History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600, Ecclesiastical epoch 100-1300 · Century 11 · Chapter 3

History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600 · Ecclesiastical epoch 100-1300 · Century 11 · Chapter 3

p. 252CHAP. III. Of Divers Countries.

1. IN the beginning of this Century were many prodigies, as tokens of evils following, (Platin.) ſigns in the Heavens above, Earth-quakes below, in the Sun darkneſs, on earth Snakes were ſeen fighting againſt other, Fountains were turned into blood, the air was corrupt. Ia. Vſſer. hath them at great length, de ſucceſſ. Eccleſ. cap. 3. & 4. Whereby ſome were moved to ſay, Antichriſt is come into the world. Tho. Cooper ad An. 1099. In an aſſembly at Aken, in the year 1016. were convened many both Princes and Biſhops: The Emperour Henry ſpoke of God's wrath hanging over their heads, and adviſed them to think upon a way how theſe judgments might be turned off. A Decree was made, that all men ſhould ſtudy to eſcape thoſe judgments by faſting, actions of piety and alms; for (ſay they) the true doctrine of inward and ſaving repentance, or of turning unto God, as the conſideration of ſins that are committed againſt the ten commands, of faith in Chriſt, and the true and ſerious amendment of life, hath been altogether obſcured, yea and buried by outward worſhip and human traditions; therefore, by publick authority of this Synod, it is compounded, that Prieſts attend more upon their Service, all people give themſelves unto faſting, and Princes be more liberal in their Alms. Sigebert. & Crantz. in Saxon. lib. 4. cap. 4.

2. The Fathers of the Primitive Church, gueſſed that after a 1000. years from Chriſt's birth or paſſion, or from the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, Antichriſt ſhould come; and ſhortly after his appearing, the world ſhould have an end; as Germanus, Patriarch of Conſtantinople, ſheweth in Rer. Eccleſiaſt. Theoria, out of Theophilus, Cyril, Chryſoſtom, &c. And about the thouſand years from Chriſt's nativity, many men looked that it ſhould come ſo to paſs. But when the thouſand years were expired after the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and they ſaw no ſuch Antichriſt as they had imagined, neither did ſuch things come to paſs as they had conceived, concerning the end of the World; then, as if they had been delivered from the danger thereof (ſaith Baronius Annal. tom. 11.) they made fair buildings and Churches throughout the World, eſpecially in Italy and France. Whereunto Ia. Vſser. doth apply that ſaying of Henry, Beware of Antichriſt; it is evil, that the love of Churches hath overtaken you; it is not well, that ye reverence the buildings and walls of Churches; ye conceive amiſs of theſe: is it any doubt that Antichriſt ſhall ſit in theſe? p. 253The Mountains, and Lakes, and Woods, are more ſafe unto me. Likewiſe ſome made defection from the Faith, and returned to Paganiſm, as in the North parts, Luitici Obotriti, Vari, &c. So did Vilgard, a Gramarian, in Ravenna, truſting to the apparitions of foul ſpirits, in the likeneſs (as they profeſſed) of Virgil, Horace, and Iuvenal; when he began to vaunt fooliſhly of his knowledge of humanities, they appeared unto him, and gave him thanks for his love to their Books, and promiſed to make him partner of their glory: Thereafter he began to profeſs, that the Divinity of the Poets was true; at laſt he was challenged, and condemned by the Patriarch Peter: But many in Italy, Sardinia, and in Spain, followed the ſame impiety, and were puniſhed, ſome with the ſword, and ſome with fire, Rodolp. Hiſto. l. 2. c. 12.

3. Berno, excellent in all learning, was ſet over the Augianes, anno 1008. he wrote many Books; in Marc. Evang. ſect. 3. he ſaith, In the holy Scriptures do hang the armor of our ſalvation, Serm. de concor. offic. c. 5. Our weakneſs can do nothing without God; as Lazarus could not riſe by himſelf, Serm. de aſcend. Dom. Chriſt is the head of the whole Church, and all the elect are his members; At that time lived Oecumenius, and Olympiodorus, two famous Greek writers. Guthet, Biſhop of Prague, was famous for learning, and holineſs, and was put to death by the enemies of the faith, Platin. in Benedict. 8. and in Benedict. 9. he ſaith, Gerard, a Venetian, and Biſhop of Hungary, a good and learned man, ſuffered martyrdom; the Infidels tied him to the wheel of a Cart, and let it run from the top of an high mountain, ſo that he was all cruſhed; yet he ſuffered it with joy.

4. Fulbert, Biſhop of Charties, or Carnatum, was a learned man; ſundry Sermons, and Treatiſes, that are among the works of St. Auguſtine, are ſaid to be his. He wrote an Epiſtle to Adeodatus, wherein he firſt reproveth a groſs opinion of ſome men, who held, that Baptiſm, and the Euchariſt, were naked ſigns; Then he proveth, that theſe ſhould not be conſidered as mere and outward ſigns; but by faith, according to the inviſible vertue of myſteries: The myſtery of faith it is called, ſaith he, becauſe it ſhould be eſteemed by faith, and not by ſight; to be looked on as the ſpirit and minde, and not as ſight of body; ſeeing onelyonly by faith, beholdeth the ſecret of this powerful myſtery; for what ſeemeth outwardly bread, and wine, now inwardly it is the body, and blood of Chriſt; we being encouraged by the authority of our true Maſter, when we communicate of his body, and blood, we confeſs boldly, that we are transfounded into his body, and that he abideth in us. Taſte and ſee how ſavoury that meat is; unleſs I be miſtaken, it taſteth like Angels food; not that thou canſt diſcern it with thy mouth, but mayſt taſte it with thy inward affection; open the mouth of faith, enlarge the hope, and the bowels of love, and receive the bread of life, even the food of the inward man: from faith of the inward man, proceedeth the taſting of the inward food, while certainly, by the infuſion, or preception of the gracious Euchariſt, Chriſt floweth into the bowels of the communicating ſoul; when a godly ſoul receiveth into her chaſte corners, in that form wherewith ſhe beholdeth him preſent with her, under remembrance of the myſtery, and as the Spirit revealeth, to wit, as an infant lying in his mothers boſome, or offered upon the alrar of the croſs, or lying in the grave, or verily having trampled death under foot, and riſing again, or carried high in glory above the heavens; according to which forms Chriſt entreth into the acceptable habitation of the communicant; and refreſheth his ſoul with ſo many (to ſpeak ſo) ſeveral bliſſes, as are the ways that the eye of holy meditation can behold him: neither let it ſeem a vain thing unto thee, that we ſay, that p. 254according to the beholding of a deſirous ſoul, Chriſt is found within the bowels of the communicant, ſeeing thou art not ignorant that our fathers ſojourned through the wilderneſs, and were refreſhed with Angels food, to whom a fertile rain brought meat of one colour, but of divers taſtes; and according to the appetite of every one, it gave ſundry delights of taſte, that whatſoever their appetit did covet, the ſecret diſpenſation of the Giver did furniſh the ſame; to whom their guſt gave what their eye could not ſee, becauſe it was one thing which was ſeen, and another which was taken; therefore wonder thou no more: What Manna under the law did ſignifie by ſhadow, the revealed verity of Chriſt's body layeth open; in which body the divine Majeſty condeſcendeth mercifully unto our weakneſs, that with what ſort of puniſhment mans body is puniſhed, he ſhould taſte the ſame in his body ſenſibly; but God performeth this in the breaſt: as he ſaith himſelf, He who cometh of me, ſhall live by me: Now therefore the ſcruple, or doubt, is to be removed, ſeeing he who is the Giver, is a witneſs of the truth. Then he illuſtrateth the ſame, by compariſon of a baptiſed man; who albeit outwardly he be the ſame he was before, yet inwardly he is another, being made greater then himſelf, by increaſe of inviſible quantity, that is, of ſaving grace, &c. here is no word of ſubſtancial change of the elements; the bread is ſtill bread: but we finde two other changes, to wit, the faithful are transfounded into the body of Chriſt, and Chriſt is infounded into the habitation of a faithful ſoul; yet ſo, that Chriſt's body remaineth in the heavens; and, by the revelation of the Spirit, faith beholdeth Chriſt preſent, or lying in his mothers boſome, and dying, and riſing, and aſcending, and he entreth into the gracious habitation of a faithful communicant, and refreſheth him ſo many ways, as is ſaid: Here alſo we ſee, that the ſubſtance of bread remaineth, as the ſubſtance of him who is baptiſed remaineth, albeit inwardly he be another, Biblioth. part. de le Bigne tom. 3.

5. Berengarius, Deacon of St. Maurice in Angiers, was his diſciple, who hearing Math. Pariſienſis calleth him Archiepiſc. Turonen. a contrary error unto the former, was broached in his days; to wit, that the bread of the Euchariſt, was the very body of Chriſt; and the wine his blood ſubſtantially, or properly: Berengarius, I ſay, hearing this, taught, that the body of Chriſt is onelyonly in the heavens; and theſe elements, are the Sacraments of his body and blood, as followeth. The occaſion of this controverſie at that time, is written by Guitmund, in his ſecond book againſt Berengarius, to wit, when Lanfrank, Abbot of Bec-heloin in Normandy, was a boy, in Italy, it hapned, that a prieſt, (as he ſaith) ſaying Maſs, found very fleſh upon the altar, and very blood upon the chalice, he burned to take them, and immediately declared the matter unto the Biſhop, who, aſſembling with moe Biſhops, ordained, that that fleſh, and that chalice, with the blood, ſhould be kept in that altar for ever, as a moſt worſhipful Relique. From this deceiving Impoſtor many were moved to believe, that the body and blood of Chriſt was preſent in the elements, not onelyonly ſacramentally, as the Fathers ſpake, but ſubſtantially. Berengarius wrote and preached againſt this Capernaitis error; and therefore Adelman, Biſhop of Brixia, wrote unto him; In the beginning he ſaluteth him, his holy and beloved Brother, and condiſciple under Fulbert, Biſhop of Carnatum: Then he ſheweth, he heard it reported that Berengarius did teach, that the body and blood of Chriſt, which are offered upon the altar throughout the earth, are not the very body and blood of Chriſt, but onelyonly a figure, or certain ſimilitude; howbeit indeed Berengarius had ſaid nothing ſo: To the intent Adelman may bring his Brother from this opinion, he intreateth him brotherly not to depart from the p. 255doctrine of their maſter Fulbert, and of the Catholike Church. Then he appealeth to the teſtimony of Auguſtin, Ambroſe, and Jerome [who never taught any tranſubſtantiation, or impanation] He writeth alſo, that the very fleſh and blood of Chriſt, was given unto the Apoſtles at the firſt inſtitution, and are ſtill given unto faithful communicants; for he who ſaid in the beginning, Let there be light, and the light was made of nothing; why, ſaying of the bread, This is my body, may he not cauſe it to be the ſame? Afterwards he ſheweth how Chriſt worketh this by the myſtery of man; for when he was made immortal, and going up to heaven, he ſaid, Behold, I am with you unto the end of the world; becauſe he was comperſonate of two natures, one circumſcribed, another uncircumſcribed: by his circumſcript nature, he went from place to place; by his uncircumſcript nature, he is whole every where illocally, and abode with them; yet he did not ſeparate the Son of Man from the Son of God; and when the Son of Man aſcended up to heaven, he was there as the Son of God; as he witneſſeth himſelf, No man aſcendeth up to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven: If therefore he was there by the unity of perſon, whether he had not aſcended by property of nature; for in the ſame unity he abode ſtill on earth with men, after he had aſcended up to heaven. Therefore, that faith may be exerciſed in believing, becauſe that vital Sacrament appeareth not under a bodily ſhape, it is hid profitably, as the ſoul in the body. Laſt of all, The water in Baptiſm, ſeemeth to be common water; and a baptiſed man, What ſeemeth he, but what he was before? he declareth this at great length, that neither ſenſe, nor reaſon, can reach to comprehend this myſtery; where ſenſe judgeth that water to be an humide liquor, cold in ſubſtance, and which may be turned into air, or earth: but how by the water, and the Spirit, a ſoul is regenerate, and forgiveneſs of ſin is given, unto this unſearchable myſtery, neither ſenſe nor reaſon can attain; and nevertheleſs, we muſt ſurely believe, That the unbodily ſoul, is created by bodily water, &c. Mark here, as Chriſt's body was not in heaven, when he ſaid, Behold, I am with you; and yet, even then he was in heaven wholly, in reſpect of his perſon; ſo now his body is in heaven, and not on earth, where notwithſtanding he is perſonally. Again mark, We have here an union of the water and the Spirit, to the regeneration of the ſoul: but who ever thought, that that water is the Spirit? or that the thing ſignified is corporally, or locally in the water? or who can imagine, that the body is turned into the ſoul, when the body and ſoul are united? And yet Adelman writeth, that the union of bread and wine, with the body and blood of Chriſt, is like to theſe two unions; to wit, by theſe compariſons he would ſhew, that though the elements remain ſtill the ſame, and Chriſt's body be always in the heavens, till he come again to judge; yet there is a real, and ſacramental union twixt the ſign and the thing ſignified; and that the faithful certainly communicate of both together. What anſwer Berengarius did return to his con-diſciple, we cannot finde; But he wrote an Epiſtle to the forenamed Lanfrank, declaring the abuſes of the Sacrament, and commending the book of John Scotus on that queſtion: And he wrote expreſly, that the body of Chriſt is not in the Sacrament, but as in a ſign, or figure, or myſtery. He ſpake alſo, in his preachings, againſt the Romiſh Church, in the doctrine of Marraiage, and neceſsity of Baptiſm. Io. Oecolampad. epiſt. lib. 3. fol. 154. print. at Baſil anno 1536. And Bellarm. in praef. before his Books de Pon. Rom. witneſſeth, that Berengarius called the Church of Rome, the Malignant Church, the Council of Vanity, and the Seat of Satan; and he called the Pope, not Pontificem, vel Epiſcopum, ſed Pompificem, & Pulpificem. It happened that Lanfrank was p. 256not at home, and the Convent opened the Letter of Berengarius, and ſent it with a Clerk of Rhemes unto Pope Leo IX. The Pope ſummoned a Synod at Verceles; Berengarius was adviſed not to go himſelf, but ſend ſome Clerks in his name, to anſwer for him; The two Clerks were clapt in priſon; Scotus was condemned 200. years after his death; and the doctrine of Berengarius was condemned; yet nothing done againſt his perſon at that time, becauſe many favored him. Lanfrank was now a pleader for him; but he was commanded by the Pope, to anſwer him under no leſs pain, then to be as great an Heretique as he. Lanfrank following the ſway of the world (for afterwards he was made Biſhop of Canterbury) performed the charge. In that Book he ſheweth, that Berengarius, in the words of Inſtitution, This is my body, did appoint them this; that is, this bread: and the bread remaineth (ſaith he) bread, ſo that it becometh what it was not; to wit, the body of Chriſt ſacramentally. Even as Ambroſe ſaid, The Sacrament conſiſteth of two things, one viſible, another inviſible; the thing ſignified, and the ſign: which thing ſignified, if it were before our eyes on earth, it were viſible; but ſince it is lift up to the heavens, and ſitting at the right hand of the Father, it cannot be brought, until the time that all things be reſtored. Again, Lanfrank ſaith, Thou believeſt the bread and wine of the Lord's Table, to remain unchangeable, in reſpect of the ſubſtance; that is, to have been bread and wine before the conſecration, and to be bread and wine after the conſecration; that they are called the fleſh and blood of Chriſt, becauſe they are celebrated in the Church in remembrance of his fleſh, which was crucified; and of his blood, which was poured out of his ſide; to the end we, being admoniſhed thereby, may call to minde the Lord's paſſion; and when we call it to minde, we ſhould inceſſantly crucifie our own fleſh, and the vices and infections thereof. What abſurdity could be in theſe words, worthy of ſo many curſes? and what was againſt the Scriptures? But Lanfrank, hoping to catch ſome advantage by theſe laſt words, as if Berengarius had ſaid, Theſe ſigns are naked ſigns; he did beat the air, and nothing impugned the true doctrine of Berengarius; for this is the ſpecial argument of Lanfrank againſt him, The doctrine of the Apoſtles ordained to be preached, that the fleſh and blood of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is eaten with the mouth of the body, and with the mouth of the ſoul; that is, both bodily and ſpiritually; ſeeing with the mouth of the body we eat and drink corporally, as oft as we receive the Lords body from the altar, by the hands of the prieſt; but it is eaten and drunken ſpiritually, with the ſpiritual mouth of the ſoul; when ſweetly and profitably, as Auguſtine ſaith, it is called to memory, That the onelyonly begotten Son of God, for the ſalvation of the world, took upon him our fleſh, hang on the croſs, roſe again, appeared, aſcended, and will return again to judge. Of the ſpiritual eating, the Lord ſaid to his diſciples, Take, eat. Auguſtine endeavored to demonſtrate the ſpiritual eating, Tract. 26. in Iohan. when he ſaid, Eat the heavenly bread ſpiritually, bring innocence unto the altar: This then is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that whoſoever eateth of it ſhall not die; but, which belongeth to the vertue of this Sacrament, and not to the viſible Sacrament, who eateth inwardly, not outwardly; who eateth with heart, and not who cheweth with teeth. Here if Lanfrank by his bodily eating, or eating with the mouth of the body, will have both the ſigns, and the ſignified thing to be taken bodily; his argument againſt Berengarius is ſilly: or if he meant it onelyonly of the ſigns, Berengarius ſaith the ſame. But Guitmund, Biſhop of Averſa, turned further aſide, and wrote more bitterly, and leſs truly againſt Berengarius; Who can hold laughter, ſaith he, when he heareth Berengarius p. 257expounding the words of our Lord concerning the Sacrament, This is my body, i. e. this bread is my body. O moſt impudent fooliſhneſs! why may not the teeth touch that which the hand toucheth? If the body of the Lord was touched by the hands of Thomas, after his reſurrection, and by the holy women, why may it not to day be touched more eaſily, and ſurely touched? that is, chewed by the teeth of the faithful; He therefore who gave himſelf to be handled after the reſurrection, he will not flee from our teeth for uncleanneſs, &c. Nevertheleſs Berengarius abode conſtant, and was in high eſtimation, both with Nobility and People; and therefore Pope Victor the II. gave direction to the Biſhops of France, to take order with him. They aſſembled at Towres anno 1056. there was Hildebrand, and the Prieſts legate; Berengarius eluded the Council, rather then open his minde; for he profeſſed generally, That he followed the ſentence of the Catholique Church; that is (ſaid he) as the Scriptures, Fathers, and Primitive Church have taught. And more particularly he ſaid, that the bread and wine became the fleſh and blood of Chriſt; not as in a ſhadow, but truly. Pope Nicolaus II. hearing that Berengarius was honored of many, ſummoned him again to a Synod at Rome, anno 1059. and there (as Baron. ad ann. 1059. ſaith) without any diſputation, he condemned his own error. But Vſſer. de ſucceſ. Eccleſ. c. 8. hath marked, that (Sigon. de reg. Ital. lib. 9.) when Berengarius, with many arguments, defended, that the Sacrament (to ſpeak properly) was the figure of Chriſt's body; and Cardinal Albericus (who was nominated to diſpute againſt him) could not by voice reſiſt him; and neither of the two would yield to the other. Albericus ſought the ſpace of ſeven days to anſwer in writing; as alſo it is remembred by Leo Oſtien. in Chron. Caſsin. lib. 3. And at laſt, when diſputation could not prevail againſt him, it was given him in option, Whether he would recant, or burn? The old man, for fear of death (as Pa. Maſſon. Annal. Franco. lib. 3. ſpeaketh) made that beaſtly recantation (a perpetual argument of his daſtardly courage, and of the brutiſh ignorance of that Council) which was penned by Cardinal Humbert, and is regiſtred by Gratian. de conſecr. diſt. 2. Ego Berengarius. Nevertheleſs, the words of the recantation are as far from Romiſh tranſubſtatiation, as white from black. Theſe are the words, (ſo far as they concern our preſent purpoſe) faithfully tranſlated; I Berengarius, do conſent unto the Apoſtolique and Roman See; and with my mouth and heart confeſs, that the bread and wine, which are laid on the altar, after the conſecration, are not onelyonly the Sacrament, but alſo the very body and blood of our Lord Jeſus; and ſenſibly, not onelyonly in Sacrament, but in truth, are handled with the hands of the prieſt; broken, and chewed with the hands and teeth of the faithful, &c. John Semeca, the Gloſſator of the Decrees, expreſly condemneth the words of this recantation, and ſaith, If thou underſtand not the words of Berengarius ſoundly, thou ſhalt fall into a greater hereſie then he did; for we break not Chriſt's body into pieces, niſi in ſpeciebus. Lombard li. 4. Diſt. 12. E. 1. ſaith, Not in the ſubſtance of his body, but in a Sacrament; that is, in ſpecie. And Bellarmin. de Concil. lib. 2. c. 1. ſaith, In ſigno, & non in ſe. When they ſay, underſtand ſoundly, they underſtand clean againſt the Text; for if by ſpecies, and ſign, they underſtand not bread and wine (as the ancient Fathers did certainly mean, and ſpeak) they deceive the world, ſeeing whiteneſs, and ſuch other qualities, can never be broken without ſome ſubſtance: neither are theſe qualities, the ſign of Chriſt's body; wherefore the ſubſtance of bread remains after the bleſſing. And when they condemn the confeſſion of Berengarius, and call it his words, they conſider not that they condemn their Pope Nicolaus, and their Council of one hundred and p. 258fourteen Biſhops preſcribing it, and ordaining Berengarius to ſubſcribe it; and which ſent that confeſſion unto the Biſhops of Italy, Germany, and France, as Catholique. It is certain, that Berengarius, returning home, returned alſo to his former doctrine, and wrote in defence of it; ſo that (as Blondus ſaith) he was ſummoned again by Pope Gregory the VII. anno 1079. and then ſubſcibed another recantation; and an Act was made, That thenceforth none may diſpute, nor teach another, concerning the body and blood of our Lord, except for bringing unto the faith them that are gone aſtray. It ſeems, that as yet, Gregory was not reſolved of his doubt. Bercold, a Prieſt of Conſtance, ad ann. 1083. ſaith, Albeit Berengarius abjured that hereſie in face of Synods, yet he ceaſed not to return unto his vomit. Some have written, that Berengarius denied the baptiſm of Infants; but, ſaith Ja. Uſſer, In ſo many Synods held againſt him, We never finde any ſuch thing laid to his charge. And unto the ſaid Uſſer it appears, that, who in thoſe days were charged to deny the baptiſm of children, did hold no more but this, Baptiſm conferreth not grace ex opere operato. So Berengarius died, holding his firſt doctrine, at Towres, in the Iſle of St. Coſina, and was buried in S. Martins, where his Tomb was reared; and Hildebert, Biſhop of Caenoman, and then of Towres, made his Epitaph; which is in Guil. Malmesbu. de Geſt. Anglo. lib. 3. And this is a part of it;

Quem modò miratur, ſemper mirabitur Orbis,

Ille Berengarius non obiturus obit.

Quem ſacrae fidei veſtigia ſumma tenentem,

Huic jam quinta dies abſtulit, auſa nefas.

Illa dies damnoſa dies, & perfida mundo,

Quâ dolor & rerum ſumma ruina fuit,

Quâ ſtatus eccleſiae, quâ ſpes, quâ gloria cleri,

Quâ cultor juris, jure ruente, ruit.

Poſt obitum ſecum vivam, procor, ac requieſcam,

Nec fiat melior ſors mea ſorte ſua.

Platina, in Iohan. 15. calleth Berengarius, famous for learning and holineſs: He is reported to have been an hearty friend to learning, and did breed many Students of Divinity at his proper charge; and by means of them his doctrine was ſowed through all France, and the Countries adjacent; this was matter unto his adverſaries, to envy him the more. Albeit he did waver, as Peter did; and albeit his doctrine was ſo oft condemned by the Popes, yet it could not be rooted out of men; for Math. Pariſ. in Hiſt. ad ann. 1087. writeth, that all France was affected with this doctrine. And Math. Weſtmonaſt. at the ſame time, ſaith, That the doctrin of Berengarius had corrupted all the French, Italian, and Engliſh Nations: ſo that the Berengarians, that is, the Preachers of the true faith (which the Romaniſts call Hereſie) againſt the riſing errors, did not lurk in a corner, And Sigebert Gemblac. in Chron. ſaith, Much was diſputed by many, both for him, and againſt him, by word, and by writing. Ex edit. Antwerp. anno 1608. where it is to be marked (ſaith Vſſer de eccleſ. ſucceſ. c. 8.) that in the Edition at Paris, anno 1589. the words, For him, are omitted. Alſo Thuan, in the Epiſtle Dedicatory of the Hyſtory of his time, hath marked, That in Germany were many of the ſame doctrine; and that Bruno, Biſhop of Treveres, baniſht them all out of his Dioceſs, but ſparing their blood. And Io. Toſsington, a Franciſcan, in his confeſſion, ſet forth anno 1380. ſaith thus, The heretical ſentence, which is raiſed of the dreams of Berengarius, affirmeth openly, that all the Fathers of the Church, p. 259and doctors of the ſecond thouſand years (as they ſpeak) that is, who have been within 380. years, have been after the looſing of Satan; and the doctrine which we (ſaith he) commonly hold to be the faith of the Church, concerning the bleſſed Euchariſt, they ſay, It is not right, but an error, and hereſie, and the tares of Satan, being let looſe. Vſſer. c. 3.

6. To defend the words of the former recantation, which was given in Twofold eating with the mouth was deviſed then, and is refuted.the Synod at Lateran unto Berengarius, theſe flatterers of the Romiſh Idol have deviſed a new diſtinction of orall eating, to wit, orall eating is either viſible or inviſible; And they called the opinion of eating Chriſt's fleſh viſibly, the error of the Capernaites; and they ſaid, the eating of Chriſt's fleſh with the mouth inviſibly, was the explication of Chriſt; ſo writeth Ivo Bishop of Carnotum, anno 1092. Catalo. teſt. ver. lib. 12. But the Fathers of higher antiquity condemned all orall eating as Capernaitiſm; neither were the Capernaites ſo ſubtile to make ſuch diſtinctions: Yea, ſurely Chriſt would have made his correction according to their error. Behold what Augustine ſaith Tract. 27. in Iohan. Who abideth not in Chriſt, and in whom Chriſt abideth not, without all doubt he neither ſpiritually eateth Chriſt's fleſh, nor drinketh his blood; albeit carnally, and viſibly, he with his teeth do preſs the Sacrament of the body and blood of Chriſt. And Tract. 28. What is it? they are ſpirit, and life; they are ſpiritually to be underſtood: underſtandeſt thou them ſpiritually? they are ſpirit, and life; underſtandeſt thou them carnally? ſo alſo they are ſpirit and life, but not to thee. They, underſtanding ſpiritual things carnally, were ſcandaliſed. Here Auguſtine oppoſeth carnal eating, whether viſible, or inviſible, unto ſpiritual eating and underſtanding: and he ſaith, that carnally men eat not the fleſh of Chriſt, but the Sacrament of his fleſh.

7. Bellarmin writeth in his ſecond Book de Pon. Rom. c. 21. that the great The cauſes of the ſchiſm twixt the Latins and Greeks.Schiſm twixt the Greeks and the Latines, began anno 1054. becauſe in that year Michael, the Patriarch of Conſtantinople, did excommunicate the Pope, and all the Romaniſts, for adding Filioque unto the Decree of the Epheſin Council, concerning the proceſſion of the holy Spirit. Here we may ſee who made the Schiſm; the Greeks kept the Decree, as it was firſt enacted; but the Latins added Filioque. And when, in the ſame place, Bellarmine ſaith, It is uncertain when the Latins added it; but certainly, ſaith he, not before the 600. year: and the Greeks eſpied the addition in the days of Pope Nicolaus LAt this time Pope Leo IX. wrote againſt the Greeks; and Michael the Patriarch, and Nicolas a Monk, wrote againſt the Latins. Of this difference I will ſpeak (God willing) when I come to the Council at Florence, where they diſputed this queſtion. Why was there ſo great a Schiſm then? Bellarmin. de Cleri. li. 1. c. 19. ſaith, The differences were not confined within that one, but there were many others; of which theſe are rehearſed by Fox, in Act. & Mon. out of an old Regiſter of Hereford. 1. The Church of Conſtantinople is not ſubject, but equal unto Rome. 2. The Biſhop of Rome hath no greater power then the four Patriarchs; and whatſoever he doeth without their knowledge and concurrence, is of no ſtrength againſt them. 3. Whatſoever hath been concluded, or done, ſince the ſeven general Councils, is not of full authority; becauſe, from that time, they convince the Latins to be in an error, and to be excluded from the holy Church. 4. The Euchariſt is not the very body of Chriſt; alſo whereas the Romiſh Church doth uſe unleavened wafers, they have great loaves of leavened bread. 5. They ſay, that the Romiſh Church erreth in the words of Baptiſm; for the Romaniſts ſay, I baptiſe thee, &c. but the Greeks ſay, Let this creature of God be baptiſed in the name, &c. 6. They hold, that p. 260the Spirit proceedeth from the Father, and not from the Son [of this in another place.] 7. They hold no Purgatory; nor that the prayers of the Church do help the dead, either to leſſen the pain of them in hell, or to increaſe the glory of them who are ordained for ſalvation. 8. They hold, the ſouls of the dead (whether elect, or reprobate) have not their full pain, nor glory; but are reſerved to a certain neutral place, till the day of judgement. 9 They condemn the Church of Rome, becauſe Women, as well as Prieſts, anoint children (when they baptiſe them) on both ſhoulders. 10. They call our bread Panagria. 11. They condemn our Church for celebrating Maſs on other days then Sundays, and certain Feaſts. 12. They have neither cream, nor oyl, nor Sacrament of Confirmation. 13. Neither do they uſe extream unction; expounding the place of St James of ſpiritual infirmity, and not of corporal. 14. They injoyn no ſatisfaction for Pennance; onelyonly they ſhew themſelves to the Prieſts, who anoint them with oyl, in token of the remiſſion of their ſins. 15. OnelyOnly on Maundy Thurſday they do conſecrate for the ſick, and keep it the whole year after; and think it more holy that day, then any other: neither do they faſt on any Saturday, ſave onelyonly on Eaſter-even. 16. They have but five Orders; as Clerks, Deacons, Sub-Deacons, Prieſts, and Biſhops: whereas the Romiſh Church hath nine Orders, according to the nine Orders of Angels. 17. In their Orders they make no vow of ſingle life; alledging the Canon, J. N. Prieſt, or Deacon, ſhall not put away my wife, as it were for honeſties ſake. 18. Every year, on certain days, they excommunicate the Church of Rome, and all the Latins, as Heretiques. 19. They excommunicate him, who ſtriketh a Prieſt. 20. Their Emperor doth name Patriarchs, Biſhops, and others of the Clergy, and depoſeth them at his pleaſure; alſo he giveth Benefices to whom he liſteth, and retaineth the Fruits of the ſame Benefices as it pleaſeth him. 21. They blame the Latins, becauſe they eat not fleſh, eggs, nor cheeſe on Friday. 22. They hold againſt the Latins, for celebrating without conſecrated Churches, and faſting on the Sabbath days; and for permitting menſtruous women to enter into Churches before their purifying; alſo for ſuffering dogs, or other beaſts, to enter into Churches. 23. They uſe not to kneel at their devotion; yea, not to the body of Chriſt, but one day in the year; affirming, that the Latins, like goats, or beaſts, proſtrate themſelves on the ground in their prayers. 24. They permit not the Latins to celebrate on their Altars; and if it chance a Latin Prieſt celebrate on their Altar, by and by they waſh it, in token of abomination, and falſe ſacrifice. 25. They condemn the worſhip of Images as idolatry. Theſe are the Articles contained in the ſaid Regiſter: But there are many more in the Book of Catholique Traditions, publiſhed in the French tongue by Th. A. I. C. and tranſlated into Engliſh, and printed at London ann. 1610. out of which I have drawn theſe Articles. 1. All the Apoſtles were equally univerſal Paſtors, and no primacy given to Peter, who was never at Rome, but when he was martyred. 2. To ſay, that the Church is grounded on the ſtone of Rome, is hard and grievous, and not far from the Jewiſh baſeneſs, to include the Church within a Town. 3. St. John, ending his life after Peter, had the firſt place among all Evangeliſts and Biſhops; and he never taught, that Rome, by divine right, ought to be the Lady of other Churches. 4. But after St. John, the Biſhop of Rome obtained the firſt place among the Biſhops, within the Roman Empire: for ſeeing the Citizens of Rome reigned above other Cities, he had been proud and audacious, who would have preferred himſelf before their Biſhop, eſpecially without Ordinance of a Council. 5. The Churches of Italy, and others their neighbors, by lapſe of time, gave to p. 261the Church of Rome, not onelyonly the firſt place, but alſo ſuperintendence over the Biſhops near them in particular, to give his advice in matters that happened, until a Synod might be held; yet never any preſidency, or power was given to the Church of Rome above other Churches. 6. As all the Apoſtles were equal in Authority, ſo they left behinde them every one diverſe Succeſſors of equal Authority. 7. He who accuſeth the Scriptures, accuſeth God the Author thereof; but God is void of blame, and the Scriptures contain the whole matter of faith. 8. Thoſe onelyonly are Canonical Books, which were contained in the Ark, and written in Hebrew before, or in Greek after the coming of the Lord. 9. They hold, they were the firſt Nations converted unto Chriſt, and in that regard they are the men who truly, and purely maintain the Traditions of the Primitive Church, as it was taught them by the Apoſtles. 10. Faith is an aſſurance of the love of God; and he who doubteth, cannot approach unto God with confidence. 11. The ſaying of Paul, It is not in him who runneth, nor in him who willeth, prevents two miſchiefs; One, that no man exalt himſelf: for grant that thou runneſt, or endeavoreſt, yet think not what thou doeſt well, is thine; for if thou be not inſpired from above, all is vain: Another, that no man deem that he ſhall be crowned without ſervice. 12. Faith is imputed to juſtification; faith ſufficeth for all; faith abſolveth, juſtifieth, and maketh partaker of eternal glory: for God requireth no other thing, but compunction and mourning. 13. When we praiſe good Works, we mean not to exalt our ſelves by them, or to put our truſt in them; but we deſire men would give themſelves thereunto, as to things neceſſary unto ſalvation, and which every one is bound to exerciſe, according to his power, following the commandment of God. 14 They communicate under Both elements; and they have one faſhion for the Communicants in the Church, and another for the Sick: the Prieſts, with little or no reverence, eat the remanent elements, which are not eaten by the faithful; but for the ſick, it is kept all the year, being conſecrate the week before Eaſter. 15. They celebrate the Liturgy in their own Language, that the people may underſtand. 16. The Biſhop of Rome cannot by his Indulgences deliver any from theſe temporal puniſhments which God inflicteth; neither ought he to diſpenſe with the fulfilling of all theſe works of repentance, which are poſſible, &c. The moſt part of theſe laſt differences, are fallen twixt the eaſt and weſtern Churches ſince the 11. Century; and in them all we finde, that the differences are either calumnies articulated by the Church of Rome, or matters of Diſcipline, or Ceremony, or then our Reformed Church agreeth with them.

8. The Biſhop of Millan had the next place in Italy unto the Biſhop of How Millan became ſubject unto Rome.Rome; he had eighteen Suffragan Biſhops under him, twenty two Ordinary Cardinals, and divers other Offices of mark: he was always named by the King of Lombardie; neither he nor any of his Clergy trotted at any time to Rome. This was a great moat in the Prieſts eyes, and therefore the Popes ofttimes ſought to bring Millan into ſubjection unto their See; but the Millanoyes ſtill kept their liberty. At laſt, ann. 1059. Ariald Clericus Decumanus conſpired with Landulfus Cotta praefatus populi againſt the Arch-Biſhop Wido, and made a pretext, that married Prieſts ought to be exautorate. Wido aſſembled all his Biſhops and Clergy at Fontanetum; with common conſent it was denied, that Prieſts ſhould have liberty of marriage. Then was great ſtrife in the Town; the Nobility defended Wido, and the People were for Landulf; who ſent Ariald to Pope Nicolaus II. accuſing the Clergy of Millan, and requiring him to ſend ſome Judges to try the matter: He was glad of the occaſion, and ſent Peter Damian, Biſhop of p. 262Oſtia, and Anſelm, Biſhop of Luca. So ſoon as Damian began to talk of his Commiſſion againſt the depoſing of married Prieſts, for that their hereſie the people cried, with ſhouting, The Pope hath no Authority over Millan; neither will we loſe our liberty which our Fathers have maintained; nor will we go under the yoke of any forain Church; With this the Bells rang, the Trumpets ſounded, and all the People were in an uproar; ſo that at this time nothing could be altered, nor in all the days of Landulf. After his death, his Brother Erlembald, coming into his room, ſtirred the former coal; he went to Pope Alexander II. unto Luca, ann, 1065. and eaſily obtained a Decree againſt the Clergy. The Arch-Biſhop would have it examined on Eaſter-day; but Erlembald, and Ariald commoved the People, ſo that Wido durſt not go out at his gate. In the next year Wido, and his followers prepared themſelves againſt their enemies; and Ariald fled for fear: when he was drawn back by force, he was accuſed as the Author of the tumult, and ſhamefully put to death: then Erlembald held his peace. But the next year he obtained another Decree, That none ſhould be accounted a lawful Biſhop, without the conſent of the Pope, notwithſtanding the election, and approbation of the People, and Clergy. In the abſence of Wido, he compelled the People, and Clergy to ſubſcribe this Decree. The Biſhop was aſtoniſhed when he heard it, and being now old, and deſirous of reſt, renounced his Biſhoprick, and ſent the badges of his Office to the Emperor Henry IV. who ſent Godifrid Caſtillionaeus into that See, ann. 1068. Pope Alexander threatned him with his curſe, that he ſhould not be ſo raſh; and Erlembald by force thruſt him out of the City. And when Wido died, the Pope ſent Atho, a Prieſt of Millan, into that See, at the requeſt of Erlembald, who alſo cauſed him to be received with great murmuration of the People, that ſuch dignity ſhould depend on the Pope. The Emperor did purſue his right, and therefore a new broil began twixt him and the Pope. The Pope accuſed the Emperor of Simony, and Hereſie. By this means the Church of Millan was brought under the yoke of the See of Rome. Ph. Mornay in Myſt. pag. 237. About that time the Saracens had divided Spain into ſeveral Dominions, and thoſe Lords were called Kings; they could not agree among themſelves; and the Biſhops took uſually arms for their ſeveral Kings; eſpecially the Biſhops of Auſa, Gerumda, and Barcinon, went under the colours of King Zeluma, againſt Almahad, and were all three killed in battel. Baron. Annal. ad ann. 1011. This diviſion among the Saracens, gave ſome advantage unto Alfonſo V. and Ferdinand; yet for ſome ages they could not ſubdue, nor expel thoſe Kings of Caſtile Infidels.

9. Before this time Prieſts were forbidden to marry, but could not be Contention for marriage of the Clergy.reſtrained from their liberty, and many had their own wife. In the year 1074. Hildebrand, in a Synod at Rome, condemned all married Prieſts as Nicolaitans; He directed his Bulls (as they called them) to Biſhops, Dukes, and other Powers, declaring them all to be no Prieſts which had a Wife; forbidding People to ſalute them, or pay them Tithes, or to acknowledge them in any way. This was a new example, and (as many ſaid) inconſiderate judgement, ſaith Matth. Pariſi. in Williel. Conqueſt. and againſt the ſentence of the Fathers; eſpecially it was againſt Canon Apoſtolor. 6. ſaying, Let not a Biſhop, or Presbyter, put away his Wife under pretext of Religion; or if he put her away, let him be excommunicate. It was againſt their own decrees, Diſt. 28. c. Siquis, If any ſhall teach, That a Prieſt ſhould for Religion forſake his Wife, let him be anathema; And Diſt. 31. c. Siquis, If any do blame Marriage, or ſhall deteſt a faithful Woman for lying with her own Husband; or think the Man culpable, as if for that cauſe he cannot enter p. 263into the Kingdom of Heaven, let him be anathema. It was contrary to Pope Leo IX. who in epiſt. ad Nicet. Abba. ſaith, We always confeſs, It is not lawful unto a Biſhop, or Prieſt, nor Deacon, to forſake his own Wife for Religion; but that he ſhould give her food and raiment, and not lie with her bodily, as we read the holy Apoſtles did; even as the bleſſed Apoſtle ſaith, Have we not power to lead about a Wife, a Siſter? Pol. Vergil. de inven. rer. li. 5. c. 4. is large in this purpoſe, and concludes thus; This I may ſay, That that forced chaſtity was ſo far from being better then married chaſtity, that no crime did bring, imprint, or burn-mark more ſhame upon the Order, more evil upon Religion, or more ſorrow unto good men, then the blot of Prieſts luſts; therefore it may be thought uſeful, both unto the Chriſtian Re-publique, and to the Order, that at laſt the liberty of marriage might be reſtored unto Prieſts, which they may keep holily without infamy, rather then to defile themſelves moſt filthily with that vice. The Index expurgatorius of the year 1571. hath ordained all theſe words, and many more of that Chapter, to be blotted out. And what obedience was given unto this Decree of Hildebrand, is clear in Naucle. vol. 2. gener. 36. where he hath this Epiſtle unto Conſtance; Gregory, Biſhop, the ſervant of God's ſervants, unto the Clerks, and Laicks, both greater and leſſer, in the Diocy of Conſtance, ſalutation and bleſſing; We have ſent unto our brother your Biſhop Otho exhortatory letters, by which, according to the neceſſity of our Office, by Apoſtolical Authority, we have commanded him to exclude Simoniacal hereſie altogether out of his Church, and that he ſhall earneſtly preach the chaſtity of Prieſts; But your Biſhop, neither reverencing the command of bleſſed Peter, nor taking heed unto his own duty, as it is reported unto us, hath not done what we did fatherly adviſe; and not onelyonly diſobediently, but rebelliouſly hath he, as we have underſtood, publikely permitted unto his Clerks, altogether contrary unto our command, or rather of bleſſed Peter, that they which have wives, may keep them; and they which have none, may have them by unlawful temerity: which ſo ſoon as we heard, taking it ill, we wrote again unto him, ſhewing how he had provoked our indignation; and alſo we have ſummoned him unto our Synod at Rome, to give the reaſons, and in the audience of the whole Convent declare the cauſes of his diſobedience, if they be reaſonable. Theſe things, moſt dear children, we make known unto you, that we may provide for your ſalvation; for if your Biſhop will with open hand fight againſt us, and be contumacious, it is not fit he ſhould rule, &c. Wherefore, as we have ſaid, by Apoſtolical Authority we command all thoſe, which are obedient unto God, and bleſſed Peter, if he ſhall continue hardened, that ye give him no reverence of obedience; nor think that to be any hurt unto your ſoul; for if he will be contrary unto the Apoſtolical precepts, we, by the Authority of bleſſed Peter, do abſolve you from all yoke of ſubjection unto him; ſo that if any of you were bound unto him by obligation of Sacrament [or Oath] he ſhall not be ſubject unto him in giving any fidelity, ſo long as he continues rebellious againſt God, and the Apoſtolical See. Naucler ſaith moreover, It is worthy the obſervation what Hersfeldenſis reports of the conſtitutions of Hildebrand: Hildebrand, conveening with his Biſhops of Italy, had decreed in many Synods, that, according to the Inſtitutions of antient Canons, Prieſts may have no Wives; they which have any, ſhould put them away, or be deprived: and that none be entered into the Prieſthood, which ſhall not profeſs ſingle life for ever. This Decree being proclamed thorow all Italy, he ſent many letters unto the Biſhops of France, commanding that they in their Churches, ſhould by an everlaſting curſe, put away all women p. 264from the houſes of Prieſts; All the faction of Clerks preſently do rage againſt this Decree, and ſaid, The man was plainly heretical, and of a mad minde; which having forgot the Lord's word, ſaying, All cannot receive this word; but who may, let him receive it. And the Apoſtle ſaith, If any cannot contain, let him marry; it is better to marry, then to burn. Now he by violent compulſion, will compel men to live after the maner of Angels; and while he denieth the accuſtomed courſe of nature, he looſeth the rains to fornication and uncleanneſs: But if he will continue to execute this Decree, they will chooſe to forſake the Prieſthood, rather then Marriage; and then let him who diſpiſeth men, ſee how he will provide Angels to govern the people in the Church of God. Nevertheleſs the Pope was inſtant, and by continual miſſions did accuſe all the Biſhops as careleſs. The Biſhop of Mentz perceiving that it was not an eaſie work to root out an old cuſtom, would walk more moderately; and at firſt gave them the ſpace of an half year to adviſe, exhorting his Clergy to do willingly what they muſt do at laſt; and to remove both from himſelf, and the Pope, the neceſſity of dealing more ſeverely. Then in October he aſſembleth his Synod at Erdsfurt, and urgeth, that without any more delay, they would now either abjure marriage, or leave their ſervice at the Altar: They brought many reaſons to the contrary, to elude the wickedneſs of his ſo preſſing command. When neither reaſons nor ſupplications could have place againſt the Authority of the Apoſtolical See, whereby he did alledge, he was forced againſt his will; the Prieſts went forth as to adviſe, and their counſel was, to return no more into the Synod; But ſome cry, It were better to return into the Synod, and pull him from his Epiſcopal Chair, before he pronounce his execrable ſentence againſt them; and if he were puniſhed with death, as he deſerves, they might leave a notable monument unto poſterity, that none of his Succeſſors dare put ſuch a calumny upon the Prieſtly Order. This was reported unto the Biſhop, and he was adviſed by his friends, to preveen the tumult in time: Then he ſent forth, and intreats them to ſettle themſelves, and return unto the Synod; and he promiſeth with the firſt opportunity to perſwade his Apoſtolical Lord, if by any way he can, to ſurceaſe from the ſeverity of his Decree: Theſe things were done ann. 1074. The next year the ſame Biſhop held a Synod in October at Mentz, where, with other Biſhops, came the Biſhop of Curia, the Popes Legate, with letters, and commands unto the Arch-Biſhop, with threatnings of his Order, and Place, to compel preſently all the Prieſts within his Diocy, to forſake their wives, or to dimit the ſervice of the Altar for ever. Which when he profeſſed to obey, the Clerks which were ſitting round about him aroſe, and did ſo confute him with words, and rage againſt him with their hands, and geſtures of their bodies, that he was paſt hope to eſcape with his life. So being overcome with ſuch difficulty, he reſolves to deal no more in this matter, but refer it unto the Pope, to end it when and in what maner he would by himſelf. So far writes Naucler. The Author of Catalo. teſt. ver. li. 13. calleth this Biſhop of Mentz Sigefrid. Then ſuch a Schiſm was in the Church, that the people would not ſend their Prieſts unto the Biſhops, but did elect them among themſelves; and put them in Office without the knowledge of the Biſhop, whereby the people would prevent the peril of Intrants; ſeeing the Biſhop would admit none, unleſs they did ſwear to live a ſingle life. Naucler expreſſes it thus, Upon this diſception followed an horrible peſt in the Weſtern Church, ſo that Laicks, in time of this diſſention of the Prieſts, did adminiſter holy things, baptiſe, anoint with filth, inſtead of the true and holy Oyl. He writes thus, as if he thought, that none can be lawful Presbyters, p. 265unleſs they be ordained by the Biſhop, or at his command; And nevertheleſs neither the Prieſts, nor the People did think ſo: But of this point more followeth in the next Chapter. And hence it appears, that both Prieſts and People did oppoſe the Popes Decree, and that not onelyonly in Germany, but in France alſo. Yea Gebuiler, a late Papiſt, teſtifieth, that in thoſe times Twenty four Biſhops in France, and Germany, with their Clergy, did conſtantly maintain the liberty of marriage. More of this followeth in Clemens 3. The ſame Pope Gregory commanded all men to abſtain from Lent.fleſh in time of Lent: his Succeſſors have preſſed it more and more, as meritorious of eternal life, and ſatisfactory for ſin, and under pain of deadly ſin. In former times had been a Lent, or ſort of faſting, but with liberty, and much variety. Socrates Hiſt. li. 5. c. 22. ſaith, The maner of faſting uſually obſerved before Eaſter, as all the world knows, hath been diverſly obſerved: The inhabitants of the princely City of Rome, do faſt three weeks together before Eaſter, excepting Saturday, and Sunday. Illyricum, all Greece, and Alexandria, begin their faſting five weeks before Eaſter, and that ſpace they call forty days faſt. Others begin ſeven weeks before Eaſter, and in all that while they uſe abſtinence but for fifteen days, pauſing before every of them; and theſe few days they call Lent. So that I cannot but marvel, that howbeit they differ in the number of days, yet all do call their obſervations, forty days faſt. Neither is this difference in the number of days, but there is a greater diverſity in the kindes of meat; for ſome abſtain from every living creature; ſome feed upon fiſh; others with fiſh eat fowls of the air, affirming (as Moſes writes) that their original is of the waters; others eat neither nuts, nor apples, nor any kinde of fruit, nor eggs; ſome feed onelyonly upon dry bread; and ſome receive not that; ſome, when they have faſted until nine of the clock, refreſh nature with divers ſorts of meats: Other nations have other Cuſtoms; the maner and cauſe are infinite, ſeeing none is able to ſhew a preſident, or record of it in writing; it is plain, that the Apoſtles left liberty unto every man, at his own diſcretion, without fear, compulſion, or conſtraint, to addict himſelf unto what ſeemed good and commendable. We know for certain, that this diverſity of faſting is rife throughout the world: ſo far Socrates. Before him Theodoret on Rom. 14. at the words, Let every one abound in his own ſenſe, ſaith, He ſpeaks not generally, but of meat onelyonly he gives liberty unto every one: for this Cuſtom continues unto this day in the Churches, that one abſtains, and another eats any meat without ſcruple; neither doth the one condemn the other, but this law of concord makes them the more famous and laudable. And Euſebius Hiſt. li. 5. c. 26. repeats the Epiſtle of Iraenaeus unto Victor Biſhop of Rome, ſaying, Neither is this difference of the day onelyonly, but of the maner of faſting; ſome think they ſhould faſt one day, ſome two, ſome more, ſome forty, and telling the hours of the night, and day: neither began this variety in our time, but long before; yet for all this variety they held unity one with another, and as yet we retain it; for this varity of faſting commends the unity of faith. They who before Soter were Biſhops of that See, I mean Anicetus, Pius, Higin, Teleſphorus, and Xiſtus, did not obſerve it themſelves, nor did they publiſh any ſuch preſident unto poſterity: and though they kept not that Cuſtom, they held unity with others who came unto them from other Churches, &c. Indeed Caranza in Summ. Concil. hath a Decree as of Teleſphorus; to wit, We Decree, that ſeven full weeks before Eaſter, all Clerks, that is, who are called into the Lot of the Lord, ſhould faſt from fleſh; becauſe, as the life of Clerks ſhould be different from the converſation of Lay men, ſo there ſhould be a difference in their faſting. p. 266Obſerve, the time is here appointed ſeven full weeks, and it is enjoyned unto Clerks onelyonly; nor is any thing forbidden but fleſh. But how can this Decree ſtand with the words of Irenaeus, or with the practice of Rome in the days of Socrates? In the firſt Council at Orleance (and that was about the time of the Nicen, and a National) is ſuch an Act concerning Prieſts; onelyonly Auguſtine in Epiſt. 86. ſaith, If you ask my opinion in this, I, reſolving it in my minde, do ſee in the writings of the Evangeliſts, and Apoſtles, faſting is commanded; but upon what days we ſhould faſt, or not faſt, I do not ſee it defined by precept of our Lord, or his Apoſtles: ſo he. Bellarmin De bon. oper. li. 2. c. 15. ſaith, It ſeems a wondrous difference was among the Antients in keeping of Lent; Nevertheleſs Pope Gregory had a precedent; for Euſebius Hiſt. li. 5. c. 16. ſaith, Montanus condemned marriage, and eating of fleſh; and alſo he kept three faſts yearly, whereof one was two weeks before Eaſter: It is alſo to be marked, that whatſoever neceſſity be laid on keeping of Lent, yet a man may have a diſpenſation from his Prieſt for a ſmall ſum of money, as the Papal Chancelary directeth.

10. Peter Damian, Biſhop of Oſcia, wrote a Book De Correctione Epiſcopi Some fruits of Bishops are noted.& Papae: it is in Catal. teſt. ver. lib. 12. There he ſharply rebukes the arrogance of Biſhops which will live as they liſt, without ſubjection unto cenſure; albeit the Prophet David did not ſpurn at the admonition of the Prophet Nathan; and Samuel (though ſuffering wrong) did not refuſe the cenſure of the people of Iſrael; and albeit Peter was endowed with ſuch graces, yet he was ſubject to the cenſure of others, Act. 1. and when he was rebuked by Paul, he did not quarrel, but took it in good part, becauſe he well underſtood, it was not of malice, but in love. But (ſaith he) now they ſay, I am a Biſhop, I ſhould not be rebuked by my ſheep; they muſt be ſilent, whatſoever be my carriage, &c. He concludes, Therefore let this pernicious Cuſtom be aboliſhed by Eccleſiaſtical diſcipline; away with this deceitful ſubterfuge, that he who pretends ſo malepert arrogancy, may not enjoy his ſin with immunity. In an Epiſtle unto Udalrik, Biſhop of Firma, he reproves the Popes, that they do contrary unto that which they are commanded to teach; for they ſhould exhort all men unto patience, and toleration of injuries, and forbid vindictive contentions: But now (ſaith he) what Biſhops ſhould exhort others to do, they themſelves will not do; Chriſt commands to forgive thy brother ſeventy times in a day: the King may uſe the temporal ſword, but a Prieſt ſhould uſe onelyonly the ſword of the Spirit, which is God's Word; If for maintaining the faith, Prieſts ſhould not carry iron weapons, how then ſee we armies of them riſing againſt one another for earthly things? But ſo it is fulfilled what the Apoſtle writes, When they preach to others, themſelves are found to be reprobates.

11. About the year 1072. at Nantes, in low Bretanny, a Letter was Oppoſition againſt Gregory VII. and deſcription of the Church at that time.preſented unto a Clerk, as directed from hell: in it Satan, and all that fry, gave thanks unto all Church-men, becauſe they were not deficient unto his and their pleaſures; and by negligence of preaching, they ſent ſo many ſouls unto hell, as no age preceding had ſeen ſo many. Mat. Pariſi. ad ann. 1072. Cardinal Benno teſtifieth, that none of Hildebrand's Cardinals would (at firſt) ſubſcribe the excommunication of the Emperor Henry; and he hath a large Catalogue of Cardinals, Bishops, and Deacons, who left the Pope, and would never return unto him; ſo that (as he ſaith) the Church was divided, the one party pretending the Authority of the Pope, and the other accuſing them and their Pope, that he and they taught, and did contraray unto the Scriptures and primitive Church. He addes, that he and his Succeſſor Turban, had preſumed to violate the Decrees of Chalcedon, namely, in p. 267baptiſing, and communicating without the Church: But (ſaith he) as Euſebius alone defending the unity of the Church againſt Liberius, proved him to be an Heretique; and by his refuſing to communicate with him, did binde him with the keys; ſo & much more is Hildebrand, perſevering in this error, condemned unto hell, by the departing of ſo many Fathers from the Roman Church; and who accurſe his Hereſies, and abuſes of the power of binding and looſing. Then he hath a large deſcription of Hildebrand, and his diſciples; ſaying, Let the Prophets be aſtoniſhed at the voice of Peter, and his diſciples; they are men in face, and ſcorpions in tail; wolves lurking in ſheep-skins, killing bodies, and dedeſtroying ſouls: their Religion is nothing but treachery, and covetouſneſs; they haunt widows, and lead women captives who are loaden with ſins: by occaſion of times they give heed to the ſpirit of error, and doctrine of divels; which their Maſter Hildebrand hath received from his Maſters Theophylact [or Pope Benedict IV.] Laurence Biſhop of Amelphis, John, or Gregory VI.—Becauſe Satan could not openly perſecute Chriſt by Pagans, he craftily intends to ſubvert the name of Chriſt by a falſe Monk, under ſhew of Religion: but albeit God permit ſuch things to be done (our ſins ſo deſerving) yet the time of recompenſe is at hand. Catal. teſt. ver. li. 13. Many other Books were written againſt this Hildebrand: there is named one in the German tongue, written by Waltram Biſhop of Niembergh, as is thought; the Author bewails the miſeries of the Church, and lewdneſs of Clerks; then he addes, Hence the Catholique faith is defiled; hence that unrighteouſneſs hath waxed ſo, that inſtead of truth, falſe teſtimonies; and for common faith, perjuries do abound: ſince Laws are ſilent, giving place to wars, that ſaying of Hoſeah is fulfilled, There is no truth, nor knowledge of God, nor mercy in the land; curſing, and lyes, murther, and ſtealing have overflowed.—Behold, ſome Biſhops have joyned unto the faction of Hildebrand, accounting more of him, then of all the Catholique Church; ſo it comes to paſs, that while the enemy ſo weth in the Lord's field the tares of many ſcandals, that now in Biſhopricks are no Sacraments of Chriſt and his Church (which ſhould be the work of the Biſhops of God) but execrations, which are the works of the Servants of Satan; who (as Cyprian writes) ſeeing Idols forſaken, and his Temples left by the multitude of Believers, hath deviſed a new craft; under the name of a Chriſtian, he deceives the unwiſe; and by Hereſies and Schiſms, he overthrows the faith, &c. In another place he ſaith, Now it appears Satan is looſed out of the pit, ſeeing, as it is written, he is come forth to deceive the Nations. Ia. Vſſer. de Eccleſ. ſtatu. c. 5. hath the ſame. The above-named Waltram, in another place lamenteth, That then a new ſort of Biſhops, ſwelling in pride becauſe of the gifts of Believers, drew all things unto themſelves under cloke of Religion; and they were painted walls, and hypocrites.

12. When Gregory, and Victor, the two heads of that pernicious faction, More oppoſition againſt that faction.were gone, the Biſhops of Germany and France, conſidering the calamities of the Church by that unhappy Schiſm, thought good to meet at Garſtung, for debating their ſtrife no more with ſwords, but with reaſonings: ſo the Biſhops of both factions conveen in January. There Conrad, Biſhop of Utrecht, had a long Oration to this purpoſe; We are aſſembled, prudent Fathers, to eſtabliſh peace, which our Saviour at his departure did leave: the temerity, violence, and peſtiferous errors of thoſe, who are not aſhamed to diſpiſe that heavenly gift, I wiſh I could cut in ſunder with the two-edged ſword, and confute with the teſtimonies of the two Teſtaments, according to Chriſt's command. Who deſpiſeth an Oath, breaks covenant, and keeps not promiſe, diſpiſeth him by whom he hath ſworn; he offends him, whoſe p. 268name the other party hath believed: As I live, ſaith the Lord, the Oath that he hath diſpiſed, and the Covenant that he hath tranſgreſſed, ſhall I bring upon his pate. Shall he who hath tranſgreſſed his Covenant eſcape? You muſt conſider not ſo much unto whom, as by whom thou haſt ſworn; and he is more faithful, who did believe thee, ſwearing by the name of God, then thou art, who hatcheſt miſchief againſt thy enemy, or rather now thy friend, and that by reaſon of divine Majeſty. We finde it commanded concerning Tiberius, and Nero, who were not onelyonly moſt cruel Tyrants, but moſt vile Monſters, Give to Caeſar, what is Caeſars; and, fear God, and honor the King: and not onelyonly be obedient unto Princes, who bear not the ſword in vain, even though they be evil; but ſupplicate the moſt high God for them, that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. All power is of God, and he who reſiſts power, reſiſts the providence of God. Therefore thoſe are ambitious, and preſumptuous, who dare with whoriſh faces miſinterpret that ſaying of our Lord and God, What ye ſhall looſe on earth, ſhall be looſed in heaven; and what ye binde on earth, ſhall be bound in heaven; and force it to ſerve unto their own luſt, and indeavor to gull us, as if we were children without all knowledge.—Our heavenly Teacher did open the hearts of his diſciples to underſtand the Scriptures, Moſes, the Prophets, and the Pſalms; and he commanded them to preach in his name unto all the Nations, repentance and forgiveneſs of ſins, and that they ſhould be witneſſes of thoſe things. Therefore Hildebrand was carried headlong into ambition, when he uſurped the power of the eternal God, whoſe Meſſenger he ſhould have been; ſuch are the times now, ſuch are the maners, and ſuch are the men. The moſt high Majeſty had provided but ſlenderly for the affairs of mortals, if he had ſo intruſted the ſword into the hand of any man. Who could reſtrain the luſt of men? who could rule it? truly the wiſeſt is not ſufficient for ſuch a burthen. We have not need that any ſhould teach us in what maner Peter, and his Colleagues did uſe their ſpiritual power, or (to ſpeak more properly) the diſpenſation and adminiſtration of God's ſtewardſhip (for they were but ſtewards of the divine Oracles.) It is as clear as the light, by the book which the Phyſitian Luke hath written of the Acts of Chriſt's Meſſengers, the weapons of our warfare are ſpiritual, and not iron, nor robberies, murthers, killing of men, nor perjuries; and our helmet, breaſt-plate, girdle, buckler, and ſword, are peace, love, righteouſneſs, hope of ſalvation, truth, the word of God, and faith. Theſe Divine Gifts our moſt Chriſtian Emperor did often proffer moſt willingly unto Hildebrand, but he refuſed to accept them, &c. The Papal party had choſen Gebhard, Biſhop of Salisburgh, to ſpeak in their name; but when he heard this Oration, he would not open his mouth to ſpeak in the contrary. Avent. Annal. lib. 5. It was appointed at that time to aſſemble again in May at Mentz. The Papal party did preveen the time, and aſſembled at Quintelburgh (now called Quedlinburgh) in April; there they wreſted ſome words of Wezilo, Biſhop of Mentz, and condemned him as an Arch-Heretique: they called themſelves the true Church, and conſented unto the election of Clemens III. The Synod at Mentz was very ſolemn: there was the Emperor, the Electors, and many Dukes; Peter, Biſhop of Portua, and Legate of Clemens; and many Biſhops of France, and Germany: by common ſuffrage the faction of Hildebrand was condemned, as contrary unto Chriſtian piety: and a Decree was publiſhed to this purpoſe; All Chriſtians ſhould ſhun the company of thoſe accurſed perſons whom we have named, ſeeing they have made defection from us, and not we from them: they promiſed to be preſent at this Synod, but they will not come; they abuſe Chriſtian piety, and leaving the p. 269ſheep, they run unto the enemies of the Republique; they not onelyonly exhort unto fire and ſword, but alſo are ring-leaders, and Captains of the war—What would they have done if they had lived in the days of Domician, Decius, &c. Avenii. lib. cit. who recordeth many other Synods condemning that faction: As alſo Sigebert, a Monck of Gemblac, who hath continued the Epitome of Jerom, and hath briefly written the Hiſtory of the Church from the year 381. untill 1112 there he noteth many errors of the Popes; namely, That they preſume to abſolve Subjects from their Allegiance unto their Princes. He ſaith of them, Falſe Prophets, falſe Apoſtles, and falſe Prieſts have ariſen, who deceive the People with a falſe Religion; and dare advance themſelves above all that is worſhipped: while they ſeek to eſtabliſh their own power, and dominion, they have put away Chriſtian charity and ſimplicity.

13. When Biſhops and Prieſts became Monarchs, ſome Monarchs became Reformation of ſome Countreys.Paſtors; as Olaus King of Norway, and Steuchilus King of Sweden, taught their Subjects the Word of God. Herman Contractus, Count of Vering, infirm in body, was admired in the knowledge of the Greek, Arabick, and Latin tongues; ſingular in Philoſophy, eſpecially Aſtronomy, Rhetorick, Poeſie, and Divinity. Jo. Lampad▪ in Mellifi. remembreth alſo that ſome Germans were then perſecuted for denying Purgatory, the bodily preſence of Chriſt in the Euchariſt, and the worſhip of Images. Ecbert, a Monck, wrote againſt them, and contemptuouſly called them Cathari, or Puritans: the Emperors alſo, and the Popes, made Conſtitutions againſt them. The People Heneti were compelled to receive Biſhops, and Prieſts, in the days of Otho I. but after his death they killed the Biſhops, they threw down the Churches, and returned to Idolatry. Henry III. reſtoreth the Chriſtian Religion, and erecteth Biſhopricks among them. Io. Pap. in Hiſt. Converſ. After the death of Steven King of Hungary, were ſturrs there for many years; in the year 1045. the Princes of the Kingdom being vexed by the ſeverity of King Peter, ſent for Andrew, Bela, and Leventa, which were of the kin…ed of Steven, and baniſhed into Bohem and Poland. The King underſtanding this Plot, did cauſe to be hanged Vi…ca, Bua, and Buchna, three chief men, and puniſhed others cleaving unto them other ways. For this cauſe, the Nobles convening at Canad, ſent for Andrew, and Leventa again, with ſolemn promiſes, and oath, to bring the Kingdom into their obedience. So ſoon as they came, all the People came unto them at Novum Caſtrum, demanding firſt to permit the People to live after the ancient way of their Fathers, in Paganiſm; to kill the Biſhops, and Clergy; to forſake Chriſtianiſm, and worſhip their Idols; which was granted. The chief of them, Vacha, began in the Caſtle Belos; and his Son gathereth Socerers, and Soothſayers, by whoſe inchantments he purchaſeth the Peoples favor. Then the People threw down the Churches, and killed all the Latin and Dutch Prieſts cruelly; Likewiſe Andrew, and Leventa levieth an Army againſt the Chriſtians. And four Biſhops, Gerard, Biſtrit, Buld, and Beneth, and Zehung Count of Alba, meet together in the Church of God; where Gerard ſaith, Brethren, fellow Biſhops, and other believers here preſent, we ſhall to day go with the Crown of Martyrdom unto our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: for this night I ſaw the Lord Jeſus Chriſt communicating unto us the Sacrament of his body and blood. After Maſs they went with the King and his Army, and were killed at Peſch; and the King was taken, and brought to Alba, where he died ann. 1047. Then Andrew was crowned; and ſo ſoon as he was free from enemies, he enacted a Law, That all Hungarians ſhould renounce Paganiſm under pain of death: and himſelf did profeſs the faith p. 270in Chriſt. Nevertheleſs the Emperor Henry went down the Danube with a great Army, and beſiedgeth the Caſtle Peſch: ſome Hungarians in the night-time boareth all the Emperor's Ships under the water, and drowned them, ſo that the Army was weakened, Naucler. Gener. 35. And in Gener. 36. he ſhews how the Emperor ſought peace, and hardly obtained it; for continuing peace, they did agree that Solomon, King Andrew's Son, ſhould marry Sophia, the Emperor's Daughter. But then Bela, the King's Brother, made a new inſurrection, and by help of the Polonians invades the Kingdom; and prevails ſo, that Andrew was killed, and Solomon fled into Germany; and Bela was crowned at Alba: Immediately he calleth a Parliament, for ſetling and ordering the Kingdom. Many of the common People, eſpecially the Countrey men, ſay unto the King, Grant unto us to live after the maner of our Fathers, in Paganiſm, to put away Biſhops, and Prieſts; and to retain our Tithes; and to lay waſte the Churches. The King was amaſed, and craves a delay for three days: On the third day the chief of the multitude come for the anſwer; At the King's command Soldiers fall upon them, and then invade the multitude; and when ſome of them were killed, others cry for mercy, and renounce Paganiſm. By conferring the former part with this, it appears that two things eſpecially did hinder the Reformation of the Heathens at that time; to wit, They had Latin Prieſts, who did the Service in an unknown language; and they took it ill to be burthened with payment of Tithes: and moreover, Religion was preſſed upon them by the ſword. In time of the wars twixt the Emperor Henry, and the Saxons, Miſtiwoi, a Prince of the Wandals, did ſo approve himſelf unto D. Bernard, that he did eſpouſe unto him his Siſter: Before the day of marriage, Tiaderik, a Marqueſs, ſaid unto the Duke, It was a baſe thing to give ſuch a Lady unto a dog. So ſoon as this was reported unto Miſtiwoi, he ſaid, Are we then dogs? is this the reward of our trouble? if we be dogs, we will let them feel our madneſs. The Wandals then renounce Chriſtianity, and profeſs hoſtility againſt Chriſtians: at Aldenburgh they made their ſport with ſixty Prieſts; they deſtroy Hamburgh, and the Biſhop Benno eſcapes with his life: they expel the Marqueſs of Brandeburgh out of all his Lands. Duke Bernard levieth an Army againſt them; and the Emperor ſent aid unto him. In this fight Miſtiwoi was killed, and the Wandals were brought into payment of their former tribute. But for eighty years they were not ſincere in Religion, ſaith Al. Crantz. in Saxo. li. 4. c. 34. In the days of the Emperor Conrad, Miſtiwoi Duke of Poland, did renounce the faith; and raiſing an Army, made great havock in Germany, twixt the Rivers Sala, and Albe; deſtroyed many Churches, and Monaſteries, and killed many thouſand men. When he heard that the Emperor was preparing againſt him, he returns with his ſpoil. Loc. cit. c. 36.

14. About the year 980. Theodor, Biſhop of Antioch, beſought the Emperor, Of the Manichees.John Zimiſca, to remove the Manichees (who called themſelves Cathari, and Pavacimi) into ſome remote place; becauſe they overſpread all, and infected many with their Hereſies. The Emperor tranſports many of them into Philippopolis, in Thracia; where Alexius Commenus (Emperor in the days of Henry IV.) cauſed diſpute with them; and by information, did prevail with many of them. Zona. This hereſie ſpread into Bulgaria, (as afterwards they were called Bulgari) Slavonia, Lombardie, and France; nor could it be reſtrained by Decrees of Popes, nor power of Arms, ſaith Sylvius in Europ. c. 16. The Emperor Henry cauſed to be hanged a number of them ann. 1062. and ſome of them were burnt in ſundry places. Their errors were, p. 271They condemned marriage, and eating of fleſh; they diſpiſe the Old Teſtament, and ſome parts of the New; they held that there were two Creators; one good Creator, of things inviſible; and another ill, of viſible things: they deny baptiſm, and the reſurrection from death. Vſſer. de Ecleſ. ſtatu. c. 8. ex Rad. Arden. Homil. 8. poſt. Trinit. They were divided into divers Sects, different in ſome other opinions, and they had their own Biſhops.

15. All this time, ſince the laſt mention of the Turks, and Saracens, the Of the Turks.Turks (as is ſaid) lived under the Saracens, ſubject unto them and their Religion; and living by paſturage, without any Ruler of their own Nation. In this age they became Princes of Babylon, and Perſia, and within a ſhort ſpace they were Lords of all Aſia, unto Pontus, and the Euxine Sea, which is called Turcomannia untill this day. When the Saracens were divided among themſelves, eſpecially the Sultan of Perſia, Hircania, or Sogdiana, and Media, fell at variance with the Calipha of Babylon, he ſent for the Turks, by whoſe hand he prevailed; and when he refuſed to pay them, they robbed him of his Kingdom; and were advanced more and more in both the Armenios, Cappadocia, Bithymia, &c. In the year 1009. the Turks conquered Jeruſalem from the Saracens; not long thereafter the Saracens of Egypt were Maſters of it again, and kept it till the coming of Godifrid. About the year 1028. the Calipha of Egypt ſpoiled the Church of Jeruſalem: and after twenty years, the Emperor of Conſtantinople made a league with Deber Calipha; and by his permiſſion he built the Church again ann. 1051. The Turks compel the Calipha of Babylon to create their Prince Tangrolipex Zadok, King of Aſia. Then they made a league with the Calipha of Egypt, and reigned peaceably forty and ſix years. At that time Peter, an Eremite (who was wont to ſay his Pater Noſter by a role of Beads, and from whom the Romans have their Gades. Pol. Vergil. de inven. rer. li. 5. c. 9.) came The firſt Gades.into Rome, and reports the miſeries of Chriſtians under the Infidels; Whereupon the Popes dealt with the Princes to go unto their aid. And Pope Urban II. perſwaded many Princes at Claremont, to recover the Holy The Holy Wars.Land (as they called it) out of the power of Turks and Saracens. The Princes took the ſign of the Croſs for their cogniſance; and ſeveral Nations did vary the colour, or ſituation, or ſome circumſtance of that badge, to the end the Soldiers might know their own Prince, when they had occaſion to go into theſe wars: and hence are ſo many ſundry ſorts of Croſſes in Europe. In the firſt interpriſe Godifrid Duke of Bullion, Prince of Lorain, was their General; he ſold his Dutchy unto the Biſhop of Leodium, that he might amaſs the more money: with him were his two Brothers, Baldwin, and Euſtachius, Bohemund Duke of Apulia, Raymond Earl of Tolouſe, Robert Earl of Flanders, Robert Duke of Normandy, and Son to William the Conqueror, Hugh Brother of Philip King of France, &c. Two Armies went before Godifrid; one under the conduct of Peter the Eremite, and the other was commanded by Gotteſchalk a Presbyter; they were both ſpoiled for their plundering, ſome in Hungaria, and ſome in Bulgaria; and ſome arriving into Bethynia, went abroad without order, and were killed by Solyman ann. 1096. The Princes went by Sea from Venice, and when they did meet with the remnants of the former Companies, they were muſtered about ſix hundered thouſand of foot, and one hundred thouſand horſe. They did firſt aſſault Nicomedia, and were repulſed by ſtrong fortifications of the City, and for want of victuals: and the Turks and Saracens joyned againſt the Chriſtians. Alexius, Emperor of the Greeks, ſent aid unto the Chriſtians, and then the Turks were forced to yield up Nice ann. 1097. After that was an open fight, wherein forty thouſand Infidels were ſlain; p. 272and the Chriſtians with ſmall loſs took Iconium, the head City of Lycaonia: then they gained Heraclea, and Turſus; appointing the Government of theſe Cities unto Baldwin; who thereafter ſubdued Antiochia, Edeſſa, Cilicia, and Comagena, &c. After all this, Ieruſalem was taken on the thirty ninth day of the ſiege; and Robert Duke of Normandy was choſen King of all the Conqueſt; and Jeruſalem was appointed the chief City of the Kingdom: but Robert hearing that his Brother William, King of England, was dead, would not accept it. Then Godifrid was proclamed firſt King of Jeruſalem ann. 1099. This expedition was begun with a good intention, that the Land might be purged from Idolatry, and Chriſtians might be freed from grievous tharldom; but it was continued by the craft of Popes, for enlarging their Dominion abroad, and for weakening the Empire, and the hinderers of their uſurpation, that themſelves might promove their power with the more facility at home; and often that they might gather great ſums of money under this plauſible pretext; as follows very plainly, and eſpecially after the 1200. year. At the firſt ſome did ſmell the vanity of the Expedition; for Anſelm (of whom in the next Chapter) writing unto one William intending thither, ſaid, I admoniſh, adviſe, pray, beſeech, and command thee, as one whom I love, that thou leave off thy going to Jeruſalem, which is not now The viſion of peace, but of tribulation; and leave theſe treaſures of Conſtantinople, and Babylon, unto the robbery of bloody hands; and think upon heavenly Jeruſalem, and walk in the way unto it, which truly is the viſion of peace. Lib. 2. Epiſt. 19. Out of theſe few words appears what was his judgement, and alſo what was the intention of many in that voyage.

16. By degrees were the Legati à latere brought in Authority among the Legati à latereNations; and they did enlarge the Popes Phylacteries. At firſt, becauſe Rome was the chief City of the Empire, from thence, as from a Seminary, were Preachers ſent to ſundry Nations, to preach, and plant the Goſpel, or to confute Hereſies, thereafter to provide vacant Benefices, and to ſupply the Biſhop of Rome his abſence in Synods; in all which they did no other thing, but as other Biſhops might have done, and alſo did: But when the Biſhops of Rome were made Patriarchs, and became ambitious, theſe Legates did the ſame offices at ſome times; but therewith they began craftily to enjoyn unto Arch-Biſhops, and Metropolitans, to execute ſome things, which by the Word of God they were commanded to do; and they would give them power within their own Diocies, as if Biſhops were Vicars of the Roman Patriarch, or his Legate. Theſe Primates did gladly embrace this ſhew of honor, that for reverence of the Roman Church they might be the more reſpected in their own juriſdiction; and ſometimes the more eaſily advance themſelves above their Competitors. Sometimes the Popes ſent Legates into other Diocies with ſuch modeſty, that they had Authority to attempt nothing without concurrence of the Biſhops, or Synod of that Countrey; Albeit theſe Legations were partly godly, and at the worſt were tolerable, yet they were not poteſtativae, or imperious, but charitativae, or exhortatory: Nevertheleſs the Popes brought the Churches, and Biſhops, into ſubjection by ſuch means; for afterwards they were ſent onelyonly for ambitious uſurpation, covetouſneſs, and worldly affairs. The ordinary Legates at Picen, Romandiola, Bononia, Ferraria, Avenion, and if there be any ſuch others, are Provincial Deputies, Praetores, or Vice-Roys; The Nuntio's at the Court of the Emperor, or of any King, or Prince, or State, are Ambaſſadors, or Spies for ſecular affairs: The affairs of any Church that are gainful, if they be of leſs account, are reſerved unto the judgement of the p. 273Nuntio; yet not definitively, but to be determined at Rome; and things of more weight are reſerved for the Court of Rome wholly; In the mean time the power of Metropolitans, and Biſhops is neglected. The ancient Biſhops of Rome, did ſeverely enjoyn their Legates to acknowledge duly the inferior Biſhops within their own juriſdiction; but now they paſs by the Metropolitans, and draw all actions unto themſelves, and the Court of Rome: Alſo their ambiton and avarice have ſo provoked ſome Nations, that they will admit no Legate, as Sicilie, and France hath entrenched their office. Theſe particulars are more fully written by Spalatenſ. de Rep. Eccleſ. lib. 4. cap. 12.