the Second Part he may see what eminent Emperours Kings and Princes God hath raised up in sundry Ages and Places for the defence of the Church and Gospel of Christ Jesus In the two Martyrologies he may finde the Torments and Triumphs the Conflicts and Conquests of the Worthies of Christ in all places where the Gospel hath come who have found that Scripture fulfilled upon themselves 2 Tim. 3. 12. All that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer Persecution There is also now coming forth the second Impression of his Mirror or Looking-glass much enlarged containing almost all the Heads in Divinity together with the Texts of Scripture concerning them And under each first Scriptural Examples and then Examples out of the best approved Authors both Sacred and Profane READER I Pray thee correct these few faults with thy pen and for other mistakes of the Printer in Letters or Points they are easily discerned and amended Page 88. line 5. read valiant for violent p. 260. l. 7. r. wives for ways p. 262. l. 17. r. that by for with p. 481. l. ult r. lyes for evils p. 538. l. 13. r. years for days p. 612. l. 19. r. whence for which p. 693. l. 1. r. verbo for verbi p. 725. l. 12. r. conciones for consciones Mend the figures in the pages from 900 to 910. The Lives of the FATHERS AND OTHER Learned and famous DIVINES from Christ's Time to this present Age. IGNATIVS The Life of Ignatius who dyed Anno Christi 111. IGnatius saw Christ in the flesh being about 12 years old at his Crucifixion The occasion of his apprehension was this Trajan returning from the Parthian war commanded gratulatory sacrifices to be offered in every City and himself comming to Antioch Ignatius was required to be present at those Sacrifices but he before Trajans face did justly and sharply reprove their Idolatry for which cause he was delivered to ten Souldiers to be carried to Rome He was Pastor at the Church at Antioch next after the Apostle Peter As he passed through Asia strictly guarded with that troop of Souldiers he confirmed the Congregations through every City where he came Preaching the Word of God to them and giving them wholsome exhortations especially charging them to avoid the heresies lately sprung up and at that time overflowing the Church Requiring them stedfastly to cleave to the Traditions of the Apostles and to their Doctrine When he came to Smyâ—na where Polycarp was Bishop he wrote an Epistle to the Church at Ephesus making mention of Onesimus their Pastor and another he wrote to the Church of Magnesia on the River Meander wherein he forgetteth not Doema their Bishop Another he wrote to the Church at Trallis whose Pastor at that time he mentioneth to be Polybius to which Epistle he prefixed an exhortation to them not to refuse Martyrdom least thereby they should lose the hope that was laid up for them For which end he useth these expressions From Syria saith he even till I came to Rome I had a battel with Beasts as well by Sea as by Land night and day being bound amongst ten cruel Leopards so he called the 10 souldiers that guarded him which the more benefits they received at my hands became so much the worse to me But I being exercised and now well acquainted with their injuries am taught every day more and more to bear the Cross yet hereby am I not justified Would to God I were once come to the Beasts that are prepared for me which I wish also to fall upon me with all their violence whom also I will provoke that without delay they may devour me and not abstain from me as they have from some others whom for fear they have left untouched and if they be unwilling to it I will compel them to fall upon me Pardon me I pray I know well how much this will avail me Now do I begin to be a Disciple of my Master Christ I neither regard things visible nor invisible so I may gain Christ Ignis crux bestiarum conflictationes ossium destractiones c. i. e. Let Fire Cross breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing my body and all the torments that man and the Divel can invent fall upon me so I may enjoy my Lord Jesus Christ c. Writing to Polycarp whom he knew to be a holy man he commends to him the Congregation at Antioch praying him to be careful of the business there and especially for the election of a godly Bishop in his room thereby proving himself to be a sincere and right Pastor taking such care of his flock not only whilest he lived but even after his death When his Martyrdom approached he said Frumentum Dei sum dentibus ferarum molar mundus Dei panis inveniar I am God's corn when the wilde beasts have ground me to powder with their teeth I shall be his white-bread He was so humble that he disdained not to learn of any He suffered Martyrdom the eleventh year of Trajan at Rome Anno Christi III. His usual saying was A mor meus crucifixus est My Love is crucified meaning either Christ the Object of his love or that his affections were crucified to the world as Gal. 6. 14. Nicephorus reports that when Ignatius was a child our Saviour would take him up in his arm and shew him to his Disciples It may be he was one of those little children that were brought to Christ that he should touch them or that little child whom Jesus took and set in the midst of his Disciples to learn them humility He saw Christ after his Resurrection as himself writes in one of his Epistles Ego vero post resurrectionem in carne eum vidi c. Truly I did see him after his Resurrection in the flesh and do beleive that it is he c. He used to say Nihil praestantius est pace bonae conscientiae that there is nothing better then the peace of a good conscience That good and wicked men are like true and counterfeit mony the ones seems to be good and is not the other both seems and is good That the Lyons teeth are but like a â—â—ll Which though it bruiseth yet wasteth not the good Wheat only prepares and fits it to be made pure Bread Let me saith he be broken by them so I may be made pure Manchet for Heaven Parents ought to afford these three things to their children Correction Admonition and Instruction both in humane Arts and Gods Word all which preserves them from idleness and folly gives them Wisdom and learns them subjection and obedience to their Superiours Other Graces are but parts of a Christians armour as the shield of Faith the sword of the Spirit c. But Patience is the Panoply or whole Armour of the man of God The enemy foils us without it but we foil him by it Grace slowing from the
menaces let all such know that the Church of the Lord will oppose them and that the Tents of Christ will prove immovable and not to be conquered by them His fidelity will notably appear by his Epistles wherein he excellently comforts the afflicted recalls such as were faln or commends the care of them to other Bishops of the Church vigorously opposeth the Hereticks and Schismaticks Neither was he only a Spectator of the Martyrdom of others but suffered himself to be proscribed yea chose death rather then to betray the truth of the Gospel or to approve of the least defection to the impious worship of the Gentiles By these means his fame increased so exceedingly that he was not so much the Bishop of Carthage as of all Africk yea of Spain the East West and Northern Churches Yea he was judged the Father of all Christians And to the further setting forth to the praise of Gods grace of his glorious vertues wherewith he was endued appearing as well in his own works as described by other worthy Writers he was courteous and gentle loving and full of patience and therewithal severe and impartial in his Office Furthermore he was most affable and kinde towards his Brethren and took much pains in helping and releiving the Martyrs Yea he wrote Letters to the Elders and Deacons of his Bishopwrick that with all study and endeavour they should gently entertain and do all the Offices of love that possibly they could to the Martyrs in his absence He was very prudent and circumspect Of a marvellous liberal disposition towards the Brethren that fled for refuge from other Countries and so often as he had cause of absence he committed the care of those poor men to his fellow Officers writing to them that of their own proper goods they should help their banished Brethren to that which was necessary for them He had also great skill in the fore-knowledge of future events He was of so communicative a disposition that he concealed nothing which he knew but with meekness and willingness uttered it to others He maintained Ecclesiastical Peace and Concord with those that differed from him in smaller matters Lastly he neither circumvented nor did prejudice to any man but did that which always seemed good in his judgement He much addicted himself to reading and would let no day pass wherein he read not some part of Tertullians Works and when he called for him he used to say Da Magistrum Give me my Master He chiefly studied to keep his body continent and clean from fleshly lusts saying That then his heart would be truly sit to attain to the full capacity and understanding of the Truth if once he could trample down Concupiscence A great Persecution being raised against the Church of Christ by Aemilianus President of Egypt Paternus and Galerius Maximus Proconsuls of Africk Cyprian sheweth the true causes thereof in his fourth Book Epist the fourth in these words We saith he must acknowledge and confess that this turbulent oppression and calamity which hath wasted for the most part all our Church and doth dayly more and more consume it ariseth chiefly from our own wickedness and sins whilst we walk not in the way of the Lord nor observe his Precepts left unto us for our instruction Our Lord Christ observed the will of his Father in all points but we observe not the will of the Lord having all our minde and study set upon lucre and possessions we are given to pride full of emulation and dissention void of simplicity and faithful dealing renouncing this World in word only but not in deed every man pleasing himself and displeasing all others and therefore are we thus scourged and that worthily for what stripes and scourges do we not deserve when as the Confessors themselves who formerly enaured the trial of their Faith and ought to be an example to the rest in well doing do now observe no Discipline And therefore for their sakes who proudly brag with swelling words of their former Confession and Sufferings these torments come even such as do not easily send us to the Crown except by the mercy of God some being taken away by a quick death do prevent the tediousnes of punishment These things do we suffer for our sins and deserts as by the Lords threatning we have been forewarned where he saith If they shall forsake my Law and will not walk in my Judgements If they shall prophane my Institutions and will not observe my Precepts I will visit their iniquities with the rod and their transgressions with scourges These rods and scourges we justly feel who neither please God with our good deeds nor repent of the evil wherefore saith he let us pray from the bottom of our hearts and with our whole minde and let us intreat his mercy who promiseth that his loving kindness shall not be wholly taken away Let us ask and we shall obtain and though we be delayed yet seeing we have grievously offended let us continue knocking for he hath promised that to them that knock it shall be opened therefore with our Prayers sighs and tears let us still knock and we shall be sure to speed c. And in another part of his Epistle he shews what vices were principally reigning amongst the Christians viz. grievous divisions and dissentions amongst the Brethren For when these words were spoken to them in a Vision Petite impetrabitis Pray and ye shall obtain afterwards when it was required of the Congregation to direct their Prayers unto God in the behalf of certain persons assigned to them by name they could not agree about the persons that were to be prayed for but disagreed in their Petitions which thing did greatly displease God that spake unto them Pray and ye shall obtain because they were not uniform in voice and heart neither was there one joint consent amongst the Brethren Upon which occasion Cyprian moveth them to Prayer with mutual agreement For saith he if it be promised in the Gospel that whatsoever two or three shall agree upon to ask upon Earth it shall be granted in Heaven what shall then be done when the whole Church agree together Or what if this Unanimity were amongst the whole Fraternity which Unanimity if it had been amongst the Brethren Non venissent fratribus haec mala si in unum fraternitas fuisset animata i. e. These evils had not befaln the Brethren if they had joined together in brotherly Unanimity Cyprian having thus described the causes of this Persecution sets down a Vision wherein was shewed unto him by the Lord before the Presecution came what should happen The Vision saith he was this There was a certain aged Father sitting at whose right hand sat a young man very sad and pensive as one that with indignation is sorrowful with his hand upon his breast and an heavie countenance On the other hand sat a person having a Net in
friends and said to them Salvi estote filii c. God bless you my children for Epiphanius shall see your faces no more in this life and â—hortly after he dyed aged 115 years having been Bishop 55 years his loss was exceedingly lamented at Salamine He used to say That he never let his adversary sleep not that he disturbed him in his sleep but because he agreed with him presently and would not let the Sun go down upon his wrath His Works are printed together being most of them against the Heresies of his time the names are Opus contra Octuaginta Haereses Panarium Appellatum Compendium Fidei Christianae Anchoratus docens de Fide Christiana Anacephalaeosis sive summa totius operis Panarii appellatum Libellus de mensuris ponderibus Historia de Prophetarum vita interitu Epistola ad Johannem Episc Constantinopolitanum AMBROSE The Life of Ambrose who dyed An. Christi 397. A Mbrose Bishop of Millain his Father was a Praefect in France when Ambrose was an Infant a swarm of Bees as he lay in his Cradle setled on his Face and flew away without hurting of him whereupon his Father said Si vixerit infantulus iste aliquid magni erit if this childe live he will be some great man Afterwards he went to Rome and gained great knowledge in the Liberal Arts and was excellently accomplished with Eloquence and sweet behaviour whereupon he was made Governor of Insubria and so went to Millain where he was made Lieutenant and being made Lieutenant thereof about the same time this strange act happened When Auxentius whom the Arians had chosen to be Bishop of that Sea dyed all was there on an uprore about the Election of another Bishop and great strife there was whilst some would prefer this man and some others that man unto the Bishoprick The tumult being raised Ambrose the Lieutenant of the City who also was a Consul fearing greatly lest that Schism would breed mischief in the City came purposely into the Church to appease the Sedition And his presence prevailing very much with the people after he had given them many notable exhortations and thereby mitigated the rage of the heady and rash multitude All on a sudden with one voice and as it were with one mouth nominated Ambrose for their Bishop hoping hereby that all things would be reconciled and that all would embrace one Faith and Opinion The Bishops that were present thought verily that the uniform voice of the people was the voice of God himself wherefore without any further deliberation they took Ambrose who was but a Catechumenist and baptized him purposing also to enstal him in the Bishoprick Ambrose came willingly to Baptism yet denyed utterly to be a Bishop whereupon the Bishops made the Emperour Valentinian privy to their doings He wondering at the consent and agreement of the people judged that which was done to be the work of God himself he signified therefore to the Bishops that they should obey the Will of God and create Ambrose Bishop saying that God rather then men preferred him to this dignity Thus Ambrose being made Bishop the Citizens of Millain who aforetime were at discord amongst themselves thenceforth imbraced Peace and Unity Whereupon the good Emperour publickly returned thanks unto God in these words I give thee humble thanks O Omnipotent God and our Saviour Jesus Christ that whereas I had committed the Government of their Bodies to this man thou hast also committed their Souls to his care and thereby hast declared that my sentence was just in appointing him to such a place Not long after Ambrose spake very freely to the Emperour complaining of divers things which were ill administred by sundry of the Magistrates To whom that worthy Emperour answered I knew long ago that thou wast a free-spoken man for which cause I was so far from resisting thine Ordination to the Bishoprick as that I gave my free and full consent to it wherefore according to the rule of Gods Holy Word do thou prepare a medicine for our erring mindes This good Emperour a while after dying Justina his Wife being infected with the â—ilth of Arianism yet whilest her husband lived she could no kinde of way molest those that embraced the Faith of One Substance but after his decease removing to Millain together with her young son she raised such tumults against Ambrose the Bishop that in the end she prevailed for his banishment But the people who bore singular love and affection to Ambrose withstood her Act and hindred their force that went about to convey him into exile and it pleased God that just at the same time news came that Maximus a Britain had rebelled and that Gratian the Emperour was slain in France by Andâ—agathius the Captain of Maximus Which news so cooled the heat of Justina's spleen that she was content to let Ambrose alone Yet did she proceed to work upon the tender and flexible minde of her young son Valentinian junior and to instil into him the Principles of Arianism and the young man deceived by the enticements of his Mother too greedily drank in the poison thereof whereupon at length he began to communicate his minde to Ambrose supposing that if he could but draw him to his opinion he could easily overcome the rest But Ambrose began to minde him of the Piety and Sincerity of his Father exhorting him to defend the Truth which he had received from him as he would defend his Empire He also opened to him the difference between those two opinions shewing him how that of the Arians was directly contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his holy Apostles and that of the Orthodox was most consonant thereunto But the young man as a young man that was blinded with the Error of his Mother was so far from hearkening to the good counsel of Ambrose that on the contrary being inflamed with wrath he compassed the Church where Ambrose was with a great number of armed Souldiers thinking thereby to terrifie him But when he saw that this valiant Champion and Souldier of Christ was no whit affrighted he grew into such a rage that he commanded him to come forth of the Temple To whom Ambrose answered That will I never willingly do neither will I betray the Sheepfold of my Sheep to the Wolves nor deliver up this Temple of God to the Authors of blasphemy but if thou pleasest to kill me here is my breast peirce it either with thy sword or spear as thou pleasest for I desire and am willing to embrace such a death This his resolute answer made the Emperour to withdraw About this time Theodosius the great reigning in the East there fell out a great Sedition in the City of Thessalonica which some of the Magistrates coming to quiet by the furious people they were not only greatly reproached but stoned to death The news hereof being carried to
and down through Villages and Countries having no fear to shed blood But whilst the Word of God was diligently Preached and Peace was endeavoured to be held with these haters of Peace they committed many acts of hostility And whilst the Truth was made known against their Erroneous opinions they which were Lovers of Truth shunned their society and endeavoured to preserve the unity of Truth in the bond of Peace Hence it came to pass that these men seeing their number to be deminished and envying the encrease of the Church being incensed with extream anger raised intolerable persecutions against the true members of Jesus Christ often setting upon the godly Ministers both by night and day and many times robbing them of all they had and not contented therewith they often murthered them and often threw Lime and Vinegar into their Eyes to blinde them for which cause these Rebaptizing Donatists grew hateful to their own Disciples So that through Gods mercy the Word of God prevailed the more in Hippo by the Ministry of Augustine and his Colleagues and the fame thereof spreading abroad many Cities sent to chuse their Bishops out of that Society which exceedingâ—y conduced towards the furtherance of the Peace of the Church He Preached and writ also very learnedly against the Donatists Pelagians and other Hereticks whereby the African Churches recovered their ancient splendor He went not so willingly to a Feast as to a conference to reduce any that erred He would not receive gifts to the Church from those which had poor kindred of their own Augustines Books also being dispersed and some of them translated into Greek and sent beyond-Sea into the Eastern Churches were means of very much good But these things so much the more enraged the Circumcellions insomuch as when Augustine went abroad to Preach to and visit his Churches which he frequently used to do they often lay in wait for him by the way to have murthered him and had certainly one time effected it but that the person who was his guide by a special Providence of God mistook his way and so led him by a By-way to the place whereby he escaped their hands as afterwards came to his knowledge for which he praised God as his only deliverer But these men in the mean time neither spared Ministers nor Lay-men One notable example we have of their wickedness which is not be passed over in silence One of Augustines Society being called to be Bishop at Calamen was very careful to propagate the Truth and to beat down Heresies but whilst he was going from Town to Town about this business he fell into the hands of the Rebaptizing Donatists who lay in wait for him these men took away the Beasts both from him and his company and all their necessaries beating the Bishop very cruelly Hereupon the Proconsul being made acquainted with it sent for Crispin the Bishop of the Donatists in that place and set a fine upon him according to the wholesom Laws made against Hereticks But Crispin denyed himself to be an Heretick whereupon a Disputation was appointed at Carthage between these two Bishops which was to be in the presence of Augustine and the Eyes of all Africk were fixed upon the event of it To be brief the Bishops met and after three days Disputation Crispin was overthrown and by the Proconsul was adjudged and condemned for an Heretick but he not standing to this sentence appealed to the Emperour who patiently heard all the cause and at last concluded that the Donatists were Hereticks that they ought not to be suffered in any Publick places and that the Laws against Hereticks should be put in Execution against them whereupon Crispin was fined in two pounds of Gold But the Catholick Bishops and especially Augustine so prevailed with the godly Emperour that the rigour of his sentence was taken from them which Piety and Charity of theirs much conduced to the encrease of the Church Not long after there was a Council held at Carthage by the appointment of the good Emperour Honorius who sent thither a Tribune and a Publick Notary to supply his own place This Council consisted of the Bishops both Catholicks and Donatists wherein the Donatists being heard to the full whatsoever they could say for the defence of their opinions were fully confuted by the Catholicks and condemned for their Errors and by the Emperours Judge were declared to be Hereticks Their Persecutions also against the Catholicks were declared even to the cutting off their members and taking away of their Lives to the great disturbance of the Peace of the Church But after this Council was dissolved many of their friends reported that they were not suffered to speak all they could for themselves and their cause because that the Judge appointed by the Emperour was too favourable to the Catholicks which yet appeared to be but a poor shift to excuse the weakness of their cause seeing that they knew him to be a Catholick before the Disputation began and yet never excepted against him Not long after there was another Council assembled at Caesarea a chief City in Mauritania for the setling of other affairs of the Church In this City was Emeritas the Bishop of the Donatists a chief defender of his Sect and one whom they most relyed upon Him therefore Augustine singled out and in the Publick Congregation challenged him desiring him now to produce what he had further to say for his Opinions seeing his friends gave out that formerly he could not be suffered to do it at Carthage but now he had full liberty and security being in his own City and environed with his friends Notwithstanding which neither by this Exhortation of Augustine neither by the instant request of his Parents and Friends could he be perswaded to it though they told him that they would all be of his Communion though they lost their Estates or underwent any other temporal punishment if he could overthrow the Catholick assertions yet nothing would prevail with him having indeed nothing to say more then he had spoken before which distrust of his cause through Gods mercy turned to the great advantage of the Church which was much encreased and confirmed hereby At another time at Carthage many Manichees being brought before him of those whom they called Elect men and Elect women Augustine who had formerly known that execrable Sect produced their damnable blasphemies out of their own Books and at length brought them to an acknowledgement of their blasphemies and those Elect women also confessed what filthy things had been according to their customs committed amongst them all which things exceedingly redounded to the benefit of the Church and to the securing of the flock against such thieves There was also a certain Noble man called Pascentius an Arian by whose authority the tribute was exacted with much rigour the Catholick Faith was much opposed and many godly Ministers were much molested and
troubled Augustine coming to Carthage where he was profered to dispute with him in the presence of many Noble men But this Heretick though he accepted the challenge would by no means suffer any thing to be written which passed betwixt them his pretence was least that which was written might be made use of against him to his prejudice because of the Law Hereupon Augustine consented privately to dispute with him without Notaries yet withall foretelling that after the Disputation every one would take liberty to make what reports they pleased of things never spoken because there was nothing set down in writing to refel them Augustine in the conference declared his Faith and Judgement requiring an account of the same from the other by Arguments and Authority of the Scriptures he confirmed his own and refelled the Errors of the other which so enraged him that he brake up the conference and when he was departed he falsly reported that he had overcome Augustine and scattered abroad many such lyes which coming to the Ears of Augustine he was compelled to write to Pascontius and therein to set down all the passages of the conference which if he should deny he was able to produce many witnesses for the proof thereof both worthy and Honorable men who were then present But he being thus twice written to by Augustine scarce returned a single answer wherein also he rather railed then asserted his Opinions Also when the Goths came into Africk there came along with them one Maximus an Arian Bishop who coming to Hippo at the earnest request of many godly and eminent men and in their presence Augustine entred into the Lists with him having Notaries to write down all that passed betwixt them His Adversary shewed more subtilty then solidity but the Truth prevailed yet this impudent Heretick when he was returned to Carthage amongst his own Sectaries lyingly boasted that he came away with the Victory whereupon Augustine was enforced to publish in writing a Narrative of the whole Disputation with all the Objections and Answers withall shewing wherein Maximus failed and to what Arguments he was able to give no Answer He took great pains also by the space of ten years against the Pelagians who were subtle Disputants publishing their Heresies by a very cunning way and endeavouring to propagate them not only in Publick but from house to house Against these Augustine wrote many Books and often disputed with them in the Congregation both to reduce them and preserve others from the infection of their Errors He was the Author also of calling many Councils in Africk against them who wrote to the Bishop of Rome that that Heresie was abominable and to be condemned by all that adhered to the Catholick Faith whereupon the godly Emperour Honorius taking cognizance of it condemned it by his Laws and appointed the holders of it to be reckoned amongst the Hereticks whereby many of them forsaking their Errors returned to the true Church again Thus was this holy man of God Augustine very solicitous about and careful of the safety of the whole Church and truly God gave him much comfort and occasion of rejoycing in the fruit of his labors even in this life First in Hippo and the Country thereabouts which was more immediately under his charge the Churches thereof enjoying much Unity and Peace Then in other more remote parts of Africk which either by his labors or by the labors of such of his Society as were called forth to be Bishops and Ministers in other places were very much established in the Truth many Manichees Donatists Pelagians and Pagans being converted from their Errors and rejoycing that they were now made Members of the true Church He was very patient towards all men he bore with the infirmities of the weak mourned for the sins of the wicked both of such as were within and without the Church rejoycing when any were gained to the Lord and weeping when any were lost So many things were dictated and published by him so many Disputations held in the Church so many things written against Hereticks and so many Books of Sacred Scripture expounded by him for the edification of the godly that a studious man all his life long can scarcely know and read over And knowing the duty imposed by Saint Paul 1 Cor. 6. 1 c. of endeavouring to decide Controversies he was very forward whensoever he was requested either by Christians or by men of any other Sect to compromise and decide their Controversies with much patience and prudence hearing both parties that so he might pass a righteous sentence and that he might the more fully take cognizance of the cause he used sometime to spend a whole day fasting to hear the same always taking advantage thereby to do what possible good he could to their souls like a good Steward Preaching the Word in season out of season Exhorting Instructing and Reproving with all long suffering and Doctrine endeavouring to instruct the Ignorant and to quicken those that were remiss in the way to Heaven Many Letters he wrote to such as sought to him for counsel and direction in their secular affairs But this he thought a trouble to him and hinderance from better imployments and therefore he always thought best of those who would either write or speak to him about Heavenly businesses He seldom was absent from the Councils which were often held in divers Provinces yet always seeking therein the things which were of God and not his own advantage His endeavour was that the Faith of the Holy Catholick Church might be preserved inviolate that such Ministers as were unjustly Excommunicate might be absolved that such as were wicked and obstinate might be cast out In the Ordination of Ministers he always judged that the consent of the godly should concur in it and that the custom of the Church should not be violated Upon a time Augustine forgetting the Argument which he first proposed to proâ—ecute fell upon a confutation of the Manichees and one Firmus a rich Merchant and a Manichee hearing him was so convinced that he came to him after and with tears on his knees confessed his Errors and promised Reformation Also one Felix a Manichee coming to Hippo to spread his Heresie in a Disputation with Augustine after the third time was so convinced that he recanted his Errors and was joined to the Church He was termed Hereticorum Malleus The hammer against Hereticks He won also many Pagans to embrace the Truth He took much pains in ending disferences His Apparel was neither sumptuous nor sordid his Diet usually was Broth and Roots He used to say Non ego immunditiam obsonii timeo sed immunditiam cupidâ—tatis Scio enim Noe omne genus carnis quod cibo esset usui mâ—nducare permissum Heliam Cibo carnis refectum c Though for his Guests and sick-folks he had better His Dishes for his meat were of Earth or
ways to be beset by which these two Fathers used to go to instruct the people and it pleased God that as these two walked by the way they fell into these watchmens hands who presently loaded them with Irons and carried them to the Arian Priest Faelix when he saw that he was like to be apprehended threw away some money into a bush which he happened to have about him for the Brethrens sustenance The Arian Priest when they came before him used them very roughly demanding of them why they came out of their own Country to subvert his Christian hearers And as they were about to answer he would not hear them but first commanded them to be scourged whereupon Faelix requested that his Brother Fulgentius might be spared For saith he he cannot endure the extremity of the torment but in all likelihood will breath forth his innocent Soul under your hands But 〈…〉 let your wrath be wholly wreaked upon me who am most guilty of that which you charge us with Faelix therefore was mostcruelly beaten but not that Fulgentius should be spared who being of Noble Parentage was of a tender constitution and so the blows with the staves were the more grieveous to him whereupon he earnestly desired to be heard having somewhat to say and so the stripes and bastinadoes being intermitted he began with his Eloquent mouth to relate the cause of their travel into those parts causing his very Adversaries to wonder at his Eloquence and flowing Language So that the Priest had almost forgotten his cruelty and shame of the injury was ready to embrace his obdurate heart Yet least he should appear to be overcome with his words he cryed out Lay him on lustily and multiplying your blows ren◠this pratler What Thinks he by his words to seduce me also Hereupon he was again beaten most mercilesly then were both of them shaven deformedly their clothes pulled off and so they were sent packing all naked Forth then from the Arians house they departed no otherwise then as from a glorious combat and as crowned with Lawrels of Victory In their return they found the money which Faelix had hidden which was a great refreshing to them The fame of this detestable fact gave great offence to many and in particular to the Arian Bishop of the Diocess who had a good opinion of Fulgentius and much favoured him and would have punished the Priest if Fulgentius had desired it of him and indeed many urged him to seek revenge but he gave them this humble denyal saying It is not lawful for a Christian to meditate revenge our Lora Christ well knoweth how to repay the injuries inflicted on his servants If my case be avenged then lose I the reward of my patience especially seeing it might scandalize many little ones if I a Catholick should require judgement at an Arians hand A while after Fulgentius having heard and read much of the strict lives of the Monks in Egypt had a great minde to see the same and so leaving his Monastery he took shipping for Egypt but a storm meeting him by the way he was driven into the Haven of Syracuse the chief City of Sicily At this time Eusalius was Bishop there who very curteously entertained Fulgentiu and upon converse finding his sufficiency enquired the cause of his voyage and understanding by him the cause he much disswaded him from it and perswaded him to continue at Syracuse that winter which when he consented to he maintained him all that time and Fulgentius out of that little allowed him carefully ministred somewhat to the necessities of others Summer being come he failed to Rome where beholding the glory of the Romane Nobility the triumphant pomp of King Theodorick and the universal splendor and joy of the City he was so far from being taken with such worldly toys and delights that it raised up his desires after heavenly joys saying thus to some of his friends that accompanied him How beautiful may the Caelestial Hierusalem be when Terrestial Rome so glittereth If such honour be given to lovers of vanity what glory shall be imparted to the Saints who are lovers and followers of Truth Then did he return into Africa to the incredible joy of his Brethren but after a while finding the distractions which necessarily attended his abode there partly by reason of his care in Government and partly by reason of much resort of Noble men and others that dayly repaired to him his fame being now spread abroad he privily stole away and went to another Monastery far off amidst the shelly Rocks of the Sea destitute in a manner of all humane solace and necessaries where being with all courtesie received as much as he excelled others in Learning and Eloquence so far subjected he himself to all in humility and obedience Many Books he there copied out fair with his own hands and for his recreation made many necessary implements for the house of Palm-leaves But at last his old society gained knowledge of the place of his abode and presently sent to request his return Hereupon great contention arose between the two houses whilst one sought to retain the other to regain him The Controversie at last came before Bishop Faustus who Decreed his return to his first place and that he might be imployed for the publick good he ordained him a Presbyter At which time sundry Cities wanting Pastors for the King had forbidden the Ordination of any more Bishops many of them sought and sued to Fulgentius to undertake that charge and some proceeded to Elect him outright yet thought he himself secure by reason of the Kings prohibition till at last the persecuted Bishops who yet survived resolved rather to incur the displeasure of the King then to suffer the people any longer to want Bishops and thereupon meeting together they Decreed that Bishops should be ordained for all the vacant places and forthwith least the Arian King hearing of it should prevent them they sought out godly Presbyters whom they might appoint to this Office but then Fulgentius who was most of all sought for could no where be found for he had hid himself to avoid that imployment and so continued till all the solemnities were over passed and then returned hoping now to live in quiet But it pleased God otherwise to dispole of it For it so fell out that the City of Ruspa remained as yet unfurnished the Citizens whereof getting inkling that Fulgentius was discovered they came unto him laid hold upon him carryed him with them and not request but constrain him to be their Bishop Yet in this dignity he nothing forget his former integrity he still used mean and simple attire went many times barefoot wholly abstained from Flesh Wine and Oil and always kept about him some of his former associates But he with his fellow Bishops enjoyed not long their places for that fell out which was easily
come unto the Council for as much as the said Mr. John Huss is ready to satisfie every man at the said Council which shall lay any thing to his charge as touching his Faith In all Cities as he passed by especially when he entred into Germany a great number of people resorted to him and he was everywhere kindly entertained especially by the Citizens and Burgesses that he confessed in a certain Epistle that he found in no place so great Enemies as in Bohemia and when he came to Noremberg certain Merchants that went before having given notice of his coming almost all the Priests that were in the City came to him desiring him that they might talk with him in private to whom he answered that he desired rather to declare his minde openly then in hugger mugger and so from dinner time till night he spake before the Priests Senators and many Citizens insomuch that they all had him in singular estimation and reverence One of his great Adversaries Stanisâ—aus Znoma a Bohemian as he was going towards Constance to accuse him was stricken by God with a great Impostume whereof he dyed When Mr. Huss came to Constance he was sent for to appear before some Cardinals to give an account of his Doctrine but he told them that he came to do it before all the Council yet if they would force him to do it before them he doubted not but Christ would strengthen him to chuse death for his glories sake rather then to deny the Truth which he had learned out of the holy Scriptures After Examination they committed him to a filthy Prison where by reason of the stink he fell sick and was like to die In the mean time his Adversaries preferred Articles against him wherein they had forged many things of their own heads wresting and perverting his godly and Orthodox sayings to a sinister sense that they might have whereof to accuse him and thereupon desired of the Council that he might he condemned Mr. Huss hearing of these their malicious proceedings moved that he might have an Advocate but that was denyed him Whilst he lay there in Prison when he had in some measure regained his health he wrote sundry Books From that Prison he was removed by the Bishop of Constance to a Castle on the other side of the Rhene where in the day time he was so laden with fetters on his Legs that he could scarce go and every night he was fastned by the hands up to a rack against the wall Hereupon many Noble men of Bohemia petitioned for his release at least upon Bail but that was denyed The sum of the Nobles Petition was this That whereas Mr. John Huss is freely of his own accord come to Constance under the Emperors safe Conduct against all right and reason he is grievously imprisoned before he is heard and at this present is tormented miserably with hunger thirst and fetters though formerly at the Council of Pisa held Anno Christi 1410. the Hereticks which were condemned were suffered to remain at their liberty and to depart home freely But Mr. John Huss neither convicted nor condemned no nor so much as once heard is taken and imprisoned when as neither King nor any Prince Elector nor any Ambassador from any University is yet come or present and though the Lord our King together with the Nobles and Lords here present have most instantly required and desired that his safe Conduct might not be violated and that the said Mr. John Huss might be openly heard being ready to render a reason of his Faith and if he be convicted obstinately to affirm or maintain any thing against truth and the holy Scriptures that he is ready to amend the same yet could be never obtain this But the said Mr. John Huss notwithstanding all this is most grievously oppressed with fetters and irons and so weakned with hunger and thirst that it is to be feared that be will die in Prison And although the Lords of Bohemia here present are greatly scandalized with the trouble and torments of Mr. John Huss contrary to the Kings safe Conduct yet hitherto they have forborn to complain to the King that he might see his safe Conduct better observed and the reproach and dishonor that is done to the Kindgom of Bohemia thereby vindicated and indeed they suffer these things patiently least by any means trouble or vexation should arise to this Sacred Council by reason thereof Wherefore we most earnestly desire and require your Fatherhoods that for the honor of the safe Conduct granted by the King and for the preservation and encrease of the worthy fame and renown of the Kingdom of Bohemia and your own also you will hasten the dispatch of Mr. John Huss his business seeing he is in great danger by reason of his strait Imprisonment if you delay him any longer And whereas we the Nobles of Bohemia are informed that many slanderous reports are raised by back-biters against the famous Kingdom of Bohemia as that the Sacrament is carryed up and down in Vessels unhallowed that Coblers do administer it and hear Confessions c. We therefore require and desire you that you will give no heed to such tale-bearers who herein report untruths also we require that such back-biters may be made known and we doubt not easily to refell the false and trivolous slanders of these naughty persons that hereafter they shall be ashamed to appear before the Lord King and your Reverences But notwithstanding this they which were appointed for his Judges in his absence heard his Enemies examined witnesses against him Judged his Doctrine not by the true Touch-stone of Gods Word but by the Popish Canons Yet when the Council would have condemned him without hearing the Emperour interposed requiring that he should be first heard but when he was brought before them they made such a confused noise railing upon him that he could not speak one word The next day when he was brought before them again there fell out so great an Eclipse that the Sun was almost wholly darkned but when Huss saw that he was like to meet with no Justice there he appealed from them to the Pope and from him to Christ for which they derided him But when he saw the cruelty of his Judges the malice of his Accusers the falsehood of his Witnesses and the rage of all the Council against him that breathed forth nothing but fire and fagots he kneeled down and commended his righteous cause to the Lord Jesus Christ begging forgiveness for his very Enemies yet he earnestly requested even with tears the Council that they would convince him of any Error by the Word of God and he would willingly retract it but nothing prevailing they proceeded to condemn and degrade him whereupon kneeling down he said Lord Jesus Christ forgive mine Enemies by whom thou knowest that I am falsly accused forgive them I say for thy great
should marry in these unhappy times as if he cared not for those mischiefs which are before our Eyes But I think this was the occasion of it you know well enough his course of life that he is none of those that shun meetings I think better to leave you to think the rest then that I should write it If any undecent thing be reported by the people of him it 's alye and a calumny I judge also that nature compelled him to become as husband If any thing seem unseasonable and unadvised it must not trouble us too much perhaps there is some hidden and divine matter in it into which it becometh not us curiously to search and because I see him sorrowful for the change of his condition I labor to comfort him all that I can Anno 1527. he fell sick of a congealing of blood about his heart but by the drinking of the water of Carduus Benedictus he recovered Presently after on a Sabbath day he endured a spiritual temptation which he called the buffeting of Satan It seemed to him that swelling surges of the Sea did sound aloud at his left Ear and that so violently that dye he must except they presently grew calm afterwards when the noise came within his head he fell down as one dead and was so cold in each part ut nec calor nec sanguis nec sensus nec vox superesset that he had remaining neither heat nor blood nor sense nor voice but when his face was sprinkled with cold water by Justus Jonas he came to himself and prayed most earnestly and made a confession of his Faith saying That he was unworthy to suffer Martyrdom which by his proceedings he might seem to run upon He often mentions this tentation in his Letters to his Friends and was confirmed in his Faith by receiving absolution from a Minister and the use of the Sacrament Melancthon knowing the rage of the Papists and Caesars threats to subvert the Gospel was much troubled at it and gave himself wholly up to grief sighs and tears whereupon Luther wrote to him In private conflicts I am weak and you are strong but in publick conflicts you are found weak and I stronger because I am assured that our cause is just and true If we fall Christ the Lâ—rd and Ruler of the World falleth with us and suppose he fall Mallem ruere cum Christo quà m regnare cum Caesare I had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar I extremely dislike your excessive cares with which you say that you are almost consumed That these reign so much in your heart it is not from the greatness of the danger but the greatness of your incredulity Si piam justam causam defendimus cur Dei promistis non confidimus praeter vitam hanc misellam Satanas mundus nobis eripere nihil potest At vivit in sempiternum regnat Christus in cujus tutela consistit veritas Is nobis aderit is etiam causam hanc quae non nostra sed ipsius est ad optatum producet finem If the cause be bad let us revoke it and flie back if it be good Why do we make God a lyer who hath made us so great promises Cast thy care upon the Lord c. Be of good comfort I have overcome the world If Christ be the conquerour of the world why should we fear it as if it would overcome us A man would fetch such sentences as these upon his knees from Rome or Hierusalem Nolite igitur timere estote fortes laeti nihil solliciti Dominus propè adest Be not afraid be couragious and cheerful solicitous for nothing The Lord is at hand to help us And in another place when our King Henry the Eighth had written bitterly against him Agant quicquid possunt Henrici Episcopi atque adeò Turca ipse Satan nos filii sumus regni c. Let the Henries the Bishops the Turk and the Divel himself do what they can we are the children of the Kingdom worshipping and waiting for that Saviour whom they and such as they spit upon and crucifie Concerning this his answer Erasmus thus writes If saith he Luther commending the Kings good intention had proceeded by strong Arguments without violating the Kingly Majesty in my judgement he had taken a better course for the defence of his cause For what made Luther in his Book to the King of England to use these words Come hither my Lord Henry and I will teach you Truly the Kings Book was written in Latine and that not unlearnedly But Luther thus excuseth himself If any man saith he be offended at my sharpness against the King let him know that in that Book I dealt with senseless Monsters who contemned my best and most modest writings and by my humility and modesty were more hardned in their Errors Besides I abstained from bitterness and lies with which the Kings Book was stuffed Neither is it any wonder if I contemn and bite an Earthly King when as he feared not at all in his writings to blaspheme the King of Heaven and to profane his truth with virulent lyes Anno Christi 1523. A Diet was held at Norinberg in the absence of Caesar wherein the Edict of Worms was made null Of this the Popes Legat complained to the Princes saying That Luther was not punished according to the Emperours Edict To which the Princes answered That the Court of Rome neglected Reformation That Germany was so far inlightned by the Sermons and Writings of Luther that if they should go about to put the Edict in Execution great tumults would arise and the people would be ready to think that they went about to oppress the Truth and to put out the light of the Gospel that so they might the better defend those manifest vices which could be no longer concealed The same year Luther published his Book Of the Dignity and Office of the Civil Magistrate He wrote also to the Waldenses about the Adoration of the Sacrament He published the Pentatâ—uch in the German tougue He wrote to the Senate of Prague his Book De Instituendis Ministris Ecclesiae and another about the avoiding the Doctrines of men Besides divers others What was judged of him for his constancy and resolution may appear by this Upon a time a motion was made in the Consistory at Rome that a great sum of mony should be profered to him to buy him off from opposing Popery but one wiser then the rest cryed out Hem Germana illa bestia non curat aurum sed auram That beast of Germany cares for no money but seeks vain-glory Anno Christi 1529. he set forth both his Catechisms the lesser in January the greater in October following The year after the Emperour summoned a Diet at Auspurg giving the Publick Faith for the security of all men that would come to the Diet to
set forth the Form of their Belief Hereupon the Prince Elector of Saxony to be the better prepared against this Diet appointed Luther Justus Jonas Pomeran and Melancthon to set down the form of Doctrine which the Saxon Churches and those which accorded with them did profess Luther comprehended the sum of his Doctrine in seventeen Articles which being revised by Phil. Melancthon and put into a better form was afterwards called the Confession of Auspurg And whereas it was given out that the Emperour when he came into Germany would tread the Gospellers under his feet the Protestant Princes met and consulted together whether it were better to go to the Diet or to meet the Emperour in Arms before he should pass the Alps. Luther who was always a Counsellor of Peace disswaded them from taking Arms under the pretence of Religion perswading them rather by Faith and Prayer to beg and look for help from God whose cause saith he himself will defend Upon this advice the Princes went to Auspurg yet left Luther not far of in Coburg Castle to be nere at hand but out danger that his advice might be had in time of need And when the Diet was met the Elector of Saxony sent to him to know whether the cause of Religion should be referred to the Judgement of the Emperour This Luther would by no means have done For saith he this honor is to be given to the Word of God only to be Judge of holy controversies Anno Christi 1535. the Landgrave of Hess sent for Bucer and Melancthon to Casells to reconcile them together about the business of the Sacrament where after much conference Melancthon mitigated the rigor of his opinion about Christs presence and at his return to Wittenberg he carryed with him Bucers Declaration concerning that point which when Luther had considered of he began to hearken to an agreement with Zuinglius writing most friendly to the Divines of Strasborough and to others that there might be a meeting appointed wherein after deliberation the desired concord might be confirmed And accordingly Anno Christi 1536. Bucer and divers other Divines of Germany came to Wittenberg where a form of concord was drawn up by Bucer and subscribed by both parties But Bucer therein striving to please both parties pleased neither For the Helvetian Divines rejected it and Luther understanding of Bucers various Exposition of it was very wroth with him and would no more reckon him amongst his friends And so all hope of concord was taken away An. Chr. 1537. The Protestants being met at Smalcald drew up and set forth the sum of their Religion and practice in a book called Articuli Smalcaldici unto which Luther prefixed this preface Whereas Pope Paul the third summoned a Council the last year which was to meet at Mantua and a little after adjourned it again without nominating time or place so that it is not certain whether he will or can call it And we also hoped that we should have been called to it or else it was to be feared that we should be condemned not called It was injoyned to me that I should gather and write the Articles of our Doctrine that if perhaps the matter went on it might be known what and how far we would and could yeild to the Papists and in what points we would constantly persevere I have therefore written these Articles and delivered them to our party who have perused and received them with one consent that they might be publickly presented and explain the Confession of our Faith in the Council if any one shall at length be assembled and held by the Pope and Popelings without lyes and deceit in a true lawful and Christian manner But seeing the Court of Rome doth so fear a Christian and free Council and most fouly flyeth the light so that all hopes of seeing such a Council is utterly taken away even from the Papists themselves to the great offence of many of them taking ill the negligence of the Pope herein yea they easily from hence gather that the Pope had rather see the destruction of all Christianity and the damnation of all souls then to suffer a Reformation of himself and Courtiers and the restraint of his Tyranny I thought fit therefore to publish these Articles that if I be taken out of this life before a Council be called which I trust and hope shall so come to pass seeing these wicked flyers of the light labor so much to drive of and hinder a Council That they I say which live after me should have my Confession and Testimony and may adjoin and publish it with the Confession which I have formerly set forth wherein I have hitherto persevered and will by Gods grace persevere unto the end What shall I say How shall I begin my complaint For being yet alive I Preach and read to others publickly and dayly and yet not only my virulent Adversaries but my false Brethren that say that they agree with us in opinion dare bring and alleadge my own Doctrine and Writings against me whilest I am alive and see it and hear it albeit they know that I teach otherwise and they go about to adorn their own poyson with my labors so to deceive and seduce the simple with my name Good God what then will be done after my decease I should answer to all things whilst I am alive But how I pray you can I alone stop all the months of the Devil especially of them who being so full of poyson will neither hear nor heed what I write but wholly imploy themselves wickedly to pervert and deprave my words even in the least letters Let the Devil and Gods wrath answer them as they deserve I oftentimes remember good Gerson who oft doubted whether any thing that is good might be brought to light by writing If writing be omitted many souls are neglected which might have been delivered and if it be done presently the Devil is at hand with plaguy tongues full of slanders which corrupt all things and fill them with poyson that the profit of the writings may be hindred thereby Yet what commodity they receive by this their malice is manifest for whereas by loading us with lyes they seek to draw away the simple from us God so ordereth it by his Providence for the promoting of his own work that their company decreaseth and ours increaseth daily for God hath confounded and still will confound them and their lyes Lately there came a Doctor out of France to Wittenberg who told us openly that his King was made to believe that we had no true Church amongst us no Magistrates no mariages but that we all live promiscuously together like brute beasts With what face will these false Informers look upon us before the Tribunal Seat of Christ in his last Judgement who have so oft told their King such false and prodigious lyes Christ who is the Lord and Judge of us all
finding his defect in the knowledge of the Tongues he learnt Greek wrote out S. Pauls Epistles and gat them by heart and grew so perfect that he understood Greek better then Latine and reading in S. Peter that no Scripture is of private interpretation he betook himself by earnest Prayer to God for the Spirit of Truth to be his Teacher and least he should be misled by a false spirit he compared Scripture with Scripture and expounded obscure Texts by those which were more clear In his Ministry he set himself much against the sins of the times especially against Pensions which the Switzers used to receive of Princes to serve as Mercenaries in their Armies which procured him much hatred After a while he was chosen to a place called Our Lords Hermitage by Theobaldus Guolzeggius the Baron thereof to which place there was great resort of people from all Countries who came on Pilgrimage which much moved him to embrace that Cal that he might have opportunity to disperse the knowledg of the Truth into several parts About this time one of the chief Ministers dying at Zurick they much desired Zuinglius to succeed him and he coming accidentally to that place was chosen Pastor there An. Chr. 1519. and began to Preach unto them the History of Christ out of Matthew Presently after there came one Sampson a Franciscan Fryar and a Preacher of Indulgences who was sent by the Pope into Switzerland to get money Zuinglius strongly opposed himself against him shewing him to be an Impostor The Bishop also of Constance wrote to Zuinglius to keep this Sampson out of Zurick because he had not acquainted him with his authority Yet when this Impostor came to Zurick because he was kept out he went to Badena setting forth the Popes Buls to sale Often crying out Behold they flie behold they flie as if he had seen with his Eyes the Souls which he had delivered out of Purgatory flying into Heaven Zuinglius also caused the Pope to be admonished by his Commissary not to Excommunicate Luther for that he foresaw the Germanes would despise both him and his Excommunication which also came to pass Anno Christi 1520. the Senate of Zurick by the Council of Zuinglius commanded the Preachers of their Jurisdiction freely to teach whatsoever might be proved by the Authority of the Prophets and Apostles passing by the Inventions of men Hereupon the Bishop of Constance by publick Proclamation forbad those of Zurick to Innovate any thing willing them to remain in the Faith of the Church of Rome till a Council might be convened But Zuinglius defended them and his writings and the Magistrates of Zurick entreated the Bishop to come to a Synod where learned men might confer together and determine what the people ought to believe Yet the Bishop wrote again to them shewing them what complaints he had heard of Zuinglius which he could not but take notice of the City belonging to his Jurisdiction But Zuinglius going to the Bench of Aldermen defended his Doctrine and satisfied them Anno Christi 1522. the Bishop wrote again to the College of Canons at Zurick exhorting them to take heed to themselves for that Pope Leo and the Emperour by their Proclamations had condemned those Doctrines he put them in minde therefore to obey those Decrees and not to innovate any thing in Religion till those whom it concerned had by Common-Council set down somewhat Hereupon Zuinglius wrote back to the Bishop that he understood by whose setting on he did these things but he wished him not to follow their Counsel For saith he the Truth is invincible and will not be resisted And afterwards some others joyning with him they wrote to the Bishop entreating him to Decree nothing against the Doctrine of the Gospel and that he would no longer endure the filthy and infamous life of the Priests but that he would suffer them to marry Zuinglius wrote also to the Helvetians that they should not hinder the course of the Gospel that they would not trouble Ministers for marrying for that the command for their living without Wives was the Doctrine of Satan He exhorted them also whereas their manner was in their Pages or parishes when they admitted a Priest to command him to take a Concubine least he should attempt the chastity of other women that instead thereof they should command them to take lawful ways About this time Luthers Books coming abroad though himself abstained from reading of them yet he perswaded his people to buy and read them which he did that they might see the agreement that was in their Doctrine being both taught by the same spirit There also he studyed Hebrew and gat the Senate to erect a School for Latine Greek and Hebrew and associating to himself Leo Judae he gat such skill in the Hebrew that he began to explain Isaiah and Jeremiah Shortly after there came to Zurick Franciscus Lambertus and disputed with Zuinglius about the Intercession of the Saints and the sacrifice of the Mass but being non-plus'd he left his Error and gave praise to God Zuinglius began also to write about this time and Pope Adrian wrote to him with great promises to oblige him to the Papal-Sea but all in vain Shortly after he perswaded the Senate to restrain the exorbitant number of Priests and Fryars yet withall to allow them a competent subsistence for their life time which was done accordingly and their revenues were imployed for the maintenance of the Ministry for advancement of Learning and for the Poor He pressed also the taking away of Images the abolishing of the Mass and the restoring of the Lords Supper which the Senate assented to and performed not only in the City of Zurick but through all the places within their jurisdiction Anno Christi 1523. when the Senators of Zurick understood that the Doctrine of Zuinglius was traduced everywhere as being wicked and ungodly they commanded all the Ministers of their Jurisdiction to meet together on the 29. of January about the differences of Religion promising that every one should be fully heard they beseeched also the Bishop of Constance that he would either come himself or send thither some of his Divines At the day appointed many met together John Faber the Bishops Vicar being also present who pleaded hard that this place was unfit to handle such causes but that they were to be referred to a general Council But Zuinglius urged him that if he had any thing against his Doctrine which he had published in 47 Positions he should produce it and he should be answered either by word of mouth or writing which when Faber would not consent to the Magistrates dismissed the Assembly and proclaimed throughout their Jurisdiction that the Gospel should be purely taught out of the Books of the Old and New Testament the Traditions of men being laid
the day and year of their abolishing the Popish Religion upon a Pillar in Golden letters that an everlasting memorial might remain there to future Posterities The like Reformation was effected at Basil. Not long after Quarrels arose between the Popish and Protestant Cantons of the Switzers and Armies were raised on both sides They of Zurick publishing the causes why they took Arms As first that the Popish Switzers beat their men when they came to require their debts Then that the Vnderwalds hung the Arms of Bern Basil and Strasborough upon the Gallows Then that they had made a League with their ancient Enemy King Ferdinand to oppress their Religion Whereby they violate not only the Law of Nature but also their own Covenants But when the Armies drew neer by the mediation of their neighbors the differences were composed and Arms laid down for the present Anno Christi 1529. Philip Landgrave of Hess endeavoured to reconcile the differences between the Saxon and Helvetian Divines concerning the Eucharist For which end he called from Wittenberg Luther Justus Jonas and Melancthon From Helvetia Zuinglius and Oecolampadius From Norenberg Osiander from Hall John Brentius From Strasborough Bucer and Hedio At their coming all were courteously entertained by the Landgrave After dinner Oecolampadius and Bucer went to salute Luther who spake friendly to Oecolampadius but being saluted by Bucer he answered You are naught and a Knave The Disputation continued many days but in the beginning of it Luther told them that he would not depart an hairs bredth from his opinion and when they could not agree yet the Helvetians desired Luther that he would account of them as of Brethren which he would by no means assent unto then did Zuinglius Oecolampadius and Bucer Protest before the whole Assembly that Luther had not defended his Opinion by the Word of God that his Error had been clearly shewed him and that the Truth of their cause had been abundantly demonstrated both out of the Word of God and the most Ancient Fathers And so the Sweating Sickness breaking out the Disputation ended and they returned home Yet it pleased God that this fruit the Conference had that they agreed in thirteen other Articles and promised mutual love each to other and to join in Prayer to God to discover his Truth to them The Landgrave of Hess also was converted to the true Opinion hereby so that he was hardly drawn to subscribe the Augustine Confession protesting that he was not satisfied about the tenth Article Also Francis Lambert his Preacher who had formerly been much addicted to Luther being now overcome with the Truth of Gods Word changed his Opinion about the Sacrament signifying his Opinion to the whole Church by a Confession which he wrote and delivered it to the Ministers of Strasborough when he lay upon his death-bed who after published it About that time there arose up the Cata-baptists which denyed the Baptism of Infants and re-baptized themselves and fell also into many other abominable Errors and Heresies with these Zuinglius at first dealt very mildly and brotherly but when they began to asperse him with lyes to seduce his hearers and make a Schism in the Church he was forced to oppose them more strongly in his publick Ministry and by Disputations but though he had silenced them they raged the more against him whereupon the Senate imprisoned some proscribed others and for falsifying their Faith put some to death The first father of them was Balâ—hasar Hucmâ—rus an Apostate and one that for Zuinglius his kindeness loaded him with lyes and reproaches The Monks and Fryars being cast out of their houses and brought to pensions sought to ensnare him and for that end suborned sometime some to seize upon him and to carry him away others to kill him so that he could not stir abroad in safety in the night whereupon his friends guarded him when he was abroad at supper and the Senate were fain to appoint a guard about his house in the night time Anno Christi 1531. They of Zurick and Bern stopped Provision from being carryed to the five Popish Pages and withall set out this Declaration That being compelled by the wrongs of the five Cities they had barred them from Provision and because they refused the conditions of Peace which were propounded by the Intercessors violating the Covenants of the former years by which order was taken that no mans Religion should be prejudicial to him wherefore say they it is lawful for us to deny them food and if any contest should arise about it it ought to be imputed to them who desire nothing but dissentions But when by reason hereof those five Cities were pinched with want they levyed Troops and came forth with Banners displayed and sooner then was expected entred into the bounds of them of Zurick where was a Garrison of above one thousand men placed This Garrison discerning its own weakness sent messenger after messenger into the Town to hasten help to them but such was the speed of the Enemy that the succors came late yet when they came to the top of the Mountain they saw their Souldiers fighting and in present danger whereupon exhorting and encouraging one another they ran down the hill with all speed but the passage was so narrow that they could go but single so that wanting time to ranck themselves they were oppressed with multitude about three hundred and eighty of them were slain and the rest escaped by flight Zuinglius was in this battel for it is the custom of the Switzers that their chief Minister goeth out with them to battel And Zuinglius being wise couragious and valiant considered with himself that if he should stay at home and the battel prove ill he should be exposed to much envy as if he had encouraged others before danger approached and then proved faint-hearted himself The truth is he never approved this cutting off Provision from the five Pages and when he saw the Magistrates would needs do it he went to them and craved leave to depart from Zurick because his counsel was not obeyed but they being troubled at this motion sent certain choice men to him to request that he would not forsake their Church which at last he assented to though said he it be to the danger of my life About fourteen days before the fight in a Sermon he foretold his own death and a Comet appearing about that time he told a friend privately that the Comet was fatal to him and one other meaning as was supposed Oecolampadius Zuinglius in the battel was overthrown thrice and yet still gat up again the fourth time being wounded with a spear he fell on his knees and said Well they can kill the Body but they cannot kill the Soul As the souldiers were spoiling the slain Zuinglius was found alive lying upon his back his arms folded and his Eyes lift up
adspectu primo augustissimum illud caput In principio erat verbum c. When I opened the New Testament I first light upon Johns first Chapter In the beginning was the word c. I read part of the Chapter and was suddenly convinced that the Divinity of the Argument and the Majesty and Authority of the writing did exceedingly excel all the Eloquebce of humane writings My body trembled my mind was astonished and I was so affected all that daie that I knew not where and what I was Thou wast mindfull of me O my God according to the multitude of thy mercies and calledst home thy lost sheep into thy foid And from that day forward he fervently bent himself to the study and practise of piety to the great joy and comfort of his father Who presently after sent him to Geneva giving him onely so much money as would bear his charges intending to sent more after him But the Civill wars presently beginning in France he was hindred of his purpose So that Junius when he came to Geneva had onely so much money left as would buy him fourbooks a Bible Calvins Institutions Beza's confessions and an Hebrew Grammer which for a year together he studied with much diligence At the end whereof he was sollicited by some of his chamberfellowes to travell with them into Helvetia which he assented to and went with them having but little mony remaining In this jorney he spent three weeks and at Bern saluted Musculus and Hallerus At Zurick Martyr Bullinger and Gualter and at Neocom Farrel so returned to Geneva again Not long after hee began to be pinched with want and thereupon resolved each other day to dig in the Town-ditch to supply his necessities withall But it so fell out by Gods providence that a young man a Tailor whose Mother had formerly lived over against Junius his Mothers house in France and had often been relieved by her profered him both mony and lodging in his house With him therefore he lived almost seven months yet with much inconvenience to his studies till a peace being made in France his Father sent Mony to him Whilst he lived with his hest to prevent his being burthensom to him for four moneths together he fasted from his dinners spending that time in walking meditation and prayer And at supper he never eat but two eggs But by this abstinence he so weakned and dried up his body that his strength was much decaied till by the advice of his friends changing his custome and mending his Commons he by degrees recovered it again His Father not willing that he should study Divinity sent for him home but he wrote to him desiring that for the improvement of his studies hee would be pleased to allow him a longer stay But before his letter came his Father was cruelly murthered which sad newes coming to him he wrote to his Mother not to be sollicitous for him for that he would maintain himself by his own labors And thereupon hee taught Latine Oreek and Hebrew to some youths and so followed his studies besides that he brought his bodie into a dangerous distemper It fell out also that about that time the Head-School master of Geneva dying the Minister of Nosoâ—om was sent for to supply his room and Junius was profered to Preach in his place which he refused excusing himselfe for that as yet hee had not so fitted himselfe by his studies for the work of the Ministry as he desired Shortly after there came a Messenger from Antwerp desiring that a Minister might be sent to the French Church that was gathered there and Junius being judged fit for that service he was sent thither which fell out to be just at that time when the Navie went from thence to fetch a Bride for Alexander Farnesius Prince of Parma by which meanes there was great expectation of good both in Flanders and Brabant But it proved far otherwise for the Navy shortly after returning brought together with the Bride the King of Spaines letters Patents for the setling of the Spaâ—sh Inquisition in the Belgick Provinces For the preventing of which yoke some of the Nobility met together at Bruxels sending for Junius to come to them who coming found but about twenty men together to whom he Preached and prayed that they might be delivered from that cruell yoke After which they entred into consultation how they might free â—emselves frmo it which was Anno Christi 1565. This first meeting was in the house of two Noblemen brothers for which two yeares after they lost their heads and their house was pulled down to the ground Junius was afterwards sought for at his lodging in Antwerp but it pleased God that just at that time he was gone to Breda to visit the Church there by which meanes God delivered him from that danger Yet the enemies laid another snare for him pretending a disputation at a certain City in Flanders at which Junius was requested to be present but he was no sooner come thither and gone into his Inne but a Townsman came running to him to tell him that the Officers were coming to seize upon him Whereupon he was conducted out at a back door and led from one place to another by which meanes he escaped the unjust violence of his adversaries Afterwards at Gaunt he was in like danger yet the Lord wonderfully delivered him so that he got to Antwerp in safetie When hee came backe to Antwerp he was not suffered to continue in his Pastoral Office Whereupon by the advice of the Brethren he went to Limburg leaving his Clothes and Library behind him all which he there lost Yet neither was he there in safety but so many snares were laid for him that he escaped death very narrowly several times the Almighty Lord still protecting him There was near that place an old woman having manie children that for thirteen years together had conflicted with grievous despair crying out that shee and all her children were damned The Priests had often by their exorcisms sought her cure The neighbours had bound her in chaines and beaten her yet all in vain for she brake the chaines and run into the Woods hiding her self from the society of all men insomuch that she was thought to be possessed with the Divill Shee being brought to Junius he examined her in private of the cause of her distemper Shee told him that all her Neighbours said that she was damned because she had come so seldome to Mass whereas indeed she was hindred from it by the care of her many small children Junius hereupon informed her out of Gods word that she had not sinned at all therein for that it was according to Gods will that shee should take care of her children who preferr's mercy before sacrifice And also that the Mass was not the service of God c. By which meanes she was