doth by words saying whoever adores not the Image of our Saviour shall not see his face at his second coming adding by the same reason we venerate and adore the Image of the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Angels as the scripture describeth them and of all the Saints They that think otherwise let them be cursed from Christ. Can. 6. They anathematize Photius because he did excommunicate and anathematize the Pope and all that communicated with him Can. 7. No excommunicate men are allowed to make Images Can. 8. Is too good for the Devil to let the Church enjoy viz. That whereas it is reported that not only the heretical and usurpers but some Orthodox Patriarchs also for their own security have made men subscribe to be true to them the Synod judgeth that it shall be so no more save only that men when they are made Bishops be required as usual to declare the soundness of their faith He that violateth this Sanction let him be deprived of his honour The 10th Can. Condemneth them that hold That Man hath two Souls which they say Photius favoured and cursed them from Christ. The 11th Can. Tells us what men these Bishops were and what they sought It is That all that are made Bishops bearing on earth the person and form of the Celestial Hierarchy shall with all veneration be worshiped by all Princes and Subjects and we will not have them to go far from the Church to meet any commanders of the Army or any Nobles nor to light from their horses like supplicants or abjects that feared them nor to fall down or petition them If any Bishop hereafter shall neglect his due honour or break this Canon or permit it to be done he shall be seperated for a year from the Sacrament and that Prince Duke or Captain two years The 12. Can. Princes as prophane men be not spectators of that which holy persons do and therefore Councils be held without them Either I understand them not or it is in despite of truth that they say Vnde nec alias reperimus Oecumenicis Conciliis unquam interfuisse Neque enim fas est ut prophani Principes rerum quae sacris hominibus gerundae sunt gerunturve spectatores fiant Binnius noteth ex praescripto nempe Canonum turning an assertion de facto into one de jure and an universal into a particular by which licence of expounding what lye or blasphemy may not be justified And why then have so many thousand been cursed from Christ by Councils for unskilfulness in words § 59. The 14th Can. secureth the Bishops admirably in despite of the old reforming honest Canons decreeing that A Lay-man not excepting Kings or Parliaments shall have no power to dispute by any reason of Ecclesiastical Sanctions or to oppose the universal Church or any general Synod for the difficulty of these things and agitating them on both sides is the office of Patriarchs Priests and Doctors to whom only God hath given power of binding and loosing For though a Lay-man exceì in the praise of piety and wisdom yet he is a Lay-man and a Sheep and not a Pastor But a BISHOP though it be manifest that he is destitute of ALL VIRTUE of Religion yet he is a Pastor as long as he exerciseth the office of a Bishop and the sheep must not resist the Shepherd O brave doctrine for the Roman Kingdom A Heathen or Infidel or Mahometan or Arrian Bishop must not be opposed He that is no Christian may be a Bishop How much to be blamed were the General Councils that deposed Popes for Infidelity Diabolism Heresie Simony Perjury Blasphemy Sodomie Fornication Murders c. when a Pope that hath all these and no virtue of Religion is not to be judged by Lay-men or opposed Q. 1. May a Prince save his crown from such 2. May a man save his Wife from such or a woman refuse their copulation or defend her Chastity against them 3. What if such are drunk in the Pulpit are the People bound to be silently submissive 4. Why did Pope Nicholas decree that none should hear Mass from a Priest that liveth in fornication 5. Are Priests above Kings or are they lawless Yet this very Synod of Bishops in their Epistle to Pope Hadrian sayes Cui conâ—ictae Synodo qui tum imperitabant Michael et Basilius noster praesidebant And Basilius and Baanes were now among them And many Princes especially in France and Spain have made strict Laws to amend the Bishops § 60. One of the decrees of this Council was that Photius should not be called a Christian. Bin. p. 899. Col. 2. Yet the Apostle saith of the rejected account him not as an enemy but admonish him as a Brother 2 Thes. 3. § 61. In Bin. p. 899. is an epistle of Pope Stepheus to the Emperor Basilius which containeth the radical doctrine of all the Bishops rebellion and pride viz. that Princes are only appointed for the things of the Body or this life and prelates and Priests for the matters of the Soul and life eternal and therefore that the Prelates Empire is more excellent than the Princes as heaven is above earth Quandoquidem verbis quae ad usum vitae id est rerum praesentium pertinent Imperium a Deo traditum est ita nobis per Principem Apostolorum Petrum rerum divinarum procuratio est commissa Accipe quaeso in optimam partem quae subjicio Haec sunt capita curaeque Principis imperii vestri Nostri verò cura gregis tanto praestantior est quanto altior est terra quà m coelum Audi Dominum Tu es Petrus de vestro imperio verò quid dicit Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt Obtestor igitur tuam Pietatem ut Principum Apostolorum instituta sequare magna veneratione prosequare Omnium enim in orbe terrarum omnis or do et Pontificatus Ecclesiarum à principe Apostolorum Petro originem et authoritatem acceperunt O horrid falshood as before confuted § 62. Yet this Council in Breviar in Bin. p. 905. determine of the Pope that being but one Patriarch he cannot absolve one that is condemned by the other many Patriarchs § 63. Laying all together I cannot perceive by historical notice but that both Ignatius and Photius were both better Bishops than most were to be found the first being a very pious man and the other also a man of great learning and diligence But the old contention WHO SHOULD BE CHIEF or greatest made them both the great calamity of the Church I think it not in vain here to transcribe part of the summ of the life of Ignatius as written by Nicetas David Paphlago who was devoted to him though somewhat said already be repeated Ignatius being of the blood Royal was in quiet possession when denying entrance or Church Communion to Bardas Caesar for his reported Adultery he provoked that indignation in him which deposed him Bardas first perswaded the
undivided The Eutychians thought How can that be called Vnity which maketh not one of two And no doubt the Natures are One But One what Not One Nature but One Person Yet to bring off Cyril it may be said that even the Natures are One in opposition to Division or Separation but not One in opposition to distinction He that had but distinguished these two clearly to them and explained the word Nature clearly had better ended all the Controversie than it was ended It 's plain that Cyril and the Eutychians allowed mental distinction though not that the Mind should suppose them divided And it 's certain that the Orthodox meant no more § 3. He that readeth but Philosophers Schoolmen and late Writers such as Fortun. Licetus de natura c. will see how little they are agreed about the meaning of the word Nature and how unable to procure agreement in the conception They that say it is principium motus Quietis are contradicoted as confounding divers Principia and as confounding Active Natures and Passive the Active only being Principium Motus and the Passive Principium quietis And on such accounts the Eutychians pleaded for One Nature because in Christ incarnate they supposed that the Divine Nature was the Principium primum motus and that all Christs actions were done by it and that the humane soul being moved by the Divinity was but Principium subordinatum which they thought was improperly called Principium As most Philosophers say that Forma generica is improperly called forma hominis because one thing hath but one form so they thought that one person had but one proper Principium motus § 4. Alas how few Bishops then could distinguish as Derodon doth and our common Metaphysicks between 1. Individuum 2. Prima substantia 3. Natura 4. Suppositum 5. Persona 6. and have distinguished a right essence and hypostasis or subsistence c. and defined all these Nature saith Derodon de suppos p. 5. is taken in nine senses But the sense was not here agreed on before they disputed of the matter Even about the Nature of Man it is disputed whether he consist not of many natures Whether every Element Earth Water Air Fire retain not its several Nature in the Body or whether the Soul be Mans only Nature and whether as intellectual and sensitive and vegetative or only in one of these And is it not pity that such questions should be raised about the person of Christ by self-conceited Bishops and made necessary to salvation and the world set on fire and divided by them Is this good usage of the Faith of Christ the Souls of Men and the Church of God § 5. But to the History At a Council of Constantinop under Flavianvs Eusebius Bishop of Dorileum accused Eutyches for affirming Heretically as aforesaid that after the Vnion Christ had but one Nature Eutiches is sent for He refuseth to come out of his Monastery After many Citations be still refusing they judge him to be brought by force He first delayeth Then craveth of the Emperour the presence of Magistrates that he be not calumniated by the Bishops He is condemned but recanteth not § 6. A meeting of Bishops at Tyre cleared Ibas Edess from the accusation of Nestorianisme made by four Excommunicate Priests two of them perjured and reconciled him to such Priests for Peace sake § 7. Another meeting of Bishops at Berythum cleared Ibas from a renewed accusation of Nestorianisme being said to have spoken evil of Cyril An Epistle of his to Maris a Bishop was accused which the Council at Calcedon after absolved and the next General Council condemned § 8. CXXIV Another Council is called at Constantinople by the means of some Courtiers in favour to Eutiches where upon the testimony of some Bishops that Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople condemned him himself before the Synod did it and that the Records were altered all was nullified that at the last Synod was done against him § 9. CXXV Theodosius calleth a second General Council at Ephesus an 449. and maketh Dioscorus Bishop of Alex. President Dioscorus forbad Ibas and Theodoret to be there as being Nestorians The Emperour himself was so much for peace and so deeply before engaged in Cyril's cause against Nestorius that he thought it levity to pull down all so soon again the Eutychians perswading him that they stuck to Cyril and the Ephesine and Nicene Council Dioscorus thinking the same that Eutiches and Cyril were of one mind and that it was Nestorianisme which they were against carried matters in this Synod as violently as Cyril had done in the former The Bishops perceiving the Emperours the Courtiers and Dioscorus mind could not resist the stronger side The Bishop of Rome was commanded by the Emperour to be present He sent his Legates with his Judgment in Writing of the Cause The Emperour for bad those to be Speakers that had before judged Eutyches The Roman Legates excepted that Dioscorus presided It seemeth the Eastern Empire and Church then believed not that the Popes precedency was jure divino Dioscorus declareth that the Council was not called to decide any matter of Faith but to judge of the proceedings of Flavianus against Eutyches The Acts of the Constant. Synod after the Emperours Letters being read Eutyches is absolved Domnus Patriarch of Antioch Iuvenal Patriarch of Ierusalem the Bishop of Ephesus and the rest subscribed the absolution which after they said they did for fear when another Emperour changed the Scene This being done the Acts of the former Ephes. Council were read and all Excommunicate that did not approve them So that this Council of Eutychians thought verily the former was of their mind Four Bishops Flavianus Eusebius Doryl Ibas Edes and Theodoret Cyri are condemned and deposed All the Bishops subscribed except the Popes Legates so that saith Bimius In hoc tam horrendo Episcoporum suffragio sola navilula Petri incolumis emergens salvatur p. 1017. Judge by this First Whether Councils may erre Secondly Whether they are the just Judges or Keepers of Tradition Thirdly Whether all the World always believed the Popes Infallibility or Governing power over them when all that Council voted contrary to him Flavianus here offering his appeal was beaten and abused and dyed of the hurt as was said in Concil Calced and by Liberatus But this was no quenching but a kindling of the fire of Episcopal Contentions Theodosius missed of his end § 10. CXXVI Leo at Rome in a Synod condemneth this Ephesian Council § 11. CXXVII Dioscorus in a Council at Alexandria Excommunicateth Leo. § 12. CXXVIII Theodosius the Emperour being dead Martian was against the Eutychians Anatolius at a Synod at Constantinople maketh an Orthodox Profession of his Faith like Leo's § 13. CXXIX And at Milan a Council owneth Leo's judgment § 14. CXXX Now cometh the great Council at Calcedon under the new Emperour Martian where all is changed for a time Yet Pulcheria who marryed him and
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
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
Nicene formed which excluded both the word substance and hypostasis or subsistence The Semi-Arians detesting this condemned and banished the Authors But another Form sent from Ariminum was preferred and imposed to be subscribed on all the Bishops of East and West § 44. LVII An. 360. Meletius Bishop of Antioch being put in by the Acacians proved Orthodox contrary to their expectation And being preaching for the Trinity his Archdeacon stopt his Mouth and he preached by his Fingers holding forth One and Three And for this was ejected contrary to some former Covenants Wherefore they were fain to call a Council at Antioch to justifie his ejection Here they made yet another Creedâ—â— the worst of all before it § 45. LVIII Constantius being dead Iulian the Apostate is made Emperour would not this end the Quarrel of Christian Bishops Athanastus returneth to Alexandria after the third 〈…〉 years hiding an 362. Gregory the Bishop being 〈…〉 by the Heathen and burnt to Ashes He calls 〈…〉 Here besides the receiving of those that unwillingly 〈◊〉 to the Arians divers new Controversies are judged 1. Eunemius Macedonius and the Semiarians denyed the Godhead of the Holy Ghost which was here asserted 2. Apollinaris thought that Christ took but a Body at his Incarnation his Divine Nature being instead of a Soul which was here condemned 3. The Orthodox Greek and Latines could not agree by what name to distinguish the Trinity The Greeks said there were three hypostases which the Latines rejected as signifying three substances Hierome himself could not away with the word Hypostasis The Latines used the word Person The Greeks rejected that as signifying no real distinction and are the Schoolmen for a real distinction yet For they thought Persona signified but the relation of one in Authority or Office And thus while as Ierome said Tota Grâ—corum prophanorum Schola discrimen inter hypostasin usiam ignorabat Ep. 57. and the sense of the word Person was not well determined the danger was so great of further dissention among the Orthodox Bishops themselves that as Greg. Naz. saith de laud. Athanas. The matter came to that pass that there was present danger that together with these syllables the ends of the World East and West should have been torn from each other and broken into parts But the Synod agreed that the Greek hypostasis and the Latine Persona should henceforth be taken as of the same signification But what that signification is it was not so easie to tell Yet saith Binnius Augustine de Trinit l. 5. c. 8 9. and the Latines afterwards were displeased with this reconciliation and Hierome himself who yet obtain'd of Damasus Ep. 57. that the conciliation being but of a Controversie de nomine might be admitted § 46. LIX An. 362. Iulian reigning several French Councils besides one then at Paris were employed in receiving the repentance of the Bishops that under Constantius had subscribed to the Arians § 47. LX. At Iulians death Athanasius calleth some Bishops to Alexandria betimes to send to the Emperour Iovianus their Confession to prevent the Arians and other Hereticks § 48. LXI A Council also was called at Antioch on this occasion The Semiarians petitioned Iovianus that the Acacians as Hereticks might be put out and they put in their places The Emperour gave them no other Answer but that he hated contention but would love and honour those that were for concord They feeling his pulse got Meletius to call a Council at Antioch where they seemed very sound and twenty seven Arian Bishops without any stop subscribed the Nicene Creed So basely did these Bishops follow the stronger side and saith Binnius of so great consequence with Bishops is the Emperours mind § 49. LXII An. 364. Valentinian being Emperour left the Bishops to meet when and where they would themselves And a Council was held at Lampsacus where the Semiarians condemned the Arians And though some call it Orthodox Busil and some good men being there Binnius saith that the Macedonians here vented their denyal of the Godhead of the Holy Ghost and that the Hereticks pretending to own the Nicene Faith were recieved by Liberius § 50. LXIII A Council in Sicily owned the Nicene Creed § 51. LXIV Some Bishops at Illyricum restored the Nicene Creed the Emperour being now for it And Valentinian and Valens wrote to the Asian Bishops to charge them to cease Persecuting any of Christs labourers § 52. LXV An. 365. At a Synod in Tyana Cappadoc Eustathius Sebast by Pope Liberius Letters was restored to his Bishoprick and after cursed the Homousion the Nicene Creed and denyed the Godhead of the Holy Ghost By their means Basil returned from his Wilderness to Caesarea whence he fled to avoid the enmity of Eusebius the Bishop who received him upon his professed resolution for Peace which he would buy at any rates § 53. LXVI The Emperour Valens unhappily taken in to Valentinian after the conquest of Procopius desired Baptisme and having an Arian Wife was baptized by Eudoxius Constant. an Arian Bishop who engaged him to promote the Arian Cause which he did with a blind religious zeal persecuting not only the Orthodox and Novatians but also the Semiarians and Macedonians And a Council of Bishops in Caria rejected Consubstantial and restored the Antiochian and Seleucian Creed as the best § 54. LXVII An. 366. Some Arian Bishops at Singedim in Mysia restored the Ariminum Creed of Like substance and solicited Geminius the Semiarian Bishop to consent but prevailed not § 55. LXVIII Two Councils were held at Rome by Damasus one to condemn Valens and Vrsatius old Arian Bishops Another to condemn Auxentius Bishop of Milan and Sisinius as a Schismatical Competitor with himself For when Damasus was chosen the people were divided and Damasus his Party being the more valiant Warriors they fought it out in the Church and left one day an hundred thirty seven dead Bodies behind them to shew that they had no Communion with them And because Sisinius and his Party still kept Conventicles he was banished and many with him and now again condemned § 56. LXIX Another Council at Rome he had to condemn Vitalis and the Apollinarians that took Christs Godhead to be instead of a Soul to his Body and the Millenaries § 57. LXX A Council was called at Antioch to end a Schism there being three Bishops two Orthodox Meletius and Paulinus and one Arian Euzoius They ended the Schism by agreeing that Meletius and Paulinus should both continue till one dyed and then the other alone should succeed him the Presbyters being sworn not to accept it while one of them lived But Meletius dying first Flavianus a Presbyter was said to break his Oath and was chosen in his stead while Paulinus an excellent person lived And so the Schism was continued CHAP. IV. The First General Council at Constantinople and some following § 1. THe reason why the West with Rome was freer from the Arian Heresie than the East
Christs body because he must not descend from the altitude of his contemplations so as to to think of the Sacrament or Christs humane body It seems these were such fanatiks as some Fryers are In this Council the decrees called Clementines were passed in which are specially noted by Binius some things de fide as followeth I. That it is heresie to call in doubt or assent that the substance of the rational or intellective soul is not truly and perfect the form of mans body II. That whereas Divines differ about the effect of Baptisme some saying that to Infants sin is remitted but not Grace conferred others saying that the fault is remitted and virtues or informing Grace infused as to the Habit though not yet for use we attending the general Efficacy of Christs death which by Baptisme is equally applyed to all judge the second opinion more probable and agreeable to the sayings of the Saints and modern Doctors of Theologie the sacred Council approving this which saith that both to adult and infants in baptisme informing grace and virtues are given III. If any one fall into this errour that as pertinaciously to affirm that Vsury is no sin we decree that he be punished as an Heretike and the ordinaries and inquisitors for heresie may proceed against such as against hereticks IV. And it is decreed that if any Communities or Officers shall presume to write or dictate that usury should be paid or being paid should not be fully and freely restored let them be excommunicate and they shall incurr the same sentence that do not as far as they can blot out such statutes out of the bookes of the said Companies that shall keep such customes Also that Usurers be compelled to shew their books of accounts § 243. Here the Pope and the Bishops in a General Council have judged divers points to be heresie and consequently their contraries to be Articles of faith And for Heresie they curse burn and damne men 1. I overpassed their Article that Christ was dead before his side was pierced which is true But whether an Article of our Creed necessary to be understood to Salvation let the Church Creed be witness 2. It s well that the possibility of sinless perfection is made a heresie by them for we must daily pray for pardon But why then do they talk so much of the possibility of keeping all Gods Law that is of never sinning and talk of perfection and works of Supererogation 3. Do not they make an Article of Faith of a Logical Arbitrary Notion that intellectual Souls being the Bodies form who knows not how ambiguous the word form is An Aristotle supposeth a Corpus organicum besides the Soul and that Corpus hath its form quâ— Corpus I imagine that these Bishops meant the same thing that I do and that our difference is but of the fitness of words but â—will so far venture on their heretication as to say that forma Corporis forma Animae and forma Hominis are divers That Corpus organicum quà tale hath its proper form which denominateth it such which is not the Soul That the Soul being a substance hath its proper from which denominateth it and which it retaineth when separated from the Body And that the intellectual Soul is forma Hominis but improperly called forma Corporis I will venture on their Heretication to tell them my opinion and I think their Errour and Presumption to thrust such things on Men under the penalties of cursing burning and damnation 4. Their Article of Faith about the effect of Baptism That all that are baptiâ—ed at Age and Infants have both pardon and infused infâ—rming habitual Grace I take for unproved and have elsewhere proved it to be false in all probability as universally taken 5. The Article of Faith That Vsury is a Sin doth hereticate many great Divines more Lawyers and most Cities Corporations and Companies in the World No doubt but all Usury is a sin that is against either Mercy or Iustice But that some Usury may be an Act of great Charity many wise men think past doubt We have known some get estates of many thousand pounds a year by trading with money taken upon Usury when perhaps some that Leant that money had nothing but the Use to buy them bread and course cloathing and keep them from perishing How many thousand Great Men Lawyers and Citizens are to be cursed burnt and damned by this Canon for holding some Usury to be Lawful Nay how many for not restoring it when taken when perhaps an Orphan took it of a rich man to save them from famine This is the benefit of hereticators § 244. Anno 1311. Was a Council at Ravenna CCCCVIII for Discipline and Reformation of the Churches manners with many superstitions § 245. CCCCLIX Anno 1314. Another at Ravenna was like the former § 246. Next cometh Pope Iohn the 20th alias 21th alias 22th alias 23th He lived at Avinion He thought souls were kept in some receptacles from the â—ight of God till the Resurrection He damned those that held that Christ and his Apostles possessed no Propriety Platina thinks contrary to the Gospel He tormented to death Hugo Bishop of Cature for being against him He cursed and excommunicated the Emperor Lewis of Bavaria and many other great men Italy was all in Wars in his days The Emperor set up another Pope in Italy against him Nicol. the 5th which was saith Onuph 28th Schism at Rome was not he that was at Rome liker to be Bishop of Rome than he that was in France But the Pope Nicolas after three years Reign was catched by one that would merit of Pope Iohn and sent to him and put in Prison where he soon died and Iohn died at Ninety years Old after Nineteen years Reign leaving more money behind him than any Pope that ever went before him His process against Lodov. the Emperor you â—ay see in Freherus History Rer. Bohem. and others more at large § 247. CCCCLX Another Council at Ravena Anno 1317. to the same purpose with the former where the manners of those times may be noted in the crimes forbidden The 3d. Can. sheweth that men had then the place of Archdeacons before they were ordained Deacons and the places or benefices of Abbots Deans Archpresbyters Prelates Praepositi before they were ordained Priests And the Cannon requireth such to be after ordained within a year Can. 18. Excommunicateth all Lay Magistrates that take a Priest or Clerk in arms or in any excess or sin and keep him that is imprison him or punish him and do not send him to his Bishop or that sending him to the Bishop do openly shame him by sending him with trumpets or armed men or with his arms hang'd about his neck § 248. CCCCLXI Anno 1322. A Concilium Sabinense had many of the like orders to restrain the vicious Clergy and yet Can. 3. excommunicate secular Judges that compel them to answer at their Bar.
the Popes Heresie The rest is worth the reading but too long for me to repeat Much of it is to shew that Reading and Massing is more needful than Preaching and that every Priest that Masseth is not bound to Preach there needeth many Mass-Priests and not so many Preachers and that silenced excommunicated Priests are bound to cease preaching and obey the Prelates But he had the wit to add if silenced for a reasonable cause and to confess that Sententia injuste lata à suo judice si errorem inducat vel poceatum mortale afferet nec timenda est nec tenenda Pag. 364. He denieth that it is any Precept of Christ 1. To receive the Cup 2. Or that Priests Preach 3. Orto abolish all mortal sin 4. Or for the Clergy not to be Civil Governours c. IV. Ioh. de Poleâ—nar Archdiacon Barcinon hath a Treatise of three days speech for the Civil Power of the Clergy in which he mis-spendeth much time in disputing for their Propriety when as the Bohemians took Dominion for Empire or civil forcing power of Government and for inordinate possessions of Lordships and great wealth § 36. The Papists confess that this Council was Vniversal and rightly called and confirmed but they pretend that it was partly reprobate by the Popes removal of the Council and that Pope Nicholas 5. approved it but in part It began 1431. and continued above eleven years § 37. CCCCLXXIII An. â—438 A Council at Bridges concurred with this at Basil making the Pragmatical Sanction decreeing that a General Council be called every ten years and confirming the Council at Basil. § 38. CCCCLXXIV Next cometh the Anti-Council at Ferrary and Florence where the attempt for Union with the distressed Greeks was made all the passages whereof are so fully opened in the Greeks History published by Dr. Creighton that I shall say no more of it Here note that there were two General Councils at once and how could they both or either of them be truly Universal The Papists call it the sixteenth § 39. After many Wars Eugenius the deposed Pope died An. 1447. having made twenty seven Cardinals against the Council of Basils Decrees from whom is their succession and Nicholas the 5. succeeded him Italy still continued in bloody Wars Pope Faelix at last resigned and so there was once more but one Pope And that you may see still how far the Pope was from governing all the World the City of Rome was again seeking to recover their Liberties and had a Plot against him one Steph. Hircanius being the Chief and the Pope secured himself by hanging many of them § 40 The Emperour of Constantinople and those Bishops that pretended a Union with Rome in hope of help found the people and Clergy there utterly averse to come under the Pope and they had no help from him nor any of their desired successes for now the Turks took the City and killed the Emperour and many thousands more and 1455. the Pope died § 41. CCCCLXXV A Council at Tours about Church Orders decreed praying oft for the dead forbad Clandestine Marriages and Massing in unconsecrated places c. § 42. CCCCLXXVI A Synod at Lyons to end the Schisms between the two Popes done by the Emperour Frederick who desired King Charles concurrence § 43. An 1455 Calixtus the 3. is made Pope he raiseth a Sea Army against the Turks the Patriarch of Aquilâ—ia being Captain Rome was still in War He claimed the Kingdome of Naples to the Church for want of Heirs an Anti-Pope was also made called Clement 8. but being perswaded to resign he accepted a Bishoprick Many Cities in Italy ruined by Earthquakes whose ruines Platina saith he saw with admiration He made a new Holy-day for Christs Transfiguration § 44. Next cometh Aeneas Sylvius called Pius 2. one of the most learned of all the Popes especially an Orator He was against the Pope for the superiority of Councils at Basil but when he was made Pope he recanted it In his Epistle to his Father he excuseth himself for having a Bastard and for fornication particularly with an English Woman that lodged in the same house with him telling him that he was not an Eunuch and remembering his Father what a Cock of the Game he had been himself but among the Popes he was a wonder of worthiness He was vehement for a War with the Turks but could not so far quench the flames of War at his own doors in Italy and other Christian Countries as to accomplish it Platina recordeth many of his Sentences among which are Every Sect established by Authority is void of humane reason If the Christian Religion had not been approved by Miracles it should have been received for its honesty The Mortals measures of Heaven and Earth are more bold than true Astronomy is more pleasant than profitable The Friends of God are happy here and hereafter There is no solid joy without virtue They that know most doubt most Artificial Orations move fools not wise men As all Rivers flow into the Sea so all Vices into great mens Courts Flatterers rule Kings as they list Princes hear none so readily as accusers The tongue of a flatterer is the worst plague to a King He that ruleth many is ruled by many He is unworthy the name of a King who measureth the publick affairs by his own commodity c. Ill Physitians kill bodies and unskilful Priests souls Virtues enrich the Clergy Vice impoverisheth them Marriage was for great reasons forbidden Priests and for greater is to be restored to them He that too much pardoneth his Son cherisheth his Enemy The covetous never please men but by dying Lying is a servile vice c. You may see his Râ—cantation in Binius where his Dignity raised him so high as to say That the Greek and Latin Doctors with one voice say that he cannot be saved that holdeth not the Vnity of the Roman Church and all those Virtues are maimed to him that refuseth to obey the Pope though lying in sackcloth and ashes he fast and pray day and night and seem in other things to fulfill the Law of God because obedience is better than sacrifice and every soul must be subject to the higher power and it is manifest that the Pope of Rome is placed in the top or Crown of the Church from which his power of Government we know that no Sheep of Christ at all is exempted O then how much worse is the case of the Abassines Armenians Greeks Protestants even three fourth parts of the Christian World than of the Heathens being all certainly damned for not believing in the Pope How much more necessary to Salvation is it to please and honour the Pope than any Angel or Saint in Heaven But how false is it that the Greek and Latine Fathers all agree in this § 45. Paulus 2. succeedeth Pius a man just and clement saith Platina himself yet saith he before he was Pope
excellency of the Truths that I am to preach and for the will of God and the good of Souls I would be a Plow-man or the meanest Trade if not a Sweep Chimney rather than a Minister Must we break our health and lay by all our worldly interest for you even for you and think not our lives and labours too good or too dear to further your Salvation and must we by you even by you be reproached after all God will be Judge between you and us whether this be not inhumane ingratitude and whether we deserve it at your hands 13. Yea it is Injustice also that you are guilty of The labourer saith Christ is worthy of his hire Luke 10. 7. Mark that you that call them Hirelings The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5. 17. Especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine And will you throw stones at their heads for endeavouring to save your souls Will you spit in their faces for seeking with all their might to keep you from Hell Is that their wages that you owe them But blessed be the Lord with whom is our reward though you be not gathered Isa. 49. 5. But as you love your selves take heed of that Curse Ier. 18. 20. Shall evil be recompenced for good for they have digged a pit for my soul Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them c. O how many a time have we besought the Lord for you that he would convert you and forgive you and turn away the evil that was over you And when all these our prayers and groans and tears shall be remembred against you O miserable souls how dear will you pay for all 14. And is it not a wonder that these Malignants do not see what evident light of Scripture they contradict and how many great express Commands they violate They break the fifth Commandment which requireth honour as well to spiritual Ecclesiastical Parents as to Civil and Natural And he that curseth Father and Mother his Lamp shall be put out in darkness Prov. 20. 20. The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Did these wretches never read 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake and to be at peace among your selves And Heb. 13 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God And so ver 24. And 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour c. with abundance more such passages as these Do not you feel these fly in your faces when you oppose the Ministers of Christ Doth a Thief or Murderer sin against plainer light than you 15. These Malignants sin against the consent and experience of the Universal Church of Christ till this day The whole Church hath been for the Ministry and instructed by them and as the Child doth seek the Breast so did new-born Christians in all Ages seek the Word from the Ministers that they might live and grow thereby And all the Nations of the Christian World are for the Ministry to this day Or else they could not be for Christ and for the Church and Gospel Is it not plain therefore that these Malignants are dead branches cut off from the Church that are so set against the Spiriâ— and interest of the Church 16. Moreover they sin against the experience of all or almost all the true Christians in the world For they have all experience that Ministers are either their Fathers or Nurses in the Lord And that by their means they have had their life and strength and comforts their sins killed their graces quickned their doubts resolved the taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come May we not challenge you as Paul oft doth his Flock Whether you did not receive the illuminating sanctifying Spirit by the Ministry if ever you received it I tell you it is as much against the new and holy nature of the Saints to despise the Ministers of Christ as it is unnatural for a Child to spit in the face of his Father or Mother And the experience of sound Christians will keep them closer and help them much against this inhumanity what ever Hypocrites may do 17. And if these Malignants had not Pharaohs heart they would sure have considered that the experience of all Ages tells them that still the most wicked have been the Enemies of the Ministry and the most godly have most obeyed and honoured them in the Lord and that this Enmity hath been the common Brand of the rebellious and the fore-runner of the heavy wrath of God and that it hath gone worst with the Enemies and best with the Friends of a godly Ministry Do I need to prove this which is so much of the substance of the Old Testament and the New Was it the Friends or Enemies of all the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of Christ that Scripture and all good Writers do commend Do not the names of all Malignants against the godly Ministry stink above ground as the shame of mankind except those that are buried out of hearing or those that were converted 18. Nay such as are noted for the highest sort of the wicked upon Earth worse than Drunkards Whoremâ—ngers and such filthy Beasts The Persecutors of Gods Ministers have been ever taken as walking Devils And the hottest of Gods wrath hath faln upon them Take two instances 1. When the Iews went into Captivity this was the very cause 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 2. And when the Iews were cut quite off from the Church and made Vagabonds on the Earth this was the very cause Acts 28. 28. Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and that they will hear it 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. These Jews both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost 19. It is the Devils own part that these Malignants act For it is he that is the great Enemy of
than read their Liturgies and Homilies and so administer the Sacraments 5. All the Controversie therefore lieth between us and the Papists either they are true Ministers and a Church or not if not then it s left to us if they are then we are so much more for we have much more unquestionable Evidence of our Title 1. The Office of a Teaching Guiding worshipping Presbyter which we are in is beyond all question and yielded by themselves to be of Divine Institution But the office of a Mass-Priest to make a God of a piece of Bread and turn Bread into Flesh so that there shall be quantity colour taste c. without bread or any subject and a mans eyes taste or feeling shall not know that its bread or wine when we see taste and feel it as also to celebrate publick worship in an unknown tongue this office is more questionable than ours 2. It remaineth a great doubt whether the Pope be not the Antichrist but of our Ministry there 's no such doubt 3. For Knowledge Godliness and Utterance and all true Ministerial abilities as it s well known what an ignorant Rabble their common secular Mass Priests are so those Military Fryars and Jesuites that are chosen of purpose to play their Game among us and credit their Cause if they have any relicks of truth or modesty will confess that the generality of our Ministers are much beyond theirs for Parts and Piety or at least that we cannot be denied to be true Ministers for want of necessary abilities We should rejoyce if their Ministers Priests or Jesuites were near of such Piety as those of the Reformed Churches Some of their Jesuites and Fryars are learned men in which also we have those that equal the best of them but for the learning ability or Piety of the common Ministers on both sides there is no comparison to be made 4. All the question then is of the way of entrance And there 1. The Papists seek not the Peoples consent so much as we do 2. They despise the Magistrates consent in comparison of us 3. And for Ordination which is it that all the stress must be laid on we have it and nearer the Rule of God than they Are they ordained with Fasting Prayer and Imposition of Hands so are we Must it be by one of a Superiour Order Who then shall Ordain or Consecrate the Pope And yet a multitude of our Ministers are ordained by Bishops if that be necessary But the great Objection is that we have not an uninterrupted succession from the Apostles and so those that ordained us had no power and therefore could not give it to us Proposition 6. The want of an uninterrupted succession and so of Power in the Ordainers doth not disable our Title to the Ministry or set us in a worse condition than the Papists For if it be only the succession of possession of the Office there is no man of brains can deny but we have an uninterrupted succession down from the Apostles But if it be a succession of Right Ordination that is questioned 1. The Papists have none such themselves 2. We have more of it than they 3. It is not necessary that this be uninterrupted All these I prove 1. The Popes themselves from whom their power flows have been Hereticks denied the Immortality of the Soul Whoremongers Sodomites Simonists Murderers so that for many of them successively the Papists confess they were Apostatical and not Apostolical See in their own Writers the Lives of Sylvest 2. Alexand 3. 6. Iohn 13. 22. 23. Greg. 7. Vrban 7. and abundance more Ioh. 13. was proved in Council to have ravished Maids and Wives at the Apostolick doors murdered many drunk to the Devil askt help at Dice of Iupiter and Venus and was kill'd in the act of Adultery Read the proofs in my Book against Popery pag. 269 270 255 101. The Council at Pisa deposed two Popes at once called them Hereticks departed from the Faith The Council at Constance deposed Ioh. 23. as holding that there was no Eternal Life Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection The Council at Basil deposed Eugenius 4. as a Simonist and perjured wretch a Schismatick and obstinate Heretick Now these men are uncapable of the Ministry as an Infidel is for want of Essential Qualifications As Copper is no currant Coyn though the stamp of the Prince against his will be put upon it Undisposed matter cannot receive the form A fit man unordained is nearer the Ministry than such a man ordained So that here was a Nullity 2. And all the following Popes were the Successors of Eugenius that was deposed and thus judged by a General Council but by force brought them to submit and held the place 3. Either the Election Ordination or both is it that giveth them the Essence of their Papacy If Election then there hath been a long interruption for some-while the People chose and in other Ages the Emperours chose and in these times the Cardinals and therefore some of them had no lawful choice And for Ordination or Consecration 1. There have been three or four Popes at once and all were Consecrated that yet are now confessed to have been no true Popes 2. Inferiours only Consecrated 3. And such as had no power themselves Besides that the See hath been very many years vacant and some score years the Pope hath been at Avignion and had but the name of P. of Rome And when three or four have been Pope at once Bellarmine confesseth learned men knew not which was the Right yea General Councils knew not The Council at Basil thought Faelix the fifth was the right Pope but it proved otherwise so that many palpable Intercisions have been made at Rome 2. Our Ordination hath been less interrupted than theirs Object But you are not ordained by Bishops Answ. 1. Almost all in England are till of late if that will serve 2. Presbyters may ordain in case of necessity as the generality of the Old Episcopal men grant and their Ordination is not null 3. Presbyters have power to Ordain and were restrained only from the exercise by humane Laws as many of the Schoolmen confess 4. Presbyters have still ordained with the Bishop therefore they had Authority to it and the work is not Alien to their Function 5. Our Parish Presbyters are Bishops having some of them Assistants and Deacons under them or as Grotius notes at least they are so as being the chief Guides of that Church Their own Rule is that every City should have a Bishop and every Corporation is truly a City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore must have a Bishop 6. The Ius Divinum of Prelacy is lis subjudice 7. Bishop Vsher maintaining to me the validity of the Ordination of the Presbyters without a Bishop told me how he answered King C. who askt him for an instance in Church-History viz. That Hierom ad Evag. tells us of more that the Presbyters