The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 4 · History of century 6
CENTVRIE VI.
The Councel of Rauenna.THE schisme that fell out in the election of Symmachus was the cause of the gathering of the Councell of Rauenna, Laurentius, was his competitour. In this Councell it was found that Symmachus was first ordained, and that the most part both of Clergie and people adhered to him: therefore hee was declared to bee Bishop of Rome, and Laurentius was ordained Bishop of Nuceria.
Sixe Councels holden … Rome in Symmachus time.The multiplied number of Councels in Symmachus time, al conueened by the authoritie of Theodoricus king of Gothes, who raigned in Italie. Al this number of Councels (I say) was assembled for matter of litle importance, except the fourth & fifth Councell, wherein a libel of accusations was giuen in against Symmachus, but he compeared not before the Councell to answere; yet was he absolued by the most part of the Councell (being his own fauourers) chiefly for this reason; because they thought that the high Priest should be iudged by no man,Hist. Magd. cent. 6 cap. 9. but his doings should be examined only before the Tribūal of God. Marke how this matter goeth: the B. of Rome are lying vnderunder the feete of the Gothes, neither hauehave they liberty to assemble themselues together, except that licence be sought, & obtained frō Theodoricus king of Gothes. Notwithstāding supremacie that great Idol, whereat they aimed continually, runneth so high in their heads, that the flatterers of the B. of Rome would absolue him, as a man whose actions came not vnderunder the indicature of mortall men. His accusers protested in write, that if the successours of Peter should bee protested in writing that if the successors of Peter should be iudged by no man, then with the rest of the priuiledges of their chaire, they had also a priuiledge to sinne, and to doe what they please.
THe Councels of Spaine called Ilerdense,The Councels in Spaine called Ilerdense and Valentinum. and Valentinum assembled in Valentia, are very obscure Councels. In the one eight Bishops were present: in the other sixe Bishoppes. Many new and needelesse-Canons were made in these assemblies, and farther I see nothing. In the first called Ilerdense; a prohibition of marriage in time of Lent, and three weekes before the festiuitie of Iohn the Baptist, and betwixt the dayes of the Aduent of our Lord, and the dayes called Epiphania. In the other Councell it was appointed, that in the ordinarie seruice the Gospell should be read after the Epistle, partly in respect that all the people of God hauehave entresse to heare the wholesome precepts of their Sauiour, and partly, in respect that by such hearing, some were found to be conuerted to the faith, whereof it may be perceiued, that the Gospell was read vntounto the people in a known and intelligible language, els it could not worke faith in the heartes of the hearers.
IN the 20. yeeere of the Emp. Anastatius a nationall Councell was assembled at Sidon of eightie Bishops,The Councell of Sidon. by the procurement of Xenaeas B. of Hierapolis, for vndoing the Councell of Chalcedon. The Emperour had alreadie banished Euphemius, and Macedonius Bishops of Constantinople, Yet hee found that Flavianus B. of Antiochia, and Helias B. of Ierusalem altogether disliked & reprooued his proceedings, neither could they admit the law of obliuion, called in the Greeke language foreign, which the Emperour would hauehave brought in, to pacifie controuersies in the Church, as ciuil controuersies, at sometimes hauehave bin pacified: for this cause the Emperour Anastatius set himselfe directly against the truth of God, and gathered this Councell, to vndoe the authoritie of the Councel of Chalcedon. Flavianus, and Helias would not bee present at this vngodly Councell, wherein they damned the Councell of Chalcedon, yet they abstained from damning Flaevianus and Helias, for a time. Neuerthelesse by continuall accusations of these two Bishops, as if they had beene mockers of all the Emperours doings, they procured their banishment, as hath beene declared in the preceding historie.
The first Councell of Aurelia.IN the 22. yeere of the raigne of Anastatius, and vnderunder the raigne of Clodoueus King of France, conueened 32. Bishops in the towne of Aurelia, of purpose to settle some order in Ecclesiasticall discipline, which through iniurie of time, and irruption of barbarous people into the countrie of France, had beene brought to great dissolution and misorder. The Canons of this Councel are coincidēt for the most part, with the Canons of all other Councels.
The Councell of Gerunda and Czsaraugusta.THe two former Councels assembled in Spaine, namely Ilerdense, and Valentinum, were vnderunder the raigne of Theodoricus. Now these two Gerundense and Caesaraugustanum are celebrated vnderunder the same King, to wit, Theodoricus of the nation of the Gothes raigning in Spaine. In Gerunda seuen Bishops conueened, made Ecclesiasticall constitutions, chiefly about Baptisme, that Catechumeni should bee baptized on Easter day, and at Pentecost, when most solemne conuentions of people were gathered.Canon 4. They who were vnderunder infirmitie and sicknesse, might bee baptized at any time,Canon 5. and the infant, which was likely to die, might be baptized the same day wherein it was borne. In Caesaraugusta eleuen Bishops seemed to hauehave beene conueened.Canon 2. They forbid fasting vponupon the Lords day, for superstition, or for respect of times, or for perswasion. It would appeare that this Councell had a desire to abolish the rites and customes of the Manichean heretikes, who were accustomed to fast vponupon the Lords day.
The Councell of Rome.IN the dayes of H…rmisda by the mandat of Theodoricus King of Gothes raigning in Italie, a Councell was assembled at Rome vponupon this occasion. It was thought meet by the Emperour Anastatius, Theodoricus King of Italie and many others, that a Councel shuld be assembled at Heraclea for deciding coutrouersies in religion. Many Bishops resorted to Heraclea about the number of 200. but Anastatius suffered no Councell to be holden, thereby incurring the great blame of inconstancie, and carelessenesse in seeking out the truth: for this cause Theodoricus willed Hormisda Bishop of Rome to gather a Councell at Rome, wherein the errour of Eutyches is damned of new againe, & Ambassadours are ordained to be sent to Anastatius the Emperour, and to the Bishop of Constantinople, to diuert thē, if it were possible from the errour of Eutyches, but how inhumanely the Ambassadours were intreated, it hath beene declared in the description of the life of Hormisda.
VNderUnder the raigne of the Emperour Iustinus a Synode was gathered in Constantinople by Ioannes Cappadox. The Councel of Constantinople.Many grieuons accusations were giuen in against Severus Bishop of Antiochia,Hist. Magd. cent. 6. cap. 9. such as sacrilegious spoyling of Temples, vnderunder pretence of eschewing causes of Idolatrie, hee tooke away the golden doues that hung aboue the fontes, and the altars, and hee vttered many blasphemous speeches against the Councell of Chalcedon. Ioannes Cappadox, albeit hee was of a bad religion himselfe, yet the authoritie of the Emperour, and consent of the Councell procured that Severus should be damned of heresie, whom the Emperour also banished, and (as some affirme) punished him also by commanding that his blasphemous tongue should bee cut out. In like manner the Monks of Apamea in a Councell conueened in Syriasecunda, The Synode Syria secunda.accused Severus of bloody cruelty, and oppression, in besieging of Monasteries, slaying the Monks, and spoyling their goods. The like accusation was giuen in against Peter Bishop of Apamea, which accusations beeing sufficiently proued by vnsuspect witnesses: this Councell damned Severus, and Petrus Bishop of Apamea.
The second Councell of Toledo.IN the fifth yeere of King Abnaricus was the second Councell of Toledo conueened, partly for renuing the ancient constitutions of the Church, and partly for making new constitutions belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline. It was ordained that children whom their parents had dedicated to the Church, they should not be admitted to the office of a Subdeacon, vntill they were eighteene yeeres of age, neither to the office of a Deacon, before they were twentie fiue yeeres old, and at the beginning of their admission to the office of a Subdeacon, namely, when they were full eighteene yeeres old (and not before that time) they should bee presented before the Clergie, and people to make an open declaration, whether they were of purpose to leade a continent life, or to marrie, and these who protested they had not the gift of continency,Canon 1. are tolerated by the first Canon of the second Councell of Toledo to marrie.
The fift generall Councell holden at Constantinople.IN the yeere of our Lord 551. and in the 94. yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Iustinian, was a generall Councell assembled at Constantinople. The principall causes of this meeting are expresly set downe by Euagrius lib. 4. cap. 38. First in respect of the controuersie betwixt Eustochius B. of Ierusalem, and Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea Cappadocia: Eustochius cast out the Monkes of Nova Laura, who obstinately defended the errours of Origen. Theodorus Ascidas assisted them, and said, that Eustochius Bishop of Ierusalem had dealt cruelly, and inhumanely with his brethren; to pacifie this controuersie was this Councell conueened: Also great disputation was in the Church about the bookes of Origen, of Theodorus Bishop of Mopsuesta, and some writings of Theodoritus Bishop of Cyrus, and Ibas Bishop of Edessa: this was the second cause of this great conuention to put an ende vntounto these contentious disputations. At this time Menas was Bishop of Constantinople, but he ended his life in the very time of the generall Councel. The first question mooued in the Councel was this: Whether or no, men who were dead, and had ended their course, might lawfully be cursed and excommunicated. To this Eutychius (a man before this time of no great account) answered:2. Reg. 23. vers. 16. That like as Iosias not onelyonly punished Idolatrous Priestes who were aliue, but also opened the graues of them who were dead, to dishonour them after their death, who had dishonoured God in their life-time: euen so the memorialls of men might be accursed after their death, who had harmed Christes Church in their life-time.Euag. lib. 4 cap. 38. This was thought by the Fathers of the Councell to be pertinently spoken, and when his answer came to the eares of the Emperour Iustinian, hee appointed that hee should be ordained Bishop of Constantinople, for Menas died suddenly in time of the Councell. Vigilius Bishop of Rome was in Constantinople in time of this Councell, but would not be present at the Councel, left the dignitie of the Romane chaire should bee impaired, if the Patriarch of Constantinople had beene equalled with him in honour, for Eutychius, after Menas, was moderator of the Councell. The generall conuention tooke this effect, That the writings of Theodorus Bishop of Mopsuesta were vtterly condemned, and the replyes of Theodoretus to the 12. heades of Cyrillus, with the letter of Ibas written to Maris a Persiā were damned. Finally the errours of Origen were damned, & Theodorus Ascidas, together with the Monks of Nova Laura, who defended the errours of Origen, all were excommunicated, and the 4. preceeding generall Councels were confirmed with full allowance. The Councell of Mopsuesta immediatly following, tended onelyonly to this, to know when the name of Theodorus sometime B. of Mopsuesta a towne of Cilicia, was razed out of the roll called sacra diptycha. And the ancients both of Clergie and people, assured the Emperour Iustinian that the name of Theodorus was razed out of the rol of holy Bishops before their time.
VNderUnder the raigne of Childebertus king of France,The second, third, fourth and fifth Councels of Aurelia. were frequent meetings of Bishops in Aurelia a town of France commonly called Orleans. Many superstitious constitutions were hatched amongst them, especially about prohibition of marriage, for this doctrine of deuils had now gotten the vpper hand in the West. The verse of Homer may be written in the frontispice of these Councels foreign: that is, It is a shame to tarie long, and to returne emptie. If they meet so oft, somefruites worthy of their meeting should hauehave beene brought out to the world, but it is a wearisome thing to trauell a long time in the wildernesse of Arabia, albeit in it there bee large fieldes, yet it is a barren ground, and the paine of wearisome trauelling is not recompensed with the delight of any refreshment that can be had there. This I write, not to hinder any man from the reading of these Councels also: for some good things are to bee found in them, but to wish that the short time wee hauehave to liue in this world should not be vnfruitfully spent.
Canon 4.In the second Councel Simonie is damned, and the receiuing of money for admitting a man to a spirituall office is vtterly derested.
Canon 8.In the third Councell Periurie is abhorred in a man hauing a spirituall calling, but softly punished by 2. yeeres excluding of him from the communion.
Canon 4.In the fourth Councell, it is ordained that in the offering of the holy Calice, nothing shall be presented, except wine onelyonly, vnmixed with water, because it is a sacrilegious thing to transgresse the holy mandate and institution of our Sauiour Christ.
Canon 10.In the fifth Councell it is condescended, that no man shall be ordained Bishop, without consent of King, Clergie and people, according to the ancient constitutions of the Church, and that no sprituall office shall be bought by money.
The heape of constitutions about the keeping of Pasche day and Lent, about the prohibition of marriage betwixt Christians and vnconuerted Iewes, about seruants not to bee admitted to Ecclesiasticall orders, about assemblies to be at the least yeerely conuocated by Bishops, about Ecclesiasticall rents not to be dilapidated. The nature of a short Compend cannot permit mee to insist in such things.
VNderUnder the raigne of Theodobertus king of France,The Councel of Overnie. Canon 2. the Fathers who were present at the Councels of Aurelia, conueened also in the Councell of Overnie, and ordained that no man should presume to the office of a Bishop, by the fauour of men in credit, but by the merites of an honest and vnreprouable life.
That the dead body of a Bishop in time of his funerall should be couered with the pall,Canon 4. otherwise called Opertorium Dominici corporis which couered the Altar, left the honour done to the body, should be a polluting of the Altar, with many other constitutions, which of purpose I ouerpasse with silence.
VNderUnder the raigne of Aribertus king of France,The Councell of Tours. Canon 5. a Councell was assembled at Tours. In this Councell it was ordained, that the Clergie and people in eueryevery Congregation should prouide support for their owne poore, and not permit them to wander to vncouth places: for indeed this custome of wandering hath brought in Atheisme amongst the poore, when they leaue their owne Congregation, they leaue also their owne Pastor, who attended vponupon their conuersation, and they fall into the snare of the deuil.
It was also statute and ordained that a Bishop should count his wife as his sister,Canon 13. and that he should no manner of way companie with her: and for this cause hee should hauehave Presbyters, and Deacons so familiarly conuersant with him, that they might beare testimonie of his honest behauiour, to wit, that he neuer companied with his wife. The Romanists who count the prohibition of marriage to be the soule of their religion, could not ouerpasse this Canon without a censure. Now let vsus heare what Censura saith. Intellige hunc Canonem iuxia vsum Orientalis Ecclesiae, in qua coniugatus promouebatur ad sacerdotium: that is, Vnderstand this Canon according to the custome of the Orientall Church, wherein a married man was promoted to the Priesthood: well excused. The B. of Rowen, Burges, Tours, &c. are conueened in the towne of Tours, to prescribe rules to the Orientall Church, or at least rules vntounto their own bishops to liue after the forme of the Orientall Church, which neuer came in their minde to doe, as may evidently be knowne by the sixt generall Councell.
Canon 15.Moreouer, it was ordained, that no Priest, or Monke should receiue in bed with him another Priest or Monke, to the end they might be, so vnreproouable, that they would abstaine from all appearance of euill.
Canon 25.In this Councell was set downe very strict prohibitions, that no man should oppresse the Church, and conuert vntounto his owne vse any thing duely belonging to them, left hee incurre the malediction of Iudas who was a thiefe, and kept the bag, and conuerted to his owne vse a part of that mony which belonged to the poore.
The Councell of Paris.IN the Councell holden at Paris, order was taken concerning admitting of Bishops to their offices, that no man should be admitted Bishop, without the full consent of Clergie and people, and that no man should presume by fauour of Princes onelyonly, without the consents aforesaid, to become Bishop in any place.
The third Councell of Toledo.REcaredus king of Spaine, & of the discent of the Gothes, who were miserably infected with the Arrian heresie, assembled a Councell of 62. Bishops at Toledo, where he renounced the Arrian heresie, and embraced the true faith, & the whole nation of the West Gothes in Spaine did the like, about the yeere of our Lord 585.
Hist. Magd. cent. 6. cap. 9. A Councell at Constantinople.VNderUnder the raigne of Mauritius a Councel was assembled at Constantinople, for trying of the cause of Gregorius Bishop of Antiochia, whom Asterius Deputie in the East had accused of incest: but Gregorius was declared to be innocent, & his accuser was scourged with roddes, and was banished. In this Councell the name of Oecumenick Bishop, was attributed to Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople.
TThe first Councel of Matiscon was assembled about the time of Pelagius 2,Three Councels at Matiscon. Canon 8. as the second Tome of Coūcels recordeth. In it commandement was giuen, that no man of the Clergie should cite another man hauing a spirituall office, before a secular iudge.
And that a Bishop or Presbyter should not intangle himselfe with carnall lust,Canon 11. after hee is promoted to so high dignitie, but the woman who before was his wife, now let her be his sister, and let the husband be changed into a brother. Marke how subtilly Sathan vnderunder pretence of lothing matrimoniall chastitie, is bringing in, all kinde of vncleannesse into the Church.
THe second Councell of Matiscon was conueened in the twentie foure yeere of the raigne of Gunthranus king of France.Canon 3. In it complaint was made, that Baptisme was ministred vsually vponupon eueryevery holy day, insomuch, that vponupon Easter day, scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptisme. This they ordained to be amended, and that no man (except vponupon occasion of infirmitie) presume to present his child to Baptisme, but to attend vponupon the festiuall dayes prescribed of olde, that is, Easter and Whitsonday.
Also it was appointed and ordained,Ca… 6. that the Sacrament of the altar should be ministred before any communicant person had tasted of meat or drinke.
That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a citie of refuge,Canon …. be drawne backe againe by violence, from the bosom of the Church, or be harmed in that holy place.
That a bishop must not be attached before a secular iudge.Ca….
That the houses of Bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayers and singing of Psalmes;Ca… and shall not be defiled with the barking of dogges, and muting of haukes.
That secular men shall doe reuerence to those who are of the Clergie,Cano… 1…. euen vntounto the lowest degree of thē; in such sort that if the secular man doe meere any of the Clergie walking on foot, he shall honour him by vncouering his head: but if the secular man be riding on horsebacke, and the Clergie man on foote, then the secular man shall light downe from his horse, and shall doe reuerence to the Church-man: this age smelleth of Antichristian pride.
In the third Councell at Matiscon there is nothing to be read but a contentious disputation betwixt two Bishops, Palladius and Bertramus, & foolish questions scarse worthy to be disputed in Grammer schooles. Whether or no a woman may be called Hom….
A Councell at Rome.IN the yeere of our Lord 595. and in the thirteene yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Mauritius: Gregorius first Bishop of Rome assembled a Councell at Rome of twentie foure bishops, thirty foure Presbyters, wherein first of all he confirmed the first foure generall Councels.
He ordained that at the celebration of the Sacrament there should be lesse singing and more reading of Psalmes and Gospel: because weake people transported with the delight of a sweet and delicate voyce, marked not how men of a lewd life drew neere vntounto the Altar of God.
He ordained also that laicke boyes should not be cubiculars to the bishops or Rome: but that Presbyters, Deacons, or Monkes should be witnesses of the honestie of their conuersation.
And that the Beare wherein the body of the Bishop of Rome is brought forth to be buried; shall not be ouerspred with any couering aboue the Beare.
That for ordination of men in spirituall offices, no reward shall be craued. For like as the Bishop should not sell the imposition of his hands, euen so the minister or notare should not sell his voyce and pen. If hee who is ordained, voluntarily giueth any thing as a testimonie of his thankfulnesse, this is not forbidden to be receiued.
Gregorius standing before the place where the body of Saint Peter is buried, pronounced many Anathems, wherevnto the rest of the assemblie with vniforme consent, said Amen. Amongst the rest, the Presbyter or Deacon, who marrieth a wife is deliuered to the deuill, and a man who marrieth his owne spirituall sister (whom in our language, we call his gossope) hee is likewise deliuered to an euill Heard to be kept. Albeit Gregorius be not counted the worst amongst the bishops of Rome, yet when hee followeth not the certaine rule of the written word of God, hee is wandering in the mist as boldly as others did before him.
THe Councels which I hauehave ouerpassed with silence, such as Gradense, Braccarense, Lateranense, Lugdunense, Pictaviense, Merense: lest I should ouercharge a litle booke with an vnnecessarie burthen, or trouble the reader of superstitious rites, damning of old …, and of eueryevery contentious disputation, more … belonging to ciuill iudges than to spirituall conuentions, I referre mine excuse in this to the wisdome of the iudicious Reader.