Naschovia where he remained three years From thence he removed to Nykopin where also he remained three years And from thence to a School in Zealand where likewise hee continued three years At last hee came to Roschildia where hearing there was one Benedict a famous learned man and a good Grecian that read at Lunden he went thither and was under him three yeares And Benedict perceiving his excellent wit his diligence and modesty was very helpfull to him Then had Hemingius an ardent desire to goe to Wâ—ttenbâ—rg which was made famous by Philips Melancthons Lectures and having gotten some little money in his purse he travelled thitherward but by the way sâ—me theeves met him and stripped him of all that he had yet when he came to Wittenbâ—rg he found the people very charitable to him especially Melancthon There he remained five years and by his writing for and attending upon richer students and teaching some privately he maintained himself When he returned home he had an ample testimony from Melancthon for his excellent wit and learning A while after his return he was intertained by Olaus Nicholas to teach his daughters And from thence he was chosen to be Pastor at Hafnia and accordingly ordained to it which place he discharged with much diligence and faithfulnesse And when many young students resorted to him he read privately to them And by his extraordinary paines gat so much credit that shortly after he was chosen Hebrew Professor in that University In which place he read Hebrew and Logick to the great benefit of many And about the same time he printed that excellent book De Methodo which he dedicated to Christian the third King of Denmark who bountifully rewarded him for the same Anno Christi 1578 he was made Doctor in Divinity and performed the office of a Divinity Professor with admirable diligence and paines for six and twenty years together as appeares by those many excellent bookes published by him in that time Anno Christi 1579 when hee was grown old and exhausted with his daily labours Frederick the second King of Denmark gave him a liberall Pension upon which he lied contentedly and comfortably all the remainder of his daies Yet neither then was he idle but imployed his time in writing and publishing books Some years before his death he grew blind and was troubled with several diseases desiring nothing more then that he might be dissolved and be with Christ. A little before his death he expounded the 103 Psalm with so much fervor efficacy and power of the Holy Ghost that all that heard him wondred at it and shortly after resigned up his spirit unto God Anno 1600 and of his age 87. Scripta ejus sunt varia exegetica didactica polemica The Life of James Heerbrand who died A no Christi 1600. JAmes Heerbrand was born at Noricum Anno Christi 1521 of an ancient Family His Father was one of Luther's Disciples and seeing the towardlinesse and promptnesse of his son was carefull to bring him up in Religion and Learning At seven years old he set him to School and yet had a watchfull eye over him to carry on the work of piety requiring him to repeat every Sermon that hee heard At twelve years old hiâ— Father bought him a fair Bible which he diligently read over and used all his life after His Father also perceiving that naturally he was much inclined to Musick he would not sufâ—er him to learn it lest it should be an impediment to him in his other studies And so when he had been sufficiently grounded in Grammar-learning he was sent to Ulm where the Colloquies of Erasmus were publickly reaâ— but Pope Paul suspecting that that book might do much hâ—â—t amongst youth because it discovered many errors and vices of the Papists forbade the use of it yet this caused it more to be read especially by Heerbrand who gat much good by it At Ulm also he studied the Arts and Tongues and a seventeen years old his Father sent him to Wittenberg to hear Luther and Melancthon in the year 1538 which yearâ— was famous for divers things For then the Kingdome of Denmark embraced the Gospel The Emperour and King of France met together to treat of peace The Bible was printed in English at Paris The University of Strasborouâ—h was erected The Sect of the Antinomians was detected The Marquess of Brandenburg imbraced the Augustanâ— Confession And the Sea by the Kingdom of Naples was wholly dry for eight miles together out of which place â—ire and ashes brake forth so abundantly that many places were miserably destroyed thereby In the University of Wittenberg Heerbrand studied the Arts with great diligence and was so sparing of his time that he would not intermit one hour from his studies insomuch that other students called him Suevicam Nâ—ctuam the Swevian Night-crow He heard Luther and Melancthons Lectures with â—uch diligence as also Bugenhag reading upon Deuteronomie Cruciger sen. upon Saint John George Major reading private Lectures upon Genesis Besides which hee attended the publick Sermons of these famous men which he wrote repeated meditated on and laboured to rivet in his memory An. Christi 1540 he commenced Master of Arts. He preached also abroad in the villages on the Sabbath dayes And thus having spent five yeares in his studies he returned home with an ample testimony from Melancthon and the University When he came home the Pastors of the Church appointed him to Preach which he performed with great approbation and commendation of all His Parents rejoycing much at his proficiency would needs have him employ his Talent in his own country and at Stutgard Snepfius being Superintendent examined him and finding his abilities said Dominus te mihi obtulit the Lord hath offered thee unto me Being but twenty two years old he was made Deacon at Tubing In which employment he continued six yeares and followed his studies in that University He also privately read Mathematick Lectures to many and sometimes preached in the Castle of Tubing before Prince Ulrick who loved him very well and told his Courtiers that he would prove a great Divine The year 1546 was fatall by the death of Luther and the war of the Emperour began against the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgrave of Hesse Anno Christi 1547 Heerbrand married a wife Margaret the daughter of Conrade Stamler Consul of Tubing by whom he had eight sons and three daughters An. Christi 1548 came forth that accursed Interim at which time Heerbrand amongst other Ministers that rejected it was banished from Tubing And being out of employment hee studyed Hebrew till Prince Ulrick being dead his son Christopher who succeeded him called back the Ministers and Heerbrand amongst them to their former places Hee also made him Pastor of Herrenberg Anno Christi 1550 he commenced Doctor in Divinity and the
by keeping a Schoolmaster in his house to train them up in learning and godliness When he saw his daughter Magdalen ready to dye he read to her Isay 26. 19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise c. Adding My daughter enter thou into thy chamber in peace I shall ere long be with thee For God will not permit me to see the punishment which hangs over the head of Germany whereupon he wept plentifully but when he followed the Corps he so restrained his affection that he shed not a tear He used to say that three things make a Divine Meditation Prayer Tentation and that three things were to be done by a Minister 1. To read the Bible over and over 2. To pray earnestly 3. Always to be a learner And that they were the best Preachers who spake as to babes in Christ in an ordinary strain popularly and most plainly He said That in the cause of God he was content totius mundi odium impetum sustinere to undergo the hatred and violence of the whole world He was very liberal to the poor A poor Student asking him some money he bade his wife give him some but she pleading penury he took up a silver cup and gave it him Also a friend sending him two hundred angels of gold he bestowed them all on poor Students and when the Elector gave him a new gown he said That he mas made too much of for saith he if here we receive a full recompence of our labors we shall hope for none in another life And again he said turning my self to God Valdè protestatus sum me nolle sic satiari ab eo I said flatly that God should not put me off with these low things And having a vein of metal offered him he refused it least he should incur the temptation of the Devil who is Lord of treasure under the Earth He never took any thing of Printers for his Copies On a time one brought him a stone that was found in the Mines in Mansfield which had upon it the Image of the Pope with his tripple Crown whereupon he said Hem oportet Papam revelari etiam per metalla metallicos The Pope must be revealed even by metals and metal-diggers His private life was very exemplary At dinner and supper-time he used often to dictate Sermons unto others Sometimes to correct sheets from the Press Sometimes with Musick to refresh his friends He was very temperate both in meat and drink Sometimes he used to fast four days together and other sometimes to eat only a little bread and an herring As much as he could he avoided Feasts that he might not spend time In his converse with his friends he was pleasant courteous and sociable mixed with gravity He sometimes used recreations and amongst the rest turning in a Lathe He would never be idle He was very loving to and tender of his children maintaining a Schoolmaster in his house to instruct them in Piety and Learning He was very passionate but soon appeased Melancthon seeing him once in a passion said Vince animos iramque tuam qui caetera vincis whereupon he smiling said we will no longer dispute of these matters and so he discoursed pleasantly of other things He foretold many things which afterwards came to pass He was very healthful but that sometimes he was troubled with the Headach especially towards his latter end whereupon he feared an Apoplexy and when his head was so out of order he used to say Feri Domine ferâ—â—lementer ego paratus sum quia verbo tuo à peccatis absolutus corpore sarguine tuo pastus He was troubled with frequent tentations whereupon he used to write Valemus omnes praeter Lutherum ipsum qui corpore sanus foris a toto mundo intus à Diabolo patitur omnibus Angelis ejus He was big of stature strong and had such a sharp sight that few could endure stedfastly to look upon him Upon a time one was sent under pretence of private conference to pistol him Luther entertained him friendly but withall stedfastly looking upon him the man was so terrified that he took care for nothing but how he might run away He had a gentle and clear voice He lived chastly and holily in Wedlock above twenty years and after his death left three sons and his Widdow who lived seven years after him who was much grieved that she was absent at his death whereby she could not perform her last duty of love to him as she desired Presently after his death the wars breaking forth she wandred up and down with her children as an Exile through many difficulties and dangers and besides the inconveniences of her widdowhood which were many she met with great ingratitude from many from whom she expected better considering how much her husband had deserved from the Church At length being returned to Wittenberg after a while the Plague brake forth wherefore removing with her children to Fergaw as she was passing in a Wagon the Horses affrighted at some thing ran away whereupon leaping out of the Wagon she bruised her self and falling into a Lake of water she caught a disease whereof she dyed three Months after Anno Christi 1552. One saith of him That Luther a poor Fryar should be able to stand against the Pope was a great miracle That he should prevail against the Pope was a greater and after all to die in peace having so many Enemies was the greatest of all Again it was no less miraculous that he should escape so many dangers for when a certain Jew was suborned to kill him by poyson Luther had warning of it before hand and the picture of the Jew sent him whereby he knew him and avoided the danger concerning which himself thus writes There is saith he here with us a certain Polonish Jew that is hired with two thousand Crowns to poyson me this is discovered to me by Letters from my friends He is a Doctor of Physick and one that dare undertake and is ready to perform any villany of incredible subtilty and dexterity One a time as Luther was walking in his Garden the Devil appeared to him in the shape of a black Boar but he slighted him after which he vanished Another time as he was sitting in a certain place on his stool there was a great stone over his head in the vault which being stayed up miraculously so long as he sate there so soon as he was up immediately it fell upon the place where he sate being able to have crushed him in peices if it had light upon him And again a young man about Wittenberg being kept bare and needy by his Father was tempted by the Devil to yeild himself body and soul to him upon condition to have his wish sastisfied with money and thereupon an Obligation was made by the young man written
Workes they be that God requires of us that hereby they might reduce the people to the pure worship of God But the Devill stirred up many adversaries against them â—workâ— specially the Friars who accused them to the Inquisitors amongst whom was Hannibal Grisonius and his companion Hierom Mutius who afterwards writ an invective against Vergerius traducing also Germany it self in a book which 〈◊〉 set out in hatred of Religion Grisonius upon this information went to Pola and Justinple rushing into the houses of the Citizens searching for forbidden bookes He preached also and sent forth the Popes Thunderbolt against such as would not accuse others that were suspected for Lutheranism by which means he enforced one friend to accuse another yea children to accuse their own parents In the chief Church of Justinople he sang Mass in a glorious Cope told the people that God had plagued them for divers years with severall calamities one yeare saith he in your Olive-trees and another yeare in your Corn and a third in your Vines and Cattle and your Bishops are the causes of all these mischiefs neither can you expect to be freed from these judgements except they be driven away Hereupon Vergerius went to Mantua to his old friend Cardinal Gonzaga to whom he was familiarly known But John Casus the Popes Ambassador to the Venetians hearing of it urged Gonzaga both by Letters and Messengers not to entertain such a man any longer Upon this Verg rius went to Trent where the Councill then was to clear himself but when the Pope knew it though he could willingly have imprisoned him yet least any suspition should have risen especially in Germany that the Councill was not free hee wrote to his Legate not to suffer him to bee heard in the Councill but to command him to goe somewhither else Then he went to Venice where Casus the Popes Legate meeting with him exhorted him by all means to go to Rome but Vergerius knowing wel his danger if he should so do refused Then did Casus a few daies after command him in the Popes name to goe no more to Justinople whereupon hee betooke himself to Padua where he was a spectator of the miserable condition of Francis Spira which so wrought upon him that he resolved to leave his Country and all his outward comforts and go into voluntary exile where he might freely professe Christ and accordingly hee went into Rhetia where he preached the Gospel sincerely till hee was called from thence to Tubing by Christopher Duke of Wirtemburg where he ended his daies Anno Christi 1565. His brother being dead before him not without the suspition of poyson He published many Workes which are particularly set down by Verheiden The Life of Strigelius who died A no Christi 1569. VIctorine Strigelius was born at Kaufbira an Imperiall City in Suâ—via not farre from the foot of the Alpes Anno Christi 1524. His Father was Doctor of Physick who died in his sonnes Infancy When this Strigelius was fit for it his friends finding him of a prompt and ready wit set him to School in his own Country where he quickly drunk in the first Rudiments of Learning and so Anâ— Christi 1538 he was sent to the University of Friburg in which place the Popish Religion was kept up but yet by the care of Erasmus the knowledge of the Arts and Tongues much flourished There he heard the Philosophical Lectures of John Zâ—nckius a famous Physiâ—ian And afterwards travelling into the Saxon Universities when he heard Melancthon ask a child What was God And What was meant by the Word in the first of John he wondered to hear such answers from a child as the Popish Doctors were ignorant of Upon this occasion in the eighteenth year of his age and in the year of Christ 1542 he went to Wittenberg where he was inflamed by God with an ardent desire to know the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches For which end he diligently attended on Luther's and Melancthon's Lectures and wholly framed himself to the imitation of Melancthon Anno Christi 1544. he Commenced Master of Arts and by the perswasion of Melancthon he taught a private School at Wittenberg where he did much good and gat himself great repute But when the Wars in Germany waxed hot he left Wittenberg and went to Magdeburg and from thence to Erphurd where he published some Orations being about two and twenty years old Anno Christi 1548 he went thence to Jenes and there he preached and the year after married a Wife Barbara the daughter of that excellent man Francis Burcard which lived with him but two years Anno Christi 1553 he married againe Blandina the daughter of Snepsius who lived with him till his death An. Christi 1556 was a meeting at Isenac about the Controversie raised by Major concerning the necessity of good Works where by the consent of the Divines Strigelius was appointed in a friendly manner to concerre with Menius about that Controversie to conclude it not out of Humane Writings but by the Word of God The end of which conference was that Menius did solemnly promise before Frederick Duke of Saxony and all the Ministers present that he would not recede from those Propositions which were then agreed upon out of Gods Word Anno Christi 1557 there fell out a new controversie betwixt Facius and him which brought on the disputation at Vinaria wherein these two Questions were handled Whether in Regeneration the qualities onely are changed without the substance or whether together with the qualities there be a creation of a new substance Strigelius held that there was onely a change of the qualities his adversary said there was a change in both The other question was about the manner of working De modo agendi Anno Christi 1559 he together with Aquila Pastor of Jenes was carried away to prison the markes whereof hee carried to his grave the reason of it was because they refused to consent to a book which they of Jenes had published against the Divines of Wittenberg In prison he fell very sick insomuch as the Prince suffered him to go to his own house but yet made him a prisoner there Then did Christopher Duke of Wirtemberg and Philip Lantgrave of Hesse mediate for his release and yet could not obtain it but at last the Emperour Maximilian interposing his authority procured it after he had been a prisoner above three years and so for a while hee returned to his former labours in the Schooles But perceiving that he could not be in safety in that place he resolved to depart which the University understanding wrote to him earnestly importuning his stay To whom he returned thankes for their love but told them withall That his life was in continuall danger by reason of false brethren and therefore he was resolved to goe
them he desired him to speak it whereupon Wallaeus exhorted them to sear God to reverence their Mother so God would bless and provide for them that every one should take care of all the rest but especially that every one should take care of himself then he bade his son Iohn to have a speciall care of his Mother and so kissing them took his leave of them all and then turning his face from them he again fell asleep out of which he never awaked only sometimes when his pains came upon him he stirred a little and so on the Sabbath about eleven a clock he quietly resigned up his spirit unto God that gave it An. Christi 1639. and of his age 66. How excellent a Divine he was his Common places testifie How Orthodox and solid a disputer he was his fourteen Disputations shew in the Synopsis purioris Theologiae How strong a defender of the Truth against Error will appear by his answer to Corvinus in defence of Du Mollines Anatomy of Arminianism As also his Censura confessionis Remonstrantium How careful he was of Order both Civil and Sacred is manifest by his tractate de Authoritate Magistratus in rebus Ecclesiasticis How a religious observer of the Sabbath his dissertation De Sabbatho declares How desirous he was to reform the Ethnick practical Philosophy appears by his Compendium Ethicae Aristotelicae ad normam veritatis Christianae revocatum His countenance was mixed with gravity His pronunciation was modest and masculine free from dissimulation not without elegancy neither by brevity did he procure obscurity nor by prolixity tediousness Sometimes he was more vehement when the zeal of Gods glory the love of the Truth or the heat of Disputation excited him Against the Adversaries of the Truth he contended not by reproaches or railings but by strong arguments drawn out of the sacred Scriptures As oft as he was called by the Prince of Orange or the States to compose Ecclesiastical differences he never spared his pains therein As oft as he was sent either by Magistrate or Presbyterie to the Camp or about any other difficult businesses no trouble nor danger made him decline the work His conversation both at home and abroad was holy and blameless He was Hospitable to his friends charitable to the poor pleasing to all Not given to wine but sober just temperate and free from covetousness His Works are named before and are bound up together in one Volume The Life of Henry Alting who dyed Anno Christi 1644. HEnry Alting was born at Embden in Frisland Anno Christi 1583. of a very antient and honorable Family His Father Menso Alting was Pastor of Embden his Mother was Mary Biscof a choice Matron In his childhood he was very sickly and weak so that he was four years old before he could go His Parents devoted him to the service of God and his Church from the very Womb and therefore Anno Chri. 1590. when he was seven years old they set him to School in their own City of Embden where he quickly discovered a prompt and ready wit so that in the space of seven years he went through all the forms in that School and being fitted for it at fourteen years old his Father sent him to the University of Groning where he studyed the first year under Buningius and three other years under Vbbo Emmiuâ— the first Rector of that University a man famous through the World for his Learning By his diligence under such Tutors he profited exceedingly writing an excellent Latine stile and being well grounded in the knowledge of the Arts. From thence his Father sent him into Germany for the advancement of his Learning and having saluted Marpurg he went to Herborn Anno Christi 1602. where that famous Divine Iohn Piscator was Professor under whom our Henry applyed himself to his studyes and by his great industry and excellency of his wit was so far approved of that he was imployed in reading Philosophical and Theological Lectures So that after three years abode there he began to think of entring into the Ministry for which end he resolved to go into Helvetia and France to receive Orders in some of those Churches But God for the present intended him to another imployment For upon the commendations of the Professors of Herborn Piscator Zepper and Martinius he was appointed by Count Iohn of Nassau to be Tutor to three young Counts viz. William of Nassau Conrade Lodowick of Solmes and Phil. Ernest of Isenburg who at this time were Students in the University of Sedan together with the young Prince Frederick son to Frederick the fourth Elector Palatine who afterwards was chosen King of Bohemia But before our Henry went to Sedan he went to Heidleberg to Iohn Albert Count of Solmes and from thence to Friedelsheim to the Prince Elector himself by whom he was courteously entertained and being furnished with Letters and necessaries for his journey he went to Sedan where he arrived in the beginning of September An. Christi 1605. and undertook his Office He had continued but awhile in that place before it was requisite for him to withdraw with his charge from that City for fear of a siege which was threatned by Henry the fourth King of France and therefore they all went to Heidleberg and our Henry in the Princes Court attended his former imployments having a fourth added to the former three Noblemen viz. Iohn Conrade the Rheingrave Yea the very same Summer Prince Frederick himself was committed to his tuition to be by him instructed in History and Geography And at last viz. 1608. he was wholly left to the instruction of our Henry and Zachary Collius who went back with him to Sedan the storm being now over where he so carefully attended his charge all day that he was fain to get time out of his sleep for the study of Divinity The University of Sedan had at this time famous Divines in it as Daniel Talenus and Iames Capellus with whom he entred into a strict bond of familiarity Anno Christi 1610. the Prince Elector dying he returned with the young Prince to Heidleberg where he attended his daily imployment Anno Christi 161â— the Prince Elector being to go into England to marry the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Iames would needs have our Henry to go along in his train In which journey he escaped death very narrowly himself with Scultetus and some other of the Princes company being surprized with a storm upon the Lake of Harlem so that with great difficulty and half drowned they gat to the further shore This was October the seventh in the afternoon just at which time his Father dyed leaving this life for a better Alting having escaped this danger with a better voyage arrived safely in England where he was kindely entertained and became familiar with George Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury John King Bishop
considering with himself what time was requisite for the learning of these Sciences and purposing to defer it no longer betook himself to the Sect of the Platonists for the great fame that ran of them Wherefore choosing to himself a singularly learned man of that Sect that was lately come into those parts he remained with him profiting not a little in contemplation of supernatural things and invisible forms Insomuch as he hoped ere long through the sharpness of his wit to attain to the comprehension and contemplation of God which is the end of Plato's Philosophy And thus he imployed his Youth But afterwards being grown to riper years he was converted to the knowledge and profession of Christianity by this means Beholding the Constancy Courage and Patience of the Christians in their torments and sufferings he was wonderfully moved therewith which made him thus to reason that it was impossible for that kinde of people to be subject to any vice or carnality which would certainly disable them to sustain such sharp adversity and much more the bitterness of death Hereupon naturally affecting Knowledge he began to love and embrace the Christian Religion This himself testifies in the end of his first Apologie telling us moreover that being afflicted in minde about finding out the truth he resolved for more privacy to retire himself unto a Grange neer the Sea-side where he might be free from the concourse of people whither as he went there met him a grave ancient Father of a comly visage and gentle behaviour who began to reason with him and after long disputation told him plainly that there was no knowledge of the truth amongst the Philosophers who neither knew God nor were directed by the Holy Ghost He also further reasoned with him of the immortality of the soul of the reward of the godly and of the punishment of the wicked So that Justin being convinced by his arguments voluntarily assented to him and demanded of him by what means he might attain to the knowledge of the true God The old man counselled him to read and search the Word of God and to adjoin Prayer thereto But what man quoth Justin shall I use for my instructor therein And who shall be able to help me if these Philosophers as you say lack the Truth and are void of the same To which the old Father answered There have been saith he before these Philosophers others more ancient then they who were just men and beloved of God and who spake by the Spirit of God fore-seeing and fore-Prophesying of those things which we now see are come to pass and therefore they are called Prophets These only have known the Truth and revealed it to men neither fearing nor respecting the persons of any They were seduced with no opinions of mans invention but only spake and taught those things which themselves both heard and saw being inspired with the Holy Spirit of God whose Writings and Books are extant out of which the Reader may receive great profit and knowledge of many things As of the first Creation of the World and of the end of the same with all other things that are necessary for us to know Neither in their teachings do they use any demonstrations the things taught being of themselves more certain then that they need any such demonstration the accomplishment of their Prophesies which we see fulfilled constraining us of necessity to believe the words and Doctrine which they have taught Their Doctrine also hath been confirmed by Wonders and Miracles which induce us to give credit to it They preached of God the Creator and Maker of all things They prophesied also before of Christ the Son of God sent to be the Redeemer of the World which the false Prophets seduced by false and wicked Spirits did not but only took upon them to work certain prodigious wonders for men to gaze at that thereby they might gain belief to their false and unclean opinions But remember before all things to make thy Prayers to Almighty God that he will open a gate of light to thee for otherwise the knowledge of these things cannot be attained to by every man but they are revealed only to such to whom God and his Christ give understanding The old Father having declared these and many other things to Justine departed from him exhorting him carefully to follow those things which he had spoken after which he saw him no more But Justine was presently wonderfully inflamed in his minde to know and study the Prophets in comparison of which all other Philosophy now seemed vain and unprofitable to him and so in time he became a Christian and was baptized After this â—e became an earnest defender of the Truth travelling up and down and disputing against all those which were enemies and opposers of it fearing neither peril of life nor danger of death so that he might maintain the Doctrine of Christ against the malitious blasphemers of the same and also increase the number of Christian Believers as may appear by his vehement disputations against the Heathen Philosophers and by the long disputation of his at Ephesus against Tripho and also by his confutations of Hereticks Yea and by his Apologies which with great zeal and courage he exhibited to the Emperour and Magistrates against the Persecutors of the Christians and in their just defence all which do sufficiently testifie the same The first Apologie which he wrote was to the Senate of Rome in which he wrote with great liberty telling them that of necessity he was compelled thus to utter his minde unto them For that in persecuting the Christians they neglected their duty and highly offended God of which they had need to be admonished This Apology he also sent to Antoninus Pius the Emperour Writing also to Vrbicius Leiutenant of the City he told him that he put men to torments and death for no offence committed but only for the confession of the name of Christ which proceedings saith he neither becometh the Emperour nor his Son nor the Senate In the same Apology he also defended and purged the Christians from those crimes which were falsely charged upon them by the Ethnicks In his second Apology writing to Antoninus the Emperour and his successors with like gravity and freedom of speech he declareth unto them how they had the name and repute of vertuous Philosophers maintainers of Justice lovers of Learning c. But whether they were so indeed their Acts declared As for himself he professeth that neither for flattery nor for favour he wrote unto them but that he was constrained to sue unto them for righteousness in their judgements and sentences For saith he it becomes Princes to follow uprightness and piety in their judgements not tyranny and violence He also in plain words chargeth as well the Emperour as the Senate with manifest wrong for that they did not grant to the Christians that which was not denyed to all other
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
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
therefore I desire the most hearty and unfeigned prayers of all Christs true members the true imps of the true Catholique Church that the Lord God of all consolation will now be my comfort aid strength buckler and shield as also of all my brethren who are in the same case and distresse that I and you all may despise all manner of threats and cruelty and even the bitter burning fire and the dreadfull dart of death and stick like true soldiers to our deare and loving Captaine Christ our onely Redeemer and Saviour and the onely true head of the Church that doth all in us all that we doe not traiterously run out of his tents or rather out of the plaine field from him in the heat of the Battell But that we may persevere in the fight if he please not otherwise to deliver us till we be most cruelly slaine of his enemies For this I most heartily and even with teares most instantly and earnestly desire you all to pray And if I dye to be good to my poore and most honest-wife being a poore stranger and to all my little soules her and my children c. The next day he was brought before the Councell againe and the third day also where he met with the like usage and when by no means they could remove him from his constancy Steven Gardener read his sentence of condemnation Degraded him and so delivered him over to the secular power Declaring that he was under the great curse and that it was a vengeable dangerous matter to eat or drink with him or to give him any thing for that all that did so should be partakers of the same curse Then said Mr Rogers Well my Lord here I stand before God and you and all this Honorable audience and take him to witnesse that I never wittingly and willingly taught any false Doctrine and therefore have I a good conscience before God and all good men I am sure that you and I shall come before a righteous Judge before whom I shall be as good a man as you and I nothing doubt but I shall be found then a true member of Jesus Christ and everlastingly saved And as for your false Church you needed not to have excommunicated me out of it for I have not lived in it these twenty yeares the Lord be thanked for it Then he desired that his wife to whom he had been married eighteen years and by whom he had ten children and the being a stranger might be admitted to come to him whil'd he lived But Steven Gardner the then Lord Chancellor would by no means suffer it Febr. 4th Anno Christi 1555. He was warned suddenly by the keepers wife of Newgate to prepare himselfe for the fire who then being sound asleep could scarce be awaked with much jogging At length being awaked and raised he was bid to make hast If it be so said he I need not tie my points and so he was presently had away to Bonner to be degraded of whom he earnestly requested to be admitted to speak with his wife but could not prevaile From thence he was carried into Smithfield where scarce being permitted to speak to the people he briefly persuaded them to perseverance in that truth which he had taught them which also he was now ready to seal with his blood Then was a pardon profered to him if he would recant but he utterly refused it His wife with nine small Children and the tenth sucking at her brest came to him but this sorrowfull sight nothing moved him but in the flames he washed his hand and with wonderfull patience took his death all the people exceedingly rejoycing at his constancie and praising God for it He was the Proto-Martyr in Queen Marie's dayes The Sabbath before his death he drank to Mr Hooper who lay in a chamber beneath him bidding the Messenger to commend him to him and to tell him That there was never little fellow that would better stick to a man then he would to him supposing they should be both burn'd together although it happened otherwise During the time of his imprisonment strait search was made in his chamber for his writings and papers yet nothing was found But after his death his wife and one of his sons going to his chamber to look after them could find nothing till being ready to depart the boy espyed a black thing lying in a corner under a blind paire of staires which indeed proved the book they looked for containing a narration of his examination and answers whereunto were added these predictions If said he God look not mercifully upon England the seeds of utter destruction are sown in it already by these hypocritical Tyrants and Antichristian Prelats double traytors to their native Countrey And yet they speak of Mercy of Blessing of Unity of the Catholike Church c. But this double dissimulation will be discovered one day when the plague comes which undoubtedly will fall upon those Crown-shorne Captains and that shortly what soever the godly and the poore Realme suffer in the meane time by Gods permission and will For the dispersed English flock shall be brought againe unto their former state or a better I trust in the Lord God then it was in innocent King Edwards days and our bloody Babylonian Bishops with their whole Crown shorne company shal bâ— brought to utter shame rebuke ruine and destruction For God cannot and undoubtedly will not for ever suffer their abominable lying false Doctrine their hypocrisy bloodthirstinesse whoredoms idlenesse their pestilent lives pamperd in all kinds of delights their Thrasonical boasting pride their malitious envious and poysonfull stomacks which they beare towards his poore afflicted flock Some shall have their punishment here in this world and they that escape here shall not escape everlasting damnation This shall be your sawce O yee wicked Papists make yee merry as long as yee may Also an honest Printer being his prison fellow Mr. Rogers said to him Thou shalt live to see the alteration of Religion and the Gospell to be freely preached againe and therefore have me commended to my brethren as well in exile as others and bid them be circumspect it displacing Papists and putting good Ministers into the Churches or else their end will be worse then ours Whilst he lay in the prison of Newgate which was above a yeare he was very merry and earnest in all he went about to the prisoners very charitable and liberall for whose sake he made an agreement with his fellows that they should eat but one meale a day yet paying for two which overplus should be given to them that lacked on the other side of the prison The Life of Laurence Saunders who dyed A no Christi 1555. LAurence Saunders was borne of worshipfull parents brought up in learning at Eaton School and from thence chosen to King's College in Cambridg where he continued three years and
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
sicknesse that year out of which through Gods mercy and the care of his Physicians he somewhat recovered yet himself discerned that his end approached and therefore he daily prepared himself for it laying aside all worldly cares and businesses that he might the better meditate upon his approaching death as may appear by these verses which he made a little before his death Nil superest vitae frigus praecordia captat Sed tu Christo mihi vita perennis ades Quid trepidas anima ad sedes abitura quietis En tibi ductor adest angelus ille tuus Peccasti scio sed Christus credentibus in se Peccata expurgat sanguine cuncta suo Horribilis mors est fateor sed proxima vita est Ad quam te Christi gratia certa vocat Praesto est de Satana peccato morte triumphans Christus adhuc igitur lata alacrisque migâ—a August the twenty second being the Lordsday in the morning Musculus feeling no distemper went to Church to hear the Sermon and about the midst of it he was seised with a violent Feaver yet continuing to the end of the Sermon he went home and sat down to dinner supping a little broth but waxing worse he was led to a bed in his study from which he never rose afterwards So soon as he was laid he grew extreame hot and burning whereupon by the advice of his Physician he was let blood he had also some Physick given him which yet staied not with him Musculus perceiving his end to draw near caused his sons to be sent for whom he saluted and blessed after which he never seemed to mind either wife or children John Haller one of the Ministers asking him of the state of his soul and how he would dispose of his outward estate hee answered I thank God I have nothing that troubles my conscience And as concerning my Doctrine as I taught so I thought doe think and will think to the end As for my Wife and Family I commend them to your and your Colleagues care desiring you to be Fathers and protectors to them Haller in his own and his brethrens name promising to satisfie his desire he thanked them and never after made mention of any wordly thing And so shortly after he quietly resigned up his spirit unto God in the presence of the Ministers and Professors of the University who were come to visit him The day after he was honourably buried Anno Christi 1563 and of his age 66. This Epitaph was set upon the wall near to his grave MUSCULUS hic situs est doctrina clarus ingens Nomen in orbe manet Spiritus astra tenet His Works are these Comment in Genesim in Psalm Mat. Joh. ad Romanos Corinthios ad Phil. Col. Thess. Tim. Loci communes Explicatio Decalogi Contra Missam Anti-Chochlaeus De Concilio Tridentinâ— Quatenus ferenda sit injuria Contra impurum Catechismum De Juramento De Bello Germanico Besides many of the Greek Fathers and other bookes which he turned out of Greek into Latine The Life of Hyperius who died A no Christi 1564. ANdreas Gerardus Hyperius was born at Ipres in Flanders An Christi 1511. His Father was a Counsellor famous in that City His Mother was Katherine Coets of a noble Family These set their son to School be-tiâ—es and being reasonable well grounded in Grammer at eleven years old they placed him with James Pap a good Poet to be trained up by him When he was thirteen years old he â—raveâ—â—â—d through the Islands of Flanders Then was under the tâ—ition of John Lacteus where he learned the French Tongue His Fathers desire was that he should not only be brought up in learning but also in good manners and vertue But whereas by reason of the Wars between Charls the fifth and the King of France he could not send him to Paris he kept him at home to write amongst his Clerks An. Chri. 1525 his Father fell sick and dyed charging his wife that as soon as ever the Wars were ended she should send his sonne Andreâ— to be brought up in learning at Paris And Anno Christi 1528 peace being made between the Emperour and King Hyperius was accordingly sent to Paris and commended to the tuition of Anthony Helhuctus who was a Senator of the Parliament at this time and of John de Campis a Licentiat in Divinity The former was to supply him with necessaries and the latter to forward him in his studies Hyperius sojourned long in the house of de Campâ—â— and heard also the Logick Lecture in the Colledge of Calviac In that Colledge one of the Lecturers was Joachim Ringleberg a very learned man with whom Hyperius had contracted a very strict bond of friendship And by his help besides Logick he learned Rhetorick and Physick At the end of three years he returned into his own country to visit his friends and to see whether any of his Patrimony remained and finding that there was yet enough to maintain him Anno Christi 1532. he returned to Paris purposing now to betake himself to the study of Divinity and accordingly he frequented the Divinity-Schooles Sometimes also he heard the Physick Lectures which naturally he was much affected with He frequented likewise the Lectures of the Professors of the Tongues as Cleonard Sturmius and Latomus Then he had an earnest desire to travell thorough France both to learn the language more perfectly and the better to acquaint himself with their manners Whereupon every year in January February and March when the Lectures ceased taking some of his fellow Students along with him he went into sundry Provinces and visited the most famous Universities So that at the times forementioned in three yeares space he had travelled through the greatest part of France and Italy Anno Christi 1535 he returned into his own country and presently went to Lovane where having remained a while he travelled through the Low-countries as Gelderland Friesland Holland Zealand c. And Anno 1537 and of his age 26 he travelled into upper Germany to visit the Universities and acquaint himself with the famous men therein For which end he went to Colen Marpurg Erford Lipsich and Wittenberg and so returning into his country he was earnestly importuned by his friends to take some cure upon him that having now spent his patrimony hee might live the more quietly amongst his friends and unknown to him they had procured from the Pope a patent whereby he was enabled to receive large revenues out of certaine Monasteries only they wanted a confirmation from the Emperors Chancellor the Archbishop of Palermo But it fell out by Gods Providence that the Archb. denied his consent being informed by Hyperius his competitors that Hyperius had been in upper Germany which then was accounted a great crime Hereupon Hyperius not willing to be a burden to his friends by the advice of
his enemies but when he had waited long for him Servetus came not being indeed afraid of the very sight of Master Calvin this was Anno Christi 1534. Infamous for the abominable cruelty exercised against the poor Saints of God especially against Gerard Ruffus a Master of Art of Sorban and Caroldus an Augustinian Monk who under the protection of the Queen of Navar had for a yeare or two very much propagated the truth which the Divel envying now stirred up his instruments to pul them out of the Pulpit and to cast them into prison yea King Francis himself was so irritated by reason of certaine papers against the Mass scattered about the City and fixed to his Chamber door that he presently commanded a publick Procession wherein himselfe and his three children assisted with a bare head carrying a Torch in his hand to expiate that wickedness and commanded eight of the Saints of God to be burned alive in four principall parts of the City Swearing publickly that he would not spare his own children if he knew thâ—m to be infected with those damnable he esies Calvin beholding these sad spectacles went presently afâ—er to Orleans where he published his famous book which he called Psâ—chopannychia against that error long before broached and now again revived of them which held The Soules sleeping after they were sâ—vered from the bodies And so purposing to bid adien to France he associated to him his old friend with whom he had sojourned at Xantone and travelling through â—orrain went towards Basil But being not far from the City of Meton they fell into great straits for one of their servants who had gotten all their money being mounted upon a lusty horse ran away from them and could by no means be overtaken so they were fâ—in to send their other servant to borrow ten crowns which with much adoe carried them to Strasborough and from thence to Basill There Mr. Calvin quickly became an intimate friend to those famous men Simon Grynaeus and Wolfgang Capito He studied also the Hebrew tongue and though he endeavoured by all means to conceal himself yet was he forced to publish his Institutions which he called but the foundation of a far greater work The Protestant Princes in Germany hearing of this bloody act of King Francis were much provoked by it yet did the King at this time seek their friendship and to excuse his cruelty by the advice of William Bellaius Langaeus he sent them word that he had onely punished certain Anabaptists who set up their fanatick spirits instead of Scripture and shewed themselves contemners of all Magistrates Which disgrace put upon the true Religion Mr. Calvin not enduring took occasion from thence to publish that his incomparable book prefixing a Preface to King Francis which surely he never read or else it would have provoked him to have given a great wound to the Babylonish Whore For that King therein not like his Successors was a great weigher of matters had a good judgement to discern the Truth was a favourer of Learned men and not altogether estranged from the Professors of the Gospel But neither he nor the people of France either saw or heard those things the sinnes of the King and people hastning Gods wrath against them Mr. Calvin having published this book performed that office of duty to his Country had a great desire to visit the Dutchess of Ferrara the Daughter of Lewis the twelfth of France a woman famous for her piety and thereby also to have a sight of Italy To her therefore he went and endeavoured to confirm her in the Truth so that she loved him dearly all his life after yea even after his death honoured his memory Returning out of Italy into whose borders hee used to say that he went that he might return again he came into France where setling his affairs and taking along with him his onely brother Anthony Calvin he intended to returne to Basill or Strasborough but all other waies being stopped by reason of Wars he went to Geneva without any purpose of staying there Yet presently after it appeared that it was so ordered by Divine Providence For a little before the Gospel of Christ was almost miraculously brought into that City by the labour and industry of two excellent men William Farell of the Delphinate sometimes a Scholar of Faber Stapulensis and Peter Viret a Bernate whose labours God afterwards wonderfully blessed and prospered Calvin hearing of these worthy men as the manner is amongst the godly went to visit them to whom Mr. Farel being a man indued with an heroicall spirit spake much to perswade him rather to stay with them at Geneva then to goe any further But when he saw that perswasions wouâ—d not prevail he said thus unto him I protest unto thee in the name of the Omnipotent God that if thou thus proceedest to frame excuses and wilt not joyn with us in this work of the Lord that the Lord will curse thee as seeking thy own rather then the things of Jesus Christ. Calvin being terrified with this terrible threatning submitted to the judgement of the Presbytery and of the Magistrates by whose suffraes together with the consent of the people he was chosen not onely their Preacher but also Professor of Divinity The first he refused the second he accepted of Anno Christi 1536 in the moneth of August This year became famous by a stricter League between the Bernates and the City of Geneva as also by the entertainment of the Gospel at Lausanna where a free disputation was held between the Pontificians and the Protestants at which Mr. Calvin was present Then did Mr. Calvin publish a certain form of Christian Doctrine fitted for the Church of Geneva as yet scarce crept out of the pollutions of Popery He added also a Catechism not that which we have by way of Question and Answer but one much shorter containing the chief heads of Religion Then did he together with Mr. Farell and Caroldus most of their Colleagues through fear forsaking them attempt to form a Church amongst the Citizens For which end hee proposed that all the people being gathered together shou'd publickly forswear Popery and withall should swear to observe the Christian Religion and Discipline contained in a few Heads which thing through Gods mercy was effected Anno Christi 1537 though many of the Citizens refused the City being yet scarce free from the snares of the Duke of Savoy and the dregs of Popery and many being much enclined to Factions Yet a publick Scribe reading them the Senate and people of Geneva swore together to those heads of Christian Religion and Discipline The Devill being much enraged at this excellent work having tried a thousand wayes by open enemies to overthrow it and not prevailing by those waies he sought under the pretence of piety to destroy it stirring up first the Anabaptists and then Peter Carole
whose Sermons not only the Protestants but many of the Papists were present to hear what and how he taught And indeed both sides commended his study of Peace For he exhorted them to compose their differences not by arms nor mutuall slaughters but by the Disputations of their Divines But God would not suffer his wholsome counsell to take effect at that time For they came to a battell wherein the Popish party prevailed and thereupon Bullinger together with his Father Brother and Colleague Gervase were commanded to depart except they would undergoe the present hazard of their lives Whereupon beginning their journey in the night through Gods providence they escaped the snares which were layd for them by their adversaries and came safely to Zurick Anno Chrâ—â— 1531 and three daies after at the request of Leo Judae with his Colleagues Bullinger preached in the chiefe Church and was entertained by one Werner Steiner his ancient friend that was fled to Zurick for Religion Anno Christi 1532. The Church of Basill wanting a Pastor by the death of Oecolampadius desired Bullinger and at the same time also the Bernates sent for him thither But the Senate of Zurick would by no means part with him choosing him Pastor in the room of Zuinglius who was slaine in the late battell and who had desired before he went into the field with the Army that if any thing befell him otherwise then well Bullinger might succeed him in his office He being thus called to this work in a dangerous time did his endeavour to comfort and rais up the hearts of Gods people under those great afflictions And whereas the Popish adversaries boasted that their Religion was false because they of Zurick were beaten and Zuinglius slain He wrote That the Truth of Religion was not to be judged by the prosperity or adversitie of the Professors of it He took care also to have Synods twice a year to maintain concord and unity in Doctrine and Discipline as Zuinglius had begun before him And finding a great defect of Godly Ministers in the jurisdiction of the Tigurins he tooke care that so many should bee trained up in Religion and Learning as might supply that defect and where there was a want of maintainance he prevailed with the Senate of Zurick to make up a competency out of the Publick Treasury He caused the Publick Library of that City to be set in order by Pellican and by buying Zuinglius his books to be encreased And having gotten Bibliander for his Colleague he wholly applyed himself to his publick Ministry and to writing Commentaries at home Anno Christi 1532 Bucer endeavoured a union between Luther and his followers and the Divines of Zurick perswading them that their differences consisted rather in words then in reality At which time the Tigurins shewed themselves to bee desirous of peace so that it was joyned wiâ—h truth About this time Bullingers Father died being 64 years old who at his death exhorted his sonne to Constancy in Doctrine and Faith which saith he is the onely way to salvation Anno Christi 1534 Bullinger wrote a Confession of Faith in the name of the Tigurian Churches which was sent to Bucer and to the Synod of the Churches of Suevia then met at Constance and was approved by them About the same time he wrote a Tractate of the Covenant of God against some that denied all testimonies out of the Old Testament As also another wherein he asserted the twofold Nature in Christ against Claudius Allobrog Servetus his Emissary of whose poyson the Helvetian Churches were at that time in some danger And when there was a meeting at Basil for to unite Luther and the Helvetian Churches in their difference about the manner of Christs Presence in the Sacrament Bullinger was there and took much pains for the promoting of it The Magistrates also of Zurick by the perswasion of Bullinger erected a new Colledge Anno Christi 1538 which hee had a great care of all his life after Also by his perswasion the Senate of Zurick erected another School in a place where formerly there had been a Nunnery in which fifteen youths were trained up under a good Master having food raiment books and all other necessaries plentifully provided for them and Bullinger took great care to see their proficiency all his life after About this time Schwenfield a Noble man of Silesia taught That Christ's Humane nature being received into Heaven was so farre Deified that it remained a creature no longer and this error beginning to spread into Swevia Bullinger joining with some others confuted it with much modesty Anno Christi 1541 the Plague brake forth in Zurick of which Bullingers Son and Mother died Anno Christi 1542 Leo Judae's Version of the Bible being finished and printed the Printer sent one of them to Luther fair bound up but Luther wrote back to him that hee should send him no more of the Tigurine Ministers bookes for hee would have nothing to doe with them nor read any of their bookes For said he The Church of God can hold no communion with them and whereas they have taken much pains all is in vain for themselves are damned and they lead many miserable men to hell with them Adding that he would have no communion with their damnable and blasphemous Doctrine and that so long as he lived hee would with his prayers and books oppose them Anno Christi 1544 Luther set forth his Annotations on Genesis in which he inveighed bitterly against the Sacramentarians as he called them saying That Zuinglius Oecolampadius and their disciples were Hereticks and eternally damned Melancthon would fain have hindered it but could not whereupon he wrote to Bullinger telling him how much hee was grieved at this violent proceeding of Luther which he knew was so pleasing to their common adversaries the Papists When this book of Luthers came forth there was much dispute whether it should be answered Bucer was against it because Luther was grown old and had deserved well of the Church but others thought that it would bee a betraying of the Truth not to answer it Wherefore Bullinger was appointed to that work which he accordingly performed with much judgement Anno Christi 1546 Luther dyed and the German Warre beganne betwixt the Emperour and the Protestants at which time many accused the Tigurines by reason of Bullingers book as if they had insulted over Luther after his death and gloryed that he dyed of grief because he could not answer that book Hereupon Philip Lantgrave of Hesse acquainted Bullinger with these reports which when Bullinger had read advising with his Colleagues he returned this answer First giving him thanks for his zeale in endeavouring the peace of the Church and for acquainting him with these rumours Then he told him how much he was grieved for that some turbulent spirits sought by such reports
Letters to Zurick from Thomas Erastus signifying that there wanted a Divinity Professor at Heidleberg and that they desired supply from thence whereupon the aforenamed Divines knowing Ursines fitnesse presently sent him with their Letters of ample commendation both to the Elector Palatine and to the University Where he was made governour of the Colledge of Sapience and by his diligence faithfulnesse and ability got such credit that at twenty eight years of age they graced him with the title of a Doctor in Divinity and so hee supplyed the place of publick Professor to the year 1568 at which time Zanchy succeeded him He had for his Colleagues Peter Boquin and Immanuel Tremelius the latter Professor of the Old Testament and the former of the New Five years Ursin continued reading upon his Common places and certainâ—y if he had finished it it had been exceeding usefull to the Church And besides his ordinary Lectures both in the University and Colledge the godly Prince Otho Frederick seeing severall Ministers using severall Catechisms to the prejudice of the Church he employed Ursin in the writing a Catechism for the Palatinate which might be of general use and accordingly he did to the great satisfaction of all Anno 1563 there brake forth a grievous Pestilence that scattered both the Court and University yet Ursin remained at home and wrote his tractates of Mortality and Christian Consolations for the benefit of Gods people The same year presently after Ursins Catechism was printed Flacius Illiricus Heshusius and some others beganne to quarrel at some passages in it about the Ascension of Christ his Presence in the Sacrament c. As also to traduce the Reformation carried on in the Palatinate but at the command of the Palatine Ursin did excellently justifie his Catechism and defend the Truth to the great satisfaction of all that read it Anno Christi 1564 hee was sent by the Elector to Malbrun to dispute with Brentius and Smidlin about the Ubiquity of Christs body which he confuted with such clear and strong arguments as that many both Papists and Lutherans were converted thereby He was so dear to the Elector Palatine that when the Bernates Anno 1578 sent Aretius to Heidleberg to crave leave that Ursine might goe to Lausanna to be the Divinity Professor there he would by no means part with him but for his ease and encouragement to stay gave him leave to choose an assistant that so his body might not bee worne out with his daily and excessive labours Anno Christi 1572 he married a Wife by whom he had one sonne that was afterwards a Minister and inherited his Fathers virtues Anno Christi 1574 at the command of the Elector Frederick he made a Confession of Faith about God the Person of Christ and the Supper of the Lord which was to stop the mouths of some malitious wicked men who had scattered abroad that in Heidleberg they had sowed the seeds of Arianism from which error both the Elector and the Church under him were most free In these employments was Ursin busied and both Religion and Learning prospered exceedingly under him so that he sent forth many excellent men who proved admirable instruments of Gods glory and the Chuches good and this continued till the year 1577 at which time it pleased God to take away that excellent Prince Frederick whereupon ensued that unhappy change when none were suffered to stay in the Palatinate except they held the opinions of Luther in all things So that Ursin with his Colleague Kimedontius were forced to leave the University But hee could not live a private life long for hee was sent for by Prince John Cassimire sonne to Frederick who knew how usefull and profitable he would be both to himself and the Churches under him About the same time also the Senate of Berne sent imporâ—unately for him to succeed A etius or Basil â—arquard in their University Hee was also earnestly solicited by Musculus Gualter Lavater and Hortinus to accept of this call but Prince Cassimire would by no meanes part with him having erected a University at Newstad and chosen Ursin and Zanchy to be the Divinity Professors thereof Whilst hee was thus employed by his excessive studies and neglect of exercise he fell into a sicknesse which held him above a year together After which he returned to his labours again and besides his Divinity Lectures read Logick in the Schools desiring his Auditors to give him what doubts and objections they met with which upon study at his next Lecture hee returned answers to But his continual watchings care meditations and writings cast him into a Consumption and other diseases yet would he not be perswaded to intermit his imployments till at last he was confined to his bed Yet therein also he was never idle but alwayes dictating something that might conduce to the publick good of the Church The hour of death being come his friends standing by he quietly slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1583 and of his Age fifty one He was very pious and grave in his carriage and one that sought not after great things in this world refusing many gifts from Princes and himself was liberall according to his ability He was alwaies like himself very sparing of timeâ— as appeared by these verses set over his study door Amice quisquis huc venis Aut agito paucis aut abi Aut me laborantem adjuva He wrote Commentarium do mortalitate consolationibus Christianis Admonitionem Neustadianam Epigrammata ad Jo. Frisium After his death his Son and Doctor Pareus and Quirinus his Scholars published divers other of his Workes which are printed in three Tomes The Life of Abraham Bucholtzer who died A no Christi 1584. ABraham Bucholtzer was born at Schovavium of a very ancient and honourable Family Anno Christi 1529 and from his infancy was brought up by his Parents in Religion and Learning When he was first set forth to School he profited to admiration outstripping all his Schoolfellowes by his acute wit and industry And being well principled at School he went to the Universities first of Franckfurt then of Wittenberg Accounting it his great happinesse that he was born after the light of the Gospel brake forth and bred up under Melancthon upon whose Lectures he attended diligently and sucked in from him not onely the principles of Learning but of Religion also He was exceeding industrious in seeking Learning attent in hearing Lectures diligent and swift in writing what was spoken by Melancthon About that time there sprang up many errors and much contention was raised in the Church of God about things indifferent the necessity of Good Works Essentiall Righteousness c. But by the help of Melanethon he was able both to discover and confute them There also he studied Greek and Hebrew When hee was six and twenty years
them which counsell the Prince and his Tutor neglecting went into the boat and putting from the bank the drunken young men beganne so to thrust and justle one another that at last they overthrew the boat where they were all drowned But Judex being skilfull in swimming caught the young Prince hoping to save him but being unable to draw him with him they both sunk Olevian standing on the bank and seeing this sad spectacle leapt into the water to try if he could help them but at first he stuck in the mud and water up to the chin where he despaired of his owne life In that danger he prayed unto God and vowed that if God would deliver him he would preach the Gospel to his own Citizens if he should be called thereunto At which time it pleased God that a footman of one of the Noblemens coming to the River side and seeing Olevian caught him by the head thinking that it had been his own Master and drew him out whereupon Olevian being delivered by such a speciall providence together with the Law studied Divinity especially reading over the Sacred Scriptures with Calvins Commentaries upon them After a while returning to Trevir he was reteined to plead causes at Law but seeing the great deceit in that calling and the frequent perverting of Justice he gave it over and that he might performe his Vow wholly set himself to the study of Divinity and went to Geneva and after to Zurick where he sojourned with Bullinger and was much holpen by Martyr and Bullinger in his studies before whom also he used privately to preach for his exercise But before this as he was going to Geneva taking ship at Lausanna Mr. Farrel hapned to be with him in the ship who in discourse asked him Whether ever he had preached in his owne Country Olevian told him that he had not then did Master Farrell perswade him to doe it so soon as he could and he accordingly promised that he would Whilst he was busying himself in his studies at Geneva the Church of Metis wanting a Minister applyed themselves to the Presbytery of Geneva for a supply The Presbytery nominated two Olevian and Peter Colonius But Olevian excused himself partly because he had engaged himself by vow to the service of the Church in his owne Country and partly because he had faithfully promised Farrel to doe the same Master Calvin was satisfied with this answer exhorting him to performe what he had thus resolved on Therefore Anno Christi 1559. he returned to Trevir where he was exceeding kindly entertained by the Senators his kinsmen friends and by his brother Frederick a Doctor of Physick and the Consull and Senators presently requested him to undertake the worke of teaching a School in that City and for his encouragement allowed him a stipend Accordingly he applyed himselfe to explicating the precepts of Melancthons Logick illustrated by many Theologicall examples whereby he gott opportunity of opening the sound doctrine of the Gospel to his hearers which as soon as the Canons heard of they first suspended him from the office of teaching and afterwards shut up the School against him Then the Senate appointed him to preach in an Hospitall where after he had preached a while his adversaries suborned a Priest to step up into the pulpit before him but as soon as the people saw the Priest they called to him to come down for that they would not hear him Olevian desired them to hear him promising that so soon as he had done his Sermon he wou'd preach himself yet they would not endure it but made a great stir so that the poor Priest thought that he should have been pulled in pieces by them But Olevian comforted him and entreating the people to be quiet took the Priest by the hand and led him forth safely and going into the pulpit himselfe he asked the Auditory whether for fear of further danger they would have him to intermit that Sermon or whether he should go forward according to his former course the people lifting up their hands cryed to him Yea yea Wee desire thee for Gods sake to preach unto us For this cause the Arch-Bishop of Trevir imprisoned the two Consuls and eight more of the Senators for ten weeks space who desired Olevian to come to them to instruct and comfort them which accordingly he did Then were they commanded to appear in judgement where their charge consisted of many heads whereupon they requested fourteen days time to put in their answer but that was denyed and onely two daies assigned In which time they sent privily to Frederick Elector Palatine to Wolphgang Duke of Bipâ—nt and to the Senate of Strasborough acquainting them with their case and entreating their seasonable assistance They therefore immediately sent post to forbid the further proceedings at Law and at last obtained that they were all set at liberty And the Ambassadors for the Palatine invited Olevian to goe along with them and accordingly took him to Heidleberg Anno Christâ— 1560. As soon as hee came thither the Elector made him Master of the Colledg of Sapience which he underwent for about a year and a half About this time he married a Wife and commenced Doctor in Divinity and was made Professor of Divinity in that University Also at the importunity of the Counsellors of State he was chosen to the work of the Ministry first in Peters Church and afterwards in the Church of the Holy Ghost which places he carefully and holily discharged til the death of the Elector Frederick the third which was Anno Christi 1576. A few daies after whose death hee was called to Berleburg by Lodowick Count Witgenstein where he preached and instructed some Noble mens sonns in the principles of Divinity and in the Arts and Tongues Anno Christi 1584 he was called by John of Nassau to Herborn where he preached and taught a School three yeares which was erected by the perswasion and counsell of Olevian Anno Christi 1587 hee fell into a mortal sickness which notwithstanding all meanes of cure daily grew upon him and so weakned him that at last hee quietly resigned up his spirit unto God In his sicknesse he made his Will and by pious and holy meditations prepared himself for death Being visited by Lâ—dowick Witgenstein and John of Nassau he told them That by that sickness he had learned to know the greatnesse of sin and the greatness of Gods Majesty more then ever he did before And a while after when the Counts two sons John and George came to visit him he exhorted them carefully to preserve brotherly love to carry on and perfect the business about the School to be liberal and mercifull to the poor and obedient to their Father The next day John Piscator coming to visit him hee told him That the day before for four hours together he was
gibbets and that Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was his enemy hee beganne to thinke of some speedy way for his departure thence which so soon as the Duke knew he disswaded him from it affirming that it was neither agreeable to honour nor modesty for him to suffer his Tutor so well deserving at his hands to bee taken from him He told him that in flying no kind of misery would be wanting Banishment Poverty Contempt c. and that though these were lesse evils then death yet was it not come to such extremity neither would hee suffer that it should saying That hee had yet wealth and favour and friends and the fortune of his House and if the mischance prevailed further that himselfe would partake of the danger and make the destruction common That he remembred with what instructions he had fortified his younger years neither had he with more attention hearkened thereto then he would with constancy put them in practise Yet when the Duke afterward perceived that he could no longer shelter him from the malice of Winchester he provided all things necessary for his departure sending to Ipswich to hire a Bark and whilst all things were making ready hee sent him to a Farm-house of one of his servants with his Wife the companion of his travels then great with child who yet would not be perswaded to stay behind him He had in this bark scarce weighed Anchor when suddenly a rough wind troubled the Sea with so great violence that the stoutest Mariners beganne to tremble then followed a dark night with such hail and raine that hindred the sea-mens work and tooke away all possibility of steering any longer by the Compass Yet the next day towards evening with much difficulty they arrived again in the same Haven from whence they set forth In the meane time a Pursivant with a warrant from the Bishop of Winchester had searched the Farm and pursued him to Ipswitch but finding the Bark already gone was returned towards London This Master Fox being informed of as soon as he came to shoare he presently took horse as if he would have left the towne but the same night returning he bargained with the Master of the Ship with the first winde to set sayle againe and the Pilot loosed in the nights silence as soon as the tide turned though the Sea was rough and the winds blustring and two daies after through the mercy of God landed him safely at Newport Haven after some few daies refreshing himself at Newport and those that were with him they went to Antwerp and from thence to Basil which was a common refuge to many English in those times most of which maintained themselves by over-seeing the Presse and correcting faults therein To these Master Fox joyned himself and having in his youth been accustomed to hardship he was able to suffer want sit up late and to fare hardly And during his abode there notwithstanding he was so full of imployment yet he began his History of the Acts and Monuments of the Church which afterward he compleated in his own country First hee wrote it in Latine and sent it to Basil to be printed where it was much esteemed and afterwards wrote it in English to gratifie the unlearned Not long after Queen Mary dyed about which time Master Fox preaching to comfort the English Exiles did with confidence tell them that now was the time come for their returne into England and that hee brought that news by command from God For which words the graver Divines did sharply reprove him for the present but afterwards excused him by the event when it appeared that Queen Mary died but the day before he so spake to them Master Fox understanding happy news in England that Queen Elizabeth reigned Religion was altered and so like to continue in the end of that year he returned into England with his wife and two children which were born there and instead of seeking preferment by his great friends and own deserts he lived retiredly in his study prosecuting his work begun at Basil of writing the Acts and Monuments The Papists foreseeing how much this worke would tend to their disparagement and disadvantage charged the Author with falshood and feigned some cavils against him to lessen his credit authority which he by heaping together testimonies for the confirmation of what hee had writ endeavoured to take away This elaborate work with infinite pains he finished in 11 years never using the help of any other man but wrote searched all the Records himself But by these excessive pains leaving no time free from study nor affording to himselfe seasonably what nature required hee was brought to that passe that his natural vigour being spent neither his friends nor kindred could by sight remember or know him Yea it caused in him withered leannesse of body yet would he by no means be perswaded to lessen his accustomed labours From this time he was much spoken of for a good Historian but shortly after his other excellent endowments began to appear He was very charitable and had an excellent ability in comforting afflicted consciences so that there resorted to him Noblemen Strangers Citizens and others also seeking salves to their wounded consciences He preached often abroad and went to visit such as could not come to him and what spare time he had he bestowed in prayer and study and for his vehement prayers mingled with groanes he made use of the nights silence for the greater secreâ—ie There was in him a deliberate and resolved contempt of all earthly things especially of pleasures and for this end hee declined the friendship of Illustrious and Noble persons The money which rich men sometimes offered him hee accepted but returned it back to the poor Many things did he foretell by occasion of comforting the afflicted or terrifying those that were stubborn The Lady Anne Henage lying sick of a violent Feaver and the Physitians deeming it mortall Master Fox was sent for to be present at her ending and after by prayer and instructions hee had prepared her for death he told her that she had done well in sitting her selfe for death but that yet she should not dye of that sicknesse A Knight her son in law being by told him in private that he had not done well to disquiet her minde with hopes of life when the Physitians had given her up for dead to whom he answered That he said no more then was commanded him for it seemed good to God that she should recover which also came to passe Also Mistris Honiwood who had lain sick of a Consumption almost twenty years through Melancholy to whom many excellent Physitians and grave Divines had resorted to cure her body comfort her mind but all in vain At last M. Fox being sent for when he came into her chamber found a most sad house all about her sitting
received such abunâ—dant satisfaction by converse with him that ever after they held corespondence with him Shortly after Lodwick the Elector Palatine dying Caâ—imire was made Guardian to his son during his minority whereupon he sent for Tossan to Heidleberg that by his advise and counsell he might reform the Churches But when he came thither his adversaries loured exceedingly upon him and raised many false reports but he remembred that of â—eneca vir bonus quod honestè se facturum put averit faciet etiam si periculosum sit ab honesto nullâ— re deteâ—rebitur ad turpia nulla spe invitabitur An honest man will do that which he judges right though it be dangerous He will not be deterred from that which is honest by any meanes hee will be allured to that which is dishonest by no means His adversaries in their Pulpits daily cryed out of strange Heresies that he and his party held But Prince Casimire first sent for them to argue the case before him and then appointed a Publick disputation wherein they could prove none of those things which they charged them with whereupon the Prince required them to abstain from such accusations for the time to come and to study peace But nothing would prevail to allay their spleene till they were removed into other Countries The care of choosing Pastors to the Churches Tutors to the young Prince Schoolmasters and Professors to the University was divolved upon Tossan all which he discharged with much fidelity Anno Christi 1586. James Grynaeus the chiefe Professor in Heidleberg was called home to Basil in whose roome Tossanus though very unwilling was substituted and therefore to satisfie the Statutes of the University he commenced Doctor in Divinity But as his cares and paines increased so his sorrow also partly by reason of an unhappy quarrel that fell out between the Students and Citizens of Heidleberg partly by the death of his dear wife with whom he had lived twenty two years in wedlock which fell out in the year 1587. and therefore Anno Christi 1588 he married again and disposed of his daughters also in marriage to godly and learned men Not long after Prince Casimire died which much renewed his griefe But Frederick the fourth beeing now come to his age was admitted into the number of the Electors and was very carefull of the good both of the Church and University Anno Christi 1594 Tossan was chosen Rector of the University of Heidleberg and the year after there brake out a greivous Pestilence in that Citie which drove away the students But Tossan remained Preaching comfortably to his people and expounding the Penitentiall Psalmes to those few students that yet remained Anno Christi 1601 hee being grown very old and infirme laid down his Professors place though the University much opposed and earnestly sollicited him to retaine it still but God purposed to give him a better rest after all his labors and sorrows For having in his Lectures expounded the book of Job to the end of the thirtie one Chapter he concluded with those words The words of Job are ended Presently after falling sicke hee comforted himself with these texts of Scripture I have fought the good fight of Faith c. Bee thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life Wee have a City not made with hands eternall in the heavens and many other such like Hee also made his will and set down therein a good confession of his Faith and so departed quietly in the Lord An. Christi 1602 and of his age sixty one He was a very holy man exemplary in his life had an excellent wit strong memorie Eloquent in speech was very charitable and chearfull in his conversation and kept correspondence with all the choisest Divines in those times He wrote many things which were afterwards digested into Tomes and some of his works were published after his death by his Sonne I. WHITGIFT The Life of William Perkins who died A no Christi 1602. WIlliam Perkins was born at Marston in Warwickshire Anno 1558 and brought up at School from which he went to Christ's Colledge in Cambridg where he profited so much in his Studies that having got the grounds of all the liberall Arts he was chosen Fellow of that Colledge in the 24th year of Queen Elisabeth He was very wild in his youth but the Lord in mercie was pleased to reclaim him that he might be an eminent instrument of good in his Church When he first entred into the Ministâ—â—e beeing moved with pittie towards their souls he prevailed with the jaylor to bring the Prisoners fettered as they were to the Shirchouse hard by the Prison where he Preached every Lord's daie to them and it pleased God so to prosper and succeed his labors amongst them that he was the happy instrument of converting many of them unto God Freeing them thereby from the Captivity of sin which was their worst bondage This his practice being once known many resorted to that place out of the neighbor-Parishes to hear him So that from thence he was chosen to Saint Andrews Parish in Cambridge where he Preached all his life after His Sermons were not so plain but the piously learned did admire them nor so learned but the plain did understand them Hee brought the Schools into the Pulpit and unshelling their controversies out of their hard School-tearms made thereof plain and wholsom meat for his people He was an excellent Chirurgion at the jointing of a broken Soul and at stating of a doubtfull conscience so that the afflicted in spirit came far and near to him and received much satisfaction and comfort by him In his Sermons he used to pronounce the word Damn with such an Emphasis as left a dolefull Echo in his auditors ears a good while after And when hee was Catechist in Christ's Colledge in expounding the Commandements he applied them so home to the conscience as was able to make his hearers hearts fall down and their haires almost to stand upright But in his old age he was more miâ—dâ— often professing that to Preach mercy was the proper office of the Ministers of the Gospel In his life he was so 〈◊〉 and spotlesse that Malice was afraid to bite at his credit into which she knew that her teeth could not enter He had a rare felicity in reading of books and as it were but turning them over would give an exact account of all that was considerable therein He perused books so speedily that one would think he read nothing and yet so acurately that one would think he read all Hee was of a cheerfull nature and pleasant disposition Somewhat reserved to strangers but when once acquainted very familiar Besides his frequent Preaching he wrote many excellent books both Treatises and Commentaries which for their worth were many of them translated into
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
of death they both of them blessed him and gave him this testimony that he had never offended them in all his life Wallaeus laid their death exceedingly to heart so that for a years space no day passed wherein he did not with grief think on them nor night wherein he did not dream of them But it pleased God that in December the 27. he had a son born whom he called John this somewhat mitigated his sorrows Before this the Citizens of Middleborough had much importuned him to remove his habitation to their City but he would not consent to it till his Wife was brought to bed least he should seem to contemn his people at Koukerk who had shewed themselves so honest and loving to him But when she was up again he then removed and was entertained both by the People and Magistrates with great applause being received with more favour then ordinary which stirred up envy in some of the Ministers of Middleborough who thereupon would have had him confined to a little Church that was in the outmost part of the City but the Presbytery would not suffer it yea it returned to the glory of Wallaeus that these ancient Ministers feared least he should get their Auditories from them But after a while he moderated their passions by his modesty courtesie and readiness to do any Offices of love to them so that he lived very friendly with them In his Ministry he thought that he did not sufficiently discharge his duty by Preaching and Governing and therefore every Sabbath day at five a clock he Catechized wherein he explained all the common places in Divinity and whereby he made his people very ready in the knowledge of the Scriptures so that some of them were fitted for the work of the Ministry in the Indies He was diligent in visiting his Parishoners whereby he reformed many which were given to vitiousness giving them counsel how they might shun those sins which naturally they were addicted to He satisfied doubting Consciences and extricated them out of the snares of Satan He raised up and comforted those that were cast down at the apprehension of Gods wrath for their sins In these his visitations he ministred relief to Widows Orphans and such as were destitute of all humane help He encouraged such as were weak and sick to persevere in Faith and prepared them for death and such as were neer death he comforted them against the terrors thereof and wrought in them a desire to be with Christ yea he did not only visit such as owned him for their Minister but Sectaries also Papists and Anabaptists which he did with such sweetness that his company was never grievous to them and he carryed himself so justly that many times even they repaired to him for advice in cases of Conscience about Matrimony and always went well satisfied from him This much troubled a Popish Priest called Curio who knowing how powerful Wallâ—us was in reproving sin to deter his Disciples from conference with Wallaeus or hearing his Sermons told them that the Devil always sate upon his shoulders and as he was Preaching suggested to him what he should say But God turned his malice and lyes to good For many Papists either drawn by curiosity or by the fame of the man or upon the occasion of Baptisms into his Church when they heard nothing that was Diabolical to proceed out of his mouth they began to esteem their Curio a slanderer to doubt of the truth of his other sayings to perceive that they learned more and received more comfort by Wallaeus his Sermons then by his and so by degrees fell off to the Reformed Religion Wallaeus his Colleagues left to him yea appointed him as the most learned man amongst them to take care that their Religion received no detriment and to defend the same against all Adversaries wherein like another Hercules he subdued many Monsters There was one Abraham Beckman that of a long time had disturbed the Peace of the Church of Middleborough A man of a sharp wit and blameless life he reproved the Ministers for baptizing such children whose Parents were not members of the Church and he had drawn some hundreds of the Church membrs to his party To these Wallaeus opened the Doctrine of Truth more plainly by Conference and Disputations he overthrew the pertinacious convinced most of them by writing and so brought them to an acknowledgement of their Errors But Wallaeus thought it not sufficient to conquer them but he would also gain them to the Church which he effected by procuring that Beckman should be chosen one of the Presbytery whereby he was quieted and afterwards did good service to the Church Sectaries are never better quieted then whilst they pretend for God they may have riches or honours conferred upon them Shortly after there was one Gedeon Vanden Bogard a Noble man of Flanders who being inticed with great promises was resolved to turn over to the King of Spains party and therefore also must change his Religion for which end he gives out that the Popish Religion was truer then the Reformed and that in the point of Transubstantiation which he undertook to prove by the assistance of Father Gauda a Jesuite of Antwerp who was grown to that height of impudency and impiety that he published in Print that he would pawn his soul to God to expiate all the Errors that were in the Romane Church To whom therefore Wallaeus presently answers and shews that the Pontificians themselves could not otherwise understand the words of Institution in the Lords Supper but Figuratively and that the body of Christ â—ould not be in infinite places at the same time for that then it should cease to be a body which is always circumscribed within its own limits so that Gauda held his peace Presently after a certain stranger coming to Middleborough for Zeland brings forth no such Monsters Preached That Christ had excellently taught reverence to God and love to our Neighbors But that his Doctrine might have the more weâ—ght hâ—d affirmed himself to be the Son of God by a certain pious fraud saying that he was God when indeed he was not And not content to divulg these blasphemies in private he preached them in publick VVallaeus judged this man the more dangerous by how much he seemed to be very religious and that he would not speak without commending Christ whenas indeed he sought to destroy him wherefore setting upon him in a Publick Assembly he proved that in the Nativity Life and Death of Christ all things did concur which were foretold of the Messias in the Old Testament and therefore that he could not but be God which was required in the Messias That Christ whom he confessed to teach Piety must express it in his Life and therefore could not begin his Doctrine with a lye who must not do evill that good might come of it Neither was it worth the while
the space of neer thirty years by whom he had seven children He was tall of stature and well set He had quick eyes and lively senses a loud and pleasing voice A sound constitution only by reason of his many occasions of grief somewhat inclining to Melancholy so as he was prone to such diseases wherein that humor did abound In his old age he was somewhat slow of gate not through unwealdiness of body but by reason of the speedy growth of old age upon him He was very pious and learned and adorned with all graces If he set himself to reprove vice he performed it with great gravity If he comforted his friends he did it with admirable dexterity If he admonished any of their duty he did it with much lenity His Ministry was full of Majesty his stile eloquent his matter clear and solid He was very sociable pleasant and loving in his converse with his friends By his practice converse experience and reading both of ancient and modern Ecclesiastical Histories he attained to a great measure of wisdom He was very zealous in defending the Orthodox Religion Very far from busying himself in other mens matters Could not endure strife and contentions Shunned those vain distinctions and fooleries of Sophisters whereby they rather darken then explicate the mysteries of Salvation He could not endure novelties in Divinity holding that of Tertullian Primum quodque verissimum That which is most ancient is most true His profession was without dissimulation his Divinity solid and substantial not that which is fetched out of the puddles of the Schoolmen though he was no stranger to them but out of the pure Fountain of the Sacred Scriptures He was a constant studier of the Peace of the Church yet always so as not to hazard the loss of truth which he ever preferred before the former He was of a constant minde always the same valiant in adversity moderate in prosperity having well learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sustain and abstain In reproofs he was affectionate without bitterness In admonishing and counselling prudent without passion In choosing his friends of a quick judgement and constant in retaining them When he was to deliver his judgement either in the Academical Senate or in the Ecclesiastick Presbyterie he so went before others with his prudent counsel as not to neglect to hear others judgements neither would he take it ill if they dissented from him If any question of great difficulty happened he would never rest till he had searched out and made plain the truth If any resorted to him in private to ask his advice in Sacred Civil Academical or Oeconomical affairs his answer was instead of an Oracle to them His prudence did futher discover it self by the government of his Family where he kept all in peace order and concord and concerning which this only was known that no body knâ—w what was done therein Anno Christi 1639. he buryed one of his daughters called Mary a beautiful and virtuous young maid which caused so great grief to him that he fell into a Quartane Ague which Physitians hold to be mortal in old men and though at last he was cured of it yet it lest ill reliques in his weakened boâ—y which in the year 1641. brake forth into a far more grievous disease viz. a Lethâ—rgy which threatned an Apoplexie and which the Physitians did foretel to be fatal Yet neither by this sharp affliction could his stedfast minde be cast down For after a while contrary to all mens expectations he began to recover strength though indeed he was never perfectly cured A third affliction which befel him was the death of his dear wife which fell out the year after upon October the 15 the same day upon which formerly he had been chosen Master of the College of Wisdom From that very time of the loss of his wife he was discerned to decay his solitude encreasing his melancholy which afterwards he could never get the mastery over Yea he often foretold that he should not long survive his wife and though the Easter after he went as far as â—â—mbden to visit his friends and recreate himself with their society yet thereby he did but increase his destempers For he was detained there for the space of twenty days by reason of a Catharr and Feaver after which he returned to Groning but much weakned and troubled with obstructions which Physick could not remove nor any Medicines cure Yet it pleased God that he had some lucid intervals at which times he would attend upon his Professorship and the affairs of the University and his friends August following those obstructions so far prevailed that they took away his stomach and thence ensued a sensible decay of his strength which afterwards was accompanied with great pains in his Back and Loins that caused often faintings In his sickness Doctor Maretius visiting him with a firm voice and friendly minde he congratulated him for that he was designed for his successor For saith he it much rejoyceth me that I shall leave to the Vniversity and Church one that is studious of peace Orthodox in judgement and averse from novelties and I require you that as you have ever maintained friendship with me so do the like with mine whom I shall leave behinde me The day before his death he sang the 130 Psalm with a sweet voice and fervent zeal to the Lord and spent the rest of his time in hearty Prayers and holy meditations In the Evening he blessed his children and then commanded his son Doctor James Alting to pray with him and in his Prayers to remember the Church and University The next day which was Sabbath day in the morning he found himself somewhat better yet presently after he fell into a swound After the Morning Exercise his old friends Doctor Camerarius and Doctor Strasbergerus Agents for the Crown of Sweden came to visit him by whose conference he was somewhat refreshed but no sooner were they gone when feeling that his disease had conquered Nature he told those about him that before Sunset he should depart to the Lord and so acting his faith upon the death and merits of Christ upon the promises of the Gospel and cheared up with the comforts of the Holy Ghost he expected death without fear and presently after with a constant voice he bade them all farewel as being ready to depart to Christ which he much longed for Then causing himself to be somewhat raised up they perceived that he was ready to depart wherefore hastily sending for the Reverend Pastor of the Church Wesselus Emmius his old friend he prayed with him and as long as he perceived that he understood him he cheered him up with the sweet promises of the Gospel valiantly to go through that last combate and so about three a clock in the afternoon in the presence of his friends and the Professors of the University without the least
and to rest most upon his advice He always as he ought much esteemed the singular good will of the Prince of Orange towards him as also of the Queen of Bohemia and other of the States to whom deservedly he was most dear as they testified by their extraordinary grief at his death He always upon every occasion professed how much he was beholding to the Curators and Magistrates of Leiden for their singular good will towards him whereby they often anticipated and exceeded his modesty in conferring favors upon him The most excellent Princess of Orange also after his death sent to his widdow and eldest son professing that the loss of him was no less a grief to her then if she had lost another husband or dear son so highly did she esteem of him Neither may any man wonder whence it came to pass that he had so many friends if withall he do but consider the multitude of Letters that he sent and received so that his study seemed to be a Compendium of all Europe But behold the mutability of all Earthly things The truth is his labors were so many and great that if his body had been of Oak or Iron he could not have held out long so that we may truly say that the imployment of his soul destroyed its own habitation which was worn out and dissolved with too much exercise For besides the publick labors which he underwent in the Church and University his private and domestical cares his conferences with his friends his frequent intercourse of Letters his various writings and giving counsel to others took up every moment in his life And though he was often admonished by his friends to favour himself and moderate his pains yet would he by no means be perswaded to it Hence it was observed that his strength began sensibly to decay and he was troubled with great obstructions so that himself began to complain of them yet would he not diminish his daily task And thus he continued all the Winter afflicted with weakness and pains at sundry seasons His last Sermon he Preached at Easter upon those memorable words of Saint Paul Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body c. Also after his last Lecture returning home he complained of the decay of his strength which was so great that with much difficulty he went on to the end of his Lecture as many of his Auditors observed From thenceforth his health decayed and his strength declined more and more and which was an ill sign his weakness was greater then his disease yet notwithstanding he was delegated in the midst of April by the Church to a Synod of the French Churches which met at Harlem whither he went though the labor was too great for his weak body And at his return he sensibly discerned that he was much worse so that though no signs of death appeared outwardly yet was his weakness such that being taken off his Legs he was confined to his bed Hereupon he foresaw the approach of death and wholly gave up himself to God whom he continually invoked by ardent prayers and sighs which had been his constant practice in the whole course of his life But yet April the 28. he thought himself better and that there were some hopes of his recovery whereupon in the afternoon he sate up at his study window where he had not continued long before he was seized upon by a violent Feaver with a great trembling and shaking of his whole body which at length ended in a burning so that he lay all night as if he had been in the midst of a fire whereupon seeing his end to approach in the presence of his Family he poured forth most ardent Prayers to God Profesting that he knew Christ to be his Redeemer in whom he believed and with whom he knew that he should shortly be and that he desired nothing so much as his happy dissolution his soul still breathing after Christ Only this by earnest prayers he begged of God that he would give him strength to undergo whatsoever he should please to lay upon him and that he would not suffer him to be tempted beyond what he was able to bear that he might have a quiet and comfortable departure out of this miserable and sinful world Presently the famous Physitian Dr. Stratenus was sent for from the Hague who was his special friend to whom was adjoined Dr. Wallaeus who performed all the Offices of good Physitians and did what Art could do But their business was not so much with the disease as with death which refused all remedies The Citizens of Leiden mourned exceedingly for his sickness the Queen of Bohemia and the Princess of Orange shewed most tender affections towards him His wife and family foreseeing their calamity in his loss were dissolved into tears But Heidanus coming to visit him he declared to him the inward peace of his soul his hope of future glory and his faith in Christ together with his earnest desire of leaving this miserable World He also freely forgave all that had wronged him desiring the like from others if he had any way justly offended them Professing that whatsoever he had done he did it out of his love to Truth and his care over the Church The night before his death Dr. Triglandius was sent for to him whom he always loved and honoured as his dear friend and Colleague who being come prayed with him and the next day Dr. Massisius Pastor of the French Church did tho like And thus he spent all that week in Prayers and holy Exercises On Wednesday night he caused his son to read to him the 8. cha of Ezekiel and part of the Epistle to the Romans after which he spake to his eldest son Frederick exhorting him to the study of Divinity requiring him not to be withdrawn from it by any means whatsoever he thought that he could never speak enough of the tender love care and diligence of his wife shewed towards him A little before his death recollecting his spirits in the presence of Samuel Riverius Pastor of Delph with a clear and fervent voice he prayed with such ardency of affections as caused all to wonder In his Prayers he gave immortal thanks to God for all his blessings bestowed so plentifully upon him in the whole course of his life and for that he had blessed him so much amongst strangers acknowledging himself to be lesse then all those blessings and that he had nothing to return to his Majesty for them but his grateful heart Above other things he especially blessed him for bringing him forth in a Reformed and Orthodox Church and for that he had not suffered him to be infected with the Popish Religion whose Doctrine he professed to be erroneous and contrary to the Gospel of Christ and the way of perdition He prayed heartily to God to continue these
schism at Rome He is cited to the Council His intimations as he went His kinde entertainment as he went Gods judgement on his adversary His courage Popish cruelty His writings in prison Popish cruelty The Nobles of Bohemia petition In his behalf The Councils incivility A prodigy His appeal to Christ. He is condemned His charity Popish cruelty A wicked Decree His works condemned His ornaments His patience Popish malice His books burnt His deportment at his death His prayer His martyrdom Inhumane cruelty A prophesie Gods judgement on his persecutors His petition to the King His request to the Bishop And to the Barons His works His birth His zeal His retreat to Iberling A safe Conduct denyed him His intimations set up at Constance His return towards Bohemia He is apprehended Carryed to Constance His answer to the Bishops He is accused His answer He is imprisoned He is encouraged Popish cruelty He fals sick His weakness He is brought before the Council He retracts his recantation Back-sliding repented of His condemnation His short answer His ornaments His deportment at death His martyrdom His courage His last words His works His birth His parentage His education Gods providence Schola Illustris He goes to Erford His great proficiency He is Master of Arts. Means of his conversion The ignorance of those times His study of the Scriptures A prediction His studiousness His ordination His remove to Wittenberg He goes to Rome Anno Christi 1511. Popish profaneness He is made Doctor of Divinity An. chr 1512. He studies the Languages Popish blasphemy He opposeth Indulgences His protestation Many defend Luthers Doctrine The Emperor is against him The Pope against him The Pope writes to the Duke of Saxony The Pope further persecutes him Luther cited to Rome The University pleads for him The Bohemians encourage Luther Luthers resolution His courage The cause why Luther was so hated Erasmus's testimony of him Luther cited to Ausburg Luther goes from Ausburg The University of Wittenberg stands for him The Duke of Saxony pleads for him Popes malice The Dukes answer Luther disputes at Lipsick Fryars and Bishops stir up the Pope against him Luther intends a retreat The Popes Bull against him The Bull answered The Bull excommunicated Luthers books burnt He burns the Bull. Luther sent for to Worms His friends disswade him His courage He goes to Worms His answer to Eccius His constancy The Emperour intends to proscribe him The Princes divided about it Lutherâ— courage He is proscribed And seâ—â—way His Patmos Witchcraft frustrated Reformation in his absence He translates the Bible His return to Wittenberg He is displeased with the reformation His faith The rising of the Anabaptists Luther unmasks them He deals more sharply with them Muncer and Pseiffer the Incendiaries The Anabaptists beaten Muncer and Pseiffer beheaded Luthers marriage Melancthon excuses it His sickness His Tentation How he recovered Melancthons fears Luther encourageth him An excellent speech His faith Luthers courage Erasmus censures him He defends his Book against King Henry the Eighth Wâ—y Luther was not punished His writings He will not be bâ—â—bed He publisheth his Catechisms The Confession of Auspurg Luther perswades to peace A Diet at Auspurg Peace endeavoured between Luther and Zuinglius Yet frustâ—ated Luthers preface to the Smalcaldian Articles His violence against the Sacramentaries His power in prayer He justifies his turn from Popery Power of prayer Luther falâ— sick His recovery A Council of the Popes What it was like 1538. Antinomians Their opinions He prays Melancthon well 1541. He comforts Myconius Power of prayer 1543. His judgment about Ceremonies His Exposition upon Genesis 1545. A Popish lye about Luthers death Luthers answer to it He is sent for into his own Country He is in danger of drowning He comes to Isleben His imployments His last sickness Luthers last Prayer His faiâ—h His 〈◊〉 His last will His last word His constancy He in part retracts consubstantiation His daughters death His sayings His charity His private life His recreations His care of his children His diseases His tentations His character His wifes afflictions Miracles Special providences One gives himself to the Devil 〈…〉 〈…〉 His works His speech about his works He would have none called Lutherans Melancthons testimony of him A prediction His character His stile Notâ— His birth and education His learning He commenced Master of Arts. His study of the Scrlptures Preachers pattern He is chosen to a place His zeal He opposeth Indulgences Popish impostures A Reformation in Zurick The Bishop opposeth it Zuinglius admonisheth the Bishop He would have Ministers marry Luthers Books come abroad He studies the Hebrew Lambertus converted His constâ—ncy Popery abolished The revenues of Monasteries turned to charitable uses He presseth a further reformation A Disputation A further Reformation An Abbess converted Note His marriage A controversie about the Mass. Luk. 8. Mat. 13. The Mass abolished He is instructed in a dream Eccius his rage Zuinglius defends himself A disputation fruitless Reformation at Bern. It s written in golden letters Quarels amongst the Switzers Peace made A Disputation Luthers violence The Disputation ends Some good effects of it Catabaptists Their wickedness They are punished Popish malice He is in danger New quarrels amongst the Switzers Wars begun They of Zurick beaten Zuinglius dislikes the war He is slain Popish cruelty He preached against Popery before Luther His character His works His birth His education He goes to Heidleberg Then to Bononia His study of Divinity He enters into the Ministry He studies Greek and Hebrew He is made a Preacher His friendship with Capito He is chosen to Basil. He is chosen to Auspurg Popish malice His call to Sir Fr. Sickengen He is Professor at Basil. Popish malice Reformation in Basil. Idols burnt Discipline erected Preachers pattern Vlm reformed 1529. A Disputation It s dissolved His imployments His sickness Hi industry He prepares for death His speech to his colleagues A prediction His perseverance His poverty His care for his children He foretels his death Joy unspeakable His death Popish lyes His character His works His birth His learning His Conversion His imprisonment His release Manifold afflictious He is set in the stocks His inlargement Popish malice His imprisonment Rastal converted by him Popish malice The King commands Frith to be tryed He is sent for to Croydon His conference with the Bishops men His courage and constancy A Prophesie His escape contrived He refuseth to fly and why His examination and learning His unjust condemnation His patience Gods mercy His death Popish malice His works A strange Providence His birth and education His zeal Mr. Latimer converted by him His zeal in preaching Popish malice His apprehension The Articles against him A Prophesie His condemnation His fall His penance His letter to Tonstal His first conversion His inward joy Without Faith nothing pleases God His desire to convert others The danger of Apostacy Great comfort after great troubles Prevalency of the truth
very studious Snares laid for him He is expelled the Colledge Gods 〈◊〉 His marriage An harsh Father in Law His poverty A speciall providence He is sent for by the Dutchess of Richmond Persecution in Qu. Maries daies A notable resolution Stephen Gardiner Flight in persecuâ—ion A great storm God providence He arrives at Newport He goes to Basil. A prophesie His return into England His humility His Indfatigable pains His body weakned thereby His excellent endowâ—eâ—ts His feâ—vâ—ncy in prayer His Charity His Prophesies Mrs. Honywood A Prophesie A Miracle Another observable story His many friends Deaâ—h foreseen His Death His Charity Vain glory reproved He reproves his son His Birâ—h and Education He goes to Marpurg His industry He goes to Wittenberg He is Master of Arts. Why he left the study of the Law A speciall Providence His return to Marpurg He is made a Professor His marriage He is made Doctor Preachers pattern His humility He goes to Heidleberg His sicknesse Preparation for death His death His Works His birth and education Flight in persecuâ—ion His return to England He confutes the lesuits His death His birth and education His parents poverty Snepâ—ius provides for him He goes to Tubing He is made Deacon He preaches before the Duke His marriage Gods providence The accursed Interim He is Deacon at Tubing He commenceth Doctor He is made Superintendent Note Sacrilege abhorred A strange story of a Jew He helps forward Reformation Gods providence He is made Chancellour of the University His great pains about the Concord Death foretold and desired His â—icknesse The Confession of his Faith What he gives thanks for His death His Works His birth and education He becomes a Fryar His conversion He flies into Germany He stayes at Strasborough He meets with troubles New opposition Gods providence He goes to Clavenna A great Pestilence 1564. He goes to Heidleberg He is made Doctor Zeal against heresies Hereticks confuted rejected He goes to Neostade His death His Works His Birth and Education He goes to Paris His conversion He goes to Geneva And to Paris He is chosen a Pastor Christ preferred before all Popish cruelty Gods providence The Protestants slandered Vindicated by Sadeel He is imprisoned Delivered by the King of Navaâ— His return to Paris A Synod A persecution raiâ—ed Sadeels faithfulneâ—â—e The Church thrives by persecution His sicknesse His painfulnes A Synod Independents error confuted He is againe driven from Paris He is driven out of France His return into France He goes to the K. of Navar. Gods providence He goes to Geneva 〈◊〉 sent into Germany His sicknesse Death sore old Comfort in death His death His Character His works His birth aâ—d Parentage His education He goes to Cambridge His preferment in the University His gratitude He is made Father at the Commencement He studies Divinity His Inâ—ustry His Temperance He Recreatâ—ons His excellent parts He is chosen Professor His Lectures He confutes the Papists As Campian Dury Sanders Rainolds His marriage Stapleton reproaches him for his marriage He is chosen Master of St. Johns He confutes Bellarmine His fidelity therein Stapleton tails Whitaker answereth His sicknesse His death Bellarmine admired him His carriage in his sicknesse His Character His great charity His piety to his parents His humility His Works His birth and education He goes to Geneva His admirable Learning He is called to Leiden From thence to Gaunt And thence to Navar. His death His Works His Birth and Parentage His Education He goes to St. Andrews A Vniversity erected at Edenborough He is sent for to Edenborough He goes thither He doth much good Four Professors chosen His piety and diligence A lâ—rge increase of Ministers Conversion wrought by his Ministry Beza's testimony His humility His sicknesse He moderates in a Synod Preparation for death His message to the King His exhortation to the Ministers Christ preferred before all things Death desired His exhortation to the Ministers His poverty His heavenly speech His death His Works His birth and Parentage His education He studies Greek He is robbed Charity His Industry His return home He is Pastor of Hafnia He is Hebrew Professor And Doctor Death desired His Death His birth and Parentage His Education He goes to Ulm. 〈◊〉 to Witâ—enberg Mâ—rabilis 〈◊〉 A Predigy His studiousnes He is Master of Arts. His return home He is made Deacon His diligence His marriage He is banished His return He is Doctor Reformation His prefermenâ—s 〈◊〉 self-denial His wives death His sicknesse His patience His death His humility and charity His prudence A good father His works His birth and education He is sent to Tubing His great proficiency He goes to Wittenberg Plato praises God for three things He goes to Heidleberg His travels He goes to Rostoch He is desiâ—ed in divers places His travels He is Doctor He goes to Augsburgh His contentation 1569. He goes into Austria His travels He goes into Stiria His sicknesse His Industry Preparation for death His death His Character Injuries to be born His wishes â—is Works His Birth and Parentage His Education His flight in persecution He is made Dean of Pauls His Charity His Works His death His birth and education He goes to Basil. 〈…〉 Tibing He is Master of Arts. He goes to Paris Thence to Orleance A famous Church at Orleance His marriage Wars in France Duke of Guise slain Gods mercy Popish malice Popish malice He is in great danger A miracle of mercy He is taken prisoner His release Gods mercy The Kâ—â—gs malice He goes to Sancerra Gods mercy He goes to Mombelgart His new troubles He preaches in a Caâ—â—le Popish rage The Massacre at Paris A special providence Popish cruelty Gods mercy He goes to the Dutches of Ferrara He goes into the Palatinate His faithfulnesse He is dismised He is called to Neostade His painfulnesse He is much esteemed He is sent for to Heidâ—eberg His opposition He is made Professor Commenceth Doctor His manifold â—fflictions P. Casimire dyeth A great plague His constancy His weaknesse His faith His Death Hiâ— character His workâ— His birth and education His conversion He preaches to the prisoners He converts many of them He is chosen pastor Preachers pattern His Character Note The powerfulnesse of his ministry His 〈◊〉 in â—â—â—ding His painfulnes His death He was same of his right hand Iosh. 1. 2. A thief converted at his death Power of Prayer His Works His Birth and Parentage His weaknes in his childhood His Education His Masters harshnesse He goes to Lions His Tentations Gods mercys He is drawn to Atheism Gods mercy Iohn 1. He is reclaimed He goes to Geneva His travels His poverty A speciall providence He weakens his body by abstinence His Father murthered His Industry He is chosen to Antwerp The inquisition brought into the Ne herlands Popish malice Miracles of mercy to him An other danger He goes to Limburg Strange tentations A strange example Gods mercy Anabaptists disturb the Church Popish malice Flight