but rather wisshing to die falsly accused themselues other Christians confessinge that they had set the citie on fire Wherfore immediatly there was a proclamation published by the emperour against christiaÌ„s in which it was commaunded that in Rome and al prouinces thei should be rooted out as enemies to the gods and religion of the Romanes and men practised in burning setting on fire And this was the beginning of y persecution and blouddy tragedie For some in reproche and for a mockyng stocke were sowed into the skinnes of wild beasts as Tacitus writeth cast vnto dogs to be torne Other were brent some â—aâ—â—â—ed and crucified and so destroyed with sundrie and most cruel punishments inso mutch that as Tacitus writeth the common people of Rome were mooued with greate pitie towards them But with Nero ther was no mercy no end of torments In this persecution were slayne as historicians do testifie and we also haue declared before the Apostles Peter Paul. There be also numbred by Chroniclers many notable and godly men whiche in this persecution suffred gréeuous affliction reproches punishment of bitter death not at Rome only but here there in other prouinces of the Romane empire Since therfore this persecution was first moued by Nero for a filthy horrible cause who shall accuse God for graunting such power to a wicked and Sodomiticall person against so many thousands of holy and innoceÌ„t men yea freinds of God or why hee suffred the christians to be brent for house burners and did not rather hale foorth Nero the true house burner and beastly Sodomit castinge him into the thickest of the people to bee torne in peces when therfore in our age the lyke do happen let all men humbly submit themselues to the power of God and his mightye hande beare their crosse with pacience which the Lord layeth vpon them giue laud and praise vnto God and constantlye cleaue to his holy worde whiche at Neroes time was also true and iust although it was behouefull that the faithfull should suffer afflictions and Nero ouercome them and haue power ouer them with his prophane and superstitious Relygion After this about the yere of our Lord 97. with intollerable and diuellish pride Domitian the Emperour set foorth him self sunne to Vespasian brother to Titus by whom the Citie of Ierusalem was destroyd the Iewes vanquished in battle and opressed The same was not ashamed to boast himselfe to be God Lord and would so be called and worshipped of al meÌ„ and y which no Emperour required before him he commanded y they should kisse his féete wherin no Emperour followinge hym dyd the lyke except Dioclecian onely a cruell Tyrant and a murtherer of holy men This Dominitia set a broch the .vii. persecutions against Christians in the which many holy men were driuen into banishment many flayne or spoyled of their goods and troubled most bitterlye Amongst whom Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist was brought prisoner from Ephesus to Rome vnto the Emperour and there tormented Flauia also and Domicilla of greatest nobilitie in the citie with diuers other mo were by Domitian sent into banishment But Iohn afterward returned vnto Ephesus and there died in the yere of our Lorde 102. after the passion of Christe 68. and the third yéere of the reygne of Traiane the Emperour After this about the yéere of our lord 110. Vlpius Traiane a mightie and victorious Emperour was the cause and authour of the eight persecution against the Christians in Rome and in other places vnder the Romaine Empire Whiche thynge cheifly prouoked him and other Emperours that came after him to persecute the Christians bicause they thought good that there should bee no Schisme suffred in the empire specially in religion but that there should bée one only religion receaued whiche their forefathers had obserued béefore time Now that disagréement in religion nourisheth coÌ„tentions and hatred a thing not to bée suffred in any empire Moreouer y they feared gréeuous calamities and punishments if their gods were not woorshipped after their accustomed maner and therfore the Christians bicause they hated their temples aulters sacrifices images and hollydayes blamyng and disdaynynge the religion of the Romanes were in no wise to be suffred Wherfore if any calamities should chaunce to rise in y Romane empire as are troubles dearth of corne famine warre seditions pestilence diseases with other discommodities by and by y Romans burthened the Christians with y cause of all these anoyances for contemnyng their gods and religion and doyng contrarie vnto the same That they woorshipped one God acknowledgyng Christ alone the sunne of God to bée the only sauiour openly pronouncyng that the Romane religion was false and of the diuel that their faith in Christe was true right nether that God ought to bée worshipped with images and temples sacrifices and hollydayes but in spirite and trueth accordyng to his woorde As for the Romans and other nations abroad in the worlde they were altogether addicted to superstitions valiently sheadyng their blood leesing their goods and liues in defence of their religion exhortyng other firmely to retain y same For they boasted how they receaued y religion of their elders which were no fooles but excellent wisemen Moreouer that there were many learned men in their collegies of priests that their beléef was confirmed with manie notable wounders and miracles y whilst they obserued that religion they obtayned sundry great victories and y who le empire of al the worlde attributyng al their good successe and salftie to their religion which had remained manie thousand yéeres not béeyng so new and but thyrtie yéeres ould as was the christian religion That their Gods were friendly and liberall vnto them helpyng them in sutche sorte that they wanted nothynge on the otherside the christians were poore and vnfortunate wherfore they should doo amisse if they erred the breadth of one heare or spared the sacrilegious enemies of their ancient and victorious religion Wherfore these causes which wee haue now recited prouoked the Romane Emperours to persecute the Christians The causes of the persecutions likewise in our age are not mutche vnlyke whoso weyeth them both vprightly Wherefore in this persecution moued by Traiane there was an vnspeakable deale of Christian bloud shed â–ª At Ierusalem Simeon Byshop of the citie beinge an hundred and twenty yeares ould was crucified S. Ignatius also the seruant of Christe and Disciple of the Apostles was brought from Antioche where he was Bishop vnto Rome cast vnto wilde beastes and by them torne in péeces Their Tragedies were so cruel their slaughters so great the sheadinge of Christian blood so horrible that Plinie the seconde a wise gentleman and lieutenant to the emperour wrate vnto the emperour giuinge vnto the Christians a singulare testimonie of their innocencie This epistle is to bée séene in the 〈◊〉 booke of Plinies epistles By which meanes the state of Christians was some deale the
vngodlye séeke to rule There is also very great difference béetwéene the auntient Churche of Rome and the firste Bisshoppes thereof and the Churche of Rome Pope Cardinalles and byshops which be now at this day The antient Byshopes of the Church of Rome whiche lyued and sate there from the yere of Christ 70. vnto y yere 314. and during the time of Constantine the great were in number 32. who wer all faithfull in their callyng profitynge the Churche by teachinge and otheir meanes and for christe and his Gospels sake were martyred and slayne They medled not at all with the ciuill gouerment there was no Court of Rome no senat of scarlet Cardinalles no guarde for the body no other superfluities which now adayes are frequented by Popes Histories of credit do confirme this same such as were not writen in flatterie of the Popes Also the name of Pope at that time was not proper onely to the Bysshoppe of Rome but other Bishoppes also abroade in other Prouinces were called by the same name For Aurelius and Ciprian Byshops of Carthage Ambrose Byshop of Millaine and other Byshops in other places were also called Popes And lykewise Saincte Ierome termeth S. Augustine whiche was Bysshop of Hippo in certen Epistles by the name of Pope For this woorde Papa Pope in the Syracusian tounge signifieth as mutch as this word Pater a Father as Suidas testifieth For it behooueth the Ministers of the church to be faithfull fathers of the people as Sainct Paule writeth Moreouer amonge all the Byshops of Rome from Constantinus the great and Pope Syluester vnto Gregorye the firste which were in number xxxvi ther was not one within compasse of 280. yéeres that vsed y pompe pride maiestie and power which the Popes vse accustomably now now a daies Their aucthoritie was great amonge other Churches and Byshops because for the most parte they were learned and skilfull men neither infected with heresies as some other Byshops in other Churches were but principally because thei were Ministers of the same Churche whiche the Apostles planted at the béeginninge which was therfore called the Apostolick Churche and the Apostolick seate and Sainct Peters Chaer. Howbeit the title and name of the Apostolick seat was not giuen only to the Romane Church but vnto other Churches also namely Ierusalem and Antioche And this woord seate signifieth not a iudgment seat or a princes throne but an ecclesiasticall preachers pulpit So that our forefathers in the ould time termed the aboue named churches Apostolike seates of the Apostolicke doctrine bycause the Apostles taught in those places and from those Apostolick Churches the Apostolick doctrine stretched foorth vnto other Churches aswell farre as nere Wherfore those places in which is not the Apostolick doctrine can not glory of the Apostolick seat although indéed it were ther many hundred yéeres béefore For there is also a seate of the Diuell as Saynt Iohn declareth in the 2. Chapter of the Reuelation But in the time of Pope Gregory the first whiche was within 300. yéeres after the birth of Christe the Church of Rome was so farre from the dominion which now it obtaineth that Gregorye very vehemently with stood Iohn which was bisshop of Constantinople who ambitiously sought to haue cheif place and superioritie in the Church would also bée called vniuersal bysshop Which title notwithstandinge and greater to the bysshops of Rome do vse at this day but Gregorie said that this was a Deuilish pride and the malice of Antichriste Hée that lust let him reade the fourth sixte books of Saint Gregories Epistles touchinge this matter Howbeit not longe after the death of Gregory Bonifacius the 3. vsurped that title which was graunted vnto him by Phocas the emperour a naughtie and wicked man For Otho bysshop of Frisingen a writer of Cronacles in the v. booke and eight Chapter reporteth how Pope Bonifacius the 3. had obtained of Phocas the Emperour that by his aucthoritie power and commaundement the Churche of Rome might bée cauled and also bée indéede the head of all other Churches Beda also writeth the same And Vrspurgensis saith that Rome ought to bée mother of all other Churches Nauclerus writeth that al other Churches in the worlde ought to obey the Churche of Rome and the Bishop therof Wherby it may bée easely perceaued how that this decrée of Phocas the Emperour whom all Hystoricians do verie mutch reprooue was no decree or institution of the Apostles made by Peter or Paule The Sea of Rome béeyng exalted after this maner the bishops which consequently ensued began more more to busie and medle themselues with ciuile matters neither sought they only for power and dominion but deuised how they might plucke their necks from the emperours iurisoiction and extol themselues aboue them how they might challenge bryng in subiection vnder them their prouinces peoples and maiestie But in y meane season they quight forgot their submission and duty departing far wide from thence became altogether vnlike vnto y first bishops of Rome At length the matter proceeded so farre that they durst boldly withstande y emperours and rise agaynst them for euen so Gregory the .ij. and Gregory the .iij. Popes of Romes opposed themselues against Leo the .iij. and Constantine the .v. emperours For these calling certen coūsels vnto which there assembled a great numbre of learned men and bishops of Asia Grecia and other regions they argued the controuersie of Images namely whether it were lawfull to haue and to woorship the Images of Christe and the holly saincts in the Churches of the Christians Whereas at that time it was concluded and confirmed out of the holy scriptures and doctrine of the auncient fathers that Images ought not to be worshipped nor to be suffred in churches but to bée taken away whersoeuer they were founde But after that th' emperors had giuen foorth cōmaundment to the Popes and vnto other vnder the Roman Empire that all of them accordyng to the woord of God and the meaning therof discussed in this present coūseil should take downe th'images out of their Churches sutch was the presumption of the Popes that béeyng called to y counsel they neither appered and afterwarde by their owne aucthoritie contrary to the cōmandement of the Emperours they called peculyer Counsels of Italian Byshops wherein they decréede y Images ought bée to retained in churches and more worshipped then euer they had bin before Nether presumed they onely thus farre but withdrue the Emperours subiectes from due obedience towards hym excommuncaityng the Emperours themselues withoute cause raising morouer tumults great feditions wherein the Emperours lieutenantes and debites were slayne as namely Paulus at Rauenna and Mauritius with Adriane his sunne in Campania And by this meanes all dutifull seruice and obedience was denied to the Emperours they were driuen from the gouerment of Italye But by what right the Popes brought these thinges to passe by
their practizes euery man that is indued with common sence and hath any knowledge of iustice mai soone vnderstand Al these things were doone with in 30. yéeres after y yere of our lorde 724 or nere therupon vnto the yéere of our Lorde 754 In the yéere of our Lorde 750. Pope Zacharie the. 1. of that name tooke vpon him teÌ„porall matters began to medle with the ciuill gouerment assisted to depose the king of France froÌ„ his crowne and to place another in his rowme For through his help and counsell Hilderik king of France of the antient familie of Merouingi was deposed from y crown and Pipine of the familye of Charles thurst into his place But shortly after this great benifite of the Popes Pipine brought an army of FrenchmeÌ„ into Italy against Estulphus king of Lumbardy when hauing taken in war the greater parte of the cuntrey hée gaue it for reward vnto pope Steuen the second and then first S. Peter obtained an inheritaÌ„ce who béefore y time y space of 700. yéeres neuer had any and although y Constantius y emperour sent Embassadours vnto Pipine that hée would not alienate the Prouinces of the Romane Empire yet notwithstanding Steuen the Pope gladlye receiued those Prouinces peopls and ciuill gouerment whiche certenly S. Peter would neuer haue doone forasmuch as hee refused the charge ouer the poore Actes the vi The Popes followinge thereafter immitated the déedes of theÌ„ which went before nothinge lyke the déedes of the Apostles For Hadriane the Pope lykewise receiued all those thinges willyngly which Charles surmamed the great King of Fraunce gaue vnto him when he had vanquished and ouercome the Lumbards and taken prisoner Desiderius their king But Leo the third attempted more For he tooke vpon him the aucthoritie ouer all the Empire which then appertayned to the Emperours of Constantinople and crowned Charles Emperour of Rome withoute the knowledge and consent of the lawfull Emperours when as then as Palmerius accompteth the west had lacked their owne Emperour the space of 330. yéeres The yéere of Christe 860. Pope Nicholas the firste ruled the sea of Rome a passinge ambitious man institutinge sundry thinges not appertayning to the gouerment of the Church but to confirmation and establishinge of the popishe tyrany First that no prince no not the emperour himselfe should bée present in the counseiles of the Clergie Also that no lay man should set in iudgment ouer a clarke or ecclesiasticall person Moreouer that the Popes decrées and sentences ought to bée iudged by no man yea that the Pope is subiect vnto no ciuile power bicause he is god Reade Antoninus Titul xvi Paragra 9. and likewise in the decrées in the 76. and. 28 â–ª distinction Afterward in the yéere of Christ 962. the Popes of Rome grue vnto so great power that when Otho the. 1. emperour of that name came vnto Rome hée must néedes take an othe vnto Pope Iohn the xii that hée would defende the inheritance of Peter c. Reade the. 63. distinction which béeginneth Tibi Domine Ioanni But in the yéere after the birth of our Lord sauiour Christ 1000. the tyranny of Popes against y emperours brak foorth into light for casting away their yoke from their neckes they béegan fréely to bear rule at their owne plesure nothinge regardynge any Magistrate yea bringynge Princes kynges and Emperours into subiection vnder them and compellyng to obey them or otherwise through deceit and couen bryngynge them to the bent of their bow For I pray you what horrible tragedies and turmoiles did pope Gregory the seuenth stirre vp against Henrie the fourth For not only hée excommunicated him and intreated him most disdainfully but also discharginge his subiectes princes and nobles that were vnder the empire from their othe and allegeance raised a sedition against him causing an infinitie deale of blood to bée shead Who so is disposed let him reade this most cruell and strange historie in the yéearlye recordes of Ihon Auentine and in other historicians Pope vrbane the .ii. which succéeded Gregorie in the sea of Rome his verie true and vndoubted Disciple in the Claromont counsell was causer of the most cruell warre which the Christians made against the Sarracens wherof we haue spoken béefore Béesides hee prouoked Conrade the prince of Italye to rebell against his father the emperour Henrye the fourth which was a deede altogither against nature Likewise Paschalis the .ii. egged the sunne Henrye the v. against his father Henrye the fourth and thrise accursed him tausinge the bysshoppes of Ments and Coleine wourmes in his palace of Ingelheim by force to turne him out of his imperiall ornamentes disgrading the good ould emperour and adorninge therwith his sunne Henrye the fifte If anye man can bée delighted herewith let him read this wofull historye in his Saxonie of Albertus Crantius the firâ—â— booke the xx chapter The same Paschalis was troublesom also vnto the emperour Henrye the fift and was the cause of mutch bloodshead and all only for the donation and gift as they call them of certein ecclesiasticall benefices and prefermentes which vnto that time the emperour had alwayes and now the Pope went about forcibly to take them away But that which hée could not bringe to passe the same afterward Calixtus the. 2 assaid nether relented vntill hée had taken away from the emperour the same right of donation of spirituall prefermentes Wherof Abbas Vrspurgensis hath writen diligently These thinges were doone in the yéere of our lord God 1122. But the Popes of Rome were not contented with this but the later sorte haue insued the trade of their predicessours touching wickednes and mischeif in persecutinge the emperours For afterward they béecame gréeuous vnto them neuer makinge an ende of cursing seditions warres and perpetuall fraud and deceipt vntill at length they had oppressed the wéerie emperours and exalted their seate aboue theirs placinge themselues in power and superioritie aboue all other Who so desireth to haue a sounde and perfect knowledge of these matters let him reade the storye of Fridericus Barbarossa and those thinges which the Popes Adrian the fourth and Alexander the thirde practized against him of which the later most presumptiously trode vpon the Emperours necke with his foote Also what Caelestinus the fourth wrought against Henry the first Let him also there béeholde with what arrogancie pride and insolencie Pope Innocentius the third a loftie and bould Preist vsed against Philip the Emperour But specially let it bée well considered what the popes Honorius y third Gregorie the .ix. and Innocentius the. 4 committed wickedly and deceiptfully against Fridericke the seconde a notable and most excellent Emperour a man indued with most singular giftes whom most vnworthely and reprochfully they troubled afflicted as they did likewise his sunne Conradus the fourth emperour of that name These contentions persecutions and most cruell and perpetuall warres béetwéene the Popes and the emperours continued
there amonge them enie that lacked Likewise They continued euerie day with one accord in the temple praisinge God and giuinge thankes beefore all the people In this Church Congregation and fellowship were the Apostels of our Lorde and his threscore and ten disciples Ioseph of Arimathie Barsabas or Barnabas Nicodemus with other woorthie men moe but cheifly the holy and vndefiled virgin Marie mother of the Lorde Iesus Christe with diuerse other vertuous and deuout wemen whose vertue and renoume is disciphered in the Euangelicall history In this Church there were no diuisions no schismes and the numbre of them that béeléeued was aboue fiue thousande To conclude there was no Church in the Earth more excellent holy perfect or more acceptable to God. Howbeit god which suffred his owne sun to bée crucified suffred also this holy Church to fall into sutch afflictions and so general a persecution as we haue declared béefore And who is now so wicked and curious the in respect of this persecution dare step foorth and dispute against God and question with him wherfore he suffred his dearly beloued frends to bée so gréeuously afflicted whiche had deserued much better and so many good godly persons amonge whom christes mother was one whose most pure hart the sharp sword of sorow and heauines had perced through why likewise god gaue vnto the faithlesse Iewes hipocrites so great power ouer godly and iust men why raught he not his helpynge hand to his Church to help it causing the neither Steeuen should bée stoned neither the Church beinge spoyled of their goods be made poore or banished nether they which liued in sutch concorde togither with great sorow so miserably bée plucked a sundre and scatred abroad It pleased God it should be so who is the eternal wisdom doth no vniust thing And that which pleased God pleased also the holly Church which nether murmoured neither disputed agaynste the lord but receaued persecution willingly and by the grace of God endured it paciently knowyng and beléeuing that God who was omnipotent and mercifull would so moderate the persecution that it should tende to the commoditie of the Church as it also came to pas In the same minde it béehoueth all the faythfull to bée in all maner persecutions and patiently to submit themselues to the pleasure of God. Mutchlesse héerby may the reasoning of somme men take place who gather out of persecutions that if the doctrine were true and faith right God would ayde them and not deliuer theÌ„ ouer into their power y are altogether out of y way concernyng doctrine and béeléefe For in the persecution of the primitiue church these men as apperteinyng to y body had the victorie whose faith was false and they y were soundly persuaded suffred persecution were driuen away slain which slaughter calamity notwithstaÌ„ding dyd nothing in damage the true faith And in our age also the case standeth none otherwise neyther for the persecutions which the Churche induereth the faith and doctryne therof is lesse to be regarded or worse therfore to be iudged The true faith and doctrine dâ—pend vpon no victory but onely vpon God and his worde Of the fourth Tragical Acte or persecution in which Saincte Iames the Apostle was slayne and Peter cast into Prison Chapter iiii ABout the yeare of Christe 45. Herode surnamed Agrippa sunne to Herode the great brother to Antipas moued the fourth persecution against the Churche wherof Luke speaketh in the Actes the. 12. Chapter There he declareth how Herod had decréed to molest certen of the Churche that he had alredy slaine with the sword Iames the brother of Iohn the Euangelist who also was one of the three whome the lord vsed most familiatly and to whom hee opened his secretes and not content with this cruell déed procéeded farther and call Peter into prison to the intent to put him also to death And because these twaine were the cheefest amonge the Apostles the whole Church was strooken in great sorowe and heauines for this persecution and specially Iohn who was mutch greeued for his brothers death The Church feared also least they should lease their faithfull pastor Peter as they had doone Iames wherfore Luke writeth that dayly they powred foorth prayers vnto God for Peter which prayers were not without effect For the Angell of the lorde came into the prison to Peter and deliuered him out of y souldiours hold losed his theines bandes opened the iron gate and set him at libertie in the open streete from whence by â— and by hee departed out of Ierusalem This great affliction the Church indured pacientlye neither murmured against Christ expostulatyng with hym why he gaue vnto Herod that wicked verlet sutch power against his dearly-beloued ones why he suffred his whole Church and specially Iohn his best beloued of all the Disciples to be touched with such heauenesse why he deliuered not Iames as he dyd Peter they knew that God dyd nothing rashly nor without cause but euery thiÌ„g wel rightly Wherfore the faithfull in persecutions must likewise be semblably persuaded For if euer men had nede to make their complaynt to God then had they néede neuerthelesse there were heard no complaynts no murmurings but earneste and humble praiers Wherfore in aduersitie let the faithful flie vnto God in praier requiring his grace y hée would gouerne al thing to y glory of his name and vnto our saluation and whatsoeuer he doth that wée submit our selues willingly to his holy will and pleasure Moreouer no man in the Primitiue Church called the doctrine of y Apostles into question because Iames was slaine with the sword and Peter cast into prison For none of them said thus if the apostles doctrine were true iust God would not haue suffered them to haue bin oppressed of y kings which erred in the faith leadyng also a filthy and wicked lyfe Therefore at this day lykewise the doctrine of the Gospell is not to be doubted of for that the teachers and followers therof are by the Lorde delyuered ouer into the enemies hands of the Gospell and miserably and cruelly by them intreated for the truth notwithstandyng is euerlasting inuincible Paul in the same cause writeth that he was afflicted for the gospel euen vnto hands but y word of god was not bouÌ„d The cause that stirred Herod to persecute the church was his owne peruerse minde which lothed christ his word Moreouer the Iewes gréedely thirsted the Apostles bloud wherfore Herod to currie fauour with them shed y bloud of the Apostles This Luke witnesseth in these words And when he saw this namely when he had slain Iames with y swoord to be acceptable to the Iewes hee proceeded also to apprehende Peter meaning after Easter to bringe him forth to the people Like as in our age many princes do persecute the faithfull for none other cause but that with their cruel butcherous Tragedies they might gratefie those Fathers
of Rome and their adherentes who also vnsatiably do thirst all their blood which cleaue only to Christe and his Gospell and set nought by abhor their superstition and Idolatrye Of the. 5. tragical acte or persecution wherein Paule and the Christian Church sufferd many thinges and the Apostles ended their liues full of afflictions by sheadyng their bloud Chapter v. THe fifte persecution againste Paule that Apostle continued many yeres the Church also which beléeued the Gospel partly for Paule with whom they suffered and partly for the Gospel of Christ abode sundry troubles and afflictions by that meanes was partaker of this persecution For when Paule had begun to preach the Gospel at Damascus about the yere after Christe xxxiii and iourneynge through Arabya was retourned to Damascus and there disputed earnestly against the Iewes Aretas the King layyng watche at the Cittie gates sought hym to kyll hym when the faithfull not beyng able otherwise to saue hym let downe Paule by a Rope through the wall in a basket and so with great care and dillygence they kept him aliue At Antioch also in Pisidia Paule gathered together a great congregatioÌ„ vnto Christ of Gentiles and Iewes but the Iewes which would not imbrace Christ stirryng vp a persecucion against Paule and Barnabas draue them out of that Citie and Region In Iconium also the Iewes agayne moâ—ued a tumult against Paul wherhe with his companion Barnabas were in forced to prouide for theÌ„selues by flight Also in Listra the same Iewes brought Paul so far into hatred y being stoned drawn forth of y towne as dead yet christ raised him again to do him seruice At Phillippos in Macedonia Paul and his fellow Silas were taken scourged with rods and cast into a very straight prison out of whiche notwithstanding Christ deliuered him that he might yet preach the Gospell to moe nations Moreouer at Thessalonica there was agreeuous persecution moued againste Paul wher he was constrained through helpe of the faithfull to escape away by night The lyke he suffred at Berroea At Athens the Philosophers and wyse men of this world reprochfully termed him a trifler rayled at hym and mocked hym as the like was done to the lord himself Likewise in the famous citie of Gréece called Corinthe hée was apprended and brought to the lieutenaÌ„tes seate of iudgment and sharply accused but then also the Lorde deliuered him out of the power of his enemies But what gréeuous thinges Paule suffred in Asia at Ephesus are by himselfe recited in these wordes I woulde not haue you ignoraunt brethern of the trouble and affliction which hapned vnto vs in Asia how we were wonderfully greued aboue our power that we were in dispaire euen of lyfe But we receiued a decree within our selues touchyng death that wee shoulde not trust in our selues but in God whiche raiseth the dead In Luke also in y Act. of the Apostles there is set forth a notable description of the tumult which was at Ephesus Vpon occasion of which tumult there the faithfull remayned in great sorow heauines and daunger also by reason of the continuall waite layyng and persecutions wherwith the vnfaithfull both Iewes and Gentiles persecuted them After so many daungers afflictions and most greuous traueles when Paule was arriued at Ierusalem bringing with him a great and ritch treasure whiche he had gathered as a donatiue for y pouerty of y citie and relmâ— there againe y Iewes raised a most wofull seditioÌ„ apprehending Paul scourged him biterly wher he had bin vtterli destroyd vnles the Tribune coÌ„ming in al spéede with his souldiers had taken him out of their handes This beinge doone hée was by the tribune brought into the Ecclesiasticall court where hée was also scourged and vnworthely intreated Afterward bicause of the great treason of the Jewes being guarded with a sufficient power of horsemen and footemen hée was sent from Jerusalem to Caesarea vnto Foelix the lieutenaunt Beefore whom when he came the cheif of the Iewes accused him layinge manie thinges to his charge wherin al though hée could not bee fownd giltie notwithstanding hée was committed to indurance wher hée remayned the space of two whole yeeres Moreouer he was euelly delt with all by Festus also the new lieutenaunt who succeeded Foelix after ward with other prisoners deliuered ouer vnto the Centurians and souldiours imbarked and with a longe and daungerous iourney brought to Rome But Nero then reigninge at Rome hée remayned agayne prisoner there two yeres Some are of opinion that at this time he was slaine with the sword by Nero others thinke that hée was acquited in iudgement by Nero as hée himself witnesseth in the ij to Timoth. the .iiii. chapter and béeinge so set at libertie that hée departed directly intoo Spaine as béefore hée had declared in the Epistle to the Romanes that hée was desierous to take in hand that iourney And traueylinge through Spaine and France they say how hée came the seconde time to Rome in the later yeres of the reigne of Nero and there was slayn with the sworde at Neroes commaundement But this wée leaue as vncertain howbeit this is euident wherin all doo agrée that the most holly Apostle Paule was putte to death at Rome vnder Nero. The traueiles afflictions and sundrie calamities whiche for none offence hée sustayned but for Christ his woord and the Churche the Apostle himselfe imputynge them to his enemies and false Apostles reciteth in a bréeif catalogue in these woordes Are they the ministers of Christe I speake like a foole I am more in labours more abuÌ„dant in woundes surpassynge them in prison more commonly in death often Of the Iewes I receaued fiue times fourtie stripes sauynge-one I was thrise scourged with roddes and once stoned thrise I suffred shipwrak night and day haue I beene on the deepe sea In iourneinge often in daunger of waters in daunger of theues indaunger of mine owne countriemen in daunger of the heathen in daunger in the Citie in daunger in the wildernes in daunger in the sea in daunger amonge false brethren In weerines and traueyle in watchinge often in hunger and thirst in fastinge often in colde and nakednes Beeside those thinges which happen outwardly vnto mee for the heape of them dayly riseth against mee which is to say the care for all Churches of Christe Now therfore by so many afflictions which Paule sustained and by the victory good successe of his enemies can it be gathered that Paules doctrine was erronious or else God would haue defended him nether haue suffred him to haue bin ouer whelmed with so many calamities and reproches Shal wée ther fore dispute against god whi he suffreth wicked meÌ„ somutch to preuaile against the faithful and his holy ministers or why he permitteth the sacred Churche of Christe to suffre so mutch in it selfe and in the faythful pastor therof Paule The godly men suffred