Popish Glorying in Antiquity Turned to their Shame, Book 3

Popish Glorying in Antiquity Turned to their Shame · Book 3

p. 243THE THIRD BOOKE. OF HISTORIE.

CHAP. XV. How they deale with the auncient Histriographers, and their owne Records.

1. By giving them the Lie, when they make agaynst them.

FIrst, then, for Precedencie, to begin with a Pope: when Aeneas Sylvius (called there-after Pius the second) declareth, That before the Councell of Nice, little respect was had to the Church of Rome, but each one lived to him-selfe, Bellarmine answereth, Sententia Aeneae Sylvii partim non est vera:Bell. lib. 2. de pont. c. 17. §. Cum. that is, The p. 244Relation of Aeneas Sylvius, is not partlie true. And so the Cardinall giveth his Holinesse, roundlie the Lie.

Next, to a Pope, howe hee vseth a Cardinall, let his owne wordes witnesse: For when Benno the Cardinal, is truelie relating the Vitiousnesse of Pope Gregorie the seaventh, and the Innocencie of the Emperour, Henrie the fourth, whome hee persecuted, Bellarmine calleth him a Lowde Liar:Bell. …. 1. de pont. c. 17. Pet. … ▪ and sayeth, that his booke is full of moste shamelesse Lies.

Thirdlie, howe conjun̄ctlie a Troupe of Wryters, for companie, get the Lie together, let Bellarmine giuegive Testimonie vntounto vsus; who telleth vsus, That al-be-it all auncient Wryters agree in this, That the Councell of Franckford condemned the seaventh Synode, which established the worshipping of Images; yet Alanus Copus sayeth, Mentiuntur omnes: that is, They are all Liars. Which Bellarmine calleth,Bell▪ …. 2. de concil. c. 8. sect. …. Paulo durius p. 245dictum: that is, Some-what hardlie spoken. But beholde, how hee next falleth into this Ditch him-selfe.

VVhen Martinus Polonus relateth the Historie of Sylvester the second▪ who solde him-selfe to the Devill, to attayne to the Papacie: which Historie Platina, Bembus, Nauclerus, Fasciculus, Onupbrius, and all other Histriographers,Bell. l. 4▪ de pont. c. 12. §. Resp. testifie: Yet Bellarmine (having a Face of the lyke temper with the brazen bellie of Nebuchadnezar's Image) aunswereth, saying, Respondeo sine dubio esse fabulas quae narrantur de magia & morte Sylvestrit that is, I answere, That without doubt, (sayeth hee) they are but Fables, which are tolde of the Witchcraft, and death of pope Sylvester.

Agayne, when the same Martinus Polonus, and other thirtie & three Historicians, (all Friendes to the Church of Rome, most of them Clergie Men, & some of them Sayncts) report, howe pope Ioane, a vitious Whoore, possessed the papall Sea p. 246so long, and died publicklie in birth, in her pontificall procession, Bellarmine giveth him,Bell. … 1. de pont. c. 24. §. Deinde. and all the rest, the Lie.

In lyke manner, when Paphnutius Opposition, in the first Councell of Nice, to compelled Single lyfe, is recorded, not onelie by Socrates and Zozomen, but also by Epiphanius; and received as true, by all their owne Wryters,Espen. de contin. l. 1. c. 4. Alth. l. 13. t. Sacerdos. Grat. dist. 31. c. 12. P. Cost. Ep. ad fratrem. Bell. lib 1. de cler. c. 20. §. At ne que . as Espenseus, Alphonsus de Castro, Gratian, Petrus Costus, and others: yet not-with-standing, Bellarmine answereth, saying, Eyther that all is false, which those men report of Paphnutius; or else, if anie such thing fell out, that it was but badlie tolde by them.

Last of al, how they vse their own Wryters severally, let these few Instances lyk-wyse to vsus notifie. Whē Beatus Rhenanus deponeth faythfullie, That pope Zepherin was a Montanist, Bellarmine aunswereth thus,Bell lib. 4. de pont. cap. 8. §. Quia. Mentitur Rhenanus: that is, Hee is a lowde Liar.

p. 247VVhen Canus, lyk-wyse, declareth, That pope Honorius vvas an Hereticke; having for his warrand, not onelie his condemning in Councels, but also his owne Letter, contayning a cleare Evidence, That hee was a Monothelite, Bellarmine, Bell. lib. 4. de pont. c. 11. §. ad secundam.not-with-standing, aunswereth thus, Dico Canum, his errare: that is, I saye, that Canus twyse strayeth from the Trueth.

And, vvhen Durand and Adrian, are produced, to testifie, That Gregorie did erre, Bellarmine aunswereth shortlie,Bell. ibidem c. 10. §. Resp. and sayeth, That Gregorie erred not: but they rather erred, departing from the Trueth, (sayeth hee) in reporting so.

p. 2482. How they alleadge them to be corrupt, when they make agaynst them.

FOr instancing heere-of: vvhen vvee bring a place out of Eusebius, agaynst papall Supremacie; showing, If anie had the same in the Apostles dayes, it was Iames, the Lord's Brother, who was bishop of Hierusalem, and is called Episcopus Apostolorum; Bellarmine aunswereth heere-to,Bell. l. 1. de pont. c. 26. sect. ad. Locum sine dubio esse corruptum: that is, That the place of Eusebius, is without all doubt, corrupted.

Agayne, when we bring agaynst the same Supremacie, the Act of that auncient Councell of Carthage, (as their owne Gratian citeth,Grat. Dist. 99. c. prima. and setteth it downe) That none, no, not the bishop of Rome, should bee called Vniversall; and which in effect pope Gregorie him-selfe doeth testifie;Greg. l. 4. Epist. …8. Bell. lib. 2. de pont. cap. 31. sect. ad. Bellarmine aunswereth, That Gratian corrupted that Canon, by adding some wordes there-vntounto, p. 249and there-fore, that the same is of no authoritie, nor his Relation there-of, of anie credit at all.

Like-wise, let vsus see, how vpō incertayne probabilities, and conjecturall suspicions onlie, they reject what-so-ever they finde to make agaynst them.

VVhen that Record is adduced of pope Boniface the second, who in his Letter to Eulalius, bishop of Thessalonica, maketh manifest, That the whole Fathers, of that famous Councell of Carthage being excommunicated of the bishop of Rome, in token of their not acknowledgement of such power, or Supremacie, that they remayned so, without regard there-of, for the space of an hundreth yeares, and died, moste of them all, vnderunder the said Censure, (Augustine being one of them, & yet accounted a Saynct) Bellarmine hereto aunswereth,Bell. l. 2. de pont. c. 25. sect. Resp. Valde mihi Epistolas eas esse suspectas: that is, That hee suspecteth greatlie those Epistles of Boniface: vvhere-as their owne Lindanus p. 250sayeth,Lind. panopl. l. 4. cap. 89. in fin…. That hee that scorneth those as forged, I pray you, vvhat will hee leaue (sayeth hee) of all the Storie of Antiquitie, safe or sound vntounto vsus?

And when wee produce Socrates Testimonie, against the Antiquitie of the fourtie dayes of their Popish Lent,Bell. lib. 2. de oper. bon. c. 11. §. Sed probabile. Bellarmine answereth, That it is probable, that Socrates booke is corrupted.

3. How they admit them as true, onelie when they make for them; but otherwyse roughlie reject them.

TO cleare this out of our foresayde Bellarmine, Bell. l. 4 de pont. c. 9.when hee is to liberate Pope Liberius of Arrianisme, hee citeth the Testimonie of Socrates, Bell. l. 1. de cler. c. 20.Zozomen, and Nicep…orus, as the faithfull Recorders of that Age: and yet when Socrates, is cited by vsus, to witnesse the Nicen Councels acquiescing to Paphnutius speach, concerning the married Clergie, and Zozomen is brought to witnesse p. 251Nectarius fact, against Auricular Confession, Bellarmine calleth …hem both in those points, manifest Liars, and Heretickes:Baron. annal. anno 325. nū. 6. even as Baronius sayth the lyke of Nicephorus, whereas their owne Canus avoweth all those to bee,…an. loc. Theol. l. 11. c. 5. sect. Quod. Probatae fidei Authores: that is, Authors of approved Credite.

In lyke manner, Sopbronius, and Simeon Metaphrastes, are cited by Bellarmine, ut illustres Historici, to proue his point of Papacie: but when they report, that Linus died before Peter, whome they make to hauehave beene Pope after Peter, Bell. l. 2. de pont. c. 6. sect. Adversus.and …o …alsifieth their Succession, then are they disdainfullie repudiated by Bellarmine.

Lyke-wyse, Bellarmine adduceth Zonaras, to proue Honorius Innocencie, as there-in, one of sole and singular Authoritie: yet in another case, concerning the Emperour Constantines commanding of Pope Sylvester, Bellarmine rejecteth his Narration and Testimonie.Bell. l. 1. de Concil. c. 20. sect. Resp.

Also, Bellarmine adduceth Marianus p. 252Scotus, Baron. Ann. tō. 1. anno 34.(whom Baronius calleth Nobilis Chronologus) to proue Pope Zacharie's just deposing of Childerike, King of France, Bell. l. 2. de pont. c. 17. sect. Ac.and Pope Gregorie's the seaventh just oppositiō to Henrie the fourth. But when Fasciculus Temporum, L. 4. de pont. c. 13. sect. Marianus.who followeth him, and the Passionall, (two of their famous Histories) are produced to improoue Peter's sitting at Rome, Bellarmine answereth,L. 2. de pont. c. 5. sect. Quo…rca. Wee justlie contemne (sayeth hee) Fasciculus Temporum, and the Passional chiefelie, seeing Fasciculus followeth Marianus Scotus, who contradicteth most clearlie both himselfe and the Trueth.

Againe, for the justnesse of the fore-named Pope Zacharie's deposition of King Childericke, Bell. l. 2. de pont. c. 17. sect. Ac.Bellarmine citeth Sigebert: but when hee is cited to testifie the Innocencie of Henrie the fourth, whom Hildebrand persecuted,L. 4. de pont. c. 13. §. Deinde. then Bellarmine alleadgeth him to bee vnworthie of Credite.

p. 253Lykewyse, for the clearing of the orderlie and just proceedinges in Pope Gregorie's Election to the Papacie,Bell. ibid. sect. Extat. Bellarmine citeth Platina, as the onelie saythfull Recorder, in whom (sayeth hee) is the verie forme of his election set downe. But when hee is adduced by vsus, to prooue the noveltie of Auricular Confession, and that the first enjoynet there-of, was Innocent the third, Bellarmine rejecteth Platina, Bell. l. 3. de punit. c. 13. sect. Deinde.saying, I trow it bee a Lie (sayeth hee) which Platina reporteth: adding, that hee is no authorized Author, altho his Declaration in his Preface to the Pope, by whose command hee vvrote, doeth evidentlie shovv the contrarie.

In lyke manner, in a matter of Historie, for proofe, that Peter substituted Clement to succeed him,Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 5. sect▪ deinde. Bellarmine citeth Tertullian, Tanquam gravissimus author: but vvhen hee is adduced by vsus, to proue, that Pope Zepherin vvas a Monatist, in this poynt of Historie,L. 4. …e pont. c. 8. §. Resp. Bellarmine answereth, p. 254That there is no trust to bee given to him.

Also Gregorie's Dialogues, and the Stories there-in contayned, are cyted by Bellarmine, Bell. l. 2. de mon. c. 21. §. Alia. L. 1. de sanct. c. 19. §. S. Greg. L. 2. de purg. c. 6. sect. prima.for Monasticall lyfe, and invocation of Sayncts, &c. but is rejected as false, when he ridiculouslie telleth of a Purgatorie of Soules, after death, into warme Bathes.

Thus vse they their Historicians at their pleasure, whether ancient or more recent, even as Herod vsed the Baptist; who altho hee heard him in manie things gladlie, yet he rejected and persecuted him, in the matter of Herodias.

p. 2554. How they hauehave so forged, and corrupted Recordes that are extant, and taken others al-together out of the way, that in things concerning the Trueth, which maketh agaynst them, they hauehave left verie little to bee seene, and feysted in, manie contrarie Falsehoods.

THE thing that ever that Whoore of Babylon hath most laboured for,Aeneas Sylvius, alias Pius 2. Epist. 288. and her Suppostes for her hauehave most endevoured, hath beene still A Supreame, and sole Soveraignitie. The which, altho a Pope, and one of the Sitters on that Scarlet-coloured Beast, doeth ingenuouslie confesse, That Rome was free, and farre from the lyke Challenge, or the Church of GOD, from the acknowledgement of anie such Diotrephes-lyke p. 256Preheminence, in her purest and primitiue tymes, whyle as shee remayned as an holie and chaste Spouse vntounto CHRIST, vnderunder the Dragon's Persecution, till the tyme of the Councell of Nice. Yet, that the World may bee borne in hand, That such Supremacie, as is nowe challenged, was ever reckoned due to that Seate of Majestie; and that even from the verie beginning, and profession of true Christianitie▪ that shee did sit as a Queene; there-fore, for probation heere-of, and to make vp that Gappe betweene the Apostolicall tymes, and that Councell of Nice, they hauehave forged some Decretall Epistles,11Decretall Epistles counterfeyt. of the bishops of Rome, to hauehave interveaned, fraughted with no other Ballast, nor Burden, but Soveraignitie, and their Hornes still sounding on high, the trebble tune onelie of Lordes Paramont, and Vniversall Seignorie.

And if the Nicene Fathers hauehave beene too niggardlie disposed, by p. 257passing a Sentence, of confyning those Romane bishops, within their owne Circuites, agaynst anie such boundlesse, and vniversall Supremacie: then, the VVorlde must knowe, that shee is not so destitute of Lovers, but that shee hath her Favourites, which can mende their Fault; and lyke Picke-Lockes, with wrong Keyes, release their holie Mother, from such narrowe Imprisonment, and can make Canons before hande, to bee vrged in due tyme, by their pope Zozimus, and to giuegive such an hard Charge,22A Canon of Nice, counterfeyt. to a whole Africane Councell, as they shall bee in hope, that those shall yeelde presentlie, to such a braue Batterie. VVhichWhich if that fayle them (as vnluckilie it did) and that Paper onelie bee found in the shot, in place of hard Bullet; Then shall bee made vp, two famous counterfeyt Councels: the one where-of, shall bee a Romane, (and there-fore no marvell, if in Favours of Rome) p. 258which shall checke Nice, 33Concil. Rom. Cap. 20. Anno 315. …. …in…ssan. anno 301. …oth counterfeyt.for its Nycenesse, and match, yea, outmatch the same, in Venerable Antiquitie: and shall not yeelde onelie, That the Pope hath power, to judge all others; but (as if that were too narrow a Scantling) shall giuegive him this Prerogatiue, by their Declatatour, expresselie to bee judged by none.

And if this will not yet serue, to bee so Supreame in Ecclesiasticis, as to bee both Law-giver, and Law-lesse: but being glutted, with the Surfer of Spirituall Iurisdiction, his large Maw also, and appetite after Temporall power, must bee lyke-wyse satiate: There-fore, to set him on the highest pinacle of Pryde, and to put on the Kepstone of Absolute Monarchie, on his loftie and triple-crowned head, for the completing of the Mysterie of Iniquitie, and full in-thronizing of that Vicar of the Prince of Darknesse, into the Possession, (or at p. 259least the Clayme) of Satan's full Graunt, vntounto this pretended Servaunt, of that which the Master had before re…used, vvhen it vvas sayde vntounto Him, All these vvill I giuegive thee, if thou wilt fall downe, and worshippe mee. There-fore, there must bee an ample and fayre Donation,44Constantine's Donation, counterfeyt. of Constantine's vvell framed out, vvhere-in his Holinesse is invested, not onelie in the Citie of Rome, but also infeft, and seazed, as Lord Paramont, in Temporalibus, in the whole Seignorie, and Empyre of the West. VVhichWhich Donation, howe grosselie it is forged, and Knavishlie counterfeyted, is clearlie showne, by their owne VALLA, a Romane, and Channon of Laterane.

And, as yet, the Pope not contenting with this, Boniface the eight, there-fore, doeth steppe farthest of all, and maketh the highest Reach: So that their owne FASCICULUS TEMPORUM testifyeth p. 260of him, Quod in tantam arrogantiam erexit seipsum, ut Dominum totius Mundi se diceret tam in Temporalibus, quam in Spiritualibus: that is, He rose vp, vntounto so high pryde, that hee called him-selfe, Lord over the whole VVorlde, as well in Temporall thinges, as in Spirituall. And which Clayme, himselfe, in his large Decretall,… clearlie profes…eth. So that hee hath left it, as a Non ultra, to his Papall Successours.

Next, vntounto forging whole Treatises, to come to their corrupting of other Records, for the Papall behoofe, let Cardinall Benno stand vp as a witnesse, in the life of Gregorie the seaventh, of whom their owne Aventin thus lykewyse reporteth,… that, Non solum ad ambitionem suam occultandam fabulas comminiscitur, annales corrumpit, res gestas invertit; sed etiam coelestia oracula adulterat, &c. that is, That Gregorie the seaventh, (alias Hild…brand) to hyde his p. 261pryde, did not onelie make vp Fables, as true Histories, did corrupt the sound Registers, and inverted things that were done; but also did adulterate the verie heavenlie Oracles, expounding sacred Scripture falselie, (sayeth hee) and forcing the same, so to serue his wicked Lusts.

And last of all, how they hauehave taken all things almost out of the way, that could make agaynst them, (so that it is GOD'S great providence, that wee hauehave the Scripture left vntounto vsus sound) their owne Alphonsus de Castro furnisheth vsus with a notable Example,A…phons. de Hares. lib. 1. cap. 13. testifying, Quod ducenta volumina Wickle…, Episcopus Pragensis, (sayeth hee) concrema…i fecit, pulcherrime conscripta & regumentis pretiosis ornata: that is, That the Bishop of Prague caused burne two hundreth Volumes of Wicklesse's, most excellentlie well, written,… and covered with most ritch Covers. p. 262And this hee did at his owne ha…d, without anie superiour warrand, long before the condemning of the sayde deceassed Wickleffe, or Ierome of Prague either, in their ensewing Councell; making so of their Bookes, the bones of Bethel's Priestes, which was indeede their most succinct sort of confutation, Non arguendo, seit comburendo, all their Reasons, beeing Razing, and their firmest Argumentes, beeing the Fire and Ferio.

Againe, Pope Gelasius had a notable Epistle, against the mutilation of the SACRAMENT, and is cited by Gratian: But what doeth Bellarmine freelie confesse heere-of?Bell. Lib. 4. de Euch. cap. 26. §. Resp. Haec Epistola (sayeth hee) modo fortasse non extat: that is, Perhaps, now, this Epistle is out of the way. Even as those Romish purgers doe professe of Bertram, that they care not,Index expurg. …. Bertram. Si vel nusquam sit, vel intercidat: that is, p. 263That it were not in the Worlde at all, or were perished: because it is such a cleare Evidence, of the learned opposition, that was made eight hundreth yeares agoe to Transsubstantiation, when it was but hatching, as no clearer anie wayes can bee.

And in like manner, in the matter of Divorce, and priviledge of the partie vvronged, to marrie againe, Gratian citeth a Canon of an auncient Councell:Bell. Lib. 1. de Matrim. c. 17 §. …ecruidus. but Bellarmine sayeth, That now, Ne nomen quidem illius Concilii extat, ex quo canon ille depromptus est: that is, That not so much as the verie name of that Councell is extant, out of vvhichwhich that Canon is taken.

Likewise, Bellarmine granteth plainlie,Bell. Lib. …. de Pont. cap. 14. §. Tri…s…s ter…. that the Decretall Epistle of Celestine the third, showing, that hee maintained the Heresie, That difference in Religion, is cause of Divorce, was before, amongst the olde Decretals, and that Alphonsus p. 264de Castro sawe it in his tyme; but that the same is nowe quyte abolished, and taken away, hee freelie confesseth.

Besides those Suppressions of Evidences, what Oppressions lykewyse hauehave beene of the persons of the good and Godlie, vnderunder Papacie prevayling, since the eight hundreth yeare of GOD, let their owne Platina, in the lyfe of Sylvester the thirde, and their owne Fasciculus, after the lyfe of Steven the fift, testifie: the one recording, That all good Men suffered Oppression, and Rejection: and the other telling of such Persecution, that hee sayeth, Eia! Quis conventus, quae Congregatio, quis Homo jam securus erit? that is, Alace! what Companie, what Assemblie, yea, what Man nowe, can bee safe? And there-fore, hee calleth that Age where-of hee spake, The vvorst Tyme that ever was, In quo defecit Sanctus, (sayth hee) & diminutae p. 265sunt veritates à Filiis Hominum: that is, VVhere-in the holie Man is perished, and Trueth is departed from the Sonnes of Men. Thus were the Godlie (as them-selues confesse) in their persons eyther oppressed forciblie, or else their paynes were suppressed fraudefullie.

VVhichWhich Oppression towardes the Godlie,Revel. 11.Rev 11 joyned vvith strong Delusion towardes the God-lesse, caused the Warning, vvhichwhich the fewe Witnesses gaue, that the same was eyther not heard, or if it was heard, it was not believed; or what was witnessed, and believed, could not the least part thereof come to our Eares, vvho liue so long after them: Partlie thorowe ignorance of the Age, lacking Historicians, as BELLARMINE testifyeth of that nynth CENTURIE,Bell. Lib. 4. de Pont. cap. 12. in fin…. Quo nullum indoctius, (sayeth hee) nullum infoelicias: that is, Than vvhichwhich Age, none was p. 266ever more vnlearned, and more vnhappie: Partlie, also, thorowe the vvant of the ARTE OF PRINTING, and propagating of the true Travels of the LORD His Servauntes: Partlie thorowe the violent Curbing of the Pennes of the Pious, and partlie by interring their Paynes after them, by totall Deletion, whome they could not deterre in their Lyues, from faythfull Relation: or else so vvoefullie and vvickedlie vitiating their Workes, that Corruption of Writs and Fal…ehoode is seene, vvhere Correption of Vyce, and Trueth vvas …et down: and vvith the EDOMITES agaynst the Temple, although not crying openlie, yet practizing privilie, razing, even razing to the Foundation, and drowning (lyke the AEGYPTIANS, manie Birthes of ISRAELL, in their Rivers of Suppression, and in the LETHE of Eternall Oblivion.

p. 267So that wee may saye with the PROPHET, Except the LORD had left a verie small Remanent, as ISRAELL would hauehave beene lyke to SODOME, and lyke vntounto GOMORRHA:Isai. 1.….Isa 1 So, except the LORD HIS Providence had made some to escape,Iudges, 9. as IOTHAM did from the Handes of ABIMELECH, or as IOASH was preserved,2. Chron. 23.2 Chr 23 by the Wyfe of IEHOIDA, wee had not knowne so the Sedulitie and Subtiltie of ANTICHRISTIAN HIERARCHIE, as nowe wee see traced foorth, and treated of in their owne Historie. Neyther howe comfortablie, and carefullie; mercifullie, and marvellouslie, lyke MOSES in PHARAOH his Court, ISRAELL in afflicting AEGYPT, the three Children in the fyerie Fornace, and the seaven thousand vnderunder cruell ACHAB: Even so, howe those Sealed, and Virgine Worshippers, hauehave beene reserved, and GOD'S p. 268People, in the midst of BABELL, ever beene preserved; lyke the Temple vnpolluted, in the midst of Court and Citie, of that defyled multitude with Idolatry, who followed the Beast.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAg. 7. Lin. 5. Is is, for It is. Lin. penult. affrighted, for stricken. Pag. 11. lin. 17. to, for them. Pag. 30. lin. pen. by, for with.

Anie other Escapes in Printing, let the Reader amende.

End of the text · William Guild, Popish Glorying in Antiquity Turned to their Shame (1627)