vnto him In Scripture we reade of many great vials of the wrath of God powred downe vpon vnrighteous men but these are greatest that resemble by most viue representation the great condemnation of the wicked at the last daye such as the flood of NOE the ouerthrow of Sodom and destruction of Ierusalem The flood of NOE was vniuersall and sudden so shall be the condemnation of vngodly men at the last day Mat. 24 37. 38. 39. The ouerthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha was a destruction vnsupportable and the more meete to be an example of the vengeance of eternall fire epist. Iud. ver 7. The destruction of Ierusalē the forerunning tokens therof are so mixed with the tokens preceeding the condemnation of the great day that it may be clearly perceiued that God hath appointed the one to be a type and figure of the other Mat 24. So ost as wee call to remembrance the flood of NOE the ouerthrowe of Sodom and the destruction of Ierusalem let vs feare and stand in awe to fall into the condemnation of vngodly men because all the terrors of these judgements concurre and are massed together in the judgemēt of the last day What are the deep Weeles of water what are the shoures of fire and brimstone what is famine pest and sworde both intestine and forraine in comparison of that worme that neuer dieth and that fire that shall neuer be quenched the blacknesle of darknesse with weeping and gnashing of teeth c. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Concerning the number ofthem that were slaine in Galile Trachonitis Samaria Iudea chiefly in the Metropolitane towne Ierusalem ouer and beside those that were sold to be siaues and those that were deuoured by wild beastes in the triumph of FLA. and TITVS at Rome reade Ioseph d◅ bello Iud. lib. 6 cap. 45. Titus AFter FLAVIVS reigned TITVS VESPASIAN his sonne two yeeres two months twentie dayes Bucolc index Chron. The nation of the Iewes being nowe subdued there was great peace in all parts of the Romaine dominions both by sea and land and the temple of IANUS in Rome was closed and locked vp againe Bucolc Domitian FLAVIVS DOMITI AN was associat to his brother TITVS in gouernement during his lifetime and after his death was his successor hee reigned 15. yeeres Chytr chron He was proud like NERO persecuted innocēt Christians as he did so prone bent is our corrupt nature to sin to follow euill examples Now againe the Church of Christ militant vpon the earth must learne obedicnce by suffering must giue a proofe before the world that the Couenant of God is written in the tables of her heart and so deepely ingraued by the finger of God that no tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednesse nor death it selfe can separate her from the loue of Christ. The members of the Church were the good marchants of whom Christ speaketh Mat. 13. who hauing found a pearle of vnspeakable value were content to sell all that they had for loue of gaining it they had tasted of the Well of water springing vp into eternall life and thirsted not againe for the water that cannot satisfie the heart of man with full cōtentment Ioh. 4. 14. In this second great persecution the belooued disciple of Christ the Apostle IOHN was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the worde of God Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 18. FLAVIA DOMICILLA a woman of noble birth in Rome was banished to Pontia an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italie Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 19. PROT A'SIVS and GERV ASIVS were martyred at Millain Chytr Chron. concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres God-willing wee shall speake in the thirde Centurie and in the treatise of reliques CHYTRAEVS writeth that the Euangelist TIMOTHIE was stoned to death at Ephesus by the worshippers of DIANA and that DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA was slaine by the sword at Pareis DOMITIAN had heard some rumours of the Kingdome of Christ and was afraid as HEROD the great had beene after the Natiuitie of our Lord but when two of Christs kinsemen according to the flesh the Nephewes of the Apostle IYDE were presented before him and hee perceiued them to bee poore men who gained their liuing by handie labour and when hee had heard of them that Christes Kingdome was not of this world but it was spirituall and that he would come at the latter day to judge the quicke and the dead hee despised them as simple and contemptible persones and did them no harme Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 20. In ende as the life of DOMITIAN was like vnto the life of NERO so was he not vnlike vnto him in his death for his owne wife and friends conspired against him and slew him his body was caried to the graue by porters and buried without honour The Senat of Rome also decreed that his name should be rased and all his actes should bee rescinded Sueton. in Domit. Ierom. catal script eccles Nerva COCCIVS NERVA after DOMITIAN reigned 1. yeere 4. months Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 21. Bucolc And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled were borne in Italie from this foorth strangers doe rule for TRAIAN the adoptiue sonne of NERVA his successor was borne in Spaine NERVA redressed many things that were done amisse by DOMITIAN and in his time the Apostle IOHN was relieued from banishment and returned againe to Ephesus where hee died Euseb. cccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 21. CENT I. Chap. 2. AFter the Lordes resurrection his twelue Apostles were indued with grace from aboue and sent foorth to conqu◅sse all people to the obedience of Christ whose trauailes the Lord so wonderfully blessed that within a short time many thousands of all nations languages whom God had appointed to eternal life were conuerted to the faith of Christ. This conquest that Christ made by the ministerie of 12. poore and contemptible men is more worthy to be called a conquest then all the valiant exploites of CYRVS ALEXANDER CAESAR and other conquerours For he made this conquest by a small handfull of poore and infirme disciples also he conquessed not only the bodies of men but also their hearts to his obedience finally hee made this conquest not by shedding of peoples blood but by preaching of his owne death and blood shed for the redemption of many Neither conquessed hee free men to make them slaues as other conquerours had done but they who were slaues indeede to Satan vnto thē he gaue the libertie of the sons of God Now these 12. Apostles the more faithfully they laboured in the worke of their ministery the worse were they intreated by the vnthankfull world according as Christ had forctold Iohn 16. The most part of them were put to death the rest were not free of many painfull sufferings rebukes which they willinglysustained for the Name of Christ. PETER PAVL are supponed to haue beene
I am the lesse moued with their speaches because it is the custome of lamed creeple men to be mounted vp on horsebacke an euil cause supporteth the own infirmitie by the loude trumpet of rayling wordes yet haue they not cleared to the world that wee maintaine obstinatly any point of doctrine repugnant vnto the articles of true faith and vnto the principall grounds of Christian religion preached by Christ and committed to write by the holy Apostles Let them be as prodigall in their curses as they please crying out against vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I answere with simplicitie of a humble mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a thing hanged vp in the Lordes Temple and dedicat to God Haue we not seene with our owne eyes deepe woundes made in the flesh of man that haue beene needled by skilfull Chirurgians and in end cured and healed and the skinne of man cutted in twaine by the sword vnited againe by the needle medicinable plasters That doctrine which endenoureth to needle the wounded world and to vnite it againe vnto that holy doctrine taught by the Apostles and Euangelistes and professed in the first hundreth yeere of our Lord shall we call it hereticall Shall we be so babish that wee cannot discerne the sword from the needle conjunction from separation healing from hurting welfare from woe If we knew Christ Iesus and the power of God working by his word we had not so rashly condemned the trueth of God The Iewes spake as confidently against Christ as euer the Councill of Trent hath spokeÌ„ against vs We hâ—…ue a law according to our lawe hee ought to de because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God Ioh. 19. ver 7 Vnder pretence of zealous keeping of the Law made against blasphemers Leuit 24. 15. they condemned the holy One of God as a blasphemer But his father by loosing the sorowes of death receiuing him into heauen placing him at his owne right hand annulled ipso facto that rash sentence giuen out in earth against the innocent Lamb of God Euen so the Lord in his owne appointed time by receiuing our soules into those celestiall mansions prepared for his owne Saintes shall vndoe the rash decreetes that are giuen out against vs in the earth In all ages this matter hath bene contrauerted and Heretiques haue obstinatly maintained their bad and reprobat opinions and as obstinatly refused the odious and vile name of Heretiques and this question in our dayes is like to a flame of fire which no aboundance of water can sloken The definition of an heresie we haue alreadie set downe in the 3 chap resteth nowe in this treatise to ponder the name it selfe to consider the ground of heresie the propagation and preuailing power of it at sometimes the greater and more preuailing power of the curse of God making heresie in end to wither as the figge tree did that was cursed by Christ And finally to declare what should be the cariage both of Pastours magistrats and people toward Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the Greeke language and very ample in signification for it signifieth a choosing Now it is certaine that it is no fault to a man to take a choise when God doth offer it vnto him as when it was offered to SALOMON to aske what hee liked best he choosed rather to craue wisdome then riches from God 1. Reg. 3. and when DAVID choosed rather to fall into the hands of God then of man 2. Sam. 24 ver 14. DAVID in choosing the pest rather then the sworde or famine tooke a choice which was offered vnto him by God And the pondering of the generalitie of the worde may declare that in things indifferent wherinto God hath granted vnto men a libertie free choice such as eating of flesh or abstinence from it marying or not marying a man may take his choice in these things at such times as he findeth it granted by God as well as DAVID and SALOMON and a man is not to be called an Heretique because he marieth because God hath giuen him libertie to marie or not to marie as a man listeth best prouiding alwayes he seeke counsell of God to dispose him in such indifferent things that way whereby he shall be most meete and able to glorifie God For true it is that the Euangelist writeth No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God who is in the bosome of his Father he hath reueiled him Ioh. 1 which words plainly doe testifie that in matters of faith God hath not giuen vnto a man a free choice to embrace what opinion he pleaseth but God hath tied bound vs in matters of faith to the mouth of his deare Sonne to the ende we should thinke no other thing of God then Iesus Christ hath reueiled vnto vs. Now anent the ground of heresie I followe the opinion of AVGVSTINE in his booke of exposition of some places of the epistie to the Galathian wherein hee compareth Heretiques to the sonnes of KETVRA whome ABRAHAM maried after the death of SARA Gen. 25. These children were procreated of an old father and of a yong mother euen so Heretiques pretending antiquitie of Scripture but forging vnto them a new yong sense whereinto Scripture was not written they become defenders of a false opinion The words of S. AVGVSTINE are these Ex occasione antiquaeveritatâ—…s in novitio temporalique nati sunt mendacio that is through occasion of antiquitie of the trueth they are borne into the noveltie of a temporall lie so that AVGVSTINE his judgement soundeth to this that Heretiques pretend antiquitie of scripture for their father but they are more like to KETVRA then ABRAHAM following rather the noueltie of error then the antiquitie of veritie In this maner IRENEVS thinkèth that heresies do spring vp of a false vnderstanding of holy Scriptures vsing the comparison of men who breake the golden image of the king after it is molten againe fashion it according to the similitude of a Foxe now it can not be called the kings image any longer albeit it be composed of that selfe same golde whereof the kings image was made euen so when wordes of Scripture are drawen to a new false hereticall sense count that new sense heresie not Scripture Iren adversus Ualent lib. 1. cap. 1. Now these opinions of IRENEVS and AVGVSTINE concerning the originall ground of heresie do well agree with the word of Christ himselfe written in holy Scripture Are ye not therefore deceiued because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Marc 12. 24. The Sadduces knew wel eneugh the wordes of scripture but not the right sense and meaning of them And therfore it is great wisdome to mixe our reading with prayer to the ende that the Lorde who guided the
a sufficient number of odious names Hee is called the Antichrist an aduersarie to God the man of sinne the childe of perdition and in other places the false prophet the beast that is worshipped great Babylon the mother of whoredomes which stile albeit they transfeâ—…re it vnto the Romane chaire when the tenne persecuâ—…ing Emperours compelled men to worship heathen gods yet the holy Scripture referreth it to that whore who braggeth that she is married to wit to Christ and shee is not a widowe Apocal. cap. 18. verse 7. And this agreeth better with the chaire of Rome wherein Popes doe sit than with the chaire of Rome when persecuting Emperours sate into it Besides all these odious names the Apostle addeth another hatefull name calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that lawlesse man who will bee subject to no lawe neither diuine nor humane but hee will bee aboue all lawes hee will judge all men and bee judged of no man what regarde hee hath of the lawe of GOD it maye bee knowne by this That the breaking of the Popes lawe is counted a greater sinne than the breaking of the Lawe of GOD for in matters of marriage and meates if the Popes lawe bee transgressed foorth-with a man is counted an Heretique But when the Lawe of GOD is broken for a small summe of money a pardon may be purchased Yea further I am bolde to saye that the moste discrepant Idiomes of the GREEKE language such as the ATTICKE and IONICKE Idiomes they differ not so farre as the lawes of CHRIST and ANTICHRIST differ one from another Albeit the Atticke Dialect delighteth in contractions and the Ionicke in resolutions yet notwithstanding one and the selfe same thing in substance and matter maye bee vttered in both these discrepant Idiomes But the Lawes of CHRIST and Antichrist are so opposite in matter and substance that they cannot both consist and stand namelie when the Lawe of CHRIST biddeth alloweth and approoueth and the lawe of the Antichrist in that same subject forbiddeth disalloweth and disapprooueth The Lawe of GOD Exod. 20. counteth worshippers of Images haters of GOD The lawe of the Antichrist counteth them good Catholiques The lawe of CHRIST in the doctrine of Faith Inuocation and Mediation sendeth vs onelie to the Creator The lawe of the Antichrist sendeth vs to the creatures also so that the Antichrist is justlie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a lawlesse man in respect hee will not bee obedient to the Lawes of CHRIST Concerning humane and ciuill ordinances Hee who dare assoyle subjectes from the oathe of alleadgeance to their soueraine lordes hee vndoeth all ciuill gouernement policie and lawes from the verie foundation I superceede to write further in this point In the second place let vs consider the time wherein the Antichrist shall bee reueiled pointed out in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and then shall the wicked man bee reueiled which wordes beeing relatiue to that which immediatelie passed before importeth that the Antichrist shoulde bee reueiled at that same time when the mightie Monarchie of the Romanes was trodden vnder his feete Then it seemed that all the nations of the worlde should adore and worshippe the beast continuallie and that the tongues of men shoulde haue bene locked vp in silence so that no man euer shoulde take boldnesse to speake one word against the whore of Babylon yea and the Holy Apostle describeth the great securitie of the mother of whoredomes saying in his heart I sit being a Queene and am not a widow and shall see no mourning Apocal. 18. 7. At this same time the vnchangeable decreet of the Almightie God appointed that this wicked one should first be reueiled and afterward should be destroyed Wherin it is to be noted with what patient expectation wee shoulde attende vpon the times and seasons wherein it should please the Lord to performe his owne works for like as Christ thought it more expedient more teÌ„ding to the aduancement of His owne glorie to raise Lazarus out of his graue Ioan. 11. rather than out of the bedde of his infirmitie Euen so the Lord thought meet to suffer the Antichrist to mount vp vnto the top of all his desired prehemineÌ„ce then the Lord put hand to work both to discouer to destroy him to the further manifestation of his own vnspeakeable power wisdome In the third place the meanes are to be considered whereby the Antich should be discouered namely by the sincere preaching of the Gospel by the mouthes of men holy zealous Apoc. 11. 3 in gifts not vnlike vnto Henoch Helias Now seeing the man of sin is to be discouered by the sincere preaching of the Gospell let vs consider what benefite redoundeth to vs by the true and sincere preaching of the Gospell of CHRIST it is like vnto the light of the daye which manifesteth euerie thing in its owne coloures The thing that is beautifull is seene to bee bee beautifull and the thing that is euill fauoured is seene to be such as it is where of the madnesse of some Heretiques such as Gnostici and Mâ—…nichet is clearly perceiued who rejected the Scriptures of God because in them is contained a commemoration of the faultes of the Patriarches Shall the light be despised because it manifesteth both beautie and desormitie both strength and debilitie both the perfection of a complete body and the imperfection of a dismembered and mutilate bodie In like manner the Holy Scriptures are to bee had in the more reuerende regarde when they describe euery thing in their own colours and manifesteth on the one part the riches of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ and on the other part the falsehood subtiltie hypocrisie and pride of the Antichrist to the end that Gods people maye eschewe the Antichrist and rejoyce in the sweete saluation of Christ Iesus This discouerie of the Antichrist in some weake measure began about the yeere of our Lord 1300. at what time learned men fearing the tyrannie of the Emperour of the Turks fled to Italie and restored the Grieke and Latine languages to their own puritie This vindicating of languages from the grosse barbaritie of those times opened a doore of knowledge and a desire of reading with a judicious consideration of that which was read whether or not it were a suppositious worke More-ouer God annointed the eyes of many learned men with the eye-salue of vnderstanding whose sight increasing by degrees in end manifested to the worlde that the chaire of Rome was the seate of the Antichrist Marsilius Patavinus in his booke called Defensor Pacis writeth that the Clergie of Rome is a denne of thiâ—…ues and that the doctrine of the Pope is not to bee followed because it leadeth vnto eternall death Franciscus Petrarcha a man famously learned calleth Rome the whore of Babylon the Schoole and mother of errour the temple of Heresie the nest of treacherie growing and increasing by the oppression of others
that he himselfe was sent from aboue to saue the worlde and by vertue of his Baptisme men should bee made immortall euen in this world in such sort that they should neither waxe olde nor taste of death Euseb eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 26. This heresie EPIPHANIVS compareth to Aspido-gorgon in Egypt a great serpent inclosed into a vessel of lame with many other serpents after he hath deuoured all the rest of the serpents he beginneth to gnaw his owne taile for hunger and to destroye himselfe Epiph. contrahareses so did this heresie vndoe it selfe by promising great things which MENANDER could not performe neither in himselfe nor in others In this age also sprang vp EBION who denied the diuinitie of Christ and saide hee was onely a man begotten betweene IOSEPH and MARIE and that the obseruation of MOSES Law was necessarie to eternall life his followers were called Ebionites either by the name of their master EBION or else as EVSEBIVS thinketh for their poore beggerly opinion they had of Christ supponing him onely to be a man for EBION in the Hebrewe language signifieth one that is poore Euseb. eccles hist lib. 3 cap. 27. These Ebionites damne all the epistles of PAVL and count him an Apostat from the law and they admit no part of the Newe Testament for canonicke Scripture except the Gospell of MATTHEW CERINTHVS about the same time was the author of strange reuelations which he said he had receiued from Angels that after the resurrection from the dead Christ should haue an earthly kingdome in this world and that the subjectes of Christes Kingdome should eate and drinke and marie and keepe holy dayes and offer sacrifices for hee himselfe was a man giuen to fleshly lustes and he imagined that the pleasures of Christs Kingdome shuld consistin fulfilling the concupiscence of the flesh Euseb. eccles hist lib. 3. cap. 18. Likewise in this age sprang vp the errour of the Nicolaitanes vpon this occasion as CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS doth write Strom. 3. One of the Deacons chosen by the Apostles to haue the ouersight of the poore Acts 6. had a beautifull woman to his wife was accused of ouer great jealousie To purge himselfe of all suspition of that fault hee brought his wife into the mids of his brethren and said he was content that any man should marrie her Of which wordes many tooke occasion to liue promiscuously like beastes no man hauing his owne proper wife but making them common Howbeit NICOLAVS is said to haue liued himselfe in matrimoniall chastitie contenting himselfe with his own wife alanerly Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 29. Noght the lesse his foolish and vnaduised speaches were the occasion of a most wicked damnable errour of the Nicolaitanes whereof the Lord speaketh in the Reuelation of IOHN that he hated it Apoc. 2. This is that heresie which GREGORIE the seuenth imputed to all married priestes but with what equitie marriage ordeined by God and honorable among all men can be called an heresie hated of the Lord let the Christian reader judge Of Antiquitie TO the historie I haue adjoyned certaine Treatises containing contrauerted questions in our time for decision whereof it is necessarie to haue recourse to the writings of the Apostles the custome of the Primitiue Church adhering to the Apostolicke doctrine firmely euen vnto the death Our first treatise Godwilling shall be of Antquitie Now this doctrine is to be spread out into foure branches First we shall speake Godwilling of Antiquitie of veritie next of Antiquitie of errour thirdly of Antiquitie of custome and fourthly what is the best way to discerne betweene the ancient veritie and the olde lie Antiquitie of veritie is the way of saluation pointed out by the finger of God from the beginning of the world of this way speaketh IEREMIE cap. 6. ver 16 Seeke out the ancient wayes and walke in them ye shall find rest vnto your soulâ—… Antiquitie of errour is an adding pairing altering or contradictioÌ„ to the ancient way pointed out into this word of God and of this Christ speaketh in the Gospell of Matthew Ye haue heard it said of old Thou shalt not slay c. but I say vnto you he who is angrie with his brother without a cause is worthy of iudgement Mat. 5. ver 21. and 22. Whereby Christ declareth that the false interpretation of the law whereby the spirituall lawe was drawen to a corporall and a grosse sense and meaning yet was this errour ancient and was heard of old time but the verie description of antiquitie of errour declareth that it is not so ancient as the trueth forsomuch as it is a depravation marring of the afore-existent trueth either one way or other The third sort of antiquitie is antiquitie of custome that is certaine customes that crept in into the Church of God partly in the dayes of the Apostles partly soone after their dayes such as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is feastes of loue epist. lude ver 12. and after the Apostles dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is three dippings in water in the sacrament of Baptisme These customes were neither authorized by Apostolicke precept and commandement neither abrogated by Apostolicke prohibition but tolerated into the Church vntill the time they were abused as we see clearely 1. Cor. 11. ver 20. 21 22. Now as concerning antiquitie of veritie first we shall declare where it should be sought secondly when it is found what is the vertue and power of it thirdly how it ought to be reuerenced loued and followed of vs. And first antiquitie of veritie is to be sought as the Apostle S. IOHN and beloued disciple of Christ sought it to wit out of the mouth of him who was from the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thing which was from the beginning Iohn 1. ver 1. as if hee would say I present vnto you no newe doctrine but that which I receiued from the mouth of Christ himselfe who was existent albeit not manifested in the flesh euen from the beginning of the world In the beginning was the word c Iohn 1. ver 1. If this way we seeke antiquitie wee assuredly finde the ancient way of God whereinto wee should walke and get rest vnto our soules Ierem 6. ver 16. Antiquitie is not to be sought as PSAMMETICHVS King of Egypt sought it from new wained babes keeping them in in secret custodie without hearing any articulate voyce or intelligible speech whereby he might discerne what people and language was most ancient HERODOT EVTERP this was a follish seeking out of antiquitie from them that were not ancient Next when we haue found out the ancient trueth consider the vertue and power of it It is strong and mightie in operation like vnto Christ the author of it whose hnmilitie and apparent weaknesse bruiseth and dasheth in pieces all the glorious strong and stately things of the world that are
fashioned according to the similitude of this world Rom. 12. In doing great things by faith they surpassed mightie Monarches In patient suffering of cuil they ouerwent admired Philosophers In this persecution SIMON the sonne of CLEOPAS an ◅oly A postle suffered martyrdome being now an hundreth and twentie yeeres olde he was first scourged and then crucified but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the Name of Christ Euseb. eccl hist lib. 3. cap. 32 Of IGNATIVS martyrdome wee haue spoken in the first Centurie the time of his suffering was in the time of TRAIANVS Plin. 2. Deputie in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of them to the death In ende he was commoued and troubled in his owne minde considering both the number and patient suffering of Christians that were put to death hee wrote to the Emperour declaring that Christians were men of good conuersation and detested murther adulterie and such other vngodlinesse onely they had conuentions earely in the morning and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ whom they worshipped as God but they would not worship images here make the portrait of the ancient Apostolicke Church what conformitie the Romaine Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth This letter of PLINIVS mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue he no absolute commandement to stay the persecution but only that the judges should not search them out narrowly but if any happened to be presented before them then let them be punished Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 33 What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by TERTVLLIAN the one part of it repugneth to the other In forbidding to search them out narrowly he declareth their innocencie but in commanding to punish them when they were presented hee pronounceth them to be guiltie Tcrtul Apol. This is that Emperour for whose soule GREGORIE the first made supplications to God 400. yeeres after his death and was heard of God as DAMASCEN writeth serm de defunctis This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if hee supponed GREGORIE to be so full of charitie that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours to the ende that they being all deliuered from the condemnation of hel heauen might be counted a mansion both for Christes true disciples and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies Adrianus AFter TRAIAN AELIVS ADRIANVS reigned 21. yeeres Chytr Chron. In his time ARISTIDES and QVADRATVS the one a Bishop the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion and did so mitigate the Emperors mind that in his time no new commandement was set foorth to persecute Christians Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4 cap. 3. Ierom Catal. script eccles BARCOCHEBAS at this time peruerted the nation of the Jewes and called himselfe the promised MESSIAS whome the foolish Iewes followed to their owne ouerthrow and destruction TYNIVS RVFVS Deputie in Iadea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Jerusalem and destroyed him with all his adherents Also the whole nation of the I◅wes was banished from their natiue soyle and the towne of Jerusalem was taken from the Jewes and deliuered to other nations to be inhabitants of it and was called by the Emperours name Aelia Euseb. eccl hist lib. 4. cap 6. Thus we see that the Iewes who would not receiue Christ who came in his fathers name yet they receiued another who came in his owne name and like vnto babes who are easily deceiued with trifles they were bewitched with the splendor of a glorious name for BARCOCHEBAS signifieth the sonne of a starre and he saide to the Iewes that hee was sent as a light from heauen to succour their distressed estate but he might haue beene called more justly BARCHOSBA the sonne of a lie Here I giue warning againe that wee take heede to our selues lest we be circumveened with the deceitful snares of the deuill for it is an easie thing to fall but a difficill thing to rise againe The Christians who liued in the dayes of ADRIAN were glad to be refreshed with the crums of outward comfort which are denied to no accused persō in the whol world viz. that Christians shall not be condemned to death for the importunat clamors and cryes of a raging people accusing them except it be proued that they haue transgressed the Law and haue committed some fact worthie of death Reade the epistle of ADRIAN written to MINVTIVS FVNDANVS Deputie in Asia Euseb eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 9. The good intention of ADRIAN in building a Church for the honour of Christ voide of images because such was the custome of Christians was impeded and hindered by some of his familiar friendes who said that if he so did all men would for sake the temples of the gods of the Gentiles and become Christians Bucolc citing the testimonie of LAMPRIDIVS writing the life of ALEXANDER SEVERVS In this point good reader marke what Church is like vnto the ancient primitiue and Apostolicke Church whether the Church decked with images or the Church voide of images Antoninus Pius TO ADRIAN succeeded ANTONINVS PIVS his adopted sonne reigned 23. yeeres Chytr Chron. Hee was so carefull to preserue the liues of his subjects that he counted it greater honour to saue the life of one subject then to destroy the liues of a thousand enemies Carion lib. 3. Monarch 4. In this Emperours time IVSTINVS MARTYR wrote notable bookes of Apologie for the Christians which were presented and reade in the Senate of Rome and mollified the Emperours minde toward Christians as clearely appeareth by his edicts proclaimed at Ephesus in time of most solemne conuentions of all Asia Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 13 Antoninus Philosophus L. Uerus AFter ANTONINVS PIVS succeeded his sonne in law ANTONINVS Philosophus otherwise called MARCVS AVRELIVS with his brother L. AVRELIVS VERVS This is the first time whereinto the Romaine empire was gouerned by two Augusti Albeit TITVS had associated his brother DOMITIAN to be a fellow labourer with him in the worke of governement yet was not DOMITIAN counted or called AVGVSTVS vntill the death of his brother TITVS But nowe at one and the selfe same time two Emperours doe reigne ANTONINVS Philosophus reigned 19. yeeres LVCIVS VERVS his brother 9. yeeres And so after the death of VERVS the whole gouernement returned to ANTONINVS Philosophus alanerly Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 5. cap. 9. Bucolc He was called a Philosopher not onely in regard of his knowledge but also in respect of the practise of Philosophie Hee was neither greatly puft vp by prosperitie nor greatly casten downe by aduersitie yet he was a cruell persecuter of innocent Christians Now is the fuell added to the fornace the fourth time and the flame is great and the arme of wicked men who hated
EVSEBIVS reckoneth onely 12. yeeres lib. 6. cap. 12. He stirred vp the fift persecution against the Christians The crimes objected against the Christians beside those that were objected in the former persecution were these Rebellion against the Emperour sacriledge murthering of infants worshipping of the sunne and worshipping the heade of an Asse which last calumnie was forged against them by the malice of the Jewes This persecution raged most seuerely in the townes of Alexandria and Carthage like as the former persecution had done in Lions and Vienne in France Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 1. LEONIDES the father of ORIGEN was beheaded his sonne being but yong in yeeres exhorted his father to perseuere in the faith of Christ constantly vnto the death POTAMIEA a yong beautiful virgin in Alexandria was by the judge condemned to death and deliuered to a Captaine called BASILIDES who stayed the insolencie of the people that followed her to the place of execution with outrage of slanderous and rayling worde crying out against her for this cause shee prayed to God for the conuersion of BASILIDES to the true faith and was heard of God in so much that he was not onely conuerted to the faith of Christ but also sealed it vp with his blood and had the honour of martyrdome Euseb. lib. 6. cap 5. ALEXANDER who was fellow-labourer with NARCISSVS in Ierusalem escaped many dangers yet was he martyred in the dayes of DECIVS the 7. great persecuter Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 39. Of this Emperour the Senat of Rome said Aut non nasci aut non mori debuisse that is Either hee should neuer haue beene borne or els should neuer haue tasted of death So it pleased the Lorde by his wise dispensation to suffer the dayes of TRAIAN ANTONINVS Philosophus SEVERVS Emperours renoumed in the world to be more cruell against his owne people then the dayes of NERO DOMITIAN CALIGVLA or COMMODVS to the ende the poore Church might learne to be content to be spoyled of all outward comfort and to leane vpon the staffe of the consolations of God alanerly Many that were brought vp in the schooles of ORIGEN suffered martyrdome such as PLVTARCHVS SERENVS HERACLIDES HERON and another hauing the name of SERENVS also Euseb. lib 6. cap. 4. Among women RHAIS was burned with fire for Christs sake before she was baptized with water in Christs Name Euseb. ibid. Innumerable moe martyrs were slaine for the faith of Christ whose names in particular no ecclesiasticall writer euer was able to comprehend therfore it shall suffice to heare the names of a few The rest whose names are not expressed enjoy the crownes of incorruptible glory as wel as those doe whose names are in all mens mouths It is the comfort of our hearts to remember that the Apostles and Euangelists sealed vp with their blood the doctrine which they taught and committed to writ and no other doctrine and the holy martyres immediatly after the Apostles dayes sealed vp with the glorious testimonie of their blood that same faith which we now professe which they receiued froÌ„ the hands of the Apostles but they were not so prodigall of their liues to giue their blood for the doctrine of worshipping of images inuocation of Saints plurality of mediators of intercession the sacrifice of the Masse both propitiatory and vnbloody expresly against the wordes of the Apostle Heb. 9. ver 22. and such other heades of doctrine vnknown to antiquitie The Romaine Church in our daies is a persecuting and not a persecuted Church more fruitfull in murthers then martyrdomes glorying of antiquitie and follow ing the forgerie of new inuented religion This Emperour SEVERVS was slaine at Yoâ—…ke by the Northerne men Scots Bassianus Geta. SEVERVS who was slaine at Yorke left behind him two sonnes BASSIANVS and GETA BASSIANVS slewe his brother reigned himselfe alone 6. yeres so that the whole time of his gouernment both with his brother and alone was 7. yeeres 6. months Euseb. lib 6. cap 21. He put to death also PAPINIANVS a worthie lawyer because he would not pleade his cause anent the slaughter of his brother before the people but saide that sinne might be more easily committed then it could be defended Bucolc Hee tooke to wife his own mother in law IVLIA a woman more beautifull then chaste In all his time as he confessed with his owne mouth hee neuer learned to doe good and was slaine by MACRINVS Macrinus with his son Diadumenus MACRINVS and his sonne reigned one yeere alanerly Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. Antoninus Heliogabalus ANTONINVS HELIOGABALVS reigned after MACRINVS 4. yeeres Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. He was a prodigious belly-god a libidinous beast an enemie to all honestie and good order Func Chron. So many villanous things are written of him that scarcely if the Reader can giue credite to the historie that euer such a monster was fashioned in the belly of a woman At his remouing in his progresse oftimes followed him 600. chariots laden onely with baudes and common harlots His gluttonie filthinesse excessiue riotousnes are in al mens mouthes Hee was slaine of the souldiers drawen through the citie and cast into Tiber. Alexander Seuerus ALEXANDER SEVERVS the adopted sonne of HELIOGABALVS reigned 13. yeeres Euseb lib. 6. cap. 28. Chron. Func He delited to haue about him wise and learned counsellers such as FABIVS SABINVS DOMITIVS VLPIANVS c. This renowmed Lawyer VLPIANVS was not a friend to Christians but by collecting together a number of lawes made against Christians in times bypast he animated the harts of judges against them And this is a piece of the rebuke of Christ that Christians haue borne continually to be hated of the wise men of the world hist. Magdeburg Cent. 3. Hereof it came to passe that in this Emperours time albeit hee was not so bloodie as many others had bene before him and therefore his Empire was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnbloodie yet not a few suffered martyredome euen in the dayes of ALEXANDER such as AGAPETVS a young man of 15. yeere old at Praeneste a towne of Italie Hee was assaied with many torments and finally with the sword he was beheaded The judge who gaue out a sentence of death against him fell out of his judiciall seat and suddenly died The martyredome of CECILIA if by her trauailes VALERIAN her espoused husband and TIBVRTIVS his brother 400. moe had bene conuerted to Christ secretly baptized by VRBANVS B. of Rome immediatly before her death I maruel that no mention should be made by EVSEBIVS of such a rare miraculous worke Senatours and noble men at Rome such as PAMMACHIVS SIMPLICIVS and QVIRITIVS with their wiues and children died for the faith of Christ with many others Hist. Mag. Cent. 3. The fauour that this Emperour shewed to Christians against whom the very sloobering cookes did contend challenging vnto themselues the right of a place whereinto Christians were accustomed to
MAXIMINVS but they were both cut off by CAPELLIANVS Captaine of the Mauritanians Within a short time the senate of Rome chused MAXIMVS PVPIENVS and BALBINVS to be Emperours and to resist the tyrannie of MAXIMINVS But this election displeased the people of Rome therefore they were compelled to associat GORDIANVS a young man of 13. yeeres olde in conjunct authoritie with them This GORDIANVS was the nephew of him who was Procâ—…nfull in Africke and the souldiers made out of the way MAX. PVPIENVS and BALBINVS So GORDIANVS reigned himselfe alone without associats sixe yeeres Chron Func Philippus PHILIPPVS a man borne in Arabia and his son reigned fiue yeeres Chron Func Bucolc EVSEBIVS saith 7. yeeres He was the first Emperour who became a Christian and was baptized by FABIANVS B. of Rome Hee was content to stand among the number of the penitents who made confession of their sinnes for his life was reproouable in some things before his conuersion Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 34. especially in slaying of GORDIANVS an Emperour inclined to peace DECIVS one of the Captaines of his armie conspired against him and slewe him and his sonne and reigned in his stead Decius DECIVS and his sonne obteiued the empire 2. yeeres Chron. Func Whether for hatred of PHILIP his master whome hee had slaine or for detestation of Christians or for couetous desire of the treasures of PHILIP left in the custodie of FABIAN B. of Rome or for some other cause it is not certaine Alwayes he mooued a terrible persecution against the Christians The martyrs who suffered death in the time of this persecution were innumerable Some few of the principall martyres I shall rehearse ALEXANDER Bishop ' of Jerusalem died in prison at Casarea BABYLAS B. of Antiochia died likewise in prison FABIAN B. of Rome suffered martyrdome DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS by a wonderfull prouidence of God escaped the handes of persecuting enemies CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was banished and reserued to the honour of martyrdome vntill the dayes of VALERIAN the eight persecuter ORIGEN who from his childhood was desirous of the honour of martyredome in this persecution of DECIVS he fainted and his heart was so oucrset with feare to haue his chaste body defiled with an vgly Ethiopian that he choosed rather to offer incense to the Idole then to be so filthily abused For this cause hee was excommunicate by the Church of Alexardria and for very shame fled to Judea where hee was not onely gladly receiued but also requested publickely to preach at Ierusalem Neuerthelesse in stead of teaching hee watred his face with teares when he reade these words of scripture To the wak d man sath God What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinancse that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy month Ps. 50. ver 16. These words so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that hee closed the booke and sate downe and wept all the congregation wept with him Hist Mag. Cent. 3. cap. 10. No pitie nor compassion was had neither of sexe or age In this persecution APOLLONIA a virgine of good yeeres after they had dashed her face with battons till all her teeth were stricken out of her jawes they burned her quicke at the port of Alexandria This is that holy martyre whose teeth the Romaine church in our dayes say that they haue them as holy monuments kept in the treasures of their reliques vntill this time But the tryall that was taken of late dayes by HENRIE the eight king of England seeking for the teeth of APOLLONIA as a remedy of the toothach clearly prooueth that many teeth are supponed to be the teeth of APOLLONIA that were neuer fastened in her jaw bones Chemnisius dereliquiis The death of QVINTA AMMONARION MERCVRIA DIONYSIA clearly declareth what pitie was had of the weakenesses of women IVLIANVS an olde and gowtie man burned with fire testifieth what regard was had to the gray haires of ancient men DIOSCORVS a yong man not exceeding 15. yeres of age albeit they were ashamed to condemne him to death yet he escaped not many painfull torments was a glorious Confessour with patient expectation awaiting vntill the Lord should call him to the honour of martyrdome NEMESION was accused in Alexandria as a companion of brigants and was punished with stripes and fire vnto the death with greater seueritie then any brigant albeit his innocencie was sufficiently knowne AMMON ZENON PTOLEMEVS INGENVVS THEOPHILVS warriours and knights standing by the tribunall seate beckened with their hands to a certaine weake Christian who for feare was readie to incline and fall that hee should continue constant and stepped to the bench and professed themselues to be Christians This dayly increasing courage of Christians who were emboldened by the multitude of sufferings astonished and terrified the Iudges Euseb lib. 6. cap. 41. ISCHYRION was slaine by his owne master The number of martyres in Alexandria and Egypt of whome DIONYSIVS in his epistle written to FABIVS Bishop of Antiochia maketh mention clearely testifieth that if the names of all those who suffered martyrdome in the townes of Rome Carthage Antiochia Ephesus and Babylon were particularly set down ouer and beside others who suffered in other townes of Asia Africke and Europe subject to the dominion of the Romaine Emperour it were not possible in the volume of a litle booke to comprehend them all For mine owne part I presume not to do it but I reuerence the painfull trauelles of learned men who haue dipped deepely into such a fruitfull subject specially the writer of the booke of martyres Onely I find somethings in this seuenth persecution which the principall purpose wherefore I haue collected this compend will not permit mee to passe ouer with silence Namely these first let no man thinke that the veritie is weake and hath neede to bee strengthened by a lie as NICEPHORVS is accustomed to doe The seuen martyres of Ephesus whose names were MAXIMIANVS MALCHVS MARTINIANVS DIONYSIVS IOANNES SERAPION and CONSTANTINVS were lurking in a caue the entrie where of DECIVS commanded to be closed with great heapes of stones to the end that the forenamed Christians might be killed with famine which came to passe indeede Yet famine could not sâ—…parate these holy Martyres from Christ. But NICEPHORVS the father of many other fables also saith that they fell on sleepe in which they continued till the time of THEODOSIVS that is from the 250 vntill the 379. yeere of our Lord and then they did awake out of their sleepe saith NICEPHORVS lib. 5. cap. 27. But he who will giue hastie credite to NICEPHORVS fables writing of the 7. martyres who lurked in a caue of mount Caelius and to EVAGRIVS description of BARSANVPHIVS an Egyptian monke who enclosed himselfe in a cottage beside Gaza for the space of 50. yeeres and vsed no kinde of bodily refreshment to sustaine his earthly tabernacle he may be easily led to all kinde of errour The second thing worthy to be marked is that
the 29. B. of Rome who continued in that ministration 5. yeres 6 months 21 dayes He liued in the dayes of MAXENTIVS by whom he was enclosed into a filthie stable to the end that lacking the salubritie of wholsome aire he might be destroyed with the filth stinke of the dung of beasts which thing also came to passe indeede for he died in the stable This holy martyr so long as he liued he made the stable like vnto a sanctuarie for hee neuer intermitted the holy exercises of prayer fasting and the Church when peace was granted to them by the mercie of God they builded a temple in that same place where the stable had beene whereinto MARCELLVS died Platin. de vitis The name of MARCELLVS is pretermitted by EVSEBIVS After MARCELLVS succeeded EVSEBIVS the 30. B. of Rome and continued 6. yeeres 1 month 3. dayes In his time PLATINA writeth that HELENA the mother of CONSTANTINE found the crosse of Christ. But ONVPHRIVS himself is compelled to grant that both DAMASVS and PLATINA erred in that narration because CONSTANTINE at this time had no dominion in Syria neither was hee as yet conuerted to the faith of Christ. But the tyrant MAXIMINVS with great crueltie oppressed the Church of Christ in the boundes of Syria and Iudea And therefore such as read the historie of the primitiue Church let them read with judgement because it is an easie thing to erre if any man giue such vndoubted credit to ecclesiasticall writers as he giueth to sacred scripture TERTVLLIAN a learned preacher of the African prouince of the citie of Carthage a man of a quicke wit pregnant ingine flourished vnder the reigne of SEVERVS the 5 persecuter When he came to Rome he vas not free of the enuy and reproches of the clergie of the Romaine church and mooued with anger he declined to the opinion of the Heretique MONTANVS wrote books against the true Church such as the volumes following De pudicitia De peâ—…cutione De jejunâ—…s De monogamia De exstasi lib. 6. his 7. booke against APOLLONIVS This lamentable defection of TERTVLLIAN may be an example to all men of great vnderstanding and excellent learning not to be puft vp nor to be high minded lest they fall into the snare of the deuill For TERTVLLIAN wrote learned apologies for the Christians and mightily confuted the errour of MARCION notwithstanding of al this he was high minded joyned himself to the opinioÌ„ of MONTANVS Ierom. Catal. script eccl if he had kept himself free of this foule spot he was worthy for his giftes to haue ben counted amoÌ„g the most famous doctors of the Church after the dayes of the Apostles Hist. Magd. Cent. 3. cap. 10. ORIGEN the sonne of LEONIDES an Egyptian was a yong man of 17. yeeres of age when his father was martyred in the persecution of SEVERVS Ierom Catal. script eccles His ingine was so pregnant in his youth and so capable of all kinde of instruction that his father would oftimes vncouer his brest when he was on sleepe and kisse it giuing thanks to God who had made him father of so happie a sonne hist. Magd Cent. 3. cap. 10. After his fathers death he sustained himselfe his mother sixe brethren by keeping a schoole for all his fathers goods were confiscate for his confession of Christ. When ORIGEN had spent his young age the description of his life in Greeke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when he was in his mid age the Churches of Achaia vexed with Heretiques sent for him as he was vpon his journey to Athens he went through Palestina was ordained to be a preaching Elder by ALEXANDER B of Ierusalem THEOCTISTVS B. of Caesarea This fact offended DEMETRIVS B. of Alexandria so highly that he was full of rage against ORIGEN and wherefore because he beeing a man of Alexandria receiued ordination to an ecclesiasticall office from the Bishops of Ierusalem and Caesarea When Bishops become serious in trifling matters and haue a greater regarde to their owne gloâ—…y then to the aduancement of the kingdome of God then that may bee spoken of them which IEROM writeth of DEMETRIVS Qui tanta in eum debacchatus est insania ut per totum mundum super ejus nomine seriberet that is He was so ful of rage against him that he replenished the world with writings mentioning the name of ORIGEN But consider what fault was in ORIGEN who was crauing no ordination And what fault was in ALEXANDER and THEOCTISTVS men whose names shall be had in euerlasting remembrance They did nothing of intention to grieue the heart of DEMETRIVS B. of Alexandria but onely beeing carefull of the aduancement of the kingdome of God they endeuoured to strengthen the hands of ORIGEN against the Heretiques of Achaia by conferring vnto him the calling of a Presbyter No man can justly offend against me if I cast in this sentence as a common admonition to all preachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let vs not be ouer serious in ridiculous matters The name of ORIGEN was so famous that not onely the Bishops of Achaia sollicited him to come to their bounds for stopping the mouthes of Heretiques but also he was sent for at two diuerse times to bee present at the Councils conucened in Arabia against Heretiques Some Heretiques affirmed that the soules of men perish with their bodies and are raised vp againe in the day of the resurrection with the bodies whom ORIGEN mightily refuted Comment Func in Chron. lib. 6. Likewise he was present at the Councill in Arabia gathered against BERYLLVS B. of Bostra who denied that Christ was existent before his manifestation in the flesh and by the trauelles of ORIGEN BERYLLVS was reclaimed and reduced to the true faith therefore I reckone him not into the roll of Heretiques Euseb lib. 6. cap. 33. FIRMILIANVS B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia inuited ORIGEN to come to Cappadocia where he deteined him a long time Likewise MAMMEA the mother of ALEXANDER the Emperour sent for him to come to Antiochia and had him in reuerent regarde Likewise hee wrote to the Emperour PHILIP and to his mother who was the first Emperour that professed the Name of Christ Ierom. catal script eccl He studied to be acquainted with the Hebrew language farre contrarie to the custome of his own nation he conferred the Hebrewe text with the Greeke translations not onely the Septuagints but also the translations of AQVILA THEOLOSION and SYMMACHVS and hee found out the fift sixt and seuenth editions Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 17. Ierom catal scrip eccles Notwithstanding of all these excellent gifts and renoumed fame of ORIGEN he wanted not his owne grosse errours foolish facts In expouÌ„ding of scripturs he became a curious searcher out of allegories Yet this father of allegories ORIGEN took the words of Christ spoken of Eunuches There be some chaste which haue made thâ—…mselues chaste for the kingdome of
heauen Mat. 19. ver 12. these words I say spoken in an allegoricall sense he tooke in a simple and vnfigurat meaning and gelded himselfe to the ende he might liue without all suspition of vncleannesse Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 8. No learned man hath commended this fact of ORIGEN so far as my reading can extend for if a man might lawfully dismember his own body to the end that he might liue chastly why might not a man in like maner cut off his owne hand to the ende hee should not in hastie motion of anger kil his neighbour But the obedience of the commandements of God is seated in the heart and more commended for voluntarie subjection then for necessity of abstinence of committing euil because there is not an instrument in the body able to commit transgression Finally by seeking of diuinitie without the bounds of the holy scriptures of God in stead of true diuinitie he was intangled with foolish errours anent the creation of many worlds one succeeding to another anent the paines of deuils and wicked men after long torments to be finished and anent the possibilitie of mans nature to keepe the whole law of God For which opinions long after his death he was excommunicat in the 5 generall Council holden Ann 551. Concerning his weaknesse in offering to idols rather then to suffer his chaste body to be abused I haue spoken in the history of the 7. persecution He liued vntil the dayes of GALLVS VOLVSIANVS died in the 69. yeere of his age in the towne of Tyrus where he was also buried CYPRIAN was an African borne in Carthage in his youth altogether giuen to the study practise of Magical artes His cōuersion was by the means ofCECILIVS a preacher whose name after hee bare and through occasion of hearing the historie of the Prophet IONAH Ierom catal script eccles Ierom. comment in Ionam After his conuersion he distributed all his substance to the poore Ierom. ibid. and became first a preaching elder and afterward Bishop of Carthage He was banished in the persecution of DECIVS and martyred vnder VALERIAN Nazianz in laudem Cypriani The worthy D. I. FOXE thinketh that NAZIANZEN commendeth another Bishop of that same name borne in Antiochia and Bishop in Antiochia who suffered martyrdome in the dayes of DIOCLETIAN This CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was a man full of loue a great comforter of CORNELIVS B. of Rome He suffered martyrdome as IEROM writeth that same day albeit not in that same yeere that CORNELIVS concluded his life by glorious martyrdome Ierom Catal. script eccles He had great strife against two contrarie sectes viz. against NOVATVS who was excessiue rigorous against those who had fallen in time of persecution and against NOVATIANVS FELICISSIMVS who by the contrarie would haue had both Heretiques and Apostats receiued without all forme of ecclesiasticall discipline Hist. Magd Cent 3. cap. 10. He esteemed much of those who suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ he said of the mettall mines and those that were condemned for Christs sake to worke in them that whereas they were wont to deliuer golde and siluer and precious things vnto the world no we by the contrarie the mines receiued golde and siluer and the most precious things in the world counting the Confessours and martyrs of Christ the rich treasures of the earth of whom the world was not worthy His opinion anent rebaptizing such as were baptized by Heretiques albeit it was erroneous yet his modestie in not damning thē rashly who were of a contrary opinion is great ly praised by S. AVSTEN who saith that the modestie of CYPRIAN in his error was mo◅e to be regarded then a sound right opiniō anent baptisme without humility modesty August de Baptis contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 17. He was a faithfull builder of the house of God not by word onely but also by write and his bookes remaine vntill this day as a precious treasure in the Church of Christ. The booke de Revelatione capitis Ioannis Baptista is supposititious because in it mention is made of the reuerence that PIPINVS king of France did to the heade of IOHN Baptist when it was transported from Constantinople to France and it is knowne that PIPINVS was not borne three hundreth yeeres after the martyrdome of CYPRIAN how then could CYPRIAN write of a fact done so long time after his death The Church of Christ was multiplied vnder the persecutions of SEVERVS MAXIMINVS DECIVS VALERIAN AVRELIAN DIOCLETIAN All these sixe persecutions are comprehended in the third Centurie In Ierusalem was NARCISSVS against whome wicked men banded themselues together with forged accusations and false testimonies sealed vp with othes and imprecations to grieue the heart of NARCISSVS in so much that he left his calling and fledde to the wildernesse where he Iurked a long time But the false witnesses who bare testimony against him escaped not the punishment of God One of them and his whole familie and substance was burned with sudden fire another of them was stricken with an heauie disease such as hee himselfe in his imprecation had wished vnto himselfe the third was terrified with the sight of the judgements of God that lighted vpon the other two and hee repented and powred out the griefe of his dolorous heart in such aboundance of teares that hee became blinde All these false witnesses were punished Euseb. lib 6. cap 9. and hee who was penitent albeit the Lorde pardoned his sinne yet hee chastised him with temporal punishments The Bishops of the next adjacent Churches because they knewe not what was become of NARCISSVS they admitted another called DIOS who continued but a shorte time To him succeeded GERMANION and after GERMANION GORDIVS in whose time NARCISSVS manifested himselfe againe to the Church of Ierusalem who requested him to vndertake his office againe for they reuerenced him as a man raised from death to life againe and the punishment of God inflicted vpon his accusers increassed their reuerence toward him He was old and not able to discharge the weightie office of a Bishop theresore ALEXANDER a worthie man was joyned as fellow-labourer with him EVSEBIVS writeth that hee was admonished by a celestiall vision of the will of God that hee should be Bishop of Jerusalem with NARCISSVS for hee had beene Bishoppe of another parochin before in Cappadocia by the like celestiall vision NARCISSVS and others of the clergie were admonished that the day next following a Bishoppe should enter into Jerusalem whome God had appointed to be an helper to NARCISSVS Ierom Catal. scrip eccl He defended ORIGEN against the furie and madnesse of DEMETRIVS B. of Alexandria who set both himselfe and others to great businesse for a matter of no importance as said is Ierom ibid. In the persecution of DECIVS he was caried to Casarea closed into a darke prison and died a martyre as hath beene declared ALEXANDER is supponed till haue beene the 35. Bishop of Jerusalem
not onely stained other his noble vertues but also purchased the hatred of the souldiers against him whereby it came to passe that they set vp Phocas to be Emperour in his steade Of this calamitie it is thought that Mauritius was foreseene in his dreame that he choosed rather to be punished in this world for his faults than in the world to come Alwayes hee was brought in bands to Phocas his wife and fiue children were cruelly slaine in his owne presence and finally bloodie Phocas slew himselfe of whome it is reported that when he saw his wife and children put to death he gaue glorie to GOD in his greatest calamitie and said Iust art thou O LORD and righteous in all thy Iudgements CHAP. II. Of Pastors and Doctors Patriarches of Rome TO GELASIVS succeeded ANASTATIVS 2. and gouerned 1. yeere 2. moneths 24 dayes Hee ministred in the dayes of the Emperour Anastatius he was hated of the Clergie because he admitted to his fâ—…owship Photinus a deacon whom Foelix and Gelasius had excommunicated as a friend to Acatius B. of Constantinople Platina writeth of him that he ended his life as Arrius did and that his bowels gushed out when he was doing his secret busines The very flatterers of the bishops of Rome are compelled to say that some of them were fauourers of heretiques and for that cause punished by God with extraordinare iudgements but I ground no thing vpon the words of Platina but so much as maketh against them whom he intendeth to flatter To Anastatius succeeded Symmachus in the dayes of the Emperour Anastatius and when Theodoricus King of Gothes reigned in Italie great sedition was amongst the people at his election the one part of the Clergie people choosing Symmachus the other Laurentius to be B. of Rome but with coÌ„mon consent a Synod was appointed at Ravenna there the electioÌ„ of Symmachus was ratified He coÌ„tinued in office 15. yeres 6. months 22 daies Hormisda the successour of Symmachus ministred 9 yeeres 18. dayes who by commandement of Theodoricus king of Gothes and reigning in Italie gathered a Councill at Rome and damned the errour of Eutyâ—…hes of new againe Likewise ambassadours were sent to the Emp. 〈◊〉 to Iohn B. of Constantinople to exhort them to forsake the wicked errour of Eutyches and to acknowledge two natures in CHRIST to wit the diuine humane nature but Anastatius answered with proud words Nosimperare volumus nobis imperari nolumus that is We will command but we will not be commanded Likewise the bishop of Constantinople puft vp in pride by the assistance of the Empâ—…rour despised the Councill of Hormisda Moreouer against the law of nations they dealt inhumanely with the ambassadours of Hormisda and thrust them into an old and lecking shippe with straite commandement that they should not arriue at any harberie in Graecia but keepe a direct course toward Italie Notwithstanding by the prouidence of GOD the snip arriued safely at the coastes of Italie The errour of the Mamcheans begannne againe to be ouerspred in Rome but Hormisda tooke their bookes burnt them in the porch of the Church called Constantiana Iohn 1. gouerned the Church of Rome in the dayes of Iustinus the elder to whome also he was sent ambassâ—…dour by Theodoricus to craue that the Arrian bishops whome he had banished out of his dominions might be restored to their places againe els the Catholicke bishops of Italie should expect all kinde of rigour at his hands The bishop Iohn with many reares perswaded the Emp. Iustinus to condescend vnto the petition of Theâ—…doricus Neuerthelesse when hee returned backe againe to Italie hee was cast in prison where hee ended his life after he gouerned the Church of Rome 2. yeeres 8. moneths Foelix 4. the succâ—…ssor of Iohn 1. continued in office 4. yeeres 2. moneths 13. dayes He excommunicated Athanasâ—…s Patriarch of Constantinople for heresie as Platina recordeth Hee ordained that Christians before their departure out of this life should be annointed with oyle This custome is now kept in the Romane Church and is called the Sacrament of extreme vnction To Foelix 4. succeeded Bonifacius 2 whom the Graecians called Agathon but both names soundeth to one and the selfe same thing The schisme that was among the people at his election ceased by the death of his competitor Diâ—…scorus he ministred 2 yeeres 2. dayes In his time Eulalius B. of Carthage submitted himselfe vnto the chaire of Rome whereupon Bonifacius took occasion of insolent insulting in so far that hee is not ashamed to writ of Aurelius B. of Carthage Augustine B. of Hippo of the rest of the fathers who were present at the 6. Councill of Carthage that through the instigation of the deuill they swelled in pride against the Roman Church agâ—…inst his predecessors Bonifacius 1 Coelestinus whom his predecessors most iustly had excommunicated but now saith he Eulalius hath confessed the fault of Aurelius of the Councill of Carthage submitted himselfe in humble maner to the chaire of Rome therfore he the Church of Carthage are receiued againe vnto the peace coÌ„munion of the Romane Church Marke here how they who would impaire a iot of that supremacie whereat the Church of Rome aimed were forthwith deliuered to the deuil how holy modest learned so euer they had bene a vaine timorous beastly body Eulalius is preferred to Aurelius B. of Carthage to Augustine B. of Hippo to a graue Councill of mo than 200 Fathers only for this that he submitted himself to the chair of Rome The time is now approaching whereinto it will be clearely manifested that supremacie was the very aple of their eye touch that once there is nothing but curses to bee thundred out of mount Tarpeius euen against Augustine himsâ—…lf against reuerent Councills Iohn 2. was successor to Bonifacius he ministred in the time of the Emperour Iustinian 2. yeeres 4. moneths he was called for his eloquance Mercurius or â—…ntius Iovis Agapetus the successor of Iohn 2. vnder the reigne of Iustinian had scarcely libertie to attend vpon his owne stocke for immediatly after hee was ordained B of Rome he was sent to the Emperour Iustinian by Theodatus King of the Gothes to pacifie his wrath for the Emperour intended to make warre against him for the cruell slaughter of AMALASVNTA his wife this was an vnhonest cause and an vnseemely message to the B. of Rome to vndertake It is affirmed by Historiographers that Iustinian secretly sollicited Agapetus to the errour of Eutyches and that Agapctus answered vnto him couragiously that hee supponed hee was sent to a most Christian Emperour but he found him to bee Dioclesian This libertie is thought to haue done good to Iustinian and that hee embraced the true faith more seriously than before and deposed Anthemius B. of Constantinople an Eutychian heretique and placed Menas a bishop
full of pride and he followed the footsteps of Joannes Cappadox and would bee called vniuersall bishoppe against whome Gregorius 1. contended mightily euen as Lactantius of olde contended against the Pagans impugning the error more mightily than solidly confirming the trueth It is supponed that he ministred 13. yeeres vnder the Emperour Mauritius To whom succeeded Cyriacus Patriarches of Alexandria AFTER Iohn called Tabennesiota succeeded another Iohn who kept the true faith and was banished by Anastatius because he would not damne the Councill of Chalcedone To John succeeded Theodosius an obstinate defender of the errour of Eutyches He was familiarly acquainted with Severus of Antiochia and Anthimus of Constantinople whereby the miserie of these dayes may bee easily espied whereinto three notable heretiques gouerned principall townes such as Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia He was so obstinate in his errour that he was rather content to be banished vnder the reigne of Iustinian than to renounce his errour After him succeeded Zoilus and after him Appollinarius who was present at the fift generall Councill To whome succeeded Eulogius and after him Petrus who ministred vnder the reigne of Mauritius Patriarches of Antiochia AFTER Palladius succeeded Flavianus who suffered great troubles for the true faith namely by the cruell persecution of the Emperour Anastatius and the calumnies of Xenaeas B. of Hierapoâ—…is a stranger indeed from the couenant of GOD as his name importeth for hee blamed Flavianus most vniustly of the heresie of Nestorius but when Flavianus both by worde and write had cleared himselfe of that calumnie the malice of Xenaeas ceased not for he brought with him to Antiochia a great number of Monkes to compell Flavianus to abiure the Councill of Chalcedone The towne supported their bishop against a raskall number of seditious and hereticall Monkes Notwithstanding the Emperour Anastatius infected with the heresie of Euâ—…yches counted Flavianus who was most vniustly persecuted to be the author of this tumult and banished him and placed Severus in his roome The Emperour Iustinus the elder displaced Severus and punished him and appointed Paulus to be bishop of Antiochia To Paulus succeeded Euphrasius who died in that feareful calamitie of the towne of Antiochia when it was shaken and ouerthrowne with earthquake as Evagrius witnesseth Euphraimius was a ciuile gouernour in the East parts who pitied the decayed estate of the towne of Antiochia furnished all necessarie things for the repairing of the towne of Antiochia for which cause the people was so affectioned to him that they would haue him to bee their bishop So Euphraimius becomes bishoppe of Antiochia or Theopolis for at this time it had both thâ—…se names Evagrius writeth that hee vndertooke the charge of the Apostolicke chaire in which wordes it is manifest that not onely the chaire of Rome but also the chaire of Antiochia was called the Apostolicke chaire The towne of Antiochia at this time was taken by Cosroes King of Persia set on fire and many of thâ—… people were cruelly slaine Euphraâ—…us their bishop at this time left the towne a perilous example except the people had beene in safetie and he onely persecuted yet he left behinde him so much as might redeeme all the Church goods AFTER Eâ—…phraimius followed Domnius And after him Anastatius He ministred vnder the Emperour Iustinian at what time the â—…mperour fell into the errour of them who saide that our LORD IESVS in his very conception adioyned vnto his diuine natâ—…e an immortal body which was subiect to no humane infiâ—…mities Anastatius opponed himselfe to the Emperours opinion the bishops followed Anastatius not the Emperour for this cause Iustinian was purposed to haue banished him but he escaped this trouble by the Emperours death Neuerthelesse hâ—…e was banished by Iustinus the younger for some alleadged cause of dilapidation of Church-gooods and Gregorius was placed in his roome Gregorius ministred in Antiochia 23. yeeres vnder Justinus 2. Tiberius and Mauritius hee was in great account with Mauritius to whome he foretolde that he would be promoted to the Imperiall dignitie And Mauritius imployed him in great and weightie businesse such as in pacifying the tumult of his armie which made insurrection against Germanus their captaine Also hee sent him ambassadour to Cosroes King of Persia who was astonied at the grace that was in his speaches Notwithstanding he was accused by Asterius a Deputie of the East of the filthie sinne of incest but he cleared his owne innocencie so euidently that his accuser was with ignominie scourged and banished Hee died of the gowtes infirmitie after his death Anasiatius whome Iustinus banished for dilapidation of Church-goods beeing yet aliue was restored to his owne place againe To whom succeeded Euphemius Patriarches of Jerusalem AFTER MARTYRIVS succeeded HELIAS a feruent defender of the true faith Neither would hee condescend to the banishment of EVPHEMIVS bishop of Constantinople nor to the admission of Severus to be bishop of Antiochia therefore the Emperour Anastatius banished him To him succeeded Iohn of whose politicke dealing in circumueening Anastatius the Emperours captaine I haue sufficiently declared in the preceeding historie To John succeeded Peter after him Macarius after Macarius Eustochius who impugned the bookes of Origen draue out of his bounds the Monks of Nova Laura defenders of the opinions of Origen Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia tooke this in an euill part The Emperour Iustinian caused a generall Councill to bee gathered at Constantinople whereinto not only the bookes of Origen were damned but also Theodorus himselfe the defender of them This displeased the Emperour Iustinian because hee loued Theodorus dearely therefore hee procured that Eustochius B. of Ierusalem should be remooued and Macarius restored againe After whome succeeded Ioannes Neamus and Isieius In this Centurie whereas I pretermit the names of other Pastors and Doctors in the Church I haue done it vpon this consideration I find in this Centurie that by the irruption of barbarous people such as the Gothes Uandales Hunnes Auares Schythians Lombards youth was hindred from studies many memorable bookes were burnt ancient languages were vtterly spoyled learning was greatly diminished flatterie of preuailing powers increased ambition in the West heresie in the East turned the estate of the Church vpside downe so that scarcely could men of good giftes and keeping integritie of faith be furnished vnto the principall Apostolick chaires Now after a maner the sunne is going downe the shadowes waxe great the darknes approacheth the Antichrist is at the doore worthy to bee welcomed with darknesse and decay of knowledge What shall I now write of other Pastors and Doctors shall I followe the foolish conceates of Historiographers in whose opinion the gift of miracles increased when the gift of knowledge decayed but the contraâ—…e is knowne by Scripture that the holy Apostles whome CHRIST induced
his treasures can keepe them Concerning the merites of CHRIST they say that there was such precious vertue in his blood that one droppe of it was sufficient to redeeme all the world now say they what shall become of all the rest of his blood which he shâ—…d in great abundance shall all this precious blood be lost and where can it be better kept than in the treasures of CHRISTS Vicar to be dispensated to the vtilitie of sinners when need requireth To this vaine assertion of Papistes I answere that the LORD nâ—…uer dealt sparingly neither with our bodies nor soules The LORD hath prouided greater abundance of aire for the refreshment of our bodies than all the breathing senses of men and beasts is able to draw in The LORD rained downe MANNA from heauen in greater plentie than might haue sufficed the people of the Ieweâ—… in the wildernesse euen so when the LORD is content to shed grâ—…at abundance of his precious blood he hath done it to set foorth the great riches of his mercie toward our soules but not to make a mortall man a dispensator of one drop of his blessed blood The chiefe questions betwixt vs the Romane Church anent Originall sinne are two First whether or no concupiscence which remaineth in the godly after their baptisme be in a proper acception called sinne or not for the Romane Church saith that it is called sinne by the Apostle because it came of sinne and it tendeth to sinne but not because it is sinne is a proper acception And the Council of Trent pronounceth an anathema against them who thinke otherwise than they haue determined The second controuersie is whether or no the naturall concupiscence mouing vs to euill can be called a sinne before wee giue the consent of our mind to it The Romane Church thinketh it no sinne vntill we yeeld the consent of our hearts vnto it The third question anent sinnes coÌ„mitted before after baptisme what way they are remitted because this question pertaineth more properly to another treatise I shal oueâ—…passe it at this time Now anent the first question I affirme that the Apostle Paul when he calleth concupiscence sin hee calleth it sin in a proper acception of the word sin Many names are giuen to sin in Scripture which expresseth what it is properly but especially these 3. names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concupiscence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a transgression of the Law as the Apostle manifestlly witnesseth when he sayeth I had not knowne lust except the Law had saide Thou shalt not lust therefore concupiscence is sinne in a proper acception In like manner concupiscence or originall sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and in exprâ—…sse wordes the Apostle speaking of Originall sinne sayeth Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned c. In this place concupiscence is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration from the Commandement of GOD and consequently a sinne in a proper acception of the worde sinne Remember also that the Apostle is speaking of all men yea and of himselfe also in the estate whereinto hee was presently when he wrote this epistle that is after he was baptized Then let vs marke the third word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a snappering and a falling to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and this word also is attributed vnto Originall sinne in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is through the offence of one man many bee dead so that all these three wordes concurring in one doe declare that concupiscence euen after baptisme in a proper sense is sin because it is a breaking of the Lawe an aberration from the Lawe and a falling from the Lawe Nowe the curses of the Councill of Trent which they cast out so prodigally against vs are not worthie one figge because they are not grounded in reason but are expresly repugnant to the written worde of GOD. The second question is this whether or no is concupiscence a sinne before we yeeld the consent of our heart vnto it To this I answere that if they vnderstood by concupiscence a bad inclination it is sinne euen in infants who doe not knowe what it is to consent either to good or euill but if they meane of the first motion or cogitation of sinne presented vnto the soule apparently this question belongeth rather to actuall than to originall sinne but whether it belongeth to the root of sinne or to the branches of sinne I shall produce three reasons wherfore the first motion of sinne is sinne euen before we yeeld vnto it the consent of our heart First because a consent is an indifferent thing called good or euill according to the nature of that thing whereunto we giue our consent and consequently the consent is euill because that motion of sinne whereunto wee consented was euill and if it had not beene euill in it selfe the consent of our heart giuen vnto it had neuer beene called euill Secondly Fathers from whome Papistes haue learned this Theologie that in them who are regenerated concupiscence is not to bee counted a sinne vntill a man giue the consent of his heart vnto it these same Fathers I say after they had pierced deeper into this question they corrected themselues as clearely appeareth by the wordes of Augustine against Iulâ—…anus a Pelagian saying Desiderium mali malum est etiamsi ci non consentiatur donec co perveniamus ubi nec habeatur that is the desire of euill is euill albeit consent be not giuen vnto it vntill wee attaine vnto that estate whereinto we shall be free of it Thirdly the Apostle IAMES when he damneth actuall sin he agreageth it by three circumstances to wit by the conception of it the birth of it and the punishment of it the conception of it is by concupiscence and this the Apostle setteth downe as the first circumstance of the amplification of sinne and not as a thing indifferent vntill wee giue consent vnto it how beit it is true that actuall sinne is not committed vntill consent be giuen to concupiscence yet in it selfe it is a sinne and the conception and root of sinne as the Apostle speaketh It is no point of wisdome to extenuate or to obscure and hide our sinnes for GOD can set them all in order before our face as the psalmist speaketh and if this bee all the gaine and aduantage wee haue by denying and obscuring a part of our sinnes it were better to lay all open before the great Phisitian of our soules to the end that in due time we may be cured by his medicinall plasters Augustine maketh rehearsall of three medicinall cures against concupiscence in these wordes In corpore mortis
martyred at Rome ANDRO to haue beene crucified in Achaia MATTHEW beheaded in Ethiopta IAMES the brother of IOHN was beheaded by HEROD in Iudea Acts 12. IAMES the sonne of AIPHEVS called IVSTVS was throwne downe headlong from the pinacle of the Temple of Jerusalem SIMON of Canaan was crucified in the dayes of TRAIANVS for he was an hundreth and twentie yeeres old when he suffered martyrdome Euseb eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 32 Ierom. catalog script eccles BARTHOLOMEW is said till haue bene martyred in Armenia and SIMON ZELOTES to haue bene crucified in Brittaine IOHN died at Ephesus PHILIP in Hierapolis FVNCTIVS calleth the towne Hierosopolis Iudas LEBBEVS at Edessa THOMAS in India and MATTHIAS in Ethiopia Ierom. catal script ecccles As concerning the Euangelists they were fellow-labourers with the Apostles in the worke of Christ and were also partakers with them of Christs sufferings The Euangelist MARKE died in Alexandria Funct chronol LVKE in Buhynia others say in Constantinople Ierom. PHILIP who first was a Deacon and afterward an Euangelist died in Cesarea BARNABAS in the Isle of Cyprus Where TIMOTHIE and TITVS did compleete their dayes it is not certainly knowne CHYTRAEVS opinion anent TIMOTHIE I haue alreadie declared IEROM supponeth that TITVS died in Candie The successours of the Apostles Euangelists are not to bee reckoned as the successours of Emperours because hee who next obtaineth the Emperiall diademe and place of gouernement is counted the successour of the defunct Emperour But he who obtaineth a faithfull Pastors chaire and teacheth a doctrine contrarie to that which a faithfull Pastor hath taught is to be counted a grieuous Wolfe stepped vp into his roome Acts 20. And NAZIANZENVS calleth such a man an aduersarie standing vp into the place of a faithfull Pastor darkenesse succeeding to light a tempest succeeding to calme weather madnesse obteining place where right reason was wont to bee Nazian in orat in laudem Athanasu And therefore those Bishops and doctours following who keepe inviolably that forme of wholesome doctrine which they receiued from the Apostles these I say alanerly are to be counted true successours of the Apostles Of this number was LINVS Bishop of Rome who after the martyrdomes of PETER and PAVL gouerned that Church 10. yeeres 3. months 12. daies EUSEBIVS thinketh this is that same LINVS of whō the Apostle PAVL writeth in the last chap. of his 2. epist. to TIMOTHIE Eubulus Pudens Linus Claudia salute thee Eccl. hist. lib. 3. cap. 2. After him succeded ANACLETVS and gouerned 9. yeeres 3 months 10. dayes and after him CLEMENS ruled 11. yeeres EVSEBIVS also thinketh this is that CLEMENS of whom the Apostle PAVL writeth to the Philip. cap. 4 ver 3. Yea I beseech thee faithfull yoke-fellow helpe those women which laboured with me in the Gospell with Clement also and with other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the booke of life IGNATIVS Bishop of Antioch had his heart so inflammed with the loue of Christ that when his dissolution was neere approaching he saide to the Romaines nowe doe I begin to be the disciple of Christ I couet for no thing that can be seene with bodily eyes to the ende that I may enjoy Iesus Christ let the fire the crosse the beasts the breaking of bones convulsion of members and bruising of the whole body and the torments of the deuill sease vpon me prouiding I may bee partaker of Iesus Christ. He was deuoured with beasts in the dayes of TRAIANVS and so patiently indured death for the Name of Iesus that he allured the deuouring beasts to approach neere vnto his body that it beeing ground with the teeth of beastes he might be found as fine flowre in the house of his father Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 36. About the same time also flourished PAPIAS Bishop of Hierapolis who was a man of great authoritie because of his neerenes to the Apostles dayes yet leaning more to the report of the doctrine of the Apostles then to the certaintie of their own writings he fell into the errour of the Chiliastes who imagined that Christ should raise the godly first liue with them a thousand yeeres in this earth in all kinde of delicat pleasures Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 39. CENT I. Cap. 3. BEcause it is the accustomed dealing of Satan to peruert men from the simplicitie of Gods trueth also it standeth well with the justice of God to giue ouer men to strong delusions who will not beleeue the trueth of God Therefore in the third head wee are to speake of the Heretiques that sprang vp in this age Heresie I count to be an opinion repugnant to the grounds of our Christian faith obstinately maintained by those that professe the Name of Christ. As touching them who leade an euill life yea and in effect denie the Son of God by a prophane conuersation but maintaine not an opinion that it is lawfull so to doe they may be counted Atheists and not Heretiques Iewes and Turkes also who denie the diuinitie of Christ because they doe not professe the Name of Christ wee call them infidels but not Heretiques And the Corinthians who erred in some foundamentall points of the Christian faith yet seeing they maintained not their errour with obstinate mindes but yeelded to the wholesome doctrine of PAVL no man doth count the Corinthians Heretiques but infirme and weake Christians And the Apostle himselfe writing to them calleth them Gods building and Gods husbandrie 1. Cor. 3. ver 9. But when these three things concurre together that men professe the Name of Christ and yet they maintaine opinions repugnant to the very grounds of true faith and will not receiue instruction but obstinatly perseuere in their errour they are to be counted Heretiques Of this number was SIMON MAGVS the father of Heretiques who being confounded in Samaria by the great power of God which appeared in the ministerie of PHILIP and of PETER Acts 8. he fled from the East to the West and came to Rome where he preuailed so far in short time that he was counted a god and an image was set vp for him with this superscription Simoni deo sancto that is to SIMON an holy god Thus the Romaines who in the dayes of TIBERIVS refused to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ in the dayes of CLAVDIVS they honoured a sorcerer and a seducing Heretique with diuine honours He taught them who followed him to fal downe before pictures and images and in speciall to worship his owne image and the image of HELENA a certaine woman who accompanied him in his journey from Asia to Rome Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 2. cap. 13 14. After SIMON sprang vp another suppost of Satan called MENANDER like to his master SIMON in many things for he was both a Samaritane and a sorcerer but in absurditie of monstrous opinions hee was far beyond SIMON for hee said that the world was created by Angels and
This same Author about the yeere of our Lord 1350. writeth to one of his friendes Let none euill desire entangle thee that thou shouldest dresse thy selfe againe to those Princes of darknesse c. To what purpose wouldest thou goe thither That thou mightest see good men borne downe and euill men aduanced Eagles creeping and Asses flying Foxes in chariots and Rauens in castles and Doues in the dungâ—… Wâ—…lues to bee free and Lambes to bee in bandes Finally Christ to bee bâ—…nished and Beelzebub to bee judge To these spectacles am I called backc againe I will not hearken neither doe I agree with them nor they with me O cruell and wicked sect of men louing no-bodie but themselues and that altogether preposterously and wickedly Who shall relieue the oppressed woilde and the afflicted towne Who shall reforme the enormitie of manners Who shall collect the dispersed sheepe Who shall reproue errontous Pastors Who shall reduce and bring them backe againe vnto their owne chaires Shall there bee none ende of licentiousnesse and sinne Hath the Spirit in vaine threatned by the Prophet These thinges hast thou done and I helde â—…y tongue therefore thou thoughtest that I was like vnto thee John Wiklef a Professor of Diuinitie in Oxford affirmed that whatsoeuer the Pope and his Cardinals command which cannot bee deduced clearely out of Scriptures this same is to bee counted Hereticall and not to bee obeied These few witnesses of God holy like vnto Hanoch the seuenth from Adam and zealous like vnto Helias by the example of their couragious zeale and zealous courage incited a greater number of Holy men in Germanie Switserland France Britanie and Poll to be witnesses to the truth of God whose number albeit it was as contemptible in the eyes of Romane Prelates as the number of the armie of Alexander of Macedo was in the eyes of Darius king of Persia. Notwithstanding by these witnesses of God the Antichrist hath bene discouered the citie of spirituall Babylon hath bene shaken the head of the beast hath beene wounded and all his Physitions haue much adoe to cure his wound againe But let vs proceede to that which followeth in the ende of the 8. verse namely that the Antichrist should not only be reueiled but also should bee consumed by the Spirit of the mouth of Christ whereof it may bee perceiued that the Lord will not abolish the kingdome of the Antichrist as hee did abolish other Monarchies of the Babylonians Persians Grecians and Romanes but hee keepeth the kingdome of the Antichrist afore-hand to bee consumed by the tempest of his owne wrath This argueth the great indignation of God against the kingdome of the Antichrist wherein hee findeth might joyned withslight so that the Lord will drawe out against him his great and mightie sworde wherewith hee visiteth Leuiathan that piercing Serpent and Leuiathan that crooked Serpent and hee slayeth the Dragon that is in the Sea for all his might the wrath of God shall bee reueiled against him from Heauen because hee hath with-holden the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Whatsoeuer shal be done against this mother of whoredomes in this worlde is nothing else but an earnest-pennie of that vnspeakeable wrath of God that shall seaze vpon the kingdome of the Antichrist at the latter daye More-ouer the equitie of the justice of God is to bee noted in this that God rendereth vnto the Antichrist such punishment as doeth moste proportionallie agree with the nature of his fault for by the Anathemes and Curses of his mouth hee subdued the mightie Monarches of the earth so shall Christ pronounce a Curse against him by the power whereof hee shall bee sent vnto the fornace of euerlasting punishment Nowe it might haue beene objected Howe could it come to passe that euer the Antichrist shoulde haue obtained so great place in the Temple of God To this objection the Apostle returneth a foure-folde answere First it came to passe by the mightie operation of the Deuill Secondly by lying miracles Thirdly by the deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse And fourthly by the incredulitie of men who would not beleeue the trueth of God therefore the Lord suffered them to be deluded with errours These foure causes are set downe in the 9. 10. 11. and 12. verses whereof when wee haue spoken a little GOD willing wee shall conclude this Treatise The first cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is the mightie operation of Sathan concurring with him who is to bee considered two manner of wayes sometimes as bound at other times as lowse and set at libertie hee is a perillous enemie at all times euen when hee is bound in respect of our childish simplicitie wee are like vnto babes who through curiositie at sometime will come within the reach of a bounde Lyon and will bee harmed by the meanes But when Sathan is set at libertie then hath hee a mightie operation euen so great that albeit light bee offered vnto men yet they loue darknesse better than the light of God If euer Sathan was set at ample libertie who is euer for the Elects sake somewhat restrained hee was set at greatest libertie when the Romane Antichrist had greatest preheminence for at that time the smoake of the bottomlesse pitte so ouercouered all thinges with darknesse that men sawe neither Heauen nor Hell nor yet themselues The Heauen was darkened because men sought an entrie into it another waye than by the blood of the euerlasting Couenant of God by the worthinesse whereof the moste Holy place is made patent to vs and none other way And Hell was darkened because men liued in a deepe securitie as if they had made a couenant with Death and Hell the Popes pardon and the fulfilling of the pennance injoyned by the Priest was counted a complete armoure to saue them against the fierie indignation of Gods wrath Yea and men saw not themselues but in seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse they were not subject to the righteousnesse of God Now it is our duetie with all our heartes to blesse the King of Heauen who hath begun to cast Sathan into bandes againe for experience of our wauering mindes declareth that if Sathan were set at libertie againe it were an easie thing to transport vs headlonges to all kinde of errours The second cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is signes and lying wonders in the Grieke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth miracles confirming a lying doctrine All the miracles of the Antichrist are either false miracles wherein nothing is wrought aboue nature nor contrarie to nature or else the ende of his miracles is the confirmation of a false doctrine The Romane Church braggeth much of miracles as if the power of working miraculous workes were a gift continuallie to remaine and an vndoubted token of the true Church of God Howbeit Holy Scripture attributeth to false Teachers who intise people to worship strange gods power to worke signes and wonders