the Divine Ministeries shewing his madness even on that which hath no sense such an one is truly sensless and shall be obnoxious to the Lex Talionis and his work shall fall upon his own head as being a transgressor of God's Law For the chief Apostle Peter commanded Feed the Flock of God overseeing it not by force but freely and voluntarily according to God not for filthy lucre sake but readily and chearfully not as having a dominion â—ver the Clergy but as being examples to the Flock The 15th Canon forbids one Man to have two Churches The 22d Canon forbids Canting and Minstrels and Ribald Songs at meat But the 7th savors of their Superstition forbidding any Temple to be Consecrated without Reliques and ordering Temples that have no Reliques to be put down § 78. In the Letter to Adrian Tharasius tells him that he had a year before attempted the like at Const. but was hindered a whole year by violent Men which further sheweth how far the opposition to Images had obtained when Irene began to set them up § 79. So much of the 2d Nicene Council in which by the power of one Woman and Stauratius a Senator that ruled her the judgment of the Universal Church if the Council or most of the Bishops in the Empire signifie it was suddenly changed from what it had been during the Reign of the three last Emperors and made that Church-use of Images which some thought sinful and no judicious Christian could judge necessary but indifferent and of use to some to be henceforth so necessary that the Denyers are sentenced for cursed Hereticks yea the Doubters cut off from Christ. § 80. CCXXXIII Binnius next addeth a Council at Forojulium An. 791. held by Paulinus Bishop of Aquileia in which is a Speech of his to the Bishops and an excellent Creed and 14 Canons written as by himself all in a far more understanding sober pious manner than is usual among the Patriarchs at General Councils The 13th Canon is an excellent Precept for the holy observation of the lord's-Lord's-day wholly in Holiness and in Hymns of Praise to the Holy Ghost that blessed it by his admirable Advent calling it God's Sabbath of delight beginning the 7th day evening not for the honour of the 7th day but of this Sabbath c. § 81. Yet rash and unskilful words set the Bishops into more divisions Faelix Urgelitanus and from him Elipandus Bishop of Toletum taught that Christ as the eternal Word was God's Natural Son but that as Man he was his Adopted Son Hence his Adversaries gathered that he was a Nestorian and held two Sons A Council An. 792. at Ratisbonne was called to condemn this Heresie Yea Ionas Bishop of Orleance saith That it infected Spain for a great part and he knew their Followers to be certain Antichrists by their faces and habits But wise Men think that the Controversie was not de re but de nomine And that if one Christ be said to be one Son of God in two natures by a twofold fundamentum of the Relation of a Son and that the foundation of the eternal Relation was the eternal Generation and the foundation of the temporal Relation in the Humanity was the temporal Generation and Union with the Deity yet this proveth not two Sons yea or if it had been said that two Generations being the fundamenta two Relations of Sonship result from them If this be unskilfully and illogically spoken it will not follow that the Speakers held two Persons or made any more division of Christs natures than their Adversaries did but only might think that a double filiation from a double fundamentum might be found in one Person Let this Opinion be wrong I see not how the Hereticators could make it a damnable Heresie But it 's pity that Faelix had not taken warning by the Churches long and sad experience to avoid such wordy occasions of Contention and not to set again on work either the Heretical or the Hereticating Evil Spirit § 82. Claudius Taurinensis a great and worthy Bishop at this time did set in against the Worship and Church-use of Images against whom Ionas Aurelianensis wrote whose Writings are in the Biblioth Patrum by Marg. de la Bigne Read them and judge as you see cause § 83. About the time of the Frankford Council came out a Book-against Images which is published as written by Carolus Magnus himself A great Controversie it is Who is the Author No small number say it was Charles his own indeed Others that it was written at his Will and Command But Binnius and some others deny it and say it was written by Serenus Massiliensis an Iconoclast and his Disciples How we shall know the Truth in such Cases I cannot tell But it is confessed that Spain and France were then much infected with the Doctrine which is against Church-Images It is certain that Pope Adrian saith that Carolus Mag. sent him such a Book by Engilbert an Abbot and his Epistle against it is extant § 84. CCXXXIV We come now to a great Council at Frankford called by Charles Mag. present and by Adrian And as late as it is all the Historians cannot tell us whether it was Universal or what they did Some say it was a General Council because Charles summon'd it as such and 300 Bishops were there Others say No it was but Provincial because none of the Bishops of the East were there a sufficient reason and the like may be brought to prove that there never was a General Council in the World so called from the whole World but only from the whole Empire That they dealt with the Case of Elipandus Bishop of Toletum and Faelix Urgel is agreed on but what they did about Images is not agreed on Ado Rhegino Aimonius Urspurg and many Historians say They condemned the Nicene Council that was for Images Even Baronius is of the same mind thinking the Liber Carolinus deceived them He proveth this to be the common judgment of Historians and ancient Writers Bellarmine his Brother is of the same judgment And is not their Concession more than twenty later Mens denial Yea Genebrard concurreth yet Binnius leaveth his Master Baronius and giveth his Reasons against them And he doth well prove that it could not be by ignorance and surprize that the Frankford Council should condemn the Nicene and he is loth to think that they were wilful Hereticks especially when they profess to follow Tradition But he knew that the 7th Constantin Council against Images profest to follow Tradition And if French Men will make us Hereticks for speaking English it is no wonder if we make them Hereticks for speaking French If Men will Hereticate others for Images or Ceremonies or Words others will measure the like to them This kind of Hereticating is circular and hath no end Suarez will have either the Historians to have erred or their Books to be corrupted with what
not hold that the personal Unity maketh it unmeet to say There are two Sons because that would imply two Persons which they and Nestorius denied But again I say what if they had said that there might be two Filiations or filial Relations in one Person resulting from two foundations Eternal and Temporal Generation and if this had been an unapt speech to say ex duobus fundamentis duae orientur relationes yet how comes it to be Heresie § 86. I write not this and such like to justifie the accused for I think the Council said well â—in p. 4. 18. 1. Cur nobis non sufficient quae in Sanctorum Patrum dictis inveniuntur universali Catholica sanctionis consuetudine confirmantur 2. Quare generationem Filii Dei vel aeternam de Patre vel temporalem de Matre quisquam hominum audeat investigare dicente Scripturâ altiora te ne quaesieris O well said Happy Church if the Bishops had held to this But here you see that they held a double Generation Eternal and Temporal and yet but one Filiation I write this because the Hereticating Spirit yet reigneth and by these old Weapons fighteth against Love and the Churches Unity on pretence of Orthodoxness and to this day the Papists reject a great part of Christ's Church as Hereticks by the countenance of former Councils censoriousness calling Christ's Members Iconoclasts Monothelites Nestorians Eutychians and many such names some fetcht from indifferent things or duties and some from quarrels about hard words § 87. Note here that Binnius expresly saith that Adhuc nondum est certum qualis in particulari fuerit haeresis Faeliciana It is not yet certain what this Faelician Heresie was And if so I hope I shall not be censured for the same notwithstanding you may say the Council knew it § 88. It 's worth the noting as to the credit of Council Records which Binnius there saith p. 427. If this Council as it now is extant may without temerity be rejected all Councils by the same reason may be rejected which Surius hath gathered from the Catholick Libraries He confesseth that the rest are no surer than this and yet that Baronius Bellarmine by the generality or number of Historians consent do confess that there was by this Council a rejection of the Conc. 2d Nicene which is now here to be found in it § 89. The Council at Frankford determined that Christ was not a Servant Servitute poenali Deo subjectus subject to God by penal Servitude The present agreement of Christians taketh this for Socinianism and Heresie Christ suffered for our sins his subjection to Poverty Reproach the Cross and many works as Fasting being carried about by Satan and tempted Mat. 4. 1. washing his Disciples feet travelling on foot being subject to his Mother and to Princes paying Tribute c. we suppose were part of his Humiliation The Holiness and Obedience was good and no Penalty But the matter of that Obedience was the Cross and Suffering which is Malum Naturae And if this was no punishment voluntarily accepted by his Sponsion how was Christ our Surety bearing our Transgressions how suffered he for our sins Is not suffering for sin even of others penal Is not the denial of Christ's penal Service and Suffering a denial of his Satisfaction and our Redemption You see how easie it is to find Heresie and Infidelity itself in unskilful words and yet it 's like the Speakers meant better than they spake § 90. Note that Pope Adrian first made himself Judge and Anathematized Elipandus as an Heretick and so the Council was byassed with the Emperor and how great Adrian's power was having made Charles Emperor and Charles made him a Prince it is easie to conjecture § 91. Binnius saith p. 429. that Faelix besides his other Heresie impugned Images and that this is said by the Concil Senonens in Decret fid c. 14. Platina in Adrian Sabellic Enead 8. li. 8. Alph. de Castro verb. Imago And that Claud. Taurin being his Disciple and an Iconomach he must needs be so himself From whence I argue that it is most probable that the Historians say true that say Charles and the Council of Frankford were against the Nicene Council and Images For else how could it come to pass that they say not one word against Faelix and Elipandus for denying Images when their Party was grown so great in Spain and France § 92. Pope Adrian dying Leo the 3d succeeded His Piety was so great that Anastasius writes as it were a Volumn in naming the good works which he did that is the Silks Vails Cloathing Silver Gold and innumerable gifts which he bestowed upon Posts Pillars Altars Walls Floors Utensils it would tire one to read them and the hard names of them yea he said seven Masses a day Yet some Kinsmen of Pope Adrian's Paschal Primicerius Campullus Sacellarius Maurus Nepesinus laid Crimes to his charge and assaulted him and twice put out his Eyes and cut out his Tongue and put him in a Monastery yet saith the Story his Eyes and Tongue were perfectly restored and he fled to his Protector Charles into Germany and Charles came to Rome and judged his Accusers to Banishment and restored him and he crowned Charles then Emperor of the West and perfected the Donation to him of all that had been the Emperor's Charles gave him great Presents and with his own Revenues and that he laid out so much Silver and Treasure at Rome and did so many new things in the Churches that if you read but Adrian's life and this Leo's you will be ashamed to disgrace the Church of Rome with any Titles or Pretences of the ancient primitive state but must say Old things are past away behold all is become new Charles the Great made the Pope Great § 93. Some Historians say that the kissing of the Pope's Foot was brought in thus by this Pope Leo A handsom Woman kist his Hand which so inflamed his Heart with Lust that he cut off the Hand that the Woman kist and ordained that ever after the Pope's Foot should be kist instead of his Hand But I rather believe with Binnius that this is but a Fiction because 1. There is mention before this of kissing the Pope's Foot 2. And I do not think that such a Heart would so easily part with a Hand § 94. To look back to the East when Irene had kept up Images awhile her Son Constantine grown up is weary of her Government and Stauratius and deposeth her and when he ruled the Bishops mostly were conformable to him But in his youthful Folly and Rage he put out the Eyes of his Uncle Nicephorus and Alexius a Captain he put away Mary his Wife and took one Theodota that better pleased him in Marriage one Ioseph that married them was preferred for it Tarasius connived and durst not gain-say Theodore Studita Plato therefore renounce the communion of
who was his onely Friend and Patron while he lived Next he tells us how the Emperor by Photius's persuasion called a General Council which deposed Pope Nicolas as he had done Phocas The other Patriarchs and the Bishops were assembled and the Pope anathematized And the Historian blames it as causless but it was then commonly held that a Council might judge and depose any Patriarch The Acts of the Council Photius sent to King Ludovicus and others in Italy and France that they might depose the Pope by two Bishops viz. of Calcedon and Laodicea It 's said he spake evil to the Emperor of Basilius and to Basilius of the Emperor Basilius murdereth the Emperor and the next day deposeth Photius and thrusts him into an Hospital and calls home Ignatius and so gets Ignatius's Party on his side to which he resolved to add the Pope Therefore sending to Photius for the Patriarchate Writings and he saying he had left them all behind him the Servants of Photius were seen striving about seven Bags of sealed Papers which being surprized were found to be the Acts of the Council and the Condemnation of Pope Nicolas Ignatius was odiously accused and abused in them Many Pictures made of him over one written Diabolus over another Principium peccati over another Filius perditionis over another Avaritia Simonis Magi over another Qui se extollit supra omne id quod dicitur aut colitur Deus over the sixth Abominatio desolationis and over the seventh Antichristus Reader how shall a man know what History to believe that characterizeth Adversaries and how little is the judgment and applause of man to be regarded or their condemnation of us to be feared I would not saith Nicetas mention these things but that I see the Authors and their followers own them and make Photius a holy man The next part of the Book saith Nicetas Synodicus in Nicolâ—â— um Pontificem Romanum tela torquebat omnisque generis calumnias atrocia maledicta in illius Sancti exauctorationem damnationem complectebatur impie ut tragico prope modo concinuitatus sane quoque ipsius stygii doctoris magisterio Photii ministerio dignus Gregory Bishop of Syracuse wrote them out and sent them to the King of France Who wrote truly and who falsly how should we now know But this I know 1. That contending who should be greatest was the sin of the Prelates and the plague of the Churches 2. And that then it was taken for granted that the Pope deserving it might be deposed The new Emperor Basil sent these Books to the Pope who burnt them as you have heard Great reason but I would we saw them Ignatius being restored excommunicateth Photius and all that were initiated by him and all that communicated with him It seems they were much alike in the art of damning men and separating them from Christ. Then is Ignatius's Council called where 102 Bishops damn Photius depose him and curse him from Christ and the Bishops to shew their holiness and constancy would not write his damnation with Ink but with Christ's own blood that is the Sacramental Wine And yet ere long they set up Photius again Nicetas blameth his Condemners that went not so far as to prevent his Restoration But how can Bishops rule God's Providence or the mutable minds of Princes saith he Nam qui per reconciliatos erat ejectus per hypocritas damnatus is per eosdem quasi familiares postliminio recurrens rursus Patriarchae thronum per vim invasit Cum omnes in sua testimonia Chirographa perjuros ut ipse erat fieri coegisset ut extrema primis deteriora fecisset omnium conscientias inquinavit conspurcavit Alas if the Bishops will be perjured Weathercocks and as Hypocrites cry peccavimus one year and go contrary again the next and change as Princes do who can help it He saith now new Earthquakes and terrible Whirlwinds did again afright men He giveth us also many of Ignatius's Miracles especially when he was dead He saith Photius prosecuted him with malice when he was dead He next tells us how after the death of Ignatius Photius came to be restored even by feigning a Pedegree of Basilius as from the King of Armenia sound by his skill in Antiquities and by his great parts and elegancy winning upon him He maketh Theophanes the instrument of the deceit He won the hearts of all the Courtiers so that within three days of Ignatius's death he was restored Hereupon the Bishops turn round and they that lately called him all that 's naught now magnifie him Bin. p. 875. But all that Nicetas calleth verè Christianos abhorred him This maketh me remember the words of Erasmus in the life of Dr. Colet translated by Thomas Smyth concerning the Bishop of London that then was being an acute Schoolman I have known saith he some such that I would not call Knaves but never any that I could call a Christian Sad Prelates that Nicetas and Erasmus could not call Christians But the ambition of Photius tempted them to their mutability He cast out the Bishops that were against him and presently forgave and restored them if they would but conform Yea he dared to re-ordain those that Ignatius had ordained supposing him no Bishop but abhorring all that stopt him in it But he proceeded to consecrate anew the Church-Utensils and say over certain Prayers If saith Nicetas they be not rather to be called Curses And saith he to make his sin out of measure sinful when he ordained or preferred any or changed Bishopricks he made them conform by swearing and subscribing to him thereby binding all to him whom by Benefices he obliged So much out of Nicetas § 64. And now Reader I leave it to thy judgment whether Gregory Nazianzen knew not what he said when he wisht there were no higher and lower among Bishops and when he spake so much of their ambition levity and temerity and of the evil effects of their Councils in his time Whether Patriarchal dignity was not a great temptation when to the Son of a Prince on one side and to the great and noble Secretary of the Emperor on the other side it seemed a prize worth the striving for to the death And whether it have not been the calamity of the Church when two such extraordinary men far above the common rank of Bishops shall set an Empire and almost all the Christian Churches into Schism Contention mutual Persecution and Confusion by so long striving Who shall be greatest and drawing so many hundred Bishops into Faction Schism Perjury and shameful mutations with them And whether Christ did not foreseeing such things far otherwise decide this question Who shall be greatest in Luke 22. But if Pride turned Angels into Devils it is not much to be wondered if it turn the Angels of the Churches into the Ministers of the Prince of Pride and Darkness and turn many Churches
this Commandment without spot unrebukable unto the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ which must needs extend to his Successors The faithful and wise Stewards that give the children their meat in due season will be found so doing by the Lord at his coming Luke 12. 42 43. And it is not till the last day that Christ will give up the Kingdome to the Father 1 Cor. 15. 25. 2. The Apostles actually setled an ordinary Ministry in their time as is proved 3. There are Commands for setling Successors of these as 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 5. as is proved 4. These Ministers are described and the way of their Ordination setled by Canons 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 5. We had the several Angels of the Churches in their places Revel 2. 3. and promises to some of them for the future with a Command Hold fast till I come 2. 23. and 3. 10. I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come on all the world Behold I come quickly 6. Christ hath commanded the Ministerial work to continue to the end As the Preaching of the Word must be to all Nations and every Creature Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15. And these most cruel men would have all the Preachers give over their work and leave the world to perish in Infidelity So for the assembling of our selves together and exhorting one another we are commanded not to forsake it as is the manner of some and so much the more as we see the day approaching Heb. 10. 23 24 25. So that the nearer we are to Christs coming the closer must we stick to Church-Communion and holy Assemblies considering that it s but a little while and he that comes will come and shall not tarry ver 37. God doth on purpose forbear his coming because he is long-suffering and will continue the means to call men to repentance and then the day of the Lord will come suddenly 2 Pet. 3. 9 10. The Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached to you 1 Pet. 1. 25. The Lords Supper is Instituted to be used to shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11. 26. Church-government or Discipline is a fixed Ordinance Mat. 18. 15 16 17. And if the work continue the workmen must continue 7. The mercy of God and the Efficacy of Christs Blood and the necessities of the Church continue we still need a Teaching Ministry Heb. 5. 11. and for our need it is Instituted till the Church be perfect that we be not as children toss'd up and down Eph. 4. 13 14. What enemies to us and to the love and mercy of God are they that would perswade men that he so quickly withdrew so great a mercy when the gifts and calling of God are without repentance 8. The Law and its Priesthood was not removed but by the glory of a better Law and Ministry And Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant and Promises Heb. 7. 22. 8. 7 8. Therefore he will not deal so much worse 9. Christ telleth us that a wise man will consider whether he can go through with it before he build or make War Therefore he would not himself begin to build his Church and enter himself the Captain of our Salvation and presently let his Enterprize fall 10. If the Ministry continue not then the Church continueth not for as the Head Liver and Stomack or Lungs are to the Body so is the Ministry to the Church 1 Cor. 12. 13 19 20 28 29. They plant and water it 1 Cor. 3. 6. and build it ver 10. For how shall we believe on him of whom we have not heard and how shall we hear without a Preacher and hew shall they preach unless they be sent Rom. 10. 14. But the Church doth continue for first else Christ were no longer the Head of it the King Prophet or Priest and so not Christ But he is a Priest for ever abiding continually he continueth ever and hath an unchangeable Priesthood he ever liveth to make intercession for those that come to God by him Heb. 7. 3. 22 24 25. 2. Those that deny the Church must needs deny themselves Christians and Members of that Church 3. There is no Salvation promised but to the Church Eph. 5. 23 25 26 27. Mark 16. 16. 4. Blindness is on the Jews but till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved Therefore it is most evident that the Gentile Church shall not cease till the fulness have prepared for the re-ingraffing of the Iews Rom. 11. 25 26. 5. It is an everlasting Kingdome which cannot be moved and the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem whereof even the Angels and perfected Spirits of the Iust are a part to which we come by Faith therefore it ceaseth not Heb. 12. 22 23 28. 6. When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 10. but not before 7. If nothing can separate us from the love of God no not any distress or tribulation then are not all the Ministers and Church cut off Rom. 8. 34. to 39. Yea those that in all Ages suffer for his sake are not cut off from him but so many faithful Ministers do 8. But what should I say any more against that Assertion which carrieth stark Heathenism or Infidelity in its Forehead reproaching Christ as no Christ and teaching men that they are not bound to be Christians and believe the Gospel and perswading the world to despise Christs Messengers and Ordinances and Ministers to cast off their Masters work which in two words is to turn Infidels or Apostates I must refer you for my fuller answer to such men to my Book against Infidelity Prop. 4. God hath in his Law appointed a standing way for the calling of these ordinary Teaching Ruling worshipping Ministers in all Ages and doth himself call them in this way 1. He instituteth the Office 2. He commandeth that fit persons be ordained to this Office 3. He describeth them by their necessary Qualifications All this is at large 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. Act. 20. 1 Pet. 5. c. This is his work by his standing Law By which also he commandeth the people to chuse consent to or accept the fit and to hear and obey them Act. 14. 23. 2 Thes. 5. 12. Act. 6. 3 5. Heb. 13. 7 17. And then by Providence 1. He giveth them those gifts of the Spirit that may competently qualifie them for their Office 2. He assisteth the Chusers and Ordainers to discern those Qualifications and do their duties 3. He causeth some special fitness of a Minister to the special Province or Charge which he is to undertake and special inviting occasions and opportunities and oft-times causeth Necessity to make the choice 4. He boweth the heart of the person called to consent and usually to desire the work for the
the Parliaments complaints of Popery Arminianism and Arbitrary Illegalities and after saith Hist. Presb. p. 465. 470. The truth is that as the English generally were not willing to receive that yoak so neither did the Houses really intend to impose it on them though for a while to hold fair quarter with the Scots they seemed forward in it This appears by their Declaration of April 1646 Nor have they lived to see their dear Presbytery setled or their Lay-Elders entertained in any one Parish of the Kingdome that 's false on the other side and yet all must be done by this Parliament as Presbyterians four years before when they were Episcopal distasting only the persons and actions of Bishop Laud Wren and some other present Bishops If I find a man like Schlusselburgiâ—s fall Pell-mell with reproach on all that differ from him or Dr. Heylin speak of blood with pleasure and as thirsty after more as of Thacker Vdall c. or as designing to make Dissenters odious as he and most of the Papists Historians do as the Image of both Churches Philanax Anglicus the Historical Collections out of Heylin I will believe none of these revilers further than they give me Cogent proof I hear of a Scots Narrative of the Treasons Fornications Witchcrafts and other wickedness of some of the Scottish Presbyterians and as for me the Author knoweth not what to call me unless it be a Baxterian as intending to be a Haeresiarcha being neither Papist nor of the Church of England nor Presbyterian nor Independent c. To this I say I have no acquaintance with any Scots Minister nor ever had in my life except with Bishop Sharp that was murdered and two other Bishops and two or three that live here in London therefore what they are I know not save by Fame But though I have heard that Country asperst as too much inclin'd to Fornication I never before heard the Religious part and Ministers so accused Either it is true or false if false shame be to the reporters if true what doth it concern us here or any that are innocent any further than to abhor it and lament it and to be thankful to God that it is another sort of men that are called Puritans in England and that in all my acquaintance with them these 56 years which hath been with very many in many Countries I remember not that ever I heard of one Puritan man or woman save one accused or suspected of fornication and that one yet living though openly penitent hath lived disowned and shamed to this day but I have heard of multitudes that revile them that make a jest and common practice of it Try whether you can make the Inhabitants of this City believe that the Nonconformists or Puritans are fornicators drunkards or perjured and that their accusers and haters are innocent men that hate them for such Crimes But it s possible that you may make men of other Countries or Ages believe it and believe that we wear Horns and have Cloven Feet and what you will but I fear not all your art or advantages on those that are acquainted with both sides But the misery is that faction ingageth men to associate only with their party where they hear reproaches of the unknown dissenters from whom they so estrange themselves that the Neighbours near them are as much unknown to them save by lying same as if they lived an hundred miles from them I remember Mr. Cressey once wrote to me that he turned from the Protestant Religion to the Roman because there was among us no spiritual Books of Devotion for Soul Elevations and affectionate Contemplation And I told him it was Gods just Judgment on him that lived so strange to his Neighbours because they are called Puritans and to their Writings which Shops and Libraries abound with had he read Bishop Halls Mr. Greenhams Mr. Ri. Rogers Mr. Io. Rogers Mr. Hildershams Mr. Boltons Mr. Perkins Mr. Downhams Mr. Reyners Dr. Sibbes c. yea or no better than my own the Saints Rest the Life of Faith the Divine Life the Christian Directory c. or had he read the Lives of Divines called Puritans or but such as two young men published partly by my self Ioseph Allen and Iohn Ianeway he would never have gone from the Protestants to the Papists because of our formality and want of an affectionate spiritual sort of devotion especially knowing what excess of formality is among the Papists and how much it is of the Clergies accusation of the Puritans that they are for too little form and too much pretence of spiritual devotion But if any called Religious or Puritans or Presbyterians be vicious I know no men that so heartily desire their punishment and ejection as those that are called by the same names I thank God that these twenty years while neither Wit Will nor Power hath been wanting against them I have scarce heard of two men if one that have been judged and proved guilty of any such immorality of all the ejected silenced Ministers in this Land I would I could say so of their Adversaries II. And now I must speak to the Accusers speeches of my self I thank you Sir that you feigned no worse against me if I am an Haeresiarcha why would not you vouchsafe to name that Heresie which I have owned I have given you large Field-room in near 80 Books and few men can so write as that a willing man may not find some words which he is able to call Heresie A little learning wit or honesty will serve for such an hereticating presumption 2. I never heard that Arminius was called an Arminian nor â—â—ther a Lutheran nor Bishop Laud a Laudian but if you be upon the knack of making Names you best know your ends and best know how to fit them to it 3. But seriously do you not know my Judgment will not about 80 Books inform you how then can I help it 4. No but you know not what Party I am of nor what to call me I am sorrier for you in this than for my self if you know not I will tell you I am a CHRISTIAN a MEER CHRISTIAN of no other Religion and the Church that I am of is the Christian Church and hath been visible where ever the Christian Religion and Church hath been visible But must you know what Sect or Paâ—â—y I am of I am against all Sects and dividing Parties But if any will call Meer Christians by the name of a Party because they take up with meer Christianity Creed and Scripture and will not be of any dividing or contentious Sect I am of that Party which is so against Parties If the Name CHRISTIAN be not enough call me a CATHOLICK CHRISTIAN not as that word signifieth an hereticating majority of Bishops but as it signifieth one that hath no Religion but that which by Christ and the Apostles was left to the Catholick Church or the Body of Jesus Christ on Earth
having power to take away Kingdoms and all that men have § 41 42. The Siege of Rome Two Popes Gregory's death § 42. He threatneth to depose the King of France claims Hungary c. § 23. Binnius record of THE POPES DICTATES telling in 27 Articles WHAT POPERY IS § 44. He claimeth Spain § 46 and Dalmatia § 49. A great part of the Bishops against him § 49. Pronounceth unsincere repentance fruitless § 50. Denyeth Divine Service in the Sclavonian tongue § 51. Ill weather imputed to the ill Lives of Priests The Armenians errours what § 51. Apulia c. the Popes § 51. One man turned an hundred thousand men in Spain from the Pope He threatneth to Excommunicate and depose the King of Spain as an Enemy to the Christian Religion § 52. He newly found St. Matthews body § 54. He will expose the Prince of Sardinia unless he obey him in making all Priests shave their beards § 55. Notes hereon The French convert the Sweeds and the Pope would reap the fruit § 56. His notable Epistle to prove Popes Priests and Exorcists above Kings § 57. Answered § 58. Peter pence § 59. An Arch-bishop suspended for not visiting Rome § 60. A pious Lie for Peace is a sin § 61. The old Spanish Liturgy partly contrary to the Christian Faith till now § 62. His respect to William the Conquerour c. § 64 66. The German Bishops hereticate the Pope for forbidding Marriage § 67. Matthew is forsaken § 68. Philip King of France and many great Bishops excommunicate § 69. Divers Councils excommunicating contrarily the Antipopes § 69 to 74. Ordinations null that are made pretio precibus vel obsequio and not by the common consent of Clergy and People § 75. He excommunicateth the Greek Emperour usurping § 76. The Greek affairs summ'd up § 77. The power of Pope and Bishops to depose Kings § 79. A Council Character of Gregory § 80. A Council make Loyalty to be Haeresis Henriciana § 87. The Disciple is not above his Master answered § 87. Wecilo's heresie that men obey not unjust Excommunications but may by others be received § 88. The 23d Schism § 91. Victor's Soldiers conquer Clement's § 92. Lay Princes presentations or Investitures are Heresie every Heretick is an Infidel It 's better be without visible Communion than have it with such § 93. Consectaries overthrowing Rome ib. A new Pope marrieth Mathildis to Welpho on condition they use not carnal Copulation § 94. A Jerusalem expedition causeth peace at home Conrade rebelleth against his Father § 94. The Emperour commits Fornication § 101 103. Wrongs on Monday Wednesday or Thursday no breach of holy peace No Bishop or Priest must swear or promise Allegiance to a King nor take Preferment from any Lay-man § 104. None to communicate in one kind § 105. All the Bishops of England save Rochester renounce obedience and society with Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury because he would not renounce the Pope saying he blasphemed the King setting up any in his Kingdom without his consent § 106. Time given the King of England to repent § 109. The Anti-Pope Clement digg'd up and burnt Paschal 2. Council Decree that all Bishops of the Henrician Heresie Loyalists if alive be deposed if dead digg'd up and burnt that is most of the Western Bishops § 112. The Schism continued § 113. The Pope set up young Henry against his Father who taketh him Prisoner to the death He keeps his Fathers Corps five years unburied because Excommunicate Yet proveth Hereticus Henricianus Imprisoneth the Pope till he grant him Investitures The Pope absolveth himself § 114 115. Cases on Binnius § 116. Note that Investitures supposed the People and Clergies free choice of Bishops § 117. The Bishops usage of old Henry to the last § 118. To take the Popes Excommunications as not obligatory is a Heresie § 119. The dangerous Doctrine of Fluentius Bishop of Florence that Anti-Christ was come § 120. Only the Church made Henry rebell § 121 122. Tybur coloured with bloud The Earl of Millans Flesh given to Dogs The Popes sacramental Covenant broken § 127. God will have no involuntary service § 129. The same is a Henrician Heresie in others which is none in the Pope § 132. He may forswear for the People of God § 132. Two Popes contending and excommunicating The Emperour giveth up Investitures § 135 to 138. Four Doctrines of Guilb Porretane condemned in Council 1. That Divinitas and Deus are not the same in signification 2. That the three Persons are not unum aliquid 3. That there are eternal Relations besides the Persons 4. That it was not the Divine Nature that was incarnate Two more Popes § 138 142. A Preacher murdered at Rome § 144. Two more Popes the succession from the wrong § 145. They fight for it § 146. How Clergy and People first lost their Votes in choice of Popes § 147. Two Popes still striving § 149 c. Many Castles in England built by two Bishops § 160. Abailard condemned unheard § 161. Caelestine II. the first Pope without the Peoples election An. 1143. Rome against the Pope Bishops are his strength § 168. Porretane again accused and puzzled the Council § 170. He is again accused by Bernard whom the Cardinals accuse for writing his Faith and getting Bishops hands to it § 171. The Romane people excommunicate by Pope Adrian 4. They are for a Preacher called by him an heretick § 174. Rome fighteth with Pope and Emperour They fight again and expel the Pope § 174. The 27 pair of Popes Wars between the Emperour Frederick and Pope The Crown of England held as from the Pope Yet Rome receiveth him not The Emperour submitteth being deserted c. § 175. The setling the choice of Popes by Cardinals The Pope no Bishop by the Canons § 177. The Roman Succession is from Alex. 3. when the Clergie People Emperour Princes and a Council of innumerable Bishops were for Victor § 176. Parliaments called Councils § 179. Ireland the Popes § 180. The Albigenses Henricians § 181. No Bishop may suspend a Presbyter without the judgment of his Chapter A perjured Clergie-man perpetually deprived Doubtful words to be understood as usually § 182. The Popes Party in Rome have their Eyes put out § 183. Frederick drowned in Asia § 187. The Kingdom of France interdicted § 190. The Pope seus up an Anti-Emperour who prevaileth § 192. England interdicted six years and three months § 194. The famous twelfth General Council at the Laterane under Inoc. 3. for Transubstantiation exterminating hereticks deposing Princes absolving Subjects forbidding unlicensed Preachers c. § 195. Almaricus burnt dead § 196. Stephen Langton and King John § 197. Ten Queries upon this Council § 198. The Canons of this Council true Mr. Dodwel's 17 Arguments for it § 199. The Papists excuses answered § 180. misnumbred The bloody Execution § 181. Oxford Canons that every great Parish have two or three Presbyters c. § 183.
Against Preaching when silenced § 184. The Pope twice banished by the Romans The Emperour excommunicate and deposed fights it out The Pope dyeth § 186. A mortal sin to have two Benefices if one will maintain him § 187. The Emperour again excommunicate A merry Excommunication § 191. Rebellions § 192. Conrade and King Henry § 193. Bishop Grosthead's notable Letter to the Pope and its reception § 195 196. Obedient disobedience All Power for edification ib. The Pope calls the King of England his Slave whom he can imprison c. § 196. The Cardinals Speech to quiet the Pope A Defection foretold § 196. Grosheads death He taketh them for Hereticks that tell not great men of their sin c. The Pope Antichrist for destroying souls The Popes pardoning Letter The Pope described § 198. Miracles at Robert Grosheads death The Pope would have burnt and damned his Corps In a vision he mortally woundeth the Pope § 198 199. H. III. pawneth his Kingdom to the Pope § 200. The 13th General Council at Lyons excommnnicateth and deposeth the Emperour and absolveth his Subjects § 202. Guelphus for the Popes Gibelius for the Emperour § 203. The English Parliament demand the choice of the Lords Iustice Chancellour and Treasurer § 204. The Plot of King Henry and the Bishop of Hereford to get money by the Pope § 206. The Parliament resist it M. Paris talks too boldly of the King § 206. Buying Bishopricks Brancaleo at Rome mastereth the Pope § 208 209. Sewale Archbishop of York against the Pope doth Miracles § 212. Rome not ruled by the Pope § 214. Near three years vacancy of the Papacy § 219. Cardinal Portuensis jeast 220. The foolish Pope John sadly confuted § 224. King Peter of Arragon deposed § 226. The Popes Tenth peny denyed § 228. Two years more vacancy The Greeks enmity to Rome § 229. Pope Celestine cheated to resign and imprisoned § 233. Boniface the VIII his conflict with the King of France taken prisoner and dyeth Platina's good Counsel to all Rulers § 224. The Clergy not to be taxed by Princes § 235. The Pope setled in France by Clement V. Continueth 70 Years § 236. Above 2 years vacancy ibid. 40. Articles of the King of France against Boniface VIII Three Herisies of Petrus Joannis 1. The rational soul as such is not forma corporis humani 2. Grace habitual not infused in baptisme to Infants 3. The Spear pierced Christ before his death § 242. The Heresie of the Beguines and Beguardes for perfection § ibid. Pope Clements Decrees De fide 1. Of the form of the body the soul. 2. Infants infused Grace 3. Vsury a sin 4. To be restored The contrary to suffer as Hereticks § ibid. The falshood of some of these new Articles of Faith § 243. Magistrates excommunicated that disgrace wicked Priests § 247. Or compel them to answer to them § 248. Popes and Councils condemn each other as Hereticks § 250. The Pope claimeth the Empire by Escheate § 251. The Priest to take the name of every Parishoner that being confessed and confirmed they may communicate only by his counsel § 252. The Greek affairs § 256. A Toletane Council Decree that their Provincial Constitutions bind only ad poenam not ad culpam lest Christians Consciences be burdened § 257. After seventy years residence at Avignion forty years more there were two Popes and sometime more one at Avignion and one at Rome Discord chooseth an honest Pope but Concord an Anti-Pope Their Wars The Pope drowneth Cardinals in Sacks and makes twenty nine new ones in one day § 260. Italy still the most unpeaceable warring place of the World § 262 263. The Popes bloody way of curing Schism § 263. The Council of Pisa thinking to have but one Pope made a third § 267. Who Deposed King Ladislaus § 268. CHAP. 13. The Councils of Constance Basil c. That at Constance called by Pope John 21 alias 22 or 23 or 24 by Sigismund the Emperours means Councils above the Pope § 3. Wickliffs Articles § 6. One is that they are Traytors to Christ who give over preaching and hearing Gods word for mens Excommunications § 6 54. heynous Articles against Pope John commonly called The Devil incarnate An obstinate Heretick denying the life to come c. § 8. He ratifieth all himself and with other two Popes is deposed § 9. A decree against giving the Sacramental Cup though Christ and the Ancient Church used it § 10. Articles against John Hus as Wickliff's More as his own § 12 13. Excommunication must not make us leave off Preaching Against Hierome of Prague breaking safe Conducts § 14 15. The third Pope depos'd § 16. Decrees for frequent General Councils Popes Elections regulated A new Pope chosen § 17. The Fate of P. John and the rest § 18 19. Continued Wars at Rome against the Pope and in Italy § 23. The Council at Basil. The Bohemians case Their four Articles 1. For the full Sacâ—ament 2. For correcting publick Crimes 3. For liberty to preach Gods Word 4. Against the Clergies civil Power all eluded § 24. Bishop Augustinus de Roma's errours Phanatick Pardon of all sins confest with a contrite heart sold for money and fasting § 27. Their Catholick Verities 1. For Councils Supremacy 2. They may not be dissolved removed prorogued but consenting 3. It s Heresie to oppugn these § 28. P. Eugenins deposed as a pertinacious Heretick c. § 22. Queries hereon § 30. The immaculate Conception decreed § 31. Two Popes again § 32. Epistles of and against the Pope § 33. Four Treatises against the Bohemians four great Articles § 34 35. God only pardoneth the fault and the Pope part of Church Penances Whether silenced Preachers must cease Vnjust Sentences not regardable confessed The Council confirmed § 35 36. A Council at Briges confirmeth this § 37. The Council at Florence Two General Councils at once § 38. The Romans still fight against the Pope § 39. Constantinople lost ib. P. Pius 2. his Character and Sentences For Priests Marriage Yet for Rome's Vniversal Headship to be received as necessary to salvation § 44. P. Paul 2. a just and clement Simoniast and Tyrant Tormenteth Platina and many others Accuseth them of Heresie for praising Plato and Gentile Learning c. Against Learning § 45. P. Sixtus Wars and treachery § 46. Denying the Decrees of a General Council de fide of the immaculate conception of B. M. no Heresie § 47. P. Inoc. 8. fights to be King of Naples § 49. Pope Alexander the Sixth his ugly Character and his Son Borgia's Villanies Both drinking the poyson prepared for others The Pope dyeth of it § 50. Pius 3. § 51. P. Julius 2. Italy in blood still by him § 52. Councils against the Pope The King of France excommunicated § 53 54. The Anti-Council at Lateran against the Pisane against the French pragmat Sanction The not able Titles of the Pope § 55. Decreed that Simoniacal Election of Popes is
Shepherd and the Bishop of our Souls 5. That he hath used them to enlarge confirm preserve and edefie his Church to this day 6. That he maketh the best of them to be the best of men 7. That he putteth into the hearts of all good Christians a special love and honour of them 8. That he useth even the worser sort to do good while they do hurt especially some of them 9. That Satan striveth so hard to corrupt them and get them on his side 10. That Religion ordinarily dyeth away or decayeth when they fail and prove unable and unfaithful 11. That Christ commandeth men so much to hear receive and obey them and hath committed his Word and Keys to them as his Stewards 12. And hath promised them a special reward for their faithfulness and commanded all to pray for them and their preservation and success And the nature of the things tells us that as knowledge in lower things is not propagated to mankind but by Teachers man being not born wise so much less is heavenly wisdom And therefore it is that God is so regardful of the due qualification of Ministers that they be not blind guides nor novices nor proud nor careless sluggards nor self-seeking worldlings but skilful in the word of truth and lovers of God and the souls of men and zealous and diligent unwearied and patient in their holy work And when they prove bad he maketh them most contemptible and punisheth them more than other men the corruption of the best making them the worst § 48. Therefore let us make a right use of the pride and corruption of the Clergy to desire and pray for better and to avoid our selves the Sin which is so bad in them and to labour after that rooted Wisdome and Holiness in our selves that we may stand though our Teachers fall before us Let every man prove his own Work and so he shall have rejoicing in himself and not in others only Gal. 6. But let us not hence question the Gospel or dishonour the Church and Ministry no not any further separate from the Faulty than they separate from Christ or than God alloweth us and necessity requireth As we must not despise the needful helps of our Salvation nor equal dumb or wicked men with the able faithful Ministers of Christ on pretence of honouring the Office so neither must we deny the good that is in any nor despise the Office for the Persons Faults § 49. Especially let us take heed that we fall not into that pernicious Snare that hath entangled the Quakers and other Schismaticks of these times who on pretence of the faults of the Ministers set against the best with greatest fury because the best do most resist them and that revile them with false and railing language the same that Drunkards and Malignants use yea worse than the prophanest of the Vulgar even because they take Tythes and necessary Maintenance charging them with odious covetousness calling them Hirelings deceivers and what not Undoubtedly this Spirit is not of God that is so contrary to his Word his Grace and his Interest in the World What would become of the Church and Gospel if this malignant Spirit should prevail to extirpate even the best of all the Ministry Would the Devil and the Churches Enemies desire any more The very same Men that the Prelates have silenced near 2000 in England these fifteen or sixteen years together are they that the Quakers most virulently before reviled and most furiously opposed § 50. Nor will the Clergies corruption allow either unqualified or uncalled Men to thrust themselves into the Sacred Office as if they were the Men that can do better and must mend all that is amiss Such have been tryed in Licentious Times and proved some of them to do more hurt than the very Drunkards or the ignorant sort of Ministers that did but read the holy Scriptures Pride is too often the reprehender of other Mens Faults and Imperfections and would make other Mens Names but a stepping-stone to their own aspiring Folly As many that have cryed out against bad Popes and Prelates that they might get into the places have been as bad themselves when they have their Will No wonder if it be so with the proud revilers of the Ministry § 51. There is need therefore of much Wisdome and holy care that we here avoid the two extreams that we grow not indifferent who are our Pastors nor contract the Guilt of Church-corruption but mourn for the reproach of the solemn Assemblies and do our best for true and needful Reformation that the Gospel fail not and Souls be not quietly left to Satan nor the Church grow like the Infidel World and yet that we neither invade nor dishonour the sacred Office nor needlesly open the nakedness of the Persons nor do any thing that may hinder their just endeavours and success we must speak evil of no man either falsly or unnecessarily § 52. I thought all this premonition necessary that you make not an ill use of the following History and become not guilty of diabolism or false accusing of the Brethren or dishonouring the Church And that as God hath in Scripture recorded the Sins of the ungodly and the effects of Pride and of malignity and Christ hath foretold us that Wolves shall enter and devour the Flock and by their Fruits of devouring and pricking as Thorns and Thistles we shall know them and the Apostles prophecied of them I take it to be my duty to give you an Abstract of the History of Papal and aspiring Prelacy usurping and schismatical and tyrannical Councils as knowing of how great use it is to all to know the true History of the Church both as to good and evil § 53. Yea Bishops and Councils must not be worse thought of than they deserve no more than Presbyters because of such abuses as I recite The best things are abused even Preaching Writing Scripture and Reason it self and yet are not to be rejected or dishonoured There is an Episcopacy whose very Constitution is a Crime and there is another sort which seemeth to me a thing convenient lawful and indifferent and there is a sort which I cannot deny to be of Divine Right § 54. That which I take to be it self a Crime is such as is aforementioned which in its very constitution over-throweth the Office Church and Discipline which Christ by himself and his Spirit in his Apostles instituted such I take to be that Diocesane kind which hath only one Bishop over many score or hundred fixed Parochial Assemblies by which 1. Parishes are made by them no Churches as having no Ruling Pastors that have the Power of Judging whom to Baptize or admit to Communion or refuse but only are Chapels having preaching Gurates 2. All the first Order of Bishops in single Churches are deposed as if the Bishop of Antioch should have put down a 1000 Bishops about him and made himself the sole Bishop of their
of scandalous and uncapable men Can. 9. and 10. Which will justifie Pope Nicholas forbidding any to take the Mass of a Fornicating Priest 3. That Rural Bishops were then in use and allowed by the Council Can. 8. 4. That no Bishop was to remove from one Church to another Can. 15. which Euseb. Nicom soon broke 5. Even in the Arabick Canons the 4th si populo placebit is a Condition of every Bishops Election 6. The 5th Arab. Canon in case of discord among the people who shall be their Bishop or Priest it is referred to the people to consider which is most blameless And no Bishop or Priest must be taken into anothers place if the former was blameless So that if Pastors be wrongfully cast out the people must not forsake them nor receive the obtruded 7. Those Ordained by Meletius were to be received into the Ministry where others dyed If by the suffrage of the people they were judged fit and the Bishop of Alex. designed them Sozom. l. 1. c. 23. § 15. XXXI The next Council in Binnius and in Crabs Order is said to be at Rome under Sylvester with 275. Bishops But this is confessed to be partly false if not all And is the same that is before mentioned which ordered that no Bishop should ordain any Clerk nisi cum omni adunatâ Ecclesiâ But with all the Church united or gathered into one Which Canon seemeth made when a Church was no more than could meet together and when the People had a Negative Voice But the Concil Gangrense is Binnius's next though Crab put afterward some of the forementioned also said to be in Sylvesters days and yet Sozomen and some others say that the Council of Nice was in Iulius days though most say otherwise Here were sixteen Bishops who condemned some Errours of Eustathius of Armenia or rather one Eutactus as Bin. thinks who was too severe against Marriage as if it were sinful and against eating Flesh and against receiving the Sacrament at the Hands of a married Priest he made Servants equal with their Masters he set light by Church-Assemblies he drew Wives to leave their Husbands for Continency and on pretence of Virginity despised married Persons These superstitions they here condemned § 16. XXXII An. 335. The Council at Tyre was held for the Tryal of Athanasius where he was unjustly condemned and thereupon by Constantine banished though his innocency was after cleared Had not his severity against the Meletians driven them to joyn with the Arians against him Epiphanius saith they had not been able to make head thus against him Constantines Epistle to the Alexandrians lamenting and chiding them for their Discords is well worth the translating but that I must not be so tedious See it Bin. p. 391. § 17. XXXIII The next is a Council at Ierusalem An. 335. where Arius Faith was tryed approved and he restored to Alexandria and the favour of Constantine The Creed which he gave in was this We believe in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Iesus Christ his Son begotten of him before all Ages God the Word by whom all things were made which are in Heaven and in Earth Who came down and was Incarnat◠and Suffered and Rose again and Ascended to the Heavens and shall come again to Iudge the Living and the Dead And in the Holy Ghost The Resurrection of the Flesh The Life of the World to come and the Kingdom of Heaven In one Catholick Church of God extending it self from one end of the Earth unto the other Arius with this protesting against vain Subtilties and Controversies desireth the Emperour to accept of this as the Evangelical Faith and the Council and the Emperour receive him as for the joyful restoration of Unity and Peace and so would undo what was done at Nice The Emperour was so greatly troubled at the continued divisions of the Bishops that he was glad of any hope of Unity and Peace But this proved not the way § 18. XXXIV An. 336. A Council was called at Constantinople in which they accused condemned and banished Marcellus Ancyranus an Adversary to the Arians as if he had denyed the Godhead of Christ upon some wrested word though it was their denying it that offended him Here also Arius was justified and Athanasius condemned But Arius dyed shortly after § 19. XXXV The next is a Council of 116 Bishops at Rome in or about An. 337. under Iulius in which the Nicene Creed was owned and the Arians condemned and nothing else down that is recorded § 20. XXXVI The next was a Council at Alexandria which vindicated Athanasius from his Accusations when Constantinus junior sent him home from his Banishment § 21. XXXVII The next was a Council at Antioch of near 100 Bishops of which 36 were Arians the most Orthodox and the holy Iames of Nisibis one yet they deposed Athanasius and the Arians it 's like by the Emperours favour carryed it In his place they put George a Cappadocian suspected to be an Arian whom as I said before the People murdered burnt and scattered his Ashes in the Wind and he was one of the Arians Martyrs Unless England had ever been Arian I cannot believe them that say that this is the St. George that the English have so much honoured § 23. This Arian Council finding that the Emperours favour gave them the Power made many Canons against Non-Conformists The first Can. is against them that keep not Easter at the due time The second against them that come to the hearing of the Word but communicate not publickly in the Lords Supper and Prayers and against them that keep private Meetings and that communicate with them Can. 4. Was to make their Case hopeless that exercise the Ministry after they are Silenced or Deposed be they Bishops Priests or Deacons Can. 5. Was that if any Priest or Deacon gathered Churches or Assemblies against the Bishops Will and took not warning he was to be Deposed And if he go on to be oppressed by the exteriour Power as Seditious There is their Strength Can. 6 and 7. None suspended by his own Bishop was to be received by another nor any Stranger without Certificates Can. 8. Country-Priests may not write Canonical Epistles but Rural Bishops may Can. 9. No Bishop must do any thing without the Metropolitane save what belongeth by Ordination and Guidance to his own Church Can. 10. Though the rural Bishops are consecrated as true Bishops yet they shall only govern their own Churches and Ordain such lower Orders as they need but not Ordain Presbyters or Deacons without the City-Bishops to whom they are subject Can. 11. Casteth out all Bishops or other Clergy-men that go to the Prince without the Metropolitane's Counsel or Letters Can. 12. Deposed or silenced Ministers must not go to Princes for relief but appeal to a Synod Can. 13. Bishops must not go or ordain in other Diocess unless sent for by the Metropolitane else their Ordinations there
his Condemnation Vrsatius and Valens revolting and again accusing him and Communion with the Arians were the things there urged by the Emperour Lucifer Calaritanus after called a Heretick and Eâ—sebiâ—s Vercellensis and a few more refused to subscribe and were banished as Liberius after was and Foelix made Pope But most of the Bishops for fear and desire of peace subscribed The Emperour himself wrote to Euseb. Vâ—rcel to be there who had refused with great profession of zealous piety and desire of the Churches peace But this scandal and miscarriage of the Bishops and success of the Arians was the effect of this General Council § 38. LII The Semi-Arians pretending to Universal Concord thus prevailing by the Emperour and a General Council Hilary Pictav a Marryed Citizen made Bishop drew some Orthodox Bishops of France to separate from the Arian Bishops and renounce their Communion The Arians or Semi-Arians taking these for separatists and injurious to them especially Saturninus procured a Council 〈◊〉 Byterris to condemn them as Schismaticks where Hilary was condemned and banished an 356. § 39. LIII The General Council at Sirmium I out of order began with Anno 357. Constantius resolving by all means to bring all the Bishops to one Communion was present himself There were above 300 Bishops out of the West besides all the Eastern Bishops The confusion was so great that men knew not who were or were not Hereticks Photinus denying the Godhead of Christ the Bishops called Arian desired this Council to accuse and condemn him as they did They drew up two or three Confessions themselves The first was not Heretical directly save by the Omission of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some perswaded the Emperour being new and no ancient Scriptural or Symbolical word was the Cause of all the divisions of the Bishops and were that left out all would be healed This Council called Arian passed 27 Anathema's against the Arians and Photinians Pope Liberius subscribed to it and approved it as the forcited words of his Epistle in Hilary shew And yet many Papists call it a Reprobate Council Old Osius that presided at Nice was forced by stripes to subscribe to it and to the condemnation of Athanasius That the Son was in all things like the Father was the substitute Form here used In their second Form they say that Quia multos commovet vox substantia vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est ut diligentius cognoscatur illud quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nullam earum vocum mentionem debere fieri neque de iis sermocinandum in Ecclesiâ censemus quod de iis nihil scriptum sit in sacris literis quod illa hominum intellectum mentem transcendant quod nemo posset generationem filii enarrare ut scriptum Generationem ejus quis enarrabit solum enim Patrem scire quomodo filium suum genuerit certum est nemo ignorat duas esse personas Patris Filii ac proinde Patrem majorem Filium ex Patre genitum Deum ex Deo Lumen de Lumine Many thought this a necessary reconciling way The words Person and Substance stumbled the Arians For they knew not how to conceive of three persons that were not three substances nor how the Son could be of the same substance with the Father unless that substance were divided And at last wearied with contending they thought thus to end all by leaving out the name substance and professing the Generation of the Son unsearchable The third Sirmian Creed had in unigenitum filium Dei ante omnia secula initia ante omne tempus quod in intellectum cadere potest existentem ante omnem comprehensibilem substantiam natum iâ—passibiliter ex Deo solum ex solo Patre Deum de Deo similem Patri suo qui ipsum genuit cujus generationem nemo novit nisi solus qui eum genuit Pater Vocabulum verò substantiae quia simplicius à Patribus positum est à populis ignor atur scandalum affert eò quod in scripturis non contineatur placuit ut de medio tolleretur nullam posthà c de Dei substantia mentionem esse faciendam § 40. LIII The Oriental Bishops offended at the second Confession at Sirmium for leaving out the word substance gathered in Council at Ancyra an 358. and rejecting the Arians were called Semi-Arians because yet they were not for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not the same substance but Like substance These after turning Macedonians for Macedonius was one of them deny the Holy Ghost to be God § 41. LIV. Constantius finding that all his endeavours missed their end and that instead of bringing all the Bishops to Concord and one Communion the very Arians and the Semi-Arians divided and subdivided among themselves did summon another General Council at Nicomedia But the City suddenly perishing he called the Western part to Ariminum and the Eastern to Scleucia taking them yet but as one Council Above 400 Bishops met at Ariminum who were to determine first Doctrinal and then Personal Controversies and then send ten Legates of each part to the Emperor with the results The most were Orthodox but the Arian Legates were better speakers and prevailed so that the Emperour delayed them because of an Expedition that he had in hand against the Barbarians In the mean time some Assembled at Nice and drew up Another Confession And when the Legates returned to Ariminum the Arian Party of Bishops by the Emperours countenance so far prevailed as that almost all the Orthodox subscribed to them Gaudentius Bishop of Ariminum was murdered by the Souldiers Binnius and some others would have this Council at Ariminum to be two the first Orthodox the second Arian Bellarmine and others called it but one which was Orthodox in the beginning but for fear and complyance fell off at the last § 42. LV. Whether the Council at Seleucia shall be taken for one of it self or but for part of that at Ariminum though far distant I leave to the Reader But here the Heterodox Bishops carried all but so as to divide among themselves One party called Acacians were for forbearing the word substance The Semiarians condemned both them and the Arians and were for Like substances They excommunicated and deposed many Arians who appealed to the Emperour and craved yet another Synod So that the further he went for concord the further he was from it the Bishops dividing and subdividing more and more and the Emperours and Bishops by diversity of Judgment and by Heresie became now to the Church what Heathen Persecutors had been heretofore Sulpitius Severus tells us that one thing that drew many to subscribe to the Arian and Semiarian Creeds was a certain liberty of their own Additions or Interpretations which was granted the Orthodox to draw them in Subscribe in your own sence q. d. And
Cyril to Atticus How oft have I heard just such language Reader How hard is it to know what History to believe when it comes to the characterizing of adversaries How little is a domineering Prelates accusation of such men as Chrysostome to be credited And how ordinary is it with such to call their betters not what they are but what they would have them thought if not what they are themselves But Atticus was wiser than to take this Counsel but obeyed the Wisdom which is from above which is first pure and then peaceable gentle c. And God had so much mercy on Constant. as to defeat the evil Counsel of Cyril and turn it into foolishness For Atticus restored the name of Chrysostome and used the Nonconformists kindly and they came into the unity of the Church And when Proclus after him fetch'd home his bones with honour the breach was healed § 5. No credible History telleth us that either Theophilus or Cyril did repent of this Though the Papists say that the Pope Excommunicated Theophilus for it yet they are now honoured because the Pope did own the Cause against Theodoret's Epistle to Ioh. Antioch upon the death of Cyril taking his death for the Churches deliverance from a turbulent enemy of Peace intimates that he repented not But God only knoweth Nicephorus out of Nicetas the Philosopher tells us a report that after all this before he dyed a dream did cure him viz. That he saw Chrysostome drive him out of his own house having a Divine company with him and that the Virgin Mary intreated for him c. And that upon this Cyril changed his mind and admired Chrysostome and repented of his imprudence and wrath and hereupon called another Provincial Synod to honour him and restore his name O ductile Synods And O unhappy Churches whose Pastors must grow wise and cease destroying after so long sinning and by an experience which costeth the Church so dear And Nicephorus saith that Pelusiota's reproof conduced much hereto Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 28. § 6. Isidore Pelus words you may see at large in his Epistles Nicephorus reciteth thus much of them lib. 14. c. 53. Cyrillum sanè ut hominem turbulentum refellens haec scribit Favoris affectio acutum non videt Hostilis verò animi odium nil prorsus cernit Quod si utroque hoc vitio te purgare ipsum liberare vis ne violentas sententias extorqueto sed justo judicio causas committe Multi qui Ephesi tecum congregati fuerunt publicè te trâ—ducunt quod inimicitias tuas persecutus sis non ritè ordine juxta rectae fidei sententiam ea quae Iesu Christi sunt quaesiveris Theophili inquiunt cùm ex fratre nepos sit mores quoque illius imitatur sicut ille apertam insaniam in sanctum Deo dilectum Joannem effudit ita iste gloriam eodem affectat modo And after other sharper words he addeth Ne ego ita condemner ne tu ipse etiam à Deocondemneris contentiones sopto Nec injuriae propria vindicta quae ab hominibus provenit videntem Ecclesiam per astuâ—as actiones fallas And of Theophilus he saith Eum quatuor administris seu potius desertoribus suis circumvallatum qui Deum amantem Deumque praedicantem virum Chrysost. hostiliter opprimeret quum occasionem causâ—m impictatis suae arripuisset Thus Isidore speaketh of them § 7. Atticus dying the Clergy were for Philip or Proclus but the Laity choosing Sisinnius prevailed He was a good and peaceable Man and sent Proclus to be Bishop of Cyzicum but the People refused him and chose another § 8. After the death of Sisinnius to avoid strife at home the Emperour caused Nestorius to be chosen a Monk from the House by Antioch whence Chrysostome came He was loud eloquent and temperate But hot against the liberty of those called Hereticks He begun thus to the Emperour Give me the Earth weeded from Hereticks and I will give thee Heaven Help me against the Hereticks and I will help thee against the Persians Thus turbulent hereticators must have the Sword do the work that belongeth to the Word Princes must do their Work and they will pretend that God shall for their sakes advance those Princes But he was rewarded as he deserved He presently enraged the Arians by going to pull down their Church and they set it on Fire themselves to the hazard of the City So that he was presently called a Firebrand He vexed the Novatians and raised stirs in many places but the Emperour curbed him Antony Bishop of Germa vexing the Macedonians they killed him whereupon they were put out of their Churches in many Cities § 9. At last his own ruine came as followeth Nestorius defended his Priest Anastasius for saying that Mary was not to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God This set all the City in a division disputing of they well knew not what and suspecting him of denying the Godhead of Christ But he was of no such Opinion but being eloquent and self-conceited read little of the Ancients Writings nor was very learned and thought to avoid all extreams herein and so would not call Mary the Mother of God nor the Mother of Man but the Mother of Christ who was God and Man At that time some Servants of some Noble Men impatient of their Masters severities fled to the Church and with their Swords resisted all that would remove them killed one Priest wounded another and then killed themselves § 10. CXIII The Emperour Theodosius jun. A Religious Peaceable Prince weary of this Stir called a General Council at Ephesus and gave Cyril order to preside the Papists pretend that he was Pope Caelestine's Legate who indeed joyned with him by his Letters when he saw how things went Both Cyril and Nestorius desired the Council Letters before having made no end Caelestine nor the Africanes could not come Augustine was dead Nestorius Cyril and Iuvenal of Ierusalem came Iohn of Antioch was thirty days journey off and his Bishops much more and stayed long Cyril and Memnon of Ephesus would not stay for him Nestorius came the first day But Cyril and the rest being sharp against him for not calling Mary the Parent of God he said to them Ego bimestrem aut trimestrem Deum non facile dixerim Proinde purus sum à vestro sanguine in posterum ad vos non veniam That is I will not easily say that God is two or three months old I am clean from your bloud and will come to you no more Some Bishops going with him they met by themselves Cyril summoneth him He refuseth to come till Iohn Bishop of Antioch came They examine his Sermons and Witnesses and condemn and depose him as blasphemous against Christ. Three or four days after Iohn of Antioch and his Eastern Bishops come He took it ill that they stayed not for him He
joyneth in a distinct meeting with Nestorius Theodoret accuseth Cyril's Anathematismes of errour They depose Cyril and Cyril's Synod citeth Iohn He refuseth to appear They depose him and his adherent Bishops And thus two Synods sate deposing and condemning one another Both Parties send their Agents to the Emperour His Officer Candidianus took part with Nestorius He sendeth another Iohannes Comes with charge to depose the heads of both the deposing Parties and so to make good both their depositions viz. Nestorius Cyril and Memnon Candidianus before had told the Emperour how all was done in violence and confusion and he had pronounced all Null and charged them to begin all a-new When Iohannes Comes came he wrote to the Emperour that All being in confusion and Cyril and Memnon fortifying themselves he summoned them all to come to him And lest they should fall together by the ears which he feared by reason of their strange fierceness he ordered their coming in so that it might not be promiscuously Nestorius and John of Antioch being come first Cyril and his company except Memnon came next and presently a great tumult and stir began Cyril ' s Party saying that the sight of Nestorius whom they had deposed was not to be endured They would have the Scripture read But those that favoured Cyril said that the Divine and terrible Scriptures were not to be read without Cyril nor while Nestorius and the Oriental Bishops were present and for this there was a Sedition yea a War and Fight The same said the Bishops that were with John that Cyril ought not to be present at the Reading of the Scriptures he and Memnon being deposed The day being far spent thus he attempted excluding Cyril and Nestorâ—us to read the Emperours Orders to the rest But Cyril ' s Party would not hear them because they said Cyril and Memnon were unlawfully depâ—sed He had much aâ— do to persw de them at last and indeed thrusting out Nestorius and Cyril by force so much as to hear the Emperours writing But he made them hear it In which Nestorius Cyril and Memnon were deposed Those that were with John heard it friendly and approved it The other clamoured that Cyril and Memnon were wrongfully deposed To avoid Sedition Nestorius was committed to Candidianus Comes and Cyril to Jacobus Comes and Memnon after He concludeth Quòd si pientissimos Episcopos videro implacatos irreconciliabiles Nescio unde in hanc rabiem asperitatem venerint c. This was his Description of the carriage of this Council Both Parties sent several Bishops as their Delegates to Constantinople The Emperour would not permit them to come nearer than Chalcedon which is as Southwark to London While they wait there Theodorite one of Iohn's Party against Cyril wrote back that the Court was against Nestorius but most of the People were for them It 's said that Pulcheria the Emperours Sister was much against him At last Pope Caelestine's Legates came to the Council and took Cyril's Part. The Emperour saw how great the breach would be if Cyril were deposed and he revoked the deposition of him and Memnon but not of Nestorius and wrote a threatning Letter to Cyril and Iohn to charge them to agree and joyn in Communion and not divide the Churches or else what he would do to them both These terrible words cured them both of Heresie They presently consulted and sent each other their Confessions and found good men that they were of one mind and did not know it And so having their will upon Nestorius and his adherents the rest united But so that Iohn and Theodorite took Cyril for a Firebrand to the last § 11. Nestorius being deposed retired quietly to his Monastery by Antioch and lived there in honour four years but then was banished and dyed in distress some Fable that he was eaten with Worms § 12. The event of this Council was that a Party of the Orientals adhered to Nestorius took Cyril and this Council for Hereticks and to this day continue a numerous Party of Christians called Hereticks by the Pontificians because they are not for them And the Eutychians on all occasions accused their Adversaries the Orthodox to be Nestorians and the Churches were inflamed by the dissention through many Ages following § 13. And what was really the Controversie between them Some accuse Nestorius as asserting two persons in Christ as well as two natures which he still denyed Others accuse Cyril as denying two Natures But his words about this were many but he affirmed two Natures before the Union and so did the Eutychians but one after David Derodon a most learned Frenchman hath written a Treatise De Supposite in which he copiously laboureth to prove that Nestorius was Orthodox holding two Natures in one Person and that Cyril and his Council were Hereticks holding one Nature only after Union and that he was a true Eutychian and Dioscorus did but follow him and that the Council of Chalcedon condemned Nestorius and stablished his Doctrine and extolled Cyril and condemned his Doctrine But for my part I make no doubt that de re they were both fully of one mind and differed only about the aptitude of a phrase Whether it were an apt Speech to call Mary the Parent of God and to say that God was two moneths old God hungred God dyed and rose c. which Nestorius denyed and Cyril and the Council with him affirmed And what hath the World suffered by this Word Warr. But which was in the right We commonly say that forma denominat locutio formalis est maximè propria And so Nestorius spake most properly But Use is the Master of Speech which tyeth us not always to that strictness and so Cyril well interpreted spake well especially if the contrary side should intrude a duality of Persons by their denying the Phrase While Nestorius accuseth Cyril as if he spake de abstracto he wrongeth him while Cyril accuseth Nestorius as if he spake de concreto he wronged him They both meant that Mary was the Mother of Christ who was God and of the Vnion of the Natures but not the Mother of Christ as God or of the Deity So that one speaking de concreto and the other de abstracto one materially and the other formally in the heat of Contention they hereticated each other and kindled a flame not quenched to this day about a word while both were of one mind § 14. If any say it is arrogancy in me to say that such men had not skill enough to escape the deceit of such an ambiguity I answer humility maketh not men blind The thing proveth it self Judg by these following words of Nestorius and Cyril what they held § 15. Nestorius Epist. ad Cyril Nomen hoc Christus utramque naturam patibilem scilicet impatilibem in unicâ Personâ denotat Quò idem Chrstus patibilis impatibilis concipi queat Illud quidem secundùm humanam
attributeth the same operations and the same attributes to both nature His sixth proof is from the testimony of Ibas Edes apud Facund l. 6. c. 3. Geâ—ad Const. ibid l. 2. p. 77 78. Iohan. Antioch Theodoret c. § 20. For my part I again say past doubt that neither Nestorius nor Cyril were Heretical de re but that they were of one mind and that one spake of the concrete and the other of the abstract that one spake of Christus qui Deus and the other of Christus quà Deus But pardon truth or be deceived still ignorance pride and envy and faction and desire to please the Court made Cyril and his Party by quarrelsome Heretication to kindle that lamentable flame in the World But sin serveth the sinners turn but for the present and becometh afterward his shame All the Bishops would not follow Cyril At this day the falsly Hereticated Nestorians saith Breerwood Enquir p. 139. inhabites a great part of the East for besides the Countries of Babylon Assyria Mesopotamia Parthia and Media they are spread far and wide both Northerly to Cataya and Southerly to India Marcus Paulus tells us of them and no other Christians in Tartary as in Cassar Sarmacham Carcham Chinchintalas Tauguth Suchir Ergimul Tenduc Caraim Mangi c. so that beyond Tigris there are few other Christians The Persian Emperours forced the Christians to Nestorianisme Their Patriarch hath his Seat at Musal in Mesopotamia or the Monastery of St. Ermes near it in which City the Nestorians have 15 Temples They are falsly accused still to hold two Persons in Christ They say as Nestorius himself said You may say that Christ's Mother is the Parent of God if you will expound it well but it is improper and dangerous They take Nestorius Diodorus Tarsensis and Theodorus Mopsuest for holy Men They renounce the Council Ephes. and all that owned it and detest Cyril They Communicate in both kinds They use not auricular Confession nor Confirmation nor Crucifixes on their Crosses Their Priests have liberty for first second or third Marriages c. Breerwood ibid. p. 144. § 21. I need no other proof for my opinion that these Bishops set the World on fire about a Word being agreed in sense than the reconciliation of the Patriarchs Cyril and Iohn when forced and their Parties professing that they meant the same and knew it not Obj. But they all condemned Nestorius Ans. To quiet the World and to please the Courtiers and violent Bishops And the Emperour himself saith Socrates l. 7. c. 41. one that excelled all the Priests in modesty and meekness and could not away with persecution was the more against Nestorius because he was a persecutor himself Read Theodoret's Homily against Cyril Bin. p. â—07 and Iohan. Antioch ibid. But neither the one side Nestorius haeresiarcha impiissimus nor the other side Cyrillus superbus blasphemus should signifie much with men that know what liberty adverse Bishops used § 22. As for them that say Nestorius did dissemble when he asserted the Vnity of two Natures in one Person and is not to be judged of by his own words I take them to be the firebrands of the world and unworthy the regard of sober men who pretend to know mens judgments better than themselves and allow not mens own deliberate profession to be the notice of their Faith § 23. When the Emperour saw that there was no reconciling the Bishops but by force he authorized Aristolaus a Lay-Magistrate to call Cyril and Ioh. Antioch to Nicomedia and keep them both there till they were agreed whereupon Iohn communed with his Bishops and they yielded having no remedy to the deposition of Nestorius the Ordination of Maximinianus in his stead and communion among themselves This is called another Council It would grieve one to read the Emperour Theodosius importuning Simeon Stylites a poor Anchorite to try whether by Prayer and Counsel he could bring the Bishops to Unity and concluding This discord doth so trouble me that I judge that this only hath been the chief occasion of all my calamities Bin. p. 928. § 24. CXIV An. 433. There was a Council called at Rome to clear Pope Sixtus from an accusation of one Bassus of ravishing a Nun. § 25. CXV There is talk of a Council at Rome to clear one Polychronius Bishop of Ierusalem of accusations of Simony But contradictions make this and the former to be altogether uncertain § 26. CXVI The Armenians in Council are said to condemn Nestorian Books § 27. CXVII A Council was held at Constant. to decide the Controversie between the Alexandrian and Constant. Bishops which should be greatest and rule the East where it was carried for Constant. And Theodoret pleading for Antioch Dioscorus the Alex. Agent hated him ever after as he saith Epist. 86. § 28. CXVIII An. 439. A Council at Regiense of 13 Bishops did somewhat about Ordinations c. § 29. About this time Leo at Rome was fain to forbid bowing toward the East because the Manichees joyned among them and bowed to the Sun and could not be else distinguished from the Orthodox Bin. de Leone § 30. CXIX A Council at Aransican repeated some old disciplinary Canons § 31. CXX Leo held a Council at Rome of Bishops Priests and Laymen to detect the wickedness of the Manichees and warn men to avoid them § 32. CXXI An. 445. Leo held a Council at Rome against Hilary Bishop of Arles for disobedience to his Decrees § 33. CXXII A Council called General in Spain recited the Profession of Faith against the Priscillianists CHAP. VI. Councils about the Eutychian Heresie and some others § 1. CXXIII CYril had by many words so carried the business at Ephesus against Nestorius and himself so often said that after the Vnion the Natures were one that his Admirers took that for a certain truth But when that quarrel was over Truth was truth still and the Orthodox would not fly from it for fear of being called Nestorians for they disclaimed Nestorius but disowned the Doctrine of One nature Eutyches an Archimandrite and Dioscorus Successour to Cyril belived that they did but tread in his steps and hold to the Ephes. Council But that would not now serve when the Scene was changed § 2. Reader It is useful to thee to know truly the state of this Tragical Controversie which had more dividing and direful effects than the former The Eutychians say that Christ before their Vnion by incarnation had two natures that is considered mentally as not united but after the union had but one nature They took up this as against Nestorianisme The truth is Though they still go for desperate Hereticks I verily believe that all the quarrel was but about ambiguous words some of them understood the word Nature in the same sense as their Adversaries took the word Hypostasis or Person And it's sad that it should be true but most of them confounded Vnity undistinguished and Vniting
Calamitous Divisions which these Prelates and their Councils made He said that Cyril writ against Nestorius that there was but one nature in Christ c. Haec omnia impietatis plena He tells how Cyril preposessed the Bishops before they met and made his hatred of Nestorius his Cause How he condemned Nestorius two days before Iohn of Antioch came How afterward they condemned and deposed one another How Nestorius was in hatred with the Great men of Constantinople which was his fall How Iohn and Cyril's Bishops or Councils would not Communicate with each other How they set Bishops against Bishops and People against People and a mans Enemies were those of his own household How the Pagans scorned the Christians hereupon For saith he no man durst travel from City to City or from Province to Province but each one persecuted his neighbour as his enemy For many not having the fear of God by occasion of Ecclesiastical zeal made haste to bring forth the hidden enmity of their hearts against others he instanceth in some Persecutors and sheweth how Paulus Emisseuus helpt to heal them § 29. In the eleventh Action two Bishops strive for the Bishoprick of Ephesus Bassianus and Stephen that had been Dioscorus Agent And in their Pleas each of them proved that the other intruded by violence into the place both he that first had it and he that thrust him out and took his Seat and one of them made his Clergy swear to be true to him and not forsake him And while the Bishops were for one of them the Judges past Sentence to cast out both and all consented § 30. But after all the crying up of Leo ' s Epistle this Synod set so light by Leo as that some say against his Legates Will they made a Canon 28. That every where following the Decrees of the Fathers and acknowledging the Canon which was lately read made by the 150 Bishops we also Decree the same and determine of the Priviledges of the holy Church of Constantinople new Rome For the Fathers did give or attribute rightly the Priviledges to the Throne of old Rome because that City ruled or had the Empire And moved by the same consideration the 150 Bishops Lovers of God gave or attributed equal Priviledges to the Throne of New Rome rightly judging that the City which is honoured with the Empire and the Senate and enjoyeth equal Priviledges with ancient Queen Rome should also in things Ecclesiastical be extolled and magnified being the second after it The Popes Legates hand Boniface is subscribed to all and Eusebius Doril thus subscribed Sponte subscripsi quoniam hane regulam sanctissimo Papae in Vrbe Roma ego relegi prescentibus Clericis Constantinopolitanis eamque suscepit And this Council was after over and over approved by the Roman Bishops § 31. It in is this Canon notorious 1. That the whole General Council and so the universal Church did then believe that the Popes or Roman Priviledges were granted by the Fathers that is by Councils and stood not by divine appointment 2. That the reason that the Fathers granted them was because it was the Imperial Seat Had they believed that the Apostles had instituted it they had never said that the Fathers did it for this reason and that Constantinople should be equal or next it for the same reason 3. The Church of Constantinople never claimed their Prerogative jure divino as succeeding any Apostle and yet jure Imperii claimed equal Priviledges By all which it is undeniable that the whole Church in that Council and especially the Greeks did ever hold Rome's Primacy to be a humane institution upon a humane mutable reason What the Papists can say against this I have fully answered against W. Iohnson in a Book called Which is the true Church § 32. The Question now is What concord did these late Councils procure to the Churches Ans. From that time most of the Christian World was distracted into Factions hereticating damning deposing aâ—d too many murdering one another One party cleaved to Dioscorus and were called by the other Eutychians These cryed up the Sufficiency of the Nicene Councils Faith as that which they were baptized into and would have no addition nor diminution and condemned the Calcedon Council and excommunicated and deposed those that would not Anathematize it Those that were against them they called Nestorians On the other party were those that had cleaved to Nestorius by name and had been persecuted for his Cause And these were a separate Body and cryed down the other as Eutychians Those called Orthodox or Catholicks cryed down Nestorians and Eutychians by name indeed defending the same Doctrine as Nestorius except as to the fitness of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the chief of Nestorius his first adherents perceiving that indeed they were of one judgment united with these against the Eutychians I have shewed that all of them seemed to make all this stir but about some Words which one party took in one sense and the other in another For these words the Bishops cast the Christian World into confusion destroyed Love and Unity under a pretence of keeping the Faith so that the Church was lamentably militant Bishops against Bishops in continual enimity and rage The Emperours at their wits end not knowing how to end the Ecclesiastical odious Wars And the Heathens hardened and deriding them all and their Religion § 33. When the Council was ended and Proterius made Bishop of Alexandria in Dioscorus stead the City was in so great discontent that the Emperour Martian was fain to send a Lay-man to mollifie them for they would not endure a Calcedonian Bishop They set more by Dioscorus than before so that Binnius incredibly saith they offered him Divine Honour § 34. It was not long till Martian dyed and then they let the World know that it was Emperours and not Popes or Councils that they regarded They thought then they might shew their minds and what they did Liberatus in Breviario Evagrius Nicephorus and others tells us at large But I will give it you in the words of the Egyptian Bishops which conformed to the Council Bin. p. 147. One Timothy Elurus of Dioscorus Party who had gathered separated Congregations before since the Council of Calcedon got some Bishops of his own Party to make him Archbishop The people soon shewed their minds though it deposed their Archbishop They set up Timothy and he presently made Ordinations of Bishops and Clerks c. while he thus went on a Captain Dionisius came to drive him out of the City The people rage the more against Proterius He gets into the Baptistry to avoid their rage a place reverenced even by the Barbarians and the fiercest Men But these furious people set on by their Bishop Timothy neither reverencing the Place the Worship nor the Time which was Easter nor the Office of Priesthood which is a Mediation between God and Man did strike the
482. Ten Bishops at Towrs made such honest Canons as if they yet reteined somewhat of S. Martins Piety They earnestly diswade the Clergie from their Fornication They go a middle way between them that forbad Priests to get Children and those that turn them loose and decree that married Priests that continue to get Children shall be advanced no higher They forbid the Clergie to be drunk And to take in strange women They forbid them to forsake their Ministerial Function but what if Prelates silence them They keep those from the Communion that lye with Nuns devoted to Virginity till they Repent They keep Murderers from the Communion till they penitently confess This is not hanging them in Chains But who shall answer for that Blood and for the next that this man killeth others such honest Canons those vertuous Bishops made oft made before § 55. CXXXVI They say Foelix called a Council at Rome to admonish and Excommunicate Peter Cnaph Antioch About the time time that he Excommunicated Acacius Const. and Acacius damned him again § 56. In this storm against Acacius the Pope engaged other Bishops one was Quintianus who sent Peter a dozen Curses for his Cure Of which one reached Cyril being against those that say Vnam Naturam Another was Siquis Deum-hominem non magis Deum homineum dicit damnetur that is â—f any one say God-man and not rather God and Man let him be damned How careless are Papists and Protestants that so commonly venture on the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their damnation If our Neighbours that commonly these thirty years last use the word God damn me had but put Thee instead of Me I should have suspected that the Councils and Bishops had made their Religion § 57. CXXXVII They say that Ann. 483 Acacius as bad as the Pope made him call'd a Council at Constantinople to Condemn Peter Cnapheus § 58. CXXXVIII Foelâ—x called 77 Bâ—shops to Rome on this occasion He sent his peremptory Letters to Acacius Const. and some to the Emperour Zeno by two Bishops Misâ—nus and Vitalis The Emperour took away their Letters and not knowing then the Popes Soverainty laid them by the Heels till he made them glad to Communicate with those Bishops that they came to Condemn For this Faelix and his Bishops cast them out of the Episcopal Office and they presumed to excommunicate Acacius as afore said even with this Clause Nunquam Anathematis vinculis exuendus Never to be absolved from the Curse What no Repentance for one that was no Heretick but falsly so called for obeying the Emperour in dealing gently with some Eutychians were not this Council and Pope Novatians § 59. CXXXIX Yet Ann. 487. The same Faelix is said in a Council of 38 Bishops to decree Communion to the Lapsed and Re-baptized penitent Africans § 60. At this time and before in Pope Leo ' s time some Maniches in Rome would not be Recusants but Conformists and come to Church and take the Sacrament but they took only the Bread and not the Wine Leo Serm. 4. de Temp. quadrag writeth this against them When to cover their Infidelity they dare be present at our Mysteries they so temper themselves that they may safely lye hid in the receiving of the Sacrament that they with an unworthy mouth receive Christ ' s Body but refuse to drink the blood of Redemption Which we would have your holiness to understand that such men may be known to you by these marks And that when their Sacrelegious dissimulation is discerned being discovered they may by the Priestly Authority be driven from the Society of the Saints Hereupon the Pope decreed that none should Communicate but in both kinds The Words of the Canon dist 2. de Consecrat are these We find that some taking only a portion of the holy body abstein from the Cup of the holy blood Because I know not by what superstition they are taught to be thus bound let such either receive the whole Sacrament or be driven from the whole Because a division of one and the same mystery cannot come but from heynous Sacriledge Reader Is Rome constant in their Religion And have they no Innovations Is not Binnius impudent in calling it foolish to cite this Canon of their own Pope against them Consider it and Judge And as impudent is he p. 232. in expounding these words of Gelasius Non desinit substantia vel natura panis vini That is The substance or Nature of the Bread and Wine ceaseth not As if it speaks only of the substance and nature of the Accidents As if Accidents had substance and Nature of their own What words what evidence can be so plain as to convince such men § 61. Among the Epistles of Gelasius one is to Euphemius Bishop of Constantinople denying him Communion till he put the name of Acacius out of the Dypticks both of them being Orthodox only because Acacius Communicated with an Eutychian even when he is dead those that Condemn him not must be excommunicated were there ever greater separatists than these And is it any wonder if now the Pope separate from most of the Christian World There is also his Commonitorâ—um written to Faustus the Embassador of Theodorike at Constantinople in which he insistetion the same way of Separation All the world must be in an Ecclesiastical Episcopal War if they will not damn and separate from every one that speaketh an unapt word if a Council or Pope will but call it Heresie But here the Papists would have us believe that excommunicating in those days was a proof of superiority But Gelasius himself here tells them otherwise It was objected against him by Euphemius Constant. That one man may not excommunicate Acacius a Patriarch And he answereth 1. That it was the act of many that is of the Council which condemned the Eutychians in general But is this good Law or Divinity Is every offender condemned ipso jure before his personal guilt is Judged Because the Law condemneth all Thieves may every man Judge and hang them Acacius is confessed to be no Eutychian but to have obeyed his Prince in Communicating with one Euphemius was no Eutychian but would not disobey his Prince at the Popes command by blotting out Acacius Name But his Second Answer is Quod non solum Praesuli Apostolico facere licet sed Cuicunque Pontifici ut quoâ—libet quemlibet locum secundâ—m regulâ—â— hareseos ipsius ante damnatae a Catholica Communioni discernant That is Iris Lawful not only to an Apostolical Prelate but to any Bishop to exclude from Catholick Communion any Persons and any pâ—ace according to the Rule of his fore-damned Heresie And accordingly others have excommunicated the Pope and lower Prelates have Excommunicated Patriarchs and the lower Patriarchs the higher Excommunication as it is an Act of Government is done only by a Governour But as all Christians are commanded to avoid scandalous Christians so in
the Bishops of the Empire that he could not keep Unity in his own House or bed For his Wife Theodora was firm to the Eutychians and cherished them as he did the Orthodox and both with so great constancy that Evagrius suspecteth they did it politickly by agreement for the peace of the Empire that each party might be kept in dependance on them § 89. An Insurrection in Constantinople occasioned the killing of about thirty thousand saith Evagrius c. 13. out of Procopius § 90. About this time a miracle is spoken of so credibly that I think it not unfit to mention it Hunnerikus in Africa being an Arian Goth persecuted the Orthodox Bishops especially on pretences that they refused to swear fidelity to him and his Son say some They were forbidden to preach and for not obeying or for Nonconformity the Tongues of many were cut out who they say did speak freely after as before It were hard to be believed But three Historians I have read that all profess that they saw and heard the men themselves viz. Victor Vticensis Aenaeas Gazaeus de Anima Procopius in Evagrius l. 4. c. 14. Who yet addeth that two of them upon some sinfulness with Women lost their speech and remained dumb Nicephor saith Rem cum foeminis habuissent Alas that miracles will not prevent Sin § 91. In the eleventh year of Iustinian Athalaricus being dead and Theodatus a Kinsman succeeding this man loving books better than War yielded up Rome and the Crown to Bellisarius Iustinians General and so after the Gothes had kept it 60 years it was restored without a drop of blood saith Evagrius l. 4. c. 18. But when Bellisarius went away Tâ—tilas came and recovered Rome and Bellisarius returning recovered it from the Gothes again c. 20. § 92. Three several Countries about that time received the Christian Faith much through the Reverence of Iustinians power viz. The Heruli the Abasgi and they of Tanais Evagr. c. 19. 21. 22. But the grievous Wars and Successes of Cosroes the Persian in the East and a plague of fifty two years continuance which destroyed a great part of mankind took down much of the Roman Glory § 93. CLVII A second Concillium Aransicanum Condemned Semepelagianisme propagated by Faustus Bishop of Rhegrim after Prosp. who had been of the contrary mind § 94. CLVIII A Concilium Vâ—sense of ten Bishops decreed that Parish Priest should breed up young Readers who may marry at age that the parish Priests shall preach or in their absence the Deacon read a Sermon That Lord have mercy on us be often said That Holy Holy Holy be oft said That As it was in the beginning c. be oft said § 95. CLIX. A Synod of 16 Bishops at Carpenteracte decreed that the Bishop of the City should not take all the Countrey Parish maintenance to himself § 96. CLX As Faelix was chosen Pope by Theodorick so Athalaricus claiming the same power chose after him Boniface the second An Arrian Heretick made the Pope Others not willing of the Kings Choice chose Dioscorus so there are two Popes But Dioscorus quickly dyeth and Boniface Condemneth him when he is dead on some pretence of money matters as Simoniacal and calling a Synod appointeth Virgilius a Deacon his Successor After he calleth another Synod to undo this Choice upon his Repentance and shortly after dyeth himself Agapetus that followed him absolveth the dead man Dioscorus whom Boniface Cursed such work did Church-Cursing then make as the Engine of Ambition § 97. CLXI A Council of 8 Bishops at Toletane said somewhat again to keep Bishops from Women and from giving their Lands from the Church § 98. CLXII Iohn was put by Iustinian to call a Council at Rome on an odd occasion which sheweth what it was that Bishops then divided the the World about In the days of P. Hormisda there was a Controversie de nomine whether it might be said One of the Trinity was Crucified Hormisda declared against it because they that were for it were suspected of Eutychianisme and condemned after But the Nestorians laid hold of this and said If we may not say that one in the Trinity was Crucified then we may not say Mary was the Parent of one in the Trinity Iustinian sent about this to Iohn and he and his Synod said contrary to Hormisda That we may say that one of the Trinity was Crucified Doth not this plainly confess the bloud and doleful divisions caused by Bishops and Monks for so many Ages about Nestorianisme and Eutychianisme was but about a Word which in one sence is true and in another false which one Pope saith and another unsaith When Binnius after Baronius hath no more to say for excuse of this but that It a mutatis hostibus arma mutarinecesse fuit O for honesty Against divers Enemies we must use divers Weapons But Sir may you use contrary assertions as Articles of Faith Or do you not here undenyably tell us that Ambiguous words and Clergy Iurisdiction have been the causes of almost all the Divisions and Ruines of the Church for 1300 years § 99. Iustinian took a better Course to Convince and Reconcile dissenters than violence There is in Binnius p. 409. c. The recital of a disputation or Friendly Conference between the Eutychian Bishops and Hypatius with others of the Orthodox The most clear rational and moderate of any thing that I find before that time explaining their Controversie And which fully proveth what I have all along said as my Opinion that indeed the world was confounded by unskilful men about hard Ambiguous words and by a Lordly selfish imposing Spirit in too many of the Captains of those Militant Churches And that clear distinguishing explication of Terms with humble Love would have prevented most of those divisions In that Conference these things are specially notable 1. That the Oriental Bishops called Eutychians condemned Eutyches and yet honoured Dioscorus who defended him so that it was a quarrel more about Men Names and Words than Doctrine 2. That Hypatius and the Orthodox though they were not willing to suspect Corruption in Gyril's Epistles yet could not deny but Cyril used Eutyches words that is asserted one Nature of God Incarnate after the Union 3. That yet they proved that Cyril also held two Natures but say the Eutychians he only held two before the Union considered intellectually so that either Cyril was an Eutychian or else his unskillful speaking as both parties did set the world together by the Ears 4. That unrighteous partiality greatly prevailed with the Orthodox Bishops and Councils of these times when they could as Hypatius here did put a Charitable Construction upon the same words of Cyril for which they condemned so many others who as his obedient followers held what they did of Cyril's Vnam naturam Dei incarnati They say We neither Condemnit nor Iustifie it If they had used that moderation with all others all had
lament and condemn the practice of such as kill their children appointing them sharp discipline without capital punishment Had the Church power to free Murderers from death as they long did Was this holy Reformation The 11th Canon saith That they found that in many Churches of Spain men filthily and not regularly did Penance that they might sin as oft as they would and be as oft reconciled by the Priests c. Many reforming Canons were here made There were 67 Subscribers besides the King and of divers Cities two Bishops which was unusual § 56. CXCIV Passing by a meeting at Rome Another Council at Narbon was held by Recaredus who brought over the Goths from Arrianism § 57. The Emperor Mauritius though a great and excellent person was ruined by the mad and uncurable mutinies of his Soldiers and at last with his Family cruelly murdered by Phocas one of his Captains a terrible warning to Princes not to trust too much to Armies § 58. All this while the opposers of the Calcedon Council kept up and were divided in the East into many Parties among themselves Among others the great Peripatetic Iohan. Philoponus was their most learned Defender writing with such subtilty that the Natures really two were to be called One Compound Nature as the Soul and Body of a man are as saith Nicephorus was not easie to be answered by which how much of the Controversie was de Nomine de Notione Logicâ let the Reader further judge he that will see some of his words may read them in Niceph. l. 18. c. 45 47 48. his Notions made men call him a Tritheite § 59. Iacobus Zanzalus being a great Promoter of the Party many ever since have from him been called Iacobites And the divided Parties that opposed the Council called the other Melchites that is Royalists because they took them that followed the Council to do it meerly in obedience to the Emperor for it was not the Pope then that was the Master of Councils § 60. Among the Armenians also some raised the like Heresies about the Natures of Christ some thinking his Deity was instead of a Soul to his Body c. To which they added superstitious Fasts and worshipping the Cross and such like not pleading Reason but old Tradition for their Errors saying they had them from Gregory vide Niceph. l. 18. c. 53 54. But I must go forward § 61. Pelagius dying Gregory called Magnus succeeded him at Rome He continued the Controversie about the Title of Universal Bishop writing many Epistles against it He flattered Phocas the murderous Tyrant with a Laetentur Coeli exultet Terra c. yet was one of the best and wisest of their Bishops He sent Augustine into England who oppressed the British Church and converted the Saxon King of Kent He introduced more Superstitions and greatly altered the Liturgy Of which read Mr. T. Iones of the Hearts Sovereign § 62. CXCIV A Concilium Hispalense of eight Bishops recited three Canons § 63. CXCV. Mauritius before his death desired Gregory to call a Synod at Rome to draw in the Western Bishops that separated and to cast them out if they disobeyed which he did and they refusing his Summons Severus of Aquileia and other Bishops were ruined They thought God destroyed Mauritius for persecuting them Gregory thought God would have them destroyed as Schismaticks The Bishops of Rome for near an hundred years were forced the more to please the Emperor because their own Bishops had cast them off and set up another Head against them § 64. CXCVI. An. 590. A Concil Antisiodorense made divers Canons against Superstitions and some too superstitious as that Women must not take the Sacrament in their bare hands c. § 65. I find it so tedious to mention all the little Synods that henceforth I shall take but little notice of them but of the greater only One under Recaredus at Caesar-Augusta made three Canons about the Arrians One in Numidia displeased Gregory § 66. A Council at Poitiers was called on occasion of two Nuns daughters to the King of France that broke out of the Nunnery with many more and accused the Abbess and got men together and stript her stark naked and drew her out and set all France in a Commotion and were forced to do Penance A Council was called at Metz to reduce the Bishop of Rhemes convict of Treason for Bishops that were Traytors or Murderers were not to dye A Synod at Rome under Gregory absolved a Priest of Calcedon condemned by Iohn of Constantinople what one did the other undid An. 597. Under King Recaredus 13 Bishops made two Canons for Priests Chastity c. Another under him An. 598. A Concil Ostiense made two such more An. 599. A Council at Constantinople did we know not what An. 599. Under King Recaredus 12 Bishops at Barcinon made four Canons against Bishops Bribery c. A Council of 20 Bishops 14 Presbyters and 4 Deacons at Rome made a Canon for Monks Another there An. 601. against a false Monk Another at Byzacen against a Bishop Another in Numidia about a Bishop and a Deacon § 67. Gregory dying Sabinian succeeded him who reproached him and would have had his Books burnt as unsound saith Onuphrius And saith Sigebert Gregory appeared to him in a Vision and reproving him for that and Covetousness knockt him on the head and he dyed § 68. Boniface 3d succeeded chosen by Phocas the Murderer who hating his own Bishop of Const. Cyriacus ordered that Rome should be the chief Church § 69. A Council at Rome forbad chusing a Pope till the former had been three days dead because they sold their Votes for money § 70. Boniface the 4th is made Pope and Phocas giveth him the Pagan Temple called Pantheom for Christian Worship In his time Phocas was killed by Heraclius as he had kill'd Mauritius § 71. An. 610. A Council at Toletum under King Gundemar about the Bishop of Toletum's Primacy which the King setleth by Edict § 72. A Council at Tarraca under King Sisebutus took the shortest way and only confirmed what had been before done for Priests Chastity § 73. Deus dedit was next Pope in whose time the Persians conquered Ierusalem and carried away the Bishop and they say the Cross. § 74. Boniface 5th succeeded Heraclius the Emperor is worsted by the Persians who would not give him Peace unless the Empire would renounce Christ and worship the Sun Heraclius overthroweth them Mahomet now riseth and maketh a Religion of many Heresies § 75. At a Synod at Mascou Agrestinus accused Columbanus of Superstition for Crossing Spoons c. but was refelled § 76. Seven or eight Bishops at Hispalis condemned the Eutychians and called them Acephali CHAP. VIII Councils held about the Monothelites with others § 1. BEing come to the Reign of Pope Honorius at Rome who was condemned by 2 or 3 General Councils for a Monothelite Heretick as Vigilius was by his own Bishops for an
beck of the Emperor and at the will of a Monothelite Patriarch the holy sixth Synod is condemned and what they decreed of two Wills in Christ and two Operations and all retracted by the Decree and Subscription of very many Oriental Bishops that were in one moment turned from being Catholiques to be Monothelites Is this the constancy of Bishops and the certainty of their Tradition But why have we not the Acts of this great Council as well as of the rest CHAP. IX Councils called about Images and some others § 1. POpe Gregory the 2d is the Man that must set up Image-worship against all opposition rebel against his lawful Sovereign and confederate with other Princes to alienate the Western Empire when the East was almost ruined before and so to weaken the Christian Power that the Turk might shortly win the Empire § 2. To have recited all along as we went on what new Ceremonies Formalities and Orders were invented and brought in by the Popes and how Doctrine and Practice grew corrupted being a thing done already by many others would have been tedious here and besides the design of this writing which is but to shew how Prelates have used the Church by their contentions about JURISDICTION and HARD or AMBIGUOUS WORDS and what hath been the work especially of General Councils But we cannot tell you well the work of the following Councils without telling somewhat of the occasion of the matter The Primitive Christians used not Images in the Worship of God read Dalaeus de Imaginibus But the contempt of Christianity by the Heathens occasioned many to oppose their contempt by glorying in the Cross of Christ and by making the transient sign of it with their fingers and thence they grew to use the fixed sign of it and thence to speak of and believe many Miracles wrought by it and thence to make the Image of Christ crucified which yet Epiphanius condemned and thence by degrees to make the Images of the Apostles and Martyrs and thence to make in their Churches the Images of their deceased Bishops till an Excommunicater arâ—se of another Opinion that pull'd any of them down And abundance of Dreams Visions Apparitions and Revelations were the pretended Proofs that prevailed for many such Superstitions but especially for Images and Purgatory and Prayers for the dead Among others an English Monk Egwin of Evesholme chosen Bishop of Worcester must lead the way by pretence of a Vision a Dream no doubt see Spelman's Concil p. 209. in his own Chart Egwin saith That the Virgin Mary first appeared to a certain Shepherd called Eoves and afterward to himself with two Virgins holding a Book in her hands and told him in what place she would have him build her a Monastery The crafty Dreamer divulged the Vision and some good Men opposing it the Pope must have the hearing of it The Pope put it to the Oath of Egwin whether ever he saw such a Vision or not Egwin sware it and the matter was past doubt just as honest Commenius took Daubritius's Prophesies to be of God because the melancholy Man sware that they were true Hereupon Egwin is sent home and a Council called to take Egwin's words again that he had such a Vision and in the end was added That the Virgin Mary ' s Image must be set up in the place The Pope sent to King Kenred and King Offa by Bishop Brithwald to grant what the Vision intended who obediently make over a great part of the Countrey to that Monastery as you may see described in Spelman Conc. p. 209 210. in Charta Kenredi Offae Regum And p. 211. in Charta Egwini who saith himself that God being propitious to him he had in a little time got for the said Church an hundred and twenty Farms given as is written and confirmed in the Charter of that Church Many Villages are there named and some great ones in the fattest and richest part of the County of Worcester Was not this a profitable Dream or Vision And should we not have many Dreamers and Swearers if they could get as much by it as Egwin did And herewith Images are set up § 3. But Baronius and Binnius question whether Naucler and Bale say true that this Council first brought Image-worship into England because it came in before with Austin the Monk To which Spelman well answereth That the use of the Cross in banners and otherwise was here before and some Images for Instruction and Commemoration as Beda's own words intimate but not any worship of Images or worshiping before and towards them And Sir H. Spelman saith proving that Image-worship was not then in use among the Saxons that even praying to the Saints themselves was not then in use mentioning an old Psalter of his written about the time of the 2d Nicene Council in which there were an hundred seventy and one Prayers inserted between the Sections of the 119th Psalm and in them all not one name of any Saint or the Virgin Mary much less any Prayer directed to them § 4. If one talk now with our English Papists they are so loth to own their own Doctrine and Practice that they will tell you they hold not the worshiping of the Image but of the Person signified by it But to tell them how commonly their Writers defend worshipping Images if Colere and Cultus signifie Worship and what Aquinas saith of giving the worship of Latria to the Image of Christ and to the Cross though undeniable yet will not be taken for sufficient proof I shall therefore give you here thâ— sense of the Papal Church in England in the form of Abjuration which they prescribed to those that they then called Lollards as it is found in the Tower Records and you must take it in the old English in which it is written because I do but transcribe it and must not alter it the sense of it being plain and obvious Ex Rotulo Clausax de Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi 19 membr 18 dors MEmorand quod primo die Septembris Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi post Conquestum decimo nâ—no Willielmus Dynel Nicholaus Taillour Michaelus Poucher Willielmus Steynour de Nottingham in Cancellar ipsius Regis personaliter constituti Sacramenta divisim prestiterunt sub eo qui sequitur tenore I William Dynel befor yhow worchipefull Fader and Lorde Archbyshop of Yhorke and yhowr Clergie with my free will and full avyside swere to Gode and to all his seyntes uppon this holy Gospelle that fro this day forthwarde I shall Worship Ymages with preying and offering unto hem in the worschip of the seintes thae they be made after and also I shall never more despyse pygremage ne states of holy Chyrche in no degree And also I shall be buxum to the lawes of holy Chirche and to yhow as myn Archbyshop and to myn other ordinares and Curates and kepe yo lawes uppon my power and meynten
of the Apostolick Seat that the Kingdom was translated from Chilperic to Pepin the foresaid Historians do so expresly say that it 's a wonder with what front the innovating Hereticks dare call it in question Lastly It is here to be noted that it was by this same Pope Zachary that the nomination or postulation of Bishops for the vacant Churches in his Kingdom was granted to King Pepin Therefore if elsewhere you read that the Kings of France give Bishops to the Churches remember that it is not done by their own Right but by the Grant of the Apostolick Seat In vain therefore do the innovating Hereticks glory in this Argument who endeavor to subject the Church to Kings So far Binnius after Baronius § 12. From this Story and these words let the Reader think how to answer these Questions Quest. 1. Had not Kings need to take heed of making any one man too great if greatness and exercise of Government give him so much right to the Kingdom Qu. 2. Had not Kings need to look to their manners for their Crowns sake as well as their Souls if Lust Sensuality and Dulness forfeit their Kingdoms Qu. 3. Did not Wars and weakning of the Empire make a great change with Popes when they that were set up and banished at the Emperor's pleasure can now first depose the Emperor in the West for being against Images and Persecuting and then can translate the Crown of France Qu. 4. Was not an ambitious Pope a fit Tool for Pepin and his Confederates to work by to put a pious gloss on their Conspiracy Qu. 5. Did not the Pope rise thus by serving the turns of Conspirators and of Princes in their quarrels with one another Qu. 6. Are Subjects Judges when a King's Sins make him unworthy of the Crown Qu. 7. Yea is the Pope Judge and hath he power to depose Kings if he judge them such Sinners and unfit for Government Qu. 8. Is it a good Reason that a King is justly deposed because Good Men and Holy Bishops are the Desirers and Promoters of it Qu. 9. Would not this Reason have served Maximus against Gratian Was it not Cromwel's Plea If he had but had the Pope and People on his side you see how it would have gone Qu. 10. Is it the mark of an Innovating Heretick to say that the Church should be subject to Kings when Paul and Peter said it of all Christians so long ago Qu. 11. Is it a Note that Protestants love Rebellion because they are against Popes deposing Kings Or is there any heed to be taken of the words of impudent Revilers that dare speak before God and Man at this rate Is deposing Kings the Papists freedom from Rebellion and is our opposing it a character of Rebels Qu. 12. Is it any wonder that Bishop Burchardus desired it and that Bishop Boniface executed the Pope's command who had been translated from England by him to such dignity and had sworn Obedience and Service to him Qu. 13. Is it any wonder that the Pope made these Bishops Saints Qu. 14. I hope they were really godly Men But is it any wonder that some good Men at such a time as that did think it had been for the interest of Religion to have all Power in the Clergies hands especially being themselves Bishops that were to have so great a share How few Bishops are afraid of too much power or ever do refuse it Qu. 15. If the King of France had his Kingdom by the Pope's gift what wonder if he had the power of nominating Bishops also by his gift Qu. 16. Whether he that hath power to give hath not power to take away and be not Judge when the Cause is just Qu. 17. With what face do Papists at once make these claims and yet profess Loyalty to Kings Qu. 18. Whether it concern not Kings to understand on what terms they stand with the Pope and his Clergy that must not be subject to them but have power to depose them Qu. 19. If there be any Party among them that hath more Loyal Principles is it a sign of the concord of their Church that agreeth not in matter of so great moment Or a proof that the Pope is the infallible Judge of Controversies that will not determine so great a Point on which the Peace of Kingdoms doth depend § 13. About the same time they persuaded Rachis King of the Longobards Successor to Luitprand for the love of Religion to lay down his Crown and go into a Monastery so that Monasteries are places for the worst and the best some too bad to reign and some too good lest they should over-master the Clergy § 14. It may be you will think that this Pope Zachary and his sworn Vassal St. Boniface were some very profound Divines that could by their wisdom and piety thus master Kingdoms Doubtless they were zealous Adversaries to Heresies except their own and Successors of the Hereticating and Damning Fathers For Epist. 10. Bin. p. 206 207 208. Zachary writeth to Boniface to expel Virgilius from the Church and Priesthood for holding Antipodes viz. that Sun-shine and Moon-light and Men are under the Earth as well as here which we call over it The words are De perversa autem iniqua doctrina quae contra Dominum Animamsuam locutus est si clarificatum fuerit ita eum confiteri quod alius mundus alii homines sub terra sint seu Sol Luna hunc habito Concilio ab Ecclesia pelle Sacerdotii honore privatum That is But as to the perverse and unjust Doctrine which he hath spoken against the Lord and his own Soul if it be made clear that he so confesseth that under the Earth there is another world and other Men and Sun and Moon call a Council and depriving him of the honour of Priesthood drive him out of the Church That by another world is meant Antipodes or the other side of the Earth inhabited is doubtless § 15. Qu. 1. Did God make Popes to be the Governors of the Antipodes for so many hundred years before they knew that there was any Antipodes And when they excommunicated and silenced those that affirmed it Qu. 2. Were these Popes and Bishops Men of such wisdom as were fit to hereticate Dissenters as they did Qu. 3. Do we not see here what some Councils were and did in those times Qu. 4. Do we not see what Heresie signified at Rome and how little heed there was to be taken of their outcry against some Heresies Qu. 5. Whether was all the World or all the West bound to avoid Communion after with Virgilius Qu. 6. Do we not see here of what Infallibility the Pope is in judging of matters of Faith and how happy the World is to have such a Judge and of what credit his Heretications and Excommunications are Qu. 7. Do we not see how Religion hath been depraved and dishonoured by the Pope and his Clergy calling
the more for this Accusation he seemed an Hypocrite indeed but whether an Heretick I know not The Scot Heretick is accused as denying the Church Canons and the meaning of some Fathers despising the Synods Laws saying that he may still be a Bishop for so he was though he had two Sons in Adultery saith Boniface perhaps in Marriage and as he saith holding that a Man may marry his Brothers Widow and that Christ at his Descent delivered all Souls out of Hell This was a foul Error indeed if truly charged These were charged by Boniface and the Roman Synod to be forerunners of Antichrist and how like are Aldebert's Pretensions to many Roman Saints A Prayer also of Aldeberts was read in which he prayed to Angels under several strange names Bishops and Presbyters had Votes in this Council and subscribed the Hypocrites condemnation Bin. p. 218. But there is no certainty that he named more than three Angels § 23. Stephen the 2d was chosen Pope by ALL THE PEOPLE after Zachary and dyed four days after suddenly § 24. Stephen the 3d was chosen by all the People saith Anastasius Aistulphus King of the Longobards threatned Rome took their Gifts and demanded their Subjection The Pope after Gregory the 2d's Rebellion was glad to send to the Emperor to crave an Army to save Rome and Italy when he could get no help from Constant. he sent to Pepin King of France One that he had made King by Rebellion was obliged to help him and by an Army forced Aistulphus to covenant to restore Ravenna and many other Italian Cities not to the Emperor whose Agent claimed his right and was denied by Pepin but to the Pope to reward him and get the pardon of his sins Aistulphus broke his Covenants Pepin with another Army forceth him to deliver them and returneth Aistulphus dyeth Desiderius a Captain by Usurpation invadeth the Kingdom Radchis that had been King before and went into a Monastery and the Nobles of the Longobards resist the Rebel He sendeth to the Pope offering him all that he could desire more Cities to help him The Pope maketh his own bargain with him as he did with Pepin and Charles Martell before and by the help of the French setleth the Rebel Desiderius in the Kingdom Pepin maketh a Deed of Gift of all the foresaid Cities to the Church of Rome Was this Constantine's Gift He gave away another Mans the Emperor's Dominions and with Desiderius's additions now the Pope is become a Prince § 24. CCXXVIII We come now to a great General Council of 338 Bishops at Constantinople An. 754. under Constantine Copronymus against the worshiping of Images The Adversaries of it will not have it called the 7th General Council because divers Patriarchs were absent and it decreed say they against the Truth They not only condemned the worshiping of Images and Germanus Constantinus Georgius Cyprius Jo. Damascenus and other Worshipers of them as Idolaters but destroyed the Reliques of Martyrs and exacted an Oath of Men by the Cross and the holy Eucharist that they would never adore Images but execrate them as Idols nor ever pray to the holy Apostles Martyrs and blessed Virgin saith Baronius and Binnius p. 235. But the 15th and 17th definitions of this Council recited in the 2d Nicene Council shew that they were not so free from praying to the Virgin Mary and Saints as we could wish they had For they decree we must crave her intercessions and theirs but they forbad praying to their Images § 25. The Acts of this Council not pleasing the Adversaries are not delivered fully to us but it fell out that their Decrees are repeated word by word in the 2d Nicene Council and so preserved § 26. There is one Doctrinal definition of this Council owned also by their Adversaries the 2d Concil Nicen. which by the way I will take notice of about the glorified Body of Christ and consequently ours after the Resurrection that it is a Body but not Flesh Bin. p. 378. defin 7. Siquis non confessus fuerit Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum post assumptionem animatae rationalis intellectualis Carnis simul sedere cum Deo Patre atque ita quoque rursus venturum cum Paterna Majestate judicaturum vivos mortuos non amplius quidem Carnem neque incorporeum tamen ut videatur ab iis à quibus compunctus est maneat Deus extra crassitudinem carnis Anathema To which saith the Nicene Council by Epiphanius Huc usque recte sentiunt Patrum traditionibus convenientia dicunt c. Two sorts I would have take notice of this 1. The Papists who say that the Bread is turned into Christ's very Flesh when he hath no very Flesh in Heaven And therefore the meaning must be of the Sacramental Sign that it is the Representation of that real Flesh of Christ which was sacrificed on the Cross. 2. Some prejudiced Protestants that think he that saith Our Bodies and Christs in Heaven will not be Flesh and Blood formally and properly so called but spiritual glorious Bodies doth say some dangerous new assertion such gross thoughts have gross heads of the heavenly state To these I say 1. You contradict the express words of God's Spirit 1 Cor. 15. Flesh and Blood cannot enter c. That it is meant of Formal Flesh and Blood and not Metaphorical Sin is plain in the Context see Dr. Hammond on the Text. 2. Give but a true definition of Flesh and Blood and it will convince you of itself 3. You see here that you maintain an Opinion which these two even adverse General Councils anathematized § 27. By this Council we may see how little General Councils signifie with the Papists either as to Infallibility Authority or preservation of Tradition longer than they please the Pope As to their Objection that call it Pseudo-septimum that the Pope was not there I answer 1. No more was he by himself or Legate at the first of Constant. called the 2d General Council as Binnius professeth 2. Is not the Church the Church if the Pope be not there Then he may choose whether ever there shall be more General Councils as indeed he doth § 28. CCXXIX An. 756. King Pepin called a Council in France declaring that things were so far out of order that he could attempt but a partial Reformation leaving the rest till better times The first Canon was that every City have a Bishop of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified every such Town as our Corporations and Market-Towns are And by all the old Canons and Customs except some odd ones every such Town of Christians was to have a Bishop and in Phrygia Arabia c. the Villages had Bishops saith Socrates c. And in many places the Villages had Chorepiscopos which Petavius Annot. in Epiphan Arian fully proveth were true Bishops And yet then the most of the People in most Countries were without the Church
measure you mete it shall be measured to you You shall then give us leave to suspect your Books where there is far greater cause § 85. But the Synod or Paulinus Aquileiensis a learned worthy Bishop in the Synod whom the rest follow copiously write a Confutation of Elipandus and Faelix And the charges of Heresie are 1. That they call Christ as to his Humanity God's Adopted Son and his eternal Person his Natural Son 2. Because they say he was Adopted by Grace 3. Because they say he was a Servant Alas for the Church that must thus by Bishops be distracted for want of skill in words Is there no remedy Binnius confesseth that some Papists think that they meant right as Durandus did and that the difference was but in words The Council supposeth Elipandus and Faelix to use the word Adoption exclusively as to Christ's Filiation by Generation as conceived by the Holy Ghost whereas it is far likelier that they took both Conjunct to be the fundamentum filiationis God adopting that is of his good Will freely creating Christ's Humane Nature and uniting it to the Divine called Adoption because it was God's free act of Love and not a communication of his Essence as the eternal Generation is The Humanity is not God's Essence And I hope the name of The Son of Man used so oft by Christ of himself is no Heresie And there appeareth no reason to censure them as denying either the eternal or temporal Generation of Christ. But they argue against them 1. That he is said to be Adopted that is not Generated 2. And that he merited it not but was adopted of meer Grace but so was not Christ. Answ. 1. These Objections seem to confess that the difference was but denomine and is the unapt use of such a word an Heresie How many Heresies then have most Councils and Fathers and all Authors 2. Must we needs understand God's Adoption just in the measure as mans 3. We are Regenerate and yet Adopted Why then is it a Heresie to say that Christ was Generated and yet Adopted 4. Grace is either that which is against the merit of evil or only without the merit of good It 's doubtless that the first was not by them imputed to Christ And it 's undoubted to me that it is consequentially Blasphemy to say that Christ's Humane Nature or any Angel had not the later For the very being and therewith all the good in the constitution and antecedent benefits of a Creature must go before his merits Merit is too low a word for the Divine Nature as such before the Incarnation And the Humane Nature did not merit to be before it was e. g. to be conceived by the Holy Ghost c. As free Benefits are called Grace Christ's Humane Nature had Grace But they object that the two Bishops did not distinguish between Christ's Adoption and ours Ans. 1. We have not their Writings to see that 2. If they did not it 's like it was because they thought it needless being understood by all They believed the Creed That Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary and that the Godhead assumed the Humanity into personal Union They knew that none dreamed that it was so with us The Council saith That it's Heresie to use the name Adoption of Christ. The two Bishops seemed to think That God's free assuming of the Humanity into personal Unity with the Word eternally generated by the Father might be called Adoption If the improper use of the word be Heresie I leave it to the Reader to judge which were the Hereticks But I think neither But another part of the Heresie was to say that Christ was a Servant as Man And they think he was no Servant because a Son Some will think confidently that the Council were here Hereticks but I think they did but strive about words By Servant the Council seemeth to mean exclusively One that is no Son But the other meant inclusively A Son and Servant They take him for a Servant that oweth Service and Obedience And Christ as Man owed Obedience to his Father on two accounts 1. As a reasonable Creature to his Maker 2. As one that had by voluntary Sponsion undertaken it I might add 3. As the special Law of Mediation was imposed on him or given him as Man by which it was made his special duty to die for Man c. He saith when he cometh into the world Here I am to do thy Will O God yea thy Law is in my heart Did he not take upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2. 7. which was not a shew of that which is not but of that which is Is he not called God's righteous Servant justifying many Isa. 53. 11. Doth not God oft call him My Servant Isa. 49. 6. 52. 13. Zech. 3. 8. The Council seemed to think that the Bishops thought that Christ was born a Servant and not a Son and was adopted a Son only after for his merits But there is no shew of reason to impute this to them that professed to believe the Creeds and Scripture and said no such words They seemed to intend nothing but to distinguish the natural eternal Generation of the second Person in the Trinity from the temporal Generation of the Man Christ Iesus which was an Act of free Beneficence But they concluded that they were Nestorians because they intimated two Sons by saying that he was eternally begotten and yet adopted a Son Ans. 1. It is not unlike that Nestorius himself for want of more skill in speaking was used as they were 2. Why should that be imputed to them which they deny They are told that as Nestorius craftily denied two Persons and yet inferred two so do they But is not this a vindication of Nestorius by a Council Who knoweth what a man holdeth better than himself Obj. But by consequence Heresie will follow Ans. If all are Hereticks that hold any Error which such a greater Error would follow from as is called Heresie I doubt not but every Council and Bishop and Christian were Hereticks the saying of some great Divines being true That Truths of Faith and Morality are so connext that he that holdeth the least Error therein doth by consequence subvert the foundation You may say that every man that tells a lye or committeth any known sin is an Atheist and that if he believed that there is a God he would know that he must not sin against him he that sins before his Face denieth his Omniscience and 〈◊〉 denieth God c. At this rate all are Atheists and Hereticks 3. But may not one that saith Christ as the second Person in Trinity was the Eternal Son of God and as Man was by Generation in thus made the Son of God and Man truly mean that it is but one Person that in one respect is the Eternal Son and in another respect the Temporal Son May he
called at Constantinople which damned the Council of Nice 2. Irene having set up Images and murdered the Emperor her own Son as is aforesaid was deposed by Nicephorus who Reigned near ten years with Stauratius his Son he was no Friend to the Clergies power and was killed in Fight by the Bulgarians and his wounded Son Reigned a few months Michael Curopalates succeeded a Man of great Piety and Peace but unfit for War who being overcome by the Bulgarians he consented to give up the Empire to Leo Armenus a better and prosperous Soldier This Leo the 5th was of the mind of the former Leo's against Images and his mind being known the Bishops conformed presently insomuch that in his 2d year this Council called by him Anathematized the Bishops that would not renounce the Nicene 2d Council and when they lay prostrate on the earth it 's said some trod on some of them and they turned them at a Back-door out of the Council For the Patriarch Nicephorus that was for Images was deposed and Theodorus Melissenus that was against them put in his place and led the rest Thus did Council against Council thunder Anathema's and curse each other by separating them from Christ till few were left uncursed The Rulers of the Monasteries also were called in and those that would not consent against Images were rejected Nicetas Theodorus Studita were the Champions for Images and were both banished and imprisoned Theodore wrote to the Council for Images and tells them that To take away the venerable Adoration of the Images of Christ and of the Mother of God and of all the Saints was to overthrow the Oeconomy of Christ. And he continued in Prison to preach and write for Images Those Councils that pleased not the Papists we have not the Acts of as we have of such as Nic. 2. that pleased them Had we all the Speeches and Arguments used in this and other Councils against Images as largely as those that were for them we might better see which had the better management § 114. CCXLIV The Clergy had for many hundred years abrogated God's Law He that sheddeth Man's Blood by Man shall his Blood be shed and had put Pennance for the punishment instead of Death But now at last the murdering of one Iohn a Bishop inhonestè inauditè mordridatus as they then spake they were put to find some harder Penalty to save the Clergies Lives And so they set great Fines of Money on the Murderers and more than so He that wilfully murdered a Bishop must eat no flesh nor drink any Wine as long as he lived If Murder now had no greater a punishment Bishops would scarce be safe any more than others This was at a Council at a Village called Theorius or Dietenhoven § 115. Next succeedeth Pope Stephen at Rome Platina saith Stephen the 4th Anastasius and Binnius say Stephen the 5th Platina and others say that he Reigned but seven months Anastasius and others say seven years and seven months Platina saith he was the Son of Iulius a Roman Anastasius saith he was the Son of Marinus Charles dying the Empire came to his Son Ludovicus called Pius his Brothers dying also The Bishops of Italy saith Platina and others stir'd up Bernard to rebel against him but he was conquered and put to death as also were the Saxon Rebels Paschal first succeeding Stephen is made Pope without the Emperor's knowledge for which he excused himself as forced by the People that chose him The Emperor pardon'd it but demanded obedience as to their Elections for the time to come Platina in vit Paschal l. 1. who saith that Paschal was suspected of the Rebellion of Italy but disclaimed it and that the Emperor re-assumed many Cities to the Empire to prevent new Rebellions Some say that Bernard was but blinded Among others banished for Treason were Anselm Bishop of Milan and Theodulfe Bishop of Aurelia Orleance so that Italy and France joined in the Treason See Petav. Hist. Mâ—nd li. 8. c. 8. § 116. CCXLV Ludovicus Pius was so careful to reform the Bishops and Clergy that he raised their ill will against him being too pious for them that should have been the Teachers of Piety yea so slothful did they grow that though his Father and he had done extraordinary works for the promoting of Learning and Godliness yet Learning in his days grew to such decay that Learned Men became the common contempt and few of them were to be found but Wealth and Iurisdiction were the study care and interest of the Bishops Yet in his time at Aquisgrane there was a Council that wrote instead of Canons the most excellent Treatise for the Teaching and Government of the Teachers and Governors of the Church besides the regulation of Monasteries that ever any Council did before them Not in their own words but in the several Sermons and passages of the chief Fathers Isidore Hierom Gregory Augustine and Prosper that had written to the Clergy heretofore which they collected into 145 Chapters and Canons But you must know that the excellency of the Canons of Provincial Councils in France and Spain in these Ages did not shew the excellency of the Bishops so much as their Pravity and Necessity as the Medicine doth the Disease For such Canons were ordinarily drawn up by the will of the King by some one or few choice Men such as Paulinus Aquileiensis in his time to whom the rest consented because they knew the King would have it so § 117. In these Chapters of this Council they cite Isidore and Hierom at large proving that it was Presbyters that were called Bishops in Paul's Epistles and Acts 20. and that in those times the Church was ruled by the Common-Council of Presbyters till Schism shewed a necessity that one should rule among the rest They cite Isidore ' s words that Caeteri Apostoli cum Petro par consortium honoris acceperunt Et Non esse Episcopum qui praeese dilexerit non prodesse And Hierom ' s on Titus maintaining the foresaid Identity and his Sciat Episcopus Presbyter sibi Populum conservum esse non servum And his excellent Epistle ad Nâ—potianum Many Sermons of Augustine ' s describing his Collegiate Community of the Clergy Isidore ' s words Plerique Sacerdotes suae magis utilitatis causâ quam gregis praeesse desiderant Nec ut prosint praesules fieri cupiunt sed magis ut divites fiant honorentur suscipiunt sublimitatis culmen non pro Pastorali regimine sed pro totius regiminis vel honoris ambitione atque abjecto opere dignitatis solam nominis appetunt dignitatem Dum mali Sacerdotes Deo ignorante non fiant tamen ignorantur à Deo sed hic nescire Dei reprobare est If Isidore say true remember that I wrong not the Bishops in saying the same of them And if this was the case of the most as he affirmeth what better than we find could be
Apostates that it hath no shew of an uninterrupted Succession to boast of § 26. Tit. 4. c. 7. He claimeth Authority to absolve Men from Oaths and all Obligations made by the violence and constraint of bad Men and so absolveth the Archbishop of Triers A wicked Decree for Perjury As if in materia licita a Man that sweareth for Fear were not bound And as if Man had not Free-will when he is under Fear § 27. C. 6. 8. He decreeth that none can judge the Pope nor retract his Judgments nor judge of them contrary to many General Councils He curseth from Christ all that contemn the Pope's Opinions Mandates Interdicts Sanctions Decrees c. ◠9. Yet he saith that the Church of Rome may change and mend its own Mistakes and Decrees n. 10. ' Tit. 5. C. 1. No Custom may occasion the removal of any thing established by full Papal Authority C. 2. Other mens works approved or reprobate by the Pope's Decrees must accordingly be judged accepted or rejected C. 3. They that have not the Decrees are to be reproved c. § 28. Tit. 6. He brings down Emperors and Kings sufficiently below the Priests confining them to temporal things and not to judge of Priests Tit. 7. He rebuketh the King for letting none be Bishops but those that he liked charging him to admit none at Colen or Triers till the Pope had notice And before he told Emperors that they must take no care what kind of Lords the Priests be but what they say of the Lord nor to note what Popes be but what they do for correction of the Churches For they are by Constantine called Gods and God must not be judged of men Tit. 3. c. 3. He questions whether Lotharius was to be called a King because he was an Adulterer § 29. Tit. 8. c. 1. He decreeth that no Bishops be ordained but by the election or consent of the Clergy and People C. 3. That Primates and Patriarchs have no Priviledges above other Bishops but so much as the Canons give and ancient custom hath conferred § 30. Tit. 11. c. 1. Is this Nullus missam Presbyteri audiat quem scit concubinam habere aut subintroductam mulierem That is Let no one hear the Mass of that Presbyter whom he knoweth undoubtedly to have a Concubine or a Woman subintroduced C. 2. If Priests fall into the snare of Fornication and the act of the crime be manifest or shewed they cannot have the honour of Priesthood according to the authority of Canonical Institution Yet our Canons will condemn him that refuseth to take such an one for the Guide of his Soul or to hear him Yet Can. 5. he saith That we must receive the Sacrament from any Priest how polluted soever and by the judgment of how many Bishops soever he be Reprobated because bad men administring good things hurt none but themselves and all things are purged by faith in Christ. Tit. 14. Lay-men must not judge of the lives of Priests nor so much as search into them § 31. CCLXIV An. 858. A Council at Constantinople placed Photius in the place of Ignatius of which before and more anon Ignatius is banished we have not the History and Reasons of the Council § 32. CCLXV. An. 869. A Council was called at Tullum of the Bishops of twelve Provinces by King Charles where besides other Clergy-mens miscarriages Wenilo Archbishop of Sens was accused of Treasonable Defection by the King In which it's pity that Bishops below the Pope should have or pretend to the Power which the King doth intimate in these words Bin. p. 798. From which my consecration or sublimity of Kingdom I ought not to be supplanted or cast down by any one without the hearing and judgment of the Bishops by whose Ministry I was consecrated King and who are called the Throne of God in which God sitteth and by whom he decreeth his judgments to whose fatherly Correptions and castigatory Iudgments I was ready to subject my self and at present am subject You see here to what power over Kings the common Bishops as well as the Pope were got by pretence of representing Christ and of the Power of the Keys § 33. CCLXVI. An. 859. A Council at Constantinople condemned Ignatius and again confirmed Photius who with the Emperor Michael sent to the Pope to satisfie him of all and profess enmity to Image-breakers § 34. CCLXVII An. 860. In a Council at Confluence the five present Kings of the French Line came to an agreement § 35. CCLXVIII A General Council was held at Constantinople An. 861. where 318 Bishops the same number that was at the first Nicene Council deposed Ignatius and setled Photius to which the Pope's Legates also subscribed the Papists say through fear so that it was Papally confirmed And yet here was much done for Images § 36. CCLXIX The Pope having condemned Iohn Archbishop of Revenna who despised him till the Emperor forsook him in a Council at Rome he submitted himself to the Pope and was reconciled § 37. CCLXX. An. 862. In another Council at Rome Pope Nicolas condemned the Heresie of the Theopaschites that they said made the Godhead to suffer it 's like it was Cyril and the Eutychians old verbal Error by communication of Titles § 38. CCLXXI. An. 862. A Council is held at Aquisgrane in which King Lotharius desireth counsel about his Wife Theutperge the Bishops pronounce it his duty to put her away she having confessed Incest with her own Brother and allow him to marry Waldrade he professing himself unable to contain The Pope condemneth the action and them The Papists say this was but a forged pretence I only note 1. If they would deliberately forge so heinous a thing on a Queen what Heathens could be worse than such Bishops 2. Did the Bishops of that age think that they were bound to obey the judgment of the Pope who thus opposed him § 39. CCLXXII An. 862. In another Council in France in Villa ad sublonarias the three Kings again met for agreement § 40. CCLXXIII Lotharius appealing desireth a Council in France by the Pope's consent All the Bishops of France and Germany meet at Metz and the Pope's Legates with them They and the Legates also subscribe to the King's Divorce and to more which the Pope had before declared against Did Bishops then think the Pope Infallible or not to be opposed The Papists say that the Pope's Legates were bribed § 41. CCLXXIV An. 863. The Pope calleth his own Council at Rome and excommunicateth or curseth them all from Christ and deposeth them quantum in se. But yet offereth forgiveness to all save two if they will subject themselves to him The Bishops stand to it that he cursed them unjustly Must all the Kingdoms be thus ruled and confounded by one Priest till matters between a King and his Wife be managed to his will and satisfaction § 42. CCLXXV In another Council at Rome An. 863.
into a Theatre of Contention and a Field of War § 65. Yet here is one thing further to be noted viz. the foresaid Contention that rose about the Bulgarians These two great Patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople were neither of them yet great enough or satisfied with their jurisdiction their desires being more boundless than Alexander's for the Empire nothing less than all the world will satisfie one of them at least Nicetas saith it was by Famine and a Treaty and kind words of the Emperor that the Bulgarians turned Christians Some Papists would give the honour to the Pope without proof and cannot tell us any thing how the Pope converted them But when they were converted they sent to Rome for some Instructors The 〈…〉 them two and they received them But they put the case themselves to the Council at Constantinople Whether they were to be under the Bishop of Rome or of Constantinople The matter held a great debate The Pope's Legates pleaded that they had already received Bishops from Rome c. The Greeks pleaded that their Countrey was part of the Empire and under the Bishop of Constantinople till they conquered it and that they found there Greek Churches and Bishops who were still there and the Conquest did not translate them from the Bishop of Constant. to Rome How the Controversie ended is hard to know Some say that the Council gave them to the Pope and some say otherwise But this is confessed that this Roman ambition so greatly displeased the new Emperor Basilius that it turned him after against the Pope and inclined him the more to restore Photius which he did when Ignatius was dead § 66. Here I would call the Reader to consider whether the Pope's Universal Government was in those days believed even by that Council which was supposed to be partial by the Emperor's inducement on the Pope's side What place else could there be for such a strife whether the Bulgarians were under the Government of the Bishop of Rome or Constantinople if all the World were under the Bishop of Rome They will say that it was only questioned whose Diocess or Patriarchate they were under But Rome never pretended that they were of that Diocess or Patriarchate as anciently divided But the question was Whose Government they were now fallen under And would any dispute whether e. g. Westminster were under the Government of the King or of the Lord Mayor of London when all the Kingdom is under the King This Controversie clearly sheweth that the Church then took the Pope to have but the first Seat and Voice in Councils but not to be the Governor beyond his circuit § 67. It is here also to be noted that Basil the Emperor's revolt from the Pope was so great that Hadrian is put to write sharply to him as accusing the Bishops of Rome and derogating from them admonishing him to repent but we find not that this changed his mind § 68. Yet one thing more is here to be observed In the life of Hadrian the 2d Bin. p. 882. we find that the Pope taking the advantage of Basil's present state and mind and the interest of Ignatius much depending on him sent a new Libel to be subscribed by all the Bishops before they should be permitted to sit in Council The Greek Bishops grudged at this and complained to the Emperor That the Church of Constantinople by these offered Libels was brought under the power of Rome by the doubtfulness of Subscriptions But though flebiliter conqueruntur they complain with tears the Emperor was angry with them and would have it and some Bishops non sine magno laboris periculo libellos quidem vix tandem recipiunt with much ado were brought to subscribe saying It was novum inauditum The refusers extra Synodum inglorii relicti sunt were shut out till they conformed Oh! that Inglorii was a cutting word § 69. The Emperor hiding his anger against the Pope's Legates for the Bulgarian Usurpation gave them great gifts and sent them home But at Sea they fell into the hands of the Sclavonians who stripped them of their Riches and the Subscriptions and Copy of the Council and kept them Prisoners and threatned their Lives But by the mediation of the Emperor and Pope they were delivered and had some of their Writings again § 70. CCLXXXV An. 879. Carolus Calvus King of France unjustly possessed the Kingdom of Lotharius which by inheritance fell to Ludovicus Ludovicus got the Pope to interpose who sent his Legates to Charles But the Bishops had not yet learned to obey Popes against Kings in power A Council of Bishops called at Metz give the Kingdom to Charles because he was the stronger This was called Concilium Praedatorium a Council of Robbers and Traytors And no wonder when Bishops must be the Givers of Kingdoms Was it not enough for the Pope to usurp such power to be over Kings and dispose of Crowns but ordinary Bishops must do the like § 71. CCLXXXVI Yet another Council against the Pope King Charles had authorized Northman a great man to receive some Goods that were taken to belong to the Church The Pope commandeth Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes and the rest of the Bishops of France to excommunicate Northman Hincmarus and the Bishops refuse to obey him only one Hincmarus Bishop of Laon Laudunum obeyeth him and publisheth the Excommunication A Council is called at Wermâ—ria where Hincmarus Rhem. and the Bishops the King consenting condemn Hincmarus Laudunensis for disobeying his Metropolitan in obeying the Pope He appeals to Rome They will not let him go He writeth Hiucmarus Rhem. writeth largely against him though his Nephew shewing how he broke the Canons how bad a man he was how he had neglected his own Charge left Children unbaptized and for private quarrels excommunicated his Flock and had silenced and suspended the Ministers under him tyranically c. Reader Was the Pope's power yet fully received when a Metropolitan was to be obeyed before him and men condemned for obeying him § 72. CCLXXXVII Yet more sorrow An. 870. a Council is called in Villa Aâ—tiniaco Attigny I will give you the Story in the very words of Binnius translated When Hincmarus Bishop of Laon for the cause in the foresaid Council expressed had got the Rescript of Pope Adrian on his behalf and had notified it to Hincmarus Rhemensis and to King Charles both of them in hatred to the Bishop of Laon decreed That this Synod called Latrocinalis should be called There presided in it Remigius Lugdunensis Ardovicus Vesontiensis Bertulsus Trevirensis with their subject Bishops Herein Hincmarus Rhemensis with King Charles was the accuser of his Nephew Hincmarus whom he had before consecrated Bishop of Laon. The Action brought against him was That he had by Counter-writings defended the rights of the Apostolick Seat which the Archbishop of Rhemes did endeavor to impugn and overthrow And that contrary to his Oath of
praesumptuosè assâ—mpsit ut Imperator fieret sed tanquam desideratus et optatus postulatus A NOBIS â—t a Deo vocatus et honorificatus ad defendendam religionem et Christintique servos tuendos humiliter et OBEDIENTER accessit c. Nisi enim talem cognovissemus ejus intentionem nunquam animus noster fieret tam promptus ad ipsius promotionem c. So if the Pope had not liked him the Emperor 's hereditary right had never made him Emperor And the flattering Bishops say to the Pope Bin. p. 1010. ut non vos prius eligeret sed contra vos cum et eligeretis et diligeretis Et nos O Coangelice Papa vestigia vestra sectantes et salubria monita recipientes quem amatis amamus quem eligistis eligimus c. And now comes in Binnius with his Comment and saith that would our refractory novelists who with great temerity dare profess that the Roman Popes in the crowning of Emperors have no other right then barely ministerially to anoint and crown them had but known these Acts They would from them have learned that that Pope John alias Joan did not only anoint and crown Charles but also by Gods instinct did choose him to govern the Empire and raised him to that sublime dignity honouring him with the Augustal name before he was anointed and crowned by him and that the Empire was conferred on him not by hereditary right of succession but by the will of the Pope who chose him and granted it to him BE WISE therefore O YE KINGS BE instructed ye that are Iudges of the earth Kiss the Popes foot lest he be angry and ye perish in the way If his wrath be kindled yea but a little c. § 82. CCXCI. An. 879. A concilium Pontigonense confirmed the choice of Charles where it 's said Bin. p. 1012 et legit Johannes Arietinus Episcopus quandam schedulam ratione et authoritate carentem Postquam legit Odo Belgivacorum Episcopus quaedam Capitula a Legatis Apostolicis et ab Ansegiso the Popes Vicar et eodem Odone sine conscientiâ— synodi dictata inter se dissona et nullam utilitatem habentia verúm et ratione et authoritate carentia et ideo hic non habentur subjuncta § 83. CCXCII An. 877. A council in Neustria Normandie under Hincmarus Rhemensis rebuked Hugo base Son of Lotharius for rebellion and devastation of the Country § 84. CCXCIII An. 878. a concilium Trecense where the Pope was present excommunicated Formosusâ— Portuensis one of the former Popes preachers to the Bulgarians and one that was after Pope himself Also Hincmarus Laudunensis was restored blind and joyned with the other that had his Place and so one Church had two Bishops in spite of his uncle Hincmarus Rhemensis that opposed it and had both put him in and cast him out § 85. CCXCIV. An. 879. Was a Council of the Popes at Rome for his unrighteous making Ludovicus 3. Emperor the Pope challenging the first choice But Auspertus Bishop of Milan came not and resisted and though as you heard excommunicated by the Pope did help to turn the choice to the right Heir § 86. CCXCV. Besides some petty Council at Rome there was an 879. a General Council at Constantinople of 385 Bishops where Photius was confirmed and the former General Council called the 8th also abrogated and the word filioque taken out of the Creed The Papists say that the Pope consented only to this as for Photius's restitution and not for the abrogation of the former Council and that Photius corrupted his writing and so they would make all writings uncertain They say that Pope Iohn's epistle is by the wonderful providence of God found yet without some clauses added by Photius whom they call the great architect of lyes But the Greeks will no more believe the late found Laterane or other Roman Copies than the Romans will believe the Greek Copies And how shall we know which of them to believe And how little doth it concern us § 87. It must be a controversie also whether this Council must be called Oecumenical I have oft proved that there was never any truly such as to all the world There were 385 Bishops which is more than the first Council at Nice had or most others The Popes Legates were there Oh but saith Binnius It was not they but Photius that did preside therefore it was not general Ans. 1. Let the world know then what maketh a general Council in the Papal sense It doth not represent all the Church unless the Popes Legates preside So much doth it import to know which Priest is the greatest 2. But did Binnius forget that he himself affirmeth that at the first General Council at Constantinople the Pope did not preside by himself or any Legate And yet that is one of the 4th Councils equalled with the four Gospels and the Pope dare not deny it lest the Greeks further hereticate or anathematize him But saith Binnius It was no General Council because there was many frauds and impostures Ans. By that rule Trent had no General Council nor Florence c. And so it is left to the judgment of all men to nullifie such Councils which they can prove to have had frauds and impostures And must we also nullifie the Papacie of them that have had such frauds § 88. Is it a grand question whether Pope Iohn confirmed this Council The approbation is extant But the Reprobaters say 1. that he put in some terms of limitation so far as his Legates went right 2. that he after ex umbone condemned Photius c. But 1. Is it not a General Council if the Popes Legates consent till he personally confirm it Were all former Councils null till the Popes personal confirmation what are his Legates for then 2. As his Legates may mistake so may he himself Is it null then till he rectifie his Error 3. By this we see how impossible it is to know the new Gosple of the Papists which is Canonical from the Apocryphal For as Pope Martin's Conciliariter after so here and elswhere the Popes have so ambiguously given their consent that no wit of man can tell what is consented to by them and what not as their controversies confessed c. § 89. At least whether the Pope consented or no seeing in this Council the former 8th General Council was condemned and the filioque expunged the Creed we see how ridiculously our late Papists argue from the consent of Councils to prove the constant Tradition of the Church saying Did the Council go to bed in one mind and rise in another Did these 385 Bishops do so or did the former whom they condemned do so Is this the smooth Current of Tradition and may we know by it what our Fathers held § 90. When the other Legates consented Marinus who was after Pope dissenting he was laid in prison thirty dayes at Constantinople In the
had so few that understood the original language or else they would have so tost and torn and sensed and nonsensed the Scripture that they would have made it quite another thing § 171. CCCCXIX Yet we have not done with Heresies A Council at Rhemes called by the banished Pope tryed a mad man an illiterate Rustick called Eum one unworthy to be called an Heretick saith Otto Frising who said he was the Son of God c. whom they sent to Prison where he dyed In the same Council Gib Porretane Bishop of Poictiers is again called where their Subtilties were disputed over again and Bernard Abbot Clareval being his chief Adversary upon Porretane ' s exception to some of his words saying Scribantur went and drew up some Articles of Faith seeming contrary to Porretanes and got many Bishops to subscribe them The Roman Cardinals took this heinously and came all together to the Pope and told him That it was they that of a private Man made him Pope and that he must know that it was they that were the Cardines on which the Axis of the whole Church did turn and that he must not now be his own but theirs and not prefer private and new Friends before his old common ones And that his Abbot Bernard with the Gallicane Bishops had audaciously presumed to lift up their Necks against the primacy and top of the Roman Seat which only doth shut and no man opens and opens and no man shuts which only may discuss matters of Faith And even when absent may not receive prejudice of this honour from any But behold these French-men contemning our faces or presence have presumed to write their Belief without consulting us as if they would pass a definitive Sentence on the matters that have been handled before us which had it been done at Antioch or Alexandria had been void How then durst these usurp in our presence We will therefore that you presently rise up against thus temerarious Novity and delay not to punish their Contumacy And so they had like to have run into a Schism But the Pope and Bernard spake them fair and Bernard said They wrote not as Determiners but to give account of their own Faith when provoked and so pacified the Cardinals But this Tumult hindered the deciding of the Case But saith Otto whether Bernard was decived by humane infirmity or Porretane escaped by hiding any thing by his great learning I must not determine § 172. CCCCXX Another Council An. 1150. the banished Pope held at Trevers where Bernard told him of the Revelations of a Woman Abbess called Hildegardis The Pope sent some to her she returns him a writing of her Revelations which he read admired and by Bernard's persuasion honored her with a Letter But what they were is not mentioned § 173. Conradus called Anastasius the 4th is next Pope and dyeth after a year four months and 24 days The glory of his time is said to be Ricardus de Sancto Victore a famous Writer specially de Trinitate and Gratian Lombard and Comestor § 174. Hadrian the 4th an English man is next Pope The Romans by request and threats importune him to permit their Consuls to govern them as heretofore He resolutely denieth them They wound one of his Cardinals He Excommunicateth and Curseth them Quaere Whether Rome was the Catholick Church when it was Excommunicate They had before desired him to come to the Lateran which he refused till they should turn out one Arnoldus Brixianus called by him a Heretick and Disciple of Abailard The People saith Platina took this ill and so hurt the said Cardinal I doubt the Romans themselves were for Hereticks The Pope curseth William of Sicily for invading the Church-lands The Greek Emperor offereth to help the Pope and to give him much Gold also if he shall but have three Maritime Cities in Apulia where he hath won them This afrighteth William to offer the Pope all again if he may but he called King of Sicily The Pope denieth it William angry over-runneth Italy The Pope repenting granteth him his desire The new Emperor Frederick also coming with an Army into Italy took some Cities belonging to the Church and gave them up to the Pope But when he came into the City to be crowned the Citizens enraged at the Pope for denying them their Civil Government shut the Gates the Emperor's Army being without and fell on many of the Pope's Followers and the Germans beat some and killed many The Emperor hereby provoked got in his Army and killed many of the Citizens and had done more but that the Pope dissuaded him Yet was the Pope and he fain to go round about to the Lateran to avoid another Battel Platina mentioneth the Pope's Cursing William of Sicily and absolving his Subjects from their Oaths that they might Rebel but saith nothing of the Emperor's after-quarrel with the Pope occasioned by a Letter of the Pope's rebuking him for not helping the Bishop of London saith Binnius and refusing an offered Bishop of Ravenna The Pope's Epistles against the Emperor c. Binnius leaveth out At last the Romans again rising against him he goeth to Anagria and dyeth § 175. An. 1160. Roland is made Pope called Alexander the 3d and Octavian called Victor the 4th is made Pope by others and sate four years and seven months This is saith Onuphrius the 27th Schism or double Papacy Three more succeeded Clement to keep up the duplicate before Alexander dyed of whom one Reigned five years and another seven Alexander addresseth himself to the Emperor Frederick to heal the Schism who therefore bids both the Popes come to him that he may hear the Case But Alexander himself refuseth and gets away The Emperor sendeth two Bishops to him to summon him to a Council Alexander refuseth to appear The Bishops go to Octavian Victor and the Emperor calleth a Council and this Council with the Emperor make Octavian the confirmed Pope Quer. Whether this was not as good Authority as Alexander's greater number of the Cardinals Hereupon Alexander curseth the Pope Victor and the Emperor and sendeth Letters to Christian Princes to tell them that he did it justly Wonderful that Empires and Kingdoms could be then disposed of by Cursing The Emperor seizeth on many of the Church-Cities Alexander returneth to Rome but findeth so many against him that he durst not stay there but flieth into France invited by King Philip and there again at a Council curseth the Emperor The Emperor Frederick destroyeth Milan and translateth thence to Colen the supposed Bodies of the Magi or three wise men that came to Bethlehem Is it not strange what brought them to Milan and how they came all to dye there together and how all their Bodies came to be known O the wisdom of Rome The rest of the Italian Cities and States raise an Army against him he sendeth to the King of France to end the Schism by bringing Pope Alexander with him to
yet stronger in Vices he made divers Officers purposely to manage his Simony as his Bailiffs for all fat Cathedrals Abbeys Monasteries Priorles and vacant Benefices reserved c. 12. That he charged his Registers to receive all the money before they granted c. 13. That he appointed certain Merchants to put vacant Benefices in the Balance and grant their Petitions that offered most for them 14. He ordered that no Petition for a Benefice be offered him till it were signed by the Refundary who then was to pay it out of his own Estate if he took too little 15. That against God and his Conscience he oft sold his Bulls to Eminent men in which he wrote that they that had Benefices had resigned them to him and that by lying forged Resignation which never was made sold them again for great sums and beggar'd many 16. By this it came to pass that without all difficulty he that gave most carried it And the same course was held in Sacraments Indulgences Dispensations and other Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Gifts 17. That he usually sold the same Benefice divers times over to divers persons or to the same silencing Claims of Right whereby the whole Church was defiled with Simony filled with the unworthy both in higher and lower Prelacies c. 18. That he refused to Confirm those that were Canonically Elected unless even to satiety they glutted him with Money putting the unworthy in their stead and translated men against their wills from their Churches that he might sell them dearer 19. That promising Church-Reformation in the Council at Pisa he called one at Rome and being there publickly admonished being incorrigible by the Devils instinct did worse 20. That he sold for Money Indulgences at the hour of death the Predication of the Cross Absolutions from fault and punishment Concessions of Churches and portable Altars Consecrations of Bishops Benedictions of Abbots Relicks of Saints Holy Orders power in Confession to absolve from sins and Acts that may be ministred only by the Operations of the Holy Ghost for Grace 21. That one Nic. Pistorius a Florence Merchant and the Popes Secretary a Lay married man was made by the Pope his Legate Apostolical sent into Brabant to exact and receive a Subsidy which was the tenth part of the fruit of all Benefices in divers Cities and Diocesses and to excommunicate the refusers by a certain deputed Sublegate and suspend Colledges Covents Chapters c. 22. That he authorized this Nicholas to grant to all persons of each Sex for Money to choose their Confessors that might absolve from fault and punishment by which the Merchant got vast sums of Money seducing the people 23. That all the Premises are known true proved c. 24. That Anno 1412. Ambassadors from the King Bishops and Universities of France admonished him charitably of this scandalous infamous Simony 25. That he amended not by it but did worse 26. That he is defamed of all this in all Kingdomes of the Christian World 27. That he abused Rome and the Churches Patrimony exhausting the people and imbursing it himself by Taxes Gabels c. Many instances are added 28. For these things many Crimes Sacriledges Adulteries Murders Spoils Rapine and Thefts were committed in Rome through his fault 29. It is the common voice opinion assertion and belief that in these and innumerable other evils he is the greatest Dilapidator and Dissipator of the Church Affairs that ever was scandalous to the Universal Church a Witch a Murderer a Killer of his Brethren Incontinent in all things serving the Vices of the flesh of infinite crimes called infamously Balderinus 30. That all this is notorious by common fame repute c. 31. That he hath sold the goods of Cardinals Bishopricks Parishes Colledges Priories c. 32. And this not only in the City about many instances named 33. That he destroyed University Studies by taking the Salaries to himself 34. Besides he laid such burdens on the Parsons as forced them to sell the Church-goods Ornaments and Books 35. That hereby the whole Church was notoriously scandalized 36. The Infamy was so great that Princes and the Emperour besought him to amend 37. Hereupon he promised to amend and to call this Council 38. But he went on and did worse than before 39. He forbad the righting of the injured in judgment 40. That the Bishop of Salisbury and other English Embassadours admonished him to amend and he gave them ill words and threatned and abused them 41. That at Constance he swore to resign for Peace 42. And he promised to submit to the judgment of the Council 43. He bid all say what they would against him 44. He was humbly intreated by the Council to perform his word 45. Yet thought by hiding himself to evade 46. Yet he professed before that he intended not to depart 47. And when the Church longed for peace by the Council he plotted to dissolve the Council and so fled in a disguized habit 48. He fled to Schafhausen and commanded some Cardinals and Bishops to come to him 49. Thence he fled to Lauffenberge and towards Brisac 50. The Council desired his return 51. He denied to answer but fled to Nurenburg to frustrate the Council 52. He is an obdurate sinner and incorrigible Fautor of Schism c. 53. That all this is notorious and the common repute of men 54. And all the premises are the common fame and voice Here somewhat is left out And they begin as anew 1. Declaring his wickedness from his Youth 2. That he is notoriously suspected to have poysoned Pope Alexander and hâ—s Physitian Daniel 3. That he committed Incest with his Brothers Wife and with the holy Nuns and ravished Maids and committed Adultery with Wives and other crimes of Incontinence 3. That he Simonaically sold six Parish Churches in Bononia to Lay men who set Priests in them at their pleasure 4. That for Money he sold the Mastership of the Order of S. Iohn of Ierusalem in Cyprus to a Child of five years old Bastard to the King of Cyprus with the fruits of Vacancies and spoils of the last Master c. 5. That he would not recall this but on condition 1. That the K. of Cyprus should be paid by them that succeeded all the Money back which he gave to the Pope 2. That the Pope should have more six thousand Florins of Gold which the Prior of Rhodes paid and for which the Hospitallers are yet in debt 3. He reserved for the said Bastard the Magistral Chamber worth two thousand Florins 4. That the said Pope Iohn gave Fryar Iacobus de Vitriaco an ancient man and expresly professing the Hospitallers Religion an Absolution from his Vows Rule and habit of Religion and reduced him to a Secular life and Marriage c. for six hundred Ducats Many other Articles I pass by as tedious to be repeated One was That he was a notorious Simoniack and a pertinacious Heretick Another was That often
excellency of the Truths that I am to preach and for the will of God and the good of Souls I would be a Plow-man or the meanest Trade if not a Sweep Chimney rather than a Minister Must we break our health and lay by all our worldly interest for you even for you and think not our lives and labours too good or too dear to further your Salvation and must we by you even by you be reproached after all God will be Judge between you and us whether this be not inhumane ingratitude and whether we deserve it at your hands 13. Yea it is Injustice also that you are guilty of The labourer saith Christ is worthy of his hire Luke 10. 7. Mark that you that call them Hirelings The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5. 17. Especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine And will you throw stones at their heads for endeavouring to save your souls Will you spit in their faces for seeking with all their might to keep you from Hell Is that their wages that you owe them But blessed be the Lord with whom is our reward though you be not gathered Isa. 49. 5. But as you love your selves take heed of that Curse Ier. 18. 20. Shall evil be recompenced for good for they have digged a pit for my soul Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them c. O how many a time have we besought the Lord for you that he would convert you and forgive you and turn away the evil that was over you And when all these our prayers and groans and tears shall be remembred against you O miserable souls how dear will you pay for all 14. And is it not a wonder that these Malignants do not see what evident light of Scripture they contradict and how many great express Commands they violate They break the fifth Commandment which requireth honour as well to spiritual Ecclesiastical Parents as to Civil and Natural And he that curseth Father and Mother his Lamp shall be put out in darkness Prov. 20. 20. The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Did these wretches never read 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake and to be at peace among your selves And Heb. 13 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God And so ver 24. And 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour c. with abundance more such passages as these Do not you feel these fly in your faces when you oppose the Ministers of Christ Doth a Thief or Murderer sin against plainer light than you 15. These Malignants sin against the consent and experience of the Universal Church of Christ till this day The whole Church hath been for the Ministry and instructed by them and as the Child doth seek the Breast so did new-born Christians in all Ages seek the Word from the Ministers that they might live and grow thereby And all the Nations of the Christian World are for the Ministry to this day Or else they could not be for Christ and for the Church and Gospel Is it not plain therefore that these Malignants are dead branches cut off from the Church that are so set against the Spiriâ— and interest of the Church 16. Moreover they sin against the experience of all or almost all the true Christians in the world For they have all experience that Ministers are either their Fathers or Nurses in the Lord And that by their means they have had their life and strength and comforts their sins killed their graces quickned their doubts resolved the taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come May we not challenge you as Paul oft doth his Flock Whether you did not receive the illuminating sanctifying Spirit by the Ministry if ever you received it I tell you it is as much against the new and holy nature of the Saints to despise the Ministers of Christ as it is unnatural for a Child to spit in the face of his Father or Mother And the experience of sound Christians will keep them closer and help them much against this inhumanity what ever Hypocrites may do 17. And if these Malignants had not Pharaohs heart they would sure have considered that the experience of all Ages tells them that still the most wicked have been the Enemies of the Ministry and the most godly have most obeyed and honoured them in the Lord and that this Enmity hath been the common Brand of the rebellious and the fore-runner of the heavy wrath of God and that it hath gone worst with the Enemies and best with the Friends of a godly Ministry Do I need to prove this which is so much of the substance of the Old Testament and the New Was it the Friends or Enemies of all the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of Christ that Scripture and all good Writers do commend Do not the names of all Malignants against the godly Ministry stink above ground as the shame of mankind except those that are buried out of hearing or those that were converted 18. Nay such as are noted for the highest sort of the wicked upon Earth worse than Drunkards Whoremâ—ngers and such filthy Beasts The Persecutors of Gods Ministers have been ever taken as walking Devils And the hottest of Gods wrath hath faln upon them Take two instances 1. When the Iews went into Captivity this was the very cause 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 2. And when the Iews were cut quite off from the Church and made Vagabonds on the Earth this was the very cause Acts 28. 28. Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and that they will hear it 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. These Jews both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost 19. It is the Devils own part that these Malignants act For it is he that is the great Enemy of
worthy to be talkt with that believe no body and confess themselves such Lyars that they would have no body believe them It was not all that saw Christs Miracles or Resurrection or the Apostles miracles It seems the rest were not bound to be Christians Even as Clem Writer told me that no man is bound to believe that Christ did Rise again or the rest of Christianity that seeth not Miracles himself to prove it adding withall that indeed Antichrist may do Miracles and so it seems for all the talk miracles themselves would not serve if they saw them 11. Is it not to put a scorn on God Almighty to lay that the Glory of all his most miraculous works should be buried to all that saw them not and that Parents should not tell them to their Children or Children should not believe them if they do 12. It s injurious to Posterity that the knowledge of the most wonderful works of God shall be only for the good of them that see them and that all ages after shall be never the better 13. It tends to make men mad and as Ideots that must know and believe no more then they see what kind of folks must these be that know not that there is either Prince or Parliament City or Countrey or any folks in the world but those they have seen This will stand with trading converse Subjection Societies and its doubtful whether such are capable of managing estates or should not be put under others as Ideots 14. Children cannot learn to read nor speak without some kind of belief of them that teach them nor can they obey their parents nor learn any trade nor obey Physitians so that this conceit of incredulity is against the Nature livelihood and life of man 15. And they would tie God to be at the beck of every unreasonable Infidel that shall say Though all the Town have seen thy Miracles yet I will see my self or else I will not believe 16. They expect that God should overturn the course of Nature for if Miracles be as ordinary as the operations of Nature they are confounded 17. And by this they would cross themselves and make Miracles uneffectual For if they were ordinary few would be moved by them as any proof of a Divine Testimony were it as ordinary for the Sun to go backward as forward who would take it for a Miracle To this Clem Writer answers me that Miracles were convincing in the first Age when they were common Answ. How common Not as natural operations Nor so as for all Countreys or persons to see them 500 saw Christ at once after his Resurrection 5000. were once miraculously fed but as this was not every days work so what was this to others And in that it was but for an age and rarely in after ages shews that they were not for every mans eyes 18. What need we more proof then actual experience that God doth not often now work miracles And he that saith the Gospel and Christian faith and Church and Ministry are therefore ceased its like will not take it ill to be taken himself for an Heathen or Infidel 19. And we have experience of millions that still do actually and stedfastly believe in Christ without Miracles and many have laid down their lives on that belief therefore without miracles men may believe But to this Clem Writer saith to me These believers of all sorts condemn each other as Hereticks Answ. But not as Infidels None but the ignorant or passionate condemn all other sorts as Hereticks The sober do not And it is not enough to prove you a bastard if an angry Brother call you so 20. Because this sheet alloweth me not room I intreat the Reader to peruse these Texts which tell him aloud that the word and works of God must be believed by Tradition though without Miracles Exod. 10. 1 2. 12. 14 17 26 27 42. Deut. 11. 2. to the 22. 29. 22. to 28. Iosh. 4. 6 7. 22. 24. to 32. Psalm 48. 13. 78. 1. to 9. 102. 18. 145. 4. 89. 1. Ioel. 1. 2 3 4. Acts 1. 8. 2. 32. 5. 30 31 32. 10. 38. to 42. 13. 30 31. 1. 22. 4. 33. 22. 15. 26. 16. 23. 11. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Iohn 20. 29. 19. 35. 15. 27. 12. 17. 5. 33. 1. 15 32 34 Luke 4. 22. 1 Pet. 5. 1. And that you would read my Determination of this very Question in my Book against Infidelity I proceed to the next Proposition 3. This ordinary Ministry for teaching ruling and publick worship was ordained by Christ to continue till his coming and doth yet continue and did not cease when the extraordinary Ministry ceased I prove it Matth. 16. 18. Vpon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it The Church never did nor can subsist without its Officers who are an Essential part of it as it is a Political Body and the first and most eminent part as it is a Community And therefore if the Ministry be extinct the Gates of Hell have prevailed against the Church And then Christ is overcome or hath broke his promise and then he were not Christ So that if Christ be Christ the Church and Ministry continue So Luke 1. 33. He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Isa. 9. 6 7. Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Psalm 145. 13. Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations Christ ruleth by his Officers in his Church if Church or Ministry had an end his Kingdome had an end and he reigned not for ever Matth. 28 20. Loe I am with you alway even to the end of the world To this express promise Clem. Writer hath no wiser an answer but that it is conditional If they teach men to observe all things that Christ hath commanded then he will be with them else not Repl. This is your forgery here is no such words but an absolute promise His being with them is to support and help them in his work And will you feign Christ to promise them help on condition they do it without The further Cavils against this Text and others the London Ministers in their Vindication have answered at large Eph. 4. 11 12 13. The Pastâ—rs and Teachers are given to the Church for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man c. Extraordinary and ordinary Officers are here conjoyned who between them are to perfect the building the first laying the foundation and the others building thereon 1 Tim. 6. 13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God that thou keep
As an usurping Magistrate oweth us protection though he shall answer for his Usurpation so an usurping Minister oweth us his labour so that the people are bound to hear and obey men when they are uncertain of their due Call if they possess the place and shall have the blessing of such Administrations For we are sure the Office and work is of God Proposition 11. The truth of our Doctrine depends not on our Calling Were we no Ministers we can prove the Gospel true which we deliver And any man must be believed that brings a truth that concerneth our peace Therefore let Quakers and Seekers and Papists first disprove our Doctrine if they can and not cheat the people by perswading them that our Calling must first be proved as a Prophets must be Object But you have your learning only from Books and Vniversities and so have not true Ministers Answ. We have it from God in the use of his means even by prayer reading study and learning his works and word of our Teachers whether at Universities or elsewhere And we are commanded to study and meditate on these things and give our selves wholly to them and to meditate on Gods Law day and night Psal. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 4. 13 15. Christs Ministers must be Teachers or Tutors to others and commit the things which they have heard to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2. â— Good Ministers of Christ are nourished up in the words of faith and good Doctrine and so attain to it 1 Tim. 4. 6. All should learn according to their time of teaching Heb. 5. 11 12 14. We study nothing but the Word and works of God And is not that a Wretch and not a man that will reproach us as no Ministers for doing that which we have our Reason for and which must be the work of our lives Poor Christians as you love God and your Souls and would not cast off Christ and Heaven let not Deceivers draw you to cast off the Ministry Scripture or the Ordinances of God FINIS * That 〈◊〉 local Altar is here meant I elsewhere prove against them that say it is but one communicating Body adhearing to one Bishop See Mr. Iones Hearts Soveraign excellently describing the English Succession Alpaspinaeus learnedly maketh the best of it But of Can. 34. confesseth a worsâ— sence than this of Binnius And no General Council had judged against them for there had been none ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ Sâ—crat l. 7. c. 3. Socr. ib. c. 7. Socr. c. 15. ☜ Niceph. l. 14. c. 17. ☞ Socr. l. 7. c. 28. Socr. c. 29. c. 31. c. 32. c. 33. ☞ â—in p 786. ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ Bin. Tom. 2. p. 7 8. ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Bin. p. 151. Niceph. l. 15. c. 19. Niceph. l. 15. c. 17 18 19. ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ And more largely Ep. 13. ad Episcop Dardainae ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Evagr. l. 3. cap. 4. ☜ Evagr. l. 6. cap. 6. Ann. 518. ☞ Evag. l. 4. c. 10. 11. and Nicep l. 17. c. 7. ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Some late Historians tell us of incredible numbers of the Egyptian Christians whom Iastinian destroyed in this blind zeal for Christ but I find no such thing in the old Historians though it was too bad ☞ ☞ ☞ Constant. an 547. ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * And would not Papists have Princes do so ☜ ☜ ☜ * Barâ—nius contradicteth Anastasius others in this point ☞ * Baronius thinks that Theodomire was Father to 〈◊〉 ☜ ☜ ☞ * No not the Roman ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ Bin. pag. 127. ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ * Pag. 217 218. vide caetera ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * No wonder * Were not Monks holy men then * If you will needs have the honour of so had a work that you may have power to do the like take it ☜ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ Sixtus Seneâ—sis Pet. Crabbe p. 458. say it was at Ephesus but Binnius confuteth them ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * See Hen. Fowlis of Papists Treasons P. 120. proving the whole Story false ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ * The Verb is left out (*) Where he was lately a Leader * How was he then of her substance ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ Crab. p. 485. ☜ * At Constantinople ☞ ☜ (*) What! superior to Christ's Humanity How prove you that she is superior to the highest Angels (*) Are the bodies of all Saints already risen Crab. p. 605. ☞ * Alas Must all be Separatists from the Bishops in England France c * As by Interdicts ☜ ☞ ☞ Bin. p. 288 Bellarm. de Imag. lib. 2. It was such a Western General Council as that at Trent was for extent * Lib. 2. de Imagin cap. 14. Even Dion Petavius after all saith In which Synod of Frankford the 7th General Council was rejected by the Bishops that were ignorant â—f its Decrees An. 794. Hist. l. 8. c. 7. ☜ ☞ Bin. p. 428. Ex quadam Elipandi confessione quae in Biblioth Toletana reperitur in quodam libro à Beato Heterio contra Elipandum scripto aiunt nonnulli Faelicem Elipandum non in mysterio Incarnationis sed tantum abutâ—ndo voce Adoptionis instar Durandi aberrâsse Idemque conjecturis affirmant istis quod nihil eorum quae Nestorio objecta fuerant in Conc. Ephes. contra Elipandum attulerent c. See the rest ☞ Vid. Not. Bin. p. 428 ☜ ☜ ☜ See Petav. Hist. li. 8. c. 6. ☞ ☞ ☞ * This is not the first time that Councils have 〈…〉 Catholick Church * They mean but the Canons of the Church * A new Controversie ☜ ☜ * Council-Curses for Opinions take place Bin p. 470 Epist. Theod. * It 's like Iulius Marinus as Onuphrius saith was his name * Saith Vita Ludovici in Bin. p. 525. Congregatis Episcopis c. fecit componi ordinarique librum Canonicae vitae normam gestantem in quo totâ—us 〈◊〉 erdinis perfectio continetur In quo inseri jussit câ—â—i potusque omnium necessarrorum sâ—mmam Quem librum per omnes Civitates Monasteria Canonici ordinis sui imper◠〈◊〉 per manus missâ—rum prudeâ—tium See the rest so that it was the Emperor's Book and not the Council's work ☜ * Quae si vera sunt saith Binnius himself ☜ * An unlikely thing ☜ ☜ ☜ * Mark that it is the Rights of the Empire ☞ ☜ a O wicked use of Bishops b Whom should they have feared more than God and their King c Is this the use of Reliques An. 833. * Here is a High Court of Prelatical Justice against a good Emperor * Lotharius accusing his Father a No doubt but you made this known too far
so conditional subscriptions quieted their Consciences and when the Arians thought they had the Victory and had made the rest Conformists it proved otherwise for they did not in sence and with approbation subscribe But though the Filth of the Arian Heresie justifie all just care and endeavours to keep it out the multitudes of new Creeds then made by one and the other Party became such a snare and shame to the Church that Hilary among others greatly lamented it even in these sad expressions Post Nicenam Synodum nihil aliud quà m Fidem scribimus dum in Verbis pugna est dum de novitatibus quaestio est dum de ambiguis dum de authoribus querela est dum de studiis certamen est dum in consensu difficultas est dumque alter alteri Anathema esse coepit propè jam Nemo est Christi Proximi anni fides quid immutationis habet Primum decretum Homousion decernit taceri sequens rursùs Homousion decernit praedicit Tertium usiam simplicitèr à Patribus praesumptam per indulgentiam excusat Postremum quartumque non excusat sed condemnat Tandem eò processum est ut neque penes nos neque penes quenquam ante nos sanctum exinde aliquid atque inviolabile perseveret Annuas atque Menstruas de Deo Fides decernimus decretis poenitemus poenitentes defendimus defensos Anathematizamus aut in nostris aliena aut in alienis nostra damnamus mordentes invicem jam absumpti sumus ab invicem Is not this a doleful description of the Bishops so soon after their wonderful deliverance and exaltation The cause of all he tells us was partly forsaking the simple Form of Baptismal Faith as not sufficient and partly following Votes and worldly Powers Dum à quibus ea requiritur sua scribunt non quae Dei sunt praedicant orbem aeternum erroris redeuntis in se semper certaminis circumtulerunt Oportuerat humanae infirmitatis modestia omne cogitationis divinae sacramentum illis tantùm conscientiae suae finibus contineri quibus credidit Neque post confessam juratam in baptismo fidem in nomine Patris Filii Sp. sancti quicquam aliud vel ambigere vel innovare And speaking of mens perverting the sence he addeth Scribendae innovandae fidei exinde usus inolevit Qui postquam nova potius coepit condere quam accepta retinere nec vetera defendit nec innovata firmavit facta est Fides temporum potiùs qùam Evangeliorum dum secundùm annos scribitur secundùm confessionem baptismi non tenetur Periculosum admodùm nobis miserabile est tot nunc Fides existere quot voluntates tot nobis doctrinas esse quot mores tot causas blasphemiarum pullulare quot vitia sunt dum aut ita fides scribuntur ut volumus aut ita ut volumus intelliguntur Et cum secundùm unum Deum unum Dominum unum baptisma fides una sit excidimus ab eâ fide quae sola est dum plures siunt ad id coeperunt esse nè ulla sit referring to Nice Fides enim quaeritur quasi fides nulla sit Fides scribenda est quasi in corde non sit Regenerati per fidem nunc ad fidem docemur quasi regeneratio illa sine fide sit Christum post baptisma discimus quasi baptisma aliquid esse possit sine Christi fide Emendamus quasi in spiritum sanctum peccâsse sit venia Sed impietatis ipisus hinc vel praecipue causa perpetua est quod fidem Apostolicam septuplo proferentes ipsitamen fidem Evangelicam volumus confiteri dum impietates nostras nobis in populis multiloquis defendimus magniloquentiae vanitate aures simplicium verbis fallentibus illudimus dum evitamus de Domino Christo ea credere quae de se docuit credenda per speciosum pacis nomen in unitatem perfidiae subrepimus sub rejiciendis novitatibus rursum ipsi novis ad Deum vocibus rebellamus sub scripturarum vocabulo non scripta mentimur Tutissimum nobis est primam solam Evangelicam fidem confessam in baptismate intellectamque retinere ☜ nec demutare quod solum acceptum atque auditum habeo bene credere Non ut ea qua synodo Patrum nostrorum the Nicene continentur tanquam irreligiosè impiè scripta damnanda sint sed quia per temeritatem humanam usurpantur ad contradictionem quod ob hoc sub nomine novitatis Evangelium negaretur impericulose tanquam sub emendatione innovetur Quod emendatum est semper proficit dum omnis emendatio displicet emendationem omnem emendatio consequuta condemnet ac si jam quicquid illud est non emendatio aliqua sit emendationis sed coeperit esse condemnatio And as to the second Cause he saith Ac primum misereri licet nostrae â—tatis laborem praesentium temporum stultas opiniones congemiscere quibus patrocinari Deo humana creduntur ad tuendam Christi Ecclesiam ambitione saculari laboratur Oro vos Episcopi qui hoc vos esse creditis quibusnam suffragiis ad praedicandum Evangelium Apostoli usi sunt Quibus adjuti potestatibus Christum praedicaverunt gentesque ferè omnes ex idolis ad Deum transtulerunt Anne aliquam sibi assumebant è palatio dignitatem hymnum Deo in carcere inter catenas post flagella cantantes At nunc proh dolor divinam fidem suffragia terrena commendant inopsque virtutis sua Christus dum ambitio nomini suo conciliatur arguitur Add what he saith of the Causes of Errour Lib. 10. de Trin. initio Non est amiguum omnem humani eloquii sermonem contradictioni obnoxium semper fuisse quia dissentientibus voluntatum motibus dissentiens quoque fit sensus animorum Cum adversantium judiciorum affectione compugnans assertionibus his quibus offenditur contradicit Quamvis enim omne dictum veri ratione perfectum sit tamen dum aliud aliis aut videtur aut complacet patet veritatis sermo adversantium responsioni quia contra veritatem aut non intellectam aut offendentem vel stultae vel vitiosae volunâ—â—tis error obnitetur Immoderata enim est omnis susceptarum voluntatum pertinacia indeflexo 〈◊〉 adversandi studium persistit ubi non rationi voluntas subjicitur nee studium doctrinae impenditur sed his quae volumus rationem conquirimus his quae studemus doctrinam coaptamus Iamâ— nominis potius quam naturae erit doctrina quae fingitur jam non veri manebit ratio sed placiti Caetera ibi videat Lector But having been long in this Citation of Hilary I return to the History of what followed these Councils and Creeds aforesaid § 43. LVI In the mean time Constantius calleth a Council of 50 Bishops to Constantinople where Aetius was condemned and a ninth Creed since the
Nicene formed which excluded both the word substance and hypostasis or subsistence The Semi-Arians detesting this condemned and banished the Authors But another Form sent from Ariminum was preferred and imposed to be subscribed on all the Bishops of East and West § 44. LVII An. 360. Meletius Bishop of Antioch being put in by the Acacians proved Orthodox contrary to their expectation And being preaching for the Trinity his Archdeacon stopt his Mouth and he preached by his Fingers holding forth One and Three And for this was ejected contrary to some former Covenants Wherefore they were fain to call a Council at Antioch to justifie his ejection Here they made yet another Creedâ—â— the worst of all before it § 45. LVIII Constantius being dead Iulian the Apostate is made Emperour would not this end the Quarrel of Christian Bishops Athanastus returneth to Alexandria after the third 〈…〉 years hiding an 362. Gregory the Bishop being 〈…〉 by the Heathen and burnt to Ashes He calls 〈…〉 Here besides the receiving of those that unwillingly 〈◊〉 to the Arians divers new Controversies are judged 1. Eunemius Macedonius and the Semiarians denyed the Godhead of the Holy Ghost which was here asserted 2. Apollinaris thought that Christ took but a Body at his Incarnation his Divine Nature being instead of a Soul which was here condemned 3. The Orthodox Greek and Latines could not agree by what name to distinguish the Trinity The Greeks said there were three hypostases which the Latines rejected as signifying three substances Hierome himself could not away with the word Hypostasis The Latines used the word Person The Greeks rejected that as signifying no real distinction and are the Schoolmen for a real distinction yet For they thought Persona signified but the relation of one in Authority or Office And thus while as Ierome said Tota Grâ—corum prophanorum Schola discrimen inter hypostasin usiam ignorabat Ep. 57. and the sense of the word Person was not well determined the danger was so great of further dissention among the Orthodox Bishops themselves that as Greg. Naz. saith de laud. Athanas. The matter came to that pass that there was present danger that together with these syllables the ends of the World East and West should have been torn from each other and broken into parts But the Synod agreed that the Greek hypostasis and the Latine Persona should henceforth be taken as of the same signification But what that signification is it was not so easie to tell Yet saith Binnius Augustine de Trinit l. 5. c. 8 9. and the Latines afterwards were displeased with this reconciliation and Hierome himself who yet obtain'd of Damasus Ep. 57. that the conciliation being but of a Controversie de nomine might be admitted § 46. LIX An. 362. Iulian reigning several French Councils besides one then at Paris were employed in receiving the repentance of the Bishops that under Constantius had subscribed to the Arians § 47. LX. At Iulians death Athanasius calleth some Bishops to Alexandria betimes to send to the Emperour Iovianus their Confession to prevent the Arians and other Hereticks § 48. LXI A Council also was called at Antioch on this occasion The Semiarians petitioned Iovianus that the Acacians as Hereticks might be put out and they put in their places The Emperour gave them no other Answer but that he hated contention but would love and honour those that were for concord They feeling his pulse got Meletius to call a Council at Antioch where they seemed very sound and twenty seven Arian Bishops without any stop subscribed the Nicene Creed So basely did these Bishops follow the stronger side and saith Binnius of so great consequence with Bishops is the Emperours mind § 49. LXII An. 364. Valentinian being Emperour left the Bishops to meet when and where they would themselves And a Council was held at Lampsacus where the Semiarians condemned the Arians And though some call it Orthodox Busil and some good men being there Binnius saith that the Macedonians here vented their denyal of the Godhead of the Holy Ghost and that the Hereticks pretending to own the Nicene Faith were recieved by Liberius § 50. LXIII A Council in Sicily owned the Nicene Creed § 51. LXIV Some Bishops at Illyricum restored the Nicene Creed the Emperour being now for it And Valentinian and Valens wrote to the Asian Bishops to charge them to cease Persecuting any of Christs labourers § 52. LXV An. 365. At a Synod in Tyana Cappadoc Eustathius Sebast by Pope Liberius Letters was restored to his Bishoprick and after cursed the Homousion the Nicene Creed and denyed the Godhead of the Holy Ghost By their means Basil returned from his Wilderness to Caesarea whence he fled to avoid the enmity of Eusebius the Bishop who received him upon his professed resolution for Peace which he would buy at any rates § 53. LXVI The Emperour Valens unhappily taken in to Valentinian after the conquest of Procopius desired Baptisme and having an Arian Wife was baptized by Eudoxius Constant. an Arian Bishop who engaged him to promote the Arian Cause which he did with a blind religious zeal persecuting not only the Orthodox and Novatians but also the Semiarians and Macedonians And a Council of Bishops in Caria rejected Consubstantial and restored the Antiochian and Seleucian Creed as the best § 54. LXVII An. 366. Some Arian Bishops at Singedim in Mysia restored the Ariminum Creed of Like substance and solicited Geminius the Semiarian Bishop to consent but prevailed not § 55. LXVIII Two Councils were held at Rome by Damasus one to condemn Valens and Vrsatius old Arian Bishops Another to condemn Auxentius Bishop of Milan and Sisinius as a Schismatical Competitor with himself For when Damasus was chosen the people were divided and Damasus his Party being the more valiant Warriors they fought it out in the Church and left one day an hundred thirty seven dead Bodies behind them to shew that they had no Communion with them And because Sisinius and his Party still kept Conventicles he was banished and many with him and now again condemned § 56. LXIX Another Council at Rome he had to condemn Vitalis and the Apollinarians that took Christs Godhead to be instead of a Soul to his Body and the Millenaries § 57. LXX A Council was called at Antioch to end a Schism there being three Bishops two Orthodox Meletius and Paulinus and one Arian Euzoius They ended the Schism by agreeing that Meletius and Paulinus should both continue till one dyed and then the other alone should succeed him the Presbyters being sworn not to accept it while one of them lived But Meletius dying first Flavianus a Presbyter was said to break his Oath and was chosen in his stead while Paulinus an excellent person lived And so the Schism was continued CHAP. IV. The First General Council at Constantinople and some following § 1. THe reason why the West with Rome was freer from the Arian Heresie than the East
forsook the Party called the Catholick Church and gathered separated Churches and became the Head of a Schism called since Luciferian Hereticks meerly because the Churches received the confessing returning Arians to Communion and he owned Elavianus And thus even good Bishops could not agree nor scape the imputation of Heresie § 10. Baronius and Binnius after him say Nazianzenus hunc discordiam suâ abdicatione compositum iri arbitratus sedi Constantinopolitanae cum consensu Imperatoris non sine magno Bonorum ac populi fletu renunâ—iat atque statim post habitas in Synodo aliquot actiones comitantibus optimis quibuscunque Orientalibus in Cappadociam discedit Tum qui supererant ibi Episcopi ac Sacerdotes Nundinarii in locum Christiani perfectissimi Theologi absolutissimi Monachi castissimi Nectarium hominem nondum Christianum sed adhuc Catechumenum rerum Ecclesiasticarum penitùs imperitum in voluptatibus saeculi carnis hactenùs versatum suffecerunt § 11. This Council added to the Nicene Creed some words about the Holy Ghost The advancement of the Constantinopolitane Bishop by this Synod with the reasons of it bred such a jealousie in the Bishops of Rome as hath broken the Churches of the East and West which are unhealed to this day § 12. LXXII Two Bishops Palladius and Secundianus complained to Gratian that they were unjustly judged Arians and desired a Council to try them Ambrose perswaded him not to trouble all the World for two Men. A Council of 32 Bishops is called for them at Aquileia They refuse to be accountable to so few and are condemned § 13. LXXIII An. 381. Twelve Bishops met at Caesaraugusta against the Priscillianists These Men had divers other Councils in those times Ithacius and Idacius were the Leaders The whole Story you may find in Sulpitius Severus in the Life of Martin c. The sum is this Priscillianus a rich Man of much Wit and learning was infected with the Heresie of the Gnosticks and Manichees Many followed him his party was much in Fasting and Reading The Bishops in Council excommunicated them Yet they kept up The Bishops in Council sought to the Emperour Gratian to suppress them by the Sword A while they prevailed But the Priscillianists quickly learned that way and got a great Courtier to be their Friend and Gratian restored them Gratian being killed when Maximus was chosen Emperour by his Army the Bishops go to Maximus for help The Arians having got Head against Ambrose at Milan and these Sectaries troubling the Churches in France Spain and Italy Maximus a Man highly commended for Piety by most Writers saw that being forced by his Army to accept the Empire he was a Usurper being once engaged thought the defence of the Orthodox would strengthen him So he forced Valentinian by Threats to forbear wronging Ambrose And to please the Bishops he put Priscillian to death and banished some of his Followers Martin Bishop of Tome being a Man of small learning but of great Holiness and austerity of Life living like a Hermite in the poorest Garb and Cabbin lying on the Ground faring hard praying much and working more Miracles if Sulpitius his Schollar and Acquaintance may be believed than we read of any since the Apostles even than Gregory Thaumaturgus did abhor drawing the Sword against Hereticks and disswaded the Bishops and Emperour but in vain The prosecution was so managed by the Bishops that in the Countreys those that did but Fast and Read much were brought under the suspicion of Priscillianism and reproached This common injury to Piety from the Bishops grieved Martin yet more so that he renounced the Communion of the Bishops and their Synods whereupon they defamed him to the Emperour and People as an unlearned Man a Schismatick suspected of favouring Priscillianism But Martins holiness and Miracles magnified him with the Religious sort At last a great Priscillianist being sentenced to death Martin travelled to the Emperour Maximus to beg his Life Maximus told him he would grant his desire if he would but once communicate with the Bishops Martin preferring Mercy before sacrifice yielded and did once communicate with them But professed that in his way home an Angel corrected him and threatned him if he did so any more and that from that time his gift of Miracles was diminished and so he never communicated with them more to the Death Sulpitius his Narrative puts the Reader to a great difficulty either to believe so many and great Miracles as he reports or not to believe so learned pious and credible an Historian who professeth to say nothing but what he either saw himself or had from the Mouth of Martin or those that saw them and who speaketh his own knowledg of his eximious Piety He speaketh hardly of the Bishops not only as complying with an Usurper but that Ithacius in particular of his knowledge was one that much cared not what he said or did The Bishops would have denied that the death of Priscillian was by their means Is it not strange that the Church of Rome should Canonize Martin for a Saint believing his great Miracles and yet themselves go an hundred times further against the blood of Dissenters than the Bishops did whom Saint Martin therefore opposed and separated from to the death The Churches in Spain and elsewhere were disturbed and scattered or endangered by Souldiers to please these Bishops not as some forge that Maximus did persecute the Christians for the Prey For most Writers magnifie his Piety and Defence of Ambrose and the Orthodox that condemn his Usurpation though he said the Souldiers in Britain forced him to it § 14. LXXIV A General Council was called to Rome by the Emperour and Damasus but the Oriental Bishops would not come so far but met at Constantinople Here Damasus owned Paulinus at Antioch as the Council of Const. had owned Meletius And so neither would be obedient to the other the General Council nor the Pope But Damasus durst not excommunicate Flavianus but permitted two Bishops to continue at Antioch accounted a Schism which continued long § 15. LXXV The Oriental Bishops that would not come to Rome meeting at Constantinople wrote to Rome to tell them their Case and Faith minded them that it was according to the Canons that Neighbour Bishops and not Strangers should Ordain Bishops to vacant Seats to justifie their setting up Flavianus when Rome set up Paulinus And they give account of the advancement of Const. and Ierusalem and call Ierusalem The Mother of all other Churches § 16. A Synod held at Syda against the Massalians little is known of § 17. LXXVI A Council at Bourdeaux condemned Instantius Priscillian who thereupon was slain at Trevers § 18. LXXVII An. 386. A Council at Rome under Syricius repeated some of the old Canons § 19. LXXVIII Theognostus having excommunicated Ithacius and reprehended the Bishops as irregular and bloody for procuring the Death of Priscillian a Council called at Trevers did justifie and acquit
him Unjustly say even Binnius and Baronius who here repeat out of Sulpitius Martins once communicating with the Bishops there to save two Mens Lives and the Words of the Angel to him Meritò Martine compungeris Sed aliter exire nequîsti Repara virtutem resume Constantiam ne jam non periculum gloriae sed salutis incurras Itaque ab illo tempore satis cavit cum illâ Ithacianae partis communione misceri Caeterùm cum tardius quosdam ex ergumenis quam solebat gratiâ minore curaret subinde nobis cum lachrymis fatebatur se propter communionis illius malum cui se vel puncto temporis necessitate non spiritu miscuisset detrimentum virtutis sentire sexdecim pòst vixit annos nullam Synodum adiit c. Is it not strange that Papists blush not to recite such a History with approbation which expresseth a testimony from Heaven against far less than their Inquisition Flames Murders Canons de heraeticis comburendis exterminandis and Deposing Princes that will not execute them And which sheweth such a Divine justification for separation from the Bishops and Synods of such a way yea though of the same Religion with us and not so Corrupt as the Reformation found the Roman Papacy and Clergy § 20. LXXIX The two Bishops continuing at Antioch Evagrius succeeding Paulinus and Rome owning him and the East Flavianus a Council is called at Capua Flavian refuseth to come The Council had more wit than many others and Ordered that both Congregations Flavian's and Evagrius's being all good Christians should live in loving Communion O that others had been as wise in not believing those Prelates that perswaded the World that it is so pernicious a thing for two Churches and Bishops to be in one City as Peter and Paul are said to be at Rome And they referred the Case to Theophilus Alex. § 21. But this Council condemned a new Heresie Hereticating was in fashion viz. of one Bishop Bonosus denying Mary to have continued a Virgin to the death And they condemned Re-baptizing and Re-ordaining and the Translation of Bishops § 22. LXXX Next comes a Provincial Council or two at Arles which doth but repeat some former Canons § 23. LXXXI Next we have a strange thing a Heresie raised by one that was no Bishop But the best is it was but a very little Heresie Hierome is the describer of it who writing against the Author Iovinian a Milan Monk no doubt according to his sharpness makes the worst of it At the worst it containeth all these 1. That Virgins Widows and Marryed Women being all baptized or washed in Christ and not differing in any other works are of equal merits 2. That those that plenâ â—â—de with a full faith are born again in baptisme cannot be subverted by the Devil 3. There is no difference of merit between abstaining from meat and receiving it with thanksgiving 4. That there 's one Reward in Heaven for all that keep their baptismal vow Siricius catching Iovinian hid at Rome sends him to Milan where a Council Hereticateth him § 24. LXXXII It 's strange that Binnius vouchsafeth next to add out of Socrates l. 5. c. 20. when he Hereticateth him also a Council of the Novatians Socrates and Sozomen are called Novatians by the Papists because they rail not at them so valiantly as the Hereticators do And it may be they will call me one if I say that I better like this Councils Canon than burning men for such a Heresie They decree that as from the Apostles the different time of keeping Easter was not taken for sufficient cause for Christians to renounce Communion with each other so it should be esteemed still and it should be so far left indifferent that they live in love and Communion that are herein of different minds And I would say as lowd as I can speak If all the proud contentious ambitious hereticating part of the Bishops had been of this Christian mind O what sin what scandal and shame what cruelties confusions and miseries had the Christian world escaped But yet men will scorn to be so far Novatians in despight of Scripture reason humanity and experience whatever sin or misery follow As I said before in England the Convocation and Parliaments oversight hath determined of a false rule to know Easter-day and silenceth Ministers for not Assenting Consenting to it and approving the Use of it even the Use which consisteth in keeping Easter at a wrong time which makes us Hereticks § 25. LXXXIII An. 393. A great Council was called at Hippo where Austin yet a Presbyter was there Good men will do well Here was nothing but pious and honest for reformation of Discipline and Manners And most of the African Councils were the best in all the world Their Bishopricks were but like our Parishes and they strove not who should be greatest or domineer § 26. LXXXIV Next a Council at Constant. decideth a Crontroversie between two men striving for a Bishoprick Bin. p. 539. § 27. LXXXV Concilium Adrumetinum did we know not what § 28. LXXXVI An. 394. A Council of Donatists was held at Cavernae about a schism between two men set up for Bishops against each other § 29. LXXXVII At Bagai another Council was called by the Donatists for the same Cause where Primianus Carthag having 310. Bishops condemned Maximianus his Competitor absent Note here 1. How great a number the Donatists were and on what pretence as over-voting them they called others Hereticks and Schismaticks 2. How small Bishopricks then were the number tells us § 30. LXXXVIII A Synod was held at Taurinum in Savoy where a difference was decided between the Bishops of Arles and Vienne striving which should be greatest And he was judged to be the greatest whose seat was proved to be the Metropolitan And a case of Communicating with one Foelix a Partner of Ithacius and the bloody Bishops was debated § 31. LXXXIX Another Carthage Council called the second which Binnius saith was the last is placed next which decreed several Church Orders some of which shew that a Bishops Diocess had then but unum altare As when reconciliation of Penitents as well as Chrisme and Consecrating Virgins was to be done by the Bishop only except in great necessity And when Christians were multiplyed they that desired a Bishop in a place that had none before might have one And the prohibition erigendi aliud altare c. was repeated § 32. XC Another Carthage Council called the third hath many good Orders One is Can. 26. That the Bishop of the first Seat shall not be called the Chief Priest or Bishop or any such thing but only the Bishop of the first Seat To avoid all ambitious designs of superiority Whence Binnius elsewhere noteth that Carthage had not an Archbishop No doubt they had a sense of the sin and misery that came by the Patriarchall and other ambitious strifes § 33. XCI Another Carthage
Good Evil and the most certain Truths by the name of Perverse and unjust Doctrines against the Lord and Mens own Souls What heed to take of these Mens words when they seem zealous against Sin and Error § 16. Perhaps you will ask How could any but Idiots be so ignorant Whither did they think the Setting-Sun went Or what did they think the Earth stood upon Answ. The easiest things are strange to Men that never learnt them it 's pity that it should be true that Lactantius and other Ancients yea Austin himself were ignorant of the Antipodes but yet they had more Modesty than to hereticate and excommunicate them that affirmed it Few Bishops had much Philosophy then Origen and Apollinaris that were most Philosophical had been hereticated and disgraced it Clemens and Tatianus sped not much better Councils had forbid Bishops to read the Books of Heathens Austin had a truly Philosophical head being the Father of School-Divinity but he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had little from his Teachers You may see in a great Hereticater Philastrius what they thought then of the course of the Sun by what he saith of the Stars As it was one Heresie to call the Star◠by the names of living Creatures so it was another to deny that the Stars were Luminaries arbitrarily moved that by Angels were set out at night to light the World and at morning retired inwards or were taken into their place again as Men set out lights to the street at night and take them in again I confess that no General Council declared this as they have done worse things but you see what kind of Men were hereticated by Pope Zachary St. Boniface and St. Philastrius and such Bishops and how little it signifieth in such Writers whether you read a Man called a Saint or a Sinner an Orthodox Catholick or Nefandissimus Haereticus as they use to speak I speak it only of such Men. § 17. For Reader I must still remember thee that this Folly Pride and almost Fury was not the Genius or Character of the true spiritual Ministers and Church of Christ but of a worldly ignorant domineering sort of Men that made it their business to get Preferment and have their wills God had all this while abundance of faithful Ministers that sate down at the lower end and humble holy People that set not up themselves in worldly Grandure and came not much on the Stage but approved themselves in secret and in their several Places and Conversations to God some Lay-men some Priests some Bishops some of their names are come down to us in History but those are few They strove not for great Places nor did their Works to be seen of Men nor looked to Men for their Reward § 18. Some of the Canons and Councils of these Universal Pastors were answerable to their Excommunications In Zachary ' s 12th Epistle to his Vassal St. Boniface he giveth him the resolution of many doubts One is After how long time Lard may be eaten And it is resolved by the Pope That there is yet no Canon or Law for this by the Fathers but he determineth himself 1. That it must not be eaten before it be dried in the smoke or boiled or basted with fire But if you list to eat it raw it must be eaten after the Feast of Easter Binnius p. 209. What would become of the Church if there were not a Judge of such Controversies and an infallible Determiner of such Questions § 19. CCXXV. I told you before how the Pope commanded Boniface to call a Council to eject him that asserted the Antipodes I must next add a French Council called by King Carolomannus to Reform the Clergy an 742. and to recover Christian Religion which in the dayes of former Princes dissipata corruit being dissipated was ruined and to shew the People how they may come to save their Souls who have been hitherto deceived by false Priests They are the words of the King and Council Bin. p. 210. c. 2. Where it was decreed that Priests be not Soldiers unnecessarily That they keep not Hounds to go an hunting with nor Hawks That every Religious Fornicator shall in the Jayl do Pennance with Bread and Water If the Fornicator be a Priest he shall be first scourged and then remain in Prison two years But if an inferior Clerk or Monk so fall he shall be whipt and then do Pennance a whole year in Prison and so the Nuns This was somewhat like a Reformation Had it not been done by a King it might have past for Heresie It was at Ratisbonne Boniface presiding Such another Council called Leptinense there was under Carolomannus Another Council at Rome repeated the oft repeated Canons to keep Bishops and Priests from Nuns and from Fornication § 20. An. 744. Another Synodus Suession under Chilperic governed by Pepin condemned again Aldebert that set up Crosses in several places and drew People to himself and another as Hereticks § 21. Another Council in Germany an 745. handsomly set Boniface the Pope's Agent in the Archbishoprick of Mentz First Geroldus the Archbishop is sent out against the Saxons with an Army and he and most of them killed Then Gervilio his Son a Lay-man is made Archbishop to comfort him At another War he pretends a Conference with him that kill'd his Father and murders him this is past by as blameless But Boniface saith That a Man that had his hand in Blood must not be a Bishop and so got him out and was made the chief Archbishop of Germany himself in his place Judge whether he served the Pope for nought § 22. Yet Boniface had not done with the two Hereticks Aldebert and Clemens a French man and a Scot. Boniface sendeth to Rome Bin. p. 216. to desire the Pope that as he had himself condemned these two Hereticks the Pope would also condemn them and cast them into Prisons where none might speak with them Thus the Pope obtained his Kingdom and edified the Church The motive was that Boniface prosecuting them had suffered much for their sakes the People saying that he had taken from them holy Apostolick Men but this was not a Prison The Crimes which he chargeth on Aldebert a Bishop are that he was an Hypocrite an open Crime that he had said an Angel appeared to him and he had some rare Reliques and that he said he was Apostolick and wrought Wonders that he got some unlearned Bishops to make him a Bishop absolutely against the Canons He would not consecrate any Church to the memory of an Apostle or Martyr and spake against visiting in Pilgrimage the Temples of the Apostles He made Churches to his own honour and set up Oratories and Crosses up and down and drew People from other Bishops to himself That he gave his nails and hair to be honoured with the Saints Reliques and would not hear Confessions saying he knew their sins already If all this was true which I know never
not because he causeth not Cap. 3. About Christ's death they like not those that say he dyed for all that from the days of Adam till then had been damned but would have all take up with this simple Doctrine that God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Cap. 4. They conclude that all true Believers regenerate by water and the Spirit have their sins washed by the blood of Christ And they could not have true Regeneration if they had not true Redemption But of the multitude of the faithful and redeemed some are eternally saved because they persevere others are lost because they persevere not in the salvation of faith which they had received and so make void the grace of redemption Cap. 6. About Grace and infirmed Free-will restored and healed by Christ they exhort Men to stick to the Scriptures and the Councils of Africa and Orange and not to follow the Aniles penè Fabulas Scotorum I suppose they mean the Followers of Iohan. Scotus Erignenae who was murdered by his Scholars 833 whom Godescalcus followed lest they should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Remembring Christians that while they are vexed with the prevalency of the wicked in the world they should not vex the sad Congregations with such superfluous things Cap. 7. They advise that because Bishops were set over the Cities that were untryed and almost ignorant of Letters and unlike the Apostolick Prescript by which means the Ecclesiastical vigor is lost that they would petition the Prince that when a Bishop was wanting the Canonical Election by the Clergy and the People might be permitted because the King was used to thrust his Favorites on the People that Men of tryed knowledge and life and not illiterate Men blinded by covetousness might be set as Bishops over the Flocks § 10. CCLXIII An. 855. A Council was held at Papia in Italy by the Order of the Emperour Ludovicus for the Reformation of the corrupt Clergy where they ordered that the Clergy and People chuse the Bishops and yet that the Laity on pretence of their Electing Power trample not on the Arch-Presbyter and that great Mens Chappels empty not the Churches with other old Canons recited § 11. Lotharius that so mischievously sought for the Empire against his Father and Brethren grew weary of what he had and divided his 3d part which was the Empire of Italy with Burgundy and Lorrain into three parts and gave his Son Lewis the Empire in Italy and his Son Lotharius Lorrain and his Son Charles Burgundy and entered himself into a Monastery But Charles dying the other two Brethren divided his Dominion and Lyons Belanson and Vienna fell to Lotharius § 12. We come now to the Reign of Pope Ioane according to a great number of their own Historians but David Blondel hath recited the Testimonies of multitudes on both sides and after all impartially past his conjecture that the Story was not true whose judgment I reverence and think most probable Whether at that time there was a Iohn the 8th or none till him that some call Iohn the 9th after Adrian the 2d is uncertain § 13. Leo dying if there was no Iohn or Ioane between a Schism was made the People most chusing Benedict and the Agents of the Emperor with part of the People and Bishops chusing one Anastasius a Cardinal Presbyter that had been Excommunicate by a former Pope Anastasius thought his choice so sure that entering Leonina the Roman Suburbs he went into St. Peter's own Church and broke down and burnt the Images and with a Mattock cast down to the ground even the Image of Christ and the Virgin Mary They went on and imprisoned Benedict quem omnis Romana Plebs eligerat saith Anast. in Bin. p. 659. But while the great Men and Officers of the Emperor did their utmost to constrain the People to consent to Anastasius they could not prevail and so they were fain to yield to the multitude to end the Tumult and Confusion and Benedict had the place § 14. By this Story it appeareth 1. That this Anastasius was against Images and that was like enough to be part of the cause why he had five years left his Church in Rome before and refused to appear before Pope or Council 2. That when the Emperor and his Officers were so violent for his choice even after he had broken down the Images in St. Peter's Church it is apparent that the Party even about Rome and in the West which was against Images was not small though they made no stir § 15. This Pope Benedict was he that confirmed Hincmarus's Council which nullified Ebbo's Ordinations aforesaid as is to be seen in his first Epist. Bin. p. 662 c. § 16. An. 856. Charles Calvus by a Synods concurrence at Carissiac sent Orders against Church-Robbers very strict And 857 a Council at Mentz was held CCLXIV where Gunthar Bishop of Colen sent a Letter that A terrible Tempest arose in which the People for fear all ran into St. Peter's Church And the Church-beams cracking as they fell a praying to God for mercy suddenly a mishapen Thunderbolt like a fiery Dragon pierced and tâ—re the Church and at one stroke killed three men among all the multitude though those three stood in several places that is one Priest that stood at St. Peter's Altar one Deacon that stood at St. Denis's Altar and one Lay-man at St. Mary's Altar And six others were struck almost dead but recovered At Trevirs also were many Prodigies § 17. Pope Nicolas 1. is chosen by the Emperor Ludovicus consent and all the People He greatly advanceth the Roman Seat by his activity and much by doing justice to the People that were oppressed by Tyrannical Prelates He had a great conflict with Iohn Bishop of Ravenna who long despised him and denied him his subjection But the Emperor took the Pope's part and so poor Iohn was fain to submit and cry miseremini mei peto misereri mei Anast. in Bin. p. 667. and to take an Oath of subjection to the Pope § 18. The great Schism now rose at Constantinople whether Ignatius or Photius should be Patriarch Michael the Emperor deposing Ignatius by the counsel of his Uncle Bardas and putting in Photius The Pope kept up his power by interposing uncalled into all such matters He sent some Bishops as Legates to counsel them by a Synod to decide the difference When these Bishops came thither they consented to Photius against Ignatius The Pope said they were bribed and false to their trust and deposed them though he thought he chose the best he had of which more anon § 19. Yet we have not done with worldly Prelates King Lotharius was weary of his Wife and loved a Whore Waldrada He openeth his case to the Bishops They call a Council and approve of his Divorce and his
Marriage with Waldrada The two great Archbishops of Colen and Triers are the Leaders The Pope is against it and accuseth the Bishops of owning Adultery They appear at Rome and he condemneth them of Impudency while with some immodest words they undertake to justifie the thing of which more anon He chargeth the Bishops of heinous Villany and they despised him He condemneth the Concilium Metense in which the Adultery was allowed § 20. This Pope falls out with Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes justifying against him the cause of Rothaldus whom he had deposed He sends Messengers to the King of Bulgaria converted in his days whom the Emperor's Officers stop and abuse The Adversaries of Images were still strong at Constantinople Anast. Bin. p. 670 c. Epist. 2. He useth a notable Argument for Images viz. God is known only in the Image of his Works Why then may we not make Images of the Saints But why must Men be compelled to do it or else be Hereticks and why must they be worshipped Epist. 5. He is pitifully put to it to justifie the Election of Nectarius and Ambrose and yet to condemn that of Photius for being a Lay-man And Ep. 6 the same again in the instance also of Tarasius § 21. The 8th Epistle of this Pope Nicolas to the Emperor Michael doth shew that he had now shaken off the Imperial Power and therefore chargeth his Letters as full of Blasphemy Injury Madness c. partly for being so sawcy as to bid the Pope Send some to him which he saith was far from the godly Emperors Partly for blaming the deeds of the Prelates when he saith Their words must be regarded and their authority and not their deeds Partly for calling the Latine Tongue barbarous and Scythian in comparison of the Greek which he saith is to reproach God that made it Partly for saying that the Council that deposed Ignatius and set up Photius was of the same number of Bishops as the first Council of Nice where this high Pope's answer is worth the notice of our Papists Bin. p. 689. The small number hurteth not where Piety aboundeth Nor doth multitude profit where Impiety reigneth Yea by how much the more numerous is the Congregation of the malignant by so much the stronger are they to do mischief Nor must men glory in numbers when they fight not against the Rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness Glory not therefore in multitude because it is not the multitude but the cause that justifieth or damneth Fear not little Flocks c. This Doctrine was then fittest for the Pope in his Minority But the Letter is a Book pleading for the Roman Grandure and striving to bring the Emperor with others under his power § 22. In his Answer and Laws to the Bulgarians he difliketh their Severities against one that had pretended to be a Priest when he was not and had baptized many concluding that he had saved many and that they were not to be re-baptized Bin. p. 772. No not though he were no Christian that baptized them as after Consul Cap. 104. p. 782. To the Case Who are Patriarchs he saith properly they only that have succeeded Apostles which were only three Rome Alexandria and Antioch but improperly only Constantinople and Ierusalem But why then are not Ephesus Corinth Philippi c. Patriarchates And why had the rest of the Apostles no Successors Had they no Churches § 23. This Pope having Western security threatned Excommunication to the Emperor of the East unless he would depose Photius and restore Ignatius and threatned Lotharius for the cause of his rejected Wife and the Marriage of another as aforesaid and swaggered against Hincmarus Rhemensis for his deposing Rothaldus a Bishop and forced him to yield and condemned his Synod at Metz and would have proved that Pope Benedict had not confirmed it He and other Popes did make the Contentions of Bishops as well as of Princes a great means of their rising taking the part of him that appealed to Rome as injured and very oft of the truly injured By which means they had one Party still for them and all injured persons were ready to flie to them for help He Excommunicated the Bishops of Colen and Triers The poor Bishops that would fain be on the stronger side began now to be at a loss to know whether the Emperor or the Pope was the strongest They followed the Emperor and resisted the Pope a while The King and Hincmarus forbad Rothaldus going to Rome and imprisoned him But the Pope wearied them out by reason of the divisions of the Empire and Kingdom into so many hands of the French Line that being in continual suspicion of each other they needed the Pope's help Bin. p. 790. He ordereth Pennance instead of just death for one Cumarus that had murdered three of his own Sons viz. That for three years he pray at the Church-door and that for seven years he abstain from Wine three days in a week and for three years to go without shoes allowing him to eat Milk and Cheese but not Flesh and to enjoy his Possession but not have the Sacrament for seven years § 24. His Decretals begin That the Emperor's Iudgments and Laws are below the Canons and cannot dissolve them or prejudice them Tit. 4. 1. He saith All Patriarchal Dignity all Metropolitical Primacy all Bishops Chairs and the dignity of Churches of what Order soever were instituted by the Church of Rome But it 's he only did found it and erect it on the Rock of Faith now beginning who to St. Peter the Key-bearer of eternal life did commit the Rights both of the Terrene and the Celestial Empire Reader Had not the abuse of Humane Patriarchal Power and of Excommunications got up very high when this bold Pope made this Decree What! All Churches in the World made only by Rome Was not Ierusalem Antioch and many another made before it Did Christ say any thing of Rome Did not other Apostles build Churches by the same Apostolick Commission as Peter had Is not the Church built on the foundation of Prophets and Apostles Christ being the Head-corner Stone Did not others build the Church of Rome before Peter did it Did not Peter build other Churches before Rome Where and when did Christ give Peter the Imperial Power of Earth and Heaven did he not decide the Controversie who should be the chief or greatest with a prohibition of all Imperial Power With you it shall not be so § 25. But the next Dectee casteth Rome as low as this over-raised it If any one by Money or Humane-Favor or by Popular or Military Tumult be inthroned in the Apostolick Seats without the Concordant and Canonical Election of the Cardinals of that Church and then of the following Religious Clerks let him not be accounted a Pope or Apostolical but Apostatical By which Rome hath had so few Popes indeed and so many