ioy and felicitie and he saide that this his comming should be signified by his Heralt and forerunner who should come in the vertue and spirit of Elias This nowe is the thirde order of the Doctours of the Church of the faithfull that is to say of the Prophetes whose gouernement endured about 600. yeares The gouernours and high priestes be in the fourth rable and order of the doctours of the Church of God after the returne from the captiuitie of Babylon euen vntill Iesus Christe the sonne of God which is the true king and euerlasting high priest of the people of God 38 Mardocheus who yelded him selfe captiue vnto Babylon with the king Iechonias he was exalted vnto dignitie in the 12. yeare of king Assuerus which was in the yeare after the creation of the world 3453. as Philo reciteth Mardocheus liued 197. yeares 39 Iosue or Iesus who returned againe into Iewrie with the conductor Zorobabel 536. yeares before the Natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe he gouerned in the roome of an high priest 36. yeares Philo thinketh that it is he that compiled the booke of Iudith 40 Ioachim succéeded his grandfather and gouerned by the space of 48. yeres Some there be that say it was but 28. yeares This man is reported to haue written the historie of Hester Esdras gouerned with these men before named who was sent backe againe with the people to Ierusalem for to build vp againe the Temple and citie and that was in the seuenth yere of Artaxerxes which is in the yeare since the creation of the world 3505. Moreouer Nehemias gouerned with them who in like sort was sent backe againe to Ierusalem in the 20. yeare of Artaxerxes for to reedifie and build vp the Temple and citie It is thought that he liued more then 120. yeares as appeareth by his historie for he liued vntill the time of great Alexander and in the 12. Chapter he speaketh of Iaddo the high priest who receiued Alexander into Ierusalē Furthermore in his time the high priestes began greatly to abuse their office and authoritie making them selues great and mightie men and for this cause they were sharply reproued by Nehemias And after this folowed a great and horrible confusion and tyrannie in the dignitie of priesthood for as much as they applyed them selues rather to heap vp riches and to get honours then to serue in the Temple and to worship God and they sought the alliance of such kings as dwelt neare about them We must therefore let passe such monsters and only make mention of the faithful by whome the true doctrine of God hath bene garded and set foorth 41 Now in that time amongest others that administred best in their charge were Simon and Eleazar two brethren the sonnes of Onias In the time of this Eleazar moe then a hundreth thousand Iewes which were captiues in Egypt were set at libertie by Ptolomeus Philadelphus for euery head of whome he payed at his owne cost 12. crownes This king Ptolome caused thrée score and tenne men to come out of Iewrie into Egypt the which translated the bookes of the old Testament into the Gréeke tongue whose translation is vnto this day called The translation of the seuentie interpreters And after that he had rewarded them with greate presentes he sent them home againe to their owne houses It is reported that this translation was finished and made perfect in the 17. yeare of Ptolomeus Philadelphus which was in the yeare since the foundation of the world 3694. 42 Simon the iust gouerned 28. yeares Iesus the sonne of Syrach praised and estéemed him greatly who did write his booke in the time of this Simon which is called Ecclesiasticus about the yeare after the creation of the world 3735. The religion and holinesse of this Simon the sonne of Onias the great is praised in the second booke of Machabées Chap. 3. This man was slaine in pursuing his brother Menelaus which was called Onias the younger who seifed vpon the office of the high priest by force hauing displaced his other brother 43 At this time Mattathias was high priest in the stead of Ioarib who was of Ierusalem the father of the Machabées in which time Antiochus Epiphanes exercised terrible cruelties against the Iewes as these things are largely described in the bookes of the Machabées Then beganne this furious beast Antiochus to reigne in the yeare of the Gréekes reigne 137. which was in the yeare after the creation of the worlde 3769. Through the holinesse and vertue of this Mattathias the crueltie of Antiochus Epiphanes was repressed and the true doctrine mainteined the true seruices of God ordained in the lawe kept inuiolate These things were done 165. yeares before the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ 44 Iudas Machabeus the first of the Hasmoniens or Simonensiens gouerned the publique affaires 6. yeares His déedes and the déedes of his brethren also be written in the first booke of the Machabées Then for as much as like as Daniel had fore-prophecied that the people should be miserably afflicted about this saide time therefore the Machabées were diuinely raised vp to the intent that by this meane the people might be somwhat refreshed and finde some succour Daniel 11. 45 Ionathas the brother of Iudas Machabeus succéeded him who was gouernour 18. yeares bicause of the wickednesse and negligence of the priestes the dignitie of the priestes office fell into his handes with the gouernement ciuill for Ianneus surnamed Hircanus the second was the last gouernour of the tribe of Dauid Ionathas was called to the dignitie of the priesthoode in the 9. yeare of his gouernement and in the yeare before the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus 150. 46 After that Ionathas had bene cruelly slaine with his two sonnes by Triphon his brother Simon the third sonne of Mattathias was elected in his place in the yeare before the Natiuitie of Iesus Christ 140. The actes of which Simon be described in the first booke of Machabées from the 14. chapter vnto the end of the booke he continued gouerning about eight yeares Thus then the pure doctrine and true seruices that God had ordained were mainteined and kept safe among the people vntill the comming of the sonne of God the Lorde Iesus through the vertue and religion of these foure Hasmoniens Matathias and his thrée sonnes so as it may easily be knowne when and of what people the Messias must be looked for 47 Iohn Hircanus the great of whome mention is made in the end of the first booke of Machabées succéeded Simon his brother in the office of priesthood and in the ciuill gouernement In his time came vp the sects of Pharisées Saducées and Esseniens by whome the doctrine was darkened This man did great thinges for he destroyed Samaria with the temple of Garezim in the time of Alexander the great He wan Idumea and many cities of Syria he gouerned 31. yeares After his discease great chaunges and horrible confusions happened many times and
although that the deuill in his enchantmentes hath at all times found out a rage more then horrible against the Church and faithfull doctours like as here is manifested by Abel who was slaine by Caine being moued thereto by a deuilish enuie by the persecution and oppression of the people of Israel by the high priestes who were slaine by Saule by Isay and Ieremie who were put to death by the captiuitie of the people when they were carried away into Babylon likewise by Iohn Baptist by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the Apostles who haue beene cruelly slayne and by so many millions of Martyrs yet notwithstāding the Church hath continued through out all ages and there haue beene alwayes doctours diuinely raysed vp in the places of others for to set vp agayne and to conserue the light of the doctrine to make it shine in the middest of those peoples and Realmes that God woulde haue it It hath then been alwayes conserued and defended for God is the protector and gardein thereof who maketh it to withstande all such assaultes And for this cause Sathan in his illusions of these times hath suggested and put in practyce the moste cruell tormentes that coulde be deuised but all in vaine There haue beene kindled fires great and small There haue beene set vp also for the true Christians Scaffoldes c. some haue beene caste into the bottomes of ponds and riuers and to conclude Sathan hath by sword and force vsed all sortes of most cruel violences for to cause that the holy seruice of God might be altogether extinct and buried but he neuer coulde neither euer shall be able to doe it Wee muste then consider and vnderstande that true religion hath of GOD an efficacie and vertue more great and wonderfull then any thinge that can bee or euer hath bene seeing that so mightie an enemie as sathā the prince of the children of this world hath so often and strongly besieged it and yet coulde neuer hinder but that alwayes thorough the goodnes of God it shoulde be set vp Now to speak of other religions which haue beene and be what continuance haue they had what stedfastnesse and assurance of the trueth haue beene founde in them what number amongst so many as were professours of the same haue euer beene so steedfast in their religions that they would euer suffer most cruell tortures therfore like as haue done an infinite multitude for the assurance and steedfastnesse that they had in the trueth which no man is able to number by whome God woulde be glorified So many and such manner of religions as haue ben haue they had euer such order such a doctrine which hath plainly shewed vnto them the truth of the being of the first originall of things that haue bene since the beginning of the world and of thinges that haue come to passe and that bee daily accomplished as God hath made his to vnderstande from time to time first by visions and oracles and since euen vntill this present time by his Prophetes and Apostles Such and so manie religions which haue beene howe coulde it euer be found in them as may be founde in the true Church by the holy scriptures howe that the supernaturall he who is euerlastingly that is the Lorde Iehova who of himselfe hath his being and not of any others and of him all thinges their beinges hath by his eternall worde and spirite created all thinges made and fashioned them and by him not by our owne force and vertue wee haue such dignitie and excellencie aboue all creatures of the earth that we were made according to his owne image which excellencie and our first perfection was lost by our ingratitude in our first parentes and that since that time we be and shall bee restored thereto againe in a more large perfection by the onely meanes of his onely sonne by which he hath made vs and that for the manifestation of his inestimable goodnesse and glorie by the which he teacheth vs in his holy scriptures and assureth vs by his spirite that wee shall be euerlastingly taken vp to his glorie forasmuch as he is able to doe so and will doe it So many and such sundrie sortes of religion as haue bene had they euer yet since the beginning of the world so continuall an order of good and faithfull doctors who being inspired with the spirit of god haue constantly taught and mainteined against all the rage of the worlde the trueth of his holy doctrine as hath the right religion of the protestants which is the verie Christianitie done Doth not GOD thereby and by sundrie other meanes sufficiently declare the vertue and efficacie of the ministerie of his holy worde and true religion which he from time to time hath approued for asmuch as therein hee hath placed and set the true and pure infallible veritie for to instructe and guide man euen vnto him who is the authour and creatour of all thinges Nowe seeing that we haue such a founder of our religion who giueth vs also grace to follow the same let Sathan inuent as many meanes as he will for to ouerthrow and extinguish it Let him breath as many illusions and inchantmentes into the mindes of men as he can for to perswade them that this true religion which wee hold began but of late and that it shal soone decay againe c. It is notwithstanding most euident that it hath bene euer since the beginning of the worlde and that wee haue testimonie of him who hath established the same and may surely repose our confidence in him that like as hee hath ordeined that whilest the sunne Moone shall giue light to the earth he will neuer faile to helpe and asiste his and that finally we shall bee with our heade and Lorde Iesus Christ And hereof we doe assure our selues and doe feele of the same in our selues a certaintie proceeding of the spirite of God that so it shall come to passe at the time which God hath ordained neither is this religion that we holde false or wicked as some yet say inasmuch as it is grounded vpon that pure word of God according to the which we labour and are willing to serue God without mingling therewith any thing imagined by our owne braine like as we be slaundered to do for to make a religion of our owne deuising And therefore let such vnderstande that this our religion had not the first beginning at Luther or Iohn Hus and that it was neuer hearde of before as some falsely say and that it shall not therefore long abide For notwithstanding that thorough the great vngodlinesse and euill that hath beene and yet is amongst some men of the Church and thorough the outrage of carnall affections with carelesnesse and not regarding the glorie of God or his trueth yea through the verie contempt and falling away from God and all trueth the doctrin which he had published set forth before by his Prophetes and Apostles and by his
the time of Traian the Emperour about the yeare of Iesus Christ 101. In that time were likewise other Bishops as Titus Bishop of Crete and others of whom mention is made in the Acts and in the Epistles of S. Paul that is to wit Apollo Aristarchus Gayus Derbée Iason Erastus Sosipater Tychicus Secundus Syluanus Tertius Quartus Sosthenes Epaphras Iesus the iust Demas Archippus Bishop of the Colossiās Eubulus Pudens Linus Artenas and Zenas and Dionifius Areepagita Bishop of the Athenians 64 In the yeare 65. Annianus was ordeyned Bishop of Alexandria and he gouerned the Church 22. yeares looke the historie Ecclesiasticus booke 2. chapter 23. In the yeare 66. beganne the first persecution which was in the 10. yeare of Nero and it abode vntill his death By the commaundement of this tyrant the citie of Rome was set on fire and for to shunne the report of such an act he laide the fault vpon the Christians and caused them to be executed with sundry kindes of death Those that named thē selues Christiās which name was thē so odious as if they had bene enimies to all mankinde and those that were accused hereof by the prisoners besides the other hurtes and abuses that they suffered abode this approbrie that being clad in beastes skinnes they were bayted torne in pieces with dogs some were attached and hanged on the crosse others burned in the fire so as of them were kindled fires for to giue light in the night Thus Cornelius Tacitus witnesseth 65 Ignatius a disciple of S. Iohn the Euangelist was ordeyned the second Bishop of Antioch he was caried prisoner vnto Rome for to be cast amongest the wilde beastes and to be made a spectacle vnto the people He going through Syria to Rome and passing through the countrey of Asia preached in all places where he went to the people and to the congregation the Christian faith and he exhorted the Christians to perseuere in the trueth and to beware of the infections of heretiques which then beganne to budde and that they should kéepe diligently the doctrine that they had receiued of the Apostles The cause of this persecution was for that hauing reproued in Antioch the idolatry of Traian he was apprehended as a seditious person and as being culpable lesae maiestatis and he was deliuered in charge to tenne souldiers or rather tormentors for to be caried to Rome and to be deliuered to the Lyons Whereof Ignatius him selfe saith I haue fought against beastes from Syria vnto Rome by sea and by land night and day among tenne Leopards c. Ireneus in his 5. booke speaking of Ignatius condemned to be cast vnto beastes affirmeth that he saide I am the wheate of Iesus Christ and I shall be ground with the téeth of beastes so as I may be made the bread of God 66 In the time of Domitian the Emperour who raised vp persecution against the Christians Clement Bishop of Rome which was martyred vnder Traianus instituted in his time Notaries for to write the actes of the martyrs their constancie and patience for an example and perpetuall memorie In the yeare of the Lord Iesus 88. Albilius was ordeyned Bishop of Alexandria and was Bishoppe there twelue yeares 67 Anacletus Bishop of Rome of the nation of Gréekes an Athenian gouerned the Church thrée yeares and two monethes He ordeyned that Ecclesiasticall persons should twise in the yeare haue a Synode or cōgregation for the affaires of the church He by his writings exhorted the people amongest other things that they should honor and reuerence their ministers Who so speaketh euill of the ministers saith he speaketh euill of Christ and he iudgeged him separated from Christ He was martyred in the reigne of Traianus Looke the first volume of Councels 68 Euaristus Bishop of Rome who was martyred in the last yeare of the Emperour Traian ordeyned that there should be elected seuen Deacons in euery citie the which should marke and watch the Bishop in preaching and teaching to the people and these he ordeyned for a testimonie of the worde of God and to the end that none should lay to his charge that he had preached euill and against the trueth He ordeyned that mariage should be openly celebrated in the Church That the Church should obey the Bishop and that the Bishop should neuer forsake his Church so long as he liued no more then the husband should forsake his wife or the wife her husband 69 Quadratus Bishop of Athens a disciple of the Apostles presented a booke of Apologie to Adrian the fiftéenth Emperour for the defence of the Christian faith Aristides an Athenian Philosopher being a faithfull man composed a like booke Wherevpon Adriā sent to Minutius Fondanus deputie in Asia that he should no more persecute the Christians but that if they did any thing contrarie to the lawes he would that iudgement should procéede according to the qualitie of the crime That if any body accused thē slaunderously he willed such a one should be punished for his maliciousnesse and that they shuld haue no harme 70 Polycarpus the disciple of Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle was Bishop of Smyrna in Ionia which is in Asia the lesse beneath Ephesus he liued till he was very olde Ireneus saith that he was ordeyned Bishop there by the Apostles it is very likely in déede that he beganne his ministerie in the second or thirde yeare of Traian S. Hierome in his catalogue saith that he was sent by Saint Iohn the Euangelist he offended in the 68. yeare after the passion of Christ as it is reported Ireneus saith of him that one day as Marcion met him he saide vnto him Take counsel and knowledge with vs Polycarpus aunswered him againe I knowe that thou art the chiefest sonne of Sathan The remnant of the life of Polycarpus was in the time of Marcus Antonius and of Lucius Verus the Emperours The chiefest gouernours of the Empire did then stirre vp such persecution against the christians that it extended to them of the citie of Smyrna whereof Polycarpus had bene Bishop long time and there he was burned when he had serued the Church of God about 70. yeares this was in the seuenth yeare of this saide Emperour As some say he was 80. yeares olde The prayer of Polycarpus that he made before his death is in the fourth booke of the Ecclesiastical historyes 71 In the time of Antonius Pius in the 10. yere of his raigne Marke comming from the Gentlyles was elected byshop of the Church at Ierusalem the which citie after the sacking and spoyle made by Tytus vntill that of Adrian had succéeding by order fiue chiefe Bishops Eusebius maketh mention of them in his third booke and first chapter Then after the spoyle made by Adrian there was no more any Church and congregation gathered together there saue of the Gentyls and they appointed Bishops amongst themselues for the Iewes then bearing armes against the Romaines were at the last discomfited and there were killed
of of Recardus or Richarde their king and Leander bishop of Seuile The confession of their faith was sent vnto the councell of Tolete There happened in the time a great controuersie about the primacie of the church for Iohn Bishop of Constantinople was pronounced and declared in the whole Synode of the Grekes vniuersall Patriarch and Mauritius the Emperour commaunded Gregorie bishop of Rome to obey the saide Patriarche of Constantinople but Gregorie woulde not abide that any Bishop shoulde be vniuersall aboue all the rest whereof it came that they called themselues servauntes of the seruauntes of God Looke Gregorie in the 32. Epistle to Mauritius and 28. to Iohn the Patriarche Looke Iohn Caluin his Institution of Christian religion lib. 4. chapter 7. section 4. Some woulde name this Gregorie to be one of the foure Doctours of the Church with Augustine Hierome Ambrose but histories doe make sufficient demonstration what a Doctour he was séeing that he hath brought in a rablement of superstitiōs contrarie to the worde of God Concerning which matter I will not say that the others had such puritie of doctrine sucked and drawen out of the holy scriptures as they ought To conclude in the time of this Gregorie the ecclesiasticall doctrine had almost lost his puritie for it was imbrued and darkened with humaine traditions for monkerie did then take rote and beginne to flourishe and many and sundrie kindes of superstitions were dayly brought in And after the time of Gregorie the great there grewe on still more horible and bitter darkenesse notwithstanding the Lorde hath alwayes raysed vp some good persons that men might vnderstand that all ought to be cut away and forsaken that is contrary to the holy worde of God About this said time was Serenus Bishop of Marseille who caused the images of saints and of our Lorde Iesus Christ to be broken because hee sawe the people worshippe them Then Gregorie reproued him for breaking them but he praysed him for that he forbad the people to honour them Looke the register or booke of his Epistles 10. parte Epistle 4. and Polidore Virgill lib. 6. chap. 13. 108 During the raigne of the Emperour Phocas and in the yeare of our Lorde 604. the primacie of the Pope was established a little before that the abhominable secte of Mahomet beganne to spread the hornes abroad in Asia which being once published abroade farre ouer did corrupt obscure deface the true doctrine in manie places and regions Then albeit that after the time of Gregorie the great there arose vp great multitudes of Monkes some of them being more carefull of their bellyes then to labour for to vnderstande by the holy scriptures the puritie of that true seruice which GOD requireth of vs and although the wrytings of so great a multitude haue brought great plentie of darkenes rather then of light into the Church I will neuerthelesse in speaking of other good men in their order make mention of the most discréete amongst them who had some iudgement and doctrine with them in which notwithstanding were some errours by reason of the confusion of doctrines which had then great libertie Isidorus the younger Bishop of Hispalis composed many bookes Hée flourished in the yeare of our Lorde 630. Within certaine space after was Beda a priest and moncke who was an English man hee lefte behinde him a great multitude of bookes and made commentaries vppon the most part of the bookes of the holy scripture 109 In the yeare 684. and in the raigne of the Emperour Constantine the fourth was holden a generall councell at Constantinople of 289. bishops against the Monothelites who denyed two willes and natures in Christ George bishop of Constantinople forsooke his heresie But Macarius Bishop of Antioch did not leaue it wherefore hee was driuen from his bishoppricke In this councell the discension that was betwixt the East church and the West church was appeased There it was permitted vnto the ministers of Gréece for to haue wiues lawfully and to liue in mariage but not to the ministers of the west church The authour of the booke intituled Fasciculus temporum yeldeth a reason thereof saying that they had vowed chastitie of their owne accorde vnder Gregory but what shall they do then that haue not the gift of continencie And moreouer can they vowe for others that come after them Furthermore they vowed by constrainte and authoritie of the councels as it appeareth here before It was there also ordayned that none should carie any infant to bee baptized except he knewe the Lords prayer and the beliefe of the faithfull Looke the seconde volume of councels Also that they should make no vow against mariage and that the priestes who did separate themselues from their wiues because of their orders shoulde be excluded from the communion Looke Peter Viret in his Dialogue to them of Orbe In that time was Theodore Archbishop of Rauenna who was a great almes giuer and sought howe to kéepe the cleargie in good manners for which cause he was hated of them Naucl. Leger bishop of Authun was also at that time whom Chrion prince of the Pallaice of Fraunce in the time of Theodoricus caused his eyes to bee pulled out the soales of his féete to be cut his tongue and his lippes to be mangled after he caused his heade to be taken off Naucl. and Chron. Sig. This Chrion cast downe Lambert from the Bishopprick of Vtrech Aime byshop of Sens was banished by Chrion Chron. Sig. 110 In the yeare 694. after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and in the raigne of Iustinian the second the Saxons being yet Paganes receiued the Christian Faith by the meane of Sergius Bishop of Rome according to the saying of Sup. Chron. The saide Sergius sent Vmbred vnto the Frysons for to conuert them to the faith Rabod their Duke woulde not thereto agrée alleaging that it was better to follow many then a fewe But afterwardes he being vanquished in war by Pepin great maister of Fraunce the Frisons receiued the faith being taught by one Willebroc a bishop or by Clement as some say 111 In the raigne of Constantine the fifte Emperour of that name and about the yeare 742. was holden a councell in Fraunce by Boniface archbishop of Mayence Burcardus Guntarius other bishops which had not bene fourescore yeares before insomuch that it was saide that religion in Fraunce was cast vnder féete and wasted so saith Naucl. There it was ordeyned that they shoulde euery yeare haue a Synode in Fraunce the church men shoulde carrye no armour They were forbidden hunting that they shoulde kéepe no manner of hounds or hawkes That euery Priest and bishoppe shoulde kéepe himselfe within his parish and there should labour to roote out olde heresies of Paganisme and the errours of sacrificing for the deade the deuinations sorceries and other immolations that were vsed after the manner of the Pagans about the churches vnder the names of Martyrs and confessours vide Naucl.
in the said booke briefly dissolued vnder these two questions to wit whether Christ be there in misterie and figure or according to the trueth Whither this bodie of Christ be the proper body which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Marie or not The which two questions hee debateth aswell on the one partie as on the other affirming concerning the first aswell by naturall reasons drawne from common vnderstanding as by euident testimonies of the holy scriptures and auncient doctours that the bodie and bloude be therin taken vnder the vaile and couerture of breade and wine figuratiuely and shadowed not visibly and euidently the which he calleth according to the trueth Also not clearely and openly but secreatly Concerning the other question by one and the same processe hee sheweth by infringible and inuincible argumentes that in this misterie is the spirituall bodie that there is a mistical and spirituall vnderstanding thereof and not the verie same bodie that he tooke of the virgin Marie He saith verely that the bodie of Christ is there inasmuch as the spirite of Christ is in the sacrament that is to say the power of the word of God the which doth not only féede the soule but also purgeth and cleanseth it For to sée this matter more at large you may reade the booke that is at this day extant in French and published abroade 116 In the yeare 964. Huldricke Bishoppe of Auspurge in Allemaigne did greatly withstand the decrées of Pope Nicholas he wrote vnto him one Epistle shewing among other thinges that he did amisse when he went about to compell the Clearks whom he ought to haue exhorted that they shoulde kéepe the chastitie of marriage by force and vyolēce to abide in continencie Saying also that this is deemed of all men violence when any bodie is constrayned to kéepe any particuler decrée contrary to the institution of the Gospel and against the doctrine of the holy Ghost He shewed plainely that the Lord in the old Testament hath constituted and ordeyned marriage for priests and that we do not reade that afterward he forbad it That euery one folowing the saying of the Apopostle in the 7. Chapt. to the Corinthians ought to haue his wife That hypocrites doe corrupt this sentence and falsely say that it appertayneth onely to the lay people and yet notwithstanding they make no difficultie of conscyence in any holy order whatsoeuer they be placed to abuse other mens wiues Also he sheweth that this sentence of the Apostle that is that euery one shoulde haue his wife excepteth no person but him that maketh profession of cōtinencie or him that hath determined to perseuer in virginitie according to the Lords will That the vowe of man cannot breake the commaundement of God That he who cannot contain ought to marry 1. Cor. 7. He also alleageth the Canons that is that the Bishop or minister ought in no wise put away his wife vnder a colour of Religion and that if he forsooke her he should be excomunicated and that if he abode in that obstinacie he should be vtterly dismissed and cast of from his calling That the bishop must be vnreproueable and the husbande of one wife and howe that the Apostle to the end that none should conuerte this sentence to one Church or congregation alone added consequently He that knoweth not howe to gouerne his housholde how shal he gouerne and guide the church of God he also sheweth that the glose of those is false who will expounde the Church to be the onely wife Also that those which alledge for their patrone and defendour S. Gregorie be ignoraunt not vnderstanding that perilous decrée made by S. Gregorie whiche was afterwarde purged by a worthie fruite of repentance for it is said that on a certaine day as the saide Gregorie sent to his poole for fish he had drawne vp out of the saide poole which he saw aboue sixe thousande heades of yong children wherat he being moued with true repentance beganne to wéepe and confessing that the decrée that he had made concerning the continencie of Priestes had béene cause of such a murther he then amended his fault as it is said by a worthy déede of repentance And after that he had condéemned his said decrée he praysed the councell of the Apostle to wit that it is better to marrie then to burne adding more on his part that it is better to marrie then to giue occasion of murther In the ende he confounded by many testimonies of the holy scripture the horrour of vowing continencie and following the saying of S. Paul 1. Timo. 4. he declared that it is the doctrine of Diuels to forbidde marriage Wherby we must note that the Lord in the middest of the furie and madnesse of the world rayseth vp some faithful ministers for to withstand the horrible spoyles of the aduersaries He that would sée at large the saide Epistle published nowe in French read the firste of Crespin vppon the estate of the Church out of the which I haue gathered some parte of these collections 117 In the yeare 869. was Iohannes Scotus it was not Iohn the Frier a learned man who was sent for out of France into England by Alfridus king of Englande who founded the Schoole or vniuersitie of Oxenforde whereas the said Scotus was president but afterward becomming a Monk he was slain by the Monks of the Conuent as he was teaching thē He wrot like as Bertrand did touching properly the body and bloude of Christe in the supper In that time or thereabouts the Normands being vanquished receiued the faith Naucl. The king of Bulgaria also about this time receiued the faith and willingly forsaking publike affaires he was made a Monke and left the realme to his sonne who reiected the faith so that his father came out of the monasterie and went againste him in battaile and hauing gotten the victorie he caused his eyes to bee digged out and kepte him in prison and gaue the kingdome to his yonger sonne and after he returned to the Monastery againe Naucle and Sigeb Adrian the Pope sent thrée legats vnto the Bulgarians being newly conuerted to wit Siluester Leopard and Dominicke for to institute ordinances concerning the affaires of the Church according to the Komaine forme and fashion but afterwarde they being persuaded by the Grekes reiected the latine ministers which thing bread great hatred betwixt the latine Church and the Greeke Church and all the contention of the said Churches happened through this Primate and for the diuersitie of ceremonies Naucl. Edmund the last king of the East Englishmen was slaine by the Paganes of Denmarke in the yeare 871. and is canonised a martyre 118 In the yeare 938. Ratherius Bishop of Verone wrot against the herisie of Anthromorphites which was renewed againe in that time saying that God had a corporall forme In the same time Spireneus Duke of Bohemia receiued the Christian faith thorough the persuasion of the Emperour Henricus Suppl Chro. Aldebert
the same spirite of him whose voyce they vnderstoode who for as much as he would teach them knewe also very wel that all should be said in vaine if they were not inspired with this spirite of knowledge and beléeuing And thus this eternall word the sonne of GOD hath from the beginning taught the first mā Adam Whereby we must marke that God hath continually assisted and doth assist his Church and instructeth it and maintayneth it and gouerneth it as is euidently to be proued and manifest experience declareth that the Church and his doctrine could not haue had power to continue so long time against such horrible assaultes of sathan of tyrants and of wicked men if the Church had not had these guarders and defenders Which alwayes were accounted the Fathers and Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob which Iacob being gouernour of the Church of GOD in his time hath made plaine demonstration of the true Messias so many times afore promised to be his guarder And therefore he saith in the 48. of Genesis in the 16. verse The Angel that hath guarded me from all euill blesse these children Thus we may sée in this place and in many others how he calleth the Messias that is to say the sonne of God Angel calling him his guarder or kéeper attributing vnto him the power and authoritie for to be able to blesse him That which he vnderstoode only of an Angel he hath not so fully spoken being as it were plucked back with the spirite of God bicause he had attributed that vnto an Angel which was due vnto God vnto whom alone Iacob continually ascribed all power blessing honour and glory as vnto God alone it doth belong And in like sort Esaie being moued by the same spirite that Iacob was said in the 63. chapter verse 9. The Angel of his face hath saued them the same hath redéemed them through his loue and mercy hath holden them vp and exalted them continually Also for to giue likewise to vnderstand that in this diuine essence the holy spirite is resident that he wil alwayes thereby assist his Church in the 59. chapter verse 21. he saith Behold mine aliance with them saith the Lord. My spirite which is in thée and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouth shall not slide out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy séede for euer And infinite places be there where is giuen to vnderstand that God hath always assisted his Church as wel by his holy spirit as also promising all fauour comfort and blessing by the mediation of him through whom he had made all things whome he had promised to send at his appointed time to the end that by him he might purchase vnto him selfe a holy people being by him sanctified which should be cloathed with his holinesse as he promised that all such shall be as do beléeue and put their trust in him and that they shall remaine so eternally through him And for this purpose also bicause it is not in our facultie and power to beléeue he promised and doth promise as hath bene afore declared in Esaye the assistance of his spirite without which the preaching of the word is vnprofitable And thus we must vnderstand that all the Fathers and Patriarches haue infallibly knowne and beléeued who were instructed through visions or Oracles and also were somwhat taught from hand to hande as were consequently the true faithfull people their successors hauing had by the operation of Gods spirit unprinted in their hearts such an assurance of doctrine Neither is it to be doubted but that God hath alwayes ratified this holy instruction the which for that it might the better continue in strength from age to age for to helpe better the memory of men he hath willed to be put in writing by Moses who was for to write these matters called elected and that he shuld set them foorth before their eyes like as he had vnderstood and truely knowen through the spirite of God who created man in such puritie and when man had sinned called him to repentance by this same word by which he had made him promising and assuring him of satisfaction for his sinne And for this cause the auncient Doctours saide that the sonne of God is called the word for as much as it hath spoken to the Fathers Beholde what Tertullian saith in his booke against the Iewes in the first chapter Then Iesus said vnto Cain where is Abel thy brother And Iraeneus writing against heresies in the 14. chapter saith The sonne from the beginning assisting and helping his handie worke maketh manifest the father to all them that he will and when he will and how he will To conclude we sée howe that from the beginning of the world God by his sonne and spirit was made knowne to the first man giuing him vnderstanding of his good will the which he made more and more to vnderstand and knowe thereof to all them of his Church of the which Church ensued the chiefe and principall Doctours After that Adam had bene taught of the Sonne of God 1 Adam was ordeined a Bishop and Doctor by the promise made of the séede of the woman he hath instructed his posterity of al the articles of the doctrine of the time that he liued in He liued 930. yeares And vndoubtedly Adam had good abilitie to teach what the excellency and worthines of man was before that he had transgressed what sinne is and how horrible a thing it is and how greate the wrath of God is how that his mercy is excellent that he would by the meanes of his sonne redéeme mankind from eternal death wherein it was plunged through their owne proper fault He then taught others to the end that beeing warned by his example they might take héede that they did not fal into sinne and the through faith they might lay holde vpon the promise made of the séede of the woman by which séede mankinde being lost of it selfe might be forthwith restored againe vnto life vnto blessednes to euerlasting righteousnes From this Doctor all good sciences and all humane wisedome is issued as out of a fountaine this is he that appointed names to all the beastes and birdes of the ayre and to all liuing creatures in the fielde gaue them names agréeing to their nature With Adam was his Sonne 2 Abel a true and faithfull seruitour in the Church offered vnto God of the first borne of his flockes Gen. Chap. 4. vers 4. This doth sufficiently declare that father Adam instructed his sonnes in the true seruice of God But Caine was an hypocrite presenting vnto God outwarde sacrifice and nothing inwardly in spirite wherin doth consist the true seruice of God wherefore he displeased God so as he regarded not his oblations Then Caine beeing inflamed with anger rose vp against his brother and béeing led with a diuelish enuie slewe him In this place began the persecution of holy personages and this is a dreadful
shewe for this murder happeneth for no other cause then for the seruice of God which when it is done purely the deuil can in no wise abide it and for this occasion he pricked Caine forward to put his brother to death to the end that by that meanes the word of God and his pure doctrine might be extinguished And this déede sheweth sufficiently howe vehement the ire anger and rage of this subtil Sathan is howe great enuie it is that he hath borne to our first parents so that Caine béeing moued by him conceiued the same anger against his brother Now here God giueth vs alwayes to note what care he hath of those that be his which although he séemeth to giue ouer into the hands and will of the wicked and that whilest there is no body bringeth euidence or accusations against the wicked for their misdealinges yet he worketh so that by one meane or other the reuenge of his seruants is wrought 3 Seth was substituted in Abel his roome vnto the ministerie and had a sonne whom he called Enos and then did men begin to cal vpon the name of the euerlasting Whereby we haue to vnderstand that this word D'inuoquer to inuocate or call vpon doth comprehend all the true seruice of God Then is it very true that God was before that time called vpon honored and serued but the true religion went to wracke through the Cainish Church and there was then no more any semblance of the true Church the which was redressed in the time of Enos Seth was borne in the yeare of Adam and Eue 130. And liued with Adam his father 800. yeares and Seth liued 912. yeares Gene. 5. 4 Enos was borne in the yeare of his Father Seth 105. He liued 905. yeares Adam his grandfather liued with him 695. yeares Cainan was born in the yeare of Enos 90. He liued 910. yeares and Adam liued with him 605. yeares Malalehel was borne in the yeare of Cainan or kenan 70. He liued 895. yeares and Adam with him 535. yeares Iared was borne in the yeare of Malalehel 65. He liued 962. yeares And Adam with him 470. yeares 5 Henoch was borne in the yeare of Iared 162. He liued 365. yeares and was transported by God out of this miserable life to an euerlasting life God would that the faithful should learne hereby to waite for another life wherevnto they shal be translated The scriptures do beare witnesse that this man was one of the most exellent Doctors of the Church amongst the fathers and that he published with great feruencie a farre of the promise of the séede of the woman and that he sustained great combats against the mischieuous doctrine of the Cainishe Church and against the superstitions and idolatries then vsed in as much as they doe giue him great praise and do beare of him one excellent testimony aboue others the fathers where as it is said he walked before God and was no more séene Likewise the Epistle of Saint Iude doth shewe well with what vehement zeale and ardent affection he exhorted men in his time vnto repentaunce and reproued the sinnes of the wicked for marke what S. Iude saith Enoch the seuenth man after Adam prophecied two yeares saying Beholde the Lord wil come with his Saints which are by millions to execute iudgement vpon al men and to reproue all the vngodly for all the workes of wickednesse that they haue wrought vnfaithfully and for all the filthy wordes that the vnbeléeuing sinners haue vttered forth against God Adam liued with this Henoch 308. yeares 6 Mathusalem was borne in the yeare of Henoch his father 65. He liued 969. yeres There was no man that liued so long as he since the creation of the world He dyed in the yere of the vniuersal floud Adam liued with him 243. yeares 7 Lamech was borne in the yeare of Mathusalem 187. Gen. 5. He liued 777. yeares Adam liued with him 55. yeares These before named great and excellent personages were in the time of Adam and helped him in the workes of the Church and to set foorth and publish the doctrine of the promise made of the séede of the woman and to instruct the true seruants of God Thus Adam gouerned the Church of God together with his newe workfellowes the space of 930. yeares After them succeeded in the gouernement of the Church 8 Noe was borne in the yeare of his father Lamech 182. Gen. 5. This man ought of right to be named amongst the principall Doctours and Bishops of the Church of God It is easie to be considered what disdaine what iniuries and persecutions he hath abidden for to maintaine the doctrine of God for at that time men did greatly begin to be multiplyed vpon earth and to waxe froward and to excel in all manner of sinnes and iniquities And as it is saide in Genesis chap. 6. vers 5. That God sawe the malice of man that it was very great vpon earth and that al the imaginations of his heart was at al times none other but euill By this thē is declared that they liued dissolutely in dishonest manners in despising the worde of God and his seruice applying themselues vnto leacherie adulterie and tyrannie and to all sortes of wickednesse For this cause did the Lorde God threaten the world and purposed to confound and destroy it by a deluge of waters And one hundreth yeres before this thing came to passe Noe preached vnto them to the end that they might conuert and be saued Nowe when Noe with his wife and his thrée sonnes Sem Cham and Iaphet and their wiues were entred as God had cōmanded them into the Arke with some of al sortes of liuing creatures the inundation or floud came and slue and destroyed the residue both of men and beastes And there were after the creation of the world vntill the floud one thousand sixe hundred fiftie and sixe yeares What man is there able to expresse the bitter dolours that this good and mightie personage hath endured when he sawe before his eyes all mankind to perish through the deluge of waters and howe that onely he with a fewe moe was saued and further after that this so horible and dreadfull a punishment men forgetting all the euils that were passed fell againe into all impietie and into all maner of mischiefes and abhominable beastlines For he liued after the floud 350. yeares Thus we may sée that these Fathers were greatly martyred and haue suffered grieuous torments through the impietie of the wicked 9 Sem was borne in the yeare of Noe his father 500. Like as Noe was a true Doctour of the Church of God so there is no doubt but that Sem his sonne was also a true Doctour in his roome for that he had instructed his children in the true doctrine of God of the promise already made from the beginning of the world concerning the Messias to come And moreouer he hath bene able to declare also that which he had séene before