have disputed concerning the calling of the Elect according to the purpose of God is contrary unto the opinion of the Fathers and the mind of the Church But it is sure that the Massilians were Semipelagians And Arnobius on Psal 108. hath this note Mark saith he that it was of his will that he would not Because of the heresie which saith God hath predestinated some unto blessing and others unto damnation In a word whosoever pleaseth to search for this heresie he cannot find that ever there was such an one but that the Pelagians or Semipelagians have used the name to discredit the sound doctrine of Augustine and they seeing his books to be in high esteem and authority in the Church were afraid to put it upon him and they did wrest some conclusions out of his books which they did brand with the odious name of such an heresie 17. At this time was Published an Exegesis or Commentary on thirteen The Exegesis of the Epistle of Paul by Remigius is vindicated Epistles of the Apostle Paul which was lately Printed at Rome under the name of Remigius Rhemensis which lived about the year 540 a Jesuit Baptista Villapand gave out that he had found it at Saint Caecilia in Rome and did publish it as a rich treasure lying so long time in a manuscript Andr. Rivet in Critic sacr lib. 4. cap. 27. sheweth the vanity of the Jesuit seeing the same book was Printed above 30 years before that at Paris two several times and in the Book is mention of Gregory and Beda I add another reason that Exegesis on 2 Thess 2. at these words Except there come a falling away first All Kingdoms shall fall away from the Roman Empire and the man of sin to wit the Antichrist who although he is a man yet shall he be the fountain of all sins Be revealed and made manifest and the son of perdition i. e. a son of the Divel not by nature but by imitation and is called perdition because perdition shall come by him ..... He shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself as if he were God This may be understood two waies And here he hath first that opinion that Antichrist shall be born at Babylon of the Tribe of Dan c. and then he addeth Or also he shall sit in the Temple of God i. e. in the Church shewing himself as if he were God for as the fulness of God-head did rest in Christ so in that man who is called Antichrist because he is contrary unto Christ the fulness of all wickedness and iniquity shall dwell because in him shall be the head of all wickedness the Divel who is the King above all the children of pride In these words the Apostle demonstrates unto the Thessalonians that the Lord shall not come to judgment untill there be a defection of the Roman Empire Note which now we see fulfilled and Antichrist appearing in the World who shall kill the Martyrs of Christ So far there It is true Chrysostom and others had long before expounded that Text in the same manner but none did apply it in that manner neither could it be applied before that time seeing the Empire of Rome though sometimes more weakned than at other times yet was never solow before the daies of Lotharius then every Nation had their own King and Lotharius had a part of France and a part of Italy and his Successour had no more but a part of Italy As for the appearing of Antichrist we have heard before in Sect. 14. what Gunther and Thietgaud writ unto Pope Nicolaus and in Sect. 15 what Luithpett writ unto King Lewis both which agree with this exposition and application Hence it followeth that this Commentary That Exegesis is not for but rather against Transubstantiation could not be written before this time Next consider for what cause the Jesuit and after him others do commend this Commentary to wit thereby they would prove the fancy of Transubstantiation to have been so old for on 1 Cor. 10. it is said The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Certainly first it is consecrate and blessed by the Priests and the Holy Ghost and then broken and now although it seem videatur or is seen to be Bread in verity it is the body of Christ of which Bread whosoever communicates he eats the body of Christ And again it is said there That Bread doth pass transit into the body of Christ neither are they two bodies but one body Because the explication of this testimony may serve for clearing many other such testimonies I will set before you the words preceding and following and then confer all together First a little from the beginning of that Chap. it is said He saith not The Rock did signifie Christ but as if it had been in truth The Rock was Christ though certainly it was not so by substance but by signification Likewise speaking of the two sons of Abraham he saith not These signifie the two Testaments but These are the two Testaments Christ then in respect of firmness is the Rock not by substance and the water which did flow out of the Rock signifieth the doctrine of Christ and the grace of the Holy Ghost of which in the Gospel Who thirsts let him come to me and drink c. It is also called a spiritual and following Rock because it signifieth spiritually Christ who followed them of which spiritual Rock following them they did drink because when human help failed them Christ was at hand giving help by whose powet who is the Word of God the Father they were delivered out of the Land of Aegypt and brought into the Land of Promise So far there And in the other place it is written thus The Cup is called Communication i. e. partaking because all do communicate of it and receive a part of the blood of Christ which it containeth in it And the Bread which we break on the Altar is it not a partaking of the Body of Christ Certainly first it is consecrate and blessed by the Priests and Holy Ghost and then it is broken and now although it seem videatur or it is seen to be bread in verity it is the body of Christ of which bread whosoever communicateth they eat the body of Christ because one Bread to wit of Christ and one Body to wit of Christ we many are who eat that Bread the flesh which the Word of God the Father did assume in the Virgins womb in the unity of person and the bread which is consecrate in the Church are one body of Christ for as that flesh is the body of Christ so that bread doth pass transit into the body of Christ neither are they two bodies but one body for the fullness of the God-head which was in him filleth also that bread and the same God-head of the Word which filleth Heaven and Earth and all things therein the same filleth the
words but they have done it wickedly as will appear hereafter 29. Gratian an Hetrurian and Monk of Bononia did out of the Canons The Canon Law of ancient Synods and decrees of Popes and sentences of Fathers and some forged writings of late Monks compile and amass the volume of the Canon Law which they call Decreta and Causae These were afterwards augmented by the Popes adding the Decretals and Extravagants and they are commented by the School-men Gratian took this work in hand in imitation of Lotharius the Emperor who had caused the Civil Laws to be digested into a method and he gathered these books so that by addition substraction or changing of a word or letter one or more he made all to serve the present times For example whereas Augustin de Doctr. Christ l. 2. c. 8. saith In Canonicis Scripturis Ecclesiarum Catholicarum quamplurium authoritatem sequatur inter quas sane illae sunt quas Apostolicae sedes habere epistolas accipere meruerunt Gratian Dist 19. c. In Canonicis hath them thus Inter quas Scriptur as Canonitas sane illae sunt quas Apostolica sedes ab ea aliae accipere meruerunt epistolas 2. In the sixth Councel at Carthage the Can. 165. saith Ad transmarina qui putaverit appellandum à nullo intra Africam in communione recipiatur This Canon speaketh absolutely and was made especially against appeals unto Rome But Gratian repeating it Caus 2. qu. 6. c. Placuit addeth Nisi forte Romanam sedem appellaverit 3. Pope Gregory lib. 9. epist 41. saith Scripsit mihi tua dilectio piissimum dominum nostrum speaking of the Emperor reverendissimo fratri meo Iohanni primae Iustinianae Episcopo pro agritudine capitis quam patitur praecipere succedi But Gratian Caus 7. qu. 1. c. Scripsit repeateth it thus Scripsit tua dilectio me reverendissimo fratri Iohanni pi Iust epis praecipere succedi 4. That common saying Petri successionem non habent qui Petri fidem non habent Gratian considering that hereby the succession of Peter might be called into question De poenit dist 1. c. potest saith Qui Petri sedem non habent Hear what a Papist judgeth of these Decrees Corn. Agrippa sometime Doctor utriusque Iuris in his Book De vanitat scient cap. 92. saith From the Civil Law hath flowed the Canon Law which may seem unto many to be very holy it doth so cover the precepts of covetousness and forms of robbing with the shew of godliness albeit very few things in it belong unto godliness religion or the worship of God besides that some things are contrary and fight against the word of God and all the rest are nothing but chidings pleas prides pomps gain or lucre and the pleasures of Popes which are not content with the Canons prescribed by the Fathers unless they do heap up Decrees Extravagants that there is no end of making Canons such is the ambition meer pleasure of Popes The School of Paris did openly detest and reprove this erroneous intolerable temerity I will not say heresie Out of these Canons and Decrees we have learned that the patrimony of Christ is Kingdoms donations foundations riches and possessions and that the Priesthood of Christ and primacy of the Church is Empire and Kingdom and that the sword of Christ is temporal jurisdiction and power and that the rock which is the foundation of the Church is the person of the Pope and that Bishops are not servants or Ministers of the Church but heads thereof and the goods of the Church are not the doctrine of the Gospel zeal of faith contempt of the world but tributes tithes offerings collects purples mitres gold silver jewels lands beasts authority it belongeth unto the Popes to manage battels break covenants loose oaths absolve from obedience and to make the house of prayer become a den of thieves so that a Pope may depose a Bishop without a cause he may dispose of other mens goods he cannot commit simony he may dispense against a vow against an oath and the law of nature nor may any man say unto him What doest thou yea and they say that for a weighty cause he may dispense against all the new Testament he may thrust down to hell a third part or more of Christian souls Agrippa in that place hath more of the matter and scope of the Canon Law and for instance I will name Dist 40. c. Si Papa If the Pope be found to neglect either his own salvation or his brethrens be unprofitable and slack in his office silent in that which is good hurtful to himself and all others yea though he lead with him innumerable people in troops to the first slave of hell yet let no mortal presume to finde fault with his doings And nevertheless in these Decrees we may finde not a few stops of Antiquity and some part of the doctrine and practise of the primitive Church even then remaining as I have touched in some places and more may be added as Dist 39. cap. 8. If as the Apostle saith Christ be the power of God and the wisdom of God and he which knoweth not the Scriptures knoweth not the wisdom and power of God then the ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of Christ Dist 9. c. he saith from Augustine I have learned to give such fear and honor unto these books of the Scripture onely which now are called Canonical that I believe certainly none of their Authors could err in writing and if I finde any thing in them that seemeth contrary unto truth I doubt not but there is an escape in the Book or the Translator hath not attained the right meaning or that I do not understand it but I do read other books so that whatsoever was their holiness or learning yet I think it not true because they have thought so but because they could perswade me by other Authors or by the Canonical Scriptures or by probable reasons And Dist 8. cap. Si consuetudinem If you do object custom it is to be observed that the Lord saith I am the way the truth and life he saith not I am custom but I am truth and truly to use the words of blessed Cyprian whatsoever be the custom how old soever or common it be it must not in any respect be preferred unto truth and use which is contrary unto truth must be abolished Dist 16. c. Canones These that are called the Canons of the Apostles are known to be forged in the name of the Apostles by Hereticks although some good things be in them yet it is certain that they are not from Canonical or Apostolical Authority And c. Clementis All the Fathers do reckon the book of Clemens that is the travels of Peter and the Canons of the Apostles among the Apocrypha Dist 36. c. Si quis These be the two works of the high Priest to learn from God by reading the Scriptures and by frequent meditation
and to teach the people but let him teach these things that he hath learned from God and not of his own heart or the mindes of men but what the holy ghost teacheth Dist 9. cap. 6. As the truth of the old Books is to be examined by the Hebrew Books so the truth of the new craveth the rule of the Greek Language Dist 99. cap. 3. The Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince of Priests nor the highest Priest or any such way but onely the Bishop of the first See but let not even the Bishop of Rome be called universal Dist 95. c. olim In old time he was a Bishop that was a Presbyter and ere that by instinct of the divel factions and schisms were in Religion and it was said among the people I am Apollo's and I am Cepha's the Churches were governed by the Common Counsel of the Presbyters so let Bishops know that by custom more then by truth of the Lord's dispensation they are greater then the Presbyters and that they should govern the Church in common Caus 1. qu. 1. c. Augustinus Take the word from the water and what is it but water the word is added unto the element and then it is a Sacrament whence is this vertue unto the water that it toucheth the body and washeth the heart the word doth it not because it is spoken but because it is believed for in the word it self the passing sound is one thing and the abiding vertue is another De Consecra Dist 2. c. Comperimus We have found that some when they have taken onely the portion of the holy body do abstain from the cup of the holy blood who without doubt because I know not by what superstition they are taught to be restrained should either take the whole Sacrament or be debarred from all because the division of one and the same Sacrament cannot be without great sacriledge Ca. prima quidem Till this world be finished the Lord is above and yet the truth of the Lord is also here with us for the body in which he arose must be in one place but his truth is diffused every where C. Hoc est The bread is after a maner called the body of Christ whereas indeed it is the Sacrament of his body and the offering which is by the hand of the Priest is called Christ's passion death and crucifying not in truth of the thing but in a signifying mystery Where the Gloss saith The bread i. e. the Sacrament which truly representeth the flesh of Christ is called his body but improperly that is it signifieth Ca. In Christo What do we then do we not offer every day yea but in remembrance of his death it is done in remembrance thereof what is done Ca. Quia corpus Because he was to remove his body from our eyes and carry it above the Stars it was needful that on the day of the Supper he should consecrate the Sacrament of his body and blood to the end it should be always reverenced in a mystery which was once offered in payment Many such passages are in these Decrees which differing from the doctrine of the Church of Rome now do prove that the Romish Church now is not such as it was then Pope Eugenius did approve all these Decrees and ordained that these should be read in Schools and Universities instead of all Canons and Decrees that so he might the more easily draw them all under one yoke 30. Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris at the same time followed the footsteps Some notes of Lombard's sentences of Gratian and gathered the sum of Divinity into four Books of sentences out of the writings of the Fathers but as I said of Gratians Decrees with adding mincing and changing of words and letters and suitably unto his time and these sentences were authorised as the Text in all Schools to the end none from thenceforth should search antiquity and truth any more from Fathers or Councels under no less danger then guiltiness of heresie Hear what Cor. Agrippa De vanit scient cap. 97. saith of this Scholastick Theology It is saith he of the kinde of Centaures a two-fold discipline blown up by the Sorbon of Paris with a sort of mixtion of Divine oracles and Philosophical reasonings written after a new form and far different from the ancient customs by questions and slie syllogisms without all ornament of language but otherwise full of judgement and understanding and profitable to convince hereticks It cometh to pass that the faculty of Scholastick Theology is not free from error and wickedness these cursed hypocrites and bold Sophists have brought in so many heresies which preach Christ not of good will as Paul saith but of contention so that there is more agreement among Philosophers then among these Divines who have extinguished ancient Divinity with opinions of men and new errors c. Here Barth Gravius a Printer at Lovane about the year 1565. giveth us some light In his Epistle before his Edition of these Sentences he telleth that he had a purpose to reduce all the testimonies unto the first fountains in sincerity but to his great admiration he was informed by the Masters there it could not be so because albeit in other Editions innumerable places were corrected yet many errors as yet were remaining and these not little ones and not a few things as in the Edition at Paris were changed not according to the truth of the old books but in conjecture yea and the old words were corrupted oft times through an immoderate desire of amending and in not a few places the worse was put for the better and saith he this may not be dissembled that the genuine reading of the Master in quoting the testimonies of the ancient writers is very oft changed into the truth of its original especially no old Copy witnessing that he had left it so written for the Master was not so solicitous to repeat all their places wholly but thought it sufficient to propound the matter briefly and leave out many lines in the middle and therefore it were not according to his minde to fill up what he hath omitted yea they have found by sure arguments that he had transcribed many things not from the very fountains but from Hugo Victorian and especially out of the Glossa Ordinaria where these passages are not found in a continued context as in their own Authors but maimedly and sometimes but in broken pieces as it were out of sundry Books and Chapters and mixed together as in a hotchpotch and so if any thing be corrupt in the Master it must not be reduced unto the first fountains but rather unto the Books of the Glossa because it was last taken thence And also he was sometimes deceived in reading it wrong possibly and lead into error in which case to amend him according to the square of his Author were most absurd and madness they said also that in quoting the Authors he
flatteries unto strangers and learned men and had heard their oaths with Judas kisses that faith was like spices rare and dear that the Pope and his Court did draw all things unto them they were worse then Pharaoh thieves and robbers always in womens bosomes 19. John Semeca Provost of St. Stevens in Halberstad and Doctor of the Io. Semeca Author of the Gloss on Gratian though for some hundred years allowed was lately censured Laws did first with Herculean courage saith Crantz in Saxon. lib. 8. cap. 27. attempt to write a Gloss on the Decrees which none before him had done nor could any after him do better When Pope Clement the IV. did require from the Clergy the tenths through France and Germany for redemption of the holy Land this John did publish an Appeal in the contrary and the Pope did excommunicate him and deprive him of his Provostry for his presumption as he said But many great men in Germany did judge that John was not the worseman or to be forsaken and death did prevent the evils that were thought to have followed for both the Pope and John lived not long thereafter Ibid. This Glossa of Semeca was in high account until the time of the Councel at Trent but after that time the Popes Pius the V. and Gregory the XII have put several censures on it Jo. Pappus hath collationed their censures and published them Argentorati An. 1609. out of which Edition I have marked these Coll. VII Dist 9. cap. 11. Sana quippe ver Cùm ergo he saith In the Canonical Scripture nothing can be found that agreeth not with Divine Laws and Divine Laws consist with nature this is manifest whatsoever is contrary unto Divine and Canonical Laws is contrary unto natural Law The Edition of Pope Pius ordaineth these words to be left out and the Gregorian blotteth them not but addeth on the margin See above Dist 6 c X. Dist 16. cap. 1. Canones And among the Apocrypha that is books without a certain Authority as the Wisdom of Solomon the book of Jesus the Son of Sirach which is called Ecclesiasticus and the books of Judith and Tobias and the book of Maccabees these are called Apocrypha and yet are read but perhaps not generally The Edition of Pius biddeth blot all these words until Clementis exclusively the Gregorian hath the whole Gloss but noteth on the margin I but these books are not Apocrypha but Canonical albeit in ancient times some Catholicks doubted of them XI Dist 17. cap. 6. Concilia The Roman Church hath her Authority from Councels The censure of Pius saith Blot away these words as also in the margin these words The Pope from the Councels c. But the Gregorian keepeth the words of the Gloss and omitteth the margin And in the same Gloss where it is said The Roman Church hath primacy principally from the Lord and secondarily from Councels Gregory will have it in the margin thus Councels give not properly the primacy unto the Roman Church but declare what is given by the Lord. XVI Dist 17. cap. 3. His igitur In all the Sacraments Simony is committed except marriage perhaps because in it the grace of the holy Ghost is not given as 32. q. 2. Connubia The censure of Pius putteth away these words and it followeth in the Gloss But in other Sacraments it is given Pius saith Put away other And where the margin hath I allow not this saying because Pius saith Put away all that But the Gregorian retaineth the Gloss wholly and setteth another margin thus The Sacrament of marriage also giveth grace nor doth the alledged text serve the purpose XVIII Dist 25. cap. 3. Vnus ad ver Quia facile And because we may confess unto a Laic even albeit a Priest be at hand but we shall not confess mortal sins save unto a Priest so that one may be had or else we may confess them unto a Laick The censure of Pius putteth away all these words as also the margin where it is said We may confess unto a Laick But the Gregorian retaineth the Gloss and for the margin setteth these words We may not confess venial nor mortal sins unto a Laick sacramentally but unto a Priest XX. Dist 26. cap. 2. Acutius ad ver Significat And so a Bishop is a Sacrament even as the water it self The censure of Pius putteth away all these But Gregory retaineth the Gloss and addeth in the margin Neither the Bishop nor the water is properly a Sacrament XXIV Dist 50. ca. 14. Et purgabit ver Domo i. e. sacerdotibus For all evils have flowed from Priests 24. quaest 3. Pius putteth away all these words as also the margin which saith All evils from Priests But Gregory retaineth the Gloss and for the margin saith See the Gloss cited in that Chapter Now the cited Chapter is from Jerome on Hos 9. where he saith When I have searched ancient Histories I cannot finde that any hath rent the Church and seduced people from the house of the Lord but these whom God hath appointed to be Priests and Prophets i. e. watch-men these therefore have been turned into winding snares and have laid scandals in all places LVII De poenitentia Dist 1. in princ Vtrum Gloss ver eod But whatsoever Bas saith say thou That neither by contrition of the heart nor by confession of the mouth are sins forgiven but onely by the grace of God Pius putteth away all these words Gregory retaineth the words but noteth in the margin or rather perverteth thus Onely God forgiveth sins but by the merit of Christ and the ministery of the Priests and in the penitent he requireth contrition at least attrition which by vertue of the keys becometh contrition confession and satisfaction LIX Ibid. cap. 5. Magna ver dimiserit Remission of sin goeth before contrition of heart for one cannot confess truly unless he first have faith working by love Pius putteth away all these words Gregory retaineth them and in the margin addeth two corrections one at the word goeth before yea remission is the effect of contrition S. Tho. 4. Dist 17. ar 1. q. 1. another at the word Confesse one confesseth truly and profitably with attrition onely LXIV Ibid. ver Iustificeris That thou mayest be justified in respect of others not in respect of God with whom thou art justified Pius putteth awaway all these words Gregory putteth them not away but in the margin he saith Yea Gratian bringeth this to shew that neither with God is any justified without confession of the mouth De consecratione LXXVII Dist 2. cap. 22. Tribus gradib ver Miscere It is certain when the species elements are broken with the teeth so soon is the body of Christ taken up into heaven Pius putteth away these words Gregory putteth them not away but saith in the margin The body of Christ abideth so long as the species abide which goeth down into the belly and do nourish There be many
the law the godly under the law and the godly under grace all these perfecting the body of Christ are ordered among the Members of the Church and none of them would ever be called Universal and therefore let your Holiness know what swelling is in you who seeketh the name wherewith never any did presume to be called who was truly godly Did not the reverend Synod at Chalcedon as your Holiness knows call the High-priests of this Apostolical See which I do serve as God hath disposed Universal by a profered honour and nevertheless none of them would be named by such a word not any of them did take unto them this temerarious Title lest if in the degree of Priesthood he had taken this glory of singularity he had been thought to have denied it to all his brethren Much more writes Pope Gregory of this kind in that 38. Ep. li. 4. and especially in the same Epistle he tels him that he had given direction to his Deacon Sabinian that he should not communicate with John or be at the same Missa service with him unless he did renounce that wicked and prophane pride And in 32. Epistle of the same book unto the Emperour Maurice he calleth that a name of vanity a new name a wicked and arrogant name and li. 6. Ep. 36. I say boldly he who takes or affecteth this name is the fore-runner or Usher of Antichrist because in pride he preferreth himself above all others The Emperour was not well pleased with these Letters and when Cyriacus was Patriarch he writ unto Gregory that for so frivolous a word he would not give so great scandal unto the Church Gregory answereth li. 6. Ep. 30. saying I intreat that your Imperial Godliness would consider that some frivolous words are very damnable and some are not so hurtfull When Antichrist shall call himself God will it not be a frivolous word and yet very pernicious if you consider the quantity of the word Deus it hath but two syllables but if you consider the weight of iniquity it is an vniversal plague and I say boldly that whosoever desireth to be called Universal Priest he runneth before Antichrist in pride because he presumptuously preferreth himself above all others and with the same pride he is brought into all errour for as that man of sin will seem to be above all men so whosoever seeketh to be called the only Priest exalts himself above all other Priests Gregory writ also unto Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria and Anastasius Bishop of Antiochia li. 4. Ep. 36. that they would help in this common cause and hinder so great pride After the same manner did he write li. 7. Ep. 69. unto Eusebius Bishop of Thessalonica and others in the daies of Cyriacus If any will say Gregory did invey against John and Cyriacus because they did usurp what was due unto the Bishop of Rome the words of the former Epistle unto John shew the contrary as also the Ep. 30. li. 7. indict 1. unto Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria where he writes thus I said that you should neither give unto me nor unto any other such a Title and behold in the beginning of the Epistle which you have directed unto me who have forbidden it is the word of that proud Title calling me Universal Pope which I desire that your most sweet Holiness do no more unto me for it is withdrawn from you which is given unto another more then reason requires for I seek to prosper not in words but in manners nor do I think it my honour wherein I know that my brethren come short of their honour .... then am I honoured when the honour which is due unto every one is not denied to every one for if your Holiness call me Universal Pope you deny your self that when you call me Universal but far be that away with words that blow up vanity and wound charity So far he When Phocas Ambition can flatter and serve the time had slain the Emperour Maurice though Baronius adan 605. calleth him a perjured and bloody murtherer yet unto him writes Gregory saying Glory in the highest places unto God who as it is written changeth times and transferreth Kingdomes for by the incomprehensible dispensation of the Almighty God is the moderation of mans life ..... when the mercifull God will comfort the hearts of them who mourn he advanceth unto the top of government one by the bowels of whose mercy he poureth the grace of gladness into the hearts of many in the aboundance of this joy we trust to be comforted who are glad that the bountifulness of your Godliness is come to the high Empire Let the heavens rejoice let the earth be glad and the people of all the Republick hitherto vehemently afflicted become joyfull in your bountifulness c. li. 11. Ep. 36. Unto the Empress Leontia he did write the 44. Epistle of the same book which beginneth thus What tongue can tell what mind can think the thanks we owe unto the Almighty God for the happiness of your Empire And he endeth praying that they would love his Church to whom it was said Thou art Peter and upon this rock and on the other side he promiseth that Peter will protect their Empire here and intercede for them in heaven that for relieving the oppressed on earth they may rejoice many years in heaven What meaneth this so large congratulation but that through the favour of Phocas his own authority may be enlarged at least that none be preferred above him So ready are some to speak against the faults of others and to disguise the same in themselves as they find occasion But Gregory died an 604. when he had sitten 8. years Because he is the first Church-man I speak of it may seem necessary to shew what was the estate of the Church in his daies in respect of Doctrine and Discipline and this I will indeavour God willing in the next chapter lest I seem to inlarge the life of one too far for this present behold a little of the Papal power In li. 4. Ep. 31. he bewails unto the Emperour Maurice that in his Epistle he had called him a simple fool and he saith Let not our Lord according The Pope was subject unto the Emperor to his earthly power be too hastily angry against the Priests but in singular consideration for his sake whose servants they are let him so reign over them that he bestow due reverence on them Bellarmin de Ro. Pontif. lib. 2. c. 28. acknowledgeth that the Pope reckoneth himself amongst those Priests And in Epistle 34. he saith I trust in the Almighty God that he will give long life unto our godly Lords and according to his mercy he will protect us under your hands Observe how reverently the Pope speaks unto the Emperour and yet more submissely in lib. 2. Ep. 61. he saith He is guilty before the Almighty God who is not sincere in all that he doth or speaks unto his
who are most holy have given unto your self what you have allowed unto me for who knows not that the Holy Church is strengthned by the solidity of the Prince of the Apostles because he carried strength of mind in his name that he was called Petrus à Petra to him by the voice of Truth it was said Unto thee will I give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and again When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren and again Simon lovest thou me feed my sheep And so though the Apostles were many yet only the See of the Prince of the Apostles which See is but one in three places and hath prevailed pro ipso principatu for he hath advanced the See where he would rest and finish his life and he hath beautified the See whereinto he sent the Evangelist a Disciple and he hath strengthned the See Antiochia in which he sate 7. years albeit he was to leave it Seeing then the See is one and of one wherein now by Divine authority three Bishops do govern whatsoever good I do hear of you I account it mine own and if you hear any good of me impute it unto your merits because we are all one in him who said That they may be all one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us So far he Whence it appears that whatsoever may be understood by the Title Prince of the Apostles other Bishops did oppose that it should be proper to the See of Rome and Gregory was content to share with the Bishops of Antiochia and Alexandria Likewise Basilius Bishop of Cappadocia in his 55. Epistle calleth Ambrose who was Bishop of Milain Bishop of the first See of the Apostles certainly not because any Apostle was ever Bishop of Milain but because as Ambrose held the doctrine of the Apostles so at that time Milain was the Court of the Emperour Theodosius his Residence as Basil saith in the same Epistle unto that Town is the Princedom of the whole Roman nation concredited The primacy of the Bishop of Rome being grounded in this manner upon so sandy reasons hath been usurped and enlarged by slight and might through many ages and at that time gave the occasion of the great schism betwixt the Greek and Latine Churches and among the Latines themselves for the Bishops of Ravenna and Milain would not consent to the supremacy as follows and therefore Ravenna in contempt was called Acephalos or headless and the Bishops of Venice and Istria would not subject themselves Phyl. Mornay in Myster iniq pag. 117. This Boniface denounceth a curse to all them who climb unto a Bishoprick by favour of men or bribery he ordaineth that The Election of a Bishop the Election of a Bishop should be by consent both of people and clergy and be ratified when the Prince of the City shall approve of it and the Pope shall add his volumus mandamus Platina Gregory said he would not command but only he would intimate or shew such things as he thought expedient lib. 7. Ep. 30. but then Boniface and all his Successors in all their Constitutions Grants and Buls have no word so frequent as Iubemus mandamus He sate 9. months 4. BONIFACE IIII. succeeds an 608. saith Onuphrius Phocas gave Paganisin creepeth into the Romish Church unto him the Temple that was called Pantheon that is of Cybele and all other Gods and he dedicated it unto Mary and all other Saints and therefore it was called Virgo ac Martyres Platin. A noble change not from Paganism to Christianity but from one sort of idolatry to another Neither was this his deed only but of many other Popes as Bellarmin sheweth de cultu Sanctor lib. 3. cap. 4. and therefore Agrippa de vanit scient cap. 58. saith we know this was the old superstition of the Gentils to build to each God their own Temple to whose imitation afterwards Christians began to dedicate their Churches unto their Divis. In that chapter Agrippa taxeth his Romanists 1. That they think God hears prayers more in one place than in another albeit Christ biddeth enter into our Chamber and he himself went unto the Mountaines to pray 2. Hee reproves the multitude of their Churches Chappels and Oratories built and adorned so sumptuously and in the mean time the poor and living members of Christ are starving for want of necessaries From Augustin contra Maximin lib. 1. argum 11. de Sp. San. we may learn a third fault of this kind if we build saith he a Church of Stones or Trees unto any most excellent Angel are we not accursed and anathematized from the truth of Christ and from the Church of God because then we give unto a creature that service which is due unto God only Hereunto did Bellarmin subscribe saying to offer Sacrifices to build Churches and Altars is a service due to God alone de beatit Sanctor lib. 1. cap. 12. But in lib. 3. de cultu Sanctor he varnisheth this practice of the Romish Church saying we build not Churches to our Martyrs as to Gods but as monuments to dead men whose spirits live with God He adds other answers but such as he trusts not himself and the most solid as he saith is Holy houses may be built truly and properly to Saints yet not under the name of a Church or Temple but Basilica or Memoria To omit the identity of the words Agrippa said before They build Churches unto their Divi and Erasmus on the margine above the fore-named words of Augustine hath marked This is done now to each one of the Divi. But experience is a sufficient witness that almost all the Churches under the obedience of Rome had their names from Saints nor were they called the Memories or Monuments but the Church of Saint Peter or some other Saint and in Latine Templa Sanctorum and in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Bellarmin witnesseth de cultu Sanct. lib. 3. cap. 4. Werefore we may see that the Church of Rome hath turned the old idolatry into a new sort of idolatry giving their new Gods more fine and superstitious worship This Boniface did first All-hallow day ordain the Feast of All-Saints and that the Pope should say Mass that day Catal. test verit lib. 6. He turned his fathers house into a Monastery and sate 7. years then the seat was vacant 6. months for many strove for the preheminence rather than for the cure of souls At last 5. DEUSDEDIT or Theodatus the son of a married Priest was chosen and sate 3. years This only is written of him that he was an holy man and that he healed a man sick of the Palsie by a kiss only and that he ordained that the son of him who had been witness of the Baptism of an infant should not marry that infant being a woman Platin. And hereby he enlargeth spiritual alliance as they call it which was begun by Gregory who
the Image of Christ which is given to Christ himself 7. Concerning what Agrippa speaks of the reliques of the Saints in his time Of Reliques it is observable how Gregory the I. writ unto the Empress Constantia lib. 3. Ep. 30. The Majesty of your piety who are famous for study of religion and love of holiness hath commanded that I should send the head of Saint Paul or some part of his body for that Church which is builded in the Palace to the honour of the same Saint Paul the Apostle and while I was desirous that these things might be commanded unto me in which I giving most ready obedience might have the more aboundantly provoked your favour toward me the greater sadness hath overtaken me because you command that which â— neither can nor dare do And he addeth examples of some who had attempted to remove the bodies of some Saints and were smitten with sudden death and others were affrighted and dispersed with the fear of Thunder and therefore he saith Let my most gracious Lady know that it is not the custom of the Romans when they give the reliques of Saints that they presume to touch any part of the body but only a band is sent in a box and that is layed by the holy bodies of the Saints and that is taken up again and sent unto the Church which is to be dedicated Whether these examples be true or not believe Gregory they who will But if other stories can be believed many bodies of Martyrs and Confessours were carried from place to place before his time and after it and in many places of the earth Nor can it be denied that the removing of their bodies which in the fury of persecution had been buried in obscure corners was commendable if restlesse minds had not turned charitable offices into excessive superstition And sundry Ancients do record that miracles were wrought in these places where they were buried as Augustine de civit Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. and Chrysostom in his Book against the Heathens And no less certain is it That Satan took occasion upon their esteem they had of dead bodies to deceive many and that many waies Augustine in Confess lib. 6. cap. 2. sheweth how his mother Monica when she came to Millain would have brought her pottage bread and wine into the Churches or as he calleth them Memorials of the Saints as was the custom of Affrica the door-keeper did hinder her because the Bishop of the place had forbidden it and he did admire how his mother so soon did rather condemn her former custom than call into question the countermand because the custom was like unto the superstition of the Gentiles Jerom to 2. Ep. 2. against Vigilantius telleth how he said Why shouldest thou with so great honour not only honour but adore also I know not what thou worshippest in a little vessel that thou carriest about Why doest thou with adoring kiss dust covered in a cloath we see a custom of the Heathens brought almost into the Church under pretext of religion that whilest the Sun shineth heaps of wax-torches are kindled and they kiss and adore every where a little I know not what dust in a small vessel covered with a precious cloath These men give forsooth great honour unto the most blest Martyrs whom they think to make glorious by their silly Torches when the Lamb who is on the midst of the Throne glorifieth them with the splendour of his Majesty Jerom writeth very bitterly against Vigilantius for writing so and denieth the fact saying O mad head who ever did adore Martyrs who thinketh man to be a God c. There he saith Constantine had caused to transport the bodies of Andrew Luke and Timothy to Constantinople and the Emperour Arcadius had brought the body of the Prophet Samuel from Judea unto Thracia and some Bishops had transported other bodies but none did adore the bodies Hence appears his judgement and the practice of the Churches where he did live or which he knew but it seems he knew not what was done where Vigilantius did live of whom I add here the words of Erasmus in the Argument before that Epistle Vigilantius by nation a Gall and Presbyter of the Church at Barcilona in Spain writ that book wherein he did teach that Reliques of Martyrs should not be adored neither should there be Vigiles at their graves which at that time was done in great religiousness and so against this man falleth Jerom a scolding with reproaches that I wish he had been more moderate as for the night Vigiles they did not please the Church-men as is clear enough that by their authority they are taken away the name only remaining and of that custom is Affrica and other places Augustine de civit Dei lib. 8. cap. ult saith We do not erect Churches Priesthoods Holy things and Sacrifices unto the Martyrs because not they but their God is our God we do honour the remembrance of them as of the holy men of God who have for the truth foughten unto the death of their bodies to the end the true religion may be known all false and feigned religions being convinced But what faithfull man ever heard a Priest standing at an Altar builded upon the holy body of a Martyr for the honour and worship of God say in his prayers Peter or Paul or Cyprian I offer a sacrifice unto thee when at the memory of them it is offered unto God who made them both Men and Martyrs and hath joined them with his Holy Angels in heavenly honour to the end that by that solemnity we may both give thanks unto God for their victory and by calling upon him for help we may exhort our selves to the imitation of their Crowns and Palms in the renewing of their remembrance Therefore whatsoever obsequies of religiousness are performed in the places of Martyrs are ornaments of their memorials and not holy things or sacrifices of the dead as Gods and whosoever bringeth meat thither which truly is not done by the better Christians and in most part of the earth is no such custom nevertheless whosoever doth it when they have layed it down they pray and take it away again that they may eat it or give a part thereof unto the indigent they desire to have it hallowed there by the merits of the Martyrs in the name of the Lord of Martyrs That these are not sacrifices of the Martyrs he knows who knows this one thing that the sacrifice of Christians is there offered unto God and so we worship not the Martyrs neither with divine honours nor with human crimes So far he On these last words Lud. Vives hath this Annotation concerning the practice of his own time Many Christians do often sin in a good thing that they worship divos divasque their gods and goddesses no otherwise than God himself neither do I see in many what difference is betwixt their opinion concerning the Saints and that which the Heathens
prosperously be a note of the Antichrist the Pope cannot be called Antichrist seeing he wanteth so many Provinces I answer in the first part Bellarmine saith that the Pope hath lost what he never had and in the latter part he hath lost more for he might have added Scotland Ireland a great part of Poland Prussia c. But all these had given their power and Kingdom unto the Beast until the word of God was fullfilled and they do now hate the Whore and have made her naked as it is said Rev. 17. But it is no where written in Scripture nor do Protestants say that the Beast or Antichrist had or shall have dominion over all the earth although he make such a claim falsely yea the fourth part of the earth was never subject to the See of Rome at once or at one and the same time 4. As the Papishes do glory in vain of the Pope's Supremacy over the The Pope had no power to give Kingdomes Church so they pretend his power over all the Kingdomes of the earth this they do hold but with some difference amongst themselves for the â—anonists as they are called hold that all the Kingdomes of the earth do directly belong unto the Pope and the Jesuits say not directly but indirectly and these two sects write against one another in this matter as for life and death But whether directly or indirectly both do agree that the Pope may give any Kingdom of the earth to whom he pleaseth Satan did once say so And in the 9. Century Pope Nicolaus did not say so as followeth Let them shew any such practice before this eighth Century Did all the Bishops of Rome before this time give Kingdomes to whom they would Or were they ignorant of their power But say they at that time Pope Zachary gave the Kingdom of France unto Pipin and his line So unto this place belongeth neither gave he the Kâ—ngdome of France unto King Pipin that controversie which Bellarmine hath de Ro. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 17. lib. 5. cap. 8. By what means and by what persons Pipin obtained the Kingdom of France Gratian. caus 15. quest 6. cap. Alius saith Zachary deposed Childeric King of France and placed Pipin in his room And the gloss saith Deposuit idest deponentibus consensit he consented unto them who deposed him Platina in Zachary saith By his authority the Kingdom of France was adjudged unto Pipin The Jesuit Dion Petavius in Rationar temp par 1. lib. 8. saith Pipin by the authority of Pope Zachary and by consent of the French Peers did add a new Title of King unto his Royal Power which he had not before If we look to the more ancient Writers the story is thus About the year 663. Clotharius King of France gave himself to the lusts of the flesh and committed the government unto Ebroin Master of the Palace or as others call him Constable This example turneth into a custom and An. 694. Pipin Duke of Austrasia attained this charge under Clodoveus or Clovis the III. as Io. Serres calleth him and he keepeth it in the daies of King Childebert the II. and his son Dagobert so that then there was the Title of a King and all the power was in the hand of the Constable Abb. Vrsperg in Chron. pag. 170. Edit An. 1538. The King was seen once in the year publickly to wit the first day of May then he received and gave gifts without any other discharge of Royal power and all affairs of State were managed by the Constable After Pipin was great contention for so honourable a place his son Charls Martel prevaileth who in the daies of Theodoric or Therric the II. enlargeth the Kingdom of France and as the fore-named Petavius ex Gest Franc. Epit. lib. 1. sheweth he overthroweth Raginfred his Competitour or as he saith who was chosen Mayor and Eudo Duke of Aquitania An. 718. then he subdued the Saxons Alamanes Bavarians and Aquitans Eudo hath his refuge unto the Sarazens in Spain and perswadeth their King Abdirama to invade France Charls did slay in one Battel 375000. Sarazens with the loss of 1500. French at Towrs Fascic temp fol. 45. Edit Venet. An. 1484. and Io. Serres and others Thereafter he did take-in Burgundy and Lions An. 727. and the next year Eudo being dead he possessed Aquitania peaceably In the year 731. the Sarazens did come again into France Charls overthrew them and did gain Avenion and Narbon from them Therefore by a more honourable Title he was called Duke and Prince of France and under that name he governed the Kingdom 19. years and died An. 741. Platin. in Gregor II. He had four sons Carloman Pipin Egidius and Grypho some say Grypho was the son of his first wife a daughter of Bojaria Pipin made Egidius Bishop of Rotomayum and left his government unto Carloman and Pipin and they two divide the Kingdom and govern either his own part under the Title of their father as is apparent by the first words of the Councel under Carloman In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I Carloman Duke and Prince of the French in the year 742. from the Incarnation of Christ on the 11. of the Calends of March by the advice of the servants of God and of my Nobles I have assembled the Bishops in my Kingdom c. Note these words and see what power he had Within 7. years after this Synod he laid aside his Princely authority saith Bellarm. loc cit and entred into a Cloister at Sotacte and then all the authority was in Pipin alone Grypho rebelled against Carloman but at last Pipin took him in Italy and caused him to be beheaded An. 753. Pipin having the government alone and wanting no occasion did aim at a higher Title The Sarazens in Spain were preparing to make new Wars against France but Pipin did prevent the storm he seized on the passages of the Pyrene hills and forced those redoubted enemies to receive Laws from him Then he did help the Cities that had been spoiled he disburthened others of publick charges and established justice and dealt so valiantly and discreetly both in Wars and Peace that he gained the hearts of all the countries also it did not a little add unto his esteem what he had done against the Lombards and in other parts of â—taly Blondus dec 1. lib. 10. saith I find in Alcuinus Paulus and several others who have written the Acts of the French that the Nobility and Commonalty of that Nation duly considering the worthiness of Pipin and sottishness of Childeric consulted with Zachary Bishop of Rome whether they should tolerate so foolish a King any longer and defraud Pipin of his deserved Princely honour And when the Bishop made answer That he was best worthy to be King who could best discharge the Office of a King the French with the publick consent of the whole Nation did pronounce Pipin for their King and Childeric was
good purpose what good works did precede whereby that man did deserve to be one person with God yea to be very God To wit God himself even he by whom man began began not to be another then the Son of God and that the only the only begotten and properly and for the Word of God who was made flesh verily God that as every man is one person even a reasonable soul and flesh so Christ is one person the word and flesh Whence is so great glory unto human nature by no preceding merits without doubt by the free and gracious gift but only here the great and only grace of God is evidently shewed unto them who consider faithfully and soberly to the end men may understand that they are justified from their sins by the same free grace by which it was that the man Christ could have no sin Ibid. cap. 12. Certainly no man can have peace with God but by the Mediatour Christ Jesus who is in two natures very God and very man one Christ both Priest and sacrifice he came unto us to offer for us what he had assumed of us that he might take away from us that which he found in us that is our sins Ibid. cap. 21. The Apostle saith of the fire of the day of judgement What each mans work is the fire shall declare It is not to be doubted that he speaketh of a Purgatory fire which fire the ungodly shall feel one way and the godly another way and the righteous another way seeing the ungodly shall from the torment of the fire be thrown into everlasting flames but the godly who shall rise in their bodies without all blot of sin and who have built gold silver and precious stones upon the foundation which is Christ they shall escape that fire with so great facility as with integrity of faith and love of Christ they have kept the commands in this life and that fire of Dooms-day shall be unto them as the Fornace of Babylon was unto the three children who without all harm of that fire shall call upon the beauty of all the creatures unto the praises of God But some just men are subject to some small sins because upon the Foundation which is Christ they have built stones hay and straw which are cleansed by the heat of that fire from which they being cleansed shall be made pertakers of everlasting glory And so by that transitory fire and the whole judgement of that day being compleated two congregations of the godly and the ungodly shall be severed the one of Christ and the other of the Divel So he expoundeth not that Text of a Purgatory before the day of Judgement On the Psalms of degrees at the words of Psal 130. If thou Lord wilt mark iniquity he saith He expoundeth out of what depth he did cry that is from the gulf of his sins which as a deluge had gone over his head understanding that all his life was full of tentations Therefore he saith Who can stand If thou judge only righteousness unto us and shew not mercy none can stand for we are all the children of wrath but we have more hope of thy mercy but not of our merits On John chap. 6. This is to eat his flesh and to drink his blood even to abide in Christ and to have him abiding in us and therefore who abideth not in Christ certainly he eateth not his flesh spiritually although carnally and visibly he do press the Sacrament of his body and blood but rather he eateth the Sacrament of so great a thing for damnation to himself because he being unclean presumeth to come unto the Sacraments of Christ which none taketh worthily but who is clean as it is written Blessed are the pure in heart for Contra Felic Vrgelit lib. 2. Shew us any Nation or Alcwin writeth against the errours of Felix and Elâ—pant Town or Church either Roman which is the head of Churches or Constantinopolitan or of Jerusalem which was dedicated by the presence of the Lord himself or of Antiochia where first the name of Christianity is read to have been or of Alexandria or of any other Church either in Italy or Germany or in France or in Aquitania or in Britan which agrreeth with you in your assertion Here he acknowledgeth all these to be true Churches at that time and distinguis heth them one from another and where he calleth the Roman the Head of Churches certainly he understandeth not that other Churches had their original from Rome seeing he saith the Church of Ierusalem was dedicated by the presence of the Lord himself and Christians had their first name at Antioch both which were before there was any mention of a Church at Rome When Felix came to a Synod at Regensburg where were Priests from all parts of the Christian Empire as Alcwin speaketh contra Elipant lib. 1. his errour was accursed and nevertheless he continued in his errour till at the command of Charls the Great Alcwin writ these books and then he became zealous for the truth and did write a recantation unto the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church that as he had been a scandal unto them so by his means they may be brought again from errour unto the truth as he himself writeth and this recantation is printed among the Works of Alcwin But Elipant Arch-Bishop of Toledo having read these seven books of Alcwin writ very bitterly for maintaining the same errour He professeth to beleeve that Christ is but one person in two natures in one eternal and equal with the Father and the same unity of his person remaining inseparably is also the son of man in respect of his flesh and in respect of his divine nature the Father and He are one unum and in respect of his form of a servant he came not to do his own will but the will of him who sent him But as in respect of the Divine nature He is the natural Son of the Father so in respect of his flesh he is the Son of God adoptive and nuncupative It is to be marked by the way that Felix had said Christ in respect of his flesh was the old man and had need of regeneration but Elipant did not write so For proof of this his last point he alledgeth several testimonies of Scripture of Augustine and other fathers and of the Spanish Missal Against this Epistle of Elipant Alcwin writ four books wherein he sheweth that Elipant held the same heresie with Nestorius who had spoken the same way and yet was judged to have spoken inconsistibly with the unity of Christ's person He retorteth all the restimonies of Scripture and from them proveth that Christ is never called a nuncupative God nor adoptive son but even whilest the Scripture speaketh of his manhood or of him as man calleth him the only begotten of the Father Thirdly he sheweth that Elipant did corrupt the testimonies of the Fathers and did add the words Nuncupative
them which have not beleeved in him nor will ever beleeve as the Lord himself saith Matth. 20 The Son of man came ... to give his soul in redemption for many 4. That he beleeve and confess that the Almighty God saveth whom he willeth and that none at all can be saved but whom he will save and that all are saved whom he will save and therefore it is not at all his will those be saved whosoever are not saved as the Prophet saith Whatsoever the Lord willeth he doth that both in Heaven and on Earth And saith Prudent although there be some other things wherein he hath satisfied and subscribed in which being condemned in Pelagius the Church hath universally consented yet these being against him and his followers cleared from his froward expositions by the Apostolical See at the instance of the blessed Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and of Augustine with other 214 Bishops and being published unto all the World by many both Epistles and Books all the Church to day rejoiceth in confesseth preacheth holdeth and shall hold This Epistle of Prudentius is in the 2 tome of the French Councels and by it we may see not only his mind but the universal doctrine of all the Church in all the World as he affirmeth Although Histories do not express whether Aeneas did subscribe these Articles yet it may be gathered from the 99 Epistle of Lupus Ferarien where he commends this Aeneas and saith that Prudentius with the other Bishops did confirm his ordination By authority of Lotharius a Synod was held An. 855. at Valentia the Canons thereof follow hereafter For the present I add the words of Baronius concerning it generally saying The Bishops thought good to bring no other thing into the Church then what the most holy Fathers and faithfull Teachers of the Church had in all sincerity taught formerly in Affrica in the Councel at Carthage and in France in the Councel at Arausicane whereunto we should cleave in all points to wit that the godly are saved no other way but by the grace of God and the wicked are condemned for their own iniquity And that the wicked do not perish because as some say they could not be good but because they would not Then he sheweth that the Acts of this Synod were sent unto Hincmar and that he did by writing condemn these errours But Vsser taxeth Baronius that he hath written of this matter slenderly and from the writings of Hincmar and from Acts of Synods convinceth him especially he declareth from a book of the Church of Lions that there was diversity of opinions among them of Lions concerning the fifth Canon of this Synod which in the end of that book thinks the greatest difference between the Elect and the Reprobates to be that in the Reprobates remaineth the guiltiness of the first transgression which is taken from the Elect by the blood of Christ Also he sheweth that in the year 856 in the moneth of August Charls the Bald did call a Synod at Bonoile by Paris and another in September at Nielph where he gave unto Hincmar the Articles of the Synod at Valentia and what he had received from others in favour of Gotteschalk that Hincmar should answer unto them and that after three years Hincmar did return a great book of God's predestination and of man's free-will as Flodoard sheweth Hist lib. 3. cap. 13 and that the adverse party was not satisfied by that great volumn neither was the authority of the Valentian Synod lessned and therefore An. 859 Charls calleth another Synod in Audemantunno Lingonum where for the instruction of God's people the Canons of the Valentian Synod were voiced and confirmed again and proclaimed only in the fifth Canon they express not the four Articles because they perceive Hincmar was offended by so express condemning them as if they thereby had neglected the limits and law of charity and they did add the name of John Scot unto the nineteen Articles This Synod is called Lingonensis in Concil Gall. tom 3. After 14 daies was a more frequent Synod of twelve Provinces at Saponaria a Village of the City of Tullen where was King Charls and his Nephews Lotharius and Charls sons of the Emperour Lotharius there the Canons of the former Synod and the Carisiac Articles were read again and again great contention was between Remigius and Hincmar with their followers the one pleading for and the other against the Articles of Gotteschalk but as Hincmar writeth in an Epistle Dedicatory unto Charls the Bald the stir was calmed by the wisedom of the Arch-Bishop Remigius exhorting them all to bring unto the next Synod the books of the Catholick Doctours and as they shall find them agreeing unto the Apostolical and Catholick doctrine all should hold together unanimously It appeareth in the Acts of this Synod that it was so soon closed because of the murmurs in the country All this time Gotteschalk was still in Prison in the Monastery of Haultvillier whence he sent forth first a short confession and then a larger one confirmed by testimonies of Scripture and of the ancient Doctours In the end of the latter he craved that there might be a free Synod wherein truth might be made known unto all and errours altogether taken away and he lamenteth that for baseness of his person truth is despised and his adversaries follow not charity and refuse verity only that they may seem victorious Now of all that I have read concerning his Confessions and the writings of both parties I gather that at that time the greatest controversie was concerning the predestination of the wicked unto punishment howbeit there was also some difference concerning free-will and the efficient cause of conversion or of faith and good works And because Hincmar in his Epistle unto Whence was the word Prâ—destinatians Pope Nicolaus and Semipelagians make mention of Hereticks whom they call Praedestinati or Praedestinatiani here I add concerning that name that the first who mentioneth it was he who writ the continuation of Ierom's Chronicle for he about the 24 year of Arcadius and Honorius writeth saying At this time began the heresie of Praedestinati which had the beginning from Augustine So it is expressly saith Vsser in Histor Gottes cap. 2. in two old manuscripts one in the King's Bibliotheke and another in the Benedictines at Cambridge although in the Printed books it is not said from Augustine but from the books of Augustine being ill understood And certainly these words of Hincmar are frivolous since Pope Celestine did not write against such an heresie but against the Pelagians as is clear in his Epistles unto Augustine and he doth approve the doctrine of Augustine and Prosper in his Epistle unto Augustine which and the Epistles of Celestine are amongst the Epistles of Augustine writeth saying Many of the servants of Christ which are in the City Massilies think that in the writings of your Holiness against the Pelagian Hereticks whatsoever you
one said them but now saith he sometimes one sometimes two and sometimes three the Quiere for the most part answering 14. Platina in Sixt. 1. saith Halelujah is borrowed from Halelujah the Church of Jerusalem but he telleth not who borrowed it and in Gregory the I he saith Gregory ordained it to be sung nine times Jerom in his answer unto the Epistle of Damasus adviseth after every Psalm to sing Glory unto the Father unto the Son and the Holy Ghost as it was in the beginning now and through all ages Amen to the end the faith of the 318 Bishops of the Nicene Councel may be declared by the consent of voice and then put unto all the Psalms Halelujah 15. Platina in Sixt. 1. saith Jerom first read the Epistle and the Gospel in the Mass and again he giveth them to Damasus 16. It is spoken before at note 3 of the offerings It may be Catalogue of them who offer added that when the Priests saw the charity or liberality of the people grow cold a Decree was made to read the Catalogue of the offerers and then of them for whom the offering was made whether alive or dead 17. This is the song of dedication or as Platin. speaks for blessing the offerings and saith he Eutichian P. An. 275 was the deviser of the Offer torium But Walaf Strabo de init incremen rer Eccles cap. 22. saith the Authour thereof is not known since we do verily believe that the ancient and holy Fathers did offer in silence Biel in exposit Missae lect 16. saith It is sung in the mean time while the people do present their gifts and there he mentioneth three sorts of offerings to wit of their persons their gifts and of those things which are for the elements 17. Gratian. de consecr dist 1. cap. Holy Vestures Consultò sheweth that even in the primitive Church was too great ostentation of the Corporale which was of silken or scarlet cloath therefore Pope Sylvester the I. ordained that they should use only white linnen because Christ's body was wrapped in linnen Walaf Strabo lip cit cap. 24. speaking of this linnen adds that the Priestly vestures are also advanced to a great ornament whereas at first they did celebrate in no other but their usual garments as also is yet the custom of the Eastern Churches Pope Stephen the I did ordain that Priests and Levites should not daily use their holy garments and thereafter a distinction was made between the vestures of Bishops and of others 19. Gratian. Holy Vessels loc cit cap. Vasa sheweth that in the primitive times they had only wooden vessels untill Pope Zepherin An. 216. appointed cups of glass and because those were brittle Pope Urban An. 230. brought in cups of silver But others say The Church had no cups of gold nor silver untill the Emperour Constantine gave them and then an Act was made that no Priest should administer the Sacrament in wooden vessels lest God be offended Nevertheless it is recorded of Exuperius Bishop of Tolouse that he would not admit golden or silver vessels in his Diocy but only mands of wands or baskets for the bread and glasses for the wine Jerom commendeth him for this It appears then although some did delight in ostentation yet others did not approve it 20. Io. Beleth li. cit cap. 34. saith It is The word Missa is homonymous all called the Mass which is said from the beginning to the end ... yet sometimes more especially the first part or the Introitus is so named because an Angel is sent thither But the Mass is divided into four parts Obsecrations Orations Postulations and Thanksgivings ...... The first part is of the Catechumeni .... for they may abide no longer no more than Jews or Heathens because as yet they are not Members of the Church for which cause the Deacon saith from the Pulpit with a loud voice Let the Catechumeni go forth Hence the first part is called Missa ab emittendo because they are sent forth ... But all the Office is called Missa which is from the Introitus usque ad Ite Missa est although sometimes we call Missa those words whereby the body of the Lord is made So far Beleth But it seems Raban knew not that form of saying Mass for he speaks afterwards of the consecration and several things must be done after the covering of the Altar before the consecration As for the dismission of the Catechumeni the Priest singeth not that but the Deacon speaketh it with a loud voice 21. Many of the Ancients repeat Sursum Corda these words Sursum Corda lift up your hearts whereby they did teach that the Service was not private but one spoke unto the people Corda 2. That men should not look upon the elements as if Christ's body were in them or as if they were turned into Christ's body but we should lift up our minds by faith and meditation unto Heaven where only is Christ bodily and we should seek and find him there 22. In this Missal is now neither such exhortation A Thanksgiving is omitted nor such a prayer as followeth and therefore I may say of Raban as Corn. Lauriman in his Epist. nuncup said of Io. Beleth These things may argue his antiquity which he writeth were done in the Church every where in his time of which things a great part is so abolished and extinct that no footstep thereof now appears for which cause some have heretofore despised him as if he had written false things whereas he is for the same the more to be commended since hence we may learn what they did of old and how much our times are different from antiquity But neither doth Beleth mention any exhortation to praise nor such a prayer so that those were abolished before his time and in place thereof he mentioneth Secreta and the Prefaces chap. 43 and in the next chap. Secreta is so called because it is secretly pronounced So the people may not hear nor know it and chap. 45. he saith the Prefaces are ten in number and Lauriman addeth in the margine there are eleven of them Walaf Strabo loc cit saith Who made the Prefaces and the Actio which the Romans call the Canon it is unknown unto me but that it is augmented not once but often we know by the parts which are added So here are novations upon novations and frequent changes from the Missal of Gregory 23. Platina saith Pope Sixtus the I ordained Sanctus that Sanctus should be sung 24. The Scriptures have the word of The word Consecration is dangerous Thanksgiving and Blessing and not Consecration nor is a word a material difference if they understood no other thing but Thanksgiving or Blessing But it is a dangerous word since the old Heathens did use it to signifie the making of a God Consecrare statuam and now the Romanists do use it for the lifting up
of the elements and blowing on them and crossing them I know not how often the thwarting and lifting up of their Arms the joining and unjoining of the Priest's thumb and fore-singer with such other rites which have no such foundation in nor relation unto Christ's Institution nor his Apostles doctrine or practice and do smell of charming or heathenism more then of true piety and the rather is the word to be forsaken because their Priests are not ashamed to say Qui creavit me dedit mihi creare se qui creavit me sine me creatur à me 25. Raban speaks so not that he meaneth the bread to be turned into the body of Christ although Io. Eckius in tom The Bread is he Body figuratively 4. homil 31. doth cite his words unto that purpose For Transubstantiation was not then hatched as I shall shew God willing and Raban was reckoned amongst Hereticks for the contrary doctrine as is touched before but because the Bread and Wine are the visible figures and resemblances and seals of Christ's Body and Blood and because with the signs the Believers receive the Body and Blood of Christ Raban's words which I have related in the former Section do clearly shew his mind in these words and so we may judge of many others writing in this manner although their words have been wrested to another sense 26. Observe he saith Prayer unto God But in all this Institution is not one word of praying unto the Bread I know they The Bread was not worshipped do quote the Ancients for adoring the bread and especially they alledge Theodoret. dial 2. But by one we may understand the meaning of all others his words are these The mystical signs after sanctification do not depart from their nature for they remain in their former substance figure and form and they may be both touched and seen as they were before but they are understood to be those things which they are made and are beleeved to be and they are adored as those things which they are beleeved to be compare therefore the Image with the exemplar or patern for the figure should be like the truth In these words Theodoret. denieth Transubstantiation and the bodily presence and he calleth the Bread and Wine signs mystical the Image of the exemplar and figure of the truth and thereby we may easily understand what kind of adoring or reverence he would have given unto the signs and not that they should be adored as Christ himself And to shew the impudency of the Romanists I add another testimony which they do object out of August in Ps 98. saying No man eats it before he adore it They object these words as if Augustine were speaking of the bread But his words are Of the earth he Christ took earth because flesh is of the earth and of the flesh of Mary he took flesh because he walked here in the same flesh and did give us the same flesh unto salvation and no man eats that flesh except he first adore it c. Here Augustine speaks not of the Sacrament but of the flesh which Christ took of the flesh of Mary and who denieth that flesh should be adored Some words after these may be understood of the Sacrament and they are clear for he expoundeth the words of Christ The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and life as if the Lord had said Understand ye spiritually what I have spoken ye shall not eat this body which ye see nor drink this blood which they shall shed who shall crucifie me I have commended unto you a certain Sacrament which being spiritually understood shall quicken you and although it be necessary that the same be celebrate visibly yet it must be understood invisibly So August Nothing can be spoken more plainly and directly against the gross and carnal manner of the presence of Christ's body in the Sacrament 27. It is certain that our Saviour is the Authour of this Prayer and who hath ordained it to be sung Rites at saying Pater noster I know not But Io. Beleth cap. 47. testifieth that in his time the people did stand when this prayer was said if it were a Feast-day and if it were not a Feast the people were prostrate and the Priest said it with a loud voice except these words But deliver us from evil which the people did answer 28. As Christ did ordain that all Believers should eat in remembrance of Communicating now left of him so in ancient times was an order that all should communicate who will not be excommunicate Gratian. de consecr dist 2. cap. Peracta Comperimus Where was then the private Mass wherein the Priest alone consumeth the Sacrament This order of communicating hath ceased through the sloth of Priests and people saith Cochlaeus de sacrif Missae and Harding's answer to the first article of Bishop Juel's challenge And for remedy it was provided that two Deacons should communicate with the Priest Gratian. de consecr dist 1. cap. Hoc quoque Omnes And Pope Sergius the II. ordained And the rite is turned to a mystery that the Bread should be broken into three parts according to the number of Communicants which rite of breaking remaineth yet although the Priest be alone but they have drawn it to signifie a mystery Lombard lib. 4. dist 12. F. saith The part which is offered and cast into the Cup signifieth the body of Christ which rose again the part which is eaten signifieth him walking on the earth and the third part lying on the Altar till the end of the Mass signifieth the body lying in the grave for untill the end of this world the bodies of the Saints shall continue in the graves The Authour of Specul Curator saith two parts are reserved and the third is cast into the cup to signifie that the sacrifice is profitable for three things unto just men for increase of grace unto sinners for taking away their sins and unto those in Purgatory for taking away their punishment So uncertain are they in their errours And in that direction of the Curats it is specially provided that only the Priest shall eat that part which is cast into the Cup. So that now the Communion is for the most part turned into a theatrical eating and drinking of the Priest alone Cassander cannot wonder enough how they have departed so far from the Institution and how they dare so clearly violate the Acts of Councels c. Consult art 24. 29. Christ did not put the Sacrament into his Apostles mouths but every one received the bread with his hand Receiving is altered and such was the custom of the Church untill the sixth Synod saith Jesuit Salmeron on 1 Cor. 11. disp 19. But this was altered when the Roman Church ordained that for reverence sake people should not touch it with their hands but so oft as they communicate the Priest should put the bread into their mouths
Canon as being not the work of Christ nor of his Apostles as Gregory confesseth lib. 7. ind 2. Epist 63 but either his own or as he seemeth to say there of one Scholasticus yet it is the mighty providence of God for the conviction of the Romish Church that the Canon is continued For they hold Out of the Canon is confuted 1 The doctrine of the sacrifice first That in the Mass is a true singular and proper sacrifice 2. That the Bread and Wine are transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Christ 3. That the People should not pertake of the Wine 4. That men attain salvation or eternal life by merit of their works but all these are clearly confuted by the words of that Canon First concerning the Sacrifice it saith a little from the beginning Petimus uti accepta habeas benedicas haec dona haec munera haec sancta sacrificia illibata Here observe first that the words are in the plural number gifts sacrifices But Christ is not many gifts nor many sacrifices he is one gift Ioh. 4. 10. and one sacrifice Heb. 9. 2◠10. 10. therefore Christ is not signified by these words 2. The Canon saith We pray that thou wouldest accept and bless these gifts Should we think that Gregory would have men to pray for the acceptation of Christ and for a blessing unto him who is the dearly beloved of the Father eternally I beleeve Gregory did not understand the words so And after the words which are called The Consecration it is said Supra quae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris accepta habere c. that is On which be pleased to look with a favourable and gracious countenance and accept them as thou were pleased to accept the gifts of thy servant Abel and the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham and the holy sacrifice and immaculate hosty which thy High-Priest Melchisedek offered unto thee Whether shall we believe that the offerings and sacrifices of Abel Abraham and Melchisedek were acceptable unto God through Christ or that they were the paterns of accepting the sacrifice of Christ I beleeve certainly that Gregory did not think the first but the second and so that he would have Believers to pray for the acceptation of their offerings in and through Christ and so it is said in the beginning of the Canon Most gracious Father we humbly beseech thee for Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord's sake and we pray that thou wouldest accept ... these gifts Moreover in the same Canon it is said Hanc oblationem servitutis nostrae sed cunctae familiae tuae quaesumus domine ut placatus accipias i. e. O Lord we beseech thee that thou being pacified wouldest accept this oblation of our sacrifice or of us thy servants and of all thy family Who can think that Gregory did mean by these words the oblation of Christ Again it is said Quam oblationem tu Deus omnipotens c. i. e. Which oblation O thou Almighty we beseech thee that thou wouldest be pleased to make in all respects blessed ascribed ratified reasonable and acceptable Can these words be meaned of the offering of Christ and not rather of the offering of the people And so it may be said of these words We offer unto thy excellent Majesty of thy gifts and of what thou hast given And these be all the words at least the greatest part of the Canon concerning a sacrifice and since these be not understood of a proper and singular sacrifice certainly in the Mass no true and proper sacrifice is offered But they will say the words are Haec sancta sacrificia illibata which cannot be understood of the offerings of the people and therefore must be understood of Christ's sacrifice Answer First for the word sancta it may be understood of the peoples offerings in respect of dedication as well as the sacrifice of Melchisedek is called holy and immaculate hosty and the more if we take them with the words preceding We beseech thee humbly for Christ's sake that thou wouldest accept and bless these holy oblations As for the word illibata Alcwin who was the Teacher of Raban as some write de Divin Offic. saith Illibata dicuntur id est non praegustata id est Illibata is not as yet tasted but abiding whole Yea and in the same place he saith By dona munera sacrificia one and the same thing is commended with several names and what is offered upon the Altar is called munera as the Lord saith If thou offer thy gift It is clear that he understood the gifts of the people and consequently not a singular and proper sacrifice I know also that Illibata signifieth not offered and that signification doth more confirm what I have said Secondly 2. Transubstantiation concerning Transubstantiation the Canon saith Quam oblationem tu Deus ... benedictam .... facere digneris ut nobis corpus sanguis fiat dilectissimi Filii tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi Here they say are both the sacrifice and transubstantiation But first If all these words be considered together it is clear that as I said the words Quam oblationem benedictam ratam ascriptam rationabilem acceptabilemque are not meaned of the body of Christ because it is craved that the oblation may be blessed .... to the end it may be the body and blood of Christ for what we crave that it may be made the body is not as yet the body 2. I trust none is so ignorant to think that the word fiat doth necessarily signifie to be made a sacrifice and to be transubstantiate and if that word can in that place admit another signification it proves not either of the two and far less both and so we see how great a work is grounded upon the uncertainty of the signification of one word I have already twice shewed how Raban expoundeth the word for a sign figure seal and representation and here I add the words of Augustine Epist 23. ad Bonifa Christ was once sacrificed in himself and is every day sacrificed unto people in the Sacrament neither is it falsely said that he is sacrificed for Sacraments have a similitude of the things whereof they are Sacraments and for this similitude they oft have the names of the very things as in a certain manner the Sacrament of the body of Christ is called the body of Christ and the Sacrament of Christ's blood is called his blood So far Augustine and I could add the like testimonies of other Ancients but I said I would prove it from the words of the Canon Then observe first in the words immediately following it is said Qui pridie quà m pateretur accepit panem 2. After the consecration Offerimus praeclarae Majestati tuae ex donis tuis ac datis hostiam puram .... panem sanctum vitae aeternae calicem salutis perpetuae supra quae propitio ac sereno vultu
way then most cruel Tyrants for fullfilling their own lusts when there was none to restrain their vices Therefore did God pull them quickly away as Monsters that they might do the less harm Who will not wonder that in the time of the Reign of Lewis the VIII Popes did possess the chair of blessed Peter and he did not reign above 12 years In a word all old Historians do write of these times that the Popes were not Successours of Peter and I do premit these testimonies because the Papists may possibly say that what follows is all written maliciously although it be written most truly 1. BONIFACE the VI came next to Formosus he sate short time saith Naucler Platina saith he sate but 26 daies because nothing is written of him They who deny the She-Pope and the vacancy for eight years would fill up the time here and say that Boniface sate 12 years But see whether that can stand with these former testimonies in the general concerning the short lives of the Monsters and with their practices that follow and by this example others may judge what credit is to be given unto the late Popish Historians 2. STEPHEN the VI did so envy the name of Formosus because he Against Popes hindred his ambition that in a Synod he did abrogate all his Decrees and ordained his body to be taken up two of his fingers to be cut off and his right hand because therewith they consecrated the Priests to be cast into Tibris and the remnant of his body to be buried in a Lay-man's burial Platina subjoineth This was a great controversie and a bad example seeing thereafter this custom was almost evermore kept that the following Popes did either violate or altogether abrogate the decrees of their Predecessours Baronius ad An. 900. § 5. 6. saith This wicked man who entred into the Sheep-fold as a theef ended his life in a rope by the judgment of God So indeed saith he all things both sacred and civil were confused at Rome that the advancing of the Pope was in the power of them who were more potent so that now the Nobles of Rome and the Princes of Hetruria did by their secular power thrust in and out the Romish High-Priest at their pleasure Stephen sate 15 moneths 4. ROMANUS the I annulled all the Decrees of Stephen and sate three moneths 5. THEODORE the II condemned all the Acts of Stephen and approved all the Acts and friends of Pope Formosus and sate 20 daies 6. JOHN the X advanced the Decrees of Pope Formosus so highly that the Romans conspired against him and he was forced to fly unto Ravenna where he held a Synod of 74 Bishops and disproved the Decrees of Pope Stephen and confirmed the Acts of Formosus Baronius ad An. 904. § 4. hath the words of this Synod to wit The Synod that was held in the time of Pope Stephen the VI our Predecessour of godly memory in which the venerable body of the worshipfull Pope Formosus was dragged along the ground out of the violated grave and as if it had been brought into judgment and they did presume to judge and condemn it the like is not reported to have been done by any of our Predecessours that Synod penitus abdicamus and in the margine al. abrogamus we do altogether reject or abrogate and we forbid that in no way it be presumed by any to be done by whatsoever judgment of the Holy Ghost Baronius addeth these words Here consider Reader with what reverence the succeeding Popes did regard their Predecessours how much soever they were worthy of reproof that John called Stephen of godly memory although he was to be abhorred both for his ingiring himself into the Chair and while he sate for all his wicked deeds worthy to be accursed Platina saith I would think that the Popes themselves had left the steps of Saint Peter à Petri vestigiis discesserint If thou wert to day at Rome Platina thou shouldst suffer the fire for these words John sate 2 years 7. BENEDICT the IV sate 3 years and 4 moneths Platina calleth him and his successours monstra prodigia by whose ambition and bribery the Chair of Peter was rather usurped then possessed 8. LEO the V in something more then a moneth was taken by Christophorus a Presbyter and his familiar and cast into Prison How great the authority of the Pope was through the fault of their Predecessours it may be known saith Naucler by this when so great a dignity was in a moment by force and faction usurped by a private man Some think that Leo died in sorrow that he was spoiled by one whom he had fed in his family as a Wolf according to the Proverb of Theocritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is feed young Wolves and Dogs to devour thee Naucler 9. CHRISTOPHOR came to the Chair by evil arts and lost it miserably for in the seventh moneth he was cast out meritò quidem and driven into a Monastery Naucler 10. SERGIUS the III took Christophor out of the Monastery wherein the Romans had thrust him and put him in a more close prison Platina saith He was a rude and unlearned man very proud and cruel He had been hindred by Pope Formosus from preferment and by that faction was banished from Rome therefore now he causeth the body of Formosus to be taken up and then degraded him cut off his head and lastly cast his body into Tibris as unworthy of Christian burial and also he deposed all the Bishops and Priests which had been consecrated by Formosus Platin. Sergius did first ordain that Candles should be carried about on the day of Maries purification Behold I pray saith Platina how far these Popes had degenerated from their Predecessours for they were most holy men and refused the dignity when it was tendred unto them because they would attend on praying and Christian doctrine but now they sought and got the Papacy by bribery and ambition they contemned the worship of God they kept continual enmity and hatred one against another like most cruel Tyrants being set to satiate their lusts when there was none to restrain their vices He sate 8 years 11. ANASTASIUS the III follows In his time they report that the body of Pope Formosus was found in the River by Fishers and when it was brought into Saint Peter's Church the Images did salute it Let the indifferent Reader judge whether a body lying so many years in one grave and then in another and then so many years in the water could remain whole and being without the head and hands could be discerned to be the same Certainly if the Images gave such reverence unto the Corps Satan hath moved the Idols before the Idolaters as sometime he spoke out of them Anastasius sate 2 years Because this is the last place where mention is made of Pope Formosus I would ask the Romanists whether Pope John did erre in Some questions are
said he may easily understand who will compare the new Divines with the ancient both Latine and Greek So far Berald Out of these two testimonies observe that Theophylact doth agree with the Ancients before him as Chrysostom Basilius and others of those ages whom he often quoteth and doth disagree from the multitude of Preachers in the Roman Church about the year 1533. Where then is their frequent gloriation of the constancy and unity of the Roman Church with the Ancient Fathers Hear then what Theophylact saith in the Articles of controversie in those daies In Prolog before Evang. Matth. he saith Because heresies were to bud forth which are ready to wast our manners it was thought necessary that the Gospels should be written to the end that we learning truth out of them should not be deceived with the lies of heresies and our manners should not altogether be undone On Cap. 13. near the end speaking of Christ and his mother he saith The mother would shew some human thing that she had power over her son for as yet she had no great thoughts of him and therefore while he was yet speaking she would draw him unto her Porsena here addeth on the margine Lege cautè To wit he saw that these words are against the Tenets of Rome that the Virgin was free from all sin and by right of her mother-hood she can command her son On Cap. 16. Because Peter had confessed that Jesus is the son of God he said that this confession which he had confessed shall be the foundation of Beleevers so that every man which shall build the house of faith shall lay this foundation for although we build many vertues and have not this foundation a right confession we do build unprofitably ..... They have power of binding and forgiving who receive the gift of Episcopacy or oversight as Peter did for although it was said unto Peter I will give unto thee nevertheless it was granted unto all the Apostles When when he said Whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven For when he said I will give he signifieth the time coming that is after the resurrection ...... When Peter speaks rightly Christ calleth him blessed but when he feareth without reason and will not have him to suffer he lasheth him and saith Go behind me Satan In Luc. cap. 2. Bishops should keep their Flock and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sing in the field sing spiritual things and teach the people and hear divine visions and sayings Bethleem is the house of bread and what other is the house of bread but the Church in which bread is provided it is therefore the duty of spiritual Shepheards to seek heavenly bread which when they have seen they must preach it unto others ..... The things whereof the Scripture is silent we should not inquire On Cap. 16. Nothing is so profitable as diligent searching of the Scriptures the Divel may falsely and apparently make a search of the dead to deceive the unwise and from Hell he may sow doctrine according to his wickedness but those who do duly search the Scriptures nothing can delude them for the Scriptures are a lantern and light which when it shines the theef is found and made manifest therefore we should beleeve them and not regard the rising of the dead And a little before he saith As it is impossible for any man to pass from the company of the just into the place of sinners so it is impossible as Abraham teacheth us to pass from the place of punishment into the place of the just .... The bosom of Abraham is the possession of good things which are prepared for the just passing from the Waves of the Sea into the Haven of Heaven On Ioh. cap. 1. The new Testament is called grace because God gives freely unto us not only remission of sins but the adoption of children And it is called truth because whatsoever the Fathers saw in figure or spoke He hath here preached these clearly ........... Here we learn that the miracles of Christ's childhood are but feigned and lies and made up by them who would scorn the mystery for if these had been true how could the Lord have been unknown which wrought them for it is no way likely that he was not famous which did such miracles But it is not so for before he was baptized he wrought no signs neither was he known On Cap. 3. If thou knowest not the wind which is a Spirit subject to sense how searchest thou curiously of regeneration by the Spirit of God how and from whom it is breathed If this spirit cannot be comprehended far less is the grace of the Holy Ghost subject to the laws of nature Confounded therefore be Macedonius the fighter against the Holy Ghost and Eunomius before him for he would make the Spirit a servant although he hear in this place that the Spirit bloweth whither it will far rather hath the Holy Ghost a more free motion and doth work where he willeth and after what manner he willeth ...... When thou hearest that the Son of man came down from Heaven think not that his flesh came down from Heaven this did Apollinarius teach that Christ had a body from Heaven which did pass thorow the Virgin as thorow a Conduit But because Christ is one person consisting in two natures therefore whatsoever belongs to the Man-hood is spoken of the Word and again what belongs unto the Word is spoken of the Man So here the Son of Man is said to come down from Heaven because He is one person and again lest when ye hear it said The Son of Man came down you would think that he is not in Heaven He saith even he which is in Heaven for do not think that I am not there because I came down but both am I here bodily and I sit there as God with the Father ..... Here we learn that the old Testament is like or of the same nature with the new and there is but one giver of the old and new Testament although Marcion and Manicheus and that rabble of Hereticks deny it He teacheth also that since the Jews beholding the brazen Serpent did escape death far rather we looking on him which was crucified and beleeving shall escape the death of the soul ..... Adam died justly because he sinned but the Lord died unjustly because he had not sinned .... and because he died unjustly he overcame him by whom he was killed and so delivered Adam from death which was laid justly upon him On Cap. 6. Diligent faith is a guide unto good works and good works do conserve faith for both works are dead without faith and faith without works ....... He saith I am the bread of life he saith not I am the bread of nourishment but of life for when all things were dead Christ maketh us alive by himself who is that bread in so far as we beleeve that the leaven of mankind is heated by the fire
of his God-head and He is the bread of life not of this natural but of that unchangeable life which fails not by death And who beleeveth in that bread shall not suffer hunger by hearing the Word of God nor suffer spiritual thirst because he hath the water of Baptism and sanctification of the Spirit ... And shewing that faith in Christ is not a common thing but a gift of God and given by the Father to the upright in heart he saith Whomsoever the Father gives unto me he shall come unto me that is they shall beleeve in me whom my Father gives unto me .... And I will not cast him out which comes unto me that is I will not lose him but I will save and I will refresh him with much diligence for I came from Heaven to do no other thing but the will of my Father And near the end of that Chapter he saith When ye hear that his Disciples went away do not think it of his true Disciples but of them who did follow in the order of Disciples and seemed to have the form of Disciples while they were taught by him for there were some among his Disciples who being compared with the other multitude were called his Disciples for they abode longer time then the multitude but being compared with others which were true Disciples they were not to be considered because they beleeved him but for a time and as I might say with a cold heat .... The flesh profiteth nothing ... the flesh that is to expound these words carnally profiteth not but are the occasion of scandal So then they who understood carnally the things spoken by Christ were offended Therefore he addeth The words I speak are spirit that is are spiritual and life having no fleshly thing and bringing eternal life Shewing that it is the excellency of the God-head to reveal these hid things he saith There be some among you who beleeve not when he saith Some he excepteth the Disciples On Cap. 10. He sheweth the sure tokens of a good Shepheard and of a Wolf ... and first of the pernicious Shepheard saying He entreth not by the dore that is by the Scriptures for he useth not the Scriptures and Prophets as witnesses for certainly the Scriptures are the dore by which we are brought unto God and these suffer not Wolves to enter for they forbid Hereticks that we may be secure and they give a reason of every thing therefore he is a theef who entreth not into the fold by the Scriptures and so is found by them .... Because the Scriptures are understood and opened by the Holy Spirit they do shew Christ unto us the Porter is justly expounded the Holy Spirit by whom as the Spirit of wisdom ann knowledge the Scriptures are opened and by them the Lord entreth to have a care of us and by them the Shepheard is known And the Sheep hear the voice of the Shepheard for because they had often called him a deceiver and they would through incredulity confirm this saying Doth any of the rulers beleeve in him Christ shews that they should not think him a deceiver though none of those beleeved in him but rather they should be cast out of the sheep-fold for saith he if I come in by the dore it is clear that I am the true Shepheard and ye which beleeve not in me seem not to be sheep On Cap. 12. speaking of the word Osanna he saith Out of these Texts any man may understand that the Scripture attributes salvation unto God only On Cap. 20. Though many signs of his resurrection were given yet these only are written and that not for ostentation or that the glory of the only begotten may be shewed but that ye may beleeve saith he What is the gain who reapeth it not Christ for what gain hath he that we beleeve But it redounds unto us for he saith That ye beleeving might have life through his name On Rom. 1. What righteousness can we have who are defiled with abomination and filthy deeds but God hath justified us not by our works but by faith On Cap. 3. If the Law had power to justifie what need had we of Christ If thou wilt say By what law is this glorying excluded is it by works seeing the Law commandeth He who doth these things shall live by them for these things did the Law of Moses command He saith Not but by the Law of faith which gives righteousness by grace and not by works You see how he calleth faith a law because this name was in such veneration amongst the Jews On Cap. 6. He calleth life grace and not a reward as if he had said Ye do not receive the reward of works but by grace are all these things given unto you through Christ which worketh and doth them all On Cap. 10. The righteousness of God is by faith which requires nothing glorious or grievous of us but all our hopes is on the grace of God On Cap. 11. If of works then no more of grace or else work were no more work if we be made acceptable unto God through works grace were superfluous but if grace be superfluous then must works also be taken away for where grace is working is not requisite and where working is no grace is required What then .... When he hath shewed what grace is and that it is the gift of God without the works of men he asserteth that the Israelites have not attained justification though they sought it because they sought it not rightly and they thought to have righteousness by works which could not be But saith he the election that is they which are chosen have attained it and by this word election he shews that the excellency of things to come and all other things are bestowed on men by the gift of God On Cap. 13 He the Apostle teacheth that all men whether a Priest or Monk or an Apostle should be subject unto Princes On Cap. 16. The Apostle teacheth that dissensions and scandals that is heresies are brought in by them which bring any doctrine besides the doctrine of the Apostles On 1 Cor. 3. Miracles are done very often for the profit of others and therefore are they done sometimes even by unworthy men Cap. 14. Signs are for unbeleevers for beleevers have no need of them seeing they do already beleeve ... but prophecies are profitable both to beleevers and unbeleevers ...... Behold how by degrees he proveth plainly that he who speaks with his tongue only and understands not doth the less good even to himself and this was the meaning of Basilius on this place ..... What then is more to be sought of God that we may pray in the Spirit that is with grace and with the mind that is with meditation to conceive what we should pray On 2 Cor. 4. That the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us that it may be clear saith the Apostle that the excellency of the
assured that this is the mind of Theophylact because for confirmation he adds The Lord said The bread that I will give you is my flesh and on these words in Ioh. 6. he saith Note well that the bread which is eaten by us in the Sacrament is not only some figuration of the Lord's flesh but the same flesh of the Lord for he said not The bread that I will give is a figure of my flesh but it is my flesh for by mysterious words it is transformed by mystical blessing and accession of the Holy Ghost into the Lord's flesh And at the words Vnless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man he addeth When we hear unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man ye shall not have life we must in taking the Divine mysteries or Sacrament hold undoubted faith and not ask what way for the natural man that is who follows human and natural thoughts is not capable of spiritual things which are above nature and so he understandeth not the spiritual eating of the Lord's flesh of which they who are not partakers are not partakers of eternal life because they have not received Iesus who is eternal life for it is not the flesh of a meer man but of God and is able to Deifie us to wit being united unto the God-head That flesh is also verily food because it indureth not for a little time nor can be corrupted as corruptible food but it is a help unto eternal life In these his words we see that he speaks not absolutely as he did seem to speak on Matthew but as he spoke on Mark The bread is not only some figuration and then he saith It is transformed by mystical blessing and accession of the Holy Ghost And then he saith In taking the Divine mysteries we must hold undoubted faith then they who have not faith undoubted cannot eat that mysterious Sacrament And we must not ask what way to wit as they do now whether the substance of the bread be turned into the substance of Christ's body or whether the substance of the bread is turned to nothing and Christ's body comes into the form of the bread or c. Theophylact is far from asserting any of these waies And when he saith That flesh is verily food because it indureth not for a little time nor can be corrupted he speaks not of the visible bread which experience teacheth to be corruptible but he speaks of the Lord's flesh which we receive by faith In a word then Theophylact speaks nothing of transubstantiation but rather against it and the Papists delude themselves and abuse his words A fourth thing they object out of Theophylact that he asserts the Primacy of Peter when he saith on Joh. 21 He who durst not ask concerning the Traitour but did commit the question unto another now the government of all is concredited unto him And on the margine Porsena addeth Praefectura omnium Petro tributa and it follows as if Christ were saying unto Peter Now I bring thee forth that thou mayest govern the world and follow me and on the margine Praeest Petrus orbi But to expound these words as if Peter were the only governour of the World and the government of the World were wholly concredited unto Peter alone is far contrary unto the words and mind of Theophylact as we have heard from him on Gal. 2. where he asserteth that Paul was equal unto him and on Matth. 16 where he asserteth that all the Apostles were of equal authority Peter therefore was a governour of the world but not the only governour for all the Apostles were as much governours as he in respect of power since the power was given unto them all with one and the same words as Theophylact asserts and whatsoever power they had yet they had no civil power because as we have heard from Theophylact on Rom. 13. all souls even Apostles must be subject unto the Civil Magistrate Neither do the words of Porsena insinuate so much as they would have for Praefectura and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a subordinate power and a little jurisdiction yea and for the most part a conjunct power as Praefectus urbis which at Rome were two conjunct and subordinate unto the power of the former So this is all the power which they can bring unto Peter from the words of Theophylact and we may see how in many particulars he differeth from the Tenets of the Romish Church and favoureth them not in the main things wherein they pretend to have his consent 4. Radulph a Benedictine of Flaviak in this Century writ 20 books on Leviticus and 14 books on the Epistles of Paul as witnesseth Gesner In the Preface on Levit. he saith Although it should move us not a little to beleeve that the world was contrary unto the faith and now is subject unto the faith and that the faith was declared by so many miracles and testified by the blood of so many Martyrs yet the singular ground of faith is in the Scriptures when it is clearly seen to be fulfilled in our daies which we know was prefigured and foretold so many years by the Sacraments of the Fathers and Oracles of the Prophets Here by the way note that not only Radulph but many others of the more ancient Fathers do use the word Sacrament for the rites of religion yea and for mysteries and very largely or homonymously Lib. 1. cap. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ is our Altar because we lay our oblation on him for if we do any good thing we hope that by him it shall be accepted of the Father and therefore the Apostle Peter saith Offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ ..... The authority of the Holy Scripture doth furnish unto us matter of holy thoughts Ibid. Scarcely can any good work be perfected without admission of some sin it is therefore to be feared lest when the reward of perfect devotion is expected the punishment of our guiltiness be required of us Lib. 2. cap. 2. That Angel is none other but our greatest High-Priest of whom we speak to wit he was sent by the Father unto men and sent again from men unto the Father to plead the causes of men before the Father he being the Mediatour of God and men Ibid. cap. 4 Whatsoever man can do for himself were no way sufficient to obtain forgiveness unless the immaculate sacrifice of that Just one did commend the repentance of sinners Lib. 5. cap. 3 When ye do any good thing ascribe not the very affection of godliness unto you as if ye could do it of your self for it is God which worketh in us at his good pleasure both to will and to perfect ..... he who ascribeth grace unto himself must necessarily lose grace for which he was not thankfull Lib. 6. cap. 3. He dieth who discovereth his head because while he expects salvation another way then by the grace of Christ he doth
Scripture so many as are predestinated unto life are they not called Kings and Priests therefore what God hath conjoyned let no man put asunder but rather what divine Authority hath ordained mans will should endeavor to fulfil and they should joyn in hearts who are conjoyned in ordinances let them cherish one another defend other mutually and bear one anothers burthens The wise man saith A brother aiding a brother both shall be comforted but if they bite one another which God forbid both shall come into desolation Let not my soul come into their counsels which say That either the peace and freedom of the Church is hurtful unto the Crown or the prosperity and exaltation of the Crown is hurtful unto the Church for God the Author of them both hath conjoyned them not to destruction but to edification If ye know this how long will ye dissemble the common contumely and common injury Is not Rome as the Apostolical Seat so also the head of the Empire therefore though I would not speak of the Church is it the honor of the King to have an headless Empire I know not what the wise men and Princes of the Kingdom do advise you herein but though I speak imprudently I will not be silent in what I do judge The Chuch of God from the beginning even till these times hath been oft afflicted and oft delivered it is her voice They have often afflicted me from my youth but they could not prevail against me Be sure O King that neither now will the Lord leave the rod of the wicked upon the back of the righteous the hand of the Lord is not shortned nor become unable to help At this time he will deliver his Spouse which he hath redeemed by his blood endowed with his spirit furnished with heavenly gifts and nevertheless enriched with earthly things He will deliver I say again he will deliver but if by the hand of another let the Princes of the Kingdom consider whether this be to the honor and advantage of the King certainly not Wherefore gird thy sword O most mighty and let Caesar recover unto himself what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's Vtrumque interesse Caesaris constat undoubtedly both these appertain to Caesar to maintain his own Crown and to defend the Church the one becometh the King and the other the Advocate of the Church The victory as we trust in the Lord is at hand the Romans are more arrogant then potent for what did ever any great or mighty Emperor or King presume so vile a thing both against Crown and Priest-hood but this cursed and tumultuous people which cannot measure their strength nor think on the end nor consider the event in their foolishness and fury durst attempt so great sacriledge the temerity of the multitude cannot stand for a moment before the King's face c. I will not here add observations Bellarmin de Ro. Pont. l. 2. c. 31. The original of the title â—icar of Christ alledgeth That Bernard did first give unto the Pope the Title Vicar of Christ It was not from the beginning so but the Cardinal mistaketh it Bernard was not the first if Platina do truly report the words of Gregory VII he used this Title before him and according to the language of the Court at that time Bernard giveth this Title unto all Priests even from whom all iniquity procedeth as he speaketh in festo Convers Pauli ser 1. and giveth unto Eusebius both this and loftier Titles for lib. 2. de Consider he calleth him The Great Priest the Prince of Bishops the Heir of the Apostles Abel in Primacy in Government Noah in Patriarchship Abraham in Order Melchisedek in Dignity Aaron in Authority Moses in Iudging Samuel in Power Peter in Vaction Christ here is a rhapsody of glorious Titles and he addeth these passages of Scripture that are wrested to maintain the ambition of the man of sin but whether he speak so in derision or according to his own minde it may be judged by his words following immediately but first see what he And confuted by Bernard at large said a little before What hath the holy Apostle left in legacy unto thee he saith What I have I give thee What is it One thing I know it is not silver nor gold seeing he said Silver and gold have I not If thou happen to have it use it according to the time and not at thy pleasure so use them as not abusing them seeing these in respect of the souls good are neither good nor ill but the use of them is good the abuse ill the care of them is worse and seeking is filthier by whatsoever way thou may have them certainly thou hast them not by title of the Apostle for he could not give what he had not what he had that he gave the care of all the Churches Gave he Lordly power hear himself Not domineering over the people but being an example of the flock And lest you think he said so in humility onely and not in truth the Lord saith in the Gospel The Kings of the earth have dominion but not ye so It is clear dominion is forbidden unto the Apostles Go then and take if thou darest either Apostleship if thou be a Lord or dominion if thou be Apostolical thou art clearly forbidden to do either of the two if thou wilt have them together thou shalt lose them both or else think not thy self to be excepted from those of whom God complaineth saying They have reigned but not by me they were Princes and I knew them not And if thou wilt reign without God thou hast glory but not with God We see what is forbidden now hear what is commanded Who is the greater among you let him be as the yonger and he that is chief as he that serveth There is the model of an Apostle dominion is forbidden and serving is commanded which is commended also by example of the Law-Giver for it followeth I am in the midst of you as he who serveth Bernard there hath many things to this purpose and after he hath mentioned these former Titles and prerogatives he saith I have spoken of who thou art but forget not what consider what thou wast and now art why wilt thou not behold what thou canst not cease to be Indeed it is one thing what thou wast and art and another who thou art â—ecome the one must not be forgot in searching thy self for thou art what thou wast and thou art not less after thou art become such and perhaps more thou wast born that and changed this but not changed into this the former is not cast off but this is added If thou consider what remember thy nature thou wast born a man if thou ask who thou art a Bishop this thou art made and not born which of these thinkest thou nearest or chiefest unto that thou art made or that thou wast born is not that thou wast born therefore I advise thee to
was neither first nor last and by the Laws of ancient Fathers and godly Emperors it became the first 3. That these also had decreed that the See of new Rome even as the other should have power in Ecclesiastical affairs 4. That it was commanded by no Law nor was any Custom that the Patriarchs should be ordained by the Pope neither was it ever so done 5. That the Pope had no power over Councels but they gave Laws unto his Church 6. That the holy Fathers appointed distinctly what parts should be subject unto the Pope and which unto each of the Patriarchs 7. That no Patriarch nor the Pope may decree without the knowledge of all any thing of more weight 8. That such honor should be given unto the Pope obeying the decrees of the Fathers but if he obey not men should flie from him as a wolf and adversary 9. That Christians should believe the Catholick Church of faith but not any particular Church since it was not so ordained from the beginning 10. And lastly That such as refuse or despise the traditions of the Apostles and profess to believe a particular Church or faith are members cut off from the body of the Catholick Church and dead members Here for clearing the second Article I add the words of cap. 3. where he objecteth as the Romans do That Peter died at Rome and therefore the Roman Bishop should have as full power He answereth By this reason it followeth Because our Lord Jesus died for us at Jerusalem the Bishop of Jerusalem succeeding in the place of the great high Priest should have power over all and so much more then the Roman Bishop as Christ was above Peter Moreover how unreasonable is it to say that none of the Apostles had a Successor but only Peter or if any of the Apostles would leave Successors either the Bishops that were ordained by them or the Stewards of those Churches where they ended their lives how say ye that all should be created by the Pope can ye say that the other Apostles were ordained by Peter and if that was not how can it be demanded that their Successors should be ordained by him whom ye call Peter's Successor but certainly the other Apostles had Successors of whom none was first or last but all equal and of the same rank Then concerning the eighth point in chap. 14. he saith The Pope cannot be an Heretick Unto this objection he answereth What say you I see him dead and you say he cannot die Object Many Patriarchs have been Hereticks but not one Pope Answ Let Macedonius say No Patriarch of Constantinople before me was an Heretick therefore neither am I one or rather to use a more familiar example if any would plead the cause of that filthy woman who was Pope and say Because never a woman was Pope before her therefore neither was she one what sound reason is in such arguing In chap. 15. he clearly distinguisheth between the Catholick Church and the Roman and as no man did ever name the Roman Church when he meant the Catholick Church so no man being right in his wit did ever name the Roman faith when he meant the Catholick faith and that Catholick or common faith we have hitherto preserved and God guarding us we will observe it unto the end saith he 27. In the end of this Century John Vitodura a Franciscan in the Monastery of St. Montis wrote the History of his time speaking of Pope John he saith O what a Successor hath blessed Peter in the See of the high Priesthood who forgetting the office of humanity piety and of a shepherd liveth a tyrannical life ..... how could Peter think that the estate of his Chair and Church could be so enormously perverted in the latter days from the rule of righteousness he was not to be praised because it seemeth he sate not in the pestilential chair And ad An. 1344. he saith O God how great avarice and worship of Idols hath defiled and deformed the Church how could or how would Peter and the other Apostles or their Successors the Martyrs and Teachers which laid the foundations of the militant Church and abode immoveable in the faith and actions of Christ how could these I say have believed that in our time the estate of the Church that was so famous and glorious could be made filthy in such a manner with the pestiserous root of avarice Alas she is torn and wounded in all her members and none is for binding her fractures none to comfort her or to cure her wounds she is consumed in her crimes she is fallen so grievously into the pit of vices that she cannot rise by her self nor is there any to raise her all have gone astray like wandering sheep every one hath gone after his own way which is not right because her fathers would not be befooled with the love of earthly things So the word of Jeremiah is fulfilled From the highest to the lowest all are set on covetousness And the word of Micah is true The Princes judge for gifts and the Priests teach for a reward and the Prophets divine for money This poisonous root avarice with its small branches execrable simony plunder theft and especially devouring usury hath infected and devoujred the world in such measure that John hath spoken most properly in his Canonical writings The whole world lieth in wickedness And An. 1345. at that time the secular and religious Clergy which had resumed in the Imperial and other places lying under the Papal interdiction did obtain absolution from the Roman Court when other Clarks did continue freely and without fear in celebrating and such absolution was purchased easily for a florence Oh how lamentable and execrable a breach is made in the Church at this time that saying of the Gospel is now made null Ye have received freely give freely And ad An. 1348. speaking of the same Papal interdictions he saith Some of them for absolution of men and for reconciliation of Church-yards did collect incredible and immoderate sums of money and did extort from them which were to be absolved which is miserable and horrible to be spoken for in the hearts of very many it caused scandal scruple of the faith perplexities detrictions grumblings infidelity clamors commotions fear and suspition of simoniacal wickedness for they said The Clergy despise tear and defile scatter and confound the Church of God and Spouse of Christ they divide her integrity they wound her charity they harden her benignity and meekness they weaken her zeal they shut up her liberality with the knots of covetousness by withdrawing her from voluntary gifts ..... not regarding the curse of Gehazi and Simon being hardened in their wickedness Oh how vile is the Church become in her principal members all beauty is gone from her because they which should enlighten her with true doctrine do darken her with the blackness of error and mist of vices And the people say I use their
Ernest Archb. of Magdeburgh was a dyng An. 1511. his Chaplain Clemens Schaw and two Franciscans were by him and one of the Franciscans said Famous Prince be of good confort wee will communicate unto your Highness not only all our good works but likewise of all the Order of the Minorites and without doubt when you have these you shall stand just and blessed before the throne of God Ernest answered By no means will I trust either in mine own works or in yours but the works of Christ only are sufficient Catalog Test. ver lib. 19. ex Cl. Schaw 11. John Picus Lord of Mirandula and Earle of Concordia was about that time admired for his learning his books began to be printed An. 1504. He wrote 900 Propositions which he defended in publick disputations at Rome amongst them were these following The true body of Christ is in heaven locally and on the altar sacramentally By the power of God one body can not be in diverse places at once Consecration is not made precisely by these words Hoc est corpus meum unless the antecedent words be added The Lord Jesus in the night he was betrayed ..... Neither the cross nor any image is to be adored with the worship of latria no nor as S. Thomas expresseth it The Doctours condemned these Theses And he wrote an Apologie defending them to be Catholick especially concerning the sacrament he said The body of Christ may be present without any conversion or annihilation of the bread He said May be and not is present to eschue their bonds without doubt he had spoken more plainly if he could have done it freely In an epistle unto the Emperour Maximilian An. 1500. he saith With such faith and piety as I can I beseech thee that with all diligence thou wouldest accomplish that thy most Holy purpose to restore the Christian Republick unto the antient liberty it is wasted by outward enemies and torne by inward and the sheepfold of Jesus Christ which was consecrated by his blood hath suffered and dayly suffereth farr worse from wolves under sheepskins then under their own colours Go-on then most worthy Caesar and excite Christian Kings by what means thou canst and shew thyself a faithfull servant unto Christ the King of all Kings who will quickly deliver his sheep as wel from outward enemies as from false shepherds In time of the conflict of the two Councells of Pisa and Lateran hee handled that question Whether in the cause of faith a Pope should be preferred before a Councell or contra and said according unto the Glosse of the Decree dist 19. c. Anastasius where it is said The Pope should in matter of faith seek a Councell and therefore the Synode is more than a Pope And he adds Wherefore the archdeacon of Bononia approving the glosse said It is dangerous to make our faith subject unto the pleasure of any man and so said Bernard What greater pride one man to prefer his judgement before all the world And when he had shewed his judgement that the greater number should be preferred before the lesser caeteris paribus he addeth But if the greater part would decern any thing against the word of God or against these things that should not be violat and a smaller number opposeth them wee should cleave unto the lesser number as in the Councell of Arimino and the second at Ephesus yea we should believe a Country man or an old wife rather than a Pope or a thousand Bishops if these bee contrary unto the Scriptures and the former follow the Gospell Likewise speaking of that question Whether the Pope and Councells may erre he saith It may be easily decided because he hath already shewed they may erre from the Scripture many Councels and Popes have fallen into heresy it oft hapneth that he who is accounted President of the Church hath not dutifully discharged his presidence and somtimes he can not be President at all seing it is recorded that in former time a woman was Pope and I remember of a learned man who in our age had attained great esteem of religiousness and taught albeit not altogether publickly that hee who was chosen Pope at that time was not Pope .... and I remember of another who was received and adored as Pope whom good and worthy men thought neither to be Pope nor that he could be Pope for he believed not that there was a God! and they did testify of his most wicked deedsin buying the papacy and exercising all kind of wickednes yea and they declared his most wicked words for it was affirmed that he confessed unto his familiar friends that he believed there was no God even since hee was ruler of the Papall See I heard of another Pope who in his time sayd unto his friends he believed not the immortality of souls and when hee was dead he appeared unto the same man and said that to his great losse and by everlasting fire he had found or knew that souls are immortall Ph. Morn in Myster This John had an oration in the Councell at Lateran before Pope Leo X. wherein he spake freely of a necessity of Reformation because of their corrupt manners their adulterate Lawes and canons their decaied religion even among the chiefest of them Godliness said he is almost turned into superstition righteousness into hatred or favour and men of all Estates doe sin openly so that vertue is oft blamed in good men and vice honoured in place of vertue especially by those who would have as it were the walls and hedges of their own crimes and strange insolency and contumacy unpunished These maladies these sores thou must heal o great highpriest or if thou refuse to cure them I fear lest he whose crown thou holdest on earth cut off and destroy the infected members not with fomentations but with fire and sword I think verily that He gives certain signs of his future medicine by pestilence famine and bloody warrs at such admonitions and heavenly thunders wee should have lifted up our ears unto repentance but wee rather loose them like the Moores which become deaf at the continuall noise of Nilus nor is it any marvell for Iohn Chrysostom thinks that all evill procedes from the Church and Hierom writes that he had found no man which had deceived the people but the Priests If thou wilt reforme and correct these things willing or unwilling thou shalt be thought by the Christian world to haue lifted up a standert of a full Reformation This thou o great high priest shouldest doe and none other on earth more then thou and if thou wilt not remember I pray thee that old Priest who was punished for not punishing the sin of his son for they who are set over others should not only be innocent themselves but resist the nocent and represse their wickedness And when he had shewed more particularly that the conversation of the clergy had very great need of Reformation he proves the same of their
Bishops and priests in the mean time looking on these things as it were thorough their fingers and providing well for their own bellies c. But briefly for rebuking these and such other corruptions in the Church Agrippa was delated by the Masters of Lovan unto the Emperour as an haeretik he defended himself by a published Apologia and for examples sake they condemned him of haeresy because he had said in Cap. 100. The knowledge of the word of God came by no schoole of Philosophers by no Sorbone of Divines and by no colledge of Scholastiks but only God and Christ have given it unto us To which no thing should be added nor paired Unto this their censure he answered in Apolog. Sect. 23. They think these words offensive unto godly eares not that they are contrary unto Scriptures or unto the Church but because it is dissonant from the schooles who seeme to have decreed that Philosophy is necessary unto salvation and they think it all ungodly that their Aristotle hath not imagined But if these Propositions be false the contrary must be true and Catholik to wit not God and Christ only but schooles and Sorbones and colledges have given us the knowledge of Gods word and we may against Gods command adde unto and pair from the canonical Scripture Who would think that the Magistri of Lovan are so fond doting that they will think this proposition Catholike c. And in Sect. 34. he said O Moses ô Salomon ô Paul ô John ô Christ ô Church of God what a Disciple of Satan is this who forgeth calumnies against the words even of the Holy Scriptures what will he answer when he shall stand with me before the throne of Christ to give account that he hath maliciously detracted from the word of God surely in that day many of Magistri nostri will rise and say O Lord in thy name we have boldly slaundered in thy name we have disputed eagerly In thy name we have burnt many men confidently In thy name we have suffred ourselves to be called Masters in Divinity but Christ will say unto them I never knew you c. This Agrippa is called a Necromancer but God will have truth to be justified even enemies being Judges 19. Polydorus Vergilius was born in Urbino and sent by the Pope into England in the dayes of Henry the VIII to gather the Peter-pence because the King saw him a learned man he wished him to stay so he became Archdean of Wells Albeit in his writtings he professeth himself a Papist yet he condemneth the worshipping of images Tractat. on the Lords Prayer Pag. 2 he maintaines the liberty of mariage unto the priests de Inv. lib. 5. c. 4. and in these books he sheweth the novelty vanity of many other abuses of Rome as I have elsew here noted and he plainely describeth the matter and manner of the preachin in his daies saying John the Baptist preached in the desert of Judaea our Saviour preached and commanded his Apostles to preach saying Goe teach all nations and preach the Gospell Whereof some of our Divines are ashamed when they preach or then they are weary of it for when they have perfunctoriously read a part of the Gospell as if then people had no more need of instruction they digresse to their fained quaestions there they wrestle and as if they were mad they vexe themselves wresting the Holy Scriptures as they please they corrupt all they confound all with their cries when their fury is allayed they come to base things talk of the prices of victuals of pedlers lik jests some times they jeere and for the same are they commended by the foolish people and this sort of preaching is most frequently used and most commended But would to God oft times they spred not worse for as no sort of men is so profitable for religion if they would preach the Truth so none doe more harme when they study to preach for to pleas the people for when they have once gotten the name of holyness they doe most harm because they are most easily believed as if they would teach nothing but that men should live better But some who should preach teach nothing at all so that they may justly be called dumbe dogs So either by vanity or silence they suffer Christ to be unknown among the people Some times they prate one thing after another off hand that like flying birds they wote not themselfes where they will end de Inven. rer lib. 5. cap. 9. Again in his treatise de Interpert Orat. Dom. he saith We eat the bread of Christ when we believe that he is the Son of God as it is said he who believeth in me hath eternall life and the priests should distribute this bread unto us by preaching but thou wilt say how can priests feed so many seing the greatest part of them is ignorant of letters and the number of people is infinite Let us also passe by that c. Briefly it is manifest how many things he did not love in the Church then that the Authours of the Index Expurgatorius have fulled 8 pages with the catalogue of these things which now they disallow in that his one work de Invent. rer 20. At the same time some Cardinals Bishops incited Lewes II. King of France against the Waldenses who had continued so many hundred years in these places on this side of the Alpes as if they were incestuous witches and haeretiks and therefore they wished the King to expell them all without examination On the othersyde they sent commissioners to declare their innocency before the King The Cardinals would have debarred them from the Kings presence because the canon-law saith Haeretiks should not be heard Lewes answered If I were to fight against the Turk I would first hear what he would say So he sent for the commissioners of Merindole and Cabriers they reverently declared that they believed the Holy Scripture and the Creed of the Apostles but they leaned not to the Pope and his doctrines if the King shall find other wise they submit themselves most gladly unto his censure The King sent one of his Counsellers Adamus Fumaeus and his confessour N. Parvus à Dominican to inquire whether it where so as they had said They went into these Provinces and after due search they reported that the Infants among them were baptized the articles of faith and the law were preached the Lords day was religiously observed and the word of God was expounded they could find no witchcraft nor whoredom among them but they had no images in their Churches nor ornaments of the masse The King answered with an oath as afterwards Pope Gregory XIII said unto his Cardinals concerning the Calvinists saying These men are better then I and my people Jo. Lampad in Mellif part 3. Also Claudius Seisselius Archbishop Taurin gives them a large testimony of approbation howbeit he following the multitude wrot aganst them 21. An. 1516.
and in this confidence I will never be ashamed for the oil of mercy is not kept without the vessell of assurance this is the confidence of man to mistrust himself and rely upon God to trust in our own works is not faith but unbelieff sins are remitted by the mercy of God and we should believe that sin can not be forgiven but by him against whom we have sinned and who can not sin and by whom only all sins are pardoned In the end when unto his lingring sicknes was added an hot fever he held the crosse in his armes saying Abide in mee ô sweet Saviour that I may abide in thee He took the sacrament in both kindes and repeating the same words he rendred his most glorious soul unto God who gave it So Ja. Thuan. hist Lib 21. and Pe Soave hist conc Tri. lib. 5. saith After his death Constantius Pontius was committed to prison for suspicion of heresy who was Confessor of Charles the Emperour in time of his solitariness and in whose armes he died This Pontius died in prison and Philip caused one to burn him in effigie and used such cruelty against his dead body that many were amazed and looked for no mercy from him who had been so merciless to that man whose infamy was not without the aspersion of his dear father II. FERDINAND II. assembled the Electours at Frankford and shewed the renuntiation of Charles this was accepted and he was received by them He sent for confirmation of the Romane Court Ere the Ambassadour was heard the Cardinals object The Imperiall seat can not vaike but by death or deprivation or eiuration and the last two belong unto the Pope only for as the Pope only can depose so eieration can be made before him only as for anything that had passed in Germany it was done by hereticks which have lost their power and therefore Ferdinand should purge himself in judgement and do pennance and send his Proctour with full power to renounce all that was done and he should submitt all unto the pleasure of the Pope only When the Ambassadour craved to be heard the Pope said Charles could not renounce but in his presence only nor can Ferdinand accept without his consent therefore he must satisfie within three months for such things as the Cardinals have to lay unto his charge So his Ambassadour was not heard Grisman advertiseth the Emperour who willed him to shew that if he were not admitted within three dayes he should make protestation that seing he had waited so long and could not be heard to the dishonour of his Master he will return that the Emperour may advise with the Electours what shall be most expedient unto the Imperial dignity Briefly Ferdinand could not be confirmed at Rome untill Pope Pius 4. Thuan. hist Lib. 21. An. 1559. Ferdinand held a Diete at Ausburgh where the Oratours of sundry Nations vere present and the Protestants did present their grievances to wit that albeit peace of religion was concluded confirmed by subscriptions seales yet the judges of the Chamber had enacted strict lawes in mixt causes against them and seing controversies do depend on religion they should be suspended conforme to the Articles of peace nor would the Popish Princes and Magistrates suffer their subjects freely to professe the Augustan Confession nor suffer them to sell their lands as the Articles do permitt that they may dwell in other territories but they imprisoned them or sent them away empty The other party wanted not replies The Emperour appoints another meeting when his Deputies shall hear both parties more fully The Protestants were content if a like number of Judges were chosen of both parties At that time they petitioned that liberty might be granted unto bb and clergy but it was not granted Ferdinand was addicted to Popery yet was not an enemy to Protestants Ere he was Emperour he was continually for warrs but afterwards he was desirous of peace He caused his son Maximilian to be chosen King of the Romanes An. 1561. and died An. 1564. CHAP III. Of diverse COVNTRIES IN the year 1516. Pope Leo X. under pretext to collect money for wars The occasion of the Reformation against the Turk sent indulgences through all Christendom granting pardon of sins both for guilt and punnishment unto all which would give money and extending this grace unto the dead if any would buy for them for his will was that for whomsoever the disbursment was made albeit they were in purgatory they should be free from their pain granting also liberty to eat eggs and milk on fast daies and to choose a Confessour unto themselves c. He began to distribute this harvest ere it was well sown giving unto certain persons the benefit to be reaped out of certain Provinces and reserving what pleased him for his own treasury Especially he gave the gain of Saxony and other parts of Germany about the seacost unto his Sister Magdalen and her husband Francis Cibo the base son of Pope Innocent VIII for recompense as he pretended of the charges the house of Cibo had sustained in the daies of Alexander VI. who was an enemy to the house of Medices and had chased Leo and others of that family out of Rome Magdalen living then at Genua agrieth with the B. Angelus Arembold and he proclaimed to give that power of selling these indulgences in Germany unto any which would ingage to bring up most money even so sordidly that none of credit would contract with him yet he wanted not merchants Pe. Soave in Hist. Conc. Trident. and he went into Denmark and Sweden Among these merchants was John Tecelius a Dominican who was once condemned by the Emperour Maximilian for adultery to bedrowned in the River at Ispruck but by intercession of Duke Frederik had escaped At this time returning into Germany he began to teach how great power he had from the Pope that albeit a man had defiled the Virgin Mary and had got her with childe he had power to forgive that sin for money and he had power to forgive not only sinnes already committed but whatsoever in one shall committ afterwards Shortly comes forth a little book under the name of Albert Bishop of Mentz commanding the pardoners to set forth these indulgences most diligently Joann Sleidan Commentar Libr. 13. It was the custom of Saxony that the Augustinians were imployed in the selling of Indulgences but Tecelius would rather employ the Dominicanes and they spent prodigally in taverns what others did spare from their necessaries to buy the pardons So the luxury of the pardon-mongers and the preaching of the Dominicans were scandalous to very many of all estates and the Augustinians took it ill that they were deprived of their priviledge Pe. Soave Iby II. MARTIN LVTHER was borne in Islebia a town of Mansfield The beginning of Martin Luther An. 1483. in the 22 year of his age he had finished his course of Philosophy in Erford
hear that he had written of free-will and such other idle questions trifles and of the Sacrament and such other things that are determined by the generall Councels Osiand in Epit. Lib. 1. Cap. 27. In March Luther publishes his answer unto the Censure of Colen and Lovan These writings are reported at Rome and some do charge the Pope of negligence that he provideth not timely against so great evils especially the Monks do grumble that he takes more pleasure in hunting gaming and musik and is careless of weightier things they tell him how arianisme might have been prevented if Arius had been Contplaints at Rome against Leo he knowes not what to doe at h is first appearing put out of the way as they did at Constance with Huss and Jerom. On the other side saith Pe. Soave Leo began to repent that he had medled at all with the business for he thought it had been better for him to have permitted the Monks to fight together so long as they both professed obedience unto him and not to have sided with either party to the offense of the other yea if he had not medled with it it might have evanished in a short time Nevertheless upon the continuall solicitation of some bb of Germany and the two Universities and especially of the Friers Leo was moved to yield So the Cardd Prelates Divines and Canonists were assembled and Leo commits the cause unto them They unanimously agree that so great impiety must be blasted with the thunder of a curse but the Divines and Canonists do vary in the manner Some said the curse must be given peremptorily others say A citation must precede The Divines say The A decree against Luther case is notorious by his books and publik Sermons The Canonists say Notoriousnes takes not away just defense neither by the law of God nor of nature and they had given a precedent in summoning him before Cardinal Cajetan Again the Divines say This cause doth concerne them only seing it is of faith Religion The Canonists say It concerneth them also seing it is a case to be judged After much jangling they fall upon a course to please both parties and distinguish between the doctrine person books let his doctrine be presently condemned a certain day be named wherein he may appeare and that may serve for a citation but for the books there was another variance some would have them go with his doctrine and some with his person And when neither party would yeeld unto the other a mid way was devised to please them both to wit the Books shall be condemned with the doctrine and be burnt when he is accursed And accordingly one decree is made for all therein he is not warned to appeare but that he and all adhering unto him shall abstain from these errours and burn the books within 60 dayes or els they are presently declared notorious and obstinate hereticks and also all men are charged that they keep not nor receive any of his books howbeit they containe not the condemned errours but flee from him and all his favorits or take his person and bring him up or chase him out of their dominions yea and whosoever shall receive him their lands also are made subject unto the curse of the Church The forenamed authour shewes what were the censures of this Bull men of understanding saith he did admire it first in the forme that whereas it should have been handled in the language of Scripture yet it was set forth in the style of a Court and that in such intricate prolixe sentences that it was hard to find out the meaning of it and as if it were a decree in case of a fee-farme namely in that clause Forbidding all men that they presume not to assert these errours was such polixity that between forbidding and preserve were 400. words at the least Others did marke that unto 41. positions that were condemned as hereticall scandalous false offensive unto the godly and seductive of the simple it was not shewed which were Hereticall which scandalous which false but by adding a word respective all was made uncertaine seing that Generall word determineth not the particulars and therefore some prudence or other authority is necessary to define these controversies And some did admire with what face it could be said that among these 41 proposâ—tions some were the errours of the Greeks condemned long ago Others thought it strange that so many positions of severall heads of the faith were condemned at Rome by the sole pleasure of the Cardinals and other Courtiers without the knowledge and suffrages of bb Universities and other learned men through Europe Now hear from Abr. Schultet how it was accepted in Germany Eccius brought it to Lipsia Marinus Caracciola Hier. Aleander to Colen Eccius is flowted in Lipsia the Bull was not received in Bambergh because as they said it was not legally intimated the Rector of Erford by a publick program exhorts the Students if they see that Bull set up in any place to teare it in pieces and oppose themselves unto the enemies of Luther So when Eccius came to Erford the Students went against him in arms and they threw the Bull being torne into pieces into the water Ulrik Hutten a noble man of Franconia did publish the Bull with interlineary and marginall glosses not without great reproach to the Popes honour Luther before he saw it had set forth his book De captivitate Babylonica wherein he professeth that dayly he saw more and more and he wishes that all his books concerning Indulgences were burnt and in place of them all he sets this one position Indulgences are the wickednesses of Roman flatterers And he wishes that his books were burnt in which he had denied that Papacy is of divine right and had granted that it is of humane right and for them he sets this Thesis Papacy is the mighty hunting of the Romane Bishop Then he teaches that the captivity of the sacrament of the altar is first that one of the elements is denied unto the people 2. that transsubstantiation is believed 3. that the masse is made a sacrifice And he acknowledgeth but two sacraments baptisme and the Lords Supper and he willeth that this book be accounted a part of his recantation When he had read the Bull he said At last the Bull of Rome is come of which some write many things unto the Prince but I despise it and will set myself against it as impious and altogether Eccian yee see Christ is condemned in it there is no reason named I am called not unto audience but to a recantation ye may see they are furious blind and madd ..... O that Charles were a man and would for Christ's sake set himselfe against these devils Then he wrote against the Bull calling it execrable excommunicates the authors of it maintaines all the condemned articles calleth the Pope the Antichrist and appealeth from him unto a Councell When
in his demands yet the Lantgrave considering his danger was content of any conditions so that he and his people be not forced to change their religion He comes to Hall in Saxony where the Emperour was before he had accesse he must subscribe the demands this was one clause The Emperour is the interpreter of all the articles He sticketh at this alledging that it was not so in the forme which was shewed before unto him The Bishop of Artois said It was a mistake of the writer and he demandeth that the Landgrave will promise unto the Emperour to accept the Decrees of Trent This he refuses the Bishop menaceth him that he can not be accepted other wise He answereth He will obey the decres of a free godly and General Councel as Maurice and the Elector had done Then he was brought before the Emperour and upon his knies did confesse his offenses and promised obedience in all time coming The Emperour saith Albeit he had deserved most grievous punishment yet he refuseth not to restore him according to the articles of agreement Nevertheless the same night at command of the Emperour the Landgrave was arrested and a guard set upon him Maurice and the Elector of Brandeburgh protest unto him that it was contrary unto their mind and they shall never cease untill they obtain his liberty And they did solicite earnestly but could not prevaile According to an article 150000 ducats were delivered unto the Emperour and other things of great importance but the Landgrave was delivered into the hands of Spainards as a Captive and carried about with the Emperour who gave the title of Elector and Dutchy of Saxony unto Duke Maurice This did not content him but God made him the instrument of delivering the captives of chasing the Emperour out of Germany and purchasing liberty of Religion as is hinted before XXXIX Now let us view some things done in France and first it A contest between a Printer and the Sorbonists is worth the marking what Robert Steven who is better known by the name Robertus Stephanus did and what was done unto him by the University of Paris In the year 1532 he published an edition of the Latine Bible when he had conferred the Copies that were in use at that time with some old manuscripts and according unto them he amended some errouts The University take this ill that he had attempted to change the Translation He defended himself that he had changed nothing but had printed according to old coppyes which he had by him His answer was tolerable in the judgement of reasonable men nevertheless they persue him before the Court of Paris and doe petition that he may be burnt But their petition was refused Then he printeth the Bible retaining the vitious translation and on the margine he addeth the words of the manuscripts with Notes shewing the Coppies whence he had these words These do accuse him for that edition before the King Francis and his counsel but were put to shame and silence In Respons Ro. Steph. ad Censur Theologor Paris Pag. 109. Then he printed the ten commandements in great letters and in such a forme that they might be fixed upon walls of houses for common use and so did he with a Summe of the Bible This did provoke them yet more especially because he had printed the second command Thou shall not make unto thyself any graven image c. And they accuse him but the King gave him a warrant to reprint both the Ten commandements and the Summe of the Bible both in Latin and French They did summon him to compear before them and said that his work was worse then the teaching of Luther Fivetien members did approve him and added their seals unto his attestation so the multitude of them seeing the Kings warrant and that attestation were ashamed and their Deputies did also assoile him Ibid. pag. 11. In the mean time the King had ordered Francis Vatablus Professor of the Hebrew to expound the old Testament out of the first language and his hearers did write his exposition and his annotations The Kings Printer dealeth with the hearers and receives from them a new Translation which he printes with the old Translation and with the Annotations When this work was perfected in the year 1545. he shewes it unto some of the University requiring and entreating them to shew him if any part thereof had not been rightly observed by the hearers to the end if there be any thing amisse he may amend it They doe approve the work and assure him that no evill could proceed from the Lessons of Vatablus But when the books were solde some do observe that the Translation and the Annotations were contrary unto the present doctrine of the University and therefore the books should not be solde seing they were printed without the knowledge of the Faculty The Printer goeth unto the Court. and sheweth Peter Castellan Bishop of Mascon that the University were offended and intend to hinder the selling of his books when he saw that the Bishop was doubtfull what aduice to give he saith If the Divines will give him their Censure he is willing to print it with the Bible and he will neither be ashamed nor take in ill part to advertise rhe reader of whatsoever errour is in the book This Overture did please the Bishop and he relates all unto the King which willeth the Bishop to writin his name unto the University that they shall revise the Translation and the Annotations and note what doeth not please them and subioyn unto every fault a reason of their judgement and deliver their Censure to be printed either apart or with the Bible Castellan writs so unto them and they did promise to obey But though they were at several times required to deliver their Censure they shift it and sent unto the Divines of Lovan entreating to reckon that Translation among the forbidden and hereticall books The King was informed of their shifts and of that Letter wherefore he ordereth the Bishop to require them again after severall exhortations to this purpose they send fifetien places which they had marked The Bishop conferreth with their Deputie Gagneius upon these instances and writes a large letter unto them commending the Annotations and shewing what course they should observe in their Censure They were the more enraged at that commendation and would not go-on in their Censure but would have the book to be condemned which they had declared hereticall Then the King sent his Letters patent and sealed charging them to continue in their Censure and to deliver it unto his Printer They doe still refuse and at that time King Francis dieth His son Henry sendeth the like charge unto them on August 16. 1547. They return answer that they shall perfect their Censure before November 1. but then in place of the Censure they send a supplication craving that the books may be forbidden because he is a sacramentarian and had written that
before and after Sermon administration of baptism and the Lords Supper the manner of catechising the manner of censuring scandalous persons either repenting or obstinat and prayers belonging to â—ach one of those as also concerning the Visitation of the sick Those who suffered in these Provinces were for the most part accused concerning the Masse prayer to Saints worship of images purgatory the merite of works the supremacy of the Pope and the lyke all which they denied upon grounds of the Scripture King Philip II. went about to turne the Civil gouvernment into a Monarchy and was advised by the Cardinal of Lorrain to separate such parts of these Provinces as in former times were subiect unto the Bishops of Germany and France and erect new Bishopriks in them then he erected three archbishopriks and twelve bishopriks whereas before they had but one Bishoprik in Vtrechâ— that by them as so many Overseers the office of Inquisition might be the more strictly executed This was not darkly made known by the Popes Bull granted to the same effect and Henry the Ambassador of Spain declared the same plainly unto William Count of Nassaw Whereupon the States began to consult how to defend themselves against the cruelty of Inquisition Thuan. hist Lib. 22. But first they wrote a Confession of their faith in the year 1561. and sent it unto the King with a Supplication protesting that it was great cruelty and iniquity to punish them as hereticks so horribly because they forsook the traditions of men which had no warrant in Gods Word The Confession was at the first written by Guido de Bres who afterwards sealed it with his blood and Godeâ—rid Wingius who was sent by the Church of Embden to gather the first Reformed Church in Flanders and other Fellow-labourers in Flanders Brabant Holland c. and it was communicated unto Cornelius Coolthunius and Nicolaus Carenaeus Ministers at Embden unto Pe. Dathen Caspar Heidan at Frankendal and others in other parts It was presented unto the King in the year 1562 but he was so far from yielding unto their Supplication that they were the more grievously oppressed In the midst of their cruell persecution the number of true professors increased wonderfully and by example of the French Church which in the beginning of King Charles IX had purchased some liberty they avowed the Religion openly Cardinal Granvellan on the other side went about contrary to the mindes of the Noble men who were appointed by the King unto the government to afflict Antwerp though having a particular exemption from the Inquifition The noble men sent their complaint against him and he was deprived of his authority by Letters from the King but before his departure he had provided so and the King was so affected toward the Inquisitors that their Inquisition went on the more cruelly among others great severity was used in Antwerp against the believers of the Gospel in the year 1564. Many Noble Men who before were enemies of the truth began to hate such cruelties and embraced the Gospel and albeit they saw themselves in danger of the Inquisition yet they determine to make a league of mutuall defence namely that they would endeavour to help one another for avoiding peâ—ill and to certify one another of the attempts and plots of their enemies When they had made this agreement they sought to gain the favour of others most bitter against them At that time Margarit the Dutchess of Parma and the Kings Sister had the government of the seventien Provinces by the advice of other Rulers foreseeing the imminent danger she sent Count d' Egmont a Papist but a good Patriot unto the King to certify him that great trouble was like to ensue which could not be prevented if the severity of those Edicts and the boldness of some men abusing them were not restrained Then the King ordered the Dutchess to mollify the edicts as necessity required with the advice of prudent men for preventing the dangers which she feared yet so that the Romane Religion be kept in safety She calleth a solemn Counsel in which twelve men were appointed to rectify the business They call the odious Inquisition a Visitation and for burning they ordain hanging but the Inquisition was confirmed and continued still This petty change did not please Granvellan nor the Pop's Legate in Spain nor did they cease untill the King discharged that order again so by a new edict he established the Inquisition and commanded that the former edicts should be every where put into execution Dated in December An. 1565. LII Often mention hath been made of the controversy concerning the A Retractation of Bucer concerning the Supper presence of Christs body in the Lords Supper here by way of corollary for clearing both the history and the state of that question I add the words of Martin Bucer in his Enarrations on Matth. 26. in his second edition When he comes to the Institution of that Sacrament he saith It seemes good to treat of this text as of new because in my former edition are some words whereby it may seem both that I have not sufficiently declared the Matter and that I have been too little dutifull toward those unto whom wee all who worship Christ do owe very much For by our ingratitude toward the most large gift of God the revelation of the Gospell which hath been in our time and by our sloth in all the work of Christ our Saviour we have deserved that God hath suffered Satan to raise a strife certainly a very unhappy one amongst the Ministers of the revived Gospell concerning the sacred mystery of the Lords table Into this contentien I also was drawn while I know not with what Zeal I did endeavour to defend some men against whom others seemed to deal too harshly and to eschue on the one hand the impanation of Christ or the local inclosing of him in the bread and on the other the preposterous confidence on the outward action in the sacraments I confesse ingenuously that this Zeal was immoderate and that I did not honour enough the authority of those whom I saw to be first promoters of the Gospell unto us all towâ— Martin Luther and some others neither did I consider rightly the dammages which the Church hath suffered by that difference for else I might have taken another way both to defend the innocent and to wave the fond opinions neither should I have taken exception against the words that are agreeable unto Scripture and may bevsed piously which M. Luther and they who are with him do use For because I thought that by those phrases the people were made to believe the impanation of Christ or certainly was a locall inclosing in the bread and that the sacraments by themselves after whatsoever manner they be taken do bring salvation I thought that I should not only impugne those phrases but that they should be waved and others used that thereupon Luther and others did judge that I
that the Masse and the opinions which they teach the people concerning it be laid to the square of the first institution that the world may know whither their teachers had offended or not in that which they have affirmed whither the action of the Masse be not expressely repugnant unto the last Supper of the Lord Jesus whither the sayer of it commit not horrible blasphemy in vsurping The sayer of Masse is a blasphemer upon the offices of Christ Al. Anderson denied that the Priest takes upon him Christs office A masse-book was brought and it wat read out of the beginning of the Canon Suscipe Sancta Trinitas hanc oblationem quam ego indignus peccator offero tibi vivo Deo et vero pro peccatis toâ—ius Ecclesiae vivorum et mortuorum Then said the Minister If to offer for the sins of the whole Church be not the proper office of Christ only let the Scripture judge and if a vile man whom ye call priest proudly takes the same upon him let your own books witnes Al. Anderson said Christ offered the propitiatory and none can do that but we offer the remembrance It was answered We praise God that yee deny a sacrifice propitiatory in the Masse and we offer to prove that in moe than an hundred places of your Papisticall Doctors it is affirmed that the Masse is a sacrifice propitiatory But whereas ye alledge that yee offer Christ in remembrance we aske first Unto whom do yee offer him and next By what authority are ye assured of well-doing In God the Father falleth no oblivion and if ye will shift and say that ye offer not as if God were forgetfull but as willing to apply Christs merits to his Church we demand of you What power and commandement have ye to do so We know that our Master commanded his Apostles to do what He did in remembrance of him and plain it is that Christ took bread gave thanks brak the bread and gave it to his disciples saying Take eat ..... here is a command to take and eat to take and to drink but to offer Christs body either for remembrance or application we find not and therefore we say To take upon you an office which is not given unto you is uniust vsurpation and not lawfull power Then Alexander vseth some words of shifting but the Lords require him to answer directly Then said he I am better acquainted with philosophy than with Theology Then John Lesley then Parson of Vne and immediatly was sent by the Bishops and their faction to be agent in their business with the Queen and thereafter was called Bishop of Rosse was demanded to answer unto that argument After some litle pause he said If our Master hath nothing to say unto it I have nothing for I know nothing but the Canon-law and the greatest reason that ever I could find there is Volumus and Nolumus The Nobility seeing that neither the one nor the other would answer directly say Wee have been miserably deceived for if the Masse may not obtain remission of sin to the quick and to the dead wherefore were all the Abbeys so richly doted and endowed with our lands Hereby it is clear as also by what is written of the Parliament that the Papists had liberty to plead for their Religion and were required to say what they could not only with safety and assurance of protection but they did appeare and shew their weakness At that time the book of Discipline was not allowed nor reiected but delayd and thereafter it was approved by the Counsell for their own part but not authorised and some additions were noted and this provision expressely added That the Bishops Abbots Priors and other Beneficed men who had already adioined them unto the Religion shall enioy their benefices during their lives they upholding and sustaining the Ministery and Ministers for their part The issue of this provision was many Church-men gave away and sold their Manses gleebs tyths and other things to the prejudice of the Church so that the entertainment of Ministers was very small in many places nothing at all and the gleebs could hardly be recovered XIII At Edinburgh December 20. An. 1560. was the first Nationall assembly where conveened the Ministers and Commissionares from Shires The first assembly of the Church and Burghs about the number of 44. persons 1. They designe Ministers and Readers unto severall parishes throughout the Countrie 2. It was appointed that in time coming the election of Minister Elders and deacons shall be in the publick church and premonition to be on the sunday preceeding 3. It is found by the law of God marriages may be solemnized betwixt parties of the second or third degrees of consanguinity and others that are not prohibited by the word of God and therefore to desire the Lords and Estates to interpose their authority and make lawes thereupon 4. It is appointed that for punishment of fornication the law of God be observed and these shall make publick repentance which vse carnall copulation betwixt the promise and solemnization of their marriage 5. that earnest supplication be made unto the Estates of the realm and to the Lords of Secret counsell that all Judges ordinary and Judiciall Officers as Lords of the Session Shireffs Stewarts Balives and other ordinary Judges be professours of the trueth according to the word of God and all Ministers of the word to be removed from such Offices according to the Civill law 6. To supplicate the Parliament and Secret Counsell that for eschuing the wrath of the Eternall and removing the plagues threatned in His law Sharp punishment be ordained against idolaters and mantainers thereof in contempt of Gods true Religion and Acts of Parliament namely which say Masse or cause it to be said or are present thereat And a catalogue of their names is writen They appoint Comissioners to attend the Parliament if any shall be called with these supplications It is to be observed from the fift Act that Ministers of the word were forbbidden to be Judges in Civil causes which is against the former practise when Bishops and other prelats were Lords of Parliament and sat in Civill Courts No Parliament was called as was expected but a Convention of Estates was appointed to be in May before which time Papists resort to Edinburgh in great numbers and began to brag of their power The Commissioners which were appointed In a Convention of the Estates An. 1561. Papistry is again forbidden by the Assembly of the Church conveen May 17. An 1561. and draw up these articles to be presented unto the Convention that idolatry and all monuments thereof should be suppressed throughout the realm that the sayers maintainers and heareâ—s of the Masse should be punished according to the Act of Parliament 2. That câ—rtain provision be made for maintenance of the Superintendents Ministers and Readers that Superintendents be planted where none are That punishment be appointed for
of tumults and her Majesty commandes with advice of her Secret Counsell that none of the Lieges take in hand to molest or trouble any of her domestik servants or persons whatsoever come out of France in her Company at this time in word deed or countenance for any cause whatsoever either within her palace or without under the said pain of death This Act was proclaimed the same day and immediatly the Earle A publick Protestation of Arran makes publick protestation thus In so far as by this Proclamation it is made known unto the Church of God and members thereof that the Queen is minded that the true Religion and worship of God already established proceed forward that it may dayly increase Untill the Parliament that order may be taken then for extirpation of all idolatry out of this realm We render most hearty thinks to the Lord our God for her Majesties good mind earnestly praying that it may be increased in her Majesty to the honour glory of his Name and good of his Church within this realm And as touching the molestation of her Highness servants we suppose that none dare be so bold as once to move their finger at them in doeing their lawfull business and we have learned at our Master Christ's School to keep peace with all men And therefore for our part we will promise that obedience unto her Majesty as is our duty that none of her servants shall be troubled molested or once touched by the Church or any member thereof in doing their lawfull busines But seeing God hath said The idolater shall die the death Wee protest solemnly in the presence of God and in the eares of all people that heare this Proclamation and especially in the presence of you Lion herauld and the rest of your Colleagues maker of the proclamation that if any of her servants shall commit idolatry shall say Masse participate therewith or take the defence thereof which we are loath should be in her Highness company in that case that this proclamation is not extended to them in that behalf nor be a savegard nor girth to them in that behalf no more than if they commit slaughter or murder seing the one is much more abominable odious in the sight of God than is the other but that it may be lawfull to inflict upon them the pains contained in Gods Word against idolaters wherever they may be apprehended without favour And this our protestation we desire you to notify unto her and give Her the copy hereof lest her Higness may suspect an uproar if wee all shall come and present the same At Edinburgh day year foresaid This Protestation did some what exasperate the Queen and others following her in that point When the Lords of the Congregation as they were called came to the Town at Court cooleth zeal the first they were much offended that the Masse was permitted and each did accuse these that were before him but when they tarried a short space they were as quiet as others Wherupon Robert campbell of Kings-cleugh said unto the Lord Ochiltry My Lord you are come now and almost the last of all the rest and I perceive by your anger that the fire-edge is not off you yet but I fear that when the holy water of the Court shall be sprinkled upon you you shall become as temperate as others for I have been here now five dayes and at the first I heard every man say Let us hang the priest But after that they had been twice or thrice in the Abby all that fervency was past I thinke there is some inchantment where with men are bewitched And it was so for on the one part the Queen 's fair words still crying Conscience it is a sore thing to constrain Conscience and on the other part the persuasions of others blinded them all and put them in opinion that the Queen will be content to hear the Preaching and so she may be won and so all were content to suffer her for a time The next sunday John Knox in Sermon shewes what terrible plagues God had sent upon Nations for idolatry and one Masse is more fearfull unto him than if ten thousand enemies were landed in any part of the realm for in our God is strength to resist and confound multitudes if we unfainedly depend upon Him as we have experience heretofore but when we join hands with idolatry it 's no doubt but both Gods amiable presence and comfortable defence will leave us and what shall then become of us c. Some said Such fear was no point of their faith it was besides his text and a very untimely admonition The Writer of The history of Reformation addeth by way of anticipation that in December An. 1565. when they which at the Queens arrivall maintained the toleration of the Masse were summoned upon treason exiled and a decriet of forfeture was intended against them the same Knoxe recited these words in the audience of many and besought Gods mercy that he was not more vehement and upright in suppressing that idol for said he albeit I spake what was offensive unto some which this day they feel to be true yet I did not what I might have done for God hath not only given mee knowledge and tongue to make the impietie of that idol knowen but he had given mee credite with many who would have put in execution Gods judgements if I would have only consented thereunto But so carefull was I of common tranquillity and so loath to offend those of whom I had conceived a good opinion that in private conference with dearest and Zealous men I travelled rather to mitigate yea to slacken that fervency that God had kindled in them than to encourage them to put their hands unto the Lords work wherein I confesse unfainedly that I have done most wickedly and from the bottom of my heart do ask of my God grace pardon for I did not what in mee lay to have suppressed that idoll at the beginning After that Sermon the Queen sent for I. Knox and none being present except the Lord James and two gentle men in the end of the room said unto him That he had raised The Queen acused Io. Knox and his answers a part of her subiects against her mother herself that he had written a book against her just authority she meaneth the treatise against the Regiment of women which she had and would cause the most learned in Europe to write against it That he was the cause of sedition and great slaughter in England and that is was said to her All that he did was by necromancy John answereth Madam it may please your Majesty to heare my simple answers and first if to teach the word of God in sincerity or to rebuke idolatry and to presse a people to worship God according to his word be to raise subjects against their Princes then I can not be excused for it hath pleased
created by God and infused into the soul whereby that man is made acceptable unto him Here a new controversy is started about the word Justificare some said It must be taken effectivè to make just and not declarativè Amongst those was Soto but the Caâ—melite Marinarus would prove from Rom. 8. by the judiciall process of accusing and condemning that justification must also be a judicialact Hereupon was another sharp dispute Whether the habite of grace be the same with the habite of charity or a distinct one The Scotists held the first part and the Thomists the later In this neither party would yeeld into the other Then they dispute Whether beside that inherent justice the justice of Christ be imputed unto the justified person as his own All said Christ dd merite for us and we are made partakers of his righteousnes but some loved not the word Imputed because it is not among the Fathers and for the bad consequences which Lutherans draw from it to wit this only is sufficient without inherent righteousnes the sacraments confer not grace punishment is abolished with the guilt there remaines no place for satisfaction c. These contentions were fostered by sundry persons upon several interests the Imperialists would had them leave the doctrin and the Pa palines sought a way to divide the Councel and so a void the apparent or aimed-at reformation others sought to deliver themselves from appearing and heavier incommodities in Germany and they feared dearth and others had little hope to do good At that time the Emperour sent Letters unto the Pope and unto the Councel representing a necessity of holding the Councel on foot for avoiding mis-reports if it be dissolved and he promised to bend up all his wit to keep Trent secure he earnestly entreated that they would not handle controversies lest the Protestants be provoked with contrary decrees and therefore to treat of reformation only or at most medle with points of lesser weight The Pope was desirous to be freed of the Synod but to gratify the Emperour in respect of the present confederacy he wrote unto the Legaâ—s to hold the Councel a foot but without any Session untill he give new advertisment and to entertain the Prelats and Divines with congregations and such exercise as seemed best July 25. a Jubilee was published at Trent to pray for good success unto the German warrs and the Session was adjournied untill a new intimation and the congregations were discharged for 15. dayes nor did they sit untill the 20. day of August Then the Legat de Monte judged it inconvenient to suspend the Fathers any longer but De Sancta Cruce a man of melancholy nature took it upon him When they came to the congregation this Legate and three Bishops and three Generals were deputed to frame the Decrees and anathematisms So he set on edge the heads of the former opinions shewing that the points were weighty and should be sifted and he gave place to other controversies as whether a man can be assured of grace Some said It is presumption pufts up and makes a man negligent Of assurance of grace in doing good and to doubt is more profitable and meritorious to this purpose they cited Eccles 9. 1. and 1. Pet. 1. 17. and some testimonies of the Fathers Those were Vega Soto c. On the other side Catharinus Marinarus and others alledged other passages of the same Fathers and they said The Fathers had spoken occasionally somtimes to comfort and at other times to repress but if we hold close to the Scripture it shall be more certain seing Christ said often Believe that thy sins are forgiven but He would not give occasion of pride nor drowsiness neither would he deprive men of merite if doubting were usefull The Scripture bids give God thanks for our justification which we can not do unless we know that we have obtained it St. Paul confirmes this when he willeth the Corinthians to know that they are in Christ except they be reprobats The Holy Spirit beares witnes with our Spirit that we are the children of God and to deny his testimony is no less then to accuse them of temerity who believe the Holy Ghost speaking with them for S. Ambrose saith The Holy Ghost never speaks to us but when he makes known that he speakes then they added the words of Christ The world can not receive the holy Ghost because it knowes him not but the disciples know him because he dwelles in them It is like a dream to say A man hath received grace and can not know whether he hath received or not The other party shrunk a little with the force of these reasons some granting a coniecture and some confessing a certainty in the Apostles and Martyres and them who have been lately baptized and some by extraordinary revelation Vega fearing conformity with the Lutherans said Certainty is not Divine faith but humane and experimental as he who is hote is sure by sense that he is hote Then the defenders of certainty ask Whether the testimony of the Holy Ghost can be called Divine and whether every one be tied to believe what God reveeles They went so far in sifting this question as who listeth may see in the large history that the Legate willed them make an end of it It was twice commanded to leave it as doubtfuli but their affections led them to it again Then the Legate propounded to speak again of preparatory works and the observation of the law whereupon depends the question of free-will So sixe Of free will articles were framed as maintained by the Protestants Of the first God is the total cause of our works both good and bad Some said It was a fanatik doctrine condemned antiently in the Manichees Abelhard and Wicklif and deserves not dispute but punishment Marinarus said As it is foolish to say No action is in our power so it is absurd to say Every action is in our power seing every man findes that he hath not his affections in his power Catharinus said A man hath no power to do moral good works without Gods special assistance Vega spake a while with ambiguity and concluded there is no difference in this point But it seemed unto some to be a prejudice to reconcile different opinions and composition is for Colloquies Here arose that question Whether it be in mans power to believe or not to believe The Franciscans said As knowledge necessarily followes demonstrations so faith followes persuasions and it is the understanding which is naturally moved by the object and experience teaches that no man believes what he willeth but what seemes true and none could feel any displeasure if he could believe what he pleases The Dominicans said Nothing is more in the power of the will then to believe and by the determination of the will only a man may believe that the number of the starrs is even The second article was to the same purpose On the third
be said on holy and unholy daies and the other belongeth unto the yearly recourses of Easter and other movable feasts and Pope Pius had perfected and published the former and the other had been oft attempted by Pope Pius but could not be effectuat untill Anton. Lilius a Doctor of Medecin brought now unto the Pope a book written by his brother Aloisius wherein is a new Calendary which the Pope had caused to examin and found it to be perfect Therefore the Pope by his authority dischargeth all men from using the old calendare any more Under pain of Gods indignation and of bl Peter and Paul c. This Bull is prefixed unto that Calendare Hence began the difference of Stylo vetere novo or Gregoriano which do differ in this age in ten daies for exemple the elleventh day of January in stylo novo is the first day in the old style and so forth of all other dayes and ther is more uncertain difference in the movable feasts Hence many contentions arose and different opinions for some find faults in both Some said The Pope had no warrant from God to charge men to forsake the old and accept the new Vnder pain of Gods wrath some said the change would make many confusions in civill contracts and negotiatioÌ„s Especially when the Emperour Rodulph at command of the Pope did commend this calendare unto the Princes and Estates of the Empire they of the Reformed Church refused it not that they would disobey Caesar but because of the Popes Bull which they would not acknowledge He died Anno 1585. III. SIXTUS V as if he had a purpose to reform the Romane Church enjoynes residence to Bishops and he ordaines that adulterers shall be beheaded and gave hope in other particulares to reduce the Church into antient purity But he had been Generall of the Franciscanes and Head of the Inquisition in Spain and in the year 1587. he caused renue the Ligasancta or ungodly and bloudy league wherein he and his confoederates did engage themselves to destroy all Protestants VVhereupon the King of Spain by aid of the Pope made that attempt agaâ—nst England Scotland in the year 1588. The Pope did blesse that Navy and God did curse it The Councell of Trent had declared the old Translation of the Bible to be only authenticall and albeit there were many different editions of it yet it was not declared what edition they did approve Before the Councell many had published the old Latine with severall alterations after the Councell the Vniversity of Lovan corrected it by adding many words on the margine whereof some are noted by W. Whitaker de Scriptura controver 1. qu. 2. c. 10 and he calleth that the latest edition of the Bible Then Pope Sixtus taking into consideration that there were abroad above 60 sundry editiones of it each differing from other therefore by advice of his Colledge he causeth compare severall copies and out of them publisheth one which he straitly commandeth to be received as the only true Vulgare Translation and by his bull abolishes all others that did not exactly agree with that Edition ad literam Under pain of his curse He died An. 1590. August 26. IV. URBAN VII was elected Septemb. 15 and died on â—he 27 day of the same month V. GREGORIE XIV was crowned Decemb. 5 and died October 15 in the year 1591. VI. INNOCENTIUS IX Sate two months and died Decemb 29. These were so soon taken away not without suspicion of poison for many were ambitious of the triple mitre VIII CLEMENS VIII Observes many defects and faults in the Edition of the Bible that was authorized by Sixtus V therefore he publisheth another edition with a new declaration whereby he authorizeth his own edition So that now all Papists ly under the curse of the one Pope or the other and are involued into a pitifull necessity either to use no Bible or then to ly under one Popes curse I have seen an edition at Antwerp whereunto is added a catalogue of the differences betwixt these editions of the two Popes to the number of some hundreds the author professes to have collected them for the use of Printers and to discern what books shall afterward be corrupt but he clearly demonstrats the opposition of the two Popes and how they both condemned the canon of TreÌ„t in establishing the edition that was then in use In clemens time Alfonso Count d'Este died without Children and left the Dutchy of Ferraria unto his brothers bastard sonne Caesar a Cardinall but clemens as supreme Lord of the fue would not consent wherefore these two took armes An. 1598 but the Cardinal was fain to yeeld and a peace was concluded that the Pope shall have Ferraria and give the other the lands of Mutina Regium Lepidi c. With the tittle Duke of Mutina About Marsiles great whales troubled the sailers that they durst not go to the sea the Chanons of that City sent unto Clemens and craved that all the whailes may be excommunicated The Pope grants the petition and sendeth unto the Bishop of Marsiles a power to excommunicate the whales but whither the fishes understood of this overture it is not great matter yet they were seen no more In the beginning of the year 1660. Tibris did overflow and did much harm unto the City wherefore the Pope sent Monsorius a priest to say some prayers and cast a hostie into the river but the inundation was not so obedient He keeped the Jubilee the same year and received into the hospitall of Rome 1400. men and women coming to buy indulgences some Cardinals and others of good quality and noble matrones served the strangers but they excommunicate all which will not worship the Beast Among others Pet. Mendoza Master of Malta come to kisse the Popes foot When the year was ended the Pope commanded to shut the golden porte where he had given the Indulgences he said the last Masse of that yeare and layd the first stone at the shutting of the porte and die Concordiae he gave his blessing unto all who sought the grace of the Jubilee many came from that place creeping on their knees Hee sate 13 years CHAP. IJ. Of EMPEROVRS â— MAXIMILIAN II. before his election was thought to be alienated from the See of Rome therefore Cardinal Marcus altemps Pope Pauls nephew was directed to persuade him unto obedience with tender of honor especially of the Empire after his father which else he could not attain He answered His souls savety was dearer unto him than all the world This was called a Lutheran answer Pe Soavâ— in hist Conc. Tride Lib. 5. Again when he was crowned King of the Romanes An. 1563 the Pope demanded that he should swear obedience as other Emperours had done before He answered other Emperours had their own difficulties for which they did swear what the Popes did require but he would consent to nothing in prejudice of his successours and to swear
created and which is common unto us with the unbelievers and ungodly but that grace which is by faith in JESUS CHRIST which is given unto those only who have faith by which grace a new will is not created nor is will compelled unwillingly but being infirm it is healed being corrupt it is amended and of bad is turned into good and is drawn by a certain internal motion that of unwilling it is made willing and gladly consents unto the Divine call ..... If any of the Schoolmen hath spoken inconveniently of this liberty of will that should be reckoned among the opinions of privat persons and the more wholesom writtings of others should be opposed unto them c. It is to be marked that he wrote this Consultation after the Councel at Trent and yet he takes not notice of their decrees but accounteth them as the opinions of private persons and under that name would bury them all and as if the Reformed speaking against those errors did unjustly accuse the Church of Rome On the 22. Article he saith Concerning the administration of the Holy Eucharist it is most sure that the universal Church untill this day and the Western or Romance for a thousand years or more Marke heer he distinguisheth between Vniversal and the Roman Church in the solem dispensation of this Sacrament did give unto all members of Christ both the Kinds of bread and wine which is manifest by innumerable testimonies of antient both Greek and Latine Authors and this they did because Christ had so ordained and practized in giving both unto his Disciples representing the person of believing communicants ......... But those antients thought it not so necessary as if upon necessity or any weighry cause the one could not be giveâ— without the other or that it was not a true Sacrament if the one only were taken ..... and therefore they call not the dispensation of one Kind wicked and sacrilegious for whatsoever cause it be done ..... Nevertheless I think there is none if he consider this more diligently but if the antient custom of the Church were restored ... he would rather have the vvhole and entire Sacrament then one part only And on the 10. Article he saith This article of the Lords Supper is set down severall wayes in the confession for in the first Latine edition it 's written thus In the Supper of the Lord they teach that the body and blood of Christ are verily there and given unto them who eat in the Lords Supper But the Dutch edition being translated word for word saith thus Concerning the Lords supper it is taught so that the very body and blood of Christ is verily present in the Supper under the kinds of bread wine and is given and taken there But in another edition this way Of the Lords supper they teach that with the bread and wine the body blood of Christ are truly given unto them who eat in the Lords Supper In the Apology this article is expressed in those words They teach that in the Lords supper the body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially present and truly given with those things that are seen the bread and wine unto those who receive the sacrament and the Apology witnesseth that this Article being propounded in this manner was not disproved by his Caesarean Majesty But although they who follow the opinion different from the followers of this confession and is set up by Calvin do contend that they agree well with this expression because they think that thereby no carnal or substantial presence of Christs body blood with the signes of bread wine which may be received equaly by the bad good men is concluded yet afterwards the followers of this confession have in their writtings declared their mind plainly enough to wit the body and blood of Christ in the bread wine are received not by faith only but even by the mouth of the Body by the unworthy as wel as by the worthy But in all these expressions of that Augustan confession the controversy yet remaines Whether the body and blood of Christ be present in the very eating only This is now taught plainly by them all and expressly declared in the confession of Saxony where they say Men are taught that the Sacraments are actions instituted by God and without the the appointed use those things have not the nature of a sacrament but in the appointed use in this communion Christ is truly and substantially present and truly tendered unto the receivers of the body blood of Christ seing not only the present Church but also the antient and Catholick did everthink and reach that this sacrament stands not in the action and use only but after the consecration which is done by the Lords words and invocation of the Divine name the body and blood of Christ is made of the substances of the bread wine and the virtue of the blessing is not losed especially if it be reserved for the use of the sick to which purpose are many testimonies ................... Those are madd therefore who say that the mystical benediction ceaseth after the sanctification if any part remain untill the next day for the holy body of Christ is not changed c. The faithfulness of the author in this article will be best known by inspection of the quoted places Certainly there were alterations of this article in sundry editions of the Augustan confession but who will read the Saxons confession will soon find that he wrongeth them for they say expressly Without the use whereunto they were ordained the things themselves are not to be accounted for a sacrament but in the use appointed c. Neither do they add one word of the remaining of Christs body after the use as neither do they alledge any testimony to that purpose So that his weakness appeares in nothing more than in this article and specially in that madd conclusion which followes no way upon those testimonies for though Irenaeus saith That which is from earth after it hath received the calling of God is not now common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things an earthly and a heavenly and others speak in that manner will it therefore follow that they are mad who say that the Elements are not the Sacrament without the use And again that the doctrine of Calvin concerning the Sacrament was set up or begun by him the author shewes his weakness seing an egg is not liker unto another than that which Calvin taught is like unto those testimonies of the antients quoted in the same place Of the Roman Highpriest he saith on the 7. Article Whereas for unity of the Church they require the obedience unto a chief Rector who hath succeeded to Peter in ruling the Church of Christ and in feeding his sheep it is not different from the consent of the antient Church Truly Ambrose calleth the Roman Bishop in his time the Rector of the whole
manners and corruptions of men jestingly asking In what Scripture could they find a Bishop for a thousand pound horse-corn and poultry and when they are teaching of love how could they find Judas 10. He oppugned the doctrin of Christ who pronounces that the most part are rebellious and shall perish 11. He denied that in the new Testament is mention of a presbytery or eldership 12. He accused the Ministers of pasquils of grudging of trouble and confusion and said Where is it what fault can they find with the Court as for myselfe I finde none 13. The Church being traduced by pasquills and infamous libells not only purged he not the Church or himself having good occasion but rather approved the same 14. In his preaching against the Ministry he used the very words of the libels that were casten into the Kings Chamber against them 15. This quarter of year by past he hath been negligent in doctrin disciplin and assisting the eldership In Sess 18. whereas Andrew meluin had by word given these articles now he gives them in writ and the Assembly assigneth to him the next day to prove the particulares and ordaines to warn Robert Mongomery to compear the next day at ten a clok to hear witnesses and probation received In Sess 20. the brethren that were sent unto the King with these articles of accusation return with answer that he had aceepted them very graciously and is content that the accusation proceed against Robert as a Minister and more that in the heads of religion he agreeth with his heart with the Church of Scotland albeit in some heads of policy he is not as yet resolved Then Andrew Melvin produceth his witnesses in the accusation to wit David Weemes Minister at Glasgow John Craig Pa. Adamson John Howeson c. All being eight in number give their oath and yet lest the said Robert say that he is defraâ—ded of any lawfull defence in his absence the Ass reserves place to any objection he hath against these witnesses if he come upon moonday at ten a clok and ordaines the same Robert because he hath departed out of the town to be instantly examined by five Ministers and two Barons or any three of them where they can find him and his deposition to be put in writ and reported unto the Assembly And for further probation if his accuser will take any other time Ordaines the said Robert to be warned unto that time In Sess 23. The Assembly gives Commission unto the Presbytery of Sterlin to summon Robert Mongomery before them to try examin his life conversation and accusations to be given against him and to report their diligence unto the next Synod of Lothian Unto whom the Assembly gives power to proceed against him according to the tryall and process deduced against him by the presbytery Under the pain of disobedience And also chargeth the said Robert to continue in the Ministry of the Church of Sterlin and not to medle with any orher function in the Church namely in aspiring to the bishoprick of Glasgow against the word of God and Acts of the Church or to vexe any of his brethren with his admission thereunto Under the pain of excommunication to be deduced against him in case of disobedience by the said presbytery and the sentence of excommunication to be execut by them with advice and concurrence of John Dury David Ferguson John Duncanson and John Dykes And this charge to be intimated by the Moderator of the Assembly unto the said Robert that he pretend not ignorance 11. In Sess 11. these heads were referred by the Synod of Lothian unto the G. Ass 1. That an universall order be made by the G. ass for examination admission and ordination of Ministers 2. To enquire what persons of the Ministry shall designe gleebs and manâ—es and seing the Synod of Lothian hath thought good that every Presbyt shall direct some of their own number for that effect within their bounds Wee crave the consent of the Gen. assembly and that the same may be universall and where is not a presbytery To appoint who shall design them 2. Who shall wait upon the Platt or Committee for modifying of Ministers stipends 3. What answer shall be given to the Kings Letter concerning the union and division of churches 5. That there may be an uniformity in summoning persons before the presbytery and in the process there 6. To suit that the tryall and admission of all Masters of schools be now enioyned unto the presbyteries 7. Seing wee in our Synod have agreed that disputation shall be every day of Exercise in every presbytery especially upon the controversies betwixt us and the adversaries for avoiding negligence in Ministers and that we may the better withstand the adversary That the Gen. assembly would appoint a generall order therein 8. What order shall be used with Ministers and Readers that set their gleebs and manse 9. That an article be sought by the Gen. assembly at the Parliament that all marriages without consent of parents without proclamation of banns or without other solemmities according to the order of the Church be declared null 10. To crave an Act of Parliament to be made against them that pass in pilgrimages and use superstition at wells crosses images or other Popish idolatry or obserâ—e feasts or dayes dedicat to Saints and set out fires for superstition 11. Seing the Act of Parliament appoints them that are convict of notorious adultery and by the ambiguous exposition of the word Notorious no execution followes Therefere for avoiding the plagues of God hanging over this wholl country for this crime that the Gen. assembly would crave an Act of Parliament for punishment of all persons whosoever are lawfully convict of adultery 12. Seing an Act of Parliament is made for discharging of markets on sunday and no execution followes whereby people absent themselfes from the Church and continue in ignorance and so atheism increases Desire that some order may be taken in this Parliament against Magistrats that put not the Act in execution Notwithstanding any particular dispensation 13. To crave an Act of Parliament for provision of gleebâ— and manfes unto the Ministers at Abbey-churches as others have 14. Because there is an Act of Parliament that all Provestries and Prebendaries shall be given to Students to maintain them at a schoole and very many of that sort are of cure of souls and parish-churches And nevertheless they are given to Courâ—iers Therefore wee desire that there may be an Act of Parliament that all Provestries and Prebendaries joyned with cure of souls may be given to none but to Ministers and so many as are given may be null in time coming And that Prebendaries which were founded for Schools or Masters teaching there be given according to the foundation to Masters for instructing the youth and if these be disponed otherwise the disposition to be null Follow answers unto these Unto 1. Will. Crysteson Andr. Melvin Thom. Smeton
King and Counsell the fast keept at Edinburgh at the feasting of the French Ambassadors generall fasts indicted through the realm without the Ks knowledge the usurping of ecclesiasticall jurisdiction by a number of Ministers gentlemen the alteration of the lawes at their pleasure c. And for satisfying good people strangers al 's well as subiects concerning his Ma s good affection towards religion certain articles were penned and subjoined to that Declaration to make it appeare that his Majesty intended nothing but to have a setled policy established in the Church But these things gave not much satisfaction and were replied-unto in pamphlets which dayly came forth against the Court and rulers of it ............ All this summer troubles continued the Ministers being dayly called before the Counsell and a great business made of their subscription to certain articles concerning their obedience unto the Bishops they who refuse had their stipends sequestrat which caused a great out-crying among the people and made the rebells to be the more favored The King to rid himselfe of these vexations did call the principall Ministers and having shewd that all his desire was to have the Church peaceably governed he willed them to set down their reasons in writing why they refuse subscription that he may consider them and satisfy their doubts They chuse rather to propound the same by word and after some conference were induced to subscribe the Articles this cause being added agreeing with the word of God So far there This clause gave occasion of contention for the Ministers did declare tha◠they would be obedient unto the things that were commanded unto them according to the word of God and in this sense they would obey the Kings command But the adverse party took and expound ir as an acknowledgement that episcopall Jurisdiction was according to the word of God because it was said They submitted themselves unto episcopall jurisdiction in such things according to the word of God The causes of deposition of Ministers not having vote in Parliament were published in the Kings name among these was one the acceptation of the place of Judicature in whatsoever Civill or criminall causes as being of the number of the Colledge of Justice Commissary Advocate Court-clerke Notary the making of testaments only excepted And for not subscribing the band and obligation devised by act of Parliament for dutifull submission fidelity to our Soverain Lord and shew their obedience to their ordinary Bishop or Commissionare appointed by his Majesty to have the exercise of the spirituall jurisdiction in their diocy So the power of jurisdiction was proper unto the King and the exercise thereof was committed by him unto whom hee would as I have seen his Patent committing unto John Erskin of Dun who is there called our wel beloved Clerk and our Commissioner in ecclesiasticall causes that exercise within the diocy of Brechin Providing that his authority in any grave matter be limited and circumscribed to the counsell of thretteen of the most antient wise and godly pastors of the said diocy to be elected forth of the wholl Synodall assembly and allowed by Us with answer of our Privy Counsell or the most part of them And to make cleare the estate of the Church at that time I adde the substance of an epistle written then by Andrew melvin unto Divines abroad and is to be found in Vindicat. Philadelph pag. 54. It hath pleased the Lord so to blesse the endeavoures of his servants that they have undertaken according to what is prescribed in his word and to increase the Churches of Scotland with so great and so incredible felicity heretofore of his singulare bountifulness But alas when wee do not answere unto so great and rare grace bountifulness of God toward us with such thankfulness of hearts and performance of duties as became us behold through a marvellous yet just judgement of God Satan hath so blinded with ambition and avarice one thogh not of us yet a Minister of the word among us that forgetting as one saith decorisque sui sociûmque salutis he continueth uncessantly to confound heaven and earth and to disturb all things for when he had deserted his flock and without knowledge of the Church had creept into Court when he had not only in a most wicked manner entred into that false episcopacy rising again out of hell against which he had before foughten evermore but also had taken that dominion which he had in a Sermon and before a frequent Assembly after abjured and by his subscription at severall cimes had renounced when he had adioyned himselfe unto the sworn enemies of the Church and religion in a base slavishness and most vile cause when in doubtfull things and desparing of his health he had not only advised with witches and with tears begged their help ...... And also had plotted with the Machiavilian Courtiers and the Pop's emissaries against the life of a very godly and religious man for all which causes he feared rhe censures of the Church to be discharged from the Office of preaching he obtaines from his Royall Majesty a free Ambassage to go into other countries under color of seeking health but as experience teaches to vexe the Church ...... And so at London he carrying himself as an Amssassador had frequent consultations with the Ambassadors of France Spain and with the Bishops there for he abode there and intended not to go further he traduced the best subjects as seditious traitors and was altogether taken up with counsells by which the most learned and faithfullest preachers in both the Kingdoms are compelled now to be altogether silent and leave the Ministery or to provide themselves by flying exile or to suffer the inconveniencies of prison or against Duty conscience subscribe unto the ambitious tyranny of Bishops and the impiety of many rites From him came these Archiepiscopall Letters unto you and the brethren of Zurick wherein by his cunning craft of faining and dissembling he chargeth us with false crimes and accuseth the discipline of our Churches with many calumnies albeit he know very well and our conscience beare us witnes that it was our wholl care to ground our discipline upon the word of God so far as wee could Wee assure you that that good order of the Church which Adamson did first craftily undermine then openly impugne and at last revile as Papall tyranny as the mother of confusion and the cause of sedition was from the beginning of abolishing popery sought by our church out of the word of God and thereafter was allowed by the suffrages of the wholl Church and by degrees brought at last as we were able unto some measure of perfection by the blessing of God and three years since was approved sealed and confirmed with profession of mouth subscription of hand and religion of oath by the King and every subject of every Estate particularly ............ He hath persuaded the Kings Majesty and these
others to go with him and if he had not had a Papist with him he could never have looked to prevail because our dignities and Government comes wholly and every part thereof from the Pope and is ruled and defended by the same canons whereby his Popedom is supported So that if I had wanted their helps I had had no authority either from God or man no help either by reason or learning whereby I could have been furthered And whereas you say that he would labor to erect the Popes Kingdom no question but he did so and that made for us said the Bishop for albeit we would if we might of the two keep rather the Protestant Religion with our dignities then the other yet had we rather change our Religion than forgo our priviledges ...... and vvee have retained them of purpose for vve can bear vvith their Religion so that they bear up our authority c. Testimonies against Episcopacy of B. Iewel I wil not think that all the Bishops vvere of this mind but too many of them vvere such as is cleare by their silencing and deposing so many learned men I and their banishing such as that learned Thomas Cartvvright c. In this discourse vvee see also vvhat grounds they had for Episcopacy and for clearing this point I vvill subjoyn but tvvo or three testimonies one of that learned Bishop Jewell in many places he speakes of the equality of a Bishop and a priest I name but The defense ef the Apology against Harding edit An. 1570. pag. 243. saying What meaneth M. Hardinge to come in with the difference between priests and Bishops ... Is it so horrible an heresy as he makes it to say that by the Scriptures of God a Bishop and a priest are all one or knowes he how far and unto whom he reaches the name of an hereticque Verily Chrysostom saith on 1. Tim. homil 1â— Inter Episcopum Presbyterum interest fermè nihil between a Bishop and Priest in a manner is no difference S. Jerom ad Evagr. saith somwhat in rougher sort Audio quendam in tantam erupisse vecordiam ut diaconos presbyteris id est episcopis anteferret Cùm Apostolus perspicuè doceat eosdem esse presbyteros quâ—s episcopos I hear say there is one become so peevish that he setteth deacons before priests that is Bishops whereas the Apostle plainly teaches us that priests and Bishops be all one S. Augustin in quest Vet. Nov Tost qu. 101. saith Quid est Episcopus nisi primus Presbyter hoc est summus sacordos what is a Bishop but the first priest that is the highest priest So saith S. Ambrose de dignit sacerdot Episcopi Presbyteri una ordinatio est uterque enim sacerdos sed episcopus primus est There is but one consecration of a priest and a Bishop for both of them are priests but the Bishop is the first All these and other mo holy Fathers together with S. Paul the Apostle for thus saiyng by M. Hardinges advice must be holden for heretiques So Ivell Another testimony is Doctor Reynolds 2. Of D. Reynolds Letter to Sir Francis Knollis concerning Do. Bancrofts Sermon at Pauls cross Febr. 9. 1588. in the Parliament time Because I have not seen this Letter among the Doctors works and I think it is not common but I have found it printed with some oâ—her pieces of that kind I set it down here word by word Albeit right honorable I take greater confort in labouring to discover overthrow the errors of Jesuits Papists enemies of religion then of the Ministers of Christ yet seing it hath pleased your Ho to require mee to shew my opinion of these things which certain of these men maintain and stand in I thought it my duty by the example of Levi Deut. 33. who said of his father mother I regarde them not nor acknowledged he his brethren to declare the truth without respect of persons Of the two points therefore in Do. Bancrofts Sermon which your Ho. mentioneth one is concerning that he seemes to avouch The superiority which Bishops have among us over the Clergy to be Gods own ordinance though not by expresse words yet by necessary consequence in that he affirmes their opinion who oppugne that Superiority to be heresy Wherein I must confesse he hath committed an oversight in my judgement and himself I think if he be advertised will acknowledge it For having said first that Aërius affirmeth that there was no difference by the word of God betwixt a Priest and a Bishop and afterward that Martine and his companions do maintain this opinion of Aërius he addeth that Aërius persisting therein was condemned for an heretick by the generall consent of the whol Church and likewise that Martin and all his companions opinion hath herein been condemned for heresy Touching Martin if any man behave himself otherwise then in discretion charity he ought let the blame be laid where the fault is I defend him not but if by the way he utter a trueth mingled with whatsoever els it is not reason that that which is of God should be condemned for that which is of man no more than the doctrine of the resurrection should be reproved because it was maintained held by the Pharises Wherefore removing the odious name of Martin from that which in sincerity love is to be dealt with it appeares by the aforesaid words of D. Bancroft that he avouches the Superiority which B. have over the Clergy to be Gods own ordinance for he improves the impugners of it as holding with Aërius that there is no difference by the word of God betwixt a Priest and a Bishop which he could not do with reason unless he himselfe approved the Bs superiority as established by Gods word and he addeth that their opinion who gaine-sayd is heresy whereof it insueth he thinkes it contrary to Gods word sith heresy is an error repugnant to the truth of the word of God as according to the Scriptures our own Church doth teach us Now the arguments which he bringeth to prove it an heresy are partly over vveak partly untrue over weake that he beginneth vvith one of Epiphanius untrue that he adioyneth the universall consent of the Church For thogh Epiphanius do say that Aërius assertion is full of foly yet he disproves not the reason vvhich Aërius stood on out of the Scripture nay he deales so in seeking to disprove it that Bellarm in the Jesuit To. 1. contr 5. l. 1. c. 15. desirous to make the best of Epiphanius whose opinion here in he maintaineth against the Protestauts yet is forced to confesse that Epiphanius his answer is none of the wisest nor any way can fit the text As for the generall consent of the whole Church which D. Bancroft saith condemned that opinion of Aërius for an heresy and himseâ—f for an heretik because he persisted in it that is a large speach but what proof has he that
the Church did so it appeares he saith in Epiphanius It doth not and the contrary appeares by S. Jerom in epi. ad Tit. ad Euagr. and sondry others who lived some in the same time some after Epiph. even Austin himself thogh D. Bancroft cite him as bearing witnes thereof likewise I grant S. Austin in his book of heresies ascribeth this to Aërius for one that he said Presbyterum ab Episcopo nulla differentiâ debere discerni but it is one thing to say There ought to be no difference betwixt them which Aerius saying condemned the Churches order yea made a schism therein and is so censured by S. Austin counting it an heresy as in Epiphanius he took it recorded himself as he witnesseth de heres ad Quod vuld in praefat not knowing hovv farr the name of heresy should be stretched and another thing to say that by the word of God there is no difference betwixt them but by the order custom of the Church vvhich Augustin himself saith in effect epist 19. so far vvas he from vvitnessing this to be heresy by the generall consent of the vvhole Church Which untruth hovv vvrongfully it is fathered on him and on Epiphanius vvho yet are all the vvinesses that D. Bancroft hath produced for the proof hereof or can for ought that I knovv it may appear by this that our learned country man of godly memory Bishop Jevvell def of the Apol. Par. 2. c. 9. div 1. pag. 198. when Harding to convince the same opinion of heresy alledged the same witnesses he citing to the contrary Chrysostom Jerom Austin Ambrose knit up his answer with these words All these and other mo holy Fathers to gether with the Apostle S. Paul for thus saying by Hardings advice mus◠be held for heretiks And Michaell Medina a man of great account in the Councell of Trent more ingenuous herein than many other Papists affirmes not only the former ancient writers alledged by Bishop Jewell but also another Jerom Thodoret Primasius Sedulius and Theophylact were of the same mind touching this matter with Aërius With whom agree likwise Oecumenenius on Tim. 3. and Anselm Archbishop of Canterburry in epi ad Tit and another Anselm Collect. can lib. 7. ca. 87. 127. and Gregory Polic. lib. 2. tit 19. 39. and Gratian ca. Legimus dist 39. ca. Olim dist 95. and after them how many It being once enrolled in the Canon-law for sound catholike doctrin and thereupon publickly taught by learned men All which do bear witnes against D. Bancroft of the point in question that it was not condemned for an Heresy by the generall consent of the whole Church For if he should reply that these later witnesses did live a 1000. year after Christ and therefore touch not him who said it was condemned so in the time of S. Austen and of Epiphanius the most flourishing time of the Church that ever hapned since the Apostles dayes either in respect of learning or of zeal first they whom I named though living in a later time yet are witnesses of former 1 Oecumenius the Greek Scholiast treading in the steps of the old Greek Fathers and the Anselmes with Gregory Gratian expressing Jeroms sentence word by word Besids that perhaps it is not very likely that Anselm of Canterburry should have been canonized by the Pope of Rome and worshipped for a Saint that the other Anselm and Gregory should have such place in the P s library and be esteemed of as they are that Gratian's works should be allovved so long time by so many Popes for the golden foundation of the Canon-lavv if they had taught that for Catholik sound vvhich by the generall consent o◠the vvhole Church in the most flourishing time that ever happened since the A postles dayes vvas condemned for Heresy chiefly in a matter of such weight and moment to the Popes Supremacy which as they do claim over all Bishops by the ordinance of God so must they allow Bishops over Priests by the same ordinance as they saw at length and therefore have not only decreed it now in the Councell of Trent but also in the new edition of their Canon-law have set down this note that on Hughs Glosse allovved by the Archdeacon saying that Bishops have differed from Priests alwayes as they do now in Government and prelatship and Sacrament but not in the name and Title of Bishop which was common to them both must be held hereafter for S. Jeroms meaning at least for the meaning of the Canon taken out of S. Jerom though his vvords be flat plain against this glosse as Bellarmin himself confesses li. cit ca. Whereunto may be added that they also vvho have labored about the Reforming of the Church these 500 years have taught that all Pastors be they entituled Bishops or Priests have equall authority power by Gods word First the Waldenses in Aen. Sylv. Hist Bohem. c. 35. Pigh Hierarch Ecclesiast l. 2. cap. 10. next Marsilius Patavinus in Defen pacis part 2. c. 15. Then Wicliff in Tho. Wald. Doctr. fidei tom 1. lib. 2. cap. 60. tom 2. c. 7. and his schollers afterward Husse and the Hussites Aen. Sylv. lo. cit last of all Luther adversus falso nominatos ord Sco. Episc adversus Papat Roma Calvin i◠in Epist ad Philipp 1. Tit. 1. Brentius Apolog. confess Wittemberg cap. 21. Bullinger Deca 5. serm 3. Musculus Loc. commun tit de Ministerio Verb◠and others who may be reckoned particularly in great number sith as here with us both Bishops Jewell loc cit Pilkinton in the Treatise of burning Pauls Church and the Queen's Professors of Divinity in our Universities D. Humphrey in Campia Durae Jesuitas part 2. rat 3. Whitak ad rat Campi 6 Confut. Duraei lib. 6. And other learned men do consent herein M. Bradford Lambert and others in Fox act c. D. Fulk against Bristow's not◠40. and answer to the Rhem. Tit. 1. 5. So in forrein Nations all that I have read treating of this matter and many mo no doubt whom I have not read The sifting examining of the Trent Councell hath been undertaken by only two which I have seen the one a Divine the other a Lawier Kemnitius and Gentilletus They both condemn the contrary doctrin thereunto as a Trent error the one by Scriptures and Fathers the othe◠by the Canon-law But what do I further speak of severall persons It is the common judgement of the Churches of Helvetis Savoy France Scotland Germany Hungary Polond The Low-Countryes and our own witnes the Harmony of Confession Sect. 11. Wherefore sith D. Bancroft I assute myself will not say that all those have approved that as sounde and Christian doctrin which by the generall consent of the whole Church in a most florishing time was condemned for heresy I hope he will acknowledge that he was overseen in that he avouched the Superiority which
Bishops have among us over the Clergy to be of Gods ordinance And this farr of the former point of D. Bancrofts Sermon The latter is concerning that he affirmeth that S. Jerom saith and M. Calvin seemes on his report to confesse that Bishops have had the said Superiority ever since the time of S. Mark the Evangelist Of the which point I think as of the former sith neither Jerom saith it neither doth Calvin seem to confesse it on his report For Bishops among us besids ordaining and laying-on of hands may do sundry other things which inferior Ministers or Priests as D. Bancroft termeth them may not But Jerom after mention of the superiority alloted to Bishops since Marks time What doth a Bishop saith he except ordination which a Priest doeth not meaning enforcing by this kind of speach as a thing most evident and such as no man could deny that Bb. had that only power above priests then which Chrysostom also witnesseth Though neither had they it alone in all places as it is apparent by a Councell at Carthage concil 4. c. 3. shewing their Churches order that the priests laid on their bands with the Bishop on those who were ordained Yet Jerom having proved by testimony of Scripture that in the Apostles times Bishops and priests were all one even in the right of this too In 1. Tim. 4. 14 grants that afterwards Bishops had that peculiar to themselves some where but nothing els saue it S. Jerom therefore saith not of that superiority whereof the question is that Bishops have had it ever since S. Marks time No more doth M. Calvine seem to confesse it upon his report for Calvin in the same place In Institu lib. 4. c. 4. se 2 that D. Bancroft quoteth shewing how in old time the Ministers that had charge to teach those of their conpany one in every City to whom they did especially give the title of Bishop lest equality should bteed dissension yet saith he the Bishop was not above them in honor dignity that he should rule over them but look what is the Consul's duty in the Senate to propose matters to ask their opinions to direct others by giving them advice by admonishing by exhorting ro guide the vvhole action by his authority and see that performed vvhich vvas agreed upon by their common consent that charge had the Bishop in the assembly of Ministers And having declared that S. Jerom shevves this to have been broght in by the consent of men upon the first of Titus he addeth that the same Jerom other where shewes how ancient an order of the Church it was even from Marks time to Hereclas Dionysius at Alexandria In which words of Calvin seing that the order of the Church he mentioneth hath evident relation to that before described and that in the describing of it he had said the Bishop was not so above the rest in honor that he had rule over them it followes that M. Calvin doth not so much as seem to confess upon Jeroms report that ever since Marks time Bishops have had a ruling Superiority over the Clergy Wherefore to use no more proofs in a thing manifest which else might be easily proved more at large out of S. Jerom and M. Calvin both It is certain that neither of them doth affirm that Bishops so long time have had such superiority as D. Bancroft seemes to father upon them Thus I have signified my opinion of the points that your Ho. specified in D. Bancrofts Sermon c. Unto this testimony of the learned Do. Reinolds I ad another which is printed with it and the rather because it is historicall this is a Speach of the same Testimony of Sir â—â— Knollis against the â—surpation of Bb. Sir Francis Knollis Treasurer of the Queens house and Knight of the Garter in a Parliament as he himself related it to the L. Treasurer Sir Wil. Cicill in this tenor To the end I may inform your L. of my dealing in this Parliament time against the undue claimed superiority of the Bb. over their brethren thus it was Because I was in the Parliament in the 25 year of King Henry VIII in which time all the clergy as well Bb. as others first made an humble submission to K. Henry 8. acknowledging his Supremacy and detesting the B. of Romes authority Upon which submission of the Clergy the King gave unto the said Bb. the same ample rule that before they had under the Pope over their inferior brethren saving that the same rule was abridged by statute by this parenthesis following that is without offending the prerogative Royall of the Crown of England and the lawes customes of the realm In the latter end of the statute it was added That whosoever offendeth in any one part of that statute and their aiders counsellors and abettors they all did fall into the penaltie of the Premunire And after I had recited this statute in the Parliament house I declared that in K. Henry VIII his dayes after this there was no Bishop that did practize superiority over their brethren And in K. Edwards dayes the Bishops obtained a statute whereby they were authorized to keep the Courts in the Kings name The which statute was repealed in Queen Maries dayes and is not revived in her Ma s time that now is Whereupon it was doubtfull to mee by what authority the Bb. do keep their Courts now in their own names because it is against the Prerogative of the Crown of England that any should keep a Court without a sufficient warrant from the Crown Whereupon I was answered that the Bb. now do keep their Courts by prescription and it is true that the Bb. may prescribe that K. Henry VIII gave them authority by the statute of the 25. of his reign to have authority and rule over their inferior brethren as ample as they had in the Popes time but this was no speciall warrant for them to keep their courts by and that in their own names And yet they have no other warrant to keep their courts as they do now in their own names to my knowledge And this was the cause that made them obtain a statute in K. Edwards dayes to keep their courts by in the Kings name Now it is a strange allegation that the Bb. should claim authority at this present to keep courts in their own names as they do by prescription Because the statute of 25. H. 8. doth restrain them generally from offending of the prerogative royall of the Crown of England and the lawes customs of the realm And no man may keep a court justly without a speciall warrant from the Crown of England as is afore said And the generall liberty given by K. Hen. 8. to the Bb. to rule govern as they did in the Popes time is no sufficient warrant to the Bb. to keep their Courts in their own names by prescription as I take it And therefore the Bb. had done wisely
and all the reasonings were ended before midday and the same day they conveened in their sixth Session But the author of The Historicall Narration saith The advice of the brethren was approved but again altered through pretended haste and otherwise conceived and set down in the register no reasoning was in publick Which of the two is to be believed I leave to decide The fifth article which the Ministry propound unto the King is not answered in the book and B. Spotswood supplieth the third saying The King esteemed the Ministers most guilty and knew not what course to take with them It being replied that by examinations taken it appeared that they all especially Robert Bruce was a chief instrument in staying the tumult and therefore they should be rewarded rather than punished He answered Granting they did stay the tumult yet they were the cause of it and if they were they were first corrected for that fault he would not be much troubled with their reward not the less at theassemblies request he will be contenr they be relaxed upon caution to underly tryall of law And in the next page he saith The Ministers were permitted to return and had their peace granted but not suffered to preach in their places the King taking now the occasion of finishing the work which some two years before had been moved for distributing the people of Edinburgh into severall parishes and planting moe Ministers among them Here I add a remarkable comparison of preceeding Assemblies with this and others following as it is word by word in The Hist Narr 1. Before the spiritual A comparison of Assemblies office-bearers appointed time and place of meeting after they were appointed where when it pleased the King 2. They were directed by the word of God after by the Kings letters commissions or speaches 3. Before matters were propounded in simplicity of heart and brethren were directed to seek light out of the word by conference meditation prayer after courses were plotted in the Kings Cabinet and all meanes were used for execution accordingly and impediments removed every man is observed and either commended or censured as this man is the Kings man an honest man a discreet man a peaceable man he goeth this way That man is seditious brain sick factious he reasoneth in the contrary 4. Before matters were discussed at length pleasantly without contrrolement and the wholl number acquiesced to reason Now if a man that stands for the truth insist and can not be shifted with a frivolous distinguo the King if he be present falleth upon him beares him down and puts him to silence 5. Before the common aim was at Gods glory and the good of the Church the presence of such as were learned zealous holy and powerfull preachers procured good order reverence to the Assembly Now the Prince's presence or purpose is only regarded an honest man is taunted mocked either by gesture or speach 6. Men of best gifts before had free accesse and their gifts were employd Now plots are layd down how none shall have place but such as will serve to the purpose 7. Before matters were put to deliberation and to voting freely indifferently now nothing is suffered to be agitat in publick but that which the Kings men are sure to carry with plurality of voices and to this the catalogue of Commissioners names must be viewed that they may know who will vote with them and who against them and when the roll is called the wonted order is not observed but as at this last Assembly such are called as favor the course 8. In a word the advancement of Christs Kingdom was sought before now the chief care is to frame conform the policy of the Church to the estate of a free Monarch and to advance his supream and absolute power in all causes Wee shall have occasion to point at more in parriculare afterward The same author shewes that the innocency of the Ministers of Edinburgh was tryed and found by the tryall of others D. Black was suffered to return out of his confinement to Santandrews This shew of calmness made many the more secure and in the mâ—an time the plots were a laying The next Generall assembly was held in May at Dundy when it was lawfully begun by the doctrine of Robert Pont the last chosen Moderator the members were wearied with attending on Robert Rolock's coming whom the King intended to have Moderator he was a godly Iearned man but credulous not so fitt for Government and disciplin as for the pulpit and schools nor was made privy to all the mysteries of iniquity The 60. Assembly that were then in working but only so far as the plotters thought needfull His old Master Thomas Buchanan was now wonne to the Kings side and tooned tutored him as he saw fitting they thought the estimation men had of him would enduce many to their course so much travell was taken in his election The Ministers that were acquainted before brought others of any note to be acquainted with the King this was their exercise morning evening After that terrors and threats were carried to Andrew Melvin to drive him out of the town the King sent for him and after some rough conference was dimitted calmly So far in that place Before I enter upon the Acts of this Assembly it is to be marked that B. Spotswood saith here In this Assembly Mr Robert Rolock was elected to Preside thogh he was not as yet in orders It is doubted what he meaneth here seing the Christian world knowth that Robert Rolock was a famous Minister many years before that time as is cleare by his learned Commentaries namely that on the Ephesians was published in the year 1590. as the epistle in the reprintings do still carry and the tittle page calleth him Minister of Edinburgh I omitt that he was a member of severall assemb before Wee may guesse at one of two causes why he hath wirtten so one that he thought imposition of hands to be the proper work or prerogative of prelats and so where is no prelate can be no ordination But by what law certainly not by a law of God Where is it By the ordinance of man he would say That was not universall before Popery prevailed as is before in Century XI nor after the Reformation as appeares by the Churches of France Low Germany Helvetia c. and also of Scotland where episcopacy was abjured and also condemned by Acts of Parliament yea and the word Order in that sense is a meer Popish term never known in the world but since they devised the degrees of the Catararchy or as they call it Hierarchy yea and the Papists hold that imposition of hands is but accidentary or not necessary unto Orders seing our Savior layd not hands on this Apostls as Bellarmin de ordin sacram witnesseth of some PP and Schoolmen judging so For clearing this doubt is a question Which of these two
222. m. 227. b. 253. m. 295. b. 337. m. 383 b. 481. m. S. 288. m. a four fold difference of Free Will 370. m. wherein consisteth the freedom of Will 370. e William Ockam's questions 496. e William Tindal's doctrine S 165 169. Wittemberg began to Reform in Luther's absence S 76. Three Wonders 19. According to Works and for Works are different 27. e Works are not satisfactory to Divine Justice 543. e Our best Works without grace are but sin 481. m No creature should be Worshipped 91. m. 112. e. 132. b The Writings of no man should be absolutely believed 487. Y Young ones should be catechised and duly tried S. 368. Z Zurik began the Reformation S. 70. ERRATA Of words that are to be added amended or blotted IN Century VII read Exarch for Eparch page 8. line 21. read Apsimarus line 30. him p. 12. l. 17. dele of p. 14 in marg l. 5. for in read to p. 18. l. 23. holy one p. 22. l. 1â— Rector of p. 24. l. 48. exercitus p 27. l. 1. thought l. 7. premits p. 38. l. 35. follows p. 30. l. 48. and there p. 35. l. penult expiation p. 37. l. ult partâ—cle p. 38. l. 3. â—â— p. 39. l. 21 prayer l. 41 their merits p. 50. l. 26 mendaciora l. 3 from the end Clarus p. 51. l. 25 Almoner l. 39 Eutropius l 44 51 dele of This particle of is oft put erroneously after the name of a Bishop or Abbot when the name of his place is expressed in concreto p 53. l. 24 politick p. 54. l. 15 Arabians l. 39 Isauria p 55 in marg l. 2 is not the p. 59 l. but exchanged l. 51 Donald p 60. l. 21 or Presbyter's office p 61. l 9 Mercia p. 62. l. 26 congregari p 78. l. 28 Episco l 36 Indice p. 82 l 3 of that Century l. 38 Monaster p. 86. l. 17 Papists p. 87. l. 14 Rotomagum l. 23 Soracte p 93. l. 38 two great p 94 l. 11 supposititions p. 96. l. 31 Hebion l. 41 Julian B Celanen p. 97. l. 18 not at all l. 22 conâ—ort p 98. l. 13 understand p. 99 l 39 spoiled a great part of in that page â—or Archaius read Achaius l. 44 distinguish the points thus Clemens Antonius Florentin 100. l. 13 Fuâ—da 105. l. penult had not 106. l 18 August 9. was disputation 107. l. ult dele also 109. l. ult do proclaim 111. l. 26 cast off 112 l. 36. Sâ—mlerus l. 42 appeals 114. l. 48 feverity 117. l. 5 Friuli 118. l. 21 Didoclavius 119. l. 12 Sergâ—us 124. l. 4 collection 128 l. 38 declaration of his disclaiming Mark that Epiâ—c is often for Epist which may be easily discerned 132. l. 36 other l. 48 should think 134. l. 48 insuperable 136. l. 6 sine l. 9 dele the second and l. 15 ceaseth 138. l 20 blasphemy then of 139. l. 5 Charter 140. l. 32 derivation 141. l. 21 Damasus 142. l. 8 Agapet 152. l. 39 non sit 157. l. 21 He in an Epistle 159. l. 47 dele at 164. l. 30 everlasting fire 172. l ult expounds not the 175. l 25 as they l 36 is to abide 191. l. 14 dele who 197. l. 5 Verona l. 15 Pulia or Apulia 199. l 8 incest 202 l. 31 Lewis eight Popes 207 l. 35 but he passeth 210. l. ult Leviathan 211. l 42 justice the Elect have cause to praise his mercy and the Reprobates cannot accuse his justice l. 49 who will take 212. l. 30 of how l. 43. Cap. 12. 219. l. 41 translation add unless they will cavil for the word Transelementeth of which anon 222 l 51 Reginob 252. l. 49 Hâ—lary 254 l. 42 he feared to take 255. l. 8 Ministry l. 18 for the point should be 256 l. 12 expound them thus This 261 l. 43 Popes eys l. 46 Praefectus l 49 it was decredd 267. l 10 destroying 272 l. 2 Tarsus 277 l 40 there in 279. l. 13 where in l 14 dele Arch. l. 22. moe l. 27 whom l. 40 Evag 283. l. 41 conâ—ecturally l 48 should chuse his 284. l. 8 10 Colloq l. 40 Mal l. 41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 285 l. 4 Evagr. l. 34 Pol Verg. 291. l 26 Antonin l 28 superstitions 297. l. 33 hath gathered 298. l. 29 unsuffering 300. l. 42 follows not 301. l. 10 takâ—n away 304. l. 22 at their 307 l 10 dele be 309. l. 41 talking l. 11 of a few 3â—4 l. 47 of few 315. l â— Cumin l 50 Praeneste 316 l. 5 GELASIUS 317 l 29 Reinold replieth l. â—1 Bench 321. l. 21 exaltation 323 l. 19 unto thee l. 24 leaves or blades 324. l. 29 the work 3â—1 l 3 insatiably 337 l. 1 any thing 338. l. 8 Hebdom 339. l 41 with my self 340 l. penult saith Bâ—rnard 344 l. 6 pittied 369 l. 36 praescience 372. l 28 dele meet 376. l. 4 20 appeals 378 l. 13 Clerk Gilbert 38â— l. 47 useless 383. l 7 except 386. l 33 Roman Church 391. l. 13 thirtienth 393 l. 29 Suevia 293. l. 40 should be paâ—ed to 395. l. 4â— rife and so 396. l. 42 Hermes 397. l 9 dele unto 409. l. 19 Othocarus 411. l. 16 dele of 413. l. 24 ingentia l. 26 sustinuisse l. 40 dele holy wars against the 414. l 8 would bring 420 l. 22 Histor Concil l. ult dele all 427. l. 1 Lichtâ—naw 429. l. 9 expectative 436. l 17 if the Emperor 438. l. 41 puts away 446. l. 32 that time l. 39 Rerum 447 l. 36 hammer 449. l. 15 that the stench thereof 453 in the inscription should be year 1300 untill 1600. 457. l. 18 Devias 460 l. 22 in sacks 463. l 42 â—ib 7 464. l. 46 Epito 466. l. 40 Bishops 469. l. 13 wretchless 471. l 28 of which 473. l. 37 given l. 41 Hildegaritis 475. l 11 but Lay 476. l. exaggerating In the margine An apologue 477. l. â—7 Pirrha 478 l. 22 Hayabal l ult preferring 484. l. 34 unto the 485 sate in dele not l. 47 resumed the Divine worship in the 486. l 20 add ex Ale Gaguin Rei Polen tom 1. 487 l 5 consequently 489. l. 5 à Papè 499. l. 7 Treca 502. l. 17 Christian l. 50 feasts 505. l. 7 Revel 17. l. 41 I saâ— yea 515. l 4 Aequicoli 516 l. 49 Sapidus l. 50 nostrâ— 520. l. 46 Cutna l. 47 Taborites 525. l. 21 dele they said 533. l. 45 all Priests in 559. l. 16 ball of brass l. 38 curbed l. ult Edinb 562. l. 38 inhibit 581. l. 7 Pope's Throne l. 47 Julian Card. of In the Second Part. PAge 7. line 27 This page 10. line 39 rocky line ult any page 11. line 33 obedience page 12. line 32 of faith p. 15. l. 24 dignities l. 38 heart p. 16. l. 9 written l. 24 dying p. 19. l. 41 Reliques l. 43 faithfull p. 20. l. 3 lite p. 23. like Jesters l. 24 Lewis the XII l. 39 it were l.
how oft all do eat at the Altar indifferently one eats the flesh of Christ spiritually and another not although we see that he takes a morsel from the Priest's hand What then getteth he seeing there is but one consecration if he get not the body and blood of Christ Truly because he eateth unworthily as Paul saith he eats and drinks damnation to himself Ca. 15. Drink ye all of this as well Ministers as Beleevers In many Chapters he distinguisheth between the sign and the thing signified Biblioth de la Bigne tom 6. 24. When Leo Armenius Emperour of Constantinople had Wars with The conversion of the Bulgarians Martagon Prince of Bulgaria his sister was taken Captive the Emperour caused her to be instructed in the Christian faith and she was baptized Martagon sent for her and in lieu of her he sent her husband Cuphara When she was returned she did commend unto her Brother the Christian religion many a time but he did nothing regard her speeches untill the Country was plagued with pestilence and famine and then he called upon that God whom his sister had so oft talked of that he would deliver him and his people Soon thereafter they were delivered and he did acknowledge the power of Christ and sent unto the Emperour for Teachers then he was baptized But the people moved insurrection against him because he had forsaken the rites of his Ancestours He was nothing afraid but became victorious and then they all became Christians Zonar Ann. tom 3. After the death of the Emperour Theophilus the Prince of Bulgaria seeing the Empire to be governed by a woman and a young child sent unto Constantinople alledging his League now to be out of date and he denounceth wars Theodora returned answer that she would defend the Empire and if it shall please God that she prevail he would be overcom by a woman and he may consider what a shame that were unto him but if she were overcom his victory were not honourable in taking advantage of a woman When he received this answer he was content to renew the former league Zonar ibid. I mark this History to shew the difference of people in old times from them who have lived lately when Kings will make Wars without any denounciation or accepting any reasonable intreaty The Emperour Basilius Macedo did perswade many Jews to imbrace and many Iews Christian religion and to effect that he gave them both money and liberty He made also a League with the Rhossiti a Nation of Scythians by the Mountain Taurus but upon condition that they would accept Christianity and some Scythians and sent Teachers unto them But they lingre and said unto the Bishop That they would see some of those miracles which he said Christ had wrought or else they would not beleeve him Then said he Say what you would have done They answered Throw that book into the fire which teacheth of Christ and if it burn not it shall be an argument unto us that Christ is God whom thou preachest The Bishop was content a fire is kindled and the Bishop lifting up his eys and hands unto Heaven said O Jesu Christ very God glorifie thy own name So before them all he threw the Gospel into the fire It continued in the fire a long space without any change The Barbarians were astonished and beleeving in Christ did crave to be baptized Zonar loc cit 1. Note how he calleth the elements Sacraments as it was usual then and it hath been observed in others 2. Platina in Sixto 1. and Prayer without book Pol. Vergil de invent rer lib. 5. cap. 10. say These things were done simply at the first for when Peter did consecrate he used the prayer Our Father which art .... and others have augmented them Platin. in Celestin 1. saith When the Epistle was read and the Gospel the sacrifice was ended Which is so to be understood that they at first had not a set or prescribed form of prayer but only the Lord's Prayer which they did use and the Apostles and other Ministers in every Church when believers were assembled made their prayers unto God as the spirit gave them utterance Chrysostom on Rom. 8. hom 14. saith With other gifts they had also the gift of prayer which was also called The Spirit and he who had this gift did pray for the whole multitude for because they were ignorant of expedient things and we pray for things which are not profitable the gift of prayer came upon one who being set in place of them all did pray for what was expedient unto the Church and also did instruct others to pray So here the Spirit is called that gift of prayer which then was given and it is the soul which did pray unto God and sigh for he who was honoured with this gift did stand and with much compunction and many groans supplicating unto God according to the earnestness of his mind did pray for those things which were expedient unto all And Tertullian in Apologet. mentioning the same custom in his time saith We looking up to Heaven with our hands stretched forth as being innocent and bareheaded as not ashamed make our prayers Sive Monitore without a Directory as coming from the free motion of our own hearts And by that testimony of Platina in Celestin 1. who lived about the year 423. what other parts of the Mass besides the Gospel and the Epistles are fathered upon others and are of later standing and were not in use in the Roman Church before Celestine Iustin in Apolo 2. fully sheweth the manner of Christian Service in his time The ancient Christians saith he had their meetings on the Sunday they began with prayers for the Church especially for the inlightned which were to be baptized Then the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles are read as time permits When the Reader causeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he who hath the charge hath a Sermon unto the people and exhorts them all unto the imitation of the best things then all do rise up and pour forth prayers again When the prayers are ended Bread and Wine being mixed with Water is brought forth which being taken he who hath the charge goeth before the people with an earnest voice in praising God and thanksgiving and the people do answer with a loud voice Amen Then the Deacons divide the holy signs unto all them which are present and carry the same unto the absent This food we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanksgiving whereof none may partake unless he beleeve the true doctrine and be washed in the laver unto regeneration and remission of sins and live so as Christ hath directed and the ordinance of Christ is thus observed after this is a gathering of Alms. That Father which lived in the second Century hath no more of the Christian Liturgy unless ye will add that in another place he saith After the prayer they did kiss one another and of that
some words do follow Geo. Cassander in Liturgica saith At the first the Mass was said otherwise then now ..... and it is not done more holily then it was before when it was hallowed with the only words of the Lord and with the Lord's prayer And from Walafrid Strabo he saith All which is now done with a multitude of prayers lessons songs and consecrations the Apostles and those who next followed them did as is thought with prayers and remembrance of the Lord's sufferings even as He commanded In the same Chapter he saith In the next times when the Epistle and the Gospel was read the Mass was done and other things were added at diverse times by the Popes Gelasius and Gregorius 3. When the Sacrament began to be termed a Sacrifice it is uncertain but this is certain it was not called properly A Sacrament is not a Sacrifice a Sacrifice by the purest primitive Church especially in the time of Justine Martyr Lactantius Firmian and Augustine For in the daies of Justine the Pagans did revile the Christians and called them Atheists because they offered not sacrifice nor incense unto their God Justine in Apolog. 2. answereth They do offer such sacrifices as they knew were acceptable unto him to wit the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving as for the creatures which God hath appointed for the sustentation of man we keep them for the use and necessity of the poor but we burn them not with fire Lactantius had the same occasion in Institut lib. 6. cap. 24 25 and so Augustine de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 4. but neither of the two hath any syllable of the sacrifice of the Mass or of the Lord's body on the Altar Nevertheless Augustine in Enchirid cap. 110. and elsewhere and Cyprian have called the Sacrament a Sacrifice yet not properly or but figuratively to wit because it is a memorial and remembrance of that true and only Sacrifice which was once offered by Christ Cyprian Epist 63. ordin Pammel So speaketh the Gloss on Gratian for where it is said de consecr lib. 2. cap. Quid sit out of Gregory the great Though Christ living immortally dieth not now yet in this Sacrament he dieth and his flesh suffereth for the salvation of the people the Gloss addeth that is His death and passion is represented So doth Chrysostom in Heb. hom 17 and Augustin de Verb. Dom. ser 28. speak and many others saying We offer the same sacrifice which Christ did offer or rather we offer the remembrance of that sacrifice So also teacheth Lombard lib. 4. cap. 12. B. G. Christ died once on the Cross and there he was offered but he is offered daily in the Sacrament because in the Sacrament is a remembrance of that which was once done and because it is a memorial representation and remembrance of that true sacrifice and holy oblation on the Altar of the Cross At some times also the Ancients call the Sacrament a Sacrifice because of the offerings which the people brought when they came to the Sacrament Cyprian de oper eleemos saith Thou who art rich comest into the Church without a sacrifice and takest a part of the sacrifice which the poorer hath offered Bellarmin de Eucharist lib. 1. cap. 27. hath the like words from Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 32 acknowledging that those Fathers spoke so of the bread and wine which the people offered And Alcwin de divin offic at the words Sursum corda saith The Priest exhorts the people as if he said Now when ye are sufficiently instructed and confirmed by the Apostolical and Evangelical Precepts direct your hearts from earthly cares upward unto the Lord that I may be able to offer worthily the sacrifice which ye have offered unto me to be offered unto God So whereas the Ancients did most usually abstain from the name of Altar and Sacrifice terming those Tables and Eucharist afterwards the Church being established in the truth of doctrine the Pastours did adventure upon a greater liberty of words not doubting to be soundly understood by Catholick hearers But because the degenerating ages have wrested these words to a proper signification clean cotrary to the first intention it should not be thought amiss in them who contain themselves now within the more ancient restraints and are content with the first terms since the other have occasioned that intollerable errour of the real sacrifice in the Mass To the end this may be more evident I shall repeat the The original of the Christian Sacrifice custom of this matter from the beginning Chrysostom on 1 Cor. 11. hom 27. saith As in the three thousand who at first did beleeve they did all eat together and they did possess all things in common so also it was when the Apostle writ this yet not so certainly but that some doubting of the communion were remaining and descending unto posterity and when it came to pass that some were poor and some were rich they did not give all things in community but they made the common Tables on the appointed daies as was decent and the collection being done after the communication of the Sacrament they all came to a common feast and the dishes were carried by the honester poor ones and they who had nothing were invited by them and they sate down all together but in progress of time this custom went away for by this division it came that some did adjoin themselves in one company and some in another and they said I am his and I am his as the Apostle amending this saith in the beginning of the Epistle Justine near the end of his greater Apology saith Let the rich men if they please every one bestow as they will and let that which is brought be laid down beside the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To wit when the first custom was left off they brought a quantity of Bread and Wine or of the first Corns or Raisins whereof so much was taken as did serve for the elements of the Sacrament and the rest was eaten by the Believers as in a feast and some was sent unto sick persons or diststributed among the poor When the Church had more liberty and became more wealthy as in the daies of Constantine the oblations were richer and a part thereof was appointed for maintenance of the Preachers according to that of Jerom They who serve at the Altar are sustained by the offerings at the Altar Then the voluntary offerings were called Sacrifices after the manner of the law of Moses and the Presbyters did consecrate them by prayer as is manifest by the Liturgies where they say O Lord we thy servants and also thy holy people being mindfull of the blessed suffering and resurrection and the glorious ascension of Christ thy Son our Lord God do offer unto thy most excellent Majesty out of thy gifts this pure sacrifice .... upon which things it may please thee to look with a favourable and gracious eye and to