nature a Fast Yea Simulatum Iubelaeum fit duplex jeiunium Their Iubile fained makes their Fast doubled Wherefore I may apply that to the Synagogue of Rome which the Poet spake of another Spem vultu simulat premâ—t alto corde dolorem Whilst hope in face sits counterfeit heart-pressing greife makes pulses beate Behold their Iubile which should argue ioy and ioy the Spirits dilatation is become a Fast whose associate is greife and greifes the Spirits compression Behold their clapping of handes is nought else but wringing of hands their shoutings groanings their release bondage their feastings fastings And iustly may they so do For such fasting is to them a signe that our bridegrome Christ is not among them for if the Bridgrome were with them how could they mourne Mat. 9 15. But I desire they may still mourne and be inwardly vexed not so much for the downefall of their abhominations as for their abhominations themselues and doe thou good Reader take vp with me in their behalfe the prayer of the Prophet Psal 83.19 Fill their faces with shame O Lord that they may know thy name This is the worst I wish them with which and mine earnest wishes to thee that thou wouldest clappe hands with those in exultation with whom thou art to claspe handes in holy profession I leaue these treatises to thy view and thy selfe to the watchfull eye of Gods prouidence Farewell A Preface set before the Arch-bishop of Spalato his Reasons of Departure printed in Scotland REceiue Christian Reader a proofe of the force of Truth and a presage of the end of that worke God is about to doe in these last Ages A man brought vp in the Learning of Egypt and enchanted with the Sorceries of Babel without the helpe or counsell of any Protestant by occasion of Popish Tyrannie searching the trueth findeth out their error in Doctrine and abuses in Discipline and conuinced of both first in his mind forsaketh their opinions and now in his body fleeth from their societie This is not like to the change of Apollinaris and Arrius of olde or of Carrier in our time whose miscontented humour for hopes disappointed made them alter their opinion But more like to that of Paulus Vergerius Bishop of Iustinople whom vniust suspitions at the first burdened with a secret fauour of Lutheranisme for purging whereof he intended a refutation of Luthers Doctrine But while hee wrangled with the Truth to ouercome it he was taken captiue of it and leauing his place and dignities rendred himselfe at Tubing to our Profession The ground of our presage is Gods truth in times accomplishment wherein Prouidence goes on with remarkeable degrees of persons and places not without some respect to the Periods of time He raised Wickleff from their Schooles Iohn Husse from their Pulpits Martin Luther from their Cloysters and now Marke Antony from their Archiepiscopall Chaire The places haue the like gradation Great Brittaine seemeth too farre from Rome to waken them by Wickleffs crie therefore it founded nearer in Germanie And now Dalmatia looking ouer the Venetian Gulfe assureth Italy that her next Aduertiser shall bee within her bowels It was more than a Poeticall Licence to apply Sybilla's Oracles of Christ to Saloninus the sonne of Pollio for keeping in memorie his victorie in taking in Salonas But this our Saloninus maketh large restitution and applieth the Oracles of God to the owne purpose As the Clergie hath gone before so Princes doe follow The King of Great Brittaine with most of the Princes of Germany stand out already against Rome the ambiguitie of France will resolue in the end in an open departure and the temporizing of Venice importeth more the want of occasion than of will and resolution The Romane Empire did stretch out it selfe by degrees proceeding from the mids to the extremities as circles goe out from the Center and at the extremities againe their ruine began and went backe to the heart The fall of their spirituall Monarchy shall keepe the same course The Periods of time haue their owne obseruation The Iewish solemnitie of Iubilee not brought into the Church till the thirteenth Age was then tyed to the Centenarie number and that their ioy hath since proued to bee like the song of the Marmaid before a storme for soone after Wickleffe began to trouble their mirth and in the end of that Age Iohn Husse made them some more businesse till in the 1415. yeere the holy Fathers at Constance by a Punicke faith brought him to the fire An hundred yeeres after him Luther renewed his song with greater boldnesse and in the 1517. yeere gaue out his Propositions against the Pope from which time they haue perswaded themselues and euen to this day assure their followers that Luthers doctrine can stand no longer then an hundred yeeres This present yere closeth that Period and while they looke for an euanishing of that Doctrine behold euen from themselues it receiueth againe a new light a new testimonie Wee hold with Plato the fatalitie of Periods but Pythagoras numbers are too weake a ground for such a necessitie or if we shall take any numbers it must be these of sinne and in sinne more the degrees then the numbers The Amorites sinnes must come to the height and the Iewes must fill their cup before their punishment The Pharisees of our time doe mightily to fill out their measure The pride and filthines of Sodom the whoredomes of Babel are now multiplied exceedingly and the greatest sinne euen that to death is become an Epidemicke disease among their Clergie Iohn the 22. can deny the truth Leo the 10. can scoffe at it Gardinerus can confesse it at his death but with this addition That it must rather still be impugned then the state of Rome decay All their wits runne vpon this one point but all their meanes turne vpon them The crueltie of their inquisition the tyrannie of their Prohibitions their impudencie in falsifying words and writs giue them but a moments aduantage But euen from these shall come their ruine A lie hath no more strength than for the time it is spoken and credulously embraceâ— but the eternall force of Truth hath more than a moment any preuailing What then resteth for them but that they giue place to the fatalitie of their estate since they will not giue place to the Truth And for vs while Rome is renting in it selfe take heed that we be not diuided Whosoeuer now casteth the apple of strife into the Reformed Church proueth an enemie to God and an improfitable friend to Antichrist Let vs stand still and behold the work of the Lord and be sure while we imagine we haue left Babel that we haue first forsaken Egypt W. S. THE DVKE OF SAXONIE HIS IVBILEE FIrst wee make no doubt but that every Christian and good loving heart doth duely esteeme what a high and great worke of Grace it is that Almighty God in these latter dayes and on the late evening of the world
after so long and miserable darkenesse and bondadge hath brought us unto the cleare light of the blessed Gospell and Christian Libertie and hath preserved us hetherto in the middest of the manifold rage and boisterousnesse of the Devill and his Instruments We must therefore acknowledge that we are in duty bound even from the bottome of our soules to laud prayse and honor the High Maiestie of God for the same Therefore wee haue concluded with leaue of the Highest to celebrate a solemne feast of Iubilee For if the corporall deliuerance of the Israelites out of Egypt was of such waight and worth that many hundred yeeres thereafter the said deliuerance was most gloriously extolled Then it is more expedient that the spirituall deliuerance from the Romish Antichristian bondage bee celebrated with ioy and thanksgiuing Wee will therefore first That this feast of Iubilee on the 26. day of October 1617. be published from the pulpit in our Lands and Dominions vnto our people admonishing them vnto a serious and hearty meditation of the same Secondly we will that on the 30. of October in the afternoone in euery Parish Church at the accustomed houre the Vesper be sung and the Confession read as is done on other high Festiuall dayes Thirdly we ordaine that on the 31. of October on the which an hundred yeeres before that deare and worthy instrument of God M. Martin Luther of blessed memorie did set vp his first disputation against that shamelesse and impudent Popish shop of Indulgences two Sermons shall be made one before the other after Noone likewise on the first and second of Nouember and on the said three dayes the holy Supper of the Lord shall be distributed and the Ministers shall admonish their hearers to consider how Almightie God by the said reformation hath giuen vnto them the right vse of his most holy Testament and hath deliuered his Church from the manifold abuses of the same In the Villages where there is no Preacher on the first and second of Nouember onely shall bee made a Sermon in the fore-noone time and in the afternoone may bee sung and read the wonted Vesper or Euening prayer Fourthly whereas the custome beareth in our Churches that on Festiuall dayes and Fridayes the ordinarie Text which is called the Epistle and Gospel is read before the Sermon We will that on the 31. of October in stead of the Epistle bee read the 76. Psalme with this admonition Dearely beloued heare with attention and due reuerence the 76. Psalme wherein the most High is praised that he hath made himselfe knowne aright vnto his people and hath defended the same in the true diuine seruice against the furious rage of the enemies And the people is admonished to testifie and shew their obedience and thankfulnes vnto the Lord their God The words of the Psalme are these In Iuda is God knowne his Name is great in Israel c. In stead of the Gospel shall bee read the 12. chapter of the holy Prophet Daniel with this admonition Dearely beloued heare with attention and due reuerence the 12. Chapter of the holy and high-illuminated Prophet Daniel wherein is clearely foretold not onely how Antichrist whom the holy Ghost describeth vnder the name of Antiochus that is the Pope should doe and deale according vnto his pleasure should exalt himselfe ouer all that is called God should make no account of the honest loue of women nor also of God should honour a Masse-God called Mausim as his God should seduce much people with the oblation of great gifts But also how Almighty God in due time by a sound of the morning and mid-night would terrifie and astonish him Which is brought to passe by that worthy man and instrument of God Doctor Luther of blessed memorie one hundred yeeres agoe The words of the chapter are these c. On Friday the first of Nouember wee ordaine in stead of the Epistle the 87. Psalme and to propound the same vnto the Congregation as followeth Dearly beloued heare with attention and due reuerence the fourescore and seuenth Psalme wherein is worthily exalted the glorie of Gods Church how the most High loueth the same how firme the same is grounded what worthy things are preached in the same in all Languages with ioy and exultation All which things by Gods singular grace are to bee found in our Euangelicall Churches The words of the Psalme are these c. Instead of the Gospel shall be read a part of the 14. Chapter of the Reuelation of S. Iohn from the sixth verse vnto the 13. exclusiuè Dearely beloued heare with due attention and reuerence a part of the 14. Chapter of the Reuelation of S. Iohn Wherin the holy Ghost manifestly foretelleth how in the last dayes after that Antichrist had raged a long time with great fiercenesse Almighty God would send an Angell that is to say an Euangelicall Teacher Preacher and Reformer who should declare vnto all kind of Nations an euerlasting Gospel and by the said preaching of the Gospel that great citie Babylon which is the Romish Poperie should be destroyed whereof the said Teacher should giue beforehand a faithfull warning All which is richly brought to passe and accomplished one hundred yeeres agoe by Doctor Luther of blessed memorie and his faithful followers the Euangelicall Diuines Teachers and Preachers in many kingdomes Electoratships Dukedomes Lands and Dominions but chiefly in Germany The words of the text are these c. Concerning the third Festiuall day whereas the same falleth on the 20. Sunday Trinitatis the accustomed Epistle and Gospel may be read because that out of both such matter can be drawen and handled which is fit for the present time of Iubilee Feast Yet if any one is desirous in the morning or euening Sermon to expound some other Text we leaue it to his discretion whether it be the 46 or 48. Psal or the 13. chapter of Exodus vers 3. or the 14. chapter of the said Booke or the 16. chapter of the Reuelation or some part of the 17. or 18. or any other fit sentence But on the 31. of October and 1. of Nouember the appointed Psalmes and Lessons shall be read and declared in the Sermon Yet if any high-graduated Diuines please to draw from some other Text their Meditationes Iubilaeas we in our gracious fauour wil admit the same Fiftly we ordaine that good order be kept in singing and we doubt not but that in our Cities the Superintendents and Preachers wil ordain the figurall Musicke Besides we hold it fit and profitable for the common people to cause before and after the Sermon those songs to be sung which are best knowne vnto them both for voyce and matter The first words of the songs are these Lord God we praise thee Lord God we thanke thee Now praise the Lord my soule Glorie be onely vnto the highest God Our God is a firme and strong tower If our God were not with vs when our enemies rage O Lord
thy godly Word hath long bin kept in darknesse Preserue vs O Lord by thy Word c. Sixtly wee ordaine that the Common prayer of Confession be not read on this Feast But wee haue giuen order to set downe a certaine forme of prayer and thanksgiuing whereby the Highest is praised for his gracious and powerfull deliuerance out of the cruel Egyptiacal bondage And againe is prayed that by his omnipotencie as hitherto so for the time to come it would please him to conserue amongst vs the pure and sauing Gospel and the right vnderstanding and vse of the holy Sacraments against all dammageable errours and heresies for vs and our heires Besides it is ordered to pray that it would please God from time to time to giue Christian Dukes and Magistrates and to grant vnto those that now are a long life and blessed welfare both temporall and eternall We will that these our Ordonances shall be duly obserued without contradiction in all our cities and villages by the Superintendents Ministers and Deacons and all the Inhabitants of our Countries and Dominions And concerning our two Vniuersities Leipsich and Wittenbergh we hold it fit and expedient that the Theologicall facultie employ the whole weeke after the 2. of Nouember in exquisite Disputations and Orations comprehending therein the description of former darknes of the ensuing gracious Euangelicall light and the great vtilitie of the present Reformation Doctorall promotions may likewise be made if the occasion be offered The other faculties are not hereby excluded for it is likewise permitted vnto any of the Professors to celebrate the great worke of the Almightie and the continuance of his mercie this last hundred yeeres in the name if their facultie Finally we are pleased in our gracious good liking that for the good imitation of others this our Ordonance by publicke intimations bee notified a moneth before that so other Countries may receiue the knowledge thereof If it please also some of our Diuines to signifie vnto other sincere Diuines this our Christian intention and to admonish them to conforme themselues vnto this Action acceptable vnto God we will in our fauour like well of it The Lord grant by his grace that wee and all the Inhabitants of our Dominions may performe this ensuing Feast of Iubilee with good health due attention and hearty ioy in God Datum Dresden the 12. of August 1617. Iohannes George Churfurst that is Prince Elector A CHRONOLOGY OF THE GOSPELS IVBILEE IN the yeare 1517. the first wound was inflicted vpon Antichrist in a disputation at Wittenberge against Indulgences Tâ—â—refore doe Gospellers Iubilize In the yeare 1518. the doctrine concerning iustification and the freewill of man was clearely explained in a disputation at Heidelberge Therefore doe c. In the yeare 1519. it was manifested in a solemne disputation at Lipswicke that there was no supremacie of the Pope of Rome Therefore c. In the yeare 1520. Germanie began to laugh at and to contemne the brutish thunderbolts or excommunications of the Pope Therefore c. In the yeare 1521. the cause of the Gospell was maintained at Wormes before the Emperour and the whole Empire Therefore c. In the yeare 1522. The Gospell was propagated farre and wide through Germanie Heluetia Liuonia or Liefe-land Therefore c. In the yeare 1523. the Popes Legate acknowledgeth in the diet of the Empire that the Church of Rome is sicke with errors and vices some places of Fraunce are illustrated with the light of the Gospell and the truth of it is sealed with the bloud of Henry of Zutphen Therefore c. In the yeare 2524. the Emperour the Princes of the Empire in an assembly in Stiria Ferdinand Henry the eight King of England Lodowick King of Hungary and Bohemia the Duke of Bauaria and Loraine the Pope the Cardinall of Loraine the Archbishops of Ments and Riga the Bishops of Denmarke Spira and Strausburge labour in vaine to oppresse the Gospell Therefore c. In the yeare 1525. amongst the Countrey-insurrections the Contentions about the Sacraments of the Anabaptists and of the Schwenkfeldians the conspiracies of the mightiest enemies against the Gospell the Gospell took place in the kingdome of Sueuia in the Dominion of the Lantsgraue of Hassia and in a great part of Rhetia Therefore c. In the yeare 1526. the Emperour and the King of France being at contention amongst themselues through the Popes instigation against their will they grant halcion dayes to the Church The Emperor abolisheth the authoritie of the Popes name through all Spaine Therefore c. In the yeere 1527. the Pope being taken the English and the French conspiring against the Emperour doe minister occasion to the Gospellers of further spreading abroad the sincere doctrine Therefore c. In the yeare 1528. the truth of the reformed doctrine triumph in the disputation of Berne vpon which followed the reformation of many famous Churches Therefore c. The yeare 1529. is renouned for the reformation of many Churches and the vnconquered constancie of many Gospellers in diuers trials chiefely for the Martirdome of Lodowicke Berquinus in Fraunce and of Clarebachius and Flidstedius in Germany Therefore c. The yeare 1530. reioyceth professors of the Gospell for the confession of their doctrine publickly made by the Princes at Ausberge before the Emperour Therefore c. The glorious and almost miraculous deliuerance of the Protestants from a mischeife hanging ouer their heads doth grace the yeare 1531. Therefore c. The peace of Religion in Germany the propagation of godly doctrine in Fraunce the Martyrdomes of the faithfull in England doe make famous the yeare 1532. Therefore c. The glory of the yeare 1533. is exceeding great because that therein the King of England shooke off the Popes yoake Therefore c In the yeare 1534. the Duke of Wirtemberge and Pomerania hauing abandoned Popery embrace the Gospell Therefore c. In the yeare 1535. the Churches of George Earle of Wirtemberge in Alsasia are purged from the Popes leauen Cromwell doth pull downe the Monasteries in England being dennes of monstrous villanies Therefore c. In the yeare 1536. the Cittizens of Berne with their associates doe make warre with the Duke of Sauoy and doe take almost the whole Countrey of the Antuatum by which victorie peace from the forreigne ennemie is obtained to the common wealth and Church of Geneua and the Gospell is spread all abroad through Savoy Therefore c. In the yeare 1537. The whole Kingdome of Denmarke hauing abandoned the Pope vnder the gouernement of Christian the third acknowledged Chist to be the onely head of the Church Therefore doe the Gospellers Iubilize In the yeare 1538. A publique Church is opened at Strasburge to those that were banished from Fraunce and Belgia It is determined in England that the Bible being translated into the English tongue be keept every where in Churches to be read by all that desire it Therefore c. In the yeare 1539. Misnia