heu Domâ—ne Deus quomodo obscuratum est aurum mutatus est color opt mus O tempus pessimum in quo defecit sanctus et diminutae sunt veritates à siliis hominum Alas Alas Alas Lord God how is the gold obscured and its good colour changed O most wicked time in which the holy one is fallen away and truth diminished among the sonnes of men And Cardinall Baronius after a long recitall of the vilanios of the Papall Sea in those times he poures out these complaints g Baron An. 912. §. 8. Que tunc facies Ecclesiae Romonae quam soedissima cùm Romae domi iarentur potentiâ— ma 〈◊〉 sordidissime meretrâ—ces quaruÌ„ arbitrio inutaretur sedes c. et â—â—truderentur in sedem Petrâ—câ—rum amasii Pseudopontifices What was then the face of the Romane Church and how foule when most powerfull and most filthie whores ruled and governed in Rome by whose will the Seas were changed and Bishopricks given away And that which is horrible and not to be related their Lovers false Popes were thrust in violently in Peters Chaire And Genebrard a great worshipper of Popes speakes of the same time in the yeare 901. of his Chronicle in these tearmes In that alone this age was unfortunate that for the space almost of one hundred and fifty yeares about fifty Popes have wholly fallen away from the vertue of their predecessors being rather Apotacticall or Apostaticall than Apostolicall Sigonius puts two hundred yeares in In the yeare of our Lord 931. John the eleventh came to the Popedome He was Bastard to Pope Sergius begotten on the body of the whore Marozia Whereupon Baronius saith The Roman Church suffered her selfe to be so vilanously oppressed by such a monster After him there was many Popes that were creatures of the fornamed whores even to John the XII who in the yeare of our Lord 955. attained to the Papacie at eighteene yeares old whom Baronius abhorres as an execrable monster Luirprandus and Fascicu us Temporum say Luirprand lib. 6. cap. 11. Sigeber ad annum 963. Antoninus Chroni Temo 11. Tract 16. § 16. that this John being in bed with some bodies wife was so beaten by the Devill that he died of it This Pope made Children Bishops dranke to the Devill when he played at dice hee invocated Jupiter and Venus and conferred the sacred Orders in a stable Then many Popes did play at thrust out and cruelly persecuted one another the Papacy was exposed to sale and vices were there up to the roofe France though in an age full of darknesse was mooved with it and called a Councell at Rheims under the raigne of Hugh Capet whose Acts we have extant In that Councell Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans who presided there speakes thus h O lugenda Roma quae nostris majorâ—bus clara patrum luminap rotulisti nostris temporibus monstrosas tenebras futuris saeculis famosas effudisti Quid hunc Reverendi Patres in sublimi solio residentem veste purpurea aurea radiâ—â—em quid hunc esse censetâ—s Nimâ—rum si charitate destitu tuâ— solaque scientia inslatur extollitur Antichrissus est in solio Dei residens c. O lamentable Rome which in the time of our Ancestors hast brought forth bright shining lights but now hâ—st powred out such monstrous darknesses that shall be infamous to future ages And a little after What thinke yee Reverend Fathers that the Pape is sitting upon a high throne glistering in a robe of searlet and gold If hee hath no charity if he doe exalt himselfe being puffed up with science alone hee is the Autichrist sitting on Gods throne Then hee addes that the Citle of Rome is exposed to sale and that Antichrist is neare and that the mysterie of iniquitie goes forward In the yeare 984. * In Baronius it is the yeare 985. as Sigonius relates in the beginning of his seventh Booke of the Reigne of Italy Bonifacius who made himselfe to bee called John the fifteenth having put to death two Popes usurped the Papacie by violence and by money Baronius calls him a Theefe and a Robber and that had not one haire of a true Bishop Genebrard in the yeare 1007 speakes thus of all the Popes of that time The Popes saith hee of this time being intruded by the Emperours rather than elected were monsters Thus the lawfull succession hath beene troubled as of old under the Synagogue in the time of the Kings Antiochi In the yeare 1033. Benedict the ninth being but tenne yeares old was created Pope by the faction of his Father the Counte of Tuscula Petrus Damianus in his Epistle to Nicolas the second and Platina and Fasciculus Temporum and Baronius describe this Pope like a monster Then three Popes held the Papacy of whoÌ„ Platina speaks thus Platina in Gregor 6. Henricus II. in Italiam cum magno exercitu veniens hâ—hita Synodo cuÌ„ Beredictum IX Syâ—vestrum III. Gregor um VI. tâ—nquaÌ„ tria teterrima monstra se abdicare magistratu coegisset Henry the second being entred into Italie with a mightie Armie and having called a Councell constrained Benedict the ninth Sylvester the third and Gregory the sixth as three horrible monsters to forsake the magistrature That was done in the yeare of our Lord 1044. when the contention touching the conversion of the bread into the body of the Lord was in its strength and Bereâ—garius in great credit in France and in the neighbouring countries for his learning and good life The discreet Reader and lover of the truth shal weigh ponder these things in his minde and say in himselfe Is it credible that God would have used such wicked instruments for to defend his heavenly truth Could any good thing spring from such wicked Popes Are not those such Ages as Sathan desireth for to bring forth monsters in in the mids of so thicke a darknes to bring in Idolatry CHAP. XI Of the oppression of England How Religion passed out of England into Bohemia Of Wicklef John Huz and Hierome of Prague Of the Councell of Constance Of Zisca and Procopius and of their Victories I Hope the Reader shall not dislike to take here a short view of the History of the troubles which hapned in Bohemia about Religion a little before God made the light of his Gospell to shine againe in France England Germanie Switserland and the Low-Countries For in it may be seene a lively Image of Satan and of the power of God Of all Countries subject to the Papall Empire Math. Paâ—is in Henrico I. An. 1171. England suffered the hardest and most shamefull servitude That slavery increased especially under the reigne of Henry the second and of John and Henry the third In the yeare 1171. King Henry the second for to expiate the crime whereof hee was accused namely to have caused the murther of Thomas Arch-Bishop of Canterburie was whipt upon his naked flesh by a multitude of Monkes
them are a thing whereof no trace is to be found in all Antiquitie As also the taxe of the Papall Chauncerie wherein the Absolutions for * Cap. de absolut oÌ„ibus Absolutio pro co qui interfecit patrem matrem gros 7 Absolut io pro eo qui falsificavit litteras Apostolicas grossos 15. Murther for Parricide Inceste Perjury are taxed at a certaine rate of money So many groats or so many Ducats for a man that hath killed his Father so much for him that hath lyen with his Mother A Roman Jesuit called Silvester Petra sancta wrote lately a Booke against me wherein he teaches us a thing which we knew not before He saith in the thirteenth Chapter that during the time of Advent and Lent the Pope permits not a man in Rome to passe the whole night in a bawdy house that would be thought 〈◊〉 violating of the holynesse of Lent Wherefore in those dayes of devotion it is onely permitted to passe the whole day and a part of the night in the Bawdy-house Can such Lawes be found in the Ancient Church Briefly it is a very new Religion and a heape of doctrines and Lawes unheard off in all Antiquitie expressly invented for gain and for the raising of the Popes Empire and building up that Monarchie which was not in the first ages of the Church And for to keepe the People in ignorance least they should discover these Mysteries For example Indulgences Privâ—â—â— Masses Masses and Sâ—ffrage◠〈…〉 dead are very lucrative 〈…〉 to the Pope and 〈…〉 Auriculâ—◠〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Conscienâ—◠〈…〉 jection 〈…〉 is not givâ—◠〈…〉 and satisâ—â—◠〈…〉 Monkes serve to fill up that Spirituall Treasure of the Pope whereof he carries the keyes distributing these satisfactions to the people by his Indulgences so lucrative and profitable to the Pope and his Clergie By Absolutions the Priests make themselves Judges of Soules and Judges in Gods cause In reserving to themselves and unto Kings the communion of the Cup they make themselves companions unto Kings and exalt themselves above the People By the single life of Bishops and other Clergie men the Pope keepes the Ecclesiasticall goods from being wasted and consumed and from being diverted and turned to the reliefe and enriching of the Children In painting God the Father dressed like a Pope they plant this opinion in the minde of the People that the Pope is like unto God and that God makes great account of the Pope since he borrowes his habit By Canonizing of Saints the Pope makes the People to worship his groomes and gives the title of Saint for a recompence of Services By the Sacrament of Penance the Pope and his Priests usurpe the power of imposing corporall and pecuniary punishments * Thus caused he Henry the second of England to be whipt by a troope of Monkes As is to be seene in Matth. Paris and in West monasteriensis so farre as to cause Kings to â—e whipt By the Service in the Latin â—ongue hee entertaines the People in â—gnorance and giving them his tongue planteth in the midst of them a marke of his Empire He gives them the Roman Language for to came and inure â—hem to the Roman Religion The Popes power to unthrone Kings makes him King of Kings and exalts him on an Empire above all the Greatnesse that is in the World Images which are called ignorant mens Books accustome the People to forget and be without the Scriptures which in those Countries where the inquisition raignes is a Booke altogether unknowne among the People By Transubstantiation Priests make Christ and have him in their owne power By Holy-dayes that the Pope ordaines he rules the Civill Government causing the Shops to be shut up and the Seates of Justice and of the Kings Counsell to cease When the Merchants shop shutteth the Clergie-mens shop openeth For then doe the People goe to gaine Pardons as they tearme it and visit Reliques and alwayes the Bason is by By the distinction of meates and fasting dayes the Pope rules the Markets and bellies and Kitchins and Kings and Peoples tables And the more prohibitions there is the oftner come they to the Pope and to the Prelates for to have dispensations The Pope hath made of Matrimonie a Sacrament that he might take away from the civill Magistrates and Judges Secular the right of judging of such causes for it belongs to the Church to judge of Sacraments By Dispensations in degrees of consanguinity which in the Word of God hinders the Marriage the Pope maketh that the Children of Princes for such dispensations are given but to Great ones are obliged to defend the Popes Authority if they will be held for legitimate By Annates or first fruites of Benefices and the sale of Archiepiscopall Cloakes the Pope makes an incredible gaine And there is such a Cloake for which he drawes above threescore thousand Ducats By the power which the Pope assumes to himselfe to change the Commandements of God and to dispense of Vowes and Oathes made unto God he exalts himselfe above God For hee that can free and exempt men from obeying God and being faithfull to him must be greater than God The Invocation of Saints the Adoration of Reliques and the Miracles which are said to be wrought at those Reliques serve to build up many Churches Monasteries which are as so many props to the Papall Domination In sum all the subtilty and policy in the World hath been brought therein Never was there any Empire built with so much craft and cunning The doctrine which teacheth that Christ Jesus by his death hath delivered us from the guilt and punishment of sinnes before Baptisme but as for the sinnes committed after Baptisme that we must beare the punishment for them either in this life or in Purgatory hath clipped Christs benefice for to make place unto their traffick and for to give credit to their Indulgences and Masses for the dead In a word they make profit of all Death it selfe is tributary to the Roman Clergie CHAP. XXIII Answer to the Question made unto us by our Adversaries Where was your Religion before Calvin THis demand which every foot is made unto us by our Adversaries viz. Shew us where your Religion was before Calvin is altogether injust and deceitful For to keepe us from examining the Roman Religion by the holy Scripture they amuse us with humane Histories For this is not a question of Divinity but of History wherein God hath not commanded us to be learned and skilfull that wee may bee saved But hath commanded us to be instructed in his Word At the day of judgement God shall not aske us whether we have beleeved as they did beleeve before Calvin but Saint Paul tels us that God shall judge us according to his Gospell and that men shall be judged by the Law of God Rom. 2.12 16 That if for to be saved it were necessary to know the History of the ages before Calvin mounting upwards
massacre them as to those that went into Syria against the Sarasens for to reconquer Christs Sepulcher to whom he gave the remission of all their sins and a degree of glory above the ordinary as may bee seene in the Bull of Innocent the third placed at the end of the Councell of Lateran The Earle of Montfort having with him one Dominicke author of the Order of the Jacobins with an army of these crossed ones did massacre in a few moneths above two hundred thousand of them And for to strengthen and fortifie this abuse there was no speeche in those times but of miracles coyned of purpose tending to the worshipping of Images and establishing of the reall presence of Christs body in the Eucharist They gave out to the people that such an Image had sweated blood that another had nodded his head That a woodden Crucifix prickt in the side had cast blood This fable is recited by Fulgoslib 1. c. 6. And by Nauclerus Gener. 44 That to an Image of the Virgin Maries brought from Damascus breasts of flesh were grown upon the wood That in such a place the Host had appeared in the forme of a child and an Angell by it that did hacke him to peeces That an Hoste pricked by a Jew had gushed out blood and being cast into a great cauldron or kittle was turned into a man as is to be seene yet at this day in Paris represented upon the forefront or porche of the Church of the Billetes The life of Saint Anthonie of Padoua saith that he presented the consecrated Hoste to an Asse which presently left eating of his Oates and worshipped the Hoste a Albertu Krantzius Metropol lib. 1. ca. 9. Wedekindus a Saxon Prince saw a child thrust into the mouth of the Communicants b Paschasius Rathertus de corpore sangnine Domini c. 14. Guil. Mal. mesbur l. 3. cap 27. An Angell did present Christ in the Masse unto a Priest called Plegâ—ls in the shape or forme of a childe which he kissed and imbraced with great courage 〈◊〉 A little Jewish boy comming by chance into the Church as he was playing saw upon the Altar a little boy that was minced and cut into small peeces and thrust by small lumps into the mouths of the Communicants Thomas Cantipratensis in his second Booke of Miracles Chapter 40 saith that at Doway in the yeare 1260. the consecrated host being fallen to the ground rised up againe of it selfe and pearched it selfe upon the cloth wherewith the Priest did wipe his hands in the shape or forme of a fine little boy who instantly became a tall man having a crowne of thornes upon his head and two drops of blood running downe from his forehead on both sides of his nose Jodoeus Coccius collected about one hundred of such miracles Iodoeus Coccius Thesaur Tom. II. lib. 6. de Eucharistia For in Berengarius his time such miracles were very rise and frequent Matthew Paris an English Historian in the yeare of the Lord 1247 relates that the Templers of the holy land sent to Henry the third King of England a little Christall bottle full of the true blood of our Saviour Christ that he shed upon the Crosse which Cristall bottle that silly King carried upon his nose to Westminster Church in Procession a foot clothed with an old sleâ—velesse gowne Salmeron the Jesuite in the XI Tome and fifth Treatise page 35. saith that at Rome in the Church of Lateran there is some of Christs blood kept Item in the Church of Saint Maximin at Rome which Marie Magdalen gathered up at the foote of the Crosse There was also at Rochelle some kept as the same Jesuite saith in the same place Sigonius in his fourth Booke of the reigne of Italy * Forte saÌ„guinis ex imagine crucâ—fiâ—â— Salvatoris in syria effusi portio delata MaÌ„tuam fuerat c. Carolus Leonem Pontisicem per literas obsecravit ut accurate horum miraculâ—rum vâ—ritatem vellet explorare compertam sibi significare Ob id Leo Roma â—gâ—â—ssâ—s Mantuam venâ—t re cognâ—ta ad C roâ—tum ser psit saith that in the yeare 804. was brought out of Syria to Mantua a portion of the blood that ran out of the Image of a Crucifix which did many miracles And that the fame of it being come to Charles the Great he intreated by letters Pope Leo to enquire of the truth of the matter And that the said Pope having knowne and perceived the truth of the thing wrote to Charle-maine touching the same And in the eighth Booke in the yeare 1048. he saith that the inhabitants of Mantua having forgotten this blood and knowing no more what it was this blood beganne againe to doe miracles Vasquez the Jesuite upon the 76 question of the third Part of Thâ—mas * Art 8. saith that yet at this day there is in Spaine some of Christs blood kept in Reliques Thus the darknesse grew thicke and the mysterie of iniquity strengthened it selfe dayly more and more the kings having no knowledge at all of the holy Scripture and trembling under the Popes thunderbolts and excommunications and powring abundance of wealth and riches into the bosome of the Clergie for the easing of their soules after death And for a full measure of mischiefe new Orders of Mendicant Friers did spring up namely the Franciscans and Dominicans whereof Francis Assisias in Italy and Dominick Calarogensis in Spaine were the first Founders in the yeare of our Lord 1216. and 1223. An incredible multitude of these Monks were dilated and spâ—ead over all the regions of the Popes Empire who made use of them as of so many torches and trumpets for to provoke and encourage Princes to the persecution of the faithfull And it was the said Monks that hâ—ve coyned and forged the Schoole Divinity all bristled with pricks and twisted about with subtilties much like unto the Cray-fish in which there is much picking but little to eate It is from this Divinity that suttle distinctions are drawne wherewith they cover themselves against the truth Aâ—istotle is alleadged there a great deale oftner than the Apostle Saint Paul Thus it behooved the mysterie of iniquitie should advance it selfe At the birth of these begging Friers Innocent the third in the yeare 1215. called a Councell at Rome in the Lateran Church in which the word of Transubstantiation not as yet received by any definition in the Roman Church was established by an expresse Canon and authority of Councell CHAP. IX Of the Judgement which the Doctors of the Romane Church doe make touching the apparitions whereby a little Child or a morsell of flesh hath appeared at the Masse in the hands of the Priest and touching Christs blood that is kept in Reliques A Long time hath beene that if one had doubted that a childe or a pâ—â—ce of flâ—sh that had appeared in a Priâ—stâ— hand were not truely Christ and that Christs blood that was kept in
some giving him three stripes and some five With the like effeminatnesse that King yeelded up to the Pope the Investures of Benefices which the Kings his predecessors had possessed till that time That King being dead in the yeare 1189. had for Successor Richard his son and after him John a King brutish and furious who made some attempts to recover the Investures which his Father had yeelded up to the Pope But being hated and contemned of his subjects Pope Innocent the third had a faire way to handle him ill He did declare him to have lost the right of his Kingdome dispensed his subjects from their Oath of allegiance a thing never seene nor heard of before in England caused Divine Service to cease throughout all the Kingdom and Churches and Church yards to be shut up Which continued by the space of six yeares and a halfe He also excommunicated the King and gave the Kingdome of England to Philip Augustus King of France upon condition to Conquer the same at his owne perill and fortune and that for the remission of his owne sinnes That constrained King John to yeeld up his Kingdome to the Pope and to binde himselfe to doe homage unto him for his crowne So hee made himselfe the Popes vassall and England became Saint Peters patrimonie And a Patent with a golden seale was made and framed by which the King did oblige himselfe and his successors for ever to pay yearely unto the Pope a thousand marks in gold in signe of subjection besides Saint Peters moneys that were paid by polle Unto which that poore King was forced to adde an Oath whereby hee swore that hee was induced so to doe without constraint and of his owne accord and by the motion of the holy Spirit and that for the remission of his sinnes Vnder this slaverie died this King in the yeare of our Lord 1216. to whom succeeded Henrie the third who did put his Crowne at the Legats feete one knee upon the ground doing homage unto him for his Kingdome Then did the Pope beginne to send his Legats who skimmed England of money by a thousand kindes of devices The Orders of the Franciscans and Jacobins were newly instituted The same Friers preached the Croisado whereby the Pope promised the remission of all sinnes and a degree of glorie in heaven above the common sort to all those which being arm'd would make the vâ—w to goe to the holy I and fâ—r the recovering of Christs Sepulcher possessed by the Sarrasâ—ons At these Predications every one câ—ossed himselfe with a crosse upon the shoulder and a great multitude of Gentry and people sold and moâ—gaged their Lands and estates for the charges of that Journey But as they were armed and furnished for the journey another Legate would come that dispensed the English from their vow and gave them the same graces and Indulgences without bâ—dgeing from their owne houses provided they would give to the Pope as much money as was necessary to have beene spent in their journey By these meanes this Legate gathered huge summes of money And that money was employed by the Pope for to conquer the Cities and Provinces which the Emperour had in Italy Thus did the Pope inlarge his limits Never a yeare came over head but hungry Italians came over into England with new Commissions to raise moneyes with power to excommunicate all such as would refuse and put the Churches into interdict What good horses soever there were or curious houshold stuffe or fine wares in shops were conveyed away without paying for and carried into Italy The Exactors tooke up the tithes of the corne yet unsowen The Italians possessed in England the best Benefices The Pope called England his garden of pleasure and his bottomlesse treasure Whereupon great clamours arose among the People The Nobles said Matth. Paris pag. 267. Marxidiribaldi These are the successors of Constantine and not of Peter O shamefull thing rascally ruffians that know not what armes and honour is will domineere over all the World by their excommunications Matth Paris pag. 423. The Monkes in the Countrey did say The Daughter of Sion is become a brasen faced Whore and without shame at all through the just judgement of him who because of the sins of the People makes an Hypocrite to raigne and a Tyrant to governe and rule But all these clamours were unprofitable and without effect because the holie Scripture was a Booke then altogether unknowne amongst the English people They spake of nothing but of Miracles and of Images and of Pilgrimages and of Reliques Vntill such time as an English Doctor and Preacher named John Wicklef fell to preaching and writing openly against the Pope and against the Masse about the yeare of our Lord 1370. Hee was listened unto with great applause and was able to have caused a great alteration in England if the King would have given way to it Of this oppression in England Matthew Paris and Westmonasteriensis English Monks that lived in those dayes wrote strange and prodigious things Now as John Wicklef was a teaching Aencae Sylvii Hist Bohem. it fell out that a Bohemian Gentleman who was a student of Oxford did taste and rellish wicklefs Doctrine and coppied out his Bookes which he carryed over into his owne Countrey and imparted them to John Huz a famous Preacher to whom Wenceslans King of Bohemia brother to Sigismond Emperour had committed the government of the Schoole of Prague renowned at that time This John Huz overcome by the evidence of Wickless reasons fell a preaching his doctrine and being a vehement and perswasive man he drew after him a great number of People To whom Hierome of Prague did adjoyne himselfe who surpassed John Huz in eloquence and learning There came also out of Germanie one Petrus Dresdensis and one Jacobellus that spake with vehemencie against Transubstantiation and against the Communion under the onely species of the bread For to appease these stirres and commotions the Arch-Bishop of Prague called Subinco Cepus caused Wicklefs Bookes publickly to bee burned and drove out John Huz from Prague But seeing the number of those that he called hereticks did encrease dayly he himselfe fled into Hongaria towards Sigismond and John Huz returned back to Prague Then Benedict the thirteenth Gregory the twelfth excommunicated one another the one having his seat at Auignon the other at Rome A Councell was kept at Pisa in the yeare 1409. in which they created a third Pope to wit Alexander the fifth who dying shortly after John XXIII succeeded him So there was then three Popes all at once and there was no body in all the Church of Rome but was excommunicated by some one of these Popes This John had warre against Ladislaus King of Naples and for to strengthen and fortifie himselfe against him he sent Preachers abroad over all the Countries of his obedience to preach the Croisadoe whereby hee promised the forgivenesse of all sinnes to all
Inventions They use meere Water in Baptisme They have no holy Water They me not consecrate their Church-yards They bury their dead in the fields and with â—easts as also they deserve it c. And â—ee addeth that the Emperour in stead of destroying them granted unto them safety and liberty But he should have added to this that the Emperor Sigismond having by armes assaulted and scuffled with them lost there many Battles For which cause he did let them rest in peace In this discourse Aeneas hath chopt and thrust in some calumniations as when he saith they give the Eucharist to madde men and to Infants and bury their dead with beasts Things very absurde and that never were As for the rest all our Religion almost is seene in it Hungaria at the same time was full of Faithfull people holding the same beleife They presented to the King Vladislaus in the yeare of our Lord 1508. their Confession of faith conformable to ours defending themselves against an Austin Frier that had accused them to the King of many errors namely for that they did not obey the Pope called not upon Saints denied Purgatory received the Communion in both kinds and rejected Transubstantiation Vpon which last point they speak thus This Frier writeth that the bread and wine in their naturall substance are changed into the body and blood of Christ This Confession is to be fouÌ„d in Fascioulo rerum expetendarum and are changed into Christ God and man so that nothing of the substance of the bread and wine remaineth but that the onely accidents are meerely upheld by miracle This Confession of faith hath no foundation in the Lord Christ Jesus his words who never spake one word of the conversion of the substance And a little after By that is manifested that the Primitive Church had this Beleife and hath confessed it and hath not erred and did not bowe at this Sacrament For in that time they received the Sacrament sitting and reserved nothing of it and carried none of it out of the house c. About the same time in the yeare 1520. Calvin being yet very young the Faithfull of Provence presented to the Parliament of Aix their Confession of Faith conformable to ours Vpon the point of the Sacrament they speak thus We are not entangled with any errors or heresies condemned by the Ancient Church and we hold the documents and instructions approved by the true Faith And as for the Sacraments particularly we have the Sacraments in honour and beleeve that they be testimonies and signes by which Gods grace is confirmed and assured in our consciences For which cause wee beleeve that Baptisme is a signe whereby the purgation that we obtaine by the blood of Jesus Christ is corroborated in such sort that it is the true washing of Regeneration and renovation The Lords Supper is the signe under which the true Communion of his body and blood is given unto us And these poore Churches were the remainder of the horrible Persecutions exercised by the space of three or foure hundred yeares by Kings and Princes at the instigation of Popes Which Churches they had defamed with horrible heresies accusing them to be Manicheans and enemies of Marriage even as they accuse us now to be enemies unto the Saints and the blessed Virgin and to beleeve that good workes are not necessary to salvation and that we make God Author of sin A few yeares before under the raigne of good King Lewis the XII who was called the Father of the People happed a memorable thing which Carolus Molinaeus a famous Jurisconsulte reciteth in his Booke of the French Monarchie He saith that certaine Cardinals and Prelates did goe about to stirre up and incite this good King to destroy and exterminate the Inhabitants of Cabrieres and Merindoles in Provence saying they were Sorcerers Incestuous persons hereticks condemned already by the Apostolick Sea But this King answered that he would condemne no body to death without hearing both sides and be fully acquainted with the cause And that for that end he sent one Adam Fumee a Master of Request and John Parin a Jacobin Frier his Confessor for to transport themselves into the place where they lived and be informed of their Religion Which they did and reported to the King that among these men they had found no Images nor any â—race or vestige of any ornaments of Masses or Papall Ceremonies That they had found nothing touching Magicall Artes whoredomes and other crimes laid upon them The King understanding this cryed out with a lowde voice and swore that those people were better Christians than hee and his people and confirmed their priviledges and immunities That fell out about the yeare 1412. Calvin scarce being borne Pope Julius the second made warres against this King But the King defeated his Armie and the Emperours neare the City of Ravenna Assembled a Councell at Piso against the Pope Caused money to bee coyned with this Inscription round about PERDAM BABYLONIS NOMEN as Thuanus relateth in the first Booke of his History But under the raigne of King Francis the first Successor unto Lewis the twelfth these poore Churches of Provence suffered hard and rude persecutions and Massacres Neverthelesse they subsist yet at this day and Thuanus in the sixth Booke of his History speaketh of their Religion Hee saith that these Valdenses for hee tearmes them so did say that the Church of Rome had departed from the faith of Christ Jesus and was become Babylon and the great Whore whereof is spoken in the Revelation That none ought to obey the Pope nor his Prelates That Monachall life was a sinke of the Church and an Infernall thing That the fiâ—â—â— of Rurgatorie the Masse the Dedicatiâ— of Churches the Service of Saints as Suffrages for the dead were inventionâ— Satan Then hee addeth To these 〈◊〉 and principall heads of their doctrine 〈◊〉 thens were falsly added touching Muriage the Resurrection the state anâ— condition of the dead and touchâ—â— meates The same Author in the 27 Booke speaketh of the Churches of the Valsies of the Alpes which he saith to be descended from the ancient Valdeuses which have yet at this very day a Religion altogether conformable to ourt and saith that in the yeare 1560 they presented their Confession of Faith unto those whom the Duke of Savoye their Lord had sent them by which they declared that they stuck fast and adheared to the ancient doctrine contained in the Old and New Testament and to the Apostles Creed and to the foure first Generall Councels and that for the rule of a good life they kept themselves close to the renne Commandements of the the Law That they taught to live chastely soberly and justly and to yeeld obedience unto Princes and Magistrates That neverthelesse they rejected Sacrifice of the Masse the â—â—â—rament of Penance Auricular Conâ—â—sion humane Traditions Prayers for the dead but cleaved to the holy Scripâ—â—es Which things they said to have â—â—eived
far as to be able to make God with words and to have Christ in their own power This abuse beginning to creepe in France King Charles the Bald about the yeere 870 made a commandement unto one Bertram a Priest and as learned a man as these times did affoord to compose and write a Book of this matter which Book we have yet whole and â—xtant at this day wherein hee maintaines the true doctrine and withstands stoutly and vigourously that opinion of the reall presence of the body of Christ under the species of the bread For of Transubstantiation there was yet no speech of it For which cause also Bellarmin in his first Book of tee Sacrament of the Eucharist first chap. puts this Bertram amongst the Hereticks Who not withstanding in his time lived with honor and was neither troubled nor received any rebuke or reprehension upon this subject Of the same opinion were Iohn Scotus and Drutmarus and others of the same time And I make no doubt but many others with them have defended the same cause in writing But the following ages in which error prevailed have abolished their writings and it is marvel how this Book of Bertram could escape thus The tenth and eleventh Ages are the Ages wherein this error did strengthen it selfe most in which neverthelesse God left not himselfe without testimony For Bruno Bishop of Angiers and after him but more vigorously Berengarius his Arch-Deacon taught and maintained openly that the bread and wine of the Eucharist were not the body of Christ but the figure and remembrance of it * Sigebert ad annum 1051. This Berangarius began to shew himselfe about the yeare of our Lord 1050. Against whom Pope Victorius 2. caused a Councel to be gathered at Tours about the yeare 1055 and foure yeeres after Nicholas II. cited him to Rome to the Councel assembled for that effect where Berengarius was forced to condemn his own doctrine submit himself to the Popes wil. By the reading of that Councel it appeares that â—here were in it many others of the same opinion of Berengarius And Leo * Leo Hostiensis Chrâ— Cassinensi li. 3. c. 35. E que cum nullus valeret resistere Alberiâ—us â—deÌ„ evoâ—ntur Hostiensis recordeth that none of those that were there present could resist Berengarius The forme of the abjuration prescribed unto him is to be found in the Collections of the Decrees made by Ivo Carnutensis and by Gratian which forme is set down in absurde tearmes and which the Church of Rome her selfe beleeves not For they make him say a Can. Ego Berengar Dist 2. de consecr that the bread is the true body of Christ and that Christs body is truely and sensibly handled and bruised by the teeth of the Faithfull But Berengarius being rid out of the hands of that Councell and returned back into France protested against the violence offered unto him and continued to teach the same doctrine till the yeere 1088. in which he died Upon his tombe Hildebertus * Hild. Epitaphio Berengar apud Malmesburiensem Quem modo miratur semper mirabilâ—ter orbis Ilâ—e Berengarius non obiturus obit Quem sacrae fidei fastigia summa tenentem c. Vide Baron ad ann 1088. § 21. who after was Bishop of Mans made an honorable Epitaphe wherein he tearmes him the Prop and Support of the Church the hope and the glory of the Clergy And France Germany Italy and England were full of people that embraced his doctrine as William Malmesbury testifies in the 3. Book of his English Historie All France saith hee was full of his doctrine And Matthew of Westminstâ—r in the year 1087 * Eodem tempore Berengarius Turonensis in haereticam lapsus pravitatem omnes Gallos Italos Anglos suis jam pene corruperat pravitatibus Berengarius of Tours being fallen into heresie had corrupted by his depravations almost all the French Italians and English Platina in the life of John XV. speaks thus of Berengarius It is certain that Odius Bishop of Clugni and Berengarius of Tours men famous and renowned for doctrine and holinesse were in great esteeme in that time Adde to this that Berengarius distributed all his meanes to the poore and betooke himselfe to get his living with the labour of his hands * Guit alias Berengarius istevir bonus plenes eleemosynis et humilitate magnorum possessioneÌ„ qui omnia â—â—usiâ—spauperum â—dispersit c. Antoninus Arch-Bishop of Florence whom the Pope hath canonized and made a Saint gives him this testimony in the 2 Tome of his Chronicles Tit. 16 § 20. This Berengarius was otherwise a good man full of Almes deeds and humility and having great possessions and riches which hee distributed to the poore and would have no woman to come before his eyes About the latter end of Berengarius his life lived Gregory the seventh who entred into the Papacy in the yeare of our Lord 1073. called Hildebrand before he was Pope This Gregory was suspected to incline to Berengarius his opinion Sigonius in his 9 Book of the reigne of Italy in the yeare 1080 recordeth that the Bishops of Germany assembled at Brixina in Bavaria did call this Gregory Vâ—terem haeretici Berengariâ— discipulum an old disciple of Berengarius the heretick accusing him of calling into question the Apostolicall Faith touching the body and blood of the Lord. And this agrees with Cardinall Benno Arch-Priest of the Cardinals who was very inward and familiar with the said Gregory and who wrote his life wherein hee saith that Gregory appointed a fast to three Cardinals to the end God might shew whither of the two to wit Berengarius of the Church of Rome had the rightest opinion And there he relates that John Bishop of Port in a Sermon at S. Peters Church did declare in presence both of Clergy and People that Gregory for to obtaine some divine answer had in the presence of the Cardinals cast the holy Sacrament into the fire Berengarius being dead he had many successors that maintained the same doctrine even to the time of Petruâ— de Valdo of the City of Lions whose disciples were named by their enemies Valdenses and Albigenses Of whose Religion and Confession of Faith conformable to ours Fasciculus rerum expetâ—ndaruÌ„ fol. 95. Indocus Câ—â—cius Tom. H. lib. 6. de Euchar fol. 602. hath been spoken before in the 21 chapter of the first Book and shewed that their Churches remaine even unto our times Furthermore John Wicklâ—f in England in the yeere 1390. taught the same Of whose doctrine contained in eighteen Articles here is the first That the substance of the bread remaines after the Consecration and ceases not to bee bread Against the Faithfull that professed this doctrine the Pope stirred up Kings and Princes and caused an incredible butchery to bee made of them preaching the Croisadoe against them whereby hee gave the same spirituall graces unto those that should
the Councell of Constance Sess XV. Artic. 19. Dixerant se audivisse quod Iohannes Hus dixisset quod indulgentiae Papae â—ipâ—scopi noÌ„ valent nisi Deus indulgeat in the fifteenth Session To whom also they did impute things farre from his beleefe Some witnesses presented themselves that testified they had heard him say That the Pardons of the Pope and of the Bishop are nothing worth unlesse God doe forgive That was one of the crimes for which he was burned For that venerable Councell hath judged that the Pope may forgive sinnes whether God will or no and that Gods consent is not necessarily required for to make that the Popes and Bishops Indulgences be of force and validity This newes of John Huz his death and of Hierome of Prague brought into Bohemia did pierce the heart of the Bohemians that were called Hussites with exceeding griefe Histor Bohemicae cap. 56. The King seeing their number encrease dayly more and more granted them Churches in Prague for their meetings Aeneas Sylvius saith that the people mooved with anger pulled downe some Monasteries and Churches both within and without the City Namely neere Tabor where thirty thousand persons did celebrate in the middest of a field the holy Communion under both kindes The King Wencestaus being dead the Kingdome of Bohemia fell to Sigismund his brother Emperor and King of Hungaria Whereupon great feare did seise the people of Bohemia because of his great power and that against his oath and violating the safe conduct he had given to John Hux and to Hierome of Prague he caused them to be burned at Constance But a Bohemian Gentleman called Zisca that had lost an eye in the warres a man incomparable for vigour of body and minde exhorted them not to be disscouraged And it fell out at the same time that Sigismund under tooke warre against the Turke in Hungaria with an indifferent bad successe That gave leasure to the people order their businesses The Queene widdow to Wenceslaus levied some troopes for to fall upon this people and hinder their encreasing Sigismund sent Lievtenants to governe the Country and set things into good order againe in whose hands Zisca did surrender and remit Pelzina and Plesta Cap. 39. and other places whereof he had gotten possession For his desire was to obey the Emperour and he sought all meanes to give him content But there came Letters from the Emperour whereby he did declare that his will and pleasure was that the Churches granted to the Bohemians called Hussites should bee taken from them and their Religion interdicted And they had good advice that Sigismonds intention was to destroy them Whereat the People being afraid looked for nothing but for a totall ruine and their enemies being become more vigorous beganne to oppresse them Which things moved Zisca to take Armes and thinke upon his defence With a few forces bee obtained many victories against the Queene having none but foote forces of small experience and little exercised in warre Then came Sigismond into Bohemia with a mighty Armie resolved to destroy this people Besieged Prague wherein Zisea was who in many sallies defeated the most part of Sigismonds armie made him raise the Siege and tooke many townes by the verie terrour of his name As hee was besieging Vissegrad the Emperour came at unawares for to make him raise the siege having with him thirtie thousand Horse and all the Nobility of Mordvia But Zisea defeated him and obtained upon him a great victorie And a little after Sigismond having for the third time prepared a mightie Armie lost a third Battell by which he was constrained to leave Bohemia full of shame and confusion A little after Zisea besieging a towne Cap. 44. received a shot of an arrow in the eye so that of blinde of an eye as hee was hee became blinde of both But that hindred him not from leading and conducting his troopes and giving many combates being victorious every where But the Emperour being irritated and angrie came backe againe into Bohemia bringing along with him two powerfull Armies the one out of Germanie and the other out of Hungaria which like an overflowing torrent overwhelmed all Bohemia Tooke some townes and made great ravage But Zisea though blinde and having but a few men drew directly towards the Emperours Armie and defeated him with a great defeat tooke Bag and Baggage and all things belonging to the Armie and pursued him a whole dayes Journey Pio a Florentine had brought out of Hungaria fifteene thousand horse who passing upon a frozen River for to save themselves the Ice breaking under them were all drowned in the River Furthermore Zisca with his victorious Armie went out of Bohemia and entred into Moravia and passed into Austria and came to succour the faithfull that were oppressed there To him did adjoyne himselfe a Moravian gentleman named Procopius exceeding valiant and an imitator of the vertue of Zisea who caused the Emperour Sigismund to raise the siege before Juâ—emberg in Moravia which he had besieged A great Battell was given betweene Zisea and the Emperours troupes neare Ausck upon the River of Elbe where a great quantity of the Germane Centry were killed on the Emperours side Who pulled downe and confounded with so many losses resolved at last to seeke after Zisca his love and friendship promising him the Generall Lievetenancy of the whole Kingdome and all kinde of Advantages Zisea gave eare thereunto and took his journey for to goe meet the Emperour but hee fell sicke by the way and dyed being very old and blinde Aeneas Sylvius saith that when hee was a dying he gave counsell to his people to make a Drumme of his skinne after his death Cap. 46. assuring them that at the sound of that Drumme his enemies would flie away Zisea being dead Procopius succeeded him in the conduct of a part of the troopes against whom Pope Martin the fifth set all Germanic in Armes and sent into Bohemia three mighty Armies commanded by the Dukes of Saxe the Marquesse of Brandenbourg and the Arch-Bishop of Trivers These three Armies joyned themselves together But so soone as the Bohemians did appeare such terrour and feare seised upon the Imperiall Armies that they presently fled without staying for the enemie forsaking all their baggage and munitions of warre But the Cardinal Julian sent by the Pope stirred up the Emperour Sigismond to make a greater effort than any of the former Aeneas Sylvius saith there was in his Armie forty thousand Horse besides the Foot This Cardinall entred into Bohemia where hee committed many unheard off cruelties killing both women and children But at the very first noyse and rumour that came of the Bohemians approach such a terrible feare tooke this huge Armie that every one threw his armes downe for to fly away more nimbly and left their carriage and munitions of warre to the enemy The Cardinall having escaped this danger came to Basile for to preside at the Councell that the Pope Eugenius the fourth had assembled there in the yeare of our Lord 1431. Now we have made this recitall not for to approve Zisea his actions nor the commotions of peoples taking armes against their Sovaraigne for to avoide persecution and Martyrdom For the truth of the Gospell is not established by these meanes Christ Jesus calleth us to beare the crosse after him The blood of Martyrs hath more efficacy for to encrease the Church and spread the doctrin of the Gospell than Battels But I have represented this history for to be an example of Gods justice punishing the disloyalty of Sigismond who against his faith and promise burned alive two faithfull Martyrs God having made use of weake and contemptible persons for to make him lose above two hundred thousand men and cover him with shame and confusion CHAP. XII The Confession of Cyril Patriarch of Constantinople now living touching the Sacrament of the Eucharist THis Prelate in the seventeenth Article of his Confession altogether conformable to the Doctrine of our Churches after he hath recited the Institution of the holy Supper as it is found in the Gospell addeth That is the simple true and lawfull Institution of this admirable Sacrament in the administration whereof wee doe confesse and beleeve the true and firme presence of the Lord Christ Jesus Yet that presence which faith offereth and makes present unto us but not that which Transubstantiation vainely invented doth teach For wee beleeve that the faithfull in the holy Supper doe eate the body of Christ Jesus our Lord not incrushing and breaking it sensibly and destroying it with our teeth in the participation But in partaking thereof by the sense of the soule For the body of Christ is not that which is taken and seene in the Sacrament with the eyes but that which Faith having taken spiritually makes it present and communicates it unto us Therefore it is 〈◊〉 that we eate it and are made partakers of it if we doe beleeve But if we beleeve not we fall away from all the benefit of the Sacrament By the same reason we beleeve that to drinke the Cup in the Sacrament is to drinke indeed the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ after the same manner as hath been said concerning the body For the Law-giver made the same commandement touching his blood as he did touching his body Which precept must not be mutilated according to every ones fancie and humour But the tradition that hath beene prescribed unto us must be kept sound and entire When therefore in the Sacrament wee have partaked worthily and communicated intirely with the body and blood of Christ we make this profession that we are already reconciled and united to our head and made one and the selfe same body with a firme hope that wee shall be his coheires in his Kingdome Here is the Originall in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS