cōsent or was present when they were set forth notwithstanding the Grecians report those patriarches to haue promulgated them but this they cannot proue by any certayne arguments So Anastasius So as the credit and authority of this Councell was confined like our Catholikes in England to their fiue miles I meane within very narrow bounds and was euen in the very birth like a base brat branded in the forehead with shame both of the matter and makers 49. And this is further euicted by two graue Authors of that age whereof one to wit Venerable Bede was then liuing and Paulus Diaconus the other not long after who both write of it as of It was presently cōdemned by Pope Sergius a scismaticall and no true Councell and that Sergius the Pope condemned it for which cause the furious Emperour sent Zacharias his Embassadour to Rome to bring the Pope prisoner to Constantinople which had byn effected if the souldiers of Rauenna had not resisted and forced the Embassadour not without shame and feare also of his life to returne backe without him Hic beatae Beda l. de sex aetat in lustin iuniore memoriae Pontificem Romanae Ecclesia Sergium c. Iustinian the yonger sayth Bede commanded Sergius Bishop of Rome of blessed memory to be carryed to Constantinople because he would not fauour and subcribe vnto his erring Councell erraticae Synodo which he had caused there to be made sending for that purpose Zacharias his chiefe captaine but the garryson of the Citty of Rauenna and soldiers of the places adioyning reiected the wicked command of the Prince and made the sayd Zachary not without reproach iniuries to recoyle So S. Bede And the same in the same words Paulus Diaconus and so far was Sergius from approuing it as he sayth of him that Iustinian The rare constancy of Pope Sergius in another embassage before that now recounted had sent vnto the Pope as to the head of all Priests the sayd Councel written out in six tomes to be subscribed vnto Qui beatissimus Pontifex penitus eidem Iustiniano Augusto non acquieuit c. Which most holy Pope yielded not a iote to the Emperour Iustinian neither would he vouchsafe to take or read them Moreouer he reiected them as of no force and cast them away choosing rather to dye then to yield to the errours of these noueltyes So Paulus Diaconus who also recounteth how the same Emperour taking afterwards a contrary resolution sent two of his Metropolitans to Rome to Pope Iohn to confirme or correct these Canons but neither the one or other was done 50. In fine after much wrestling in this matter for Constantin the Pope with Gregory who succeeded him then a priuate man went to Constantinople disputed answered refelled the errours Gods iust reuenge vpon Iustiniā the Emperour and Callinicus the Patriarke declared the truth when notwithstanding the Emperour still persisted God shewed at last which part pleased him best for the first Author or instigatour Callinicus had both his eyes pulled out by the Emperours command was banished to Rome where he knew full well what his intertainement would be and the Emperour himselfe hauing first lost his nose then his Empyre last of all lost also his life hauing first his sonne Tiberius butchered and then his own head cut off by one of his rebell souldiers and sent to Philippus his mortall enemy and successour in the Empyre so as we see iust reuenge sooner or later ouertakes them who are to busy in laying their hands on the sacred Arke of Ecclesiasticall affayres and out of their arrogancy will teach direct those of whome they are themselues to be taught directed for in matters of this nature Bishops or Pastours haue alwayes taught Kings and no Christian Kings in the Primitiue Church haue prescribed vnto Bishops vnles such alone as with their scepters haue violently ouer swayde all reason and Religion togeather 51. This is the true narration of this bastard Councell which of purpose I haue exactly promised and that both for the better perspicuity of the thing it selfe and my answers which depend thereon as also for that you may the better know the vaine humours of our Aduersaryes how they can face out a matter when they intend to deceaue or are not able to shew what they would pretend to proue for heer M. Hall tells vs what this Counsaile sayth To the confusion of all replyers in spight of all contradiction that Singular impudency in facing out matters vpon so small proofe the Catholiks seeing themselues pressed with so flat a decree confirmed by authority of Emperours as would abide no denyall c. And againe that this one authority is inough to weigh downe an hundred petty Conuenticles and many legions if there had beene many of priuate contradictions And what will you say to this pedlar who thus pratleth of his small wares If he had any argument against vs as he hath none how would he vaunt do these men speake out of conscience or knowledge trow you or els ad populum phaleras to entertaine tyme and deceaue their Readers in my iudgment this is impudency in the superlatiue degree and for this alone he deserueth for euer to be discredited seeing he could not but know what we had answered to this Synod and that himself was not able therunto to make any reply but this his tallent of shameles dealing will better appeare in all the other particulers which I will now in order discusse 52. First then he sayth that this was a generall Councell and so he still tearmeth it the sixt generall Councell but this we haue now shewed The Trullan Conuenticle no general Councell to be false for it was neither the sixth nor yet generall as not called by the Bishop of Rome but by him who had no authority no Bishop Priest or Deacon sent from the Sea Apostolike was there which in no generall Councel lawfully assembled was euer wanting none of the rest of the Patriarches of the East were present none of the West inuited and the Canons by supreme authority at their first appearance condemned which things cannot agree to a true generall Councell and if it were Prouinciall as M. Hall shall neuer make more of it if he make so much then can it not make lawes to bind the whole Church but that particuler prouince wherein it was made and if these also by higher power be condemned as in this case it happeneth then doth it not bind that neither or any place els but is to be refused of all as was the Councell of Carthage called by S. Cyprian which allowed the rebaptizing of infāts which had beene christened by heretickes which M. Hall might as well haue vrged against vs as this of Constantinople and better also for that S. Cyprian is of a greater authority more antiquity sanctity and learning then Callinicus was for he dyed a renowned Martyr and the other
persons which by the law of God may lawfully marry So there 75. And now who so will paralell this parlament with M. Halls sacred Councell of Trullum The decrees of the CouÌ„cell and parlameÌ„t paralelled shall soone see how short the one commeth of the other the Synod I meane of the Statute for that in the former is only leaue giuen to Priests to keep their wiues which they had marryed before their ordination and in the Parlament is an absolute leaue giuen to all and that whether they were marryed before or after In that Councell Bishops were to put their wiues far from them heer they are permitted to keep them at home or if they had none to seeke and marry them there the second marriage or els the taking of a widdow made men incapable of holy orders heere no multitude of wiues or widdows do hinder at all there to haue known a Nunne was sacriledge heere if she list to marry there is open freedome and no prohibition there euen in M. Halls Canon Subdeacons Deacons and Priests that did serue by course in the Church where to forbeare their wiues for the tyme of their attendance heere is no more restraint for that tyme then for any other there it was a constitution of the Apostles not to marry after they were in holy orders heer wher all things went out of order Gods law is to the contrary in fine this reuerseth all that was ordeyned in that Councel against the Protestants and therefore in the behalfe of the marriage of their Clergy men this is without comparison far more full and absolute then that 76. And as for peremptorines that was heer very singular for what could be more peremptory The Parlament in K. Edwards dayes very peremptory and resolute then for a few Sectaryes of a little Iland to sit vpon all Councells Canons Constitutions and all Ecclesiasticall lawes made and allowed by the whole Christian Church a few loose Grecians excepted and without all controle practised for so many ages togeather and to proclaime them all inualide of none effect and further to call them though defyned againe and againe in neuer so many Councells Generall Prouinciall National as after shall be shewed to be the Lawes Canons Constitutions and ordinances made by authority of man only as if the authority of the whole Church were but the authority of man which is subiect to errour and had not the warrant of Christ for her direction and infalibility and as though that Parlament had had more authority then of a man only to wit either Angelical or Diuine when as many therein assembled were not Angels God wot the chiefe dealers in this broken matter were scant honest men and as for diuine authority it was inough for them to name the law of God which righly vnderstood made as much for them as the lawes or our land doe for theeues murtherers and other malefactours 77. Which desperate attempt was somewhat Iacke Straw in the tyme of K. Richard the second like the proceeding of Iacke Straw VVat Tiler Iohn Bull c. in the tyme of Richard the 2. when without authority they sate in Councell to suppresse al the nobility Bishops Canons c to kill all the lawyers and burne the lawes of the realme and of the Clergy to leaue none aliue but only begging Fryers for as that attempt of subiects was seditious treasonable because done against the authority dignity person of the King and lawes of the land so was this of â— few schismaticall Bishops and other lay men who stil haue beene striuing to meddle in Ecclesiasticall affayres â—o lesse rebellious schismatical and hereticall against the Church of Christ for they who sat in this Councell had no authority ouer the Church but were subiect to her lawes as members thereof and such Pastours as were present in the same were subordinate to others of higher calling without whose consent authority and approbation they could not conclude any Ecclesiastical new law preiudiciall to the former more then Iacke Straw his consorts against the Ciuill much lesse could they ouerthrow a law by diuers Synods so often confirmed and still in vse from the first planting of the The Parlament only a ciuill Court fayth in the Iland that also being no tribunall to decide Ecclesiasticall but temporall and Ciuill for which only all nationall Parlaments are summoned a Parlament may confirme by decree what the Bishops in Synod haue defyned for the better execution of Ecclesiasticall lawes but make laws or define matters of that nature being only a Ciuill Court it cannot 78. Wherefore to end this matter hauing shewed the large difference that is between these two different decrees which is as much as I did vndertake to do against M. Hall or els to be cast in this cause it resteth now that out of these premises his owne graunt I conclud against him and say as our Sauiour sayd to the wicked seruant in the Ghospell ex ore tuo te iudico serue nequam I iudge thee wicked seruant out of thyne owne mouth for thus if you remember he sayd If any Protestant Church in Christendom can make a more M. Hall coÌ„cluded to be faithles peremptory more full and absolute more cautelous decree then the 13. of the Trullan Synod for the marriage of Ecclesiasticall persons let me be cond 〈…〉 ed as saythles to which maior or first proposition set downe in his owne wordes I add this minor bue the statutes of Edward sixt are more peremptory more full more absolute more cautelous for they take away all scruple and remorse then that decree the conclusion wâ—ll necessarily follow ergo he is to be condemned as faythles or els he must shew wherin this syllogisme either for matter forme or figure doth faile which he shal neuer be able to do 79. The Apostle amongst other notes of an heretike putteth this for one that he is proprio iudicio Tit. 3. condemnatus condemned by his owne iudgment or a S. Cyprian in diuers places conforme Heretikes condemned by theÌ„selues to the Greeke readeth à semetipso is condemned by himselfe which may very fitly be applyed to M. Hâ—ll who is taken as you see in his own turne and condemned by himselfe and that either to want honesty if King Edwards lawes be more ful absolute c. then the other which he alleadgeth or els to be deuoyd of all shame if he stand in denyall of that which euery one perceaueth to be so manifest and notorious He shal neuer be able so to direct his barke though he were neuer so skillfull a Pilot as to passe between this Scylla and Carybdis without falling into the gulfe and perishing in the froth of his owne precipitate folly and in case this of King Edward were not full inough as it is too full and runneth ouer yet may the Protestant Churches deuise a fuller so he no lesse then now remaine faithles
orders because now in England there are no Subdeacons and the Latin word atque doth not signify or but and and so he should haue sayd Deacons and Subdeacons and not haue confounded them togeather as he doth besides this peccadillo there are three other mayne vntruthes in these wordes and all the ground whereon it relyeth is false For where he sayth that Catholikes saw themselues pressed with so flat a decree The first vntruth in M. Hals wordes confirmed by authority of Emperours as would abide no denyall we haue before made it abide a denyall and to be so far from a flat decree of any Councel which bindeth all to imbrace it as that hitherto it hath neuer beene receaued in that kind for flat or round and that by authority of such as then liued as S. Bede or not long after as Paulus Diaconus and Anastasius and for the confirmation of Emperours the matter is smal vnles it had first had another confirmation which could not be gotten but was flatly denyed Councells take not their authority from Emperours but Emperours second Councels with their power that all vnder them may obey what they who are in spiritual authority ouer them haue decreed and M. Halls Emperours in particuler to wit Iustinian the yonger Philippicus c. being such as they were we will not much enuy M. Hall their confirmations whose liues and actions were such as they were staynes to Christianity and their deaths so disasterous as well sheweth by whose heauy hand and indignation they were chastized 86. And if M. Hall will haue all Councells confirmed by Emperours to be lawful and their decrees Canonical theÌ„ let him imbrace another Councell of Constantinople called soone after the Touching the confirmation of Councells by Emperours former by Philippicus Bardanes the Emperour wherein the heresy of the Monothelites who will haue our Sauiour not to haue had any humane will was defyned and the true sixth Synod of Constantinople condemned and as well may M. Hall pleade for himselfe out of this Councel as of the former for in this was the authority of the Emperour who called who confirmed it there was Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople and far more Bishops then in the Trullan Conuenticle wherfore in the doctrine of this man the decree is flat confirmed by the authority of the Emperours admits no denyall The Monothelite heretiks will thanke you M. Hall and remaine your debtour How much the Church hath gotten by Imperiall Synods too lamentable experience hath taught vs as well in these as in diuers others whereof one was within few yeares after this of Philippicus called by Leo the Iconoclast who with our Protestants condemned defaced razed pulled downe abused and burned all sacred images of our Sauiour and his Saints and to omit others in the later tymes as the Conuenticles of Henry the fourth against Gregory the seauenth c. it is not the authority of Emperours when we speake of Councells which makes them so firme as they can abide no denyall but the promise assistance of the holy Ghost with the Pastours of the Church without any reference to the ciuill magistrate or els the first Apostolicall Councell had beene void and of none effect when notwithstanding they sayd visum est Spiritui sancto Act. 15. nobis it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and vs the scepter in this must yield to the myter the sheep to the Pastours the ciuill Magistrate to the Ecclesiasticall Kings and Princes vnto Bishops and Prelates The causes are different and the Courts diuers The second vntruth is that Pope Steuen granted that the Clergy of the East might marry which after shall in due place be refuted 87. The last vntruth is touching Steuen the seconds decree for whereas in Gratian there is The vntruth of M. Halls touching Pope Steuen no number of second or third or any els M. Hall as none are more bold then such as know least without more ado resolutly affirmes it to be the second Steuen but truth so reclaimes against it or rather ouerbeareth it so violently as it cannot subsist for the second Steuen liuing but three Gratian. distin 31. can aliter dayes Pope or foure at the most had no leasure to call a Councell or make decrees and that this was done in Councell Gratian witnesseth who sayth that he made the decree in a Councell held in the Lateran Church and three dayes being too short a tyme euen for the very intimation the falshood of this charge doth refute it selfe and demonstratiuely shew this decree not to haue beene made by this Steuen 88. If M. Hall to help himselfe will take the third for the second as some do who by reason of the short life of the second Steuen do not number him among the Popes that will also as little auaile him for in all his tyme there was no Councell held in the Lateran Church or any where els for such were the troubles of those tempestuous tymes Aistulphui raging in the West and the furious firebrands of the Iconoclasts or image-breakers being in perpetuall care trauell from one place to another to compose all seditious tumults and to cancell the decree of another Councell gathered by the Emperours What manner of Councels heretikes do bring for confirmation of their heresies authority to wit Constantinus your friend M. Hall though scant sweet for suppressing of images and called the seauenth Oecumenicall but with as good reason as your TrullaÌ„ was called the sixth for no other Patriarch was present none of the West inuited no Legat of the Popes or authority required no law or forme of a true CouÌ„cel obserued al went by force fury and faction such commonly â—re the Councells you bring for confirmation of your heresy 89. I confesse that Steuen the 4. held there a Councell but that was only called for the deposing of the false Pope Constantine and deposing of such as were ordered by him in that schisme and preuenting the like inconuenience of chosing a lay man to be Pope againe for such was this Constantine chosen by popular tumult without all order or forme of Canonicall election by the seditious and tyrannicall procurement of his brother Toto then in Rome whose power and violence at that tyme none could withstand last of all it disannulled the decree of the false Synod of Constantinople against holy images but of Priests wiues either in the East or West there is no mention nor yet in any Author of these tymesym When M. Hall is more particuler in his charge he shall haue a more particuler answere in the meane tyme I say with Bellarmin that Canon perhaps to be of no authority but an error of the collectours and that for the reasons alleadged and the cause is poorely defended that is grounded on the errours or mistakings of others 90. And in case we graunted all the words which M. Hall bringeth out of this Canon nothing Gratians Canon
coruus malum ouum For this sensuall voluptuous spirit is the seed of heresy and so infecteth the stalkes that as S. Hierome sayth difficile sit reperire haereticum qui diligat Hier. in c. â— Oseae castitatem it is hard to find an heretike that loueth chastity the cause whereof I shall after assigne Only heere M. Hall may see how different the doctrine of the Fathers is from that which he teacheth and how contrary the Counsaile of these Angelical Saints is to that which lewd Luther wrot of S. Hierome saying Sanctus Hieronymus scribit detentationibus carnis paruares est vxor domi In colloq Germ. titulo de vita coâ—iugali detenta facilè huic morbo mederi alicui potest EustochiuÌ„ hac in re potuisset Hieronymo auxilio venire O impure lips and incircumcised tongue o beastly beginner of this new beliefe 44. Let M. Hall if he be able produce vs some proofe although but one classicall authority of any one ancient writer where he hath euer perswaded such as hauing solemnely vowed chastity to vse marriage as a meanes to ouercome tentations and he shall haue some excuse for calling it a filthy vow and his Heroicall Luther for tearming it a diabolicall thing but this is to hard a taske and his owne Trullan Councell in this allowes him no liberty howsoeuer in one only point as in the next Paragraffe shall at large be shewed it do fauour him for thus it defineth Si quis Episcopus vel Presbyter vel Diaconus c. cum Concil Trullan can 4. muliere Deo dicata coierit deponatur vt qui Christi sponsae vitium attulerit sin autem laicus segregetur It any Bishop or Priest or Deacon c. shall carnally know a religious woman let him he deposed as one that hath deflowred the spouse of Christ but if he be a lay man let him be separated to wit by excoÌ„munication from conuersing with other men and this was made against the secret abuse for publike marriage was neuer permitted by any but still condemned by all 45. Which in my opinion is a matter so out of controuersy I meane the not permitting and Marriage neuer permitted to votaryes the condemning of these marriages which is the last proofe I promised out of the Fathers as he who denyeth the same and yet will offer to stand to their tryall may seeme to be either very ignorant or impudent ignorant if he know not their doctrine impudent if he will withstand his owne knowledge and willfully reiect as reuerend a triall as any vnder heauen for heare I pray what they teach touching this matter Illis quae non se continent sayth S. Augustine expedit nubere August de adulter coniugijs lib. 1. c. 15. quod licet expedit quae autem vouerint nec licet nec expedit It is expedient for such women as cannot conteyne to marry and that is expedient which is lawfull but such as haue vowed chastity for them is neither expedient nor lawful and in another place speaking of such a one as had vowed neuer to marry He sayth Non damnaretur Praefat. in psal 83. si duxisset vxorem post votum quod Deo promisit si duxerit damnalitur cùm hoc faciat quod ille qui non promiserat tamen iâ—e non damnatur iste damnatur quare nisi quia iste respexit retro He should not haue beene damned if he had before marryed a wife but after his vow which he hath made to God if he shall marry then he shall be damned when as he doth but the selfe same thing which the other doth who made no vow and yet this other is not damned and he is this for what other cause but for that he who vowed hath with Lots wife looked backward So S. Augustine whose heauenly opinion toucheth very neere the fleshly beginners of this new Ghospel whether we respect the first root thereof in Germany Luther Bucer Oecolampadius Peter Martyr and others or our first English Patriarke Cranmer his adherents whome no vowes made to God no shame of men no conscience or other band or bridle was able to keepe backe from their filthy lust coloured with the honest title of wedlocke but this wedlocke of theirs in the Fathers writings hath another but not so honest title as presently we shall see 46. S. Iohn Chrysostome writing vnto Theodorus the relapsed Monke who presently thought Paraen 2. cap. 2. vpon marriage or how to haue his harlot sayth Si militiae vincula non tenerent quis sibi desertionis crimen obijceret Nunc autem in te nihil penitus tui iuris est c. If the bands of this spirituall warfare did not hold who wold euer obiect vnto thee the crime of this reuolt but now thou hast no power or authority ouer thy selfe at all because thou hast entred vnder the ensignes of Christ for if a woman haue no power ouer her owne body but her husband much more those who liue more to Christ then theÌ„selues can haue no dominion ouer their bodyes Thus he And this reason moued the ancient Fathers not only to condemne these marriages but further to esteeme the vow-breakers as adulterous persons because they brake their first fayth promise contract spirituall coniunction by purity of life with Christ by a contrary fayth promise contract and carnall vnion with a mortall creature an iniury too grosle to be offered vnto our Sauiour a vow to sacred to be violated by so base a motiue an obligation too great so rashly to be broken Si de eis aliqua corrupta fuerit deprehensa sayth Cypr. ep â—2 S. Cyprian agat poenitentiam plenam quia quae hoc crimen admisit non mariti sed Christi adultera est If a virgin that hath vowed chastity be found to haue beene deflowred let her do full pennance because she who hath coÌ„mitted this crime is an aduowtresse not of her husband but of Christ So S. Cyprian 47. And to Theodous the Monke who made lococitato the common obiection of our lasciuious Ministers that marriage is for al and denyed to none S. Chrysostome answeres Neque vllus te fortè decipiat dicens nihil de non accipienda vxore Dominus praecepit c. let not any perchance deceaue you saying God hath commanded a man nothing for not taking of a wife I know very well he hath forbidden adultery not prohibited marriage but you shal commit adultery in case which God forbid you should euer thinke vpon marrying what S. Chrysostome wrote to this Apostata Monke S. Basil wrote to a corrupted Nunne to whome Basil ep 18â— ad virginem lapsam speaking in the person of God he sayth Ipsa antem dilexit alienos viuente me viro immortali adultera appellatur non timet alteri viro commisceri She hath loued others and I her immortall husband being aliue she is called an aduowtresse and she feareth not
inferred the contrary conclusion for he sayth that this authority doth not perswade vs to beget children in priesthood Habentem enim dixit filios non facientem S. Paul sayth the Bishop that hath children not he who begets them as our English Bishops and Ministers do 36. With the Fathers now mentioned others conspire whome I might also if it were needfull alleadge who all acknowledge in the 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1. Apostles words a permissiue dispensation not any positiue command and that also at such a tyme when amongst the Heathens conuerted vnto the fayth there could not be found so many single men as the Clergy required which both S. Epiphanius S. Hierome and Theodoret do Epiphan haeres 59. Hier. l. 1. in louin cap. 19. Theod. in comment Chrysosto commâ—nâ—s in 1. ad Titum obserue and truely if he had meant to haue left this matter free there had beene no need of this restrictiue limitation to the husband I meane of one wife but that as S. Chrysostome wel noteth Castigat impudicos dum non eos permittit post secundas nuptias ad Ecclesiae regimen dignitaetemque Pastoris assumi He checketh the incontinent whiles he permitteth them not after their second marriages to be preferred to the gouernment of the Church and dignity of Pastour So he And that this was only for that tyme and out of the errour thereof he further in another place confirmeth saying Voluit orbis Pastores constituere c. S. Paul went about to place Pastours ouer the Chrys ho. 2. in Iob. world and for that vertues were rarely found ordeyning Bishops he sayth to Titus make Bishops as I haue disposed the husbaÌ„d of one wife not to that end that this should now be obserserued in the Church for a Priest ought to be adorned with all chastity And after Non quod id legis loco posuerit sed quod errori ignoscebat Not that he made a law that euery one should marry as M. Hall interprets him but that he condescended to the errour to wit of those tymes 37. I will only adioyne one more whom M. Hall citeth for himselfe and is very eager in defence of his wordes as after you shall see so as his authority must needs be without exception on his behalfe to wit S. Isidore Bishop of Seuill who thus conforme to the other Fathers and truth also expoundeth the former words Isidor dâ— officiâ—s Eccles l. â— cap. 5. Vnius vxoris virum the husband of one wife thus Sacerdotium quaerit Ecclesia aut de Monogamia ordinatum aut de virginitate sanctum Digamus autem haud fertur agere sacerdotium The Church seeketh for priesthood either decent from single marriage or holy from virginity he that hath been twice marryed is not to be Priest So he so others so all And by this any may see who agree with No disagreement betweene S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostome though one do graunt a law in S. Paules wordes the other deny it because they do speake of different lawes the Fathers and who leaue them who interpret the Scriptures out of their owne spirit and who follow the beaten path of the Churches doctrine who antiquity who nouelty who truth who errour which point I might further dilate if the lawes of a letter restrayned me not to a more contracted breuity 38. If M. Hall say that S. Ambrose by me cited acknowledgeth in the Apostles wordes a law and S. Chrysostom denyeth any law to be in them but only a dispensation for that tyme and occasion I answere that both of them speake properly both truly S. Ambrose speaketh vpon supposition that a marryed man is to be made Priest or Bishop and then sayth that there is a law prescribed by the Apostle that he haue beene marryed but once so as this law is negatiue to wit none is to be ordered who hath twice been marryed but S. Chrysostome speaketh absolutly of a positiue law and affirmeth that the Apostle by no such law doth bynd euery Priest of Bishop to marry which I call positiue because it must runne in this tenour Euery Priest or Bishop ought at least once to be marryed for neither doth S. Ambrose graunt this law or S. Chrysostome deny the other but both iointly agree that none heereby is bound to marry and he that Tertull. exhort ad castitateÌ„ cap. 7. Concil Valentin cap. 1. Carthag 4. cap. 69. Toletan 1. cap. 4. Concil Aratisican cap. 25. Arelat 3. cap. 3. Roman sub Hilar. cap. 2. Agath cap. 1. Epaun. c. 2. Gerund cap. 8. Aurel. 3. c. 6. c. Bezal de diuortijs hath beene twice marryed is not to be ordered 39. With this doctrine concurreth the practise in all ages for Tertullian neere the Apostles tymes thus out of his own knowledge writeth Apud nos pleniùs atque strictiùs praescribitur c. Among vs it is more fully and straitly ordained that such alone be chosen to be made Priests who haue beene but once marryed in so much as my selfe remember certaine who were twice marryed to haue been deposed So he And in the 4. Councell of Carthage it is defined that if any Bishop should wittingly order any who had marryed a widdow taken againe his wife whome he had left or taken a second that he should be depriued of all authority of ordering any more And the same was appointed in diuers other Councells heere by me noted and their wordes are alleadged by Coccius in his rich treasure of the Catholike truth Which assertion of ours is so cleare euident as Beza himselfe could not deny it but in his book of Diuorces doth confesse it as he who reads him will confesse that he is the vndoubted scholler of Antichrist Digamos sayth he id est eos qui plures successiuè vxores vel etiam vnam eam viduam duxerant c. So far did most men in tymes past esteeme those who were Digami that is those who had taken more wiues one after the other or els had marryed but one and she a widdow to be vnworthy of the sacred ministery that they did not only exclude them from holy orders to wit of being Bishop Priest Deacon or Subdeacon but once also they excluded them euen from the very Clergy Let this be neuer so ancient notwithstanding I affirme it to be most wicked and not tolerable in the Church So he Giuing at one clap as you see the checke-mate to all Fathers Councells Churches antiquity and whatsoeuer yea if all the Fathers haue not in their commentaryes erred to the very Apostle himselfe so sharp are these men set to defend their wiues as they affect rather as it should seem to be kind husbands then sincere Christians 40. For M. Hall also euen in this very epistle maketh his chiefe plea for his owne and his M. Hall seemeth to set more by his wife then by his Religion fellow ministers trulls out of the Councell of
which is yet more then I need that he hath by this example euinced his cause and will neuer any more mention his diuorce 11. But if in this passage he cog notoriously if he affirme the quite contrary to that which is in his author if as before out of Origen he cut off three wordes with an c. so heer he do add one word which quite altereth the sense then I hope his friends will bethinke them well how they trust such iugglers who with the Aegyptians looke them in the face whiles their fingers be in their purse and I wish that with his falsehood he did but picke their purses and not seduce their soules bought ransomed with the deere price of the precious bloud of the sonne of God And that there be no mistaking betweene What M. Hall doth affirme out of S. Cyprian and I do deny vs remember I pray what M. Hall doth affirme to wit that Numidicus was a marryed Priest and that S. Cyprian auoucheth so much I on the other side deny both the one and the other and say that he was neuer a marryed Priest and that S. Cyprian neuer sayd any such thing but the quite contrary that he was made priest after his wiues death Let S. Cyprian decide the doubt betweene vs. 12. This Numidicus then being a marryed man was by the persecutours carryed togeather with his wife and others to be martyred the rest When Numidicus was made Priest were put to death before him with them he cheerefully saw his wife burned making no other account but to drinke of the same cup and to follow her into the flames he dyd so was left for dead Ipse sayth S. Cyprian semiustulatus Epist 35. iuxta Pamelum alias l. 4. ep vltim lapidibus obrutus pro mortuo derelictus c. He halfe burned couered with stones and left for dead whiles his daughter out of filiall duety sought his body he was found not to be fully departed and being taken out and by carefull attendance somewhat refreshed he remayned against his will after his companions whome he had sent before him to heauen Sed remanendi vt videmus haec fuit causa vt eum Clero nostro Dominus adiungeret But this as we see was the cause why he remayned behind that God might make him of our Clergy and adorne the number of our priesthood made small by the fall of some with glorious Priests Thus far S. Cyprian whose wordes are so plaine as they need not explication for he plainely testifyeth that he was made Priest after his wiues death and for that cause to haue beene preserued aliue and he sayth not as you see Numidicus presbyter vxorem suam concrematam c. Numidicus the Priest saw his wife burned but only Numidicus saw his wife burned A foule corruption the word Priest is added both in the English text and Latin margent by M. Hall and that as you see for his aduantage cleane contrary to the mind of his authour 13. For without that word what doth this testimony auaile him what doth it proue will he reason thus Numidicus after his wife was burned was made Priest therfore he was a marryed Pbesbyter and his example proueth the marriage of all Priests to be lawfull these extremes are too far asunder to meet in one syllogisme and he shall neuer be able to find a medius terminus that can knit them togeather I wish that I were neere M. Hall when some or other would shew him this imposture to see what face he would make thereon whether he would confesse his errour or persist in his folly for I see not but turne him which way he list he must be condemned Protestāt◠neuer write against Catholikes but they corrupt Authors for a falsifyer I know not what fatall destiny followes these men that whatsoeuer they treat of in any controuersy betweene vs them they cannot but shew legier-du-mayne fraud and collusion and yet notwithstanding pretend all candour and simplicity for heer on the word Priest standeth all the force of M. Halls argument and that is foysted in by himselfe not to be found conioyned with the wordes he cyteth in S. Cyprian 14. If M. Hall say which is all he can say that in the beginning of the epistle S. Cyprian hath these wordes Numidicus presbyter ascribatur presbyterorum Carthaginensium numero nobiscum sedeat in Clero c. Let Numidicus the Priest be numbred amongst the Priests of Carthage and let him sit with vs in the Clergy then goeth on with the description of his merits of the courage he shewed in seeing his wife dye c. this plaister cannot salue the soare for this epistle S. Cyprian wrote after he had ordered him Priest and his ordination as there he declareth and you haue now heard was after his wiues death Numidicus himselfe giuing by his rare constancy his so resolutely offering himselfe to dy for Christ occasion of his promotion yea of further preferment for in the end of the same letter S. Cyprian sayth that at his returne to Carthage he meant to make him Bishop as Pamelius doth rightly interpret him So as there is no euasion left for M. Hall to escape 15. I haue purposely transposed the fact of Paphnutius in the Councell of Neece the authority The fact of Paphnutius in the Nicen Councell is discussed whereof although it be more ancient then S. Athanasius who therein albeit present was not Bishop but Deacon yet are the Authors who recount the same much more moderne and all the credit lying on their relation no writer more ancient so much as mentioning any such matter the Councell if selfe disclayming from it these Authors in other things being found vnsincere fabulous I thought it not worth the answering but seeing that M. Hall notwithstanding he saw it fully answered in Bellarmine and others will needs bring it in againe as though nothing had euer beene sayd thereunto Answered by Bellarmine l. ◠de Clericis cap. 20. §. argumentum 5. vltimum and out of his wonted folly and vanity insert heere and there his Greeke words which haue no more force and emphasis then the English with this conclusion in the end His arguments wone assent he spake and preuailed so this liberty was still continued and confirmed I will briefly deliuer what hath beene answered thereunto if first I shew what legier-du-maine is vsed by this Epistler in setting it down with aduantage to make it serue his purpose the better 16. For whereas Socrates recounteth the fact Socrates l. 1. cap. 8. S zom l. 1. cap. 22. of Paphnutius in a particuler matter touching the wiues of such Priests only as were ordered whē they were marryed men whether such should be debarred from their wiues bound to continency as the rest this man from the particuler draweth it vnto the generall from only marryed Priests to
a reason heeroâ— because that marriage was euery where lawfull to the Clergy before the prohibition which must needs be late and in the Easterne Church to this day is allowed and I answere that the glosse as ingenuously altogeather much more truly reiecteth this opinion with an id verò minimè ita esse there was no such matter in another distinctioÌ„ excuseth Gratian The name of Priest extended by Canon lawyers to all that are in holy orders as taking the word Priest in a larger significatioÌ„ as including all in holy Orders and meaning therby Subdeacons only and not Priests which acception is familiar with Canon Lawyers founded euen in the Canon it selfe where it is sayd Si quispiam Sacerdotum id est Presbyter Diaconus vel Subdiaconus c. If any of the Priests that is to say a Priest Deacon or Subdeacon c. in Dist 31. iniâ— can 1. q. 1. Si quispiam in glossa dist 33. cap. 1. dist 81. c. si quispiam Dist 31. Greg. l. 1. epist 42. which sense we may graunt that the tyme was when some who were marryed were made Subdeacons which is further confirmed because in another distinctioÌ„ before Gratian putting down the title Nondum erat institutum vt Sacerdotes continentiam seruarent It was not yet ordeyned that Priests should conteyne from their wiues he presently cyteth a place of S. Gregory touching Subdeacons of which we shall speake in the next Paragraffe 44. But whatsoeuer he meant we are not Bellar. l. de script Eccles in Gratian. Baron in annis 341 774. 865. 876 964. Posseuin in apparatu §. de Gratiano id scienduÌ„ ist eum saepe errasse c. bound to follow him as an infallible wryter but may with free liberty reiect whome so many graue Writers vpon diuers occasions haue so sharply censured that he gathered so many laws decrees Canons togeather argueth great learning great labour in so large a matter coÌ„ used heape of different authorities to be mistaken is no meruaile wherin he did wel we prayse him where otherwise we pitty the errours but follow them not if therefore he were of opinion as is wordes seeme to sound that Priests were first permitted to marry and were after restayned from that liberty we follow the glosse not the Text because al Authors of credit mainteyne the contrary and as for the commentary Gratian of no infallible authority of M. Hall that this prohibition must needs be very late I must needs tell him that it is another vntruth that also refuted by Gratian himselfe throughout all his 31. Distinction which falsity because I shall touch after againe in due place I heere forbeare further to stand vpon and from Gratian come to the mayne bul warke and fortresse of M. Halls defence I meane the sixth Councell as he calls it of Constantinople in answering of which The authority of the I rullaÌ„ Synod cyted and most insisted in by M. Hall at large refuted because he relyeth so much thereon I will be more particuler 45. And for that M. Hall in vrging this Councell is no lesse eager in charging vs then resolute in affirming that marriage of al Clergy men to be decreed therein and the testimony not to be lyable to any exception as of a generall Councell as he stileth it I will first touch the authority of this Councel then what he sayth for himselfe against vs out of the same and last of al what as well by generall as prouincial Councels hath beene defined against the marriage of Clergy men by which I hope it shall appeare what little cause there was of triumph before the conquest how much our poore aduersaryes make of a little who like petty Pedlars lay open their pynnes and poynts obtruding copper for gold and peeces of glasse for pretious stones 46. This Councell then heere cyted is not See Baron in ann 692. the sixth Councell which made no Canons at â—â— but another Conuenticle made some ten years after the sixth was ended that at the procurement of Iustinian the yonger none of the best Emperours The Councell of TrulluÌ„ not the 6. Councell God wot who calling togeather certaine Greeke Bishops made them sit in a place of his pallace called TrulluÌ„ because it was made round and vaulted and there to gather Canons out of the fift and sixth Synodes which indeed they pretended to do but with many erroneous additions of their own and because it made the collection out of these two Councels it was called Quinisextum as much to say as of the fift and sixth the chiefe suggester of this seditious meeting was Callinicus Patriarke of Constantinople and that for extreme hatred of the Westerne Church by which we see which in many historyes we obserue that it is easy for a Prince who intendeth to be naught to find some one or other Clergy man of the same disposition to second him Iustinian had his Callinicus the fourth Henry Emperour his Benno and our King Henry the 8. his Crammer and others the like 47. And further we see all the circumstances occurring in this Councel to demonstrate it rather to haue beene a seditious conspiracy then The Trullan Synod no lawful Councell but a seditious conspiracy any lawful sinod for iâ— had no forme of a Councell no legats of the Pope no inuiting of the Latin Bishops no authority but imperiall no lawfull conuocation and in fine did out of arrogant presumption that which appertayned not vnto it to do for if in the Councell of Chalcedon after the last session was ended when presently Anatolius to further the better without contradiction his ambitious claime ouer the other Patriarches the Patriarch of Alexandria Dioscorus who should haue withstood him being then newly deposed gathered the Greeke Bishops to make another Decree the same as not done in Councell was annulled what is to be thought of this meeting when not one day but ten yeares after a general Councel was ended these men who were but one part and that the least and lesse sincere without calling the rest or being lawfully called themselues layd hands on two generall Councells at once cut out Canons chopped changed added and altered at their pleasures 48. And how generall this Councell was and how generally accepted euen in the Greeke Church where it was held Anastasius Bibliothecarius Anastasius Bibliothecarius will testify in his dedicatory epistle vnto Iohn the eight before the seauenth Councell which he translated into Latin where after he had sayd that all these Canons were vnknowne in the Latin Church he addeth Sed nec in caeterarum Patriarchalium sedium licet Graeca vtantur lingua reperiuntur archtuis c. Nor yet are they found in the treasuries or places where publike charters or records are kept of the other Patriarchall Seas The Trullan Synod not admitted by the other Patriarks because none of these Patriarks did promulgate
orders which this epistle will not haue broken but eyther by compulsion to be kept or punished by deposition so carelesse a husband so bad a Christian so weake a protectour he is or els which I rather thinke so light witted a man as he will offer vpon any occasion to aduenture all he hath be it his wife cause or credit though the conditions on which he doth it be neuer so vnequall disaduantagious or preiudiciall vnto him 43. Before I end this matter I will come from M. Halls text vnto his margent where first he maketh this note saying Whether Huldericus Extreme folly to make no doubt of that which is only doubted of or as he is some where intituled Volusianus I enquire not the matter admits no doubt So he But this is extreme folly for it importeth all in all to know the true Author when all the credit of the thing reporteth lyeth thereon as heere it doth or els any may obtrude whatsoeuer broken peece of a letter they shal find on the dunghill to be written by some Father the thing shall challeng authority from the writer and this thing neuer hauing beene seene or heard of in the world before can haue no credit if it were only written by some late sectary as we haue inst cause to suspect and M. Hall cannot disproue whereas if he could proue it written by S. Huldricke we should more esteeme it and answere it with more regard the authority being greater in the behalfe of our Aduersaryes then if it had beene coyned by some MagdeburgiaÌ„ or elâ— by some Sacramentary either moderne or more ancient To auoyd the suspition of this imposture M. Hall cyteth againe his learned Pope Pius 2. or Aeneas Siluius in sua Germania which title Iohn Fox setteth downe more fully saying Aeneas Siluius hath no mention of the counterfeit epistle of S. Vdalricus Meminit ciusdem epistolae Aeneas Siluius in sua peregrinatione Germaniae descriptione Aeneas Siluius maketh mention of this letter in his pilgrimage and description of Germany but it should seem that Iohn Fox his wit was gone in pilgrimage or or els a woll gathering when he made this note for after some search I haue made of his bookes I thinke I haue better meanes to find them out then Fox had I can find none extant vnder the one or other title nor yet vnder the title of his Germany as M. Hall expresseth it neither doth Trithemius in his catalogue or Posseuinus in Apparatu where they set downe all the bookes they could find of this Pope mention any such worke and so the mention made of this letter in this Pilgrimage is a meere idle toy framed out of the wandring imagination of Iohn Fox and vpon to light credit taken vp by M. Hall There is in his workes extant an answere to one Martin Mayer for defence of the holy Roman Church in which he describeth some parts of Germany by which he had passed and speaking of Auspurg he sayth as the Germans haue printed him in Basill S. Vdalricus huic praefidet qui Papam arguit de concubinis c. S. Vdalricus is patron of this place who reprehended the Pope for concubines it lyeth by the riuer Licus So he as these Sacramentaryes haue set him out Which being all graunted belongeth not to this matter in hand but concerneth only the bad life of the young Pope Iohn then thrust by force of friends and maintayned by tyranny in that seat which abuse the Church is forced sometymes to suffer as temporall states do ill Princes but in the one and the other personall crimes as they tend to the impeachment of priuate fame so nothing derogate from publike authority in such the office is to be considered apart from the life as Moyses his chayre from the Pharisyes who sate thereon their power we reuerence their liues we abhorre no state so high no calling so holy no function so laudable but ill men haue beene found therein and if once we confound the life with the office and out of the vnworthynes of the one inferre the denyall of the other we shall leaue no Pope Bishop Priest Emperour King or other Magistrate whatsoeuer and this supposing these to be the words of Aeneas Siluius of which I haue some cause to doubt both for that I haue seene a printed copy without them and moreouer I haue seen three Manuscripts of which as two were lately written had them so the 3. which was much more ancient in the text had them not but in the margent only by which meanes forged glosses so creep in often tymes as they com at length to be printed with the wordes of the Author but howsoeuer to this purpose they make nothing and the other whom M. Hâ—ll ioyneth with him to wit Gaspar Hedio a late heretike is of no credit to iustify this matter no more then M. Iohn Fox Ioseph Hall or any other professed aduersary 44. Againe it is another vntruth to say that somewhere he is intituled Volusianus for though Benefild against M. Leech call the Author of that letter Volusianus yet doubtles he meaneth The Author of the forged epistle vncertains another man distinct from S. Vdalricke who was neuer named Volusianus by any writer and this maketh the whole tale more to reele seeing it is obtruded as a base child that knoweth not his owne Fathers name and if once we remoue it from S. Vdalricke to whome as I haue proued it cannot agree the thing leeseth all credit and proueth nothing but the corrupt dealing of such as alleage it for this Volusianus is a name inuented to make fooles fayne no man knowing what he was where he was borne when he liued of what calling or credit in the world whether of kyt or kin to the man in the Moon for he neuer liued on our inferiour orbe vnder the first second or third Nicholas if I might interpose my ghesse I should thinke him to be brother to Steuen the subdeacon before mentioned out of Gratian for that he is so ready to father the fatherles and take a child to his charge which he neuer begot 45. But sayth M. Hall the matter admits no doubt which is another vntruth for whether by the word matter M. Hall vnderstand the Authour of the letter or the contents themselus both are doubted yea both are denyed and to take that for graunted which resteth in controâ—ersy to be proued is a foule fault in Philosophy and called petitio principij as if one to credit Petitio principij a foule fault in â— Philosopher M. Hall and to proue that for his learning he deserueth to be estcemed against one who shold deny him to be learned at all should thus conclude All learned men deserue to be esteemed but M. Hall as I suppose is a learned man Ergo he is for such to be esteemed no man will allow that he suppose the Minor as graunted which only is called in
in a few lines for first it is an vntruth to say that such as misliked or rather condemned the decreee of Pope Gregory were the better sort for then the best of them I meane VVilliam Bishop of Mastrick in Flanders had neuer come to that disastrous end as the historyes do mention that he did for none was more earnest for the Emperour none more eager against the Pope none a greater enemy to al order The wickednes of William Bishop of Mastrick none dealt more none so much in that Councell of VVormes as he for he forced Adalbert Bishop of Herbipolis or VVirtzburg and Herimanus Bishop of Mets to subscribe against the Pope was as Baronius out of Lambertus and others hold him the only Authour of that schisme the Emperour doing nothing without his counsaile direction and when by the Pope afterwards as well he as the Emperour were both excommunicated for the same he being at Mastricke when the newes therof was brought him the Emperour being also there at the tyme of Masse according to his wont he preached vnto the people taught them to contemne the Popes excommunication laughed and made sport at the sentence and being eloquent in speach vsed all the art he could to make light all Ecclesiastical censures to extenuate the Popes authority to complaine of the wrong done him and to canuase part by part the iudiciall sentence made against him which to that wicked Emperour and his light Courtiers made good pastime 68. But these mery sermons ended not so merily for after the holy dayes of Easter ended the Emperour departed this Bishop still Bruno in histor belli Saxonici Lambertus in Chron. aâ—j continuing on his wonted veyne of iesting rayling and contemning all authority euen in the pulpit within lesse then two moneths after the Councell of VVormes he fell sicke went home and the disease increasing there stood by him one of the Emperours family who ready to depart after the Emperour asked what he would command him to his Maister mary quoth the Bishop I send him this message Quod ipse ego omnes cius iniquitati sauentes damnati sumus in A heauy message perpetuum That he and I and all such as fauour his wickednes are damned for euer this was the last message he sent his ghostly child Henry the Desperation fourth and being rebuked by some of his Clergy who were about him for his desperate speach he answered them I can say no otherwise then I see and find for the Diuels enuiron my bed round about that they may take my soule as soone as it is separated from the body therefore when I shall be dead I request you all faithfull people that you trouble not your selues in praying for my soule So this most miserable man the authour and inciter of this tragedy departed this life Who whether he were of the better sort needs no declaration for God giuing the sentence who neuer in such matters forsaketh his friends the matter is out of all doubt or controuersy 69. And the Authour I follow hauing set downe this narration with some more particulers Bruno in hist belli Saxonici which I let passe thus further discourseth Et cur eum solum dico miserabiliter obijsse cum manifestum sit omnes ferè Henrici familiares fideles aequè miseras mortes incurrisse cos miseriores qui fuerant illi fideliores quòd fides illa verè erat perfidia And why do The followers of Henry the 4. M. Halls better sort of men dyed miserably I recouÌ„t this man alone to haue dyed miserably when as it is euident almost all the faythfull friends of Henry to haue had the like miserable ends and those more miserable who were more faythfull vnto him because that fidelity was nothing els but plaine perfidiousnes So he And then setteth down many particulers of the ends of the chiefest Authours instigatours and followers of the Emperour in all his bad courses which were very strange disastrous and lamentable The Patriark who sent from the Pope by seduction adhered after vnto Henry togeather with fifty other of his retinew dyed sodainly the same hapned to Vdo Bishop of Treuirs Eppo another Bishop riding ouer a riuer so shallow as one might wade it ouer on foot without danger was therein no lesse miserably then miraculously drowned and not to insist on other particulers there related the end of the Emperour himselfe was such as well shewed how pleasing vnto God how gratefull vnto men or rather to friendes and enemyes yea euen to his owne children how base and abominable his actions were 70. For after a long rebellion against the chiefe Pastour his spirituall Father and Superiour as he was a disobedient child to his mother The vnfortunate end of Henry the fourth the Church so were his children no lesse rebellious vnto him it falling out with him as it did with our second Henry vpon the like occasion with his Primate S. Thomas after whose death his owne children Henry Richard and Iohn were in continuall reuolt and conspiracy against him euen till his dying day so likewise the Emperour hauing two sonnes Conrade and Henry the first being made King of Germany and thereby declared heir apparent of the Empire because he would not obey his Father in a most filthy action as Dodechinus and Helmoldus relate and out of them Sigonius left his Father tooke Lombardy from him and what els he had in Italy for which the crowne of Germany was taken from him by his Father though otherwise he were a worthy Prince of goodly personage and excellent gifts of mind which made him beloued and admired of all and bestowed it on his yonger brother Henry who more like his Father then Conrade neuer left to prosecute his sayd Father by armes till he had put him from the Empyre ouerthrowne him in the field got him as Sigonius sayth after the discomfiture susteyned in the wars into his hands wher he forced or as some wil haue it famished him to death and then left his body for fiue yeares vnburyed at the towne of Spira in Germany and this Henry prouing no better an Emperour then the Father whome he had deposed God not permitting that wicked race to run on further ended the same in this Henry his person translated the Empire vnto the Saxons of all other most hated by the two former Emperours as he did the like in our King Henry the eight his children who all dyed without issue 71. Another vntruth it is that the Churches did ech where ring of him for Antichrist which is as false as any thing can be imagined for although in Germany such as followed the Emperour might vse many insolent termes yet they neuer that Pope Gregory the 7. neuer by his enemies branded with the name of Antichrist I haue read vsed this so far were all Churchs from vsing the like liberty of
remedy this turpitude which there was most spread where the Popes authority could do least to wit in Germany where Henryes countermands still crossed all Gregoryes decrees and Nero his sword as S. Anselme Anselm epist ad VValramum worthily calleth him S. Peters power not willfullnes of one man which is done by common consent of whole Councells wherein no force violence or importunity is recorded euer to haue beene vsed but the thing with full freedome No willfullnes ioynt consent and vniforme agreement of all to haue passed and which is much to be noted though the Emperour in the tyme of this Pope called some false Councells as of VVormes Mentz and Pauia to withstand Gregory yet in no one of them all is there any decree or approuance of the marriage of Priests they be-being as it should seeme ashamed to leaue extant any monument or remembrace of so brutish a doctrine and to all Christian antiquity so repugnant 81. Neither wanted there a reason for Gregory his decree and laudable indeauours in this Great reason for the making of Pope Gregory his decre behalfe if M. Hall had so much wit or iudgment as to conceaue it for he still pleaded the contrary practise to haue beene in the Church and therby shewed that he made no new decree but reformed the late abuse crept in against the old and that according to the ancient Canons and Statutes of the Church as any may see in all places heere cyted and in the Councell of Rome Anno 1074. as Lambertus writeth it was decreed Gregor 7. lib. 2. Epiep 45. 61. 62. 66. 67. Vt secundum instituta antiquorum Canonum Presbyteri vxores non habeant habentes aut dimittant aut deponantur That according to the determinations of the ancient Canons the Priests haue no wiues and they who haue them either dismisse or put them away or els that themselues be deposed and writing to Anno Bishop of Colen he plainely sayth Nouit enim Fraternitas tua quia praecepta haec non de nostro sensu exsculpimus sed antiquorum Patrum sanctiones spiritu sancto praedicante prolatas of officij nostri necessitate in medium propalamus Your brotherhood doth know that we frame not these commandes out of our owne head but our office compelling vs we lay open the decrees of the ancient Fathers made by the instinct of the holy Ghost So he And is this trow you M. Hall no reason or can you if you were put to it frame a better then priority of tyme conioyned with vniuersality of place Maenio maius num quod tibi carmen habetur Dispeream si scis carmina quid sapiant I see you know not what reason meanes 82. And the like I may say of Gods will Pope Gregory his decree according to the will of God which in the whole pursuit of this thing was only sought for in preseruing that which the whole Church guyded by his holy spirit had so often determined so many Councells decreed so long vncontrollable custome of al Countreyes obserued which to infring only vpon the violence of a few licentious and disorderly liuers who will take liberty without leaue haue all things to be ruled by their owne vnruly passions was little according to Gods will and much lesse was it according to his will to breake their solemne vowes of perpetuall chastity made in the taking of their orders which by the law of nature and diuine bound them to the obseruance and consequently the transgression was against the will of God which the Pope did labour to reforme and in seeking reformation could seek for no other emolument or profit to himselfe then to please God for sure he was to displease many men therby and to increase the number of such as mortally hated his so constant zeale infatigable labour in Gods cause but this hatred of men proceeding from Gregory his loue to God was no more by him to be regarded then that of the Iewes was of the Apostls or the hatred of the ancient persecutors Auentine a late partiall and vnsincere writer of the primitiue Martyrs 83. What broyles hereon ensued sayth M. Hall let Auentine witnes but I except against this witnes as being for tyme too yong for profession too partiall and for credit too small to testify in this matter and withall I must warne this Epistler that in cyting Authours he vse more exactnes then for two lines to referre vs ouer to a whole booke in folio of many leaues which we neither haue leasure nor list to read all ouer and it is not worth the labour to spend so much tyme in reading such Authors so false fond and confuse as he is knowne to be the words heere cyted out of him seeme to conteyn no more truth then the rest now refuted Ex interdicto sacerdotum coniugio sayth he grauissima seditio gregem Christi perculit c. Vpon the forbidding of the marriage of Priests a most grieuous sedition wounded the flock of Christ neither was there euer such a plague that so afflicted Christian people So he Which is a meere Chymera for this flocke of Christ these Christian people were a few seditious German Priests who tooke the occasion of the discord between the Emperour the Pope to follow their lust and wallow in all filthines If M. Hall obiect that not only this but the contention of the Emperour and all the broyles then made and raysed were for this cause he will shew his reading The chief cōtention betweene Henry the fourth Gregory the 7. not about the marriage of Priests to be little and iudgment small because this was but a bad branch of another root an effect of another cause and a by-lake from another greater streame 84. For who so will reade attentiuely what Authors do write of these tymes what Pope Gregory in so many Councels letters and Edicts did decree he shall find before this filthy fault another to be commonly premised to wit of Symony which more touched the Emperour who as Caluin and others write held all the Bishopricks and Abbeyes at sale and the Bishops also who hauing bought their place for money did sell al Canonries Deanries Prebends c. were both by the Popes decrees to be themselus remoued their doings anulled so likewise the Abbots then this other of VViues which was indeed but an appendix of the former and permitted by the Emperour to increase the nūber of his followers and enemyes of the Pope being neuer intended as any principall cause for had not the Symony hindred which was the first and chiefest quarrell between them which M. Hall not being able to iustify doth still dissemble the accord betweene Henry and Gregory had soone been made which neuer depended on these marriages and to affirme the contrary or that all the turmoyles were made for Priests wiues shewes exceeding ignorance in historyes and all the course held in this
Hier. l. 1. in Iouin sayth Vnius vxoris virunt qui vnam vxorem habuerit non habeat The husband of one wife who hath had one wife not he that hath her that is none is to be made Bishop who hath beene twice marryed or who yet vseth his wife in matrimony but he who hauing beene once marryed purposeth to liue in perpetuall continency Episcopi sayth he Presbyteri Diaconi aut Virgines eliguntur aut vidui aut certè post sacerdotium Apologia ad Pammach in fine in eternum pudiâ—i Bishops Priests Deacons are either chosen virgins or widdowers or certes after their priesthood such as for euer are continent So he 32. Againe he sayth Non enim dicit eligatur Episcopus qui vnam ducat vxorem sed qui vnam habuerit vxorem S. Paul sayth not let a Bishop be chosen who may marry one wife but who hath had one wife and this for the cleanes required in the Episcopall and Priestly functions as els where he declareth saying Si indignè accipiunt mariti non mihi irascantur sed Scripturis sanctis c. Apol. ad Pammach If marryed folkes take it ill that I preferre virgins so much before them let them not be angry with me but with the holy Scriptures yea with the Bishops Priests and Deacons with all the priestly and leuiticall quier who know that they cannot offer vp sacrifices if they attend to the duty of marriage So S. Hierome Hieron in Vigilant And against Vigilantius as though he had seene as it were in that roote the progeny of our marryed Bishops in England and ordering of Ministers who should charge all the parish Churches with their plentifull offspring he cryeth out Prohnefas Episcopos sui sceleris dicitur habere consortes c. O villany Vigilantius is sayd to haue Bishops partakers of his wickednes if they be to be named Bishops who order not their Deacons till they haue marryed wiues mistrusting the chastity of single men or rather shewing of Note this M. Hall what holines they are themselues who suspect ill of all and minister not the Sacraments of Christ till they see the wiues of Clergy men great with child and yong babes crying in their armes So he speaking in the person of Vigilantius to all our English Clergy who suspect that none can liue chast and therefore will haue all to marry to auoyd forsooth this idle impossibility 33. With S. Hierome agree in this exposition S. Augustine and S. Epiphanius and assigne also the same reason to wit the purity required De boro coniugali cap. 18. in Priests Clergy men Non absurdè est sayth S. Augustine eum qui excessit vxorum numerum singularem c. Not without cause hath it beene esteemed that he who hath exceeded the singular number of wiues should not therby be thought to haue committed any sinne but to haue lost a certayne dâ—cency required to the Sacrament not necessary to the merit of good life but to the Epiphan haeres 59. It is against the ancient Canons that Priests should marry seale of Ecclesiasticall ordination So he with more to the same effect And S. Epiphanius non suscipit sancta Dei praedicatio post Christi aduentum eos c. The holy doctrine of God after the comming of Christ admitteth not those who after one marriage death of their wiues do marry againe and that for the excellent honour and dignity of Priesthood and this the holy Church of God receaueth with all sincerity yea she doth not receaue the once marryed person that yet vseth his wife and begetteth children but only such a one she taketh to be a Deacon Priest Bishop or Subdeacon as abstayneth from his wife or is a widdower specially where the holy Canons are sincerely kept So he and I see not how possibly he could haue spoken more plainely for vs or we for our selues 34. S. Ambrose both in his commentary els where is no lesse cleare and resolute in this point then the former quamuis secundam habere vxorem c. although sayth he it be not forbidden Ambr. in 2. ad Tim. 3. to marry the second wife yet that one may be worthy to be a Bishop he must leaue his lawfull wife for the excellency of that order because he must be better then others who desire that dignity So he And in another place refelling as it were of purpose the opinion of S. Hierome who held that marriage before Baptisme Hier. ep ad Ocean did not hinder but that if a man tooke another wife after as Carterius whom he defendeth did he might notwithstanding his wife marryed after baptisme being also dead be made Priest restrayning bigamy to the second marriage Ambros l. 3. ep 25. edit Vaticanae ad Ecclesiam Vercellensem idem habetur l. 1. officioruÌ„â— vltimo of the faithful only S. Ambrose hereunto replyeth Quisine crimine est vnius vxoris vir teneatur ad legem sacerdotij suscipiendi c. Let him be preferred to priesthood who is without fault the husband of one wife he that hath marryed the second tyme hath no fault by which he is defiled but he is excluded from the prerogatiue of a Priest So he and addeth the Fathers in the Nicen Councell to haue decreed none to be admitted at al into the Clergy after the second marriage 35. And because S. Hierome vrged that all faults by the force and vertue of Baptisme were remitted and so the first marriage by the same either to be taken away if it were a sinne or cleansed if impure he answereth heereunto Culpa lauacro non lex soluitur c. The fault is forgiuen in baptisme the law not dissolued there is no fault in wedlocke but there is a law for priesthood the law is not remitted as a fault but remaines as a law therefore the Apostle made a law saying if any be faultes the husband of one wife So S Ambrose demanding in the same place this question which I likewise demand of M. Hall and all his marryed bretheren in England Quid interesset inter populum Sacerdotem The liues of Priests ought to be more pure then the liues of secular men si ijsdem adstringerentur legibus What difference should there be between Priest people if they should follow the same lawes if both should marry and both liue a like truly none at al and yet as this Father sayth Debet praeponderare vita Sacerdotis sicut praeponderat gratia The life of the Priest ought to be more eminent as his calling is more high and M. Hall as though he acknowledged no purity out of wedlocke or as though all that preferred continency were impure addeth after this testimony of the Apostle that one Ibidem word alone shall confirme me against all impure mouthes but if S. Ambrose had beene his Bishop he would haue taught him better to haue vnderstood the Apostle and to haue