques let them say with humble heartes that in one sense they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are purged from sinne in the fountaine of the blood of Christ I Iohn 1. ver 7. But in no other sense meaning can true Christians be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except onely in this because their sinnes are freely forgiuen in Christ and God hath begun the worke of sanctification in them to be a testimonie that they are planted in the stocke of Christ. In this sense speaketh the Euangelist IOHN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Nowe are yee cleane through the word that I haue spoken vnto you Ioh. 15. ver 3. The heresie of SABELLIVS began to shew it selfe vnto the world about the yeere of our Lord 257. vnder the reigne of GALLVS It was first fet foorth by NOETVS in Ptolemaida afterward by HERMOGENES and PRAZEAS and last it was propagated by SABFLLIVS the disciple of NOETVS Alwayes the heresie rather taketh the name from the disciple then from the master They confessed that there was but one God alanerly but they denied that there were three distinct persons in this one Godhead viz. The Father Sonne and holy Ghost By this their opinion they confounded the two Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there wer no difference betweene them No man dare presume to say that in God there are three distinct substances therefore SABELLIVS and his adherents saide that there were not three distinct subsistences or persons in the Godhead but the three names of Father Sonne and holy Ghost were giuen to one person allanerly but pointed not out distinction of persons or subsistences in the Godhead Ruffin hist. lib. 1. cap. 29. By this opinion they were compelled to grant that it was the Father who clad himselfe with our nature and died for our sinnes and therefore they were called Patrispassiani because their opinion imported that the Father suffered In the reigne of GALLIENVS and about the yeere of our Lord 264 a certaine Bishop in Egypt called NEPOS beganne to affirme that at the latter day the godly should rise before the wicked and should liue with Christ heere in the earth a thousand yeeres in aboundance of all kinde of delicate earthly pleasures The ground of this errour was the misunderstanding of the wordes of the Reuelation of IOHN chap. 20. ver 5. 6. In refuting of this heresie DIONYSIVS Bishoppe of Alexandria bestowed his trauels with good successe for hee disputed against CORACION a man professing this errour in Arsenoitis a place of Egypt whome hee refuted in presence of many brethren who were auditours of that disputation for the space of three dayes from morning till euening So that in end CORACION yeelded and promised that hee should not maintaine any such opinion in time to come Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 24. About that same time that is in the time of the reigne of GALLIENVS CLAVDIVS and AVRELIANVS PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS Bishop of Antiochia 'a pestilent fellowe denied the diuinitie of the Sonne of God and affirmed that Christ obtained the name of the Sonne of God through his vertuous behauiour patient suffering but he was not naturally truly the Son of God begotten of the substance of the father His life correspondent to his doctrine was wicked and profane Hee was accustomed to walke through the streetes of Antiochia accompanied with a number of flattering friendes and seruants some going before him and others following after him and hee himselse in the mids reading or meditating letters to his secretaries Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. Which forme of presumptuous and stately behauiour was offensiue to the people who thought that pompe and pride was not beseeming to Bishops who were preachers of the humilitie meekenesse and patient sufferings of Christ. But if the men of Antiochia saith PLATINA had beene in his dayes and had seene the stately traine of the Bishop of Rome his Cardinals accompanied with so many seruants clothed in silke and sumptuous apparell and riding vpon gallant and lustie horses richly deckt with gold costly foot-mantles of diuerse collours they would haue beene more offended and would haue said that such pride had nothing to doe with the simplicitie and humilitie of Christ. Platin. in vit Sixt. 2. But to returne againe to PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS he was so couetous of vaine glory that he built vnto himselfe in the Church a glorious seate according to the similitud of a princely throne frō this seat he spake vnto the people whome he was accustomed to reproue with sharp words if they had not receiued his words with cheerefull acclamations and shoutings such as were wont to be vsed in stage places Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. The Psalmes also that were sung in the Church to the praise of God hee abrogated and was not ashamed to hire women to sing his owne praises in the Congregation of the Lordes people For this his damnable doctrine and lewd life he was most justly deposed by the Councill conueened at Antiochia and excommunicated by all Christian Churches in the whole world and was so detested by all good men that FIRMILIANVS Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS who for his olde age might not trauell and bee present at the Councill of Antiochia yet they both damned the Heretique SAMOSATENVS by their letters sent to the Congregation of Antiochia but not to the Bishop thereof because hee was not worthy that any man should salute him either by worde or write Euseb. ibid MANES a Persian otherwise called MANICHEVS a man furious and madde answering well vnto his name set foorth the venome of his heresie in the time of the reigne of DIOCLETIAN Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 31. a man both in speech and maners rude and barbarous in inclination deuihsh yet he durst presume to cal himselfe the holy spirit as MONTANVS had done before and to represent Christes actions in chusing vnto him 12. disciples whome he sent forth to propagat his errours into diuerse parts of the world Eufeb ibid. His heresie contained a masse or venemous composition of olde extinguished errours which he renued and massed together such as the errour of CERDON and MARCION concerning two beginnings The error of Encratitae in prohibition of meates which God hath appointed for the vse of man with thanksgiuing specially flesh and wine He vtterly rejected the olde Testament as many other Heretiques had done before him He ascribed not sinne to the free wil of man and his voluntarie defection from the estate of his first creation but to necessitie because mans body was made of the substance of the prince of darkenesse This was that heresie wherewith AVGVSTINE was infected before his conuersion but the Lord who brought foorth light out of darknes made PAVL sometime a persecnter to be a preacher
of Fortune which onely remained they ouerthrew in Iulians owne time For this cause Iulian rased the name of Caesarea out of the roll of Cities and exacted from them 300 pound weight of golde compelled their Cleargie to serue in warrefare And finally he threatned to punish vnto the death all the inhabitants of Casarea but the righteous LORD cutted the cordes of the wicked and hee had not power to performe all his bloody designes He had intention to fight against the Persians yet would hee doe nothing without consultation of his gods Hee sent his most assured friendes to all the Oracles within the Romane Dominions and he himselfe would inquire at the Oracle of Apollo in Daphne what should be the successe of his enterprises The answere of Apollo was that hee was hindered by the dead to giue his responses Hereof it came to passe that Iulian gaue libertie to Christians to transport the bones of the Martyr Babylas About the same time fire came downe from heauen and destroyed the Temple of Apollo in Daphne and beate the image of Apollo in pieces like vnto the lightest and smallest powder or dust Moreouer he gaue libertie to the Iewes to returne to Hierusalem to build their Temple to offer sacrifices conforme to the law of Moses not for loue he caried toward the Iewes but for hatred of the Christians therefore the worke prospered not but was hindered by earthquake fire a mightie tempest of wind Marke how euery thing this hatefull enemy of CHRIST enterprised had an euill successe Iulian arriued at Ctesiphon the Metrapolitane towne of Chaldea after that Babylon was ruined The king of Persia had his people in better preparation then the Emp. looked for therefore he tooke deliberation to returne back againe to the bounds of the Romane dominions but hee who was deceitful al his dayes was in end deceiued by an old Persian captiue who led the Emp. into a barren wildernes where he concluded his life wounded with a darte but it remaines vncertaine by whom hee was slaine Jouinianus AFTER the death of Iulian Iouinian was chosen by the Romane armie to be Emperour but liued not fully 8. months in his Emperiall dignity He accepted not the souerainty vntill the time the whole army with uniforme consent acknowledged themselues to be Christians He made a couenant of peace with the K. of Persia such as the necessity of a distressed army compelled him to condiscend vnto for Nisib◅s a great Citie in Mesopotamia with some dominions in Syria were resigned ouer to the king of Persia. The blame of this scathfull capitulation was imputed to the temerity of Iulian the apostate who had brunt with fire the ships that should haue brought victualles to the armie and gaue hasty credite to a Persian captiue When he had reduced the army to the bounds of the Romane dominions hee buried the dead body of Iulian in Tarsus a towne of Cilicia and he reduced from banishmēt the worthy captain Valentinian whom Iulian had banished together with the Bishops banished from their places or compelled to lurke inspecial Athanasius whose counsel he was resolued to follow in matters of Faith Church gouernement In end he tooke purpose to goe to Constantinople but by the way in the Confines of Galatia and Bithinia hee concluded his life in a Village called Dadastana Valentinianus and Valens AFTER the death of Iouinian the Romane armie choosed Valentinian to be Emperour who reigned 13. yeeres In whom was accomplished which is promised in the Gospell to render an hundreth-folde in this life to them who suffer any losse for for CHRISTS sake in the world to come eternal life Valentinian CHRISTES sake lost his office in Iulians Court and hee receiued in this world a kingdome and hath a greater recompence of reward laid vp for him in heauē The magnamimus courage of Valentinian in beating on the face that heathē Priest who sprinkled holy water vpon his garments whereby he thought his garmēts to be contaminate not his body sanctified This couragious fact was the cause wherefore Iulian banished him to Miletina a town in Armenia He was relieued from banishment in the dayes of Iouinian was made Emp. after his death He was borne in a town of Panonia called Cibale he addressed himselfe immediatly after his acceptation of the Emperial souerainty to Constantinople and within the space of 30. dayes he choosed his brother to be his associate in the gouernement in such sort that the Emp. Valentinian gouerned the West and the Emp. Valens gouerned the Easterne parts of the Romane Dominions The Emp. Valens finding the Persians to be quiet and disposed to keepe the couenant of peace bounde vp in the dayes of Iouinian he vndertooke an vnsupportable warre-fare against the Homousians The usurpation of the Tyrant Procopius did somewhat slacken the readines and quicknes of his attempts but after Procopius was deliuered into the handes of the Emp. Valens by Agelon and Gomarius his Captaines hee rent in pieces the body of Procopius by bowing downe to the ground the toppes of strong trees whereunto he caused the legges of Procopius to be fastened The bodies of Agelon and Gomarius the two Captaines who betrayed Procopius were cutted in twaine with sawes of yron In which fact the Emp. Valens had no regarde to the oath of GOD which he made vnto them for their safetie Procopius being subdewed hee bended all his might against the Homousians He banished Mil◅tius Bishop of Antiochia to Armenia Eusebius Bishop of Samosata to Thracia Pelagius Bishop of Laodicea to Arabia The towne of Samos◅ta was so affectioned to their owne Pastor Eusebius that they would not communica◅e with Eunomius whom the Arrians sent to fill his place Val◅ns was filled with wrath against the Fathers conueened in the Councill of Lampsacum this is a towne neere vnto the straite firth of Hellespontus because they adhered fast vnto the Nicene faith In Constantinople he not onely banished the Homousians but also the Novatians their Bishop Agelius because they would not consent with the Arrians in the matter of faith In Edessa a towne of Mesopotamia the Emperour gaue commandement to slay the Homousians who were assembled together in the Church but the feruent zeale of one woman that ran in haste through the rankes of souldiers drawing with her her young and tender child together with her couragious answere to the Captaine staied the rage of the Emperour wonde◅fully for she counted it a sweet fellowship that she and her babe should bee found amongst the number of these who were counted worthie to suffer death for the NAME of CHRIST Neuerthelesse the Emperour banished of men who dwelt in Edessa especially of such as were in spiritual offices to the number of fourscore whom he commanded by two and two to bee dispersed through Thracia Arabia and Thebaida The inuincible courage of
the summe of the Nicene Faith is confirmed The continencie of Bishops Elders and Deacons is recommended with abstinence euen from matrimoniall societie so earlie began men to bee wisâ—…r then GOD But in the twelfth Canon of the thirde Council of Carthage it may bee perceiued that this constitution as dâ—…sagreeable from GODS worde was not regarded because Bishops in AFRICKE married and had sonnes and daughters and these are inhibite to marrie with Infideles and Heretiques in the Canon fore-saide The making of Chrisme and conâ—…ecrating of holie Virgines is ordained onely to belong to Bishops The Canons of this Councill for the moste 〈◊〉 tende to this to aduance the authoritie of their owne Bishops fore-smelling as appeares the usurpation of preheminence in the Bishops beyonde sea The thirde Councill of Carthage was assembled in the yeere of our LORD 399. Aurelius Bishop of Cartâ—…age seemeth to haue beene Moderatour of the Councill AUGUSTINE Bishop of Hippo was present Manie good constitutions were accorded vpon in this Councill as namely that the Sacramentes shoulde not bee ministred to the dead That the sonnes and daughters of Bishops and others in spirituall offices shoulde not bee giuen in marriage to Pagans Heretiques or Schismatiques That men in spirituall offices shoulde not be intangled with seculate businesse according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. verse 4. That men of the Cleargie should practise no kind of usurie That no man shall bee ordained Bishop Elder or Deacon before hee haue brought all persons of his owne familie to the profession of Christian Religion That Readers who are come to perfect yeeres shall either marrie or els professe continencie That in the ministration of the Sacrament or Sacrifice to wit Eucharisticke nothing shoulde bee offered except bread and wine mixed with water of the fruites of the Cornes and Grapes That the Bishop of Rome shoulde bee called the Bishop of the first seate but not the high Priest nor the Prince of Priestes That nothing except holy Canonicke Scripture should bee read in the Churches vnder the name of holy bookes About the yeere of our LORD 401. vnder the reigne of Honorius was assembled againe a great nationall Councill in Carthage of 214. Bishops Augustine Bishop of Hippo was also present at this Councill Manie Canons were set downe in this Councill almoste equall with the number of conueened Bisshops That persons married for reuerence of the blâ—…ssing pronounced to the marriage shoulde not companie together the first night after their marriage That the Bishop shoulde haue his dwelling place neere vnto the Church his house-holde-stuffe shoulde bee vncostly his fare shoulde be course and vndelicate and that he should conquiese authoritie vnto himselfe by fidelitie and vprightnesse of an holy conuersation That a Bishop should not spende time in reading the bookes of Pagans the bookes of Heretiques if necessitie required hee might reade That a Bishop entangle not himselfe deepely with household businesse to the end hee may attend vpon reading Prayer and Preaching That a Bishop admit no man vnto a spirituall office without aduice of the Cleargie and consent of the people That a Bishop without aduice of his Cleargie pronounce no sentence els it shall haue no force except they confirme it That a Bishop sitting shall not suffer a presbyter to stand That an assemblie of Heretiques conueened together shall not bee called Concilium but Conciliabulum That hee who communicateth with an Heretique shall bee excommunicate whether hee be of the number of the Laikes or of the Cleargie That such as refuse to giue vnto the Church the oblations of defunct persons shall bee excommunicate as murtherers of the poore Heere marke what is meaned by Oblationes Defanctorum not Soule-masses said for the defunct but the charitie which they haue left in testamentall legacie to the poore That no woman shall presume to baptize TREATISES BELONGING TO THE fourth CENTURIE A TREATISE Of Inuocation of Saintes IT is more easie in this TREATISE to disapproue the doctrine of Inuocation of Saintes then accurately to point out the minute of time whereinto this abuse sprang vp for the inuious man who sowed tares in the husbandrie of GOD hee did it while men were asleepe And no good Christian how vigilant soeuer hee be can bee at one and the selfe same time both sleeping and waking Neuerthelesse albeit the sowing time bee vnknowne to vs the time whereinto the blade springeth vp and manifesteth it selfe vnto the sight of men may be knowne And therefore I haue referred this Treatise vnto the fourth CENTURIE It is true that Origene about the yeere of our LORD 240. like as he disputed curiously of all things without any certainty of sacred Scripture yea euen of plurality of worlds so in like maner he disputed of the charity and affection that good Christians departed this life might possibly beare to the members of the MILITANT CHURCH of CHRIST And hee thought it not inconuenient to suppose tâ—…at they had a care of our saluation and supported vs with their prayers Neuerthelesse he spake doubâ—…somely Ego sic arbitrior that is I suppose it is so but he durst not with ful assurance affirme any such thing In the third CENTURIE also wee reade of a commemoration of the names of holy Martyres in time of ministration of the holy Sacrament but neither of purpose to pray for them who were already possessed into their rest nor of purpose to request them to pray for vs for such grosse errour was not yet admitted into the bosome of the Church But rather of purpose by such a commemoration 〈◊〉 animate the godly to follow the foote-steps of those men in well-doing whose names were thought worthie at solemne times to bee commemorated in the Church The Rhethoricall libertie of Basilius Magnus and Naziaâ—…nus brought inuocation of Saintes in the mouthes of all the people for it is their custome after they haue commended the patient suffering of Martyres in end they desire to bee supported by the prayers of the holy Martyres These glorious Oratours learned not this lesson in the bookes of holy Scripture but rather in the schoole of Libanius whose frequent incalling vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his declamations accustomed Basiliâ—…s Naziâ—…zenus to call vpon the Martyrs to the end that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gentiles might bee forgotten and the holy Martyres by whose examples men might bee led into the foote-steps of vertue and godlinesse might be remembred Alwayes seeing these learned Fathers had no warrand in Scripture for inuocation of Saintes they are compelled to speake doubtsomely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as I suppose And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is if it bee not too much bolden esse so to speake And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is if there be any sense
the excessiue commeÌ„dation of it that through manifold defections both in doctrine and maners that fell out amongst Monkes First they became both inuentors and propagators of Heresies Audâ—…i otherwise called Anthropomorpâ—…itae who supposed GOD to be fashioned according to the similitude of a man with head armes legges feete and other members proportionallie agreeing to the similitude of a mans bodie These Heretiques I say first sprang vp in the Wildernesse of Nitria Eustachius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia albeit hee was not a Monke yet hee was an admirer of the Monasticke life and afterwarde was condemned as an obstinate Heretique in the Councill of Ancyra Marathonius who had beene a Thesaurer in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius and furnished money to the Emperours Souldiours in ende became rich by aduise of Eustachius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia hee builded a Monastrie in Constantinople where hee propagated the Heresie of Macedonius which had beene quenched in Constantinople if Maratbonius vnder pretence of Religion had not propagated it Moreouer the Heresie of Messaliani and Euchytae did so ouer-spreade in Monastries that Letoiâ—…s Bishop of Meletina founde no better meane to suppresse this Heresie then by driuing the Monkes out of their Cloisters and setting the Monastries on fire Likewise Amphilocâ—…ius Bishop of Iconium in Lycaonia and Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia with great fightings and wressing hardly could get these Heretiques in their bounds discouered and subdued And Eutyches whose errour like a Canker-worme so long time molested the Church of GOD was hee not an Abbot in Constantinopleâ—… Polyâ—… also a ridiculous Monke obstinately defended the Heresie of the Monothâ—…tes in the fixt Generall Councill and offered to confirme that doctrine with a miraculous worke but with shame and confusion hee succumbed and was cursâ—…d by the Councill Moreouer Monkes were the chiefe defenders of the adoration of Images And in the second Council of Nue worshipping of Images is proued by a confabulation betwixt the Deuill a Monke and by another foolish dialogue betwixt a Monke his Abbot This was the first great dash that the Monasticâ—…e life got that many of them were founde rather propagators of Heresie then defenders of the trueth Corruption of maners amongst the Monkes began at disobedience to their superiours Of old the Conuent was very obedient to their Gouernour who some time was called Prepositus afterward Archimandrita and last Abbas and the Gouernour was obedient to the Bishop and the Bishop to the Emperour and his Deputies Neuerthelesse vnder the reigne of the Emperour Aâ—…cadius the Monkes of Aegypt went foorth out of their Monastries and came to Alexandria of purpose to slay their Bishop Theophilusâ—… which thing also they had performed if so be that by subtilty of flattring wordes hee had not mitigated their anger as is aâ—…eadie declared In like maner the Monks of Nitria to the number of 500. came out of the wildernesse to Alexandria not against their B. Cyrillus but against Orestes the deputie of the Emper. Theodosius whome they both outbraided and wounded And the Monke Ammonius who wounded the deputie was deseruedly punished to the death for his seditious attempt yet was hee commended by Cyrillus and counted a martyr but with the great disliking of good Christians who hated seditious enterprises against lawfull Magistrates Also the seditious Monkes of CONSTANTINOPLE whose insolencie Iohn Chrysostome 〈◊〉 to correct they slandered him as a senere angriâ—… fiâ—…ce and proude man and opened the first doore to his trouble so that his hatefull enemies both in Court and Church were encouraged by their meanes to procure his deposition banishment and death Likewise the Monkes of Nova Laura in HIERUSALEM who for Hereticall opinions were driuen out of their Monastries by their owne Bishop Eustochius they became very seditious and stirred vp horrible contention betwixt Theodorus Ascidas Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and Eustochius Bishop of HIERUSALEM No contention haâ—… beene more pernitious in the Church of CHRIST then this Thâ—…odorus beeing in great fauour with the Emperour Iustiâ—…an if the fift Generall Councill had not staide all the attemptes of Theodorus by comdemning the Hereticall opinions of Origin which both the monkes of Nova Laura and Theodorus Asâ—…das did maintaine Finally the monks became so contentious seditious that not only they contended against their superiours but also they contended amongst themselues with vnsupportable hatred and euen in the wildernesse of â—…tria where their great fame and commendation did spring vp in that same place the fame and beautie of the Monasticke life did fade and wither Beside Heresie and contention other corruptions of maners stained and defaced the glorie of the Monasticke life namelie an inclination to idlenesse abstinence from manuall labours heaping vp of riches which they gathered of the sweate of other mens labours And this appeareth clearely by the writinges of Augustine who not onely testifieth that the monkes of his dayes so did but also they defended that it was lawfull to them to bee idle because CHRIST Saieth in the Gospell 〈◊〉 the foules of Heauen for they sow not neither reape neither carrie into the barnes yet your Heauenly Father feedeth them Are yee not much better then they Against whose idlenâ—…sse Augustine most sharpely enueieth saying that by the example of the foules of Heauen they coulde learne idlenâ—…sse but they woulde not imitate the foules of Heauen in carrying nothing into the barnes but they would lay vp in barnes and prouision houses those riches which other men with painefull trauels gained and brought vnto them And hee is so stomached against them that hee saieth Quis fer at homines contumaces ut gemina illeccbra corrumpantur dissolutaliceÌ„tia vacationis falsonomine sanctitatis that is who can suffer contumacious men intangled with double corruption both with the dissolute liberty of vacance froÌ„labour with the false conceit also of holines From the six hundreth yeere of our LORD vntill our dayes Monastries began againe to bee in great account in the sight of the world not for the exercises of reading praying meditation laborious working in a lawfull calling and charitie which were the ornamentes of the monkes of olde but for the splendor of costly buildinges like vnto the Palaces of Princes magnificent Churches pluralitie of Reliques great reuenewes daily increased by the liberalitie of Princes and this new beautie was like vnto the fairding of an olde woman when naturall beautie is spenâ—… then must shee bee decked with pictured colours inuented by the art of man and this kinde of beautie rauisheth the senses of such as are simple and ignorant And it is a wonderfull thing to consider how the heartes of men were transported with this new show of holinesse in so farre that some Kinges thought it to bee an holyer thing to enter into a Monastrie than to sit in their Royall Thrones and to gonerne in Iustice and
yeeee of our LORD 585. Vnder the reigne of Mauritius a Councill was assembled at Constantinople for trying of the cause of Gregorius B of Antiochia whom Asterius Deputie in the East had accused of incest but Gregorius was declared to bee innocent his accuser was scourged with roddes and was banished In this Councill the name of Oecumenick bishop was attributed to Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople The first Councill of Matiscon was assembled about the time of Pelagius 2 as the second Tome of Councills recordeth In it commandement was giuen that no man of the Clergie should cite another man hauing a spirituall office before a seculare iudge And that a bishop or Presbyter should not intangle himselfe with carnall lust after hee is promoted to so high dignitie but the woman who before was his wife nowe let her bee his sister and let the husband bee changed into a brother Marke how subtilly Sathan vnder pretence of lothing matrimoniall chastitie is bringing in all kinde of vncleannesse into the Church The second Councill of Matiscon was conueened in the 24. yere of the reigne of Gunthrannus king of France In it complaint was made that Baptisme was ministred vsually vpon â—…ry holy day insomuch that vpon Pasche day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptisme This they ordeined to bee amended and that no man except vpon occasion of infirmitie presume to present his child to Baptisme but to attend vpon the festiuall dayes prescribed of olde that is Pasche and Whitsonday Also it was statute and ordeined that the Sacrament of the altar should be ministred before any communicant person had tasted of meat or drinke That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a citie of refuge be drawne backe againe by violence from the bosome of the Chuch or be harmed into that holy place That a bishop must not bee attached before a secular iudge That the houses of bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayers and singing of Psalmes and shall not bee defiled with the barking of dogges and muting of hankes That seculare men shall doe reucrence to those who are of the Clergie euen vnto the lowest degree of them in such sort that if the secular man doe meete any of the Clergie walking on foot he shall honour him by vncouering his head but if the seculare man be riding on horsebacke and the Clergie man on foote then the secular man shall light downe from his horse and shall doe reuerence to the Church man this age smelleth of Antichristian pride In the third Council at Matiscon there is nothing to be read but a contentious disputation betwixt two bishops Palladius Bertramus foolish questions scarse worthy to bee disputed in GraÌ„mer schooles Whether or no a woman may be called homo In the yeere of our Lord 595 in the 13. yeere of the reigne of the Emp. Mauritius Gregorius 1. bishop of Rome assembled a Council at Rome of 24. bishops 34. presbyters whereinto first of all he confirmed the first foure generall Councills He ordeined that at the celebration of the Masse there should be lesse singing more reading of Psalmes and Gospel because weake people transported with the delite of a sweet delicate voyce marked not how men of a lewd life drew neere vnto the Altar of GOD. He ordeined also that laicke boyes should not be cubiculars to the bishops of Rome but that Presbyters Deacons or Monks should be witnesses of the honestie of their secret conuersation And that the beare whereinto the body of the B. of Rome is brought forth to bee buried shall not bee oue spred with any coueâ—…ing aboue the beare That for ordination of men in spirituall offices no reward shall be craued For like as the bishop should not sell the imposition of his hands euen so the minister or notare should not sell his voyce and pen. If hee who is ordeined voluntarlly giueth any thing as a testimonie of his thankfulnesse this is not forbidden to be receiued Gregorius standing before the place where the body of S. PETER is buried pronounced many Anathems whereinto the rest of the assemblie with vniforme consent saide Amen Amongst the rest the Presbyter or Deacon who marrieth a wise is deliuered to the deuill and a man who marieth his owne spirâ—…tuall sister whome in our language we call his gossope hee is likewise deliuered to an euill Heard to bee kept Albeit Gregorius bee not counted the worst amongst the bishoppes of Rome yet when hee followeth not the certaine rule of the written worde of GOD hee is wandering in the mist as boldly as others did before him The Councills which I haue ouerpassed with silence such as Gradense Bracearense Lateranense Lugdunense Pictaviense Metense lest I should ouer charge a litle booke with an vnnecessarie burthen or trouble the reader with reading of superstitious rites damning of old heresies and of euery contentious disputation more duely belonging to ciuile iudges than to spirituall conuentions I reserre mine excuse in this to the wisdome of the iudicious Reader TREATISES BELONGING TO THE sixt CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of the worshipping of Images IN the first 300. yeere of our LORD Images were not admitted into places of adoration In the fourth fifth and sixt Centurie they are admitted into temples yet for the most part without opinion that they should be worshipped as the letter of Gregorius the first written to Serenus bishop of Marseill cleaâ—…ely declareth Nowe it is time to contend against Images when they are come in such credite that they are set vp in temples and places of adoration And first Godwilling I shall intreat of the wordes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what difference is betwuixt them and the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what differences are betwixt these three wordes lest Idolaters should bee left lurking vnder the sconses of words when they are denuded of all other ouerlapping couerings then will they lurke vnder the shadow of an ambiguous word as a Foxe straitly persued will lurke vnder the shadow of a fairne In the second roome I intend to speake of the Images of the Gentils In the third roome of the Images of the Iewes and last of all of the Images of them who beare the name of Christians First concerning the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I affirme that the principall defenders of worshipping of Images of old put no difference betwixt these two wordes for Damascene comparing Images to musicke instruments he sayeth That like as the captiue Iewes had instruments of musicke to praise GOD so in like maner the Babylonians had instruments of musicke to praise their gods In like maner saith he the Pagans had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they honoured their gods and Christians also haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they doe honour to the
shall happen at anie time those persons or their children to bee indigent who haue doted anierent to the Church let them render a just deserued retribution to their bene-factors in sustaining them to whose beneuolence they are addoted The Deacons are decerned to be inferiour to Presbyters Let the Leuites bee content to bee cloathed with their ORARIVM onelie vpon their left shoulder and not vpon their right shoulder and let it neiâ—…her bee beautified with coloures nor with golde PLATINA in the life of ZOSINVS calleth it LINOSTIMA Let Clergie-men haue the vpper-moste part of their heads bare and shauen and the lower-part rounded not following the example of the Readers of GALLICIA who did shaue onehe a little of the vpper-moste-part of the haire of their head conforming themselues in so doing to the custome of some Heretiques which dishonour is to bee remoued from the Churches of Spaine No strange women shall cohabite with Church-men onelie their mother or sister or her daughter or fathers sister maye dwell with them amongst which persons the bandes of nature permitteth not to suspect anie sinne according to the constitutions of auncient Fathers Some of the Clergie who are not married are intangled with the forbidden lust of strange women let the bishop separate them sell the women and redact the men infected with their lust for a space vnto pennance If a man of the Clergy marrie a wife or a widow or a deuorced woman or an harlot without aduise of his bishop let the bishop separate them againe Clergie-men who haue cloathed themselues with armour voluntarilie and haue gone to warre-fare let them bee deposed from their office and bee thrust into a Monasterie there to remaine all the dayes of their life Church-men who are found spoyling the sepulchres of persons departed let them bee deposed and be subject vnto three yeeres pennance By the coÌ„mandement of king Sisenandus Churchmen are eximed from all publike indictioÌ„s labours to the end with greater libertie they may attende vpon spirituall seruice Let bishops haue some of their owne Clergie to bè rulers of their house-holde-affaires according as the Councell of Chalcedon hath ordained A man is made a monke either by his parents deuotion or by his own profession but whether he be embarked into the Monastike life the one way or the other there is no regresse againe vnto a seculare estate Persons of the Clergie who are desirous to enter into a Monasteriâ—… and to lead a comtemplatiue life let not their bishops hinder the purpose of their minde because they haue intention to enter into a better trade of liuing Bishops haue power to constitute Abbots to gouerne Monasteries and to correct enormities that shall happen to fall out amongst them but not to redact them to seruile offices nor to conuert the rents of the Abacie to their owne vse as a possession duelie belonging to themselues The Monkes who leaue their Monasterie returne againe to a secular life and marrie wiues let them be brought backe againe to their owne Monasterie there to doe pennance and to lament for their by-past sinnes Religious men who wander vp and downe in a nation and are neither members of the Clergie nor Monkes of anie Monasterie let the bishop restraine their licentious libertie and appoint them either to serue in the Clergie or in a Monasterie except such as through infirmitie or age haue gotten an exemption They who haue confessed the committing of anie deadlie sinne cannot be promoted to Ecclesiasticall honours Secular men who in receiuing their pennance haue beene content to bee shauen and to put on a religious habite if they reuolt againe and will needes become Laikes and bee incorrigible then let them be counted apostates and excommunicate from the fellowship of the Church Widowes who haue put on a religious habite and vowed chastitie if they marrie they haue damnation according to the wordes of the Apostle 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 12. Iewes are not to be compelled to receiue the Christian faith but these who alreadie by constraint haue receiued it in the dayes of the noble king Sisebutus seeing they haue beene alreadie partakers of our Sacramentes let them bee compelled to perseuere lest the Name of the Lord Iesus be blasphemed and the faith which they haue embraced be counted vile and contemptible They who receiue bribes and rewardes from the Iewes to cloake their vngodlinesse and to foster them in their infidelitie let them bee accursed and counted strangers from the Church of Christ. Iewes after their conuersion to the Christian faith if they bee found to haue circumcised their sonnes or seruantes by the commandement of the moste religious king Sâ—…senandus it is ordained That the circumcised children of the Iewes shall bee separated from the fellowship of their parentes and the sâ—…ruants shall bee set at libertie for the injurie done vnto their bodie by circumcision Iewes who are punished to the death for any contempt done by them against CHRIST after their baptisme this punishment shall not prejudge their children from right to enjoye their goods if they bee faithfull because it is written The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father Ezech. 18. 20. Let not Iewes after their conuersion haunt the companie of other superstitious Iewes as yet addicted to the abolished lawe of ceremonies lest they be perucrted if they transgresse this ordinance such of them as haue professed Christianitie shall bee giuen in seruice to Christians others shall bee appointed to bee publikely scourged Iewes who haue maried Christian women if they will not embrace Christian religion let them be separated from their wiues companie and let the children bee brought vp in the faith of their Christian mothers Iewes who haue once professed Christian faith and haue sliden backe againe from it shall not bee admitted witnesses before a Iudge albeit they professe themselues to bee Christians because like as their faith is suspected so in like manner their humane testimonie is to be doubted of Let no Iew bee preferred to any publike office Let no Iew presume to buy a Christian seruant which if hee doe the seruant shall bee taken from him and shall bee set at libertie Bishops who haue not benefited the Church by any proper donation of their owne goods they should not empouerish their Church by setting at liberty Church seruantes which thing if hee presume to doe his successour shall reduce those seruants againe to the possession of the Church whom iniquitie without any just right hath absolued A Bishop who setteth a seruant at libertie hauing first by permutation set another of the like worth and merite in his place shall denie libertie to the fore-saide seruant either to accuse or to beare witnesse against the Church whereinto he was a seruant else hee shall forfeit his libertie and bee reduced to his former seruile condition in
bee the sonnes of God except they bee borne againe by both the Sacraments to wit by the lauacre of water in the word and the anointment of Chrisme True it is that Cyprian calleth the anointment of oyle after baptisme a Sacrament different from the dipping in water but his meaning is that the anointing with oyle is an element different from the element of water and Augustine long after Cyprian calleth the externall signe of the Sacrament a Sacrament and the thing represented by it res sacramenti Nowe what vantadge hath the Romane Church when they take holde of the wordes utroque Sacramento that is both the Sacraments and in the meane time they neither take heede to the sandie grounde whereupon Cyprian leaneth to wit the opinion of Tertullian neither yet take they heede in what sense Cyprian calleth anointing with oyle a Sacrament to wit because it is one of the elementes whereby our spirituall birth is represented The reuerence that was carried toward the ceremonies of signification in the law of Moses hath made a patent doore vnder the Gospell to receiue many legall ceremonies such as consecration by oyle the linnen Ephod the lightes shining all the night long and many other ceremonies which are the more easily embraced because in Poprie the substance of godlinesse is vtterly forsaken and vaine ceremonies are adhered vnto euen such as are ceassed because they had their performance in Christ. And like as it is a follie to take the huskes of the wine grapes after the liquor is pressed out of them and to cast them into the wine-presse againe Euen so it is a foolishe conceite to returne the ceremonies of signification which haue had their performance in Christ and are abolished to haue place againe in the Church of God Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as much as they please in their Sacrament of Confirmation no antiquitie shall bee founde and that for three causes First because the anointing with oyle whereof the Fathers doe speake is not a different sacrament from baptisme but a ceremonie Preceeding and following Baptisme Secondly the oyle wherewith persons baptized were anointed was not mixed with Balsome And thirdly after baptisme anointing with oyle and imposition of hands followed immediately but in the Sacrament of Confirmation when it began to take place in the Church of God anointing with oyle mixed with Balsome followed not immediately vpō the necke of baptisme as a continuate action but it was ministred 12. or 15. yeere after baptisme so that it is a deluding of the world and a peruerting of those who are weak in vnderstanding to proue that the Sacrament of Confirmation is an auncient Sacrament in the Church because it was an auncient custome to anoint with oyle those who were baptized as if Baptisme and Confirmation were both one thing which they vtterly denie Let the judicious Reader vnderstand that the purpose of the Romane Church to aduaunce their Sacrament of Confirmation with impairing of the dignitie of Baptisme is but a new Popish inuention For the writers after the dayes of the Apostles the more auncient they are the more they magnifie the holy Sacrament of Baptisme by which saieth Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wee are enlightened wee receiue the adoption of children wee are made perfect wee are made immortall What affinitie hath the doctrine of the Romane Church with Antiquitie who counteth the Sacrament of Baptisme onelie a preparation to the Sacrament of Confirmation Whereas auncient Writers haue attributed to Baptisme receiued truelie and with singlenesse of heart such perfection as leadeth vs vnto immortallitie and eternall life Lindanus pineth himselfe much as a woman trauelling in birth to bring foorth her childe so doeth hee endeuour with all his might to prooue that CHRIST instituted the Sacrament of Confirmation and that the Chrisme shoulde bee renewed from yeere to yeere and that this custome hath beene continuallie in vse since the dayes of the Apostles not onelie in the Church of ROME but also in the Churches of ANTIOCHIA HIERVSALEM and EPHESVS This is a verie confident assertion if hee coulde make it good And for proofe of all this geare is brought foorth asupposititious letter of Fabian bishop of Rome The cause is weake that is founded vpon such sandie grounde as Decretall Epistles doe falselie attribute to a great number of the bishops of Rome The olde prouerbe hath place in Lindanus as much as in anie Writer Parturiunt Montes nascetur ridiculus Mus that is The Mountaines are trauailing in birth and aridiculous Mouse shall bee brought foorth Fabianus testimonie written in a Legende of lies that is in Decretall Epistles vnknown to Antiquitie is no sure ground to any man to leane his Faith vpon it Moreouer he fetcheth a compasse to draw this Sacrament of Confirmation out of Scripture one way or other and hee saith that Christ commaunded his Apostles who were already baptized to remain at Ierusalē vntill they were endewed with strēgth from aboue Act. 1 in the day of Penticost the H. Ghost descēded vpon them in the similitude of fiery clouen tongs Act. 2 again the disciples at Samaria who were already baptized yet by imposition of the handes of the Apostles they receiued the gift of the H. Spirit Act 8. 17 What can Lindanus inferre vpon these groundes Christ bestowed vpon Christians who were already baptized a more ample grace than they had at the beginning whē they were baptized Christ added a signe in time of Confirmation somtimes fiery tongues somtimes imposition of hands ergo Confirmation is a Sacrament of the new Testamēt it followeth not for God in ordinary sacraments like as he maketh promises appertaining to al the beleeuers euen so in like maner he sealeth vp these promises by signes appertaining to all the members of the Church of God but promises belonging to a small number sealed vp with signs cōferred vnto a few cānot bee the ground of a sacrament which is a seale of the couenant of God belonging to all true professors and beleeuers And when Lindanus hath troubled himselfe with much businesse in end he granteth that Chrisming is an vnwritten tradition and hath no authoritie in the written word of God citing the testimonie of Basilius Magnus to this effect God confirmeth and strengtheneth them who are baptized in his name to bring his owne worke begunne in them to a perfection but not to institute a newe SACRAMENT And like as the GENTILES of olde who worshipped the SVNNE they worshipped it not onely for the glory and splendor that was in it but also for the benefite that it did communicate vnto the earth by warming it and making it fruitfull Euen so wee doe magnifie God our Creator and maker not onely for his owne most excellent and incomprehensible glorie but also because he daylie refresheth our soules with his goodnesse strengtheneth our weaknesse with the power of his sauing grace
this daye Crassus for his negligence and euill gouernement was deposed from his authoritie and Arnulphus his nephewe was declared Emperour ARNVLPHVS AFter the death of Carolus Crassus great troubles ensued in Italie by the factions of Berengarius whome the Lombardes choosed to bee King of Italie on the one part and Guido Duke of Spoleto whome others choosed to reigne in Italie on the other part In the middest of these factions Arnulphus leadeth an armie out of Germanie Hee tooke the Towne of Bergamum and hanged Ambrose the Earle thereof vpon a Gibbet before the port of the Towne This seueritie terrified other Townes and made them to yeelde Hee addressed towardes Rome and was â—…rowned Emperour by Formosius whose enemies hee punished vnto the death From thence hee addressed to fight against Guido but hee fledde and escaped the Emperoures handes The wife of Guido hauing no puissance to resist the Emperoures forces shee hired some of the Emperoures seruantes who gaue vnto him a cuppe of poyson which brought vpon him a lethargie and three dayes sleeping continuallie After this hee arose sicke and left the siedge for hee was besieging the wife of Guido and hee died after hee had reigned twelue yeeres In the East gouerned Leo the sonne of Basilius in whose time the Saracenes conquered Taurominium a Towne in Sicill and the Isle of Lemnos CHAP. II. Of Popes Patriarches Pastors and Doctors AFTER LEO the third succeeded STEPHANVS the fourth and ruled seuen monethes He was not elected with consent allowance of the Emperour but only by the Clergie and people of Rome Here it is well marked by Functius that the Romane Church doeth obserue their owne lawes so inuiolably that the priuiledge granted to the Emperour by Pope Leo the thirde it is vndone againe euen in his first successors time to wit in Pope Stephanus the fourth his time In the thirde moneth of his Popedome he journeyed toward France for what cause it is not certaine but it appeareth he would trie the Emperours mind whether or no hee was grieued for this that hee had beene elected Pope without the consent and fore-knowledge of the Emperour When he returned againe finding that Ludouicus Pius the Emperour was not greatly grieued at the matter but accepted his excuse he began to make Commentaries vpon the Decrees of Hadrian the first and Leo the third to wit that they meaned not that the Emperour should be first acquainted with the election of the Pope but rather that after his election the Emp. should be acquainted with this businesse before the Pope were anointed By such false Glosses and Commentaries they were by degrees excluding the Emperour from all kinde of intromission with the election of the Pope After Stephaâ—…us the fourth succeeded Pascalis the first who was elected without consent of the Emperour He sent Ambassadours to excuse himselfe to the Emperour Ludouicus Pius because the Clergie and people had compelled him to accept the Popedome The Emperour Ludouicus Pius on the other part seeing how this matter went and that he was troubled with the vnconstancie ambition and obstinacie of the Romane Church hee gaue them libertie to choose their owne bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Emperour in time to come And Pascalis after hee had ruled seuen yeeres and seuenteene dayes hee ended his course Eugenius the seconde succeeded to Pascalis and ruled foure yeeres His popedome was in the time when Lotharius was appointed to gouerne Italie His commendations are these Great Learning great Eloquence with a mixture of great hypocrisie Valentinus the successour of Eugenius within the space of fourtie dayes after that hee was elected of a Deacon to bee Pope hee concluded his life To Valentinus succeeded Gregorius the fourth and ruled sixteene yeeres Ludouicke and his sonne Lotharius were Emperours at this time without whose consent hee woulde not accept his Popedome Gregorie would haue seemed to haue bene a mediator betwixt Ludouicke and his sonnes but hee is marked with a note of shame in the Magdeburg history as a man who encreassed discord rather than quenched it What hee did in the Conuention at Aken which was conueened by the authoritie of the Emperour it shall bee declared God willing in its owne place To Gregorie the fourth succeeded Sergius the second and ruled three yeeres Hee seemed to be the first Pope who changed the name giuen vnto him in Baptisme for he was called Osporci that is the mouth of the Sowe and for the turpitude of the name he called himselfe by the name of one of his antecessours Lotharius sent Ludouicke his eldest sonne accompanied with manie Noble persons to be crowned Emperour for Lotharius thought meete to enterinto a Monasterie and to lament for his by-past sinnes especially for grieuing the heart of his father Ludouicus Pius He augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the seconde succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled eight yeeres three monethes Hee was a man of many crafts a builder a warriour and a Bishop Hee compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the Towne He was also a warriour and faught against the Saracenes against whom also hee preuailed And finally at some times hee was a Bishop and hee gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous and lying writinges In this Popes dayes Eáelwulphus King of ENGLAND came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made Hee was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause he ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in ENGLAND that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo thefourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of BRITANNIE derogateth credite to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceeding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384. yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ihonne the eight an ENGLISH woman borne in the Towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and shee profited in learning beyonde her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue monethes and
condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill But I remit a further Treatise of this vnto the head of Councels Concerning olde extinguished Heresies such as the Manicheans Arrians and Donatists and such like who preassed to builde vp the wallesâ—… of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attâ—…ptes without anie successe CHAP. IIII. OF COUNCELS IN the yeere of our LORD 813. by the commandement of Carolus Magnus in the Towne of Mentz were conuened 30. Bishops 25. Abbots with a great number of Priestes Monkes Countes and Iudges about reformation of the dissolute maners of Ecclesiasticke Laicke persons After 3. dayes abstinence fasting joyned with Litanies publicke Prayers and imploring the helpe of God they diuided themselues into three companies In the first company were the Bishops with some Noters reading the history of the Euangell and the Epistles the Actes of the Apostles together with the Canons and workes of ancient Fathers and the Pastorall booke of Gregorie to the ende that by the Preceptes contained in these bookes the enormitie of mens liues might be corrected In the second companie were Abbots and Monkes reading the rules of S. Benedict for the reformation of the liues of Monkes In the thirde companie were lordes and Iudges pondering the causes of all men who came to complaine that wrong was done vnto them The 1. 2. and 3. Canons of this Councell entrait concerning Faith Hope and Chatitie 4. Concerning the Sacramentes to be ministred chiefely at Easter Whitsonday except necessitie and seare of death require preuening of these times 5. That vnitie and concord should bee kept in the Church because wee haue one common Father in heauen one Mother to wit the Church in earth one Faith one Baptisine and one Celestiall inheritance prepared for vs Yea and God is not the God of dissention but of peace according as it is said Blessed be the peace makers for they shall bee called the children of God The 6. and 7. Canons entrait of Orphanes and poore people whose weaknes is to bee supported but no man should take vantadge of their poore and desolate estate The 8. Can. recommendeth vnitie to be kept betwixt men in spirituall offices and ciuill Iudges a Canon indeede if it had beene obserued verie necessarie for the estate of this time The 9. and 10. Canon prescribeth to the Clergie Preceptes of a modest and sober life with abstinence from the delicate pleasures of the worlde and from Theatricall Spectacles from pompes and vnhonest banquets and to bee more readie to goe to the house of mourning to comfort them who are heauie hearted than to the house of banquetting Vsurie auarice ambition and taking of rewardes for the benefites of God such as vse to bee taken for medicinall cures is forbidden To beware of deceit and conjurations to flec hatred emulation backe-biting and enuying wandering eyes an vnbridled tongue a petulant and proude gesture are forbidden filthie wordes and workes are altogether abhorred chastitie is recommended the frequent visitations of the houses of Widowes and Virgines is prohibited due obedience is to bee giuen to Seniors to take heede to doctrine reading and spirituall songes as it becommeth men who haue addicted themselues vnto diuine seruice Precepts concerning the behauiour of Monkes and Nunnes and the fabricke of their dwelling places I ouer-passe with silence lest I shoulde ouercharge a short Compend with an heape of vnnecessarie thinges In the 32. Canon the difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set downe 33. The great Litanie or Rogations to bee obserued three dayes by all Christians with fasting sackecloth ashes walking barefooted and all kinde of humble carriage 34. 35. and 36. Publicke Fastinges and keeping of Festiuall dayes is commanded 37. The Sabboth daye is to bee kept holy In it no Merchand Wares to be sold and no criminall cause to bee judged 38. and 39. Tythes are precisely to bee payed And men fleeing to Churches for safeguarde are not to bee violentlie drawne out of the place of their refuge 40. In Churches and the portches thereof let no secular judgements be exercised 41. Let no ancient Church be spoyled of tythes and possessions for the building of new Oratories 42. Concerning Church rentes bestowed for reparation and vpholding of Churches 43. and 43. That no Priest saye Masse himselfe alone for if hee haue no person present except himselfe howe can hee say Dominus vobiscum or sursum corda or such other passages Also frequent offering of the Sacrifice of the Masse and presenting of the Paxe is recommended to Christian people 45. That euery person bee acquainted with the Lordes Prayer and the Beliefe and they who can no otherwayes comprehend these thinges let them learne them in their owne vulgare language 46. Drunkennesse is detested and they who continue in this sinne without amendement are ordained to be excommunicated 47. God-fathers shall attende that their spirituall children bee brought vp in the true Faith 48. Filthie libidinous songes are not to bee sung about Churches 49. The cohabitation with women is forbidden to all the members of the Clergie 50. Let all Bishops Abbots and Church-men haue such Aduocates and Agentes in their affaires who are men that feare GOD and are haters of all vnrighteous dealing 51. Let not the dead bodies of the Saincts bee transported from place to place without the aduice of the Prince of the countrey or the Bishop and Synode 52. No dead bodie shall bee buried within the Church except the bodie of a Bishop or of an Abbot or of a worthie Presbyter or of a faithfull Laicke person 53. Incestuous persons are to bee searched out and separated from the fellowship of the Church except they bee penitent 54. 55. and 56. Marriage in the fourth degree of consanguinitie is forbidden and that no man shall marrie his spirituall daughter or sister neither the woman whose sonne or daughter hee hath ledde to the Sacrament of Confirmation and incase they bee founde to bee married they shall bee separated againe And no man shall take in marriage his wiues sister neither shall a woman marrie her husbandes brother IN the yeere of our LORD 813. a Councell was assembled at Rhemes by the commaundement of Charles the Great for it is to bee remarked that hee not onely assembled that famous Councell of FRANKFORD anno 794. in the which adoration of Images was condemned but also when hee was nowe aged and saw many abuses in the Church hee endeuoured by all meanes possible to procure reformation of the lewde manners of Church men Therefore hee appointed at one time to wit anno 813. fiue Nationall Councels to be conuened in diuerse places for reformation of the Clergie and people One was conuened at Mentz as hath bene declared Another at Rhemes the third at Towrs the fourth at Cabilone or Chalons and the fist at Arles In all these Councels no
opposition is made to the Councell of Frankâ—…ord neither was the adoration of Images auowed in any of thâ—…se Councels So much auaileth the authoritie of a Prince for suppressing of false doctrine heresie In this CouÌ„cel at Rhemes Wulfarius archbis was presideÌ„t 44. canons are rehearsed in the 2. Tome of Councels made in this Councell In the 1. Can. it was concluded That euery man should diligently acquaint himselfe with the Articles of his Faith 2. That euery man should learne the Lords Prayer and comprehend the meaning thereof 3. That euery man promoted to Ecclesiasticall orders shall walke worthily conforme to his calling 4. The Epistles of Paule were read to giue instructions to sub-deacons howe they should behaue themselues Yet is there not one worde in all the Epistles of Paule of a subâ—…deacon 5. The Gospell was read to giue instruction to Deacons to minister condingly in their office 6. Ignorant Priestes are instructed to celebrate the Seruice with greater vnderstanding 7. In like manner they are instructed howe to prepare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Sacrament of Baptisme 8. The holy Canons were read out of the Decretall of Innocentius for ordering the life of Chanons 9. The rule of Sainct Benedict was read to reduce Abbots and their Conuents to a remembrance of their order 10. The Pastorall booke of Gregorius was â—…ead to admonish Pastors of their duetie 11. Sentences of diuerse ancient Fathers were read to admonish men of all â—…aÌ„ks both Prelats subjects to bring forth the fruit of a good conuersation 12. These things being done they set down a forme of receiuing of confessions prescribing of pennance according to the Canonicall institution 13. They reasoned about the eight principall vices to the ende their diuersitie beeing distinguished euerie man might know what vices hee should eschewe and teach others to beware of the same 14. That Bishops should take heed to the reading of the bookes of the Canonicke Scripture and the bookes of Fathers should attend vpon the preaching of the word of God 15. That bisshops should preach the Sermons and Homilies of H. Fathers in such sort as all the people might vnderstand them The 16. can is coincident with the 12. 17. That bishops abbots permit no man to solace the company with filthy gesting in their preseÌ„ce but let poore indigent people be refreshed at their tables with lecture of diuine Scripture and praysing of God according to the Precept of the Apostle that whether wee eate or drinke let all thinges bee done to the glorie of God 18. Gluttonie and drunkernesse for bidden to bishops and the Ministers of God 19. Let not bishops bee rash to judge in thinges secret which are to bee referred to the judgement of God who can manifest thinges hid vp in darknesse discouer the secrets of the heart 20. Presbyters shall not transport themselues from a lowe place to a greater 21. Whosoeuer by money-paying procureth a preferment in the Church shall bee deposed 22. No Church man shall cohabite with a woman except it bee with his mother or sister or such like persons by whose companie no suspition of vncleannesse can arise Precepts giuen to Monkes and Nunnes I passe by as I did in the former Councell Can. 35. The Sabboth day shall be kept holy and in it no seruile worke shall be done according to the Lords Commandement 36. Let no man bestow vpon the Church that thing which by vnlawfull meanes hee hath fraudulently with-drawne from others 37. nor yet by lies and deceitfull meanes withdraw any thing duely beloÌ„ging to the Church 38. Let tythes be precisely payed 39. Let no man presume to receiue rewards for his decreet and sentence 40. Let Prayers Oblations be made for the Emperour and his noble rase that it woulde please God to preserue them in all happinesse in this present life vouchsafe vpon them Celestiall joyes in companie of the Angels in the life to come In the 41. Canon mention is made of a certaine rent left by king Pipinus of good memorie which they wish the Emperour Charles Pipinus sonne shoulde not alter nor transferre into another summe in respect that by so doing manie perjuries and false testimonies might ensue 42. And that no man should bee remooued from his mansion to whome the Emperoures Almes is distributed 43. And that the statute may bee confirmed by his Highnesse allowance whereby all contentions and strifes are ordained to haue a decision end 44. And that the statute made in Bononia concerning false witnesses maye bee ratified and confirmed with augmentation if neede require for eschewing of perjuries false testimonies and many other inconueniences IN the yeere of our LORD 813. and at the commaundement of the Emperour Carolus Magnus a Councell of manie Bishops and Abbots was assembled about establishing of Ecclesiasticall Discipline in the Towne of Towrs In the 1. Canon all men are admonished to bee obedient to the Emperour Charles the Great and to keepe the oath of alleadgeance made vnto him and to make prayers and supplications for his prosperitie and well-fare 2. All Bishops shall diligently reade and frequently peruse the bookes of holy Scripture the histories of the Euangell and the Epistles of Paul together with the bookes of ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawfull for any Bishop to be ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastorall booke of Gregorius in the which euery man as in a viue mirrour might see himselfe 4. Let euery Bishop feede the flocke committed vnto him not onely with doctrine but also with examples of a good conuersation 5. A Bishop must not bee giuen to sumptuous banquets but be content with a moderate diet lest hee should seeme to abuse the counsell of our Lord saying Take heede that your hearts be not surfetted with gluttonie or drunkennesse but let holy lecture be at his table rather than the idle wordes of flattering fellowes 6. Let strangers and indigent people bee at Bishops tables whome they maye refreshe both with corporall and spirituall repaste 7. The delicate pleasures of the eare and the eyes are to bee eschewed lest by such pleasures the minde bee effeminate and inchaunted 8. Let not the Lordes seruantes delight in vaine jesting nor in hunting nor halking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons followe the foot-steps of their Bishops assuring themselues that the good conuersation enjoyned vnto their Bishops is also enjoyned vnto them 10. Let Bishops haue a great sollicitude and care towards the poore and be faithfull dispensators of Ecclesiasticall goods as the Ministers of God and not as hunters after filthie lucre 11. It is lawfull for Bishops with consent of Presbyters Deacons to bestow out of the Church treasure support to indigent people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to bee ordained vntill hee bee 30. yeeres olde 13. Let the B. make diligeÌ„t inquisitioÌ„ in his own Paroch Church that no Presbyter coÌ„ming from any
vpon the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complaine Alwayes in that matter if any thing was done amisse they humbly submitte themselues to be corrected by their Soueraigne lord and king THE Councell of Chalons was the fourth Councell conuened in the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Charles the Great for the reformation of the Ecclesiasticall estate Manie of the Canons of this Councell are coincident with the Canons of the former therefore I shall bee the shorter in the commemoration thereof 1. That Bishops acquaint themselues diligently with reading the Bookes of holy Scripture and the Bookes of auncient Fathers together with the Pastorall booke of Gregorius 2. Let Bishops practise in their workes the knowledge which they haue attained vnto by reading 3. Let them also constitute schooles wherein learning maye bee encreassed and men brought vp in them maye bee like to the sault of the earth to season thecorrupt manners of the people and to stoppe the mouthes of heretiques according as it is saide to the commendation of the Church A thousande Targâ—… are hung vp in it euen all the Armour of the strong Cantiel cap. 4. vers 4. 4. Let Church men shew humilitie in worde deede countenance and habite 5. Let Priestes bee vnreprooueable adorned with good manners and not giuen to filthie lucre 6. The blame of filthy lucre where with many Church men were charged for this that they allured secular men to renounce the worlde and to bring their goods to the Church they endeuour with multiplied number of wordes to remoue 7. Bishops and Abbots who with deceitful speaches haue circumuened simple men and shauen their heads by such meanes doe possesse their goods in respect of their couetous desire of filthie lucre let them bee subject to Canonicall or Regulare repentance But let those simple men who haue laide downe their haire as men destitute of vnderstanding who cannot gouerne their owne affaires let them remaine in that estate which they haue once vndertaken but let the goods giuen by negligent parentes and receiued or rather reaued by auaritious Church men bee restored againe to their children and heires 8. If Church men lay vp prouision of Cornes in Victuall houses let it not bee to keepe them to a dearth but to support the poore in time of neede therewith 9. Hunting and halking and the insolencie of foolishe and filthie jests are to bee forsaken of Church men 10. Gluttonie drunkennesse is forbidden 11. The Bishop or Abbot must not resort to ciuill judicators to pleade their owne cause except it bee to support the poore and the oppressed Presbyters Deacons and Monkes hauing obtained licence from the Bishop maye compeare in Ciuill judgement seates accompanied with their Aduocate 12. Let not Presbyters Deacons or Monks bee fermers or labourers of the ground 13. It is reported of some brethren that they compell the persons who are to bee admitted in time of their ordination to sweare that they are worthie and that they shall doe nothing repugnant to the Canons and that they shall bee obedient to the Bishop who ordaineth them and to the Church in thewhich they are ordained which oath in regarde it is perilous wee all inhibite and discharge it 14. Bishops in visiting of their parishioners let them not be chargeable vnto them but rather comfortable by preaching the word and by correcting things that are disordered 15. It is reported that some Arch-deacons vse domination ouer the Presbyters and take tribute from them which smelleth rather of tyrannie than of due order For if the Bishop should not vse domination ouer the Clergy but by examplares to the flocke as the Apostle Peter writeth Much lesse shoulde these presume to doe any such like thing 16. Like as in dedication of Churches and for receiuing of orders no money is receiued euen so for buying of Baulme to make Chrisme the Presbyters keepers of Chrisme shall bestowe no money but Bishops of their owne rent shall furnish Baulme for the making of Chrisme and Lightes to the Church 17. It hath beene found in some places that Presbyters haue payed 12. or 14. pennies in yeerely tribute to the Bishop which custome wee haue ordained altogether to bee abolished 18. The receiuing of paunds from incestuous persons from men who pay not their Tythes and from negligent Presbyters is forbidden as a thing which openeth a doore to auarice but rather let Ecclesiasticall discipline strike vpon transgressours 19. Let people giue their Tythes to those Churches wherein their children are baptized and whereunto they resort all the yeere long to heare Church seruice 20. Let peace bee kept amongst all men but in speciall betwixt Bishops and Countes whereby cuery one of them maye mutually support another 21. Ciuill Iudges ought to judge righteously without exception of persons and without receiuing of rewardes and let their Officiars Vicars and Centenaries bee righteous men lest by their auarice and griedinesse the people bee grieued and impouerished And let the witnesses bee of vnsuspect credite for by false witnesses the Countreye is greatly damnified 22. The Abbots and Monkes in this part of the Countreye seeing they haue addicted themselues to the Order of Sainct BENEDICT let them endeuoure to conforme themselues vnto his institution and rules 23. The ordination of Presbyters Deacons and other inferioures is to bee made at a certaine prescribed time 24. Concerning Bishops Presbyters Deacons and Monkes who shall happen to bee slaine let the Emperour giue determination to whome the satisfaction of blood shall belong 25. In manie places the auncient custome of publicke repentance hath ceasted neither is the auncient custome of excommunication and reconciliation in vse Therefore the Emperour is to bee entraited that the auncient discipline maye bee restored againe and they who sinne publikely may be brought to publike repentance and euery man according as hee deserueth maye either be excommunicated or reconciled 26. It is reported that in some Churches there is contention strife for diuiding of Church rentes It is ordained therefore That no Masse shall bee saide in those Churches vntill they who are at variance be reconciled againe 27. Neither the Sacrament of Baptisme nor the Sacrament of Confirmation should bee reiterated 28. Concerning the decrees of affinitie and in what degree Marriage may bee bounde vp euery man is sent to the Canons of the Church to seeke resolution 29. Seeing that the man and the woman are counted in SCRIPTVRE as one fleshe their Parentage is to bee reckoned by like degrees in the matter of Marriage 30. The Marriage of seruantes is not to bee dissolued which is bounde vp with consent of both their masters euerie seruant remaining obedient to his owne master 31. It is rumoured that some women by negligence and others fraudulently doe present their owne children to the Sacrament of Confirmation to the ende they may bee separated from the companie of their husbandes Therefore wee statute and
or resemblance of a SACRAMENT therein The office of a sab-Deacon is not mentioned in Holie Scripture and their seruice in carrying the Challice and the Paxe and the potte with water to washe the handes of them who minister at the Altar and the Towell they are such a masse of friuolous toyes inuented by the braine of man that I will leaue of to speake anie further of them remembring alwayes this auncient saying That which Scripture hath not commaunded maye bee as easilie rejected as it maye bee furtherlie obtruded NOwe seeing I haue remembred in all my preceeding Treatises to speake of Antiquitie I shall not ouer-passe with silence this poinct GOD willing in this Treatise also Albeit the Hierarchie of the Romane Church were founde to bee auncient yet it sufficeth for this Treatise to declare that of olde these Orders were not called a Sacrament And there is no ancient Writer whome I haue read who reckoneth Church Orders in the number of Sacramentes As for the wordes of Cyprian and Pope Leo cited by Lindanus they are not worthie of refutation because in a generall signification manie thinges maye bee called Sacramentes But to call Order a Sacrament in a strict signification it is a newe inuention founde out by the Scholasticke Doctors who behooued to bee serious in some thing after they had lost the substance of Religion But I will set forwarde and declare that the Hierarchy it selfe is not so auncient as they affirme it to bee True it is that about the yeere of our LORD 250. Cornelius Bishop of Rome abhorring the arrogancie of Nouaius describeth the Hierarchie of the Romane Church in the which there was one Bishop fourtie and sixe Presbyters seuen Deacons and seuen sub-Deacons fourtie and two Acoluthi of Exorcistes Readers and Ianitors fiftie two of Widowes afflicted people aboue a thousande and fiue hundreth persons who were all sustained by the liberalitie and goodnesse of GOD in the Romane Church Heereof it appeareth that ouer and beside offices instituted by the Apostles to continue ordinarilie in the Church other offices crept in into the Church by humane institution hauing no such warrand as Elders and Deacons had And after the time of the promotion of the Bishop of Rome to the honour of Vniuersall Bishop the number of Church offices encreassed and to Presbyters were added Arch-priestes and to Deacons were added Arch-deacons And Lindanus lamenteth that other inferiour offices which were inuented by men had ceassed in the Church such as Fossores Syngeli Copiatae When the liberalitie of the people bestowed superfluitie of riches vpon the Church then newe offices behooued to bee founde out to the ende that all which was bestowed might seeme too litle because manie Church offices were to bee sustained the prouerbe spoken of olde of women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A woman is naturally sumptuous nowe it might bee justly transferred to the Church Hierarchie that it was a sumptuous and costly thing About the yeere of our Lord 308 and vnder the reigne of Dioclesian a constitution is attributed to Caius Bishop of Rome that men should bee promoted to superiour Orders by degrees ascending from inferiour Orders And all the fore-mentioned Orders are reckoned in that Decretall of Caius to wit Ostiarius Lector Exorcista Acoluthus Sub-diaconus Diaconus Presbyter and Episcopus But the Epistle of Leo the fourth written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credite to all the decretall Epistles written before the dayes of Pope Siricius except onelie to the decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So that argumentes taken from decretall Epistles preceeding the 384. yeere of our Lord hath the lesse credite amongst vs because they cannot obtaine credite at the handes of their owne Popes But seeing nothing is to beee called auncient which hath not flowed from the mouth of Christ and His Apostles lest they should seeme to be discountenanced in this poinct they cite the booke of the Canons of the Apostles to prooue that the degrees afore-saide were Apostolicke constitutions This booke is not onely supposititious but also moste impertinently cited by Papistes because in the Councell of Trent De Sacramento ordinis cap. 2. Anathema is pronounced against them who acknowledgeth not all their Orders both superiour and inferiour But the booke of the Canons of the Apostles acknowledgeth onely fiue Orders namely Bishops Presbyters Deacons Readers and Psalmists or Chantors but no mention is made of Exorcistes and Sub-deacons Therefore it were good for them either to bragge lesse of Antiquitie or to prooue better that their Hierarchie is auncient Ambrose in cap. 4. ad Ephes. reckoneth fiue Orders to wit Bishops Presbyters Deacons Readers and Exorcistes making no mention of Subdeacons and Acoluthi The Canonistes recken nine Orders adding to the seuen aboue mentioned Bishops and Psalmists This diuersitie of opinions concerning Church Orders declareth two thinges First that of olde there was no Sacrament of Orders Secondlie that there was no setled opinion in the Church about Orders but one Church vsed one forme and another Church another forme as is customably obserued in thinges indifferent insomuch that when it was thought expedient that all house-holde seruantes in Bishops houses shoulde bee Clergie men then the number of Church offices were multiplied according to the number of Oecumenicke offices accustomed to bee in Noble mens houses Would God that in matters of faith of manners and Church Discipline men had fixed the eyes of their minds as attentiuelie vpon the written worde of GOD as Ship-men doe vpon their Compasse then had there beene lesse aberration and lesse disputation and lesse diuersitie of opinions The LORD worke this in His owne time to whome bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euer and euer worlde without ende Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Matrimonie IN the TREATISE of the Sacrament of MATRIMONIE the inconstancie obliuion contradiction and head-strong insolencie of the Romane Church maketh mee vncertaine whereat to beginne For who coulde once imagine that they who call Marriage a worke of the fleshe and an estate of liuing vncompetent to them who are called to holie Orders forgetting what they had spoken they woulde make of it an holie Sacrament as if the Ministers of GOD should bee debarred from the holie Sacramentes of GOD. If they saye that they debarre men in spirituall offices onelie from copulation with women yet in this they debarre them from the Sacrament forasmuch as they debarre them from the externall signe whereby the spirituall grace is represented Can anie man bee partaker of Baptisme and not washen in water Or can anie man bee partaker of the LORDES Super and not be permitted to eat and drinke at the holie Table And how is a man admitted to the Sacrament of Matrimonie and debarred from copulation which they themselues graunt to bee the externall signe of the Sacrament But let vs marke the fraudulent dealing of the ROMANâ—… Church who hath made Marriage to bee a Sacrament albeit all the members
of their Hierarchle haue forsaken it yet this they gaine that Marriage beeing counted an holie Sacrament they haue drawne the cognition of all Matrimoniall causes vnder their judicatorie This beeing done and their authoritie beeing setled they tooke boldnesse to make lawes both impious against GOD and injurious to men as namelie that Marriages bound vp betwixt young persons without consent of Parentes shoulde bee firme and itable That amongst kinsfolke it shoulde not bee lawfull to marrie within the seuenth degree and these were alreadie married within these degrees shoulde bee separated againe That a man who is diuorced from an adulterous woman shall not haue libertie to marrie during her life-time That they who are spirituall brethren and sisters by the Sacrament of Baptisme and Confirmation shall not haue leaue to marrie one another And Marriage is forbidden at certaine seasons of the yeere And finallie that the Church may dispense with the degrees of consanguinitie forbidden in the eighteenth CHAPTER of LEVITICVS and finde out moe degrees impeding Marriage to bee bound vp The Apostle PAVL when hee calleth Marriage a great mysterie EPHES. CAP. 5. VERS 32. hee is speaking concerning CHRIST and concerning His Church And it is indeede a mysterie vnspeakeable whether wee consider the beginning or the progresse or the consummation of this Marriage It is begunne in Earth and perfected in Heauen And the loue of CHRIST and His Church is vnspeakeable For euen the Spouse of CHRIST albeit shee bee infirme and weake in the Earth yet her heart is so inflamed with the loue of her husband that shee forgetteth all thinges and remembereth vpon Him shee counteth all thinges to be dongue in comparison of him one sight of His reconciled face is dearer to her than all the treasures of the worlde His name is like a sweete oyntment powred out and delighting her soule with the sweete smell of saluation And if the loue of the Church towardes CHRIST bee vnspeakeable who can comprehende the length breadth and deepnesse of the loue of CHRIST towardes His Church who hath purged her from all spotte of sinne in this worlde and prepared a glorious mansion for her in His Fathers house that is in Heauen But this is not spoken of the marriage of mortall men with their wiues True it is that the Apostle PAVL in that same place setteth downe some similitude betwixt corporall marriages and the spirituall marriage betwixt CHRIST and His Church But that is not enough to furnishe out an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church of GOD for then shoulde there bee infinite Sacramentes For the Kingdome of GOD MATTHEW 13. is compared to a man who soweth good seede in his fielde It is compared to leuen and to a treasure that is hidden in the fielde and to a drawe nette and to a graine of Mustard seede yet all these thinges are not Sacramentes in the Church Yea and in the marriage of ADAM and EVA wee see a certaine similitude of the spirituall marriage betwixt CHRIST and His Church for ADAM loued the woman which was fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones and in whom hee saw his owne similitude GENES CHAP. 2. VERS 23. And CHRIST in like manner by feeding vs with His owne bodie and blood Hee maketh vs fleshe of His owne fleshe and bone of his owne bones and more-ouer Hee stampeth vs with His owne similitude to assure vs that He loueth vs whom Hee hath stamped with His owne likenesse In like manner a matrimoniall bande is more indissoluble than other bandes for other bandes like as they are bounde vp with consent of parties so in like manner they maye bee dissolued and vndone with consent of parties but the bande of Marriage cannot bee vndone except by death or fornication But the conjunction betwixt CHRIST and His Church ROMAN CHAP. VIII cannot bee vndone by death it selfe As concerning spirituall whordome the true Church which consisteth of a number whome GOD hath elected called justified sanctified and whome Hee intendeth to glorifie These I saye the LORD in mercie preserueth from spirituall whordome and apostasie from the knowne trueth And like as a chaste woman delighteth in her husbande whether hee bee present with her or absent from her if hee bee present shee delighteth to conferre with him if hee bee absent shee delighteth to talke of him to reade his letters to beholde the tokens of his fauour towardes her and finallie in the secrete parloure of her heart to meditate of his goodnesse towardes her Basil. Magn. De vera Virginiâ—… Euen so the Church is rauished with an vnspeakeable delight of her husband IESVS CHRIST Hee is spirituallie present and by holie prayers shee talketh with Him night and daye Hee is corporallie absent therefore shee delighteth to talke of His loue and goodnesse towardes her and to reade the bookes of holie Scripture wherein His good will towardes her is clearlie manifested and in the secrete chamber of her heart continuallie to meditate of His second blessed appearance IN nothing doeth the ROMANE Church agree better with vs for a time than in magnifying Marriage as an holie bande instituted by GOD in PARADISE and hauing a type and similitude of the loue of CHRIST towardes His Church and therefore they make it an holie Sacrament in the Church which no man euer did before the dayes of Pope GREGORIE But when they perceaued that this was not consented vnto that Marriage shoulde bee counted one of the ordinarie Sacramentes in the Church especiallie the whole Hierarchie of the ROMANE Church disclaiming it and the East Church in a generall Councell disallowing prohibition of Marriage to men called to spirituall offices The ROMANE Church tooke offence at euerie thing which was repugnant to their opinion They coulde neither abide them who denied that Marriage was a Sacrament nor yet them who gaue libertie to Church men to marrie And so beeing irritated on all sides they beganne to speake euill of Marriage as a worke of the fleshe and an estate vncompetent to men in spirituall offices Is not the ROMANE Church in this poinct like vnto the Riuer EVPHRATES which flowing out of the Mountaines of ARMENIA setteth its course Westward vntill it forgather with the skirtes of Mount TAVRVS and then when the course of it is hindered it fetcheth a contrarie course and runneth directlie East vntill it bee mixed with the water of TYGRIS Euen so the ROMANE Church which coulde neuer abide to bee controlled it tooke occasion to speake vnreuerentlie of Marriage because their opinions were not receaued in the Church without contradiction NOwe seeing the cause is euidentlie knowne wherefore they were so serious to drawe in Matrimonie into the number of Sacramentes namelie to the ende that matrimoniall causes might bee founde spirituall causes and might bee judged by spirituall Iudges Let vs consider what constitutions they made in matters of Matrimonie without anie warrand or regarde of Scripture insomuch that their vilepending of Scripture maketh a number of
was baptized Vlpianus an enemie to Christians Mammea the Emperors mother is instructed by Origen in the faith Turinus killed with smoke Origen wrote a booke de martyrio The malice of Satan against true ' Pastors Origen got not the honor of martyrdome Difference betwixt holy scripture and other bookes The 7. persecution ANN. Ch. 250. Alexander Babylas both dicd in prison Origen at Jerusalem closeth the booke and wepeth The teeth of the holy martyre Apollonia The veritie hath no neede to be vnderpropped with lies Maried Bishops The rigour of Novatus The 8. persecution ANN. Ch. 259. The martyrdome of Cyprian Theotecnus B of Caesarea incourageth Marinus Christians full of pitis The historie of Eusebius concerning the two bâ—…asen images in Caesarea Philipi The 9tpersecution ANN. Ch. 278 Aurelian with ctutle authoritie assisteth the Church against Samosatenus Temples 〈◊〉 built by Châ—…stians after the death of Valerian The 10 persecution ANN. Ch. 308. John a noble man borne rent in pieces the Emperours proclamation The martyrdome of Peter Dorotheus and Gorgonius Horrible crueltie against Christian women A towne in Phrygiaset on fire and al the inhâ—…bitants buâ—…nt with fire Mauritius with a whole legion of Christian souldiers martyred Diocletian and Maximian giue ouer their imperiall function Constantius tried his captames whether they wâ—…re Christians or not Edicts against Christians ingraued in brasse A sudden change of the prosperitie of Pagans into aduâ—…suie Maximinus was ouercome in battel by Licinius Sophronia chused rather to kilâ—…her selfe then to be abused by Maxentius Constantine seeth the similitud of a bright crosse inheauen Maxentius ouer come in battell by Constantine Three cruell edicts of Licinius against Christians Fortie martyrs tormented first with cold and next wâ—…th heate Bishops of Rome Zephyrinus Callistus Vrbanus Pontianus Anterus Fabianus Cornelius A council at Rome against Novatus Lucius Stephanus Xistus 2 Dionysius Felix 1. Eutychianus Caius Marcellinus Marcellus Eusebius Of other preachers doctours Tertullian Origen Cyprian Bishops of Alexandria Bishops of Antiochia Artotyritae Alogi Adamiani Theodotiani Mâ—…deciani Bardesianistae Ualesii Apostolici Origeniani Artemon Helcesaitae Sabelliani Nepotiani Samosatenus Manes Manichei Hieracitae Purgatorie and worshipping of reliques errors borrowed froÌ„ Pagans Foolish borrowing Foolish following Error growing worse worse The error of Purgatorie fire misliked by Augustine but not fully impugned Simil. Many handmaids of Purgatorie An exhortation to detest the originall of Purgatorie Simil. Simil. Preposterous feare credulity of people â—…pholde people An exhortation to corrigible Papists The vse of temporall paines Fault and punishment there of both abolished in Christ. Plaeces of the old Testament abused for stablishing of Purgatorie Places of the new Testament abused A place out of the booke of the Maccabees for câ—…nsi mation of sacrifice for the dead and consequently of Purgaterie Simil. By the praiers made for the dead of old Purgatorie cannot be sufficiently confirmed The place of Augustine serm 32. de verbis Aposloli examined The place of Chrysostom homil 3 in epist. ad Phillip examined Fables of Damascene forstablishing of Purgatory True Christians leane vpon the purging blood of Christ. The corruption of mans nature Simil. The great slight of Satan Another craft of Satan The third craft of Satan We reade of graues opened for dishonouring but not for honouring of bones No example in the nâ—…w Testament of raâ—…sing bones out of the graue to be worshipped The fathers neerest to the Apostles dayes freest of superstition Buriall of Christians hindered to quench the hope of resurrection What time transporting ' of the bones of the Saints began and how long this custome continued without adoration An answeâ—… to an objection Answere to another objection An answere to the thirde objeâ—…tion No testimonie in scripture to proâ—…e the Worshipping ofreliques The sheep-heards staffe of Moses The cloake of Elias The Church of the lewes might haue had moe reliques then the Romane Church Worshipping of reliques after the 592. yeere of our Lord. Object The first answere The second answere The third answere The fourth answere False reliques Simil. Great busines to destroy Christ after he was borne as great businesse to aduance the Antichrist Christ instituted none of the Apostles to be supreme heade ouer the rest The decretal epistles attributed to the Bishops of Rome of old are forged false 1. 2. 3 4 5. 6. The first step Simil. The second step Gratianus exception froÌ„ the councill of Carthage is foolish The third step The fourth steppe The fist step The sixt step The sâ—…uinth steppe Simil. The eighâ—… steppe Acomparison between Christ and the Antichrist The first Tragedie The second Tragedie Simil. The third Tragedte 1. Chr. 14. verse 11. Iudg. 6. verse 16. Gene. 37. verse 34. Gen. 50. verse 1. Epistle Iude verse 11. Isai. 27. verse 1. Similitude â—…seb de vita 〈◊〉 lib. 2. Sozom. lib. 2. Cap. 14. Idem lib. 2. cap. 8. 9. 10. 13. Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 15. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 9. Theodor. lib. 1 cap. 22. Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 24. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 10. Socrat lib. 1. cap. 20. Theodor. lib. 1. cap. 23. Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 6. Euseb. de vita Constant. lib. 4. Theod. lib. 5. cap. 20. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 1. Idem lib. 3. cap. 11. lib. 3. cap. 18 Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 30. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 18. Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 8. Genes 18. Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 4. Sozom lib. 2 cap. 2. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 18. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 8. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 6. Functii Chronolog Iohn 3. Euseb. do vita Constant. lib. 4. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 19. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 46. Idem lib. 2. cap. 5. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 32. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 11. Theâ—… li. 2 cap. 3. Theoder li. 2 cap. 3. Thâ—…d ibid. Theod. lib. 2 cap. 13. Theodoret. ibid. Prouer. 10 verse 9. Sâ—…crat lib. 2 cap. 27. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 32. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 33. Theod. lib. 2. cap. 32. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 21. Socrat. lib 3. cap. 1. Socrat. ibid. Socrat. ibid. Theod. lib. 3. cap. 4. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 4. Theod. lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 8. Socra lib. 13 14. Sozom. lib. 5 cap. 15. Matth. 5. Theod. lib. 3. cap. 16. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 17. Titus 1. verse 15. 1. Cor. 10. verse 25. Theod. lib. 3 cap. 15. Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 28. Theodor. li 3 cap. 6. Theodor. li. 3 cap. 7. Theod. ibid. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 2. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 15. Ruffiin lib. 2 cap. 33. Sozom. lib. 5 cap. 4. Thâ—…odor lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 9 10 Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 18. 19. Theodoret. ibid. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 37. 38. 39. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 20. Theod lib. 3. cap. 20. Sozom. lib. 5 cap. 22. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 21. Sozom. lib. 6 cap. 1. 2. Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 1. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 21. 22. Theod. lib. 4 cap. 2. 3. Theod. lib. 4. cap. 4. Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 6. Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 31. Ruffin lib.