of the supper the accidents be not without the subiect that is to say that the whitenesse and roundnesse of the breade be not without the bread to wit that contrary to transubstantion which the priests haue forged the breade abideth bread and the wine contynueth in the proper substance Moreouer the conclusions proposed by him at the towne of Lambeth be these If that any Princes or Lordes or any others haue made any donations vnto the mynisters of the Church there is therin a secreate condition to wit that God shoulde be honoured and that the faithfull should be edified And if this condition ceasse then they may take away from wicked pastours that which they had giuen them any excommunication or other whatsoeuer to the contrary notwithstanding That if these dealinges of men were let alone the cleargie which were of couetous persons will bring all the world into their hands Also that the Pope may lawfully be reproued by those whom he kéepeth in obedience vnder him and that for the vtilitie of the Church he may be accused both of the clearks and lay people That the Pope as great a Lord as he reporteth himselfe to be must thinke that he is a brother vnto others and that if he sinne he ought to be brotherly corrected and heare corrections brotherly And when as by the holy scripture his heresie or errour is shewed him he ought not to be obstinate And by many other conclusions he shewed euidently the abuse of the Pope and of the cleargy and how that their possessions of so great reuenewes be vniust To conclude he was assaulted by many and amongest others the begging monkes who rose against him by greate flockes But the Lorde gaue him for a protectour the Kinge Edwarde vnder whose raigne he had some lybertie to speake the truth Richarde the successour of the said Edwarde persecuted and banished him Within a while after he was called again from banishment and returned vnto the parrishe of whiche he was pastour and there like a lustie champion of the Lorde he aboade alwayes constant euen vntill the death he died in the yeare of our Lorde 1388. fortie and one yeares after his death he was digged vp againe by the commandement of the Pope and his bones were burned and the ashes thereof cast into the water but Iesus Christ dieth not in his faithful ones vse the tyrants what cruelty they can He composed many bookes the which were burned in the citie of Oxenford in the yere 1410. there be certaine notwithstanding reserued still for to declare that God hath alwayes some faithfull seruantes who doe resist the errours of the world Amongest his writinges there is an Epistle which he sent to Pope Vrbane He that woulde sée more at large of him and of his historie let him looke in the booke of Martyrs 134 In the persecution raysed vp against Wiclief and in the yere 1400. Sautree a priest imbraced with zeale of true pure religion craued and requested in the ful Parliament the audience might be granted him for the cōmon profit of all the Realme Then albeit that his request was honest and ciuill and that he gaue to vnderstande that he coulde bring great profite yet he was not hearde for the bishops perceiuing that he came caused him to be attached of heresie and for the seauen articles condemned disgraded and burned him Looke Fabius in his Chronicles and Iohn Crespin in the booke of martyrs William Thorpe an Englishman was also a valiant martyre of our Lorde Iesus Christ He sustayned great assaultes of many prelats of of the Church of Rome without forsaking his vocation which was to instruct the people according to the pure word of God And therefore he woulde not agrée to preach the superstitions and humaine inuentions which he declared to be contrarie to the institution of the holy scriptures he was condemned hauing yeelded a testimonie of his faith Nowe of many pointes well worth the noting vpon the interrogations propounded to him I will recite for to auoyde great prolixitie one onely that is that he being demaunded of the Archbishop of Canterburie primate of Englande and Chauncelour of the whole Realme what the Church did signifie he answered that it is Iesus Christe and the companie of saincts Which thing the said Archbishop confessed to be true in respect of heauen but he demaunded further what the Church was here below on earth It is deuided into two partes answered the said Williā Thorp the one of the two parts which is the better hath obtained victorie ouer the enemies and triumpheth nowe with Christe in great ioy the other part fighteth here still on earth by the sworde of faith against the continuall bulwarkes of Sathan of the fleshe and of the worlde There is no strength so violent no pompe so proud no fire of afflictions and persecutions so burning no tyrannie so cruel no reasons of Doctours so discording nor opinions so diuerse which can withdrawe them from the right rule of faith and of the holy scriptures For they be fortyfied by the worde of God in Christ and firmely stablished as vppon a sure rocke that can not be remoued Looke Iohn Crespin in his booke of martyrs Within a while after the death of Iohn Wiclief there arose greate persecution in Englande against the faithfull for the truth of the Gospell which then began to take déepe rooting The worthiest men in the Realme were not then spared the lord Cobham a knight of the order one of the peeres of England was there apprehended but he was executed after these that we nowe speake off And therefore according to the order of time we will hereafter speake of him more at large for he was an excellent martyr of our Lorde Iesus Christ King Henrie then by publike ordinaunce made an edicte and set foorth through the persuasions of the bishoppes and prelates terrible punishmentes for all them that should follow the doctrine of Wicliefe vsing so great seueritie against them that he helde them not onely for heretikes but also as guiltie of treason And for this cause it was ordeined that they should be punished with two sortes of punishmentes that is that they should be both hanged and burned and there was neither fréedome nor any priuiledge whereby they coulde enioye profite so maliciously were they bente againste the faithfull séeking all meanes againste them and in that time they called al them Wicleffians who read the scriptures in the vulgar tongue and which made their assemblies in secrete places in the darke preaching in woodes and bushes Then the Bishops being armed with this edicte of the king exercised great tyrannie against manie good people and many poore innocentes and amongest other against Roger Acton a knight of the order and a true nobleman adorned with great vertues he abhorred the wicked traditions of the Pope had his affections withdrawen from him and from all his assistants For that cause it is reported that he was hated amongest the
although that the deuill in his enchantmentes hath at all times found out a rage more then horrible against the Church and faithfull doctours like as here is manifested by Abel who was slaine by Caine being moued thereto by a deuilish enuie by the persecution and oppression of the people of Israel by the high priestes who were slaine by Saule by Isay and Ieremie who were put to death by the captiuitie of the people when they were carried away into Babylon likewise by Iohn Baptist by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the Apostles who haue beene cruelly slayne and by so many millions of Martyrs yet notwithstāding the Church hath continued through out all ages and there haue beene alwayes doctours diuinely raysed vp in the places of others for to set vp agayne and to conserue the light of the doctrine to make it shine in the middest of those peoples and Realmes that God woulde haue it It hath then been alwayes conserued and defended for God is the protector and gardein thereof who maketh it to withstande all such assaultes And for this cause Sathan in his illusions of these times hath suggested and put in practyce the moste cruell tormentes that coulde be deuised but all in vaine There haue beene kindled fires great and small There haue beene set vp also for the true Christians Scaffoldes c. some haue beene caste into the bottomes of ponds and riuers and to conclude Sathan hath by sword and force vsed all sortes of most cruel violences for to cause that the holy seruice of God might be altogether extinct and buried but he neuer coulde neither euer shall be able to doe it Wee muste then consider and vnderstande that true religion hath of GOD an efficacie and vertue more great and wonderfull then any thinge that can bee or euer hath bene seeing that so mightie an enemie as sathā the prince of the children of this world hath so often and strongly besieged it and yet coulde neuer hinder but that alwayes thorough the goodnes of God it shoulde be set vp Now to speak of other religions which haue beene and be what continuance haue they had what stedfastnesse and assurance of the trueth haue beene founde in them what number amongst so many as were professours of the same haue euer beene so steedfast in their religions that they would euer suffer most cruell tortures therfore like as haue done an infinite multitude for the assurance and steedfastnesse that they had in the trueth which no man is able to number by whome God woulde be glorified So many and such manner of religions as haue ben haue they had euer such order such a doctrine which hath plainly shewed vnto them the truth of the being of the first originall of things that haue bene since the beginning of the world and of thinges that haue come to passe and that bee daily accomplished as God hath made his to vnderstande from time to time first by visions and oracles and since euen vntill this present time by his Prophetes and Apostles Such and so manie religions which haue beene howe coulde it euer be found in them as may be founde in the true Church by the holy scriptures howe that the supernaturall he who is euerlastingly that is the Lorde Iehova who of himselfe hath his being and not of any others and of him all thinges their beinges hath by his eternall worde and spirite created all thinges made and fashioned them and by him not by our owne force and vertue wee haue such dignitie and excellencie aboue all creatures of the earth that we were made according to his owne image which excellencie and our first perfection was lost by our ingratitude in our first parentes and that since that time we be and shall bee restored thereto againe in a more large perfection by the onely meanes of his onely sonne by which he hath made vs and that for the manifestation of his inestimable goodnesse and glorie by the which he teacheth vs in his holy scriptures and assureth vs by his spirite that wee shall be euerlastingly taken vp to his glorie forasmuch as he is able to doe so and will doe it So many and such sundrie sortes of religion as haue bene had they euer yet since the beginning of the world so continuall an order of good and faithfull doctors who being inspired with the spirit of god haue constantly taught and mainteined against all the rage of the worlde the trueth of his holy doctrine as hath the right religion of the protestants which is the verie Christianitie done Doth not GOD thereby and by sundrie other meanes sufficiently declare the vertue and efficacie of the ministerie of his holy worde and true religion which he from time to time hath approued for asmuch as therein hee hath placed and set the true and pure infallible veritie for to instructe and guide man euen vnto him who is the authour and creatour of all thinges Nowe seeing that we haue such a founder of our religion who giueth vs also grace to follow the same let Sathan inuent as many meanes as he will for to ouerthrow and extinguish it Let him breath as many illusions and inchantmentes into the mindes of men as he can for to perswade them that this true religion which wee hold began but of late and that it shal soone decay againe c. It is notwithstanding most euident that it hath bene euer since the beginning of the worlde and that wee haue testimonie of him who hath established the same and may surely repose our confidence in him that like as hee hath ordeined that whilest the sunne Moone shall giue light to the earth he will neuer faile to helpe and asiste his and that finally we shall bee with our heade and Lorde Iesus Christ And hereof we doe assure our selues and doe feele of the same in our selues a certaintie proceeding of the spirite of God that so it shall come to passe at the time which God hath ordained neither is this religion that we holde false or wicked as some yet say inasmuch as it is grounded vpon that pure word of God according to the which we labour and are willing to serue God without mingling therewith any thing imagined by our owne braine like as we be slaundered to do for to make a religion of our owne deuising And therefore let such vnderstande that this our religion had not the first beginning at Luther or Iohn Hus and that it was neuer hearde of before as some falsely say and that it shall not therefore long abide For notwithstanding that thorough the great vngodlinesse and euill that hath beene and yet is amongst some men of the Church and thorough the outrage of carnall affections with carelesnesse and not regarding the glorie of God or his trueth yea through the verie contempt and falling away from God and all trueth the doctrin which he had published set forth before by his Prophetes and Apostles and by his
of of Recardus or Richarde their king and Leander bishop of Seuile The confession of their faith was sent vnto the councell of Tolete There happened in the time a great controuersie about the primacie of the church for Iohn Bishop of Constantinople was pronounced and declared in the whole Synode of the Grekes vniuersall Patriarch and Mauritius the Emperour commaunded Gregorie bishop of Rome to obey the saide Patriarche of Constantinople but Gregorie woulde not abide that any Bishop shoulde be vniuersall aboue all the rest whereof it came that they called themselues servauntes of the seruauntes of God Looke Gregorie in the 32. Epistle to Mauritius and 28. to Iohn the Patriarche Looke Iohn Caluin his Institution of Christian religion lib. 4. chapter 7. section 4. Some woulde name this Gregorie to be one of the foure Doctours of the Church with Augustine Hierome Ambrose but histories doe make sufficient demonstration what a Doctour he was séeing that he hath brought in a rablement of superstitiōs contrarie to the worde of God Concerning which matter I will not say that the others had such puritie of doctrine sucked and drawen out of the holy scriptures as they ought To conclude in the time of this Gregorie the ecclesiasticall doctrine had almost lost his puritie for it was imbrued and darkened with humaine traditions for monkerie did then take rote and beginne to flourishe and many and sundrie kindes of superstitions were dayly brought in And after the time of Gregorie the great there grewe on still more horible and bitter darkenesse notwithstanding the Lorde hath alwayes raysed vp some good persons that men might vnderstand that all ought to be cut away and forsaken that is contrary to the holy worde of God About this said time was Serenus Bishop of Marseille who caused the images of saints and of our Lorde Iesus Christ to be broken because hee sawe the people worshippe them Then Gregorie reproued him for breaking them but he praysed him for that he forbad the people to honour them Looke the register or booke of his Epistles 10. parte Epistle 4. and Polidore Virgill lib. 6. chap. 13. 108 During the raigne of the Emperour Phocas and in the yeare of our Lorde 604. the primacie of the Pope was established a little before that the abhominable secte of Mahomet beganne to spread the hornes abroad in Asia which being once published abroade farre ouer did corrupt obscure deface the true doctrine in manie places and regions Then albeit that after the time of Gregorie the great there arose vp great multitudes of Monkes some of them being more carefull of their bellyes then to labour for to vnderstande by the holy scriptures the puritie of that true seruice which GOD requireth of vs and although the wrytings of so great a multitude haue brought great plentie of darkenes rather then of light into the Church I will neuerthelesse in speaking of other good men in their order make mention of the most discréete amongst them who had some iudgement and doctrine with them in which notwithstanding were some errours by reason of the confusion of doctrines which had then great libertie Isidorus the younger Bishop of Hispalis composed many bookes Hée flourished in the yeare of our Lorde 630. Within certaine space after was Beda a priest and moncke who was an English man hee lefte behinde him a great multitude of bookes and made commentaries vppon the most part of the bookes of the holy scripture 109 In the yeare 684. and in the raigne of the Emperour Constantine the fourth was holden a generall councell at Constantinople of 289. bishops against the Monothelites who denyed two willes and natures in Christ George bishop of Constantinople forsooke his heresie But Macarius Bishop of Antioch did not leaue it wherefore hee was driuen from his bishoppricke In this councell the discension that was betwixt the East church and the West church was appeased There it was permitted vnto the ministers of Gréece for to haue wiues lawfully and to liue in mariage but not to the ministers of the west church The authour of the booke intituled Fasciculus temporum yeldeth a reason thereof saying that they had vowed chastitie of their owne accorde vnder Gregory but what shall they do then that haue not the gift of continencie And moreouer can they vowe for others that come after them Furthermore they vowed by constrainte and authoritie of the councels as it appeareth here before It was there also ordayned that none should carie any infant to bee baptized except he knewe the Lords prayer and the beliefe of the faithfull Looke the seconde volume of councels Also that they should make no vow against mariage and that the priestes who did separate themselues from their wiues because of their orders shoulde be excluded from the communion Looke Peter Viret in his Dialogue to them of Orbe In that time was Theodore Archbishop of Rauenna who was a great almes giuer and sought howe to kéepe the cleargie in good manners for which cause he was hated of them Naucl. Leger bishop of Authun was also at that time whom Chrion prince of the Pallaice of Fraunce in the time of Theodoricus caused his eyes to bee pulled out the soales of his féete to be cut his tongue and his lippes to be mangled after he caused his heade to be taken off Naucl. and Chron. Sig. This Chrion cast downe Lambert from the Bishopprick of Vtrech Aime byshop of Sens was banished by Chrion Chron. Sig. 110 In the yeare 694. after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and in the raigne of Iustinian the second the Saxons being yet Paganes receiued the Christian Faith by the meane of Sergius Bishop of Rome according to the saying of Sup. Chron. The saide Sergius sent Vmbred vnto the Frysons for to conuert them to the faith Rabod their Duke woulde not thereto agrée alleaging that it was better to follow many then a fewe But afterwardes he being vanquished in war by Pepin great maister of Fraunce the Frisons receiued the faith being taught by one Willebroc a bishop or by Clement as some say 111 In the raigne of Constantine the fifte Emperour of that name and about the yeare 742. was holden a councell in Fraunce by Boniface archbishop of Mayence Burcardus Guntarius other bishops which had not bene fourescore yeares before insomuch that it was saide that religion in Fraunce was cast vnder féete and wasted so saith Naucl. There it was ordeyned that they shoulde euery yeare haue a Synode in Fraunce the church men shoulde carrye no armour They were forbidden hunting that they shoulde kéepe no manner of hounds or hawkes That euery Priest and bishoppe shoulde kéepe himselfe within his parish and there should labour to roote out olde heresies of Paganisme and the errours of sacrificing for the deade the deuinations sorceries and other immolations that were vsed after the manner of the Pagans about the churches vnder the names of Martyrs and confessours vide Naucl.
At Constantinople was assembled a councell by the aforenamed Emperour in the fourteneth yeare of his Empyre whereas were 300. and thirtie bishops there was commaundement giuen that all the images of sainctes shoulde be taken away and burned Also the Emperour made his subiects to sweare that they shoulde no more worshippe any image of God nor of sainctes but condemned to the death al those that shoulde call vppon the virgin Marie for helpe and those that should haue in their houses any reliques of sainctes He commaunded the Monkes to marry and the Nonnes to follow the estate of marriage Sig. Afterwards he sent to the Pope the conclusions of this councell commaunding him to cast the images out of Churches Sabin king of Bulgarie caused all the images in his kingdome to be beaten downe after the example of Constantine wherupon he gat fauour with the Emperour Naucl. 112 In the yeare 782. or thereaboutes after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ wās Alcuin otherwise called Albin the disciple of worthie Beda a monke and afterwardes Abbot of S. Martins in Tours maister to Charlemaigne he composed thrée bookes of the trinitie and many other bookes At that time raigned Constātine the sixte of that name the 76. Emperour of Constantinople the son of Leo the fourth who against the will of his mother Hierene caused the images of the temples to be beaten downe about the which not long before she had assēbled a councel at Nice at the request of Pope Adrian and of Therasius Archebishop of Constantinople as Sig. In this councel there were 325. bishops Naucl. And there it was decréed not onely that they should haue images but also that they shoulde of right be worshipped and that all the gainsayers shoulde be excomunicated But this decrée was shortly abolished by Constantine as is afore saide Chron. Euseb Moreouer within a while after that is to say in the yeare 792. was holden a Synode in Spaine in a citie called Elyberis or Granato whereas did assemble ninetene bishops thirtie and sixe priestes or ministers Felix Bishoppe of Aquitaine was there president There it was concluded especially amongst other poynts that that there should not be in Churches any images or payntings 113 During the raigne of Charlemaigne king of Fraunce who was Emperour though that hee had not gotten the imperiall crowne in the yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ 801. was Ansegisus the Abbot who made foure bookes of the decrées of Charlemaigne of Lewis his sonne Amongst all other things and aboue al things hee would that the Bishopps shoulde preache vnto the people the true doctrine gathered out of the holy scriptures and no otherwise alleaging therefore the saying of Gregorie That a minister who is without the sunne of preaching kindleth against himselfe the wrath of the hidden iudge He also ordeined that no person shoulde make profession of Monachisme without lycence of the king for to shunne many deceypts He would that there should be but a fewe feasts ordeyned he repressed the superfluitie of ministers ordeyning that they shoulde be nourished with the reuenewes of the Church with the poore Furthermore in the time of Charlemaigne and in the meane time whilest he passed his Winter at Francfort vpon the Meine a Councell was holden of a great multitude of Bishops in which the decrée of the councell of Nice concerning worshipping of images holden by Hierene as is aforesaide was pronounced false and condemned of all men c. Charlemaigne caused to be published a booke in his name against images the which agréed with the articles of the saide Councell Furthermore hée made aunswere to two bookes which were founde to haue bene written by Adrian the Pope to Therasius the Patriarch and to the Emperour of Constantinople By this writing Charlemaigne taxed and secreatly condemned Adrian without naming of idolatrie There was also one councell holden at Cauaillon vnder Charlemaigne in which amongst other superstitions that were there condemned the going of Pilgrimage for religions sake was sharpely repressed in the 45. Canon alleaging the saying of S. Hierome No man ought to be praysed for that hée hath séene Ierusalem but for that hee hath lyued well c. It is saide of Charlemaigne that he reproued the Archbishoppe of Mayence named Boniface because hée had a crosse all couered with golde beset with pretious stones for occasion so offering hee checked him and saide that it was rather the furniture of an Emperour then of a pastour 114 Haymo Byshop of Albastat scholler of Alcuinus did write vpon all the bookes aswell of the olde as of the newe Testament as is euident yet at this present He dyed in the raigne of the Emperour Lewis the sonne of Charlemaigne in the yere of Christ 834. In his time was also Rabanus who was first a Monke of the order of S. Benit and Abbot of Fulden afterward he was archbishop of Mayence who was also a disciple of Alcuinus he also made commentaries vpon all the bookes of the Byble He dyed in the yeare of our Lorde 855. Strabus was his scholler of whom it is founde written that he was the first that collected the ordinary glose of the writings of the fathers and doctours the which glose was afterwarde augmented by many others who added sentences therto 115 Bertrand a Priest a learned man well instructed in the true Godlynesse flourished in the time of the Emperour Lotharie in the yeare 840. He wrote many good workes of which it is saide that they did not come all to our hands He wrote a very commendable worke to King Charles the brother of Lotharie that is one booke of predestination and one other of the bodie bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ The cause why he composed that booke wherein he writeth very learnedly of the supper of the Lorde was by the aduise and commaundement of King Charles le chauue that he might bring the people into one and the true opinion who were then deuided touching the said misterie So that one sort saide that Christ was therein taken and eaten in misterie and was figured vnder the Elements of breade and wine some saide on the contrarie that all that which was séene in the saide misterie was chaunged and conuerted and as many doe say vnto this day transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ Some said that it was figuratiuely or euidētly this was the proper bodie of Christ which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Mary with the which he is ascended into heauen others saide that it was the spirituall bodie that is the misterie representation figure vnderstanding and spirituall apprehension of the proper bodie and bloude of Christ deliuered to the death for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification All which opinions are founde remayning till this present for some holde still transubstantiation others impanatiō others a metaphore but somewhat reall Others there were who acknowledged nothing els but méere breade and wyne all which doubtes be
A TESTIMONIE OF THE TRVE Church of God CONFJRMED AS WELL BY THE DOCTRINE AS LIVES OF SVNDRY HOLY MEN BOTH PATRIARKES AND PROPHETES AND ALSO BY THE APOSTLES AND THEIR TRVE SVCCESSOVRS WHEREIN IS MANIFESTLY SHEWED HOW THAT GOD hath in all ages raysed vp some yea euen in most horrible darkenesse which haue beene faithfull Stewards and true dispencers of his will with a Catalogue of their names TRANSLATED OVT OF French by William Phiston AT LONDON Printed by H.M. for Thomas Charde at the signe of the Helmet in Pauls Church yarde TO THE WORTHIE AND RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL M. A. Nowell Deane of Paules William Phiston wisheth the enioying of all true felicitie IF that Philosophie which is but an obscure and vnperfect knowledge of things naturall and morall hath beene so highly esteemed amongest the Paganes not onely with those nations which were holden for ciuil and best gouerned but also with those of the barbarous sorte like as witnesseth Diogenes Laertius writing of the liues and sentences of Philosophers that the Persians had their Magi the Babylonians Assyrians their Chaldaei the Indians their Gymnosophistae the Gaules their Druidae whiche were also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whome these nations honoured and held for their knowledge in great price why shoulde not we much rather who liue not onely vnder a verie temperate Climate and are a nation not onely accounted amongest those which are called ciuill but whereas Philosophie I meane not that of thinges naturall or morall such as was vsed and esteemed among the heathen but whereas the Christian and verie true Philosophie is professed all abroade and of some I doubt not imbraced reuerently esteeme the memorie of such as bee or haue beene wise philosophers and profounde expositours and instructers of the true deuine and right spirituall and heauenly knowledge which doctrine we ought withall earnest diligence to seke and with most ioyfull heartes to imbrace chiefely for the excellencie there of which is exceeding all humane science as far as the heauen is distant from the earth and also in respecte of our owne benefite because it maketh vs partakers of the verie diuine and spirituall knowledge of Gods omnipotent goodnesse shewing vs the way to eternall felicitie for which doctrine spiritual philosophie our profit receiued thereby although we ought to attribute the whole and chiefest glorie and thankes vnto God alone the onely author thereof yet it will be profitable to register imperpetuall memorie the names of some godly setters foorth of the saide trueth whose memoriall may serue to incite others to follow the like zeale godly vertues not that they shuld be estemed Gods to haue won heauen with their merites after the iudgement of heathen infidels nor yet to be prayed vnto for as Caluin truely reporteth God alone will haue the seignieure and will be exalted in his people as indeed of right he is most worthie in asmuch as he is the Lorde of all and our onely benefactor and patrone In consideration whereof I haue demed it not amisse right worthie and worshipfull to be cause of publishing this present discourse partly to the end that such as haue not either monie at wil to buy it or not sufficient laysure to reade ouer M. Foxe his booke of Martyres would willingly seek for the antiquitie of the same faith and religion that true Christians nowe holde and imbrace may haue for a small price wherein to find the same somewhat effectually and partly for that men may see howe that in other realmes whereas great persecution and tyrannies haue beene begonne and cruelly executed and especially in the countries of Allemaigne France yet vnto this day many do resist against as their forefathers haue some in all ages done withstand the rage of Antichrist and his hirelings that notwithstanding the vprors caused in France of late yeares with the great effusion of bloud moued by Sathan against the flocke of Christ besids the innumerable multitude of other valiant souldiars and professours of Christes trueth some haue maugre the heard of Gods enemies published the worthie gestes of Gods true seruants through al ages to the encouraging of their godly successours to the opprobrie condemnation of the wicked as may appeare by Iohn Crespin others mētroned in this present discours Which discourse I haue thought good to offer vnto your worship as to a true patron of godlines vertue beseching you to accept herein of my simple good will Tui obseruantiss W. Ph. SIMON DE VOYON TO ALL THOSE THAT DESIRE TO BE OF THE SAME CHVRCH AND TRVE RELIGION OF GOD THE which hath beene from the beginning of the world and shall be for euermore health and peace through our Lord Iesus Christ ALbeit that many good and learned men haue made mention in their books of the doctors of the Church of God yet I haue ben of this opinion that it will not be a thing vnprofitable at this present to publish vp̄o the like matter this present discourse being collected out of diuerse authours and compiled in one after the manner and fashion that you see deeming that it will be profitable to many who haue not leasure at wil to read much to see hereby vnderstand of a continuall order of good doctors wh̄o God hath raysed vp from the beginning of the world vntil this present time how God hath euerlastingly collected for himselfe a perpetuall Church through the word of the gospell from this masse of sinne that is to say of men amongest wh̄o the gospel which we heare at this present hath at all times shinned in the middest of most thicke darkenesse And hereby we may see and vnderstand that there neuer hath ben any maner of religon neither can be which hath continued so long and hath had such efficacie and vertue so continuall an order such and so wonderful a doctrine conteined in the holy scriptures as hath the Church of God had the which like as shall be shewed in the discourse following God himself hath minded euer since the beginning of the worlde to teach declare by the voice of his own son after that he hath sēt his doctrin before by the ministerie of the holy fathers Patriarches Prophetes Gouernours Priestes and Apostles and lastly hath conserued the same by a singular grace and goodnesse vntil this present time through faithfull Bishops and good pastours and doctours of the Church of God being sent frō time to time and still placed in the roumes of others their predecessours the which same shal be conserued also defended by a singular grace and goodnes of God euen vnto the glorious comming of his sonne our lord Iesus Christ And thus seing that God himselfe hath established blished and ordeined the ministery of his word which we at this present do follow we nede not to dout but that he doth and will alwaies mainteine the same as may easily be vnderstoode by the effectes of all tymes For
his eyes to wit the iust iudgementes that God had wrought-vpon the whole face of the earth washing men from their hortible and abhomible sinnes the which they had vnreasonably committed He also was able to shew foorth the great goodnesse and mercy of God in that he would not that all mankinde should be drowned and destroyed All the time that Sem liued was 600. yeares Gen. 11. 10 Arphaxad was borne the second yeare after the floud in the yeare of his father Sem 100 Gen. 11. He liued 438. yeares Sale was borne in the yeare of his father Arphaxad 35. He liued 433. yeares Gen. 11. Heber was borne in the yere of his father Sale 30. Gen. 11. He liued 464. yeares Phaleg was borne in the yere of his father Heber 34. He liued 239. yeares Reu was borne in the yeare of his father Phaleg 30. He liued 302. yeares Sarug was borne in the yeare of his father Reu 30. He liued 230. yeares Nachor was borne in the yeare of his father Sarug 30. He liued 148. yeares Thare was borne in the yeare of his father Nachor 29. And when he was seuentie yeares olde he begat Abraham He liued 205. yeares Gen. 11.32 Nowe these be here recited by Moses as being the chiefest of those that were in their time whereas we may vnderstand that although the world was filled with all impietie yet notwithstanding God still hath wonderfully conserued some the haue kept the instruction of the true heauenly doctrine to the end that the Church and the promise made thereto should not be wholy extinguished which doctrine was also immediately renued vnto Abraham their successour This is the first order of the Doctours of the Church of God that is to say of the Fathers whose gouernement endured about the space of 2023. yeres The second order of the gouernours of the Church of God is of the Patriarches 11 Abraham was borne in the yeare of his father Thare 70. Gen. 11. He went from his countrie and from his kinsfolke in the yeare after the floud 367. and in the yeare of the world 2023. He with his posteritie bare rule and gouerned the Church In his time was the promise of the séede of the woman renued which is the redéemer and deliuerer of mankinde and it was declared by manifest promises that this deliuerer or redéemer ought to be looked for of his posteritie Furthermore Abraham being of the age of 99. yeares Gen. 17. receiued Circumcision the signe of the aliance betwixt God and him which signe representeth to the Church two things to wit that al what so euer is of man is vicious and must be cut away and that saluation must procéede from the roote of Abraham He liued 175. yeares Gen. 25. Isaac was borne in the yeare of Abraham his father 100. Gen. 21. of whose séede is borne our Lord Iesus Christ Isaar liued 180. yeares 12 Iacob was borne when his father was 60. yeares of age Gen. 25. This man was a Prophete of the Church of GOO and he tooke that heauenly doctrine from his predecessors and of his father Isaac at whose handes also he obtained the blessing of God he was surnamed Israel Gen. 32. And for this cause they that descended of him were called the people of Israel Iacob being 130. yeares olde went downe into Egypt Gen. 47. whereas he might teach the true doctrine of God He liued 147. yeares After this the twelue Patriarches with their children and successors gouerned the church of God in Egypt by the space of 215. yeares Leui was borne but a few yeares before Ioseph He liued 137. yeares After his death the children of Israel were in Egypt 121. yeares And after the death of Leui vntill the natiuitie of Moses was 41. yeares In which time Cahat the sonne of Leui and Amram the sonne of Cahat and father of Moses did gouerne the Church 13 Vnder the guyding of Moses the sonne of Amram of the house of Leui the people was brought out of Egypt Exod. 12. Then was the Lawe giuen published diuinely great miracles wrought yea such as the like had not bene séene nor heard of before amongst the people The lawes also of cere monies were giuen them by God by the hand of Moses so were all sortes of oblations sacrifices and burnt offerings Whereby is to note that the Ceremonies appointed by God to the Fathers were as a preaching and secret kinde of doctrine for to instruct them into what condemnation they were fallen by reason of their sinne and howe that there was no hope of deliuerance and blessing except they had alwayes in their heartes a certaine regarde vnto the mercy of GOD declared in the promise of the séede of the woman promised aforetime to the first parentes and shortly after renued to the Fathers their successors that by the saide séede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed as it is written in the 12. chap. of Genesis And thus the mercy of God was more and more manifested vnto them by meane of the Messias whose office was figured and represented in the saide ceremonies with the whole mysterie of our redemption Moses then with his brother Aaron who was older then he gouerned the Church And God in many sortes and by diuers meanes declared howe greatly he liked the ministerie charge to them committed For as it is written in the 16. chapter of Numbers After that Corah Dathan Abiron and 250. men of the children of Israel had murmured against Moses refusing to be gouerned by him they were all swallowed vp quicke Likewise the people beginning to murmur against Moses and Aaron as though they had bene cause of the punishment sent vpon them GOO reuenged the outragious grudging of them by fire sent from heauen wherewith a great number were deuoured to wit aboue fouretéene thousand This is an example worthie to be remembred of the wrath of GOD against rebels and seditious persons which enuyed and grudged at not so much Gods seruants as against God him selfe Aaron liued 123. yeares and Moses 120. yeares he being inspired by the spirite of God composed fiue Bookes the which be called vntil this day The fiue Bookes of Moses 14 Iosue was borne in the yeare of Moses his age 42. He liued 110. yeares and after the death of Moses he was ordained guide of the people through whose conduct they entred into the land of Canaan the inhabitants whereof he vanquished and put to foyle and lastly he deuided the lande amongest the tribes of Israel He gouerned the people by the space hath heard neither could the vnderstanding of man at any time comprehend to wit the full possession and enioying of glory in the triumphant kingdome of our Lord Iesus the euerlasting Priest and King of whome may be séene in his Psalmes many good and excellent propheties Vnder this King and Prophet as well the ecclesiasticall gouernement as the ciuill was most worthily guided and ordered Loe those that were with him committed
a fained thing as which neither did stande with any lawe or righte For which he he was taken of many for an heretike He complained moreouer very much the preaching of Gods worde to be omitted and in stede thereof the the vaine fables of monkes and friers to be preached and beléeued of the people and so the flocke of Christ to be fed not with the foode of the Gospell but with winde The pope saith he of a pastor is made a wolfe to wast the Church of Christ and to procure with his cleargie not the worde of God to bee preached but his owne decrées In his canticle of purgatorie he declareth the Pope to be the whore of Babylon And to their ministers to some hee applyeth two hornes to some fower As to the Patriarches whome he noteth to be the tower of the said whore Babilonicall Ex libris Dantis Italicè 130 In the yeare of our Lorde Iesus Christ 1306 was Peter Cassiodorus an Italian a noble man and well instructed in the worde of God who wrote an Epistle to the Englishmen whereof because of the aduertisment and instruction contained therein I iudge it best I write it here downe by articles as it were for to giue vnderstanding the better vnto the simple sort of that that is contained therein First he sheweth that the Romaine princes to wit the Pope and Cardinals bee enemies to the Church calling them Scribes and Pharisees that sit in Moyses chaire destroying the Church lading it with sorrow making their philacteries larg desiring to enrich themselues with the Maribones thereof laying thereon importable charges bringing it into all manner seruitude which hath beene alwayes frée That the Pope did often call to remembraunce this sentence of the Prophet against the sence wherof he applyed himselfe to robberie Isay 8. Take thée a great volume and write therein after the fashion of men make hast to spoyle dispatch and be nimble in filching and pilling That it doth nothing lesse belong to the Pope then the saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes chap. 5. that is that the high prieste being taken of men is constituted by men for the thinges that belonge vnto God That such a high priest was not ordeyned for to apply himselfe to spoyles rapine for to lay tributes and yearely rentes vpon men nor yet for to kill men That it is not profitable to vse the ministerie of the Church in the synister part as the Pope and his doe but in the right part by which ministerie the diuel is vanquished and a greate many soules led vnto Iesus Christ That none can serue both God and Mammon togither and to please his will cleaue to the reuelations of the fleshe and the bloud and offer to Christ giftes and presentes such as are due vnto him And without doubt that pastour that watcheth not for the edifying of the flocke doeth on the contrarie prepare a way for the roaring Lyon who seketh to deuour euery one That the Pope taketh away from the flockes the good pastours and that in the roume of them he setteth his nephewes and kinsefolkes and other ignorant persons that are deafe and dumbe who vnderstande not the bleating of the sheepe and that doe not regarde the byting wolfes that they deale like hirelinges reaping other mens haruestes whose handes are fit to tosse the potte their backs do they turne away from burthens Also that it doth appeare euidently that the office of Elders which they call priestes is left and that the seruice due vnto God is withholden and that the custome of giuing almes is abolished by which the holy deuotion of kinges princes and other Christians is brought to naught Also that the Pope standeth in contention against Iesus Christ For in steade that hee commaunded to pay tribute vnto kinges for himselfe and for Peter he contrarie to his will whose vicar he sayth he is hath neglected kingdomes and the iudgementes of the worlde laboureth to bring vnder his subiection kinges and princes vnder title of hys style That he taketh away from the Church al what soeuer him lusteth and notwithstanding he is not content to take the tenth part of the lands therof but he will haue the first fruites of the benefits at the ministers handes to the intent that aswell for himselfe as for those that be of his bloude he may constitute a newe patrimonie of the good willes of foūders Also that he enioyeth his lakeyes whome he sendeth into Englande that they shall bring not onely the liuinges and rayment of the Church but also that they shall teare their skinnes and fleshe like dogges Also that the Pope may bee iustly compared to Nabuchodonosor who destroyed the temple and robbed it of the vessels of gold For looke as hethen dealt euen so doth he also He afore named spoyled the ministers of the house of GOD and depriued them of that which was necessarie for the seruice this doth euen as much That there is no sorrowe like vnto that that is in the Church For already because of the great dolour thereof and for the teares that it hath spread the face is become more blacke then coales so as in some places it is no more knowen That the Pope who saith that he is the father of the Church hath brought it into dreadful darkenes and that he hath made it dronken with wormwood and gall After this the saide Cassiodorus made an outcrie vnto God and saide O Lorde looke vppon the affliction of thy people and heare their mourning and come downe for the heart of this man is more hardened then was the hart of Pharao who would not suffer the people to depart in libertie but onely by thy power Also that the saide Pope doth afflicte not onlye on earth but also after death for that after death he deuoureth the goods of all Christians generally vnder colour that they be deceased without making testament Also that the conspiracie of this man shall bee cause of a newe enemie against Englande and that because by his meanes the treasures doe decrease That it is expedient for the health of the church least it shoulde fall into a further miserie that the king and nobilitie of the realme who haue bestowed verie liberally vppon the Church would be diligent to maintaine the Church and to withstand the coniurations conspiracies of the pride and arrogāeie of this man who hath no regard vnto God but for the thinges aforesaide and for to enrich himselfe and his kinsefolke and for his neast labouring to set it vp as high as the Egle by such and other like cosening trickes he heapeth vp by a newe domination all the money of England Also that the simplicitie of the world dissembling in this place is no cause of the ruine of the Church and of the Realme and that there is no great remedie added That God taketh away the vaile from the heart of this man and giueth him an humble and contrit heart and maketh him to
knowe his true pathes by which this man retyreth out of darkenesse and endeuoureth to leaue off his wicked labours And that the vine which the right hande of GOD hath planted shal be filled with good braunches That he ought to take héede vnto the worde of God and to the Prophetie of Ieremie chap. 22. for to withstande such interprises who saith thus Thou O pastour which hast dispersed my people and hast cast them out of their habitations behold I wil visit vpon thée the malyce of thy enterprises and there shall not be a man of thy séede which shall sit vppon the seat of Dauid nor shall haue any more power in Iuda so that thy nest shal be a desert and ruinous as Sodome and Gomorra Also that if it happen he be not dreaded by these words nor leaue off from his enterprises nor make restitution of that which he hath taken that they finge for him that is so wickedly hardened the hundreth and eight Psalme As for vs wee will singe dayly prayses openly through Iesus Christ to him vnto whome all thinges do obey For to sée the course thereof more narrowely worde for word looke the saide Epistle the whiche hath beene writen out transtated out of an old booke founde in Englande in the Church of S. Alban He that woulde sée it perfectly let him reade the liues of the Bishoppes and Popes of Rome taken out of the great Catalogue of the writinges of England set forth by Iohn Bale 131 In the yeare 1314. or thereaboutes there was a man named Dulcin of Nauarre who blamed the vices of Churchmen and was executed with his wife Those that bee called Dulcins tooke their name of this Dulcin Naucl. They saide that the authority which Iesus Christ hath giuen to the Church was expyred because of the wickednesse of the Prelates and that the Church of Rome was reproued because it was become a whore Also that they were the Church and followed the rule of the Apostles That al the prelates since Pope Syluester haue bene preuaricatours because they lyued not in true humilitie and that therfore they ought to haue no tythes payed them Many of the adherents of Dulcin were taken about 144. persons dwelling in the mountaynes of Piemount 132 In the same time to wit 1315. and in the raigne of the Emperour Henry the seuenth of that name was a good and faithfull man Arnoldus de villa noua an expert Phisition and an excellent Mathematitian Some say that hee was of Chalons others of Narbonna He was at that time iudged an heretike because he saide that sathan had caused all Christian people to erre out of the right way That the faith of Christians then was none other but such a faith as deuils had That those which bee in the cloysters be out of charitie and doe condemne themselues in falsifying the doctrine of Iesus Christ and leading Christians vnto hell That the diuines haue maliciously and wickedly mingled the songes of Philosophers with the holy scriptures That in the sacrifice of the altar the Priest offereth nothing vnto God and that masses do neither profite the lyuing nor the deade He proued by Daniel and by Sybilla Erithrea that Antichrist in full tyrannie did persecute the faithfull Furthermore in his bookes which hee made of medicine hee wrote against the Iacopins that it was lawfull to eate fleshe A cutting sworde against the Thomistes an admonition of Iesus Christ vnto the Christians Of the craftinesse of false Prophets Of miserie of the Cymbals of the Church Of the consummation of the world other bookes He was iudged an heretyke by the Iacopins of Tarracon Lastly being sent vnto the Pope by Fredericke king of Sicilia he dyed in the way and was buried at Genes being a true champion of our Lord. In the yeare 1328. or there abouts Pope Iohn the 23. wrote vnto the gréekes that there was but one onely Church ouer which he was the head and vicar of Iesus Christ To whom the Gréekes aunswered in fewe wordes thus We doe verely beleue that thy power is very great ouer thy subiectes we cannot abide thy extreame pride nor satisfie thine auarice The deuill be with thée for GOD is with vs. By which breuitie of words they declared what was al the maner of the Popes liuing his estate looke thou Maundeuile lib. 7. Marsilius Patauinus compiled and exhibited vnto the Emperour Ludouike a worthy worke intituled Defensor Pacis written in the Emperours behalfe against the Pope Wherin both Godly and learnedly disputing against the Pope he proueth al bishops and Priests to be equal and that the Pope hath no superioritie aboue other Bishoppes much lesse aboue the Emperour That the worde of God ought to be onely the chiefe iudge in deciding and determining causes ecclesiasticall That not onely spirituall persons but lay men also being Godly learned ought to be admitted into generall councels That the Clergie and the Pope ought to be subiect vnto magistrates That the Church is the vniuersitie of the faithfull and that the foundation and heade of the Church is Christ and that he neuer appointed any vicar or Pope ouer his vniuersall Church That Bishops ought to be chosen euery one by their owne Church and Clergie that the marriage of priestes may lawfully bee permitted That S. Peter was neuer at Rome That the Cleargie and Synagoge of the Pope is a denne of théeues That the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leadeth to eternall destruction And the corrupte manners of the Christians doe spring and flow out of the wickednes of the churchmen c. he disputeth moreouer in an other worke of frée iustification by grace and extenuateth merites saying that they are no efficient causes of our saluation but onely fine qua non that is to say that workes be no cause of our iustification but yet our iustification goeth not without them for which his doctrine most sounde and Catholicke he was condemned by the Pope Anno. 1324. by the Popes decree extrauagant Chap. Licet intra Doctrinam Concerning the which man and his doctrine I thought good thus much to commit to writing to the intent men may sée that they which charge this doctrine nowe taught in the Church with the note of noueltie or newenesse how ignorant and vnskilfull they bee in the hystories and order of times forepast Iacobus Misnensis who wrote of the comming of Antichrist In the same hee maketh mention of a certeine learned man whose name was Militzius saith he which was a famous and worthy preacher in Perga He lyued about the yeare 1366. long before Hus before Wicklieffe also In the same his writing hee declareth howe the same good man Militzius was constrayned by the spirite of God to goe to Rome and there publikely to preach that afterwarde before the inquisitour he affirmed the same That the same mightie and great Antichrist the which the scriptures make mention of was alredie come He affirmed