History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600, Ecclesiastical epoch 100-1300 · Century 13 · Chapter 3

History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600 · Ecclesiastical epoch 100-1300 · Century 13 · Chapter 3

p. 412CHAP. III. Of divers Countreys.

1. PLatina in Honor. III. writeth, that then were earthquakes ſo great and A general deſcription of this Century.fearful, that in the mountains Salvii five thouſand men and women were ſmothered by ruine of houſes, and falling of ſtones off hills: and in the days of Gregory the IX. was inundation of waters; Tibris overflowing his banks brought great harm: and men were ſo plagued with peſtilence, that ſcarcely the tenth perſon was preſerved: then was a ſtrange eclipſe of the Sun, and Stars ſeemed to fall. But theſe days were more miſerable for ſpiritual plagues; for the miſty ignorance of former times became more foggy; people and nations were wonderouſly deluded with ſtrong deluſions of the man of ſin. No peace in the world almoſt; and the blood of Chriſtians was ſhed every where, and for the moſt part by procurement of the Popes, partly under the ſhew of holy wars, and partly under pretence of hereſies, as will yet more appear. For

2. Then came the locuſts out of the bottomleſs pit; of whom the firſt was The Dominicans andDominicus Calaguritanus a Spaniard, the Father of Fratres Praedicatores, or black Friers, who were alſo called Jacobines and Dominicans. Petrus Auratus, one of that Order, in Scintilla Divi. amor. cap. 5. writeth of him thus; Our holy Father Dominicus, did every day laſh his own body moſt ſharply; once for dantoning the fleſh, next for ſatisfying for the ſouls in Purgatory, and the third time for living ſinners. But Antonius Arch-Biſhop of Florence, about the year 1420. goeth further, comparing Dominicus with Chriſt in number and greatneſs of miracles, in name, in life, death, and after death; and in all theſe (almoſt) preferring Dominicus (O blaſphemy!) ſaying, Chriſt raiſed three dead bodies; Dominicus raiſed three dead bodies at Rome; what ſhall I ſay of four hundred which were drowned at Tolouſe, and at the prayer of Dominicus were brought forth ſafe, after they had been a long ſpace under the water? Chriſt, being immortal, came twice unto his diſciples when the the doors were ſhut; but Dominicus, being as yet mortal, came into the Church in the night when the doors were ſhut, leſt he did awake his diſciples. Chriſt after his death ſaid unto his diſciples, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth: but this power was given unto Dominicus in heaven, on earth, and in hell; for he had Angels to ſerve him, and the Divels trembled at his nod, nor were they able to diſobey him. The prayer of Chriſt was heard ſo oft as he would; for when he prayed in the garden, Let this cup depart from me, albeit he was not heard, in ſo far as he prayed in ſenſuality, yet according to his minde or reaſon he wiſhed not to be heard; but Dominicus ſhewed unto one of his companions, [Iacob. de Vorag. in Legend. Aurea p. 413calleth him Prior Monaſterii Caſſamariae] in a familiar conference, that he never did ſeek any thing from God, which he did not obtain to his hearts deſire; [to wit, becauſe he was more perfect then Chriſt, and never did pray by appetite of ſenſes.] Theſe and many other blaſphemies were paralelled by that Biſhop, and canonized Saint of the Roman Church. Anton. par. 3. tit. 23. cap. 1. §. 2, & 38. The next was Francis of Aſſiſio, an Italian, the Father of the Franciſcans were thethe Minorites, or Franciſcans: he alſo is exalted above the Prophets, Apoſtles, yea and above Chriſt. In Francis (ſay they) the paſſion of Chriſt is renewed; of him David ſaith, Thou haſt crowned him with glory and honor, and thou haſt ſet him above the works of thy hands; He is given as a light to the Nations. It is moſt certain, for one Maſs of St. Francis, God hath been appeaſed with all the world. They are all ſaved who die in that Order, and under the rule of St. Francis. He hath obtained from God, that none can die evilly in his habit. Chriſtus oravit, Franciſcus exoravit. P. Morn. in Myſter. iniq. ex libro Conformitat. Vitae B. Franciſ. ad vit. Chriſti. The Author of that book was Barth. de Piſis, An. 1389. it was approved by the Roman cenſurers, and printed at Bononia An. 1510. with this inſcription, Liber aureus. Theſe two, Dominicus and Francis, were canonized, and their Orders confirmed: And by the Bull of Pope Gregory the IX. it was commanded, that all ſhould believe the holineſs and power of theſe men, or ſhall be puniſhed as Hereticks. That Legenda ſheweth the cauſe of their honor. Pope Innocentius did refuſe two (as the Ieſuits now are the onelyonly) pillars of the Roman Church.to confirm their Order, until he dreamed; as Mantuanus alſo hath expreſſed it in Faſtor. lib. 8.

Viderat in ſomnis Laterani ungentia Templi

Tecta: ruinoſum caput inclinare, vtrumque

Suppoſuiſſe humeris & ſuſtinuiſsi ruinam.

Taliter admonitus paſtor, ſuccurrere feſsis

Poſſe hominem rebus fidei, regnoque labenti

Annuit, &c.

This dream is in Legenda Aurea, and in Faſcic. temp. After that dream, Innocentius craved that Dominicus would draw up the rules of his Order; but before the rules were digeſted, Innocentius died; and then Pope Honorius received and confirmed them. Legen. Aurea. Bonaventura in vita Franciſ. ſaith, that dream was meant of his Father Francis. How was the Lateran Church then like to fall? The Emperor for a long time was ſtriving againſt the Popes; and the Waldenſes were preaching againſt the hereſies of Rome, and calling the Pope the Antichriſt; therefore power and authority was given to Dominicus and Francis, with their diſciples, to allure with their pale faces, to ſting with fained words, and to preach, that all men ſhould ſend money for maintaining the holy wars againſt the holy wars againſt the Emperor, and that none ſhould believe the new doctrine of the Waldenſes: This was the ſcope of their preachings at firſt, and ſo did they uphold the Lateran Church. And becauſe the Biſhops were not diligent enough to reſiſt the Waldenſes, the Pope commiteth unto Dominicus the office of Inquiſition; and he took with him others, which either with ſword or by tongue, would oppugn all the adverſaries of the Roman Church. Afterwards theſe Friers became Biſhops, Cardinals, and Legati à latere (and what were they not?) to gather collections of money, and to incite Kings and Nations againſt the Infidel Emperor (as they ſpake) and Princes, and againſt them whom they called Hereticks. For their diligence in this Commiſſion, Dominicus and Francis were called the two Olives, and the two Candleſticks ſtanding before the Lord, Revel. 11. p. 414and the two Cherubins full of wiſdom, Exod. 37. Antonin. loc. cit. Their Inſtitution Their inſtitution.was, to have a white coat, and a black one above it; to live by the works of their hands, or by alms, but to have no proper goods; and leſt their piety turn to idleneſs, they ſhould go abroad and preach every where, as Chriſt did. Pope Innocentius the III. commended this Inſtitution; and after him Honorius confirmed it. Pol. Virg. de inven. rer. lib. 7. cap. 4. From their preaching they were called Praedicatores. Francis had been an Auguſtinian, but he would, being a more ſtrict life, all Monks had poſſeſſions in common, though nothing in propriety; but he would have nothing in common nor in propriety, nor two coats, but one coat of the natural colour, girded with a girdle of leather: This he commended as the very life of a Chriſtian, and commanded and practiſed by Chriſt; and to the end that theſe of his Order ſhould beware of pride (which often followeth ſanctity, ſaith Pol. Virg. loc. cit.) he would have them called Minorites. He vowed obedience unto Pope Honorius the IV. and his Succeſſors; and his Brethren muſt vow obedience unto him and his Succeſſors. When they were adviſing in the Colledge at Rome, upon the confirmation of this Order, ſome Cardinals ſaid, It was a new thing, and more then man is able to perform. John Biſhop of Sabinien, ſaid, It is blaſphemy againſt Chriſt and his Goſpel, to ſay, that it containeth any thing new and impoſſible: So it was confirmed at that time. And afterwards by Pope Gregory the IX. in theſe words; We ſay, that neither in common no… in ſpecial, ſhould they have any propriety; but they may have the uſe of utenſils, of books, and other moveables that they ſhall get lawfully; and the Friers may uſe ſuch things as their General or Provincials ſhall think good, reſerving the dominion of the houſes and places unto ſuch as is known it belongeth unto; neither may they ſell their moveables, or give them away from their Order, unleſs a Cardinal of the Roman Church, who ſhall be Governor of the Order, ſhall give power and conſent unto their General or Provincials. Innocentius the IV. declared, that the propriety of the Minorites goods, belongeth unto the Apoſtolical See; and he gave them power to appoint Procurators, who might ſell, or any way change their goods for their uſe; and to change the Procurators as they thought good. And ſo though they had vowed ſimple poverty, yet they deviſed ways of poſſeſſion; yea, they ſought the poſſeſſions of other Monks; and (as Matth. Pariſ. ſaith ad An. 1235.) it was told them, It is a ſhame unto them, and ſcandal unto others, to change their rule and profeſſion ſo ſoon. Their way of purchaſing was thus; They had liberty to hear confeſſions (as the Dominicans had to preach) and they did ask perſons of whatſoever quality, Haſt thou made thy confeſſion? If it were anſwered, Yea; they ſaid, To whom? if it were anſwered, To our Prieſt; the Frier ſaid, What an idiot is that? he never learned Divinity, nor hath he read the Decrees, nor hath he learned to ſolve a queſtion; thoſe Prieſts are blinde guides of the blinde; come unto us, we can diſtinguiſh between leproſie and leproſie; unto us are the myſteries and ſecrets of God revealed; confeſs unto us, to whom ſo great priviledges are granted by the Apoſtolical See: Therefore many Nobles and others, left their Biſhops and Prieſts, and made their confeſſions unto the Friers, and gave them their tithes and offerings, as is manifeſt by the querulous Letters that were collected by Petrus de Vineis Epiſt. lib. 1. And then the Friers began to rear up georgeous buildings for themſelves, and the Prieſts were for the moſt part but contemned and poor. Some Popes made Decree in favor of the Friers, for the benefit of the Church; and ſome made contrary Decrees: for them, Honorius the IV. Gregory the IX. Alexander the IV. Clemens the IV. and V. againſt them, and for the Curates, was eſpecially John the XXII. (who made himſelf Pope) p. 415and others after him: In his time ſome that were called pauperes de paupere vita, and Beguini, ſeparated themſelves from their Order, and returned to their Inſtitution; Pope John condemned them and their conſtitution: but theſe were zealous of their firſt rule, even ſo zealous, that at Maſſiles four of them were condemned by their own Order the Inquiſitors, and were burnt, becauſe they would not conſent unto the diſpenſation that was granted unto them. Others in many places of France called theſe four Martyrs, and ſaid, If the Pope hath conſented unto their death, he is an Heretick. Such doings and ſpeeches, provoked Pope John the XXII. firſt to ſuſpend, and then to condemn the Decrees of his Predeceſſors, that had confirmed the Inſtitution of that Order, as commanded and practiſed by Chriſt. Geo. Calixtus in his book De nova arte, hath thoſe things at more length, ex Nic. Eimer. the Author of Directori Inquiſitor. and Alvar. Pelagius de Planctu Eccleſ. After Pope John were many Bulls both for and againſt the Friers. Then ſtarteth up a new controverſie between the Friers and the Prieſts; The Prieſts ſaid, Of Tithes.The Tithes, being the proper patrimony of the Church, ſhould be paid unto them who ſerve in the Church, and not unto idle bellies, who have not charge in the Church. The Friers move other two queſtions; 1. By what Law ſhould Tithes be paid? 2. Unto whom they ſhould be paid? For the firſt they ſay, It was the uniform conſent of the Church, that God commandeth the payment of Tithes under the Goſpel, as under the Law. So Origen on Numer. cap. 18. Auguſt. de temp. Ser. 219, & 48. and ſuch was the practiſe in many ages, ſaith Concil. Matiſcon. 2. cap. 5. But at that time the Friers held, It was a judicial Law, binding the Jews only, yet ſo as it may be continued by Princes; and the Church hath enjoyned the payment of the tenth part of the increaſe; neither may any refuſe to pay the Tithe, and more alſo, if the Church ſhall enjoyn more, as ſhe hath power indeed. Tho. Aquin. in Sum. 2. 2. qu. 87. The other queſtion was before without ſcruple, that Tithes ſhould be paid unto Church-men; and a diviſion ſhould be of them (as of all other Church-goods) one unto the Biſhop, another for the Curate, and a third for the fabrick of the Church, and the fourth for the poor and ſtrangers. But the Friers made a new diſtinction, ſaying, In Tithes two things are to be conſidered, to wit, the power of receiving them, and the Tithes themſelve; the power is ſpiritual, and belongeth unto them that ſerve at the altar for their ſervice; but the things called Tithes are corporal, and therefore may be given unto Laicks. Tho. Aquin. ib. By this diſtinction the Prieſts were cheated; and afterwards the Tithes were given to Abbeys and Monaſteries. By the way note, that the Frier Thomas calleth the Friers Laicks; as they were never reckoned among the Clergy, unleſs they were promoted, and received Orders. And we may Their ſubdiviſions.ſee how the Franciſcans were ſubdivided (as alſo other Orders) into Sects; ſome kept the firſt Inſtitution, and go courſely apparelled, living onelyonly by begging; and others want not their eaſe nor abundance; they ſay, They have nothing, and yet enjoy plenty: and they excuſe their practiſe (which is contrary unto their profeſſion) with a diſtinction, They have riches in common, but nothing in propriety. This cauſe why Friers are ſo many ways ſubdivided, is marked by Bellarmin de Monach. l. 2. c. 2. Every Sect (ſaith he) is hot at the beginning, and then they become colder; then ariſeth ſome one or other, who reduceth the Sect to the firſt Inſtitution, with ſome particular Rite in remembrance of himſelf, and this is called a new Religion. Until this day theſe two Orders kept the Office of Inquiſition, whereſoever the Pope commandeth, Their office.ſaith Francis Pegna in Directo. Inquiſitor. but principally the Franſciſcans exerciſe it. How they diſcharge this Office, Agrippa de vanitat. ſcien. cap. 96. ſheweth, ſaying, Whereas their juriſdiction ſhould be grounded upon Theological p. 416traditions, and holy Scriptures, they exerciſe it according to the Canon-Law and Papal Decrees, as if it were impoſſible the Pope can err; and they throw away the holy Scriptures as a dead letter, or but a ſhadow of truth, yea, and they ſay, as a buckler and fortreſs of Hereticks; neither admit they the ancient traditions of Fathers and Doctors, ſaying, Thoſe might be deceived, and deceive, but the holy Church of Rome cannot err, nor the Pope the head thereof; and they ſet before them the Books of his Court, as the But of their faith: when they enquire, they ask nothing but, Believeſt thou in the Church of Rome? and if it be anſwered affirmatively; they ſay, But the Church of Rome judgeth this propoſition heretical and ſcandalous unto godly ears, or derogatory unto the power of the Church; and ſo they compel the man unto a recantation. But if he who is examined, do profeſs to maintain his opinion by teſtimony of Scripture, or by reaſoning, they make a noiſe, and blowing their cheeks, they ſay, You have not to deal with Batchelors, or raw Students, but with your Judges; you come not to argue and jangle, but you muſt anſwer ſimply, whether you will acknowledge the Decree of the Roman Church, and revoke what you have ſaid: If the man will not, they ſhew him faggots, and ſay, We muſt deal with Hereticks, not by arguments and Scripture, but by theſe, &c. A third ſort of locuſts were the A third Order.Carmelites, a more ancient ſort indeed; for they had been many ages at mount Carmel, even under the Soldan; but when they changed their habit, they were all baniſhed; and coming into Europe, were confirmed by Pope Honorius the III. Their habit was white; their rule was to accept from any man, and do nothing, but at command of their Superior to deceive the people with gloſſing words, under pretence of long prayer. Thoſe were once conjunct with the Franciſcans in the Inquiſition; but when they ſaw the people hated them for the cruelty of that office, they forſook it; as I. Bale in Catal. pag. 546. hath marked from the Bull of Pope Alexander the IV. A fourth ſort was the Crucigeri, which began (as Pol. Virg. de inven. rer. lib. 7. cap. 3. hath it) in this maner. INNOCENTIUS the III. directed againſt the Albigenſes a great number of Soldiers, intended againſt the Turks; they had received their badge of the croſs: Thoſe all were ſlain, and the Pope canonized them all; and for their honor he began ſuch an Order, and gave them priviledges. Pope Alexander the IV. dreamed that he ſaw St. Auguſtin, and therefore he called all the Auguſtinians out of the woods and deſarts, and cauſed them to dwell in Cities, and gave them exemptions and priviledges. So about that time began many other Orders, both of men & women, apart in their own Monaſteries, and ſome of both men and women in the ſame Monaſtery, but (for ſhame) in divers parts, and both ſorts under the command of a woman; as the Order of St. Clara (the Siſter of Francis the Minorite) and of St. Briget. About the year 1252. the Minorites began to teach Ariſtotle, that they might be the more able to deceive with Sophiſtry. Innocentius the IV. thereupon ſaid, Now Philoſophy ſitteth like a whore; to wit, (ſaith Matth. Pariſien.) as another Caiaphas, he propheſied truly; If he knew that ſhe was a whore, why did he ſuffer her to occupy the chair of her Miſtreſs? becauſe he would ſhew, that wittingly and willingly he had given a bill of divorcement unto the holy Scriptures. Scholaſtick Theology was the proper exerciſe of theſe two Sects of Friers, and they did ſtill extinguiſh the few and little ſparks of truth: For the Scholaſtick Divinity had (as it were) three ages; the firſt from the year 1120. until the year 1212. the Doctors of Their ages.this age are reckoned, Anſelm Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, Hugo de St. Victor, a German, Richard de St. Victor, a Scot, Gratian the Compiler of the Decrees, Peter Lombard Maſter of the Sentences, his colleague Blandinus, p. 417Rupertus Tuitienſis, Hugo de Ponto, Hugo the Cardinal, and firſt Compiler of Concordantiae Biblicae, Leo Tuſcus, Gulielm. Altiſiodorenſis, Vincentius Gallus, Alexander de Ales, alias Fons vitae, an Engliſh, who wrote the firſt Commentaries on Lombard, Gualter Pictavienſis, Alfonſus Toſtatus, or Abulenſis, &c. The ſecond age began with Albertus Magnus, Profeſſor once at Paris, and then at Colein, his diſciple Thomas de Aquino Doctor irrefragabilis▪ Aegidius Romanus Primate of Aquitania, Johannes Scotus Subtilis Doctor, Richardus de Media villa, Alanus de Inſulis, Auguſtinus de Ancona, Nicolaus de Lyra, Cardinal Bonaventura Sepharicus Doctor, Durandus de St. Portiano, not the worſt of them, Gulielmus Occam, about the year 1330. &c. Theſe were diligent in ſtudying, reading and writing; but as the Arrians, Novatians, and other Hereticks in former times, did truſt in their ſubtil diſputes, ſo theſe for the moſt part, forſake the certainty of Scriptures, deſpiſe the ſimplicity of the Fathers, delight in the ſubtilty of diſtinctions and curious queſtions; and were readier to wrangle and jangle with oſtentation of wit, then to ſearch the truth in love; deſirous to maintain opinions that they have coyned, and not to follow Divine oracles; faining new words, and pratling of verbalities, realities, hecceities, and what other frivolous words they can deviſe, to paint and diſguiſe their errors: And when they have talked ſo highly, that few can underſtand their diſcourſe, then they are called ſublime Doctors; and what one did coyn, another did oppoſe and refute. In their diſputes they ſeldom bring texts of Scripture for confirmation or grounds, but ſo ſaith the Philoſopher, or ſo ſaith the Maſter (meaning Ariſtotle and Lombard) or ſo ſaith ſuch a Father. And others among them, whoſe ſagacity cannot ſoar aloft, do write of the power of the Pope, and miracles of Saints; they forge plauſible or terrible fables, advance the reliques and Hiſtories of this or that Saint, ſtill mixing their own lyes. I leave the third age of Scholaſtick unto its own place. Theſe of that ſecond age, have added Their novations, 1. Tranſubſtantiation. 2. Auricular confeſſion.many errors unto the former; as for example, 1. Peter Lombard could not tell, whether the change of the bread in the Sacrament were formal or accidental; but theſe held tranſubſtantion and concomitancy. From this root ſprang a wood of intricate queſtions, that the world knew not before (which demonſtrateth the novelty of the error) as 1. What giveth immediately the form unto the Sacrament? Pope Innocentius the III. lib. 4. de Myſter. cap. 6. ſaith, Chriſt uſed no words in the conſecration, but onelyonly did conſecrate by his Divine power. But Tho. Aquin. in Sum. par. 3. qu. 76. ar. 1. ad 1. ſaith, Againſt this are the words of the Goſpel, which ſay, Chriſt bleſſed; and certainly that bleſſing was done by ſome words; therefore the words of Innocentius are ſpoken opinative magis quàm determinative. For clearing this point, he ſheweth (a little before) a new diſtinction between this Sacrament and all other Sacraments; to wit, the form of other Sacraments import the uſe of the matter, but the form of this importeth onelyonly the conſecration of the matter, which, ſaith he, conſiſts in conſubſtantiation. 2. Whether the ſubſtance of the bread remain after the conſecration? they conclude this negative. 3. Whether the ſubſtance of the bread be turned into nothing, or into materiam primam, or into the body of Chriſt? 4. In what ſubject do the accidents of the bread and wine remain? 5. Whether the tranſubſtantiation be done in a moment of time? 6. Whether the dimentions of Chriſt be wholly in this Sacrament? 7. Whether the body of Chriſt be in this Sacrament locally. 8. Whether the body of Chriſt doth move according to the motion of the hoſtie? 9. Whether any eye, even a glorified one, can ſee Chriſt's body in the Sacrament? 10. Concerning the truth of the words, Hoc eſt enim copus meum, are innumerable controverſies, as, Whether hoc ſignifie bread? or whether p. 418it importeth demonſtrationem ut conceptam, & non ut exercitatam? or ad intellectum, & non ad ſenſum? that is, This, that is the thing ſignified, by this is my body: Or, whether it demonſtrateth to the ſenſe? but is to be underſtood according to the inſtant or moment, not of pronouncing it, but of pronouncing the laſt ſyllable; as when one ſaith, Now I will be ſilent. Thomas Aquinas firſt did write thoſe, and innumerable more ſuch queſtions, and after him many have debated them, and many other queſtions of that ſubject and nature. 2. Before it was voluntary (excepting the caſe of ſcandal) to confeſs their ſins, and no Laws were againſt them which did not confeſs; yea, Lombard, Lib. 4. Diſt. 17. B. ſaith, It may be ſaid, that without confeſſion of the mouth, or payment of outward puniſhment, ſins are blotted away by contrition and humility of the heart; for after that one doth with a grieved minde propound to confeſs his ſins, God forgiveth; becauſe there is confeſſion of the heart, albeit not of the mouth; and by this confeſſion the ſoul is inwardly cleanſed from the ſpot and contagion of committed ſin, and the debt of everlaſting death is forgiven; and therefore (ſaith he) theſe ſentences [of the Fathers which he hath quoted before] concerning repentance and confeſſion, are to be underſtood of the confeſſion of the heart, or of inward puniſhment. But after that Decree of Innocentius the III. the School-men held, that he is not to be accounted a Chriſtian, who confeſſeth not all his ſins particularly. As for the circumſtances, the Canon biddeth the Prieſt be diſcreet in ſearching the circumſtances of the ſinner, and of the ſin. But the School-men preſs every man to confeſs particularly every circumſtance of his ſin, ſo far as poſſibly he can. Concerning the perſon who ſhould hear confeſſions, Lombard, lot. cit. D. teacheth, that a man ſhould diligently ſeek a Prieſt, becauſe God hath given the power of binding and looſing unto Prieſts; but if a Prieſt cannot be had, The Confeſſors.one may make his confeſſion unto his neighbor or companion: and he ſpeaketh no where of a Monk or Frier. But afterwards the Dominicans got power from the Popes, and the Prieſts were neglected. 3. Gratian in his Decrees, and 3. Pardons and Indulgences.Lombard in his Sentences, have no word of pardons or Papal indulgences. But when avarice had poſſeſſed the Clergy, and the people were blinded with ignorance and ſuperſtition, and both were contented with an outward formality, then publick declarations were redeemed with ſums of money which they called alms for the uſe of the poor, or for building Hoſpitals or Churches, or Bridges; and the diſcharge of the publick declarations, was called indulgence or pardon. The School-men finding this practiſe to be ſo gainful unto Biſhops, and the pardons ſo acceptable unto the people, did commend them in their preachings, yet ſo, that among themſelves ſome made queſtion of the truth of them; for ſome (as Tho. Aquin. Supplem. qu. 25. ar. 2.) ſaid, Theſe pardons were but a kinde of pious deceit, whereby the Church draweth men into ſome ſort of devout actions, as a mother allureth her childe unto ſome ſteps, by ſhewing him a golden peny, which ſhe giveth him not. Some ſaid, they were available in the Court, not of God, but of the Church; others held they were uſeful in both Courts: And they made the ground of this power, to be the treaſures of Chriſt's, and the Saints ſufferings, which they had ſuffered more then was needful for the propitiating their ſin and everlaſting puniſhment, all which their ſufferings of ſupererrogation, make up the treaſure of the Church; and the Biſhops or Prieſts may beſtow a part of that treaſure on them which have not merits of their own. And truly any man might perceive (as the Germans did in their grievances, which they ſent unto Pope Hadrian the VI.) that theſe were cunning frauds to purchaſe money unto the Pope, and the Friers, and others p. 419their partners. We read, that in the primitive Church, when diſcipline was ſtrict, they would remit ſomewhat of their ſeverity, as they ſaw the perſons affected; but in that Century, not ſo much the puniſhment already enjoyned, but to be enjoyned was diſpenſed with for money; in former time the diſpenſation was granted, leſt the penitents did faint under the burthen, and that they might the ſooner be received into the communion again, nor were they granted for money. But at that time, and in times following, they were pardoned from all ſatisfaction, both for ſin committed and to be committed, if they would give moneys; which trick was coloured with pretext to ſay Maſſes for them, or for uſe of the holy wars. And theſe pardons were (at moſt) thought to avail onelyonly unto the living, until Boniface the VIII. did extend their vertue unto the ſouls in Purgatory. Co. Agrip. de vanit. ſcien. cap. 61. Unto the more clearing of this point, hear what John Roffen. ſaith, contra aſſert. Luthe. art. 18. ſeeing Pol. Virg. de inven. rer. lib. 8. cap. 1. and others do cite the ſame as truth; Poſſibly many (ſaith he) do not value indulgences, becauſe the uſe of them is known to have come but lately among Chriſtians; unto them I anſwer, It is not certain who gave them firſt; nevertheleſs there hath been ſome uſe of them very ancient, as they ſay, among the Romans, which may be gathered by the Stations—None who is Orthodox [here he would ſay, Popiſh, or a follower of the Pope] doubteth whether there be a Purgatory; of which there is no, or very little mention among the ancients; yea, and mong the Greeks it is not believed until this day; and neither did the Latins conceive the verity thereof at one time, but by little and little, nor without diſpenſation of the holy Ghoſt; that after ſo many years, both the faith of Purgatory, and uſe of indulgences, was generally received by the Romiſh Church: ſo long as there was not fear of Purgatory, no man ſought pardons; for upon it doth all the account of pardons depend; if ye take away Purgatory, what uſe have pardons? therefore pardons began after that people ſtood in aw of Purgatory. So far he, ſaith Polydore, which thou perhaps (ſeeing they are of ſo great moment) didſt expect (as more certain) from the mouth of God. But Roffenſis ſaith further; If there be no Purgatory, we ſhall not have need of pardons; conſidering therefore how long time Purgatory was not known, and then it was believed by ſome by degrees, partly by revelations, and partly by Scriptures, and ſo at laſt it was believed generally by the whole Church; we may eaſily underſtand ſome cauſe of pardons: Seeing then Purgatory was ſo lately known, who can now admire, that there was no uſe of pardons in the primitive Church? &c. 4. A fourth device of the Friers, 4. Meritum ex congruo & condigno.was the diſtinction of merit, ex congruo, & condigno; ſome holding the one part onelyonly, and ſome both parts, but it was never univerſally approved among them, ſeeing always ſome did abhor to ſay, A man by his merits is worthy of the Kingdom of heaven. Of which number were Guiliel. Pariſien, Jo. Scotus, Gregorius de Arimino, Biel, &c. This particular leadeth to another conſideration Their contrary doctrines.of theſe Friers, that as they do differ in degrees, the latter ſort (for the moſt part) being worſe, or more erroneous then their fathers, and ready to produce a worſe generation, ſo they did and ſtill do differ in contrary opinions; for they preach not Chriſt of good will (ſaith Agrip. de vanit. ſcien. cap. 97.) but for contention; ſo that there is more hope of agreement among Philoſophers, then among theſe School-men, ſeeing they have darkened and killed all maner of Divinity with opinions of men, and new errors, &c. and the poſterity ſweareth into the words or tenets of their Maſter; and they are led captive by his opinion, ſo that they will not yield unto contrary reaſons nor Scripture. This is clear by the families or Sects of Thomiſts and Scotiſts, ſtriving the one againſt the other, not in Philoſophical or indifferent points, p. 420but in matters of greateſt moment; As for example, 1. Thomas ſaith, A man is accepted of God, not for his vertue, but by the grace of God, which is the fountain of theſe vertues. In 2. Sent. Diſt. 26. q. 1. ar. 4. But Capreolus on that place bringeth Scotus, Durand and Aureolus, holding the contrary. 2. Thomas ſaith, A man deſerveth glory ex condigno, 1, 2. qu. 114. ar. 3. yet to make this ſmooth, he hath deviſed that diſtinction, that a work deſerveth either as it proceedeth from free-will, or as it proceedeth from God's grace; and ſo on that part of Rom. 6. J…ct. 4. he ſaith, If good works be conſidered in their own nature, or as they proceed from mans free-will, they deſerve not eternal life ex condigno, but onelyonly as they proceed from the grace of the holy Ghoſt. But Durand in 2. Sent. Diſt. 27. qu. 2. refuteth both the tenet and that frivolous diſtinction. 3. Thomas proveth, that a man cannot underſtand ſupernatural things without the light of grace, In 2. Sent. Diſt. 28. qu. 1. ar. 5. But Durand on that place ſtriveth for the contrary. 4. Thomas ſaith, No man in this life without habitual grace, can eſchew all and every ſin, 1, 2. qu. 109. But Scotus holdeth the contrary. In 2. Sent. Diſt. 28. 5. Thomas ſaith, None without the help of God, can ſufficiently prepare himſelf unto habitual grace, loc. cit. ar. 6. and there he declareth what it is to prepare himſelf; to wit, to turn unto God; as he which hath his eyes turned from the Sun, prepareth himſelf to receive the light of the Sun, when he turneth himſelf unto the Sun. Againſt this doth Durand diſpute, in 2. Sent. Diſt. 28. qu. 5. 6. Thomas ſaith, Grace differeth really from vertue, as the ſoul from the faculties, in 2. Sent. Diſt. 26. qu. 1. ar. 4. Scotus holdeth the contrary on that place. 7. Thomas holdeth, that want of original juſtice in babes is a ſin, ibid. Diſt. 30. qu. 1. ar. 2. Durand on that place holdeth the contrary. 3. Thomas ſaith, Original ſin cannot be properly called a quality, or abſolute form inclining to ill actions, 1, 2. qu. 82. ar. 1. Gregor. de Armi. on 2. Sent. Diſt. 30. qu. 1. ar. 2. teacheth, that according to Auguſtin, original ſin is a poſitive quality, or carnal concupiſcenſe, by which man is inclined to ſin actually. 9. Thomas holdeth, that every action of man, if it be evil, is properly a ſin, 1, 2. qu. 21. ar. 1. Gregory in loc. cit. holdeth the contrary. 10. Thomas proveth, that every act of man, as it is an act, is from God, De malo qu. 3. ar. 2. Capreolus on 2. Sent. Diſt. 37. qu. 1. ar. 1. bringeth Durand, Gregory, and Aureolus, diſputing in the contrary. 11. Thomas teacheth, that to the goodneſs of an action, is required the goodneſs of the matter, and of the form and intention. Capreolus on 2. Sent. Diſt. 38. bringeth ſundry School-men, holding that the goodneſs of intention is not neceſſary. 12. Dominicans generally hold, that the Sacraments do work grace after the maner of a knife, cutting and framing a thing, and not a veſſel containing grace. But the Franciſcans deny all effective power in the Sacraments, but bring the vertue of them from the onelyonly power of God's promiſe, ſo oft as the Sacrament is adminiſtred. They do agree in the opere operato, and differ in the maner. Concil. Trident. lib. 2. 13. Dominicans held, that the Sacraments of the old Teſtament did not confer, but onelyonly foreſignifie grace which was to be given after the ſufferings of Chriſt. The Franciſcans held the contrary, ibid. 14. Thomas par. 3. qu. 75. ar. 4. ſaith, It is neceſſary to believe, that the body of Chriſt is in the Euchariſt, by the change of the ſubſtance of the bread into it. But Bellarmin De Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 23. ſaith, Scotus held, that tranſubſtantiation was not thought a doctrine of …aith before the Lateran Councel; and that there is not expreſs Text of Scripture, which without declaration of the Scripture, can convince one to admit tranſubſtantiation. Certainly the opinion of Thomas was according to the ſenſe of the article which Innocentius the III. did decree; and howbeit the Romaniſts hold ſtill the word tranſubſtantiation, yet they are all for the moſt p. 421part fallen upon another conceit, that the ſubſtance of the bread evaniſheth, or is annihilated, and the body of Chriſt cometh in ſtead of it. And hence ariſeth many queſtions among them, as, whether the body of Chriſt be eaten with the teeth, and go into the belly? whether the wicked do eat the body of Chriſt? They who will read any School-man on Lombard, Lib. 4. Diſt. 10, 11. will finde many ſuch queſtions concerning the Sacrament. In a word, all the huge volumes of Thomiſts and Scotiſts upon the Sentences, are ſo many monuments of controverſies betwixt antagoniſts in the Romiſh Church; as lately Dr. T. Mortan hath proved the Proteſtant faith by teſtimonies of theſe School-men, or (as he ſpeaketh) even the enemies being judges: Therefore all the boaſting of Papiſts concerning the unity of their Church, is indeed but to delude them which are not acquainted with their books. Thus the Church was pitifully divided with theſe Sects; and when the diſciples of theſe School-men went abroad to preach, one thus, and another the contrary, the people knew not what to believe. And albeit the Popes did tolerate them ſo long as they ſtood for the triple Mitre, yet hence we may underſtand one main cauſe, why ſome Biſhops and Princes did be wail the confuſion in the Church, and after that time wiſh and cry for a Reformation. To this purpoſe hear how A conteſt betwixt the Bishops and the Friers.…e. Soave in Hiſt. Con. Triden. lib. 2. reporteth the conteſt betwixt the Biſhops and the Generals of the Friers. On the one ſide the Biſhops did complain, that albeit Chriſt had commanded to teach the people his doctrine, and that could be no other way but by publick teaching in the Church; and to the end ſufficient men might be provided to teach the people, this charge did properly belong unto Biſhops; as the Apoſtles at firſt ſhewed the way, and the holy Fathers did follow; yet this charge of ſo great importance was taken from the Biſhops, that no footſteps thereof remain, and that by giving of priviledges; and this is the cauſe why all things become worſe and worſe, becauſe Chriſt's inſtitution is changed. The Univerſities had immunity, that a Biſhop cannot know what they are teaching; the power of preaching is given unto the begging Friers, ſo that they are free from the Laws of Biſhops, and will not let them ſee what they are doing; and ſo Biſhops are robbed of the chief part of their office. And in the contrary, they which at firſt were appointed onelyonly to be wail the ſins of men, and which by expreſs and ſevere threatnings were forbidden to teach or preach, have now uſurped, or as a gift do poſſeſs that office as their peculiar onelyonly, in the mean time the flock wanteth a ſhepheard and hireling too; for theſe vagring preachers, which skip from one City to another, cannot underſtand either the neceſſity of the people, or the capacity of their mindes, and far leſs the opportunities of teaching and edifying them, ſo as a conſtant Paſtor might, who living continually with his flock, hath more experience of their infirmities and neceſſities. Moreover, theſe preachers have not ſuch an aim to edifie the people, but to bring alms to their own advantage, or of their Convent; and to the end they may make their purchaſe the more liberally, they look not to the ſalvation of ſouls, but onelyonly to their own advantage by flattering, delighting and following the affections of men; and the people learn inſtead of the doctrine of Chriſt, nothing but news, or certainly vanity—The onelyonly remedy of all theſe evils is, that theſe priviledges and exemptions be diſcharged, and the charge of teaching and preaching be reſtored unto Biſhops, and of chuſing others to be their helpers in that work. On the other ſide, the Generals of the Friers ſaid, When Biſhops and Curates had neglected their paſtoral work, ſo that in many ages, neither preachings were heard in Churches, nor teaching of Divinity in Schools, at laſt God did raiſe up the Orders of begging Friers, to repair the defect of that neceſſary office, which they had not uſurped, but had p. 422obtained by the gift of the ſupream Paſtor; and ſeeing it belongeth unto him chiefly to feed the flock, it is an injury to aver, that whom he hath appointed to ſupply their defects, who according to their office ſhould have had care of the flock, and had forſaken it, and medled with the harveſt of others; but it is rather true, that unleſs they had ſo done in love and charity, there had been ere now no remembrance of Chriſt's name; and therefore ſeeing for the ſpace of three hundreds years and upwards they have waited upon this work, to the manifeſt benefit of men, and by juſt title of the Roman high Prieſts, gifts and preſcription of ſo long time, this is their office; the Biſhops have no reaſon to move any controverſie, or pretend the cuſtom of ancient time, for recovering the office which they had forſaken for ſo many ages. And what is objected of their enlarging the Monaſteries or ſeeking their own gain, it is a meer calumny, ſeeing of the alms they did reap nothing but meat and clothes, and what was over, was employed to the ſervice of God, in ſaying Maſſes, or in building and decoring Churches, for the benefit of the people; and therefore the offices which have been exerciſed by theſe Orders, in the holy Churches and ſtudy of Divinity, which ſcarcely can be found without the Cloiſters of Monks, they may juſtly claim as their own, and ſhould be continued with them, ſeeing hardly can other ſufficient men be had. So far there. If we compare theſe two diſcourſes, and conſider how truly the firſt deſcribeth the latter times, and the other painteth forth the preceeding time, we may underſtand the miſeries of the Church, and what need there was of Reformation.

3. It is ſaid before, that Pope Innocentius the III. made a Law, that the The beginning and riſe of Cardinals.election of the Pope ſhould appertain unto the Cardinals onelyonly, whereby their grandure did wax mightily. I will not ſay, that this was a novation, and a change of the election of the Biſhop of Rome; but now it is time to ſpeak of their beginning, and increaſe of their honor, and that in the words of Romiſh Authors. The Jeſuit Azorius ſaith, Some bring their conception from Gregory the I. and ſome from Silveſter the I. and ſome from Marcellus. Bellarm. de Cleri. lib. 1. cap. 16. alledgeth, that there is mention of Cardinals, in a Councel at Rome, in the days of Pope Silveſter the I. but then (as Spalatin. de Repu. Eccleſ. lib. 4. cap. 5. §. 11. hath obſerved ex Grego. Regiſt. & Epiſt.) Cardinalis was no other but fixed and ordinary, and it was oppoſed to vagrant and titular Biſhops and Prieſts; whereas now (ſaith he) for the moſt part, or rather all Cardinals are but titulars, and none of them hath an ordinary or ſetled charge. Ibid. §. 32. Bellarm. loc. cit. ſaith alſo, The office of Cardinals conſiſteth in three particulars: 1. Is the office of a Biſhop, or Prieſt, or Deacon. 2. The election of the Pope. 3. It is to aſſiſt the Pope always. In all theſe, ſaith he, they have their original from the days of the Apoſtles; but he proveth not well. When Pol. Virg. ſearcheth the invention of things, he paſſeth not by the invention of Cardinals, in li. 4. ca. 9. Pope Marcellus (ſaith he) from among the twenty five Pariſhes that were then at Rome, appointed fifteen of them to be Cardinal [or as they call them improperly Mother-Churches, and the reſt were but Chappels or Oratories] for the uſe of baptiſm and burial; and this is the very beginning of the Order of Cardinals—and long after, to be a Cardinal, was no other thing but to have the care of ſouls. [That which followeth, is commanded to be blotted out by the Index expurgatorius, Printed at Antwerp An. 1561. pag. 70.] But afterwards, when Pope Boniface the III. obtained from the Emperor Phocas the prerogative over all the reſt of the Biſhops, then the high Prieſt of Rome, with his Senate of Town-Prieſts, began to be more advanced above others; and theſe Prieſts to whom theſe titles were given in old time, and to whom p. 423the cure of Chriſtian ſouls was committed, began eſpecially to be honored with that name, as proper to the higheſt Dignity—In the beginning it was altogether a burthen, and at laſt the chiefeſt honor, ſeeing they are always neareſt to the Pope in the adminiſtration of the Chriſtian Republick, and unto them was more and more given; and by little and little by jarring of the Emperors and the people of Rome for the election of the Pope, all the right of the election came unto them. So far he. In this laſt matter, Bellar. loc. cit. is more plain; howſoever theſe things be ſo, I confeſs, ſaith he, that the Cardinalſhip was a ſtep unto a Biſhoprick, as it is moſt manifeſt out of the firſt book of the life of Gregory, cap. 7. but that order is changed, and Cardinals are preferred unto Biſhops; becauſe when the Emperors, and Clergy, and people did chuſe the Pope, the Cardinals were not in ſuch eſtimation; but when onelyonly they began to chuſe the Pope, and onelyonly Cardinals were choſen, the dignity of a Cardinal is not without cauſe more reſpected. Secondly, The dignity of a Cardinal is advanced, becauſe they were wont to be neither the onelyonly, neither the chief Conſellors of the Pope; for in the firſt eight hundred years, a national Councel of Italian Biſhops was gathered, for conſultation of the weighty affairs, as is manifeſt by the Councels; there the chief place was given to Biſhops: but when the affairs of the Church of Rome did increaſe, eſpecially the temporal Princedom in the days of Pipin and Charls the Great, the Councels have been omitted, and all things brought to the Colledge of Cardinals. So he. We ſaw before how great priviledges Innocentius the III. gave unto this Order, and ſo did Innocentius the IV. If Peter Damian, Cardinal of Oſtia, had ſeen them ſo far honored, whereunto would he have compared them, ſeeing he is bold to extol them ſo far in his days? What thinkeſt thou of the Cardinal Biſhops (ſaith he) who principally chuſe the Pope of Rome, and do tranſcend the power of all Biſhops, yea of Patriarchs and Primates? to wit, except the Sacrament of the univerſal Church, theſe are the eyes of the one ſtone, that is, of the Roman Church; of whom it is ſaid in Zachary, Behold the ſtone which I have ſet before Jehoſhua; upon that one ſtone are ſeven eyes; they are the lamp of the one candleſtick—they are the candleſticks in the midſt of which Jeſus doth walk. Apoc. 2, &c. Baron. Tom. 11. ad An. 1061. nu. 11. at the election of Cardinals, the Pope ſaith to them, Be ye our Brethren and Princes of the world? Antonin. Flor. ſum. Theol. par. 3. tit. 21. cap. 1. §. 2. Pope Pius the II. ſaid to his Cardinals, Ye are my eldeſt and beſt beloved children; and ye are honored with moſt excellent dignity, when ye are called into the Apoſtolical Colledge; ye ſhall be our Counſellors, and judges of all the earth—ye ſhall be Senators of the City, and like unto Kings; and very hinges of the world, upon whom the door of the militant Church muſt turn and be governed. Vſſer. de Eccleſ. ſtatu. cap. 4. ex Sacr. cerem. Ro. Eccleſ. lib. ſect. 8. cap. 3. Antonius, after his maner, proveth, that the ſame authority belongeth unto them, loc. cit.

4. In this Century theſe Friers and Cardinals ſpared not the blood of Perſecution againſt the Waldenſes.God's ſervants; for Pope Innocentius thought firſt by diſputes and ſophiſtry to bear down the Waldenſes, but when he could not that way prevail, he cauſed his Friers to ſting them with fire and ſword. An. 1205. he ſent the forenamed Dominicus, with Didacus Biſhop of Exonia or Uxonia, in Spain, into the County of Toloſe; they diſputed once at Viride Folium, and again at Axamia. An. 1207. in the City Montie-regalis, the ſame two, with Fulco Biſhop of Tolouſe, and Petrus de Caſtro novo, the Popes Legate, diſputed againſt Arnold hot, Paſtor Albigenſium, Ponticus Jordanus, Arnold Auriſanus, Philibert Caſtrenſis, and Benedict Thermus. Theſe were the Articles; The Church of Rome is not the holy Church, neither Spouſe of Chriſt, but p. 424filled with the doctrine of divels; ſhe is Babylon that John deſcribeth in the Apocalypſe; the mother of fornications and abominations; covered with the blood of the Saints. It doth not pleaſe the Lord, which pleaſeth the Church of Rome; neither Chriſt nor his Apoſtles did inſtitute the Maſs, but it is the device of man. By conſent of both parties, four Laicks were named Auditors; to wit, two noble men, Bernard de Villa nova, and Bernard Arrenſis; and two of meaner degree, Raymundus Godins, and Arnold Riberia. When the diſputation had continued three days, Fulco ſought the ſpace of fifteen days, and he would give the defence of his poſitions in writing; and Arnold Hot craved eight days to give his anſwer in writing likewiſe. They aſſembled at the day appointed; and the conferences were prolonged the ſpace of four days; and at laſt the Biſhop ſaid, Theſe things ought to be taken from the Maſs, that are not of the Maſs: and ſo they were diſmiſſed; neither was any more done of theſe controverſies, Vſſer. ex Vignier. Hiſt. Eccleſ. ad An. 1207. There were alſo other conferences among them. But when the Pope and his Cardinals ſaw that they could not prevail with diſputes, Odo Biſhop of Paris eaſily perſwaded the Pope to try them with the ſword, An. 1208. The Pope wrote unto Philip King of France for that effect; and proclaimed Indulgences unto all who would take Arms againſt the Waldenſes and Albigenſes, even as large as to them who warred againſt the Mahumetiſts; and the Pope and the King gave all the lands of the Waldenſes, and their goods, unto any who would take them. Raymund Earl of Tolouſe was of this number; and was much envied by the Clergy for his devotion, and by Laity for his grandure: he was Couſin-german of King Philip, and Lord of Tolouſe, Province, Aquitania, Delphinate, the County of S. Giles, Velnaiſſen, Ruthen, Cadurcen, Albio, and of other large dominions on both ſides of Rhodanus; he had married Johanna, Siſter of John King of England, and after her Eleonora, Daughter of Peter King of Arragon, Vſſer. in Stat. & Succeſ. Eccleſ. ex Guil. Armor. & Bertrand. in geſt. Toloſ. Of the ſame profeſſion were the Counts de Foy, de Beders, de Cominees, de Carmain, &c. To the end that Raymund may be the more odious unto the people, the Preachers did ſlander him of Manicheiſm; but untruly, ſaith Bertrand. In the year 1209. were levied in France 22000. men; their General was Simon Earl of Monford, with ſome of the Preachers and Nobility. They firſt did ſet againſt Biterrae, in which were 100000. men; it pleaſed God that the perſecuters had the upper hand; and when the Soldiers asked the Abbot of Ciſtertian, what they ſhould do, becauſe they knew not who were Hereticks, and who were not? he anſwered, Kill all, God knoweth who are his: So they ſpare neither age nor ſex, Caeſar. Hiſt. lib. 5. cap. 21. Many hundreds were burnt, many were hanged, and many thouſands were ſlain in other places, I. Thuan. ad An. 1550 In a word, they prevailed ſo, that Raymund was robbed of all his lands almoſt; and went to Rome An. 1215. and promiſed obedience unto the Church, if the Pope would cauſe his lands to be reſtored. Innocentius anſwered, The expedition was chargeable unto the Church, and unto Simon de Monford; and therefore he had given theſe lands unto Simon; and it was paſt the King's confirmation, and could not be recalled; onelyonly he would grant unto Raymund 400. marks yearly, during his life, if he ſhall continue under obedience. Then Raymund went to Arragon, and levied an Army of 100000. men; and within a year he recovered by ſtrength all his lands▪ Simon was killed An. 1218. and 22000. men with him; ſo was his Son Guido An. 1219. Io. de Serres. Then King Philip ſent his Son Lewes once and again againſt Tolouſe; but all in vain ſo long as Raymund lived, and Roger de Foy; both which died within one monethmonth, An. 1221. His Son Raymund p. 425(whether for fear of worldly oppoſition, or if he left the doctrine which his Father had profeſſed, it is uncertain) offered all obedience unto the Church and King, if they would grant him peace. Almaric, the Son of Simon de Montford, appeareth in the contrary, alledging his Title unto the County of Tolouſe—which was granted unto his Father, and confirmed by the Pope and the King. In the mean time Philip dieth, and left unto Almaric 20000. (ſome write 100000.) lievers of Paris, for a new expedition againſt Tolouſe; and at laſt, by perſwaſion of Romanus, Cardinal de St. Angelo, the Pope's Legat, Lewes VIII. King of France, with Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Peers, Barons, and 50000. horſe, with a great number of foot (which aroſe for fear of the King and the Pope's Legate, more then for zeal to the cauſe, ſaith Mat. Pariſ. in Hen. III.) they were marked with the ſign of the Croſs, againſt the Hereticks (as they ſpake) of Tolouſe and Avenion (which alſo belonged unto Raymund) and boaſting to deſtroy all the means and men within his Dominions, An. 1226. They came firſt to Avenion, craving paſſage through the Town for ſhortneſs of way. The Citizens ſaid, They feared more danger. The King ſware he would not riſe from ſiege, till he had taken the City. They had ſo provided, that within were neither old perſons, nor women, nor children; and all beaſtials were removed, and all the meadows were tilled; that the King had ſcarcity without, and they within had plenty; ſo without was dearth, and death (as was reckoned) of 22000. Simon and the Pope's General were killed with ſtones out of ſlings. Some of the Nobility crave leave to return, but obtain it not. The King dieth. Romanus cauſeth his death to be concealed; and after asking a treaty for peace, (which was refuſed) he craveth that he and the Prelates may enter the City, to try if the wickedneſs was ſo great, as the cry thereof was come unto the Pope's ears; and ſwore that he minded nothing but the ſalvation of ſouls: But he contemned his oath, brought in the Army, brake their walls, and ſlew many of them, Mat. Pariſ. ad An. 1226. in Hen. III. In the year 1228. Raymund did rout his adverſaries in three ſeveral battels, idem. Then they invade Tolouſe; but ſo that the yong King was glad to ſeek peace; and the Earl accepteth it on good conditions. Then the Pope ſent the Marſhal de la Foy with a freſh Army. King Lewes would not allow it, and ſaid, They ſhould perſwade by reaſon, and not conſtrain by force, Io. de Serres. When open wars were ended, the Biſhops and Friers were buſie with burning and hanging; and theſe broyls were not ended for ſeventy years, ſaith Bertrand. Ia. Thuan. in the dedication of his Hiſtory, telleth ſummarily the ſucceſs: They were killed or baniſhed, and ſcattered hither and thither, but not convicted of errors, nor brought into repentance; ſome fled into Province, or near unto the Alps, finding lurking holes for their liyes and doctrine; ſome went into Calabria, and their followers abode there until the Papacy of Pius the IV. ſome ſetled in Bohem, Poland and Livonia; and of their reliques in Britain, was John Wickliff in Oxford. So Thuan. Whereſoever they went, Satan followed to devour them. And all the Hiſtorians of thoſe times ſhew how they were perſecuted; as Vſſer. hath marked particularly, loc. cit. ca. 10. Innocentius III. cauſed the bones of Almaric to be burnt, a learned Biſhop at Paris, becauſe he had taught, that no ſin is imputed unto man in the ſtate of grace; and Images ſhould not be in Churches; and other twenty four perſons, for the ſame doctrine, An. 1210. Io. Bale Cent. 3. cap. 67. in Appen. ſheweth ex Bern. Lutzenburg. that when Dominicus, with twelve Ciſtertian Monks, was ſent againſt them, the ſum of them who were killed in the wars, were 100000. perſons, and out of Chriſt. Maſſanus. That in the Diocy of Narbon 140. men choſe rather to ſuffer the fire, then accept the doctrine of Rome, An. 1210. And in the next year 400. p. 426were burnt within the Diocy of Tolouſe, eighty were beheaded, and Almericus, Captain of the Caſtle of Vare, was hanged, and his wife was ſtoned to death. M. Fox in Act. & Monim. ſheweth out of Herm. Mutius, that An. 1212. ſundry Noble men and others, in the County of Alſatia, did hold, that every day was free for eating of fleſh, if it be ſoberly; and that they do wickedly, who hinder Prieſts from lawful marriage. Therefore Innocentius cauſed an hundred of them to be burnt in one day. Nauclerus ſheweth, that at the ſame time were many of the ſame doctrine at Millan, who ſent relief unto their Brethren in Alſatia. An. 1220. William, a Goldſmith, was burnt, becauſe he ſaid, Rome was Babylon, and the Pope was Antichriſt. Bale ex Caeſar. in dialog. Deſiderius à Lombard. at the ſame time was called Haereſiarcha, becauſe he wrote againſt the begging Friers. We read of many ſuch other burnings and martyrdoms in other places and times; but the truth could not be burnt, nor overthrown, nor want her witneſſes.

5. Guilielmus de Alta Petra, Biſhop of Paris, about the year 1220. wrote a book De Clero, wherein he ſpeaketh of the Clergy of his time in this maner; No godlineſs or learning is ſeen in them, but rather all divelliſh filthineſs, and monſtrous vices; their ſins are not ſimply ſins, but monſters of ſins; they are not the Church, but Babylon, Egypt, and Sodom; the Prelates build not the Church, but deſtroy it; they mock God; and they and their Prieſts do profane the body of Chriſt; they lift up to the heavens, with all maner of Eccleſiaſtical honor, the limbs of the divel, and enemies of God: in a word, they bring Lucifer into the Church of Chriſt. He taught alſo that there is no law belonging unto the ſalvation of man, but the Goſpel of Chriſt.

6. Joachim, Abbot of Curacon in Calabria, about the year 1200. held and and taught, that the Pope and his Court were the Antichriſt, becauſe they were drowned in ſimony and luxury; by their wickedneſs they hindered the Jews and Pagans from converting unto Chriſt. He wrote prophetical pictures upon the Revelation, with Italian expoſitions, wherein he ſharply taxeth the Pope and his Clergy. In his Commentary on Jeremiah, he ſaith, The days ſhall be perillous from the year 1200. until the laſt times, when the law of liberty ſhall appear, the Goſpel of Chriſt ſhall be preached, and the Church ſhall be purged, as the wheat from the chaff and tares. Pope Innocentius the III. condemned him, as thinking amiſs of the Trinity; and ſaying, that he who believeth the Trinity of perſons, and unity of nature or eſſence, eſtabliſheth a quaternity. But as we ſaid, Antoninus ſheweth, that the Pope condemned that error as his, but he condemned not himſelf. And Mar. Luther, in a peculiar Treatiſe, cleareth this Joachim from all error of the faith in the Trinity, Catal. teſt. verit. lib. 17. and certainly all is not ſure that is ſet down in the Decretals. M. Fox in Act. & Monim. ſheweth ex Roge. Honeden. that when Richard King of England went to Syria, by the way he ſent for Joachim to meet him in Sicily, and asked him many things; among the reſt, he asked what he thought of the coming of the Antichriſt? He began to expound the myſtery of the ſeven Kings in the Apocalypſe; theſe are ſeven perſecutors, Herod, Nero, Conſtantius, Mahumet, Melſemutus, Saladin and Antichriſt; and Antichriſt is now ſitting in the City of Rome, and in his Apoſtolical throne; as the Apoſtle ſaith, he is an adverſary, and exalteth himſelf above all that is called God: Alſo he foretold the eſtate of the Church; all the Church of the Saints ſhall be hid; for the elect of God, what they know, they ſhall know it to themſelves; ſo that they will not preſume to preach publickly, becauſe of prevailing darkneſs; not that they will leave to encourage and exhort the faithful privately, but becauſe they will not dare to preach publickly, Vſſer. de Eccleſ. ſtatu. cap. 6. ex Roge. Honen. annal. in Rich. II.

p. 4277. Conradus, a Lichtenal, was made abbas Vrſpergenſis An. 1215. In the Hiſtory of Henry the V. Emperor, he ſheweth, that many at that time did reprove peregrinations and indulgences; and in that place he calleth them a novelty. He writeth many things in favor of Popes, yet the force of truth ſometimes prevaileth with them: he condemneth Pope Gregory the IX. for excommunicating the Emperor without juſt cauſes, and without all order; he condemneth the Pope for taking Lands from the Emperor in his abſence, whereas he had forced him to go away; and for killing ſome who were ſigned with the Croſs, becauſe they were going to aid the Emperor againſt the Turks; which, ſaith he, is moſt abominable to ſpeak. He made this rhime of the avarice of Rome. Epephonema ex vita Phil. Imp.

Gaude mater noſtra Roma

Quoniam aperiuntur cataractae

Theſaurorum,

In terra

Vt ad te confluant rivi & aggeres

Nummorum

In magna copia.

Laetare ſuper iniquitate hominum

Quoniam ad recompenſationem

Tantorum malorum

Datur tibi pretium.

Iocundare

Super adjutrice tua diſcordia,

Quae erupit de puteo

Infernalis abyſsi,

Vt accumulentur tibi

Multa pecuniarum praemia.

Habes quod ſemper ſitiſti.

Decanta canticum,

Quia per malitiam hominum,

Non per tuam religionem

Orbem viciſti.

Ad te trahit homines

Non ipſorum devotio,

Aut pura conſcientia,

Sed ſcelerum multiplicium perpetratio

Et litium deciſio

Pretio comparata, &c.

Ex Catalog. teſt. ver. lib 16. This is expounded of the frequent gadding to Rome in the days of Pope Innocentius the III. See pag. 317. 8. Thore.

8. There is extant a conſtitution of Lewes, ſurnamed the bleſſed, King A proteſtation againſt the Pope's Bull, and an appeal.of France, bearing the date An. 1228. ſub tit. de Taliis, wherein he regrateth the avarice of Popes, ſaying, The exactions and grievous burthens of moneys that are laid on the Churches of our Kingdom by the Court of Rome, and whereby the Kingdom is miſerably exhauſted, and more yet may be by burthens which are ſaid to be lately impoſed, We will that theſe be levied upon no condition, nor gathered, except onelyonly for a reaſonable, pious and moſt urgent, or inevitable neceſſity; and by our expreſs and willing conſent, and with the conſent of the Church it ſelf of our Kingdom. At that time the Senate of Paris did preſent unto John Santroman, the King's Advocate, the p. 428Pope's Bull to be read and anſwered. He replied, ſaying, The greateſt confuſion of all things would ariſe upon the accepting and comprobation of that Bull; for by Authority of ſuch in former times, the people of the Kingdom had in great number gone out of the Kingdom unto Rome; of whom ſome became ſlaves or clients to the Cardinals; and ſome living more liberally, had waſted their patrimony idly; and others in the City or by the way, had periſhed with the inconvenience of the air and frequent peſtilence; and ſo France was exhauſted of ſubjects, eſpecially of the learned men. He ſheweth alſo, how vaſt ſums of money were carried away for vacancies and avowſancies of Biſhopricks and Abbeys, and other titles in the Church, ſo that ſometimes ten or twelve Bulls were ſold for one Prieſthood; and if this cuſtom ſhall continue, (ſaid he) it ſhall come to paſs, that who hath any ſtore of moneys, will ſend to Rome and buy a Prieſthood unto his Son or Couſin. The Rector of the Univerſity of Paris ſpake to the ſame purpoſe; and having proteſted at length againſt the Bull, he appealeth from the iniquity thereof unto the next Councel. Brut. Fulmen. ex Chronic. Britan. Armoric. lib. 4.

9. And becauſe we have heard a little of the exactions which the Court Romish Simony.laid upon the Nations, to make this more clear, I will add from the ſame Brut. Fulmen. pag. 66, & 67. an example of France; there the Author ſaith, It is moſt certain, two ſorts of ſimoniacal merchandiſe, of thoſe things that are called ſpiritual, are exerciſed at Rome by the Pope; one whereby Prieſthoods are ſold openly without diſſimulation, and that is very gainful; another not ſo lucrative, but no leſs abominable, which is called Taxa poenitentiariae Apoſtolicae. The names and titles of the former are innumerable; but of ſuch a multitude, the principal are reckoned, The tribute of Annates or vacancies; by this word is underſtood a years revenue, which is paid unto the holy treaſury of the Pope; and theſe are often doubled or tribled. Item the tribute by premunitions, reſignations in favors, commenda's, diſpenſations of age, of order, irregularity, and bodily faults. Item the tribute for the favor of expectations, from devolutions, from Benefices ere they be vacant, for priviledges and exemptions of not viſiting, agreements of reconciled perſons, tranſactions that are made with the Pope's good pleaſure, for exchange of Benefices with diſpenſation, Epiſcopal mandats, expeditions in forma vel ratione congrui, for creating Prothonotaries and Notaries Apoſtolical, for letters of colleagues or fellow-helpers, for letters of leſſer or higher juſtice, for Dignities Secular and Eccleſiaſtical, for new foundations or change of the ancients, for reduction of Regular Monaſteries into the condition of Secular, for reſtitution in integrum, for the fruit to be had in time of abſence, for legitimations, for porcative altars, for non obſtantiis, for diſpenſations to Secular Canons, for revocations and ranverſings, for tolerations of concubines, uſually termed Toleramus, for reſcriptions unto pleas, &c. Of this merchandiſe is a Papal book, with this inſcription, Taxa Cancellariae Apoſtolicae cum Notabilibus juxta ſtylum hodicrnum Curiae Romanae. In this book is a ſentence expreſt in theſe words; And note diligently, that theſe favors and diſpenſations are not granted unto poor folks. And what gain is amaſſed of theſe particulars, take an example from the grievances of the Parliament of Paris, which they did preſent unto King Lewes the XI. and which was tranſlated into Latin, and printed three ſeveral times cum privilegto Regis. Art. 72. And that we may demonſtrate particularly how much the Realm hath been exhauſted of moneys within theſe three years, it is obſerved, that in the time of Pope Pius, twenty and more Arch-Biſhopricks and Biſhopricks were vacant within the Realm, and without doubt partly for the annual tribute (which they call Annata) and partly for the acceſſory and extraordinary p. 429charges, from every City 6000. crowns were paid; in ſum 120000. crown. Art. 68. More then ſixty Abbeys did vake, whereof each one hath paid 2000. crowns at leaſt; in ſum 120000. Art. 74. At the ſame time Priories, Deanries, Proveſtries, Preceptories, and ſuch other Dignities which are not honored with the Croſier, were vacant no fewer then two hundred; and for each of theſe Benefices were paid five hundred crowns; in ſum 100000. crowns. Art. 75. It is certain, that in the Realm are at leaſt 100000. Pariſhes, and there is none of them in which ſome man hath not obtained ſome grace or favor expective; and for each one of theſe were paid 25. crowns; partly for the expenſes of the way or journey, partly for writing the Bulls, for the non obſtantiis, prerogatives, annullations, and other ſpecial cauſes which depend upon theſe expectative graces; as alſo for the executorial proceſs that were made upon the ſame graces; in ſum 2500000. crowns. So far the Parliament of Paris. Summa ſummarum is 2840000. crowns. This was paid in three years. As alſo it is found, that the tax of vacancies, accounted in the books of the Camera, from Cathedral Churches and Abbeys in France, do every ſixth year amount to the ſum of 697750. lievers, beſides Prelacies, which are not taxed, and other Benefices, the exactions of which do almoſt amount unto the ſame ſum—Pag. 77. There was a book printed at Paris An. 1520. with the priviledge of the Parliament of Paris, on June 6. of the ſame year, with this title, Taxa Cancellariae Apoſtolicae, & taxa ſacra poenitentiariae item Apoſtolicae, where fol. 36. may be ſeen the prices and merchandiſe Apoſtolical of abſolutions. Abſolution for a Monk wearing pointed ſhoes, and a coat tied up, 7. s. Abſolutions for a Prieſt that hath confirmed in marriage perſons within degrees forbidden, 7. s. For him that hath known a woman within the Church, and hath committed other villanies, 6. s. For a Prieſt that hath married perſons privily, and hath been preſent at their clandeſtin weddings, 7. s. For a Laick who hath ſtolen holy things out of a holy place, 7. s. For him which hath carnally known his mother, ſiſter, or his kinſwomen by blood or marriage, or his godmother, 5. s. For him which hath defloured a virgin, 6. s. For perjury, 6. s. For a Laick which hath killed an Abbot, or any Prieſt inferior unto a Biſhop, or a Monk, or Clerk, 7, 8, or 9. s. Abſolution for the murther of a Laick by a Laick, 5. s. For a Prieſt, Dean or Clerk, when his ſupplication is ſigned with Fiat, 18, or 16. s. For him which hath killed his father, mother, brother, ſiſter, wife, or any kinſman (being a Laick, becauſe if any of them were a Clerk, the murtherer is bound to viſit the Apoſtolical See) 5, or 7. s. For a man that hath ſmitten his wife, ſo that thereupon ſhe hath a miſchance, or hath brought forth before the time, 6. s. For a woman which hath taken any drink, or done any other thing to deſtroy her birth after it was quickened in her belly, 5. s. Is not the condition of Chriſtians miſerable, and hath need to be bewailed?—So that Fla. Blondus lib. 3. Romae inſtauratae, hath written truly; Now the Princes of the world do adore and worſhip the perpetual Dictator—the high Prieſt—and all Europe almoſt ſendeth unto Rome now greater tribute, or certainly equal unto ancient times, in ſo far but as every City do receive Prieſtly benefits from the Biſhop of Rome. So far Blondus. And that this may be underſtood, I ſhall adjoyn the words of Suetonius, in the life of Julius Caeſar, where writing of France, he ſaith, He brought all France into the form of a Province, and laid on them to pay yearly, in name of tribute, four hundred Seſtertium; and Eutropius, lib. 6. ſaith the ſame; which ſum, according to the ſupputation of Budaeus de Aſſe, The Schiſm betwixt the Latin and Greek Churches.is 1000000. crowns, or a Million. So far ex Bru. Fulm.

10. When the Latins did reign in Conſtantinople, the Greek Church was in ſome manner made ſubject unto Rome, until the year 1230. at this time p. 430the ſeam-ript coat was rent in ſunder, upon this occaſion; A certain Biſhop was elected unto an Arch-Biſhoprick in Greece, and came to Rome to be confirmed, but could not obtain confirmation, unleſs he would pay a great ſum of money unto Pope Gregory the IX. The Biſhop deteſting ſimony refuſeth; and returning without confirmation, declareth unto the Nobility of the Land the matter as it was; others which had been with him, did teſtifie the ſame: Wherefore all the Greeks made a general ſeparation from the Church of Rome. After ſeven years, Germanus, Patriarch of Conſtantinople, wrote unto the ſame Gregory, humbly intreating to adviſe upon ſome means of unity, that the truth on both ſides being debated by Scriptures, the erring party might be reduced, the ſlander be removed, and unity be reſtored; offering alſo, that notwithſtanding his old and feeble age, he would meet him in the middle way. The Pope replieth, Chriſt ſaid to Peter, Thou art Cephas; & the power of judging the Articles of faith, belongeth unto the Pope lineally. In a word, he refuſeth to call the matter into queſtion. Immediately he excommunicateth all the Greek Church; and he chargeth all Chriſtians to take the ſign of the Croſs, and fight againſt the Greeks as Turks. Then Germanus wrote again unto the Pope, ſhewing the incommodities of diſcord, the naughtineſs of his excommunication, and his oppoſition rather then ſucceſſion unto Peter; for Peter did inſtruct all Paſtors to feed the flock of God, and to care for it; not by conſtraint, but of a willing minde; not for filthy lucre, but of readineſs; not as they were Lords—As for himſelf, that did appertain unto him (ſaid he) which is written in chap. 1. of the ſame Epiſtle, We rejoyce, though we be in heavineſs through manifold tentations. Briefly, he entreateth the Pope to look into Chriſt's Goſpel, and the Epiſtles of the Apoſtles, and the Divinity books of ancient writers, that whoſoever hath gone aſtray may be reformed, ſeeing they both pretend ſincerity of faith and doctrine. He wrote alſo another Letter unto the Cardinals of the Latin Church, ſhewing the utility of Councel, (ſeeing God giveth not all wiſdom unto one man) that men may be united by mutual communication; then exhorting unto unity, as they had been formerly: If we have fallen (ſaith he) raiſe ye us up; I mean not a bodily, but a ſpiritual riſing, [at that time they were ſubject unto the Latins, and he waveth to ſpeak of that liberty] and we ſhall confeſs our ſelves debtors unto you; but if the ſcandal hath begun at old Rome, read what Paul writeth unto the Galathians, When Peter came. into Antiochia, I withſtood him to his face, for he was worthy of rebuke; and nevertheleſs we may holily judge, that that reſiſtance was not a cauſe of diſcord, but of ſearching the truth, and of deeper diſputation; for they continued firm in the bond of love, conformable in faith and doctrine, and no way divided with ambition nor avarice; Oh, if we were like them! Thirdly, He ſheweth that the Schiſm of the Church proceedeth onelyonly from the oppreſſion, tyranny and exactions of the Roman Church; which of a mother, is become a ſtep-dame, and wholly coveteth to make Nations tributary unto her, and to make Kings her vaſſals; and gapeth after gold and ſilver, contrary unto St. Peter, who ſaid, Gold and ſilver have I none. Fourthly, He ſheweth what Churches keep the Orthodox faith with the Greek Church; to wit, the Ethiopians, inhabiting the greateſt part of the South, Syrians, Iberi, Alani, Gothi, Charari, innumerable people of Ruſſia, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria; all which acknowledge the Greek Church as their mother. He cloſeth, praying that Chriſt, who for our ſins became man, and is the onelyonly head of the Church, would unite the Greek Church with her ſiſter the Latin Church of old Rome, in wholeſome doctrine and brotherly love. When the Pope had read thoſe Letters, he ſent an Army unto Conſtantinople, under the ſign of p. 431the Croſs, to fight againſt the Greeks, Mat. Pariſ. ad An. 1237. Then Germanus and the Patriarch of Antiochia, did excommunicate the Pope in their ſeveral Synods: Among other Articles, contrary unto the Biſhop of Rome, they did conſent, that Antioch ſhould be preferred unto Rome; becauſe Peter ſat there, and was but crucified at Rome. Idem ad An. 1238. Is it any doubt then, which of the two Churches can with good reaſon be called Orthodox, ſeeing the one ſought to be tried by the Scriptures, and the other would not?

11. In the laſt Diet of Germany, gathered at Regensburgh, againſt Pope Eberhard's oration againſt the Pope.Gregory the IX. and his Legate Albert, Eberhard Biſhop of Salzburgh, had a Sermon, which is in Aventin. Annal. lib. 6. and is repeated by many; the ſum is: After the preface, concerning love as the badge of Chriſtians, whereby they ſhould be diſtinguiſhed from the Soldiers of the infernal Jupiter, he ſaith, Chriſt our Savior, Lord and God, hath often forewarned us to take heed of falſe Chriſts and falſe Prophets, who being covered with a ſheeps skin, that is, a Chriſtian name, and title of high Prieſt, ſeek to domineer over us, and to deceive us; he hath taught us to know them by their thorns and works of avarice, luxury, contention, hatred, envy, wars, miſeries of diſcord and ambition: by ſuch words, what hath the heavenly Emperor more clearly pointed at, then the Phariſes and Scribes of Babylon? unleſs we be blinde, we may ſee a moſt cruel wolf under a ſheeps skin, the title of the high Prieſt; the Romiſh Prieſts [Flamines] take Arms againſt all Chriſtians; by daring and deceiving, and raiſing wars after wars, they are become great; they kill and maſſacre the ſheep; they thruſt peace and concord from the earth—they bring all men low, that they may devour all men, and bring all men into ſlavery; they provide not for the good of the flock as a ſhepheard ſhould do—righteouſneſs faileth, but impiety, covetouſneſs, ambition, and luſt waxeth; the weak and good men are a prey unto the wicked, and onelyonly bad men are wealthy. Chriſt forbad to hate our enemies, and commanded to love them, & by doing them good to engage them; but contrarily, the Romaniſts do violate holythings; when they have ſworn into a covenant, they abuſe the name of God, and deceive men; they are ingrateful unto their benefactors, and recompenſe good with evil deeds; and with great ſhew of piety they deceive, betray, ſtrive and fight: they will have us to reſiſt divine Majeſty, heavenly providence, nature, and the ſupream power which God hath ordained. A hundred and ſeventy years ſince Hildebrand did firſt, under ſhew of Religion, lay the ground of Antichriſts Kingdom, he firſt began this unhappy war, which hitherto hath been continued by his Succeſſors; firſt they did exclude the Emperor from their Pontificial Aſſemblies, and transferred them unto the people and Prieſts; then they deluded the people, and excluded them alſo; now they would make us ſlaves, that they may reign alone; and when they have taſted of Imperial dignity, and know both their own and their adverſaries power, they will pretend the ſpecious ſhew of erecting the liberty of the Church, to domineer and oppreſs Chriſtian liberty. Believe what ye ſee, they will not ceaſe until the Emperor be brought under, the honor of the Roman Empire be deſtroyed, true ſhepheards who would feed the flock be oppreſſed, the dogs who can bark, be out of the way, and then they will turn all things topſie turvy, and domineer over us whether we will or not—The ſupream Majeſty took on him the form of a ſervant, and did ſerve his diſciples when he waſhed their feet; but thoſe Flamines of Babylon will nothing but reign, and cannot endure an equal; they will not ceaſe until they have trod all under their feet, and ſit in the Temple of God, and be exalted above all that is worſhipped; their hunger of riches, and thirſt of honors, is unſatiable: p. 432the more ye give unto the avaricious, he coveteth the more—licence maketh us all the worſe; he who is the ſervant of ſervants, will be Lord of Lords, as if he were a God; he deſpiſeth the holy aſſemblies and counſels of his Brethren, yea, of his Lords; he feareth that he be called to account for what he doth dayly againſt laws and good order; he ſpeaketh great things, as if he were God; he hath new purpoſes in his head, to ſet up an Empire unto himſelf; that wicked man (whom they uſually now call Antichriſt) in whoſe forehead is written the name of blaſphemy, I am God, I cannot err, changeth laws, eſtabliſheth his own, ſpoileth, defraudeth, killeth, and ſitteth in the Temple of God, domineering far and wide—As in the days of the ancient Sibylla, Hydaſpes, that moſt ancient King, hath under the name of a prophecying childe, told the proſperity, and named the Romans long before Troy was; and Prophets have foretold in dark words, that every one cannot underſtand: The majeſty of the Roman people, by whom the world was governed, is now away, and the power hath returned into Aſia; the Eaſt ſhall rule again, and the Weſt ſhall be a ſervant; Kingdoms are multiplied; the higheſt power is, I will not ſay torn, but diſſolved and broken into many—the Emperor is but a title, and onelyonly a ſhadow; now there be ten Kings together, who have taken their part of the ancient Roman Empire, not to rule it, but to deſtroy it. Thoſe ten horns (which St. Auguſtine could not underſtand) the Turks, Greeks, Egyptians, Africans, Spaniards, French, Engliſh, Germans, Italians, and Sicilians, do poſſeſs the Roman Provinces; and a little horn is grown up among them, which hath eyes, and a mouth ſpeaking great things; eſpecially it compelleth three of theſe Kingdoms, to wit, of Sicily, Italy, and Germany, to ſerve it—What is more clear then this propheſie? &c.

12. Petrus de Vineis, Chancellor of the Emperor Frederick the II. wrote Petrus de Vineis againſt the maners of the Pope's Court.ſix books of Epiſtles, which were printed in the year 1566. ſome of them are inſerted in Catalog. teſt. verit. lib. 16. He wrote many in name of the Emperor, unto ſeveral Princes: The ſecond Epiſtle of the firſt book he directed unto the Kings and Princes generally, exhorting them, that they obey not the Pope and his Cardinals, who feed upon the alms of the poor, and oppreſs the children of the Church: The following ages (ſaith he) may be wiſe, when they know what hath been before them; and as the wax receiveth impreſſion from the ſignature, ſo mortal men are framed by example. O that I had taſted of ſuch happineſs, that Chriſtian Princes had left unto us ſuch timely warning, as we from the experience of our wounded Majeſty do leave unto you; the Clergy, who are made fat by the alms of the poor, do oppreſs the children; when they are ordained Apoſtolical Fathers, though they be the children of our ſubjects, yet forgetting their fatherly duty, will not vouchſafe to reverence Emperor nor King. What is ſpoken in borrowed words, is clear by the preſumption of Pope Innocent the IV. for in a general Councel (as he calleth it) he durſt pronounce a ſentence of depoſition (which he cannot maintain without a ſtrange prejudice of all Kings) albeit I was neither ſummoned, nor convicted of any fraud or offence. What cauſe have ye all, and every King of every Countrey, to fear from the wrath of ſuch a Prince of Prieſts? It is not enough that he attempteth to dethrown us, albeit we, by the power of God, were crowned after the election of the Princes, and approbation of the whole Church and people, living in the Religion of Chriſtian faith; and albeit in reſpect of the Imperial Diadem, no rigor can be exerciſed againſt us, even though lawful cauſes were proved againſt us; but the abuſe of that Prieſtly power would ſo overthrow us, that we ſhould be neither firſt nor laſt. And this indeed ye do, when ye obey them who counterfeit holineſs, and their p. 433ambition hopeth to ſwallow you all. O that your ſimple credulity would beware (as Chriſt hath warned) of that leaven of the Scribes and Phariſees! how many filthineſſes of that Court might ye abhor, which ſhame and diſhoneſty will not ſuffer me to name? truly the wealthy revenues, wherewith they are enriched, to the impoveriſhing of many Kingdoms, have made them mad; among us Chriſtians are become beggers, that the Patarens may be fed among them; ye bring down your own houſes, that ye may build up your adverſaries houſes there—It hath been our care that thoſe things ſhould be written for you, albeit not declaring ſufficiently what I wiſh; but other things I will acquaint you with in a more private way, to wit, to what uſes your prodigality may employ the riches of the poor. What can be done in chuſing an Emperor, unleſs peace, which we intend by able mediators to eſtabliſh, be at leaſt ſuperficially reſtored betwixt us and the Church? what may we intend concerning the common and particular affairs of all Kings? &c. In Epiſt. 3. he faith, It is no where found, that by any Law of God or man, the high Prieſt of Rome may at his pleaſure transfer the Empire, or judge Kings or Princes, by depriving them of their temporal Kingdoms; for albeit according to the Law of men, or of cuſtom, our conſecration belongeth unto him, yet he hath no more power to deprive us, then the Prelates of any other Nation, who after their cuſtom, do conſecrate and anoint their Kings. In Epiſt. 13. unto the King of France; It is notorious, and the world cannot hide it, how that Apoſtolical Father hath impugned our innocency with both the ſwords; for while at his command we were paſſing over ſea, he (our adverſary and enemy) invaded the Kingdom of Sicily, and hath ſpoiled it many ways; then after our returning into the Kingdom, by the manifold interceſſion of the Alman Princes, a peace was made with the Church; and though I did my ſervice, yet that Apoſtolical man laid his hands more heavily upon us, and proprio motu; without any cauſe on my part, he hath deviſed whatever could be deviſed to our ruine; and by proclaiming the ſentence of excommunication againſt us, and by his Miſſives and Nuntios, he publiſheth unto all men the titles of defaming us. Laſtly, To ſupplant us, he, aſpiring as it were to build the tower of Babylon againſt the fort of David, hath called all the Prelates he could unto a particular Councel, ſo aiming to ſet the Eaſt before the North; but the wondrous providence of God, by whom we live and reign, beholding the purpoſe of ſo great iniquity, and turning his thoughts into nothing, hath brought the Cardinals and Prelates, both of France and ſome other Nations, into our hands, whom (many others being drowned in the ſea) we keep faſt as our enemies—Let not your Highneſs marvel [ſi Auguſtus tenet in Auguſto] that Caeſar keepeth in priſon the Prelates of France, who would have impriſoned Caeſar. In Epiſt. 21. unto the King and Peers of France, he ſaith, Lift up your eyes round about, hearken with your ears, ye ſons of men, and behold the general ſcandal of the world; lament the diviſion of Nations, and the general decay of juſtice, and wickedneſs proceedings from the Elders of Babylon, who heretofore ſeemed to rule the world, but now they turn judgement into bitterneſs, and the fruits of righteouſneſs into wormwood. In Epiſt. 31. unto all Prelates, he ſaith, A Phariſee anointed with the oyl of wickedneſs above his fellows, the Roman high Prieſt of our time, ſitting in the chair of perverſe doctrine, endeavoreth to deſtroy what is warranted from above; he intendeth to eclipſe the rays of our Majeſty, and turning truth into a fable, he ſendeth his Letters into divers parts of the world full of lyes, accuſing the purity of our faith at his pleaſure, and not with reaſon. He, who is a Pope by name onelyonly, hath written, that we are the Beaſt riſing out of the Sea, full of the names of blaſpemy; and we do aver, that p. 434he is the Beaſt, of which it is ſaid, Another red horſe came out of the Sea, and he who ſitteth upon him, taketh away peace from the earth—for from the day of his promotion, that father, not of mercies, but of diſcords, a diligent procurer of deſolation, not of conſolation, hath turned all the world into ſcandals; and, to uſe his own word in the right ſenſe, he is the great Dragon, who deceiveth all the world; he is the Antichriſt, whoſe forerunner he calleth us; he is another Balaam, hired for a reward to curſe us; he is the Angel coming out of the bottomleſs pit, having the vials full of bitterneſs, &c. By theſe few paſſages it may appear, what good and learned men have thought of the Pope.

13. In the firſt Book of Epiſtles, written by the now named Petrus de Vineis, Philip King of France his Letter to the Cardinals.the 34. is in name of Philip King of France, directed unto the Cardinals, concerning the election of the Pope; there he ſaith, What provoketh them unto diſcord? greedineſs of gold and ambition; for they think not what is expedient, but what they would have; they make more account of their particular intereſt, then the publique; and wickedly prefer their gain unto honeſty; how then ſhall they rule others, who cannot rule themſelves? who hurt their friends, and do good to their enemies, and in the end catch nothing unto themſelves? The Court of Rome was wont to be glorious in knowledge, maners and vertue, and were not provoked with the menaces of fortune, becauſe they thought they were ſafeſt under the protection of vertue then of chance; but now it cannot be called, Curia ſed cura, a Court, but care; they love a mark of money better then Mark's Goſpel; a ſalmon better then Solomon—they love honor, and eſchew a burthen; they love to be advanced, but neglect the profiting of their ſubjects in piety—ſuch cannot be called ſhepheards, but rather impious wolves; by whoſe perfidiouſneſs the holy Mother the Church is trod under foot, faith is undone, hope is put away, and love is pulled up by the roots.

14. In the year 1253. was great contention between the Maſters of Sorbon Conteſtation of the Sorboniſts againſt the Minorites.in Paris, and the preaching Friers, who were ſo increaſed in number and honor, becoming the Confeſſors and Counſellors of Kings, that they would not be ſubject unto the former Laws and Cuſtoms. The School-men conveened, and were content to want ſomewhat of their weekly portion, to ſatisfie the Court of Rome, from which the Friers had obtained their priviledges, or (as Mat. Pariſien. in Henri. IV. ſpeaketh) their horns: after the waſting of a great deal of money, and much travel beſtowed on both ſides, ſome Cuſtoms of the Univerſity were changed, and a kinde of agreement was made. In the next year the contention was hotter, and the Friers would multiply their number in deſpite of the Univerſity and City; the King and City would have preſerved the Cuſtom of the School, but the Friers had more favor with the Pope, becauſe of their great ſervice unto the Court, and they carried the victory; and the Pope ordained, that they might teach Divinity, without account of the former order concerning the number. In time of this contention, the Friers publiſhed a book, with the title of The eternal Goſpel, whereof John de Parma, an Italian Monk, was ſaid to be the Author. The eternal Goſpel.On the other ſide, four Maſters of the Univerſity ſet forth another, Of the danger of the laſt times: one of the four was William de Sancto Amore; and therefore the Friers called the favorers of that book Amoraei. In this book the Maſters ſay, Now there be fifty five years ſince ſome have attempted to change the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt into another Goſpel, which they call the Goſpel of the holy Ghoſt; and when he cometh, the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt ſhall be aboliſhed, as we are ready to prove by that accurſed book. Ia. Vſſer. in his book De Eccleſ. ſucceſ. cap. 9. ex Henr. Erphurd. Chron. cap. 39. and p. 435Nic. Eimeric. direct. Inquiſi. par. 2. qu. 9. ſheweth ſome paſſages of that curſed Goſpel. 1. The eternal Goſpel is better then the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, and all the Old and New Teſtaments. 2. The Goſpel of Chriſt is not the Goſpel of the Kingdom, and therefore it cannot edifie the Church. 3. The New Teſtament is to be annulled, as the Old was annulled. 4. The New Teſtament ſhall continue in power but for ſix years next to come, to wit, until the year of incarnation, 1260. 5. They who live after that year, ſhall be in the eſtate of perfect men. 6. Another Goſpel ſhall ſucceed unto the Goſpel of Chriſt, and another Prieſthood unto his Prieſthood. 7. None are ſimply fit to teach men in ſpiritual and eternal things, but ſuch who walk bare-foot, &c. Many other Articles are in that place now cited. The people began to diſpiſe the Friers, refuſed to give them alms, and called them hypocrites, ſucceſſors of Antichriſt, falſe prophets, flatterers, and wicked counſellors of Kings and Princes, contemners and ſupplanters of their Ordinaries, defilers of Royal beds, abuſers of confeſſions, &c. Mat. Pariſ. ad An. 1256. where it is alſo written, that both thoſe parties ſent their Commiſſioners unto the Court at Anagnia: both the books were cenſured; and Pope Alexander ordained, that the book of the eternal Goſpel ſhould be burnt, but privily, and ſo far as might be, without diſcredit of the Friers. But the Pope was the more offended at the other book, becauſe it was written againſt the religious Friers; therefore he publiſhed a Decree to this this purpoſe: Some, profeſſing to have the knowledge of the Scriptures, but ſtraying from the way of the true ſenſe, have plotted wickedneſs, and have uttered very great iniquity againſt the innocent and upright—they have reviled their brethren, and laid ſtumbling blocks before the beloved children of their Mother the Church—they have made a book, not of inſtruction, but derogation; not admoniſhing, but biting—and becauſe the book is a ſeminary of great ſcandal, and hath bred much trouble and dammage to ſouls, and hath hindred believers from former devotion, and their wonted giving of alms, and from entering into that Religion; therefore that book, which beareth the title, Tractatus brevis de periculis noviſsimorum temporum, we condemn as wicked and execrable—commanding, that whoſoever ſhall have that book, he ſhall burn it within eight days after ſight of this our Sentence; and pronouncing the ſentence of excommunication againſt all that ſhall diſpiſe this our command, &c. That book was burnt quickly at Anagnia.

15. Hugo Barchinonenſis, Cardinal S. Sabinae, wrote many books at that time. In his preface before Joſhua, he reckoneth the Canonical Books as they be in the Hebrew and Greek Teſtaments; among the Apocrypha he putteth Eccleſiaſticus, Wiſdom, Maccabees, Judith, becauſe, ſaith he, they are doubtful. On the Prologue of Jerome, before the books of the Kings, he ſaith, The Church receiveth the Apocrypha books, not for proof of faith, but inſtruction of maners. Here it may be marked, that as yet, yea and until the Councel of Trent, the books of Maccabees, and ſuch others, were not accounted Canonical; as alſo witneſſeth Pererius in Daniel. lib. 16. and others whom I have named elſewhere. As for the 47. Canon of the third Councel at Carthage, from which Bellarm. de verbo Dei. lib. 1. would derive the Authority of the Divine Canon; Baronius ad An. 397. teſtifieth, It was not a Canon of that Synod; ſo ſaith Binius Annotat. in Conc. Carthag. 3. I return to Hugo; on Pſal. 77. he ſaith, Many Clerks are the ge…eration of vipers—they perſecute their Mother the Church, and ſo far as they can, they ſlay Chriſt their Father. On Matth. 16. Upon this rock, i. e. upon this foundation, and that rock is Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10. none can lay another foundation, but that which is laid, even Chriſt Jeſus. On 2 Tim. 3. All Scripture, that is, the holy Scripture, which p. 436containeth all things neceſſary unto ſalvation, is perfect; therefore it hath the priviledge to be called, The Scripture, by an antonomaſia. Catalog. teſt. ver. lib. 16. Pope Alexander depoſed him. Naucler. gener. 42.

16. Humbert de Romania, fifth General of the Dominicans, about the year 1250. wrote a book De ratione tollendi ſchiſma inter Graecos & Latinos. In par. 2. cap. 11. he ſaith, The cauſe of the Schiſm, was the intolerable burthens of Popes, in exactions, excommunications, and ſtatutes. Catalog. teſt. ibid.

17. Pope Honorius the IV. ſent John, Biſhop of Tuſculo, into Germany, Germany againſt the Pope.to exact from all Biſhops, Prieſts and Abbots, the fourth part of all their ſubſtance for five years, unto the maintenance of his Soldiers againſt Peter King of Aragon: For this cauſe a frequent Aſſembly conveened at Wirtzburgh; the Emperor Rodulph came there: When the petition was propounded, the Elector of Colein refuſing, did appeal unto a general Councel: when he was alledging his reaſons, the Legate interrupted, and threatened him with the Pope's curſe: Then all the Prieſts and Monks ſcoffed at the Legate, and began to buffet him, that if the Legate had not commanded his Marſhal to convey him away, he had not eſcaped with his life. Then Probus, Biſhop of Tull. ſaid, How long, moſt dear Colleagues, ſhall thoſe vultures of Romulus abuſe our patience, I will not ſay, our fooliſhneſs? how long ſhall we endure their wickedneſs, avarice, pride and luxury? this moſt wicked ſort of Maſters of Synagogues will not ceaſe, till they bring us all into poverty and wretched ſlavery: By our jars, this malady waxeth; by our differences, theſe rogues are ſafe; ſo long as they command, we ſhall never have peace nor piety: Lately they raiſed the Saxons and Suevians one againſt the other; thoſe inſtruments of Satan, or Antichriſts, have ſown the ſeeds of diſcord in Germany. When Conradin, a yong man of very good hope, was ſeeking (according to the Law of nature) the inheritance of his Fathers, they circumvented him with fraud, and killed him moſt cruelly. [He rehearſeth many ſuch tricks done by the Popes; then he ſaith] As twelve years ago Gregory the X. dealt with the tenths, the ſame will Honorius the IV. do with the fourths: That he might ſtrip us of our gold, he armed the Turks againſt us; and this Pope is more deſirous of tribute, then of our welfare. Thoſe Satans ſpeak of light, and intend darkneſs, to deceive the people; and that they regard not Chriſt our Lord and God, their aims and works, unleſs we be blinde, do prove, the iſſue ſheweth, and the holy Scriptures deſcribeth. Wherefore Fathers, devoted to Chriſt, awaken, provide againſt theſe calamities—I am not ignorant what this Tuſculan is, I know the man; he is gold thirſty, a falſe uſurer, a vile ſlave of money; I fear not his menaces; I appeal unto the Senate of Chriſtendom, &c. All the Aſſembly approved what he had ſaid, and nothing was done for the Pope. Wherefore Probus was accurſed at Rome; but in the greater eſtimation at home, and with all good men. Ph. Mornay. in Myſter. ex Aventin. lib. 7.

18. Nicolaus de Biberach, General of the Carmelites, lived about the Againſt the Carmelites.year 1270. he bewailed with tears the corrupt eſtate of his Order. Whereas in the wilderneſs they did attend conſtantly on prayer, reading and handy works, now (ſaid he) ſince they dwell in Cities, under their mother hypocriſie, their ſtudy is eaſe, idleneſs, luſt and luxury. When he had beſtowed his time five years in that charge, and with grief ſaw no amendment, he wrote a book againſt them, which he called, Ignea ſagitta, and returned into a Deſart about the mount Ewatrof. In that book he calleth them ſtep-ſons, reprobates, cauteriſed vagabonds, pratlers, unhappy counſellors, wicked diſcourſers, Citizens of Sodom, deſpiſers of the beſt Teſtament, the tail of the dragon, drawing p. 437down the third part of the ſtars from heaven, and caſting them on the earth, Revel. 12. In chap. 5. he ſaith, Tell me, what new religion is this in your Cities? from morning until even, ye run two and two thorow the ſtreets, and he is your leader, which goeth about roaring, and ſeeking whom he may devour; and ſo that propheſie, The wicked walk in a compaſs, is moſt true of you; for the chief purpoſe of your gading, is not to viſit the fatherleſs, but yong women; not widows in heavineſs, but wanton maids, Nuns, and Miſtreſſes; and each caſt their eyes on another, and words of luſtfulneſs, corrupting good maners, enflaming the hearts, &c. That is not pure religion—Wo is me, my dear friends, ſeeing ye are wrapped in the clay of the world, why think ye that ye are not defiled? I. Bale. Cent. 4. §. 42. in Appe. 2. In another Treatiſe, that he calleth Occultus, he writeth, that he had been at Rome; and had ſeen their feigned flatteries unto ſtrangers and learned men; and had heard their oaths with Judas kiſſes; that faith was like ſpices, rare and dear; that the Pope and his Court did draw all things unto them; they were worſe then Pharaoh, thieves and robbers, always in womens boſomes.

19. John Semeca, Provoſt of St. Stevens in Halberſtad, and Doctor of the Io. Semeca, Author of the Gloſs on Gratian, (though for ſome hundred years allowed) was lately cenſured.Laws, did firſt with Herculean courage (ſaith Crantz. in Saxon. lib. 8. cap. 27.) attempt to write a Gloſs on the Decrees, which none before him had done, nor could any after him do better. When Pope Clement the IV. did require from the Clergy the tenths through France and Germany, for redemption of the holy Land, this John did publiſh an Appeal in the contrary; and the Pope did excommunicate him, and deprive him of his Provoſtry, for his preſumption, as he ſaid: But many great men in Germany, did judge that John was not the worſeman, or to be forſaken; and death did prevent the evils that were thought to have followed; for both the Pope and John lived not long thereafter. Ibid. This Gloſſa of Semeca, was in high account until the time of the Councel at Trent; but after that time, the Popes, Pius the V. and Gregory the XII. have put ſeveral cenſures on it. Jo. Pappus hath collationed their cenſures, and publiſhed them Argentorati An. 1609. out of which Edition I have marked theſe. Coll. VII. Diſt. 9. cap. 11. Sana quippe, ver. Cùm ergo, he ſaith, In the Canonical Scripture nothing can be found that agreeth not with Divine Laws, and Divine Laws conſiſt with nature; this is manifeſt, whatſoever is contrary unto Divine and Canonical Laws, is contrary unto natural Law. The Edition of Pope Pius, ordaineth theſe words to be left out; and the Gregorian blotteth them not, but addeth on the margin, See above Diſt. 6, &c, X. Diſt. 16. cap. 1. Canones. And among the Apocrypha, that is, books without a certain Authority, as, the Wiſdom of Solomon, the book of Jeſus the Son of Sirach, which is called Eccleſiaſticus, and the books of Judith and Tobias, and the book of Maccabees; theſe are called Apocrypha, and yet are read, but perhaps not generally. The Edition of Pius biddeth blot all theſe words until Clementis excluſively; the Gregorian hath the whole Gloſs, but noteth on the margin: I, but theſe books are not Apocrypha, but Canonical, albeit in ancient times ſome Catholicks doubted of them. XI. Diſt. 17. cap. 6. Concilia, The Roman Church hath her Authority from Councels. The cenſure of Pius ſaith, Blot away theſe words; as alſo in the margin theſe words, The Pope from the Councels, &c. But the Gregorian keepeth the words of the Gloſs, and omitteth the margin. And in the ſame Gloſs, where it is ſaid, The Roman Church hath primacy principally from the Lord, and ſecondarily from Councels: Gregory will have it in the margin thus; Councels give not properly the primacy unto the Roman Church, but declare what is given by the Lord. XVI. Diſt. 17. cap. 3. His igitur, In all the Sacraments Simony is committed, except marriage perhaps, becauſe in it the grace of the holy p. 438Ghoſt is not given; as 32. q. 2. Connubia. The cenſure of Pius putteth away theſe words; and it followeth in the Gloſs, But in other Sacraments it is given: Pius ſaith, Put away other. And where the margin hath, I allow not this ſaying, becauſe—Pius ſaith, Put away all that. But the Gregorian retaineth the Gloſs wholly, and ſetteth another margin thus; The Sacrament of marriage alſo giveth grace; nor doth the alledged text ſerve the purpoſe. XVIII. Diſt. 25. cap. 3. Vnus, ad ver. Quia facile, And becauſe we may confeſs unto a Laic, even albeit a Prieſt be at hand; but we ſhall not confeſs mortal ſins, ſave unto a Prieſt, ſo that one may be had, or elſe we may confeſs them unto a Laick. The cenſure of Pius putteth away all theſe words, as alſo the margin, where it is ſaid, We may confeſs unto a Laick. But the Gregorian retaineth the Gloſs; and for the margin ſetteth theſe words, We may not confeſs venial nor mortal ſins unto a Laick ſacramentally, but unto a Prieſt. XX. Diſt. 26. cap. 2. Acutius, ad ver. Significat. And ſo a Biſhop is a Sacrament, even as the water it ſelf. The cenſure of Pius putteth away all theſe. But Gregory retaineth the Gloſs; and addeth in the margin, Neither the Biſhop nor the water is properly a Sacrament. XXIV. Diſt. 50. ca. 14. Et purgabit. ver. Domo, i. e. ſacerdotibus, For all evils have flowed from Prieſts, 24. quaeſt. 3. Pius putteth away all theſe words, as alſo the margin, which ſaith, All evils from Prieſts. But Gregory retaineth the Gloſs; and for the margin, ſaith, See the Gloſs cited in that Chapter. Now the cited Chapter is from Jerome, on Hoſ. 9. where he ſaith, When I have ſearched ancient Hiſtories, I cannot finde that any hath rent the Church, and ſeduced people from the houſe of the Lord, but theſe whom God hath appointed to be Prieſts and Prophets, i. e. watch-men; theſe therefore have been turned into winding ſnares, and have laid ſcandals in all places. LVII. De poenitentia Diſt. 1. in princ. Vtrum Gloſſ. ver. eod. But whatſoever Baſ▪ ſaith, ſay thou, That neither by contrition of the heart, nor by confeſſion of the mouth are ſins forgiven, but onelyonly by the grace of God. Pius putteth away all theſe words. Gregory retaineth the words, but noteth in the margin, or rather perverteth, thus, OnelyOnly God forgiveth ſins, but by the merit of Chriſt, and the miniſtery of the Prieſts; and in the penitent he requireth contrition, (at leaſt attrition, which by vertue of the keys, becometh contrition) confeſſion and ſatisfaction. LIX. Ibid. cap. 5. Magna. ver. dimiſerit, Remiſſion of ſin goeth before contrition of heart; for one cannot confeſs truly, unleſs he firſt have faith working by love. Pius putteth away all theſe words. Gregory retaineth them, and in the margin addeth two corrections; one at the word, goeth before; yea, remiſſion is the effect of contrition. S. Tho. 4. Diſt. 17. ar. 1. q. 1. another at the word, Confeſſe; one confeſſeth truly and profitably with attrition onelyonly. LXIV. Ibid. ver. Iuſtificeris, That thou mayeſt be juſtified in reſpect of others, not in reſpect of God, with whom thou art juſtified. Pius putteth awaway all theſe words. Gregory putteth them not away, but in the margin he ſaith, Yea, Gratian bringeth this to ſhew, that neither with God is any juſtified without confeſſion of the mouth. De conſecratione, LXXVII. Diſt. 2. cap. 22. Tribus gradib. ver. Miſcere, It is certain, when the ſpecies [elements] are broken with the teeth, ſo ſoon is the body of Chriſt taken up into heaven. Pius putteth away theſe words. Gregory putteth them not away, but ſaith in the margin, The body of Chriſt abideth ſo long as the ſpecies abide, which goeth down into the belly, and do nouriſh. There be many other alterations of that Gloſs; all which do ſhew, how the Church of Rome changeth from it ſelf ſo oft.

20. Elias rubeus Tripelanienſis wrote ſeven books, which he called Semidialia; he writteth there firſt againſt the Idolatry of the Gentiles, and then againſt the vices of all eſtates. When he cometh to the Clergy, he taxeth their ſuperſtition, p. 439prodigality, pride, and abominable enormities ariſing from their uſurpation or abuſe of alms. Lib. 4. he ſaith, If we will truly cleave unto the truth, we can ſpeak no good of the univerſality of them without a lye. Catalog. teſt. ver. lib. 17.

21. Maenard Count of Tirolis, took the Caſtle of Trent from Henry then An appeal from the Pope,Biſhop, and compelled him to leave that See. When Henry was dead, Pope Nicolaus the IV. ſent into his place Philip Mantuan, a Franciſcan, and cauſed him to excommunicate the Count. Maenard by open proclamation publiſheth his Apology, that he had not raiſed, but repulſed wars; that nothing was more dear unto him then peace, eſpecially with Biſhops; but they, which ſhould be holy Fathers, are corrupt with love of the world, and have bereft him of his ancient patrimony: If any would aſſure him, that the Biſhops ſhall not wrong him nor his hereafter, he will render all that he hath taken from them; otherwiſe he will not be ſuch a fool, to quit his inheritance unto theſe effeminate Antichriſts and prodigious eunuchs; none did trouble the common peace as they do; they are not readers of Scriptures, nor teachers of people, but fathers of baſtards, wine-bibbers, avaricious, uſurpers of Lands and Kingdoms: If they be not Antichriſts, what are they? worſe are they then Turks, or Tartars, or Jews, and do more offend Chriſtian ſimplicity; whereas they are our inferiors, they would have us to be their ſervants, againſt the Law of God and the Nations—and therefore, ſaid he, I appeal from the cruel and unjuſt high Prieſt, unto our true Paſtor and Divine Father. Catalog. teſt. ver. lib. 17. ex Aventi. lib. 7.

22. When Pope Nicolaus the IV. did advance the Minorites, An. 1294. Friers have no truth.the Univerſity of Paris had a meeting againſt them; the Biſhop Ambianenſis had the Semon; his text was, The Lord is near unto all that call upon him in truth. There he declared a three-fold truth, of life, of doctrine, and of righteouſneſs: The Friers have none of theſe; not of life, for their hypocriſie is notorious; not of doctrine, becauſe in words they teach pleaſant things, but they carry gall in their hearts; not of righteouſneſs, becauſe they uſurp the charge of the office, and Benefice of others, the Prieſts.

23. We have often heard, how the Popes were buſie to ſend Chriſtian The loſs of the Chriſtian conqueſt in Aſia.Princes into Syria; their aim was the enriching and enlarging the See of Rome, and the event was the ſhedding of Chriſtian blood. The particular exploits fill up volumes; but the general may be underſtood partly by what is touched already; I will ſummarily add an example or two more. In the year 1220. when Pope Honorius had excommunicated the Emperor, many Princes and Biſhops went thither: The Pope's Legate, Pelagius, would be General Commander; wherefore John, King of Jeruſalem, withdrew himſelf and his Army; and theſe freſh Soldiers would not be marſhalled by a Biſhop: Then the Legate, ſeeing he could do nothing without the preſence of a King, ſent Letters, intreating him to have compaſſion on the Chriſtian Army. The King (as a wiſe man, ſaith Io. Naucler. generat. 41.) conſidering, howbeit it was not honorable that ſuch affairs ſhould be managed by Prieſts, yet to ſatisfie the commands of the Roman Church, he gathereth the Chriſtians in Syria, and marched to Damiata. When he was come, his advice was, that it was not expedient at that time to go into the fields, becauſe about that ſeaſon Nilus is wont to overflow. The Legate was impatient of delay, and threatened them all with excommunication who would ſpeak in the contrary. The Army was about 70000. men. The Sultan would not fight, but ſtoppeth their paſſage until Nilus did overflow the Land; and the Chriſtians were brought into that extremity, that they could neither continue nor march; and ſo were forced to quit Damiata unto the Sultan, if he would let them p. 440return to Aca and Tirus; and he [to ſatisfie their ſuperſtition] gave them a piece of Chriſt's Croſs, which he had brought from Jeruſalem. The Venetians, Genoways, Piſanes, and others within the Town, hearing of this agreement, refuſe to give over the Town; and the Army did threaten them to deliver Aca unto the Saracens, if they would not leave Damiata according to the agreement; now many of them had their families in Aca: ſo Damiata was loſt. After the loſs of Tripolis, Beritus, Tirus and Sidon, Pope Nicolaus the IV. ſtirreth up the Chriſtians to go unto the defenſe of Ptolemais; but they had no government nor diſcipline, and ſo did more harm then good; for the Patriarch of Jeruſalem, the Maſters of the Templarii, Hoſpitalarii, and Teutonici, and the Kings of Cyprus and Sicily, ſtrove for the command; and when they were at this diſſention, the Sultan invadeth them; and they left it, 196. years after it was conquered by Godifrid, ſaith Io. Naucler. gener. 44. and of all the purchaſe then, no place was in the power of Chriſtians, but Cyprus and Cilicia.

24. The Chriſtians could not prevail againſt the Turks, yet God ſtayed Of the Tartars.the Infidels, that they could not make new invaſions againſt the Chriſtians at that time; for the Scythians, or Tartars, came out of the North like graſshoppers for multitude, ſaith Nic. Gregoras; and Matth. Pariſien. ſaith, in infinite multitudes; they divide themſelves in their own countreys; the one party went againſt the Turks in Aſia, about the year 1220. and the other under Bato (ſaith Platin. in Innocen. IV. Matth. Pariſ. calleth him Bathchatarcan) came into Europe, overran Ruſſia, Polonia, Bohem, Hungaria, &c, with ſo many and huge calamities, that the like was not heard from the beginning of the world, ſaith Matth. Pariſ. ad An. 1241. When the Emperor Frederick went againſt them, they fled through Bulgaria and Thracia into Aſia, and joyned with the other party at Iconium, the Palace of the Turks: Nicep. Gregor as ſaith, John Ducas, Emperor of the Greeks, received ten thouſand of them, and gave them Lands in Macedonia and Phrygia, to be in readineſs againſt his adverſaries. Theſe did prevail mightily againſt the Turks, and took many of their Lands, and made up a vaſt Kingdom in Aſia, and called their Prince Chan or Cham. About the year 1250. the Cham Mango, by perſwaſion of Hyatho King of Armenia, was converted to Chriſtian profeſſion. His Brother Chaolon conquered all the Kingdom of Perſia, and vanquiſhed the Calipha of Babylon; he overran all the Lands about Jeruſalem, but ſpared to come near the City, at the requeſt of Hyatho. The third Cham was Mango; and after him Cobila, or Gobelus, kept the faith and Kingdom forty two years. The Succeſſor of Hyatho made apoſtaſie, and called himſelf Mahumet Cham; and the Son of Cobila forſook the faith. Then Cothos Melechmeſes, Sultan of Egypt, ſlew him in a battel, and drave all the Tartars out of Syria; they had their refuge unto Armenia. Benedeclar, Sultan of Egypt, hunted them, and conquering that Land, called himſelf King of Armenia. Argon, the Brother Son of Mahumet Cham, took his Uncle, and cut him in the middle with a ſaw; and by agreement with the Sultan, was King, and kept the faith. Cuſan, the Nephew of Cobila, was alſo a Chriſtian, and had nothing ſo dear as to advance the faith; in ſingular wiſdom he kept peace with his neighbors, and obtained great victories againſt the Sultan of Egypt, and conquered all Syria about the year 1320. In his Son's time both the faith and power of the Tartars failed; for the Sultan of Parthia entered into Perſia, and the houſe of Otoman overcame all the reſt of Aſia unto Pontus; and the Tartars were rooted out of all their conqueſt about the year 1350. their power continued about 130. years. This Hiſtory, and the Greek article of the accuſative caſe in Revel. 20. 7. foreign, p. 441give occaſion to conſider, whether theſe words, and the verſe following, be not a prediction of this their Empire and their Apoſtaſie, rather then of any inſtruments of Satan in purſuing the believers.