repraesentet totam ecclesiam vniuersalem tamen in veritate ibi non est vera ecclesia vniuersalis sed repraesentatiue quia vniuersalis ecclesia coÌ„stituitur ex collectione omnium fidelium Vnde omnes fideles orbis constituunt istam ecclesiam vniuersalem cuius caput sponsus est ipse Christus Papa auteÌ„ est vicarius Christi non verè caput ecclesiae vt notat glossa in Clem. Ne Romani de elect quae notabiliter dicit quòd mortuo papâ ecclesia non est sine capite ista est illa ecclesia quae errare non potest Vnde possibile est quòd vera fides Christi remaneret in vno solo ita quod verum est dicere quod fides non deficit in ecclesia Sequitur Christus ante passionem orauerat pro Perro vt noÌ„ deficeret fides sua ergo non dicitur deficere nec etiam errare si remanet vera fides in vno solo For concerning matters of faith euen the iudgement of one that is a meere lay man ought to be preferred before the sentence of the pope if that lay person could bring better reasons out of the old and new testament then did the pope And it skilleth not if one say that a councel cannot erre because Christ praied for his church that it should not faile For I say that although a general councel represent the whole vniuersall church yet in trueth there is not truely the vniuersall Church but representatiuely For the vniuersall church consisteth of the collection of all the faithful Whereupon all the faithfull in the world make this church vniuersall wherof Christ himself is the head The pope is the vicar of Christ but not truely the head of the church as noteth the glosse vpon the Clementines which saith notably that when the pope is dead the Church wanteth not an head and this is that Church which cannot erre Whereupon it is possible that the true faith of Christ might remaine in one alone and so it may truely be said y t the faith faileth not in the church Christ before his passion praied for Peter that his faith should not faile therefore the church is not said to faile neither to erre so long as the true faith abideth in one onely Out of these wordes I note first that by the opinion of the great Papist Panormitan a meere lay mans iudgement euen in matters of faith ought to be accepted and receiued before the popes constitution if the lay man bring better reasons out of the scriptures then the pope doth Which saying doubtlesse is the foundation of the doctrine this day established in the church of England in all other reformed churches throughout the world Neither doe we craue more of the papistes then their owne doctors will affoord vs. I note secondly that a generall councell may erre because it is not the catholike or vniuersall church indeed I note thirdly that that church which cannot erre is not the visible companie of pastors and doctors but the inuisible societie of all the faithfull in the worlde Where by inuisible I meane not that any of the elect is inuisible in his corporal consistence but that the vniuersall congregation of the faithfull as vniuersall is inuisible that is to say that no one mortall man seeth or knoweth all true beleeuers in the church In which sense is truely verified the saying of Elias when hee cried out that he only was left alone For albeit it be true that there was a visible church in Iudea vnder the good kinges Asa and Iosaphat euen when Elias made his complaint that he was left alone and although also that Abdias had told Elias that hee had hid an C. prophets by L. in a caue so as Elias could not be ignoraunt of a visible church in the worlde yet is it most true with all this that the vniuersall church as vniuersall was inuisible to Elias and that there were many thousandes of true beleeuers euen then in Samaria whom â—lias neither saw nor knew And therefore did God answere him saying I haue reserued to my selfe seuen thousand men which haue not bowed the knee to Baall I note fourthly that howsoeuer the visible bishops and pastors erre yet doth not the vniuersal church erre so long as the faith remaineth in any one whosoeuer I note fiftly that as in the time of Elias there were seuen thousand faithfull persons whom he knew not euen so were there in those daies when Martin Luther began his reformation many thousandes among the papists that sincerely beleeued the gospel whom hee neither saw nor knew The 6 replie The scripture telleth vs that the church cannot erre For as the Apostle saith it is the house of the liuing God the pillar and ground of trueth Therefore either Gods apostle teacheth false doctrine or els doubtlesse the trueth must euer be in the church The answere I answere that the true church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ doth neuer erre wholly and generally in the fundamentall pointes of religion and such as are necessary for our saluation I say first the true church of God because the societie of the visible pastors are not euer the mysticall members of Christ. I say secondly wholly and generally because albeit the trueth may faile for a time in the pastors of the church yet shall it neuer perish in the elect and true members thereof For though particular churches may erre in particular pointes yet shall the whole church neuer erre in the articles of necessary doctrine Though the elect may erre in part and at sometime yet shal they neuer erre either all generally or any one finally For whom and in respect of whom the church is rightly called the pillar of trueth This my exposition is made good by the testimonie of S. Austen whose words be these SecundaÌ„ ergo Sabbathi non debemus intelligere nisi ecclesiaÌ„ Christi sed ecclesiaÌ„ Christi in sanctis ecclesiam Christi in his qui scripti sunt in coelo ecclesiaÌ„ Christi in â—is qui mundi huius tentationibus non cedunt Ipsi enim digni sunt nomine firmameÌ„ti ergo ecclesia Christi in his qui firmi sunt appellata est firmamentum quae est in quit ecclesia dei viui columna firmamentum veritatis Therefore we may not vnderstand the second of the sabboth to bee any other then the church of Christ yet the church of Christ in the saints the church of Christ in those which are not ouercome with the tentations of this wicked world for they are worthy the name of firmament therefore the church of Christ is called the firmament in those that are firme which is saith hee the church of the liuing God the piller and firmament of truth The like saying hath S. Augustine in many other places but especially where he writeth against the Donatists Saint Chrysostome expoundeth this place of the veritie it selfe
impotencie of nature nor by the gift of continencie but the pope chargeth them that are eunuches no way to abstaine from marriage solemnely therefore the popes commaundement is against Gods holy ordinance Theodoretus confirmeth this point in these words Rectè autem posuit illud prohibentium contrahere matrimonium Neque enim celibatum ac continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi coÌ„pellunt He put that rightly forbidding to marry he blameth not single life continencie but accuseth them that by positiue lawes compel to put such things in execution This lawe therefore of the pope is intollerable For which cause saint Clemens auoucheth them to do iniury to nature that will not vse wedlocke for procreation of children The latter parte of this proposition the apostle setteth downe so plainely as it is needelesse to say any more in that behalfe These are Saint Paules owne wordes But the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of deuilles which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hote yron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats In these wordes it is very cleere that saint Paul termeth the prohibition of marriage and of meates the flat doctrine of the deuill For after hee had declared wherein the mysterie of true religion consisteth which is taught in the true church of Christ hee foorthwith giueth euident markes of the mysterie of iniquitie which is maintained in the false church of Antichrist in whose synagogue the highest points of religion are the prohibition of marriage and of meates And who seeth not this day this to bee the state of the church of Rome as in which church they are specially and in a manner onely reputed religious who obey the prohibition of marriage and also of meates And it will not helpe the Papistes to say as their woonted manner is that they neither prohibite marriage generally nor as an vnlawfull thing For first saint Paul speaketh not generally of marriage but of the precise marriage of Bishoppes Priests and Deacons This doe I prooue because so soone as hee had declared the duetie of Bishoppes Priestes and Deacons with their wiues and children by and by in the beginning of the next chapter hee addeth that in the latter dayes marriage shall bee prohibited by the doctrine of the deuill Where the worde But doeth effectually insinuate that he speaketh precisely of the marriage of ecclesiasticall persons by him aboue named Againe the words Forbidding and Commanding argue authoritie in them that restraine marriage and so it partaineth not onely to the old heretikes the Manichees the Tatians the Eucratites the Marcionists the Patritians and the Apostolickes but much more to the late Popes of Rome who strictly commaunde the whole world to abstaine from that whereof God himselfe hath granted the lawfull vse For what is to bee extolled aboue God if not to alter and chang his holie words Bishops Priests and Deacons haue alwaies beene married in the East church euen from our Sauiour Christ vntill these our dayes This I proue by the testimonie of the sixt generall councell of Constantinople where 289. Bishoppes were assembled in the yeare of our Lorde 677. In the thirteenth canon of this famous councill three speciall things are decreed First that Priests Deacons and subdeacons may haue the lawfull vse of wedlocke at such times as they do not execute the ministerie Secondly this councell excommunicateth all those Priests and Deacons that after their orders put away their former wiues vnder pretence of religion Thirdly it excommunicateth all such as labour to separate Priests and Deacons from the vse and companie of their wiues And after all this this great synode addeth this worthie and memorable obseruation to witte that they haue thus decreed albeit the lawes of Rome be otherwise Where I note by the way that so many learned bishoppes contemned the vsurped primacie of the church of Rome I proue it secondly by the verdict of their owne canon law which is the flatte opinion of Pope Vrban as their owne Gratian telleth vs his expresse words are these Cum ergo ex sacerdotibus nati in summos pontifices supra legantur esse proâ—oti non sunt intelligendi de fornicatione sed de legitimis coniugiis nati quae sacerdotibus ante prohibitionem vbique licita erant in orientali ecclesia vsque hodie eis licere probantur When therefore wee reade that the sonnes of Priests are made Popes wee must not vnderstand bastardes but sonnes borne in honest marriage which marriage was euery where lawfull for Priests before the late prohibition and is also lawfull this day in the East Church for which cause the late councell of Florence left the marriage of Priests to the free election of the Greekes Yea their owne deare Fryer and graue archbishoppe Antoninus confirmeth the same in these words Quia Graci etiam in sacerdotio coniugio vtuntur For the Greekes ioyne the vse of matrimonie euen with the priesthood Bishops Priests and Deacons were likewise married in the West and Latin church for the space almost of foure hundred yeares without any prohibition at all And afterward in some places for many hundreth yeeres This is the probation After that Christ hadde granted marriage for all men appointing such to vse it for an wholsome medicine as wanted the gift of continencie after that Saint Paul had pronounced freely marriage to bee honourable in all sorts of men after that the Apostles had decreed that neither Bishops Priests nor deacons shoulde leaue the companie of their wiues vnder pretence of religion after that many holy Bishops priests and deacons had liued laudably in the Church and had vsed the honest helâ— of holy wedlocke aboue three hundreth eightie and fiue yeares al which I haue alreadie proued then one Syricius aduaunced to the popedome in the yeare of Christ 385. seduced by Satan published wicked doctrine and prohibited marriage as an vnlawfull thing Which matter because it is verie imporâ—ant and the wordes of our holy father the pope so blasphemous as hardly anie will beleeue him to haue so written but hee that readeth the same I will alleage his wordes at large Thus therefore doth hee write in expresse tearmes Quod dignum pudicum honestum est suademus vt sacerdotes Leuitae cum suis vxoribus non coeant quia in ministerio diuino quotidianis necessitatibus occupantur ad Corinthios namque sic Paulus scribit Abstinete vos vt vacetis orationi si ergo Laicis abstinentia imperatur vt possint deprecantes audiri quanto magis sacerdos vtisque omni momento paratus esse debet munditiae puritate securus ne aut sacrificium offerat aut baptizare cogatur quisi contaminatus est carnali concupiscentia quid faciet excusabitur qua
intercession before God it shal not be a thing inconuenient Out of which sayinges of Origen I note first that he speaketh only of the praiers which saintes in heauen make for vs and not one word of our praying to them I note secondly that to holde that the saintes in heauen doe pray for vs is not a constant position in Origens doctrine but only an opinion and disputable question I proue it because he saith arbitror I think Again because he saith non erit inconueniens it shal not be incoÌ„uenient Thirdly because he saith audiuâ— ita dicentem I heard one say so The fiâ—st obiection Origen in his book de paenitentia saith y t he will fall prostrate on his knees and inuocate all the saintes in heauen that they will helpe him because he dare not pray to God for himselfe The answere I say first that this assertion fathered vpon Origen will confute it selfe for how could Origen or anie faithfull christian be in feare humbly to inuocate our most mercifull God who willeth all to come to him that are in distresse who promiseth to heare all those that in their trouble call vpon him Who graunteth to vs whatsoeuer we aske in his sonnes name who hath appointed his sonne to make intercession for vs. I say secondly that this booke alledged in the obiection is not Origens but a plaine counterfeit And I prooue it effectually because their owne pope Gelasius hath so resolued The 2. obiection Origen saith that the fathers of the churche appointed the feast day of the holy Innocentes and that by the will of God that so their intercession might profite their parentes The answere I say first that if all this were graunted it could but at the most proue that the saints pray for vs which in a good sense may be admitted For I willingly graunt that the saintes in heauen doe in generall maner and termes pray for vs that is that they wishe vs to perseuere in the true faith and feare of God and y t in the end we may be partakers with theÌ„ of eternal glory I say secondly that sundry learned men doe thinke these homilies from whence this obiection is taken not to be any part of Origens workes I say thirdly that if Origen doe make that a constant doctrine in one place which he graunteth to be a disputable question in another place what remaineth but to thinke his opinion therein to be of no force I say fourthly that the papistes as their Ruffinus recordeth will admit nothing in Origen which disliketh them but reiect all such stuffe as infarsed into his workes by the heretickes Let them therefore giue vs leaue also to reiect in Origen if in any place he seeme to approoue inuocation of saintes as that which is infarsed by the heretickes specially because in other places he teacheth the contrary doctrine The fift Canon About 20. yeares after that Origen had doubtfully disputed the praying of saintes for vs S. Cyprian and S. Cornelius set down that point resolutely as standing no longer in doubt therof to wit that the saintes in heauen doe pray for the liuing here on earth For they made this couenaut that whether of them soeuer should die the first should pray for his brethren and sisters yet liuing These are S. Cyprians owne wordes Et si quis istinc nostrum prior diuinae dignationis celeritate praecesserit perseueret apud dominum nostra dilectio pro fratribus sororib apud misericordiam patris noncesset oratio And if either of vs shall through Gods mercie die before the other let our loue continue still in Gods sight let vs not cease to desire the fauour of God for our brethren and sisters yet liuing Thus saith S. Cyprian Out of whose wordes I note first that to be established in his time which was but in opinion and doubtfull case in the daies of Origen To wit that the saintes in heauen pray for vs here on earth I note secondly that the inuocation of saintes in heauen was neither established in saint Cyprians time neither once called into question I note thirdly that popish inuocation of Saintes sprung vp by little and little from one degree to another The sixt Canon About an hundreth yeares after S. Cyprian which was about 350. yeares after Christ some of the fathers by rhetoricall apostrophees did applie their orations to the dead as if they had been liuing Of which sort were S. Basill and saint Gregory Nazianzene who though they did but inuocate the saints figuratiuely and of a certain excessiue zeale yet did such their inuocations minister occasion to the papistes of all their superstition in that behalfe These are the wordes of S. Gregory Nazianzene Audite populi tribus linguae homines omnes cuâ—usuis generis aetaetis quicunque nunc estis existetis Infra audiat quoque Constantini magni anima si quis mortuis sensus est omnesque eorum qui ante eum imperium tenuerunt piae Christique amantes animae Heare O people kinreds tongues nations ages whosoeuer are now liuing or shalbe borne hereafter Let also the soule of Constantine the Great heare all the christian godly soules of the Emperors before him if the dead perceiue any thing at all And againe in another place he thus writeth At ô pascha magnum inquam sacro sanctum pascha totiusque mundi piaculum te enim quasi vita praeditum alloquor But O Passeouer the great I say and sacred Passeouer and the purgation of the whole world For I call vpon thee as if thou hadst life Thus writeth Nazianzene by whose wordes we may measure both the rest of his sayings and of the other fathers First therefore I note that hee doth inuocate aswell senselesse thinges as reasonable soules Secondly hee calleth vpon the soules of all the people in the world whereof some were damned in the bottome of hell and so could not heare as euery learned papist will admit Thirdly he inuocateth those that are yet vnborne Vpon these sandie foundations are built all popish superstitious inuocations The 7. Canon Catholique doctrine is that as Vincentius Lyrinensis who liued aboue a thousand yeares agoe defineth it which hath been receiued constantly of al the faithful at al times and in all places Which Vincentius is and euer was of great reputation with and amongst al learned papists and consequently since popish inuocation of Saintes neither was constantly receiued of all the faithfull neither in all places neither at al times as which was not heard of for many hundreth yeares after Christ it cannot be deemed catholicke doctrine no not by popishe proceeding This Canon ought to be well remembred as which of it selfe ouerthroweth al Romish religion An obiection S Chrysostomes Masse which was generally vsed in the Greeke church maketh expresse mention of the inuocation of Saintes and the same doctrine is taught in sundry places of his workes The
that a riche man may dine when he list a poore man when he can get meate The religious fast is abstinence with a penitent heart and true faith not onely from all meates and drinkes but euen from all thinges whatsoeuer that may any way nourishe or delite the bodie The forme of which fast is abstinence the matter is meate drinke and whatsoeuer bringeth corporall oblectation the efficient cause is faith and repentance for our sinnes the end is to appease Gods wrath and either to procure deliuerance from our miseries or some mitigation thereof For which cause fasting in the Scriptures is continually ioyned with praier and being vsed as is said God doth accept it for the merites of Christ Iesus not for anie worthinesse in it selfe The third proposition To fast rightly and christianly is to absteine from al meates all drinkes and from all corporall pleasures vntill the end of the fast and to bestowe the whole time in praying in lamenting our sinnes and in hearing the worde of God especially godly sermons For the externall affliction of our bodies by abstaining from meates and drinkes hath no other end effect or vse but to dispose prepare vs as is already said This proposition is prooued by the vsuall practise of holy people in all ages recorded in holy writ for our instruction holy king Dauid so soone as he vnderstood that his childe shoulde die for his sinnes gaue himselfe to fasting and praier and neuer ate while the childe was aliue 2. Sam. 12.5.17 The Niniuites vnderstanding Gods commynations and wrath for their sinnes sate in ashes put on sackcloth gaue themselues to earnest praier and absteined from all meates and drinkes vntill God shewed mercy towardes them Ion. 3.5.7 Holy queene Hester when she ioyned fasting with praier neither ate nor dranke at all vntil the end of her fast Ester 4. verse 16. Neither can it euer bee prooued by the authoritie of holy writ or by the practise of the primitiue Church or by the testimonie of the auncient fathers that Gods people did in any age at any time in any place or countrey vse either to eate or to drinke before the end of their fast whereby appeareth the absurditie of all popishe fasting which thing is most euident by the story of S. Spiridion handled in the next proposition The fourth proposition Popish choice of meates in their late inuented fastes is wicked and intollerable I say first popish choice because to put merite or religion in abstaining from one meate more then another is the peculiar badge of papistes or at least common to them with the Eucratites with the Tatians with the Catherans with the Manichies or like heretiques I prooue it because the Apostle saith plainly that all thinges are pure to the pure but the papistes and other olde heretiques tell vs that certaine meates at certaine times as in Lent in the imber dayes and Fridaies are vnpure and polluted yea so vnpure that they pollute all the eaters thereof and make them guiltie of eternal death Yet the Apostle auoucheth boldly and expresly that euery creature of God is good and that nothing ought to be refused if it bee receiued with thankesgiuing In the first verse of the same chapter he telleth vs that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and giue heede to the doctrine of diuels In the third verse he sheweth what doctrine of deuils he meaneth To wit prohibition to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receiued with giuing of thankes Out of which wordes I note first that no creature of God is impure at anie time which is appointed for the nourishment of man I note secondly that no meate ought to bee refused in Lent or at other times if it be receiued with thankesgiuing I note thirdly that prohibition from certaine meates was not in the apostles time but inuented by heretiques of latter daies I note fourthly that such prohibition is of the diuell I say secondly late inuented fastes because Spiridion who was not only a bishop but also a man so holy that he wrought myracles and was in his life time reputed a Saint did not refuse to eate flesh in the time of Lent and that in his owne house yea he did not only eate fleshe himselfe but withall he intreated a stranger that lodged with him to doe the same And when the straunger refused to eate fleshe with him saying that hee was a christian and so prohibited to eate flesh at that time S. Spiridion replied vpon him and said that the rather he ought to eat flesh because he was a christian for all thinges were pure to the pure Thus did the blessed bishop and man of God renowmed for his rare gift of working miracles Whom the pope would burne for an hereticke with fire and fagot if he were this day liuing in Rome and woulde not retract his opinion For first hee eate fleshe himselfe contrary to popish doctrine Secondly he vrged the stranger to do the same Thirdly he auouched his fact to be the part of a christian Fourthly he signified y t to make conscience in choice of meates was the badge of an infidell Which fourth obseruation I gather out of the word rather Fiftly the fact of Spiridion prooueth that to make choice of meates was deemed superstitious not onely in the Apostles time but many hundred yeares after their departure hence I say thirdly wicked and intollerable first because popishe choise of meates taketh away christian libertie and maketh christian slaues to mans traditions For to the pure all thinges are pure by the libertie of Christes gospel I am perswaded saith the Apostle that no meate is vncleane And he addeth the reason because the kingdome of God is neither meat nor drinke Wherefore we ought not to destroy the worke of God for meates sake In another place he saith that if he should please men he were not the seruant of Christ. To please men is good and godly so long as their pleasure is measured with the holy will of God but when men would spoile vs of our christian libertie then must we fight against their wicked pleasures So S. Paul expoundeth himselfe in these wordes The false brethren creâ—t in priuily to spy out our liberty which we haue in Christ Iesus y t they might bring vs into bondage And why ye are bought with a price be not the seruauntes of men Christ himself forewarned vs to beware of the hypocriticall doctrine of the Pharisies because they corrupted the pure word of God with the mixture of their owne foolish traditions Secondly because the apostle teacheth vs that nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with giuing of thankes Thirdly because no power on earth can alter the word of God Which worde telleth vs that all meates are alike lawfull Fourthly because to commaund the choice of meates for religion sake is to appoint a newe God For
and his annointed magistrate for so much the rare inflicted punishment doth euidently conuince CHAP. XIIII Of Nestorius and his heresie NEstorius Bishop of Constantinople albeit hee denied not Christ to be god as Arrius did yet he affirmed pure man to be borne of the blessed virgin that she therefore ought not to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of God Whose heresie was condemned in the Ephesine councell vnder Theodosius iunior then Emperour of Rome Nestorius his heresie consisted in this that since the blessed virgin was a woman God could not be borne of her and consequently she ought not to be called the mother of God For although he neither denied in Christ the deitie nor the humanitie yet did hee place two persons in Christ together with the two natures and consequently he denied the wonderful hypostaticall vnion which our christian faith acknowledgeth Arrius held that Christ was only man wholly voide of the nature and person of God but Nestorius helde that Christ had both the nature and person of God as also both the nature and the person of man which last was the formalitie of his heresie and therefore ought well to be obserued of the reader For albeit there be two natures in Christ the nature of God and the nature of man yet is theâ—re but one onely person in Christ which is the person or subsistence of God for in that diuine person by vnspeakeable hypostaticall vnion the true nature of man subsisteth without the person of man By reason hereof it is truely saide and christianly beleeued the sonne of God was borne of the blessed virgin the sonne of God did suffer torments the sonne of God was crucified the sonne of God rose againe the third day the sonne of God ascended into heauen All which Nestorius denied because hee seuered the natures by multiplying persons in Christ Iesus Christ therefore taking vpon him the nature of man did single it from the person of man vniting it to himselfe and making it subsist in his diuine person by reason of which supernatural vnion Christ became perfect God and perfect man hauing two distinct natures subsisting in one indistinct person CHAP. XV. Of Macedonius and his heresie MAcedonius the Bishop of Constantinople denied the holyghost to be God he said the sonne was God indeed and equal with the father in substance but the holyghost with him was without honor and dignitie a seruant and minister little better then the Angels For the condemnation of this wicked heretike and heresie the second generall councell was holden at Constantinople vnder the Emperours Graâ—ianus and Theodosius where were assembled 150. fathers for that onely end and purpose CHAP. XVI Of Eutiches and his heresie EUtiches whose complices Dioscorus and Seuerus helde the same opinion was the Abbot of Constantinople who while hee sought to auoid the opinion of Nestorius diuiding one Christ into two sonnes and two persons fell into another mischiefe and taught more absurdly then Nestorius to wit that Christ had but one onely nature after the hypostaticall vnion was accomplished because the humanitie was absorpte of the diuinitie for so Christs diuinitie vncapeable of all mortalitie was peâ—force made partaker of the bitter death vpon the crosse as therfore Nestorius to auoide the confusion of natures multiplied the persons so contrariewise Eutiches to auoide the multiplicitie of persons admitted the confusion of natures These heretikes Eutiches Dioscorus and Seuerus were condemned by the fourth famous generall councel of Chalcedon celebrated vnder Ualentinianus and Martianus the Emperours where were present 360. Bishops CHAP. XVII Of Mahomet and the Saracens MAhomet descended of the Image of Ismael and Agar and being a very poore orphane ioyned himselfe to his kinswoman Chadiga first as an hired seruant afterward as her betrothed husband so was greatly enriched by her as who was a woman of exceeding wealth Which Chadiga when she took very heauily that Mahomet was troubled with the faling euil he told her it was no disease but that the archangel Gabriel then appeered to him whose wonderfull maiestie because he was not able to behold he fell groueling vpon the ground This Mahomet professed himselfe to be the mighty prophet of the euerliuing God by that meanes stirred vp to sedition great troupes of men aswel in Asia as in Africa which people he infected with a new kind of religion perswaded them that they were called Saracens by Gods holy decree of Sara the wife of Abraham that they were the lawful successors of that diuine promise that was made to Abraham his seed for euer The form of the aforesaid mangled religion Mahomet who was borne and buried in Mecha a citie in Arabia composed by the help of the Arrian monke Sergius and called it the Alcoran which word Alcoran in the Arabian language signifieth law or doctrine In which Alcoran they professe that Christ is a prophet and an excellent doctour but withall they deny him to be God and the true Sauiour of the world The Saracens called Arabians of the place Ismaelites of Ismael and Agarenes of Agar being in wages vnder Heraclius the emperour rebelled for want of pay about the yere of Christ 628. and within 38. yeeres they conquered all Syria Damascus Ierusalem much of Assyria and the greater part of Asia al which they subdued to the religion of Mahomet at that time but newly broched and of the Arabians or Saracens first of all receiued For so soone as the Agarenes dwelling in Arabia and seruing in wars vnder Cesar vnderstoode by proclamation that they could no longer haue the emperours pay they stirred vp sedition against the Romane captaines by the meanes whereof the power of Mahomet encreased to whome the common people being destitute of an head and in some distresse for want of mony did submit themselues aswell for his great riches as for other his singular gifts The Iewes Arrians and pseudochristians did al embrace Mahomets Alcoran and mangled religion they first subdued Arabia and part of Syria for in Damascus Mahomet had his pallace The Saracens hauing mightily enlarged their dominions diuided themselues into seuerall gouernements they termed their chiefe lord Caeliphae their next gouernour Seriphes next to him a Sultan who was ouer euery prouince at length the empire was translated to the Turkes CHAP. XVIII Of the originall of the Turkes THe Egyptians wearied with the yoke of the Romans submitted themselues to the Saracens and receiued their religion They continued Saracens aboue 400. yeres vntil such time as the Sultan of Syria conquered them which was about the yeere of our Sauiour Iesus 1170. at which time he made himselfe Sultan of Egypt also at length the multitude of captiues which the Sultan had brought from the Tartarians for his warres growing mighty killed the Sultan took to themselues the kingdome of Egypt They called their king Turquemenius and conquered al Asia the lesse from the Sultan of Asia
for ecclesiasticall persons as others that for many hundreth yeares togither after Christes glorious ascension into heauen This proposition I prooue many waies First because Peter Iames Paul Philip and the rest of the apostles were all married as is already prooued Secondly because sundrie of the holy fathers had wiues and children S. Gregory Nazianzene was a bishops sonne and admitted to the pastorall charge by his father in his life time S. Cheremon the bishop of Nicopolis in Egypt was a married man and a stout confessor For both he and his wife being wel stricken in yearâ—s fled from persecution to a mountaine in Arabia from whence they neither returned neither were after that seene of any man S. Philogonius so highly commended by S. Chrysostome was a married bishop and had a daughter S. Spiridion who wrought wonderfull myracles in his life time was the bishop of Cyprus and a married man he had a daughter Irene by name who being full of pietie and sanctimonie of life died a virgine This married bishop liued about 350. yeares after Christ. Eupsychius the bishop of Caesaria was a married man and soone after his marriage martyred for Christ Iesus For as Nicephorus and Cassiodorus report in their ecclesiasticall histories he was put to death being as yet in manner a new married man Thirdly because the Popes owne canon lawe telleth vs that many Popes were the sons of priests to wit Bonifacius Agapitus Theodorus Syluerius Foelix Hosius Gelasius Deusdedit and many others But perhaps our papists will say that all these were bastards and answer with their glosse that vitium tollitur per successionem the fault is taken away by succession Oh what will not poperie doe But yet wee may put them in mind of another canon which telleth them that al these Popes aforenamed were legitimate children because in those dayes Popes and Bishops might marrie lawfully Which assertion proueth exactly my proposition Fourthly because many councels haue decreed this veritie and the Apostles themselues in their canons haue set down this decree Episcopus aut presbyter aut diaconus vxorem suam praetextu religionis non abiicito si abiicit segregator à communione si perseuerat deponator Let neither Bishop nor Priest nor Deacon put away his wife vnder pretence of religion if hee so doe let him be excommunicate if he contâ—â—ue let him be deposed Out of these words I note first that in the dayes of the Apostles it was lawfull for Bishoppes Priests and Deacons to haue wiues I note secondly that if either Bishop priest or Deacon shoulde put away his wife vnder pretence of holynesse or religion for that his offence hee ought to bee excommunicated I note thirdly that if the Bishoppe priest or Deacon would not receiue his wife againe whome he had put away vnder pretence of holinesse which the Pope this day so straitly commaundeth then such Priest Bishoppe and Deacon ought to bee depriued of his liuing I note fourthly that these Canons how soeuer they be indeede are highly magnified of the papists and therefore must they of necessitie be a forceable testimonie against them In the councell of Ancyra it was decreed that the deacons who in the time of their orders saide they woulde marrie shoulde continue still in the ministerie euen after the celebration of their marriage Where note that this councell was holden about three hundred and eight yeeres after Christs incarnation The councel of Gangra accursed him that thought a married priest might not minister the holy communion The third councell of Constantinople the sixt generall synode so called decreed that Priests Deacons and subdeacons should continue with their lawfull wiues and begeâ—te children at al such time times as they were not in actual execution of the ministerie albeit they knew the church of Rome to haue another custome This famous generall councel was holden about the yere of our Lord 681. where were present two hundred eightie and nine bishops al which though so many in number and liuing so manie yeeres after Christ confessed neuerthelesse that the marriage of Priests was a lawfull thing The fift Proposition The prohibition of marriage in ecclesiastical persons is not onely against Gods holy ordinance but withall the flat doctrine of the deuill The former part of this proposition I proue sundrie waies First Saint Paul willeth euerie man to haue his wife and euery woman to haue her husband and that for this end and purpose to auoid fornication Out of which words I note first that where euerie man is named there doubtlesse no man is excepted I note secondly that marriage is a soueraigne medicine against fornication and therefore ought to be vsed of all such as finde themselues grieued with that disease And consequently since that disease is as well incident to persons ecclesiasticall as secular the medicine is as necessarie and as lawful for the one sort as it is for the other For which cause Paphnutius spake openly in the councel of Nice that it was vnlawfull to debarre Bishops and Priests from their wiues but hereof more at large heereafter Secondly S. Paule hauing commended the estate of the vnmarried and widowes as more conuenient and profitable doth forthwith wish those that cannot abstaine to vse the remedie of marriage And hee yeeldeth this reason because it is better to marrie then to burne Thirdly marriage is honourable among all and the vndefiled bed but whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge Out of which words I note first that since marriage is honourable in all sorts of men it ought not to be blamed in persons ecclesiasticall vnlesse happily which the Apostle perceiued not their function taketh from them the nature of men I note secondly the antithesis which the Apostle here maketh for as adulterie shal be punished in all sorts of people none at all excepted euen so must marriage bee honourable in all sorts no one or other exempted from the same And where the wound is common to all there the medicine must not be applied onely to some few For as Haymo gathereth learnedly adulterers are therefore iustly punished because the remedie of wedlocke is granted to them nowe if this learned writer who liued aboue 700 yeeres agoe conclude effectually out of S. Paul as euerie indifferent reader will say hee doth then doubtlesse must it folow necessarily that either ecclesiastical persons may as lawfully marrie as others or else that they cannot bee so iustly punished for fornication as other men ought to be This illation is so euident as none with right reason will denie the same Fourthly Saint Paul confesseth plainely that hee hath no authoritie to command single life or verginitie therefore the Pope chalengeth greater authoritie then the Apostle when he commandeth to abstaine from marriage Fiftly Christ appointeth marriage for all such as are neyther eunuches made by men nor by the
They call that a solemne vow which moonkes friers nunnes and other religious persons make and all the rest they repute vowes simple This distinction layd as a sound foundation they erect a manifold building thereupon in maner and forme following The first building Whosoeuer marrieth after the single vow of continencie he or she sinneth mortally but the mariage holdeth and is of force Thus teach all popish doctors with vniforme consent Angelus Rosilla Calderinus Couarrunias Paludanus Maior Siluester Nauarrus Fumus Scotus Sotus Aquinas and the rest I will only alledge the wordes of â—umus in the name of all who writeth in this manner Secundum impedimentum est votum simplex Nam qui vouit castitatem simpliciter si contrahat mortaliter peccat violans fidem deo datam tameâ— tenet matrimonium The second impediment is a single vow for hee that voweth chastitie simply if he afterward marry committeth a mortall sinne in breaking his promise made to God but yet the matrimonie holdeth and is of force The second building Euery marriage of man and woman made after the solemne vow of approoued religion is not only damnable in the partie contrahent but also void and of no force at all This likewise teach all popish doctors Aquinas Couarruâ—ias Siluester Nauarre and the rest Fumus hath these wordes Tertium impedimentum est votum non quodcunque sed solenne religionis approbatae siue fuerit professio expresse siue tacitè facta quia impedit ne quis possit contrahere matrimonium si contrahat est nullum The third impediment is a vow yet not euery one but the solemne vow of approoued religion whether profession bee made expressely or virtually because it so hindereth as none can marrie and if they doe marry such matrimony is none at all Where note that the papistes call that only approoued religion which is confirmed by the pope or bishop of Rome The third building Matrimonie euen after the solemne vow of religion is lawfull and of force so it be done by and with the popes dispensation This doctrine is taught vs by many learned papists Antoninus Richardus Hugo Innocentius Couarruuias and by the reall practise of sundry popes Thus writeth Antoninus whom I alledge in the name of the rest Papa dispensare potest in statuto concilij vniuersalis De voto solenni per professionem etiam patet quod licet papa non possit facere quod professus non fuit professus potest tamen facere quod non sit obligatus religioni ad votum religionis quiae in omni voto intelligitur excepta authoritate papae Infra communiter canonistae tenent quod papa potest dispensare in voto solenni religionis non quidem tantum vt sit religiosus non seruet vota sed de religioso potest facere laicum ex magna causa vrgente The pope can dispense in the decrees of a generall councell It is also cleere that he can dispense in a solemne vow by profession For although the pope cannot make a professed person not to haue been professed yet can he this doe that the professed person shal neither be bouÌ„d to his religion nor to his vow because we must vnderstand that in euery vow the popes authoritie is excepted and the Canonistes doe commonly holde that the pope can dispense in the solemne vowe of religion not only that one be still a religious person and keepe not his vow but of a religious person hee can make a meere lay man vpon an vrgent cause The fourth building A solemne vow hath not force of it selfe and of it owne nature to dissolue matrimonie and to make the solemne votaries vncapable thereof but all the force and efficacie it hath therein is wholly deriued from the ordinance of the church of Rome This teacheth their owne deere frier and reuerend bishop Iosephus Angles whose doctrine is approoued by the late popes of Rome Thus therefore doth Iosephus write Ratio praecisa ob quam votum solenne dirimit matrimonium contrahendum vouentes solenniter inhabilitat est ecclesiae institutio quae vt consanguineos intra quartum gradum ita huiusmodi personas ad contrahendum inhabilitat Definita est a Bonifacio 8. cap. vnico de voâ—o in 6. vbi solum constituit Rom. pontif discrimen inter votum solenne matrimonium Deinde quia possit ecclesia instituere vt in mundo nullum sit votuÌ„ soleÌ„ne matrimoniuÌ„ dirimens quare voti solennitas est ab ecclesia noÌ„ a deo ex nullo enim loco sacrae scripturae colligitur inhabilitas vouentis solenniter vt contrahere non possit Nam per traditionem quae fit in voto solenni non est ex iure diuino naturali inhabilis vouens adalium statum quia subdiaconus diaconus tradunt se deo voto solenni castitatis obedientiae tamen papa cum illis saepissimê dispensat vt Soto concedit The precise reason for which a solemne vow dissolueth matrimonie to bee contracted and disableth those that solemnely vow it is the institution of the church of Rome which as it inableth kinsfolkes within the fourth degree to contract marriage so doth it also the said votaries Bonifacius the eight hath so defined where the bishop of Rome onely appointeth the difference betweene a solemne vow and matrimonie Againe because the church of Rome might make a law that no solemne vow in the worlde should dissolue wedlocke wherefore the solemnitie of the vow is of the church and not of God For the inabilitie of the solemne vower so as he cannot marrie is not gathered out of any place of the holy scripture For by the tradition which is in the solemne vow the person vowing is not inabled to another state either by the law diuine or law of nature because Deacons and Subdeacons deliuer vp themselues to God by the solemne vow of chastitie and obedience and for all that the pope often dispenseth with them as Soto graunteth Nauarrus auoucheth constantly and without blushing that many popes haue dispensed de facto with professed moonkes and that in the way of marriage these are his wordes Papa potest dispensare cum monacho iam professo vt contrahat matrimonium imò de facto multi papae dispensarunt The pope can dispense with a moonke already professed that he may become a married man For many popes de facto haue dispensed so Couarruuias Richardus Paludanus Scotus Caietanus and Antoninus hold the selfe same opinion The fift building The vow single is of one and the same nature with the vow solemne not distinguished by any essentiall but meere accidentall difference For thus writeth their owne Iosephus Angles Votum solenne simplex ex parte subiecti specie accidentali differunt propterea quod voti simplicis subiectum est ad coÌ„trahendum matrimonium habile licet contrahendo peccet At verò subiectum voti solennis est