And now Sir I am sorry that you are not content with meer Christianity and to be a Member of the Catholick Church and hold the Communion of Saints but that you must needs also be of a Sect and have some other Name And how shall I know that your Sect is better than another Were not the Papists Sectaries and Schismaticks damning most of Christs Body on Earth for not being subject to their Pope I should not be so much against them I find promises of Salvation in Scriptures to Believers that is Christians as such if such sincerely but none of the salvation of men as Papists Diocesans Grecians Nestorians Eutychians c. I would say also nor as Protestants did I not take the Religion called Protestant a Name which I am not fond of to be nothing but simple Christianity with opposition to Popery and other such corruption And now you know your own designs your tongue is your own and who can controul you whatever you will call us but I and such others call our selves MEER CHRISTIANS or CATHOLICK CHRISTIANS against all Sects and Sectarian names and haters both of true Heresie Schisme and proud unrighteous hereticating and Anathematizing Psal. 4. O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame how long will ye love vanity and seek after lying But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 12. 1 2 3 4 5. Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men They speak vanity every one with his Neighboâ—r c. See the rest I will add that if to be serious in the belief of the Christian Faith and the Life to come and in seeking it above this world and in constant endeavours to please God whoever be displeased by it is it that maketh a man a Puritan because he is not a formal Hypocrite then I would I were worthy of the Titles which your Pseudo Tilenus and his Brother give 〈◊〉 who say I am Purus Putus Puritanus and one qui totum Puritanismum totus spirat Alas I am nor so good and happy But Readers when this soâ— of men have described the Puritâ—ns as the most â—â—toverable Villains you that knew them not may concludâ— that they were men no more erroneous or worse than I how much better soever for Bishop Morley saith of me Ab uno disce omnes And of my Doctrine I â—ave left the world a full account and must shortly be accountable for it and my life to God whose pardon and grace through Christ I daily beg and trust to A Notice concerning Mr. Henry Dodwell MR. Dodwell having written a copious Discourse asserting that we have no right to salvation but by Gods Covenant validly sealed by the Sacrament and that the Sacrament is not valid unless delivered by one that hath Ordination by such a Bishop as hath his Ordination by another Bishop and so on by an uninterrupted succession from the Apostles with much more such Schismatical stuff which I fully confuted in my Books called The true and only terms of the Concord of all the Christian Churches and I aggravated his Schismatical condemnation of the Reformed Churches and most others as having no true Ministry Sacraments nor Covenant-title to salvation and as sinning against the Holy Ghost because he professeth himself a Protestant The said Mr. Dodwell saith that these words would perswade men that I take him for a Papist and expecteth that I therein right him Be it therefore known to all men that I never meant by that word to accuse Mr. Dodwell of being a Papist but to aggravate his abuse of Protestants and that I take my self bound to charge no man to be of a Religion which he denieth And what his Religion really is his Books may best inform him that would know THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. WHat Order and Government Christ and his Spirit settled in the Churches and what was the appointed work of Bishops That particular Churches that had every one a Bishop were associated for personal Communion of neighbours That none on earth for about two hundred years and none but Rome and Alexandria for longer time can be proved to be more numerous than our greater Parishes no nor half so big The Case even of Rome and Alexandria examined and the like proved even of them against the contrary arguments How the change was made and what change it is How Prelacy became the diseasing tumour of the Church Many Reasons against an ill use of the History of Councils and Prelates usurpations that no man thence dishonour Christ Christianity the Ministry or Church Chap. 2. Of Heresies What Errors are not damning and what are How the most Erroneous come to cry out against Errors Instanced in all wicked Men and in Papists Arrians Nestorius Dioscorus c. What horrid Work blind Zeal against Error hath made many instances even good Men as Hillary and Popes and Councils The History of all the Councils begun The first Councils about Easter contrary to each other The second being at Carthage erroneous and Tertullian Novatus and Novatian The Roman Presbiters govern the Church and call a Council having no Bishop and are said by Binius to have the care of the universal Church Cyprians Council condemneth a dead man Victor for making Faustinus a Presbiâ—iter Guardian of his Sons and so entangling him in worldly business The Council Iconieâ—se is said to erre and all those Oriental Bishops excommunicated by the Pope about Hereticks Baptism Many other Councils for rebaptizing with Cyprian's pleading Tradition Bishops of Bishops there censured Cyprian's Conversion A sad Hereticating Council at Cirta against Traditions The Concilium Eliber Novatiani And against Images in Churches c. approved by Pope Innocent The beginning of the Donatists Schism for a Bishop Constantines reproof of Alexander and Arius silencing their disputes Concil Laodic Silvesters strange Roman Council Chap. 3. The Council of Nice Constantine keepeth them in peace The strange Schism between Peter Alex. and Meletius Two Bishops and Churches in the same Cities The sad story of Alexanders troubling the Meletians and driving them to seek help of the Arrians and so to strengthen them Epiphanius good character of Constantius and Valens His notable Character of Audius and how the violence of dissolute Bishops forced him to separate and of Alexander and of Crescentius's strife and of some Confessours and Martyrs great faults Audius banished converteth the Gothes The Slander of Eustathius Antioch Notes of the Nicene decrees The ordination of scandalous uncapable men nullified by them Concil Rom. the people united at the making of Bishops and Priests Arius's Creed and restoration at a Council Jerusil Marcel Ancyr â—oudemned at Const. as denying Christs Godhead by the Arrians whom he was for the same cause against A Concil Antioch deposed Athanasius and made Canons for Conformity Anno 344 a fourth Creed reconciling at Antioch The General Council of Sardica
Sin 2. His errour is practical and not only notional 3. It excludeth the contrary truth and is predominant so that what contrary truth he acknowledgeth he doth not soundly practically and prevailingly believe § 12. Were it not besides my present purpose I might manifest that every carnal ungodly man among us 1. Doth not truly believe any one Article of the Creed with a serious practical belief 2. Nor doth he consent to the Baptismal Covenant 3. Nor sincerely desire and put up one Petition of the Lords Prayer rightly understood 4. Nor sincerely obey one of the Ten Commandements 5. Nor can sincerely receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Nor 6. Is a sincere Member of the holy Catholick Church nor can sincerely hold Communion with the Saints He is an Hypocrite and damnably erroneous even while he seemeth to be Orthodox and pleadeth for the Truth and cryeth out against Heresies and Errours which he may easily and ordinarily do § 13. It hath still been one of Satans effectual Snares to deceive and damn ungodly men by to hide their own practical errour and wickedness from their Consciences by seeming to be Orthodox and crying down Errours and Heresies in others But alas how unfit persons are they for such Work And how dreadfully do they condemn themselves It is a pitiful thing to hear a man that is false to the very essence of his Baptismal Vow to revile and prosecute a poor Anabaptist though erroneous for holding that Baptism should be delayed till years of discretion that it may be the better kept Or to hear a man that obeyeth not God himself but his fleshly Lust to cry out against every Dissenter how conscionable soever for not obeying the Church in some questionable points or to hear a man that sticketh not at any wickedness that maketh for his worldly ends or pleasure to cry out against those that in fear of Perjury or Lying or other sinning against God dare not take some Oath Subscription Profession or Covenant which is imposed As these notorious Hypocrites who live quite contrary to the Christian Religion which they profess do use to call those Hypocrites that labour in all things to please God if they do but mislike any thing in their Lives So also while they are drowned in damnable Errour they cry out against Errour in those that practically hold all the Essentials of Christianity and are certainly in the way of Life if they do differ in any thing from them or are ignorant of any thing which they know He that never puts up a sincere Prayer to God for his Grace nay that would not have it to make him holy and deprive him of his sinful pleasure will yet call others erroneous and Schismaticks if they pray not by his Book or in all his Circumstances while his Heart and Family are prayerless and God's Name ofter heard in Oaths and Curses than in Prayer § 14. Because bare opinion may consist with worldliness and fleshly lusts therefore it hath long been the trick of the ungodly to seem zealous for the true Church and for right opinions and to over do here to quiet their Consciences in Sin And it hath been a Snare to many conscionable People to tempt them to suspect and dislike the Truth because ungodly Men thus stand for it and to think it must be some bad thing which wicked men seem so zealous for when as they do it but for a cover for their Sin as Hypocrites and Oppressors use long Prayers which would not serve their turn if there were not some good in it § 15. And yet Errour is such a blinding thing that it 's very usual even for grosly erroneous men to cry out most fiercely against Errour For they know not themselves and they are proud and self conceited and oft by malignity apt to suspect and condemn others What did the Jews persecute the Christians for For supposed Heresie and Errour What did the Heathens cast them to wild Beasts and Torments for For supposed Impiety and Errour because they would not erre in their Idolatry as they did What hath disquieted and torn in pieces the Christian World but erroneous and worldly Popes Patriarcks and Prelates inordinate out-crys against supposed Errours For what have they silenced hundreds and thousands of faithful Ministers of Christ for Errour For what have they racked tormented burnt to ashes and slain by the Sword so many thousand and hundred thousands O it was for Heresie or Errour And are not these men perfectly free from Errour themselves that have so great a zeal against it No so grosly erroneous are they that they deny credit to all mens Senses and know not Bread and Wine when they see and touch and taste it and would have all those destroyed that will not deny belief to sense as well as they So erroneous are they that they pretend a mortal man to be the Church Governour of all the Earth so erroneous that they think God well Worshipped by praying in words not understood and dare deny half the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the People which they confess that he instituted and all the Church did use so erroneous that they think the flames of Purgatory will help them the better to love that God that doth torment them How foul and many are their Errours that kill and burn and damn others as erroneous But S. Iames hath told us Iam. 3. That the Wisdom is not from above but is earthly sensual and devillish which hath an envious striving zeal and that if it work not by â—eakness of wisdom and be not pure peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and hypocrisie sowing the fruit of righteousness in peace by peace-making but hath bitter contention it is not of God but bringeth confusion and every evil work § 16. The Arians were cruel Persecutors on pretence of zeal against Errour as they accounted it They banished godly Pastors they killed them they cut out the Preachers Tongues they reproached them The Emperours Valens and Constantius were more fierce than the Arian Goths themselves Macedonius that denyed the Deity of the Holy Ghost was a great pretender to Orthodoxness and a great decryer and persecuter of others as erroneous and Hereticks Nestorius though somewhat worse judged of by Cyril than he deserved was justly condemned were it but for his heat and fierceness against others He fell presently upon the Novatians and other Parties and began with this overdoing zeal at his entrance O Emperour give me a Church without Heresie and I will give-thee Victory over the Persians that is Destroy all these dissenting Parties and God will prosper thee And very quickly was he deposed condemned and at last banished even to misery and death as an Heretick whether justly or no I shall say more anon The Eutychians were as great Zealots against Errour and Heresie as any of the rest They took Cyril for their Captain whom Theodoret and
Calamitous Divisions which these Prelates and their Councils made He said that Cyril writ against Nestorius that there was but one nature in Christ c. Haec omnia impietatis plena He tells how Cyril preposessed the Bishops before they met and made his hatred of Nestorius his Cause How he condemned Nestorius two days before Iohn of Antioch came How afterward they condemned and deposed one another How Nestorius was in hatred with the Great men of Constantinople which was his fall How Iohn and Cyril's Bishops or Councils would not Communicate with each other How they set Bishops against Bishops and People against People and a mans Enemies were those of his own household How the Pagans scorned the Christians hereupon For saith he no man durst travel from City to City or from Province to Province but each one persecuted his neighbour as his enemy For many not having the fear of God by occasion of Ecclesiastical zeal made haste to bring forth the hidden enmity of their hearts against others he instanceth in some Persecutors and sheweth how Paulus Emisseuus helpt to heal them § 29. In the eleventh Action two Bishops strive for the Bishoprick of Ephesus Bassianus and Stephen that had been Dioscorus Agent And in their Pleas each of them proved that the other intruded by violence into the place both he that first had it and he that thrust him out and took his Seat and one of them made his Clergy swear to be true to him and not forsake him And while the Bishops were for one of them the Judges past Sentence to cast out both and all consented § 30. But after all the crying up of Leo ' s Epistle this Synod set so light by Leo as that some say against his Legates Will they made a Canon 28. That every where following the Decrees of the Fathers and acknowledging the Canon which was lately read made by the 150 Bishops we also Decree the same and determine of the Priviledges of the holy Church of Constantinople new Rome For the Fathers did give or attribute rightly the Priviledges to the Throne of old Rome because that City ruled or had the Empire And moved by the same consideration the 150 Bishops Lovers of God gave or attributed equal Priviledges to the Throne of New Rome rightly judging that the City which is honoured with the Empire and the Senate and enjoyeth equal Priviledges with ancient Queen Rome should also in things Ecclesiastical be extolled and magnified being the second after it The Popes Legates hand Boniface is subscribed to all and Eusebius Doril thus subscribed Sponte subscripsi quoniam hane regulam sanctissimo Papae in Vrbe Roma ego relegi prescentibus Clericis Constantinopolitanis eamque suscepit And this Council was after over and over approved by the Roman Bishops § 31. It in is this Canon notorious 1. That the whole General Council and so the universal Church did then believe that the Popes or Roman Priviledges were granted by the Fathers that is by Councils and stood not by divine appointment 2. That the reason that the Fathers granted them was because it was the Imperial Seat Had they believed that the Apostles had instituted it they had never said that the Fathers did it for this reason and that Constantinople should be equal or next it for the same reason 3. The Church of Constantinople never claimed their Prerogative jure divino as succeeding any Apostle and yet jure Imperii claimed equal Priviledges By all which it is undeniable that the whole Church in that Council and especially the Greeks did ever hold Rome's Primacy to be a humane institution upon a humane mutable reason What the Papists can say against this I have fully answered against W. Iohnson in a Book called Which is the true Church § 32. The Question now is What concord did these late Councils procure to the Churches Ans. From that time most of the Christian World was distracted into Factions hereticating damning deposing aâ—d too many murdering one another One party cleaved to Dioscorus and were called by the other Eutychians These cryed up the Sufficiency of the Nicene Councils Faith as that which they were baptized into and would have no addition nor diminution and condemned the Calcedon Council and excommunicated and deposed those that would not Anathematize it Those that were against them they called Nestorians On the other party were those that had cleaved to Nestorius by name and had been persecuted for his Cause And these were a separate Body and cryed down the other as Eutychians Those called Orthodox or Catholicks cryed down Nestorians and Eutychians by name indeed defending the same Doctrine as Nestorius except as to the fitness of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the chief of Nestorius his first adherents perceiving that indeed they were of one judgment united with these against the Eutychians I have shewed that all of them seemed to make all this stir but about some Words which one party took in one sense and the other in another For these words the Bishops cast the Christian World into confusion destroyed Love and Unity under a pretence of keeping the Faith so that the Church was lamentably militant Bishops against Bishops in continual enimity and rage The Emperours at their wits end not knowing how to end the Ecclesiastical odious Wars And the Heathens hardened and deriding them all and their Religion § 33. When the Council was ended and Proterius made Bishop of Alexandria in Dioscorus stead the City was in so great discontent that the Emperour Martian was fain to send a Lay-man to mollifie them for they would not endure a Calcedonian Bishop They set more by Dioscorus than before so that Binnius incredibly saith they offered him Divine Honour § 34. It was not long till Martian dyed and then they let the World know that it was Emperours and not Popes or Councils that they regarded They thought then they might shew their minds and what they did Liberatus in Breviario Evagrius Nicephorus and others tells us at large But I will give it you in the words of the Egyptian Bishops which conformed to the Council Bin. p. 147. One Timothy Elurus of Dioscorus Party who had gathered separated Congregations before since the Council of Calcedon got some Bishops of his own Party to make him Archbishop The people soon shewed their minds though it deposed their Archbishop They set up Timothy and he presently made Ordinations of Bishops and Clerks c. while he thus went on a Captain Dionisius came to drive him out of the City The people rage the more against Proterius He gets into the Baptistry to avoid their rage a place reverenced even by the Barbarians and the fiercest Men But these furious people set on by their Bishop Timothy neither reverencing the Place the Worship nor the Time which was Easter nor the Office of Priesthood which is a Mediation between God and Man did strike the
null and giveth no Authority which nullifieth the Roman succession § 56. Decrees about Souls § 57. Leo 10. a Cardinal at 13. and an Archbishop in his Childhood His Wars and bloodshed § 58. Luther The Reformation The end of Charles 5. § 59. Leo's death § 60. Reformers drive the Papists to Learning § 61. All Papist Princes owe their safety Crowns and deliverance from Papal deposition to the Reformation and Italy its peace § 62. The History of the Reformation and of Papists Murders of Martyrs passed by § 63. Freder of Saxony refuseth the Empire and Money and chose Charles § 64. Thirty five cases for which men must be denyed Communion in the Eucharist § 65. Later Reforming Papist Councils § 66 c. The Conclusion what this History specially discovereth § 70. A Poem of Mr. Herbert's called The Church Militant CHAP. 14. A Confutation of Papists and Sectaries who deny and oppose the Ministry of the Reformed Churches CHAP. 15. A Confutation of the prophane Opposers of the Ministry An Account of some Books lately Printed for and to be Sold by Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Arms in Ludgate-street A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice Wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained and several new Directions given for the promoting of real Holiness both of Heart and Life To which is added a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and Customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Uncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice and Idleness by Sam. Cradock B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somersetshire Vseful for the instruction of private Families Price bound 4 s. De Analogia sive Arte linguae Latinae Commentariolus In quo omnia etiam reconditioris Gramaticae Elementa ratione novâ tractantur ad brevissimos Canones rediguntur In usum Provectioris Adolescentiae Opera Wilhelmi Baxteri Philistoris Price bound 1 s. 6 d. The lively Effiges of the Reverend Mr. Mathew Pool So well performed as to represent his true Idea to all that knew him or had a Veneration for him Design'd on purpose to befriend those that would prefix it to his Synopsis Criticorum Price 6 d. Moral Prognostications 1. What shall befall the Churches on Earth till their Concord by the Restitution of their Primitive Purity Simplicity and Charity 2. How that Restitution is like to be made if ever and what shall befal them thenceforth unto the end in that Golden Age of Love Written by Richard Baxter when by the Kings Commission we in vain treated for Concord 1661. and now Published 1680 Price 1s The Nonconformists Advocate or an Account of their Judgment in certain things in which they are mis-understood Written principally in Vindication of a Letter from a Minister to a Person of Quality shewing some Reasons for his Nonconformity Price 1s There is Published every Thursday a Mercurius Librarius or A Faithful Account of all Books and Pamphlets Published every Week In which may be inserted any thing fit for a Publick Advertisement at a moderate Rate Directions to the Binder of Baxter's Church History c. After the Title Sheet follows a b c d e then B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S then AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II KK LL MM NN OO PP then SS TT VV XX YY ZZ AAA BBB CCC DDD EEE then GGG and so on to QQQ which Signiture ends the Book Church-History OF BISHOPS And their COUNCILS ABRIDGED c. CHAP. I. Of the sacred Ministry Episcopacy and Councils necessary Premonitions and of the Design of this Book § 1. GOD that could have enlightned the Earth without the Sun and Stars could immediately alone have taught his Church and communicated knowledge to mankind But as he is the most communicative good he was pleased not only to make his Creatures receptive of his own influx but also to give them the use and honour of being efficient sub-communicants under him and causes of good to themselves and to one another And as his Power gave Being and Motion his Wisdom gave Order and Harmony and his Love gave Goodness and Perfection felicity and love as he is the creating and conserving Cause of Nature and this in much inequality as he was the free disposer of his own so in the Kingdom of Grace he doth by the Spirit of Life Light and Love 1. Quicken and strengthen the dead and weak souls and awaken the slumbering and slothful 2. Illuminate the dark with Faith and Knowledge and 3. Sanctifie the malignant Enemies of holiness by the power of his communicated love making them friends and joyful lovers This Spirit first filled the Humane Nature of Christ our Head who first communicated it to some chosen persons in an eminent manner and degree as Nature maketh the heart and brain and other principal parts to be organical in making preserving and governing the rest To these he gave an eminence of Power to work Miracles of Wisdom to propagate the Word of life and infallibly by Preaching and Writing promulgate and record his sacred Gospel and of holy love to kindle the like by zealous holiness in the hearts of others To these organical persons he committed the Oeconomy of being the witnesses of his words and actions his resurrection and ascension and of recording them in writing of planting his first Churches and sealing the truth of their testimony by many Miracles promising them his Spirit to perform all that he committed to their trust and to bring all to their remembrance and to lead them into all truth and to communicate instrumentally his Spirit to others the sanctifying gifts by blessing their Doctrine and the miraculous gifts by their imposition of hands § 2. By these principal Ministers the first Church was planted at Ierusalem fitliest called the Mother-Church and after by those that were sent thence many Churches were gathered in many Kingdoms of the world darkness being not able to resist the light The Apostles and Evangelists and Prophets delivered to them the Oracles of God teaching them to observe all things that Christ had commanded them and practically teaching them the true Worship of God ordering their Assemblies and ordaining them such Officers for sacred Ministration as Christ would have continued to the end of the world and shewing the Churches the way by which they must be continued and describing all the work of the Office appointed them by Christ. § 3. The Apostles were not the Authors of the Gospel or of any essential part of the Christian Religion but the Receivers of it from Christ and Preachers of it to the world Christ is the Author and finisher or perfecter of our faith But they had besides the power of infallible remembring knowing and delivering it a double power about matters of Order in the Church 1. By the special gift of the Spirit 's inspiration to found and stablish
Church of Rome and for hindering his Legates from gathering a Council and refusing to come to Rome to answer it Epist. 32. He calls the King of France a ravening Wolf and unjust Tyrant Many great persons he forced to separate after Marriage because they were in the fourth degree of Consanguinity Epist. 51. He tells the King of Denmark that not far from Rome there was a Province possest by vile and sluggish Hereticks and desireth him to send his Son with an Army to conquer them What Province he meaneth I am not certain unless it was the Waldenses § 44. Reader we are greatly beholden to Binnius who hath recorded as Oracles 27 sentences called THE POPES DICTATES by which you may partly know what Popery is 1. That the Roman Church was founded only by our Lord. 2. That only the Bishop of Rome is rightly called Universal 3. That only the Pope can depose Bishops and reconcile them 4. That his Legates must preside in Councils though they be of inferior degree before all Bishops and may pass on them the sentence of deposition 5. That the Pope may depose those that are absent 6. That with those that are excommunicated by him among other things we may not dwell in the same house 7. That to him only it is lawful to make new Laws for the necessity of the time and to congregate new people of Canonical to make an Abbaty and contrarily to divide a rich Bishoprick and unite poor ones 8. That only he may use Imperial Ensigns or Escucheons 9. That all Princes must kiss the feet of the Pope only 10. That only his name may be recited in the Churches 11. That it is the one only name in the World 12. That it is lawful for him to depose Emperors 13. That it is lawful for him in case of necessity to remove Bishops from seat to seat 14. That he may ordain a Clerk from any Church whither he will 15. That one ordained by him may govern another Church and must not take a superior degree from another Bishop 16. That no Synod without his command may be called Universal 17. That no Chapter nor no Book may be accounted Canonical without his authority 18. That his sentence may be retracted by none and he alone may retract all mens 19. That he ought to be judged of no man 20. That no man must dare to condemn any one that appealeth to the Apostolick Seat 21. That the Greater causes of all Churches must be referred to him 22. That the Roman Church never erred nor as the Scripture witnesseth will ever err 23. That the Bishop of Rome if he be Canonically ordained is undoubtedly made Holy by the merits of St. Peter as St. Ennodius Bishop of Papia witnesseth and many holy Fathers confess as is contained in the Decrees of Pope Symmachus 24. That it is lawful for subjects to accuse by his Command and licence 25. That he may depose and reconcile Bishops without Synodal meetings 26. That he is not to be accounted a Catholick who agreeth not with the Roman Church 27. That he may absolve the Subjects of unjust men from fidelity These are put by Bin. among Gregory's Epistles p. 1196. as the Popes Dictates If I had not translated them from such an unquestioned Author that followeth Baronius some would have thought they had been but the forgeries of some Protestant accuser and that the Popes have no such tenents What one is here that is not false and how many of them are horridly arrogant The reading of them would tempt a doubting man to think that the Pope is the Eldest Son of the Prince of Pride exalting himself above all that is called God and arrogating Christ's prerogatives and therefore Antichrist If any would know what Popery is A great part of the description is here given you by their greatest Pope himself and by their chief Historians § 45. Much of his 4th Book of Epistles is to require Princes Prelates and People to forsake the Emperor and choose another and to excommunicate all that will communicate with him yet in his 11th Epist. he reciteth himself how lamentably with tears three dayes in the frost barefoot he begged for pardon and how the compassionate People thought the Pope hard-hearted and tyrannical for not yielding and that at last two Ladyes and an Abbot overcame him to absolve him § 46. Lib. 4. Epist. 28. He tells the Spaniards also that their Kingdom was St. Peter's property But why did he trouble himself to lay claim to particular Kingdoms Would not his claim to all the world serve turn for the particulars Lib. 5. Epist. 4. He clameth the Isle of Corsica § 47. That it may appear that the presumptuous usurpations of the Pope were not consented to by many Bishops he oft complaineth that many Bishops of France Italy and Germany were against him He abundantly chideth and threatneth several particular Bishops for resisting and disobeying him Lib. 6. Epist. 4. he writeth thus to the Bishop of Liege Having read the Letters of your Brotherhood we did not a little wonder that you wrote that which became you not in reverence of the Apostolick seat but that you did with biting invective reprehend me for absolving your Parishioner that lately came to us as if the Apostolick seat had not authority to bind and absolve whomsoever we will and wheresoever we will Know therefore that we are greatly moved against your temerity Indeed one of the tricks of the Papal ambition was to be the Asylum of all wicked fugitives that fled from Church justice in all Countries near them to shew favour to all condemned sinners that would but fly to Rome and appeal to them from the Justice of their Pastors yea and of their Princes too which made their friends to be rather many than good § 48. And the Church of Rome was not yet rich enough with all the Principalities it had got They still kept on the trade of enriching the Pope to save their souls Binnius p. 1233. honoureth us with a record among Gregory 7th Epistles viz. In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the 6th year of the Pontificate of Gregory 7th I Marro Son of Gisler dwelling in the Dukedom of Spoletane for the Redemption of my own and my Parents souls do give deliver and offer to St. Peter Prince of the Apostles and on his Altar all that belongeth to me of the Castle called Moricicla c. Did Christ think how easily Rich men might be saved by giving to the Pope in the name of St. Peter when he said It was harder for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven than for a Camel to go through a Needle 's Eye § 49. Lib. 7. Epist. 3. He saith They that are Latines do all of them except a very few praise the cause of Henry and defend it and charge me with too much obstinacy and impiety against him And if the Latines did so what did the
and the Pope dieth Onuphrius further openeth the Reasons and Rules of the Cardinals being shut up viz. Clem. the 4th being dead the Cardinals as is aforesaid were all so desirous to be Popes themselves that they were two years and nine months contending and could not possibly agree Philip King of France and Charles King of Sicily came themselves to Rome to intreat them but departed without success Yet they invoked the Holy Ghost every day to help them At last the Cardinal Bishop Ioh. Portuensis deridingly prayed them to uncover the houses for the Holy Ghost could not come in through so many covered roofs At last by Bonaventures intreaty they chose Theoâ—ald a Viseount and Archdeacon that was with our Prince Edward going to fight in Palestine And the â—aid Cardinal Portuens made these Verses on their choice anno 1271. Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus Vnus Quem Patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum § 221. Innocent the 5th cometh next the first after the shutting up of the Conclave He sought to end the Italian Wars but died before six moneths reign § 222. CCCCXLVII A Council at Salâ—zburge is published by Conisius as in Greg. the 10ths days but it seemeth liker to be after which condemned Pluralities nonresidence of Priests and their being in Taverns or Alehouses and playing at Dice and their wearing long Hair and sine Cloaths and restrained supernumerary begging Schollars and ordered that the Bishop should imprison such as prophaned holy things after they were excommunicated or suspended It seemeth that Bishops had by this time got coercive power but they used it not to bring the unworthy to the Sacrament but to keep the unworthy from it and from other profanations § 223. Next Ottobonus that was Pope Innocent the 4ths Nephew and Legate of England at the Barons Wars is chosen Pope but died before his Consecration within forty dayes but got the name of Hadrian the 5th § 224. Next cometh Pope Iohn the 22th as Platina the 19th as Binius and the 21st as most the 20th by Onuphrius 1276. He was a Physitian made Bishop inverecundi socordis ingenii saith Platina so foolish that he boasted how long he should live when presently the house fell on his head and he died by it in seven days after Suffridus saith Binius saith that he was writing an heretical perverse book when the room fell and cryed out after O what is become of my book Who will finish it which saith Binius if true sheweth the wonderful Providence of God for his Church But had this Pope been infallible had he been in a Council purposed to revoke the decree for shutting up the Cardinals in Conclave and this man finished the revocation and till the dayes of Celestine 5th that renewed it it stood revoked saith Onuphrius § 225. Next came Nicholas 3d. after six months contention and vacancy King Charles as Senator presiding and pleading for a French Pope He is commended much save that he set up all his own Kindred too much § 226. After three years reign eight months and fifteen dayes of Nicholas came Mâ—rtin 2d vulgo 4th saith Binius and Onuphrius a Frenchman In his time the Greek Emperour Paleologus not keeping his promise to the Pope joyned with Peter King of Arragon who claimed Sicily as his Wives inheritance and though the former Pope had set him on this was against him restoring King Charles to be Senator at Rome and siding with him because he was a Frenchman But the fatal Sicilian Vespers killed all the French and Peter overcame Charles and took his Son and Charles and the Pope shortly died of Fevers But before he died the Pope played the old Game excommunicating and cursing King Peter and gave his Kingdom for a prey to any one that would get it and absolved all his Subject from their Oath of Allegiance and signed Croisado's Soldiers under the sign of the Cross to fight against him § 227. Honorius the 4th cometh next his Brother being Senator at Rome He confirmed the same Anathema against Peter King of Arragon who shortly after died of a wound received in fight by the French The Pope dieth and the seat is void ten moneths 1287. after two years Reign § 228. Anno 1287. CCCCXLVIII A Council was held at Herbipolis by the Popes Legate endeavouring to have got the tenth penny of the Estates of the Clergy for the Pope and of the Laity for the Emperour by their joynt consent But Siphridus Arch-Bishop of Colen and Henry Arch-Bishop of Trevers stoutly opposing frustrated both their Conciliary designs § 229. Anno 1288 came P. Nicolas 4th a Religious Man General of the Minors when he had four years together laboured in vain to stay the blood in Italy between the Guelphes and Giâ—ellins and to reconcile the French and English and to relieve the Christians in Palestine he died And the Cardinals though for liberty they went to Perusium kept the Church headless two years and three months by contention though Princes in vain endeavoured to perswade them to agreement Are these no intercessions of the Succession In this time died Mich. Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople and the Clergy and Monks would not suffer him to be buried in holy ground because in the Council at Lyons he had consented to the Church of Rome Platina Was this a true Reconciliation of the â—reek Church § 230. Anno 1286. CCCCXLIX A Council at Râ—vâ—nna in Honorius time made some Canons for Reformation § 231. Anno 1291. CCCCL A Council at Sâ—ltsâ—urg for reconciling some Christians § 232. Anno 1292. CCCCLI The Arch-bishop of Mentz held a Council at Aschaffenburge which they say did many good things It is not known what § 233. Anno 1294. After two years and four months vacancy Caelestine the 5th a Religious man of solitary life is chosen Pope If ever there was a good Pope it is likely this was one But he was no sooner setled by common applause but the Cardinals especially Bened. Cajetaenus a subtile man perswaded him that his simplicity and unskilfulness would undo the Church and urged him to resign King Charles and the people disswade him and are only for him But the Cardinals prevailed and he resigned And going to his solicitude again the Cardinal Ben. Cajetaue that got him to resign sent him Prisoner to the Castle of Fumo where at best he died of grief Some write that Cardinal Cajetane got a way to speak through a Pipe put into the Wall as if it were some Angel to charge him to resign He was too good to be a Pope § 234. The deceiver that got him out succeeded him called Boniface the 8th by Bin. 7th 1294. This is he of whom it is said Intravit ut vulpes regnavit ut Leo exivit ut Canis He raised Wars to prosecute some Cardinals and the Gibelines While he lived wickedly he set up a Jubilee proclaiming Pardon of all sins to them that would visit
As an usurping Magistrate oweth us protection though he shall answer for his Usurpation so an usurping Minister oweth us his labour so that the people are bound to hear and obey men when they are uncertain of their due Call if they possess the place and shall have the blessing of such Administrations For we are sure the Office and work is of God Proposition 11. The truth of our Doctrine depends not on our Calling Were we no Ministers we can prove the Gospel true which we deliver And any man must be believed that brings a truth that concerneth our peace Therefore let Quakers and Seekers and Papists first disprove our Doctrine if they can and not cheat the people by perswading them that our Calling must first be proved as a Prophets must be Object But you have your learning only from Books and Vniversities and so have not true Ministers Answ. We have it from God in the use of his means even by prayer reading study and learning his works and word of our Teachers whether at Universities or elsewhere And we are commanded to study and meditate on these things and give our selves wholly to them and to meditate on Gods Law day and night Psal. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 4. 13 15. Christs Ministers must be Teachers or Tutors to others and commit the things which they have heard to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2. â— Good Ministers of Christ are nourished up in the words of faith and good Doctrine and so attain to it 1 Tim. 4. 6. All should learn according to their time of teaching Heb. 5. 11 12 14. We study nothing but the Word and works of God And is not that a Wretch and not a man that will reproach us as no Ministers for doing that which we have our Reason for and which must be the work of our lives Poor Christians as you love God and your Souls and would not cast off Christ and Heaven let not Deceivers draw you to cast off the Ministry Scripture or the Ordinances of God FINIS * That 〈◊〉 local Altar is here meant I elsewhere prove against them that say it is but one communicating Body adhearing to one Bishop See Mr. Iones Hearts Soveraign excellently describing the English Succession Alpaspinaeus learnedly maketh the best of it But of Can. 34. confesseth a worsâ— sence than this of Binnius And no General Council had judged against them for there had been none ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ Sâ—crat l. 7. c. 3. Socr. ib. c. 7. Socr. c. 15. ☜ Niceph. l. 14. c. 17. ☞ Socr. l. 7. c. 28. Socr. c. 29. c. 31. c. 32. c. 33. ☞ â—in p 786. ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ Bin. Tom. 2. p. 7 8. ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Bin. p. 151. Niceph. l. 15. c. 19. Niceph. l. 15. c. 17 18 19. ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ And more largely Ep. 13. ad Episcop Dardainae ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Evagr. l. 3. cap. 4. ☜ Evagr. l. 6. cap. 6. Ann. 518. ☞ Evag. l. 4. c. 10. 11. and Nicep l. 17. c. 7. ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ Some late Historians tell us of incredible numbers of the Egyptian Christians whom Iastinian destroyed in this blind zeal for Christ but I find no such thing in the old Historians though it was too bad ☞ ☞ ☞ Constant. an 547. ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * And would not Papists have Princes do so ☜ ☜ ☜ * Barâ—nius contradicteth Anastasius others in this point ☞ * Baronius thinks that Theodomire was Father to 〈◊〉 ☜ ☜ ☞ * No not the Roman ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ Bin. pag. 127. ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ * Pag. 217 218. vide caetera ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * No wonder * Were not Monks holy men then * If you will needs have the honour of so had a work that you may have power to do the like take it ☜ ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ Sixtus Seneâ—sis Pet. Crabbe p. 458. say it was at Ephesus but Binnius confuteth them ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞ * See Hen. Fowlis of Papists Treasons P. 120. proving the whole Story false ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ * The Verb is left out (*) Where he was lately a Leader * How was he then of her substance ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ Crab. p. 485. ☜ * At Constantinople ☞ ☜ (*) What! superior to Christ's Humanity How prove you that she is superior to the highest Angels (*) Are the bodies of all Saints already risen Crab. p. 605. ☞ * Alas Must all be Separatists from the Bishops in England France c * As by Interdicts ☜ ☞ ☞ Bin. p. 288 Bellarm. de Imag. lib. 2. It was such a Western General Council as that at Trent was for extent * Lib. 2. de Imagin cap. 14. Even Dion Petavius after all saith In which Synod of Frankford the 7th General Council was rejected by the Bishops that were ignorant â—f its Decrees An. 794. Hist. l. 8. c. 7. ☜ ☞ Bin. p. 428. Ex quadam Elipandi confessione quae in Biblioth Toletana reperitur in quodam libro à Beato Heterio contra Elipandum scripto aiunt nonnulli Faelicem Elipandum non in mysterio Incarnationis sed tantum abutâ—ndo voce Adoptionis instar Durandi aberrâsse Idemque conjecturis affirmant istis quod nihil eorum quae Nestorio objecta fuerant in Conc. Ephes. contra Elipandum attulerent c. See the rest ☞ Vid. Not. Bin. p. 428 ☜ ☜ ☜ See Petav. Hist. li. 8. c. 6. ☞ ☞ ☞ * This is not the first time that Councils have 〈…〉 Catholick Church * They mean but the Canons of the Church * A new Controversie ☜ ☜ * Council-Curses for Opinions take place Bin p. 470 Epist. Theod. * It 's like Iulius Marinus as Onuphrius saith was his name * Saith Vita Ludovici in Bin. p. 525. Congregatis Episcopis c. fecit componi ordinarique librum Canonicae vitae normam gestantem in quo totâ—us 〈◊〉 erdinis perfectio continetur In quo inseri jussit câ—â—i potusque omnium necessarrorum sâ—mmam Quem librum per omnes Civitates Monasteria Canonici ordinis sui imper◠〈◊〉 per manus missâ—rum prudeâ—tium See the rest so that it was the Emperor's Book and not the Council's work ☜ * Quae si vera sunt saith Binnius himself ☜ * An unlikely thing ☜ ☜ ☜ * Mark that it is the Rights of the Empire ☞ ☜ a O wicked use of Bishops b Whom should they have feared more than God and their King c Is this the use of Reliques An. 833. * Here is a High Court of Prelatical Justice against a good Emperor * Lotharius accusing his Father a No doubt but you made this known too far
the Parliaments complaints of Popery Arminianism and Arbitrary Illegalities and after saith Hist. Presb. p. 465. 470. The truth is that as the English generally were not willing to receive that yoak so neither did the Houses really intend to impose it on them though for a while to hold fair quarter with the Scots they seemed forward in it This appears by their Declaration of April 1646 Nor have they lived to see their dear Presbytery setled or their Lay-Elders entertained in any one Parish of the Kingdome that 's false on the other side and yet all must be done by this Parliament as Presbyterians four years before when they were Episcopal distasting only the persons and actions of Bishop Laud Wren and some other present Bishops If I find a man like Schlusselburgiâ—s fall Pell-mell with reproach on all that differ from him or Dr. Heylin speak of blood with pleasure and as thirsty after more as of Thacker Vdall c. or as designing to make Dissenters odious as he and most of the Papists Historians do as the Image of both Churches Philanax Anglicus the Historical Collections out of Heylin I will believe none of these revilers further than they give me Cogent proof I hear of a Scots Narrative of the Treasons Fornications Witchcrafts and other wickedness of some of the Scottish Presbyterians and as for me the Author knoweth not what to call me unless it be a Baxterian as intending to be a Haeresiarcha being neither Papist nor of the Church of England nor Presbyterian nor Independent c. To this I say I have no acquaintance with any Scots Minister nor ever had in my life except with Bishop Sharp that was murdered and two other Bishops and two or three that live here in London therefore what they are I know not save by Fame But though I have heard that Country asperst as too much inclin'd to Fornication I never before heard the Religious part and Ministers so accused Either it is true or false if false shame be to the reporters if true what doth it concern us here or any that are innocent any further than to abhor it and lament it and to be thankful to God that it is another sort of men that are called Puritans in England and that in all my acquaintance with them these 56 years which hath been with very many in many Countries I remember not that ever I heard of one Puritan man or woman save one accused or suspected of fornication and that one yet living though openly penitent hath lived disowned and shamed to this day but I have heard of multitudes that revile them that make a jest and common practice of it Try whether you can make the Inhabitants of this City believe that the Nonconformists or Puritans are fornicators drunkards or perjured and that their accusers and haters are innocent men that hate them for such Crimes But it s possible that you may make men of other Countries or Ages believe it and believe that we wear Horns and have Cloven Feet and what you will but I fear not all your art or advantages on those that are acquainted with both sides But the misery is that faction ingageth men to associate only with their party where they hear reproaches of the unknown dissenters from whom they so estrange themselves that the Neighbours near them are as much unknown to them save by lying same as if they lived an hundred miles from them I remember Mr. Cressey once wrote to me that he turned from the Protestant Religion to the Roman because there was among us no spiritual Books of Devotion for Soul Elevations and affectionate Contemplation And I told him it was Gods just Judgment on him that lived so strange to his Neighbours because they are called Puritans and to their Writings which Shops and Libraries abound with had he read Bishop Halls Mr. Greenhams Mr. Ri. Rogers Mr. Io. Rogers Mr. Hildershams Mr. Boltons Mr. Perkins Mr. Downhams Mr. Reyners Dr. Sibbes c. yea or no better than my own the Saints Rest the Life of Faith the Divine Life the Christian Directory c. or had he read the Lives of Divines called Puritans or but such as two young men published partly by my self Ioseph Allen and Iohn Ianeway he would never have gone from the Protestants to the Papists because of our formality and want of an affectionate spiritual sort of devotion especially knowing what excess of formality is among the Papists and how much it is of the Clergies accusation of the Puritans that they are for too little form and too much pretence of spiritual devotion But if any called Religious or Puritans or Presbyterians be vicious I know no men that so heartily desire their punishment and ejection as those that are called by the same names I thank God that these twenty years while neither Wit Will nor Power hath been wanting against them I have scarce heard of two men if one that have been judged and proved guilty of any such immorality of all the ejected silenced Ministers in this Land I would I could say so of their Adversaries II. And now I must speak to the Accusers speeches of my self I thank you Sir that you feigned no worse against me if I am an Haeresiarcha why would not you vouchsafe to name that Heresie which I have owned I have given you large Field-room in near 80 Books and few men can so write as that a willing man may not find some words which he is able to call Heresie A little learning wit or honesty will serve for such an hereticating presumption 2. I never heard that Arminius was called an Arminian nor â—â—ther a Lutheran nor Bishop Laud a Laudian but if you be upon the knack of making Names you best know your ends and best know how to fit them to it 3. But seriously do you not know my Judgment will not about 80 Books inform you how then can I help it 4. No but you know not what Party I am of nor what to call me I am sorrier for you in this than for my self if you know not I will tell you I am a CHRISTIAN a MEER CHRISTIAN of no other Religion and the Church that I am of is the Christian Church and hath been visible where ever the Christian Religion and Church hath been visible But must you know what Sect or Paâ—â—y I am of I am against all Sects and dividing Parties But if any will call Meer Christians by the name of a Party because they take up with meer Christianity Creed and Scripture and will not be of any dividing or contentious Sect I am of that Party which is so against Parties If the Name CHRISTIAN be not enough call me a CATHOLICK CHRISTIAN not as that word signifieth an hereticating majority of Bishops but as it signifieth one that hath no Religion but that which by Christ and the Apostles was left to the Catholick Church or the Body of Jesus Christ on Earth
disobey him reject him and so reject the Council Const. V. confirmed by a Pope He gets Narses to persecute them § 28. The Romans for this incline to the Goths again Justinians Laws censured by Binnius § 30. A Council Paris confirmeth the free Election of Bishops by the People and Clerks § 31. All Hereticks that refused to eat Hearbs boill'd with Flesh. § 34. Whether only the Bishop must say the Pax vobiscum and to have but one Church § 35. King Clotharius forceth the Bishops to receive a Bishop of his choice § 37. Not Popes Councils nor Bishops but Kings divided Diocesses and Parishes as Bin. § 38. A Council at Tours that Bishops may keep their Wives as Sisters for House-keepers so they lye not with them All condemned Malefactors that are penitent and will obey the Preacher to be pardoned § 39. The Villanies of two Bishops quit by the Pope § 40. A Canon against reading Apoery plia or any thing but Canon Scriptures in the Church § 42. Pope Pelagius the second got Smaragdus to force the Western Bishops to condemn the tria Capitula § 45. King Gunthram represseth the Murders and Adulteries of Bishops against the Clergies Sentence § 47. A Council at Constantinople calleth John Const. Universal Bishop Pope Pelagius the second damneth the Title as unlawful in any and commandeth them rather to dye than yield it Some queries hereupon § 51. King Gunthram finding all grow worse and all long of the Bishops calls a Council at Mascon where the stricter keeping the Lords day is Decreed § 54. The Bishops of Venice Istria and Liguria continue separate from Rome and chose Paulinus Bishop of Aquileia their Patriarch and supreme Bishop instead of the Pope § 55. Oft Pennance to embolden oft Sinning § 57. Philoponus against the Council of Calcedon § 60. The Factions now called Jacobites and Melchites and why § 61. The Armenians plead Tradition for their Error § 62. The Partarchs of Aquileia persecuted by Mauritius and Pope Gregory § 65. Dead Gregory fights with Sabinian his Successor that would have burnt his Books § 68. Boniface the third chosen by Phocas § 70. CHAP. 8 Councils about the Monothelites and others Cyrus Alex. by the word Deivirilis would heal the Divisions in vain § 1 2. Pope Honorius called a Monothelite for his good Council § 2 3. The Emperour Heraclius a Monothelite censured by Binnius for using his own judgment in matters of Faith § 4 A Constantinoplitane Council for the Monothelites § 12. The Emperour condemned and Pope Honorius commended for forbidding the names of One or Two operations and Wills § 15. The Popes Agents beaten at Constantinople § 18. Pope Martin imprisoned banished and dead by the Emperour for condemning his Act of silencing One and Two called Typus § 19. His Laterane Council asserteth two Operations and Wills § 20. The King of Spain finding all Laws fail against Priests and Bishops Leachery decreeth that the children of their women servants be uncapable of inheritance and be the Churches servants and the Coâ—eubines whipt with an hundred stripes § 23. Kings Preach to Bishops § 24. 21. Ordination without Election of Clergy and People null § 25. The Bishop of Ravenna reconciled to Rome after long separation § 30. A Millan Council and the third Constantinople 6 General condemn the Monothelites and Macarius Antioch that would have silenced one and two but not assert two § 34. Their partiality § 35. Pope Leo confirmeth the Constantinopolitan Council which damned Pope Honorius as an Heretick § 36. A new controversie whether Christ hath three substances Divinity Soul and Body § 40. A Toletane Council defends it and that Voluntas genuit voluntatem § 45. The Concil Trull called Quini Sextum Railed at by Papists Notes hereon § 47 48. Called by Binnius Monothelites The same men that were in the 5th Council It forbideth Priests to put away their Wives § 50. It deposeth Bishops and Priests that were not duly Examined and Elected § 50. It equaleth the priviledges of Constantinople with Rome § 53. It ill ordereth that whatever alteration the Imperial power makes on any City the State Ecclesiastical follow it § 54. Other notable Câ—nons § 55. c. Every Parish of twelve Families must have their proper Governour in Spain § 57. Paul contradicted as to the believer and unbeliever staying together § 58. A Council at Aquileia condemneth the 5th General at Constantinople § 60. K. Wiliza and the Spaniards forsake Rome § 65. A General Council of innumerable Bishops at Constantinople under Philippicus are for the Monothelites § 67. They condemn the 6th General Council that was for two Wills and Operations Binnius note of the Bishops temporizing CHAP. 9. Councils about Images and others Images how introduced in England § 2. c. Spelmans proof that the old Saxons prayed not to Saints § 3. A Parliament Role recited proving the old Popish Worshiping of Images § 4. Leo Isaurus puts down Images Gregory the second rebels for it and confederates with Charles Martell against his Prince and absolveth his subjects from their allegiance Binnius records it as an excellent example to posterity not to permit pertinacious Heretical Princes to reign § 5. The consequents of this doctrine How the Pope ruined the Eastern Empire and betrayed Christianity § 5. Wilfrids Oath to the Pope § 6. Councils pro Imaginem cultu Alâ—onsus first calls himself The Catholick King § 9. P. Zachary and Charles Martell against the Emperour Pipin and the Popes Treason in France and Baronius and Binnius treasonable doctrine § 11. Twenty Queries hereupon § 12. P. Zachary and Bishop Boniface Excommunicate Virgilius for holding Antipodes Queries hereupon § 14 15. Philastrius of the stars § 16. A caution against misapplying all § 17. When Lard must be eaten Zachary's decree § 18. Caroloman's Council to recover Christianity and save mens souls from false Priests § 19. Boniface finely made Arch-bishop of Mentz accuseth Bishop Adelbert and Clemens § 21 22. Pipin helpeth the Pope and Desiderius Traytors and maketh a Donation of Cities to the Pope § 23. A General Council at Constantinople condemn Image Worship as Idolatry and swear men against it and against praying to the Apostles Martyrs and Virgins I suppose before Images § 24. This Council and the Council of Nice second determine that Christ glorified body is not flesh with Anathema § 26. Noted as to Transubstantiation and other Errours § 26 27. Pipins Council decreeth every City a Bishop and joyneth the sword or force to Excommunication banishing the despisers of it § 28. The Greeks accuse the Latines for adding Filioque § 30. The People still choose Popes § 29 31. Three Popes fighting for it one putting out the eyes and cutting out the tongue of the other and of his adherents § 31. Constantines Acts invalid except Baptizings and Consecrating § 33. Christophers eyes and life taken away through the Pope that he set up § 35. Desiderius fighteth against the Pope
Church and so baptize not into the Church therefore such must be rebaptized Cyprian and many very Godly Bishops consented in this errour § 31. XI To try this business further Cyprian gathered another Council of above 70 Bishops out of Aâ—rick and Numidia and all were desired to declare what was the Tradition of their Fathers And they all agreed that according to Scripture and Tradition the Baptism of Hereticks was a Nullity and it was no rebaptization to baptize such as they baptized see here what strength is in the Papists argument of Tradition in such cases But this Council and their Doctrine Pope Stephen condemned But they never the more altered their judgments not believing his Infallibity or power to judge between them in such matters of Faith In this Council is set down every Bishops Reason of his Judgment § 32. XII When Pope Stephen had condemned these Bishops Cyprian calleth yet a greater Council of 87 Bishops who confirmed the same Doctrine and rejected the Popes opinion and his arrogancies that would make himself to be a Bishop of Bishops and by tyrannical terrour and abuse of Excommunication force others to his opinion And with the Africans in this judgment joyned Firmilian with 70 Asian Bishops and saith Binnius Dionysius Alexandrinus also § 33. But I must here tell the Reader that I mention not these instances to breed ill thoughts in him of these African and Numidian Bishops For as far as I can discern by their Writings and by History they were the Godliest Faithful Peaceable company of Bishops that were found in any part of the World since the Apostles times Cyprian's style and the testimony of all just History which concerneth him as well as his Martyrdome declare him to be a Saint indeed Nazianzen declareth the strange occasion of his Conversion viz. That he loved or lusted after a Christian Virgin and when he could not obtain his will being given to Magick he agreed with the Devil to procure his desire but when he saw that the Devil confest himself unable to do it and so that he was too weak for Christ he forsook the Devil and turned Christian The Papists Binnius Baronius c. conjecture that Cyprian before his death reformed this Errour but their conjecture meerly tells us what they wish without any reason but that he dyed a Martyr and his Successours honoured him As if none might so die and be honoured that had any errour which no man living is without 2. And this may be said to excuse their errour 1. That the strictest men oftner erre on the stricter side against sin than the complying Carnal Clergy 2. That they thought it the safer way to baptize such again on the same reason as we do in case of uncertain baptisme with a si non baptizatus es baptizo te not knowing why there should be any danger in the mistake Much like as in England now the Bishops are for the re-Ordaining of all such as were Ordained by others that were not Diocesanes and yet do not call it re-Ordaining 3. That in those times of Heathenisme and persecution the Christians had no way to maintain their strength but by the Churches Concord nor could they otherwise have kept up so strict a discipline as they did having no forcing power of Christianâ—Magistrates Therefore they were necessitated to be severe with dividers 4. And the ambiguity of the word Heresie was not the least occasion of their errour The Nicene Council afterward rebaptized such as those Hereticks Baptized who corrupted the substance of baptisme it self but not others And Christians at first had more wit and charity than to call every errour a Heresie else there had been none but Hereticks such as denyed some essential point of faith or practice and drew a party to maintain it were called Hereticks in the former times but afterward every Schism or Party that gathered by themselves and set up altare contra altare upon the smallest difference was called a Heresie And so the same name applyed to another thing deceived them The Bishops were men of eminent piety and worth § 34. XIII Anno 263. They say there was a Council at Rome to clear Dionysius Alexand. of the imputation of Heresie occasioned by some doubtful words which he wrote against Sabellius § 35. XIV Anno 266. They say there was another at Antioch against their Bishop Paulus Samosatenus a gross Heretick But he renounced his errour in words and for that time kept his place § 36. XV. Paulus returning to his Heresie and a bad life Anno 272. another Council at Antioâ—h deposed him but he would not go out of the Bishops house and the Emperour Aurelian a Heathen put him out § 37. XVI Anno 303. The next Council was at Cirta in Numidia Secundus Tigisitanus being chief and calling them Here Secundus accused the Bishops one by one as Traditors delivering the sacred books to be burnt in persecution to save themselves which was then judged perfidiousness The Bishops partly excused partly confessed it and asked pardon Till at last Secundus ready to judge them accused a Bishop Purpurius of murdering his own Sisters Sons who told him that he should not think to terrifie him as he had done the rest He had killed and would kill those that make against him and asked him whether he had not been a Traditor himself and beginning to evince it bid him not provoke him to tell the rest Whereupon Secundus his Nephew told his Unkle You see that he is ready to depart and make a Schism and not he only but all the rest and you hear what they say against you And then they will joyn and pass sentence on you and so you will remain the only Heretick Hereticating went then by the Vote Secuâ—dus was nonplust and askt two others what it was best to do And they agreed to leave them all to God and so the Bishops kept their places Augustin cont Crescon l. 3. c. 26 27. § 38. XVII Next they deliver us Consilium Sinuessanum whether true or forged is too hard a controversie It was of three hundred Bishops how big were their Diocesses think you above our Parishes who all came secretly together to a Town now unknown and met in a Gave that would hold but 50 at a time for fear of persecution The business was to Convict Pope Mareâ—llinus of Idolatry for offering sacrifice to Hercules Iupiter and Saturn which he confessed § 39. XVIII Anno 305. Was held a Council of 19 Bishops at Illiberis in Spain where many good things were agreed on But not only to the Idolatâ—oâ— Lâ—psed but to other heinous crimes they denyed Communion to the death notwithstanding repentance And that these Bâ—shops should be Orthodox and yet the Novatians Hereticks it is not easiâ— to give a reason of Their distinction of Penance Sacrament and Communion will not well perform it Therefore Melch. Canus chargeth them with Errour lib. 5. c. 4. and Bellaâ—mine much
be true that thou sayest that the face of God is like ours then curse the Works of Origen which deny it If thou deny this be sure thou shalt receive at our hands the punishment due to the impious and open enemies of God O brave disputing Were these mortified Monks Theophilus told them he would do what they would for he hated the Books of Origen But that which ripened the mischief was that the Religious Houses of Egypt having four brothers excellent men for their overseers Theophilus was restless till he got them away to him one of them Dioscorus he made a Bishop others living with him perceived that he was set upon heaping and hoarding money and that all his labour tended to gathering Dr. Hanmer translating this puts in the Margin This Bishop hath more fellows in the World And noting how Theophilus to revenge himself persecuted his own Opinions saith This is a sin against the Holy Ghost would dwell with him no longer but returned to their Wilderness Theophilus prone to anger and revenge endeavoured by all means to work them mischief And the way he took was to accuse them to the Monks for saying to him that God had not a body nor humane shape And he himself was of the same Opinion yet to be revenged of his Enemies he stuck not to oppugn it and sent to the Monks not to obey Dioscorus or his Brethren for they held that God had no body whereas Scripture saith that he hath eyes ears hands and feet as men have which with Origen they deny By this treachery he set them all together by the ears one side calling the other Origenists and the other them Anthropomorphites so it turned to bickering among the Monks yea to a deadly battel And Theophilus went with Armed men and helped the Anthropomorphites So you see if Socrates say true how wickedly this Sainted Patriarch lived and how he came so much engaged against the Origenists whose errours doubtless were worthy blame but many good persons who honoured Origen for his great worth and owned not his errours were called Origenists because they honoured him And that which was erroncous in him was consistent with far greater Learning Piety and Honesty than Socrates Isidore Pelus and others thought there was in Theophilus Either credible Socrates and others were gross Lyars or this Patriarch and Saint was a downright knave or acted like one § 40. Now we are upon it let us prosecute Chrysostome's History â—urther He was a studious holy Monk of a House near Antioch After Nectarius death he was chosen Bishop for his meer piety and worth He was a man of great piety and honesty and an excellent tongue and as good a life but bred in a Cell and not to Courtship knew not how to slatter Courtiers and Court-Prelates He was naturally sharp and cholerick and his conscience told him that a Bishop must not be a dawber nor flatter the greatest wicked men For Bishops in that Age were the Preachers not having a thousand Congregations to preach to He saw even the Clergy addicted to their appetites and he kept a Table for them but eating with great temperance he always eat alone He rebuked the Luxury of the Court and particularly of the Empress who conceived a deadly hatred against him And the Custome of the Court was for the Women much to influence both Emperour and Courtiers and then what Bishop soever was too precise for them and bold with their sins to get a pack of the Worldly Clergy presently to meet together and depose him For Synods of Bishops not the Pope had then the power They would not be seen in it themselves but a Patriarch of Alexandria should call a Synod and do it presently Chrysostome was a man of no Courtship to take off their edges but the worse Courtiers Bishops and Priests were the worse he spake of them And all the honest plain people believed and loved him but the rich and great Prelates abhorred him His own Clergy hated him because he would reform them Those that would not amend he Excommunicated Which they could not bear so that one of his Deacons Serapion openly said to him O Bishop thou shalt never be able to rule all these as thou wouldst unless thou make them all tast of one whip Every one was his Enemy who was his own and was engaged by guilt against his Discipline and Doctrine The Guilty hated him His Hearers loved him Swift-Writers took his Sermons which tell us what he was to this day And it was honesty and policy in Innocent Bishop of Rome to own him who had worth to add to the reputation of his defendants Among other of his accusations one was that Eutropius an Eunuch Chamberlain to the Emperour procured a Law against Delinquents taking the Church for a Sanctuary And shortly after being to be beheaded for a crime against the Emperour he took the Church for a Sanctuary himself And Chrysostome from the Pulpit Preached a Sermon against him while he lay prostrate at the Altar Also he resisted Gainas the Arian who turned Traytor and was destroyed Another cause of Chrysostome's disturbance was that one Severianus Bishop of Gabale in Syria came into Constantinople and Preached for Money and drew away the hearts of the People while Chrysostome was about choosing a Bishop for Ephesus Serapion a turbulent Deacon quarrelled with the Syrian Bishop and would not reverence him The Bishop said If Serapion die a Christian Chirst was not Incarnate Serapion tells Chrysostome the last words without the first Chrysostome forbids Severianus the City The Empress taketh his part and importuneth Chrysostome to be reconciled to Severianus But the Core remained Socrat. l. 6. c. 10. § 41. Socrat. c. 11. Shortly after Epiphanius the Collector of Heresies came from Cyprus to Constantinople and there irregularly in Chrysostomes Diocess played the Bishop ordained a Deacon and called together the Bishops that were accidentally in the City and required them to Condemn the Books of Origen which some did and some refused saith Socrates cap. 12. Obscure men odd Fellows such as have no Pith or Substance in them to the end they may become famous go about most commonly to purchase to themselves Glory and Renown by dispraising such men as far excel them in rare and singular Virtues Chrysostome bore patiently Epiphanius's fault and invited him to take a Lodging at his House He answered him I will neither Lodg with thee nor Pray with thee unless thou banish Dioscorus and his Brethren out of the City and subscribe with thy own Hand the Condemnation of the Works of Origen Chrysostome answered that such things are not to be done without deliberation and good advice Epiphanius in Chrysostome's Church at the Sacrament stands forth and Condemns Origen and Excommunicateth Dioscorus a Bishop and reproveth Chrysostome as taking their part Chrysostome sent word by Serapion to Epiphanius that he did violate the Canons 1. In making Ministers in his Diocess 2. In
their several places they may practice this the guilt being proved I may tell him that I have no rule over I will have no Communion with you But I cannot thereby oblige all others to do the like This Gelasius also oft Epist. ad Anastas Imperat. c. setteth up the Priest above the Prince as Gods Laws are above mans As if Kings were were not to Govern by Gods Laws and as if the Bishops Canons were not mans Laws if they be Laws § 62. CXL It 's said that 70 Bishops at Rome under Gelasius determined of the Canon of the Scripture and also of accepted and rejected Books In the Canon they put a Book called Ordo Historiarum with one Book of Tobias one of Iudith one of the Maccabees Nehemias is lest out Among the approved Books the Epistle of Leo to Flavian Const. is thus imposed The Text whereof if any man shall dispute even to one iota or tittle and doth not venerably receive it in all things let him be accursed A multitude of heretical and rejected Books are named Eighteen pretended to be by or of some Apostles and such other And among others the History of Eusebius yet before approved unless here he mean only de vita Const. The Works of Tertullian Lactantius Arnobius Clemens Alexand. Africanus Cassianus Victorinus Pictav Faustus Rhegiens c. Of the Canon of Scripture Bishop Cousins hath collected the true History from greater Antiquity § 63. CXLI Vitalis and Misenus the Popes Legates at Constantinople having been Excommunicated for Communicating with Acacius c. Vitalis dyed so but after eleven years Misenus repented and was absolved by a Council of 55 Bishops might not the Pope alone have done it § 64. CXLII You have heard before how Festus got Laurentius the Arch-presbyter chosen Pope at Rome and more chose Symmachus Theodorick an Arian being King was just and had so much wit as to please the Clergy while his Kingdom was unsettled The Pope under his protection excommunicated both Emperour and Patriarch of Constantinople for Communicating with Hereticks but he never excommunicated Theodorick at home though an Arian There was reason for it Interest is such mens Law But while the Schism between Symmachus and Laurentius divided the Senate the Clergy and the People five or six several Councils are called at Rome mostly to heal this rupture For at first the Laurentians laid some Crimes to the charge of Symmachus and when the Councils would not cast him out they fell to rapine violence and bloodshed many being killed and all in confusion So that it was work enough in three years for King and Council to end the Schism § 65. CXLIII When the Arian Persecution abated in Africa Thrasaâ—â—ndus the King contriving which way to root out the Orthodox without violence he commanded that when any Bishop dyed no other should be ordained in their places Hereupon the Nonconformists seeing the Churches like to decay ann 504. held a Synod in which they decreed and do their that though they suffered death for it they would go on and ordain Office concluding that either the mind of the King would be mollified or else they should have the Crown of Martyrdom This is called Concilium Byzacenum § 66. It is greatly to be noted that many following Councils in Spain France and other parts of Europe which were held under the Gothish Kings were more pious and peaceable than the rest fore-described The Reasons seem to me to be these 1. These Kings being conquering Arians the Bishops durst not damn them for Heresie for fear of their own necks and so were greatly restrained from the hereticating work of Councils 2. These Kings having a narrower Dominion than the Empire and being jealous of their new gotten Conquests were nearer the Bishops and kept them more in awe than the Emperour did 3. And these Councils being small of a few Bishops had no such work for arrogancy and ambition as the great General Councils had 4. And the great proud pretending Patriarchs that set the World in a continual War were not here to strive who should be the greatest The Pope himself was seldom mentioned in the Spanish and French Councils or the African § 67. CXLIV One of these honest Councils is Agathense by the permission of Alaricus by 35 Bishops Casarius Arelatensis being chief Where many Canons for the Clergy were made or repeated The 3d Canon is that if Bishops wrongfully excommunicate any one other Bishops shall receive them Did the Popes observe this with Acacius Euphemius c. Can. 63. If any Citizens on the great solemnities that it Easter the Lords Nativity or Whitsuntide shall neglect to meet where the Bishops are seeing they are set in Cities for Benediction and Communion let them be three years deprived of the Communion of the Church Doth not this prove that the City Churches then met all in one place and so were but one Assembly at those times How else could all the Citizens be with the Bishop at one time But even these Canons forbid Clergy-men to sue any before a Secular Judge or to appear or answer at anothers suit Can. 32. Otherwise both are to be excommunicate Can. 37. It punisheth those that kill men but with denying them Communion Can. 50. Only if a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon commit a Capital crime he shall be deposed and put into a Monastery and have but Lay-communion When Murderers are hang'd and Trayters also quartered this Canon is laid aside I thought a Monastery had been a desirable place and not bad enough to serve Traytors and Murderers instead of the Gallows § 68. CXLV A Council at Apanna under Sigismund King of Burgundy recited such like Canons as the former save that there is one just such as our Fanaticks in England would have made who would not worship God in any Temple which the Papists had used to their Mass so faith Can. 33. The Temples or Churches of Hereticks which we hate with so great execration we despise to apply to holy uses as judging their pollution to be such as cannot be purged away But such as by violence they took from us we may recover This is just Down with the Idolatrous Steeple-houses But if they would give the Nonconformists in England leave to Preach in such places they would be thankful and think God will not impute the sin of others to us § 69. CXLVI A Council at Sidon of 80 Bishops was called by the Emperour Anastasius where they agreed to curse the Council of Calcedon and Flavianus Antioch and Iohan. Paltens were banished for refusing This was about the time when the foresaid Fight was between the Monks and the Antiochians when the Carkasses of the Eutychian Monks were cast into the River § 70. About this time was the fall and rise of the Papacy The fall in that the Eastern Empire made little use of Popes but did their Church work without them Their rise in that the
been in greater peace 5. That they say so much of the falsifying of Athanasius Epistle to Epictetus of Appollinaries Epistle fathered on Iulius of the falshood of the Dyonysius Areopag c. As he tells us that we must not be over credulous in trusting to writings ascribed to the Ancients 6. That Nullus ex antiquis recordatus est ea was thought a good argument against the Authority of Dyonisius Areopagita 7. They instance in the difference between the Greeks and Latins about the words Hypostasis and Persona which set the Latins on condemning the Greeks as Arrians and the Greeks it on condemnthe Latins as Sabellians till Athanasius that understood both Tongues perswaded them that their meaning was the same And necessity urged Athanasius to reconcile them which Greg. Nazianzene and other peaceable men afterward promoted And yet Hierome was judged a Heretick after for disliking the word Hypostasis And yet must Hard ambiguous words confound and divide the Churches still 8. They confess that Cyril idem dicebat esse substantiam quod naturam vel subsistentiam ideo in duodecim Capitulis suis pro duabus substantiis vel naturis duas subsistentias posuit Reader If this great Learned Voluminous Prelate had no more accurateness of Speech than to confound substance nature and subsistence and put them one for another what could be expected from the multitude of poor unlearned Prelates that took his name for their guide and cryed out in Council Great is Cyril asâ—yril â—yril And what then Could the confusions of the World be caused by between Nestorians Eutychians Severians Monothelites and Catholicks such a strife about words as Cyril had occasioned 9. Note that Hypatius and the Orthodox here maintain that Flavianus himself subscribed as much for one Nature as Dioscorus could have desired And that the Controversie lay in a syllable Whether Christ were one Person Ex duabus naturis or In duabus the Eutychians said Ex and the rest said In and Flavian yielded to Ex and the Synod of Calcedon accepted both Neque illi istos reprehendunt neque isti illos tanquam unius honoris arbitrati voces utrasque quando unam naturam Dei verbi incarnatam non renuit beatus Flavianus in confessione quam propria manu subscripsit dicere c. Where Flavians words are recited to Theodosius Et unam Dei verbi naturam incarnatam tamen dicere non negamus quia ex utrisque unus idemque Dominus Iesus Christus est And would not this much used to all other have healed all the Churches 10. Note that Hypatius and the Orthodox make not Cyril infallible but say that his Synodical Epistles they receive not as his but the Synods But for the rest Neque damnamus eas nâ—que suscipimus 11. That the Controversie was Logical p. 413. how Vnition maketh or denominateth one 12. Note that they expresly say Vbi Vnitio dicitur non Vnius significatur rei conventus so all say sed duarum vâ—l plurium diversarum secundum naturam Si erga dicimus Vnitionem procul dubio confitemur quod carnis animatae verbi sed hi qui duas naturas dieunt idem sentiunt And if this be true were they not all of a mind and knew it not 13. Note that the Eutychians took Theodorets Anathema Nestorio Eutycheti with a Valete added for a slur and a deceit and Hypatius was fain to intimate a blame on the Council that had not the patience once to hear such a man as Theodorite to open his judgment but cryed out only Curse them curse them and he interprets Theodorets Valete as saying Now take my Bishoprick if you please 14. In a word had this Light and Love been used by the Bishops which this Conference expresseth it had prevented much Confusion in the Churches scorn against the Bishops hardening of the Infidels and destruction of Christian Love and Peace And though the Eastern Bishops yielded not many of their followers did § 100. CLXIII They say an African Council sent to Iustinian to procure the restoration of their Liberties which the Vandall Arians had taken away Iustinian having recovered Africa § 101. Pope Agapetus was forced by King Theodatus to go on an Embassie to Iustinian to turn by his Armies from Italy which he did and not prevailing having rejected Authimus he dyed there Anno 536. § 102. CLXIV Menna being made Bishop of Const. a Council was there called Sure no Roman Presided for there was then an Inter-regnum But was it then a good Council As please the Pope Yet so impudent is Binnius as to say that Menna was the Popes Vicar and his Legates presided when there was no Pope on Earth The work of this Council was to condemn and curse Authimus a Bishop of Const. got in by the Empress and put out by the Emperour with Severus late Bishop of Antioch and Peter Bishop of Apamea and Zoaras a Monk as being Acephali that is Severians or Eutychians as they were variously called Severus and Peter have cruel persecutions also laid to their charge for persecution hath but its time The Emperour hereupon maketh a fevere Law against them sending them by banishment to solitude and condemning their Books to the fire and judging their hands to be cut off that writ them We may see whence our Church-History mostly cometh even from the stronger side that had power to burn all which they would not have known Two things in this Council offend the Romanists 1. That Iohn Bishop of Constantinople is called Patriarcha Oecumenicus 2. That Euphemius Macedonius and Leo are named and Leo last the two first having been damned by the Popes so oft since they were dead And they have no better remedy but to say that some ill Greek hand hath falsified the Councils Is that all the certainty we have of recorded Councils If you suspect the Greeks why may we not also suspect the Romans especially in the days of wicked Popes The People cryed out here Quid manemus in communicati Binnius noteth that from the time that Macedonius their Orthodox Bishop was ejected the faithful Catholicks withdrew themselves from the Communion of impious Timothy that was put into his place Note 1. that this Macedonius is he that the Roman Pope so often damned alive and dead 2. That the Peoples separation from bad possessours of the Bishops Seats was then an usual and justified thing § 103. CLXV A Council at Ierusalem having notice of what was done at Const. do the same against Authimus Severus Peter and Zoaras 104. Aâ—astasius in lib. Pontisic saith that the Arian King Theodatus corrupted with Money made Silverius Pope And at the same time the Empress Theodora promised the Popedom to Vigilius on condition he would restore Authimus and those that the Council had damned which he promising the Empress sent him with Letters to Bellisarius to see it done Silvâ—rius was but a Sub-Deacon and Vigilius
beck of the Emperor and at the will of a Monothelite Patriarch the holy sixth Synod is condemned and what they decreed of two Wills in Christ and two Operations and all retracted by the Decree and Subscription of very many Oriental Bishops that were in one moment turned from being Catholiques to be Monothelites Is this the constancy of Bishops and the certainty of their Tradition But why have we not the Acts of this great Council as well as of the rest CHAP. IX Councils called about Images and some others § 1. POpe Gregory the 2d is the Man that must set up Image-worship against all opposition rebel against his lawful Sovereign and confederate with other Princes to alienate the Western Empire when the East was almost ruined before and so to weaken the Christian Power that the Turk might shortly win the Empire § 2. To have recited all along as we went on what new Ceremonies Formalities and Orders were invented and brought in by the Popes and how Doctrine and Practice grew corrupted being a thing done already by many others would have been tedious here and besides the design of this writing which is but to shew how Prelates have used the Church by their contentions about JURISDICTION and HARD or AMBIGUOUS WORDS and what hath been the work especially of General Councils But we cannot tell you well the work of the following Councils without telling somewhat of the occasion of the matter The Primitive Christians used not Images in the Worship of God read Dalaeus de Imaginibus But the contempt of Christianity by the Heathens occasioned many to oppose their contempt by glorying in the Cross of Christ and by making the transient sign of it with their fingers and thence they grew to use the fixed sign of it and thence to speak of and believe many Miracles wrought by it and thence to make the Image of Christ crucified which yet Epiphanius condemned and thence by degrees to make the Images of the Apostles and Martyrs and thence to make in their Churches the Images of their deceased Bishops till an Excommunicater arâ—se of another Opinion that pull'd any of them down And abundance of Dreams Visions Apparitions and Revelations were the pretended Proofs that prevailed for many such Superstitions but especially for Images and Purgatory and Prayers for the dead Among others an English Monk Egwin of Evesholme chosen Bishop of Worcester must lead the way by pretence of a Vision a Dream no doubt see Spelman's Concil p. 209. in his own Chart Egwin saith That the Virgin Mary first appeared to a certain Shepherd called Eoves and afterward to himself with two Virgins holding a Book in her hands and told him in what place she would have him build her a Monastery The crafty Dreamer divulged the Vision and some good Men opposing it the Pope must have the hearing of it The Pope put it to the Oath of Egwin whether ever he saw such a Vision or not Egwin sware it and the matter was past doubt just as honest Commenius took Daubritius's Prophesies to be of God because the melancholy Man sware that they were true Hereupon Egwin is sent home and a Council called to take Egwin's words again that he had such a Vision and in the end was added That the Virgin Mary ' s Image must be set up in the place The Pope sent to King Kenred and King Offa by Bishop Brithwald to grant what the Vision intended who obediently make over a great part of the Countrey to that Monastery as you may see described in Spelman Conc. p. 209 210. in Charta Kenredi Offae Regum And p. 211. in Charta Egwini who saith himself that God being propitious to him he had in a little time got for the said Church an hundred and twenty Farms given as is written and confirmed in the Charter of that Church Many Villages are there named and some great ones in the fattest and richest part of the County of Worcester Was not this a profitable Dream or Vision And should we not have many Dreamers and Swearers if they could get as much by it as Egwin did And herewith Images are set up § 3. But Baronius and Binnius question whether Naucler and Bale say true that this Council first brought Image-worship into England because it came in before with Austin the Monk To which Spelman well answereth That the use of the Cross in banners and otherwise was here before and some Images for Instruction and Commemoration as Beda's own words intimate but not any worship of Images or worshiping before and towards them And Sir H. Spelman saith proving that Image-worship was not then in use among the Saxons that even praying to the Saints themselves was not then in use mentioning an old Psalter of his written about the time of the 2d Nicene Council in which there were an hundred seventy and one Prayers inserted between the Sections of the 119th Psalm and in them all not one name of any Saint or the Virgin Mary much less any Prayer directed to them § 4. If one talk now with our English Papists they are so loth to own their own Doctrine and Practice that they will tell you they hold not the worshiping of the Image but of the Person signified by it But to tell them how commonly their Writers defend worshipping Images if Colere and Cultus signifie Worship and what Aquinas saith of giving the worship of Latria to the Image of Christ and to the Cross though undeniable yet will not be taken for sufficient proof I shall therefore give you here thâ— sense of the Papal Church in England in the form of Abjuration which they prescribed to those that they then called Lollards as it is found in the Tower Records and you must take it in the old English in which it is written because I do but transcribe it and must not alter it the sense of it being plain and obvious Ex Rotulo Clausax de Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi 19 membr 18 dors MEmorand quod primo die Septembris Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi post Conquestum decimo nâ—no Willielmus Dynel Nicholaus Taillour Michaelus Poucher Willielmus Steynour de Nottingham in Cancellar ipsius Regis personaliter constituti Sacramenta divisim prestiterunt sub eo qui sequitur tenore I William Dynel befor yhow worchipefull Fader and Lorde Archbyshop of Yhorke and yhowr Clergie with my free will and full avyside swere to Gode and to all his seyntes uppon this holy Gospelle that fro this day forthwarde I shall Worship Ymages with preying and offering unto hem in the worschip of the seintes thae they be made after and also I shall never more despyse pygremage ne states of holy Chyrche in no degree And also I shall be buxum to the lawes of holy Chirche and to yhow as myn Archbyshop and to myn other ordinares and Curates and kepe yo lawes uppon my power and meynten
of an Hospital to the King and to the Physician May not one rule and punish by the Sword and another by the Word by Teaching and the Church Keys Is it not one thing to Fine and Beat and Banish and Kill a Man and another to sentence him unmeet for Church-Communion Marvellous that God permitteth the world to be deluded by such a blinded or blinding Clergy though as learned as Bellarmine that would make these things seem inconsistent and separate what God hath conjoined See here to what the Roman Clergy would reduce Kings they must be no Governors of the Church And if all the Kingdom be Christians are they not all the Church And so the Christening of the Subjects deposeth the King and maketh the chief Priest King that Christeneth them If he had said that Kings govern Churches but not as Churches but as parts of the Kingdom he had said falsly For they govern them as Churches though not by the same sort of Government as the Pastors do as they govern not Hospitals by the same sort of Government as the Physicians § 129. In Eugenius's Epistle it is honestly and truly said that If there had never been a painted or a forged Image neither Faith Hope nor Love by which Men come to the Eternal Kingdom would have perished I am of Bellarmine's mind now that this was none of the Pope's Epistle but the honest Emperor's and his Clergy Councils He thought it too bad for a Pope and I think it too good for a Pope He thinks that the Pope must be mad if he would have so condemned his Predecessor Adrian's Acts as this Epistle doth and I doubt he was not so honest as to do it But did not Bellarmine know how much more sharp and virulent Accusations Popes have laid on one another § 130. CCXLVI So powerful was Pius's Attempts to reform the Clergy that it drove Pope Eugenius the 2d for shame to call a Council at Rome not from the Antipodes but of 63 Bishops An. 826. who repeated some old Canons and among other things forbad such Feasts and Plays as our Wakes arâ— on any Holy-days to be used § 131. Valentine was next chosen Pope Collectis in unum Venerab Episcopis Gloriosis Romanorum Proceribus omnique amplae urbis Populo in Pal. Later saith Anastasius but he lived but 30 or 40 days Historians agree not of it § 132. Gregory the 4th succeeded who saith Platina would not undertake the Papal Office till Ludovicus the Emperor had considered of the choice and confirmed it Which saith Platina Ludovicus did not out of Pride but lest he should lose the Rights of the Empire being by nature gentle and most humane and had ever upheld the Rights of the Church He setled Benefices on every Priest that Poverty might not hinder them You see here that the great Friend of the Church yet took that for the right of the Empire that none should be Pope against his consent § 133. Platina adding how he reformed the Clergy forbidding them gay Attire Ornaments Sumptuousness and Vanities saith thereupon Would thou hadst lived in our times O Ludovicus For the Church wanteth thy holy Institutions and Censure so much hath the Ecclesiastical Order poured out itself to all Luxury and Lust. So describing their abominable Pride and Vanity § 134. Pope Gregory added so much to the good works of his Predecessors by mending building adorning so many Temples Pillars and Posts with Stones Vestments Silver c. and removing the Bones of Saints if he mistook not that it is no wonder if Rome grew into greater pomp and splendor than ever before § 135. This godly Emperor having three Sons by his first Wife and marrying a second having two Sons by her the Sons of the first Wife hated the second Wife thinking her Son Charles had too much favor One Son Pepin apprehended his Father and the eldest Lotharius came in and approved it and the 3d joined with them and wickedly deposed him from his Kingdom of which anon § 136. Ludovicus called Councils at Paris Mentz Lyons and Tholouse for Reformation some say upon the warning of a Maid that being possessed of the Devil and speaking Latine said that this Devil executed Judgments on the Land for their Sins Injustice c. CCXLVII. The Council at Paris wrote a large Book for Reformation An. 829. with the rest of this Emperor's Constitutions worthy to be Translated for the common good that all â—ight see the difference between Reformers and turbulent Hereticks and Hereticators and proud aspiring Prelates The Book is a Treatise of pious Directions The 50th Chapter reproving the breach of the Lord's day saith that By sight and by certain relation they have notice that many working on that day have been killed with Thundeâ—bolts some punished by sudden Convulsions some by visible Fire their Flesh and Bones being in a moment consumed and turned into ashes and many other such terrible judgments Therefore they require that as the Iews keep their Sabbath all Men much more do spiritually observe this day of the Lord. The second Book doth notably shew the duty of Kings and Magistrates The last Chapter requireth those that are far from the Church to meet for Prayer in other places as being acceptable to God In the 8th Capitul Bin. p. 569. the Bishops say Beati Petri vicem indigni gerimus So that the Pope is not Peter's onely Successor others represent him if this Council did not mistake § 137. CCXLVIII We come now to a Council which sheweth you that the good Canons made by the Emperor for Church-Reformation were far from reforming the generality of the Bishops It is the Council at Compendium which too compendiously deposed the godly Emperor of whom the world was not worthy Calumniators pretended that one Bernhard a Courtier lay with Iudith the Emperor's second Wife The Sons of his first Wife hating her Pepin whom his Father had made King of Italy on this pretence Trayterously raiseth Arms against his Father Lotharius the eldest Son too much consenting persuaded his Father to let a meeting without Arms at Neomagus prevent a War At that meeting the Nobles Parentis Imperium legitimè prorogabant saith Binnius p. 575 and Pepin took up Arms again The Father conquereth his Son and taketh him Prisoner and might justly have taken away his life but he was stol'n out of Prison in the night Ludovicus depriveth him of his Kingdom of Italy and divideth it between his two Sons by the second Wife Charles and Rodolphus Hereupon Lotharius the eldest rebelling knew not how to conquer his godly and prosperous Father but by the Bishops Them he draweth into his Conspiracy that as Binnius himself saith Ut quem filii armis imperio deponere non possent horum saltem nundinariorum Antistitum suffragio judicio honore ac potestate imperiali privaretur successit impiis conatus impiissimus The last means of Treason was a Council of the base mercenary
6. none is to be taken for Pope but we must live as the Greeks under our own Laws 10. It is against Scripture that Church-men have possession that is they should not labour to be rich 11. No Prelate should excommunicate any one unless he know that God hath first excommunicated him And he that so excommunicateth is thereby a Heretick or Excommunicate 12. A Prelate that excommunicateth a Clerk who appealed to the King or to the Council of the Kingdome is thereby a Traytor to the King and Kingdome 13. They that give over Preaching or hearing Gods Word for mens Excommunication are Excommunicate and in the Day of Judgment shall be judged Traytors to Christ. 14. It is lawful for a Deacon or Presbyter to preach the Word of God without the Authority of the Apostolick Seal or a Catholick Bishop 15. No one is a Civil Lord or a Prelate or a Bishop while he liveth in mortal sin The meaning of this is no open wicked man is a Subject capable of such Authority given by Christ as shall warrant him to use the place but his acts may be valued to others in many cases Dispositio materiae est necessaria ad formam recipiendam As an Infidel can be no Bishop or Pastor 16. Temporal Lords may take away temporal goods from the Church from a Possessor habitually criminal and not only in act Not from the sacred use in general but from that man that forfeiteth them 17. The people may correct their Delinquent Lords This is not to be believed to be Wickliff's sense till they cite his own words which no doubt limit it to the cases 18. Tythes are meer Alms and the Parishioners may take them away for their Prelates sins 19. The special prayers applied by Prelates and Religious men to one person profit him no more than the general ones caeteris paribus 20. He that giveth Alms to Fryars is thereby Excommunicate that is he sins by cherishing wilful idleness 21. He that enters the private Religion either of the Possessing or the Mendicant Fryars becomes less fit and able to keep the Commandments of God 22. Holy men that made private Religions thereby sinned 23. The Religious living in private Religion are not therein of the Christian Religion 24. Fryars are bound to get their living by the labour of their hands and not by begging 25. They are Simoniacal that bind themselves to pray for others for a temporal reward or price 26. The prayers of Reprobates wicked men availeth not to any 27. All things come to pass by necessity 28. The Confirmation of Youth the Ordination of Clerks the Consecration of Places are reserved to the Pope and Bishops for covetousness of temporal gain and honour 29. Universities Studies Colledges Degrees and Masterships in them are introduced by vain Gentility and profit the Church as much as the Devil doth 30. The Excommunication of a Pope or any Prelate is not to be feared because it is the Censure of Antichrist 31. They that found Cloysters sin and they are Diabolical that enter them 32. To enrich the Clergy is against Christs Rule 33. Pope Sylvester and the Emperour Constantine erred in inriching the Church 34. All the Order of Begging Fryars are Hereticks and those that give to them are Excommunicate 35. They that enter Religion as Fryars or any Order of them are thereby disabled from keeping Gods Commands and so of coming to Heaven unless they forsake them 36. The Pope and all his Clergy that have Possessions are therefore Hereticks and the Secular Lords and Laicks that consent to them to their great riches 37. The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Satan and the Pope is not the immediate and nearest Vicar of Christ and the Apostles 38. The Decretal Epistles are Apocryphal and seduce from the Faith of Christ and the Clerks that study them are fools 39. The Emperour and Secular Lords were seduced by the Devil to inrich the Church excessively he meaneth with temporal goods 40. The Election of the Pope by Cardinals was introduced by the Devil 41. It is not necessary to Salvation to believe the Church of Rome to be the Supreme among other Churches 42. It is foolish to trust to the Indulgences of the Pope and Bishops 43. Oaths made to strengthen humane Contracts and Civil Commerce are unlawful 44. Augustine Benedict Bernard are damned unless they repented of having possessions and instituting and entering private Religions and so from the Pope to the lowest Religious Fryar they are all Hereticks 45. All Religions that is Orders of Fryars were introduced by the Devil This Article about Necessity of Events I see in Wickliff's Books is his own and many here cited are true but no doubt but many of them are perverted by their wording them and leaving out the Explicatory Context The Council forbad his Books and condemned them to be burnt and reprobated every one of all these foresaid Articles with all the 260. The Duke of Austria most humbly begged the Emperours pardon for receiving the Pope § 7. Sess. 9. The Citation of the Pope is read and Commissaries and Judges appointed and a Letter read from the University of Paris instigating the Council to their duty for their honest Chancellour Gerson was here § 8. Sess. 10. The Popes Suspension was read The Sess. 11. the Articles against the Pope are read which were proved which were in sum as followeth Art 1. That the Pope Iohn from his Youth was of a naughty disposition impudent a lyar rebellious against his Parents given to most Vices and so was and still is accounted of all that know him Cardinals Arch-Bishops Bishops c. witness it 2. He gathered riches by Symony and wicked means 3. By these Symoniacal riches he purchased a Cardinals place at great rates 4. Possessing Bononia as Legate by tyranny and cruel exactions inhumanely and impiously he ruined the people without all Justice or Piety c. 5. Getting thus to be Pope like a Pagan he contemned all Divine Offices 6. That he is the oppressor of the poor the persecutor of Justice the Pillar of the unjust the Statue of Simoniacks the servant of the Flesh the dregs of Vices a stranger to Virtue flying publick Consistories wholly given to sleep and other fleshly desires wholly contrary to Christ in life and manners the Glass of Infamy and the profound Inventer of all wickednesses or malice so scandalous to the Church that among faithful Christians that knew him he was commonly called THE DEVIL INCARNATE 7. That as a Vessel of all sins he repulsed the worthy and gave all Offices Benefices and Church-promotions to the bad that would give most Money for them 8. Hereby the whole Church Clergy and People fell under infamy and scandal 9. That of all these he was oft admonished and humbly intreated 10. That he was worse after than before laying all pretence of Justice and openly selling all to the worst that would give him money 11. That growing
Charles M. overcometh him and maketh Pope Adrian grater than any before him § 37. Why Deacons mostly made Popes No Bishop might be made Pope or removed § 39. The termes of Papist Writers expounded § 40. Putting penance on Murderers for hanging fill'd the Church with Rogues § 41. The Historians give the lie to each other about the power given Carol. M. in making Popes and Bishops Baronius Argument against it vain That the People and Clergy by the French Constitutions still choose Bishops § 42. Irene set up Images again Women and Rebels set up Popes § 46. The Fable of Sylvesters baptizing Constantine and the Images shewed him § 48. Pope Adrian owneth the whole Council of Calcedon § 47. Many notable old Canons sent by Adrian to Carol. M. A Bishop neglecting to convert Hereticks he was to have them that delivered them c. § 51. Ch. Mag. forceth the Saxons to profess themselves Christians and swear perseverance which they oft broke § 52. Eight more old Canons collected by Adrian e. g. The Bishops sentence void not confirmed by the presence of the Clergy The judgment of a Bishop in anothers Parish void for none is bound by the sentence of any but his own Judge Foreign Judgments forbidden All to be judged by Men chosen by themselves No Clergy-man to be judged without lawful accusers present and leave to defend himself Bishops tyrannical judgments null Constitutions contrary to good manners of no moment Delators that is qui ex invidia produnt alios to have their tongues cut out or their heads cut off The danger of the Judge greater than of the judged c. And let no man receive a Lay-mans witness against a Clergy-man No wonder if the Clergy were unpunished and wicked § 53. Irene calls a Council at Constantinople for Images The old Souldiers of the former Emperours not enduring it routed them She and Tarasius agreeing call them to Nice The Bishops that were sworn against Image-worship presently turn generally for it by a Womans and a Patriarchs known will § 49. 54. How could the Iconoclast Emperours be Hereticks unless the use of such Images were an Article of Faith § 55. The Empress and Emperour called The Governours of the whole World They are the callers of that Council § 56. Basil Ancyr and other Bishops that were Leaders against Images in the former Council lament it and curse all that are not for Images and all that favour such c. Theodosius Bishop of Amoricum also curseth himself if ever he turn again and curseth those who do not from their hearts teach Christians to venerate Images of all Saints praying for their intercession c. Queries hereon When General Councils curse each other is the whole Church cursed c. § 59. A crowd of changling Bishops crying mercy Tarasius puts them hard to it what made them of the contrary mind heretofore and what reason changeth them § 60. Whether these penitent Hereticks should be restored to their Bishopricks Tarasius saith Arians and these against Images and all Heresies and Evils are alike But another That this was greater than all other Heresies subverting Christs Oeconomy The instance of the Calcedon peccavimus omnes prevaileth § 62 63. A shrewder doubt raised Whether all these were truly ordained by former Hereticks Iconoclastsâ— The Popes Vicar denyeth it Tarasius durst not so unpriest almost all the Christian world of the East and is contrary By a cunning argument he prevailed Viz. The Fathers agree among themselves Ergo all the rest are of the same mind with some before cited § 64. Gregory Bishop of Neocaesaria next recanteth a Leader of the Iconoclasts § 67. Yet Tarasius and this Council disclaim giving Latria to Images of creatures â—ea honour them but â—s memorative § 67 70. The Constantinopolitan Councils Arguments against Images § 68. c. Bread not Transubstantiate § 72. The two Councils contrary about Tradition of Images § 73. The Nicene Council curseth from Christ all that are not for saluting and adoring Images § 76. Bishops and Priests made by Magistrates Election or that use the Magistrate to get the place are void A Canon against silencing Preachers and shuting up Churches § 77. A sober Council at Horojulium § 80. Foeliy Urgelitanus and Elepandus condemned for saying Christ was Gods natural Son in the Deity and his adopted in his Humanity § 81. Claudius Taurinensis against Images § 82. Car. Mag. Book and the Council of Franckford against Images § 82 84. Foelix and Elepandus condemned for saying Christ was a Servant § 85. The Frankford Council decreeth that Christ was not a Servant subject to God by penal servitude § 89. Pope Leo's eyes put out and tongue cut out and restored and he made great by Charles the Great § 92. Kissing the Popes Foot § 93. Irene killeth her son and is banished her self § 94. Filioque added by the Spanish and French Bishops without the Pope § 96. Carol Mag. being dead the People Rebel against the Pope till Ludovicus subdued them § 97. A Council at Constantinople for the Emperours Adultery And another against Plato and Theodorus Studita that were against it which saith Binnius passed the sentence of Anathema on the whole Catholick-Church And decreed that Gods Laws can do nothing against Kings nor is any man a Martyr that suffereth as Chrysostome for opposing them for truth and justice § 98. A Council at Arles and another at Tours have good Canons One that is for the old prohition of genuflexion on the Lords daies § 104. Charles M. restoreth Learning A Council at Chalones decreed against the Oath of Canonical obedience § 105 106. Another against Arch-Deacons ruling Presbyters and taking Fees of them § 107. Others for the old Excommunication and about Confession to God and Man and against trust in Pilgrimages § 108 109 110. Another Council at Constantinople curseth that at Nice â—d and pull down Images and the Bishops turn again § 113. The murder of Bishops punished by â—ayments at last § 114. Ludovicus Pius Emperour Bishops with Bernard rebel Stephen made Pope without him pardoned § 115. His care of lost Learning A pious Treatise out of the Fathers against Bishops domination and for their equality with Presbyters in Scripture-times § 116. Against Clergy sins and Womens company Against geâ—â—flection on the Lords days Augustines contempt of appeals to Councils and Rome A strange temperance of the Canonical Monks that were tyed to four pound of Bread and five pound of Wine in a day or in scarcity to three pound of Wine and three pound of Beer or in greater scarcity to one pound of Wine and five of Beer § 118. Ludovicus Pius maketh the Pope greater than ever § 120. Michael Balbus murdering Armenusâ—endeth â—endeth to Ludovicus Pius about Images An Assembly at Paris called by him judge the judge of the World and the Nicene second Council saith Bellarmine § 124. Now both East and West judged the Pope and his General Council to erre
yea this Emperour that made him Great § 125. A book of concord by the Pope and Emperour that Images are neither to be contemptuously broken nor adored Bellarmines words against it He revileth the Popes words that Princes are Governours of the Church § 127 128. Confuted Faith and Love may be without Images § 129. It was the right of the Empire to consent or not to the chosen Pope § 132. Platina wisheth for a Ludovicus to reform the luxurious Clergy then § 133. A Paris Council write an excellent Book They tell of some struck with Thunderbolts Convulsions c. for and as working on the Lords day And say Beati Petri vicem gerimus § 136. The Emperour making his three Sons Kings they Rebel He conquereth Pipin Lotharius rebelleth again Ebbo and a Council of Bishops wickedly depose him absent and unheard and force him to resign his Scepter on the Altar and thrust him into Prison Thus was the best of Princes that most advanced the Clergy used by them on Religious pretense Ludovicus restored the second time Lotharius rebelleth still till pardoned Ludovicus dyeth § 137. The form of his condemnation by the Bishops at large with all the Articles of Accusation and his penance at the Bishops high Court of Iustice. § 139. The Emperour restored by force the Bishops recant and he forgiveth them Ebbo resigning § 140. The Wars between Ludovicus Sons Lotharius justly conquered § 145. The Bishops depose him upon impeachment as they did his Father by his will § 146. Images restored at Constantinople by Theodora a Woman she sped as Irene Photius Patriarch § 148 149. The Bishops suddenly turn again § 150. Strife for the Popedom § 151. Lotharius and his brothers agree § 153. The Archbishop of Rhemes fled and the seat vacant was ten years Governed by two Presbyters § 152. Carolus Calvus alienateth Church-lands § 153. Pope Leo and his City Leonina He writeth Massing Rules and deposeth Priests that cannot read till they amend § 154. Singing Liturgies the occasion of imposed forms § 155. A Council at Mentz punisheth murder even of Priests but with putting them from the communion § 157. CHAP. 10. Councils about Ignatius and Photius with others Hinâ—marus's description of Godescalcus and his Heresie § 1. Canons that Arch-Presbyters examine every Master of a Family personally c. That none denyed Communion have any Office civil or Military § 3. Whether unconstrained sufferers are Martyrs § 4. A hard case about the nullity of Ebbos Ordinations Two Popes differ § 5. Ignatius case § 8. Remigius and eleven more at Valence make notable decrees about Predestination Redemption Perseverance and choice of Bishops § 9. The Clergy and People to choose Bishops § 9 10. Lotharius turneth Monk § 11. No Pope Joan. § 12. Two strive for the Papacy Anastasius against Images repulst § 13 14. Thunderbolts in the Church § 16. John Bishop of Ravenna forced to submit to the Pope § 17. The Schism between Ignatius and Photius § 18. Bishops for the Emperours divorce censured by the Pope despise him § 19. Pope Nicolas against Hincmarus Against the Greek Emperour His notable Epistle He maketh the greater number of Bishops and People no sign of truth nor fewness of errour § 21. Baptism valid by one that is no Priest nor Christian. § 22. None proper Patriarchs but Apostles Successours § 22. All other Churches and Dignities made by Rome and Rome by Christ. § 24. Peter had the Empire of Heaven and Earth Ill. chosen Popes not Apostolical § 25. Many other Papal Vsurpations against Oaths Princes c. § 26 c. People still chuse Bishops § 29. None may hear Mass of a fornicating Priest § 30. Lay men must not judge or search the lives of Priests K. Charles saith none but the Bishops may depose him § 32. Photius setled by Councils § 31 33 35. Divers Councils for K. Lotharius divorce against the Pope § 38 39 40. The Pope curseth them § 41 and curseth his Legates at Const. § 42 and at Metz § 46. Hincmarus and the Pope's Contention § 43 44. Historians say the Papacy was void eight years and others but seven days § 50. Photius and his Counsels despised the Pope His deposition by Basilius a Murderer § 51. Basilius craveth the Popes pardon for the Bishops because they had almost all been deceived or false by following the upper Powers and the Churches would else be left destitute § 52. What nullifying Ordinations hath done § 53 Men wrongfully excommunicated to be received by other Bishops Presbyters to annoint the sick because the Bishops cannot visit all § 56. A Const. Council ejecteth Photius where the Bishops that were for him turn again and condemn him crying peccavimus save some few Subscriptions denyed and why § 57. This eighth General Council decreeth equal honour to Christs Image as to the Gospel Forbiddeth Patriarchs to require Bishops to subscribe to them but only to the Faith and deposeth them that do it § 58 Curseth them that say man hath two Souls All Bishops to be worshipped by Princes and not go far to meet them nor light from their Horses to them nor Petition them on great Penalties § 58. Princes as profane may not be present at Councils nor have been impudent § 58. No Lay man may dispute Ecclesiastical Sanctions be he never so wise or good But a Bishop must not be resisted though manifestly destitute of all virtue of Religion § 59. They decree that Photius be not called a Christian § 60. Bishops above Kings as Heaven above Earth § 61. The Pope but one Patriarch cannot absolve them that many Patriarchs condemn § 62. Nicetas Life of Ignatius in brief § 63. The Pope deposed by a Const. Council The Bishops wrote not Photius condemnation with Ink but with Christs blood and yet restored him and honoured him as the Emperour turned Photius deposeth and re-ordaineth and requireth subscription to him § 63. Votes hereon § 64. The Contention between Rome and Const. for ruling the Bulgarians and the effects § 65. The Pope's Monarchy then unknown § 66 68. The French Bishops against the Pope gave Ludovicus's Kingdom to Charles Calvus § 70. The King Hincmar and Bishops against the Pope § 71 72. Deposing and blinding Hincmaru's Laudunensis The Romans imprison Pope John § 75. His Acts decree for perjury § 76 77. Going to Rome merits the pardon of Murder § 77. Service in the Sclavonian Tongue forbidden them § 78. Auspertus Bishop of Milan refuseth to obey the Pope Sclavonian Service yielded to The Bishop of Vienna rejecteth a Bishop of Geneva Aptandus sent by the Pope because he was never baptized made Clerk nor Learned The Pope tells him that he himself had none of these when he was consecrated Bishop of Vienna § 77. Whether the Right of Emperours was only by the Pope's Guift § 78. Binius resolution One Church had two Bishops § 81. A General Council at Constant. restoreth Photius expungeth filioque condemneth the last