Anno 110. &c.

IT being customary with the Jews, when ever they made their solemn appearan­ces before God, always to carry along with them some present or other in their hands, especially of the fruits of the Earth, in to­ken of homage & acknowledgment; the anci­ent Christians, wherof a great part was des­cended of the Jews, followed that example, insomuch that at their publick Assemblies, every one brought along with him a cer­tain quantity of Bread and Wine,Iren. lib. 4. cap. 32. or of the first fruits thereof, in corn, grains or grapes, which were sanctified and consecra­ted to God by prayer; afterwards of this same Bread and Wine they apportion'd [Page 6] one part for the Communion of the holy Sup­per, another was eaten in common, (for the Agapes, or Love-feasts were continued after the Days of the Apostles) and the Sur­plusage was either distributed amongst the poor, or else did of proper right appertain to Ecclesiastick Persons. Those presents te­stified the devotion of the givers;Cyprian. lib. de o­perib. & Eleemos. inso­much that this charity beginning by de­grees to wax cold; the Doctors exclaim'd and severely inveighed against the rich, in that, though themselves brought nothing with them, yet they were not ashamed to eat their share of what was contributed by the poorer sort. Now the gifts thus pre­sented by the People were called Offerings: From thence it came to pass also, that the Eucharist was sometimes called a Sacrifice, or an Oblation; not expiatory, but gratu­latory only; for the Fathers of that Age say,Iren. lib. 4. cap 32. that They offered to God the first fruits of his Creatures, which words cannot be un­derstood of the Body of Jesus Christ, how­beit they served for a pretence afterwards, for changing of the Supper into a real Sa­crifice. Amongst the other Innovations of those times,Justin. martyr. defens. ad Antonin. we should likewise recount the mixture of Water with Wine in the Eu­charist, a practice which was never autho­rized [Page 7] either by the Sacramental Institution, nor yet by Apostolick Ordinance; It might nevertheless have been tolerated as a mat­ter of indifferency; but at this day it is reckoned amongst things necessary. Iren apud Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. & 26. There was another custome foisted in at the same time, for they judged it advisable to car­ry the Eucharist to such as were not present in the Assembly; more especially to the sick; likewise in case any Bishop, or any other Person of Quality being a stranger, had arrived at their Cities, they presented them with some of the Sacramental Bread and Wine, congratulating them by that symbol of Fraternal communion. Iustin. martyr. defens. ad Antonin. Tertullian lib. de o­ratione. It was also an usual thing with them, when publick Prayers were ended, to kiss one another in­terchangeably with a holy kiss, in token of peace and brotherhood: After that they proceeded to levy censures against those who, prayer ended, did frustrate them­selves of this same kiss of peace, which was amongst them a signal of Reconciliation, but is at this day changed into a ridicu­lous Ceremony.

There were at the same time divers Fasts introduced, not under the notion of any Ordinance or necessary observance, nor yet by way of distinction of Meats, blood [Page 8] excepted and things strangled, Iren. apud Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 24. the use o [...] which was prohibited for a time; but o [...] of custome only, and that proceeding no [...] from the publick Authority of the Church, but from the simplicity of private persons▪ for in case any had made distinction o [...] meats, for conscience-sake, forbearing th [...] use of Flesh and Wine; and thus preju­diced their health by immoderate fasting▪ or would have had the Church tyed to particular Laws,Ignat. ad Her. Iren. ad Vctor. and prescription of the times, duration and forms of fasting: Anti­quity without all peradventure would have suppressed such, as appears by the instance of that Arch-heretick Montanus, whom it condemned for attempting in like manner to stifle and infringe Christian liberty.

It was the custome of most Churches at that time to hold their Assemblies upon Wednesdays & Fridays, Clem. A­lexandr. Stromat. lib. 5. in order to the cele­bration of the Sacraments and publick Prayer; and that they might be the bet­ter prepared for due attendance thereup­on, they gave themselves to fasting upon those days; this they did not that they believed fasting to be essential to holiness, for they rejected the Fast of the Sabbath-Day, which yet was the prime day of their religious exercises: But there was an anni­versary Fast, which they celebrated before [Page 9] the Feast of Easter, whence the Quadrage­timal time proceeded; and it is of impor­tance to know what the intent of the an­cient Church was herein: Some alledge that, that observance tended to an imita­tion of the miraculous Fast of the Son of God; but it is evident from Evangelical History, that the time of our Saviours Fast was previous to the Passover by the space of six Moneths; proof sufficient, that Anti­quity had some other end and aim in the celebration of this Fast, else doubtless they would have pitched upon a time co­incident with that wherein our Saviour fasted;Euseb. lib. 1. cap. 24. ex Iren. behold then the true account. There was an Order at that time establi­shed in the Church, that the Feast of Ea­ster approaching, those who were obliged to do publick pennance should present themselves to be re-ingratiated and re­ceived into peace with her. At the same time the Catechumenes Such as werenew­ly instru­cted in the principles of the Christian Religion, but not as yet bapti­zed; or if baptized, not as yet admitted to the Sa­crament of the Supper. were baptized, for those Days were particulary appropriated to that work; and for as much as those were things of great moment, the Church proceeded therein with fasting and prayer; besides that, at the same time they behoved to prepare themselves for the Commemo­ration of the Death and Resurrection of [Page 10] Jesus Christ, and for the solemn Commu­nion upon the Easter-Day ensuing. But to shew that this observance did depend upon the Liberty of the Church, and not up­on any peremptory imposed Law, we must remark the diversification which attended that Custome;Theophil. Euseb. ex Iren. for in some Churches this Fast lasted three Weeks; in others seven Days only, and in others forty Days; and from this quarantine came the name of the Quadragesimal, (our Lent) which was formerly called the Paschal Fast.

Anno 160. &c.

NOw this Age was, by reason of vio­lent Persecutions which lasted along time after, full of horrour; all the Pro­vinces of the Roman Empire being bedew­ed, and all the Judicatori [...]s therein over-glutted with Christian blood; Torments exquisite, terrour universal, revolts fre­quent, yea there were found amongst them who to palliate their infamous cowardize, taught that martyrdome was but matter of meer indifferency, Iren. lib. 3. cap. 4. reck'ning it extream folly and madness to suffer death for their pro­fession. The Sepulchres of Martyrs were loaded with reproaches, and their memo­ry [Page 11] with execrations; for the rage and ma­lice of their Enemies not satisfied with their Death, extended the Persecution to their very Bones; and that they might deprive Christians of the hope of a futureEpist. Martyrum Galliae a­pud Eu­seb. lib. 5. resurrection (one of the main Arguments of their constancy) they frequently expo­sed their dead bodies to the hunger-bitten rage of ravenous Beasts, placing guards and sentinels day and night, to hinder any that might attempt to give them burial; all that remained of them was burnt, and the Ashes thrown into Rivers, or scattered in the Air: The Church, then that they might enkindle zeal in the People, and di­spose them for the glory of Martyrdome, presented them with new Incentives for excitation and encouragement. The Gre­cians did yearly celebrate the memorial of their Heroes, and such illustrious Persons as had died valiantly in defence of their Country; and this solemnity was perfor­med about their Tombes,Euseb▪ de praeparat. Evang. Cyril. con­tra Jul. to the end that they might by so doing animate and en­courage the surviving unto the like at­chievments: Christians judging this to be a very proper means to perswade many Persons to suffer death for the Gospel, and to confirm others in such a magnanimous [Page 12] resolution, did imitate their example: Their main care then in the first place was to bury their Martyrs, and where they could not recover the whole body, they endeavoured carefully to gather up the ve­ry least fragments, in case the fury of their Persecutors had left any remainder; now those Reliques were honourably interr'd without any such custome as afterwards came to pass;Epist. Smyrn. Epist. martyrum Galliae. For although Martyrdome was reputed a most glorious thing, and those blessed souls were very precious with the Church, yet so it was that all the ho­nour that they afforded their bodies, was an honourable Interment, nothing differ­ent from the common: After this the cu­stom was introduced of an anniversary com­memoration of the combats and constancy of Martyrs,Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 9. & 15. upon the same days whereon they had suffered death (called by them the Days of their Nativity, in regard that upon them, they were installed in a­nother life) and in the same place where they were buried; from thence it came to pass that Cemeteries became the Ordinary places of their Assemblies, for those anni­versary days returned very frequently, by reason of the great number of Martyrs, by whose death most days of the year were re­nowned: [Page 13] Upon those days then the whole Church assembled together in the same place where the Sepulchres of their vali­ant Champions were, as if she meant to warm her Zeal at their Ashes, and to spirit her self thereby for a more prompt Com­memoration of their Martyrdome: Pub­lick Prayers, and the Exposition of the Scriptures being finished, they re­hearsed in order the Names of those who had been upon that Day put to death for the Truth; they likewise related the several conflicts by them sustained, whose fierceness inhaunc'd their constancy; their courage also was displayed in tearms full of applause and admiration; their glori­ous Trophees, and the rich Garlands pro­pounded as the prize of their Victory, fi­nish'd the Panegyrick, which consisted in thanksgiving to God for giving them the vi­ctory; the whole action was concluded with the Celebration of the Eucharist. Now the intent of those Solemnities was in the first place to shew that such as were dead in Christ, are still alive, both in God, and in the memory of the Church; and in the next place to animate and encourage the Peo­ple unto the like sufferings: This was the design of the primitive Christians, for thus [Page 14] do they explain themselves.Epist. Smyrn. We can never (say they) abandon Christ, nor serve any o­ther; we adore Christ as the Son of God; and we cherish the Martyrs as the Disciples and Followers of our Lord; we solemnize the day of their nativity, which is that of their death; in remembrance of such as have conflicted for the Truth, and in order to the exercising and exciting of others thereunto. We hope to be made capable of the like graces, and at last Compartners and Fellow-sharers in the same Glory.

Amongst the heads of Discipline ob­served in those times, this was one of the most material; Such as were convicted of any notorious crime, were obliged to make confession of it publickly,Iren. lib. 1 cap. 9. in the face of the whole Church, to beg pardon, and to undergo whatever should be imposed up­on them; which done, they enjoyn'd them some kind of satisfaction, whereby they be­hoved to manifest the sincerity of their re­pentance: This they did to contain others in their duty, as also to prevent the blame and reproach of the Christian Religion amongst Infidels, as if it gave indulgence to Vice, through silence under it; Now they pretended not by this publick Re­pentance, to make satisfaction to God (to [Page 15] whom none can render the least compen­sation for the least offence committed) but only to the scandaliz'd Church, or to an injur'd Neighbour.

Anno 195.

THis second Age we must needs con­clude with a famous Controversie commenced therein.Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. It is the constant opinion of the Writers of Ecclesiastical History, that the Apostles never imposed any Law, obliging the Church to the ob­servance of any Feast whatsoever, no not so much as that of Easter; but that such Solemnities were voluntarily introduced by Christians, and authorized by custome; And in effect, the very diversity of usage found amongst them in that observance, doth abundantly manifest the indifferency of the thing it self: For all the Churches of Asia the less, did celebrate the Feast of Easter, upon the fourteenth day of the Moneth of March, after the manner of the Jews; alledging that this was their con­stant practice ever since Saint John did exercise his Apostleship in Ephesus: But the European Christians, in regard they would have no manner of communion [Page 16] with the Jews, did celebrate the same up­on the Sabbath following; howbeit thi [...] difference did nothing infringe the unio [...] of the Churches: But about the year 195 [...] it began to be controverted, the one party labouring to reduce the other to th [...] tearms of one and the same Custome [...] touching which difference, several Coun­cils were held, the Eastern in opposition to the Western; and both in fine fomented t [...] that excess of heat & passion, as that Victo [...] Bishop of Rome made bold by a Process and Act of Jurisdiction, (till then unhear [...] of,) to excommunicate all the Asiatick Churches; whereupon he was censure [...] by sundry Bishops, Ireneus Superinten­dent in the French Churches, by name, who did both by Reason and Example re­monstrate to him, that such observances were things arbitrary and indifferent, and that diversity therein did never hereto­fore interrupt mutual correspondence a­mongst the Churches.

Anno 200. &c.

THe Age ensuing was very fruitful in Ceremonies, for besides that they re­tained many things proceeding from Jew­ish [Page 17] Custome; The Pagans also incorporating themselves into the Christian Church, in­ [...]ermingled therewith many and various Pagan Rites. Now the Observances of that time were not all continued, for ma­ny of them having been afterwards buri­ed in oblivion, are not at all practised at this day:Cypr Ser. 5. de lap­sis, & E­pist. ad Caec. l. 2. Ep. 3. For the Church of Rome doth not approve that the Eucharist be admini­stred to little Children, which was practi­sed then, and a long time after that; nor that it be celebrated in the Evening; nor that the Baptized be made to tast of Milk and Honey,Tertul. lib. de corona militis. as is practised in Africk; nor of the Cannon forbidding People to pray [...]neeling upon the Sabbath Day, and from Easter to Whitsuntide, Tertul: ib▪ and commanding them to Pray standing, whence the tearm stations had its rise; nor the custome of gi­ving the Eucharist to Women, to be by them carried to their Houses, kept in Coffers, and eaten in a corner; nor that of sending it to the Sick, by the hands of Children; nor of that notorious abuse which was then in the Church of Rome, of propining pure Water instead of Wine, under pretence of sobriety, in the Cele­bration of the Sacrament; nor yet of that Prayer whereby they besought God for a proorastination of the last Day; nor of [Page 18] many other Ceremonies which we pass with silence. Let us then take a view of such as serve for modern pretence, and the respective sources whence they are sprung.

It was a Pagan Custome, that those who came out of Baths (the use whereof was very frequent) did anoint themselves with Oyle; Wrestlers also, and such as were to run a career, that they might become the more supple and active, were accustomed to oyle, and anoint their Bodies: Christi­ans possibly in imitation hereof anointed those whom they Baptized in an Athleti [...]k (or Champion-like) capacity, who were singled out to combat the World; which Ceremony they authorized by the Old Testament, alledging that it was derived from Judaisme: This Vnction however can make nothing for the pretended Sacra­ment of Confirmation, nor was it ever ap­plyed to dying Persons, as is practised at this day.

We have seen how that they carried their Offerings into the Church; now for as much as they held their Assemblies up­on the Days solemnized for the Martyrs, the Offerings presented by them upon those Days,Tertul: Cypr: were entitled Sacrifices, or Oblations offered in memory of the Saints, the circum­stance [Page 19] of the Day occasioning that title; for nothing passed in that action, relating [...]o the Saints, other than simple Commemo­ration; and those Offerings were not the Body of Jesus Christ, but Bread and Wine only, or the very first fruits themselves, im­ployed unto several ends and uses.

It is further remarkable,Hieron. in Iren. lib. 2 cap. 11. & in Ezech. cap. 18. that to induce every one to contribute something, the Names of those who offered, and the offer­ing it self, were with a loud voice Pro­claim'd in the Church; which yet was by many disallowed of, even a long time after.

At the same time offerings for the dead had their rise,Cypr. lib. 3. Ep. 15. & 16. whereof we must know the Institution; for though they might be reckoned amongst the Customes ushe [...]'d in by Pagans, nevertheless the intent of them was quite another thing than what they were afterwards applyed to. Any one then having departed this life,Aug epist. 64. Origen. lib. 3. in Job Tertul. de Moneg. Cypr. lib. 8 Epist. 6. the year fully exspired, they commemorated in the Assembly the Name of the defunct up­on that day; declaring how happy he was having dyed in faith; and all that were pre­sent, besought God that he would grant them the like exit; which done, the Pa­rents or Friends of the Deceased, that they might render his memory honourable, [Page 20] presented the Church, or the Poor, present at the action, with a certain quantity of Bread, or other Alimentals; many of them also at the same time, took Order that their Names might after their Death through such acts of charity continue in a sweet savour in the Church, bequeathing to that effect certain testamentary Legacies to be yearly paid to the Legatees upon the day of their decease; upon which Founda­tions the Anniversaries were grounded: Now those Offerings were only Memorials of the devotion of the dead, not expiatory Sacrifices; for the very Women, who were never permitted to sacrifice, did yet offer in Memory of their Deceased Husbands: besides, many presented such Offerings up­on their birth-day, this being an act of re­cognition only, and a piece of homage paid to God, who gave them life upon that Day.

Then also began praying for the dead, Tertul. de Corona militis. which the Christians of that Age confess to be founded upon Custome, and not up­on Scripture, ranking it amongst many o­ther observances, which are at this Day disallowed of by the Church of Rome [...] Now we must carefully remark in what sense Antiquity prayed for the dead, for she never believed that they were shut up in [Page 21] place of torment; Justin. Martyr. Quest. 60. & 76. Iren. lib. 5 Tertul. contra marcion. lib. 4. cap 34. & lib de a­nima, cap. 55. and the Doctrine of Pur­gatory was as yet as unknown as fabulous; but she held that the departed Souls of the faithful were not admitted into the joy of the beatifick Vision, till after the day of Judgment, and that they were reserved in some certain subterraneous place, till the Day of the Resurrection: she prayed then for the Consummation of their Glory, and earnestly entreated that she might be joy­ned with them, and have part in the Re­surrection of the Just: But we shall see more fully hereafter in what tearms,Tertul. de moneg. and with what intent they then prayed for the dead: In the mean time, let us take a view of some other Ceremonies then also broa­ched.

The Pagans observed an infinite num­ber of superstitions in their very ordinary converse. Christians were intermingled and promiscuously conversant with them, not only in the same City, but in the same House, at the same Table, and in the same Bed, so that there were frequently differ­ent Religions in one and the same Fami­ly.Aug. de verb. Apo. Serm. 8. & in Psal. 41. Tertul. de corona militis. This promiscuous converse notwith­standing, they resolved to be known and acknowledged for Christians, and for a proof of their Faith in the Crucified One, they introduc'd the use of the Sign of the [Page 22] Cross, Origen. H [...]mil. 2▪ in P [...]a. 38▪ Cypr▪ lib▪ d▪ Haeret▪ Baptiz. and for as much as this Faith was judg'd reproachfull and ignominious, they form'd that signal upon their fore-head, in witness that they were not ashamed of the Cross of Christ; at their entering into, or coming out of their Houses, or Baths; sitting down at, or rising up from their Table; lying down in their Beds at Night, or rising in the Morning, they always mar­ked their fore heads with the sign of the Cross; which was afterwards received in­to Baptisme: Tertul in Ap [...]loget. But this Sign was only a badg of their profession, and a kind of implicite calling upon the name of Christ; and the ver­tue attributed to the Cross, was not ex­tended to the Sign form'd in the Air, but was appropriated to Christ only, whose Name was tacitely invok'd by that signal.

We have mentioned the satisfactions whereunto Delinquents were obliged; now this tearm ought to be safely under­stood; for when the Ancients speak of satisfying God, they pretend not that a Man may by that action redeem temporal punishments; but that the Commandment of God enjoyning repentance, and holding it equitable that the same be outwardly mani [...]ested, is thereby satisfied: Now those satisfactions were certain penalties, or repa­ratory mulcts imposed upon Penitents, [Page 23] whe [...]eof this was the form. In case any one [...]ad apostatized, whether through er­rour o [...] infirmity, or had fallen into some enormo [...]s crime, the Church would not presently receive such an one into her Communon, what repentance soever he did testifie▪ but she appointed him a cer­tain space [...] time, sometimes for some years togethe [...], within which he ought to give proofs o [...] true contrition:Tertul. lib. de paenit. She en­joyn'd him also to stand bolt upright in a distinct Corner [...]f the Assembly, which was the proper place [...]f Penitents, in a mourn­full habit and visa [...], often with sackcloth and ashes, with tea [...] and supplications to God, and requests [...] his Brethren that they would pray for [...]im. She appointed him likewise private fas [...], sometimes redu­cing him to Bread and W [...]ter; and thus it behoved him to accomp [...]ish the prefixed time of his Repentance, before ever he could be readmitted into t [...]e peace of the Church.

But for as much as it came [...] pass that many were, or at least it was fea [...]ed, might be prevented by Death, before [...]hey had consummated, or even [...]efore e [...]er they had begun that prescr [...]bed time; the Church taking the same [...]nto considerati­on, did provide accordi [...]gly; for left they [Page 24] should be either hardned into an obstina­cy, or swallowed up of despair, she frequent­ly remitted of that severity; so [...] that if one had been condemned to a t [...]n years abstinence from the Communion she ac­cepted of five; sometimes also [...]e penal­ty was commuted into some more tolera­ble consideration; and this moderation they used not only towards those which were under the more imme [...]iate approach of death, lest they should expire without a previous reconciliation to the Church; but likewise towards su [...] as seem'd by a more than ordinary d [...]gree of contrition, to compensate what [...]as wanting of the prefixt tearm thereof: This mitigation was managed by the pru [...]ence of the Church, who weighing the [...]ircumstances and qua­lity of the offenc [...] received such into her peace,Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 36. in who [...] so ever she perceived sufficient testimonies of a serious repen­tance, not exp [...]cting till the period of time hereunto pre [...]xt should elapse: Such proce­dures were [...]earmed Relaxations, or Remis­sions: A long time after that they gave them the title of Indulgences, but in quite anothe [...] sense, than what they are taken in at this day; f [...]r this tearm signified no more in those Days, than a discharge, or an allay and mitiga [...]ion of Ecclesiastical censures [Page 25] and penalties, with which the Church did by way of charitable Indulgency, gratify Penitents.

Now we must note, that for as much as Martyrdome was very honourable amongst Christians, and those who were Prisoners for the Faith, did by a frequent intercourse of Letters maintain a Correspondence with the Church, who also highly esteem'd of those blessed Witnesses of and for the Truth, affording them what Consolation they could; the Penitents desirous of so­lace under that more rigid part of Disci­pline, addressed themselves to those Mar­tyrs, soliciting them to intercede with the Church on their behalf, as well knowing what credit they had with her, and of what influence their Recommendation was: the Martyrs hereupon made enquiry into the life and repentance of those Delin­quents, and in case they found them sin­cere and upright, they imployed their ut­most Intrest in interceding with the Church by Letter from Prison, to this effect, that she would please in favour of them, to ad­mit of such and such Persons into her Communion, which they readily obtain'd of her: and it is not to be forgotten, how that those Penitents having frequently a­bused the facile nature of the Martyrs, [Page 26] either through their mis-information, or through over-importunate solicitations, whereby they extorted from them that in­tercession, the Church complained of that abuse; which occasioned a breach of Dis­cipline: Now this is the only Intercession of Saints, which was acknowledged in those days; and how much it differs from that which was introduced afterwards, is easie to determine.

Anno 240. &c.

ABout the Year 240, there happened a new kind of Devotion; for where­as formerly they required the Martyrs, whilst yet Prisoners, to joyn their Suppli­cations with those of other Christians, and to pray here below for them and with them;Cypr. lib. 5. Epist. 1. [...]d Cornel. they began instead of that to ad­monish them, that after their death, they should be mindful of the living; yea, Christians did even mutually indent and covenant one with another, that who ever should first exchange this life for a­nother, should remember the surviving, and implore God in the behalf of them after their own decease: Which, howbeit it was but the particular zeal of some few, yet served afterwards to pave [Page 27] the way to the Intercession of Saints.

Then also began the use of Confession to be partly restrained, and partly enlarged be­yond what it was formerly: Penitents were the only Persons upon whom it was impo­sed; it was never made but in publick, in the face of the whole Congregation; and even Malefactors failed not to discharge their Consciences into the hands of the Church, before that themselves fell into those of the Executioner: But for as much as reproach and obloq [...]y did commonly attend those whose faults were thus dis­played to the open view of the whole World,Origen. Hom. 2. in Psal. 37. they therefore ordered that De­linquents should in the first place consult their Pastor,Leo. Epist. 69. Sozom. lib. 9. cap 35. Aug. de symb. de Catech. lib. 1. cap. 6. who cognoscing upon the na­ture of the offence, should consider whe­ther it were convenient to declare the same in publick, or only to mention it in general, without specification of the crime it self: There were many also who out of shame shun'd publick confession. It came to pass likewise about the Year 260. that when as such as had abandoned themselves to the Apostacy, which fell out under the Persecution stir'd up by Decius, required to be re-admitted into the Church, there were many who withstood their reception, alledging that they were not longer ca­pable [Page 28] of re-admission into Her; and un­der that pretence many did separate them­selves, which made way to the Schisme of the Novatians. It was therefore found expedient, for avoiding of scandal accrew­ing to many from publick confessions, to change the same into private ones; and to that purpose it was decreed, that out of their many Pastors, they should choose one of a good Conversation,Sozom. trip. histor. lib. 9. cap. 35. a prudent Person, and capable of a secret to whom that charge should be committed; from thence came the Penitentiaries: Howbeit this change happened only at the begin­ning in the Greek Church; for the Western Church retained the Custome of publick confession, until the time of Leo Bishop of Rome, about the Year 450. Finally, where­as publick confession was only of more noto­rious and enormous Crimes, the same be­ing once changed into particular, they be­gan to recommend it to practice, exhort­ing the People to confess their very least escapes and defects, (from the beam to the mote:) and that more frequently then they were well able to do. Now this con­fession was not of Divine Right, nor did An­tiquity ever believe it to be such; for afterwards, to wit, about the Year 396. upon occasion of a scandal arising from it, [Page 29] it was abolished by Nectorius Bishop of Constantinople; that which he would never have attempted, had they believed that it was of Divine Institution: Neither did it consist in a scrupulous enumeration of all thoughts, words, and actions, which might be accounted faulty; for in the Church of Constantinople, which was one of the most populous amongst them, there was of the whole Clergy but one only Person, whose charge it was to receive Confessions, which had not been sufficient for so great a mul­titude, had every one been obliged to re­pair to confession, and to render a parti­cular account of all his actions: It was not therefore judged needful for obtaining of remission of sin, but useful for instruction of the ignorant, for consolation to the af­flicted, for reforming of sinners, for resol­ving of such difficulties as might ripen in­to a case of Conscience, and (lastly) for counsel to the perplexed.

Authors of the same Age make mention also of certain Virgins, Cypr. lib. 1. Ep. 9. & 11. who consecrated themselves to God; whereof this is the original: The then reigning Persecuti­ons obliged Christians to involve them­selves as little as might be, in the affairs of the World. Now for as much as the liber­ty of that Profession is frequently fetter'd [Page 30] and infringed with the incumbrances which attend a married state, there were many Virgins, who with the concurrent advice and consent of their Parents, resolved to live in perpetual con­tinency, and to joyn themselves with greater strictness then ordinary to Jesus Christ: They presented themselves there­fore to the Church▪ who with So­lemn Prayer recommended them to God, and the care of the Poor to them, whom they were to succour in their sick­ness, and relieve in their necessities; for it was unto such deeds of charity that they devoted themselves. But as touching the Vow of Celibacy, it was in their own liber­ty to relinquish that condition, when ever it seemed good to them; and in case they conceived that they could serve God with greater integrity in a state of Marriage, than in that of Virginity; the Vows of Continency also were not as yet esteem'd irrevocable.

We have said that they carried the Eu­charist to the Sick, and that they admini­stred the same afterwards even to little Children; but for as much as those, either through infirmity of Body, or through tenderness of years, could not conveniently receive the Cup, they therefore sometimes [Page 31] dipped the Bread in the Wine, that so they might receive the whole Sacrament entire; for the People, both Men and Women, did promiscuously communicate under both Signes: Now albeit this expedient of soaking, or dipping the Bread in the Wine, was never practised but in such extraordinary cases; yet notwithstanding many affected to make it a general custome, introducing it into the ordinary communion of the Church; of which usage some Tracts were continu­ed in after time, as we shall shew in its pro­per place.

Anno 300. &c.

ABout the Year 300. and afterwards, there were many Ceremonies intro­duced; Persecution continued even til▪ then. Now, behold Emperours, who submit their Scepters to Christ's Sheep-hook, and throw their Crowns at the Foot of his Cross: The Church sprung out of the Ashes of her own Children, as yet of a sanguine complexion, is received into sa­vour with the great Constantine, and hence forth reposing her self under the shade of his Lawrel, doth (as it were) renew her youth: she is removed from the Wilder­ness into Cities, from Caves into Palaces, [Page 32] from Deserts into Churches, and from poverty into plenty and pompous abun­dance.

This prosperous change produced di­vers effects; People repaired to the Church in crowdes: But yet the simplicity of Christianity did dis-relish many, who had still before their Eyes the pomp and mag­nificence of Paganisme: they therefore judg'd it necessary to re-attire Religion with the more splendid and ornamental Ceremonies, to the end that through the splendour of her Ornaments she might become the more august and acceptable; and like as they had done formerly, in compliance with Jews and Gentiles, whose only talk was of Sacrifices; our Christians gave the Supper, Euseb. Greg. Nyssen. Concil. N [...]cen. de tabulis sacris. the Title of Sacrifice; and the Table, the Name of Altar. Howbeit, the Language used then, was not meant in that sense, which was put upon it after­wards; for when ever they mention the Altar, they understand the Table, which was placed in the midst of the Assembly, whereupon they laid the Offerings that were presented by the Faithfull. And thus they explain themselves, when they speak of the Eucharist.

Now, one of the first occupations that Christians, under their respite from [Page 33] persecution, busied themselves in, was this: The Bodies of many of their Mar­tyrs were buried in the wide open Fields, or else exposed to the High-ways, and their Graves covered with filth and nastiness; they began therefore to drag their Bodies out of the places where they were inter­red, and to transport them into Cities, in order to a more honourable Sepulture; which transportation was performed with some solemnity, the whole Church assist­ing thereat, with Singing of Psalms, the Coffin covered with a rich Cloath; after [...]hat, they inter'd the Body under the Communion-Table; Ambros. lib. 10 E­pist. 85. (for the custome of laying them upon the Altar was not as yet practised;) This zeal flamed yet further, even to a research after the Bones of the [...]ntient Prophets, to which notwithstanding they yielded no kind of adoration.

The building & beautifying of Churches was another product of this peace, which with solemn Prayer, they devoutly con­secrated to God; whereunto Superstition did in after times add the Ceremonies of Con­secration.

Now we must know, that the Infidels en­deavoured what they could to abolish the memory of Christ's Sepulchre, which was [Page 34] in Jerusalem, heaping dust and dung up­on it; and built in the same place the Temple of Venus, wherein they sacrificed: The devotion of this Emperor Constantine, was such, as that he demolished those ex­ecrable Monuments; and instead of them, caused a sumptuous Temple to be built in the very same place where the Sepulchre of Christ was; He built another upon the Mount of Olives; and a third in Beth­lehem.

At that time Palestina, being purged from Idols, many Christians prompted by a pi­ous curiosity, travelled to those places which had been ennobled with the pre­sence and miracles of the Son of God; especially with a purpose to see the Sepul­chre wherein he was laid:Greg. Nyssen. Epist. de euntib. Hyeroso­lym. Hierong. But this same repairing to Jerusalem, being afterwards reckoned matter of Religion, that error was suppressed by the most eminent Do­ctors of this Age.

It was in this Journey that Helena the Mother of Constantine found (as they say) the true Cross, and the very Nailes with which our Lord was fastened thereunto: and however the History be suspected, yet is it therein attested that Constantine cau­sed one of those same Nailes to be put in­to [Page 35] the Bit of his Horses Bridle; thus fit­ting the Relique for his Horse's Mouth, he shewed that he meant nothing less than to iss it with his own; Nor did Helena her self (the supposed Inventress) ever adore the wood of the Cross,Ambros. as one of the Fa­thers of the same Age hath observed.

We must here remember, that the Pri­mitive Christians had no other Cross than the bare Sign of it, which they formed in the Air: Now they report, that Constantine, whilst as yet interpendent and wavering between Paganisme, and the Christian Pro­fession, saw one day in the Firmament, a Cross, In hoc signo vin­ces. with these words: In this Sign thou shalt overcome: The import of which device may best appear from the practice and procedure of Constantine himself, who in memory of that Vision, caused the form of the Cross to be made in his own Stan­dard, having above upon the top of it the two first LettersXP. of Christs Name, as is to be seen in ancient Meddals at this day: The Sign then by which he overcame, was the Name, not the naked Cross of Jesus Christ: He caused also his own Statue to be erected with his Sign, which he like­wise ordered to be formed upon his Mo­neys, and painted upon his Ensigns, and [Page 36] the Armour of his Shouldiers: But we must note, that for a long time after, there was not any Cross received into Churches.

Christians, during the persecution [...] quently met together in private, an [...] Night. This Custome, notwithstanding the emergent Peace, they still retained;Euseb. lib. 4. de vita Con­stant. Epipha. lib. 3. whence we read that Constantine continued the sacred Vigils, even till broad Day-light, and caused big Tapers and Torches to be lighted up throughout the whole Ci­ty, for their more commodious intercourse in going & coming in the Night; as Lamps also in their Meeting-places, to give light to all there present; the Office of lighting of which belonged to the Acolytes: One of the principal Vigils or Eves of the Year, was that of the Night immediatly prece­ding Easter, observed in Memory of the Resurrection of Christ; for they passed the whole Night without sleep, as watching for that Morning-hour wherein our Lord rose again from the Dead: Those Vigils and Tapers were hitherto used without any Superstition.

Behold here another sequel of what was practised in the times of persecution. Many Christians, that they might shun that tem­pest, retired unto Deserts, and hid them­selves [Page 37] in solitary places; whence it came to pass that Persecution ceasing, that soli­tude, being with several become habitua­ted, and customary, they confined themselves thereunto, and spent the re­mainder of their Days therein; whether because of the inveteracy of such a man­ner of life, or for that the plainness here­of did better suit with them, than the din­ning noise of Cities; or lastly, because they suspected a return of the old storm: But others there were acted with such a desire of imitating and following of them, that there were many, who even in the midst of the great calm and quiet of the Church, began to affect a solitary life. Thus did that become voluntary, and matter of choice, which by reason of the Persecution was before that compulsory, and matter of con­straint: Hence the original of a Monastick life,Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 13. whose first foundation was about the same time laid in Egypt by Antonius; afterwards, it was extended to Syria, by Hilarion; to Armenia, by Eustachius Bishop of Sebastia; to Greece, by S. Basile; and to Italy, by S. Ambrose: Now though it be too true, that many superstitious observances did accompany this piece of Innovation, insomuch that Men suffered their Hair to [Page 38] grow to the length of that of Women)Epipha. lib 3. haeres. 80. yet was this Monastick profession quite a­nother thing, than what it is at present; for such as in those Days devoted them­selves thereunto, were not tyed to it by vow, observed no nice distinction of meats or habits, hunted not after merit, nor once believed thereby to attain unto that perse­ction which is attributed to it at this day: and it is further remarkable, that the first Monks were Lay-men, not capable of any Ecclesiastical Function; that they maintain­ed themselves upon their own hand-labor, and not in a mendicant or precarious way: and finally, that they married, many of them having Wives and Children; for marri­age was in them accounted lawful,Athanas. Epist. ad Dracon. which at this day would seem monstrous, in per­sons of the like profession.

Anno 320. &c.

TOgether with a Monastick Life, the Rules of Abstinency entered, which were soon after received into the Church; till which time Fasts were free and arbitra­ry; the Montanists being the only Persons who affected to enact Laws, and prescribe Forms therein; and it is observable, that [Page 39] they urged the same reasons,Tertul. contra Psychicos. and used the same tearms that the Church of Rome doth at this day; but those Antiquity con­demned, maintaining the free unrestrain­ed liberty of Fasts, till about the year 320. About this time, in regard the profession of Monks ought to consist in a more strict manner of life, than that of others, they imposed Laws upon them, more especially regulating their days, and manner of Fast­ing, which Laws passed from the Monks to the Clergy, from the Clergy to the whole Church: Now howbeit it be true, that ma­ny held abstinency for a kind of perfection, Hieron. Epist. ad Marcel. Idem in Epist. ad Galat. cap. 4. Sozom. lib. 3 cap. 13. Gang. synod. cap. 2. and others reckoned it a thing necessary and meritorious; yet notwithstanding, the Law-givers themselves, the Councils like­wise, and the most eminent Writers of that Age, when they declare the sense of the Church therein, affirm that Fasts are mat­ters arbitrary, that they appointed certain particular times of Fasting, only for order-sake; that the reason why some certain meats were forbidden, was only to the end, that by such austerity, they might be the better disposed for the service of God; that some being permitted to eat flesh,Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 11. and others prohibited; namely such as might by eating scandalize others, that prohi­bition [Page 40] was not as yet framed under pain of a mortal sin or damnation: and in effect, during the Fast of Lent, the Church re­frained, not only from Flesh, but from Wine also; which yet many authorize by the example of the Nazarites; Chrysost. Serm de Jejun. Theo­phil. Alex. in Epist. Epipha. in com­pend doct. and conse­quently this were to urge a rigid Jud [...]ical observance. But in brief, the diver­sity observed in those days, in point of Fasting, is considerable; for some abstain'd only from the flesh of Land-beasts, but did eat of Birds; others refrained even from Bread; others again would not tast any fruit coming of Trees. As touching the times; from Easter till Whitsuntide, there was not any one Fast day: Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Ambros. lib. de Elia & Iejan. cap. 10. & in E­pist. ad Roman. cap. 14. Basil. Hom. 2. de Jejun. Epipha. Haeres. 75. In Greece, and Alexandria, Lent continued six weeks; at Rome, only three; moreover, there were two Days in every week, whereupon they did not fast at all, to wit, Saturday, and the Sabbath-Day: In other places this Fast lasted but five or six days; in some Church­es, it was alternative and interchangeable, they fasting only one week in two: now the very diversity used in such observances was a proof of their indifferency, which yet was afterwards turned into a necessity; and what progress it made, we shall quickly see.

Anno 325.

LEt us in the mean time consider what passed in the grand Council of Nice, which afforded many Constitutions sub­servient to the sequel of this History. That they might the better preserve a due uni­on amongst the many Churches dispersed into so many several places, they found it expedient to reduce them all under cer­tain General Pr [...]cincts; to which purpose they setled Metropolitans in the more emi­nent Cities; each of whom ought to super­vise the Churches within his own respe­ctive Jurisdiction: Thus the Bishop of Alexandria was entrusted with those of E­gypt, Lybia, and generally of all Affrique: the Bishop of Rome with the neighbouring Churches, and afterwards with all those of the West: those of Antioch and Jerusalem, with the adjoyning Provinces: This pre­heminency was conferr'd upon them, by reason of the dignity of those Cities wherein they exercised their several Epis­copacies; Insomuch that Rome being the capital City of the Empire, the Bishop thereof did hereupon challenge precedency to all the rest, notwithstanding he held his [Page 42] own Diocess and Jurisdiction apart by himself. The institution of those Patri­archs founded only upon Custome, Concil. Nicen. Can. 6. & 7. this Council authorized by Decree, whereby they ordained that that Order should be continued, consulting therein the main­taining of that dignity to the Metropolitan, which they had acquired by Custome: To those four, a fifth was added afterwards, namely he of Constantinople, for as much as that City was the Imperial Seat; and the Council of Chalcedon held about the year 450.Concil. Chalced. Can. 28. decreed that he should hold the se­cond place, as being Bishop of New-Rome; that the Bishop of Rome should have the precedency, that being the Capital City; but that the Bishop of Constantinople should enjoy the same (respective) primacy, and equal Prerogatives, for as much as that City had the same Senate, the same Badg­es of honnourary, and equal Rites and Pri­vileges with old Rome, which we here re­mark by way of anticipation, since it will be needfull that we mention it hereafter: In the mean time we must note, that in this and succeeding Ages many general Coun­cils were held, wherein the Bishop of Rome was never President; proof sufficient that the other Metropolitans did not acknow­ledge [Page 43] him for their Superiour: that the name of Pope was common to all Bishops, as appeares by divers writings of those times; whence it is, that amongst Grecians and Germains to this day, Priests are called Popes; that is to say, Fathers, according to the ancient signification of the name: that all the Patriarchal Churches, as having been dignified with the Residence of the Apostles themselves, were named Apostolical, Sozom: lib. 1. cap. 16. which Title that of Rome hath ever since retained, though common to her with the rest; for we must know, that the Chair of Antioch, in that St. Peter resided there, and that of Jerusalem possessed by S. James, were entitled Apostolick Seats, as well as that of Rome.

This Council of Nice determined the difference concerning the Feast of Easter, and Decreed, that all the Churches should Celebrate the same, upon one and the same Day, namely the Sabbath-Day after the full Moon (or middle) of March. Now for as much as the use of Ephemerides was not so common, as it is at this day, and Astrology was best known in Egypt, they therefore gave it in charge to the Bishop of Alexan­dria, that he should yearly publish to the other Churches, the time of Easter-Feast, [Page 44] by express Letters, which were by them tearmed Paschal Epistles; Epistolae Paschales and afterwards for the same purpose the Golden Number was invented, howbeit in the judgment of many Mathematicians, there be frequent abuses in that Calcu­lation.

In the same Council there was a Que­stion moved,Decret. dist. 26. Can. Cae­noma­nens. Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 23. Concil. Ancyr. [...]. touching the [...]elibacy, or the unmarried state of Ecclesiastical Persons, which many affected to introduce: Cer­tain it is, that till then, marriage was ever reckoned allowable in persons of that ca­pacity, only some few there were, who soon after the death of the Apostles, began to reject the same; which yet was no soon­er by them attempted, than suppressed: But about the year 308. in some Provincial Councils, the first Laws touching Celibacy were enacted, whereof this was the Form: They demanded of such as desired to be prefer'd to any Ecclesiastick charge, whether they would refrain from marriage or not; if they answered yes, they were never after­wards permitted to marry; but in case they replyed no, they allowed, that after their Election, they might marry; but then the Election, was for some time de­fer'd, to the end, that if possible, they might [Page 45] find out some or other who could con­tent himself to live unmarried: Now this they did, not that they thought marriage was inconsistent with the Clergy, but be­cause of the poverty of the Churches, as not having means sufficient for the mainte­nance of the Families of their Pastours: and thus they passed to a peremptory pro­hibition of the same, to the end, that Church goods might not be distributed amongst their Wives and Children, or else lest natural affection to their own flesh and blood, might happily hinder or interfere with the functions of their charge: This is the only account, by their own confession, which their Legisla­tours could ever give hereof, which yet hath hitherto been judg'd impertinent,Leo. Novel. 2. since that by the same reason it would fol­low, that all who have Parents or Bro­thers, &c. should thereupon be incapable of any Ecclesiastick charge or office: Now those prejudications were transfer'd from particular Synods, to that general one of Nice; wherein it was debated whether it were convenient to oblige Church-men to ab­stinency from marriage; most votes carried it in the affirmative; but Paphnutius, a Person of great renown, and a sufferer [Page 46] for the Gospel, (one who was never mar­ried) standing up, opposed that determi­nation,Heb. 13. 4 judging according to Scripture, that marriage is honourable in all: His opinion prevailed,zozom. lib. 1. cap. 1. & 11. Hieron. lib. 1. con­tra Iovin. Ocean. [...]ist. tri­part. lib. 6. cap 14. Niceph. lib. 11. cap. 19. Greg. in orat. de obit. caesar & Gorg. Athanas. in Epist. ad Dra­cant. and was approved of by the whole Assembly, which yet decreed, that such as were received already into the number of the Clergy, being as yet un­married, should not marry at all. This Decree was not founded upon any Law, but upon custome only, and that not uni­versally received; for after this Council many famous Bishops married: St. Hilary, Gregory Nyssene, Gregory Nazianzen, the Father of St. Basil the great, and a great many more Ecclesiasticks, were married during their Episcopacy; howbeit there be many, who so much magnify Celibacy, as that they obtrude it for a thing ne­cessary.

Anno 350. &c.

IF we proceed a little further, we shall meet with a new tearm in the Latine Church, whereof yet the sense hath been changed: The Sermon being finished, they celebrated the Eucharist: But now there were three sorts of Persons, who [Page 47] were not permitted to be present at that action, namely, the Catechumenes, who were not as yet sufficiently instructed in the mysteries of Religion; the Penitents, who were not as yet received into the peace of the Church; and (Daimoniacks) such as were possessed with Devils: Ser­mon ended, the Deacon intimated to all such, that it behoved them to withdraw, dismissing them in these tearms, Ite missa est; which word (being only valedictory▪) signified the Conge, or solemn leave taken of them; and was no wise understood in that sense, which is at this day put upon it: In succeeding Ages, all the publick Exer­cises of the Church, were called Mass [...]s, because they were all concluded with an Orison, immediatly following upon the [...]issa; that is to say, the Conge (or Vale­diction.)

Anno 370. &c.

YEt was not this tearm so dangerous, as the new Rhetorick, which they begun soon after to display. The Church celebrated the memorial of the Saints, by a simple recital of their virtues, and by exhorting of every one to an imitation [Page 48] thereof: To those Panegyricks, they add­ed the Ornaments of Language; the great Orators, with whom the Chairs were then well furnished, producing what ever the Rules of Eloquence to them suggested;Nazianz. orat. 1. in Iulian. Thus about the Year 370. in the Com­memoration of the Martyrs, they began to use Prosopopeias and Apostrophees: one of them declaims in this manner, Hear yee People, yee that live already, and yee that are as yet unborn; hear likewise thou Soul of great Constantine, if so be there be any sense in thee, &c. Nazianz. orat. 2. in Iulian. for (saith he) I am constrained to bespeak him, just as if he were present, and as if he were one of the Auditory: The same Author, in the second Oration which he makes upon the same subject, directs his Speech to the Soul of Julian the Apostate, which yet he believed to be in Hell. There is then a vast difference between those oratorions A­postrophees, and the Invocation of Saints; a Figure of Rhetorick, and an act of wor­ship; and yet was this strain of Oratory a prelude to a gross ensuing abuse; for after this example did the ignorant Peo­ple begin by little and little to address their requests to Saints departed, as if their rude dialect or meaning had been to them [Page 49] intelligible: But we must remark, that neither then nor for a long time after was the Invocation of Saints practised in the Church; but on the contrary, this super­stitious Brat hatcht by (the cacozealous fer­vour of) a few private Persons, was con­demned (as illegitimate)Epiphan haeres. 78. 79. by the Doctors of that age, who teach that the Saints are indeed advanced to true honour and rest in glory, but yet ought not to be by us magnified beyond what is convenient; that the Sacred Virgin was never intended for an object of adoration, but that the luxuri­ant honour to her ascribed, did proceed from some superstitious Females, [...] (silly Women) accomplices with such as in Je­remiah's time worshipped the Queen of Heaven; that the comparison made by those who urge the example of Kings,Ambros. in Rom. cap. 1. to whom addresses are usually made by the intervention of Courtiers or Officers, is altogether impertinent; like as some He­reticks of those times, especially in the Province of Phrygia, had their recourse to God by the mediation of Angels, Concil. Laodi [...]. apud The­od. in E­pist ad Coloss. cap. 2. ha­ving amongst them the Oratories of St. Michael; this Invocation of Angels was also condemned of Heresie, by the Council of [...]aodicea, held about the year 368.

[Page 50] In those times many Persons, what through curiosity, what through zeal, re­sorted to the places where the more emi­nent Martyrs were inter'd; for we have seen how carefull the Church was in col­lecting of their Bones, yea in transport­ing them from remote places, and dis­posing of them to magnificent Sepulchres: It was a meer natural affection that prom­pted every one with a curious desire to see those Bodies which were sometime the Temples of the holy Ghost; this is the rea­son why St. Chrysostome said;Chrysost. hom. 22. in Rom. hom. 8. in Ephes. I esteem of the City of Rome, not because of the Pillars of Marble, but because of the Pillars of the Church therein the Bodies of St. Peter (sup­posed to have been there) and St. Paul; who can afford me at present the favour of be­ing stretched out all along upon the Body of St. Paul? Of being nailed to his Sepulchre? Of beholding the dust of that Body which bore the marks of the Lord Jesus, and that mouth by which Christ himself spoke? I covet to see the Sepulchre wherein is inclosed that armour of righteousness, that armour of light, those members which still live, and were dead whilst living. I covet to see those Chains, those bonds, &c. The intent then of those vi­sits, was, that they might be confirmed in [Page 51] the same Faith for which those Martyrs suffered, that so they might have part in the same Resurrection, and this they be­sought God for by Prayer, poured out o­ver their Sepulchres. Now those places became the more famous, by reason of a rumour spread, that miracles were wrought by their means; for Arrianisme being then become very general, it is possible that God might at that time have confirmed by miracles, the Orthodox Faith: Howbeit so it was, that this perswasion drew the People to those Sepulchres, but Supersti­tion at the same time followed thereupon; for then began the belief,Basil in 40. Mar­tyr. Basil. August. Ambros. that there was a kinde of Divine vertue subjected in those Reliques, prevalent against the maladies of the Soul, as well as those of the Body: It was generally believed that the Bodies of the Saints were as so many tutel [...]ry Guardians and Fortresses to the Cities wherein they were kept, in so much that every one coveted to have some of them; and for this very reason they began to transport them from one place to another; The common People spent the Vigils (or Wakes) in the cemeteries of the Martyrs; thither they carried Victuals, that they might be thereby sanctified; yea, they [Page 52] lighted up Tapers in broad Day light, in token (said they) of joy and triumph: But we must likewise note, that all those were the procedures of private Persons only, and no wise approved of by the Church; true it is, the Bishops were con­strained by the prevailing multitude, to connive at those abuses, whereof yet they acknowledged the enormity:Aug. E­pist. 119. Concil. Elibert. c. 34. & 35. This tole­ration nevertheless did not forestall their utmost endeavour, for stopping of that torrent; for at the same time, both Do­ctors and Councils condemned those ex­travagancies, prohibited the lighting up of Torches in honour of the Martyrs, Aug. de Morib. Eccles. Cathol. cap. 34. Cypr. l [...]b 10. Contra Iul. Concil. Carthag. 5. cap. 14. Hieron. contra Vi­gilant. in­terdicted Vigils, repressed those who car­ried victuals to their Sepulchres, as having derived that custome from Paganisme, and taught that the Reliques of Saints ought to be buried, and not transported from place to place; that the custome of swear­ing by the Reliques of the Dead was pure­ly Paganish, and that many built Sepul­chres for Martyrs, meerly out of vain fri­volous dreams.

Anno 380. &c.

THe original of praying for the dead, we have seen in the former age; come we now to view the growth, and progress of the same: This custome, sprung originally from a natural affection in the surviving, was at length received into the Church, and in after time continued therein.Euseb. de vita Con­stant. lib. 4. cap. 7. The Emperour Constantine being dead, all the People prayed for his Soul; but as we have already noted, those Prayers were made in a sense quite other than at pre­sent; for all the Fathers of the first ages, were of an opinion, which is at this day rejected by the Church of Rome, namely, that the Souls of the righteous are reser­ved in a common Receptacle until the Re­surrection:Ambros. orat. de Valent. Chrysost. hom. 23. in matth. Epiphan. haeres 75. Chrysost. Liturg. in matth. hom. 32. and upon this supposition they ground their praying for the dead: Now for these reasons did the Church pray for them, viz. 1. To the end, God might please to glorify them in due time, hastening their Resurrection. 2. To the end, the Judge might upon the last day be propitious to them, and not deal with them in rigour. 3. It is remarkable, that they prayed even for the Patriarchs, for [Page 54] the Prophets, for the Evangelists, for the Apostles, for the Martyrs, yea, and for the Virgin Mary, whom yet they believed not to be in Purgatory; but their end herein was, that it might please God to increase their glory; whence we must note by the way, how far they were from praying to the Saints, since that they prayed for them; and the truth is, antiquity informeth us, that one of the main reasons why they prayed for them,Epipha. haeres 75. was, that they might by so doing distinguish them from Christ, whom none prayeth for, but all pray to.

4. But which is yet more strange,Chrysost. Serm. 3. ad Phil. hom. 69. they went so far as to pray for the very damned; to the end they might procure for them (said they) some allay and miti­gation of their pain; for, in as much as mis­guided zeal is no where bounded, they affected to extend their charity, even as far as Hell it self, being strongly opiniated that the Prayers of the Church in the be­half of the damned, Id. Serm. 41. ad Co­rinth. hom. 61. & in Johan. hom. 21. might be available for qualifying and asswaging of their torments, and rendering of their infernal state more supportable; thus did they inconsiderate­ly kindle strange fire upon the Altar, Aug. En­chyrid. cap 110. and made their censors smoak through the su­perstitious flames of a preposterous devo­tion.

[Page 55] But,Origen. contra Cels. Iren. lib: 1. cap. 14. Epipha. haeres. 37. Euseb. Hist. Ec­cles. lib. 7. cap. 37. behold an innovation of a lamen­table sequel: The primitive Christians had not as yet received any Images; this the Pagans upbraided them with, as a notori­ous defect: The Church had condemned the Gnosticks, famous Hereticks who used Images, even that of Christ himself; Eu­sebius saith in his Ecclesiastical History, that this usage was derived from Pagans, who were accustomed to honour the me­mory of their Deliverers with Portraits and Images;Athanas. Euseb. which, that they might cloath their Idolatry with a specious pretext, they yet further alledged to be as so many Books representing Divine things: The Emperour Constantine caused the Image of the good Shepheard to be made, but not with any intent of having it placed in a Church: The Statue of Daniel in Brass was also e­rected in the middle of the Market-place of Constantinople: Euseb. ad Constant. lib. 3. cap. 3. & 48. The same Historian Eu­sebius writing to the Emperess Constance, tells her that Christ, even as he is Man, cannot be represented by the Pensil: True it is, at the same time there was a Statue shewen in Cesarea, Euseb. which they said was that of Jesus Christ, erected before that in a private House, where the Woman was cured of the bloody flux, mentioned in the [Page 56] Gospel,Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 40. & lib. 2. cap. 37. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 20. was also represented; and fron that Statue undoubtedly the Portrait [...] Jesus Christ in Nicephorus was drawn and afterwards imitated by Statuarie and Painters. Now for as much as Juid [...] the Apostate had caused it to be defaced and the Pagans, in despight to Christ, ha [...] broken it into pieces; the Christians re­collected all the fragments, and placed them in the Church. But about the year 380. they began to embellish the Churches, wherein they assembled, with Pictures, whereby they represented the sufferings of the Martyrs, Greg. Nyssen. rendering them more palpable and affective to the behold­ers; as also some Scripture-Histories, as Abraham's Sacrifice, Aug. de Consens. Evang. lib. 1. cap. 10. Basil O­rat. in S. Barth. Christ's Miracles, &c. And for as much as the Agapes or Feasts of their Assemblies, were as yet practised by Christians, the objects there presented before their Eyes, were of use to preven [...] intemperancy: We must therefore re­mark, that those Images were only Histo­rical, (serving for commemoration only) not for veneration: Nyssen. orat. in Theod: [...] Likewise, that the same were no other than plain Pictures: For Sta­tues were not received into Churches, till a long time after: But briefly, that which was most remarkable herein, was the op­position [Page 57] then banded up against this no­velty, there having been even Coun­cils,Concil. Elibart. cap. 36. which expresly prohibited the use of Pictures in the Church. Moreover, such was the Devotion of many, even after this innovation, that they would not endure any Image in their Churches: Epiphanius, one of the most famous Men of those times, relates this passage,Epipha. Epist. ad Johan. Patriarc. Hieroso­lym. that being in a certain Village in Palestine, he observed at the Church-entry a painted Cloath, ha­ving like the Picture of Christ, or some Saint upon it; Now when that I beheld (saith he) that they had as it were, under colour of Scripture-authority, placed the I­mage of a Man, in the Church of Christ, I cut that Cloth, and councelled them much rather to wrap up the dead Corps of some poor Person therein.

Anno 386.

THe Celibacy of Ecclesiasticks was hi­therto used, more through private devotion, than by vertue of any publick suffrage, and determination of the Church: But about the Year 386. Syricius Bishop of Rome, Distinct. 82▪ was the first that did by publick Decree (provided there be nothing [Page 58] of forgery in the case) prohibit marriage to the Clergy of the Churches within his Jurisdiction;Synod. Turon. 2. cap. 18. Salvian. lib. 5. de Provid. howbeit this was not uni­versally observed, for even till the year 950. we finde in the Catalogue of History throughout all the Provinces of Europe, a great number of Ecclesiastick Persons mar­ried; famous Doctors impugning the Law of Celibacy; and, which is yet more, Roman Bishops descended of Ecclesiastical Pa­rents, who were married even during their Clerk-ship, as was Boniface I. Felix III. and Gelasius I. thus many Ages passed before that this Decree was received.

Anno 400. &c.

WE now enter upon that time where­of St. Augustine complained,Aug. ad Ianuar. Epist. 119. cap. 19. say­ing, that it was so universally stuffed with Ceremonial Observances, that the condition of the Jews living under the servile Yoak of the Law, was much more supportable, (than that of Christians under the Go­spel) as we shall see in good part. How­beit we shall omit divers Rites introduced in the fifth age, which were never appro­ved of by the Church of Rome; as the burning of the superplus and remainder [Page 59] of the Sacrament, after that all had com­municated;Concil. Carthag. 3. the sending of the Sacrament to new married couples, to be by them joyntly received at home in their own Houses; the thrusting of the same into the mouth of the dead, a most prophane abuse! We shall likewise forbear to menti­on all those innovations, which having been commenced before, were continued in after time; and shall only note the progress of the same, and the rise of such as followed thereupon, each according to the order of time, wherein they began to appear.

As therfore we have already seen in what respect Primitive Antiquity prayed for the dead, in like manner we must know what was the intent of the Vigils, which ensued upon that usage. It was an anci­ent custome, that as soon as any one had given up the Ghost, they called some Ec­clesiastick Persons, who spent the whole night with the friends of the dead, enter­taining them with some serious and sea­sonable discourses, grounded upon the Word of God, for their instruction and comfort: To this purpose they sung also Psalms, disposed by way of Antiphonies, or Versicles, interchangeably answering one [Page 60] another; and recommended the departed Soul to God, to the end, that pardoning its sins, he would vouchsafe to preserve it from Hell, and eternal Death; Judge it in mercy upon the last day, and give to its Body a glorious Resurrection; but ne­ver to the end that he might deliver it out of Purgatory, though that be the conse­quence drawn from thence at this day; and indeed the Greek Church Prayeth for the Dead, which yet never believed a Pur­gatory.

To those Funeral acts another Cere­mony was added; It was a Pagan custome, that their Champions who had won the prize in wrastling, were conducted to their Houses with Songs of Triumph, and bur­ning Torches, in token of honour and congratulation; this our Christians ap­plied to their dead, as those, who after that they had fought the good fight, had finished their course, and obtained the Crown of Glory: They then inter'd them with singing of Psalms, by way of thanks­giving to God, and consolation to the sur­viving; as also with lighted Tapers, in ho­nour of the burial of the deceased; for the reason of that Ceremony is thus ex­pressed by S. Chrysostome, who lived in the [Page 61] beginning of this Age. Tell me, Chrysost. Serm. 4. ad Heb. what mean the Lamps lighted up at Funerals? Is it not because we accompany the dead, as so many magnanimous Champions. What mean the Hymns? Is it not because we glorify God, and render thanks to him, for that he hath already crowned the defunct, delivering him from all his toile and dolour? Is it not for this very end, that we sing Psalms and Hymns? And why callest thou upon the Priests and Singing-men? Is it not for comfort to thy self, and for honour to the deceased?

The formalities observed by the Church, in the reception of Penitents, Concil. Araus. Concil. Agath. cap. 11. & 37. were likewise multiplied; which in those Days were thus practised: When any one, who had incur'd excommunication, petitioned that he might be released from that censure, making protestation of repentance; the Bishop, who had excommunicated him, and twelve Priests with him, repaired to the Church-door, where the Penitent pre­senting himself cloathed with Sack-cloath, bare-footed, with a dejected countenance, his head covered with ashes, weeping and sighing, implored forgiveness, and pro­mised amendment of life for the future; Then the Bishop taking him by the hand, gave him entrance into the Church, and [Page 62] admission to the Communion: But in case he did again relapse into any crime, he was no more capable of admission to Penance, but dealt with as one relapsed, so as that they never gave him the Sacra­ment, save only at the very point of death. Then also were Crosses receiv­ed into Churches, whereas formerly they were only represented upon Money and Military Banners; but held only for meer memorials of Christs death, and not for ob­jects of adoration: Cyril. contra Iu­lian. lib. 6. for so do the Christians of those times explain themselves therein: It is further remarkable, that theirs was only the simple form and figure of the Cross, and that the Image of the Crucifix was not received into the Church, till a long time after.

Authors of the same age make mention of a custome,Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 12. Chrysost. which was afterwards turned into Superstition: As long as the gift of miracles are subjected in the Church, she was endowed with an especial vertue of dispossessing and chasing away Devils; but this gift being once antiquated and super­seded, they found no better expedient in the case, than to conduct the possessed into the place of publick Assemblies, to the end that the Church might pray for and over [Page 63] them; and those Prayers frequently ob­tained deliverance for those poor Demoni­acks: But they afterwards constituted Exorcists, under the notion of an Office, to whom they attributed Jurisdiction over Devils, empowering them to torment, and chase away the same, by vertue of their conjurations.

Now many had hitherto disputed about the state of Souls after death: Origen. in Exod. hom. 6. & in Psal. 36. hom. 3. & in Luc. hom. 14. But Origen, who lived about the year 230. and who may well be called the Origin of many Errours, seems to have been the first that made way or entrance to the belief of Purgatory. This Doctor taught, that all Men, the faithfull as well as the ubeliev­ing, shall pass through that Fire, which shall consume the World upon the last day, after the Resurrection;Ambros. in Psal. 118. which opinion was embraced by many, but condemned by the Church; nor can any thing be ur­ged from hence in favour of Purgatory; for that, whereof Origen spake, is not as yet kindled, and is in every respect differ­ent from that of the Church of Rome: But those controversies touching the con­dition and mansion of Souls departed, beginning to multiply about the year 400. some certain Persons corrupted with the [Page 64] fabulous Narratives of Pagans, conceited with them, that they are purged and refi­ned in some place or other, before that ever they be received up into Heaven: Those discourses were managed by way of probleme, Aug. in E [...]chyrid. cap. 67: & 69: & de Civit: Dei lib: 21: cap: 26 and not in form of a positive as­sertion; and in this sense St. Augustine writes, and resolves the whole question by a may be. Thus the first Doctrine con­cerning Purgatory was problematical only, not Dogmatical, or matter of faith, till a long-time after that, as we shall see in its proper place; Nevertheless, for the Rea­ders satisfaction, we shall hear subjoyn the testimony of two Fathers, amongst the many of the first Antiquity; to the end, that it may appear what the belief of the Primitive Church was,Justin. Martyr. Quest. & Respons. ad Ortho­dox. quest. 75. in re­spons. touching the state of Souls departed: St. Justine Martyr, who lived in the 130. year of our Lord, speak­eth of it thus: After the dissolution of the Body (saith he) there is immediately a se­paration made of the just, and of the unjust: for they are conducted by the Angels, to pla­ces worthy of them; namely, the Souls of the just, to Paradise, where they enjoy the society of Angels and Arch-Angels, yea, and the very Face of our Saviour Jesus Christ him­self; but those of the unjust to the infernal [Page 65] mansions. St. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons,Iren. lib. 5. cap 7. in the year 160. The Preachers (saith he) who are the Disciples of the Apostles, affirm, that those who are translated from hence, are transported into Paradise, that being prepa­red for just Men, and such as have the spirit, the place whither St. Paul was caught up, where he heard things unutterable; and that they should continue there till the consumma­ [...]ion and end of the World, seeing incorruption. And thus Erasmus in his animadversions [...]pon that Father observeth, and good [...]eason he had, De purgatorio nulla mentio; [...]hat there is no mention made by him of [...]urgatory; justly acknowledging, that that [...]ious Author spoke as one wholly unac­quainted with any such Fable;Index Expurg: Belgic. pag. 72: Index Expurg: Hispanic. pag. 136: and for this reason, it was ordered by the Expur­gatory Index, both of Spain, and of the Low-Countries, that that note of Erasmus should be quite obliterated.

Anno 450. &c.

IT hath been already observed, when, how, and by what degrees the publick Confession of Penitents, was changed into a private one, in the Greek Church only: But about the year 450. the same altera­tion [Page 66] did likewise befall the Western Churches, which had ever till then re­tained the use of publick Confession.

Christian liberty also in matter of Fasts, was maintained,Chrysost. in Matth. h [...]m. 47. Cyril. in Levitic. hom. 10. Aug. E­pist. 80. & 118. till about this time: The Doctors that flourished in this age, having taught, that Christ never commanded [...] to imitate his Fast of forty days; that Fast­ing is the last and lowest of vertues; that true Fasting consists in abstinency from sin; that Fasting indeed is commanded in the Scriptures, but as touching the particular days of Fasting, nor Christ, nor his Apo­stles did ever enact any Ordinance; that it is matter of freedom and indifferency to fast upon some certain Days; that the choice and distinction of meats is not matter of Religion, &c. We have likewise seen how that Fasts were diversly obser­ved, both as to their time and manner, and that they abstained not only from flesh, but from Wine also; and we may yet fur­ther observe, how much the Fasts of the first differed from those of modern ages▪ in that the Lent of the ancients did ever begin upon the Sabbath, which followed immediately upon that of Whitsuntide: But the liberty of the Church herein was through the Laws of new Councils,Ambros. serm. 34: and [Page 67] multiplicity of Fasts at length suppressed: For Leo I. Bishop of Rome, did about the year 460. ordain the observance of four Solemn anniversary Fasts; namely, Lent, Whitsuntide, the seventh, and tenth Months; not denying, but that the two last were in imitation of Judaisme. There be some Authors, who speaking of the Fast of the four times (or four Weeks of Ember or Imber-days) and of the Institution there­of, give this reason for the same: Pope Gelasius had decreed,Serm 4. de Iejun. septini mensis. that the Ordination of Priests and Deacons should be perfor­med upon those Days; now for as much as that action was after the example of the Primitive Church, (Acts 13. & 14.) ma­naged with Fasting and publick Prayer, the Fast of the four times was hereupon introduced; and notwithstanding those Ordinations were not performed any more at that time, yet was the custome of of Fasting afterwards continued: In like manner, as touching the Vigils of Saints, the name indeed was retained, but the use of them quite changed; for the Wakes up­on the Night preceding the solemnity of any Saint, were turned into Fasts, howbeit the name of Vigil remained. The Fast of Rogations came to pass soon after, for there [Page 68] happening in several places in Lyonoise in France, divers Earth-quakes Conflagrati­ons, and many dangers incur'd through wild Beasts; those publick calamities mo­ved Mamert Bishop of Vienne in Daulphi­noise, to ordain, that upon some certain Days every year, there should be publick Prayers made with Fasting, and acts of repentance: Thus were the Rogations in­stituted, which reached even to Forreign Provinces, as we shall see streight.

Anno 470. &c.

WEe have seen some seeds and be­ginnings of the Invocation of Saints, towards the end of the preceding age; It was not used in the Church, but only amongst some private Persons, and that as yet with some hesitation. They began then to conceive new opinions touching the Martyrs, to rely upon their Intercession, and to attribute vertue to their Sepulchres. St. Augustine tells us, that the stronger and better Christians had no such custome, but the weaker sort only, and those too by way of Indulgence. This abuse pre­vailed so much, as that the transportation of Reliques, the resorts of People, the [Page 69] honours conferred upon Saints, which at the beginning were tollerable, were now advanced to an excess: The Body of Chrysostome being transported to Constantinople, Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 43. the Emperour Theodosius kneeled down before it, praying it to forgive his Parents, who had persecuted it whil'st living: But against this Super­stition, the Fathers of this age, like as their Predecessours before them, remonstrate after this manner:Aug. lib. de cura pro mor­tuis, cap. 13. & contra Parmen. lib. 2. cap. 8. & de Civit. lib. 8. cap 27. Cyril. contra Jul. lib. 6. Chrysost. Hom. 5. in Matth. Theodor. in 2 Epist. ad Co­rinth. The Souls of the dead intermedle not with the affairs of the living: The Saints are not our Mediatours: We ap­plaud the Martyrs, as those who have fought in the defence of the truth, and maintained the purity of the Faith; we worship them not, build them no Churches, offer them no Sacri­fice: But to what purpose then are those so­lemnities? To the end, that we may thereby glorifie God, because of their victory, and encourage our selves to follow their example, that we may share in their Crown and re­ward: But that we may attain thereunto, must the Saints be invoked? In no wise; but we will only implore aid from the true God himself, who made them both Men and Mar­tyrs. This then was the Language of the Church; and we must remember, that for as much as in the Assembly, before [Page 70] the Communion, they celebrated the me­morial of the Saints; St. Augustine speak­ing of that Commemoration, informs us, that the names of the Martyrs were then rehearsed in rank and order, as the ser­vants of God, who had overcome the World, through the Confession of their Faith, but that they were not invoked; which is at this day verified by the more ancient Liturgies, Chrysost. in Matth. Hom. 26. & in E­pist. ad Corinth. Hom. 18. & in 1 ad Tim. cap. 2 Justin. Irenaeus. Tertul. and set Forms of pub­lick Prayer and thanksgiving; for the Church prayed for the believing and un­believing, for Magistrates, for friends and foes, for present and absent, for Penitents for Demoniacks, and in general, for the whole World: Now, that they might ex­cite the People to the greater fervency in Prayer, the Pastour used this Exhortation, Sursum corda, Lift up your hearts on high; whereunto they gave this only Answer, Habemus ad Dominum, We yield them to the Lord; for in the whole action they in­voked none other than God.

In this age were likewise introduced (as we have said) Letanies or Rogations first in the Eastern Church, and afterwards in the Western; the Pestilence at Constan­tinople, and the Earth-quakes at Lyons and adjacent places, administring the occa­sion [Page 71] hereof. From thence they were ex­tended upon the like occurrences, through­out the whole, both East and West; now behold the Form of the same; They di­gested into certain Articles the publick calamities and necessities, praying for the peace from on high, and the salvation of Souls, for the prosperity of Gods holy Churches, for both Clergy and People, for higher Powers, and the peace of the whole World, for that Province and City, for the fruitfulness of the Earth, for health, for such as were engaged in a journey or voyage, for the sick, for the imprison­ed, &c. every one of those Articles being pronounced with a loud voice by the Pa­stour, the People answered to each thereof, Kyrie Eleison, Lord have mercy upon us. They afterwards added other clauses, but the Invocation of Saints had no place in those Letanies: Niceph. lib. 15. cap. 18. One Peter Gnapheus, or Foulon Patriarch of Antioch, was the first that foisted the same into the Prayers of the Church, about the year 470. And we must note, that this Person was corrupted with the Eutychian Heresie, for which he was condemn'd by the fifth General Coun­cil; thus did Superstition, which at first was only private, become publick at last; [Page 72] and the Commemoration of Saints, was changed into Invocation; insomuch, that in stead of addressing their discourse to the living, in order to their imitating of the Saints, they now direct it to the Saints in the behalf of the living; howbeit this same Invocation of Saints was at the begin­ning used only by the Greeks; for the La­tine Church received it not till above an hundered and twenty years after, as we shall also see in due time and place.

Anno 490.

LEt us conclude this fifth Century with an observation which offered it self about the same time. It hath been said, that many had at the celebration of the Eucharist, introduced the custome of soaked or dipt Bread, for the benefit of such as could not use the Cup. This usage was condemned by Julius Bishop of Rome, a­bout the year 340. Howbeit in the Church of Rome, the Priest doth still dip a moiety of the Hoste in the Wine of the Chalice▪ adding at the same time, that, this im­mersion conduceth to eternal life in the receivers: This expedient so generally used, carries in it a demonstrative evidence [Page 73] that Antiquity gave the Communion un­der the two species, chusing much rather in an exigence wherein they could no better order it, to give soak'd or steep'd Bread, then to administer the Sacrament under that only species. Now about the year 440. the Manichees who held Wine in abomination, as the Turks do at this day, attempted to introduce the Commu­nion, under one only species: Leo. Serm. quad. 4. And whereas there were many in the Church tainted with that heresie, they were discerned by this token, that they made some hesitation about receiving of the Chalice. This su­perstition was suppressed towards the year 490.Distinct. 2. Canon. Comperi­mus. by Pope Gelasius, who ordained, that they should either receive the Sacrament, whole and entire, or else wholly abstain from and forbear it, conformably to what was decreed by Leo, his Predecessour, who impeached of Sacriledge all those who repulse the Cup of redeeming blood; an Ordinance which condemns the mutilation of the Sacrament introduced in after-time by the Romish Church.

Anno 500. &c.

WE are now arrived at the year 500. The Historical use of Images was received into Churches, which was the only use that Christians applyed them to for above an hundred years after their first introduction; but now the People began to degenerate into abuse herein, and Images were advanced from contem­plation to veneration: Many Bishops wil­ling to suppress this Idolatry, caused them to be broken into pieces within their se­veral Diocesses, but the popular torrent prevailing over their zeal, this same abo­mination, inforced by custome, was in fine authorized by those, whose part it was to reform it; but a long time after, as we shall shew in its proper place: Let us take a view of some innovations, which came to pass at the same time.

Anno 528.

AMongst the many other Miracles pra­ctised in the Church, in the time of the Apostles, the anointing of the sick was one, by vertue whereof they recovered [Page 75] bodily health: Now, howbeit the gift of Healing was, together with other Miracles, become antiquated, yet did some Here­ticks affect to retain the use of this same Vnction, though now vacated of its pristine efficacy, addressing it to another end; for, about the year 180.Irenaeus. lib. 1. cap. 18. the Valentinians anoint­ed their sick with Oile, when ever they perceived them to be under the approach of death, adding thereunto certain Pray­ers, pretending that the same did con­duce to soul-salvation: This superstition found no entertainment, save amongst some certain Hereticks, the Church ever having it in detestation: But about the year 528. Felix IV. Bishop of Rome, insti­tuted extream Vnction, which was after­wards amplified with Ceremonies, and received in the quality of a Sacrament; Now from what source it sprung, is no hard matter to determine.

Anno 535.

TOwards the year 535. Agapet I. or­dained Processions before Easter Feast,Petrus de Natal. for which they give this goodly reason: For as much, say they, as after the Resurre­ction of our Lord, the Angels said to the [Page 76] Women, Tell the Disciples, that he goeth before you into Galilee: Matt. 28. Now from this Procession of Easter, those of the Sabbath-Days did afterwards proceed.

Anno 536.

VIgilius his Successour,Petrus de Natal. ordained, that those that celebrated the Mass should direct their Faces towards the East; and from thence it came to pass, that Altars for the most part were all turned East­wards.

To this Vigilius, is likewise attributed the Feast of Purification, Rhenan. in Tertul. lib. 5. adver. Marcion. (or Candlemass) whereof they give this account; The Pa­gans were wont, in the beginning of Fe­bruary, to celebrate the Feast of Proser­pina, with burning Tapers; now, for a diversion from this piece of Pagan-impi­ety, they instituted the same day, and the same thing, in honour of the Virgin Mary.

Anno 600.

COrruption was now become universal, and nothing is henceforth to be seen but horrour; we shall only run over the [Page 77] more principal. The most notable change that befell Religion, came to pass towards the year 600. This time was very dark; the Sun of Truth over-clouded, and the brightest Stars fell from Heaven: Then was Gregory I. Bishop of Rome, who not only approved of former Innovations, but super-added new ones: They substi­tuted Saints in the room of Gods, to whom they dedicated Churches, Festivals, and sa­crificing Priests; Private superstitions were advanced even to an invoking of them; which Invocation was now become publick in the Latine Church; for, Grego­ry entered the Virgin Mary into the Leta­nies, and in process of time they acqui­red the same honour to all the Saints.

Whereas formerly there were only plain Pictures in Churches, they now erected Statues therein; not those of Saints only, but likewise those of Emperours, howbeit they did not as yet allot thereunto any kind of worship.

The opinion of Purgatory heretofore conceived by a few, began now to be con­firmed, howbeit their belief was as yet far different from the modern, in the thing; for they held, that (departed) Souls did divers ways expiate their own [Page 78] sins, by Baths, Ice, Sinks, Hanging in the Air, &c. so doubtfull hitherto was both the place and pain of Purgatory: nor had this Doctrine any other foundation, than the prejudices of Pagans, the pretended apparitions of Spirits, and vulgar cre­dulity.

Those perswasions nevertheless travel­led with friendship to antiquated Cere­monies, whose scope was the solacing of the dead; They believed also, that the Eucharist might be beneficial to them, and therefore made it subservient to this Superstition; turning a Sacrament for the living, into a Sacrifice for the dead: Thus also, whereas the Offerings for the dead, were no other than Almes bestowed in memory of their piety, they now receive the tearm of Oblation into the very Sacrament it self, and that in expi­ation of their sins.

Now proportionably to the Introdu­ction of new Doctrines, or new Ceremonies, was the form of Divine Worship always chop'd and chang'd, as well in the Eu­charist, as in publick Prayers: Liturgies were always different, not only in several Provinces, but even frequently in one and the same; witness amongst the Greeks [Page 79] those which are ascribed to St. Dionysius, Basile, Chrysostome; and amongst the La­tines, those attributed to St. Ambrose, Augustine and Isidore; yet notwithstanding, as they were conformable to one another in substance, so likewise they had many things common in point of Form: Now, Gregory undertaking to redress and new-model all Church-Forms, altered and ad­ded many passages; and out of this same medley, composed the Office of the Mass, after the same Form well-nigh, wherein it is to be seen at this day; borrowing the same from Hebrew and Greek Clauses, as Kyrie eleison from the Greeks, and Halle­lujah from the Church of Jerusalem.

We must note moreover, that the anci­ent Church receiving the Offerings pre­sented by the People, besought God, that those fruits of charity might become ac­ceptable to him; to which purpose, they pronounced these Orisons, We pray thee to accept of, and bless these gifts, these pre­sents, these holy Sacrifices, &c. Vouchsafe to regard them with a serene and propitious aspect, and to accept of them, as thou did [...] of the offering of thy righteous Child Abel, &c. Command that they be conveyed to thine holy Altar, by the hands of thine Angel. Those [Page 80] Orisons were retained in the Canon of the Mass, but alienated to quite another intent; for, whereas they were formerly rehearsed over the Eleemosynary presents of the Faithfull, they are now pronoun­ced over the Body of Jesus Christ, by an absurdity full of Sacriledge; inasmuch as they do in express tearms pray for Jesus Christ, paralleling Him with the Sacri­fices offered by the Patriarchs of old.

Then was the Gregorian Hymn received into the Canon of the Mass; till the year 368. there was not yet any singing used in the Roman Church. Damasus Bishop of Rome, about the same time wrote to St. Jerome, that he would send him the Greek Psalter, Because (said he) we are so studious of simplicity, that upon the very Sabbath-day there is only read one of the Epistles of the Apostle, and one of the Chapters of the Gospel, and the beauty of Psalms doth not appear in our mouths. Now the Psalms were wont at first to be sung whole and entire by all the People, in one uniform and continued Song, but afterwards by way of Diapsalm or pawse and intermission: Finally, to­wards the year, 418. Celestine I. appointed them to be sung by way of Antiphony (or Anthem) that is to say, interchangeably [Page 81] [...]y Versicles, wherein the Clergy and the [...]eople did by turns answer one another: After that they distinguished herein the [...]ntroites, sung at the beginning of the [...]ervice; the Gradual, when the Deacon [...]scended the Pulpit-steps, in order to the [...]ecture; and the Offertory, whilst the Peo­ [...]le presented their Offerings. Gregory [...]hen composed an Antiphonairy, (a Book [...]f Anthems) for the whole course of the [...]ear, and Versicles and Responsals for eve­ [...]y day thereof: He likewise constituted a Colledge (or Quire) of Singing-men, to [...]ing the Office.

And as if he had projected the reducti­ [...]n of Judaisme, Rabar. de Instit. Cler. lib. 1 cap. 14. he borrowed divers Ce­ [...]emonies there-from: for he it was that [...]egan to introduce Vnction into the Priestly Order, and Pontifical Habits in [...]mitation of the Priests and Levites: We [...]ust note by the way, whence it came to pass that the Monks are otherwise apparel­ [...]ed, than the common People: In times past their Apparel was not in the least di­stinguished from that of others, save in [...]he simplicity and plainness thereof; but afterwards like as Habits amongst Men continue not long in one fashion, they were altered amongst Seculars, but were [Page 82] always retained in the same fashion a­mongst the Monks; and from hence arose the distinction of the one from the other: And indeed the Coat of the Monks of St. Benedict, which are the most ancient,A kind of Garment wrought with Pur­ple, like studds of Iron or nail heads worn of old by the Senatours of Rome. is nothing else then that Latus Clavus, which was of old worn by the Romans: Lest therefore they should make way to an innovation in point of habit, they ever af­fected to confine themselves to the ancient form; which yet by little and little they prevaricated from, and declined; how­beit this fashion of vesture being always appropriated to them, it came to pass, that at length they attributed a kind of sanctity to it: The same likewise befell Ecclesia­sticks: But Gregory, in pursuit of an uni­versal change, imposed upon them new fashioned Habits, conformable to the pat­tern of those which are specified in the Ceremonial Law.

He likewise ordain'd the use of perfumes, and the Reliques of Saints, at the Conse­cration of Churches; as also a space for the reception of the Tapers: And afterwards Sabinian his Successour, ordered that the Lamps should continue in Churches per­petually burning; whereas antiquity ne­ver lighted them but in the Night time, [Page 83] to give light to the Assemblies.

Now Gregory h [...]ing founded a new form of Divine Service, caused the same to be received throughout all the Western Churches, in token of Subjection: This design, which was put in execution in di­vers places, produced such a confusion, as remaineth incomposed to this very day. The Latine Tongue was generally known throughout Europe, the Roman Empire having spread it over all the Provinces under its command: The Western Church­es had then the form of Divine Service in this Language, which was at that time understood by all; but in process of time, through the intercourse of barbarous Na­tions, dispersed throughout the Empire; new tongues offering, the Latine became estranged: Yet notwithstanding, they still retain'd the use thereof in Churches, though the People had already lost the knowledge of the same: And indeed not only are the Mysteries of Religion in Churches, but likewise matters of Justice in Palaces (and Judicatories) still managed in Latine; like as all contracts and agree­ments, are also written in the same Lan­guage; nor is it as yet an hundred years since this barbarism was expel'd France.

Anno 605.

HItherto was the Church governed by divers Patriarchs, each of whom had his several Jurisdiction apart: Every one of those within his respective Patriarchy, enacted Laws, and assembled Councils; in which quality He of Rome acted, but only as the rest, to wit, within the limits of his own Jurisdiction; yet notwith­standing, so it was, that he frequently af­fected an universal preheminency over all the Churches; sometimes labouring by might and main to transfer to himself the appeals of the other Bishops; sometimes prevailing upon the addresses of such as in hopes of succour from him, implored his assistance; yea sometimes alledging forged and spurious Acts, as at the sixth Council of Carthage, which crushed that attempt: Now in that of Chalcedon, held about the year 450. it was said, that the Bishops of Rome and of Constantinople were of an equal dignity; nevertheless, they procured the Primacy, the one in emulati­on of the other, and many were the con­tests and controversies commenced be­tween them upon this occasion; yea, in [Page 85] the year 472. the Emperour Leo determi­ning in favour of him of Constantinople, confer'd upon him the precedency to all the other Bishops, and from thence he was stiled Oecumenick: But when once [...]hocas attain'd to the Empire, by murdering of (Mauricius) his Predecessour, this same Parricide was on the one side offended, with Cyriacus Bishop of Constantinople, who refused to countenance his inhumanity; on the other side he feared lest that the condigne hatred of his actions might oc­casion a revolt against himself in Italy; insomuch that Boniface III. through offers made of his good services, obtained of him, that the Church of Rome should be the Capital Church, and that the Bishop of Rome should be called the Soveraign and Vniversal Bishop; thus by an Imperial Edict, and not by any Divine Right was there an Vniversal Bishop created in the Church; the quality which Gregory him­self declined,Greg. Epist. 34. lib. 4. none could possibly affect, but the Fore-runner of Antichrist: It was under colour of this specious Title, that the Bishops of Rome hath ever from thence forwards exerted and executed all the Acts of their pretended Primacy.

Boniface IV. soon after opened the [Page 86] Pantheon at Rome, and erected therein the Images of all the Saints, Platin. in Bonifac 4 in the room of the Pagan-Gods: This is the Temple which is at this day called, St. Mary the Round▪ In Itali­an Santa Maria Rotonda, denominated from its orbicular Form, accounted a piece of the rarest Architecture in the World. And it is observable, that at the same time, namely in the year 610. that Mon­ster Mahomet, the scourge of Christianity, shewed himself.

Anno 690.

TIll about the year 690. the Church used only the figure ✚ of the Cross, consisting of two traverse pieces of wood; and they were wont to represent Jesus Christ under the form of a Lamb, which was only a symbolical Picture: But the fourth general Council ordained, that the Image of Christ, in his humane shape, should be affixt to the Cross, only to re-mind us (say they) of his conversation in the flesh, his passion and death: Thus began the use of the Crucifix; but without any kind of adoration.

Anno 700. &c.

THen also were Private Masses obtru­ded, wherein the Priest communi­cated all alone: This corruption sprung from the luke-warmness of the People; heretofore, when as zeal was as yet vigo­rous, the whole Assembly did communicate, and that every day of the Week; but this devotion waxing cold, the Communion was restricted to the Sabbath, and the more solemn days: The Clergy nevertheless still communicated every day; but in fine, the Clergy likewise neglecting the Com­munion, there was none but the Priest alone that did communicate: From hence it came to pass, that instead of one great Bread, which they were accustomed to break for the use of the whole multitude, they now consecrated only one small one of the bigness of a penny, as being suffici­ent for one individual Person: Likewise, instead of the great Vessels used for the Sacramental Wine, they used Viols in their Mass-Service: But forasmuch as the People having once abandon'd the Com­munion, did withall decline the present­ing of any more Offerings; that they [Page 88] might oblige them to a continuance [...] that liberality, they gave them to unde [...]stand, that though they did not any mo [...] communicate, yet Divine Service shoul [...] not cease to be usefull and available t [...] them, provided they would continue the assistance of their customary Offerings; and instead of the Communion, they gave them Bread, over which they prayed, called hallowed Bread: Thus were private Masses substituted in the room of the holy Supper: and yet nevertheless the Priest, when he communicates all alone by him­self, doth still use the same tearms, which he was wont to pronounce, when there were many Communicants; for he prays that the Sacrament might tend to the Salvation of all the receivers; even then I say, when as himself is the sole and only partaker.

Moreover, from the relinquishing of the Eucharist, another change proceeded; for, when that this exercise was more than ordinarily frequented, the whole was pro­nounced with a loud voice, save that in the first antiquity, after an Exhortation made by the Pastour, every one present prayed with a submissive voice, to the end that God might vouchsafe to bless the [Page 89] work; but the remaining part thereof, especially the institution of the Supper, was pronounced very loud, so as that the whole Assembly might hear; afterwards there being but a small appearance of per­sons, that offered themselves to the Com­munion, the Priest began to speak with a more low voice; and finally, there being none present, but the Priest himself only, who communicated, he did at length ut­ter the words of Consecration so low, as that none but himself could understand them: This is called the secret of the Mass, sprung from a misprision of the Sacra­ment, held, at this day, for a mystery.

Anno 780.

IT hath been said, that it was an ancient custome in the Church,Chrysost. lib. 1. de Com punct. cord. [...] Aug. serm. de vigil. Pasch. that Christi­ans before the Communion, did inter­changeably give each other the kiss of peace, in token of fraternal union and concord; for the Lord's▪ Prayer ended, they said, Peace be with us, and with that, the Christians did mutually salute one another: But forasmuch, as many acquit­ted themselves herein, more out of Cere­mony, than true Charity, they checkt and [Page 90] severely rebuked those whose kiss of peace was only matter of lip-labour: Now a­bout the year 780. Leo the Second chan­ged this symbole of reconciliation, into a su­perstitious vanity, instituting that Plate of Silver or Copper, which after Consecration is presented to be kissed: And in this ve­ry particular, one may perceive how much the antient Ceremonies have been either diverted, or perverted, through successive alterations therein.

Anno 790.

BUt behold the Idolatry, which under the vail of darkness, was propagated in the Church, even to the very Sanctu­ary: Images were only as so many memo­rative objects in Churches, yet did the vulgar begin to exhibit honour to them; whereupon disputes were commenced: In this difference, reasons of State offered themselves, which are to be seen in Histo­ry; for upon other accounts are Images pretended, in subserviency to their interest.

The Latines and the Greeks, and after­wards the Greeks amongst themselves, took occasion from hence of much altercation; one while demolishing, and breaking down [Page 91] the Images; another while re-erecting of them. Finally, Irene Empress of Constan­tinople, a Pagan both by Nation and Re­ligion, a Woman of many notorious en­ormities, assembled a Council at Nice, excluding from it the best Doctors, and employing menaces, violence, and all manner of artifice, whereby she might compass her design: Thus this Conven­ticle moulded and model'd according to her own mind, producing, instead of of­fers of reason, nothing but impertinencies, in behalf of the Images; concluded upon adoration, contrary to the judgment of all solid Antiquity, and the opposition then generally made to a piece of such palpable impiety: For at the same time the Em­perour Charles the great converted a Coun­cil at Frankefort, wherein that of Nice was condemned, being declared false and abusive, and the Decree touching Images incassated and made null; thus was (their resolved) Adoration suppressed: But be­ing that Images were always continued in Churches, this Superstition, whereunto the People were strongly inclined, did at last recover it self and prevail. This se­cond Council of Nice was held towards the year 790.

Anno 880.

POpe Adrian was the first that advised the Canonization of Saints; imitating herein the Apotheoses (or Consecrations) used amongst the Romans under Paganism; a thing which till then was unheard of in the Church▪ The Authority of canoni­zing Saints was afterwards confirmed by Decree, as we shall see in its proper place.

Anno 965.

POpe John IV. baptized the great Bell of St. John Lateran (in Rome) name­ing it after his own name: Thence came the custome of baptizing Bells, and giving them names.

Anno 1000. &c.

FRom the time above mentioned, till about the year 1000. those corrupti­ons were not only continued, but likewise gradually multiplied: To the consecration of Churches, they added sprinkling of holy Water, with a Nose-gay of Hyssop, pro­nouncing these words of the Psalmist, At­tollite [Page 93] portas, &c. Lift up your Gates, &c. the Bishop in the mean time rapping at the Gate with his Pastoral-staff; the ming­ling of the Ashes and Water, of the Salt and the Wine of Exorcisme; of painted and graven Characters; and certain con­fused Prayers: Finally, the anniversary Feast of every Church, in memory of the day of its dedication.

And like as the Sacrament of the Eu­charist was changed into a Sacrifice, even so the Priests, which were called to preach the Gospel, were then ordained to sacri­fice, they began to create them with these words, Accipe potestatem, &c. Receive thou power to offer sacrifice to God, to celebrate Masses, as well for the living, as for the dead.

Anno 1003.

POpe John xix. instituted the Feast of All-Souls, appointing it to be cele­brated upon the Morrow after All-Saints.

Anno 1050.

BUt behold the summe of the whole matter: That they might defend the [Page 94] Sacrifice, which they pretend to offer in the Mass; they behoved to deny the whole Essence of the Sacrament, and fal­sify and bely all that ever Antiquity hath believed in the case, whose sense and se­veral judgments therein, do here en­sue.

S. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch, and a Disciple of the Apostles in the 72d. Epist. 9. ad Phila­delph. year of our Lord, expresseth himself thus: There is one only Flesh of our Lord Jesus, and one only blood, which was shed for our sins; one only Bread also was broken for us, and one only Cup was distributed to us: Could he possibly make a more manifest opposition between the Body of Christ bro­ken upon the Cross, and the Bread broken in the Supper?

Justin Martyr, towards the year 130. Our Christ hath vouchsafed to make and useDialog. 2. advers. Triph. the Sacramental Bread in Commemoration of his Body, formed for such as believe in him, for whose sake he became passible; the Cup also he ordained to be made and used with thanksgiving, in Commemoration of his Blood.

Ireneus Bishop of Lyons, in the year 160. When once the Chalice being fill'd, Lib. 5. and the Bread being broken, hath received the (bene­dictive) [Page 95] word of God, it becomes the Sacra­ment of the Blood and Body of Christ, where­by the substance of our flesh is augmented, and compounded. Certainly none can say that our flesh is augmented, nor com­pounded of the real flesh and blood of Christ, but only of the substance of the bread, which this Father plainly acknow­ledgeth to continue in the Eucharist, even after the Consecration of the same.

Clemens Alexandrinus, in the year 190. Christ took of the Wine, Paedagog, lib. 2. cap. 2. and blessed the Wine, saying, take, drink, This is my blood, the blood of the Vine, denominating by way of Allegory, the Word, which shed his blood for the remission of sins, a sacred liquor of joy and gladness, &c. Now that that which he blessed was true Wine, he further sheweth, saying to his Disciples, I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine, &c. This very same reason do we urge to prove, that they drank Wine at the Supper. Briefly, it is remarkable, that he disputes against the Encratites, who held the drinking of Wine to be unlawfull; alledging for their conviction, the example of Jesus Christ, who drank Wine at the Supper; which were a ridiculous Argument, if so be Wine had ceased to be Wine, after that Christ had drank thereof.

[Page 96] Tertullian, in the year 205. doth th [...]s explain the words of Jesus Christ: Lib. 4. Contra Marcton. cap. 40. & lib. 3. cap. 19. This is my Body, that is to say, the Figure of my Body; Moreover, Jesus Christ called Bread his Body, to the end that thou might'st thereby understand, that he appointed Bread to be the Figure of his Body.

Cyril,Catech. 14 sub finem. Catech. myst. 5. Bishop of Jerusalem, in the year 320. declares to us, that The Flesh is now absent; and that that which we are com­manded to tast of, is the Figure of his Body and Blood.

Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea,Demonst. Evangel. lib. 8. cap. 8. saith, that our Lord hath taught us to serve him with Bread, as a sign of his Body.

Gregory Bishop of Nazianze, in the year 350. in his second Oration concerning Easter, speaketh thus of Sacramental par­ticipation: We partake indeed of the (Christian) Pass-over in a Figure, albeit more clearly than at the ancient Pass-over; for the ancient Pass-over, I dare say so, was a more obscure figure of a Figure.

Macairus the Egyptian,Hom. 27. speaking of those who lived before Jesus Christ: It never entered into their hearts, that there should be a Baptisme of Fire, and of the Holy Ghost, and that they should offer in the Church Bread and Wine, as a Figure of his flesh and of his [Page 97] blood, and that those who partake of the Bread which is visible, should feed spiritually upon the Flesh of our Lord.

Ephraim of Syria, in the year 360. in his Treatise against the curious Inquisi­tours, into the nature of the Son of God: Observe heedfully, how, that taking the Bread into his hands, he blesseth and break­eth it, in Figure of his immaculate Body; and blesseth the Cup in figure of his precious Blood.

Ambrose,Lib. 4. cap. 5. & 6. or the Author of the Book of Sacraments: See that this offering turn into an acceptable, and reasonable account, to us, which is the figure of the body and blood of our Lord.

Gaudentius Bishop of Bress, in his second Treatise upon Exodus: The figure of Christs body is received in the bread: Moreover, the blood of the Lamb is fitly represented un­der the species of Wine.

Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople, in the year 386. in an Epistle to Cesarius the Monk, doth thus unfold this great Myste­ry: Before that the bread be sanctified, we name it bread; but it being once by Divine grace sanctified, it is certainly freed from the appellation of bread, and is dignified with the name of the Lords body, howheit the true na­ture [Page 98] of bread doth still continue therein: Turrianus and Gregory of Valence, both Je­suits, perceiving themselves to be won­derfully racked and puzled with this passage, do most groundlesly aver, that it was none of Chrysostome's, but of one John of Constantinople, which is confession suf­ficient, since that it bears the mark of its antiquity: This Epistle hath been seen by many, in a Manuscript in the Bibliotheque of Florence, by which, if not stifled by our Adversaries, the common fate of what ever is contrary to themselves, it may be easily verified to be of a truth the genu­ine testimony of the great Chrysostome.

But it is high time that we hearken to holy Augustine, who flourished in the year 410. behold how he explains himself in his 12th. Chapter against Adimantus: The Lord doubted not to say, this is my body, when as he gave the sign of his body, and upon the third Psalme: The Lord admit­ted Judas to the Banquet, at which he re­commended, and gave to his Disciples the fi­gure of his body and blood.

The same Father, upon the 98. Psalme, wherein he expoundeth these words of our Lord, If yee eat not the flesh of the Son of Man, ye shall not have life, brings in our [Page 99] Saviour speaking thus, Vnderstand spiritu­ally that which I have told you, ye shall not eat this body which ye see, neither shall ye drink that blood which my Crucifiers shall shed; I have recommended to you a sacred signe, which being spiritually understood shall give you life.

And in the third Book of Christian Doctrine, Chap. 16. When the Lord saith, if ye eat not the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink not his blood, ye shall have no life in your selves, he seems to command an im­piety or great crim [...] This then is a Figure whereby he enjoyneth us to communicate in the Lords death and Passion, and delightfully and profitably to remember, that his Flesh was crucified and bruised for us.

And in his first Treatise, upon the first of St. John: The Lord comforteth us, who can no longer feel him with the Hand, but only by the touch of faith.

And in the 53d. Sermon, upon the words of our Lord: Every one almost calls that the body of Christ, which is a sacred sign thereof.

Theodoret Bishop of Cyre, in the year 420. in his first Dialogue, entitled the Im­mutable, speaking of these words: This is my body, saith, the Lord hath dignified the visible signes, with the appellation of his own [Page 100] body and blood, not changing of their nature, but adding grace to nature: a little before he had said, the Lord hath confer'd upon the sign, the name of his own body.

And in the second Dialogue, entitled The Inconfused: The Divine Mysteries are signes of the true body. And a little after, he brings in an Eutychian Heretick, maintain­ing Transubstantiation, to whom he answer­eth in these words: Thou art caught in a Net of thine own twisting, for even after Consecra­tion, the mystical signes change not their na­ture, but remain for sub [...]nce, form and figure, the same as before.

Cyril Bishop of Alexandria,In Iohan. lib. 4. cap. 19. Ibid. lib. 9. cap. 29. in the year 440. Christ gave to his Disciples morsels of bread, saying, take, eat, this is my body: He saith also, that the faithfull believe, that though he be absent from us in the body, yet are all things, and even our selves governed by him: Again, though he be absent in the Body, appearing before his Father, and sitting at his right hand, yet nevertheless he is pre­sent in his Saints by his Spirit.

The same Father speaking of Nestorius;Apolog. in Anathe­mat. lib. 2. Hath he not turn'd, saith he, our mystery into an Anthrop [...]phagy, that is to say, a manducation of Man's flesh, through an ir­religious entangling of the spirits of the faith­full [Page 101] through vain conceits, and attempting to subject to humane ratiocinations, things which surpass all manner of scrutiny, save that of faith only.

Gelasius himself Bishop of Rome, about the year 590. speaketh thus; Gelas. Contra Eutych. & Nester. Certainly the Sacraments which we receive of the body and blood of Christ, are a Divine thing, whence also we are by them, made parta­kers of the Divine nature; yet nevertheless the substance or nature of the [...]read and the Wine doth uncessantly continue such, and the Image and resemblance of the body and blood of Christ, is infallibly celebrated in the ex­hibition of those mysteries.

Facundus an African Bishop, who in the 550th. year of our Lord, wrote in defence of the three heads or points of the Coun­cil of Chalcedon: The Sacrament of Adop­tion, to wit Baptisme, may be called the Adop­tion, upon the very same account, that we call the Sacrament of Christs body and blood, which consists in the consecrated Bread and Cup, his own body and own blood: Not that the Bread is indeed his body, and the Cup his Blood, in proper speech; but hecause that the mystery of his body and blood is contained therein.

Dionysius falsely surnamed the Areopagite [Page 102] an Author, of whom we know not cer­tainly in what time he lived, howbeit to procure the greater Authority to his wri­tings, he assumed the name of Dionysius the Areopagite, mentioned in the Book of Acts, chap. 17. vers. 34. But divers reasons move us to believe, that he flourished a­bout the end of the fourth Age; others make him more ancient; whoever he was, he doth more than ten times in one Chap­ter,In Eccles. Hierarch. cap. 1. & 3. &c. tearm that which is given to us in the Supper, Images, Signes and Symboles, and saith, that the Communion of Bread and Wine, is a commemoration of that most Divine Supper, at which, the signes of things therein celebrated, were first of all instituted; therefore he calls Jesus Christ a worker of signes, adding, that by them Christ is re­presented and received.

Whence Maximus his Scholar, Maxim. in cap. 1. & 3. Eccles. Hierarch. who lived about the year 630. We attain not to an im­mediate discovery of the things themselves in matters Divine, but we arrive at perfe­ction, through the intervention of signes; such as is the Cup of blessing, as the Apostle calls it, and the Bread which we break; those things are signes only, not the Truth it self: Moreover, recommending to consideration the expressions of that same Dionysius [Page 103] called the [...]reopagite: Note, saith he, that he every where tearms the Divine Sacrifice, Symbolical or Figurative; and that the holy Offerings, are signes of more real heavenly things.

But towards the year 840. some through their Hyperbolical tearms, others through questions moved touching the alteration of signes, did by degrees give occasion for conceiting of a new opinion concern­ing the Sacrament; which being in fine in the year 1059. ripened into perfection, it was declared in the Lateran Council un­der Nicholas the Second,Canon. Ego. Be­rengar. dist. 2. that the [...]read and the Wine are the very body and blood of Christ; and that he is sensibly felt, broken, and crumbled by the teeth of believers; Ex­pressions absurd and impious, and disown­ed by the Church of Rome at this day.

We shall here, in pursuit of the order of time, annex to all those testimonies of Fathers by us produced, that which is contained in the Roman Decretal, collect­ed by Gratian, the Father of the Canonists, who lived about the year 1160. He in the second distinction of the Consecration, in the Canon, Hoc est, expresseth him­self thus: The heavenly [...]read, which is the Flesh of Christ, is in a peculiar respect called [Page 104] the body of Christ, howbeit, to speak truly, it be a sacred signe of Christs body, to wit, of Him, who becoming visible, palpable, mor­tal, was at last crucified!

And upon the Gloss of the Doctors, hath these words, worthy of consideration: The Heavenly Sacrament, wherein the flesh of Christ is truly represented, is called the body of Christ, but improperly, for it is so called after a manner congruous and peculiar to it self, howbeit, not according to the real truth of the thing but by way of a significant mystery; so that the sense runneth thus: It is called the body of Christ, that is to say, this is thereby signified. Judge then sober Reader, how much, and how far the Church of Rome is at present departed from the sense and belief of the ancient Fathers, even that of the times of the fa­mous Canonist Gratian.

We will conclude this Chapter with that which we read in Justin Martyr his second Apology for Christians; to the end, that it may appear what the practice was of pure Antiquity, as well in the Celebration of the holy Supper, as in all the other parts of the Divine Service of the Primitive Church; and that one may th [...]reby be able to judge who approacheth [Page 105] nearest thereunto; whether those of the Church of Rome, which hath wholly de­ac'd and perverted the model of true Religion, and utterly destroyed that spi­ritual worship, which we owe to God; Or those, who to save themselves from her Pit of Errour, & Dung-hill of Superstition, have abandon'd her Communion: Behold then how that pious Author speaketh; Justin. Martyr. in Apolog. 2. ad An­tonin. Vpon the Sabbath days, we assemble our selves both in City and Country, in one place; the Lecture is made from the Writings of the Prophets, or the Apostles; the Lecturer cea­sing, he that presides makes the Exhortation, admonishing to an imitation of those excellent things; which done, we rise up and pray to God: after this, they present him of the Fraternity that presides, with bread and drink of Wine and Water, which he receiving, yieldeth praise and glory to the Father of all, in the name of his Son, and by his holy Spirit; in which act of thanksgiving, he is the more prolix, to the end, that they might be rendered worthy of those things, through that Spirit: and prayers and thanksgiving being finished, all the People present, gives consent by accla­mation, saying, Amen, which is to say in the Hebrew Tongue, So be it: Now after that the President hath given thanks, and all the [Page 106] People hath by acclamation consented; those who are named Deacons with us, administer to all that are present, Bread Wine and Wa­ter, being blessed; and carry the same to such as are absent: and this repast is with us, called the Eucharist. Proceed we to ano­ther point, and view the sequel and pro­gress of those innovations.

Anno 1055.

AT this time, under Victor II. the Redemption of Penances was introdu­ced: For it was enacted that they might be lawfully converted into penalties of ano­ther nature, as pecuniary Mulcts under the notion of Almes, Donatives bestowed in favour of the Church, Pilgrimages, and other things equivalent, proportionably to the years of penance allotted them; and that such as had not wherewithall to accommodate themselves herein, might redeem their years of penance, with the number of Psalmes sung by them, with Fastings in the strength of Bread and Water, with scourging and scarifying of themselves, and other kinds of voluntary mortification; whence the custome of whip­ping proceeded, and from the same source, the Batusses, An order of Fryars who in their nightly processions do ex­treamly whip and scarifie them­selves. and Penitents.

[Page 107] Now by those exchanges and redemp­tions, the ancient Discipline was utterly subverted: We have seen that the Indul­gences were no other than certain relaxa­tions, or limitations of Church-penalties, intended for curtailing of the time pre­scribed to Penitents, before that they could be re-admitted to the Communion: But the vertue of those Indulgences was afterwards extended beyond this World, for shortening of the years of their abode in Purgatory; a thing which the Primitive Christians never once dreamed of: We have likewise observed, that the Penitents, who ordinarily were very numerous, ten­dered themselves to the Church, having their faces covered with ashes, in token of humility; from whence it was, that the Church of Rome derived that vain Cere­mony of Ash-Wednesday, at the beginning of Lent: And in this action, they sing the very same things which they sung here­tofore, when as there was any number of Persons doing of publick Penance.

Anno 1090.

URban II. that he might advance Su­perstition, ordained (about the [Page 108] year 1090.) that upon every Saturday a Mass should be said in honour of the Vir­gin Mary.

Chaplets or Pater-nosters were at the same time invented by Peter the Hermite,Polydor. Vergil. lib. 5. cap. 9. together with the Office and Hours of our Lady.

Anno 1160.

ALexander III. decreed the Canoniza­tion of Saints; and ordained that none should be from thence-forward ac­knowledged Saint, but whom the Pope first declared such.

Anno 1212.

CHrist's corporal presence in the Sacra­ment had already gained some cre­dit, but they were not as yet agreed upon the pretended conversion of signes: Behold then how that a little after the year 1215. in the Lateran Council, Innocent III. de­termines the Form thereof; who willeth all to believe that the Bread is transubstan­tiated into the Body of Christ, and the Wine into his Blood: Thus was Transub­stantiation ratified, and that as an Article of Faith.

In pursuance of this Decree, it was or­dered, that all Churches should be furni­shed with a Cabinet, for a conservatory to [Page 109] lodge and keep the Hoste in; whereas for­merly, what remained after the Commu­nion, was either burnt, or else given to be eaten by little Children; or lastly, the Clergy immediatly dispatch't it: It was then therefore that the use of Pixes began.

Anno 1220. & 1230.

HOnorius III. did for the same reason, about the year 1220. institute the adoration of the Hoste; and Gregory IX. added the little Bell, thereby to advertise every one of kneeling.

About the same time the Chaplets, or Pater nosters, which were invented by Peter the Hermite, as hath been said above, were put in use at the recommendation of Do­minicus, the Founder of the Jacobins, who for this very reason passeth for the Author of that goodly piece of devotion.

Anno 1245.

THe Council of Lyons, in the year 1245. ordained that Cardinals should wear red-Hats, and scarlet-Clokes.

Anno 1250.

NOw Transubstantiation, when authori­zed, was attended with this sequel and conclusion ensuing thereupon, namely, that The Laity ought to rest contented with [Page 110] the Hoste being that the blood of Christ is con­tained in it, as well as in the Chalice: But this was not received without debate; insomuch, that many Churches along time after retained the two species, as necessary: Nevertheless, this rape and retrenchment of the Cup in the Communion of Laicks, was afterwards universally extended, and finally authorized by Decree, as will yet further appear: In the mean time, that they might in some kind gratify the Peo­ple, they introduced the custome of giving them Wine to wash their mouth withall, instead of that portion of the Sacrament which they had (most sacrilegiously) rob'd them of.

Anno 1260.

THe adoration of the Hoste being intro­duced, Vrban IV. upon the pretend­ed Revelation of a Nun, in the Province of Liege, instituted the Feast of God with its Octaves; and Thomas Aquinas compo­sed the Office.

Anno 1300.

BOniface VIII. instituted and celebrated the first Jubilee, ordaining, that for the future, it should be solemnized from one hundred years, to another; but Cle­mens VI. reduced it to fifty; Gregory XI. [Page 111] to thirty three; and finally, Paul II. to twenty five.

Anno 1360.

ABout the year 1360. began the cu­stome of walking the Hoste, and of tarrying it under a Canopy in Procession; Those of Pavy were the first practitioners hereof; after whose example, the same was used all over Christendome.

Anno 1366.

URban V. sent in Lent to Joanna Queen of Sicily, a Rose of Gold; and made a Decree, whereby he ordained the Con­secration of the like, every year, upon the Lent-Sunday, called Laetare.

Anno 1414.

BEfore the Council of Constance, held in the year 1414. the Communion of the Laicks under one only signe, was practised more through Toleration, than Authority; But that Council enacted a Decree touch­ing the same, whose tearmes and tenour full of sacriledge and impiety, should strike all true Christians with horrour: behold how it was framed: Though Christ did af­ter Supper institute and administer to his Dis­ciples, [Page 112] the venerable Sacrament, Concil. Constant. sess. 13 under th [...] two signes of bread and wine, and in the pr [...] ­mitive Church, it was so observed; yet thi [...] notwithstanding, the custome of the Churc [...] should be held for a Law, who hath command­ed under pain of excommunication, that thos [...] who offend against this Decree, by giving th [...] Communion to the People under the two spe [...] ­cies, and preach to them the equity of th [...] same, be effectually punished, and dealt with all as Hereticks, by delivering them up t [...] the Secular Power, whose assistance shall b [...] employed to that effect: This was that very Council, who to justify their perjury i [...] the case of John Huss, whom contrary t [...] publick Faith, they caused to be burnt, passed and propagated it for a Maxim, that Faith ought not to be kept with Hereticks.

Anno 1458.

POpe Calixtus III. ordained that they should ring a Bell at the Hour o [...] Mid-day, like as they did in the Evening for an All-hail to the Virgin Mary; to th [...] end, that such as were engaged in con­tinual War with the Turks, might b [...] assisted by this kind of Devotion.

Anno 1470.

ONe Alane de la Roch of the Order of the Jacobins, moved by certain Visions, invented the Rosary of the Vir­gin Mary, which was by Sixtus IV. af­terwards approved.

Illimited Superstition had infallibly ad­vanced yet further, and, it is to be fea­red, had at last quite oppressed, and, as it were, stifled the Christian Religion, un­der the insupportable burden of Ceremo­nies; had not God in his mercy in some sort renewed the Light of his Word, by the Preaching and Doctrine of Luther, Zuinglius, Melancthon, Bucer, Calvin, and many other excellent personages, whom his Providence raised up to rescue the same from under that Bushel which did so wofully eclipse it, and to disentangle it from the bryars of School-Divinity, and from the corrupt Glosses of Decre­talists, and other Doctors and Assertours of Papal Authority; although that even hitherto, God who never left himself with­out a witness, aswel in the work of Grace as in that of Nature, did from time to time successively stir up faithful Witnesses and [Page 114] Confessours of his Truth, who alwayes have withstood the Errours and Novel­ties introduced into their Religion; whence we cannot better conclude this Treatise, than by way of succinct repre­sentation of the prime Defenders of this same Heavenly Faith.

Anno 792.

IT hath been already observed, what their several judgements were, untill the seventh Age, touching divers points controverted at present between us and those of the Church of Rome; and a­mongst others, particularly that of the Eucharist: and likewise in the matter of Images, unto which Article we shall only add, That from the year 792. the Synod of Grenado in Spain, did equally condemn both usage and veneration, that the Emperour Charles the Great, over and above the result of the Council of Frankfort by him assembled, caused a Book,This Book was published by Monsieur du Tillet. bearing his own name, to be prin­ted in opposition to that abuse; and that Claudius Bishop of Turine, and ma­ny other excellent Doctors, did then publish divers Treatises in order to the [Page 115] expugning and subverting of the same.

Anno 826.

WAlfrid Abbot of St. Gal, De Offic. Di­vin. cap. 7, 8, 19. & 23. in his Book of Divine Offices, doth severely in­veigh against superfluous Ceremonies and Images; as also against Divine Service in a strange and unknown tongue; saying, that the Apostles never celebrated the Eu­charist with the Canon, nor the Offertory, nor yet several other pieces which the Greeks and Latines have forged at their own plea­sure; and that they were contented with the addition only of the Lord's Prayer to the words of Institution. But it is a long time ago since Rome attempted to impose her Yoke upon the whole Earth, since from the year 723. as is reported by Aven­tine, Gregory II. sent one Winfrid whom he had created Primate and Archbishop of all the Countries on the other side the Rhine, to preach, inform & reform those Churches after the model and example of that of Rome; whereupon the same Author tells us, that there were many Bi­shops and Priests who would not in the least acknowledge him, calling him the author of lyes, a disturber of the Christian Peace, and a corrupter of the Faith of Christians.

Anno 840.

RAbanus Maurus Arch-bishop of Mayence, De Institut. Cleric. lib. 3. cap. 12 & 13. Lib. 1. cap. 31. & lib. 2. cap. 2 & 14. and Disciple to Alcuinus, whom he esteemed the most knowing person of all the Learned of those times, in his Book of the Institution of Clerks, speaking of the Sacrament of the Supper, saith, that when we are commanded to eat the flesh, and to drink the blood of our Lord, it is a figurative locution, and that this my­stery is spiritual. And for this reason Tho­mas of Walden in an Epistle to Pope Mar­tin V. who came to the Popedom in the year 1417, holds that he sens'd the ho­ly Sacrament amiss, and ranks him with Hereticks.

Anno 849.

BErtram, a Preacher of great fame; as well by reason of his profound knowledge of the holy Scriptures, as for his inculpable [...]life, in a Treatise, enti­tuled, Of the Body and Blood of our Lord, which he addressed to the Emperour Charles the Bald, upon that Emperours demanding of his Judgement touching [Page 117] the many Controversies moved about that Doctrine, did, in resolution to what was propounded to him, plainly demon­strate by the Authority of Scripture, of St. Augustine, and the ancient Doctors, that there is no such thing as Transubstan­tiation in the Supper, but that the Bread and the Wine remain in their first substance, un­der and by which the Body & Blood of Jesus Christ are in an invisible and spiritual maner distributed, and apprehended by faith alone. That there is a spiritual body in this myste­ry; that it is a mystical and spiritual com­prehension of him, and not that very Body which he assumed in the womb of the blessed Virgin. He sticks not to say that the Body of Christ is therein; for as much as the Spirit of Christ is there, that is to say, the power and efficacy of the Word of God, which doth not only nourish, but also purgeth and purifieth the soul. We find not that this great man was ever reprehended or reckoned an Heretick because of this Doctrine.

Anno 869.

AT this time flourished John Erigine (or Erwine) otherwise a Scots-man, skill'd in the Greek, Arabick, and [Page 118] Chaldaick Tongues, a most famous and incomparable Divine, all which, by the relation of Antoninus himself, Arch-Bi­shop of Florence, Vincent of Beauvais, Sabellicus, Volateran, and Platina, was ac­companied with singular holiness of life: He was likewise so greatly endeared to Charles the Bald, King of France and Emperour, that he was by him detained in France, where he received from him very honourable entertainment: Occa­sion then offering it self for his decla­ring of his judgement touching the Do­ctrine of the Eucharist, he expressed himself therein in a Book bearing the very same Title with that of Bertram, wherein in like manner by the authority of the Divine Scriptures, and of pious Fathers, especially of St. Augustine, he establisheth and confirms the truth of the same Faith which that learned Ber­tram had taught a little before: In fine, by reason of his great renown, it came to pass, that, Alfred King of England ha­ving founded the Colledge (now Uni­versity) of Oxford, gave him an invita­tion to the Presidency thereof.

Anno 950.

IT is recorded by William of Malmsbu­ry, Albert. Vrant. Metropol. lib. 1. cap. 9. Baschas. Ra­bert. de corp. & sang. Dom. cap. 14. Guil. Malmsh: lib. 3. cap. 27. Jodoc. Cocc. Thesaur. tom. 2. lib. 6. de Eucharist. that the belief both of the reality and of the conversion of Signes, which were by degrees foisted into this Age of Ignorance and Barbarism, was vigorous­ly opposed, and that divers Questions touching the same were agitated in Eng­land; one party explaining it one way, the other quite another: Those who held the Affirmative part, that they might the more dextrously proselyte their Adversaries, obtruded Prodigies and Miracles, averring that in the room of the Species, they saw a comely little Infant, which was thrust into the mouths of the Communicants instead of Bread; that there was Blood found in the Cha­lice; that a (devout) Ass worshiped the Hostie; and abundance of such Miracles, [...]ut so gross & ridiculous, as that the bare mentioning of them may suffice to dis­cover their impertinency and forgery: Whereupon Gabriel Biel in his 51 Lesson o [...] the Canon of the Mass, observed not a [...]iss, that those apparitions of flesh & blood w [...]rwith they entertained the people, might [Page 120] happen through Diabolical delusion, for de­ceiving of the simple, God permitting it so to be.

Anno 292.

THere was a Synod or Council of all the Churches in France,Synod. Rhe­mens. cap. 1. & 2. &c. cap. 28. &c. held at Rhemes, wherein Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans, the learnedst and most eloquert person of those times, was set apart for the conduct and managery of affairs; It appears by the Acts of that Synod, that this famous Bishop, cognoscing upon matters therein agitated, represents to that reverend Assembly, that all the Po [...]es of this Age were branded with Notori [...]us Crimes, Murders and Tyrannies; Mon­sters of men, full of Infamy, devoid of all Knowledg both Divine and Humane: who else (saith he) think ye that man is, who sit­teth upon a high and lofty Throne, glittring with Gold and Purple, but the Antichrist infallibly, sitting in the Temple of God, whose Marbles, &c. are as fit to be consul­ted as himself: He adds further, that i [...] were much better to require the judgmen [...] of the Bishops of the Low-Countries and [...] Germany, than of that City which is at th [...] day exposed to sale, and weighs Judgme [...]s [Page 121] in the unjust ballance of filthy lucre, &c. That therefore Assemblies might be held without his privity, since that the Canon of Nice, acknowledged by the Church of Rome in all Councils and Decrees, enjoyneth no such thing, as that regard should be had to the authority of the Bishop of Rome; that her Ministers are those of Antichrist, who seems to be near at hand; that the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work, since that which should let, to wit, the Roman Power, is already removed; that that Man of Sin which opposeth and exalteth himself above the Name and Service of God, begins to be revealed; Religion exposed to ruine, the Name of God trampled under foot with i [...] ­punity, and Religious Worship vilified, even by the chief Priests themselves; this being all the care that Rome takes of others, [...] of her self.

Anno 1050.

BErenger Archdeacon of Angiers, did profoundly confute the real pre­sence, and other abuses ushered into the Doctrine of the Lord's Supper. True it is, that in the year 1059, having made his appearance before the Lateran Coun­cil, [Page 122] whither he was cited, out of fear of some cruel usage, he signed a Confession contrary to his judgment, mentioned be­low in its proper place: but after his return into France he retracted the same, and confirmed his Proselytes, which were so numerous, that William of Malms­bury in his 3d Book of the History of England, doth attest, that all France was full of his Doctrine; which is confirmed by Matthew of Westminster, who adds, that not only the French, but also great­est part of the Italians and English em­braced the same; It was exactly con­formable to that of Bertram and John Erigine, by the relation of his Adversa­ries; amongst whom Lanfranck then Ab­bot and afterwards Archbishop of Canter­bury, writing against him in his Book of the Eucharist, represents it to us thus: The Sacrifice of the Church, saith Beren­ger, is compounded of two things, the one visible, the other invisible; of the Sacra­ment, and the thing signified in the Sacra­ment; which thing signified, that is to say, the Body of Christ, if it were presented be­fore our eyes, were visible; but being ex­alted to Heaven, and sitting on the right­hand of the Father, until the restitution of [Page 123] all things, as the Apostle Peter speaks, it cannot be brought back from Heaven, where in the person of Christ it consists of God and Man: Now the Sacraments of the Lords Table, to wit, the consecrated Bread and Wine, are not in the least changed or alter­ed, but remain in their proper substances, having a resemblance of the things whereof they are Sacraments, &c. This he taught till the year 1091, wherein he died with so great reputation, that Hildebert, who was afterwards Bishop of Mentz, in an Epitaph which he made upon him, called him The Pillar of the Church, the Glory and Hope of the Clergy: The Doctrine which he opposed, being at that time so little rooted, that Pope Gregory VII, who came to the Popedome in the year, 1073, did, by the report of Cardinal Benno and Matthew Paris, appoint a Fast to three Cardinals, to the end that God might please to reveal whether of the two opinions was Truth, that of Beren­ger, or that of the Church of Rome; and, upon what account soever it was, cer­tain it is that be threw the holy Sacra­ment into the fire in the presence of the Cardinals, as appears by the relation of Cardinal Benno himself, who was con­temporary [Page 124] with this Pope; so that it is more than probable that he believed not the same to be the real Body of Christ.

Anno 1120.

HOnorius Bishop of Alton now flou­rished, who wrote with no lesse Learning than Truth, of Free-will, and Predestination, according to the exact judgment of those who rejected the de­terminations of the Roman Church; in whose face, such was his Zeal and Valour, he feared not to call her and her creatures, in one of his Dialogues which he composed, the grand Apoca­lyptick Beast and Babylon. And indeed, none should account it strange that any, acted with the least motion of true Piety, did declaim at this rate, being that none, for the most part, mounted the Papal Chair other than abominable Letchers, Murderers, Necromancers and other Monsters; insomuch that Cardi­nal Benno, who (as hath been said) lived in the time of Pope Gregory VII, in his Treatise of the Lives of Popes, averreth, That from Sylvester II until then, which was the space of an hundred years, even [Page 125] [...]ll that time, the prime study in the Papal Court was that of the execrable know­ [...]edge of Magick; with whom William of Malmsbury doth well accord, who said, That damnable Art, which came from Spain, was become so general, even in France, that publick Schools were kept wherein it was taught: And Glaber, a Monk of Clugny, saith expresly, that about the 1000th year of our Lord, the Christi­an Faith began much to decay and degene­rate from its primitive vigour, men gene­rally addicting themselves to Divination and Sorcery: See Baroni­us's Annals, in the 9, 10, and 11 Ages. And hence Cardinal Baronius himself speaketh thus; What face had the Roman Church, how much was she pol­luted, when as Whores, not less potent than beastly, bore sway in Rome? by whose means their Paramour-mock-Popes were intruded into St. Peter's Chair: Christ (saith he) was asleep in the Ship, and there was none to awaken him. He further adds, that the Cardinals, Priests and Deacons, preferred by means of those Monsters, did imitate them, treading in their very steps; and coveted nothing more than that the Lord might be overtaken with an everlasting sleep. It was under the covert of those thick darknesses that the Doctrine of [Page 126] Transubstantiation took deep root; and the greatest part of the other abuses in the Church of Rome, was firmly esta­blished.

Anno 1136.

PEter de Bruis a Priest, and his Dis­ciple Henry of Tholouse, who had been once a Monk; Arnold Hot; one Joseph, and one Esperon, filled all parts of France with their Fame and Doctrine; They held the same Opinions with those of Bertram, Erigene and Berenger, touch­ing the Eucharist; and rejected, as those did who are a little after called Walden­ses, all the erroneous Doctrines and Su­perstitions of Popery. St. Bernard in­forms us that Alphonsus Count of St. Giles, did protect them, and permitted them to preach publickly at St. Giles and Tholouse, where they gained a great many Proselytes; yea, that many Prin­ces, Bishops, and Persons of quality, countenanced & held a correspondence with them: Yet notwithstanding, listen­ing to the representations of Calumny, he joyns to what he alledgeth concern­ing the truth of their Belief, all that they were charged with by the Vulgar; [Page 127] to wit, that they prohibited the use of Meats, like as the Manichees did, and perpetrated amongst themselves execra­ble acts and villanies; which yet are no other accusation than what are common to them with the primitive Christians; yea and all such, even till the time of the last Reformation, as have set them­selves against the Church of Rome, which hath ever impeached with Heresie, and branded with some notorious crime, all that have refused to own her, or have endeavoured by the Word of God to re­prove her, and reduce her to duty: Af­ter this very manner dealt they in this Age by Teuchelin or Tudem, Peter de Blois, John Roscelin, a learned person, and one of the repairers of the University of Paris; the most learned Peter Abelard; one named Arnoul, whom they put to death at Rome, mentioned by Platina; Arnold de Bresse, with many others.

Anno 1160.

PEter de Valdo of Lyonois, a person of an inculpable life, and well skill'd in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, full of good works & alms-deeds, whose [Page 128] house was a very sanctuary to the distres­sed poor, to whom he not onely distri­buted of his temporal good things which God had given him in abundance, but likewise imparted of the true and better substance, that is to say, the knowledge of the Heavenly Truth, wherewith God had honoured him. This good man did vigorously oppose the Romish Errors and Abuses, and being that he taught the very same Doctrine with that of Peter de Bruis and his Associates, he had in con­junction with them a great number of Proselytes, who were scattered in Pied­mont, Daulphine, Provence, Languedock, and other places of France and England; as also in the Kingdom of Naples, in Ger­many, Bohemia, Moravia, Hungaria, Scla­vonia, Poland, and other places of Europe; where divers names were given them, as the Poor of Lyons, Paterins, Humilists, and others, hateful and infamous, taken from the Heresies or horrid crimes charged upon them: But the chief that were in France were those of the Wal­denses and Albigenses; the rest of them whom God miraculously preserved till this present time, in some parts of Pro­vence, and divers Valleys of Piedmont, [Page 129] being joyned to our Churches from the very beginning of the Reformation; They disowned, as they do at this day, Papal Authority, Transubstantiation, Pur­gatory, the Invocation of Saints, Images, Merits, Monastick Vowes, and all other Opinions which were in like manner re­jected by the Reformed Churches of those times: they embraced for their only Rule both of Faith and Practice, the Old and New Testament: their course of life also was simple and un­blamable, by the very relation of Clau­dius de Seissel Bishop of Marseilles, who in a Book written against them, howbeit he terms them mis-led in matter of Do­ctrine,See John de Serres in the life of Lewis VIII. and the History of the Waldenses and Albigenses, of John Paul Perrin, l. 1. c. 5. The Monk des Valees Sernay. James Ribe­ria; the Me­morials of Tholouse; Wil­liam Paradin. Annal. de Burg. 2. Holagarny. yet nevertheless acknowledgeth that as touching Life and Manners, they were without reproach amongst men, giving themselves with all their might, unto the observance of the Commandments of God, And many other sober Writers, howbeit their Adversaries also, have yet likewise acquitted them, though not from all, yet at least from the more heinous accusa­tions: Amongst whom was the Monk of the Valleys Sernay, and James of Ribe­ria, who lived in▪ the time wherein the Count de Montfort fomented so cruel a [Page 130] War against them, namely in the begin­ning of the 13th Century: so that we might easily gather, that, as hath been said, all the grudge they bore them, & all the horrid accusations which they devi­sed, on purpose to brand them and make them odious, all those proceeded from no other cause than that they withstood the Pope and his Innovations, and for their animating the people against them: Hence also it was that the Popes, to the end they might quite exterminate them, published divers Croisades Christian Expeditions against the Turks or o­ther Infidels, so termed, from the badge of the Cross, worn by all enga­ged therein. after the year 1208, till the year 1243; during which time terrible Massacres were com­mitted, there being, by the relation of some Historians, above two hundred thou­sand cut off. Yet notwithstanding, we cannot think that any man of Reason would once imagine that if their colours had been as black as those wherein Rome and the Monks do paint them, Alphon­sus King of Aragon, Raymond Count of Tholouse, Histor. de Foix. Epist. of Peter de Vin. 25, 26, & 27 the Prince de Bearn, the Counts de Foix, Bigorre, St. Gilles, Comings, Car­main, Villemur; Vicount de Beziers, and Carcassonne, and many other Barons and Persons of Honour, would ever have up­held and protected them; especially the [Page 131] King of Aragon, and the Vicount de Be­ziers, who were of a contrary Religion: nor that any others would ever have im­braced their Faith, therby becoming the objects of publick hatred, and exposing themselves to exile and misery: Add moreover,James of Ri­beria in his Collections touching the City of Tho­louse, makes mention of that Confe­rence which was held in the year 1206 at Montreul near to Car­cassonne: whereof the Reformed of that Country keep the Ori­ginal to this day. See the Hi­story of the Waldenses, done by John Paul Perrin. that the Legats of Pope Inno­cent III. attended with many Abbots and Doctors of the Romish Communion, being assembled to hold a Conference with some of the Pastours of the poor Waldenses and Albigenses, the only thing propounded at that Conference, upon the part of the said Pastors, was these three ensuing Positions.

• 1. That the Masse with Transubstan­tiation, was a meer humane Inven­tion.
• 2. That the Church of Rome was no Church of Christ, but a Church of Confusion, drunken with the blood of Martyrs.
• 3. That the policy of the Romish Church, was nor good, nor holy, nor over esta­blished by Jesus Christ.

From whence it is evident that there­in lay the very crise and sum of the con­troversie, [Page 132] and the chief controverted points of their Belief, which in the year 1281, as appears by an Extract of the Municipal Priviledges of Realmont in Albigeoise, was still professed by a great number of persons throughout all those quarters; and indeed this prov'd no unfruitful Seminary, being that not only the City of Realmont, but likewise the whole Province of Langue­dock, and other adjacent places, God ha­ving in the beginning of the last Century, caused his Word as it were to regerminate and sprout afresh, yeelded a more goodly and plentiful harvest, than that of the o­ther parts of this Kingdom.

Anno 1315.

NOw in this year appeared that great person,Guy de Pa [...]pig­nan. Bernard. de Luxemburg. & Balaeus. Arnauldus de Villa Nova, Doctor in Medicine, and Chancelour of the University of Montpellier, well skill'd in the Latine, Greek and Arabick tongues, for his knowledge in the Liberal Sciences the very wonder of his Age, who in many excellent Treatises by him composed, doth mightily inveigh against the Errours of the Romish Church; he said, that he perceived the very face of Antichrist, in the Papacy [Page 133] and the order of Monks: That Divines have wickedly confounded Philosophicall Dreams with sacred Scripture; that in the Sacrifice, so denominated from the Altar, the Priest offered nought to God; and that the Masses did nothing avail either the quick or the dead; that Papal Constitutions were no other than humane Traditions, con­taining only the doctrines of humane works: and he proved by the Prophet Daniel, and many other Authorities, that Antichrist should in the height of Tyranny persecute the Faithful. For which Opinions he was by the Jacobins of Tarascon judged a He­retick; and whilst the King of Sicily was sending him to the Pope, he died at Ge­noua: James King of Aragon in an Epi­stle written to the same King of Sicily his Brother, gave him a very good testimo­ny.

Anno 1371.

JOHN VVICKLIFF Doctor and Professor of Divinity in the Univer­sity of Oxford, a person of an exemplary life and conversation, was at this time a strenuous Defender of the Truth of the Gospel, zealously withstanding the cor­ruptions and superstitions of Popery; he [Page 134] was protected as long as King Edward III lived: This Prince, as also the Prince of Wales, John Duke of Aquitany and of Lancaster his Brother, the Earl of Salisbury, the Baron of Cobham, Lewis Clifford, William Nevil, and John Mon­taigue, Knights; Thomas Latimer, Robert Ridgly, Chancelour of the University of Oxford, and many other Lords and per­sons of the prime Nobility and Clergy of England, adhering to the Doctrine of the said Wickliff, by the relation of Tho­mas of Walden, and Croxton in his Chro­nicle, who wrote against him: But un­der the Reign of Richard II, through the solicitation of the Pope and Monks, he was banished: afterwards being recal­led from Exile, he died peaceably in the year 1386, in the Parish of Luterworth where he had been Pastor: But foras­much as the Rage and Fury of the Ad­versaries doth exasperate them unto a Persecution of the Faithful (not only to death, but) even to the very grave; the Bones of this man of God were in the year 1451, at the instigation of the Court of Rome, digged up and publickly burnt; whose Ashes were in their time a Mysti­cal Seed.

Anno 1414.

JOhn Huss Batchelour in Divinity, and Jerome of Prague Doctor of the Sor­bonne, persons of great Learning, and no less integrity of Life, who had from the year 1400 published the Truth of the Gospel in Bohemia; having reap'd some first-fruits amongst the remnant of the Waldenses in those Countries, and a­mongst some others that had professed the Doctrine of Wickliff; they did so la­boriously cultivate and improve the Lord's Field, as that they left an abun­dant and excellent harvest behind them. Now forasmuch as the whole Kingdome of Bohemia was through means of their Preaching and Doctrine, reduced from obedience to the Pope, and the Ceremonies of the Romish Church; the Council of Constance required King Wen­ceslaus to send the said Huss thither, to whom the Emperour Sigismond gave ve­ry ample Letters of safe-conduct, to the end that he might not scruple to surren­der himself; yet notwithstanding, with­out any regard had thereunto, he was [Page 136] within twenty six dayes after his arrival, committed to Prison, and after an hard and tedious incarceration, most unjustly condemned to be burnt alive as an Here­tick; howbeit he had clearly demonstrated to them the truth of his Doctrine by the Word of God, and the pregnant Testimo­nies of Christian Antiquity; in pursuance whereof he maintained, that the Church of Rome had departed from the Doctrine of the Apostles, in pursuit of the riches and delights of the world, hunting after Domi­nion and Primacy, embezeling Church-goods, which did of proper right belong t [...] the Poor, in pomps and filthy and infamous expences; confounding herewith the Ordi­nances of God, or at leastwise guilty of a voluntary and deliberate contempt of the same; That the Pope hath no such Autho­rity as he challengeth over the Church, and that Indulgences are null; That the Bread and the Wine remain untransubstantiated in the Supper; and that the Communion should be equally distributed to all under both kinds: That there is no such thing as Purgatory: That Saints departed ought not to be invoked, nor Images worshipped; and that all those things, with their like appen­dants, have no other foundation than that [Page 137] of the corruption and vanity of a humane spirit. Veritas odi­um parit. But forasmuch as the Truth doth ever purchase hatred from the Wicked, as being naturally averse and adverse there­unto; this was the cause of that cruel usage which he met withall from his Enemies; which he endured with a truly Christian-Constancy, rehearsing as he was going to the place of Execution, or rather of Tri­umph, diverse verses of the Psalms, especi­ally of the 31st and 51st, and oftentimes these words, taken partly out of the 31st, I recommend my spirit into thy hands, for thou hast redeemed me, Lord Jesus, thou God of Truth; and as the Executioner was setting fire to the Faggots, he said three times with a strong and loud voice, Jesus Christ, thou Son of the living God, have mercy upon me. Thus did this holy Mar­tyr finish all his labours, resigning his soul to God, upon the 6th of July 1415.

That other faithful Witness of the Truth, Jerome of Prague, did likewise seal the same with his blood upon the 30th of May 1416, after many sharp conflicts with his Adversaries, whom he confounded and struck dumb with the same weapons, name­ly, the Word of God, and the Testimo­nies of the ancient Doctors of the Church, [Page 138] being endued with an admirable eloquence and vigour of spirit:He came to Constance with a pur­pose to solli­cite in behalf of his Col­league in the sacred Mini­stry; but ap­prehending danger, he re­tired, and in his retreat, was betrayed and detected. Aeneas Sylv. seu Pius II. Hist. Bohem. cap. 36. Pogius Florentinus, Epist ad Leo­nard Aretin. He encountred death with such an extasie of joy, that when-as they began to kindle the Faggots, he began to sing Divine Praises with a holy hymn, which by the very relation of Aeneas Syl­vius, who was afterwards Pope, called Pius II, and of Pogius of Florence who was one of the Spectators, he continued in the midst of the flames, till that his blisfull soul took wing for Heaven, there to bear a part in the harmonious new Song in the presence of its Saviour, and the company of Angels, and all the Saints and faithfull ones, whose tears are all for ever wip'd a­way in that beatisick Sabbatism of Glory, and eternal bliss.

But what shall we say more? for the time would fail us should we instance in all who after those two saithful Witnesses, espoused the defence of the same Truth, which the greatest part of them have, as they before them, sealed with their blood: We behoved to make mention of that great Assembly of persons at Doway, in the year 1421, who held the Doctrine of the Wal­denses, of whom a great number, as is re­ported by Monstrelet, was sacrificed to the flames:Balaeus Cent. of William White, and Alex­ander [Page 139] Fabrice, English-men, who in the year 1429 wrote in the defence of Wick­liff's Doctrine; which Reynauld Peacock Bishop of Chichester in like manner main­tained in the year 1457.Naucler. An­nal. de Siles. We behoved likewise to shew, that George Poggebrach King of Bohemia, together with his Sub­jects, owned to the day of his death, the profession of the Truth against the Deter­minations of Rome; and that the King of Poland stood inclined to its defence: Like­wise, that, in the year 1480,The Conti­nuator of the Abbot of Vs­perg. John of Ves­salia, Basil of Groningue, Stephen Bralfer, and Paul, Notary of Tubinge, Doctors in Divinity, did in like manner in Germany withstand the Doctrine of the Romish-Church; for controlling of whose vanity and many corruptions, Jerome Savonarole was burnt at Florence in the year 1498: notwithstanding which, John Francis Pi­cus, Count of Mirandula, failed not to write in his behalf, and in like manner to reprehend the very same abuses: That in the year 1505, Paul Scriptoris did in his Lectures in the University of Tubinge, pub­lickly declaim against Transubstantiation: And that in the year 1507, Thomas More of Brockford, an English-man, was burnt at Norwich, for preaching against the then [Page 140] prevailing Superstitions of the Church. We behoved moreover to produce that goodly Confession presented in the year 1508, to King Vladislaus by the persecuted Walden­ses in Hungary, which was exactly con­formable to that of the Protestant and Re­formed Churches: And likewise observe all that is recorded by that great Lawyer Charles du Moulin, in his History of the French Monarchy, on purpose to give the World to understand what reception the Doctrine and Life of those of Cabrieres and Merindol, found with King Lewis XII, which gave such ample satisfaction to that great Prince, as that upon the report there­in made to him of the same, he swore that they had more goodness and worth in them, than himself and all his subjects besides. Finally, we behov'd in like manner for the honour of that incomparable Monarch, to add, how that, after the example of Philip the Fair, one of his Predecessors, he quell'd the sauciness and petulancy of Julius II, who had excommunicated him, having as­sembled a Council at Pisa, in order to the reforming of the Church, both in its Head and Members; and caused batter the Gol­den Species, with this Inscription, PER­DAM BABYLONIS NOMEN, [Page 141] C, A, D. I will utterly destroy the name of Babylon; and had not (injurious) Death suddenly snatch'd him away, he had un­doubtedly put an happy essay to a thorow Reformation. But enough of that, we being now arrived at,

Anno 1517.

MArtin Luther, together with those his Contemporaries whom God rai­sed up for the same work, did in this year strike that great blow which did so migh­tily shake the Papal Power, and restore to Soveraign Princes who heretofore trembled under the Censures of Rome About the year 1080 the Emperour Henry IV. af­ter that he had been per­secuted by Gregory VII, was obliged to ask him his pardon bare-footed, and to suffer many other indignities. In the year 1180, the Emperour, Frederick Barbarousse, being at Venice, and stooping down to kiss the feet of Alexander III, he put his foot upon his neck, saying, Super Aspidem & Basiliscum, &c. The Popes prevailed so much after that time, that in Italy they quite abolish'd the Authority of the Emperours, whom they dispatcht away to conquer the Holy Land, whilst they in the mean time, under forged pretences, dispoyled them, or stirred up enemies against them, to their ruine., that lawful (though controll'd) Authority, which they hold of none but God himself: and this was so marvellous, that after that time the greatest part of Germany, the Kingdoms of [Page 142] England, Scotland, Ireland, Swedland, Denmarke and Norway; the most rich and potent Provinces of the Low-Coun­tries; the illustrious Cantons of Swit­zerland; a considerable part of France, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, Bohemia, Silesia, Moravia, Austria, Transilvania, Prussia, and Livonia; not to reckon those secret and hidden ones, who await the time of their Redemption, in Italy, Spain, and other Regions wherein the Light of the Truth hath not as yet scattered the thick Clouds of Popish Darknesse; that the greatest part (I say) of those Kingdoms and Republicks were from that time forward wholly emancipated and disengaged from under the bondage of Papal (both) Power and Error; which, amongst many others, hath been likewise rejected by a great num­ber of their own authors or abettors, suffi­cient proof, that it was the Divine Hand of Omnipotency that gave those signal blows, captivating all those thoughts and imagi­nations, under the yoke of his obedience.

In case our Adversaries alleage, 1. That those whom God raised up for this great and glorious work of Reformation were so inconsiderable, as that there is no man­ner of respect due to such abject and in­glorious [Page 143] Instruments; And 2. being the business which they attempted, was of such an extraordinary nature, they ought to have wrought Miracles for authorizing of the same: It is no hard matter to assoyl those Objections: In the first place then, for satisfaction to the former; We grant indeed that there is but little or nothing at all of excellency in them, being considered in and of themselves; but if they be eyed with respect to the manutenency of Him who set them to work, they are no wise base or contemptible; There needs no more but the smart of a silly Insect to quell and confound the pride of Pharoah, and extort from him a confession of the Finger of God, who, that the Power of his Arm, and the greatness of his infinite Majesty might be­come the more obvious and acknowledge­able, can at pleasure serve the interests of his Glory upon the most inglorious means, even despicable vermine: For this reason our Lord Jesus Christ, that he might hum­ble and debase the Synagogue, confound and baffle the fondness and arrogancy of the Philosophers, reduce and defeat the Er­ror and Superstition of Paganism, triumph gloriously over the swelling ambition and vanity of the Emperours, and cause the [Page 144] whole Earth to bend to the sacred Yock of his Cross; would not make use of any of those renowned Worldlings, but of poor Fisher-men, a Mechanick Tentmaker, and an ignominious Publican, who yet not­withstanding caught whole Empires and Kingdoms in their Nets, assembling the whole World under the Tabernacle of the God of Jacob, and making the most obsti­nate and rebellious Tributaries to his An­nointed.

And after the same method did he pro­ceed in the restauration of the Gospel, which he used in the first publication of it; as we have seen above, where we have noted the marvellous exploits of the chief persons whom he hath imployed in his admirable Conquests. Insult therefore no more, but rather confess with the Psalmist,Psa. 118. 23 This is Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes: Which they also have proclaimed aloud, having alwayes in imitation of the Apostles said,Acts 3. 12, & 16. Such things were not wrought by us, but only in the Name and Authority of our Lord Jesus Christ; And with the Church in the book of Psalms,Psal. 115. Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy great Name be rendred all the honour and glory. With the like facility we answer to the [Page 145] other Objection, urged from the defect of Miracles: True it is, had those good men taught any other doctrine than that of the Gospel, in that case it had been requisite that they should have given some visible testimonies of their Cal­ling; besides that, according to the Apo­stles caution,Gal. 18. he ought to be an Anathe­ma, though he were an Angel from Hea­ven, whosoever preacheth any other Go­spel than what hath been already evan­gelized: He hath likewise taught us, that all those extraordinary gifts which the munificent God did so liberally di­stribute, for authorizing of the Truth of Christian Religion in its infancy, should cease and become antiquated: And our Lord Jesus Christ hath admonished us, that whoever should brag or make osten­tation hereof,Matth. 24. should be very Teachers of lies, making such a plausible shew of the same, as that they should be able (if it were possible) to deceive the very Elect: And yet notwithstanding, what more specious or signal ones can any de­sire, than their very subsistence amidst the raging persecution of their enemies, when as they were like unto Moses in Egypt in the hands of Pharaoh's Daugh­ter, [Page 146] yet, such is the Providence of God, they never failed to meet with their true Mother, who nourished them upon her chast and untainted breasts; that is to say, some sound Teachers who caused them to suck the sincere Milk of the sound knowledge of God's Word; as the Israelites in the Deserts of Arabia, they did still feed upon Manna from Heaven, and were furnished with vessels of Gold and Silver, which they had taken out of the houses of the Egypti­ans, whereof to make sacred Vessels and stately Ornaments for the service and beau­ty of the Sanctuary: If at any time they have,1 Kin. 17. 6. with the Prophet Elijah, by means of a persecuting Jezebel, been constrained to make a Cave their hiding-place, the very Ravens, turning Purveyours, have furnish­ed them with necessary food. When as they were like the Prophet Daniel in the Den of Lyons,Dan. 6. 22. & 3. 25. or like his three Fellow-Captives in Babylon, in the fiery Furnace, they have been in like manner gloriously and miraculously preserved; the Son of God being, according to his solemn pro­mise made to us in his Gospel,Mat. 18 20 ever present with two or three where-ever met together in his Name. Finally, since they were with a strong hand rescued out of that spi­ [...]ual [Page 147] captivity; what hath not God done? [...]at continueth he not still to do, in their [...]half? Should our very Enemies, their [...]nds laid upon their breasts, become our [...]dges, and do us right, they should [...]ickly acknowledge, that had not THIS [...]ORK been OF GOD, and had not [...]r Faith been from Heaven, as not being [...]ported by Humane means, nor, as Ma­ [...]metism, maintain'd by Blood and Cruel­ [...]; but, on the contrary, by exasperated [...]d implacable Enemies, persecuted to the [...]most; that it had been long ere now ut­ [...]ly subverted and destroyed; which yet, [...]ugre a fierce and open War prosecuted [...]ainst it for the space of seven or eight [...]ndred years, hath been with no less won­ [...]r than renown, sustained and defended; [...]e Lord having, in performance of his so­ [...]mn Promises made in his Word,Isa. 54. &c. never [...]t nor forsaken it, being ever present for [...] succour and relief; and wheresoever [...]r way lies, through the Fire, or through [...]e Wilderness,Mat. 28. 18 he will be always with us, [...]en to the end of the World.

Surcease then your cavilling about the [...]ature of Instrumen [...]s, and the quality of [...]ose who speak and preach to you. True [...]deed,Gen. 2. 7. they are formed of earth and clay, [Page 148] but God hath gifted and inspired the [...] with the breath of a divine and heaven [...]ly life:Ezek. 37. &c. They be the dry Bones in the Pro [...]phets Vision, which when by the Spirit o [...] God miraculously quickened, did in fin [...] cover the whole Earth: God hath cut an [...] polished them after the manner of Gold Diamonds & Pearl, and exposed them t [...] open view: In case the Sun of Righteous [...]ness should in order to the more accurat [...] elaboration of this same Gold, find it fu [...]ther expedient to pass it through the fu [...]nace, this were to put a higher and mor [...] considerable value upon it: should he in order to the polishing of them Di [...]mond-like, fasten them to the wheel [...] affliction; his end herein likewise wer [...] to put a more sparkling luster upon the [...] and through the several forms engrave [...] upon them by his Spirit, to render the [...] a thousand times more bright and refu [...]gent. Finally, those magnificent Pear [...] of the Orient from on high [...]. Luke. 1. 27. wherein [...] neither spot nor wrinkle, are nowhere [...] be found but in the Ocean and bottom [...] the deep Sea of adversity & temptation whereof God who hath whiten'd them [...] the blood of his Son, hath made a good Chain, which he vouchsafes to fasten up [...] [Page 149] the Brests of his Compassion, or to wear as a noble Bracelet upon the Arm of his Mercies, and that he may crown all those Graces, Psal. 56. 8. likeas (as he assureth us) he bot­leth our tears, he carefully reposeth and locketh up all those rich Pearls of price in his own Treasury.

Wherefore we can never enough la­ment the occecation and blindness of men, who not knowing the time of their visitation, have loved the darkness of Errour rather than the light of Truth, which hath with such a marvellous effi­cacy shone out towards those who were in darkness and in the region of the sha­dow of death, that after the dawning of those blessed dayes of Reformation, until which those poor souls were so mise­rably entangled through vain Philosophy and the Rudiments of the world,Col. 2. 8. which were not after Christ, that with them Aristotle was in a manner more esteem'd of than an Apostle; that after (I say) that admirable change the sacred Volume of the Word of God, which was to them before a Book sealed with seven seals, & hard to be understood, did through the several Translations of the same into the most part of the vulgar Languages of [Page 150] Europe, become general and common, It was in like manner after the same time that the Exposition of Divine Books was re-established in the Church instead of fabulous Legends, which were formerly the ordinary subject of their Sermons: Nor had they come this length, but upon design to supplant the simple, & through the shame and reproach which they su­stained to see that we make that sacred Word the very foundation and subject-matter of our Doctrine and Exhortati­ons, but that which they have ever offe­red and still offer such violence unto, as that, so little inquisitive are they after the establishment of the Truth therein contained, their main care and business is to defend and maintain their Errours. And upon this very account do they tra­duce and misapply the Writings of the Ancient Doctors of the Church, which being humane, and consequently falli­ble, can never serve for a Rule or Judge in matters of Religion, insomuch that even they themselves refer us to the sa­cred Canon of Divine Scriptures; But failing of their reckoning, as touching the Writings of the Fathers, aswell as the Word of God, and perceiving that [Page 151] all solid Antiquity doth deposite and te­stifie in our favours, as we have shewed above, they suppress and stifle the most goodly and precious Monuments, and the Originals of rich pieces of Christian Antiquity, or else mangle, change, and miserably deface them where-ever their own Cause is discountenanced; and, fearing lest that refuge might also fail them, their Doctors have, in pursuance of an Order of the Council of Trent, fram'd Expurgatory Indices, conformably whereunto they exhibit to us the Wri­tings of the Fathers: and not contented to pay us in clipt money, they also force upon us false and naughty allay, obtru­ding many spurious pieces for the pro­duct of Antiquity, or of some of the Fa­thers, which yet were never theirs; as may easily appear, if we compare the Counterfeit with the true Coin; which is no other than what the more sober­learned of the Romish Communion them­selves have been alwayes constrained to confess; Nevertheless we doubt not but that we shall still find, even in those mu­tilous forms, matter enough for satisfy­ing of them, and for subverting and de­stroying of Errour by its own weapons: [Page 152] Who then will not judge from hence of the goodness and equity of our Cause? who can infer the naughtiness or despe­racy of that of our party, against whom they having commenced so criminal a process, would yet notwithstanding, be Judges in their own fact; and refusing to understand our defences, traduce us as guilty, and accordingly condemn us in the force and form (as the saying is) of a proscription of sackage; And (that we may the better characterize that pre­cipitant spirit by which they are acted) perceiving that all Right and Reason fail'd them, they for supply of that de­fect, betook themselves to Menaces, Violence, Torments, cruel Punishments, Perjuries, Massacres, &c. yea, there is no manner of Artifice or Stratagem ima­ginable, which they have not imployed, and which they do not still imploy, through the sanguinary Consults of their Congregation A society of the choicest & most exquisit Heads both for natural and artificial parts, in a Colledge in Rome, called Il Colleggio di propaganda la Fede; whose constant business and occupation is to consult and contrive the Propagation of the Romish Faith, and that by all means and methods imagi­nable, whether of Policy or Cruelty, or both, the Serpent and the Dragon joyntly, and Draco-like to enact sanguinary and bloody Laws, Constitutions and Decrees thereunto re­lating, executed by their active Emissaries (who are moved by them, as so many Poppets, by an invisible hand) their proselyting Seminary Priests and Jesuites; their Impostours and workers of Mock-Miracles, those lying Wonders, the Charracteristick of the Romish Church; their mercenary In­struments imployed in massacres, and all mischiefs, perpe­trated by Fire or Sword, or otherwise, and the like: And whether or not, the City of London, that famous Metropo­lis of the Protestant World, was in its late and (almost un­parallel'd) Conflagration (Anno 1666, Mens. Septemb.) con­sumed by a Coal from their Altar, must needs by all that are impartially concern'd in either Interests of Great Britain (Sacred or Civil) be reckoned an Enquiry worthy of an English Parliament. of the Propagatours of the Faith, in order to the utter perverting [Page 153] or subverting of the Truth by us pro­fessed. But they have sufficiently ham­mer'd upon that Anvil, all their tools will undoubtedly split upon it at last; and God, out of love to his great Name, will render his Truth and the Professors of the same everlastingly triumphant o­ver all its and their combined enemies. Let them not alleage, that we ought to have continued still in their communi­on, and not to have separated from them; since that was a thing which we could not possibly do, without a mortal wound to our Consciences, in giving to the Creature, that which is due to the [Page 154] Creator only; and without involving and embruing of our selves into a thou­sand Superstitions; Moreover, we ne­ver went away from their communion, till by themselves chac'd away, through their persecuting of us with Fire and Sword: It was fairly done of them for­sooth, after just motives of our Retreat and withdrawment, and their cruel and rigid procedure against us, to turn the same into our reproach: For though af­ter the Councils of Constance, Basil, and Pisa, a Reformation was judged expe­dient and necessary, it being the uni­versal sence of all, That the Church behoved to be reformed both in head and members; Rome nevertheless ever loth to part with what she hath once got, obstinately maintains not only the Do­ctrinals, which were the main ground of our separation; but even the most fop­pish and ridiculous appertinants of her Creed and servile Ceremonies; fear­ing, saith Cardinal Prenestine to Pope Hadrian, lest having confessed her Er­rour and Deviation in one point, occa­sion might happily be from thence ad­ministred of examining of the rest, and of resolving the same into a reference or [Page 155] Com-promise. This is thereason why the Council of Trent instead of redressing Abuses,See the Hi­story of the Council of Trent, done by Soavius Poland, and the Instru­ctions & Let­ters concern­ing the said Council, prin­ted at Paris by Sebastian Cramoisy, An. 1654. pag. 1 [...]6 hath indeed confirm'd them; all being therein carried-on according to the Popes will and pleasure, who was in that Convention both Judge and Par­ty; whereupon Monsieur de Lansack, one of the French Ambassadours in that Council, said very facetiously in a Letter to Monfieur de Lisle Embassadour at Rome, that the Pope had sent the Holy-Ghost from Rome to Trent in a Cloakbag; the Legats and Council acting or enact­ing nothing but what he appointed them; and albeit several Bishops inclin'd to make some opposition in defence of the Authority of their Character, yet this proved ineffectual, they having in fine submitted their necks under the Papal-Yoke. Though all this succeeded very luckily according to the hearts desire of the Popes of Rome; yet notwithstand­ing, from that time forwards they con­ceived such a disgust and aversion to Councils, that they never cared more to propound the assembling of another; fearing lest they might set about that happy Reformation, which (as hath been said) was with such importunity desired, [Page 156] and so absolutely necessary both in head and members: All that they busied them­selves about after that, was, what yet well became them, the regulating of the Hoods, Hosen and Shooes of Monks, the number of whom, instead of reducing, they contrariwise augmented under the Badges of their Saints, Francis, Domini­cus, Ignatius Loyola, and some other mo­dern ones; insomuch that the whole, far from reforming misusages, tended only to foment Scandal in such as were ac­quainted with true Piety; those Reve­rend Fathers having well nigh resolv'd all the Christian Religion, and Divine Worship, into the practice of numerous Ceremonies and superstitious observances, for therein consisteth all their business; scrupulously annexing their professed Sanctity to ridiculous Mystical Vestments, and foppish fantastical gesticulations: and whereas God will be worshiped in Spirit, Joh. 4. 24. and in Truth, they pretend to satisfie him with (instead of a true) a superficial, and (instead of a Spiritual) a bodily ser­vice, which the Apostle informs us, pro­fiteth little.1 Tim. 4. 8. Howbeit, to be sure they cloak under their counterfeit humility and devotion, an extream and indeed [Page 157] unsufferable pride and vanity, as may sufficiently appear by the continual at­tempts made upon the Ordinaries, name­ly Archbishops, Bishops and Curates, who undergoe all imaginable difficulties in stoping the currant of the Seraphicks, and other Regulars, more especially of such as have devoted themselves to the See of Rome, and their General or Superiour, by so strict a vow, that when ever they believe their own Interests to be under debate, they ought to acknowledge no other person in the world.

May the Lord commiserate his Church, and put it into the hearts of Christian Kings and Princes to call, as the above-named great Emperours, Constantine, Theodosius, and Charles the Great have done before them, a religious and free Council, wherein all parties abandoning prejudices and animosities, might in good earnest give themselves to an en­quiry after the Truth in the Word of God, which should be hearkened to as the only decisive Oracle, whose right it is to determine all Controversies de­pending between the Church of Rome and those who protest against her Do­ctrine; and that the more obscure pas­sages [Page 158] of the holy Scripture might be ex­pounded by others more clear, so as that we might attain to the right understanding of the Scripture by the very Scripture it self,Neh. 8. 8. according to the practice of the Le­vits, when they instructed the People of God after their return from the Babylonish Captivity; that the Ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and Writers of Ec­clesiastical History, by whose means we might be informed of the various revolu­tions and interchanges which have there [...]n occurred, might be likewise received as a subsidiary help for satisfaction to the more obstinate and opiniative; and that Kings called of God unto this great work, might in concurrence with a privy Council con­sisting of some of the more Learned and more sober of both parties, prudentially weigh the validity of Reasons urged, the sincerity of Procedure, and the merit of the Cause. We should quickly make it to ap­pear, that we have a veneration for Episco­pal Government, and that we are no ene­mies to order, ornanment, or decency, nor yet to Ceremonies, provided the whole be reduced to ancient usage, and there be nothing therein derogatory to that Honour and Religious Worship which we owe to [Page 159] God only: And as touching the Sacra­ments, if the Word of God may be umpire, as without all peradventure it ought to be, we should soon likewise condescend upon their number; And in conformity to that sacred directory,Mat. 26. 26. and Mark 14. 22. &c. 1 Cor. 11. 24. observing our Saviour's practice, and that which St. Paul, by vir­tue of his Commandment, hath enjoyned us to do in like manner; we should take the Bread, we should all drink of the Cup of blessing, in commemoration of the inesti­mable Death of our dear Redeemer, whose Flesh and Blood is meat and drink indeed, whereby we are nourished unto an eternal life. We should know, without further debate, that this Union is wrought by the mediation of his Spirit, who uniteth and conjoyneth us to himself, after an ineffa­ble, but a true and real manner;Eph. 3. 17. Christ dwelling in our hearts by Faith, which is the mouth of our souls, by which we feed upon him; whereunto the conversion of Bread into Flesh is not at all necessary, but the Elevation of Faith unto Heaven, its ge­nuine and proper act; for, as our Lord hath taught us,Joh. 6. 63. it is the Spirit that quick­eneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life; that is to say, they are [Page 160] of a spiritual and vivifick vertue, as well in the publication of the Gospel, as in the participation of the holy Supper, wherein the Bread and the Wine, are Signes, Gages, and Memorials of that which is therein represented to us, whose Name they bear, as is usual in all Sacra­ments;Gen. 17. 10. Exod. 12. 21 as also because they are not only significative, but likewise exhibitive of the thing signified to the Faithful and wor­thy Communicant, so as shall be shewed streight. And certainly this same Real-Presence and Participation may be easily enough conceived, without the necessary admission of a Local and gross one; for if it must be acknowledged that the Sun, whilst bounded within its sphear, doth yet communicate warinth, life, and nourish­ment, and that truly, really, substantially to Vegetables; can any one doubt without Blasphemy, that the glorious Body of our Lord and Saviour, the true Sun of Righte­ousness, who carrieth health and life in his Divine Rayes, is furnished with less vertue than that Globe of fire and light, which himself hath enlightned? Or that his Hu­mane Nature, which he hath united perso­nally to his Divinity, cannot by its means mystically unite it self to our souls, in order [Page 161] to their warmth, quickening and nourish­ment, but that his sacred Body must needs first redescend to us here below, to be prostituted to a thousand indignities, as would necessarily follow upon that local and gross carnal Presence, which is taught and professed in the Communion of Rome.

We should not stick to call the sacred Ceremony of the Lord's Supper, a Sacri­fice, but only an Eucharistical or a Gra­tulatory Sacrifice, there being none Expia­tory, Heb. 9. 25, 26, 27. other than that which our Lord Jesus offered upon the Cross, as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews proveth. We should in like manner accord, that none can ever eat of the Supper of our Lord with too much preparedness, for fear of propha­ning so sublime and dreadful a Mystery, to use the notion of the Fathers, forasmuch as those who approach unworthily, and without a serious examination of their con­sciences, that they may know whether they are furnished with Faith, Repentance, and Charity, which are qualifications prerequi­red to the worthy participation of that ho­ly Communion, do, instead of receiving the Gages of their Salvation, take and re­ceive, in St. Paul's d [...]alect, their own Con­demnation. [Page 162] In fine, we should make it yet further appear, touching many other controverted points, that we are not so odious or hateful as we are represented: But it may suffice to have remarked the more principal ones, from which one may judge whether there may be place for pro­mising our selves any re-union between those of the Church of Rome and us, by holding of a Council in the manner by us propounded, never doubting but that God would crown with his Blessing, the design of so August and Venerable an Assembly; and that the Bishops, Doctors, and Mini­sters of Christ constituting the same, hum­bling of themselves in the first place before the Father of Lights, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, as also every one of us in like manner with Repentance, Fasting and Tears, thereby with fervency imploring the assistance of his Holy Spirit, he would infallibly vouchsafe the same un­to us; and grant that the Spirit of Cha­rity, Truth, Peace, and Concord might preside in a most singular manner in the midst of that Reverend and Pious Coun­cil, whose Members should all of them be like unto the Golden Snuffers of the Ta­bernacle, Exod. 25. 38 eminent for purity and excellency [Page 163] of qualification, to the end they might be the more effectually serviceable in their sa­cred use of ridding away what is superflu­ous, and that (great Thief Antichrist) which eclipseth the light and brightness of the Candle of Truth: That were an hap­py day indeed, which yet to us is rather matter of wish and woulding, than fixed hope and expectation; howbeit there is nothing impossible with God, who hath his own times and seasons, and holds the hearts of all Kings and People of the earth, in his own hand.Eph. 3. 20, 21. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the pow­er that worketh effectually in us; Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all Ages, World without