August de ciuit Dei li. 20. c. 19. Baron Annal. to 1. an 45. art 17. 18. sit vpon the ruines of the Temple of Salomon or rather in the church for the Apostle would neuer call that the temple of the diuell which was Gods temple And therefore saith he some imagine that this Antichrist note well these words is a Prince with the whole bodie of those which belong vnto him and thinke it more proper to expresse it in Latine as it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in templum non in templo meaning that he shall sit as if himselfe were The Temple of God and his verie Church it selfe Ireneus l. 5. c. 25 Tertullian cauersus Iudaeos contra Marcio lib. 3. Hieron in Caâ—a in Isai c. 47. Euseb li. 2. c. 25. Ambros in 2. Thess â— c. 2. August lib. â—8 de ciuit Dei c. â— Andâ— Casaâ— in Apocal. c. â— In Beda Oecumen Lyran. Thomas Caiet in 1. Pet. c. vlt. Bellarmin de Romano Pontis lib. 2. c. 2. Tertul. aduersus Iudaeos lib. 3. contra Marciâ— Hieron ad Algasiam quest 17. Aret Andre in Apocal. 〈…〉 Glossa Ordin ibid. Hieron ad Marcellam viduam Idem contra Iouinian lib. 1. Which jumps with that maxime of the Popes adherents That in his person the whole Church resideth and consisteth Wherefore it is now manifest that Antichrist shall haue his seat in the Church Christian Now let vs see whether in the Latine Church or no. Ireneus surely searching after the number of 666 which is the name of the beast in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though in so obscure a point he pronounce nothing definitiuely yet giueth he vs plainely to vnderstand that he thou gâ—â— it to be there For saith he It is verie likely for such is the name of the Empire which now swayeth in the world They call themselues Latines So likewise doe Tertâ—llian Ierome Ambrose Augustine Andrew B. of Caesarea Beda Oecumenius Lyranue Aquinas Caietan and others when by Babylon they vnderstand Rome as well in the first Epistle and last chapter of Saint Peter as in the Reuelations And Bellarmin himselfe is cleere in this opinion and Baronius affirmeth that by Babylon in the places before rehearsed cannot bee meant but Rome much more when by the whore clothed in scarlet which maketh drunke all the kings of the earth they vnderstand Rome as Tertullian Ierome Aretas Andrew of Caesareâ— the Ordinarie Glosse Bellarmin also and Baronius and others doe Nay wee say fâ—â—â— her that the Ancients vnderstand it of the Roman Church whose corruption they saw euen in those dayes to encrease so fast for to her applieth Saint Ierome those words of the Apocalyps Go out of her my people saith the Lord and be not partaker of her sinnes nor of her plagues flye out of Babylon and let euerie one saue his owne soule for she is fallen she is fallen and is made a receptacle for diuels an habitation of all vncleane spirits For surely saith he there is the holie Church there are the trophies and monuments of the Apostles and Martyrs and there is the confession of Christ But withall saith he there is ambition and oppression luxurie of the bellie and of the throat which goe to overthrow the preaching of the Crosse And therefore he summoneth all well disposed people to depart out of her though built vpon Christ the true rocke by the preaching of Saint Peter and though her Prophets which deceiued her cried out Peace peace the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord to lull them asleepe in their owne securitie And he seemeth farther to strike at her verie Hierarchie when as in his preface to the bookes of Didymus of the holie Ghost Idem in Prefati in lib. Dyd de Spir. sancto we find these words When I liued saith he in Babylon an inhabitant of that purple whore after the lawes of the Quirites or citizens of Rome I would haue written something of the holie Ghost and haue dedicated the treatise to the Bishop of that citie and behold that seething pot which was seene in the Prophet Ieremie looking out of the North beginneth alreadie to boyle and the Senat of Pharises cried out at me all at once neither was there so simple and meane a scribe of all that ignorant rabble which conspired not against me Wherefore I am now as it were out of captiuitie returned to Hierusalem and after that cottage of Romulus and those Lupercall sports come to visit againe the hosterie of the Virgine Marie and the sepulchre of our Sauiour c. Had this holie Father liued in the dayes of our fathers and seene what passed in these later ages what would he haue said And truely to vnderstand those passages of the Apocalips of Rome Painim as some would haue it and not of the Church of Rome were to make it of a mysterious prophesie as all acknowledge it to be a meere storie cold and friuolous or was it fitting that the Prophet with so maiesticall a preface speaking in the name of God and by his spirit should aduertise vs that the Roman Empire should persecute the Christians which had alreadie seene the bloud of his brother shed and so many thousand Christians slaughtered in all quarters of the Empire And againe where will a man find vs in Rome Painim those ten kings made drunke with his cup seeing there were in Rome no kings at all And therefore the Iesuites themselues haue beene forced to yeeld this point Ribera Apocalip c. 14. num 42. 57. Viega in 17. Apoc com 1. sect 3. This must saith Ribera bee vnderstood of Rome not onely such as she was vnder the Emperours but also such as she shall be in the later dayes And Viega saith That the name of Babylon must be referred to her and not only to that Rome which serued Idols before it receiued the faith of Christ but also to that Rome which shall be in the dayes of Antichrist By which words what can be meant but the Papacie and the Church of Rome Ca. Proposait extra de prabeÌ„d Gloss ib. Lib. â— cerem Pontis c. 1. But some man will say When was it seene that a Pope called himselfe God And I answer That neither are the Popes themselues ouer sparing in calling themselues Gods on earth and the Canonists are ouer prodigall of such titles and of far greater also if greater may bee whilest they make them to participate of the Deitie and with power to commaund both in heauen and hell as the sequell of this discourse will but too apparantly declare and it were but needlesse to repeat here what I haue long since sufficiently proued in my treatise of the Church cap. 9. But this is the point and this is that which God so often forewarned vs of That Antichrist should enter into the Temple and Church of God with false â—eyes In all deceitfulnesse of iniquitie saith Saint
fift booke they proue nothing but this That Iohn vpon the wrong which was done vnto him had recourse to Gregorie who made his cause to be reuiewed in a Synod and his confession being there found Orthodox Gregorie requested the Patriarch of Constantinople to receiue him againe with fauour as one which had beene abused and wronged by such as he had put in trust with the examination of his cause and intreated the Emperour to assist him therein all which sauoureth not of the nature of an Appeale but onely of that ancient recourse which the oppressed vsed to make to the chiefe Sees and which the Bishop of Rome vsed commonly to draw to a consequence of Soueraigntie and Dominion The like is to be said of the case of Adrian Bishop of Thebes whose processe as hee saith Gregorie read ouer for the Appeale there spoken of vpon the accusation which was mixt and partly Ciuile partly Ecclesiasticall belonged properly to the Ciuile Court in the point for which the Emperour in the first instance committed it to Iohn Bishop of Iustineana Prima and secondarily to the Ecclesiasticall Court in that which concerned his deposition And Gregorie there speaketh in verie proper tearmes when he saith That Adrian being wronged by his brethren and fellow Bishop as by his enemies fled to the citie of Rome And againe He is saith he Confugit come to Rome to complaine with teares And in like sort doth Baronius abuse the other examples which he alledgeth Fiftly he saith That Gregorie dealt about his Palls amongst the Archbishops of the East also making vs beleeue that this custome is as ancient as Christianitie is old And wheresoeuer the Bishop of Rome writing to any Bishop saith vnto him Vices tibi meas committo i. I make you my Vicar he inferreth presently That he sent him the Mantle or Pall withall which he bringeth in as if it had now suddenly sprung out of the ground it being a thing which former ages neuer heard of But let vs see vpon what credit though wee now come to enter into an age which was wholly set vpon new fangles and deuises For proofe hereof therefore hee citeth the 55 Epistle of Gregorie lib. 4. whence he collecteth That he bestowed this Mantle or Pall vpon Iohn Bishop of Corinth whereas yet his words are onely these You know saith he that heretofore this Pall was giuen for money but we haue taken a strict order in a Synod Pallium pro Commodo that neither this or any other order shall hereafter be disposed of either by money or by fauour And I see no reason but that by the same argument he might haue said That hee sent him his Orders also True it is that the two Bishops of Rome and of Constantinople pulled who could pull hardest to get all jurisdiction into their hands as if the Church had beene a prey betweene them two and this was the cause that Gregories letters slew so thicke as they did into Greece And so much bee said of the power which he chalenged ouer the Church As for the Emperour Maurice Baronius taketh pepper in nose against him a man otherwise well reported of and much commended by Historians His grieuance is onely this That according to the law of his predecessors he tooke vpon him to confirme Gregorie in his Popedome and is scarce friends with Gregorie himselfe for suffering it In the end he saith That the Emperour was a Tyran Baron vol. 8. an 590. art 2 3 4 sequent and Gregorie forced to doe what he did and that it was of this Maurice that he meant when vpon the fift Penitentiall Psalme he vsed these words That he is no King who maketh the Church a Chamber-maid whom God appointed to be free and Mistresse of the house if so then was Gregorie a notorious hypocrite neither is there any trusting of him seeing that he said one thing and meant another in all the dealings which he had with Maurice For doe but read the Epistle which he wrot vnto Maurice concerning that law which he had made to this effect That no souldier vntill he were dismissed no accomptant without his discharge first had and obtained should take the Frocke vpon him and enter into religion and then tell me whether it be possible for a man to vse greater submission than he there vseth He is answerable saith he for it before Almightie God whosoeuer is either in word or deed found faultie against his gracious Lords And so were I your most vnworthie seruant if in this case I should hold my peace c. Greg. li. 2. Epist 62. 65. Thou wert my good Lord before such time as thou wert Lord of all c. And when I thus presume to speake vnto my Lords what am I but dust and a verie worme of the earth c. Power is giuen from heauen vnto my Lords ouer all men c. and Christ shall one day speake vnto thee saying To thee haue I committed my Priests or Bishops c. And in the end I haue saith hee Meos Sacerdotes now in euerie poynt fulfilled my duetie seeing that I haue yeelded my obedience to the Emperour and haue not kept silence in that which was of my knowledge Who can read this and thinke him a Pope which wrot it And in like manner speaketh he to Theodore the Emperors Physitian My tongue saith he is vnable to expresse the good which I haue receiued of the Almightie and of my Lord the Emperour and what shall I giue againe for all this good but onely this Vestigia pure amare i. To loue the ground he goeth on in the same sence in which he elsewhere often saith Greg. li. 2. Epist 64. ad Dominorum vestigia transmisi i. I haue sent it to the feet of my Lords And at the foot of that Epistle he saith God hath not giuen him power to rule ouer souldiers onely Idem Epist 52. but also ouer Bishops where hee vseth the word Sacerdotibus meaning thereby All men of the Church And shall then Baronius his plea be admitted Baron an 593. art 15. when he saith That Gregorie spake as one which liued vnder a Nero or a Dioclesian especially when he maketh such open protestation That he speaketh the truth wholly without all reseruation and thereupon is so bold in the same Epistle as to say vnto him What wilt thou answer before the iudgement seat of God when he shall say vnto thee at that day Of Notarie I made thee Captaine of the gard of the Captaine of the gard Caesar of Caesar Emperour Was it feare or duetie which drew these words from him But if you will take a true view of the judgement which this man had of the Emperour then read the Epistle which he wrot without all passion to Anastasius Bishop of Antioch Whereas saith he men which are Orthodox in the faith are daily preferred to holie Orders wee haue great cause to render
assumes the spirit of Sathan makes himselfe like to the most high is content to be worshipped which was forbidden Iohn from aboue by the Angell and permits his feet to be kist after the manner of Dioclesian and Alexander most cruell Tyrans when Christ a freeman nay the Lord of heauen and our God washed the feet of poore fishermen his disciples that his Apostles and messengers by his example might doe the like to those to whom they were sent That there was one diuine Maiestie and prouidence rich enough in it selfe and needing nothing of ours being present euerie where consulting and prouiding of it selfe for all things c. And Emperours were not constituted vppon earth by fortune chaunce neither by mortall men or the secret power of the fates but they were chosen by supreamest deitie diuinely created and by a most mercifull and indulgent Father placed in the administration and gouernement of all humane things Furthermore the Roman Priest whose conuersation should be in heauen and heauenlie things holds and possesseth Cities Castles Boroughs Prouinces riches power great worldlie honour and magnificence the power of the sword and accruments not out of any right of his own but by others liberalitie benefit that is by the beneuolence bounties if I may not rather say the vilitie and basenesse of the Potentates of Germanie But they of all others most ingrate studie how to deserue ill of their benefactours for the sword which through our munificence they hold in their hand they are not ashamed to draw and sheath euen in our bowels which haue beene their benefactors now these goodlie Pastors raised by our predecessours to honour and riches can endure no equall They haue excluded Caesar out of Italie and Christ out of Rome true it is they yeeld him heauen and hell and the world they challenge to themselues And they will not onely be called but firmely beleeued to be the gods of this world and of men as if they could rule ouer mens thoughts and tongues or had an Empire equally diuided betwixt them and Ioue Christ crucified and supreame power on earth are verie repugnant and opposit the souldier and the Priest the Emperour and the Pastour the Kingdome and the Crosse corporall and spirituall things armes and sacred offices warre and peace Caesar and an humble messenger the Prince and the Minister the Lord and the seruant whosoeuer would be greatest amongst you saith the highest heauenlie Arbitrator to his Legats let him be lowest and your seruant To be both Emperour and Pope at one time is a monster with two heads for in coynes and medals we see that Decius and Nero with such like Tyrans then worshippers of false gods were the like It is an abhominable reproach to nature a great prouocation to God and our owne mere slothfulnesse and stupiditie that the Prince of Princes should serue the seruant of seruants If he be the seruant of Gods seruants why serues he not Why does he not minister Why feeds he not Why does he not teach Why does he not preach For greedinesse of power and pelfe he confounds heauen and earth all matters are vendible he hath hell and heauen at commaund Then he comes to refute the Popes Bull by a president from his predecessours especially the prerogatiue that he so arrogated to himselfe as that in the vacancie of the Empire and vpon the dissenting of the electors the gouernement of the Empire belonged to the Pope He justified also the course and proceeding of his election and all his actions since the same explaning and laying open vnto all men how justly he applied himselfe to a necessarie defence both in Germanie and Italie And so going forward He most falsly saith he accuses me for a fauourer of Heretikes I am a Christian but he is an Heresiarck for he cannot be Christs disciple that scornes his life contemnes pouertie despises pietie pollutes Religion prophanes holie functions sets light by modest manners condemnes institutions and treads vnder foot all rule and precept For S. Frauncis who was an Herauld of veritie diuine the ensigne-bearer of Christian pouertie and all his whole order he condemned of impietie in Auignion the sixth of the Ides December anno 1322. I pray you heare for what cause An. 1322. This pernitious man thirsting after dominion and Empire preferring siluer before the Gospell where wealth is termed sinne and gold before Christs pouertie calls the Franciscan Friers of contemptible opinion with him a foolish kind of cattell and pernitious foxes who with religious hipocrisie delude the world and deceiue the people He attempted to put downe their order because they taught preached and proued to their followers That Christ possessed nothing in proper on earth But they calling a solemne assemblie at Perugia by common consent of all the Diuines set him forth in his liueliest colours defending the truth by the holie Scriptures and diuine Testimonies though such kind of men deserue rather to bee chastised with imprisonment and bands than with arguments and disputations but yet they deciphered him most truely euidently declaring him to be an insatiable gulfe of Auarice and a worshipper of Idols For that wonderfull masse of gold sayd they which he raked together out of all Christendome but principally out of Alman the kingdome of Arles and Italie vnder colour of an expedition into Asia he distributed amongst the Saracens to make warre vpon the Christians of Armenia who refused to be pilled and powled by him At last drawing to a conclusion he sayes If he be not Antichrist yet he must needs be his predecessour and forerunner and therefore for defence of Gods Temple wherof he hath charged vs to haue a speciall care we appeale from him to a generall and vniuersall Christian Councell This appeale many supposed to be full of perill and daunger but William Ockham a Franciscan a Diuine of great reputation and his collegues diuulging Bookes vpon this subiect they fully satisfied all those saith Auentine who made a great scruple where none was This Apologie of Lodouickes was of such force among other Princes yea euen with his aduersaries that the Counts of Tyroll and Goritz treated a peace betwixt the two competitors Lewis and Frederick Lodouick taking Frederick in battaile as hath beene related held him in custodie for certaine yeares he therefore restored him to libertie vpon condition that Frederick should abjure all royall Title and plight his faithfull promise That the house of Austria should neuer contend with that of Bauaria for the Empire hereupon they receiued the Sacrament together but as many Historiographers make mention Frederick did not afterwards performe his promises Lewis in the yeare 1327 as you haue heard went into Italie An. 1327. and ordering his affaires in Lombardie the imperiall Diâ—deme was with sumptuous celebration solemnitie set on his head at Rome There he assembled also a celebrous Synod wherein he grieuously complaining of Pope Iohn Diuers heauie censures past and many
had forsaken and by appeasing the mind of king Lewis the twelfth whom the other Princes had forsaken suspecting his power Neuerthelesse the Clergie of France stroue against it cleauing fast to their propositions especially of the Pragmaticall sanction as appeareth by the Acts of that Councell till that vnder king Francis his successour in the yeare 1516 notwithstanding the formall Appeale of the Clergie by means of the Concordat the Pragmatical was abolished And of this Couneell where a reformation was expected came none other fruit than an imposition of tenthes on all Europe euer vnder colour of inuading the Turkes which indeed was neuer so much as dreamed on Wherefore many Prelats in giuing their suffrages Concil Lateranens Sess 12. added this clause Placuit quo ad Turcas I am content so it be for the Turkes when the expedition shall be begun the Bishops namely of Durazzo of Salamanca of Taruisino of Grasso of Chio of Montuert of Montmaran of Seruia of Licie of Ferentine of Perousa of Sora of Macerata of Nabia of Algara and others And so the Councell was concluded and dismissed notwithstanding some Bishops tooke it hardly that Christian people should bee so deluded and pronounced with a lowd voyce Non placuit clausura Concilij The shutting vp of the Councell pleaseth vs not as the Bishops of Trane of Salmantica the Generall of the Order of the Iacobines and others The pretence for this dissolution was for that the Councell had now dured fiue yeares which is so much the greater shame for them that in so long time had done nothing but for their owne commoditie That the Prelats might goe visit comfort their Churches And to the end saith Leo that they may returne with greater ioy home to their own filled with some spiritual gifts we bestow vpon them and their families plenarie remission and indulgence of all their sinnes once in their life and at the houre of death In the meane time let the Reader note here the height of his impietie and blasphemie In this Councell Anthonie Puccius in the ninth Session making an Oration feared not to attribute vnto him those words which the Psalmist had pronounced of Christ our Lord Psalm 72. All the Kings of the earth shal worship him all Nations shall serue him and therewithall he addeth All the kings of the earth know what power is giuen thee in heauen and in earth which the Lord had spoken of himselfe Math. 11. Iube impera manda Commaund saith he whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee at all times In the same manner also the Archbishop Stephan in the tenth Session All power is giuen vnto thee c. Hee which said all hath excepted nothing But would you know by what title the sixt Session will shew you Because he is Christ himselfe the Lion of the tribe of Iuda the root of Dauid the Sauiour and Deliuerer Which names Saint Iohn in the Apocalyps attributed to Iesus Christ and to him alone and none other ought it to be attributed Adde these phrases ordinarie euerie where in this Councell The royall race of the Soueraigne Bishops of Rome The Empire of your Holinesse Sess 9. The Pope is the Prince of the Apostles Sess 4. He is Prince and King Sess 3. The Prince of the whole world contending with Sathan himselfe in blasphemies Sess 1. Yea he is made to be God himselfe The aspect of your Diuine Maiestie Sess 9. Most like vnto God and who ought to be adored of all people Sess 3. 10. and with the same adoration wherewith Christ is worshipped for to him they attribute these words of of the Psalme 72. All the Kings of the earth shall worship him namely the eternall sonne of God But Spouse or Bridegroome of the Church that is his ordinarie Epithete often in that Councell What monstrous and audacious boldnesse is here for a pretended Vicar Canst thou Reader expect greater blasphemies than these for the reuealing of Antichrist And thus in the Councell of Lateran all Christendome was deluded But truely in his affaires Leo proceeded verie seriously for he ordayned Laurence his brother Peters sonne gouernour of Tuscanie and established the Common-wealth of Florence in such sort that it depended of him alone hence is the ground of the soueraigne power of the Medices in that citie Alfonsina also the mother of Laurence of the house of the Vrsins was continually instant vpon him to doe her sonne yet some further fauor wherefore for some light occasions by him sought saith Onuphriuâ— he set vpon by armes Frauncis Maria de Roueria Duke of Vrbin whom he suspected and hated and depriued him of his whole Dukedome and set his Nephew vp in his place though his familiars blamed his vngratefull mind towards that Prince who had safely receiued and kept them of his familie in their exile But saith Guicciardine when against all faith and credit he had once begun to offend him he dissembled not that be supposed it a thing necessarie vtterly to ruinat him With the same mind also he draue away Alfonsus Petrucci Cardinall and his brother from Siena Whereupon Alfonsus a while after impatient of griefe conspired against him with many Cardinals Adrian de Corneto Raphaell Riario Bandinello Saule and others but the conspiracie being discouered they were depriued of their Cardinalship and Alfonsus as chiefe was strangled by a Moore in the castle S. Angelo Bandinello condemned to perpetuall imprisonment and a while after for a great sum of money set at libertie yet was it suspected he had first bin poysoned with slow-working poyson Many others redeemed their liues with money among which the Cardinall de Corneto after reconciliation departed secretly from Rome and howsoeuer it happened was neuer seeme more in any place afterward Guicciardine particularly noteth That out of the suspition that Leo had conceiued against Alfonsus by reason of certaine letters intercepted he had called him to Rome hauing giuen him his safe conduct and passed his word and faith to the Embassadour of the king of Spaine that he should safely returne But that Guicciard l. 13. when the Embassadour objected vnto him his violated faith and his perjurie he answered That neuer any crime against the life of the Pope was assured by any safe-conduct how ample soeuer it were and full of pregnant causes although it were namely and indiuidually expressed Now hereby he acknowledged that whether hee had well or ill proceeded in his businesse all the Colledge of Cardinalls was much alienated from him he therefore resolued to get himselfe new friends and in one Morning the Colledge consenting to it for feare not of free will he created one and thirtie Cardinalls among whom were two of his sisters sonnes and some that had serued him before and after his Popedome Who for diuers causes were acceptable and obedient both to him and to the Cardinall de Medicis but were not for any other respect capable of so great dignitie Many of them also he made for money
chaires and forsaking their flockes to goe a gadding and roming into other countries haunting Marts and Faires for filthie lucres sake and little caring to feed and releeue their hungrie and staruing brethren so that themselues might haue money at their will getting lands by fraud and money by griping vsurie and what did we not An. 253. saith he deserue for these ill doings This was after the yeare 253. And as bad weeds grow apace in the Church if God from time to time crop them not so Eusebius imputeth that succeeding persecution of Dioclesian to the same causes as before An. 302. Euseb lib. 8. c. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was saith he among vs nought else but cursed speakings and continualliarres of Prelats falling out with Prelats and congregations with congregations They also which seemed to be Pastors casting off the law and rule of pietie kindled contentions betweene themselues seeking onely to encrease debates threats iealousies heart-burnings and reuenge with an immoderat desire to commaund and sway as in a Tyrannie And therefore lesse wonder is it if afterward taking their ease vnder Constantine the Great many of them became fit instruments some more some lesse to aduance the Mysterie whereof we speake An. 310. 2 Constantine therefore affecting the Christian religion about the yeare 310 set himselfe to bestow huge largesses vpon the Christian Churches especially vpon that of Rome as chiefe citie of the Empire and the place where his person most vsually resided largesses I say and heritages of great reuenewes with sumptuous ornaments all inuentaried in the life of Syluester Lib. 4. de Episc Cler. in Co. Theod. Damasus Anastas in Syluestro written by Damasus Bishop of Rome and by Anastasius surnamed Bibliothecarius and his greatest princes becomming conuerts after his example did the like both by deeds of gift and legacies which Constantine ratified and authorised by law expresse And the more to win credit and to inure his people to Christianitie about the yeare 330 as he pulled downe Idolatry so he applied the reuenewes of their temples to the maintenance of the Christian Churches so that in short time the Roman Church grew exceeding rich All which and euerie particular thereof appeareth in the said life of Syluester and by Cedrenus in his historie where he saith Cedrenus pag. 243. That in the 26 and 27 yeares of his Empire Constantine laboured to pull downe the Idols with their Temples and to conuey their rents and reuenewes to the Churches of God And herewithall went forward still and encreased that pretence of the Bishops of Rome vnto the Primacie whereof we find too many markes in their Epistles euen in those of Syluester himselfe but I make a conscience to alledge them because the more learned sort and Cardinall Casanus himselfe hold them all or the most part for counterfeit vntill the time of Pope Syricius which was the yere 400 as we haue elsewhere declared 3 Neither doe we here speake of that pretended donation of Constantine made vnto the Church of Rome in the person of Syluester as well of the citie of Rome as of a great part of Italie as being a thing contrarie and repugnant to the whole course of histories for that we find no fourth Consulship of Constantine the son and Gallicanus which yet is the date of that donation Because Damasus Bishop of Rome in the life of Syluester so particularly by him described maketh no such mention and Anastasius as little Because all Italie and Rome it selfe came afterwards in partage among the sonnes of Constantine as Eusebius Victor Zozimus Euseb lib. 4. c. 51 Idem de vita Constant lib. 4. c. 49. 50. 51. Zozimus lib. 2. Victor in Constantin Zonaras to 3. Agaâ—â—n Epist ad â—â—â—stant Pogâ—â—â—t in Actis 6. Synod and Zonaras report Because Isidore Burchard and Iuo judging it Apocryphal haue omitted it in their seuerall Collections of decrees Because Pope Agatho himselfe writing many yeares after to Constantine Pogonatus calleth Rome Vrbem Imperatoris seruilem i. The seruile towne or citie of the Emperour Because the most reputed men of the Roman Church haue refuted and reiected it namely a Anton. Archiep part 1. tit 8. c. 2. § sic inquit Antonine Archbishop of Florence b Volaterra in vita Constantin Raphael Volaterranus c Hieron Catalan in practica Cancella Apostol Hieronimus Catalanus Chamberlaine to Pope Alexander the sixt d Otho Frisingens in Annal. Otho Frisingensis e Cardin. Cusanus in concord Cathol lib. 3. Cardinall Casanus f Laurent Valla de ficta donatione Laurentius Valla Senator of Rome g Franciscus Guicciard in locis duobus de Papa Francis Guicciardine and others euerie one of them famous in their seuerall generations Aeneas Syluius himselfe afterward Pope Pius the second in a particular treatise cited by the foresaid Catalanus Because Platina the Popes Historian is ashamed to mention it to be short Because that in the pretended originall it selfe kept in the Vatican and written in letters of gold the scribe which wrot it hath added at the foot thereof in false Latine Quam fabulam longi temporis mendacia finxit i. Which fable a lye of long continuance hath forged And forged indeed with monstrous impudencie when it is there said That Constantine the fourth day after his baptisme gaue this priuiledge also to the Bishop of Rome That all the Priests throughout the Empire should acknowledge him for their head as Iudges acknowledge their King Surely it should seeme that this good Emperour was not well instructed by Syluester in the rights and priuiledges of the Bishops of Rome since it appeareth that he knew not that they came from heauen nor Syluester himselfe well learned in this point since he chose to hold them as from the Emperour rather than from Saint Peter And againe it is there said That Constantine gaue to Syluester and to his successors the Primacy ouer the Sees of Alexandria Antioch Hierusalem Constantinople and all other Churches of the world Doubtlesse Syluester had neuer gone to schoole with the Iesuites where he might haue learned That it belonged properly to him to haue giuen the Empire vnto Constantine as for himselfe that this Primacie and preheminence ouer all other Churches was giuen him in the Gospell And farther it is there said That of purpose to make roome for the Pope the Emperour built Constantinople It being vnfit as it is there said that where the Empire of Priests should be there the earthlie Emperour should intermeddle or haue any thing to doe Yet is it euident that afterward Constantine allotted Rome to one of his sonnes and that many Emperours after him made that their ordinarie dwelling And to conclude this priuiledge was to endure to the end of the world with Crowne and Mantle and other Imperiall robes and he by Constantine damned to the pit of hell without hope of remission that should offer
when Caelestins letters were read the Synod cried out To Caelestin a second Paule I confesse and did they not the like of Cyrill crying out To Cyrill a second Paule there is but one Caelestin but one Cyrill And what other demaund I pray you did those Legats make but onely that they might haue the Acts to subscribe vnto them a thing not to haue beene denied to anie ordinarie Bishop which had come late as they did And yet Baronius would faine haue it Iterata damnatio that this subscription of theirs was a second sentence confirmatorie of that which had beene giuen by the Councell whereas they themselues writing to the Emperours signifie only this that they are of the same beleefe and opinion with the Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if Cyrill had beene Legat what need of this Or if this were needfull then it followeth that Cyrill was not Legat for the Pope but was onely requested to passe his word vnto the Councell for the Orthodox beleefe of Caelestin Fourthly Philippicus a Priest of Rome and one of the Legats in his speech said that he rejoyced to see that the members did so well agree with their holie Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 195. And hereupon Baronius maketh a flourish and because these Fathers had the patience to heare him Doest thou see Reader saith he how all these Fathers were content to heare him without repining For my owne part I know not what he would haue had them to doe in this case vnlesse it be that they should haue made an vprore in the Synod and haue fallen by the eares about it He should rather haue considered how at the ouerture of this Councell they placed Christ in his Gospell for Head of this Councell or if the doubt be of the ministeriall Head that then in their Synodal Epistle they call Cyril the Head of the Congregation of Bishops but of euerie such insolent pranke which the Popes or their Legats play Baronius is euer readie to make a Title But will you now know who was Soueraigne in this Councel The Synod by their letters to the Emperours in all humilitie aske leaue to depart euerie man to his owne home seeing that all controuersies were now decided And the Emperour vpon relation of what they had done gaue his confirmation in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 273. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duely informed hath pronounced That the holie Oecumenicall Councell hath done all things according to the Canons and therefore hath displaced and banished Nestorius commaunding the Bishops of the Synod to enter vpon the Church and to elect and consecrate a Bishop of Constantinople and thereupon the Fathers ordained Maximinus And farther the Emperor commaunded them to returne euerie man to his owne home Consider we also that the Fathers of those times speak of this Primacie by vertue of Saint Peters chaire in farre other tearmes than now men vse to doe Saint Ambrose expounding those words of Saint Paul to the Galathians Ambros ad Gala ca. 2. where hee compareth himselfe to Peter He nameth saith he onely Peter and compareth himselfe to him because he had receiued the Primacie to lay the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles Now I would know whether Rome were not of the Gentiles if so to what purpose then serueth the Primacie of Saint Peter But hee addeth yet farther Yet we see ful and absolute authoritie giuen to Saint Peter for the preaching to the Iewes and so likewise full and absolute authoritie was giuen to Paul to preach vnto the Gentiles For which cause also hee tearmeth himselfe the Teacher of the Gentiles in truth and veritie and yet was he neuer Bishop of Rome For saith he euerie man according to his abilitie tooke vnto him as by lot the dispensation And a harder matter it was to draw those vnto the faith which were a farre off than those which were neere at hand as if he meant to preferre Paul before Peter as one which vndertooke the harder taske August in Iohan Tract 124. in Epist Iohan Tract 10. And Saint Augustine The Church saith he is founded vpon the rocke from which rocke Saint Peter tooke his name vpon this stone saith our Sauiour that is vpon this stone which thou hast confessed will I build my Church meaning vpon this faith Those which would build vpon men said I am of Cephas i. of Peter but those who would not build vpon Peter but vpon that stone said I am of Christ. Saint Basil doubtlesse neuer dreamed of this Primacie he saw indeed and grieued to see the pride and hautinesse of the Bishop of Rome for with what indignation speaketh he of him in his tenth Epistle Yea but say they in his 52 Epistle to Athanasius speaking of the combustions in the East he saith That hee purposed to write to the Bishop of Rome I confesse but to what purpose would hee write onely for this Basil Epist 10.50.52 To request him to giue them his aduise and that hee would admonish such as were peruerse How much more gloriously doth he speake of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria saying That it was he which vnderwent the care of all the Churches and calling him the shelter and refuge of them all And speaking of the Church of Antioch Miletius saith he presideth there as ouer the bodie of the Catholike Church Chrysost in Math. c. 16. in serm de Pentecost Euseb Emiss in serm de Natiui Chrysost Homil. 43. in Math. and of which all other Churches are but as parcels And Chrysostome Vpon this stone he saith not vpon Peter for he hath not built his Church vpon a man but vpon that faith and confession and words of pietie And in like manner speaketh Eusebius Emissenus And Chrysostome hauing laid this doctrine for a ground goeth on and speaketh plainely Whosoeuer saith he among the Bishops he excepteth none shall desire this Primacie here on earth shall vndoubtedly find confusion in heauen and be which affecteth to be the first shall not be numbred among the seruants of Christ And vpon the Epistle to the Galathians speaking of Saint Paul He had saith he Idem in Epist ad Galat. c. 2. before declared that he was equall to the rest in honour but now he compareth himselfe to the greatest that is to Saint Peter shewing that euerie of them had receiued equall dignitie Now if the Apostles themselues were equall how commeth there one superiour among their successors And yet this was spoken at what time the Pope began apparently to exalt himselfe aboue his fellowes for of this verie age it was that Socrates speaking of Innocentius Zozimus Boniface and Caelestin Socrat. li. 7. c. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops of Rome vnder the Emperor Theodosius the yonger testifieth That the See of Rome like vnto that of Alexandria passing the bounds and borders of the Priesthood
to be preferred he maketh them worthie so soone as they are preferred Gregorie in our time tooke the paine to reuiew the Canon Law and taking especiall notice of this Canon is bold to equall it with the Apostolike Decrees And I feare that ere it be long a man may more truly say that this See hath this especiall prerogatiue and priuiledge That either it admitteth of none but knaues or maketh them such so soone as they are admitted But what will Symmachus say to Gratian who speaking of Anastasius the second D. 19. c. Anastasius his predecessor saith of him That he was strucken by the iudgement of God because he communicated with Photinus the Deacon a disciple of that master heretike Acatius Anastas Biblioth in Pontific which is auerred also by Anastasius Bibliothecarius in his life OPPOSITION An. 472. Odoacer therefore Captaine of the Rugians hauing made himselfe King of all Italie about the yeare 472 for preuention of tumults which might ensue if Simplicius should happen to die made a Law and published it by Basilius in the open Vatican and before the Bishops there assembled That in case Simplicius should happen to die for the auoidance of trouble and hurt both in Church and Citie none should be elected without his priuitie Baron vol. 6. an 476. art 1 2 3. Which Odoacer hath at least this commendation from Antiquitie That he was neuer offensiue or troublesome to the Catholike Church in matters belonging to Religion though himselfe were a professed Arrian Cassiodor in Chron. and farther is reported to haue beene of so good a temper that in thirteene yeares space which he held Italie vnder his commaund he neuer tooke vnto him either the title or the robe of the Emperour who all barbarian as he was shall yet one day rise in judgement against these mens insolencie and pride True it is that Sigonius reporteth that this law was made by the aduise of Simplicius himselfe Sigon de Occident Imperio l. 15. 16. Synod Roma 3. sub Symmacho an 498. but what author hath he for it For the third Synod of Rome which was held vnder Symmachus sayth no such thing but tearmeth it in precise tearmes The Law of Odoacer And there was good vse to be made of this Law about the yeare 498 at the election of a Bishop after the death of Anastasius the second For by reason that Anastasius the Emperour had filled the fists of a great part of the Clergie of Rome to this end that he might haue alwaies a Pope at his owne deuotion it came to passe that one part set vp and named Symmachus Theodor. Collectan l. 2. and the other Lawrence and each faction kept quarter apart vntill in the end some being wiser than some the matter was referred to Theodoric King of the Ostrogothes who at that time reigned in Italie and he preferred Symmachus who not long after in a Synod at Rome abrogated this verie law as Sigonius reporteth And we doubt not of the mans good will but yet we find that this Law stood in force vntill the time of Benedict the second whom the Emperour Constantine Pâ—goratus Synod Roma 3. sub Symmach about the yeare 68â— absolued from the obseruance of this Law as Onuphrius himselfe acknowledgeth But these matters stayed not here For foure yeares after this wound began to bleed afresh Lawrence was called home to Rome where the factions fairely â—â—ll to blowes whereat Theodoric tooke great offence and deposing them both he placed Peter Paul Diacon l. 15. Nicephor l. 16. c. 35. Bishop of Alâ—in in the roome Paulus Diaconus and Nicephorus speaking of this accident report That there were infinit spoiles and murders committed by either partie the greater part of the Priests manie Clerkes and a multitude of the Citizens were there slaine Sabell Eun. 8. l. 2. and the holie virgins themselues as Sabellicus writeth were not spared in those seditions Yet must all this passe for zeale towards the Church Ennod. in Epist ad Faustum insomuch that one Ennodius a Writer of that time maketh them all Martyrs who died in the cause of Symmachus Their bloud there shed sayth he enrolled them in the Register Booke of the Court of Heauen And Baronius is of the same opinion and for proofe he voucheth a saying of that great Denis Bishop of Alexandria but see his honestie for the case standeth thus Denis wrote to the schismatike Nouatus who would haue made him beleeue that he was taken by force and made Bishop whether he would or no whereupon Denis told him That it had beene better for him to haue suffered anie mischiefe Euseb Histor Eccles l. 6. c. 37. than to haue broken the vnitie of the Church and that it had beene as glorious a martyrdome vnto him as if he suffered for not offering vnto Idols True if rather than thou wouldest be made a Bishop in a Schisme thou wouldest suffer thy selfe to be killed But the case is altered if thou puttest thy selfe in danger or causest either thy selfe or others to be slaine not to auoid but to obtaine a Bishopricke And such was the case of those which died in Symmachus his quarrell And we must remember that the fourth Synod which was held at Rome vnder Symmachus Iornandes de Robus Gothicis Synod Roma 4. sub Symmacho where the greatest part of the Bishops of all Italie were assembled was called by Theodoric True it is that at the first the Bishops began to remonstrate to him That the calling of the Synod belonged to the Pope but Theodoric produced Symmachus his owne letters wherein he requested him to assigne the place and Symmachus himselfe in open Synod gaue him humbly thankes for so assigning it Here Baronius putteth on his brazen face Vol. 6. an 501. art 2. He knew well saith he that to assemble a Synod of Orthodox Bishops appertained not to him and therefore treading the steps of his predecessors he assembled it by the authoritie of Pope Symmachus and the verie Acts of the Councell testifie as much And then falleth he to his accustomed acclamations A memorable matter saith he that a Prince a Barbarian a Goth by nation a stranger an heretike and an Arrian do the schismatikes what they could by importuning him to the contrarie should yet yeeld such respect and reuerence to the See Apostolike But what if the whole proceedings and the Acts themselues of this Synod shew the contrarie It is therefore to be vnderstood that the yeare before Theodoric at the instance of the aduerse part had sent Peter Bishop of Altin to Rome in qualitie of a Visitor to informe himselfe of the crimes which were layed to Symmachus his charge And so it seemeth that Theodoric and Ennodius were not both of the same mind when Ennodius saith That the Pope is accountable to none but vnto Heauen Afterward Theodoric gaue order that this difference should be taken vp Ennod.
I would aske Whether all they who in anie Councell heretofore were the Popes Legats had this title themselues and deriued it to their successors How manie simple Bishops should since that time haue had this title if that were true That the Monke wrote in the same stile to the Patriarch of Antioch Baronius himselfe confesseth but will you see what he wrote to him of Ierusalem to whom Baronius doth not affoord this title he concealeth the subscription and for anie thing we know it may be the same with the other but what sayth he towards the foot of the letter Thou saith he art Prince of the Apostles though thou be reckoned the fift in order and so by his reckoning the Pope of Rome is a Patriarch as others were but he of Ierusalem was the chiefe in regard of those holie deuotions done vnder him as is there said And he addeth farther a reason of this prioritie and preheminence For sayth he where that Bishop of Soules and High Priest Christ Iesus was borne and wrought his heauenly miracles where he suffered and was buried where he was raised againe to life and liued and thence taken into heauen there also must needs be the supreame or soueraigne dignitie and honour viz. of the Church See good reader what light and friuolous arguments these men are faine to hunt for in euerie idle flatterie of a Monke to exalt and magnifie that See of Rome 29. PROGRESSION Of Sergius the second and of the open Simonie vsed in his time AFter the death of the Emperor Lewis his sonnes who so well agreed against him fell to variance among themselues and saith Sigonius as the dignitie of the French by occasion of these diuisions diminished so that of the Italians meaning of the Popes encreased Charles sumamed the Bauld Carolus Caluus Sigibert en 844. Platinae in Sergio Sigon de Reg. Ital. lib. 5. had for his partage the kingdome of France Lewis all Germanie Eastward of the Rhine Lotharius all the Low Countries Burgundie Prouence Italie and Rome with the Title of the Empire So that of all the children the Pope had especially to deale with Lotharius and his eldest sonne Lewis whom he associated in the Empire in the yeare 844 and proclaimed king of Italie An. 844. In this yeare died Gregorie the fourth who had alreadie begun to make his profit of their dissentions The Clergie and Senat of Rome immediatly after his death elected Sergius the second consecrated him without expecting the Mandat of the Emperour Though Anastasius their owne Historian Anastas in Leo. 4. in the life of Leo the fourth successor vnto Sergius saith in expresse tearmes That the Romans durst not consecrate a Pope without authoritie from the Emperour Which he would neuer haue written if that pretended Renunciation of Lewis the first Emperor had taken place But Sergius making his hay in the Sun-shine of their diuision went through with it This is he as Platina reporteth that first altered his name though Onuphrius attributeth it to Iohn the twelfth also who first ordained That no Bishop might be conuicted but in the mouth of seuentie two witnesses and yet himselfe put to death a certaine Cardinall Priest and an enemie of his called Athanasius vpon the testimonie of farre fewer witnesses Also this is he whose raigne is so foulely stained and blotted with detestable simonie Author Coaetaneus apud Vignerium pa. 214. 215. He had saith a certaine Author of that time a brother called Benedict and surnamed Brute being indeed of brute behauiour who growing vpon the weakenesse of the Pope vsurped the execution and administration of all affaires as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuile and had by briberie and corruption obtained of the Emperour Primatum dominium Romae that is as we interpret the chiefe place and gouernement of Rome Shortly after he seised into his hands the Bishopricke of Alba marring all in euery place by his auarice and vaine behauiours Aboue all vnder this Pope and his brother Simonie grew monstrous Bishoprickes were openly set to sale and they carried them who could giue most for them Neither was there any Bishop or other who led with the zeale of God would deale with the Emperour for the restraint and reformation of this horrible abuse And this was the cause why seeing no Christian sought to redresse this sinne God sent in Pagans to punish their transgressions The Sarasens comming suddenly and vnawares vpon them slew infinit multitudes of men set fire on townes and castles And the Histories from hence forward are full of these calamities But let vs looke backe and see what the Emperour Lotharius did OPPOSITION So soone as Lotharius vnderstood of the consecration of the Pope made without his priuitie and in prejudice of the Empire he presently sent his sonne Lewis into Italie with an armie Baron vol. 10. an 844. art 5. Sigebert saith he sent to confirme him Baronius speaketh all saue good of him for so saying But what euer the cause was he gaue him his vncle Drogo Archbishop of Mets for a guide and conductor in this voyage They lay to his charge That he passed with great terrour and crueltie through Italie And the truth is that he chastised with some rigour the citie of Boulogne for not receiuing him as they ought borne out as it should seeme by the Pope But when he came to Rome he entred the Vatican Palace where the Pope attended his comming and receiued him according to the custome Sigonius will needs report Osculum sancto pedi infixit Anastas in Sergio 2. Plat. ib. That he kissed his holie foot but the world was not yet come to that Anastasius who vseth not to loose any of the Popes prerogatiues saith onely That the Emperour and the Pope embraced each other And Platina That they entertained each other with a mutuall kisse And then the Pope vsing his Church power and standing at S. Peters Church doore which was shut If thou art come said he for the good of this Church and Citie then enter by my commaund if otherwise by my good will they shall not be opened vnto thee And when Lewis had graciously assured him of his good meaning he caused the doores to be set open to him and to the great ones that were about him Yet did the whole armie also rush into the citie to see it and to visit the Churches So much had the Clergie of Rome alreadie preuailed by their dissentions The issue of all was That Sergius ancled crowned and proclaimed Lewis Anastasius saith King of Lombards Ado and Leo Hostiensis say Ado Viennen in Chron. Leo Hostien King of Italie and Emperour with a joyfull acclamation of the people and both Platina and Sigonius speake after the same manner And Anastasius saith farther That the Pope would not suffer the Romans to sweare fealtie to Lewis but only to the Emperor Lotharius whereof other Authors make no difference And a certaine Author of that time
the old fashion that he shall be deposed for a whole yeare if the Prince be cause of his so liuing that he be excommunicated for two yeares And the 17 Canon forbiddeth Princes and Emperours to be present at Synods vnlesse it be at generall Councels And the 22 disableth them and all Laies whomsoeuer to be present at the election or promotion of anie Patriarch Metropolitan or Bishop vnder paine of excommunication whereby no doubt the Popes Legats thought they had shut the Emperours of the West cleane out of their Conclaues vsing one Emperour as a rod alwaies to scourge the other As for the point of Appeales to Rome they could not effect it for the 26 Canon is plaine That who so findeth himselfe aggrieued with his Bishop shall appeale to his Metropolitan and from the Metropolitan to the Patriarch à quo litibus finis imponatur who shall make a full end of the controuersie and therefore meant not to run to Rome as Nicholas would haue had them And it was euen at the instant when the Articles were offered them to subscribe that they made their protestation against them In this Synod there appeared yet another notable ambition of the Popes for the Bulgarians being formerly Painims receiued Christianitie in the time of Nicholas who sent them Bishops for their instruction Michael their Prince sent his embassadors to the Synod who comming before them That we may not say they seeme to erre in our owne opinions we desire to be informed by you which supplie the places of the Great Patriarches to what Church we are to belong The Popes Legats replied presently That they ought to belong to the Roman Church The Bulgarians requested That the matter might be resolued and agreed vpon with the Legats of other Patriarches there present The Romanists replied That there was no more to be done with them and therefore without euer putting it to the Synod pronounced absolutely That they must belong to Rome The Easterne Bishops put this question to the Bulgarians When you first tooke the countrey said they from whom tooke ye it and the Priests which you found there were they Greekes or Latines They answered That they tooke the countrey from the Grecians and that they found there none but Greeke Bishops Whereuppn the Easterne Bishops inferred That they were doubtlesse ordained at Constantinople and so consequently should belong to that Church Thereupon the Legats replied That Churches were not bounded by the diuersitie of tongues That kingdomes and Sees differed in their jurisdictions That they had the presumption on their side who had giuen them their first Bishops That all Epirus Thassalie and Dardania had bin euer belonging to their jurisdiction The Easterne Bishops on the contrarie demaunded vpon which of these they would principally stand In the end the violence and pride of the Roman Legats ouerswayed who told the Synod That the Church of Rome held not that Councel for a competent Iudge of her controuersies who was her selfe by speciall prerogatiue to iudge of all other Churches That decree they what them lusted it should be as little regarded as it was lightly enacted That from this present time they by the authoritie of the holie Ghost pronounced a nullitie in whatsoeuer they should decree vntill the See of Rome had determined thereof And so the holie Ghost who was to Preside in the Councell Resided onely in their persons And they farther adiured the Patriarch Ignatius by the authoritie of the Apostles and of Adrian who had restored him to his See not to suffer Bulgaria to be taken from them Who made them a doubtfull answer telling them That he was neither so young as to be lightly deceiued neither yet so verie a dotard as to do that himselfe which he found fault withall in others And there rested this contestation betweene them being questionlesse a great scandall to the consciences of these poore conuerts who saw at first that these men sought not the enlargement of Christs kingdome but of their owne jurisdiction and iniurious to the Emperour who offended with these proceedings though dissembling it tooke no order for their passe and safe-conduct into their countrey So that hauing been certaine dayes at sea they fell into the hands of the Sclauons who stript them of all that euer they had took away the original of the Councell with the subscriptions of the Bishops and left them nothing but the copie of Athanasius and had peraduenture lost their liues but that some of their companie escaping the Sclauons feared the matter might come to light and they one day receiue the like measure The issue of all was That doe Adrian what he could the Bulgarians put out the Latine Priests and sent for others in their roomes to Constantinople and so remained they in obedience to that Church Whereupon they grew so odious to the Popes that they called that sinne condemned from heauen after their name Bulgarie thereby to make them odious and abhominable to all men And this was the end of Adrians enterprises in the East 33. PROGRESSION Of the attempts of Pope Adrian both vpon the Clergie and also vpon the kings of France LEt vs now see whether he sped any better in the West Hincmar Bishop of Laon nephew vnto Hincmar Archbishop of Reimes the most learned Bishop of France had surrendred certaine Church goods into the hands of Charles the Bauld to bestow them vpon a certaine Norman captaine Aimon li. 5. c. 24 from whom he would needs shortly after take them away againe and because the Norman would not resigne them but into the hands of the king from whom he had them therefore Hincmar excommunicated him for which in a Synod held at Vernons he was reproued and sharpely censured he thereupon appealed to Rome but they refused to grant him any letters dimissorie yet he continued still in his stubbornnesse vntill at length there was assembled another Councel at Attigni consisting often Prouinces where he was againe condemned and thereupon promised to submit himselfe to the good pleasure of the king and of Hincmar his Metropolitan and vncle and yet vnder hand signified the matter vnto the Pope procuring him to euocate the whole cause to Rome and himselfe to be serued with Processe to appeare there at a day making the best of his owne cause to Adrian Whereupon Adrian wrot vnto king Charles who yet would not license the other to goe to Rome and then did Adrian write him that bloudie letter calling him Tyran periured perfidious and a spoyler of the Church goods and what not And for conclusion as well to him as to Hincmar the Metropolitan We saith he by authoritie Apostolike will and commaund That thou cause Hincmar of Laon and his accusers to come before our Clemencie to the end that we may pronounce our sentence of his cause And wee shall see anone how well he was obeyed But not long after he made a farre more violent attempt vpon him The Emperour Lewis hauing as
and Doctors that reprehended the pluralitie of benefices and the pompe of the Clergie vntill occasion was giuen them to part stakes with them and to tast the benefit of such pluralities and then couetousnesse blinded them too It is written of a great learned Master that solemnely disputed against the riches and pride of Prelats as being altogether vnlawfull to liue in such a fashion Which the Pope being giuen to vnderstand merily answered Let vs bestow vpon him some good Priorie and such and such benefices and he will be quiet ynough which was speedily done and so presently he changed his opinion saying Vntill now I neuer vnderstood this matter c. But he compareth the state of the Church in these times to those of Hieroboam when he set vp the golden calues in Israel Many holie men saith he did commonly affirme that the same was to be feared in the Ecclesiasticall State and now we see it performed in many parts of the world The Clergie who should possesse nothing but that which in reason was competent for them nor intermeddle with the affaires of the Temporaltie will take vpon them to possesse and to gouerne all things and therefore as S. Bernard saith such as obserue no order hasten thither where dwelleth eternall horror c. Good Reader take heed thou follow not this dangerous custome neither excuse thy selfe with the Popes dispensation but follow the counsell of those that are in the heauens aboue with God least with the golden calues thou burne in hell fire An. 1046. In the meane time in the yeare 1046 the Emperour Henrie the second taketh his journey into Italie partly to take possession of the Empire partly at the persuasion of diuers to procure some remedie against those confusions which had beene brought into the Church by three Popes Benedict Siluester and Gregorie the one troubling and contending with the other and within the walls of Rome making barricadoes one against the other Siluester at S. Maria major Benedict at the palace of S. Lateran and Gregorie at S. Peters whereupon these verses were sent by a Hermit to Henrie Otho Frisingens l. 6. c. 31. Gregor Hemburg in admonitione de vsurpat Paparum Roman Imperator Henrice Omnipotentis vice Vnica Sunamitis Nupsit tribus maritis Dissolue connubium Et triforme dubium An. 1461. Herman contract Carthusian Sigibert in Chron. Platina in Gregor 6. Siluest 3. Great Emperour Henrie who in Gods stead must be The Church who is but one is maried to three Dissolue thou the knot and the doubt trebled will be Platina calls them three wicked monsters and in his historie of Siluester the third saith We are like to see worse matters than all these if God preuent them not since the good being opprest he onely riseth to promotion that excels in bountie and ambition not in learning and sanctitie of life They vse not saith he in these dayes to enter by the doore but the window like theeues and robbers and of diuers others in this Age hee affirmes as much Now by this onely disorder how many other may we imagine He therefore being receiued King in Lombardie before he came to Rome held a Councell of many Bishops at Sutri wherein Gregorie the sixt being conuicted for obtaining the Popedome with money by consent of them all was deposed and in like sort were the other two reiected being deposed saith Martine Canonica imperiali censura by a Canonicall and Imperiall censure And the Romans being altogether ignorant whom vpon the sudden they might nominat to bee Pope the Emperour proposed vnto them Suitger Bishop of Bamberge one of his owne followers and a man for his honestie and learning well spoken of whom he compelled them to approue This is he that was called Clement the second Sigon l. 8. de regno Ital. Martinus in Chron. The Church saith Sigonius hauing beene now sicke for the space almost of two hundred yeres the disease grew so desperat that it required violent remedies yea sword and fire medicines that belong to diseases incurable Whereupon saith Martin per vim substituit he gaue them a successor by force the Romans promising vnto him and swearing That they would neuer chuse Pope without his consent Leo Ostiens c. 80 Leo the Cardinall of Ostia speaking in his Chronicle of these disorders more briefely saith Pope Benedict hauing held the See at Rome twelue yeares was deposed by the Romans and Iohn Bishop of Sabins who was called Siluester substituted in his place non tamen gratis but yet not freely But three moneths after this Benedict with the aid of the Tusculans his kinsfolke draue away Siluester and by force repossessed the See of Rome But neuerthelesse perceiuing himselfe to be odious to all he deliuered the Popedome to Iohn the Archpriest who was accounted as it were the more religious and retired himselfe to his fathers house that there with better libertie he might fulfill his owne lusts and practise his wickednesse He could not in better words haue affirmed That he that of the three was accounted the best was starke naught But Henrie the Emperour saith he the sonne of Conrade his nefandis auditis hearing of these execrable things in the Apostolike See inspired from heauen in the yeare 1047 comming into Italie went to Rome desirous to purge the Apostolike See of these spots Whereupon he stayed at Sutri where deliberating vpon this great and necessarie businesse statuit he appointed there a general Councell to be called of all Bishops There being therefore gathered together at his commaund a great multitude of Bishops Abbots and other religious men he likewise inuited thither the Pope of Rome to be chiefe in that Councell What should I say more The Councell being held Gregorie being by their Synodall Canons and sentence conuicted of simonie of his owne accord rising from his seat and putting off his Pontificall habit humbly and prostrat vpon the ground asked pardon for that he had prophaned that dignitie Leo therefore we see agreeth not in opinion with Baronius who saith That it is not lawfull for an Emperour to intermeddle with the affaires of the See of Rome for he saith quite contrarie That he came inspired by God to that end yea and he addeth withall That he procured vnto him a successor And because these things were done with so prosperous and good successe Sigon l. 8. de regno Italiae the Romans gaue vnto the sayd Henrie the honour of a Patriciat as they did sometimes to Charles the Great and decreed that besides the Crowne of the Empire he should weare a Chaine This selfesame yeare in hope or rather vnder some shew of a reformation of the Church a Synod was held where first a question was made concerning simonie which sin was then growne to such a height saith Sigonius the Popes either winking at it or no way hindering the course thereof that it was a vsuall thing for Bishops to sel
God than man which Saint Peter in the Acts spake to another sense At his returne into Italie finding himselfe more firmely setled in Rome in the yeare 1097 he caused those articles to be confirmed An. 1097. but yet strengthened with a notable reason Guill Malm. l. 4 Edinerus in vita Arnulini Archiepiscop Symeon Dunelmens l. 2. Chron. That it was too abhominable that those hands that by the signe create their Creator should be bound as handmaids to serue those that euerie day and houre pollute themselues with vncleanenesse Thus abusing the world with a shew of reuerence due to the holy Eucharist because then Transubstantiation began to take footing To conclude we read that in these times he made a shew vpon this occasion of his authoritie in France and England in France in that Geffrey Bishop of Chartres was not onely deposed by him for his many and grieuous offences but Iuon Abbot of S. Quintin put into his place of whom he made choyce being a man famous in those dayes that by his commendations he might the better countenance his owne vsurpation In England in that he persuaded Anselmus an Italian the disciple of Lanfrane being chosen Archbishop of Canterburie by the consent of King William the second to take his confirmation of him which being once admitted by the Primat of England was an example for all the rest to doe the like OPPOSITION But it is now time to consider what the state of the Christian world was especially in the time of these schismes which for the space of sixteene yeares filled it with fire and sword The Popes Cardinals Councels Decrees Excommunications being opposit the one against the other each part chalenging to themselues the true Church affirming that without it there was nothing but heretikes heresies Christ himselfe if you will beleeue them was personally present on both parts and yet not so much as his footsteps to be found in either In so much that many Christian States tooke part with neither of them but left the gouernement of the Church to their owne Bishops not so much as turning their eyes towards Rome out fathers hauing then learnt that the Church of God might subsist without Popes and that Christ without their Vicarship was able to gouerne the Church Germanie was the Theatre of this tragedie wherein it much grieued all sorts of people that such controuersies as should be decided by Scriptures were with a strange disorder of all things determined by ciuile warres And therefore in the yeare 1088 at the entrance of Pope Vrban An. 1088. the Bishops and Princes on both parts assembled in Councell at Garstunghen to find some course for peace to be proposed to Vrban before he were touched with the affections of his predecessors which he seemed neuerthelesse to succeed by right of inheritance There Conrade Bishop of Vtrecht layd open vnto them how necessarie a thing peace was and how detestable it was for any man vpon any pretence whatsoeuer to breake his plighted faith for whosoeuer did so contemned him by whom he sware since we are not so much to consider to whom we sweare as by whom and we are admonished by Christ and his Apostles to obey Tiberius Nero and the most wicked monsters that are how much more then good and lawfull Princes Ambitious therefore and proud are they who with a brasen face abuse the words of our Sauiour Whatsoeuer thou loossest vpon earth shall be loossed in heauen adulterating them by their interpretations enforce them to serue their owne appetites and like children and such as are vnskilfull in all things endeuour to deceiue vs as if saith he wee were ignorant that it is a familiar and common thing with the holie Prophets and Preachers of the word to call one and the same thing by diuers names according to the capacitie of the hearers and to expresse them sometimes figuratiuely sometimes simply according to the diuersitie of the effects Doubtlesse that which Christ Iesus spake more obscurely in one place he expresseth plainely in S. Iohn and most plainely in S. Mathew S. Marke and S. Luke Peace be vnto you saith he Auent l. 5. As my Father hath sent me so I send you Receiue ye the holie Ghost Whose sinnes ye remit shall be remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine shall be retained And to the end he might sow concord and shew himselfe to be the onely true shepheard he saith to one If thou loue me feed my sheepe that is goe into the whole world and preach the Gospell to all creatures And againe All power is giuen me both in heauen and in earth goe therefore and teach all nations And therefore this heauenly Doctor opened the minds of his Disciples that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes and commaund them in his name to preach repentance and remission of sinnes to all nations and to be witnesses of these things This good Bishop had not yet learnt that these places were to be restrained to one Pope to Peter onely excluding all the rest both Apostles and Bishops or that they were more to be applied vnto him than the rest And therefore he addeth For these causes Hildebrand is fallen headlong into ambition since he vsurpeth the power of the immortall God whose messenger he is such are the customs the times the men The Supreame and Soueraigne Maiestie had ill prouided for humane affaires if it had deliuered the sword into the hands of one mortall man whosoeuer For who can set limits to the boundlesse desires of man c. We haue no need to be taught after what manner Peter and his Collegues vsed the Spirituall power or to speake more truely the dispensation and procuration of the heauenlie food for we are the Butlers as it were and Yeomen of Gods garner It plainely appeareth in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles written by Saint Luke the Physitian that the armour of our warfare is the spirit not sword nor rapine nor murders nor periuries but our breastplate or helmet girdle sword buckler are peace loue righteousnesse hope truth the word of God faith all which our most Christian Emperour hath many times of his free will offered to Hildebrand but he hath refused them We denie not but he is a man and apt to sinne without which no man commeth into the world but it is his happinesse that the greatest are not layed to his charge He is giuen to the lusts of the flesh but yet that which nature hath permitted which as youth hath stirred vp in him old age is accustomed to correct I confesse that this is a great sinne but yet humane and such as many yea good men haue often committed And if we truely consider of this our Prince we shall find that whatsoeuer vices there are in him either by naturall inclination or by reason of his age they are ouer counterpoysed by his excellent vertues his readinesse in the execution of great
attempts his fortitude in the middest of dangers his incredible courage patience in labours counsell answerable to his magnanimitie and his diligence as farre forth as his age is capable in militarie affaires his knowledge of diuine and humane lawes an euerlasting desire of peace care of religion bountie towards the poore clemencie towards the vanquished benignitie towards his friends beneuolence towards souldiers in all which he hath excelled all the German and Roman Princes that euer were And if he had beene a wicked tyran yet it had beene our dueties to haue obeyed him not to rebell against him and all humane lawes and the decrees of our forefathers doe forbid a mans aduersaries his enemies to be his accusers witnesses and Iudges The Emperour made peace with Hildebrand in Italie whilest by the perfidious treacherie of a few Saxonie fell from him A traiterous tyran who receiued due punishment for his treacherie contemning all oathes and promises and all affinitie and kindred inuaded him At the last he concludeth No man may proceed or pronounce sentence against a man that is depriued vntill he be restored to his former estate See the booke and read the law and so he deliuered it to Wesilus Archbishop of Mence Guebhard Bishop of Saltzbourge being for his age eloquence and learning chosen Prolocutor by the Bishops that tooke part with Hildebrand was mute and answered not a word From that time forward many of the Bishops and Princes of Saxonie abiure the sect of Hildebrand that name they retained in the time of Vrban and repenting themselues of what they had done came to the Emperour Onely foureteene persist obstinat therein who being assigned to appeare the moneth following at Mence at their day of appearance came not There the rest of the Bishops of Germanie being present with the Legats of the Bishops of France and Italie by the common consent of all the sect of Hildebrand is judged to be contrarie to Christian pietie Otho called Vrban being conuicted of sacriledge and irreligion was excommunicated and those foureteene being condemned of rebellion periurie murder were deposed Moreouer Historiographers doe obserue that in one yeare all the Bishops and Princes died that had kindled those ciuile warres wherewith the whole Empire for the space of seuenteene yeares had beene set on fire and they recite them by name which was in the yeare 1090. An. 1090. Waltram in Epist ad Ludouic Comitem It was at this time that Waltram Bishop of Magdeburge writ an Epistle to the Earle Lodowick whom hee calls a glorious Prince wherein he proues out of the Scriptures that obedience is due to lawfull Kings and Princes to the end he might arme him against the imposters of that age who to women and the vulgar sort of people preached contrary doctrines setting likewise before his eyes the judgements of God vpon Rodolph Hildebrand the Marquesse Egbert and diuers other Princes who bare armes for the Pope against the Emperour Sigebert in Chron. At which time likewise Sigebert speaking of Vrban chosen against Clement and of those things that followed thereupon From hence saith he grew scandalls in the Church and diuisions in the State the one disagreeing from the other the Kingdom from the Priesthood one excommunicating another the one contemning the excommunications of the other either out of a preiudicat opinion of the cause or the person and whilest the one abuseth the authoritie of excommunicating against the other by doing it rather according to his owne lusts than with any respect of iustice he that gaue the power of binding and loossing is altogether contemned Doubtlesse this noueltie that I may not say heresie did not till now appeare in the world That his Priests who causeth the hypocrite to raigne for the sinnes of the people should teach the people That they owe no subiection to wicked Kings and though by oath they bind themselues vnto him yet they owe him no fidelitie neither are they to be accounted periured persons who resist the King but rather to be accounted an excommunicat person that obeyes the King and that man to be absolued from all iniustice and periurie that opposeth himselfe against him Others speake more confidently Then did there arise false Prophets Apostles Priests who deceiued the people with a false religion doing great signes and wonders and of some he makes instance who began to sit in the Temple of God and to be extolled aboue all that is worshipped and whilest they goe about to establish their owne power they extinguish all charitie and Christian simplicitie c. As if the decree of the immortall God kept not alwayes one course That no periured persons shall inherit the kingdome of heauen The most part of the best sort of men such as were iust and honest and ingenuous and simple haue left in writing That at that time they foresaw the Empire of Antichrist to be beginning and those things to come to passe that our Sauiour Christ Iesus had long before foretold Sigebert and Auentine after diuers others doe note Auent l. 5. That the prodigious wonders that were obserued in those times did astonish the minds of most men The heauens saith he seene many times to burne the Sunne and Moone to lose their light the starres to fall from heauen to the earth burning torches fierie darts flying through the ayre new starres neuer seene before Sigebert in Chron. Auent l. 5. pitched pauillions and armies in the ayre encountring one another and innumerable the like whereby the people were confirmed in their opininion But especially when they saw the sonne to conspire against the state and life of his father Conrade against Henrie who had appointed him to be his successor An. 1095. and that by the persuasion compulsion and approbation of Pope Vrban instigated or rather bewitched by the cunning of Mathilda his father in the meane time leauing nothing vndone that might regaine him to his duetie obedience who preuailing nothing by his just gentle exhortations was enforced in the Councels and solemne assemblies of the Empire to beg vengeance from heauen and earth euen with teares in his eyes All this in the meane time was couered vnder a pretence of that sacred and plausible expedition to Hierusalem the mysterie whereof William of Malmesburie opened before vnto vs That by that meanes Vrban might recouer his authoritie at Rome or rather diuert the minds of men imployed about remote affaires from those more necessarie businesses that touched them more neerely at home That whilest they bended all their endeuors abroad to persecute the Infidels they might neglect Antichrist freely wasting all at home in the Church Neither wanted he in that impure and darke world a bait whereby to win and allure the simple people to that war which was an absolute absolution from all their sinnes without any penance What greater encitement could there be to men who were to inuade a countrey wherein all things were left to the
Bishops but because he that is Apostolicall should not wander from the Apostle we humbly in euerie particular circumstance enquire whether these words of this Apostolicall person sauoring the grauitie of the Apostle be sound and irreprehensible He promiseth Apostolike benediction to Robert but doth he commaund him to doe that that should obtayne benediction c. who hath euer persecuted the Church of God without punishment And here are alledged many examples out of the Scriptures See here the workes of iust malice that this father ordayneth for his sonnes to come to the heauenlie Hierusalem by impugning the Church of God We giue thankes to thy wisedome saith the Church for that thou hast done at Cambray who can thinke of the ruine and desolation of that Church without teares I a daughter of the Church of Rome did condole their estate for that brotherhood that was betwixt vs but now hearing that all these mischiefes haue lighted vpon them by the Apostolike authoritie I grieue the more because I feare least that should light vpon my mother Esay 10. that the Lord saith by the mouth of his Phrophet Esay Woe vnto them that decree wicked Decrees and write grieuous things to keepe backe the poore from iudgement c. That there should be such desolation of the Church such oppression of the poore and widowes such crueltie such rapine and which is worse such effusion of bloud without respect of good and euill and all this and worse than all this done by the commaund of the Pope who would beleeue it if his owne mouth had not spoken it We remaine astonished with the noueltie of these things and wee enquire from whence this new example should come that the Preacher of peace with his owne mouth and the hand of another man 2. Tim. 4. should make warre against the Church of God c. For Apostolike men improoue rebuke exhort offendors with all long suffering and doctrine c. And Christ saith Math. 8.15 If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him c. And here they alledge the example of S. Gregorie towards the Bishop of Salonne reprehending the Emperour Maximus for that he vsed force against Priscillian and his fellows He say they that condemned Itachius their accuser for the death of Heretikes doubtlesse if he were now aliue he would not commend Paschal by whose commaund so many people are murdered for the cause of Cambray c. We commaund the like to be done saith he against the excommunicat falsly called Clerkes of Liege And why excommunicated we are all baptised in one spirit into one bodie c. when hath the Church of Rome heard that there are contentions amongst vs we thinke and say of Christ one and the same thing we doe not say I am Paules I am Cephas I am Christs Are we excomunicated for this our concord c Because we keep the law of God they obiect against vs that we transgresse their new traditions But God saith vnto them wherefore doe you transgresse the commaundement of God by your traditions God commandeth vs to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods which S. Peter and S. Paule doe likewise teach Honor the King Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers c. He that commaunds euerie soule to doe this whom doth he exempt from this earthlie power Because therefore we honour the King and serue our Lords and masters in the simplicitie of our hearts are we therefore excommunicated But we are simoniacall persons No we auoyd all such and those we cannot by reason of the time and place we tollerate and we no lesse flie those who couer their auarice with an honest title and vnder the name of charitie boast themselues to giue that freely which in effect they sell dearely and like the Montanists vnder the name of oblations they cunningly receiue gifts Alas with griefe we wonder why when and by whom we are excommunicated we know we are not excōmunicated by our Bishop by our Archbishop and we thinke much lesse by the Pope because he cannot be ignorant of that which Nicodemus saith Our Law iudgeth no man before he be heard Johan 7. Genes 18. neither had God condemned the Sodomites except he had first come downe to see whether they had done altogether according to that crie which came vp vnto him Seeing therefore he hath heard nothing of vs neither hath beene sollicited by the Bishop or Archbishop against vs who would euer beleeue that he would excommunicate vs c. But perhaps you will say that therefore he doth it because we fauour our Bishop who takes part with the Emperour This is the beginning of our sorrow and that which may make the cause of the wicked to blush because Satan being let loose and walking through the earth hath now diuided the Kingdome and the Priesthood Forasmuch therefore as the Diuell came vnto vs Apocal. 20. hauing great wroth as it is in the 20 of the Reuelation we pray to our father which is in heauen for this especially that he lead vs not into this temptation but that hee deliuer vs from the euill thereof c. But who can reprehend a Bishop for keeping his faith and loyaltie to his Prince And yet they that teare in sunder the Kingdome and Priesthood with new schismes and new traditions promise to absolue those from the sinne of periurie that break their faith to their King c. Hereby let all men iudge who of the two deserueth punishment he that giueth vnto Caesar according to the decree of God himself those things that belong vnto Caesar or he that dishonoreth his King and takes that name of God in vayne by which he plighted his faith to the King See here the reason why we are excommunicated and why we are called false Clerkes who liuing Canonically deserue by our liues and conseruations to be called Clerkes He is I say no part of Gods lot alluding to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clerkes that is to say he hath no portion in his inheritance who will exclude vs out of his inheritance where then doth he place Paschal It is an iniurie which out of his wicked heart he vomiteth against vs as old witches vse to do S. Peter teacheth vs not to rule as Lords in Clero ouer Gods heritage 1. Peter 5.3 Galla. 4.19 but that we may be examples to the flocke And S. Paule My little children of whom I trauell in birth againe in in the Lord. These should be examples for Paschal to imitate or rather admonishers and not impious raylers and slaunderers The curse of excommunication our Lord Paschal hasteneth vpon vs but aboue all we feare that which the spirit of God by the mouth of the Psalmist hath sayd Cursed are all they that decline from his commaundements That curse of excommunication that Hildebrand Odoardus and this third haue by a new
in so much that to assuage his anger the Emperor was content to send certaine of his followers to persuade him About this time Salerne yeelded to the gouernement of Lotharius whereupon grew a new contention betweene the Pope and the Emperor for the right thereof for they creeping as it were into his bosome and seeking to bee protected and defended by Lotharius did the more inwardly fret him euen to the heart Likewise An. 1137. Abbas Vrsperg de Lotharia Petrus Diaconus in Chron. Cassin l. c. 21. sequent Sigon ex eodem regno Ital. l. 10. as it was a question to inuest Ranulph Duke of Apulia into the place of Roger being a fauourer of Anaclet and that the Pope and Emperour together were to giue him the Ensigne and Standerd of a Duke it was no maruell if Lotharius wearied with so many troubles was resolued being come to Rome to returne into Lombardie in whose absence Roger lost no time recouering by the farre distance of Lotharius that which he lost by his presence In the meane time died Lotharius in the yeare 1137 neere to Trident as he past into Germanie a Prince commended by all histories for his great pietie justice and vertue and of such patience and moderation as he could without any passion support the hereditarie insolencie of this Pope After him succeeded Conradus the second duke of Sueuia who before had contested with him for the Empire through whose oppositions Henrie Duke of Bauier Lotharius sonne in law could not so readily order the affaires of Italie At this time Anaclet died S. Bernard being at Rome through whose authoritie the See remained peaceable to Innocent And now to consolidat the former wounds Otho Frisingens l. 7. c. 23. Abbas Vrsperg an 1139. he held a Councell at Lateran in the yeare 1139 where assembled all nations of the West neere to a thousand Bishops and Abbots and in this mightie multitude notwithstanding we read of nothing that was there propounded or decided touching the reformation of the Church either in doctrine or discipline though it was manifestly most corrupt both before and at this present which many bewailed with the hope of a better state This Councell therefore had no other end but to establish Innocent and condemne the fauourers of Anaclet vnlesse they would performe the penance they were appointed to weaken the ordinances made by him or by those whom he had ordained And here let the Reader judge what scruples they left in the consciences of so many and diuers nations when both Anaclet and the ordinances made by him almost for the space of eight yeres were farre the better Roger remaining Duke of Apulia and Calabria and naming himselfe King of Sicilia these good Fathers resolued also to suppresse and bring into order Innocent therefore hauing prepared an armie of the Romans he in his owne person intended to lead them against him yet had hee the same successe as sometimes had Leo the ninth for Roger retiring himselfe to the castle of Gallutz he verie sharpely besieged it but William the sonne of Roger Prince of Tarent comming with a valiant companie of souldiers put the Popes armie to flight tooke him with all his Cardinals and carried him to Naples But he was set at libertie not long after vpon two conditions that is To absolue Roger of the Excommunication and to declare him King of Sicilia Duke of Apulia and Calabria and Prince of Capua and a liege man of the Church which Anaclet before had done And in this manner the Popes naturally regard not any but themselues thinking all others how great soeuer to be borne to doe them seruice In the meane time Ranulph and Robert were robbed of their right whom Lotharius and he for their good seruice some few yeares before had inuested in these domininions Now as he thought he had ended all his affaires the Romans themselues vexed with the pride of the Popes An. 1143. and their Clergie in the yeare 1143 earnestly studied to recouer their libertie and restore the auncient customes of the Clergie whom when he could neither represse by feare of excommunication nor by taking away the libertie of Suffrages in the election of the Popes and bring it onely to the Cardinals a notable augmentation of their greatnesse and honour being spent and ouercome with griefe sorrow ended his life But because this motion had his progressions it were fit we should further discourse thereon neither is it in the mean time to be forgotten that we make it appeare how by diuers degrees their pride rose alwayes against God and not onely against men For this Innocent in the yere 1131 holding a Councell at Rheimes An. 1131. a certaine Monke speaking in fauour of him thus began Great and weightie is the charge that is imposed vpon me that is to teach the Doctors to instruct the Fathers seeing it is written Aske the Fathers and they will shew thee But this Moses Innocent that was present commaundeth me whose hands are heauie who is to be obeyed not onely of me but of euerie one and is here greater than Moses To Moses was committed the people of Israell but to him the Vniuersall Church Behold he is here of greater power than any Angell for to whom of the Angels did God euer say Whatsoeuer thou bindest vpon earth c. alluding to that which the Lord said of himselfe And he hath more here than Salomon he followeth on I say according to his office not according to merit Except God there is none like vnto him mark like either in heauen or in earth This is that Peter who cast himselfe into the sea when the other Disciples sayled vnto Iesus Euerie one of you Bishops is content with his barke that is his Archbishopricke his Abbie his Priorie but this man hath authoritie in all Archbishoprickes Abbies Priories c. He saith Misit se And truely he casts he puts nay he intrudes sent of himselfe not of God without mission without commission This Sermon in the meane time to deceiue the world Baron an 1131. art 4. vol. 12. is inserted into the workes of Saint Bernard but Baronius himselfe denyeth Bernard to be the author thereof Furthermore this Innocent was the first who ordained That the Pope shold celebrate the Masse sitting If this then were to be done before God if holding him really in his hand did he thinke he should yeeld him too great reuerence Neither is it to be forgotten that vnder Innocent succeeded to the Archbishopricke of Tire William the author of the holie warre who according to the imitation of his predecessors after he had beene consecrated by the Patriarch of Ierusalem went to Rome to receiue the Pall. He himselfe sayes that the Patriarch hindred him by all the meanes he could and that Innocent abusing the necessitie of the East handled him hardly by his letters Moreouer Radulph Patriarch of Antioch compared his Church to the Roman as being no
as a mother but as a stepdame The Scribes and Pharases sit in the same lading mens shoulders with burthens heauie to be borne which they themselues touch not with a finger They haue dominion ouer the Clergie and yet are not an example to the flocke leading the right way to life They heape vp pretious moueables load their Tables with gold and siluer beeing sparing to themselues through ouermuch couetousnesse For the poore they are neuer or verie seldome receiued and then not so much for the loue of Christ as for vayne glorie By force of terrour they wrest from the Churches the stir vp contentions incite the Clergie and people the one against the other haue no compassion of the paynes miseries of the afflicted they delight in the spoyles of Churches and doe all account gayne for godlinesse They do iustice not for the truths sake but for gaine All things to day are done for money but tomorrow thou shalt obtayne nothing without reward They often hurt wherein they imitate Diuels and they are thought then to doe good when they cease from hurting some few excepted who fulfill the name and office of Pastour Yea the Pope of Rome himselfe is burthenous to all and almost intollerable Moreouer we see that although the Churches which the deuotition of our Fathers haue builded goe to ruine and altars to be without ornament yet in the meane time he buildeth for himselfe Palaces and goeth not onely in purple but all couered ouer with gold The Palaces of Churchmen glitter in beautie but in their hands the Church of Christ is foule and without furniture They take by violence the spoyles of Prouinces as if they purposed to repaire the treasuries of Craesus But the most high handleth them well giuing them as a prey vnto others and often vnto most vile persons and as I thinke whiles they wander out of the way the scourge of God will not depart from them for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it that with what iudgement they iudge they shall be iudged and their owne measure shall be measured to them againe This is it say I ô Father which the people say seeing you will haue me shew you their opinions And surely he sufficiently also declared thereby his owne opinion when he sayd as I thinke But Adrian putteth him vpon the racke And thou saith he what is thine opinion I am in a strait euerie way sayd I for I feare I shall incurre the blame of lying and flatterie if I alone doe contradict the people and if otherwise I feare to be accused of high treason and be thought to deserue the gibbet for opening my mouth against heauen Yet seeing that Guido Clemens Priest Cardinall of S. Potenciana witnesteth vnto the people I presume not in any sort to contradict him for he saith that in the Church of Rome there is a certaine root duplicitatis of doublenesse which is contrarie to the simplicitie of a Doue which is so much commended to Christians A nourishing also of all couetousnesse which is the head and root of all euils And this he publiquely protested not in a corner but to the Cardinalls his brethren sitting in Consistorie before Eugenius when the Ferentines were hot against my innocencie Yet I boldly say my conscience bearing me witnesse that I haue now here seene more honest Clergie men than in the Church of Rome And here he nameth vnto him Bernard of Redon Cardinall Deacon and the Bishop of Prenest without doubt that he might prepare a way to that which he had to say Because therefore that you instantly vrge and commaund me and that it is not lawfull to lye vnto the holie Ghost I confesse what you command must be done and yet all are not to imitate you in all workes for he which dissenteth from the true doctrine is either an heretike or a schismatike but through Gods mercie there bee some which imitate not the workes of all of vs c. But I feare least in continuing to enquire of me what you will you heare of an imprudent friend that which you would not What is this Father that thou examinest the life of others and doest in no wise search into thy selfe All men applaud thee all men call thee Lord and Father and the whole oyle of a sinner is poured on thy head If then thou art a Father why doest thou expect gifts and retributions from thy children If a Lord why strikest thou not a feare in thy Romans and repressing their temeritie why doest thou not call them backe to the faith For he had said a little before That God tooke away godlie men from Rome because being corrupt it was found with God vnworthie of such men But thou wilt preserue the Citie to the Church by thy gifts did Siluester obtaine it by gifts In inuio Pater es non in via Father thou art out of the way and not in the way It is to be preserued by the same gifts whereby it was gotten That which you haue receiued freely giue freely Iustice is the Queene of all vertues and blusheth to be changed for any price whatsoeuer for to be gracious it must be freely bestowed Let not her by any meanes be prostituted to price of money which cannot be corrupted Iustice is entire and euer vncorrupt In oppressing others thou shalt be more grieuously oppressed The Pope saith he laugheth at it and congratulateth my libertie But what saith the Pope to this surely he telleth him that fable of Aesop of the members of one that sometime mutined against the stomacke for it receiued all and did nothing and when they had determined to send no more any thing into it after some few dayes the whole bodie pined away thereupon concluding that euen so would it be with all Christendome if from all parts they sent not riches to Rome But whence would he haue proued vnto him that Rome as the stomacke holdeth little or nothing to it selfe but digesteth and distributeth whatsoeuer is put into it for the good of the whole bodie of euerie part thereof Thus spake this good Bishop to the Pope hauing doubtlesse more in his mind than hee durst expresse for he purposely set forth a treatise the title whereof was Obiurgatorium Cleri Idem l. 7. c. 17.18.19 wherein he grieuously reprehended the whole Clergie and likewise in many places of his Polycraticon more stoutly and in another place saith One hoping in the multitude of his riches entreth into the Church Simon leading him by the hand that is to say Magus and findeth not there any to say vnto him Thy money perish with thee Another feareth to come neere S. Peter with gifts and neuerthelesse priuily as sometime Iupiter did into the lap of Dance so this incestuous suitor by a golden showre slideth himselfe into the lap of the Church c. Alreadie all things are openly bought vnlesse the modestie of the seller hinder it A prophane heat of couetousnesse doth so houer
past holie religious and learned the holie Ghost working with them and inspiring them were vnwillingly drawne into the Chaires which now are violently occupied per fas nefas by courtyers wranglers in law and barbarous All the houses of which the election pertaineth to the Pope are thereby destroyed Patronage is now a burden not an honour a damage not a profit O Pope Father of fathers why sufferest thou the climats of Christians to be defiled with such persons Worthily therefore worthily being chased from thine owne citie and seat as another vagabond Cain thou art forced to banishment thine enemies prosper thou fliest before the partakers of Frederick and they which persecute thee are swift and mightie Euerie where thy Bulls do shine as lightening against them that obey thee and is of no esteeme with such as rebell Prelats are euery where suspended that others may he prouided of their benefices which are vnworthie barbarous and vnknown who seeke the milke of the sheepe of the Lords fold sheere them flea them and plucke out their bowels O Lord God of vengeances when wilt thou sharpen thy sword as lightning and make it drunke with the bloud of such men In France vnder the raigne of S. Lewis Innocent spared vs not the more although he soiourned there heare what the same Author saith Hee is no sooner come to Lyons but without the consent of the Chapiter he would giue away the vacant Prebends the Canons resist him to his face threaten those to whom he giues them That if they came thither the Archbishop should not bee able to hinder them from casting them headlong into the riuer Rhosne But as the matter passed further others more entermedled in it For saith he all and euerie one saw and perceiued that the Pope did insatiably gape after money and spoyle to the dammage and impouerishment of many And many alreadie did not beleeue that he had the same power of binding and loossing as was granted from heauen to S. Peter being knowne to be altogether vnlike to S. Peter In France many noblemen conspired against the Pope and the Church which we neuer remember to haue happened before as may bee seene in this Charter written in the French tongue which is there at large expressed the summe of it is this All the confederats whose seales did hang at that writing vnite themselues together for to defend their rights and prerogatiues against the Court of Rome and there was named for heads of the league the Duke of Bourgondie the Earle Perron of Britaine and the Earles of Angolesme and of S. Paul who if any of the league haue need are to helpe them with necessarie forces and that say they because the Clergie made them of worse condition than the Heathens of whom God said Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the things that are Gods and by these new customs abolished their ancient priuiledges whereas indeed the kingdome had not beene gotten by the pride of the Clergie but by the souldiers and men of warre Which when the Pope vnderstood fearing least that were done by intelligence with Frederick he thought it his wisest course to content them in their grieuances and to appease the chiefest by giuing them store of benefices yet neuerthelesse he sendeth the Friers Preachers and Minors to all the Prelats of France who require of them to lend him money promising to restore it them so soone as he should be able to take his breath But king Lewis suspecting the couetousnesse of the Court of Rome forbad all the Prelats of his kingdome vnder paine of loosing all their goods that none should in any such sort impouerish his land And so these sophisticall Legats of the Pope departed out of the kingdome hissed at and derided of all men Yet true it is saith the Author that after infinit extortions in France worthie of eternall silence the Pope consented to king Lewis in fauour of his voyage to the Holie land that he might collect a tenth for three yeares on condition that himselfe might also for other three yeares following receiue the like which was with such rigour extorted that the Churchman that had yearely but twenty shillings comming in and was readie to perish for hunger was constrained without all pitie to pay two of them and of this crueltie he bringeth many examples And for that king S. Lewis did permit or tollerate the Pope to make these extortions in his kingdome it was vndoubtedly beleeued that his voiage to the Holie Land tooke such vnfortunat successe Now of all these as wee haue abouesaid these new Friers Preachers and Minorites were the executors being the Popes ordinarie Publicans or Toll-gatherers who in the meane time also deuoured one another And which is terrible and of vnluckie presage saith he no Monasticke Order in the space of three or foure hundred yeares or vpwards hath growne so much and so soone neere a downefall as is their Order in twentie foure yeres that their mansions were first founded in England When any great and rich men lye at point of death they come diligently about them to draw profit and riches from them not without the hurt and hinderance of the Ordinaries and wrest from them confessions and secret testaments onely recommending vnto them their Order and preferring it before all others So that no faithfull man beleeues to be saued vnlesse he be gouerned by the counsels of the Preachers and Minorites who are carefull of getting priuiledges are Counsellors Chamberlaines and Treasurers in the Courts of Kings and Potentates Paranymphes and mariage-makers executors of the Popes extortions in their preachings either flatterers or most biting reprouers and in confessions either disclosers or vndiscreet reprehenders Who doth not here perceiue the true picture of the Iesuites And there he further setteth downe the great priuiledges giuen by the Pope for to bee serued of them which in this and other places may be read Mathew noteth That when they had discouered that the king of Norway was deuout with great industrie they prouided a certaine stone of white marble which they said they had bought for a great price wherein they fained was printed the sole of the foot of our Lord ascending vp into heauen That others of them shewed some of the bloud of Christ and milke of the Virgine Marie In those first ages of the Church gentle Reader when all things were fresher how commeth it that there is no speech of any such things And in the mean time this good Monk addeth In these dayes multi generati per incubos many children were begotten by spirits which seeing it followeth together in the same place there is none but may vnderstand what is meant thereby Gregorie attempteth to stretch forth his hands vnto the East parts and behold with what successe By reason of the conquest made of Constantinople by the Westerne people the Emperour Baldwin had submitted the Church of Constantinople to that of Rome in hope to
gotten or come by But after this just judgement he fell into such a desperation and madnesse as some thirtie dayes after he yeelded vp his life giuing occasion of a prouerbe which did as it were epitomize his whole Popedome He entred like a Foxe liued like a Lyon and dyed like a Dog Some say thus much was presaged vnto him by Celestine in these words Ascendisti vt Vulpes Ranulph in Policronico l. 7. c. 39. Walsingham in histor Angl. thou didst ascend like a Foxe The Tuscan storie questionlesse deliuers it written That in the election of Popes it ranne by way of prophesie Intrabit vt Vulpes which the historie called Fasciculos Temporum notes to haue beene fulfilled in euerie respect This Pope grew to such an height of arrogancie as he would stile himselfe to be the Lord of all the world as well things temporall as spirituall and many things he did out of magnificence which at last failed most miserably Concerning matters of doctrine there flourished at this time in France one Robertus Gallus a man verie famous who of a Prelat became a Dominican and as it seemed he did not approue of the manners and customes of that Order There is a booke of his extant at Paris comming forth together with the prophesies of Hildegard wherein comprehending certaine visions of his owne in the fift chapter he calls the Pope Idolum an Idoll and he brings in God speaking in these words Who set this Idoll on my throne to command ouer my flocke he hath eares yet doth he not heare the clamor and crie of those that lament and descend downe into hell though their howlings drowne the sound of trumpets and the fearefull claps and reports of the thunder Eyes he hath and yet he sees not the abhominations of his people nor the exorbitancies of their pleasures what wickednes does his people performe daily in my presence yet he will not looke into it except he may gather money and coyne thereby A mouth he hath and yet speakes nothing for it is enough for him to say I haue appointed those shall speake good things to them it sufficeth that either by my selfe or others I doe good Accursed bee that ydoll and woe be to him that set it there for who can bee equall to this ydoll vpon earth For hee hath magnified his name vpon earth one sayd who shall bring me vnder Is not my familie linked with the most Noble of the earth I exceed them in all my sumptuous fare Knights and Nobles serue me that which was neuer done to my Fathers is done vnto me Behold my house is paued with siluer and gold and gemmes are the ornaments thereof Could that place of Zacharie be more fitly applied to the Pope O Pastor idolum O ydoll Shepheard In the first and twelfth Chapters in the figure of the Serpent he describes the Pope or Antichrist who extols himselfe aboue measure oppressing the godlie though they be but of a verie small number and beeing enuironed with many false Prophets who in contempt of God and Christ onely preach and magnifie him contrariwise obscuring and defacing the name of Iesus In conclusion deciphering the Roman Church I did pray saith he on my knees with my face towards heauen nere to the Altar of S. Iames at Paris on the right hand and I saw in the ayre before me the bodie of the onely high Priest clad in white silken Roabes and his backe was towards the East and his hands lifted vp towards the West Priests doe vsually stand while they say Masse I did not see head and beholding wistly whether he were altogether without an head or no I saw his head leane withered and as if it had beene all of wood and the spirit of the Lord sayd This signifies the state of the Roman Church that is to say wherein there is no bloud nor humour of life remayning That it might also signifie what maner of bread she distributed to her children Againe saith he intending the same worke another day I saw in the spirit And behold a man of the same habit went about bearing on his shoulders delicat bread and excellent wine and the bread and wine hung downe on his sides but he in his hands held a long hard stone gnawing it with his teeth as an hungrie man would doe bread but effecting nothing at all out of the stone came two Serpents heads and the spirit of the Lord instructed me saying Curious and vnprofitable questions are this stone on which the hungrie chew and gnaw omitting points substantiall for the saluation of soules And I sayd And what meanes those heads And he answered The name of one of them is Vayne glorie and of the other Difference of religion Was it possible in more significant words to expresse the Sophistries cauilations of these times which hauing the word of God readie at hand to distribute vnto the people for their nourishment they rejected this though this was a burthen layed vpon their shoulders continually liuing and dying in chewing and eating of idle and contentious questions The which in like manner the Prophet objects to the Iewes Esay 55. v. 2. Why lay you out your money for no sustenance and bestow your labour in a thing that affords no repletion As also in the vision before he thought that he saw the Church reformed I saw saith he a certaine cleare bright Crosse of siluer like the Crosse the Armes of the Counts of Toulouse but those twelue Apples which are in the extents of the Crosse were like certaine rotten corrupt Apples cast vp by the Sea and I sayd Lord Iesus what meanes this and the spirit sayd vnto me This Crosse which thou seest is the Church which through puritie and cleanenesse of lyfe shall be bright and resonant through the shrill voyce of the preaching of veritie and being inquisitiue I said What is meant by these rotten and corrupt apples and he sayd The future humiliation and digression of the Church The which crosse vndoubtedly did truely decipher the Church in that the crosse of Christ is the Churches saluation the true preaching of this crosse the exact reformation of diuine worship inuolued in humane traditions which doe but obscure the glorie of the Crosse and euen cast a blacke cloud ouer the Church Posseuinus in Apparatu tom 2. An. 1302. And yet Posseuine the Iesuite calls this Author An excellent preacher of the word of God Neither need we to doubt but that in such a general coherence of the French Clergie against Boniface there were many more who together with Robert discerned both the Popes tyrannie and the Churches deformitie For king Philip in the yeare 1302 when hee made his progresse through the Prouince of Narbon heard many complaints made to him against the Inquisitors of the Faith who participating in all forfeitures and confiscations they apprehended whom they thought good without due proofe condemning them whereupon the Vidame of Piquigni was constrained
before his consecration at Rome might execute all his authoritie and prerogatiues and whosoeuer thought otherwise were traitors and heretikes Of which kind also that information is De nullitate processu Iohan. 22 whether Marsilius Patauinus or Ockam be Authour thereof Wherein Lodouike appeales from a Citation vnduely made in Auignion vnto a generall Councell conuocated in some safe and secure place with due forme and according to the sacred Canons and after a lawfull Appeale hee auerres that no place remaines for any Excommunication or Interdict And thus it was enacted against Iohn the two and twentieth or according to Platina the three and twentieth Furthermore Trithemius in Chronic. Hirsaugiens the Diuines and Ciuilians of these times argued this question by way of Thesis De potestate Imperiali Papali earumque distinctione Of the Emperours and Popes power and their seuerall distinction For to omit what Vldarick the Emperour Lewis his Chancellor Apologia Ludovic 4. contra Ioh. 22. publicē proposita wrot to Iohn in certaine letters directed to him in his Masters name wherein amongst other things he calls him Bestiam illam de mari ascendentem That beast arising out of the sea of which mention is made in the Apocalyps an Apologie was publisht in Lodouikes behalfe by the Diuines whereby they stifly affirme Quod nullus Papa potestatis plenitudinem in temporalia sibi arrogare potest That no Pope could arrogate to himselfe any plenarie power in temporall things much lesse in the Empire and yet much more lesse such an one as Iohn a man most vnworthie of the Papall chaire as also that the Pope swaruing from the Faith might haue a superiour on earth which is the whole Church represented in a generall Councell which out of their authoritie may judge him and to which for this cause it was lawfull to appeale And the same we read printed at this day But beyond all others out of doubt William Ockam a Franciscan an Englishman borne being a verie wittie and learned Doctor assayles him verie stoutly Defend me Caesar saith he with thy sword against the Popes iniuries and I will by word writing and irrefragable reasons maintaine thee against him the which indeed he performed while he liued hee constantly auerring That the Pope was an heretike and schismatike whose censures were nothing at all to be esteemed From hence came those Dialogues of his Pro Ludouici defensione Liber nonaginta trium dierum pro Michaele Caesennate Generall of the Franciscans excommunicated for the same cause Errores Iohannis 22 Dialogus inter Clericum militem and other such like In which he debates this poynt with so vnanswerable arguments as no man need to call his opinion into doubt or question The principall heads were these That the Pope ex iure diuino hath no Primacie That Peter neuer had nor neuer sat at Rome and therefore the Pope cannot haue it That the Pope may erre yea and the whole Roman Church and therefore ought to be liable to a Councell Concerning the controuersie betwixt the Pope and the Emperour he discusseth eight seuerall questions First Whether the Imperiall and Pontificiall dignities might be joyntly discharged in one man Secondly Whether Caesar onely receiued his authoritie from God or from the Pope of Rome also Thirdly Whether by any authoritie from Christ the Pope and Church of Rome haue power to confirme Caesar and other kings in the exercise of royall jurisdiction Fourthly Whether Caesar being elected hath at the same instant absolute right to gouerne the Commonwealth Fiftly Whether other kings besides Caesar and the king of Romans being consecrated by Bishops receiue any authoritie from them Sixtly Whether such kings are in any sort subiect to those which consecrated them Seuenthly Whether if they should vse any other rite or solemnitie or assume another Diademe they lost in so doing their royall title and prerogatiue Eightly Whether the seuen Electors conferre as much right vpon the Emperour elected as other Kings and Princes haue by lawfull succession All which questions he arguing on both sides he determines in the greatest part for the ciuile Magistrat I meane for Kings and Princes vtterly ouerthrowing by the way the Extrauagants of Iohn the two and twentieth as false hereticall and by many condemned Whosoeuer thinke otherwise they may be numbred amongst them of those times whereof the Apostle to Timothie admonisheth vs 2. ad Timoth. c. 3. v. 3. 4. The time will be when they shall not giue eare to sound doctrine but according to their owne lusts they shall seeke out for teachers that may delight their eares which themselues shall stop against all truth and open wide vnto fables For this is the state of the present time that all men in a manner enquire not what was the doctrine of Christ of the Apostles or of the Fathers but onely they listen what the Pope wills and commaunds them Ascentius in his Preface sayes That he writ six other Tractats which he wittingly omitted because they were somewhat too sharpe and bitter against the Pope of Rome Editus Basiliae Marsilius Patauinus the Author of that golden Treatise whose title was Defensor Pacis of the authoritie of the Emperour and of the Pope writes much out of the same veine where out of the holie Scriptures the Lawes the Canons and both the sacred and ciuile historie he affirmes and auerres these propositions ensuing That Christ was the onely head and foundation of the Church and not Peter That he constituted none of the Apostles no not Peter himselfe Vniuersall Vicar and head of the Church and that by as good right any one else may vsurpe to himselfe this title That Peter was neuer Christs generall Vicar neither did Christ appoynt the other Apostles to be subiect vnto Peter How it was most probable that Peter was neuer at Rome much lesse that there hee held his seat who as the rest of the Apostles had no peculiar seat That the Pope labouring to confirme his Primacie by succession hath no right at all and therefore it is not validious That he hath no greater authoritie than other Bishops no not in that which appertaines to Indulgence and remission of sinnes and that otherwise by diuine right all men are equall with him the Bishops of Magunce Collen and Treuer are Primats as well as he That the plenarie power attributed to him was a manifest lye an execrable title and the verie originall of all euils and the vse thereof was to be interdicted the Popes by some good generall Councell But concerning temporall things Christ whose Vicar he would be thought to be neuer exercised any temporall authoritie vpon earth but contrariwise both himselfe and the Apostles submitted themselues to the ciuile Magistrat and after his ascention into heauen they both obeyed Princes and enioyned their disciples to this obedience and therefore that no temporall jurisdiction did any wayes belong to the Pope ouer any man much lesse ouer Princes
the nomination of the Occidentall Babylon Know saith he in briefe Petrarch Epist 8. that neither mine nor Ciceroes penne himselfe if he were aliue would suffice to decypher it Whatsoeuer we read of the Aegiptian or Assyrian Babylon whatsoeuer of the foure Laberinths of the mouth of Auerne of the groues infernall or of the marish of Sodome being paralelled with this hell they are all but fables and bables Here is tower-topping and blaspheming Nemrod Here is Symiramis and her quiuer Here inexorable Minos and Radamant Here is all-deuouring Cerberus Pasiphae prostituted to a Bull and here is the mixed kinds and prodigious progenie of Minotaurus Here are the execrable delineations of variable and wicked Venus To conclude whatsoeuer confused hideous or horrible forme was euer poetically imagined and fained may here be really seene and discerned Surely thou hast heretofore beene happie for thy vertues but now thou art much more happie in thy absence and remotion Take you this to be the same citie that you saw it sometimes heretofore to be Fie no it is sure another farre vnlike to the same Questionlesse that then was verie bad and those times most defiled and polluted but this moderne Rome is not a citie it is an habitation for spirits and diuells and to speake in a word the sinke of all sinne and licentiousnesse and that same hell and gulph of the liuing described by the mouth of Dauid so long time before it was founded or knowne Ah how often doe I call to mind that same fatherlie voyce and healthfull admonition when vpon my departure thou saydst vnto me Whither goest thou What doest thou intend What headlong ambition makes thee so vnmindfull of thine owne safetie Questionlesse hee that hee writ to whom he calls Father must needs be a man of some eminent note in those times In his ninth Epistle to the same partie he subscribes himselfe an exile from Ierusalem amongst and vpon the riuers of Babylon Epist 9. alluding to the hundred thirtie and seuenth Psalme where the Psalmist deplores the state of the Church and his own condition in the Babylonian captiuitie And in his tenth Epistle he layes open his reason You maruell saith he at the subscriptions of my letters and not without cause in that you haue onely read of two Babylons one in times past amongst the Assyrians where Symiramis liued with so great renowme and another amongst the Aegiptians which flourisheth still in this our age But cease to admire saith he for this part of the earth hath also her Babylon Auignion for where I pray you may the citie of confusion be better seated than in the quarters of the West By whom it was built is verie vncertaine but by whom it is inhabited is manifestly knowne by people certainely who in all right may giue her this name And if you please beleeue me Here dwells puissant Nemrod on earth the strong and mightie Hunter conspiring against the Lord and with his ayrie towers aspiring vnto heauen Here also abides a more furious Cambyses than he of the East nay than the Turke himselfe Doe but consult with Catholike Authors but especially with Saint Augustine and you shall find what this name of Babylon meanes which hauing read you will then say it belongs no lesse to Rodanus than to the riuers of Euphrates and Nilus You may also peraduenture greatly wonder at the fiue Labyrinthes when amongst other writers you find no mention made but of foure this fift being the worst and most inextricable whether it then were not or as yet was not knowne Whosoeuer would truely view and peruse it let him come hither here wants no horrour of imprisonment no errour of palpable darkenesse no fatall Vrnes shuffling together the lots and destinies of mankind and to conclude no Imperious Minos no tearing Minotaures nor lasciuious pourtraitors of damned Venus are rare and scarce All hope of saluation lyes in gold the cruell king with gold is pacified the prodigious monster by gold is subdued for gold the web of saluation is wouen onely for gold the hard thresholds of this gate are showne for gold barres and stones are broken with gold the grizlie Porters mouth is stopt for gold heauen lyes open and what needs many words Christ himselfe for gold is sold And in the eleuenth Epistle protesting what danger hung ouer his head for speaking truth Epist 11. Euen as saith he without the kingdome of vertue veritie was alwaies feeble and weake being destitute of any aid or helpe what must needs happen doe you suppose where vertue lyes cleane extinguished and deepely buried There veritie no question is a most capitall crime and onely of it selfe sufficient to acquire many mens hatred where one mans loue shal be sought with many obsequies flatteries c. Where no faith no charitie no pietie remaines but rage enuie excesse and auarice raigne with all their artes and falsifiers where euerie bad man is exalted the greatest thiefe extolled to heauen and the iust poore man flatly oppressed Where simplicitie is called madnesse and malice sapience Where God is contemned and money adored lawes troden vnder foot and good men laught at so as now there are almost no more left for them to laugh at I would willingly exempt one from this deluge of impietietie and I confesse he would well deserue it but then me thinkes it would be ridiculous to cut off so solid and generall a rule for one nownes exception And therefore here no Noah nor no Deucalion shall float vpon the water and suppose that Pyrrha made no more happie nauigation and escape than the rest for a mightie floud of obscene sensualities did ouerflow the citie a wonderfull rage and tide-gate of feminine delights together with a foule and vncleane shipwracke of chastitie without any exception at all of virginitie and modestie This little of a great deale more Truth dares relate Then he concludes To this Epistle I haue neither set to my hand nor my seale neither time nor place you know where I remaine and can vnderstand mee well ynough by my words Then in his twelfth complaining in his heart to God for the miseries of the time Epist 12.13 in the thirteenth he does particularize the same That renowmed Court of Christ saith he that famous Propugnacle of diuine worship in times past our sinnes being the occasion thereof being now destitute of heauenlie aid and potection is become a denne of vncleane theeues And the originall of all these euills proceeds from one onely fountaine though many other lesser heads and springs rise out of the same from whence a raging floudgate of all manner of miseries breakes in wherein we cannot but perish and be ouerwhelmed in the surges of extreamest mischiefes and if the mercie of heauen preuent not humane transgression and enormitie the Church doubtlesse is like to suffer a most lamentable and fearefull shipwracke How different are liues and manners and how discrepant the minds of some that build and
the support of Ladislaus king of Sicilie Charles Malatesta his Proctor appeared in Councell hauing on him the Pontificall robes which in token of renunciation he put off before all the assemblie But Benedict hauing beene verie oftentimes cited in vaine by sentence of the Councell is declared to be a periurer Session 11. a scandalizer of the Church a fautor and entermedler of schisme an heretike straying out of the way of faith and for these causes is depriued of his Papall dignitie and cut off from the Church as a withered and dried member forbiddeth all men therefore from obeying him vnder paine of excommunication And though he were almost of all men forsaken yet he continued still in obstinacie Idolum cum idolis suis Cardinalibus saith Krantzius An Idoll with the Idols his Cardinalls Krantzius in Metrop l. 9. c. 1. An. 1414. Yea being at poynt of death in the yeare 1414 he adiureth the Cardinals which remained with him in the castle of Paniscola that they should incontinently chuse him a successor which was Giles Munion Canon of Barcelon by them called Clement the eighth who the fourth yeare after renounced his charge Of this Benedict was that saying of Gerson verie often repeated in Councell There will be no peace to the Churches till Luna be taken away So much did Luna darken the Sunne so much also had these good Popes their hearts set on the vnion of the Church It was meet that impietie of doctrine should grow after the measure of the abuse of power Paulus Aemilius in Carolo 6. Therefore we read that this Benedict the thirteenth was the first that instituted That the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ should be carried before him for the safegard of his bodie that so he might seeme to haue a protector against his aduersaries on earth whom he beleeued to be none in heauen which without doubt he had inuented by the example of the kings of Persia who made their god be caried before them Alexander the fift also because he was a Minorite that he might gratifie the Friers of that Order Theodor. Ã Nyem l. 3. c. vltim who wonderfully reioycing at his creation ran about the streets euerie day verie many in troupes together as if they had beene mad men made a law That all Christians should be bound to beleeue the wounds of S. Francis and in veneration also of those wounds instituted a feast These things as we haue said before although they are judged doubtful yet are found in their owne Histories of those times So Iohn the foure and twentieth Waldensin Fasciculo for that Wicklif had translated the holie Scriptures into the English Tongue would needs haue that translation of the Bible into the vulgar Tongue to be heresie in England But our wise king Charles the fift was of another mind when a little before he commaunded that the sacred Bible should bee translated into the French Tongue for his owne and his peoples vse And let the Reader judge of the inuentions by the pietie and honestie of the deuisors In the meane time the Councell of Constance it selfe whilest it arrogateth power aboue the Pope doth not withall omit in emulation of Popes to extoll it selfe aboue the Lord Christ For when many nations complained vnto them That against the expresse institution of Christ in the participation of the Eucharist the cup of the Lord was taken away from them the Fathers of this Councell feared not to publish a Decree commaunding it seuerely to be excuted which was conceiued in these execrable words Concil Constant Session 13. Although Christ after supper hath instituted and administred to his Disciples this venerable Sacrament vnder both kinds of bread and wine yet notwithstanding the authoritie of the sacred Canons the laudable and approued custome of the Church hath obserued and doth obserue that this Sacrament ought not to be finished after supper c. And seeing that this custome hath beene according to reason brought in and a long time obserued by the Church and holie Fathers it is to be held for a law In which words this clause Non obstante notwithstanding so odious as we haue seene to the Church in former ages for that by it added to the Popes Bulls no lawes so holy but were reuoked now by the authoritie of this Synod manifestly abrogateth not only the vse of the Primitiue Church but the expresse commandement of the Lord himselfe in instituting a Sacrament of so great moment And these things extend to the yeare 1417. An. 1417. OPPOSITION Let vs now consider what the Christian Church thought hereof being distracted and as it were torne in peeces by two sometimes three Popes openly warring one against the other We haue alreadie noted something out of the historie of Theodorick Theodor. Ã Nyem l. 1. c. 7 8. who was successiuely Secretarie to Vrban Boniface Innocent Gregorie and Alexander Neither doth he conceale from vs the murmure and distraction of minds that then was in the whole world whilest some take part with one others content with the conduct of their owne Bishops hold with neither from whence in the meane time this benefit did arise vnto vs in this so great mischiefe That by occasion of this schisme there was a way made vnto the truth and the mouth thereof in diuers things opened And therefore he confesseth ingeniously that it is agreeable vnto reason that the Roman Emperour with the Prelats and Christian people as the spirituall sonne of the Church whose power is immediatly from God should by his authoritie appease these troubles and that they are fooles and flatterers that say That the Pope or Church hath two swords the temporall and the spirituall which great errour being brought into the Christian Church they raise a perpetuall emulation and discord betweene the Pope and the Emperour trampling vnder their feet the Imperiall authoritie to the great hurt of the whole Commonwealth That it appeareth out of the Decrees themselues that whensoeuer any schisme shall arise in the Church that the Emperors are bound and by law haue power to prouide a remedie Which he likewise proueth by the example of Theodoricus the king taken out of the Decree it selfe and is much offended that the Emperor Robert did so flatter and gently intreat Gregorie the twelfth who should haue compelled both parts to haue restored the peace of the Church D. 17. C. Consilia Theud l. 3. c. 9. 10. That the power of the Emperour doth especially tend to the repressing of a wicked and incorrigible Pope scandalizing the Church as it appeareth out of the acts of the Roman Emperours and kings where he alledgeth the example of Otho the first who came out of Germanie to Rome to chasten the disorderly stubborne behauior of Iohn the 13 whom by the authoritie of the Councell notwithstanding he were vpheld by his kindred and friends at Rome he deposed For saith he in those daies the
Nation differeth neuerthelesse from them in his life and conuersation Know that this flight suffiseth so long as the force of the furie compelleth not a man to wickednesse and so long as Gods mercie tollerateth the sinnes of the place not yet growne to their full height of corruption But where their state is desperate and past hope of amendement they admit no counsell no remedie no wholsome helpe whatsoeuer but refusing to be cured they rage like madd men and from all parts they send vp a continuall crie vnto God for the destruction of that place whosoeuer therefore he bee that abideth long time in that place and feareth not that vengeance of God that hangeth ouer that place how different soeuer hee be in manners hee is madd Neither is it lawfull for him that differeth in manners to liue there where the plague of corruption is growne to that strength that all are infected with the contagion thereof especially the cure being remedilesse Is he different in manners that hauing drunke of the cup of Babylon beene corrupted with her poyson polluted with her sinnes carried with her rage is constrained to appproue with commendation consent imitation those things that are done by wicked men not daring to open his mouth to the contrarie or to oppose himselfe with any freedome of conscience Thou askest whither thou canst goe where thou shalt not find a confused Babylon and thou seest no quiet resting place or contented abode for a peaceable mind as if Babylon were not in thy mind too For what mind canst thou euer make me instance of so peaceable setled and contented in which I will not say sometimes or often but euerie day and houre there is not some iarre some conflict wherein the tempestuous stormes of perturbations doe not arise which the blustering winds of pride doe tosse the murmuring noyse of diuers passions doth not disquiet and wherein there are not many times horrible and furious tempests in so much that it is needfull for vs daily to crie out Lord saue vs we perish Thence it was that one speaking of a mind meditating heauenly things and not earthly which therefore he called heauen sayd and not ineligantly though in meetre Confusa sunt hic omnia Spes metus moeror gaudium Vix hora vel dimidia Fit in coelo silentium All things are confused here Sorrow ioy hope and feare Scarce for a moment of time Peace in heauen can we find If thou seeke here an assured setled rest in all respects thou seekest a knot in a rush Gerson in Tractat de potestate Ecclesiastica consid 10. 11 as one said and thou shalt neuer find it either within or without thee All things are full of warre confusion danger euerie thing compassed with snares and subtilties neither canst thou retire thee within thy selfe but they follow thee In Tractat. de Anseribilitate Papae consid 4.9.10 12.14.15.16.18 Jtem in propositione facta coram Anglicis euntibus ad Concil consid 4. Jtem in Tractatu an liceat in causis fidei appellare Papae Item in Tractatu de examine doctrinarum But yet notwithstanding though there be something of Babylon euerie where yet that Babylon is not euerie where that is the mother of the fornications and abhominations of the earth whose iudgement as Iohn saith is ascended vp to the heauens which hath made drunken all the nations with the wine of her whoredome and constraineth all her inhabitants to commit fornication to blaspheme to eat things sacrificed to Idols to worship the dragon With which impieties whosoeuer is polluted how can he find peace within himselfe except he hate the fornications of that whore forsake condemne detest them to which whosoeuer shall adhere is made one bodie with her because so long as he conuerseth with her hee cannot bee freed from her manners being by force and furie drawne vnto them But if thou flie the habitation of cities and the course of people as being infected with a Babylonish contagion there are secret places seuered from cities fit for the seruice of God religions approued deuout Monasteries sauouring rather of Ierusalem than Babylon To bee briefe Item in propos vtilib ad extirp schismat if thou feare all humane companie there are solitarie places wherein thou mayest dwell with thy selfe and retire thy selfe to thine owne heart liue to thy selfe haue onely God to be a witnesse and companion of thy life Item in regul moral where at the last thou mayest more easily and more happily find that peace of thy mind which thou professest is so much to thy desire In the same stile writ master Iohn Gerson the Chauncellor of the Vniuersitie who was likewise present at that Councell Item de loco Pauli ad Thessal in Tractatu de signu ruinae Ecclesiae for I leaue to speake of his inuectiues in many places Against humane traditions because we haue spoken thereof elsewhere and likewise against the corruption of Ecclesiasticall discipline and the simonies of the Court of Rome in selling graces and dignities which they call spirituall because all these are couered vnder a pretext of the infallibilitie either of the Church or of the Pope Gerson de vita spirituali aiae Lect. 2. Corol. 7. to 3. num 61. But this in diuers his treatises he closely yet elegantly teacheth That the Pope can erre and abuse that power committed vnto him to the ruine of the Church That he can prostitute and oppresse it fall into schisme heresie idolatrie in which case he may bee corrected by the meanest Lay-man that professeth the Gospell That hee may be reproued repressed deposed by a Councell representing the Church Item in Tractatu an liceat in causis fidei à summo Pontific appellare propos 3 tom 1. num 14. sub finem since the Church saith he can subsist without the Pope without his ministeriall head and yet bee gouerned well ynough by Christ the Spouse of the Church For it is not sayd saith he When you are assembled in the name of Peter or of the Pope but In my name c. And this doctrine hath displeased many but the Councells of Constance and Basil haue freed the Church from this pernitious heresie which placeth the Pope aboue the Church So farre hee proceedeth by reason of those inconueniences he found thereby that hee alledgeth some cases wherein it is lawfull to make an assault vpon his owne person But because hee handleth these propositions in whole Treatises we will content our selues with the quotations in the margent Touching the question Whether the Pope be aboue the Councell and the Church he peremptorily saith Gerson de examine doctrinar That it is as much as if one should aske Whether the part bee greater than the whole That the Pope is subiect to the Church That the keyes are properly giuen to the Church and not to Saint Peter much lesse to the Pope The Church in the meane time subiect
Legats of the other Easterne Patriarches of the Archbishops and Prelats euerie one in his order And hence may the Reader discerne what the Patriarch might judge of the pride of the Latine Bishop But what may we say of Baronius who in diuers places contesteth That the left hand in Councels was euer the more honourable As touching the matter it selfe for the concluding of the controuersies of the Latine and Greeke Churches is made an instrument of a vnion Laetentur coeli wherein they agree on both sides That the holie Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne That the Sacrament may be indifferently made of leauened or vnleauened bread That the soules of the faithfull that haue not yet satisfied for their sinnes goe to Purgatorie That the Pope of Rome is Head of the vniuersall Christian Church All which articles the Greeke Emperor causeth to be approued by the most part of his hoping he should haue assistance against the Turkes But Michael Bishop of Ephesus with some others doth euer withstand the same reiecting especially the two later Which is more when Ioseph Archbishop of Constantinople was dead Eugenius would haue them proceed before him to the chusing of another promising against his disposition to ordaine him without money yea to giue them some if need were and to depose him that did obtaine with him the place of Patriarch which he would not doe if they deferred his election till they came into their countrey The Greekes perceiuing whereto he tended namely that he might enter possession of the supreme power in the Church by that meanes and that with their consent answer him with one accord That their Patriarch cannot bee by their laws chosen any where else than at Constantinople That it is their custom he should be chosen and consecrated in his owne Church That the Emperour who was not ignorant of these ceremonies would not suffer it to bee otherwise Which the Pope vnderstanding Concisium Florent Sess vltim though much against his mind with gracious words he let them depart Now they were no sooner returned into their countrey but they were reiected of their Churches in this especially that they had admitted the supreme authoritie of the Pope of Rome whose pride being more neerely looked into they at last refute it in their writings published notwithstanding that he had endeuoured to bind vnto him some of the best learned as Isidore Bishop of Russia and Bessarion Bishop of Nicea to whom he had giuen a Cardinalls hat which he chose rather to weare in Italie than in Greece And from that time forth were by the Popes neglected the affaires of Greece and abandoned to the furie of Infidels But it is in no wise here to be omitted That during the time that Eugenius held his Councell partly at Ferrara and partly at Florence hee published diuers writings against that Decree of Basil That a Councell is aboue the Pope in which he did not sticke to affirme That so farre was it off that he ought to obey generall Councels that then he most merited when he contemned the Decrees of the Councell and which is more he declareth this proposition to be hereticall The Councell is aboue the Pope although both then and euer since it was held and affirmed by all the Vniuersities of Christendome Whence it came that whilest the Roman Church sayd she is superior to all other Churches and the Roman Bishop to all other bishops by this decree of Eugenius should the Bishop of Rome be made superiour or of higher authoritie than the Vniuersall Church and consequently that pretended infallibilitie of the Church shold be deriued not now to the Romish Church but to one onely man which is the highest degree of Antichrist in the Church according to that of S. Augustine in his booke of the citie of God August de Ciuitate Dei l. 18. cap. 2. That Antichrist should not onely sit in Templo Dei in the Temple of God but as Saint Paule hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Templum into the Temple as if he himselfe were the Temple it selfe he alone the Church In the meane time let the Reader judge of that Infallabilitie of the Church represented in a Councel by these Councels which at one same time and in one same matter doe decree things directly contrarie As touching the affaires of the Bohemians for which particularly the Empeperour Sigismund had so instantly requested the Councell the most part of the Churches terrified with the perfidious treacherie vsed towards Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prague refused to send any one thither but the principall of the Nobilitie ouer-ruled the matter that some should appeare for to render a reason of the innouation in religion imputed vnto them So soone as they came thither they were receiued verie curteously by Cardinall Iulian the Legat who was not yet called backe Then in the Councell he maketh an Oration wherein he bringing in the Church of Rome speaking to them in his words and attributing to it selfe alone all that is spoken in holie Scripture concerning the Church the Spouse of Christ and presupposing that which is chiefely in question flattereth himselfe in this perpetual Elenche Sheweth that in her power are the keyes of the kingdome of heauen That she is without spot or wrinkle That whosoeuer departed from her was an Heathen and a Publican That the decrees of Councels are her decrees which are no lesse to be beleeued than the Gospels seeing they giue authoritie to the Scriptures To this the Bohemians in few words That they despised neither the Church nor Councels that they had beene condemned at Constance without being heard Oratio Iulian. Cardinal Legati in Append. Concilij Basiliens notwithstanding that they affirmed nothing but by the holie Scriptures and then they propound their Articles And on both sides were chosen such as shold enter into conference The disputation lasted fiftie dayes and after many spent on this side and on that it was thought best to leaue Theologicall questions and prouide for the Common wealth and to send some thither who hauing made search how matters stood might compound with them Here was the policie To permit the Communiō vnder both kinds to such as in other things would submit themselues to the Councell and proceeded with all rigour to the rest that embraced not the same condition These were the auntient Waldenses and their Disciples who requested that the Church might be reformed in most of the Articles which are conteined in their and our confessions who for this cause suffered much both by the warres that Sigismund made vpon them and by the diuision and back-sliding of their companions Yet doe we see their Churches outliue so many miseries vntill these times consist and continue most flourishing and largely propagated As touching the Fathers of the Councell of Basill they seeme to be somewhat ashamed of that Decreee of Constance concerning the Communion vnder both kinds And whereas they of
letters which he had written to them of Norimberg Our Sauiour said Pius substituted Peter Prince of the Apostles to the gouernement of the Church Who knoweth not answered Heimburg That Iesus commaunded all the Apostles That they should goe to preach faith baptisme and saluation through the world Who knoweth not That the promise was made to all That whatsoeuer they did bind on earth shuold be in heauen In which words he plainely taketh away the Popes Primacie Insomuch saith he that to this day the Catholike Church prayeth to be kept by the continual protection of the Apostles whom our Sauiour himselfe hath appointed to rule Pastours and Vicars of so great a worke And therefore who doubteth but that the holie Councels represent the place of Christ which haue succeeded the assemblie of the Appostles seeing that the world is greater than a citie Pius said againe That it is a vaine thing to appeale to a Councell which is not and which cannot bee aboue the Pope To which hee replieth The assemblie of the Apostles was aboue S. Peter and like as appeale may bee made to the Apostolike seat vacant so to a Councell not yet gathered c. This is a slauish seruice which he exacteth of vs and not a filiall reuerence c. He calleth me heretike because I say That a Councell of all Christendome is aboue the Pope but I say The Pope is an heretike who holdeth the contrarie c. He commaundeth my goods to be confiscat and giueth them to whosoeuer will enter vpon them willing them therein to doe the worke of Catholike men This word were verie daungerous but that the Popes fond trifling is before alreadie well knowne vnto vs when he made at Mantua so large and so loud a discourse in the behalfe of incestuous embracements and vices enemies to publique honestie Lastly Pius sayd That the Church is not assembled Hee aunswereth It is he that hindereth and distrubeth it by his factions in me is no let not any fault c. One Theodore bishop of Feltre aunswered him in the behalfe of the Pope heaping together all the places and reasons whereby the Canonists are woont to defend that fulnesse of power which Popes doe arrogate to themselues And this againe Gregorie de Heimburg confuted from point to point in an Apologie made expresly against the detractions and blasphemies of Theodore In this particularly he reproached him That Pius after he had exhausted Christendome by his Iubilie would in the Councell of Mantua wring out the verie last drop by forging new exactions vnder colour of making warre against the Turkes And that he and his Cardinals laughed at it when he propounded vnto them what great prouisions were needfull for such a warre because hee had another thing in his mind And hence is that wrath of Pius which hee now vomiteth forth against him Wherefore saith he Your money vnder colour of a militarie expedition against the Turke shall be conuerted into a wicked and damnable vse in succour of Ferdinand conceiued by the damnable embracement of Alphonsus sometime king of Arragon against Renatus lawfull heire of the kingdome of Sicilie and that noble Duke of Calabria the ornament and inimitable patterne of Christian nobilitie and of militarie glorie And therefore saith the Pope that Gregorie de Heimburg was borne of the Diuell because hee is not of the damnable seed but lawfully begotten for the Pope is a hater of such a fauourer of bastards in whose fauour he made a verie large Oration almost three houres long and made all Mantua ring with the praises of the bastard Ferdinand But as touching the question of the Popes Primacie I entreat the Reader to peruse the Apologie it selfe Gregor Heimburg in tractat de Primatu excuso Magdeburgi in Antilogia Basil 1555. Item Francofurti apud Wolfang Richesterum an 1607. In another Treatise of his also against the Primacie he calleth the Roman Synagogue Babylon and the Harlot And after he had proued that it hath no ground in sacred Scripture nor in the writings of the Fathers yea that all these things are of meere vsurpation contrarie to the institution of Christ and against the commoditie of the Church he pronounceth that such tyrannie is not to be endured and exhorteth euerie one as it is commaunded in the Apocalyps to depart from it Which that it might be more easily be discerned he framed a most exquisit antithesis of Christ and the Pope whereby he manifestly sheweth him to be Antichrist He accuseth also the Doctours who either for hope or feare not daring to contradict his errours confirme him the more by their silence At last he bursteth forth into this Thas for these many yeares it is more free for a man to dispute and call into doubt the power of God than of the Pope For men saith he are drunken with the wine of the said harlot and inspired with the sweetnesse of this woman they flatteringly expounded the Scriptures wresting it for confirmation of errour And because that Emperours and Kings either through ignorance for want of accustoming themselues to studies and sciences or by reason of too much worldlie vanitie that possesseth them haue not beene able to see it they haue beene brought to so great a seruitude that they are compelled to beleeue for a point of farth necessarie to saluation That Christ hath giuen the Pope such a fulnesse of power that he may dispose of all things which are on the earth after the pleasure of his owne will neither shall any dare to say vnto him why doest thou so seeing that the Pope himselfe hath power to commaund the Angels In this our age there could hardly be said any thing more cleerely But the controuersie of Diether of Mentz troubled all the Empire hee had beene chosen Canonically by the Canons yea his election confirmed by Pope Pius himselfe but he was not sound verie readie in buying his Pall or in paying his Annates but the principall clause was That he opposed himselfe against the Popes exactions of money vnder colour of the holie warres whereupon being vexed by Pius he appealed to a Councell saying he loued better the wealth of the Germans than the defence of the Faith Further he refused to sweare to the Pope That he should neuer assemble the Estates nor the Electors of the Empire without consulting first his intention either for the election of a new Emperour or for to obtaine a Councell or for any other affaire of importance He therefore reuoked his confirmation and transferred his Bishopricke to Adolfe of Nassau his competitor and excommunicated Diether and Frederick the Palatine his fauourer Hereupon the friends of both parties take armes Frederick surnamed the Victorious and Lewis Duke of Bauaria for Diether Albert Marquesse of Brandeburg Charles Marquesse of Baden Iohn Bishop of Metz his brother Vlric Earle of Wirtemburg and Lewis Niger of Bauaria for Adolfe The battell was fought wherein Diethers part had the victorie most of the
than milke more splendent than precious stones or polished Saphires but now their face is blacker than a coale and they are not knowne to wit for good By this deformation and spot of the Court and of Clergie-men especially of the Prelats Ecclesiasticall censure seemeth to be weakened and obedience diminished Why is this but for the contemptible life and workes of Prelats because they seeke their owne and not what is Iesus Christs But the reformation and amendment hereof belongeth to the Pope who as head of the rest ought to performe it De Censi Rom. l. ◠Q. 7. Cum Pastoris 6. q. 1. ex merito 1. q. 1. Fertur ver Hinc igitur and diligently looke to it But he that would correct others ought first looke to himselfe and them that be about him Because the life of the Pastour is an example to others And if the head languish the rest of the members are infected and when the Pastor is wounded who will applie the medicine to cure the sheepe Whereupon when the Physitian is sicke it will be said vnto him Cure thy selfe c. And to this purpose he bringeth many Canons Of Indulgences So often as sayth hee the Pope went forth in publike on some feastiuall day was giuen a plenarie Indulgence against the custome of auncient Popes notwithstanding that by such vndiscreet and superfluous Indulgences the keyes of the Chruch are contemned and penitentiall satisfaction weakened De poenis remiss c. Cum ex eo § Ad haec Out of this consideration it followeth that about giuing of expectatiue graces greater consideration ought to be had and not thus giuen euerie where on all sides and indifferently because by so great a multitude and confusion for the most part benefices are granted to persons vnworthie great matter of contention ariseth thereby Againe By the euill example and scandall which they giue to Lay men they seeme that they are come to this that S. Bernard speaketh in his sermon vpon these words of the Gospell I am the good shepheard And because it is verie long let the Reader take the paines to see it in the booke it selfe wherein he discourseth of all the corruptions of the Roman Church in his time At Padoua taught Anthonie Rozel a famous professor of the Ciuile Law who in his booke of Monarchie affirmeth That the Pope is not Lord of the world That he hath no power ouer the Emperor no temporall sword neither any authoritie aboue other Bishops There is extant besides other Treatises of the same Author Of the power of the Emperor and of the Pope and of both the swords and of the authoritie of Councels printed at Venice in the yeare 1487. Neither feared also Roderick Sanchio a Spaniard Bishop of Zamora Roderic Zamorens in speculo vitae humanae excuso Argetorti apud Iohan Pris An. 1507. and Referendarie of Paul the second to say in his booke Of the Myrror of mans life That the Pope doth not applie himselfe to wisedome nor to laudible studies neither for the peace and quiet of Christian people but onely vnto earthlie things That the Prelats doe not neither can teach for that they are altogether vnlearned giuen to their bellie and to whoredome and yet bind on the backes of poore Christians diuers insupportable burdens of traditions which in the Primitiue Church either were not at all or were left to mens libertie In the Primitiue Church saith he the faithfull were not bound with the commandements censures and pains of so many Canons Decrees Neither were there then so many snares of laws constitutions of excommunications or censures from which the faithfull though neuer so careful fearful can by no means be safe or warrant themselues There was not so many fasts cōmanded nor vigils nor silences nor Diuine Seruice for day and night enioyned daily to be sayd Lastly there was not so many feasts to be kept nor so often confession and communication of the bodie of Christ nor so many obediences to be yeelded c. So that of the Prelats of the Church may be rightly sayd that of Christ Which bind vnsupportable burdens c. Whence saith he if any of the like things were obserued in the Primitiue Church it was onely voluntarie which as then was no sinne to transgresse because it was not then forbidden And yet notwithstanding this same wretch was not ashamed to flatter Paul the second in the same booke That the Pope is not onely ordained to humane principalitie but to diuine Jdem cap. 1. l. 2. neither to commaund onely ouer men but also ouer Angels not for to iudge the quicke onely but the dead not in earth alone but in heauen also not to rule ouer the faithfull onely but ouer Infidels Aduanced saith he to that verie same dignitie to that same iurisdiction and power and to the principalitie ouer the whole world So that hee blushed not to applie vnto him the places of tha Prophets and of the Psalmes which the holie Ghost hath onely spoke and meant of the onely Sonne of God and he most highly extolleth him aboue that stammering Moses and his brother Aaron both together So that truth and flatterie two contraties proceed out of one and the same mouth In Germanie Herman Ried wrot a booke wherein he represented the corrupt maners of the Clergie by a comparison of what they ought to bee Herman Ried de vita honestate Clericorum and what in his times they then were There are saith he many Clergie-men who follow not the counsell and sentences of the Fathers receiue not the holie Scripture but despise the canons of the holie Fathers These are They which hate and deride vnderstanding and Catholike men who weigh the grieuousnesse of the crimes of the Clergie and endeauour with watchfulnesse to crie out against their false dealing Yea they affirme them to be fantasticall men Hierome de norma viuendi c. 5. disturbers of the peace hauing corrupt and polluted consciences c. And so is verified of them that saying of S. Hierome There is not a crueller beast in the world than an euill Clergie-man or Priest for he suffereth not himselfe to be corrected neither will he euer heare the truth c. Such and the like are by their Prelats permitted publikely so to liue Prouided that they giue euerie yeare a certaine sum of money to their Officials Moreouer how many are there publikely tainted with Simonie insomuch that not being able to conceale their simonie to shift if off they expresse it with other tearmes persuade themselues that so the word simonie be not heard it wil not be perceiued It is say they an ordinance or statute of the Church Others more subtilly to shift it off doe say That the Pope doth it by his fulnesse of power who may in such things dispence admit and ordaine And that then it is simonie and sinne onely when the Pope did forbid it or ordaine
cruell nor so great beyond opinion and beleefe which was vnfit for his terrible mind after some dayes sicknesse he was taken away by death c. Worthie of great praise if he had beene a secular Prince and attempted such things or if he had more care to exalt the Church in spirituall things by peaceable meanes than to make it great in temporall things by warre And yet is he desired aboue others but note of whom of them who the true names of things being lost and the distinction of them confused iudge that Popes are more to be praysed in this That by armes and shedding Christian bloud encrease the domination of the Apostolike See than labour by good examples of life to amend corrupt manners and take care for the saluation of those soules for whom they boast that they are ordained of Christ the Lord his Vicars on earth And did not the Emperour Maximilian lifting vp his eyes to heauen Joakimus Cureus Freistadiensis in Annalibus Gentis Silesiae Arnoldus Ferronius in vita Ludouici Gilberti Ducerij Epigramma worthily exclaime against the naughtie life of this Pope O eternall God if thou diddest not watch how ill it would be with the world which we gouerne I poore hunter and that wicked drunkard Iulius We read also that when a little after his election hee departed from Rome to make warre against Maximilian and Lewis passing ouer the bridge he cast the keyes into Tyber and holding a naked sword said with a lowd and high voyce That seeing Peters keyes would not suffice Paules sword should not be wanting Which gaue occasion of many Epigrams these among others Hic gladius Pauli nos nunc defendit ab hoste Quandoquidem clauis niliuvat ista Petri. Sith Peters keyes with foes doth nought preuaile This sword of Paul to saue vs shall not faile And In Gallum vt fama est bellum gesturus acerbum c. And hereupon Wicelius though a defender of Popes plainely saith of him Marti quam Christo propior That he was fitter for Mars than for Christ and indeed it was thought that in the space of nine yeares he had beene the occasion of the death of two hundred thousand men Whereas his predecessors were woont to graunt priuiledges to begging Friers he to the Cantons of the Switzers his confederats the principall executers of his high enterprises gaue the perpetuall title of Defenders of the Ecclesiasticall libertie with many Bulls Standards a Sword and golden Cap and other gifts that he might haue them readie at all his commaundements Neither was he for all that negligent in his Indulgences whereby hee might rake in money witnesse the Epigram Fraude capit totum mercator Iulius orbem Vendit enim coelos non habet ipse tamen c. By fraud the merchant Iulius rakes in pelfe For heauen he sells yet hath it not himselfe And this euidently ynough appeareth vnto vs by his Bulls especially by that dated in the yeare 1505 whereby being newly entred his Popedome hee ordayned That euerie fifteenth yere annuities should be paid for benefices And that he might reserue to himselfe all libertie to do all things by his own mere authoritie Bulla cuius initium Ex debito Pastoral officij alia cuius initium Suscepti regiminis cura sollicitat against the admonitions made vnto him from all parts he renewed the Bul of Pius the second against them that appealed from the Pope to a future Councell in such sort that the Appealants were judged excommunicated and their Appeals voyd and with these goodlie Prefaces Out of the duetie of our Pastorall office and the care of the gouernement vndertaken soliciting vs c. But with what face and faithfulnesse let the Reader judge vnlesse it bee with that sinceritie which this Epigram describeth Genua cui patrem genitricem Graecia Conradus Grebelius in Epigram partum Pontus vnda dedit num bonus esse potest Fallaces Ligures mendax est Graecia Ponto Nulla fides in te haec singula Iule tenes From Genua and Greece his parents bloud At sea he had his birth can he be good The Genowais be false Greekes lyers be Trustlesse the sea all this Iulius in thee Which truely he verified in effect in the whole course of his life I would willingly omit these other verses of the same Author but that all filthinesse with them is but a play Venit in Italiam spectatus indole rara Germanus redijt de puero mulier To Rome a German went of faire aspect But he return'd a woman in effect Which he speaketh of Iulius The same we find written by the Diuines of Paris of two young gentlemen violated or forced by him whom Queene Anne wife of Lewis the twelft had recommended to the Cardinall of Nantes to carrie with him into Italie Let vs adde this for conclusion That when he was besieged at Bononia by the Grand Master de Chaumont Generall of the armie of Lewis the 12 vnder colour of entertaining a treatie of peace brought into the citie for his succours certaine companies of Turks conducted by Chapin Vitelli and in the meane time he published by his Bull full pardon and large Indulgences to whomsoeuer should kill a Frenchman that is a Christian So that not without reason our French Church at that time called that full power of Popes a boisterous tempest and a diabolicall word And thus are we come to the yeare 1513. An. 1513. The Popedome of Iulius was imperious and barbarous The Cardinals who had felt his crueltie before they would proceed to election thought by prescribing conditions to the future Pope to bridle his authoritie but presently after saith Guicciardine they themselues did abrogat them almost all Guicciard l. 2. according as they were led some with feare and some with hope of fauour all vncapable of a better State This same was Iohn de Medicis Commaunder as Legat of the Popes armie who had beene taken in the battell of Rauenna and hauing made an escape away contrarie to his faith was presently after created Generall of the warre against the Florentines He was scarcely thirtie seuen yeares old when against custome by a new example hee was aduanced to the Popedome by the craft of the younger Cardinals In his first act he made manifest what was to be hoped of the reformation of the Church in his time for the pompe of his coronation was so excessiue Guicciard l. 2. as well of them of his house and Court as of all the Prelats that no man but would confesse That from the inundation of the Barbarians there had beene nothing seene more proud and stately seeing it is certaine that hee on that day had spent an hundred thousand ducats And the wiser sort iudged saith he that such a pompe was not fit for Popes Next he resolued to continue the Councell of Lateran and to extinguish that of Pisa which he easily did in reestablishing the fiue Cardinals which Iulius
auntient times except onely saith he in one kind of men who must in no wise be excepted These are the Priests whom now almost alone next after Kings and Princes we see to be the richest and most giuen to riches Here must I needs exclaime O wretched as well as fortunat Fraunce Is it possible thou shouldest striue now to abolish by wicked ambition the institutions of thy Elders confirmed by so many holie Decrees and approued by the continuance of so many yeares And now by the abuse of a fauourable law shouldest make hast to loose a singular prerogatiue not obtayned by flattering the Pope by wresting or by begging it but required as a recompence of the merit of our Elders that thou mightest vse in the establishment of sacred things that auntient and peculiar right proceeded à majorum gentium Pontificibus from those Bishops of the Primitiue Church And with what face then alledgest thou that peculiar Sanction whereof thou so much boastest as of a certain honor of Religion Whence hast thou the libertie or confidence to cal thy selfe Most Christian vnlesse thou wilt keepe it by the same Religion whereby thou hast gotten a glorious name and a law witnesse of thy pietie O fault pleasing to those thine enemies who enuie this Palladium of thy felicitie and perhaps of the Kingdome as a gift come downe from heauen which being either taken away or cut off thou withall canst bee then no longer fortunat Take heed I pray thee thou beleeue not too much those earth borne men whom antiquitie therefore called Giants who heaping vp large Titles vpon Titles after the example of the Aloidae seeme to warre against God and thinke to climble vp into heauen to offer violence to the inhabitants there And hee leaueth not for vs to ghesse whom hee meaneth For of these things saith hee publique consent layeth the blame on the Head of Christendome who if hee be not well conditioned the inferiour members draw from him the causes of diseases Wherefore wee see it to bee the wish of godlie men so oft as that indignitie is set before their eyes that God would either fashion better the Pillar of the Church or place some fitter in his roome Neither yet sayth hee am I ignorant that the Church is builded vpon a most firme Rocke by a cunning hand so that it cannot bee ouerthrowne by any force neither ayrie nor earthlie c. But now pietie and religion the gardians of this house complaine with a loud crie that the proportion which the hands of the Architect did modell forth at first is not now kept which is a notable dishonour for the head The cause of this vnseemely disproportion they lay vpon the Merchant Mercurie to wit the Pope who since the time hee gouerned the light of the world and began to bee the chiefe coach-man hee did not burne the world as Phaeton is said to haue done but rather ouer shadowed it with most horrible thicke darkenesse So that from thenceforth it commeth to passe that in the holie Camp that is in the Church is nothing done rightly nor in order And here hee putteth himselfe forth to speake of the abuses of the Church namely them that proceeded from sale whence he shewed that the present gouernement was nothing like to the institution of Christ that if any man cast his eyes on the vniuersall face of the Clergie on their pompous prouision and their designes hee is presently constrained to say that the Spouse hath renounced her bridegroome and denounced vnto him that he is to keepe houshold by himselfe And there againe he maketh a comparison of Christ and the Apostles with the Pope and Court of Rome And then hee passeth to the discipline of the Church violated by them who ought to preserue it from all impuritie Who will beleeue sayth hee that these men that doe thus know what is the good and right faith And who knoweth not that the chosen stones of the Sanctuarie not long agoe haue beene so dispersed and cast downe that the Maiestie of the Church is decayed and now the Spouse of God herselfe as forgetfull of her coniugall faith hath not onely turned aside from her bridegroome but euen without any respect of modestie licentiously wandred about by the high-waies and by the streets and prostituted herselfe for money in euerie Prouince Who remembreth not that the Pastors as fugitiues are become not onely forsakers of the flock but driuers and stealers of it away And haue wee not seene the chiefe Heads of Prelates behaue themselues so preposterously and impurely as in steed of ordering things in good seemelinesse and teaching the daunce called Emmelia to mollifie mens hearts and make their mindes gentle they lead them the warredance Pyrrhicha in armour altogether abhorring the holinesse of order hee meaneth Iulius They which should bee the chiefe annointers of the Champions for the holie Combates and who ought to bee the Authors of waging godlie warre for their altars and bounds against prophane peoples and Infidels are not they themselues the butchers of Christian forces setting them at warres one against the other to the destruction of that sacred name And there hee declareth the wrath of God fallen both vpon Alexander and him What hope saith hee of saluation can these men haue who beeing chiefe Priests gouerning the sterne of the Ship at noone day runne it against the rockes of impietie And when they which ought by their good life to shine and giue light to the Lords familie strike into our eyes the horrible darkenesse of error and blindnesse of mind c. Can I beleeue that they haue the knowledge of good faith who holding the Altar and sacred things vnder the Lords mantle yea and kissing the Lord himselfe as Iudas did neuerthelesse make no account of his Precepts and Institutions and embrace things directly opposite and contrarie c. And what man is there I pray you who if hee consider the state motion course habitude inward and outward affections and the verie Sessions of the Church such as wee haue seene them of late can iudge that they make any account at all of the sacred Oracles and monuments to wit of the holie Scriptures For we see that the Pontificall iurisdiction hath so degenerated from the auncient charitie that there where was woont to be the bosome of equitie and benignitie is now found to be a shop of contentions and of impious snares to intrap Thence are those pit-falls of Processes and cautions of Pontificall rites of purpose set forth for to deceiue the Lords familie There are the profits of amerciaments on Prelats which plainely augment the pages of receits Thence againe the sacrilegious faires of those things which cannot without impietie be in humane commerce I omit now to speake of tesseras non modo veniales sed etiam vaenales Indulgences set to sale which giue largely by a sordid or filthie bountie impunitie of wickednesse and absolution for breach of sacred lawes Therefore
prostituteth setteth to sale and vttereth his Indulgences At his will and pleasure moreouer hee openeth heauen curseth the earth quencheth Purgatorie shutteth hell as if he were God he maketh Saints bindeth diuels commaundeth Angels maketh himselfe President in generall Councells Head of the Catholike Church yea Spouse thereof which Titles are due vnto none but to Iesus Christ alone incommunicable to any creature God on earth made out of earth commaunding in heauen he ordaineth a god to be worshipped on earth which he will haue to be beleeued and doth beleeue to be God whom he causeth to be carried about on horsebacke before him for to get to himselfe the greater reuerence euen for the most part among his vilest carriage among scullions and lackeys And all these things vnder the name of Christ and vnder pretence of his Vicarship Because sayth he after Christs glorious resurrection all power was giuen him from the Father in heauen and in earth In so much that in the Masse which the Seat being vacant is celebrated for obtaining a new Pope Cerem Roman l. 1. Sect. 15. de officio Missae Astol sede vacāte this Tractus of the Prophet is sung The Head thereof shall proceed out of it to wit of Israel and a Prince shall come from the middest of it which was spoken of our Lord Iesus Christ There is also that of Saint Iohn in the Gospell applied to the future election I will not leaue you orphans I will aske the Father and he shal giue you another Comforter which was spoken of the holie Ghost so that now there is nothing so blasphemous that they are ashamed or dare not vse Further so soone as hee is elected and hath put on red hose and shooes he is carried and set vpon an Altar the seat of their God and there worshipped consequently with religious worship due to God What need more Cerem Rom. l. 1. sect 1. c. 6. Erasm in 1. ad Tim. c. 1. In the verie Scholes Leo the tenth being Pope they feared not to dispute Note Reader how farre they extended his Vicarship Whether the Pope might abrogate that which is decreed in the writings of the Apostles Whether he might ordaine any thing contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospell Whether he might add to the Creed a new article of Faith Whether he haue greater power than S. Peter or but equall Whether hee may commaund the Angells or can take purgatorie quite away Whether he bee but meere man or as it were God Whether with Christ he partake of two natures Diuine and humane How many enormities are committed in these words yea in the least of them How manifoldly they offend the Diuine Majestie When therefore wee call to mind all these things how can wee otherwise applie or expound that propheticall place of S. Paule 2. Thess 2. v. 4. He exalteth himselfe against all that is called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that is worshipped For let them shew vs in all these sixteene ages any other so that he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God In the Church it selfe so that wee must not seeke him among the Turkes in Assyria yea if we beleeue him hee himselfe is the whole Church which he contracteth into his own person the Head and the bodie the Bridegroom and the Spouse both together And to whom againe besides may we applie the Reuelation of S. Iohn Of the beast ascending out of the earth Apocal. c. 13. v. 11. 17. v. 3. which had two hornes like the Lambe but spake like the Dragon of the woman sitting vpon a Scarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemie For where is there more speech of Christ and lesse beleeuing him where more giuing him kisses together with buffetings where so monstrous so outragious blasphemies vnder that most holie name Is not this properly to put on Iesus a purple garment to put a reed in his hand and to say vnto him in mockerie as if he saw nothing in humane affaires especially in the gouernement of the Church Which of vs was it that smote thee And thus much for his spirituall domination Now of the temporall Wee found the Bishops of Rome vnder persecution had learned by the Testament of our Sauiour not to affect worldlie power but to be readie contrariwise to suffer cruelties from earthlie Princes By the Epistles of S. Paule and S. Peter and also by their examples to honor the kings and powers of the world to obey the froward and those that were hard to be pleased not to rule as Lords ne quidem in Domini cleros from whence came the name of Clergie And surely till the time of Constantine and some time after they had not any temporall jurisdiction yea and after that by the gifts of Christian Princes they were enriched for many ages they spake and liued submissiuely after the manner of vassals and seruants and as other subjects suffered both generall and prouinciall Councels to be called and assembled without contradiction by Christian Emperours and Princes and submitted themselues vnto them and their ordinances and at their commaundements came and went without complaining without so much as muttering of these their documents or pretensions But if it were a thing so important to the honour of Christ and the safetie of the Church as they would make men beleeue that this Vicar of Christ should be acknowledged through all the world girded and armed with two swords where was now their zeale that they suffered with such negligence their rights of so great moment to perish to be withheld to the manifest damage of S. Peter to be prescribed and to be vsurped from him the monarchie of the whole world without any gain-saying interpellation or any declaration of those rights But the Roman Empire now falling to ruine by reason both of the inward diseases of the same and the sundrie irruptions of the Northerne people the Bishops of Rome began to build on those ruines and to abuse the absence and weakenesse of the Emperours whom they expelled out of Italie by the armes of the Lombards and confined them to Greece and vnder colour that they would not admit Images into their Temples cut them off from the Church absolued their subjects from their oaths of fidelitie and withdrawing them from obedience to their Princes bound them at last to themselues In Italie the Lombards waxing too strong they supplanted them by the Frenchmen and after that the Frenchmen by the Germans opposing euer them that were farthest off against them that were nearer and so soon as any had gotten credit and authoritie with the people they cast him out by intruding another which could not but necessarily depend on their fauour And when the Germans went about to settle and establish their Empire in Italie they stirred vp factions against them in Germanie and caused the sonnes by breaking the bond of duetie both diuine and humane naturall and ciuile to rise
vp against their fathers And these things euer vnder pretence of heresie For to permit them not the absolute power to dispose of all Bishopricks or diligently to watch ouer their discipline or to maintain the elections according to the antient canons or to hinder their continuall exactions and rapines or but endeauor to do it was accounted with them horrible heresie Simonie Vntill that by the manifold conspiracies which they raised against them they by degrees obtained to be absolued from the oath of fidelitie Cerem Roman Charta 21. ad quaecunque fidelitatis iuramenta Cerem Roman Charta 21. l. 5. which they were woont to yeeld to the emperors And at length constrained the Emperours themselues before they were receiued into Rome that is into their house and auntient seat of the Empire in conceiued words to sweare vnto them quamcunque fidelitatem all kind of fidelitie and truely and openly to declare that they had no right in Rome and that they would stay there at Rome but so many dayes as it pleased the Pope and to ratifie and confirme all their pretended donations meerely friuolous Yea moreouer they compelled them by these meanes in all humilitie to request that they might be crowned by them Insomuch that they maintained and affirmed both by the authoritie of their Decrees and by open force of armes That they were superious to the Emperours who were their vassals and held their Empire by fealtie and liege homage from them That they were Monarches of the whole Vniuerse and direct Lords of all the world By which right so soone as any countries of the new found world were discouered they blushed not to giue them in feoffe and diuide them among kings as the patrimonie of S. Peter As witnesse also these words which they are woont to vse in the inuestiture of Popes Cerem Roman l. 1. c. 2. I inuest thee with the Popedome vt praesis vrbi orbi to commaund ouer the Citie the whole world Lastly That of right it belonged vnto them to inuest and degradth to ordaine and depose Emperours and Kings at their pleasure That it belongeth vnto them to dispose of the Empire vacant and in case the Electors bee through discord diuided themselues to elect the Emperour All which things are by them vsurped to the prejudice of all Estates and Policies yea to the contumelie of God himselfe by whom kings doe raigne and who alone both giueth and translateth Empires which neuer any in the world Sathan onely excepted durst or will dare to arrogate to himselfe And yet by this meanes he maketh himselfe to be adored by Emperours causeth them to hold his stirrop when he mounteth or lighteth from his horse and being gotten vp suffereth them to lead his horse some steps by the bridle not vouchsafing scarcely for fashion sake to let slip from him one word of refusall of this kind of seruice done him and if the Prince be not readie ynough in it it is an haynous crime vnpardonable as wee haue seene in some And when the Emperour is elected yea created hee maketh him basely demaund the Imperiall Crowne of him Cerem Rom. l. 1. Charta 21. 22. 26. 65. 59. 87. and in signe of tribute the suitor to cast a masse of gold at his feet What remaineth there more but as the Wise men to Christ Incence and Myrrhe Moreouer in all Acts both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuile hee is seated in a degree higher and more eminent and that of such a certaine height Cerem Rom. l 1. charta 21. 22. 26. 54 59 87. that the place where the Emperour sitteth is no higher than where the Pope setteth his feet his chaire also not so high nor so large and a lesse foot-stoole whether it bee in Church or in Chappell or in Councell And hee giueth him water when hee washeth his hands and in the Masse beareth vp his traine and in collation presenteth vnto him the napkin For this is with him a generall Maxime Nemini omnino mortalium reuerentiam facit Cerem Rom. l. 3. sect 1. fol. 120. The Pope doth no reuerence to any man in the world neither by rising manifestly nor by bowing of the head nor by vncouering himselfe onely to the Emperour of the Romans the Pope being set after he hath kissed his foot and his hand hee riseth a little and receiueth him to kisse with the mutuall embracement of charitie Yea the greatest Kings ought by his Statutes when hee enters into any of their cities to lead the Popes horse by the bridle or if the Pope bee carried in a chayre to put his shoulders vnderneath to carrie it Sellam subire Others of the chiefest of his Nobles afterwards submitting their neckes thereunto to ease him The Cardinalls which come to meet him presently so soone as they espie him must light downe from their horses afarre off and runne to kisse his foot and his hand and presently a little ladder prepared of purpose is set whereby they are admitted to kisse his mouth What is an Idoll or Idolatrie if this be not And yet of these rules is made an art digested as it were into a Codex of Lawes which without crime of high treason against God and man it is not lawfull to omit or transgresse Whereas Christ our Lord whose Vicar hee calleth himselfe being in the forme of God made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant c. Phil. 2. v. 6.7.8 9. Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him But what kind of seruant is this who arrogateth to himselfe the title of the Master and Prince and what doe wee else expect but that in his appoynted time hee cast him headlong from that height of pride And seeing Christ for to bring vs vnto him into heauen humbled himselfe Phil. 2. v. 8. became obedient euen vnto the death of the Crosse whither doth this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which exalteth himselfe aboue God draw with him his followers and obeyers but into hell And for as much as we see him arise of the declining of the Roman Empire and from the ruines thereof raised to that height doth it not put vs in mind of the words of the Apostle and the interpretation of the Fathers thereupon 2. Thess 2. v. 6.7 and now yee know what withholdeth that he might be reuealed which should be after his comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way that is the Roman Empire must needs bee abolished before he be reuealed Wee may remember also these words of S. Iohn Apoc. 13. v. 12. The second Beast the Papacie did all that the first Beast the Roman State could doe before him that is to his teeth and in his sight and he caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first Beast Rome whose deadlie wound was healed being restored by the substitution of the Popes authoritie in