null and giveth no Authority which nullifieth the Roman succession § 56. Decrees about Souls § 57. Leo 10. a Cardinal at 13. and an Archbishop in his Childhood His Wars and bloodshed § 58. Luther The Reformation The end of Charles 5. § 59. Leo's death § 60. Reformers drive the Papists to Learning § 61. All Papist Princes owe their safety Crowns and deliverance from Papal deposition to the Reformation and Italy its peace § 62. The History of the Reformation and of Papists Murders of Martyrs passed by § 63. Freder of Saxony refuseth the Empire and Money and chose Charles § 64. Thirty five cases for which men must be denyed Communion in the Eucharist § 65. Later Reforming Papist Councils § 66 c. The Conclusion what this History specially discovereth § 70. A Poem of Mr. Herbert's called The Church Militant CHAP. 14. A Confutation of Papists and Sectaries who deny and oppose the Ministry of the Reformed Churches CHAP. 15. A Confutation of the prophane Opposers of the Ministry An Account of some Books lately Printed for and to be Sold by Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Arms in Ludgate-street A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice Wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained and several new Directions given for the promoting of real Holiness both of Heart and Life To which is added a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and Customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Uncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice and Idleness by Sam. Cradock B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somersetshire Vseful for the instruction of private Families Price bound 4 s. De Analogia sive Arte linguae Latinae Commentariolus In quo omnia etiam reconditioris Gramaticae Elementa ratione novâ tractantur ad brevissimos Canones rediguntur In usum Provectioris Adolescentiae Opera Wilhelmi Baxteri Philistoris Price bound 1 s. 6 d. The lively Effiges of the Reverend Mr. Mathew Pool So well performed as to represent his true Idea to all that knew him or had a Veneration for him Design'd on purpose to befriend those that would prefix it to his Synopsis Criticorum Price 6 d. Moral Prognostications 1. What shall befall the Churches on Earth till their Concord by the Restitution of their Primitive Purity Simplicity and Charity 2. How that Restitution is like to be made if ever and what shall befal them thenceforth unto the end in that Golden Age of Love Written by Richard Baxter when by the Kings Commission we in vain treated for Concord 1661. and now Published 1680 Price 1s The Nonconformists Advocate or an Account of their Judgment in certain things in which they are mis-understood Written principally in Vindication of a Letter from a Minister to a Person of Quality shewing some Reasons for his Nonconformity Price 1s There is Published every Thursday a Mercurius Librarius or A Faithful Account of all Books and Pamphlets Published every Week In which may be inserted any thing fit for a Publick Advertisement at a moderate Rate Directions to the Binder of Baxter's Church History c. After the Title Sheet follows a b c d e then B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S then AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II KK LL MM NN OO PP then SS TT VV XX YY ZZ AAA BBB CCC DDD EEE then GGG and so on to QQQ which Signiture ends the Book Church-History OF BISHOPS And their COUNCILS ABRIDGED c. CHAP. I. Of the sacred Ministry Episcopacy and Councils necessary Premonitions and of the Design of this Book § 1. GOD that could have enlightned the Earth without the Sun and Stars could immediately alone have taught his Church and communicated knowledge to mankind But as he is the most communicative good he was pleased not only to make his Creatures receptive of his own influx but also to give them the use and honour of being efficient sub-communicants under him and causes of good to themselves and to one another And as his Power gave Being and Motion his Wisdom gave Order and Harmony and his Love gave Goodness and Perfection felicity and love as he is the creating and conserving Cause of Nature and this in much inequality as he was the free disposer of his own so in the Kingdom of Grace he doth by the Spirit of Life Light and Love 1. Quicken and strengthen the dead and weak souls and awaken the slumbering and slothful 2. Illuminate the dark with Faith and Knowledge and 3. Sanctifie the malignant Enemies of holiness by the power of his communicated love making them friends and joyful lovers This Spirit first filled the Humane Nature of Christ our Head who first communicated it to some chosen persons in an eminent manner and degree as Nature maketh the heart and brain and other principal parts to be organical in making preserving and governing the rest To these he gave an eminence of Power to work Miracles of Wisdom to propagate the Word of life and infallibly by Preaching and Writing promulgate and record his sacred Gospel and of holy love to kindle the like by zealous holiness in the hearts of others To these organical persons he committed the Oeconomy of being the witnesses of his words and actions his resurrection and ascension and of recording them in writing of planting his first Churches and sealing the truth of their testimony by many Miracles promising them his Spirit to perform all that he committed to their trust and to bring all to their remembrance and to lead them into all truth and to communicate instrumentally his Spirit to others the sanctifying gifts by blessing their Doctrine and the miraculous gifts by their imposition of hands § 2. By these principal Ministers the first Church was planted at Ierusalem fitliest called the Mother-Church and after by those that were sent thence many Churches were gathered in many Kingdoms of the world darkness being not able to resist the light The Apostles and Evangelists and Prophets delivered to them the Oracles of God teaching them to observe all things that Christ had commanded them and practically teaching them the true Worship of God ordering their Assemblies and ordaining them such Officers for sacred Ministration as Christ would have continued to the end of the world and shewing the Churches the way by which they must be continued and describing all the work of the Office appointed them by Christ. § 3. The Apostles were not the Authors of the Gospel or of any essential part of the Christian Religion but the Receivers of it from Christ and Preachers of it to the world Christ is the Author and finisher or perfecter of our faith But they had besides the power of infallible remembring knowing and delivering it a double power about matters of Order in the Church 1. By the special gift of the Spirit 's inspiration to found and stablish
Lover of Truth he used to do such things as these which are familiar with men of exquisite honesty who through their excellent study of Godliness use this great liberty of Speech Therefore when he saw things ill carried in the Churches he sometimes spake his thoughts and could not forbear blaming them As if he saw any of the Clergy over covetous of Money be it Bishop or Priest he would reprehend them or if any abounded in luxury and pleasures or if they corrupted any part of the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church he would not bear with them but blame them Which was troublesome to men of a dissolute life And therefore he underwent the greatest contumelies being exagitated by the hatred and malicious words of them all But he being thus tossed about and beaten and reproached did bear it all with an equal mind and thus long continued in the Communion of the Church Till some that were more vehemently offended with him for these Causes cast him out But yet he patiently bore all this but being more earnestly intent for the promoting of the Truth he still studied not to be drawn away from the Conjunction and Society of the Catholick Church But when he and his friends were still beaten and suffered unworthy usage groaning under these evils he took Counsel of the violence of these calamities and contumelies And so he separated himself from the Church and many falling away with him a new Divorce was hereby made For he did not in any thing depart from the right faith but he with his partakers held in all things sincere Religion Though in one small matter they are too stiff About the Father Son and Holy Ghost they judg excellently and as the Catholick Church and swerve not a jot and the rest of the order of their Lives is truly most excellent and admirable so that not only He himself but even the Bishops Priests and all the rest of them live by the labour of their hands Indeed they had a conceit that the Body did partake of the Image of God and they thought that to please Constantine the Nicene Council had altered the Custom and Tradition of the Church about Easter But these were not the causes of their departure from the Church but the violence of dissolutâ— Bishops that cast them out as being impatient of their strictness and opposition to their sin § 8. About Easter saith Epiphanius p. 821. Neque â—ruditis ignotum est quà m saepe diversis temporibus de illius festi celebritate varii Ecclesiasticae disciplinae tumultus ac contentiones obortae sint praesertim Polycarpi ac Victoris aetate cùm Orientales ab Occidentalibus divulsi â—acificas à se invicem literas nullas acciperent Quod idem aliis temporibus accidit velut Alexandri Episcopi Alexandrini Crescentii quemadmodum contra se mutuò scripserint acerrimè pugnaverint Quae animorum opinionumque distractio ex quo semel post Episcopos illos qui ex circumcisione ac Iudaeorum sectâ ad Christum se converterant agitari coepit ad nostra usque tempora eodem est tenore perducta By which we see 1. With what caution Tradition must be trusted 2. How early Bishops began to divide the Church about things indifferent § 9. That men that all in the main fear God should thus contend abuse and persecute one another is sad and hath even been a hardening of Infidels But alas the remnant of corruption in the best will somewhat corrupt their conversations It is a sad note of Epiphanius ib. p. 816. I have known some of the Confessours who delivered up Body and Soul for their Lord and persevering in confession and chastity obtained greatest sincerity of faith and excelled in piety humanity and Religion and were continual in fastings and in a word did flourish in all honesty and virtue yet the same men were blemished with some vice as either they were prone to reproach men or would swear by the name of God or were over talkative or prone to anger or got gold and silver or were defiled with some such filth which yet detract nothing from the just measure of virtue § 10. But as God made a good use of the falling out of Paul and Barnabas so he did of Audius his unhappy case Being cast out of the Church he took it to be his dâ—ty to Communicate with his own party and a Bishop that suffered for the like made him a Bishop and the Bishops accused him to the Emperour that he drew many people from the obedience of the Church and hereupon the Emperour banished him into Scythia Dwelling there he went into the inner parts of Gothia and there instructed many of the barbarous in the principles of Christianity and gathered many Monasteries of them wâ—o lived in great religious strictness p. 827. But it is hard to stop short of extreams when men are alienated by scandal and violence They caâ—â—e to so great a dislike of the Bishops of the common Churches that they would not pray with any man how blameless soever that did but hold Communion with the Church Vranius a Bishop and some others joyning with them made Bishops of the Goths Note out of Epiphanius p. 827 828. what Country was called Gothia in those times § 11. It is not to be past over that at the Nicene Council the first speaker and one of the chief against the Arians was Eustathius Bishop of Antioch And when Eusebius Nicomed was made Bishop of Constaâ—tinople he pretended a desire to see Ierusalem and passing through Antioch secretly hired a Whore to swear that Eustathius was the Father of her child and getting some Bishops of his Faction together they judged Eustathius to be deposed as an Adulterer and got the Emperour to consent and banish him And after the Woman in misery confessed all and said that it was one Eustathius a Smith that was the father of her child § 12. In Pisanus's Conâ—il Nic. Bin. p. 332. this Eustathius is made the first Disputer against a Philosopher And whereas the great cause of the Arians Errour was that they could not conceive how the Son could be of one substance with the Father without a partition of that substance Eustathius tells the Philosopher that took their part and urged Faciamus hominem ad Imaginem c. that The Image of God is simple and without all composition being of the nature of fire but he meaneth sure but analogically § 13. In the same Pisanus lib. 3. p. 345. Bin. the description of the Church is There is one Church in Heaven and Earth in this the Holy Ghost resteth But Heresies that are without it are of Satan Therefore the Pope was not then taken for the Head of the Catholick Church For he pretendeth not to be the Head of them that are in Heaven See what the Catholick Church then was § 14. Note that 1. the Council of Nice nameth none Patriarchs 2. They nullifie the Ordination
not temporal estates under them to take any oath of allegiance or fidelity to any Lay-man The 44. is to invalidate Lay-Ruler's Laws about ecclesiastical matters as Glebes Mortuaries c. the rest I pass by § 196. In this Council besides the Albigenses and Abbot Ioachim Almaricus a learned man was condemned they say he said that All Christians were Christs members and they add how truly is doubtfull suffered by the Iews with him that Christ's body was no more in the sacrament than in another thing That Incense as offered in the Church is Idolatry That every Christian is bound to believe that he is a member of Christ That if Adam had not sinned there should have been no generating in Paradise nor difference of sexes We must take these things on the report of such as Sanders with some other that they charge on him for which when they had killed him with grief they dig'd up his corps and burnt it as they were then burning multitudes of the living § 197. In this Council Stephen Laughton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed for taking part with the Barons of England against King Iohn whose case was now become the Pope's when he had given him his Kingdom in so much that when the Arch-Bishop confessed and begged absolution his Holiness answered By St. Peter Brother thou shalt not so easily get absolution who hast done so many and so great injuries not only to the K. of England but to the Church of Rome § 198. Let the Reader note that 1. General Councils are the Papists religion 2. That this is one of their greatest approved General Councils 3. That therefore by their Law and Religion they are bound to exterminate all Protestants and that all Princes must be deposed that will not execute it and their dominion given to others that will 4. That all Protestants and others called Hereticks are dead men in Law and want but judgment and execution where their Law is in force 5. That the Henrician heresie is one that is judged such by their Councils 6. That therefore not only all Protestant Kings but all Papists that are for the safety and power of Kings against the Popes pretended power of condemning and deposing them are Hereticks to be exterminated and burnt by many Canons 7. Therefore Kings are beholden to the Protestant reformation disabling the Pope to execute his Laws and Religion for their Crowns and lives 8. That when ever any King or others set up Popery and the power of their Laws and Councils in a Kingdom that is reformed the subjects are presently dead men in Law being to be destroyed as Hereticks though Policy or want of power may hinder the execution 9. Qu. Whether it be lawful for any King or in his authority so to destroy his Kingdom or to make all or the generality of his subjects dead men in Law 10. Whether by these Laws the Pope and his consenting Bishops have not published themselves to be hostes Regum et Regnorum if not humani generis and are not so to be esteemed § 199. Note also that D. Heylin in his Certamen Epistolare against me answereth that it is not Kings but temporal Lords that are mentioned in this Council and that he and Bishop Taylor and Bishop Gunning and Bishop Pearson in their dispute published by Terret or Iohnson and others before them have maintained that these Canons were but proposed by Pope Innocent and not consented to and passed by the Council But to the first It is clear 1. that by Domini Temporales Councils ordinarily mean Emperors and Kings as well as any others 2. That the words of the Council are express eâdem nihilominus lege servatâ circa eos qui non habent Dominâ—s principales And to the 2d I answer 1. The Church of Rome actually taketh this for one of their approved General Councils and will not be beholden to our Bishops for their friendly favour and excuse And therefore it is all one to us whether the Council consented or not 2. Mr. Henry Dodwel in his late considerations how far Papists may be trusted by Princes c. pag. 167 pag. 174 c. hath fully answered all the reasons given by these Bishops as Terret did in part before and hath added abundant proof that these Canons were passed in that Council 1. From the Council at Oxford where Stephen Laughton himself was 2. From Mat Paris who is alledged for the contrary 3 From Gregory 9th's decertals 4 From the case of Iohn Blunt elect Bishop of Canterbury recited by Mat. Paris an 1233. 5. From Otto the Pope's Legate in M. Paris an 1237. and that London Council 6. From the Popes Letter to Otto an 1238 in M. Paris 7. From Honorius the 3d's condemnation of Rich. de Marisco Bishop of Durham 8. From P. Clement the 5th's Bull for King Philip the Fair. 9. From the Council of Tarragon 10. From the Council at Vienna under Clement 4th 11. From the General Council at Lyons under Gregory 10th 12. From the Sabine Council in Spain 13. From a Council at Toledâ— under Benedict 12th 14. And from the Council of Trent 15. From the Common sense of the Case of Abbot Ioachim 16. And of the word Transubstantiation 17. And of annual confession All taken as setled by this Council So that as the Papists will not accept of this Charity of our Bishops in excusing their Religion from this part of guilt so there is little place indeed for an excuse § 200. The Papists themselves though they have many other Councils and instances to prove the Popes Claim and Practice of deposing Princes yet will not let go this as being a famous General Council But when here in England they would excuse their Religion from Rebellion they use to say that this being not an Article of Faith but a Canon of Practice they are not bound to take it as infallible To which the said Mr. Henry Dodwell ibid. pag. 185. hath largely answered to which I refer the Reader adding only that That which must be Believed to be of God is not alway matter of practice yet what must be done as by the wiâ— of God must alwaies be first the matter of faith we must believe that it is God's will before we can obey it as his will The full answer see as aforecited § 201. In the performance of the Laws of this Council multitudes called hereticks were burnt Their St. Dominick preaching to the people to perswade them to take arms under the Sign of the Cross to destroy the Hereticks for to get pardon of their sins so that from first to last many hundred thousand some say two millions but that seemeth too much were killed in France Savoy Germany Italy and other Countreys see Sam. Clerk Martyrol and Arch-Bishop Vsher deâ—success Eccles Thus hath Papal Rome been built and maintained by Blood Rebellion and Confusion under pretence of Church Purity Unity and Government and all by
the Parliaments complaints of Popery Arminianism and Arbitrary Illegalities and after saith Hist. Presb. p. 465. 470. The truth is that as the English generally were not willing to receive that yoak so neither did the Houses really intend to impose it on them though for a while to hold fair quarter with the Scots they seemed forward in it This appears by their Declaration of April 1646 Nor have they lived to see their dear Presbytery setled or their Lay-Elders entertained in any one Parish of the Kingdome that 's false on the other side and yet all must be done by this Parliament as Presbyterians four years before when they were Episcopal distasting only the persons and actions of Bishop Laud Wren and some other present Bishops If I find a man like Schlusselburgiâ—s fall Pell-mell with reproach on all that differ from him or Dr. Heylin speak of blood with pleasure and as thirsty after more as of Thacker Vdall c. or as designing to make Dissenters odious as he and most of the Papists Historians do as the Image of both Churches Philanax Anglicus the Historical Collections out of Heylin I will believe none of these revilers further than they give me Cogent proof I hear of a Scots Narrative of the Treasons Fornications Witchcrafts and other wickedness of some of the Scottish Presbyterians and as for me the Author knoweth not what to call me unless it be a Baxterian as intending to be a Haeresiarcha being neither Papist nor of the Church of England nor Presbyterian nor Independent c. To this I say I have no acquaintance with any Scots Minister nor ever had in my life except with Bishop Sharp that was murdered and two other Bishops and two or three that live here in London therefore what they are I know not save by Fame But though I have heard that Country asperst as too much inclin'd to Fornication I never before heard the Religious part and Ministers so accused Either it is true or false if false shame be to the reporters if true what doth it concern us here or any that are innocent any further than to abhor it and lament it and to be thankful to God that it is another sort of men that are called Puritans in England and that in all my acquaintance with them these 56 years which hath been with very many in many Countries I remember not that ever I heard of one Puritan man or woman save one accused or suspected of fornication and that one yet living though openly penitent hath lived disowned and shamed to this day but I have heard of multitudes that revile them that make a jest and common practice of it Try whether you can make the Inhabitants of this City believe that the Nonconformists or Puritans are fornicators drunkards or perjured and that their accusers and haters are innocent men that hate them for such Crimes But it s possible that you may make men of other Countries or Ages believe it and believe that we wear Horns and have Cloven Feet and what you will but I fear not all your art or advantages on those that are acquainted with both sides But the misery is that faction ingageth men to associate only with their party where they hear reproaches of the unknown dissenters from whom they so estrange themselves that the Neighbours near them are as much unknown to them save by lying same as if they lived an hundred miles from them I remember Mr. Cressey once wrote to me that he turned from the Protestant Religion to the Roman because there was among us no spiritual Books of Devotion for Soul Elevations and affectionate Contemplation And I told him it was Gods just Judgment on him that lived so strange to his Neighbours because they are called Puritans and to their Writings which Shops and Libraries abound with had he read Bishop Halls Mr. Greenhams Mr. Ri. Rogers Mr. Io. Rogers Mr. Hildershams Mr. Boltons Mr. Perkins Mr. Downhams Mr. Reyners Dr. Sibbes c. yea or no better than my own the Saints Rest the Life of Faith the Divine Life the Christian Directory c. or had he read the Lives of Divines called Puritans or but such as two young men published partly by my self Ioseph Allen and Iohn Ianeway he would never have gone from the Protestants to the Papists because of our formality and want of an affectionate spiritual sort of devotion especially knowing what excess of formality is among the Papists and how much it is of the Clergies accusation of the Puritans that they are for too little form and too much pretence of spiritual devotion But if any called Religious or Puritans or Presbyterians be vicious I know no men that so heartily desire their punishment and ejection as those that are called by the same names I thank God that these twenty years while neither Wit Will nor Power hath been wanting against them I have scarce heard of two men if one that have been judged and proved guilty of any such immorality of all the ejected silenced Ministers in this Land I would I could say so of their Adversaries II. And now I must speak to the Accusers speeches of my self I thank you Sir that you feigned no worse against me if I am an Haeresiarcha why would not you vouchsafe to name that Heresie which I have owned I have given you large Field-room in near 80 Books and few men can so write as that a willing man may not find some words which he is able to call Heresie A little learning wit or honesty will serve for such an hereticating presumption 2. I never heard that Arminius was called an Arminian nor â—â—ther a Lutheran nor Bishop Laud a Laudian but if you be upon the knack of making Names you best know your ends and best know how to fit them to it 3. But seriously do you not know my Judgment will not about 80 Books inform you how then can I help it 4. No but you know not what Party I am of nor what to call me I am sorrier for you in this than for my self if you know not I will tell you I am a CHRISTIAN a MEER CHRISTIAN of no other Religion and the Church that I am of is the Christian Church and hath been visible where ever the Christian Religion and Church hath been visible But must you know what Sect or Paâ—â—y I am of I am against all Sects and dividing Parties But if any will call Meer Christians by the name of a Party because they take up with meer Christianity Creed and Scripture and will not be of any dividing or contentious Sect I am of that Party which is so against Parties If the Name CHRISTIAN be not enough call me a CATHOLICK CHRISTIAN not as that word signifieth an hereticating majority of Bishops but as it signifieth one that hath no Religion but that which by Christ and the Apostles was left to the Catholick Church or the Body of Jesus Christ on Earth
Governours besides Magistrates but such as Philosophers in their Schools who were appointed to set up Holy Societies for Divine Doctrine Worship and Holy Living and to Guide them accordingly by Teaching Worship and Government by the Word forbidding them the Sword or Force they are said to have the Keys of the Church and the Kingdom of Heaven because as Grace is Glory in the seed the Church is Heaven in the seed and the Pastors were the Administrators of Sacraments and Church-priviledges and therefore the Judges who were fit for them who should be Baptized who should Communicate and in what rank and who should be denied these admonished or excluded and who should as far as belongeth to others be judged meet or unmeet for Heaven And so the Christian Societies were to be kept clean and not to be like the polluted World of Infidels And the Pastors had no other power to use but were to judge only those within and leave them without to Gods own judgment and to the Magistrate who was not to punish any one for not being in or of the Church or for departing from it which is a grievous punishment it self But Magistrates being then Heathens the Christians were hard put to it for the decision of their quarrels For the love of the world and selfishness were but imperfectly cured in them They went to Law before Heathen Judges with each other and this became a snare and a scandal to them S. Paul therefore childeth them for not ending differences by Christian Arbitrators among themselves as if there were none among them wise enough to Arbitrate Hereupon the Churches taking none to be wiser or trustier than their Pastors made them their Arbitrators and it became a censurable scandal for any to accuse a Church-member to a Magistrate and to have Suits at Law By this means the Bishop becoming a Stated Arbitrator thereby became the Governour of the Christians but with his Presbyters and not alone But because Bishops had no power of the sword to touch mens bodies or estates but only to suspend them from Church-Communion and Excommunicate them or impose penitential Confessions on them therefore they fitted their Canons which were the Bishops Agreements to this Governing use to keep Christians under their Government from the Magistrates And so they made Canons that a Fornicator or Adulterer should be so long or so long suspended and a Murderer so long and so of the rest § 36. And when Constantine turned Christian he had many reasons to confirm this Arbitrating Canonical power to the Christian Bishops by the Civil Sanction 1. Because he found them in possession of it as contracters by mutual consent and what could a Christian Prince do less than grant that to the Christians which they chose and had 2. Because the advancement and honour of the Teachers and Pastors he thought tended to the honour of their Religion and the success of their Doctrine upon the Heathens with whom they dwelled Grandure and Power much prevail with carnal minds 3. Because he had but few Magistrates at first that were Christians and none that so well knew the affairs of Christians as their own chosen Bishops And he feared lest the power of Heathen Magistrates over the Christians might injure and oppress them 4. He designed to draw the Heathens to Christianity by the honouring of Christians above them 5. And withal his interest lay most in their strength For they were the fastest part of his Souldiers and Subjects that for Conscience and their own Interrest rejoyced to advance and defend him to the utmost when he lost many of the Pagans and they were not of the spirit of the old Pretorian Souldiers that set up and pulled down Emperours at their pleasure Had Constantine faln the Christians had much faln with him and had the Christians been weakned he had been weakened They were become his strength And he fore saw not the evils that afterwards would follow Some must govern and there were then no wiser nor better men than the Bishops and Pastors of the Churches And their interest in the Christian people that chose them was greatest As now all differing parties of Christians among us Papists Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists would desire nothing as more conducing to their ends than that the King would put the greatest Power especially of Religion into the hands of those Teachers whom they esteem and follow even so was it with the Christians in the days of Constantine And hereupon Laws were made that none should compel Christians to answer in any Court of Justice saving before their own Bishops and so Bishops were made almost the sole Governours of the Christians § 37. By this means it is no wonder if multitudes of wicked men flock'd into the Church and defiled and dishonoured it For the Murderer that was to be hanged if he were no Christian was but to be kept from the Sacrament if he were a Christian and do some confessing penance which was little to hanging or other death And so proportionably of other Crimes Bad Christians by this device were multiplyed The Emperour also being a Christian worldly men are mostly of the Religion of the Prince or highest powers § 38. And no man that can gather an effect from an effectual cause could doubt if neither Nazianzen or any Historian had told it him but that proud and worldly men would strive then to be Bishops and use all possible diligence to obtain so great preferment Who of them is it that would not have Command and Honour and Wealth if he can get it While the great invitation to the sacred Ministry was the winning and edifying of Souls those that most valued Souls desired it yet desired it to be kept from such Poverty and Persecution as exposed them to hinderance and contempt But when Riches Reputation and Dominion were the Baits who knoweth not what sort of Appetites would be the keenest Christ telleth us how hardly Rich men are good and come to Heaven Therefore when Bishops must be all Great and Rich either Christ must be deceived or it must be as hard for them to be honest Christians as for a◠Camel to go through the Needles eye And thus Venenum funditur in Ecclesiam § 39. The World being thus brought into the Church without the cure of the worldly mind and the Guides being so strongly tempted to be the very worst no wonder if the Worldly Spirit now too much rule the Church and if those that are yet of the same Spirit approve plead and strive for what they love and despise the business of the Cross and Christian Humility and Simplicity to this day And if Bishops have done much of their work accordingly ever since Constantine and much before it hath been the Devils Work to carry on his War against Christ and Piety under Christ's own name and the pretence of Piety as an Angel of Light and Righteousness and Unity and to set up Pastors over the Church
of Christ that hate the Doctrine and Life and Cross of Christ that by pleading for Godliness and Concord may be the effectual Enemies of both and may fight against Christ in his own Livery under his Colours and with his own Arms. Whose God is their Belly who glory in their shame who mind earthly things being Enemies to the Cross of Christ The History of whom you will find in the following part of this Treatise § 40. But here I must above all remember the Reader that he is not for this Corruption of the Clergy and Government of the Church to think that the Church here ceased to be a true Church or that the Ministry was lost or that it became unlawful to hold Communion with any such Churches much less to think hardly of Christianity it self as if it were no better than false Religions because so many of its Pastors were so bad None of God's Counsels were frustrate by mans sin None of his Promises to his Church have failed For all this Christ is the Saviour of the World the Prince of Righteousness and Peace that came to destroy the Works of the Devil and to save his people from their Sins and all that are given him of the Father shall come to him and he will cast none of them out nor shall any take them out of his hands § 41. I. Let it be still remembred that as the Chronicles of Kingdoms mention only the publick Actions of Princes and great Men but name not the poor and private sort so also our Church-History of Councils and publick things say little of godly private Christians but of Patriarchs and great Prelates who yet are themselves but a very small part of the Christian World II. Note also that every Bishop had many Presbyters whose work was not to strive for superiority nor trouble the world in Councils where usually they came not and so had not a quarter of the temptations that the Bishops had And though we find mention sometimes of the Presbyters also that were naught yet the number so reproved and proved bad is not proportionable to the number of Prelates compared among themselves that miscarried in Councils The Presbyters that staid at home and followed their work in private with the Flock and came not on the Stage in publick affairs kept up the substance and practice of Religion III. And the private Christians had yet less temptation and were not so overwhelmed with worldly things nor carryed away by pride and ambition and covetousness as the ruling party were IV. And the Monks and other retired Christians that saw the Prelates sin and sâ—ares though many of them had their failings too yet no doubt kept up much serious piety and a holy life V. And no doubt but very many of the Bishops themselves were humble holy faithful men that grieved for the miscarriages of the rest Though such excellent persons as Gregory Neocesareae Gregory Nazianzen Gregory Nyssen Basil Chrysostome Augustine Hillary Prosper Fulgentius c. were not very common no doubt but there were many that wrote not Books nor came so much into the notice of the world but avoided contentious and factious Stirs that quietly and honestly conducted the Flocks in the ways of piety love and justice And some of them as S. Martin separated from the Councils and Communion of the prevailing turbulent sort of the Prelates to signifie their disowning of their sins VI. And oft times when the Prelates were at the worst God raised up some very Godly Princes that maintained Religion more than the Clergy and were an honour to it when the Bishops dishonoured it VII And it is not to be contemned that much piety was kept up among great numbers of Christians whom for some mistake the rest reviled and condemned as Schismaticks or Hereticks Little know we how many holy souls were among those that are in Epiphanius Catalogue Of the Audians and some others he seemeth to confess as much himself The Novatians were tolerated in almost all the Empire and had their Churches and Bishops having the testimony of the Orthodox that they were usually of sound faith and upright lives and stricter than other Christians were And God pardoneth the infirmity of a small mistake in judgment when men are sincerely addicted to his service Now and then a cruel Prelate did prosecute them but so did not the gentler sort as Atticus Proclus c. at Constantinople c. nor the Emperours themselves save when so instigated VIII And though the Churches in the Roman Empire kept up this grandure of Patriarchs Metropolitans and rich Prelates that after over-topped Kings it was not so in other parts of the Christian world but the Clergy lived more humbly and quietly The Scots under Columbanâ—s and their other Presbyters long lived in great piety without any Bishops And when the Scots Presbyters Finan Aidan c. ordained Bishops in Northumberland they were commonly humble holy men like themselves And both Scots and Britains so much misliked the Romane-grandure and way that when Augustine the Monk came in they would not subject themselves to the Pope or any Foreign Prelates nor so much as eat and drink with the Missionaries And the like we may say of some other Extra-imperial Churches The Spaniards themselves not only while Arian Goths of whom see the testimony of Salvian to the shame of the Orthodox but after Recaredus days for many ages lived in great quietness while Italy France and Germany were employed in Hereticating Cursing Excommunicating or bloudy Wars The great Empire of Aâ—assia as the crediblest History saith never had Bishops to this day but only one called the Aâ—uâ—â— while the whole Clergy are exercised though in too much ignorance in their Priestly Office Brocardus that lived at Ierusalem testifieth that those Eastern Christians called by the Papists Nestorians Iacobites Eutychians were commonly plain honest Religious people free from Heresie and of better lives than even the Religious of the Church of Rome and that there were not worse men at Ierusalem than the Romaâ— Catholicks The Armenians have many Bishops and one chief but live though too ignorantly and superstitiously yet in great austerity of life IX In all ages since Prelacy swelled to the corruption of the Churches and annoyance of the Peace of Kings and Kingdoms there have been still a great number of pious lamenters of the Corruptions of the Church that have groaned and prayed for reformation Insomuch that Dr. Field maintaineth that even in the Church of Rome there have been still considerable numbers of Doctors that owned truth and piety and misliked the Papal usurpations and errours The Waldenses and Albigenses exceeding numerous said they had continued from the Apostles and so from the days of Sylvester or Constantine had dissented from the Roman pride and corruptions And God hath made the Protestant Churches since the Reformation as his Vineyard where truth and piety have prospered though Satan hath been still at work
and here also had too much success X. And it must be remembred that God hath made use of many proud and turbulent men to propogate and defend the truth of the Gospel And their Gifts have served for the good of the sincere As the husk or chaff and straw is useful to the Corn so many worldly Prelates and Priests have been learned Expositors and useful Preachers and taught others the way to life which they would not go in themselves Besides that their very Papal power and grandure which hath corrupted the Church hath yet been a check to some that would have assaulted it by force and as a hedge of thornes about it Worldly interest engageth Pope Patriarchs and Prelates to stand up for the Christian Religion because they gain by it as Leo the 10th is said to have odiously confessed § 42. And the old Fathers till Constantines time did most of them think that the last thousand years would be a time of fuller glory to the Church as many yet think though I confess my self unskilful in the Prophesies But I make no doubt but though this earth be so far deâ—erted by God the Glorious Kingdom which we shall shortly see with the new Heaven and Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness will fully confute all our present temptations to think hardly of God or the Redeemer because of the present corruptions and dissentions of this lower world § 43. We may conjecture at former times by our own We see now that among the most Reformed Churches too often the most worldly part are uppermost and perhaps are the persecuters of the rest and though they may be the smaller part it 's they that make the noise are the noted part that carry the name and that Histories write of A few men got into places of power seem to be all the Church or Nation by the prevalency of their actions which few dare contradict They may give Laws They may have the power of Press and Pulpit so that nothing shall be published but what they will They may call themselves the Church and call all that obey them not Schismaticks and Sectaries and strangers may believe therefore that it is but some few inconsiderable fellows that are against them when yet the far greatest part may utterly dissent and abhor their pride I have lived to see such an Assembly of Ministers where three or four leading men were so prevalent as to form a Confession of Faith in the name of the whole party which had that in it which particular members did disown And when about a controverted Article One man hath charged me deeply for questioning the words of the Church others that were at the forming of that Article have laid it all on that same man as by his impetuousness putting in that Article the rest being loth to strive much against him and so it was he himself that was the Church whose authority he so much urged at least the effectual signifying part We cannot judge what is commonest by what is uppermost or in greatest power In divers Parishes now where the Minister is conformable perhaps ten parts of the people do dislike it and sometimes you may see but three or four persons with him at the Common-prayers And yet all know that Dissenters are talkt of as a few singular Fanaticks I compare not the Causes but conclude that so also for the Numbers humble Godly persons might be very numerous though only the actions of worldly Prelates do take up most of the History of the Church Yea I believe that among the Papists themselves five to one of the people were they free from danger would declare their dislike of a great part of the actions and Doctrines of their Prelates and that the greatest part that are named Papists are not such throughly and at the heart When the Rulers Scribes and Pharisees were against Christ and persecuted him and the truth the common people so much adhered to him that the persecutors durst not seize on him openly by force but were fain to use a Traytor to apprehend him in the night and in a solitary place lest they should be stoned by the people who said Never man spake as this man speaketh § 44. Let us not therefore turn Church-History into a temptation nor think basely of the Church or Christianity or Christ because of Papal and Prelatical pride and tyranny God can make use of a surly porter to keep his doors yea a mastiff-dog may be a keeper of the house and his Corn hath grown in every Age not only with straw and chaffe but with some tares And yet he hath gathered and will gather all his chosen § 45. Nor is the Ministry it self to be therefore dishonoured For as at this day while a few turbulent Prelates persecute good men and much of the Ministry is in too many Countries lamentably corrupted yet is Religion piety and honesty kept up by the Ministry and never was well kept up without it For the Faithful Ministers labour still and their very sufferings further the Gospel and what they may not do publickly they do privately Yea their very Writings shew that still there are such as God doth qualifie to do his work even among the Papists he that readeth the pious Writings of such men as Gerson and Gerhardus Zutphaniensis and Thaulerus Thomas a Kempis Ferus and many such others will see that Gods spirit was still illuminating and sanctifying souls And he that readeth such Lives as Philip Nerius persecuted by the Bishop as an ambitious Hypocrite for setting up more serious Exercises of Religion than had been ordinarily used among the Formalists to say nothing of such privater men as M. de Renâ—y and many others will see that it is not all Church-tyranny and corruption though very heinous that will prove that Christ hath not a Holy Generation whom he will save § 46. Yea among the very corrupted sort of the Clergy many that are overcome with temptations in that point and take usurpation and tyranny and worldly pomp and violence for Order Government and the interest of the Church have yet much good in other respects Even among the Cardinals there have been such men as Nerius's companion Bellarmine and others that would Preach and practise the common Doctrines of serious piety Yea among the Jesuits there have been divers that have Preacht Written and lived very strictly much more among their Fryars and such Bishops as Sales And though their times and corruptions blemished their piety I dare not think they nullified it § 47. And it sheweth the excellency of the Sacred Office 1. That Christ did first make it as the noble Organical part of his Church to form the rest 2. That he endued the first Officers with the most noble and excellent gifts of his spirit 3. That he founded and built his Church by them at first 4. Yea that he himself preached the Gospel and is called The Minister of the Circumcision the chief
Calamitous Divisions which these Prelates and their Councils made He said that Cyril writ against Nestorius that there was but one nature in Christ c. Haec omnia impietatis plena He tells how Cyril preposessed the Bishops before they met and made his hatred of Nestorius his Cause How he condemned Nestorius two days before Iohn of Antioch came How afterward they condemned and deposed one another How Nestorius was in hatred with the Great men of Constantinople which was his fall How Iohn and Cyril's Bishops or Councils would not Communicate with each other How they set Bishops against Bishops and People against People and a mans Enemies were those of his own household How the Pagans scorned the Christians hereupon For saith he no man durst travel from City to City or from Province to Province but each one persecuted his neighbour as his enemy For many not having the fear of God by occasion of Ecclesiastical zeal made haste to bring forth the hidden enmity of their hearts against others he instanceth in some Persecutors and sheweth how Paulus Emisseuus helpt to heal them § 29. In the eleventh Action two Bishops strive for the Bishoprick of Ephesus Bassianus and Stephen that had been Dioscorus Agent And in their Pleas each of them proved that the other intruded by violence into the place both he that first had it and he that thrust him out and took his Seat and one of them made his Clergy swear to be true to him and not forsake him And while the Bishops were for one of them the Judges past Sentence to cast out both and all consented § 30. But after all the crying up of Leo ' s Epistle this Synod set so light by Leo as that some say against his Legates Will they made a Canon 28. That every where following the Decrees of the Fathers and acknowledging the Canon which was lately read made by the 150 Bishops we also Decree the same and determine of the Priviledges of the holy Church of Constantinople new Rome For the Fathers did give or attribute rightly the Priviledges to the Throne of old Rome because that City ruled or had the Empire And moved by the same consideration the 150 Bishops Lovers of God gave or attributed equal Priviledges to the Throne of New Rome rightly judging that the City which is honoured with the Empire and the Senate and enjoyeth equal Priviledges with ancient Queen Rome should also in things Ecclesiastical be extolled and magnified being the second after it The Popes Legates hand Boniface is subscribed to all and Eusebius Doril thus subscribed Sponte subscripsi quoniam hane regulam sanctissimo Papae in Vrbe Roma ego relegi prescentibus Clericis Constantinopolitanis eamque suscepit And this Council was after over and over approved by the Roman Bishops § 31. It in is this Canon notorious 1. That the whole General Council and so the universal Church did then believe that the Popes or Roman Priviledges were granted by the Fathers that is by Councils and stood not by divine appointment 2. That the reason that the Fathers granted them was because it was the Imperial Seat Had they believed that the Apostles had instituted it they had never said that the Fathers did it for this reason and that Constantinople should be equal or next it for the same reason 3. The Church of Constantinople never claimed their Prerogative jure divino as succeeding any Apostle and yet jure Imperii claimed equal Priviledges By all which it is undeniable that the whole Church in that Council and especially the Greeks did ever hold Rome's Primacy to be a humane institution upon a humane mutable reason What the Papists can say against this I have fully answered against W. Iohnson in a Book called Which is the true Church § 32. The Question now is What concord did these late Councils procure to the Churches Ans. From that time most of the Christian World was distracted into Factions hereticating damning deposing aâ—d too many murdering one another One party cleaved to Dioscorus and were called by the other Eutychians These cryed up the Sufficiency of the Nicene Councils Faith as that which they were baptized into and would have no addition nor diminution and condemned the Calcedon Council and excommunicated and deposed those that would not Anathematize it Those that were against them they called Nestorians On the other party were those that had cleaved to Nestorius by name and had been persecuted for his Cause And these were a separate Body and cryed down the other as Eutychians Those called Orthodox or Catholicks cryed down Nestorians and Eutychians by name indeed defending the same Doctrine as Nestorius except as to the fitness of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the chief of Nestorius his first adherents perceiving that indeed they were of one judgment united with these against the Eutychians I have shewed that all of them seemed to make all this stir but about some Words which one party took in one sense and the other in another For these words the Bishops cast the Christian World into confusion destroyed Love and Unity under a pretence of keeping the Faith so that the Church was lamentably militant Bishops against Bishops in continual enimity and rage The Emperours at their wits end not knowing how to end the Ecclesiastical odious Wars And the Heathens hardened and deriding them all and their Religion § 33. When the Council was ended and Proterius made Bishop of Alexandria in Dioscorus stead the City was in so great discontent that the Emperour Martian was fain to send a Lay-man to mollifie them for they would not endure a Calcedonian Bishop They set more by Dioscorus than before so that Binnius incredibly saith they offered him Divine Honour § 34. It was not long till Martian dyed and then they let the World know that it was Emperours and not Popes or Councils that they regarded They thought then they might shew their minds and what they did Liberatus in Breviario Evagrius Nicephorus and others tells us at large But I will give it you in the words of the Egyptian Bishops which conformed to the Council Bin. p. 147. One Timothy Elurus of Dioscorus Party who had gathered separated Congregations before since the Council of Calcedon got some Bishops of his own Party to make him Archbishop The people soon shewed their minds though it deposed their Archbishop They set up Timothy and he presently made Ordinations of Bishops and Clerks c. while he thus went on a Captain Dionisius came to drive him out of the City The people rage the more against Proterius He gets into the Baptistry to avoid their rage a place reverenced even by the Barbarians and the fiercest Men But these furious people set on by their Bishop Timothy neither reverencing the Place the Worship nor the Time which was Easter nor the Office of Priesthood which is a Mediation between God and Man did strike the
Emperor Michael to assume the Government and not leave the Empire any longer to his Mother and Sisters One Gebo then pretending to be the Son of Queen Theodora and claiming the Crown and many following him Ignatius is accused as being then on Gebo's side The Emperor commandeth Ignatius to shear his Mother and Sisters and put them into a Monastery He refuseth The Emperor is angry and suspecting him causeth it to be done by others and sendeth Ignatius to the Island Terebinth and killeth Gebo Within three dayes some of the Bishops who had subscribed and sworn to Ignatius even that they would sooner deny the supream Majesty of the Trinity than without a publick damnation they would suffer their Pastor to be deposed became agents to draw him to renounce his Place c. He refusing Photius is made one day a Monk the next day a Lector the next a Subdeacon the next a Deacon the next a Presbyter and on Christs birth-day is made Patriarch a great and noble Courtier the Emperors Secretary or privy Councellor famous for skill in things politick and civil so flourishing in the skill of Grammar Poetry Oratory Philosophy Physick and the study of almost all Liberal Arts and Sciences as that he was absolutely in them the Prince of his age yea and might contend with the ancients For he had a confluence of natural aptitude and force of felicity riches by which he got a library of all sorts of books and being desirous of Glory and Praise spent whole nights in sleepless Studies and after studied divinity and Ecclestical Volumes Gregorius Bishop of Syracuse a censured Bishop ordained him Ignatius is cruelly used and it s laid on Photius He sendeth some Bishops to Rome and by them saith that Ignatius gave up his Place It 's said that some held Ignatius's hand and by force wrote his mark and others wrote the rest but what 's the truth is hard to know A General Council is called The Emperor and all his Princes great ones and almost all the City met at Photiuâ—'s possession Baanes and some of the baser of the Romans are sent to summon Ignatius to the Council Bin. p. 867. He asketh them in what Garbs he shall come They take time and the next day say Rhodoaldus and Zacharias Legates of Old Rome by us summon thee without delay to appear at the holy Oecumenical Council in what habit thou wilt according to thy own Conscience He goeth in Patriarchs habit The Emperor commands him in the habit of a Monk No less than seventy two witnesses are brought into the Synod against him Nobles and Vulgar Nicâ—tas saith perjured of whom Leo and Theodotacius two Noble men were chief and some Anabaptists that is such as baptized men again though not against Infant Baptism These swore that Ignatius not justly ordained had twelve years ago usurped the place And alas there wanted not a Canon which would depose a great part of the Bishops of the world viz. that called the 30th Apost and oft renewed If any Bishop using the secular power do by them obtain a Church let him be deposed They left out And those that Communicate with him For which Nicetas accuseth the Bishops as falsly saving themselves And alas must all the ministers in England be deposed that communicate with any Bishop that gets a Church by the secular power What a separation than must here be made And would not this Canon depose Photius also The Popes Legates Bishops Rhodoceldus and Zacharias aliique nefarii homines saith Nicetas cryed down Ignatius as Vnworthy then they beat and odiously abuse the good old man And then cometh the foresaid forced subscribed confession or forged After this it s said that they sent men to kill him but by old base cloaths and two baskets on his back he past away unknown begging his bread by the way Nicetas saith that an Earthquake shook the City fourty dayes together and frightned them to send abroad and proclaim security to Ignatius who thereupon surrendered himself Bardas convinced sendeth him safe to his own Monastery and the Earthquake ceased and the Bulgarians moved by famine and the Emperor's gifts laid down armes and were baptized Christians Pope Nicholas excommunicateth Photius and the Emperor and all the Court. Bin. p. 868. A fire befals the Church of Sophia The young Emperor groweth so drunken and prophane that he gets a pack of wicked ungodly men and maketh them in mockery or play his Bishops and consecrateth a Church for them and maketh one Theophilus a jester their Patriarch to turn Religion into a scorn and then saith Theophilus is my Patriarch Photius is Caesars and Ignatius is the Christians And thus they by prophane witt derided the Bishops and Religion itself to which alas the Bishops ambition and odious strife did tend Photius was silent at all this Another Earthquake frightned them again the terriblest for a day and a night that had been there known Upon this one Basilius a Bishop of Thesalonica went boldly to the Emperor and opened the sin of his prophaneness disswading him from that wickedness that provoked God The Emperor enraged struk out his Teeth and caused him to be so scourged that he was like to dye Photius cared for none of this set his mind on the securing his seat and oppressing Ignatius magnifying all that tooke his part and encouraging false Stories and Calumnies against the best that were against him One of the betrayers and accusers of Ignatius was one of his Disciples and of his own name made Arch-Bishop of Hierapolis and then lost his Conscience and Fidelity Bin. p. 869. It was but for presuming to Consecrate an Altar cast down by the Russians and new built which was taken after his deposition for a breach of the Law and Canons and two Arch-Bishops ready at all times were sent to pull down the Altar as Nonconformable and to carry the stones to the Sea and wash them and then to set them up again O that they would have washt their hearts from Pride and Worldly Ambition Oh saith Nicetas What stupidity what pravity of a perverse mind was this What excess of Envy What study of ambitious Dishonesty Did thy daily meditation and night-watches and innumerable Books teach thee this Did thy frequent reading and disputation and striving for the praise of learning teach it thee Did the knowledge of the Old Testament and the New the sayings of the Wise the Decrees of the Holy Fathers teach thee to persecute a poor man and to vex and kill one of a broken heart and spirit Did not thy tyranical ejection of him satiate the implacable fury of thy mind c Thus Nicetas As much as to say Much learning and great power and places are too often separated from Honesty Charity and Conscience Here he mentioneth a terrible Dream of Bardas and the murder of him by Basilius's order and the Emperor's consent and how basely Photius cryed him down when he was dead
Pagans Arch-Flamins were there were instituted Arch-Bishops to be over the Provinces where a Metropolis was Metropolitans or Arch-Bishops were placed and Bishops in lesser Cities where had been Flamins and Counts But in Africa they were diverâ—â—fyed only by the times of their ordination the Bishop of Carthage being the chief In his Epistle 5. he hath a good confession of faith where among other things he well saith That God predestinated only things good but soreknew both good and evil and that Grace so preventeth and followeth man that yet mans free will is not to be denied that the Soul is not part of God but created of nothing He anathematizeth every Heresie and every one that receiveth or venerateth any Scriptures but what are received by the Catholick Church c. In the 6th again he chides the Patriarchs of Constantinople for the title Vniversal saying that Peter himself was never called the Vniversal Apostle nor did any of his Successors take so prodigious a title For he is no friend to the bridegroom that would be loved in his stead but a Bawd of Antichrist c. His 8th Epistle is to the Greek Emperor to flatter him to help him with Henry against the Normans In which to prove the Romans succession he saith The holy Church and Apostolick Seat hath been too long usurped by Mercenaries that were no Pastors that sought their own and not the things of Christ. This Pope and Michael Patriarch of Constantinople were so unreconcilable that they continued mutual condemnations Michael is condemned with his Greeks 1. For rebaptizing the Papists 2. For saying that they had no true Sacrifice or Baptism 3. For holding Priests marriage for rejecting the Filioque c. Bin. p. 1116. § 114. CCCXXIX An. 1049. A Roman Council was fain upon pennance to pardon Simoniacal Bishops and Priests because the Cry was that else almost all the Churches would be destitute and the Church service omitted to the subversion of the Christian Religion and the desperation of all the faithful Where was the holy Church of Rome now and its Succession if the Canons for nullifying Simoniacal ordinations hold good § 115. CCCXXX The Pope resolved to go to France and Preside in a Council which he did at Rhemes But many Nobles and Bishops told the King that it was an usurpation and a Novelty and would enslave his Kingdom The King forbad him yet the Pope came whether the King would or not And the King went away about his military affairs and some Bishops with him and others stayed The Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and others were accused of heinous Crimes The Bishop of Laugres was charged with entring by Simoniacal heresies selling orders bearing Armes Murder Adultery Tyranny to his Clergy and Sodomy Many witnesses testified all this One Clergy-man witnessed that while he was yet a Lay-man this Bishop violently took his Wife from him and when he had committed adultery with her he made her a Nun. A Presbyter witnessed that this Bishop took him and delivered him to his followers who tormenting him by many torments which is more wicked did with sharp nails pierce his generals and by such violence forced him to give them ten pounds of denaries The Bishop hearing these accusations desired time and Council and going to the Arch-Bishops of Besanzon and Lyons openeth his secrets to them and desireth them to plead his cause But the man involved in the guilt of such villanies who but the day before had been the accuser of a faulty Brother and seeing the mote in anothers eye had not seen the beam in his own but moved for the other mans damnation being himself deservedly to be condemned was not only unable to excuse himself from the objected crimes but also the tongue of his advocate the Arch-Bishop was by God so silenced that he was not able to speak a word for his defence For the Arch-Bishop of Besanzon where he prepared himself to plead for him and excuse his crimes suddenly found himself disabled in his voice by God And when the Arch-Bishop of Besanzon found himself so disabled by miracles he gave sings to the Arch-Bishop of Lyons to speak for this his Brother in his stead who rising up said that the accused Bishop doth confess that he sold Orders and that he extorted the money from the said Priest but that he did not do the tormenting actions mentioned by him other things he denyed but before the next day he fled from the Council And another Bishop of Nevers confessed that his Parents bought his Place and deposed himself and some other Bishops confessed Simoniacal entrance The Pope excommunicated many that fled from the Council He renewed some old neglected Canons as 1. That no man be promoted to Church-Government without the ELECTION of the CLERKS and the PEOPLE c. CHAP. 12. The continuation of the history of Councils and their Bishops till the Conucil at Constantinople § 1. CCCXXXI Under Leo 9. an 1049 a Synod at Mentz some accused Bishops were questioned and other little matters done § 2. CCCXXXII In a Council at 1050. Berengarius his Letters to Lanfrancus were read and he condemned in a blind age § 3. CCCXXXIII An. 1050. A Synod at Vercelli condemned Iohannes Scotus and Berengarius and some that defended them § 4. CCCXXXIV An. 1050. A Council at Coyaca contained the King Ferdinandus of Castile and his Queen Bishops and Nobles like our Parliaments and so were many Councils then It is said to be for restoring Christianity so low was it grown in the height of Popery and ignorance having several orders for reformation The 3d Title saith that wine water and the host in the eucharist signifie the Trinity The 5th saith that Priests must so eat at the feasts of the dead as to do some good for their souls c. § 5. CCCXXXV An. 1051. A Roman Council excommunicated Gregory Bishop of Vercelli for Adultery with a widow espowsed to his Uncle and for perjuries But he was after restored to his office on promise of satisfaction Also all the whores of Priests were decreed to be made servants at Laterane Pet. Damian et Bin. p. 1124. § 6. CCCXXXVI In another Roman Synod the Pope Canonized a Bishop Gerhard and decided a quarrel between two Bishops for extent of their Diocesses § 7. Victâ—r the 2d is next Pope an 1055. Leo Hostiensis saith that no man at Rome was found worthy Plat. saith that they feared offending the Emperor However the Romans sent to the Emperor to choose one for them and some say desired this might be the man § 8. CCCXXXVII Platina saith that in a Council at Florence he deposed many Bishops for Simony and Fornication § 9. CCCXXXVIII In a Council at Lyons Baronius after others saith a miracle was done viz. saith he The heresie of Simonie having seized on all Italy and Burgundie the Pope sent Hildebrand a sub-Deacon to call a Council where an Arch-Bishop accused of Simony bribed all
6. none is to be taken for Pope but we must live as the Greeks under our own Laws 10. It is against Scripture that Church-men have possession that is they should not labour to be rich 11. No Prelate should excommunicate any one unless he know that God hath first excommunicated him And he that so excommunicateth is thereby a Heretick or Excommunicate 12. A Prelate that excommunicateth a Clerk who appealed to the King or to the Council of the Kingdome is thereby a Traytor to the King and Kingdome 13. They that give over Preaching or hearing Gods Word for mens Excommunication are Excommunicate and in the Day of Judgment shall be judged Traytors to Christ. 14. It is lawful for a Deacon or Presbyter to preach the Word of God without the Authority of the Apostolick Seal or a Catholick Bishop 15. No one is a Civil Lord or a Prelate or a Bishop while he liveth in mortal sin The meaning of this is no open wicked man is a Subject capable of such Authority given by Christ as shall warrant him to use the place but his acts may be valued to others in many cases Dispositio materiae est necessaria ad formam recipiendam As an Infidel can be no Bishop or Pastor 16. Temporal Lords may take away temporal goods from the Church from a Possessor habitually criminal and not only in act Not from the sacred use in general but from that man that forfeiteth them 17. The people may correct their Delinquent Lords This is not to be believed to be Wickliff's sense till they cite his own words which no doubt limit it to the cases 18. Tythes are meer Alms and the Parishioners may take them away for their Prelates sins 19. The special prayers applied by Prelates and Religious men to one person profit him no more than the general ones caeteris paribus 20. He that giveth Alms to Fryars is thereby Excommunicate that is he sins by cherishing wilful idleness 21. He that enters the private Religion either of the Possessing or the Mendicant Fryars becomes less fit and able to keep the Commandments of God 22. Holy men that made private Religions thereby sinned 23. The Religious living in private Religion are not therein of the Christian Religion 24. Fryars are bound to get their living by the labour of their hands and not by begging 25. They are Simoniacal that bind themselves to pray for others for a temporal reward or price 26. The prayers of Reprobates wicked men availeth not to any 27. All things come to pass by necessity 28. The Confirmation of Youth the Ordination of Clerks the Consecration of Places are reserved to the Pope and Bishops for covetousness of temporal gain and honour 29. Universities Studies Colledges Degrees and Masterships in them are introduced by vain Gentility and profit the Church as much as the Devil doth 30. The Excommunication of a Pope or any Prelate is not to be feared because it is the Censure of Antichrist 31. They that found Cloysters sin and they are Diabolical that enter them 32. To enrich the Clergy is against Christs Rule 33. Pope Sylvester and the Emperour Constantine erred in inriching the Church 34. All the Order of Begging Fryars are Hereticks and those that give to them are Excommunicate 35. They that enter Religion as Fryars or any Order of them are thereby disabled from keeping Gods Commands and so of coming to Heaven unless they forsake them 36. The Pope and all his Clergy that have Possessions are therefore Hereticks and the Secular Lords and Laicks that consent to them to their great riches 37. The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Satan and the Pope is not the immediate and nearest Vicar of Christ and the Apostles 38. The Decretal Epistles are Apocryphal and seduce from the Faith of Christ and the Clerks that study them are fools 39. The Emperour and Secular Lords were seduced by the Devil to inrich the Church excessively he meaneth with temporal goods 40. The Election of the Pope by Cardinals was introduced by the Devil 41. It is not necessary to Salvation to believe the Church of Rome to be the Supreme among other Churches 42. It is foolish to trust to the Indulgences of the Pope and Bishops 43. Oaths made to strengthen humane Contracts and Civil Commerce are unlawful 44. Augustine Benedict Bernard are damned unless they repented of having possessions and instituting and entering private Religions and so from the Pope to the lowest Religious Fryar they are all Hereticks 45. All Religions that is Orders of Fryars were introduced by the Devil This Article about Necessity of Events I see in Wickliff's Books is his own and many here cited are true but no doubt but many of them are perverted by their wording them and leaving out the Explicatory Context The Council forbad his Books and condemned them to be burnt and reprobated every one of all these foresaid Articles with all the 260. The Duke of Austria most humbly begged the Emperours pardon for receiving the Pope § 7. Sess. 9. The Citation of the Pope is read and Commissaries and Judges appointed and a Letter read from the University of Paris instigating the Council to their duty for their honest Chancellour Gerson was here § 8. Sess. 10. The Popes Suspension was read The Sess. 11. the Articles against the Pope are read which were proved which were in sum as followeth Art 1. That the Pope Iohn from his Youth was of a naughty disposition impudent a lyar rebellious against his Parents given to most Vices and so was and still is accounted of all that know him Cardinals Arch-Bishops Bishops c. witness it 2. He gathered riches by Symony and wicked means 3. By these Symoniacal riches he purchased a Cardinals place at great rates 4. Possessing Bononia as Legate by tyranny and cruel exactions inhumanely and impiously he ruined the people without all Justice or Piety c. 5. Getting thus to be Pope like a Pagan he contemned all Divine Offices 6. That he is the oppressor of the poor the persecutor of Justice the Pillar of the unjust the Statue of Simoniacks the servant of the Flesh the dregs of Vices a stranger to Virtue flying publick Consistories wholly given to sleep and other fleshly desires wholly contrary to Christ in life and manners the Glass of Infamy and the profound Inventer of all wickednesses or malice so scandalous to the Church that among faithful Christians that knew him he was commonly called THE DEVIL INCARNATE 7. That as a Vessel of all sins he repulsed the worthy and gave all Offices Benefices and Church-promotions to the bad that would give most Money for them 8. Hereby the whole Church Clergy and People fell under infamy and scandal 9. That of all these he was oft admonished and humbly intreated 10. That he was worse after than before laying all pretence of Justice and openly selling all to the worst that would give him money 11. That growing
still souls are born and bred in darkness and how shall they be saved without believing or believe without hearing or hear without preaching or we preach without sending Rom. 10. 13. 14 15. There is a clearer word in the Gospel for the Ministry then the Magistracy though enough for both Our own call I shall spâ—ak of anon 2. These Malignants set themselves against the Principal members of the body of Christ that are in it as the eyes and hands to the natural body 1 Cor. 12. 16 19 27 29. Ephes. 4. 11 15. The Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. The Over-seers of the flock that is purchased with Christs blood Acts. 20. 28. They are the chief members 1. in office 2. ordinarily in gifts for edification of the body 3. and in grace Now a wound in the stomack or liver is more mortal to the body then in the hand and the loss of an eye or hand is worse then the loss of an ear 3. These Malignants are therefore principally enemies to the Church it self They take on them to be only against the Ministers but it will prove most against the people and whole Church If they smite the Shepherds the sheep will be scattered How can they more surely ruine Christs family then by casting out the Stewards that must rule and give the children their meat in due season even milk to the babes and stronger meat to them of full age Heb. 5. 12 13 14. Luke 12. 42. Mat. 24. 45. What readyer way to ruine the Schools of Christ then by casting out the Teachers that he hath appointed under him Or to ruine his Kingdome then to reject his officers Or to wrong the body then to cut off the hand and pull out the eyes or to destroy the principal parts Was it not Ministers that planted the Churches and converted the world and have ever born off the assaults of enemies Where was there ever Church on earth that continued without a Ministry The great Kingdom of Nubiâ— fell from Christianity for want of Preachers The Nations that have the weakest and fewest Ministers have the least of Christianity and those that have the most and ablest Ministers have the most flourishing state of Religion All over the world the Church doth rise or fall with the Ministry Cut down the Pillers and the building falls He is blind that sees not what would become of the Church were it not for the Ministry Who should teach the ignorant or rebuke the obstinate explain the word of truth and stop the mouths of proud gain sayers What work would heresies and division and prophaneness make if these banks were cut down when all that can be done is still too little It must needs therefore be meer enmity against the Church that makes men malignant against the Ministry 4. The design of the maligners of the Ministry is plainly against the Gospel and Christianity it self They take the readyest way in the world to bring in Heathenism Infidelity and Atheism which Christianity hath so far banished For it is the Ministry that Christ useth to bring in light and drive and keep out this damnable darkness Acts 26 17 18. I send thee to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light c. Why are so many Nations Infidels Mahometans and Idolaters bâ—t for want of Ministers to preach the Gospel to them These Malignants therefore would take down the Sun and banish Christianity out of the world 5. And they hinder the Conversion of particular souls and so are the cruellest wretches on earth Though an Angel must be sent to Cornelius it is not to be instead of a Preacher but to send him to a Preacher Acts 10. Though Christ would wonderfully appear to Saul it is to send him to Ananias for instruction Acts 9. Though the Jaylor must feel an Earth-quake and see Miracles it is but to prepare him for the Ministers words Acts 16. Philip must be carried by an Angel to expound to an Eunuch the Word that must convert him The Ministry is Gods instituted settled way by which he will convert and save the world as truly as the light is the natural way by which he will corporally enlighten them Acts 2. 18. 1 Tim. 4. 16. Mat. 5. 14. Rom. 10. 14. Do you think so many souls would be converted if the Ministry were down Do you not see that the very contempt of them that the scorns of the ungodly and opposition of Malignant Apostates have occasioned doth hinder most of the ignorant and prophane from receiving the saving benefit of the Gospel How many millions of souls would these wretches sweep away to Hell if they had their will While thousands are in damnation for want of the light they would take it from you that you might go there also Do you not understand the meaning of these words against Christs Ministers Why the meaning is this They make a motion to the people of the Land to go to Hell with one consent and to hate those that are appointed to keep them out of it They would take the bread of life from your mouthes They are attempting an hundred times more cruelty on you than Herod on the Jews when he killed the Children or the Irish that murdered the Protestants by thousands as the soul is of greater worth then the body 6. These Malignants against the Ministry are the flat enemies of Christ himself and so he will take them and use them He that would root out the inferiour Magistrates is an enemy to the Soveraign and he that is against the officers of the Army is an enemy to the General Christ never intended to stay visibly on earth and to Teach and Rule the world immediately in person but he that is the King will Rule by his Officers and he that is Prophet will Teach us by his Officers and therefore he hath plainly told us He that heareth you heareth me and he that dispiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10. 16. O fearful case of miserable Malignants Durst thou despise the Lord thy Maker and Redeemer if he appeared to thee in his glory to whom the Sun it self is as darkness and all the world as dust and nothing Remember when thou next speakest against his Officers or hearest others speak against them that their words are spoken against the face of Christ and of the Father I would not be sound in the case of one of these Malignants when Christ shall come to judge his enemies for a thousand worlds He that hath said Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harm and hath rebuked Kings for their sakes Psal. 105. 15. will deride all those that would break his bands and will break them as with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces as a potters vessel Psal. 2. 3 4 9. And as he hath told them plainly Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed
the pretended KEYES § 202. Honorius 3d. succeedeth Innocent He confirmeth the Dominican and Franciscan Religions and Sainteth Francis He procureth a new expedition towards Ierusalem and the destruction of many The Emperor Friderick followeth his predecessors and invadeth Italy conquereth Sicily and Apulia being his own by his Mothers title But the Pope excommunicateth him and by the mediation of Iohn King of Ierusalem in title he is absolved § 203. CCCCXL. Stephen Laughton being restored a Synod at Oxford passed many general excommunications and there numbered all the Holy-dayes to be kept and made several Canons One good one was that every great Parish have two or three Presbyters because of the greatness of the work and if one should be sick c. Another repeated many old Canons that no fees be taken for Sacraments or Burials c. Another that no Clergy-mâ—n should keep their Concubines PVBLICKLY in their lodgings nor else where go to them with scandal A good caution for their credit § 204. CCCCXLI A German Council lamenting that Clergy-men kept their Concubines publickly and would not dismiss them forbids this publick keeping of them C. 1 2 3 5. But dealeth gently with them But C. 6. those that preach when the Bishop silenceth them it maketh infamous and intestable casting them out without hope of mercy or restitution ab officio et beneficio and rendering them uncapable for the time to come Here the Popes Legate demanded out of every Cathedral two Prebends to be given to Rome And great reason that he that giveth all even Bishopricks and Kingdoms should have some again even what he will But it was denied § 205. CCCCXLII Also in a Synod at Westminster An. 1226. the Pope demanding two Prebends out of every Cathedral the King answered that the matter belonged to all Christendom and when he saw what other Kingdoms did herein he would give his answer § 206. Gregory 9th is next Pope He commandeth the Emperor Friderick 2d to go recover Ierusalem and excommunicateth him aâ— a dissembler for his delaies He re-Sainteth St. Francis and St. Dominick He absolveth the Emperor upon his payment of an hundred and twenty thousand ounces of Gold for damage The greatest sedition and heresie saith Platina rose at Româ— that ever was there so that the Pope was banished But a plague ended it that left scarce the tenth man alive Again the Senators and the Pope agree not about Legislation and the Pope is fain to be gone again and gets the Emperor to promise him that their conjunct forces should assault the Romans The Emperor faileth and bids his Souldiers help the Romans himself departing the Pope by mony bireth them to help him and recovereth Rome He sendeth preachers abroad to call men to the holy War He Sainteth Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary An Army goeth into Asia with Theobald King of Navarre and others and is overthrown He would go to Rome but is kept out The Emperor taketh many Cities in Gregory's party get him into the City He again curseth the Emperor and deposeth him from his Empire by his presumptuous sentence The Venetians help the Pope The Emperor afflicteth them The Italians are divided In Pistoria two brothers one called Guelph was for the Pope and the other called Gibel was for the Emperor the City was 〈◊〉 and the name of Guelphs and Gibellines filled Italy with confusion The Romans were again falling off from the Pope but he went among them Carrying the heads of the Apostles you must believe it and by supplication and speeches moved the People to pity him and got them to fight against the Emperor which cost them and others of the Church party in Italy dear The Pope calleth a Council to depose the Emperor again to kill one man twice But the Emperor way-layeth them and taketh many Cardinals and Bishops and Imprisons them by the Pisanes help Gregory dyed for grief in his 14th year or 15th This is that Pope that by the help of Raymund made the Books of Decretals So much out of Platina Binnius addeth that the Emperor went with an Army into Asia in performance of his vow and received Ierusalem yielded to him And made ten years truce with Saladine and therefore was again excommunicated by the Pope § 207. In this Popes time saith Bin. the Divines of Paris after long disputation defined that it is a mortal sin for any man to have two benefices when one of them sufficeth to sustain him 208. Multitudes of the Albigenses were burnt and killed as Hereticks § 209. CCCCXLIII A Council at London under Otto the Popes Legate was held An. 1237. the King sending first to charge them to do nothing against his rights and leaving one to see to it The Legate was in danger for opposing Pluralities the Bishop of Worcester and multitudes theatning resistance and it was suspended § 210. Coelestine the 4th is next Pope but not by the Laterane Canon by two third parts of the Cardinals some say he lived 18 daies some 17 some 14 some say two Schismaticks were between § 211. The seat was void a year and eight months and more the Emperor keeping many Cardinals in prison but at the request of Baldwin of Constantinaple he released them § 212. Innocent 4th is next chosen who of a Cardinal-friend became by interest a Pope-enemy to the Emperor and daring not to stay in Italy fled into France and there calleth a Council of Bishops with these he hunted Princes and excommunicateth or curseth the Emperor where saith Matth. Paris An. 1245 one Priest being commanded to publish the curse he doth it thus Good People I am commanded to pronounce excommunication against the Emperor Frederick the Candles put out and Bells ringing But not knowing the reason though I know the hatred between them that one doth the wrong but which I know not as far as my power reacheth I excommunicate anathematize him that doth wrong absolve him that suffers the wrong which is so hurtful to all Christendome And at Lyons the Pope curseth him again The Emperor despised the Popes deposition and would not give up his Crown for fear of his curse The Popes party choose Henry Laudgrave of Thuringe Emperor who is quickly killed besieging Vlm as some say that party chose William Earl of Nassau after him Henry the Son of Friderick was drawn to rebel and being overcome by his Father soon after died And the Emperor not long after him by what death it is not agreed some say poysoned others say stifled by Mansfred his base Son some say he continued impenitent others that he repented of his opposing the Pope not probable some speak ill of him others extol him for Learning and worthiness § 193. Frederick being dead the Pope travels France and Matth. Paris saith that at his leaving Lyons a Cryer called the Citizens who had long entertained him to his farewel and that Cardinal Hugo made his farewel Speech telling