Socrates also in his Ecclesiasticall Historie writeth of Eusebius Emisenus an Arrian Heretique vnder the reigne of Constantius who had the gift of working miracles And Platina writeth of miracles wrought at the sepulchre of Rhotaris king of Lombardis an Arrian prince Yea and the Apostle Paul saieth if I had all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Nowe what wisedome is it to count working of miracles one of the principall notes of the true Church of Christ. which is found also in the kingdome of the Antichrist and amongst Heretiques amongst them who in the sight of God are counted nothing if we taught a doctrine either in substaÌ„ce or forme different from the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles it were good reason that we should confirme it with new miracles But if wee teach no doctrine except the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles then is that ancient doctrine alreadie sufficientlie confirmed by ancient miracles wrought by Christ his Apostles Nowe let vs set forward to the purpose and let vs speake of the false miracles whereby the kingdome of the Antichrist was aduanced and that through the mightie operation of Sathan for like as Achab is saide to haue consented to the death of Naboth because the letters which procured his death were sealed with his ring Euen so Sathan liked well the aduancement of the Antichrist because he set himself to worke by many lying miracles to aduance the kingdome of the Antichrist Before the 600. yeere of our Lord when the way was preparing for the Uniuersall Bisshop was not the worshipping of the Crosse confirmed in Apamea by the fiâ—…e which shined about Thomas bishop there and burned him not The towne of Edessa was thought to bee saued by the picture of Christ dipped in water which picture was alledged to haue beene sent to King Agbarus The towne of Sergiopolis to haue beene sâ—…ued by the reliques of the martyr Sergius But after the 600. yeere of our Lord false miracles were so multiplied that it would be tedious to reade the shortest abridgement of them that could bee compiled The miracles wrought by the reliques of Sainct Oswald King of ENGLAND written by Beda The miracles wrought by the reliques of Iohn Baptist written by Sigebertus and of S. Sebastian written by Paulus Diaconus The miracles of the popes Deus dedit and pope Agatho written by Platina The miracles of S. Dionyse S. Maurice and S. Martine who miraculously deliuered the soule of Dagoberius King of France out of the handes of euill spirites written also by Platina The miracle of Immas a captiue and a prisoner in ENGLAND whome no bandes could binde because his brother beeing a Priest and supposing that Immas had beene slaine in the battell and that his soule had beene in purgatorie hee made prayers to GOD and saide Masse oft times for reliefe of his brothers soule the benefite whereof as Beda supposeth redounded to the weale of Immas soule and bodie O foolishe fable and yet thought worthie by master Brestow by a newe coÌ„memoration thereof to be kept in continuall remembrance To bee short the Legendes Portuses Festiuals Promptuaries Sermones and other bookes of the Romane Church which are all stuffed so full that nothing almoste is thought to bee sufficiently proued that is not confirmed by a number of false and friuolous miracles all these I saye clearely prooue in what account false miracles were and are in the kingdome of the Antichrist Euery man who is a judicious Reader may consider that I leaue this point not for lâ—…cke of aboundance of matter but for feare to offende the Reader with superfluitie of miracles vnworthie to bee rehearsed The thirde cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is set downâ—… in the 10. verse in these wordes In all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perishe In which wordes the Apostle pointeth out vnto vs three thinges First that the marke and butte whereat the Antichrist shooteth is vnrighteous Secondly the meanes whereby hee endeuoureth to attaine vnto his intended purpose are deceitfull and thirdly that the deceitfulnesse of the Antichrist shall not hurt the elect of God but onely them that perish The principall butte and ende whereat they aimed continually was superioritie and preheminence aboue their brethren The deceitfull meanes whereby they attained to that preheminence were flatterie lies and fâ—…lse accusations of good men They flattered the Emperours Phocas and Basilius They falsified the actes of the Councell of Nice for excessiue desire to bee counted judges of appellations They accused the bishops of Rauenna moste falsely of the Heâ—…esie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not content with superioritie ouer their brethren they aimed continually at the honour due to Christ that is to bee law-giuers in the Church of God This was a matter of greater difficultie to bee brought to passe for albeit a man may climbe vp vnto the toppe of the highest mountaine in the worlde yet can hee not reach his hand aboue the Sunne and Moone and the glistering lightes of the firmament Euen so when all the Bishops in the worlde are casten vnder the feete of the Bishops of ROME howe dare they presume with sacrilegious boldenesse to make themselues companions to CHRIST and to bee Lawe-giuers in the Church By deceiueable meanes also this vnrighteousnesse behooued to bee brought to passe for a false opinion was setled in the heartes of the people That in matters of Faith the Bishop of ROME coulde not erre So ignorant people bewitched with vaine hopes without all due examination receiued all their ordinances howe repugnant soeuer they were to the ordinances of CHRIST The last cause wherefore the ANTICHRIST shall preuaile so mightilie is the power of the wrath of GOD justlie punishing the contempt of His trueth in the worlde The contempt of mercie deserueth punishment and the contempt of great mercie deserueth great punishment Nowe it is certaine that amongst all the rich treasures of the mercie of GOD CHRIST is the greatest with whome and for whose sake all other thinges are giuen as the Apostle PAVL speaketh in the eight Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes and the thirtie and two verse And seeing CHRIST is manifested to the worlde by the preaching of the Gospell the contempt thereof is an vtter rejecting of CHRIST And what wonder is it that GOD suffer them to bee deluded with errours who will not belecue the trueth of His worde The strong delusions or efficacie of errour as the GREEKS worde soundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather to bee referred to the ostentation of signes and wonders than to the power of the doctrine that shall bee vnder the ANTICHRIST for it is saide In the Gospell according to Sainct MATTHEW in the twentle and fourth Chapter and the twentie and fourth verse thereof There shall arise false christes and false prophets and shall shewe great signes and wonders so that if it
this daye Crassus for his negligence and euill gouernement was deposed from his authoritie and Arnulphus his nephewe was declared Emperour ARNVLPHVS AFter the death of Carolus Crassus great troubles ensued in Italie by the factions of Berengarius whome the Lombardes choosed to bee King of Italie on the one part and Guido Duke of Spoleto whome others choosed to reigne in Italie on the other part In the middest of these factions Arnulphus leadeth an armie out of Germanie Hee tooke the Towne of Bergamum and hanged Ambrose the Earle thereof vpon a Gibbet before the port of the Towne This seueritie terrified other Townes and made them to yeelde Hee addressed towardes Rome and was â—…rowned Emperour by Formosius whose enemies hee punished vnto the death From thence hee addressed to fight against Guido but hee fledde and escaped the Emperoures handes The wife of Guido hauing no puissance to resist the Emperoures forces shee hired some of the Emperoures seruantes who gaue vnto him a cuppe of poyson which brought vpon him a lethargie and three dayes sleeping continuallie After this hee arose sicke and left the siedge for hee was besieging the wife of Guido and hee died after hee had reigned twelue yeeres In the East gouerned Leo the sonne of Basilius in whose time the Saracenes conquered Taurominium a Towne in Sicill and the Isle of Lemnos CHAP. II. Of Popes Patriarches Pastors and Doctors AFTER LEO the third succeeded STEPHANVS the fourth and ruled seuen monethes He was not elected with consent allowance of the Emperour but only by the Clergie and people of Rome Here it is well marked by Functius that the Romane Church doeth obserue their owne lawes so inuiolably that the priuiledge granted to the Emperour by Pope Leo the thirde it is vndone againe euen in his first successors time to wit in Pope Stephanus the fourth his time In the thirde moneth of his Popedome he journeyed toward France for what cause it is not certaine but it appeareth he would trie the Emperours mind whether or no hee was grieued for this that hee had beene elected Pope without the consent and fore-knowledge of the Emperour When he returned againe finding that Ludouicus Pius the Emperour was not greatly grieued at the matter but accepted his excuse he began to make Commentaries vpon the Decrees of Hadrian the first and Leo the third to wit that they meaned not that the Emperour should be first acquainted with the election of the Pope but rather that after his election the Emp. should be acquainted with this businesse before the Pope were anointed By such false Glosses and Commentaries they were by degrees excluding the Emperour from all kinde of intromission with the election of the Pope After Stephaâ—…us the fourth succeeded Pascalis the first who was elected without consent of the Emperour He sent Ambassadours to excuse himselfe to the Emperour Ludouicus Pius because the Clergie and people had compelled him to accept the Popedome The Emperour Ludouicus Pius on the other part seeing how this matter went and that he was troubled with the vnconstancie ambition and obstinacie of the Romane Church hee gaue them libertie to choose their owne bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Emperour in time to come And Pascalis after hee had ruled seuen yeeres and seuenteene dayes hee ended his course Eugenius the seconde succeeded to Pascalis and ruled foure yeeres His popedome was in the time when Lotharius was appointed to gouerne Italie His commendations are these Great Learning great Eloquence with a mixture of great hypocrisie Valentinus the successour of Eugenius within the space of fourtie dayes after that hee was elected of a Deacon to bee Pope hee concluded his life To Valentinus succeeded Gregorius the fourth and ruled sixteene yeeres Ludouicke and his sonne Lotharius were Emperours at this time without whose consent hee woulde not accept his Popedome Gregorie would haue seemed to haue bene a mediator betwixt Ludouicke and his sonnes but hee is marked with a note of shame in the Magdeburg history as a man who encreassed discord rather than quenched it What hee did in the Conuention at Aken which was conueened by the authoritie of the Emperour it shall bee declared God willing in its owne place To Gregorie the fourth succeeded Sergius the second and ruled three yeeres Hee seemed to be the first Pope who changed the name giuen vnto him in Baptisme for he was called Osporci that is the mouth of the Sowe and for the turpitude of the name he called himselfe by the name of one of his antecessours Lotharius sent Ludouicke his eldest sonne accompanied with manie Noble persons to be crowned Emperour for Lotharius thought meete to enterinto a Monasterie and to lament for his by-past sinnes especially for grieuing the heart of his father Ludouicus Pius He augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the seconde succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled eight yeeres three monethes Hee was a man of many crafts a builder a warriour and a Bishop Hee compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the Towne He was also a warriour and faught against the Saracenes against whom also hee preuailed And finally at some times hee was a Bishop and hee gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous and lying writinges In this Popes dayes Eáelwulphus King of ENGLAND came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made Hee was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause he ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in ENGLAND that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo thefourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of BRITANNIE derogateth credite to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceeding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384. yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ihonne the eight an ENGLISH woman borne in the Towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and shee profited in learning beyonde her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue monethes and
MAXIMINVS but they were both cut off by CAPELLIANVS Captaine of the Mauritanians Within a short time the senate of Rome chused MAXIMVS PVPIENVS and BALBINVS to be Emperours and to resist the tyrannie of MAXIMINVS But this election displeased the people of Rome therefore they were compelled to associat GORDIANVS a young man of 13. yeeres olde in conjunct authoritie with them This GORDIANVS was the nephew of him who was Procâ—…nfull in Africke and the souldiers made out of the way MAX. PVPIENVS and BALBINVS So GORDIANVS reigned himselfe alone without associats sixe yeeres Chron Func Philippus PHILIPPVS a man borne in Arabia and his son reigned fiue yeeres Chron Func Bucolc EVSEBIVS saith 7. yeeres He was the first Emperour who became a Christian and was baptized by FABIANVS B. of Rome Hee was content to stand among the number of the penitents who made confession of their sinnes for his life was reproouable in some things before his conuersion Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 34. especially in slaying of GORDIANVS an Emperour inclined to peace DECIVS one of the Captaines of his armie conspired against him and slewe him and his sonne and reigned in his stead Decius DECIVS and his sonne obteiued the empire 2. yeeres Chron. Func Whether for hatred of PHILIP his master whome hee had slaine or for detestation of Christians or for couetous desire of the treasures of PHILIP left in the custodie of FABIAN B. of Rome or for some other cause it is not certaine Alwayes he mooued a terrible persecution against the Christians The martyrs who suffered death in the time of this persecution were innumerable Some few of the principall martyres I shall rehearse ALEXANDER Bishop ' of Jerusalem died in prison at Casarea BABYLAS B. of Antiochia died likewise in prison FABIAN B. of Rome suffered martyrdome DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS by a wonderfull prouidence of God escaped the handes of persecuting enemies CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was banished and reserued to the honour of martyrdome vntill the dayes of VALERIAN the eight persecuter ORIGEN who from his childhood was desirous of the honour of martyredome in this persecution of DECIVS he fainted and his heart was so oucrset with feare to haue his chaste body defiled with an vgly Ethiopian that he choosed rather to offer incense to the Idole then to be so filthily abused For this cause hee was excommunicate by the Church of Alexardria and for very shame fled to Judea where hee was not onely gladly receiued but also requested publickely to preach at Ierusalem Neuerthelesse in stead of teaching hee watred his face with teares when he reade these words of scripture To the wak d man sath God What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinancse that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy month Ps. 50. ver 16. These words so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that hee closed the booke and sate downe and wept all the congregation wept with him Hist Mag. Cent. 3. cap. 10. No pitie nor compassion was had neither of sexe or age In this persecution APOLLONIA a virgine of good yeeres after they had dashed her face with battons till all her teeth were stricken out of her jawes they burned her quicke at the port of Alexandria This is that holy martyre whose teeth the Romaine church in our dayes say that they haue them as holy monuments kept in the treasures of their reliques vntill this time But the tryall that was taken of late dayes by HENRIE the eight king of England seeking for the teeth of APOLLONIA as a remedy of the toothach clearly prooueth that many teeth are supponed to be the teeth of APOLLONIA that were neuer fastened in her jaw bones Chemnisius dereliquiis The death of QVINTA AMMONARION MERCVRIA DIONYSIA clearly declareth what pitie was had of the weakenesses of women IVLIANVS an olde and gowtie man burned with fire testifieth what regard was had to the gray haires of ancient men DIOSCORVS a yong man not exceeding 15. yeres of age albeit they were ashamed to condemne him to death yet he escaped not many painfull torments was a glorious Confessour with patient expectation awaiting vntill the Lord should call him to the honour of martyrdome NEMESION was accused in Alexandria as a companion of brigants and was punished with stripes and fire vnto the death with greater seueritie then any brigant albeit his innocencie was sufficiently knowne AMMON ZENON PTOLEMEVS INGENVVS THEOPHILVS warriours and knights standing by the tribunall seate beckened with their hands to a certaine weake Christian who for feare was readie to incline and fall that hee should continue constant and stepped to the bench and professed themselues to be Christians This dayly increasing courage of Christians who were emboldened by the multitude of sufferings astonished and terrified the Iudges Euseb lib. 6. cap. 41. ISCHYRION was slaine by his owne master The number of martyres in Alexandria and Egypt of whome DIONYSIVS in his epistle written to FABIVS Bishop of Antiochia maketh mention clearely testifieth that if the names of all those who suffered martyrdome in the townes of Rome Carthage Antiochia Ephesus and Babylon were particularly set down ouer and beside others who suffered in other townes of Asia Africke and Europe subject to the dominion of the Romaine Emperour it were not possible in the volume of a litle booke to comprehend them all For mine owne part I presume not to do it but I reuerence the painfull trauelles of learned men who haue dipped deepely into such a fruitfull subject specially the writer of the booke of martyres Onely I find somethings in this seuenth persecution which the principall purpose wherefore I haue collected this compend will not permit mee to passe ouer with silence Namely these first let no man thinke that the veritie is weake and hath neede to bee strengthened by a lie as NICEPHORVS is accustomed to doe The seuen martyres of Ephesus whose names were MAXIMIANVS MALCHVS MARTINIANVS DIONYSIVS IOANNES SERAPION and CONSTANTINVS were lurking in a caue the entrie where of DECIVS commanded to be closed with great heapes of stones to the end that the forenamed Christians might be killed with famine which came to passe indeede Yet famine could not sâ—…parate these holy Martyres from Christ. But NICEPHORVS the father of many other fables also saith that they fell on sleepe in which they continued till the time of THEODOSIVS that is from the 250 vntill the 379. yeere of our Lord and then they did awake out of their sleepe saith NICEPHORVS lib. 5. cap. 27. But he who will giue hastie credite to NICEPHORVS fables writing of the 7. martyres who lurked in a caue of mount Caelius and to EVAGRIVS description of BARSANVPHIVS an Egyptian monke who enclosed himselfe in a cottage beside Gaza for the space of 50. yeeres and vsed no kinde of bodily refreshment to sustaine his earthly tabernacle he may be easily led to all kinde of errour The second thing worthy to be marked is that
vnder the coÌ„duct of the SVLTAN of Babylon wherein an hundreth thousand men were slaine Thus was Ierusalem recouered out of the hands of the Saracens with great effusion of blood and GODFREY crowned king of Ierusalem But it was so deare bought and so soone lost againe for this kingdome continued not 100. yeeres that God gaue cleare testimonies to the world that he liked not that vnhappie Counciâ—…l of Claremontâ—… whereby the peace of the world was perturbed and blood was shed aboundantly like water powred out vpon the ground the mindes of the infidels so exasperat against Christians that albeit they haue payed vs home againe with the conquest of Thracia Bulgaria Macedonia Gracia Ploponesus and a great part of Hungaria and illyricum yet are not their hearts satisfied but set on edge through remembrance of the armie that came to besiege Ierusalem I leaue off to speake of the vnprosperous successe of CONRADVS 3. and howe his armie besieging Iconium was impoysoned by the falshood of EMANVEL Emperour of Constantinople and the successe of LEWES king of France and ROGERIVS duke of Sicil to whome all things succeeded not to their contentment as the siege of Damascus clearly declareth No better successe had PHILIP king of France and RICHARD king of England who enterprised likewise to recouer againe all that was lost but king RICHARDS shipwrack captiuitie ransome 〈◊〉 that the voyages to the holy lande seldome had a good succâ—…sse The calamitie of BARBAROSSA who seemed to prosper but was pitifully drowned in the passage of a riuer And finally the compelled returning of FRIDERICKE the 2. in the mids of his victories to saue his owne dominions from the outrage and oppression of the Pope the bad successe I say of all these expeditions and other moe declareth that God gaue not his blessing to the Councill of Claremont So that in very deede the aduancement of the Bishop of Rome tendeth to the calamitie of the whole world The second tragedie that followed the high aduancement of the B of Rome was bellum pontificium others call it bellum Imperatorium a cruell and hatefull warfare betweene the Emperours and Bishops of Rome wherein no sort of villanie falshood barbarous crueltie was left vnpractised against noble and worthy Emperours GREGORIE 7 caused the Emperour HENRY 4. at Canusium in sharpe winter weather to stand barefooted and to craue absolution from him He vttered a false prophecie of the Emperours death within yeere and day which when the issue declared to be a lying prophecie he took him to his shifting mental meaning that he spake of the spirituall death of the Emperours soule and not ofhis bodily deathPope PASCALIS 2. stirred vp HENRY 5. against his owne naturall father HENRY 4. and caused raise the body of the noble Emperour HENRY 4 out of his sepulchre so that it remained 5. yeeres vnburied Pope ADRIAN 4. was offended because the Emperour BARBAROSSA held his left stirrop in stead of the right stirrop when the Pope mounted vp vpon his horse Pope ALEXANDER3 trampled vpon the same Emperours necke Pope GREGORY 9. by his cursings compelled the Emperour FREDERICKE 2. to leade an armie to Asia against the Turkes and Saracens and in his absence like vnto a deceitfull traitor inuaded the kingdome of Naples and the rest of the dominions which in heritage belonged to the Emperour Thus we see clearly in this second tragedie that the B. of Rome was like vnto the melt in the body when it waxeth great by swelling and hardnesse all the rest of the noble parts are lessened and become weake euen so the excessiue preferment of the Bishoppes of Rome was the vndoing of the Emperours and princes of the earth The Bishops of Rome not contented with the two tragedies already mentioned to wit to haue filled the world with blood and to haue trampled the Emperouâ—…s princes vnder foot they added the third tragedie woâ—…st of all They would be lawgiuers sitting in the very chaire of Christ and making of none effect the ordinances of Christ to the ende that place might be giuen to their constitutions INNOCENTIVS 3 in the Councill of Lateran confirmed the blasphemous doctrine of transubstantiation Ann. 1215. In the generall Councill holden by GREGORIE 10. Ann. 1273. forgiuenes of sinnes was promised in most ample maner to those that would bee marked with the badge of the crosse and would goe and fight against the Saracens But Christ promiseth remission of sinnes to such onely as repent their sinnes beleeue in him in token of true repentance to these who beare the easie yocke light burden of Christ Mat. 11. ver 28 29. 30. In the generall Council gathered by CLEMENS 5. in Vienne Ann. 1311. it was ordained that the Pope should not be subject to the Emperour but rather the Emperor to the Pope that the Emperor shal giue his oth of alledgance to the Pope expresse contrary to the written word of God Let euery soule be subject vnto the hier powers Ro. 13 ver 1. Ioh 23. with aduise of SIGISMVND gathered a generall Councill at Constance Ann. 1414. wherein the very testamental legacie of Christ was altered and impaired by sacrilegious prelats in taking from the people the vse of the holy cup in the sacrament And the clause Non obstante set down in their act made the whole people of Christendome to tremble that they durst not set their mouthes against the heauen and correct the ordinance of Christ and that in such rude maner that notwithstanding that Christ instituted this sacrament vnder formes both of bread wine yet the church thought meete that the sacrament shal be giuen to laicke people vnder the forme of bread only The late Councils of Basil Florence are flat repugnant one to another in the head of supremacie And last of all the Councill of Trent wherein some piece of reformation was expected made it knowne to the world that the whore will neuer reforme the Borthell and the Antichrist will not be consumed with the breath of his own mouth but with the breath of the mouth of Christ which thing the Lord performe in his owne time Amen FINIS A SHORT COMPEND OF THE HISTORIE OF THE FIRST TEN PERSECVTIONS MOVED AGAINST CHRISTIANS DIVIDED INTO III. CENTVRIES WHEREVNTO ARE ADded in the end of euery Centurie treatises arising vpon occasion offered in the historie clearely declaring the noveltie of Popish Religion and that is neither flowed from the mouthes of Christs holy Apostles neither was it confirmed by the blood of the holy Martyrs who died in these ten persecutions IEREM 6. ver 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand in the Wayes and behold and aske of the old Way which is the good Way and Walke therein and ye shall find rest unto your soules but they said We will not walke therein LVC. 10. ver 42. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken a Way from her EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Hart
Righteousnesse the affaires of their Kingdome Bambaâ—… King of Gothes which nation reigned in Spaine resigned the title of his Royall authouritie to Euringus and entred into a Monâ—…erie Sâ—…bbus King of the Orientall Saxons left his Kingdome and entred into a Monasterie to the end that it might seeme that GOD gaue allowance vnto this superstition false miracles were inuented to grace this fact of sebbus for the tombe whereinto his bodie was laide beeing â—…n length an hand brâ—… shorter then his corpes was miraculously enlarged and lengthened to the just proportion of his dead bodie so that in the seuenth CENTURIE and about the dayes of Pope Vitaliaâ—…s it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of the people that three adm rable thing s feil out in their age First innumerable Abbaciâ—…s were builded Secondly the heads of King were shauen and they entred into Monastries Thirdly that whoredome waâ—… canonized that is notable â—…arlots were counted Saintes So with the increasing number of Monastâ—…ies superstition false miracles and a lewde conuersation in like maner daily increased In the eight CENTURIE Rachis King of Lom-bardis entred into the Abbacie called Cassinerse in Italie and his brother Aistulphus gouerned the affaires of the Kingdome in the dayes of Pope Zachariâ—… Caralomannus the elder brother of Pipinus King of France was first in the Monasterie builded vpon the Mount Sarapte afterwarde in the Monasterie called Cassinâ—…nse whether voluntarily or against his will I dispute not and hee ended his life in the Monasterie of Vienne in France beeing transported thither against his heart by the violence of his brother Pipinus In the ninth and tenth CENTURIES the Bilshops of Rome finding that their estate was mightily aduanced by Abbacies and Nunneries they also on the other part endeuoured to aduance the Monasticke life in so farre that Kings Princes were allured to profefâ—… themselues to be of the order of Monkes with dispensation not the lesse to them from the Bisshop of Rome vnder whose souereignity all high powers began to stoupe to gouerne their owne Kingdomes prouiding alwayes that with liberall giftes they had enriched the chaire of Rome So it came to passe that the world saw a rare and vnquoth spectacle to wit Kingly Monks and Monkes Kinges Yea and Kings were so bewitched with seducing speaches that they who would not abase their Royall estate with participation of Monkish orders yet they thought it was so holy and meritorious a turne to build Monasteries that by so doing they might merite forgiuenes of hainous sins As Edgarus king of England a man contaminated with many vild spots of sinne such as adultery murther tyranny and an aâ—…tender vpon three notable harlots yet because hee was accustomed euery yeere to build an Abbacy this holy fact abolished the remembraÌ„ce of all his faultes and made him worthie afâ—…er his death to haue his name togâ—…ther with the name of Wâ—…frida an holy Nunne and yet the Kings whore the name of her daughter Edâ—…ha whom she did beare to the King All their names I say were counted worthie to bee enrolled in the Catalogue of Saintes Caziminus King of Poll beeing driuen from his Kingdome entered into a Monasterie of France in the dayes of Benedict the ninth and the Poloâ—…ian Ambassadours who came to France to entrait their king to returne againe to his Kingdome wâ—…re fore grieued at his negatiue an were Yet by the meanes of Pope Benedict the ninth at whose handes all thinges might haue beâ—…ne obtained for money they obtained their King againe with libertie to him to marrie and to procreate children If Monasticke vowes bee lawfull the loosing of the bandes of Monasticke vowes for money was not lawfull This Benedâ—…ctus the ninth is he of whom Platina writeth that after his death his effigie appeared vnto a câ—…rtaine man horrible and monstrous more like the similituâ—…e of a Beast then of a man which betokened the beastly conuersation of this vnhappie Pope in his lifetime The examples of late dayes that are recent in all mens memorie of Lordes Earles Dukes Ladies yea and of the Emperour Charles the fift in his olde dayes who entered into Monastries and Nunneries whether to leade or to conclude their lifetime I passe ouer with silence This was the glorie of Monkes since the six hundreth yeere of our LORD vntill our dayes that Kinges Monarches Popes and mightie men in the world magnified their estate by repairing olde Monasteries building new Abbacies and bestowing great reuenewes and rents vpon them and some times as saide is entering themselues into Monastries either to leade or to ende their liues Monasteries also of late dayes became places of imprisonment especiallie of Noble persons dejected from their anteriour dignities so that Pope Christophorus himselfe in the dayes of the Emperour LODOVICUS the thirde beeing dejected from his Papall dignitie was thrust into a Monasterie Unicum 〈◊〉 refugium as saieth Platina that is the onely refuge of men who were in calamitie Constantine the sonne of the Emperour Leo thrust his brethren into a Monasterie rendri gâ—…vnto them a just recompence of the like inhumanitie that they had practised against their owne father Likewise Monastries became places whereinto men entered to sorrowe for by-past offences imagining that by the strickt obseruation of the rules of the Monasticke life they might obtaine forgiuenesse of sins at the handes of GOD. Paulus Cyprius Bishop of CONSTANTINOPLE before the seconde Councill of NICE entered into a Monasterie and lamented for that hee had consented to the abolishing of Images in the Councill assembled by CONSTANTINUS COPRONYMUS This PAULUS CYPRIUS was a man of a base timorous and feeble spirite who neuer knewe what the Godlie sorrowe described by the Apostle PAULE did meane which causeth repentance to saluation not to bee repented for hee had great neede to haue repented this his repentance and his sorrowe was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Paul speaketh 2. Corint 7. This bastard glorie aboue specified whereof Monkes rejoiced when the firâ—…t ornamentes were lost did rather belong to the Conuentuall Monkes than to the Anachorites Wee reade not of Kinges who delited to exchange their Kingdomes with the solitarie liuing by themselues apart in the Wildernesse except Suatacopius King of Moravia who beeing ouercome in battell by the Emperour Arnulphus hee went to the Wildernesse wherin hee continued vntill the day of his death eating hearbes and drinking water with greater contentment of mind then hee liued before in the pleasures of his Kingdome As concerning â—…saphat King of India of whom Damascene writeth that hee forsooke his Kingdome and went to the Wildernesse and exercised himselfe continually in reading and praying for the space of fiue and thirtie yeeres it is but a fabulous narration and the writer of it cannot cite so much as one approued Author for confirmation of his alleadged Historie But the purpose of Damascene is to confirme a
with extraordinarie giftes of working miraculous workes hee indued them the departure of Valerius he was B. of Hippo his vncessant trauels in teaching GODS people and in stopping the mouthes of Heretiques and gainsayers of the trueth of GOD specially Donatists Pelagians and Manichean Heretiques his learned writings doe testifie When hee had liued 76. yeeres he rested from his labours before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo which in time of Augustines sicknesse they had besieged In this Centurie flourished worthie preachers in France such as Eutherius B. of Lions Saluianus B. of Marseill who liued at that time when the nation of the Gothes oppressed France and many beganne to doubt of the prouidence of GOD in respect that wicked men had so great vpper-hand Salvianus in his godly and learned bookes doeth declare that it is a iust thing with GOD to punish men who knowes their dutie best with greatest punishments in respect that oft times they are most negligent doers of it Claudianus Mammertus B. of Vienne is praised by Sidonius with excessiue coÌ„mendations as if all the graces of Ierom Augustine Basilius Nazianzenus and many other fathers had beene in corporated into his person Hilarius first bishop of Arls and afterward as appeareth of Vienne opponed himselfe directly to Leo B. of Rome and would acknowledge no iurisdiction nor domination of the B. of Rome ouer the Churches of France for this cause Leo accused him as an vsurper of supremacie onely because hee would not stoupe vnder his feete but Hâ—…larius came to Rome nothing regarding the anathems and cursings of the Romane bishop and in his face affirmed that neither did CHRIST appoint Peter to bee hâ—…ad of the rest of the Apostles neither had the B. of Rome a soueraignitie ouer the Churches of France All the grandure of Leo his speaches who doth talke of those few words Tues Petrus super hac petra c. that is thou art PETER and vpon this rocke c. as if CHRIST had breathed vpon him and had bidden him receiue the holy Spirit so confidently did hee affirme that in these wordes was allotted a supremacie to the bishops of Rome the successors of PETER But this grandure I say of his proud conceats vaine interpretation of Scripture made not men of vnderstanding incontinently to stoup vndâ—…r the feet of a proud Prelat Vincentius Lirinensis a mighty impugner of herâ—…sies PROSPER AQVITANICVS SIDONIVS Bishop in some part of Ouerme MARTINVS TVRONENSIS is commended for the gift of many miraculous workes that were wrought by his hands He compared virginitie marriage and fornication to a medow a part where of was eaten by the pastoring of beastes another part was holled by the rudenes of wourting swine and the third part was vntouched but flourishing in the perfect growth of grasse neere to mowing time Fornication hee compared to the part of the medow that was holled and misfassioned with swine Mariage to that part of the medow that was pâ—…stored so that the herbes had their rootes but wanted the beautie of their flowres but virginitie is like vnto that part of the medow that is vntouched flourishing with roote blade flowre and all kinde of perfection In counting mariage good but virginitie better hee followeth the doctrine of the holy Apostle PAVL Reon gius B. of Rhemes by whom Clodoueus the first Christian king of France was baptized the whole countrie of France was purged from Paganisme and Arrianisme whereby it was miserably polluted by the Gothes and Vandales was a man of great account Concerning Aurelius and the bishops of Carthage Memnon and the bishops of Ephesus some occasion will bee offered to speake of them in the head of Councils neither will the nature of a Compend and breuitie whereunto I studie permit me to write of euery worthie man of whom I read in this Centurie CHAP III. Of Heretiques PELAGIVâ—… BRITO and his followers IVLIANVS and Coelestius maintained damnable heresies in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius their pernicious heresies may be easily knowne by the learned writings of Augustine who directly impugneth the Pelagians by the Councils of Arausio in France Milevitanum in Numidia which damned the error of the Pelagians They affirmed that men by nature were able to fulfill the whole Law of GOD howbeit more easily better if they were supported by the grace of GOD. They denied Originall sinne and said the posteritie of ADAM were sinners by imitation of ADAMS sinne but had not receiued sinne by carnal propagation They said moreouer that children had not need to be baptized for remission of sinnes and that godly fathers in Scripture when they confessed their sinnes they did it rather for example of humilitie than for necessitie and guiltinesse of sinne This pestilent heresie was spread abroad in many places but chiefly in the Isle of Britaine because Pelagius being driuen from Rome came to the Isle foresaid and infected it with his errour but by the diligent trauelles of Germanus Altisidorensis and Palladius sent from Coelestinus B. of Rome both England and Scotland were freed from that errour Nestorius B. of Constantinople liued in the dayes of Theodosius 2. He was an eloquent man but his head lacked braines when he spake against the personall vnion of the divine and humane Nature in CHRIST He denied that the Virgine MARIE could becalled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Deipara that is the mother of GOD but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mother of CHRIST He was damned as an hereticke in the Councill of Ephesus and banished by the Emp. Theodosius to the wildernes of Thebaida was plagued by GOD with extraordinare iudgements as other heretiques had bene before for his blasphemous tongue was consumed with wormes rotted in his mouth and so he ended his wretched life most miserablie Eutyches was an abbot in Constantinople he fell into an errour farre different from the heresie of Nestorius for Nestorius would not grant the personall vnion of two natures in Christ but Eutyches confounded the natures and would haue the humane nature so swallowed vp by the immensitie of the diuine nature in CHRIST that there was not two natures in CHRIST but one alanerly to wit the diuine nature Hee was damned in the Council of Chalcedon as wil be decla ed hereafter Godwilling This heresie much perturbed and troubled the Church in respect of the fautors and fauourers thereof both in policie and Church Chrysapbius a principal ruler in the Court of Theodâ—…sius 2. Basiliscus and Anastatius Emperours were fauourers of this heresie and of bishops not a few such as Dâ—…scorus B of Alexandria Timotheus Aelurus who entered into the chaire of Alexandria like vnto a Wolfe with shedding the blood of Proterius the true shepheard and Petrus Moggus B. of Alexandria and Petrus Gnapheus B. of Antiochia all these maintained the heresie of Eutyches a long time And now appeareth the fruit
politique others in the opinion of ignorant people were so deuote and holie that miracles were wrought by their handes and at their sepulchres namelie lying miracles aduancing the kingdome of the Antichrist The most remarkeable Bishops of Rauenna in this CENTVRIE were Theodorus Reparatus and Foelix all of contrarie dispositions so flat opposite one to another as possible could be Theodorus was teâ—…rible and couetous and when hee sawe that hee was despised by the people and Clergie being 〈◊〉 of reuenge hee betrayed the libertie of the Churâ—…h of Rauenna in the dayes of Pope Donus Reparatus being ignorant of that which â—…eodorus had done and finding tâ—…e Church of Rauenna subjected to the chaire of Rome for vâ—…rie heart griefe incontinent hee ended his life Foelâ—…x refused to paye vnto Pope Constantine the summe of money which he demanded as a testimonie of subjection For this cause Pope Constantâ—…e desired support from the Emperour Iustinian the second for subduing the Bish. of Rauenna Foelix on the other part hearing that the Emperours armie was approching to Rauenna for the cause aforesaid he instigated the people to fight for the liberty of their Church Both the armies faught with martiall courage In ende the Emperours armie preuailed the Towne of Rauenna was taken manie were slaine others were carried captiue to Constantinople the eyes of Foelix were put out the rest were banished to Bithynia What can bee found in this historie but pride on the one part ambiciouslie seeking superioritie and on the other part policie sometimes yeelding sometimes despairing and sometimes with bellicous hardinesse presuming to pleade a spirituall cause with weapons of a corporall warre-fare In this CENTVRIE manie miracles are attributed to persons whome the people counted to be deuote Ioannes Bishop of Bergomum in Lombardie was a man of so great reuerent account that Princes were wont by rising out of their Thrones to doe honour vnto him It happened vpon a time that hee reprooued Ivnipertvs king of LOMBARDIS freelie and sharpelie in time of a banquet IVNIPERTVS willing to bee reuenged of him prouided that hee should bee sent home vpon a strong fierce and loftie horse which was accustomed to cast the ryders and to teare and lacerate them But when the bishop of BERGOMVM was mounted vpon him hee left his fiercenesse and carried him peaceablie and calmelie vnto his owne house IOANNES AGNVS bishop of WTRECHT in whose hand a piece of drie timber budded and flourished yet was hee an idiote and an vnlearned man REMACLVS bishop of the same Towne and borne in Bourâ—… of FRANCE left his Episcopall office and went to the Wâ—…ldernesse where hee ledde an Heremiticall life defending his insolent fact by the example of MOSES ABRAHAM HELIAS HELISEVS and CHRIST himsâ—…lse who were all found to haue beene in the Wildernesse But if he had beene a man of deâ—…pe vnderstanding hee might haue alledged more pertinentlie the example of NARCISSVS bishop of IERVSALEM who in going to the Wildernesse foâ—… sooke his Episcopall office for a time than the example of CHRIST who went vnto the Wildernesse to enter into the holie office of Preaching after preparation of fasting praying and fighting with spirituall armour against the prince of Darknesse Notwithstanding hee is thought both in his life time and also after his leath to haue wrought miracles In AVSTVME a Towne of FRANCE called in Latine Augustodunum LEODEGARIVS is thought to haue reteined his voyce and the benefite of distinct speaking after that his tongue was cut out and that manie miraculous works were wrought after his death if credite can bee giuen to VINCENTIVS The miracles of ANDOENVS bishop of ROWEN who also writ a booke of the miraculous deliuerance of the soule of DAGOBERTVS King of FRANCE and an infinite number of other lying miracles all confirming superstition of purpose I leaue them as fables superaboundant in the writings of VINCENTIVS Concerning ISIDORVS HISPALENSIS occasion will bee offered to speake of him in the sixt Councell of Tolido The vaine disputation concerning the diuersitie of the keeping of EASTER daye in SCOTLAND and ENGLAND betwixt COLMANNVS and WVILFRIDVS it is as vnnecessary to be written as it was vnnecessary with heat and contention to haue bene disputed CHAP. III. OF HERESIES IN this age partlie through the malice of Sathan and partlie through the power of the wrath of GOD punishing the contempt of his trueth Heresies did mightilie abound for the heresie of Arrius beganne to reuiue againe and manie of the Kinges of Lombardis were addicted vnto it in speciall Rhotaris the sonne of Arioaldus who appointed that in euerie Towne of Lombardie there should be two Bishops hauing equall authoritie the one a Catholique bishop the other an Arrian In Scotland and England the heresie of Pelagius was renewed as Bedâ—… testifieth The Monkes of Syria propagated the heresie of Nestorius as Platina recordeth in the life of Donus the first The heresies of Seueritae Aphartodotitae Momphysitae Acephali Theopafcitae Iacobitae Armenii all were Eutychian heretiques differing one from another in some ceremonies in absurditie of speaches in authors whome they principally admired and followed in places where the heresie chiefelie increased in their carriage Likewise Staurolatrae were Eutychian heretiques but the worshipping of the Crosse was a note distinguishing them from other heretiques of their owne opinion Priscillianistae were heretiques who borrowed absurd opinions from Samosatenus and Photinus from Cerdon and Marcion and from the Manicheans but all these auncient erroures were sufficientlie refuted in auncient times The heresie of the Monothelites was a branch of the heresie of â—…tyches by a secretâ—… and craftie connoye insinuating it selfe in credite againe after it was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon The authors of this heresie were Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Patriarches of Constantinople and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Petrus bishop of Nicomedia with manie others They denied not directlie the two natures of CHRIST personallie vnited but onlie they affirmed that after the vnion of the two natures there was onlie one will and one opeâ—…tion in CHRIST Whereas the holie Scriptures attribute vnto CHRIST as Hee is man the action of sleeping and to CHRIST in respect of His diuine nature the action of compescing and calming the rage and stormie tempest of blowing windes and swelling Seas This heresie was damned in the sixt generall Councell as wee shall heare God willing in the owne place CHAP. IIII. OF COVNCELS IN the yeere of our LORD 607. and vnder the reigne of the Empâ—…rour Phocas a Councell was assembled at Rome of sâ—…uentie and two Bishops thirtie Presbyters and three Deâ—…cons In this Councell the priuiâ—…edge of supremacie giuen by Phocaâ—… to the Romane Church was published Likewise it was ordained vnder paine of cursing That during the life-time of a Bishop no man should talke of the election of another That no man by largition of money should purchase vnto himselfe
yeere of our LORD 712. a Councell was assembled at LONDON where ' Bonifacius was present and Brithuvaldus the chiefe Prelate of ENGLAND and the kings of Saxons domining in ENGLAND were commanded vnder paine of cursing to bee present at this Councell The purposes intraited in this Councell were two to wit concerning the adoration of images and prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices About worshipping of images no disputation was heard whether that forme of seruice did agree with the written worde of God or not This was counted a sufficient warrande for bringing images into places of Adoration and for worshipping them especially the image of the Virgine Marie that Eguvinus a superstitious Monke in England of the Order of S. Bennet who afterwardes was made a Bishop Hee affirmed that the Virgine Marie appeared vnto him in a dreame declared that it was her will that her image should bee set vp in Churches worshipped These dreames once confirmed by the oath of Eguvinus and approued by Constantine bishop of Rome and obtruded by Bonifacius the Popes Legate they were embraced in ENGLAND with little contradiction in such a corrupt time The other purpose entraited in this Councell was prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices This doctrine of the Romane Church was not receiued without reluctation of the Clergie Alwayes a ground was laide wherevpon followed a building of the doctrine of Deuils ABout the same time that is about the yeere of our LORD 712. it is supposed that the Emperour Philippicus gathared a Councell at Constantinople for vndoing of the sixt Generall Councell in the which the errour of the Monothelues was condemned and that he did this according to a promise made to a monke named Ihonne who fore-tolde him that hee shoulde bee made Emperour and craued this promise of him that when hee should bee aduanced to the Emperiall dignitie hee shoulde vndoe the sixt Generall Councell But the writers of this Historie doe not make particular mention of the Fathers who were present at this Councell The rest of the Historie is cleare that Philippicus razed the pictures of the Fathers who had bene present at this Councell and were pictured in the Temple of Sophia and that on the other part Pope Constantine the first not onely caused the same effigies to bee pictured in the portch of the Church of Sainct Peter at Rome but also procured that the Emperours name should bee rased out of Charters and that his effigie should not bee ingrauen in any kinde of coyned mettall Also it is cleare that Philippicus remoued Cyrus from his office and placed in his rowme Ihonne who fore-tolde him that hee shoulde bee Emperour IN the yeere of our LORD 714. pope Gregorius the second assembled a Councell in the which two bishops of Britanie to wit Sedulius and Fergustus were present It was ordained that Masses shoulde bee cel◅brated publikely in Temples which custome was not in vse before In the seconde Tome of Councels this Synode is referred to Gregorius the third A great number of the Canons of this Councell do concerne marriage That no man should take in marriage a woman who was the relict of a presbyter or a deacon or a nunne or his spirituall sister or his brothers wife or his neece or his mother in lawe or daughter in law or his neare cosines or a womā whom by theft or rauishing hee hath ledde away And that no man should consult with inchaunters and sorcerers And that no man shoulde violate the mandates of the Apostolicke chaire no not in a matter of an haire GREGORIVS the third after he had receiued a mandate from the Emperour Leo concerning abolishing of images he assembled a great Councell at Rome of 903. bishops in the which the Emperour Leo was excommunicated and depriued of his Emperiall dignitie Here marke the tyrannie and fiercenesse of the Antichrist who gaue such authoritie to a Romane preacher to dismount the Monarches of the world from their royall thrones Yet Gregorius the thirde attempted such high matters because the Em. Leo had disallowed the worshipping of images Likewise by his instigation the whole countr◅y of Italie refused to pay tribute to the Em. Now is the banner of the Antichrist displayed against the Emp. and this is a fore-running token of the hatefull inimirie which is to ensue betwixt the popes and the Emperours which God willing shall be declared in i◅s own time Likewise Anastatius patriarch of Constantinople was condemned and excommunicated in this Councell To fauour the Emperour and to dislike the worshipping of Images were two irremissable sinnes and meriting the great Anathems of the bisshop of Rome IN the yeere of our LORD 742 and in time of the reigne of Charles the Great and vnder the popedome of Zacharias the first Bonifacius Archbishop of Mentz assembled a Councell of the bishops pre◅byters and Clergie of France for reformation of abuses in that countrey or rather as the trueth is to bring the countrey of France as hee had alreadie brought manie parts of Germanie to a conformitie with the superstitious rites of the Romane Church It is to be marked that this Nationall Councell was assembled by the mandate of king Charles howsoeuer Bonifacius ordered the affaires of the Councell It was ordained That Synodes shoulde bee kept yeerelie and that Clergie men shoulde not put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two bishops with their presbyters and chaplens to prescribe pennance to them who shoulde happen to confesse their sinnes And that hunting and halking and such idle pastimes shoulde not bee vsed by the Clergie That euerie presbyter shall bee readie to giue account of his ministerie to his owne bishop in time of Lent especiallie concerning his ministration of Baptisme the summe of his Catholicke Faith the forme of his Prayers and the order of his saying of Masses That none vncouth bishop or presbyter be admitted without the triall and allowance of a Synode That presbyters and deacons bee not cloathed as seculare men with short cloakes but with the habite of men who are in spirituall offices And that no woman cohabite in the house with them That euerie bishop haue a care within his owne boundes to abolish all Heathnicke superstitions IN the yeere of our LORD 755. and in the thirteenth yeere of the Empire of Constantinus Copronymus a Generall Councell of three hundreth and thirtie and eight bishops was assembled at Constantinople by the commandement of the Emperour In this Councell the worshipping of images was damned and the placing of them in Oratories and Temples where the diuine Majestie is worshipped was forbidden as a custome borrowed from Pagans who had no hope of the resurrection and therefore solaced themselues with pictured similitudes of their friendes as if they had beene bodilie present with them Yea for three principall causes they damned the worshipping of images First because the worshipping of them is
their constitutions to bee so vilepended that they are not worthie of an answere and namely when they saye that the Church hath power to dispense with the degrees of consanguinitie forbidden in the eighteenth CHAPTER of LEVITICVS and for to appoint moe degrees impeding the binding vp of Marriage than are contained in that CHAPTER of LEVITICVS What answere shall bee giuen to such Apostates from the trueth of GOD They make so great account of the Canons of their Councels that they accurse all them who dare contradict anie of them and on the other part they make so light account of holie Canonicke Scripture that euen when they adde to the Scriptures of GOD or diminishe anie thing from them they are worthie to bee hearde and to bee regarded But HENRIE the eight King of ENGLAND when hee sought resolution in this question at the moste part of the Vniuersities in EVROPE if it were lawfull for the Bishop of ROME or for a Councell to dispense with the degrees of consanguinitie forbidden in the eighteenth of LEVITICVS hee receaued a negatiue answere That it was not lawfull so to doe The prohibition of Marriage in moe degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie than are contained in the XVIII of Leuiticus is a wicked inuention to make the Law of GOD of none effect For like as Cyrus when hee caused manie channels to bee made wherein the water of the Riuer Gyndes should bee deriued What intention had hee but to drie vp the Riuer Gyndes and to make it ebbe of water that young boyes girles should not bee afraide to wade thorowe it Euen so prohibitiue degrees added to the Lawe of GOD tended to none other purpose but to vndoe and make of none effect the blessed Lawe of GOD. And this appeareth the more manifestlie because in that same Canon in the which they claime libertie to adde moe degrees of prohibition of Marriage to the degrees forbidden in Leuiticus they claime also a libertie to dispense with the degrees forbidden by GOD. But GOD confoundeth the counsels of men which are opposite to His diuine institution and turneth them all to follie And the prohibition of Marriage vnto the seuenth degree was retrenched in the Councell of Laterane anno 1215 and reduced to the fourth degree of consanguinitie So men who woulde correct the ordinance of GOD they are like the Serpent whereof Epiphanius writeth contra heres which for hunger is compelled to gnaw his owne taile and to procure his owne death More-ouer the prohibition of Marriage with spirituall sisters that is with them to whome they haue beene witnesses in the Sacrament of Baptisme or Confirmation it is a constitution neither countenanced by Scripture nor knowne to Antiquitie but onelie leaning vpon the authoritie of the ROMANE Church and therefore the people and nations in our time who acknowledge CHRIST to bee the onelie Lawe-giuer in His owne Church they haue giuen this Antichristian lawe as the ashes that are casten to the dongue-hill Their constitution concerning diuorcementes that it is not lawfull for the innocent partie to marrie so long as the other partie is aliue with whom he was once married is partly conceaued vpon wrong interpretation of Scripture and partly vpon the opinion of ancient Fathers who misconceauing the right meaning of holy Scripture haue giuen to others occasion of stumbling and erring True it is that the Apostle Paul saith Let not the wife depart from her husband but if shee depart let her remaine vnmarried or be reconciled vnto her husband and let not the husband put away his wife 1. Cor. 7. 10. 11. In this place the Apostle is speaking of such alienation of minds as falleth out betwixt man and woman and separateth their cohabitation for a time but hee is not speaking of diuorcements justly made for fornication for like as death cutteth insunder the bandes of Matrimonie giueth liberty to the liuing party to marry in the Lord Rom. 7. 2. 3 Euen so fornication cutteth insunder the matrimoniall bande and giueth libertie to the innocent partie to marrie another in the Lord. Matth. 5. 32. The billes of diuorcement giuen to honest women in the old Testament after the receauing whereof they married other husbands as clearly appeareth in the booke of Deuteronomie cap. 24. vers 4. this custome I saye is no sufficient grounde to prooue that the innocent partie may marrie after diuorcement for such diuorcementes were rather tollerated for the hardnesse of the Iewes heartes than commaunded or allowed and because they were made without anie triall of fornication they are damned by Christ as occasions of adulteries Matth. 19. 9. But the exception that Christ maketh in expresse words of fornication declareth that the diuorcement made for fornication is a lawfull diuorcement and consequently giueth libertie to the innocent partie to marrie as death interuening giueth libertie to the partie liuing to marrie The opinion of Augustine concerning the exception of fornication made by Christ in the question of diuorcement Matthew 19. 9. hath so blinded the eyes of Lindanus and manie others of the Romane Church that they suppose the meaning of the words of Christ to bee this That a man who putteth awaye his wife for fornication and marrieth another hee sinneth not so grieuouslie as hee who putteth away his wife vngrieued with anie such transgression on her part Alwayes both the one and the other sinneth saieth hee if they marrie another during the life time of the first bedde-fellowe But with Augustines fauour exclusine wordes such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is cannot bee expounded by Magis and Minus but the meaning of Christs words is euident That except fornication cutte the matrimoniall band the husband should not repudiate his wife and hee who marrieth a woman who is not diuorced for whordome committeth adulterie TO conclude this TREATISE let no man bee mooued by the honour which the Romane Church seemeth to giue vnto Marriage when they call it an holy Sacrament neither bee much troubled when they speake vnreuerently of Marriage for in the Courtes of Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate Christ was scornefullie honoured and seriously mocked and buffetted Mat. 27 Euen so when the Romane Church speaketh honourably of Marriage they are onely sporting and delighting themselues with conceits and discourses but when they abhorre Marriage and speake vnreuerently of it then they speake seriously and from their heart But the LORD in His owne time will stoppe the mouthes of them who teach a doctrine of Deuils from whose deceitfull doctrine the LORD make His Church free to whome bee all praise power and dominion both nowe and euermore AMEN FINIS Apoc 4. 10. Acts 20. 32. Euseb. lib. 2. Cap. 12. loseph antiquit lib. 20 cap. 2 Genes 85 Zach. 3. Ioan 8. 36. 1. Sam 2. 14. Christ Was borne when the scepter was apparently sliding from Iuda Christs kingdome is euerlasting The vncertainty of tradition Romaine Deputies in Iudea The priestly garments Christ crucified in the 18