and also in other Sciences do lament that simony is so frequent and manifest in the Court and many Jurists do dispute in the contrary and have written although with fear sundry Treatises That the Pope by selling Church-Benefices is a Simoniack a Successor of Simon Magus and not of Peter 24. About that time was written another book De aetatibus Ecclesiae therein Aparallel of times the Author sheweth what had been the estate of the Church in former ages namely that Bishops were not ambitious of superiority or earthly authority the Bishop of Rome had not supremacy above other Bishops the name Papae was common to other Bishops by divers steps the Pope hath usurped this tyranny he calleth himself the Servant of Servants and striveth to be Lord of all Lords he taketh Divine honor and praise and he maketh or suffereth men to be Idolaters Catal. test ver lib. 18. 25. In the end of that Century or beginning of the next lived Nilus The cause of the Schism between the Greeks and Latines Arch-Bishop of Thessalonica who wrote two books of the causes of the Schism between the Greek and the Latine Churches In Lib. 1. he saith The cause is not the sublimity of doctrine surpassing mens capacities and far less is it any word of holy Scripture as if it did not declare what concerneth this controversie for to accuse the Scripture is all one as if man would accuse God ..... What then is the cause of the difference the question is not confirmed by a Decree of an Oecunomical Synod and the Romans would be Masters and make all others their disciples ...... It is very absurd that whereas the Fathers had no precedents yet by themselves rhey saw the right we having their examples cannot discern it and indeed the ignorance of those at the first contention might be pardoned ...... but when so many ages have passed and the way of peace is not as yet known who can think but it is the fault of them who will not have peace But they say The Pope is the Prince of Priests and the Father who hath power to call universal Synods and by himself or without others may discern in Church-affairs But Julius was Pope and Damasus and Leo and Agatho and none of these ever said so but conveening with their Brethren by the assistance of the good Spirit they established Acts and peace in the Church And if this was the only way and it is not now observed who can doubt but the cause of the variance standeth herein and certainly the blame lieth not upon our side And if the power of discerning belong unto the Pope it were superfluous to call Assembliet but it is not so for we know that Agatho Celestin and others had their particular Synods for deciding questions and nevertheless they referred those unto the universal Synod and craved the confirmation of the truth by common decree which had been needless if when the Pope had discerned all others must assent unto him Now if this question were concerning a private man it might seem needless to call all the world unto an Assembly but seeing the chief heads of the world are at variance it is absurd to determine the cause without the consent of the world since the Fathers by their writings and example have shewed the way But if they will still object unto us the primacy of the Pope we say that in so doing he overthroweth his primacy but by holding the ancient way he doth what becometh a good man and maintaineth his place for he may consider what should be the â—ssue if the controversie were decided after common suffrage and what hath hapned unto the Latines arrogating unto themselves the power of prescribing Laws for in that way the Church might be free from all tumults and live in peace since none could readily contradict that which was established by common sentence for though some in former times have been so mad yet they were but few and vanished soon But when the peace of the Church is disturbed he loseth what he might have for he is deprived of the primacy of the four Patriarchs neither is there any peace Many have thought upon remedies there have been many conferences and Ambassays but the malady continueth and shall continue so long as the Latines hold their tenets The Pope say they hath power in Ecclesiastical affairs So say I let him not be contrary unto the Decrees of the Fathers they established things by universal Councel and each had need of anothers aid being conscious of humane frailty let the Pope therefore follow their statutes and discern not any point before it be debated by others or if he hath his power not from the Fathers but from the Apostles let him hearken unto the Apostle who said I have not used my power lest I lay a stumbling-block unto the Gospel of Christ and in another place The power which the Lord hath given us to edification and not to destruction And therefore if he hath any power let him not use it but for advancing the Gospel to the end that in following Paul's example he may shew himself an Apostolical man bet now none can be ignorant whether he useth it for edification or destruction ...... And that president of the twelve Apostles St. Peter was rebuked by Paul and when he was rebuked he was silent and although he might have said more reasonably then the Pope What I the President have done should be a law unto others yet he said not so but accepted the admonition and contradicted not what Paul had said ..... And when Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem for that question of the circumcision Peter usurped not primacy nor said he It belongeth unto me to discern in such things but the Apostles and Elders were assembled neither did Peter debar the Apostles usurping power nor did the Apostles exclude the Elders that were at Jerusalem for they had learned from Christ to usurp no primacy Peter indeed began to speak and after him St. James and all the rest of the Apostles and Elders even Peter himself consented unto the words of James so did these blessed men love Christ and so studious were they of peace and truth in the Church and the Apostles seeking truth this way have given us a law in such cases but seeing ye take a contrary course can ye blame any but your selves for this variance This is a touch of more whence we see that the Romans wanted not admonition 26. With the book of this Nilus is usually printed another of Barlaam a Greek Monk to the same purpose In cap. 16. he recapitulateth all the particulars that he had handled saying I have shewed that each one of the Apostles were immediately appointed by our Lord Christ to be a Pastor and Teacher of the whole earth 2. That blessed Clemens was created by Peter not Bishop of the whole world but of Rome especially and properly and that the Roman See
yet what have the successours of the poor Apostles to do with riches I say if they would consider these things they would not be ambitious of such a place and they would gladly leave it or certainly they would be more laborious as the antient Apostles lived Now the chief highpriests which are the Vicars of Christ if they would follow his life that is poverty labour teaching cross contempt of life or if they would remember their name Papa that is a Father or their sirname most holy who were more afflicted on earth or who would buy that place with all their wealth or when it is bought defend it with poison sword and all manner of violence how great commodity shall they be deprived of if they had any wit or a grain of that salt where of Christ speakes ........ I was lately at a theologicall disputation whither I often go and one asked what authority of Divine Scriptures commandeth to burn an heretick rather than to convince him with reason An old grave man you might by his stately countenance have known him to be a Divine said with great indignation the Apostle Paul hath given this law Haereticum hominem post vnam et alteram admonitionem de vita And when he thundered the words again and again and many did admire what had hapned unto him at last he explained him self and said Put out the life of an heretick Some did laugh and yet many did commend it as a very theologicall commentary c. The same Erasmus in epist adJod Jon. dated Louan 6. id May An. 1521 shewes the lamentations of all good men for the apostasie of the Romane Church and the general corruption in doctrine aswel as in manners and how they earnestly dealt for Reformation but could effectuat nothing because of the covetousnes of Prelates of him more followes 25 Joh. Ludovic Vives borne in Valentia and living at that time in Lovan at the intreaty of Erasmus did revise and collation sundry old Copies of Augustin's books de civit dei and wrote annotations or Commentaries upon them where he noteth the condition of the time as lib. 2. c. 21. not penult he saith What will ye do with these Princes of the Schools which as yet know not that Paul wrote not in Latine but in Greek As also it is a very presumptuous thing that these which are altogether ignorant of the manner of speaking will so often dispute foolishly and determine more foolishly of the signification of words which they do every-where both in Dialectick and philosophy where as they would seem to be nothing less then Grammarians and take it very ill if any who is a little more learned will but speak of a word in these Arts. Lib. 7. c. 26. Augustin speaks of the priests of Cibele which in his time were wont to go a begging from the people where upon they did live lewdly and Nota a Vives shewes that in the days of Cicero the begging of these priests was restrained unto some daies because superstition possesseth mens minds and emptied their houses and he addeth What if Augustin and Cicero saw the wealthy and most large Societies begging from them a farthing who should rather distribute of their own where with they abound and overslow and in the mean time the giver biteth dry bread and drinketh watr out of an earthen vessel for which he must work hard both night and day for himself and children and the rich beggar surfets himself with white bread wood-cocks and good strong wine Lib. 8. c. 27. Augustin saith What believer ever heard a priest ..... say in his prayers I offer a sacrifice unto thee Peter or Paul or Cyprian seing at their monuments it is offered unto God who hath made these to be men and Martyres ..... we worship not therefore our Martyres .... nor turne we the villanies of the gods unto their sacrifices Vives addeth But now the custome is when a holy day is kept unto Christ who hath redeemed mankind by his death to make playes unto the people litle differing from the antient comedies albeit I speak no more whosoever heareth will think it filthy enough they make sports in that which is most serious they laugh at Judas glorying most foolishly that he hath betrayed Christ there the disciples fly away when the souldiers pursue them and that not without the loud derision both of the Actours and beholders there Peter cutteth off the eare of Malchus and the black band clap their hands as if the captivity of Christ were well revenged And a litle thereafter he that fought so stoutly being afrigtted at the question of a girle denieth his Master then the multitude scorned the maide and hissed at Petet among so many laughings and so many fooleries Christ only is sad and while he endeavoureth to fetch up sad affections I know not how but not only there but also in the very act of religion he cooleth to the great crime and impiety not only of the beholders and Actours but of the priests who will have such things to be done Lib. 11. c. 18. b. Vives saith Augustin saith that there is some of the arte of Rhetorick in Pauls words it is tolerable because Augustin saith it but if any of us would say it they would cry out against it not as a crime only but as heresy so ready at hand are heresies they talk of nothing sooner nor more easily when themselves are full of them Lib. 18 c. 22. Augustin saith Rome was built as another Babylon and as the Daughter of the former Babylon Vives saith The Apostle Peter calleth Rome Babylon as also Hierom expoundeth it in the life of Mark and writing to Marcella thinks that no other Babylon is described by John in the Revelation but the city Rome but now it hath laid off so odious a name for no confused thing or riff-raffe is there every thing is distinguished by certain lawes so that albeit every thing may be sold and bought there yet yee shall doe nothing without law and formality even of the most holy law And c. 31. no. c. Vives saith There is mention of this Prophet Habacuc in Dan. 14. that he brought his dinner from Judea to Babylon unto Daniel but Augustin useth not this testimony for proofe of his time because that story of Bell and all that 14 chapter and the history of Susanna are Apocrypha nor are in the Hebrew nor were translated by the LXX Lib. 15. c. 11. a Augustin justly derides them which give more credite unto translations then unto these languages from which the sacred Scriptures have flowd into others And lib. 21. c. 24. d. Paul signifieth that no man can boast that he is made glorious by his own merits but that it is wholly by Gods benefite He hath many such passages that are blotted out by Index expurgator 25. In a word there was no Nation that did not oppose their grievances at that time against the impious inuentions of the Romane
two Minions Theodosius a Monk and his Chaplain Stephen he breaks the peace with the Bulgarians to his great reproach and loss he assembleth a Councel at Constantinople to annul the acts of the former which were ended in his own time and confirmed by him by the perswasion of these two he put his chief Captain Leontius in prison and held him there two years who escaping with the help of Callinicus the Patriarch laid hands on Justinian cutteth off his nose and ears and sent him to Cherona in Pontus in the 11. year of his Reign and they dragged the two sycophants by the feet through the streets and then burnt them Zonar Annal. The Emperour Justinian I. had conquered Lybia from the Vandals and Justinian II. losed it that till this day the Sarazens and Mahumetans possess it 8. LEONTIUS was crowned with the great joy of the common people Treason even against the wicked is punished He sent an Army against the Sarazens in Affrick but in a sedition amongst them the souldiers choose Tiberius Apsimanus a Citizen of Constantinople and General of the Army to be Emperour He came quickly back upon Leontius and took him and served him as he had done to Justinian in the 3. year of his Reign and he exercised great cruelty against the friends of Leontius yet did he nothing without advice of the Senatours who delivered unto them their keys at his first coming 9. TIBERIUS coming this way unto the Crown sent his Brother Heraclius Treason in the second degree is punished Governour of his Army against the Sarazens in Asia and recovered Armenia from them When Justinian had been four years in Pontus he escaped and by the aid of the Bulgarians he returned into Constantinople and by force took Tiberius and cast him into the same prison with Leontius and having cut off his nose and ears caused them both to be drawn through the City and beheaded them and he hanged Heraclius so oft as he would have wiped his nose he caused some of the friends of Leontius to be slain he pulled out the eys of the Patriarch Callinicus and sent him bond to Rome to gratifie Pope Constantine and set in his place Cyrus an Abbot who had received and sustained him in Pontus Beda de sex aetat 10. JUSTINIAN II. now lay at home executing cruelties daily He did invite Platina saith rogat Abb. Urspet saith accersit and Sigonius saith obsecrat Pope Constantine to come into the East that they may talk together of the affairs of the Republick as he said but in very deed to ingage the Pope unto him by extraordinary honours whereof he saw the Bishops of Rome were very desirous Pe. Mexia Platina saith he sent ships to convey him safely but Anastasius saith the Pope caused ships to be built for himself Ph. Mornay in Myster The Emperour caused all his Subjects where the Pope was to come to receive him with such honour as they ow unto himself As the Pope drew near to Constantinople Cyrus the Patriarch with all the Clergy went out eight miles from the City and set the Pope upon a Camel and with solemn ostentation they conveyed him into the Emperours Palace thence he went into Nicomedia where the Emperour embraced The first kisse of the Popes foot was by a wicked maen not the Pope but casting himself down before him he craved pardon for his sins and kissed the Popes foot with an unmeasurable shew of humility as Mexia saith and so was absolved After this he became unthankfull to Trebellius King of Bulgaria who had restored him and entred into his land with hostility and was shamefully beaten back It was told him that Philip Bardanes had dreamed that an Eagle had overshadowed him with her wings and was therefore banished into the Isle Cephalonia by Tiberius now Justinian conceives the same fear and sent an Army against him thinking on no such thing the souldiers turn to his side as Platina writes but Mexia saith upon this occasion Philippicus levieth an Army and at Synope within 12. miles of Constantinople Elias Prince of Cherson in open Battel slue Justinian and his son Tiberius and with consent of all the subjects Philippicus received the Crown an 712. CHAP. II. Of POPES GREGORY I. alias the Great was Bishop of Rome about the 600. Gregorius oppugneth the Title of Vniversal Bishop year of the Incarnation The Bishops of Rome had the first place among the Patriarchs with express limitation of jurisdiction and bounds as well by the first general Councel at Nice as by the second at Constantinople This order was brangled in the time of Gregory For John Patriarch of Constantinople sought not only to have the first place but also to be called Patriarcha Oecumenicus or Universal because the Emperours chief Residence was at Constantinople the head City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregory writ many Epistles against the Title unto John he saith Thou was wont to confess thy self unworthy to be called a Bishop but now thou art so puft up that despising thy brethren thou seekest to be called the only Bishop ...... At the last day of account what wilt thou answer unto Christ the Head of the Universal Church who indeavoureth to make all his Members subject unto thy self by naming thy self Universal Who I pray is before thee to follow him in this perverse word but he who despising the legions of Angels socially ordered with him would burst out unto the top of singularity that he might seem to be under none and he alone to be above all Who also said I will ascend into heaven and exalt my Throne above the stars I will sit in the mountain of the Testament in the sides of the North .... For what are all thy brethren the Bishops of the Universal Church but the stars of heaven Whose lives and tongues do glance among the sins and errours of men as in the darkness of the night above whom thou wilt prefer thy self by this word of pride and tread down in comparison of thee what else saiest thou but I will ascend into heaven and I will exalt my Throne above the stars ..... All which things while I see with tears and do fear the secret judgements of God my tears are increased and my groans are not contained within my breast that the holy man John who was of so great humility and abstinence is by the seducing tongues of his familiars burst out into so great pride that by hunting after a perverse name he will be like unto him who when he would arrogantly be like to God did also lose the grace of the given similitude and therefore did forfeit true blessedness because he sought false glory Truly the Apostle Peter was the first member of the holy and universal Church Paul Andrew John what were they but heads of particular flocks and yet they ALL were members of the Church under one head And to comprise All in a short bundle the godly before
the Church In the mean time Pipin dieth and his sons Charls and Carloman governed both their own part of the Kingdom with small kindness nevertheless they sent 12. Bishops out of France and Germany Behold what a Reformation He annulleth the election of Constantine he causeth him to be whipped and picked out his eyes he annulleth all his Consecrations and other Acts he censureth the Synod at Constantinople and ordained that images should be worshipped by all Christians with great affection and honour and he accursed the Greeks if they did not restore due honour unto images because if Princes may let up their statues in Towns and it be not lawfull to set up the images of God and his Saints their condition were inferiour to Princes After the Synod he practiseth against the Emperour as is touched Many of his Epistles are extant unto Charls and Carloman In one he craveth to be witness of the Baptism of Carloman's son as his Predecessours had been to King Pipin In another he disswadeth Charls from alliance with the Lombards as a faithless and base Nation he adjureth him to obey his exhortation and if he will not he assureth him in the name of his Lord blessed Peter that he should be excommunicated be separated from God and be punished with everlasting fire But if he will obey he should deserve the reward of eternal joy with the Saints of God In all his Epistles is not any mention of Christ By these Letters he perswadeth Charls to put away his wife Bertha the sister of Desiderius after they had cohabited one year he did fear if the alliance had continued Desiderius might pull his wings He sate 7. years 12. HADRIAN or Adrian the I. would be more forward in maintaining Letters of the Pope unto Irene images and did write in defence of them calling them Lay-mens books In a Letter to Irene and Constantine he saith Ye will rest in and imbrace the tradition of the orthodox faith of the Church of blessed Peter and Paul Princes of the Apostles as it hath been done by the former Emperours who with all their hearts did love his Vicar For they shall be defenders of your Kingdom and make all barbarous Nations subject unto your feet that wheresoever ye go they shall make you victorious Seeing they are Princes of the Apostles who have begun the catholick and orthodox faith have by their writings as Enacted Laws commanded their faith to be observed by all who were to succeed in their seats and so our Church both worshippeth their holy figures and our Temples are adorned with their worshipfull images untill this day Observe 1. That Peter and Paul are conjoined and coequal 2. The Pope is the Vicar of Peter and Paul and not of Christ 3. He speaketh of the protection of Peter and Paul and not of God 4. He saith the Apostles were the beginners of the Catholick faith and he calleth it their faith no word here of faith in God and Christ 5. He saith All who succeed in the seats of the Apostles are commanded to observe their faith But the Popes of following ages have not observed the faith which Peter and Paul have left in their writings Ro. Barns in Adrian the I. saith All the care of the Popes then was on stones or in building Churches or in making images or in enriching the Church or in excommunicating Princes and in such toies but in their own ministry they were seldom or never occupied In Catal. test ver lib. 8. is made mention of 44. Epistles written by him unto King Charls In one he complaineth of Arechis Duke of Benevento And unto King Charls that after Charls had returned from Capua he had sent unto the Emperour and had sought his aid and the honour of Patriciatus and therefore he craved the King's aid for advancing the Church In the 3. He thanketh him that he had given Rosellae Populanium and Benevento unto Saint Peter he complaineth of their untowardness and of the enterprise of the Greeks against whom he craveth that Charls would have his Army in readiness In the 5. he intreateth his aid against the Venetians who had taken Ravenna In the 8. he thanketh him for a Cross sent unto him and sheweth that he prayeth continually for him and for his father of blessed memory he intreateth him to cause them to restore the Territories of Rosellae Populonium and Benevento and promiseth him reward from Saint Peter Although Charls when he had taken these Cities from the right owner gave thew to the Pope yet he quitteth not his superiority as is manifest in the 23. Epistle wherein Adrian sheweth that the Greek Ambassadors had consulted with the Relict of Duke Arechis to take the Dukedom of Benevento from Charls and therefore he adviseth him to provide for his own security and for the See of Rome In the 9. he answereth unto a question propounded by Charls What should be done to some Saxons who were relapse into Paganism after long pennance they may be received In the 11. he exhorteth Bishops and Priests to put on not temporal but spiritual Armour that is they should wait on fasting and praying Mark that as yet Bishops had not begun to fight Battels but they perswaded Princes to fight for them and at that time when some Bishops would have taken Arms the Pope did disswade them In the same Epistle he saith the dream of John a Monk was false wherein he was told that the Church of Rome had erred from the faith Note In the 29 30 and 31. he complaineth that Leo Bishop of Ravenna would not perform due obedience unto Saint Peter that under the name of Charls had taken sundry things from Saint Peter and had attempted to take Pentapolis which King Pipin had given to the See of Rome he sheweth that Pope Stephen once deposed Sergius Bishop of Ravenna for his disobedience and in the end he intreateth him to cause Leo to give him obedience and to make the Exarchate likewise subject All the other Epistles are of this stamp for inriching and advancing the Church and to expel the Greeks with their adherents out of Italy commending the worship of images and setting up Peter in the room of Christ for he expoundeth Peter saying Behold I am with you untill the end and he calleth Peter the intercessour the protectour and rewarder and he commandeth that prayers be made in the name of Peter This Adrian in an Epistle unto the Spaniards calleth the Roman Church Head of all Churches and who separateth from her saith he separateth from the Christian faith He is said to be Author of that Decree in Gratian. caus 25. quest 1. Generali By a general Decree we ordain that it shall be an execrable anathema and he shall be guilty before God for ever as a transgressour of the Catholick faith whosoever King or Bishop or Potentate that shal from henceforth permit the censure of the Roman Bishops to be violated in any thing
from her and Apollinaris who said Christ is God and flesh only and never assumed a reasonable soul and Pelagius who said Christ is not the redeemer of infants because they are conceived without iniquity and born of their mother without sin and have no sin to be forgiven them and so Christ is not the Saviour of all the Elect and also other Hereticks who deny the Lord who bought them with the price of his blood because they preach him not as truth sheweth him but as they have feigned and therefore are become strangers from the Redeemer they do expect nothing certainly but the pit of perdition He writ three Books on the Song of Songs whereof the first is only in refutation of another book writen by Julian his Epistle to Celanen in Campania a Pelagian for a tast behold what he saith in the 1. page Julian teacheth that we by arbitrement of free-will may do good things what we will albeit by the help of God's grace we may perfect them the more easily as Travellers may walk on foot but with less turmoil without doubt if they ride on a horse He hath no mind of the Apostle's admonition saying Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do And which is more weighty he is an adversary to him who saith not Without me ye can do some little thing but saith he Without me ye can do nothing And he teacheth that those only can behold the hid mysteries of the Law whom instruction and piety hath made wise forgetting the grace of God which revealeth the hid things of Scripture even to the unlearned and Idiots as the Evangelist saith Then he opened unto them their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And the Evangelist witnesseth that they were unlearned when he saith They seeing the constancy of Peter and John and knowing that they were without letters and idiots did admire And he saith that holy and generous love ingraft in us from the very beginning of light by the gift of nature and unto our last old age leaning to the power of the mind may continue without any loss of its vigour Certainly he beleeveth not the Lord's word Without me ye can do nothing Nor what the Apostle saith In many things we all offend In these words Beda confuteth both the Pelagians and Semipelagians Of justification he saith on Luke 1 The wisedom of the just is not to presume of righteousness by the works of the law but to seek salvation by faith that although they being under the works of the law yet they should understand that they are saved by the grace of God through Christ for the just shall live by faith and Peter saith of the yoke of the law that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear it but we beleeve to be saby the grace of Christ even as they And on 1 Pet. 4. God is honoured by our works when all that we do well or according to his will we give it not all unto our merits but to his grace and on the other side what evil we do we depute it only unto our ignorance and wickedness Of the Church he saith on Cant. lib. 5. cap. 6. The Church is called Catholick because it is built through all the parts of the World in one peace and one fear of God and is filled with one and the same consort of the Spirit from which unity of the Spirit she is called a Dove and she is called perfect not because she only is filled with the people of the righteous but also is perfected by receiving all divine graces and vertues Here is no mention of restraining or subjecting the Church unto the Bishop of Rome And de Tabernac lib. 2. cap. 2. It was said unto Peter metaphorically Upon this Rock that is on our Saviour whom he had confessed will I build my Church And on Revel 21 when it is said Foundations in the plural number the teachers or graces are meaned when Foundation in the singular number he is meaned who is foundation of foundations Here is no Prerogative of Peter above the other Apostles Of Prayer on Prov. chap. 2. he saith We should invocate or pray unto none but God Of Christ's redemption on 1 John chap. 2. at these words And not for ours only he saith The Lord is a propitiation not for them only unto whom living then in the flesh John did write but also for all the Church which is dispersed in the breadth of the World even from the first elect unto the last who shall be born untill the end of the World This he writeth expressely against the Donatists but when he speaketh of the Church throughout the World he condemneth the restriction thereof unto Rome or any other particular place and when he limiteth the propitation unto the Elect he condemneth the opinion of the universality of Christ's death for the Reprobates And in the same place he saith Behold how John observeth that humility which he teacheth Certainly he was a just and great man who had drunk the secrets of mysteries from the Lord's breast and nevertheless he saith not Ye have me your Advocate with the Father but We have an Advocate and he said We have and not Ye have he would rather put himself in the number of sinners that he might have Christ to be his Advocate than put himself an Advocate for Christ and be found among the proud which shall be damned For all doth the Head make request of whom it is written Who is at the right hand of the Father and intercedeth for us The Lord intercedeth for us not by words but by miseration and he addeth The Just because the just Advocate will not plead unjust causes How shall not the just one defend us in judgement if now we acknowledge and accuse our selves unjust Why shall he not be just who now by tears is earnest saevit against his own unrighteousness Here he speaketh expressly of intercession and he acknowledgeth no intercessour in Heaven but the Head for all who mourn for their sins Of perseverance he saith on Col. 4. at the end where the Apostle saith I give thanks unto God being confident that he who hath begun the good work in you he will perfect it untill What else doth he promise but perseverance till the end through the mercy of God And when the Apostle Jude saith Unto him who is able to keep you without offence doth he very clearly shew that perseverance in good until the end is the gift of God In the first place Beda sheweth the certainty of perseverance as a thing promised and in the other he teacheth that it is not the work of man by himself alone even though the man be renewed but it is the gift of God And on Rom. 8. he saith We should stand the Calling whereby they are elected not who are elected because they shall beleeve but who are
XIII the son of Albericus succeeded How old this father of fathers could be may be gathered by supputation of years when Hugh was expelled Albericus was but a boy and till this time were not passed 20 years neither was this Octavius or Pope John his fathers eldest son as Baronius hath marked and therefore he saith He who could not be a Deacon for age like a Stage-player acteth the Pope and nevertheless saith he consent made him Pope for it is a lesser evil to have a monstrous head then to be infamous with two heads And a little after he preferred this Pope above others which were chosen Canonically by the Clergy Let Platina tell what he was One saith he defiled from his infancy with all shame and filthiness given to hunting if he could spare any time from his luxury more then to prayer By the advice of the Senate he sent for Otho against Berengarius and when he was releeved he practised against his redeemer therefore as is before he was deposed and restored again by the Romans And immediately even in these same daies saith Platin. the most wicked man was judged to be strucken of God lest the Church had been wasted with a schism Some write saith he that this Monster was taken in the act of adultry and killed But he was intruded at that time by his father powerfully and delighting himself with another man's wife died suddenly without repentance Sigebert saith Sine viatico Fascic temp saith Behold O everliving God how unlike are they unto former Bishops O the depth of God's judgments who can search them out Let Bellarmin excuse him among the rest and pass him over in silence Platina saith he was worse then any Pope before him but he saith not and worse then any after him for worse Popes are coming Onuphrius on that place of Platina saith He first changed his name because he thought not his Christian name honourable enough but we have heard that others have done the like He sate 10 years 23. BENEDICT the V was chosen by the Romans although Leo the VIII who was advanced by the great Synod was yet alive wherefore Otho returned to Rome in wrath and restored Leo as is before 24. LEO the VIII sitting now peaceably did renounce in favour of the Emperour and his Successours all the Donations of Justinian of Charls the The Pope's resignation of former Donations Great of his son Lewis The words of the Bull in Crantz Saxon. lib. 4. cap. 10. are Leo Bishop the servant of God's servants unto Otto our spiritual son in Christ the Emperour Augustus and unto all his Successours Emperours and Kings of Italy Whatsoever the Lord Charls King of France and Lombardy and Patricius Romanus as also his father Pipin have given of the Royalty of this Kingdom of Italy unto blessed Peter the Apostle in the Church of Rome whether they were given by instruments by the Notary Etherius or whether they came by Oaths or Donations or any other way from Justinian Emperour or King Arithpert all these things we give and adjudge unto you Otto Emperour and to Alheida your wife and consort of the Empire and unto your consorts and successours of this Kingdom of Italy for ever being present the holy Evangelists and many Patronages of the Saints ....... that ye may have and possess all these things for ever for the uses of your Court the Military affairs and to fight against Pagans and Rebels of the Roman Empire and therefore by authority of this instrument we confirm and strengthen unto your posterity from generation to generation for ever and if any shall destroy this our authority and be found to violate it or do contrary unto it let him know that he shall fall under the wrath of blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles and our wrath and of all our Predecessours And moreover if he repent not of the evil let him be liable unto the Julian Law of Laese Majestatis c. After the solemn form fiat fiat this Bull was subscribed by all the Arch-Bishops Bishops Cardinals Priests and Deacons chief Officers of the Roman Church by the Consuls also Exconsuls Senatours and civil Lords and by all which by subscribing could give any confirmation The names fill up a page This Bull was kept at Florence for the use of the Emperour as Henry token a Canon of Magdeburg witnesseth in Catal. test ver lib. 11. Onuphrius proveth that this Leo was a lawfull Pope And whatsoever can be said against the Bull or Instrument Crantz li. cit cap. 11. saith It is more authentical and legal then that Decree of Constantine's Donation in longa Palea This Leo sate 2 years 25. JOHN the XIV was not chosen till Otho sent his Messengers unto the election as also this Pope did in other things reverence the Emperour and for this cause Peter Captain of the City two Consuls and the Elder men whom they call Decarchones and others rose against him they laid hands on him in the Lateran Church and kept him in Prison 11 moneths The Emperour made hast to Rome and put all the above-named persons in Prison till the cause was examined and then the Consuls were exiled into Germany the Elder men were hanged and Peter was given unto the pleasure of the Pope who caused him to be stript naked to shave his beard and hang him by the hair a whole day and set him upon an Ass with his hands under her tail then so to be led through the City in the mean time being scourged with rods and lastly banished out of the City After this manner did this Ghostly Father obey the Gospel Love your enemies saith Platina This Pope did first baptize Bells he called the great Bell in Lateran John He sate 7 years 26. BENEDICT the VI succeeded in place and miseries he was taken by Cintius Captain of the City and cast into the Prison of malefactors where he was strangled or as others say famished in the 18. moneth But I fear saith Platina that the reward of Benedict was according to his merits since none hath written that his death was revenged and Otho is accounted a very good man and a most ready defender of the Roman Church 27. DONUS the II sate one year without doing any thing worthy of record 28. BONIFACE the VII came to the Papacy by unlawfull means Platin When he saw that the Citizens conspired against him he hid himself and seeing no appearance of tranquility he stole all the Ornaments of Saint Peter's Church and fled into Constantinople Then 29. BENEDICT the VII was set up by the Romans Otho was offended that they had transgressed the Acts made in his fathers time he hastned to Rome and exerced severity against the rebellious Romans they in suffering deserved death did take unto themselves the name of Martyrs But Fasc temp maketh a distinction they were killed as some in the primitive Church were killed alike punishment but not alike cause Benedict
more frequent among miserable men then the affairs thereof Doth not ambition haunt the houses of the Apostles more then devotion doth doth not your Palace resound all the day over with its voice doth not all the discipline of the Laws and Canons serve unto its gain doth not all the pilling and polling of Italy wait with unsatiable greediness on its spoils doth it not onely interrupt but even cut off thine own spiritual studies c. Here Bernard continueth reporting the iniquity and gross abuses of the Roman Court in appealations exemptions of Bishops of Abbots the priviledges of Monks Simony so openly maintained that when a poor or honest Bishop was sought by the people he could not attain it till the Pope himself gave the poor man money to give for his investiture so yielding unto the maner of the Court and saving the poor man from the malice of them who love gifts on the one side respecting conscience and on the other providing to the same of the man saith he Yea he saith plainly The Lord is angry seeing the house of prayer is become a den of thieves Nor spareth he the Pope himself saying A wise man will preveen his work with a three-fold consideration whether it be lawful decent and expedient for albeit in Christianity it is certain it cannot be decent which is not lawful nor expedient which is not decent and lawful yet it followeth not that all is decent and expedient which is lawful Now apply these three unto thy work How is it not undecent for thee to use thy will for law and because there is none to whom thou canst appeal therefore to follow thy will and despise reason Art thou greater then thy Lord who said I come not to do mine own will Albeit it is not more base then arrogant as if thou wert void of reason to do not according to reason but after thy pleasure and to be led not in judgement but after thy appetite what is so beastly and if it be unworthy to any rational man to live as a beast who can endure so great reproach of nature and injury of honor in thee the Governor of all By degenerating in this maner which I wish were not thou hast made the common reproach proper to thy self to wit Man being in honor and understandeth not he is compared unto the unwise beasts and is become like unto them c. In lib. 4. he propoundeth unto the Pope's consideration the Clergy and People of Rome and when he hath shewed what they should be and what they are for the time and howbeit they may be incorrigible yet Eugenius should not cease to indeavor a reformation seeing he should indeavor though he cannot amend them he then saith I pray bear with me a little yea give me leave I speak not rashly but with fear I am jealous over thee with a godly jealousie oh that it were as profitable as carnest I know where thou dwellest incredulous and rebellious people are with thee and on the margin he addeth Eze. 2. they are wolves not sheep and nevertheless of such art thou the shepheard a profitable consideration whereby possibly thou mayest finde how to convert them lest they subvert thee why should we despair that they can be turned into sheep from which they have been turned into wolves in this in this I say I spare thee not that God may spare thee either deny thy self to be a shepheard unto this people or shew it indeed thou wilt not deny it lest thou deny thy self his heir whose Chair thou possessest this is Peter But it is known that he never pranked in jewels nor silks nor was covered with gold nor was carried on a white palfrey nor convoyed with Soldiers nor environed with clamorous lacquies and yet he believed that without such things that gracious command might be fulfilled If thou love me feed my sheep In these things thou hast succeeded not unto Peter but unto Constantine I advise thee to bear with these things for the time and affect them not as due unto thee I had rather excite thee unto these things whereof thou art a debtor albeit thou be clothed with purple and gold yet shun not thou who art the heir of a shepheard thy pastoral care and work be not ashamed of the Gospel Thou wilt say I bid thee feed dragons and scorpions not sheep I say the rather set upon them with the word not the sword what shouldest thou take a sword into thy hand again which thou wast once commanded to put into its sheath c. In a word thorow all these five Books of Consideration Bernard useth not one argument from these lofty titles to prove the dominion of the Pope but in the contrary disproveth it and adviseth him to bear with these things for the time and neither affect nor exercise dominion yea he presseth stewarding and serving so hardly that he maketh dominion and stewarding or pastoral office inconsistible and dominion can no way stand with an Apostolical title And he sheweth the estate of the Church in his time that it was degenerated from her self in former times and that these who should have been shepheards were become scorpions and wolves so that all the Catholique Church almost was envenomed with the poison of heresie which was occasioned by the ambition avarice and simony of the Papal Court Eugenius was reconciled to the Romans and died at Rome An. 1152. and in the eighth year of his Papacy 9. ANASTASIUS IV. did nothing worthy of memory he gave a great cup of gold to the Lateran Church and repaired the old Pantheon or St. Maries Io. Bale He sate searcely two years 10. HADRIAN IV. an English Monk was not inferior to Hildebrand in pride In his first year he was solicited partly by promises and partly by threats to leave free administration unto the Consuls he would not Thâ— Clergy did often entreat him to go unto the Lateran Church he would not unless Arnold of Brixia who was condemned by Pope Eugenius were banished the City The people took these in ill part and one day when the Cardinal of St. Pudentiana was going unto the Pope they fall upon him and wound him for which cause the Pope in anger did accurse them until they did banish that Arnold and gave over the Government of the City into the Pope's hands Naucler Shortly after he had excommunicated the Emperor he was walking with his Cardinals to refresh himself in the fields of Anagnia and coming to a spring of water he would taste of it and with the water a flie entereth into his throat and choaketh him Platin. and so a flie killeth him who had despised all the power on earth In the later end of his days he was wont to say There is not a more wretched life then to be Pope To come into A Pope's confession the seat of St. Peter by ambition is not to succeed Peter in feeding the flock but unto Romulus in paracide
of Monuments amongst other things he saith of the Roman Church This is proper unto the Romans to infer calumnies to defer persons to bring menaces and carry away riches Such are they whose business thou mayest hear to be commended in ease whose prey is in peace whose fighting is in fleeing and victory in cups they regard no man nor order nor time they are in judgement Scythians in chamber vipers at feasts Peasants in understanding stones in discerning pratling daws to anger fire to forgive iron in friendship pards in deceit foxes in pride bulls to devour minotaurs c. He wrote to Honorius II. refuting the appellations to Rome because it was a novelty contrary unto the Scriptures and very hurtful unto the Church He sheweth the condition of Rome briefly in two verses Vrbs felix si vel dominis urbs illa careret Vel dominis esset turpe carere fide He was apprehended and imprisoned at Rome Mornay in Myster 7. Honorius Augustodunensis was famous for his learning and godliness about the year 1110. Gesner testifieth of many of his books as yet extant he wrote one De Papa Imperatore against the Pope In Dialog de praedesti libe arbit he writeth of the Roman Church in this maner Turn thee to the Citizens of Babylon and behold what they are and how they walk behold come to the top of the mountain that thou mayest see all the houses of the damned City Look to the Princes and Judges of it that is the Cardinals and Bishops amongst them is the seat of the Beast at all times they are prone to ill and ever insationably intangled with the things of iniquity they not onely practice wickedly but teach others to do the like they sell holy things and buy wickedness by all means they endeavor that they go not alone to hell Turn thee to the Clergy and among them thou shalt see the pavilion of the Beast they neglect divine service but they are busie in the service of gain they defile the Priesthood with filthiness and deceive the people with hypocrisie by their wicked deeds they deny God they cast aside the Scriptures and how can they who are blinde lead blinde people unto salvation Behold the Convents of the Monks and among them thou shalt see the tabernacle of the Beast by seigned profession they scorn God and provoke his wrath with their habit they deceive the world Look to the habitations of the Nuns and amongst them thou shalt see a bed strawed for the Beast from their tender years they learn luxury they are more shameless then any bordeller and she will have the palm of victory who exceedeth others in wickedness c. In the same dialogue he saith Because some are predestinated the grace of God preveeneth them that they have a will and it followeth them that they may do but seeing predestination is unchangeable the wicked being justly forsaken neither will nor can do good they hear admonitions with deaf ears because none cometh unto the Father unless the son by grace that is by the holy Ghost drawing them and in his mercy he loveth whom he willeth and in his justice he reprobateth whom he willeth neither can they say Why doest thou so The kingdom of heaven is not according to merits but of grace for what deserveth man but ill In the same dialogue he had said Degrees of glory shall be according to the diversity of merits but then he addeth We receive grace for grace we receive grace when God preveeneth us that we have will and followeth us that we may do according to this grace he giveth another grace when he rewardeth with glory In Ps 6. Save me according to thy mercy and not according to my merits In Ser. de Natal Dom. All men before and under the Law and under Grace are saved by the nativity of Christ 8. Rupert Tuitiensis was Abbot of that Monastery near to Colein about the year 1112. Gesner hath a large Catalogue of his works In his Commentary upon John lib. 1. cap. 1. he saith By onely grace are we brought into the Kingdom of Heaven which we can conquess not by merits of our own works Ibid. lib. 2. cap. 2. Christ buildeth his Church on a sure rock to wit on himself Cephas had his name changed and was called Peter from this rock whereby is signified that upon all which are built on that foundation which is Christ shall be named a new name as the Prophet saith which the mouth of the Lord hath named Ibid. lib. 12. cap. 15. The Church of the elect sojourning in this world abideth not always in one estate but sometimes shineth with the graces of the Spirit sometimes it is obscure and shineth less being under oppression until the mutability of this world be finished And cap. 16. It is the rule of the Catholique Church to direct her prayers unto God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord because there is no other door nor way but by him his name onely is the necessary chariot of all prayer And De Vict. Verbi lib. 12. cap. 11. What and how many are the chief Sacraments of our salvation the holy Baptism and the Eucharist of the body and blood of our Lord these both are the gifts of our Lord the one for remission of sins and the other for distribution of many graces In Prolog in Apocalyp he saith Blessed are the meek saith the Lord for they shall inherit the earth both of them who shall enjoy and who shall not enjoy we have a remarkable example in the spies for among those Joshua and Caleb were meek that is they acknowledged the truth and were not repugnant unto it What is the holy Scripture but the very Land of promise and what it was to them to go bodily out of the Land of Egypt and to enter into the Land of promise is unto us to go out of the land of darkness or ignorance and to enter into the knowledge of God by the truth of the Scriptures When we read or hear the Scriptures we see not God face to face but the vision of God which certainly will be perfected is begun here by the Scriptures Ibid. lib. 2. cap. 2. Neither do they promote the sons of the Church for their vertues but the daughters that is the effeminate and vicious persons for their gifts unto the offices of the Church Do not they who are so promoted hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans for Clemens reporteth that Nicolaus was rebuked for his jealousie towards his wife and that he answered Let any man have her who listeth And from this answer the unbelievers inferred that the Apostles permitted unto all men the common use of women Is not this like unto that doctrine that they will not have lawful marriage because it is forbidden by the laws of the Church and nevertheless they live incontinently yea they do worse imitating the married when they please and though they have not a lawful bed
they are letcherous in such a maner that they have not broken any bond of marriage Ibid. cap. 3. It is not possible that any of these whom God hath predestinated unto the Crown can lose their Crown it may be and it hath come to pass that some lose the Crown whom God hath called by a visible calling or which might have been heard by man Ibid. lib. 6. cap. 11. Excepting the Apostles whatsoever other thing afterwards is said let it be cut off neither have any authority therefore albeit after the Apostles there be any holy man how wise soever he be let him not have that authority seeing the Lord speaketh in the Scriptures Ibid. lib. 11. cap. 20. Possibly one will say Since Christ overcame death and ascended into the heavens doth he descend thence again surely he descendeth but invisibly all the world hath heard his descending when a sound was heard from heaven as of the Spirit coming and filled the house where they were sitting did not Christ then descend from heaven Is the substance or Majesty of the Son separated from the Spirit that when the holy Ghost descendeth the Son of God descendeth not also certainly he descendeth not in the form of his manhood yet undoubtedly he descendeth in his uncircumscribed Deity or in the Spirit that he giveth and he descendeth to visit the Nations by his Messengers whom he inspireth 9. Bernard in Epist 56. ad Gaufrid Episco Carnot writeth that Notbert Praemonstratensis did teach that Antichrist was before the doors and to be revealed in the same age Within these few days saith Bernard there I obtained to see this mans face and I learned many things from an heavenly fistule to wit from his mouth Behold what account this Author made of him who spake thus Hen. Oraeus in Nomenclat saith this Notbert was the beginner of the Order of Monks in the Diocy of Magdeburgh Pol. Vergil de inven rer lib. 7. cap. 3. calleth him a Priest of Lorrain and saith that he began that most exact Order after the rule of Augustinians as also in that Chapter and the preceeding he sheweth that sundry others seeing about that time that the Monastical institutions were not observed men becoming always worse and worse and godliness was corrupted by riches quae pietas ut mater illas à principio Ordini pepererat quotidie sunt qui ignaviae suae potius quà m religioni consulant therefore they would reform the Order and added some new Rites for distinction from others of the same Order who were become looser and by these means the number of Orders were multiplied 10. Theodoricus Abbot of St. Trudo at Leodium about the year 1120. said Simon Magus now reigneth at Rome and not Simon Peter and Simony is in place of the Gospel what may we not have if we have money In Catal. test verit lib. 14. are some of his verses concerning the Government of the Church he saith Vt Mopso Nisa corvo datur ecâ—e columba Qualis pullus erit quem fert commixtio talis Hence it appeareth that good men at that time bewailed the wretched condition of the Church 11. Hugo de S. Victore by Nation a Saxon and Abbot of S. Victor at Paris was in great account about the year 1130. His works are extant in three Tomes In one place he saith The Clerks of our time know not the Law nor learn they it but they study vanity ease surfeiting and drunkenness they are often in the streets seldom in the Churches slow to search the faults of sinners and ready to follow the trace of hares they give more bread to dogs then to the poor their beds are better arayed then the altars the barking of dogs and lowing of oxen is more pleasant unto God then the singing of such Clerks their preaching may be dispised whose life is contemned Of our communion with Christ he saith on Iohn 6. The Lord shewing a difference betwixt the bread he gave and which they did eat in the wilderness saith I am the bread of life for he is the bread wherewith an hungry soul is refreshed which is when true faith embraceth him for by faith we love him and by love we are united unto Christ which is our life therefore this spiritual bread is eaten by faith even without Sacramental eating and is profitable unto salvation dayly we have need of this bread while this present life endureth and so said Augustine Why preparest thou thy teeth and stomach believe and thou hast eaten On Chapter 20. he saith Whose sins ye forgive i. e. whose sins are forgiven by you God also forgiveth them this is spoken generally not onely unto the Apostles as some say this is the prerogative of the Apostles but it is spoken and granted unto all their successors On Rom. 3. The written Law is called the Law of works because men under the Law thought that all their righteousness was in the works of the Law but the Law of Faith and Grace is so called because men under Grace set the sum and efficacy of their salvation on Grace onely knowing that as no man is saved by righteousness of his works so none is justified by works of his righteousness for righteousness is not of good works but good works are of righteousness On Chapter 4. If man had not sinned he should have had perfect righteousness which consisteth in the perfect fulfilling of God's commands so that he should have had no lust against reason and he might have loved God with all his heart but after sin and for sin man cannot have this perfect righteousness unto which eternal life is justly due but God of his grace giveth faith unto man and of the same grace reputeth it for that perfection as if he had the perfection of righteousness De Scriptura Scriptor Sacris cap. 1. he saith That Scripture onely is truly called Divine which was from the Spirit of God and written by those who spoke by God's Spirit that maketh a man divine and reformeth him according to the image of God by teaching to know him and by exhorting to love him whatsoever is taught therein is truth whatsoever is commanded is good and whatsoever is promised is blessedness for God is truth without falshood goodness without wickedness and blessedness without misery In cap. 6 7. All Divine Scripture is contained in the Old and New Testaments and when he hath divided the Old Testament into the Law Prophets and Hagiographa and hath reckoned the Books that are in the Hebrew Canon he addeth There be also other Books as Wisdom the Books of Syracides Judith Tobias and the Maccabees that are read indeed but are not rolled in the Canon Catol test ver lib. 15. Likewise De Sacramentis fidei lib. 1. cap. 28. If it be asked What is original sin in us It is a corruption or vice by which in our birth we draw ignorance in our minde and concupiscence in the flesh And cap. 19. In the
pontem In Sion omnibus est via plebibus in Phlegetontem Stat sibi gloria pompa superbia divitiarum Hoc prope tempore nemo studens fore pons animarum Qui stat in agmine primus in ordine Presbyteratus Est vitio levis officio brevis inguine fractus Then of the Prelates and Clergy he saith Vos volo credere quod volo dicere Pseudoprophetas Nulla feracius ac numerosius hâc tulit aetas His sacra nomina sacraque tegmina corda superba Agnus eis patet in tunica latet anguis in herba Quilibet improbus extat episcopus Abba creatur Vi precio prece Dignus homo nece sceptra lucratur Nullus ei timor haudque sui memor est aliarum Non sine Simone sed sine canone dux animarum When he hath hinted at the manifold impieties of the Clergy he striketh again at the head Per sibi pervia Pastor it ostia fur aliunde Lex mala furibus his subeuntibus intrat abunde O mala secula venditur Infula Pontificalis Infula venditur haud reprehenditur emptio talis Venditur annulus hinc lucra Romulus urget auget Est modo mortua Roma superflua quando resurget Roma superfluit arida corruit afflua plena Clamitat tacet erigit jacet dat egena Roma dat omnibus omnia dantibus omnia Romae Cum pretio quia juris ibi via jus perit omne Fas mihi scribere fas mihi dicere Roma peristi Obruta moenibus obruta moribus occubuisti Aurea pectora castaque pectora jam perierunt Tempora pessima scilicet ultima jam subierunt Stat simulatio corruit actio Relligionis Heu sua propria deputat omnia Rex Babylonis Behold here he calleth Rome Babylon and the Pope the King of it 24. In that Century were many pamphlets and rhimes written in all languages almost against the errors and vices of Popes Bishops and Clergy namely a book was written having the picture of Christ casting buyers and sellers out of the Temple and another of the Pope sitting upon his throne above each were some rhimes written shewing the maners of the times above the Pope thus Curia vult marcas bursus exhaurit arcas Si bursaeparcas fuge Papas Patriarchas Si dederis marcas eis impleveris arcas Culpâ solveris quacunque ligatus eris Intus quis tu quis ego sum quid quaeris ut intrem Fers aliquid non Staforis Fero. Quid Satis Intra 25. In Tom. 2. Concilior printed at Colein An. 1551. is a little book with Abuses in the Church this title Opusculum Tripartitum de negotiis Ecclesiae In the third part thereof are noted many filthy abuses in the Church and faults of the Clergy and Prelates are noted Cap. 1. It is commonly heard how wicked women say That they have more gain by their sin on one festival day then in an whole week or fifteen working-days It is also sure of many other sins that they be innumerably more committed on festival days then in other days and therefore it seemeth it were more acceptable unto God that there were fewer festival days in the Church or at least that workmen might after the hearing of the Service go about their work seeing many have not maintenance to themselves and their families but by their work and the wealthier sort do waste more on festival days in tap-houses then in other days In some Cathedral Churches is a custom that when some Canons will not pay unto the Clerks what is due the Clerks suspend them from the Service and so in these Churches is no Service and sometimes for a very naughty occasion it were better that other punishments were laid on these Canons In many Cathedral Churches so few Clerks are present at the Canonical hours that sometimes they be scarcely four or six albeit in these Churches a great multitude of them have their entertainment for that Service onely now all these abuses might be helped and especially that men be not compelled unto new festivals Cap. 2. Because no inferior dare speak against the Roman Church it were very decent that the Lord Pope and the Lords the Cardinals would diligently observe what things are to be reformed in the Roman Church and that they would begin there to the end the reformation which belongeth unto them of others may have the better success for behold how great mischief and scandal hath flowed through all the world that I speak not of other things in so many vacations of Popes that have happened in our days Cap. 3. All the world is offended and speaketh against the multitude of poor religious men who are not now called Religious but Trutannii this turneth to the great contempt of that Religion Albeit that Order may be called good and there be some good men among them yet it seemeth expedient that they be not multiplied except onely in so far as the world may be able conveniently to bear them Cap. 4. Seeing bad Prelates are the cause of innumerable evils there should be greater diligence in their admission by a prudent trial of the person by them who are not accustomed to lye Again there is so great difficulty in the deposition of Prelates according to the Laws by the multitude of witnesses which is required that none of them how wicked soever they be is feared for deposition and therefore innumerable Churches lying many years under a pestiferous Prelate are destroyed both temporally and spiritually therefore it seemeth expedient that a Law were made for removing wicked Prelates more easily whence a double benefit would follow to wit the deliverance of the Churches which perish under them and a fear in other bad Prelates It seemeth also that there is not so great reason of keeping this difficulty now as was of old because then all the Prelates almost were good men and their adversaries rose wickedly against them but now none accuseth a Prelate but they which are good men and are moved with the zeal of God against bad Prelates There is so great negligence of Prelates in correcting that seldom any is heard to correct even they who are reputed to be good men and seeing many evils follow upon this some remedy should be provided There is so great vanity and prodigality in the families of many Prelates in their clothes cutted watered flowered and their shoe-ties of gold and such other many things that in the Court of any secular Prince or King is not found so great vanity and it were decent that in the families of the Successors of the Apostles stricter discipline were seen in their habit or accoutrement as was ordained by Laws Cap. 6. Rich Benefices are bestowed for the most part on such persons which never reside there and scarcely will ye finde a Bishop which dispenseth not easily with their non-residence to the great dammage of souls When a Curate putteth a Vicar in his Parish there is no respect unto the
small like a tree Then the Spirit of the Lord said unto me It signifieth the condition of the Roman Church Again he saith As I was the same way exercised I saw in the Spirit and behold a man walking in the same habit carrying sweet bread on his shoulders and very good wine by his side and he held in his hands a round stone biting it with his teeth as an hungry man biteth bread but he did nothing then two heads of Serpents came out of the stone and the Spirit of the Lord instructing me said This stone is unprofitable and curious questions wherewith the hungry souls are turmoiled when they leave substantial things And I said What meaneth those two heads He said The name of the one is Vain Glory and the other is Overthrow of Religion It is to be observed that about that time the chief questions in the Schools were Whether the bread of the Mass be turned into the body of Christ or whether the substance of it evacuateth what eateth a mouse when she eateth the Sacrament wherein subsisteth the accidents of the bread whether in Christ's body or by themselves c. Again he saith I saw a clear Cross of Silver like to the Cross of Tolouse but the twelve apples of it were like to vile apples that are cast out of the sea What is this Lord Jesus The Spirit said The Cross is the Church which shall be clear with pureness of life and shril with the clear voice of the truth preached Then I said What meaneth those rotten apples The humiliation of the Church-men which shall come to pass Here he prophecied of the Reformation Possevin in Apparto 2. calleth this Robert An excellent Preacher of the Word Mornay in Myster pag. 427. 6. Marsilius Paravinus wrote the book Defensor pacis about the year 1324. there he debateth the question between the Emperor and the Pope and by the holy Scriptures Laws Canons and Histories Ecclesiastical and Civil he maintaineth these positions Christ is the only head and foundation of Rare Theses in those days the Church He made none of the Apostles to be universal Vicar of the Church nor made he the other Apostles subject unto Peter It is more probable that Peter was never at Rome far less had he his seat there who had no fixed seat as also not any of the Apostles The fulness of power in any man is a manifest lye an execrable title the beginning of many evils and the use thereof should be discharged in a good Councel The authority of the keys is that judiciary power that consisteth in dispensing the Word the Sacraments and Discipline Christ whose Vicar the Pope calleth himself did never exercise temporal authority on earth he was subject unto the Magistrate and so were his Apostles after his ascension and they taught others to obey Princes If a Pope usurp temporal authority Princes should by the Law of God resist by word and deed or they are unjust and sin against God and those who fight for the Pope should be accounted the Soldiers of Satan Unto the Pope belongeth not the election nor confirmation of the Emperor but contrarily the Christian Prince with consent of Clergy and People should name the Pope or if one be chosen in his absence he should confirm him If the Pope go astray or be accursed the Emperor should reduce him into the way and judge him in a Councel When Peter lived he might have fallen and erred neither hath the Pope any priviledge against error That that Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee is to be extended unto the other Apostles Only the Canon of the Bible is the fountain of truth against which Canon we may not believe either Pope or Church Concerning the sense of Scripture or any Article of the faith we may not believe the Pope and his Cardinals seeing not once have they seduced silly souls into hell The Christian Church is the universality of believers and not the Pope and his Cardinals she is represented in a lawful and general Councel A Councel should be assembled by the Emperor with consent of Christian Princes as anciently it was always The Word of God should be the only rule and chief judge in deciding causes Ecclesiastical Not only the Clergy by Lay men also if they be godly and learned should have voice in general Councels The Clergy and Synagogue of the Pope is a den of thieves c. This book was printed at Basil An. 1522. In another Treatise he saith Good works are not the efficient cause of salvation but causa sine quanon Mornay ibid. pag. 452. He was condemned as an Heretick by Pope John the XXIII Catal. test ver lib. 18. Consider what a Modern could say more of this matter and whether they shew not themselves to be ignorant of antiquity who accuse us of novelty 7. The same positions were held by John de Janduno or Gandanensis at the same time as is manifest by his books printed at Venice and Florence So wrote also Luitpold Bishop of Bamberg namely in a Treatise De Translatione Imperii printed Lutet An. 1540. he saith The Authority of governing the Empire belongeth unto the Emperor so soon as he is chosen and the Coronation by the Pope addeth nothing since Caesar is not his vassal nor feudatory The donation of Constantine is but a fable He was also condemned by Pope John Catal. test ibid. Michael Cesenas General of the Franciscans was bolder saying expresly The Pope is the Antichrist and Rome is Babylon drunk with the blood of the Saints Therefore Antonin par 3. tit 21. cap. 5. reckoneth him among the poor men of Lions For the Valdenses still suffered persecution in sundry Countries and under divers names as the adversaries pleased to brand them Many errors are imputed unto them by the writers of those times but because they did abhor the Pope and his Court they were reviled as we have heard from Arnold de Villanova and sought out to the fire as An. 1302. Nogaret the Father of him who took Pope Boniface the VIII was burnt in Aquitania Clemens the V. caused it to be proclaimed to take up the flag of the Cross against them and destroyed 4000 near the Alps whether they had sled Platin. Others went higher unto the mountains of whom some remained in his days saith Antonin par 3. tit 22. cap. 10. From them were the in-dwellers of Angronia and adjacent parts continuing until the Councel at Trent Trithemius testifieth of many that were burnt in Austria about that time howbeit he believing the reports of malice imputeth many errors unto them yet he testifieth that they abhorred the Mass calling the Hosty a god invented by man the Church of Rome a Synagogue of unbelievers and not the flock of Christ they denied all mens merits intercession of Saints the difference of days and meats c. He witnesseth also that the professore of the same doctrine were innumerable in Bohemia Austria
words If it be lawful to celebrate for a penny it were far better and precious to celebrate without pennies this they say thinking that simony is committed in these exactions Oh how great a wickedness and madness to exact forty fifty or sixty florens for the absolution of a City and relaxation of a Church-yard I am silent of other things simple and secular people do abhor all these things 28. Jagielo Duke of Lituania was married to Heduigis Queen of Poland The conversion of Lituania An. 1386. with condition that he should embrace the Christian faith and annex that Dukedom to the Crown of Poland he and his three Brothers Borissus Suidrigielo and Vidold were baptized at Cracow Febr. 14. The next year he called a general convention of all the people of Lituania at Vilna in the beginning of Lent and took with him the Bishop of Gesna and some Priests There he propoundeth unto them the forsaking of their Idolatry and the embracing the Christian Religion he allured them with exhortations and promises but the Priests being ignorant of the language could teach them nothing at all The barbarous people were loath to leave the customs of their Ancestors but when they saw that at commandment of the King the fire in the Temple of Vilna to be extinguished and the Altar broken and the Serpents which they had worshipped to be killed and dead and their holy groves destroyed without the hurt of any man the people wondered and said How is it that our gods do not revenge themselves on these wicked Christians if any of us had done the like we had perished by the wrath of the gods Then were they willing to follow the Religion of their Prince and because it had been wearisome to baptize them all this honor was given to some of the Nobles to baptize them severally and the vulgar sort were set in companies and the Priests cast water upon them and gave unto every company a name saying I baptize ye in the name c. and so in one day 30000 barbarous people were baptized Ale Guaguin in Rer. Polon To. 1. 29. Nicolaus de Lyra a Jew by birth and then a converted Christian wrote Annotations on all the Bible which were in great account among the School-men but in many Articles of faith he differeth from the Papists now as appeareth clearly by these passages When Jerome had written in Prologin lib. Tobiae The book of Tobiah which the Jews following the catalogue of divine Scriptures have reckoned among those which they call Hagiographa de Lyra saith He should rather have said among the Apocrypha or he taketh the Hagiographa largely And in his Postilla he saith When I have written as God hath helped upon all the Canonical books of the holy Scriptures ..... trusting in his help I intend to write of the other books which are not of the Canon to wit the book of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Judith Tobias and the books of Maccabees ...... We must know that the books of the sacred Scriptures which are called Canonical are of such authority that whatever is written there it is held true without controversie and consequential also what is manifestly concluded thereupon for as in the writings of Philosophers truth is known by reducing unto the first principles that are known in themselves so in the Scriptures of Catholick Doctors truth is known in so far as things to be believed can be reduced unto the Canonical writings of the sacred Scripture which we have by revelation from God who cannot lye therfore the knowledg of these writings is necessary unto the Church for which cause of the exposition of them it may be said what is written Eccles 24. All these are the book of life that is all the books that are expounded in the preceding work are contained in the book of life that is in the books of truth revealed by God who is life for as divine predestination is called the book of life so this Scripture revealed by God is called the book of life both because it is from him which is life essentially as is said and it leadeth unto the blessed life And next it is to be considered that the books which are not of the Canon are received to be read by the Church for information of manners but their authority is not such that they are thought sufficient to prove things in controversie as Jerome teacheth in the Prologue on Judith c. On Deut. 17. at the words Thou shalt not decline he saith Here an Hebrew Glossa saith If he say unto thee The right hand is the left hand or the left is the right thou must receive such a sentence But this is manifestly false since the sentence of no man of whatsoever authority is to be received if it be manifestly false or erroneous and this is clear by what is said in the text They shall judge unto thee the truth of judgement and they shall teach thee according to his law Hence it is clear that if they speak false or decline from God's Law manifestly they should not be heard On Psal 124. or rather 125. on these words Like mount Sion he saith because as mount Sion is unmoveable so they who trust in the Lord are not moved from the stability of faith therefore it followeth shall not be moved for ever to wit who dwell in the spiritual Jerusalem by faith formed by love And the cause of this stability followeth The mountains are about it that is the Angels are deputed to keep the Church and the Lord is round about his people as he saith in Matth. ult Behold I am with you unto the end of the world On Daniel at the last words he saith The last two Chapters to wit of Susanna and the History of Bell and Dragon are not of the Canon therefore now I leave them and intend to take in hand the other books which are Canonical On Matth. 1. at the words Iudah begot Phares he rehearseth an opinion of Jerome which he confuteth and he addeth a general reason saying The sayings of Saints are not of such authority but we may think the contrary in those things which are not determined by the sacred Scripture therefore Augustine in Epist ad Vincent saith of the writings of the Saints This sort of writings is to be distinguished from the Canonical Scriptures and testimonies are not brought from them so that we may not think the contrary On chap. 10. at the words He gave them power over unclean spirits he saith If it be asked Why Preachers do not such miracles now Gregory answereth Because when the Catholick faith is sufficiently proved by the miracles of Christ and his Apostles it is needless to reiterate such proof any more And a little after Ye have received freely to wit grace which God hath bestowed on you whether grace making acceptable or grace which is freely given Give it freely even as ye have received for for spiritual acts as for administration
intend to hold unto our last breath wee firmly believe of the Holy Ghost wee believe the Holy Ghost and in the Holy Ghost Of the Holy Ghost that he is the one true God with the Father and the only begotten Sonne distinguished in this only that he proceeds from both by vertue of which faith quickning renewing reforming every one attaineth the participation of Christs meritorions grace justification truth fortitude and perfect salvation by which Spirit also the Holy Church is grounded in the faith of Christ against which the gates of hell are not able to prevaile which also by the same Spirit in the members of true faith he washeth justifieth sanctifieth ordereth governeth gathereth strentheneth fructifieth As also by the same Spirit were the Holy Scriptures inspired and are known by him the members of the Church are vnited from him are the gifts of ruling the Church and many other things which by the same Spirit are made perfect unto the life of glory Wee believe the Holy Ghost when wee fully consent unto the Divine Scriptures or Apostls of God Wee believe in the Holy Ghost when with clear knowledge and unfained faith wee love him and with the members inspired by him wee keep his revealed truth unto eternall glory By the same fulness of formed faith wee believe that the holy Catholick Church in respect of the foundation of lively faith is the number of all the elect from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof whom God the Father in Christ by his Spirit hath chosen justifieth calleth unto the glory of salvation and magnifyeth without which is no salvation unto man But in respect of ministry and dispensations wee believe that the holy Catholick Church is the congregation of all Ministers and people subdued by obediente obeying the will of God from the beginning of the world unto the end of it whom God only sendeth inspired by his Spirit giving them the word of truth peace reconciliation that they may bring forth the fruit of salvation in the unity of the Church and their travell be not disappointed of the saving reward whose names and number He only knoweth because he hath writen them in the book of life That first Church hath none that shal be damned and the other is mixed untill the appointed time of the last judgement But the Church of malignants seekes them that are of that evil one whom Satan sendeth in this time of mortall life to the perdition of the world and tryall of the elect On this Church all the curses and sad things that Christ his Apostls have foretold shall be heaped to wit that they who are unworthy of ecclesiastical honour may rule over them by their power The promises also of renovation are fulfilled in her And yet wee arrogate not so much unto us as that we would be called or bee the only Catholick Church as if salvation were to be found with us only but wee endeavour with all diligence to be partakers of the ecclesiasticall truth and wee are afraied to be subject unto orobey evill workers whom wee find to be enmies of the Church and its truth for fear of everlasting damnation and for obedience unto Christ and because they doe minde speak and doe unto his Church things contrary unto his law Wherefore wee willingly endure oppression tauntings and calumnies for the salvation of our souls for un less Holy fear and the horrour of hell did withhold us we would embrace the liberty of the world with it's vanities wherin one may live as he listeth But wee would rather choose the strait derided and sad way in which our Redeemer Christ and the Church his spouse condemned by the world and despised yet following the example of Christ have walked than to taste and follow the momentany pleasures of the world The first and chief ministry of the Church is the Gospell of Christ whereby grace and truth that were painfully purchased by the torment of the cross is revealed which grace is given for salvation by the Holy Ghost and God the Father unto the Elect which are called by the gift of faith Another necessary ministry of the Church wee declare to be the word of teaching by which the saving truth is known in the sense of faith through which knowledge the life of grace and glory is administred unto the men of good desire Likewise wee declare that the seven sacraments are useful unto the Church of Christ by which Sacraments the promises of God are signified to be fulfilled unto believing people and by them entrance into the Church of God for keeping unity among them that walk unto glory is ministred Faith which God gives causeth us think of baptisme the first Sacrament these things whosoever of ripe age by hearing Gods word believeth and believing is renewed in soul and is enlightened such by outward washing for argument of inward cleanness attained by faith should be baptized in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost into the vnity of the holy Church Our profession is also extended unto children which by the decree of the Apostles as Dionysius writes should be baptized and then by the guidance of their God-fathers being instructed in the law of Christ should be invited unto and accustomed with the life of faith By faith received out of the Holy Scriptures wee professe that in the dayes of the Apostls this was observed whoesover in their young years had not received the promises of the gifts of the Holy Ghost such did receive them by prayer and imposition of hands for confirmation of aith Wee thinke the same of infants Whosoever being baptized shall come to the true faith which he purposeth to follow through adversities and reproaches so that new birth appeareth in his spirit and life of grace such a one should be brought unto the Bishop or priest and being demanded of the truths of faith and of Gods commandements and of his good will and constant purpose and works of truth and shall testify by confession that all these things are so such a one is to be confirmed in the hope of attained truth and he is to be helped by the prayers of the Church that the gifts of the Holy Spirit may be increased in him for the constancy and warrefare of faith and finally for confirming the promises of God and the truth that he hath he may be associated into the Church by laying on of hands in vertue of the name of the Father of the Word and of the Holy Spirit By this faith which we have drunk from the Holy Scriptures we believe and confesse with our mouth Wheresoever a worthy priest with believing people according to the mind and purpose of Christ and order of the Church shall shew forth his prayer with these words This is my bodie and This is my blood immediatly the present bread is the body of Christ which was offered unto death for us and so the present wine is his blood shed
the children joyn themselves together apprehend the father take the sword or what other weapon from him and finally bind his hands and keep him in prison till that his phrenzy be overpast thinke yee Madam that the children do any wrong or that God will be offended with them that have stayd their father from committing wickednes It is so with Princes that would murther the children of God that are subiect unto them Their blind Zeal is but a mad phrenzy therefore to take the sword from them to bind their hands and to cast them into prison till they be brought to a more sober mind is no disobedience against Princes but just obedience because it agreeth with the word of God At these words the Queen stood as it were amazed more than a quarter of an hour and then said Well I perceive that my subiects shall only obey you and not mee they shall do what they list and not what I command and so I must be subject unto them and not they unto mee Knox answereth God forbid that ever I take upon mee to command any to obey mee or yet to set subiects at liberty to do what pleaseth them but my travell is that both Princes subiects obey God and think not Madam that wrong is done unto you when you are willed to be subject unto God for it is He that subiecteth people under Princes and causeth obedience to be given unto them yea God craves of Kings that they be as nursing fathers to the Church and commands Queens to be Nurses unto his people and this subiecton unto God and nourishing his troubled Church is the greatest dignity tht flesh can have upon the face of the earth for it shall carry them to everlasting glory The Queen said Yea but yee dre not the Church that I will nourish I will defend the Church of Rome for I think it is the true Church of God Knox ans your will Madam is not reason nor doth your thought make that Roman harlot to be the immaculate spouse of Jesus Christ and wonder not Madam that I call Rome an harlot for that Church is altogether polluted with all kind of spirituall fornication both in doctrine and in manners yea I offer myself further to prove that the Church of the Jewes when they manifestly denied the Son of God was not so far degenerated from the ordinances and statutes which God gave by Moses Aaron unto his people as the Church of Rome is declined and more than 500. years hath declined from that purity of Religion which the Apostles taught and planted The Queen said My conscience is not so Knox ans Madam conscience requires knowledge and I feare of right knowledge you have but little The Queen saith I have both heard and read Knox saith Madam so did the Jewes which crucified Christ Jesus read both the Law and the prophets and heard the same interpreted after their manner Have yee heard any teach but such as the Pope and his Cardinals have allowed and you may be assured they will speak nothing to offend their own State The Queen said yee interpret the Scriptures in one manner and they in another whom shall I believe who shall be Judge Knox ans Believe God that speakes plainly in his word and further than the word teaches you yee shall neither believe the one nor the other The word of God is plain in itself and if there appeare any obscurity in one place the Holy Ghost who never is contrary to himselfe explaines the same more clearly in others places So that there can remain no doubt but unto such as obstinatly will remain ignorant And now Madam to take one of the chief points which this day is in controversy betwixt the Papists and us for example They alleadge and boldy have affirmed that the Masse is the ordinance of God and the institution of Jesus Christ and a sacrifice for the quick and the dead Wee deny both the one and the other and affirm that the Masse as it is now used is nothing but the invention of man and therefore it is abomination before God and no sacrifice that God ever commanded Now Madam who shall judge betwixt us two thus contending it is not reason that either of us be further believed than we are able to prove by unsuspect witnessing Let them lay down the book of God and by plain words prove their affirmatives and we shall give unto them the plea granted But so long as they are bold to affirm and prove nothing we must say albeit all the world believe them yet they believe not God but do receive the lies of men for the trueth of God What our Master Christ Jesus did we know by his Evangelists what the Priests do at the Masse the world seeth Now doth not the Word of God plainly assure us that Christ Jesus neither said Masse nor commanded to say it at his last Supper seing no such thing as the Masse is mentioned in the wholl Scriptures The Queen said You are too hard for mee but if they were here whom I have heard they would answer you Knox ans Would God the learnedst Papist in Europe and he that you would best believe were present with your Majesty to sustain the argument and that you would abide patiently to hear the argument reasoned to the end for then I doubt not but you should hear the vanity of the Papisticall Religion and how small ground it hath within the word of God The Queen said Well you may perchance get that sooner than you believe Knox said Assuredly if ever I get that I get it sooner than I believe for the ignorant Papist can not patiently reason and the learned and erafty Papist will never come in your audience Madam to have the ground of their Religion searched out for they know they are not able to maintain any argument except by fire sword and their own Lawes be judges The Queen said So say you and I believe it hath been to this day John ans How oft have the Papists in this and other realms been required to conference and yet could it never be obtained unless themselves were admitted for Judges and therefore I must say again that they dare never dispute but where themselves are both Judges and party and when you shall let mee see the contrary I shall grant my self deceived in that point At departing Iohn said I pray God Madam that you may be as blessed within the Commonwealth of Scotland if it be the pleasure of God as ever Debora was in the Common wealth of Israel Of this long conference whereof we only touch a part were diverse opinions the Papists grudged and feared what they needed not The godly reioiced thinking that at least She would have heard the preaching but they were utterly deceived for She continued in her Massing and quickly mocked all exhortation The Histo of Reforma lib 4. XIIII In Edinburgh it was the custom that when the
the law the godly under the law and the godly under grace all these perfecting the body of Christ are ordered among the Members of the Church and none of them would ever be called Universal and therefore let your Holiness know what swelling is in you who seeketh the name wherewith never any did presume to be called who was truly godly Did not the reverend Synod at Chalcedon as your Holiness knows call the High-priests of this Apostolical See which I do serve as God hath disposed Universal by a profered honour and nevertheless none of them would be named by such a word not any of them did take unto them this temerarious Title lest if in the degree of Priesthood he had taken this glory of singularity he had been thought to have denied it to all his brethren Much more writes Pope Gregory of this kind in that 38. Ep. li. 4. and especially in the same Epistle he tels him that he had given direction to his Deacon Sabinian that he should not communicate with John or be at the same Missa service with him unless he did renounce that wicked and prophane pride And in 32. Epistle of the same book unto the Emperour Maurice he calleth that a name of vanity a new name a wicked and arrogant name and li. 6. Ep. 36. I say boldly he who takes or affecteth this name is the fore-runner or Usher of Antichrist because in pride he preferreth himself above all others The Emperour was not well pleased with these Letters and when Cyriacus was Patriarch he writ unto Gregory that for so frivolous a word he would not give so great scandal unto the Church Gregory answereth li. 6. Ep. 30. saying I intreat that your Imperial Godliness would consider that some frivolous words are very damnable and some are not so hurtfull When Antichrist shall call himself God will it not be a frivolous word and yet very pernicious if you consider the quantity of the word Deus it hath but two syllables but if you consider the weight of iniquity it is an vniversal plague and I say boldly that whosoever desireth to be called Universal Priest he runneth before Antichrist in pride because he presumptuously preferreth himself above all others and with the same pride he is brought into all errour for as that man of sin will seem to be above all men so whosoever seeketh to be called the only Priest exalts himself above all other Priests Gregory writ also unto Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria and Anastasius Bishop of Antiochia li. 4. Ep. 36. that they would help in this common cause and hinder so great pride After the same manner did he write li. 7. Ep. 69. unto Eusebius Bishop of Thessalonica and others in the daies of Cyriacus If any will say Gregory did invey against John and Cyriacus because they did usurp what was due unto the Bishop of Rome the words of the former Epistle unto John shew the contrary as also the Ep. 30. li. 7. indict 1. unto Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria where he writes thus I said that you should neither give unto me nor unto any other such a Title and behold in the beginning of the Epistle which you have directed unto me who have forbidden it is the word of that proud Title calling me Universal Pope which I desire that your most sweet Holiness do no more unto me for it is withdrawn from you which is given unto another more then reason requires for I seek to prosper not in words but in manners nor do I think it my honour wherein I know that my brethren come short of their honour .... then am I honoured when the honour which is due unto every one is not denied to every one for if your Holiness call me Universal Pope you deny your self that when you call me Universal but far be that away with words that blow up vanity and wound charity So far he When Phocas Ambition can flatter and serve the time had slain the Emperour Maurice though Baronius adan 605. calleth him a perjured and bloody murtherer yet unto him writes Gregory saying Glory in the highest places unto God who as it is written changeth times and transferreth Kingdomes for by the incomprehensible dispensation of the Almighty God is the moderation of mans life ..... when the mercifull God will comfort the hearts of them who mourn he advanceth unto the top of government one by the bowels of whose mercy he poureth the grace of gladness into the hearts of many in the aboundance of this joy we trust to be comforted who are glad that the bountifulness of your Godliness is come to the high Empire Let the heavens rejoice let the earth be glad and the people of all the Republick hitherto vehemently afflicted become joyfull in your bountifulness c. li. 11. Ep. 36. Unto the Empress Leontia he did write the 44. Epistle of the same book which beginneth thus What tongue can tell what mind can think the thanks we owe unto the Almighty God for the happiness of your Empire And he endeth praying that they would love his Church to whom it was said Thou art Peter and upon this rock and on the other side he promiseth that Peter will protect their Empire here and intercede for them in heaven that for relieving the oppressed on earth they may rejoice many years in heaven What meaneth this so large congratulation but that through the favour of Phocas his own authority may be enlarged at least that none be preferred above him So ready are some to speak against the faults of others and to disguise the same in themselves as they find occasion But Gregory died an 604. when he had sitten 8. years Because he is the first Church-man I speak of it may seem necessary to shew what was the estate of the Church in his daies in respect of Doctrine and Discipline and this I will indeavour God willing in the next chapter lest I seem to inlarge the life of one too far for this present behold a little of the Papal power In li. 4. Ep. 31. he bewails unto the Emperour Maurice that in his Epistle he had called him a simple fool and he saith Let not our Lord according The Pope was subject unto the Emperor to his earthly power be too hastily angry against the Priests but in singular consideration for his sake whose servants they are let him so reign over them that he bestow due reverence on them Bellarmin de Ro. Pontif. lib. 2. c. 28. acknowledgeth that the Pope reckoneth himself amongst those Priests And in Epistle 34. he saith I trust in the Almighty God that he will give long life unto our godly Lords and according to his mercy he will protect us under your hands Observe how reverently the Pope speaks unto the Emperour and yet more submissely in lib. 2. Ep. 61. he saith He is guilty before the Almighty God who is not sincere in all that he doth or speaks unto his
was neither first nor last and by the Laws of ancient Fathers and godly Emperors it became the first 3. That these also had decreed that the See of new Rome even as the other should have power in Ecclesiastical affairs 4. That it was commanded by no Law nor was any Custom that the Patriarchs should be ordained by the Pope neither was it ever so done 5. That the Pope had no power over Councels but they gave Laws unto his Church 6. That the holy Fathers appointed distinctly what parts should be subject unto the Pope and which unto each of the Patriarchs 7. That no Patriarch nor the Pope may decree without the knowledge of all any thing of more weight 8. That such honor should be given unto the Pope obeying the decrees of the Fathers but if he obey not men should flie from him as a wolf and adversary 9. That Christians should believe the Catholick Church of faith but not any particular Church since it was not so ordained from the beginning 10. And lastly That such as refuse or despise the traditions of the Apostles and profess to believe a particular Church or faith are members cut off from the body of the Catholick Church and dead members Here for clearing the second Article I add the words of cap. 3. where he objecteth as the Romans do That Peter died at Rome and therefore the Roman Bishop should have as full power He answereth By this reason it followeth Because our Lord Jesus died for us at Jerusalem the Bishop of Jerusalem succeeding in the place of the great high Priest should have power over all and so much more then the Roman Bishop as Christ was above Peter Moreover how unreasonable is it to say that none of the Apostles had a Successor but only Peter or if any of the Apostles would leave Successors either the Bishops that were ordained by them or the Stewards of those Churches where they ended their lives how say ye that all should be created by the Pope can ye say that the other Apostles were ordained by Peter and if that was not how can it be demanded that their Successors should be ordained by him whom ye call Peter's Successor but certainly the other Apostles had Successors of whom none was first or last but all equal and of the same rank Then concerning the eighth point in chap. 14. he saith The Pope cannot be an Heretick Unto this objection he answereth What say you I see him dead and you say he cannot die Object Many Patriarchs have been Hereticks but not one Pope Answ Let Macedonius say No Patriarch of Constantinople before me was an Heretick therefore neither am I one or rather to use a more familiar example if any would plead the cause of that filthy woman who was Pope and say Because never a woman was Pope before her therefore neither was she one what sound reason is in such arguing In chap. 15. he clearly distinguisheth between the Catholick Church and the Roman and as no man did ever name the Roman Church when he meant the Catholick Church so no man being right in his wit did ever name the Roman faith when he meant the Catholick faith and that Catholick or common faith we have hitherto preserved and God guarding us we will observe it unto the end saith he 27. In the end of this Century John Vitodura a Franciscan in the Monastery of St. Montis wrote the History of his time speaking of Pope John he saith O what a Successor hath blessed Peter in the See of the high Priesthood who forgetting the office of humanity piety and of a shepherd liveth a tyrannical life ..... how could Peter think that the estate of his Chair and Church could be so enormously perverted in the latter days from the rule of righteousness he was not to be praised because it seemeth he sate not in the pestilential chair And ad An. 1344. he saith O God how great avarice and worship of Idols hath defiled and deformed the Church how could or how would Peter and the other Apostles or their Successors the Martyrs and Teachers which laid the foundations of the militant Church and abode immoveable in the faith and actions of Christ how could these I say have believed that in our time the estate of the Church that was so famous and glorious could be made filthy in such a manner with the pestiserous root of avarice Alas she is torn and wounded in all her members and none is for binding her fractures none to comfort her or to cure her wounds she is consumed in her crimes she is fallen so grievously into the pit of vices that she cannot rise by her self nor is there any to raise her all have gone astray like wandering sheep every one hath gone after his own way which is not right because her fathers would not be befooled with the love of earthly things So the word of Jeremiah is fulfilled From the highest to the lowest all are set on covetousness And the word of Micah is true The Princes judge for gifts and the Priests teach for a reward and the Prophets divine for money This poisonous root avarice with its small branches execrable simony plunder theft and especially devouring usury hath infected and devoujred the world in such measure that John hath spoken most properly in his Canonical writings The whole world lieth in wickedness And An. 1345. at that time the secular and religious Clergy which had resumed in the Imperial and other places lying under the Papal interdiction did obtain absolution from the Roman Court when other Clarks did continue freely and without fear in celebrating and such absolution was purchased easily for a florence Oh how lamentable and execrable a breach is made in the Church at this time that saying of the Gospel is now made null Ye have received freely give freely And ad An. 1348. speaking of the same Papal interdictions he saith Some of them for absolution of men and for reconciliation of Church-yards did collect incredible and immoderate sums of money and did extort from them which were to be absolved which is miserable and horrible to be spoken for in the hearts of very many it caused scandal scruple of the faith perplexities detrictions grumblings infidelity clamors commotions fear and suspition of simoniacal wickedness for they said The Clergy despise tear and defile scatter and confound the Church of God and Spouse of Christ they divide her integrity they wound her charity they harden her benignity and meekness they weaken her zeal they shut up her liberality with the knots of covetousness by withdrawing her from voluntary gifts ..... not regarding the curse of Gehazi and Simon being hardened in their wickedness Oh how vile is the Church become in her principal members all beauty is gone from her because they which should enlighten her with true doctrine do darken her with the blackness of error and mist of vices And the people say I use their