Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…

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

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

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

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