neare neighbors Moreouer the saide prophet vsed very good exhortations and instructions amongest the people in setting before their eyes the threatenings of the Lorde and the execution of his iustice which drewe neare bicause of the obstinacie and stubbornesse in their iniquitie he ministred also cōsolation in shewing their deliuerance and comfort that the Lorde would send them after their afflictions and this did he for to strengthen the faith and confidence of the faithfull the which he sent principally vnto Christe as vnto the fountaine of all deliuerance and to the felicitie of his kingdome and comming of whom he also made mention in many places of his booke He gouerned the Church more then 40. yeares and liued after the desolation of Ierusalem He then séeing this desolation and abiding many troubles and persecutions he had foretolde thereof and afterward sawe it with great anguish of heart when he was olde He was led away into Egypt wheras he rebuked boldly the people and their principal gouernours He was afterward stoned by Tahaphnes and died The prophets that were in his time were Sophonie Abacuc Abdias 24 Daniel being but young was in the time when Ieremie was olde and was instructed vnder him He was caried away to Babylon with the king Ioacim in the third yeare of his reigne and in the yeare since the creation of the world 33 44. The Lorde who had defended him from danger willing to haue him serue for the profit of his Church adorned him with many graces and excellent gifts and amongst other giftes with the spirit of prophecie as appeareth by that that is contained in his booke whereas he declareth the reuelations which he had receiued of GOD touching the estate of the world vnder the foure Monarchies vntill the end thereof He foreshewed also the time of Christes cōming the excellencie of his kingdome the power giuen vnto Antichrist for to annoy the faithfull children of GOD and the time howe long this power shall continue lastly the iudgement that shal be executed by Christ a King triumphant for the exaltation and glory of his faithfull seruants and for the ruine and destruction of the wicked Now after that this Daniel had wrought great things in Babylon as well concerning the order of the Church as the ciuill policie and gouernement and hauing giuen a great light to the true doctrine of God amongest his people He gouerned about 90. yeares 25 Ezechiel beganne to prophecie in the time of king Ioacim surnamed Iechonias shewing him the danger that he was in in declaring to him that which the Lorde had determined to doe concerning the destruction and ruine of Ierusalem bicause of the sinnes of the people that had prouoked the wrath and iudgement of GOD against the same citie the which Nabuchodonozor the king of Babylon did at that time besiege and forced the people afterwards to yelde them selues captiues He foretolde also and declared what was to come as well to the Iewes as to other nations thereaboutes 26 Osée the sonne of Beeri beganne to prophecie in the times of Ozias Ioas Achas kings of Iuda and in the time of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel and as a true prophete he shewed vnto his people which was the kingdome of the ten tribes their sinnes and iniquities and he reproued them euery one of their execrable idolatrie wherby they heaped vp against them selues the wrath and vengeance of God shewing vnto them that the rod of his iustice was stretched out against them and exhorting them to repentance and a true conuersiō He foretolde them of their captiuitie into Assyria Afterward he added a consolation for the faithfull assuring them of their deliuerance by the meane of the deliuerer promised by the Lord vnto his Church 27 Of Ioel the Hebrues be vncertaine in what time he was a prophet Some iudge that he was in the time of Manasses But we néede not be so curious in séeking out that matter for if it had bene so necessarie it should not haue bene omitted by the holy Ghost which inspired this prophet to exhort the people vnto a conuersion and true repentance and incited them to haue recourse to the grace and mercy of God in contemplation of the only bountie and frée liberalitie grounded vpon the Messias and true annoynted of the Lorde of whose kingdome he made demonstratiō with the excellent riches thereof which bee the giftes and graces of the spirite of god the which he hath foreshewed that they must be bestowed and distributed vnto faithful seruants whom God shal haue appointed for the dispensation of the ministery of the saide kingdome as S. Peter expoundeth Actes 2. 28 Amos being a shepheard and a simple man was wonderfully instructed by the Lorde and moued by his spirit in the time of Ozias king of Iuda and of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel He declared and shewed vnto the Church of GOD the mysteries touching the displaying of sinnes and exhortation to repent and amend and a sure hope of saluation by the meane of the Messias whose comming and kingdome he spake of before He prophecied first against the vnfaithfull nations which dwelt neare to the people of Israel afterward against the kingdome of Israel to wit of the tenne tribes and then consequently against the kingdome of Iuda and the Temple of the Lorde foretelling of the afflictions that would happen vnto them bicause of their iniquities 29 Of Addias the prophet some do iudge that it was he who in the time of the persecution caused by Achab Iezabel did hide in a caue an hundred prophets 1. Kings 18.3 Others thinke that he was an Idumean and that he gaue wholy him self vnto the Lord in receiuing his lawe In this matter we néede not be greatly scrupulous but rather in the doctrine and prophecie that he had receiued of the holy Ghost the which in as much as he in his booke threateneth the Idumeans doth teach vs of the vengeance and iudgements of God against the aduersaries of his Church and of the deliuerance and conseruation therof of the which he prophecied and of the kingdome of Christ 30 In Ionas may be séene the doctrine set forth in the Church concerning the death and resurrection of Christe and the publishing of the Gospel the which must be wrought among the Gentiles after the saide resurrection euen as Ionas shewed and declared after that he came out of the whales belly publishing the word of the Lord in Niniuie the chiefe citie of the Monarchie of the Assyrians And like as Ionas profiting not amongest his owne people was sent vnto strangers and Infidels the people of Israel continuing blinde so the Lord hath transported his Gospell from his owne peculiar people who contemned it and hath giuen it to the Gentiles leauing that people in blindnesse and obstinacie bicause of their contempt It appeareth by that which is written in the first of the Kings 14.15 what Ionas was and in what time he
ioy and felicitie and he saide that this his comming should be signified by his Heralt and forerunner who should come in the vertue and spirit of Elias This nowe is the thirde order of the Doctours of the Church of the faithfull that is to say of the Prophetes whose gouernement endured about 600. yeares The gouernours and high priestes be in the fourth rable and order of the doctours of the Church of God after the returne from the captiuitie of Babylon euen vntill Iesus Christe the sonne of God which is the true king and euerlasting high priest of the people of God 38 Mardocheus who yelded him selfe captiue vnto Babylon with the king Iechonias he was exalted vnto dignitie in the 12. yeare of king Assuerus which was in the yeare after the creation of the world 3453. as Philo reciteth Mardocheus liued 197. yeares 39 Iosue or Iesus who returned againe into Iewrie with the conductor Zorobabel 536. yeares before the Natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe he gouerned in the roome of an high priest 36. yeares Philo thinketh that it is he that compiled the booke of Iudith 40 Ioachim succéeded his grandfather and gouerned by the space of 48. yeres Some there be that say it was but 28. yeares This man is reported to haue written the historie of Hester Esdras gouerned with these men before named who was sent backe againe with the people to Ierusalem for to build vp againe the Temple and citie and that was in the seuenth yere of Artaxerxes which is in the yeare since the creation of the world 3505. Moreouer Nehemias gouerned with them who in like sort was sent backe againe to Ierusalem in the 20. yeare of Artaxerxes for to reedifie and build vp the Temple and citie It is thought that he liued more then 120. yeares as appeareth by his historie for he liued vntill the time of great Alexander and in the 12. Chapter he speaketh of Iaddo the high priest who receiued Alexander into Ierusalē Furthermore in his time the high priestes began greatly to abuse their office and authoritie making them selues great and mightie men and for this cause they were sharply reproued by Nehemias And after this folowed a great and horrible confusion and tyrannie in the dignitie of priesthood for as much as they applyed them selues rather to heap vp riches and to get honours then to serue in the Temple and to worship God and they sought the alliance of such kings as dwelt neare about them We must therefore let passe such monsters and only make mention of the faithful by whome the true doctrine of God hath bene garded and set foorth 41 Now in that time amongest others that administred best in their charge were Simon and Eleazar two brethren the sonnes of Onias In the time of this Eleazar moe then a hundreth thousand Iewes which were captiues in Egypt were set at libertie by Ptolomeus Philadelphus for euery head of whome he payed at his owne cost 12. crownes This king Ptolome caused thrée score and tenne men to come out of Iewrie into Egypt the which translated the bookes of the old Testament into the Gréeke tongue whose translation is vnto this day called The translation of the seuentie interpreters And after that he had rewarded them with greate presentes he sent them home againe to their owne houses It is reported that this translation was finished and made perfect in the 17. yeare of Ptolomeus Philadelphus which was in the yeare since the foundation of the world 3694. 42 Simon the iust gouerned 28. yeares Iesus the sonne of Syrach praised and estéemed him greatly who did write his booke in the time of this Simon which is called Ecclesiasticus about the yeare after the creation of the world 3735. The religion and holinesse of this Simon the sonne of Onias the great is praised in the second booke of Machabées Chap. 3. This man was slaine in pursuing his brother Menelaus which was called Onias the younger who seifed vpon the office of the high priest by force hauing displaced his other brother 43 At this time Mattathias was high priest in the stead of Ioarib who was of Ierusalem the father of the Machabées in which time Antiochus Epiphanes exercised terrible cruelties against the Iewes as these things are largely described in the bookes of the Machabées Then beganne this furious beast Antiochus to reigne in the yeare of the Gréekes reigne 137. which was in the yeare after the creation of the worlde 3769. Through the holinesse and vertue of this Mattathias the crueltie of Antiochus Epiphanes was repressed and the true doctrine mainteined the true seruices of God ordained in the lawe kept inuiolate These things were done 165. yeares before the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ 44 Iudas Machabeus the first of the Hasmoniens or Simonensiens gouerned the publique affaires 6. yeares His déedes and the déedes of his brethren also be written in the first booke of the Machabées Then for as much as like as Daniel had fore-prophecied that the people should be miserably afflicted about this saide time therefore the Machabées were diuinely raised vp to the intent that by this meane the people might be somwhat refreshed and finde some succour Daniel 11. 45 Ionathas the brother of Iudas Machabeus succéeded him who was gouernour 18. yeares bicause of the wickednesse and negligence of the priestes the dignitie of the priestes office fell into his handes with the gouernement ciuill for Ianneus surnamed Hircanus the second was the last gouernour of the tribe of Dauid Ionathas was called to the dignitie of the priesthoode in the 9. yeare of his gouernement and in the yeare before the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus 150. 46 After that Ionathas had bene cruelly slaine with his two sonnes by Triphon his brother Simon the third sonne of Mattathias was elected in his place in the yeare before the Natiuitie of Iesus Christ 140. The actes of which Simon be described in the first booke of Machabées from the 14. chapter vnto the end of the booke he continued gouerning about eight yeares Thus then the pure doctrine and true seruices that God had ordained were mainteined and kept safe among the people vntill the comming of the sonne of God the Lorde Iesus through the vertue and religion of these foure Hasmoniens Matathias and his thrée sonnes so as it may easily be knowne when and of what people the Messias must be looked for 47 Iohn Hircanus the great of whome mention is made in the end of the first booke of Machabées succéeded Simon his brother in the office of priesthood and in the ciuill gouernement In his time came vp the sects of Pharisées Saducées and Esseniens by whome the doctrine was darkened This man did great thinges for he destroyed Samaria with the temple of Garezim in the time of Alexander the great He wan Idumea and many cities of Syria he gouerned 31. yeares After his discease great chaunges and horrible confusions happened many times and
the people of the Iewes were grieuously formented with continuall warres 48 Whilest these great mischiefes continued these sectes were begonne and confusions bread when there were but a very fewe that kept still the heauenly doctrine loe then came Mathan the grandfather of the Virgine Marie who was borne about 100. yeares before Christ And after him Ioachim which is also named Elie the father of the Virgine Marie who was borne 60. yeares before the Lord Iesus which was the same yere that Pompei conquered Ierusalem and that Iewrie was made tributarie to the Romaines and brought into the maner of a Prouince to the end that men might knowe assuredly howe that the time of the Messias was at hand of whome the Patriarch Iacob had prophecied saying The scepter shall not be taken away from Iuda nor a Lawgiuer from his féete vntill that Silo come and to him shall the nations be gathered Gen. 49. 49 About this time were ayding to the conseruation and kéeping of the Church Simeon Anna the prophetisse Zacharie Elizabeth with others and the Virgine Marie the mother of the sonne of God our Lord. The gouernement in the Church of this fourth range or order of the high priestes and gouernours after their returne from captiuitie lasted about 500 yeares The fift and last order of the Doctours of the Church of God is that which we begin at Iohn Baptist and our Lord Iesus Christ 50 Iohn Baptist the sonne of Zacharie the priest beganne to preach in the 15. yeare of the Empire of Tiberius Cesar when as Pontius Pylate was gouernour in Iewrie and when Herode was Tetrarch in Galilée and he preached baptisme and repentance that is to say that euery one should repent and amend that they might receiue remission of sinnes through Iesus Christ which thing he confirmed by the signe of baptisme He taught the people of all estates howe they ought to liue He bare witnesse of the Lord Iesus And baptizing the people he baptized Iesus also vpon whome the holy Ghost descended in bodily shape God declared from heauen that he was his sonne Iohn hauing reproued Herode the Tetrarch bicause of Herodias his brother Phillips wife and for all the other euils that he had done was cast in prison and at length beheaded 51 In the 24. yeare of the reigne of Augustus the eternall sonne of God was borne hauing taken vpon him humane flesh of the Virgine Marie in Bethlehem a towne of Iewrie This is that séede which hath broken the head of the serpent and hath deliuered vs from his deadly sting This is the souereigne head of the Church without which the body can haue no due proportion and shape he hath a speciall care thereof and wil make it féele effectually of his presence and he will be in the middest thereof called vppon serued honoured and glorified Nowe as soone as Christ the true annoynted of God was borne and made knowne vnto the world Herode stirred vp great persecutions the occasion thereof beganne for bicause that the wise men came from the East who brought newes of the Messias vnto the people of Ierusalem He caused all the children within the precinct of Bethlehem to be slaine as many as were two yeares olde and vnder His execrable dealings abode not long time vnpunished And it shall be necessarie that we consider somewhat of the worthie end of this tyrant Ioseph in the eight booke of his Antiquities Cha. 17. writeth thus The sicknesse of the king did rage more and more and God shewed openly that he punished him for his vngodlynesse for he was burned with a pining heate and this heate could not be perceiued outwardly but he felt it wtin his body in as much as it gnawed and tormented his bowels He was so hungrie that he tooke no laysure to chawe his foode but swallowed vp gréedily that entred into his mouth and was at all times casting meate into his mouth His bowels were corrupted full of vlcers he was also tormented with the colica passio His féete were swelled with flegmatike humours his priuie partes were rotten full of wormes His breath was so stinking that no body durst come neare him And in the 21. chapter of the first booke of the Iewes warre the saide historiographer wrate this which followeth All his body was intangled with diseases and he was vexed with sundrie dolours he had a burning intollerable gnawing wtin him The colicke tormented him incessantly and the and his féete were swollen in the skinne and flesh He addeth moreouer that he assayed to shorten his life and calling for a knife he lifted vp his right hande for to haue killed him selfe which thing Archicab his cosin germaine perceiuing ranne and stayed his hand He dyed fiue yeares after that he had put Antipater his sonne to death when he had enioyed the kingdome by the space of 34. yeares after he had put Antigonus to death and 37. yeares after that he was declared king by the Romanes Iesus Christ the souereigne Bishop Doctour and Pastour of his Church was 30. yeares olde when he was baptised and then beganne he to preach vnto the people of the Iewes the word of the Gospell which he had brought from his father according to the promises that had bene made afore time and he wrought miracles After thrée yeares then following he was offered vp a sacrifice for to redéeme mākinde he suffered his death and passion in the eightéenth yeare of Tyberius the Emperour He rose againe from death the third day after his passion a vanquisher and triumphant and shewed himselfe vnto his Apostles and to many other men and women with great approbations being séene by them by the space of of 40. dayes speaking of the kingdome of God Actes 1. And after that he had giuen commandement to his Apostles that they should goe throughout all the world for to teach the doctrine to all nations and to baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost instructing them to kéepe al what so euer he had commaunded them promising to continue with his Church vntill the end of the world He ascended vp into heauen sitting at the right hand of his father and hath sent downe his holy spirite vpon the Apostles the which went forth all abroad for to kindle and spread foorth the light of the Gospell Nowe we must set in this fift order the Apostles and Euangelistes the Bishops Pastors and Doctours whome the sonne of GOD hath raised from time to time in all ages for the conseruation and maintenance of the ministerie The Apostles be the first in the fift order Nowe here we must marke in what places and howe farre the word of the Gospell hath bene spread through al partes and countries of the whole earth and what Pastours and Doctours haue succéeded and in what places 52 Peter the Apostle declared the Gospell in many places as may be at large séene by the history of the
At Constantinople was assembled a councell by the aforenamed Emperour in the fourteneth yeare of his Empyre whereas were 300. and thirtie bishops there was commaundement giuen that all the images of sainctes shoulde be taken away and burned Also the Emperour made his subiects to sweare that they shoulde no more worshippe any image of God nor of sainctes but condemned to the death al those that shoulde call vppon the virgin Marie for helpe and those that should haue in their houses any reliques of sainctes He commaunded the Monkes to marry and the Nonnes to follow the estate of marriage Sig. Afterwards he sent to the Pope the conclusions of this councell commaunding him to cast the images out of Churches Sabin king of Bulgarie caused all the images in his kingdome to be beaten downe after the example of Constantine wherupon he gat fauour with the Emperour Naucl. 112 In the yeare 782. or thereaboutes after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ wās Alcuin otherwise called Albin the disciple of worthie Beda a monke and afterwardes Abbot of S. Martins in Tours maister to Charlemaigne he composed thrée bookes of the trinitie and many other bookes At that time raigned Constātine the sixte of that name the 76. Emperour of Constantinople the son of Leo the fourth who against the will of his mother Hierene caused the images of the temples to be beaten downe about the which not long before she had assēbled a councel at Nice at the request of Pope Adrian and of Therasius Archebishop of Constantinople as Sig. In this councel there were 325. bishops Naucl. And there it was decréed not onely that they should haue images but also that they shoulde of right be worshipped and that all the gainsayers shoulde be excomunicated But this decrée was shortly abolished by Constantine as is afore saide Chron. Euseb Moreouer within a while after that is to say in the yeare 792. was holden a Synode in Spaine in a citie called Elyberis or Granato whereas did assemble ninetene bishops thirtie and sixe priestes or ministers Felix Bishoppe of Aquitaine was there president There it was concluded especially amongst other poynts that that there should not be in Churches any images or payntings 113 During the raigne of Charlemaigne king of Fraunce who was Emperour though that hee had not gotten the imperiall crowne in the yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ 801. was Ansegisus the Abbot who made foure bookes of the decrées of Charlemaigne of Lewis his sonne Amongst all other things and aboue al things hee would that the Bishopps shoulde preache vnto the people the true doctrine gathered out of the holy scriptures and no otherwise alleaging therefore the saying of Gregorie That a minister who is without the sunne of preaching kindleth against himselfe the wrath of the hidden iudge He also ordeined that no person shoulde make profession of Monachisme without lycence of the king for to shunne many deceypts He would that there should be but a fewe feasts ordeyned he repressed the superfluitie of ministers ordeyning that they shoulde be nourished with the reuenewes of the Church with the poore Furthermore in the time of Charlemaigne and in the meane time whilest he passed his Winter at Francfort vpon the Meine a Councell was holden of a great multitude of Bishops in which the decrée of the councell of Nice concerning worshipping of images holden by Hierene as is aforesaide was pronounced false and condemned of all men c. Charlemaigne caused to be published a booke in his name against images the which agréed with the articles of the saide Councell Furthermore hée made aunswere to two bookes which were founde to haue bene written by Adrian the Pope to Therasius the Patriarch and to the Emperour of Constantinople By this writing Charlemaigne taxed and secreatly condemned Adrian without naming of idolatrie There was also one councell holden at Cauaillon vnder Charlemaigne in which amongst other superstitions that were there condemned the going of Pilgrimage for religions sake was sharpely repressed in the 45. Canon alleaging the saying of S. Hierome No man ought to be praysed for that hée hath séene Ierusalem but for that hee hath lyued well c. It is saide of Charlemaigne that he reproued the Archbishoppe of Mayence named Boniface because hée had a crosse all couered with golde beset with pretious stones for occasion so offering hee checked him and saide that it was rather the furniture of an Emperour then of a pastour 114 Haymo Byshop of Albastat scholler of Alcuinus did write vpon all the bookes aswell of the olde as of the newe Testament as is euident yet at this present He dyed in the raigne of the Emperour Lewis the sonne of Charlemaigne in the yere of Christ 834. In his time was also Rabanus who was first a Monke of the order of S. Benit and Abbot of Fulden afterward he was archbishop of Mayence who was also a disciple of Alcuinus he also made commentaries vpon all the bookes of the Byble He dyed in the yeare of our Lorde 855. Strabus was his scholler of whom it is founde written that he was the first that collected the ordinary glose of the writings of the fathers and doctours the which glose was afterwarde augmented by many others who added sentences therto 115 Bertrand a Priest a learned man well instructed in the true Godlynesse flourished in the time of the Emperour Lotharie in the yeare 840. He wrote many good workes of which it is saide that they did not come all to our hands He wrote a very commendable worke to King Charles the brother of Lotharie that is one booke of predestination and one other of the bodie bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ The cause why he composed that booke wherein he writeth very learnedly of the supper of the Lorde was by the aduise and commaundement of King Charles le chauue that he might bring the people into one and the true opinion who were then deuided touching the said misterie So that one sort saide that Christ was therein taken and eaten in misterie and was figured vnder the Elements of breade and wine some saide on the contrarie that all that which was séene in the saide misterie was chaunged and conuerted and as many doe say vnto this day transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ Some said that it was figuratiuely or euidētly this was the proper bodie of Christ which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Mary with the which he is ascended into heauen others saide that it was the spirituall bodie that is the misterie representation figure vnderstanding and spirituall apprehension of the proper bodie and bloude of Christ deliuered to the death for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification All which opinions are founde remayning till this present for some holde still transubstantiation others impanatiō others a metaphore but somewhat reall Others there were who acknowledged nothing els but méere breade and wyne all which doubtes be
that he had subscribed to the condemnation of Iohn hus and had sayed many things against that good man and against Wiclief who hee saide had openly manifested by wordes the detestable liues of the Bishops and prelates had touched them to the quicke in their books hauing iustly writen and spoken of their misdéedes and peruerse traditions Wherfore he being now by the grace and goodnes of God brought to the same chaire againe he vtterly repented of that horrible sinne and declared that the subscription that he had made was voyde for they had verie wrongfully burned that holy man In the end he being willed to recant then immediately or else he shoulde be vsed as the other was he chose rather to dye And he was condemned to be burned hauing put on him a crown of paper like as Iohn Hus had wher on were painted diuels round about And he saide that Iesus Christe for the loue of him a poore sinner had borne a greater paine and that for the good will that he had shewed him he also woulde go willingly to execution and going he song with prayers himnes and calling vppon God And when the woode was set about him hee cryed with a loude voyce O Lorde into thy handes I cōmende my spirite if you would sée further of him looke Crespin in his booke of martyrs The Bohemians vnderstanding what was done at Constance against the doctours they sacked and spoyled the conuents and monasteries of that countrie and set them on fire and then they withdrewe them selues frō the subiection of the Pope of Rome Looke Naucl. 137 The Realme of Fraunce also at that time was not destitute of true doctours who faithfully executed their charge in declaring the light and the day of the Lord amongst whom Nicholas Clemangis a doctour of Paris and Archdeacon of Bayonna in the yeare 1417. hath left a certaine testimony in wryting touching the corrupt estate of the church shewing forth the fountaine of all mischiefes oppressions and calamities that the Church hath endured and that still it shall abide thorough the horrible violence crueltie tyrannie and insatiable rigour of him who calleth himselfe the heade on the the earth and of his members He saide that the sectes and seditions raysed vp against the Churches by the furies of hel do declare what peace fraternitie they haue amongst them And that the infernall and schismaticall hydra beginning at him that calleth himselfe heade of the Church and budding very abundantly and spreading the rootes by the furies hath infected al the colleges and assemblies thorough the séede of the Viper To conclude I knowe not how in so few words I shoulde comprehende in what a straunge sort hee speaketh of this fountaine and the horrible confusion of the Church of Rome He therefore that will sée more of the wrytings of the saide Nicholas Clemangis which are worthy to bee reade of all faithfull Christians let him looke in the last edition of Iohn Crespin his booke of martyrs fol. 60. Wherupon I say we must note that albeit God doth sufficiently declare vnto vs by his holy word the meane howe to beware of rauening Wolues clad in shéepes rayment and howe we may know them as well by their doctrine as by their works neuerthelesse he hath alwayes raysed vp some good men for to warne his shéepe the more to take héede of false pastours 138 There is no order nor condition of which god doth not know how to draw some to send them into the field to battaile to encounter with false pastours which would so stoutly earnestly maintein superstitions abhominable traditions repugning against his holy worde And amongst others of that time 1418. the history of one excellent Lord of Englande is worthy to bee recorded with the worthyest of the world to wit of Iohn Oldeastel Lorde Cobham knight of the order one of the péeres of England He was one of the chiefest doctours of his time who taught the courtiers that they shoulde serue Christ better then they did He was adorned with excellent vertues and for his noble and vertuous déedes he was promoted to great dignities and honours He had this gifte most excellent that hee cared not greatly for any glorie and honour of the world the which doth soone fade away but hee rather acrounted it all his diguity and felicitie that he might vndertake to doe seruice to the Prince of princes which is Iesus Christ the sonne of God The instructions of Wiclief stoode him in great steade He had such an vnderstanding of the true religion and Godlinesse that he made no difficultie to receiue vnder his protection al those the maintayned the good doctrine and were in daunger therefore Hee sustayned dyuers times great assaultes and daungerous and chiefely the Machinations and secreat practises of wicked Byshops King Henrie the fifte loued him greatly albeit that he knewe the most part of his dealing but at the last hee yelded to the Bishoppes thorough their false reportes and forsooke this noble knight as the furious appetite of the Archbishops and his complices required He was once or twice cyted by the Archbishop He of long time regarded not his curses and excomunications The king sent vnto him an Herault and immediately hee obeyed and went vnto the king He presented vnto him his confession written in which he reciteth by order the articles of the créede and vpon euery article a briese exposition The king wolde not receyue this confession other artycles be founde which he presented to the Archbishop contaning in somme foure poynts where of the one is that he beleueth that in the sacrament of the supper we receyue the body of Christ vnder the kindes forme of bread and wine the same body that was borne of the virgin Marie was crucified dead and buried and lastly rose againe the third day after his death and was exalted to the right hand of the father immortal and tryumpheth now for euer with him being partaker of his eternall glorie And as concernyng the sacrament that they call penitence or penaunce he hath written therof worde for worde his faith saying thus I beléeue that it is very necessarie for euery one that aspireth vnto saluation to wit that hee must repent of his life passed by a true confession and contrition vnsained that in such sort as is set forth in the holy scriptures otherwise there is no hope of saluation Concerning their thirde sacrament he saide touching images that it doth not appertaine to a true fayth true it is the since Christian faith was brought into the world they also were put in exercyse thorow permission to serue for a kalender as they call yt to the ignorant to the ende that by the view thereof they mighte the more easily see the passions holy examples as well of Christ as of his faythfull and holy seruantes but sythens that there is such abuse of that representation and that men do attrybute vnto the images of Saints that which is
S. Paul to the Romaines and to the Hebrewes vppon the Gospell of S. Iohn and vpon the Canonicall epistle He departed out of this life at the end of Nouēber in the yeare 1531. Whoso wil read more largely of his life let him read Simon Gryneus Wolfgangus the booke of Martyrs Bucer a learned man was also in the time of Luther and Zuinglius hee gaue also greate light throughout all Christendome not only by pure doctrine but also by holinesse of life Iohn Caluin in the preface of his comentaries vppon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romaines speaking of certaine good deuines of that time and naming expresly Bucer saith of him in these wordes This man besides the profounde and excellent knowledge that he had in many matters besids the fine wit and that he had read much and besids many and sundrie vertues that he had in which none at this present doth excell him yea few comparable to him had this prayse proper and particular that none of his time applyed himselfe more to the interpretation of the holy scripturs and that with greater diligence then he He was sent for from Strausbourg to refourme the Churches of Colloine He preached to the godly being in great daunger amongest the Spaniards at that time the Emperour came down through Rhein who by his ambassadours did earnestly intreate the Archbishop to giue him libertie He for religion fled into England whereas hee was courteously intreated and had the charge of interpreting the holy scriptures in the vniuersitie Hee was diligent in writing Comentaries and sundrie workes And amongest other towarde his latter yeares he composed a booke of the kingdome of Iesus Christ our Sauiour which hee gaue to the worthie kinge of Englande shewing the way how the reformation of true Christian religion must be had and howe a Realme and Christian common weale ought to be gouerned according to the will of God A booke worthie to bee read of kinges princes and Lords The seauen and tweentith day of Februarie in the yeare 1551. Bucer departed this life at Cambridge and was honourably buried and praysed by Epitaphes of learned men Looke Sleidan in his historie of religion and of the common weale in the booke of Martyrs 145 Phillip Melancthon an excellent man in doctrine prudence and pietie was borne in the yere 1497. in a citie called in latine Bretta appertayning to the Prince Palatine He was a doctour in the Church and vniuersitie of Wittemberge He disputed against the aduersaries of the puritie of Gods true seruice diuers times with liuely infallible argumēts by which he shewed what good true foundation he had vppon the holy scriptures whereby he confounded all the aduersaries He made and composed diuers bookes aswell of humanitie as also Commentaries and common places vppon the holy scripture which be extante at this present He liued 63. yeares and died in the yeare 1560. and was honourably buried Peter martyr a Florentine a doctour and professour in diuinity in a Church of Zurich in Suisse wrote the Cathechisme in Italian that is the exposition of the principall articles of Christian religion He made a treatise of the sacrament of the Eucharistie and many Commentaries both on the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romaines and to the Corinthians and also vppon the Iudges and Samuel with others Augustine Marlorate hauing a certaine time exercised the function of a good and faithful pastour in the seignieuries of Berne was at the last elected minister of the Church of Rouan in which he faithfully discharged his duetie and therefore was taken and hanged he dyed constantly yelding vp his spirite to the Lorde in the yeare 1569. He had a great dexteritie in collecting the opinions of the Doctours aswell olde as newe vpon Esay Genesis and the Psalmes and on the new Testament also wherevnto he added his own he made certaine pretie treatises and amongst others one of sinne against holy the Ghost Musculus a Germaine a Doctour in the Church of Berne made diuers good and large commun places vpon the holy scripture and also good commentaries that be founde til this present He dyed in the said citie of Berne was honorably buryed 1563. 147 Amongst al others the bookes of Iohn Caluin minister of the word of God at Geneua can sufficiently testifie with what faithfulnesse singular giftes graces God had adorned him according to the necessitie of the time And what constancie he had in mainteyning the Lords quarell To be short in as much as his works be yet extant and his memoriall rife I will make of him no further discourse referring the reader to his works that he hath written Nowe yée may sée by this discourse howe God hath from the first creation of Adam and Eue had and conserued his Church and hath thorough all ages raised some vp and giuen them knowledge of his trueth and hath by weaklings of the worlde ouerthrowen whole garrisōs of the wicked worldlings to the end that all men might know that the Lorde alone is almightie that his light is vnquenchable his power infinite his mercy towards his vnspeakable and that although he suffereth wickednesse to florish for a time yet he wil whē he séeth time make his kingdome triumph ouer all To which God thrée persons and one eternall deitie be all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen FINIS A Table containing the dinumeration or catalogue of the Doctours of the Church of God of whom mention is made in the discourse following GOd by his sonne and spirite instructed Adam and Eue and from time to time made him to haue vnderstanding in his church Adam was ordeyned a Bishop and Doctour thorough the promise that was made of the seed of the woman 1. Of the sonnes of Adam were Doctours of the Church Abel 2. Seth was substituted vnto the ministerie 3. Enos Cainam Malaleel Iared 4. He noch an excellent doctour amongst the fathers who also was transported vnto God out of this miserable life to an euerlasting life 5 Mathusalem 6 Lamech These nine before named being excellent personages were helpers vnto Adam in the Doctrine and worke of the Church for to teach and instruct the true seruants of God 7 After them succeeded in the gouernment of the Church Noe. 8 Sem the sonne of Noe a Doctour of the Church of God 9 Arphaxad the sonne of Sem. Sale Heber Phaleg Reu. Sarug Nachor Thare the father of Abraham This is the first order of the doctors of the church of God to wit the order of the fathers whose gouernance endured about the space of 2023. yeares The second order of the gouernours of the Church of God is of the Patriarches Abraham with his posteritie bare rule and guided the Church of God and Isaac succeeded him 11 Iacob a bishoppe of the church of God for his time And afterwarde did succede the twelue Patriarches and Cahat the sonne of Leui. Amram the sonne of Cahat and father vnto
historie which is named Tripartite 100 In that time also was Eucherius bishop of Lyons who wrote many bookes and commentaries amongest others vppon Genesis and vpon the bookes of the Kinges which bookes are found extant vntill this present 101 In the yeare 440. or there aboutes after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus in the raigne of Valentinian the Emperour Victor bishop of a citie in Numidia which is in Affrica called in latine Cartena cōposed a booke against the Arrians presented the same vnto Gensericus king of the Vandales Arrian Polichronius Bishop of Ierusalem was at that time driuen away out of his countrie He sold in the time of famine all his substance and gaue the price thereof to the poore Archadius Probus Paschasius were also at that time in great price reputation with the forsaide Gensericus but hee seeing that he could not persuade thē vnto the sect of Arrianisme after that he had cruelly abused them caused them to be at the last martyred with others some bishops he displaced and the bookes of religion and christian faith were burned 102 In the yeare 476 Honoricus Kinge of Vandales stirred vp greate persecutiō in Affrica against the Christians and foure thowsand nine hundred seuentie and sixe were sent to exile without sparing eyther age or sexe afterwarde in diuers times and by sundry kindes of torture they were put to death Some had theire handes cutt off others theire tongues Within a while after vnder the shadowe of councel he caused all the bishops to be assembled the doctours and other catholikes who to the number of thée hundreds twéenty fower as P. Diaconus wrot or as others witnes foure hundreds fortie foure were sent to exile and caused the Catholickes to be shut in the Temples and gaue them to the Arrians One Bishop named Latus was burned that he might giue example vnto others Eugenius the Bishop of Carthage with moe thē fiue hundreds of the Cleargie after grieuous tormentinges were committed to exile but within two yeares after the saide Honoricus died miserably with vermine and Gonthamundus succéeded him This Gonthamundus sent for Eugenius the Bishop of Carthage againe at whose request all the residue were called home againe and then the Churches also were open 103 In the raigne of the Emperous Martian Leo Zeno about the yeare after the natiuitie of Christe 490. were these good personages to wit Proterius bishop of Alexandria Paschasius Peter de Rauenna Gennadius minister of the Church of Marseille all which did confute the errours of Eutiches Also Prosper Saluian Sidonius Germaine Bishop of Capua Vaast Bishoppe of Arras Fulgence Bishop of Raspe in Affrica Autius Bishop of Vienna Solenus who preached Christ and was bishop of Charters Boetius a lerned man who was put to death by the commaundement of the Empepour Theodorike an Arrian Also in the same time was Epiphanius Bishop of Pauie a verie auncient man who brought into cōcorde and good quietnes the people of Liguria he also brought with him frō Burgonie many captiues aswell for money as by his good and holy life by which he obtained the redeeming of sixe thousande captiues Paule the Deacon Nauclerus after him 104 In the time of the Emperour Anastasius in the 494. yeare Gelasius of Affrica gouerned the Church of Rome 5. yeares His father was bishop named Valericus Nauclere Some do attribute vnto him the distinction of the Authentike bookes and of the Apocrypha He made mention of many bookes of Apocripha as the booke called the assumption of the virgin Marie Also the Canons of the apostles c. Look the first volume of Councels He composed fiue bookes against Nestorius and Eutyches Also two against the Arrians and one treatise of excommunication He restored againe Messenus the bishoppe after that he had knowen his penitence He excommunicated the Emperour Anastasius because that he fauoured Acatius other heretikes He commanded the Ministers that they should minister the communion but vnder both kindes not vnder one alone He declared at Rome in the middest of the councell that in the Eucharistie neither the substance of the bread and wine nor yet the nature were changed but that therein as in an image the flesh and bloud of our Lorde was represented and that in the sacrament they both were exhibited vnto the faithful He declared there also that those ought to be excommunicated which did not giue take the sacrament of the Eucharistie whole Looke the fist volume of councels Gennadius was in the time bishop of Marseille 105 In the yere 518 Hornusda borne in Freselande in the citie of Campania gouerned the church of Rome nine yeares He ordeined that mariages should be celebrated publikely and solemnely Suppl Chron. At that time was holden a councell at Rome against the Eutychians in which also it was ordeined that he which had made an honorable amendes should not be admitted to the ecclesiasticall ministerie Suppl Chron. Many Munks corrupted with the Nestoriā heresie because they woulde not be persuaded by the exhortations of Hormisda but rather sowed noisome and slaunderous speaches against him were banyshed out of Rome against whose hypocrisie he wrot He sollicited by letters Messingers Iohn bishop of Constantinople the companion of Acatius and the Emperour himselfe for to leaue the sect of Eutiches but Athanase not only despised his admonitions butsent his Ambassadours backe saying that it belonged to the Emperour for to commaund and not to the bishop of Rome Paule the Deacon addeth of the Emperour besides all that that he made them goe homewarde againe by sea into Italie in a shippe that was light and vnbalassed forbidding them to take lande in Grece but that they shoulde passe straight on being light without any carriage Anastase supporting the errour of Eutyches when he was 80. yeares olde dyed being stricken with lightening in the 25. yeare of his Empire Hormisda is renoumed for hauing done greate almes déedes for the poore and for that he condemned the heresie of the Manichées which had begonne to hudde and for burning their bookes 106 In the time of the Emperour Iustinian about the yeare 530. after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ was Arator who composed the Actes of the Apostles in Hexameter verses and Gregory bishoppe of Langres who was married Fascicul Temp. The councel of Tours was holden at that time At the saide councel in the fift chapter it was ordeyned that euerie citie shoulde nourish the poore straungers as much as it was able so that the poore might not be constrayned to begge from place to place In the thirde chapter that euerie bishop shoulde kéepe his wife like as his sister and that he shoulde gouerne both his house and familie aswell as the Church so as there might be no suspicion of him 107 In the raigne of the Emperour Mauritius in the yeare 591. the Wisigots were conuerted vnto the catholike faith they left the heresie of the Arrians by the meanes
in the said booke briefly dissolued vnder these two questions to wit whether Christ be there in misterie and figure or according to the trueth Whither this bodie of Christ be the proper body which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Marie or not The which two questions hee debateth aswell on the one partie as on the other affirming concerning the first aswell by naturall reasons drawne from common vnderstanding as by euident testimonies of the holy scriptures and auncient doctours that the bodie and bloude be therin taken vnder the vaile and couerture of breade and wine figuratiuely and shadowed not visibly and euidently the which he calleth according to the trueth Also not clearely and openly but secreatly Concerning the other question by one and the same processe hee sheweth by infringible and inuincible argumentes that in this misterie is the spirituall bodie that there is a mistical and spirituall vnderstanding thereof and not the verie same bodie that he tooke of the virgin Marie He saith verely that the bodie of Christ is there inasmuch as the spirite of Christ is in the sacrament that is to say the power of the word of God the which doth not only féede the soule but also purgeth and cleanseth it For to sée this matter more at large you may reade the booke that is at this day extant in French and published abroade 116 In the yeare 964. Huldricke Bishoppe of Auspurge in Allemaigne did greatly withstand the decrées of Pope Nicholas he wrote vnto him one Epistle shewing among other thinges that he did amisse when he went about to compell the Clearks whom he ought to haue exhorted that they shoulde kéepe the chastitie of marriage by force and vyolēce to abide in continencie Saying also that this is deemed of all men violence when any bodie is constrayned to kéepe any particuler decrée contrary to the institution of the Gospel and against the doctrine of the holy Ghost He shewed plainely that the Lord in the old Testament hath constituted and ordeyned marriage for priests and that we do not reade that afterward he forbad it That euery one folowing the saying of the Apopostle in the 7. Chapt. to the Corinthians ought to haue his wife That hypocrites doe corrupt this sentence and falsely say that it appertayneth onely to the lay people and yet notwithstanding they make no difficultie of conscyence in any holy order whatsoeuer they be placed to abuse other mens wiues Also he sheweth that this sentence of the Apostle that is that euery one shoulde haue his wife excepteth no person but him that maketh profession of cōtinencie or him that hath determined to perseuer in virginitie according to the Lords will That the vowe of man cannot breake the commaundement of God That he who cannot contain ought to marry 1. Cor. 7. He also alleageth the Canons that is that the Bishop or minister ought in no wise put away his wife vnder a colour of Religion and that if he forsooke her he should be excomunicated and that if he abode in that obstinacie he should be vtterly dismissed and cast of from his calling That the bishop must be vnreproueable and the husbande of one wife and howe that the Apostle to the end that none should conuerte this sentence to one Church or congregation alone added consequently He that knoweth not howe to gouerne his housholde how shal he gouerne and guide the church of God he also sheweth that the glose of those is false who will expounde the Church to be the onely wife Also that those which alledge for their patrone and defendour S. Gregorie be ignoraunt not vnderstanding that perilous decrée made by S. Gregorie whiche was afterwarde purged by a worthie fruite of repentance for it is said that on a certaine day as the saide Gregorie sent to his poole for fish he had drawne vp out of the saide poole which he saw aboue sixe thousande heades of yong children wherat he being moued with true repentance beganne to wéepe and confessing that the decrée that he had made concerning the continencie of Priestes had béene cause of such a murther he then amended his fault as it is said by a worthy déede of repentance And after that he had condéemned his said decrée he praysed the councell of the Apostle to wit that it is better to marrie then to burne adding more on his part that it is better to marrie then to giue occasion of murther In the ende he confounded by many testimonies of the holy scripture the horrour of vowing continencie and following the saying of S. Paul 1. Timo. 4. he declared that it is the doctrine of Diuels to forbidde marriage Wherby we must note that the Lord in the middest of the furie and madnesse of the world rayseth vp some faithful ministers for to withstand the horrible spoyles of the aduersaries He that would sée at large the saide Epistle published nowe in French read the firste of Crespin vppon the estate of the Church out of the which I haue gathered some parte of these collections 117 In the yeare 869. was Iohannes Scotus it was not Iohn the Frier a learned man who was sent for out of France into England by Alfridus king of Englande who founded the Schoole or vniuersitie of Oxenforde whereas the said Scotus was president but afterward becomming a Monk he was slain by the Monks of the Conuent as he was teaching thē He wrot like as Bertrand did touching properly the body and bloude of Christe in the supper In that time or thereabouts the Normands being vanquished receiued the faith Naucl. The king of Bulgaria also about this time receiued the faith and willingly forsaking publike affaires he was made a Monke and left the realme to his sonne who reiected the faith so that his father came out of the monasterie and went againste him in battaile and hauing gotten the victorie he caused his eyes to bee digged out and kepte him in prison and gaue the kingdome to his yonger sonne and after he returned to the Monastery againe Naucle and Sigeb Adrian the Pope sent thrée legats vnto the Bulgarians being newly conuerted to wit Siluester Leopard and Dominicke for to institute ordinances concerning the affaires of the Church according to the Komaine forme and fashion but afterwarde they being persuaded by the Grekes reiected the latine ministers which thing bread great hatred betwixt the latine Church and the Greeke Church and all the contention of the said Churches happened through this Primate and for the diuersitie of ceremonies Naucl. Edmund the last king of the East Englishmen was slaine by the Paganes of Denmarke in the yeare 871. and is canonised a martyre 118 In the yeare 938. Ratherius Bishop of Verone wrot against the herisie of Anthromorphites which was renewed againe in that time saying that God had a corporall forme In the same time Spireneus Duke of Bohemia receiued the Christian faith thorough the persuasion of the Emperour Henricus Suppl Chro. Aldebert