History of the First Ten Persecutions, Treatises 6
TREATISES, Belonging to the IX. CENTVRIE.
A TREATISE, Of Extreame Unction.
THE Councell of TRENT entraiting of this subject of Extreame Unction, setteth downe a glorious Preface before their Canons, That Sathan, that vigilant enemie, who is readie at all occasions to take his aduantadge, he is most readie in the last conflict to assault poore soules, when naturall powers are weakened, and the feare of approaching death doeth perturbe the cogitations of sinfull people, then hee endeuoureth to brangle their faith, and to bring them to a distrust of the mercies of GOD. But on the other part (saye they) Christ hath instituted the Sacrament of Extreame Unction, as an armour to guarde vsus at our last breath against the subtile inuasions of that deceitfull aduersarie. This Preface importeth, that all the weapons of our spirituall warrefare, both defensiue and offensiue, wherewith wee faught against spirituall wickednesse in our life-time, are not sufficient to guarde vsus in our last combate, except wee bee annointed with oyle at our last departure, Neuerthelesse, the holie Scripture expresselie saieth, I am the resurrection, and the life: hee that beleeueth in mee, though hee were dead, yet shall hee liue: and whosoeuer liueth, and belecueth in mee, shall neuer die, Ioann. Chap. 11. verse 25. 26. In which wordes it may bee euidentlie perceiued, that the word of GOD, apprehended by faith, can saue vsus both in life and death.
The Romanistes, in proouing Extreame Unction to bee a Sacrament of the Newe Testament, in the which there is a signe instituted by GOD, and to the signe there is added a promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes, and consequentlie of eternall life. They are like to the drunkardes of our Nation, who when their stomacke is ouer-laden with too much drinke, then they laye them downe to sleepe: but incase by any occasion they be wakened Similitudebefore the drinke be digested and gone out of their heads, they arise like madde men, and make such a stirre and businesse, that all men wishe that they were in their bedde againe: Euen so, the Romane Church hath beene so miscarried with the traditions of men, with the writinges of auncient Fathers (especiallie in poinctes of doctrine in the which they were weake) and with the authoritie of Councels, that they layed them downe, and slept securelie, as people who were perfectlie instructed in the way of GOD. But nowe they awake, after a manner, out of their sleepe: and they will seeme to grounde their doctrine vponupon Scripture, which they so miserablie abuse, that they are in no better case, but rather in a worse, than when they misregarded Scripture, layed it aside, and counted the Decretalles of Popes to bee of as great authoritie as the holie Scriptures of GOD.
True it is, that about the yeere of our LORD 520. Chemnisius reckoneth the yeere of our LORD 528. Foelix the fourth, the successour of Ioannes the first, and predecessour of Bonifacius the seconde: hee ordained, That Christians, before they departed this life, shoulde bee annointed with oyle. And this is the true originall of Extreame Unction, yet in such manner, that in the dayes of Pope Foelix the fourth, it had not the name of a Sacrament. But seeing the Councell of TRENT referreth it vntounto a more auncient beginning: let vsus examine the places of SCRIPTVRE whereupon they grounde this their opinion.
The wordes of the APOSTLE IAMES are these, Is anie sicke amongst you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them praye for him, and annoint him with oyle, in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke: and the Lord shall raise him vp: And if hee hauehave committed sinne, it shall bee forgiuen him. Iacob. Chap. 5. vers. 14. 15.
For better vnderstanding of this place of SCRIPTVRE, let vsus consider these three thinges, to wit. That when the Gospell was first preached, for the propagation and aduan cement thereof, GOD appointed extraordinarie offices, (EPHES. 4.) which were not to continue in the Church, such as the office of Apostles, Euangelistes, and of Prophets. Likewise, hee endued them, and some other beleeuers, with extraordinarie giftes, such as the gift of tongues, of prophesie, and working of miraculous workes. And like as the extraordinarie offices continued not in the Church: euen so the extraordinarie giftes continued not long in the Church: for they were giuen to open a doore to the Gospell: which beeing once opened, Christians must content themselues with ordinarie offices and gifts.
Secondlie, let vsus consider, that persons who had receiued a gift of GOD to cure diseases miraculouslie, they vsed not at all times the selfe same signes and ceremonies in curing of diseases, but sometimes they sent hand-kirches to the diseased persons, (ACT. CAP. 19. vers. 11.) sometimes they ouerlayed the dead, and restored them to life, (ACT. CAP. 20. vers. 10.) and sometimes they annointed them with oyle. (MARC. CAP. 6. vers. 13.) Which diuersitie of signes had not beene lawfull to vse, if Extreame Unction had beene an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church: For, like as it is not lawfull to baptize with anie other liquor except water, because Baptisme is a Sacrament instituted by GOD▪ Euen so, in curing the diseased it had not beene lawfull to vse anie other signe and ceremonie but annointing with oyle, if so bee it had beene an ordinarie Sacrament.
Thirdlie, it is to bee considered, that when signes and ceremonies doe accompanie extraordinarie giftes, incase the gift doe cease, it is a foolishe thing to keepe in vse the signe and ceremonie, except it were to bee a memoriall of a thing done of olde, as the people of GVIDVS dedicated the shelles of the Fishe Remora to VENVS GVIDEA, for a memoriall of their deliuerance. But wee reade not of anie Prophet, to whome GOD gaue not the gift of working miraculous workes, who counterseited HELISEVS, by sending their staffe to raise the dead, (2. REG. CAP. 4. vers. 2….) or directing anie…eprous person to washe his bodie seuen times in the waters of Iordane, as HELISEVS directed NAAMAN the Syrian to doe. (2. REG. CAP. 5. vers. 10.) For in vaine is the outward signe adhibited, when the gift of miraculous he ling of diseases is ceassed. Yea, and the Priestes in the Romane Church, conuicted in conscience, that by annointing with oyle, they cannot restore a diseased person to health, they delaye to applie Extreame Unction, vntill all hope of recouerie bee vtterlie past.
But nowe, lest it shoulde seeme, that their Extreame Unction is altogether vneffectuallie applied, the verie wordes vsed in the application thereof testifieth, that they belieue that remission of sinnes shall bee conferred with to the diseased person, by vertue of Extreame Unction: for these are their wordes, Peristam sanctam Unctionem, & piissimam, suam misericordiam indulgeat tibi DEVS, quicquid peccasti per visum, per auditumodoratum tactum, gustum: that is to saye, By this moste holie Unction, let GOD bestowe vponupon thee his merciemercy, for all sinnes thou hast committed, by seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, or tasting. Heere remember, that the benefite which the APOSTLE saieth is chieselie obtained by prayer, they referre it vntounto annointing with oyle. Next, they take not he…de to whome the APOSTLE directeth this exhortation: namelie, to the faithfull members of CHRIST, whome in the twelfth verse hee calleth his brethren, and in the soureteenth and fif…eenth verses hee speaketh to such as reuerenced the order of Church-gouernement. Nowe it is certaine, that faithfull men are so taught in the schoole of GOD, and perswaded, that other mens prayers can auaile them nothing, except there bee faith in their owne heartes: for the prayer of SAMVEL coulde benefite King SAVL nothing in respect of his reprobate and vnbeleeuing heart. (1. SAM. CHAP. 16. vers. 2.) But these men of whome Sainct IAMES speaketh, were faithfull men, penitent sinners, obedient to the ordinances of GOD: And when the Seniors of the Church prayed for such men, their sinnes were forgiuen them, GOD hauing regarde to their owne faith, and to the prayers of the Elders of the Church for them.
In this they glorie much, that Extreame Unction may be called a Sacrament of the newe Testament in a proper sense: forasmuch as in it there is a signe instituted by CHRIST (Mar…. cap. 6.) and vntounto the signe there is added a promise, to wit, the healing of the diseased person, if the LORD thinke it expedient, at least a promise of remission of sinnes. But all this is nothing except the thirde circumstance bee added, to wit, that CHRIST hath giuen vntounto vsus this signe to bee vsed, and hath annexed the promises afore-saide as belonging vntounto vsus: for who can denie. but in circumcision there was a signe instituted by GOD, whereunto a diuine promise was annexed? Neuerthelesse, both the signe and promise appertained vntounto them who liued vnderunder the olde Couenant, (GALATH. CAP. 5. vers. 3.) and not to vsus: euen so, the signe and the promise aforesaide, appertained vntounto that time onelie in the which extraordinarie giftes had place in the CHVRCH of GOD, and not to vsus.
Nowe, to the ende that this their Sacrament of Extreame Unction, might bee holden in the greater reuerence, they hauehave founde out manie circumstances not mentioned in holie SCRIPTVRE: as namelie, that it shall bee made onelie by a Bishop: It shall bee saluted with bowing of knees, and nine congratulations in this manner, It shall bee saide thrise, Aue sanctum Oleum: and againe it shall bee saide thrise, Aue sanctum Chrisma: and the thirde time it shall bee saide thrise, Aue sanctum Balsamum: that is to saye, Haile, holie Oyle: Haile, holie Chrisme: Haile, holie Balsome. No such commaundement is contained in the Scriptures of GOD. In like manner they saye, it is onlie lawfull for a Priest to applie this Oyle: as if in the dayes of the Apostle IAMES there had beene such sacrificing Priestes, as are in our dayes: Whereas by the contrarie Pope INNOCENTIVS the first, who liued in the dayes of AVGVSTINE, permitted not onelie Priestes, but also common Christians, to comfort themselues and their friendes by annointing them with oyle, as SIGEBERTVS writeth in his Chronicles. Also with this oyle, made by the Bishop, exercised, consecrated, and saluted, as if it were a sensitiue and reasonable creature, the organes of mens senses are to bee annointed, such as the eyes, the eares, the nosthrils, the lippes, the handes, the feete, and the reines. In this poinct their heartes are ouercasten with darknesse: and they erre, mis-knowing the Scriptures and power of GOD: For the grounde of corruption is in the heart, and not in the senses: and the verie heart of EVA. was corrupted with infidelitie and pride, before her eyes, or hands, or mouth did sinne. (GENES. 3.) No man can discourse rightlie of sinne, nor of anie other thing, except hee knowe the fountaine and well-spring thereof.
Concerning auncient Fathers, they had no such custome to annoint with oyle the eyes, eares, and the rest of the organes of senses, before mens departure from this life. And whereas they bring foorth the testimonie of AVGVSTINE (Lib. 2. De visitatione infirmorum) reckoning Unction as one of the necessarie consolations to bee adhibited to them, who are concluding their life. This citation is an ouer-giuing of their cause, and a secret confession, that Extreame Unction is but the inuention of man: for they cannot bee ignorant, that those bookes, De Visitatione Infirmorum, were not written by AVGVSTINE, bishop of HIPPO, but by another after his death, who sette them foorth vnderunder the name of AVGVSTINE.
AECVMENIVS, writing vponupon the aforesaide place of the Apostle IAMES, is shorter in his Commentarie than the Apostle is in his precept or counsell: which thing hee could not hauehave done, if hee had thought that an holie Sacrament had beene recommended to the Church, to remaine vntounto the ende of the worlde: for hee writeth onelie, that the Apostles had this custome whilest CHRIST was conuersant with them in the earth, to annoint sicke persons with oyle, and to restore them to health. Aecum, in Epistol. Iacob. cap. 5. vers. 14.
The custome of the Romane Church approacheth somewhat nearer to the fashions of the Pagans, and olde Heretiques called Gnostici, than to the custome of the Apostles: for the Pagans annointed with oyle the bodies of the dead, as the Poete witnesseth in these wordes, Corpusque lauant frigentis, & vnguunt. (Iren. Lib. 1. Cap. 18.) And olde Heretiques annointed the head of the dead with oyle and water, to procure redemption to their soules.
The Romane Church annointeth not the dead with oyle, but they annoint them who are halfe dead, in whome there is no hope of life and recouerie.
LINDANVS, in all his writinges, is like vntounto an ASIATICKE Oratour, fighting rather with the shaft, than with the poinct of the Speare: and when hee citeth a place of CHRYSOSTOME, (De Sacerdotio, Libr. 3.) to prooue Extreame Unction to bee an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church, hee prooueth starke nothing, yea the thing that is not in controuersie betwixt vsus and the Papistes: for CHRYSOSTOME affirmeth, that men are more benefited by their teachers, than by their parentes: in respect their naturall parentes hauehave begotten their bodies, but their pastors hauehave begotten their soules to GOD: Yea, and their naturall parentes hauehave not supported their bodilie infirmities so much, as their pastors hauehave done: for oft times by prayer and annointing them with oyle, they hauehave procured health to their bodies, as Sainct IAMES witnesseth, which their naturall parentes were not able to procure. In all this discourse there is not one worde which wee denye. But this prooueth not Extreame Vnction to bee a Sacrament of the Newe TESTAMENT, instituted by CHRIST, to continue vntounto the ende of the worlde.
This Popishe Sacrament LINDANVS in his Panoplia entraiteth of it in the last rowme, as a secure hauen, in the which hee will leaue them of his religion, reposing and resting themselues. And truelie, when I consider the grounde, whereupon Papistes woulde hauehave their disciples to leane, and the hauen vntounto the which they woulde hauehave them to arriue: I am compelled to saye, that their grounde is sandie grounde, (MAT. 7.) and that their hauen is like vntounto the hauen of NAVPLIVS: and they are wisest, who hath least confidence in such deceitfull refuges: yea, they are wise who with VLISSES and DIOMEDES can beware of the stonie rockes of EVBOIA, and sette their course another waye.
Nowe the LORDE open vntounto vsus the bosome of His sweete Compassions, which is the true Citie of our Refuge, in the which our soules maye finde true securitie and rest:
AMEN.
A TREATISE, Of the Sacrament of Order.
THE ORDERS in the ROMANE Church, are diuided into inferiour and superiour Orders: The inferiour Orders are doore-keepers, readers, exorcistes, and foreign, that is, followers, whome by a newe inuented name they call Ceroferarii, or Waxetaper-bearers: The superiour Orders are sub-Deacons, Deacons, and Presbyters, By inferiour Orders mens humilitie and obedience was tried, and so by degrees they were promoted to superiour Orders. But seeing in euerie one of these Orders the outwarde signes at their entrie are different, and the thinges signified are different, to wit, diuerse graces of the holie Spirite, increassing according as men by ascending degrees mounted vp to higher honoures: what is the cause that all these seuen are counted one SACRAMENT, and not rather seuen SACRAMENTES?
To all these Orders one thing was common, to wit, all were shauen in the vpper part of their heads, to represent (as Lindanus affirmeth. Panopl. Libr. 4 Cap. 77.) that the glorie of Churchmen is to weare a crowne of thornes, and to bee partakers of the sufferinges of CHRIST. And the Councell of Triburium, in the 20. Canon thereof, citeth the same cause of shauing the heads of Clergie men. It is true, that men and women of olde delighted in haire, as a naturall ornament of their bodies: and MARIE is commended for this, that shee dryed the feete of CHRIST with the haire of her head, (IOAN. CAP. 12. vers. 3.) And all the glorie of the worlde, yea, and the crownes of immortall glorie, shoulde bee casten downe at the feete of CHRIST. (APOCAL. CAP. 4. vers. 10.) Neuerthelesse, the fact of SAMSON is reprooueable, who suffered his haire to bee cutte off, and casten at the feete of DELILA. (IVDG. CAP. 16. vers. 19.) And the shauing of the haire of men to bee casten at the feete of the Antichrist, and to bee a signe of subjection vntounto him, that is a thing no lesse reprooueable, than the fact of Samson.
Wee reade of CONDALVS, Gouernour of LYCIA, vnderunder MAVSOLVS, King of CARIA, that hee gained infinite summes of Golde and Siluer, for suffering the people of LYCIA to weare their haire as an ornament of their bodies, wherein they much delighted: But it is otherwise with the shauelinges of the ROMANE Church, whose expectation of gaine beginneth not vntill their heads bee shauen: then they gette some benefice, by ascending degrees their estate is aduanced, vntill they become companions to Princes.
LINDANVS, according to his accustomed manner, foreign, that is to saye, Serious in trifles: hee will needes hauehave this custome of shauing the heads of Churchmen, to bee referred vntounto the APOSTLE PETER, whose head, saieth hee, the enemies of the GOSPELL did shaue, before they executed him vntounto the death. And this rebuke of CHRIST, the CHVRCH conuerted it into an honourable rite of shauing the heads of Church men, after the similitude of the shauing of Simon Peters head.
But if the ROMANE Church had beene verie sollicitous to hauehave kept the doctrine of the true faith of CHRIST, i… puritie, as it was deliuered by SIMON PETER, and the rest of the APOSTLES, they had not beene so serious in matters of haire.
ANOTHER custome in the ROMANE Church, is to annoint with oyle all them who are admitted to Church Orders. Where hauehave they learned this custome? from the sonnes of AARON, who were annointed with oyle, (LEVIT. CAP. 8. vers. 30.) and consecrated to the worke of their ministration. Maye it not justlie bee spoken of them, which was spoken of olde vntounto him who was too loftie in his vaunting speaches, foreign: that is to saye, Either encrease your strength, or diminishe your loftinesse: Euen so, I saye to the Chaplens of the ROMANE Church, That they shoulde either bee liker vntounto CHRIST, (who was a Priest according to the order of MELCHISEDECK) or else they shoulde bragge lesse of the ceremonies of the LEVITICALL Lawe, seeing that the Priesthood of Melchisedeck is farre different from the Priesthood of Aaron.
To grace this Sacrament of Order, all these seuen Orders afore-saide are attributed vntounto CHRIST himselfe: Hee was a Doore-keeper (saye they) when He cast out the buyers and sellers out of the TEMPLE: (IOANN. CAP. 2. VERS. 15.) Hee was a Reader, when Hee read the place of ISAIAS in the Synagogue of NAZARETH, saying, The Spirite of the LORD is vponupon mee, &c. (LVKE CAP. 4. vers. 17.) Hee did the office of an Exorcist, when Hee cured a man possessed with a Deuill: (LVKE CAP. 4. vers. 33.) Hee practised the office of Acoluthus, when Hee saide, Hee who followeth Mee, shall not walke in darkenesse, but shall hauehave the light of Life: (Ioann. Cap. 8. vers. 12.) The office of a sub-Deacon, when Hee washed His Disciples feete: (Ioann. Cap. 13. vers. 4.) The office of a Deacon, when Hee distributed Bread and Wine to His Disciples: (Matth. Cap. 26. vers. 26.) And finallie, Hee executed His Priestlie office, when Hee offered Himselfe vponupon the Crosse, a Sacrifice for our sinnes. (Matth. cap. 27. vers. 50.) Who can bee so babishe ignorant, but hee maye vnderstande, that CHRIST, in working sauing miracles, Hee declared Himselfe the promised MESSIAS and Sauiour? In reforming the abuses of the Temple, Hee declared Himselfe to bee both King and Priest, to whome reformation of abuses in the Church belongeth: In reading Holie Scripture, and opening the sense and meaning thereof to the people, Hee declared Himselfe to bee the Great Prophet, whom GOD promised to sende into the worlde: (DEVTER. XVIII.) And when CHRIST saieth, Hee who followeth M…e shall not walke in darkenesse, &c. these wordes doe import, That wee, who followe CHRIST are foreign, but not that CHRIST himselfe is foreign. Who could once imagine that the hearts of men coulde bee ouer-casten with such horrible darkenesse, as to attribute to the Lorde of the House of GOD, the basest rowme in all the House, and to make a Doore-keeper of him for a time?
NOwe the Ceremonies which are vsed in the Consecration of them who are admitted to inferiour Orders, are these: The Doore-keepers are admitted with the signe of deliuering the keyes of the Church-doore vntounto them. The Readers, by deliuering vntounto them the Holie Bible. The Exorcistes, by deliuering vntounto them certaine formes of adjuration of persons possessed with Deuils, or transported with madnesse. And foreign, by deliuering vntounto them Tapers of waxe, with a little water potte. Are these elementes instituted by GOD? and hath GOD annexed vntounto Keyes, Bookes, Adjurations, and Tapers of waxe, a promise of spirituall grace? If these two thinges cannot bee prooued by Holy Scripture, then no Sacrament can bee acknowledged in these Orders: especiallie since the administration of these offices is committed to boyes, to ignorant fellowes, and to men who hauehave no extraordinarie gift of casting out of Deuils, as the Exorcistes of the Primitiue Church had of olde.
The like I speake of superiour Orders, The signes and Ceremonies which are vsed in admitting of Presbyters, (whome now they call Priestes) are the presenting vntounto them a platter, in the which consecrated Hosties are contained, to declare, that they are called to stande at the Altar, to consecrate the elementes, and to offer vp the bodie and blood of CHRIST, as a prop…tiatorie Sacrifice to the Father. Howe blasphemous this opinion is, I hauehave alreadie declared, in the TREATIS… Of the Sacrifice of the Masse, but for the present this I saye, That if the auncient Ceremonie of Imposition of handes had beene kept in admission of Presbyters, yet it coulde not hauehave beene called a Sacrament of the Newe Testament, because a Sacrament is a visible signe, of the inuisible grace of GOD, and belonging to all them to whome the Couenant of GOD belongeth. Onelie this obserued, that euerie Sacrament must bee applied in its owne time, as GOD hath ordained.
The Ceremonie of breathing vponupon them who are admitted Priestes, conjoyned with these wordes, Receaue the Holie Spirite, (Ioann. Cap. 20. vers. 22.) it is a preposterous counterfeiting of CHRIST, whome wee aught to followe, in such thinges as Hee hath sette downe to bee followed: but not to presume to doe all thinges which Hee did for demonstration of His diuine power.
The Deacons in the Romane Church, are ordained by a Bisshop, who cloatheth them with their Stoles, and their Oraria, vponupon their left shoulders, and putteth into their handes the Booke of the Euangell, whereof they shoulde bee Preachers. Their office is to attende vponupon the Presbyters, when they minister the Sacramentes, to laye the Hosties vponupon the Altar, to prepare, and to couer the LORDES Table, to carrie the Crosse, and to preach, and sing, the Gospell, and the Epistle, to the people. In the ordination of Deacons, there is neither a regarde of the first institution of Deacons appointed by CHRISTES Apostles, (Acts 6.) neither is there anie similitude or resemblance of a SACRAMENT therein.
The office of a sab-Deacon is not mentioned in Holie Scripture, and their seruice in carrying the Challice, and the Paxe, and the potte with water to washe the handes of them who minister at the Altar, and the Towell: they are such a masse of friuolous toyes, inuented by the braine of man, that I will leaue of to speake anie further of them, remembring alwayes this auncient saying, That which Scripture hath not commaunded, maye bee as easilie rejected, as it maye bee furtherlie obtruded.
NOwe seeing I hauehave remembred in all my preceeding Treatises, to speake of Antiquitie, I shall not ouer-passe with silence this poinct (GOD willing) in this Treatise also.
Albeit the Hierarchie of the Romane Church were founde to bee auncient, yet it sufficeth for this Treatise to declare, that of olde these Orders were not called a Sacrament. And there is no ancient Writer whome I hauehave read, who reckoneth Church Orders in the number of Sacramentes. As for the wordes of Cyprian and Pope Leo, cited by Lindanus, they are not worthie of refutation, because in a generall signification manie thinges maye bee called Sacramentes. But to call Order a Sacrament in a strict signification, it is a newe inuention founde out by the Scholasticke Doctors, who behooued to bee serious in some thing after they had lost the substance of Religion.
But I will set forwarde, and declare, that the Hierarchy it selfe is not so auncient as they affirme it to bee. True it is, that about the yeere of our LORD 250. Cornelius, Bishop of Euseb. hist. Libr. 6. Cap. 43.Rome, abhorring the arrogancie of Nouaius, describeth the Hierarchie of the Romane Church, in the which there was one Bishop, fourtie and sixe Presbyters, seuen Deacons, and seuen sub-Deacons, fourtie and two Acoluthi: of Exorcistes, Readers, and Ianitors fiftie & two: of Widowes & afflicted people, aboue a thousande and fiue hundreth persons, who were all sustained by the liberalitie and goodnesse of GOD in the Romane Church. Heereof it appeareth, that ouer and beside offices instituted by the Apostles to continue ordinarilie in the Church, other offices crept in (into the Church) by humane institution, hauing no such warrand as Elders and Deacons had. And after the time of the promotion of the Bishop of Rome, to the honour of Vniuersall Bishop, the number of Church offices encreassed: and to Presbyters were added Arch-priestes: and to Deacons were added Arch-deacons. And Lindanus lamenteth that other inferiour offices, which were inuented by men, had ceassed in the Church, such as Fossores, Syngeli, Copiatae. When the liberalitie of the people bestowed superfluitie of riches vponupon the Church, then newe offices behooued to bee founde out, to the ende, that all which was bestowed might seeme too litle, because manie Church offices were to bee sustained: the prouerbe spoken of olde of women, foreign, that is, A woman is naturally sumptuous: nowe it might bee justly transferred to the Church Hierarchie, that it was a sumptuous and costly thing.
About the yeere of our Lord 308, and vnderunder the reigne of Dioclesian, a constitution is attributed to Caius, Bishop of Rome, that men should bee promoted to superiour Orders, by degrees ascending from inferiour Orders. And all the fore-mentioned Orders are reckoned in that Decretall of Caius, to wit, Ostiarius, Lector, Exorcista, Acoluthus, Sub-diaconus, Diaconus, Presbyter, and Episcopus. But the Epistle of Leo the fourth, written to the Bishops of Britannie, derogateth credite to all the decretall Epistles written before the dayes of Pope Siricius, except onelie to the decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester: So that argumentes taken from decretall Epistles, preceeding the 384. yeere of our Lord, hath the lesse credite amongst vsus, because they cannot obtaine credite at the handes of their owne Popes.
But seeing nothing is to beee called auncient, which hath not flowed from the mouth of Christ and His Apostles, lest they should seeme to be discountenanced in this poinct, they cite the booke of the Canons of the Apostles, to prooue, that the degrees afore-saide were Apostolicke constitutions. This booke is not onelyonly supposititious, but also moste impertinently cited by Papistes, because in the Councell of Trent (De Sacramento ordinis, cap. 2.) Anathema is pronounced against them who acknowledgeth not all their Orders, both superiour and inferiour. But the booke of the Canons of the Apostles acknowledgeth onelyonly fiue Orders: namely, Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, Readers, and Psalmists, or Chantors: but no mention is made of Exorcistes and Sub-deacons: Therefore, it were good for them either to bragge lesse of Antiquitie, or to prooue better, that their Hierarchie is auncient.
Ambrose (in cap. 4. ad Ephes.) reckoneth fiue Orders, to wit, Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, Readers, and Exorcistes, making no mention of Subdeacons, and Acoluthi. The Canonistes recken nine Orders, adding to the seuen aboue mentioned Bishops and Psalmists.
This diuersitie of opinions concerning Church Orders, declareth two thinges: First, that of olde there was no Sacrament of Orders: Secondlie, that there was no setled opinion in the Church about Orders, but one Church vsed one forme, and another Church another forme, as is customably obserued in thinges indifferent: insomuch, that when it was thought expedient, that all house-holde seruantes in Bishops houses, shoulde bee Clergie men, then the number of Church offices Cyprian. Libr. 3. …pist. 22.were multiplied, according to the number of Oecumenicke offices accustomed to bee in Noble mens houses. Would God, that in matters of faith, of manners, and Church Discipline, men had fixed the eyes of their minds as attentiuelie vponupon the written worde of GOD, as Ship-men doe vponupon their Compasse, then had there beene lesse aberration, and lesse disputation, and lesse diuersitie of opinions. The LORD worke this in His owne time, to whome bee all Honour, Praise, and Glorie, for euer and euer, worlde without ende,
Amen.
A TREATISE, Of the Sacrament of Matrimonie.
IN the TREATISE of the Sacrament of MATRIMONIE, the inconstancie, obliuion, contradiction, and head-strong insolencie of the Romane Church, maketh mee vncertaine whereat to beginne: For who coulde once imagine, that they, who call Marriage a worke of the fleshe, and an estate of liuing vncompetent to them who are called to holie Orders, (forgetting what they had spoken) they woulde make of it an holie Sacrament: as if the Ministers of GOD should bee debarred from the holie Sacramentes of GOD. If they saye, that they debarre men in spirituall offices onelie from copulation with women: yet in this they debarre them from the Sacrament, forasmuch as they debarre them from the externall signe, whereby the spirituall grace is represented. Can anie man bee partaker of Baptisme, and not washen in water? Or can anie man bee partaker of the LORDES Super, and not be permitted to eat and drinke at the holie Table? And how is a man admitted to the Sacrament of Matrimonie, and debarred from copulation, which they themselues graunt to bee the externall signe of the Sacrament.
But let vsus marke the fraudulent dealing of the ROMAN… Church, who hath made Marriage to bee a Sacrament, albeit all the members of their Hierarchle hauehave forsaken it: yet this they gaine, that Marriage beeing counted an holie Sacrament, they hauehave drawne the cognition of all Matrimoniall causes vnderunder their judicatorie. This beeing done, and their authoritie beeing setled, they tooke boldnesse to make lawes, both impious against GOD, and injurious to men: as namelie, that Marriages, bound vp betwixt young persons, without consent of Parentes, shoulde bee firme and itable: That amongst kinsfolke it shoulde not bee lawfull to marrie within the seuenth degree: and these were alreadie married within these degrees, shoulde bee separated againe: That a man, who is diuorced from an adulterous woman, shall not hauehave libertie to marrie during her life-time: That they who are spirituall brethren and sisters, by the Sacrament of Baptisme and Confirmation, shall not hauehave leaue to marrie one another: And, Marriage is forbidden at certaine seasons of the yeere: And finallie, that the Church may dispense with the degrees of consanguinitie, forbidden in the eighteenth CHAPTER of LEVITICVS, and finde out moe degrees impeding Marriage to bee bound vp.
The Apostle PAVL, when hee calleth Marriage a great mysterie, (EPHES. CAP. 5. VERS. 32.) hee is speaking concerning CHRIST, and concerning His Church: And it is indeede a mysterie vnspeakeable, whether wee consider the beginning, or the progresse, or the consummation of this Marriage: It is begunne in Earth, and perfected in Heauen: And the louelove of CHRIST and His Church, is vnspeakeable: For euen the Spouse of CHRIST, albeit shee bee infirme and weake in the Earth, yet her heart is so inflamed with the louelove of her husband, that shee forgetteth all thinges, and remembereth vponupon Him: shee counteth all thinges to be dongue in comparison of him: one sight of His reconciled face is dearer to her than all the treasures of the worlde: His name is like a sweete oyntment powred out, and delighting her soule with the sweete smell of saluation. And if the louelove of the Church towardes CHRIST bee vnspeakeable, who can comprehende the length, breadth, and deepnesse of the louelove of CHRIST towardes His Church, who hath purged her from all spotte of sinne in this worlde, and prepared a glorious mansion for her in His Fathers house, that is, in Heauen. But this is not spoken of the marriage of mortall men with their wiues.
True it is, that the Apostle PAVL in that same place setteth downe some similitude betwixt corporall marriages, and the spirituall marriage betwixt CHRIST and His Church: But that is not enough to furnishe out an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church of GOD, for then shoulde there bee infinite Sacramentes: For the Kingdome of GOD (MATTHEW 13.) is compared to a man who soweth good seede in his fielde: It is compared to leuen, and to a treasure that is hidden in the fielde, and to a drawe nette, and to a graine of Mustard. seede: yet all these thinges are not Sacramentes in the Church.
Yea, and in the marriage of ADAM and EVA, wee see a certaine similitude of the spirituall marriage betwixt CHRIST and His Church: for ADAM loued the woman which was fleshe of his fleshe, and bone of his bones, and in whom hee saw his owne similitude: (GENES, CHAP. 2. VERS. 23.) And CHRIST in like manner, by feeding vsus with His owne bodie and blood, Hee maketh vsus fleshe of His owne fleshe, and bone of his owne bones: and more-ouer, Hee stampeth vsus with His owne similitude, to assure vsus, that He loueth vsus, whom Hee hath stamped with His owne likenesse.
In like manner, a matrimoniall bande is more indissoluble than other bandes: for other bandes, like as they are bounde vp with consent of parties, so in like manner they maye bee dissolued and vndone with consent of parties: but the bande of Marriage cannot bee vndone, except by death or fornication. But the conjunction betwixt CHRIST and His Church, (ROMAN. CHAP. VIII.) cannot bee vndone by death it selfe. As concerning spirituall whordome, the true Church, which consisteth of a number, whome GOD hath elected, called, justified, sanctified, and whome Hee intendeth to glorifie: These, I saye, the LORD in merciemercy preserueth from spirituall whordome, and apostasie from the knowne trueth.
And, like as a chaste woman delighteth in her husbande, whether hee bee present with her, or absent from her: if hee bee present, shee delighteth to conferre with him: if hee bee absent, shee delighteth to talke of him, to reade his letters, to beholde the tokens of his fauour towardes her, and finallie, in the secrete parloure of her heart to meditate of his goodnesse towardes her. (Basil. Magn. De vera Virgini….) Euen so, the Church is rauished with an vnspeakeable delight of her husband IESVS CHRIST: Hee is spirituallie present, and by holie prayers shee talketh with Him night and daye: Hee is corporallie absent, therefore shee delighteth to talke of His louelove and goodnesse towardes her, and to reade the bookes of holie Scripture, wherein His good will towardes her is clearlie manifested, and in the secrete chamber of her heart continuallie to meditate of His second blessed appearance.
IN nothing doeth the ROMANE Church agree better with vsus, for a time, than in magnifying Marriage as an holie bande instituted by GOD in PARADISE, and hauing a type and similitude of the louelove of CHRIST towardes His Church: and therefore they make it an holie Sacrament in the Church, which no man euer did before the dayes of Pope GREGORIE. But when they perceaued that this was not consented vntounto, that Marriage shoulde bee counted one of the ordinarie Sacramentes in the Church, especiallie, the whole Hierarchie of the ROMANE Church disclaiming it, and the East Church in a generall Councell, disallowing prohibition of Marriage to men called to spirituall offices.
The ROMANE Church tooke offence at euerie thing, which was repugnant to their opinion. They coulde neither abide them who denied that Marriage was a Sacrament, nor yet them, who gaue libertie to Church men to marrie: And so beeing irritated on all sides, they beganne to speake euill of Marriage as a worke of the fleshe, and an estate vncompetent to men in spirituall offices.
Is not the ROMANE Church, in this poinct, like vntounto the Riuer EVPHRATES, which flowing out of the Mountaines of ARMENIA, setteth its course Westward, vntill it forgather with the skirtes of Mount TAVRVS: and then when the course of it is hindered, it fetcheth a contrarie course, and runneth Similitudedirectlie East, vntill it bee mixed with the water of TYGRIS: Euen so, the ROMANE Church, which coulde neuer abide to bee controlled, it tooke occasion to speake vnreuerentlie of Marriage, because their opinions were not receaued in the Church without contradiction.
NOwe seeing the cause is euidentlie knowne, wherefore they were so serious to drawe in Matrimonie into the number of Sacramentes: namelie, to the ende that matrimoniall causes might bee founde spirituall causes, and might bee judged by spirituall Iudges. Let vsus consider what constitutions they made in matters of Matrimonie, without anie warrand or regarde of Scripture: insomuch, that their vilepending of Scripture Con…. Trid. de Matrimon. Can. 3.maketh a number of their constitutions to bee so vilepended, that they are not worthie of an answere: and namely, when they saye, that the Church hath power to dispense with the degrees of consanguinitie, forbidden in the eighteenth CHAPTER of LEVITICVS, and for to appoint moe degrees impeding the binding vp of Marriage, than are contained in that CHAPTER of LEVITICVS. What answere shall bee giuen to such Apostates from the trueth of GOD? They make so great account of the Canons of their Councels, that they accurse all them who dare contradict anie of them: and on the other part, they make so light account of holie Canonicke Scripture, that euen when they adde to the Scriptures of GOD, or diminishe anie thing from them, they are worthie to bee hearde, and to bee regarded. But HENRIE the eight, King of ENGLAND, when hee sought resolution in this question at the moste part of the Vniuersities in EVROPE, if it were lawfull for the Bishop of ROME, or for a Councell, to dispense with the degrees of consanguinitie, forbidden in the eighteenth of LEVITICVS, hee receaued a negatiue answere, That it was not lawfull so to doe.
The prohibition of Marriage in moe degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie, than are contained in the XVIII. of Leuiticus, is a wicked inuention, to make the Law of GOD of none effect: For like as Cyrus, when hee caused manie channels to bee made, wherein the water of the Riuer Gyndes should bee deriued. What intention had hee, but to drie vp the Riuer Gyndes, and to make it ebbe of water, that young boyes & girles should not bee afraide to wade thorowe it: Euen so, prohibitiue degrees, added to the Lawe of GOD, tended to none other purpose, Similitudebut to vndoe, and make of none effect, the blessed Lawe of GOD. And this appeareth the more manifestlie, because in that same Canon, in the which they claime libertie to adde moe degrees of prohibition of Marriage, to the degrees forbidden in Leuiticus, they claime also a libertie to dispense with the degrees forbidden by GOD. But GOD confoundeth the counsels of men, which are opposite to His diuine institution, and turneth them all to follie. And the prohibition of Marriage vntounto the seuenth degree was retrenched in the Councell of Laterane, anno 1215▪ and reduced to the fourth degree of consanguinitie. So men, who woulde correct the ordinance of GOD, they are like the Serpent, whereof Epiphanius writeth, (contra heres.) which for hunger is compelled to gnaw his owne taile, and to procure his owne death.
More-ouer, the prohibition of Marriage with spirituall sisters, that is, with them to whome they hauehave beene witnesses in the Sacrament of Baptisme or Confirmation: it is a constitution neither countenanced by Scripture, nor knowne to Antiquitie: but onelie leaning vponupon the authoritie of the ROMANE Church: and therefore, the people and nations in our time, who acknowledge CHRIST to bee the onelie Lawe-giuer in His owne Church, they hauehave giuen this Antichristian lawe as the ashes that are casten to the dongue-hill.
Their constitution concerning diuorcementes, that it is not lawfull for the innocent partie to marrie, so long as the other Trident. Concil. Can. 7.partie is aliue with whom he was once married, is partly conceaued vponupon wrong interpretation of Scripture, and partly vponupon the opinion of ancient Fathers, who misconceauing the right meaning of holy Scripture, hauehave giuen to others occasion of stumbling and erring. True it is, that the Apostle Paul saith, Let not the wife depart from her husband: but if shee depart, let her remaine vnmarried, or be reconciled vntounto her husband, and let not the husband put away his wife. (1. Cor. 7. 10. 11.) In this place the Apostle is speaking of such alienation of minds as falleth out betwixt man and woman, and separateth their cohabitation for a time but hee is not speaking of diuorcements, justly made for fornication: for like as death cutteth insunder the bandes of Matrimonie, & giueth liberty to the liuing party to marry in the Lord (Rom. 7. 2. 3) Euen so, fornication cutteth insunder the matrimoniall bande, and giueth libertie to the innocent partie to marrie another in the Lord. Matth. 5. 32.
The billes of diuorcement giuen to honest women in the old Testament after the receauing whereof they married other husbands, as clearly appeareth in the booke of Deuteronomie, cap. 24. vers. 4. this custome (I saye) is no sufficient grounde to prooue that the innocent partie may marrie after diuorcement: for such diuorcementes were rather tollerated for the hardnesse of the Iewes heartes, than commaunded or allowed: and because they were made without anie triall of fornication, they are damned by Christ, as occasions of adulteries. Matth. 19. 9. But the exception that Christ maketh in expresse words of fornication, declareth that the diuorcement made for fornication, is a lawfull diuorcement, and consequently giueth libertie to the innocent partie to marrie, as death interuening, giueth libertie to the partie liuing to marrie.
The opinion of Augustine concerning the exception of fornication, made by Christ in the question of diuorcement, (Matthew 19. 9.) hath so blinded the eyes of Lindanus, and manie others of the Romane Church, that they suppose the meaning of the words of Christ to bee this, That a man who putteth awaye Augustir Serm. D mini, in monte, li… cap. 14his wife for fornication, and marrieth another, hee sinneth not so grieuouslie, as hee who putteth away his wife vngrieued with anie such transgression on her part. Alwayes, both the one and the other sinneth, saieth hee) if they marrie another during the life time of the first bedde-fellowe. But, with Augustines fauour, exclusine wordes, such as foreign is, cannot bee expounded by Magis and Minus: but the meaning of Christs words is euident, That except fornication cutte the matrimoniall band, the husband should not repudiate his wife, and hee who marrieth a woman, who is not diuorced for whordome, committeth adulterie.
TO conclude this TREATISE, let no man bee mooued by the honour which the Romane Church seemeth to giuegive vntounto Marriage, when they call it an holy Sacrament: neither bee much troubled when they speake vnreuerently of Marriage: for in the Courtes of Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate, Christ was scornefullie honoured, and seriously mocked, and buffetted: (Mat. 27) Euen so, when the Romane Church speaketh honourably of Marriage, they are onelyonly sporting and delighting themselues with conceits and discourses: but when they abhorre Marriage, and speake vnreuerently of it, then they speake seriously, and from their heart. But the LORD in His owne time, will stoppe the mouthes of them who teach a doctrine of Deuils, from whose deceitfull doctrine the LORD make His Church free, to whome bee all praise, power, and dominion, both nowe and euermore,
AMEN.
FINIS.
End of the text · Patrick Simson, History of the First Ten Persecutions (1613)