at yorke 29. No. William Gibson Layman at yorke 29. No. Anno 1597. Elizab. 39. Yepes vbi supra pag. 710. ◠◠William Anlaby Priest at yorke 4. Iuly Iohn Buckley alias Iones Priest of the Order of S. Francis at S. Thomas waterings 12. Iuly Thomas Warcop Henrie Abbot Edward Fulthorpe Laymen at yorke 4. Iuly Anno 1598. Elizab 40. Christopher Robinson Priest at Carlile Peter Snow Priest at yorke Richard Horner Priest at yorke Ralfe Grimston Layman at yorke Iohn Britton Layman at yorke Anno 1599. Mathew Hayes Priest at yorke Anno 1600. Elizab. 42. Christopher Wharton Priest at yorke 18. May. Relatio 16 Mart. à Th. VV. edit Iohn Rigby Gentleman at S. Thomas Wateringes 21. Iuly Robert Nutter Priest at Lancaster in Iune Edward Thwinge Priest at Lancaster in Iune Thomas Sprot Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Hunt Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Palaser Priest at Durham in Iuly Iohn Norton Gentleman at Durham in Iuly N. Talbot Gentleman at Durham in Iuly Anno 1601. Elizab. 43. Iohn Pibush Priest at S. Thomas Wateringes 10. February Roger Filcocke Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tybur 27. Feb. Relat. 16. Mart. pag. 93. 94. Marke Barkworth Priest of the Order of S. Benedict at Tybur 27. Feb. Anne Heygham Gentlewoman widdow to master Lyne at Tybur 27. Feb. Robert Middleton Priest at Lancaster Thrustan Hunt Priest at Lancaster Anno 1602. Elizab. 44. Francis Page Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 29. Apr. Thomas Tichborne Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Robert Watkinson Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Iames Ducket Layman at Tyburne 29. Apr. Mathew Harrison Priest at yorke in April Antony Battie Layman at yorke in April Anno 1603. Elizab. 45. vltimo William Richardson Priest at Tyburne 27. February Vnder King Iames. Anno 1614. Iacob Reg. 2. Laurence Bayly Layman as Lancaster in March Iohn Suker Priest at Warwicke in August Robert Grissold Layman at Warwicke in August Anno 1605. Iacobi 3. Thomas Wilborne Layman at yorke 1. August Iohn Putchering Layman at Rippon 5. Septemb. William Browne Layman at Rippon Anno 1606. Iacobi 4. Edward Oldcorne Priest of the Society of Iesus at Worcester 7. Apr. Raph Ashley Layman at Worcester 7. Apr. Henry Garnet priest Superior of the Society of Iesus in England in S. Paules Churchyard 3. May. Anno 1607. Iacob 5. Robert Drury priest at Tyburne 26. Ianuary Anno 1608. Iacob 6. Mathew Flathers priest at yorke 21. March George Geruis priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne 11. April Thomas Garnet priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 23. Iune Anno 1610. George Napper priest at Oxforde 10. of Nouember Cadwalladar priest in Wales N. Roberts priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Thomas Somers priest at Tyburne 10. of December Anno 1612. N. Scot priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Richard Newport priest together with him A Compendium of the martyrs and confessors or Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth CHAPTER III. 1. WIlliam Walsh natiue of Donbuinein the diocesse of Meath first depriued of his bushoprick and spoiled of all his goods for not conforming himselfe to the Queens iniunctious about the oath of her ecclesiasticall supremacie and other lawes made against the holy Camons of the catholique church was put into a deepe dungeo◠wherein he was many yeeres afflicted with giues and fetters vntill by the fauor of his keeper he made an escape and fled into Spaigne and so ended the remainder of his blessed dayes at Alcala 1578. 2. Thomas Leorus Bishopp of Kildare willingly resigned his bishoprick in king Edwards dayes for that he could not with a safe conscience possesse the same and being to the great consolation of his hart restored againe vnto the same in Queene Maries dayes was againe in Queene Elizabeths dispossessed therof and of all other his liuelyhood well contented rather abiectus esse in domo Deimagis quam habitare in tabernaculis peccatorum he applied himselfe being banished to Munster in Ireland in teaching yong children to reade their books and instructing them in the christiā doctrine lightly he neuer came to any mans howse butt he exhorted therin nor euer supped or dined but in the later end therof he tooke occasion to edifie the people with one exhortation or another Once being at the Earle of Desmounds howse at supper a gentle woman beinge there retourning home told to her friends as a great wounder that Bishopp Leorus preached not at the later ende of his meat as he was accustomed he neuer did forbeare to reproue and reprehend vice wickednesse in any man whatsoeuer who was reproueable and persisting still in all hollinesse and zeale of godes euerlasting trueth vntill the last gaspe of his breath he died of the age of 80. yeers at the Nasse in the prouince of Leinster in Ireland 1577. 3. Morris fitz Gibbon Archbishopp of Cashall for the like cause was spoiled of all his goodes and suffred much laboure and trauaile and at lenght fled out of the kingdome of Ireland and died in the porte of Portingall 1578. Edmond Taner Bishopp of Clone and Corcke doctor of diuinitie who first being of the societie of Iesus out of which through great sicknesse not without licence of his superiors and aduise of the phisitions was enforced to come foorth and through the importunat sute of his frinds was persuaded to take vppon him the dignitie or rather the heauie bourden of a Bishopp especially in dangerous seasons of turbulent heresies by whicn he suffred great penury and want aswell in prison as out of it he died about the yere of our Lord 1578. 4. Hugh Lacy Bishopp of Limericke did suffer great callamitie aswell vnder king Henry the 8. as king Edward his sonne in whose times he was thrust from his place and function and also compelled to fly the Real me for not yelding to the supremacie of the yong king in the spiritually regiment of the church but being restored to his former dignitie in Queene Maries dayes by Cardinall Poole his hollinesse legat in England and Ireland was in Queene Elizabeths time enforced to suffer the like reuolution aswell of his bishippricke as of all other things and so to carrie the burden of Christs crosse he liued in woe and ended the same in ioy Anno Domini 1577. 5. Nicholas Skerret Archbishopp of Thomound a man of an innocent life and most zealous in the profession of the christian faith after suffering many difficulties and hard vsuadg in prison out of which he made an escape fled into Portingall and ended his holy life at Lisborne 1583. 6. Thomas O Hierly Bishopp of Rosse a man of great fame for good life and blessed conuersation after long imprisonnent in the Tower of London out of which he was enlarged by the entreatie of Sr. Cormocke Ma-Teighe Lord of Munstre who then was at the Court in Englād and after much affliction and tribulation liuing in woodes and montaines ended
mooveables they had all was sould and the price thereof brought before the Apostles And this they did as they were obliged by â—owe and as votaries they accomplished the same as saint Hierome expoundeth related by Platus de bono statu religiosi vpon that place of the Actes where Ananias with Saphira was stroken dead by S. Peter for reseruing to himselfe parte of his goodes which he had gotten for the land he sould Act. 5. For you said he did not lye to man but to God but had not he promised the same he should not haue bin taxed with that impuâ—ation of a ly against the holy ghoste nor so sore a punishment would haue bin inflicted vpon him had it not bin in his free choise to bringe the valew and price of all his goodes vnto the Apostles And S. Hierom saith Act. 2. that the state of the Christians in the beginninge was like vnto that of the Monks in his owne tyme in such sorâ—e that none had any propriety of goods none rich or poore amoungst them In descriptione Ecclesiae apud Philonem Act. 2. theire patrimonie was equally distributed euerie man receiuinge an equall portion they imployed their study and their tyme in prayers psalmes reading and other religious exercises as S. Luke and Phylo doe reporte Cass 2. lib. cap. 5. col 18. c. 5 2. Cassianus testifieth that this religious discipline of monasteries and conuentes was not only begunne by the Apostles but also was much increased and augmented by them and much more by their immediate and next successors men and weomen were disioined and sequestred one from another absteining from wedlocke communication of flesh and bloud and from all idle and friuolous conuersation of worldly vanities And therefore for solitarines they were called Monkes and for communitie of all thinges amongst themselues they were called Cenobitâ— Hier. in vita Mar. This religiouse discipline and strict profession was first practised by saint Marke the Euangeliste as S. Hierom Cassianus doe auouch for not only at Hierusalem and Alexandria this order was established but in other partes of the world as in Ethiopia the daughter of the Kinge there was consecrated vnto God by saint Mathew the Apostle holy Thecla by saint Paul in Grecia Domitilla by saint Clement at Rome in Fraunce saint Martha the good hostesse of our Sauiour erected a monasterie by Marcells in a place very remote where she with other religious weomen liued most vertuously 3. Dionys de Eccles Hier. c. 10 in descrip Eccles in vita Mar. Dionysius Areopagita saint Paules disciple declareth at large not only their increase in his owne time but also of their profession ceremonies and honour they haâ— in the world Philo the Iew which spake with saint Peter at Rome did write a booke in the commendacion of the professors of this religious profession thereby to extoll his owne nation for that they were so vertuously addicted Euseb 1. Eccl. hist cap. 17. Tert. de veland virg â—0 q. 1. ca. virginis Eusebius allso alleadgeth Philo and largely setteth downe his wordes to this purpose Tertullian wrote a booke of the vailing or mourninge of Virgins So wee read a decree of Pius the first Pope of that name being set foorth Anno 147. of the order in consecrating of virgins which order or ceremonies saint Ambrose and saint Eusebius sett downe Lib. de inst virg c. 17. Euse c. 4. Also Iustinus martyr Apologetico 2. pro christianis Clemens Alexandrinus ad stromatum 2. Ignatius disciple to saint Iohn the Euangelist ad Tarâ—enses S. Cipr. lib. 1. epist. 11. and Origenes Homil. 17. S. in Luke doe write of the order and consecration of Virgins Ruff. l. 10. hist Theod. l. 1 cap. 18. Ruffinus and Theodoretus doe write when S. Helena went to Hierusalem to finde out the crosse of Christe that then she founde virgins there dedicated to God and all auncient writers that euer wrote were not forgettfull of virgins vowes and votaries with which the Churche of Christ florished in all ages Of the increase of religious orders and how the same continued from time to time vntill our dayes CHAPTER III. 1. THe church of Christe hauing no intermission or time of breathinge from the cruell and terrible stormes of bloody persecuting tirantes for the space of 300. yeares when all the princes of this world complotted all deuised pollicies extended their force exercised theire bloody imbruementes to destroy her no prince or monarche being a christian vntill Constantine the greate about the yeare of our Lord 305. became a christian at which tyme the church florished in great peace and prosperity This religiouse institution of Virgins increased also by the great saint Antony the Moncke of Egipt commonly so called for his great sanctity austerity of life contempt of the world mortification of his carcase hatred of himselfe and inflamed charity towardes God and althoughe wee reade there were religious places wherein this religiouse profession was exercised Athan in vita Anthonij yet as saint Athanasius writeth he was the first that reduced and trained them to the order of monasticall rules and discipline instructing them with the rudimentes of this spirituall warfare and that vnder the gouernment and leading of others from whome like the industrious Bee he collected certaine spirituall honie as well for his owne education as for the instruction of others his resplendent sanctity being a shining light in the whole world by his blessed examples all the desertes of Armenia Scithia Nitia and both Thebaidas were replenished with monasteries all which were directed by the prouident care and wisdome of the said S. Antony being as it were their father generall whome others imitated and followed as S. Hillarion who was another S. Antony who founded first monasteries in Palestine as S. Hierom saith Our Lord Iesus hath old S. Antony in Egipt he hath younge Hilarion in Palestine and so others followed his steps and many monasteries learned from his the precepts of a celestiall life 2. In the same tyme also S. Basill the great so called also for his great learninge and sanctity instituted in Greece monasticall order and discipline who in a certaine epistle writeth thus Wee are accused saith hee that we cause men to exercise piety to forsake the world and all temporall cares which our Lord compared to thornes which hinder the fertility of Gods worde for such people doe carry the mortification of Iesus in their bodies and carringe their crosse they followe Christe I heare saith he that in Egipt there be some that doe imbrace this vertue and perhaps in Palesâ—ine there be some that follow this euangelicall life I heare also that in Mesopotania there are blessed and perfect people but wee are boyes in coÌ„parison of such as be perfect so that S. Basill both augmented and directed this reguler life according to order and rules for first of all he established most holy lawes that should confirme this holy
both a sacrifice and a Sacrament fol. 286 CHAP. III. Whether the Catholique Church commit offence in leaning to the litterall sense of Christs wordes in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar fol. 318 Lib. VI. CHAP. I. That there is a purgatory which is proued aswell by Scriptures and auncient Fathers as also euen by testimonies of Protestants themselues fol. 350 CHAP. II. Touching the Popes Authority in releasinge of soules out of purgatory fol. 359 CHAP. III. Whether it be against the lawe of God to forbid Priestes to marry and whether vowes and votaries are rather the inuentiōs of men then the ordinance of God fol. 363 CHAP. IV. Whether we ought to confesse our sinnes to priests and whether that priests cannot remitt or forgiue them fol. 372 CHAP. V. Whether fasting from one sorte of meate more then from another or for to vse any obseruation therein be superstitious according as protestants doe affirme fol. 377 Lib. VII CHAP. I. Whether the Protestant assertion be true which affirmeth that generall councells can erre fol. 386 CHAP. II. That the catholique church in those things shee doth propound to the christians to beleeue whether they be contained in the Scriptures or not cannot erre fol 395 CHAP. III. Whether Catholiques are to be charged with arrogancie for thinking that their church cannot faile fol. 396 CHAP. IV. That this Church which shall neuer be hid but remaine visible is manifest by the parable of Christ our Lord. fol. 402 CHAP. I. Li. VIII Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes so riche and ecclesiasticall possessions so great the poore wanting the same fol. 407 CHAP. II. Of the vnhappy endes and other punishments by which God doth chastice those that presume to robb Churches or otherwise to prophane and abuse sacred things fol. 416 CHAP. III. A prosecution of the last chapter fol. 426 CHAP. IV. Whether the kinge may take away church liuinges at his pleasure And whether as he is absolute kinge of the temporall goodes of his subiects he be so also of the Churche churche liuinges fol. 440 Lib. IX CHAP. I. That the protestant religion whose principall foundation and groundes are these articles aforesaid is nothing else then a denyinge of all Religion and piety and a renewinge of all heresies fol. 447 CHAP. II. That no iot or sillable of Christian religion ought to be counted a thinge indifferent or of smale moment and that whosoeuer doth not agree with the Catholique church in all pointes of beleefe cannot be saued fol. 459 CHAP. III. That the new Religion for that it takes away all religion is worse then that of the Turckes and Gentiles fol. 452 Lib. X. CHAP. I. An answer vnto Protestants barking against the religious institutions of holy Orders saying that religious vocations were not instituted by our Sauiour fol. 467 CHAP. II. That the Apostles and their followers in the primitiue church followed this estate of perfection fol. 473 CHAP. III. Of the increase of religious orders and how the same continued from time to time vntill our dayes fol. 476 CHAP. IV. That preestes in the primitiue churh euen from the Apostles time were religiouse and obserued religious order of life fol. 486 CHAP. V. Of the multitude of religious persons fol. 491 CHAP. VI. Of many great and eminent men who forsooke and contemned the world to become religious fol. 499 CHAP. VII Of Emperors Kinges and Princes who forsooke the world to become religious fol. 504 CHAP. VIII Of Empresses Queenes and Princes who likewise forsooke the world to become religious fol. 518 CHAP. IX How greatly religious people fructify vnto God and to his Church and that they are the best labourers which are therein fol. 525 Lib. XI CHAP. I. The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called fol. 534 CHAP. II. Certaine cruell and bloody factes committed in Fraūce against the Catholikes by those that the vulgar sorte doe cal Hugonotes from the tyme that they stirred rebellion against the kinge Anno 1562 fol. 544. A Catalogue of those that suffered death as wel vnder king Henry as Queene Elizabeth and king Iames from the yeare of our Lord 1535. and 27. of king Henryes raigne vnto the yeere 1620. fol. 555 CHAP. III. A Compendiū of the martyrs and confessors of Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth fol. 569 Lib. XII CHAP. I. Euery sect of heresies challinging vnto thēselues the trewe and Catholique church there is here set downe the true notes and markes by which the same may be discerned fol. 587 CHAP. II. That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euery one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many inconueniences and blasphemies which the new religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencies fol. 609 CHAP. III. The 2. excellency is the pure and hollie doctrine which it professeth fol. 610 CHAP. IV. The 3. Excellencie is most diuine Sacraments which confer grace fol. 613. CHAP. V. The 4. Excellencie is to fauor the good and to punish the wicked fol. 616. CHAP. VI. The 5. Excellencie is the conuersion of all nations vnto Christe and driuing Idolatrie out of the world ibid. CHAP. VII The 6. Excellencie of the catholique Religion is that the same is proued and auerred by so many good witnesses as sacred and learned doctors blessed saincts martyrs and generall counsells fol. 617. APPROBATIO Hic Liber cui Titulus The Theater of Catholicke and Protestant Religion nihil continet quod fidei vel moribus aduersatur quin potius multa quae tam ad fidem Catholicam stabiliendam quam ad haereses huius temporis impugnandas optimè inseruiunt Matthaeus Kellisonus S. Theol. Doct. WHETHER THE RELIGION WHlCH Protestants professe be a new Religion or whether the Romish Religion be new and that of the Protestant be ancient and ould CHAPTER I. 1. IF Protestants were of sound iudgment or nott distracted of their wittes they would neuer suppose much lesse auerre so manifest an vntruth as that the religion of the church of Rome is a new religion or defend an absurditie so egregious as Protestant religion to be the more auncient Wherfore this first assertion being so euident and knowen an vntruth such as doe follow are the lesse to be beleeued 2. It is well knowen that before these 80. or 100. yeares all Christendome did imbrace the catholike Roman religion so that it was terra vnius labii Gen. 11. Act. 4. as it is written in Genesis a countrie of one language and one speeche and as we reade of the christians in the Actes of the Apostles that first beleeued in Christ that they were of one hart and of one accord and as one God was honored and worshipped of all soe one faith was embraced of all they obserued one order of administration of the Sacraments they vsed and kepte one obseruation of ceremonies all were called Christians
which blessed name none disdayned none were called Gospellers Lutherans Caluinists Zuinglians Protestantes or Puritans Anabaptistes Trinitarians or any other sect with innumerable others which the Protestant religion hath sett abroach and inuented men were simple and honest in their dealinges faithfull of their promisses charitable in their workes zealous in their beleefe obediente vnto their Prelates and Pastors This is soe euident a trueth as that all bookes recordes generall and prouinciall councells all parleamentes of kingdomes all vnctions and inuestinge of Emperours and Kinges all consecration of Bishoppes all holy orders of Priestes all churches monasteries and chappels in the worlde all the gates of townes and cyttyes all monuments and recordes both spirituall and temporall all vniuersities and doctours of Christendome both comon and ciuill lawes of all countries yea Protestantes themselues doe plainly witnesse 3. But that Protestant religion is new is a thing most certeine for there are men yet liuinge at this day more auncient then it and can remember when it first came into England and Irelande Wee can shewe you the first inuentours and authors therof The place the time and the occasion by which it crepte in and infected these miserable nor then countries Who haue opposed themselues against it What garboyles callamities came into those countryes that nourished the same What rebellion and insurrectiō of subiects against their princes for defending the same What were the motiues of such as inuented yt and occasions of others that imbraced it The successe of the one and the other and by whome and how the same was condemned I pray you what can be more euident signes and tokens of noueltie for noueltie in all common wealthes but especially in matters of religion as S. Nazianzenus saith is to be auoided yea the Emperour of the Turckes did aduise the Queene of Transiluania to beware of the noueltie of hereticall sectes and that shee should neuer suffer the same to creepe into her countrie It is well knowen also that the name of protestāt religion was neuer heard of before the yeare of our Lord 1529. in the towne of Spira in Germany where the Lutheranes beinge as it were combined against the Emperour Charles the 5. did vse a kinde of protestation wherupon afterwardes they were called Protestantes 4. If thou say that it lay lurkinge and hidden in the worlde I aske where or in what place of the world in what kingdomes and townes or who were the defenders therof Truly no writer or historiographer did or could euer make mētion of any such nor euer before that time any mention was made of them nor was it euer heard that any hereticall secte was so closelie hidden in the worlde but it might be knowen at least when Luther himselfe taught the same they should then haue manifested themselues and yet we can finde none such for such as followed Luther they were before Catholickes Ex nobis prodierunt saith Saint Iohn sed non erant ex nobis Ioan. 2. They went foorth frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they had remayned with vs it is cleare therfore they were not good Christians who forsakinge the narrowe way of saluation runne headlonge into the broade way of perdition and licentious doctrine of newe sectaries Whereas the religion of Christ is a religion moste auncient sacred immutable impregnable inuiolable alwaies the selfe same holdinge and continuinge his vigor and force vnto the worldes ende it is the soule and life of the Church For euen as by the soule fleash is vnited vnto the liuinge man soe by religion mākinde is ioyned vnto the church of Christe beinge his spirituall kingdome and all that euer were saued either before Iustinus mart orat ad Anto. Aug. l 10 confess ca. 43. or after Christe oughte to be called Christians as Iustinus martyr and other holy Doctors doe say for that they embraced Christian religion and as saint Augustine saith Ipse vnigenitus Dei silius homo propter nos factus est c. The only begotten Sonne of God became man for vs that he should become the head of his whole Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile Matt. 16. vnto whome Christe promised to remaine withall vnto the consumation of the worlde Matt. vlt. So that the religion by which this church is vpheld and Christe professed did and shall allwaies continue 5. It is well knowen that the name of hugonots began in France an 1562. as themselues of their assēblies made in the nighte at a gate in Tours in France called Hugon confesse to haue taken their denomination went out of the Catholique churche and did embrace the impiety of Caluine In Scotland they fell alsoe from the Catholique Church into Caluinisme anno Domini 1560. In Flanders the Geuses reuolted from the said church ouerwhelmed in the pit of soe manny heresies anno 1566. In England they chaunged religion anno 1535. and first fell vnto Lutheranisme afterwardes to Zuinglianisme afterwardes the bodye of the realme fell from Zuinglianisme to puritanisme the next degree vnto Anabaptisme and since what numbers are fallen to the familie of loue And what swarmes of Athistes are sprunge vpp in euerie shire as Whittguifte noteth against Cartwrith 6. Are not the first Authours of the protestancy also knowen as Luther Carolastadius Oecolampadius in Germanie Pharell in France Thomas Crammer in England Iohn knox and Paule Methen a baker in Scotland George Browne in Irlād In the Apologie of the church of England pag. 142 it is said that Luther and Zuinglius came first to the knowledge of the truth Luth. tom 7. f. 307. and preaching of the ghospell Luther said that God reuealed vnto him the knowledge of his Sōne that he at lenghte might euangelize it to others and that the Gospell was first preached by him D Kellyson reply to Surcliffe fol. 149. But we knowe that they cannot alleadge the author of our religion neither can they nominate vs from any particuler man nor can they chardge the Catholique church with any priuate opinion or faith that is not vniuersally allowed embraced of all Catholiques neither can they nominate the time that shee fayled of her faith Neither can they obiect that our church hath separated herselfe from the greater church or that such as did adhere to the Pope were in number lesse then any Church For it is written in S. Gregories Epistles to the Bishoppes of the Easte that Affrique Spaine France Italie and all the worlde did communicat with him This verie argument other Doctours did vse against other heretiques as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de praescrip Qui estis vos inquit c. What are yee saith he from whence and when came you where did you lie hidden all this while alsoe Optatus mileuita lib. 2. contra Parmenand Vestrae inquit Cathedrae originem ostendite c. Shew the beginninge of your Chaire you who challenge vnto your selues the churche
written and said these wordes vnto him For thy errors and peruerse faith I will cutt shorte of they life 14. yeares blotted out his name who a lâ—ttle afterwardes was slaine by a thunderbolte neither will I handle the miserable end of Constantius Copronimus who was soe forsaken of God that he cried out and said I am cast into a fire Sigib An. 776. which shal neuer be quenched neither of Philip who impugned sacred Images degraded and put from the Empire and his name taken out of the Coyne and publicke Roules yea and blotted out of the Masse neither of Leon Isaurus Emperor also Ion. lib. 7. de vitis illust Geneb in Chron. Cedrenus Zonaras greci scriptores Mich. ab Iselt hist Surius hist who lost the occidental Empire and was the cause that Gregorie the 3. did transfer it to Germanye and the same translation confirmed by Leo the 3. Nether of George Pobibratius who persistinge in his obstinacie and perfidiousnes was excomunicated by the Pope and lost both the kingdome of Bohemia and his life The like did happen also in our dayes to Christiernus kinge of Denmarke who forsakinge the Catholicke faith was depriued both of his kingdome and libertie For omittinge more exaÌ„ples it is well knowen that God doth not only punish wicked Princes with woefull endes but also their kingdomes and Prouinces who embraced heresies And although the inconstaÌ„t course of this chaungeable worlde is such that noe kingdome or monarchie can houlde it selfe stedfaste or firme or free from reuolutions yet fatall chaunce and alteration for the most parte proceeded of heresies diuersitie of sectes in religion and this you shall know by historicall discourses if you will rippe vpp and peruse the anciente beginninges of these disastorous euentes The reuolutions of of the Romane Empire began by the Goathes 2. The Goathes were the firste that made their inundation in the prouinces of the weast Empire and made also hauock of the auncient monumeÌ„ts of the Romans the monarkes thereof abusinge their powerfull force and strenght accordinge to their owne sensuall affections and beastlie concupiscence ecclesiasticall censures beinge not obeyed for that the most parte of the Christian Princes held in contempte by the instigation of heretickes then springinge vpp all spirituall regiment and iurisdiction of the Church The Goathes brocken by heresie Carol. Sig. de occid â—mp l. 8. The Goathes themselues as longe as they were Catholikes were most valiant conquerors but by the instigation of their Bushopp called Vlsillus an Arrian hereticke they were presentlie deuided by sectes and discordes and ouercome by the Hunnes Atilla their kinge like a most raginge swifte streame ouerunning and destroying all where he came till he had dispossessed those Goathes of all the Prouinces they had taken Libr. 2. sacrae hist epist 93. And when those Goathes came to Spaigne and ouercame it the hereticks called the Priscillians infected it When the Vandalles destroied Affrike and made themselues Lordes of the same Africque confounded by heresie the hereticks called the Donaitstes peruerted and sowed their heresies there Africi abundantes immense multitudine Donatistarum quibus praecipites se dederunt in gurgitem turpitudinum vnde Deivindicta factum est vt dedignantes sanctis obtemperare sacerdotibus c. As Saluianus Bishopp of Marcell and Caesar Baronius seteth downe Ann. 427. 428. when Affricke did abounde with infinite swarmes of Donatistes by which they were owerwhelmed in the gulfe of all filthines by meanes whereof and for not obeyinge the holie priestes the wrath of God was executed vppon them and by the iuste iudgment of the almighty they were rendred vp to the mercilesse and bloodye handes of the Barbarians France destroied in time of heresie Likewise when the Franckes breakinge out of Germanie wasted all France the heresie of Vigilantius tooke footinge therin And when the Longobardes occupied and spoiled Italie Italy destroied by heresie diuers sortes of heresies were embraced there especially againste the councel of Constantinople and Chalcedon As also when the Normanes violentlie rushed into France the French shewed litle obedience to the Churche 3. But what shall I say of that wreatched and miserable tyme when the Sarasins breakinge out of Arabia despoiled and wasted the most notable partes of all Asia with soe many sharpe stormes and troublesome garboiles The Easte in a miserable estate by heresie Was not this pestilente generation first set abroache by the instigation of wicked Mohomett borne for the ruyne and destruction of mankinde whose force the diuision and heresies of Nestorius in the easte encreasinge more and more encreased Was not Sergius for that he was exiled out of Constantinople for that heresie of Nestorius the helper of this Mahomett against the Catholicke religion as Luther and Caluine doe now a daies helpe and further the Turcks and other reprobates of that staÌ„pe and liuerie against the Catholicke Church Marcell in Chron. Cesa 10 6 An. 445. Was not such a tumultuous broyle and confuse disorder made at Constantinople by the procurement of the heretickes the verie tyme when Nestorius hatched his heresie as that Marcellinus doth reporte 445. that the sedition was soe greate that many kild themselues yea such a slaughter was comitted that the streates did stincke with dead carcasses famine pestilence disease wreacke of all thinges which did happen there the chefe Church of that noble Cittie beinge burned soe as no sooner did that ougly blossome bud forth Marc. 24. Daniel 9. but that noble Cittie of all Citties before that heresie most florishinge was become most lamentable and desolate for heresie euer bringeth with it abhomination and desolation as the sacred scriptures proue Constantinople taken Afterwardes in the yeare of our Lord 1453. the said Cittie was distroyed and taken by the Babylonian and Turkish Pharao for that they held diuers heresies against the holly Ghoste and for that they did breake from the determination of the Councells of florence wherein they were reunited vnto the Romaine Church their Emperor Iohn Paleogus and their Patriarche consentinge thervnto And as longe as religion did florish in Greece their Empire alsoe did florish and when religion failed their Empire was tourned vnto a perpetuall moorninge and pittifull slauerie of vnsufferable tyrantes and Sathanicall crewe of Turkish burden And in the yeare 1558. the Prouince of Libonia which was of the knightes of our Lady de Teutonica was taken by the Duke of Muscouia when they loste their faith and ymbraced the heresie of Luther Hungarie and Trasiluania may to their great cost beare wittnesse also that this is true who forsakinge their Catholicke faith are ouerwhelmed with the infernall thraldome of turkish Pharao 4. Wherfore should I not spreake of great Brittaine sith Gildas that most eloquente and aunciente trewe writter of that tyme saith The Brittaines brought for their aâ—de the Englishmen againste the Pictes and Scottes at which time it was altogether
it seemed the lightest was extended vnto that which was most sacred holie which those ympious sacrilegious and Sathannicall Bishoppes haue violated they cas◠the Eucharist vnto dogges not without manifest tokens of Godes diuine reuenge for those dogges beinge enkendled with rage and madnes insulted vppon their maisters Hi sancti corporis guilty of the holy body and toare them in peeces and some of them did cast forth out of a windowe a boxe of holy Chrisme to breake it but the angelicall hande by Godes protection preserued it from beinge broken amoungest the stones The like sacriledge the hereticks of our daies beinge misled by the same Sathanicall spirite doe cōmitt and perpetrate And hauinge recorded other wickednes of those hereticques in all these execrable procedinges said this blessed Author the Bishoppes and priests felt their greatest smarte soe that the Bishoppes and priestes beinge taken away the people would be vtterlye and easilye deluded and ouercome for how can the flocke defend themselues when a multitude be gouerned without a rector noe otherwise then the Pastor beinge taken awaye the sheepe would be a bootie for the wolfes by your wicked aduise the faithfull are disarmed the priestes are dishonored and spoyled of that reuerence which ought to be giuen vnto them in honor of his holy name by whome they were ordayned For they were made perfecte by him and worthie of all reuerence and therfore you abuse Godes vocation and with all hostilitie you proceedee vtterlie defacinge Godes worcke destroyinge by the engines and inuentious of your malice Psal 10. Godes diuine ordinance and therfore of you it is said Quoniam quae tu perfecisti ipsi destruxerunt for whatsoeuer thou ô God broughtest to perfection they brought to destruction What is more wicked then to exorcise the holy Ghoast to breake altares to cast the Eucharist vnto brutish beasts And in the 9. booke he saith Quid enim tam sacrilegum est quam altare dei in quibus vos aliquando obtulistis frangere radere remouere What is more sacrilegious then to breake to cutt and remoue thoses altares vppon which somtimes your selues did offer in which the suffrage of the people and the members of Christe are caried in which the omnipotent God is called vpon in which by your praiers the holy ghoast comes and descendes Vnde à multis pignus salutis aeternae c. from whence comes the pleadge of euerlastinge saluation the safeguarde of our faith the hope of our resurrection is receaued for what is the alter but the lodginge and seate of the body and blood of Christ All these you in your furie and rage haue either torne or brocken or remoued wherein hath Christe offended you whose bodie and blood dwelled there for certaine momentes You haue brocken Challices which carried the blood of Christe and conuerted the vse therof and forme into Lumpes exposinge them to a wicked sale and haue herein redoubled your villanie by sellinge them to filthie women pagans haue boughte them to tourne them for to make sacrifice to their Idolls O wicked acte ô vnspeakable villanie to take from God that which you haue dedicated to Idolls to robbe Christe to the end you might exercise more sacriledge What horrible feates haue you practised towardes sacred Virgins consecrated and dedicated to almightie God from whome you haue taken away they veyle of their dedication Thus farre this blessed Saincte Optatus Milleuitanus Caes tom An. Christi 362. as Cesar Baronius doth relate The like tyrannie was exercised and atchiued by Iulian the Apostate Emperor for he made an edicte which he diuulged in all places to robbe and spoyle Churches againste whom S. Nazian framed his speech thus Naz. oratione prima in Iul. Your edict was aswell priuatlie and actually executed as it was publiquely diuulged and proclaymed against sacred and religious howses For that I should let slippe the spoylinge and ransakinge of Altares takinge awaye of all religious ornaments and donatiue◠from sanctuaries and holy places which were a bootie vnto his vnsatiable and greedie desire which was putt in execution by wicked instrumentes his impietie and couetousnes instigatinge him thereunto he determined alsoe to depriue the Christians of all libertie and trust in the common wealth and to inhibitt them of all Councells marcketts assemblies and iudgmente neither could any haue the benefitt of thies thinges but such as woulde sacrifice to Idols O lawes and law makers and kinges who as the beautie of the heauens and splendor of the sunne yea as the brething of aire by common clemencie exposed to all and that truly superabundantly do you so make the vse of lawes equall to all free men and reuerenced of all that you decree to depriue Christians of it that beinge euen tiranically oppressed they may not be able to exact the penalties nor to sue any one for any wronge or extortion done against them For to practise these thinges the hangman yea that homicide said the said Sainct pretended iustice Matt. 5. Rom. 12.1 Cor. 6. Matt. 10. and did vse a collorable defēse of scripture in soe doinge For he alleadged the places of scripture that Christians ought patientlie to beare all wronges to suffer al iniuries rather then once offend any That wee should possesse nothing or haue any propriety and that we should despise and sett at naughte all thinges that either the eare doth heare or the eye doth see or the flesh can feele that wee should render good for euill if a man would strike vs vpon the one cheeke wee should turne the other and that wee should possesse nothinge but our Cloake Ruff. lib. ◠cap. 32. Annianus lib. 22. or our Coate with many such places 7. But that of all most to be deplored he inhibited Christians the schooles of Rhetorique or Grāmer wherfore the said Naz. did most bitterlie inueigh against him sayinge what reason haue you of all men most incōstant to goe about to take away from Christians the vse of learninge thus far S. Naz. against Iulian. Alsoe in the yeare of our Lord 366. when the Arrian heresie was promoted by the fauor of the Emperor Valens the said holy man made a most eloquēt Oration the title whereof is called Ad sancta Laminia when that heresie said he was guarded and adorned with the ymperiall crowne of Valens and soe like a sawsie princocke grewe soe insolente not vnlike the daughter of Herodiades beinge not contented with the gift of the head of one S. Iohn Baptist was made droncke with the bloode of many Bishoppes and holy people in the repressinge whereof the blessed Sainct shewed his great desire and as in the state of the Easte Church in those daies if the Lord of hoastes non reliquisset Hobis semen c. had not left some seede with vs wee had bene like to Sodom and Gomora and as they had S. Naz. and holy Basill so we haue most vertuous holy and learned Doctors to represse this wicked heresie
it it is found oute how such a footestoole of our Lord should be adored and worshipped and that wee doe not only not sinne in aâ—oringe and worshipping it but wee sinne in not adoringe and not worshippinge the saâ—e Therfore when thow dost bowe downe and prostrate thie selfe vnto any such earth doe not behould it as earth but behould that holie one whose footestoole that is which thou doest adore and worshipp because for his sake thow dost adore worshipp it Aug. cont Iul. Pela lib. 1. Amb. de ijs qui misteriis initiantur cap. vlt. 12. S. Ambrose that blessed Bishopp of Millane of whome Sainct Augustine saith Veneror vt patrem in christo c. I reuerence him as a father for he through the ghospell in Christe Iesu begott me doth plainly confirme this truethe saying Ipse clamat Dominus Iesus Hoc est corpus meum c. Our Lord Iesus himselfe crieth This is my body before the benediction of those heauenly woordes another kinde of nature is named after consecration the bodie is signified or mentioned he himselfe called it his blood before consecration it is named an other thinge after consecration it is called blood And thow saidst therunto Amen that is to say it is trewe let thie inward minde confesse that which thie mouth speaketh and let thie affection thincke that which thy speech soundeth And in that chapter he saith But perchaunce yow will saie I see an other thinge with myne eyes how then doe yow tell me that I receaue the bodie of Christe this then remaineth yet by vs to be proued how many examples therfore doe wee vse to shewe that this is not that which nature formed but that which benediction consecrated And that the power of benediction is greater then the power of nature for so much as nature it selfe is changed Moises held in his hand a rodd he cast the same foorthe and it was made a serpent againe he tooke vpp the serpent by the taile and the same retourned to the nature of the rodde yow see then by the grace giuen to that prophett that nature both in the rodd and serpent was twice changed the riuers of Egipt rann with pure and cleane water blood sodainlie brake out from the springes and fountaines there was drinke to be hadd out of the riuers and at the prophetts prayers the blood of the riuers ceased the nature of the water retourned All the rest of the holie fathers and doctors that liued before these and such as came after doe confirme with one vniforme consent this sacred doctrine 13. S. Andrewe the apostle as Aloysius Lipomanes a moste graue and learned aucthor doth gather out of the approued aucthors when he was to be crucified said these wordes Ego omnipotenti Deo c. I doe daylie sacrifice to the omnipotent God the vnspotted lambe who beinge trulie sacrificed and his fleash also eaten of the people remaineth both sounde and aliue Ignat. ep ad Smyrnenses S. Ignatius which was disciple vnto S. Iohn the Euangeliste writing against the heretiques Symonianus and Menandrianus who as they denied the Incarnation of Christe soe they did alsoe denie the misterie of this blessed Sacrament Sic ait Eucharistias oblationes non admittunt quod non confiteantur Eucharistiam esse carnem saluatoris c. Soe they doe not admitt eucharistes and oblations because they doe not confesse the Euchariste to be the flesh of our Sauiour which flesh did suffer for our offences Theo dialog 3. which the Father accordinge to his benignitie hath raised vpp this place is cited by Theodoretus Tertull. lib. 2. ad vxorem in libro de Idolatria Tertulian also reprehending wicked priests exclaymeth against them sayinge Semel Iudei Christo manus intulerunt vos c. The Iewes did offer violence vnto Christe but so yow doe also violatt and handle his bodye moste irreuerentlie such irreuerent handes should be cutt of c. And how should he saie these wordes if he should thincke that in the Eucharist should be only the figure of Christs bodie So Orig. homil 13. in Exod. expoundinge the 25. of that booke homil 7. libr. numeri in caput Math. 26. Math. vbi sic legimus homil 7. Leuit. homil 9. in Leuit. concita in cap. 15. Matth. So Cyp. who suffred death Anno Domini 259. sermone de lapsis So Athanas who is citted of Theodoretus Theod. 2. Dialog Cyrillus Hieroso initio Cathechesis 4. mistagogice in tota ferè Cathechesi Greg. Nyss in lib. de vita Moysis So. S. Optatus Milleuitanus which did florish in sanctitie and learninge in one tyme with S. Ambrose Quid enim est tam sacrilegum what is more detestable then to destroie and defile the alter on which somtimes yow haue offred your selues in which the desires of the people and the members of Christe are carried and a little after what is the alter but the seat of the bodie and blood of Christe S. Naz. liuinge also in the same tyme Nazianz. oratione de Pascha absque confusione dubio c. without confusion and doubt we eare his bodie and drincke his bloode 14. S. Ephrem the familiar frinde of S. S. Hieron in Cathalogo scrip Basill of that authoritie that in the church after the scriptures his woorks were read as S. Hero doth wittnesse saith Quid scrutaris c. whie should yow search the inscrutable thinges of God if you curiously search them yow ought not to be accompted a faithfull christian but a curious companion be faithfull and innocent be pertaker of the vnspotted body of oure Lord and assured with a sounde faith that yow eate whole the lambe himselfe S Epiphanius which was a familier frinde of S. Athanasius doth compare the heretiques that denie Christs bodie to be in the Sacramente with Aesops dogge who hauinge a peece of flesh in his Iâ—wes passinge ouer a riuer and behoulding the shadowe thereof in the water did let goe the trewe flesh striuinge by duckinge vnder the water to gett only the shadowe and soe he had neither the one nor the other soe the heretiques let ts goe the trewe flesh of Christe only for a figure and soe they haue neither benefitt by the one nor by the other Io. Diaco lib 2. vitae sanctit q. Sainct Gregorie as Ioannes Diaconus doth write did proue by a miracle that was don that the bread was turned into Christs fleshe Damascen which liued in the tyme of Leo the Imadge breaker in the yeare of our Lord God 740. saith Panis vinumique c. Bread wyne and water by the inuocation of the holy ghoste are supernaturally turned into the bodie and blood of Christe and they are not two but one and the selfe same thinge bread and wyne are not the figure of the bodie and blood of Christe God forbid but it is the selfe same bodie of our Lord deified Theophil in cap. Math. 26. Vnto this agreeth
Theophilactus who liued in the yeare of our Lord 800. saying hoc est corpus meum c. this is my bodie he sheweth that the selfe same bodie is bread which is sanctified vpon the alter and not answering a figure for he did not saie this is a figure but this is my body 15. In the life of most sacred diuines I I cannot forgett the worthie and holye Saincte one of the best preachers that was in the worlde since the Apostles tyme I meane Sainct Vincent Ferrer who thus writeth Vincent sermone de institutione Sacrament Eucharist Deus à principio mundi voluit adorari sub aliqua forma God from the beginninge of the world would be adored vnder some forme or visible figure because God accordinge to his substance or essence cannot be perceiued or beholden of any And soe the Patriarches as Adam Abraham and others did behould him vnder an other forme which was not God and soe they adored not the forme or figure but God in the forme or figure Afterwardes in the tyme of the prophetts amoungest whome Moyses was the first vnto whome God appeared in the forme of fire in a burninge flame and Moyses did not adore neither the fire nor the flame but God in that figure Exod. 29. In Exodus God gaue the lawe in Mont Sinai and God discended there in the forme of fire and Moyses and the people did adore God and not the fire but in the forme of the fire Exod. 20. In another place he comaunded Moyses to make the Arck both within and without gilded with gould and soe all the Iewes did adore not the woode thereof or the gould but God which would be adored vnder that forme and soe saith this Father the Iewes doe scorne vs because wee adore God in the forme of bread 3. Reg 8. Soe in the booke of kinges when by gods comaundement Salomon made the Temple and the Arch soe secreetly kepte in Sancta Sanctorum as none could behold it God would be adored vnder the forme of a cloude soe Salamon and all the people did adore not the cloude but God vnder the cloude Afterwardes God came vnder the shape of a man vnder which shape he was also adored of the faithfull and so when he was to passe out of this world he ordayned an other shape vnder which he should be adored which is not the terrible fire neither the Arck or the cloude but the bread which is better then all these formes or figures which giues life because that the life of man principally consisteth in bread and soe wee doe not adore the bread neither that whitenesse which representeth the diuine puritie neither the roundnes thereof which representeth the diuine eternitie which hath neither beginninge nor ende but God vnder the forme of bread as he was honored of the faithfull before his passion as of the Magi of the Leper of the Chananean of the Hemorissa of the blinde borne and of many others and after his passion beinge risen from death he was honnored of the Apostles and of the deuoute women according to Sainct Mathewe And now beinge glorified in heauen wee behoulde him also in the Eucharist and although he discendes daylie therin yett he forsakes not heauen euen as the son giuing light to al the world forsakes not his owne spheare and the voice although it resoundeth in the eares of manny yett it remaines with vs. And if the corruptible or transitorie word or the created lighte can doe this much more the eternall word which was from the beginninge the sunne of Iustice which is Christe Iesus can doe more beinge nowe made flesh and sufferinge for flesh Genes 41. came to feede flesh And as Ioseph was adored in all Egipt because he preuented dearth by prouidinge corne whie should not Christe be adored of the Church in this blessed Sacrament which gaue bread from heauen vnto vs in great aboundance thus he 16. Let vs therfore awake out of sleepe I meane out of the drowsie and slumbering sleepe of sinne and heresie with Elias to eate as the prophet Dauid saith of the bread of Angells 3. Reg. 19. for wee haue a longe iourney in this persecution of the church where already the dreadfull proclamations doe souÌ„d the alarum in all the corners of poore IrelaÌ„d wee ought therfore euerie one to awake and gett vpp oute of the quaikmeere and pit of our former misdeamenors and to prepare our selues with a cleane harte against the thundringe threatnings of this bloody battaile Serm. de Euchar. This is the counsell of S. Cyprian in the persecution of the faithfull that euery one prepare and dispose himselfe to receiue this blessed Sacrament This was done in our dayes by the constant priests at Rochell in those tragicall garboiles of the Hugonitâ—s the cheefe of them beinge called the Abott of S. Bartholomew and the towne beinge surprised by the instigation of one Northe a minister sent thither by Caluine for that purpose And the poore Abbot to fortifie the poore priests did vse vppon the sudden the woordes of consecration vpon comon bread for that he durst not celebrate or reserue the holy hoasts in sacrario for feare they should be cast vnto the doggs or otherwise be irreuerentlie handled as those Hugonotts were accustomed to doe in other places of France and gaue it vnto those constant Martirs to the number of 24. and euerie one of theÌ„ beinge resolued rather to suffer any death then to make shippwracke of their faith were cast headlonge with a great stone about their neckes from the highe steeple that standeth ouer the keye The kinges mother also that constant Martyr receiued this blessed Sacrament before her execution which shee reserued in a sacred pix beinge secreatly sent vnto her Soe as euerie constant Martyr ought to applie to himselfe in his greatest extremitie this soueraigne medicine which is of greater force to animate and fortifie weake fainted harts then all the amber greece in the world and euerie vertuous Christian ought to saie with the Apostle In fide viuo filij Dei Galat 2. I liue in the faith of the sonne of God which loued me and yelded himselfe for me Ephes 2. and soe the same Apostle said in aÌ„ other place which loued his church and yealded himselfe for her and for whose clensinge and purifienge from sinne and saÌ„ctifienge hir with grace as the said Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1. Factus est nobis iustitia sanctificatio redemptio he is sanctification and redemption leuinge vnto vs continually a blessed Iewell which is his sacred flesh to worke those wonderfull effects which noe other flesh could euer bringe to passe for God doth make an instrument of those thinges for our saluation by his grace which otherwise were moste offensiue and hurtfull vnto vs. By the tree wee were made slaues by the noble tree of the crosse wee are made free By the vniuersall diluge of water the whole world
themselues to their definition and determination Acto 15. Chal in epist ad LeoneÌ„ 6. Synodus act 17. Celest papa epist ad Conc. Eph. Tolet. 3. Soe in the actes where the first christian councell was held and afterwardes in euerie age as occasion serued the councell of Chalcedon and the six generall councells and S. Celestine the Pope auerreth that generall councells are by manifest declaratioÌ„ shewed by Christ in these wordes Math 15. whensoeuer two or three shal be gathered together in my name there I shal be in the middest of them The Apostles which were replenished with the holy ghoaste did celebrate the first councell by the inspiration thereof when they said Acto 15. It seemeth good vnto the holie ghoaste and to vs. 2. There are four sortes of councells some whereof be generall some nationall Aug. li. 2. de bapt some prouinciall and some diocessiall Of the three formest S. Augustine makes mention of the laste the councell of Tollet The generall councells are such as when all the Bishopps and prelates of the whole world vnlesse they be lawfully letted doe assemble and the Pope or his legate ought to be President Nationall is when the Prelates of one kingdome and the Primate and Patriarche of that kingdome doth assemble together Prouinciall is of one Prouince Diocesiall is of one Diocesse General councells approued are reckned 18. in number The firste is of Nyce which was celebrated from the yeare of our Lord 328. vnto the yeare of our Lord 330. which was the 15. of Siluester the Pope and the 20. of Constantine the Emperor in which there were 318. Bishopps The second councell of Constantinople which was celebrated against Macedonius that denied the deitie of the holie ghoaste S. Damasus beinge Pope and Theodosius the great Emperor Prosper in chronico There were 105. Bishopps and 4. Patriarches Nectarius of Constantinople Timotheus of Alexandria Miletius of Alexandria and Cyrillus of Hierusalem Anno Domini 383. The 3. of Ephesus Celestinus beinge Pope and Theodosius the yonger Emperor Bishopps 200. Patriarches 3. vid. S. Cyrill of Alexandria that was the Pope his Attourney Iohn of Antioche Prosper in Chron. Socrates lib. 7. Iuuenall of Hierusalem against Nestorius Bishopp of Constantinople Anno 434. The 4. of Calcedon against Eutiches Leo the first beinge Pope and Matianus Emperor 454. accordinge the computation of Mathewe Palmer Bishopps there were 630. The 5. of Constantinople Vigilius being Pope and Iustinian Emperor Paulus Diaconus in vita eiusdem The 6. of Constantinople Agatha beinge Pope Constantine the 4. Emperor Anno 681. against those that held one nature only in Christe The 7. of Nice Adrian beinge Pope against Imadge breakers Ibid. lib. Rom. rer Anno Domini 781. in which there were Bishopps 360. The 8. of Constantinople Adrian the 2. beinge Pope and Basilius Emperor Anno Domini 87. The 9. of Lateran Celestine the 2. being Pope and Harrie the 5. Emperor wherin there were 900. Bishopps Anno 1123. for the recouering of the holy land The 10. Lotherius 2. wherin there were a thowsand Bishopps Anno 1237. Innocentius beinge Pope and Lotherius the Emperor The 11. of Lateran Alexander the 3. Pope and Fredericke the first Emperor for the reformation of the church against Waldenses Anno 1558. The 12. of Lateran against many heresies Innocentius the 3. being Pope and Fredericke the 2. Emperor for the recoueringe of the holie land The 13. of Lyons against the Emperor Fredericke the 2 Innocentius the 4. beinge Pope and for the recoueringe of the holie lande The 14. of Lyons wherin there were a thowsand fathers amoungest which there were 500. Bishopps Anno Domini 1274. against the errors of the Greekes Gregorie 5. beinge Pope and Rodolph Emperor The 15. of Viena Clement the 5. Pope and Henry the 7. Emperor against many heresies Bishopps there were 300. Anno 1311. The 16. of Florence against the errors of Greece Eugenius the 4. Albert Emperor 1489. The 17. of Lateran against scisme in the time of Iulius 2. Leo 10. Maximilian Emperor The 18. of Trentt which was begon Anno 1545. ended 1563. against the heresies of Luther Caluine and others in the time of Paulinus 3. Iulius 3. and Pius the 4. Charles the 5. and Ferdinand Emperors There were present 6. Cardinales 4. Legates 3. Patriarches 32. Archbishopps 208. Bishopps But all heretiques refuse generall councells as the Protestants doe and as the councell of Trent saith noe otherwise then wicked theeues refuse the triall of indifferent iurie 3. But we say that the holy councells of Gods church lawfully assembled by S. Peters successors not only by their personall presence Matt. 18 but also by their legates and substitutes in the definition of faith or good manners cannot erre For when our Sauiour said whensoeuer two or three shal be assembled together in my name there I wil be in the middest of them he added afterwardes of a man that is incorrigible tell the church thereof and if he will not heare the church let him be as an ethincke or publican I meane without faith and without grace He added moreouer in that chapter whatsoeuer yow shall binde in earth shal be bound in heauen and if two or three being lawfullie assembled together in Christs name Christ be in the middest of them vid. to assist them by his councell and light of vnderstandinge in those things that are necessarie for them how much more all Bishopps and Prelates which God hath appointed to gouerne and rule his churche shall obtaine of God knowledge and vnderstandinge for that function This argument the councell of CalcedoÌ„ did vse in an Epistle to Leo the Pope Concil Chalc. act 6 con act 17. Io. 16. Io. 14. saying Our Sauiour did promise to send the holie ghoast that should teach the Apostles all trueth and that he meant allâ—o the same to the successors of the Apostles he said that the holie spirite shall remaine in his churche for euer but the holie ghoast doth not teach the Bishopps in priuate or disioyned therfore when they be gathered together and therfore they say it pleaseth the holie ghoaste and vs which holie ghoaste is noe lesse necessarie for the conseruation of the churche nowe then in the begininge for the fondation thereof and therfore our Sauiour saith Mat. vlt. I wil be with yow vnto the consumation of the world and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the church which as S. Paule saith 1. Tim. 3. is the firmament and piller of truethe 4. The generall councell representeth the vniuersall church 3. Reg. c 8. Athan. in epist de Synodis Arimin Seuleuciae ep ad Episcopos Affricanos Epiph. in fine Ancorat Euseb lib. 3. de vit Const Aug. li. 3. cont Donatist c. 18 Ephes 4. Act. 20. Luc. 10. Hebr. 13. 1. Tim. 3. Tit. as the assemblie that was made by Salomon in the Temple represented the whole church of
1 lib. 10. cap. 23. that the diuill did possesse him and so he died miserably S. Isidor writeth that Agila kinge of the Goathes did prophane the temple of S. Acisclo martyr where his bodie was and that he made of the church a stable for his horsses wherupon his armie was ouerthrowen by those of Cordima and that he fled himselfe to Merida and was slaine by his owne seruauntes Suriu◠tomo 3. In the life of the S. Astregisill Bishopp of Burgis in Fraunce wee read strange punishmentes vpon those that robbed godes churche and prophaned his monasterie Zurita annali◠l. 4. c. 69. 5. When Philipp kinge of Fraunce in his warres againste Peter kinge of Aragon tooke the cittie of Giron and his soldiors prophaned the churches thereof and robbed the sepulcher of S. Narciscus patrone of that cittie out of that sepulcher there did issue such swarmes of flees and froggs of wonderfull greatnes which so flew vppon the souldiors and vppon their horsses that that there died within fewe dayes after 40000. French men and more And the said kinge Peter in a letter written to Sanchius kinge of Castile did certifie that there died 40000. horsses and the kinge himselfe died shortlie after in Perpinian soe as the prouerbe grewe in that countrie 18. Mart. of the flies of S. Narcisus as Caesar Baronius notes vpon the Martirologe of Rome 6. In the yeare of our Lord 1414. when the French armie tooke the cittie of Suesson which belonged vnto Iohn Duke of Burgundie and earle of Flanders and prophaned the church of S. Chrispine and Chrispinian whose bodies are reuerenced in that cittie the next yeare after beinge the verie daie of those Sainctes the selfe same armie which was both puisant and great in which all the nobilitie of Fraunce were was vanquished torne and altogether destroied by the english armie which was but as it were a handfull in respect of the great multitude of the French which the daie before refused to graunt any reasonable composition vnto the said english and this was the iuste iudgment of God inflicted vpon them by the intercession of those blessed Martyres whose church they had defiled 7. The Earle of Tirons soldiors did robbe and spoile the monasterie of Timnlage and Kilcrea and prophaned other churches cominge to releeue the Spaniardes that were compassed about they being within Kinsale by the english armie consistinge for the moste parte of Irish catholique souldiors the english beinge altogether sauinge a verie fewe consumed through famine and cold beinge not able to indure the toile and labour of so vnseasonable a winter campe Yet Tirons cōpany exceeding the other in multitude of people and euer before that time terrible to the english by reason of soe many great ouerthrowes giuen vnto them were brocken and put to flight by a fewe horssmen that issued out of the englishe campe beinge therunto sollicited and procured by the earle of Clenricard an Irishe earle then in the english campe Wherfore the said earle of Tiron retourninge from that ouerthrowe said that it was the vengeance of the mightie hand of God and his most iust iudgment which ought to be executed vppon such wicked and sacrilegious soldiors that perpetrated and comitted such outrage vpon sacred places 8. Doctor Owen Hegan that permitted or rather willed certaine soldiors of the Clencarties beinge then in open hostilitie in the weaste parte of Mounster against Queene Elizabeth to robbe a certaine Church into which the poore people of the counteie sent their goodes hopinge to find a safe sanctuarie therin and within a seanight afterwardes his owne brother who was one of the Queenes subiects was slaine by the verie same people vnto whome he gaue leaue to spoile the said Church and alsoe within one moneth himselfe was slaine and another priest with him not by the English but by Irish subiectes soe as there is noe acception of persons with God who beinge an indiffrent and iust iudge doth giue to euerie one according to his workes whether they be good or badd let noe man therfore say he is a priest or a catholique to collour and cloake therby his scandalous actions who of all men ought to shunn scandall and the occasion thereof Truly I haue found by certaine relation that the Irishmen neuer spared noe church monasterie or anny sanctuarie in their last commotions and insurrections and that therfore such as haue bene noted to defile and spoile such places did not escape a miserable end shorthly after the sacrilegious acts was comitted 9. Wee knowe that spirituall benefices and other ecclesiasticall dignities were not bestowed vpō the worthieste for learning or more vertuous of life but vpon those that were vpholden and defended by the strongest faction of the nobilitie there soe as fewe came in at the right doore like trewe pastors but like theeues in at the backe doore soe as that kingdome was subiect to this abuse confusion in S. Malachias his time as S. Bernard sayes who beinge made Bishopp of Downe Conor in Vlster by the sea apostolique beinge soe holie and learned as the said S. Bernard was sayes he was banished from Vlster by the Neales to haue that dignitie for one of their owne familie and who did entermiddle more in this busines then the Geraldines of Mounster who by the sword defended and vsurped the ecclesiasticall supremacie noe otherwise then kinge Henry the 8. did and two of his children although they haue not don it by parleament as the other did yet by the sword they haue done it soe as the ouerthrowe of that howse of other great howses may be ascribed vnto the couetous desire they had of the liuinges of the Church and the little regard they had to churchmen and churches or any other place though neuer soe sacred Yea sometymes they would not spare their competitors at the verie alter which in manny places they polluted with their blood Geneb in Chro. Anno 988. Anno iuris 10. The french histories doe write that this was the cause also that tooke away the crowne of Fraunce from the linage of Clodoueus which was the firste Christian king of Fraunce beinge conuerted vnto the faith of Christe by the praiers and deuotion of his most vertuous Queene Clothilda which was passed ouer vnto Charles the great and also after the line of Charles the great were careles of their dutie to God and his church God tooke the crowne from them also gaue it vnto Hue Capè and to those of his howse A prosecution of the last Chapter CHAPTER III. 1. WEe should neuer make an end if wee should register soe manny examples as doe daily occurre in this matter De mirabilibut 2. cap. 1. Petrus Cluniacensis who liued liued in the same time with S. Bernard a most holie man and therfore called in his life time Peter the venerable said that there was a certaine Earle in Macon a cittie in Fraunce not far from Leon who vsurped the liuinges
the sepulchers of sainctes to be reuerenced and worshipped and said moreouer that the praiers of the holy martyrs profitts nothinge after this life imitatinge herin wicked Porphiry and Eunomius by callinge them the sorcerie of diuills Aug. de ecclesiasticis dogma tibus c. 73. therfore S. Augustine did condemne VigilaÌ„tius Aerius did barcke against prayers and suffrages of the dead and maketh noe difference betwixt priestes and Bishopps The Peputians would haue women to be priestes vnto whome they haue attributed all principalitie August de haeres 27. as the Protestantes haue done to Queene Elizabeth Anno 1. Parl. c. 1. Luther tomo 2. li. de captiuit Baby Aug. Homil 50. de Socrat. hist l. 4. Cap. 23. Ambr. de penit li. 1. cap. 2. Of the same heresie also were condemned Eunomius as the said S. August de heresi heres 54. de haeres ad Luther Nouatus was condemned for an heretique by saint Augustine and saint Ambrose for denyinge poure of absoluinge sinnes vnto the priests and confirmation to Bishopps as saint Cyprian doth wittnes lib. 4. epist. 2. Theodoret. lib. 3. de haereticis The Pelagians denyed original sinne in infantes and taught that baptisme is not necessarie for them as saint Augustine writeth Aug. here 's 88. 3. S. Augustine and saint Optatus doe putt the Donatistes in the rancke of heretiques Aug. de heres 69. de vnitate eccle lib. contlitteras Petul. Opta lib. â— Cal. inst l. 4. cap. 15. Optat l. 2. Theod. Dra. 5. for sayinge that the churche fayled in the whole world and that it remayned amoungest themselues in Affrique the like Caluine saith of the Catholique churche Those Donatistes did cast the blessed Sacrament vnto doggs burne churches and breake alters tooke away all church ornamentes as you doe they abolished the sacrifice of the Masse as you doe of which kinde of people Ignatius sayeth there hath bene some that would not away with sacrifices and oblations because they confessed not the Euchariste to be the flesh of our Sauiour Iesu Christe Arrius Nestorius S. Aug. lib. contrâ— MaximuÌ„ Atha p. 488. ExempluÌ„ Synodale Dioscorus Eutiches as saint Augustine and saint Athanasius saye and as it is alleadged in the 7. generall councell act 1. denied all traditions and the wittnesses of the fathers they said alsoe they would allowe nothinge but the scriptures sayinge What scripture doth proue that the sonne is consubstantiall or coessentiall with the Father the same alsoe did Simon Magus saye 4. With Symon Magus Valentinus Aug. here 's 4.6 Clemens Alexandrinus li. 3 recognitionum Tertul. de prâ—script and Manicheus you denie free will With Flornius and with Symon Magus you affirme God to be author of all euill as S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus Tertulian saye of the said Symon Magus With Constantius you saye that euerie Ciuill Prince ought to be head of the churche accordinge to Euseb lib. 3. Atha epi. ad solitariam vitaÌ„ degentes Hilar. lib. ad ConstaÌ„tium ex li. qui incipit tempus est loquendi Wherfore S. Athanasius called him antechrist and the abhomination of desolation of whome alsoe S. Hillarie saith these woordes I tell you when I shall speake vnto you that I speake to Nero that Decius Maximianus shal heare me you fight against God you thunder against the church you persecute the Saincts you take awaye the Religion of Christe you are not onlye the Tyrant of men but of God you doe preuent antechrist and worcke his misteries you coyne faith liuing without faith thou of all men the most wicked this he spoake to him in his life time 5. With Marcius and Manicheus and other heretiques you condemne manny bookes of the scriptures which would not receaue the scriptures Nisi cum adiectionibus detractionibus factis but with cuttinge maÌ„glinge of them You take away Chrisme with Nouatus who denied the holye ghoaste With Iouinian as S. Augustine saith of him you take away pennaunce from the church who said also that all sinnes were equall Also with Pelagius yow take away the Sacrament of orders and priest-hoode with Petrus Abalardus Wicleffe and Hus all vocall prayers And with the Armenians you say that matrimonie is noe Sacrament You take away generall councells with the Arians that would not obey the councell of Nice With Nestorius that would not obey the councell of Ephesus with Eutiches and Dioscorus that would not obey the councell of Chalcedon Aug lib. de haeresibus With Iouinianus as saint Augustine wittnesseth you eate all meates euerie daye without any obseruation of dayes or difference of meate you doe the like obseruinge noe faste Caluine tooke away singinge from the church with the heretique Hillarus Aug. li. 11 retract Ambr. in quadam orat cont MaxentiuÌ„ de Basilicis tradeÌ„dis quae ponitur in lib 5. sententiaruÌ„ as saint Augustine and saint Ambrose say when Christe is praysed the Arrians are madd With Iouinian you say that all which be in heauen are equall in glorie because all iuste persons are equall in this life in merittes and all sinners are equall in sinnes With the Catharies you denie all sacraments With the heretiques called Lamprini you take away vowes and votaries With the Eustachians yow take away churches and alters dedicated to martirs 6. Againe Epist 75. with the Eutichian heretiques yow take away oblations sacrifice and chrisme as Leo the Pope complained by his letters to Martianus the Emperor epist 75. where he saith Intercepta est sacrificij oblatio desecit chrismatis sanctificatio The oblation of the sacrifice is intercepted and hallowinge of the chrisme faileth And as in the time of Antechriste as that auncient holy father and constant Martyr Hipolitus that liued in the yeare of our Lord 220. saith Ecclesiarum aedes sacrae tigurij instar erint praetâ—osum corpus sanguis Christi in diebus illis nâ—n extabit c the church shall be like cottadges the blessed body and blood of Christ shall not be seene the Masse shal be vtterly defaced soe as yow seeme to be the precursours of this beast For with the Donatists as Optatus writeth yow giue the blessed Sacrament to dogges the chrismatorie with the sacred chrisme yow violentlie cast vpon the grounde with them also yow breake alters with them also and with the Arrians of Affricke as Victor saith yow ouerthrowe churches monasteries and chappels and as they made shirtes and briches of the â—estimentes and alter cloathes burned bookes spoiled churches of their ornamentes as appeared in an epistle by the bishoppes of Egipte to Marcus the Pope and as Nazianzenus saith misteria verterunt 〈◊〉 commedias the misteries of our religioÌ„ they turned to playes and comedies euen soe doe you the like 7. Againe you refuse with these heretiques to come to the generall councells to giue an accompte of your doinges as saint Augustine saith of them With 〈◊〉 buchodonozer the kinge of Babilon and
institution he also determined a tyme of triall which being expired euery one was bound to accomplish his vowe Of whom NaziazeÌ„ saith he was the first not only for his owne good but for the good and spirituall consolation of other that founded monasteries and reduced the old obseruation and ceremonies of the old monkes into a certaine forme and order more agreable to religion 3. S. Augustine writeth that he saw at Millan a monastery mainteined by S. Ambrose August 8. conf cap. 6 and saint Augustine himselfe as Possidonius declareth founded monasteries for men and weomen in Africke the same also writeth S. Antoninus Antonin 3. tit 24. c. 14. that before saint Augustine was annointed Bishop he erected a monastery in a wood neere Hippo which as well in his life tyme as also after his death was much increased by whose blessed propagation and budding ofspringe out of the conâ—erminat citties others retired themselues vnto that deuout and safe sanctuary but certaine yeares after saint Augustines death by the irruption of the Barbarians they were cast downe and dispersed some came to Italy some to other places which before liued in the wildernes as Ermits and were reduced afterwardes to liue in monasteries and conuentes in citties by Innocentius the 4. Pope of that name 1243. that by their religious examples their neighbours might be edified and instructed 4. S. Benedict who flying the world and liuing in the wildernes instituted his ordre in MouÌ„t Cassin anno 520. in ashort tyme made 12. monasteries and brought colonies into France by Maurus into Cicilia by Placidus into other places by others more of him is related by saint Gregory the great Greg. 2. dia. cap. 3. 36. FroÌ„ this religious order many other families sproÌ„ge the first was that of Cluny which about anno 923. tooke his name of OdoÌ„ Abot of Clunie who being a moste learned religious man reformed this order being through antiquity and other causes slackned was by him reduced to his former sanctity whose religiouse example was imbraced and followed by other Abotes in Italy Spaine Germany and England euery one casting and laying downe a certaine proiect for this reformation and vsing all possible meanes crauing herein the authority of the Popes which they obteined for the renuinge and obseruinge the said auncient discipline 5. Next him followed Romualdus who laboured and accomplished this reformation in the yeare of our Lord God 1000. whose family are called those of Camulduensis which florished in all examples of sanctity and perfection of life and so mooued all places of the world where they were to follow their blessed and rare institution 6. Next him succeded those of Valle Vmbrosia by one Gualbertus this man was so infestuous and offensiue to a certaine person for murthering his brother that he neuer omitted the pursute of him vntill he tooke him who neuertheles for that he prostrated himselfe at his feete and asked pardon and mercy of him for the passion of Christe whose feast at that very season was solemnized by the christians did remitt vnto him that trespas and did him no harme in so much that former malice and rancor was turned to loue and charity Whereupon the said Gualbertus went to the next church and praied before the Image of the crucifixe which bowed its head vnto him as if the said Image would imbrace him after which tyme he was so inflamed and enkindled with the loue of that religious and contemplatiue life that in that very place of the Vale of Vmbrosia he determined to put â—is religious purpose in due execution which afterwardes increased by many that followed him 7. And What family in the world more famous for the like sanctity then those of Cister which in the yeare of our Lord 1098 â—ad their beginninge and ofspringe in the tyme of Henry the 4. Emperor and Philip the first king of France by one Robert which was prefect of the abbie of MollissmeÌ„ who for that he saw the Monckes through great riches and other worldly allurementes degenerate from their first rule and institution departed witht wentie one of such as were more perfect then the rest into Burgundy where in a certaine desert called Cister he fixed his aboad and so sequestred â—e liued most religiously but the Monkes being mooued with pennaunce requested his returning againe vnto them promised vnto him to be reformed and reclaimed he therefore hauing placed in his rome one Stephen returned to his former monastery But Cisters was 15. yeres afterwardes confirmed in sanctity and increased with monasteries by saint Bernard who entred into the same with 30. fellowes and 3. of his brethren who increased in estimation credit both with God men wherupon in a shorte time was builded for him 160. monasteries and all this familie sprunge out of the institution of S. Benedict 8. About that time also being 16. yeares before the institution of saint Bernard begaÌ„ne the order of the CarthusiaÌ„s through the strange and dolefull example of a great doctor of Parris who being by the common opinion of all men counted a verie good and honest man yet after his death at his exequie and funerall in the open assemblie he said the first time that he was accused the second time he said he was iudged and laste of all that he was condemned at which dreadfull voice one Bruno an eminent and learned Doctor of Parris being present was so amazed and terrified that turning himselfe to some that were with him he said who can be saued vnles he doe forsake the whole world Wherfore he fled presently into the desertes neere to the cittie of Gratianople in Fraunce and there liued solitarie And that his said purpose was acceptable vnto God it was reuealed in sleepe to one Hugo Bishoppe of that diocese that God descended into those desertes that he made a worthy pallace to himselfe that 7. starres lifted vpp themselues being of wonderfull splendor like a crowne aboue the earth the one different from the other 9. After this the order of Carmelites was reuiued by Albert Patriarche of Hierusalem VVald de sacrament tit 9. c. 84 which as Thomas Waldensis writeth beganne in Mount Carmele in the first church that was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary in the Apostles tyme but discontinued by the inuasion of the Sarazins into Palestine wher before their comming this order florished with multitude of saintes and holy people After this time followed the holie orders of saint Frauncis saint Dominique and saint Celestine the former I meane saint Frauncis was confirmed by Innocentius the 3. 1202. S. Dominique who was first a cannon regular in the churche of Oxman in Biscaia hauing imployed his learning and his trauelles for the space of 20. yeares at Tolosa in Fraunce against the heretiques by the consent of certaine of his fellow laborers instituted his order stiled the order of preachers which was approued and allowed by the said Innocentius the 3. in the
mention Hier. de script Eccles he was put to death by Maximianus About that time also was Lucianus which as Suidus saith kept schoole at Antioch who also was famished to death by the said Maximianus After him florished saint Iohn Climachus Hier. ibid. the ornament of his tyme who liued in the monasterie of MouÌ„t Sinay Not inferior vnto him was holie Ephrem whose writinges next after the scriptures were read in many churches of the East as S. Hierom recordeth 2. Others were most famous both for their incomparable learninge and sanctitie as saint Basil and saint Gregory Nazianzen both of which professed monasticall life For the said Nazianzen trauailing by sea vnto Athens and being affrithed with great tempest made a vowe to serue God in monastical profession if he did ariue safe which vowe when he had ended his studies he accomplished S. Epiphanius also a man verie memorable beinge the light of his age by the helpe of one Lucius Mounke retired himselfe to religious sanctuarie What shall I say of S. Iohn Chrisostome Archbisâ—oppe of Constantinople who liued anno 400 and of saint Iohn Damascen who liued anno 730. haue they not also applied themselues to serue God in this euangelicall discipline I ought not to forgett Nilus Isacius Euthimius Anastasius Besarion the last wherof was the anchor in the general councell of Florence for the reconsiliation vnioÌ„ of the Greekes vnto the latine church who for his great learning and hollines was created Cardinall by Eugenius the 4. thus farr of the Greekes besides others thowsandes which were to tedious to recite 3. Amoungest the Latines wee will put it the first rancke the two pillers of the church saint Hierome and saint Augustine both which consecrated themselues to the seruice of God in monasticall profession As for saint Hierom from his childhoode he was trained vpp therein and soe addicted therunto that he refused to take holie orders at the handes of Paulinus Bishoppe of whome he was soe earnestlie sollicited therunto yet he would neuer take it vpon him but conditionallie that he should neâ—er leaue off monasticall professioÌ„ Epist 61. of which writinge to Pamacius he said he would not leaue of that for the which he forsooke the worlde and when he was stricken in yeares he retourned vnto Hierusalem and at the tribe of our Lord he by ioyninge his helpe with saint Paule erected two monasteries one for men another for women and amplified and enlardged them at his owne proper charges and as he himselfe witnesseth did send Paulinus to sell all his patrimonie for the entertaininge and reliuing of all such Mounks as out of all places of the world came to see him 4. As for saint Augustine although it be manifest by other authors and specially by Possidonius that he obserued this institution yet his owne wordes can best declare the same I saieth he the writer hereof haue most intierlie loued the perfection of which our Sauiour speaketh saying Goe and sell all that thow hast Aug ep 4. and giue it to the poore and come and followe me neither by my owne force haue I don soe but by his grace helpinge me and none knoweth how much I proffited by this way of perfection but my selfe and to this purpose I exhorted others asmuch as I coulde and in the name of our Lord I haue many consorts who are perswaded by my meanes In another place he saith Contra Petil. c. 4. Petilianus with his cursed tounge did not forbeare to slaunder and find fault with Monasteries and Mounckes reprouing me that this kinde of life was instituted by me which order being spred through the whole world he saith he knoweth not or at least he faineth ignorance therein thus farr saint Augustine Hier epist 13. 5. In their times was that charitable Prelate Paulinus Bishopp of Nola who was a Mouncke as saint Hierome recordeth his bookes doe testifie his great learninge his workes of mercie doe witnes his great charitie for when Nola was ransaked of the VaÌ„dals in Affrick he would needes put himselfe into captiuitie for the redemption of a poore Widdowes onlie sonne I ought not here to neglect the worthie Prelate S. Martin Bishopp of Toures who builded 3. monasteries the first at Millain out of which he was driuen violentlie by Auxentius the Arrian The second at Poiters The third at Toures where though he was a Bishopp he obserued reguler discipline with 8. Mounckes vntill he died as Sulpitius writeth About that time alsoe florished Iohn Cassianus a Scythian by nation being first disciple to saint Iohn Chrisostome who erected a monasterie at Marsells Next vnto him was Eucherius Bishopp of Lyons and monck brought vp in the conuent of Lyrinensis and Prosper Bishopp of RhegeÌ„ who was a mouncke and secretarie to Leo the great 6. How famous was Fulgentius in Affrique and in all partes of the world for his great learning in writinge so much against heretiques who being a Bishopp obserued monasticall life Immediatly after him followed that worthie man Cassiodotus who being Senator of the cittie Daneâ—an and chauncelor to Theodoricus king of the Romanes whome for that the said kinge killed Boetius he forsooke together with the worlde and became a mouncke of the order of S. Bennet Anno 550. After him succeded Gregorie the great soe called for his great learning and sanctitie who of a mouncke of the said order was made Pope What shall I say of S. Gregorie of Toures who was taken out of the monasterie to gouerne that Sea of saint Eutropius Bishopp of Valentia he being also a moÌ„cke Of Isidorus who was taken out of his monasterie to be Bishopp of Ciuill Of Alfonsus who from the conuent was assumpted to be Archbishopp of Tolledo in Spaine whose learned bookes doe edifie the world How glorious is France by soe learned mounckes and religious people as S. Bernard S. Cesarius Bishopp of Orlians and Anselmus with many others Italy by S. Benedict saint Bonauentura saint Thomas of Aquinus saint Frauncis c. England by saint Beda saint Bonifacius c. Irland by saint Patrick saint Malachias saint Columbanus saint Columba saint Brandan with infinitt others Of Emperors Kinges and Princes who forsooke the world to become religious CHAPTER VII 1. ALthough our soules in the sight of God who made them are equall by nature yet he maketh choice rather of the poore then of the powerfull and riche of the humbliest and basest then of the proude and loftiest 1. Cor. 1. For as the Apostle saith there are not many noble nor wise accordinge to the fleshe for God maketh of the poore his scelected people to confound the rich the foolish of this world he prefers before the wise thereof he deposeth the mightest from their throane and exalteth the humble and meeke the more that a man is intangled with the worlde and allured by the vncertaine and deceitfull promisses and promotions thereof the greater difficultie hath he to forgoe it and
whether shee would forgoe her faith and religion and marrie with a soldior shee most constantlie denied and was cast into the riuer and there was drowned This religious Nunne had a sister that was married and because shee lamented the death of her father and kinsmen her head was brocken by one of the soldiors and that so sorelie that the braines came foorth Other farr more detestable wickednesses were comitted by these tyrannicall reprobates in other prouinces of Flanders Holland Zeland Brabant Gelderland and Frisland which you may read in the histories of Flaunders but this I ought not to omitt that they were soe tormented with such an insatiable thirst to shedd innocent blood that in their detestable conuenticle at the towne of saint Trudan in a vaulte vnder the grounde they purposed and decreed to make a massacre of ecclesiasticall persons in all places of the 17. Prouinces in one night which God preuented afterwardes vnto whome all honnor and glorie Mense Iulij 1566. for his prouident mercie shewed therin 5. And although the hugonottes of France sought diuers times to practise their tragicall plottes in that countrie as in the times of Frauncis the first in whose raigne they nayled a libell at the court gate of Parris of their damnable doctrine printed in the yeare 1534. which being brought vnto his maiestie and perusinge part of the contenâ—es thereof he said Did I knowe my right haâ—de to be infected with that venemous doctrine I would presentlie cut it off from my bodie Henrie the second and Frauncis the second yet they could neuer performe their desigmentes vntill the beginninge of Charles the 9. his raigne who being but a childe of 12. yeares of age and soe abusinge his minoritie they watched their time and oportunitie in the yeare of our Lord 1562. when euerie one that was wickedly disposed and irreligiouslie addicted and as it were forsaken of God began openly to shewe himselfe vpon the theater wheron this wofull tragedie was plaied For first they crowned their captaine generall Prince of Condie kinge of Fraunce and called him by the name of Lodouicke the 13. and the first Christian kinge of Fraunce The cheefest rage of all their malice was practized vpon those thinges which were most sacred and holy as vpon the blessed Euchariste by treadinge the same vnder their feete and castinge it vnto their dogges and vsed that sacred and dreadfull hoast together with the holy chrisme to cleanse their tayles withall and called Christ vnder the veile of bread Iohn le Blanch White Iohn The like outrage they extended vppon Churches Monasteries Alters Chapples Oratories Images Reliques and Sepulchers which they spoiled ransacked destroied burned Vpon Priests Mounckes and religious persons which they put to the vildest and cruelest death that they could imagine vppon sacred virgins and consecrated Nunnes which they rauished and defloured vppon challices and sanctified vessells and hallowed ornaments which they prophaned and defiled 6. Of 12. that shewed themselues the ringleaders vpon this bloodie theater there were 9. of them Apostate Mounckes which Christ vomitted out of his sacred mouth the captaine and leader of them all was Beza who sould his benefice for 700. crownes and then cast forth his venime amongest the licentious courtiers whome he perswaded with his doctrine vid. that it was noe offence before God to coÌ„mit sacriledge to spoile churches to cogge deceaue lye sweare and forsweare whose doctrine herein being the religion of these newe sectaries was most plausible and pleasinge to all miscreantes and malefactors who aboundantlie resorted vnto him from all partes of Fraunce and by which he determined to robb and spoile all the churches and monafteries of that kingdome in one night in the moneth of Ianuarie and appointed people for that purpose in all places of the kingdom which was first put in execution in the Prouince of Aquitaine had not the Duke of Gays come the sooner to Parris they had not only surprised the churches monasteries there but also the cittie court kinge Thus frustrated of their expectation they fled vnto Orlians where before they were lett in by the Cittizens Vide Sur. they did solemnlie swere that they came thither by the comaundement of the kinge to keepe that cittie and that they would offer violence to none either in his person conscience or goodes and that euerie one should haue the benefitt of the edict diuulged the last of Ianuarie wherein it was decreede that the hugonotts should not spoile churches or monasteries but they noe sooner entred the cittie but they spoiled the churches and monasteries burned Images cast downe alters yea cast downe the verie walls of the churches and shewed more execrable wickednes towards all sacred thinges then the verie Turckes for they in takinge any cittie or towne from the Christians doe only vse to cast downe the Images and Alters and not destroy the churches also 7. All the holy Reliques which those hugonotts could gett they burned them they burned the reliques of S. Damianus religiouslie reserued in that place as they also did S. Hillaries reliques at Poytiers S. Ireneus at Lyons S. Iustus and S. Bonauentur and the reliques of S. Martyn At towers they burned the image of Christ in another place they trayled the same through the dirte They spared the image of the diuill burned the Corpes of S. Frauncis the second which was buried in the Chapple of the holly crosse as they did burne the bones of Lodouick the 11. The churches which they broake not downe they turned into stables and storehowses Moreouer Beza comaunded all the Priests to be murthered of whome receauing monny for their redeÌ„ption yet violated the faith and promise which he had formerly sworne and broake the oath and peace which he had before vowed most religiouslie to obserue Soe as it is manifest there were cruelly put to death fiue thousand priests of whom some were flayed aliue others were rackte till they were dead Aboue six hundreth monasteries razed to the verie earth manny others were burned they burned alsoe the holie auncient Bybles which were kept in Fraunce for rare monuments many citties were exhausted with continuall siege their citizens were murthered all the countrie was spoiled and ruinated soe as these ciuill warres of the hugonotts soe often renewed did more consume and oppresse France with greater miseries and calamities then all former warres it euer had abroade For there was no trueth respected or oath performed if any garrison did yeld themselues vnto theÌ„ vpon hope of their oathes which they neuer accomplished to saue their liues as in steede of many examples that of Petraforte alone will serue neuerthelesse contrarie to the lawes of armes to the number of two hunderth were cast downe head longe from the toppe of a mightie high Rocke all which perished with that headlong and violent fall Such crueltie as this more then Turkish they exercised vppon euerie other place where they did carrie anny sway but
redeemed with a submission paimeÌ„t of a hundreth thowsand pounds for that they acknowledged Cardinall Campeignes and Cardinall Wolsey as legats from Rome notwitstanding that the king himselfe by his Ambassadors procured their coming In the 24. yeeres of his raigne also he prohibited all appeales in causes ecclesiasticall reducing all spirituall authoritie of determining the same to the English Cleargie He forbid all license or dispensations and faculties from the church of Rome and seemed to establish them in Thomas Cranmer Archbishopp of Canterburie that he should grant the same to the king againe the 26. of his raigne Other his bloody factes and furious behauiour yow may well perceaue by the Catalogue following A Catalogue of those that suffred death as well vnder king Henry as Queene Ellzabeth king Iames from the yeare of our Lord 1535. 27. of king Henryes raigne vnto the yeere 1618. IN the first rancke of these blessed martyrs I ought not to forgett that blessed martyr S. Thomas of Canterburie alias Becket who for defending the immunities of the Church was murthered in king Henry the 2. his raigne now againe was by king Henrie the 8. by act of parleament attainted of high treason his ashes and holy bones and reliques were burned and of all churches dedicated to God in his honor it was decreed by parleament that they should not be named after him any more to which purpose comissioners were appointed in all places of England and Ireland and in the towne of Rathode in Meath the church wherof is dedicated to God in S. Thomas his honor the parishioners being commaunded to name their church after saint Peter they answered that the king may aswell by parleament proclaime saint Peter a traitor as saint Thomas and to preuent that they nominated their church after the blessed Trinity Vnder King Henry the VIII Anno Christi 1535. Henrici 8. anno 27. These were put to death at Tyburne the 29. of Aprill for denying the Kings Supremacy IOhn Houghton Prior of the Carthusianus at London Nic. SaÌ„d lib. 1. de Schism Ang. pag. 128. 129. 130. Augustine Webster Prior of the Carthusians at Exham Robert Laurence Prior of the Carthusians at Beuall Richard Reynolds Mounke of S. Brigitts order of Syon Iohn Hayle Priest Vicar of Thistleworth Charter house Monkes of London suffered at Tyburne 18. Iune Humfrey Mildemore William Exmew Sebastian Newdigate Carthusians at Yorke 11. May. Iohn Rochester Iames Warnet Charter house Mounkes died in prison in Iune Iuly Richard Bere Thomas Greene Iohn Dauis Thomas Iohson William Greenwod Thomas Scriuan Robert Salt Walter Persons Thomas Reading William Horne Carterhouse Monke 4. Aug. Iohn Fisher Card. of S. Vitalis Ric. Hal. in eius vita Staples de tribus Thom. Bishopp of Rochester at Tower-Hill 22. Iune Syr Thomas More Knight at the Tower-hill 6. Iuly Anno Christi 1536. Henr. 8. 28. Iohn Pasley Abbot of Whalley at Lancaster 10. March Sand. ibi l 1. pag. 176. 177. Iohn Castegate Monke at Lancaster 10. March William Haddocke Monke at Whaley 13. March N. N. Abbot of Sauley at Lancaster in March N. Ast be Monke of Geruaux at Lancaster in March Robert Hobbes Abbot of Woborne togeather with the Prior of the same Monasterie and a. Priest suffered at Woborne in Bedfordshire in March Doctor Maccarell with 4. other Priests at Tyburne 29. March William Thrust Abbot of Fontaines at Tyburne in Iune Adam Sodbury Abbot of Geruaux at Tyburne in Iune William Would Prior of Birlington at Tyburne in Iune N. N. Abbot of Riuers at Tyburne in Iune Anno 1537. Henr. 29. Antony Brorby of the Order of S. Francis Sand. ibi pag. 183. Boucher de pass Fratr Fransc pag. 8. 13. 17. strangled with his owne girdle at London 19. Iuly Thomas Cort Franciscan famished to death in prison 27. Iuly Thomas Belcham of the same Order died in Newgate 3. August Anno 1538. Henr. 30. Iohn Forest Frier obseruant Boucher ibid. pag. 26. Sand. ibid. Confessour to queene Katherine in Smithfield 23. May. Iohn Stone an Augustine friar at Canterbury this yeare Two and thirty Religious men of the Order of S. Francis being cast into prison for denying the K. Supremacy died there through cold steÌ„ch and famine in Aug. Sept. and October Sand. l. 1. pag 973. N. Croft Priest at Tyburne N. Collins Priest at Tyburne N. Holland Layman at Tyburne Anno 1539. Henr. 31. Knights of S. Iohns of Ierusalem at Towerhill 8. Iul. Sand. pa. 181. 194. 197. Adrian Fortescue Thomas Dingley Griffith Clarke Priest At S. Thomas Wateringes 8. N. Mayre Monke At S. Thomas Wateringes 8. Iohn Tauers Doctor of diunity 30. Iulij Iohn Harris Priest 30. Iulij Priests at Reading 14. Nouemb. Iohn Rugge William Onion Hugh Faringdon Abbot of Rehding at Rehding 22. Nouem Richard Whiting Abbot of GlasteÌ„bury at Glastend 22. Nouem Monks of GlasteÌ„bury at Glastend Iohn Thorne 22. Nouem Roger Iames Monks of GlasteÌ„bury 22. Nouem Iohn Beck Abbot of Colchester at Colchester 1. Decemb. Anno 1540. Henr. 32. Priests at Galais 10. April Sand. ibi pag. 216. 217. William Peterson Wiliam Richardson Priestes in Smithfield 30. Iuly Thomas Abell Edward Powell Rich. Fetherstone LaureÌ„câ— Cocke Prior of Dancaster At Tyburne 4. August Williame Horne Monke At Tyburne 4. August Edmund Bromelie Priest At Tyburne 4. August Giles Horne Gentleman At Tyburne 4. August Clement Philpot Gentleman At Tyburne 4. August Darby Genninges Layman At Tyburne 4. August Robert Bird Layman At Tyburne 4. August Anno 1541. Henr. 33. Dauid Genson Knight of the Rhodes 1. Iuly Sand. pag. 180. Anno 1543. Henr. 35. German Gardener Priest at Tyburne 7. March Sand. pag. 227. Iohn Lâ—arke Priest at Tyburne 7. March Iohn Ireland Priest at Tyburne 7. March Thomas Ashbey Layman at Tyburne 7. March Iohn Risby at Tyburne 7. March Thomas Rike at Tyburne 7. March Vnder Queene Elizabeth Anno 1570. Elizabethae 12. Iohn Felton Gentleman Nicol. Sander l. 7. de visib Monarc pag. 734. 736. in S. Paules Church-yard 8. August Anno 1571. Elizabeth 13. Iohn Story Doctor of the Canon-law at Tyburne 1. Iune Anno 1573. Elizabeth 15. Thomas Woodhouse Priest Concert Eccles Aug. at Tyburne 19. Iune Anno 1577. Elizabeth 19. Concert Eccles Aug. Cuthbert Mayne the first Priest of the Seminaries at Launston in Cornwall 29. Nou. Anno 1578. Elizab. 20. Concert ibid. Iohn Nelson Priest at Tyburne 3. February Thomas Sherwood Gentleman 7. Febr. Anno 1581. Elizab. 23. Concert Eccles Aug. Sand. l. 3. de schism Angl. Euerard Hanse Priest at Tyburne 31. Iuly Edmund Campian Priest of the Societie of Iesus at Tyburne 1. Dec. Alexander Briant Priest of the same Society of Iesus at Tyburne 1. Dec. Raphe Sherwyn Priest at Tyburne 1. Dec. Anno 1582. Elizab. 24. Iohn Payne Priest at Chelemsford in Essex 2. April Concert Eccles Angl. Sand. vbi supra Thomas Ford Priest at Tyburne 28. May. Iohn Shert
and learning made therin great and admirable encrease and so became a priest and not without expectation of such a one as he liued and died afterwards For his rare vertues he was made Archbishopp of Ardmagh and primat of all Ireland and comming for his Country where he perfourmed the office of a diligent pastor and a zealous prelate was betraid by one of the country and committed to close and ghastly prison in the Castle of Dublin And after suffering much trouble in prison was brought to his triall in the kings bench before Sr. Iohn Plunkett then cheef iustice of that court and being there endited and arraigned of high treason and enforced to abide a Iury of gentlemen of the pale he was found guilties but they for acquiting of him were all comitted to the said castle and put to great fines When they could get no way by law to make him away or that his constancy could not be infringed he was remitted ouer to the Tower of London out of which he made an escape But after arriuing in Ireland to helpe his flocke the best he could was againe apprehended and sent ouer againe to the Tower where he ended his life 13. Cnohor O Duanna Bishopp of Downe Patricke and Connor was apprehended the moneth of Iuly 1612. and committed to the Castle of Dublin wherin he liued in continuall restrainct many yeers before by the apprehension of one maister Smith secretary to Sr. Nicholas Bagnall but being taken the 2. time was hanged drawen and quartered the first of Februarie 1612. One Patricke a vertuous priest suffred also with him Of Priests 1. IOhn Traners doctor of diuinitie being accused that he wrott against the suppremacy of the king was hanged drawen and quartered at Tiburne Anno 1535. which being at the place of executioÌ„ he confessed plainly shewing the 3. fingers with which the wrott that matter and his hand beinge strooken of and cast into the fire euerie whitt was burned but those 3. fingers could nott be burned as Surius writeth 2. Lawrence Moore whom doctour SaÌ„ders in his letres 1580. to the Cardinall Commen of the warres of Ireland called a holly priest being with the Spaniardes at the Forte called Dowy Nore was betraied and deliuered ouer to the Lord Gray then Lord deputie of Ireland with two proper gentlemen the one called Oliuer Plunker an Irish gentleman the other called William Welsh an English gent. by the Corronell of the Forte called Sebastian de saint Ioseph for that they refused vppon any composition to yeld ouer the said Forte which they could well defend hauing no want of any thinge neither victuals nor munuâ—ioÌ„ were comanded by the said L. deputy to be brought to a smiths forge and al their bones and Iointes to be beaten and crushed with a hammer and this for the space of a day and night the priests fingers being cutt off with a knife but in that extreame paine they suffred yett their liues were promised vnto them if they would turne protestaÌ„tes Al the Spaniards to the nuÌ„ber of 900. except the said Corronell and 10. more were stript of their weapons and were all slaine and casâ— ouer the cliffs into the sea for that Forte stood vppon a mightie rocke ouer the sea notwithstanding the L. deputies word and faith vnto al them for their life libertie goods and for safe conduct into Spaine Of this euent the good prieste told the said Corronell and the rest of the Spaniards this hapened vpon saint Martins eue 1580. 3. Morris Kent natiue of Kilmalock and bachelor of diuinitie was apprehended and accused for hauing been Chaplaine to the Earle of Desmond And for as much as a good and worshippfull Alderman named Victor White had of a pious zeale and for the comfort of his owne soule kept the said Morris in his house was for that cause appreheÌ„ded putt in prison for his guest but the good priest to saue his hoast harmeles appeared before the said L. president of his owne accord who was hanged drawen and quartered He was a holy and a vertuous man of few wordes very zealous he suffred the 30. of Apprill 1585. 4. Edmond Odonel natiue of Limerick of the societie of Iesus was apprehended for being suspected to carry letters from Rome to Sr. Iames fitz Morris and therfore was hanged drawen and quartered at Corck by Sr. Iohn Perrot L. president of Munster about the yeere of our Lord 1575. He was sent ouer as a fellow with father Goad an English Iesuit who in company with F. Dauid Woulf priest of that society were sent in a mission into that country by the procurement of primat Creogh to teach grammer about the beginning of Queene Elizabeths time 5. Daniell Okeilan was apprehended at Yonghull by Sr. William Morgan and captaine Peers which then kept garrison in that towne He was hanged with his legges vpwardes and his head downewards and then all the souldiors were comaunded to leuell at him with their bulletts Comaundement was also giuen that none should leuell at his harte therby to encrease his paine by his lingering death he was a priest of the order of S. Frauncis this hapned the 28. of march 1580. 6. Daniell Hinnichan Phillipp O See Morris O scanlan of the order of S Frauncis being old impotent and blind as other friers were were all three slaine at the high alter of their monasterie called Lislaghtine 1580. 7. Teigh Odulan of the order of saint Frauncis was apprehended at the monastery of Askettin and brought to Limericke and there was hanged drawen and quartered After his head was cutt of he was heard to speake these woords Vias tuas demonstra mihâ— 1579. 8. Richard French natiue of the countrie of Wexford a vertuous priest after long imprisonment in the castle of Dublin and in the castle of Wexford ended his life 1581. Thomas Coursey viccar of Kensale a most vertuous priest was hanged by Marshall lawe by Sr. Iohn Perrot L. president of Munster for entreating Iames fitz Morris to restore the pray which he tooke from his parishioners of Beasale 1577. 9. Glasuy O Boyll Abbot of Boyll of the diocesse of Elfyne in Connaght and Ouen O Mulkeran Abbot of the monasterie of the holly Trinitie of that diocesse were hanged and quartered by the L. Gray Anno 1580. Iohn Stephen priest for that he said Masse to Feigh Ma-Hugh was hanged and quartered by the L. Burrowes 1597. Thady O Boyll guarden of the monasterie of Downigall was slaine by the English in his owne monasterie 6. Freers were slaine in the monasterie of Moynighan in Shaane O Neals warrs Iohn O Onan was hanged by Marshall lawe at Dublin 1618. Patricke O Dyry was hanged and quartered at Derry 1618. Brien O Carulan was hanged by Marshall law 1606. 10. Iohn O Calyhor Brien O Trower moncks of the order of S. Bernard were slaine in their owne monastery de SaÌ„cta Maria in Vlster Felymy O Harra a lay brother of the order of S. Fr. in his monasterie
preuaile further and although as S. Ciprian saith heretiques and scismatiques in the beginning like a raginge and furious tempest doe swallowe and consume all thinges yet they can not haue great encrease for by their owne emulation they will faile And S. Augustine vppon the psalme Psal 57. Ad nihilum deuenient they shal be brought to nothinge like a swifte streame saith Non vos terreant fratres c. Let not certaine violent streames terrifie you which for a time with violent irruptions doe thunder for presentlie they shall vanish and shall not endure longe many heresies are dead although they ran ouer the banckes yet now scarce is there any memorie of them 4. Theodoretus doth write that there were 76. sorte of heresies sprounge vpp vnto his time Theodoretus lib. de haereticis sabulis and in his 3. booke of that worcke he saith that all were extinguished saâ—ing a fewe S. Augustine doth recken 88. heresies of which he writing vppon the 57. psalme saith that most of them were perished Vnto Luthers time there were 100. sectes of heresies and all of them are nowe extinguished except a fewe Nestorians in the easte and som other few Hussits in Bohemia Was there euer any heresie in the world soe great aswell for the multitude of Bishopps and doctors Kinges Princes and Emperors as that of the Arrians as alsoe for the continuance of time remaining for the space of 200. yeares and vpward and nowe what is become of it Aboute 200. yeares agone the heresie of Albigens had more people to defend it in Fraunce then the Caluinistes haue at this daie as may be gathered by Paulus Emilius Emilius li. 5. de rebus Gallor and nowe there is noe memory thereof The heresie of Luther began in the yeare of our Lord 1525. Then Zuinglius gott vppe and within two yeares after the Anabaptists disturbed Lutheranisme and allured the moste parte of that secte to imbrace theirs After the Zuinglians came Caluine which besides fewe townes in Suiserlande caused all the Zuinglians to followe and embrace his owne doctrine Caluinistes themselues beinge dissolued into Libertines in Fraunce into Puritantes in England into Trinitaries in Pollande into Samosettes in Transiluania But the Catholique Church continued allwayes notwithstandinge all the world firste the Iewes afterwardes the Pagans and last of all heretiques resisted and persecuted her by whose persecution shee did euer florish and increase 4. Note 5. The 4. note is the largnes and amplitude of the catholique church by the conuersion of the gentiles for the catholique church ought not onlie to comprehend all times but also all places nations and all kinde of people and soe saint Vincentius Lyrinensis in his comentarie saith that they be catholiques which houlde that doctrine which hath bene allwaies in all places and which was embraced of all and soe the prophett said in the persoÌ„ of Christe Dabo tibigentes c. In Psal 2 Psal 7â— Aug. lib. de vnitate Ecel c. 6. Bedac 6. Canticorum I will giue nations vnto thee for thine inheritance and the limittes of the earth for they possession he shall rule from sea to sea For the vnderstandinge of which marcke wee must consider out of saint Angustine and saint Beade that the church was to be catholique and not to exclude any time or any kinde of people by which it is distinguished from the sinagoge which was a perticular church and not Catholique was limited vnto a certaine tyme that is to say to the cominge of the Messias as also vnto a certaine place which was the temple of Hierusalem out of which there could not be offered any sacrifice and vnto a certaine familie which were the children of Iacob Also wee must consider out of the same saint Augustine Aug. Epi. 80. ad HessichiuÌ„ that for the church to be catholique it is not expedient that it should be in all men of the world but it is sufficient it should be made knowen in all Prouinces and that it should fructifie in them so that there be in all kingdomes some Catholiques which shall be brought to passe before the second comminge of Christe neither is it requisitt Matt. 24. that this be done at one tyme for it is sufficient it be done successiuelie 6. It is likewise knowen that the Catholique Romaine church hath gayned the whole world for it did fructifie in euerie place thereof in the time of the Apostles Coloss 1. Iren. li. 1. c. 3. Tertull lib. cont Iudeos c. 3. Cypr. li. de vnitate eccl Atha lib. ac humanitate Christi Chriso Hier. in c. Matt. 24. Aug. epi. 80. ad Hesichium as saint Paule saith In the time of S. Ireneus it was also spred throughout euerie knowen prouince The same doe Tertulian saint Cyprian and Athanasius witnesse that this churche was made knowen in their owne time in euerie place Also saint Chrisostome saint Aug. saint Hierom Theodoretus Leo the greate doe declare the same In the time of saint Gregorie the great the catholique Romaine church was imbraced in all the worlde Grego epistola ad episcopos Orientis Affricae Hispaniae Galliae Angliae Ciciliae The same Beda doth declare in cap. 6. Cantic and saint Bernard disputinge before Roger king of Cicilia Theod. li. de legib Leo magnus ser 1. de Sanctis Petro Paulo Prosper lib. de ingratis said that the easte and the weaste obeied the Bishopp of Rome at this verie daye And saint Prosper saith Sedes Romana Petri c. Rome the seate of Peter in respect of pastorall honnor is become the head of the worlde whatsoeuer it possesseth not by the sword it houldeth by religion The sectes of Mahomett with the heresies of Nestorians and Ethiches which as yet be in the easte neuer came vnto the weaste The secte of Luther or Caluine neuer infected Asia Affricke Aegipte or Greece noe countrie was euer conuerted by them for they labour not to conuerte Ethnickes but to corrupte and subuerte catholiques and as Tertulian said of the heretiques in his time Cum hoc sit negotium illis non Ethnicos conuertendi sed nostros euertendi Their drifte is not to conuerte Ethnicks Tertul. li. de praescriptionib but to peruerte ours for heresie is nothinge els then a manifeste corruption of the Catholique doctrine and a reuolte or defection from the former religion of Christians 7. The 5. note is the succession of Bishoppes in the Romaine church deriued from the Apostles vnto our times and soe all auncient doctors haue reckoned vp this succession as an irrefragable argument to shewe the true churche Irene li. 3. cap. 3. Ireneus did recken the Romaine Bishoppes from saint Peter vnto Eleutherius who was Pope in his time He said by this succession all heretiques were confounded Irene li. 3. cap. 3. Tertul. de praescript Aug. epi. 67. Optat. l. 2. cont Parmen cap. 4 S. Ambrose did recken his Apostolique succession