that taking heed of Blandatra and his followers they should so assert Christ to be our Mediator according to both his natures that in the mean time they should not multiply Deities But this labour of his was vaine towards them that were to perish About this time the Bohemian Waldenses sent two of their brethren to Master Calvin to desire his judgment about some matters of Religion whom he lovingly satisfied exhorting them also that they would enter into a neerer conjunction with other Reformed Churches At the same time also Q. Mary being dead and Queen Elizabeth succeeding many of the godly French relying upon her piety and humanity fled for refuge into England with the consent of tha reverend man Edmund Grindal Bishop of London they craved leave of her that one might be sent from Geneva to plant a French Church there whereupon Galacius was sent Towards the latter end of this yeare King Francis of France dyed suddenly and that in such a juncture of time when all things seemed so desperate that they could not be cured but by God himself and King Charls the ninth a child was searce entred into his Kindom when by a Herald Letters subscribed with his name were brought to Geneva wherein he complained that many were sent out from thence that infected his Kingdom desiring that they might be presently called back threatning that otherwise he would not let passe the revenging of that injury Mast. Calvin being hereupon sent for by the Senate answered in his owne and in his Colleagues names that at the request of the Churches of France they had exhorted certain men that were sound in the faith and of an holy life whom they judged fit for the work that they should not be wanting to lend their help to their Country in so holy a cause especially the Churches craving assistance from them for their further edification And that this they had done not to disturb the Kingdome but that the people might be taught the Gospel of peace and if they were accused for any thing further then this that they were ready to answer their accusers before the King So this business went no further The same year Master Calvin and Master Beza answered the impudent book of Tileman Hushusius Master Calvin also confuted those blasphemies which Gentilis had published at Lions against him and Athanasius He published also his Lectures upon Daniel which he dedicated to the French Churches and as he interpreted that Prophet so in his Praeface he was himselfe a Prophet so etelling the tempest that hung over them At which time also Francis Balduinus afterwards called Ecebolius because he had changed his religion three or four time being suborned by the Cardinall of Lorrain by evill means reconciled to the King of Navar dispersed a certain book up and down the Court written either by himself or as some rather thought by Cassander wherein he stiled himself a pious and moderate man which book was worse then the Emperors Interim for that under the specious pretence of restoring moderation he sought to bring in all the Popish corruptions Master Calvin being informed hereof published an answer to this book to which some other answers were shortly after added which made a full discovery of the wit and purpose of Balduinus which this railer could by no means digest whereupon he never gave over to brand Calvin and Beza with his impudent reproaches till the year after being growne odious both to God and men of both Religions whom he had so often deceived by his turning whilst he was following a suit of Law at Paris he wore away and ended his wretched life In the year 1562. God gave peace and liberty to the French Churches by a publick Edict of the Kings But not long after the King of Navar being suborned by Popish subtilty presently after the Duke of Guise had committted that abominable massacre at Vassy began that civil war which continued many years after to the miserable devastation of France and it cannot be spoken how much Master Calvin was affected and afflicted therewith which so far increased his disease that it was easie to divine that it would not be long before he was translated to a better life yet did he not desist from exhorting and comforting every one no nor from preaching and reading his ordinary Lectures And the same yeare he published that excellent confession of Faith which was sent to the States of the Empire met together at Franckeford in the name of the Prince of Conde and of all the Godly in France who besides the injuries which they sustained by an unjust war were unworthly traduced to the Germans as if they held many false and monstrous opinions One thing also is not to be pretermitted that on the nineteenth of Decem. Master Calvin lying in bed sick of the Gout being the Sabbath day and the North-wind having blowne two dayes strongly said to many that were present Truly I know not what is the matter but I thought this night I heard warlick drums beating very loud and I could not perswade my selfe but it was so Let us therefore goe to prayers for surely some great businesse is in hand And this very day there was a great Battail fought between the Guisians and the Protestants not far from Paris news whereof came unto Geneva within a few days after The year after which was 1563. Master Calvins disease did so far increase that it was almost incredible that so weak a body exhausted with so many labours and worne out with so many diseases should yet retaine so valiant and generous a mind So that even then he could not be perswaded to favour himself and if at any time he abstained from his publick labours which yet he never did but when by necessity he was enforced thereto yet he was busie at home either in giving counsell to those that sought it or in dictating to his Scribes the witnesses whereof are those two serious admonitions to the Polomans to take heed of those blasphemous persons which denyed the Sacred Trinity The answers which he returned to the brethrens Messengers who were now met in a Synod at Lions his Commentaries upon the foure books of Moses which himselfe turned out of Latin into French And lastly his commentary upon Joshua which he now began and finished a little before his death In the year 1564. Feb. the sixth Master Calvin being short-winded by reason of a stopping in his lungs preached his last Sermon and from thence forward he spake little onely now and then he would be carried to the Congregation the last time being March the last His diseases being contracted by the incredible labours both of his mind and body were very many For besides that naturally he was but of a weak body leane and inclinable to a Consumption he slept little spent a great part of the
down the Cross shut Heaven Gates that now stood wide open that he would extinguish the light and splendor of the Sun and that ere long he would cause that so pretious ware should not be sold at so easie a rate and that whilst the World stood Germany should not have such liberality profered to them from Rome again and therefore he exhorted them seriously to have respect to their own and their deceased friends Salvation For saith he now is the acceptable time now is the day of Salvation and except ye buy these Indulgences no man can absolve you from your sins He also told the Citizens of Annaeberg that if they would freely part with their mony their metal Mines which were about the Town of S. Anne should abound with pure silver By these means this cunning Hucster procured such honor to his Indulgences that when he came to any Town the Popes Bull was carryed before him wrapped either in silk or cloth of gold and was met with a long and pompous Procession so that probably had God himself come in a visible shape he should not have been entertained with so much magnificence Myconius had been taught by his Father the Lords Prayer the Creed the Decalogue and to pray often and that the blood of Christ only could cleanse us from sin and that pardon of sin and eternal life could not be bought with mony c. which caused him to be much troubled whether he should believe his Father or the Priests but understanding that there was a clause in the Indulgences that they should be given freely to the Poor he went to Tecelius entreated him to give him one for that he was a poor sinner and one that needed a free remission of his sins and a participation of the merits of Christ Tecelius admired that he could speak Latine so well which few Priests could do in those days and therefore he advised with his Colleagues who perswaded him to give Myconius one but after much debate he returned him answer That the Pope wanted mony without which he could not part with an Indulgence Myconius urged the aforenamed clause in the Indulgences which were publickly posted up wherein the Pope had inserted these words ut pauperibus gratis darentur propter Deum whereupon Tecelius his Colleagues pressed again that he might have one given him pleading his learning ingenuity poverty c. and that it would be a dishonour both to God and the Pope to deny him one But still Tecelius refused whereupon some of them whispered Myconius in the Ear to give a little money which he refused to do and they fearing the event one of them profered to give him some to buy one with which he still refused saying that he would not have bought Indulgences and that if he pleased he could sell a Book to buy one but he desired one for Gods sake which if they denyed him he wished them to consider how they could answer it to God c. But prevailing nothing he went away rejoicing that there was yet a God in Heaven to pardon sinners freely c. according to that promise As live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner c. Not long after he entred into Orders at Vinaria and read privately Luthers Books which the other Fryars took very hainously and threatned him for it From thence he was called to be a Preacher at Vinaria where at first he mixed some Popish Errors with the Truth but by the Illumination of Gods Spirit and by his reading Luther he at last began to Preach against Popery and to hold forth the Truth clearly in Thuringia which spied so swiftly in one months space and was so greedily imbraced not only through Saxony but through all Countries as if the Angels had been the carriers of it Anno Christi 15 8. when Luther was going to Auspurg he lodged in the Monastery where Myconius was at Vinaria at which time Myconius first saw him but was not suffered to speak with him Afterwards he was called to â—otha to teach and govern the Thuringian Churches where he lived with his Colleagues twenty years in much peace and concord of which himself faith Cucurriâ—aus certaâ—â—mâ—â— â—â—â—â—ravimus pugnavimus vicimus viximâ—s semper conâ—uâ—â—etâ—ssimè c. Anno. Christi 15â—5 In the tumult of the Anabaptistical Boors Myconius took much pains to pacifie their mindes and to keep them quiet Yea he so quieted with an Oration some that were pulling down some Noble-mens houses that they went away in peace That year also he marryed a wife called Marguet the daughter of an honest Citizen of Gotha by whom through Gods blessing he had a numerous posterity And though Myconius was by Gods Providence called to the Government of the Church in Gotha yet the most illustrious Elector of â—axoâ—y imployed him in many other businesses He also took him along with him thrice into the Low-countries as also into Cullen Julâ—ers and divers other places At Dusseldoâ—p he preached the Gospel sincerely and purely though to the hazard of his life and at Cullen he maintained a publick Disputation with the Fryars which was afterwards printed With the like constancy and faithfulness he preached the Doctrine of the Gospel in Brunswick in Cella of Saxony and in other parts of Westphalia Also in divers publick Conventions at Smalcald Francfurt and Noremberg his counsel being asked with much courage and zeal he handled the affairs of Religion seeking to promote the glory of God and profit and welfare of the Church An. Chr. 1528. Henry the Eighth King of England fell out with the Pope for not divorcing him from his wife Katharine of Spain sister to Charles the Fifth by reason of whose greatness the Pope durst not do it whereupon the King of England sent over to the Germane Princes especially to the Duke of Saxony to confederate against the Pope and to join with them in an agreement about Religion upon which occasion Myconius was sent over into England partly about matters of Religion but especially about a match between Henry the Eighth and Anne of Cleve but coming thither he discovered the Kings hypocrisie about Religion not only by the six Articles about that time established but also by his imprisoning of Latimer and cutting off the Lord Cromwels head and burning of Mr. Barnes c. and by his seizing upon all the Abbey-lands whereupon he left England and being come home Anno Christi 1538. he was called by Henry of Saxony to visit and reform the Churches of Misnia together with Luther Jonas Cruciger c. which fell out upon this occasion George Duke of Saxony lying on his death-bed sent to his Brother Henry all his own sons being dead before desiring him that succeeding him he should innovate nothing in Religion and withall promised him golden mountains by his Ambassadors if he would assent thereto to whom Henry answered
c. Dialogi de confusione Mundi De communicatione fidelium Expositio Orationis Dominicae De natura varietate Vâ—torum atque Legum Divinarum Disputationes de statu defunctorum c. J. JVEL The Life of John Juel who dyed A no Christi 1571. JOhn Juel was born at Buden in Devonshire Anno Christi 1522. His Father was a Gentleman that carefully trained him up in piety and learning His singular promptnesse of wit and industry accompanied with ingenuity and modesty procured him much love from his Master At thirteen years old he was sent to Oxford and admitted into Merton Colledge under the tuition of Master â—arkhurst who was as carefull to season him with pure Religion as with other learning afterwards he removed to Corpus Christi Colledg where his proficiency in learning was so remarkable that he took his degree of Bachelor with much applause and shortly after was chosen before many his Seniors to read the Humanity Lecture which he performed with such accuratenesse diligence and excellency that many came from other Câ—lledges to hear him and amongst others Master Parkhurst his former Tutor who the Lecture being ended saluted him thus Olim Discipulus mihi chare Juelle fuisti Nunc ero Discipulus terenuente tuus Dear Juel thou a Scholar wast of mine Hereafter though unwilling I le be thine He was very studious and his onely recreations from hiâ— studies was reading to his Scholars disputing with others and ruminating what he had before read His life was such that the Dean of the Colledge though a Papist thus said I should love thee Juel if thou wert not a Zuinglian In thy Faith I hold thee an Heretick but surely in thy life thou art an Angelâ— thou art very good and honest but a Lutherâ—n In the end of King Henry the eighth's reigne he commenced Master of Arts but he flourished much more under Edward the sixth at which time Peter Martyr being the Divinity Professor in Oxford Juel observed his Art copied ouâ— his Sermons and Lectures and became most intimate with him He preached at Sunningwell and was famous for his Latine Sermons ad Clerum He ever loved Eloquence bâ—t not effeminatam sed virilem Prudentibus viris non placeâ—â— phalerata sed fortia But about the beginning of Queeâ— Maries reign the popish party of that Colledge prevailing they expelled him the house for his Religion After which he â—arried a while at Broadgates-Hall where the same of his learning drew many Scholars to him and the University chose him for her Orator There he stayed so long till the Inquisition caught him urging upon him subscription under pain of Proscription and horrible tortures Now was he brought into such straights that consulting with flesh and blood hee set his name to the paper whereby he approved some articles of Popery This much obscured the glory of his after sufferings and nothing promoted his safety for snares being laid for him he had certainly been caught had he not by Gods speciall providence gone that very night that he was sought for accidentally a wrong way to London and to by going out of the way he found the safest way But afterwards he repented of this publick Subscription by publick confession and contrition As he travelled on foot in a snowie winters night toward London he was found in the way by Master Latimers servant starved with cold and faint with wearinesse lying on the ground panting and labouring for life or for death rather by whose means he was preserved Yet when he came to London he found no safety looking every hour to be delivered up to that cruel butcher Bonner and to be slaughtered at his shambles whereupon he fled from his Native-Soyl and wandring beyond Sea was disappointed of all his friends and means to procure him so much as a nights lodging yet through Gods mercy he came safe to Franckefurt where presently after he made an excellent Sermon and in the end of it openly confessed his fall in these words It was my abject and cowardly minde and faint heart that made my weak hand commit this wickednesse which confession was mixed with hearty sighs and tears and concluded with earnest supplication First to Almighty God whom he had offended and then to his Church which he had scandalized and there was none in that Congregation but ever after imbraced him as a dear brother yea as an Angel of God From thence he was often invited by kinde Letters from Peter Martyr to Strasborough whether at last he went and where he found many Divines Knights and Gentlemen who were fled from England having left their estates honors kindred and dearest friends for the testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When he came to Strasborough Martyr invited him to his Common-Table and used his help in compiling of his Commentary upon Judges and afterwards when Martyr was sent for by the Senate of Zurick to succeed Pellican in the Hebrew Lecture and exposition of Scripture he took Juel with him being accompanied also with many other English Exiles who for a while were maintained by the charity of some Londoners till Steven Gardiner having notice of it by imprisoning and impoverishing their benefactors stopped the current of their bounty Yet in this extremity the Lord raised up Christopher Prince of Wirtemberg bountifully to relieve them The Senators of Zurick also at the request of Bullinger opened the treasury of their liberality to them Also Calvin Zuinglius Melancthon Pellican Lavater Gesner and all the greatest ornaments of Religion and learning in all reformed Churches were very kinde to the English Exiles Juel spent most of the time of his banishment in Peter Martyrs house bettering him and being bettered by him He took much paines also in composing the differences and contentions amongst his brethren arising from the difference of opinion concerning ceremonies and Church-discipline and those which groaned most under the burthen of affliction he perswaded them to patience in bearing their part of Christs Crosse shutting up all with that sweet close often repeated by him Haec non durabunt aetatem Bear a while these miseries will not endure an Age Which words proved a Prophesie for it pleased God in mercy to his Church shortly after to cut off that bloody Queen Mary who lived not out half her daies and to set up Queen Elizabeth to be a Nursing Mother to his Church In the beginning of whose Reign those Exiles returned home and Juel amongst the rest Presently after his return he with some others were appointed to dispute at Westminster with some of the Popish party but the Papists declining the Disputation it came to nothing Shortly after the Queen imployed him into the West to visit the Churches to root out Superstition and to plant true Religion where he took much pains in breaking the Bread
publickly undertake his Patronage neither durst Arminius undertake the alteration of Religion with an Heroical spirit such as was in our Reformers who wholly minding the glory of God rested secure whatsoever should befall themselves whereas Arminius being seized upon with sorrow and overwhelmed with grief fell sick and dyed Anno Christi 1609. Arminius being dead amongst all his followers Vtenbogard shewed himself the Ring-leader for though he was far inferior to Arminius in Learning yet in the Government of the Church and State he was well seen and indeed by his wit did more hurt to the Church then Arminius did by his Disputations This Bogard that he might make the Magistrates of Holland displeased with other Ministers and more to favour himself wrote a Book of the Authority of Magistrates in Church-affairs wherein he allowed the Magistrate not only to order the external Government of the Church but to determine controversies in Religion whereby he got great favour to his own party In these stirs the Ministers knew not what better remedy to finde then in a National Synod of all the Reformed Churches which they earnestly solicited the States General for and indeed the States of Gelderland Zeland Frisland Groning and six Cities of Holland were for it who desired no Innovations in Religion and dispaired of any union with the Lutherans and said that the Ecclesiastical Government was no way grievous but a remedy against Oligarchie That the power of the Prince of Orange was not dangerous but rather a means to unite and tye them together But on the contrary the Nobility of Holland and the other twelve Cities as also the States of Vtrick and Overisle though they did not openly deny a Synod yet by â—ergiversations and procrastinations sought to evade it In the mean time the Ministers neglected not the remedy which was in their power viz. to discover those Errors to their people and to confirm their mindes against them both by Preaching and Writing And such as were to be admitted to the Ministry they examined them more strictly and such as they discovered to be already in the Ministry they censured and cast out Vtenbogard and his companions strongly opposed themselves to these proceedings both by word and writing and promoted to the Ministry such as were of their own opinions yet were they inferior to the other party both in number and in the affections of the people fearing therefore that they should be overcome they framed a Remonstrance whence they were called Remonstrants to the States of Holland wherein they request to be taken into their protection who did not only do it but presently commanded that none should meddle with these controversies either by word or writing neither should examine Candidates upon these points or censure any that differed in judgement about them which truly was to set up a party when as the Remonstrant Ministers were scarce forty and the Contra-Remonstrants were fifty Yet the Remonstrants thought that they could not continue long except new ones of their own opinion could be brought in as the other dyed and these must be first formed in the University wherefore to supply Arminius his place in Leiden VVallaeus and others that were desired by honest and learned men were rejected and Vtenbogard was sought for But he knowing himself unfit for such a work wrought by the Curators of those parts who were of kin to Barnevelt that Conradus Vorstius should be brought from Steinfurt to Leiden who in the year 1590. had been convicted by the University of Heidleberg for favouring Socinus and his opinions To the choice of this man the Ministers presently opposed themselves and such Magistrates as favoured them yet had it been impossible to have hindred his Election the Remonstrants did so prevail but that James King of Great Britane frequently admonished and urged the States not do to it yea he condemned him of Heresie and burnt his Books publickly At last certain Laws were obtruded upon the Church which Barnevelt had framed twenty years before but till now the States would never endure them much less bring them in practice in which the choice of Deacons Elders and Pastors was almost wholly given to the Magistrates The censuring of Pastors or Members offending was taken away from the Ministers The Curators of the University and the Magistrates of Leiden did Execute the Decree for restraining of Controversies with mote rigor then any other By this they hindred Gomarus both from defending himself and his Religion At which being offended he prepared to depart By this his departure seeing the Students of Divinity should thereby want a Professor of the Reformed Religion the Churches of Gelderland and Curators of the Illustrious School there sent Anthony Thisius Professor of Theology at Harderwick and the Churches of Zeland and Magistrates of Middleborough sent VVallaeus to Leiden by all means to perswade his stay But Gomarus was resolved to depart whereupon they both of them invited him to make his abode with them and VVallaeus prevailed so that he went to Middleborough Anno Christi 1611. The States of Zeland were resolved long ago and this calamity of Leiden now hastened it to erect an Illustrious School in Zeland but as yet they could not agree about the place But they of Middleborough seeking thereby to get advantage resolved to make the Grammer School more famous For Gruter the Schoolmaster being dead An. Chr. 1607. they sought out another who might with credit bear the Rule in an Illustrious School and therefore called VVallaeus to the place But VVallaeus would by no means accept of it knowing what a tedious thing it was to govern boys and how subject he should be to calumnies in dieting them Wherefore the care of both was devolved upon Giles Bursius Pastor of Middleborough and the instructing them was committed to Justus Lyraeus afterwards Professor at Vtrich Yet VVallaeus undertook the care of the School and to read Lectures of Greek and Philosophy to them In these Lectures he explained Homer Hesiod and other Authors In Philosophy he read Ethicks Physicks Astronomy and Opticks and now Gomarus being come to them they prepared all things that belonged to an Illustrious School the place was appointed in the Quire of the new Church and Gomarus was to read and interpret the sacred Scriptures and to discuss the Common places in his Publick Disputations James Meivartius was to read Philosophy So that the fame of the School began to spread abroad and the Magistrates of Middleborough profered to VVallaeus the place which was reserved â—or him viz. to be Professor of Divinity Common places At this Gomarus who too much indulged his passions was displeased opposed himself and accused VVallaeus of Heresie for that when he was a Student at Leiden he stifly defended that there were three souls in man The Magistrates were more offended this opposition then was VVallaeus for VVallaeus
Assoon as Walleuâ— came to Leâ—â—â—m the Magistrates chose him for one of the Curators of their School in which Office he continued all his life and by his advice the School was quite turned into another order whereby it became far more famous then before The States of Holland observing that in their Cities there were some Masters of Schools which either wanted ability or prudence in regulating their Schools for the best advantage of the boys they therefore made choice of Anthony Wallaeus Anthony â—â—sius Peter 〈◊〉 Daniel Heinsius Geâ—â—ard Vâ—ssius 〈…〉 all of them Professors in Leiden to frame Laws whereby all the Schoolmasters in Holland should be regulated in teaching both the Tongues and Liberal Arts which accordingly were finished and printed Anno Chriâ—â— 1625. The States of Zeland observing that their young Students began to fall into some loose courses made choice of Wallaeus for Overseer of all in Zelamd with a command that all their youth should be wholly guided in their studies by him where by there was a great Reformation not one of 〈◊〉 proving wicked in his life The 〈…〉 also growing solicitous for the salvation of the poor â—adius and observing that they could get no Ministers go thither but such as could get no places in the Low-Countries which many times were either insufficient or scandalous They resolved therefore to erect a Seminary from whence at their pleasures they might draw forth Pastors for those parts For which end they consulted with the Professors at Leiden and observing that Wallaeus was more zealous then the rest in promoting it they chose him to be Overseer of that Semâ—narie But he judging himself unable to undergo so many Offices refused it yet at the importunity of the Curators of the University of Leiden and by the perswasion of his Colleagues he was at last prevailed with and undertook it Whereupon the students for India were brought into his Family where they were dieted and directed in their studies and found so much content that they never complained either of their Diet or Government And besides their other studies he caused them every day to construe to him a Chapter out of the Hebrew Bible and another out of the Greek Testament whereby they became skilful in the Languages and familiarly acquainted with the sacred Scriptures Twice also in the week he caused them to read in and dispute of his Enchirdion of the Reformed Religion and directed them in the making of their Sermons and the forwardest of them he directed how they might infuse the Principles of the Reformed Christian Religion into the Heathens by reasons drawn from Nature how they should instruct them gather a Church and govern the same Out of this Seminary in a few years were sent forth twelve Ministers famous for Learning and Piety to whom India oweth almost all her knowledge which she hath in the Reformed Religion Then did the Magistrates of Leiden by their Consul importune Wallaeus to give them leave to choose him into their Ecclesiastical Consiâ—ory but his wife and children disswaded him from it perceiving that he would sink under the burthen of so many imployments About this time there brake forth a great contention in Zeland between Telingius and Bursius Telingius was very careful to promote Piety whereupon he sharply reproved the sins of the times and observing much prophanation of the Sabbath by a Book which he published he endeavoured the Reformation of the same Upon this occasion Bursius his son wrote a complaint in verse wherein the Church bemoaned her self as if she had lost her liberty and therein he endeavoured to confute â—elingius about the Institution of the Lords Day Gomarus also who was very intimate with Bursius supplyed him with Arguments Telingius his friends were much offended at this so that there was great danger least the Church should be divided into parties and factions Voetius also published a youthly writing wherein he sought more to jerk his Adversaries then to edifie the Church Hereupon Wallaeus resumed those things which he had formerly read over and drew them into a larger Treatise about the Sabbath which also he printed to the great joy of the Churches who as they highly prized his Learning so now had cause to admire his wisdom And this work of his was so approved of that by Silvius Pastor of Amsterdam it was turned into Dutch their Native Language And it pleased God by this means to put an end to the aforenamed contentions Only Gomarus thinking it dishonorable to be silent published a little Book De Investigatione Sabbathi which Rivet answered and when Gomarus replyed Rivet answered again And though Gomarus found few or no followers yet to prevent the worst Wallaeus in his Publick Lectures answered such things as seemed to be new in Gomarus At the first Reformation of Religion in the Low-Countries there was a certain Elder of the Church of Embdea a godly man that turned Luthers Translation of the Bible into Low-Dutch But being skilful neither in the Hebrew nor Greek nor well acquainted with the High-Dutch there were many Errors in it whereupon the Ministers of the Law-Countries so soon as they were setled in their Lâ—berties from under the Spanish yoak began to think upon Translating the Bible out of the Originals and the States to promote so good a work made choice of Phili◠〈◊〉 of Saint Aldegunâ— to go to Leiden and there wholly to employ himself in this work which he willingly undertook and prosecuted to the year 1602. at which time he dyed having begun many Books of the Old Testament but had only finished Job Psalms and Proverbs Hereupon Arnold Cornelius Pastor of Delph and Warner Helmichius Pastor of Amsterdam were appointed to finish what Marnixius had begun They accordingly prosecuted that work but being much hindered by their Pastoral Office they dyed before they could finish it And presently after the Controversies of the Remonstrants springing up caused that work to cease till the Synod at Dort At which time the Remonstrants being cited to appear before the Synod at a certain day they appeared not whereupon the Moderator considering what the Synod should fall upon till they appeared propounded the version of the Bible into the Belgick Tongue And so they unanimously agreed to carry on that work and set down rules which the Translators were to follow The Translators also were chosen and least by the death of any of them the work should be impeded they substituted some to succeed such as should die Anno Christi 1627. the Synod being before dissolved the Deputies of the Provincial Synods requested the States General that the version of the Bible might now be carryed on which they easily assented to and appointed Wallaeus and Testus Hommius to deal with the Magistrates and Churches that the Translators might during the continuance of that work 〈◊〉 be freed from their Pastoral employments By the authority and perswasions of
in Latin but Hierom reckons him amongst the Greek Fathers and even till this day some of his Works are extant in Greek which shews him to be a Grecian Varia scripsit sed soli qainque libri adversus Haereses eodie supersunt TERTVLLIAN The Life of Tertullian who dyed An. Christ. 202. TErtullian was born in Carthage his Father was a Centurion of the Proconsular Order He was carefully educated in all manner of learning wherein he profited so much that Lactantius saith of him he was in omni genere doctrine peritus skilled in all kinde of Learning Hierom saith that his Works contained cunctam seculi Doctrinam all sorts of Learning Vincentius Lyrinensis saith Inter Latinos omnes hic facile princeps judicandus that amongst the Latine Fathers he was of chiefest account His Works which he hath left to us shew that he was excellently versed in Physicks Mathematicks and History He was eminent for his study of and knowledge in the Civil Law Afterward falling to the study of Divinity he attained to such excellent skill therein that at Rome he was made a Presbyter where he remained to the middle of his age He flourished under the Emperor Severus Anno Christi 183. And burning in holy zeal he became a great opposite to the Hereticks of those times Marcion Valentinian Praxea Hermogenes c. He was very expert both in Greek and Latin and had great acuteness in disputing and writing eloquently as his Books do sufficiently declare So that Vincentius Lyrinensis saith that the force of his arguments was such that whom he could not perswade them he compelled to consent to him God raised him in the time of great Persecution to be as a pillar or stay to his poor afflicted Church For when the Christians were vexed with wrongs and falsly accused by the Gentiles Tertullian taking their cause in hand defended them against their Persecutors and their slanderous accusations shewing that they never intended aâ—â— stirs or rebellions either against the Empire or Emperors of Rome for so much as the manner of Christians was to pray for the prosperous estate of their Governors And whereas they were falsely accused to be enemies to mankinde how can that be saith he when as the proper office of Christians is to pray for all men to love their Enemies never requiting evil for evil whereas all others do profess only to love their friends and starcely them and as touching the horrible slander of murthering Infants how can that be true saith he in the Christians whose custom is to abstain from all blood and things strangled so that it is not lawful for them when they feed at their Tables to meddle with the blood of any Beast And as for filthy copulations no sort of men are more free then they who have ever been the greatest observers of chastily and if they could have chosen to live in perpetual Virginity all their lives long if they could not their manner is to contract Matrimony for the avoiding all Whoredom and Fornication Neither can it be proved that the Christians do Worship the Sun which false surmise saith he ariseth only from this Because they use to pray towards the East Much less was there any of them so mad as to Worship an Asses Head the occasion of which slander arose from the Jews worshipping the Jaw bone of an Ass from the story of Sampson which therefore was falsely and wrongfully charged upon the Christians Likewise against all other lyes and slanders raised by the Heathen against the Christians he clearly purgeth them and evidently proves that they were persecuted not for any deserts of theirs but only out of an hatred to their name and Profession He sheweth also that by those grievous persecutions the Religion or number of Christians was nothing impaired but increased rather The more saith he we are mown down by you the more we rise up The blood of the Christians proves the seed of the Church For what man saith he beholding the painful torments and the perfect patience of the Christians will not search and enquire into the cause and when he hath found it out will not consent and agree to both and when he agreeth to it who will not be willing and desirous to suffer for it So that this Profession can never be extirpated seeing the more it is cut down the more it encreaseth For every man seeing and wondering at the sufferings of the Saints is moved thereby the more to search into the cause and in searching he finds it and in finding he follows it And as Tertullian thus bestirred himself in defending the innocency of the Christians so he compiled many excellent and fruitful Works whereof some are extant others are not to be found By these excellent Apologies of his he perswaded the Emperor Severus to savour the Christians who prayed for his prosperity and imputed the slaughter of his Subjects at Byzartium as a just judgement upon them for the effusion of so much Christian blood Having written excellently against the Hereticks of his time in the end of his Book he made a Catalogue of all the Hereticks that then tore the Bowels of the Church Yea he continued these labours when the Persecution was at the hottest not hiding his head though the times were so dangerous Once in great triumph all the Emperour Severus his Souldiers for the greater pomp were to put on Crowns of Bayes but one Christian Souldier there was amongst them who wore it on his Arm and being demanded the reason he boldly answered Non decet Christianum in hac vita Coronari that a Christian ought not to wear his Crown in this life Upon which occasion Tertullian wrote his Book De Corona Militis Cyprian when he would read Tertullian used to say Da Magistrum give me my Master His manner was constantly to pray thrice a day at the third sixth and ninth hours Writing De quatuor novissimis of Death Judgment Heaven and Hell he saith Haec nos aliquando risimus cum de vobis fuimus fiunt non nascuntur Christiani I sometimes scoffed at these things when I was a Heathen I now perceive that we are not born but made Christians He was converted by reading the Scriptures and the labours of other learned and holy men In reading the Scriptures he found them full of Majesty and truth And saith he Quicquid agitur praenunciabatur Whatsoever is done was in them foretold and after his conversion he was taken up night day in the reading of them and did with great pains get much of them by heart and that so exactly that he knew each period He highly commended Severus for that knowing many Noble men and women to be Christians he did not only not punish them but greatly praised them and did publickly withstand such as were their enemies Yet notwithstanding the great Learning and famous Vertues of this worthy
his hand wherewith he threatned to catch the people that stood about and as Cyprian marvelled hereat it was said unto him The young man whom thou seest sit on the right hand is sad and sorrowful because his Precepts are not observed But he on the left hand danceth and is merry for that occasion is hence given to him to get power from the ancient Father to afflict men This Vision was seen long before this tempest of Persecution happened wherein was declared that the sins of the Christians were the cause why Satan in this and in all other Persecutions did then and still doth get such power with his Net of destruction to rage against the blood of Christian men and all saith Cyprian because we neglect Praying and are not so vigilant therein as we should be wherefore the Lord because he loveth us corrects us corrects us to amend us amends us to save us c. And further speaking about this Vision he saith To the least of his servants both sinful and unworthy hath God of his tender goodness vouchsafed to reveal these things and tell him said God that he be quiet and of good comfort for Peace will come albeit there be a little stay for a while for that some remain yet to be proved and tryed He had also another Vision wherein he was admonished to use a spare dyet and to be sober in his drink least his minde given to heavenly meditations might be drawn away with worldly allurements or oppressed with too much surfeting upon meats and drinks and thereby should be less apt and able to Prayer and spiritual Exercises Furthermore whereas the Christians were charged by the Heathens as the causes of all publike calamities he tels them that it was long before prophesied of by Christ that towards the end of the World there should be Famine Wars and Pestilences which was rather to be imputed to their impious Idolatry and contempt of the ture God then to Christians which evils saith he are increased by the wickedness of men For Famens majorem facit rapacitas juà m siccitas Famine comes more by the Avarice of men then by the drought of the Ayr but the special cause thereof proceeds from the sheding of so much Christian blood And whereas the Christians were condemned for not worshipping their Idols he shewed that those Idols were no true Gods but Images of certain dead Kings which could neither save themselves from death nor such as worshiped and trusted in them In the beginning of this Persecution Cyprian went into voluntary banishment least as himself saith he should do more hurt then good to the Congregation And from the desolate places of his abode where yet he was often sought after he wrote to the Churches shewing thereby the beseeming vertue of a faithful Pastor in that he took no less care of his Flock in his absence then when he was present After the death of the Emperour Decius he returned to his place but not long after he was again banished by Paternus the Proconsul of Africa into the City of Thurben But when Paternus the Proconsul was dead he came back again and Galienus Maximus succeeding in the Office of Paternus found Cyprian in a Garden whereupon he caused him to be apprehended by his Sergeants and to be carried before the Idols to offer Sacrifice which when he would not do the Proconsul brake forth into these words saying Long hast thou lived in a sacrilegious minde and hast gathered together men of a wicked conspiracy and hast shewed thy self an enemy to the gods of the Romans and to their holy Laws neither could the sacred Emperours Valerianus and Galienus revoke thee to the Sect of their Ceremonies wherefore I condemn thee to have thy head cut-off To this he answered joyfully Do fully what belongs to your Office and thereupon putting off his Apparel he gave it to his Deacons wishing them to give his Executioner 25 peices of gold in testimony of his love to him and so kneeling down he covered his Eyes and willingly submitted his Neck to the stroke of the Sword suffering Martyrdom Anno Christi 259. He was undaunted in the time of Persecution so that neither his wives disswasions nor the Worlds frowns nor the malice of his Adversaries could affright him He never turned Widdow emptie from him He was the blinde mans Eyes the lame mans Legs the naked mans Garment He called Cecilius that converted him Novae vitae parentem the Father of his Christian life His carriage was such as it was hard to say whether he was more loved or feared He tels that the Church having enjoyed long Peace all men studied their private wealth so that Devotion Religion and good Discipline were quite neglected and all estates were fearfully corrupted Ergò sivit hoc flagellum Deus therefore saith he God suffered this scourge of Persecution to reform it In the time of a Pestilence he shewed much piety and charity comforting some administring to the wants of others and stirring up others to do the like He suffered under Valerianus and Galienus Some of his usual sayings were these Ne dormiat in Thesauris tuis quod pauperi prodesse potest Let not that sleep in thy Treasury that may be profitable to the Poor Duo nunquam veterasâ—unt in homine cor semper novas cogitationes machinando Lingua vanas cordis conceptiones proferendo Two things never wax old in man the heart ever imagining new cogitations the tongue ever uttering the vain conceptions of the heart Quod al quando de necessitate amittendum est sponte pro Divina remuneratione distribuendum est That which a man must necessarily sometime part with it 's wisdom for a man to distribute it so that God may everlastingly reward him Integritas ibi nulla esse potest ubi qui improbos damnent desunt soli qui damnentur occurruâ—t There can be no integrity whereas they which should condemn the wicked are ever wanting and they only which should be condemned are ever present Sâ—rioum purpuram indutae Christum induere non possunt Women that pride themselves in putting on silk and purple cannot lightly put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faminae crines suos malo praesagio inficiunt capillos enim sib flammeos auspicati non metuunt They which colour their locks with yellow and red begin betimes to prognosticate of what eâ—lour their hair shall be in Hell Qui se pingunt in hoc seculo aliter quà m creavit Deus metuant ne cum venerit resurrectionis dies artifex creaturam suam non recognoscat They which love to paint themselves in this world otherwise then God created them may justly fear that at the Resurrection their Creator will not know them Qui Pauperi elemosynam dat Deo suavitatis odorem sacrificat He that gives an alms to the Poor offers a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto God Contemnenda est omnis
injuria praesentium malorum fiducia futurorum bonorum All injurie of evils present is to be neglected for the hope of good things to come Nihil prodest verbis proferre virtutem factis destruere To set out vertue in words and by deeds to destroy the same is nothing worth Cyprian in another Book mentioneth twelve absurdities in the life of man which are these Sapiens sine operibus A wise man without good works Senex sine Religione An old man without Religion Adolescens sine Obedientia A young man without Obedience Dives sine Elemosyna A rich man without Alms. Famina sine Pudicitia A woman without shamefastness Dominus sine Virtute A guide without Vertue Christianus contentiosus A contentious Christian. Pauper superbus A poor man that is proud Rex inîquns A King that is unjust Episcopus negligens A Bishop that is negligent Plebs sine Disciplina People without Discipline Populus sine Lege Subjects without Law His works are four Books containing 62 Epistles Besides Tractatus contra Demetrianum De Habitu Virginum De Simplicitate Praelatorum De Idolorum Vanitate Sermo de Ele emosyna De Zelo Livore De bono Patientiae De Mortalitate De Lapsis De Oratione Dominica Liber de Exhortatione Martyris The Life of Arnobius who flourished Anno Christi 330. ARnobius was a famous Professor of Rhetorick in a City of Africk called Sicca About the year 330. being converted to the Christian Religion he came to some Bishops earnestly desiring to be admitted into the Church and Baptized but they suspecting nè vir seculari eloquentiâ tumens c. lest a man swelling and puffed up with secular wisdom and who had always hitherto opposed Christian Religion should make a mock both of them and it therefore they rejected him whereupon he offered unto them those seven Excellent Volumes of his Disputations against his former Gentilism which they seeing with great joy received him He was Master to Lactantius He used to say that Persecution brings Death in one hand and Life in the other for while it kils the Body it crowns the Soul He flourished under Dioclesian between Anno Christi 300. 330. Learned Scultetus in his Medulla Patrum holds all the works that go under the name of this Arnobius to be spurious but only those seven Books which he wrote against the Gentiles wherein saith he Eruditè quidem tumido elatoque orationis genere contra gentes disputat The Life of Eusebius who dyed Anno Chri. 340. THe life of Eusebius was written by Acatius his Disciple and successor in the Bishoprick of Caesarea which being lost I can meet with no Author that gives us any account either of his Parents Masters or his first course of life But Eusebius is commended to the Christian World not for his Parents and Masters sake but for his excellent wit and great variety of Learning So that S. Basil saith of him Eusebius Palaestinus est fide dignus propter multiplicem experientiam Eusebius of Palestine is worthy to be credited for his great experience S. Hierom saith Eusebius in Divinis Scripturis studiosissimus Bibliothecae Divinae cum Pamphilo Martyre diligentissimus pervestigator Eusebius was a great student of the sacred Scriptures and together with Pamphilus the Martyr a most diligent seacher of the Divine Library Evagrius saith Eusebius vir sanè cùm in aliis rebus disertissimus tùm in scribendo tantum pollens ut possit lectores suorum librorum etsi non efficere perfectos Christianos ita tamen persuadendo impellere ut Christianam Religionem lubenter colant Eusebius truly was a man as in other things most Eloquent so in writing of such prevalency that though he could not make the Readers of his Books perfect Christians yet he could inforce them by his perswasions willingly to embrace the Christian Religion He was Bishop of Caesarea Palestina and for his great love to Pamphilus sir-named Pamphilus a most learned man of whom Constantine the Great used to say that he was worthy to be Bishop not of one only City but of the whole World and for his eloquence Hierom stiled him Romani eloquii Tubam the Trumpet of Roman Elocution About this time Eustathius Bishop of Antioch was deposed from his Bishoprick as some say for the Sabellian Heresie whereupon there was kindled in Antioch such a fierie flame of Sedition that in a manner the whole City was therewith turned upside down Amongst the common sort of people some cleaved to this side some to that The Garrison Souldiers also were so divided and set one against the other that if God and the Allegiance they owed to the good Emperour Constantine the Great had not been called to remembrance they had lamentably murthered one another But the Emperour by his Letters appeased the Tumult and Sedition that was raised amongst them the cause whereof was this One party of them chose Eusebius Pamphilus for their Bishop and would bring him in the other party would have their former Bishop Eustathius again But Eusebius refused to come to them whereupon the Emperour Constantine highly commended him for his wisdom and moderation Afterwards a Synod being gathered at Tyre to determine the controversies which were sprung up amongst the Bishops Constantine sent Eusebius thither to take cognizance of their differences where this memorable thing fell out Potamon one of the Bishops seeing Eusebius to rit as a Judge and Athanasius standing and pleading his cause before him being overcome with sorrow and weeping for those things which he saw the Professors of the Truth to suffer with a loud voice he inveighed against Eusebius saying Thou sittest there Eusebius and innocent Athanasius stands to be judged by thee Who can endure such things Tell me Eusebius Was thou not in Prison with me in the time of Persecution and I truly lost one of my Eyes for the Truth sake but thou hast nothing mutilated in thy Body neither didst thou give any testimony for thy Confession thou livest and hast had no member cut off How gatest thou out of Prison but because thou either madest a promise of submission to our Persecutors or else didst that which was abominable Eusebius hearing these things grew into great choller and dissolved the Assembly saying If you come hither and now speak such things against us surely your Accusers speak nothing but the truth For if you go about to exercise a Tyranny here much more will you do it in your own Country There is much contest amongst Divines both Ancient and Modern what Eusebius Faith was about the person of the Son of God Some charge him with Arianism for denying the Deity of Christ but Athanasius saith that he recanted it in the Nicaene Council Eustathius of Antioch accused him for innovating the Nicaene Creed when as himself professed that he rested satisfied therewith Hierom nameth him for an open defender of the Arian
impiety On the contrary Socrates out of Eusebius his writings endeavours to vindicate him from that charge Learned Scultetus thus reconciles them Aries saith he denyed two things The Eternity of the Son of God his Co-equality with the Father Eusebius doth every where profess the Eternity of Christ But his Co-equality he never seriously believed He used to say That Moses wrote the Old Law in dead Tables of stone but Christ did write the perfect Documents of the New Testament in living Souls He flourished under Constantinus Magnus and Constantius His Ecclesiastical History is well known besides which he wrote some other Books as Libri Praeparationis Evangelicae 15. Libri Demonstrationis Evangelicae decem and some others which are lost The Life of Lactantius who flourished An. Chri. 308. LUcius Caelius was an Italian by birth and from his Country Firmia was called Firmtanus d lacteo dicendi genere was called Lactantius He sometime lived at Rome where he was scholar to Arnobius under whom he profited exceedingly and became so famous for his Eloquence that he far surpassed his Master therein Wimphelingus contends to have him a German by birth and saith that there is till this day a famous family of the Firmiani in Germany who boast themselves to be the Progenie of Lactantius Having perfected his Studies at Rome he went into Bythinia where he taught Oratory under the raign of Dioclesian and Constantine and when he saw the Christian Religion to want some Eloquent Defenders of it he took pen in hand and besides divers others writings which are perished he wrote his seven Books of Institutions against the Gentiles a Book De Ira Dei of the Anger of God and another of Gods Workmanship Also an Epitome of the Divine Institutions Other things that are fathered upon him are spurious saith the Learned Scultetus About the nineteenth year of Dioclesian there was an horrible Persecution raised against the Church of Christ wherein the Christian Churches were demolished the Sacred Scriptures and other godly Books were burnt the Christians themselves were dragged to most inhumane tortures and torments yea where any were found that constantly adhered unto Christ they were cruelly martyred yet it pleased God to hide Lactantius in this great storm though he retained his Piety fearing no torments but resolved both in Life and Death to cleave close unto Christ. He Dedicated most of his Works to Constantin Magn. Hierom faith of him Lactantius quasi quidâ—m fluvius Tullianae Eloquentis Lactantius flowed with Eloquence yea as abounding as Tullie himself c. In his old Age for his rare Parts he was appointed Tutor to Constantine's Son He was so far from seeking after riches that he died very poor He used to say That godliness alwayes enriches the possessor He flourished under Dioclesian Anno Christi 308. ATHANATIVS The Life of Athanasius who dyed Anno Christi 375. AThanasius was born in Alexandria and by the care of his Parents was brought up in all sorts of Learning both Humane aud Divine Being a boy upon a solemn sestival day he was playing amongst other boys who would needs imitate the Church in her Sacred Offices and for that end they chose Athanasius for their Bishop who acted his part well examining other boys about the Principles of Religion to prepare them for Baptism It fell out that whilest they were at their sport came by Alexander the Bishop of Alexandria and observing the manner of their past-time he called them before him examining every boy what part he had acted thereby gathering their dispositions for future imployments Then did he cause them all to be carefully educated in good Learning but above all he took a love to and was exceeding careful of the education of Athanasius for his ingenuity diligence and towardliness and when he came to ripeness of years he made him Deacon and finding him a nimble and good Disputant he took him with him to the Council of Nice summoned by Constantine the Great against the Arians to aid and assist him in his Disputations which procured him much hatred and trouble from the Arians as afterwards we shall hear Alexander having by long familiarity with him gained experience of his Piety Parts and Zeal in defending the Truth against the Hereticks of those times when he lay upon his death bed was directed by God to choose Athanasius for his successor in his Bishopâ—ick which Athanasius having intelligence of hid himself that he could not be found Yet did Alexander call for him and when he came not being now near death he said O Athanasius thou thinkest that thou canst escape yet shalt thou not escape this Office After the death of Alexander he was searched out and made his Successor This so irritated the Arians who had now crept into favour with the old Emperor that they sought by all means to cast him out of Alexandria and for that end they accused him to the Emperour as the Author of much Sedition and of many tumults in the Church they charged him with keeping many out of the Church which desired to return into the Unity of it by which means Peace and Concord was prevented they procured many Bishops and Presbyters to attest the truth of these things to the Emperour professing themselves to be Orthodox and accusing Athanasius and the Bishops that adhered to him to be the Authors of the murthers bonds unjust stripes wounds and burnings in the Church Athanasius on the contrary wrote to the Emperour that those Arians were the Authors of unlawful Ordinations and of innovating the Decrees of the Council of Nice of corrupting the Faith of Seditions and of prosecuting the Orthodox with unjust contumelies and reproaches The good old Emperour in these various informations knew not whom to believe but the Arians being about him having his Ear at command they procured the Emperour to write to Athanasius to require him to prohibit none from entring into the Church and if he should do otherwise he threatned to drive him out of Alexandria and to place another Bishop in his room Hereupon Athanasius wrote back to the Emperour labouring to convince him that the Arians ought not to be admitted to communicate with the Catholick Church Eusebius one of the chiefest of these Arians perceiving that he could not this way prevail against Athanasius intended secretly to make him away but not finding how to effect it he spake with the Miletians other Hereticks promising that if they would accuse Athanasius to the Emperour he would so far prevail with him and some other great persons about him that their cause should be heard Hereupon they put in a charge against Athanasius that he had imposed a Tribute of Linnen Garments upon the Egyptians affirming that he had also gathered the same But it pleased God that by chance there were present Alippius and Macarius two Presbyters of Alexandria who easily refelled and wiped off
but had appealed to an Oecumenical Council they deposed him When tidings hereof was brought to Constantinople the whole City was on an uproar and they watched his house all night lest he should be thrust out of the City They cryed out also that he should have been heard before a fuller Synod But the Emperours command was that he should be carryed into Exile Hereupon John the third day after his deposition about noon unknown to the people for he was loth there should be any ado for his sake yeelded himself into the hands of his Adversaries and so privately went away This being known the people were all in a Sedition and many that hated him before changing their minds pittied his case yea some that before desired to see his deprivation now cryed out that he was falsly accused and craftily dealt withall Many cryed out against the Emperour but more against the Council and most of all against Theophilus whom they knew to be the Author of all this mischief Hereupon in all hast the Emperour caused John to be sent for again the Messenger was an Eunuch of the Emperesses who found him at Prenetum a Mart Town over against Nicomedia and brought him to Constantinople Yet John though he was thus brought back from Exile resolved not to enter into the City till his innocency was cleared and he were acquitted by the sentence of higher Judges and thereupon he stayed in the Suburb called Mariana But because he returned not into the City the people fell a rayling upon the Magistrates which necessitated him to come home As he came into the City multitudes of people met him brought him to the Church with great rreverence requested him to continue their Bishop and thence forward after the usual manner to pray for the peace and prosperous estate of the Church of God Shortly after a Silver Picture of Eudoxia the Empress was made and erected upon a Marble Pillar near to the Church called Wisdom and common Plays and Shews were celebrated at the same time and John believing that these things were very scandalous and dishonourable to the Christian Religion not forgetting his wonted audacity and liberty of speech sharply reproved the Authors and Abettors of such vanities whereupon the Empress applying these things to her self and supposing that they were spoken in disgrace and reproach of her she caused another Council of Bishops to be called together against him Iohn being informed hereof in his Sermon used these expressions Herodias rageth afresh stomacketh anew danceth again seeketh the head of John in a Platter which Sermon more enraged the Empress against him Then did divers Bishops meet together as Leontius Bishop of Ancyra in Galatia Ammonius Bishop of Laodicea Briso Bishop of Philippi Acatius Bishop of Beraea c. who called the late accusers of Iohn before them to accuse him again Iohn trusting to their just dealing requested only that the accusations against him might be equally and indifferently examined In the mean time the Emperor sent Iohn word that he would not communicate with him before he had cleared himself from the crimes laid to his charge But the accusers being stricken with shame could prove nothing so that the Bishops then present affirmed that they ought not to examine any other offence saving whether after his Deposition he had not of himself assumed his Bishoprick again of himself without the admission of a Council To this Iohn answered that he had the consent of fifty Bishops which communicated with him Leontius replayed that there were more against him Again Iohn said that that Canon belonged not to their Church for that it was made by the Arians at Antioch against Athanasius But they making no account of this answer proceeded to pass sentence against him not considering that they which were Authors of this Canon were also Deposers of Athanasius Upon this the Emperour sent Iohn word that he had no Authority to go into the Church for that he was deposed whereupon he kept himself in his house till by the Emperours command he was carryed into Exile But God suffered not this wickedness to go long unpunished for Cyrinus Bishop of Chalcedon who had railed upon him had a sore brake forth in his Leg so that he was forced to saw it off yet then did the sore grow in his other Leg which he was forced to cut off also and presently after so great a hail fell in the Suburbs of Constantinople as the like was never seen and four days after dyed the Empress Iohn was carryed to Cucusus in Armenia and divers Ministers that adhered to him were carryed to Chalcedon and there cast into bonds and his Enemies going about Constantinople sought out as many as were favourers of him dragging them to prison and forcing them to curse Iohâ— whilest he was at Cucusus in Armenia grew very famous for having much money sent him by his friends he wholly imployed it for the Redemption of Captives and for the relief of the Poor He also by his Ministry gat him many friends so that he had great resort to him not only of the Armeniant but out of Syria and Cilicia which so incensed his Enemies at Constantinople that they gat a new Order from the Emperour to carry him to far remoter parts which also they put in practice but by the way he being grown weak and not able to endure the scorching of the Sun in those hot Countries made an end of his Earthly Pilgrimage to receive his Crown in Heaven Chrysostom was so stiled ob venustatem Eloquii for his graceful Eloquence He was Disciple to Eusebius of an admirable wit in framing his Homilies beloved and reverenced of all men Sophronius testifies numquam eum mentitum fuisse c. that he never told Lye never cursed any never spake any scurrilous matter and never admitted of vain sports His style was neither too lofty nor too mean but fitted to the profit of the hearers Holiness and Scholarship are joined in one his works throughout He studyed not aures titillare but corda pungere to tickle the Ears of his hearers but to prick and ravish their hearts He used to tell his Auditors That they were not only to learn but exercise themselves in practising and searching the Scriptures to avoid idleness He contemned Riches and hated vices was full of sweet similitudes Theodoret styles him Eximium orbis terrarum luminare The eminentest light of the whole world By authority from the Emperour he imployed some to throw down and demolish all the Idols and their Temples throughout all Phenice and reformed all the Churches in Asia stirring up the Ministers to the study of Piety He sent many Ministers and Deacons into Scythia which was over-run by the Arian Herefsie reducing many thereby to the Orthodox Faith Hearing also that the Scythian Nomades by the River Isther thirsted after the knowledge of Christ he sent some
Huss who opposed the Errors of Popery in Bohemia The 36. year from the condemnation of Dr. Wessalia who taught at Worms the same Doctrine before Luther was born that Luther did afterwards Anno Christi 1517. John Tecelius brought Indulgences into Germany to be sold averring that he had so large a Commission from the Pope that though a man had deflroured the blessed Virgin yet for money he could pardon his sin Luther's zeal being inflamed herewith it caused him to set forth some propositions against Indulgences which so enraged Tecelius that wheresoever he came he declamed against Luther and set forth contrary positions and not content therewith he burned openly Luthers propositions and the Sermon which he wrote about Indulgences This caused the Students at Wittenberg to burn his positions also The Propositions which Luther set up were 95 in number After which he made this Protestation I Martin Luther Doctor of the Order of the Eremites at Wittenberg would have it publickly testified that I have set forth certain Propositions against the Popes Indulgences as they call them But albeit neither the famous and worthy School of ours nor the Civil nor Ecclesiastical Power hath hitherto condemned me yet as I hear there are certain men of a violent and bold wit who dare to pronounce me an Heretick as if they well understood and throughly knew the whole matter But I beseech every one as I have often done before so now by the Christian Faith that they either shew me a better way if it be revealed by God to any of them or else let them submit their sentence to God and his Churches Judgment For neither am I so rash that I would have my Opinion alone to be preferred before all others neither am I so doltish that I would have the Word of God to be placed after Fables devised by Humane Reason Anno Christi 1518. Andrew Bodenstein from his Native place called Caralostadius with many other Divines of Wittenberg defended Luthers Doctrine by their writings Also the Elector of Saxony of his own accord without intreaty took upon him the Patronage of Luther neither would he suffer that he should be drawn to Rome Also about the same time Luther contrary to the advice of his friends went to the Chapter of the Angustine Fryars held at Heidleberg to defend his Doctrine and shew his obedience to their Summons He was honorably entertained by the Bishop of Wurstburg and at Heidleberg by Wolfgang the Count Palatine Amongst the Fryers there he disputed of 28 Paradoxes which he propounded out of St. Pauls Epistles concerning Justification by Faith without works Bucer being present and taking notes at this Disputation wrote thus of it to Beatus Rhenanus His sweetness in answering saith he was admirable his patience in hearing was incomparable you might have seen the acuteness of Saint Paul in resolving doubts so that he brought them all into admiration of him by reason of his short and pithy answers and those taken out of the Storehouse of Gods holy Scriptures In his return when he was at Erford he wrote to Jodocus a Divine of Isenach who had been his Master wherein he thus expresseth himself The whole Vniversity of Wittenberg is of my minde concerning the Doctrine of Faith and Works except one Licenciat and also the Duke of Saxony The Bishop of Brandenburg who is my Ordinary and many Prelates and the more Ingenuous Citizens say with one mouth that they never knew Christ and the Gospel before August following Maximilian the Emperor hearing of these Controversies between Luther others presently wrote to the Pope to provide timely remedies against those spreading evils as he called them promising that whatever he should Decree about the same he would see that it should take place through all the Provinces of the Empire Hereupon Pope Leo citeth Luther to Rome which he also signified to his Legat Cardinal Cajetan in these words Hearing that Luther defendeth certain ungodly opinions estranged from those of the Church of Rome which is the Mistris of Faith and Religion out of my Fatherly affection desiring to repress his rashness I have commanded the Bishop of Aeculan to cite him to Rome to answer those accusations that are laid against him This the said Bishop hath done yet Luther is so far from returning to soundness that being stubborn in his Heresie he hath set out writings much worse then the former to my great grief and perturbation c. Then he proceeds to require the Cardinal to see that Luther were brought to Auspurg and that he should implore the Emperour and Princes to set a guard upon him and carry him to Rome yet withall if he should repent and voluntarily confess his fault he bade the Cardinal pardon him otherwise to interdict him from holy services c. The Pope also wrote to the Duke of Saxony in which Letter after a few flatteries he tels him that he heareth many and grievous complaints against Luther an undone man who forgetting his Order and Profession doth many things very sawcily against the Church of God with great confidence braging that he is defended with the favor of his Prince and that he fears the authority of no man which thing he presumes to be false and scandalous to the Prince yet saith he I am willing to write to you to admonish you to be mindeful of the dignity and splendor of your Ancestors flying not only the fault but also suspition of it c. After which he tels him that it properly belonged to the Church of Rome to judge in these causes of Religion and therefore requires him at the request of his Legat to see that Luther be sent to Rome that there he might be either censured or pardoned according to his deserts The Pope wrote also to the Master of the Augustine Monks exhorting him by his Authority to endeavour to recal Luther from his undertakings and to sollicit him earnestly thereto both by Letters and learned men withall telling him that this must be done speedily whereby he might quench the flame that was but lately risen whereas by delays it was to be feared that the danger would grow greater and greater for the timely suppressing whereof he required him to use all his study care and diligence When Luther saw that he was called to Rome he earnestly sollicited that his cause might be heard in Germany before fit Judges appointed thereto and in a place least subject unto danger The University also of Wittenberg wrote to the Pope giving a notable testimony unto Luther both for his Life and Learning They said also that in regard of his sickliness and the danger of the way he could not go to Rome they beseeched the Pope that he would think no otherwise of him then of a good man that certain things indeed were propounded by him only for Disputation sake not to define them that his Adversaries interpreted him in the
Anno Christi 1516. Anno Christi 1520. through the favor of Sir Vlrick Hutten he was called to Ments by the Archbishop thereof to be the Preacher and Counsellor to the Prince at which time also Gasper Hedeo was made Preacher and chief Governor over the highest Church in Ments Capito did the more willingly embrace this call that he might plant the reformed Religion in Ments Concerning his commencing Doctor he thus writes in an Epistle to Hutten Juris Pontificii ut vocant Doctoratum suscepi propter authoritatem videlicet comparandam scopam subolescis Licet interim sint aliqui qui vitio vertunt Theologum esse unà simul Civilem quasi Theologus necesse habet omnem exuere humanitatem Anno Christi 1521. Tecelius the Merchant of Indulgences being dead by the order of the Archbishop of Ments Letters Patents for the renewing of them were set to sale at Hale in Saxony whereupon Luther wrote to the Archbishop and Melancthon to Capito his Counsellor to disswade them from such Merchandize Capito therefore secretly favouring the Gospel so far prevailed with his Master that he wrote mildly and humbly to Luther And Capito also wrote to him to advise him that in writing against the vices of Prelates he should not name them For saith he Exasperantur potius animi insectatione quà m curantur mens mindes by such bitterness are rather exasperated then cured Capito thus continuing with the Elector of Ments was very dear unto him for his rare Wisdom joined with Piety his happy Eloquence and mild Nature so that by him he was sent upon many Embassies And February the 7. Anno Christi 1523. he was by the Emperour Charles the Fifth endowed for himself and posterity with the Ensignes of Nobility under the Imperial Seal But not much esteeming these things when he saw that he could not accomplish his purpose at Ments to the wonder of the Archbishop and astonishment of the Courtiers he left it and followed Bucer to Strasborough where he was called to a Pastoral charge The fame of Capito and Bucer did so spred abroad that James Faber Stapulensis and Gerard Ruâ—us came privily out of France to them being sent by Margaret Queen of Navar and sister to Francis King of France where they discoursed largely with them of all the heads of Divinity So that France oweth the beginning of her embracing the reformed Religion as to other godly Ministers so especially to Capito and Bucer Capito was a very Prudent and Eloquent man a good Hâ—brician and studious of Peace Concerning the Sacrament he said Mittendas esse contentiones cogitandum de usu ipsius coenae fidem nostram pane vino Domini per memoriam carnis sanguinis illìus pascendam Anno 1525 he was called into his own Country where he instructed his Brethren in the Doctrine of the Gospel preached and administred the Lords Supper to his own Citizens and Baptized without the Popish Ceremonies and whereas in Helvetia many seemed to incline to the reformed Religion Capito often went amongst them confirming them in the Faith And in a Disputation at Bern in Helvetia Anno Christi 1528. Capito with many other Divines was present at it defending the Truth against the Adversaries so that he with the rest prevailed for the abolishing of the Mass and setting up a faithful Ministry in that place The rest of his time he spent in Preaching at Strasborough and giving wholsome counsel to the Churches Anno Christi 1541. when a Diet was appointed at Ratisbone especially for the cause of Religion Capito amongst other Divines was sent by the Protestants to it where he gave an excellent demonstration of his wit and judgement But when nothing could be effected returning home in a great and general infection he dyed of the Plague Anno Christi 1541. of his Age 63. He was a man of an excellent wit and judgement constant in Religion A great lover of the Schools and Learning wherefore he exhorted to the repairing of Schools and keeping up Scholastical Titles that the studious might be distinguished from the slothful the Seniors from the Juniors and that diligence might be spurred on by hope of honest glory When Erasmus halted between two opinions he continually called upon him to put off that Nicodemus-like temper His first wife was Agnes a learned woman after whose death he marryed the Widdow of Oecolampadius his intire friend He left to posterity these excellent works Institutionum Hebraicarum libriduo Enarrationes in Habacuc Hoseans Prophetas Vita Johannis Oecolampadii De formando puro Theologo Explicatio doctissima in Hexameron opus Dei LEO JVDAE The Life of Leo Iudae who dyed An. Chri. 1542. LEO Judae was born An. Chr. 1482. his fathers name was John Judae his mothers name was Elizabeth By the care of his Father he was brought up at School in Slestadia where having learned Grammer he went to Basil An. Chr. 1502. There he joined in study with Zuinglius was an hearer of Dr. Wittenbash by whom he was instructed in the knowledg of the Gospel There also he continued in his studies till he commenced Master of Arts Anno Christi 1512. after which he was made a Deacon and from thence he was called into Helvetia where he set himself to the study of the Oriental Tongues and to read the Fathers especially Hierom and Augustine as also he read diligently the Books of Luther Erasmus and Capito At length being called to a Pastoral charge at Zurick he opposed the Popish Doctrine and Ceremonies both in the Pulpit and Press so that his fame spread far and near there he continned eighteen years and spent much of it in expounding the Old Testament out of the Hebrew wherein being grown very skilful he set upon at the importunity of his Brethren of the Ministry the translation of the Old Testament out of the Hebrew wherein also he was much holpen by the industry of other learned men His care was to get the most exact Hebrew copy that he could which also he compared with others neither did he neglect to examine the Greek and Latine versions that by all he might the better finde out the genuine signification of the words and minde of the Holy Ghost But this work proving very great he was so wasted with labor and old age that he dyed before he finished it Anno Christi 1542. and of his Age 60. leaving undone Job the forty last Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles and the eight last Chapters of Ezekiel which he commended to Theodore Bibliander to finish who accordingly did it and he left all to Conradus Pellican to peruse and put to the Press which he carefully performed Four days before his death sending for the Pastors and Professors of Zurick he made before them a Confession of his Faith concerning God the Scriptures the Person and Offices of Christ concluding Huic
This Embassie of yours is just like to the Devils dealing with Christ when he promised him al the World if he would fal down and worship him but for my own part I am resolved not to depart from the Truth which God hath revealed unto me but before the return of the Ambassadour Duke George was dead whereupon this Henry notwithstanding all the opposition of the Papists made this Reformation in the Churches which work being finished Myconius visited all the Churches in Thuringia and with the help of Melancthon and some other he provided them Pastors and Schoolmasters and procured stipends to be setled upon them for their maintenance The rest of his life he spent in Preaching Praying and writing of Letters many great persons in Universities and the chief Churches holding correspondence with him amongst whom were Luther Melancthon Cruciger Menius Basilius Monerus John Langus Mechlerus John Marcellus Matthew Ratzenbergerus c. Anno Christi 1541. He fell into a Consumption whereof he wrote to Luther That he was sick not to death but to life which gloss upon the Text pleased Luther excellently well unto whom he wrote back I pray Christ our Lord our Salvation our Health c. that I may not live to see thee and some others of our Colleagues to dye and go to Heaven and to leave me hear amongst the Devils alone I pray God that I may first lay down this dry exhausted and unprofitable tabernacle farewel and God forbid that I should hear of thy death whil'st I live Sed te superstitem faciat mihi Deus hoc peto volo fiat voluntas mea Amen quia haec voluntas gloriam nominis Dei certè non meam voluptatem nec copiam quaerit A while after Myconius recovered according to this Prayer though his disease seemed to be desperate and out-lived it fix years even till after Luthers death whereupon Justus Jonas speaking of Luther saith of him Iste vir potuit quodvoluit That man could have of God what he pleased A little before Myconius his death he wrote an excellent Epistle to Joan. Frederick Elector of Saxony wherein he praiseth God for raising up three successively in that Family viz. Frederick John and John Frederick to undertake the patronage of Luther c. He was a man of singular piety of solid learning of a dextrous judgement of a burning zeal and of admirable candor and gravity He dyed of a relapse into his former disease Anno Christi 1546. and of his Age 55. His Works were these Expositio in Evan. Marci Enarrationes in Psalmum 101. Expositiones in Evan. secundum Matthaeum Lucam Johannem Commentaria in Jesaiam Jeremiam Jonam Narratio de vita morte Zuinglii Sermo de liberis recte educandis De crapula ebrietate De faenore usura c. Iohn Stigetias made this Epitaph upon him Quo duce Gotha tibi monstrata est Gratia Christi Haec pia Mâ—conii contegit ossa lapis Doctrina vitae tibi moribus ille reliquit Exemplum Hoc ingens Gotha tuere decus The Life of John Diazius who dyed Anno Christi 1546. IOhn Diazius was born in Spain and brought up at School afterwards he went to Parâ— to study the Arts where he continued thirteen years but it pleased God that whilst he read over the holy Scriptures and some of Luthers Books and other Protestant Divines he began to see and abominate the Errors of Popery and therefore to further himself in the knowledge and study of the Truth he went to Geneva where he spake with Calvin and was very dear unto him From thence he went to trasborough where Martia Buâ—er observing his Learning Piety and diligence in his study obtained of the Senate that he should be joined with him to go to the Disputation at Ratisbone and when he came thither he went to Peter Malvenda a Spaniard the Popes Agent in Germany who when he knew that he came in the company of Bucâ—r and the other Protestant Divines he was much astonished and admired how he was so much changed from that which he knew him to be at Paris and withall he fretted exceedingly that they had gotten a Spaniard amongst them presuming that they would triumph more in him then in many Germanes whereupon he left no means untryed to draw him back again to the Church of Rome sometimes making large profers and promises to him other-sometimes threatning severe punishments and mixing both with earnest entreaties He also advised him by no means to stay at Ratisbon till the Emperours coming for saith he that cannot be without great danger to you rather haste to his Court and beg your pardon Also at another conference Malvenda asked him wherefore he was to Ratisbone Diazius answered that he was sent thither by the Senate of Strasborough that he might join his Prayers with the Prayers of the Church and in the publick conference might endeavor reconcilement as much as he could in those Articles which were to be disputed of Then said Malvenda you are come hither in vain for nothing will be concluded at this conference but if you would do good you should rather go to the Council that the Pope hath begun at Trent But when by no means he could prevail to divert him from the Truth he sent for his brother Alphonsus Diazius one of the Popes Lawyers from Rome who hearing that his Brother was turned Protestant came speedily into Germany bringing a notorious cut-throat with him resolving either to divert or destroy him when he came to Ratisbone Diazius was departed to Neoburg about the printing of Bucers Book which Alphonsus hearing of followed him thither carrying with him Letters to Iohn Diazius from Malvenda wherein he wished him to obey his Brother Alphonsus who would give him good Counsel When Alphonsus came to Neoburg his Brother Iohn wondred to see him there asking him the cause of his so unlooked for presence after some other excuses at length he told him that he had undertook that long and dangerous journey to recall him into the bosome of the Church Hereupon they had much conference about matters of Religion and at length Alphonsus told him that he had five hundred Ducats per annum in Church revenues all which he would make over to him if he would go with him to Rome But when by no means he could prevail with him fetching a deep sigh he said Brother I perceive the constancy of your Faith â—nd your unmoveablness in adhering to the Doctrine of the Gospel to be so great that you have almost drawn me unto your opinion Yea upon further discourse he seemed to be in love with the Doctrine of the Gospel and thereupon perswaded Iohn to leave Germany which abounded with learned men and where there was less use of him and to go with him into Italy Rome
he was set to the study of the Law wherein he shewed such industry that he was quickly acquainted with the principles of it and being of a generous nature he loved the Truth and hated Evils often using that Proverbe of Solomon that Lying lips become not a Prince Amongst all Law-books he was most versed in Panormitan Having thus prepared his Wit by these Studies An. Chr. 1522 he was by Cardinal Albert Elector of Mentz and Bishop of Magdeburg chosen to be one of his Counsellors whereby he was versed in the weighty Affairs of State finding the use and benefit of his knowledge of the Law therein and being Eloquent by nature the Cardinal often made use of him to open his mind to others so that his judgement was encreased and confirmed by his industry and employments But the Controversies about Religion waxing hot at this time and Luther's books coming abroad he fell to reading of them especially De discrimine Legis Evangelii De vera paenitentia De gratia De fide De vera invocatione De usu Sacramentorum De discrimine legum divinarum humanarum De discrimine Ministerii Evangelici Politicae potestatis Yet withall suspecting his own injudiciousness he would often pray with teares to God to incline his heart to the Truth saying Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy and instruct me in thy right eousnesse He was frequent in reading the Scriptures Ecclesiastical Histories Augustine Hierom and Lombard having George Forcheme both for an helper and copartner with him in those studies He studied also Greek and Hebrew and was so perfect in the Hebrew that few excelled him He discoursed with Learned men about the Controversies and so at length having long weighed the Opinions of all he concluded that the Confession of the Reformed Churches did agree with the ancient Catholick Church of God instructed by the writingâ— of the Prophets and Apostles And though he knew what hatred and danger he exposed himself to yet he made a publique profession of the Truth giving over to joyn with the Papists in their Counsels and Idolatrous Services giving himself wholly to Prayer and reading the Scriptures and other good books assisting his Brethren with whom he lived in perfect Peace and Love exceedingly in their Governments And first of all by their joint consents he reformed the Churches in his own Country setting fit Pastors over them commanding them to teach the Word of Truth to their people He abolished the Popish Ceremonies erected Schooles allowed competent stipends to the Ministers so that all things were Reformed without any dissention or tumult and many were drawn to embrace the Truth others were confirmed therein by the judgements and examples of their pious Princes And then he was very profitable to his Country by the faithful administration of Justice to them an Christi 1545 he was called to the Government of the Churches in the Diocesse of Mersburg and for that end he sent for Phil. Melancthon and divers other godly Ministers who ordained him by the Imposition of hands and gave him a Testimonial thereof August the third 1545. Concerning which Melancthon thus writeth Nos convocati quia certe sciebamus hunc illustrissimum rincipem Georgium rectè intelligere constanter amplecti puram Evangelii Doctrinam quam Ecclesiae harum regionum â—navoce uno spiritâ— cum Catholica Ecclesia Dei profitentur eximiam ejus esse virtutem sanctitatem Testimonium nostrum de eo ritu Apostolico impositione manuum declaravimus c. He lived very continently in a single life without any defilement His Chamber was a Temple Academy and a Court for he used daily in the same to pray read write and deliberate about Government He never wronged any man willingly He did good both privately and publickly to many He was a great promoter of Peace among Princes He ended many Controversies He abhorred all seditious and turbulent counsels He was far from ambition No anger hatred or desire of revenge could ever draw him to goe against the Rules of Justice or to act any thing against the common good Many and great injuries he bore with a great minde and pardoned them for the publick peace sake And with the same moderation of minde he bore other griefs so that it might easily appeare that he was supported by Prayer to and resting himself upon God and as a learned man he knâ—w the difference between divine and humane consolations and often repeated this saying Subditus esto Deo ora eum c. Submit thy self to God and pray unto him for he is near to those that are of a contrite heart and will save the humble in spirit He employed his time so wel so that he left none for pleasures and used to say That nothing refreshed him more in his sorrows then conference with learned and godly men About all controversies in Law he used to conferre with the excellentest Lawyers who were wise and virtuous men About the nature of mans body the causes and remedies of diseases with the most skilful Physitians About the Doctrine of the Church and Ecclesiastical Affairs with Luther Justus Jonas John Bugenhag c. and many of their Disputations ful of Learning and Piety were heard to the profit of many He conferred with Joachim Camerarius about the Histories of all Ages the mutation of Empires their period and the causes thereof about the Motions of the Heavens and the effects of the Stars The last act of this Princes life shewed his Piety and Gods presence with him For falling sick of a most troublesome disease he was frequent in holy prayer for himself for all the Princes of that Family for his Country and for Germany He had some portions of holy Scripture daily read to him He made his Will wherein he set downe the Confession of his Faith and commended the defense of his Churches to his Brother He added something to the stipends of all the godly Ministers under his charge He often ruminated upon those Texts God so loved the world that he gave c. No man shal take my sheep out of my hand Come unto me all yee that are weary c. and so in holy meditations and prayer he resigned up his spirit unto God Anno Christi 1553 and of his Age 47. Amongst other parts of his Ecclesiastical Administrations every year he held two Synods wherein all the Pastors of his Diocesse met together where they had very profitable Sermons preached He was made Superintendent of those Churches of Mersburg by Augustus Duke of Saxony brother to Maurice Anno Christi 1544. His Works which he left behind him were these A Consolatory Sermon upon that speech of our Saviour None can take my sheep out of my hand A Nuptial Sermon preached at Toâ—gau at the Mariage of the Duke of Saxony to Anne the King of Denmarks Daughter Four Sermons about the Sacrament A
Consolation to his Brother Wolphgang in his Sicknesse Two Sermons against False Prophets Sermons containing an assertion of the true Doctrine in the Reformed Churches A Tractate about the Apostolical Rite of Ordination used in the Reformed Churches His opinion about the controverted Articles published by Selneccerus He was of such constancy of Life and Manners that it might truly be said of him which Dion said of the Emperor Marcus Antonniuus In omni vitâ sui similis nec ullâ unquam in re mutatus fuit Itaque verè fuit vir bonus nec fictum aut simulatum quicquam habuit The Life of Justus Jonas who died A no Christi 1555. JUstus Jonas was born at Northusa Anno Christi 1493 where his Father was a Senator who falling sick of the Plague having applyed an Onion to the Soar and taken it off he layd it by him presently after this little Jonas coming took the Onion and eat it up yet without any prejudice to himself God miraculously preserving him from that danger He was at first brought up at School in his own Country Afterwards being sent to a publick School he studied Law and made a good progress therein but upon better thoughts he studied Divinity and proceeded Doctor and embraced the Reformed Religion and was called an Christi 1521 to a Pastoral Charge in Wittenberg And when sundry Controversies arose especially about abrogating private Masse and the Prince Elector of Saxony feared lest the abolishing of it should cause great tumults Jonas with his Colleagues went to him and rendred such reasons for it that the Prince acquiesced therein He was present at most of the Disputations about Religion where he defended the Truth strenuously and endeavoured to promote Peace He was also made a Professor in that University where he publickly read Divinity Lectures and bore all Offices in the Schooles Anno Christi 1533 he created sundry Doctors of Divinity as Gasper Cruciger John Bugenhag Pomâ—ranus and John Aepinus Pastor of the Church of Haâ—borough At which Commencement John Frederick Elector of Saxony was present and was much delighted with the Eloquent Speeches made by Justus Jonas Anno Christi 1539 when Henry Duke of Saxony who had embraced the Reformed Religion and was admitted into the League of Smalcald succeeded his Brother George in the Government of Misnia and Thuringia he presently by the advice of Luther and his Colleagues Reformed his Churches Luther himself beginning that Reformation but the carrying on and perfecting that work was left to the care of Justus Jonas with Spalatine and Ampersdorf From thence he was called unto Hale in Saxony where he preached and promoted Religion exceedingly And whilst he was imployed there he was not only very useful to those Churches but was sent to from divers others for advice and counsel and being a man of a publick spirit he was never wanting to those that craved his help Luther sometimes resorted thither to him and took him along with him in his last journey to Isâ—eben anno Christi 1546 where he dyed After whose death he remained a while in the Duke of Saxony's Court and was a constant companion of Frederick's Sonnes in all their afflictions And lastly he was set over the Church in Eisfield and was made Superintendent of the Franconian Churches within the Principality of Coburg where he ended his daies in much peace and comfort Anno Christi 1555 and of his age 63. He was a man of an excellent Wit of great Industry of much Integrity of life joyned with Piety Whilst Luther lived he was his faithful friend and most dear to him Most of the famous men of that age were his great friends On a time Luther coming to his house drank to him out of a curious glass adding this Distich ex tempore Dat vitrum vitrâ—â— Jonae vitrum ipse Lutherus Ut vitro fragili similem se noscat uterque Being once under Temptations and in great Agony he shewed much despondencie but his servant partly by comforting him partly by chiding him cheared him up and at last through God's mercy the Spirit prevailed against the flesh He published a Defence of the mariage of Ministers against John Faber the patron of whoredoms An Oration about the study of Divinity Annotations upon the Acts About privat Masse and the Unction of Priests He turned some of Luthers works into Latin The Life of John Rogers who died A no Christi 1555. JOhn Rogers was born in England and brought up at the Universitie of Cambridg where he profited very much in good learning and from thence was chosen by the Merchant Adventurers to be their Chaplain at Antwerp to whom hee preached many years and there falling into acquaintance with Will Tindal and Miles Coverdal who were fled thither from persecution in England he by heir means profited much in the knowledg of Jesus Christ and joyned with them in that painful and profitable work of Translating the Bible into English and being much enlightened thereby in the saveing knowledge of Jesus Christ he cast off the heavy yoake of Popery perceiving it to be impure and filthy Idolatry There he married a wife and from thence he went to Wittenberg where he much profited in learning and grew so skilfull in the Dutch-tongue that he was chosen pastor to a Congregation and discharged his office with diligence and faithfulness for many years But in King Edward's time hee was sent for home by Bishop Ridley and was made a Prebend of Pauls and the Deane and Chapter chose him to read a Divinity Lecture in that Church in which place hee preached faithfully till Queen Mart's dayes And in the beginning of her Reign in a Sermon at Paul's Cross he exhorted the people constantly to adhere to thaâ— Doctrine which they had been taught and to beware of pestilent Poperie Idolatrie and superstition for which he was called before the Lords of the Council where he made a stout wittie and godly answer yet withall carried himself so prudently that for that time he was dismissed But after the Queen's Proclamation against True Preaching came forth he was again called the Bishops thirsting for his blood and committed Prisoner to his own house whence he might have escaped and had many motives as his wife and ten children his friends in Germanie where he could not want preferment c. But being once called to answer in Christ's Cause he would not depart though to the hazard of his life From his owne house he was removed by Bonner to Newgate amongst thieves and murtherers for a great space At length he was againe carried before the Lords of the Councill where the Lord Chancellor Steven Gardener taunted reviled and checked him not suffering him to speak his mind and so remanded him to prison whereupon he wrote thus I was compelled to leave off what I would have most gladly spoken and
against the Masse-Priest and privily removing the Images out of the Church some of which he cast into prison and caused others to fly away insomuch as Bugenhagius also being not safe and desiâ—ous to be acquainted and to confer with Luther the rather being invited thereto by Letters from Peter Suavenius a man excellently learned who signified to him that his converse with Luther would be exceeding profitable to him he left â—repta and went to Wittenberg Anno Christi 1521 and of his Age 36 and came there a little before Luther's going to the Diet at Worms with whom he had presently some converse and began to make himself known by reading the Psalter privately in the Schooles In Luthers absence Berthoâ—mew Bernhard Pastor of Kemberg married a Wife whereupon much controversie arose whether the Marriage of Ministers was forbidden onely by the Popes Law and how farre the Monks vows of Chastity did binde Luther hereupon being sent to for his judgement easily cut insunder the snares of those Laws and of the impious vows as Alexander did the Gordian knot with his sword At this time Suavenius and Bugenhag sojouâ—ned with Melancthon whereupon when those Propositions oâ— Luther were sent to him Bugenhag read them with much diligence and afterwards having seriously thought of them â—e said This businesse will cause a great mutation in the publick state of things About the same â— time also Carolastadiusâ—aiâ—ed â—aiâ—ed a controversieâ— about bringing in the Judicials of Moses into the Civill State and removing Images out of the Churches Against these Bugenhag with some others opposed themselves declaring that the overthrowing of Images was sâ—ditious and that Christian Commonwealths ought not to be governed by the Jewish Judicials Whereupon at Luthers returne out of his Pathmos by the Suffrages both of the University and Senate Bugenhag was chosen Pastor of the Church of Wittenberg which he taught and governed with much â—elicity and in many changes of Affaires for the pâ—ce of thirty six years never leaving his station neither for war nor pestilence and when he was proffered riches and preferment both in Denmark by the good King and in Pomeren by the good Prince yet he would never leave his charge though he lived but poorly in it Anno Christi 1522 he was sent for to Hamburg where hee prescribed to them a form both of Doctrine Ceremonies and Calling of Ministers where he erected a School also in the Monastery of St. John which afterwards grew very famous And Anno Christi 1530 being sent for to Lubec hee prescribed to them also an order both for Preaching and Discipline and set up a School in the Monastery of St Katheâ—â—ne Anno Christi 1537 he was sent for by Christian King of Denmark and Duke of Holsatia to reform Religion in his Dominions and to erect Schooles at which time he set forth a book about the Ordination of Ministers formerly agreed upon by Luther and his Colleagues to which he added some Prayers and a Form or Directory for holy Administrations And about fourteen daies after the Coronation of King Christian Bugenhag instead of the seven Bishops of Denmark ordained seven Superintendents who for the time to come should supply the office of the Bishops and should take care of all Ecclesiastical affaires These he ordained in the presence of the King and his Councill in the chief Church of Hafnia He also prescribed what Lectures should be read in the Hafnian Academy He appointed Ministers in the Kingdomes of Denmark and Norway to the number of four and twenty thousand Anno Christi 1540 Henry Duke of Brunswick being expelled his Country by the Elector of Saxony and the confederate Princes imployed Bugenhag Anthony Corvinus and Martin Gorlicius adding some of the Nobility to them to visit the Churches and Monasteries in that Dukedome and to see them reformed At which time they set forth a Form of Ordination for the Country The year following the Senate of Hildesia sent for him to Reformâ— their Churches where he with Corvinus and Henrie Winckle wrote them a Form of Ordination and placed Pastors and Ministers in their six Churches the oversight of whom was committed to Iodicus Iferman and the Church of the Canons was shut up Anno Christi 1533 he proceeded Doctor at the instigation of John Friderik Elector of Saxonie himself with his Counsellors being present to hear the publick disputations of Luther Cruciger Bugenhag and Aepine The questions were De Justitia De Ecclesia De discrimine Ministerii Evangelici Potestatis Politicae and Bugenhag making an Oration about the last of these the Prince was exceedingly well pleased with it Thus far we have the happier part of Bugenhags life but shortly after followed many confusions and warres both of the Princes and Divines in which the Princes were taken prisoners Wittenberg was besieged and other miseries and mischiefs of war brought exceeding much grief to this good old man as the death of that godly King Josiah did to the Prophet Jeremiah yet did he not give way to despondencie so as either to fly or change his mind but he kept up his spirits by fervent and frequent prayer to God which yeelded him great consolation the rather considering that in so great tempests the poor Ship of Christ's Church was not swallowed up and devoured For Prince Maurice who was made Elector of Saxony changed nothing in Religion as soâ—e feared and others hoped that hee would but sending fâ—â— Melancthon Bugenhag and Crucigir from Wittenberg to Lâ—â—sâ—â—h he desired them to take care of the Church and Univâ—rsity and so gratifying them bountifully dismissed them The Controversies and Quarrels which sprung up in â—â—e Church by Flacius Illericus were the greatest grief to hâ—m For it was well known that he neither in the time of War nor afterwards altered any thing either in the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Discipline of the Church often urging that Text Giâ—â— to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods He was alwaies very averse to seditious Counsels and most constant in retaining the true Doctrine of Christ and though many aspersions were cast abroad of him yet would he never omit the necessary labours belonging to his Office The last act of his life through Gods goodness was quiet and peaceable for when his strength was so wasted that hee could no longer preach yet he resorted daily to Church where he poured forth fervent praiers both for himself and the afflicted condition of the Church of God at that time Afterwards fallâ—ng sick though without much pain he continued instant in prayer and holy conference with his friends and drawing near to his end he often repeated This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ and so quietly dâ—parted in the Lord Anno Christ 1558 and of his Age 73. He was a faithfull Pâ—stor just mercifulâ—
Order he was made Governour of the Colledge at Naples which for the amaenity of the place and profits belonging to it was of great esteem In that City it pleased God that he began to attain to more light and knowledge of the Truth then formerly he had For by his study of the Scriptures through the illumination of the Holy Ghost he began to take notice of the errours and abuses which were crept into the Church whereupon God enclining his heart thereto he began to read some Protestant Authors and gat Bucers Commentaries upon the Evangelists and his Annotations upon the Psalmes As also Zuinglius De vera falsa Religione De Providentia Dei c. by which he confessed afterwards that he profited very much He daily also conferred with some friends which were addicted to the study of the Reformed Religion to the mutuall edification of both parties The chief of these were Benedict Cusanus his old friend Anthony Flaminius and John Valdesius a noble Spaniard made a Knight by Charles the fifth who after he had embraced the Truth in the love of it spent his time in Italy especially in Naples where by his life and doctrine he had gained many to Christ and amongst those divers of the Nobility and learned men and some noble women as the Lady Isabella Manricha who was afterwards banished for Christs cause c. As also the noble Galleacius Caracciolus Marquesse of Vico. A Church being thus by Gods providence gathered in Naples Peter Martyr joyned himself to it and being desirous to impart that light to others which God had revealed to him he began to expound the first Epistle to the Corinthians and that with great fruit For not onely the Fellows of his Colledge resorted to it but many Bishops and Noblemen but when he came to the words of Saint Paul in 1 Cor. 3 13 14. Every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire c. and had interpreted them contrary to the received opinion he stirred up many Adversaries against him For it 's commonly thought that these words imply a Purgatory whereas Martyr shewed out of the antient Fathers that these words could not be so understood But such as were addicted to the Pope and their Bellies could by no means endure this interpretation of his knowing that if Purgatory were overthrown a great part of their profits by Masses Indulgences c. would presently cease Whereupon they accused Martyr and so far prevailed that his Lecture was put down but Martyr refused to obey this sentence as unjust and trusting to the goodness of his cause appealed to the Pope and at Rome by the assistance of his friends he overcame his adversaries For at that time he had there potent friends as Cardinall Gonzaga Gasper Contarone Reâ—nold Poole Peter Bembus and Frederick Fregosius all learned men and gracious with the Pope who also acknowledged that the Church needed some Reformation By these mens assistance he took off the Interdict and was restored to his former liberty of Preaching which yet heâ— could not long enjoy For before he had been three yearâ—â— at Naples he fell into a grievous and mortall disease togegether with his old fellow Student Benedict Cusanus who also died there But Martyr by the goodnesse of God and the diligence of his Physitians was though with much difficulty cured Whereupon the Superiours of his Order seeing that the air of Naples did not agree with him in a publick convention made him Generall Visitor of their Order In which Office he so demeaned himself that good men much commended his integrity constancy and gravity and others feared him not daring to discover their hatred against him Not long after in a publick convention of the Superiours of his Order he was made Prior of a Monastery in Luca Some out of love preferred him to this place others thinking that it would bee his ruine for there was an ancient grudge between Florence and Luca the latter suspecting that the Florentines sought to enslave them But Martyr by his excellent learning and vertue did so binde the hearts of those of Luca to him that contrary to the expectation of his adversaries himself being a Florentine was no lesse esteemed at Luca then if he had been born amongst them Whereupon they earnestly desired the Superiours of his Order that by no means he might be removed from them Martyr thus continuing at Luca had in his Colledge many learned men and many hopefull youths amongst whom he setled such a Discipline as might most advance holinesse of life religion and learning Hee took care also that the younger sort should be instructed in the three Languages for which end he had Paul Lacisius of Verona to read Latine Celsus of the noble Family of the Martinengi to read Greek Immanuel Tremelius Hebrew to them and that the younger sort together with the Greek might suck in Divinity himself daily expounded Paul's Epistles to them and afterwards required them to read over the same and every night before supper hee publickly expounded one of David's Psalms Very many out of the City resorted to his Lectures of the Nobility and Senators And that he might the better plant Religion in that Commonwealth he preached to them every Sabbath day And what fruit his Ministry had may be discerned by this that in one years space after his departure out of Italy eighteen Fellowes of that Colledge left their places and the Papacy betaking themselves to the Reformed Churches amongst whom was Celsus Martinengus afterwards Pastor of the Italian Church in Geneva Zanchy Tremelius c. Many Citizens also of Luca went into voluntary exile where they might enjoy the Gospel with peace and safety Whilst Peter Martyr was at Luca there met in that City the Emperour Charles the fifth the Pope Paul the third and Cardinal Contarene coming Legate out of Germany who for old acquaintance sake quartered with Peter Martyr and had daily much conference with him about Religion Most men thought that Martyr would be in no small danger by reason of the presence of the Pope because that his envious enemies would suggest something to the suspicious old man which might turne to Martyrs great trouble But because he was strengthned with his own authority and learning and had much room in the hearts of the people having also great friends they stirred not for the present but waited a fitter opportunity intending rather secretly to set upon him and that they might he better try the patience of the people of Luca they by the Popes command seized upon a Fryer of his Colledge and cast him into Prison accusing him for violation of their Religion which thing some Noblemen of Luca taking grievously who knew the piety innocency of the man breaking open the Prison took him out and conveighed him
the presence of these Peter Martyr disputed four daies with three of the Popish Doctors Tresham Chad and Morgan wherein he shewed excellent learning and because the adversaries scattered abroad many false reports Martyr afterwards printed the whole Disputation Not long after the Commons in Devonshire and Oxfordshire rose up in armes amongst whom many threatned the death of Martyr so that he could neither read his Lectures nor safely remain in the City whereupon by his friends hee was safely conveied to London which the King much rejoyced at and when his wife and family could not with safety remain at his house his friends hid them till as the seditious multitude were departed out of the City For the Kings raising two Armies quickly suppressed them punishing with death the Ring-leaders of those Rebellions and Martyr thereupon returned to Oxford to his wonted labours But his restlesse Popish adversaries who had been formerly beaten by arguments and durst not again returne to armes yet to shew their spiâ—e often raised tumults before his house in the night throwing stones at his door and breaking his windows Wherefore the King being carefull to provide for his safety made him Deane of Christs-Church alotting to him a fine house and pleasant garden and so though he had formerly taken the Degree of a Doct. amongst the Pontificians yet he took it again according to the rights of that University He was much prized by the godly King highly esteemed by Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper and all that loved the truth in the University Cranmer made much use of him and his advice about reforming the Church and setling the government of it But when those bloody Marian dayes came wherein Religion was eradicated the Church laid waste and holy men shut up in prisons Martyr also was forbidden the exercise of his place and commanded not to set a foot out of his own doors nor to carry any thing thence Whereupon he presently wrote to his friends shewing what danger he was in pleading the publick faith given to him when he was sent for by King Edward the sixth and by this means leave being given him he came from Oxford to London repairing immediately to Arch-Bishop Cranmer his intire and old friend About which time a report was spread that Cramner wavered and was ready to change his Religion which he hearing of set forth a writing wherein he professed himselfe ready to maintain the Doctrine of Religion which was authorized by King Edward to be agreable to the word of God and the Doctrine of the Apostles And herein he was incouraged by Peter Martyr whom the Arch-Bishop chose to joyne with him in defending the same against all opposers but this was denyed and the Arch-Bish presently sent to the Tower It was also debated in the Queen's Councel whether Peter Martyr should be imprisoned because as some said hee had done much hurt to their Religion But after debate it was concluded That because he came into England upon the publick faith he should be safely dismissed Whereupon sending him publick Letters signed with the Queens own hand He an Bernardine Ochine went first to Antwerp from thence to Cologne and lastly to Strasborough from whence he came Yet when he first took ship his adversaries vexing at his escape urged that it was fit he should bee drawn out of the ship and cast into prison as a publick enemy to the Pope yet it pleased God that the Master of the ship being a godly man hid him at his house fourteen daies till his adversaries had given over seeking for him and then conveied him safely to Antwerp from whence as we heard before he went to Strasborough where he was entertained with much joy by his old friends and restored to his former place Yet there the Divel also raised him up some enemies who suggested to the Senate that he differed in judgement from the Augustane-Confession about Christ's presence in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper which might cause much trouble in the Church and that he refused to subscribe the Articles of agreement between Luther and Bucer about this matter Whereupon he wrote to the Senate That there was nothing in the Augustane-Confession rightly understood which he did not concur with and that if his Text at any time should lead him to speak of that subject he would doe it with such modesty that it should be offensive to none and that his not subscribing to the Agreement between Luther and Bucer wherein amongst other things they had set downe That they which wanted true Faith did yet nevertheless eat the bodie of Christ ought not to be objected to him for that he could not assent thereto but he must give offence to the Helvetian English and French Churches and to them at Geneva also yea and that Bucer himself in England had taught far otherwise With this answer the Senate was well satisfied And hee and Zanchie taught diligently both Divinity and Philosophie in that City yet his restless adversaries did nothing but assperse him and seek his disgrace first more privily and then more openly which made him to think upon a remove and God in his wise providence so ordered it that about that time Pellican dying at Zurick the Senate there chose Martyr in his room and presently sent to him to come to them and to the Senate at Strasborough to give way to it Which they did though very unwillingly Martyr himselfe being desirous to imbrace that call in regard of the opposition which he met with at Strasborough so that Anno Christi 1556. to the great grief of his friends who loved him very dearly he departed to Zurick Jâ—â—n Jewel afterwards Bishop of Sarum accompanying him There he was entertained with much joy both by the Senate Schools Ministers and all good men And he at first resided for a while with his old friend Bullinger with whom he lived with much intire friendship which continued to their death Also by his sweet and holy carriage he won the love of 〈◊〉 In somuch that the Senate to shew how highly they esteemed him made him free of their Common-wealth that he might not live as a stranger but as a Citizen amongst them He had buried his wife in England at Oxford whose body the bloody Bishops afterwards causâ—d obeâ—â—igged up under Queen Mary and to be buried in a dunghill whereupon at the desire of his friends and to obtaine issue six years after the death of his former he married againe one Catherine Merenda who for Religion had left her own country and lived at Geneva and had a good testimony of the whole Church there As he was highly prized by them of Zurick so he loved them exceedingly as may appear by two notable examples Celsus the Pastor of the Italian Church at Geveva being dead many of that Congregation having been Martyrs old disciples and very dear to
him chose him to be their Pastor and sent to request his coming to them many also of his old English friends that lived as exiles there much pressed it Yea and Calvin also wrote to him desiring him to imbrace the Call Martyr being thus importunately pressed to remove thither and having many engagements to incline him that way yet referred the whole matter to be determined by the Senate and Ministers at Zurick and they understanding that there were other able and fit men to be placed over the Italian Congregation denying their consents to part with him he resolved to stay notwithstanding all solicitations to the contrary And afterwards when in Queen Elizabeths dayes he was much importuned to return into England and had large proffers made him from the Queen yet he would not leave his flock till his death And how ready he was to be serviceable to other Churches may appear by this example The year before his death the King of France had appointed a meeting of the Bishops and Nobility at Possy whereupon they of the reformed Religion in France thought that it was a very seasonable time to procure a conference about Religion which might much tend to the peace and liberty of the Church Upon this the Churches chose certaine Delegates which in that Parliament should move for the liberty of Religion And they chose also many learned men who should dispute with their adversaries about the same and because the singular learning and incomparable dexterity of Peter Martyr in disputing was sufficiently knowne they in the first place made choice of him for one and sent one Claudius Bradella with Theodore Beza to Zurick to try his willingness to accept of that imployment and when he had declared his readiness shortly after came Letters from the King the Queen Mother the King of Navar the Prince of Conde and the Admirall Coligni to the Senate of Zurick to desire them to send Martyr withall sending him a safe conduct whereupon he undertook the journey and when he came to Possy he made an Oration to the Queen exhorting her to seek not onely the quiet of France but of other Churches by promoting true Religion shewing also what a blessing she might expect from God thereby The Queen entertained him kindly and so did the King of Navar the Prince of Conde and the Admirall of France But the Cardinall of Lorrain sought to hinder the disputation all that possibly he could yet when he could not prevail five of each party were chosen out to dispute the business about the Lords Supper in private having onely two Notaries present and after severall days disputation something was drawn up as the result of all which with some explanations Beza Marlorat Martyr Spina and the Lord of Sole subscribed unto But when the same was presented to the Cardinal and Popish Bishops they complained of their Disputants as having consented to that which was Heresie and so by their authority they brake off the Disputation and departed Whereupon Martyr addressed himself to the Queen seeing that he was like to do no good there desiring license to depart which she consented to and he returned to Zurick with a large testimony of his worthy carriage and a guard from the Prince of Conde and the Admiral for his safety Thus having worn out himself with his indefatigable labours and having his spirits much exhausted with grief for the afflicted condition of the Churches of France he fell sick of a Feaver made his Will and to his Friends that visited him he spake chearfully and comfortably telling them that his body was weak but inwardly he enjoyed much peace and comfort He made before them an excellent Confession of his Faith concluding thus This is my faith and they that teach otherwise to the withdrawing men from God God will destroy them He gave them his hand and bid them farewel and commending his soul to God he slept in the Lord and was buried honourably Anno Christi 1562 and of his age 62. Opera haec ab ipso edita sunt Symboli expositio Comment in Cor. 1. Comment in lib. Judicum Epist. ad Rom. Defensio Doctrinae de Eucharistiae Sacramento contra S. Gardiner Disputatio de Eucharistiae Sacramento habita Oxon. Defensio ad duos libellos Rich. Smithaei Post obitum hi libri editi sunt Comment in Sam. 1. 2. Reg. 1. in 11 capita priora Reg. 2. Comment in 1 librum Mosis Precum ex Psalmis libellus Epitome defensionis adversus S. Gardinerum Confessio de coena Domini ad Senat. Argento Sententia de praesentia corporis Christi in Eucharistia proposita in Colloâ— Possiaco Epistola de causa Eucharistiae Loci communes Conciones Quaestiones Responsa Epistolae Comment in Exod. In Prophetas aliquot minores In tres priores libros Ethicorum Aristotelis Beza made this Epigram of him Tuscia te pepulit Germania Anglia fovit Martyr quem extinctum nunc tegit Helvetia Dicere quae si vera volent re nomine dicent Hic fidus Christi credite Martyr erat Utque istae taceaut satis hoc tua scripta loquuntur Plus satis hoc Italis exprâ—brat exilium The Life of Amsdorfius who died A no Christi 1563. NIcolas Amsdorfius was born in Misnia of noble parents Anno Christi 1â—83 and brought up in Learning Anno Christi 1502 from Schoole he went to the University of Wittenberg about that time that Luther began to preach against Indulgences And contrary to the custome of the Nobility of those times he applied his minde to the study of Theology and contemplation of heavenly things In An. Christi 1504 he commenced Master of Arts and afterwards Licentiate in Divinitie He timely embraced the Truth that brake forth in those times and not consulting with fleshâ—and blood preached it to others He accompanied Luther to Wormes Anno Christi 1521 when he was called to give an account of his Faith before Caesar and the States of the Empire In the time of Luther's recesse into his Pathmos he with Melancthon Justus Jonas and John Dulcius being sent to by the Elector of Saxony for their judgements about the Mass declared that it was an horrible prophanation of the Lords Supper whence ensued the abolishing of it out of all Churches in Wittenberg Anno Christi 1523 he wrote in a book dedicacated to the Elector of Saxony that the Pope was Antichrist Anno Christi 1524 Luther being sent for to Magdeburg went thither and having preached to them commended to them and afterwards sent Amsdorfius to gather and instruct the Churches there who faithfully laboured eighteen years in that place During his abode there the Senate of Goslaria sent for him to reform their Churches and he at his coming setled the same form of Doctrine and Discipline amongst them as was used at Wittenberg and
This request he himself opposed with all his might as judging himself unfit unable thereunto had not Bucer and the Senate interposed their authority to require his acceptance When he came thither he preached six years before the dregs of Popery where wholly purged out of that City yea the state of it was very troublesome not onely by reason of the Popish partie who with all their might opposed the Reformation but also by reason of some Anabaptists who like serpents had crept in to disturbe the growth of the Gospel and the peace of the Church Yea they carried themselves very impudently and tumultuously coming into the Church at Sermon-time stepping up into the Pulpit and labouring to diffuse their errors and to poyson the people therewith insomuch as the Magistrates were forced for the publick peace sake to cast them into prison Thither Musculus went daily to them and though they called him a Viper a false Prophet a Wolfe in Sheep's cloathing c. yet he bore all with patience and carried them food and other necessaries not speaking a word about their opinions till he had so far insinuated into their affections that they began to love him exceedingly Then began he to confer familiarly with them to hear them with patience and with solid arguments to convince their errors whereupon by degrees he converted them all and brought them to make publick recantations which by more rugged dealings they would never have yeelded to He had also many conflicts with the Popish party and wrought so far with the Senate that Anno Christi 1834. they cast out the Mass and Idolatry out of most of the Churches onely allowing to the Papists eight to say Mass but not to preach in And afterwards Anno Christi 1537. he so prevailed that Popery was cast out of those Churches also and the City wholly imbraced the reformed Religion There he studied the Greek Tongue and profited so much therein that he translated diverse parts of Chrysostome Basil Cyril Athanasius c. At that time also by his owne industâ—y he learned Arabick not having so much as a Grammer to help him onely by observing the proper names which are the same in all languages he found out the Letters and so attained to the reading and understanding of that tongue He taught at Ausburg eighteen years with much diligence and profit His Sermons were very piercing like a two-edged sword both in comforting the afflicted and convincing the obstinate Anno Christi 1536. there was a Synod appointed at Isenac in Thuringia to which Luther and many other Divines out of upper and lower Germany resorted about composing the difference concerning the Lords Supper to which Musculus was sent by the Senate of Strasborough as also to a Diet at Wormes and Ratisbone where he was Scribe at the Disputation between Melancthon and Eccius which afterwards he published Anno Christi 1544. the Inhabitants of Donavert embracing the Gospel sent to the Senate at Ausburg for one their Ministers to assist and further them in their Reformation who thereupon sent Musculus to them and when he came thither he preached every day for a quarter of a year together and so returned to Ausburg Anno Christi 1547. Charls the fifth having ended the Smalcaldian war called a Diet at Auspurg whither himself his brother Ferdinand the Electors Cardinals and Bishops came Then was Musculus put out of his Church yet did he not cease to preach in another during that Diet with as much zeal and freedom of speech as formerly which procured him much hatred from the Popish party who set spies to intrap him They also accused him to the Emperor as one that stirred up the people against the Clergie by reason whereof he was in such danger that the Senate was fain to appoint three men to guard him to and from the Pulpit Tumults were raised before his door his windows broken and himself rail'd upon yet he bore all with a stout courage and sent the Senate word That if they would stick close to the cause of God he would venture his life with them The year after the Senate embraced the Interim which he wrote and preached boldly against insomuch that he was hated and lived in great danger hereupon he resolved to leave the City and acquainting the Consul with his purpose one evening with one only Citizen in his company he left his wife and eight children and departed out of the City and changing his apparel at a friend's house that he might pass unknown he went to Zurick where he stayed a while with Bullinger and from thence to Busil his wife and children following him within a few days but they staying at Constance he went thither to them and the Sabbath following he preached to the Citizens of Constance upon that Text Joh. 6. 66 67 68 69. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him c. Out of which words he shewed how grievously those Cities had sinned which to please men had basely deserted the Gospel of Christ. Then he exhorted them of Constance not to follow such examples but rather after the examples of the Apostles in this Text constantly to adhere unto Christ who onely hath the words of eternall life The very next day the Spaniards coming to besiege Constance he with his family removed to Zurick Thither Cranmer sent for him to come into England but being grown aged and his wife sickly he excused his going thither After six months stay there he was called to Berne to be the Divinity Professor in their Schools whither he went and where he discharged his place for fourtâ—en years together with much diligence and praise He Printed many works all which he wrote out with his own hands wherby his great labour and sedulity may easiâ—y be discerned He so loved his present imployment and place of habitation that though he had many invitations to places of more eminency and profit yet he wouâ—d never imbrace the same but continued at Bern till his death He lived in much peace and concord with his fellow Ministers and Professors and was very loving to his wife and children in domestical troubles most patient very mercifull to the poor especially to exiles and strangers of a sparing and temperate dier whereby he lived in health to his latter end He used much walking and holy meditation therein He went very upright had a fresh colour sharp sight admirable strong teeth and lastly his hands and feet well performing their office But the year before his death he beganne to be crasie partly by reason of his great age but especially being worne out with infinite cares and labours as also by reason of a great cough which of a long time had been troublesome to him By these means he had many fits of
his enemies but when he had waited long for him Servetus came not being indeed afraid of the very sight of Master Calvin this was Anno Christi 1534. Infamous for the abominable cruelty exercised against the poor Saints of God especially against Gerard Ruffus a Master of Art of Sorban and Caroldus an Augustinian Monk who under the protection of the Queen of Navar had for a yeare or two very much propagated the truth which the Divel envying now stirred up his instruments to pul them out of the Pulpit and to cast them into prison yea King Francis himself was so irritated by reason of certaine papers against the Mass scattered about the City and fixed to his Chamber door that he presently commanded a publick Procession wherein himselfe and his three children assisted with a bare head carrying a Torch in his hand to expiate that wickedness and commanded eight of the Saints of God to be burned alive in four principall parts of the City Swearing publickly that he would not spare his own children if he knew thâ—m to be infected with those damnable he esies Calvin beholding these sad spectacles went presently afâ—er to Orleans where he published his famous book which he called Psâ—chopannychia against that error long before broached and now again revived of them which held The Soules sleeping after they were sâ—vered from the bodies And so purposing to bid adien to France he associated to him his old friend with whom he had sojourned at Xantone and travelling through â—orrain went towards Basil But being not far from the City of Meton they fell into great straits for one of their servants who had gotten all their money being mounted upon a lusty horse ran away from them and could by no means be overtaken so they were fâ—in to send their other servant to borrow ten crowns which with much adoe carried them to Strasborough and from thence to Basill There Mr. Calvin quickly became an intimate friend to those famous men Simon Grynaeus and Wolfgang Capito He studied also the Hebrew tongue and though he endeavoured by all means to conceal himself yet was he forced to publish his Institutions which he called but the foundation of a far greater work The Protestant Princes in Germany hearing of this bloody act of King Francis were much provoked by it yet did the King at this time seek their friendship and to excuse his cruelty by the advice of William Bellaius Langaeus he sent them word that he had onely punished certain Anabaptists who set up their fanatick spirits instead of Scripture and shewed themselves contemners of all Magistrates Which disgrace put upon the true Religion Mr. Calvin not enduring took occasion from thence to publish that his incomparable book prefixing a Preface to King Francis which surely he never read or else it would have provoked him to have given a great wound to the Babylonish Whore For that King therein not like his Successors was a great weigher of matters had a good judgement to discern the Truth was a favourer of Learned men and not altogether estranged from the Professors of the Gospel But neither he nor the people of France either saw or heard those things the sinnes of the King and people hastning Gods wrath against them Mr. Calvin having published this book performed that office of duty to his Country had a great desire to visit the Dutchess of Ferrara the Daughter of Lewis the twelfth of France a woman famous for her piety and thereby also to have a sight of Italy To her therefore he went and endeavoured to confirm her in the Truth so that she loved him dearly all his life after yea even after his death honoured his memory Returning out of Italy into whose borders hee used to say that he went that he might return again he came into France where setling his affairs and taking along with him his onely brother Anthony Calvin he intended to returne to Basill or Strasborough but all other waies being stopped by reason of Wars he went to Geneva without any purpose of staying there Yet presently after it appeared that it was so ordered by Divine Providence For a little before the Gospel of Christ was almost miraculously brought into that City by the labour and industry of two excellent men William Farell of the Delphinate sometimes a Scholar of Faber Stapulensis and Peter Viret a Bernate whose labours God afterwards wonderfully blessed and prospered Calvin hearing of these worthy men as the manner is amongst the godly went to visit them to whom Mr. Farel being a man indued with an heroicall spirit spake much to perswade him rather to stay with them at Geneva then to goe any further But when he saw that perswasions wouâ—d not prevail he said thus unto him I protest unto thee in the name of the Omnipotent God that if thou thus proceedest to frame excuses and wilt not joyn with us in this work of the Lord that the Lord will curse thee as seeking thy own rather then the things of Jesus Christ. Calvin being terrified with this terrible threatning submitted to the judgement of the Presbytery and of the Magistrates by whose suffraes together with the consent of the people he was chosen not onely their Preacher but also Professor of Divinity The first he refused the second he accepted of Anno Christi 1536 in the moneth of August This year became famous by a stricter League between the Bernates and the City of Geneva as also by the entertainment of the Gospel at Lausanna where a free disputation was held between the Pontificians and the Protestants at which Mr. Calvin was present Then did Mr. Calvin publish a certain form of Christian Doctrine fitted for the Church of Geneva as yet scarce crept out of the pollutions of Popery He added also a Catechism not that which we have by way of Question and Answer but one much shorter containing the chief heads of Religion Then did he together with Mr. Farell and Caroldus most of their Colleagues through fear forsaking them attempt to form a Church amongst the Citizens For which end hee proposed that all the people being gathered together shou'd publickly forswear Popery and withall should swear to observe the Christian Religion and Discipline contained in a few Heads which thing through Gods mercy was effected Anno Christi 1537 though many of the Citizens refused the City being yet scarce free from the snares of the Duke of Savoy and the dregs of Popery and many being much enclined to Factions Yet a publick Scribe reading them the Senate and people of Geneva swore together to those heads of Christian Religion and Discipline The Devill being much enraged at this excellent work having tried a thousand wayes by open enemies to overthrow it and not prevailing by those waies he sought under the pretence of piety to destroy it stirring up first the Anabaptists and then Peter Carole
which was not laid aside notwithstanding that judgement of God amongst them Good men assented to this which Master Calvin spake but some there were of the great men of the City which hindred the reformation hereof till at last they ruined themselves thereby And to all these evils this was added to compleat them that now though very unseasonable the controversie about the priviledges of the City sprang up neither could the faithfull Pastors be suffered to dispose of the Ecclesiasticall goods taken from the Pontificians as they ought to be About this business were many clamours many complaints and much pains taken by writing and conference but they proved all in vain whereupon Master Calvin did publickly profess that he could not endure so many sacriledges which he knew would at the length be severely punished by God yet withall he acknowledged the justice of God in that the goods which were formerly so unjustly gotten by the Masâ—-Priests God would not suffer them to be brought into the Churches Treasury Master Calvin yet met with two more things which did afflict him this year A wicked fellow was returned to Geneva his own Country who for a time had lived as an Hermite in France This man pretending to the reformed Religion Master Calvin who was very acute in prying into mens minds and manners taking notice of him admonished him first gently and afterwards more freely and at last reproved him for carrying himselfe more proudly in the Congregation then beseemed him The man not bearing this easily found out such as had been reproved for their wickedness by Master Calvin by whose favour and help he might be assisted so that a Pastor being to bee chosen in the room of one that was dead this man by the help of his companions sought the place and so far prevailed that the Senate commanded that in the Election regard should be had of him Master Calvin with his Colleagues opposed it shewing how far this his seeking to intrude himself was dissonant from the word of God and at length obtained of the Senate that they should proceed in their Election according to the Ecclesiasticall constitutions so merly agreed on At this same time also there were many in France who being falne at first through sear of persecution began at last to please themselves with this conceit that it was no sin to be present with their bodies at the Popish services so they kept the true Religion in their hearts This pernicious error was long since condemned by the Fathers Against these Master Calvin wrote and confuted that error and because these persons thought him too rigid he adjoyned to his own the opinions of these learned and godly Divines Philip Melancthon Bucer Peter Martyr and the Church of Zurick so that the name of these Nicodemites stark amongst all good men for so were they called who cloaked their errors with his example The next year being 1546. proved nothing milder then the former For frequent intelligence came of the preparations of the Emperor and the Popes frauds against the Protestants Wherefore Mr. Calvin judged it necessary to confirm the mindes of the Citizens against the terrour of these reports especially considering the impudency of many wicked men who were so farre from being curbed by all the bridles of Ecclesiasticall Discipline that on the contrary they raged the more and sought to break them all in sunder These men having gotten one Amedius Perrinus a vain bold and ambitious man for their Captaine for indeed he had long before procured to be chosen the Captaine General by the Suffrages of the people This man supposing as the truth was that neither he nor such like himselfe could stand whilst the Ecclesiasticall Laws were in force and especially whilst Mr. Calvin did so thunder against their lasciviousnesse beganne now to discover what he and his associates had been long contriving which being taken notice of and speedily prevented by the authority of the Senate hee indeed held his peace but the contrived wickednesse presently brake out more openly For shortly after one of the Senators in a publick assembly of the people blamed Calvin as one that taught false Doctrine subâ—â—ned as was supposed hereunto privately by two of the Colledge of Pastors both of them being Drunkards and therefore no whit lesse fearing the severity of the Laws then the others forementioned But Mr. Calvin made little account of this barking Yet this man that thus accused him was called before the Senate and his cause being heard was condemned for slander and those two drunken Ministers which had set him on were removed out of their places being forbidden going into Taverns Whereby we see that the wickedness of the wicked returns upon his own pate The troubles of this year being thus ended the next year which was 1547 proved far world indeed that Age saw not a more calamitous time then that was The Churches of Germany seeming utterly subverted the Protest in Princes taken and Cities yeelding up themselves after so grâ—at labour used and so great difficulties passed through in planting the Gospel amongst them with what great grief the godly soul of Mr. Calvin was afflicted for the desolations of the Churches is not easie to express especially if we consider that great affection which he bore to them though farre remote from him which indeed was no other then if he had bore them all upon his shoulders And indeed he was wonderfully grieved when he heard of those holy men his worthy friends Philip Melancthon Bucer Peter Martyr c. in so great danger that they seemed nearer death than life But yet that Mr. Calvin bore up with a valiant mind in this tempest appeares both by his writings and by his carriage for being much vexed at home by sundry wicked men yet would he not start at all from his fixed course To speak somewhat of his domestick troubles Mr. Calvin wholly imploying himself to shew that the life of Christianity did not so much consist in vain speculation as in practise he necessarily met with those enemies which did not onely oppose all piety and honesty but threatened warre to their own country The chief of these was that Perrinus before mentioned who with his companions had brought themselves into this condition that they must needs use extremity for which end they appealed from the Presbytery to the Senate The Presbytery on the contrary pleaded their Ecclesiastical Constitutions agreeable to the Word of God and setled by Authority and therefore they desired the Senate that their priviledges might not be infringed The Senate concluded that the Ecclesiastical Laws being established ought not to be violated But when this audacious fellow would not otherwise be ruled the Senate decreed that he should be deposed from his Oaptainship and live a private life Though all these things were transacted before the Senate yet was Mr. Calvin wonderfully afflicted by them
what profit came to the people thereby Another decree for the abolishing of Christmas-day and that no holy day should be observed but the Sabbath onely which did so offend some loose persons that they bruited abroad that Master Calvin had abolished the Sabbaths to bring the greater odium upon him This offence taken by some occasionâ—â— Calvin to write his book of Scandals dedicated to Laurenâ—â— Normendius his intimate friend Anno Christi 1551. great contentions brake out in the Church and this year was begun with the death of Bucer to the great grief of the whole Church and of Master Calvin especially who alwayes highly prised him About the same time dyed Joachim Vadian a Senator of Geneva a man endowed with singular learning and piety Whereupon the wickedness of the factious persons brake forth again which had slept a great while These men would by no means suffer the exiles which fled thither for Religion to injoy the priviledges of the City and not content therewith Mast. Calvin having been forth to Preach beyond the Rhodanus as he came home they entertained him with scorns and one Raimund his Colleague having occasion one evening to pass the bridge over the Rhodanus they had almost cast him into the River and lastly they raised a great tumult in the Church of Saint Gervase because a child being brought to be baptized the Minister refused to give him the name of Balthazar which name had beenf or some reason forbidden by their Law Neither could Master Calvin tel how to cure these evils but by his invincible patience About the same time another mischief invaded the Church of Geneva which was occasioned by one Jerome Bolsec a Frier Carmelite of Paris who had indeed laid aside his Coul but not his Monkish mind This man first fled to the Dutchess of Ferrara whom he deceived till being found out he was driven from thence Then pretending to be a Physician he came to Geneva but the learned Physicians there rejecting him that he might manifest himselfe a Divine he vented some false and absurd opinions about Predestination first in private and then in the publick Congregation Him therefore did Master Calvin confute first with a moderate reproof only then sending for him to him he laboured to instruct him better but he either puffed up with his Monkish pride or provoked by the seditious persons seeking by him to provoke Master Calvin took the boldness upon the sixteenth of October to preach upon this Text He that is of God heareth the words of God and they which hear them not are not of God whence he took occasion to preach up Freewill and that Predestination was out of works foreseen withall reproaching the true doctrine and shewing himself seditiously proud and he became the more bold because seeing Master Calvins seat empty he judged him to be absent But indeed Master Calvin coming late sate behind some others and when the Frier had done Master Calvin suddenly standing up though he had thought of no such thing before then truly if at any time he shewed what a man he was confuting the Frier with so many testimonies of Scripture with so many places out of Saint Augustine and lastly with so many weighty arguments that all were ashamed of what he had taught but only the impudent fellow himself Insomuch that one of the Magistrates of the City apprehended him and committed him to prison for a seditious person and after hearing and examining his cause the judgement of the Senat of the Helvetian Churches being also requested upon the 23th day of Decemb. he was publickly condemned for sedition and Pelagianisme and banished the City being rhreatned with severe punishment if he were afterwards found either in the City or territories belonging to it After this going into a neighbour Town he was the cause of many and great stirs there till he was twice expelled the Country of the Bernates From thence going into France he sought to get into the Ministry in the Reformed Churches which he found in a peaceable condition first in Paris then in Orleans pretending great penetency for his former miscarriages and of his own accord seeking reconciliation with the Church at Geneva But presently after when he saw the Churches under affliction he fell back to his Popery loading the reformed Churches with many reproaches At the same time the Colledge of Ministers at Geneva in a publick meeting asserted the true Doctrine of Predestination which Calvin put into writing So that all the Divel gat by these contentions was that that head of Christian Religion which before which was very obscure was now very clearly opened to the understanding of all that were not contentious The year following which was 1551. it further appeared what a flame this wicked Varlet had kindled though condemned by the common judgement of so many Chuâ—ches For the difficulty of the question having not been sufficiently explicated by the Ancients did stir up especially curious wits to make inquiry into the same By which means the factious persons supposing that they had gotten an excellent advantage against Master Calvin thought that by removing him they might subvert all things So that it cannot be imagined what stirs arose not onely in the City but also in other places as if the Divell had set all his engines on work to raise contentions For though there was a sweet agreement amongst the chief Pastors of the Churches yet there were not some wanting in the Country of the Bernates which accused Calvin as if he had made God the Author of sin Being forgetful how far he had professedly opposed that cursed Tenet when he had confuted the Libertines At Basil Castalio a good and simple man though he did all things closely yet it was discerned that he defended Pelagianisme and Melancâ—â—hon had so bâ—gun to write of these things that though he had formerly subscribed Calvins book against Pighius yet he seemed to brand the Genevians as if thâ—y held the Fate of the Stoicks The Pontificians also though they had been a thousand times confuted yet renewed their old slanders These things did much trouble Master Calvins mind and so much the rather because the efficacy of error was so great at this time that thâ— mouth of truth in some places seemed to be stopt by publick Authority Neither was this a controversie of a few years This same year that good Hermite whom we mentioned before appeared publickly to dispute with Calvin who had suffered a repulse when some years before he had sought tâ— creep into the ministry whereupon he turned Lawyer and the Patron of the factious persons Their cause came to be heard before the Senate with a great contention on both sides the first fighting with impudâ—ncy and the favour of the wicked but M Calvin defending his Doctrine only with the authority of truth And the truth prevailed M. Calvins writings being judged pious and
where he might do more good And accordingly from thence he went to Lipsich where he spent his time in writing upon the Psalmes and afterwards having it left to his choice whether to stay at Lipsich or to goe to Wittenberg being sent for thither he chose to stay where he was and was chosen professor of Divinity in that University Where he continued his Lectures till Anno Christi 1566. at which time he came to deliver his judgement about the Lords Supper Whereupon by the command of the Rector of the University the doors of the Colledge were shut against him and he not suffered to read any more yet they would have restored him to his place if he would have promised to meddle with that point no more But he refused to make any such promise and withall complained to the Elector of Saxonie of the wrong done unto him from whom he received a sharpe answer and therefore leaving Lipsich he went to Amberg in the upper Palatinate where after a short stay he received Letters from the Elector Palatine and the University inviting him to Heidleberg whether he presently went and was made Professor of Ethicks In which place he took very great paines both in reading his Lectures and Writing But his body having contracted some diseases by his former imprisonment An. Christi 1569. he fell very sick whereupon he said Sperare se finem vita suae adesse c. That he hoped that his life was at an end whereby he should be delivered from the fraud and miseries of this evill world and injoy the blessed presence of God and his Saints to all eternity and accordingly presently after he quietly departed in the Lord Anno Christi 1569. and of his age 44. Having taught the Churches both by voice and writing in many great changes above twenty three years attaining that which he had often desired viz. That he might not dye a lingring death He was an excellent Divine and Philosopher Eloquent and framed by nature to train up youth Scripsit Commentarios in varias Philosophiae partes Orationum Epistolarum libros Hypomâ—emata in utriusque Testamenti libros JO BRENTIVS The Life of Iohn Brentius who died A no Christi 1570. JOhn Brentius was borne at Wile in the Imperiall Snevia Anno Christi 1499. His Father was Major of that City twenty four years who carefully brought up his Son in learning and at eleven years old sent him to Heidleberg to School and at thirteen years old he was admitted into the Universitie and at 15 years old he Commenced Bachelor There also he studied Greek and Hebrew and was so studious that he usually rose at midnight to his book whereby he contracted such a habit that he could never after whilst he lived sleep longer then till midnight the rest of the night he spent in holy meditations and in his old age he had a candle by his bed-side and deceived the time by writing and meditation Partly by his diligence and partly by his acute wit and strong memory he profited so much both in the Arts and Tongues that at eighteen years old he was made Master of Arts. About this time Luthers books coming abroad Brentius by reading of them came to the knowledge of the Truth which he willingly imbraced And being desirous to propagate it to others he began to read upon Matthew first to som friends of his own colledges but his auditors increasing out of other Colledges he was fain to read in the publick Schools for which the Divines hated him because he grew so popular saying That neither was the place fit for Divinity Lectures nor he fit for such a work being not yet in orders wherefore to take away that objection he entred into orders and preached often for other men to the great delight of his hearers From thence he was called to be a Pastor at Hale in Sweveland where his gravity gesture phrase voice and doctrine did so please the Senat that though he was but twenty three years old yet they chose him to that place and he carried himself with such gravity holiness of life integrity of manners and diligence in his calling that none could contemn his youth And the Lord so blessed his labours there that many were converted to the Truth yea amongst the very Popish Priests some of them were converted others left their places for shame and went elsewhere He used much modesty and wisedome in his Sermons and when in the beginning of his preaching there the Popish Priests railed exceedingly upon him and his doctrine and the people exspected that he would answer them accordingly he contrariwise went on in teaching the fundamentall points of Religion and as he had occasion confuted their errors without bitterness from clear Scripture arguments whereby in time he so wrought upon them that he brought them to a sight of their errors and to a detestation of their Idolatry About this time Muncer and his companions rose up and stirred almost all the Boors in Germany to take Arms against the Magistrates and rich men abusing Scripture to justifie their proceedings Whereupon Brentius was in great danger for many cryed out that his opposing Popery and casting out the old Ceremonies was the cause of these Tumults Yet when as the boors in Hale were risen up and threatned to besiege the City of Hale and the Magistrates and Citizens were in such fear that they were ready to fly or to joyne with the Boors Brentius encouraged them and told them that if they would take Arms and defend their City God would assist them c. and so it came to passe for six hundred Citizens beat away four thousand of those Boors He also published a booke in confutation of their wicked opinions and shewed how dissonant they were to the Word of God Presently after rose up that unhappy contention between Luther and Zuinglius about Christs presence in the Sacrament which continued divers years to the great disturbance of the Church scandal of the Reformed Religion and hinderance of the success of the Gospel And when a conference was appointed for the composing of that difference Luther Brentius and some others met with Zuinglius and some of his friends but after much debate they departed without an agreement Anno 1530. was the Diet held at Auspurg unto which the Protestant Princes brought their Divines with them and amongst others Brentius at which time George Marquesse of Brandenburg told the Emperor That he would rather shed his blood and lose his life or lay downe his neck to the headsman then alter his Religion Here the Divines drew up that famous Confession of Faith which from the place is called the Augustane Confession Brentius at his return home married a wife Margaret Graetenna famous for her chastity modesty and piety by whom he had six children
whose Sermons not only the Protestants but many of the Papists were present to hear what and how he taught And indeed both sides commended his study of Peace For he exhorted them to compose their differences not by arms nor mutuall slaughters but by the Disputations of their Divines But God would not suffer his wholsome counsell to take effect at that time For they came to a battell wherein the Popish party prevailed and thereupon Bullinger together with his Father Brother and Colleague Gervase were commanded to depart except they would undergoe the present hazard of their lives Whereupon beginning their journey in the night through Gods providence they escaped the snares which were layd for them by their adversaries and came safely to Zurick Anno Chrâ—â— 1531 and three daies after at the request of Leo Judae with his Colleagues Bullinger preached in the chiefe Church and was entertained by one Werner Steiner his ancient friend that was fled to Zurick for Religion Anno Christi 1532. The Church of Basill wanting a Pastor by the death of Oecolampadius desired Bullinger and at the same time also the Bernates sent for him thither But the Senate of Zurick would by no means part with him choosing him Pastor in the room of Zuinglius who was slaine in the late battell and who had desired before he went into the field with the Army that if any thing befell him otherwise then well Bullinger might succeed him in his office He being thus called to this work in a dangerous time did his endeavour to comfort and rais up the hearts of Gods people under those great afflictions And whereas the Popish adversaries boasted that their Religion was false because they of Zurick were beaten and Zuinglius slain He wrote That the Truth of Religion was not to be judged by the prosperity or adversitie of the Professors of it He took care also to have Synods twice a year to maintain concord and unity in Doctrine and Discipline as Zuinglius had begun before him And finding a great defect of Godly Ministers in the jurisdiction of the Tigurins he tooke care that so many should bee trained up in Religion and Learning as might supply that defect and where there was a want of maintainance he prevailed with the Senate of Zurick to make up a competency out of the Publick Treasury He caused the Publick Library of that City to be set in order by Pellican and by buying Zuinglius his books to be encreased And having gotten Bibliander for his Colleague he wholly applyed himself to his publick Ministry and to writing Commentaries at home Anno Christi 1532 Bucer endeavoured a union between Luther and his followers and the Divines of Zurick perswading them that their differences consisted rather in words then in reality At which time the Tigurins shewed themselves to bee desirous of peace so that it was joyned wiâ—h truth About this time Bullingers Father died being 64 years old who at his death exhorted his sonne to Constancy in Doctrine and Faith which saith he is the onely way to salvation Anno Christi 1534 Bullinger wrote a Confession of Faith in the name of the Tigurian Churches which was sent to Bucer and to the Synod of the Churches of Suevia then met at Constance and was approved by them About the same time he wrote a Tractate of the Covenant of God against some that denied all testimonies out of the Old Testament As also another wherein he asserted the twofold Nature in Christ against Claudius Allobrog Servetus his Emissary of whose poyson the Helvetian Churches were at that time in some danger And when there was a meeting at Basil for to unite Luther and the Helvetian Churches in their difference about the manner of Christs Presence in the Sacrament Bullinger was there and took much pains for the promoting of it The Magistrates also of Zurick by the perswasion of Bullinger erected a new Colledge Anno Christi 1538 which hee had a great care of all his life after Also by his perswasion the Senate of Zurick erected another School in a place where formerly there had been a Nunnery in which fifteen youths were trained up under a good Master having food raiment books and all other necessaries plentifully provided for them and Bullinger took great care to see their proficiency all his life after About this time Schwenfield a Noble man of Silesia taught That Christ's Humane nature being received into Heaven was so farre Deified that it remained a creature no longer and this error beginning to spread into Swevia Bullinger joining with some others confuted it with much modesty Anno Christi 1541 the Plague brake forth in Zurick of which Bullingers Son and Mother died Anno Christi 1542 Leo Judae's Version of the Bible being finished and printed the Printer sent one of them to Luther fair bound up but Luther wrote back to him that hee should send him no more of the Tigurine Ministers bookes for hee would have nothing to doe with them nor read any of their bookes For said he The Church of God can hold no communion with them and whereas they have taken much pains all is in vain for themselves are damned and they lead many miserable men to hell with them Adding that he would have no communion with their damnable and blasphemous Doctrine and that so long as he lived hee would with his prayers and books oppose them Anno Christi 1544 Luther set forth his Annotations on Genesis in which he inveighed bitterly against the Sacramentarians as he called them saying That Zuinglius Oecolampadius and their disciples were Hereticks and eternally damned Melancthon would fain have hindered it but could not whereupon he wrote to Bullinger telling him how much hee was grieved at this violent proceeding of Luther which he knew was so pleasing to their common adversaries the Papists When this book of Luthers came forth there was much dispute whether it should be answered Bucer was against it because Luther was grown old and had deserved well of the Church but others thought that it would bee a betraying of the Truth not to answer it Wherefore Bullinger was appointed to that work which he accordingly performed with much judgement Anno Christi 1546 Luther dyed and the German Warre beganne betwixt the Emperour and the Protestants at which time many accused the Tigurines by reason of Bullingers book as if they had insulted over Luther after his death and gloryed that he dyed of grief because he could not answer that book Hereupon Philip Lantgrave of Hesse acquainted Bullinger with these reports which when Bullinger had read advising with his Colleagues he returned this answer First giving him thanks for his zeale in endeavouring the peace of the Church and for acquainting him with these rumours Then he told him how much he was grieved for that some turbulent spirits sought by such reports
History He had two Wives the first of which was Bullingers daughter who died without issue by the second who was Gualters daughter he had three sons and one daughter He was tall of stature fat fair and strong but that he was somewhat weakned by the Gout He had such an amiable face that his sweet manners might bee seen in his countenance as in a glass In his habit and diet he was neither too sumptuous nor too fordid best liking cleanlinesse and neatness Scripsit Praelectiones in Exodum De aeterno Dei Filio adversus Arianos Tritheitas Samosetaninos Adversus eosdem de S. Sancto Narrationem veterum controversiarum de una â—ersonâ— duabus naturis Christi c. cum multis aliis The particulars you may find in Verheiden The Life of Immanuel Tremelius who died A no Christi 1580. IMmanuel Tremelius was born in Ferrara having a Jew to his Father who so educated him that hee was very skilfull in the Hebrew Tongue Hee was converted by PeterMartyr and went with him to Lucca where he taught Hebrew From thence he went with him to Strasborough and from thence into England under King Edward the sixth after whose death he returned into Germany And in the School of Hornback under the Duke of Bâ—â—â—â—t he taught Hebrew From thence he was called to Heidleberg under Frederick the third Elector Palatine where he was Professor of the Hebrew tongue and translated the Syriack Testament into Latine There also he set upon the Translation of the Bible out of Hebrew associated to himself in that work Fr. Junius who after the death of Tremelius perused the whole work and by adding many things rather made it larger then better in some mens judgement In his old age he left Heidleberg and by the Duke of Bulloin was called to be Hebrew Professor in his new University of Sedan where he dyed Anno Christi 1580 and of his Age seventy He wrote a Chalde and Syriack Grammer hee published the New Testament in Latine and Syriack An exposition upon the Prophet Hosea Together with Junius he translated the Hebrew Bible adding short annotations And lastly Bucers Lectures upon the Epistle to the Ephesians The Life of Peter Boquine who died Anno Christi 1582. PEter Boquinus was borne in Aquitane and being in his youth brought up in learning he entred into a Monastery at Biturg where he was made the Prior and was very much beloved of all the Convent But it pleased God in the midst of all his riches and honours to discover the Truth to him and thereupon after the example of Luther Bucer Oecolampadius and Peter Martyr he resolved to leave all and to follow Christ whose example divers of the Friers also followed From thence he went toward Wittenberg being very desirous to be acquainted with Luther and Melancthon whose fame was very great and some of whose works he had met with and read and so travelling through Germany he came to Basil where he wintered by reason of the Plague very rife at that time in many Countries There he diligently heard the Lectures of Myconius Caralostadius and Sebastian Munster Anno Christi 1542 from thence he went to Lipsich where he stayed three weeks and so went to Wittenberg Coming hither he had some converse with Luther but more with Melancthon And whilst he was there Bucer sent to Melancthon to request him to send an able man to Strasborough to supply Calvins place who was now gone back to Geneva whereupon Melancthon requested Boquine to goe thither which he accordingly did and began to read upon the Epistle to the Galatians Shortly after Peter Martyr came thither also But Bucer being sent for by the Arch-bishop of Collen to assist him in the reformation of his Churches Boquine finding that the Ecclesiasticall and Scholasticall affaires went but slowly forward in his absence upon the request of his brother who was a Doctor of Divinity and not altogether estranged from the Reformed Religion he resolved to goe back into France and so taking Basil in his way he went to Geneva where he heard Calvin preach and had some speech with him and from thence to Biturg where he lived with his brother the Doctor mentioned before and when some hope began to appear that the Churches of France would be reformed at the instigation of his brother he began publickly to read Hebrew and to expound the Scriptures About that time Francis King of France being dead the Queen of Navar came into those parts about the marriage of her daughter to whom Boquine went and presented her with a book written with his own hand about the necessity and use of the holy Scriptures and her daughter with another concerning our spiritual husband Jesus Christ whereupon she took him into her Patronage and allowed him a yearly stipend out of her treasury appointing him to preach a publick Lecture in the great Church in Biturg Whereunto also the Arch-Bishop consented Shortly after the Queen of Navar dying there succeeded to her King Henries sister as in name and stock so also in Doctrine and Piety not unlike her Whereupon Boquine went and presented her with a book which he had written De homine perfecto which she took so gratefully that she confirmed his former stipend to him and he made use of that favour so long as he thought his labours were not unprofitable to the Church but when he saw that there was no hope of any further Reformation in France and that his enemies lay in wait for his life he gave it over of his own accord At that time he underwent the bitter hatred of some Friers and other enemies of the truth by whom his life was in great danger For he was summoned to appear before the Parliament of Paris and then before the Arch-Bishop of Biturg where his life was sought but God raised up some men to stand for him whereby he was delivered from the present danger Then did he resolve to fly into England but hearing of King Edwards death he altered his purpose and by the perswasion of a friend he resolved to returne to his people in Germany and so accordingly accompanied with two young men he went to Strasborough and when he had scarce been there a month it so fell out that the French Church in that place wanted a Pastor and chose him to that office yet for sundry reasons he refused to accept of it till by the perswasion of John Sturmius and some other friends he was content to preach to them till they could provide them another That place he discharged for about the space of four months conflicting with many difficulties and meeting with much trouble by reason of the improbity and perfidiousnesse of some At the end of which time the Senat with the consent of the Church appointed Peter Alexander to be their Pastor and so Boquine
was freed Anno Christi 1557. he went from thence to Heidleberg being sent for by Otho Henry Prince Elector Palatine who was about to reforme his Churches There hee was made the Publick Professor of Theologie and met with much opposition and manifold contentions in that alteration which yet he bore with much prudence Anno Christi 1564. there was a disputation appointed at Malbourn for composing the great controversie about the ubiquity of Christs body This was appointed by Frederick the third Elector Palatine and Christopher Duke of Wertemberg To this meeting the Elector sent Boquine Diller Olevian Dathen and Ursin but very little fruit appeared of their labours as the event shewed Boquin continued in Heidleberg about twenty years under Otho and Frederick the third But after that Princes death An. Christi 1576 by reason of the prevalency of the Hetorodox party he with other Professorr and Divines was driven thence and it pleased God that immediately hee was called to Lausanna where he performed the part of a faithfull Pastor so long as he lived Anno Christi 1582 on a Lords day he preached twice and in the evening heard another Sermon then supped chearfully and after supper refreshed himself by walking abroad then went to visit a sick friend and whll'st he was conforting of him he found his spirits to begin to sink in him and running to his servant he said unto him Pray adding further Lord receive my soul and so he quietly departed in the Lord Anno Christi 1582. The workes which he left behind him were these Defensio ad calumnias Doctoris cujusdam Avii in Evangelii professores Examen libri quem Heshusius inscripsit De praesentia corporis Christi in caena domini Theses de coena Domini Exegesis divinae communicationis Adsertio veteris ac veri Christianismi adversus novum fictum Jesuitismum Notatio praecipuarum causarum diuturnitatis controversiae de Coena Domini Adsertio ritus frangendi in manus sumendi panis Eucharistici E. GRINDALL The Life of Edmund Grindall who dyed A no Christi 1583. EDmund Grindal was borne in Cumberland Anno Christi 1519. and carefully brought up in learning first at school and then in the University of Cambridg where being admitted into Pembrook Hall he profited so exceedingly that he was chosen first Fellow and afterward Master of that house And Bishop Ridley taking notice of his piety and learning made him his Chaplain and commended him to that pious Prince King Edward the sixth who intended to prefer him but that he was prevented by an immature death In the bloody daies of Queen Mary Grindal amongst many others fled into Germany where he continued all her Reigne But comming back in the beginning of Queen Elisabeth she preferred him to that dignity which her brother King Edward intended him to making him Bishop of London wherein hee carried himself worthily for about eleven years Anno Christi 1570 hee was removed by the Queen to the Archbishoprick of York where he continued about six years and then for his piety and learning she made him Archbishop of Canterbury wherein he lived about seven years more and then falling sick at Croidon hee resigned up his spirit unto God that gave it Anno Christi 1583 and of his Age sixtie four Both in his life and at his death he did many excellent works of Charity At St. Beighs in Cumberland where he was born he erected a Free-schoole and endowed it with thirty pound per annum for ever To Pembroke Hall in Cambridge where he was educated he gave twenty two pounds a yeare in lands for the maintaining of a Greek Lecturer one Fellow and two Scholars to be chosen out of the aforesaid School of St. Beighs He gave also much mony to the said Colledge To Magdalen Colledge in Cambridge hee gave lands for the maintainance of one Fellow from the said School To Christs Colledge in Cambridge he gave forty five pounds To Queens Colledge in Oxford he gave twenty pound per annum in lands to maintain one Fellow and two Scholars out of the aforesaid Schoole And at his death he gave his Library which was a very great and good one to that Colledge besides a great sum of money To eight Alms-houses in Croidon he gave fifty pounds per annum and to Canterbury he gave an hundred pounds to set the poor on work The Life of Bernard Gilpin who died A no Christi 1583. BErnard Gilpin was born at Kentmire in the County of Westmoreland Anno Christi 1517 of an ancient and honourable Family When he was but a child a Friar pretending to be a zealous Preacher came on a Saturday night to his Fathers house and at Supper eat like a Glutton and drunke himself drunk yet the next morning in his Sermon sharply reproved the sinne of Drunkennesse whereupon young Gilpin sitting near his mother cryed out Oh Mother doe you hear how this fellow dares speak against Drunkenness and yet himself was drunken last night But his Mother stopped his mouth with her hand that he might speake no further it being a mortall sinne in those times to speak against these men His Parents perceiving his aptnesse were carefull to make him a Scholar and when hee had with great approbation passed his time in the Grammar-School they sent him to Oxford Anno Christi 1533 where he was admitted into Queens Colledge and profited wondrously in Humane Learning Hee was very conversant also in the writings of Erasmus which were in much esteem at that time And to the studie of Logick and Philosophie hee added that of Greek and Hebrew yea after some few years spent in these studies hee grew so famous that there was no place of preferment for a Scholar whereof the eminency of his virtues had not rendered him worthy Whereupon he was one of the first that was chosen a member of christ-Christ-Church by Cardinall Wolsey At that time he was not fully instructed in the true Religion but held disputations against John Hooper afterwards Bishop of Worcester as also against Peter Martyr who was then Divinity Lecturer at Oxford upon the occasion of which dispute that he might defend his cause the better he examined the Scriptures ancient Fathers But by how much the more he studied to defend his Cause the lesse confidence hee began to have therein and so whilst he was searching zealously for Truth he beganne to discernâ— his own Errors Peter Martyr used to say That he cared not for his other adversaries but saith he I am troubled for Gilpin for he doth and speaketh all things with an upright heart and therefore he often prayed That God would be pleased at last to convert to the Truth the heart of Gilpin being so inclinable to honesty And the Lord answered his prayer for presently Gilpin resolved more earnestly to apply himself both by study and
Letters to Zurick from Thomas Erastus signifying that there wanted a Divinity Professor at Heidleberg and that they desired supply from thence whereupon the aforenamed Divines knowing Ursines fitnesse presently sent him with their Letters of ample commendation both to the Elector Palatine and to the University Where he was made governour of the Colledge of Sapience and by his diligence faithfulnesse and ability got such credit that at twenty eight years of age they graced him with the title of a Doctor in Divinity and so hee supplyed the place of publick Professor to the year 1568 at which time Zanchy succeeded him He had for his Colleagues Peter Boquin and Immanuel Tremelius the latter Professor of the Old Testament and the former of the New Five years Ursin continued reading upon his Common places and certainâ—y if he had finished it it had been exceeding usefull to the Church And besides his ordinary Lectures both in the University and Colledge the godly Prince Otho Frederick seeing severall Ministers using severall Catechisms to the prejudice of the Church he employed Ursin in the writing a Catechism for the Palatinate which might be of general use and accordingly he did to the great satisfaction of all Anno 1563 there brake forth a grievous Pestilence that scattered both the Court and University yet Ursin remained at home and wrote his tractates of Mortality and Christian Consolations for the benefit of Gods people The same year presently after Ursins Catechism was printed Flacius Illiricus Heshusius and some others beganne to quarrel at some passages in it about the Ascension of Christ his Presence in the Sacrament c. As also to traduce the Reformation carried on in the Palatinate but at the command of the Palatine Ursin did excellently justifie his Catechism and defend the Truth to the great satisfaction of all that read it Anno Christi 1564 hee was sent by the Elector to Malbrun to dispute with Brentius and Smidlin about the Ubiquity of Christs body which he confuted with such clear and strong arguments as that many both Papists and Lutherans were converted thereby He was so dear to the Elector Palatine that when the Bernates Anno 1578 sent Aretius to Heidleberg to crave leave that Ursine might goe to Lausanna to be the Divinity Professor there he would by no means part with him but for his ease and encouragement to stay gave him leave to choose an assistant that so his body might not bee worne out with his daily and excessive labours Anno Christi 1572 he married a Wife by whom he had one sonne that was afterwards a Minister and inherited his Fathers virtues Anno Christi 1574 at the command of the Elector Frederick he made a Confession of Faith about God the Person of Christ and the Supper of the Lord which was to stop the mouths of some malitious wicked men who had scattered abroad that in Heidleberg they had sowed the seeds of Arianism from which error both the Elector and the Church under him were most free In these employments was Ursin busied and both Religion and Learning prospered exceedingly under him so that he sent forth many excellent men who proved admirable instruments of Gods glory and the Chuches good and this continued till the year 1577 at which time it pleased God to take away that excellent Prince Frederick whereupon ensued that unhappy change when none were suffered to stay in the Palatinate except they held the opinions of Luther in all things So that Ursin with his Colleague Kimedontius were forced to leave the University But hee could not live a private life long for hee was sent for by Prince John Cassimire sonne to Frederick who knew how usefull and profitable he would be both to himself and the Churches under him About the same time also the Senate of Berne sent imporâ—unately for him to succeed A etius or Basil â—arquard in their University Hee was also earnestly solicited by Musculus Gualter Lavater and Hortinus to accept of this call but Prince Cassimire would by no meanes part with him having erected a University at Newstad and chosen Ursin and Zanchy to be the Divinity Professors thereof Whilst hee was thus employed by his excessive studies and neglect of exercise he fell into a sicknesse which held him above a year together After which he returned to his labours again and besides his Divinity Lectures read Logick in the Schools desiring his Auditors to give him what doubts and objections they met with which upon study at his next Lecture hee returned answers to But his continual watchings care meditations and writings cast him into a Consumption and other diseases yet would he not be perswaded to intermit his imployments till at last he was confined to his bed Yet therein also he was never idle but alwayes dictating something that might conduce to the publick good of the Church The hour of death being come his friends standing by he quietly slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1583 and of his Age fifty one He was very pious and grave in his carriage and one that sought not after great things in this world refusing many gifts from Princes and himself was liberall according to his ability He was alwaies like himself very sparing of timeâ— as appeared by these verses set over his study door Amice quisquis huc venis Aut agito paucis aut abi Aut me laborantem adjuva He wrote Commentarium do mortalitate consolationibus Christianis Admonitionem Neustadianam Epigrammata ad Jo. Frisium After his death his Son and Doctor Pareus and Quirinus his Scholars published divers other of his Workes which are printed in three Tomes The Life of Abraham Bucholtzer who died A no Christi 1584. ABraham Bucholtzer was born at Schovavium of a very ancient and honourable Family Anno Christi 1529 and from his infancy was brought up by his Parents in Religion and Learning When he was first set forth to School he profited to admiration outstripping all his Schoolfellowes by his acute wit and industry And being well principled at School he went to the Universities first of Franckfurt then of Wittenberg Accounting it his great happinesse that he was born after the light of the Gospel brake forth and bred up under Melancthon upon whose Lectures he attended diligently and sucked in from him not onely the principles of Learning but of Religion also He was exceeding industrious in seeking Learning attent in hearing Lectures diligent and swift in writing what was spoken by Melancthon About that time there sprang up many errors and much contention was raised in the Church of God about things indifferent the necessity of Good Works Essentiall Righteousness c. But by the help of Melanethon he was able both to discover and confute them There also he studied Greek and Hebrew When hee was six and twenty years
constant Preacher of the Truth but a strong Defender of it against errors confuting the Ubiquitarians and that so boldly that he chose rather to hazard banishment then to connive at errors His fame spread abroad exceedingly so that many sought for him especially John of Nassau and John Cassimire the Elector Palatine The first desired him to come and begin his University at Herborn where he should have had greater honour and a larger stipend The other desired him to Heidleberg to bee the Divinity Professor in that place His answer was that he was born rather for labours then honours and therefore chose to goe to Heidleberg being thirty three years old Anno Christi 1584 and was intertained lovingly by the Prince who made him Governour of the Colledge of Sapience and Professor of Divinity His coming was most grateful to the University where he took exceeding great pains and was eminent for piety humility gravity prudence patience and industry so that Anno Christi 1588 he was chosen into the number of the Ecclesiasticall Senators for the government of the Church He had great skill in the Tongues Greater in the Liberal Arts and Philosophy but greatest in the knowledge of Divinity and Ecclesiasticall History He was famous for eloquence faithfulness and diligence in his place and holiness and integrity in his life Anno Christi 1589 he fell sick for which and his change he had been carefully fitting himself beforehand and therefore bore it with much patience and with fervent prayer often repeated O Christ thou art my redeemer and I know that thou hast redeemed me I wholly depend upon thy providence and mercie from the very bottome of my heart I commend my spirit into thy hands and so he slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1589 and of his age 38. Hee published not many books but those which hee did were very polite and choice ones Ut sunt de verbo Dei ejus tractatione lib. 2. After his death his works were published in three Tomes Calvin preached his Funeral Sermon The Life of Laurence Humfreid who died A no Christi 1589. LAurence Humfreid was born in the County of Buckingham and Brought up first at School and then sent to Oxford where he was admitted into the Colledge of Mary Magdalen and followed his studies hard all the daies of King Edward the sixth But in the beginning of those bloody Marian dayes wherein so many were forced to forsake their native soyl he amongst the rest went beyond Sea into Germany where he continued till the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign whom God raised up to be a Nursing Mother to his Church At which time he came back and returned to Oxford where he was very famous both for his Learning and Preaching Then also he commenced Doctor in Divinity and by reason of his excellent parts was very instrumentall in the advancement of Gods glory And whereas that wicked Sect of the Jesuits was lately risen up he by his learned writings did both from Scripture and Antiquity discover their impostures and Popish deceits Afterwards he was made the Master of Magdalen Colledge and the Regius Professor which places hee discharged with singular commendations for many yeares together and at last quietly resigned up his spirit into the hands of God Anno Christi 1589. The Life of James Andreas who died A no Christi 1590. JAmes Andreas was born in Waibling in the Dukedome of Wittemberg Anno 1528. And when his Father had kept him three years at School being unable to maintaine him any longer he intended to have placed him with a Carpenter but being disswaded by Sebastian Mader the Consul he sent him to Stutgard to Erhard Snepfius who was Superintendent of the Wirtembergian Churches intreating him to grant him an exhibition out of the Churches stock for the breeding of him at School Snepfius examining the boy who was now ten years old found him of an excellent wit but withall perceived that hee had been neglected at School whereupon he agreed to allow him part of his maintenance and his Father to make up the rest and so placed him in the School at Stutgard under a choice Schoolmaster with whom in two years space he learned the Latine and Greek Grammar and Rhetorick and so An. Chr. 1541 he went to Tubing where he so profited that at the end of two years he was made Batchelor of Arts and two years after that Mr. of Arts. There also he studied Hebrew Divinity And An. Ch. 1546 and of his age 18 he was made Deacon and for trial preached in the chief Church of Stutgard in a great Auditory and did so well perform that work that his fame spread abroad and at last came to the ears of Ulrick Duke of Wirtemberg who sent for him to Preach before him in his Castle which hee did with much applause so that after Sermon the Duke said Whence soever this chicken came I know that he was hatched and bred up under Snepfius The same year at Tubing he married a Wife by whom hee had eighteen children nine sonne and nine daughters About that time brake forth that fatall Warre betwixt Charles the fifth and the Protestant Princes wherein the Emperour being conquerour hee seised upon the Dukedome of Wirtemberg by reason whereof the Church was in a sad condition yet Andreas with his Wife remained in Stutgard and by Gods speciall providence was preserved in the midst of Spanish Souldiers and yet preached constantly and faithfully all the while And so hee continued till Anno Christi 1548 at which time that accursed Interim came forth which brought so much mischief to the Church of God Andreas amongst other godly Ministers that opposed it was driven from his place Yet it pleased God that the year after he was chosen again to be Deacon at Tubing where by Catechising he did very much good Anno Christi 1550 Ulrick dying his son Christopher succeeded him in the government of Wirtemberg and affected Andreas exceedingly and would needs have him Commense Doctor which degree having performed all his exercises he took the twenty fifth year of his age and was chosen Pastor of the Church of Gompping and was made Superintendant of those parts About the same time he was sent for by Lodwick Count of Oeting to assist him in the reforming of the Churches within his jurisdiction when he took his leave of his own Prince Christopher he charged him and gave it him in writing That if Count Lodwick set upon that Reformation that under pretence of Religion he might robbe the Church and seise upon the Revenues of the Monasteries and turn them to his private use that he should presently leave him and come back again He assisted also in the reformation of the Churches in Helfenstein Anno Christi 1556. About that time hearing of a Jew that
for theft was hanged by the heels with his head downward in a village hard by having not seen that kind of punishment he went to the place where he found him hanging between two Dogs that were alwaies snatching at him tearing and eating his flesh The poor wretch repeated in Hebrew some verses of the Psalms wherein hee cried to God for mercy whereupon Andreas went nearer to him and instructed him in the Principles of the Christian Religion about Christ the Messiah c. and exhorted him to believe in him and it pleased God so to blesse his exhortation to him that the Dogs gave over tearing of his flesh and the poor Jew desired him to procure that he might be taken down and baptised and hung by the neck for the quicker dispatch which was done accordingly The same year Charles Marquesse of Baden beganne a Reformation of the Churches within his dominions and to assist him therein he sent for divers Divines and amongst the rest for Dr Andreas by whose help he cast out the Popish Religion and Ceremonies and established the true Religion according to the Augustane Confession The like he did in Brugoia About the same time also Doctor Andreas was sent for by the Senate of the Imperiall City of Rottenburg because the Pastors in their jurisdiction used divers Ceremonies so that they feared least contentions should arise about the Substantials in Divinity whereupon by the advice of Andreas they were united in one Confession of Faith consonant to the Word of God and certain Ceremonies were agreed on which all the Ministers should unanimously use for the time to come Yea he was of such esteem that he was sent for by divers Princes to reform the Churches in their jurisdictions Hee was present at divers Synods and Disputations about Religion Hee travelled many thousands of miles being usually attended but with one servant yet it pleased God that in all his journyes he never met with any affront Anno Christi 1552 the Chancellors place in the University of Tubing was voyd by the death of Beurlin whereupon Prince Christopher consulting with the Heads of the University made Doctor Andreas Chancellor in his stead About which time he was sent into Thuringia to compose the difference between the Divines of Jenes Flacius Illiricus aud Strigelius about the power of Free-will Anno Christi 1580 came forth the book of Concord which was approved and subscribed by three Electors twenty one Princes twenty two Counts four Barons thirty five Imperiall Cities and eight thousand Ministers This was set on foot by the Elector of Saxony but carried on by the excessive labours of Doctor Andreas who carried it from one to another resolving all doubts and answering all objections till he had got all those subscriptions The year before his death hee used often to say that hee should not live long that hee was weary of this life and much desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which was best of all Falling sick he sent for James Herbrand saying I exspect that after my death many adversaries will rise up to asperse me and therefore I sent for thee to hear the confession of my faith that so thou mayst testifie for me when I am dead and gone that I died in the true Faith The same Confession also he made afterwards before the Pastors and Deacons of Tubing The night before his death he slept partly upon his bed and partly in his chair When the clock struck fix in the morning he said My hour draws near He gave thanks to God for bestowing Christ for revealing his Will in his Word for giving him Faith and the like benefits and when he was ready to depart he said Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit and so he fell asleep in the Lord Anno Christi 1590 and of his age 61. In the discharge of his office he never spared any labour hee never shrunk under any trouble He wrote many Epistles to severall men upon several arguments A learned and rich man of Tubing after Doctor Andreas his death said that he had in his Library fifteen hundred bookes of his writing upon severall Arguments H. ZANCHY The Life of Hierom Zanchius who dyed A no Christi 1590. HIerom Zanchius was born at Atzanum in Italy Anno 1516. His Father was a Lawyer who brought him up at School and when Zanchy was but twelve years old his Father died of the Plague Anno Christi 1528 at which time Zanchy was at School where he was instructed in the Liberall Sciences When he came to the age of fifteen years being now deprived of both his parents observing that divers of his kindred were of the order of Canons Regular amongst whom he judged that there were divers learned men being exceeding desirous of Learning he entered into that Order where hee lived about twenty years and studied Arts and School-Divinity together with the Tongues He was very familiar with Celsus Martiningus joyning studies with him was a diligent hearer of Peter Martyrs publick Lectures at Luca upon the Epistle to the Romans and of his private Lectures upon the Psalmes which he read to his Canons This drew his mind to an earnest study of the Scriptures He read also the Fathers especially St. Augustine with the most learned Interpreters of the Word of God And thereupon he preached the Gospel for some years in the purest manner that the time and place would suffer And when Peter Martyr left Italy so that his godly Disciples could no longer live in safety there much lesse have liberty of Preaching about twenty of them in the space of one year left their station and followed their Master into Germany amongst whom Zaâ—chy was one Being thus as he used to say delivered out of the Babylonish captivity anno Christi 1550. He went first into Rhetia where he staied about eight moneths and from thence to Geneva and after nine moneths stay there he was sent for by Peter Martyr into England but when he came to Strasborough he staid there to supply Hedio's room newly dead who read Divinity in the Schooles which was in the yeare 1553. He lived and taught Divinity in that City about 11 yeares sometimes also reading Aristotle in the Schools yet not without opposition old James Sturmius the Father of that University being dead Yea his adversaries proceeded so far as to tell Zanchy that if hee would continue to read there he must subscribe the Augustaâ—e Confession to which hee yeelded for peace-sake with this proviso modò Orthodoxâ—e intelligatur declaring his judgement also about Christs presence in the Sacrament wherewith they were satisfied And thus he continued to the year 1563 being very acceptable to the good and a shunner of strife and a lover of concord At the end whereof the Divines and Professors there accused him for differing from them in some points about
read his Lectures he performed them to the abundant satisfaction of all his hearers nothing being found wanting which could be required in the best Divine and most accomplished Professor For hee shewed much reading a sharp judgement a pure and easie stile with sound and solid learning so that his fame spreading abroad abundance resorted to his Lectures and reaped much profit thereby The first that he began with in his Lectures was to expound the three first Chapters of Luke After which he went over the Epistle to the Galathians the first to Timothy and the Canticles Afterwards he betook himself to the Controversies between the Papists and us Anno Christi 1585. About that time there came into England a proud and vain-glorious Jesuit called Edmund Campian an English man who set forth ten Arguments whereby he boasted that he had utterly overthrown the Protestant Religion To these Whitaker answered so fully and learnedly that all the Jesuits brags vanished into smoak But shortly after there rose up Durie a Scottish Jesuit who undertook to answer Whitaker and to vindicate Campian And whereas Campian had set forth his Arguments with a great deal of ostentation and youthly confidence Durie on the other side prosecuted the cause with dog-like barking and railing and scurrility Whitaker gave him the preheminence in that but did so solidly answer all his Arguments and discover his fallacies that the truth in those points was never more fully cleared by any man Then rose up Nicolas Sanders an English Jesuit who wrote about the person of Antichrist boasting that by forty demonstrative Arguments he had proved that the Pope was not Antichrist These Arguments Whitaker examined answered learnedly and solidly truly retorting many of them upon himself Then Rainolds a Divine of Remes another English Apostate pretended a reply but subtilly and maliciously presented the English Divines differing amongst themselves that by their differences he might expose their Religion to the greater hatred and obloquy But VVhitaker perceived and plainly discovered his craftie fetches and lies yet withall declared that he judged his book so vain and foolish that he scarce thought him worthy of an answer About this time hee married a Wife a prudent pious chaste and charitable woman After whose death at the end of two years he married another a grave Matron the Widdow of Dudley Fenner by these he had eight children whom he educated religiously Upon this occasion the crabbed old man Stapleton who had neither learned to teach the truth nor to speak well nor to thinke chastly of others wrote a book against him objecting his marriage as a great reproach but surely this man had not read the words of Christ Mat. 9. 11. nor of Paul 1 Cor. 9. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 2. Nor what the Council of Nice decreed concerning the Marriage of Presbyters upon the motion of Paphnutius nor what Augustine and others of the Fathers had written about that point Or else he was of Hoâ—â—aeus the Jesuits mind one of the Popes Counsellors who declared openly that Priests sinned lesse by committing Adultery then by marrying wives VVhitaker never had his Catamites as many of the Popish Priests Jesuits Cardinals yea and some of the Popes themselves had But to leave him and return to our matter Doctor VVhitaker was shortly after chosen Master of Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge which though at first some of the Fellows and Students out of self-ends disliked and opposed yet within a little space by his clemency equitie and goodnesse he so overcame their exulcerated mindes that he turned them into love and admiration of him Yea he alwaies governed the Colledge with much prudence and moderation not seeking his own profit but the publick good as appeared not onely by the testimony of those which lived with him but by his frugality wherein yet his gaines exceeded not his expences In choosing Scholars and Fellows he alwayes carryed himself unblameably and unpartially so as hee would never suffer any corruption to creep into the Election and if he found any who by bribes had sought to buy Suffrages he of all others though otherwise never so deserving should not be chosen Lellarmine about this time growing famous and being looked upon by his own party as an invinicible Champion him Whitaker undertakes and cuts off his head with his own weapons First in the controversie about the Scriptures published Anno Christi 1588. Then about the Church Councils Bishop of Rome the Minister Saints departed the Church Triumphant the Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper though hee had not leisure to print them all In all which controversies he dealt not with his adversarie with taunts reproaches and passion but as one that indeed sought out the truth Hereupon that superstitious old man Thomas Stapleton Professor of Lovane perceiving that Bellarmine held his peace undertook to answer Whitaker in that third question of his first part about the Scriptures which he performed in a volume large enough but as formerly in a scurrilous and railing language Therefore Whitaker lest the testy old man should seeme wise in his own eyes answered him in somewhat a tarter language then he used to doe The week before he dyed he performed an excellent work not only for the University of Cambridge but for the whole English Church for whose peace and unity he alwaies studied in truth by undertaking to compose some differences which sprang up about some â—â—ads of Religion for which end he went toward London in the midst of winter in the company of Doctor Tyndal Master of Queens Colledge but what with his journey and want of sleep being too intent upon his business he fel sick by the way which made him return to Cambridge again and finding his disease to encrease he sent for the Physitians who after debate resolved to let him blood which yet was neglected for two daies The third day when they went about it he was unfit by reason of a continual sweat that he was in yet that night he seemed to sleep quietly and the next morning a friend asking him how he did he answered O happy night I have not taken so sweet a sleep since my disease seised upon me But his friend finding him all in a cold sweat told him that signes of death appeared on him To whom he answered Life or death is welcome to me which God pleaseth for death shall be an advantage to me And after a while he sayd I desire not to live but onely so farre as I may doe God and his Church service And so shortly after he quietly departed in the Lord Anno Christi 1595 and of his age forty seven Having been Professor sixteen years Cardinal Bellarmine procured his picture out of England and hung it up in his study much admiring him for his singular learning and being asked by a Jesuit why he would suffer the picture of that
himself and therefore knowing the worth of learning was very careful to bring up his son in the study of the Liberall Sciences and for that end sent him to Sterline and placed him under Thomas Bucanan under whom he manifested an excellent wit joyned with such modesty sweetnesse of nature that hee needed no severe discipline and by which he drew Bucanans affections to him exceedingly who could not but love him for his attractive qualâ—ties which love continued with encrease to his lives end After at this School he was fully fitted he went thence to the University of Saint Andrews where he spent four yeares in the study of the Arts And those virtues which before did but sparkle now shon bright and he did ascend to such an height in those studies as scarce any of his fellows attained to but none excelled so that at four years end his excellent abilities being taken notice of he was chosen a Professor of Philosophy which office he performed with great commendation for four yeares space adorning and illustrating it with his industry and piety none of his Colleagues equalizing him therein Anno Christi 1583 the Magistrates of Edenborough began to think of erecting a University in that City which they did at the instigation of that worthy man Master James Luson their chief Pastor the reason was because it was the Metropolis of the Kingdome and they could not send their sonnes to Saint Andrews or other Universities without great trouble and charge and besides they found that divers through poverty were not able to maintain their children abroad whereby many excellent wits were imployed in Mechanick trades upon which considerations when they had resolved to erect an Academy they in the next place considered where they might find a fit man to beginne carry on and perfect so great a work and because they could not otherwise do it they resolved to send one or two to Saint Andrews who by diligent enquiry should find out such a person who accordingly going thither found that by the generall vote of all there was none thought so fit for this worke as Robert Rollock which the Magistrates of Edenborough being informed of presently sent for him intreating that he would undertake a work which was like to prove so exceeding advantageous both to Church and State using also other arguments which so far prevailed that he promised to come to them And accordingly in the same year he went to Edenborough where by the Magistrates he was entertained courteously and in the beginning of winter hee set upon the work And as soon as it was spread abroad that a University was begun at Edenborough young Students flockt thither a pace from all parts of the Kingdom whom he instructed in the Arts and governed with severity mixed with clemencie and so educated them in Religion that God blessed his labours exceedingly amongst them For indeed he laboured in this above all things that his Scholars should have the marks of true holyness appearing in them Neither did God frustrate his expectations for by his exhortations and Divinity Lectures be so far prevailed even with the looser sort of youths that he soon brought them into very good order After four years he examined them strictly and finding their proficiency made them Masters of Art Then four Professors of Philosophy were by the Magistrates substituted under him to share in the pains which were chosen out of the ablest of those that had commenced Masters of Art These insisting in the footsteps of the Doctrine and Discipline of Rollock performed that trust which was committed to them with great faithfulnesse and industry In the meane time Rollock underwent the whole charge and care of the University For it was his office to look over the severall Classes to observe every ones sedulity and progresse in his studies If any discords arose to compose them by his wisdom and to keep every one in the carefull discharge of his duty Every morning calling the Students together he prayed fervently with them and one day in the week expounded some portion of Scripture to them from whence hee raised Doctrines Exhortations and Comminations not painted with humane eloquence but grave and weighty such as might most work upon the minds and hearts of young men And this he did not that he wanted eloquence but because he despised such a kind of affected speech in holy things By these kind of Lectures he did more restraine and reforme the young men then by his Discipline and indeed it brought great profit both to Master and Scholars Yet after every Lecture he took notice which of them had committed any faults that week whom hee would so reprove and lay the wrath of God before their eyes and withall affect them with shame that he much reformed them thereby Yea such as would neither have been reformed with words or stripes from others were so wrought upon by his applying the threatnings of Gods wrath and opening the sweet promises of mercy to them that usually they brake out into sighs and tears He took also extraordinary paines to fit such for the work of the Ministery as were grown up to it so that the Church received very much benefit from thence having so many able Pastors sent forth into it How much trouble care and pains he bestowed in these employments is not possibly to be conceived For he spent the whole day eâ—â—ept dinner time either in the contemplation of the chiefest points of Religion or in searching out the sence of hard places of Scripture or in confuting the errors of the Romanists Besides this he preached every Lords day in the Church and that with such fervencie and evident demonstration of the spirit that he was the instrument of converting very many unto God He wrote also many Commentaries upon the Scriptures which being printed and going abroad into other Countries Beza meeting with that upon the Romans and Ephesians wrote to a friend concerning them that hee had gotten a treasure of incomparable value and that he had not met with the like before for brevity elegancy and judiciousnesse Whereupon he thus concludes I pray God to preserve the Author and daily to encrease his gifts in him especially in these times wherein the vineyard of the Lord hath so few labourers Thus we see how famous Rollock was with all sorts of persons for his learning virtue and piety yea by his curtesie and candor he drew the love of all men He was so humble that though he excelled them yet he preferred all others before himself and laboured after privacy from publick businesse that he might the better apply himselfe to his studies Yet contrary to his mind he was often called forth to publick businesses which he alwaies dispatched with admirable prudence In the two last years of his life he was so involved in publick affairs that it much weakned his health He was greatly tormented
by whose importunity she was set free and had leave to goe to Agrimont whither it pleased God to carry her in safety through a thousand dangers and where she found her husband And whilst she was there she was brought to bed of a daughter to which the Dutchesse was Godmother But the King of France hearing that his Aunt the Dutchesse had sheltered many of the Protestants sent to her to turn them all out of her Castle or else he would presently besiege it and slay them all Upon which message Tossan with his wife and three children went presently to Sancerra which was the nearest place of safetie There went also a long with him two or three hundred Waggons loaden with children and in their passage there lay many Troops of the enemies especially at a River over which they were to passe purposing to destroy them but it pleased God to stir up some Protestants thereabouts to horse and arm themselves and to proffer themselves as a guard to these Waggons who fought often with their enemies and by Gods special providence conducted them all in safety to Sancerra There Tossan continued a year and then with his wife and one or two of his children he went to Mombelgart to visit his Father and friends and because the wars being but lately ended in France the Church of Orleance could not suddenly gather themselves together he continued and preached in his Fathers place who was now grown old for a year But some Ministers of Stutgard accused him for preaching Calvinism and Zuinglinism and would have him to revoke and recant the same or else he must preach no more in publick They also summoned him to appear at Stutgard to give an account of his opinions and by conference with them to reform the same framing himself wholly to their mindes upon which onely condition they would let him live in his own country and preach therein Hereupon he wrote an Apology to the Senate at Stutgard shewing the reasons why at that time he could not goe thither and Anno Christi 1571 when it had pleased God after those terrible storms to restore peace to the Church at Orleance he was called back thither Yet the times were not so peaceable that he could preach there but he preached to his people in a Castle not far from it which belonged to Hierom Groslotius a most godly Noble man and there repaired to hear him out of the City a very great multitude of people whom the Popish party at their return home received with many scornes and reproaches threatning ere long to fire the Castle and all that were in it yet did the faithfull overcome all dangers with their constancy and Tossan living with that Nobleman performed his Pastoral office with all diligence and fidelity though at that time he was very sickly Anno Christi 1572 brake forth that abhominable Massacre at Paris wherein Charles the ninth falsifying his faith caused the Admirall of France with many Noblemen and Gentlemen Doctors Pastors Advocates and Professors to be so inhumanely butchered that a more horrid villany was never heard of in the world before it At which time amongst others this Hieronimus Groslotius was also murthered The newes of this Massacre comming to Orleance the Papists rejoyced and sung seeking to murther and destroy all the Protestants that were in and about that City Tossan at this time was in the Castle with the wife of Groslotius who heard 〈◊〉 the Massacre and the Murther of her husband at Paris and it pleased God so to order it that a certaine Popish Nobleman as he was travelling towards Paris was turned aside into this Castle to enquire after news just at the same time when this sad news was brought thither But he supposing that it was impossible that the Protestants which were so numerous there could be so easily suppressed and thinking rather that they stood upon their defence resolved to return home again and took with him this Lady with Tossan and his wife and children Thus it pleased God that he was delivered from certain destruction by the humanitie and industry of a Papist For the very next Morning the inhabitants of Orleance came to that Castle brake open the Gates slew some maids that were left to keep it plundered all and amongst the rest Tossans goods and Library raging extreamely that they had missed their prey which they most sought after This Noblemans House that carried them with him was near to Argimont But Tossan apprehending himself not safe there with his wife and children removed to another place where he was acquainted and presently after the Dutches of Ferrara sent for him and his Family his wife being again great with childe and hid them in a Turret in her Castle and sustained and sed them there And when the rage of the Papists was somewhat abated hee with his wife and children travelled through many dangers into Germany and shortly after was sent for by that pious Prince Frederick the third Elector Palatine to come to him to Heidleberg whither he went with his Family and where he found so much love and bounty from the Prince and his Courtiers and the Academicks that he almost forgot his former miseries All the while that he lived in Heidleberg he was Preacher to the Elector shewing such Faithfullnesse Diligence Candour and other Virtues as became a faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ whereby he was very deare to the Elector who often consulted with him about the waitiest matters of Religion And Anno Christi 1575 he sent him with some other of his faithfull Counsellors to Amberg to visit the Churches and to compose some controversies which were sprung up amongst them about matters of Religion which trust he performed with singular zeale and diligence But the world being unworthy of such a Prince it pleased God to take him away Anno Christi 1576 four years after Tossan came thither And his Son Lodwick a Lutherane succeeding him Tossan amongst some others was dismissed But Prince Cassimire Lodwicks Brother who knew the impostures of the Vbiquitarians better then his brother and who had undertaken to defend that faith whereof his Father had made a confession in his Will called him to Neostade and placed him over the Churches there And after Ursins death made him Professor in that University In which place he interpreted the holy Scripture He also undertook the caâ—e of the Church which was collected of the Exiles who wanted a Father and Preached to them in the French Tongue Anno Christi 1578. He waâ— Moderator in a Synod at Neostade And Prince Cassimire did alwaies esteem so highly of his advise and Counsell that he sent for him often neither would determine any thing in Ecclesiasticall affaires without his assent and when Prinâ—e and Ambassadors came to Neostade being moved with his same they would alwaies visit him and
c. by all whom he was kindly entertained and so dearly beloved that each seemed to live in the other At his first coming to that University that he might the better arme himselfe against those manifold perturbations which all men especially the godly are molested withall he often and seriously meditated upon the History of Abraham And as often as he had any leisure he went to Geneva to converse with Calvin by whom he was much quickned to improve his parts for Gods glory and the Churches good And upon this he undertook that truly golden work begun by Marot but finished by him of turning the Psalms into French Metre which hee finished Anno Christi 1561 and which were often printed in sundry parts of France About this time many godly men and women flocked out of France to Lausanna which occasion Beza taking as sent from God expounded to them the Epistle to the Romans and afterwards the two Epistles to Peter which were the foundation of that excellent work which afterwards he compleated of turning the New Testament into Latine with Annotations upon the same About that time the Plague waxing hot in Lausanna Beza fell sick of it but Christ who intended him as an instrument of his glory in his Churches good restored him to health again Shortly after which he wrote a book de Haereticis à Magistratu puniendis occasioned by the aspersions raised by Laelius Socinus against Calvin and the Magistrates of Geneva for burning Servetus for his Heresie and Blasphemy He also wrote an explication of Christianity out of the Doctrine of eternall Predestination He also answered Joachim Westphalus about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and afterwards published two learned Dialogues upon the same argument He answered Sebastian Castalio who sought to overthrow Eternall Election Anno Christi 1557 when the Sorbonists in Paris had raised that persecution against the Church of Christ wherein four hundred of them being met together in the night to hear the Word and receive the Lords Supper seven of them were afterwards burnt in the fire and the rest cast into chains and prisons The best means thought on to procure their release was by obtaining the Protestant German Princes to become Intercessors for them to Henry the 2d of France And thereupon Beza with some others were sent to the German Princes to engage them herein which also he obtained from them though it proved to little purpose in regard of the implacable malice of the French Courtiers against the servants of Christ. In that journey hee grew acquainted with Melancthon and they took much delight in the society of each other Having spent ten years at Lausanna as the Greek Professor with the good leave of the Senate of Bern he went to Geneva Anno Christi 1559 and lived with Calvin from whose side he seldom parted and was his great assistant both in matters of Doctrine and Disciplineâ— and that in the mean time he might not be wanting to the Schools he publickly interpreted Demosthenes Orations and part of Aristotle to the young Students And not long after upon the death of Claudius Pontanus he was chosen Pastor into his room He was also chosen the first Rector of the School in Geneva at which time he made an excellent and eloquent Oration in commendation of Learning in the presence of many grave and learned men both to encourage youths to the love of it and the Senators of Geneva to make a further progresse in the advancement of it For whereas the City of Geneva did at this time conflict with innumerable difficulties both at home and abroad which did almost swallow it up yet by the perswasion of thaâ— great Calvin it took so much courage that in that verâ— juncture of time the Senate founded and endowed thaâ— publick School which was a great ornament to the City and out of which issued abundance of godly and learned men to the great benefit of the Churches of God Shortly after at the request of certain Noblemen of France Beza was invited to visit Anthony King of Navar who at this time was at Nerac in Aquitane to conferre with him about some weighty matters but especially if it were possible through Gods mercy to confirm his mind in the true Religion For it was hoped that if that King who was the principall man of the Royall blood and like to govern the affairs of State in the minority of King Francis the second could be confirmed in the truth it would much conduce to the peace of the Churches and to the preservation of the lives of many who were cruelly burned by the Papists in sunday parts of the Kingdome Neither did this design want effect For Anno Christi 1561 the King of France dying at Orleance the King of Navar joyning with the Prince of Conde the Admirall Coligni d' Andelot and other Noblemen caused the Popish party to give over the butcheries and executions which they had formerly done upon many of Christs faithfull servants Charles the ninth coming to the Crown there were various actings about Religion whilst the Pontificians would advance their own and root out the Refoâ—med and on the contrary they of the Reformed Religion contended with all their might to promote their own and therefore lest these severall parties should cause commotions there were Edicts published in the Kings name requiring all upon severe penalty to abstain from arms and to keep the peace till certain select persons of each party at a certain time and place nominated should meet together to consider of the fittest way and means to preserve the publick peace many not onely of the common people but of the Nobility inclining to the Reformed Religion Hereupon the King of Navar sent Letters and Messengers to the Senate of Geneva requesting that Beza might be sent to that great meeting where such weighty matters should be transacted The Prince of Conde also requested the same Beza upon this set forward and came to Paris August the twentieth And the Queen Mother wrote also to the same purpose to the Senate of Zurick to send Peter Martyr to her which accordingly they did and Martyr came to Paris The chief of the Pontificians also repaired to this meeting though they had declared that such as had been long agoe condemned for Heresie ought not to be conferred withall There came also many Ministers of the Reformed Churches in France as Nich. Gallasius August Marlorat Jo. Raimund Merlin Francis Sampaulius Francis Morellus Jo. Malotius Jo. Spinaeus Claudius Bossierus Nich. Folius Mat. Virellus John Tornaeus and N. Barbastus For they had the publick Faith given them for their safe coming stay and return at their pleasures August the three and twentieth they met together at Saint Germans where the Protestants dâ—bating who shou'd speake for them they unanimously chose Beza as a man every way fitted for that employment and
in the evening he was had into the King of Navars chamber where were present the Queen Mother the Prince of Conde the Cardinals of Bourbon and Lorrain with many of the Nobility Beza briefly declared the cause of his coming though it was not unknown unto them and the Queen chearfully answered that she much desired that the publick peace might be principally promoted And the Cardinal of Lorrain exhorted him to study the wayes of peace and concord For saith he in your absence you have been the author of many stirs and tumults therefore it beseems you by your presence to endeavour to compose them which is that which we all desire To this Beza replyed that he was too mean and obscure a person to raise commotions in so large and potent a Kingdom That he was alwaies an enemy to tumults and that his studies and endevours should alwaies be bent to promote the Glory of God and the happinesse of his King and Country Then did the Queen ask him if he had ever published any thing in French Nothing said he besides the Psalmes and a short writing opposed to the Confession of the Duke of Summerset Upon this occasion Lorrain said that he had read in a book published in Beza's name That Christ was in the same manner to be sought in his Supper as he was before he was born of the blessed Virgin And that Christ was so in his Supper as he is in the dung To this Beza answered That this latter speech was blasphemy and that he thought that no Christian had ever spoken or written any such thing As for the former speech saith he if it be taken in a good sence its true for the Church hath alwaies been congregated by one Mediator Christ God-man therefore the Communion of the faithfull with Christ is not to be confined to the time of his Incarnation for the force and efficacy thereof was alwaies present to the eye of Faith For Abraham saw his day and rejoyced The Fathers did eat of the same spirituall and drank of the same spirituall Rock viz. Christ and that he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world To which the Cardinal assented Then was there another question started about the sence of those words This is my body Whereunto Beza answered learnedly and briefly layâ—ng down the Reformed opinion and against Transubstantiation Whereunto the Cardinal answered that for his part he would not contend about Transubstantiation being of Beza's mind and withall told the Queen that Beza had given him great satisfaction in that point and that he hoped their conference would come to a good issue if things were handled peaceably and with right reason When the company was departed the Cardinall spake very lovingly to Beza saying Now that I have heard you speak I rejoice and invite you to the conference by the immortall God hoping that weighing the reasons on both sides some way may be found out for the setling of a firm peace Beza returned him hearty thanks intreating him to persevere in the study and endeavour of procuring publick concord Professing for his own part that according to the abilities God had given him he would promote it Septemb. the fourth they met together in the large Hall of the Monastery at Possy where were present the King the Queen Mother the Duke of Orleance the Kings brother Margaret the Kings Sister the King and Queen of Navar the Prince of Conde and the rest of the Nobility and States of France On the Popish party were the Cardinals Archbishops and Bishops to the number of fifty accompanyed with many Doctors of Sorbon and Canonists For the Reformed Churches were the Ministers before named After the King had in a few words opened the causes why he had called them together and Michael Hospitalius the great Chancellor of France had opened them more largly Beza in the name of all the Protestants made an excellent Oration which he pronounced with such a grace as drew the attention and caused admiration in all that were present In it he comprised the sum of the pure Religion which was professed in the Reformed Churches of France Only this is to be noted by the way that when Beza in his speech sayd That Christ was as far from the Sacrament as the highest heavens are from the earth the Popish Doctors made a great murmur which at last being over he went on to the end of his speech Then Turnovius â—ean of the Colledge being in a great passion against the Ministers whom he called new Professors made some objections and exhorted the King that hee would not suffer himself by any perswasions to be withdrawn from his old Religion and that he would suspend his assent til he had heard the answers which the Prelates would give to that which had been spoken for then he should be able to discern a difference between the truth and lies Then did Beza humbly present to the King a Confession of Faith in the name and with the consent of all the Reformed Churches which had been drawn up in the year 1555. But when the Ministers perceived that the minds of the Pontificians were exasperated they resolved that Beza should write his private Letters to the Queen wherein he should explaine things more fully then he was suffered to doe the day before which accordingly he did September the sixteenth the conference began again in the presence of the said great personages And the Cardinall of Lorrain made a tedious speech wherein he defended the Popish Religion perswading that nothing should be altered in the same And when he had done Beza humbly entreated the King that hee might have liberty to answer ex tempore For the Protestants feared that after this day they should be suffered to meet no more For there was a constant report that the Pontiâ—icians after that day would have no more to doe with the Protestants but would presently excommunicate them Besides there was some fear that the crafty Prelates would evade any further disputation by setting the French and Dutch Churches together by the ears about the matter of the Sacrament But he could obtain nothing that day the conference being adjorned to another and procrastinated by many delaies Yet at last upon an humble supplication to the King from the Protestants they obtained that the conference should goe on And accordingly September the twentie fourth it was again begun in the same Audience and Lorrain protested that this meeting was appointted that so the Protestants if they had a minde to it might freely answer to what had formerly been spoken by him Then did Beza discourse excellently and clearly about the Church and the Supper of the Lord which two heads were principally insisted on by Lorrain Then Espensaeus a Sorbonist being appointed by the Cardinall took up Beza begining about the Vocation of Ministers both ordinary and extraordinary and so proceeding to Traditions and the Lords
of death they both of them blessed him and gave him this testimony that he had never offended them in all his life Wallaeus laid their death exceedingly to heart so that for a years space no day passed wherein he did not with grief think on them nor night wherein he did not dream of them But it pleased God that in December the 27. he had a son born whom he called John this somewhat mitigated his sorrows Before this the Citizens of Middleborough had much importuned him to remove his habitation to their City but he would not consent to it till his Wife was brought to bed least he should seem to contemn his people at Koukerk who had shewed themselves so honest and loving to him But when she was up again he then removed and was entertained both by the People and Magistrates with great applause being received with more favour then ordinary which stirred up envy in some of the Ministers of Middleborough who thereupon would have had him confined to a little Church that was in the outmost part of the City but the Presbytery would not suffer it yea it returned to the glory of Wallaeus that these ancient Ministers feared least he should get their Auditories from them But after a while he moderated their passions by his modesty courtesie and readiness to do any Offices of love to them so that he lived very friendly with them In his Ministry he thought that he did not sufficiently discharge his duty by Preaching and Governing and therefore every Sabbath day at five a clock he Catechized wherein he explained all the common places in Divinity and whereby he made his people very ready in the knowledge of the Scriptures so that some of them were fitted for the work of the Ministry in the Indies He was diligent in visiting his Parishoners whereby he reformed many which were given to vitiousness giving them counsel how they might shun those sins which naturally they were addicted to He satisfied doubting Consciences and extricated them out of the snares of Satan He raised up and comforted those that were cast down at the apprehension of Gods wrath for their sins In these his visitations he ministred relief to Widows Orphans and such as were destitute of all humane help He encouraged such as were weak and sick to persevere in Faith and prepared them for death and such as were neer death he comforted them against the terrors thereof and wrought in them a desire to be with Christ yea he did not only visit such as owned him for their Minister but Sectaries also Papists and Anabaptists which he did with such sweetness that his company was never grievous to them and he carryed himself so justly that many times even they repaired to him for advice in cases of Conscience about Matrimony and always went well satisfied from him This much troubled a Popish Priest called Curio who knowing how powerful Wallâ—us was in reproving sin to deter his Disciples from conference with Wallaeus or hearing his Sermons told them that the Devil always sate upon his shoulders and as he was Preaching suggested to him what he should say But God turned his malice and lyes to good For many Papists either drawn by curiosity or by the fame of the man or upon the occasion of Baptisms into his Church when they heard nothing that was Diabolical to proceed out of his mouth they began to esteem their Curio a slanderer to doubt of the truth of his other sayings to perceive that they learned more and received more comfort by Wallaeus his Sermons then by his and so by degrees fell off to the Reformed Religion Wallaeus his Colleagues left to him yea appointed him as the most learned man amongst them to take care that their Religion received no detriment and to defend the same against all Adversaries wherein like another Hercules he subdued many Monsters There was one Abraham Beckman that of a long time had disturbed the Peace of the Church of Middleborough A man of a sharp wit and blameless life he reproved the Ministers for baptizing such children whose Parents were not members of the Church and he had drawn some hundreds of the Church membrs to his party To these Wallaeus opened the Doctrine of Truth more plainly by Conference and Disputations he overthrew the pertinacious convinced most of them by writing and so brought them to an acknowledgement of their Errors But Wallaeus thought it not sufficient to conquer them but he would also gain them to the Church which he effected by procuring that Beckman should be chosen one of the Presbytery whereby he was quieted and afterwards did good service to the Church Sectaries are never better quieted then whilst they pretend for God they may have riches or honours conferred upon them Shortly after there was one Gedeon Vanden Bogard a Noble man of Flanders who being inticed with great promises was resolved to turn over to the King of Spains party and therefore also must change his Religion for which end he gives out that the Popish Religion was truer then the Reformed and that in the point of Transubstantiation which he undertook to prove by the assistance of Father Gauda a Jesuite of Antwerp who was grown to that height of impudency and impiety that he published in Print that he would pawn his soul to God to expiate all the Errors that were in the Romane Church To whom therefore Wallaeus presently answers and shews that the Pontificians themselves could not otherwise understand the words of Institution in the Lords Supper but Figuratively and that the body of Christ â—ould not be in infinite places at the same time for that then it should cease to be a body which is always circumscribed within its own limits so that Gauda held his peace Presently after a certain stranger coming to Middleborough for Zeland brings forth no such Monsters Preached That Christ had excellently taught reverence to God and love to our Neighbors But that his Doctrine might have the more weâ—ght hâ—d affirmed himself to be the Son of God by a certain pious fraud saying that he was God when indeed he was not And not content to divulg these blasphemies in private he preached them in publick VVallaeus judged this man the more dangerous by how much he seemed to be very religious and that he would not speak without commending Christ whenas indeed he sought to destroy him wherefore setting upon him in a Publick Assembly he proved that in the Nativity Life and Death of Christ all things did concur which were foretold of the Messias in the Old Testament and therefore that he could not but be God which was required in the Messias That Christ whom he confessed to teach Piety must express it in his Life and therefore could not begin his Doctrine with a lye who must not do evill that good might come of it Neither was it worth the while
praise but in Disputations he deserved a Triumph Because these Candidates in Divinity could not be sufficiently exercised in publick he did twice a week in private explain to them his Enchiridion of the Reformed Religion he examined it and appointed them to dispute upon it yea he set up divers private Lectures wherein he confuted the Anabaptists Socinians and Papists He caused these Candidates also often to Preach in private wherein he directed them to the most profitable subjects and taught them how they should prosecute the same Neither would he ever take any thing for these his private imployments This course of training up young Students he continued for twenty years even till his death so that innumerable Pastors were sent forth by him into the Church amongst which many were admirable Lights which were a great comfort and rejoycing to him In the Government of the University he neither made nor nourished parties but when any differences arose he always sought to compose them as he did betwixt Polyander and Thysius between Cunaeus and Burgersditius amongst whom some emulation was sprung up Wallaeus himself had no Enemy but only Daniel Heinsius who was also a Gantois and seemed somewhat to emulate him Yet would not Wallaeus do any thing that might offend Heinsius neither would he mingle himself in the contention between Salmatius and Heinsius about precedency Wallaeus his next care was that all the Honors of the University so far as might be should be equally divided amongst his Colleagues that so they might live together the more sweetly and might labor together in their several imployments with the better concord So that when he should have been chosen Rector of the University he sought it for his Colleague but honour followed him whilst he fled from it so that he was often Deputy of the University and thrice Rector He would never give to Candidates his testimony for their lives and proficiency in their Studies of Divinity except they deserved it Judging it better to offend them and their friends then to deceive the Church by advancing unworthy persons to the Ministry which faithfulness of his was taken notice of so that many were rejected till they could get the testimony of Wallaeus He with his Colleagues would never prefer any to the title of Doctors except they were conspicuous for their Piety and eminent for Learning He had more Books brought to him to License then he could possibly read over for which cause he sent many of them to the Classes of Pastors to be read over by them reserving to himself only such as handled Controversies of greater moment These Professors would meddle with no cases of Conscience but such as concerned Matrimony as for all others that came to them they sent them to their own Pastors whereby they much eased themselves and took off people from undervaluing their own Ministers And in cases of Matrimony they always determined them with such sound judgement that so long as Wallaeus lived there was never any Church or Magistrate that had cause to alter what they had determined He was dayly sought to for advice in cases of Conscience In Controversies of Religion and about Church Government by Churches Classes Synods Cities States and Princes to all whom he freely imparted his counsel The States General and the States of Holland would never suffer any Divinity Book to be Dedicated to them till Wallaeus had perused and set his â—merimatur to it They would never suffer any Petitions about Controversies in Religion or about reforming the peoples lives to be presented to them till he had approved of them Frederick King of Bohemia would give no answer to the great â—urk who proffered him assistance against the Emperour till he had consulted with Wallaeus The Prince of Orange in giving Laws to Cities conquered by him would always consult with these men He called Polyander and Wallaeus to compose a difference between the Magistrates and Ministers of Roterdam that had tired three Synods and fifteen Classes Wallaeus with his Colleagues were appointed to publish the Acts of the Synod of Dort because it was very necessary for all the Reformed Churches yea for all the World to know in what way and order the cause of the Remonstrants had been examined and what seemed good to any and what was concluded by all the Fathers in that assembly and herein they were much holpen by Festus Hommius who was the Scribe of the Synod Presently after the Publication of these Synodal Acts the Remonstrants set forth another wherein in some particulars they sought to invalidate those Acts but their cheif design was to confirm their own opinion by Arguments the confuting whereof was committed to VVallaeus who presently answered their Acts and Corvinus though he pretended a Reply yet quickly gave over and was silent But presently a quarrel sprang up between the Remonstrants themselves For Vtenbogard Corvinus and the greatest part of the Remonstrants adhered to Arminius and would depart no further from the Orthodox Episcopius and his followers joined with the Socinians Error is fruitful and is ever declining from bad to worse Shortly after this some rose up that endeavoured a Union between the Contra-Remonstrants and the Remonstrants On the Contra-Remonstrants side were Cornelius Dunganus of Vtrich Godschalcus Arlius of Arnheim and James Testardus Pastor of Blesa On the Remonstrants side was only Anthony Hornhovius who yet lurked amongst the Orthodox Pastors But it was impossible to unite those that held such contrary opinions There was more hope of an attempt made between Wallaeus and Vtenbogardus which was to consider how the Remonstrants might be admitted into the Reformed Churches and how far forth they might be tolerated therein And it was concluded that such of them might be admitted as members as were free from the Socinian Errors and would acknowledge that all spiritual and saving gifts were of the free Grace of God through Christ if they would promise that in other things they would not disturb the Peace of the Church The greatest difficulty was about their Pastors who would not be quiet except they might exercise their Ministry and enjoy their stipends neither would they be tyed to silence in Controversies But the Remonstrants setting forth a Confession of their Faith brake all in sunder For thereby it appeared that they differed from the Reformed not only in five Articles but in many other things Whilst Wallaeus was at Middleborough he had read Ethicks in the Schools and had begun to make a Compendium of it for the use of his Scholars but finished it not by reason of his remove to Leiden wherefore now the Curators of the School prevailed with him to compleat that Work and to publish it for the use of that School And it found such acceptance abroad that it was often printed and by Theod. Schrevelâ—us Master of the School of 〈◊〉 it was turned into Jambick verse
and to rest most upon his advice He always as he ought much esteemed the singular good will of the Prince of Orange towards him as also of the Queen of Bohemia and other of the States to whom deservedly he was most dear as they testified by their extraordinary grief at his death He always upon every occasion professed how much he was beholding to the Curators and Magistrates of Leiden for their singular good will towards him whereby they often anticipated and exceeded his modesty in conferring favors upon him The most excellent Princess of Orange also after his death sent to his widdow and eldest son professing that the loss of him was no less a grief to her then if she had lost another husband or dear son so highly did she esteem of him Neither may any man wonder whence it came to pass that he had so many friends if withall he do but consider the multitude of Letters that he sent and received so that his study seemed to be a Compendium of all Europe But behold the mutability of all Earthly things The truth is his labors were so many and great that if his body had been of Oak or Iron he could not have held out long so that we may truly say that the imployment of his soul destroyed its own habitation which was worn out and dissolved with too much exercise For besides the publick labors which he underwent in the Church and University his private and domestical cares his conferences with his friends his frequent intercourse of Letters his various writings and giving counsel to others took up every moment in his life And though he was often admonished by his friends to favour himself and moderate his pains yet would he by no means be perswaded to it Hence it was observed that his strength began sensibly to decay and he was troubled with great obstructions so that himself began to complain of them yet would he not diminish his daily task And thus he continued all the Winter afflicted with weakness and pains at sundry seasons His last Sermon he Preached at Easter upon those memorable words of Saint Paul Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body c. Also after his last Lecture returning home he complained of the decay of his strength which was so great that with much difficulty he went on to the end of his Lecture as many of his Auditors observed From thenceforth his health decayed and his strength declined more and more and which was an ill sign his weakness was greater then his disease yet notwithstanding he was delegated in the midst of April by the Church to a Synod of the French Churches which met at Harlem whither he went though the labor was too great for his weak body And at his return he sensibly discerned that he was much worse so that though no signs of death appeared outwardly yet was his weakness such that being taken off his Legs he was confined to his bed Hereupon he foresaw the approach of death and wholly gave up himself to God whom he continually invoked by ardent prayers and sighs which had been his constant practice in the whole course of his life But yet April the 28. he thought himself better and that there were some hopes of his recovery whereupon in the afternoon he sate up at his study window where he had not continued long before he was seized upon by a violent Feaver with a great trembling and shaking of his whole body which at length ended in a burning so that he lay all night as if he had been in the midst of a fire whereupon seeing his end to approach in the presence of his Family he poured forth most ardent Prayers to God Profesting that he knew Christ to be his Redeemer in whom he believed and with whom he knew that he should shortly be and that he desired nothing so much as his happy dissolution his soul still breathing after Christ Only this by earnest prayers he begged of God that he would give him strength to undergo whatsoever he should please to lay upon him and that he would not suffer him to be tempted beyond what he was able to bear that he might have a quiet and comfortable departure out of this miserable and sinful world Presently the famous Physitian Dr. Stratenus was sent for from the Hague who was his special friend to whom was adjoined Dr. Wallaeus who performed all the Offices of good Physitians and did what Art could do But their business was not so much with the disease as with death which refused all remedies The Citizens of Leiden mourned exceedingly for his sickness the Queen of Bohemia and the Princess of Orange shewed most tender affections towards him His wife and family foreseeing their calamity in his loss were dissolved into tears But Heidanus coming to visit him he declared to him the inward peace of his soul his hope of future glory and his faith in Christ together with his earnest desire of leaving this miserable World He also freely forgave all that had wronged him desiring the like from others if he had any way justly offended them Professing that whatsoever he had done he did it out of his love to Truth and his care over the Church The night before his death Dr. Triglandius was sent for to him whom he always loved and honoured as his dear friend and Colleague who being come prayed with him and the next day Dr. Massisius Pastor of the French Church did tho like And thus he spent all that week in Prayers and holy Exercises On Wednesday night he caused his son to read to him the 8. cha of Ezekiel and part of the Epistle to the Romans after which he spake to his eldest son Frederick exhorting him to the study of Divinity requiring him not to be withdrawn from it by any means whatsoever he thought that he could never speak enough of the tender love care and diligence of his wife shewed towards him A little before his death recollecting his spirits in the presence of Samuel Riverius Pastor of Delph with a clear and fervent voice he prayed with such ardency of affections as caused all to wonder In his Prayers he gave immortal thanks to God for all his blessings bestowed so plentifully upon him in the whole course of his life and for that he had blessed him so much amongst strangers acknowledging himself to be lesse then all those blessings and that he had nothing to return to his Majesty for them but his grateful heart Above other things he especially blessed him for bringing him forth in a Reformed and Orthodox Church and for that he had not suffered him to be infected with the Popish Religion whose Doctrine he professed to be erroneous and contrary to the Gospel of Christ and the way of perdition He prayed heartily to God to continue these
conversion His Baptism His zeal and courage His Apology for the Christians to the Senate His Apologie to the Emperour Injustice used to the Christians He prevails for favour to the Christians He goes to Rome A prediction His Martyrdom His zeal against Heresies His sayings His zeal His works His birth and education Ordained Minister His zeal against Heresies He was studious of peace He is made Bishop of â—yâ—ons in France Satans malice His zeal against Heresies He is sent to Rome His writings The prophaneness of Hereâ—icks The immutability of Cerdon Miracles continued in the Church His courage and painfulness A great Persecution His martyrdom His sayings His works His birth and education His excellent learning He is Ordained a Presbyter His zeal against Heresies He defends the Christians Persecution increaseth Religion His learned works This was counted an unparalleld crime in Mr. Thomas Edwards A Souldiers humility His frequency in prayer The manner of his conversion His study of the Scriptures The danger of envy His death His sayings His works His Learning and Ordination His zeal against heresies His writings His sayings His works His birrth His parentage and education The reasons of his names His early desire of Martyrdom He encourages his Father His studies God provides for him His hatred of Heresie His early Preaching He inconrageth the Martyrs Gods Providence over him The Gentiles hated him extreamly The fruit of his Ministry His Chastity He gelded himself He is ordained a Presbyter He is envyed by his great friend He is forced to leave Alexandria He instructs the Emperours Mother He reclaimed Ambrose His Persecutions He is ensnared He is Excommunicated A special Providence Psal. 50. 16. His torments of Conscience His Lamentation He means the living Saints His studiousness His converts many He wrote the first Commentaries on the Scriptures He goeth into Arabia His works He reclaims Hereticks He is persecuted His death His sayings His works His birth and education His Conversion His charity He is made Bishop His modesty His humility His charity His magnanimity His Fidelity His Courage His Charity to Exiles His studiousness His Chastity â—in the fore â—unner of Persecution The sins of Professors A Vision Another Vision He vindicates the Christians from scandals He goes into exile A faithful Pastor He is again banished His apprehension His martyrdom His courage His charity His charity His sayings His works Persecution His works His commendations Constantines esteem of Eusebius A sedition in Antioch A Synod Eusebius reproved His birth and education His works A great persecution Gods Pâ—ovidence His Câ—â—tentatiâ—n His birth and education He goes to the Council of Nice His zeal against Heresies He is made Bishop of Alexandria He is persecuted by the Arians He is accused to the Emperour He is cleared by Constantine He is again accused The falsehood and subtilty of Hereticks His prudence He is again cleared by the Emperour The Church prospers under him He is again accused and cited to a Council of Arians His charge Forgeries against him His answer Gods providence He goes from the Council He is unjustly deposed And complained of to the Emperour Dissenters in the Council Athanasius banished by the Emperour Seditions raised by Arius Alexander prays against Arius Arius his equl vocation and prejury Gods just judgement upon Arius His wretched death Heretical lyes Athanasius his judgement of Ariâ—â—'s death Constantines death Heretical subtlety The danger of suffering hereticks amongst great persons The danger of heresie Athanasius returns to Alexandria Constantines Letâ—er to the people of Alexandria The Arians raise tumults against Athanasius The cruelty of Hereticks A special providence 〈◊〉 flies to 〈◊〉 His return to Alexandria Hereticks falsâ—hood 〈◊〉 flyeth Constance defendeth him Constantius his letter to Athanasius His second letter to Athanasius His third letter to Athanasius Julius his Letter in the behalf of Athanasius Athanasius goeth into the East His prudence Constantius his Letter to the Alexandrians in the behalf of Athanasius His Letter to the Governor of Alexandria Athanasius is restored by a Council He is again accused by the Aâ—ians Bishop Paulus murthered Others persecuted Athanasius flyeth His Apology for it Their wicked practises of the Arians Their cruetly against the Orthodox A Council summoned in â—word â— Athanasius condemned by a Conventicle His prudence He is sent for to the Emperour He is again banished A special providence The cruelty of the Arians Georgius slain by the Gentiles Athanasius 〈…〉 His return to Alexandria He is banished by Julian Gods providence over him Athanasius in Alexandria He is again complained of to Jovianus He returns to Alexandria See the Life of Jovian in my second Part. Athanasius flyeth again He is again restored The cruelty of the Arian Hereticks His death His works His works He is deposed His appeal His reformation His patience His charity Gods judgement on the Jews Testimonies of him His death His sayings The benefit of hearing His works His birth and education His excellent learning His Chastity His patience His humility His charity His care for the poor in a Famine His death An enemy to Hereticks His chastity His humility His charity His savings The bought of perseverance His works His birth His education His zeal against Heresie A good Pastor A special providence His zeal His courage and constancy His zeal His courage An excellent speech His zeal Death desired for Christs cause His courage and constancy A Miracle His death His sayings Love Scriptures Erasmus his Testinonie of Basil. His works His Character His education His zeal against Heresie He is made Bishop of Nazianzum His judgment on Julian A description of Julian His excellent parts His modesty His excellent gifts His desire of Martyrdom Eloquence His saying Preaching His birth and education His Conversion Hereticks seek to ensnare him His commendations Made Bishop of Salamine Preachers pattern His zeal against Heresies Epiphanius abused by Theophilus Origens books condemned Epiphanius his weakness His contests with Chrysostom Two Pâ—edictions His death His sayings Hatred cured His works His birth A Prodigy His education A special providence Ambrose baptized He is made Bishop His fidelity and courage Justina's malice The people resist her The Emperour enraged against Ambrose His courage and constancy A passionate act of Theodosius Ambrose his speech to Theodosius He excommunicates Theodosius Theodosius his humility He seeks for absolution The Emperours mâ—dness How to prevent sinful anger Theodosius absolved Special providences Profaness punished His charity His death Repentance not to be delayed True charity Conscience Death His works His parentage His learning He is made Bishop He is banished His zeal to do good Scriptures His works His sayings Usury His parentage His birth His learning His zeal against Heresie His charity His works Theodisius his wisdom His death His saying His works His birth and parentage His education He goes to Rome His studies His travels 〈…〉 choose Hierom goes into Syria His sickness His troubles by the Arians His
to Frankford He vindicates himselfe Lutheran censoriousness Popish malice His death His Works His Birth and Education Gods providence He leaves his Monastery He goes to Lusanna His conversion He is called to Roan His zeal and courage His conference with Monmorency Blaspâ—emy He is condemned of Treason Popish rage and malice Gods judgements on persecutors His martyrdome Gods judgements on his enemieâ— His Works His birth and education His diligence He enters into a Monastery The causes of it His remove to Padua His imployment there He studies Greek He is called to the Ministry He studies the Scripturâ—s â—nd the Hebrew Removed to Spoleta His Prudence He is removed to Naples His conversion A Church in Naples Martyr teacheth He is suspended â—ppeales to 〈◊〉 Pope Is restored Hee falls sick He is made Visitor Generall Removed to Luca. He is much beloved He advanceth Religion and Learning The fruits of his labours His enemies Policy A godly Frier imprisoned And delivered Again apprehended and â—ent to Rome They proceed against Martyr He resolves to fly His flight His Letters to Luca. His retreat into Germany He comes to Zurick He goes to Basil He is chosen to Strasborough His excellent lâ—arning His â—râ—gality His first marriage His wives character Card. Pools malice Cardinal Pool's malice He is sent for into England He goes into England He is sent to Oxford Popish malice They combine against Martyr His friends 〈◊〉 â—wade him from going to the Schooles His answer Sm itâ—s challenge Martyr goes on His learning and courage admired He is again challenged His answer A tumult raised Quâ—â—ted by the Vice-Chancellor A Disputation agreed on The King sends his Delegates Smith flies The disputation A Rebellion Martyr goes to London The Rebellion suppressed Martyr made Dean of Christs-Church He is much esteemed In Queen Maries dayes Martyr is in danger He goes to London He goes beyond Sea He goes beyond Sea Gods mercy to him His return to Strasborough Satans malice His Prudence He is again persecuted Gods mercy to him His call to Zurick His friendship with Bullinger His high esteem Popish cruelty His second marriage His love to Zurick A faithfull Pastor He refuseth to goe into England His readiness to do good He goes into France His speech to the Q. Mother Popish subtilty A Disputation It breaks off His returne to Zurick His sicknesse Comfort at death His death His Works His birth and education His conversion He opposeth the Mass. He goes to Madgeburg And to Goslaria And to Naumberg He opposeth the Adiâ—phoâ—ists His death His Works His birth and education A special providence He is sent abroad Gods providence His studiousâ—es He affects Poetry Musick He studies Divinity He studies the Scriptures His conversion He converâ—â— maâ—y Gods providence Popish malice Tentaâ—ion resisted His Marriage His poverty Anabaptists life Gods providâ—nce He preacheth 〈◊〉 Dorlitzheim Châ—ist â—est of â—ll He teaches School Heb. 11. 6. Musculus his zeal Sataâ—s malice His humility Power of the Woâ—d He studies Hebrew He is sent for to Ausburg His humility He goes to Ausburg Anabaptists trâ—uâ—le the Church Their impudâ—nce Some of them imprisoned His holy policy He converts â—hem Reformation in Ausburg He studies Greek And Arabick His industry Preachers partâ—rn He goes to Donavert A Diet at Ausburg His zeal and courage Popish malice His courage and constancy His zeal Flight in persecutâ—on He goes to Zurick He preaches at Constance He is sent for into England He is chosen to Bern. His industry Hiâ— self denyall His amity with his Collegues His Charity His Character He prepares for death His last sicknesse His death His Works His Birth and Education His Fathers death He goes to Paris He returns into his country And back to Paris His travels through France His return into his Country He travels into Germany And his return Gods providence He goes into England His imployment there He goes into his own country Thence into Germany His entertainment at Marpurg His employment His marriage His great labours His care to Reform the Church His sicknesse He exhorts his wife and children His death His Character His works His birth His education He is designed to Divinity He is designed to the Law His conversion He goes to Orleance He studies the Scriptures His studiousness He goes to Biturg He studies the Greek He preacheth He goes to Paris His danger Is delivered by the Queen of Navar. He goes to Xantone Thence to Nerac Again to Paris to confer with Sevetus 1534. Eighâ— Martyrs He goes to Orlens His servants Knavery He goes to Basil Studies Nebrew Popish lies He goes to the Dutches of Ferrara He goes to Geneva Is sltayed there Chosen Divinity Professor 1536. His prudâ—nce to reform Geneva 1537. Anabaptists hinder the Reformation Peter Carolian Heretick A Synod at Bern. Gods judgment on Hereticks Calvins care to reform others A sedition at Geneva Another evill Calvin is banisâ—ed His holy speech God above the Levâ—â— Calvin goes to Zurick and so to Strasborough Is made Professor of Divinity Unleavened bread brought into Geneva 1539. Sathans subtilty Calvin care of Geneva Anabaptists reclaimed Calvin matries 1541. He goes to two Diets Gods judgements on his enemies He is sent for to Geneva Hardly obtained His returne to Geneva 1451. His self denyall He settles the Presbyterian Government His great labours A compleat Preacher He is much sought to The Presbyter Government kickt at It s vindicated by him 1542. He comforts the persecuted Famine and Pestilence Sathans malice Popish impudence He answers the Sorbonists 1543. He answers Pighius 1544. Castaliâ—'â— errors His punishment He confutes the Pope He confutes the â—nâ—baptists and Libertines He pacifies the Q. of Navar 1545. The plague dipeâ—sed by wicked persons They are punished Popish cruelty against the Waldenses Osianders errors Plague continued He thunders against sin He abhors Sacriledge A Hermiâ—es wickedness The Nicodemites 1546. Geneva in danger Perrins wickedness Calvin accused His enemies punished 1547. The German Church nâ—â— greaâ— danger His tender affections to them Pâ—â—ins wickednesse He is punished He writes against Trent 1548. Sa hans subtilty Calvin reproached An Amnesty He confutes the Interim And Astrologers He writes into England The Church increasâ—th in troubles 1549. His wife dies The Flaccians A sweet concord He writes to L. Socinus 1550. Peace in the Church Ministers pattern Holidayes â—bolished Wickedness discovered A Tumult Bolsec Confuted by Calvin Bolseâ— punished He fals back to Popery 1551. New stirs Calvin falsly accused Castâ—lio's erâ—â—â— The Herâ—ites wâ—ckedness His repentance Calvins charity to him 1553. Geneva indangered M. Servetus Servetus imprisoned He is burned Bertelerius his wickedness The Presbytery slandered An unjust Decree Calvins courage The good successe An unjust decree reversed Mr. Farell in danger Yet delivered King Edwards death A controversie about punishing Hereticks Socinus his Heresies 1554. Calvin consutes them Castilio's Heresies Confâ—ted by Beza Horrid impieties Calvin aspersed The English exiles provided for by him Joa Westphalus