whereof I am convinced and which I have published concerning the Lords Supper so that if I be asked what my judgement is about it I muâ—t needs declare my knowledge and conscience therein as I have formerly written though I were sure to lose twenty lives if I had so many And further you shall understand that I am furnished with Scriptures Fathers Schoolmen and others for the proving of it so that if I may be iâ— differently heard I am sure my Adversaries can neither justly condemn me noâ— mine assertion but that with me they must condemn Saint Augustine and most of the Ancient Writers yea the very Bishops of Rome of ancient time speak for me and defend my cause Yea marry quoth the Gentleman you say well if you might be indifferently heard but I much doubt thereof for that our Master Christ was not indifferently heard nor should I think if he were now present in the World especially in this your opinion the same being now so odious in the World and we so far from the true knowledge thereof Well said Mr. Frith I know assuredly that this Doctrine of the Sacrament is very hard meat to be digested both of the Clergy and Lâ—ity But this I will say to you that if you live but twenty years more whatsoever shall become of me you shall see this whole Realm of mine opinion though happily some particular persons shall not be fully perswaded therein And if this come not to pass then count me the vainest man that ever you heard speak with a tongue And whereas you say my death would be very grievous to my friends I grant that for a small time it would be so but if I should so moderate my cause that I should only be kept in Prison that would not only be a longer grief unto me but would breed no small disquietness to my friends both in body and minde therefore all things well considered my death in this cause shall be bâ—tter to me and all my relations then life in continual bondage and penury And Almighty God knoweth what he hath to do with his poor servant whose cause I now defend and not mine own from the which through Gods grace I never intend to start nor otherwise to give place so long as God will give me life When they were landed at Lambeth after they had refreshed themselves with Victuals they all three went on foot towards Croydon The Gentleman still with himself lamenting the perâ—l that Frith was in and therefore he devised with himself by what means he might deliver him out of the Bishops hands and having in minde contrived the way he walked with the Porter and privately imparted his thoughts to him and finding him forward to join with him therein he went again to Mr. Frith and told him that the business which he had undertaken to lead him as a sheep to the slaughter so grieved him that he was overwhelmed with cares and sorrows whereupon he was resolved what danger soever he incurred to find out a way to deliver him out of the Lyons mouth And yet said he yonder good fellow and I have contrived a means whereby you may easily escape from this immineâ—â— danger and we also be cleared from any vehement suspition for when we come to yonder 's Hill called Bristow-Causway where are Woods on each hand you shall turn into that on the left hand which leads into Kent and so by the help of your friends convay your self away and we will so order the matter that they shall never seek that way for you c. Mr. Frith having diligently hearkened to his speech said with a smiling countenance And is this the effect of your secret consultation all this while Surely surely you have lost more labor formerly and so you are like to do this also for if you should both leave me here and go to Croydon declaring to the Bishops that you had lost Frith I would surely follow after as fast as I could bring them news that I had found and brought Frith again Do you think that I am afraid to declare mine Opinion before the Bishops in so manifest a Truth You are a fond man quoth the Gentleman thus to talk do you think that your reasoning with the Bishops will do any good But I much marvel you were so willing to fly the Realm before you were taken and now so unwilling to save your self when you may Marry quoth Frith there is a great difference between escaping then and now For then I desired to escape because I was at liberty and not yet attached which liberty I would fain have enjoyed for the improvement of my Studies beyond-Sea where I was Reader of the Greek tongue but now being taken by the Higher Powers and that by Almighty Gods Permission and Providence I am faln into the Bishops hands only for Religions-sake and for such Doctrine as I am bound in conâ—cience under pain of damnation to maintain if I should now start aside and run away I should run from my God and from the Testimony of his Word whereby I should deserve a thousand Hels And therefore I most heartily thank you both for your good wills towards me beseeching you to bring me where I was appointed to be brought or else I will go thither all alone And so with a cheerful and merry countenance he went with them spending the time with pleasant and godly communication till they came to Croydon where for that â—ight he was well entertained in the Porters Lodge On the morrow he was called before the Bishops to be examined at which time he shewed himself exceeding ripe and ready to answer all Objections even beyond all mens expectations And his Allegations out of S. Augustine and other Ancient Fathers were such as some of them much doubted of S. Augustines authority in that case aâ—d when they had done Doctor Heath in private confessed to the Archbishop of Canterbury that no man could avoid his Allegations out of S. Augustine Yet after this without any regard to his Piety Learning or Merit he was turned over to Stokesley Bishop of London who would not hear what S. Augustine or any other said for his opinion But calling him into his Conâ—istory after he had witnessed there a good Confession he condemned him and so delivered him over to the Major and Sheriffs of London to be burned When he came into Smithfield where he was to suffer he shewed much constancy and courage and being tyed to the stake and the fire kindled he willingly embraced the same But the winde blowing away the flame made his death somewhat the longer yet through Gods grace he bore it with such patience even as though he felt no pain in that long torment and so at last quietly reâ—igned up his spirit unto God Anno Christi 1531. Whâ—lst Mr. Frith was beyond the Seas he much holp Mr. Tindal in the Translation of the
Art There thou mayst finde the knowledge of mundane Philosophy without the least ostentation of it there thou mayst discern his skill of the Liberal Sciences and amongst them of the Mathematicks and yet he makes them all handmaids to Piety In his discourses he doth exquisitely mingle Divine testimonies of Scripture that they are like to precious stones not sowed to but bred in purple clothes His Works are these In Opificium sex dierum Hom. 11. In Psalmos Hom. 17. Variorum argumentorum Hom. 28. De Virginitate De Paradiso Contra Apologeticum Eunomii Contra Sabellianos Arium De S. Sancto De Libero Arbitrio De Baptismate Exercitamenta per aliquot Sermones Praefatio de judicio Dei De Fidei Confessione Moralium Summae Questiones diffusè Explicatae Aliae compendio Explicatae Constitutiones Exercitatoriae Epistolae Explicationes in Psalmos Davidis All printed at Basil by Froben Anno Christi 1566. GREGORI NAZIANZEN The Life of Gregory Nazianzen who flourished Anno Christi 370. GRegory Nazianzen was first Bishop of Sasima then of Nazianzum in Cappadâ—cia and lastly of Constantinople he was a living Library of Philosophy and Divinity exceeding Eloquent a defender of the poor and oppressed and a comforter of the afflicted In his younger days he became acquainted with Basil and joined studies with him So that with him at Athens he heard those famous Rhetoricians Hymerius and Proaeresius At Antioch in Syria he frequented the School of Libanius and by these means he became an excellent Orator By reading the Commentaries of Origen he learned to expound and interpret the Sacred Scriprures In disputation he foiled and overthrew the most learned amongst the Arians and fearing least those Errors should infect the Churches of Cappadocia he gat him thither to oppose them where he was made Bishop of Nazianzum a mean City of Cappadocia whereof his Father had been Bishop before him What insight he had into mens dispositions by their Physiognomies may appear by that which he wrote concerning Julian the Apostate in his second Oration against the Gentiles where he thus writeth I foresaw saith he long ago in Julian that which is now come to pass when I knew him at Athens For he came thither when the Empress had procured License of the Emperour for his voyage and when his Brother Gallus had conspired the death of the Emperour Constantius There were two causes that moved him to repair to Athens The first was tolerable the second had small honesty in it The first was to see Greece and the Schools that flourished therein The second which was more secret and was known unto few was to consult with Southsayers and Sacrificers about his affairs in time to come because it was not permitted openly for the Authors of such impiety to practise such divellish inventions And I my self in conjecturing of him at that time although I am not of the number of Prophets yet was not much deceived For his wavering minde and frantick disposition made me Prophet good enough I saw not one sign in him that gave me any hope that ever he would become an honest man He had a running head his shoulders did never leave waging he had winking eyes that continually rouled in his head His countenance was staring He had a sliding and limping pace His visage was scornful He had a fleering face of his own the which his immoderate laughter and continual scorning did declare His manner was without all honesty to say and unsay His words came tumbling out with vehemency and stops the sentence broken in the midst His questions and objections were rash and foolish His answers were little better which oftentimes followed one after another and as there was little hold of them so were they proposed without order But what need I to run over all particulars I foresaw in him before he was created Emperour that which afterwards proved to be most true If there were any of my familiar friends present which heard me thus divining of him I am sure they would testifie this to be no otherwise then I do report it in whose hearing also at the foresight of these things I uttered these words O good God what a Monster the Empire of Rome doth nourish When I had uttered these words I desired of God that in this matter I might be found a lyer For that had been far better then that the whole World should have been visited with so many mischiefs or then that such a Monster should have been seen amongst men the like unto whom had never been remembred before For in his time happened many deluges and flouds over-flowing the Countries the which both young and old do at this time remember Besides great losses by fire terrible Earthquakes and gapings of the ground Men also of a strange shape were born into the World of mixt and compound natures being half Men half Beasts But he purchased to himself such an end as his frantick disposition justly deserved These things did Gregory report of Julian Not long after in the reign of Theodosius senior Gregory was translated from the City Nazianzum to govern a little Church within the wals of Constantinople unto which the Emperour afterwards annexed a goodly Temple called the Resurrection But Gregory being a famous man and excelling in vertue and godliness all that flourished in his time when he perceived that some murmured and objected to him that he was a stranger and foreigner although he rejoyced at the Emperours coming yet utterly refused to continue any longer at Constantinople He had such a dexterity of wit that which way soever he turned himself he could happily effect it In opening the Mysteries of the Sacred Scriptures he was an exellent Teacher diligent cautious plain and without offering violence to the Text. Nature seemed to have framed him for Panegyrick Orations yet did he so temper his speeches therein to the mindes and ears of the multitude that he was very plain to the ignorant and yet at the same time to be admired by the learned In his Disputations against Eunomius he shewed admirable acuteness yet never receded from perspicuity of speech and so contained himself within bounds of defence of the Catholick Truth that he never brake forth into reproaches extravagant from the cause Neither was he unlike himself in his work to Amphilocus about the Holy Ghost But what argument soever he handled wholsome and pleasing speeches were never wanting to him and those not acquired but natural According to his name in all his works there appears a certain Kingly Majesty mixed with admirable humanity He so inveighed against the evil manners of men that they could not but love him whilest he child them And look what his Doctrine was such was his life By this dexterity of his wit when Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea by his ambition stirred up Sedition of an aemulus he made him his very good friend By this
David have mercie upon me and receive my soul and wipeing his eies with his hands he said For God's love let me have more fire A third fire being kindled it burn'd more violently yet was he alive a great while in it the last words which he uttered being Lord Jesus have mercy on me Lord Jesus receive my spirit And so he slept in the Lord. In one of his letters he wrote Imprisonment is painfull but libertie upon evill conditions is worse The Prison stink's yet not so much as sweet houses where the fear of God is wanting I must be alone and solitarie it 's better so to be and have God with me then to be in company with the wicked Losse of goods is great but losse of grace and God's favor is greater I cannot tell how to answer before great and learned men Yet it is better to do that then stand naked before God's Tribunal I shall die by the hands of cruâ—ll men he is blessed that loseth his life and fiâ—de's life eteâ—nal There is neither felâ— city nor adversity of this World that is great if it be weighed with the joyes and pâ—ines of the world to come And in the conclusion of the Letter he writes thus I am a precious Jewell now and daintily kept never so daintily before For neither mine owne man nor any of the servants of the house may come to me but my Keeper onely who is a simple rude fellow But I am not troubled thereat In the time of King Edward when he was made Bishop much controversie was betweene him and Doctor Cranmer and Doctor Ridley about the Cappe Rochet c. But when in Queene Maries daies they were all in Prison for the cause of Religion Doctor Ridley wrote thus to him My dear brother forasmuch as I understand by your works which I have but superficially seene that we throughly agree in those things which are the grounds and substantial points of our Religion against which the World so furiously rageth in these daies however formerly in certain by matters and circumstances of Religion your wisdome and my simplicity hath a little jarred each of us following the abundance of his owne sence and judgement Now I say be you assured that even with my whole heart God is my witness in the bowels of Christ I love you in the truth and for the truths sake which abideth in us and shall by the grace of God abide for ever He was above three-quarters of an hour in the fire before he dyed yet even as a Lambe he patiently abode the extremity thereof neither moving forwards backwards or to any side But having his nether parts burned and his bowels faln out he dyed as quietly as a Child in his bed an Christi 1555. The life of Rowland Tailor who died A no. Christi 1555. ROwland Taylor was Doctor of both Laws and Rector of Hadley in Suffolk where Master Thomas Bilney had formerly been a Preacher of the Word and in which place there were few either men or women that were not well learned in the holy Scriptures many having read over the whole Bible and could say a great part of Paul's Epistles by heart Here this D. Taylor preached constantly on Sabbaths Holy-days and at other times when he could get the people together So soon as he was called to this place he left the family of Doct. Cranmer A. B. of Canterbury with whom he had formerly lived like a good shepherd constantly abode with his flock and gave himself wholly to the study of the Sacred Scriptures most faithfully endeavouring to fulfill the precept of Christ to Peter Lovest thou me feed my sheep His life also and conversation was very exemplary and full of holiness He was meek and humble yet would stoutly rebuke sinne in the greatest He was very mild void of all rancor and malice ready to do good to all mer forgiving his enemies and far from doing the least wrong To the poor blinde lame sick bed-rid or that had many children he was a father causing the Parishioners to make good provision for them besides what of his own bounty he gave them He brought up his own children in the fear of God good learning And thus he continued as a good Sheepherd amongst his flock feeding governing and leading them through the wilderness of this wicked world all the days of holy King Edward the sixth But in the beginning of Queen Marie's Reigne two Popish persons suborned a Priest to come and say Mass in his Church Hee being at his study and hearing the Bell to toll went to Church and finding this Priest guarded with drawn swords in his Popish Robes ready to begin the Mass he said unto him Thou Divel who made thee so bold to enter into this Church to profane and defile it with this abominable Idolatry I command thee thou Popish-Wolfe in the name of God to avoid hence and not to presume thus to poyson Christ's flock Then said one Foster the ringleader in this business to Doctor Tailor Thou Traitor what dost thou here to let and disturbe the Queens proceedings Doctor Tailor answered I am no Traitor but the Shepherd which God and my Lord Christ hath appointed to feed this his flock and therefore I have good authority to be here Then said Foster Wilt thou Traiterous Heretick make a commotion and resist violently the Queens proceedings Doctor Tailor answered I make no commotion it s you Papists that make commotions and tumults I resist onely with Gods word against your Popish Idolatries which are contrary to the same and tend to the dishonour of the Queen and the utter subversion of this Realme Then did Foster with his armed men carry Doctor Tailor out of the Church and so the Priest went on with his Mass. Doctor Tailors wife who had followed her Husband to the Church when she saw their violent proceedings kneeled down and holding up her hands with a loud voice said I beseech God the righteous Judge to avenge this injury which this Popish Idolater doth this day to the blood of Christ Then did they thrust her out of the Church also and presently after Foster wrote a complaint against Doct. Tailor to Steven Gardiner who sent his Letters Missive for Doctor Tailor whereupon his friends earnestly entreated him to fly telling him that he could neither expect justice nor favor but imprisonment and cruel death To whom he answered I know my cause to be so good and righteous and the truth so strong upon my side that I will by Gods grace appear before them and to their beards resist their false doings for I beleeve that I shal never be able to doe God so good service as now and that I shal never have so glorious a calling nor so great mercy of God profferd me as I have now wherefore pray for mee and I doubt not but God will
was never more knowledge so never lesse godly living It was counted a foolish thing to serve our God truly and fervent prayer was not passed upon Preaching was but a pastime the Communion was counted too common Fasting to subdue the flesh was far out of use Almes were almost nothiâ—g Maâ—ice Covetousness and Uncleanness were common every where with Swearing Drunkenness and Idlenesse and therefore all this evill is come upon us c. Yea I my selfe loved not his Truth as I should therefore God thus punisheth me nay in punishing blesseth mee And I thanke him more for this prison than for any parlour yea than for any pleasure that ever I had for in it I finde God my sweet good God alwaies And in another place Let us repent and be heartily sorry that wee have so carnally so hypocritically so covetously so vain-gloriously professed the Gospel Let the anger and plagues of God most iustly fallen upon us bee applied â—o our 〈◊〉 that from the bottome of our hearts every one of us may say It 's â— lord that have sinned against thee it 's my hypocrisie my vain-glory my covetousnesse uncleanness carnality security idlenesse unthankfulnesse self love c. that hath deserved the taking away our good King â—of thy Word and true Religion of thy good Ministers by exile imprisonment and death It 's my wickednesse that cause hâ—â—ccesse and encrase of authority and peace to thine enemies O be mercifull be mercifull unto us c. NICHOL RIDLEY The Life of Nicolas Ridley who died A no Christi 1555. NIcholas Ridley was borne in Northumberland of worshipfull parents and bred at School in Newcastle and from thence sent to Cambridge where he grew so famous for his learning that after diverse other offices whereunto he was called in the University hee was chosen Master of Pembroke-Hall and made Doctor in Divinity From thence he was called by Arch-Bishop Cranmer to be Vicar of Herne in East-Kent where he was a fruitfull and painful Preacher at which time it pleased God to reveal to him the true doctrine concerning the Lords Supper and amongst others to convert by his Ministry the Lady Phines who proved an eminent instrument of Gods glory After a while he was made a Prebend of the Cathedral Church of Canterbury but not liking his society there he travelled into France and at his returne was made Chaplaine to King Henry the Eighth and Bishop of Rochester and from thence in Edward the sixth dayes he was removed to be Bishop of London In which places hee took so great pains in preaching that he was dearly beloved of his flock to whom also he was singularly exemplary in his life so that his very enemies had nothing to say against him Every Sabbath and holiday he preached in one place or other except extraordinary occasions hindred him and to his Sermons multitudes of people resorted swarming about him like bees to gather the sweet flowers and wholsom juice of his fruitfull doctrine He was passingly well learned and of such reading that he deserved to be numbred amongst the greatest Schollars that these latter ages produced as appeared by his notable works pithie Sermons and sundry disputations in boâ— Universities which drew an acknowledgment of his learning from his very adversaries He was of a strong memory and of great reading of a deep wit very judicious anâ— very mercifull He was of person right comely and well proportioned in all points both in complexion and lineâ—ments of his body He was free from malice and soon forgat all injuries and offences done against him very kinde to his kindred yet withall telling them that if they did evill they should look for nothing from him buâ— should be as strangers to him He used all meanes to mortifie his flesh being much in prayer and contemplation was sober in discourse and sometimes merry at meals after which he used to play at Chess about an hour and then returned to his study till five a clock at night when coming down he had prayers in his family then went to Supper then plaid a game at Chess and so returned to his study till eleven a clock at night His manner was daily to read a Lecture to his Family at prayer-time giving to every one that could read a new Testament and hiring them with mony to learn Chapters by heart being marvellous carefull that his family might give an example of godliness and virtue to others He called Bishop Bonners mother his Mother and when he was at Fulham had her constantly at meals with him setting her at the upper-end of the Table who ever was present And as he was godly himself so nothing appeared in his family but vertue and godliness He was first converted by reading Bertrams Book of the Sacrament and much confirmed by conference with D. Cranmer Peter martyr In the beginning of Q. Marie's days he was imprisoned with the first first in the Tower and from thence he was sent to Oxford with Cranmer and Latimer and there kept in the common Goal till at length being severed from his brethren he was committed to the custodie of one Irish with whom he remained till the day of his death which was Octob. 16. an Christi 1555. Writing to Latimer in prison he saith I pray you good father let me have something more from you to comfort my stomach for except the Lord assist me in his service I shall pâ—ay but the part of a white-liver'd Knight but he can make a coward in his cause to fight like a man In a Leter to M. Bradford he saith As far as London is from Oxford yet thence we have received both meat mony and shirts not onely from our acquaintance but from some strangers also I know for whole sake they doe it c. And again Ever since I heard of our dear brother Rogers his stout confession and departing blessed be God for it I never felt any â—â—mpish heavines in my heart as sometimes I did before And again Sir Blessed be God notwithstanding our hard restraint and the evil reports raised of us we are mâ—rry in God and all our care is and shall be by Gods grace to please and serve him from whom wâ— expect after these temporary and moment any miseries to have eterâ—al â—oy and perpetual felicity with Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. As yet never a learned man scholer or other hath visited us since our coming to Bocardo which now may be called the Colledge of Quondâ—ms for we be no fewer then three and I dare say every one well contented with his portion which is our heavenly fathers good and gracious gift Farewell We shall by the grace of God one day meet and be merry together which day assuredly approacheth the Lord grant it may shortly come Writing to Master Grindal who was now in exile he thus gives him an account of his
to Athens Act. 17. and espying an Altar there with this inscription Ignoto Deo took occasion from thence to Preach of the true God of the Resurrection and Judgement to come whereupon by the great Philosophers of that City he was accounted a wicked and sacrilegious person for which he was carryed by them to Mars his hill where the Court of the Areopagites sat which was the chiefest Judicatory in that City But before those Judges he preached with such Divine eloquence and forcible arguments that through Gods mercy he converted this Dionysius the chief President of the Judges with Damaris his wife who used Paul very courteously and were instructed by him in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ. At which the whole City was much amazed for all men accounted Dionysius a very wise and judicious man But now he was not ashamed of a Master to become a Scholar so that within 3 years space he became an admirable instrument to propagate the Gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Then was he by Paul ordained Pastor of the Church at Athens where for a good while he preached the Word of God with great wisdom zeal and diligence and as a wife Harvest-man brought in many Sheaves of Corn into Gods Barn Afterwards he went to Ephesus to visit S. John and S. Paul by whose perswasion leaving one Publius to look to his flock at Athens he went to Rome at which time Clemens governed that Church And having conversed a while with Clemens he intreated him to go into France to preach the Gospel there and to give knowledge of Salvation to that Nation This he willingly undertook and judging Paris to be the fittest place to reside in he so laboured amongst them that in a short space through Gods blessing he brought many Sheep into the fold of Christ and that not only of the meaner sort but many Rich Noble and Great Persons who overthrowing the Temples of their false gods erected new places for the service of the true God But this progress of the Gospel being envied by Satan the enemie of Christs Church he stirred up the Idolatrous Priests who suborned many to dispatch Dionysius but there was such a gracious lustre and radiancy in his countenance that when they beheld him some of their hearts failed them others were so affrighted that they fled away Shortly after Sisinius the Praefect gave command that Dionysius with his fellows should be apprehended and when he was brought before him he sharply reproved him for that he had preached against the Worship of their gods who by reason of his Sermons had lost their former honour and esteem He therefore required him to confess his error and to stop up that breach which he had made leaving off those novelties and unheard of Doctrines that by his recantation the people might see how vainly they had been seduced and so return to their antient Rites and Customs again To this Dionysius with great zeal wisdom and eloquence answered That they were no gods whom they worshipped but Idols and the works of mens hands and that it was through meer Ignorance Folly and Idolatry that they adored them Adding that there was but one true God according as he had preached At which words Sisinius was exceedingly incensed commanding him to be laid upon an hurdle and a gentle fire to be made under him to roast him Some others relate that he was thrown to hungry wild Beasts which yet would not tear him Then that he was put into an hot Oven which would not burn him Whereupon he was the second time brought before Sisinius who caused him publikely to be beaten with many and cruel blows by his Officers and when this prevailed not he standing up said Seeing thou hast contemned our gods derided the Emperors Edicts and by Magick hast wrought many Miracles to delude the people whereby thou hast seduced them from the obedience of the Emperor I will therefore that thou shalt be forthwith beheaded Dionysius nothing terrified herewith told him that he worshipped such gods as would perish like dung upon the Earth but as for my self said he Come life come death I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth This so enraged the Praefect that he commanded him presently to be executed whereupon he was haled out of the City to the top of an high Mountain and delivered to the Officers to be tormented which was accomplished with all the cruelty that could be Then lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven he said O Lord God Almighty thou only begotten Son and Holy Spirit O sacred Trinty which art without beginning and in whom is no division Receive the soul of thy servant in peace who is put to death for thâ— Cause and Gospel Which Prayer being ended he was beheaded with a sword which was made dull on purpose that his pain might be the greater He suffered Martyrdom in the reign of Hadrianus Anno Christi 96. and of his own Age 110. He used to say that he desired these two things of God first that be might know the truth himself Secondly that he might preach it as he ought unto others He wrote sundry Epistles as some affirm and some other works all which Scultetus for very good reasons rendred by him judgeth to be spurious JVSTIN MARTYR The Life of Justin Martyr who dyed Anno Christi 139. IVstin Martyr was born at Neapolis in the Country of Palestine His father was Priscus Bachius by whom in his youth he was set to schole where he profited so much that in time he became a famous Philosopher For being exceedingly inflamed with a desire of knowledge he would not be satisfied in his minde till he had gotten Instructors singularly seen in all kinds of Philosophy First he applyed himself to be a Scholar to a certain Stoick but finding that by his help he nothing profited in Divine knowledge after a time he left him and went to one of the Sect of the Peripateticks with whom after he had been a while he demanded of him a stipend for his teaching whereupon Justin accounting him no Philosopher left him and departed And being not yet satisfied in minde but desirous to hear of further learning he adjoined himself to one that professed the Pythagorean Sect a man of great â—ame and one that highly esteemed of himself whom after he had followed a time his Master asked him whether he had any skill in Musick Astronomy and Geometry without the knowledge whereof he said he could not be apt to receive the knowledge of virtue and felicity for that his minde must be drawn from the knowledge of sensible matters to the contemplation of things intelligible He spake much in commendation of these Sciences how profitable and necessary they were and because Justin declared himself to have no skill therein he turned him away which much grieved Justin who
Schismaticks for disagreeing with him therein Irenaeus with other Brethren of the French Church being sorry to see contentions amongst Brethren for such a trifle met together in a Councel and by common consent wrote Letters unto Victor subscribed with their names intreating him to alter his purpose and not to proceed to Excommunicate his Brethren for that matter and although themselves agreed with him in observing the same time yet by many strong arguments and reasons they exhorted him not to deal so rigorously with those who followed the custom of their Country in observing another day He wrote also diverse other Letters abroad concerning the same contention declaring the Excommunication of Victor to be of none effect After the Martyrdom of Photinus he was made Bishop of Lyons where he continued about the space of 23 years By his frequent faithful and powerful Preaching and by his holiness of life he brought most of that City from Gentilism to the knowledge and service of the true God But the common Enemy of mankinde envying the progress of the Gospel and the salvation of so many Souls beside the publick Persecution stirred up a spirit of Error and falsehood in some Hereticks as Montanus Theodosius Alcibiades and Maximilla whereby he greatly disturbed the Peace of the Church Hereupon Irenaeus and his fellow-Laborers to shew their care of the Brethren sent abroad large Epistles of things done amongst them They sent also the Tenets of Montanus into Asia with their judgements upon them They wrote likewise Letters to Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome desiring him heartily to endeavour to keep the Church in unity and when they could finde no fitter a person for so weighty a business they made choice of Irenaeus for his holiness gravity and sincerity whom they knew to be willing to undergo all travel danger and labour for Christs cause and the Churches good Him therefore they sent to Rome writing by him in this manner Father Eleutherius we with you health in all things and always in God We have requested Irenaeus our Brother and fellow Laborer to deliver these Letters whom we pray you to accept of as a zealous follower of the will of Christ c. This Irenaeus wrote five Books against the Heresies of his times which are yet extant in the first of which dilating upon the infinite profundity of matter invented by Valentinus mixed with many Errors he discloseth openly the malice of the Heretick being cloâ—ked and concealed as it were a Serpent hid in his den For revealing their profane ceremonies and detestable mysteries he writeth thus Some saith he prepare their Wedding Chamber and accomplish the service to be said over them that are to be consecrated with charmed words And having thus done they call it a Spiritual Marriage conformable to the caelestial copulation Some bring them to the water and in Baptising say thus In the Name of the unknown Father of all things In the Truth Mother of all things and in him which descended upon Jesus Some others pronounce Hebrew words to the end that young Converts might be the more amazed And in his third Book he wrote that Valentinus came to Rome in the time of Hyginus ninth Bishop in succession after the Apostles And also Cerdon another Heretick who sometimes protested the true Faith and privily taught the contrary Afterward he confessed his error and yet again being reprehended for the corrupt Doctrin which he had taught he refrained the company of the Brethren He taught that God preached in the Law and Prophets was not the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That Christ was known but the Father of Christ was unknown c. After him succeeded Marcion of Pontus a shameless blasphemer which encreased this Doctrine He tels us also in his second Book that the working of Miracles was frequent in his time Some of the Brethren saith he and sometimes the whole Church of some certain place by reason of some urgent cause by Fasting and Prayer have brought to pass that the spirits of the dead have returned into their bodies and so by the earnest Prayers of the Saints they have been restored again to life and have lived with us many years Some by the like means have expelled Devils so that they which were delivered from evill spirits have embraced the Faith and were received into the Church Others have the Spirit of Prophesie to fore-know things to come they see Divine Dreams and Prophetical Visions Others cure the sick and diseased and by laying on of their hands restore them to health For the gratious gifts of the Holy Ghost are innumerable which the Church dispersed through the whole World having received dispenseth daily in the Name of Jesus Christ crucified under Pontus Pilat to the benefit of the Gentiles c. Whilst he was Bishop of Lyons the state of the Church was very unquiet troublesome and full of danger because the Romane Emperour had not called in the Edicts of the fourth Persecution But in this dangerous time Irendus was valiant laboured exceedingly by Prayer Preaching Disputing Instructing and Reproving with patience and wisdom Seeking the lost strengthening the weak recalling the wandring binding up the broken-hearted and confirming those that were strong Whereupon Tertullian saith Tanta vitae integritate Doctrine sinceritate gregi is praesidet c. He governed the flock of Christ with such integrity of life and sincerity of Doctrine that he was loved exceedingly by his own and feared by others But in the latter end of Marcus Antoninus Verus God sent Peace to his Church so that the Christians lived securely held Councels and did Preach freely as also in the raign of Commodus who succeeded him But in the raign of Severus the next Emperor he being a bloody and cruel man was raised the fifth Persecution against the Church to the Martyrdom of many thousands but especially it raged at Lyons in so much as the blood of the slaughtered Christians ran down the streets and at last this blessed Saint with many other of his flock were carried between two hils where was a Cross on the one hand and an Idol of the other where they were put to their choice to go either to the Cross to suffer or to the Idol to live but they chose the Cross where they all constantly suffered Martyrdom about the year 182. Irenaeus being about the age of 60 years or as some say 90. He used to compare the Hereticks and Schismaticks of his time to Aesops Dog that lost the substance of Religion whilst they gaped too earnestly after the shadow Considering the vanity of all earthly things he said What profit is there in that honour which is so short-lived as that perchance it was not yesterday neither will be to morrow And such men as labor so much for it are but like froth which though it be uppermost yet is unprofitablest Erasmus thinks that he wrote
very doubtful what to do when he saw his accusers wholly to frame themselves to the will and beck of his Judges as also that they had gotten many witnesses against him partly of the Arians and partly of the Miletians which grievously calumniated him though the crimes objected were false and he had easily refuted them yet the false accusers went away with impunity especially in the great business about Arsenius whose arm they said he had cut off to practise Magick with they accused him also for giving gifts to a certain woman that he might satisfie his iust upon her vea that one night he had lien with her against her will both which accusations were plainly ridiculous and full of falsehood For whereas they brought the woman into the Council before them to justifie this charge Timothy a certain Presbyter of Alexandria standing by Athanasius according to their former agreement spake thus to the woman Did I lie with you by force Yes said she did you not and withal told them the time and place where it was done Athanasius also produced Arsenius in the midst of them and shewed them both his arms safe and sound requiring with all that his accusers should shew the arm that was cut off For it pleased God that Arsenius being again hidden by them hearing that the good Bishop was in danger by reason of him stole away in the night and hasted to Tyrus and came to Athanasius two days before he was to be judged for that cause By these means Athanasius was so clear from both the crimes wherewith he was charged that he thought he needed not any other purgation In the records of the Council there is no mention made of the first of these charges the business being so fowl and ridiculous that they were ashamed to make mention of it Put for the latter his accusers thought it sufficient to say that Plusianus one of the Bishops that was under Athanasius by the command of Athanasius had set Arsenius his house on fire bound him to a pillar and whipt him and afterwards shut him up in his house but Arsenius escaping out at a window had hid himself for his own security and he no where appearing it gave just cause of suspition that he was murthered for which cause the Arian Bishops pretended that they had diligently sought after him as a worthy Person and Confessor and when they could not finde him had brought his cause before the Magistrate Athanasius perceiving their violence began to be afraid and justly to suspect least his adversaries should watch an opportunity privily to murther him The Council having many meetings after this and all things being filled with Tumult Athanasius his adversaries still crying out against him that he was a jugler a violent man a man that was unworthy of his Ministry and worthy to be punished with death they which were appointed by Constantine to see businesses regularly managed in this Council began greatly to fear least a tumult being raised which they had just cause to suspect Athanasius should be murthered amongst them whereupon they secretly conveyed him out of the Council Athanasius also finding certainly that he could not safely remain at Tyrus and that it was not possible for him to contend with such a multitude of accusers before such Judges as were his professed Enemies he fled to Constantinople Hereupon the Council without rendring any reason condemn him cast him out of his Bishoprick and Decree that he shall no more return to Alexandria least say they by his presence there he stir up and occasion Seditions and tumults and withall they absolve the Arians and all others which had been censured by him as if he had done them much wrong therein whereupon they did not only restore them to Communion again but to all those places and offices from whence they had been justly ejected They also signified these Decrees to the Emperor and wrote to all other Bishops that they should hold no Communion with Athanasius that they should by no means write to him nor receive any letters from him Because say they having sundry great crimes proved against him before us partly by his flight and partly by refusing to plead his cause before us he hath declared himself to be guilty Furthermore they declared that they proceeded to pass such a sentence upon him because when the Emperour the former year had called together the Bishops of the East to meet in a Council at caesarea for the hearing of his cause he never came at them and thereby had tired the Council and despised the Emperours Command and when many Bishops were met together at Tyrus he came to them with a great multitude of persons raising tumults in the Council one while refusing to answer before them another while loading the Bishops with reproaches sometimes when he was called before them he refused to hear them and others sometimes refusing to stand to their judgment As also because it plainly appeared to them that he had broken the Holy Chalice for witness whereof they had produced Theognis Bishop of Nâ—ce Mars Bishop of Chalcedon Theodore Bishop of Heraclea besides Valence Vrsacius and Macedâ—nius whom said they we have sent into Egypt to examine the matter and when they came into a certain Village they found the Chalice broken By such cunning and flie Allegations they sought to traduce Athanasius yet there were many Presbyters present in that Council who altogether disliked their proceedings as unjust whereupon 〈◊〉 a Confessor took Maximus Bishop of Haerusalem by the hand saying Come let us rise and be gone hence for it doth not become us that have lost our Eyes and have been lamed for the Truth of Christ to be present or to communicate with such wicked men in their sins But Athanasius as we said before being gone to Constantinople complained to the Emperour of the unjust judgement that the Bishops had passed against him whereupon the Emperour sent for them to appear before him to give an account of their proceedings who as soon as they came perceiving that their false and unworthy dealings were fully discovered leaving those former fictions they now accuse Athanasius to the Emperour for threatning to restrain the coming of corn out of Egypt to Constantinople as it used to do to which accusations the too credulous Emperour giving heed was so much incensed against Athanasius that he banished him to Triver in France Presently after his departure Arius with his complices returned to Alexandria where he made such factions and divisions that he cast the whole City into disorder and tumults the people of Alexandria being much grieved and offended that Arius with his companions had that liberty granted them of returning thither but especially because they understood that their godly reverend Bishop was driven into Exile by their means But when the Emperour understood of the perverse minde and unquiet behaviour of Arius he sent for him to
Constantinople to give an account of the tumults and seditions that he had raised at Alexandria At this time there was one Alexander a godly and worthy man Bishop of Constantinople He in the dimication which arose about Arius shewed himself a very prudent and pious man For as soon as Arius came to Constantinople he presently raised divisions amongst the people there also so that great tumults ensued whilest one part of the people stood for the Faith confirmed by the Nicene Council another part of them said that the opinion of Arius was most consonant and agreeable to reason Hereupon Alexander fell into a great perplexity especially because Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia often and grievously threatned him that he would depose him from his Bishoprick if he would not receive Arius and his companions into Communion with him But Alexander was not so solicitous about his own Deposition as he was careful for to maintain the Nicene Faith and the Doctrine established by that Council For esteeming himself bound to be a Patron of the Decrees of that Council he thought that it was his duty to the uttermost of his power to see that they might not be broken nor made invalid Being therefore ingaged in this contestation he laid aside humane arguments and betook himself to the help and assistance of God and thereupon shutting himself up in the Church he fell to Fasting and Prayer and night and day with tears he begged of God that if the opinion of Arius was true he might never see the day appointed for the trial but if his own Faith were the truth that then God would inflict some visible judgement upon Arius the Author of all those mischiefs In the mean time the Emperour desirous to finde out the opinion of Arius sent for him to his Pallace and asked him whether he did agree to the Decrees of the Council of Nice He without delay willingly and chearfully subscribed them whereas in the mean time he cunningly and fallaciously evaded those things which were determined about matters of Faith The Emperour wondering at it required him to swear to them which he also did but with the like fraud as he had before subscribed them For having writren privately his own opinion he put it into his bosom and then swore that he did truly and from his heart believe according as he had written The good Emperour giving credit to his Subscription and Oath commanded Alexander the Bishop of Constantinople to receive him into Communion This was on the Saturday and Arius expected the next day to be admitted into the Communion of the Church but God prevented it For Arius going out of the Pallace with Eusebius and a great number of his followers in great pomp and pride as having gotten the victory of his adversaries He no sooner came to the chief Market place in the City but his Conscience began to accuse and terrifie him for all his deceit and wickedness through the violence whereof his belly was loosened whereupon he asked whether the Jakes was not nere and being informed that they were hard by he turned aside into them and whilest he was casing Nature first his Fundament came forth then abundance of blood and at last he voided his Bowels with his Spleen and his Liver whereupon he immediately dyed Some of his company thinking him long went in to see the cause and found him dead in this miserable manner Hereupoâ— Eusebius and all his rout were stricken with a wonderful terror The fame of Arius his accursed death presently flew all over the City yea almost over all the World Every one as they went by pointed at the place where he made this wretched end and shunned the use of it Yet his Associates gave it out that his adversaries by the help of Magick had thus destroyed him And whereas many resorted to see the place of his death whereby it became very infamous at length a certain rich Citizen that was an Arian bought it and pulling down the Jakes built an house in the room of it that so the thing in process of time might be wholly forgotten Athanasius being throughly informed of these things writes thus of them Arius saith he the Prince and Author of his Sect and the companion of Eusebius was by the art and industry of the Eusebian Faction sent for to Constantinople by the Emperour of blessed memory who commanded him to write his Faith and this cunning Fox wrote it indeed but after the manner of the Devil in quoting Scripture he craftily suppressed and left out the impudent words of his impiety And when Constantine urged him that if he had no other opinion which he kept secret in his minde he should subscribe and swear to the truth withal telling him that if he forswore himself God would finde him out and plague him for it this miserable wretch swore that he held no other opinion nor thought otherwise then he had written Whereupon saith he going forth from the Emperour Gods hand presently fell upon him and like Judas dying he burst in sunder and his bowels came forth And though death be common to all men so that no man no not our Enemy is to be reproached after death yet the death of Arius being so strange and differing from the death of other men is not to be passed over in silence For when Eusebius and his followers threatned to bring Arius the very next morning into the Congregation and Alexander by Prayer had sought unto God to prevent it It pleased God who was now made the Judge that very day to bring him to such a fearful end Constantine being informed hereof wondred at it assuring himself that Arius had been guilty of perjury But shortly after it pleased God to take away that good Emperour After whose death Eusebius Bishop of Nâ—comedia and Theognis Bishop of Nice supposing that now they had gotten a fit time endeavoured by all means possible to take away the Nicene Creed out of the Church wherein was the clause of One Substance and in the room thereof to settle the detestable heresie of Arius But this they knew they could never effect if Athanasius returned from Exile to Alexandria wherefore they made use of a certain Arian Priest to carry the last Will and Testament of Constantine to Constantius his son together with the Legacies bequeathed him Constantius finding in the Will that which he greatly desired viz. that the Empire of the East was left to him made very much of the Priest granted him great liberty charged him to use his Pallace freely and boldly at his pleasure Hereupon this cunning seducer insinuated into acquaintance with the Empress and with her Eunuchs and Chamberlains and whereas one Eusebius was chief of the Eunuchs through the perswasions of this lewd Priest he became an Arian and infected the other Eunuchs of his Company Yea the Empress also by the enticements of this Priest and her Eunuchs fell into
them so that every one looked upon him as a Tyrant Yea he grew into such hatred of the multitude that on a time they rose up against him whilst he was in the Church and he hardly escaped being torn in peices by them which so affrighted him that he immediately fled to the Emperour Hereupon the friends of Athanasius recovered their Churches again but they kept them but a while for the Praefect of the Egyptian Souldiers drave them out and restored the Churches to the followers of Georgius The Emperour also sending his Secretary to Alexandria he grievously punished many of the people whipping and scourging them in a cruel manner and shortly after him came Georgius and for the aforementioned causes was far more terrible to them then formerly he had been which procured him their implacable hatred both for incensing the Emperour against them and for his Heretical opinions and cruel usage of them But not long after in a tumult raised by the Gentiles Georgius was pulled out of the Church by the Ears tyed to a Camel torn in peices and burned to ashes together with the Beast Constantius the Emperour also dyed and Julian the Apostate succeeded him about which time Athanasius returned to Alexandria and was lovingly and chearfully entertained by his people the Arians were banished and the Church was restored to the Government of Athanasius But the Arians took occasion from his former flight exceedingly to reproach and traduce him whereupon he made this Apology Behold saith Athanasius the lewd practises of wicked persons although they are privy to the hainous offences committed against me yet are they nothing ashamed of them but charge me with a foul spot in their opinion and blemish of infamy for escaping the hands of cut-throats and blood-suckers yea they beshrew themselves that they dispatched me not out of the way Moreover that they may stain my credit and estimation they fall to accuse me of faint-heartedness and a timorous disposition being forgetful that whilest they blaze these things to my dispraise they cause the shame to light upon their own pates For if it be a discredit to fly the hands of a Tyrant how much more for them to persecute a man to death He that flyeth seeks means to save his life But he that persecuteth goeth about to procure anothers death That we should fly in such cases the Scripture doth warrant us but in thirsting after the blood of our brother the command is broken and the author thereof is found the chief cause of the flight If they blame me for giving them the slipt they are worthy of far greater shame and reprehension themselves For let them cease from persecuting and threatning with death and then will I cease from running away But their spite and malice hath no end they do nought else but devise snares to bring men to destruction Yea though they know full well that the slight of the persecuted is a foul shame to the Persecutors For no man flieth from the gentle and meek but from the cruel and wicked man They that were far indebted to others gave Saul the slip and fled unto David Wherefore these men go about to dispatch such as convey themselves out of their way least the lewdness of their Bishops should be manifestly known Herein also they seem to be stark blinde For look how evident the slight is far more apparent wil their slaughter and banishment seem unto the World If they murther men death no doubt lifteth up her voice and soundeth out their cruelty If they banish them therein they set up monuments for the remembrance of their wicked doings Had they been in their right wits they might have perceived their own folly and seen themselves overthrown in their own devices If they reproachfully charge them with hiding themselves from such as seek their lives and accuse them for flying from the hands of their Persecutors what have they to say when they read that Jacob fled from the face of his brother Esau and that Moses for fear of Pharaoh conveyed himself to Madian what have these contentious quarrellers to say unto David who fled from Saul which sent some of his Guard to slay him who hid himself in a Cave counterfeited his person untill he had subtilly past Abimelech the Priest and avoided their laying of wait for him what answer can these rash bablers give when they see that the great Prophet Elias who so devoutly called upon the name of God and raised the dead was fain to flie from and hide himself from Ahab and run away because of the threats of Jezebel The sons of the Prophets also in those days being sought for hid themselves and through the help of good Obadiah were sustained in Caves Have they not read these ancient stories Are they ignorant also of what the Evangelists have written For the Disciples fearing the Jews fled and were scattered abroad in divers Countries Paul also being at Damascus and sought for by the Governor of that country was let down over the wall in a basket and so escaped the danger The Scripture therefore having shewed us these things what colour can they finde to cloak their impudent cavils If they charge them with timerousness and fear the fault recoils and lights upon their own distempered brains If they say it is contrary to the Will of God then are they found altogether ignorant of the Word of God For it s commanded in the Law that Sanctuaries and Cities of Refuge should be appointed for such as were pursued to death where they might live in safety Yea what saith Christ When they shall persecute you in one City fly into another And again saith Christ When you shall see the abomination of desolation mentioned by the Prophet Daniel standing in the Holy place then let them that be in Judaea flie into the Mountains He that is on the House top let him not come down to take ought out of the House and let not him that is in the Field return home for his rayment Holy men having learned these things framed their lives thereafter Yea the Word of God being made man sticked not to hide himself as we commonly do when he was sought for he fled to avoid the conspiracies of Herod and afterwards of the Pharisees which persecuted him For as by his patient suffering of hunger and thirst and such miseries he shewed himself to be true man so also by flying away from the face of his Adversaries And as in his childhood he fled into Egypt from Herod so when he heard that Archelaus reigned in his Fathers stead it pleased him to go aside into the parts of Nazareth Afterwards when he manifested himself to be God and healed the withered hand the Pharisees went out and took counsel how they might dispatch him but Jesus perceiving their conspiracy conveyed himself from amongst them Again when he restored Lazarus to life they took counsel how they might put him to death Jesus therefore
visit them but also administer to them Julian the Emperour having formerly known him at Athens sent and desired him to write to him which he refused to do because of his Apostasie Nay Valence the Emperour when he persecuted the Orthodox and had put eighty Presbyters into a Vessel thinking to have burnt them at Sea yet meeting Basil he spake him fair and sent also to him by many messengers to win him to that Heresie yet neither threats nor promises could once move him for when the messenger gave him good language and promised him great preferment he answered Alas Sir these speeches are fit to catch little children that look after such things but we that are taught and nourished by the Holy Scriptures are readier to suffer a thousand deaths then to suffer one syllable or tittle of the Scriptures to be altered And when Modestus the Praefect asked him Know ye not who we are that command it No body said Basil whilst you command such things Know ye not said the Praefect that we have honours to bestow upon you to which he answered They are but changeable like your selves Hereupon in a rage he threatned to confiscate his goods to torment him to banish or kill him to which he answered He need not fear confiscation that hath nothing to lose nor banishment to whom Heaven only is a Country nor torments when his body would be dasht with own blow nor death which is the only way to set him at liberty the Praefect told him that he was mad to whom he replyed Opto me in aeternum sic delirà re I wish that I may for ever be thus mad yet the Praefect gave him that night to resolve what to do but he was the same next morning whereupon the Praefect related all to the Emperour who went to Church with intentions to have disturbed him in his holy duties but seeing his reverend carriage he was so convinced that he made a large offering which Basil refused as coming from an Heretick At another time the Praefect sending for him commanded him to comply with the Emperour in his opinion or else threatned him with death whereupon Basil unfeignedly and freely spake his minde about the Emperours opinion withall highly commending the Faith Of One Substance and whereas saith he you threaten me with death would it would fall out so well on my side that I might lay down this carkase of mine in the quarrel of Christ and in the defence of his Truth who is my Head and Captain Then said the Praefect Be not so rash in thy answer second thoughts may prove better and therefore I give thee this day and night to consider further of it and to morrow I will expect thy answer desiring that thou mayst not wilfully cast away thy self Whereupon Basil replyed I have no need to take further Counsel about this matter Look what I am to day the same thou shalt finde me to morrow but I pray God that thou change not thy minde For since I am a creature my self I can never be perswaded to Worship one that is like me and to acknowledge him for God or to conform my self to thine and the Emperours Religion For though you be Illustrious Persons and command a great part of the World yet must not I submit to your wils being but men nor obey you with the neglect of my Faith in God which God assisting I will never betray though you confiscate my goods though you banish me or torment me to death Seeing none of these things will trouble me at all As for riches truly I have none besides my torn garments and a few Books and I so dwell here in this World as one that is always ready to leave it and as for my body it is so weak that one only blow will make it insensible both of grief and torments This resolute answer caused the Praefect to dismiss him Yet after this the Arians prevailed again for his banishment but when the writing was brought to Valence to be confirmed the pens would not write the least title being often tried and when the Emperour being mad with rage still endeavoured to confirm the Edict for his banishment he was struck in his right hand with a great trembling So that at last being terrisied with these judgements of God he tore the paper in pieces So having been Bishop at Caesarea and Cappadocia eight years and an half he departed this life with these words Into thine hands O Lord I commend my spirit He used to say To know thy self is very difficult for as the Eye can see all things but it self so some can discern all faults but their own And again Divine Love is a never failing treasure he that hath it is rich and he that wanteth it is poor When he had read the Bible over he faid It 's a physitians shop of Preservatives against poysonous Heresies a pattern of profitable Laws against rebellious spirits a treasury of most costly jewels against beggerly elements and a fountain of most pure water springing up to eternal life Erasmus saith that he rather deserved the name of Maximus then of Magnus Concerning whose Eloquence saith he I take it to be a great disgrace to him if I should compare him with any of those whom the Graecians most admired and endeavoured to imitate For which of all those great Orators did so excel in Eloquence wherein something was not either wanting or offensive Did Perycles Thunder and Lighten in his Orations yet it was without Art Lysias was frozen in his Attick subtlety Phalereus had much sweetness but wanted gravity Isocrates was but the shadow of an Orator Demosthenes whom Tully maketh the compleat example of an exquisite Orator yet wanted affections and urbanity in his Orations But S. Basil was an incomparable man in whom was wanting neither Nature nor Art nor Exercise He was not only an excellent Orator but a great Philosopher and exactly skilled in all kinde of Learning But as I said before it s a disgrace to compare such a Christian with any of the Heathens It s fitter therefore to compare him with Christians like himself and truly that Age produced many excellent men famous both for their Learning and Piety as Athanasius Gregory Nazianzen John Chrysostom and Gregory Nissen And each of these excelled in their several gifts Athanasius for excellent teaching Nazianzen for his florid and acute Orations Chrysostome though he answered his sir-name by reason of his golden mouth yet he hath many superfluous words and was immoderate in his digressions Nissen was content with his pious simplicity But I know not what the most critical Reader can desire more then he shall finde in Basil He shall finde in him a simple and natural form of speech flowing from his most holy breast drained of all humane passions whatsoever Art can do is to be found in him yet without the appearance of
Theodosius he was so grievously incensed against the Citizens of Thessalonica that he sent an Army against them and slew seven thousand of them even the innocent amongst the guilty without ever examining the fact and proceeding judicially against the nocent And presently after he went into the West against the Tyrant Maximus whereof you may read the story in my second Part of the Marrow of Ecclesiastical History in the life of Theod. senior And having obtained a wonderful victory he went to Millain but as he was about to enter into the Church Ambrose met him at the door and said unto him It s very likely O Emperour that you know not the greatness of that murther that was committed by you neither after your anger was appeased did you by reason weigh the greatness of your crime For it may be the greatness of your Imperial Dignity would not suffer you to acknowledge your sin but your Power blindes your Reason For you ought to consider the weakness and frailty of our Humane Nature and to bend your Eyes upon our Mother Earth from which you had your Original and into which you must return neither ought you by reason of the splendor of your Purple garments to be ignorant of the weakness of that body which is shrowded in them Consider further that you rule over those who are partakers of the same Nature with you and therefore are your fellow-servants For God the Creator of the Universe is Lord and King of all men With what eyes then can you behold his Temple who is Lord of all With what feet can you tread in his Courts How dare you I pray you stretch forth before him those hands which are defiled with murther and unjust bloodshed and with the same receive the Holy Sacrament of Christs Body Or how dare you put his Holy Blood into your mouth which being inflamed with anger commanded unjustly the spilling of so much blood Depart therefore and do not increase your former sin by adding a new one to it but embrace that bond which the Lord of all doth from Heaven impose upon you which bond truly hath force to cure you of the disease of your Soul and of restoring you to health The godly Emperour willingly submitted to him for having been religiously trained up he knew full well what was the duty of Gods Ministers and what was proper for Kings to do in such cases and accordingly returned to his Palace full of sighs and tears And about eight moneths after the Feast of Christs Nativity being to be celebrated the Emperour sate still in his Palace giving himself to lamentations and pouring out abundance of tears which Ruffinus the Master of his Hall taking notice of being very dear unto the Emperour went to him and asked him the cause of his weeping Then the Emperour mourning more bitterly and pouring out more abundance of tears said Surely Ruffinus thou dost but mock me or knowest not with how great misery I am afflicted For I sigh and bewail my calamity whilst I consider in my minde how open the Church is to my servants yea to beggars who have free leave to pour out their Prayers before God But not only that place but even Heaven it self is shut up against me For that saying of our Saviour comes into my minde Whose sins you bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven To this Ruffinus answered therefore if it please you I will run to the Bishop I will intreat beseech and perswade him to free you from this bond But I fear said the Emperour that he will not hearken to you For I know that Ambrose's sentence is so just and equal that he will not violate the Law of God for fear of the Imperial Power But when Ruffin was not yet satisfied promising that he would prevail with Ambrose the Emperour bade him run quickly and himself hoping that Ruffin might prevail immediately followed him But as soon as Ambrose saw Ruffin he said unto him Thou seemest unto me Ruffin to imitate the impudency of dogs For although by thy perswasion that cruel slaughter was committed yet thou hast so steeled thy Face that thou art not ashamed neither art thou grieved that by so great madness thou ragedst against the Image of God But when Ruffin had earnestly entreated him to be pacified and told him that the Emperour would presently be there Ambrose being kindled with an holy zeal said I profess Ruffin that I will forbid him entrance into the Church and if he will turn his Power into Tyranny I am willing to be slain by him Ruffin hearing these things presently sent a messenger to the Emperour intreating him to stay in his Palace The Emperour meeting with this message in the Market place said Yet I will go that I may undergo his just reproofs which are due to me And when he came to the Church door he entred not but went to the Bishop desiring him to absolve him from his Excommunication But Ambrose told him that his coming was Tyrannical and that he was enraged against God and trampled his Laws under his Feet To whom the Emperour answered I do not oppose those Laws with an obstinate minde neither do I desire wickedly to enter into the Church but I intreat thee to absolve me and to set before thine eyes the clemency of him who is Lord of all things neither shut thou those doors against me which he opens to all that truly repent of their sins To which Ambrose answered What repentance dost thou shew after so grievous a sin committed What medicines hast thou applyed for the healing of such great wounds It is thy part said the Emperour to prepare the medicine to apply it and when the wound is cured to remove it It 's my part to follow thy directions Then said Ambrose Because thou gavest way to thy anger and didst not temper it with reason but pronouncedst sentence with an inflamed minde I desire that thou make a Law that all sentences pronounced in anger shall be void and that in all causes which concern death or confiscation of goods thirty days intervene between the sentence and execution that so if there be just cause the sentence may be revoked and that at the end of the thirty days they which writ thy sentence shew it thee that so laying aside all anger thou mayst weigh the cause with judgement and so either establish it or make it void The Emperour judging this most prudent counsel willingly imbraced it and presently commanded a Law to be Enacted which he confirmed by his subscription which being done Ambrose absolved him and the Emperour presently entring the Church sell prostrate pronouncing that verse of the Psalm My soul cleaveth to the dust quicken me according to the Word and then with many tears and testimonies of sorrow he begged pardon and afterwards was made partaker of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Upon a time a certain Witch
and to send them up to the Archbishop of Canterbury to be further proceeded against by him As also to attach and seize upon all their Books and to send them to the said Archbishop and this to do as they would avoid the forfeiting of all the Liberties and Priviledges of the University c. John Wicklief was hereupon either banished or retired for a while to some secret place but ere long he returned to his Parsonage of Lutterworth in Leicestershire where after all these storms he at last dyed in Peace Anno Christi 1384. He wrote very many Books many of which were burned at Oxford Anno Christi 1410. Aeneas Sylvius writes that Subincus Archbishop of Prague burnt two hundred Volumes of his excellently written richly covered and adorned with Bosses of Gold One that had all his works wrote that they were as big as the works of St. Augustine Mr. Wicklief received his first knowledge of the Truth from one Fryar Rainard Lollard who brought the Doctrine of the Waldenses into England and from whom his Disciples were called Lollards Mr. Wicklief was an Eloquent man and so profound a Scholar that he drew the hearts of many Noble Personages to affect and favor him whereby he was sheltred from the rage of the Popish Clergy till Pope Gregory the 11. raised up a Persecution by the Monks Inquisitors against him All his Books were commanded to be burnt but he had before enlightned so great a number who kept his Books carefully maugre all the diligence of his Adversaries so that they could never wholly deprive the Church of them For the more they laboured by horrible threats and death it self to hinder the knowledge and reading of them the more were many kindled in their affections to read them with ardency He wrote above a hundred Volumes against Antichrist and the Church of Rome Multos praeterea in Philosophia multos quibus S. Scripturam interpretatus est edidit Quorum Catalogum videre est apud Balaeum in suis Centuriis Transtulit etiam Wiclevus in Anglicum sermonem Biblia adhibitis praefationibus argumentis cuique libro suis. Vertit Libros 12. Clementis Lanthoniensis Ecclesiae Praesbyteri De concordia Evangelistarum cum multis veterum Doctorum Tractatibus He was a great Enemy to the swarms of begging Fryars with whom it was harder to make war then with the Pope himself He denyed the Pope to be the Head of the Church and pronounced him to be Antichrist He confuted and condemned his Doctrine about Buls Indulgences Masses c. He affirmed the Scripture to be the Supreme Judge of Controversies condemned Transubstantiation c. He was a painful and faithful Preacher under King Edward the third who always favored and protected him against the rage of his Adversaries by his means the Pope lost in England his power of Ordaining Bishops the Tenth of Benefices and Peter-pence whereupon Polidore Virgil cals him an Infamous Heretick He was buryed at his Parsonage of Lutterworth in Leicester-shire His dead body being digged up 51 years after viz. 1428. by the command of Pope Martin the fifth and the Council of Sâ—ne was burned And thus he suffered their cruelty after death whose cruelty he had Preached against in his life He wrote above two hundred Volumes most of which were burned by the Archbishop of Prague JOHN HVS The Life of John Huss who dyed Anno Christi 1415. IOhn Huss was born at a little Town called Hussinets about 18. miles from Prague in Bohemia under the Hercynian Wood of mean but religious Parents who carefully trained him up in Religion and Learning and having profited much at Schole he went to the University of Prague and whilst he was a Student there he met with our Wickliefs Books from whence he first took light and courage to profess the Truth Anno Christi 1393. he Commenced Batchelor of Arts with good approbation of the whole University and An. 1396. the commenced Master of Arts about which time two godly Noble men of Prague built the Church of Bethlehem and Anno 140â— Mr. Huss was chosen Pastor thereof who fed his people with the bread of life and not with the Popes Decrees and other humane Inventions The year after he was chosen Dean of the University and Anno 1409. by the consent of the whole University he was chosen Rector of it He continued in the Exercise of his Ministry with admirable zeal and diligence and faithfulness about the space of 12. years Preaching and Instructing his People in the Principles of Divinity which he confirmed by the holy Scriptures and adorned by an exemplary and blameless life He vigorously opposed the Popes proceedings whereupon the Devil envying the peace and progress of the Gospel stirred up Pope Alexander the fifth against him who cited him to Rome to answer to such Articles as should be laid in against him whereupon Huss sent his Procters to Rome who appeared for him answered the charge and cleared his innocency yet did the Pope and his Cardinals condemn him for an Heretick and Excommunicate him which caused the Popish Clergy and some of the Barons of Bohemia to oppose Huss being thus excommunicated and King Winceslaus banished him but he was entertained in the Country and protected by the Lord of the Soil 〈◊〉 Hussinets where he preached in the Parish Church and some places adjacent confuting the Popish Doctrine of Merit of Works and against the Pride Idleness Cruelty and Avarice of the Roman Court and Clergy multitudes of persons resorting to his Ministry Sometimes also he repaired to his Church of Bethlehem and preached there But upon the Popes death the Cardinals being divided chose three Popes whereupon there was a Council called at Constance Anno Christi 1414. unto which Council the Emperour Sigismund commanded Huss to come giving him his safe Conduct for his coming and return And Master Huss relying upon the goodness of his Cause the clearness of his Conscience and the Emperours safe Conduct with a cheerful minde and undaunted spirit went to Constance and in his journey set up writings in every City the tenor whereof was this Mr. John Huss Batchelor of Divinity goeth now to the Council of Constance there to declare his Faith which he hath hitherto holden and even at this present doth hold and by Gods grace will hold and defend even to the death therefore even as he hath manifested through all the Kingdom of Bohemia by his Letters and Intimations willing before his departure thence to have satisfied and given an account of his Faith unto every man which should object or lay any thing against him in the general Convocation held in the Archbishop of Pragues Court So also he doth manifest and signifie that if there be any man in this Noble and Imperial City that can impute any Error or Heresie to him that he would prepare himself to
Huss who opposed the Errors of Popery in Bohemia The 36. year from the condemnation of Dr. Wessalia who taught at Worms the same Doctrine before Luther was born that Luther did afterwards Anno Christi 1517. John Tecelius brought Indulgences into Germany to be sold averring that he had so large a Commission from the Pope that though a man had deflroured the blessed Virgin yet for money he could pardon his sin Luther's zeal being inflamed herewith it caused him to set forth some propositions against Indulgences which so enraged Tecelius that wheresoever he came he declamed against Luther and set forth contrary positions and not content therewith he burned openly Luthers propositions and the Sermon which he wrote about Indulgences This caused the Students at Wittenberg to burn his positions also The Propositions which Luther set up were 95 in number After which he made this Protestation I Martin Luther Doctor of the Order of the Eremites at Wittenberg would have it publickly testified that I have set forth certain Propositions against the Popes Indulgences as they call them But albeit neither the famous and worthy School of ours nor the Civil nor Ecclesiastical Power hath hitherto condemned me yet as I hear there are certain men of a violent and bold wit who dare to pronounce me an Heretick as if they well understood and throughly knew the whole matter But I beseech every one as I have often done before so now by the Christian Faith that they either shew me a better way if it be revealed by God to any of them or else let them submit their sentence to God and his Churches Judgment For neither am I so rash that I would have my Opinion alone to be preferred before all others neither am I so doltish that I would have the Word of God to be placed after Fables devised by Humane Reason Anno Christi 1518. Andrew Bodenstein from his Native place called Caralostadius with many other Divines of Wittenberg defended Luthers Doctrine by their writings Also the Elector of Saxony of his own accord without intreaty took upon him the Patronage of Luther neither would he suffer that he should be drawn to Rome Also about the same time Luther contrary to the advice of his friends went to the Chapter of the Angustine Fryars held at Heidleberg to defend his Doctrine and shew his obedience to their Summons He was honorably entertained by the Bishop of Wurstburg and at Heidleberg by Wolfgang the Count Palatine Amongst the Fryers there he disputed of 28 Paradoxes which he propounded out of St. Pauls Epistles concerning Justification by Faith without works Bucer being present and taking notes at this Disputation wrote thus of it to Beatus Rhenanus His sweetness in answering saith he was admirable his patience in hearing was incomparable you might have seen the acuteness of Saint Paul in resolving doubts so that he brought them all into admiration of him by reason of his short and pithy answers and those taken out of the Storehouse of Gods holy Scriptures In his return when he was at Erford he wrote to Jodocus a Divine of Isenach who had been his Master wherein he thus expresseth himself The whole Vniversity of Wittenberg is of my minde concerning the Doctrine of Faith and Works except one Licenciat and also the Duke of Saxony The Bishop of Brandenburg who is my Ordinary and many Prelates and the more Ingenuous Citizens say with one mouth that they never knew Christ and the Gospel before August following Maximilian the Emperor hearing of these Controversies between Luther others presently wrote to the Pope to provide timely remedies against those spreading evils as he called them promising that whatever he should Decree about the same he would see that it should take place through all the Provinces of the Empire Hereupon Pope Leo citeth Luther to Rome which he also signified to his Legat Cardinal Cajetan in these words Hearing that Luther defendeth certain ungodly opinions estranged from those of the Church of Rome which is the Mistris of Faith and Religion out of my Fatherly affection desiring to repress his rashness I have commanded the Bishop of Aeculan to cite him to Rome to answer those accusations that are laid against him This the said Bishop hath done yet Luther is so far from returning to soundness that being stubborn in his Heresie he hath set out writings much worse then the former to my great grief and perturbation c. Then he proceeds to require the Cardinal to see that Luther were brought to Auspurg and that he should implore the Emperour and Princes to set a guard upon him and carry him to Rome yet withall if he should repent and voluntarily confess his fault he bade the Cardinal pardon him otherwise to interdict him from holy services c. The Pope also wrote to the Duke of Saxony in which Letter after a few flatteries he tels him that he heareth many and grievous complaints against Luther an undone man who forgetting his Order and Profession doth many things very sawcily against the Church of God with great confidence braging that he is defended with the favor of his Prince and that he fears the authority of no man which thing he presumes to be false and scandalous to the Prince yet saith he I am willing to write to you to admonish you to be mindeful of the dignity and splendor of your Ancestors flying not only the fault but also suspition of it c. After which he tels him that it properly belonged to the Church of Rome to judge in these causes of Religion and therefore requires him at the request of his Legat to see that Luther be sent to Rome that there he might be either censured or pardoned according to his deserts The Pope wrote also to the Master of the Augustine Monks exhorting him by his Authority to endeavour to recal Luther from his undertakings and to sollicit him earnestly thereto both by Letters and learned men withall telling him that this must be done speedily whereby he might quench the flame that was but lately risen whereas by delays it was to be feared that the danger would grow greater and greater for the timely suppressing whereof he required him to use all his study care and diligence When Luther saw that he was called to Rome he earnestly sollicited that his cause might be heard in Germany before fit Judges appointed thereto and in a place least subject unto danger The University also of Wittenberg wrote to the Pope giving a notable testimony unto Luther both for his Life and Learning They said also that in regard of his sickliness and the danger of the way he could not go to Rome they beseeched the Pope that he would think no otherwise of him then of a good man that certain things indeed were propounded by him only for Disputation sake not to define them that his Adversaries interpreted him in the
worse sense and thereby much exasperated him beseeching him to give credit to this their Testimony They wrote also to Charles Miltitius a Germane who was Chamberlain to the Pope highly commending Luther and desiring him to procure of the Pope that indifferent Judges might be appointed to hear his cause in Germany presuming that he being a German would favour his Country-man who was oppressed with slanders and in danger of his life in an honest cause Prince Frederick also the Elector of Saxony treated with Cardinal Cajetan and so prevailed with him that Luther should be called to Auspurg there to plead his cause before the Cardinal About this time the Bohemians sent a Book to him written by John Huss encouraging him to constancy and patience confesting that what he taught was sound and right In a Letter to Spalatinus he thus writes In what matter soever I have not so roughly dealt with the Romanists let them not ascribe it to my modesty nor to their deserts but to my respect to my Prince and his Authority and to the common good of the Students of Wittenberg As for my self Contemptus à me est Romanus favor furor I contemn Romes favour and fury Let them censure and burn all my books I will do the like by theirs and will put an end to all my humble observance of them which doth but incense them more and more The Elector of Saxony telling Erasmus that he wondred at the Monks and Popes extreme hatred of Luther Erasmus answered Your Highness needs not wonder at it seeing he deals against the Monks Bellies and the Popes Crown And the same Erasmus being profered a great Bishoprick if he would write against Luther answered That Luther was too great a man for him to deal with and that he learned more from one short page of Luthers writings then from all Thomas Aquinas ' s great Books Erasmus also in a Letter to the Archbishop of Mentz saith That many things were in the Books of Luther condemned by Monks and Divines for Heresie which in the Books of Bernard and Augustine are reputed sound and godly About the same time Margaret Caesars Aunt who governed the Low-Countries when the Masters of Lovan complained to her that the writings of Luther overthrew the whole Christian Common-wealth she asked them what kinde of man that Luther was To whom they answered An unlearned Monk whereupon she replyed Therefore do you who are many learned men write against that one unlearned fellow For sure the World will sooner beleive many learned before one unlearned man Luther being cited as we said before to appear before Cardinal Cajetan at Auspurg went thither and having obtained a safe conduct from the Emperour Maximilian he appeared before the Cardinal where he justified his Doctrine and profered to maintain the same either by Disputation or Writing The Cardinal being much offended with him for his bold speech would not suffer him to come before him any more Hereupon Luther after five or six days stay when he heard no more from him appealeth to the Pope and so departeth home But the Cardinal wrote after him to the Duke of Saxony That as he tendered his own honor and safety he should expel Luther out of his Dominions This Letter the Duke sent to Luther who wrote back again that rather then he would any way indanger his Prince he would depart thence and go whitheresoever it should please the Lord to lead him But the whole University of Wittenberg seeing the cause of God in danger by this means to decline wrote to the Prince humbly beseeching him that of his Princely Honor he would not suffer Innocency to be thus oppressed by meer violence but that the Error might first be shewed and Luther be convicted of it before he be pronounced guilty Hereupon the Duke hearing Luther Sermons and reading his Books with more diligence began to favour his quarrel more then he did before and thereupon wrote back to the Cardinal to this purpose That whereas he had promised that Luther should come to Ausparg that being done he could do no more That the Legat had also promised him that he would dismiss Luther in a friendly manner But that it seemed a wonder to him that he would have forced Luther to a recantation before he had pleaded his cause That there were many not only in his Jurisdiction but in other places also that were learned and vertuous persons which did not condemn Luthers Doctrine but they which opposed him were men drawn thereto through filthy covetousness But if they would shew him his Error he would then do therein the Office of a Christian Prince as one that respected the glory of God and desired to provide for the peace of his Conscience and that whereas beyond his expectation he wrote that Luther should be prosecuted at Rome and therefore required that either he should be sent to Rome or banished his Dominions he answered that he could not agree thereto First because his Error is not yet shewed him Secondly because it would be an intolerable loss to the University of Wittenberg which he had lately founded wherein were many Students and Learned men which loved Luther exceedingly who had deserved so well of them That Luther is still willing to come to a Disputation in a place not suspected and to submit to the judgements of such as can bring any thing more right or to answer by writing That he thinketh it just that this be granted him and requesteth that it may be so done that so it may appear why he is counted an Heretick and what himself ought chiefly to follow assuring him that he will maintain no Error And as he is unwilling to depart from the observance of the Church of Rome so neither can he condemn Luther till his Errors and Crimes be detected After the death of Maximilian and the Coronation of Charles the fifth the Pope sent to the Duke of Saxony by some Cardinals requesting him that he would cause all Luthers Books to be burnt and that he would see Luther either to be executed in Saxony or else that he would secure him and send him to Rome To which the Duke answered That he was ready to shew his obedience to the Pope but yet he could not send Luther to him till his cause was heard before the Emperour and till he was convicted of Error and then if he recanted not he should finde no favour at his hands About this time many Adversaries being risen up against Luther there was a Disputation appointed a Lipsick to which Luther came accompanyed with Phil. Melancthon who was come to Wittenberg the year before On the adverse party came John Eckius a bold and confident Divine This Disputation lasted fourteen days which was after published in print by Luther and Petrus Mossellanus Presently after the Fryars grievously charged the Pope with neglect of his duty in
Most High which I also miserable sinner have often tasted and felt whereas before I had spent all that I had upon these ignorant Physitians so that I had little strength left in me less money and least wit and understanding But at last I heard speak of Jesus even then when the New Testament was translated by Erasmus which when I understood to be eloquently done I bought it being allured thereto rather by the elegant Latine then the Word of God for at that time I knew not what it meant and looking into it by Gods special Providence I met with those words of the Apostle S. Paul This is a true saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners Whereof I am the chief O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul This one sentence through Gods instruction and inward working did so exhilarate my heart which before was wounded with the guilt of my sins and being almost in despair that immediately I found marvellous comfort and quietness in my soul so that my bruised bones did leap for joy After this the Scripture began to be more sweet unto me then the Hony and the Honycomb whereby I learned that all my Travels Fastings Watchings Redemption of Masses and Pardons without Faith in Christ were but as S. Augustine cals them an hasty and swift running out of the right way and as the Fig-leaves which could not cover Adams nakedness Neither could I ever obtain quietness and rest or be eased of the sharp stings and bitings of my sinâ— till I was taught of God that Lesson Joh. 3. 14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Assoon as according to the measure of grace given unto me by God I began to taste and rellish this heavenly Lesson which none can teach but God only I desired the Lord to encrease my Faith and at last desired nothing more then that I being so comforted by him might be enabled by his holy Spirit and Grace from above to teach the wicked his ways which are all Mercy and Truth that so sinners might be converted to him by me I did with my whole power teach that all men should first acknowledge their sins and condemn them and afterwards hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is by Faith in Christ c. For these things I have been cryed out of attached and am now cast into Prison though I exhorted all men not so to cleave to outward Ceremonies as to be satisfied therewith and so to loath and wax weary of Christ c. Yet at last through infirmity rather then by conviction he was drawn to abjure and submit himself Anno Christi 1529. After Mr. Bilneys Abjuration which we mentioned before he fell into such terrors of conscience that he was near the point of utter despair and returning to Cambridge he continued under such terrors that his friends were fain to be with him night and day endeavoring to comfort him but all in vain this continued a whole year he was in such anguish that nothing did him good neither eating nor drinking c. yea he thought that all the Word of God was against him and sounded his condemnation But Anno Christi 1531. he began through Gods mercy to feel some comfort being resolved to lay down his life for that Truth which before he had renounced whereupon taking his leave of his friends he went into Norfolk preaching first in private to confirm the Brethren afterwards in the fields confessing his fact and intreating all to beware by him and never to trust to their fleshly friends in the cause of Religion At Norwich he was apprehended and by the Bishop cast into prison whither Dr. Cole and Dr. Stoaks were sent to dispute with him but Bilneys Doctrine and good life so prevailed with Cole that he was somewhat reclaimed and brought to favor the Gospel Also whilst he was at Ipswich there came one Fryar Brusierd to reason with him about those things which he had taught at which time Mr. Bilney told him that the signs and lying wonders attributed by S. Paul to the Pope were those wonders which were dayly wrought in the Church not by the power of God but by the illusions of Satan whereby he labors to draw men to put their Faith in our Lady and other Saints and not in God alone as we are commanded in the holy Scriptures This free speech so incensed the Fryar that he spake thus to him But that I believe and know that God and all his Saints will take everlasting revenge upon thee I would surely with these nails of mine be thy death for this horrible and enormous injury against the pretious blood of Christ. For whereas God saith I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should convert and live thou blasphemest him as though he should lay privy snares for us to betray us which were it true we might say with Hugo de Sancta victoria If it be an Error it is of thee O God that we are deceived for these be confirmed with such signs and wonders which cannot be done but by thee alone But I see you rest the Scriptures to a reprobate sense so that I am scarce able to hold mine Eyes from tears hearing these words from you therefore farewel During his latter Imprisonment they used many means to have withdrawn him from his stedfastness which not prevailing he was condemned to death The day before his Execution some friends finding him eating heartily with much cheerfulness and a quiet minde said that they were glad to see him at that time so heartily to refresh himself O said he I imitate those who having a â—uinous house to dwel in yet bestow cost as long as they may to hold it up Discoursing further with them for their edification some put him in minde of the heat of the fire yet told him withal that the comforts of Gods Spirit should cool it to his everlasting refreshing whereupon he putting his finger into the flame of the candle as also he did at divers other times I feel said he by experience that fire is hot yet I am perswaded by Gods holy Word and by the experience of some spoken of in it that in the flame they felt no heat and in the fire no consumption and I believe that though the stubble of my body be wasted yet my soul shall be purged thereby and after short pain will be joy unspeakable alleaging that text Isai. 43. 1 2. The next morning the Officers fetching him to Execution a certain friend intreated him to be constant and to take his death patiently to whom he said I am sailing with the Marriner through a boisterous Sea but shortly shall be in the Haven
that he was made one of the Professors in the University of Ingolstade And Anno Christi 1516 by the order of his Prince he dealt effectually with Erasmus Roterodamus to draw him to Ingolstade And though he could not prevail yet he had this Testimony given him by Erasmus that he was vir candidus prudens facundus eruditus in summa omnibus omnium Gratiarum ac Musarum dotibus praeditus A candid wise eloquent and learned man c. Then Regius falling to the study of Divinity preferred that before all other Learning applying himself wholly to the searching out of the Divine Mysteries therein contained and a while after the controversie growing hot between Luther and Eccius Regius favouring Luthers Doctrine because he would not offend Eccius to whom he was many ways bound left Ingolstade and went to Auspurg and there at the importunity of the Magistrates and Citizens he undertook the Government of the Church and being offended at the gross Idolatry of the Papists he joyned with Luther and preached against the same and having written to Zuinglius to know his judgement about the Sacrament and Original Sin he received such satisfaction that he joined in opinion with him about the same At that time the Anabaptists crept into Auspurg and held private Conventicles to the disturbance of the Publick Peace for which the Magistrates imprisoned the chiefest of them Amongst which there was a woman of good quality cast into Prison who boasted that she could defend her opinion against Regius if she might but have liberty to confer with him hereupon she was called before the Senate where Regius also was appointed to meet with her There she produced divers Texts of Scripture to confirm her Errors But Regius did so clearly and fully open the genuine sense of them that every one which was not wilfully blinde might easily discern the truth But this wilful woman was so far from submitting to it that she impudently spake thus unto Regius Egregia enimvero Vrbane frater haec disputandi ratio inter me te Tu â—n molli culcitra ad later Consulum adsidens quasi ex Apollinis â—â—ipode proloqueris ego misera humi prostrata â—ex duris vinculis causam dicâ—re cogor â—o this Vrbanus answered Nec vero inâ—urin soâ—or ut quae seâ—el è servitute Diaboli per Christum in libertatem adserta tua spâ—â—te iterum cervicem turpi jugo submisisti istiâ— te ornamentis â—esanus ostentat genius aliâ— iâ— exemplum The Senate perceiving that they labored in vain whilst they sought to reclaim them by a Decree banished them the City Regius Preaching against Purgatory and Indulgences the malice and cruelty of the Papists prevailed at length to the driving him out of that City but after a while by the earnest prayer of the Citizens he was called back again to his former Charge where also he marryed a wife by whom he had thirteen children About the same time Eccius came thither and sought by all means to turn him from the Truth but in vain He sent also Fâ—ber and Cochlaeus with flatteries and large promises who prevailed as little as the other Anno Christi 1530. when the Dâ—et was held at Auspurg for quieting the controversies about Religion the Duke of Brunswick coming thither by importunity prevailed with Regius to go to Luneburg in his Country to take care of the Church there In which journey at Coburg he met with Luther and spent a whole day in familiar conference with him about matters of great moment of which himself writes That he never had a more comfortable day in his life As these words of his in a Letter to one of his friends in Auspurg do testifie wherein he writes thus Cum Saxoniam peterem Coburgi integrum diem solus cum Luthero viro Dei transegeram quo die nullus mihi in vita fuit jucundior Talis enim tantus est Theologus Lutherus ut nulla secula habuerint similem Semper mihi magnus fuit Lutherus at jam mihi Maximus est Vidi enim praesens audivi quae nullo calamo tradi possunt absentibus Ernestus Duke of Brunswick loved him dearly and esteemed him as his Father insomuch as when the City of Auspurg Anno Christi 1535. sent to the Duke desiring him to return Regius to them again he answered That be would as soon part with his Eyes as with him Also at his return from Auspurg when divers of his Nobles asked him what new and pretious ware after the example of other Princes he had brought home with him He answered that he had brought home incomparable treasure for the good of his whole Dukedom which he preferred before all his delights And presently after he made him Bishop and Over-seer of all the Churches in his Country with an ample salary for the same Afterwards going with his Prince to a meeting at Haganaw he had a humor fell into his right Leg which arising in a Pustle brake and caused an issue which the Physitians advised to keep still open but not long after he stopped the same whereupon many presaged his death whereof indeed this was a cause For when on the Sabbath day he had been at Church and received the Sacrament in the Evening rubbing his Forehead he complained of some obstructions and pain in his Head yet was he still cheerful and not troubled at it and so went to bed with his wife and slept till almost day when rising out of his bed he fell along in the floor and with the fall awaked his wife who leaping our of her bed cryed out and endeavoured to lift him into his bed again but all in vain till help came to her A while after seeing his wife and friends heavy and mourning he comâ—orted them and commended himself wholly unto God and so about two or three hours after quietly and comfortably resigned up his soul into the hands of his heavenly Father Anno Christi 1541. and May the 23. He often desired God that he might dye a sudden and easie death wherein God answered his desires He was of an excellent wit holy of life and painful in the work of the Lord. His son Ernest collected all his works together and digested them into several Tomes printed them at Norinberg Afterwards came forth another Book called Loci Theologici ex Patribus Scholasticis Neotericisque collecti per V. Regium The Life of Caralostadius who dyed Anno Christi 1541. ANdreas Bodenstein Caralostadius was born in France in a town called Caralostadium by which he received his name He was brought up at School there and for the improvement of his Learning he went â—o divers Countries and publick Schools such as those times afforded at last he went to Rome to study Divinity such as was then taught there and having spent some time in those
he was set to the study of the Law wherein he shewed such industry that he was quickly acquainted with the principles of it and being of a generous nature he loved the Truth and hated Evils often using that Proverbe of Solomon that Lying lips become not a Prince Amongst all Law-books he was most versed in Panormitan Having thus prepared his Wit by these Studies An. Chr. 1522 he was by Cardinal Albert Elector of Mentz and Bishop of Magdeburg chosen to be one of his Counsellors whereby he was versed in the weighty Affairs of State finding the use and benefit of his knowledge of the Law therein and being Eloquent by nature the Cardinal often made use of him to open his mind to others so that his judgement was encreased and confirmed by his industry and employments But the Controversies about Religion waxing hot at this time and Luther's books coming abroad he fell to reading of them especially De discrimine Legis Evangelii De vera paenitentia De gratia De fide De vera invocatione De usu Sacramentorum De discrimine legum divinarum humanarum De discrimine Ministerii Evangelici Politicae potestatis Yet withall suspecting his own injudiciousness he would often pray with teares to God to incline his heart to the Truth saying Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy and instruct me in thy right eousnesse He was frequent in reading the Scriptures Ecclesiastical Histories Augustine Hierom and Lombard having George Forcheme both for an helper and copartner with him in those studies He studied also Greek and Hebrew and was so perfect in the Hebrew that few excelled him He discoursed with Learned men about the Controversies and so at length having long weighed the Opinions of all he concluded that the Confession of the Reformed Churches did agree with the ancient Catholick Church of God instructed by the writingâ— of the Prophets and Apostles And though he knew what hatred and danger he exposed himself to yet he made a publique profession of the Truth giving over to joyn with the Papists in their Counsels and Idolatrous Services giving himself wholly to Prayer and reading the Scriptures and other good books assisting his Brethren with whom he lived in perfect Peace and Love exceedingly in their Governments And first of all by their joint consents he reformed the Churches in his own Country setting fit Pastors over them commanding them to teach the Word of Truth to their people He abolished the Popish Ceremonies erected Schooles allowed competent stipends to the Ministers so that all things were Reformed without any dissention or tumult and many were drawn to embrace the Truth others were confirmed therein by the judgements and examples of their pious Princes And then he was very profitable to his Country by the faithful administration of Justice to them an Christi 1545 he was called to the Government of the Churches in the Diocesse of Mersburg and for that end he sent for Phil. Melancthon and divers other godly Ministers who ordained him by the Imposition of hands and gave him a Testimonial thereof August the third 1545. Concerning which Melancthon thus writeth Nos convocati quia certe sciebamus hunc illustrissimum rincipem Georgium rectè intelligere constanter amplecti puram Evangelii Doctrinam quam Ecclesiae harum regionum â—navoce uno spiritâ— cum Catholica Ecclesia Dei profitentur eximiam ejus esse virtutem sanctitatem Testimonium nostrum de eo ritu Apostolico impositione manuum declaravimus c. He lived very continently in a single life without any defilement His Chamber was a Temple Academy and a Court for he used daily in the same to pray read write and deliberate about Government He never wronged any man willingly He did good both privately and publickly to many He was a great promoter of Peace among Princes He ended many Controversies He abhorred all seditious and turbulent counsels He was far from ambition No anger hatred or desire of revenge could ever draw him to goe against the Rules of Justice or to act any thing against the common good Many and great injuries he bore with a great minde and pardoned them for the publick peace sake And with the same moderation of minde he bore other griefs so that it might easily appeare that he was supported by Prayer to and resting himself upon God and as a learned man he knâ—w the difference between divine and humane consolations and often repeated this saying Subditus esto Deo ora eum c. Submit thy self to God and pray unto him for he is near to those that are of a contrite heart and will save the humble in spirit He employed his time so wel so that he left none for pleasures and used to say That nothing refreshed him more in his sorrows then conference with learned and godly men About all controversies in Law he used to conferre with the excellentest Lawyers who were wise and virtuous men About the nature of mans body the causes and remedies of diseases with the most skilful Physitians About the Doctrine of the Church and Ecclesiastical Affairs with Luther Justus Jonas John Bugenhag c. and many of their Disputations ful of Learning and Piety were heard to the profit of many He conferred with Joachim Camerarius about the Histories of all Ages the mutation of Empires their period and the causes thereof about the Motions of the Heavens and the effects of the Stars The last act of this Princes life shewed his Piety and Gods presence with him For falling sick of a most troublesome disease he was frequent in holy prayer for himself for all the Princes of that Family for his Country and for Germany He had some portions of holy Scripture daily read to him He made his Will wherein he set downe the Confession of his Faith and commended the defense of his Churches to his Brother He added something to the stipends of all the godly Ministers under his charge He often ruminated upon those Texts God so loved the world that he gave c. No man shal take my sheep out of my hand Come unto me all yee that are weary c. and so in holy meditations and prayer he resigned up his spirit unto God Anno Christi 1553 and of his Age 47. Amongst other parts of his Ecclesiastical Administrations every year he held two Synods wherein all the Pastors of his Diocesse met together where they had very profitable Sermons preached He was made Superintendent of those Churches of Mersburg by Augustus Duke of Saxony brother to Maurice Anno Christi 1544. His Works which he left behind him were these A Consolatory Sermon upon that speech of our Saviour None can take my sheep out of my hand A Nuptial Sermon preached at Toâ—gau at the Mariage of the Duke of Saxony to Anne the King of Denmarks Daughter Four Sermons about the Sacrament A
Consolation to his Brother Wolphgang in his Sicknesse Two Sermons against False Prophets Sermons containing an assertion of the true Doctrine in the Reformed Churches A Tractate about the Apostolical Rite of Ordination used in the Reformed Churches His opinion about the controverted Articles published by Selneccerus He was of such constancy of Life and Manners that it might truly be said of him which Dion said of the Emperor Marcus Antonniuus In omni vitâ sui similis nec ullâ unquam in re mutatus fuit Itaque verè fuit vir bonus nec fictum aut simulatum quicquam habuit The Life of Justus Jonas who died A no Christi 1555. JUstus Jonas was born at Northusa Anno Christi 1493 where his Father was a Senator who falling sick of the Plague having applyed an Onion to the Soar and taken it off he layd it by him presently after this little Jonas coming took the Onion and eat it up yet without any prejudice to himself God miraculously preserving him from that danger He was at first brought up at School in his own Country Afterwards being sent to a publick School he studied Law and made a good progress therein but upon better thoughts he studied Divinity and proceeded Doctor and embraced the Reformed Religion and was called an Christi 1521 to a Pastoral Charge in Wittenberg And when sundry Controversies arose especially about abrogating private Masse and the Prince Elector of Saxony feared lest the abolishing of it should cause great tumults Jonas with his Colleagues went to him and rendred such reasons for it that the Prince acquiesced therein He was present at most of the Disputations about Religion where he defended the Truth strenuously and endeavoured to promote Peace He was also made a Professor in that University where he publickly read Divinity Lectures and bore all Offices in the Schooles Anno Christi 1533 he created sundry Doctors of Divinity as Gasper Cruciger John Bugenhag Pomâ—ranus and John Aepinus Pastor of the Church of Haâ—borough At which Commencement John Frederick Elector of Saxony was present and was much delighted with the Eloquent Speeches made by Justus Jonas Anno Christi 1539 when Henry Duke of Saxony who had embraced the Reformed Religion and was admitted into the League of Smalcald succeeded his Brother George in the Government of Misnia and Thuringia he presently by the advice of Luther and his Colleagues Reformed his Churches Luther himself beginning that Reformation but the carrying on and perfecting that work was left to the care of Justus Jonas with Spalatine and Ampersdorf From thence he was called unto Hale in Saxony where he preached and promoted Religion exceedingly And whilst he was imployed there he was not only very useful to those Churches but was sent to from divers others for advice and counsel and being a man of a publick spirit he was never wanting to those that craved his help Luther sometimes resorted thither to him and took him along with him in his last journey to Isâ—eben anno Christi 1546 where he dyed After whose death he remained a while in the Duke of Saxony's Court and was a constant companion of Frederick's Sonnes in all their afflictions And lastly he was set over the Church in Eisfield and was made Superintendent of the Franconian Churches within the Principality of Coburg where he ended his daies in much peace and comfort Anno Christi 1555 and of his age 63. He was a man of an excellent Wit of great Industry of much Integrity of life joyned with Piety Whilst Luther lived he was his faithful friend and most dear to him Most of the famous men of that age were his great friends On a time Luther coming to his house drank to him out of a curious glass adding this Distich ex tempore Dat vitrum vitrâ—â— Jonae vitrum ipse Lutherus Ut vitro fragili similem se noscat uterque Being once under Temptations and in great Agony he shewed much despondencie but his servant partly by comforting him partly by chiding him cheared him up and at last through God's mercy the Spirit prevailed against the flesh He published a Defence of the mariage of Ministers against John Faber the patron of whoredoms An Oration about the study of Divinity Annotations upon the Acts About privat Masse and the Unction of Priests He turned some of Luthers works into Latin The Life of John Rogers who died A no Christi 1555. JOhn Rogers was born in England and brought up at the Universitie of Cambridg where he profited very much in good learning and from thence was chosen by the Merchant Adventurers to be their Chaplain at Antwerp to whom hee preached many years and there falling into acquaintance with Will Tindal and Miles Coverdal who were fled thither from persecution in England he by heir means profited much in the knowledg of Jesus Christ and joyned with them in that painful and profitable work of Translating the Bible into English and being much enlightened thereby in the saveing knowledge of Jesus Christ he cast off the heavy yoake of Popery perceiving it to be impure and filthy Idolatry There he married a wife and from thence he went to Wittenberg where he much profited in learning and grew so skilfull in the Dutch-tongue that he was chosen pastor to a Congregation and discharged his office with diligence and faithfulness for many years But in King Edward's time hee was sent for home by Bishop Ridley and was made a Prebend of Pauls and the Deane and Chapter chose him to read a Divinity Lecture in that Church in which place hee preached faithfully till Queen Mart's dayes And in the beginning of her Reign in a Sermon at Paul's Cross he exhorted the people constantly to adhere to thaâ— Doctrine which they had been taught and to beware of pestilent Poperie Idolatrie and superstition for which he was called before the Lords of the Council where he made a stout wittie and godly answer yet withall carried himself so prudently that for that time he was dismissed But after the Queen's Proclamation against True Preaching came forth he was again called the Bishops thirsting for his blood and committed Prisoner to his own house whence he might have escaped and had many motives as his wife and ten children his friends in Germanie where he could not want preferment c. But being once called to answer in Christ's Cause he would not depart though to the hazard of his life From his owne house he was removed by Bonner to Newgate amongst thieves and murtherers for a great space At length he was againe carried before the Lords of the Councill where the Lord Chancellor Steven Gardener taunted reviled and checked him not suffering him to speak his mind and so remanded him to prison whereupon he wrote thus I was compelled to leave off what I would have most gladly spoken and
saying Let him alone if he die it were a good riddance of him c. Concerning his base usage himself thus writes I paid alwaies saith he to the Warden of the Fleet as a Baron paid as well in Fees as for my board viz. 20 s. per week till I was wrongfully deprived of my Bishoprick and after that time I paide as the best Gentleman in the house yet he alwaies used me worse and more vilely then a very slave Thus I suffered inprisonment almost eighteen monthes my goods living friends and comforts taken from me â—he Queen owing me above 80 pound yet hath she cast me into prâ—soâ— alâ—owes me nothing neither are any suffered to come at me whereby I may be relieved I am under a wicked man and woman and see no remedy but in Gods help But I commit my just cause to him whose will be done whether it be by life or death When he was brought to examination before Winchester and the other Commissioners there was such a tumult whensoever he began to speak that he was forced to keep silence Yet did they proceed to Degrade and condemne him and so delivered him over to the secular Power As they were leading him from the Counter in Southwark to Newgate one of the Sheriffe said to him I wonder that you was so hasty and quick with my Lord Chancellor and used no more patience to him To which he answered Mr. Sheriffe I was nothing at all impatient though I was earnest in my Masters cause and it stands me in hand so to be for it goeth upon life and death not in this World onely but in the World to come Sixe daies he lay close prisoner in Newgate none being suffered to come to him during which time Bonner Harpsfield and diverse others came to him leaving no meanes untried to reduce him to their Antichristian Church sometimes making many great profers and promises to him of worldly riches and promotion other sometimes using grievous threatnings to affright him But they found him alwaies the same man steadfast and unmoveable February the 4 th at night his Keeper gave him some inkling that he should be sent to Gloucester to be burned which he rejoiced very much at lifting up his eyes and hands to Heaven and praising God for sending him amongst his people over whom he had been Pastor there to confirme with his blood the truth that before he had taught unto them not doubting but the Lord would give him strength to perform it to his glory And immediately he sent for his boots spurrs and cloke that he might be ready to ride when they should call for him The day following he was delivered to some of the Queens Guard who conveied him to Glocester and when he came neer the City much people met him who cryed and bewailed his condition exceedingly The night before his heath he did eatâ— his meat quietly and slept soundly After his first sleepe â—ee spent the rest of the night in praier The next day Sr Anthonie Kingston coming to him told him that life was swâ—ete and death bitter to which he answered The death to come is more bitter and the life to come more sweet I am come hiâ—her to end this life and suffer death because I will not gainesay the former Truth that I have here taught unto you Also a blinde boie coming to him after he had examined him in the Grounds of Religion he said Ah poor boy God hâ—th taken from thee thy outward sight but hath given thee anotâ—er sight much more pretious having endued thy soul with the eie of knowledge and faith God give thee grace continually to pray uâ—to him that thou lose not that sight for then shouldest thou â—e blind both in body and soul. Being delivered to the Sheriffe he said to him My request to you Master Sheriffe is onely that there may be a quick fire shortly to make an end of me and in the mean time I will be as obedient to you as you can desire if you think I doe amisse in any thing hold up your finger and I have done I might have had my life with much worldly gaine but I am willing to offer up my life for the Truth and trust to die a faithfull servant to God and a true subject to the Queen When he saw the Sheriff's men with so many weapons he said This is more then needs if you had willed me I would have gone alone to the stake and have troubled none of you all As hee went to the stake he was forbid to speak to the people Hee looked chearfully and with a more ruddy countenance then ordinary Being come to the place of Execution hee prayed about halfe an hour whereof this was a part Lord said he I am Hell but thou art Heaven I am swill and a sinke of sinne but thou art a gracious and mercifull Redeemer Have mercy therfore upon me most miserable wretched offender after thy great mercy and according to thine inestimable goodnesse Thou art ascended into Heaven receive me Hell to be partaker of thy joyes where thou sittest in equall glory with thy Father For will knowest thou Lord wherefore I am come hither to suffer and why the wicked doe persecute thy poor servant Not for my sins and transgressions committed against thee but because I will not allow their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy blood and to the deniall of the knowledge of thy truth wherewith it did please thee by thy holy spirit to instruct me with as much diligence as a poor wretch might being thereto called I have set forth thy glory Thou well seest O Lord my God what terrible torments and cruell paines are prepared for thy poor creature Even such Lord as without thy strength none is able to beare or patiently to passe But that which is impossible with man is possible with thee therefore strengthen me of thy goodnes that in the fire I break not the rules of patience Or else asswage the terror of the paines as shall seeme fittest to thy glory Having a box with a pardon set before him he cried If you love my soul away with it if you love my soul away with it Three Irons being prepared to fasten him to the stake he onely put on an Iron-hoop about his middle bidding them take away the rest saying I doubt not but God will give me strength to abide the extremity of the fire without binding When reedes were cast to him he embraced and kissed them putting them under his arme where he had bags of gun-powder also When fire was first put to him the fagots being green and the winde blowing away the flame he was but scorched more faggots being laied to him the fire was so supprest that his nether-parts were burn'd his upper being scarce touched He praied mildly as one that felt no paine O Jesus the Sonne of
condition I was saith he about two months close Prisoâ—er in the Tower after that without my sâ—eking I had the liberty of the Tower granted me and so I continued about halfe a year till refusing to be present at Mass I was shut up close prisoner again The last Lent but one by reason of the rising in Kent the Tower was so full of prisoners that my Lord Arch Bish. of Canterbury Master Latimer Master Bradford and my selfe were all put into one Prison where we remained till almost Easter and then Doctor Cranmer Master Latimer and my selfe were sent down to Oxford and were suffered to have nothing with us but what we carried upon us Aâ—bout Whitsuntide following was our disputations at Oxford after which we had Pen Ink and all things taken from us yea and our own servants were removed from us and strangers set in their steads and all of us kept apart as we are unto this daâ— God be blessed we are all three in health and of good cheer and have looked long agoe to have been dispatched for within a 〈◊〉 or two after our disputations we wâ—re condemned for Hereticâ—s The Lords wil be fulfilled in us c When he was brought before the Popes Dâ—legate the Bishop of Lincoln in the Divinity School in Oxford whilst the Commission was reading he stood â—are till he heard the Cardinall named and the Popes holiness and then he put on his Cap and being aâ—monished by the Bishop to pull it off he answered I do not put it on in contempt to your Lordship c. but that by this my behaviour I may make it appear that I acknowledg in 〈◊〉 point the usurped Supremacy of Rome and therfore I utterlâ— contemne and despise all Authority coming from the Pope Then the Bishop commanding the Bedle to pull off his Cap he bowing his head suffered him quietly to do it After diverse examinations he was at last degraded condemned and delivered to the Bailisss to be kept till the nâ—xt day when he should be burned The night before he suffered he caused his beard to be shaven and his feet washed and bad his Hostess and the rest at the board to his wedding He asked his brother also whether his sister could finde in her heâ—r to bâ—e present at it Yea said hee I dare say with all her heart His Hostess Mistris Irish weeping he said O Mistris Irish I see now that you love me not for in that you weep it appears that you will not be at my marriage nor are therewith content I see you are not so much my friend as I thought but quiet your self though my break-fast be somewhat sharpe and painâ—ull yet I am sure my Supper shall be more pleasant and sweet His brother proffering to watch with him he refused it saying I intend to goe to bed and sleep as quietly as ever I did in my life In the morning he came forth in a fair black gowne faced with foins and tippet of velvet c. and looking behind him he spied Master Latimer coming after to whom he said O! bee you there Yea said Latimer have-after as fast as I can follow Coming to the stake he lift up his hands and eyes stedfastly to heaven and espying Master Latimer he ran with a cheerfull countenance to him embraced and kissed him and comforted him saying Be of good heart brother for God will either asswage the fury of the flame or give us strength to abide it So he went to the stake kneeled by it kissed it and prayed earnestly and being about to speak to the people some ran to him and stopped his mouth with their hands Afterwards being stripped he stood upon a stone by the stake saying O heavenly father I give thee hearty thanks for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee even unto death I beseech thee Lord God have mercy upon this Realm of England and deliver it from all its enemies As a Smith was knocking in the staple which held the chain he said to him Good fellow knock it in hard for the flesh will have his course Then his brother brought a bag of gunpowder and would have tyed it about his neck Doctor Ridley asked what it was His Brother answered gunpowder then said he I take it as being sent of God therefore I will receive it as sent from him And when he saw the flame a coming up to him he cryed with a loud voice In manus tuas c. Into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit Lord receive my soul But the fire being kept down by the wood he desired them for Christs sake to let the fire come to him which his brother in law mis-understanding still heaped on faggots whereby his nether parts were burned before his upper parts were touched At last his upper parts fell down into the fire also and so he slept in the Lord. Bishop Ridley upon a time crossing the Thames there rose on a sudden such a Tempest that all in the boat were astonished looking for nothing but to be drowned Take heart said he for this boat carrieth a Bishop that must be burned and not drowned He suffered martyrdome Anno Christi 1555. He was a man so reverenced for his learning and knowledge in the sacred Scriptures that his very enemies were enforced to acknowledge that he was an excellent Clerk and if his life might have been redeemed with monie the Lord Dacres of the North being his Kinsman would have given 10000l for the same rather then that he should be burned But so unmercifull and cruel was Q. Mary that notwithstanding D. Ridleys gentleness towards her in King Edward the sixth days she would by no intreaties nor other means be perswaded to spare his life The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty In a Letter which he wrote to his friends he hath this passage I warne you my friends that ye be not astonished at the manner of my dissolution for I assure you I think it the greatest honor that ever I was called to in all my life and therefore I thank the Lord God heartily for it that it hath pleased him of his great mercy to cal me to this high honor to suffer death willingly for his sake and in his cause wherefore all you that be my true lovers and friends rejoyce and rejoyce with me again and render with me hearty thanks to God our heavenly Father that for his sons sake my Saviour and Redeemer Christ he hath vouchsafed to call me being else without his gracious goodness in my selfe but a sinful and vile wretch to cal me I say to this high dignity of his true Prophets faithfull Apostles and of his holy and chosen Martyrs to dye and to spend this temporall life in the defence and maintenance of his eternall and everlasting truth Whist he was Mr. of Pembrook-hall he used to walk much in the Orchard
companions who layed a traine to take away his life at least his Arch-Bishoprick by bringing him within the compass of the six articles which by Doctor Parker the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in Queen Elâ—zabeths dayes is thus related Doctor Cranmer saith he being in great heaviness for the death of the Lord Cromwel was accused by the Papists and much threatned by them and though he knew that he was not safe for one moment of time yet he changed not the cheerfullness of his countenance because as yet he kept the Kings right in the defence of the Gospel by his singular wisdom gravity and modesty But the King being soon entangled by conversing with Winchester and his Popish party they daily so deafned him with their continuall complaints against the Arch-Bishop that through wearisomness he was almost constrained to grant unto them the life of that most innocent man Yet by Gods speciall providence he was so rooted in his heart that when the Papists most presumed and the godly most feared his ruine the King resolved to provide for his safety and welfare In the mean time proud and malicious Gardiner whose favour and authority was thought to be greatest with the King provoked him often to disputations about points of Divinity in the presence of the King In the which the King observed that Cranmer never departed from his innate gravity and modesty whereas Gardiner always rather affected a little glory then the truth And when Gardiner that hâ— might lessen the authority of the scriptures had by many sophistical arguments endeavoured to prove that those called the Apostles Canons were of equall validity and authority with the sacred Scriptures Cranmer so enervated the force of all his arguments in the Kings hearing by his solid calm and moderate answers that the King said in the presence of many unto Gardiner that Cranmer was an old weather-beaten souldier in Divinity and was not to be encountred by such fresh-water souldiers as himselfe For this Gardiner swelling with pride stirred up as many against Cranmer as possibly he could judging that nothing could hinder their counsels and purposes if he were taken out of the way At Canterbury and all over Kent by the procurement of Gardiner many were suborned to accuse Cranmer of Heresie In the Parliament one Goswick a Knight for Bedfordshire said openly that all hereticall sâ—dition flowed from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and his family Some great men about the King hereupon laboured much to perswade him that by reason of these imputations Cranmer should be excluded from the Council-board and committed to the Tower of London till inquiry could be made concerning the truth of those reports for said they so long as he sits in counsell for fear men will conceal that which they know not daring to utter or reveal it They also dispersed â—umors that Cranmer was already condemned in the judgement of the King and should be shortly beheaded as Cromwel had been a little before All this while Cranmer though he set a good face on 't yet privately amongst his friends much bewailed the condition of those evill times rather then his owne But the King diligently searched out all these treacherous designs of the Papists and marked whereunto they tended Once for recreations sake after supper the King would goe in his Barge upon the Thames and being there commanded his Barge-men to land him at Lambeth staires some of the Arch-bishops servants observing that he drew thitherward presently informed their Master who hasted to the bridge either to salute the King as he passed by or to entertain him into his house The King seeing him bid him come into his Barge and setting him by him had much private conference with him the Barge-men in the mean season rowing hither and thither In this conference the King feigningly complained that since the death of Cromwel England was much troubled with hereticall factions and parties that it was to be feared that if these wranglings about religion were nourished more grievous mischiefs and civil wars would arise and therfore that the dissentions about Religion were to be appeased for which end by the advice of his Bishops and Nobles he would endeavour to finde out the Arch-Heretick who was the author of this mischief and whom being found he intended severely to punish yea cruelly to burn him thereby to prevent further disorders Cranmer though he was somewhat affrighted yet answered with a mild countenance that he liked the counsell as wholsome that the whole flock of hereticks was to be restrained by the death of the Arch-Heretick â— but hee admonished the King with fatherly gravity and modesty that hee would not judge them Hereticks who relied wholly upon the Word of God and not to the Traditions or Laws of men Well quoth the King to deal plainly we are told by many that you are the Arch-Heretick of our Kingdome and that in Kent and all your Province you hinder the Faith established in Parliament by the six Articles from being received by our people and therefore tell us plainly both what you think and what you have done concerning them To this the Archbishop stoutly replyed that he was still of the same opinion that he had expressed in Parliament when that Law was made and that yet he had not offended against that Law since it was made Then the King by little and little moderating the severity of his speech asked him pleasantly whether his private bed-chamber was free from the breach of the 6 Articles Cranmer though he understood by the six Articles that it was a capital â—ffâ—nce for a Priest to be married and that the King knew well that he was a married man yet answered That though he had married a wife yet it was in Germany before he took upon him the Archbishopâ—ick but for all that he had done nothing against that severe Law For saith he when the Law was once made I never touched my Wife but sent her into Germany to her kindred and friends By this plain answer without dawbing Cranmer begaâ— in the Kings minde such an opinion of his Learning and Honesty that he cheared him up telling him that those Artâ—â—cles were not ordained for his sake and shewing him what were the chief accusations laid in against him which Cranmer knowing to be false and forged by the envy and malice of his Popish Adversaries intreated the King to appoint Inquisitors whereby the truth might be sifted out For saith he I am not afraid to undergoe the hazzard of a judgement The King trusting to his ingenuity bâ—d him search and try out his own cause himself But Cranmer replied that it would seem unequall to his Adversaries that he should be made Censor of his own acts and theâ—efore still desired another Judge But the King still affirmed that hee would make none other the Inquisitor of his life having pâ—t so much trust and confidence in him alone knowing that he would certainly and
forth of the City and bad him fly for his life But it pleased God that by a fall he brake his legg whereby being again apprehended he was sent prisoner to Rome This business succeeding answerable to their desires they intended presently to fal upon Martyr whereupon they laid wait for him in every place They put in an accusation against him at Rome and in all the Colledges of his Order they stirred up his old enemies against him telling them that now the time was come wherein they might recover their former liberty so they called lientiousness â—nd to be revenged on Pet. Martyr So that by these mens instigations they met at Genoa not as usually the Superiours of the Order but those especially that bore the greatest hate to Martyr or envied him most These men summon Martyr presently to appear as Genoa But he being informed of the snares that were laid for him which his enemies being blinded with malice could not conceal And also being admonished by his friends to take heed to himself there being many that sought his life resolved not to goe to this Assembly but rather to convey himselfe else-whither where he might be safe from the power and malice of his adversaries Hereupon first of all hee conveyed part of his Library to Christopher Brent a Godly Senator of Luca who should take care to send it to him into Germany the other part he gave to the Colledge and so setting all things in order in the Colledge he privily departed out of the City onely with three companions Paul Lacis of Verona who was afterwards Greek Professor at Strasborough Theodosius Trebell and Julius Terentian with whom he continued faithfull unto the death Departing from Luca purposing to visit his owne country he went to Pisa where to some Noble men he administred the Lords Supper and meeting there with some faithful messengers he wrote to Cardinal Pool and to some of his friends at Luca. In these Letters he shewed what great errors and abuses were in the Popish Religion and in the Monasticall life with whom he could no longer communicate with a safe conscience He also shewed the other causes of his departure viz. the hatred and snares laid for him by his enmies He signified also what pains and care he had taken for their instruction and what a grief it was to him that he could not more plainely and openly instruct them in the Christian faith The ring also which was the ensigne of his dignity he sent back shewing that he would not imploy any of the Colledge goods to his private use Coming to Florence he met there with a godly and learned man Bernardin Ochine who being cited to Rome was going thitherward but being warned of the danger by his friends he consulted with Martyr and upon deliberation both of them resolved to leave Italy and to go into Germany And accordingly first Ochine departed and went to Geneva and from thence to Ausburg and two dayes after Peter Martyr followed going first to Bononia then to Ferrara then to Verona where being courteously entertained by his old friends He went thence over the Alps into Helvetia In this journey when he came to Zurick he was very kindly entertained by Bullinger Pellicane and Gualter and by the other Ministers belonging to that City to whom he proffered his service if they needed it but having at this time no place void in the Schools they told him that they much desired his company and pains but for the present they had no imployment for him yet would they gratefully remember his kind profer to them He often used to say that as soon as he came to Zurick he fell in love with that City desiring of God that it might be a refuge to him in this his banishment which prayer was afterwards granted though in the interim God pleased to make use of his labours in other places and Nations for his own glory and the good of many From thence he went to Basil where after he had abode about a month he with Paul Lacis was called to Strasborough by the means of Martin Bucer In which place he was made Professor of Divinity and Lacis of the Greek Tongue There he continued five years in which time he interpreted most of the Bible and what his excellency in teaching was may be hence collected in that being joyned with Martin Bucer a great Divine and eminent for learning yet Martyr was not accounted inferiour to him He was very skilful in Hebrew Greek and Latiâ—e He had an admirable dexterity in interpreting Scripture was a very acute disputant and used always to express himselfe very clearly knowing that ambiguity of words is the cause of much contention He lived in most intire friendship with his Collegue Master Bucer At Strasborough being unmarried he lived with his friends that came with him out of Italy being contented with a very small stipend which yet afterwards was augmented For having forsaken his Country his honors and riches for the testimony of Christ he thought it unfit to be solicitous or to trouble any about the increase of his stipend the rather because he was of a frugall disposition so that his stipend did not onely suffice but he spared something out of that little towards the support of his friends But finding some inconvenience of living single by the advice of his friends he married an honest and noble Virgin Katherine Damo-martin who afterwards dyed in England without issue having lived with him eight years She was one that feared God was loving to her husband prudent in administring houshold affairs liberal to the pooâ— and in the whole course of her life pious modest and sober After her death by the command of Cardinal Poole her body was digged up and buried in a dunghill and when he could finde no other cause for it he pretended that it was because she was buried too near to St. Frideswide For though this Cardinall had formerly loved Martyr very well yet when he once forsooke Italy he did not onely give over loving him but shaking off his study of the true Religion which for a time â—e had seemed to like hee became a great hater of Martyr and a bitter prosecutor of the professors of the Truth which occasioned him to deale so with Martyrs Wife seeing that he could not burn her husband as he desired But in Queen Elizabeths daies her body was again taken up and with great solemnity buried in the chiefe place of the Church and to prevent the Popish malice for the time to come her bones were mingled with the boneâ— of St. Frideswide that they should not be distinguished asunder The occasion of Peter Martyrs going into England was this King Henry the eighth being dead and his son Edward the sixth succeeding by the advice of the Protector Edward Duke of Somerset and Doctor Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury he
This request he himself opposed with all his might as judging himself unfit unable thereunto had not Bucer and the Senate interposed their authority to require his acceptance When he came thither he preached six years before the dregs of Popery where wholly purged out of that City yea the state of it was very troublesome not onely by reason of the Popish partie who with all their might opposed the Reformation but also by reason of some Anabaptists who like serpents had crept in to disturbe the growth of the Gospel and the peace of the Church Yea they carried themselves very impudently and tumultuously coming into the Church at Sermon-time stepping up into the Pulpit and labouring to diffuse their errors and to poyson the people therewith insomuch as the Magistrates were forced for the publick peace sake to cast them into prison Thither Musculus went daily to them and though they called him a Viper a false Prophet a Wolfe in Sheep's cloathing c. yet he bore all with patience and carried them food and other necessaries not speaking a word about their opinions till he had so far insinuated into their affections that they began to love him exceedingly Then began he to confer familiarly with them to hear them with patience and with solid arguments to convince their errors whereupon by degrees he converted them all and brought them to make publick recantations which by more rugged dealings they would never have yeelded to He had also many conflicts with the Popish party and wrought so far with the Senate that Anno Christi 1834. they cast out the Mass and Idolatry out of most of the Churches onely allowing to the Papists eight to say Mass but not to preach in And afterwards Anno Christi 1537. he so prevailed that Popery was cast out of those Churches also and the City wholly imbraced the reformed Religion There he studied the Greek Tongue and profited so much therein that he translated diverse parts of Chrysostome Basil Cyril Athanasius c. At that time also by his owne industâ—y he learned Arabick not having so much as a Grammer to help him onely by observing the proper names which are the same in all languages he found out the Letters and so attained to the reading and understanding of that tongue He taught at Ausburg eighteen years with much diligence and profit His Sermons were very piercing like a two-edged sword both in comforting the afflicted and convincing the obstinate Anno Christi 1536. there was a Synod appointed at Isenac in Thuringia to which Luther and many other Divines out of upper and lower Germany resorted about composing the difference concerning the Lords Supper to which Musculus was sent by the Senate of Strasborough as also to a Diet at Wormes and Ratisbone where he was Scribe at the Disputation between Melancthon and Eccius which afterwards he published Anno Christi 1544. the Inhabitants of Donavert embracing the Gospel sent to the Senate at Ausburg for one their Ministers to assist and further them in their Reformation who thereupon sent Musculus to them and when he came thither he preached every day for a quarter of a year together and so returned to Ausburg Anno Christi 1547. Charls the fifth having ended the Smalcaldian war called a Diet at Auspurg whither himself his brother Ferdinand the Electors Cardinals and Bishops came Then was Musculus put out of his Church yet did he not cease to preach in another during that Diet with as much zeal and freedom of speech as formerly which procured him much hatred from the Popish party who set spies to intrap him They also accused him to the Emperor as one that stirred up the people against the Clergie by reason whereof he was in such danger that the Senate was fain to appoint three men to guard him to and from the Pulpit Tumults were raised before his door his windows broken and himself rail'd upon yet he bore all with a stout courage and sent the Senate word That if they would stick close to the cause of God he would venture his life with them The year after the Senate embraced the Interim which he wrote and preached boldly against insomuch that he was hated and lived in great danger hereupon he resolved to leave the City and acquainting the Consul with his purpose one evening with one only Citizen in his company he left his wife and eight children and departed out of the City and changing his apparel at a friend's house that he might pass unknown he went to Zurick where he stayed a while with Bullinger and from thence to Busil his wife and children following him within a few days but they staying at Constance he went thither to them and the Sabbath following he preached to the Citizens of Constance upon that Text Joh. 6. 66 67 68 69. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him c. Out of which words he shewed how grievously those Cities had sinned which to please men had basely deserted the Gospel of Christ. Then he exhorted them of Constance not to follow such examples but rather after the examples of the Apostles in this Text constantly to adhere unto Christ who onely hath the words of eternall life The very next day the Spaniards coming to besiege Constance he with his family removed to Zurick Thither Cranmer sent for him to come into England but being grown aged and his wife sickly he excused his going thither After six months stay there he was called to Berne to be the Divinity Professor in their Schools whither he went and where he discharged his place for fourtâ—en years together with much diligence and praise He Printed many works all which he wrote out with his own hands wherby his great labour and sedulity may easiâ—y be discerned He so loved his present imployment and place of habitation that though he had many invitations to places of more eminency and profit yet he wouâ—d never imbrace the same but continued at Bern till his death He lived in much peace and concord with his fellow Ministers and Professors and was very loving to his wife and children in domestical troubles most patient very mercifull to the poor especially to exiles and strangers of a sparing and temperate dier whereby he lived in health to his latter end He used much walking and holy meditation therein He went very upright had a fresh colour sharp sight admirable strong teeth and lastly his hands and feet well performing their office But the year before his death he beganne to be crasie partly by reason of his great age but especially being worne out with infinite cares and labours as also by reason of a great cough which of a long time had been troublesome to him By these means he had many fits of
and zeal of mine if it be worthy so to be called hath been so remisse and languishing that I confesse innumerable things have been wanting to me to the well performing of my duty and unlesse the immeasurable bounty of God had been present my studies had been vaine and vanishing away Moreover I acknowledge that unlesse the same bounty had been present unto me the goods of the minde which God hath given me would have made me guilty of the greater sinne and slothfulnesse before his judgement seat For which causes I witnesse and profess that I hope for no other help for salvation but this onely that seeing God is a Father of mercy hee shewed himself a Father unto me who acknowledge my self a miserable sinner As for other things After my departure out of this life I would have my body committed to the earth in that order and manâ—er which is usuall in this Church and City till the blessed day of Resurrection cometh As touching that slender Patrimony which God hath given me concerning which I have determined thus to dispose Let Anthony Calvin my most dear Brother be mine heire but only for honour sake let him take before hand and have to himself the silver Charger which was given me by Varannius for a gift wherewith I desire him to be contented For whatsoever things remaine in mine â—â—heritance I request and commit them to his faith that he returne them to his children when he shall dye I bequeath tenne gâ—â—den Scutes to the School of boyes from the same my brother and heire Also so much to poore strangers So much to Joane the daughter of Charles Costan and of my Kinswoman But to Samuel and John the sonnes of my said Brother I desire to have given to them forty golden Scutes by mine heir when he dieth To Anne Susâ—â— and Dorothy his daughters thirty Scutes of gold But to David their brother because of his lightnesse and miscarriages but five and twenty Scutes of gold This is the summe of the whole Patrimony and goods which God hath given me so neare as I can estimate it setting a price upon my Library my moveables and all my houshold goods with all other my faculties If there bee found any thing above I would have it to be distributed to all those children the sons and daughters of my brother Neither doe I exclude that David if hee prove a good husband If there shall be any surplusage above that summe I beleeve there will be no great matter especially when my debts are paid the care whereof I have committed to my said brother upon whose love and fideâ—ity I relye For which cause I will and appoint him to be the Executor of my Testament and together with him the worshipfull man Laurence Normendie giving them power to take an Inventory of my goods without any more accurate diligence of the Court I also permit them to sell my moveables that out of the money made thereof they may execute my Will above written Dated this 25. of April Anno Christi 1554. When this Will was made and confirmed Mr. Calvin sent to the four Syndiâ—s and all the Aldermen desiring to speak with them all yet once more in the Court before his death whither he hoped to be carried the next day The Senators answered that they would rather come to him dâ—siring him to have a regard to his 〈◊〉 And the day after when they came all to him from 〈◊〉 Court after mutuall salutations and pardon craved for their comming to him whereas he rather would have come to them and pâ—ofessing that he had long desired to speak with them though he had deferred it till now even till he found the approaching of his departure out of this world he said Honoured Masters I give you great thanks that ye have honoured me thus far having not deserved it from you and for that you have so often borne with mine infirmities which to me hath alwaies been an argument of your singular good will towards me And albeit in performance of mine office it could not be but that I must undergoe many bickerings and divers assaults because every good man must be exercised therewith yet I know and acknowledge that none of these things have falne out through your default and I earnestly beseech you that if I have not alwaies done that which behoved me you rather would have regard of my will then of my ability For I can truly testifie that I have been heartily studious of the welfare of your Commonwealth and howsoever I have not fully performed mine office yet surely I have studied the publick good according to mine ability and except I should acknowledge that the Lord hath used my service sometimes not unprofitably I could not avoyd the crime of dissembling But this I requst of you again and again that I may be excused by you for that the things are so little that I have publickly and privately performed in comparison of those things which it behoved me to have done Certainly of mine own accord I acknowledge that I am much indebted to you for this cause also that yee have patiently born with my too much vehemencie sometimes which sinne also I trust God that he hath forgiven me But as touching the Doctrin that you have heard from me I take God to witness that I have not rashly and uncertainly but purely and sincerely taught the Word of God intrusted unto me whose wrath I should otherwise have felt now hanging over me as I am certainly assured that my labours in teaching it hath not been displeasing to him And I testifie this the more willingly both before God and you because I doubt not but that the devill according to his custom wil raise wicked light and giddy-headed people to corrupt the sincere Doctrine which you have heard from me Then considering the unmeasurable benefits which God had conferred on that City hee said I am a very good witnesse out of how many great dangers the hand of the great and best God hath delivered you Morâ—over you see in what estate you now are therefore whether your affairs be prosperous or adverse let that be alwaies conversant before your eyes that God is he alone that establisheth Kingdomes and Cities and therefore will be woâ—shipâ—ed by mortall men Remember what that great David doth testifie that when he enjoyed a deep peace he fell soulest and should never have risen again if God of his singular goodnesse had not reached out his hand to him What then shall become of such punies if he fell being so strong and powerfull a man Yee had need of great humility of mind that yee may walk circumspectly and with great reverence before God and trust upon him onely being sure that it will alwaies be as ye have often found that by his aid you may stand sure although your safety and welfare may be hung as it wereâ— upon a very slender thread Wherefore if prosperity befall you take heed
Latine and sent beyond sea where to this day they are highly prized and much set by yea some of them are translated into French High-Dutch and Low-Dutch and his Reformed Catholick was translated into Spanish also yet no Spaniard ever since durst take up the Gantlet of Defiance cast down by this Champion He died in the forty fourth year of his age of a violent fit of the Stone Anno Christi 1602 being born the first and dying the last year of Queen Elizabeth He was of a ruddy complexion fat and corpulent Lame of his right hand yet this Ehud with a left-handed pen did stab the Romish cause as one saith Dextera quantumvis fuerat tibi manca docendi Pollebas mirâ dexteritate tamen Though nature thee of thy right hand bereft Right-well thou writest with thy hand that 's left He was buried with great solemnity at the sole charges of Christs Colledge the University and Town striving which should expresse more sorrow at his Funeral Doctor Montague Preached his Funeral Sermon upon that Text Moses my servant is dead Master Perkins his manner was to go with the Prisoners to the plaâ—â— of execution when they were condemned and what 〈◊〉 his labours were crowned with may appeare by this example A young lusty fellow going up the ladder discovered an extraordinary lumpishnesse and dejection of spirit and when he turned himselfe at the upper round to speak to the people he looked with a rueful and heavy countenance as if he had been half dead already whereupon Master Perkins laboured to chear up his spirits and finding him still in an Agony and distresse of minde he said unto him What man what is the matter with thee art thou afraid of death Ah no said the Prisoner shaking his head but of a worser thing Saist thou so said Master Perkins come down again man and thou shalt see what Gods grace will doe to strengthen thee Whereupon the prisoner coming down Master Perkins took him by the hand made him kneel down with himself at the ladder foot hand in hand when that blessed man of God made such an effectuall prayer in confession of sinnes and aggravating thereof in all circumstances with the horrible and eternal punishment due to the same by Gods justice as made the poor prisoner burst out into abundance of tears and Master Perkins finding that he had brought him low enough even to hell gates he proceeded to the second part of his prayer and therein to shew him the Lord Jesus the Saviour of all penitent and believing sinners stretching forth his blessed hand of mercy and power to save him in that distressed estate and to deliver him from all the powers of darkness which he did so sweetly press with such heavenly art and powerfull words of grace upon the soul of the poor prisoner as cheared him up again to look beyond death with the eyes of Faith to see how the black lines of all his sinnes were crossed and cancelled with the red lines of his crucified Saviours precious blood so graciously applying it to his wounded conscience as made him break out into new showres of tears for joy of the inward consolation which he found and gave such expression of it to the beholders as made them life up their hands and praise God to see such a blessed change in him who the prayer being ended rose from his knees chearfully and went up the Ladder again so comforted and tooke his death with such patience and alacrity as if he actually saw himself delivered from the hell which he feared before and heaven opened for the receiving of his soul to the great rejoycing of the beholders His works are printed in three volumes F. JVNIVS The Life of Francis Junius who died A no Christi 1602. FRancis Junius was born in France of a Noble Family An. Christi 1545. His Grandfather was William Lord of Boffardineria who for his valiant service in the wars of Navar was rewarded by King Lewis the twelfth with that honour His Father was Denis who in his youth studied Law in the most famous Universities of France His Mother was Jacoba Hugalda which bore nine children four sons and five daughters amongst which this our Francis was born in Biturg His Mother being sickly the child was very weak not likely to live one houâ— and therefore was hastily baptised And during his childhood this weakness continued which falling into his left legge caused a soare which was difficultly healed When hee was five yeares old his Father beganne to teach him to read as his leisure would permit At six yeares old he began to write and to discover his ingenuity being of a pleasant disposition very desirous of honour quickly angry and for his age of a grave judgement Hee did eat his meat eagerly was very shame-fac'd which continued with him all his life after Hee had the publick Schoolmasters for his instructers besides others that privately taught him at home At twelve years old he attended the publick Lectures and began to study the Civill Law and his Father much encouraged and assisted him therein Yet one thing much impeded him in his first studies For being put forth to School hee met with harsh and severe Masters which used to beat him in a most cruel and barbarous manner yet his love to learning made him conceal it from his friends When he had studied Law about two years he was sent to Lions to have gone with the French Ambassador to Constantinople but coming too late after the Ambassadors departure he staid and studied there turning over many bookes whereof in that place were great plenty But there he met with great temptations to evill a woman and a young mayd labouring upon every opportunity to draw him to lewdnesse This much troubled him having been brought up religiously by his parents whereupon he thought of returning home but his fathers authority who commanded his stay there altered those thoughts and so through Gods assistance he resisted that temptation But presently fell into another For as he was reading over Tully de Legibus there came a certain man to him using the words of the Epicure nihil cur are Deum nec alieni that God cares for nothing And he so pressed it with such subtile arguments that hee prevailed with him to suck in that damnable principle and so he gave up himself to vile pleasures for a year and somewhat more But the Lord suffered him not to continue longer therein For first in a tumult in Lions the Lord wonderfully delivered him from imminent death so that he was compelled to acknowledge a divine providence therein And his Father hearing the dangerous waies that his son was misled into sent for him home where he carefully and holily instructed him and caused him to read over the new Testament of wich himselfe writes thus novum Testamentum aperio exhibet se mihi
conversion His Baptism His zeal and courage His Apology for the Christians to the Senate His Apologie to the Emperour Injustice used to the Christians He prevails for favour to the Christians He goes to Rome A prediction His Martyrdom His zeal against Heresies His sayings His zeal His works His birth and education Ordained Minister His zeal against Heresies He was studious of peace He is made Bishop of â—yâ—ons in France Satans malice His zeal against Heresies He is sent to Rome His writings The prophaneness of Hereâ—icks The immutability of Cerdon Miracles continued in the Church His courage and painfulness A great Persecution His martyrdom His sayings His works His birth and education His excellent learning He is Ordained a Presbyter His zeal against Heresies He defends the Christians Persecution increaseth Religion His learned works This was counted an unparalleld crime in Mr. Thomas Edwards A Souldiers humility His frequency in prayer The manner of his conversion His study of the Scriptures The danger of envy His death His sayings His works His Learning and Ordination His zeal against heresies His writings His sayings His works His birrth His parentage and education The reasons of his names His early desire of Martyrdom He encourages his Father His studies God provides for him His hatred of Heresie His early Preaching He inconrageth the Martyrs Gods Providence over him The Gentiles hated him extreamly The fruit of his Ministry His Chastity He gelded himself He is ordained a Presbyter He is envyed by his great friend He is forced to leave Alexandria He instructs the Emperours Mother He reclaimed Ambrose His Persecutions He is ensnared He is Excommunicated A special Providence Psal. 50. 16. His torments of Conscience His Lamentation He means the living Saints His studiousness His converts many He wrote the first Commentaries on the Scriptures He goeth into Arabia His works He reclaims Hereticks He is persecuted His death His sayings His works His birth and education His Conversion His charity He is made Bishop His modesty His humility His charity His magnanimity His Fidelity His Courage His Charity to Exiles His studiousness His Chastity â—in the fore â—unner of Persecution The sins of Professors A Vision Another Vision He vindicates the Christians from scandals He goes into exile A faithful Pastor He is again banished His apprehension His martyrdom His courage His charity His charity His sayings His works Persecution His works His commendations Constantines esteem of Eusebius A sedition in Antioch A Synod Eusebius reproved His birth and education His works A great persecution Gods Pâ—ovidence His Câ—â—tentatiâ—n His birth and education He goes to the Council of Nice His zeal against Heresies He is made Bishop of Alexandria He is persecuted by the Arians He is accused to the Emperour He is cleared by Constantine He is again accused The falsehood and subtilty of Hereticks His prudence He is again cleared by the Emperour The Church prospers under him He is again accused and cited to a Council of Arians His charge Forgeries against him His answer Gods providence He goes from the Council He is unjustly deposed And complained of to the Emperour Dissenters in the Council Athanasius banished by the Emperour Seditions raised by Arius Alexander prays against Arius Arius his equl vocation and prejury Gods just judgement upon Arius His wretched death Heretical lyes Athanasius his judgement of Ariâ—â—'s death Constantines death Heretical subtlety The danger of suffering hereticks amongst great persons The danger of heresie Athanasius returns to Alexandria Constantines Letâ—er to the people of Alexandria The Arians raise tumults against Athanasius The cruelty of Hereticks A special providence 〈◊〉 flies to 〈◊〉 His return to Alexandria Hereticks falsâ—hood 〈◊〉 flyeth Constance defendeth him Constantius his letter to Athanasius His second letter to Athanasius His third letter to Athanasius Julius his Letter in the behalf of Athanasius Athanasius goeth into the East His prudence Constantius his Letter to the Alexandrians in the behalf of Athanasius His Letter to the Governor of Alexandria Athanasius is restored by a Council He is again accused by the Aâ—ians Bishop Paulus murthered Others persecuted Athanasius flyeth His Apology for it Their wicked practises of the Arians Their cruetly against the Orthodox A Council summoned in â—word â— Athanasius condemned by a Conventicle His prudence He is sent for to the Emperour He is again banished A special providence The cruelty of the Arians Georgius slain by the Gentiles Athanasius 〈…〉 His return to Alexandria He is banished by Julian Gods providence over him Athanasius in Alexandria He is again complained of to Jovianus He returns to Alexandria See the Life of Jovian in my second Part. Athanasius flyeth again He is again restored The cruelty of the Arian Hereticks His death His works His works He is deposed His appeal His reformation His patience His charity Gods judgement on the Jews Testimonies of him His death His sayings The benefit of hearing His works His birth and education His excellent learning His Chastity His patience His humility His charity His care for the poor in a Famine His death An enemy to Hereticks His chastity His humility His charity His savings The bought of perseverance His works His birth His education His zeal against Heresie A good Pastor A special providence His zeal His courage and constancy His zeal His courage An excellent speech His zeal Death desired for Christs cause His courage and constancy A Miracle His death His sayings Love Scriptures Erasmus his Testinonie of Basil. His works His Character His education His zeal against Heresie He is made Bishop of Nazianzum His judgment on Julian A description of Julian His excellent parts His modesty His excellent gifts His desire of Martyrdom Eloquence His saying Preaching His birth and education His Conversion Hereticks seek to ensnare him His commendations Made Bishop of Salamine Preachers pattern His zeal against Heresies Epiphanius abused by Theophilus Origens books condemned Epiphanius his weakness His contests with Chrysostom Two Pâ—edictions His death His sayings Hatred cured His works His birth A Prodigy His education A special providence Ambrose baptized He is made Bishop His fidelity and courage Justina's malice The people resist her The Emperour enraged against Ambrose His courage and constancy A passionate act of Theodosius Ambrose his speech to Theodosius He excommunicates Theodosius Theodosius his humility He seeks for absolution The Emperours mâ—dness How to prevent sinful anger Theodosius absolved Special providences Profaness punished His charity His death Repentance not to be delayed True charity Conscience Death His works His parentage His learning He is made Bishop He is banished His zeal to do good Scriptures His works His sayings Usury His parentage His birth His learning His zeal against Heresie His charity His works Theodisius his wisdom His death His saying His works His birth and parentage His education He goes to Rome His studies His travels 〈…〉 choose Hierom goes into Syria His sickness His troubles by the Arians His
THE MARROW OF Ecclesiastical History CONTAINED IN The LIVES of one hundred forty eight FATHERS SCHOOLMEN first REFORMERS and MODERN DIVINES which have flourished in the Church since Christ's time to this present Age Faithfully collected and orderly disposed according to the CENTURIES wherein they lived Together With the Lively Effigies of most of the eminentest of them cut in COPPER The second Edition enlarged in most of the Lives with the addition of nine Lives which were not in the Former By SAMUEL CLARK Pastor of Bennet Fink London Vt qui praeceptis non accendimur saltem exemplis incitemur atque in appetitu Rectitudinis nil sibi mens nostra difficile astimet quod perfectè peragi ab aliis videt Greg. Mag. l. 9. c 43. Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race which is set before us Heb. 12. 1. London Printed for T. V. and are to be sold by William Roybould at the Vnicorn in Pauls-Church-yard 1654. To the Christian Reader CHRISTIAN READER THe nature of man is more apt to be guided by Examples then by Precepts especially by the the examples of men eminently learned and of great repute for Pietie and Godliness Such men are as Looking-glasses to the places where they live by which most people dress themselves and when they fall into sin they fall like men in a croud many falling with them The bodies of men are not so subject to be infected by the illness of the ayr as the souls of men by the ill examples of godly learned Ministers When Peter at Antioch dissembled many of the Jews dissembled likewise with him and Barnâ—ibas was brought into their dissimulation also It is very remarkable that this example of Peter is said to be a constraining of the Gentiles to Judaize Why constrainest thou the Gentiles to do as the Jews Gal. 2 14. There is a compulsive power in the ill examples of godly men to constrain others to do the evil that they do and therefore let godly Ministers especially in these days take heed least by any wicked compliance they build men up in sin and bring destruction upon themselves as the two sons of old Ely did who by their wicked examples made the people of Israel to transgress and thereby brought ruine upon their old Father and themselves 1 Sam. 2. 24. And so on the contrary there is a heavenly power and efficacy in the good examples of men eminent in place and godliness to draw others to Pietie and Holiness As long as Joshua lived and the Elders that had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel the children of Israel served the Lord. The religious cariage of Theodosius the Emperour in his family made not only his family but his whole Court to be a nourcery of Religion Pezel Mel Hist. in vita Theodo 2. But this is most especially seen in the godly Lives of godly and learned Ministers Herod the King reverenced John Baptist observed him and when he heard him did many things and heard him gladly not so much for the love of his doctrine as because he was a just and holy man and as Jesus Christ saith of him a burning and shining light burning in holy zeal for God as well as shining in Orthodox Doctrine He is called by the Prophet The voyce of him that cryeth in the wilderness And as Nazianzen saith of him he cryed louder by the holiness of his life then the sincerity of his doctrine He was Tota vox All voyce his apparel his diet and his conversation did Preach holiness as well as his doctrine Mar. 6 20. John 5. 35. Isay 40. 3. And therefore is cannot but be a work very profitable to the Church of Christ for any man to write a History of the Lives of the eminently learned and godly Ministers of former times as a fair Copy for Posterity to write after and a Patten for them to imitate This Reverend religious and learned Author hath undertaken this work in this ensuing Treatise and effected it so well as that I thought it not sufficient to give a naked Imprimatur unto it without this additional commendation both of the Author and of his work The Apostle having in the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews given us a littleâ—Book of Martyrs in the beginning of the twelfth Chapter he calls them A cloud of witnesses Such a cloud of witnesses is contained in this Book And as the childreu of Israel were directed in their journeys by the Pillar of a Cloud that went before them as long as they were in the Wilderness so let us make this cloud of Witnesses so far as it followeth Christ a Pillar of Cloud to guide us while we are in the Wilderness of this World till we come to enjoy that unexpressible happiness of which they are now made partakers So prayeth your servant in Christ Jesus EDMUND CALAMY TO THE Christian Reader Christian Reader THE right improvement of good Examples doth reach the highest ends of man viz. Gods honor and the souls welfare It was an honor unto King David to have so many men of valor under his command And doubtless the wisdom faith love Zeal courage and humility which Gods faithful servants in the several ages of the Church have expressed in their attendance upon him do publish the high praises of his blessed Majesty For if there appear so much worth in small drops what is there in the Seas of Divine Al-sufficiencie He that seeth the Sun-beams bright will see cause to admire the brightness of the Sun it self The luster left upon Moses his face by the reflection of the glory of Gods back parts was a full demonstration of the incomparable infinite glory of his face When we read of me raised above the World despising promises and scorning threatnings whereby they have been assaulted to desert the Truth of the Gospel and to make shipwrack of a good conscience how can we do less then glorifie God in them For can any power on this side Omnipotencie enable sinful men to deny themselves their dearest relations and the greatest earthly advantages for Jesus Christ How much of Deity shines in their Lives who could trample upon preferments laugh at imprisonment and banishment yea with smiles and joys embrace stakes and endure flames in love unto the Lord Jesus Oh what abundant occasion is administred of adoring the most High God in his rich perfections faithfulness and unchangeableness when we consider how even to admiration he hath furnished many of his Ambassadors with raised parts and graces to defend his cause and edifie his Church in the several corners of the World from generation to generation Histories hold forth the acknowledgements extorted from Heathens to the honor of the true God upon the notice taken of Christians gracious carriage both
in life and death When you be informed of their unwearyed industrie in services and their undaunted magnanimitie in sufferings for Christ their Lord then conceive that you hear themselves thus speaking unto you with a loud voice Why look you thus upon us Not unto us not unto us but unto the Name of God give glory And as our gracious God is advanced so may our selves be very much advantaged by a due consideration of those things which have been exemplary in the Lives and deaths of choise men Champions for Scripture truths and Patriots for the power of godliness For as Gods Laws are the good mans rules so good Examples are his motives and encouragements The holy Scriptures do hint the prevalency hereof for saving conversion And it is reported that Justin Martyr by observing the pious Lives and patient deaths of the Martyrs was brought to Christ. Men likewise may be fast riveted and more strongly rooted in the Truth received by reflecting upon the sound judgements and spotless Lives of them who have published and maintained it In which respect Pauls speech unto young Timothy is very remarkable But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them Such are witnesses with a witness there are none such The common people are more apt to enquire what Ministers do then what they say And the eye is more operative and affecting then the ear Neither is this only true in regard of Gods Worthies who live with us but also in reference unto them who have lived long before us The Apostle writing to the Hebrews concerning Abels faith he tels them that by it though he be dead he yet speaketh Upon which phrase famous Master Perkins hath this note Abels faith is a never dying Preacher It is the pleasure of Almighty God that we should walk in the way of good men and keep the path of the righteous Walk so as you have us for an example The Apostle Paul draws their observation and imitation upon those who were really and eminently good And the Apostle James inculcates the same thing Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the Name of the Lord for an example In Examples there should be excellencie and conspicuitie As the stamps upon coyns which make them current It is most true that wise Solomon sends sluggish man unto School to learn of the Pismire And therefore grant that Christians should imitate Heathens in their virtues how much rather then ought we to make practical improvement of the Epitomized Lives of these many eminent servants of Christ who are presented to our view in this book These fair copies we should spread before our eyes and write after them till our writing our living be like them Frequent meditation upon the wise savorie speeches and holy gratious practices of these renowned Worthies will be a special means to mould us even us into the same similitude Peter Martyr perswading the improvement of good Examples tell 's a storie of a deformed man marryed unto an uncomely woman who being desirous of comely children bought many beautiful pictures and desired his wife daily to look upon them by means whereof their children were handsome and lovely And doubtless brave Christian qualifications might be begotten in our bosoms by filling our heads and hearts frequently with the commendable conversation of these holy men of God who have been burning and shining lights in the Churches of Christ in their respective Ages But whilst we are moving imitation we must not forget to give in some few cautions to prevent miscarrying 1. Do not so Idolize any man in respect of his place parts or graces as to make him your pattern in every particular The Apostle gives in a good Item to the Corinthians which concerns all Christians Be followers of me as I am of Christ. Christians are not bound as Master Latimer expresseth himself to be the Saints Apes laboring to be like them in every thing It 's Christs peculiar honor to be imitated in all morals absolutely This caveat is necessary in these Man-admiring times wherein many pin their faith and consciences upon some mens sleeves Here it might seasonably be remembred that the opinion and practice of the Apostle Peter did once lead many out of the right way When mens parts are high their graces shining or their power great we are in danger either to be dazzelled with their brightness or biassed by their greatness Therefore before you adventure to follow men weigh the chiefest of them in the ballance of the Sanctuary and try their most specious notions and actions by the touchstone of the Temple 2. Beware on the other hand lest you so pry into and peer upon the weaknesses of Gods Worthies as not to value and imitate those virtues which did break forth brightly in their conversations You must give good gold all its allowance and not throw it aside because it wants some grains and hath a crack The Snow-like Swan hath black legs and in many things we offend all And though some of these pretious servants of Jesus Christ who are justly commended in this book had their blemishes in judgement or in some actions yet how much did they in many particulars exceed the most famous Professors of our times 3. When you meet with that in their lives which was not onely truly but eminently good sit not down satisfied till you have attained their measure Be followers of me c. saith the Apostle for our conversation is in Heaven Follow the forwardest Christians with a desire to overtake them His speech savored more of wit then grace who counselled his friend not to come too nigh unto truth lest his teeth should be beaten out with its heels Dwell upon the Exemplarie Lives of these transcendent Saints till you be changed into the same image Their love to Christ his truth and people should enlarge your hearts Their zeal should enflame you Their magnanimity should encourage you Their humility should abase you Their patience should calm you Their labors should quicken your diligence Their temperance should moderate you in the use of all sensual contentments Their confidence should confirm your fiducial dependance upon Gospel-promises Their contempt of the World should call you off yet farther from all empty sublunaries Their high estimation of the holy Scriptures should heighten your reverent respect of them Their many assaults from Satan and sufferings from men in estate liberty credit and body should embolden and arm you in evil times Their experiences of support under grievances of supplies in necessaries of comfort in crosses of deliverance in streights of success in services and of triumphing perseverance notwithstanding all oppositions from within and from without should hold up your faint hopes unweariedly to wait for the full accomplishment of all the pretious promises of Covenant-grace in Jesus