Church History of the Government of Bishops and Their Councils, Chapter 9 · Floating text

Church History of the Government of Bishops and Their Councils · Chapter 9 · Floating text

p. 205Ex Rotulo Clausax. de Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi 19 membr. 18 dors.

MEmorand, quod primo die Septembris Anno Regni Regis Ricardi secundi post Conquestum decimo n…no Willielmus Dynel & Nicholaus Taillour, Michaelus Poucher, & Willielmus Steynour, de Nottingham in Cancellar. ipsius Regis personaliter constituti Sacramenta divisim prestiterunt sub eo qui sequitur tenore. [I William Dynel befor yhow worchipefull Fader and Lorde Archbyshop of Yhorke and yhowr Clergie, with my free will and full avyside swere to Gode and to all his seyntes uppon this holy Gospelle that fro this day forthwarde I shall Worship Ymages with preying and offering unto hem in the worschip of the seintes thae they be made after and also I shall never more despyse pygremage ne states of holy Chyrche in no degree. And also I shall be buxum to the lawes of holy Chirche and to yhow as myn Archbyshop and to myn other ordinares and Curates and kepe yo lawes uppon my power and meynten hem. And also I shall meyntem ne techen ne defenden errours conclusions & techynges of the Lollards ne swych conclusions and techings that men clepyth Lollardes doctryn Ne I shall her bokes ne swych bokes ne hem or any suspect or diffamed of Lollardery resceyne or company with all wyttyngly or defende in yo matters and if I know ony swych I shall with all the hast that I may do ghowe or els your ner Officers to wyten and of her bokes. And allso I shall excite and stirr all tho to good doctryn that I have hinder'd with myn doctryn up my power. And also I shall stonde to yhour declaration wych es heresy or errour and do therafter and also what penance yhe wel for that I hauehave don for meyntenyng of this fals doctryn menyne and I shall fulfill it and I submit me therto up my power. And also I shall make no other glose of this myn oth bot as the wordes stonde. And if it be so that I come agayn or do agayn this oth or any party thereof I holde me here cowpable as an heretyke and to be punyshed by the law as an heretyk and to forfeit all my goodes to the Kynges will wyth outen any othr processe of lawe. And therto I require the Notarie to make of all this the whych is my will an instrument agens me ut ex habundanti idem Willielmus Dynel eodem die voluit & recognovit quod omnia bona & catalla sua mobillia nobis sint forisfacta in casu quo ipse juramentum praedictum se… aliqua in eodem juramento contenta de cetero contravenerit ullo modo.

Here you see whether Papists worship Images, and whether they take it not for Heresie (which is death) not to worship them, and whether they leave it to mens liberty or not.

§ 5. Leo Isaurus being Emperor, he took the worshipping of Images to be Idolatry; and his Empire being invaded by the Saracens, who were scandalized p. 206by the Christians Images, he thought it was a warning to him to reform them; and he published his Edict accordingly against the Religious adoration and use of the Images of Angels, Martyrs, or Saints. Gregory, Bishop of Rome, resisted him, and made Men believe that this was to fight against Christ, and impiously to despise the Saints. The Emperor commanded his Obedience on pain of Deposition. He would neither obey nor suffer. The Emperor sent Men to apprehend him, (some say to kill him,) but he escaped them. The Lombards were stirred up to make War against the Emperor as an Enemy of Christ:☞ [The Pope (saith Binnius, p. 177. out of Zonaras) entered into a League with Charles Martell King of France, that, if there were need, he should defend the Church of Rome against the Emperor (their proper Sovereign) which League being prudently made, the Emperor abstained for fear of Charles, who by great Victories was become famous.— But when the Emperor would not obey the Pope's pious warnings, but used Tyranny in the East against the Orthodox, then the Pope anathematized him as a known declared Heretick, and exhorted all his Subjects in Italy to depart from his obedience.]

Note how Rebellion is the work and strength of the Roman Papacy▪ But do not our Papists now disown all this, and profess themselves to be the Loyallest Subjects?

Answ. If they do, let them join Restitution with Confession. If the Father seize on another mans Inheritance, and the Son keep it, and disclaim his Fathers act, this is but a dead Confession.

But hear the next words in Binnius, and judge what Doctrine yet they hold, [Quo facto Sanctissimus Pontifex clarissimum posteris suis reliquit exemplum; ne in Ecclesia Christi regere permittantur haeretici Principes, si frequenter moniti errori pertinaciter adhaerescant.] That is, BY WHICH FACT (deposing the Emperor in Italy, ☞and absolving all his Subjects from their Obedience) THE MOST HOLY POPE LEFT HIS POSTERITY A MOST CLEAR (or Famous) EXAMPLE, THAT HERETICAL PRINCES MAY NOT BE PERMITTED TO RULE, IF BEING OFT WARNED THEY PERTINACIOUSLY ADHERE TO ERROR.]

Note this ye Princes and Rulers that hear of Papal Loyalty.

1. It is not lawful for them, if they can help it, to permit any of you to reign over Christians, if they do but judge you Heretical. To tolerate you is against their Consciences, if to depose you be not above their strength.

2. By this Rule you see, that they were virtual Rebels to most or many Emperors, when they durst not actually rebel. 1. When Constantine the Great banished Athanasius, it's like they would have taken him for an Heretick. 2. Constantius and Valens being Arrians, the Pope did virtually rebel against them, and depose them (if then they were of the same mind as now.) 3. Theodosius junior, Zeno, Anastasius, and other Emperors they virtually deposed as Eutychians. 4. Iustinian the first they virtually deposed as a Phantasiastick. p. 2075. Philippicus, and many more Emperors are called by them Monothelites. 6. Leo and Constantine, and others, are called Iconoclastae. 7. Many Christian Princes and States, now are called by them Protestant or Lutheran Hereticks. All these, they say, are such as may not be permitted, and therefore they have interpretatively and virtually rebelled, and deposed them.

3. You see how great a matter this Excommunication is, and how impossible it is, by it for Kings and States to continue long in any right to their Dominions: For all men err; and while there are so many Patriarchs, Prelates, if not Priests that have the power of Excommunicating, all men may expect it: For he that is orthodox in the judgment of one Patriarch, will be a Heretick in the judgment of another: while Rome, Const. Alexand. Antioch, Ierusal. are so seldom of one mind. If with the repenting Lollard (aforesaid) you will swear to hold that for Error which the Archbishop of York saith is such, perhaps the Archbishop of Canterbury may be of the contrary mind:☜ Those called Arrians, Nestorians, Eutychians, Monothelites, Iconoclasts, &c. have in their turns had most of the known Christian World. And he that is Excommunicate by one, must be received by none.

4. But if it be the Popes prerogative, that though more may Excommunicate Kings and Emperours, none but he can depose them, and disoblige all their Subjects, it's pity but those Princes that are in love with such a Papacy should know by experience what they love: For he that will take Satan for his Ruler, must bear the inconveniences of his Government.

5. You see here how the Empire was weakned, and so exposed to the Turk; even by the Rebellion of Rome cutting off the Western Empire from it.

6. And you see what true Subjects they were to the Arrian, Gothish Kings, at Rome, Spain, &c. who would have deposed them if they could. What wonder if the Goths kept down the Pope.

§ 6. In these times the Pope met with an English Bishop Wilfrid, who extraordinarily flattered and adored him, and he accordingly made him Bishop of Mentz, and his great agent (even about this foresaid English Council which was to set up Church-Images:) and recommended him to many Christian Princes: And why was all this? and what was his rare merit? He took this Oath to the Pope (Bin. p. 178) [In the name of the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour, in the Reign of Leo the great Emperour &c. I Boniface, Bishop by the Grace of God, do Promise to thee, Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and to thy Vicar Pope Gregory and his Successors, by the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the inseparable Trinity, and this most Holy Body of thine, that I will exhibite all faith and purity of holy Catholick faith, and in unity of the same faith, God operating, will persist, in which all the salvation of Christians is proved undoubtedly to consist; and will no way consent, whoever perswadeth me, against the unity of the common and universal Church, but, as I said, will exhibite my faith and purity and concourse to thee and to the Profits of thy Church, to whom by the Lord the Power of binding and p. 208loosing is given, and to thy aforesaid Vicar and his Successors in all things, &c.]

Nothing is more meritorious with a Pope, or any Prelate of that Spirit, than to be absolutely devoted to him, and swear obedience to him: Indeed they that are fully fallen from God (as Satan is) would be as Gods to the world themselves, and have all men depend upon them, and obey them.

§ 7. What Arguments moved the Emperor to be against Images, (specially the 2d Commandment) and how Gregory thought that it was not the Images of God and Christ, and Angels and Saints that were forbidden, you may see in his Epistles too long to be here recited.

§ 8. Here Binnius inserteth three Roman Councils. One cursing unlawful Marriages. Another persuading Corbinianus to keep his Bishoprick, who would fain have laid it down. And a third for Images, against the Iconoclasts (the Emperor's Heresie.)

§ 9. Gregory 3d succeedeth Gregory 2d. He sendeth his Epistles for Images to the Emperor. The first Messenger durst not deliver them. The rest were stopt at Sicily, and kept Prisoners. The Lombards infested Italy and Rome. The Pope importuneth the French King for help. Alphonsus is made King in Spain against the Saracens, and first called himself [Catholick King. ☞] Two Councils, Binnius saith, were held at Rome for Images. The Title of the second is, [Pro Imaginum Cultu, for the Worship of Images: An. 732. Image-worship was then avowed. But the Eastern Churches did more obey the Emperor.

§ 10. Pope Zachary coming next, in whose time Italy was distressed by Luitprandus King of the Lombards, who took four Cities from the Pope, because he protected Trasimundus Duke of Spoleto: The Romans helped Trasimund, on condition he would restore to them the four Cities; he performeth not his promise: wherefore Pope Zachary turned to Luitprand, and to win him, Salutaria illi praedicavit, saith Anastasius; and he promised him to restore the four Cities. For the performance whereof, this Pope travelled to him himself, (noted by Anastasius as a great act of self-denial, as venturing his life for the Cause of God, that he would go to the King to ask for four Cities) which he happily obtained.

§ 11. In this Pope's time the Crown of France was translated from the King and his Line, to a Subject, his Major Domûs.

Charles Martell the great French Conqueror was the Pope's Patron against the Emperor who was his Sovereign. Gratian. d. 16. q. 1. post Can. 59. tells it us as a matter of Church-credit, that when he was dead, he was damned to Hell (much blood, and defending Popes that rebel against their Sovereign are a very likely proof.) Carolomannus succeeded him, who, after two years Reign, resigned his Crown, and chose a Monastery. Chilperic that came after, proved very dull and sensual, and giving himself to his pleasure, let the business of Government lie most on the hands of Pepin, who was his Major Domûs, who thereby got the power and the respect that was proper to p. 209the King, while the King grew into contempt. (And if Kings cannot keep up their Power and Honour by the meer dignity of their place, without personal worth and performance; why should Popes, Prelates and Priests, (whose Power and Honour, as a Physicians, depend upon their Worth and Work) expect to keep up their Power and Honour meerly by their Offices?) Pepin won first the Nobles of France, and then the Pope; For, as Baronius and Binnius (p. 197.) tell us, [It seemed to the most Potent Pepin (Major Domus) **No wonder.and to the rest of the chief Men, and to all the People, that he that had not the Matter and Force of the Kingdom, should not have the name of a King; and on the contrary, he that had the Riches, Power and Virtue, should also have the name of King: And because these Princes and People were Christians, they judged that these their Councils would neither stand ratified to Posterity, nor be acceptable enough to God, unless they received Authority and Force from the common Father and Pastor of the Christian Church, the Vicar of the Lord Christ, and Successor of St. Peter. Therefore they send Legates to Rome to Zachary, of whom Bishop Burchardus Herbipol. was the chief, who were to ask the things aforesaid of him. He consented, and decreed, and wrote back, that Chilperic being thrust into a Monastery,**Were not Monks holy men then? St. Boniface should declare and anoint Pepin King in Germany and France: Boniface, Bishop of Mentz, obeyed Pope Zachary, and by the Authority of the See Apostolic, deposed Chilperic, (called also Childeric) and placed Pepin in his stead. Thus Ieginhart in Vit. Car. Mag. Annal. Franc. an. 751. Paul. Diac. li. 22. Marianus Scotus li. 3. Regino li. 2. an. 749. Sigebert in Chron. Lambert in Hist. Germ. Otho Frising. li. 5. 21. Ado. aetate 6, fol. 213. Aimoinus li. 4. c. 65, &c. Yea (say they) the Hereticks of our times deny not the History.—But they sharply impugn two circumstances: The first is, that it was a great wrong to Chilperic, that the Kingdom was taken from him: The second, that the said Translation was made by the consent of the Council, Nobles and Commons, without the Authority of the Apostolic Seat**If you will needs have the honour of so had a work, (that you may have power to do the like) take it.. Serarius proveth that the cause of the Translation of the Kingdom was just. 1. Because all the best men did desire and wish it, and did by their counsel and help co-operate to it. 2. Because St. Bishop Burchardus did, as Legate, sollicite the Pope for it. 3. Pope Zachary commanded it to be done; 4. And the most Holy Boniface at the Pope's command did execute it. 5. And being approved by Divine Testimony, it is recited in the sacred Canons, 15. q. 6. c. alius. 6. And by none of the old Historians not praised, or disallowed: Only our new Hereticks, that love Novelty, Arrogance and Rebellion by their perverse judgment by Contumelies and Lyes disallow it. And that it was by the Authority of the Apostolick Seat, that the Kingdom was translated from Chilperic to Pepin, the foresaid Historians do so expresly say, that it's a wonder with what front the innovating Hereticks dare call it in question.☜ Lastly, It is here to be noted, that it was by this same Pope Zachary that the nomination or postulation of Bishops for the vacant Churches in his Kingdom, was granted to King Pepin. Therefore if elsewhere you read that the Kings of France give Bishops to the Churches, p. 210remember that it is not done by their own Right, but by the Grant of the Apostolick Seat: In vain therefore do the innovating Hereticks glory in this Argument, who endeavor to subject the Church to Kings.] So far Binnius after Baronius.☞

§ 12. From this Story and these words, let the Reader think how to answer these Questions.

Quest. 1. Had not Kings need to take heed of making any one man too great, if greatness and exercise of Government, give him so much right to the Kingdom?

Qu. 2. Had not Kings need to look to their manners, for their Crowns sake, as well as their Souls, if Lust, Sensuality and Dulness forfeit their Kingdoms?

Qu. 3. Did not Wars and weakning of the Empire make a great change with Popes, when they that were set up and banished at the Emperor's pleasure, can now first depose the Emperor in the West, for being against Images and Persecuting, and then can translate the Crown of France?

Qu. 4. Was not an ambitious Pope a fit Tool for Pepin and his Confederates to work by, to put a pious gloss on their Conspiracy?

Qu. 5. Did not the Pope rise thus by serving the turns of Conspirators, and of Princes in their quarrels with one another?

Qu. 6. Are Subjects Judges when a King's Sins make him unworthy of the Crown?

Qu. 7. Yea, is the Pope Judge, and hath he power to depose Kings, if he judge them such Sinners, and unfit for Government?

Qu. 8. Is it a good Reason that a King is justly deposed, because Good Men and Holy Bishops are the Desirers and Promoters of it?

Qu. 9. Would not this Reason have served Maximus against Gratian? Was it not Cromwel's Plea? If he had but had the Pope and People on his side, you see how it would have gone.

Qu. 10. Is it the mark of an Innovating Heretick, to say that the Church should be subject to Kings; when Paul and Peter said it of all Christians so long ago?

Qu. 11. Is it a Note that Protestants love Rebellion, because they are against Popes deposing Kings? Or is there any heed to be taken of the words of impudent Revilers, that dare speak before God and Man at this rate? Is deposing Kings the Papists freedom from Rebellion, and is our opposing it a character of Rebels?

Qu. 12. Is it any wonder that Bishop Burchardus desired it, and that Bishop Boniface executed the Pope's command, who had been translated from England by him to such dignity, and had sworn Obedience and Service to him?

Qu. 13. Is it any wonder that the Pope made these Bishops Saints?

Qu. 14. I hope they were really godly Men: But is it any wonder that some good Men at such a time as that, did think it had been for the interest p. 211of Religion, to have all Power in the Clergies hands, especially being themselves Bishops that were to have so great a share? How few Bishops are afraid of too much power, or ever do refuse it!

Qu. 15. If the King of France had his Kingdom by the Pope's gift, what wonder if he had the power of nominating Bishops also by his gift?

Qu. 16. Whether he that hath power to give, hath not power to take away, and be not Judge when the Cause is just?

Qu. 17. With what face do Papists at once make these claims, and yet profess Loyalty to Kings?

Qu. 18. Whether it concern not Kings to understand on what terms they stand with the Pope and his Clergy, that must not be subject to them, but have power to depose them?

Qu. 19. If there be any Party among them that hath more Loyal Principles, is it a sign of the concord of their Church, that agreeth not in matter of so great moment? Or a proof that the Pope is the infallible Judge of Controversies, that will not determine so great a Point on which the Peace of Kingdoms doth depend?

§ 13. About the same time they persuaded Rachis King of the Longobards, Successor to Luitprand, for the love of Religion to lay down his Crown, and go into a Monastery; so that Monasteries are places for the worst and the best; some too bad to reign, and some too good, lest they should overmaster the Clergy.

§ 14. It may be you will think that this Pope Zachary, and his sworn Vassal St. Boniface, were some very profound Divines, that could by their wisdom and piety thus master Kingdoms. Doubtless they were zealous Adversaries to Heresies (except their own) and Successors of the Hereticating and Damning Fathers. For Epist. 10. (Bin. p. 206, 207, 208.) Zachary writeth to Boniface, to expel Virgilius from the Church and Priesthood, for holding Antipodes, viz. that Sun-shine, and Moon-light, and Men are under the Earth, ☜as well as here which we call over it. The words are, [De perversa autem & iniqua doctrina, quae contra Dominum & Animamsuam locutus est, si clarificatum fuerit ita eum confiteri, quod alius mundus & alii homines sub terra sint, seu Sol & Luna; hunc habito Concilio ab Ecclesia pelle Sacerdotii honore privatum.] That is, But as to the perverse and unjust Doctrine which he hath spoken against the Lord and his own Soul, if it be made clear that he so confesseth, that under the Earth there is another world and other Men, and Sun and Moon; call a Council, and depriving him of the honour of Priesthood, drive him out of the Church.] That by [another world] is meant Antipodes, or the other side of the Earth inhabited, is doubtless.

§ 15. Qu. 1. Did God make Popes to be the Governors of the Antipodes, for so many hundred years, before they knew that there was any Antipodes? And when they excommunicated and silenced those that affirmed it?

p. 212Qu. 2. Were these Popes and Bishops Men of such wisdom, as were fit to hereticate Dissenters as they did?

Qu. 3. Do we not see here what some Councils were, and did in those times?

Qu. 4. Do we not see what Heresie signified at Rome, and how little heed there was to be taken of their outcry against some Heresies?

Qu. 5. Whether was all the World, or all the West bound to avoid Communion after with Virgilius?

Qu. 6. Do we not see here of what Infallibility the Pope is, in judging of matters of Faith, and how happy the World is to have such a Judge, and of what credit his Heretications and Excommunications are?

Qu. 7. Do we not see how Religion hath been depraved and dishonoured by the Pope and his Clergy, calling Good Evil, and the most certain Truths by the name of [Perverse and unjust Doctrines, against the Lord, and Mens own Souls?] What heed to take of these Mens words, when they seem zealous against Sin and Error?

§ 16. Perhaps you will ask, How could any but Idiots be so ignorant? Whither did they think the Setting-Sun went? Or what did they think the Earth stood upon?

Answ. The easiest things are strange to Men that never learnt them; it's pity that it should be true, that Lactantius and other Ancients, yea, Austin himself were ignorant of the Antipodes; but yet they had more Modesty than to hereticate and excommunicate them that affirmed it. Few Bishops had much Philosophy then. Origen and Apollinaris that were most Philosophical, had been hereticated and disgraced it. Clemens and Tatianus sped not much better. Councils had forbid Bishops to read the Books of Heathens. Austin had a truly Philosophical head, being the Father of School-Divinity; but he was foreign, and had little from his Teachers. You may see in a great Hereticater Philastrius, ☞what they thought then of the course of the Sun, by what he saith of the Stars: As it was one Heresie to call the Star… by the names of living Creatures, so it was another to deny that the Stars were Luminaries arbitrarily moved; that by Angels were set out at night to light the World, and at morning retired inwards, or were taken into their place again, as Men set out lights to the street at night, and take them in again. I confess that no General Council declared this, (as they have done worse things;) but you see what kind of Men were hereticated by Pope Zachary, St. Boniface, and St. Philastrius, and such Bishops; and how little it signifieth in such Writers, whether you read a Man called a Saint, or a Sinner; an Orthodox Catholick, or Nefandissimus Haereticus, as they use to speak: I speak it only of such Men.

§ 17. For, Reader, I must still remember thee, that this Folly, Pride, and almost Fury, was not the Genius or Character of the true spiritual Ministers and Church of Christ, but of a worldly, ignorant, domineering sort of Men; that made it their business to get Preferment, and have their wills. God had p. 213all this while abundance of faithful Ministers that sate down at the lower end; and humble holy People, that set not up themselves in worldly Grandure, and came not much on the Stage, but approved themselves in secret, and in their several Places and Conversations to God, some Lay-men, some Priests, some Bishops, some of their names are come down to us in History, but those are few. They strove not for great Places, nor did their Works to be seen of Men, nor looked to Men for their Reward.

§ 18. Some of the Canons and Councils of these Universal Pastors were answerable to their Excommunications. In Zachary's 12th Epistle to his Vassal St. Boniface, he giveth him the resolution of many doubts. One is, [After how long time Lard may be eaten? And it is resolved by the Pope; That there is yet no Canon or Law for this by the Fathers, but he determineth himself, 1. That it must not be eaten before it be dried in the smoke, or boiled, (or basted) with fire; But if you list to eat it raw, it must be eaten after the Feast of Easter.] Binnius, p. 209. (What would become of the Church, if there were not a Judge of such Controversies, and an infallible Determiner of such Questions?)

§ 19. CCXXV. I told you before how the Pope commanded Boniface to call a Council to eject him that asserted the Antipodes; I must next add a French Council called by King Carolomannus to Reform the Clergy (an. 742.) and to recover Christian Religion, which in the dayes of former Princes dissipata corruit, being dissipated, was ruined; and to shew the People how they may come to save their Souls, who have been hitherto deceived by false Priests. (They are the words of the King and Council, Bin. p. 210. c. 2.) Where it was decreed that Priests be not Soldiers, (unnecessarily:) That they keep not Hounds to go an hunting with, nor Hawks: That every Religious Fornicator shall in the Jayl do Pennance with Bread and Water. If the Fornicator be a Priest, he shall be first scourged, and then remain in Prison two years: But if an inferior Clerk or Monk so fall, he shall be whipt, and then do Pennance a whole year in Prison, and so the Nuns.

This was somewhat like a Reformation: Had it not been done by a King▪ it might have past for Heresie. It was at Ratisbonne; Boniface presiding.

Such another Council called Leptinense, there was under Carolomannus.

Another Council at Rome repeated the oft repeated Canons, to keep Bishops and Priests from Nuns and from Fornication.

§ 20. An. 744. Another Synodus Suession. under Chilperic governed by Pepin, condemned again Aldebert (that set up Crosses in several places, and drew People to himself) and another as Hereticks.

§ 21. Another Council in Germany, an. 745. handsomly set Boniface the Pope's Agent in the Archbishoprick of Mentz. First Geroldus the Archbishop is sent out against the Saxons with an Army, and he and most of them killed: Then Gervilio his Son, a Lay-man, is made Archbishop to comfort him. At another War he pretends a Conference with him that kill'd his Father, and murders him; this is past by as blameless: But Boniface saith, That a Man that had his hand in Blood, must not be a Bishop; and so got p. 214him out, and was made the chief Archbishop of Germany himself in his place. Judge whether he served the Pope for nought.

§ 22. Yet Boniface had not done with the two Hereticks, Aldebert and Clemens, a French man and a Scot. Boniface sendeth to Rome (Bin. p. 216.) to desire the Pope, that as he had himself condemned these two Hereticks, the Pope would also condemn them, and cast them into Prisons, where none might speak with them. (Thus the Pope obtained his Kingdom, and edified the Church. The motive was, that Boniface prosecuting them, had suffered much for their sakes, the People saying that he had taken from them holy Apostolick Men, (but this was not a Prison.) The Crimes which he chargeth on Aldebert a Bishop are, that he was an Hypocrite, (an open Crime!) that he had said an Angel appeared to him, and he had some rare Reliques, and that he said he was Apostolick, and wrought Wonders; that he got some unlearned Bishops to make him a Bishop absolutely, against the Canons. He would not consecrate any Church to the memory of an Apostle or Martyr; and spake against visiting in Pilgrimage the Temples of the Apostles: He made Churches to his own honour, and set up Oratories and Crosses up and down, and drew People from other Bishops to himself. That he gave his nails and hair to be honoured with the Saints Reliques, and would not hear Confessions, saying he knew their sins already.] If all this was true, (which I know never the more for this Accusation) he seemed an Hypocrite indeed, but whether an Heretick, I know not.

The Scot Heretick is accused as denying the Church Canons, and the meaning of some Fathers, despising the Synods Laws, saying that he may still be a Bishop (for so he was) though he had two Sons, (in Adultery, saith Boniface, perhaps in Marriage;) and (as he saith) holding that a Man may marry his Brothers Widow, and that Christ at his Descent delivered all Souls out of Hell.] This was a foul Error indeed, if truly charged. These were charged by Boniface and the Roman Synod, to be forerunners of Antichrist, (and how like are Aldebert's Pretensions to many Roman Saints!) A Prayer also of Aldeberts was read, in which he prayed to Angels under several strange names: Bishops and Presbyters had Votes in this Council, and subscribed the Hypocrites condemnation. Bin. p. 218. But there is no certainty that he named more than three Angels.

§ 23. Stephen the 2d was chosen Pope by ALL THE PEOPLE after Zachary, and dyed four days after suddenly.

§ 24. Stephen the 3d was chosen by all the People (saith Anastasius.) Aistulphus, King of the Longobards, threatned Rome, took their Gifts, and demanded their Subjection. The Pope (after Gregory the 2d's Rebellion) was glad to send to the Emperor, to crave an Army to save Rome and Italy; when he could get no help from Constant. he sent to Pepin King of France. One that he had made King by Rebellion, was obliged to help him, and by an Army forced Aistulphus to covenant to restore Ravenna, and many other Italian Cities, (not to the Emperor, whose Agent claimed his right, and was denied by Pepin;) but to the Pope, (to reward him, and get the pardon of p. 215his sins.) Aistulphus broke his Covenants. Pepin with another Army forceth him to deliver them, and returneth. Aistulphus dyeth; Desiderius a Captain by Usurpation invadeth the Kingdom, Radchis that had been King before, and went into a Monastery, and the Nobles of the Longobards resist the Rebel.☜ He sendeth to the Pope, offering him all that he could desire (more Cities) to help him: The Pope maketh his own bargain with him, as he did with Pepin, (and Charles Martell before) and by the help of the French, setleth the Rebel Desiderius in the Kingdom. Pepin maketh a Deed of Gift of all the foresaid Cities to the Church of Rome, (Was this Constantine's Gift?) He gave away another Mans (the Emperor's) Dominions, and with Desiderius's additions, now the Pope is become a Prince.

§ 24. CCXXVIII. We come now to a great General Council of 338 Bishops at Constantinople, An. 754. under Constantine Copronymus against the worshiping of Images:Sixtus Sene…sis & Pet. The Adversaries of it will not have it called the 7th General Council, because divers Patriarchs were absent, and it decreed, say they,Crabbe p. 458. say it was at Ephesus, but Binnius confuteth them. against the Truth. They not only condemned the worshiping of Images, and Germanus Constantinus, Georgius Cyprius, Jo. Damascenus, and other Worshipers of them, as Idolaters; but destroyed the Reliques of Martyrs, and exacted an Oath of Men (by the Cross, and the holy Eucharist) that they would never adore Images, but execrate them as Idols, nor ever pray to the holy Apostles, Martyrs, and blessed Virgin, saith Baronius and Binnius, p. 235. But the 15th and 17th definitions of this Council recited in the 2d Nicene Council,☜ shew that they were not so free from praying to the Virgin Mary and Saints, as we could wish they had: For they decree we must crave her intercessions, and theirs; but they forbad praying to their Images.

§ 25. The Acts of this Council (not pleasing the Adversaries) are not delivered fully to us; but it fell out that their Decrees are repeated word by word in the 2d Nicene Council, and so preserved.

§ 26. There is one Doctrinal definition of this Council, owned also by their Adversaries the 2d Concil. Nicen. which by the way I will take notice of, about the glorified Body of Christ, (and consequently ours after the Resurrection) that it is a Body but not Flesh, Bin. p. 378. defin. 7. [Siquis non confessus fuerit Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum post assumptionem animatae, rationalis & intellectualis Carnis simul sedere cum Deo & Patre, atque ita quoque rursus venturum cum Paterna Majestate, judicaturum vivos & mortuos,☜ non amplius quidem Carnem, neque incorporeum tamen ut videatur ab iis à quibus compunctus est, & maneat Deus extra crassitudinem carnis, Anathema.] To which saith the Nicene Council by Epiphanius, [Huc usque recte sentiunt & Patrum traditionibus convenientia dicunt, &c.]

Two sorts I would have take notice of this:

1. The Papists, who say that the Bread is turned into Christ's very Flesh, when he hath no very Flesh in Heaven: And therefore the meaning must be of the Sacramental Sign, that it is the Representation of that real Flesh of Christ which was sacrificed on the Cross.

p. 2162. Some prejudiced Protestants that think he that saith, [Our Bodies (and Christs) in Heaven; will not be Flesh and Blood formally and properly so called, but spiritual glorious Bodies] doth say some dangerous new assertion; such gross thoughts have gross heads of the heavenly state. To these I say, 1. You contradict the express words of God's Spirit, 1 Cor. 15. Flesh and Blood cannot enter, &c. That it is meant of Formal Flesh and Blood, and not Metaphorical (Sin) is plain in the Context, see Dr. Hammond on the Text. 2. Give but a true definition of Flesh and Blood, and it will convince you of itself. 3. You see here that you maintain an Opinion which these two (even adverse) General Councils anathematized.

§ 27. By this Council we may see, how little General Councils signifie with the Papists, either as to Infallibility, Authority, or preservation of Tradition, longer than they please the Pope. As to their Objection, that call it Pseudo-septimum, that the Pope was not there; I answer 1. No more was he by himself or Legate at the first of Constant. called the 2d General Council, as Binnius professeth. 2. Is not the Church the Church, if the Pope be not there? Then he may choose whether ever there shall be more General Councils, (as indeed he doth.)

§ 28. CCXXIX. An. 756. King Pepin called a Council in France, declaring that things were so far out of order, that he could attempt but a partial Reformation, leaving the rest till better times. The first Canon was, that every City have a Bishop;☞ of old foreign, signified every such Town as our Corporations and Market-Towns are: And by all the old Canons and Customs (except some odd ones) every such Town of Christians was to have a Bishop; and in Phrygia, Arabia, &c. the Villages had Bishops, saith Socrates, &c. And in many places the Villages had Chorepiscopos, which Petavius (Annot. in Epiphan. Arian.) fully proveth were true Bishops. And yet then the most of the People in most Countries were without the Church; so that then a Church was no greater than was capable of personal Communion.

Here this King (being made by the Pope) so far gratified the Clergy, as to decree that Contemners of Excommunication should be banished. And now the Keys do signifie the Sword, and Church-Discipline is made another thing than Christ had made it.

The 13th Cap. is, That no vacant Bishop meddle in another Bishop's Parish without his consent, (by what true authority then can the Pope meddle in other Mens Diocesses, since the foundation of his humane authority in the Empire is subverted?)

The 14th Cap. decreed, That Men may use Horses and Chariots for Travel on the Lord's-day, and get Meat and Drink, &c. but not do common work.

The 17th, That no Clerk try his Cause before a Lay-Judge, without the Bishop's leave.

§ 29. Pope Stephen dying, in the division at the next choice, (by all the People) the stronger part chose Paulus a Deacon, CCXXX. in his time a p. 217German Council condemned Oathmarus, Abbot of St. Gallus, for Incontinence, and put him in Prison, where he dyed of Famine; as Historians say, maliciously upon false accusation.

§ 30. At this time the Greeks accused the Romans, for adding the word [Filioque] to the Creed:☜ And about that and Images, they say there was some Synod at a Village called Gentiliace.

§ 31. Pope Paul dying, and the People having still the choice, he that could get the greatest strength was in hope of so rich a Prey: And Constantine, Brother to one Duke Toto, getting the strongest Party, by fear compelled George Bishop of Praenestine, with two more Bishops, to make him Pope, (being first ordained Deacon,) he possessed the Popedom alone a year and a month:☜ Then one Christopher the Primocerius, and his Son Sergius being powerful, got out to the King of the Longobards, and craved his help against Constantine as an Usurper; and gathering some strength got into Rome, killed Toto; and caused Constantine the Pope, and another Brother Paessivus to take Sanctuary. One Waldipertus a Presbyter was of Christopher's Party, and to make haste, without Christopher's knowledge, he gathereth a Party, and they make one Philip (a Presbyter) Pope. (So there were two Popes.) Christophorus incensed, swore he would not enter Rome, till Philip was pull'd out of the Bishop's house; which Gratiosus, one of his Party, presently performeth, and Philip returneth to his Monastery. Christophorus calleth the Clergy, People and Soldiers together, and (by his means) they chuse another Stephen, (and so there are three Popes.) The Actors being now in their zeal, go to Theodorus a Bishop, and Vicedominus that joined with Pope Constantine, and they put out his eyes, and cut out his tongue. Next they attempted the like excaecation on Passivus. Bishop Theodore they thrust into a Monastery, and there (while he cryed for a little water) they famished him to death. Passivus they put into another Monastery. They took all their Goods and Possessions. Pope Constantine they brought out, and set on Horseback on a Womans Saddle with Weights at his Feet, and put him into a Monastery, (How holy then were Monasteries!) Shortly after they brought him forth, and Pope Stephen and some Bishops deposed him. Then the Citizens were to make their penitent Confessions for owning him. Next the Army goeth to Alatrum in Campania, where Gracilis the Tribune that had been for Constantine is apprehended, brought bound to Rome, imprisoned, and after his eyes put out, and his tongue cut out. After this, Gratiosus and his Zealots go to the Monastery where they had thrust Pope Constantine, and drag him out, and put out his eyes, and leave him blind in the street. Next, they go to their own Friend Priest Waldipertus, and feign that he had laid a Plot with the Longobards to kill Christopher, and send to apprehend him, and when he fled for Sanctuary to a Temple, they drew him out with the blessed Virgins Image in his hand (even then when they were rebelling for the sake of Images;) but that would not save the Priest, (because he set up Philip for Pope;) they thrust him into a filthy Dungeon-hole, but that was too good for him: In a few days they drew him out, and casting him on the earth, put p. 218out his eyes, and cut out his tongue, and put him into an Hospital, where he dyed of the pain. And now Pope Stephen had, no doubt, a lawful calling to be Pope. He sends his Legats to the King of France. He brings forth blinded Pope Constantine to answer for his Crime, who falling flat on the earth, he lamenteth his sin as more than the Sands on the Sea-shore, and professeth that the People chose and forced him to be Pope, because of their sufferings under Paul: But at his next appearance he tells them, that he did no more than many other Lay-men did, who invaded Bishopricks; as Sergius Archbishop of Ravenna, Stephen Bishop of Naples, &c. when they heard this, all the Priests caused him to be buffeted, and cast him out of the Church, and burnt his Papers, &c. And the most holy Pope Stephen cast himself on the earth, with all the Priests and People of Rome, and with tears lamented their sin, that they had taken the Communion from the hands of Pope Constantine, (it seems it is a sin to communicate with Bishops that are brought in irregularly by secular Power without due Election,☞ and they are no Schismaticks that refuse it.) And so they all performed their Pennance for it, Anastas. in ejus vita.

§ 32. CCXXXI. On this great occasion Pope Stephen (being far unable now to call General Councils) sends to the King of France, to entreat him to send some wise Bishops to a Council at Rome, who sent him about a dozen, who, with some others, agreed against Constantine's Election, and such other for the time to come; and damned a Synod that Constantine had held; and also passed their judgment for Images.

§ 33. But here was a great difficulty, (such as often after happened) Whether Constantine's Papal Acts were valid; and the Council decreed that they should all be void except his Baptizings, and his Consecrations: And so those Priests that he Consecrated, when they were after duely chosen, officiated without a new Consecration.☞ Either he was a real Pope, or no Pope. If a Pope, then by the Canons Stephen was no Pope, and so the Succession there failed. If no Pope, then, 1. How come his Consecrations to be valid? 2. Are not Presbyter's Ordinations better than a Lay-mans? 3. Then the Universal Church had no Head, and so was no Church (with them) while Constantine was Pope.

§ 34. A like Schism fell out at Ravenna: The power of the Magistrate made one Michael, Scriniary of the Church, (a Lay-man) Archbishop, the People being for one Leo, whom they imprisoned. He kept the place above a year; but by the help of the Pope, and the French, the People rose and cast him out, and brought him Prisoner to Rome, and set up Leo.

§ 35. Christopher and his Son Sergius were the Captains that had wrought this great deliverance to the Church: And now they plead with King Desiderius for St. Peter's Rights, as still zealous for the Pope. The King is angry with them, and jealous of their power, and seeketh to destroy them, and particularly to set their own Pope against them. They get the Citizens to stand by them, and the King cometh with an Army. The Pope seeing which was like to be the stronger side, in great wisdom went out to the King, and after p. 219some days conference with him, sendeth to Christopher to render himself to the King. The Citizens hearing this, forsook Christopher and Sergius; Gratiosus (seeing they were deserted by the People through the Pope) went out first to the King and Pope, and Sergius next, and Christopher last. The Pope was so kind to them that made him Pope, that he made them Monks, and put them in Sanctuary in St. Peter's Church to save their lives: But they had Adonibezek's justice, and were soon drag'd out thence, and Christopher's eyes put out, of which he dyed. But Sergius was awhile a Monk, and then thrust in the Laterane Cellar. Thus went the matters of the Universal Monarch at Rome.

§ 36. A little before the Pope's death, Sergius was fetcht blind out of the Cellar, and kill'd; the next Pope searcht out the Authors, and found them to be Paulus Cubicularius, and the last Pope's Brother, and other great Men; and he prosecuted some of them to Banishment, but the Archbishop of Ravenna caused Paul to be killed.

§ 37. It was Adrian (a Deacon) that was then chosen Pope (Son to the chief Man in Rome, ablest to effect it.) Upon these stirs, Desiderius desired friendship with the Pope; but he demanding the Cities which Pepin had given the Church (some of which Desiderius, still kept) and doing the foresaid justice on the Friends of Desiderius, he came with an Army and killed many, and took many Cities. The Pope urgeth the restitution of all his Cities, (indeed the Emperor's) given him by Pepin; he still denieth; the Pope gets Charles of France to come with an Army, for fear of whom the Longobards flie. The Dutchy of Spoletum, and other Cities, yield themselves to the Pope, (and, as a token of subjection, receive tonsure.) Charles besiegeth Desiderius in Papia, and forceth his Brother Carloman's Wife and Children that fled to the Longobards, to yield themselves to him; while the Siege continued Charles went to Rome, and was gloriously entertained by the Pope, and renewed to him Pepin's gift of all the Exarchate of Ravenna, and many Dukedoms and Cities, (which were none of his own to give) and now the Pope is a Prince indeed. And Charles returning to the Siege, conquereth Papia, taketh King Desiderius, and winneth all the Longobards Kingdom: And thus Strength gave Right (according to the Atheists Opinion now stirring, that [Right is nothing but a power to get and keep.] Pepin and Charles make themselves Kings, and the Pope a Prince; that while they share the Emperor's Dominions between them, they might be a strength to one another. And Desiderius being himself but an Usurper, helped by the Pope into the Throne, no wonder if when interest changed, the same hand take him down. How Charles his Brother Caroloman dyed, and why his Wife and Sons fled from Charles to the Longobards, and what became of them, is not well known.

§ 38. Pope Adrian the 1st thus made a greater Prince than any before him, did greater works than they had done, and ob nimium amorem Sancti Petri, & ex inspiratione Divina, built many great and stately Buildings, made all places about his Palace, Baths, &c. fit for splendid pomp and pleasure, and p. 220all this from meer self-denial and holiness: Many Churches also he repalred and adorned, and did many other such good works.

§ 39. This great Adrian was before but a Deacon. I have oft marvelled to read that Deacons were so ordinarily then made Popes, (and sometimes Lay-men) when yet the old Canons required an orderly rising through the several degrees.☞ It was no wonder that then a Deacon at Rome was a far higher preferment than a Bishop: For a Deacon (and a Priest) might be chosen Pope, but a Bishop could not: For of old (when Diocesses and Parishes were all one) the Canons decreed that no Bishop should remove to another Church, (except being Consecrated by others, he never consented nor had possession;) so that every Bishop must live and dye in the place where he was first Ordained; so that Rome, Const. Alex. Antioch, &c. and all the great Seats chose either Deacons, Priests, or Monks to be their Patriarchs and Bishops. No wonder then, if as Nazianzen saith, Orat. 5. it was the custom to have almost as many Clergy-men in every Church as People, in regard of the present Honour, and the future hopes of Preferment. Indeed he carried it that had the greatest Friends, which was as commonly the Deacon, as the Priest or Archdeacon. By which we may conjecture, whether the worthiest Men were made Popes: For if they were the worthiest, why were they by former Popes never made higher before than Deacons? Did not the Popes know the worthiest men?

And if a breach of the Canons in Elections nullifie the regular Succession, by this it is evident, that the Roman Seat hath no such Succession.

§ 40. By the way the Reader must note, that in all the Writings of the Popish Clergy concerning these matters, there are certain terms of Art, or Interest, which must be understood as followeth, viz.

1. Sanctissimus Papa, ☞the most Holy Pope, signifieth any prosperous Bishop of Rome, how wicked soever in his life.

2. Rex Pientissimus, the most Pious King, signifieth a King that took part with the Pope, and advanced his Opinions and Interest.

3. Imperator Sceleratissimus, & Haereticus Nefandus, &c. a most wicked Emperor, (or Patriarch, or any other) and abominable Heretick] signifieth one that was against the Pope, his Interest or Opinion. Homo mendaeissimus, a Lyar, is one that saith what the Papists would not have to be true. If you understand them otherwise, you are deceived (ordinarily.)

§ 41. About the death of Paulus Cubicularius, and others, note, that it had long been the way of the Church-Canons, to contradict God's great Law for humane safety, [He that sheddeth Man's blood, by Man shall his blood be shed;] and on pretence of being (more) merciful (than God) to entice Murderers, Adulterers, and all wicked Thieves and Criminals to make up the Church of Christ, by decreeing, that instead of being Hanged, or Beheaded, if they would but be Baptized, they should but be kept for a time from the Sacrament, or do Pennance; and what Villain would not then be a Christian?

p. 221§ 42. Here ariseth a great Controversie with Sigibert, (a Monk-Historian) and Gratian himself, which Baronius and Binnius take up, viz. the first say, [That Charles being at Rome, a Council there with Pope Adrian gave him the power of chusing the Pope, and ordering the Apostolick Seats; and all Bishops and Archbishops in all Provinces, to receive Investiture from him; and that none should Consecrate a Bishop unless he were praised and invested by the King; and that they Anathematize all that rebel against this Decree, and confiscate their Estates if they repent not: But, say Baronius and Binnius, this is a lye, and devised deceit to flatter the Emperor Henry a Schismatick. And while Chroniclers may have the Lye given them so easily by Dissenters in matters of such publick Fact, we are left at great uncertainty in History, others as confidently giving the Lye to the Papal Flatterers, as they do those of their own Religion that do not please them.

One of the Reasons against this Decree, is the contrariety of the French Constitutions, l. 1. c. 84. saying, [Not being ignorant of the sacred Canons we consented to the Ecclesiastick Order, to wit,☜ that Bishops be chosen by the Election of the Clergy and PEOPLE, according to the Statutes of the Canons out of their own Diocess, without respect of Persons or Rewards, for the merit of their life, and their gift of wisdom, that by example and word they may every way profit those that are under them.]

1. This indeed sheweth how Bishops by the Canons were to be chosen, even till these days of Charles the Great; he was to be taken for no Bishop that came not in by the Peoples (as well as the Clergies) Election, or consent at least.

2. But this contradicteth not what Sigibert and Gratian say; the Emperor might still have a negative voice after all, especially as to a Pope: In very deed, the door is safe that hath divers locks. 1. It belongeth to the Clergy and Ordainers to judge who shall be [A Bishop or Minister of Sacred things.] 2. It belongeth to the Flock to discern whom they will accept for THEIR Bishop or Pastor. 3. It belongeth to the Magistrate to judge whom he will countenance or tolerate in that Office.

§ 43. Paulus Diaconus the Historian was Secretary to Desiderius the Longobard King; Charles in anger commanded his hand to be cut off, for doing somewhat for his own King against him; the Courtiers added, that his eyes should be put out; which made Charles consider and say, If we do but cut off his hand, where shall we find such another Historian?

§ 44. Constantine the Emperor now dying, called Copronymus; the Papists call us to take notice what a Leader we follow that are against the Worship of Images; saying that he dyed with the beginnings of Hell-fire, convinced of his sin against the Virgin Mary, and that all his life he loved the smell of dung, and stinking things; strong Arguments for Image-worship, as worthy as Sigebert's and Gratian's, to be suspected as Lyes, or of little certainty.

p. 222§ 45. While Leo Isaurus and Constantine lived, the Councils of Bishops went with them, and Images went down in the Eastern Empire: Constantine dying, his Son Leo succeeded him, saith Binnius, in his Heresie, Impiety and Sacriledge, that is, in his opposition to Image-worship, and such like. Petavius saith, he first feigned himself a Catholick, (that is, for Images) but after fell off: His Sacriledge was, that loving Jewels, he took for himself a rich Crown, which Maurice had devoted to the Virgin Mary; whereupon Carbuncles arose on him, and he dyed: but had not Maurice himself a sadder death? Thus partial Historians feign and apply Judgments.

§ 46. Irene, Leo's Widow, with her Son Constantine a Child, next ruled, and, saith Binnius, God by a Widow and an Orphan Child, by a Wonder, did tread down the Impiety that had been set up, and restored Religion, that is, Images. And indeed Rome's interest and proper way hath been chiefly advanced under Women and Rebels. And it is no wonder if Irene a Woman, and her Child, were more for Images than their Predecessors. Children use to play with Images, and Womens Fancies are oft not unsuitable to them. I think it as observable a matter, as Binnius doth, to note the Instruments.

§ 47. There are in Binnius the Titles of 44 at least Epistles of Pope Adrian's recited:☞ The 36th saith, [He professeth that the Church of Rome doth embrace and reverence the Whole fourth Calcedon Council. Remember then that the last Canon is approved, which declareth the reason of the Roman Priviledges to be because it was the Imperial Seat, and therefore that Constantine should have the like, and that it was given it by the Fathers.

Most or many of them are thanks to Charles for giving St. Peter so many great Cities and Dukedoms, and Exhortations to him to continue his bounty. By their ordinary language you would not suspect any Selfishness, Pride or Covetousness in the Popes; it is but for St. Peter that they desire all.

§ 48. In his Epistle to Constantine and Irene, (the Child and Mother) to entice them to be for Images, he tells a fabulous Story**See Hen. Fowlis of Papists Treasons, P. 120. proving the whole Story false. of a Vision of Constantine's sending him to Silvester as his Guide, to be baptized of him, and to be thereby cured of a Leprosie: It was Peter and Paul that appeared to him; and he asked Silvester whether there were left any Images of Peter and Paul, which he affirmed, and shewed him their Pictures; and the Emperor cryed out, These are the Men that appeared to me. And part of their Message to him was, that he should bring all the world into the subjection of the Church of Rome.] Was not here a strong Argument to a Woman and a Child to be for the Pope and for Images, contrary to current History, (that tells us Constantine was baptized at Nicomedia a little before his death;) and without any credible proof. Thus the Papal Rome was built. When Adrian had given away the Western Empire to Charles, yet he thus flattereth a Woman and Child in the East, as if he had done them no wrong at all. p. 223§ 49. Paul Bishop of Const. having sworn against Images, and repenting, is said to resign his place, and to tell them that they must have a General Council; and Tarasius succeeding him, being for Images, got a promise of a Council. It seems by their Epistles, though they agreed about Images, Pope Adrian and this Tarasius accused each other as suspected of Simony, see Bin. p. 262. and the Epistles. Irene knew that Tarasius was for her turn, and Tarasius knew that Irene was for Pictures; and so between them common notice was given abroad before-hand to the Bishops, (that lately had condemned Image-worship,☜ and pull'd them down) that the Empress and the Patriarch were for restoring Images, and would call a Council to that end: and this was enough to prepare the majority of the Bishops for a sudden change.

§ 50. Besides a Council at Wormes, An. 772. to little purpose, Velserus hath published one of that year at Dingolvinga in Bavaria under Duke Tassilo, which had divers Canons of Equity, and some of Superstition; one was, that certain Bishops and Abbots agreed, that whosoever dyed first, the rest should sing so many Psalms, and get thirty Masses to be said. And a notable Priviledge is granted to all that will but seek liberty or shelter in the Church, that both they and their Posterity shall be free, unless they bring a debt undischargeable on themselves.

§ 51. There is by Canisius published an Epitome of the old Canons (except the Nicene) as gathered by this Adrian, and sent to Charles Mag. I will recite a few of them, Ex Clem. c. 23. Let a Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, taken in Fornication, Perjury, or Theft, be deposed, but not excommunicate.

C. 28. That a Bishop who obtaineth a Church by the Secular Powers be deposed.☜

Can. Antioch. 8. Countrey Presbyters may not give Canonical Epistles, but the Chorepiscopi, (by which it is plain, that the Chorepiscopi were not Presbyters, but (as Petavius on Epiphan. Arrius hath well proved) true Bishops.

C. 11. That condemned Clerks shall never be restored if they go to the Emperor.

Can. Laodic. c. 33. ☜[That no one pray with Hereticks or Schismaticks,] (which seemeth to oblige us to separate from the Roman Prelates, who are grievous Schismaticks, by imposing things unlawful on the Churches, and silencing and persecuting those that obey not their sinful Laws.

Before the Can. Sardic. he mentioneth the weakness of old Osius, that said that they were both in the right, who used the word [of one substance,] and [of the like substance.]

Can. Sard. 2. That a Bishop that by Ambition changeth his Seat, shall not have (so much as) Lay-communion (no not) at the end.

C. 14. C. 15. ☜That no Bishop be above three weeks in another City, nor above two weeks from his own Church, (which implieth that each Bishop had then his own particular Church.)

p. 224Can. Afric. c. 15. That there be no Re-baptizing, Re-ordaining,☞ nor Translations of Bishops.

C. 17. That if a Bishop to be Ordained be Contradicted, (that is, by any objected unfitness) he shall not after be Ordained as purged only by three Bishops, but by many.

C. 19. That Diocesses that wants Bishops, receive none without the consent of the Bishop who hitherto held them, (so it was) not proudly; For if he overhold them, (that is, hold them under himself alone, when they need more Bishops) affecting to sit over the People, and despising his Fellow-Bishops, he is not only to be driven from the retained Diocesses, but also from his own Church:] (so that no proud Bishops should have power to hinder the Churches from having as many Bishops as they need.)

C. 60. That Bishops that are of later Ordination, presume not to set or prefer themselves before those that were before them.

C. 94. If a Bishop, six months after admonition of other Bishops, neglect to make Catholicks of the People belonging to his Seat, any other shall obtain them that shall deliver them from their Heresie: ☞(that is, Donatism, or the like;) so that if one Bishop neglect the Souls of his People, and another that is more able and faithful convert them, they may be the Flock of him that converted them, without removing their dwelling.

C. 105. That a Bishop shall not Excommunicate a man on a Confession made only to himself: if he do, other Bishops shall deny Communion to that Bishop.

§ 52. Several German Councils are mentioned, (at Wormes, Paderborne, Daria, in which (by a new example) Charles Mag. is confirmed to force the Saxons to profess themselves Christians, and to take an Oath never to revolt: who yet (doing it by constraint) were oft perjured and revolted, till at last their Heathen Duke Witichind became a voluntary Christian himself.

§ 53. There are 80 more Canons against Oppressors of the Clergy, said to be collected by Adrian, of which one is the old one, That no Bishop judge the Cause of any Priest,☞ without the presence of his Clergy; because the Bishop's Sentence shall be void, if it be not confirmed by the presence of the Clergy.

Another, That no Bishop ordain or judge in another's Parish, else it shall be void;☞ For we judge that no one i… bound by the sentence of any other Iudge, but his own: (Who then is bound by the Pope, or any Usurper, who will Excommunicate those that are not of his Flock?)

Another saith, ☞[By a general Sanction we forbid Foreign judgments, because it is unmeet that he should be judged by strangers, who ought to have Iudges of the same Province, and that are chosen by himself.

Another, ☞That no Bishop presume to judge or condemn any of the Clergy, unless the accused Person have lawful Accusers present, and have place for defending himself by answering to the Charge.

p. 225Another, ☜For Nullifying such Bishops judgments as are done without due Tryal, by Tyrannical Power, and not by Canonical Authority.

Another saith, ☜Constitutions that are contrary to the Canons, and to the Decrees of the Bishops of Rome, or to Good Manners, are of no moment: (which nulleth even many of the Bishops of Rome also, as against Good Manners.)

Another notable Canon is, [Delatori aut lingua capuletur, aut convicto Caput amputetur: Delatores autem sunt qui ex invidia produnt alios.] That is, Let a Delator's tongue be pull'd out, or if Convict, his Head cut off: Delators are those that through envy betray others; (or envious Accusers.) Alas! if our Delators, Calumniators and Informers were thus used now, what abundance would have suffered for wronging some one Man?

Another Canon is, If a Man be often in quarrels, and easie (or forward) to accuse, let no Man receive his Accusation without great Examination? (What then will be thought of the usual Accusations of Clergy Calumniators, that for Sects, and worldly Interest, can reproach others without shame or measure?)

Another is, That the danger of the Iudge is greater than the danger of him that is judged; therefore all care must be taken to avoid unjust judgment and punishments.

Another is, [Let no Man receive the witness of a Lay-man against a Clergy-man.] (And Door-keepers, and Clerks, and Readers, were then Clergy-men: Was not this a great priviledge to the Church?)

§ 54. CCXXXII. We come now to the great General Council at Nice 2d, called by the Papists the 7th, (that is, the 7th which pleased them.)

I have before noted that Irene, the Widow of Leo, now Ruled, her Son Constantine being Titular Emperor, a Child, under her Government. One Stauratius a Senator most swayed her, or ruled her. Taurasius the Patriarch joined with her for Images. They call a Council at Constantinople. A General Council and three Emperors (Leo, Const. & Leo) had lately condemned Images,☜ and taken them down. The Pope and many Italians had resisted by force. This violence made the Emperor use severity against the Resisters. At Ravenna they killed Paulus the 14th Exarchate. In Rome they took Peter a Duke, and put out his eyes. In Campania they beheaded Exhileratus the Duke, and his Son Adrian, who took the Emperor's part. How the Emperor hereby lost Italy, is before shewed. But this Woman Irene will do as the Pope would have her: She is as much for Pictures as the Pope himself. She calling this Council at Constantinople, the old Soldiers bred up under the former Emperors being against Images, (haeresin medullitus imbiberant, saith Binnius, ☜p. 396.) Would not endure them in Constantinople, but routed them. At which the Empress being troubled, dismissed the Bishops till they had purged the Army of those old Soldiers, and then she called the Bishops to Nice; and there (they knowing their errand before-hand) damned p. 226themselves and their Brethren that had held the former universal Synod, and set up Images again.

§ 55. By the way, I appeal from Pride and Ignorance, to Christian Sobriety and Reason, how the taking down of Images can (in the Roman sense) be called an Heresie,☞ unless it be an Article of Faith, that Images must or may be used. And can any Man that ever read and believed the Scriptures, and the Writings of the first four hundred years, believe that having or worshiping of Images, or Saints by Images, is an Article of Faith, or necessary to Salvation? The best of them that any Man can plead with Modesty is, that they are indifferent, or lawful, and useful to some Persons. The Papists tell us now that they would not compel us to bow toward Images, but leave it to our liberty. Must it be Heresie, and the Christian world cast into distractions about it, when yet this Image-worship is Idolatry in the sense of one part of Christians, and but indifferent and convenient to the ignorant (that have other helps enow) in the sense of others? O what a Plague hath it been to the world, to have a worldly Clergy invade the Churches!

§ 56. At the meeting of this Council we have first the Call and Title, in which,

1. The Emperor and his Mother are called the Governors of the whole world, (Orbis Terrarum.) And yet our Papists (as W. Iohnson in his Novelty represt, &c.) would make Men believe that if they find but such a saying of a Council, or of the Church, it must needs signifie more than the Empire, even all the Earth indeed.

2. It's expresly said over and over, that this Council was called by the Emperor, and by their Decree and Command.

Tharasius beginneth with telling them the need of Reformation (for Images,) and reporting how they were assaulted at Constantinople, when they met there, (and so removed to Nice,) &c.

§ 57. Next the Letters of the Empress and her Son are read, in which they are before made know what they must do. They are told what Paul Const. on his Death-bed said for Images, and that Tarasius would not take the Patriarchate till he had promise of a Council to restore them, and some hopes of it.

The Emperor here saith, that [he called and Congregated the Synod, and that ex universo terrarum orbe, out of the whole earthly world;] and yet it was only out of the Roman Empire.

§ 58. When the Bishops business was so well made known by the Woman that called them, first three Bishops that had been lately forward speakers against Images in the former General Council under Constantine, did humbly confess their sin to the Council, and asked forgiveness; that is, Basil. Ancyrae, Theodorus Myron, and Theodosius Amorii. And first Basil Bishop of Ancyra gave them his Creed, in which he professed to believe in the Trinity, and to embrace the intercession of the Mother of God, and of the heavenly Powers, and of all the Saints, and with all honour to receive and embrace their holy Reliques, firmly believing that he may be made Partaker of their holiness: p. 227Also that he embraceth the venerable Images, which**The Verb is left out. the Oeconomy of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c. and of the inviolate Virgin our Lady the Mother of God, and of the holy Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, and all Saints; and giveth them due honour: Rejecting and cursing with all his mind that called the 7th Synod(*)(*)Where he was lately a Leader., that was gathered by a depraved mind and madness—a false Council, as alien to all Piety and Religion, impiously barking against Ecclesiastical Legislation—reproaching venerable Images, and commanding them to be taken out of the Churches, &c.

And to shew his zeal, and lead others the way, he delivereth in nine Curses or Anathemas. One against those that demolish Images. Another against those that expound the Scripture words against Idols and Gentile Images, as against Christians Images. Next he execrateth all that embrace not Images, so it is now become necessary unto salvation.) Another Curse is against those that favour them that are against Images, &c. (Was not the Church ill used by her Bishops, when they are sure to be cursed by them; one year cursing all that be for Images, and another cursing all that be not for them? Was it such a cursing Clergy, to make a cursed Church, that Christ ordained?) And that the Council might not suspect that this Bishop was a Temporizer, and changed his Opinion with the Times, first he professeth to declare all this, [With his whole Soul, Heart and Mind;] and next he wisheth, [That if ever by any means he revolt again from Images, he may be alienated from God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and the Catholick Church.] And thus he renounceth Repentance, cursing himself if ever he repent.

§ 59. Tharasius and his Synod glorifie God for this excellent Confession: And next cometh Theodore Bishop of Myros, and he doth the like, and is joyfully received: And next cometh Theodosius Bishop of Amorium, and he more dolefully lamenteth, that [being a sinner, and seduced, he had blattered out many evils untruly against venerable Images; and therefore confessing his fault, he condemneth and curseth (or detesteth) himself, resolving hereafter to do the same thing which he had cursed (or spoken ill of) and to teach it to the world, and begging to be received among Christians, though unworthy. Next he offereth his Libel, viz. First I approve, receive, salute and venerate before all things, the intemerate Image of our Lord Iesus Christ our true God, and the blessed Mother Virgins, who brought him forth without seed**How was he then of her substance.; whose help, protection and intercession I pray for night and day, that she may help me a sinner, as having that power from him whom she brought into the world, Christ our God. And I receive and venerate the Images of Saints, Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, Fathers, Eremites, not as Gods, &c. And with all my mind I beseech them to intercede with God for me, that I may find mercy in the day of judgment. On the same account I venerate the Reliques of Saints, &c.

So he proceedeth also to his Curses, and first he anathematizeth all that venerate not Images: Then he curseth those that reproach them: And next, that speak evil of them: And next he curseth those that do not from their p. 228hearts teach Christian People the veneration of holy and honourable Images of all Saints, which from the beginning pleased God.

Qu. 1. Where shall we have Painters enow?

2. Where shall we have Money to pay them?

3. Where shall we find room to hold them?

4. Is not here a new Article of Faith, and a new Commandment necessary to Salvation?

5. Was not their Church Universal, as it stood before all or most here cursed?

6.☞ Was it not a hard matter to be saved, or be a Conformist on these terms, when a Man that did but doubt of Images, yea, that did not teach them to the People, and that from his heart, must be cursed?

7. Was not such a cursing sort of Bishops a great Curse, Shame and Calamity to the Church? Did they not tempt Infidels to curse or deride them all, while they thus cursed one another, even their Councils?

Tharasius joyfully received all this, and Constantine Bishop of Constance in Cyprus said, That this Libel of Theodosius drew many tears from him, (I suppose of joy;) And now they all saw the way.

§ 60. But now cometh a Crowd more to do their Pennance; Hypatius Bishop of Nice, Leo Rhodi, Gregory of Pisidia, Gregory of Pessinunt, Leo of Iconium, Nicolas of Hierapolis, Leo of Carpathium. And now Tarasius was sure of them, he groweth more upon them, and will know of them, Whence it was that in the last Council they did what they did against Images? whether it was through meer Ignorance,☞ or by any reason that drew them to it: If through Ignorance, he bids them give a Reason how they came to be so ignorant: If upon any Reason, to tell what that Reason was, that it might be refuted.

Leo, Bishop of Rhode, answered, [We have sinned before God, and before the Church, and before this holy Synod; Ignorance made us fall from the Truth, and we have nothing to say in our own defence.]

Tharasius would know what Reason now moveth and changeth them; some say, because it is the Doctrine or Faith of the Apostles and Fathers. Another alledgeth a saying as of the Antioch Council, and another as of Isidore Pelus▪ which the learned Reader examining, may see what proof it was that Images were brought into Churches by; it's worth the noting. But another alledgeth the Apostles and Prophets Tradition: But what's the proof? And did not the Council at Constant, nor the Bishops in the Reign of the three former Emperors know what Tradition was? Was it unknown till now? How came it now known then?☞ Or who told it this Council, when the last knew it not? Or if the last were false Knaves, how shall we be sure that these were honest Men? Or that the same Men were suddenly become wise and honest?

p. 229Tharasius asketh one of the Bishops (Leo) How it came to pass that he that had been ten or eight years a Bishop, never knew the Apostolical Tradition for Images till just now? He answered, Because through many Ages, (or Times) Malice endured, and so wicked Doctrine endured; and when this persevered for our sins, it compelled us to go out of the way of Truth; but there is hope with God of our salvation. But Constantine Cypr. answereth him, You that are Bishops, and Teachers of others, should not have had need to be taught your selves. Leo replied, If there were no expression of sin in the Law, there would be no need of Grace. Another (Hypatius) replied with the rest, We received ill Doctrine from ill Masters. Yea, but saith Tarasius, The Church ought not to receive Priests from ill Teachers. Hypatius, Bishop of Nice, replieth, [Custom hath so obtained.]

§ 61. Hereupon the Synod desired to be informed on what terms Hereticks were to be received, when they returned: so the Canons were brought and read. And though many Canons and Fathers have said, that no Repentance for some Crimes must restore a Man to the Priesthood, though it must to the Church; and there is an Epistle of Tarasius put by Crabbe before this Council, in which he determineth that a Simoniack may be received upon Repentance to Communion, but not to his Office; yet Tarasius here being desirous of their return, (knowing that these Penitents that renounced the errors of their Education, and former practice, would draw others to conformity with them) did resolutely answer all that was objected against their reception.

§ 62. Here (in Crab. p. 472.) a question fell in (upon their reading the Proofs, that repenting Hereticks were by the Church to be restored to their Bishopricks and Priesthood,) What Hereticks those were? And it was answered, that they were Novatians, Encratists, and Arrians, and Manichees, Marcionists, and Eutychians. And then one asketh, Whether this Heresie (against Images) was greater or less than all those?☜ And Tharasius answereth, (like a Stoick) [Evil is always the same and equal, especially in matters Ecclesiastical, in the Decrees of which both great and small, to err is the same thing; for in both God's Law is violated.] (O Learned Patriarch, worthy to be the setter up of Church-Images!) A venerable Monk that was Vicar of the Oriental Patriarch, ☜answereth, [That this Heresie is worse than all heresies, and the worst of all Evils, as that which subverteth the Oeconomy of our Saviour.]

Note, Reader, how the Patriarchal Thrones did govern the Church and this Council, and by what reasons Images and Saints intercessions were set up. Arrianism, Manicheism, Marcionism, no Heresie that denied the essentials of Christianity, no evil was so bad with them as to deny Church-Images, &c. And so the late General Council, and Bishops, for three Emperors Reigns, had been under the worst of Heresies and Evils, worse than Arrianism itself.

p. 230§ 63. But here Constantine the Notary of the Const. Patriarchate, happily brought in so pertinent a Testimony, as much made for the pardon of the penitent Bishops: He read out of the Council of Calcedon, how the Oriental and other Bishops that had lately set up Eutyches and Dioscorus in the 2d Ephesian Council,☞ cryed at Calcedon, [We have all sinned, we all ask forgiveness.] And how Thalassius, Eusebius and Eustathius cryed, [We have all erred, we all ask forgiveness.] And after them Iuvenal, and after him the Illyrican Bishops cryed, [We have all lapsed, we all ask pardon.] And so the President was undeniable and effectual. These were not the first Bishops that went one way in one Council under one Prince, and cryed peccavimus for it, as Heresie, in the next.

§ 64. But Sabas the Monk starts yet a greater doubt than this, and that is, whether they had true Ordination, and so were true Bishops. For seeing they were bred in the times of Heresie, which had prevailed under so many Emperors, and had Heretical Teachers, it's like they had Heretick Ordainers, seeing the late Council shewed what the Bishops then were. And the Fact was confest, that they were Ordained by Bishops that were Hereticks, (that is, against Church-Images, and praying to Saints for their intercession, and using Reliques.☞) The Bishop of Rome's Vicars pleaded hard against their Ordination; but Tarasius knew what a breach it would make in the Church if a General Council, and all the Bishops that were at it, and all the rest that consented to it, and were bred up in that Opinion, should be degraded, and the new Conformity receive so great a stop; and what confusion it would make among the People, (as they had seen in many former instances) and therefore he is against their deposition. And first there are two passages read in their favour out of Ruffinus and Socrates, and somewhat of Athanasius. And then when Peter Vic. Rom. alledged the instance of Meletius against it, Tarasius brought a notable expeditious Argument, viz. The Fathers agree among themselves,☞ and do not contradict one another: ergo the rest consent to these that have been cited. Methinks I could make great use of this Argumentation to save time, labour and difficulty in disputing. E. G. Nazianzen wisht there were no difference of Bishops Seats (one above another) and said that he never saw Councils that did not more harm than good. The Fathers differed not among themselves; ergo the rest of the Fathers were of Gregory's mind.

In conclusion, they offered their Confessions, and were absolved.

§ 65. In the 2d Action, the Rulers send in the Bishop of Neo-Caesarea to do his Pennance; and he also cryeth for mercy, and confesseth that his errors and sins were infinite, but now he believed as the Synod doth. Tharasius asketh him whether he be not ashamed to have been ignorant so long, and questioneth the sincerity of his Repentance, which he earnestly professeth, condemning his Sin, and promising Conformity.

Next a long Epistle of Adrian's to the Emperor and Empress, and another to Tharasius for Images are read: For Popes use not to travel to General Councils, but to send their Letters and Legates, lest in their present Disputes p. 231they be found no wiser than other Men, and their Infallibility be proved less at hand, than at a distance, where they hear not the Debates. Here Adrian to the Empress relateth the foresaid Vision of Constantine Mag. to be healed of his Leprosie, a Fable fit to introduce Image-worship; and for an Infallible Pope to use, fully confuted (as aforesaid) by Henry Fowlis (after many others) of Popish Treasons.

§ 66. Tharasius professeth his consent to Adrian's Letters, yet professeth, [That he giveth the Worship called Latria to God alone, Crab. p. 485.and placeth his belief in him alone.] Contrary to Aquinas and his Followers, and other such Roman Doctors. And the whole Council ecchoed their consent, and voted for Images; so much can one Woman do in Power.

§ 67. In the 3d Action, Gregory Bishop of Neo-Caesarea is to receive his Absolution fully, and Tharasius puts in an Objection, that it's said that some Bishops in the late Persecution did scourge dissenting Bishops, and such were not to be received: But Gregory protested that he scourged none. But he is accused by others, to have been a Leader of the last Council against Images, and so he is deferred. And the Epistle of Tharasius to the Eastern Patriarchs is read, (and their Answers;) in which it is to be noted, that yet Image-worship was not owned: For he professeth in his Creed to them, that [We admit Pictures for no other use, but that they may the more perfectly be exhibited to the sight and eyes; as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World, &c.]

And the 4th Action containing all their Proofs from Scripture and Fathers, plead but for the memorative and instructing use of Images, by which they are to the eye, what words are to the ear: But they should have considered the danger of abuse, and foreseen how much further they were like to be carried, as with the Papists they are.

And in the fifth Action they proceed in reading more, to the same purpose, for commemorative Images;☜ till one read the Itinerary of the Apostles, which they voted to be a cursed Book, and said it was that Book that the Synod against Images made use of: whereupon Greg. Neo-Caes. & Theodos. Amorii, are asked whether that Book was read in the false Synod, and they sware by God, that it was not, but only some recited words as out of it. Pretorius a Nobleman said, [But they did all by the Royal Procuration.] And they proceed to refell the Testimonies that were brought against Images. Cosmas Cubicularius brought out an Old Testament with Scholia blotted out, where was yet legible on the second Commandment, [If we make the Image of Christ, truly we do not for the similitude adore it, but that the mind might be raised upward by what is seen.] The Expunction was said by Tarasius to be done by his Predecessors, Anastasius, Constantine, Victor, all Hereticks. And here they cursed Concealers and Cancellers of Writings. (Wo then to Rome!) Other rased Books were read, and Curses added against the Adversaries of Images, and those that communicate with them.

§ 68. In the 6th Action, the words of the 7th Council against Images are brought forth in a Book with a Confutation of them, which the Reader that p. 232hath leisure may compare. Greg. Neo-Caesar. read the Councils words. Ioan. Cancellarius read the Confutation. It fell out well that this Confutation was undertaken, or else we had lost the Decrees of this Council; as the Acts, for ought I know, are buried.

In general every sober Reader may perceive a great deal of difference between the style of the Council of Constantinople, and the Answer. The Council speaks with as much temper and gravity, as most of the best Councils have done. The Answer aboundeth with such railings and reviling words, as are meeter for a common Scold, than for Divines. The common language of it, is to call the Bishops of the Council, Blinded, Ignorant, Fools, Wicked, Deceivers, Blasphemers, and such like. And if all the Bishops on earth be present, or represented in a General Council, what a Case then was the Church in? And how shall we know what Council is to be believed, unless the Pope make all the difference?

§ 69. The number of the Bishops were**At Constantinople 338. They first shew how Satan hath brought in Idolatry. One of their chief Arguments against Images of Christ, is, that they savor of Nestorianism, representing Christ by his meer Manhood, when they cannot paint his Godhead; calling that Picture Christ, and overthrowing the Oeconomy and Union of his Person. I meddle not with the weight of their reason, but only recite it.

§ 70▪ It's again worth the noting, that the Answer to them saith, (For their charging Images, as drawing down the mind to Creature-worship; Latria) [O insanien'em linguam, quam instar machaerae acutae & veneno imbutae possident, &c. O mad tongue, which they possess like a sharp sword, imbued with poyson, ☞&c. For no Christian ever gave Latriam to the Image of those that are under Heaven; for this is the Fable of the Gentiles, and Devils invention, and the aggression of Satanical Action.]—[Our Latria is in Spirit and Truth.] Other passages forbid us to think that they juggle here, and denying Latriam only to Creatures under Heaven, intend to give it to Creatures in Heaven; for they appropriate it elsewhere to God: by which they greatly differ from Aquinas and such Papists.

§ 71. Note also that (whether well or ill) both these adverse Councils curse Pope Honorius as an Heretick; see Crab. p. 560, &c.

§ 72. Another Argument which the first 7th Council (at Const.) useth against Images in Churches, is, that Christ himself hath chosen and instituted such an Image as he would be represented by, and that is the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, and therefore we must not presume to make another, as if he had not done it well. This sheweth that this General Council and the Church then held that the Bread was not nullified, nor become Christ's Essence, but was the Image or Representation of his broken Body, and so called, The Body of Christ, as we say of E. G. Caesar's Image, This is Caesar.

But the adverse Council, or the Answer, raileth at this as an abominable Speech, (Crab. p. 567.) as if the Sacrament might not be called, The Image of Christ, (though de re they seem not at all to differ) saith the Constantine p. 233Council, [Imaginem totam electam, viz. substantiam panis mandavit appon…, ne scilic…t, humanâ effigie figurata, idolatria induceretur.] A Deo tradita Imago Carnis ejus panis scilicet Divinus impletus est Spiritu Sancto, cum poculo quoque sanguinis lateris illius vivificantis. Haec igitur vera incarnatae dispensatienis Christi Dei nostri Imago sicut praedictum est, quam ipse nobis verus naturae vividus Creator propriâ voce tradidit.

§ 73. Note also (Crab. p. 568.) that the Constantin. Council plead, That this use of Images began neither by the Tradition of Christ,☜ nor of the Apostles, nor of the Fathers: And that the Answer saith, that [The Veneration of Images was delivered with many other things without Scripture, from the Apostles time, &c.

Here note 1. How those Papists (in particular which I have elsewhere answered) are confuted, who say that [Tradition is universal, sure, known, constant, and no Churches pleaded Traditions against each other, at least in necessary things or Faith; but if we have not the right now, it must be because the Councils went all to Bed in one mind, and rose in another.] You see here that the 2d Nieene Council took the Doctrine of the former to be Anathematized Heresie; and that 338 Bishops in one of the Councils, (and the most under many Emperors) and 350 Bishops in the other Council, pleaded Tradition against each other. But sure any Man that hath read the Fathers of the first 300 or 400 years, will easily see which of them was in the right, excepting the sign of the Cross.

2. Note also that it is here confessed, that there is no Scriptural Tradition of this use of Images.

§ 74. In the Definitions of the Constantine Council it is to be noted,

1. That they are not so much against the intercession of the Virgin Mary, or Saints, as the Protestants mostly are, nor as the Papists make them: For (Crab. p. 589.) they say Defin. 15. [If any confess not holy Mary ever a Virgin, properly and truly the Parent of God, and superior to every Creature visible and invisible(*)(*)What! superior to Christ's Humanity? How prove you that she is superior to the highest Angels?, and doth not with a sincere Faith crave her Intercessions, as having this liberty with him that is born of her, God, let him be Anathema.

And Defin. 17. [If any confess not that all who from the beginning to this day, before the Law, and under the Law, and in the Grace given of God, being Saints are venerable in the presence of God in soul and body(*)(*)Are the bodies of all Saints already risen?, and doth not seek their intercessions, as having liberty with God to intercede for the world according to Ecclesiastical Tradition, let him be Anathema.] Were not these Men high enough in Creature-worship, to escape the Curse of Hereticks?

2. I noted before how they do Defin. 7. conclude, that Christ's Body glorified is not proper Flesh, and yet not incorporeal, but his true Body.

§ 75. That you may see that this Council were of one mind, in the conclusion they all say, Omnes se credimus; Omnes idem sapimus; Omnes approbando p. 234probando volentes subscripsimus, &c. We all thus believe, (against Images;) We are all of one mind; We all subscribe willingly, as approving, &c. Only Germanus, George, and Manzurus, (supposed to be Damascene) are found among the Anathematized Dissenters, Crab. p. 592.

§ 76. The 7th Action of the Nicene Synod, containeth their Definition, in which they deny indeed Latria to Images, but yet say (more than before) [That they that see the Pictures, may come to the memory and desire of the Prototypes; as by the sight of the Cross, and by the holy Gospels, and holy Oblations.—For the honour of the Image resulteth to the Prototype, and he that adoreth the Image, in it adoreth the described Argument.] So that they that began lower, in the conclusion came up to Adoration.

They all profess full consent, and curse all that bring Scripture against Images, and that call them Idols, &c. They curse the last Council, as Rugiens Conciliabulum; and three dissenting Bishops, and three former Patriarchs of Const. two more Bishops they add. They curse all that receive not Images, and all that salute them not in the Name of the Lord and his Saints, and that care not for unwritten Tradition of the Church.

Next they write an Epistle to the Empress, (and her Child) applauding them, and adding, that [Denying Latria to them, they judge them to be adored and saluted, and pronounced every one Anathematized that is so minded, as to stick at and doubt of the Adoration of Images, and this as empowred by God's Spirit so to curse them;Crab. p. 605. which Anathema (say they) is nothing else but separating them from Christ.

Judge now what the use of such Councils was, [To curse Men, and separate them from Christ,] and that if they do but doubt of adoring Images. Reader, if thou believe that in these Heretications, Separations and Damnations of such, they were of Christ's mind, and did his work, and served not his Enemy against him and his Church, I am not of thy mind, nor am ever like to be.

Another Epistle they wrote to the People, and one Tharasius sent to Adrian.

§ 77. Some Canons of theirs are added, of which this is the third.

[Every Election of a Bishop, Priest, or Deacon, which is made by Magistrates,☞shall remain void, by the Canon which saith, If any Bishop use the Secular Magistrates, to obtain by them a Church, let him be deposed and separated, and all that communicate with him**Alas! Must all be Separatists from the Bishops in England, France, &c?

The 4th Canon is, [Paul saith, I have desired no Mans silver or gold, &c. If therefore any one exacting money, or any other thing, or for any affection of his own, shall be found to drive from his Ministry, or to segregate any one of his Clergy, or to shut the venerable Temple, forbidding in it the Divine Ministeries, shewing his madness even on that which hath no sense**As by Interdicts, such an one is truly sensless, and shall be obnoxious to the Lex Talionis, and his work shall fall upon his own head, as being a transgressor of God's Law: For p. 235the chief Apostle Peter commanded, Feed the Flock of God, overseeing it, not by force, but freely and voluntarily, according to God; not for filthy lucre sake, but readily and chearfully; not as having a dominion …ver the Clergy, but as being examples to the Flock.

The 15th Canon forbids one Man to have two Churches.

The 22d Canon forbids Canting, and Minstrels, and Ribald Songs at meat: But the 7th savors of their Superstition, forbidding any Temple to be Consecrated without Reliques, and ordering Temples that have no Reliques to be put down.

§ 78. In the Letter to Adrian, Tharasius tells him, that he had a year before attempted the like at Const. but was hindered a whole year by violent Men; which further sheweth how far the opposition to Images had obtained, when Irene began to set them up.

§ 79. So much of the 2d Nicene Council, in which by the power of one Woman, and Stauratius a Senator that ruled her, the judgment of the Universal Church (if the Council, or most of the Bishops in the Empire signifie it) was suddenly changed from what it had been during the Reign of the three last Emperors, and made that Church-use of Images (which some thought sinful, and no judicious Christian could judge necessary, but indifferent, and of use to some) to be henceforth so necessary, that the Denyers are sentenced for cursed Hereticks, yea the Doubters cut off from Christ.

§ 80. CCXXXIII. Binnius next addeth a Council at Forojulium, An. 791. held by Paulinus Bishop of Aquileia: in which is a Speech of his to the Bishops, and an excellent Creed, and 14 Canons, written as by himself; all in a far more understanding, sober, pious manner, than is usual among the Patriarchs at General Councils. The 13th Canon is an excellent Precept for the holy observation of the Lord's-day, wholly in Holiness, and in Hymns of Praise to the Holy Ghost, that blessed it by his admirable Advent, calling it God's Sabbath of delight, beginning the 7th day evening, not for the honour of the 7th day, but of this Sabbath, &c.

§ 81. Yet rash and unskilful words set the Bishops into more divisions. Faelix Urgelitanus, and from him Elipandus Bishop of Toletum, ☜taught that Christ as the eternal Word was God's Natural Son, but that as Man he was his Adopted Son. Hence his Adversaries gathered that he was a Nestorian, and held two Sons. A Council An. 792. at Ratisbonne was called to condemn this Heresie. Yea, Ionas Bishop of Orleance saith, That it infected Spain for a great part, (and he knew their Followers to be certain Antichrists, by their faces and habits.) But wise Men think that the Controversie was not de re, but de nomine; And that if one Christ be said to be one Son of God in two p. 236natures, by a twofold fundamentum of the Relation of a Son, and that the foundation of the eternal Relation was the eternal Generation, and the foundation of the temporal Relation in the Humanity, was the temporal Generation and Union with the Deity, yet this proveth not two Sons: yea, or if it had been said that two Generations being the fundamenta, two Relations of Sonship result from them. ☞If this be unskilfully and illogically spoken, it will not follow that the Speakers held two Persons, or made any more division of Christs natures than their Adversaries did; but only might think that a double filiation from a double fundamentum, might be found in one Person. Let this Opinion be wrong, I see not how the Hereticators could make it a damnable Heresie. But it's pity that Faelix had not taken warning by the Churches long and sad experience, to avoid such wordy occasions of Contention, and not to set again on work either the Heretical, or the Hereticating Evil Spirit.

§ 82. Claudius Taurinensis, ☞a great and worthy Bishop at this time, did set in against the Worship and Church-use of Images, against whom Ionas Aurelianensis wrote, whose Writings are in the Biblioth. Patrum by Marg. de la Bigne; Read them, and judge as you see cause.

§. 83. About the time of the Frankford Council, came out a Book-against Images, which is published as written by Carolus Magnus himself. A great Controversie it is, Who is the Author? No small number say, it was Charles his own indeed. Others, that it was written at his Will and Command. But Binnius and some others deny it,Bin. p. 288 Bellarm. de Imag. lib. 2. and say it was written by Serenus Massiliensis an Iconoclast, and his Disciples. How we shall know the Truth in such Cases, I cannot tell: But it is confessed that Spain and France were then much infected with the Doctrine which is against Church-Images. It is certain that Pope Adrian saith, that Carolus Mag. sent him such a Book by Engilbert an Abbot, and his Epistle against it is extant.

§. 84. CCXXXIV. We come now to a great Council at Frankford, called by Charles Mag. present, and by Adrian. And as late as it is, all the Historians cannot tell us whether it was Universal, or what they did. Some say it was a General Council, because Charles summon'd it as such, and 300 Bishops were there. Others say No, it was but Provincial, because none of the Bishops of the East were there,It was such a Western General Council as that at Trent was for extent (a sufficient reason; and the like may be brought to prove, that there never was a General Council in the World▪ so called from the whole World, but only from the whole Empire.) That they dealt with the Case of Elipandus Bishop of Toletum, and Faelix Urgel. is agreed on, but what they did about Images is not agreed on. Ado; Rhegino, Aimonius Urspurg. and many Historians say, They condemned the Nicene Council that was for Images. Even Baronius is of the same mind, thinking the Liber Carolinus deceived them. He proveth this to be the common judgment p. 237of Historians, and ancient Writers. Bellarmine **Lib. 2. de Imagin. cap. 14. Even Dion. Petavius after all saith, In which Synod of Frankford, the 7th General Council was rejected by the Bishops that were ignorant …f its Decrees, An. 794. Hist. l. 8. c. 7.(his Brother) is of the same judgment. And is not their Concession more than twenty later Mens denial? Yea Genebrard concurreth; yet Binnius leaveth his Master Baronius, and giveth his Reasons against them. And he doth well prove, that it could not be by ignorance and surprize, that the Frankford Council should condemn the Nicene; and he is loth to think that they were wilful Hereticks, especially when they profess to follow Tradition: But he knew that the 7th Constantin. Council against Images, profest to follow Tradition. And if French Men will make us Hereticks for speaking English, it is no wonder if we make them Hereticks for speaking French. If Men will Hereticate others for Images, or Ceremonies, or Words, others will measure the like to them. This kind of Hereticating is circular, and hath no end.

Suarez will have either the Historians to have erred, or their Books to be corrupted; with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you. You shall then give us leave to suspect your Books, where there is far greater cause.

§ 85. But the Synod, or Paulinus Aquileiensis, a learned worthy Bishop in the Synod, (whom the rest follow) copiously write a Confutation of Elipandus and Faelix. And the charges of Heresie are,

1. That they call Christ as to his Humanity, God's Adopted Son, (and his eternal Person his Natural Son. ☜)

2. Because they say he was Adopted by Grace.

3. Because they say he was a Servant.

Alas for the Church, that must thus by Bishops be distracted for want of skill in words! Is there no remedy? Binnius confesseth that some Papists think that they meant right, as Durandus did, and that the difference was but in words.

The Council supposeth Elipandus and Faelix to use the word [Adoption] exclusively, as to Christ's Filiation by Generation, as conceived by the Holy Ghost: whereas it is far likelier that they took both Conjunct to be the fundamentum filiationis. God adopting, that is, of his good Will freely creating Christ's Humane Nature, and uniting it to the Divine; called Adoption, because it was God's free act of Love, and not a communication of his Essence, as the eternal Generation is. The Humanity is not God's Essence. And I hope the name of [The Son of Man] used so oft by Christ of himself, is no Heresie. And there appeareth no reason to censure them as denying either the eternal or temporal Generation of Christ.

But they argue against them,

1. That he is said to be Adopted, that is, not Generated.

2. And that he merited it not, but was adopted of meer Grace, but so was not Christ.

Answ. 1. These Objections seem to confess that the difference was but denomine; and is the unapt use of such a word, an Heresie? How many Heresies then have most Councils, and Fathers, and all Authors?

2. Must we needs understand God's Adoption, just in the measure as mans?

3. We are Regenerate, and yet Adopted. Why then is it a Heresie, to say, that Christ was Generated, and yet Adopted?

p. 2384. Grace is either that which is against the merit of evil, or only without the merit of good. It's doubtless that the first was not by them imputed to Christ: And it's undoubted to me, that it is consequentially Blasphemy, to say that Christ's Humane Nature, or any Angel had not the later. For the very being, and therewith all the good in the constitution and antecedent benefits of a Creature must go before his merits. Merit is too low a word for the Divine Nature as such before the Incarnation. And the Humane Nature did not merit to be before it was, e. g. to be conceived by the Holy Ghost, &c. As free Benefits are called Grace, Christ's Humane Nature had Grace.

But they object, that the two Bishops did not distinguish between Christ's Adoption, and ours.

Ans. 1. We have not their Writings to see that.

2. If they did not, it's like it was, because they thought it needless, being understood by all. They believed the Creed, That Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary; and that the Godhead assumed the Humanity into personal Union. They knew that none dreamed that it was so with us.

The Council saith, That it's Heresie to use the name Adoption of Christ. The two Bishops seemed to think, That God's free assuming of the Humanity into personal Unity with the Word eternally generated by the Father, might be called Adoption. If the improper use of the word be Heresie, I leave it to the Reader to judge which were the Hereticks: But I think neither.

But another part of the Heresie was,☞ to say that Christ was a Servant as Man. And they think he was no Servant, because a Son. Some will think confidently that the Council were here Hereticks, but I think they did but strive about words. By [Servant] the Council seemeth to mean exclusively, [One that is no Son.] But the other meant inclusively, [A Son and Servant.]

They take him for a Servant, that oweth Service and Obedience. And Christ as Man owed Obedience to his Father on two accounts;

1. As a reasonable Creature to his Maker.

2. As one that had by voluntary Sponsion undertaken it. I might add,

3. As the special Law of Mediation was imposed on him, or given him, as Man, by which it was made his special duty to die for Man, &c. He saith when he cometh into the world, Here I am to do thy Will, O God; yea, thy Law is in my heart. Did he not take upon him the form of a servant? Phil. 2. 7. which was not a shew of that which is not, but of that which is. Is he not called God's righteous Servant justifying many, Isa. 53. 11. Doth not God oft call him, My Servant, Isa. 49. 6. & 52. 13. Zech. 3. 8.

p. 239The Council seemed to think that the Bishops thought that Christ was born a Servant, and not a Son, and was adopted a Son only after for his merits:Bin. p. 428. [Ex quadam Elipandi confessione quae in Biblioth. Toletana reperitur in quodam libro à Beato & Heterio contra Elipandum scripto; aiunt nonnulli Faelicem & Elipandum non in mysterio Incarnationis, sed tantum abut…ndo voce Adoptionis, instar Durandi, aberrâsse: Idemque conjecturis affirmant istis, quod nihil eorum quae Nestorio objecta fuerant in Conc. Ephes. contra Elipandum attulerent, &c. See the rest. But there is no shew of reason to impute this to them that professed to believe the Creeds and Scripture, and said no such words. They seemed to intend nothing but to distinguish the natural eternal Generation of the second Person in the Trinity, from the temporal Generation of the Man Christ Iesus, which was an Act of free Beneficence.

But they concluded that they were Nestorians, because they intimated two Sons, by saying that he was eternally begotten, and yet adopted a Son.

Ans. 1. It is not unlike that Nestorius himself for want of more skill in speaking, was used as they were.

2. Why should that be imputed to them which they deny? They are told that as Nestorius craftily denied two Persons, and yet inferred two, so do they. But is not this a vindication of Nestorius by a Council? (Who knoweth what a man holdeth, better than himself?)

Obj. But by consequence Heresie will follow.

Ans. If all are Hereticks that hold any Error which such a greater Error would follow from as is called Heresie, I doubt not but every Council and Bishop, and Christian were Hereticks; the saying of some great Divines being true, That Truths of Faith and Morality are so connext, that he that holdeth the least Error therein, doth by consequence subvert the foundation. You may say that every man that tells a lye, or committeth any known sin, is an Atheist, and that if he believed that there is a God, he would know that he must not sin against him; he that sins before his Face, denieth his Omniscience, and … denieth God, &c. At this rate all are Atheists and Hereticks.

3. But may not one that saith, [Christ as the second Person in Trinity was the Eternal Son of God; and as Man, was by Generation in thus made the Son of God and Man:] truly mean that it is but one Person that in one respect is the Eternal Son, and in another respect the Temporal Son? May he not hold that the personal Unity maketh it unmeet to say, There are two Sons, because that would imply two Persons, which they and Nestorius denied? But, again I say, what if they had said that there might be two Filiations, or filial Relations in one Person, resulting from two foundations, Eternal and Temporal Generation, and if this had been an unapt speech, (to say ex duobus fundamentis duae orientur relationes) yet how comes it to be Heresie?

§ 86. I write not this, and such like, to justifie the accused; for I think the Council said well, (…in. p. 4. 18.) 1. Cur nobis non sufficient quae in Sanctorum Patrum dictis inveniuntur, & universali Catholica sanctionis consuetudine p. 240confirmantur. 2. Quare generationem Filii Dei vel aeternam de Patre, vel temporalem de Matre quisquam hominum audeat investigare, dicente Scripturâ, altiora te ne quaesieris! O well said! Happy Church, if the Bishops had held to this: But here you see that they held a double Generation, Eternal and Temporal, and yet but one Filiation. I write this, because the Hereticating Spirit yet reigneth, and by these old Weapons fighteth against Love and the Churches Unity, on pretence of Orthodoxness; and to this day the Papists reject a great part of Christ's Church as Hereticks, by the countenance of former Councils censoriousness, calling Christ's Members Iconoclasts, Monothelites, Nestorians, Eutychians, and many such names, some fetcht from indifferent things, (or duties) and some from quarrels about hard words.

§ 87. Note here that Binnius expresly saith, that Adhuc nondum est certum qualis in particulari fuerit haeresis Faeliciana: It is not yet certain what this Faelician Heresie was. And if so, I hope I shall not be censured for the same, notwithstanding you may say, the Council knew it.

§ 88. It's worth the noting as to the credit of Council Records,☞ which Binnius there saith, (p. 427.) [If this Council as it now is extant, may without temerity be rejected, all Councils by the same reason may be rejected which Surius hath gathered from the Catholick Libraries.] He confesseth that the rest are no surer than this, and yet that Baronius, Bellarmine, by the generality or number of Historians consent, do confess that there was by this Council a rejection of the Conc. 2d Nicene, which is now here to be found in it.

§ 89. The Council at Frankford determined that Christ was not a Servant, Servitute poenali Deo subjectus,Vid. Not. Bin. p. 428 subject to God by penal Servitude. The present agreement of Christians, taketh this for Socinianism and Heresie: Christ suffered for our sins; his subjection to Poverty, Reproach, the Cross, and many works, (as Fasting, being carried about by Satan, and tempted, Mat. 4. 1. washing his Disciples feet, travelling on foot, being subject to his Mother, and to Princes, paying Tribute, &c.) we suppose were part of his Humiliation. The Holiness and Obedience was good, and no Penalty: But the matter of that Obedience was the Cross and Suffering, which is Malum Naturae. And if this was no punishment (voluntarily accepted by his Sponsion) how was Christ our Surety, bearing our Transgressions? how suffered he for our sins? Is not suffering for sin, even of others, penal? Is not the denial of Christ's penal Service and Suffering, a denial of his Satisfaction and our Redemption? You see how easie it is to find Heresie and Infidelity itself in unskilful words; and yet it's like the Speakers meant better than they spake.

§ 90. Note that Pope Adrian first made himself Judge, and Anathematized Elipandus as an Heretick, and so the Council was byassed (with the Emperor;) and how great Adrian's power was (having made Charles Emperor, and Charles made him a Prince,) it is easie to conjecture.

§ 91. Binnius saith, p. 429. that Faelix, besides his other Heresie, impugned Images, and that this is said by the Concil. Senonens. in Decret, fid. c. 14. p. 241Platina in Adrian. Sabellic. Enead. 8. li. 8. Alph. de Castro verb. Imago. And that Claud. Taurin. being his Disciple, and an Iconomach, he must needs be so himself: From whence I argue, that it is most probable that the Historians say true, that say Charles and the Council of Frankford were against the Nicene Council and Images. For else how could it come to pass, that they say not one word against Faelix and Elipandus for denying Images,☜ when their Party was grown so great in Spain and France?

§ 92. Pope Adrian dying, Leo the 3d succeeded. His Piety was so great, that Anastasius writes, as it were, a Volumn, in naming the good works which he did, that is, the Silks, Vails, Cloathing, Silver, Gold, and innumerable gifts which he bestowed upon Posts, Pillars, Altars, Walls, Floors, Utensils, it would tire one to read them, and the hard names of them; yea, he said seven Masses a day. Yet some Kinsmen of Pope Adrian's, Paschal Primicerius, & Campullus Sacellarius, & Maurus Nepesinus, laid Crimes to his charge; and assaulted him, and twice put out his Eyes, and cut out his Tongue, and put him in a Monastery;☜ yet (saith the Story) his Eyes and Tongue were perfectly restored, and he fled to his Protector Charles into Germany; and Charles came to Rome, and judged his Accusers to Banishment, and restored him; and he crowned Charles then Emperor of the West, and perfected the Donation to him of all that had been the Emperor's. Charles gave him great Presents; and with his own Revenues and that, he laid out so much Silver and Treasure at Rome, and did so many new things in the Churches, that if you read but Adrian's life, and this Leo's, you will be ashamed to disgrace the Church of Rome with any Titles or Pretences of the ancient primitive state, but must say, Old things are past away, behold all is become new. Charles the Great, made the Pope Great.

§ 93. Some Historians say,☜ that the kissing of the Pope's Foot, was brought in thus by this Pope Leo: A handsom Woman kist his Hand, which so inflamed his Heart with Lust, that he cut off the Hand that the Woman kist, and ordained that ever after the Pope's Foot should be kist instead of his Hand: But I rather believe with Binnius, that this is but a Fiction, because 1. There is mention before this of kissing the Pope's Foot. 2. And I do not think that such a Heart would so easily part with a Hand.

§ 94. To look back to the East; when Irene had kept up Images awhile, her Son Constantine grown up, is weary of her Government and Stauratius, and deposeth her; and when he ruled, the Bishops mostly were conformable to him: But in his youthful Folly and Rage, he put out the Eyes of his Uncle Nicephorus, and Alexius a Captain; he put away Mary his Wife, and took one Theodota, that better pleased him, in Marriage; one Ioseph that married them,See Petav. Hist. li. 8. c. 6. was preferred for it. Tarasius connived, and durst not gain-say. Theodore Studita & Plato therefore renounce the communion of Tarasius. At last, An. 797. his Mother Irene, and Stauratius, found means to apprehend him, and murder him, that is, put out his Eyes, of which he dyed, which some celebrate as a pious Act; it was done by her that set up Images. But p. 242within one year, Nicephorus deposed and banished her into Lesbos, where she dyed, and he took the Empire to himself.

§ 95. Binnius, p. 445. saith, [That the Emperor banished Theodore Studita, for reproving his Marriage, and when he added crime to crime, Merito jussu Matris quam imperio exuerat, zelo justitiae non regni, oculis, imperio, & vitâ orbatus est. By the command of his Mother in her zeal for justice, he was deservedly deprived of his Empire, Eyes and Life.] What is not just with such Historians, that maketh for their Interest? And how contemptible is their Censure of good or evil Men, which hath no better Measures?

§ 96. He tells us also, (p. 444.) that the Spanish and French Bishops at these times, of their own heads, without the Pope, added [Filioque] to the Creed, which hath to this day made so great a stir. It seems they thought that the Pope's Authority was not necessary to it.

§ 97. He adds, that Charles the Great being dead, the People grew bold, and rose up again against the Pope; which occasioned Rapines, Flames, and Murders, that Ludovicus the new Emperor was fain to take his Fathers Office, and come to Rome to save the Pope, and suppress the Rebels.

§ 98. The Venetian Duke killing a Patriarch, Iohan. Gradensis, Paulus Patriarch of Aquileia called a Synod to crave aid of Charles.

§ 99. CCXXXV. An. 806. A Council was held at Constantinople, ☞in the Cause of the foresaid Ioseph that had married the Emperor to his second wife, who had been ejected by Tarasius from his Bishoprick, and the Emperor calling a Council, they restored him; wherefore Theodorus Studita called them a Council of Hereticks and Adulterants, because they restored the Causer of the Emperor's Adultery. But how few Emperors have not found Councils of Bishops ready to do their Will?

§ 100. Charles the Great making his Will, divided his Empire between his three Sons, giving them Laws of Communion and Succession, (that if one dyed without Children, his Kingdom be divided between the other two; but if he have such Sons as the People will choose, ☞they succeed their Father:) Commanding all three that they be the Defenders of the Bishop of Rome, as he and his Father and Grandfather had been (to their commodity.)

§ 101. CCXXXVI. An. 809. Was another Council at Constantinople, which was gathered to condemn honest Theodorus Studita,☞ & Plato, and such as had been against the restoring of Ioseph, of which saith Binnius, [When the Bishops there Congregate had brought the most holy Plato in Chains to be judged, and had passed the Sentence of Anathema on the Universal Catholick Church**This is not the first time that Councils have … Catholick Church. that was against their Error, they made a most wicked Decree, that the Marriage of Constantine with Theodota, (his Wife yet living, thrust into a Monastery) should be said to be lawful by dispensation. They added for the Emperor's sake this wicked and shameless Sentence, That the p. 243Laws of God**They mean but the Canons of the Church. can do nothing against Kings; and that if any imitate Chrysostom, and shed his Blood for Truth and Iustice, he is not to be called a Martyr: That Bishops have power to dispense with all the Canons.] Remember that Papists confess all this to be wicked. We have not the Acts and Speeches of these Councils preserved.

§ 102. CCXXXVII. An. 809. A Council was held at Aquisgrana, about the Procession of the Holy Ghost, and the word [Filioque] in the Creed**A new Controversie.. Of which they sent some Messengers to the Pope, who approved the thing, but dissuaded them from adding it to be sung in the Creed; and after inscribed the Creed without Filioque in Latin and Greek in two Silver Tables, to shew that it should not be changed: which yet after it was by the Pope's consent.

The French Annals say, that in this Council they treated of the state of the Church, and conversation of the Clergy, but determined nothing for the greatnesses of the matter.

§ 103. CCXXXVIII. An. 113. (Yet under Charles the Great) a Council was held (by his Command) at Arles, where many very good Canons were made for the Reformation of the Bishops and Priests.

§ 104. CCXXXIX. The same year the same Charles had a Council at Tours, which made 51 as honest Articles, as if Martin himself had been amongst them;☜ even against all kind of sin, and for all godly living. Among others, the 37th Canon tells us, that the custom of not kneeling in Prayer on any Lords-day, (no not at the Sacrament) nor on any Week-day between Easter and Whitsuntide, was yet in force; on other days they required humble kneeling.

§ 105. CCXL. Yet another Council did Charles call the same year at Chalons (Cabillonense) in which he ordered Schools for the restoring of Learning, (our Alcuin being his Persuader greatly esteemed by him) Learning then being almost worn away, (and Ignorance taking place) till he greatly revived it: no less than 67 Canons were here made, most very good ones; but praying for the Souls of the Faithful departed, and anointing the Sick, are there enjoined.

§ 106. Among many good Canons, the 13th is against the Oath of Obedience to the Bishop,☜ and to the Church. The words Translated are these: [It is reported of some Brethren (Bishops) that they force them, that they are about to ordain, to swear, that they are worthy, and will not do contrary to the Canons, and will be obedient to the Bishop that ordaineth them, and to the Church in which they are ordained; which Oath, because it is very dangerous, we all ordain shall be forbidden.]

§ 107. The 15th Canon saith, [It is said that in some places the Archdeacons exercise a certain domination over the Parish-Presbyters, and take Fees of them; which is a matter of Tyranny, rather than of order of Rectitude: p. 244For if the Bishops must not Lord it in the Clergy, but be Examples to the Flocks, much less may these do it.

§ 108. The 25th Canon complaining how the old Excommunicating and Reconciling was grown out of use**Council-Curses for Opinions take place, they desired the Emperor's help how they should be restored.

§ 109. Can. 33. They say, That Confession to God and Man are both good; but that Confession made to God, purgeth sin; and that which is made to the Priest, teacheth how their sins may be purged.

§ 110. The 45th Canon is against them, that by going to holy places, Rome, or Tours, think to have their sins forgiven.

§ 111. CCXLI. Yet another Council the same year 813, was held under Charles M. at Mentz in Germany to the like purpose, many godly Canons being made.

§ 112. CCXLII. Yet another under Charles at Rhemes, for Instructing and Catechising, and many good things, like the former.

§ 113. CCXLIII. But we have not done with Images yet, An. 814. There was a Council called at Constantinople, which damned the Council of Nice 2. Irene having set up Images, and murdered the Emperor her own Son, (as is aforesaid) was deposed by Nicephorus, who Reigned near ten years, with Stauratius his Son; he was no Friend to the Clergies power, and was killed in Fight by the Bulgarians, and his wounded Son Reigned a few months. Michael Curopalates succeeded, a Man of great Piety and Peace, but unfit for War, who being overcome by the Bulgarians, he consented to give up the Empire to Leo Armenus, a better and prosperous Soldier. This Leo the 5th, was of the mind of the former Leo's against Images, and his mind being known, the Bishops conformed presently, insomuch that in his 2d year this Council called by him, Anathematized the Bishops that would not renounce the Nicene 2d Council; and when they lay prostrate on the earth, it's said some trod on some of them, and they turned them at a Back-door out of the Council: For the Patriarch Nicephorus, that was for Images, was deposed, and Theodorus Melissenus that was against them put in his place, and led the rest. Thus did Council against Council thunder Anathema's, and curse each other by separating them from Christ, till few were left uncursed. The Rulers of the Monasteries also were called in, and those that would not consent against Images, were rejected. Nicetas & Theodorus Studita were the Champions for Images, and were both banished and imprisoned. Theodore wrote to the Council for Images, and tells them that [To take away the venerable Adoration of the Images of Christ, Bin p. 470 Epist. Theod.and of the Mother of God, and of all the Saints, was to overthrow the Oeconomy of Christ.] And he continued in Prison to preach and write for Images.

Those Councils that pleased not the Papists, we have not the Acts of, as we have of such as Nic. 2. that pleased them. Had we all the Speeches and Arguments used in this and other Councils against Images, as largely as p. 245those that were for them, we might better see which had the better management.

§ 114. CCXLIV. The Clergy had for many hundred years abrogated God's Law, [He that sheddeth Man's Blood, by Man shall his Blood be shed;] and had put Pennance for the punishment instead of Death: But now at last the murdering of one Iohn a Bishop (inhonestè & inauditè mordridatus, as they then spake) they were put to find some harder Penalty to save the Clergies Lives: And so they set great Fines of Money on the Murderers; and more than so, He that wilfully murdered a Bishop must eat no flesh, nor drink any Wine as long as he lived. If Murder now had no greater a punishment, Bishops would scarce be safe any more than others. This was at a Council at a Village called Theorius, or Dietenhoven.

§ 115. Next succeedeth Pope Stephen at Rome; Platina saith Stephen the 4th, Anastasius and Binnius say Stephen the 5th. Platina and others say that he Reigned but seven months; Anastasius and others say seven years, and seven months. Platina saith he was the Son of Iulius a Roman; Anastasius saith he was the Son of Marinus **It's like Iulius Marinus, as Onuphrius saith, was his name..

Charles dying, the Empire came to his Son Ludovicus called Pius, his Brothers dying also. The Bishops of Italy (saith Platina and others) stir'd up Bernard to rebel against him; but he was conquered, and put to death: as also were the Saxon Rebels. Paschal first succeeding, Stephen is made Pope without the Emperor's knowledge; for which he excused himself, as forced by the People that chose him: The Emperor pardon'd it, but demanded obedience as to their Elections for the time to come. Platina in vit. Paschal. l. 1. who saith that Paschal was suspected of the Rebellion of Italy, but disclaimed it; and that the Emperor re-assumed many Cities to the Empire, to prevent new Rebellions.

Some say that Bernard was but blinded: Among others banished for Treason, were Anselm Bishop of Milan, and Theodulfe Bishop of Aurelia, (Orleance) so that Italy and France joined in the Treason. See Petav. Hist. M…nd. li. 8. c. 8.

§ 116. CCXLV. Ludovicus Pius was so careful to reform the Bishops and Clergy, that he raised their ill will against him, being too pious for them that should have been the Teachers of Piety; yea, so slothful did they grow, that though his Father and he had done extraordinary works for the promoting of Learning and Godliness, yet Learning in his days grew to such decay, that Learned Men became the common contempt, and few of them were to be found; but Wealth and Iurisdiction were the study, care, and interest of the Bishops.

Yet in his time at Aquisgrane, there was a Council that wrote, instead of Canons, the most excellent Treatise for the Teaching and Government of the Teachers and Governors of the Church, (besides the regulation of Monasteries) that ever any Council did before them: Not in their own words, but in the several Sermons, and passages of the chief Fathers, (Isidore, Hierom, p. 246Gregory, Augustine and Prosper,) that had written to the Clergy heretofore, which they collected into 145 Chapters and Canons.

But you must know that the excellency of the Canons of Provincial Councils in France and Spain, in these Ages, did not shew the excellency of the Bishops, so much as their Pravity and Necessity, as the Medicine doth the Disease. For such Canons were ordinarily drawn up by the will of the King, by some one or few choice Men, (such as Paulinus Aquileiensis in his time,) to whom the rest consented, because they knew the King would have it so**Saith Vita Ludovici in Bin. p. 525. Congregatis Episcopis, &c. fecit componi ordinarique librum Canonicae vitae normam gestantem, in quo tot…us … erdinis perfectio continetur. In quo inseri jussit c…i potusque & omnium necessarrorum s…mmam. Quem librum per omnes Civitates & Monasteria Canonici ordinis sui imper… … per manus miss…rum prude…tium. See the rest; so that it was the Emperor's Book, and not the Council's work..

§ 117. In these Chapters of this Council, they cite Isidore and Hierom at large, proving that it was Presbyters that were called Bishops in Paul's Epistles, and Acts 20. and that in those times the Church was ruled by the Common-Council of Presbyters, till Schism shewed a necessity that one should rule among the rest.

They cite Isidore's words, that [Caeteri Apostoli cum Petro par consortium honoris acceperunt] Et [Non esse Episcopum qui praeese dilexerit, non prodesse.] And Hierom's on Titus maintaining the foresaid Identity, and his [Sciat Episcopus & Presbyter sibi Populum conservum esse non servum:] And his excellent Epistle ad N…potianum: Many Sermons of Augustine's describing his Collegiate Community of the Clergy. Isidore's words, [Plerique Sacerdotes suae magis utilitatis causâ quam gregis praeesse desiderant: Nec ut prosint, praesules fieri cupiunt, sed magis ut divites fiant & honorentur: suscipiunt sublimitatis culmen, non pro Pastorali regimine, sed pro totius regiminis vel honoris ambitione, atque abjecto opere dignitatis, solam nominis appetunt dignitatem. Dum mali Sacerdotes Deo ignorante non fiant, tamen ignorantur à Deo—sed hic nescire Dei, reprobare est.] If Isidore say true, remember that I wrong not the Bishops in saying the same of them. And if this was the case of the most, as he affirmeth, what better than we find could be expected from General Councils, where it is carried by the major vote.

They cite Gregory's words, [Nemo amplius nocet in Ecclesia, quam qui perversè agens nomen vel ordinem sanctitatis habet: Delinquentem namque hunc redarguere nullus praesumit, sed in exemplum culpa vehementer extenditur, quando pro reverentia ordinis peccator honoratur.—Melius profecto fuerat ut hunc ad mortem sub exteriori habitu terrena acta constringerent, quam sacra officia in culpa caeteris imitabilem demonstrarent. Much more such against ungodly Bishops they recite.

Cap. 46. They tell us that the Canons against Kneeling on the Lord's days were yet in force, [Quoniam sunt quidam in Die Dominico genuflectentes, & in diebus Pentecostes; ut omnia in universis locis consonanter observentur, placuit sancto Concilio, stantes Domino vota dignissima persolvere.

p. 247In Hierom's Epistle to Nepotian which they cite, there are most pungent warnings to Priests to take heed of familiarity or abode with Women; yea, even when they are sick. Scio (saith he) quosdam convaluisse corpore, & animo aegrotare caepisse; Periculose tibi ministrat, cujus vultum frequenter attendis. He requireth Clergy-men to avoid fine Cloaths, curious Hair, pleasing the Appetite, and Riches. He saith of himself, [Natus in paupere domo, & in tugurio rusticano, qui vix millio & cibario pane rugientem satiare ventrem poteram, nunc similam & mella fastidio. He saith, the Mouth, Mind, and Hand of Priests must agree: Even a Thief may speak against Covetousness.—Multo melius est è duobus imperfectis rusticitatem habere sanctam, quam eloquentiam peccatricem: Multi aedificant parietes & column…s Ecclesiae substruunt: marmora nitent, auro splendent laquearia, gemmis Altare distinguitur; & Ministrorum Christi nulla electio est. Portemus Crucem Christi, & divitias lutum putabimus.—Facile contemnitur Clericus qui saepius vocatus ad prandium ire non recusat. And his Epistle ad Oceanum, hath yet more against converse with Women. Prima tentamenta Clericorum sunt Faeminarum frequentes accessus—Ianua Diaboli, via iniquitatis, Scorpionis percussio, nocivumque genus est Faemina. Cum proximat stipula, incendit ignem.—Mihi crede non potest toto corde habitare cum Domino, qui Faeminarum accessibus copulatur. With much more the like.

It appeareth by Cap. 112. a Sermon of Augustines, that it was the custom then for the Preacher to sit, and the Hearer to stand, [I will not hold you long, (saith he) because while I sit, you are weary by standing.]

Augustine sheweth there how little he regarded the Appeals of his deposed Priests to Rome, [or Councils] Interpellet contra me mille Concilia, naviget contra me quò voluerit, sit certè ubi potuerit; adjuvabit me Dominus, ut ubi ego Episcopus sum, illic Clericus esse non possit.

§ 118. Yet I wonder that the Chap. 122 of this Council intimateth so strange a proportion of Meat and Drink to be the daily Commons of the Canonical Monks,☜ I had thought they had lived in greater Abstinence. The proportion of Alms or Commons allowed them was, [Every day four pound of Bread,] (enough for me for near 4 weeks;) and five pounds of Wine, (more than I drunk, I think, in 20 years, in Wine;) or else where Wine was scarce, they had three pounds of Wine, and three of Beer; or in great scarcity, one pound of Wine, and five of Beer. I think our ordinary Ministers drink not so much Wine in a year, as these did in a day; I mean such as live in the Countrey, and were of my Acquaintance. I wonder how any Plowman's Belly can hold four pound of Bread one day, and live, without a present Vomit or Purge. I have tryed long Cornario's and Lessius's di…t (12 or 14 ounces of Panada, and as much Beer only in a day, without tasting any other Meat,) and found no incommodity as to Health or Pleasure; but should I eat four pound of Bread in two days, I do not think I should ever eat more without a Vomit. And how can any Man drink five pound of any ordinary Wine, and not be drunk, or dead? yea, or three Pints either. What p. 248Man's Belly will hold six pounds of Wine and Water every day, unless it pass as Tunbridge Waters, without present Suffocation, or a Dropsie. I would hope that I understand not this Chapter in the Council, but that these Canons had some Beggars that were to partake with them, but that I find no encouragement for my charity in the Text or History: But verily if it were as it is written, I wonder how these abstemious Monks did escape death by their Gluttony and Drunkenness one week or day without Physick; notwithstanding that the Council giveth you notice, cap. 122. lin. ult. that a pound hath but 12 ounces.

§ 119. We must not unthankfully omit what kindness Anastasius (saith Pope Paschal) shewed to the English: By negligence their House at Rome was burnt, and the Pope ran out bare-foot, and where he stood, the Fire stopt**Quae si vera sunt, saith Binnius himself.; therefore he stood bare-foot there till morning, that the Fire might be fully quenched. But this he did for the love of St. Peter, whose Church was in danger by the Fire.

§ 120. The Papists here bring forth a Constitution out of their own Library, by which Ludovicus confirmeth to the Popes all that ever his Ancestors gave them, and addeth so much, that he was then made (if this be true) (as the Geographia Nubiensis calls him) the King of Rome indeed. And they meerly feign that Charles and Ludovicus Pius made none of these Laws of themselves, but by the Pope's advice, against plain evidence of History.

§ 121. A Convention of Abbots at Aquisgrane, and another of Bishops, and a Synod at Engelheim follow, and one at Attiniac, in which they say the Emperor penitently lamented his severity against his Nephew Bernard, and others, with open Confession and Penitence. And indeed his great endeavors to promote Piety, and to reform the Clergy; his frequent Councils, (in which it was he, by the advice of a few chief chosen Men, that did their business, and governed all) with the rest of his Life described by the Writer of it, and other Historians, do shew that he was justly called Pius, though Wars will cause many actions to be repented of.

§ 122. Platina saith, that Anastasius saith, that Ludovicus gave Paschal the power of freely chusing Bishops, which before was not done without the Emperors. (The Peoples consent still supposed.)

§ 123. The Pope being dead, two are chosen (which was the 11th Schism) but Eugenius the 2d carried it, the Emperor sending his Son Lotharius to settle the Peace of the City, jamdudum Praesulum quorundam perversitate depravatam, saith the Author of the Life of Ludovicus; where Murders of the chief Men had been committed in the Schism, and Mens Goods taken away, and much confusion made.

§ 124. In the East▪ the Party, that were against Images, prevailed ever since Irene the Woman that set them up was deposed and dyed; her Son Constantine, whom she murdered, being not for them before, nor Nicephorus that deposed her after; But Leo 5 Armenus that succeeded Michael Curop. p. 249earnest against them, and, as they called it, persecuted the Worshippers of Images. A Prince confessed to be very profitable to the Empire; Michael Balbus that is supposed the chief of them that murdered him, reigneth in his stead: he set himself earnestly to have healed the Church-divisions of the East about Images. To that end he sent Ambassadors to Ludovicus Pius into France for his counsel, in the professing his great desire of Peace. Ludovicus called together some that he most esteemed for Learning at Paris, (which some call a Council, but were like to be more learned than the Majority in Councils) to debate and consider the business. The Paris Divines in this Debate drew up a Writing, in which they greatly sinned, saith Bellarmine, in that they took on them to reprehend the Pope, and a General Council; (But do not they themselves condemn many General Councils?) In which, saith Bellarmine, they far exceeded the Author, who in the name of Carolus Mag. put forth a Book against the worshiping of Images. ☜For he (which also the Fathers of the Frankford Council did) disallowed (or rejected) the 2d Nicene Synod, because they thought it had been celebrated without the Pope's consent **An unlikely thing.: But these Counsellors of the Emperor Lewis, confess the Council of Nice 2d for the worshiping of Images to be called and approved by Pope Adrian, and yet they did not fear to examine, judge, and reprehend both the Synod itself, and the Epistle of Adrian to Constantine for the worship of Images, yea, and the defence of that Synod sent by Adrian to Charles M. saying, [Indiscretè noscitur fecisse in eo quod superstitiosè eas adorari jussit.] So (saith Bellarmine) they were not ashamed to judge the Iudge of themselves, and of the whole world, to feed the Pastor of all Christ's Sheep, and to teach the Teacher of all men; than which temerity, no greater can be imagined. Thus far Bellarmine.

§ 125. Here I desire the Reader to take notice,

1. That even then when the Pope was advanced to his Kingly greatness, yet as the Eastern Empire was far from obeying him, so even that one Prince that set him up, and defended him, with his Doctors and Counsellors, were far from thinking him Infallible, ☜but reproved him, and judged him as superstitious for Image-worship, and were not herein ruled by him.

2. And judge whether most Bishops would not have judged accordingly, if they had had but the same countenance from Princes, as the Bishops in the East and these now had?

3. And judge with what Face the Militant Doctors of Rome do pretend, that all the world was then subject to the judgment of the Pope, and bid us name any Churches that rejected it, when East and West so far rejected it as is here confessed, even when they were grown so high, yea and Councils as well as Popes?

§ 126. Hereupon a Book was printed An. 1596. called, The Council of Paris about Images, containing,

p. 2501. The Emperor Michael's Epistle, (by which, saith Bellarmine, one would judge him one of the best Princes that ever was.)

2. The Paris Doctors Collection of Testimonies, proving, (in the middle way) that Images should not be broken contemptuously, as some would have them; nor be worshipped as the General Nicene Council, and the Pope would have them.

3. An Epistle in the Pope's name, written, (saith Bellarmine, by the French Doctors) to Michael the Emperor, shewing, that Images are neither to be wronged disgracefully, nor adored.

4. An Epistle of the Emperor Ludovicus to the Pope, desiring him to write to Michael to further this Peace of the Churches.

5. An Epistle of Ludovicus to the two Bishops whom he sent to Rome, [t direct them how to carry themselves wisely, to get the Pope's consent.] Whether this at Paris was a Council, or only a select Convention of Men chosen by the Emperor, is a Controversie of no great moment. I take the latter to be the more honourable sort of Assembly, as the world then went; and should reverence more the judgment of 20 or 12 Men, selected by such an extraordinary Prince, than of the majority of the Bishops of all Europe: As I prefer the judgment of those Men that by King Iames were appointed to Translate the Bible, before the judgment of the major part of the whole English Clergy, of whom perhaps one in ten had a smattering in the Hebrew Tongue, and one of an hundred understood it, (at the most.)

§ 127. Our modern cheated English Papists, that are taught here in England to say that they worship not Images, might here see the Fraud of their Clergy, that fit them a Faith to their interests and occasions. We confess that it is but three sorts of Images that Aquinas saith we should worship with Latria (Divine Worship:) But yet the rest are to be worshipped, say their Doctor…. Why else do they so commonly condemn this Book and Council of Ludovicus Pius, that forbiddeth both the breaking and the worshiping of them? Why doth Bellarmine purposely revile, and particularly confute this Book? Why doth Binnius recite all Bellarmine's Answer in his Concil. Tom. 3. p. 529, &c?

§ 128. Bellarmine is very loth that the Epistle here said to be written by Pope Eugenius the 2d, should be taken to be his, and supposeth that it was but sent to him to be subscribed: By whom? If by the Emperor Ludovicus Pius, and his Council of Divines, you may see of what reputation the Pope was then in the Church. One great Argument against it is, That the Pope would not so impudently flatter the Emperor, as to say, O venerable Princes of the world, seeing by God's disposal you govern all the Church, &c. And for uniting the Church which by God's Ordination you govern: What filthier Flattery (saith Bellarmine) could there be? Michael Balbus a Murderer, &c. is said by the Pope to govern the Church by God's disposing. What then are Bishops for?

p. 251Ans. And 1. Did not even Gregory Mag. as much flatter a worse Man and Murderer, Phocas? and his Successors him and many more?

2. Did not many, if not most of the Emperors, Heathen and Christian, come in by Murder, or Invasion, and Usurpation? And were Men therefore disobliged from obeying them, when they were setled, by submissive implicite consent?

3. But the venom of the Cardinal Jesuite's answer is, that he taketh it to be base Flattery,☜ to say that Princes are by God's dispose the Governors of the Church: For then what are the Bishops for? And must the world be ridden and abused by such Men, that would turn Princes out of all Government of the Church, and understand not that the Government of the same Church, may belong to the Magistrate and the Pastors respectively, (as the Government of an Hospital to the King, and to the Physician?) May not one rule and punish by the Sword, and another by the Word, by Teaching, and the Church Keys? Is it not one thing to Fine, and Beat, and Banish, and Kill a Man, and another to sentence him unmeet for Church-Communion? Marvellous, that God permitteth the world to be deluded by such a blinded or blinding Clergy, though as learned as Bellarmine, that would make these things seem inconsistent, and separate what God hath conjoined!

See here to what the Roman Clergy would reduce Kings, they must be no Governors of the Church.☜ And if all the Kingdom be Christians, are they not all the Church? And so the Christening of the Subjects deposeth the King, and maketh the chief Priest King that Christeneth them.

If he had said that Kings govern Churches, but not as Churches, but as parts of the Kingdom, he had said falsly: For they govern them as Churches, though not by the same sort of Government as the Pastors do; as they govern not Hospitals by the same sort of Government, as the Physicians.

§ 129. In Eugenius's Epistle it is honestly and truly said, that [If there had never been a painted or a forged Image, neither Faith, Hope nor Love, by which Men come to the Eternal Kingdom, would have perished.] I am of Bellarmine's mind now, that this was none of the Pope's Epistle, (but the honest Emperor's, and his Clergy Councils:) He thought it too bad for a Pope, and I think it too good for a Pope. He thinks that the Pope must be mad, if he would have so condemned his Predecessor Adrian's Acts, as this Epistle doth; and I doubt he was not so honest as to do it. But did not Bellarmine know how much more sharp and virulent Accusations Popes have laid on one another?

§ 130. CCXLVI. So powerful was Ludovicus Pius's Attempts to reform the Clergy, that it drove Pope Eugenius the 2d for shame to call a Council at Rome, (not from the Antipodes, but) of 63 Bishops, (An. 826.) who repeated some old Canons, and, among other things, forbad such Feasts and Plays as our Wakes ar… on any Holy-days to be used.

§ 131. Valentine was next chosen Pope, (Collectis in unum Venerab. Episcopis & Gloriosis Romanorum Proceribus, omnique amplae urbis Populo in p. 252Pal. Later. saith Anastasius) but he lived but 30 or 40 days, (Historians agree not of it.)

§ 132. Gregory the 4th succeeded, who, saith Platina, would not undertake the Papal Office, till Ludovicus the Emperor had considered of the choice, and confirmed it: [Which, (saith Platina) Ludovicus did not out of Pride, but lest he should lose the Rights of the Empire,**Mark that it is the Rights of the Empire. being by nature gentle and most humane, and had ever upheld the Rights of the Church. He setled Benefices on every Priest, that Poverty might not hinder them.] You see here that the great Friend of the Church yet took that for the right of the Empire, that none should be Pope against his consent.

§ 133. Platina, adding how he reformed the Clergy, forbidding them gay Attire, Ornaments, Sumptuousness and Vanities, saith thereupon, Would thou hadst lived in our times, O Ludovicus! For the Church wanteth thy holy Institutions, and Censure, so much hath the Ecclesiastical Order poured out itself to all Luxury and Lust.] So describing their abominable Pride and Vanity.

§ 134. Pope Gregory added so much to the good works of his Predecessors, by mending, building, adorning so many Temples, Pillars and Posts, with Stones, Vestments, Silver, &c. and removing the Bones of Saints, (if he mistook not) that it is no wonder if Rome grew into greater pomp and splendor than ever before.

§ 135. This godly Emperor having three Sons by his first Wife, and marrying a second, having two Sons by her; the Sons of the first Wife hated the second Wife, thinking her Son Charles had too much favor. One Son (Pepin) apprehended his Father, and the eldest (Lotharius) came in and approved it,☞ and the 3d joined with them, and wickedly deposed him from his Kingdom: of which anon.

§ 136. Ludovicus called Councils at Paris, Mentz, Lyons, and Tholouse, for Reformation; some say upon the warning of a Maid that being possessed of the Devil, and speaking Latine, said that this Devil executed Judgments on the Land for their Sins, Injustice, &c. CCXLVII. The Council at Paris wrote a large Book for Reformation, An. 829. with the rest of this Emperor's Constitutions, worthy to be Translated for the common good, that all …ight see the difference between Reformers and turbulent Hereticks and Hereticators, and proud aspiring Prelates. The Book is a Treatise of pious Directions. The 50th Chapter, reproving the breach of the Lord's day, saith, that [By sight and by certain relation they have notice, that many working on that day have been killed with Thunde…bolts, some punished by sudden Convulsions, some by visible Fire, their Flesh and Bones being in a moment consumed and turned into ashes, and many other such terrible judgments. Therefore they require that as the Iews keep their Sabbath, all Men much more do spiritually observe this day of the Lord.

The second Book doth notably shew the duty of Kings and Magistrates.

p. 253The last Chapter requireth those that are far from the Church, to meet for Prayer in other places, as being acceptable to God.

In the 8th Capitul. (Bin. p. 569.) the Bishops say, [Beati Petri vicem indigni gerimus.] So that the Pope is not Peter's onelyonly Successor; others represent him, if this Council did not mistake.

§ 137. CCXLVIII. We come now to a Council which sheweth you, that the good Canons made by the Emperor for Church-Reformation, were far from reforming the generality of the Bishops. It is the Council at Compendium, which too compendiously deposed the godly Emperor, (of whom the world was not worthy.)

Calumniators pretended that one Bernhard a Courtier lay with Iudith the Emperor's second Wife: The Sons of his first Wife hating her; Pepin, whom his Father had made King of Italy, on this pretence Trayterously raiseth Arms against his Father. Lotharius, the eldest Son, too much consenting, persuaded his Father to let a meeting without Arms, at Neomagus, prevent a War. At that meeting the Nobles, Parentis Imperium legitimè prorogabant, saith Binnius, p. 575, and Pepin took up Arms again. The Father conquereth his Son, and taketh him Prisoner, and might justly have taken away his life, but he was stol'n out of Prison in the night. Ludovicus depriveth him of his Kingdom of Italy, and divideth it between his two Sons by the second Wife, Charles and Rodolphus. Hereupon Lotharius the eldest rebelling, knew not how to conquer his godly and prosperous Father but by the Bishops: Them he draweth into his Conspiracy, that as Binnius himself saith, [Ut quem filii armis imperio deponere non possent, horum saltem nundinariorum Antistitum suffragio & judicio, ☜honore ac potestate imperiali privaretur: successit impiis conatus impiissimus.] The last means of Treason was a Council of the base mercenary Bishops; a wicked Attempt that served these wicked Men, and did the Feat. Ebbo the Archbishop of Rhemes, (of a base original) and enow more such Prelates were not wanting. The Emperor had before voluntarily lamented his putting out the eyes of his Kinsman Bernard a Rebel, (of which he dyed) as too cruel, (when now no Prince scrupleth Hanging, or Beheading open Rebels.) The Church had satisfaction by his voluntary Penance, for that which few Men will think a Fault. And what do these Bishops now, but become their Sovereign's Iudges, yea, and that when he was absent, and condemn him unheard, for this former Fault. Note the Case.

1. They condemn their King to be deposed, who were Subjects.

2. Yea, Clergy-men, that had least to do with State Affairs.

3. Yea, and that for a Fault, which perhaps was but Justice, and no Fault.

4. Or if it were a Fault, was before judged and remitted. And did godly Lewis cherish Christian Bishops so zealously, for this use, so basely and trayterously to depose him?

p. 2545. Yea, and to join in the horrid Rebellion of unnatural Sons, to accomplish their designs.

6. And to tempt Princes to hate Religion, when in Nomine Domini, the pretence of Religion shall do greater wickedness by Prelates, than the Rebels Arms was able to perform.

Saith the Author of the Life of Ludovicus Pius, [This judgment some few gain-sayed, more consented to it: the greatest part, as it useth to be in such casesaaO wicked use of Bishops!, consented by word, for fear of offending their LeadersbbWhom should they have feared more than God and their King?. They judged him, absent and unheard, neither confessing nor convict, before the Bodies of St. Medard Confessor, and St. Sebastian Martyr, to lay down his ArmsccIs this the use of Reliques?, and forced him to lay them before the Altar; and cloathing him in a black garment, under a strict Guard, they thrust him into Prison. By this testimony, saith Binnius, it is certainly proved that the whole business was done by force and fear, and coloured with the false pigment of Religion. Thus was the best of Princes, after all his services for the Prelates, and kindness to his Sons, deposed, and basely used by both, against Nature and Religion.

His first Restauration, when he had been before deposed, was by the Germans: How he was restored the second time, I find not certainly; some would give Pope Gregory the honour of it. It is likeliest that the interest which his goodness had got in the People, with the odiousness of his Sons and Bishops Acts, did it: But fully restored, after all this, he was. And being somewhat backward to forgive Lotharius, he filled France with new Wars, till the Emperor for Peace did pardon all. But Ebbo, Archbishop of Rhemes, and Agobard, Bishop of Lyons, were deposed, as Leaders of the Treason; and Ebbo banished, and restored by Lotharius when his Father dyed; yea, and sent as a fit Man to convert the Normans by Pope Paschal's mission, being made Bishop of Hildesheim in Saxony, by Ludovic King of Germany, see Petavius Hist. l. 8. c. 8.

Shortly after, An. 840. the Emperor (sollicited yet to more Wars by his own Sons, about dividing the Kingdoms) dyed, a direful Eclipse of the Sun foregoing his death, the day before Ascension-day.

§ 138. That you may see the base Hypocrisie of these Trayterous Bishops, I will recite their words in the Council that condemned the best of Emperors;An. 833. but his Imprisonment they leave out.

§ 139. The Bishops condemnation of the Emperor Ludovicus Pius, An. 833. after a Preface of the Duty of Bishops without Favor or Fear to judge Sinners, and the need of putting their Sentence in writing, to avoid the censure of bad Men, they say—

We hold it necessary to notifie to all the Sons of the Church, both present and future, how we Bishops, set over the Empire**Here is a High Court of Prelatical Justice against a good Emperor. of our Lord and most glorious Emperor Lotharius, An. 833. the first year of the said Prince in October, did generally meet at the Palace at Compendium, (Compeigne) p. 255and humbly heard the said Prince**Lotharius accusing his Father; And we took care, according to the Ministry enjoined us, to manifest to him or his Nobles, the generality of all the People, what is the Vigor, and Power, or Priestly Ministry, and with what Sentence of Damnation he deserveth to be damned, who will not obey the warnings of the PriestsaaNo doubt but you made this known too far.

And next both to the said Prince, (Lotharius) and to all the People, we studied to denounce, that they should study most devoutly to please God, and should not delay to appease him in whatever they had offended him: For many things were examined,bbBy what Authority?, which by negligence hapned in this Empire, which manifestly tended to the scandal of the Church, and the ruine of the People, or the destruction of the Kingdom; which must necessarily be quickly corrected, and by all means for the future preventedccWho made you the Governors of the Empire, & Judges of such matters? Are Rebellions of Sons, the Fathers fault?.

Among other things we mentioned, and remembred all Men, how by God that Kingdom, by the administration of the most excellent Emperor Charles of good memory, and the Valor of his Predecessors, was peaceable, and united, and nobly enlarged, and committed to the Lord Emperor Lewis by God in great peace to be governed; and by God's protection remain'd so preserved, as long as that Prince studied God, and used his Father's example, and was careful to acquiesce in the counsels of good Men: And how in progress of time, as is manifest to all, by his improvidence or negligence, it fell into so great ignominy and baseness, that it became not only the grief of Friends, but the derision of Enemies.

But because the said Prince hath negligently managed the Ministry committed to him, and did both do and compel others to do many things displeasing to God and Man, or permitted others to do itddMust the King answer to a Court of Bishops, all the evils that he permitteth the Bishops and such others to do?, and provoked God in many wicked counsels, and scandalized the Church; and that we may omit innumerable other things) at last drew all his Subjects to a common destruction, and by God't just judgment, suddenly his Imperial Power was taken from himeeLotharius had got the Nobles to begin.. But we remembring the Commands of God, and our Ministry, and his Benefits, thought him worthy, that by the leave of the said Prince Lotharius, we should send a Message to him by the Authority of this Sacred Assembly, to admonish him of his Guilts, that he might take sure advice for his safety (or salvation.) That he might in his extremity study with all his might, that being deprived of his earthly Power, according to God's Council, and the Churches Authority, he might not also lose his Soul. To the counsels of which Messengers, and their most wholsom warnings he willingly consented, he took time, and set a day in which he would give an answer to their wholsom AdmonitionsffO humble Prince… O trayterous Prelates!.

And when the day was at hand, the same Holy Assembly unanimously went to the venerable Man, and took care to admonish him of all that he had offended God in, and scandalized the Church, and troubled the People committed to him, and to bring all to his remembrance. And he willingly embracing their wholsom Admonition, and their worthy and congruous Aggravations, promised in all things to acquiesce in their wholsom counsel, and to undergo p. 256their remedying judgment(g)(g)Its pity but he had better Judges. And being glad of so wholsom an Admonition(h)(h)Its like he lookt for better measures., strait we intreated his beloved Son, Lotharius Augustus, to be speedily present, that without delay, with his Nobles he might come, that there might be a mutual reconciliation between them according to Christian Doctrine, that if there were any blemishes or discords in their hearts, a pure and humble begging of Pardon(i)(i)Of a trayterous Son and Subjects. might expiate them, and thereupon before all the multitude, he might receive the judgment of the Priesthood as Penitents do, which soon after was done.

Therefore the Lord Ludovicus coming into the Church of Holy Mary, God's Mother, where rest the Bodies of Saints, that is, of Medard, a Confessor of Christ and Bishop, and of Sebastian a most excellent Martyr (the Priests, Deacons, and no small multitude of the Clerks standing by, and his Son the foresaid Lotharius being present with his Nobles, and the generality of all the People, even as many as the Church could hold) and being prostrate on the earth upon Hair-cloth(k)(k)Was this keeping the fifth Commandement, and Honouring the King? O wicked Son, and wicked Prelates! before the Holy Altar, be confessed before all, that he too unworthily used the Ministry committed to him, and in it many wayes offended God, and scandalized the Church of Christ, and many ways troubled the People by his negligence: And therefore for the Publick and Ecclesiastick Expiation of so great Guilts, he said he would desire Penance, that God being merciful by their Ministry and Help, he might prosperously deserve (or obtain) Absolution of so great Crimes, God having given them the power of Binding and Loosing; whom also the Bishops, as spiritual Physicians, did wholsomly admonish, telling him that true remission of Sin followeth pure and simple Confession; that he should openly confess his Errors, in which he professed that he most offended God, lest he should hide any thing within, or do any thing deceitfully before God, as it is known to all that he did heretofore in the Palace at Compeigne, when he was by another Holy Assembly reproved before all the Church: And that he come not to God now, as he did then, by dissembling and craft, with a double heart, and provoke him to anger, rather than to forgive his sinllO insulting Traytors!; for it is written, The dissemblers and crafty provoke the wrath of God. And after this Admonition he professed that he had chiefly sinned in all those things, whereupon he had been familiarly reproved by the foresaid Priests, by word or writings; that being by due rebuke reproved of the things they gave him a writing(m)(m)They wrote him his Lesson, & confessed his sins for him. of, containing the sum of his Guilts, of which they had specially reproved him; which he had in his hands, viz.

I. As in the same Paper is fullier contained, incurring the guilt of Sacriledge and Murder, in that he kept not, according to his promise, the fatherly Admonition and terrible Contestation made to him with Divine Invocation before the Holy-Altar in presence of the Priests, and the greatest multitude of the People; in that he had done violence to his Brethren and Kindred, and had permitted his Nephew to be killed(n)(n)A Traytor in open Rebellion, whom he might have delivered; and that being unmindful of his Vow, he after commanded the Sign of Holy Religion to be made for the revenge of his own indignation.

II. That being the Author of Scandal, and Troubler of the Peace, and Violater p. 257of the Sacraments, by unlawful Power he corrupted the Covenant which was made between his Sons for the peace and unanimity of the Empire, and tranquility of the Church, by common Council, and consent of all the faithful People, and confirmed by the Sacrament: and in that he compelled his faithful People in contrariety to the said first Covenant and Oath, to swear another Sacrament ooO▪ Oath., and so fell into the guilt of Perjury, by the violation of the former Oaths. And how much this displeased God, is plain, in that the People subject to him had afterward no peace, but were all led into perturbation, bearing the punishment of their sins, and by God's just judgment.

III. That against Christian Religion, against his Vow, without any publick profit or certain necessity(p)(p)Against the Arms of his own Sons., deluded by evil counsel, he commanded a general Expedition to be made in Lent, and in the extreme parts of his Empire appointed a general Meeting (or Council) at the time of the Lord's Supper, when the Paschal Sacraments were to be celebrated of all Christians(q)(q)Rebels must not be resisted in the Lent, or Easter.. In which Expedition, as much as in him lay, he drew the People into great murmuring, and against right put the Priests of the Lord from their Offices, and brought great oppression on the Poor.

IV. That he brought violence on some of his faithful People, that for his and his Sons fidelity and safety, and the recovery of the shaking Kingdom, humbly went to him, and made known to him the snares prepared for him by his Enemies; And that against all Law Divine and Humane, he deprived them of their Estates, and commanded them to be banished(r)(r)B…t a Bishop that doth but differ from the rest in a word, must be banished., and made them when absent judged to Death, and doubtless induced the Iudges to false judgment. And against Divine and Canonical Authority, raised prejudice against the Lord's Priests, (or Bishops) and Monks, and condemned them absent. And in this incurring the guilt of Murder, he was a violater of the Laws of God and Man.

V. Of divers Sacraments (Oaths) contrary to each other, oft made unreasonably by his Sons or People, he commanding and compelling them; whereby he brought no small blot of sin on the People committed to him. He hereby incurred the guilt of Perjury, because these are rightly charged on him as Author, by whom they were compelled. But in the purging of Women, in unjust Iudgments, in false Witnesses and Perjuries, which have been committed in his presence by his permission, how much he hath offended God he himself knoweth.

VI. Of divers Expeditions which he hath made in the Kingdom committed to him, not only unprofitably, but also hurtfully without counsel and profit; in which many and innumerable heinous Crimes were committed in the Christian People, in Murders and Perjuries, in Sacriledge and Adulteries, in Rapines, in Burnings, either in the Churches of God, or divers other places, in Plunderings and oppressing of the Poor, by miserable usage, and almost unheard of among Christians; which all, as is aforesaid, reflect on the Author.

VII. In the divisions of the Empire rashly made by him, against the common peace, and the safety of the whole Empire, for his own will; and the Oath which compelled all the people to swear, that they would act against his p. 258Sons as Enemies, when he might have pacified them by Fatherly Authority, and the counsel of his faithful People.

VIII. That so many Mischiefs and Crimes committed in the Kingdom committed to him, by his negligence and improvidence were not enough, which yet cannot be numbred, by which the Kingdom was evidently disgraced and endangered: but moreover to add to the heap of miseries, he lastly drew all the People of his power to their common destruction, when he ought to have been to his People the Captain of safety and of peace, when the Divine Piety had decreed to have mercy of his People by an unheard of and invisible manner, and by preaching in our ages.

For these things therefore, and in all these things which are before recited, confessing himself guilty before the Priests, (or Bishops) or all the People, with tears, and protesting that in all these things he sinned, he desired publick Pennance, that so he might satisfie the Church by repenting, which he had scandalized by sinning; and as he was a scandal by neglecting many things, so he professed he would be an example by undergoing due Pennance.

And after this Confession he delivered to the Bishops the Paper of his Guilts and Confession for future memorial, and they laid it on the Altar; and then he put off his military Girdle and laid it on the Altar, and stripping himself of his secular Habit, he took the Habit of a Penitent put on him by the hands of the Bishops, that after so great and such Pennance**Here is a new sort of Imposition of the Bishops hands, to depose a King so as never to be restored: But it failed., no Man after may return to a secular Militia.

These things thus done, it pleased them that every Bishop should write in his own Papers how the matter was done, and should strengthen it by his own subscription, and offer it to Prince Lotharius, thus strengthened in memory of the Fact. To conclude, it seemed good to us all that were present, to put the sum of all the Papers, and of so great a business into one Breviate, and to roborate it by the subscription of us all with our hands, as is hereafter demonstrated.—

The Author of the Life of Ludovicus addeth, '[Pullâque indutum veste, adhibitá magnâ custodiâ sub tectum quoddam retrudunt.]

Here you see the Tryal of the godly Emperor, the Articles exhibited against him in the High Court of Episcopal Justice, and the use of Penance, and of laying on of the Bishops hands, in investing him in the Garb of perpetual Penance. What wonder if the Pope ascended to such power, when ordinary Bishops in the best governed and instructed Countrey then in the world, obtained such power; even by the name and abuse of the POWER OF THE KEYS? Saith Binnius, [Thaganus therefore justly for this cause declaimeth against Ebbo, Bishop of Rhemes, the Leader, as impudicum & crudelissimum Episcopum!] And what were they that would thus follow him?

§ 140. CCXLIX. But the next Council was forced to do better,An. 835. (for usually the Bishops followed the stronger side;) in Theodorus Villa they caused Ebbo to depose himself from his Bishoprick, and the rest excused themselves that they did it by necessity and fear, and were all forgiven, Bin. p. 575. And yet will the Bishops say, that this Emperor was not humble and merciful?

p. 259§ 141. CCL. After his Restauration, An. 836. Ludovicus caused a Council at Aquisgrane, to renew the Laws for the Reformation of the Clergy and Abbots, with the Instructions and Rules for Kings themselves at large laid down. And here they determined, that all Bishops hereafter that were Rebels and Traytors, should be deposed, and Lay-men anathematized. But they sufficiently minded the Power and Dignity of the Bishops to be upheld.

§ 142. There is a Treatise in Binnius, p. 583. in which the Statutes of the Synods of Aquisgrane are opened and confirmed by Scripture.

§ 143. CCLI. An. 836. Binnius tells us, that in the deposing of the Emperor, Agobertus, Bishop of Lyons, and Bernard, Bishop of Vienne, having been Leaders with Ebbo, at the Council at Theod. Villa, fled, and the Emperor and all his Sons, save Lotharius, being here present at a Council at Lyons, they being summoned, appeared not, and Sentence was put off, because they were absent.

§ 144. An. 839. Pepin the Emperor's Son dying, he passed by his disobedient Nephew Pepin, and divided that Kingdom of Aquitain only between his Sons Lotharius and Charles; whereupon his Son Ludovicus was offended, and with them of Aquitain raised Rebellion again, and by a Convention at Cabilone, and after it, reconciliation was made.

§ 145. The Emperor Ludovicus Pius dying An. 840. aged 64, his Sons fell together in Wars for his Kingdoms.

Lotharius the eldest, that had used his Father so trayterously and unnaturally, sought too great a part for himself, and came to a War with Ludovic and Charles, who conquered him, and put him to a shameful flight, An. 841. in which Fight, say Historians, a greater slaughter was made of the French, than was ever known in the memory of man. This was the man that deposed his Father for the slaughter of the Subjects by his Wars against him. The next year they fought again, and he was again overcome.

§ 146. CCLII. It's easie then to conjecture which way the next Council (which was at Aquisgrane) would go: The conquering Princes made the Bishops their Counsellors, when they had made Lotharius flie out of the Countrey, what they should do with his Kingdom; and, saith Binnius, they received the answer which Nithardus li. 1. describeth in these words, ['The Bishops considering the deeds of Lotharius from the beginning, how he had driven his Father out of his Kingdom; how he had made the Christian People perjured by his Covetousness; how oft he had frustrated the Oath he made to his Fathers, and his Brethren; how oft, since his Fathers death, he had attempted to disinherit his Brethren; how many Murders, Adulteries, Burnings, and all kind of heinous deeds the Universal Church suffered by his most wicked Covetousness: And that he neither had any knowledge of governing the Commonwealth, nor could men find any footsteps of goodness of will in governing. For which causes deservedly, and by the just judgment of God Almighty, they said he fled first in Battel, and then from his Kingdom: Therefore all (the Bishops) unanimously agree and consent, that for his wickedness God hath cast him out, and hath delivered his Kingdom to his Brothers that p. 260are better than he. But the Bishops did not give them this liberty, till they openly asked them, whether they would govern it as their ejected Brother did, or according to the will of God. They answered, that as far as God should enable them, they would govern themselves and theirs according to God's will. By God's Authority (say they) we warn, exhort and command, that you undertake it, and rule it according to the will of God.] So far Nithard.

§ 147. You see here that it is no wonder that the Pope took upon him to set up and take down, to make and unmake Kings, when the subject Bishops did it by their greatest Sovereigns. And you see here God's just judgment on a rebellious Son, and the shameful mutability of a temporizing Clergy. And how presumptuous Bishops have abused Religion, the use of the Keys and the Name of God, to the confusions and calamities of the world. But Lotharius after this Deposition reigned.

§ 148. All these times Images were cast out in the Eastern Empire, even all the Reign of Leo the 5th, and of Michael Balbus, (however he recalled Theodorus Studita from Prison) and of Theophilus that succeeded him; Petavius li. 8. c. 9. saith, that Theophilus followed his Father in persecuting the Worshipers of Images, but yet was a most strict requirer of Justice, and reigning 12 years and three months,In France Claudius Taurinensis set against Image-worship, and going to Rome, &c. And Ionas Aurel. writeth against him, citing some of his Sentences (too strong for the Answerer,) but in his Preface professeth that he never read or saw his Book: Was not this an excellent Confuter? died An. 841. the next year after the death of Ludovicus Pius. He left his Son Michael, a Child, Emperor, under the Rule of his Mother Theodora.

§ 149. And now come up Images again by a Woman, which ever since a Womans Reign almost had been cast out; she ruled 14 years, just as Irene did, and sped as she; for when her Son came to age, he deposed her. In this time Methodius first, and Ignatius after, were made Patriarchs of Constantinople. And Bardas (made Caesar) deposed Ignatius, because he would not excommunicate Theodora when she was deposed, and set up the learned Photius in his place, that came in as Nectarius had done from the Laity, by sudden Ordination: one honoured even by the Papists for his great learning, but reviled for being against them.

§ 150. CCLIII. An. 842. This Woman had presently so much power on the mutable Bishops, as in a Council at Constant. to turn them to be again for Images, and as Theophanes saith, [Suddenly changing their judgment, they cursed those that opposed Images;] and so after 120 years rejection they were restored, and the Nicene 2d Council owned without any great difficulty: And here all that were for Images accounted it Godliness, and called them Ungodly that were against it, and this Woman Theodora is stiled for it a very godly Woman, (though the other called it Idolatry;) and so while one side was cryed down as Profane, and the other as Idolatrous; the poor Church felt to its sorrow, that Images were not taken for things indifferent.

Theophanes railing at Iohn the Patriarch of Constant. saith, that [Seeing so sudden and unexpected a change, he that ruled impiously was struck with such a stupor and blindness of mind, that he was ready to have killed himself; and being the head of all the wickedness, of an ungodly judgment, that had led the Emperors by lyes, and thrust them into the hell of impiety, he was with ignominy p. 261cast out, and good Methodius put in.] I recite the words, to shew you what various Characters the interest of Images gave to men, and what Godliness and Ungodliness, Good men and Bad men, are in the sense of many Historians.

§ 151. The Pope dying, Iohan. Diaconus seizeth on the place by force; but Sergius is chosen against him, and prevaileth: I… whose beginning Lotharius sent his Son Ludovicus with an Army to Rome **Thinking they would have resisted him: The Pope submitted himself to all that was desired of a Subject, till Ludovicus was gone., Sigibert saith to be the Confirmer of the Pope, and claim that right; others say, to be crowned. To Lotharius they sware obedience, but not to his Son. Some great debate Anastasius tells us that a great company of Bishops had against the Pope and his Party, but he tells us not what it was, but that the Pope was too hard for them, and glad when the French were gone.

§ 152. It's before said, that after the Bishop's deposing him, Lotharius was restored, the three Brothers agreeing, that Ludovicus should have Germany, and part of France, and Charles have France, and Lotharius Narbon and Italy as Roman Emperor.

CCLIV. The Archbishopric of Rhemes had been ten years without a Bishop upon Ebbo's removal or flight, and two Presbyters successively Fulke and Hotho had been the Governors of it, (some will question the validity of their acts.) And a Council at Bellovacum makes Hincmarus Bishop.

§ 153. Under Carolus Calvus the Church-Lands were much alienated, especially Abbots Lands, to Nobles and other Lay-men. Whereupon CCLV. a Council at Melda (Meaulx) did by Ansegisus and Bernardus Levita draw up a Book of seven Parts, lamenting the sins of Christians, and the Sacriledge of the Laity, and offered it to the King, who refused it, the Nobles being against it: For which (say the bold Expositors of God's Providences) the Normans by Invasion troubled the Land.

§ 154. Leo the 4th became Pope; they durst not consecrate him without the Emperor's authority, Anastas. in Bin. p. 618. This Pope wrought great Miracles, say they. 1. He conquered a Basilisk that killed men by his looks, (as St. George conquered the Dragon.) 2. By the Cross he stopt a fire in the City: But his good works contain a Volumn in Anastasius, viz. the many Churches that he adorned, enriched, repaired; the silver Vessels and Ornaments that he gave, the Posts and Pillars, and Altars that he beautified, and the glory that he added to the Roman City and Churches, &c. yea, when the Saracens came and spoiled St. Peter's Church in the Suburbs of Rome, he caused the said Suburbs to be walled and fortified, as a new City, calling it Leonina from his name: And he made two or three Prayers of six or seven lines long, to desire God's protection of it, by the intercession of St. Peter. And he writeth a notable Homily, in which he comprizeth much of the Canons, teaching them all the Arts, Gestures, and Ceremonies of canting the Mass; and precisely ordereth, that every Priest do learn his Lesson; and that if any of them be illiterate, (that cannot read) he shall be suspended till he amend, (learn to read;) so learned was the Clergy in that Age.

§ 155. By the way, the oft mention here of singing the Mass, doth remember p. 262me to note that which is much over-looked; viz. How Liturgies imposed first came up,☞ or were mostly propagated without any exception or opposition: It was chiefly because they did sing them, and had fitted them accordingly to their singing Notes, like our Cathedral singing of our reading Psalms and Prayers: And we all know that the People or Minister cannot make Psalms ex tempore, but we must and do use forms in singing; but the Prayers that were not sung, but said, were longer left free to the Speakers present skill.

§ 156. CCLVI. An. 847. in a Council at Paris, Lotharius caused the cause of Ebbo to be reviewed; but after Summons, he would never appear to his death.

§ 157. CCLVII. A Council at Mentz, An. 847. repeated many Ecclesiastical Canons: Among others, Murderers still, instead of death, are but put upon long removal from the Communion, no, though they murder Priests.

In this Council a Woman called Thiota, was judged to be whipt, because she had professed to have Revelations foretelling the day of judgment that year, putting the People in fear, and even many Priests followed her as a Prophetess; she confessed that a certain Priest persuaded her to do it for gain.