Reformation in the Churches he was informed by Melancthon that Ecclesiasticall government did consist 1. In the soundnesse and puritie of Doctrine 2. In the lawfull use of the Sacraments 3. In a conservation of the Minister of the Gospell and in obedience towards the Pastors of the Churches 4. In the preservation of an honest and godly Discipline which was to be upheld by an Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction 5. In the upholding of Schooles 6. In supplying such persons as are imployed in weightie matters with sufficient necessaries Which points he caused to be dispersed amongst the Churches but they wrought little or no Reformation the yeer following Germanie was oppressed with civill Warres which when it was greatly lamented by Melancthon some out of malice misinterpreting his words accused him unto the Emperour as one who laboured to hinder his proceedings in the Reformation of Religion for which cause the Emperour intended his death but he was defended and delivered by the intreaty of Mauritius the Prince Elector who possessed the Emperour with a contrary opinion Not long after it happened that there were great preparations for the Councill of Trent and safe going and returning being concluded on Melancthon was sent with the Letters of the foresaid Mauritius and taking Norimberge in his way he was commanded to stay there untill he received an answer concerning that faith which was generally to be embraced of all the Churches During his aboad at Noremberge he heard the newes of the Expedition of Mauritius against the Emperor in regard of the Lantgrave of Hassia who was detained captive Wherefore Melancthon lefâ— Noremburge returned again to Wittemberge Many are of opinion that if he had been present at the said Councill and had been suffred to declare his mind freely amongst them he would have redified many of their judgements concerning matters of religion Being come unto Wittenberge he constantly went forward in his exercise of teaching and preaching the word of God untill he fell into an irrecoverable disease whereby his vitall spirits grew so feeble that he was made unfit for the performance of his pastorall office and weaknesse increasing every day more and more upon him he was constrained at the last to yeeld unto death and in the midst of many heavenly prayers he surrendred his soul unto him that gave it in the yeer of our Lord 1560. in the 63. yeere of hiâ— age and after that he had preached the space of 42. yeeres unto the inhabitants of Wettemberge Where he was buried with great sorrow and lamentation being laid side by side with Luther For his excellent gifts he was not onely reverenced by Protestant Divines then living but he also gained a singular approbation of such as were his professed enemies He was of a meane stature not exceeding the common sort of men his forehead smooth and high his haire thin his neck long his eyes beautifull and peircing he was broad breasted and in generall there was a proportionable agreement betwixt all the parts of his body in his youth he stammered something in his speech but reaching unâ—o a maturity of age he so corrected that infirmity that it gave no offence unto his Auditors the learned treatises which he left unto the Church whose reformation both in doctrine and discipline he greatly laboured for in his life are here inserted Tome 1. 1. Commentaries on Genesis 2. Explications on some Psalms 3. Vpon the Proverbs Annotations on 4. Matthew 5. Iohn 6. 1 Corinthians 7. An Apologie for Luther against the Paritians 8. Anabaptistists 9. Sentences of Fathers 10. Of the qualification of Princes 11. Of the tree of consanguinity Tome 2. 1. A Comment on Paul to the Romans 2. School-notes on the Colossians 3. Common places of Divinity Tome 3. 1. A confession of Faith 2. A Catechisme 3. A method of Preaching 4. Theologicall Disputations 5. Of Vowes 6. Of the doctrine of the reformed Church 7. An Epistle to John Earle of Widae Tome 4. 1. Philosophicall workes 2. Commentaries on Aristot. Ethicks 3. Politicks 4. An Epitome of Morall Phylosophy Tome 5. 1. A Latin Grammer 2. A Greeke gram 3. Logicke 4. Rhetoricke 5. Enarrations on Hesiods workes 6. Arithmaticke 7. Epigrams These were printed by Hervagius but there are divers others set forth by Christopher Pezelius As 1. An admonition to those that read the Alcaron 2. A defence for the marriage of Priests 3. Commentaries on Daniel 4. A discourse on the Nicene Creed 5. Luthers Life and Death 6. Schoolâ—-notes on Cicero his Epistles 7. Translations of Demosthenes and Plutarch 8. Greeke and Latine Epigrams 9. Two Tomes of Epistles 10. Carion his Cronologie â—nlarged Would thy ingenious Fancy soare and flye Beyond the pitch of moderne Poesye Or wouldest thou learne to charme the conquerd eare With Reth'riks oyly Magik wouldest thou heareâ— The Majesty of language wouldest thou pry Into the Bowels of Philosophy Morall or Naturall Or wouldest thou sound The holy depth and touch the unfathom'd ground Of deepe Theology Nay wouldest thou need The Sisteme of all excellence and feed Thy empty soule with learning's full perfection Goe search Melancthons Tomes by whose direction Thou shalt be led to Fame if his rare story Can make thee emulous of so great a glory The Life and Death of John a Lasco who died Anno Christi 1560. IOhn Lascus was born of a noble family in Poland and brought up in learning afterwards travelling to Tygure in Helvetia he was by Zuinglius perswaded to betake himselfe to the study of Divinity and when he might have been preferred to great honor in his owne Country such was his love to Christ and his Church and such his hatred to Popery that he chose with Moses to suffer affliction with the people of God rather then to live in worldly honor and peace amongst his friends coming into Frisland Anno Christi 1542. he was called to be a Pastor at Embden where he fed and ruled his flock with great diligence the yeere after he was sent for by Ann the widdow of Count Oldenburg to reform the Churches in East-Frisland and the next yeer after by Albert Duke of Prussia but when he agreed not with him in judgement about the Lords Supper the worke remained unperfected about that time the Emerour persecuted the Protestants he was sent for by King Edward the sixth upon Cranmers motion into England where he gathered Preached unto and governed the Dutch-Church which remain's to this day In the dayes of Queen Mary he obtained leave to return beyond-Sea and went with a good part of his Congregation into Denmarke but there he found but cold entertainment by reason of his differing from them about the Lords Supper the Churches of Saxonie also rejected them not suffering them to live amongst them upon the like reason at length that poore Congregation found entertainment in Frisland under the Lady Anne Oldenburg and setled at Embdem Anno Christi 1555. he went thence to Francford upon Main where with the consent of
committed any faultâ— that week whom he would so reprove and lay the wrath of God before them that he much râ—formed them thereby He tooke extraordinary paines to fit such for the worke oâ— the Ministery as were growne up to it so that the Church received very much benefit from thence hâ—ving so many able Pastors sent forth into it Besides this he Preached every Lords day in the Church and that with such fervency and evident demonstration of the spirit that he was the instâ—ument of converting very many unto God He wrote also many Commentaries upon the Scriptures which being Printed and going abroadâ— into other Countries Beza meeting with that upon the Romans and Ephesians he wrote to a friend concerning them that he had gotten a treasure of incomparable value and that he had not met with the like before for breviâ—ie elegancy and judâ—ciousnesse He was so humble that he prefered all others before himselfe and laboured after privacie from publicke businesse that he might the better apply himselfe to his studies yet in the two last years of his life he was so involved in Publicke affaires that it much weakned his health He was greatly tormented with the stone yet did he not intermit his labours He was made Moderator in a Synod and chosen for one of the Commissioners of the Church in the intervalâ— of Synods In the year 1589. his disease so increased upon him that he was confined to his house and being removed into the Countrey ayre he seemed at first to be better but presently his disease returned with more violence so that he was forced to keepe his bed whereupon he set his House in order and his Wiâ—e after ten years barrennesse being with childe he commended her to the care of his friends two Noblemen coming to visit him he requested them from him to goe to the King and to intreat him in his name to take care of Religion and to persevere in it to the end as hitherto he had done and to reverence and esteeme the Pastors of the Church as it was meet And when the Pastors of Edenbrough came to him he made an excellent exhortatioâ— to them and profession of his sincerity and integrity in â—is place that God called him toâ— death approaching he made such a divine and heavenly speech as astonished the hearers and when the Physitians were preparing Physick for him he said Tu Deus medeberis mihi thou Lord wilt heal mee then he prayed fervently that God would pardon his sins for Christ's sake and that he might have an happy departure enjoy God's presence which he often breathed after saying I have hitherto seen but darkely in the glasse of his word O Lord grant that I may enjoy the eternall fruition of thy countenance which I have so much desired and longed for the day after diverse of the Magistrates of Edenburg coming to him he spake to them to be very carefull of the University desiring them to choose into his room Henry Charter a man every way fit for that imployment he commended to their care also his wife professing that he had not laid up one penny of his stipend and therefore hoped they would provide for her when he had their promise for those things he said I blesse God I have all sences intire but my heart is in heaven and Lord Iesus why shouldest not thou have it it hath been my care all my life long to dedicate it to thee I pray thee take it that it may live with thee for ever C 〈…〉 Lord Iesus put an end to this miserable life hast Lord and tarry not Come Lord Iesus and give me that life for which thou hast redeemed me and when some told him that the next day was the Sabbath he said thy Sabbath O Lord shall begin my eternall Sabbath my eternall Sabbath shall take it's beginning from thy Sabbath The next morning feeling his approaching death he sent for Master Belcanqual to pray with him who in his prayer desired the Lord if he pleased to prolong his life for the good of his Church whereupon he said I am a weary of this life all my desire is that I may enjoy the celestiall life that is hid with Christ in God and thus continued he in such heavenly prayers and speeches till the evening and quietly resigned up his spirit unto God Anno Christi 1598. and of his Age forty three Renowned Rollock a most learned Scot Deserves also as his most worthy lot A Crown of Bayes his learned browes to dresse Who did such parts and piety expresse Such gravity mixt with sweet Clemency Such love to truth and spotlesse verity As that the Scottish States minding to make At Edenburg an Academ did take Especiall notice of him and then sent Desiring him to take that Government Which he perform'd with such diligence That Scotland reapt great benefit from thence He on the sacred Scriptures Comments wrote Wherof two were of such renowned note That Beza of them gave his witnesse fair That they were rich and prizelesse Trâ—asures rare This precious Saint thus piouâ—ly did spend His dayes on earth had heavens Crown in th' end The Life and Death of Nicolas Hemingius who dyed Anno Christi 1600. NIcolas Hemingius was born at Loland in Denmarke Anno Christi 1513. of honest Parents but his Father dying when he was young his Grandfather brought him up carefully in learning placing him forth in diverse Schools and when he had laid a good foundation of learning there he had an ardent desire to goe to Wittenberg which was made famous by Philip Melancthon's Lectures and having gotten some little mony in his purse he traveled thitherward but by the way some thieves met him and stripped him of all that he had yet when he came to Wittenberg he found thâ— people very charitable to him especially Melancthon there he remained five yeares and by his writing for and attending upon richer students and teaching some privately he maintained himselfe When he returned home he had an ample testimony from Melancthon for his excellent wit and learning and was there intertained by Olaus Nicholas to teach his daughters and from thence he was chosâ—n to be Pastor at Hafnia and accordingly ordained to itâ— which place he discharged with much diligence and faithfulnesâ— and many young students resorting to him he read privatly to them and afterwards was chosen Hebrew Professor in that University In the year 1557. he was made Doctor in Divinity and performed his place with much sedulity twenty six yâ—â—res Anno Christi 1579. when he was growne old and exhausted with his daily labors Frederick the second King of Dâ—nmark gave him a liberall Pension upon which he lived holily and comfortably all the remainder of his dayes som years before his death he grew blind and was troubled with severall diseases desiring nothing more then that he might be dissolved and be with Christ A little before his death he expounded the 103. Psalme with so
Grunnium Ad Fratres Germaniae inferioris Spongia adversus aspergines Hutteni Pantalabus sine adversus fâ—bricitantem Adversus Mendacium obtrectationem Antibarbarorum liber 1. Ad quosdam Gracculos Epistola Responsio ad Petri curâ—ii defensionem De Termino De vita phrasi Operibus Originis Besides these you have in the University Library at Oxford not set forth by Frobenius De novo Evangelio novisque Evangelistis judicium Auris Batanaâ— Vita Coleti Duo Diplomata Papae Adriani â—um responsionibus Detestatio Belli Precatio ad Iesum cum aliis Ejaculationibus De Hollandis Translated out of Greeke Classis 5. Ex S. Chrysostomo Adversus Iudaeos Homiliae 5. De Lazaro Divite Hom. 4. De Visâ—one Hom. 5. De Philogone Martyre Hom. 1. De Orando Deum Libri 2. De Davide et Saul lib. 3. Quam Presbyter esset designatus Hom. 1 In psalm Cantate Domino Quam Sarionius et Aureliamus acti essent in exilium Hom. 1. De fide Annae Hom. 2. Commentariorum in Acta Apost Hom. 4 Commentariorum in 2. dam ad Cor. Hom. 7. In Epistolam ad Galatas In Epistol ad Philipp Hom. 2. Ex S. Athanasio De Spiritu Sancto Epistolae 2. Contra Eusebium de Nicaena Sinod Ep. 2 Apologetici Duo adversus eos qui Calumniabanter quod in Persequutio nefugisset Ex S. Athanasio De Passione Domini Hom. 1. De hoc quod Scriptum est in Evangelio Vicum q. Contra vos est De Virginitate De peccato in Spiritum De Spiritu Sancto Ex S. Basilio Principium Esaiae De Spiritu Sancto lib. 1. De laudibus Iejunii lib. 2. Fragmentum Originis in Evang. S. Matth. Euripidis Hecuba Iphigenia Theodori Gazae Grammatices lib. 2. Declamatio alia quaedam ex Libanio Ex Plutarcho De discrimine Adulatoris Amici Quo pacto capi possit utilitas ex inimico De Tuenda bona valetudine Principi maxime Philosophandum An graviores sint Animi morbi quam Corporis De Cupiditate divitiarum An recte dictum sit ab Epicuro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De cohibenda iracundia De Curiositate De vitiosa verecundia Galeni exhortatio ad bonas literaâ— Isocrates de Regno administrando ad Nicodem Regem Tyrannus Zenophonius Luciani Saturnalia Cronosolon sive leges Saturnaliciae Epistolae Saturnales De Luctu Icoromenippus Toxaris Pseudomantis Somnium sive Gallus Timon Abdicatus Tyrannicida De mercede conductus Dialogus Cnemonis Damippi Dialogus Zenophantae Callidemi Dialogus Menippi Mercurii Dialogus Menippi Amphilochi Triphonie Dial. Charontis Menippi Dial. Cratetis ac Diogenis Dial. Mirei ac Thersitae Dial. Diogenis ac Mausoli Dial. simyli ac Polystrati Dial. Veneris ac Cupidinis Dial. Doridis ac Galateae Dial. Martis ac Mercurii Dial. Mercurii ac Maiae Dial. Diogenis ac Alexandri Dial. Menippi Chironis Dial. Menippi Cerberi Hercules Gallicus Eunuchus De Sacrificiis De Astrologia Lapithae sive convivium Fathers and other Authors set forth Corrected and Commented upon by Erasmus Classis 6. Augustini opera omnia 10. Tomis Hieronymi opera omnia 9. Tomis Cypriani opera omnia Irenaei opera Arnobius Ciceronis Officia De Amiciâ—ia De Senectute Paradoxa Quintus Curtius Suetoniâ—s Aelius Spartiaâ—us Iulius Capitolinus Aelius Lampridius Vulcâ—tius Galliâ—â—â—â—s Trebellius Pollio Flavius Vopiscus In Nucem Oâ—idii Commentarii In Catonem de Moribus Commentarii Notae in Plautum Notae in Terentium Notae in Quintilianum Notae in utrumque Senecam Two Bookes of his Antibarbarus was lost in England many of his most elaboâ—â—te Declamations at Rome two Books de Eucharistia he finished but supprest He left imperfect at his death a just Commentary upon S. Pauls Epistle to the Romans with many other Treatises since crept into other Mens Workes And it is to be noted that the Index Expurgatorius hath made more bold with no Mans Bookes then with his so that the first Impression are infinitely the best This famous and renowned Writer Erasmus Author and Inditer Of many learned Workes of Worth Which in his life time he set forth Was for his Learning and rare Parts His Wit his Wisedome skill in Arts And Languages and Uertues rare Wherein he justly might compare With his Contemporaries best In such esteeme and high request With all the Princes Potentates And learned Clerkes of all the States In Christendome which knew or saw him That they contended who should draw him To live with them Him to enjoy And with them his rare Parts t' employ Sending him many Gifts most great His presence with them to entreat But crown'd at last with honours Bayes In Basil He did end his dayes As full of yéeres as fragrant fame Leaving behinde an honoured Name HVLRICVS ZVINGLIVS The life and Death of Huldericus Zuinglius In the yeer of our Lord God one thousand four hundred eighty and seven Huldericus Zuinglius the Angel of the Church at Tigurum was borne and on the first of Ianuary in a little village which in the language of the Switzers is called Wild-house he was descended from pious vertuous and Religious Parents his Father also being a man advanced unto great dignity and authority amongst the Switzers in regard of his approved and well deserving parts He by daily observation without doubt to his great comfort seeing and perceiving more then an ordinary towardlinesse in his Sonne and beholding a future worth to discover it selfe even from his infancy and cradle not onely for the advancement of the glory of God but also for the benefit and profit of his native soyle and Countrey therein conferring a more charitable and friendly censure on him then that School-master on Thenistocles and causing others also to make triall of his ingenious disposition who beheld his naturall parts with astonishment and admiration he was very carefull to perfect nature by Art for that cause his age condescending thereunto he committed him unto the tuition of a certain School-master living not far from the place of his birth to be instructed trained up in the elements grounds of the Latin tongue with whom in short time by reason of the vigilancy and watchfulnesse of the one and the carefulnesse and industry of the other he attained not without great applease to that discretion and judgement that he esteemed those things which were read unto him as a subject fitter and more convenient for duller braines then for his quick and ready apprehension This proceeding therefore not answering his expectation he removed thence and being not yet fully ten yeeres old he was sent unto Basil a City in Germany situate upon the River of Rhine where he obtained for his Tutor Gregorius Biâ—â—zlius eminent in those daâ—es for the excellent endowments of learning and piety wherewith he was invested under whom this Huldericus attained unto that perfection both in civil behaviour and learning that he seemed alwaies to exceed out-strip go beyond and carry away the
animate and encourage these his friends to fight for the glory of God and to give sufficient testification of his zeale towards God he was himselfe present in Person in two severall Battels fought betwixt them neaâ—e unto Capella a Monastery situate in the fields of Tigurum unto the first he came freely of his owne accord that he might be present at their Consultations and to see that there were no declining from truth and equity This Battell was finished without the shedding of blood concerning which he was often heard to say that he had seene more malice and more wicked Counsell in it then he knew all his life time either by experience or from reading Unto the second he waâ— elected and chosen us chiefe Commander and being unwilling at the first to undertake such a burden the ground of that quarrell being something displeasing unto him it being onely Grameatus denegatio yet at the last he resolved to goe presaging as it were his owne death by the uâ—tring of these words Seio scio quid rei sit ut ego â—ollar fiunt omnia I know I know how the case stands now all these preparations are for my ruine and destruction Wherefore being well horsed and compleatly Armed he followed the Tigurunes in the reare being ready to joyne battell he went not forth as a Captaine or Commander of the Army but as a good Citizen and faithfull Pastor who would not forsake his friends in their greatest perill In this Battell Zuinglius was slaine together with three hundred eighty and three of his confaederates it happening on the eleventh day of Octobrr in the yeer of our Lord 1531. after that he had Preached the Gospel of Christ at Tigurum the space of 12. yeeres and at Glarona and Eremus the space of a 11. yeeres himselfe being 44. yeeres of age They which were neere unto him when he fell wounded even unto death heard him utter these words What misfortune is this Well they can indeed kill the body but they cannot kill the soule being in this misery he was demanded by his enimies whether he would yeeld unto Papisticall invocation of the Saints being not able to speake he refused it apparantly by the motion of his head and by the lifting up of his eyes to heaven he gave thâ—m to understand that he would invoke and call on none but on the Lord above wherefore in a raging and cruell manner tooke his life away from him condemned his body to be cut in foure quarters and to be burnt unto ashes in the fire Some of his faithfull friends greatly lamenting his death came full of sorrow unto the place where his body was burnt and lightly moving the ashes found his heart sound and untouched with the flames some ascribing it unto the power of God who by this miracle would declare unto the world both his innocency and also his zeale others spending their judgements accordingly as they were affected toward the Person And this was the end of the godly Minister of Christ whose great desire for the advancement of the truth of Christ will clearly shew it selfe by those painfull and learned labours of his which are extant in the Church being comprehended and contained in foure Tomes Tome 1. 1. A worke of Articles 2. An exhortation to the whol State of Switzerland 3. A Supplication to the Bishop of Constance 4. Of the certainty and purity of Gods Word 5. An answer unto Valentine of the authority of the Fathers 6. Institutions for Youth 7. A good Shepheard 8. Of Iustice Divine and Humaine 9. Of Providence Tome 2. 1. Of Baptisme 2. Of Originall Sinne. 3. Of true and false Religion 4. An Epistle to the Princes of Germany 5. Of the Lords Supper 6. Of Christian Faith written unto the French King Tome 3. Commentaries on Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Isaiah 4. Jeremiah Psalter out of Hebrew into Latin Tome 4. 1. Annotations on the foure Evangelists 2. History of our Saviours Passion Annotations on 3. The Romans 4. Corinthians 5. Philippians 6. Collossians 7. Thessalonians 8. Hebrewes 9. James 10. John Epist. 1. They that are willing to engage and prove Themselves true Souldiers in the field of Love Must follow Zuinglius whose ample glory Affords the World an everlasting Story Ye Prelats of these Times stoope downe and sée The Wisdome Valour and the Constancie Of this renowned Father whose deserts Ought to be printed in all noble Hearts He fell with Honour and all those that fall Guarded with Truth deserve a Funerall Adorn'd with Angels that all tongues may say Here lyes Relig'ons and the Churches stay Brave Zuinglius dy'd though it be hard to doe A valiant Souldier and a Martyr too IOHN COLLET The Life and Death of John Colet IOhn Colet was borne in London of honest and wealthy Parents His Father was twice Lord Major of that famous City to whom his Mother a chaste and fruitfull Matron brought forth eleven Sonnes and as many daughters of which numerous off-spring Iohn Colet was the eldest and sole Survivor the rest dyed before their Father whereby he became Heir to a very considerable fortune and yet nature to him was no lesse indulgent then fortune being indowed with all the Simmetry almost imaginable in a tall and comely Person In his younger yeeres he gave himselfe to the study of Phylosophy and in the seaventh after his Matriculation in the Vniversity obtained his degree of Master in Arts an honor not so much given to his Standing as due to his knowledge in the Liberall Sciences in none whereof he was ignorant in some exquisitly learned All Tullies woâ—ks were as familiar unto him as his Epistles neither was he any stranger to Plato and Plotinus whom he not oâ—ely read but conferred and paralleld perusing the one as a Commâ—ntator upon the other As for the Mathematickes there is scarce any part thereof wherein he was not seene abovâ— his yeeres certainly above expectation Having thus fethered his nest at home he began to looke abroad and improve his stock in forreigne Countries In France he added his Humanity what he thought necessary to the study of Divinity which thereafter he effectually prosecuted in Italie amongst the Ancients he was most taken with Dionysius Areopagita Origen Saint Cyprian St. Ambrose and Saint Hierom with St. Augustine whether out of Singularity or judgement amongst all the Fathers he seemed most disguised And yet he did not so mancipate himselfe to Antiquity but that as occasion served he sometimes survayed Aquinas Scotus and other Schoolmen In a word he was seene in both Lawes and singularly well read in History both Civill and Ecclesiasticall And because he saw that England had her owne Dant's and Petrarchs as well as Italie who have performâ—d the same here that they there those and these he both read and diligently imitated accommodating thereby his stile to the Pulpit and Preaching of the Gospel After his returne from Italie he made choyse to live at Oxford where he publickly
fidem nostram pane vino Domini per memoriam carnis sanguinis illius pascendam Anno 1525. being called into his owne Country he Preached and administred the Lord's Supper to his owne Citizens and Baptized without the Popish Ceremonies he was present and disputed at Berne against the Popish Masse c. He was with others chosen by the Protestants to goe the to Diet at Ratisbone for the setling of Religion and returning home in a great and generall infection he died to the Plague An. Christi 1541 of his Age 63. Industrious Capito at first inclind Himselfe to cure the body next the minde Being endow'd with most excellent parts He did as t' were monopolize the Artâ— He lov'd Religion and was alwayes free T' extoll the worth of practis'd piety He honor'd peace his heart was fil'd with hope That he might live to contradict the Pope And so he did he labour'd to prevent The Ceremonâ—es of their Sacrament And to conclude he labour'd to confute Their babling Masse He 's blest without dispute The Life and Death of LEO JUDAE who died Anno Christi 1542. LEo Iudae was born Anno Christi 1482. brought up at Schoole and from thence sent to Basil where he joyned in study with Zuinglius was an hearer of Doctor Wittenbash by whom he was instructed in the knowledge of the Gospel â—here also he was made a Deacon and from thence he was called into Helvetia where he â—et himselfe to the study of the Orientall Tongues and to read the Fathers especially Hierom and Augustine as also he read diligently the books of Luther Eraâ—mus and Capito at length being called to a Pastorall charge at Tigure he opposed the Popish doctrine and Ceremonies both in the Pulpit and Presse thâ—re he continued eighteen yeeres and spent much of it in expounding the Old Testament out of the Hebrew wherein being growne very skilfull he set upon at the importunity of his breathren of the Ministry the translation of the Old Testament out of the Hebrew wherein also he was much holpen by the industry of other learned men but this worke proving very great he was so wasted with labor and old age that he died before he finished it Anno Christi 1542. and of his Age 60. leaving undone Iob the forty last Psalmes Proverbs Ecâ—lesiastes Canticles and the eight last Chapters of Ezekiel which he commended to Theodore Bibliander to finish who accordingly did it and he left all to Conradus Pellican to peruse and put to the Presse which he carefully performed Four dayes before his death sending for the Pastors and Professors of Tigure he made before them a Confession of his Faith concerning GOD the Scriptures the Person and Office of CHRIST concluding Huic Iesu Christo Domino liberatori meo c. To this my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ my hope and my salvation I wholly offer up my soule and body I cast my selfe wholly upon his mercy and grace c. Heaven was the object where he fixt his eyes Truth was his Marke Religion was his Prise His studious heart was active to contrive How to keepe other pining Souls alive With heavenly Food he never lov'd to feed In secret Corners and let others need He never usâ—d to sweepe away the Crums From his poore Flock and feed their souls with Hums Like our new-babling Pastors which infuse Illiterate Words patch'd up with flattring News He would not blind them with the intising charms Of Falseties or bid them take up Armes Except for heaven within whose Tent he sings Anthems of Pleasure to the King of Kings The Life and Death of MYCONIUS who died Anno Christi 1546. Fâ—â—idericus Myconius was borne in Franconia of religious parents and bred up at Schoole till he was thirteen yeeres old and then he was sent to Annaeberg where he studied till he was twenty and then entred into a Monastery there without the knowledge of his parents the first night after his entrie he had a dream which proved propheticall In that place he read the Schoole-men and Augustine's Workes He read also at meal-time the Bible with Lyra's notes on it which he did seven yeeres together with so much exactnesse that he had it almost by heart but dispairing of attaining to learning he left his studieâ— and fell to Mechanicall Arts About which time Tecâ—liuâ— brought his Indulgences into Germany boasting of thâ— virtue of them and exhorting all as they loved their owne and their dead friends salvation that they should buy them c. Myconius had been taught by his fâ—ther the Lord's Prayer the Creed the Decalogue and to pray often and that the blood of Christ onely could cleanse uâ— from sin and that pardon of sin eternall life could not be bought with money c. Which caused him to be much tâ—oubled whether he should beleive his father or the Priests but understanding that there was a clause in the Indulgences that they should be given freely to the poore he went to Tecelius entreated him to give him one for he waâ— a poor sinner and one that needed a free remissions of sins and a participation of the merits of Christ Tecelius admired that he could speake Latine so well which few Priests could doâ— in those dayes aud therefore he advised with hiâ— Colleagues who perswaded him to give Myconius one but after much debate he returned him answer That the Pope wanted money without which he could not part with an Indulgence Myconius urged the aforenamed clause in the Indulgences whereupon Tecelius his Colleagues pressed againe that he might have one given him pleading his learning and ingenuity poverty c. And that it would be a dishonor both to God and the Pope to denie him one but still Tecelius refused whereupon some of them wispred Myconius in the eare to give a little money which he refused to doe and they fearing the event one of them profered to give him some to buy one with which he still refused saying 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 rejoycing that there was yet a God in heaven to pardon sinners freely c. according to that promise As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner c. Not long after he entred into Orders and read privately Luther's books which the other Friars tooke very haynously 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 which spread so swiftly not onely through Saxonie but through all countries as if the Angels had been carryers of it Afterwards he was called
that behalfe sent over letters unto him wherein he perswaded him with Paulus Fagius to come into England assuring them both of kinde entertainment and a sufficient stipend if it would please them to continue amongst them These Letters comming to their hands because they saw little or no hopes of doing any good in Germanie they resolved to visit England and Bucer taking his leave of the Senate of Strasburge after he had supplyed a Pastorall office amongst them the space of twenty yeeres he with Fagius went for England in the yeer of grace 1549. where they arrived in good health and were most courteously entertained and a place provided for them in the University of Cambridge for the expounding of the holy Scriptures and a large Stipend allotted unto them for the maintenance of their Families the University conferring one priviledge on him which was not given unto any before him being this that according to his desire he was inaugurated into his Office without any publicke Ceremony He was much admiâ—ed of in the University for his learning for the integrity of his life and conversation for his plainenesse in his apparell for his temperatenâ—sse in his dyet for his constancy in his labours and for his patience in his sicknesse Within short time after they came hither they both fell into an irrecoverable sicknesse by reason of the change of the ayre and dyet Fagius was the first that yeelded his soul into the hands of God Bucer followed shortly after who before his death prayed unto almighty God that he would not suffer England to fall into those sinnes which had brought Germany unto great misery and withall desired that those things which he had written unto the King concerning the discipline of the Church might take firme footing in the Kingdome Master Iohn Bradford coming to him in the time of his sicknesse and telling him that he would remember him in his prayers being that day to Preach he uttered these words Ne abiicias me Domine in tompore senectutis meae cum defecerit virtus mea forsake me not O Lord in the time of my age and when my strength faileth me Being admonished in his sicknesse that he should arme himselfe against the assaults of the Divell he answered that he had nothing to doe with the Divell because he was wholly in Christ and God forbid God forbid but that I should have some experience of his heavenly comfort After Sermon Bradford came to him againe and after some words declared unto him the great feare which the Physitians had to prescribe any thing unto him by reason of the weaknesse of his body which he apprehending with his eyes fixed towards heaven he uttered these words ille ille regit moderatar omnia he he it is that ruleth and governeth all thiâ—gs and so in the midst of many godly prayers he quietly yeelded his soul unto the hands of God on the 27. of February in the yeere of our Lord 1551. being 61. yeeres of his age he was buried with great solemnity in Saint Maâ—ies in Cambridge to the griefe of many students before his buriall a Funerall Sermon was delivered by Gualterus Haddon at his buriall by Doctor Parker After the death of Edward the sixt his sister the Lady Mary comming to the crowne she restored the doctrine of the Church of Rome and in her dayes Cardinall Poole the Popes Legate being a man of great Authority laboured with might and maine for the rooting out of haeresie and haeretick for so he termed the Gospell and the professors thereof and for that cause he appointed five Inquisitors for the reformation of the University of Cambridge these obtained that the bones of both these faithfull Ministers of Christ should be digged up condemned of haerisie and delivered to the Magistrate to be burnt together with all the bookes of theirs which were extant in the kingdome but in the raine of Queene Elizabeth this sentence was not approved but rejected and they were reckoned amongst the number of Martyrs which had suffered for the truth of Christ. The labours which he left behind him as so many witnesses of his sufficiency and worth are these which follow 1 The Psalmes done out of Latine into Hebrew 2 Enarrations on the four Evangelists 3 Metaphrases one the Epistle of St. Paul 4 A reconciling of hard places of Scripture 5 Commentaries of the Romans and the Ephesians 6 A Commentarie on Sophonuâ— done out of Hebrew 7 A preface to the fourth Tome of Luthers postils 8 Of the true doctrine discipline and Ceremonies of Chuâ—ches 9 A Graâ—ulaâ—orie letter unto the Church of England 10 An answer to the two Epistles of Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester concerning the single life of Priests 11 Of the best way to have Counsels 12 A treatise of restoring Church good 13 An Epistle to the Vniversity aâ— Marpurge 14 To those of East Friezland 15 The confession of the foure Cities Strasburge Constance Menning and Lindare 16 An Apologie against Brentius that jmages are not to be had in Churches 17 Of the Baptisme of Infants 18 Of the Euchâ—rist 19 Of a Nationrall Synead 20 Of a Councell against Coceleius and Gropperus 21 Of the false and true administration 22 Of the Lords Supper 23 Of offering Masses 24 Of care for â—he dead 25 Of Purgatorie 26 Causes of the absence of Divines from the councell of Trent 27 Of the kingdome of Christ unto Edward the sixt King of England 28 Lectuers at Cambridge upon the Ephesians 29 Of the power and use of the ministery 30 An admonition to the Ministers at Switzerland 31 Psalâ—er translated into Dutch 32 An admoniâ—ion to the Ministers at Strasburge 33 Of the true office of a Pastor 34 Of the Iewes how for to be suffered amongst Christians 35 A Confutation of the new faith set forth at Loran 36 A defence of the Colenish reformation 37 A defence against Gropperus 38 An anâ—wer to a dialogue against Protestants 39 Of Church-goods and who are the right possessors of them 40 Against the Bul of Paulus the third and his Legates demands 41 A godly admonition to the Emperour Princes and other states of the Empire assembled at Wormes 42 Against the restoring of the Masse 43 Impediments of Reformation 44 Against the Sophistes of Colen 45 Of the conference at Reinsburge 46 An exposition of the 120. Psalme 47 A treatise of Afflictions 48 A refutation of Calumnies 49 A Sermon at Berne 50 Of the Ministers and Sacraments 51 Luthers commentaries on the two Epistles of Peter 52 Some writings of Sturmius 53 Retractations with Commentaries on the Gospell 54 A treaâ—ise that none ought to live to themselves That light of truth which shin'd in Bucers brest Inlightned others and restor'd much rest To many whose unquiet souls did lye Under the burthen of Idolatry He was laborious striving every houre To sucke some hony from each pleaâ—â—ng flowre He was belov'd of all that lov'd to pry Into the bosome of Divinity
strong heat Nor was his body but his minde as frée From the contagion of hels leprosie For all his study was how to obtaine That happy treasure whereby he might gaine Heaven aâ— the last and sure unto that place He 's long since gone who was his Conntries grace The Life and Death of John Rogers who died Anno Christi 1555. IOhn Rogers was borne in England and brought up at the University of Cambridge where he profited very much in good learning and from thence was chosen by the Merchant Aâ—venturers to be their Chaplaine at Antwerpe to whom he Preached many yeeres and there falling into acquaintance with William Tindall and Miles Coverdal who were fled from persecution in England he by their meanes profited much in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and joyned with them in that painefull and profitable worke of Translating the Bible into English 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 there where he discharged his Office with diligence and faithfulnesse many yeeres but in King Edwards time he was sent for home by Bishop Ridley and was made a Prebend of Pauls in which place he Preached faithfully till Queen Maries days and in the beginning of her Reign in a Sermons at Pauls-Croâ—se he exhorted the people constantly to adhere to that Doctrine which they had been taught and to beware of pestilent Popery c. for which he was called before the Lords of the Councill where he made a stout witty and godly answer and was dismissed but after the Queens Proclamation against True-Preaching he was again called the Bishops thirsting for his blood and committed prisoner to his owne house whence he might have escaped and had many motives as his wife and ten children his friends in Germany where he could not want preferment c. But being once called to answer in Christs Cause he would not depart though to the hazard of his life from his own house he was removed by Bonner to Newgate amongst thieves and murtherers he was examined by the Lord Chancellor and the rest of the Councell and by them was re-committed to prison he was much pressed to recant but stoutly refusing was first excommunicated and degraded and then condemned after which he desired that his wife to whom he had been married eighteen yeeres and by whom he had ten children and she being a stranger might be admitted to come to him whilst he lived but Stephen Gardiner then Lord Chancellor would by no meanes suffer it February the fourth Anno Christi 1555. he was warned to prepare for death before he rose If it be so said he I need not tie my points and so he was presently had away to Bonner to be degraded of whom he earnestly requested to be admitted to speake with his wife but could not prevaile from thence he was carryed into Smithfield where scarce being permitted to speake to the people he briefly perswaded them to perseverance in that truth which he had taught them which also he was now ready to seale with his blood then was a pardon profered to him if he would recant but he utterly refused it his wife with nine small children and the tenth sucking at her brest came to him but this sorrowfull sight nothing moved him but in the flames he washed his hands and with wonderfull patience took his death all the people exceedingly rejoycing at his constancy praising God for it He was the Proto-martyr in Queene Maries dayes The Sabbath before his death he dranke to Master Hooper who lay in a chamber beneath him bidding the messenger to commend him to him and to tell him That there was never little fellow that would better stick to a man then he would to him supposing they should be both burned together although it happened otherwise Though this grave Father was enfor'd to flye His envious Countrey for security Yet his undâ—unted courage would not move That alwayes stood as Sentinell to love 'T was not a prison could affection swage He like a Bird sung swéetest in a cage When firâ—t the Bible with great paines and care He into English did translate so far That knowing men did admire the same And justly did extoll his lasting fame Who did contemne the fury of all those Who both to us and him were mortall foes The Life and Death of Laurence Saunders who died Anno Christi 1555. LAurence Saunders was borne of worshipfull Parents brought up in learning at Eaton Schoole and from thence chosen to Kings Colledge in Cambridge where he continued three yeers and profited in learning very much then by his Moâ—her who was very rich he was bound to a Merchant in London but not affecting that course of life his Master gave him his Indentures and he returned to his studies in Cambridge where also he studied Greeke and Hebrew but especially the holy Scriptures he was frequent and very fervent in Prayer and when assaulted by temptations he still found much support and comfort in prayer whereby he gained such experience that he became a great comforter of others he Commensed Master of Arts and stayed long after in the University In the beginning of King Edwards Raign he began to Preach being first Ordeined a Minister and that with such generall approbation that he was chosen to read a Divinity-Lecture at Fotheringay where by his Doctrine and life he drew many to God and stopped the mouths of the adversaries about which time he married a wife and from thence he was removed to the Minster of Leichfield where also he by his Life and Dâ—ctrine gat a good report even from his adversaries from thence he was removed to Church-Langton in Leicestershire and from thence to Alâ—allowes in Breadstreet London and after his admission there he went backe into the Country to resign his Benefice which fell out when Queen Mary raised stirs to get the Crown In his journey he preach'd at Northampton not medling with the State but boldly delivered his conscience against Popish Doctrine and errors which said he are like to spring up againe as a just plague for the little love which England hath borne to the true Word of God so plentifully offered to them And seeing the dreadfull day approaching inflâ—med with godly zeal he Preached diligently at both his Benifices not having opportunity to resign eâ—ther but into the hands of the Papists and notwithstanding the Proclamation to the contrary he taught diligently the Truth at his Country-place where he then was confirming thâ— people and arming them against false doctrine till by force he was resisted some counselled him to fly out oâ— the Kingdome which he refused and being hindred there from preaching he traveled towards London to visit his flock in that place coming near London Master Mordant one of the Qâ—eenes Counsell overtooke him asked him if he did not Preach such a
as immediatly done by himselfe And truly therein he more â—avored himselfe then Bradford who in the whole course of his imployment so acquitted himselfe as it is hard to determine whether therein he used greater diligence or integrity But having spent diverse yeeres in this honest and thrifty course of life wherein if he had persisted he was in a faire way both of wealth and worship he began to Elevate his thoughs above these temporary things and aspire to a service lesse profitable but much more honorable wherefore making up his accoumpts with his Master who neither would nor could diswade him from what he had once resolved he gave himselfe wholly to the study of Divinity and reading of the Scriptures But perceiving how usefull and necessary a Hand-maid Humanity is to Divinity and how short he came of those Tongus and Sciences without which it was improbable if not impossible for him to attaine any perfection in the noblest and most supereminent of all other Sciences at which he chiefely aimed leaving the Temple at London where he usually bestowed some few houres every day in hearing the Reader of the Common-Law he betooke himselfe to the University of Cambridge as neither able nor desirous to suppresse that which inwardly moved him to fit himselfe for an able workman in a more spirituall building After a yeere and some few moneths spent in the University he attained his degree of Master in Arts whereunto others are hardly admitted after long examination and seven yeeres painfull study But such was his Carriage diligence and profeciency that this favour though extraordinary and insolent was thought well bestowed upon him by the whole University And least any man may thinke it was rather out of Charity defer'd to his yeeres then abilities he was immediatly hereafter without any interposall of time chosen Fellow of Pembrooke Hall which first brought him to the eye and afterwards to the bosome of that learned and notable stickler in the reformation Martin Bucer by whom he was again encouraged and stir'd up to the worke of the Ministry not that he found him stagger in his Resolution or fall from his principles but because the greater measure of knowledge he attained the longer he defered the performance of his promise as ever thinking himselfe the more insufficient for so high and laborious a Calling Being one time amongst many moved by Bucer to defer the imployment of his Talent no longer and he pretending as formerly his present inability If thou canst not attaine unto Manchett said Bucer mayest thou not therefore feed this poore and Soul starved People with Barly loaves which proceeding from a man he so sincerely lov'd and upon whose jâ—dgment he so much relyed made him lay aside all his former tergiversations and in good earnest buckle himselfe to the worke But because no man can take upon him that function unlesse he be called as was Aaron though he doubted not of his inward vocation by God yet would he by no meanes thrust his shickle into that sacred harvest before he was called by the Church and seperated thereunto by Imposiâ—ion of Hands which with a Licence to Preach and a Prebeâ—d in Sâ—int Pauls he obtained from that renowned Bishop and glorio 〈◊〉 Martyr Doctor Ridley Bishop of London For three yeeres together he Preached faithfully and diligently in season and out of season being a sharpe and impartiall reprover of vice a vehement exhorter to vertue no man opposing Heresies with greater animosity or asserting the truth with more evidence and perspicuity whereby his fame spread it self almost over the whole kingdome And yet all this was but an Introduction to that which followed For King Edward the sixt of blessed Memory expiring with the last of these three yeeres and his sister Queen Mary contrary the his last will and Testament advanced to the Crown though not without some opposition which she easily overcame he was suddenly deprived both of his livelyhood and and liberty upon an occasion which deserved much rather reward then punishment And this it was In the first yeere of the Queenes Raigne and not long after her Coronation Master Bourne who was shortly thereafter by the favour of Secretary Bourne consecrated Bishop of Bath and Wels made a most invective and seditious Sermon at Pauls Crosse wherein he not onely cast dirt upon his late deceased King Edward the sixt but vented and maintained many Popish tents contrary to the orthodox Religion then established which drove the Common People into such a fury tumult that neither the reverence of the place the perswasion of the Bishop nor the authority and presence of the Lord Major could stop them from pulling him out of the Pulpit gladly he would have ended his Sermon for belike his greatest strength and confidence to lead his auditors hood winkt into their old Mumpsimus lay in his peroration but perceiving by a drawne dagger which amongst other implements was flung at him and missed him but very narrowly that the multitude were in good earnest and his life in jeoperdy he turned himselfe about and perceived Master Bradford standing at his backe within the Pulpit whom he earnestly intreated to supply his place and save his life by pacifying the People He no sooner appeared in the others room but the people joyfully ingeminated with a loud voice Bradford Bradford and by that time he had a little inlarged himselfe in the point of obedience the Tumult seemed more then halfe appeased But the Sermon ended and Bourne as he had reason not yet daring to commit himselfe to the so lately inraged multitude notwithstanding he was back'â— by the Lord Major and Sheriffs besought Master Bradford not to leave him untill he brought him into some place of security whereunto he willingly consented and when the multitude for the greater part were dispersed under the covert of his owne gowne he conveighed him into the next house which was the Scholemasters effecting that by the Word which the Major could not doe for him by the Sword many were â—ore grieved at his escape and some stuck not to Prophesie I know not by what Spirit that by saving this wiling Rashaketh from death he had given a deadly blow to his owne life Howsoever Bradford committed the issue to almighty God nothing repented his Charity which he was sure would finde reward with him what acceptance soever it found amongst wicked and unthankfull men yea so far was he from being afraid or sorry for what he had done that in his afternoones Sermon at Bow Church he sharply reprehended his Auditors for their forenoones tumultuous Carriage and sedition And yet such was the malice of the common adversary and iniquity of the times that about three dayes after for this very fact he was summoned to appeare before the Councell and by the Lords Committed to the Tower from whence within few weeks they removed him to the Kings Bench where through thâ— Keepers connivance he had often conference with Master Laurence
Saunders at that time a prisoner in the Marshalsey Bishop Farrar he found in the Kings Bench before him where having indured a close and tedious imprisonment he began at length through humane infirmity to recoyle in the point of Transubstantiation in so much that he undertooke to Communicate under one Kinde at Easter following But Bradford dealt so effectually with him that he revok'd this promise and resumed his former principles His occasions of escape were as many as the dayes of his imprisonment whereby any man may see to save in life he wovld not break his word with his Keepers being asked what course he would take if God should deliver him out of prison he said he would not fly oâ—t of the Kingdome but there Preach though secretly as the times would perâ—it him During his long restraint he was oftentimes examined first by the Lords of the Councell at what time he was clapt up in the Tower which was in August 1553. but of that examination there is nothing now extant except onely one passage repealed in the second After that by the Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellor of England and other select Commissioners Ianuary 22. 1555. The things laid to his charge were principally these That he was the Author of the tumult at Bournes Sermon because forsooth he so readily and dextrously appeased the same That he presumed to Preach without Licence though he had been a Divinity Lecturer at Pauls two yeeres before that tumult And that upon his first Committall to the Tower he had answered the Queens Councell peremptorily and saucily in the point of Religion As that he was now more then ever confirm'd in the same as it was reform'd and professed under Edward the sixt The first and last of these Articles he denyed saving the words last repeated the second he laboured to justifie as not requisite from them by any law at that time in force when he Preached in the conclusion they twitted him in the teeth with Heresie and accused him of writing from the Tower seditious letters into Lancaster whereto because they desended not to particulars he gave them onely generall answers The whole conference was larded with an often repealed tender of the Queens Mercy in case he would confesse his sedition acknowledge and abjure his Heresies and returne to the bosome of the Romish Church after their example To the first he said he could not acknowledge himselfe guilty of what he neither Committed nor intended To the second that he never Preached or Patronized any error to his knowledge being ready to abjure whatsoever he was not able to defend To the third that he willingly embraced the Queens Mercy though he neither needed not could accept thereof as they were pleased to Clog it with Conditions repugnant to the word of God the cleer light of his owne Conscience The 19. day of Ianuary following he was the third time convented in Saint Mary Overies before the same Winchester and diverse other Bishops his fellow Comnissioners where at first the same things were againe objected unto him and received the same Answers After much jangling and a second offer of mercy upon the former Condition they required a Peremptory positive accoumpt of his faith concerning Christs Corporall presence in the Eucharist To which he replyed that during a yeere and eight moneths imprisonment they had never prest him with that question but now that by altering the state of Religion they had made the Contrary opinion unto theirs Hereticall and all Heresie interpretatively and by consequence Capitall it is more then Evident what thereby they hunted after This drove the Lord Chancellor into a long Apologeticall Oration of his owne innocency and notorious lenity in that kind which ended without expecting what Bradford would reply upon some intelligence from the Kitchin he adjurend the Court and went home to dinner The day following which was the fourth last of his apparence he was brought to the same place and before the same judges where after many Interrogatories and answers concerning the corporall presence the Pope and Queenes authority and other Emergent questions which if here inserted would swell the processe of his death to thrice the length of his lif but may be found at large in the Martirologie he was finally condemned for worshiping the God of our fathers after that way which those bloud-suckers called Heresie excommunicated and delivered over to the Secular powers Ianuary 31. 1555. who first committed him to the Clinke and afterwards to the Counter where he remained to the first of Iuly following had many hot Disputes sharp Conflicts 1. with Bonner Bishop of London 2. with Master Wollerton the Bishops Chaplen 3. Percivall Creswell and Doctor Harding 4. Doctor Harpsfieled and Doctor Harding 5. with Hetâ—â— Archbishop of Yorke and Day Bishop of Chichester 6. with two Spanish Friers Alphonsus a Castro and King Philips Confessor 7. Doctor Weston and Master Coillier Warden of Manchester 8. Doctor Pendleton 9. with Doctor Weston and others 10. with Doctor Weston alone for many visited him after condemnation some as the Divell did our blessed Saviour to tempt and pervert him and some to receive instruction comfort by him for in his two last prisons he Preached constantly twice every Lords day freequently administred the Lords Supper to his fellow prisoners visiting them all almost every day even to the thieves and cutpurses in the Grate and almost if he had it as often relieving them At first they resolved to burn him at Manchesteâ— where he was borne but altered that resolution I know not upon what occasion The Saturday at night before he suffered he dream'd his chaine was brought to the Counter gate that the next day being Sunday he should be had to Newgate and burned at Smithfield the Munday ensuing which after many frightfull awakings still recurring to his troubled fancy he arose and communicating what he had dreamed to his Chamber-fellow fell to his old exercise of reading and praying The next day after dinner whilst he discoursed of the ripenesse of siâ—ne of death and the kingdome of heaven up came the Keepers wife halfe beside her selfe and said unto him with tears in her eyes O Master Bradford your chaine is now a hammering to night you will be removed to Newgate and to morrow burned at Smithfield having heard her out with hands and eyes lifted up unto heaven he blessed God who had thought him worthy and made him willing to suffer for his trâ—th thanked the good woman for her Compassion but more for her news and so went up to his Chamber where he spent some houres in prayer and then called up his Chamber-fellow to whom he gave som things privately in charge and dilivered certaine papers but of what concernment I cannot finde the rest of that afterâ—noon he spent in prayer and other heavenly exercises which he performed with admirable adhesion to God and obstraction from the world being often times so
they pleased they affirming that it contained words of blasphemy and he averring that a line or two excepted there was nothing in it but the sayings of the auncient Doctors confirming his assertions hardly could he have leave to utter a few words and that not without oft interruption and with telling on their fingers-ends how many words he had spoken Aâ— length they excomunicated him with the greater excomunication and haveing passed sentance of condemnation against him turned him over to the Secular power On the fifteenth day of the same moneth he was by Brookes Bishop of Glocester assisted by some other degraded at which time he requested the said Bishop to second his petition to the Queene that such Tenants as he had made Leases to while he was possessed of the Bishoprick of London his Sister among the rest might quietly enjoy the sam this he promised to do acknowledging it to be agreeable to equity and right but it seemes it could not be obtained for that cruell bloud-sucker whose Mother and Sister he had so kindly delt with thrust his Sister and her Husband against all Law and conscience out of the keeping of a Park which he had conferred upon them nor is it likely that the rest fared much better then they did The day following he suffred together with Master Latimer who much strengthned him as by conference before so at the Stake then The evening before he suffered he washed his Beard and his Feete and bad those at boord that supped with him to his wedding the next day demanded of his brother Master Shipside whether he thought his sister his wife could find in her heart to be there and he answering that he durst say she would with all her heart he professed to be thereof very glad At suppertime he was very cheerfull and merry desiring those there present that wept of w ch number M rs Irish his Hostesse tho a blind and eager Papist was one to quiet themselves affirming that tho his breakefast was like to be somwhat sharp and painfull yet his supper he was sure should be pleasant and sweet His brother offred to watch all night with him But he refused it telling him that he intended to go to bead hoping to sleepe as quietly that night as ever he did in his life So on the next day being the sixteenth of October this meeke Sheepe of Christ and yet a stout Bel-weather of his flock faithfull and constant to his blessed shepheard and soveraign owner unto death yea unto paines and torments worse then death was together with his copartner both in defence of the Faith and of afflictions for the defence of it brought out to the place of their Martyrdome in a Ditch or low parcell of ground lying on the North side of the City behind Baliol Colledge where Doctor Smith who had before in King Edwards time recanted instead of a Sermon made a bitter invective against them which they offred to answer but when they could not bâ— permitted to speâ—k they committed their cause to God commended their souls into his hands and with much readinesse and resolution yeelded their bodies to the mercilesse flames and such cruel torments therein as other their breathâ—rn and fellow-witnesses of Christ had bâ—fore thâ—m undeâ—gonâ— wherein this our worthy and valianâ— spirituall Champion through the iâ—discretâ—on oâ— those that composed â—he pile and managed the fewell about him hindring there where they thought to helpe and lengthening his torments by those meanes whereby they hoped to have shortened them endured a long time in grievous paines to the heart griefe of the behoulders burning in a manner by piece-meale till at lengâ—h having passed this fiery triall his soule was as in a flaming Chariot with Elias carried up into the highest Heaven Some works of his though not many remaine 1 A Protestation or Determination delivered in the Schooles at a Disputation in King Edwards dayes 2 His Disputations at Oxford in Qâ—eene Maries time 3 An assertion of the true faith concerning the Lords Supper against Transubstantiation translated after into Latine and Printed aâ— Geneva 4 A Treatise concerning the right forme of Administration of the Lords Supper 5 A Treatise against setting up and adoring of Imagis 6 A Conference betweene him and Master Latimer in Prison 7 A large Farewell to his faithfull friends together with a sharp Admonition to obstinate Papists 8 An other Farewell to the imprisoned and exiled for the Gospel 9 A Treatise conâ—aimning a Lamentation for the change of Religion and a comparison of the Romish doctrine with that of the Gospell 10 Divers pious Letters written to divers persons Read in the progresse of this blessed story Romes cursed â—ruelty and Ridlyes glory Romes Sâ—râ—ns song but Ridlyes carelesse eare Was deaf They â—hâ—rmd â—â—t Ridly would not hearâ— Rome sâ—â—g preferment but brave Ridleys tongue Condemn'd that fâ—lse Preferment which Rome â—ung Rome whisâ—red wealthâ— but Ridly whose great gaine Was godlinesse he wâ—v'd it with disdayâ—e Rome threatned Durance but great Ridleys mind Was too too strong for threats or Chaines to binde Româ— thundred death bâ—t Ridlyes dauntlâ—sse eye Star'd in deaths face and scornd death â—tanding by In spite of Rome for Englandâ— Faith he â—tood And in the flames he seald it with his Blood PETRVS MARTYR The Life and Death of Peter Martyr THe yeere from Christs birth 1500. â—s for many matters of much moment very remarkable Among others for the Jubilee that Pope Alexander the sixt whose hâ—â—lish life and dismall end the stories of those times relate held that yeere at Rome and the terrible tempest that ensued the same wherein the Angell that stood on the top of the Popâ— Church was overthrown and the Popâ— owne Chamber by the fall of a â—unnell so â—eaten downe upon him that diverse of those were slain that attended then upon him and he himselfe so buried in the rubish that he was hardly got out alive The same yeere amidâ—â—hiâ— height of Popish imposture together with these direfull presages of its downefall was born to Philip King of Spain his son Charles after Emperor the first of that name under whom the Gospell though much against his will gained good footing in Germany And the same yeer also came into this world that famous Scholler and Divine Peter Martyr Vermily one that much furthered the advancement thereof as well in those parts as else-where He came of that ancient and worshipfull family of Vermily born at Florence in Italie Stephen Vermily his father and Mary Fumantine his Mother His name was given him by his Parents from one Peter of Milaine a Martyr reported to have been slain sometime by the Arrian faction whose Church stood neere unto their house This Peter Martyr being the onely son of his Parents that attained to any yeeres was by them carefully trained up in good literature from a child his mother her selfe a prety scholler reading Terence to him in Latin After which domestick discipline
Hampshire brought up at Schoole and sent from thence to New Colledge in Oxford where he stuied the Liberall Arts and the Tongues and afterwards the Civil-law He was of a pregnat wit and singular courage zâ—alous in Religion of nature apert and far from flattery hypocrisie and dissimulation from Oxford he travelled into Italie where he was in some danger for his Religion In King â—dward the sixth dayes he returned into England againe and had many conflicts with Bishop Gardiner He did much good in Hampshire being Archdeacon of Winchester all King Edwards dayes but in the beginning of Queene Maries Reign he was cast into Prison where he lay a yeer and a halfe before he was examined then he was sent for by Doctor Story and after some captious questions proposed to him he was committed Prisoner to the Bishop of Londons Cole-house unto which was adjoyned a little Blind house with a great pair of Stocks both for hand and foot but thanks be to God saith he I have not played of those Organs yet there hâ— found a godly Minister of Essex who desiring to speake with him did greatly lament his infirmity for through extremity of imprisonment he had yeelded to the Bishop of London and was seâ— at libertyâ— whereupon he left such an hell in his conscience that he could scarce refrain from destroying himselfe and could have no peace till going to the Bishops Register and desiring to see his Recantation he tore it in pieces whereupon the Bishop sending for him buffeted him pluckt off a great part of his beard and sent him to his Cole-house where Master Philpot found him very joyfull under the Crosse. Philpot being afterwardâ— sent for to the Bishop he asked him amongst other things why they were so merry in Prison to whom he answered We are in a dark comfortlesse place and therefore we solace our selves with singing of Psalmes after other discourse saith he I was carryed to my Lords Cole-house againe where I with my six fellow-prisoners doe rouse together in the straw as chearfully we thank God as others doe in their beds of down After sundry examinations he was by the Bishop set in thâ— stocks in a house alone of which he writes God be praised that he thought me worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake Better it is to sit in the stocks in this world then to sit in the stocks of a damnaple conscience at last he was condemned for an Heretick whereupon he said I thanke God I am an Hereticke out of your cursed Church but I am no Hereticke before God Being sent to Newgate he spake to the People as he went saying Ah good people blessed be God for this day having notice given over-night that the next day he should be burn'd he said I am ready God grant me strength and a joyfull resurrection and so he went to his chamber pouring out his spirit unto the Lord in Prayer and giving him most hearty thanks for accounting him worthy to suffer for his Truth Going into Smithfield the way was very foul whereupon two Officers took him up and bare him to the stake then said he merrily What will you make me a Pope coming into Smithfield he kneeled downe saying I will pay my Vowes in thee O Smithfield he kissed the stake saying Shall I disdain to suffer at thiâ— stake when my Lord and Saviour refused not to suffer a most vile death for me when the fire was hindled with much meekness and comfort he resigned up his spirit unto God An. Christi 1555. Couragious Philpot with a dauntlesse brow March'd to his death and would not once allow The least Submittance to erronious powers But Scorn'd to smell on their impoysn'd flowers And when he labour'd in the most distresse He was most chearfull and would still addresse Himselfe to Heaven where he was sure to find A healing Balsome to confirme his minde He prayed to God and having done he cry'd I thank I thanke thée Father and so dy'd THOMAS CRANMER The Life and Death of Thomas Cranmer THomas Cranmer was extracted from an ancient family in Lincolnshire as that derived it selfe from one of more antiquity still retaining the said name and Armes in â—â—rmandy Of his infancy and childhood we can give no other account then what is common to others of the same age as not capable of any extraordinary Actions but silently shaddowed under the â—nnocency and simplicity thereof Afterwards he was admitted into Iesus Colledge in Cambridge where he proceeded Master of Arts with generall applause for his learning and manners Here he happened to marry the Inkeepers wives kinswoman at the sign of the Dolphin An act beheld by some as destructive to his future preferment and deepely condemned by those who preferred height before holinesse and a rich and plentifull before a chaste and comfortable life Malicious tongues on this foundation built many foule and false Scandals against him some slandering him for to be an Ostler because of his often repairing to that Inne which causelesse report confuting it selfe with its own improbability his weeknesse and Patience overcame by contemning it Thus worthy Saint Helen Mother to Constantine the great was scoffed at to have been a Stable-groomes Daughter for her Zeale in searching the monuments of Christs nativity in Bethleham of whom Saint Ambrosse Bona Statularia quaedici maluit Stercoraria ut Christum lucrifaceret But Gods Providence who orders all things to the best some yeere after tooke Cranmers wife away which losseâ— proved a great gaine unto him For resuming his Studieâ— thereby to allay his sorrow and solitarinesse he became so eminent that the Society of Iesus Colledge chose him again into his Fellowship Indeed it was against the Fundamentall Law of the Vniversitie which provides Nolimus socios nostros esse mariâ—os vel maritatos yet seeing a Widdower is the second part of a Bachelor and Cranmers extraordinary learning a dispensation for himselfe by peculiar favour he waâ— reelected into that House How excellently he behaved himselfe therein one Instance for many At that time many unworthy Schollars scambled up into the highest degrees whose scarlet Gowns might seeme to blush the wearers Ignorance To prevent the dangerous consequences thereof and to render Degrees more considerable for the future Cranmer by generall consent was chosen Publicke Examiner of the sufficiency of such candidates for Degrees Herein he carried himselfe with such remarkeâ—ble moderation neither over remisse to incourage any unworthinesse to presume nor too riged to dishearten the endeavours of the ingenious that it is questionable whether his Carriage brought more profit to private Persons or credit to the University Some whose Graces for the present were stopt by him returned afterwards to thanke him because prefering rather to displease then hurt them the gentle Checke he gave them occasioned their greater diligence in the race of learning Here Cranmer lived till the infection of the Plague forced the students to leave their Colledges and
perswaded then to command Farell Calvin and Coraldus to depart the City within two dayes because they had refused to administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to them which message when it was delivered unto Calvin he replyed Indeed if I had served men I had been evilly rewarded but now it shall goe well with me because I have served him who will truely pay unto his servants that which he hath once promised Who could otherwise have thought but that this action would have proved fatall unto the Church of Geneva yet the event manifested the contrary shewed that it came to passe by Divine providence partly because that by exercising him with these trials he might be the more fitter for weightier matters and partly because he might purge that Church againe from many grosse and wicked errours When that sedition had overthrown and sunk it selfe with its owne weight so wonderfully doth the Lord appeare in all his workes but more especally in the Governing and protection of his Church Some there were who greatly bewailed the departure of these faithfull Pastors who also inwardly asmuch lamented the the miserable and wretched State of that City From Geneva they went unto Tigurum where a Synod was called to effect a reconciliation betwixt the Churches and those of Geneva being willed by an Embassadour sent from Berne to subscribe unto the decrees thereof they would not condiscend thereunâ—o whereupon Calvin left Tigurum and went unto Basil where after that he had remained two or three dayes he directed his course unto Strasburge where he was called by the Senate Bucer Hedio Capito and many other reverend Pastors to be the Divinity Lecturer in that City which he did not only perform with the applause of all the learned but also with the consent of the Senat he planted the French Church in that City Here Calvin remained untill the year 1541. in which year a Convocation was enacted by the Emperor at Wormes and Reinspurge for the taking away of differences out of those Churches concerning Religion at which Convocation Calvin was present and unto this Assembly came also the Commissioners before mentioned who perswaded and prevailed with the Inhabitants of Geneva for the casting out of Calvin out of the City upon one of them God shewed a terrible example of vengeance in the same place for being censured guilty of sedition as he was about to save himselfe by escaping through a window he fell downe headlong and with the weight of his body he so crushed himselfe that within few dayes after he dyed Another of them being found guilty of murther he had his head stricken off the other two by reason of their ill carriage in the affaires of that Commonwealth were in their absence condemned and ejected by the Citizens During his abode at Strasburge untill this Assembly called by the Emperour the Church at Geneva was greatly afflicted with sundry opinions which were brought into the City in the year 1539. by Iacobus Sadoletus which notwithstanding tooke no deep rooting Calvin by his letters in his banishment perswaded the contrary These Commissioners being thus taken away as the fountaines of all sedition in the City it pleased the Lord to worke a desire in the hearts of the Inhabitants of recaling Farel and Calvin into the City but when they saw that they could not possibly recall Farel from Neocum they send Embassadours with all speed unto Strasburge making the Tigurines also their intercessours for the obtaining of Calvin The Inhabitants of Strasburge appeared unwilling to grant their desire and Calvin himselfe because he saw his actions to prosper and to be blessed of God in that City refused also himselfe to goe unto Geneva fearing least his proceedings should be again hindered by the like sedicious uproares The Embassadours were urgent and followed their matter â—o close that at the last it was concluded that Calvin should againe to Geneva but because he was to accompany Bucâ—r unto Reinspurge his journey was deferred for a space and they of Geneva procured Viret from Lausanna to Preach unto them untill the returne of Calvin from Reinspurge which fell out in the year 1541. where he was received with exceeding joy and gladnesse not onely by the Senate but also by all the Inhabitants and he was again restored unto his Church But at his entrance againe he told them that he could not truly discharge his Ministeriall function unlesse they would also entertain a Presbytery strengthned with Ecclesiasticall discipline together with his Doctrin unto which motion they consented whereupon a Presbytery was chosen their Offices were declared unto each of them and unto this forme of Government they all subscribed The joyfull newes of Calvins comming unto Geneva again being spread abroad it caused many godly minded persons to resort some out of Italy some out of England some out of Spaine unto the same place to be Auditors unto him these increased unto that number that there waâ— not roome in the City to entertain them and Calvin perceiving that ordering of all things in the City would be a labour too weighty for him he deâ—ired that he might have Farel and Viret adjoyned unto him but it could not be granted for Viret was returned againe unto Lausanna and Farell was detained at Neocum so as Calvin alone carries away the glory of that reformed Church It was Bezaes opinion concerning these three that a compleat Pastor might be composed of them taking boldnesse from Farel eloquence from Viret and solid substance from Calvin every word appearing a grave sentence In the year 1542. Calvin was exercised with many laborious imployments not onely concerning the affaires of Geneva but also about the comforting and relieving of such as were banished their Countrey for the profession of the Gospell and also by writing consolatory Letters unto them for their confirmation and strengthning in the extremity of their afflictions unto these also were added first a Famine secondly a Pestilence both being predominant at one and the same time in Geneva Now because the custome of the City was to place such as were infected in a Pesthouse for that cause erected without the City one Blanchetus tooke upon him the charge of visiting the sicke and Calvin by the command of the Senate was delivered from that action Then he turned himselfe unto the suppressing of such false Doctrine as crept into the Church for the eclypsing of the truth And first he confuted that opinion of Petrus Tossanus concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Then he confuted the Articles set forth at Sorbon He overthrew Albertus Pighius concerning Free-will refuted the opinion of Sebastianus Castellio concerning the Song of Salomon and caused him to be banished the City of Geneva In the year 1544. Carolus the fith intending to make War against the French King commanded a peace amongst the Churches in Germanie untill such time as a generall Councell was called which he promised should shortly be effected and in the
Ridley Latimer and afterwards Cranmer men of incomparable piety whereby the propagation of the truth was hindred There hapned also other causes of discontent as the faction of some neighbouring Pastors bewitched with the instigation of that Carmelite Bolsecus who bitterly inveighed against him concerning Predestination whereupon he obtained leave of the Senate to go unto Berne to be censured by the Church concerning that point in which censures the adversaries being found guilty they were expelled banished the Country and he found favor was in great estimation amongst the best In the year 1556. Calvin preaching in Geneva he was taken so strongly with an Ague that he was forst to leave in the midst of his Sermon and to come downe from the Pulpit upon this accident newes was spread abroad concerning his death which in short space came unto Rome and it was so ioyfully entertained by the Pope that he forthwith caused publicke prayers and thanksgivings to be dedicated unto God in all the Church for the same but the prayers of the faithfull prevailed more for he was so far from dying that being as it were endewed with another life he went unto France fuet ad Maenum being thereunto called for the removing the dissentions out of the Churches of France whence returning although somewhat sickly yet he ceased not to execute his constant course in his Ministery and also he carefully and timely confuted the hereticall opinion of Valentinus Gentilis touching three Gods and three Eternals lest by continuation it should take such root that it would hardly be plucked up And these were his actions untill the year 1558. wherein in pleased God to afflict him with a quartan Ague which caused great sorrow and lamentation in Geneva yet it continued with him but for the space of eight weeks in which time it weakned and so enfeebled his body that he was never sound untill the day of his death During this sicknesse he was advised by the Physitians and some of his friends to forbeare his usuall exercises and to cherish his body with a little ease but he would not declaring unto them that he could not endure an idle life In the year following Henry King of France intended to levell Geneva with the ground and to put the Inhabitants thereof to the sword but before he could effect that bloody project he was taken captive by a higher power and the City still flourished even in the midst of her enemies and that nothing might be wanting unto her prosperous and flourishâ—ng state Calvin caused a Schoole to be erected and consecrated unto the great God which should alwayes be furnished with learned Ministers and publicke Professours of the Arts and Tongues and especially of Divinity that so the City might enrich it selfe with its owne treasure In the year 1560. the Waldenses sent unto Calvin for his judgement concerning some points wherein he gave them aboundant satisfaction and exhorted them to joyne themselves with the other Protestant Churches And at the same season many Protestants in France hearing of â—he peace and quietnesse which the Church in England enjoyed at the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth many of them came into England and desired of Edmund Grindal 〈◊〉 Lord Bishop of London that they might have leave to sâ—â—d for a Preacher unto Geneva for the planting of the French Church in London who condiscended thereunto Galasâ—â—â— was sent Calvin having spent his dayes hitherto in extraordinary labours for his life may well be said to be a continued labour mixed with griefe as appeareth by the Works which he wrote being at Geneva The time was now at hand in which he must goe unto his eternall rest his diseases contracted by his indefatigable labours caused him to give over his Divine exercises for indeed how could he continue long when as his body was by nature weake and leane inclining to a consumption and because he slept very little spending almost all the year either in Preaching Teaching or Dictating for ten whole years he never Dined and after the set houre he would not receive his Supper He was subject unto the disease called the Migram for the curing of which he used nothing but fasting and that sometimes for the space of six and thirty houres After that his quartan Ague left him he was troubled with the Gout taking him in his left legge which to make it the more grievous was seconded with the Colick The Physitians applyed what remedies they could and he carefully followed their counsell He was armed against these afflictions with an admired patience no man ever hearing him uttering a word unworthy of himselfe in his greatest extremity but lifting up his eyes unto heaven he would chearfully utter the words of David How long O Lord. When he was exhorted by his friends to desist from reading or writing in the time of sicknesse he would reply What will you have the Lord finde me idle Not long before his death some of his fellow Pastors coming accordingly as they used to visit him they found him contrary to their expectation apparalled and fiâ—ting at his Table in that forme as he used to meditate resting his head on his hand he spake these words unto them I thanke you brethren for the care which you have over me but I hope that within these fifteen dayes the Lord will reveale how he intends to dispose of me and I thinke that I shall leave you and be received of him Growing weaker and weaker he was brought into the Senats Court by his command where after an humble manner he thanked the Senate for the curtesies formerly conferred on him and for the speciall care which they had of him in this his last sicknesse Not long after he received the Communion at the hands of Beza labouring the best that he could to joyne with the rest of the Congregation in singing of Psalmes unto God The day wherein he dyed he seemed to speake somewhat heartily but this was but the last strugling of nature for about eight of the clocke apparant signes of death were seen which being perceived of Beza he ran forth to acquaint his other Collegues with it but besure his returne he had quietly yeelded his soule into the hands of God leaving such a chearfull countenance unto the beholders that he seemed rather to be asleepe then dead Thus was that light taken away even at the seâ—ting of the Sun The day following there was great lamentation throughout the City the Church lamented for the death of her faithfull Pastor the Schoole sorrowed for the losse of so famous a Doctor and in generall all were filled with mourning because they were deprived of their onely comforter next unto God Many of the Citizens desired to behold him after that he was dead so great was their affection to him and some strangers also whom the fame of Calvin had drawne unto that place and amongst them the English Embassadour for France desired greatly to see him being
of Bishops for Iewels sake for he was a carefull overlooker and strickt observer not onely of all the flocks but the Pastors also in his Diocesse according to the Apostles prescription first he attended to himselfe and his owne doctrine and then to all the doctrine which as he heard was Preached in his See first he examined his owne actions and then the proceedings of all his inferiour officers The Chauncellour and Archdeacons are in the count of the law the Bishops eyes and his Collectours and receivers and his hands therefore he had a continuall eye upon these his eyes and held a strickt hand over these his hands and if these his eyes caused him to offend or raised any scandall in his Diocesse by winking at foule abuses and enormities or these hands by exaction and scraping or taking bribes he pluckt out the one and cut off the other And if other Bishops take not the like course though in their owne persons they be never so innocent and uncorrupt yet they will never free their See from foule and scandalous aspertions Iniquity will be committed even in the seat of justice and carnall vices winked at in spirituall Courts and one corruption be borne out by another corporall by pecuniary the heaviest censures of the Church will be inflicted upon the lightest offenders if they offer not to the Officiate shrine and the foulest delinquents will escape away by the Posterne gate of Iuno Moneta's temple Poore gnats if they be taken in their nets will be straigned to death and a camell laden with gold swallowed up and it will be said that Churches are visited before they be sick nay that they are sick of their Visitations and that all the Processes and Citations are ad collegendum not ad corregendum for collection of moneyes not for correction of manners To prevent these and the like abuses for which the court Christians heare ill abroad the good Bishop sate often in his Consistory and saw that all things were carried straight there neither did he onely sit as judge in the Consistory but also oftentimes as assiâ—tant on the bench of justice informing the Judges in such causes where the law of God and of the land seemed to clash and exhorting the prisoners willingly and patiently to subject themselves to the stroak of justice but especially to prostrate themselves before the throne of mercy in heaven and though they were cast by the Jury and condemned by the last yet they might be justified by grace and saved by mercy at the tribunall of Christ. What shall I speake of his peaceable ending for the most part at his Table litigious strifes and contentions of which it is hard to say whether they more nourished the Law or the Law them So was he thrice happy by the judgement of truth it selfe because a threefold peace-maker in his Consistory on the Bench and at his Table as a Judge Justice and an Arbitratour Yet did he no way forget that unum necessarium which Saint Paul so deeply chargeth Timothy before God and his Angels to be carefull of to wit to Preach in season and out of season 1 Cor. 9.16 I have heard of the Hetrurian goddesse that whilest she was clad in a Counâ—rey habit and worshipped under a shed in the field she delivered many Oracles but after she was brought into a Temple and cloathed with Purple and fine linnen she became mute and gave no answer at all So it falleth out with many whose office it is to publish and interpret the Oracles of God like Saul when they come to the high places they make an end of Prophecying Iewell did not so but the more eminent he was in dignity the more diligent in the worke of the Ministery not so much in frequent as in exqâ—isite Teaching for though his Sermons were very frequent yet they were alwayes rare for the matter and manner of his delivery he never Preached quicquit in buccam but as Abraham offered to Melchisedecke as St. Ierome renders it de prenpuis or summiâ—ate a ceri of the top and best of the heape The Roman Orator tels us of negligentia quedam diligens a certaine diligent negligence and learned ignorance when the speaker carefully shunneth all affectation of Art and laboureth that his speech may not seem elaborate But the sober and discreet hearer hath often cause to complaine of diligentia quedam negligens a negligent kinde of diligence in many popular Preachers who ascend frequently into the Pulpit but with extemporaâ—y provision are often in travile but without paine and delivered of nothing for the most part but empty words and idle tautalogies as if Sermons were to be valued by the number and not by the weight These mens Sermons though they exceed the houre in lenâ—th and the dayes of the week in number yet they themselves lye open to the curse of the Prophet denounced against all those that doe the work of the Lord negligently From the danger of which malediction Iewell was freest of all of his parts and place for though he might best of any presume in this kinde upon his multiplicity of reading and continuall practice of Preaching yet never would he Preach in the meanest Village without precedent meditation and writing also the chiefe heads of his Sermons And as his tongue was the pen of a ready writer so was his pen the tongue of a living speaker to all posterity When I perused the catologue of his Sermons I wonder what time he had to write agane when I number and weigh his writing I wonder what time he had to provide for Preaching and when I compare both I wonder how he could doe any thing els Yet did not his constant preaching take him off from his aceurate writing nor both from his discharging each part of his Episcopall function in his owne Person Which that it may not seeme incredible I will open his day booke and read out of it how he spent every houre Rising at four of the clock after praiers with his family at five and in the Cathederall about six he was so affixed to his studies all the morning thâ—â— he could not without great violence be drawne from itâ— after dinner his doores and eares were open to all Suterâ— and it was observed of him as it was of Titus who was stiled amor delitiae humane generae that he never sent any sed from him Suters being thus dismissed he heard wiâ—h great indifferency and patience such causes debuted before him as either were devolved to him as a Judge or referâ—â—d to him as an Arbitrator and if he could spare any tâ—me from thâ—se troublesome businesses he reckoned as cleare gaine to his Study About nine of the clocke at night he called all his sâ—rvants to an account how they had spent the day and then offered up his enening sacrifice together with them to God from his Chappell he withâ—â—ew himselfe againe to hiâ— Study till neer midnight and from thence to
his Bed in which after he was laid the Gentleman of his Bed-chamber red to him till wearied nature shut up the offices of hiâ— senses long after his Porter had lockt up the Gates of his Pallace This watchfull and laborious kind of life without any recreation at all save what his necessary refection at hiâ— meals and a very few hours of rest in the night aforded him spent the oyl of this sweet Lamp the faster and thereby hastened his extinction and death in this world Which as he foresaw by the spirit so he foretold by letters to the Bishop of Noâ—wich Yet upon record in the works of Doctor Humfrey and as he forefaw it and foretold it so accordingly he prepared for it as a Traveller who hath little day and much way left spurreth on faster that he may reach home by day-light so he desirous to finish his course before the night of death approached mended his pace and dispatched all sorts of businesse with more celerity and as he was visiting his Diocesse more severely then ever before God visited him and as he preached at Lacock upon the words of the Apostle Walk in the Spirit Death arested him in the Pulpit from whence he was carried to his bed where he still continued preached to all that came to visit him either by heavenly instructâ—ons or pious ejaculations or divine meditations and paraphrases upon the pâ—ssages of Scripture which were read unto him even till at one and the self-same instant he committed both his hearers and his soul to God Valerius Maximus writeth of Sylla that it was hard to say whether he or his anger were first extinct for he threatned his enemies dying and dyed threatning but on the contrary it may be said of this servant of Christ Jesus it is hard to determine whether his naturall heat or his zeal first was extinguished whether his Prayers or his soul first arrived at Heaven for he dyed praying and prayed dying His last words worthy to be written with a pen of Diamond never to be rased out were theseâ— A Crown of righteousnesse is laid up for me Christ is my righteousnesse this is my body this day quickly let me come â—nto theâ— this day let me see the Lord Iesu. He was buried in the midst of the Quire where after he had been interred two yeers Dr. Humfrey laid upon him a faire marble stone with an inscription upon it containing a brief Chronicle of his life of which monument of that religious Professor it may be truly said as it was of that which Iulius Caesar raised to Pompey Caesar dum Pompeii statuas erexti suas confirmavit In making this monument to continue the memory of Iewel he eternized his own but Iewel left himself a second monument more famous then that the Library he built in Salisbury and yet a third more lasting then either of the former his Works here ensuing whereof these were Manuscripts 1. A Paraphrasticall Exposition of the Epistles and Gospels through the whole yeer 2. A continuate Exposition of the Creed Lords Prayer and ten Commandements 3. A Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galathians 4. A Commentary upon the Epistle of Saint Peter The Printed are these 1. Anno Dom. 1550. A latine Sermon preached at Saint Maries upon 1 Pet. 4.11 2. An. Dom. 1558. Divers Sermons preached before Queen Elizabeth at Pauls Crosse. 3. An. Dom. 1559. Epistola ad Scipionem patritium veneâ—um de causis cur Episcopi Angliae ad Concilium Tridentinum non convenerint 4. Anno 1560. A Challenge to all Papists at Pauls Crosse with an Answer to Doctor Cole in defence of a Sermon preached before the Queens Majesty and her most honourable Councell 5. Anno 1561. Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae 6. Anno 1562. An Exposition upon the first Epistle to the Thessalonians 7. Anno 1563. An Exposition upon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians 8. An. 1564. A Reply to Master Hardings Answer concerning the seven and twenty Articles contained in Master Jewel his Challenge viz. 1. Of private Masse 2. Communion under both kinds 3. Of Prayer in a strange tongue 4. Of the Supremacy 5. Of the reall presence 6. Of Polytopue or being in many places at once 7. Of the Elevation 8. Of adoration of the Host. 9. Of carrying the Sacrament under a Canopy 10. Of accidents without subject 11. Of dividing the Sacrament 12. Of a figure in the Sacrament 13. Of plurality of Masses 14. Of adoration of Images 15. Of reading the Scripture in the mother tongue 16. Of Consecration under silence 17. Of the Sacrifice of the Masse 18. Of receiving the Communion for others 19. Of the application of Christâ— death by the Masse 20. Of Opus Operatum 21. Of the Title of the Sacrament Lord and God 22. Of remaining under accidents 23. Of Mice eating the body of Christ. 24. Of Individium Vagum 25. Of the form and shews of Bread and Wine 26. Of hiding and covering the Sacrament 27. Of Ignorance whether it be the mother of Devotion 9. Anno 1565. A Rejoynder to Mr. Hardings Reply 10. An. 1566. A defence of the Apology of the Church of England 11. An. 1567. An answer to Mr. Hardings Preface 12. An. 1568. A Treatise of the Sacraments 13 An. 1569. The view of a seditious Bull sent into England 14. An. 1570. A Treatise oâ— the holy Scriptures If any desire to be more familiarly acquainted with Iewels and to be particularly informed of his method and course of study his witty and learned Discourses at Table his Poems and penned Speeches in the Colledge his Exercises for his Degrees his holding the golden Ballances of Minerva before Vrania being Moderator in Divinity Disputations in the presence of Queen Elizabeth at an Act at Oxford as also how he attained to that admirable faculty of memory whereby he waâ— able on the sudden to repeat Chapters of names read to him backward and forward broken sentences and exutick words Welsh Irish or any other Language after once or twice reading at the most let him read the story of his life at large in Doâ—tor Humfrey or at least the abridgement thereof which I drew in the year of our Lord 1611. being then Student in Corpus Christi Colledge at the command of Archbishop Bancroft which as soon as it was sent up was suddenly printed and prefixed to Iewels Works before I had time to revise it and note the Errata which I entreat thee for thine own sake as well as for mine thus now to correct Page 5. line 30. The wisdome of God so ordered this matter adde For Jewel his greater honour and the advantage of the truth P. 7. l. 10. for the blessed Spouse of Christ r. the blessed husband of the Spouse of Christ. P. 8. l. 21. for Valerius r. Vellerius p. 9. l. 16. for his Apologie fell in the yeer 1566. r. the defence of his Apologie And l. 23. for cene r. scene p. 12. l. 17. which is his Church adde on
much lesse to lament him Towards Knox his later end his body became very infirm and his voyce so weak that People could not hear him in the ordinary place wherefore he chose another place wherein he preached upon the History of Christs passion with which he said it was his desire to close his Ministry finding his end neer he importuned the Council of the City to provide themselves a worthy man to succeed in his place Master Iames Lawson Professor in Aberdene was the man pitched upon and Commissioners were sent from the Church of Edinborough to request him to accept of the place Iohn Knox also subscribed that request adding Accelera mi frater alioqui â—erò venies Haste my Brother otherwise you will come too late this made Master Lawson to hasten his journey and when he was come he preached twice to the good liking of the people whereupon order was taken by the rulers of the Church for his admission at which time Iohn Knox would needs preach though very wâ—ak which also he performed with such fervency of spiriâ— that he was never before heard to preach with so greaâ— power or more content to the hearers In the end of his Sermon he called God to witnesse that he had walked in a good conscience with them not seeking to please men nor serving either his owne or other mens affections but in all sincerity and truth had preached the Gospell of Christ. He exhorted them in most grave and pithy words to stand fast in the Faith they had received and so having prayed zealously for Gods blessing upon them and the multiplying of Gods spirit upon their new Pastor he gave them his last farewel Being conveyed to his lodging that afternoon he was forced to betake himselfe to his bed and was visited by all sorts of persons in his sicknesse to whom he spake most comfortably amongst others the Earle of Morton came to see him to whom he said My Lord God hath given you many blessings Wisdome Honor Nobility Riches many good and great friends and he is now about to prâ—fer you to the Government of the Realm the Earl of Marr the late Regent being newly dead In his name I charge you use these blessings better then formerly you have don seeking first the glory of God the furtheance of his Gospell the maintenance of his Church and Ministry and then be carâ—full of the King to procure his good and the welfare of the Realm Iâ— you doe thus God will be with you and honor you if otherwisâ— â—e will dâ—prive you of all these benefits and your end shall be shame and ignonminie These speeches the Earl called to minde about nine years after at the time of his Execution saying That he had found Iohn Knox to be a Prophet A day or two before Knox his death he sent for Master David Lindsey Master Lawson and the Elders and Deacons of the Church â—o whom he said The time is approaching which I have long thirsted for wherein I shall be released from all my cares and be with my Saviour Christ for ever and now God is my witnesse whom I have served with my spirit in the Goâ—â—eâ—â— of his Son that I have taught nothing but the true sincâ—râ— Word of God and that the end that I proposed in my Mâ—nistry was To instruct the ignorant to confirm the weaâ— to comfort their consciences who were humbled under the sense of their sins and born down with the threatningâ— oâ— Gods judgments I am not ignorant that many have and doe blame my too great rigor and severity but God knoweth that in my heart I never hated those agaâ—nsâ— whom I thundered Gods judgments I did onely hate theiâ— sins and labored according to my power to gaine them to Christ That I did forbear none of what condition soever I did it out of the fear of my God who hatâ— placed me in the function of his Ministry and I know will bring me to an account Now bretheren for your selveâ— I have no more to say but to warn you that you â—ake heâ—d to the Flocke over which God hath placed you Over seers which 〈◊〉 hath redeemed by the blood of his onely begotten son and you Master Lawson fight a good fight doe the Worke of the Lord with courage and with a willing minde and God from heaven blesse you and the Church whereof you have the charge Against it so long as it continues in the Doctrâ—nâ— of the Truth the gates of hell shall not prevaâ—le having thus spoken and the Elders and Deacons being dismissed he called the two Preacher to him and said There is one thing that grieveth me exceedingly you have sometimes seen the Courage and Constancy of the Laird of Grang in the Cause of God and now that unhappy man is casting himself away I pray you go to him from me and tell him That unlesse he forsake that wicked course that he is in the Rock wherein he confideth shall not defend him nor the carnall wisdome of that man whom he counteth halfe a god which was young Leshingâ—on shall yeeld him help but he shall be shamefully pulled out of that nest and his carcasse hung before the Sun meaning the Câ—stle which he kept against the Kings Authority for his soul it is dear to me and if it were possible I would fain have him saved accordingly they went to him conferred with him but could by no meanes divert him from his course But as Knox had fore-told so the year after his Castle was taken and his body was publickly there hanged before the Sun yet at his death he did expresse serious repentance The nex day Knox gave order for the making of his Coffin continuing all the day as he did also through all his sicknesse in fervent prayer crying Come Lord Iesus sweet Jesâ—s into thy hands I commend my spirit being ask'd whether his pains were great he answered That he did not esteem that a pain which would be to him the end of all troubles and the beginning of eternall joyes Oft after some deep meditation he used to say Oh serve the Lord in fear and death shall not be troublesome to you Blessed is the death of those that have part in the death of Iesus The night before his death he slept some hours with great unquietnesse often fighing and groaning whereupon when he awakened the standers by asked him how he did and what it was that made him mourn so heavily to whom he answered In my life time I have been assaulted with Tempâ—aâ—ionâ— from Satan and he hath oft cast my sinâ— into my teeth to drive me to despair yet God gave me strength to overcome all his Temptations but now the subtill serpent takes another course and seek's to perswade me That all my labors in the Ministery the fidelity that I have shewed in that service hath merited heaven and immortality but blessed be God that brought to my minde these Scriptures What hast thou that
paines To sowe good seeds and after reape the gaâ—nes He was belov'd of all that lov'd the â—ame Of learning for he had a winged name His care his love his industry was such That in few yeaâ—s his heart attain'd to much But in conclusion Enviâ— that still crowds Into true Fame involv'd him in the clouds Of sudden ruine Pâ—â—istâ— thought it good To take a furfeit of his guiltlesse blood The Life and Death of Matthew Parker who dyed Anno Christi 1574. MAtthew Parker was born in the City of Norwich Annâ— Christi 1502. and having some years at Schoole hâ— went to Cambridge where he was admitted into Corpuâ— Christi Bennet Colledg in which place he profited so much that he was chosen Fellow and grew so famous thâ—t Queen Ann Bullen mother to Queen Elizabeth made him her Chaplain whereupon he Commensed Doctor in Divinity and after her death King Henry the eighth and after his death King Edward the sixth made him their Châ—plaines and preferred him to be Master of Bennet Colledge besides other Ecclesiasticall dignities which they advanced him to but in Queen Maries dayes he was despoiled of all and was compelled to live a poor and private life but so soon as Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown she made choyce of this Doctor Parker for his admirable learning and piety to be the Archbishop of Canterbury Anno Christi 1559. which place he supplyed with great commendation for above fifteen years His works of Charity were very eminent He gave to the Corporation of Norwich where he was born a Bason and Ewr double guilt weighing 173. ounces as also fifty shillings a year for ever to be destributed amongst the poor of that City and six anniversary Sermons in severall places of Norfolk to Bennet Colledge he gave thirty Scholarships built them a Library and bestowed many excellent books and ancient Manuscripts upon it besides three hundred ounces of silver and guilt-plate and the perpetuall Patronage of Saint Mary Ab-church-London He carefully collected and caused to be printed diverse ancient Histories of England which probably had otherwise been lost He dyed in peace An. Christi 1574. and of his Age 72. What Heav'n bestow'd upon him he was frée To give to others for his Charitie Was known to many whose impatient griefe Inforc'd them to implore his sure reliefe His worth was such that t' was disputed which Pray'd for him most either the poore or rich The poore they pray'd as they were bound to do Because he fild their soules and bodies too The rich destr'd his life because his store Sustain'd their soules and help'd maintain the poore Thus having spent his dayes in love he went In peace to Heav'ns high court of Parliament HENRICVS BVLLINGERVS The Life and Death of Henry Bullinger IN the year of our Lord 1504. Henricus Bullingerus was born at Bremogarta a Town in Switzerland he was descended from an ancient and a noble Family much esteemed and honoured in those parts Being an Infant he was twice in great danger of his life but preserved by the powerfull hand of God contrary to the expectation of his Parentâ— and friends first from the Pestilence wherewith those parts were at that time grievously punished and secondly from a wound which he received in his â—hrâ—at by reason of a fall whereby he was made unable to admit of any nourishment for the space of five dayes His Father being a man of great learning and bearing an extraordinary affection unto the Arts and their Professors he was very carefull to provide that the tender years of this his Son might be bathed in the Fountains of Learning and for that cause he being not fully five years old he was sent unto a Countrey School neer adjoyning where he continued seven years but by reason of the inability of his Master he profited not much yet he attained unto that perfection that he exceeded those which learned with him not without the approbation of his Master His Parents well perceiving the towardlinesse of the childe and finding that Schoolmaster not to be a sufficient Tutor for him they presently entred into a consideration of sending him unto some more eminent place where he might be instructed in the Arts for the better perfection of nature and therefore in the year 1516. he was sent unto Embrick a Town in the Dukedom of Clire then famous for the many learned Schollers wherewith it was adorned and here he was comitted unto the tuition of Casparus Glogoriensis and of Petrus Cochemensis Mosellanus and others being men beautified with excellent endowments and famous both for their Method of Teaching and severity of Discipline which latter was most acceptable unto this Bullinger and for that cause being yet a childe he had an intent to unite himself unto the Order of the Carthusians it being the stricâ—est and most severest In this place Bullinger concinued three years to the great perfection of his Studies and increasing of his knowledge in the Arts and Tongues During which time he received little maintenance from his Father He furnished himselfe with victuals sometimes by singing sometimes by begging from doore to doore Which action he performed not because his Father was poore and could not or covetous and would not confer a sufficient annuall pension on him but he did it because he desired to have some experience of the miserable and wretched condition of poore men that iu future times he might be the more willing and ready to relieve and succour them Afterwards he removed unto Colen where he studied Logick and notice being taken of his excellent qualities he proceeded Bachelor of Arts and because there was great controversies in the Churches then touching some points of Divinity he inclined unto the Study of Theologie and withall desired to know of those who were esteemed the best Schollars what Authors were fittest to be read to ground him in the knowledge thereof They all advise him to consult with Lombard his writings being of good account and authority in those times This counsell was embraced by Bullinger who not contenting himselfe with that Author he went unto Georgius Deinerus by whose procurement he obtained an admission into the publick Library at Colen where he studied the Homilies of Chrysostome on Matthew read over some chiefe parts of the Workes of Augustine Ambrose Origen the Workes of Luther he read privately in his own Chamber which indeed were the meanes of inlightning his understanding for by the reading of them he was induced to peruse and to search into the Scriptures and especially into the New Testament whereby he entred into a detestation of the Doctrine of the Church of Rome and into a constant and firme resolution of rejecting the austerâ— life of the Carthusian Monkes In this Academy he went forth Master of Arts and then he returned unto his Fathers house where he spent a whole year in his private studies and meditations at the end whereof he was called by Wolfangus Ionerus unto
the rest amidst all these endowments and the respects of others even the greatest thereby deservedly procured of a most meek and lowly spirit He had two wives successively women of good birth and note and eight children by them He left this world to his eternall joy and gaine but to the great losse of Gods Church and griefe of all sound and godly learned on the fourth day of December in the year of our Lord 1595. and in the forty and seventh of his age having held the Professours chaire about sixteene years and the Mastership of Saint Iohns Colledge almost nine His corps was with very great solmnity and generall lamentation brought to the ground and lyeth enterred in the Chappell of the foresaid Colledge his Epitaph being engraven with letters of gold on a faire stone in the wall near to the place of its enterment His Workes extant testifying his worth are these 1 His Translation of Master Nowels Catechisme into Greeke 2 Hiâ— Translation of Bishop Jewels disputâ— against Harding into Laâ—â—ne 3 His Answer to Edmund Campian his ten Reasons 4 His defence of that his answer against John Durey 5 His Refutation of Nicolas Sanders his Demonstration whereby he would prove that the Pope is not Antichrist 6 A collection thereto â—dded of â—nâ—ieâ—t Heresâ—â—s â—aâ—eâ— i◠〈◊〉 to maâ—e up the Popish Apostasie 7 His Thesis propâ—unded and defended at the Commecement 1582. that the Pope is the Antichrist spoken of in Scripture 8 His answer to Willam Reinolds against the Preface to that against Sanders in English 9 His Disputation conâ—erning the Scripture against the Papists of â—hese times Bellarmine and Stapleton especially 10 His defence of the Authority of the Scriptures against Thomas Stapleton his defence of the Authority of the Churches 11 His Lectures on the Controversies concerning the Bishop of Rome set forth by John Allenson after his decease 12 His Lectures on the Controversie concerning the Church set forth by the same Party 13 His Lectures on the Controversie concerning Councels set forth by the same 14 A Treatise of Originall sin against Stapletons three former bookes of Iustifiâ—ation set forth by the same 15 A Lecture on the first of Timothy 2.4 read on Febrvary 27. 1594. before the Earl of Essex and some other Honourable Persons 16 His Lectures concerning the Sacraments in generall the Eucharist and Baptisme in speciall taken by John Allenson and set forth by D r Samuel Ward Let such whose merits whose indifferent fames Keepes life and soul together in their Names With much a doe let such require the praise Of hyred quils to cleare their cloudy dayes With borrow'd Sunshine let them strive to vamp Their wasted Mem'ryes by another Lampe Let those whom ordinary wrrth commends Receive Almes-praise from charitable friends Our learned Whittaker craves no expression Noe vote no Trumpit but his foes confession Whos 's well refuted Arguments proclame His everlasting honor and their shame He was the shield of Truth the scourge of error This Islands Tryumph and proud Babils Terror The Life and Death of Lambert Danaeus who dyed Anno Christi 1596. LAmbert Danaeus was born at Aurelia in France Anno Christi 1530. he was of an acute wit and wonderfully addicted to learning so that by his diligence and extraordinary pains he attained to a great measure of it in his younger years he studyed the civill Law four years at Aurelia under Anna Burgius then he betook himselfe to the study of Divinity and imbracing the reformed Religion went to Geneva Anno Christi 1560. He had a vast memory and read over many Authors he was so versed in the Fathers and School-Divines that few attained to the like exactnesse therein whence one saith of him Mirum est homuncionis unius ingenium tot tam diversas scientsas haurire retinere potuisse At Geneva he was admitted into the number of Doctors and Pastors and by his learned labors was exceeding usefull both to the Church and Unixersity alwayes imploying himselfe in writing ann publishing Commentaries upon the Scriptures and other learned treatises which were of speciall concernment From thence he was called to the University of Leiden where he was received with much joy and was exceedingly admired for his learning acutenesse of wit promptnesse and strength of memory in alleaging and reciting the sentences of the Fathers Schoolmen Canonists and prophane writers From thence he was called to Gaunt Anno Christi 1582. where he taught a little while but that City being full of tumults he foreseeing the storm that was coming upon it left it and being sent for went into Navar where by his teaching and writing he made the University of Orthesium famous and at last he there laid downe his earthly tabernacle Anno Christi 1596. and of his age 66. Danaeus that was acute and wise Own'd vertue as his chiefest prize He was a jem that much adorn'd The Church he much contemn'd and scorn'd The wayes of Popery his heart Was fil'd with comfort joyn'd with art He was esteem'd and lov'd of those That were industrious to oppose Erronious principels his minde Was by heav'ns powerfull hand refin'd Who at the last received his spirit And made him happy to inherit The Life and Death of Robert Rollock who dyed Anno Christi 1598. RObert Rollock was borne in Scotland of the ancient Family of the Levingstones in the year 1555. His Father knowing the worth of Learning was very careful to bring up his Son therein and for that end he sent him to Surline and placed him under Thomas Bucanan who finding hiâ— promptnesse and diligence tooke much delight in him From thence he went to the University of Saint Andreweâ— there he spent four years in the study of the Arts and so eminently profited therein that he was chosâ—n a Professor of Phylosophy In the year 1583. the States of Scotland intending to erect a University at Edenburg sent some to Sâ—int Andrews to finde out a fit man that might undertake the Government of it where by the generall vote of all there was none thought so fit for this worke as Rollock which the States being informed of they presently sent foâ— hâ—m and when he was come they entertained him courtâ—ouslâ— after he had been there a while he set upon the workâ— and young Students flock't thither a pace from all parts of the Kingdome whom he instrâ—â—ted in the Arâ—â— and governed with severity mixed with â—lemenâ—y and so educated them in Religion that God blessed his labours â—xceedingly amongst them After four years he examined them strictly and finding their proficiency they commenced Masters of Art then four Professors of Philosophy were joyned with him to share in the paiâ—s which were chosen out of the ablest of thosâ— that had commenced Masters of Arâ—â— Every morning Rollock â—alling the studâ—nts together prayed fervently with themâ— and one day in the weeke expounded some portion of Scriptâ—â—â— to them after which Lecture he took notice which of them had
eminent places from either For in the University he was called first to the Professors place founded by the Lady Margeret Countesse of Richmond and in the same he demeaned himselfe with so great approbation and good liking of the whole University that not onely for his sake they augmented the Salary to that Professors place assigned but the chiefe Professors place becoming shortly after vacant they conferred thâ—â— upon him Wherein as his other readings were generally both with much company frequented and with great applause entertained so especially those his Lectures upon the Apocalips and upon the Epistle to the Hebrewes which being also put in writing by him at the request of some great ones are said to remaine yet under hope of seeing sometime further light During this time hâ— tooke the degree of Doctor in Divinity when being called to answer the Act at the Commencement in publicke he maintained this Position that The Pope iâ— that Antichâ—ist From Peterhouse upon the departure of Doctor Hutton he was chosen Master of Pembrooke Hall and the same of him being now arrived at Court he was sent for up to Preach before the Qâ—een who so well liked the method and manner of his Teaching that alluding to his name as her wonted manner was to doe in like case where she liked and found fit matter for such expressions she said he was a White gift indeed and in testimony of her good opinion and esteeme of him ere he was thorowly warme in the Hedship of Pembrookâ— Hall she removed him to the Mastership of Trinity Colledge adding not long after the Deanry also of Lincolne thereunto At his accesse to Trinity Colledge he found divisions in the House by occasion of some that misliked the solemn rites and government Ecclesiasticall then setled and exercised in the Church of whom Thomas Cartwright Professor for the Lady Margaret was a chiefe man with whom he also entred the lists in writing by occâ—sion of his Answer to a Worke entituled An Admonition to the Parliament But by his wise and discreet carriage the matter was so mannaged that all things were setled in peace and quietnesse again Ten years he continued Governor there being entrusted with the education of divers of great birth among whom were the Earles of Worcester and Cumberland the Lord Zouch the Lord Verulam and Sir Nicolas Bacon his elder brother as also divers were trained up under him that were after advanced to Episcopall dignitie among whom was Doctor Babington sometime Bishop of Worcester whose Works testifie his worth And within those ten years he was twice chosen Vice-chancellour of the University In which time he laboured with the assistance of the right honourable Sir William Cecill Lord Treasurer unto the Queen to have the Statutes of the University being in many things defective recollected reviewed suppyed and amended that which by his travaile and credit with her Majesty was accordingly effected From thence he was removed to the Bishoprick of Worcester having taken his leave of the University and the Colledge by two solemn Sermons both perswading to peace and unity the one preached in Saint Maries Church the other in the Colledge Chappell on 2 Cor. 13.11 The revenues of which Bishoprick finding much impaired and impeached by some sinister courses making use therein of his favour and authority with her Majesty though not without expence of some round sums of money to give satisfaction to some for the more quiet composition who had goâ— the same into their hands he recovered again what had been fraâ—dulently intercepted and wrongfully detained to the no small behoofe of his Successorâ— He had not sat there above a year but he was made Vice-president of the Marches of Wales under the right honorable Sir Henry Sidney being then at the same time both Lord Deputy of Ireland and Lord President also of those parts In which employment he carried himselfe as with paines unweariable so with exceeding great integrity reforming many abuses and corruptions that he observed to have crept in and to be exercised either by the Officers belonging unto that Court or by some other that were joyned in Commission with him and with no lesse moderation of Fines and Penalties that which gained him much love and respect in those parts Besides this while he sat at Worcester upon complaint made to the Queens Majesty of many discords and disorders in the two Cathedrall Churches of Lichfield and Hereford he was by speciall Commission from her Majesty appointed to Visite them which accordingly he did reforming them both and appointing them Statutes for the better and more peaceable government of either Having spent six years at Worcester to the great contentment and with the generall good affection of all sorts in those parts he was now advanced to the highest pitch of dignity that our Church affordeth being called to succeed that most reverend Father in God Grindall in the Archbishopricke of Canterbury For the benefit of which seat also being many wayes much wronged he travelled as much and with as good successe as for that of Worcester he had before done for which his successors in either remaine beholden to him unto this day In this height of honour together with his Soveraignes highest favour he continued during the whole remnant of Queen Elizabeths raigne and some small while after King Iames his entrance alwayes constantly maintaining the present Ecclesiasticall Government against those that oppugned it and yet carrying himselfe moderately as toward all in generall so toward those also that therein stood out and holding a good correspondency with those in foraine parts as Master Beza among the rest that followed another course of discipline that which appeareth by diverse letters that passed to and fro betweene them He had the honour to be chiefe mourner at the solemne exequies of that Heroicall Princesse Queen Elizabeth who used also in familiar manner to salute him by the name of her blacke husband and of setting the Royall Crown on the head of that most learned and illustrious Prince King Iâ—mes her successor and of Queene Anne his worthy consort About seven months after which office performed returning by barge from the Bishop of Londons house at Fulham with whom he had been to consult about Ecclesiasticall affaireâ— in an high wind and a sharp day he took cold on his head and yet striving to attend his Majesty at Court on the next day being the Lords day after his accustomed manner he was taken there with a dead palsie whereof he dyed some few dayes after He was a man of a middle stature black heired of a grave countenance and brown complexion small timbered but quick and of indifferent good strength and well shaped to the proportion of his bulk of a milde and moderate disposition of a free minde and a bountifull hand towards his houshold servants his poore neighbours but especially towards Schollers and strangers many whereof resorting hiâ—her out of France and Germany among whom that faâ—â—â—â—â—
brest but entered not his body not so much by reason of the weake fence of his Gowne held up before him in folds as the strong buckler of faith which whosoever hath on him need not feare any torrour by night nor the arrow that flyeth by day Psalme 91.5 Howbeit though he then shunned the danger of this flightshaâ—t yet he escaped not other arrowâ—s mentioned by the Psalmist even bitter words these sharpe arrowes headed with malice and pointed with envie were daily shot at him not onely by forreigne enemies abroad as namely Weston and Spalatenses after his revolt dictione sarâ—ata studio vanissimus secta fanaticus but by ill willers at home whose loose life kept no good quarter with his strict government Who as he was a most exact observer of the Statutes himselfe so he was a most sever censurer of the contemners and wilfull breakers thereof and though he were of a tender and compassionate disposition yet like a wise Chirurgion when hâ— saw Plaisters and Poultesses would doe no good and the flesh begin to gangreine he cut off by expulsion two rotten members of that Society Cuncta prius tentanda sed immedicabile vulnus â—use recidendum est ne pars sincera traâ—atur The one of them was a Chaplaine of the House homo nullarum artium nullarum parâ—ium a worthlesse man who to his other impardonable crimes added a dull but most malicious Libâ—ll against the President himselfe and therefore deserved not onely to be banished the Colledge but exiled also out of all memory the other was a Batchellour of Art as I take it intra brennium probationes a man of other wise commendablâ— parts but of whom it might be truely said as it was of Galba ingenium Galbae male habitat This Delinquent who by often reiteration of the like offences had encurred the censure of expulsion which the President and seven Seniors were bound by oath to execute upon him craved leave of the President to make his farewell Oration His Theame was Medicum saeverum intemporanes aeger facit that is A waward Patient maketh a froward Physitian In that Speech of his he tooke occasion to justifie the President and Fellowes proceeding against him and depâ—ored his incorrigible enormities with teares but then it was too late nullis ille movetur Fleâ—ibus aut voces ullus tractabiles audit I confesse Senâ—ca his observation is true qui vult amari languida regâ—eâ— manu a Governour that will be loved and generally spoken well ofâ— must hold an easie reine but where mettle Colts or restie jades are to be broken he that holdeth noâ— a streight raine and maketh not use of a strong curâ—e may be cast out of the saddle as Doctor Reynolds his immediate Predecessour had like to have been whose pruning Knife though it were keen and sharpe yet was so discreetly used by him that the choyce Plantâ— in that Nursery never thrivâ—d better then in his time About this time Queen Elizabeth exchanged her mortall crown with â—n immortall and King Iames succeeded her and swayed the Scepter of this Kingdome who in the beginning of his reigne desirous to settle peace in the Church commanded many learned men to meet at Hampton Court to compose some differences about the externall Discipline of the Church In that Conference what part by royall command was put upon Doctor Reâ—nolds and how he acted it with profession and promise of all conformity appears by the Acts thereof set forth by Bishop Barloe After this Conference is pleased his Majesty to set some learned men on worke to translate the Bible into the English tongue among others Doctor Reynolds was thought upon to whom for his great skill in the originall Languages Doctor Smith afterward Bishop of Glosâ—er Doctor Harding President of Magdalens Doctor Kilbie Rector of Lincolne Colledge Doctor Bret and others imployed in that worke by his Majesty had recourse once a weeke and in his Lodgings perfected their Notes and though in the midst of this Worke the gout first tooke him and after a consumption of which he dyed yet in a great part of his sicknesse the meeting held at his Lodging and he lying on his Pallet assisted them and in a manner in the very translation of the booke of 〈◊〉 was translated to a better life All the time of his sicknesse saâ—â— when he conferred with the translators was spent in praâ—er and hearing partly Treatises of devotion and partly bookes of controversie read unto him This course held till Assention day when his sicknesse growing sore upon him he fell in a trance of which when he was recovered he spake comfortably to us all there present saying that He well hoped that he should have ascended that very day of oâ—r Lords ascention but now saith he I shall stay a little longer wâ—â—h you in which time I intreat you to read nothing to me but such chapters of holy Scripture as I shall appoint Among others designed by him when we read the first chapter of Saint Paul to the Philippians and staid a little upon those words God is 〈◊〉 record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Iesus Chriâ—â—â— and this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more 〈◊〉 knowledge and in all judgement that you may approve things thâ—t are excellent that you may be sincere and without offence till the 〈◊〉 of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God And proceeding afterwards in that chapter to the twentieth verse As 〈◊〉 wayes so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it 〈◊〉 by life or by death for to me to live is Christ and to dye is gainâ—â— but if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall choose I wot not for I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is farre better neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you And as we were going further and reading the five and twentietâ— verse having this confidence I know that I shall abide and continâ—â— with you he bad us there stop and make an end intimatinâ— thereby that unto us which after a few dayes â—ell out to our great griefe that he was not to continue with us By this time the University being full of the newes of his end approaching the Noble men Sons then reâ—iding in the University and the Heads of divers Colledges together with the Kings Professor Doctor Holland came to visit him who Prayed with him and for him for whose love Doctor Reynolds thanked him the day before he dyed when the Vicechancellour Doctor Aery and Master Boâ—lton of Brazennose Master Wilkinson of Wadsdowne Master Lindle Vice-president of the Colledge and my selfe came to take our last leave of him at the motion of Master Boulton Doctor Aery acquainted Doctor Reynolds what scandalous reports the Papists
comon shore Untill it stunk and stunk him out of dore Twlve years he serv'd the Babilonian with Drank of her cup and wallowed in her ditch Untill the sunshine of diviner Truth Shot saving Beames into his hopefull youth And led him thence to serve another Saint Whose mirth was â—eares whose freedom was restraint Whose progresse was a banishment whose food Was want and Famine and whose drinke was blood His dayes were full of troubles and his nights Were sad exchanges stor'd with feares and frights His wealth was Poverty his peace was strife His life was death His death eternall life ANDREAS GERARDVS HYPERIVS The Life and Death of Andraeas Gerardus IN the yeare of our Lord 1511. this Andraeus Gerardus was born at Hyperiâ— a strong and populous Town situate within the Province of Flanders his Father was a man of great estimation amongst the inhabitants of the same town by reason of his singular knowledge in the Law his Mother was discended from one of the Noblest families of that Province both of them being carefull of the education of thâ—s Gerardus they sent him unto Iacobus Papa a famous and excellent Poet to be instructed in the knowledge of the tongues which he attained unto in short time partly by the care of this Iacobus and partly by the help of Iohannes Sepanus being an assistant unto Iacobus Papa a man excellently learned and very skilfull both in the Greek and in the Hebrew tongue where he continued untill he came unto the age of 13. years at which time he desired to be acquainted with the French tongue and for that cause he became an Auditor unto Iohannes Lactaeus a man learned and eloquent who publickly taught the French tongue in those parts here he remained for the space of one year and afterwards by the advice of his father he was sent unto Tovrney where a publick School was newly erected for the information of youth in the Latine Greek Hebrew tongus but the discipline of that School being not pleasing unto his father he took him from thence againe intending to have him instructed in manners aswell as in learning wherefore he intended to send his unto Lavan an Academy in Brabant but hearing that too much liberty was there given and granted unto youth whereby they came to be corrupted with many vices he altered his purpose and bethought himselfe of sending him unto Paris where he himselfe in his youth had studyed but that determination was also hindred by the continued warres betwixt Charles the fift Emperour of Germany and Francis King of France wherefore he resolved to keepe him at home for a space untill he could dispose of him according to his minde employing him in the writing of such thinks as pertaine to the office of a Lawyers Clarke in which action he continued so long that he had almost forgotten whatsoever he had learned before now in the yeare 1525. it pleased God to call for his fathâ—r out of this vale of misery who on his death bed streightly charged and commanded his Mother to send Gerardus unto Paris that so he might goe forward in his studyes as soone as the Warâ— were quieted in France betwixt the Emperour and the King which fell out in the year 1528. then went Gerardus unto Pariâ— being furnished with Commendatory letters unto Antonius Helhucius then Senator of the Pâ—rliament â—nd unto Iohannes Campis Licenciate in Divinity who were also intreated to furnish him with things necessary for his studyâ—s if hiâ— mother were hindred by the continuation of the Wars from the performance of the â—ame this Iohannes de Campiâ— seeing the hopefulnesse of the youth kept him in his owne house the space of one year where he attained unto great perfâ—ction in Logick the year following he wâ—nt unto Paris where he acquainted himselfe with Iâ—â—â—â—imus Bingelbiâ—guâ—â— Bâ—abanâ—er a man excellently qualified from whom Gerardâ—s received good instructions touching a methodicall manner of proceeding in his studies after that hâ— had continued here for the space of three years for the better retayning of tâ—at learning which he had gotten he privâ—tly read both Logick and Rhetorick unto others himselfe remaining still an Auditor unto the publick explanation of Aristotles Phisicks in the Schools In the year following he desired to see Flanders and to visit his friends and to know how much of that Portion was remaining which his Father had left him for the prosecution of his studyes which being done and finding a sufficient competency to remaine which would keep him â— long time at the University he returned unto Paris againe with and an intent to addict himselfe unto studyes of greater moment and so he forthwith entred upon the study of Divinity for which Paris at that time was famous and taking a great delight therein he daily frequented the Divinity Schooles so as he came to be of a singular judgement in matters of Controversies and at vacant times he would be take himselfe unto the Physick Lectures unto which hâ— had a naturall inclination he would also be familias with Cleonard Sâ—urmius Latomus then publick professors of the Tongues in the same University Having now well furnished himselfe with knowledge he desired to take a view of other Countries and Provinces lying within the Kinodome of France and that for two causes first that he might prrfect himselfe in the French Tongue and secondly that he might have a fuller understanding of the custome and disposition of that Nation and so leaving of the University he traveled through most parts of France where having given satisfaction unto himselfe he shaped his câ—urse towards Italie taking a full view of that part which lyeth betweene the Alpes and Bononia being now about the age of twenty four years he returned out of Italie into Flanders in the year 1535. From whence he went unto Lovan because he had sent his library from Paris unto the same place and having safely disposed of the same he betook himselfe againe to traâ—ell viewing almost all Lower Germany viz Gilderland Brabant Cleveland Vtrecht Freezland Holland and Zealand and from hence in the year of our Lord 1537. and in the twenty six year of his age he went into upper Germany to take view of such â—â—mous learned men as were to be found in those parts in which peregrination he saw Colen Marpurge Eâ—ford Lipsieâ— and Wittenberge and then returned againe into Flanders where he was set upon by some of his friends who advised him to betake himselfe unto some staid course of life seeing that his patrimony was all spent the gratesâ— part in the University the remainder in his travels unto which just demand and desire of his friends he was soone perswaded to subscribe and consent and forthwith began seriously to consider with himselfe how he might obtaine a place wherein he might exercise his gifts for the generall good of the Country whilst he was busie about that matter his friends had obtained by letters pattens from the Pope that
penitenciall exhortations mollified the stony hearts of those who had been before most obdurate in their sins lastly as dew that fals from heaven returnes not thither bâ—ck againe but inricheth the soyle and makes fruitfull the earth so his pains wheresoever he bestowed them were never stirrill but brought much fruit of comfort both to himsâ—lfe and of knowledge in the mysteries of salvation to his hearers In this time of his retired privacy he printed A mirrour of popish subtilties The exhaltation of the Kingdom and priesthood of Christ and first he ruff-hewed and after polished and published his exquisitr tract entituled Antichristi Demonstratio which was not onely highly commended by our learned Andrewes Bishop of Winton but so esteemed by King Iames a second Salomon that of all the fruitfull trees in our Paradise he chose to griffe his meditations upon the Apocalipse upon Abbot his stocke commanding that his Comment upon the 7.8.9 and 10. verses of the twentieth Chapter of the Apocalypse should be joyned unto the end of Abbot de Antichristo and at the last impression of the said book at London 1608. it is Printed after the end of the twelft Chapter before Elenâ—cus capitum of the said book an honour which his Majesty did to no other of the great Clarkes of this Kingdome Like as Mary Magdalens spicknard was so mingled with the oyntment of the Gospell by our Saviours precept that whosoever smelt the one cold not but resent the other so King Iames his savory meditations are incerted into Abbots contemplations of Antichrist that whosoever distasteth not the one cannot but well relish the other To these his labors which made the presse sweat againe and againe I must adde his most accurate Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans which he run through all not with briefe notes as others but large Sermons upon every verse in which he handled as his text gave him occasion all the controverted points of Religion at this day and he enclosed the whole Magazen of his learning and great pitty it is that the Church should be deprived of such a treasure considering Saint Austines observation is true the truth is neither mine nor thine nor his but all of us have a right to it whom thou callest to the Communion thereof threatning to deprive us of it if we keepe it private They therefore who withhold â—his Worke from the publick view as they wrong the Church in generall so in speciall the City and Cathedrall Church of Worcesteâ— to which he bâ—queaâ—hed it as a kind of legacie as the authors owne Words in his dedicatory Epistle to Bishop Babington printed with his Sermons upon the 110. Psalme import I will endeavour as opportunity may serve to present to their eyes meaning his hearers at Worcester the things that did once affect their eares and to make others also partakers of them and a little after in the same Epistle I am willing to expresse my affection to that City wherein I have bestowed the greatest service of my life and wherein I assure my selfe that a few names there are at least I hope many that shall be my crown and rejoycing in the day of the Lord Iesus I have considered him as ros according to the first syllable of his name now let us view him according to the second as ver a spring first passively then actively first as ver in himselfe when taken as a choyce plant and set in the famous nurserie of learning and Religion the University of Oxford he thrived exceedingly springing and growing from one profession to another from one degree to another from an Artist to a Divine from a Bachelour to a Master from a Scholler of Baliâ—l Colledge to a Fellow Though this were the time wherein he replenished his store-house of good Literature both divine and humane yet knowing that this kind of provission is like the oyle in the widdowes cruze which filled still by emptying and like the loaves Iohn 6. which multiplyed by distributing he joyning practise with his contemplation and by Lecturing first at Alâ—allowes and afterwards at Abbington he encreased his store and stocke of saving knowledge and thus he was ver passively in himselfe but when by Bishop Bancrofts meanes he was called to be Governour of Baliol Colledge and much more after when he was advanced to the Chayre he was ver actively and caused a spring in others for then as a carefull and skilfull Gardiner he set his nurserie with the best plants making alwayes choyce of the towardliest young men in all Elections and when he had set them he tooke such care to water and prune them that in no plaâ— or knot in the famous nurserie of the University of Oxford there appeared more beautifull flowers or grew sweeter fruit then in Baliol Colledge whilst he was Master What should I speake of his diligent reading to his owne Schollers and his continuall presence at publicke Exercises whereby he both Countenanced the Readers and encouâ—aged the Hearers Vrget praesentia Turin His first and chiefe care was to plant the feare of God in the hearts of all the Students in his Colledge knowing well that as God is the father of all things so Religionâ— is the mother of all vertues and little hope there is that they will take any care to observe the statutes of these Founders who regard not his statuteâ— who is the Feunder of all nature and grace and beares up the pillar of the whole World To imprint his Lawes therefore in their mindes besides the holy example of his strict and regular life and continuall admonitions and godly exhortations to study the Scriptures and exercise themselves in them day and night he took speciall care of publicke Prayers from which himselfe was never missing if he had his health though the mornings were never so darke and the season bitter and but finding some inconvenience in the absence of many of his company at evening Prayer pretending diverse occasions of businesse he altered the time of those Prayers puting them off from five of the clock in the afternoone untill eight of the clock at night and immediatly after payers he commanded the gates to be lockt to prevent or at least discover all Noctivagators Next to piety he most desired to setle peace in the Colledge and exterpate all faction which had been for a long time the baine of that Society for Doctor Lilly his immediate predecessour was in â—ome sense not free from lilliam inter spinaâ— a Lilly among thornes and which was worse it is though he cherished them for private ends of his owne but Abbot who had learned from his and our Master that blessed are the peace makers and that a house divided within it selfe cannot stand laboured by all good meanes to caement all parties and make up all the breaches he found wherein God so blessed him that by reconciling them one to another he united them all fast to himselfe and he gained more every way by
University according to the second Ver. Now let us scent him as Franckincense sending â—orth a most fragrant smell in his Diocesse according to the last monosyllable Thus. Franckincense thought it be often used in private houses where the roomes are dankish yet it is most proper for the Church and of all Churches for the Cathedrals where is the greatest concourse of people and the service performed with most solemnity here therefore consecrated as it were in a golden censer he burnt most fragrantly in his meditations ejaculâ—tions Sermons and exhortations breathing out odorem vitae ad vitam through all the Bishoprick of Sarum Other Bishopricks were voyced upon him as of Lincoln and Coventrie and Litchfield but the businesse of the nullity made a nullity for a time in his Graces good intentions and our Bishops hopes in so much that King Iames of blessed memory when Doctor Abbot newly consecrated Bishop of Sarum came to doe his homage his Majesty spake pleasantly unto him after this manner Abbot I have had very much to do to make thee a Bishop but I know no reason for iâ— unlesse it were because thou writest against viz. William Bishop a Popish priest whose refutation of Master Perkins his reformed Catholicke this our Abbot had not long before solidly refuted After his câ—nsecration at Lambeth and his homage done at Court he tooke the University in his way to Sarum and there taking his leave of his Mother he was accompanyed with all his brethren the heads of Colledges and Hals and of other his Oxford friends of good ranke and quality till about the edge of his Diocesse they left him with teares in their eyes erumpentibus prae dolore the Clergy Gentry of Sarum met him with teares also in their eyes of another kind emanantibus prae gaudio as he came into the City he was entertained with eloquent speeches which he answered â—xtempore in the same language they were made unto him and with worthy presence which were thankefully accepted and the next Lords day following he offered his first fruits in the Tâ—mple taking for his text the Word of the Psalmest 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth After he had verified the Words of his Text in the person of David his Sermon ended he verified it in himselfe and made a Dâ—monstration that he loved that house of God not in â—ongue onely and in word but in deed and veriâ—y for viewing exactly that beautifull Fabrick and finding it very much in decay partly through the negligence of his Predecessors and partly through the Covetousnessâ— of the Deane and Prebends who filled their purses with that which should have stop'd the chiâ—ks in the Wals he sent a peremptory summons for all the Prebends and partly by a seasonable admonition partly by increpations and threatnings partly by reviving an old Statue de quinta parte Prebendaâ—um he drew from them 500. l. which was all spent in the reparation of that Church And aâ—ter the repairing of the materiall temple he wholly laboured in repairing of the spirituall temple both by doctrine and by discipline visiting his whole Diocesse in his owne person and Preaching every Lords day whilst he enjoyed his health either in the City or in the neighbour Townes the last text he handled was Iohn 14. ver 16. I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever upon the first proposall whereof as many of his hearers presaged his departure from them so indeed proved it his last and Far-well Sermon for soone after he came out of the Pulpit he fell into grievous â—its of the stone which first stoped the passages of nature and within a few dayes shut up all the offices of his senses so was his hourâ—glasse contrary to all other the sooner run by being stopâ— with sand or gravell for by his perpetuall sedentary life such a stone was bred in his kidnies as no strength of nature or skill of Art could remove but there still remaining put his patience to the tâ—st and by extremity of paine and torment in a short space took away all sense of paine and life together whilest he lay thus as it were upon the racke in unsufferable torâ—ure of body his soul was at great rest and ease for the assurance of heavenly things caused him most chearfully to part wiâ—h earthly the quick sense he had of the powers of the life â—o come deaded the sense of his bodily paines Many yet living are much revived to recollect those his last admonitions and godly exhortations those I say who came to viâ—it him upon his death bed who were not a few and among others the Judges being then at Sarum in their Circuit To them he communicated out of his rich treasury of learning and devotion most Christian and grave advice and amongst many points he discoursed on before them he insisted very much upon the benefit of a good conscience rendring many thanks to his Creator for the great comfort he felt thereby now in his extremity and admonished all that heard him so to carry themselves in their most private and secret actions as well as in their publick that â—hey might obtain that at the last which would stand them in more stead then what all the World could afford besides wâ—â—h these his godly admonitions and exhortations and Episcopall benediction and prayers together with the paine of his diseasâ— being quite â—pent he lay as it were â—lumbering with now and theâ— a short ejaculation lifting up his eyes and his hands towards heavâ—n for the space of two or three houres and at the length March 2. 1617 between the houres of seven and eight gave up the ghost with these words come Lord Iesu come quickely finish in me the worke that thou hast begun in manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum quia tu redemisti me deus veritatis salvum fac servum tuum qui in te solummodo sperat confidit fiat misericordia tua domine super me in te domine speravi non confundar in aeternum The Thursday following his Funerall was solemnized in the Cathedrall Church over against the Bishops seat where he was buried not so much in earth as in water I meane the teares of the Clergy and all the inhabitants of Sarum which they shed in great abundance for his losse as they had great reason For whereas there are three vertuâ—s which most endeere a good Bishop to his Diocesse diligence in his Pastorall charge Bountifull Hospitality and a lovely and lowly carriage even towards hiâ— inferiors in all these three Abbot excelled first for his humility all they that knew him either under haâ—ches or upon the deck or sâ—â—ting at the sterne of the Church found no difference in him he was the same man in his private Cures and in his doctorall Chayre and in his Episcopall seate As a
Testimony of Salomon may be fitly given They are apples of gold in Pictures of silver For the silver brightnesse of his eloquent style expresses and gives a luster unto those goulden pieces of his accurate invention and rich materials furnished out of Scriptures Fathers and Councels Now although as elegantly say's Lactantius the cause of trueth may be defended without eloquence as it hath been often yet it ought to be illustrated by the Nitour any clarity of a perspicuous style so that it may sinke deeper into the minde by its owne strength and the helpe of the Oratory Thirdly this our Champion hath fought against both hereticks and schismaticks noâ— onely with strong but also as Quintilian advises with glâ—stering weapons Nor doth this present Worke of his though born after his death either for a fluent style or weighty matter come short of the others In which this godly Prelate burning with zeale both to defend the doctrine of truth and unity in the Reformed Churches not with Raâ—sâ—hornes as it were but with a silver trumpet hath demolished those wals of Hiericho that were first raised by Pelâ—giuâ— and then battered down by the holy Fathers but againe of late times begun to be repaired by the Jesuites and last of all by the Arminians For he hath so fortified the Catholick truth with the strongest Testimonies of the sacred Scriptures and the holy Fathers and with such powerfull reason against the chieâ—est arguments of the Semi Pelagians lately forbished over with the file of Arminius or Thomson that we doubt not but this very booke alone will abundantly satisfie all Persons of modest ingenuity whatsoever He fights with Arminius as with a forraign and more remote adversary at a kinde of distance but with Tomson he closed and grapels as with a Domestick fostered in the bowels of our Church of England and he hath so coreruated that Pamphlet of his which cuts off the grace of justification that for ever hereafter who so shalâ— fall upon Thomsons Diatriba he may justly make use of the censure of Diogenes upon Zeno's Diatriba This Thomsons Diatriba is truely Catatriba that this his passe-time as he tremes it sporting himselfe with the Precisians being himself one of the concision is a wast mine Courteous Reader farewell in the Lord make much of the Work for the Authors sake and of the Authors memory for the Works sake Surry Oxford Sarum clame Their severall intrests in our Abbots Name Surry bore him Oxford bred him Sarum ripe for high promotion led him To honors Chayre To whom he gave More lasting honor then he could receiveâ— This like a momentary Blaze Lent a faire light but vanisht with his dayes But that like Titans brighter flame Continues coeternall with his Name Nor is' t the least addition to his glory That learned Featlyes pen hath writ his story The Lif and Death of William Cowper who dyed Anno Christi 1619. WIlliam Cowper was born in Edenburgh and at eight years old was sent by his father to Dunbar School where in four years he learn'd the wholâ— course of Grammer and profited above his equals and at that time did God begin to reveale himselfe to him many times in the Schoole he lifted up his heart unto God begging of him knowledge and understanding and alwayes as he went to Church he sent up his ejaculation â—o heaven Lâ—rd how mine ear that I may hear thy Word At his entry into his â—hirteenth year his Father sent for him home to Edenburgh and presently after he went to Saint Andrews where he continued to his sixteenth year in the study of Phylosophy but made no great progressâ— theâ—ein yet the seed of grace was still working in him inclining him to a carefull hearing and penning of Sermons and other Theologicall Lectures During his abode there Satan working in corrupt nature sought oft to trap him in his snares but as himself testifies the Lord in mercy forgave the vanities and ignorances of his youth and preserved him from such fals as might have made him a shame to the Saints and a reproach to his enemies At the age of sixteen years he returned to his Parents at Edenburgh who propos'd to him sundry courses of life but his heart was still enclined to the study of the holy Scriptures whereupon he resolved to goe into England and the Lord provided him a place at Hoddesdon 18. mils from London just as he had spent all his mony which he brought with him out of Scotland where he was entertained by one Master Gutâ—ry a Scotch-man to assist him in teaching of a School There he remained three quarters of a year and then having occasion to goe to London he was unexpectedly called to the service of Master Hugh Broughton with whom he continued a year and a halfe and daily exercised himselfe in the study of Divinity At nineteen years old he returned againe to Edenburgh where he lived with his elder brother then one of the Ministers in that City who much furthered him in his former studyes at last he was required to give a proofe of his gifts privately which he did in the New Church before Master Robert Pont and Master Robert Rollock and some others by whom he was commanded to Preach in publick also Being twenty years old he was sent by the authority of the general Assembly which met at Edenburgh to be the Pastor at Bothkenner in Sterlingshire when he came thither he found in the Church besides ruinous wals neither roof nor doors nor Pulpit nor seats nor windows yet it pleased God to give such a blessing to his ministery that within halfe a year the Parishioners of their owne accord built and adorned the Church in as good a quality as any round about it There he continued seven or eight years yet subject to great bodily infirmities by reason of the wetnesse of the soyl and the moystnesse of the ayre and in that time did God begin to acquaint him with his terrors and with inward tentations so that his life was almost wasted with heavinesse yet thereby he learned more and more to know Christ Jesus About that time there was a Generall Assembly of the Church at Perth unto which some that lived in the North of Scotland sent to desire that a Minister might be sent unto them whereupon the Assembly appointed Master Cowper for that place and accordingly wrote to him by Master Patrick Simpson who comming to Sterling delivered to him the letters from the Assembly and the Town containing his calling to the Ministry of that place and shortly after the Towne sent their Commissioners to transport himselfe and family thither In that place he continued doing the work of the Lord for nineteen years together where he was a comfort to the best and a wound to the worser sort Besides the Sabbath dayes he chose thrice a week to convene the people together in the Evenings viz. Wednesdayes Fridayes and Saturdayes for preparation to the Sabbath upon which
his death It is â—â—ported by f Orat. de vit Obit D. â—â—â—r Marâ—â—â— Iosias Simleâ—uâ— how that after Dâ—ctor Peter Martyr that famouâ— writer had published many of his Labours he began at the last â—b initio Bibliorum at the beginning of the Bible and after he had expounded the bookâ— of Genesis and Exodus bonam parâ—â—m Levitici and a good part of Liviticus prevented by the stroke of death he ended all his labourâ— So â—his his exact parâ—â—â—ed Dâ—ctâ—r Andrew Willâ—â— besides many other Works had written his sixfold Commentaâ—ieâ— upon the same books of Genesis and Exoduâ— and had made a good progresse in the like way upon Leviticus since fiâ—isâ—ed by â—nother here also God determined his travailâ— And leâ— me not omit this one thing it my poore judgement very remarkeable how God in his divine providence and gracious favour to him answered him in a solemne Vow which you may find expressed in a latine Epistle of his in words to this effect in English g Epist. Dâ—d Prefix before the second part of his second Book of Heâ—â—p upâ—on Exod. It is most honourable for a Souldier to dye fighting and for a Bishop or Pastor praying and if my mercifull God shall vouchsafe to grant me my request my earnest desire is that writing and commenting upon some part of the Scripture I might finish my dayes And accordingly God gave him his hearts desire and denyed him not the request of his lips Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he commeth shall find so doing Matth. 24.46 He departed this life December the fourth 1621. in the fifty nine yeare of his age of whom considering his strength and healthfull constitution varying a little the words of Virgil I may say Had not God said no He might have lived ten years or twenty more It pleased God who hath appointed to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne proper and peculiar kinde of death and without whose Providence i Tert. li. 1. ad uxorem not a leafe falling from the ground so to dispose of this godly mans death that as a Pilgrim here on earth he must dye in an Inne In a journey from London homewards he was forced to take up his Lodging in Hodsdon a town in Hertfordshire having not farre from thence by k Cic. de Fat a fall from his horse his right leg broken It is sweetly said of Gregory Nâ—ssen l Dâ—â—â—nt Hierosol Wheresoever thou art whether in thine owne house or in an Inne God will come to thee if thou makest thy soule a fit lodging for him And that saying of Augustine may stop the mouth of every rash unchristian Censurer m Aug. epist. 122. God regardeth not in his servants after what manner they depart this life but what manner of men they are when they depart Here in this place he continued as Gods prisoner confined to hiâ— bed for nine dayâ—s together spending the most part of them in meditating upon the Song of Ezekiel when he had been sicke recorded by the Prophet Esay chap. 38. which heavenly contemplations were written from hiâ— mouth by a Sonne of his then attending upon him And upon two Sabbaths following within that time observing the people of the houâ—e upon pretence of waiting upon him to stay from Church hâ— called them together and gave them some concionatory exhortations both forenoon and afternoone and this with such a spirit as if had been no wayes sensible of his paine which putteth me in minde of that saying of Tertullian n Tertull. ad Mart. The leg feeles nothing in the nerves when the minde is as it were rapt in heaven Upon the tenth day after his hurt received o Martia l. 6 Epigr. 152. having over night supped cheerfully and reposed himselfe to rest early in the morning upon occasion of the toling of a Bell for one then at the poynt of death he suddenly awoke and with him his wife who lay in the same chamber by him he then tooke occasion to discourse with her touching the joyes of heaven and touching the Saints mutuall acknowledgement of one another in that blessed estateâ— which discourse ended he with his wife sang an Hymne composed by himselfe wherewith they usually every morning praised God for their rest the night past and prayed his blessing for the day succeeding Their spirits being thus raised they continued their melody and sang the 146. Psalme he sometime stopped a little and glossing upon the words applyed divers things therein unto himselfe and to his present condition And on the sudden his p Gennad Conc. de morâ— hour being now come fetching a deep sigh or groan he sunke downe in his bed but helpe comming in upon meanes used he seemed to raise up himselfe a little and then said Let me alone I shall doe well Lord Iesus and with that word he gave up â—he ghost Soon after his body was carryed by coach to hiâ— Towne of Barley and was in his Chancell solemnly interred with decent Funerall rites and with many teares and there lyeth covered with a faire Graven stone of Marble But his more durable monuments are these The Workâ— of Andrew Willet Doctor of Divinity in Latin and English Printed and unprinted Printed books in Latine 1 De animae natura viribuâ— 2 Sâ—cra emblemata 3 De Universali vocatione Judaeorum 4 De conciliis 5 De Universali gratia 6 De Antichristo 7 Epithalamium 8 Funebres Conciones 9 Apologiae serenissimi Regis Jac defensio In English 14 Synopsis Papismi in five bookes 16 Hexapla upon Genesis in two books 18 Hexapla upon Exodus in two books 20 An Harmony upon the first and second bookes of Samuel 21 Hexapla upon Daniel 22 Hexapla upon the Epistle to the Romans 23 Vpon the twenty two Psalme 24 Vpon the sevenâ—eenth of Iohn 25 Vpon the Epistle of Iude. 26 Teâ—rastylon Papismi 27 A Catalogue of good workes 28 Limbomastix 29 Loedoremastiâ— 30 Epithalamium in English 31 Funerall Sermons in English 32 An English Catechisme 33 A Retection 34 An Antilâ—gy 35 Hexapla upon Leviâ—icus Not Printed In Latine 36 Defensio Aristotelis â— contra Tempellum 37 Catechismus Latinus 38 Gâ—mitus Columbae ceu Comment in Jnam 39 Sâ—cri paralleli 40 Haeptaphonon 41 Scala Coeli 42 Antithesis Pontificiae Evangelicae Doctrinae 43 Variae lectioneâ— in Penâ—aâ—euchion In English 44 An exposâ—â—on upon Genesis 45 Marginall Annotations upon the Petateuch 46 The Doctrine of the Christian Sabbath Abi tu fac similiter See here a true Nathaniel in whose bresâ— A carefull conscience kept her lasting feast Whose simple heart could never lodge a guile In a soft word nor malice in a smile He was a faithfull labourer whose pains Was pleasure and an others good his gaines The height of whose ambition was to growâ— More ripe in knowledge to make others know Whose Lamp was ever shining never hid And when his tongue preacht
Tossan was sent in his room February the second Anno Christi 1620. as Pareus was coming out of his study the steps being slippery with the frost his foot slipt and he fell down sixteen steps and yet it pleased God by a wonderfull Providence that he light upon his feet and received no hurt by the fall which made him think of that promise Psalme 91. Hee will give his Angels charge over thee c. By his Doctrine and Councell he was admirably advantageous to the Church of God in many places He strongly asserted the truth of God against it's adversaries He was a great studyer and promoter of the Churches peace laboring that they which agree in the Fundamentals should not jar about matters of an inferior nature He wrote many â—xcellent Works whereof some were printed by himselfe others remained with his son Philip Pareus who hath since published them to the great benefit of the Church About that time the Spaniapds came into the Palatinate with their Army which brought great miseries upon that poor Country which Pareus fore-saw both by Prodigies and Dreames then did his friends both in Hiedleberge and other places pâ—rswaded him to retire himselfe to some other place of safety to whom he yeelded that so he might not fall into the hands of those bloody Papists whom he had irritated by his writings against them At his departure he cryed out O Hiedleberg O Hiedleberge but it 's better to fall into the hands of God then of man whose tender mercies are cruelty He went to Anvilla where he spent his time in Prayer Study and in Miditation waiting and longing for the time of his chang there also he wrote his Corpus Doctrinae which when he had finished he said Lord now let thy servant depart in peace because he hath finished that which he desired Presently after he felt his strength much to decay and he fell into a feaver and finding that the ayre in that place agreed not with him he went thence to Neapolis earnestly begging of God that if it were his holy will he might yet return to Hiedleberg and lay his bones there He made his will also finding his former Catarrh to return upon him againe yet it pleased God by the help of Phisitians to recover him whereupon he resolved to goe to Hiedleberge and taking his Grand-son young Daniel Pareus with him whom he loved deerly he came safely to Hiedleberge where he was received with wonderfull acclamations of joy about which time Prince Frederick came also thither from his Exile and the Sabbath following they received the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper together with much comfort But three dayes after his former disease returning he was sensible of his approaching death the Professors and Ministers resorted to him much bewailing their owne losse amongst whom was Henry Altingus to whom he freely opened his minde both concerning God house and his owne and presently after quietly departed in the Lord Anno Christi 1622. and of his age 73. Pareus also of high Germany A wreath of Bayes deserves most worthily A very learned godly grave Divine Whose precious labors made his fame to shine Chiefly those on the Romans And although At first he many straits did undergoe Both by his Father and his other friends Yet God who in deep straits assistance sends Made all for his best good t'operate And by them brought him to a blest estate For he became abroad at home renown'd And was with many honours justly crown'd Especially at Hiedleberge where hee From all earths feares was happily set free The Life and Death of Thomas Erpenius who dyed Anno Christi 1624. THomas Erpenius was borne at Gorcome in the Low-Countries Anno Christi 1584. of honest Parents In his childhood he was bred in the School at Leiden and admitted into that University at eighteen years old and in the twenty fifth year of his age he commenced Master of Arts then he fell to the study of Divinity and of the Orientall Languages under Ioseph Scaliger who observing his ingenuity and promptnesse often foretold what an eminent man he would prove in time to come From thence he travelled in England France Italy and Germany in which perâ—grinations he profited exceedingly both in learning and prudence At Paris he became intimately acquainted with Isaac Casaubone and went with him to Samure where he fell hard to the study of Arabick and profited so exceedingly therein that Casaubone had him in great admiration and estimation for the same From thence he went to Venice where by the help of some learned Jews and Turks he learned the Turkish Persian and Aethiopick Ianguages whereby 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 travell and was famous every where for his learning at Paris and some other places he bought many Arabick books so returned to Leiden An. Ch. 1612. About which time there was a purpose to have called him into England to have allowed him an honorable stipend but the year after he was chosen Professor of the Orientall languages in Leiden and presently after he set up though with extraordinary charges a Presse for those Languages whereby he published many ancient monuments both of his own other mensâ— 1616. he married a wife by whom he left three children surviving him An. Christi 1619. he was made Professor of the Hebrew also and though he had so many and great imployments yet he went through each of them with so great exactnesse as if he had nothing else to attend upon In the year 1620. he was sent by the Prince of Orang 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 againe the year after to Andrew Rivet and the French-Church to obtain of them their consents for his coming which businesse he transacted with so great prudence that he brought Andrew Rivet along with him to Leiden His fame was so great that the King of Spaine wrote to him making him exceeding great promises if he would come into Spain to interpret some ancient writings which never man yet could doe The King of Morocco also did so exceedingly admire the purity of his Arabick style 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 Orang 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 fâ—ll sick of the Plague whâ—reof he dyed Anno Christi 1624. and of his age forty
the greatest I feel is your cold hand and then being layed downe againe no long after he yeelded up his spirit unto God Anno Christi 1631. and of his age sixty He was one of a thousand for Piety and Courage which were so excellently mixed with wisdome that they who imagined mischiefe against his Ministry were never able by all their plottings to doe him any more hurt then onely to shew their teeth Laus Deo Of all the worthyes that deserv'd so well And did in parts and piety excell And Garlands therefore of just honour have None more did merit then this Past or grave Renowned Robert Bolton one well known For his divine rare parts second to None Who though in 's youth he seem'd a wicked Saul In 's riper years he prov'd a precious Paul A most renowed preaching Son of thunder Yet a sweet Barnabas even to deep wonder To sons of sorrow and for Gods blest cause Invincible in courage and from pawes Of Sathans power who pull'd afflicted spirits By comforts sweet herein being of high merits And as for 's preaching so for 's writings rare Extant in print even almost past compare One of ten thousand for his piety Constancy wisdome learning gravity Who as he liv'd belov'd so blestly dy'd And now his Sainted soul in heaven doth bide The Life and Death of William Whately who dyed Anno Christi 1639. WIlliam Whately was born in Banbury in Oxfordshire An. Christi 1583. of godly and religious Parents his father was oft Mayor of that Towne his mother carefully bred him up in the knowledge of the Scriptures from a child he was also trained up in learning in the best Schools in those parts and being of a quick apprehention a cleare judgement and a most happy memory he profited so much both in Latine Greek and Hebrew that at fourteen years old he went to Christs Colledge in Cambridge There he was an hard Student and qucikly became a good Logician and Phylosopher a strong Disputant and an excellent Orator He studyed also Poetry and Mathematicks He was a constant hearer of Doctor Chaderton and M r. Perkins And his Tutor calling his Pupils to an â—ccount what they had learned when any was at a stand he would say Whately what say you and he would repeat as readily as if had preached the Sermon himselfe being Batchelor of Arts his Father took him home yet there also he followed his study Afterwards he married a wife the Daughter of Master George Hunt an eminent Preacher who perswaded him to enter into the Minisâ—ery and therefore going to Oxford he commensed Master of Arts and presently after was called to be a Lecturer at Banbury w ch he performed with good approbation for four years and then was called to the Pastorall chargâ— there in which place he continued to his death He was naturally eloquent and had words at willâ— he was of an able body and â—ound lungs and of a strong and audible voyce He was a Bâ—nerges a son of Thunder and yet upon occasion a Barnabas a son of sweet Consolation His speech and preaching was not in the inticing words of man's wisdome but in the Demonstation of the Spirit of Power He was an Apolloâ— eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures he Catechized and Preached twice every Lords day and a weekly Lecture besides yet what he Preached was before well studyed and premeditated He usuall penned his Sermons at large and if he had but so much time as to read over what he had written and to gather it up into short heads he was able to deliver it well-near in the same words His Preaching was plain yet very much according to Scripture and the rules of Art He made good use of his Learning yet without affectation He used to read Books most swiftly yet not cursorily being able when he had don to give an account of the substance and most remarkable passages of what he had read And it pleased Gâ—d to put a Seal to his Minisâ—â—y in the câ—nverting confirming and building up many thousands in the course of his Ministery He was a diligent visitor of the â—ick under his charge without respâ—ct of peâ—sons he was a great Pâ—ace maker amoâ—gst any of hiâ— Flâ—â—k that were at variance he had an heavenly gift in prayer both for aptnâ—sse and fulnesse of Confessions Petitions Supplycations Intercessions and Praises together with fervency of spirit to power them out to God in the name of Christ. Wâ—en he had read a Psalme or Chap. in his Family in his prayer he would discover the scope meaning chiefe notes of observation and their use that his Prayer was an excellent Commentary thereupon and this not onely in the plainer but in the harder Texts of Scripture also His constant practiâ—e was besides Family-prayer twice a dâ—y and sometimes Catechizing to pray also with his wife and alone both morning and evening He set apart private dayes of Humiliation for his Family upon speciall occasions and oft for their preparation to the Lord's Supper at which times he would exceed himselfe in pouring out his soul to God with many tears He was much in dayes of private Fasting and humbling himself alone before God which impaired his health but made much for the health of his soul. He was very able and very ready to confer with and to resolve the doubts of such as came him He bare such a tender love to that great people over which God had set him that though his means was small and he had many offers of great preferment in the Church yet he would not leave them He was daily inquisitive afâ—er the affairs of Gods Church and sympathized with Gods people both in their weal and woe He was much grieved when he saw that difference in opinions bred strangnesse amongst Christians that agreed iâ— that same Fundamentall Truths He was judiciously charitable to such as shewed the power of godliness in their lives though they were not of his judgment in all things He was glad when any of the righteous smote him would tâ—ke it well not from his Superiours onely but from his Equals and far Inferiors and would really shew more testimonies of his love to such afterwards then ever he did before He abounded in works of Mercy he was a truly liberall man one that studyed liberall things seeking out to find objects of his mercy rather thâ—n staying till they were offered he did set apart and expend for many years together for good uses the tenth part of his yearly comings in both out of his Temporall and Ecclesiasticall meanes of maintenanceâ— he entertained somâ— poor Widows or necessitous persons weekly at the least at his Table and his estate prospered the better after he took this course and in his sicknesse he comforted himselfe with that promise Psal. 41.1 2. Blessed is he that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing c. His last dayes were his best dayes for then he grew exceedingly in humility and in heavenly-mindednesse And a good while before his latter end God gave him victory over his greatest corruptions which for a long time kept him in continuall exercise About eight weeks before his death he was much troubled with a cough and shortnesse of breath which much weakned him yet he Preached divers times till his encreasing weaknesse disabled him In his sicknesse he gave heavenly and wholesome counsell to his people neighbours and friends that came to visit him exhorting them to labor to redeem the time to be much reading hearing and Meditating upon the Word of God much in prayer brotherly love and communion of Saints and that they would be carefull to hold that fast that he had taught them out of the Word of Truth and that whil'st the the meanes of Salvation was to be had they would neither spare pains nor cost to enjoy it His pains towards his end were very great yet he bore them patiently He was much in ejaculations and lifting up his heart to God in behalfe of the Church and State and for himselfe also wherein he was most frequent and earnest a little before his death A godly friend Minister praying with him that if his time were not expired God would be pleased to restore him for the good of his Church or if otherwise that he would put an end to his pains if he saw good he lifting up his eyes stedfastly towards heaven and one of his hands in the close of that prayer gave up the Ghost shutting his eyes himself as if he were fallen into a sweet sleep Anno 1639. and of his age 56. God tooke him away a little before the Civill Wars began and before the sad desolations that fell upon the Town of Banbury in particular Renowned William Whately also wins Like fame with Bolâ—on as two equall twins Of honour and renown for piety And admirable parts in 's Ministry In Latine Greek and Hebrew rarely able A Disputant also unconquerable Of apprehension quick of judgement clear Strong memory and that which was most dear Of a most holy life and Conversation Who many souls did win to Christs salvation And Divine-like in Scriptures eloquent In Prayer Preaching faithfull and fervent Much charity and love who still exprest Among his people a Peacemaking blest Pittifull patient full of courtesie His soul with Christ now raignes most gloriously FINIS