Church were the good Merchants of whom Christ speaketh who having found a pearle of vnspeakeable value were content to sell all they had for loue of gaining it they had tasted of the Well of water springing vp into eternall life and thirsted not againe for the water that cannot satisfie the heart of man with ful contentment In this second great persecution the beloved disciple of Christ the Apostle Iohn was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the word of God Flavia Domicilla a woman of noble birth in Rome was banished to Pontia an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italy Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Millain concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres God willing wee shall speake in the third Century and in the Treatise of Reliques Chytraus writeth that Timothie was stoned to death at Ephesus by the worshippers of Diana and that Dionysius Areopagita was slaine by the sword at Pareis Domitian had heard some rumors of the Kingdome of Christ and was afraid as Herod the great had beene after the Nativity of our Lord but when two of Christ kinsmen according to the flesh the Nephewes of the Apostle Iude were presented before him and hee perceived them to be poore men who gained their living by handy labour and when hee had heard of them that Christs Kingdome was not of this world but it was spirituall and that hee would come at the latter day to iudge the quick and the dead he despised them as simple and contemptible persons and did them no harme In the end as the life of Domitian was like vnto the life of Nero so was he not vnlike vnto him in his death for his owne wife and friends conspired against him and slew him his body was carried to the graue by porters and buried without honour The Senate of Rome also decreed that his name should bee rased and all his acts should bee rescinded Sueton. in Dom. Ierom. catal script eccles Nerva COccius Nerua after Domitian raigned one yeare foure moneths And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled were borne in Italy from henceforth strangers doe rule for Traian the adoptiue sonne of Nerva his successor was borne in Spaine Nerva redressed many things that were done amisse by Domitian and in his time the Apostle Iohn was relieued from banishment and returned againe to Ephesus where he died CENTVRIE II. Traianus TRaian the adopted sonne of Nerva was the first stranger who obtained that honour to bee King of the Romanes Hee raigned 19. yeares 6. moneths A man so exceeding well beloved of the Senate and of the people of Rome that after his dayes whensoever a new Emperour was elected they wished vnto him the good successe of Augustus and the vprightnesse of Traianus Notwithstanding of this hee was a cruell persecuter of Christians And this third persecution is iustly counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame It was no great dishonour to bee hated of Nero and Domitian wicked men and haters of righteousnes but to bee hated and persecuted by Traian a man counted a patterne of vpright dealing this was a great rebuke Notwithstanding Christians looked to Iesus the author and finisher of their faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Many haue more patiently endured paine in their flesh then shame and contempt in the world but Christs true Disciples must resolue to be a gazing stocke to all the world and to bee counted the off-scourings of the earth as the holy men of God did in the dayes of the Emperour Traian These were Citizens of heauen liuing in earthly tabernacles liuing vpon the earth but not fashioned according to the similitude of this world In doing great things by faith they surpassed mighty Monarches In patient suffering of evill they over-went admired Plilosophers In this persecution Simon the sonne of Cleopas an holy Apostle suffered martyrdome being now an hundreth and twenty yeares old hee was first scourged and then crucified but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the name of Christ. Of Ignatius martyrdome wee haue spoke in the first Century the time of his suffering was in the time of Traianus Plinie the second Deputy in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of them to death In the end he was commoued and troubled in his owne mind cosidering both the number patient suffring of christians that were put to death he wrote to the Emperour declaring that Christians were men of good conversation and detested murther adultery and such other vngodlinesse onely they had conventions earely in the morning and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ whom they worshipped as God but they would not worship images here marke the portrait of the Ancient Apostolike Church and what conformity the Romane Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth This letter of Plinius mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue hee no absolute commandement to stay the persecution but onely that the Iudges should not search them out narrowly but if any happened to bee presented before them then let them bee punished What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by Tertullian the one part of it repugneth to the other In forbidding to search them out narrowly hee declareth their innocency but in commanding to punish them when they were presented hee pronounceth them to bee guilty This is that Emperour for whose soule Gregory the first made supplications to God 400. yeares after his death and was heard of God as Damacen writeth This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if he supposed Gregory to be so full of charity that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours to the end that they being all delivered from the condemnation of hell heaven might be counted a mansion both for Christs true Disciples and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies Adrianus AFter Traian AElius Adrianus raigned 21. yeares In his time Aristides and Quadratus the one a Bishoppe the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion and did so mitigate the Emperours minde that in his time no new commandement was set forth to persecute Christians Barcochebas at this time perverted the Nation of the Iewes and called himselfe the promised Messias whom the foolish Iewes followed to their owne overthrow and destruction Tynius Rufus Deputy in Iudea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Ierusalem and destroyed him with all his adherents Also the whole Nation of the Iewes was banished from their natiue soyle and the towne of Ierusalem was taken from the Iewes and delivered to other Nations
the Bishop of Agabra had set at liberty and hee on the other part abused his liberty so farre that he presumed by Magicall Art to cut off the Bshoppe who had beene so beneficiall vnto him he was ordained to be redacted againe to his former servile estate that hee might learne obedience to his superiours by the heavie yoke of servile subiection In the ninth Session it is forbidden that Bishops should haue Leke-men to be masters of their house but onely some of their owne Clergie should be dispensators of their houshold affaires because it is written Thou shalt not plow with an Oxe and an Asse together By the way marke that nothing was so miserably abused at this time as testimonies of holy Scripture In the tenth Session the Monasteries lately builded in the Baetike Province were allowed and confirmed In the eleventh Session the Monasteries of Virgins are recommended to the over-sight of the Abbot governing the Monastery of Monkes with caveats that all appearance of evill should be providently eschewed In the twelfth Session one professing the heresie of Acephali compeared who denyed the distinction of two natures in Christ and affirmed that the divinity of Christ did suffer vpon the Crosse but he was seriously dealt withall and convicted by testimonies of holy Scripture and Fathers so that hee renounced his hereticall opinion and embraced the true faith and the whole Councell gaue thankes and praise vnto God for conuersion In the thirteenth Session there is a prolix refutation of the opinion of those who supposed that the two natures of Christ were confounded and that the divinity suffered Isidorus seemeth to be the compiler of this Treatise against Acephali given into the Councell of Hispalis and many do thinke that hee collected into one volume the Councels that preceded his time for he was a man more learned than his fellowes in his dayes IN the yeere of our Lord 639. and vnder the raigne of Sisenandus King of Spaine by the Kings commandement moe then 70. Bishops and Presbyters were convened in the towne of Toledo vpon occasion of diversity of ceremonies and discipline in the countrey of Spaine First they set downe a short confession of the true Faith which they ordayned to be embraced and kept Secondly that there should be an vniforme order of praying singing of Psalmes solemnities of Masses Euen-song seruice throughout al Spaine Gallicia like as they all professed one faith dwelt in one kingdome lest diuersitie of ceremonies rites should offend ignorant people make them to thinke that there was a schisme in the Church It was statuted and ordained That at least once in the yeere prouinciall Councels should be assembled and in case any controuersie should fall out in matters of Faith a generall Councell of al the prouinces of Spaine should be assembled Here let the judicious Reader marke that in processe of time almost all thinges are subject to alteration and Councels of old called Nationall now abusiuely begin to be called Generall The order of incomming of Bishops to the Councell sitting in the first place and of the Presbyters after them and sitting in a place behinde the Bishops and of Deacons who should stand in presence of Bishops and Presbyters is described at length in the third Canon That the Festiuitie of Easter or Pashe day should be kept vpon the day of Christes resurrection Concerning the diuersitie of rites vsed in Baptisme some vsing the ceremonie of thrise dipping in water others one dipping only It was thought most expedient to be content with one dipping because the Trinitie is so viuely represented in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost that there is no necessitie by three dippinges in water to represent the Trinitie and for eschewing all appearance of schisme and lest Christians should seeme to assent vnto heretikes who diuide the Trinitie For all these causes it was expedient to keepe vniformitie in the ceremonies of Baptisme It was statuted and ordained That vpon Fryday immediately preceeding Easter day the doctrine of the suffering of Christ of repentance and remission of sinnes should be clearely taught vnto the people to the end that they being purged by the remission of sins might the more worthily celebrate the feast of the Lords resurrection and receiue the holie Sacrament of the Lords bodie and blood The custome of putting an ende vnto the fasting of Lent vpon fryday at nine a clocke as damned because in the day of the Lords suffering the Sunne was couered with darknesse and the elementes were troubled and for honour of the Lords suffering that day should be spent in fasting mourning and abstinence and he who spendeth any part of that day in banqueting let him be debarred from the Sacrament of Christs bodie and blood on Pashe day That the Tapers and Torches which shined in the church in the night preceeding the day of the resurrection should be solemnly blessed to the end that the mystery of the holy resurrection might be expected with consecrated lights Such voluntary seruice inuented by the braine of man had great sway at this time That in the day lie Church-seruice the Lords prayer vulgarly called Pater noster should be rehearsed because it is vsually called Oratio quotidiana that is a daylie prayer That Alleluiah be not sung in time of Lent because it is a time of mourning and humiliation vntill the dayes of resurrection be celebrated which is a time of ioy and gladnesse That after the Epistle a part of the Gospell should bee read That Hymnes and spirituall songes not contained in holy Scripture may be sung in the Church The song of the three Children shall be sung in all Churches of Spaine and Gallicia In the end of Spirituall songes it shall not be simply saide Glorie to the Father and to the Son c. but Glorie and honour to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit to the end that hymmes sung in earth may be correspondent to the song of the Elders in Heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 4.11 In Responsories if it be a matter of gladnesse the ende shall be Gloria c. and if it bee a matter of sadnesse the end shall be Principium c. The booke of the Apocalyps of Saint Iohn is declared to be a booke of Canonicke Scripture and to be preached in open audience of the Church betwixt Easter and Whitsonday It is forbidden that the holy Communion should be celebrated immediatly after the saying of the Lords Prayer but let the blessing bee first giuen and then let the Priestes and Leuites communicate before the Altar the Clergie within the Quire and the people without the Quire No man shall be promoted to the honour of Priesthood who is infamous who hath beene baptized in heresie who hath gelded himselfe who hath married the second wife or a
foretold by the Prophet Zacharie Then sayd I I will not feed you that that dieth let it die and that that perisheth let it perish and let the remnant every one eate the flesh of his neighbour Like as the intollerable cruelty of Flerus had irritat the Nation of the Iewes even so on the other side the vnsupportable obstinacy of the Iewes had incensed the wrath of the Romanes against them They were now become so head-strong that they reiected the sacrifice that was wont to be offered for Caesar. The calamity of the Iewes who dwelt in Alexandria and in Damascus was but the beginning of sorrowes fifty thousand Iewes were slaine in Alexandria ten thousand in Damascus Besides this many signes and wonders both in heauen and earth did proclaime their future desolation and destruction A Comet was seene in heauen hanging ouer the towne of Ierusalem for the space of a yeare and having the similitude of a sword in the Temple at the mid time of the night a cleare light was seene shining round about the Altar in brightnes not vnlike vnto the light of the day and the great brasen port of the Temple opened of it owne accord about the sixt houre of the night chariots of fire were seene compassing townes and a voyce was heard in the Sanctuary warning to flit and to transport with many other fearfull signes and wonders But a people senslesse whose eyes were dimme whose eares were dull of hearing whose heart was fatte and locked vp by Satan in infidelity they could take no warning of the wrath to come because the Lord was minded to destroy them Flavius Vespatian and his sonne Titus Vespatian leading an army of threescore thousand armed men from Ptolemaida besieged the townes of Galilee and Trachonitis so many as would not willingly bee subiect to the Romanes the townes of Gadara Tiberias Iotopata Tarithea Gamala all these were brought vnder the reverence of Vespatian and Iosephus who had beene lurking in a caue after the towne of Iotopata was conquered was taken aliue and kept in bands by the Romans hee foretold that Vespatian should be Emperour and saluted him Caesar and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while Nero was yet aliue When this prophecie came to passe indeed and hee was chosen to bee Emperour hee sent for Iosephus and commanded that he should be loosed from bands but Titus his sonne thought more expedient that his bands should bee cut off from him rather then loosed to the end he might be counted a worthy man who never deserved captivity nor bands Flavius Vespatian returned to Rome and left behinde him his sonne Titus to subdue the Iewes and to besiege the towne of Ierusalem but the Christians who dwelt at Ierusalem were warned by God to depart out of the towne of Ierusalem so they left it and dwelt beyond Iordan in a towne of Decapolis called Pela Separation of the corne from the chaffe goeth before the vnquenchable fire wherewith the chaffe shall bee burnt Titus beganne to besiege Ierusalem in the first yeare of the reigne of his father at the time when the people were gathered to celebrate the feast of the Passeouer The terror of the sword of the Romanes without the feare of mercilesse brigands within the bowels of the towne prevailing the shewer of the dead wanting the honour of buriall infecting the aire and devouring the living with contagious sicknesse the violent plague of famine breaking assunder the bands of nature and constraining women to eate the birth of their owne bellies All these calamities seased vpon them at once in the iust iudgement of God They despised the Father of eternity and the Prince of peace and sayd to Pilate Wee haue no King but Caesar. Now they finde that the mercies of Caesar were cruell and his sonne Titus who was commended in all mens mouthes as meeke mercifull liberall and eloquent and was called Amor delitiae humani generis that is The loue and most dainty thing of all mankinde yet God made him a terrible scourge to the Nation of the Iewes who forsooke the Lord Iesus and preferred Caesar vnto him In Scripture wee reade of many great viols of the wrath of God powred downe vpon vnrighteous men but these are greatest that resemble by most liuely representation the great condemnation of the wicked at the last day such as the flood of Noe the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem The flood of Noe was vniuersall and sudden so shall be the condemnation of vngodly men at the last day The overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha was a destruction vnsupportable and the more meet to bee an example of the vengeance of eternall fire The destruction of Ierusalem and the forerunning tokens thereof are so mixed with the tokens preceeding the condemnation of the great day that it may bee clearely perceiued that God hath appointed the one to be a type and figure of the other So oft as we call to remembrance the flood of Noe the overthrow of Sodom and the destruction of Ierusalem let vs feare stand in awe to fall into the condemnation of vngodly men because all the terrors of these iudgements concurre and are massed together in the iudgement of the last day What are the deepe wells of water what are the shoures of fire and brimstone what is famine pest and sword both intestine and forraine in comparison of that worme that never dieth and that fire that shall never be quenched and the blacknesse of darknes with weeping and gnashing of teeth c It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God Concerning the number of them that were slaine in Galilee Trachonitis Samaria and Iudea chiefly in the Metropolitane towne Ierusalem over and besides those that were sold to be slaues and those that were deuoured by wild beasts in the triumph of Flavius and Titus at Rome reade Iosephus de bello Iud. lib. 6. cap. 45. Titus AFter Flavius raigned Titus Vespatian his sonne two yeares two months twenty dayes The Nation of the Iewes being now subdued there was great peace in all parts of the Romane dominions both by sea and land and the Temple of Ianus in Rome was closed and locked vp againe Domitian FFlavius Domitian was associate to his brother Titus in government during his life time and after his death was his successor Hee raigned 15. yeares Hee was proud like Nero and persecuted innocent Christians as hee did so prone and bent is our corrupt nature to sinne and to follow evill examples Now againe the Church of Christ militant vpon the earth must learne obedience by suffering and must giue a proofe before the world that the Covenant of God is written in the tables of her heart and so deeply ingraved by the finger of God that no tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednesse nor death itselfe can separate her from the loue of Christ. The members of the
to bee inhabitants of it and was called by the Emperours name AElia Thus we see that the Iewes who would not receiue Christ who came in his Fathers name yet they received another who came in his owne name and like vnto babes who are easily deceived with trifles they were bewitched with the splendor of a glorious name for Barcochebas signifieth the sonne of a starre and hee said to the Iewes that hee was sent as a light from heaven to succour their distressed estate but hee might haue beene called more iustly Barchosba the sonne of a lie Here I giue warning againe that we take heed to our selues left wee bee circumvented with the deceitfull snares of the diuell for it is an easie thing to fall but a difficult thing to rise againe The Christians who lived in the dayes of Adrian were glad to bee refreshed with the crums of outward comfort which are denyed to no accused person in the whole world viz. that Christians shall not be condemned to death for the importunate clamours and cryes of a raging people accusing them except it be prooved that they haue transgressed the Law and haue committed some fact worthy of death Reade the Epistle of Adrian written to Minutius Fundanus Deputy in Asia The good intention of Adrian in building a Church for the honour of Christ voyd of Images because such was the custome of Christians was hindered by some of his familiar friends who sayd that if hee so did all men would forsake the temples of the gods of the Gentiles and become Christians In this point good Reader marke what Church is like vnto the ancient Primitiue and Apostolike Church whether the Church decked with Images or the Church voyd of Images Antoninus Pius TO Adrian succeeded Antoninus Pius his adopted son and raigned 23. yeares Hee was so carefull to preserue the liues of his Subjects that hee counted it greater honour to saue the life of one Subiect then to destroy the liues of a thousand enemies In this Emperours time Iustinus Martyr wrote notable bookes of Apologie for the Christians which were presented and read in the Senate of Rome and mollified the Emperours minde toward Christians as clearely appeareth by his edict proclaimed at Ephesus in time of most solemne conventions of all Asia Antoninus Philosophus and L. Verus AFter Antoninus Pius succeeded his sonne in law Antoninus Philosophus otherwise called Marcus Aurelius with his brother L. Aurelius Verus This is the first time wherein the Romane Empire was governed by two Augusties Albeit Titus had associated his brother Domitian to be a fellow labourer with him in the worke of government yet was not Domitian counted or called Augustus vntill the death of his brother Titus But now at one and the selfe same time two Emperours do raigne Antoninus Philosophus raigned nineteene yeares Lucius Verus his brother nine yeares And so after the death of Verus the whole gouernment returned to Antoninus Philosophus onely Hee was called a Philosopher not onely in regard of his knowledge but also in respect of the practise of Philosophie He was neither greatly pust vp by prosperity nor cast downe by aduersity yet he was a cruell persecuter of innocent Christians Now is the fuell added to the furnace the fourth time and the flame is great and the arme of wicked men who hated the name of Christians is strengthened by the Emperours commandement The trumpets of the Monarches of the world found the alarme against him who made them Kings rulers on the earth The poore innocent lambs of the sheepfold of Christ appointed for the shambles strengthened their hearts in God and in the power of his might chose rather to suffer adversity with their brethren then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season they were content to be racked and would not be delivered that they might bee partakers of a better resurrection whose bodies torne with stripes vntill their very inward bowels were patent to the outward sight witnessed the vnrent firmenesse and stability of their faith They were so supported with the power of that grace that commeth from aboue that they were not terrified with the multiplied numbers of cruell torments newly devised for dashing that invincible courage of faith which was seene in Christians Yea further then this When the persecuting enemies were compelled to change the high tuned accent of their menacing speeches and to craue but a little conformitie to the Emperours desire in swearing by his fortune the holy men of God would not once seeme to fall away from their profession by answering with timerous and doubtfull words but glorified God with a cleare and constant confession of their Christian faith Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and Iustinus Martyr a man of singular erudition were both martyred in the fervent heat of this persecution But aboue all other places the consuming flame of the furnace brast out most vehemently in France that happy Nation wherein both of old and late time so many were found worthy to giue their blood for the name of Christ. Vetius Epagathus Maturus Prothenus Attalus Sanctus and Photinus Bishoppe of Lyons all suffered for the testimony of Christ in France And Blandina a worthy woman suffered many torments and renewed her spirituall courage by continuall iteration of these words Christiana sum that is I am a Christian. In like manner Christians were persecuted with the slanderous speeches of Pagans obiecting vnto them the banquets of Thyestes and the chambering of Oedipus that is the eating of mens flesh and incestuous coppulations But men who are giuen to the momentaneall delights of sin are not willing to die because that by death they are separated from all bodily pleasures The Christians by patient and willing suffering of death for Christs sake clearely witnessed vnto the world that they were not addicted to the deceitfull pleasures of sinne Neverthelesse these slanderous speeches were credited by the pagans and tooke such deepe roote in their hearts that those who seemed before to be more meek and moderate then others now they became full of madnesse and rage against Christians and that which was foretolde by our master Christ it was fulfilled at this time to wit The time shall come that whosoever killeth you shall thinke hee doth God good service The huge number of Martyrs that were slaine in the fury of this persecution are both accurratly and at great length set downe by that worthy instrument of Gods glory who lately wrote the Booke of Martyrs I onely point out shortly the estate of the Church at this time In this Emperours time good men were not wanting who admonished him to appease his wrath against Christians such as Claudius Apolinaris Bishop of Hierapolis and Melito Bishop of Sardis But nothing could asswage his cruell heart vntill hee was cast into the furnace of grievous troubles himselfe for his army that fought against the Germanes and Samaritanes fell
Merchant wares in that place This Altar I say was commanded toÌ„ be demolished and a Temple to be builded in the same place for exercise of divine service The care this good Emperour had to quench the schisme that began in Alexandria shall bee declared in its due time God willing In some things Constantine was not vnlike to King Salomon who finding his Kingdome to be peaceably settled hee gaue himselfe to the building of the Temple of Palaces and of Townes which hee fortified and made strong Even so Constantine finding that no enemie durst enterprise any longer to molest the peaceable estate of his settled Kingdome hee builded magnifique Temples in Bethlehem the place of the Lords Nativity vpon Mount Olivet from whence Christ ascended to Heaven vpon Mount Calvarie where Christs Sepurchre was Hee builded also a Citie in Bithinia and called it Helenopolis for honour of his mother Helena and another in Palestina and called it Constantia by the name of his Sister Also hee builded a glorious Temple in Antiochia which his sonne Constantius perfected and to the dedication of that Temple a number of Bishoppes were assembled And finally hee builded the great Citie of Constantinople in Thracia and called it Nova Roma whereas before it was called Byzantium This towne was builded Anno 336. In the end the good Emperour intended to haue made warre against the Persians and by the way hee was purposed to haue beene baptised in Iordan where our Saviour Christ was baptised by Iohn but the Lord had disposed otherwise for the good Emperor fell sicke at Nicomedia and was baptised in the suburbs of that principall towne of Bithynia not in Rome nor by Silvester but in Nicomedia and by Eusebius How this Eusebius coozned the Emperour and obscured the wicked purpose of his hereticall heart from him and continued in good favour and credit with the Emperour even to the last period of his life so that hee had the honour to baptise the good Emperour will bee declared hereafter In his testamentall legacy hee left his Dominions to his sonnes ended his life happily and was buried in Constantinople Constantius Constans and younger Constantius COnstantius governed the East parts of the Romane Empire and he raigned 25. yeeres The other two brethren governed the West parts Constantine the younger was slain at Aquileia after hee had raigned with his brethren three yeers The Emperour Constans raigned 13. yeeres and was slaine in France by the Tyrant Magnentius so after the death of Constance the whole government of the Empire turned into the hands of Constantius He overcame Magnentius in battell who fled to Lions and slew his mother his owne brother and himselfe And so the Tyrant Magnentius brought himselfe and his kindred to a miserable end Constantius was infected with the heresie of Arrius by the meanes of an Arrian Priest who had beene in Court with Constantia the sister of the Emperour Constantine and relict of Licinius When shee was bound to bed by infirmity and sicknesse where of she died She recommended this Arrian presbyter to Constantine her brother whereby it came to passe that he had favour and credit in the Emperours court Hee procured the returning of Arrius from banishment and was the first reporter to Constantius of his fathers testamentall legacie And finally he perverted Constantius from the true faith which his father had professed So pernicious a thing is it to haue deceitfull Heretiques lurking in the courts of Princes During the life-time of his brother Constans Arrianisme had no great vpper hand because Constans Emperour of the West protected Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria and the rest of the Bishoppes whom the Arrians had most vniustly accused deposed and persecuted But after the slaughter of Constans the Arrians were encouraged by the inconstancy of the Emperour whose flexible and instable minde like vnto a reede shaken with the winde was inclined to follow the course that the fore-mentioned Priest put in his head This Priest informed the Emperour Constantius that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Consubstantiall was not found in holy Scripture and that the inserting of this word in the forme of faith set downe by the Nicene Councell was the occasion of many debates and contentions in the Church of God and that the returning of Athanasius from banishment was the ground of a terrible tempest whereby not onely the estate of Egypt was shaken but also the estate of Palestina and Phoenicia and other places not farre distant from Egypt Moreover he added Athanasius had beene the author of mâ—testine dissention betwixt the Emperour Constantius and his brother Constans so that 〈◊〉 wrote menacing letters to his brother either to repossesse Paulus and Athanasius into their places again or else if he lingred in so doing since their innocency was cleered in the Councell of Sardica he threatned to lead an army to the East and to see them repossessed in their own roomes againe The Emperour Constantius was easily incited to wrath against Athanasius and he sent Sebastianus one of his Captaines accompanied with 5000. armed men to slay Athanasius but the Lord delivered him miraculously out of their hands when there seemed to bee no way of escaping because armed souldiers were planted round about the Temple yet he went safely through the midst of them and was not discerned albeit many Arrians were present of purpose to designe and point him out by the finger as a sheepe ordained for the slaughter Georgius an Arrian Bishop was seated in Alexandria in the place of Athanasius a wolfe in the chaire of a true Pastor whose fury and madnesse was helped by Sebastianus who furnished him with armed souldiers to accompany all his wicked and divelish devices A fire was kindled in the towne Christian Virgins were stripped naked brought to the fire and commanded to renounce their faith but the terror of the fire made them not once to shrinke When the sight of the fire could not terrifie them he caused their faces to be so dashed with strokes misfashioned their countenances that they could not bee knowne by their familiar friends but they like vnto victorious souldiers patiently endured all kinde of rebuke for the Name of Christ. Thirty Bishops of Egypt and Lybia were slaine in the fury of this Arrian persecution Fourteene Bishops whose names are particularly mentioned by Theodoretus were banished of whom some died in the way when they were transported others died in the place of their banishment Forty good Christians in Alexandria were scourged with rods because they would not communicate with the Arrian wolfe Georgius and so pitiously demained that some peeces of the rods were so deepely fixed in their flesh that they could not bee drawne out againe and many through excessiue paine of their wounded bodies concluded their liues Here is a liuely portrait of the mercies of the wicked which are cruell
dayes hee was compelled to gather a new army and fight against the Tyrant Eugenius and his chiefe Captaine Arbogastus who had conspired against Valentinian the second and strangled him while he was lying in his bed This battell went hardly at the beginning but Theodosius had his recourse to God by prayer and the Lord sent a mighty tempest of winde which blew so vehemently in the face of Eugenius army that their darts were turned backe by the violence of the winde in their owne faces Of which miraculous support sent from aboue the Poet Claudian writes these Verses O nimium dilecte Deo eui sundis ab antris Eolus a mat as biemes cuiâ—â—â— at ather Et cominrati veniunt ad classica venti The Tyrant Eugenius fell downe at the feet of Theodosius to begge pardon but the souldiers pursued him so straitly that they slew him at the Emperours feete Arbogastus the author of all this mischiefe hee sled and being out of all hope of safety slew himselfe Like as there was no sacrifice wherein dung was not found even so the life and actions of this noble Emperour was spotted with some infirmities Against the Inhabitants of Thessalonica the Emperour was mooved with excessiue anger so that seven thousand innocent people were slaine invited to the spectacle of Playes called Ludi circenses and in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this fault the good Emperour was reprooved by Ambrose Bishop of Millaine and confessed his fault in sight of the people with teares and made a lawe that the like commandements concerning the slaughter of people should not haue hastie execution vntill the tune that thirty dayes were overpassed to the end that space might be left to either mercy or to repentance In like manner he was angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia for overthrowing the brasen portrait of his beloved bedfellow Placilla The Emperour denuded their towne of the dignity of a Metrapolitan Citie conferring this eminent honour to their neighbour towne Laodicea Moreover hee threatned to set the towne on fire and to redact it vnto the base estate of a village But Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia by his earnest travels with the Emperour mitigated his wrath for the people repented their foolish fact and were fore afraid and the good Emperour moved with pitty pardoned the fault of the towne of Antiochia His lenity toward the Arrians whom hee permitted to keepe conventions in principall Cities was with great dexterity and wisedome reprooved by Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium For hee came in vpon a time and did reverence to the Emperour but not vnto Arcadius his sonne albeit already associated to his father in government and declared Augustus whereat Theodosius being offended Amphilochius very pertinently and in due season admonished the Emperour that the God of heaven also would bee offended with them who tolerated the blasphemers of his only begotten Sonne the Lord Iesus Christ. Wherevpon followed a lawe discharging the conventions of Heretikes in the principall Cities In all these infirmities it is remarkeable that the good Emperour ever gaue place to wholesome admonitions The excessiue paines hee was compelled to vndertake in Warfare hastened his death for hee contracted sicknesse soone after his returning from the the battell fought against Eugenius and died in the 60. yeere of his age and in the 16. yeere of his raigne He left behind him his two sonnes Arcadius to governe the East and Honorius to governe the West ⸪ CENTVRIE V. Arcadius and Honorius THE good Emperour Theodosius left behinde him two sonnes Arcadius to governe the East parts and Honorius the West Arcadius raigned 14 yeeres He was a meeke and godly Emperour but not couragious as his father had beene His simplicity was abused by Eudoxia his wife Ruffinus his chiefe counseller and Gania his chiefe Captaine Eudoxia was offended at the freedome that Chrysostome vsed in reproving of sinne And by the meanes of Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria procured his deposition Theophilus had gathered a Synode at the Oke of Calcedon and because Chrysostome being warned refused to appeare they convict him of contumacy and deposed him after deposition followed banishment from which the affectioned mindes of the people toward their Pastor constrained the Emperour to reduce him againe yet Eudoxia continued in her malice and procured by the meanes of Theophilus his second deposition banishment with commandement to iourney his weake bodie with excessiue travels from place to place vntill hee concluded his life Ruffiinus stirred vp Alaricus King of the Gothes to fight against Arcadius secretly presuming to the kingdome but his treasonable enterprises being espyed hee was slaine and his head and right hand were hung vp vpon the port of Constantinople Gaina of a simple souldier was made generall Commander of Arcadius his army hee waxed insolent and proud affected the kingdome being in blood a stranger of the Nation of the Goths in religion an Arrian Hee craved a petition of the Emperour that hee might haue one of the Churches of Constantinople wherein hee might serue God according to his owne forme but this petition by the prudent advice of Chrysostome given to the Emperour was reiected and the pride of Gaina for a time was something abated Honorius raigned in the West all the dayes of his brother Arcadius and 15. yeeres after his death The whole time of his government was very troublesome Gildo his Lieutenant in Africke vsurped the dominion of Africke and Mascelzer his brother who at the first detested treasonable enterprises in his brother yet afterward followed his brothers footsteps and received the iust deserved reward of his inconstancy for hee was slaine by his owne souldiers In like manner Stilico the Emperours father in law for Honorius married his daughter and the Emperors chiefe Counseller presumed to drawe the kingdome to Eucherius his sonne and stirred vp the Vandales Burgundians Almans and diverse others to invade the kingdome of France to the end that Honorius being overcharged with the multitude of vnsupportable businesse might permit Stilico to set forward to the designes of his owne heart About this time Rhadagisus a Sythian accompanied with an army of two hundred thousand Gothes came to Italy And the helpe of Vldinus and Sarus Captaines of the Hunnes and Gothes being obtained Rhadagisus was suddenly surprised himself was taken and strangled many were slaine the most part were sold whereupon followed incredible cheapnesse of servants so that flocks of servants were sold for one peece of gold in Italy The next great trouble came by Alaricus King of the Westerne Gothes who invaded Italy and camped about Ravenna with whom Honorius entred into a capitulation and promised to him and his retinue a dwelling place in France The Gothes marched toward their appointed dwelling place But Stilico the Emperours father in law followed after them and set vpon them at vnawares when they suspected none evill
not only allowing worshipping of images but also forbidding to pay tribute to the Emperour Leo. The Emperour on the other part irritated with the proud attempts of Gregorius the second vsed indirect meanes to cut him off but the enterprises of his deputies Marinus Paulus Eutychius and their followers succeeded vnprosperously Moreouer the Bishop of Rome sought support from the Lombardis who had beene at all times preceding enemies to the chaire of Rome yet in Leo his dayes they were bounde with the bishop of Rome in a couenant of friendship for none other cause but this onely to shake off the yoke of the Emperours obedience And when the bishop of Rome saw that the Emperour had great businesse in warres against the Saracens hee thought it a fit occasion to draw the dominion of Italie vnto his owne subjection and therefore with aduise of the Clergie hee both excommunicated the Emperour as a destroyer of the Images of the Saints and disauthorised him of his Emperiall soueraignty in Italy So earely began the increasing Grando of Antichrist to send forth the thunder-bolts of cursings against the anoynted of the Lord. In this Emperours dayes the Saracens passed over the Straits invaded the kingdom of Spaine slew Rodericus King of the Gothes and his sonne and put an end to the kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine after they had raigned 346. yeeres and being incited by Eudo Duke of Aquitania they marched towards France but through the valour of Carolus Martellus a man of noble birth in France they were so encountred that three hundred thousand and threescore and ten thousand Saracens were slaine and the countrey of France was made free of the feare of the Saracens Constantinus Copronymus AFter Leo his sonne Constantinus Copronymus raigned 35. yeeres Chytreus reckoneth onely 23. yeeres because hee hated the worshipping of Images which errour had taken deepe roote in this age The writers of the History of this time haue dipped their pens in gall and wormwood to blaspheme the honourable name of Constantinus but whatsoever Paulus Diaconus or Zonoras haue written to his disgrace his name will bee in honourable account and regard in the Church of Christ. The Senate and the people of Constantinople addicted to the worshipping of Images hated the Emperour and were glad of the false rumoured tidings of his death when he went to fight against the Arabians and they chose Artabasdus to be Emperour in his stead But Constantine returned to Constantinople besieged the towne and recovered his owne kingdome againe Hee gathered a generall Councell at Constantinople anno 755. wherein the worshipping of Images was damned as shall be declared God willing in its owne place In this Emperours dayes were warres betwixt the King of Lombardis and the Bishops of Rome but the Roman Bishops begged the helpe of Carolus Martellus against Luitprand and the helpe of Pipinus against Aistulphus and the helpe of Carolus Magnus against Desiderius all Kings of Lombardis and by continuall imploring the helpe of the Nobles and Kings of France the Lombards were vtterly subdued the chaire of Rome was enriched the revenue of the Emperour of the East was impaired and a ground was layd for the advancement of the Kings of France to the Imperiall dignity In this Emperours dayes the Turkes or Scythians invaded the Armenians and molested the Saracens and some countries of Asia minor in the end they accorded with the Saracens But this agreement could not bee perfected without condition That the Turkes in Persia should vndergoe the name of Saracens hoping thereby that they would easily embrace the Mahometan religion wherin their expectation was not frustrate In the yeere of our Lord 579. and in the 18. yeere of the raigne of Constantine a wonderfull thing fell out amongst wise men of Persia called Magi and Maurophori Pâ—â—sâ— they perswaded both themselues and others also That if a man would sell all that hee had and throw himselfe headlong from the walles of the Citie his soule should by and by be transported to heaven So prone and bent is the corrupt nature of man to leane vpon vaine hopes to beleeue promises which God hath not made Leo the sonne of Copronymus LEo the sonne of Constantinus Copronymus raigned fiue yeeres Hee followed the footsteps of his father in zeale against worshipping of Images and punished the Groomes of his owne chamber such as Iames Papias Stratâ—ius and Theophanes for worshipping of Images The superstitious writers of the History of this time such as Zonaras and Paâ—lus Diaconus reckon the aforesayd persons in the Catalogue of holy Confessors But Christ will neuer count them to be his Martyrs who fight obstinately against the truth even vnto the death neither will hee count them to be his Confessors who suffer iustly inflicted punishment for the contempt of the lawes of Magistrates being agreeable to the law of God Irene and Constantinus her sonne AFter the death of Leo raigned Irene his wife with her sonne Constantine ten yeeres Afterwards Constantine deposed his mother from her authority and raigned alone seven yeeres And Irene on the other part taking this indignity done vnto her grievously shee spoyled her sonne both of his eyes and of his Empire cast him into prison where he dyed for heart griefe and shee raigned againe 4. yeeres after her sonnes imprisonment So all the yeeres of the raigne of Irene and her son coniunctly severally first and last were 21â— yeeres This Empresse was superstitious crafty and infortunate Shee was a superstious defender of the worshipping of Images A malicious and venomous hater of the name of Constantinus Copronymus whose dead body shee commanded to be brought out of his graue to be burnt with fire resolved into ashes and to be cast into the Sea albeit Constantine was her owne father in law The mercies of the wicked are cruell Her craft appeared in bringing her forces to Constantinople in the sixt yeere of her raigne vnder pretence of fighting against the Arabians and in disarming of them whom shee knew to haue beene adversaries to the worshipping of Images and sending them in ships to the places from whence they came For before the dayes of Constantinus Copronymus the towne of Constantinople by famine and pestilence and being besieged three yeeres by the Saracens was miserably dispeopled so that thirty thousand of the people of Constantinople died But Copronymus for the repayring of that losse sent for strangers and replenished the towne with new Inhabitants These strangers she sent backe againe to the places from whence they came especially because in popular commotion they had set themselues in armes and menaced the Fathers convened in Constantinople by Irene and her sonne for allowance of adoration of Images Shee was infortunate because the Empire of the East was so extenuated in her time that it was rather like vnto a shadow then vnto an Empire So that in the subsequent History I will forget after a manner the Emperours
and Eutyches they in like maner absolued him And finally after his death in the fift general councell his writings against the twelue heades of Cyrillus were damned All these troubles proceeded from one and the selfe same ground to wit vpon the extraordinarie loue hee caried toward his Patriarch Iohn This one thing laid aside hee was nothing inferiour to the most wise accurate and learned writers of the ancient time In the first of his learned dialogues called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prooueth that the Word became flesh without changing of the diuine Nature into the humane Nature or the humane Nature into the diuine Euen as in the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord the bread becomes the body of the Lord not by changing the substance of it but by assuming by grace an other vse than it had the very symbol obtaineth the name of the thing represented by the symbol When Papists doe read the dialogues of Theodoritus let them leaue off to bragge of the antiquitie of the doctrine of Transubstantiation and take them to the Monke Damascene the first authour of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he continued at least thirtie yeeres in his ministrie and ended his life as is supposed vnder the raigne of Leo the first Augustine in his young yeeres was infected with the errour of the Manicheans His mother Monica watered her face many times with teares in her prayers begging at God his conuersion to the truth God heard her prayers he was sent to Millan to be a teacher of Rhetoricke by the preaching of Ambrose Bishop of Millan and the deuote behauiour of the people in singing Psalmes to the praise of God the like whereof Augustine had neuer seene in any place before for men in earth praising God with ardent affection seemed to represent the Angels of heauen who incessantly prayse God with vnspeakable desire Also with the reading of the life of Antonius the heremite he was wonderfully moued and began to dislike his former conuersation which hee had spent in worldly pleasures and went vnto a quiet garden accompanied with Alipius with many teares he bewailed the insolencie of his bypast conuersation wishing the time to be now come wherein without farther delay his soule should be watred with the dew of the conuerting grace of God And as he was powring out the griefe of his wounded heart to God with a flood of teares hee heard a voyce saying vnto him tolle lege and againe tolle lege that is to say take vp and read take vp and read At the first hearing he tooke it to haue beene the voyce of boyes or maides speaking in their play such words one to another but when he looked about could see no body hee knew it to be a celestiall admonition warning him to take vp the booke of holy Scripture which he had in the garden with him and read Now the first place that fell in his hands after the opening of the booke was this Not in gluttonie nor drunkennes nor in chambring nor wantonnesse nor in strife or enuying but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought of the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof At the reading whereof he was so fully resolued to forsake the vanities of the world and to become a Christian that immediatly thereafter he was baptized by Ambrose Bishop of Millan with his companion Alipius and his sonne Adeodatus After this hee returned to Africke and was coadiutor to Valerius Bishop of Hippo as Chrysostome was to Flauianus in Antiocha and after the departure of Valerius he was Bishop of Hippo his vncessant trauels in teaching Gods people and in stopping the mouthes of heretikes and gainsaiers of the truth of God specially Donatists Pelagians and Manichean heretikes his learned writings do testifie When he 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 Century flourished worthy preachers in France such as Eutherius Bishop 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 doth 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 Clauaianus Mammertus Bishop of Vienne is praised by Sidonius with excessiue commendations as if all the graces of Ierom Augustine Basilius Nazianzenus and many other fathers had beene incorporated into his person Hilarius first Bishop of Arls and afterward as appeareth of Vienne opposed himselfe directly to Leo Bishop of Rome and would acknowledge no iurisdiction nor domination of the Bishop 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 Hilarius came to Rome nothing regarding the anathems and cursings of the Romane B. and in his face affirmed that neither did Christ appoint Peter to be head of the rest of the Apostles neither had the Bishop of Rome a soueraigntie ouer the Churches of Fraunce All the grandure of Leo his speeches was to talke of those few words Tu es Petrus super haâ— petra c. that is thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke c. as if Christ had breathed vppon him and had bidden him receiue the holy Spirit so confidently did he affirme that in these wordes was allotted a supremacie to the Bishoppes of Rome the successors of Peter But this grandure I say of his proud conceites and vaine interpretation of Scripture made not men of vnderstanding incontinentlie to stoup vnder the feete of a proud Prelate Vincentius Lirinensis a mightie impugner of heresies Prosper AquitaÌ„icus SidoÌ„ius B. in some part of Ouernie Martinus Turonensis is coÌ„mended for the gift of many miraculous workes that were wrought by his hands He coÌ„pared virginitie marriage fornication to a medow a part wherof was eaten by the pastoring of beastes another part was hollwed by the rudenes of rooting swine and the third part was vntouched but flourishing in the perâ—ect growth of grasse neere to mowing time Fornication he compared to the part of the medow that was hollowed and misfâ—shioned with Swine Mariage to that part of the medow that was pastored so that the herbes had then 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 flower and all kinde of perfection In counting marriage good but virginitie better hee followeth the doctrine of the holy Apostle Paul Râ—â— gius Bishop of Rhemes by whom Clodoâ—eus the first Christian king of France was baptized and the whole countrie of France was purged
second or third day after his soule shall not be blessed but polluted Therefore the Gibeonites because they brought old bread to the children of Israel it was ioyned them to hew wood and beare water In this age also are found some learned men who detested the pride of the Bishop of Rome such as Hildebertus Archbishop of Towrs a disciple of Berengarius and an excellent Poet who made this distinchon of the towne of Rome Vrbs foelix si vel dominis vrbs illa careret Vel dominis esset turpe carere fide Bernard Abbot of Claravall borne in Burgundie was respected in his countrey aboue others who although hee lived in a most corupt age yet he was found in the doctrine of iustification as may appeare by the words which hee vttered on a time being diseased after this manner I grant saith he I am vnworthy and that I cannot obtaine the kingdome of heaven by mine owne merits neverthelesse my Lord hath a double right to it First by this right that he is his fathers heire Secondly by right of the merit of his suffering With the first right he contenteth himselfe The second he bestoweth on vs by whose free gift I claime a right thereto and am not confounded Hee detested the corruption of manners which abounded in his time as may bee knowne by the words of Hugo Cardinalis It seemeth saith he good Iesus that the whole vniuersitie of Christian people haue conspired against thee and these are the chiefe persecutors who haue the principall roomes in thy Church Hee admonished Count Theobald who bestowed great cost in building of Abbies and Churches that he would rather support them who were of the houshold of faith and that he would be carefull to build the immortall and everlasting tabernacles of God Hee subdued his body by fasting beyond all measure whereby his stomacke became so diseased that oftentimes it rendered againe the small portion of food which it had received Hee was very superstitious in receiving the reliques of the Saints In so much that when hee came to Rome and the head of the Martyr Casarius was offered to him to take of it what part hee pleased hee was content to take one tooth onely And when his associates could not draw out the tooth it was so fast fastened vnto the Iawbone Bernard counselled them to pray that the Martyr would willingly conferre vnto them one of his teeth Many visions and miracles are attributed to him but they smell so much of superstition as it is easily knowne that the most part of them are invented and forged by the deceiving teachers of this age He died in the 64. yeere of his age leaving them that were about him three testamentall lessons 1. That they should offend no man 2. That they should giue lesse credite to their owne opinion then to the iudgement of other men 3. That they should not be vindictiue nor desirous of revenge for wrongs done vnto themselues He esteemed much of the prophecies of Hildegardis a Prophetesse in France whose wordes Bernard thought to be indyted by divine inspiration In this age also flourished Anselmus Bishop of Havelburg whom the Emperour Lotharius 2. sent to Calowannes Emp. of Constantinople Hee disputed with Nichetes Bishop of Nicomedia in the temple of Sophia about the old error of the Grecians who affirmed that the holy Spirit proceeded onely from the Father and not from the Sonne Hee refuted very learnedly the obiections of Nichetes who obiected that two fountaines and beginnings were set vp in the Godhead if the holy Spirit proceeded both from the Father and the Sonne Wherevnto Anselmus answered that when the Councell of Nice sayd Deus de Deo lumen de lumine They established not two Gods nor two lights in the Trinitie Euen so when it is sayd Principium de principio there is not brought in two beginnings but one only And whosoever saith he denyeth that the holy Spirit proceedeth from the Son denyeth also that he proceedeth from the Father For the Scripture saith I and the Father are one I am in the Father and the Father in me and againe Hee that seeth mee seeth the Father From this argument they went to another concerning the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome Anselmus prooved the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome by three arguments 1. Because the Councell of Nice had preferred the chaire of Rome to all other chaires 2. Because Christ assigned superiority to Peter when hee sayd Thou art Peter and vppon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth is bound in heauen and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven 3. The chaire of Rome was free of heresies when Constantinople and other Churches of the East were defiled with heresie To the first argument Nichetes answered that the Councell of Nice called the Bishop of Rome the Bishop of the principall chaire but not the principall Bishop for that dignitie hee received from the Emperour Phocas but not from the Councell of Nice To the second argument he answered that the power of binding and loosing was not given to Peter onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles And like as they were all partakers of that same heavenly grace whereof Peter was partaker in the day of Pentecost so likewise they all received that selfe same power of binding and loosing And Peter alone received not the power like as he received not the grace alone Thirdly whereas it was alledged that the Romane Church remained vnspotted with heresie when as other Churches were defiled with it Nichetes answered that it was true that Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutiches did spring vp among the Grecians and they likewise were chiefly refuted and suppressed by the the Grecians And the fountaine of all heresies being humane Philosophie it was no marvell that greatest heresies sprung vp where men of greatest learning and vnderstanding were found and it is likely that the fewer heresies sprung vp in the West because they were men of lesse learning and not of so deepe vnderstanding as the people of the East CENTVRIE XIII Popes of Rome AFter Caelestinus succeeded Innocentius the third and ruled eighteene yeeres he excommunicated Iohn king of England for not receiuing of Stephen Langtowne Archbishop of Canterbury being approued by the Pope he brought the said king so low that he was in the ende constrained to resigne his crowne of England and Ireland to the Pope and to receiue the same backe againe from the Pope to him and his heires for yeerely payment of a thousand marks He confirmed the order of the Dominike or blacke friers and the order of Franciscans or begging Friers To him Henry the sixt when hee departed this life left the tuition and
of Munster assisted with the Princes of Germany besieged the town very strictly and in the end prevailed and tooke this new made King Cniperdolingus his false Prophet aliue and adiudged them not onely to be hanged in chaines of iron but before their hanging to haue their flesh seared with hot iron pincers Thus came the authors of this most vnhappy sect vnto a most miserable and shamefull destruction Of this Sect of Anabaptists sprang vp in Holland an impudent fellow David Georgius who affirmed that hee was Christ the Messias and Saviour of the world yet for feare of punishment hee fled out of the Low Countries and came to Basile where he remained vntill the day of his death all which time hee not only obscured his blasphemous errors but also behaved himselfe in outward show so humbly and modestly that hee was in good account and became wealthy also Yet after his death it was knowne that he had seduced many with his blasphemous errours Therefore the Councell of Basile commanded that his body should bee raised out of the graue and burnt with fire in token of their detestation of his abhominable errors About the same time also sprang vp Michael Servetus a Spaniard who renewed the blasphemous doctrine of Arrius affirming that God the Father is onely the true God and that neither the Sonne nor the holy Spirit is eternall God but that the Sonne is a creature and had the beginning of existence when God created the world He was taken in the towne of Geneva cast in prison but he would not be reclaimed from his blasphemous errors Therefore the Councell of the towne thought meet with flames of fire to stoppe the breath of this blasphemous man who durst set his mouth against the heauen to blaspheme the Sonne of God After his death many were found who maintained his errors as namely Valentinus Gentilis Gregorius Blandrata a Physitian in Italy Matheus Gribaldus a Lawyer and Paulus Alciatus with many others Amongst whom Valentinus Gentilis was bold to put in print his blasphemies and he called the summe of faith set forth by Athanasius Symbolum Satanasi calling Athanasius himselfe Satanasius but after hee had blasphemed the Sonne of God a while both by word and writ in the end hee was taken in the towne of Berne where hee suffered the iust deserved punishment of death Many other sprang vp in this age who were teachers of false and hereticall doctrine but because they had few followers so that the errour died with the author thereof wee haue no great need to enroll their names and errors in this booke at large but shortly to poynt them out Gasper Suenkefeldius a man borne in Silesia maintained this errour that the outward ministerie of the Word and Sacraments was not necessarie to eternall life because that by the illumination of Gods holy spirit without the ministerie of the Word men might be saved Andreas Osiander thought that Christ was our Mediatour onely in respect of his divine nature and on the other part Stantcarus refuting Osiander fell into the contrarie extremitie that Christ was Mediatour onely in respect of his humane nature Flaccius Illiricus supposed originall sin was a substance Huberus beleeved that all men were elected vnto eternall life and Franciscus Puccius defended this opinion that all men of whatsoever religion they were should bee saved if they led not a very impious life and evill conversation Finally in this age was cleerly discovered that hee who sate in the chaire of Christ as Christs Vicar was the very Antichrist and they who depend vpon the Pope as generall Bishop of all Christs sheepe were notable Heretiques giving the glorie of Christ to Antichrist denying the sufficiencie of the written Word bowing and kneeling to Images praying to creatures and accounting them mediators of their intercession sacrilegiously imitating the holy Sacrament of the Supper and taking from the people the vse of the Cup offering dayly a new propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne as though Christs sacrifice once offered vp vpon the Altar of the Crosse were imperfect damning marriage in some persons and forbidding meates which God hath allowed to bee eaten with thanksgiving with many other errors which the Lord hath cleerly detected to haue beene a long time by-past in the Romane Church Here endeth the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE HISTORY of the Church containing a short Compend of all the Councels together with their severall Canons since Christs dayes to this present CENTVRIE IV. COuncels may bee divided in Generall Nationall or Provinciall and Particular Councels Generall were called Oecomenicke Councels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek language signifieth the world because from all quarters of the world wherein Christ was preached Commissioners were sent to these Councels and they were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour Nationall or Provinciall Councels were such as were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperor in one Nation with the assistance of other neere approaching Nations for suppressing of heresies deciding of questions pacifying of â—chismes and appointing Canons and Constitutions for decent order to be kept in the Church The third sort of Councels were particular Councâ—ls by Bullenger called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as the Councels of Gangra Neocaesaria and many others gathered vsually by Patriarchs and Bishops in a corner of a Countrie but for the like causes that nationall Councels were assembled Let no man expect a recitall of particular Councels except at such times as some matter of great moment enforceth me to speake of them ANcyra is a towne of Galatia in this towne were assembled Bishops of diverse Provinces about the yeere of of our Lord 308. as is supposed The principall cause of their meeting was to constitute a forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to which they who either willingly or vnwillingly had sacrificed to Idols in time of persecution should bee received into the bosome of the Church againe when they were found penitent There were many rancks of persons who had defiled themselues with Heathenicke Idolatrie such as Libellatici Thurificati Sacrificati and Proditores The Councell of Ancyra took order chiefly with those who were called Thurificati and Sacrificati that is with them who either had cast vp incense vpon idolatrous Altars or else had eaten of meates sacrificed to Idols to whom it was inioyned to testifie their repentance a long time before they were received to the communion of Gods people some one yeere some two yeeres others three or foure yeeres some fiue or six yeeres and aboue according to the heauinesse of their transgression In this Councell it was ordained that Deacons who in time of their ordination did protest that they had not the gift of continency but were disposed to marrie if they married they should remaine in their Ministerie but they who in time of imposition of hands by