to the poor severe and stout in reproofs an earnest defendor of the Truth against Errors ardent in Prayer c. He joyned with Luther in the Translation of the Bible which being finished every year upon that day he invâ—ted his friends and made a feast which he called the Feast of the Translation of the Bible He was alwaies well content with his station and condition at Wittenberg and would never remove though hee was earnestly pressed to have removed to places of more honour power and profit He attended his charge with great fidelity admirable assiduity and extraordinary pains In his Sermons he was very modest and so devout that sometimes forgetting himself he would spend some hours in preaching He wrote a Commentary upon the Psalmes Annotations upon the Epistles to Gal. Ephes. Phil. Collos. Thess. 1 2. to Timothy 1. 2. to Titus Philemon Hebr. Also Annotations upon Samuel Jonah and Denter besides some Epistles to sundry friends P. MELANCTHON The Life of Philip Melancthon who dyed A no Christi 1560. PHilip Melancthon was born at Bretta in the lower Palatinate Anno Christi 1497. of honest parents of a middle rank by whom he was set to School to learne Grammer of John Hungarus a learned and honest man and to learne Greek of George Simler and afterwards they sent him to Heidleberg at twelve years of age where he had Logick and Physicks read to him and attaining ability to make a verse he fell to reading Poetry and History There also being very young be instructed the Sons of Count Leonstein and Commenced Bachelor of Arts Anno Christi 1511. and of his age fourteen with generall approbation After three years study there the air not agreeing with him and being denyed his degree of Master of Arts by reason of his youth removed to Tubinge anno 1512. He alwayes used to carry his Bible about with him reading often in it both at Church and elsewhere yet was he carried away with the common errors of the times of which himselfe saith I â—remble to think with what blind devotion I went to Images whilst I was a Papist He pivately at Tubinge taught the Law and read over very diligently all the books of Gallen and with Oecolampadius read over Hesiod He stayed in that University four years where he profited so much in the Arts Tongues and Philosophy that he read publick Lectures in the Schools out of Virgil Terence and Tully and was imployed in overseeing the Presse He studied the Mathematicks Law and Physick in all which he profited much There he commenced Master of Arts Anno Christi 1513. and of his age Seventeen Luther about that time beginning to oppose the Pope In August 1518. Philip Melancthon was sent for from Tubinge by Frederick Duke of Saxony to the University of Wittenberge to teach the Greek Tongue He consulted with â—apnio who advised him to imbrace the invitation whereupon August 25. he came to Wittenberg About which time Erasmus wrote thus of him Philip Melancthon is a most learned and exoe Neâ—t Greciâ—â—â— he is a youth and stripling if ye consider his age but one of us if ye look upon his variety of knowledge almost in all books He is very exquisite in the learning of both the Tongues I pray Christ this young man may live long amongst us he wil quite obscuâ—e Erasmus Four dayes after he came to Wittenberg he made a most earned and polite Oration in the University with so much grace as was admirable He came to Wittenberg when he was but 22 years old There he began to expound Pauls Epistle to Titus â—ut of Greek to the great admiration of his hearers which flockâ— exceedingly to his Lectures and â—uther also was exceedingly taken with the same as himself professeth in a Letter to Spalatmus saying Philippum Graecissimum eruditissimum humanissimum habe commendatissimum auditorium habet refertum auditoribus imprimis omnes Theologos summos cum mediis infimis studiosos facit Graecitatis When he first began to teach he found the precepts of arts either false or obscure or out of order and therefore taking the labour upon him he made learned Systemes almost of all Arts cutting off what was false illustrating what was obscure and rightly placing what was out of order so that anno 1519. he published his Rhetorick the year after his Logick and shortly after his Grammer with other Arts in order Anno 1519 he went with Luther to Lipswich where he disputed with Eccius and though Eccius contemned him for his youth and called him saccum distinctionum yet he got himselfe much credit and gave some experience of his abilities in controversies Anno Christi 1520. he expounded the Epistle to the Romans which Commentary Luther printed without the privity of Melancthon The year after when the Divines of Paris had condemned Luthers Doctrine and books he wrote an Apology for him against their furious Decree Anno Christi 1522. he printed his Common-places And his Commentaries on both the Epistles to the Corinthians Anno 1523. he published his Annotations upon Genesis with some other books The year after taking Joac Camerarius along with him he went to visit his friends and at his return at the request of the Lantgrave of Hesse he wrote an Epitome of the Ecclesiasticall Doctrine renewed and a Treatise of the difference between the righteousnes of the world and of Christ. He turned into Latine the Proverbs of Solomon and wrote prefaces to the Psalms and Lamentations An. 1525. In the wars of the Boorish Anabaptists he confuted their Articles whereby they sought to justifie their Rebellion and in the end of that yeare hee was sent for to Norimberg to direct the Senate in the erecting of a School Anno 1527. he was imployed in visiting the Churches in Saxonie Anno Christi 1529. the Elector of Saxonie took him with him to the Convention at Spire where by the consent of the Protestant Princes He drew up a confession of Faith with great pains and exactnesse which by them was presented to the Emperor Charls the Fifth Anno Christi 1534. Henry the eighth King of England sent to invite him into England with promise of Courteous entertainment and good preferment hoping by his meanes to draw the Protestant Princes of Germany into a league with him against the Pope But Melancthon refused to goe rendring the reason in a Letter that he wrote to Camerarius wherin is this passage Perhaps many things are reported amongst you concerning England that it lyeth open now for the Religion of the purer Doctrine but I have intelligence from a good hand that the King hath no great care of the affairs of the Church onely this good comes of his rejecting the Popes Authority that for the present no crueâ—ty is used towards those that are desirous of better Doctrine Anno Christi 1536. he went abroad to visit
cause on both sides read over diligently the Book writ by Eutychius and being convinced of the Error by that which he had heard from Gregory he adjudged the Book to be burned Shortly after Eutychius fell very sick and a little before his death retracted his Error and acknowledged the Resurrection of our flesh Gregory having dispatched the business about which he was sent to Constantinople returned to Rome about which time the River Tiber swelled to such an unmeasurable height that it ran over the Wals of the City and drowned a great part of it and break into many great houses overthrew divers ancient Monuments it overthrew also the Granaries belonging to the Church and carried away many thousand measures of Wheat Presently after which inundation of Tiber there came down the River an innumerable company of Serpents with one monstrous great one as big as a Beam which when they had swum into the Sea were there choaked and their carkasses being all cast upon the shore there rotted which caused such an Infection of the Ayr that presently a great Plague followed in Rome so that many thousands dyed of it Yea Arrows were visibly seen to be shot from Heaven and whosoever was stricken with them presently dyed amongst whom Pelagius Bishop of Rome was one and this judgement so raged in the City that many houses were emptyed of their Inhabitants After the death of Pelagius the Clergy Senate and People of Rome made choice of Gregory to be their Bishop though he opposed it all that possibly he could crying out that he was altogether unworthy of such honour fearing least the splendor of worldly glory which he had formerly layd aside should in such an Office creep upon and infect him But the importunity of the People being so great he seemed to consent to them but privately under-hand wrote to the Emperour Mauritius earnestly requesting him that he would not consent to the Election but that by his Authority he would free him from it But Germanus the Praefect of the City meeting with the messenger took his Letters from him and reading them detained them sending word to the Emperour of the unanimous consent of all in the Election of Gregory Whereupon the Emperour returning thanks to God for that they had made so good a choice confirmed the Election so that Gregory could no longer evade it In the mean time the Pestilence raging exceedingly Gregory called the people together and shewed them the justice of God in his Judgements who used not to punish till by sin he is provoked thereunto telling them that they might read the greatness of their sins in the greatness of the Plague and thereupon exhorted them to repentance by the Precepts of God and by the example of Ninâ—veh appointing them to lay all their worldly businesses aside and to meet together the next day to spend it in Fasting and Prayer which accordingly they did yet whilst they were together Gods hand was out against them so that fourscore of them fell down dead in the place But Gregory being not discouraged hereby continued his Sermon telling them that God would at length be found of them if they would forsake their wicked ways and turn unto him with all their hearts and with all their souls and accordingly not long after the Pestilence ceased Gregory observing that many customs were lately crept into the Church which were not warranted by the holy Apostles he first extirpated them out of the Church of Rome and then calling a Council of many Bishops he endeavoured to root them out of the whole Church Then removing from about him all secular persons he chose Presbyters and other Learned men in their stead whereby Learning was much advanced in his days He was very charitable and much given to hospitality insomuch as when very many Inhabitants from divers parts flying from the barbarous cruelty of the Longobards came to him he entertained and relieved them inviting dayly to his house many of those Exiles He made also large distributions unto others giving them Corn Wine Flesh Fish Cheese and many other refreshings in their several seasons Many times also he sent large relief to the sick lame and impotent persons not only in Rome but in many other Towns and Villages round about insomuch as all that he had seemed to be the common Granary of the Church In the fourth year of his Bishoprick having in some good measure setled the affairs of the Church he now began to think how he might advance the Conversion of the English which he had formerly been so sollicitous for had never since been forgotten by him For which end he sent Austin and some other Ministers from about him to Preach the Gospel unto them But they had not gone many days journey before they began to be a weary of undertaking so difficult and dangerous a task as to go to Preach to a fierce barbarous and unbelieving Nation whole Language they did not understand whereupon they stopped and sent Austin back to Gregory desiring that they might have leave to return that they might be freed from so laborious difficult and dangerous a work Gregory having received this message wrote thus back to them again Beloved Brethren seeing it had been better that you had never begun a good work then that you should recede from it it behoves you through the assistance of Almighty God to go forwards with it Neither let the labor of the journey nor the tongues of wicked men deterre you from it I have sent back Austin whom I would have you to obey knowing that he will counsel you nothing but what shall be for the good of your souls Almighty God give you his grace and grant that I may see of the fruit of your labors though I cannot join with you therein With this Exhortation Austin did so encourage his Companions that passing through France where they found kinde entertainment by the good Bishops in every place they at last arrived in Britain and came to Ethelburg the King of Kent where through Gods mercy they did not only obtain leave to Preach but had habitations and maintenance allowed them in Canterbury his chief City Whosoever desires to see the success of this business may read it in my English Martyrologie Pag. 11. c. Gregory dyed Anno Christi 605. having been Bishop of Rome 13 years 6 moneths and 10 days He lived under the Emperour Mauritius and dyed in the second year of Phocas Johannes Trithemius gives him this testimony Gregorius Vir in Divinis Scripturis eruditissimus in secularibus literis utique doctissimus Theologorum Princeps splendor Philosophorum Rhetorum lumen vita conversatione integer atque sanctissimus He was of an acute wit whereby he overthrew Eutiches Pelagius who dyed in his time of the Plague at Rome and divers other Hereticks He severely reproved the Bishop of Constantinople who would
down the Cross shut Heaven Gates that now stood wide open that he would extinguish the light and splendor of the Sun and that ere long he would cause that so pretious ware should not be sold at so easie a rate and that whilst the World stood Germany should not have such liberality profered to them from Rome again and therefore he exhorted them seriously to have respect to their own and their deceased friends Salvation For saith he now is the acceptable time now is the day of Salvation and except ye buy these Indulgences no man can absolve you from your sins He also told the Citizens of Annaeberg that if they would freely part with their mony their metal Mines which were about the Town of S. Anne should abound with pure silver By these means this cunning Hucster procured such honor to his Indulgences that when he came to any Town the Popes Bull was carryed before him wrapped either in silk or cloth of gold and was met with a long and pompous Procession so that probably had God himself come in a visible shape he should not have been entertained with so much magnificence Myconius had been taught by his Father the Lords Prayer the Creed the Decalogue and to pray often and that the blood of Christ only could cleanse us from sin and that pardon of sin and eternal life could not be bought with mony c. which caused him to be much troubled whether he should believe his Father or the Priests but understanding that there was a clause in the Indulgences that they should be given freely to the Poor he went to Tecelius entreated him to give him one for that he was a poor sinner and one that needed a free remission of his sins and a participation of the merits of Christ Tecelius admired that he could speak Latine so well which few Priests could do in those days and therefore he advised with his Colleagues who perswaded him to give Myconius one but after much debate he returned him answer That the Pope wanted mony without which he could not part with an Indulgence Myconius urged the aforenamed clause in the Indulgences which were publickly posted up wherein the Pope had inserted these words ut pauperibus gratis darentur propter Deum whereupon Tecelius his Colleagues pressed again that he might have one given him pleading his learning ingenuity poverty c. and that it would be a dishonour both to God and the Pope to deny him one But still Tecelius refused whereupon some of them whispered Myconius in the Ear to give a little money which he refused to do and they fearing the event one of them profered to give him some to buy one with which he still refused saying that he would not have bought Indulgences and that if he pleased he could sell a Book to buy one but he desired one for Gods sake which if they denyed him he wished them to consider how they could answer it to God c. But prevailing nothing he went away rejoicing that there was yet a God in Heaven to pardon sinners freely c. according to that promise As live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner c. Not long after he entred into Orders at Vinaria and read privately Luthers Books which the other Fryars took very hainously and threatned him for it From thence he was called to be a Preacher at Vinaria where at first he mixed some Popish Errors with the Truth but by the Illumination of Gods Spirit and by his reading Luther he at last began to Preach against Popery and to hold forth the Truth clearly in Thuringia which spied so swiftly in one months space and was so greedily imbraced not only through Saxony but through all Countries as if the Angels had been the carriers of it Anno Christi 15 8. when Luther was going to Auspurg he lodged in the Monastery where Myconius was at Vinaria at which time Myconius first saw him but was not suffered to speak with him Afterwards he was called to â—otha to teach and govern the Thuringian Churches where he lived with his Colleagues twenty years in much peace and concord of which himself faith Cucurriâ—aus certaâ—â—mâ—â— â—â—â—â—ravimus pugnavimus vicimus viximâ—s semper conâ—uâ—â—etâ—ssimè c. Anno. Christi 15â—5 In the tumult of the Anabaptistical Boors Myconius took much pains to pacifie their mindes and to keep them quiet Yea he so quieted with an Oration some that were pulling down some Noble-mens houses that they went away in peace That year also he marryed a wife called Marguet the daughter of an honest Citizen of Gotha by whom through Gods blessing he had a numerous posterity And though Myconius was by Gods Providence called to the Government of the Church in Gotha yet the most illustrious Elector of â—axoâ—y imployed him in many other businesses He also took him along with him thrice into the Low-countries as also into Cullen Julâ—ers and divers other places At Dusseldoâ—p he preached the Gospel sincerely and purely though to the hazard of his life and at Cullen he maintained a publick Disputation with the Fryars which was afterwards printed With the like constancy and faithfulness he preached the Doctrine of the Gospel in Brunswick in Cella of Saxony and in other parts of Westphalia Also in divers publick Conventions at Smalcald Francfurt and Noremberg his counsel being asked with much courage and zeal he handled the affairs of Religion seeking to promote the glory of God and profit and welfare of the Church An. Chr. 1528. Henry the Eighth King of England fell out with the Pope for not divorcing him from his wife Katharine of Spain sister to Charles the Fifth by reason of whose greatness the Pope durst not do it whereupon the King of England sent over to the Germane Princes especially to the Duke of Saxony to confederate against the Pope and to join with them in an agreement about Religion upon which occasion Myconius was sent over into England partly about matters of Religion but especially about a match between Henry the Eighth and Anne of Cleve but coming thither he discovered the Kings hypocrisie about Religion not only by the six Articles about that time established but also by his imprisoning of Latimer and cutting off the Lord Cromwels head and burning of Mr. Barnes c. and by his seizing upon all the Abbey-lands whereupon he left England and being come home Anno Christi 1538. he was called by Henry of Saxony to visit and reform the Churches of Misnia together with Luther Jonas Cruciger c. which fell out upon this occasion George Duke of Saxony lying on his death-bed sent to his Brother Henry all his own sons being dead before desiring him that succeeding him he should innovate nothing in Religion and withall promised him golden mountains by his Ambassadors if he would assent thereto to whom Henry answered
abolished the Popish Religion and reformed the Church according to the Word of God for which end he thought best that a godly Ministry might proceed from the same to reform the Universities And Peter Martyr being at this time famous for his learning and skill in affairs was judged most fit for this employment whereupon the Archbishop by the command of the King sent for him over and An. Christi 1547 by the consent of the Senate of Strasborough he went into England Ber Ochine accompanying him who also was sent for by the said Archbishop At their arrival the Archbishop entertained them for a time in his house using them with all curtesie and humanity but after a while the King sent Martyr to Oxford to be Professor of Divinity where he first began to expound the first Epistle to the Corinthians because therein were many heads laid down which concerned the controversies of those times The Papists whereof as yet there were many at Oxford at first patiently bore Martyrs teaching and frequented his Lectures and indeed seemed to admire him for his Learning but some others of them especially the Heads of Houses laboured to restrain the Students from going to his Lectures but yet proceeded no further But when he came to declare his judgement about the Sacrament they could bear it no longer and therefore that they might not only procure him envy but bring him into danger they first beganne to load him with their usuall accusations amongst the vulgar that he taught contrary to the Doctrine of their Fore-fathers that he would extirpate their wholsome and decent ceremonies that he prophaned the Sacrament of the Altar and did as it were trample it under his feet Then without acquainting him with it they affixed papers upon all their Church doors in English declaring that tomorrow there should be a publick Disputation against the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament By this means the day after they filled the Schooles they disposed their party in every place commanding them to make a noise to raise tumults and if need were to fight with any that should oppose them Many ran to this sight not onely of the Scholars but of the Townsmen some to see the event of this business others to assist their friends in case they should fall together by the ears Martyr in the mean time being wholly ignorant of all this was in his house preparing himself after his usual manner to read his Lecture till some of his friends observing the unusuall concourse of people went to him opened the whole businesse to him entreating him to keep home and not to expose himself to perill seeing that his adversaries were so prepared that they seemed rather with armes then with arguments to oppose him He answered that he could not neglect his Office that he was never the author of any tumults whereof themselves were witnesses neither would he now give his adversaries any occasion of raising a tumult for that he would onely read according to his usuall custome For saith he there are many amongst them that expect the Lecture to whom I may not be wanting And so going towards the Schooles accompanied with his most faithfull friends there met him Doctor Smiths boy which Smith was one of the principall sticklers in this Tragedy This boy gave him a Letter from his Master wherein he challenged him to a Disputation Then did Martyrs friends againe earnestly sollicite him to returne home telling him of the danger he was running into But he was still resolute and so going to the Schooles when his adversaries provoked him he endeavoured by a modest speech to quiet them saying that he refused not to dispute onely disliked the time for that he came to read his Lecture and so having somewhat quieted them he went on with his Lecture to the great admiration of all For they which before admired him for his singular learning and eloquence now much more admired him for his admirable constancy For that notwithstanding the murmures of the people and the rage of his adversaries he went on without the least change of his colour or hesitation in his voice or titubation of his tongue or trembling of his members or any thing else that might imply the least fear Having ended his Lecture his adversaries beganne againe with great clamour to provoke him to a disputation nor would they accept of his modest excuse when hee told them that he would dispute but at another time that hee was not now prepared for it they having concealed their questions from him without setting them up in publick as they used to doe To this they replyed that hee which had read his Lectures about the Lords Supper could not be unprovided to dispute upon the same subject To which he again answered that hee durst not undertake such a worke without acquainting the King with it especially seeing the thing tended to sedition He told them also that to a lawfull disputation was required that the questions should bee agreed on that Moderators should be appointed by whose judgement all things should be determined and lastly that they should have Notaries to write the arguments on both sides Whereas saith he none of these things bee ready and besides the night draws on that we shall want time to discusse so great a controversie His adversaries would not bee satisfied with these his most just reasons but all were like to fall together by the eares Whereupon the Vice-chancellor interposed his authority requiring Peter Martyr and Smith to meet at his house with their friends on both sides where they should agree upon the questions and the time and order of disputing and in the meane time he commanded the Beadles to dissolve the assembly and so taking Peter Martyr by the hand he led him forth and safely conducted him to his own house Martyr being delivered from this danger yet least he should seem to decline the disputation being accompanied with some of his friends at the hour appointed went to the Vice-chancellors house with Doctor Sidall and Curtop who at that time were zealous defenders of the Truth though afterwards in Queen Maries daies they deserted it Smith did the like bringing with him Doctor Cole and Oglethorp and three other Doctors of Divinity Long they contended about the Laws of the Disputation but at length the questions were agreed upon and time and place appointed for the Disputation and so they parted and in the meane time by their mutuall consents the King was made acquainted with it who against the day sent downe his Delegates to order the Disputation aright But Smith being conscious to the raising the former tumult before the day came fled first into Scotland and from thence to Lovane in Brabant Yet at the day appointed the Kings Delegates came the Bishop of Lincoln Doctor Cox Doctor Hide Mr. Richard Morrison and Doctor Nenyson In
he profited exceedingly so that he attained to the knowledg of all the Liberal Sciences After which going to Jerusalem he studied the Scripture and Divinity where he was made a Presbyter Preached diligently and much propagated the Faith by his Sermons and Writings A great opposer of Hereticks he was He flourished under Leo and dyed in peace He was a very Eloquent man and second to none of that Age in Learning He wrote three Books of Parallels of the Sacred Scriptures four Books of the Orthodox Faith besides many other Works which are printed at Paris Anno Christi 1619. The Life of Theophylact who flourished Anno Christi 880. THeophylact born in Constantinople and afterwards Archbishop of the same was much imployed in visiting and reforming the Churches in Bulgarie and when he had proved himself a painful laborer in the dangerous persecutions there he yielded up his spirit to his Maker He used to say Be not troubled if this man lives in tranquillity and thou in tribulation God will have it so he puts thee into the combat thou must therefore sweat hard before thou com'st off with the victory whereas he that comes forward in the World goes back in Grace his estate is miserable that goes laughing to destruction as a Fool to the stocks for correction He wrote in Greek Commentaries upon the four Evangelists which are translated into Latine by Charles Morell and printed at Paris Anno Christi 1631. The Life of Anselm who flourished Anno Christi 1080. ANselm Archbishop of Canterbury was born at Aosta or Augusta Praetoriana at the foot of the Alps in Italy and therefore as an Italian he always favoured the cause of the Romane Bishop He was carefully brought up in Learning by his Mother Ermerburga till he was fourteen years old when she dying he gave himself awhile to vain pleasures and his Father being severe to him he resolved to travel in which he met with wants spent three years in Burgundie and France and then became Scholar to Lanfrancus Abbot of Beck where being held hard to his study he entred into a Monasterie and by his strict carriage there his fame spread abroad and the old Abbot dying he succeeded him and after the death of Lanfrank he was chosen Archbishop of Canterbury He received such honours and uncouragements from Pope Vrbane as never Bishop received greater from a Pope For at the Council of Barum in Apulia the Pope placed him at his right foot above al others which was ever since the place of the Archbishops of Canterbury in all General Councils Much contention was between William Rufus King of England and him which caused him to leave the Kingdom till Henry the First his time when he was reinvested again but lived not long after his return into England before he dyed which was Anno Christi 1109. and in the 9. year of the Reign of King Henry the First and of his Age 76. He was indeed the Popes Factor in England for denyal of Investures to the King and Marriages to the Ministers but otherwise he was found in the main points of our Religion and taught many things contrary to the corrupt Tenents of the Church of Rome He used to say That if he should see the shame of sin on the one hand and the pains of Hell on the other and must of necessitie chuse one he would rather be thrust into Hell withoute sin then go into Heaven with sin And again O durus casus c. Oh hard-hap Alas what did man lost what did he finde He lost the blessedness to which he was made and found death to which he was not made The Life of Nicephorus who flourished Anno Christi 1110. NIcephorus a man of profound Judgment and Learning both in Humanity and Divinity flourished under Andrenicus senior the Emperour Anno Christi 1110. He was a great light when the World was in great darkness and both by his Life and Doctrine illuminated many He wrote his Ecclesiastical History in eighteen Books in Greek and Dedicated them to the Emperour Andronicus and not long after exchanged this Life for Eternal glory He said God beholds and moderates our actions using the scourge of affliction for our castigation and conversion and after due correction shews his Fatherly affection to those that trust in hâ—m for Salvation And Christ asked Peter three times if he loved him not for his own information but that by his threefold profession he might help and heal his threefold negation of him BERNARD The Life of Bernard who dyed An. Christi 1153. BErnard was born in Burgundie in the Town of Fontane His Fathers name was Tecelinus of an ancient Family and a brave Souldier but that which most commended him was that he feared God and loved Justice and following the counsel of John the Baptist he did wrong to no man and was content with his wages His Mothers name was Aleth of the Castle called Mont-Barr a woman eminent for Piety Chastity and Charity bringing up her children in the fear of God She had seven children six sons and one daughter all which she nursed with her own breasts Bernard was her third son whom from his Infancy with Hannah she devoted to the Service of God and therefore brought him not up tenderly and delicately but inured him to course fare and hardship and as soon as he was of capacity instilled into him the knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures and instructed him in the Principles of Religion and finding him to be of an acute wit ready apprehension firm memory comly feature courteous and meek deportment and much addicted to Learning she set him to Schole betimes to Castillion under the care and tuition of able Scholemasters and the boy being piously addicted studious of a quick apprehension easily answered his Mothers desire and expectation profiting in Learning above his age and out-stripping all his school-fellows and shewed withall a great contempt of all Earthly things and indeed he was very simple in all worldly affairs He shunned company and affected retiredness was much in meditation obedient to his Parents grateful and curteous to all He was exceeding shamefac't and modest loved not to speak much Towards God very devout that he might keep himself pure in his childhood And amongst other Learning he was frequent in reading the holy Scriptures that from thence he might learn to know and serve God So that it cannot be imagined how much he profited in a short time Whilst he was yet a boy he was much troubled with a pain in his head and lying upon his bed there was brought to him a woman who had undertaken to cure him with certain verses and charms but as soon as he heard her begin to utter her verses wherewith she used to deceive the simple he cryed out with great indignation
condemned them for Heretical and Erroneous by twenty three Cardinals and withall sent his Bull to Oxford rebuking them sharply for suffering Wickliefs Doctrine so long to take root amongst them and not wholly eradicating the same which Bull being exhibited by the Popes messenger to the Proctors and Masters of the University they deliberated long amongst themselves whether they should receive it with honor or reject it with contempt The Pope also at the same time sent Letters to the Archbishop Sudbury and Bishop Courtney of London commanding them to apprehend and imprison Wicklief and to admonish the King and Nobles of England that they should not give any Credit to John Wicklief or his Doctrine in any wise He wrote also at the same time to the King desiring him to assist the Bishops in the apprehension and imprisonment of John Wicklief These Letters so encouraged the Bishops that they resolved to proceed against him in their Provincial Council all fear or favor set apart and that no person neither high nor low should hinder them neither would they be induced to favor him neither by intreaty threatnings nor reward but that they would proceed roundly with him though it should be to the hazard of their lives But it pleased God by a small matter to confound and overthrow their devices notwithstanding all their proud brags and policies For the day of Examination being come there came in a Courtier amongst them called Lewis Clifford a m a of no great birth and commanded them that they should not proceed to any definitive sentence against John Wicklief wherewith the Bishops were so amazed and crest-faln that they became as mute ment not having one word to answer And thus it pleased God by his Providence thus once more to deliver Mr. Wicklief out of their cruel hands and one that writes this story saith further that whilst the Bishops were sitting in the Chappel at Lambeth upon John Wicklief not only the Citizens of London but saith he the vile abjects of the City were so bold as to intreat for him and to stop the Bishops in their proceedings And thus was Wicklief dismissed the Bishops charging him that he should Preach no more such Doctrine to the offence and hurt of the Lay people yet being departed he ceased not to proceed in his godly purpose going up and down bare-footed and in a Frize Gown endeavouring by his Ministry still to edifie and profit the Church as formerly he had done And Gods Providence so ordered it that about the same time Pope Gregory the 11th dyed whereupon ensued such a Schism in the Church of Rome between two Popes and others succeeding after them that it continued 39. years even to the Council of Constance About the same time also or shortly after there arose a cruel commotion of the Commons under Jack Straw where the rude multitude taking Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury beheaded him whom William Courtney Bishop of London succeeded who was very zealous and diligent against the Heresies of Wicklief as he called them Also in the year 1380. William Barton being Vicechancellour of Oxford called together eight Monastical Doctors and four others and having the consent of others of that Fraternity set forth an Edict under the Common Seal threatning all under a grievous penalty if they should be so hardy as to associate themselves with any of the fautors of Wicklief and to Wicklief himself he threatned the greater Excommunication and Imprisonment both to him and his favorers unless within three days after Canonical warning they repented and amended Wicklief understanding this resolved to forsake the Pope and all his Clergy and to appeal to the King but the Duke of Lancaster being now inveagled by the Bishops interposed forbidding him not to attempt any such thing but rather to submit to his Ordinary Wicklief finding himself hereby in this great strait was forced to make a Confession of his Doctrine and therein to qualifie his Assertions after such a sort that thereby he asswaged the rigor of his Enemies Anno 1382. Archbishop Courtney appointed a Convocation to be held at London principally against Wicklief wherein this memorable accident fell out When they were all gathered together at the Gray-Fryers in London just at the very instant when they were beginning their business against Wicklief there fell out a wonderful and terrible Earthquake through all England whereupon divers of the Suffragans being frighted with the terror of it thought good to leave off their further proceeding therein Yet did the Archbishop carry on his design declaring some of Wickliefs Doctrines to be Heretical others Erroneous and other Irreligious and Seditious and not Consonant to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome and not content herewith he so prevailed with the young King that he procured Letters Patents to be directed from the King to himself wherein are these words Forasmuch as the Archbishop of Canterbury hath made his supplication to us for the coertion and due castigation of all such as shall hence forth obstinately Preach and maintain any of those conclusions which in the late Convocation have been adjudged Heretical c. requesting that we would vouchsafe to put to the arm and helping hand of our Kingly power We therefore moved by the zeal of the Catholick Faith whereof we are and will be Defenders and being unwilling that any such Heresies should spring up within our Dominions Give and grant License and Authority by these presents unto the aforesaid Archbishop and his Suffragans to arrest and imprison either in their own Prisons or elsewhere all and every such person and persons as shall either privily or openly Preach or maintain the aforesaid conclusions c. Further charging and commanding all our Leigh-men Ministers and Subjects upon their Fidelity and Allegiance neither to favor counsel nor help such Preachers or maintainers of the aforesaid conclusions upon pain of forfeiting all that they have but to obey and humbly to attend upon the Archbishop and his Suffragans in the execution of these presents c. The like Letter the King wrote also to the Vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford requiring him to give notice that none should be so bold as to entertain Mr. John Wiclief or any of his followers into their houses or to Communicate with them which if any did that he should banish them the University and Town of Oxford till they should prove their Innocency before the Archbishop of Canterbury yea this young King pressed by the violent importunity of the Archbishop wrote another Letter to the Vicechancellor and Proctors of the University straightly charging and commanding them to make a general Inquisition through the whole University as well for Wicklief and his followers as for all others which were suspected to be maintainers receivers or defenders of those persons or their opinions any manner of way and all such to apprehend and expell the University
should marry in these unhappy times as if he cared not for those mischiefs which are before our Eyes But I think this was the occasion of it you know well enough his course of life that he is none of those that shun meetings I think better to leave you to think the rest then that I should write it If any undecent thing be reported by the people of him it 's alye and a calumny I judge also that nature compelled him to become as husband If any thing seem unseasonable and unadvised it must not trouble us too much perhaps there is some hidden and divine matter in it into which it becometh not us curiously to search and because I see him sorrowful for the change of his condition I labor to comfort him all that I can Anno 1527. he fell sick of a congealing of blood about his heart but by the drinking of the water of Carduus Benedictus he recovered Presently after on a Sabbath day he endured a spiritual temptation which he called the buffeting of Satan It seemed to him that swelling surges of the Sea did sound aloud at his left Ear and that so violently that dye he must except they presently grew calm afterwards when the noise came within his head he fell down as one dead and was so cold in each part ut nec calor nec sanguis nec sensus nec vox superesset that he had remaining neither heat nor blood nor sense nor voice but when his face was sprinkled with cold water by Justus Jonas he came to himself and prayed most earnestly and made a confession of his Faith saying That he was unworthy to suffer Martyrdom which by his proceedings he might seem to run upon He often mentions this tentation in his Letters to his Friends and was confirmed in his Faith by receiving absolution from a Minister and the use of the Sacrament Melancthon knowing the rage of the Papists and Caesars threats to subvert the Gospel was much troubled at it and gave himself wholly up to grief sighs and tears whereupon Luther wrote to him In private conflicts I am weak and you are strong but in publick conflicts you are found weak and I stronger because I am assured that our cause is just and true If we fall Christ the Lâ—rd and Ruler of the World falleth with us and suppose he fall Mallem ruere cum Christo quà m regnare cum Caesare I had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar I extremely dislike your excessive cares with which you say that you are almost consumed That these reign so much in your heart it is not from the greatness of the danger but the greatness of your incredulity Si piam justam causam defendimus cur Dei promistis non confidimus praeter vitam hanc misellam Satanas mundus nobis eripere nihil potest At vivit in sempiternum regnat Christus in cujus tutela consistit veritas Is nobis aderit is etiam causam hanc quae non nostra sed ipsius est ad optatum producet finem If the cause be bad let us revoke it and flie back if it be good Why do we make God a lyer who hath made us so great promises Cast thy care upon the Lord c. Be of good comfort I have overcome the world If Christ be the conquerour of the world why should we fear it as if it would overcome us A man would fetch such sentences as these upon his knees from Rome or Hierusalem Nolite igitur timere estote fortes laeti nihil solliciti Dominus propè adest Be not afraid be couragious and cheerful solicitous for nothing The Lord is at hand to help us And in another place when our King Henry the Eighth had written bitterly against him Agant quicquid possunt Henrici Episcopi atque adeò Turca ipse Satan nos filii sumus regni c. Let the Henries the Bishops the Turk and the Divel himself do what they can we are the children of the Kingdom worshipping and waiting for that Saviour whom they and such as they spit upon and crucifie Concerning this his answer Erasmus thus writes If saith he Luther commending the Kings good intention had proceeded by strong Arguments without violating the Kingly Majesty in my judgement he had taken a better course for the defence of his cause For what made Luther in his Book to the King of England to use these words Come hither my Lord Henry and I will teach you Truly the Kings Book was written in Latine and that not unlearnedly But Luther thus excuseth himself If any man saith he be offended at my sharpness against the King let him know that in that Book I dealt with senseless Monsters who contemned my best and most modest writings and by my humility and modesty were more hardned in their Errors Besides I abstained from bitterness and lies with which the Kings Book was stuffed Neither is it any wonder if I contemn and bite an Earthly King when as he feared not at all in his writings to blaspheme the King of Heaven and to profane his truth with virulent lyes Anno Christi 1523. A Diet was held at Norinberg in the absence of Caesar wherein the Edict of Worms was made null Of this the Popes Legat complained to the Princes saying That Luther was not punished according to the Emperours Edict To which the Princes answered That the Court of Rome neglected Reformation That Germany was so far inlightned by the Sermons and Writings of Luther that if they should go about to put the Edict in Execution great tumults would arise and the people would be ready to think that they went about to oppress the Truth and to put out the light of the Gospel that so they might the better defend those manifest vices which could be no longer concealed The same year Luther published his Book Of the Dignity and Office of the Civil Magistrate He wrote also to the Waldenses about the Adoration of the Sacrament He published the Pentatâ—uch in the German tougue He wrote to the Senate of Prague his Book De Instituendis Ministris Ecclesiae and another about the avoiding the Doctrines of men Besides divers others What was judged of him for his constancy and resolution may appear by this Upon a time a motion was made in the Consistory at Rome that a great sum of mony should be profered to him to buy him off from opposing Popery but one wiser then the rest cryed out Hem Germana illa bestia non curat aurum sed auram That beast of Germany cares for no money but seeks vain-glory Anno Christi 1529. he set forth both his Catechisms the lesser in January the greater in October following The year after the Emperour summoned a Diet at Auspurg giving the Publick Faith for the security of all men that would come to the Diet to
the mean time they would do what might conduce to peace so that the Truth was not wronged and so they dismissed Bucer lovingly and honorably Anno Christi 1537. He encouraged the Senate of Strasborough to erect a School in which himself taught He was present at many Disputations and Conferences wherein he carryed himself with singular prudence He was one of the Disputants at Ratisbone against Eccius and others of the Popish party in which he grew acquainted with John Gropper who at his return commended him so much to Herman Archbishop of Collen that he sent for Bucer to assist him in the Reformation of his Churches yet afterwards that Gropper became a deadly Enemy to Bucer and the honest Archbishop was first Excommunicated by the Pope and then thrust out of his Government by the Emperour Anno Christi 1548. the Emperour with the consent of the Princes chose some moderate men to write a form for amendment of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church the persons imployed therein were Julius Pslug Michael Helding Iohn Agricola Phil. Melancthon and Iohn Brentius these wrote a Book which was called the Interim Hereupon the Elector of Brandenburg wrote to the Senate of Strasborough entreating them to send Martin Bucer to him For saith he the Emperour seeing how loth the Pope is to have a Council hath thought of another way so that good men hope there will be an amendment of things in the Church Bucer comming to Auspurg lodged with the Elector of Brandenburg who shewed him the Book and told him that it was written with as great moderation as could be and therefore perswaded him to approve thereof but when Bucer had perused it he refused to allow it for that there were many Popish Doctrines contained therein At this the Elector was very angry and the Lord of Granvel was very earnest with him to subscribe it but he would by no means be drawn thereto and so he returned home with great danger of his life going through the Country of Wittenberg which was full of Spanish Souldiers Shortly after his return to Strasborough the Interim was by the Emperour obtruded upon them and the Protestant Divines were everywhere in great danger Some being dragged unto Prison and others driven into Exile and it so fell out by Gods Providence that the fame of Bucers suffering with his Colleagues flew into England where the Reformation of Religion was begun under Edward the sixth whereupon Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of â—anterbury by his Letters earnestly sollicited Bucer with P. Fagius to come into England and when they saw no hope of recovering their liberty in Germany they assented and went over Anno Christi 1549. by the consent of the Senate of Strasborough and at their arrival were kindely entertained especially by the Archbishop who shortly after provided them houses at Cambridge that there they might be imployed in the interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures Bucer had also a stipend of 240 Crowns per annum setled upon him that with his Family he might live comfortably amongst strangers He was also imployed in interpreting the New Testament wherein he began with the Gospel of John He had such a dexterity in reconciling seeming contradictions in Scriptures as was a wonder to his Auditors The English much admired as his Learning so his integrity of Life simplicity of Apparrel Modesty and Sobriety in his food his tolerance of Labors and great Patience in several Diseases Shortly after with the change of ayr he fell into a fit of sickness which was a pain in his Bowels the Stone a nauseaâ—ing in his Stomach Costiveness and a violent Catarh upon which diseases he lay sick for some moneths yet would he never be idle for when he could not go to the Publick Schools he read his Lectures in his own house yet in January following he read again in the Schools though he continued crasie He had great Authority in Teaching his Doctrine was excellent his Life blameless his Wisdom great his Voice strong agreeing with the matter he delivered He used a modest freedom in noting mens manners and as he abhorred idleness himself so neither would he suffer others about him to be idle Thus exercising himself indefatigably for thirty days together he fell into a relapse yet being a little recovered he Commenced Doctor in Divinity but relapsing a second time he imployed himself wholly in Heavenly Meditations and prayed God to keep England from those sins which had brought upon Germany so much misery and that that form of Discipline which he had written to King Edward the sixth might be here established Mr. John Bradford going to Preach told him that he would remember him in his Prayers whereupon Bucer weeping said Cast me not off O my God in my old age now when my strength faileth me withall adding He hath afflicted me sore but he will never never cast me off And being admonished to arm himself against the temptations of Satan he answered I am wholly Christs and the Devil hath nothing to do with me and God forbid that I should not now have experience of the sweet consolations in Christ and so with sweet and heavenly ejaculations he resigned up his spirit into the hands of God at Cambridge February the 27. Anno 1551. of his age 61. and had about three thousand persons attending him to his grave Walter Haddon and Dr. Parker Preached his Funeral Sermons Anno 1556. in Queen Maries days he was condemned of Heresie his body digged up and together with his Books burned Cardinal Contarene returning out of Germany from the Disputation at Ratisbone being asked his judgement of the Germane Divines answered Habent Germani Martin Bucerum qui eâ ubertate doctrinae Theologicae Philosophicae eâ ctiam in disputando subtilitate felicitate est instiâ—uctus ut unus ille nostris omnibus Doctoribus possit opponi They have amongst others Martin Bucer endowed with that excellency of Learning both in Theologie and Philosophie and besides of that subtilty and happiness in Disputation that he only may be set against all our learned men Omnia hujus viri opera Latina Germanica si in unum conjungerentur justa magnitudinis Tomos 9 efficerent ex quibus cognoscere licebit quanta in Bucero Eruditio cura vigilantia peritia quanta fuerit in agendo dexteritas in reformandis conciliandisque Ecclesiis authoritas atque felicitas The Life of Gaspar Hedio who dyed Anno Christi 1552. GAspar Hedio was born at Etling in the Marquisat of Baden of honest Parents and educated in Learning at Friburg where also he Commenced Master of Arts and from thence went to Basil where he studyed Divinity and Commenced Doctor Anno Christi 1520. About which time the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ beginning to appear in Germany Hedio embraced and made a profession of the same whereupon being called to Preach in
Consolation to his Brother Wolphgang in his Sicknesse Two Sermons against False Prophets Sermons containing an assertion of the true Doctrine in the Reformed Churches A Tractate about the Apostolical Rite of Ordination used in the Reformed Churches His opinion about the controverted Articles published by Selneccerus He was of such constancy of Life and Manners that it might truly be said of him which Dion said of the Emperor Marcus Antonniuus In omni vitâ sui similis nec ullâ unquam in re mutatus fuit Itaque verè fuit vir bonus nec fictum aut simulatum quicquam habuit The Life of Justus Jonas who died A no Christi 1555. JUstus Jonas was born at Northusa Anno Christi 1493 where his Father was a Senator who falling sick of the Plague having applyed an Onion to the Soar and taken it off he layd it by him presently after this little Jonas coming took the Onion and eat it up yet without any prejudice to himself God miraculously preserving him from that danger He was at first brought up at School in his own Country Afterwards being sent to a publick School he studied Law and made a good progress therein but upon better thoughts he studied Divinity and proceeded Doctor and embraced the Reformed Religion and was called an Christi 1521 to a Pastoral Charge in Wittenberg And when sundry Controversies arose especially about abrogating private Masse and the Prince Elector of Saxony feared lest the abolishing of it should cause great tumults Jonas with his Colleagues went to him and rendred such reasons for it that the Prince acquiesced therein He was present at most of the Disputations about Religion where he defended the Truth strenuously and endeavoured to promote Peace He was also made a Professor in that University where he publickly read Divinity Lectures and bore all Offices in the Schooles Anno Christi 1533 he created sundry Doctors of Divinity as Gasper Cruciger John Bugenhag Pomâ—ranus and John Aepinus Pastor of the Church of Haâ—borough At which Commencement John Frederick Elector of Saxony was present and was much delighted with the Eloquent Speeches made by Justus Jonas Anno Christi 1539 when Henry Duke of Saxony who had embraced the Reformed Religion and was admitted into the League of Smalcald succeeded his Brother George in the Government of Misnia and Thuringia he presently by the advice of Luther and his Colleagues Reformed his Churches Luther himself beginning that Reformation but the carrying on and perfecting that work was left to the care of Justus Jonas with Spalatine and Ampersdorf From thence he was called unto Hale in Saxony where he preached and promoted Religion exceedingly And whilst he was imployed there he was not only very useful to those Churches but was sent to from divers others for advice and counsel and being a man of a publick spirit he was never wanting to those that craved his help Luther sometimes resorted thither to him and took him along with him in his last journey to Isâ—eben anno Christi 1546 where he dyed After whose death he remained a while in the Duke of Saxony's Court and was a constant companion of Frederick's Sonnes in all their afflictions And lastly he was set over the Church in Eisfield and was made Superintendent of the Franconian Churches within the Principality of Coburg where he ended his daies in much peace and comfort Anno Christi 1555 and of his age 63. He was a man of an excellent Wit of great Industry of much Integrity of life joyned with Piety Whilst Luther lived he was his faithful friend and most dear to him Most of the famous men of that age were his great friends On a time Luther coming to his house drank to him out of a curious glass adding this Distich ex tempore Dat vitrum vitrâ—â— Jonae vitrum ipse Lutherus Ut vitro fragili similem se noscat uterque Being once under Temptations and in great Agony he shewed much despondencie but his servant partly by comforting him partly by chiding him cheared him up and at last through God's mercy the Spirit prevailed against the flesh He published a Defence of the mariage of Ministers against John Faber the patron of whoredoms An Oration about the study of Divinity Annotations upon the Acts About privat Masse and the Unction of Priests He turned some of Luthers works into Latin The Life of John Rogers who died A no Christi 1555. JOhn Rogers was born in England and brought up at the Universitie of Cambridg where he profited very much in good learning and from thence was chosen by the Merchant Adventurers to be their Chaplain at Antwerp to whom hee preached many years and there falling into acquaintance with Will Tindal and Miles Coverdal who were fled thither from persecution in England he by heir means profited much in the knowledg of Jesus Christ and joyned with them in that painful and profitable work of Translating the Bible into English and being much enlightened thereby in the saveing knowledge of Jesus Christ he cast off the heavy yoake of Popery perceiving it to be impure and filthy Idolatry There he married a wife and from thence he went to Wittenberg where he much profited in learning and grew so skilfull in the Dutch-tongue that he was chosen pastor to a Congregation and discharged his office with diligence and faithfulness for many years But in King Edward's time hee was sent for home by Bishop Ridley and was made a Prebend of Pauls and the Deane and Chapter chose him to read a Divinity Lecture in that Church in which place hee preached faithfully till Queen Mart's dayes And in the beginning of her Reign in a Sermon at Paul's Cross he exhorted the people constantly to adhere to thaâ— Doctrine which they had been taught and to beware of pestilent Poperie Idolatrie and superstition for which he was called before the Lords of the Council where he made a stout wittie and godly answer yet withall carried himself so prudently that for that time he was dismissed But after the Queen's Proclamation against True Preaching came forth he was again called the Bishops thirsting for his blood and committed Prisoner to his own house whence he might have escaped and had many motives as his wife and ten children his friends in Germanie where he could not want preferment c. But being once called to answer in Christ's Cause he would not depart though to the hazard of his life From his owne house he was removed by Bonner to Newgate amongst thieves and murtherers for a great space At length he was againe carried before the Lords of the Councill where the Lord Chancellor Steven Gardener taunted reviled and checked him not suffering him to speak his mind and so remanded him to prison whereupon he wrote thus I was compelled to leave off what I would have most gladly spoken and
kept in the Tower for the same purpose which afterwards proved so In the beginning of Queen Maries Reign he was sent for up by a Pursuivant whereof he had notice six houres before he came to his house yet instead of flying he prepared himself for his journey And when the Pursuivant came he said to him My friend you are welcome I goe as willingly to London to give an account of my Faith as ever I went to any place in the world and I doubt not but as God hath made me worthy formerly to preach his Word before two excellent Princes so he will enable me to bear witnesse to the Truth bâ—fore the third either to her eternal comfort or discomfort The Pursuivant having delivered his Letter told him that he was commanded not to stay for him and so immediately departed His Adversaries hopine that he would have fled but Latimer hasted after to London and as he rode through Smithfield he said that Smithfield had groaned for him a long time Coming before the Council after many mocks and scornes he was â—ent to the Tower where the Lord gave him such a valiant spirit that he did not onely bear the terriblenesse of imprisonment but derided and laughed to scorn the doings of his enemies This aged Father being kept in the cold winter without a fire bade the Lieutenant's man to tell his Master That if he did not look better to him perchance he would decâ—iâ—e him The Lieutenant thinking that he intendâ—d to make an escape charged him with his words to whom he answered You think I shall burn but except you let mee have a fire I shall deceive your expectation for I am here like to starve with cold Thus he continued a long time in the Tower with as much patience as a man in his case could possibly doe and at last from thence he was carried to Oxford with Cranmer and Ridley where tâ—ey spent their time in brotherly conference fervent prayer and fruitfull writing Yea many time he continued so long in fervent prayer that he was not able to get up without help Three things be more especially prayed for 1. That as God had appointed him to be a Preacher of his Word so that he would give him grace to stand to his Doctrine that hee might give his hearts-blood for the same 2. That God of his mercy would restore his Gospel to England once againe once againe which he often inculcated in his prayer and that with so much ardour as though he had seen God before him and spoken to him face to face 3. That the Lord would preserve Queen Elizabeth and make her a comfort to this comfortleâ—s Realm of England The lord most graciously answering all those his requests At last he was condemned and with Doctor Ridley was carried to be burned When he came to the stake he lift up his eyes with an amiable and comfortable countenance saying Fidelis est Deus c God is faithfull who will not suffer us to to be tempted above that which we are able c. When the fire was brought he said to Doctor Ridley Be of good comfort Brother and play the man we shall this day light such a candle by Gods grace in England as I trust shall never be put out When hee was stripped into his shroud he seemed a very comply person to all that were present And whereas in his cloaths he appeared a withered and crooked silly old man he now stood bolt-upright as comly a Father as one might likely behold As he was burning his blood ranne out of his heart in such abundance as if all the blood in his body had been gathered thither to the great astonishment of the beholders according to his former request That he might be so happy as to shed his hearts-blood for the Truth When the fire was first kindled he cried O father of heaven receive my soul And so receiving the flame and as it were embracing it having stroaked his face with his hands and bathed them a little in the fire he soon died with very little pain or none at all Anno Christi 1555. In a Letter to King Henry the eighth he thus concludes Wherefore gracious King remember your self have pitty upon your soul and think that the day is even at hand when you shall give an account for your Office and of the blood that hath been shed with your sword In the which day that your Grace mâ—â— stand stedfast and may have your Quietus est sealed with the blood of our Saviour Christ which will onely serve at that day is my daily prayer c. The Life of John Philpot who died A no Christi 1555. JOhn Philpot was a Knight's son and born in Hampshire brought up at Schoole and sent from thence to New-Colledge in Oxford where he studied the Liberal Arts and the Tongues and afterwards the Civil-Law for six or seven years space He was of a pregnant wit and singular courage fervent in spirit zealous in Religion of nature apert and far from flattery hypocrisie and dissimulation From Oxford he travelled into Italy where he was in some danger for his Religion In King Edward the sixth's dayes he returned into England again and had many conflicts with Bishop Gardiner He did much good in Hampshire being Archdeacon of Winchester all King Edward's dayes Anno Christi 1553 which was the first year of Queen Mary a Convocation was assembled wherein Doctor Weston was Prolocutor in the beginning whereof a disputation was begunne between the Papists and Protestants wherein Mr. Philpot was so earnest that Doctor VVeston commanded him to hold his peace whereto he replyed You perceive that I have stuffe enough for you whereby I am able to withstand your false positions and therefore you command me silence If you will not give place quoth the Prolocutor I will send you to prison This is not replyed Mr. Philpot according to your promise made at first in this house nor yet according to your brag made at Paul's Crosse when you said that men should be answered in this disputation to whatsoever they could say and now of a dozen arguments that I have you will not suffer me to prosecute one But I see that a sort of you here which hitherto have lurked in corners and dissembled with God and man are now gathered together to suppresse the sincere Truth of Gods V Vord and to set forth your false devices which by the sacred Scriptures you are not able to maintain But six daies after came a Mandate from the Queen to break up the disputation whereupon Doctor VVeston who all along had used many unseemly checks and taunts to the Protestants thus concluded It is not the Queens pleasure that we should spend any longer time here and ye are all well enough for you have the Word and we have the Sword And
owne and forraign Universities be searched out which may be strengthned with the law of God and as they shall by Gods word prove it lawfull or unlawfull so let the King proceed and have the cause then determined in his owne Country whereby he may live in lawfull matrimony with a cheerfull minde and quiet conscience which is much to be desired by all his faithfull subâ—ects When he had thus spoken with great gravity and wisedome Gardiner and Fox resenting that excellent counsell as given from God wished that the King had had such counsell given him before he ever sent to Rome The day after when they câ—â—me to the King he asked them what was done in his business whereupon Fox told him of their meeting and conference had with Doctor Cranmer but proud Gardiner seeking to invest himselfe in the praise which was due unto another would have made himself the Author of that counsell but the King neglecting his speech asked Fox if Cranmer were at Waltham still and being told that he was he presently ordered him to be sent for saying I judge his counsell right if I had knowne it two dayes agoe I had saved infinite charges and had lived with a more safe and quiet conscience When Doctor Cranmer came to him hee much excused himselfe as insufficient to be engaged in so great a matter yet besought him to commit the tryall of it to the best learned men in both Vniversities Which advice the King liked well yet required him to write his judgement upon it also and commanded the Earl of VViltshire to provide him retired lodgings books and whatever else was necessary for so great a work which task being finished and confirmed by Scriptures Councils and Fathers he presented it to the King who having read it asked him whether he would justifie it before the Pope D. Cran. professing his willingness the King hastened his dispatch to Rome and sent other learned men abroad to forraign Vniversities to dispute this question amongst the Divines there where it was concluded that no such matrimony was lawfull by the word of God When the Kings Ambassadors came to Rome the Pope proffering them his foot to kiss the Earl of VViltshire's Spaniel caught his great Toe in his mouth whereupon the Ambassadors scorned to kiss after the dog and the Pope pulled in his foot again There Cranmer and the rest proffered to defend that Jure Divino the brother ought not to marry the brothers wife but none appearing against them the Pope made Doctor Cranmer his Penitentiarie and so dismissed them From thence Doctor Cranmer travelled to the Emperors Court at Vienna proffering to dispute with his Divines upon the said question But Cornelius Agrippa in private conference receiving full satisfaction from him thereupon easily perswaded other learned men that were in the Emperors court not to contend with Cranmer who as he said was in the truth so that no man contradicting him Cranmer departed from the Emperor and having travelled all over Germany he brought home with him into England the opinions and sentences of the most learned men that lived in the Vniversities and Courts of Princes And in the mean season others sent from the King passing through all the Vniversities of Italy and France brought home likewise their determinations in that point confirmed with their publick and authentick seales agreeing with those that Cranmer had brought out of Germany In this journey to and fro he learned all the New Testament by heart August 23. Anno Christi 1533. William Warham Arch-Bi of Canteâ—bury died and the King resolved to place Doctor Cranmer in his room who was at this time in Germany about the Kings business and was loath to take upon him an office of such high dignity in the Church For he knew that there was an oath to be taken to the Pope of Rome before he could be installed in that place He feared also what issue the Kings divorce might have and was not ignorant of the Kings violent disposition He knâ—w that sudden and great changes were dangerous and that the Court to which he was not accustomed was full of deceipts and counterfeitings That he must in all things obey the Kings will and that if he tripped in any thing never so little there would be some who out of envy at his felicity would tumble him downe headlong when he began to fall He also having buried his first wife was now falne in love with a young maid that was neece to Osianders wife whom he determined to marry though he knew it was forbidden bâ— law for a Priest to marry oâ— for a man to be made a Priest who had married a second wife Weighing these things seriously with himselfe when he was sent for by the King to return home so soon as he could he stayed in Germany six whole months framing one excuse or other hoping that in the mean time some or other would get the Arch-Bishoprick â—ut such were the times then that every man feared the slipperiness of that place and therefore declined it At last Doctor Cranmer privately marrying his wife at Norimberg returned home and was made Arch-Bishop though against his will for he refused the dignity offered him because he was to be tyed to the Pope against all right and equity and therefore he gave the Popes Bull into the Kings hands saying that he wouâ—d never receive a Bishoprick of England but from him who was the head of England nor take an oath that was derogatory to the Kings authority And thus being made Arch Bishop he carried himselfe as formerly he had done rising every morning at five a clock to his study and never being idle all the day After dinner if he had no sâ—iters he spent an hour at Chess and so to his study again He was by nature very charitable and gentle so prone to forgive and forget wrongs that it grew into a Proverb Doe my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turâ— and â—e will be your friend as long as you live Hee stoutly opposed the six bloody Articles and yet with such humility and modesty that the King could not be offended with him for it He was so free from passion that he never miscalled the meanest of his servants He was just in paying all men so that when he was cast into prison he owed no man a â—arthing He relieved many that were in want The whole weight of reforming Religion lay upon his hands so that for sixteen years together his house was never empty of learned men to assist in deciding Ecclesiasticall controversies His charity to the poor was very great for whom he provided lodgings being sick lame wounded c. and appointed an Almoner Physician and Chirurgion to attend them having daily hot broth and meant sent them from his own Kitchin He had many and great enemies of the Papists especially wily VVinchester and his
fully relate the truth without a lye of his own deeds whether they were good or bad After which words the King dismissed him Presently after Doctor Cranmer sent Doctor Cox his Vicar generall and Mr. Anthony Hussey his Secretary with ample Commission to search out the plots which were contrived against him by the Papists of Canterbury who spent a moneth or two and yet did little being persons that favoured the Popelings In the mean time his Adversaries at Court urged much that he might be imprisoned and might then be examined of the Heresies laid to his charge presuming that if once he were removed out of the Kings sight they might easily overwhelm him with feigned crimes and so work his destruction And the King being tired with their daily importunities granted that if he was manifestly convinced of any crimes either against Church or State hee should be carried to prison Hereupon Gardiner and his associates resolved the next day to send him prisoner to the Tower and the King concealed his purpose that he might see how far their malice would extend and yet resolved to secure him For about midnight he sent Mr. Denny one of his Bed-chamber whom hee most consided in as not liking the Popelings to Lambeth for Doctor Cranmer who being roused out of his sleep came presently to the King who in these words told him what he would have him doe Almost all my Counsellors saith he are urgent to have you imprisoned because almost all England is defiled with Heresies which they say proceeds from you and certain learned strangers whom you keep in your house and therefore they would have you under custody whilst the cause is enquired after without which they cannot finde out the original and to morrow is the day appointed for your commitment and therefore consider whether it be well done or no. Doctor Cranmer heartily thanked the King for giving him this warning saying that he refused not to goe to prison nor to stand in judgement trusting to his innocency and clear conscience affirming that he would rather hazard a just judgement than lie under unjust suspitions Onely he desired that since his Doctrine and Faith were called into question he might have learned and equall Judges to heare the same But the King pittying the plain simplicity of the man who would thus expose himself to the malice of his mortall enemies said to him Are you so foolish for if you be once led away from your dignitie and from the light and sight of men many false and perjured witnesses will arise against you which otherwise durst not come into your presence Wherefore seeing you neither provide for your dignity nor safety I will give you counsell that you be not overwhelmed by your spightfuâ—l Adversaries To morrow they will send for you they will object against you the crimes of Heresie and commit you to prison then doe you request them that since you are one of my Privy-counsell they would deale with you as they would be dealt by in the like case viz. That they would produce your accusers in open judgement whom if you be not able to answer you will patiently endure imprisonment But if they regard not this your just and equall request but will proceed to imprison you appeale to my presence and audience by delivering this token to them to supersede their Decree with which words he drew off his Ring from his finger and delivered it to Cranmer and so dismissed him The next morning Gardiner and his complices met in the Counsel-chamber sent to Lambeth for Cranmer but when he came would not let him in The Nobles and Courtiers that passed by marvelled much thus to see the Primate of all England and the most inward Counsellor of the King thus shut out siting amongst Serving-men that waited for their Masters This being told to Doctor Buts the Kings Physitian being moved with the indignity of the fact he went presently to drive away the gazers and to honour the presence of so worthy a Father But presently Dr. Buts was sent for to the King and when he came to him he said I have seen an unusual matter and such a thing as was never before heard of What 's that quoth the King Cranmer said hee the Primate of the Kingdome is become some bodies Serving-man and hath stood almost this hour before the door of the Counsel-chamber waiting upon some Master Ha! said the King doe my Counsellors so disgracefully use the Primate and being moved with the indignity of the thing he presently sent a command that Cranmer should be admitted into the Counsell-Chamber When he was entered it was declared to him that the King and his Counsellors were informed that all England was turned from the Catholick Faith and depraved with Heresie which proceeded from him and his Family and that therefore he must be committed to the Tower whilst a speedy inquisition was made to know whether those things were true or no. Cranmer desired that his accusers witnesses and proofes that they had against him might be produced and that it might be lawfull for him to answer presently and thereby to defend himself alledging that it was very unequall that the Primate of England and a Counsellor whose faith was never doubted of nor came into question should be thus disgracefully thrust into prison upon bare suspitions to the prejudice of his cause urging many other reasons why they should deale more gently and mildly with him But when neither intreaties nor arguments could prevaile but that needs to prison he must goe Cranmer said that he was very sorry that they forced him to appeale to the King from themselves with whom hee had so often communicated in counsell and from whom he expected equall dealing upon all occasions and thereupon delivering the Kings Ring to them hee commanded them to suspend their Decree and to present themselves before the King Then said the Lord Russel afterwards Earl of Bedford Did not I tell you that the King would never suffer him to be imprisoned unlesse he were guilty of high Treason against his Majesty and so they went with Cranmer to the King The King sharply rebuked them telling them that hee looked for more wisdom and gravity amongst them then to keep Cranmer out of the Counsell-chamber to force him to stand at the door amongst Serving-men Asking them whether any of themselves would endure such a disgrace And withall swore striking himself upon the breast that hee was more beholding to Cranmer then to any man whatsoever and that he had tried him and knew that no Prelate could exceed him in his fidelity to his King and therefore that all that loved him should hold Cranmer in highest price and estimation The King speaking thus when all others held their peace through fear the Duke of Norfolk answered It was not our purpose to hurt the Archbishop at all but that keeping him in custody whilst the Inquisition
forth of the City and bad him fly for his life But it pleased God that by a fall he brake his legg whereby being again apprehended he was sent prisoner to Rome This business succeeding answerable to their desires they intended presently to fal upon Martyr whereupon they laid wait for him in every place They put in an accusation against him at Rome and in all the Colledges of his Order they stirred up his old enemies against him telling them that now the time was come wherein they might recover their former liberty so they called lientiousness â—nd to be revenged on Pet. Martyr So that by these mens instigations they met at Genoa not as usually the Superiours of the Order but those especially that bore the greatest hate to Martyr or envied him most These men summon Martyr presently to appear as Genoa But he being informed of the snares that were laid for him which his enemies being blinded with malice could not conceal And also being admonished by his friends to take heed to himself there being many that sought his life resolved not to goe to this Assembly but rather to convey himselfe else-whither where he might be safe from the power and malice of his adversaries Hereupon first of all hee conveyed part of his Library to Christopher Brent a Godly Senator of Luca who should take care to send it to him into Germany the other part he gave to the Colledge and so setting all things in order in the Colledge he privily departed out of the City onely with three companions Paul Lacis of Verona who was afterwards Greek Professor at Strasborough Theodosius Trebell and Julius Terentian with whom he continued faithfull unto the death Departing from Luca purposing to visit his owne country he went to Pisa where to some Noble men he administred the Lords Supper and meeting there with some faithful messengers he wrote to Cardinal Pool and to some of his friends at Luca. In these Letters he shewed what great errors and abuses were in the Popish Religion and in the Monasticall life with whom he could no longer communicate with a safe conscience He also shewed the other causes of his departure viz. the hatred and snares laid for him by his enmies He signified also what pains and care he had taken for their instruction and what a grief it was to him that he could not more plainely and openly instruct them in the Christian faith The ring also which was the ensigne of his dignity he sent back shewing that he would not imploy any of the Colledge goods to his private use Coming to Florence he met there with a godly and learned man Bernardin Ochine who being cited to Rome was going thitherward but being warned of the danger by his friends he consulted with Martyr and upon deliberation both of them resolved to leave Italy and to go into Germany And accordingly first Ochine departed and went to Geneva and from thence to Ausburg and two dayes after Peter Martyr followed going first to Bononia then to Ferrara then to Verona where being courteously entertained by his old friends He went thence over the Alps into Helvetia In this journey when he came to Zurick he was very kindly entertained by Bullinger Pellicane and Gualter and by the other Ministers belonging to that City to whom he proffered his service if they needed it but having at this time no place void in the Schools they told him that they much desired his company and pains but for the present they had no imployment for him yet would they gratefully remember his kind profer to them He often used to say that as soon as he came to Zurick he fell in love with that City desiring of God that it might be a refuge to him in this his banishment which prayer was afterwards granted though in the interim God pleased to make use of his labours in other places and Nations for his own glory and the good of many From thence he went to Basil where after he had abode about a month he with Paul Lacis was called to Strasborough by the means of Martin Bucer In which place he was made Professor of Divinity and Lacis of the Greek Tongue There he continued five years in which time he interpreted most of the Bible and what his excellency in teaching was may be hence collected in that being joyned with Martin Bucer a great Divine and eminent for learning yet Martyr was not accounted inferiour to him He was very skilful in Hebrew Greek and Latiâ—e He had an admirable dexterity in interpreting Scripture was a very acute disputant and used always to express himselfe very clearly knowing that ambiguity of words is the cause of much contention He lived in most intire friendship with his Collegue Master Bucer At Strasborough being unmarried he lived with his friends that came with him out of Italy being contented with a very small stipend which yet afterwards was augmented For having forsaken his Country his honors and riches for the testimony of Christ he thought it unfit to be solicitous or to trouble any about the increase of his stipend the rather because he was of a frugall disposition so that his stipend did not onely suffice but he spared something out of that little towards the support of his friends But finding some inconvenience of living single by the advice of his friends he married an honest and noble Virgin Katherine Damo-martin who afterwards dyed in England without issue having lived with him eight years She was one that feared God was loving to her husband prudent in administring houshold affairs liberal to the pooâ— and in the whole course of her life pious modest and sober After her death by the command of Cardinal Poole her body was digged up and buried in a dunghill and when he could finde no other cause for it he pretended that it was because she was buried too near to St. Frideswide For though this Cardinall had formerly loved Martyr very well yet when he once forsooke Italy he did not onely give over loving him but shaking off his study of the true Religion which for a time â—e had seemed to like hee became a great hater of Martyr and a bitter prosecutor of the professors of the Truth which occasioned him to deale so with Martyrs Wife seeing that he could not burn her husband as he desired But in Queen Elizabeths daies her body was again taken up and with great solemnity buried in the chiefe place of the Church and to prevent the Popish malice for the time to come her bones were mingled with the boneâ— of St. Frideswide that they should not be distinguished asunder The occasion of Peter Martyrs going into England was this King Henry the eighth being dead and his son Edward the sixth succeeding by the advice of the Protector Edward Duke of Somerset and Doctor Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury he
him chose him to be their Pastor and sent to request his coming to them many also of his old English friends that lived as exiles there much pressed it Yea and Calvin also wrote to him desiring him to imbrace the Call Martyr being thus importunately pressed to remove thither and having many engagements to incline him that way yet referred the whole matter to be determined by the Senate and Ministers at Zurick and they understanding that there were other able and fit men to be placed over the Italian Congregation denying their consents to part with him he resolved to stay notwithstanding all solicitations to the contrary And afterwards when in Queen Elizabeths dayes he was much importuned to return into England and had large proffers made him from the Queen yet he would not leave his flock till his death And how ready he was to be serviceable to other Churches may appear by this example The year before his death the King of France had appointed a meeting of the Bishops and Nobility at Possy whereupon they of the reformed Religion in France thought that it was a very seasonable time to procure a conference about Religion which might much tend to the peace and liberty of the Church Upon this the Churches chose certaine Delegates which in that Parliament should move for the liberty of Religion And they chose also many learned men who should dispute with their adversaries about the same and because the singular learning and incomparable dexterity of Peter Martyr in disputing was sufficiently knowne they in the first place made choice of him for one and sent one Claudius Bradella with Theodore Beza to Zurick to try his willingness to accept of that imployment and when he had declared his readiness shortly after came Letters from the King the Queen Mother the King of Navar the Prince of Conde and the Admirall Coligni to the Senate of Zurick to desire them to send Martyr withall sending him a safe conduct whereupon he undertook the journey and when he came to Possy he made an Oration to the Queen exhorting her to seek not onely the quiet of France but of other Churches by promoting true Religion shewing also what a blessing she might expect from God thereby The Queen entertained him kindly and so did the King of Navar the Prince of Conde and the Admirall of France But the Cardinall of Lorrain sought to hinder the disputation all that possibly he could yet when he could not prevail five of each party were chosen out to dispute the business about the Lords Supper in private having onely two Notaries present and after severall days disputation something was drawn up as the result of all which with some explanations Beza Marlorat Martyr Spina and the Lord of Sole subscribed unto But when the same was presented to the Cardinal and Popish Bishops they complained of their Disputants as having consented to that which was Heresie and so by their authority they brake off the Disputation and departed Whereupon Martyr addressed himself to the Queen seeing that he was like to do no good there desiring license to depart which she consented to and he returned to Zurick with a large testimony of his worthy carriage and a guard from the Prince of Conde and the Admiral for his safety Thus having worn out himself with his indefatigable labours and having his spirits much exhausted with grief for the afflicted condition of the Churches of France he fell sick of a Feaver made his Will and to his Friends that visited him he spake chearfully and comfortably telling them that his body was weak but inwardly he enjoyed much peace and comfort He made before them an excellent Confession of his Faith concluding thus This is my faith and they that teach otherwise to the withdrawing men from God God will destroy them He gave them his hand and bid them farewel and commending his soul to God he slept in the Lord and was buried honourably Anno Christi 1562 and of his age 62. Opera haec ab ipso edita sunt Symboli expositio Comment in Cor. 1. Comment in lib. Judicum Epist. ad Rom. Defensio Doctrinae de Eucharistiae Sacramento contra S. Gardiner Disputatio de Eucharistiae Sacramento habita Oxon. Defensio ad duos libellos Rich. Smithaei Post obitum hi libri editi sunt Comment in Sam. 1. 2. Reg. 1. in 11 capita priora Reg. 2. Comment in 1 librum Mosis Precum ex Psalmis libellus Epitome defensionis adversus S. Gardinerum Confessio de coena Domini ad Senat. Argento Sententia de praesentia corporis Christi in Eucharistia proposita in Colloâ— Possiaco Epistola de causa Eucharistiae Loci communes Conciones Quaestiones Responsa Epistolae Comment in Exod. In Prophetas aliquot minores In tres priores libros Ethicorum Aristotelis Beza made this Epigram of him Tuscia te pepulit Germania Anglia fovit Martyr quem extinctum nunc tegit Helvetia Dicere quae si vera volent re nomine dicent Hic fidus Christi credite Martyr erat Utque istae taceaut satis hoc tua scripta loquuntur Plus satis hoc Italis exprâ—brat exilium The Life of Amsdorfius who died A no Christi 1563. NIcolas Amsdorfius was born in Misnia of noble parents Anno Christi 1â—83 and brought up in Learning Anno Christi 1502 from Schoole he went to the University of Wittenberg about that time that Luther began to preach against Indulgences And contrary to the custome of the Nobility of those times he applied his minde to the study of Theology and contemplation of heavenly things In An. Christi 1504 he commenced Master of Arts and afterwards Licentiate in Divinitie He timely embraced the Truth that brake forth in those times and not consulting with fleshâ—and blood preached it to others He accompanied Luther to Wormes Anno Christi 1521 when he was called to give an account of his Faith before Caesar and the States of the Empire In the time of Luther's recesse into his Pathmos he with Melancthon Justus Jonas and John Dulcius being sent to by the Elector of Saxony for their judgements about the Mass declared that it was an horrible prophanation of the Lords Supper whence ensued the abolishing of it out of all Churches in Wittenberg Anno Christi 1523 he wrote in a book dedicacated to the Elector of Saxony that the Pope was Antichrist Anno Christi 1524 Luther being sent for to Magdeburg went thither and having preached to them commended to them and afterwards sent Amsdorfius to gather and instruct the Churches there who faithfully laboured eighteen years in that place During his abode there the Senate of Goslaria sent for him to reform their Churches and he at his coming setled the same form of Doctrine and Discipline amongst them as was used at Wittenberg and
but an honest young man of the Citizens advised Perinus that Mr. Farell the common Father of the City might be no way wronged joyning also with himself another honest young man they gave notice to the well-affected Citizens that they should stand by Mr. Farell at the day of hearing which also they did so that his adversaries being astonished and deterred hereat of their own accord craved pardon and Mr. Farell was dismissed About this time a grievous calamity befell the Church of England by the immature death of that godly Prince King Edward the sixth which was a grievous wound to all the Reformed Churches Yet at this same time Mr. Calvin wrote his learn-Commentaries upon the Gospel of St. John Geneva as we heard before having inflicted deserved punishment upon Servetus not as upon a Sectary but as upon a monster for his horrible impieties and blasphemies by which for thirty years space he had infected the Christian world both by his teaching and writings It cannot be imagined how this stirred up the rage of Sathan such a flame arising from hence as set Poland first then Transsylvania and Hungary all on a fire which himself seemed to foretell by the spirit of Sathan when in the beginning of his book he set this sentence out of the Revelation There was a great battle in heaven Michael and his Angels fighting with the Dragon For his ashes being scarce cold a great controversie sprung up about the punishing of Hereticks Some holding that they ought to be restrained but not to be punished with death Others thinking that it could not be clearly stated out of Gods word what was Heresie thereupon said that it was lawfull to hold either part in all the Heads of Religion and that all men though holding a wrong opinion were to be left to the judgement of God This latter opinion some good men inclined to fearing that the contrary Tenet might kindle the cruelty of Tyrants against the godly The principall of these were Sebastian Castalio and Laelius Socinus therein pleading their own cause The former indeed more closely and the latter more openly as one that studyed to vindicate the clear authority of the Scripture in a certain Preface to the perverting of the holy Bible and in his Annotations upon the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians had endeavoured to draw men from the written Word of God as an imperfect Rule as if Paul had taught to some of his Disciples that were more perfect then the rest a certain more hidden Divinity then that which he had committed to writing Hereupon Mr. Calvin Anno Christi 1554 set forth a copious confutation of all the Doctrine of Servetus which was subscribed by all his Colleagues adding many reasons why and how farre a Magistrate might proceed in punishing such an one as was lawfully convicted of Heresie The adversaries on the contrary published a Rapsody collected partly out of the writings of the ancient Fathers which they perverted to their own ends and partly out of the writings of certain unknown Fanaticks and under the name of Martin Bellius which indeed was Castalio though afterwards he forswore it and falsifying also the name of the City in which they falsly pretended that it was published To this book swarming with many other Errors and Blasphemies Mr. Beza answered thereby to free Mr. Calvin from that labour who was now busie in writing his learned Commentaries upon Genesis and in diverting other dangers from the Church For the factious went on to innovate things in the City and though the Amnestie was again renewed before the Senate upon the second of February yet they daily grew worse and worse so that Master Calvin was much busied both in blaming and reproving them for their wickedness and in endeavouring to strengthen the godly against the poison of their impiety for they had proceeded to such a height of wickedness that they turned part of the sacred Scriptures into obscaene songs and used to beat strangers whom they met in the night and sometimes also to rob them They also privately used the books of Bolsecus Castalio and other corrupt men that they might renew the controversie about Predestination yea they proceeded to scatter abroad a false and scandalous libell wherein they grievously aspersed that worthy servant of Christ Master Calvin Castalio also sent another Latine Book to be privately Printed at Paris to which Master Beza answered and Master Calvin also confuted some of the fooleries of the same kind About this time the care of the English exiles lay heavy upon him some of which were come to Vesalia others to Embden and others to Franckford all sending to Master Calvin for advice and counsel Neither was he a little troubled for the andaciousness of some of the Pastors encouraged by the secret favour of others of the French-Church long since planted by him at Strasborough And in short how great pains he took this year for severall Churches may appear by the multitude of Epistles wrote by him by which he stirred up many Noble-men to imbrace the Gospel and strengthned many of the Brethren some of which were in extream danger and others already cast into bonds We spake before of the sweet Harmony that was between the Helvetian and Rhetian Churches about the Doctrine of the Sacrament This concord did exceedingly displease the spirit of error therefore he easily found out one that might easily reinkindle the fire which before was extinguished viz. Joachim Westphalus who was seconded by Heshusius then a Minister of the word but afterwards a Bishop of whom wee shall speak more afterwards Hereupon Master Calvin published an explication of that agreement which by how much it imbittered their spirits by so much the more it satisfied all good men that were lovers of the truth The year following viz. 1555. by the speciall mercy of God brought peace along with it to the Church of Geneva which was now quiet from its domestick stirs for the factious ruined themselves God discovering their horrible treason to the State by the means of one of the conspirators who in his drunken fit discovered it whereupon some of them were beheaded others of them were banished who though a while after they vexed the City yet perished shamefully in the end leaving an example of the just judgement of God upon such persons though it may be deferred for a time Thus the Commonwealth was freed from these Pests To which another mercy was added by the answer of the four Helvetian Cities to whom the question about the Discipline which we spake of before had been proposed who unanimously confirmed the Ecclesiasticall Polity as it had been before settled contrary to the expectation of the factious Yet something was not wanting whereby Mr. Calvin might be further exercised For he took great pains in constituting the Church in Polonia by the will of the King In comforting the afflicted
that taking heed of Blandatra and his followers they should so assert Christ to be our Mediator according to both his natures that in the mean time they should not multiply Deities But this labour of his was vaine towards them that were to perish About this time the Bohemian Waldenses sent two of their brethren to Master Calvin to desire his judgment about some matters of Religion whom he lovingly satisfied exhorting them also that they would enter into a neerer conjunction with other Reformed Churches At the same time also Q. Mary being dead and Queen Elizabeth succeeding many of the godly French relying upon her piety and humanity fled for refuge into England with the consent of tha reverend man Edmund Grindal Bishop of London they craved leave of her that one might be sent from Geneva to plant a French Church there whereupon Galacius was sent Towards the latter end of this yeare King Francis of France dyed suddenly and that in such a juncture of time when all things seemed so desperate that they could not be cured but by God himself and King Charls the ninth a child was searce entred into his Kindom when by a Herald Letters subscribed with his name were brought to Geneva wherein he complained that many were sent out from thence that infected his Kingdom desiring that they might be presently called back threatning that otherwise he would not let passe the revenging of that injury Mast. Calvin being hereupon sent for by the Senate answered in his owne and in his Colleagues names that at the request of the Churches of France they had exhorted certain men that were sound in the faith and of an holy life whom they judged fit for the work that they should not be wanting to lend their help to their Country in so holy a cause especially the Churches craving assistance from them for their further edification And that this they had done not to disturb the Kingdome but that the people might be taught the Gospel of peace and if they were accused for any thing further then this that they were ready to answer their accusers before the King So this business went no further The same year Master Calvin and Master Beza answered the impudent book of Tileman Hushusius Master Calvin also confuted those blasphemies which Gentilis had published at Lions against him and Athanasius He published also his Lectures upon Daniel which he dedicated to the French Churches and as he interpreted that Prophet so in his Praeface he was himselfe a Prophet so etelling the tempest that hung over them At which time also Francis Balduinus afterwards called Ecebolius because he had changed his religion three or four time being suborned by the Cardinall of Lorrain by evill means reconciled to the King of Navar dispersed a certain book up and down the Court written either by himself or as some rather thought by Cassander wherein he stiled himself a pious and moderate man which book was worse then the Emperors Interim for that under the specious pretence of restoring moderation he sought to bring in all the Popish corruptions Master Calvin being informed hereof published an answer to this book to which some other answers were shortly after added which made a full discovery of the wit and purpose of Balduinus which this railer could by no means digest whereupon he never gave over to brand Calvin and Beza with his impudent reproaches till the year after being growne odious both to God and men of both Religions whom he had so often deceived by his turning whilst he was following a suit of Law at Paris he wore away and ended his wretched life In the year 1562. God gave peace and liberty to the French Churches by a publick Edict of the Kings But not long after the King of Navar being suborned by Popish subtilty presently after the Duke of Guise had committted that abominable massacre at Vassy began that civil war which continued many years after to the miserable devastation of France and it cannot be spoken how much Master Calvin was affected and afflicted therewith which so far increased his disease that it was easie to divine that it would not be long before he was translated to a better life yet did he not desist from exhorting and comforting every one no nor from preaching and reading his ordinary Lectures And the same yeare he published that excellent confession of Faith which was sent to the States of the Empire met together at Franckeford in the name of the Prince of Conde and of all the Godly in France who besides the injuries which they sustained by an unjust war were unworthly traduced to the Germans as if they held many false and monstrous opinions One thing also is not to be pretermitted that on the nineteenth of Decem. Master Calvin lying in bed sick of the Gout being the Sabbath day and the North-wind having blowne two dayes strongly said to many that were present Truly I know not what is the matter but I thought this night I heard warlick drums beating very loud and I could not perswade my selfe but it was so Let us therefore goe to prayers for surely some great businesse is in hand And this very day there was a great Battail fought between the Guisians and the Protestants not far from Paris news whereof came unto Geneva within a few days after The year after which was 1563. Master Calvins disease did so far increase that it was almost incredible that so weak a body exhausted with so many labours and worne out with so many diseases should yet retaine so valiant and generous a mind So that even then he could not be perswaded to favour himself and if at any time he abstained from his publick labours which yet he never did but when by necessity he was enforced thereto yet he was busie at home either in giving counsell to those that sought it or in dictating to his Scribes the witnesses whereof are those two serious admonitions to the Polomans to take heed of those blasphemous persons which denyed the Sacred Trinity The answers which he returned to the brethrens Messengers who were now met in a Synod at Lions his Commentaries upon the foure books of Moses which himselfe turned out of Latin into French And lastly his commentary upon Joshua which he now began and finished a little before his death In the year 1564. Feb. the sixth Master Calvin being short-winded by reason of a stopping in his lungs preached his last Sermon and from thence forward he spake little onely now and then he would be carried to the Congregation the last time being March the last His diseases being contracted by the incredible labours both of his mind and body were very many For besides that naturally he was but of a weak body leane and inclinable to a Consumption he slept little spent a great part of the
stripes gained to Christ multitudes in Montbelgard Aquileia Lausanna Geneva and Neocome There was in him besides piety learning innocency of life and exemplary modesty a certain singular presence of mind sharp wit and vehemency of speech so that he rather seemed to thunder then speak and lastly such admirable fervency in his prayers that he seemed to carry his hearers into heaven with him Farellus concionibus magis quam scriptionibus operam dedit Edidit tamen Themata quaedam disputanda Basiliae excusa Latinè Germanicè Disputationem Bernae habitam Latinè anno 1528. Beza made these verses of him Gallica mirata est Calvinum Ecclesia semper Quo nemo docuit doctius Est quoque te semper mirata Farelle tonantem Quo nemo tonuit fortius PET PAV VERGERIVS The Life of Vergerius who died Anno Christi 1562. PEter Paul Vergerius was a man excellently learned both in the Law and Popish Divinity wherein hee attained the highest degrees Anno Christi 1530 at which time that famous Convention at Augsburg was appointed hee was sent by Pope Clement the seventh as his Legate into Germany to improve his uttermost abilities to hinder a National Council and accordingly he bestirred himselfe to hinder and endamage the Lutherans and that he might the better encourage the Popish Divines viz. Faber Eccius Cochlaeus and Nausea to play the men in their Masters cause he bestowed sundry favours and gifts upon them He also by his Legantine power made Eccius Cannon of Ratisbone Anno Christi 1534 Paul the third sent for him to Rome to give an account of the state of affairs in Germany which when he had done the Pope deliberated with his Cardinals what course was fittest to be taken to prevent a Nationall Council till as Caesar and the other Kings could be stirred up to war by their secret instigations and so after a while he sent back Vergerius into Germany to promise the Princes that a General Council should be held at Mantua but withall to prescribe such rules about comming to it as he knew the Protestant Divines would not accept of He had in charge also to stirre up the Prince's mindes against the King of England and to profer his Kingdom to whosoever would conquer it and to try if by any meanes he could take off Luther and Melancthon from prosecuting what they had begunne There were also nine Cardinals and Bishops chosen out the better to delude the Germans who were to consider of and to prescribe a form of Reforming the Church which accordingly they did Hereupon Anno Christi 1535 he went back from Rome into Germany to King Ferdinand where he met with the Lantgrave of Hesse and opened to him the Popes purpose of calling a Councill After which he went to the rest of the Princes to impart the same to them also Then went hee to Luther at Wittenberg where with better diligence then successe hee prosecuted what hee had in Commission to him About the end of that year the Princes by their writing returned answer to Vergerius And the year after when Caesar went to Naples Vergerius was called home by the Pope to whom he shewed the success of his affairs viz. That the Protestants required a free and Christian Councill to be convened within the borders of Germany as the Emperour had promised That there was no hope of gaining Luther and his associates but by their destruction That the Protestant Princes would not hearken to any thing about England and that the other Princes were very cold also in that cause and that George Duke of Saxony had told him that there was great danger from the Lutherans which could by no other means be prevented except the Emperour and Pope would make war with them Hereupon the Pope commanded him to make all the haste he could to Naples to acquaint the Emperour herewith especially to excite him all hee could to take up armes against the Lutherans But when Caesar came to Rome Anno Christi 1536 he pressed the Pope for a Generall Councill desiring to carry back with him into Germany the Patent for it The Pope denyed not his request but told him that hee would chuse a City in Italy for it and that he would prescribe such Rules for it as were most necessary for the Roman Church Caesar answered that if he would call a Councill he much cared not where it was presuming that he could bring the greatest part of the Germans along with him to it Then did the Pope with his assistants draw up a Patent for it at which time he made Vergerius first Bishop of Modrusium and shortly after of Justinople Anno Christi 1537 the Pope intending to send another Legate into Germany commanded Vergerius to acquaint him with the state of the Country and how he should deport himself amongst them but both Master and Scholar lost their labour with the German Princes Anno Christi 1541 Vergerius was again sent into Germany to the Convention at Worms in the name indeed of the King of France but in truth that under that pretence he might the better promote the Popes affairs at which time he wrote his book De unitate pace Ecclesiae The scope whereof was to take off the Germans from thinking of a National Council Thus Vergerius for a long time had been serviceable to the Popes and had promoted their interest he had also â—â—ttained great favour with Princes and Kings and King Ferdinand did so highly esteem him that he made him Godfather to his Daughter Katherine Yet at last he fell off from the Pope by this wonderfull occasion After the Convention at Wormes he was called back to Rome and the Pope being to make some Cardinals intended to make Vergerius one but some suggested that he had been so long in Germany that he smelled of a Lutheran which made the Pope to alter his purpose which when Vergerius was informed of by Cardinal Ginucius to whom the Pope had told it he was wonderfully astonished and that he might purge himself went into his own country purposing to write a booke with this title Against the Apostate Germans But it pleased God that whilst he read over his adversaries books with an intent to confute them himself was converted by them Whereupon casting off all desires of a Cardinalship he retired himself to his brother John Baptista Bishop of Pola and communicating his thoughts to him asked his advice His brother at first was much astonished and bewailed his condition but after a while was perswaded by him to read and study the Scriptures especially in the point of Justification by Faith wherby it pleased God that he also saw the Popish Doctrines to be false and so they both became zealous Preachers of Christ to the people of Istria diligently inculcating the wonderful benefits which we have by Christ and shewing what
History He had two Wives the first of which was Bullingers daughter who died without issue by the second who was Gualters daughter he had three sons and one daughter He was tall of stature fat fair and strong but that he was somewhat weakned by the Gout He had such an amiable face that his sweet manners might bee seen in his countenance as in a glass In his habit and diet he was neither too sumptuous nor too fordid best liking cleanlinesse and neatness Scripsit Praelectiones in Exodum De aeterno Dei Filio adversus Arianos Tritheitas Samosetaninos Adversus eosdem de S. Sancto Narrationem veterum controversiarum de una â—ersonâ— duabus naturis Christi c. cum multis aliis The particulars you may find in Verheiden The Life of Immanuel Tremelius who died A no Christi 1580. IMmanuel Tremelius was born in Ferrara having a Jew to his Father who so educated him that hee was very skilfull in the Hebrew Tongue Hee was converted by PeterMartyr and went with him to Lucca where he taught Hebrew From thence he went with him to Strasborough and from thence into England under King Edward the sixth after whose death he returned into Germany And in the School of Hornback under the Duke of Bâ—â—â—â—t he taught Hebrew From thence he was called to Heidleberg under Frederick the third Elector Palatine where he was Professor of the Hebrew tongue and translated the Syriack Testament into Latine There also he set upon the Translation of the Bible out of Hebrew associated to himself in that work Fr. Junius who after the death of Tremelius perused the whole work and by adding many things rather made it larger then better in some mens judgement In his old age he left Heidleberg and by the Duke of Bulloin was called to be Hebrew Professor in his new University of Sedan where he dyed Anno Christi 1580 and of his Age seventy He wrote a Chalde and Syriack Grammer hee published the New Testament in Latine and Syriack An exposition upon the Prophet Hosea Together with Junius he translated the Hebrew Bible adding short annotations And lastly Bucers Lectures upon the Epistle to the Ephesians The Life of Peter Boquine who died Anno Christi 1582. PEter Boquinus was borne in Aquitane and being in his youth brought up in learning he entred into a Monastery at Biturg where he was made the Prior and was very much beloved of all the Convent But it pleased God in the midst of all his riches and honours to discover the Truth to him and thereupon after the example of Luther Bucer Oecolampadius and Peter Martyr he resolved to leave all and to follow Christ whose example divers of the Friers also followed From thence he went toward Wittenberg being very desirous to be acquainted with Luther and Melancthon whose fame was very great and some of whose works he had met with and read and so travelling through Germany he came to Basil where he wintered by reason of the Plague very rife at that time in many Countries There he diligently heard the Lectures of Myconius Caralostadius and Sebastian Munster Anno Christi 1542 from thence he went to Lipsich where he stayed three weeks and so went to Wittenberg Coming hither he had some converse with Luther but more with Melancthon And whilst he was there Bucer sent to Melancthon to request him to send an able man to Strasborough to supply Calvins place who was now gone back to Geneva whereupon Melancthon requested Boquine to goe thither which he accordingly did and began to read upon the Epistle to the Galatians Shortly after Peter Martyr came thither also But Bucer being sent for by the Arch-bishop of Collen to assist him in the reformation of his Churches Boquine finding that the Ecclesiasticall and Scholasticall affaires went but slowly forward in his absence upon the request of his brother who was a Doctor of Divinity and not altogether estranged from the Reformed Religion he resolved to goe back into France and so taking Basil in his way he went to Geneva where he heard Calvin preach and had some speech with him and from thence to Biturg where he lived with his brother the Doctor mentioned before and when some hope began to appear that the Churches of France would be reformed at the instigation of his brother he began publickly to read Hebrew and to expound the Scriptures About that time Francis King of France being dead the Queen of Navar came into those parts about the marriage of her daughter to whom Boquine went and presented her with a book written with his own hand about the necessity and use of the holy Scriptures and her daughter with another concerning our spiritual husband Jesus Christ whereupon she took him into her Patronage and allowed him a yearly stipend out of her treasury appointing him to preach a publick Lecture in the great Church in Biturg Whereunto also the Arch-Bishop consented Shortly after the Queen of Navar dying there succeeded to her King Henries sister as in name and stock so also in Doctrine and Piety not unlike her Whereupon Boquine went and presented her with a book which he had written De homine perfecto which she took so gratefully that she confirmed his former stipend to him and he made use of that favour so long as he thought his labours were not unprofitable to the Church but when he saw that there was no hope of any further Reformation in France and that his enemies lay in wait for his life he gave it over of his own accord At that time he underwent the bitter hatred of some Friers and other enemies of the truth by whom his life was in great danger For he was summoned to appear before the Parliament of Paris and then before the Arch-Bishop of Biturg where his life was sought but God raised up some men to stand for him whereby he was delivered from the present danger Then did he resolve to fly into England but hearing of King Edwards death he altered his purpose and by the perswasion of a friend he resolved to returne to his people in Germany and so accordingly accompanied with two young men he went to Strasborough and when he had scarce been there a month it so fell out that the French Church in that place wanted a Pastor and chose him to that office yet for sundry reasons he refused to accept of it till by the perswasion of John Sturmius and some other friends he was content to preach to them till they could provide them another That place he discharged for about the space of four months conflicting with many difficulties and meeting with much trouble by reason of the improbity and perfidiousnesse of some At the end of which time the Senat with the consent of the Church appointed Peter Alexander to be their Pastor and so Boquine
he gat so great esteem in Italy that he was profered a Pension of five hundred Duckats by the year to imploy himself in the version of some Arabick books into Latine He spent four years in travel and was famous every where for his learning At Paris and some other places he bought many Arabick books and so returned to Leiden Anno Christi 1612. About which time there was a purpose to have called him into England and to have allowed him an honourable stipend but the year after he was chosen Professor of the Oriental languages in Leiden and presently after he set up though with extraordinary charges a Press for those Languages whereby he published many antient Monuments both of his own and other mens Anno Christi 1616 he married a Wife by whom he left three children surviving him Anno Christi 1619 he was made Professoâ— of the Hebrew also and though he had so many and great employments yet he went through each of them with so great exactnesse as if he had nothing else to attend upon Anno Christi 1620 he was sent by the Prince of Orange and the States of Holland into France to procure Peter Moulin or Andrew Rivet to come to Leiden to be the Divinity Professor and though he prevailed not at that journey yet they sent him again the year after to Andr. Rivet and the French-Church to obtain of them their consents for his comming which businesse he transacted with so great prudence that he brought Andrew Rivet along with him to Leiden Erpenius his fame was so great that the King of Spain wrote to him making him exceeding great promises if he would come into Spain to interpret some antient writings which never man yet could doe The King of Morocco also did so exceedingly admire the purity of his Arabick stile in some of his Epistles that he shewed them to his Nobles and other learned men as some great Miracle He was also highly esteemed of by the Prince of Orange and the States of Holland who often made use of his labours in translating the letters which they received from Princes in Asia and Africa out of Arabick or other Languages But whilst he was thus busily imployed in publick and private it pleased God that he fell sick of the Plague whereof he dyed Anno Christi 1624 and of his age forty A. SCVLTETVS The Life of Abraham Scultetus who dyed A no Christi 1624. ABraham Scultetus was born at Grunberg in Silesia Anno Christi 1566. His Parents were of good rank who carefully brought him up at School where he profited exceedingly and Anno Christi 1582 he went to Uratislavia where he had for his fellow-Students Pitiscus Polanus and Pelargus men who after proved eminent in the Church of God Having studied there some time he went thence to Freistade to hear Melancthon Bucâ—lzer and some others But his active spirit could not long be contained within the bounds of his own country and therefore being assisted by the bounty of a Noble Knight he went to Wittenberg and from thence to Dessavia to acquaint himself with Peter Martyr and Caspar Pucer Anno Christi 1590 he went to Heidleberg where hee heard Dâ—niel Tossan and Francis Junius There also he read Lectures of Logick Oratory and Astronomy to divers young Noblemen and the year after Commenced Master of Arts. Then he betook himself to the study of Divinity thereby to fit himself for the Ministry which from his childhood he had devoted himself to And preaching before the Elector Palatine he so flowed with eloquence and sweetnesse of speech that the Prince and all his Courtiers were much delighted in him which caused the Elector to make him Visitor both of the Schools and Churches Yea many other Princes made use of his help in reforming their Churches in Juliers Brandenburg and Hannovia He was also sent to the Synod of Dort Anno Christi 1612 the Prince Elector Palatine tooke him into England with him where he was much esteemed and respected by King James and other learned men At his retuâ—n to Heidleberg he was made Professor in the University and Doctor in Divinity Anno Christi 1618 But about that time grievous Wars breaking forth the miseries whereof were dispersed afterwards over all Germany he was forced to leave Heidleberg and travelled into Bohemia yet there also he met with many afflictions and dangers so that having been long tossed up and down in several countries the Lord at last provided him a quiet station at Embden where he was chosen a Preacher of the Gospel But being thus worn out with travels sorrows and pains in the work of the Ministry hee quietly there slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1624 and of his age 58. What admirable endowments he had his works do sufficiently declare especially his Medulla Patrum which is so much esteemed by learned men The Life of John Piscator who died A no Christi 1625. JOhn Piscator was born at Strasborough Anno Christi 1546 at which time Germany was on fire with Civill Wars Yet that hindred not but he followed his studies very hard and profited exceedingly in learning When he came to the study of Logick with great felicity he joyned Ramus and Aristotle together And afterwards having made a good progresse in the study of Divinity he was called to Herborn to be the Professor there and his labours were so gratefull to young Students that many flocked thither out of Germany France Hungary Poland and other Northern Countries He wrote many things with great diligence and labour scarce affording any rest to himself He translated the whole Bible with great pains and faithfulnesse into the German Tongue besides his Logical and Theological Analysis of the greatest part of it He died at Herborn Anno Christi 1625 and of his age 80. R BOLTON The Life of Robert Bolton who died A no Christi 1631. RObert Bolton was born at Blackborn in Lancashire Anno Christi 1572. His Parents finding in him a great prompâ—nesse to learning though they had no great means yet they intended him for a Scholar the rather having an opportunity of a good Schoolmaster in the town where he profited exceedingly and at twenty years old he went to Lincoln Colledge in Oxford and was Master Randal's Pupil afterwards a famous Preacher there in a short time being wel grounded before and industrious he became an excellent Logician and Philosopher But about that time his father dying and his meanes failing hee took excessive paines and wanting bookes he borrowed of his Tutor and others read them over and abridged them and to perfect his knowledge in the Greek he wrote out all Homer with intollerable pains so that he could with as much facility dispute in the Schools in Greek as in Latine or English From thence he removed to
them he desired him to speak it whereupon Wallaeus exhorted them to sear God to reverence their Mother so God would bless and provide for them that every one should take care of all the rest but especially that every one should take care of himself then he bade his son Iohn to have a speciall care of his Mother and so kissing them took his leave of them all and then turning his face from them he again fell asleep out of which he never awaked only sometimes when his pains came upon him he stirred a little and so on the Sabbath about eleven a clock he quietly resigned up his spirit unto God that gave it An. Christi 1639. and of his age 66. How excellent a Divine he was his Common places testifie How Orthodox and solid a disputer he was his fourteen Disputations shew in the Synopsis purioris Theologiae How strong a defender of the Truth against Error will appear by his answer to Corvinus in defence of Du Mollines Anatomy of Arminianism As also his Censura confessionis Remonstrantium How careful he was of Order both Civil and Sacred is manifest by his tractate de Authoritate Magistratus in rebus Ecclesiasticis How a religious observer of the Sabbath his dissertation De Sabbatho declares How desirous he was to reform the Ethnick practical Philosophy appears by his Compendium Ethicae Aristotelicae ad normam veritatis Christianae revocatum His countenance was mixed with gravity His pronunciation was modest and masculine free from dissimulation not without elegancy neither by brevity did he procure obscurity nor by prolixity tediousness Sometimes he was more vehement when the zeal of Gods glory the love of the Truth or the heat of Disputation excited him Against the Adversaries of the Truth he contended not by reproaches or railings but by strong arguments drawn out of the sacred Scriptures As oft as he was called by the Prince of Orange or the States to compose Ecclesiastical differences he never spared his pains therein As oft as he was sent either by Magistrate or Presbyterie to the Camp or about any other difficult businesses no trouble nor danger made him decline the work His conversation both at home and abroad was holy and blameless He was Hospitable to his friends charitable to the poor pleasing to all Not given to wine but sober just temperate and free from covetousness His Works are named before and are bound up together in one Volume The Life of Henry Alting who dyed Anno Christi 1644. HEnry Alting was born at Embden in Frisland Anno Christi 1583. of a very antient and honorable Family His Father Menso Alting was Pastor of Embden his Mother was Mary Biscof a choice Matron In his childhood he was very sickly and weak so that he was four years old before he could go His Parents devoted him to the service of God and his Church from the very Womb and therefore Anno Chri. 1590. when he was seven years old they set him to School in their own City of Embden where he quickly discovered a prompt and ready wit so that in the space of seven years he went through all the forms in that School and being fitted for it at fourteen years old his Father sent him to the University of Groning where he studyed the first year under Buningius and three other years under Vbbo Emmiuâ— the first Rector of that University a man famous through the World for his Learning By his diligence under such Tutors he profited exceedingly writing an excellent Latine stile and being well grounded in the knowledge of the Arts. From thence his Father sent him into Germany for the advancement of his Learning and having saluted Marpurg he went to Herborn Anno Christi 1602. where that famous Divine Iohn Piscator was Professor under whom our Henry applyed himself to his studyes and by his great industry and excellency of his wit was so far approved of that he was imployed in reading Philosophical and Theological Lectures So that after three years abode there he began to think of entring into the Ministry for which end he resolved to go into Helvetia and France to receive Orders in some of those Churches But God for the present intended him to another imployment For upon the commendations of the Professors of Herborn Piscator Zepper and Martinius he was appointed by Count Iohn of Nassau to be Tutor to three young Counts viz. William of Nassau Conrade Lodowick of Solmes and Phil. Ernest of Isenburg who at this time were Students in the University of Sedan together with the young Prince Frederick son to Frederick the fourth Elector Palatine who afterwards was chosen King of Bohemia But before our Henry went to Sedan he went to Heidleberg to Iohn Albert Count of Solmes and from thence to Friedelsheim to the Prince Elector himself by whom he was courteously entertained and being furnished with Letters and necessaries for his journey he went to Sedan where he arrived in the beginning of September An. Christi 1605. and undertook his Office He had continued but awhile in that place before it was requisite for him to withdraw with his charge from that City for fear of a siege which was threatned by Henry the fourth King of France and therefore they all went to Heidleberg and our Henry in the Princes Court attended his former imployments having a fourth added to the former three Noblemen viz. Iohn Conrade the Rheingrave Yea the very same Summer Prince Frederick himself was committed to his tuition to be by him instructed in History and Geography And at last viz. 1608. he was wholly left to the instruction of our Henry and Zachary Collius who went back with him to Sedan the storm being now over where he so carefully attended his charge all day that he was fain to get time out of his sleep for the study of Divinity The University of Sedan had at this time famous Divines in it as Daniel Talenus and Iames Capellus with whom he entred into a strict bond of familiarity Anno Christi 1610. the Prince Elector dying he returned with the young Prince to Heidleberg where he attended his daily imployment Anno Christi 161â— the Prince Elector being to go into England to marry the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Iames would needs have our Henry to go along in his train In which journey he escaped death very narrowly himself with Scultetus and some other of the Princes company being surprized with a storm upon the Lake of Harlem so that with great difficulty and half drowned they gat to the further shore This was October the seventh in the afternoon just at which time his Father dyed leaving this life for a better Alting having escaped this danger with a better voyage arrived safely in England where he was kindely entertained and became familiar with George Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury John King Bishop
of London and Doctor Hackwell Tutor to the Prince of Wales yea and King James himself conferred familiarly with him February following An. Christi 1613. the Prince Elector being marryed sent Henry Alting with his Scholars before him into the Palatinate who in their journey travelled through Zeland Flanders Brabant Limburg Julâ—ers and Collen and so at last arrived at Heidleberg in April the new marryed couple being not long behinde them About four moneths after our Alting was called to be a Professor of Divinity to read Common places in the University of Heidleberg Into which he was admitted August the 16. which was the Princes birth day And because by the Statutes of the University none could be Moderator of the Disputations but a Doctor he was solemnly inaugurated into that degree November the 18. by Paraeus Dean of the University and Bartholomew Coppenius Doctor of Divinity And this was very remarkable that amongst all the tumults and pleasures of the Court his minde was never taken off from the study of Divinity But Gods Providence intended him to some further imployment then a Professors place For there was in Heidleberg an excellent Seminary of the Church endowed with large revenues called the Colledge of Wisdom The Prince therefore chose him Master thereof October the 15. An. Chri. 1616. together with two Colleagues to instruct and train up young Divines for the work of the Ministry and how much good he did therein they are able to relate who gratefully acknowledge what profit they reaped by his care and culture Whilst he was thus laboring in his double imployment Coppenius another Professor dyed whose place was divolved upon our Alting but by a rare and great example of modesty he chose rather to continue in his former imployments and by his favour and authority in the Princes Court prevailed that Abraham Scultetus should have that Professors place transferred upon him About this time a National Synod was called at Dort for the composing of the differences in the Belgick Churches by reason of the Arminians and when grave learned and godly men were chosen out of all the Reformed Churches to be present at it which was Anno Christi 1618 and 1619 our Altingius with two others was sent from Heidleberg to assist in that work where he approved himself to all that were present both for his excellent Learning in Divinity and his dexterity in explicating cases of greater difficulty Thus far we have heard the happier and more comfortable part of his life now follows the more sad and afflicted part of it For scarcely was the Synod ended wherein the Arminians were condemned and the Orthodox Truths established but Alting with his Colleagues returned to Heidleberg and at the same time the tumults in Bohemia began The Prince Elector is chosen King of Bohemia and Crowned Spinola breaks into the Palatinate the great battel was fought nere Prague the Bohemians are beaten which was An. Chri. 1620. And the year following the University of Heidleberg was dissipated the Students flying for fear and the Professors having liberty granted them to go whether they pleased Yet our Alting sending his family into a place of safety stays still in the Colledge of Wisdom keeping the Students in good order remaining unterrified in the midst of emminent dangers whilst he was serviceable to the Church satisfied his own Conscience and the earnest desire of the King who from the Hâ—gue had written to him desiring him not to depart from Heidleberg An 〈…〉 in the moneth of â—â—â—gust Heidleberg was besieged by 〈◊〉 and â—eptember the 6. was taken by storm at which time it suffered whatsoever Military licentâ—ousness could inflict by plunderings murthers and ravishing of Matrons and Virgins all being heightened by the hatred of Religion and the brutishness of the Croâ—â—s At this time our Alting was in his study who hearing of the surprize of the City bolted his door and betook himself to Prayer looking every moment when the bloudy Souldiers would break in to sacrifice him to God But the great Arbiter of life and death took care for his safety For Monsieur Behusius Rector of the School and his dear friend hiring two souldiers called him forth and conveyed him through a back dore into the Lord Chancellors house which Tilly had commanded to be preserved from plundering by reason of the Publick Monuments of the Commonwealth that were kept in that place This house was commanded to be guarded by a Lieutenant Colonel that was under the Count of Hohenzollem a man greedy of prey who least he should lose his share in the booty by his attendance upon that place sent forth his Souldiers as it were a hunting commanding them that if they met with any Citizens of note that under pretence of safe-guarding them they should bring them to him purposing by their ransom to enrich himself To this man Alting was brought who with his naked sword reeking with blood said to him This day with this hand I have slain ten men to whom Doctor Alting shall be added as the eleventh if I knew where to finde him But who art thou Truly such a countenance and such a speech in such a juncture of time might have affrighted the most constant minde But our Alting by a witty answer neither denying himself to be Alting nor unseasonably discovering himself answered as sometimes Athanasius in the like case I was saith he a Schoolmaster in the Colleâ—ge of Wisdom Hereupon the Leiutenant Colonel promised him safety who if he had known him to be Alting would surely have slain him Oh what a sad time had he that night which he passed without sleep hearing the continual shrikes and groans which filled the ayr of Women ravished Virgins defloured men some drawn to torments others immediately slain But when he saw that many fled to this house as to their only refuge fearing lest he should be discovered by some of them either through imprudence or malice he retired into a Cockloft where whilst he hid himself this Leiutenant Colonel was by the authority of Tilly presently commanded away not giving him so much time as to seek out his Schoolmaster that the house might be resigned to the Iesuites for whom it was appointed Yet under these new inhabitants our Alting should not have been one jot safer if God had not by a special providence provided for his safety For the kitchin of this house was reserved for Tillies own use and one of the Palatines Cooks was appointed over it who closely fed and maintained him and whilst the Iesuites were providing all things in a readiness in the Church for the Mass he hired three Bavarian Souldiers that kept guards in the streets to guard him to his own house When he came thither he found all things broken plundred and carryed away and in his study he found a Captain boasting that all things therein were his own yet saith
who was so far affected with his sweet disposition that though he differed from him in some points especially about Universal Redemption yet did he endeavour to carry him along with him to Montalban whither he was called to be the Divinity Professor but prevailed not He sometimes also visited Tilenus and Grotius and had acquaintance with them An. Chri. 1625. in April by the approbation of Mr. Durant he came over into England where he stayd four moneths in which short time he took a survey of the Kingdom learned the Language gat acquaintance with the most learned men and observed many things that were worthy notice as the funeral of King James the arrival of Queen Mary the Parliament the Convocation of the Clergy the Act at Oxford and many other things But the Plague being at that time hot in Oxford according to his former engagement to his Cosen Durant he left England and returned to Paris where he set upon the study of the Chaldee and Syriack Languages and read over the Chaldee Paraphrase of the Prophets and the Evangelists and most of the Epistles in Syriack These were his Halcyon days which were broken off by the death of Mr. Durant who left unto him his whole Library after which he retired himself into the Family of the Noble Arnold Counsellor and Secretary of State who entertained him at his own Table being much delighted with the variety of his Learning and Piety And thus far he lived a private life but in July An. Chr. 1625. he was called by his friends to Geneva and indeed he delighted in that City above all others wishing that there he might fix his station whereupon he hasted thither upon this Call and often spake of the good Providence of God to him therein For when he came to Lyons being to pass over the River Araris he would needs go over in a Boat but by the violence of the stream his Boat was split against an Arch of the Bridge whereby with much difficulty he escaped drowning and so through Gods mercy coming at length to Geneva An. Chri. 1626. he found the Professor of Philosophies place to be void by the death of Gasper Alexius and so by the unanimous vote of all he was preferred before all his Competitors to it whereby after all his travels and troubles he aimed at a safe and quiet harbor Hereupon the better to bind himself to continuance in that place the year after he resolved to marry and pitching his affections upon Carlot a Portu the daughter of the Noble Peter a Portu with the good liking of her friends he marryed her and ever after carryed a tender affection towards her and indeed she well deserved it in regard of her vertues and innocency of manners joyned with Dovelike simplicity free from fraud and guile For she wholly depended upon her husband and was willing to be governed in all things by his advice which is the chief commendations of a wife and so had all things common with him And herein our Spanheim admirably shewed his wisdom who as he was famous abroad so he took special care that no domestick jars should infelicitate his life his endeavour also was not only to preserve but to encrease his outward estate well remembring that speech of the Holy Apostle whereby he requires that a Bishop should govern his house well and keep his children in subjection with all honesty For saith he If a man cannot govern his own family how shall he take care of the Church of God By this wife he had many children whereof some dyed in their infancy but he left seven behinde him all of great towardness especially his two eldest sons who are like to inherit their Fathers vertues But it was not fit that his excellent parts should be shut up within the Schools nor his light put under a bushel which ought so to shine that the Church of God might be illuminated thereby whereupon the Reverend Presbyterie often advised him to apply his minde to the study of Divinity which also he willingly did and so to the great rejoycing of all he was ordained a Minister and indeed so excelled that he exceeded all mens hopes both for his Eloquence and Doctrine And it pleased God to call him forth to the constant exercise of it Anno Christi 1631. at which time Benedict Turretain one of the Professors and his dear friend dying he was by the general consent of all chosen to succeed him at which time he lay sick in bed and dreamed of no such matter This place he discharged for eleven years space with great applause For then he discovered what was afterwards to be expected from him both by his Lectures and Disputations so that that University was never in a better condition then when it was illustrated by the light of Spanhemius An. Chri. 1635. he was chosen Rector of the University at which time he made that excellent Oration which was published in the name of Geneva Reformed being just an hundred years after that City first embraced the Gospel Hereupon the Bernates consulted about drawing him to Lausanna to succeed in the place of James à Portu They of Groning edeavoured to get him to them and the Prince Elector Palatine sought also the same but the miseries which at this time fell upon the Palatinate put an end to those desires At last Leiden obtained him though with much difficulty the Magistrates and Church of Geneva much opposing it Yet the Curators of Leiden insisted with so much earnestness by their frequent Letters to which were added the request of the King of Bohemia of the illustrious States of Holland and West-â—risland and lastly of the States General that with much ado at length they extorted rather then obtained his dismission from Geneva But its worth observation what means they used to retain him with what grief and sorrow they parted with him what a confluence of people brought him forth of the City and with what sighs and tears they parted with him as if in losing him they had lost a principall member of their body Yet before he left Geneva he went to Basil to take the degree of Doctor For in Geneva they use no such degree and therefore whilst he was there he affected it not But being to go to Leiden where it was more necessary he that had been for so many years a Teacher of others now submitted to examination and so was created Doctor And this profit he gat thereby that he veiwed Helvetia and became acquainted with many excellent and learned men especially with Zâ—â—gerus and Buxtorsius whose names were now famous in the Christian World An. Chri. 1642. leaving Geneva he with his whole Family and goods arrived safely in the moneth of October in Leiden just upon that Festival day wherein they celebrated the memorial of their deliverance from the â—panish siege and
His conference with a Fryar The Fryars rage against him His constancy His comfort before death An excellent speech He puts his finger into the candle His faith An excellent speech His charity His martyrdom His patience His death His birth and education His zeal His remove into Glocestershire Blindeness of Papists Mr. Tindals wisdom The fruits of it Popish malice and ignorance He is accused He prayeth for strength He is railed at Popish blasphemy Mr. Tindals zeal He departs from Master Welch Gods providence He goes into Germany His zeal The Bible translated first into English His conference with Luther His excellent works The benefit come by them His prudence Satans malice against the truth His great afflictions Mr. Coverdal assists him A widows charity Popish lyes The Bible prohibited to be read Popish malice He is betraâ—â—d A Judas Cast into prison Means used for his release His martyrdom A jalor converted Gods judgment on a persecutor A Conjuâ—er prevented by Mr. Tindals presence His sincerity His works His birth and education His preferments His conversion A disputation Another disputation The questions A refâ—rmation His death His birth His education His studiousness His remove to Basil. And thâ—n to Ingolstade He is ill dealtxs with He turns souldier He is freed by â—â—cius He is made a Professor in Ingolstade Erasmus testimony of him He goes to Auspurg He joins with Zuinglius Anabaptists disturb the peace of the Church He disputes with a she-Anabaptist He is driven away by Papists His return His marriage His constancy His comfortable conference with Luther The Dukes love unfeigned to him He is made superintendent His sickness His death He desired a sudden death His works His birth His education He settles at Wittenberg A disputation He reforms Wittenberg His remove to Orlamund Luthers infirmities He is bannished by Luthers means His great afflictions He writes to Luther His return into Saxony His death His birth His education He studyes Physick And Divinity Love unfeigned He is chosen Pastor at Basil He is chosen to Ments He favours the Gospel His advice to Luther He goes to Strasborough He is sent to by the Queen of Navar. He affects peace A disputation at Bern. His death His character His birth His education His study of Divinity He is made Pastor at Zurick He translates the Bible His death The confession of his faith His works His birth and education His preferments Luther directs him in his studies His imployments His tentations Luthers counsel therein His death His works His birth His education He enters into a Monastery His bodily exercises His diligence in reading Indulgences brought into Germany Popish blasphemies Myconius well educated Popish covetousness The means of his Conversion The Gospels swift progress Love unfeigned He endeavors 〈◊〉 quiet the Anabaptists His marriagâ— His zeal in preaching He is sent into England King Henry the Eight his hypocrisie His return into Germany An heroical resolution Reformation in Misna and Thuringia Luthers prayer for Myconius A prophetical prayer His recovery Power of Prayer His character His death His works His birth His education His Conversion He goes to Geneva From thence to Strasborough So to Ratisbone He is tempted His conference with Malvenda Popish treachery He is tempted Devillish hypocrisie He is advised not to go with his brother He is basely murthered The murtherers apprehended Escape unpunished Gods judgement upon Alphonsus His birth His fathers plety His education He studies Hebrew He is called back to Wittenberg His delight in simples He assists in translating the Bible His learning His works The preachers pattern He studyes the Mathematicks His last sickness Prayer of Faith His carriage in sickness A wonder His death His character His works His birth and education He is ordained a Minister and Paster in Strasborough His conversion Articles against him His constancy Reformation in Strasborough His assistants His death His character His works His birth and education His works His birth His education He teaches School He studies the Tongues His poverty His diligence He is made Pastor at Isna He is an excellent Hebrician He sets up a Press His carriage in a Plague-time His remove to Strasborough His remove to Heidleberg Religion goes to ruine His constancy The Bible translated His death Popish malice His character His works His birth His education He is made Preacher at Heidleberg His Conversion His zeal Popish malice An. Chr. 1521. He goes with Luther to Worms His troubles He goes to Strasborough Reformation in Strasborough A disputation at Marpurg He disputes with the Papists A blessed peace-maker He reforms Vlm. His Apology at Zurick His imployments Hermannus sends for him The Interim made Bucer disowns it A persecution about the Interim He is sent for into England His imployment there His sickness His indefatâ—gableness His sickness His faith His death Popish malice The Cardinals testimony of him His works His birth and education His conversion He goes to Strasborough Reformation at Strasborough His marriage He is sent for to 〈◊〉 His danger and return His diligence His death His works His birth and education He is made a Schoolmaster Removes to Zurick From thence to Lucern His conversion Goes back to Zurick Thence to Basil He is made a Deacon And a Pastor He adheres to Luther His death His works His Birth His Education His first preferment He professeth the reformed religion He reforms his Country He is ordained His holy life His industry His prudence to improve his parts Synods His works His Constancy His Birth A miracle of mercy His Conversion His call to Wittenburg His employmentâ— in the Schoolâ—â— He reforms some Churches He is called to Hale His death His Character His Tâ—â—tation His works His birth and education He goes to Antwerp His conversion His mariage He goes to Wittenberg His returm to England His zeale and courage His courage and constancy His usage before the Councell His condemnation His speech upon iâ— Gardners cruelty He is warned to preâ—are for death He is degraded â—is constancy His Patience and Martyrdom 〈…〉 A speciall providence His prophesies His cheerfulnes charity His birth and Education He is bound an Apprentice He is released His return to Cambridg Frequent in prayer He commenceth Master of Arts. He is Ordained Minister The success of his Ministry He maâ—ieth a wife His remove to Liâ—hfield Then into Lecestershire Then to London Queen Maâ—ies coming in His zeal He is taken prisoner His faithfulnes Preacher's pattern A faithful Pastor His courage constancy Popish malice Bonner ignâ—â—ance His courage His conference with Gardiner Holy charity Comfort in affliction The best Legacy His zeal A good conscience better then life A brave speech His Martyrdâ—â—e Popish cruelty His admirable patience His Letter to his Wife Doctor Pendleton a turn-coat Proud presumption 〈◊〉 His Education His conversion He leaves the University His conference with Gardiner Flight in persecution He flies into Germany His marriage He returns to England Bullingers