happen on a Sunday Easter day is the Sunday after This is one of the things that about 2000 Ministers are silenced for not Declaring Assent Consent and Approbation of yea to the use of it and so to keep Easter at a wrong time But how Sylvester came to have power to say all and to banish men and Constantine sit by and say nothing I know not Dedit eis anathema damnavit eos extra urbes suas Cap. 3. He Decreed that no Presbyter shall accuse a Bishop no Deacon a Presbyter c. and no Layman any of them And that no Prelate shall be condemned but in 72 Testimonies nor the chief Prelate be judged of any one because it is written The Disciple is not above his Master And no Presbyter shall be condemned but in 44 Testimonies no Cardinal Deacon but in 36 c. And what may they not then do or be Cap. 5. He Decreed clarâ voce thaâ— no Presbyter should make Chrisme because Christ is so called of Chrisme The 12. Cap. is Nemo det poenitentiam nisi quadraginta annorum petenti Let no man give repentance or penance but to one that seeketh forty years Cap. 14. Let no man receive the witness of a Clergy-man against a Lay-man Cap. 15. For no man may examine a Clergy-man but in the Church Cap. 16. Let no Clerk Deacon or Presbyter for any Cause of his enter into any Court because Omnis Curia à Cruore dicitur every Court is so called from blood and is an offering to Images For if any Clergy-man enter into a Court let him take his Anathema never returning to his Mother the Church Cap. 17. Let no man put a sunning Clergy-man to death no Presbyter no Deacon no Bishop that is over a Clerk or Servitor of the Church may bring him to death But if the Clergy man's cause so require let him be three days deprived of honour that he may return to his Mother-Church Cap. 18. No Deacon may offer against a Priest a Charge of filthiness Cap. 20. No man shall judge of the Prime seat because all seats desire justice to be tempered of the first seat The Subscribers were 284 Bishops what did the other 57 45 Priests and 5 Deacons and the two following and Constantine and his Mother Helena O brave Pope and Clergy O patient Council that subscribed to one man and pretended to no judgment O humble Constantine that subscribed to all this and said nothing And a womans subscription perfecteth all And O credulous Reader that believeth this CHAP. III. The Council of Nice and some following it § 1. XXX WE come now to the first General Council General only as to the Roman World or Empire as the History and Subscriptions prove and not as to the Whole World as the Papists with notorious impudence affirm which I have elsewhere fully proved This Council was called as is probably gathered Anno 325 in the 20th year of Constantine though others assign other years That they were congregate about the Arian Heresie and the Eastern Controversie is commonly known As also what wisdom and diligence Constantine used to keep the Bishops in peace Who presently brought in their Libels of accusations against each other which he took and burnt without reading them earnestly exhorting them to peace and by his presence and prudent speech repressing their heats and contentions whereby the Synod was brought to a happy end as to both the controverted Causes And Eusebius Nicomed and Arius were brought to counterfeit repentance and consent to the Nicene Faith which Constantine perceiving being set upon the healing of the divided Bishops and Churches he commanded that Arius should as reformed be received to Communion which Athanasius refusing caused much calamity afterward § 2. Because the Case of the Meletians is brought in by this Council I think it useful for our warning in these times to recite the sum of their story out of Epiphanius p. 717 c. Haer. 63. Meletius saith he was a Bishop in Thâ—bais in Egypt of sincere Faith even to the death In Diocletians Persecution Peter Bishop of Alexandria and he were the chief of the Bishops that were laid in Prison as designed to Martyrdom while they were there long together with many fellow-prisoners many called to Tryal before them were put to death and many for fear subscribed to Idolatry or denyed Christ And when they had done professed repentance and craved peace of the Church As it had been in Novatus his Schismes so it fell out here Peter Bishop of Alexan. was for peace and pardon Meletius and most of the other suffering prisoners were against it and said If they may thus revolt to save themselves and be presently pardoned it will tempt others to revolt Peter seeing his opinion was rejected rashly took his Cloak and hang'd it like a Curtain over the midst of the prison-room and said Those that are for me come to me on this side and those that are for Meletius go on that side to him Whereupon far most of the Bishops Priests Monks and people that were in prison went to Meletius and but few to Peter A â—ouler Rupture than that of the English Fugitives at Frankford This unhappy word and hour began the misery among good men expecting death From that hour they keep all their meetings separate Shortly after Peter was Martyred and Meletius was judged to the Mines As he went thither through the Country he every where made new Bishops and gathered new Churches so that there were two in the several Cities Those old ones that followed Peter called their Meeting The Catholick Church The other called theirs The Martyrs Church But yet they held a Unity of Faith Even the sufferers that laboured in the Mines divided and did not pray together At last Meletius and the rest were restored unto peace and at Alexandria Alexander and he lived in familiarity and Meletius was he that detected Arius and brought him to Alexander to be tryed But when Meletius was dead Alexander grew impatient at the private separate Meetings of his followers and troubled them and vexed them and began to use violence against them and would not have them depart from his Church They refused still and this bred stirs and Tumults Alexander persecuting them and following them yet more sharply they sent some men eminent for piety and parts to the Emperours Court to Petition for Liberty for their private Meetings without impediment Of these Paphnutius and Iohn their Bishop and Callinitus Bishop of Pellusium were chief who when they came to Court being named Meletians the Courtiers rejected them and drove them away and they could not get access to the Emperour On this occasion being put to wait long at Constantinople and Nicomedia they fell into acquaintance with Euschius Bishop of Nicomedia the Head of the Arians who pretending repentance was become great with the Emperour who was all for the Clergies peace and concord To Eusebius they open all
excellency of the Truths that I am to preach and for the will of God and the good of Souls I would be a Plow-man or the meanest Trade if not a Sweep Chimney rather than a Minister Must we break our health and lay by all our worldly interest for you even for you and think not our lives and labours too good or too dear to further your Salvation and must we by you even by you be reproached after all God will be Judge between you and us whether this be not inhumane ingratitude and whether we deserve it at your hands 13. Yea it is Injustice also that you are guilty of The labourer saith Christ is worthy of his hire Luke 10. 7. Mark that you that call them Hirelings The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5. 17. Especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine And will you throw stones at their heads for endeavouring to save your souls Will you spit in their faces for seeking with all their might to keep you from Hell Is that their wages that you owe them But blessed be the Lord with whom is our reward though you be not gathered Isa. 49. 5. But as you love your selves take heed of that Curse Ier. 18. 20. Shall evil be recompenced for good for they have digged a pit for my soul Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them c. O how many a time have we besought the Lord for you that he would convert you and forgive you and turn away the evil that was over you And when all these our prayers and groans and tears shall be remembred against you O miserable souls how dear will you pay for all 14. And is it not a wonder that these Malignants do not see what evident light of Scripture they contradict and how many great express Commands they violate They break the fifth Commandment which requireth honour as well to spiritual Ecclesiastical Parents as to Civil and Natural And he that curseth Father and Mother his Lamp shall be put out in darkness Prov. 20. 20. The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Did these wretches never read 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake and to be at peace among your selves And Heb. 13 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God And so ver 24. And 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour c. with abundance more such passages as these Do not you feel these fly in your faces when you oppose the Ministers of Christ Doth a Thief or Murderer sin against plainer light than you 15. These Malignants sin against the consent and experience of the Universal Church of Christ till this day The whole Church hath been for the Ministry and instructed by them and as the Child doth seek the Breast so did new-born Christians in all Ages seek the Word from the Ministers that they might live and grow thereby And all the Nations of the Christian World are for the Ministry to this day Or else they could not be for Christ and for the Church and Gospel Is it not plain therefore that these Malignants are dead branches cut off from the Church that are so set against the Spiriâ— and interest of the Church 16. Moreover they sin against the experience of all or almost all the true Christians in the world For they have all experience that Ministers are either their Fathers or Nurses in the Lord And that by their means they have had their life and strength and comforts their sins killed their graces quickned their doubts resolved the taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come May we not challenge you as Paul oft doth his Flock Whether you did not receive the illuminating sanctifying Spirit by the Ministry if ever you received it I tell you it is as much against the new and holy nature of the Saints to despise the Ministers of Christ as it is unnatural for a Child to spit in the face of his Father or Mother And the experience of sound Christians will keep them closer and help them much against this inhumanity what ever Hypocrites may do 17. And if these Malignants had not Pharaohs heart they would sure have considered that the experience of all Ages tells them that still the most wicked have been the Enemies of the Ministry and the most godly have most obeyed and honoured them in the Lord and that this Enmity hath been the common Brand of the rebellious and the fore-runner of the heavy wrath of God and that it hath gone worst with the Enemies and best with the Friends of a godly Ministry Do I need to prove this which is so much of the substance of the Old Testament and the New Was it the Friends or Enemies of all the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of Christ that Scripture and all good Writers do commend Do not the names of all Malignants against the godly Ministry stink above ground as the shame of mankind except those that are buried out of hearing or those that were converted 18. Nay such as are noted for the highest sort of the wicked upon Earth worse than Drunkards Whoremâ—ngers and such filthy Beasts The Persecutors of Gods Ministers have been ever taken as walking Devils And the hottest of Gods wrath hath faln upon them Take two instances 1. When the Iews went into Captivity this was the very cause 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 2. And when the Iews were cut quite off from the Church and made Vagabonds on the Earth this was the very cause Acts 28. 28. Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and that they will hear it 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. These Jews both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost 19. It is the Devils own part that these Malignants act For it is he that is the great Enemy of
must passe as undenyed truth And thus false History is made the chief foundation of the Roman Kingdom Thus they will face you down that you are ignorant or impudent 1. If you question whether Peter was a true Bishop at Rome yea or ever there which Nilus hath shewed to be somewhat uncertain 2. Or that he setled the Roman Bishop as his successour in a supremacy over all the Christian world 3. Or that the Popes Primacie was over all the Churches on earth which indeed was but as Canterburie is in England in one Roman Empire only 4. They will perswade you that this Primacie was setled by Christ or his Apostles which was done only by Councils and Emperours of Rome 5. They would make you believe that this was from the Apostles daies which began long after 6. They would perswade you that all the Christian world submitted to it even Abassia and all the extra-imperial Churches which is no such matter 7. Yea that before Luther none contradicted the Papal power and claime but all the Christian world were Papists By many such lies they deceive thousands of the ignorant And when they challenge men to dispute by word or writing their last refuge is to bring them into a wood of History that there they may either win the game or end the chase And if a Minister of Christ be not armed here to confute their historical forgeries they will take it for a victory and triumph which made me write my last book against Johnson or Terret to shew Historically the Antiquity of our Church and the novelty of theirs which I could wish young Ministers unacquainted with Church-History would peruse But if our people were truely acquainted how things have gone in the Church from the beginning it would be one of the most effectual preservatives against Popery when now the falsifications are become its strength I have oft thought that it had been greater policy in the Papists if they could to have burnt all Church-History but specially of the Councils that the credit might have depended on their bare word For verily once reading of Crab Binnius Surius or Nicolinus would turn against them any stomack that is not confirmed in their own disease But they have overdone Baronius and now made so great and costly a load of the Councils as that the deficiency of money time wit and patient industry shall save the most even of the Priesthood from the understanding of the truth And such Epitomes as Caranza's leave out most of the culpable part and yet even such they can hardly tolerate II. The more moderate French Papists who magnifie Councils aboue Popes would make us believe that though Popes are fallible and may miscarry yet General Councils have been the universal Church-representative which have a Legislative and Iudicial Vniversal power and that our concord must be by centring in their decrees and all are Schismaticks at least that take not their Faith and Religion upon their trust But if men knew that there never was a General Council of all the Christian Churches but only of the Empire and how wofully they have miscarried it would do much to save them from all such temptations III. The overvaluers of Church grandure and wealth and maintainers of the corrupt sort of Diocesane Prelacy Patriarks c. write books and tell the ignorant confident stories how such a Prelacy hath been in the Church ever since the dayes of the Apostles and that all the Churches on earth consented to it But if the people were acquainted with Church History they would know that the primitive fixed Episcopacy was Parochial or every Church associated for personal present Communion had a Bishop Presbytery and Deacons of their own unfixed Itinerant General Pastors indefinitely taking care of many Churches And that it was the Bishops striving who should be greatest and turning single Churches into an Association of many Churches and to be but Chappels or parts of the Diocesan Church that their power and wealth might be enlarged with their Territories and the turning of Arbitrating Bishops into the Common Indicatures which must govern all Christians and such like which poysoned the Church and turned the species of particular Churches Episcopacy Presbytery and Discipline quite into another thing And to speak freely it was the many blind volumes and confident clamours of some men that rail at us as denying an Episcopacy which the universal Church hath always agreed in which drew me to write this abridgement of the Church History of Bishops Councils and Popes IV. And those that make the Ignorant believe that seditious disobedient Presbyters have in all Ages been the dividers of the Church and the Bishops the means of Vnity concord and suppression of such Schismaticks and Hereticks could never thus deceive the people were but so much Church-History commonly known as I have here collected Read Church-History and believe that if you can V. And many that take up any new opinion or dotage which is but newly broached among them would have been saved from it if they â—aâ— but known how that same opinion or the like was long ago taken up by Hereticks and exploded by the faitbful Pastors and people of the Church VI. And the sectaries who rashly seperate from some Churches because of some forms opinions or ceremonies which almost all Christians on earth have used in the former purer ages and still use would be more cautelous and fearful in examining their grounds and would hardly venture to seperate from any Church for that which on the same reason would move them to separate from almost all Christians in the whole world if not Vnchurch the Church of Christ And ancient errours and crimes would affright us from imitating them VII And those that make new ambiguous words or unnecessary practices to become necessary to Church Communion and hereticate all that differ from them or persecute them at least would be more frightened from such pernicious courses if they well knew what have been the effects of them heretofore VIII And it is not unuseful to Princes and Magistrates to see what hath corrupted and disturbed the Churches in fâ—rmer times and what cause they have to keep the secular power from the Clergies hands and to value those that for knowledge and piety are meet for their proper guiding office and use of the Church Keys but not to corrupt them by excess of worldly wealth and power nor to permit them by striving who shall seem GREATEST WISEST and BEST to become the incendiaries of the Church and world and the persecutors of the best that cannot serve their worldliness and pride The Reader must Note 1. That though much of the History be taken from others the Councils are named and numbred according to Binnius and Crabbe 2. And that because so much evil is necessarily recited I thought it needful in the beginning and end to annex a defence of the Pastors and their office and work lest any should be tempted
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
more lib. 2. de Imag. c. 9. That it is Concilium non confirmatum frequenter errâsse c. A Bishop Priest or Deacon in Office that hath committed Fornication was not to have Communion no not at death and divers others No Bishop was to receive any Gift from any one that did not Communicate It poseth the Papists themselves to expound Can. 34. Cereos per diem placuit iâ— Coemiterio nâ—n incendi Inquietandi enim Sanctorum spiritus non sunt Binnius will have it to be the Spirits of the living Saints that are not to be disquieted with trouble about Lights set up by day But I wish that be the meaning But the 36 Can. more troubleth them Placuit picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere nè quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur Can. 38. A Lay-man in case of necessity is enabled to Baptize Can. 39. Gentiles unbaptized may be made Christians at last by Imposition of hands Can. 65. If a Clergy-man's Wife play the Whore and he do not presently cast her out he must not be received to the Communion to the last Can. 73. If a Christian turn Accuser Delator and upon his accusation any one be banished or put to death he is not to be received to Communion no not at last Can. 75. Nor he that falsly accuseth a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon and cannot prove it Can. 79. He that playeth at Dice or Tables was to be kept from the Communion Many other Canons savour some of Piety and some of the Novatians Thirty six Presbyters sate with these Nineteen Bishops Pope Innocent approved these almost Novatian Canons and Binnius excuseth them p. 246. § 40. XIX Anno 306. A Council at Carthage of about 70 Bishops began the Schism of the Donatists contending who should have the Bishoprick of Carthage One party had chosen Caecilianus to succeed Mensurius The other party accusing him as being a Traditor and Ordained by Foelix a Traditor and had forbidden bringing food to the Martyrs in prison they ordained one Majorinus Bishop in his stead Caecilianus had the countenance of the Bishop of Rome and stood it out and kept the place Hereupon the Church being divided the division run through all Africk and Numidia while the accusing party renounced Communion with Caecilianus so that for many years after two hundred at least they did with plausible pretence claim the title of Catholicks though they were after called Donatists from Donatus a very good Bishop of Carthage heretofore whom they praised and not from Donatus à Casis nigris as some think Secundus Tigisitanus Primate of Numidia furthers the breach and the Ordination of Majorinus fixed it Thus the doleful Tragedy of the Donatists began by Bishops divided about a Carthageâ—Bishop â—Bishop § 41. XX. Anno 308. Another Council was held at Carthage where no less than 270 Donatist Bishops for moderation agreed to Communicate with penitent Traditors without rebaptizing them and so did for 40 years § 42. XXI Anno 313. The Schism continuing the Donatists cleaving to Majorinus appealed against Caecilianus to Constantine now Emperour He first appointeth three French Bishops to judge the Cause but after 19 Bishops called a Roman Council met at Rome to hear both Parties where Melchiades and the rest acquitted Caecilianus and condemned Donatus à Casis nigris a promoter of the Donatists Cause as guilty of Schism But the Donatists accusing Melchiades also as a Traditor the Schism was never the more ended A motion was made that both the Bishops should remove Caecilianus and Majorinus to end the Schisme But the Donatist Bishops were so very many in number that they thought they were to be called the Church and the Caecilianists the Schismaticks and therefore would not so agree Thus Bishops about Bishopricks set all the Country on a flame § 43. XXII Next Constantine would hear the Cause of these contending Bishops at a Council at Arles in France before 200 Bishops at least where Caecilianus was again acquitted and the Donatist Bishops cast by the witness of their Scribe Ingentius who being racked confessed that he was hired to give false witness in the Case Several good Canons were here made for Church-Order § 44. I have heard many Popish Persons liken the Separatists among us to the Donatists But so unlike them are they That 1. The said Separatists are against all Episcopacy but the Donatists were Bishops and contended for the highest Places of Prelacy 2. The Separatists are confessedly a Minor Part departing from the Major Part. But the Donatists were the Major Part of the Bishops casting out the Minor Part as Delinquents The Truth is in those times the Bishops being usually in contention and Church-Wars among themselves especially when Constantine had given them peace and prosperity the strife was Who should get the better and have their will 1. Sometime the strife was about Opinions who was in the right and to be called Orthodox and who was to be accounted the Heretick 2. The other part quarrel who should be the Bishop or who should have the highest places 3. And the next quarrel was whose side should carry it in setting up any Bishops or in judging and deposing them and who should have their Heads or Friends brought in And the way to get the better was 1. At the first by the majority of the peoples Votes in chusing Bishops and of the Bishops in deposing them 2. But after most went in chusing and deposing by the majority of the Bishops Votes in the greater Seats the peoples consent still required at least if a Council did interpose 3. And at last it went by the favour or displeasure of the Court either the Emperour or the Empress or some great Officers The African Bishops it seems were far the greatest number against Caecilian when 270 met at one Council and Mâ—lchiades Council at Rome had but 19 and that at Illiberis 19 and that at Ancyra 18 Bishops Therefore the Bishops thought that majority of number gave them right to the Title of Catholickâ— that those Dissenterâ— must be called Hereticks as was too usual And seeing they lived in the Country where many Councils under Agrippinus and Cyprian and Firmilian had voted that Hereticks were not of the Church and those that they had baptized were to be rebaptized they thought that they did but keep up this Tradition and so they said that they were all the Church of Africa and that the Cecilians were Hereticks and Separatists from the Church and that all that they baptized were to be rebaptized as was formerly held So that indeed the Donatists did but as the Papists and their worldly Clergy still have done who take the advantage of a Majority to call themselves the Church and Catholiks and to call the Dissenters Schismaticks and Hereticks save that they added Cyprian's rebaptizing And when it was for their advantage they communicated 40 years with Traditors but when the power of the Court and the Bish. of
Rome bore them down they kept up their party by pretended strictness and reproaching the others as a Sect and as Heretical and persecuters of the Church So that it was the Multitudes and Councils of the Prelates that set up Donatism § 44. XXIII The next was an 314. at Ancyra in Galatia of eighteen Bishops who met to determine how many years the Lapsed should repent or do penance before they were admitted to Communion Can. 17. forbad those that were ordained Bishops to any people and were not accepted by the Parish to which they were ordained to thrust themselves on other Parishes or raise Sedition but allowed them to continue Presbyters Can. 21. Wilful Murderers were to communicate at last only § 45. XXIV The Churches having now peace under Constantine a Council of 13 Bishops that had been before most at Ancyra met at Neocesarea but the small number did better work than many greater Councils did making some good Canons against Adultery and Fornication Though the 7th Can. that forbids Priests to dine at the second Marriages of any because such must repent be of doubtful sense and truth The first Can. is against Priests marrying and Fornication The last that the number of Deacons must be just seven be the City never so big § 46. XXV Next a Roman Council is mentioned by Binnius p. 279. for a Conference with Iews before Constantine but he saith the Acts that now are extant are full of falsehoods § 47. XXVI An. 315. They place us a Council at Alexandria in which Alexander with many Bishops condemned Eusebius Nicomed with Arius and that the rest adhered to them especially as holding that Christ was not Eternal but was a Creature that had a beginning and that the Wisdom and Word of God was not the Son but made the Son § 48. XXVII Another Council at Alexand. they tell us of against the Arians and the Meletian Schismaticks but the Acts are not known To this is annexed an Epistle of Constantine to Alexander and Arius recorded by Euseb. Câ—sar in vitâ Constant. in which Constantine chideth them both for their Contention and seemeth to take the Question for unsearchable and to be disputed saying I understand that the foundation of the Controversie was hence laid that thou Alexander didst ask questions of the Presbyters about a certain Text of Scripture yea about a certain idle Particle of a Question â—idst enquire what every one of them thought And thou Arius didst inconsiderately blurt out that which thou hadst not before thought of or if thou hadst thought of it thou oughtest to have past by in silence Whence discord was stir'd up among you and the meeting hindered which is wont to be made in the Church and the most holy people distracted into several parts is divided from the compagination of the whole body of the Church Therefore both of you forgiving one another approve of that which your fellow-servant doth not without cause exhort you to And what is that That to such Questions you neither Ask nor Answer if asked For such Questions as no Law or Ecclesiastick Canon doth necessarily prescribe but the vain strife of dissolute idleness doth propose though they may serve to exercise acuteness of wit yet we ought to contemn them in the inner thought of the mind and neither rashly to bring them out into the publick Assemblies of the People nor unadvisedly to trust them to the Ears of the Vulgar For how few are they that can accurately enough perceive the force of things so weighty and so involved in obscurity But if there be some one that is confident that he can easily do and reach this yet I pray you how small a part of the multitude is it that he can make to understand him Or who is there that in the curious search of such Questions is not in danger of a fall The rest is well worth the Reading as to the common case of Theological Controversies though it seems that Constantine made too light of the Arian errour But I dare not be so injurious to Eusebius as to question whether he faithfully recited the Epistle when Binnius himself backs his doubt with a dicere non auderem And if we give away the credit of that one Historian it will leave much of Church-History under doubt that now goeth for certain Perhaps Peters being ever at Rome c. § 49. XXIX The next mentioned is the Council of Laodicea in Phrygia Paccat not Syria of 32 Bishops gathered by Nunechius a Bishop of Phrygia They were so few that without contention they made divers good Canons The 46 Canon requireth that the baptized should learn the Creed and on the Friday of the last week repeat it to the Bishop or Presbyters By which you may conjecture how large a Bishoprick then was And Can. 56. The Presbyters were not to go into the Church before the Bishop but with him For then every Church had a Bishop though some Chapels far off had Presbyters only And Can. 57. It is ordered that Bishops should not be Ordained in small Villages and Hamlets but Visitors should be appointed them But such Bishops as had been heretofore there Ordained should do nothing without the Conscience of the City-Bishop Which sheweth that before Bishops were made in Villages as Socrates saith then they were in Arabia and the Phrygian Novatianâ— c. The last Can. reciteth the same Canonical Scriptures that we receive save the Apocalyps which is left out § 50. XXIX Next we have a great Roman Council of 275 Bishops saith Crab under Sylvester which hath 7 Canons The last saith That no Bishop shall Ordain any but with all the Church united But whether this was before or after the Nicene Council is uncertain And another he mentioneth under Sylvester at Rome which Binnius hath where Constantine baptized of Sylvester was present and 284 Bishops Whether it be true or a fiction is uncertain But if true it was a very humble Council For they all professed only patience renounced giving their judgment at all but only heard what Sylvester would say professing none fit to judge but he But they all with Presbyters and Deacons subscribed what he said if true What he said I do not well understand supposing much of it to be scarce sense I am sure it is far from Cicero's Latine 139 Bishops came ex Vrbe Româ vel non longè ab illâ Out of the City of Rome or not far from it How big were their Diocesses Here Cap. 2. three men are cursed anathematized One was a Bishop Victorinus that being ignorant of the course of the Moon contradicted the right time of Easter It 's well the Makers and Approvers of our Imposed English Liturgy fell not under Sylvester's severity who have alas mistakingly told us that Easter-day on which the rest depend is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon which happens next after the one and twentieth day of March And if the full Moon
Lover of Truth he used to do such things as these which are familiar with men of exquisite honesty who through their excellent study of Godliness use this great liberty of Speech Therefore when he saw things ill carried in the Churches he sometimes spake his thoughts and could not forbear blaming them As if he saw any of the Clergy over covetous of Money be it Bishop or Priest he would reprehend them or if any abounded in luxury and pleasures or if they corrupted any part of the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church he would not bear with them but blame them Which was troublesome to men of a dissolute life And therefore he underwent the greatest contumelies being exagitated by the hatred and malicious words of them all But he being thus tossed about and beaten and reproached did bear it all with an equal mind and thus long continued in the Communion of the Church Till some that were more vehemently offended with him for these Causes cast him out But yet he patiently bore all this but being more earnestly intent for the promoting of the Truth he still studied not to be drawn away from the Conjunction and Society of the Catholick Church But when he and his friends were still beaten and suffered unworthy usage groaning under these evils he took Counsel of the violence of these calamities and contumelies And so he separated himself from the Church and many falling away with him a new Divorce was hereby made For he did not in any thing depart from the right faith but he with his partakers held in all things sincere Religion Though in one small matter they are too stiff About the Father Son and Holy Ghost they judg excellently and as the Catholick Church and swerve not a jot and the rest of the order of their Lives is truly most excellent and admirable so that not only He himself but even the Bishops Priests and all the rest of them live by the labour of their hands Indeed they had a conceit that the Body did partake of the Image of God and they thought that to please Constantine the Nicene Council had altered the Custom and Tradition of the Church about Easter But these were not the causes of their departure from the Church but the violence of dissolutâ— Bishops that cast them out as being impatient of their strictness and opposition to their sin § 8. About Easter saith Epiphanius p. 821. Neque â—ruditis ignotum est quà m saepe diversis temporibus de illius festi celebritate varii Ecclesiasticae disciplinae tumultus ac contentiones obortae sint praesertim Polycarpi ac Victoris aetate cùm Orientales ab Occidentalibus divulsi â—acificas à se invicem literas nullas acciperent Quod idem aliis temporibus accidit velut Alexandri Episcopi Alexandrini Crescentii quemadmodum contra se mutuò scripserint acerrimè pugnaverint Quae animorum opinionumque distractio ex quo semel post Episcopos illos qui ex circumcisione ac Iudaeorum sectâ ad Christum se converterant agitari coepit ad nostra usque tempora eodem est tenore perducta By which we see 1. With what caution Tradition must be trusted 2. How early Bishops began to divide the Church about things indifferent § 9. That men that all in the main fear God should thus contend abuse and persecute one another is sad and hath even been a hardening of Infidels But alas the remnant of corruption in the best will somewhat corrupt their conversations It is a sad note of Epiphanius ib. p. 816. I have known some of the Confessours who delivered up Body and Soul for their Lord and persevering in confession and chastity obtained greatest sincerity of faith and excelled in piety humanity and Religion and were continual in fastings and in a word did flourish in all honesty and virtue yet the same men were blemished with some vice as either they were prone to reproach men or would swear by the name of God or were over talkative or prone to anger or got gold and silver or were defiled with some such filth which yet detract nothing from the just measure of virtue § 10. But as God made a good use of the falling out of Paul and Barnabas so he did of Audius his unhappy case Being cast out of the Church he took it to be his dâ—ty to Communicate with his own party and a Bishop that suffered for the like made him a Bishop and the Bishops accused him to the Emperour that he drew many people from the obedience of the Church and hereupon the Emperour banished him into Scythia Dwelling there he went into the inner parts of Gothia and there instructed many of the barbarous in the principles of Christianity and gathered many Monasteries of them wâ—o lived in great religious strictness p. 827. But it is hard to stop short of extreams when men are alienated by scandal and violence They caâ—â—e to so great a dislike of the Bishops of the common Churches that they would not pray with any man how blameless soever that did but hold Communion with the Church Vranius a Bishop and some others joyning with them made Bishops of the Goths Note out of Epiphanius p. 827 828. what Country was called Gothia in those times § 11. It is not to be past over that at the Nicene Council the first speaker and one of the chief against the Arians was Eustathius Bishop of Antioch And when Eusebius Nicomed was made Bishop of Constaâ—tinople he pretended a desire to see Ierusalem and passing through Antioch secretly hired a Whore to swear that Eustathius was the Father of her child and getting some Bishops of his Faction together they judged Eustathius to be deposed as an Adulterer and got the Emperour to consent and banish him And after the Woman in misery confessed all and said that it was one Eustathius a Smith that was the father of her child § 12. In Pisanus's Conâ—il Nic. Bin. p. 332. this Eustathius is made the first Disputer against a Philosopher And whereas the great cause of the Arians Errour was that they could not conceive how the Son could be of one substance with the Father without a partition of that substance Eustathius tells the Philosopher that took their part and urged Faciamus hominem ad Imaginem c. that The Image of God is simple and without all composition being of the nature of fire but he meaneth sure but analogically § 13. In the same Pisanus lib. 3. p. 345. Bin. the description of the Church is There is one Church in Heaven and Earth in this the Holy Ghost resteth But Heresies that are without it are of Satan Therefore the Pope was not then taken for the Head of the Catholick Church For he pretendeth not to be the Head of them that are in Heaven See what the Catholick Church then was § 14. Note that 1. the Council of Nice nameth none Patriarchs 2. They nullifie the Ordination
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
Western Empire and Africa being divided between many late conquering Kings they all labour to settle themselves in a peaceable possession by pleasing the Clergy who as they found had no small interest in the People § 71. CXLVII Hincmazus in the life of Remigius tells us of a strange thing done at a Council at Rhemes that one Arian Bishop challenged all the rest to dispute and when Rhemigius came in would not rise to him but upon the shaddow of Remigius passing by him he was struck dumb and falling at Rhemigius feet by signs askt pardon and was suddenly cured of his dumbness and Heresie confessing the Deity of Christ. § 72. CXLVIII Because Iohan. Nicopolit did but call some of his Bishops to flatter the Pope and to curse all Heresies and Acacius this is put in among the Councils But the Concil Tarracense Anno 516. seems more regardable under Theodorick where the Clergy are restrained from buying cheaper and selling dearer than others this it seems grew to be a part of their priviledges and from judging causes on the Lords day And it is ordered that the Bishop send a Presbyter one week and a Deacon another to the Country Congregations and to visit them himself once a year because by the old custome he is to have a third part of all the Church profits Quâ—r Whether a Bishops Diocess then was any bigger than one of our Corporations with the Neighbour Villages And if one of our Bishops that have above a thousand Parishes or many hundred should have the third part of all or as other Canons say the fourth Would not our Bishops be yet richer men than they are Especially if they that confine Bishops to Cities could get a Prince to call no Corporation a City but one or two in a Kingdom and be as the Abuna is in Ethiopia that hath the thirds of all the Ecclesiastical benefits in the Empire This Council had ten Bishops § 73. CXLIX The Concillium Gerundense is next Anno 517. under Theodorick It consisted of seven Bishops Bishopricks began to grow so big that they could not so suddenly meet by the scores and hundreds as when every Church was known by one Altar and one Bishop as Ignatius speaks The seven men made Canons that the same Liturgy should be used in the other Churches of that Province as were used in the Metropolitan Church For formerly every Bishop in his own Church did pray as he thought best without Imposed or agreed Uniformity of many Churches much less of all in a Nation They Decree also that Litanies be used on the Kalends of November A Litany then signified a solemn supplicating of God by the People Assembled Fasting Walking Singing and Praying as is used here in the Rogation Week sometime they walked to the Memorial of some Martyr sometime about the streets oft bare foot continuing it with Fasting for certain times The Last Canon is That the Priests say the Lords Prayer twice a Day Morning and Evening That was a short Liturgy § 74 CL. When Iustin was made Emperour the Bishops turned in the East and down went the Eutychians and a Synod of 40 Bishops at Constantinople resolved that the Names of Euphemius and Macedonius should be restored into the Dyptick their Book of life and that Soverus should be condemned with his Adherents § 75. The Case hath been oft intimated before In those times when all the Empire was in confusion between Eutychians and the Orthodox and some Emperours took one side and some the other and some in vain endeavoured peace The Churches of Antioch and Alexandria were more Eutychian than Constantinople though the Emperour that favoured the Eutychians were present Acacius was Orthodox but pleased the Emperour so far as to Communicate with or not curse and excommunicate the Bishops of Antioch and Alexandria For this as you have oft heard the Pope Excommunicated him and he so dyed having done as much for the Pope Euphemius and Macedonius that succeeded were both Orthodox and commanded by the Emperour to Communicate with the Eutychians and persecuted and both cast out by him for not obeying him as is before described in that and another such matter The Pope had required them to blot Acacius name out of the Dyptick The Court Clergy and People were against it thinking it arrogancy in one man to Excommunicate the Patriarch of the Imperial City that was Orthodox upon his personal revenge or quarrel They obeyed not the Pope The Pope is against them for not cursing a dead Orthodox Bishop Acacius The Emperour was against them for being against the Eutychians as the Pope was for not being more against both them and all that did not curse them as much as he did Were not these Bishops in a hard case Both agree to their extirpation and when they were dead to damn their names But the Clergy and People agreed not The Eastern and Western Churches were hereby divided that is Constantinople and Rome Is not the Christian World beholden to such Tyrants and proud pretenders for its distractions and calamities That will rather divide the Christian World than endure the names of Orthodox persecuted Bishops to be honoured when they are dead because they would not blot out and abhor the name of another dead Orthodox Bishop their Predecessour when the Pope cursed him for Communicating with an Eutychian I know the Papists will cry up The preservation of the Faith and Purity But if ever any did overdo the Pharisees that reproved Christ for eating with Publicans and Sinners If ever any became Plagues of the World by being Wise Orthodox and Righteous overmuch and made use of the name of Faith to destroy Faith Love Humanity and Peace and cryed up the Church and Vnity as Catholicks to destroy the Church and Unity and crumble it into Sects and Factions it is certainly these men But the East and West that thus began their separation by the spirit of Pride and Envy that Rome had against the growing greatness of Constantinople continue their Division to this day And it hath been no small cause of the ruin of the Empire and the Christian Cause and delivering all up to the Mahometans Which the good Pope seemed to judg more tolerable with all the streams of Blood that went before and after than that he should not have his will upon an Orthodox dead mans name Sure fiut Iustitia ruat Coelum was devised by these precise over righteous Popes § 76. Evagrius lib. 3. saith that Iustin came to the Empire as followeth Amantius was one of the Greatest men but uncapable of the Empire because he was an Eunuch He gave a great sum of Money to Iustine to hire the Souldiers to choose Theocritus his bosom friend Iustine with that Money hired them to choose himself and quieted Amantius and Theocritus by murdering them both And because Vitalianus that had usurped and laid down was then great he drew him in to be a Commander near him and
his Constitutum in defence of the tria Capitula by vertue whereof the Western Churches should be united and the contempt of the Calcedon Council should be avoided which the Impugners of the tria Capitula did fraudulently contrive and that the Universal Church should learn by this example that no man that dyed in the true Faith should be condemned when he is dead But did Vigilius stop here No saith Binnius But when after the end of his Council the Church received yet greater damage and the Emperor persecuted them that contradicted the Synod and it was feared that the whole East would be divided and separated from the Roman and Western Church unless the Bishop of Rome approved the fifth Synod then Pope Vigilius in a Cause which could bring no prejudice to the Orthodox Faith did well and justly change his former sentence and approved the Synodal Decree for condemning the tria Capitula and revoked and made void his Constitutum which he before published in defence of the tria Capitula The prudent and pious Pope that came to the Popedom by Bribery Tyranny and Murder of his Predecessor did in this prudently imitate St. Paul about Circumcision c. O what certainty and constancy is here in the Papal judgment For a Pope about one Cause to judge for it against it and for it again in so short a time And all this upon reason of Policy and State Did the same so often change and prove first true and then false and then true again But the Papists excuse is that it was de Personis non de Fide Answ. But 1. Is it lawful to take the same thing for true and false good and bad de Personis as our interest requireth 2. Why are the Persons condemned but on supposition that their Faith was condemnable 3. You confess that it was for the advantage of the Eutychian Faith and the depression of the Faith of the Calcedon Council that the tria Capitula were condemned Reader If all this will not tell thee how much need there is of a surer and more stable support of our Faith than Popes and Councils yea and better means of the Churches Unity and Concord I must take thee for unteachable what have such Councils done but set the Churches together by the ears § 23. Liberatus in his Breviary saith c. 3. 10. 24. that Theodore Mopsu his Works were approved by Proclus Iohan. Antioch the Emperor the Council of Calced c. But Binnius saith Nimis impudenter incautè Yet all acknowledge Liberatus a most credible Historian and lived in Iustinian's time He saith also that Nefandissimum haereticum Theodoretus Sozomenus laudarunt adeo ut hac de causá uterque magnam nominis sui jacturam passus fuerit c. But wise men are apt to think as hardly of such as can cry out Nefandissimum haereticum against all that speak as unskilfully as this man did as of charitable men that praise them for what is good while they disown their frailties and imperfections If it be as he saith many thought that â—heodoret assumed his own name from this Theodâ—re by reason of his high esteem of him it 's like he had some special worth though he hath many culpable expressions And Sozomen is an Historian of so deserved reputation that it seemeth to me no argument of Pope Gregory's Infallibility that he saith lib. 6. ep 95. Sozomenùm ejusque Historiam sedes Apostolica recipere recusat quoniam multa mentitur Theodorum Mopsuestiae nimium laudat atque ad diem obitus sui magnum Doctorem Ecclesiae fuisse perhibet I think the Author of Gregory's Dialogues did plura mentiri and yet that Gregory was Magnus Ecclesiae Doctor § 24. The Controversie whether Vigilius were the Author of the Epistle to Menna I pass by But methinks Binnius is very partial to justifie so much what he did after Silverius ' s death as beginning then to have right to his Papacy and to give him so differing a Character from Sanctissimus Papa before while he possessed the same Seat as these words of his express Cum omnium c. seeing that Villany or Crime of Vigilius did exceed the Crimes of all Schismaticks by which making a bargain with Hereticks and giving money by a Lay-man he by force expelled Silverius Bishop of the prime Seat and spoiled of his Priestly induments or attire banished him into an Island and there caused him to dye it should seem no wonder to any man if a desperate wretch homo perditus the buyer of another's Seat and a violent Invader a Wolf a Thief a Robber not entering by the true door a false or counterfeit Bishop and as it were Antichrist the lawful Pastor and Bishop being yet living did add most pernicious Heresie to his Schism Yet this man became the most holy Pope by the vertue of his place as soon as he had but murdered Silverius and was accepted in his stead and then it became impossible for him to err in the Faith § 25. CLXXIV Anno 553. A Council was called at Ierusalem by Iustinian's Command who sent to them the Acts of the Constantine Council de tribus Capitulis to be by them received the Bishops all received it readily save one Alexander Abysis who was therefore banished and coming to Constantinople say Baronius and Binnius was swallowed up and buried by an Earthquake If this was true no marvel if it confirmed the Emperor in his way But I doubt the obedient Bishops were too ready to receive such reports § 26. CLXXV The same year 553. the Western Bishops held a Council at Aquileia out of the Emperor's power where as Defenders of the Council of Calcedon they condemned the fifth Constantine Council aforesaid and so saith Binnius separated themselves from the Unity of the Catholick Church and so continued for near an Hundred years till the time of Pope Sergius who reduced them Were not these great Councils and Bishops great Healers of the Church that about condemning some written Sentences of three dead men thus raise a War among the Churches Were Hereticks or Hereticaters the great Dividers § 27. But here followeth a Case that raiseth a great doubt before us Whether the Pope alone or all his Western Bishops when they differ from him are the Church After the death of Vigilius the Secular Power procured Pelagius the Archdeacon to be made Pope the Western Bishops disclaiming Iustinian's Council and Pelagius obediently receiving it and the Popedom there could not be three Bishops got that would ordain him as the Canons required so that a Presbyter Ostiensis was fain to do it Besides the Question Which now was the Church here are other hard Questions to be solved Qu. 1. Whether Iustinian's Election of a Pope was valid And if so Whether other various Electors may do it as validly Qu. 2. Whether a Presbyter's Ordination of a Bishop or Pope was valid If so Whether Presbyters may not
their Wives is expresly renounced and it is decreed that no Priest be required to separate from his Wife so be it they abstain at Fasts and necessary Seasons nor any Priest endured to put away his Wife on pretence of piety else he must be deposed § 51. Another is the 16th Canon that maketh Deacons like Overseers of the Poor § 52. The 22d is a hard Canon that Bishops and Priests ordained with money and not by examination and election be deposed and they that ordained them § 53. The 36th Canon displeaseth them also which confess the Church of Constantinople's Priviledges as equal with Rome § 54. The 38th Canon containeth one great cause of the old Confusions viz. That whatever alteration the Imperial Power makes on any City the Ecclesiastical Order also follow it Did God make this Law Are not as many Souls in a Town that 's no City as capable of being a Church as Citizens It is in the Princes power to make and unmake Cities May he accordingly make or unmake Churches What if a King will have but one City in his Kingdom must there be no more Churches or Bishops What if there be no Cities as in many American and Arabian Countries must there be no Churches What if the King will disfranchize most of the Cities and another will make every Market Town a City must Churches be altered accordingly If so O that our King would make us so many Cities as the work and the souls of Men need true Bishops that one might not have a thousand Parishes without any subordinate Bishop But if this hold the Emperor might have taken down Rome and set up Constantinople or any other at pleasure § 55. Can. 50. Forbad Clergy and Laity to play at Dice on pain of Deposition or Segregation And Can. 51. forbids going to Shews Jesters Stage-Plays Huntings The 55th Canon commands the Church of Rome to amend their Customs and not to fast on Sabbath-days Can. 62. Forbids Womens Publick Dancings and Mens and Womens together and their putting on Masquers or Players Apparel or Persons c. Can. 63. Commandeth the burning of false Histories of the Martyrs as tending to bringing Religion into reproach continual joyful Praises to God and holy Exercises and to use no Horse-Races c. The 67th Canon is against eating Blood Can. 72. Nullifieth Marriage with Hereticks Alas good Bishops did you think the Papists would have Hereticated you as Monothelites and nullified all Marriages with you by this Canon But two Hereticks Marriage is not null Can. 78. Commandeth all the illuminate baptized to learn the Belief and every Friday to say it to the Bishop and Presbyters How many Parishes or hundred Parishes had the Bishop then to hear Not so many as ours § 56. The 82 Canon offends the Papists forbidding the Picture of a Lamb to be made for Christ as the Lamb of God The 90th Canon is an old one Not to kneel on any Lord's-day and that this begin on the evening before P. 155. Binnius reproveth them for calling Cyprian Archbishop and he proveth that Africa then had no Archbishop or Primate § 57. CCXXII An. 693. was another Toletan Council called by King Egica Before it the King writeth a Sermon for them wherein he tells them That every Parish that have twelve Families must have their proper Governor But if less it must be part of anothers charge § 58. CCXXIII. An. 694. was another Toletan Council under the same King Egica One would wonder that the Legislative vertue of the Church should be continued to such fertility and multitude of Laws as must follow if in all Countries there be every year a Council How great must the Volumes of Laws be at last Binnius in his Notes on this Council tell us That though Paul would have the believing Husband or Wife stay with the Unbeliever in hope of Conversion yet many hundred years experience hath taught us the contrary that it tendeth rather to hurt than good and therefore now it must be otherwise and they must separate § 59. CCXXIV. Even to those days the number of Pagans and Infidels in most Countries was the greatest and the care of good men was to convert them And therefore we read still of so many baptized at age A Council at Utrecht decreed Willebrood or Willifrid and Suibert being Leaders that the best Preachers should be sent from the Neighbor Churches to convert the Heathens that was better work than striving who should be chief or raging about hard words § 60. CCXXV. A Synod at Aquileia An. 698. condemned the 5th General Council at Constantinople for condemning the tria Capitula of the Council of Calcedon O what Concord Councils caused § 61. Pope Sergius refusing to own the Council of Constant. at Trul. under Iustinian 2d the Emperor commanded that he should be brought Prisoner to Constantinople The Soldiers of Ravenna Sergius having paid them the 100 l. of Gold hearing of it rose up and rescued him and made the Emperor's Officer in fear beg for his life By such Obedience Rome kept up § 62. Tiberius the 2d deposed Iustinian the 2d and cut off his Nose and banished him Iustinian was restored and exposed Tiberius to scorn and killed him and banished Bishop Callinicus to Rome for unfaithfulness to his Prince Iohn the 6th was now Pope § 63. Iohn the 7th is made Pope another Council at Toletum under King Witiza I pass by he was a Greek CCXXVI He gather'd a Synod at Rome to debate Iustinian's Order for the receiving the Trull Concil And our English Willifrid accused by his King was here justified as a Son of that Church And a Synod in England received him when the King was dead § 64. Sisumius made Pope lived but 20 days and Constantine succeeded him who was sent for to Constantinople and honoured by Iustinian § 65. About this time An. 708. Spain was conquered by the Saracens Binnius saith Because King Witiza forsook the See of Rome By which we still see that Rome was forsaken even by the best Church such as Spain then was and was not the Ruler of the World § 66. Bardanes Philippicus by Rebellion deposed Iustinian and was made Emperor and within two years was so used himself by Anastasius his eyes put out and he banished § 67. CCXXVII The Emperor Philippicus and Iob. Constant. called General Council at Constantinople I may well call it General when Binnius saith There were innumerable Bishops which is not said of any other Council They all condemned the 6th General Council and their Opinion of two Wills and two Operations Where it is manifest 1. How great a part of the Church regarded not the Authority of Rome 2. Nor thought a General Council infallible when innumerable Bishops are against both 3. And how strong the Monothelite Party was 4. And alas how bad too many Bishops that can change as fast as Emperors will have them For saith Binnius after Baronius Thus at the
have been to his People the Captain of safety and of peace when the Divine Piety had decreed to have mercy of his People by an unheard of and invisible manner and by preaching in our ages For these things therefore and in all these things which are before recited confessing himself guilty before the Priests or Bishops or all the People with tears and protesting that in all these things he sinned he desired publick Pennance that so he might satisfie the Church by repenting which he had scandalized by sinning and as he was a scandal by neglecting many things so he professed he would be an example by undergoing due Pennance And after this Confession he delivered to the Bishops the Paper of his Guilts and Confession for future memorial and they laid it on the Altar and then he put off his military Girdle and laid it on the Altar and stripping himself of his secular Habit he took the Habit of a Penitent put on him by the hands of the Bishops that after so great and such Pennance no Man after may return to a secular Militia These things thus done it pleased them that every Bishop should write in his own Papers how the matter was done and should strengthen it by his own subscription and offer it to Prince Lotharius thus strengthened in memory of the Fact To conclude it seemed good to us all that were present to put the sum of all the Papers and of so great a business into one Breviate and to roborate it by the subscription of us all with our hands as is hereafter demonstrated The Author of the Life of Ludovicus addeth ' Pullâque indutum veste adhibitá magnâ custodiâ sub tectum quoddam retrudunt Here you see the Tryal of the godly Emperor the Articles exhibited against him in the High Court of Episcopal Justice and the use of Penance and of laying on of the Bishops hands in investing him in the Garb of perpetual Penance What wonder if the Pope ascended to such power when ordinary Bishops in the best governed and instructed Countrey then in the world obtained such power even by the name and abuse of the POWER OF THE KEYS Saith Binnius Thaganus therefore justly for this cause declaimeth against Ebbo Bishop of Rhemes the Leader as impudicum crudelissimum Episcopum And what were they that would thus follow him § 140. CCXLIX But the next Council was forced to do better for usually the Bishops followed the stronger side in Theodorus Villa they caused Ebbo to depose himself from his Bishoprick and the rest excused themselves that they did it by necessity and fear and were all forgiven Bin. p. 575. And yet will the Bishops say that this Emperor was not humble and merciful § 141. CCL After his Restauration An. 836. Ludovicus caused a Council at Aquisgrane to renew the Laws for the Reformation of the Clergy and Abbots with the Instructions and Rules for Kings themselves at large laid down And here they determined that all Bishops hereafter that were Rebels and Traytors should be deposed and Lay-men anathematized But they sufficiently minded the Power and Dignity of the Bishops to be upheld § 142. There is a Treatise in Binnius p. 583. in which the Statutes of the Synods of Aquisgrane are opened and confirmed by Scripture § 143. CCLI An. 836. Binnius tells us that in the deposing of the Emperor Agobertus Bishop of Lyons and Bernard Bishop of Vienne having been Leaders with Ebbo at the Council at Theod. Villa fled and the Emperor and all his Sons save Lotharius being here present at a Council at Lyons they being summoned appeared not and Sentence was put off because they were absent § 144. An. 839. Pepin the Emperor's Son dying he passed by his disobedient Nephew Pepin and divided that Kingdom of Aquitain only between his Sons Lotharius and Charles whereupon his Son Ludovicus was offended and with them of Aquitain raised Rebellion again and by a Convention at Cabilone and after it reconciliation was made § 145. The Emperor Ludovicus Pius dying An. 840. aged 64 his Sons fell together in Wars for his Kingdoms Lotharius the eldest that had used his Father so trayterously and unnaturally sought too great a part for himself and came to a War with Ludovic and Charles who conquered him and put him to a shameful flight An. 841. in which Fight say Historians a greater slaughter was made of the French than was ever known in the memory of man This was the man that deposed his Father for the slaughter of the Subjects by his Wars against him The next year they fought again and he was again overcome § 146. CCLII It 's easie then to conjecture which way the next Council which was at Aquisgrane would go The conquering Princes made the Bishops their Counsellors when they had made Lotharius flie out of the Countrey what they should do with his Kingdom and saith Binnius they received the answer which Nithardus li. 1. describeth in these words ' The Bishops considering the deeds of Lotharius from the beginning how he had driven his Father out of his Kingdom how he had made the Christian People perjured by his Covetousness how oft he had frustrated the Oath he made to his Fathers and his Brethren how oft since his Fathers death he had attempted to disinherit his Brethren how many Murders Adulteries Burnings and all kind of heinous deeds the Universal Church suffered by his most wicked Covetousness And that he neither had any knowledge of governing the Commonwealth nor could men find any footsteps of goodness of will in governing For which causes deservedly and by the just judgment of God Almighty they said he fled first in Battel and then from his Kingdom Therefore all the Bishops unanimously agree and consent that for his wickedness God hath cast him out and hath delivered his Kingdom to his Brothers that are better than he But the Bishops did not give them this liberty till they openly asked them whether they would govern it as their ejected Brother did or according to the will of God They answered that as far as God should enable them they would govern themselves and theirs according to God's will By God's Authority say they we warn exhort and command that you undertake it and rule it according to the will of God So far Nithard § 147. You see here that it is no wonder that the Pope took upon him to set up and take down to make and unmake Kings when the subject Bishops did it by their greatest Sovereigns And you see here God's just judgment on a rebellious Son and the shameful mutability of a temporizing Clergy And how presumptuous Bishops have abused Religion the use of the Keys and the Name of God to the confusions and calamities of the world But Lotharius after this Deposition reigned § 148. All these times Images were cast out in the Eastern Empire even all the Reign of Leo the 5th and of Michael
Marriage with Waldrada The two great Archbishops of Colen and Triers are the Leaders The Pope is against it and accuseth the Bishops of owning Adultery They appear at Rome and he condemneth them of Impudency while with some immodest words they undertake to justifie the thing of which more anon He chargeth the Bishops of heinous Villany and they despised him He condemneth the Concilium Metense in which the Adultery was allowed § 20. This Pope falls out with Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes justifying against him the cause of Rothaldus whom he had deposed He sends Messengers to the King of Bulgaria converted in his days whom the Emperor's Officers stop and abuse The Adversaries of Images were still strong at Constantinople Anast. Bin. p. 670 c. Epist. 2. He useth a notable Argument for Images viz. God is known only in the Image of his Works Why then may we not make Images of the Saints But why must Men be compelled to do it or else be Hereticks and why must they be worshipped Epist. 5. He is pitifully put to it to justifie the Election of Nectarius and Ambrose and yet to condemn that of Photius for being a Lay-man And Ep. 6 the same again in the instance also of Tarasius § 21. The 8th Epistle of this Pope Nicolas to the Emperor Michael doth shew that he had now shaken off the Imperial Power and therefore chargeth his Letters as full of Blasphemy Injury Madness c. partly for being so sawcy as to bid the Pope Send some to him which he saith was far from the godly Emperors Partly for blaming the deeds of the Prelates when he saith Their words must be regarded and their authority and not their deeds Partly for calling the Latine Tongue barbarous and Scythian in comparison of the Greek which he saith is to reproach God that made it Partly for saying that the Council that deposed Ignatius and set up Photius was of the same number of Bishops as the first Council of Nice where this high Pope's answer is worth the notice of our Papists Bin. p. 689. The small number hurteth not where Piety aboundeth Nor doth multitude profit where Impiety reigneth Yea by how much the more numerous is the Congregation of the malignant by so much the stronger are they to do mischief Nor must men glory in numbers when they fight not against the Rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness Glory not therefore in multitude because it is not the multitude but the cause that justifieth or damneth Fear not little Flocks c. This Doctrine was then fittest for the Pope in his Minority But the Letter is a Book pleading for the Roman Grandure and striving to bring the Emperor with others under his power § 22. In his Answer and Laws to the Bulgarians he difliketh their Severities against one that had pretended to be a Priest when he was not and had baptized many concluding that he had saved many and that they were not to be re-baptized Bin. p. 772. No not though he were no Christian that baptized them as after Consul Cap. 104. p. 782. To the Case Who are Patriarchs he saith properly they only that have succeeded Apostles which were only three Rome Alexandria and Antioch but improperly only Constantinople and Ierusalem But why then are not Ephesus Corinth Philippi c. Patriarchates And why had the rest of the Apostles no Successors Had they no Churches § 23. This Pope having Western security threatned Excommunication to the Emperor of the East unless he would depose Photius and restore Ignatius and threatned Lotharius for the cause of his rejected Wife and the Marriage of another as aforesaid and swaggered against Hincmarus Rhemensis for his deposing Rothaldus a Bishop and forced him to yield and condemned his Synod at Metz and would have proved that Pope Benedict had not confirmed it He and other Popes did make the Contentions of Bishops as well as of Princes a great means of their rising taking the part of him that appealed to Rome as injured and very oft of the truly injured By which means they had one Party still for them and all injured persons were ready to flie to them for help He Excommunicated the Bishops of Colen and Triers The poor Bishops that would fain be on the stronger side began now to be at a loss to know whether the Emperor or the Pope was the strongest They followed the Emperor and resisted the Pope a while The King and Hincmarus forbad Rothaldus going to Rome and imprisoned him But the Pope wearied them out by reason of the divisions of the Empire and Kingdom into so many hands of the French Line that being in continual suspicion of each other they needed the Pope's help Bin. p. 790. He ordereth Pennance instead of just death for one Cumarus that had murdered three of his own Sons viz. That for three years he pray at the Church-door and that for seven years he abstain from Wine three days in a week and for three years to go without shoes allowing him to eat Milk and Cheese but not Flesh and to enjoy his Possession but not have the Sacrament for seven years § 24. His Decretals begin That the Emperor's Iudgments and Laws are below the Canons and cannot dissolve them or prejudice them Tit. 4. 1. He saith All Patriarchal Dignity all Metropolitical Primacy all Bishops Chairs and the dignity of Churches of what Order soever were instituted by the Church of Rome But it 's he only did found it and erect it on the Rock of Faith now beginning who to St. Peter the Key-bearer of eternal life did commit the Rights both of the Terrene and the Celestial Empire Reader Had not the abuse of Humane Patriarchal Power and of Excommunications got up very high when this bold Pope made this Decree What! All Churches in the World made only by Rome Was not Ierusalem Antioch and many another made before it Did Christ say any thing of Rome Did not other Apostles build Churches by the same Apostolick Commission as Peter had Is not the Church built on the foundation of Prophets and Apostles Christ being the Head-corner Stone Did not others build the Church of Rome before Peter did it Did not Peter build other Churches before Rome Where and when did Christ give Peter the Imperial Power of Earth and Heaven did he not decide the Controversie who should be the chief or greatest with a prohibition of all Imperial Power With you it shall not be so § 25. But the next Dectee casteth Rome as low as this over-raised it If any one by Money or Humane-Favor or by Popular or Military Tumult be inthroned in the Apostolick Seats without the Concordant and Canonical Election of the Cardinals of that Church and then of the following Religious Clerks let him not be accounted a Pope or Apostolical but Apostatical By which Rome hath had so few Popes indeed and so many
he caused some Fellows so to cut and mangle the Face of the Pope that he would never after be seen abroad but kept close till he dyed which was after Three Years This Otho resolved to Revenge on Albericus And also the War between Hugo and Albericus broke out again Platina saith That Hugo was about to Revenge the Pope but then Dyed § 42. A Synod was at Narbon to end the Contention of two Bishops about the Extent of their Diocesses and Jurisdiction § 43. CCCXI. If yet you perceive not the sad State of the Church by Men's striving for Church-Dignities a Council at Soissons Anno 940. will tell you more You heard before how the Earl of Aquitane had got his Son to be made Arch-Bishop of Rhemes The Child in coats was but Five Years old It happened that he was put out again for his Infancy or Non-Age and Artaldus a Monk chosen in his stead This Council of Bishops was to decide the Câ—â—e between the two Arch-Bishops The Objection against one was his Infancy and his Father 's ill means to bring him in The Objection against the other was Perjury He had sworn that he would never accept an Arch-Bishoprick Alas Must the Church of France be Headed by one of these an Infant or a Perjured Monk The Synod cast out the Perjured Monk and judged the Seat to the Infant as being lawfully Chosen Power made it a Lawful Call And the Bishops went to Rhemes and Consecrated him § 44. In the Year 920. the French Nobles by consent at Soissons had Revolted from King Charles because he took Haganon a Man of low of Quality into his Privy-Council and made him Great Herveus Bishop of Rhemes had partly healed this Breach But Anno 922. it broke out again and the Nobles chose Robert King and Herveus Consecrated him But this Rebellion was their Ruin Three Years after dyeth Herveus And the next Year Robert Fighting against Charles was slain at Soissons yet his Army conquered the King's Shortly after Rodolph Duke of Burgundy is called in by the Nobles and made King as if the Kingdom had been void Charles on pretence of a Treaty is led by Heribert to a Castle and thence carryed to Perone where he dyed Anno 929. leaving a Son Lewis to Fight for the Kingdom And when Charles was in Prison Hugo rejected Rodulph and called Lewis out of England to be King Anno 936. But Hugo and Heribert would be his Masters and gave him little Quiet Heribert dyeth miserably and Repenteth Hugo Domineering the King craveth Aid of Otho out of Germany against him But shortly dyeth himself by a Disease got by a Fall in Hunting a Wolf Lotharius his Son succeedeth him In his Third Year Hugo the Great Duke of Orleance dyeth and Lotharius the King Anno 986. His Son Ludovicus succeeded who dyed Childless Anno 987. And in him ended the Line of Charles the Great For Charles Duke of Loraine that was next was by the Treachery of a Bishop taken by Hugo Capet the Son of the fore-said Duke Hugo and imprisoned to Death And this Hugo got Possession of the Crown So much briefly on the By of these Matters that they after interrupt us not too much See Dion Petav. lib. 8. c. 16. § 45. Marinus 2. alias Martin 3. is made Pope Anno 943. and Reigned three Years and some Months the common Time of Popes in that Age. In his time Artaldus strove again for the Seat of Rhemes § 46. CCCXII When Bishops would needs be Princes they taught Princes to resolve to be Bishops And as Heribert did at Rhemes so did the Emperor at Constantinople put in a Patriark Trypho a Monk on condition that he should hold it but till his own Son Theophylact came to Age. When the time came Trypho would not Resigne A Council is called where Bin. ex Curopal tells you the State of that Church alsâ— as too like the Western The Council being met Tryphon makes a Speech to them and saith That his Adversaries that had a mind to cast him out gave the reason that he knew not Letters But that they might all see that this was false and that he could Write and Read he call'd for Pen and Paper and having been taught thus much before wrote his Name thus Tryphon by the Mercy of God Arch-Bishop of Constantinople New Rome and Vniversal Patriark for that was then the Title The Emperor receiving the Paper it â—eems knowing that he could not Read writeth over head Knowing my self Vnworthy I Resigne the Throne to any that will And so sent the Paper to the Council and the Bishops wise and Good Men you must suppose Dethron'd Tryphon The Seat staid void five Months till Theophylact came to Age who then was chosen § 47. Anno 946. Agapetus the Second is made Pope in a time when Wars between the Hungarians and Henry Bavaria Berengarius and Otho c. made Miserable the Countries and Ignorance and Ambition the Churches § 48. CCCXIII. A Council at Virdun in France again tryed the Cause between the fore-said Infant and the Perjured Bishops Hugo and Artald and they undid what the last had done and Deposed Hugo and gave the Seat to Artald Yet we have not done with Doing and Vndoing For Pope Agapete now took Hugo's Part and wrote to the Bishops of France and Germany that Hugo that was in Possession was to be kept there But the Papists say he mistook by Hugo's Mis-information § 49. CCCXIV Anno 948. Another Council at Mosome was called for the same Business Hugo would not come in but sent the Pope's Letters which being not Canonical but his bare Command they rejected them cast out and Excommunicated Hugo till the next General-Council § 50. CCCXV. Anno 948. A General-Council of France and Germany is called at Engelenheim for the same Cause almost all France being disquieted about two Mens striving who should be the Great Arch-Bishop The Pope's Legate Marinus proved Hugo's Letters false and Hugo was Excommunicated and Artald setled But the Presence of two Kings Ludovicus and Otho did much there-to The Bishops thence removed to Triers called another Council where they judged for King Ludovicus against Duke Hugo and Excommunicated some Bishops Ordained by Bishop Hugo that was Ordained in his Child-hood And another Council at Rome confirmed these things § 51. Now cometh the Famous Pope Iohn the Twelfth the Son of Prince Albericus the Son of the Famous Whore A Child too Saith Baronius and Binius p. 1060. Quanquam hiuc Legitima aetas aliaque omnia deessent quae inlegitimo Pontifice requiruntur tamen accedente postea consensu totius Cleri visum est hunc potius esse Tolerandum quam Ecclesiam Schismate aliquo quod alioquin exortum fuisset dividendam He wanted Natural and Moral Endowments even All Things necessary to a Legitimate Pope say they And yet the After-Consent of the Clergy made him Tolerable c. Qu. 1.
both to summon a Council they cunningly would not agree of the place and so forced the doing it without them § 265. CCCCLXVII To put a shew on the business Greg. calleth a Council at Aquileia whether by long delays he creepeth with a few to do nothing § 266. CCCCLXVIII And the other Pope Bened. 13. Anno 1409 also calleth his Council in Arragone of his Subjects which calleth it self a General Council and pronounce him the true Pope and no Schismatick or Heretick and Greg. to be the Usurper but exhort him to endeavour Unity § 267. CCCCLXIX The two Popes giving no better hopes some of the Cardinals of both sides slipt from them and by the Countenance of the Florentines and King Ladislaus chose Pisa for a General Council where they met and summoned both the Popes who scorned them and they deposed them both as Hereticks and Schismaticks saith Binius forbidding all Christians to obey them and they chose a third Alexander 5. and the two old ones kept up still and so there were three Popes at once § 268. An. 1409. Alex. 5. is chosen much commended but died in eighteen Months some say saith Antoninus poysoned by a Clyster But to shew himself a Pope in that little time he deposed King Ladislaus and gave his Kingdome to Lewis Duke of Anjou § 269. Balthasar Cossa is next chosen called by some Ioh. 21. by others 22. by others 23. and by Platina Ioh. 24. so little are they agreed of their succession Platina saith the Cardinals of Greg. were yet poor and he hired them with Money to Create him He got Sigismund King of Bohemia chosen Emperour and would have had the Council to be at Rome Italy continued still in blood the Popes having parcelled it into so many small Principalities to secure it against the Emperours no part of the whole World lived from Age to Age in such continual War and confusion This Pope saith Onuphrius Panvinus viz. fuit bello armis quam Religioni aptior utpote qui neque fidem norat neque Religionem rebus profanis magis quam Divino cultu accommodatus How he was accused deposed imprisoned how the other two Popes Greg. 12. and Bened. 13. were all deposed with him and Martin 5. chosen the next Chapter sheweth CHAP. XIII The Council of Constance Basil and some others § 1. CCCCLXX AN. 1414. the Council of Constance was called by the means of the Emperour Sigismund and the consent of Pope Iohn who the more trusted the Emperour because he had promoted him There were then three Popes Bened. 13. in France whom the Kingdomes of France Spain Arragon England and Scotland followed and Greg. 12. and Iohn 23. at Rome that divided the rest of the Papalines It was not certainly to represent the Trinity but to profane the Name and abuse the Kingdome of the blessed Trinity Oct. 28. P. Iohn called by them Sanctissimus Dominus Noster entereth the City Nov. 5. The Pope began the Council Nov. 16. was the first Session the Pope speaking to them and his Bull being read shewing that he would have had the Council at Rome but the miserable case of Rome by contention and confusion hindering it was agreed with the Emperour to be at Constance commanding to be there for the peace of the Church and appointing a Weekly Mass to be said for obtaining Gods blessing and pardoning a years penance for every Mass to every Mass-Priest that said it exhorting all to fasting and prayer for good success charging them to look after Errours especially those that rose from one Iohn Wickliff and also to reform the Church c. March 2. 1415. The Pope took an Oath for the peace of the Church to lay down his Popedome if the other two Popes would do the same and the Emperour kist his feet The Cardinal of Florence read these Decrees 1. That the Council was lawfully called 2. That it will not be dissolved by the departure of the Pope or other Prelates 3. That it be not dissolved till the present Schisme be healed and the Church reformed in Faith and Manners in Head and Members 4. That it be not removed but on just cause 5. That the Bishops depart not § 2. In the fourth Session they decreed that the general Council representing the militant Catholick Church hath its power immediately from Christ to which every man of what State or dignity soever though it be Papal is bound to obey in the things that belong to Faith and the extirpation of the said Schism and the general reformation of the Church in head and members 2. That the Pope withdraw not himself or the Officers and if he should or should thunder out Church censures against them or any adhering to the Council they are void 3. That no Translations Promotions or Cardinals be made to the prejudice of the Council 4. That three of each Nations be chosen to judge of departures c. But the Pope fled and sent them word that it was not for fears but for his health § 3. Sess. 5. The Emperor being among them they decreed again the Power of the Council as immediately from Christ which the Pope and all must obey and that the Pope is punishable if he disobey that he is bound to surrender in any case of great and evident profit to the Church that he unlawfully departed that if he will return and perform his promise he shall be safe Next they proceeded to condemn the Books of Iohn Wickliff and to prosecute Iohn Huss Next they applied themselves to the Emperour to reduce the Pope who told them he was in the hands of the Duke of Austria but if they pleased he would write to him or try to fetch him by force c. § 4. Sess. 6. They order the Procuration for the Popes Resignation to be demanded and Process to be made against Iohn Huss and Hierome of Prague A Letter is read from the University of Paris to the Pope to submit to the Council § 5. Sess. 7. They accused Hierome of Prague for not appearing and summoned the Pope promising him safe Conduct sed salvâ Iustitiâ c. § 6. Sess. 8 They condemned Wickliff's Bones to be dig'd up upon 45 Articles instead of 260 which they had gathered Art 1. was 1. That the substance material of Bread and Wine remain in the Sacrament of the Altar 2. The Accidents of Bread remain not without the substance 3. Christ is not identically and really in his proper bodily presence in the Sacrament 4. If a Bishop or Priest live in mortal sin he Ordaineth not Baptizeth not Consecrateth not 5. The Gospel saith not that Christ instituted the Mass. 6. God ought to obey the Devil 7. If a man be contrite aright outward confession is needless and unprofitable 8. If the Pope be a Reprobate and wicked and so a Member of the Devil he hath no power over the faithful given him by any but Caesar. 9. Since Vrban the
servants of Satan do and be at peace among your selves Heb. 13. 7 17 24. Remember them which have the rule over you which have spoken to you the word of God Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Salute all them that have the Rule over you The Elders of the Church are to pray with and for the sick Jam. 5. 14. They must feed the Flock of God among them taking the oversight of it 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Thus you see their Office and work 2. And that they were not to bring any new Doctrine further appears in that they have a charge to Preach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 3. Nor to be tossed as children with every wind of doctrine Eph. 4. 14. Nor carried about with divers and strange doctrines Heb. 13. 9. 3. Yea if any man bring not the doctrine of Christ we must not receive him into our houses or bid him God speed lest we be partakers of his evil deeds for he that abideth not in this doctrine hath not God 2 John 9. 10 11. Gal. 1. 8. 9. Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel to you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel to you then that ye have received let him be accursed And Rom. 16. 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them 1 Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doating 4. And if all Ministers must be receivers of new Doctrines the Church would never know when it hath all but would be still obeying an imperfect Law 5. And it would be an oppression to the Church instead of a Direction to be so overwhelmed with new Doctrines and Precepts 6. And it would accuse Christ the Lawgiver of such mutability as wise Princes are not guilty of to be still changing or adding to his Laws 7. There was great occasion for the New Testament or Gospel upon the great work of our Redemption but there is no such cause for alterations since 8. The Priests before Christ were not to receive new Laws as is said 9. The Companions of the Apostles that wrought Miracles had not all new Revelations but did it to seal up this Gospel 10. What need we more then actual experience that God doth not give New Revelations to the world and none since the Scripture times have sealed any other by Miracles And thus I have proved to you the two sorts of Ministers as Paul plainly distinguisheth them 1 Cor. 3. 10 11 12. Eph 2. 20. There are Planters and Waterers Master builders that lay the foundation and others that build thereon Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid but every man that buildeth hay or stuble and loseth his work doth not nullifie the Ministry We are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the head corner-stone but we are not built on the foundation of every Pastor Teacher Elder Bishop or Deacon Though both in their places Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4. 11 12. That we might be one united Body having one fixed standing doctrine ver 14 15 16. And how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him mark whence the Church receiveth it God also bearing them witness but not every Elder or Teacher both with signs and wonders and with divers Miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Heb. 2. 3 4. Prop. 2. And now that these later Ministers need not prove their calling by Miracles I prove thus 1. God never imposed such a task upon them nor commanded the people to require such a proof and not to believe any but worker of Miracles 2. God gave not all the gift of Miracles that were employed in his work even in the Apostles daies Are all workers of Miracles saith Paul some had by the Spirit the word of wisedom and of knowledge and others Tongues and others Interpretation and others Miracles 1 Cor. 12 29 7 8 9 10. 3. They that have the Holy Ghost are owned by Christ and so have many without working Miracles See Rom. 8. 9. 1 Cor. 12. 3. Gal. 5. 18 22 23 24. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 3. 16. 5. 9 18. 1 Pet. 1. 2 22. Rom. 15. 13 16. Tit. 3. 5. 4. The Law of Moses was kept and taught by Priests and Levites that wrought not Miracles 5. If the Laws of all Nations may be kept without Miracles so may the Laws of Christ. 6. If humane writings are kept without Miracles as Homer Virgil Ovid Cicero Livy c. so may the Laws of God much more as being the daily subject of the belief meditation conference preaching controversies devotions of Christians through the world and translated into so many Tongues 7. There is nothing in the Nature of the thing that requireth ordinary Miracles Cannot men sufficiently prove without Miracles that there have been such men as Caesar Pompey Aristotle or which be Calvins or Bellarmines writings c. Much more evidently may they prove what doctrine is essential to Christianity and the Scripture that contains the whole 8. Else Parents could not teach their children nor bring them up in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6. 4. Nor teach them with Timothy from a child to know the Scriptures which are able to make men wise to salvation through faith in Christ 2. Tim. 3. 15. Must no Parents teach their Children to know Christ but such as can work Miracles 9. The Doctrine which we preach is fully confirmed by Miracles already by Christ and his Apostles There needs no greater then Christs own Resurrection nor more then were done which Universal unquestionable History and Tradition hath brought down to our hands 10. It is a ridiculous expectation that every person should see the Miracles before they do believe Then if Christ had done Miracles before all Ierusalem save one man that one man should not be bound to believe Or if I could do miracles in this Town or Country none must believe me ever the more but those that see it And so you may as well say I should not believe that there is any Sea or Land City or Kingdom France Spain Rome c. but what I see Are these men
right ends 5. And if he be called to be the Pastor of a particular Church he moveth the people to consent or accept him And thus God according to his appointed Order doth call his Ministers Besides which he afterward 1. Helps them in his work 2. And procureth them liberty and often furtherance from Christian Magistrates 3. And giveth them success Proposition 5. The faithful Pastors of the Reformed Churches are these ordinary Ministers of Christ approved by him and given in great mercy to his people who are bound to know honour and obey them in the Lord. I exclude not all others but I now prove that these are true Ministers Argument 1. They that have all that is essential to true Ministers are true Ministers But such are these Pastors of the Reformed Churches as I prove thus If the Office it self be of Gods Institution and their Qualifications competent and their entrance right in every point of flat Necessity then they have all that is essential to true Ministers But the former is true as I shall prove in the three several parts 1. That the Office it self is of Gods appointment is proved fully before and confessed by all Christians that ever I knew Acts 14. 23. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. 1 Thes. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 7 17 24. Acts 20. 28. 2. For Qualifications they have 1. competent Knowledge 2. and Vtterance 3. and Godliness and these are the Qualifications that God accepteth 1 Cor. 12. 8. 1 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Mark the Canons of the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 2. 2. They must be 1. Faithful men 2. Able to teach others But such are those in question 1 Tim. 3. A Bishop must be blameless that is not scandalous the husband of one Wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not given to Wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler not covetous one that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity To which is added Tit. 1. 8 9. A lover of good men sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Let all here note 1. That here is not only the mention of the Vertues necessary to the Being but to the well-being also of a Minister 2. And yet through the great mercy of God all these are the qualifications of multitudes of the Pastors of the Reformed Churches as malice it self must be forced to confess But if any deny it of any particular men as that is nothing to the rest so an unproved accusation is not by honest men to be believed The world knows that the Act for rejecting scandalous insufficient negligent Ministers is very strict and Commissioners in each County forward to execute it and Ministers have enemies enough to search out their faults and yet none are more forward than Ministers themselves to have the Act put in execution so that their standing justifies them before the world Or if any will yet deny them the necessary Qualifications I here challenge and provoke them to accuse all that are guilty and cast them out or else to confess themselves meer slanderers and back-biters and learn more truth and modesty hereafter 3. And for the third point their entrance into the Office They have all that God hath made necessary to a just entrance as I prove They that have a true Ordination and the Peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance have all that God hath made necessary to a just entrance and more than all But the said Pastors of the Reformed Churches have true Ordination and the Peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance That they have true Ordination I shall shew anone in answering all that can be said against it The Peoples consent by Electing or Accepting is known by the fact and so is the Magistrates by Law and fact I put in all this though more than necessary that all Objections may be satisfied at once So that the Enumerations being unquestionable the Conclusion is so to In short All those are true Ministers that are in an Office of Gods own Institution and are competently fitted for that Office by Knowledge Godliness and Vtterance and have all and more than all that God hath made necessary to a right entrance or admission even true Ordination consent of the Flock and the Magistrates allowance But such are the said Pastors of the Reformed Churches therefore they are true Ministers of Christ. Argument 2. Those that have not only the Essentials but excel all other Ministers on Earth that are known to the world are certainly the true Ministers of Christ. But such are the Ministers before-mentioned of the Reformed Churches Ergo. This will be proved at once with the next which is Argument 3. Either these Pastors of the Reformed Churches are the true Ministers of Christ or else there are none such visible in the world But there are such visibly and certainly in the world as was proved else there is no Church no Ordinances no Christianity no Christ For he can be no King without Subjects and Laws no Master without a School and Scholars no Physitian without Patients no Husband without his Spouse no Head without a Body no Intercessor without a Church to intercede for And to believe the holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints is part of our Belief and therefore the Christian Faith is gone if these be gone And that either we or None are Christs true Ministers I prove thus 1. We challenge the Adversary to name us the true Church and Ministry if these be none of them where be they and who are they speak out or give up your wicked Cause If you know not who they be or where then how know you that there are any such True Ministers are like a light that shineth to all the house even the lights of the world and like a City on a Hill that cannot be hid Mat. 5. 14 15 16. 2. But let us try the particulars 1. The Seekers have no Church or Ministry 2. The Quakers have no Ordination that we know of and are every way so unworthy and had no being in the world till a few years ago that he is either no Christian or of a crazed brain that thinks Christ hath no Church or Ministry but them 3. The Anabaptists Socinians Swenlfeldians Familists Paracelsians Weigelians and such like have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches than we but their Errours and are so few and so lately sprung up that of them also I may say that he that takes them for the only Church or Ministers is either out of the Faith or much out of his wits 4. The Eastern and Southern Churches have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches than we but are incomparably more ignorant and erroneous few of them doing more