of Munster assisted with the Princes of Germany besieged the town very strictly and in the end prevailed and tooke this new made King Cniperdolingus his false Prophet aliue and adiudged them not onely to be hanged in chaines of iron but before their hanging to haue their flesh seared with hot iron pincers Thus came the authors of this most vnhappy sect vnto a most miserable and shamefull destruction Of this Sect of Anabaptists sprang vp in Holland an impudent fellow David Georgius who affirmed that hee was Christ the Messias and Saviour of the world yet for feare of punishment hee fled out of the Low Countries and came to Basile where he remained vntill the day of his death all which time hee not only obscured his blasphemous errors but also behaved himselfe in outward show so humbly and modestly that hee was in good account and became wealthy also Yet after his death it was knowne that he had seduced many with his blasphemous errours Therefore the Councell of Basile commanded that his body should bee raised out of the graue and burnt with fire in token of their detestation of his abhominable errors About the same time also sprang vp Michael Servetus a Spaniard who renewed the blasphemous doctrine of Arrius affirming that God the Father is onely the true God and that neither the Sonne nor the holy Spirit is eternall God but that the Sonne is a creature and had the beginning of existence when God created the world He was taken in the towne of Geneva cast in prison but he would not be reclaimed from his blasphemous errors Therefore the Councell of the towne thought meet with flames of fire to stoppe the breath of this blasphemous man who durst set his mouth against the heauen to blaspheme the Sonne of God After his death many were found who maintained his errors as namely Valentinus Gentilis Gregorius Blandrata a Physitian in Italy Matheus Gribaldus a Lawyer and Paulus Alciatus with many others Amongst whom Valentinus Gentilis was bold to put in print his blasphemies and he called the summe of faith set forth by Athanasius Symbolum Satanasi calling Athanasius himselfe Satanasius but after hee had blasphemed the Sonne of God a while both by word and writ in the end hee was taken in the towne of Berne where hee suffered the iust deserved punishment of death Many other sprang vp in this age who were teachers of false and hereticall doctrine but because they had few followers so that the errour died with the author thereof wee haue no great need to enroll their names and errors in this booke at large but shortly to poynt them out Gasper Suenkefeldius a man borne in Silesia maintained this errour that the outward ministerie of the Word and Sacraments was not necessarie to eternall life because that by the illumination of Gods holy spirit without the ministerie of the Word men might be saved Andreas Osiander thought that Christ was our Mediatour onely in respect of his divine nature and on the other part Stantcarus refuting Osiander fell into the contrarie extremitie that Christ was Mediatour onely in respect of his humane nature Flaccius Illiricus supposed originall sin was a substance Huberus beleeved that all men were elected vnto eternall life and Franciscus Puccius defended this opinion that all men of whatsoever religion they were should bee saved if they led not a very impious life and evill conversation Finally in this age was cleerly discovered that hee who sate in the chaire of Christ as Christs Vicar was the very Antichrist and they who depend vpon the Pope as generall Bishop of all Christs sheepe were notable Heretiques giving the glorie of Christ to Antichrist denying the sufficiencie of the written Word bowing and kneeling to Images praying to creatures and accounting them mediators of their intercession sacrilegiously imitating the holy Sacrament of the Supper and taking from the people the vse of the Cup offering dayly a new propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne as though Christs sacrifice once offered vp vpon the Altar of the Crosse were imperfect damning marriage in some persons and forbidding meates which God hath allowed to bee eaten with thanksgiving with many other errors which the Lord hath cleerly detected to haue beene a long time by-past in the Romane Church Here endeth the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE HISTORY of the Church containing a short Compend of all the Councels together with their severall Canons since Christs dayes to this present CENTVRIE IV. COuncels may bee divided in Generall Nationall or Provinciall and Particular Councels Generall were called Oecomenicke Councels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek language signifieth the world because from all quarters of the world wherein Christ was preached Commissioners were sent to these Councels and they were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour Nationall or Provinciall Councels were such as were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperor in one Nation with the assistance of other neere approaching Nations for suppressing of heresies deciding of questions pacifying of â—chismes and appointing Canons and Constitutions for decent order to be kept in the Church The third sort of Councels were particular Councâ—ls by Bullenger called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as the Councels of Gangra Neocaesaria and many others gathered vsually by Patriarchs and Bishops in a corner of a Countrie but for the like causes that nationall Councels were assembled Let no man expect a recitall of particular Councels except at such times as some matter of great moment enforceth me to speake of them ANcyra is a towne of Galatia in this towne were assembled Bishops of diverse Provinces about the yeere of of our Lord 308. as is supposed The principall cause of their meeting was to constitute a forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to which they who either willingly or vnwillingly had sacrificed to Idols in time of persecution should bee received into the bosome of the Church againe when they were found penitent There were many rancks of persons who had defiled themselues with Heathenicke Idolatrie such as Libellatici Thurificati Sacrificati and Proditores The Councell of Ancyra took order chiefly with those who were called Thurificati and Sacrificati that is with them who either had cast vp incense vpon idolatrous Altars or else had eaten of meates sacrificed to Idols to whom it was inioyned to testifie their repentance a long time before they were received to the communion of Gods people some one yeere some two yeeres others three or foure yeeres some fiue or six yeeres and aboue according to the heauinesse of their transgression In this Councell it was ordained that Deacons who in time of their ordination did protest that they had not the gift of continency but were disposed to marrie if they married they should remaine in their Ministerie but they who in time of imposition of hands by
viuely by the Euangelist Luke whereat were present the Apostles Peter and Paul and Iames and Barnabas a reuerent man of God in whom Apostolike giftes were not lacking with other worthie men Iudas surnamed Barsabas and Silas notable Prophets and fellow-labourers of the Apostles likewise the Commissioners of Antiochia and Elders of Ierusalem with many others who were beleeuers What was concluded in this Councell I remit to the faithfull narration of the Euangelist Luke Alwayes if votes be pondered rather then numbred this is the Councell of Councels more worthie to bee called O Ecomenicke then the Councels of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and Chalcedon In the Councell of Nice were worthy Bishops who came from all quarters of the world but in this Councill were holy Apostles who could not erre in matters of faith O Ecomenicke Bishops indeede and any one of the holy Apostles was illuminated with more aboundance of cleare light in things pertaining to the worship of God then al the 300 18. bishops coÌ„ueened at Nice in Bithynea Many Romaine Deputies were sent in the dayes of Claudius to keepe Syria and Iudea in subjection to the Romaines such as Marsus Longinus Cuspius Phadus Tiberius Alexander Cumanus and Felix I leaue Marsus and Longinus for desire to open vp in what Deputies time things mentioned in holy Scripture came to passe When Cuspius Phadus was deputie there arose a deceitfull man named Theudas to whom resorted a number of men aboue 400. who were slaine and all who followed him were scattered Iosephus writeth that Phadus sent forth a trope of horsemen who suddenly charged the people that followed Theudas and slew them and tooke Theudas aliue and cut off his head and brought it to Ierusalem After this man arose one Iudas of Galile in the dayes of the tribute and drew away much people after him he also perished and all that obeyed him were scattered If Gamaliel in that narration keepe the order of time as these words After him would import of necessitie the words of the history of the Actes must be vnderstood of another Theudas then that man of whom Iosephus writeth in the place aboue mentioned For Iudas of Galile liued in the dayes of Augustus and when Cyrenius was Deputie of Syria and Iudea But I am not certaine whether or no the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe absolutely import that Iudas of Galile was posterior in time to Theudas When Cumanus was Deputie who succeded to Tiberius Alexander the insolencie of one Romaine souldier was the destruction of twentie thousand innocent people he discouered the secret parts of his body vpon a solemne feast day neere vnto the Temple and in the sight of the Iewes they counted this a contempt done to God in the porch of his owne house Cumanus drew the Romane souldiers to the Castle called Antonia verie neere the temple and set them in order and the people of the Iewes fearing the inuasion of the souldiers sled and in the narrow passages ouertrode one another and a great multitude of people were slaine After this the people of the Iewes came to Caesarea where Cumanus was for the time and complained of a Romane souldier who had cast a booke of holy Scripture into the fire whom Cumanus beheaded and so pacified the Iewes In end Cumanus through his euill gouernement procured to himselfe the indignation of the Emperour Claudius he fauoured the wicked cause of the Samaritanes who had stopped the passages of the Galileans and slaine a great number of them They were accustomed yeerely to goe vp to Ierusalem to holy feaâ—tes and their way was through the townes and villages of the Samaritanes Cumanus rather fauoured then punished this wicked fact of the Samaritanes therefore he was remoued from his place and Felix was sent to be Deputie of Iudea Whether Claudius was impoisoned by Agrippina his wife to prepare an easie passage to Nero her sonne to be Emperour or not I leaue that to be read in authors who haue entreated the liues of Emperours politikly It contenteth me to write of the estate of the Church in their time Nero. DOmitius Nero succeeded to Claudius he reigned thirteene yeeres and eight months His mother Agrippina after the death of Cneus Domitius Aenobarbus was joyned in mariage with the Emperour Claudius In the first fiue yeeres of his gouernement he abandoned the insolencie of his wicked disposition so that it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of men Neronis quinquennium in regard of his good cariage for the space of fiue yeeres But a fire long couered in end breaketh out into a mightie flame that no water can slake it His cruelitie against his mother his wife 's Octaâ—ia and Poppea his master Seneca the Poet Lucan and the vile abuse of his body with persons of his neerest consanguinitie I remit to the reading of learned authors who haue written exactly the historie of the Romane Emperours and I hast to that which is the principall purpose of this compend how wicked Nero kindled the first great Fornace of horrible persecution against the Christians It cannot be denyed but in the dayes of Tiberius our Lord Christ Iesus was crucified in the dayes of Caligula and Claudius the hands of that cruell persecuter Herod was mightily strengthened by the fauour countenance and bountifulnesse of both these Emperours so that he layd hands vpon the pillars of the house of God and so I deny not but the Church of God before the dayes of Nero was in the fornace of trouble but now ' come the dayes whereinto the Roman Emperours like vnto Nebuchadnezar were full of rage and the forme of their visage was changed against the Christians they commanded that the fornace should be hoate seuen times more then it was wont to be This historie henceforth conteineth on the one part the great wrestling of persecuting Emperours against God not like to the wrestling of Iacob with God The place of Iacobs wrestling was Penâ—el where he saw God the forme of wrestling was with many teares and strong supplications the end was that the Angel should not hastly depart from him leauing him comfortlesse the successe was the obtaining of a blessing which was the armour of God to saue him against the hatefull malice of Esau but by the contrary Nero Domitian Traian Antonius and the rest set their faces against the heauen commanded the holy One of Israel to depart out of the world endeuoured to quench the sauing light of his Gospell and by so doing brought downe vpon themselues in stead of a blessing that wrath that is reueiled from heauen vpon all them who detaine the truth of God into vnrighteousnes On the other part is set downe the constant faith and patient suffering of the Saints who hated not the burning bush because it was set on fire but they loued it because in it they were refreshed with the comfortable presence of the great Angel
Church were the good Merchants of whom Christ speaketh who having found a pearle of vnspeakeable value were content to sell all they had for loue of gaining it they had tasted of the Well of water springing vp into eternall life and thirsted not againe for the water that cannot satisfie the heart of man with ful contentment In this second great persecution the beloved disciple of Christ the Apostle Iohn was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the word of God Flavia Domicilla a woman of noble birth in Rome was banished to Pontia an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italy Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Millain concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres God willing wee shall speake in the third Century and in the Treatise of Reliques Chytraus writeth that Timothie was stoned to death at Ephesus by the worshippers of Diana and that Dionysius Areopagita was slaine by the sword at Pareis Domitian had heard some rumors of the Kingdome of Christ and was afraid as Herod the great had beene after the Nativity of our Lord but when two of Christ kinsmen according to the flesh the Nephewes of the Apostle Iude were presented before him and hee perceived them to be poore men who gained their living by handy labour and when hee had heard of them that Christs Kingdome was not of this world but it was spirituall and that hee would come at the latter day to iudge the quick and the dead he despised them as simple and contemptible persons and did them no harme In the end as the life of Domitian was like vnto the life of Nero so was he not vnlike vnto him in his death for his owne wife and friends conspired against him and slew him his body was carried to the graue by porters and buried without honour The Senate of Rome also decreed that his name should bee rased and all his acts should bee rescinded Sueton. in Dom. Ierom. catal script eccles Nerva COccius Nerua after Domitian raigned one yeare foure moneths And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled were borne in Italy from henceforth strangers doe rule for Traian the adoptiue sonne of Nerva his successor was borne in Spaine Nerva redressed many things that were done amisse by Domitian and in his time the Apostle Iohn was relieued from banishment and returned againe to Ephesus where he died CENTVRIE II. Traianus TRaian the adopted sonne of Nerva was the first stranger who obtained that honour to bee King of the Romanes Hee raigned 19. yeares 6. moneths A man so exceeding well beloved of the Senate and of the people of Rome that after his dayes whensoever a new Emperour was elected they wished vnto him the good successe of Augustus and the vprightnesse of Traianus Notwithstanding of this hee was a cruell persecuter of Christians And this third persecution is iustly counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame It was no great dishonour to bee hated of Nero and Domitian wicked men and haters of righteousnes but to bee hated and persecuted by Traian a man counted a patterne of vpright dealing this was a great rebuke Notwithstanding Christians looked to Iesus the author and finisher of their faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Many haue more patiently endured paine in their flesh then shame and contempt in the world but Christs true Disciples must resolue to be a gazing stocke to all the world and to bee counted the off-scourings of the earth as the holy men of God did in the dayes of the Emperour Traian These were Citizens of heauen liuing in earthly tabernacles liuing vpon the earth but not fashioned according to the similitude of this world In doing great things by faith they surpassed mighty Monarches In patient suffering of evill they over-went admired Plilosophers In this persecution Simon the sonne of Cleopas an holy Apostle suffered martyrdome being now an hundreth and twenty yeares old hee was first scourged and then crucified but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the name of Christ. Of Ignatius martyrdome wee haue spoke in the first Century the time of his suffering was in the time of Traianus Plinie the second Deputy in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of them to death In the end he was commoued and troubled in his owne mind cosidering both the number patient suffring of christians that were put to death he wrote to the Emperour declaring that Christians were men of good conversation and detested murther adultery and such other vngodlinesse onely they had conventions earely in the morning and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ whom they worshipped as God but they would not worship images here marke the portrait of the Ancient Apostolike Church and what conformity the Romane Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth This letter of Plinius mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue hee no absolute commandement to stay the persecution but onely that the Iudges should not search them out narrowly but if any happened to bee presented before them then let them bee punished What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by Tertullian the one part of it repugneth to the other In forbidding to search them out narrowly hee declareth their innocency but in commanding to punish them when they were presented hee pronounceth them to bee guilty This is that Emperour for whose soule Gregory the first made supplications to God 400. yeares after his death and was heard of God as Damacen writeth This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if he supposed Gregory to be so full of charity that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours to the end that they being all delivered from the condemnation of hell heaven might be counted a mansion both for Christs true Disciples and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies Adrianus AFter Traian AElius Adrianus raigned 21. yeares In his time Aristides and Quadratus the one a Bishoppe the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion and did so mitigate the Emperours minde that in his time no new commandement was set forth to persecute Christians Barcochebas at this time perverted the Nation of the Iewes and called himselfe the promised Messias whom the foolish Iewes followed to their owne overthrow and destruction Tynius Rufus Deputy in Iudea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Ierusalem and destroyed him with all his adherents Also the whole Nation of the Iewes was banished from their natiue soyle and the towne of Ierusalem was taken from the Iewes and delivered to other Nations
afffirmed that the soules of men perish with their bodies and are raised vp againe in the day of the resurrection with the bodies whom Origen mightily refuted Likewise hee was present at the Councell in Arabia gathered against Berillus Bishop of Bostra who denyed that Christ was existent before his manifestation in the flesh and by the travelles of Origen Berillus was reclaimed and reduced to the true faith therefore I reckon him not in the roll of heretickes Firmilianus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia invited Origen to come to Cappadocia where hee detained him a long time Likewise Mammea the mother of Alexander the Emperour sent for him to come to Antiochia and had him in reverent regard Likewise hee wrote to the Emperour Philip and to his mother who was the first Emperour that professed the name of Christ. Hee studied to bee acquainted with the Hebrew language farre contrary to the custome of his owne Nation and hee conferred the Hebrew text with the Greeke translations not onely the Septuagints but also the translations of Aquila Theodosion and Symmachus and he found out the fift sixt and seventh editions Notwithstanding all these excellent gifts and renowned fame of Origen hee wanted not his owne grosse errours and foolish facts In expounding of Scriptures he became a curious searcher out of allegories Yet this father of allegories Origen mistooke the words of Christ spoken of Eunuches There bee some chaste which haue made themselues chaste for the kingdome of heauen these words I say spoken in an allegorâ—coll sense hee tooke in a simple and vnfigurate meaning and gelded himselfe to the end hee might liue without all suspition of vncleannesse No learned man hath commended this fact of Origen so farre as my reading can extend for if a man might lawfully dismember his own body to the end hee might liue chastely why might not a man in like manner cut off his owne hand to the end he should not in hastie motion of anger kill his neighhour But the obedience of the commandements of God is seated in the heart and more commended for voluntary subiection then for necessity of abstinence of committing evill because there is not an instument in the body able to commit transgression Finally by seeking of divinity without the bounds of the holy Scriptures of God in stead of true divinity he was entangled with foolish errors concerning the creation of many worlds one succeeding to another concerning the paines of divels and wicked men after long torments to be finished and concerning the possibility of nature to keepe the whole law of God For which opinions long after his death he was excommunicate in the fift generall Councell holden Anno 551. Concerning his weakenesse in offering to Idols rather then to suffer his chaste body to be abused I haue spoken in the historie of the seventh persecution Hee lived vntill the dayes of Gallus and Volusianus and died in 69. yeere of his age in the towne of Tyrus where hee was buried Cyprian was an African borne in Carthage in his youth altogether given to the studie and practice of Magicall arts His conversion was by the meanes of Cecilius a Preacher whose name after hee bare and through occasion of hearing the history of the prophet Ionah After his conversion hee distributed all his substance to the poore and became first a Presbyter and afterward Bishop of Carthage Hee was banished in the persecution of Decius and martyred vnder Valerian The worthy D. I. Foxe thinketh that Nazianzen commendeth another Bishop of that same name borne in Antiochia and Bishop in Antiochia who suffered martyrdome in the dayes of Dioclesian This Cyprian Bishop of Carthage was a man full of loue a great comforter of Cornelius Bishop of Rome He suffered martyrdome as Ierom writeth that same day albeit not in the same yeere that Cornelius concluded his life by glorious martyrdome Hee had great strife against two contrarie Sects viz. againsh Novatus who was excessiue rigorous against those who had fallen in time of persecution and against Novatiaâ—us and Felicissimus who by the contrary would haue had both Heretiques and Apostates received without all forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline He esteemed much of those who suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ and hee sayd of the metall mynes that those that were condemned for Christs sake to worke in them that whereas they were wont to deliver gold and silver and precious things vnto the world now by the contrary the mynes receiue gold and siluer and the most precious things in the world counting the Confessours and Martyres of Christ the rich treasures of the earth of whom the world was not worthy His opinion concerning rebaptizing such as were baptized by Heretiques albeit it was erronius yet his modesty in not damning them rashly who were of a contrary opinion is greatly praised by Saint Austen who saith that the modestie of Cyprian in his error was more to be regarded then a sound and right opinion concerning baptisme without humility and modesty Hee was a faithfull builder of the house of God not by word onely but also by writing and his bookes remaine to this day as a precious treasure in the Church of Christ. The booke de Revelatione capitis Iohannis Baptisiae is supposititious because in it mention is made of the reverence that Pipinus King of France did to the head of Iohn Baptist when it was transported from Constantinople to France and it is knowne that Pipinus was not borne 300. yeeres after the martyrdom of Cyprian how then could Cyprian write of a fact done so long time after his death The Church of Christ was multiplyed vnder the persecutions of Sâ—verus Maximinus Decius Valerian Aurelian and Dioclesian All these sixe persecutions are comprehended in the third Centurie Bishops of Ierusalem IN Ierusalem was Narcissus against whom wicked men combined themselues together with forged accusations and false testimonies sealed vp with oaths and imprecations to grieue the heart of Narcissus in so much that hee left his calling and fled to the wildernesse where hee lurked a long time But the false witnesses who bare testimony against him escaped not vnpunished by the hand of God One of them and his whole family and substance was burned with fire another of them was stricken with an heavie disease such as hee himselfe in his imprecations had wished vnto himselfe the third was terrified with the sight of the iudgements of God that lighted vpon the other two and hee repented and poured out the griefe of his dolorus heart in such aboundance of teares that hee became blinde All these false witnesses were punished and he who was penitent albeit the Lord pardoned his sinne yet hee chastised him with temporall punishments The Bishops of the next adiacent Churches because they knew not what was become of Narcissus they admitted another called Dios who continued but a short time To him
wherein it is written Aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the world for thy possession This place proues the Church to be Catholicke Also whereas they saide that Baptisme was not auaileable except some of their sect had beene present at the administration thereof he answereth That when God first created the Element of water the presence of the Trinitie was powerfull in operation to create water albeit none of the Donatists were then present Euen so the Trinitie can worke effectually in Baptisme albeit none of the Donatists be present Yea and that it was God the author of Baptisme and not the Minister that did sanctifie according as it is written Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow c. Bishops and Doctours of Europe ACHOLIVS Bishop of Thessalonica baptized the Emperour Theodosius after he returned from the slaughter of Maximus The Emperour fell sicke by the way before he came to Constantinople and was desirous to be baptized Neverthelesse he would not suffer Acholius to baptize him vntill he was assured that Acholius was not spotted with the Arrian Heresie After Baptisme the Emperour recouered his health againe Acholius was brought vp in Monasteries like as Epiphanius and many other worthie men were brought vp Hilarius Bishop of Poitiers in France liued vnder the raigne of Constantius a man in Religion constant in manners meeke and courteous He was banished immediately after the Councell of Millane to Phrygia as some suppose Theodoretus writeth that he was banished to Thebaida and relieued againe from banishment vnder Iulian. But it is more apparent that he remained in Phrygia vntill the Councell of Seleucia vnto which Councell he was brought from banishment not by any speciall commandement from the Emperour but by a generall commandement giuen to his Deputie Leonas to assemble together the Bishops of the East Vnder pretence of obeying this commandement Hilarius being banished in the East was brought to the Councell of Seleucia from Seleucia he went to Constantinople The Emperour refused to heare him reason with the Arrians in the matters of Faith but gaue him libertie to returne to his owne countrey againe He tooke great paines to purge the countrey of France from the poyson of Arrian heresie and he preuailed so farre that Ierom compares him to Deucalion who both sawe the flood of waters ouer-flowing Thessalia and the abating of them also Euen so Hilarius saw both the growth and decay of Arrianisme in France He liued sixe yeeres after his returning from banishment and concluded his life vnder the reigne of Valentinian Ambrose the sonne of Symmachus was a man of noble parentage vnder the Emperour Valentinian he was gouernour of Liguria At this time Auxentius Bishop of Millane an Arrian died Great sedition was in the Towne for the election of a new Bishop euery man contending to haue a Bishop chosen of that faith which he himselfe best liked Ambrose fearing the vndoing of the Towne by this intestine contention exhorted them to vnitie and concord with words and reasons to perswasâ—â—e that the people with one consent cried out they would be all of one minde if that Ambrose were appointed to be their Bishop The Emperour thought this inexpected consent of the people came from GOD and he consented to the desire of the people So was Ambrose ordained Bishop of Millaine After the death of Valentinian he was grieuously troubled by Iustina the mother of Valentinian the second for shee was infected with Arrianisine Ambrose was fauoured by the people and would not betray the sheepe-folde of GOD to Wolues The particular description of the broile of Iustina may be read at length in the Epistle that Ambrose writes to his sister Marcellina The miracle wrought at the sepulchres of Protasius and Gervasius mittigated somewhat the furie of Iustina But the dolorous tydings of the slaughter of Gratianus compelled Iustina to flie from Italie to Illyricum for safetie of her owne life and her sonnes life He sustained also great trouble vnder the two Tyrants Maximus and Eugenius so that he was compelled in the time of Maximus to flie to Aquileia and in the time of Eugenius to flie to Hetruria He liued also vnder the raigne of Theodosius whom hee sharpely reprooued for the slaughter of the innocent people of Thessalonica and died in the third yeere of the raigne of Honorius after he had gouerned the Church of Millane twentie-two yeeres Prudentius a man of Spaine a Lawyer at some times and a Warriour at other times in his young yeeres In his old age he writ of diuine matters He liued vnder the reigne of Valentinian the second of Theodosius and his sonnes He set forth his knowledge in Bookes of Latine Poesie albeit Greeke inscriptions be prefixed vnto them such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intreateth of the fight betwixt the spirit and the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intreateth of the workes to be done in the day time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intreateth of Divinitie and divine things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intreateth of Originall sinne against Cerdon and Marcion the Authors of two beginnings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a booke conteining the prayses of victorious Martyrs In this Booke is frequent invocation of Saints expresse against holy Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteining Histories both of the olde and new Testament The verses wherein he argueth the Heresie of the Manicheans who attributed vnto Christ not a true but a phantasticall bodie made of aire are very judiciously conceiued Restat vt aëriam pingas ab origine gentemâ— Aërios proceres Leuim Iudam Simeonem Aerium DAVID magnorum corpora Regum Aeria at que ipsam foecundae virginis alvum Acre fallaci nebulisque nube tumentem The Ecclesiasticall Writers whom I haue chiefly followed in this Compend make no mention of him Osius Bishop of Corduba was a Confessor in the Persecution of Dioclesian and Maximianus He was regarded by the Emperour Constantine for the markes of the rebuke of Christ. The Emperour employed him in the schisme in Aegypt betwixt Alexander and Arrius Likewise he sent him to the Bishops of the East who differed in opinion from the Bishops of the West concerning the keeping of Easter day He was present at the Councell of Nice where he damned the heresie of Arrius And at the councell of Sardica he absolued Athanasius Paulus c. Neither was he terrified with the menacing Letters of Constantius but answered couragiously that Athanasius was an innocent man and that the Emperour did not well to hearken to the calumnies of Versatous and Valens men who had by writ confessed to Iulius Bishop of Rome that the accusations intended against Athanasius were but forged calumnies And this they did of their owne accord freely and not compelled In his decrepit yeeres for hee liued an hundreth yeeres some
Now are yee cleane through the word that I haue spoken vnto you The heresie of Sabellius began to shew it selfe vnto the world about the yeere of our Lord 257. vnder the raigne of Gallus It was set forth by Nortus in Ptolemaida afterward by Hermogenes and Prazeas and last it was propagated by Sabellius the disciple of Noetus Alwaies the heresie rather taketh the name from the disciple then from the master They confessed that there was but one God onely but they denyed that there were three distinct persons in this one Godhead viz. the Father Sonne and holy Ghost By this their opinion they confounded the two Greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there were no difference betwene them No man dare presume to say that in God there are three distinct substances therefore Sabellius and his adherents sayd that there were not three distinct substances or persons in the Godhead but the three names of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost were given to one person only but pointed not out distinction of persons or substances in the Godhead By this opinion they were compelled to grant that it was the Father who cloathed himselfe with our nature and dyed for our sinnes and they were called Patrispassâ—ani because their opinion imported that the Father suffered In the raigne of Gallienus and about the yeere of our Lord 264. a certaine Bishop in Egypt called Nepos began to affirme that at the later day the godly should rise before the wicked and should liue with Christ heere in the earth a thousand yeeres in abundance of all kinde of delicate earthly pleasures The ground of this errour was the misvnderstanding of the words of the Revelation of Iohn chap. 20. vers 5.6 In refuting of this heresie Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria bestowed his travels with good successe for hee disputed against Coracion a man professing this errour in Arsenoitis a place of Egypt whom hee refuted in presence of many brethren who were auditors of that disputation for the space of three dayes from morning till evening So that in the end Coracion yeelded and promised that hee should not maintaine any such opinion in time to come About that same time that is in the time of the raigne of Gallienus Claudius and Aurelianus Paulus Samosatenus Bishop of Antiochia a pestilent fellow denyed the divinity of the Sonne of God and affirmed that Christ obtained the name of the Sonne of God through his vertuous behaviour and patient suffering but he was not naturally and truely the Sonne of God begotten of the substance of the Father His life correspondent to his doctrine was wicked and prophane He was so covetous of vaine-glory that he built vnto himselfe in the Church a glorious seat according to the similitude of a princely throne and from this seat hee spake vnto the people whom he was accustomed to reproue with sharpe words if they had not received his words with cheerfull acclamations and shoutings such as were wont to bee vsed in Stage-playes The Psalmes also that were sung in Church to the praise of God hee abrogated and was not ashamed to hire women to sing his owne praises in the Congregation of the Lords people For this his damnable doctrine and lewd life he was most iustly deposed by the Councell convened at Antiochia and excommunicated by all Christian Churches in the whole world and was so detested by all good men that Fâ—rmilius Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and Dionysius Alexandrinus who for his olde age might not travell and be present at the Councell of Antiochia yet they both damned the Heretique Samosatenus by their letters sent to the Congregation of Antiochia but not to the Bishop thereof because hee was not worthy that any man should salute him either by word or writ Manes a Persian otherwise called Manicheus a man furious and mad answering well vnto his name set forth the venome of his heresie in the time of the raigne of Diclesian a man both in speech and manners rude and barbarous in inclination divelish yet hee durst to call himselfe the holy spirit as Montanus had done before and to represent Christs actions in chusig vnto him twelue disciples whom hee sent forth to propagate his errors into diverse parts of the world His heresie contained a masse or venomous composition of old extinguished errors which hee renued and massed together such as the error of Cerdon and Marcion concerning two beginnings The error of Encratitae in prohibition of meates which God hath appointed for the vse of man with thanksgiving specially flesh and wine Hee vtterly reiected the old Testament as many other Heretiques had done before him Hee ascribed not sinne to the free will of man and his voluntary defection from the estate of his first creation but to necessity because mans bodie was made of the substance of the Prince of darknes This was that heresie wherewith Augustine was infected before his conversion but the Lord who brought forth light out of darknesse and made Paul sometime a Persecuter to be a Preacher of his Gospell and Cyprian a Sorcerer to be a worthy Preacher and Martyr this same gracious Lord I say in the multitude of his vnspeakeable compassions drew Augustine out of this filthy myre of abhominable heresie and made him liste vnto a bright starre sending forth the beames of light to comfort Gods house The opinion of Manes concerning the creation of the world and the creation of man the manifestation of Christ in our nature rather in shew and appearance then in verity and the horrible abhomination of their vile Eucharist no man can be ignorant of these things who hath read but a little of the bookes of Augustine written against the Maniâ—heans In the end like as Manes exceeded all the rest of the Heretiques in madnesse of foolish opinions even so the Lord pointed him out among all the rest to be a spectacle of his wrath and vengeance For the King of Persia hearing of the fame of Manes sent for him to cure his sonne who was deadly diseased but when hee saw that his sonne died in his hands hee cast him into prison and was purposed to put him to death but he escaped out of prison and fled to Mesopotamia Neverthelesse the King of Persia vnderstanding in what place Manes did lurke sent men who pursued him tooke him and excoriated his body and stopped his skin full of chaffe and set it vp before the entry of a certaine Citie of Mesopotamia If any man bee desirous to haue greater knowledge of this remarkeable Heretique both in respect of his life and death hee may reade the fore-mentioned chapter of the Ecclesiasticall history of Socrates and he shall finde that the first man called Manicheus who renued the error of two beginnings was a man of Scythia He had a disciple first called Buddas afterward Terebynthus who dwelt in Babylon This man
of Nestorius as Platina recordeth in the life of Donus the first The heresies of Severitae Apartodotitae Momphysitae Acephali Theopafcitae Iacobitae Armenij all were Eutichian Heretiques differing one from another in some ceremonies in absurditie of speeches in authors whom they principally admitted and followed in places where the heresie chiefly increased and in their carriage Likewise Staurolatrae were Eutychian Heretiques but the worshipping of the Crosse was a note distinguishing them from other Heretiques of their owne opinion Priscillianistae were Heretiques who borrowed absurd opinions from Samosatenus and Photinus from Cerdon and Marcion and from the Manicheans but all these ancient errours were sufficiently refuted in ancient times The heresie of the Monothelites was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches by a secret and crafty conuoy insinuating it selfe into credite againe after it was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon The authors of this heresie were Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Patriarches of Constantinople and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Petrus Bishop of Nicomedia with many others They denyed not directly the two natures of Christ personally vnited but onely affirmed that after the vnion of the natures there was onely one will and one operation in Christ whereas the holy Scriptures attribute vnto Christ as hee is man the action of sleeping and to Christ in respect of his divine nature the action of compescing and calming the rage and stormy tempest of blowing windes and swelling Seas This heresie was damned in the sixt generall Councell as wee shall heare God willing in its owne place CENTVRIE VIII MAny were accounted heretikes in this age because they worshipped God sincerely according to the rule of his owne blessed word and would not giue consent to the fond errours of the Roman Church But some were counted heretikes iustly and without all controuersie as namelie they who call Christ in his human nature the adoptiue son of God This wicked heresie repungeth vnto the celestiall Oracle which the three Apostles heard in the holy mountaine This is my wellbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased we are adopted in Christ to be the sons of God But Christ euen in his manly nature is the son of God by the excellent prerogatiue of personall vnion with the diuine nature It is not certainlie knowne whether Elipandus Bishop of Hispalis or another named Foelix with whom some affirme that Elipandus consulted about this damnable opinion was the author of this damnable heresie CENTVRY IX THey who of old were accustomed to condemne Heresies now they are become the chiefe patrons and maintainers of adoration of Images a notable heresie whose Pusillanimitre argueth the weakenesse of their cause For vnder the raigne of Lodouicus Pius Claudius Taurinensis wrote bookes against the adoration of Images and the Emperour by a publike edict commaunded them who were disposed to answere to his bookes to answere whilst Claudius was aliue But Ionas Bishop of Orleans concealed and obscured his bookes during Claudius lifetime but after his death with impotencie of railing words rather then with power of solide arguments hee indeuored to refute Claudius Taurinensis Let the iudicious reader without partialitie peruse the bookes of Ionas Bishop of Orleans and the verie stinking breath of the aduersarie of the truth shall giue great allowance to the truth of God Godescalcus a man of the low Countries is reckoned in the number of Heretikes of this age about the yeere of our Lord 849. Because hee spake of Predestination perilouslie to witt that these who were Predestinated to life by the decree of Gods Predestination were forced to doe well and those who were Predestinated to condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill Concerning old extinguished heresies as the Manicheans Arrians Donatists and such like who preased to build vp the walls of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attempts wiihout any successe CENTVRIE X. IN this age darkenes had gotten such vpper hand that the eye it selfe was darkened as our Lord speaketh The Spirit of errour so possessed the verie teachers that the most part of them worshipped Images yea the verie elements in the holy Sacraments of the Supper Churches were replenished with the bones of dead men whereunto the people kneeled worshipping dead bones in place of the liuing God And the small sparke of knowledge which remained not extinguished seemeth to be in the people rather then in the Pastours for the people saw that the Preachers entered not at the right doore but rather like vnto thiefes robbers they entered by bribes and gifts into spirituall offices and therefore the Historie recordeth that Henricus Auceps when hee did fight against the Hungarians made his vowe to God that if the Lord would giue him victorie against his enemies hee would purge his countrie from Simonie which was an euident token that the vilde heresie of Simon Magus in buying and selling spirituall things did at this time mightily abound CENTVRIE XI IN this Centurie the Pope had such vpper-hand both ouer Princes and Pastors that they accounted euery thing that displeased them to be heresie The inuestment of Bishops by secular men was called Simonie and marriage of Priests was called the Heresie of the Nicolaitans Likewise betweene the Latine and Greeke Church fell out such contention for a matter of small importance that they accounted one another to be heretikes The Greeke Church called the Latines Azymitae because they celebrated the Lords supper with vnleauened bread and the Latine Church on the other part called the Greeke Church Fermentarij because they vsed leauened breade yea and the Roman Church in this age so obstinately maintained the errour of Transubstantiation that they accounted all them heretikes who dissented from their opinion CENTVRIE XII IN this Centurie is found a French man Petrus Abelardus an accurat Philosopher who vttered vncouth things concerning the blessed Trinitie That the holie spirit was the soule of the world and that hee was not of the substāce of the father whose opinions were dāned by the Theolgues of Paris by Bernard of Clarauall in the Councells of Seison and Senon as also by Pope Innocentius the second after he had receiued this foyle hee entered into the Monasterie of Cluniacke where he concluded his life CENTVRYE XIII AMongst Heretikes in this age were reckoned Albigenses so called from the name of the part in France where they dwelt They were fauoured and assisted in many parts of France but namelie in Tolosa not only by the inferiour sort but also by the Count himself It is to be lamēted that the heads of their doctrine are not acuratly set downe by the writers of this age For it is verie likely that they haue taught otherwise then their aduersaries doe report of them who attribute vnto them the errours of the Manicheās who supposed that there
of our Lord 1081. the Emperor irritate with the incessant attempts of the Pope against his life and estate thought meet once to put an end to this labour and to the distresses of the Empire Therefore hee besieged the towne of Rome and tooke it Hildebrand with the rest of the Wolfes who had troubled the sheepfold of God they fled The Emperour with the advice of the Roman Senate appointed a Councell to be assembled at Rome wherein fugitiue Hildebrand should appeare and render an account of his adminstration but hee would not appeare Therefore he was deposed as a profane and wicked man a louer of discord a bloody man and an invader of the Apostolick chaire by Sorcery And Gilbertus by some called Wigbertus was placed in his roome AFter the death of Gregory the 7. the Romans had no regard to Gilbertus whom the Emperor had made Pope but they chose another who was Abbot in Cassinates named Desiderius He was not chosen by the Cardinalls nor by the Pope of Rome but by Mathildis and the Normans Commanders of Apulia as Functius recordeth all these were enemies to the Emperour After his election to the Popedome he was called Victor the third He assembled a Councell at Beneventum which was his natiue soyle There hee cursed Gilbertus Bishop of Ravenna as an vsurper of the Chaire belonging to Gregory the seventh his predecessor Likewise he cursed Hugo Archbishop of Lions and Richard Abbot of Marseil because as it seemeth they had been his competitors This man walked closely in the footsteps of Hildebrand but his time was short for hee died before hee could execute the proud conceits of his minde after he had ruled one yeere and six months Platina attributeth vnto him onely the continuance of one yeere and foure moneths IN the yeere of our Lord 1095. Vrbanus the second gathered a great assembly at Clermont in Overnie of France The lessons of Hildebrand were forgot by his successours Therefore in this Councell and the Councell of Placentia and other Councels which I haue ouerpassed studying to shortnesse It was ordayned that no spirituall office nor rent annexed thereto should be received from the hand of a secular man in this Councell it was ordayned with advice of many Christian Princes that an army should bee raised vp and march toward Ierusalem for support of distressed Christians and recovery of the holy Land out of the hands of Infidels as hath beene declared in the History of the life of Vrbanus the second CENTVRIE XII THe multitude of Councels assembled in this Centurie if they should all be particularly rehearsed I doubt not but the Reader would bee wearied in reading them for they exceede the number of an hundred and fifteene Councels So that I am compelled to reduce them vnto certaine principall heads and to produce examples of every head so shall the intention and designe of them who assembled Councels in this time be cleerly knowne Some Councels were assembled for prohibition of Priests marriages others for excommunication of the Emperour some for the question of investment of Bishops being most willing to extort this priviledge out of the hands of the Emperour and to conferre it to the Bishops of Rome Some were gathered for deciding the question which arose by plurality of Popes contending hotly one against another for the Popedome Many Councels also were assembled for advancing of the warre called Bellum sacrum and setting forward Christians to fight against the Saracens for conquering the holy Land out of their hands Some few were assembled against men whom they supposed to bee Heretiques such as Abelardus and his disciple Gilbertus and Vualdenses When a few examples of every one of these heads shall be commemorated the luxriant superfluity of the Councels of this Centurie shall not be found inconvenienly abridged ALexius Emperour of Constantinople sent letters to Vrbanus the second wherein he declared the rage of the Turkes and implored support from the West Vrbanus assembled a Councell of all Nations at Paris and was present himselfe at the Councell incitating the hearts of all men to driue out the barbarous Turkes from the place wherein the redeemer of the world did suffer In this Councell were appointed an hundred thousand men out of Aquitania Normandie England Scotland Ireland Brittannia Galitia Wastemia France Flanders Lorane and other Nations toward the holy Land with Hademarus a Bishop who had power of binding and losing in the Popes name IN the yeere of our Lord 1110. the Bishop of Florence openly preached that Antichrist was already come which hee cleerely perceived by that horrible change of the spirituall Kingdome of Christ into an earthly Monarchie for the Bishops of Rome were rather Warriours then Preachers of the Word of God They opposed themselues to Emperours and most contemptuously abused them they depraued the articles of Faith prophaned the Sacraments instituted by Christ. Idolatry dayly increased hypocriticall discipline through propagation of Monastique orders and humane constitutions were out of measure extolled Moe were advanced to the Popedome by deceit weapons and slaughter then by free election Matrimoniall chastitie was banished from the order of Clergie-men who count themselues holy And finally the Bishop of Rome was like vnto a gulfe devouring and exhausting the substance of the world and administrating his turnes rather by force then reason These abuses and others like to these presented to the Bishop of Florence a notice that Antichrist was come alreadie and openly domineered in the Church Pascalis the second who was Pope at this time thought it was no time to slumber or sleepe in such a matter Therefore hee convened a Councell at Florence and called the Bishop of Florence to his accounts The arguments by which hee prooued that Antichrist was already come are buried in silence Onely hee was sharply rebuked and commanded that in time to come he should vtter no such doctrine IN the yeere of our Lord 1102. and in the third yeere of the raigne of Henry the first King of England Anselmus Archbishop of Canterburie a man much addicted to Pope Paschalis assembled a Councell at London for prohibition of the marriages of Priests This was an vncouth thing in England and some counted it an holy designe others a matter perilous as it was indeed lest men attempting things that were aboue their strength should fall into the snare of the Deuill and into horrible Lusts of vncleannesse which thing came to passe For horrible Sodomie had place among the Clergie and the yeere following Anselmus was compelled to conuene another Councell at S. Pauls in London and to make constitutions for punishment of those who were found to bee polluted with that vild lust of vncleannesse Neuerthelesse Anselmus was one of the number of the Antichristian Clergie who would be wiser than God and finde out better remedies than marriage to stay the intemperat lust of men who had not the gift of Continencie IN the yeere of our