to Gotha to teach and govern the Thuringian Churches where he lived with his Collegues twenty yeeres in much peace and concord of which himselfe saith Cucurrimus certavimus laboravimus pugnavimus vicimus viximus semper convinctissime c. In the tumult of the Boores he tooke much pains to pacifie their mindes and to keepe them quiet Yea he so quieted with an Oration some that were pulling downe some Noble mens houses that they went away in peace that yeere also he married a wife by whom through Gods blessing he had a numerous posterity He accompanied the Elector of Saxonie in many of his journyes into the Low-Countries and other places where he preached the Gospel sincerely though sometimes to the hazard of his life About this time Henry the eighth King of England fell out with the Pope for not divorcing of him from his wife Katharine of Spain sister to Charles the fifth by reason of whose greatnesse the Pope durst not doe it whereupon the King of England sent over to the Germane Princes especially to the Duke of Saxonie to confederate against the Pope and to joyn with them in an agreement about Religion upon which occasion Myconius was sent over into England partly about matters of Religion but especially about a match between Henry the eighth and Anne of Cleve but coming thither he discovered the Kings hypocrisie about Religion not onely by the six Articles about that time established but also by his imprisoning of Latimer and cutting off the Lord Cromwell'â— head and burning of Master Barnes c. and by his seizing upon all the Abby-lands whereupon he left England and being come home he was called by Henry of Saxonie to visit and reforme the Churches of Misnia together with Luther Ionas Cruciger c. Which fell out upon this occasion George Duke of Saxonie lying on his death-bed sent to his brother Henry all his owne sons being dead before desiring him that succeeding him he should innovate nothing in Religion and withall promised him golden mountains by his Ambassadors if he would assent thereto to whom Henry answered This Embassie of yours is just like the Divels dealing with Christ when he promised him all the world if he would fall downe and worship him but for my owne part I am resolved not to depart from the Truth which God hath revealed unto me but before the returne of the Ambassadour Duke George was dead whereupon this Henry nothwithstanding all the oppositions of the Papists made this Reformation in the Churches which worke being finished Myconius visited all the Churches in Thuringia and with the help of Melancthon and some otheâ— he provided them Pastors and Schoolmasters and procured stipends to be setled upon them for their maintenance Anno Christi 1541. he fell into a Consumption whereof he wrote to Luther That he was sicke not to death but to life which interpretation of the text pleased Luther excellently well unto whom he wrote back I pray Christ our Lord our salvation our health c. that I may live to see thee and some others of our Colleagues to die and goe to heaven and to leave me here amongst the Divels alone I pray God that I may first lay down thiâ— drie exhausted and unprofitable tabernacle farewell and God forbid that I should heare of thy death whiâ—st I live Sed te superstitem faciat mihi Deus hâ—c peto volo fiat voluntas mea Amen quia haec voluntas gloriam nominis Dei crete non meam voluptatem nec copiam quaerit A while after Myconius recovered according to this prayer though his disease seemed to be desperate out-lived it six yeers even till after Luthers death whereupon Iustus Ionas speaking of Luther saith of him Iste vir potuit quod voluit That man could have of God what he pleased A little before Myconius his death he wrote an excellent Epistle to Ioan. Fredericke Elector of Saxonie wherein he praiseth God for raising up three successively in that Family viz. Fredericke Iohn and Iohn Fredericke to undertake the patronage of Luâ—her c. He was a man of singular piety of solid learning of a dextrous judgement of a burning zeal and of an admirable candor and gravity He died of a relapse into his former disease Anno Christi 1546. and of his Age 55. Myconius was a man that lov'd to pry Into the bosome of Divinity His heart was alwayes flexively inclind To what was good he had a golden minde That would not bend to drosse but still aspire To heaven and faith gave wings to his desire He was belov'd of all that lov'd Gods name The trumpet of his voyce would still proclaime The word of God to those that would indure To have their wounds be brought unto a cure By whose examples we may learne to thrive In grace His present worth is still alive The life and Death of John Diazius Who dyed Anno Christi 1546. IOhn Diazius was borne in Spaine brought up at Schoole afterwards he went to Paris to study the Arts where he continued thirteen yeers but it pleased God that whilest he read over the holy Scriptures and some of Luthers bookes and other Protestant Divines he began to see and abominate the errours of Popery and therefore to further himselfe in the knowledge and study of the Truth he went to Geneva where he spake with Calvin and was very dear unto him From thence he went to Argentine where Martin Bucer observed his learning piety and diligence in his studie obtained of the Senate that he should be joyned with him to goe to the Disputation at Ratisbâ—ne and when he came thither he went to Peter Malvinda a Spaniard the Popes Agent in Germanie who when he knew that he camâ— in the company with Bucer and the other Protestant Divines he was much aâ—tonished and admired how he was so much changed from that which he knew him to be at Paris and withall he fretted exceedingly that they had gotten a Spaniard amongst them presuming that they would triumph more in him then in many Germans whereupon he left no meanes untried to draw him backe againe to the Church of Rome sometimes making large proffers and promises to him other-sometimes threatning severe punishments and mixing both with earnest entreaties but when by no meanes he could prevaile to divert him from the Truth he sent for his brother Alphonsus Diazius one of the Popes Lawyers from Rome who hearing that his Brother was turned Protestant came speedily into Germanie bringing a notorious cut-throat with him resolving either to divert or destroy him when he came to Ratisbone Diazius was departed to Neoberg about the Printing of Bucers Booke which Alphonsus hearing of followed him thither where after long debating of matters of Religion between the two Brothers Alphonsus seeing the heart of his Brother Iohn to be so constantly planted â—n thâ— sure rocke of Gods Truth that neither Preferments could allure him nor threats terrifie him
Church is most benefited Curates are indeed instructers within their particular Charge but Erasmus instructeth the Instructers to expresse his thankfulnesse for this and many other favours received in this Kingdom he honored Doctâ—r Coleâ— Deane of Pauls and founder of the Schoole caled Catechizatiquis with the Inscription of his Bookes De Copia Verborum et Rerum whereupon he said merrilie that he was turn'd Bankrupt and had no more to part with His Adages the thiâ—â—d tâ—me revised and inlarged with divers Treatises translated out of Plutarch he dedicated to his old Mâ—caoenas the Lord Monâ—joy his Emendations and Censures upon S. Hieroms Epistles an unparalled work to his unparralleld benefactor the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie Longer he intended to have stayed but hearing that Frobenius at the request of many French and Germane Universities had undertaken to reprint his Adages at Basil and having both them and S. Hieroms Epistles ready for the Presse at which he was desirous to be present setting all other businesse aside he took the most compendious way thither Frobenius he found in his grave yet was not disappointed of his welcome that was abundantly supplyed by his Sons Bruno and Basilius and Iohn Frobenius his kinsman in whom the old man still survived both for his skill and honestie they quartered him under the same rooff with Amerbachius whom after S. Ambrose and S. Augustin he found wholly imployed in the restitution of S. Hierom wherin at first he vsed the help of Iohn Reuclin a civilian but afterwards fell upon a more happie Critick Iohannus Conâ—n Norimbergensis the Dominican who out of worm-eaten Manuscrips supplied what he found wanting corrected many places depraved and replaced not a few formerly disioynted Thâ— worke was brought to such perfection before his arrivall that leaving the rest to Amerbachius except when his judgement was required in the variation of Manuscripts he appropriation unto himselfe the only volumn of his Epistles whereunto he prefixed Arguments and added briefe but judicious â—llustrations many are of opinion that it cost Erasmus more oyle and want of sleep in repairing such breaches as time and ignorance had made in them then it did the Author in penning them To this great worke succeeded a greater and much more profitable his Edition of and Annotations upon the whole new Testament which as the chiefe instrument of our Salvation he dedicated to the chiefe Bishop as he supposed Leo the 10. From Basil his private affairs drew him into the Low Countries he arrived at Aquisgrane at what time Charles the fift was inaugurated Emperor and was present at the Diet of Wormâ—s as one of his Councell being thereto admitted before the death of Silvagius the Chancellor The Diet ended and Tourney surrendred to the Emperor he made what hast he could back againe unto Basil from whence the world first saw and admired his Paraphrase upon the foure Evangelists and Saint Pauls Epistles a work uncertaine whether undertaken or received with greater alacrity in composing whereof he applyed himselfe amongst the Latines to Ambrosse Augustin Hierom and Hilary amongst the Greekes to Saint Chrisostom and his follower Theophylact the contexture and style were his owne The whole he dedicated by parts to Charles the 5. and Ferdinand his Brother by both he was highly esteemed and might if he pleased have been as richly rewarded But since preferment and he ran on not by chance but choise like Parallels some may wonder how he supported so vast a charge as the setting forth of so many Bookes of his owne the Emendation of so many written by others And which was an antecedent to both the purchase or transcription of so many Manuscipts to say nothing of his frequent and expensive travels must needs draw upon him There is no better way to cleer this doubt then before we go any further to measure his great esteem with the greatest of his Contemporaries by the Correspondence he held with them and their munificence towards him When he was scarce crept out of the shell he pronounced a Panegirick of his owne Composure before Philip father to Charles 5. as he came out of Spaine into Germany for which he honored him with a yeerly pension during Life King Henry the 8. of England wrot to him with his oâ—ne hand offered him a goodly house belike some dissolâ—ed Abbey worth six hundred Florenes yeerly and besidâ—s gave him severall tastes rather then surfeits of his prâ—â—cely bounty Francis the French King wrote likewise unto him after the same manner as appears by his letter yet extant offered him a Bishoprick and one thousand Florenes pre annum to set up his rest in France Charles the 5. offered him a Bishoprick in Sicily made him of his Councell and besides many of his expressions of his liberality bestowed upon him a yeerly pension of two hundred Florenes Ferdinand his brother King of Hungary made him a tender of four hundred Florenes yeerly with promise to make them up five hundred to professe at Vienna Sigismond as much to come into Poland and further with a Royall and liberall hand supplyed his present necessities Mary Queene of Hungary wrote to him often and ever with her owne Hand her bounty without question eqâ—alled her exceeding Humanity Anne Princess Veriana gave him a yeerly pension of one hundred Florenes Frederick Duke of Saxony presented him with two Medals the one Gold the other silver which in a letter to Spalatinus he prefers before two Attick Talents George Duke of Saxony with diverse Ingots of silver digged out of his owne Mines and a great drinking Bole of the same William Duke of Gulick imitated him in the latter but outstript him in the Capacity Adrian the 6. to whom he consecrateth Arnobius wrot to him thrice which grand respects from the Pope much abated the fury of the Friers his enemies and there is no doubt but he largly contributed towards the charge of that worke undertaken especially for his owne honor He congratulated the Papacie to Clement the 7. who in requitall sent him five hundred Florenes and by his Apostoticall letters invited him to Rome Paul the 3. had brought him into the Colledge of Cardinals but that he was prevented by death in the interim he sent him a Collation to the Prepositure of Daventry which he refused saying he was now neer the end of his journey and hoped to get thither without it William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury changed his Prebend into a pension and scarce ever wrote to him but in letters of Gold his last token was a Gelding of whom he used to say that though he wanted originall sin he was guilty of two mortall ones Sloath and Gluttony Cardinall Wolsey a stately Prelate and not easie of accesse yet wrot unto him letters full of singular humanity and besides other remembrances bestowed on him a Pension out of a Prebend in York The Bishop of Lincolne and Rochester bountifully supplyed him upon all occasiones Hammond and
spake him at the same time a Priest to God and Councellor to Caesar His conversation was an exact mixture of sweetnesse and severity without any the least admixture of pride ambition or avarice which rendred him inflexible to imbarque in any thing interruptive of his Studies or destructive of his liberty And though few hath written either more or better none whose Bookes have been further or more frequently exported yet upon all occasions he used no lesse rigidity in the Censure of his owne workes then Candor in giving judgement upon other mens He seldome injoyed perfect health for any Considerable time together abundance of rhume the bane of a sedeutary and cellish life inclined him to the stone wherewith he was often and sometimes above measure tormented Eating of fish the very smell whereof he abominated drove him into many and dangerous Agues especially every Lent And the Gout was no stranger to his elder yeeres The Monkes and Friers were generally his enemies the greater by how much the more illiterate and yet their successors by his painfull labours and example are since become exquiâ—itely learned Before the fiftieth yeere of his age no man wrote against him he against none resolved if possible not to imbrue his stile in any mans reputation The flame betwixt him Dorpius was quickly quenched Faber was the first who put him to a just Apology By his last will and Testament confirmed both by the Emperor and Pope he declared Bonifacius Amerbachius his heir Hieronymus Frobenius and Nicholaus Episcopius Overseeres of his Will wherin to severall friends he bequeathed severall Legacies as a Clock of gold to Ludovicus Berus a Spoon and fork of the same to Beatus Rhenanus to Petrus Vetereâ—s 150. Crowns as much to Philippus Montanus To his servant Lambert 200. Florenes To Brischius a Silver Tankerd To Faulus Volfius 100. Florenes To Sigismundus Tilenius 150. Duckats To Erasmius Frobenius his God-son two Rings To Hieronimus Frobenius his wearing cloathes bedding and houshold stuffs To his wife a ring wherein was set a pretious stone having therein ingraven a woman looking over her left shoulder To Episcopius a faire silver Bole with a cover to his wife a Diamond Ring To Goclenius a silver Bole His Library he sold upon his death bed to Iohannes a Lasco His medals antient Coyne ready money and debpts with the remain'der of his Watches Clockes Rings Plate Jewels and other curiosities of no small value to his Heir Amerbachius not for his owne use but to be sold and the money by advice of the forenamed Overseers to be distributed first to the poor infirim Persons whether through age or sicknesse Secondly to Portionlesse Virgins to procure them husbands and thirdly to poor but hopefull young Schollers for advancement of their studies His heir he restrayned meerly to his Lagacy whith was none of the greatest Concerning his owne worke he left nothing in charge at his death as modestly doubtfull of their Genius or how they might take with ensuing and more learned times whereof notwithstanding Frobenius was so confident that immeadiatly after his death he reprinted them to his as infinit cost as Commendation in nine great Tomes in folio wiâ—h promise of a Tenth which never came forth Contaying onely his Animaduersions Castigations and Censures upon the Fathers and other Authors whereof thou mayest behold both the names and number in this Ensuing Catalogue Librorum Erasmicorum Classis prima quae Grammeticen Ethicen Spectant DE copia verborum ac rerum libri duo Syntaxis in usum Scholae coletanae Declamatio Tyrannicidae Luciani respondens De ratione conscribendi Epistolas De pueris statim ac liberaliter instituendiâ— De Ratione Studii Laâ—â— Medicinae Similium lib. unus Colloquiorum lib. unus De recta Latini Graetique Sermonis pronuntiatione Ciceronianus sive de optimo dicendi genere De civilitate morum puerilium Epitome in Elegantias Laurentii vallae Carminum diversi generâ—s lib. unus Aâ—â—agiorum Chiliades Epistolarum lib. 3â— Apotâ—egmatum lib. 8. Moriae Eucomium sive laus stulâ—itiae Panagyricus ad Philippum Burgundionum principem Ad eundem carmen Graâ—ulatorium Institutio Principis Chrâ—â—â—iani De Morte Declamatio Declamatiuncula Graâ—ulatoria Pacis Querimonia Lingua De senectute Carmen Libri secundae Classis qui pietatem spectant Euchiridion Christiani Militis Oratio de virtute amplectâ—nda Ratio verae Theologiae Paraclesis Modus confitendi Enarratio Psalmi Beatus vir Enarratio Psalmi Quare fremuerunt Gentes Paraphrasis in Psal. Domine quid mulâ—iplicaâ—ti Concio in Psal. Cum invocarem Enarratio in Psal. Dominus regit me Enarratio in Psal. Benedicam Domino in omnitempore Enarratio in Psalm Dixi Custodiam vias Concio in Psalm 85. De puritate Ecclesiae Christi De Bello Turcis inferendo consultâ—tio De Amabili Ecclesiae concordia De Misericordia Domini coucio Virginis Marcyris comparatio Concio de Puero Iesu. Epistola consolatoria ad Virgines sacras Christiani Matrimonii Institutio Vidua Christiana Ecclesiastes sine de Ratione concionandi Modus Orandi Deum Symbolum sive Catechismus Precationum lib. 1. Poean Virgini Matri dicendus Oratio ad Mariam in Rebus adversis De contemptu mundi De taedio pavore Christi Disputatio De praeparatione ad Mortem lib. 1. Ode de casa natalicia Iesu. Expostulatio Iesu cum Homine pereunt Hymni varii Liturgia Virginis Lauretanae Carmen votiuum Genovefae Commentarius in duos Hymnos prudentii de Natali Epiphania pueri Iesu. Christiani Hominis Institutum Epitaphia in Odiliam Libri tertiae Classis Nouum Testamentum cum Annotationibus Paraphrases in S. Matthaeum S. Marcum S. Lucam S. Iohannem Acta Apostolorum Paraphrases in D. Paulum Epistolas ad Romanos Corinthios 1. Corinthios 2. Galatas Ephesios Philippenses Collocenses Thessalonicenses 1. Thessalonicenses 2. Timotheum 1. Timotheum 2. Titum Philemonem Paraphrases in Epistolas SS Petri 1. Petri 2. Iudae Iacobi Iohannis 1. Iohannis 2. Iohannis 3. Ad Hebraeos Libri quartae Classis sive Polemica Epistola Apologetica ad Dorpium Epist. Apolog. ad Iacobum Fabrum Stapulensem Epist. Apologetica adâ— Iacobum Latomum Ad Atonsem pro Declamatione Matrimonii Adversus sanctium Caranzam Apologia de in principio erat Sermo Apologiae tres ad Notationes Edvardi Lei. Apologia adversus ea quae in Nono Testam ab Erasmo Recognito Annotato taxaverat Iacobus Lopez In Natalem Beddam de loco Omnes quidem reâ—urgemus Adversus Petrum sutorem Carthusianum Appendix de Scriptis Clithovei Declamationes adversus Theologos Parienses Ad Phimosthomum de Divortio Ad suvenem Geronâ—odidascalum Ad Monachos quosdam Hispanos Apologia contra Albertum Pium Carporum Principem De Esu carnium De libero Arbâ—â—rio collatio Hyperaspistae Diatribes libri duo Purgatio adversus Epistolam Lutheri Detectio Praestigiarum libelli cujusdam Adversus Pseudoruaengelicos Ad Eleâ—therium Ad
animate and encourage these his friends to fight for the glory of God and to give sufficient testification of his zeale towards God he was himselfe present in Person in two severall Battels fought betwixt them neaâ—e unto Capella a Monastery situate in the fields of Tigurum unto the first he came freely of his owne accord that he might be present at their Consultations and to see that there were no declining from truth and equity This Battell was finished without the shedding of blood concerning which he was often heard to say that he had seene more malice and more wicked Counsell in it then he knew all his life time either by experience or from reading Unto the second he waâ— elected and chosen us chiefe Commander and being unwilling at the first to undertake such a burden the ground of that quarrell being something displeasing unto him it being onely Grameatus denegatio yet at the last he resolved to goe presaging as it were his owne death by the uâ—tring of these words Seio scio quid rei sit ut ego â—ollar fiunt omnia I know I know how the case stands now all these preparations are for my ruine and destruction Wherefore being well horsed and compleatly Armed he followed the Tigurunes in the reare being ready to joyne battell he went not forth as a Captaine or Commander of the Army but as a good Citizen and faithfull Pastor who would not forsake his friends in their greatest perill In this Battell Zuinglius was slaine together with three hundred eighty and three of his confaederates it happening on the eleventh day of Octobrr in the yeer of our Lord 1531. after that he had Preached the Gospel of Christ at Tigurum the space of 12. yeeres and at Glarona and Eremus the space of a 11. yeeres himselfe being 44. yeeres of age They which were neere unto him when he fell wounded even unto death heard him utter these words What misfortune is this Well they can indeed kill the body but they cannot kill the soule being in this misery he was demanded by his enimies whether he would yeeld unto Papisticall invocation of the Saints being not able to speake he refused it apparantly by the motion of his head and by the lifting up of his eyes to heaven he gave thâ—m to understand that he would invoke and call on none but on the Lord above wherefore in a raging and cruell manner tooke his life away from him condemned his body to be cut in foure quarters and to be burnt unto ashes in the fire Some of his faithfull friends greatly lamenting his death came full of sorrow unto the place where his body was burnt and lightly moving the ashes found his heart sound and untouched with the flames some ascribing it unto the power of God who by this miracle would declare unto the world both his innocency and also his zeale others spending their judgements accordingly as they were affected toward the Person And this was the end of the godly Minister of Christ whose great desire for the advancement of the truth of Christ will clearly shew it selfe by those painfull and learned labours of his which are extant in the Church being comprehended and contained in foure Tomes Tome 1. 1. A worke of Articles 2. An exhortation to the whol State of Switzerland 3. A Supplication to the Bishop of Constance 4. Of the certainty and purity of Gods Word 5. An answer unto Valentine of the authority of the Fathers 6. Institutions for Youth 7. A good Shepheard 8. Of Iustice Divine and Humaine 9. Of Providence Tome 2. 1. Of Baptisme 2. Of Originall Sinne. 3. Of true and false Religion 4. An Epistle to the Princes of Germany 5. Of the Lords Supper 6. Of Christian Faith written unto the French King Tome 3. Commentaries on Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Isaiah 4. Jeremiah Psalter out of Hebrew into Latin Tome 4. 1. Annotations on the foure Evangelists 2. History of our Saviours Passion Annotations on 3. The Romans 4. Corinthians 5. Philippians 6. Collossians 7. Thessalonians 8. Hebrewes 9. James 10. John Epist. 1. They that are willing to engage and prove Themselves true Souldiers in the field of Love Must follow Zuinglius whose ample glory Affords the World an everlasting Story Ye Prelats of these Times stoope downe and sée The Wisdome Valour and the Constancie Of this renowned Father whose deserts Ought to be printed in all noble Hearts He fell with Honour and all those that fall Guarded with Truth deserve a Funerall Adorn'd with Angels that all tongues may say Here lyes Relig'ons and the Churches stay Brave Zuinglius dy'd though it be hard to doe A valiant Souldier and a Martyr too IOHN COLLET The Life and Death of John Colet IOhn Colet was borne in London of honest and wealthy Parents His Father was twice Lord Major of that famous City to whom his Mother a chaste and fruitfull Matron brought forth eleven Sonnes and as many daughters of which numerous off-spring Iohn Colet was the eldest and sole Survivor the rest dyed before their Father whereby he became Heir to a very considerable fortune and yet nature to him was no lesse indulgent then fortune being indowed with all the Simmetry almost imaginable in a tall and comely Person In his younger yeeres he gave himselfe to the study of Phylosophy and in the seaventh after his Matriculation in the Vniversity obtained his degree of Master in Arts an honor not so much given to his Standing as due to his knowledge in the Liberall Sciences in none whereof he was ignorant in some exquisitly learned All Tullies woâ—ks were as familiar unto him as his Epistles neither was he any stranger to Plato and Plotinus whom he not oâ—ely read but conferred and paralleld perusing the one as a Commâ—ntator upon the other As for the Mathematickes there is scarce any part thereof wherein he was not seene abovâ— his yeeres certainly above expectation Having thus fethered his nest at home he began to looke abroad and improve his stock in forreigne Countries In France he added his Humanity what he thought necessary to the study of Divinity which thereafter he effectually prosecuted in Italie amongst the Ancients he was most taken with Dionysius Areopagita Origen Saint Cyprian St. Ambrose and Saint Hierom with St. Augustine whether out of Singularity or judgement amongst all the Fathers he seemed most disguised And yet he did not so mancipate himselfe to Antiquity but that as occasion served he sometimes survayed Aquinas Scotus and other Schoolmen In a word he was seene in both Lawes and singularly well read in History both Civill and Ecclesiasticall And because he saw that England had her owne Dant's and Petrarchs as well as Italie who have performâ—d the same here that they there those and these he both read and diligently imitated accommodating thereby his stile to the Pulpit and Preaching of the Gospel After his returne from Italie he made choyse to live at Oxford where he publickly
Bucer wee Ascribe the second we bequeath to thee Whose knowledge in the holy dialect A fame eternall will to thee erect In that thou first didst bid the world godnight Thou seem'st inferior to that burning light But being first with heavens glory cround Thou dost appeare a Saint more worthy found In other things both fitly did agree Both faithfull preachers of his veritie Both painfull Sowers of the heavenly graine Both blest with good successe it sprung againe Wherefore God blest you both with honor high And cloath'd you both with immortality O happy soules though heaven keepe you there Your fame shall ever be intombed here Your worthy praises all the earth shall know Divulged by our Muses here below He was of a tall stature somewhat blacke-visaged his countenance appeared outwardly severe extorting reverence but he was inwardly of an affable and courteous disposition loving meeke and lowly he was an excellent Orator a great Student as appeares by his Workes here inserted 1 A worke called Thysby 2 Apothegmes of the Fathers 3 Morall Sentences ef Ben Syra alphabetically digested 4 The translation of Tobias the Hebrew 5 Hebrew Prayers 6 A literall exposition of the Hebrew sayings on the foure first chapters of Genesis with a Chalde Paraphrase 7 Of the truth of Faith 8 Commentaries on certaine Psalmes by Kirachi 9 An Hebrew Preface to Elias Levila his Chalde Lexicon 10 Thargum 11 An Introduction to the Hebrew tongue Reader behold here stands before thine eye The perfect â—mbleme of true gravity Turne from his face then read and thou shalt finde The rare endeavours of a serious minde He was a man whose ever-active heart Was alwayes digging in the Mines of Art And like a Bée he labour'd every houre To sucke some Hony from each spreading Flowre T was not the face of poverty could fright His soule from goodnesse Heaven was his delight And earth his scorne he study'd how to give A life to Language and make Uertue live It is not unfit that he whose Workes affords So many Languages should want for words MARTINVS BVCERVS The Life and Death of MARTIN BUCER IN the yeer of our Lord 1491. Martinus Bucerus was born at Selestadt a towne in Germanie famous for many learned Schollars which it hath afforded unto the World in these latter times amongst which this Bucer deserveth not the meanest approbation if we shall but consider those excellent vertues wherewith he was endewed or his learned and laborious acts for the propagation of the truth of Christ. In his youth he was trained up in the knowledge of the liberall Arts and Sciences in his owne Countrey wherein he profited beyond expectation to the great credit of his Maâ—â—er and to the unspeakable comfort of his friends About the yeer of our Lord 1506. and about the fifteenth yeer of his age through the advice and perswasion of his friends he adjoyned himselfe unto the order of the Dominicans where he manifested and gave them so singular a glympse of his industry and towardnesse that the most judicious and best eye-sighted Fryers conceived him to be set apart for the performance of more â—hen ordinary Acts. Being now a Dâ—minican he greatly desired to take a view oâ— Heidelberge which was granted unto him by the Pryor here he earnestly gave himselfe to the study of Rhetoricke and Phylosophie and not to these Arts onely but also to Divinity but when he found by experience that the knowledge of the Tongues was so necessary unto the study therof that without them it could not by any meanes possible be attained to any perfection he forthwith bent all his forces for the gaining of the knowledge of the Greeke and Hebrew tongues About that time came forth the Workes of Erasmus Roterodamus in the reading whereof Bucer greatly delighted and was by them first instructed God opening his eyes in the grounds of Evangelicall truth and happening also on some of Luthers Workes newly published and comparing the Doctrine therein delivered and taught with the holy Scripturâ—s he fell into a suspâ—tion of the truth of the doctrine of the Church of Rome Bucer having now attained unto some perfection of learning and notice being taken of those excellent qualities wherewith he was adorned upon the commendation and approbation of Franciscus Sickingen he was entertained by Fredericke Prince Elector Palatine to be his Chaplaine and forsaking that profession which he had formerly taken he professed himselfe to be a Protestant and Preached the word both privatly and publickly as occasions were offered and given unto him being much strengthened and animated thereunto by hearinâ— the disputation of Luther at Heidelberge concerning Free-will whereby he became better satisfied in the point of justification And thiâ— waâ— the first acquaintance which he had with that burning light of the Church by whom it pleased God to worke an alteration in his heart and an earnest intent to beat downe the sinnes of the times to dispell the foggie mists of darkenesse and ignorance that the glorious light of Christs Gospel might the better appear For the Prince Elector having urgent occasions to goe into Belgiuno and taking him with him as his associate he sharpely reproved in his Sermons and Exercises the supersticious impieties of those places wherein he proceeded with that eagernesse of spirit that the Monkes and Fryers there living were much offended at his Doctrine as a thing prejudiciall to their lazie manner of life Wherefore to prevent his proceeding they intended secretly to take away his life an old practise of that hellish brood but the providence of God would not suffer this light to be thus extinguished for he having notice of the snares which were laid for him secretly fled away and went unto Franciscus Sickingem of whom he was kindely and lovingly entertained promising him safety untill that the times were better quieted as touching Religion with whom he remained untill such such time as Luther was called unto Wormes unto whom he went and having spâ—nt many dayes in conference with him he departed from him not without he embracing of his Doctrine with an intent to make publicke profession of the same for the glory of God untill he had finished that time which was alotted unto him here in earth and resolving to take his journey for Wittemberge he was stayed by the intreaty of the faithfull Pasâ—ors of the Church at Wissenburge where he continued Preaching for the space of halfe a yeere not without the great benefit of the Church untill that he with Henricus Mothererus were with great sorrow compelled to depart that place through the means of the Vicar of Spire which at that time was a great enemy and an opposer of the truth of Christ. Now although the Word of God had no good successe in this place yet it pleased God that it florished in Strasburge by the pains of Matthias Lellius and Casper Hedio faithfull labourers in the Lords Vineyard hither came Bucer in the yeere of our Lord 1523. and
the Emperour had promulgated a book written concerning Religion called the Interim which he would have to be embraced and confirmed by the States and Cities of the Emprie which when he perceived that it was received by the Senate first he publikly opposed it in the Church and exhorted them to the constant profession of their former doctrine and secondly he told them that he must be compelled to depart from them in case they did refuse his motion but he perceiving no hopes of altering their opinions after that he had taken his supper he left the City being accompanied onely with one Citizen committing his wife and eight children which he left behind him unto the protection of the Almighty and being without the Ports he changâ—d his hablit least through the same he might be discovered by his enemies And having turned a Wagon he went toward Tiâ—urum where he remained a few dayes with Bullinger and from thence he departed and went unto Basil unto Iohanner Hervagius his wife followed immediatly after him not knowing where to find him unlesse at Basil wherefore when she came to Constance for her assuâ—aÌ„ce she sent letters by a trusty friend whom she desired to certifie her husband of her aboade at Constance the messenger finding Musculus at Basil delivered the letters and forthwith returned unto Constance where he found his wife and children upon the Lords day following he preached twice in the City taking for hiâ— text those words in Iohn the 6. ver 66. From that time many of the Disciples went back and walked no more with him Then said Iesus unto the twelve I will yet also goe away c. from which place of Scripture he shewed unto them how greatly those Cities did offend which did fall from the truth of Christ for the favour of mâ—n and withall he earnestly exhorted the people of Constance not to follow the examples of such but constantly to adhaere unto the truth taught by Christ in his Word and this was the last Sermon that was Preached in the peaceable state of the Commonwealth for the day following the Spanish Forces under the conduct of Alfonsus Vives beleagured the City during the Siedge by the perswasion of Ambrosius Blavrerus a reverend Pastor Musculuâ— with his wife and children were conveyed out of the City with safety and they escaped the fury of the enemies intending to goe for Tigurum but by reason of sicknesse which seized on his wife he was compelled to remain at Sangallum after her recovery he went unto Tigurum where he was joyfully received of the Inhabitants with whom he continued six months before he was called to performe his Ministeriall function in which vacancy he was called by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury into England but in regard of his owne age as unfit for travell and in respect of the weaknesse of his wife and the many children which he had he modestly refused Not long after the Inhabitants of Berne were destitute of a Divinity Lecturer for their Schooles wherefore he was called by the Senate unto that profession which indeed was most welcome unto him partly for the excellency of that Church and Commonwealth and partly for the renewing of his acquaintance with his old friend Iohannes Hallerus He entred upon this Lecture in the year 1549. and constantly continued in it for the space of fourteen years to the exceeding benefit of the Church of Christ opening in that space unto his Auditours almost the whole Bible He naturally detested Contraversies and would write his minde without the injury or contempt of others so that his Workes were opposed by no man in publicke during his life onely those two Sermons excepted which he Preached before the Princes at Wormes which were opposed by Cochlaeus The great love which he carried towards the Inhabitants of Berne appeareth in this that he refused great honour and ample Revenues which were profered unto him during his Lectureship at Berne for he was thrice called into England seconded with large rewards also the Inhabitants of Auspurge having againe obtained their former liberty amongst other banished Ministers they first recalled Musculus He was againe desired by the Inhabitants of Strasburge invited by Otho Henricus and Fredericus Prince Elector Palatine and by the Land grave of Hassia many times but he modestly refused all these though honourable calings intending to performe his best service unto the end of his dayes unto that City who had shewed and vouchsafed him such kindnesse in his greatest extremity which indeed was truly performed Not long before his death he was sickly partly by reason of his years his body being spent with infinite cares and labours partly by reason of a vehement cold which did much afflict him whereby he gathered that he was to leave that house of clay and therefore setting all other things aside he entred into a heavenly meditation of death the sum of which he hath left unto the world being written by himselfe before his death Nil super est vitae frigus praecordia captat Sed in Christe mihi vita parennis ad es Quid crepidas anima ad sedes abitura quietis En tibi ductor adest Angelus ille tuus Lingua domum hanc miseram nunc in sua fata ruentem Quam tibi fida Dei dextera restituet Peccasti scio sed Christus ardentibus in se Peccata expurgaâ—sanguinâ— cuncta suo Horribilis mors est fateor sed proxima vita est Ad quam te Christi gratia câ—rta vocat Praesto est de Satana peccaâ—a est morte triumphâ—s Christus ad hunc igitur lâ—â—a alacrisque migra This life is done cold Death doth summon me A life eternall I expect from thée My Saviour Christ why dost thou fear my Dove He will conduct thée to his throne above Forsake this body this corrupted creature Thy God will change it to a better nature Dost thou abound with sin I do confesse That thou art guilty and dost oft transgresse But Christ his blood doth wash and cleanse all those That can themselves in him by Faith repose Doth Death appeare an object full of horror Both ugly ghastly and not wanting terror I do confesse it but that life againe Which followes death doth take away that paine Unto which life we called are by Christ Then do no longer O my soule resist But yéeld thou with all chéerfulnesse to dwell With him triumphing or'e Death Sin and Hell Afterwards the strength of his sicknesse did increase by the addition of an Ague wherby he was brought so weak that he was not able to sit up right in his bed wherefore he sâ—nt unto Master Iohannes Allerus and other Ministers unto whom he declared the Faith which he dyed in and withall committed the care of his Wife and Children unto thâ—m who told him that they would not bâ— deficient in any thing wherein they might shew themselves beneficiall and helpfull unto them As he was a man endewed with an
Ridley Latimer and afterwards Cranmer men of incomparable piety whereby the propagation of the truth was hindred There hapned also other causes of discontent as the faction of some neighbouring Pastors bewitched with the instigation of that Carmelite Bolsecus who bitterly inveighed against him concerning Predestination whereupon he obtained leave of the Senate to go unto Berne to be censured by the Church concerning that point in which censures the adversaries being found guilty they were expelled banished the Country and he found favor was in great estimation amongst the best In the year 1556. Calvin preaching in Geneva he was taken so strongly with an Ague that he was forst to leave in the midst of his Sermon and to come downe from the Pulpit upon this accident newes was spread abroad concerning his death which in short space came unto Rome and it was so ioyfully entertained by the Pope that he forthwith caused publicke prayers and thanksgivings to be dedicated unto God in all the Church for the same but the prayers of the faithfull prevailed more for he was so far from dying that being as it were endewed with another life he went unto France fuet ad Maenum being thereunto called for the removing the dissentions out of the Churches of France whence returning although somewhat sickly yet he ceased not to execute his constant course in his Ministery and also he carefully and timely confuted the hereticall opinion of Valentinus Gentilis touching three Gods and three Eternals lest by continuation it should take such root that it would hardly be plucked up And these were his actions untill the year 1558. wherein in pleased God to afflict him with a quartan Ague which caused great sorrow and lamentation in Geneva yet it continued with him but for the space of eight weeks in which time it weakned and so enfeebled his body that he was never sound untill the day of his death During this sicknesse he was advised by the Physitians and some of his friends to forbeare his usuall exercises and to cherish his body with a little ease but he would not declaring unto them that he could not endure an idle life In the year following Henry King of France intended to levell Geneva with the ground and to put the Inhabitants thereof to the sword but before he could effect that bloody project he was taken captive by a higher power and the City still flourished even in the midst of her enemies and that nothing might be wanting unto her prosperous and flourishâ—ng state Calvin caused a Schoole to be erected and consecrated unto the great God which should alwayes be furnished with learned Ministers and publicke Professours of the Arts and Tongues and especially of Divinity that so the City might enrich it selfe with its owne treasure In the year 1560. the Waldenses sent unto Calvin for his judgement concerning some points wherein he gave them aboundant satisfaction and exhorted them to joyne themselves with the other Protestant Churches And at the same season many Protestants in France hearing of â—he peace and quietnesse which the Church in England enjoyed at the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth many of them came into England and desired of Edmund Grindal 〈◊〉 Lord Bishop of London that they might have leave to sâ—â—d for a Preacher unto Geneva for the planting of the French Church in London who condiscended thereunto Galasâ—â—â— was sent Calvin having spent his dayes hitherto in extraordinary labours for his life may well be said to be a continued labour mixed with griefe as appeareth by the Works which he wrote being at Geneva The time was now at hand in which he must goe unto his eternall rest his diseases contracted by his indefatigable labours caused him to give over his Divine exercises for indeed how could he continue long when as his body was by nature weake and leane inclining to a consumption and because he slept very little spending almost all the year either in Preaching Teaching or Dictating for ten whole years he never Dined and after the set houre he would not receive his Supper He was subject unto the disease called the Migram for the curing of which he used nothing but fasting and that sometimes for the space of six and thirty houres After that his quartan Ague left him he was troubled with the Gout taking him in his left legge which to make it the more grievous was seconded with the Colick The Physitians applyed what remedies they could and he carefully followed their counsell He was armed against these afflictions with an admired patience no man ever hearing him uttering a word unworthy of himselfe in his greatest extremity but lifting up his eyes unto heaven he would chearfully utter the words of David How long O Lord. When he was exhorted by his friends to desist from reading or writing in the time of sicknesse he would reply What will you have the Lord finde me idle Not long before his death some of his fellow Pastors coming accordingly as they used to visit him they found him contrary to their expectation apparalled and fiâ—ting at his Table in that forme as he used to meditate resting his head on his hand he spake these words unto them I thanke you brethren for the care which you have over me but I hope that within these fifteen dayes the Lord will reveale how he intends to dispose of me and I thinke that I shall leave you and be received of him Growing weaker and weaker he was brought into the Senats Court by his command where after an humble manner he thanked the Senate for the curtesies formerly conferred on him and for the speciall care which they had of him in this his last sicknesse Not long after he received the Communion at the hands of Beza labouring the best that he could to joyne with the rest of the Congregation in singing of Psalmes unto God The day wherein he dyed he seemed to speake somewhat heartily but this was but the last strugling of nature for about eight of the clocke apparant signes of death were seen which being perceived of Beza he ran forth to acquaint his other Collegues with it but besure his returne he had quietly yeelded his soule into the hands of God leaving such a chearfull countenance unto the beholders that he seemed rather to be asleepe then dead Thus was that light taken away even at the seâ—ting of the Sun The day following there was great lamentation throughout the City the Church lamented for the death of her faithfull Pastor the Schoole sorrowed for the losse of so famous a Doctor and in generall all were filled with mourning because they were deprived of their onely comforter next unto God Many of the Citizens desired to behold him after that he was dead so great was their affection to him and some strangers also whom the fame of Calvin had drawne unto that place and amongst them the English Embassadour for France desired greatly to see him being
his Bed in which after he was laid the Gentleman of his Bed-chamber red to him till wearied nature shut up the offices of hiâ— senses long after his Porter had lockt up the Gates of his Pallace This watchfull and laborious kind of life without any recreation at all save what his necessary refection at hiâ— meals and a very few hours of rest in the night aforded him spent the oyl of this sweet Lamp the faster and thereby hastened his extinction and death in this world Which as he foresaw by the spirit so he foretold by letters to the Bishop of Noâ—wich Yet upon record in the works of Doctor Humfrey and as he forefaw it and foretold it so accordingly he prepared for it as a Traveller who hath little day and much way left spurreth on faster that he may reach home by day-light so he desirous to finish his course before the night of death approached mended his pace and dispatched all sorts of businesse with more celerity and as he was visiting his Diocesse more severely then ever before God visited him and as he preached at Lacock upon the words of the Apostle Walk in the Spirit Death arested him in the Pulpit from whence he was carried to his bed where he still continued preached to all that came to visit him either by heavenly instructâ—ons or pious ejaculations or divine meditations and paraphrases upon the pâ—ssages of Scripture which were read unto him even till at one and the self-same instant he committed both his hearers and his soul to God Valerius Maximus writeth of Sylla that it was hard to say whether he or his anger were first extinct for he threatned his enemies dying and dyed threatning but on the contrary it may be said of this servant of Christ Jesus it is hard to determine whether his naturall heat or his zeal first was extinguished whether his Prayers or his soul first arrived at Heaven for he dyed praying and prayed dying His last words worthy to be written with a pen of Diamond never to be rased out were theseâ— A Crown of righteousnesse is laid up for me Christ is my righteousnesse this is my body this day quickly let me come â—nto theâ— this day let me see the Lord Iesu. He was buried in the midst of the Quire where after he had been interred two yeers Dr. Humfrey laid upon him a faire marble stone with an inscription upon it containing a brief Chronicle of his life of which monument of that religious Professor it may be truly said as it was of that which Iulius Caesar raised to Pompey Caesar dum Pompeii statuas erexti suas confirmavit In making this monument to continue the memory of Iewel he eternized his own but Iewel left himself a second monument more famous then that the Library he built in Salisbury and yet a third more lasting then either of the former his Works here ensuing whereof these were Manuscripts 1. A Paraphrasticall Exposition of the Epistles and Gospels through the whole yeer 2. A continuate Exposition of the Creed Lords Prayer and ten Commandements 3. A Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galathians 4. A Commentary upon the Epistle of Saint Peter The Printed are these 1. Anno Dom. 1550. A latine Sermon preached at Saint Maries upon 1 Pet. 4.11 2. An. Dom. 1558. Divers Sermons preached before Queen Elizabeth at Pauls Crosse. 3. An. Dom. 1559. Epistola ad Scipionem patritium veneâ—um de causis cur Episcopi Angliae ad Concilium Tridentinum non convenerint 4. Anno 1560. A Challenge to all Papists at Pauls Crosse with an Answer to Doctor Cole in defence of a Sermon preached before the Queens Majesty and her most honourable Councell 5. Anno 1561. Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae 6. Anno 1562. An Exposition upon the first Epistle to the Thessalonians 7. Anno 1563. An Exposition upon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians 8. An. 1564. A Reply to Master Hardings Answer concerning the seven and twenty Articles contained in Master Jewel his Challenge viz. 1. Of private Masse 2. Communion under both kinds 3. Of Prayer in a strange tongue 4. Of the Supremacy 5. Of the reall presence 6. Of Polytopue or being in many places at once 7. Of the Elevation 8. Of adoration of the Host. 9. Of carrying the Sacrament under a Canopy 10. Of accidents without subject 11. Of dividing the Sacrament 12. Of a figure in the Sacrament 13. Of plurality of Masses 14. Of adoration of Images 15. Of reading the Scripture in the mother tongue 16. Of Consecration under silence 17. Of the Sacrifice of the Masse 18. Of receiving the Communion for others 19. Of the application of Christâ— death by the Masse 20. Of Opus Operatum 21. Of the Title of the Sacrament Lord and God 22. Of remaining under accidents 23. Of Mice eating the body of Christ. 24. Of Individium Vagum 25. Of the form and shews of Bread and Wine 26. Of hiding and covering the Sacrament 27. Of Ignorance whether it be the mother of Devotion 9. Anno 1565. A Rejoynder to Mr. Hardings Reply 10. An. 1566. A defence of the Apology of the Church of England 11. An. 1567. An answer to Mr. Hardings Preface 12. An. 1568. A Treatise of the Sacraments 13 An. 1569. The view of a seditious Bull sent into England 14. An. 1570. A Treatise oâ— the holy Scriptures If any desire to be more familiarly acquainted with Iewels and to be particularly informed of his method and course of study his witty and learned Discourses at Table his Poems and penned Speeches in the Colledge his Exercises for his Degrees his holding the golden Ballances of Minerva before Vrania being Moderator in Divinity Disputations in the presence of Queen Elizabeth at an Act at Oxford as also how he attained to that admirable faculty of memory whereby he waâ— able on the sudden to repeat Chapters of names read to him backward and forward broken sentences and exutick words Welsh Irish or any other Language after once or twice reading at the most let him read the story of his life at large in Doâ—tor Humfrey or at least the abridgement thereof which I drew in the year of our Lord 1611. being then Student in Corpus Christi Colledge at the command of Archbishop Bancroft which as soon as it was sent up was suddenly printed and prefixed to Iewels Works before I had time to revise it and note the Errata which I entreat thee for thine own sake as well as for mine thus now to correct Page 5. line 30. The wisdome of God so ordered this matter adde For Jewel his greater honour and the advantage of the truth P. 7. l. 10. for the blessed Spouse of Christ r. the blessed husband of the Spouse of Christ. P. 8. l. 21. for Valerius r. Vellerius p. 9. l. 16. for his Apologie fell in the yeer 1566. r. the defence of his Apologie And l. 23. for cene r. scene p. 12. l. 17. which is his Church adde on
unto the Senate who had hitherto constantly defended the doctrine of the Gospell As he tooke his leave thus of the Pastors by word of mouth so he tooke his leave of the Senate by writing commending the care of the Church and publick-schoole unto them withal desires that Rodolphus Guatterus might be his successor whom he adjudged the most fit for the discharging of a Pastorall office in that place having thus after a friendly manner taken his leave he prepared himselfe to meet the Lord and in the midst of his extremities sometimes repeating the sixteenth sometimes the forty two sometimes the fifty one Psalmes sometimeâ— the Lords prayers sometimes other prayersâ— at the last framing himselfe as it were to sleep he quietly yeelded his soule into the hands of God on the eighteenth of September in the year 1575. and in the 71. year of his age He was thâ— most excellent of all the Divines that Switzerland yeelded he was an undaunted defender of the truth of Christ he was of a weak disposition plainâ— in teaching a lover of truth but a detâ—ster of Sophisticall â—nd unprofitable arguments in his speech he was affable and courteous aswell towards those of his family as towards strangers he was sparing in his dyet loving unto all and studious as it plainly appeares by his works here following which he left behind him as testifications of his desire unto the generall good and benefit of the Church Tome 1. 1. A Catechisme for the Trigurine Schoolmasters 2. An Epitomie of Christian Religion in ten Books 3. Sermons on the â—eads of Christian Religion Tome 2. 1. A Confession and Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 2. A Declaration proving the Protestant Churches â—o be neither Hereticall nor Scismaticall 3. A Compendium of the Popish and Protestant tenets 4. The old Faith and Religion 5. Of Gods eternall Covenant 6. An Assertion of the two natures in Christ. 7. Institâ—tion of Christian Matrimony 8. Instructions for the sicke 9. Declarations of Gods benefits unto the Switzers 10. Exhortations to Repentance Tome 3. 1. A Treatise of the Sabbath and of Christian â—easts 2. Of the Office of Magistrates and of an Oath 3. Of Repentance 4. Of Conversion unto God 5. An Explanation of Daniels Prophesies 6. Of the office Prophetical 7. An Exhortation unto Ministers to leave off Controversies 8. Of the Originall of Maâ—omenatisme 9. Of the Persecutions of the Church Tome 4. 1. A Preface to thâ— Latin Bible 2. Sixtie six Homilies on Daniel 3. Epitomie of the times from the Creation to the Destâ—uction of Jerusâ—lem Tome 5. 1. Homiliâ—s on Isaiah 2. Sermons on Jeremiah 3. An Exposition on the Lamentation Tome 6. 1. Commentaries on Matthew 2. Marke 3. Luke 4. John 5. Acts of the Apostles 6. A Series of times and actions of the Apostles Tome 7. 1. Commentaries on the Epistles of Saint Paul 2. Sermons on the Revelation Tome 8. 1. A Demonstration of Christian perfection to Henry the second King of France 2. Of the authority of the Scripture 3. Of the Iâ—stitution of Bishops Never could worth lodge in a richer brest Those blessings he enjoy'd made others blest He was compos'd of sweetnesse and his heart Was alwayes cheerefull willing to impart The truth to them that studyed how to grieve For sin and would prove willing to believe He was laborious and he could expresse Hatred to nothig more then Idelnesse Grave Doctors of those times would then submit To his profound incomparable wit For his grave judgment was so highly pris'd That most would act what Bullengeâ— advis'd Is it not â—iting then that we should give Due praise to him whose worth will make him live The Life and Death of Edward Deering who dyed Anno Christi 1576. EDward Deering was borne of a very ancient family in Kent and carefully brought up both in Religion and Learning From School he went to Cambridge and was admitted into Chrisâ—'s College where he profited exceedingly and became a very famous Preacher as may appear by his most learned and holy Sermons and Tractates full of heavenly consolation He never affected nor sought after great titles of preferments and therefore rested content with his Fellowship in that Colledge and only Comensed Batchelor of Divinity yet afterwards he was made a Preacher in S t. Pauls Church in London and having worn out himselfe with his labours in the worke of the Lord he fell sick and discerning his approaching death he said in the presence of his friends that came to visit him The good Lord pardon my great negligence that whilest I had time I used nâ—t his precious gifts to the advancement of his glory as I might have done Yet I blesse God withall that I have not abused these gifts to ambition and vain studies When I am once dead my enemies shall be reconciled to me except they be such as either knew me not or have no sence of goodnesse in them for I have faithfully and with a good conscience served the Lord my God A Minister standing by said unto him It is a great happinesse to you that you dye in peace and thereby are freed from those troubles which many of your brethren are like meet with To whom he answered If God hath decreed that I shall sup together with the Saints in heaven why doe I not goe to them but if there be any doubt or hesitation resting upon my spiâ—it the Lord will reveale the truth unto me When he had layen still a while a friend said unto him that he hoped that his minde was employed in holy meditation whil'st he lay so silentâ— to whom he answered Poore wretch and miserable man that I am the least of all Saints and the greatest of Sinners yet by the eye of Faith I beleeve in and look upon Christ my Saviour yet a little while and we shall â—ee â—ur hope The end of the world is come upon us and we shall quickely receive the end of our hope which we have so much looked for Afflâ—ctions deseases sicknesse griefe are nothing but part of that portion which God hath allotted to us in this world Iâ—'s not enough to begin for a little while execept we persevere in the fear of the Lord all thâ— dayer of our lives for in a moment we shall be taken away Takâ— heed therefore that you doe not make a pastime of nor dis-esteem the Word of God blessed are they that whil'st they have tongues use them to God's glory When he drew near to his end being set up in his bed some of his friends requested him to speak something to them that might be for their â—dification and comfort whereupon the Sun shining in his face he took occasion from thence to say thus unto them There is but one Sun in the world nor but one Righteousnesse one Communion of S ts â— If I were the most excellent of all creatures in the world if I weâ—â— equall in righteousnesse to Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet had I reason
to confesse my selfe to be a sinner and that I could expect 〈◊〉 salvation but in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christâ— For we all staâ—d in need of the Grace of God And as for my death I blesse God I feel and find so much inward joy and comfort to my soul that if I were put to my choyse whether to die or live I would a thousand times rather chuse death then life if it may stand with the holy wiâ—â— of God and accordingly shortly after the slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1576. What greater Simptomes can there be of grace Then to be penitent the greatest race A Christian can desire to run is this Fron earths base centre to eternall blisse This race our Deering run he spent his time Whilest here he liv'd in studying how to clime To Heav'ns high Court true vâ—â—tue was his prize And God the object where he fixt his eyes Faith Hope and Charity did sweetly rest Within the Councell Chamber of his brest And to conclude the graces did agree To make a happy soul and that was he The Life and Death of Flacius Jlliricus who dyed Anno Christi 1575. MAtthias Flacicus Illiricus was born in Albona in Sclavoâ—a Anno Christi 1520. his Father whil'st he lived broâ—ght him up in learning careâ—ully but after his dâ—ath his Masters so neglected him that he almost forgot all but when he began to have discretion he desired much to attaine to learning and for that end he went to Venice and after some progresse made at seventeen years old he began to â—tudy Divinity but wanting meanes to maintain him in the University he profered halfe his estate to be admitted into a Monastery either at Bononia or Padua but a friend diâ—swading him from that kinde of life advised him rather to goe into Germany where were store of learned men He went therefore to Basil where he studied under Grynaeus and from thence to Tubing where also he studied a while and then went to Wiâ—tenbâ—rg Anno Christi 1541. where he privately taught Greek and Hebrew for hiâ— maintenance and heard Luther and Melancthon He was much troubled there with temptations about sin God's wrath and Predestination but by the good councell of Pomeâ—â—ne and Luther and the publick prayers of the Church for him it pleased God that he overcame them Melancthon loved him much for his wit and learning there he was made Master of Arts married a wife and had a stipend allowed him by the Prince 〈◊〉 But when by reason of the Wars that University was dissipated he went to Bâ—â—nswiâ—ke got much credit by his publick teaching but the Wars being ended he return'd to Wittenberg Anno 1547. But when the Interâ—m came forth and Melancthon thought that for peace-sake som thing should be yeelded to in things indifferent Flacius with many other Divines strongly opposed it as opening a gap to the retnrne of Popery whereupon he removed from thence to Magdeburg where he strongly opposed whatsoever was contrary to the Augustine Confession there alsâ— he assisted in writing the Magdeburgenses Centuries And wheâ— the Duke of Saxony had erected an University at Ieans he sent for him thither Anno Christi 1556. but after five years a great contention arising between Strigelius and him about Free-will he left that place and went to Ratisbone â— anâ— Anno Christi 1567. the Citizens of Anâ—werp having proâ—â—â—â—â— liberty for the free exercise of the Reformed Religion sent for Flacius amongst others thither but Religion being quickly expelled thence he went to Argentine and from thence to Franckefurt upon the Main where after a while falling out with the Ministers about the Essence of Originall Sin he fell into great disgrace and not long after dyed Anno Christi 1575. and of his age 55. He was of an unquiet wit alwayes contending with some or other and brought much griefe to Melancthon yet wrote some excellent works for the benefit of the Church and amongst oothers his Catalogus Testium Veritatis He was a man as some reported fit To be the Master of unquiet wit He was contentious which brought discontent To rare Melancthon yet some time he spent In serious studyes leaving at his death Rare workes behind to give his fame a breath The Life and Death of Josias Simlerus who dyed Anno Christi 1576. IOsias Simlerus was born in Helvetia Anno Christi 1530. his father was a godly learned and prudent man by whom he was carefully brought up in learning and at fourteen years of age he was sent to Tygure where he lived in Bullingeâ—'s family who was his godfather almost two years from thence he went to the University of Basil where he studied the Arts and Tongues one year and from thence he went to Argentine where he made a further progresse in those studies and at the end of three yeares he returned to his fathers with whom he spent his time in study and teaching a School and sometimes also preaching Anno Christi 1552. he began publickly to expound the New Testamâ—nt beginning in Matthew in Tygure being twenty two yeares old which worke he performed with great judgement fidelity and diligence having not onely many of that City to be his hearers but many Exiles especially of the English also four years after he was made Deacon and went on in his former worke with admiration so that he was highly prized by all Bibliander being grown very old Simler supplyed his place and was Collegue to Peter Martyr who fore-told that Simler was like to prove a great ornament to the Church who also when he dyed expressed much joy that he should leav so able a man to succeed him Simler besides his publick labours instructed many also in private and amongst them some Noblemen both in sacred and humain learning he had such an acute wit and strong memory that he was able Extempore to speak of any subject and to answer his friends questions out of any author and to give an account of their wrintings to the great admiraâ—tion of the hearers and though in reading of bookes he seemed to run over them very superficially yet when he had don he was able to give an exact account of any thing that was in them and being so troubled with the gout that many times he was confined to his bed and had the use of none of his members but his tongue onely yet in the mid'st of his pains he used to dictate to his amanuensis such things as were presently printed to the great admiration of learned men besides the gout he was much troubled with the stone so that the pains of these diseases together with his excessive labors in his Ministry hastened his immature death which he also fore-saw yet without any consternation or feare but by his frequent and fervent prayers to God he endeavored to fit himselfe for it and accordingly Anno Christi 1576. he resigned up his spirit unto God being forty five years old and was buried in
learneder and more famous and deare to his Countrey There is a Booke of famous Sermons extant in Print of this Prelates which is counted a worthy Peece and doth sufficiently declare his Piety and Schollarship to succeedâ—ng Ages He that will spake his praises well Must study first what 't is t' excell He daily labour'd to oppose The Churches most unsatiate Foes The truth he would be sure to vent Though he endur'd imprisonment Read but his Works and thâ—u shall finde His body was imprisn'd not his minde Gâ—RVAS BABINGTON The Life and Death of Gervas Babington THis Prelate as he was excellent for his parts so was he of a very faiâ— descent being born in the County of Nottingham of the ancient family of the Babingtons in the said County where he drew in the first rudiments of Literature till by his worthy Parentâ— he was sent to Cambridge and was admitted into that worthy Society of Trinity Colledg Doctor Whiâ—guâ—â—â— being then Master This Babington proved so famous in Scholâ—ership that having his degrees he was made Fellow of the same Colledge and giving himselfe to the study of Divinity he proved a worthy Preacher in that University After being Doctor in Divinity he was called by Henry that Noble Earl of Pembrooke to be his Chaplaine by whose favour he was first made Treasurer of the Church of Landaffe in Wales after he was elected Bishop of the same 1591. and when he had sitten four years in that See for his singular Piety and Learning he was by Queene Elizabeth translated to the Bishopricke of Exeter where he scarce stayed three years but he was made Bishop of Worcester and in the middest of all these preferments he was neither tainted with Idlenesse or pride or covetousnesse but wâ—s not onely diligent in preaching but in writing bookes for the understanding of Gods Word so that he was a true patterne of Piety to the people of Learning to the Ministery and of Wisedome to all Governours Whereupon he was made one of the Queenes Counsell for the Marches of Wales He was Bishop of Worcester abovt the space of 13. years He dyed of an Hecticke Feaver and so changed this fraile life for a better in the yeare of our Lord 1610. not without the great griefe of all and had all funerall Rites bestowed on him befitting so great and so grave a Governour and father of the Church and was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Worcester in the Moneth of May. His Workes extant are these that follow 1. Consolatory Annotations upon Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy 2. Vpon the ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Articles of the Creed 3. A comparison or collation betweene humane frailty and faith 4. Three worthey and learned Seâ—mons Renowned Babington spun out his dayes In truth and peace and had the ecchoing praise Of every tongue his worth was priz'd by all That lov'd religion nothing could recall His heart from goodnesse peace and love did rest Within the closset of his seâ—ious breast Therefore let every tongue proclame and cry The fame of Babington shall never dye IOHN WHITGIFT The Life and Death of John Whitgift IN the year of our Lord 1530. being the twenty and first of King Henry the eight a year very remarkable for the Parliament then held wherein that proud Prelate Cardinall Wolsey was attainted and the first opposition made by the maine body of the the Commons therein assembled against the tirannicall usurpation of the Popish Clergy was Iohn Whitgift born at great Grimesbie in Lincolnshire descended from an ancient and worshipfull Family of the Whitgifts in Yorkeshire An Unckle he had called Robert Whitgift Abbot of Wellow who though himselfe a professed Monk yet not greaty liked the profession and was by this his Nephew therefore heard sometime to say that they and their Religion could not long continue for that having read the Scripture over and over againâ—â— he could never finde therein that their Religion was founded by God and it is not unlikly that by the cariage of businesses in the State at that time being an understanding man he might shrewdly guesse at those things that shortly after sued Under this his Unckle was he educated together with some other young Gentlemens sonnes for some space of time and whether taking some hints from him or being by some other meanes wrought on through a secret hand of God already moulding and preparing him for future employments he began to grow though very young yet into a dislike of Popish superstitions and to afâ—ect the better way For being by his said Unckle who observed his towardlinesse for his further improvement in learning sent up to London entred there into Saint Antonies schoole and boarded with an Aunt of his wife to one Michael Shaller a Verger of Pauls Church he was after som time by her dismissed againe and thrust out of doores because he refused to frequent the morning Masse with her albeit by some of the Canons earnestly solicited so to doe Upon returne to his Parents according to his Unckles advice and direction finding that he had well profited in learning he was by them sent to the University of Cambridge and there placed in Qâ—eenes Colledge But not so well relishing tâ—e disposition of some in that house he removed from thence to Pembrooke Hall where he was pupill to that blessed Maâ—tyr of God Iohn Bradford Doctor Ridley afterward Bishop of London being then Hed of the house by whom also in regard of his forwardnesse both in learning and godlinesse he was made scholer of the house With his years his worth growing and notice taken of his good parts his preferments likewise accordingly came on For from thence he was chosen to be Fellow of Peter-house Dâ—ctor Pern being then Master thâ—re who very tenderly affected him and when out of tendernesse of conscience in Queen Maries time upon expectation of som Commisâ—ioners that were to come downe visit to the University and settle Popery there he had entertained some thoughts of going beyond the Seas the D r. perceiving it and withall his resolution in matter of religion both encouraged and caused him notwithstand to stay promising him withall to take such order for him that keeping himselfe quiet he should remaine free from molestation that which according to his promise given him he also faithfully fulfilled Having thus by the favour and connivancy of the Doctor God reserving him for further and higher employments rid out those stormy and tempestuous times upon the dispersions of those blacke clouds that had formerly overspread and eclipsed the good parts of many by the happy sunshine of that illustrious Princesse Queene Elizabeths ascent to the throne of this Realme contrary to that that is wont to befall at the naturall Suns rising this our bright Star among others and above many others began now to shine forth and discover its luster Notice whereof being taken as in the Univerâ—ity so at Court he received advancement unto
Testimony of Salomon may be fitly given They are apples of gold in Pictures of silver For the silver brightnesse of his eloquent style expresses and gives a luster unto those goulden pieces of his accurate invention and rich materials furnished out of Scriptures Fathers and Councels Now although as elegantly say's Lactantius the cause of trueth may be defended without eloquence as it hath been often yet it ought to be illustrated by the Nitour any clarity of a perspicuous style so that it may sinke deeper into the minde by its owne strength and the helpe of the Oratory Thirdly this our Champion hath fought against both hereticks and schismaticks noâ— onely with strong but also as Quintilian advises with glâ—stering weapons Nor doth this present Worke of his though born after his death either for a fluent style or weighty matter come short of the others In which this godly Prelate burning with zeale both to defend the doctrine of truth and unity in the Reformed Churches not with Raâ—sâ—hornes as it were but with a silver trumpet hath demolished those wals of Hiericho that were first raised by Pelâ—giuâ— and then battered down by the holy Fathers but againe of late times begun to be repaired by the Jesuites and last of all by the Arminians For he hath so fortified the Catholick truth with the strongest Testimonies of the sacred Scriptures and the holy Fathers and with such powerfull reason against the chieâ—est arguments of the Semi Pelagians lately forbished over with the file of Arminius or Thomson that we doubt not but this very booke alone will abundantly satisfie all Persons of modest ingenuity whatsoever He fights with Arminius as with a forraign and more remote adversary at a kinde of distance but with Tomson he closed and grapels as with a Domestick fostered in the bowels of our Church of England and he hath so coreruated that Pamphlet of his which cuts off the grace of justification that for ever hereafter who so shalâ— fall upon Thomsons Diatriba he may justly make use of the censure of Diogenes upon Zeno's Diatriba This Thomsons Diatriba is truely Catatriba that this his passe-time as he tremes it sporting himselfe with the Precisians being himself one of the concision is a wast mine Courteous Reader farewell in the Lord make much of the Work for the Authors sake and of the Authors memory for the Works sake Surry Oxford Sarum clame Their severall intrests in our Abbots Name Surry bore him Oxford bred him Sarum ripe for high promotion led him To honors Chayre To whom he gave More lasting honor then he could receiveâ— This like a momentary Blaze Lent a faire light but vanisht with his dayes But that like Titans brighter flame Continues coeternall with his Name Nor is' t the least addition to his glory That learned Featlyes pen hath writ his story The Lif and Death of William Cowper who dyed Anno Christi 1619. WIlliam Cowper was born in Edenburgh and at eight years old was sent by his father to Dunbar School where in four years he learn'd the wholâ— course of Grammer and profited above his equals and at that time did God begin to reveale himselfe to him many times in the Schoole he lifted up his heart unto God begging of him knowledge and understanding and alwayes as he went to Church he sent up his ejaculation â—o heaven Lâ—rd how mine ear that I may hear thy Word At his entry into his â—hirteenth year his Father sent for him home to Edenburgh and presently after he went to Saint Andrews where he continued to his sixteenth year in the study of Phylosophy but made no great progressâ— theâ—ein yet the seed of grace was still working in him inclining him to a carefull hearing and penning of Sermons and other Theologicall Lectures During his abode there Satan working in corrupt nature sought oft to trap him in his snares but as himself testifies the Lord in mercy forgave the vanities and ignorances of his youth and preserved him from such fals as might have made him a shame to the Saints and a reproach to his enemies At the age of sixteen years he returned to his Parents at Edenburgh who propos'd to him sundry courses of life but his heart was still enclined to the study of the holy Scriptures whereupon he resolved to goe into England and the Lord provided him a place at Hoddesdon 18. mils from London just as he had spent all his mony which he brought with him out of Scotland where he was entertained by one Master Gutâ—ry a Scotch-man to assist him in teaching of a School There he remained three quarters of a year and then having occasion to goe to London he was unexpectedly called to the service of Master Hugh Broughton with whom he continued a year and a halfe and daily exercised himselfe in the study of Divinity At nineteen years old he returned againe to Edenburgh where he lived with his elder brother then one of the Ministers in that City who much furthered him in his former studyes at last he was required to give a proofe of his gifts privately which he did in the New Church before Master Robert Pont and Master Robert Rollock and some others by whom he was commanded to Preach in publick also Being twenty years old he was sent by the authority of the general Assembly which met at Edenburgh to be the Pastor at Bothkenner in Sterlingshire when he came thither he found in the Church besides ruinous wals neither roof nor doors nor Pulpit nor seats nor windows yet it pleased God to give such a blessing to his ministery that within halfe a year the Parishioners of their owne accord built and adorned the Church in as good a quality as any round about it There he continued seven or eight years yet subject to great bodily infirmities by reason of the wetnesse of the soyl and the moystnesse of the ayre and in that time did God begin to acquaint him with his terrors and with inward tentations so that his life was almost wasted with heavinesse yet thereby he learned more and more to know Christ Jesus About that time there was a Generall Assembly of the Church at Perth unto which some that lived in the North of Scotland sent to desire that a Minister might be sent unto them whereupon the Assembly appointed Master Cowper for that place and accordingly wrote to him by Master Patrick Simpson who comming to Sterling delivered to him the letters from the Assembly and the Town containing his calling to the Ministry of that place and shortly after the Towne sent their Commissioners to transport himselfe and family thither In that place he continued doing the work of the Lord for nineteen years together where he was a comfort to the best and a wound to the worser sort Besides the Sabbath dayes he chose thrice a week to convene the people together in the Evenings viz. Wednesdayes Fridayes and Saturdayes for preparation to the Sabbath upon which
dayes they had no Preaching in the morning concerning which meetings himselfe writes That it would have don a Christians heart good to have seen those glorious and joyfull Assemblies to have heard the zealous cryings to God amongst that people with sighings and tears and melting hearts and mourning eyes and concerning himselfe he saith My witnesse is in heaven that the love of Iesus and his people made continuall Preaching my pleasure and I had no such joy as in doing his worke and besides that he preached five times a week he penned also whatsoever he preached many of which holy and godly Sermons are extant in print All â—he time of his aboad there except some little intermissions and breathing times the Lord still exercised him with inward tentations and great variety of spirituall combats the end of all which thâ—ough God's mercy was joy unspeakable as himselfe testifie's Yea once saith he in greatest extremity of horror and anguish of spirit when I had utterly given over and looked for nothing but confusion suddenly there did shine in the very twinkeling of an eye the bright and lightsome countenance of God proclaming peace and confirming it with inviâ—cible reasons O what a change was there in a moment the silly soul that was even now at the brinke of the pit looking for nothing but to be swallowed up was instantly raised up to heaven to have fellowship with God in Christ Iesus and from this day forward my soul was never troubled with such extremity of terrors this confirmation was given unto mee on a Saturday in the morning there found I the power of Religion the certainty of the Word there was I touched with such a lively sence of a Divinity and power of a God-head in mercy reconciled with man and with mee in Christ as I trust my soul shall never forget Glory glory glory be to the joyfull deliverer of my soul out of all adversities for ever In the middest of these wrestlings with God he wanted not combats with wicked men also but the greatnesse of his inward conflicts made him lightly regard all their outward contradictions and to esteem them but as the bitings of a Flea It was no marvell to see Satan stir up his wicked instruments to molest him since he professed himselfe a disquieter of him and his Kingdome and this much supported him that he never had a controversie with any of them but for their sins and the Lord assisting him the power of the Word did so hammer downe their pride that they were all of them at last brought to an acknowledgement of their evill wayes But at length as God turned the heart of Pharaoh and his people the Israelites when the time drew on fâ—r their remove so by little and litle did the zeal and love of most of that people fall away so that his last conflict was not with the prophane but with Justiciaries such as were unrebukeable in their lives These men were stuffed with such pride self-conceit disdain and intolerable contempt that thereby they were carried further from their duty thâ—n any of the former and which should have been his greatest comfort were his greatest crosse Presently hereupon God called him to the Government of the Churches in Galloway in the South-West parts of the Kingdome being chosen by the Assembly and presented by the King thereunto this was effected with out his privity or ambitious seeking after it yea he was so far from it that eightteen weeks passed betwixt the Kings Presentation and the Acceptation of it In that place he was very carefull to advance the Gospel to adorne his Ministery concerning the frame of his Spirit thus he writs My soul is alway in my hand ready to be offered to my God Where or what kinde of death God hath prepared for mee I know not But sure I am there can no evill death befall him that lives in Christ nor sudden death to a Christian Pilgrim who with Job waites every day for his change yea saith he many a day have I sought it with tears not out of impatience distrust or perâ—urbation but because I am weary of sin and fearfull to fall into it This faithfull servant of God who had alwayes beene faithfull and painfull in his Ministery when sicknesse grew daily upon him was no way deficient in the duty of his ordinary Preaching taking great pains also to perfect his worke upon the Revelations which he desired greatly to finish before his death he had also much griefe by reason of some that disturb'd the peace of the Church which he always sought to procure so that his infirmity encreasing he was compelled to keep home yet as his weaknesse permitted he applyed himselfe to revise his writings and to dispose of his worldly estate that he might be ready for his passage which every day he expected and some ten dayes before his decease he manifested to his friends what great contentment hâ— hâ—d in his approaching death Many repaired to him in his sicknesse whom he entâ—rtained with most holy and divine conferences expressing a great willingnesse to exchange this life for a better and at last feeling his strength and spirits to decay after he had conceived a most heavenly prayer in the company of those that were by he desired to goe to bed in which also after he had most devoutly commended himselfe unto the Almighty God he took some quiet rest After which he spake not many words his speech failing though his memory and understanding were perfect and so about seven a clock at night he rendered his soul unto God in a most quiet and peaceable manner Anno Christi 1619. Some of his private Meditations were these Now my soul be glad for at all parts of this prison the Lord hath set to his Piâ—ners to loose thee Head Feet Milt and Liver are fast failing yea the middle strength of the whole body the stomack is weakened long ago Arise make ready shake off thy fetters mount up from the body and go thy way I saw not my children when they were in the womb yet there the Lord fed them without my knowledge I shall not see them when I goe out of the body yet shall they not want a Father Death is somewhat driery and the streams of that Jordan between us and our Canaan run furiously but they stand still when the Ark comâ—s Let your Anchor be cast within the vail and fastened on the Rock Iesus Let the end of the threefold cord be buckled to the heart so shall yee go thorow Soli Deo Gloria Here also Cowper Scotlands Prelate grave A place of honour doth deserve to have Among these Honour'd Heroes whom the Lord Did many exc'llent Ornaments afford In piety and parts but specially Making him prosperous in the Ministry By 's constant and by 's consciencious Preaching And holy life which was a second teaching Famous for 's writings on the Revelation Piously thus persisting to 's tranatsâ—ion The Life
the age of twenty and two years From which time u 〈…〉 de 〈◊〉 Gâ—â—â—ang Cic. oraâ— pro Arch. pâ—â—t repuâ—ing every hour as lost which was not spent in reading or writing something he never gave over till he had brought forth those numerous and voluminous labours whereof you have the Catalogue hereafter written It is the counsell of Ierome w Hiâ—ron ad Rustic put not on too soon in writing nor be transported with a kinde of light headednesse be long in learning that which thou intends to teach And as Philostratus saith x Vit. Apâ—ll Tyâ—n l. 4. c. 11 Palamedes found out letters that men might know not onely what to write but what not But his Works plainly show even those of youngest date that he had learned these grave lessons and that he ran not before he well understood his errand And although I beleeve he might truely say with learned Augustine z Proâ—m li. 3 de Trivit that even by writing for the profit of others he had much profited himselfe Yet I am well assured that he had learned over to good purpose many learned Authors ancient and moderne till he bâ—came himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living Library I have not without astonishment seen his many large paper books written with his owne hand abundantly testifying how studiously and with singular judgement he had read over most of the old Fathers Councels Ecclesiastick Histories the Civill Code the Body of the Canon Law with many other Writers of all sorts out of which he was able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 readily to produce apt sentences and observations for every purpose And as a Eccl. 7.25 he applyed his heart to know and so search and to seeke out wisdome and to that end according to that Apostolicall direction gave b 1 Tim. 4.13 attendance unto reading So likewise he followed that godly advice of Cyprian to c Epist. lib. 2. Epist. 2. Donatus willing him to mingle frequent prayer with diligent reading sometimes saith he speake thou to God and sometimes let God speake to thee and he professed to his friends how much he had thereby improved his talent Besides all these labors when once he had undertaken the care of souls he well considered what the Apostle Paul by the â—pirit of Godâ— requireth of every Bishop or Pastor of the Church in those his two Epistles to Timothy and â—hat other to Titus d Aug. de docâ— Châ—i li. 4. â— 5. which three Episâ—les Augustine exhorteth â—very Minister of the Word set alwayes before his eyes often lamenting the condition of those poore people who live under ignorant or idle Ministersâ— of whom it may be said in the Words of the Prophet Ieremiah e Lamâ—ntâ—câ— 4. vâ—r 4. The children cry for bread and there was none to breake it unto them and as much bewailing the estate of those proud Prelates who as f Espenc Digres in 1 Tim lib. 2. cap. 2. Espencae speaks of some in his time though able and learned yet hold themselves not learn'd to descend to that servility and basenesse of Preaching because when they have obtained fat Benefices iâ— is not the manner to stoope to such drâ—dgery whilest he like a faithfull and diligent steward of Christ was most paâ—nfull in the execution of his officeâ— Preaching in his Church of Barley for a long time thrice every weeke and diligently himselfe Caâ—echizing the younger sort of his Parish and many of the elder whom hâ— found to have need of g Cry Hieros Cateâ—i 4. such milke as being yet but babes in Christ. And although he had been Chaplaine to that Noble young Prince Henry and both during that time and sometimes since had Preached at Court and knew how to tune his tongue to the most elegant eares yet amongst his own people he taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a most familiar way affecting h Vt dâ— Eâ—ip◠〈◊〉 a plaine phraise and humble style applying himâ—selfe i Aug. d◠〈◊〉 Chri. l. 4. c. 17 to the capacity of his Hearers reputing that Sermon k Vt Philest de epist. ad Aspâ—th Hier. ad Paâ— best adorned that was least set out with humane learning or eloquence or perplexed with curious questions whiâ—h l Hilar. helpe not towardâ— heaven He was a man of a most comely presence his complextion faire and ruddy even m Iul. in Caes. in age hiâ— countenance composed oâ— gravity and sweetnesse his disposition was pleasanâ— and cheerefull alwayes merry in the Lord whereby his conversation was most delightfull to good Christians that were acquainted with him And as Suidas speakes of Macariuâ— the Egyptian he drew his friends on in the wayes of God with a kind of smoothing perswasions and pleasant discourses upon all occasions And alâ—hough he knew how to râ—prove and to cut up roundly where there was just cause yet he o Chrysâ—st iâ— Tit. was most aptly fitted and enclined to bind up the broaken and wounded consciences and with heavenly consolationâ— drawne from the fountaine of living waters to refresh a wearied and fainting spirit p Iob 16.5 He strengthened them with his mouth and the moving of his lips did asswage their griefe q Cant. 4.11 While his lips dropped as the hony combe How joyfully was he entertained by such even as Ambrose by sick Valentinian whose visits seemed to him as the r Ambr. in Obit Valent. approaches of health He was a man of a most exemplary life both in his owne s Arâ—hi Tare apud Phil. family and abroad with others He was in fastings often and alwayes t Senec. epi 8 Cic. Offic. 1. temperate in his diet many dayes eating little or nothing untill night and that especially when he laboured most as on his Lecture-dayes professing that he v Hippoc. Epid l. 6. sect 4. found himselfe both in body and minde more active by it He was a constant and unwearied Student tying himselfe for the most part to eight houres a day and w Vt Eâ—enoâ— dividing every part of the day unto some peculiar work nor easily suffâ—ing any avocation though he had many secular cares lying upon him having a wife and fourteen children living at his death till as he was wont to speak x Iulian in Misopog ex Menandro he had finished his taske His conversation abroad was a perpetuall instruction to y Ibid. his people That true z Maca. â—o 15 character of a Christian man a Clem. de â—orr eccl stat ca. 22. that highest degree of perfection and most neer to Christ that b Basil. treasury of all graces humility was in him most eminent he was most just and upright in all his dealings and indeed so regardlesse of these earthly things that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily beguiled by such aâ— were dishonest yet he was well acquainted with the Laws but very carefull to keepe both himselfe
and his neighborâ— from making use of them as alwayes studyous of peace And last for that divine vertue of charity c Synâ—s ep 57 wherein alonâ— saith Synesius God and man communicates read but that Paragraph in that more large relation of his life first mentiâ—ned and you will acknowledge him d Aâ—i c. 2.0.7 Zealous of good workes Yet let me adde one thing there omitted Phylostratus reported of a miraculous stone in India which he calleth Pantarbe e Vit. Apoâ—â— â—aâ— l. 3. c. 14 having the vertue attractive of the Load stone and likewise giving light by the bright-shining of it This reverend Doctor as by his workes of charity he gave much light to others so by his arguments he was very powerful to draw them forward f 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. â— whom God had enabled for such performances Read to this purpose his large g Synop. Pap. p. 2220. of the fift edition Catalogue of charitable works done since the times of the Gospell within the space of sixty years under the happy raign of King Edward the sixt Queen Elizabeth and part of King Iames and that onely within the City of London or by the Citizens thereof and within the two famous Universities Cambridge and Oxford confining himselfe to these Places onely for want of means to travel further in the search By which examples he hath not onely incited all h Tit. 3.8 Cyr. Hieros Caâ—ech 15. ibid Cat. 1. that beleeve God to study to goe before others in good workes as hereby discovering the life of their Faith and laying up to themselves treasures in heaven But withall invincibly confuting that calumny of the Romanists charging our doctrine of justification by Faith onely as a great adversary to good works For he hath made this challenge to all the Champions of that party to produce and proove if possibly they can the i Amounting in the totall to almost 1000000 1. like acts of piety and charity to have been done within the same compasse of yeares under Popery and within these places or within twice so many years immediately preceding the date whence his account commenceth And to â—his day I heare of none that undertakes to enter the lists with him upon this challenge I know there have been some even amongst us who either out of k Terem Adelph Tim. Sillagr ignorance envy or l Iuâ—i Mosop proud disdaine or because in some things they accord not with him in opinion have cast out flirting censures against this Catalogue which King Iames highly applauded and against all other of his labors Some such he met with in his owne life time who like the Indians preferre m Phiâ—â— vit Apoll. Tyan l. 2. c. 9. blach before white being their owne naturall hue whose cavilâ— he no morâ— regarded n Iul. Mis. then the croaking of so many Frogs o Hieroâ— ad â—ustic he knew he must offend some who while they take offence at him discover their owne consciences Many have carpt at his large book of Controversies before mentioned as if p Gregâ— Naz. contr Eâ—nom upon every sparkle he had raised a flame and mâ—de more difference betweene the Church of Rome and us then others have done and that these things were sufficiently if not too much exagitated before his time These and such like things I have sometimes heard but I must needs say onely from those of that sect or cut whom a Jesuite q Church â—â—nquera against Chillingwort chap. 6. cals Moderate Protestants such as least exoribitate from the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of Rome Or such squinting Protestants r Aug. de 〈◊〉 Orig. l. 2. c. 22 as willing to retaine their corrupt opinions and to decline the odious name of Hereticks dares to affirme s R. M. Gagg pag. 14. that there is no Controversie between the Romish party and us that eiâ—ther concerneth Faith or good Life but that the diffâ—rences are of an inferiour alloy of which a man may be ignorant without any danger of his soule at all And therefore in his defence against these I will say no more but praejudicium tollit judicium prejudice takes away right judgement and male rerum examinat omnis corruptas judex a corrupt Judge never well examineth the truth And for his handling things often handled by others Prosper t Epi. Pros. ad Aug. de reliâ— Pelâ—g â—er thinkes it both necessary and profitable so to doe least the matters be reputed of small moment which are not often argued As for those who have slighted his laborious Commentaries upon divers parts of Scripture pretending them to be but Scraps and Fragments gathered from the Fâ—asts of others I know not whether they discover more malice or more folly If with Socrates u Apud Pâ—at in Pâ—â—â—do he filled himselfe as a vessell at the Wels or springs of others and yet could say as Lipsius of his Politickes Omnia mea sunt nihil all is minâ— and nothing at all w Hier. adve Vigil If he gathered many Flowers together and put them as a Posie into our hands if he hath x Amb. Proeâ—â—â— in Luc. read many things to spare us thâ— reading of them iâ—â—e hath collected the judgements of most Writers ancient and moderne upon those Bookes and disposed them by a most exquisite method and fitted them for all necessary use â—s plainly appeareth to every unpartiall and judicious â—yeâ— Then have we just cause to praise God for his profiâ—able paines and to desire that some other would follow him in that way y Opâ— wherein no man hath gone beforâ— him It cannot be denyed but that aâ— Bâ—aâ—us Rhenacâ—â— truely observeth in z 〈…〉 Teriuâ— the most beautifull body som blemish may be found and we are men a Lips praef ad polit subject to errours and consâ—quently in the great and many labors of this learned man someting may be found that may require a râ—vâ—z ill some thing may admit the sponge Bâ—t when like unto Momus who could finde nothing else amisse in Venus but b Philo. ep ad 〈◊〉 onely that her shooe creakt men will pretend errours wherâ— there are none I must tell such in the words of Ieromâ— c Ad Domin when they come to write themselves and to set foot to foot thâ—y will tug and sweat and find great difference between pubâ—lick writing and private carping Or let thiâ— blessed Doctor speake to them though dead and say d Marâ—ial ad Lâ—lium Carpere vel noli nosâ—ra vel edeâ—ua Snarle not at mine or seâ— forth thinâ— And on the other side where something may be blame worthy pardon it e Theod. de Curaâ—d Greac affect in Prolo and doe not despise the Works because of this but reape profit by that which is well written and give God the glory who found folly in hiâ— Angelâ— â—nd â—s alone impeccable To come neare to
not his actions did The world was least his care he sought for heaven And what he had he held not earnd but given The dearest wealth he own'd the worlâ— near gave Nor owes her ought but houseâ—rent for a grave The Lif and Death of David Pareus who dyed Anno Christi 1622. DAvid Pareus was born in Silesia Anno Christi 1548. His Parents were Citizens of good rank when he was about three years old he fell sick of the small pox whereof he was like to dye and though it pleased God that he recovered yet he had thereby a blemish in one of his eyes which continued so long as he lived about that time his Mother dyed when he grew up to riper years his Father perceiving a naturall promptnesse in him to learning set him to School in his owne City where one of his Mâ—sters was very rigid and severe in his carriage unto him and there he learned Grammer Musick and Arithmetick But when he was fourteen years old by the instigation of his step-mother his father placed him with an Apothecary at â—raâ—islavia which course of life he could not well relish and therefore after a months stay he returned home again which his step mother wâ—s much offended with yet his tender father resolved to keep him at School and â—hen he disliked the severity of his former Master he sent him to Hirschberg to one Christopher Schillingus who was much affected with his ingenuity and towardlinesse the chiefe Magistrate also of that City took a great liking to him for som Verses which he made at his sons Funerall so that he gave him his dyet in his Family when he had been there about two years the Pastor of that place who was a Lutheran fell out with his Schoolmaster for that in Catechising of his Schollars he had taught them that Christs body being ascended into heaven was there to remaine till his coming to judgement and that in the Sacrament we feed upon it onely spiritually by faith c. And his spleen was so great that he would not be satisfied till he had driven him away from the City Pareus having to hiâ— great griefe lost his Master returned home yet neither there was he in quiet some tale-bearers suggesting to his Father that his Schoolmaster had infected him with his errors and so far they prevailed that his father intended to disinherit him hereupon Pareus intended to goe into the Palatinate which his father much disliked and sought by all meanes to hinder yet at last through Gods mercy by importunity he gat his fathers consent who sent him away with little mony in his purse Thus forsaking his friends and fathers house he went to Hirschberge where he met with his Master and some of his School-fellowes and so they travelled together towards the Palatinate through Bohemia by the way his mony failing â—e went to a Monastery to beg an Alms and the Abbat pittying of him relieved him going from thence to another Monastery he met with an ignorant Fryar and asked an Alms of him in Latine he returned this answer Nos pauperi fratres nos nihil habemus an piscimus an caro an panis an misericordia habemus Thus at length it pleased God to bring him safely to Amberg in the upper Palatinate there his Schoolmaster stayed and sent Pareus with ten more of his Schollars to Heidelberg where they were admitted into the Colledge of Sapience there he was a diligent hearer of Vrsin Boquin Tremelius Zanchy and the other Professors under whom he profited both in the Arts and Tongues to admiration Then he betook himselfe to the study of Divinity and having fitted himselfe for the worke of the Ministery he was chosen by the Elector to Preach in a Village within his jurisdiction which he was then about to reforme not long after he was called back to Heidleberg and made a Publick Lecturer where he continued till the death of Frederick the third and then by the Heterodox party he with the other Professors was driven from thence but most of them were entertained by Prince Casimire who erected a University an Newstade appointing Vrsin Zanchâ— Iunius Piscator and others to be the Professors in it he appointed also a Synod therein to coÌ„sider how to provide for the other exiles Tossan was chosen Moderator Pareus the Scribe of it in that Synod Pareus gat â—eave to goe visit his Country and friends and so in three weeks space came safely to them where he was received with much joy and at the request of the Senate he Preached the Sabbath following upon Iohn 3.16 And that with great applause and generall approbation his father also was so well pleased with him that presently after Sermon he cancelled the writing whereby he had diâ—inherited him the Senate also dâ—sired him to undertake a Pastorall charge in that place but he chose rather to return into the Palatinate againâ—â— coming to Newstad he was appointed to Preach in a Village hard by where he continued till Prince Casimire as Gâ—ardian to the young Prince Elector Palatine sent for him to be a Preacher in the great Church in Hiedleberge and not long after he was made Master of the Colledge of Sapience in that University Anno Christi 1587. according to the Statutes of the Colledge he Commenced Master of Arts and afterwards by the perswasion of his friends Doctor of Divinity also In the year 1594. at a Convention of States at Raâ—isbone the Divines of the Palatinate were accused by the Lutherans as holding opinions neither consonate to the Scriptures Augustines Confession nor to their owne Catechisme but Pareus at the appointment of the Palatine easily wiped of those aspersions and vindicating the innocency of them Anno Christi 1596. there brake forth a great Plague in the University of Heidleberg whereof the learned Iames Kimedontiâ—s Pareus his intimate friend dyed somâ— other Professors also and the Students by reason of it were driven away yet Pareus stayed it pleased God to preserve his Colledge free from the infection not long after he was chosen Professor of the Old Testament in the room of Kimedontius and presently after Rector of the whole University Aâ—no Christi 1596. he was extreamely troubled with a Catarrh insomuch as he dispaired of life yet it pleased God after a while to restore him Anno Christi 1602. upon the death of Daniel Tossan he was made Professor of the New Testament and grew so famous that many resorted out of Hungary Borusia France England Scotland Ireland and Germany to see and hear him In the year 1615. his wife sickened and dyed which was a great griefe to him Anno Christi 1618. the Low-Countries being exceedingly indangered by the growth of Arminianism the States appointed a Synod at Dort for the curing of that diâ—ease and amongst other famous Divines Pareus was chosen by the Elector Palatine to goe to it but he being grown very old and infirm desired to be excused and so Paul
his death It is â—â—ported by f Orat. de vit Obit D. â—â—â—r Marâ—â—â— Iosias Simleâ—uâ— how that after Dâ—ctor Peter Martyr that famouâ— writer had published many of his Labours he began at the last â—b initio Bibliorum at the beginning of the Bible and after he had expounded the bookâ— of Genesis and Exodus bonam parâ—â—m Levitici and a good part of Liviticus prevented by the stroke of death he ended all his labourâ— So â—his his exact parâ—â—â—ed Dâ—ctâ—r Andrew Willâ—â— besides many other Works had written his sixfold Commentaâ—ieâ— upon the same books of Genesis and Exoduâ— and had made a good progresse in the like way upon Leviticus since fiâ—isâ—ed by â—nother here also God determined his travailâ— And leâ— me not omit this one thing it my poore judgement very remarkeable how God in his divine providence and gracious favour to him answered him in a solemne Vow which you may find expressed in a latine Epistle of his in words to this effect in English g Epist. Dâ—d Prefix before the second part of his second Book of Heâ—â—p upâ—on Exod. It is most honourable for a Souldier to dye fighting and for a Bishop or Pastor praying and if my mercifull God shall vouchsafe to grant me my request my earnest desire is that writing and commenting upon some part of the Scripture I might finish my dayes And accordingly God gave him his hearts desire and denyed him not the request of his lips Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he commeth shall find so doing Matth. 24.46 He departed this life December the fourth 1621. in the fifty nine yeare of his age of whom considering his strength and healthfull constitution varying a little the words of Virgil I may say Had not God said no He might have lived ten years or twenty more It pleased God who hath appointed to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne proper and peculiar kinde of death and without whose Providence i Tert. li. 1. ad uxorem not a leafe falling from the ground so to dispose of this godly mans death that as a Pilgrim here on earth he must dye in an Inne In a journey from London homewards he was forced to take up his Lodging in Hodsdon a town in Hertfordshire having not farre from thence by k Cic. de Fat a fall from his horse his right leg broken It is sweetly said of Gregory Nâ—ssen l Dâ—â—â—nt Hierosol Wheresoever thou art whether in thine owne house or in an Inne God will come to thee if thou makest thy soule a fit lodging for him And that saying of Augustine may stop the mouth of every rash unchristian Censurer m Aug. epist. 122. God regardeth not in his servants after what manner they depart this life but what manner of men they are when they depart Here in this place he continued as Gods prisoner confined to hiâ— bed for nine dayâ—s together spending the most part of them in meditating upon the Song of Ezekiel when he had been sicke recorded by the Prophet Esay chap. 38. which heavenly contemplations were written from hiâ— mouth by a Sonne of his then attending upon him And upon two Sabbaths following within that time observing the people of the houâ—e upon pretence of waiting upon him to stay from Church hâ— called them together and gave them some concionatory exhortations both forenoon and afternoone and this with such a spirit as if had been no wayes sensible of his paine which putteth me in minde of that saying of Tertullian n Tertull. ad Mart. The leg feeles nothing in the nerves when the minde is as it were rapt in heaven Upon the tenth day after his hurt received o Martia l. 6 Epigr. 152. having over night supped cheerfully and reposed himselfe to rest early in the morning upon occasion of the toling of a Bell for one then at the poynt of death he suddenly awoke and with him his wife who lay in the same chamber by him he then tooke occasion to discourse with her touching the joyes of heaven and touching the Saints mutuall acknowledgement of one another in that blessed estateâ— which discourse ended he with his wife sang an Hymne composed by himselfe wherewith they usually every morning praised God for their rest the night past and prayed his blessing for the day succeeding Their spirits being thus raised they continued their melody and sang the 146. Psalme he sometime stopped a little and glossing upon the words applyed divers things therein unto himselfe and to his present condition And on the sudden his p Gennad Conc. de morâ— hour being now come fetching a deep sigh or groan he sunke downe in his bed but helpe comming in upon meanes used he seemed to raise up himselfe a little and then said Let me alone I shall doe well Lord Iesus and with that word he gave up â—he ghost Soon after his body was carryed by coach to hiâ— Towne of Barley and was in his Chancell solemnly interred with decent Funerall rites and with many teares and there lyeth covered with a faire Graven stone of Marble But his more durable monuments are these The Workâ— of Andrew Willet Doctor of Divinity in Latin and English Printed and unprinted Printed books in Latine 1 De animae natura viribuâ— 2 Sâ—cra emblemata 3 De Universali vocatione Judaeorum 4 De conciliis 5 De Universali gratia 6 De Antichristo 7 Epithalamium 8 Funebres Conciones 9 Apologiae serenissimi Regis Jac defensio In English 14 Synopsis Papismi in five bookes 16 Hexapla upon Genesis in two books 18 Hexapla upon Exodus in two books 20 An Harmony upon the first and second bookes of Samuel 21 Hexapla upon Daniel 22 Hexapla upon the Epistle to the Romans 23 Vpon the twenty two Psalme 24 Vpon the sevenâ—eenth of Iohn 25 Vpon the Epistle of Iude. 26 Teâ—rastylon Papismi 27 A Catalogue of good workes 28 Limbomastix 29 Loedoremastiâ— 30 Epithalamium in English 31 Funerall Sermons in English 32 An English Catechisme 33 A Retection 34 An Antilâ—gy 35 Hexapla upon Leviâ—icus Not Printed In Latine 36 Defensio Aristotelis â— contra Tempellum 37 Catechismus Latinus 38 Gâ—mitus Columbae ceu Comment in Jnam 39 Sâ—cri paralleli 40 Haeptaphonon 41 Scala Coeli 42 Antithesis Pontificiae Evangelicae Doctrinae 43 Variae lectioneâ— in Penâ—aâ—euchion In English 44 An exposâ—â—on upon Genesis 45 Marginall Annotations upon the Petateuch 46 The Doctrine of the Christian Sabbath Abi tu fac similiter See here a true Nathaniel in whose bresâ— A carefull conscience kept her lasting feast Whose simple heart could never lodge a guile In a soft word nor malice in a smile He was a faithfull labourer whose pains Was pleasure and an others good his gaines The height of whose ambition was to growâ— More ripe in knowledge to make others know Whose Lamp was ever shining never hid And when his tongue preacht