Feed the Flock of God which is among you not out of your reach and hearing in a vast Diocess taking the oversight not by constraint but willingly and on willing men not for filthy lucre but of a ready wind neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage but being Examples to the Flock and when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away § 11. Nothing is more certain than that the Church for above 300 years had no power of the Sword that is forcibly to meddle with and hurt mens Bodies or Estates except what the Apostles had by miracle And to this day no Protestants and not most Papists claim any such Power as of Divine Institution but only plead that the Secular Powers are bound by the Sword to destroy such as are judged Hereticks by the Bishops and to punish such as contemn the censures of the Church § 12. He that would see more for the Power of Princes vindicated from the Clergies Claim and Usurpation may find much in many old Treatises written for the Emperours against the Pope collected by Goldastus de Monarch and in Will. Barclay but much better in Bishop Bilson of Obedience and in Bishop Andrew's Tortura Torti and in Bishop Buckridge Roffensis of the Power of Kings and much in Spalatensis de Repub. § 13. The Vniversality of Christians is the Catholick Church of which Christ is the only Head or Soveraign but it is the duty of these to worship God in solemn Assemblies and to live in a holy Conversation together and to join in striving against sin and to help each other in the way to life therefore Societies united for these ends are called Particular Churches § 14. When the Apostles had converted a competent number of Christians they gather'd them into such Assemblies and as a Politick Society set over them such Ministers of Christ as are afore described to be their Guides § 15. These Officers are in Scripture called sometime Elders and sometimes Bishops to whom Deacons were added to serve them and the Church subordinately Dr. Hammond hath well described their Office in in his Annotat. which was to preach constantly in publick and private to administer both Sacraments to pray and praise God with the People to Catechize to visit and pray with the sick to comfort troubled Souls to admonish the unruly to reject the impenitent to restore the penitent to take care of the poor and in a word of all the Flock § 16. The Apostles set usually more than one of these Elders or Bishops in every Church not as if one might not rule the Flook where no more was necessary but according to their needs that the work might not be undone for want of Ministers § 17. They planted their Churches usually in Cities because Christians comparatively to the rest were few as Sects are among us and no where else usually enough for a Society and because the Neighbour-scattered Villages might best come to the Cities near them not but that it was lawful to plant Churches in the Country where there were enough to constitute them and sometimes they did so as by Clemens Roman ad Corinth by History appeareth § 18. Grotius thinketh that one City at first had divers Churches and Bishops and that they were gathered after the manner of the Synagogues and Dr. Hammond thinketh that for some time there were two Churches and Bishops in many Cities one of Jews and one of Gentiles and that in Rome Paul and Peter had two Churches whom Linus and Cletus did succeed till they were united in Clemens § 19. There is great evidence of History that a particular Church of the Apostles setling was essentially only a Company of Christians Pastors and People associated for personal holy communion and mutual help in holy Doctrine Worship Conversation and Order Therefore it never consisted of so few or so many or so distant as to be uncapable of such personal help and Communion But was ever distinguished as from accidental Meetings so from the Communion of many Churches or distant Christians which was held but by Delegates Synods of Pastors or Letters and not by personal help in presence Not that all these must needs always meet in the same place but that usually they did so or at due times at least and were no more nor more distant than could so meet Sometimes Persecution hindred them somtimes the Room might be too small Even Independent Churches among us sometimes meet in divers places and one Parish hath divers Chappels for the aged and weak that are unfit for travel § 20. Scotus began the opinion as Davenport Fr. a Santa Clara intimateth and Dion Petavius improved it and Dr. Hammond hath largely asserted it that the Apostles at first planted a single Bishop in each Church with one or more Deacons and that he had power in time to ordain Elders of a different Order Species or Office and that the word Elder and Bishop and Pastor in Scripture never signifie these subject Elders but the Bishops only and saith he there is no evidence that there were any of the subject sort of Presbyters in Scripture-times Which concession is very kindly accepted by the Presbyterians but they call for proof that ever these Bishops were authorised to make a new Species of Presbyters which were never made in Scripture-times and indeed they vehemently deny it and may well despair of such a proof § 21. But for my part I believe the foundation unproved that then there was but one Elder in a Church and think many Texts of Scripture fully prove the contrary But I join with Dr. Hammond in believing that in Scripture-times there was no particular Church that had more stated meetings for publick Communion than one For if there was so long but one Elder there could be but one such Assembly at once for they had no such Assemblies which were not guided by a Presbyter or Bishop in Doctrine Worship Sacraments and Discipline And they used to have the Eucharist every Lords day at least and often much more And one man can be at once but in one place § 22. I have elsewhere fully proved that the ancient Churches that had Bishops were no bigger than our Parishes and few a quarter so big as the greatest of them and consisted of no more than might have such present personal Communion as is before described the proofs are too large to be here recited Ignatius is the plainest who saith that this was the note of a Churches Unity that To every Church there was one Altar and one Bishop with his Fellow Presbyters and Deacons And elsewhere chargeth the Bishop to take account of his Flock whether they all come to Church even Servant-men and Maids Clemens Romanus before him intimateth the like mentioning even Country Bishops Martyr's Description of the Christian Assemblies plainly proveth it Tertullian's Description of them and many other passages in him prove it more fully He professeth that
§ 31. But if these two great Cities had indeed had yet more Altars and Churches Orbis major est Vrbe saith Hierome Two singular Cities may not over-weigh the contrary case of all the Churches If any other had been like them it would have been Antioch the third Patriarchate when as in Ignatius time as is aforesaid the Churches unity there and elsewhere was notified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Altar or Altar-place and One Bishop with his Presbyters and Deacons And hence came it to be the note of a Schism to set up Altare contra Altare because one Bishop and Church had but one Altar Mr. Mede no injudicious nor Factions man saw this and asserteth it from the plain words of Ignatius § 32. How the case came to be altered it is easie to know But whether it was well or ill done is all the controversie or the chief I confess there want not some that think that the Apostles had their several assigned Provinces and that they left them to twelve Successours and this is the foundation of Patriarchal or Provincial Churches with such unproved Dreams 1. We doubt not but that the Apostles wisely distributed their Labours But we believe not that they divided the Countreys into their several Dioceses or Provinces nor that two of them e. g Iohn and Paul Peter and Paul Iames and other Apostles might not and did not do the work of an Apostle in the same Country and City Much less do we believe that one of them e. g. Iames at Ierusalem whether an Apostle or not I contend not was a Bishop over the Apostles when they resided there 2. Nor do we believe that they left any such divided Provinces to their Successors If they had it 's strange that we had not twelve or thirteen Patriarchal or Provincial Churches hence noted Which were they and how came they so soon to be forgotten and unknown And why had we first but three Patriarchs and one of those Alexandria accounting from no Apostle but from S. Mark and the other two reckoning from one and the same Apostle save that Rome reckoned from two at once Peter and Paul when as one City must say they have but one Bishop § 33. The case is known that 1. When Christians so multiplyed that one Assembly would not serve but they became enough for many the Bishops greatness and wealth increasing with the People they continued them all under their own Government and so took them all to be their Chapels setling divers Altars but not divers Bishops in one Church 2. And herewith their work also by degrees was much changed and they that at first were most employed in Guiding the whole Church in Gods publick worship and exercised present discipline before them and were the sole usual Preachers to them all the rest of the Elders Preaching but when the Bishop could not or bid them did after become distant Judges and their Government by degrees degenerated to a similitude of Civil Magistracy 3. And then they set up the old exploded question which of them should be the chief or greatest And then they that had the greatest Cities being the richest and greatest Bishops in interest because of the greatness and riches of their Flocks they got the Church Government to be distributed much like the Roman Civil Government within that Empire And where the Civil Magistrate had most and largest command they gave the Ecclesiastical Bishop the like And so they set up the Bishops of the three chief Cities as Patriarchs Rome being the first because it was the great Imperial Seat as the Chalcedon Council giveth the true reason Afterwards Constantinople and Ierusalem being added they turned them into five And Carthage and other places not called Patriarchal Seats had exempt peculiar Jurisdictions with a power near to Patriarchs And the rest of the Bishops strove much for precedency and got as large Territories as they could and as numerous Flocks and many Parishes though still the name Paroeciae was used for the whole Episcopal Church when it was turned into a Diocess § 34. I conceive that this Change of One Altar into a Diocesane Church of many Altars and Parishes was not well done but is the thing that hath confounded the Christian World and that they ought to have increased the number of Churches as the number of Christians did increase as the Bees swarm into another Hive My Reasons are 1. Christ and the Holy Ghost in the Apostles having setled a Church Species and Order like that of the Synagogues and not like that of the Temple no man ought to have changed that Form Because they can prove no power to do it and because it accuseth the Institution of Christ and the Holy Ghost of insufficiency or errour which must so soon be altered by them Perfective addition as an Infant groweth up to Manhood we deny not But who gave them power to abrogate the very Specices of the first Instituted Churches That the Species is altered is certainly proved by the different uses and Termini of the Relation For a Church of the first Institution was a Society joyned for personal Communion in Doctrine Worship and holy living But a Diocess consisting of many score or hundred Parishes that never see or know or come near one another are uncapable of any such present personal Communion and have none but Mental and by Officers or Delegates 2. By this means all the Parish-Churches being turned into Chapels and un-Churched are all robbed of their Right seeing each one ought to have a Bishop and Presbyters and the benefit of that Office and Order which is now denied them and many hundred such Parishes turned into Chapels have no Bishop to themselves but one among them all to the Diocess 3. Because by this means true Discipline is become impossible and unpracticable by the distance and multitude of the people and the distance and paucity of Bishops What Christ commandeth Mat. 18. being as impossible to be done in many hundred Parishes by one Bishop and his Consistory as the Discipline of so many hundred Schools by one School-master though each School have an Usher or the care of many hundred Hospitals by one Physician perhaps at twenty or forty or eighty or an hundred miles distance 4. Because it altereth the antient Office of a Bishop and of a Presbyter and setteth new ones in the stead As a Bishop was the Bishop of one Church so a Presbyter was his Assistant Ejusdem Ordinis in the Government of the Church who now is turned into a meer Usher or Worshipping-Teacher or Chaplain 5. Because it certainly divideth the Churches For Christians would unite in a Divine Institution and the exercise of true Discipline that will never unite in a humane Policy which abrogateth the Divine and certainly destroyeth commanded necessary Discipline § 35. The very work also of the Bishop and so the Office came thus to be changed Christ having appointed no other Church
have Painters enow 2. Where shall we have Money to pay them 3. Where shall we find room to hold them 4. Is not here a new Article of Faith and a new Commandment necessary to Salvation 5. Was not their Church Universal as it stood before all or most here cursed 6. Was it not a hard matter to be saved or be a Conformist on these terms when a Man that did but doubt of Images yea that did not teach them to the People and that from his heart must be cursed 7. Was not such a cursing sort of Bishops a great Curse Shame and Calamity to the Church Did they not tempt Infidels to curse or deride them all while they thus cursed one another even their Councils Tharasius joyfully received all this and Constantine Bishop of Constance in Cyprus said That this Libel of Theodosius drew many tears from him I suppose of joy And now they all saw the way § 60. But now cometh a Crowd more to do their Pennance Hypatius Bishop of Nice Leo Rhodi Gregory of Pisidia Gregory of Pessinunt Leo of Iconium Nicolas of Hierapolis Leo of Carpathium And now Tarasius was sure of them he groweth more upon them and will know of them Whence it was that in the last Council they did what they did against Images whether it was through meer Ignorance or by any reason that drew them to it If through Ignorance he bids them give a Reason how they came to be so ignorant If upon any Reason to tell what that Reason was that it might be refuted Leo Bishop of Rhode answered We have sinned before God and before the Church and before this holy Synod Ignorance made us fall from the Truth and we have nothing to say in our own defence Tharasius would know what Reason now moveth and changeth them some say because it is the Doctrine or Faith of the Apostles and Fathers Another alledgeth a saying as of the Antioch Council and another as of Isidore Pelus which the learned Reader examining may see what proof it was that Images were brought into Churches by it 's worth the noting But another alledgeth the Apostles and Prophets Tradition But what 's the proof And did not the Council at Constant nor the Bishops in the Reign of the three former Emperors know what Tradition was Was it unknown till now How came it now known then Or who told it this Council when the last knew it not Or if the last were false Knaves how shall we be sure that these were honest Men Or that the same Men were suddenly become wise and honest Tharasius asketh one of the Bishops Leo How it came to pass that he that had been ten or eight years a Bishop never knew the Apostolical Tradition for Images till just now He answered Because through many Ages or Times Malice endured and so wicked Doctrine endured and when this persevered for our sins it compelled us to go out of the way of Truth but there is hope with God of our salvation But Constantine Cypr. answereth him You that are Bishops and Teachers of others should not have had need to be taught your selves Leo replied If there were no expression of sin in the Law there would be no need of Grace Another Hypatius replied with the rest We received ill Doctrine from ill Masters Yea but saith Tarasius The Church ought not to receive Priests from ill Teachers Hypatius Bishop of Nice replieth Custom hath so obtained § 61. Hereupon the Synod desired to be informed on what terms Hereticks were to be received when they returned so the Canons were brought and read And though many Canons and Fathers have said that no Repentance for some Crimes must restore a Man to the Priesthood though it must to the Church and there is an Epistle of Tarasius put by Crabbe before this Council in which he determineth that a Simoniack may be received upon Repentance to Communion but not to his Office yet Tarasius here being desirous of their return knowing that these Penitents that renounced the errors of their Education and former practice would draw others to conformity with them did resolutely answer all that was objected against their reception § 62. Here in Crab. p. 472. a question fell in upon their reading the Proofs that repenting Hereticks were by the Church to be restored to their Bishopricks and Priesthood What Hereticks those were And it was answered that they were Novatians Encratists and Arrians and Manichees Marcionists and Eutychians And then one asketh Whether this Heresie against Images was greater or less than all those And Tharasius answereth like a Stoick Evil is always the same and equal especially in matters Ecclesiastical in the Decrees of which both great and small to err is the same thing for in both God's Law is violated O Learned Patriarch worthy to be the setter up of Church-Images A venerable Monk that was Vicar of the Oriental Patriarch answereth That this Heresie is worse than all heresies and the worst of all Evils as that which subverteth the Oeconomy of our Saviour Note Reader how the Patriarchal Thrones did govern the Church and this Council and by what reasons Images and Saints intercessions were set up Arrianism Manicheism Marcionism no Heresie that denied the essentials of Christianity no evil was so bad with them as to deny Church-Images c. And so the late General Council and Bishops for three Emperors Reigns had been under the worst of Heresies and Evils worse than Arrianism itself § 63. But here Constantine the Notary of the Const. Patriarchate happily brought in so pertinent a Testimony as much made for the pardon of the penitent Bishops He read out of the Council of Calcedon how the Oriental and other Bishops that had lately set up Eutyches and Dioscorus in the 2d Ephesian Council cryed at Calcedon We have all sinned we all ask forgiveness And how Thalassius Eusebius and Eustathius cryed We have all erred we all ask forgiveness And after them Iuvenal and after him the Illyrican Bishops cryed We have all lapsed we all ask pardon And so the President was undeniable and effectual These were not the first Bishops that went one way in one Council under one Prince and cryed peccavimus for it as Heresie in the next § 64. But Sabas the Monk starts yet a greater doubt than this and that is whether they had true Ordination and so were true Bishops For seeing they were bred in the times of Heresie which had prevailed under so many Emperors and had Heretical Teachers it 's like they had Heretick Ordainers seeing the late Council shewed what the Bishops then were And the Fact was confest that they were Ordained by Bishops that were Hereticks that is against Church-Images and praying to Saints for their intercession and using Reliques The Bishop of Rome's Vicars pleaded hard against their Ordination but Tarasius knew what a breach it would make in the Church if a General Council
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
such Orders as were to continue to the end and none that came after them might change they being the Ordinances of the Holy Ghost in them 2. Temporarily pro re natâ to make convenient mutable Constitutions in matters left by the great Legislator to humane prudence to be determined according to his general regulating Laws In this last the Apostles have Successors but not in the former No other have their Gift and therefore not their Authority No men can be said to have an Office that giveth them Right to exercise abilities which they never had nor shall have § 4. Christ summed up all the Law in LOVE to God and Man and the works of Love and all the Gospel in Faith and Hope and Love by them kindled and exercised by the Spirit which he giveth them even by the Belief and Trust of his Merits Sacrifice Intercession and Promises and the prospect of the future Glory promised fortifying us to all holy duties of obedience and diligent seeking what he hath promised and to patient bearing of the Cross conquering the inordinate love of the world and flesh and present life and improving all our present sufferings and preparing for his coming again and for our change and entrance into our Masters joy § 5. Christ summed up the Essentials of Christianity in the Baptismal Covenant in which we give up our selves in Faith Hope and consenting Love to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier and in which God receiveth us in the Correlations as his own And all that are truly thus baptized are Christened and are to be esteemed and loved as Christians and to be received into Christian Communion in all Christian Churches where they come until by apostasie or impenitency in certain disobedience to the Laws of Christ in points necessary to Christian Communion they forfeit that priviledge Nor are men to deprive them of the great benefit thus given them by Christ on pretence of any wit or holiness or power to amend Christs terms and make the Church Doors narrower or tie men to themselves for worldly ends Yet must the Pastors still difference the weaker Christians from the stronger and labour to edifie the weak but not to cast them out of the Church § 6. The sacred Ministry is subordinate to Christ in his Teaching Governing and Priestly Office and thus essentiated by Christs own institution which man hath no power to change Therefore under Christ they must teach the Church by sacred Doctrine guide them by that and sacred Discipline called The power of the Keys that is of judging who is fit to enter by Baptism to continue to partake of the Communion to be suspended or cast out and to lead them in the publick Worship of God interceding in Prayer and speaking for them and administring to them the Sacraments or holy Seals of the Covenant of God § 7. The first part of the Ministers Oâ—â—ice is about the unbelieving world to convert them to the Faith of Christ and the second perfective part about the Churches Nor must it be thought that the first is done by them as meer private men § 8. As Satan fell by pride and overthrew man by tempting him to pride to become as Gods in Knowledge so Christ himself was to conquer the Prince of pride by humility and by the Cross by a life of suffering contemned by the blind and obstinate world making himself of no reputation despising the shame of suffering as a Malefactor a Traitor and Blasphemer And the bearing of the Cross was a principal part of his Precepts and Covenant to his Disciples without which they could not be his Followers And by Humility they were to follow the Captain of their Salvation in conquering the Prince of pride and in treading down the Enemie-world even the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life which are not of the Father but of the world § 9. Accordingly Christ taught his chief Disciples that if they were not so converted as to become as little children they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. 3. His School receiveth not masterly Disciples but humble teachable Learners that become fools that they may be wise And when they were disputing and seeking which of them should be greatest he earnestly rebuked all such thoughts setting a little child before them telling them that the Princes of the Earth exercise authority and are called Benefactors or by big Names but with them it should not be so but he that would be the greatest must be servant ofâ— all Luk. 22. shewing them that it was not a worldly grandeur nor forcing power by the Sword which belongeth to Civil Magistrates which was to be exercised by the Pastors of the Church But that he that would be the Chiefest must be most excellent in Merit and most serviceable to all and get his honour and do his work by meriting the respect and love of Volunteers The Sword is the Magistrates who are also Christs Ministers for all Power is given him and he is Head over all things to the Church But they are eminently the Ministers of his Power but the Pastors and Teachers are most eminently Ministers of his Paternal and saving love and wisdom And by wisdom and love to do their work The Word preached and applied generally and particularly by the Keys is their Weapon or Arms and not the Sword The Bohemians therefore knew what they said when they seemed damnable Hereticks to the worldly Clergie that destroyed them when they placed their Cause in these four Articles 1. To have the whole Sacrament Bread and Wine 2. To have free leave for true Ministers to preach the word of God without unjust silencing of proud worldly men that cannot stand before the truth 3. To have Temporal Dominion or Government by the Sword and power over mens Bodies and Estates taken from the Clergie 4. To have gross sin suppressed by the lawful Magistrate by the Sword § 10. Had it been necessary to the Churches Union against Schism or Heresie for Christians to know that Peter or some one of his Apostles must be his Vicar-General and Head of his Church to whom all must obey who can believe that Christ would not only have silenced so necessary a point but also at a time when he was desired or called to decide it have only spoken so much against it to take down all such Expectations Yea we never read that Peter exercised any Authority or Jurisdictions over any other of the Apostles nor more than other Apostles did much less that ever he chose a Bishop to be Lord of the Church as his Successor Nay he himself seemeth to fore-see this mischief and therefore saith 1. Pet. 5. 1 2 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a Witness of the Sufferings of Christ and also a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed These are his Dignities
they took not the Lord's Supper save only from the hand of the Bishop Antistitis manu who could give it but to one Assembly at once Many Canons also fully shew it elsewhere cited some appoint all the people to joyn with the Bishop on the great Festivals of the year even above 300 years after Christ. The Custom also of choosing Bishops sheweth it where all the people met and chose him Yea in Cyprian's time the Exercise of Discipline proveth it when even in such great Churches as Carthage it was done in the presence of the people and with their consent § 23. The only Churches in the World that for about 200 years after Christ if not more had more than one ordinary Assembly for Church-Communion though but like our Parish Chappels were Rome and Alexandria as far as I can learn in any History For that at Ierusalem for all the numbers had no more stated Members than oft met in one place excepting occasional absents And I find no reason to believe that ever these two the chief Cities of the Empire had so long more than some London Parishes which have above sixty thousand souls as is supposed no nor near if half so many And because elsewhere I have only excepted these two Cities I will yet add somewhat to shew that even there the case was not as many now imagine § 24. Cornelius in an Epistle to Fabius of Antioch in Euseb. Hist. l. c. 43. alias 42. saith that in the Church of Rome were 46 Presbyters 7 Deacons and of other Officers 94. that is 42 Acolites 52 Exorcists and Readers with Porters Widows and impotent persons above 1050 souls who are all relieved by the grace and goodness of Almighty God c. This is the chief testimony in the third Age to prove that this one Church had more than could either meet in one place or hold personal Communion § 25. But let it be considered 1. That partly for the honour of qualified persons and partly that all the Church might in season have the help of all mens gifts they were so far in the ancient Churches from having so few as Dr. Hammond and Petavius imagine that they multiplied Officers and dignified and so employed a great part of the Church that had useful gifts Insomuch that a most credible Witness shortly after even Gregory Nazianzen saith Orat. 1. Pag. 45. that by the intrusion of men for dignity and maintenance The Church-Rulers were almost more than the Subjects The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of others I am ashamed who when they are no better than others and I wish they were not much worse thrust themselves upon the most holy Mystories as we say with unwashen hands and prophane minds and before they are worthy to approach to holy things ambitiously enter the Vestry it self or Chancell and press and thrust themselves about the holy Table as if they judged this Order not to be an example of Virtue but an occasion and help of getting maintenance and not to be an Office lyable to give Account but a Command in which they may be free from Censure Who being miserable or pitiful persons as to Piety and unhappy as to Splendour that is low in the World and Parts do now in number almost exceed those whom they are over or are to govern This would make one suspect that there were then many Ruling Elders that preach'd not but it 's plain they had an Office about the Sacraments Therefore this Evil increasing and getting strength with time it seems to me that they will have none under them to rule or guide but that all will turn Teachers and will Prophesie instead as was promised by God of being all taught of God So that of old the History and Parable said Saul also is among the Prophets For there neither now is nor ever was so great plenty of any other thing as there is now of these frequent Shames and Criminals for other things as they have their flourishing time have also their decay And though to repress their impetuousness be a work above my strength yet certainly to hate it and be ashamed is not the least part of Piety Judge by this what numbers of Officers of Clergy-men then the Church had § 26. Next for the Poor consider their proportions in and by other Churches Chrysost. in Matth. Edit Savil. p. 421. supposeth the Poor of the Church of Antioch whence he came to have been about the tenth part and dividing the City into three Ranks he accounts a tenth part rich and a tenth part poor and the rest of a middle Estate between both Now in Chrysostom's time the Church was so high being owned by the greatest Emperours as we may well suppose almost all or most of the rich came in Whereas at Rome in the time of Cornelius it being under reproach and cruel persecution we may well conclude that most of the rich stood out and they might say with Paul not many Great not many Noble are called few rich men comparatively receiving the Gospel it 's most likely that the poor were then far more than a tenth part if not the greater part of the Church But suppose them a tenth part which is not probable the whole Church of Rome then would be but 10500 Souls which is about the fifth part or sixth as big as Martins Parish and about a quarter as big as Stepney Parish and about a third or fourth part as big as Giles Cripplegate Parish and not half so big as Giles in the Fields and other Parishes Moreover Chrysostome Hom. 11. in Act. p. 674. computes the poor at Constantinople to be about half as many as all the other Christians and this in the most flourishing City and Age And by this measure they would yet fall further short It may be you will say that these were not the poorest of all that were kept by the Church But it 's known that ever since the times of extraordinary Community the Churches relieved all the needy according to the several degrees of their wants and these were such as were in want though not equally and they are such poor as were distinguished not only from the Rich but also from the middle sort and such as the Church took care to relieve § 27. And as for Alexandria the greatest City of the Empire next Rome as Iosephus saith de bello Iud. l. 5. c. ult it is certain that in the third Century the Christians had more Meeting Places for Divine Worship than one and in the fourth Century had many Epiphanius nameth divers Haeres 69. p. 728. Arius having one wherein he preached had that advantage to propogate his Heresie But all know that the building of Temples began after Emperours were Christians and the fair Churches which Eusebius saith they had in Dioclesians time till he destroyed them were but like our Tabernacles or private Churches and grew to Number and Ornament but a little before as
was not as the Papists say because Christ prayed for Peter that his Faith might not fail but because the Emperours of the West were Orthodox while those in the East were Arians And the Bishops much followed the Emperours Will. That this last was the Cause is notorious in the History That Christs foresaid promise was not the Cause is certain Because whatever promise Christ maketh he fulfilleth But he hath not kept all the Bishops of Rome from failing in their Faith Therefore he never promised so to do The minor is certain by History To pass by Marcellinus and Liberius and Honorius falls which were but like Peters all those wicked men whom Councils deposed as Infidels or Hereticks Simoniacks Murderers Adulterers one as a Devil Incarnate and all those that Baronius and Genebrard stigmatize as Apostatical and not Apostolical 50 together had not this promise fulfilled Nor Sixtus Quintus if Bellarmine judged truly that he was damned For it was not a dead faith but a saving faith which Christ promised Peter should not fail such a saith as had the promise of life He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Whoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life a faith that worketh by love Else Peter might have been a wicked man and damned notwithstanding this Prayer of Christ and Promise If the faith of Constantine senior junior Constans Valentinian Theodosius Honorius Gratian c. had failed the General Councils at Milan and Ariminum tell us how failing the Bishops faith was like to be when Ierome said that the whole world groaned to find it self turned Arian § 2. The blind zeal of Valens made him restless in Persecuting the Orthodox in the East At Antioch he vexed those that would not Communicate with Euzoius the allowed Arian Bishop At Cyzicum Eunomius was put in Eleusius place but his followers built them a separate Church without the Walls Socrat. lib. 4. c. 6 7. He Persecuted the Novatians and exiled Agelius their Bishop at Const. He banished Eustathius Antioch and Evagrius chosen by the Orthodox Bishop of Const. against Demophilus the Arian Fourscore Bishops â—ent to crave Justice of him were put to Sea in a Ship there set on fire and were both burnt and drowned together Socr. l. 4. c. 13. In all the East he deposed abused murdered many that would not for sake the Nicene Creed He set his Officers to suppress their Conventicles At Alexandria he imprisoned Peter that succeeded Athanasius and banished his Presbyters and set up Lucius an Arian Bishop He persecuted the Monks of the Wilderness of Egypt Nitria and Scitis and destroyed their Houses Banished Macarius of Egypt and Macarius of Alexandria their Leaders He persecuted Basil at Caesarea He went in person at Antioch to disturb and scatter the Conventicles of the Orthodox And when he had banished one of their Bishops Meletius enduring Paulinus the Presbyters kept the Meeting when he drove them away a Deacon kept it up At last Themistius a Philosopher made an Oration before him bidding him not marvel that the Christians had such differences for they were nothing to those of the Philosophers who were of three hundred different Opinions and that God would be honoured even under diversity of Opinions This somewhat asswaged him and shortly after in the 50th year of his age he was slain § 3. Gratian and Valentinian junior coming to the Empire Liberty of Conscience and Restoration was given to all Sects except the Eunomians Photinians and Manichees Socrat. l. 5. c. 2. He took Theodosius into the Empire with him And so the Orthodox Party got up again and the Arians after this went every where down save among the Goths § 4. LXXI Theodosius called a General Council at Constantinople where the chief things done were 1. the setting up of Gregory Nazianzene as Bishop 2. The condemning of the Macedonians 3. The giving of the second Patriarchate to Constantinople because it was the Imperial Seat putting under him the Diocesses of Pontuâ— Heraclea and Asia 4. The putting down of Nazianzene again and putting Nectarius in his stead 5. The setling Flavianus at Antioch § 5. Some would perswade us that it was two Councils and not one that did these things But the question is but de nomine In the beginning they dispatch'd part of their work and before they departed Meletius the Bishop of Antioch dying the Bishops returned to Council and more Egyptian Bishops came and did the rest § 6. The Case of Gregory Naz. was thus A Council at Antioch in the reign of Arianisme sent him with three more able speakers to go visit the Churches and draw them from Arianisme He came to Constantinople and an Arian being in possession he got into a little empty Church and there so long Preached till he had recovered much of the City from Arianisme Hereupon Peter Bishop of Alexandria signified by Letters that he would have him be Bishop of Constantinople against the Arian Bishop The Orthodox Party chose him One Maximus that of a Philosopher turned Christian and insinuated into Gregories familiarity by money first and threats after gets Peter of Alexander and the Egyptian Bishops to make him Bishop of Constant supposing Gregory not yet lawfully settled Meletius Antioch being at Const. Ordaineth Gregory Bishop The Council when Convened Confirm him and cast out Maximus that never had possession Theodosius owneth Gregory and putteth out the Arian Bishop and possesseth him of the Great Church The Antiochian Controversie falling in at the death of Meletius Gregory was against Flavian The Egyptian Bishops being for him set against Gregory and resolved to cast him out and choose another He seeing their resolution and offended at their furious carriage in the Council resigneth to the Emperour and departeth some make it as if his resignation was unconstrained but his own words shew that he did it but to prevent the deposition which they resolved on Else he durst not have deserted his Flock that lamented his departure In his place they chose Nectarius a Pretor that was no Christian in foro Ecclesiae as being not yet baptized and so was indeed uncapable and the choice null But the man was honest And Nicephorus saith that they put down his name in a Paper with others leaving it to the Emperour to chuse one of them and that he chose Nectarius § 7. The description of this Council and the good Bishops of his time by Gregory Naz. in his Poems and his Orations is very doleful How implacably factious and contentious they were how fierce and violent leaping and carrying themselves in the Council like mad-men He describeth the People as contentious but yet endued with the love of God though their zeal wanted knowledg Page 528. Orat. 32. The Courtiers he saith whether true to the Emperour he knew not but for the most part perfidious to God And the Bishops as sitting on adverse thrones and feeding adverse opposite Flocks drawn by them into factions like
Cyril to Atticus How oft have I heard just such language Reader How hard is it to know what History to believe when it comes to the characterizing of adversaries How little is a domineering Prelates accusation of such men as Chrysostome to be credited And how ordinary is it with such to call their betters not what they are but what they would have them thought if not what they are themselves But Atticus was wiser than to take this Counsel but obeyed the Wisdom which is from above which is first pure and then peaceable gentle c. And God had so much mercy on Constant. as to defeat the evil Counsel of Cyril and turn it into foolishness For Atticus restored the name of Chrysostome and used the Nonconformists kindly and they came into the unity of the Church And when Proclus after him fetch'd home his bones with honour the breach was healed § 5. No credible History telleth us that either Theophilus or Cyril did repent of this Though the Papists say that the Pope Excommunicated Theophilus for it yet they are now honoured because the Pope did own the Cause against Theodoret's Epistle to Ioh. Antioch upon the death of Cyril taking his death for the Churches deliverance from a turbulent enemy of Peace intimates that he repented not But God only knoweth Nicephorus out of Nicetas the Philosopher tells us a report that after all this before he dyed a dream did cure him viz. That he saw Chrysostome drive him out of his own house having a Divine company with him and that the Virgin Mary intreated for him c. And that upon this Cyril changed his mind and admired Chrysostome and repented of his imprudence and wrath and hereupon called another Provincial Synod to honour him and restore his name O ductile Synods And O unhappy Churches whose Pastors must grow wise and cease destroying after so long sinning and by an experience which costeth the Church so dear And Nicephorus saith that Pelusiota's reproof conduced much hereto Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 28. § 6. Isidore Pelus words you may see at large in his Epistles Nicephorus reciteth thus much of them lib. 14. c. 53. Cyrillum sanè ut hominem turbulentum refellens haec scribit Favoris affectio acutum non videt Hostilis verò animi odium nil prorsus cernit Quod si utroque hoc vitio te purgare ipsum liberare vis ne violentas sententias extorqueto sed justo judicio causas committe Multi qui Ephesi tecum congregati fuerunt publicè te trâ—ducunt quod inimicitias tuas persecutus sis non ritè ordine juxta rectae fidei sententiam ea quae Iesu Christi sunt quaesiveris Theophili inquiunt cùm ex fratre nepos sit mores quoque illius imitatur sicut ille apertam insaniam in sanctum Deo dilectum Joannem effudit ita iste gloriam eodem affectat modo And after other sharper words he addeth Ne ego ita condemner ne tu ipse etiam à Deocondemneris contentiones sopto Nec injuriae propria vindicta quae ab hominibus provenit videntem Ecclesiam per astuâ—as actiones fallas And of Theophilus he saith Eum quatuor administris seu potius desertoribus suis circumvallatum qui Deum amantem Deumque praedicantem virum Chrysost. hostiliter opprimeret quum occasionem causâ—m impictatis suae arripuisset Thus Isidore speaketh of them § 7. Atticus dying the Clergy were for Philip or Proclus but the Laity choosing Sisinnius prevailed He was a good and peaceable Man and sent Proclus to be Bishop of Cyzicum but the People refused him and chose another § 8. After the death of Sisinnius to avoid strife at home the Emperour caused Nestorius to be chosen a Monk from the House by Antioch whence Chrysostome came He was loud eloquent and temperate But hot against the liberty of those called Hereticks He begun thus to the Emperour Give me the Earth weeded from Hereticks and I will give thee Heaven Help me against the Hereticks and I will help thee against the Persians Thus turbulent hereticators must have the Sword do the work that belongeth to the Word Princes must do their Work and they will pretend that God shall for their sakes advance those Princes But he was rewarded as he deserved He presently enraged the Arians by going to pull down their Church and they set it on Fire themselves to the hazard of the City So that he was presently called a Firebrand He vexed the Novatians and raised stirs in many places but the Emperour curbed him Antony Bishop of Germa vexing the Macedonians they killed him whereupon they were put out of their Churches in many Cities § 9. At last his own ruine came as followeth Nestorius defended his Priest Anastasius for saying that Mary was not to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God This set all the City in a division disputing of they well knew not what and suspecting him of denying the Godhead of Christ But he was of no such Opinion but being eloquent and self-conceited read little of the Ancients Writings nor was very learned and thought to avoid all extreams herein and so would not call Mary the Mother of God nor the Mother of Man but the Mother of Christ who was God and Man At that time some Servants of some Noble Men impatient of their Masters severities fled to the Church and with their Swords resisted all that would remove them killed one Priest wounded another and then killed themselves § 10. CXIII The Emperour Theodosius jun. A Religious Peaceable Prince weary of this Stir called a General Council at Ephesus and gave Cyril order to preside the Papists pretend that he was Pope Caelestine's Legate who indeed joyned with him by his Letters when he saw how things went Both Cyril and Nestorius desired the Council Letters before having made no end Caelestine nor the Africanes could not come Augustine was dead Nestorius Cyril and Iuvenal of Ierusalem came Iohn of Antioch was thirty days journey off and his Bishops much more and stayed long Cyril and Memnon of Ephesus would not stay for him Nestorius came the first day But Cyril and the rest being sharp against him for not calling Mary the Parent of God he said to them Ego bimestrem aut trimestrem Deum non facile dixerim Proinde purus sum à vestro sanguine in posterum ad vos non veniam That is I will not easily say that God is two or three months old I am clean from your bloud and will come to you no more Some Bishops going with him they met by themselves Cyril summoneth him He refuseth to come till Iohn Bishop of Antioch came They examine his Sermons and Witnesses and condemn and depose him as blasphemous against Christ. Three or four days after Iohn of Antioch and his Eastern Bishops come He took it ill that they stayed not for him He
were separatist Bishops in those days Faelix Bishop of Rome condemneth Acacius Bishop of Constantinople for this Acacius had equal priviledges given by the Calcedon Council and had the presence of the Emperour and Senate and he again condemneth Faelix blotting his name out of the sacred Albe their Book of life § 40. Acacius shortly dying the Emperour found it too hard a task to choose a Patriarch that should not keep up the Sedition Therefore he will refer the choice to God To that end he putteth a blank paper on the Altar and another by it requesting of God that an Angel might write there the name of him that God would have to be Patriarch The doors are fast locked and forty days Fasting and Prayer commanded to prevail with God The Keys are committed to a sure and great Courtier but one that was subject to Angels One Flavitas bribeth him and he writeth Flavitas's name in the paper and sealeth up the doors And so there was an Arch-bishop chosen by an Angel This man joined with Peter of Alexandria by Synodal Letters to command all to curse the Council and yet wrote to the Bishop of Rome that he renounced Communion with Peter and he wrote to Peter that he renounced Communion with the Bishop of Rome But it s fearful sporting with God and Angels He dyed within four Months § 41. After Flavitas succeeded Euphemius He joined with the Bishop of Rome and rased Peter's name out of the Church Book Peter and Euphemius as two Generals were about gathering Synodical Armies against each other and against and for the Council But the Foot that spurneth abroad and spoileth the Designs of Worldlings even Death presently removed Peter One Athanasius succeedeth Peter and fain he would have reconciled and united his Clergy and People but he could not Holy zeal is too easily quenched but not contentious carnal zeal Palladius succeedeth Peter Cnapheus at Antioch Both these great Patriarchs join together to curse the Council of Calcedon and down went the Council But death again maketh a turn they both dye and Iohn succeeded at Alexandria and Flavianus at Antioch Yet these must be of the mind of the major part and both join also to curse the Council And the Patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople curse them and are for the Council And thus Cursing was the Religion of the Age. § 42. But now Zeno the Emperour dyeth and Anastatius Dicorus is chosen Emperour Nicephorus lib. 16. c. 25. saith that he being a man of peace and desiring the ceasing of Contentions followed Zeno's Henoticon and left all to their liberty to think of the Council as they pleased Hereupon the Bishops fell into three Parties some servent for every word of the Council some cursing it and some for the Henoticon or silent peace The East was one way the West another and Lybia another Yea the Eastern Bishops among themselves the Western among themselves and the Lybian among themselves renounced Communion with one another Nicephor c. 25. Tanta confusio mentiumque caligo saith the Historian orbem universum incessit it is not my censure so great confusion and blindness of mind befell the whole world This was the Effect even of Liberty § 43. The Emperour resolving to keep peace did purpose to fall on the most unpeaceable whoever even on both sides At Constantinople he put out Euphemius as some thought upon a personal dislike or quarrel For before his inthornizing they say he had given under his hand to Euphemius a promise that he would stand for the Council and when he had possession he demanded up his Writing Euphemius denyed it him and was cast out Macedonius succeeded him and got the Writing The Emperour demanded it also of him he also denyed it The Emperour would have also put him out The people rose up in Sedition and cryed It is a time of Martyrdom let us all stick to the Bishop And they reviled the Emperour calling him a Manichee and unworthy of the Empire The Emperour was forced hereby to submit to Macedonius lest he should have lost all The Bishop sharply rebuked him as the Churches Enemy But these things made the Emperour more against the Council partly as more against him and when he saw time he remembred Macedonius and cast him out yea he put Timothy in his place and burnt the Councils Acts. Timothy pulled down the Images of Macedonius The Patriarchs of Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem were all cast out § 44. Peter Cnapheus Antioch had made one Zenaias a Persian Servant and unbaptized Bishop of Hierapolis This man was against Images and against the Council He brought a Troop of Monks to Antioch to force Flavianus the Bishop to curse the Council Flavianus refuseth The people stuck to the Bishop and disputed the case with such unanswerable arguments that so great a number of the Monks were slain as that they threw their Bodies into the River Orontes to save the labour of burying them Niceph. 16. c. 27. But this endeth not the dispute another Troop of Monks of Coelo-syria that were of Flavianus and the Councils side hearing of the tumult and the danger of the Bishop flock to Antioch and made another slaughter as great saith Nicephorus as the former § 45. The Murders done by Bishops and Christians were sometimes punished by Excommunication but not by Death in those prosperous times of the Church The Emperour hereupon did banish Flavianus which his followers took for persecution Peter Alex. being dead the Bishops of Alex. Egypt and Lybia fell all into pieces among themselves each having their separate Conventions The rest of the East also separated from the West because the West would not Communicate with them unless they would Curse Nestorius Eutyches Dioscorus Moggus and Acacius And yet saith Nicephorus l. 16. c. 28. Qui germani Dioscori Eutychetes sectatores fuere ad Maximam paucitatem redacti sunt Xenaia◠bringeth to Flavian the Names of Theodore Theodorite Ibas and others as Nestorians and tells him If he Curse not all these he is a Nestorian whatever he say to the contrary Flavian was unwilling but his timerous fellow-Bishops perswaded him and he wrote his Curse against them and sent it to the Emperour Xenaias then went farther and required him to Curse the Council The Isaurian Bishops were drawn to consent to Anathematize it The refusers are all renownced as Nestorians And thus the Council that Cursed Nestorius is Cursed of Nestorian The Eutychians perceiving how near they were agreed After Flavian one Severus got to be Bishop at Antioch a severe Enemy of the Nestorians and of the Council The first day when he was got in he cursed the Council though 't is said that he had sworn to the Emperour that he would not Niceph. lib. 16. cap. 29. In Palestine the Condemnation or Ejection of Flavianus and Macedomius renewed their distractions and divisions About Antioch Severus grew so earnest and wrote such Letters to the Bishops
and his Son Sergius were the Captains that had wrought this great deliverance to the Church And now they plead with King Desiderius for St. Peter's Rights as still zealous for the Pope The King is angry with them and jealous of their power and seeketh to destroy them and particularly to set their own Pope against them They get the Citizens to stand by them and the King cometh with an Army The Pope seeing which was like to be the stronger side in great wisdom went out to the King and after some days conference with him sendeth to Christopher to render himself to the King The Citizens hearing this forsook Christopher and Sergius Gratiosus seeing they were deserted by the People through the Pope went out first to the King and Pope and Sergius next and Christopher last The Pope was so kind to them that made him Pope that he made them Monks and put them in Sanctuary in St. Peter's Church to save their lives But they had Adonibezek's justice and were soon drag'd out thence and Christopher's eyes put out of which he dyed But Sergius was awhile a Monk and then thrust in the Laterane Cellar Thus went the matters of the Universal Monarch at Rome § 36. A little before the Pope's death Sergius was fetcht blind out of the Cellar and kill'd the next Pope searcht out the Authors and found them to be Paulus Cubicularius and the last Pope's Brother and other great Men and he prosecuted some of them to Banishment but the Archbishop of Ravenna caused Paul to be killed § 37. It was Adrian a Deacon that was then chosen Pope Son to the chief Man in Rome ablest to effect it Upon these stirs Desiderius desired friendship with the Pope but he demanding the Cities which Pepin had given the Church some of which Desiderius still kept and doing the foresaid justice on the Friends of Desiderius he came with an Army and killed many and took many Cities The Pope urgeth the restitution of all his Cities indeed the Emperor's given him by Pepin he still denieth the Pope gets Charles of France to come with an Army for fear of whom the Longobards flie The Dutchy of Spoletum and other Cities yield themselves to the Pope and as a token of subjection receive tonsure Charles besiegeth Desiderius in Papia and forceth his Brother Carloman's Wife and Children that fled to the Longobards to yield themselves to him while the Siege continued Charles went to Rome and was gloriously entertained by the Pope and renewed to him Pepin's gift of all the Exarchate of Ravenna and many Dukedoms and Cities which were none of his own to give and now the Pope is a Prince indeed And Charles returning to the Siege conquereth Papia taketh King Desiderius and winneth all the Longobards Kingdom And thus Strength gave Right according to the Atheists Opinion now stirring that Right is nothing but a power to get and keep Pepin and Charles make themselves Kings and the Pope a Prince that while they share the Emperor's Dominions between them they might be a strength to one another And Desiderius being himself but an Usurper helped by the Pope into the Throne no wonder if when interest changed the same hand take him down How Charles his Brother Caroloman dyed and why his Wife and Sons fled from Charles to the Longobards and what became of them is not well known § 38. Pope Adrian the 1st thus made a greater Prince than any before him did greater works than they had done and ob nimium amorem Sancti Petri ex inspiratione Divina built many great and stately Buildings made all places about his Palace Baths c. fit for splendid pomp and pleasure and all this from meer self-denial and holiness Many Churches also he repalred and adorned and did many other such good works § 39. This great Adrian was before but a Deacon I have oft marvelled to read that Deacons were so ordinarily then made Popes and sometimes Lay-men when yet the old Canons required an orderly rising through the several degrees It was no wonder that then a Deacon at Rome was a far higher preferment than a Bishop For a Deacon and a Priest might be chosen Pope but a Bishop could not For of old when Diocesses and Parishes were all one the Canons decreed that no Bishop should remove to another Church except being Consecrated by others he never consented nor had possession so that every Bishop must live and dye in the place where he was first Ordained so that Rome Const. Alex. Antioch c. and all the great Seats chose either Deacons Priests or Monks to be their Patriarchs and Bishops No wonder then if as Nazianzen saith Orat. 5. it was the custom to have almost as many Clergy-men in every Church as People in regard of the present Honour and the future hopes of Preferment Indeed he carried it that had the greatest Friends which was as commonly the Deacon as the Priest or Archdeacon By which we may conjecture whether the worthiest Men were made Popes For if they were the worthiest why were they by former Popes never made higher before than Deacons Did not the Popes know the worthiest men And if a breach of the Canons in Elections nullifie the regular Succession by this it is evident that the Roman Seat hath no such Succession § 40. By the way the Reader must note that in all the Writings of the Popish Clergy concerning these matters there are certain terms of Art or Interest which must be understood as followeth viz. 1. Sanctissimus Papa the most Holy Pope signifieth any prosperous Bishop of Rome how wicked soever in his life 2. Rex Pientissimus the most Pious King signifieth a King that took part with the Pope and advanced his Opinions and Interest 3. Imperator Sceleratissimus Haereticus Nefandus c. a most wicked Emperor or Patriarch or any other and abominable Heretick signifieth one that was against the Pope his Interest or Opinion Homo mendaeissimus a Lyar is one that saith what the Papists would not have to be true If you understand them otherwise you are deceived ordinarily § 41. About the death of Paulus Cubicularius and others note that it had long been the way of the Church-Canons to contradict God's great Law for humane safety He that sheddeth Man's blood by Man shall his blood be shed and on pretence of being more merciful than God to entice Murderers Adulterers and all wicked Thieves and Criminals to make up the Church of Christ by decreeing that instead of being Hanged or Beheaded if they would but be Baptized they should but be kept for a time from the Sacrament or do Pennance and what Villain would not then be a Christian § 42. Here ariseth a great Controversie with Sigibert a Monk-Historian and Gratian himself which Baronius and Binnius take up viz. the first say That Charles being at Rome a Council there with Pope Adrian gave him the power of chusing the
first Act of the Council as Baronius tells us Iohn Bishop of Heraclea spake much against the Church of Rome which he said was the original of all the mischief that had beâ—aln them to overthrow and and cure which this Council was called Much also against Pope Nicolas and Hadrian he spake but for Pope Iohn as being for them In the 2d Act was read an epistle of the Patriarch of Alexandria to the Emperor for abrogating the former 8th Synod And Thomas one of the three Legates of the Eastern Patriarchs that consented to the former Synod the rest being dead made his penitent recantation Then the epistles of the Patriarchs of Ierusalem and Antioch for Photius are read c. In the third Act Pope Iohn's letters were read as endeavouring the peace of the Eastern Church which the Council took as a busy pretending to more power than he had and therefore said that they had peace before his letters came and that they were superfluous And whereas he made it his business by this complyance to get the Bulgarian Diocess They said this was to controvert the bounds of the Empire and therefore left it to the Emperor In the 4th Act the Eastern Patriarchs letters were read disclaiming their Legates at the last Council as being not theirs but the Saracens Legates and condemning that Council The Papists think Photius forged these Here also Lords professed repentance saying that the false Legates deceived them In the 5th Act Metrophanes Bishop of Smyrna is accused of Schism for being against Photius Three Canons also were made 1. That those excommunicate by the Bishop of Rome should not be restored by the Bishop of Constantinople Nor those that were excommunicated by the Bishop of Constantinople be restored by the Bishop of Rome and so Rome was shut out from troubling them with pretended jurisdiction 2. That those that forsake their Bishopricks shall not return to them 3. Against Magistrates that enslave and beat Bishops In the 6th Act the Creed was recited without silioque And in the 7th all those that should add to it or diminish are Anathematized § 91. CCXCVI. A Council of the Popes at Rome excommunicated Athanasius Bishop and Prince of Naples for not breaking his league with the Saracens § 92. Iohn dyed Marinus is made Pope commanded by his predecessâ—r called by Platina Martin who saith that he came to the Popedom malis artibus and therefore did nothing and soon dyed But Barcnius saith he lived long enough to do something viz. 1. He condemned Photius again and thereby provoked the Emperor Basilius as if Rome did still set the imperial Church in contention and hinder peace The Emperor affirmed that he was no Bishop of Rome because he had been ordained Bishop of another place 2. He destroyeth what Pope Iohn had done who had deposed Formosus preacher to the Bulgarians and Bishop Portuensis and had made him swear that he would never return to the Episcopal seat but rest content with Lay-Communion But Pope Marinus recalled him to the City and restored him to his Bishoprick and absolved him from his oath which Baronius and Binnius doubt not but he had power to do yea and to dispense with the ill acts of the Pope which he did out of private affects and partiality § 93. In his time also the Church of Rome used Filioque in opposition to Photius Spain and France having used it before Because saith Baronius and Binnius Photius had wrote about it to the Ignorant and Schismatical Archbishop of Aquileia There was it seems there so many of the greatest Bishops Imperiti et Schismatici in the Papal sense as intimateth that as the Popes greatness rose in height it did not grow equally in length and breadth § 94. Marinus having reigned a year and twenty dayes a short pleasure to sell eternal happiness for Hadrian the third succeeded him and had longer part of the usurped Kingdom viz. a year and three months and nineteen dayes He also damned Photius and was bitterly reproached by the Emperor Basilius whose contumelious letters found him dead and his successor answered them Was all the Christian world now till Luther subject to the Pope Platina saith of this Pope that He was of so great a spirit that in the very beginning of his Papacy he straitway decreed that Popes should be made without expecting the Emperors authority and that the suffrages of the clergy and PEOPLE should be free which was before by Pope Nicolas rather attempted than indeed begun He was I suppose encouraged by the opportunity of Charles his departing with his army from Italy to subdue the rebelling Normans Rome was still on the rising hand § 95. Stephen the 5th alias 6th succeeded him In his time Carolus Crassus the Emperor is by a convention of Lords and Bishops deposed from his Empire as too dull and unworthy Kings were brought under as elective by the Pope and now are at the mercy of their subjects Arnulphus a base son of Carolomannus got an interest in the subjects and they deposed the Emperor and set him up Baronius and Binnius ascribe it to Gods judgment for Charles his wronging of Richarda a pure Virgin yet repudiated by him They say that he was reduced to such poverty that he was fain to beg his bread of Arnulphus and dyed 888 in the 4th year of his Empire § 96. The Letter against the Pope written by the Emperor Basilius the Papists will not let us see But this Pope Sthephen ' s answer to it they give us which runs on the old foundation trayterous to Magistracy as such Telling the Emperor that The Sacerdotal and Apostolical dignity is not subject to Kings and that Kings are authorized to meddle only with worldly matters and the Pope and Priests with spiritual And therefore his Place is as far more excellent than Emperors as heaven is above earth He tells the Emperor that in reviling the Pope of Rome he blattered out blasphemy against the God of all the world and his immaculate Spouse and Priest and the Mother of all Churches And that he is deceived that thinketh that the Disciple Princes is above his master the Priests and the servant above his Lord. He wondereth at his taunts and scoffs against the holy Pope and the curses or reproaches which he loaded the Roman Church with to which he ought with all veneration to be subject as King who made him the judge of Prelates whose doctrine he must obey and why he said Marinus was no Bishop c. By this the reader may perceive whether yet all the Christian world obeyed the Pope or judged him to be their Governor § 97. How Pope Formosus set up Wido Duke of Spoleto trayterously as Emperor till he was forced to loyalty is after to be said § 98. CCXCVII. An. 8â—7 A Council at Colen under Charles Crassus made Canons against Sacrilege and Adultery § 99. CCXCVIII An. 888. A Council at Mentz while they were
and govern the Churches of Christ according to his Laws and to go before the people in the worship of God The Prophets and Apostles did both these both reveal the Doctrine which they received from Christ and teach and guide the Church by it when they had done but the latter sort of Ministers do but the latter sort of the work The Papists and Seekers cheat men by jumbling all together as if there were no Ministers of Gods appointment but those of the former sort and therefore they call for Miracles to prove our Ministry Here therefore I shall first prove that the second sort of Ministers are of Gods Institution 2. That such need not prove their Calling by Miracles though yet God may work Miracles by them if he please 3. That we are true Ministers of Christ of this sort 1. Christ found such Ministers under the Law that were to teach and rule by the Law before received and not to receive new Laws or Massages I mean the ordinary Priests and Levites as distinguished from Prophets These Priests were to keep the Law and teach it the people and the people were to seek it at their mouth and by it they were to judge mens Causes and also they were to stand between the people and God in publick worship as is exprest Deut 31. 26. Iosh. 23. 6. Neh. 8. 1 2 3 8 18. 9. 3. Levit. 1. 2. 4. 5. 7. 13. 14. throughout Num. 5. 6. Deut. 17. 12. Mal. 2. 7. Ier. 18 18. The Prophet had Visions but the Priest had the Law Ezek 7. 26. Isa. 8. 16 20. Hag. 2. 11 12. Num. 1. 50 1 Chron. 9. 26. 16. 4. 2 Chron 19. 11. 20. 19. 30. 17 22. He was called A Teaching Priest 2 Chron. 15. 3. Lev. 10. 10 11. Deut. 24. 8. 2 Chron 17. 7 9. Ezek. 44. 23. 2 Chron. 35. 3. And Christ himself sends the cleansed to the Priest and commandeth them to hear the Pharises that sat in Moses Chair though they were no Prophets so that besides the Prophets that had their message immediately from God there were Priests that were called the Ministers of the Lord Joel 1. 9. 2. 17. and Levites that were not to bring new Revelations but to teach and rule and worship him according to the old For Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Acts 15. 21. The Iews rejected Christ because they knew him not nor the voice of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day Acts 13. 27. And even unto this day when Moses is read the Vail is on their heart 2 Cor. 3. 15. And they that would not believe Moses and the Prophets thus read and preached neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 29 31. 2. And as Priests and Levites were distinct from Prophets before Christ so Christ appointed besides the Apostles and Prophetical Revealers of his Gospel a standing sort of Ministers to 1. Teach 2. Rule 3. And worship according to the Gospel which the former had revealed and attested and proved to the world These were called Overseers or Bishops Presbyters or Elders Pastors and Teachers and also the Deacons were joyned to assist them Acts 14 23. They ordained them Elders not Prophets or Apostles in every Church Tit. 1. 5 Titus was to ordain Elders in every City Timothy hath full direction for the ordaining of Bishops or Elders and Deacons 1 Tim 3. That their work was not to bring new Doctrine but to teach rule and worship according to that received I now prove 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Mark that its the same and not a new Doctrine and that as heard from Paul among many witnesses and not as received immediately from God and others were thus to receive it down from Timothy And v. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth It is not to bring new Truths but rightly to divide the old And 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the form of words which thou hast heard of me not which thou hadst immediately from God in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus that good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us The Holy Ghost is to help us in keeping that which is committed to us and not to reveal more 2 Tim 6. 13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable till the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. There was a form of Doctrine delivered to the Church of Rome Rom. 6. 17. And 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine You see their work was to rule and labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 15 16. Till I come give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Take heed unto thy self and unto the Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 5. 6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained Mark here the description of a good Minister of Christ one that 's nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine which is the use of Schools and Universities and having attained it makes it his work to teach it and put others in remembrance of it Tit. 1. 7 9 10 11. For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God holding fâ—ast the faithful word as he hath been taught mark that that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not c. So 1 Tim. 3. 1 5. The Office of a Bishop is to rule and take care of the Church of God To take heed to themselves and to all the Flock and feed the Church of God and to watch hereunto according to the word of Gods grace which is fully and wholly delivered by his Apostles and is able to build us up and give us an inheritance among the sanctified as Act. 20. 28 20 27 35 32. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you this is their Office and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and not revile them as the
Shepherd and the Bishop of our Souls 5. That he hath used them to enlarge confirm preserve and edefie his Church to this day 6. That he maketh the best of them to be the best of men 7. That he putteth into the hearts of all good Christians a special love and honour of them 8. That he useth even the worser sort to do good while they do hurt especially some of them 9. That Satan striveth so hard to corrupt them and get them on his side 10. That Religion ordinarily dyeth away or decayeth when they fail and prove unable and unfaithful 11. That Christ commandeth men so much to hear receive and obey them and hath committed his Word and Keys to them as his Stewards 12. And hath promised them a special reward for their faithfulness and commanded all to pray for them and their preservation and success And the nature of the things tells us that as knowledge in lower things is not propagated to mankind but by Teachers man being not born wise so much less is heavenly wisdom And therefore it is that God is so regardful of the due qualification of Ministers that they be not blind guides nor novices nor proud nor careless sluggards nor self-seeking worldlings but skilful in the word of truth and lovers of God and the souls of men and zealous and diligent unwearied and patient in their holy work And when they prove bad he maketh them most contemptible and punisheth them more than other men the corruption of the best making them the worst § 48. Therefore let us make a right use of the pride and corruption of the Clergy to desire and pray for better and to avoid our selves the Sin which is so bad in them and to labour after that rooted Wisdome and Holiness in our selves that we may stand though our Teachers fall before us Let every man prove his own Work and so he shall have rejoicing in himself and not in others only Gal. 6. But let us not hence question the Gospel or dishonour the Church and Ministry no not any further separate from the Faulty than they separate from Christ or than God alloweth us and necessity requireth As we must not despise the needful helps of our Salvation nor equal dumb or wicked men with the able faithful Ministers of Christ on pretence of honouring the Office so neither must we deny the good that is in any nor despise the Office for the Persons Faults § 49. Especially let us take heed that we fall not into that pernicious Snare that hath entangled the Quakers and other Schismaticks of these times who on pretence of the faults of the Ministers set against the best with greatest fury because the best do most resist them and that revile them with false and railing language the same that Drunkards and Malignants use yea worse than the prophanest of the Vulgar even because they take Tythes and necessary Maintenance charging them with odious covetousness calling them Hirelings deceivers and what not Undoubtedly this Spirit is not of God that is so contrary to his Word his Grace and his Interest in the World What would become of the Church and Gospel if this malignant Spirit should prevail to extirpate even the best of all the Ministry Would the Devil and the Churches Enemies desire any more The very same Men that the Prelates have silenced near 2000 in England these fifteen or sixteen years together are they that the Quakers most virulently before reviled and most furiously opposed § 50. Nor will the Clergies corruption allow either unqualified or uncalled Men to thrust themselves into the Sacred Office as if they were the Men that can do better and must mend all that is amiss Such have been tryed in Licentious Times and proved some of them to do more hurt than the very Drunkards or the ignorant sort of Ministers that did but read the holy Scriptures Pride is too often the reprehender of other Mens Faults and Imperfections and would make other Mens Names but a stepping-stone to their own aspiring Folly As many that have cryed out against bad Popes and Prelates that they might get into the places have been as bad themselves when they have their Will No wonder if it be so with the proud revilers of the Ministry § 51. There is need therefore of much Wisdome and holy care that we here avoid the two extreams that we grow not indifferent who are our Pastors nor contract the Guilt of Church-corruption but mourn for the reproach of the solemn Assemblies and do our best for true and needful Reformation that the Gospel fail not and Souls be not quietly left to Satan nor the Church grow like the Infidel World and yet that we neither invade nor dishonour the sacred Office nor needlesly open the nakedness of the Persons nor do any thing that may hinder their just endeavours and success we must speak evil of no man either falsly or unnecessarily § 52. I thought all this premonition necessary that you make not an ill use of the following History and become not guilty of diabolism or false accusing of the Brethren or dishonouring the Church And that as God hath in Scripture recorded the Sins of the ungodly and the effects of Pride and of malignity and Christ hath foretold us that Wolves shall enter and devour the Flock and by their Fruits of devouring and pricking as Thorns and Thistles we shall know them and the Apostles prophecied of them I take it to be my duty to give you an Abstract of the History of Papal and aspiring Prelacy usurping and schismatical and tyrannical Councils as knowing of how great use it is to all to know the true History of the Church both as to good and evil § 53. Yea Bishops and Councils must not be worse thought of than they deserve no more than Presbyters because of such abuses as I recite The best things are abused even Preaching Writing Scripture and Reason it self and yet are not to be rejected or dishonoured There is an Episcopacy whose very Constitution is a Crime and there is another sort which seemeth to me a thing convenient lawful and indifferent and there is a sort which I cannot deny to be of Divine Right § 54. That which I take to be it self a Crime is such as is aforementioned which in its very constitution over-throweth the Office Church and Discipline which Christ by himself and his Spirit in his Apostles instituted such I take to be that Diocesane kind which hath only one Bishop over many score or hundred fixed Parochial Assemblies by which 1. Parishes are made by them no Churches as having no Ruling Pastors that have the Power of Judging whom to Baptize or admit to Communion or refuse but only are Chapels having preaching Gurates 2. All the first Order of Bishops in single Churches are deposed as if the Bishop of Antioch should have put down a 1000 Bishops about him and made himself the sole Bishop of their
Churches 3. The Office of Presbyters is changed into semi-Presbyters 4. Discipline is made impossible as it is for one General without inferiour Captains to Rule an Army But of this before § 55. Much more doth this become unlawful 1. when deposing all the Presbyters from Government by the Keyes of Discipline they put the same Keyes even the Power of decâ—etive Excommunication and Absolution into the hands of Laymen called Chancellours and set up Courts liker to the Civil than Ecclesiastical 2. And when they oblige the Magistrate to execute their Decrees by the Sword be they just or unjust and to lay Men in Goals and ruine them meerly because they are Excommunicated by Bishops or Chancellours or Officials or such others and are not reconciled And when they threaten Princes and Magistrates with Excommunication if not Deposition if they do but Communicate with those that the Bishop hath Excommunicated 3. Or when they arrogate the power of the Sword themselves as Socrates saith Cyril did Or without necessity joyn in one person the Office of Priesthood and Magistracy when one is more than they can perform aright § 56. And it becometh much worse by the tyrannical abuse when being unable and unwilling to exercise true Discipline on so many hundred Parishes they have multitudes of Atheists Infidels gross ignorants and wicked livers in Church-Communion yea compel all in the Parishes to Communicate on pain of Imprisonment and ruine and turn their censures cruelly against godly persons that dare not obey them in all their Formalities Ceremonies and Impositions for fear of siâ—â—ing against God And when conniving at ignorant ungodly Priests that do but obey them they silence and ruine the most faithful able Teachers that obey not all their imposing Canons and swear not and subscribe not what they bid them § 57. Undoubtedly Satan hath found it his most successful way to fight against Christ in Christs own name and to set up Ministers as the Ministers of Christ to speak indirectly against the Doctrine Servants and interest of Christ and as Ministers of Light and righteousness and to fight against Church-Government Order Discipline and Unity by the pretences of Church Government Order Discipline and Unity and to cry down Schism to promote Schism and to depress Believers by crying up Faith and Orthodoxness and crying down Heresie and Errour Yea to plead God's Name and Word against himself and to set up Sin by accusing Truth and Duty as Sin § 58. II. That which I take for Lawful Indifferent Episcopacy is such as Hierome saith was introduced for the avoiding of divisions though it was not from the beginning When among many Elders in every single Church one of most wisdom and gravity is made their President yea without whom no Ordinations or great matters shall be done The Churches began this so early and received it so universally and without any considerable dissent or opposition even before Emperours became Christians that I dare not be one that shall set against it or dishonour such Episcopacy § 59. Yea if where â—â—t men are wanting to make Magistrates the King shall make Bishops Magistrates and joyn two Offices together laying no more work on them than will consist with their Ecclesiastick work though this will have inconveniencies I shall not be one that shall dishonour such or disobey them § 60. III. The Episcopacy which I dare not say is not of Gods institution besides that each Pastor is Episcopus Grâ—gis is that which succeedeth the Apostles in the Ordinary part of Church-Government while some Senior Pastors have a supervising care of many Churches as the Visiters had in Scotland and are so far Episcopi Episcoporum and Arch-bishops having no constraining power of the Sword but a power to admonish and instruct the Pastors and to regulate Ordinations Synods and all great and common circumstances that belong to Churches For if Christ set up one Form of Government in which some Pastors had so extensive work and power as Timothy Titus and Evangelists as well as Apostles had we must not change it without proof that Christ himself would have it changed § 61. But if men on this pretence will do as Rome hath done pretend one Apostle to be the Governour of all the rest and that they have now that Authority of that Apostle and will make an Universal Monarch to rule at the Antipodes and over all the World or will set up Patriarchs Primates Metrâ—politans and Arch-bishops with power to tyrannize over their Brethren and cast them out and on pretence of Order and imitating the Civil Government to master Princes or captivate the Churches to their pride and worldly interests this will be the worst and most pernicious tyranny § 62. And as it is not all Episcopacy so it is not all Councils that I design this History to dishonour No doubt but Christ would have his Church to be as far One as their natural political and gracious capacities will allow And to do all his work in as much love peace and concord as they can And to that end both seasonable Councils and Letters and Delegates for Concord and Communication are means which nature it self directeth them to as it doth direct Princes to hold Parliaments and Dyets In the multitude of Councellours there is safety Even frequent converse keepeth up amity In absence slanderers are heard and too oft believed A little familiarity in presence confuteth many false reports of one another which no distant defences would so satisfyingly confute And among many we may hear that which of few we should not hear How good and pleasant is it for Brethren to dwel together in Unity And the Concord of Christians greatly honoureth their holy profession as discord becometh a scandal to the world But all this and the measures and sort of Unity and Concord which we may expect and the true way to attain it I have fuller opened in a Treatise entitled The true and only tâ—rms of the Concord of all Christian Churches § 63. When Christians had no Princes or Magistrates on their side they had no sufficient means of keeping up Unity and Concord for mutual help and strength without meetings of Pastors to carry on their common work by consent But their meetings were only with those that had nearness or neighbourhood And they did not put men to travel to Synods out of other Princes Dominions or from Foreign Lands much less did they call any General Councils out of all the Christian Churches in the world But those that were capable of Communion by proximity and of helping one another were thought enough to meet for such ends § 64. And indeed neither nature nor Scripture obligeth us to turn such occasional helps into the forms of a State-policy and to make a Government of friendly consultations And therefore though where it may be done without fear of degenerating into tyranny known times of stated Synods or meetings of Pastors for Concord are best as once a
under him as frighted many against their Judgements to Curse the Council and those that held two Natures as Hereticks Some Bishops stood out and refused some fled from their Churches for fear The Isaurian Bishops when they had yielded repented and when they had repented they Condemned Severus that drove them to subscribe Two stout Bishops Cosmas and Severianus sent a Sealed Paper to Severus and when he opened it he found it was a Condemnation under their Hands The Emperour had notice of it and he being angry that they presumed to Condemn their Patriarchs sent his Procurator to cast them out of their Bishopricks himself at last being against the Council The Procurator found the People so resolute and bent to Resistance in defence of their Bishops That he sent word to the Emperour that these two Bishops could not be cast out without bloud-shed The Emperour sent him word that he would not have a drop of bloud shed for the business for he did what he did for peace § 46. Helias Bishop of Ierusalem found all the other Churches in such Confusion the Bishops Condemning one another that he would Communicate with none of them save Euphemius of Constantinople before his Ejection Niceph. c. 32. The Monks were engaged for the Council by such a means as this One Theodosius a Monk or Abbot gathering a great assembly lowdly cryed out in the Pulpit to them If any man equal not the four Councils with the four Evangelists let him he Anathema This Voice of their Captain resolved the Monks and they thenceforth took it as a Law that the four Councils should be saoris libris accensenda added or joyned with the sacred Books And they wrote to the Emperour Certamen se de eis ad sanguinem usâ—â— subiturâ—s that they would make good the Conflict for them even to blood Thus Monks and Bishops then submitted to Princes These Monks went about to the Cities to engage them to take their side for the Councils The Emperour hearing of this wrote to the Bishop Helias to reform it He rejecteth the Emperours Letters and refuseth The Emperour sendeth Souldiers to Compâ—ll or restrain them The Orthodox Monks that were for the Council gathered by the Orthodox Bishops tumultuously cast the Emperours Souldiers out of the Church Niceph. c. 34. After this they had another Contention and there Anathematized those that adhered to Severus The Emperour more provoked by all this sent Olympius with a band of Souldiers to Conquer them Olympius came and cast out Bishop Helias and put in Iohn The Monks gather again and the Souldiers bieng gone they come to Iohn and make him engage himself to be against Severus and to stand for the Council though it were unto Blood He yielded to the Monks and ingaged himself to the Council and brake his Word made to Olympius The Emperor is angry with Olympius for doing his Work no better and puts him out and sendeth another Captain Anastatius who came and put the Bishop Iohn in Prison and Commanded him to despise the Council Iohn consulting with another Bishop craftily promised to obey him if he would but let him out of Prison two days before that it might not seem a forced act This being done the Bishop on the contrary in the Pulpit before the Captain and the People cryeth out If any man assent to Eutyches and Nestorius Contraries and Severus and Soterichus Caesariansis let him be Anathema If any follow not the Opinions of the four Vniversal Synods let him be Anathema The Captain seeing himself thus deluded fled from the Multitude and was glad to save himself the Emperour being offended more at this The Bishops write to him that at Jerusalem the Fountain of Doctrine they were not now to learn the truth and that they would defend the Traditions if need be even to blood Niceph. 16. c. 34. At Constantinople the Bishop Timothy would please both sides and pleased neither To some he spake for the Council to others he Cursed it Being to make an Abbot the Man refused his Election unless he consented to the Council of Calcedon Timothy presently Cursed those that received not the Council His Arch-deacon hearing him reproached him that like Euripus roled every way The Emperour hearing it rebuked him And Timothy washt away the Charge and presently Cursed every one that received the Council Niceph. l. 8. c. 35. § 47. But what did Rome all this while It were too long to recite their proper History They were for the Council and they had other kind of Conflicts The Goths held them in Wars and had conquered them and Theodorick reigned there as King and so they were broken off from the Empire Arians ruled them who yet if Salvian say true did after shame the Orthodox in point of Temperance Truth and Justice But besides their following greater Schisms this Schism also did reach to them Festus a Roman Senator was sent by Theodorick to the Emperour on an Embassie which having done he desired of the Emperour that Constantinople might keep the Festival days of Peter and Paul which they did not before as they did at Rome and he prevailed And he secretly assured the Emperour that Anastasius Bishop of Rome would receive the Honoticon to suspend the consenting to the Calcedon Council and would subscribe it When this Ambassadour came home the Pope was dead To make good his Word to the Emperour he got a party to choose Laurentius Pope who would receive the Honoticon The People chose Symmachus their Bishop And so there were two Popes settled and the sedition continued three years not without Slaughter Rapines and other Calamities Nicephor cap. 35. Theodorick an Arian more rightuous than the Popes would not deprive them of their liberty of choice but called a Synod to judge which was the rightful Bishop and upon their judgment confirmed Symmachus But Laurentius loth to lose the prey stirred up the People to Sedition and thereupon was quite degraded This was a beginning of Schisms at Rome § 48. The Emperour at Constantinople favouring the addition Qui crucifixus est pro nobis the People who disliked it seditiously cut off a Monks head and set it upon a pole inscribing An Enemy to the Trinity The Emperour overcome and wearied with their Confusions and Orthodox Murders and Rebellions called an Assembly and offered to resign his Empire desiring them to choose another This smote them with remorse and they desired him to reassume his Crown and promised to forbear Sedition But he dyed shortly after § 49. Anno 452. Valentinian the Roman Emperour attempted a great alteration with the Bishops by a Law recalling the Judicial Power of the Bishops in all Causes except those of Faith and Religion unless the parties contending voluntarily chose them for the Judges This Binnius and the other Papists take for a heinous injury to the Church In all mens judgment saith Binnius it is absurd that the Sheep should judge his Shepherd If to day