September about the fourth hour in the night three hundred forty seven years being expired after the Earthquake under Trajan The Baths under Trajan Severus and Adrian the adjoyning Ostracina with the Porches and Nymphaeum were overturned As dreadful a fire or beyond it hapned at Constantinople in that Cap. 13. A dreadful fire at Constantinople much like that lately at London part of the City which lay next to the Sea and is called Oxstreet it lasted the space of four dayes and no man was able to quench it it flashed throughout the midst of the City consumed from the North part to the South end all Houses five Furlongs in length and fourteen in breadth left no building either publick or private no Pillars no strong Arches nor Vaults in all that time and in all that compass unburned to the Foundation but to have pierced the flint Stone and hard Mettal as if it had been stubble or straw on the North part of the City where the Haven lies This lamentable destruction reached from the Oxstreet unto the old Temple of Apollo on the South-side from the Haven of Julian unto the Temple of Concord in the midst of the City from Constantines Market unto the Market of Taurus a pittiful shew and dreadful to behold saith the History the goodly places and gorgeous high buildings that had been within the City the costly carved Timber yeelding heretofore great majesty unto the eye of man both publick and private were then become like craggy Hills and Rocks that no man could pass through confused heaps of filth and all kind of stuff full of deformity that the owners themselves could not discern the bounds of their Possessions nor say this or that place stood thus before the fire consumed them These are the words of the Historian in which I have put them down because it seems to bear some resemblance to the late dreadful fire in London Moreover in the East part of the Empire the Scythian War Cap. 14. The Scythian War waxed hot in the East Thracia Hellespont Ionia the Cyclades or 50. Isles Cnidos in Caria shaken with teâ—rible Earthquakes storms of Rain like floods fall in Constantinople and Bythinia Mountains made Plains and Valleys Hills Villages on float Islands in Lakes waxed hot Thracia Hellespontus and Ionia were wonderfully shaken with Earthquakes no less were the fifty Isles called Cyclades in the Sea Aegaeum Cnidos in Caria and Coo so that many buildings were thrown down to the ground Priscas also writes that at Constantinople and Bythinia such storms of Rain and Water fell for the space of three or four dayes it poured down like streams and floods beat down the Hills and Mountains with the violence thereof as saith the History and made them plain Valleys that the Villages were all on float and in danger of drowning and that in the Lake Boan not far from Nicomedia by reason of the filth and baggage the Water brought thither were seen Islands These things hapned more Eastward At Rome Leo the Emperor Cap. 16. Anthemius made Bishop Genzerichus invades the West Basiliscus sent against him sent Anthemius at the request of the Roman Ambassadors to be Emperor of Rome who had married the Daughter of Martianus Basiliscus the Brother of Berina Leo's Wife he made Captain of an Army that he sent against Genzerichus that invaded those parts but as for Aspar whom himself had made Emperor Leo conspires the death of Aspar who he made Emperor and slayes him his Son and Patricius Anthemius slain Olymbrius succeeds Leo conspired his death and slew him with his Sons Ardaburius whom he had made Caesar and Patricius that he might scorn at the ignorance and insolency of Aspar their Father Anthemius after he had been Emperor five years was slain and Olymbrius by Rhecimerus was proclaimed Emperor After he was dispatched who reigned but seven months Glycerius was proclaimed Emperor Glycerius after him Nepos deposes him Orestes puts by Nepos Augustulus succeeds Odoacer follows who called himself King The last Emperor of Rome of the 1300 years after Romulus was Augustulus and after he had continued five years was deposed by Nepos Orestes after six and fifty dayes puts by Nepos After Orestes his Son Romulus sirnamed Augustulus succeeded who was the last Emperor of Rome of the thousand three hundred years after the Reign of Romulus When he departed this life Odoacer governed the Roman Common-Wealth who refused the name of an Emperor and would himself be called King So I have traced the Empire of Rome or the Western part of The end of the West Empire of Rome The cause assigned the Roman Empire to this foot which was the end thereof through the just Judgment of God who met with them and brought his calamities as he thought fit through Sedition and Civil War as the particular Judgments it fell out that the Empire came to Many reigned in the Wâ—st of equal Authoriâ—y No Emperor of the West for 330. years after the year 800. Carolus Magnus translated the name to the Emperor of Germany nought Many reigned in the West of equal Authority there was no Emperor of the West for the space of three hundred and thirty years afore the year eight hundred When Carolus Magnus King of France was by Leo the Third Bishop of Rome created Emperor from which time the Emperors of the West were called the Emperors of Germany Leo also after he had reigned seventeen years deposed himself and placed Leo who was of tender years the Son of Ariadne his Cap. 17. Anno. 457. Leo deposes himself Cap. 1 Places young Leo in his room Zeno comes to be Emperor with him Leo the younger dies Zeno Emperor alone Daughter and Zeno in the Empire in a while Zeno came to be Emperor with him by the procurement of Berina but Leo the younger departing he was Emperor alone And thus have I gone through this Council of Chalcedon and the consequences that in so small a tract of time ensued thereupon both of Blood and Judgment and to this time how that was shaken and brought down which broke the unity of the Christians by seeking to establish the Truth This Council was famous not only for the particulars already exprest but of counterfeiting More indirect dealings at the Council of Calcedon and horrible wickedness hands the wringing of the fingers of such as wrote directing their Pens compulsion by force to a Subscription to Blanks Souldiers with naked Swords standing by ready to dispatch them if they yeelded not said to be used in the business of Dioscorus for the accomplishing of his ends in the second Council of Ephesus which I note to shew what fraudulent courses At the second Council at Ephesus The proper consequences of forcing Religion of force and violence as well as blood and mischief were used by those Fathers of the Church as they are called in the taking upon them to determine and establish the
long after and Serapion was made Bishop of Dioscorus dies Heraclea a City of Thrace Yet John was not free for a Silver Picture covered with a John in trouble again Inveighs against the Silver Picture of the Empress set up Mantle of Eudoxia the Empress being set upon a Pillar of Red Marble and common Playes and Shews being made thereby John sorely enveighed against the Authors thereof with very nipping taunts The Empress took it to her self and as done to her reproach and therefore procured another Council of Bishops to Another Council is called at Constantinople He preaches against her The Empress on fire John's Enemies his Accusers and Judges be called at Constantinople which he hearing of preached that Sermon which thus began Herodias rageth afresh stomacheth anew danceth again seeketh yet the Head of John in a Platter Which made the Empress mad and set her all on fire the Bishops which were his utter Enemies sate his Accusers the old Crimes are brought forth he trusting to the upright dealings of the Bishops desires that things might indifferently be examined The Emperor sends John word That he would not communicate The Emperor refusâ—s to communicate with John till he had cleared himself with him it being their Feast of the Nativity till be had cleared himself of the Crimes laid to his charge The accusers mistrusting themselves and John building upon the integrity of his Cause the Bishops perceiving this would insist on nothing but his coming into the Church without admission of a Council after he was John is charged deposed and when he made answer That the Canon that required He answers that was not made for their Church but was to be executed where the Arrians did reign for such as assembled at Antioch to root out the Faith of one Substance made that Canon against Athanasius and that he had the confirmation of fifty Bishops that communicated with him They made no account of his Answer nor weighed that those that made that Canon were deposers of Athanasius but They sentence him The Emperor forâ—ids him the Church gave sentence against him And the Emperor sent to him That he had no authority to go into the Church inasmuch as he was deposed and condemned by two Councils so he refrained and He withdraws and those with him those that favoured him did the same and kept Easter in the Common Baths called Constantiana together with many Bishops Priests and other Ecclesiastical Persons who because of their several Conventicles were called Johannites John was never They are called Johannites He is carried to Exile there dies The Church set on fire as â—e was carried away by some Johannites burns the Senators Court The Governor sore plagues the Christians therefore The cause wherefore these things are rehearsed seen abroad for the space of two months till by the Emperors Commandment he was carried into Exile where he died The same day as he was so carried away some called Johannites set the Church on fire which taking on the Senators Court burnt it to Ashes for which Optatus the Governor of Constantinople a Pagan by his Religion and so a sore plaguer of the Christians made them endure heavy punishments and sore penalties I am constrained to mention these things thus at large that once for all I may let the world understand what the forcing of Religion and the strife that comes through the imposition thereof hath produced in the World Many revolutions followed this banishment of John and his Ominous consequences of tâ—e Exile and death of John death and certain other significant things from Heaven which then there were that attributed to this persecution of John as the rotting of Cyrinus his Foot Bishop of Chaldon who was unawares Cap. 17. Cyrinus's foot rotted trod upon by Maruthas Bishop of Mesopotamia when the first Council met there to depose John which the people imputed The imputed cause to his reviling of John and calling of him stubborn Bishop which rotted so as that he was constrained to have it sawn off It is sawn off which he suffered not once but twice and oftner for it ran viz. the putrifaction over his whole Body and fell into his other foot so he was forced to cut off both The falling of great And the other also The greatest Hail that ever was seen falls at Constantinople The Empress dies And the Emperor Hail the likeness of the magnitude of which none had seen before The death of the Empress which followed immediately after his banishment all said by the people to be tokens of God's Wrath because of his banishment yea the death of the Emperor himself who died shortly after the death of John All which are matters for me to speak of as that which the vogue of that Age All attributed to the persecution of John attributed to be significatory as to the displeasure of the Lord as to things that then were transacted and done and which still speaks the consequence of imposing or persecuting because of And speak the consequence of peâ—secution for Religion Religion In the place of John Arsacius was made Bishop of Constantinople Arsacius of 80. years of Age succeeds John who was of the age of about fourscore years in whose time things were very quiet he being said to be of singular modesty and meek behaviour He lived Bishop of that place not very long His good description Dies the year following but in the year following that he was made Bishop he departed this life to pitch upon a successor unto whom proved a difficult kind of work and the contention grew long but at last ended in Atticus of Sebastia in Armenia who was made Bishop of Constantinople Atticus chosen in his place John died in Exile at Comanum scituate on the Sea Euxinus Cap. 19. Arcadius died at Constantinople he reigned together with his Cap. 21. Arcadius dies Anno. 412. His Son Arcadius succeeds Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 1. Father thirteen years and beginning with the one and thirtieth year of his Age he reigned fourteen years after the decease of his Father leaving behind him his Son Theodosius of the Age of eight years who by direction of Anthemius governed the Eastern as Honorius Arcadius his Brother did the Western part of the Roman Empire These times were not free from trouble for men took upon Cap. 3. Contention in Religion grew on Theodosius of Synada Bishop persecutes the Maâ—edonians banishes them the Town and Countrey them in several places to do what they listed in matters of Religion Theodosius Bishop of Synada a City of Phrygia Pacatiana sorely exercised the Macedonian Opinion he banished them not only the Town but also the Countrey which he did neither according to the rule of the Catholick Church neither with zeal of sincere and upright Faith saith the History but for his advantage sake for foul gain and filthy lucre to wring money
from For gain-sake to wring money from them Maintains his Clergy against them His cruel usages Punishes Agapetus their Bishop them for which cause he left no way unessayed to vex them maintaining his own Clergy against them he brought them in Fetters made them hold up their hands at the Bar Their Bishop Agapetus he exercised with sundry griefs and vexations and because he found that the Commission of the Magistrates extended not to the punishment of the Macedonians he made haste to Constantinople Gets to Constantinople for more power against them Agapetus conforms and his people in the mean time to the Nicene Creed Gets into Theodosius Church and Seat Theodosius being disappointed of his place and power to get larger power from the Lieutenant of that Province for the sharp correction of them but whilst he was about these things Agapetus embraced the Faith of one Substance perswaded all his people both Clergy and Laity to do the same got him into their Church placed himself in the Seat of Theodosius and had the ordering of the Churches within the Diocess of Synada Theodosius not knowing any thing of this shortly after comes down with his power of which he much bragged but finding things as aforesaid and what small welcome he had the doors being made fast against him hasted again to Constantinople Hies to Constantinople Complains but in vain and complained to Atticus but his grief he was forced to retain for that it was for the profit of the Church that he was thus put by his Bishoprick Thus at Synada At Constantinople Sabbatius aforesaid severing Sabbatius makes stirs at Constantinople about Easter himself from the Novations took upon him the Jewish Celebration of Easter on the day of which he read this part of the Gospel Reads the Gospel and adds to it Ensnares the people The Feast of the sweet bread drew nigh which is called Easter adding Cursed be every one that keepeth Easter without sweet bread Through occasion of which many of the Novations came to be of his Opinion But there soon came a reproof upon his corrupting of the Scriptures for as they were in their Vigils for the solemnization of that Feast they thought they saw Sisinius An apparition frights them their Bishop setting upon them which an infinite number of men on which they getting together in a narrow room the throng was so great that threescore and ten persons of them were smothered Seventy persons smothered to death to death upon which many of them shrunk from their Opinion as he did from the Novation Church of which he was a Priest Thus at Constantinople At Alexandria Theophilus being dead Cap. 7. A Successor of Theoph. dead of a Lethargy Troubles Alexandria Cyrillus is chosen His height and taking upon him Temporal Jurisdiction His persecuting of and plundering the Novations and their Bishops of a Lethargy a great contention there was for a Successor which at length fell to be the Lot of Cyrillus Theophilus Brothers Son who challenged more Authority than ever Theophilus had and together with the Ecclesiastical took upon him the Government of Temporal Affairs He shut up the Novation Church in Alexandria and not onely rifled them of all their Treasure but bereaved Theopomptus their Bishop of all his Substance These whirlings up and down and persecuting of one another Cap. 10. The distracted consequences in the State Alaricus aspires to the Empire He subdues Illyricum at pleasure went not without their attendancies of trouble in the State for Alaricus a Barbarian who was in league with the Romans and aided Theodosius against Eugenius aspired unto the Imperial Scepter he left Constantinople and hasted into the West all Illyricum he subdued as he came into it The Thessalonians The Thessalonians withstand him fight him kill 3000. of his men He removes ransacks all as he goes Takes Rome his outrage cruelty there withstood him when he came amongst them and at a pitched Battel slew three thousand of his men he marched away ransacking Town Country as he went and at length took the City of Rome which he ransacked also defaced and fired many Monuments plundered the Citizens of their Money put to death many of the Senators with sundry kinds of torments proclaimed Attalus Emperor Makes Attalus Emperor to day and a Servant to morrow to bring the Imperial Government into contempt Theodosius's Army hastens to give him Battel He flies A Monk admonishes him as he was marching to Rome to forbear his outrage His Answer as set on by God to day who had his guard of Souldiers the next day made him go in the tire and habit of a Servant on purpose to bring the Imperial Government into contempt Theodosius's Army made great expedition to give him Battel he hearing thereof betook him to his heels It is said That as he marched to Rome a Monk met and admonished him Not to delight in perpetrating of such heinous and horrible offences neither to rejoyce in committing slaughter and bloodshed To whom he is said to make this Answer I God knoweth do take this voyage against my Will There is one which molesteth me daily nay he compelleth me by force and saith thus unto me Go on thy journey destroy the City of Rome And no wonder that these things were for Celestinus Bishop of Cap. 11. Celestinus Bishop of Rome banishing the Novations imputed as the cause of the sacking of Rome Rome banished the Novations out of that City and deprived them of their Churches and thereby constrained Rusticula their Bishop to raise private Conventicles who beforetime flourished in Rome and had there great Congregations but now they began to be hated out of measure The Bishop of Rome challenging to himself He took upon him sole power as did the Bishop of Alexandria secular Power and Jurisdiction as the Bishop of Alexandria had done which saith the Historian of the Romish Bishop he presumed Which the Historian charges as presumption in the Romish Biâ—â—ops to do passing the bounds of his Priestly Order So these Bishops though they commended the Novations for their uniform consent as touching the Faith yet they deprived them of all The Novations deprived of all their Substance save at Constantinople by Nicenians though of that Faith because differing in a particular Cap. 12. Chrysanthus chosen Bishop of Constantinople in Sysinnius's stead An account of him their Substance But at Constantinople it was not so with the Novations Sysinius dying at Constantinople Chrysanthus the Son of Marcianus was chosen in his room This Chrysanthus had been a Souldier from his youth in the Emperors Court and Lieutenant of Italy against Theodosius Magnus his Vicegerent of the Isles of Brittain where he purchased great commendation for his politick Government coming to Constantinople where he desired to reside in his old years was there chosen as aforesaid but he not liking of that Service conveyed himself away
in Gods Kingdom therefore herein I may not hear you for if you cannot suffer any man should usurp authority where you have to command how do you think God should suffer you to thrust him from his Seat and to set your self therein The Puritans so called in their Answer to the Admonition to the Parliament in King James his time page 109. say The Papists nor others neither constrainedly nor customarily communicate in the Mysteries of Salvation And in their supplication printed 1609. pag. 21. c. they write much for Tolleration The Papists so called are quoted in a Book intituled Persecution for Religion condemned c. printed 1615 and 1620. and reprinted 1662. wherein are also many of the things aforesaid I say they are quoted to have written in a Book of theirs about that time published relating to the Oath of Allegiance c. then put viz. in the dayes of King James after this manner Moreover the means which Almighty God appointed his Officers to use in the Conversion of Kingdoms and People was Humility Patience Charity c. saying Behold I send you as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Mat. 10. 16. He did not say I send you as Wolves among Sheep to kill imprison to spoyl and devour these unto whom they were sent Again vers 7. he saith They to whom I send you will deliver you up to Councels and in their Synagogues they will scourge you and to Presidents and Kings shall you be led for my sake He doth not say You whom I send shall deliver the people whom you ought to convert unto Councels and to put them in Prisons and lead them to Presidents and Tribunal Seats and make their Religion Felony and Treason Again he saith vers 12. When ye enter into the House salute it saying Peace be unto this House He doth not say Ye shall send Pursevants to ransack and spoyl the House Again he saith John 10. The good Pastor giveth his life for his Sheep The Thief cometh not but to steal kill and destroy He doth not say The Thief giveth his Life for his Sheep and the good Pastor cometh not but to steal kill and destroy c. The same Book viz. Persecution for Religion condemned c. saith of Stephen King of Poland that he should say I am King of Men not of Consciences a Commander of Bodies and not of Souls And that the King of Bohemia had thus written viz. Notwithstanding the success of the latter times wherein sundry Opinions have been hatched about the Subject of Religion may make one clearly discern with his eye and as it were touch with his finger that according to the verity of holy Scripture and a Maxime heretofore held and maintained by the Antient Doctors of the Church That mens Consciences ought in no sort to be violated urged or constrained and whensoever men have attempted any thing by this violent course whether openly or by secret means the issue hath been pernicious and the cause of great and wonderful innovations in the principallest and mightiest Kingdoms and Countreys of all Christendom c. And further saith that Book he saith So that once more we do protest before God and the whole World that from this time forwards we are firmly resolved not to persecute or molest or suffer to be persecuted or violated any person whatsoever for matter of Religion no not they that profess themselves to be of the Roman Church neither to trouble or disturb them in the exercise of their Religion so they live conformable to the Laws of the States c. William Greenhil of this day in his Exposition on the 11th of Ezech. page 424. saith You know who said In the things of the mind we look for no compulsion but that of Light and Reason He is of the Independants so called And Epictetus that famous Philosopher in his Dissertations collected by Arrians Book 1. Chap. 14. thus saith a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When ye have shut your Gates and made darkness within that is to say are retired do not say that ye are alone for ye are not alone but God is within and your genius or the Principle of God what need have they of light to see to do as much as to say God and the Principle of him see what you do And Aristotle to add no more in the 5th Book of Ethicks chap. 8. saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man acts justly or unjustly as he acts freely but when constrainedly he doth neither justly nor unjustly but by accident And so I have done with Alexander Henderson and these Doctors and the Book and Papers of the late King and these sayings of the Antient having through all convinced in their very words or their very words holding forth the Principles of the People called Quakers as I have in the words of others in preceding Generations if so be that yet men will reflect or take a view of Truth as it looks through their own Glass though they will not take it in anothers I shall now bring it through the Protestant Religion or that on which the name Protestant is grounded and some few more instances of the Ages that are past and so conclude this my long yet necessary tract of these things which are so eminent and fit to be considered John Milton in his Treatises of the power of the Civil Magistrate in causes Ecclesiastical hath excellently pitched the bottom of this matter It cannot be denied saith he being the main foundation of our Protestant Religion That we of these Ages having no divine Rule or Authority from without us warrantable to one another as a common ground but the Holy Scripture and no other within us but the illumination of the Holy Spirit so interpreting that Scripture as warrantable only to our selves and to such whose Consciences we can so perswade can have no other ground in matters of Religion but only from the Scriptures And these being not possible to be understood without this divine Illumination which no man can know at all times to be in himself much less to be at any time for certain in any other it follows clearly that no man or body of men in these times can be the infallible Judges or determiners in matters of Religion to any other mens Consciences but their own And again saith he with good cause therefore it is the general consent of all sound Protestant Writers That neither Traditions Councels nor Canons of any visible Church much less Edicts of any Magistrates or Civil Session but the Scripture onely can be the final Judge or Rule in matters of Religion and that only in the Conscience of every Christian to himself Which protestation saith he made by the first publick Reformers of our Religion against the Imperial Edicts of Charles the fifth imposing Church Traditions without Scripture gave the first beginning of the name Protestant and with that name hath ever been received this Doctrine which prefers the