of Bohemia bishop of Prague went to Pannonia for to preach the faith and baptised the king of Hungaria From whence he went to Prusia whereas he was martyred 119 In the raigne of Henrie the seconde of that name Duke of Bauiere who obtained the Empire by election in the yeare 1005. Burchardus firste a Monke of Lob disciple of Albert afore mentioned was bishop of Wormes he compiled the old canons which afterward were abridged by Gratian or rather corrupted as it may easily be iudged in conferring the one with the other Rhenanus in his annotations vpon Tertullian 120 In the raigne of Henrie the thirde of that name and in the yeare 1039. lyued Berengarius a Doctour borne at Tours Archedeacon of Angres who maintained the opinion of the foresaid Iohannes Scotus and Bertran concerning the Eucharistie And in the yeare of Christ 1051. Pope Leo assēbled a councell at Verseill whereas was first handled the opinion of Transubstantiation albeit that this worde had beene inuented not long afore and there was condemned the opinion of Iohannes Scotus and Bertran Berengarius appeared not at the saide councel but sent thither two clearkes and as they went about to excuse Berengarius and to shewe reasons therefore they were beaten with fistes and put in prison Looke howe Decolampadius reasoneth therabout Arnulphus Archbishop of Lugdune Liued in the time of Honorius the seconde 1127. as writeth Hugo Platina Sabellicus He was a man learned zealous and of great deuotion and a worthie preacher he came to Rome in his preaching he rebuked the dissolute and Lasciuious losenes incontinencie auarice and immoderate prid of the cleargie procuring all to followe Christe and his Apostles in pouertie rather and purenes of life By reason whereof this man was well accepted and highly liked of the nobilitie of Rome for a true disciple of Christe but of the Cardinals and the cleargie no lesse hated then fauoured of the other In so much that proudly in the night season they tooke him and destroyed him This his Martyrdome sayth he was reuealed to him before from God by an Angell he béeing in the desert when hée was sent foorth to preach wherevppon he saide to them publikely with these wordes I knowe sayth he ye séeke my life and knowe ye will make me a way priuely But why because I preach to you the trueth and blame your pride stoutnes auarice incontinencie with your vnmeasurable gréedines in getting and heaping vp riches Therefore be you displeased with me I take héere heauen and earth to witnesse that I haue preached to you that I was cōmanded of the Lord. but you contemne me your creatour who by his onely sonne hath redéemed you and no maruell if ye séeke my death being a sinfull person preaching to you the trueth when as if S. Peter were here this day and rebuked your vices which doe so multiply aboue all measure you woulde not spare him neyther And as he was expressing this with a loude voyce he saide moreouer for my part I am not afraide of death for the truths sake but this I say to you that God will looke vppon your iniquities and will be reuenged you being full of all impuritie play the blinde guides to the people committed to you leading them the way to hell A God hee is of reuengeance Thus the hatred of the cleargie being incensed against him for preaching the trueth conspired against him and laying priuie waite for him tooke him and drowned him Sabellicus and Platina saith they hanged him Diuerse and sundry articles he held which are set downe in the two volumes of the generall Councels 121 About the yeare of our Lorde 1110. Sigebert florished who as it may well appeare was a verie expert man like as his Chronicle yeeldeth testimonie In the yeare 1126. Hugo of the Saxon nation and surnamed of saint Victor the diuine of Paris was in that time at Paris Amongest his writings are founde many complaintes against the disorders of the Clearkes in his time 122 Bernard first Abbot of Claireuaux a Burgonion borne flourished about the yeare 1140. By the writings of S. Bernard we may knowe how that in that time miserably corrupted he stroue against the impietie of the Pops and Churchmen Look his sermon 67. he calleth them the ministers of Antichrist in the sermon 57. to Pope Eugenius and in the sermon 33. vpon the Canticles he saith oftentimes how that the prelates are become Pilates He reproued Eugenius because he letting alone the word of God aduanced mans traditions Hugo a Cardinall in his postille vppon Saint Iohn alleageth that S. Bernarde saith in a certain place thus It séemeth O good Iesus that all the vniuersitie of Christians professed haue conspired against thee and that those be chiefest of the conspiration which do obtaine the prymacy in thy church About the end of his days he declared sufficiently that he knewe perfectly the true doctrine of iustification through Iesus Christ whom alone he had for his refuge casting aside all other holynes and righteousnes His writing do yéeld certeine testimony of him he died being 63. yeares olde Nauel 123 Iohn of Saresburie Bishoppe of Chartres was in the yeare 1157. Who sharply withstoode the wickednes of the Popes and of the Cleargie He wrote a booke intytuled Obiurgatorium Cleric In his booke intituled Policraticus he saith thus In the Romishe Churche be set the Scribes and Pharisées lading the shoulders of men with importable burthens The highe prieste is heauy to all men yea wholly importable and past the strength of man to beare His legates doe so disperse themselues abroade as if sathan were come out frō the presence of the Lord for to torment the Churche Iudgment against the people none other thinge but a verie marchandise They tustifie the wicked for golde and siluer and delight in matters that are vngodly They eate the sinnes of the people they be therwith clothed norished in all excesse whereas the true worshippers do worshippe the Lorde in spirite He that sticketh not vnto their doctrine is eyther iudged an heritike or a schysmatike c. There haue béen oftentimes good doctors in the Churche but they durst not say nor write all that which was néedefull In a booke intituled Speculum it is saide that this good Bishop Iohn amongst other complaintes hath somtimes ben heard say vnto Pope Adrian the fourth with whome he was very familiar on this wise That the Pope hath beene truely called a sernaunt of seruauntes because hee serued the Romaines that were seruantes to auarice The saide Pope Adrian sometimes woulde say vnto the saide Bishop Iohn That many Popes did succede rather Romulus in murthers and parricides then saint Peter in feading the flockes 124 In the yeare 1127. and in the raigne of Friderike Barberosse the Emperour Arnolde bishoppe of Bixta stode in contention against the administration of ciuill matters of the temporall sword which the cleargie had vsurped And therefore R. Barns saith that
although that the deuill in his enchantmentes hath at all times found out a rage more then horrible against the Church and faithfull doctours like as here is manifested by Abel who was slaine by Caine being moued thereto by a deuilish enuie by the persecution and oppression of the people of Israel by the high priestes who were slaine by Saule by Isay and Ieremie who were put to death by the captiuitie of the people when they were carried away into Babylon likewise by Iohn Baptist by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the Apostles who haue beene cruelly slayne and by so many millions of Martyrs yet notwithstāding the Church hath continued through out all ages and there haue beene alwayes doctours diuinely raysed vp in the places of others for to set vp agayne and to conserue the light of the doctrine to make it shine in the middest of those peoples and Realmes that God woulde haue it It hath then been alwayes conserued and defended for God is the protector and gardein thereof who maketh it to withstande all such assaultes And for this cause Sathan in his illusions of these times hath suggested and put in practyce the moste cruell tormentes that coulde be deuised but all in vaine There haue beene kindled fires great and small There haue beene set vp also for the true Christians Scaffoldes c. some haue beene caste into the bottomes of ponds and riuers and to conclude Sathan hath by sword and force vsed all sortes of most cruel violences for to cause that the holy seruice of God might be altogether extinct and buried but he neuer coulde neither euer shall be able to doe it Wee muste then consider and vnderstande that true religion hath of GOD an efficacie and vertue more great and wonderfull then any thinge that can bee or euer hath bene seeing that so mightie an enemie as sathā the prince of the children of this world hath so often and strongly besieged it and yet coulde neuer hinder but that alwayes thorough the goodnes of God it shoulde be set vp Now to speak of other religions which haue beene and be what continuance haue they had what stedfastnesse and assurance of the trueth haue beene founde in them what number amongst so many as were professours of the same haue euer beene so steedfast in their religions that they would euer suffer most cruell tortures therfore like as haue done an infinite multitude for the assurance and steedfastnesse that they had in the trueth which no man is able to number by whome God woulde be glorified So many and such manner of religions as haue ben haue they had euer such order such a doctrine which hath plainly shewed vnto them the truth of the being of the first originall of things that haue bene since the beginning of the world and of thinges that haue come to passe and that bee daily accomplished as God hath made his to vnderstande from time to time first by visions and oracles and since euen vntill this present time by his Prophetes and Apostles Such and so manie religions which haue beene howe coulde it euer be found in them as may be founde in the true Church by the holy scriptures howe that the supernaturall he who is euerlastingly that is the Lorde Iehova who of himselfe hath his being and not of any others and of him all thinges their beinges hath by his eternall worde and spirite created all thinges made and fashioned them and by him not by our owne force and vertue wee haue such dignitie and excellencie aboue all creatures of the earth that we were made according to his owne image which excellencie and our first perfection was lost by our ingratitude in our first parentes and that since that time we be and shall bee restored thereto againe in a more large perfection by the onely meanes of his onely sonne by which he hath made vs and that for the manifestation of his inestimable goodnesse and glorie by the which he teacheth vs in his holy scriptures and assureth vs by his spirite that wee shall be euerlastingly taken vp to his glorie forasmuch as he is able to doe so and will doe it So many and such sundrie sortes of religion as haue bene had they euer yet since the beginning of the world so continuall an order of good and faithfull doctors who being inspired with the spirit of god haue constantly taught and mainteined against all the rage of the worlde the trueth of his holy doctrine as hath the right religion of the protestants which is the verie Christianitie done Doth not GOD thereby and by sundrie other meanes sufficiently declare the vertue and efficacie of the ministerie of his holy worde and true religion which he from time to time hath approued for asmuch as therein hee hath placed and set the true and pure infallible veritie for to instructe and guide man euen vnto him who is the authour and creatour of all thinges Nowe seeing that we haue such a founder of our religion who giueth vs also grace to follow the same let Sathan inuent as many meanes as he will for to ouerthrow and extinguish it Let him breath as many illusions and inchantmentes into the mindes of men as he can for to perswade them that this true religion which wee hold began but of late and that it shal soone decay againe c. It is notwithstanding most euident that it hath bene euer since the beginning of the worlde and that wee haue testimonie of him who hath established the same and may surely repose our confidence in him that like as hee hath ordeined that whilest the sunne Moone shall giue light to the earth he will neuer faile to helpe and asiste his and that finally we shall bee with our heade and Lorde Iesus Christ And hereof we doe assure our selues and doe feele of the same in our selues a certaintie proceeding of the spirite of God that so it shall come to passe at the time which God hath ordained neither is this religion that we holde false or wicked as some yet say inasmuch as it is grounded vpon that pure word of God according to the which we labour and are willing to serue God without mingling therewith any thing imagined by our owne braine like as we be slaundered to do for to make a religion of our owne deuising And therefore let such vnderstande that this our religion had not the first beginning at Luther or Iohn Hus and that it was neuer hearde of before as some falsely say and that it shall not therefore long abide For notwithstanding that thorough the great vngodlinesse and euill that hath beene and yet is amongst some men of the Church and thorough the outrage of carnall affections with carelesnesse and not regarding the glorie of God or his trueth yea through the verie contempt and falling away from God and all trueth the doctrin which he had published set forth before by his Prophetes and Apostles and by his
sonne he hath suffered and bene willing that this true religion should be by his most iust iudgement obscured and hidden from men so as they might not discerne it according to any outwarde appearaunce neither that it could bee redressed by the good doctours yea the trueth was so darkened that to the view and outward iudgement of the worldly there coulde be seene no tracke or steppe of God in the Church and that according to worlde mens fantasie it seemed that God had forsaken his Church and giuen it vtterly to the spoyle seeing that all was turned to ydolatrie and superstition which God in his word sheweth that he misliketh most villy abhorreth yet euen thē he had reserued some in his Church that had neuer bowed the knee before the idoll Ball before this Antichrist for to consent vnto or beleeue his doctrine being directly against the pure worde of God as came to passe in the time of Elias when the confusion and vngodlinesse of the people was such that there was no semblance of the Church seene in-in so much that this holy Prophete thought that all had beene vtterly giuen ouer vnto the worshipping of images and to idolatrie but he was deceiued for God hath reserued seauen thousandes which neuer had bowed the knee vnto Baal And in like manner if after the time of the primitiue Church the like also proued that for the wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse of the people GOD suffered the like confusion and idolatrie to raigne yet we muste vnderstande that forasmuch as God is one and the selfe same God aswell nowe as he was in the time of the Apostles that hee hath reserued vnto himselfe through all ages seauen thousande yea an infinite number which neuer bowed their knees before this stately ydoll before this man of sinne this sonne of perdition who sitteth in the temple of God The faithfull I say haue not sought for saluation in his doctrine but rather forsaking and renouncing that haue beene assured in their heart by the spirite of God to obtaine redemption by the alone meane and merites of Iesus Christ our onely sauiour They therefore be of a wrong opinion whiche iudge and esteeme the Church of God according to their fantasie not to haue continued alwayes If the doctours who were verie godly and righteous haue not wel discerned the ministerie and true religion of his Church and moreouer if that this excellent Prophet who was filled with the spirit of God so aboundantly was so much deceiued when hee woulde according to humaine iudgement recken the people of GOD what may wee thinke shal happen vnto vs whose iudgement for the moste parte is altogether vnperfecte They are also deceiued and doe foolishly and presumptuously which iudge the number of the electe acording to the capacitie of their senses for God hath a meane to him nothing difficult but to vs vnknowne by the which he may conserue his elect marueilously then when all seemeth turned vpside downe and spoyled Well may the elect then be persecuted but neuer confounded nor the Church extinct insomuch as it hath God for the founder and defendour and the elect haue God the creatour of heauen and earth for their gardein and protector like as he hath neuer fayled to helpe his at all seasons with the assistance of his holy spirite making euen seene and knowne to the worlde his greate loue and care towarde them throughout all ages as hath beene euidently seene Let vs not doubt therefore of the trueth of him who hath promised to abide with vs vntill the ende of the worlde of which his promise we see and feele daily effectes albeit that we are vnworthie thereof Thus much haue I thought good to speake concerning the continuance of the true Church whose founder is Christ Nowe will I shew briefely the order of the discourse following which is this That all the gouernement of the Church which hath beene from the beginning of the worlde vntill this present is comprised in fiue orders the first this present is comprised in fiue orders the first of which contayneth the first fathers to wit from Adam who was instructed by the son of God c. The second of the Patriarches and beginneth at Abraham The third of the Prophets and beginneth at Samuel The fourth the high priestes and gouernours and beginneth at Iosue otherwise called Iesus and at the conductour Zorobabell The fift and last beginneth at Iohn Baptist and our Lorde Iesus Christ and at his Apostles and their disciples Bishops Pastours that succeeded after them and euen vnto the Bishops whom God hath raised vp also in these last times for the mainteinance of his Church and for to correct the errours and abhominable traditions of men which doe infect the true and pure doctrin of God the which he hath conferued and will conserue for euer for the true instruction of his Church For the which also O Lorde I beseech thee that thou wilt nowe dayly more and more sende good and faithfull doctours true setters foorth of thy worde thorough out all the real mes and prouinces to the ruine and destruction of the kingdome of this man of sinne Antichrist and to the establishing of the kingdome of thy sonne Iesus Christ our onely sauiour and Lord Amen A TESTIMONIE OF the true Church of God Confirmed as wel by the doctrine as liues of sundrie holie men both Patriarches and Prophets and also by the Apostles and their true successours THE ARGVMENT Here is first declared howe that man was created in all perfection of beautie righteousnesse and puritie and that he hath despised the commaundement of God and his trueth through the persuasion of sathan to whome he with all his posteritie became seruant and slaue and was spoyled both of his vnderstanding and al beatitude and therefore he had neede to be instructed to the end he might discerne and be fully assured of the meane of his deliuerance and perfect restauration the which the eternall sonne of God hath manifested vnto him and hath vpholden perpetually his Church GOD after that he had created Heauen and Earth and all things comprehended in them created last of all man according to his owne semblance and likenesse that is to say wholy good pure full of perfection without sinne in all equitie of heart of iustice and vnderstanding and placed him with Eua his wife in earthly Paradise for to liue there in a blessed estate Then the occasiō which might make them abide in this estate was that they should in humblenesse submit them selues daily before the maiestie of God magnifying him with giuing of thankes and that in them selues they should not séeke their owne proper glory but considering that all thinges procéeded from aboue they should therefore haue their affections fixed on high for to glorifie God alone vnto whom al praise and glory is due But immediatly after when they had cast the commaundement of God behinde their backes and despised it in eating through the persuasion of the
the same spirite of him whose voyce they vnderstoode who for as much as he would teach them knewe also very wel that all should be said in vaine if they were not inspired with this spirite of knowledge and beléeuing And thus this eternall word the sonne of GOD hath from the beginning taught the first mā Adam Whereby we must marke that God hath continually assisted and doth assist his Church and instructeth it and maintayneth it and gouerneth it as is euidently to be proued and manifest experience declareth that the Church and his doctrine could not haue had power to continue so long time against such horrible assaultes of sathan of tyrants and of wicked men if the Church had not had these guarders and defenders Which alwayes were accounted the Fathers and Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob which Iacob being gouernour of the Church of GOD in his time hath made plaine demonstration of the true Messias so many times afore promised to be his guarder And therefore he saith in the 48. of Genesis in the 16. verse The Angel that hath guarded me from all euill blesse these children Thus we may sée in this place and in many others how he calleth the Messias that is to say the sonne of God Angel calling him his guarder or kéeper attributing vnto him the power and authoritie for to be able to blesse him That which he vnderstoode only of an Angel he hath not so fully spoken being as it were plucked back with the spirite of God bicause he had attributed that vnto an Angel which was due vnto God vnto whom alone Iacob continually ascribed all power blessing honour and glory as vnto God alone it doth belong And in like sort Esaie being moued by the same spirite that Iacob was said in the 63. chapter verse 9. The Angel of his face hath saued them the same hath redéemed them through his loue and mercy hath holden them vp and exalted them continually Also for to giue likewise to vnderstand that in this diuine essence the holy spirite is resident that he wil alwayes thereby assist his Church in the 59. chapter verse 21. he saith Behold mine aliance with them saith the Lord. My spirite which is in thée and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouth shall not slide out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy séede for euer And infinite places be there where is giuen to vnderstand that God hath always assisted his Church as wel by his holy spirit as also promising all fauour comfort and blessing by the mediation of him through whom he had made all things whome he had promised to send at his appointed time to the end that by him he might purchase vnto him selfe a holy people being by him sanctified which should be cloathed with his holinesse as he promised that all such shall be as do beléeue and put their trust in him and that they shall remaine so eternally through him And for this purpose also bicause it is not in our facultie and power to beléeue he promised and doth promise as hath bene afore declared in Esaye the assistance of his spirite without which the preaching of the word is vnprofitable And thus we must vnderstand that all the Fathers and Patriarches haue infallibly knowne and beléeued who were instructed through visions or Oracles and also were somwhat taught from hand to hande as were consequently the true faithfull people their successors hauing had by the operation of Gods spirit unprinted in their hearts such an assurance of doctrine Neither is it to be doubted but that God hath alwayes ratified this holy instruction the which for that it might the better continue in strength from age to age for to helpe better the memory of men he hath willed to be put in writing by Moses who was for to write these matters called elected and that he shuld set them foorth before their eyes like as he had vnderstood and truely knowen through the spirite of God who created man in such puritie and when man had sinned called him to repentance by this same word by which he had made him promising and assuring him of satisfaction for his sinne And for this cause the auncient Doctours saide that the sonne of God is called the word for as much as it hath spoken to the Fathers Beholde what Tertullian saith in his booke against the Iewes in the first chapter Then Iesus said vnto Cain where is Abel thy brother And Iraeneus writing against heresies in the 14. chapter saith The sonne from the beginning assisting and helping his handie worke maketh manifest the father to all them that he will and when he will and how he will To conclude we sée howe that from the beginning of the world God by his sonne and spirit was made knowne to the first man giuing him vnderstanding of his good will the which he made more and more to vnderstand and knowe thereof to all them of his Church of the which Church ensued the chiefe and principall Doctours After that Adam had bene taught of the Sonne of God 1 Adam was ordeined a Bishop and Doctor by the promise made of the séede of the woman he hath instructed his posterity of al the articles of the doctrine of the time that he liued in He liued 930. yeares And vndoubtedly Adam had good abilitie to teach what the excellency and worthines of man was before that he had transgressed what sinne is and how horrible a thing it is and how greate the wrath of God is how that his mercy is excellent that he would by the meanes of his sonne redéeme mankind from eternal death wherein it was plunged through their owne proper fault He then taught others to the end that beeing warned by his example they might take héede that they did not fal into sinne and the through faith they might lay holde vpon the promise made of the séede of the woman by which séede mankinde being lost of it selfe might be forthwith restored againe vnto life vnto blessednes to euerlasting righteousnes From this Doctor all good sciences and all humane wisedome is issued as out of a fountaine this is he that appointed names to all the beastes and birdes of the ayre and to all liuing creatures in the fielde gaue them names agréeing to their nature With Adam was his Sonne 2 Abel a true and faithfull seruitour in the Church offered vnto God of the first borne of his flockes Gen. Chap. 4. vers 4. This doth sufficiently declare that father Adam instructed his sonnes in the true seruice of God But Caine was an hypocrite presenting vnto God outwarde sacrifice and nothing inwardly in spirite wherin doth consist the true seruice of God wherefore he displeased God so as he regarded not his oblations Then Caine beeing inflamed with anger rose vp against his brother and béeing led with a diuelish enuie slewe him In this place began the persecution of holy personages and this is a dreadful
neare neighbors Moreouer the saide prophet vsed very good exhortations and instructions amongest the people in setting before their eyes the threatenings of the Lorde and the execution of his iustice which drewe neare bicause of the obstinacie and stubbornesse in their iniquitie he ministred also cōsolation in shewing their deliuerance and comfort that the Lorde would send them after their afflictions and this did he for to strengthen the faith and confidence of the faithfull the which he sent principally vnto Christe as vnto the fountaine of all deliuerance and to the felicitie of his kingdome and comming of whom he also made mention in many places of his booke He gouerned the Church more then 40. yeares and liued after the desolation of Ierusalem He then séeing this desolation and abiding many troubles and persecutions he had foretolde thereof and afterward sawe it with great anguish of heart when he was olde He was led away into Egypt wheras he rebuked boldly the people and their principal gouernours He was afterward stoned by Tahaphnes and died The prophets that were in his time were Sophonie Abacuc Abdias 24 Daniel being but young was in the time when Ieremie was olde and was instructed vnder him He was caried away to Babylon with the king Ioacim in the third yeare of his reigne and in the yeare since the creation of the world 33 44. The Lorde who had defended him from danger willing to haue him serue for the profit of his Church adorned him with many graces and excellent gifts and amongst other giftes with the spirit of prophecie as appeareth by that that is contained in his booke whereas he declareth the reuelations which he had receiued of GOD touching the estate of the world vnder the foure Monarchies vntill the end thereof He foreshewed also the time of Christes cōming the excellencie of his kingdome the power giuen vnto Antichrist for to annoy the faithfull children of GOD and the time howe long this power shall continue lastly the iudgement that shal be executed by Christ a King triumphant for the exaltation and glory of his faithfull seruants and for the ruine and destruction of the wicked Now after that this Daniel had wrought great things in Babylon as well concerning the order of the Church as the ciuill policie and gouernement and hauing giuen a great light to the true doctrine of God amongest his people He gouerned about 90. yeares 25 Ezechiel beganne to prophecie in the time of king Ioacim surnamed Iechonias shewing him the danger that he was in in declaring to him that which the Lorde had determined to doe concerning the destruction and ruine of Ierusalem bicause of the sinnes of the people that had prouoked the wrath and iudgement of GOD against the same citie the which Nabuchodonozor the king of Babylon did at that time besiege and forced the people afterwards to yelde them selues captiues He foretolde also and declared what was to come as well to the Iewes as to other nations thereaboutes 26 Osée the sonne of Beeri beganne to prophecie in the times of Ozias Ioas Achas kings of Iuda and in the time of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel and as a true prophete he shewed vnto his people which was the kingdome of the ten tribes their sinnes and iniquities and he reproued them euery one of their execrable idolatrie wherby they heaped vp against them selues the wrath and vengeance of God shewing vnto them that the rod of his iustice was stretched out against them and exhorting them to repentance and a true conuersiō He foretolde them of their captiuitie into Assyria Afterward he added a consolation for the faithfull assuring them of their deliuerance by the meane of the deliuerer promised by the Lord vnto his Church 27 Of Ioel the Hebrues be vncertaine in what time he was a prophet Some iudge that he was in the time of Manasses But we néede not be so curious in séeking out that matter for if it had bene so necessarie it should not haue bene omitted by the holy Ghost which inspired this prophet to exhort the people vnto a conuersion and true repentance and incited them to haue recourse to the grace and mercy of God in contemplation of the only bountie and frée liberalitie grounded vpon the Messias and true annoynted of the Lorde of whose kingdome he made demonstratiō with the excellent riches thereof which bee the giftes and graces of the spirite of god the which he hath foreshewed that they must be bestowed and distributed vnto faithful seruants whom God shal haue appointed for the dispensation of the ministery of the saide kingdome as S. Peter expoundeth Actes 2. 28 Amos being a shepheard and a simple man was wonderfully instructed by the Lorde and moued by his spirit in the time of Ozias king of Iuda and of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel He declared and shewed vnto the Church of GOD the mysteries touching the displaying of sinnes and exhortation to repent and amend and a sure hope of saluation by the meane of the Messias whose comming and kingdome he spake of before He prophecied first against the vnfaithfull nations which dwelt neare to the people of Israel afterward against the kingdome of Israel to wit of the tenne tribes and then consequently against the kingdome of Iuda and the Temple of the Lorde foretelling of the afflictions that would happen vnto them bicause of their iniquities 29 Of Addias the prophet some do iudge that it was he who in the time of the persecution caused by Achab Iezabel did hide in a caue an hundred prophets 1. Kings 18.3 Others thinke that he was an Idumean and that he gaue wholy him self vnto the Lord in receiuing his lawe In this matter we néede not be greatly scrupulous but rather in the doctrine and prophecie that he had receiued of the holy Ghost the which in as much as he in his booke threateneth the Idumeans doth teach vs of the vengeance and iudgements of God against the aduersaries of his Church and of the deliuerance and conseruation therof of the which he prophecied and of the kingdome of Christ 30 In Ionas may be séene the doctrine set forth in the Church concerning the death and resurrection of Christe and the publishing of the Gospel the which must be wrought among the Gentiles after the saide resurrection euen as Ionas shewed and declared after that he came out of the whales belly publishing the word of the Lord in Niniuie the chiefe citie of the Monarchie of the Assyrians And like as Ionas profiting not amongest his owne people was sent vnto strangers and Infidels the people of Israel continuing blinde so the Lord hath transported his Gospell from his owne peculiar people who contemned it and hath giuen it to the Gentiles leauing that people in blindnesse and obstinacie bicause of their contempt It appeareth by that which is written in the first of the Kings 14.15 what Ionas was and in what time he
due alone vnto him whom al the saintes must honour and reuerence and do put their trust in them which ought to be transserred to God onely and more ouer séeing they are so affectioned towards those images that they like better of and be more deuoute to one them then to another mine opinion is said he the of such do commit Idolatry and a deadly sinne against God vnto whom doth belong all honour glorie and praise Lastly hee saide that hee was thus perswaded that there dwelled none here below vpon earth but was in a pilgrimage either to goe vnto life or els to tende vnto torments That whoso doth so order his life that hee transgresseth the commaundements ordinances of God whither that he knoweth them not or will not knowe them hee must not hope for saluation albeit that hee raunge abroade to all the corners of ths worlde Contrariwise hee that shall kéepe the holy ordinances of God cannot perishe although hee neuer make voyage nor pilgrimage in his life vnto any place whither disordered men haue vsed to goe on pilgrimage There be also founde of his other principall articles as of the two natures in Christ diuine humaine and that like as his diuinitie was here béelowe on earth hidden and couered vnder humanity so in the sacrament of the Eucharistie there is bread and the bodie giuen vs to wit the breade which we sée and the bodie of Christ which wee sée not thus expressed hee his Faith touching the Sacrament c. Also that it is not necessarie for the obtayning of saluation to confesse his sinnes to his owne Curate or any other priest whilest he liueth Also hee denyed not onely the worshipping of Images but also that which we call the holy Crosse Furthermore he saide concerning the power of the keyes and touching the Pope Archbishoppes Bishops and other Prelates that the Pope is very Antichrist and that these Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates be his members and the fryers the tayle of Antichrist like as the Pope is the heade to whome no man ought to obey that is to say to the Pope Archbishops Bishoppes and other Prelats except they be followers of Christ and Peter in life and manners and in conuersation and that hee which is the best lyuer most pure in conuersation is the successour of Peter not otherwise It is reported moreouer that the saide Lorde Oldcastel saide with a loude voyce stretching his handes abroade and perswading those that were present These who iudge and woulde condemneme will beguile you all and leade both you themselues into hell and therefore beware of them To make short sentence of death was pronounced against him not withstanding he forbode a while after as it were banished and was sent away by a wile And at the last hee being taken againe and remayning constant without denying the trueth which he saw conteined in the holy scriptures was condemned to be burned And thus this valiant Doctour and Martyr fynished the course of his life and recommending his soule vnto God and praying for his ennimies after that hee had exhorted the people to applie themselues vnto the true faith and pure religion yelded vp his spirite vnto the Lord. He that woulde sée of him more at large let him read the booke of Martyrs 139 In the same time also that is 1418. 19. 20. and so consequently the Lord shewed sufficiently that the bloude of Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prague and of other good doctours and Martyrs of the Church fell not to the grounde for to be swallowed vp and come to nothing as some pretended but it did greatly fructifie with an incredible commoditie not onely in Englande and in Bohemia but also in Germanie and Fraunce and generally in other realmes countries and prouinces For God hath much more since that time shewed a clearer chaunge of thinges causing tongue to be renewed as messengers and arts to bee as forerunners to Dame veritie who immediately came forth with the brightnesse of the most cleare sunne that is the preaching of the Gospell wherein many times they haue excelled being fortified with all necessaries against darknesse Many haue dealt verie valiantly and haue not onely brought againe diuinitie to his naturall and first puritie but haue also endured martyrdome for a more ample witnessing thereof Amongst others one named Grunfelder a priest called to the order of Iesus Christ was burned in the citie of Rinsbourg in the yeare of our Lorde 1420. William Tayler an Englishe man a master in artes was also martyred The princial cause of the furie raysed vp against him was because hee had composed a booke against calling vpon or praying to saincts For that cause hee was burned in the citie of London in the yeare 1422. hee abode the fire verie constantly Henry Radtgeber of the order of Popish priests first did valyantly fight and endured a cruell death for the profession of the Gospel in the foresaide citie of Rinsbourg this was in the yeare 1423. Iohn Drandorfe of a noble house in the countrey of Misne was executed at Wormes in the yere following 1424. Peter Toraw was afterwarde martyred in the Citie of Spira anno 1426. Iohn Bale an English writer speaketh hereof in his booke of the famous men of England 140 In the yeare 1425. there was a Priest called William Wight an English man who hauing vsed to reade the sermons of Wicliefe chaunged his life wholly and acknowledging the filthinesse of his former life he forsooke his benefice whereby he had receiued large reuenewes After that hee following the holy ordinaunce of God tooke a wife Being maryed he applied himselfe to studie and teaching either publikely or priuately labouring to profite all men At the laste hee was taken in the citie of Norwich and there they layed against him thirtie articles for the which hee was cruelly burned by the procuring of the Bishop and this was in the yeare 1428. His wife following the example of her husband ceassed not according to her facultie for to instructe euery bodie and for this cause she was very hardly intreated by the saide Bishop Also in the yeare 1430. Richarde Houenden an English man and a Citizen of London could by no meanes bee withdrawen from the trueth for any perswasions that coulde bée alleaged and therefore he was condemned to be burned néere vnto the tower of London 141 Many good personages of dyuers Realmes haue greatly beene afflicted and persecuted in the yeares following because they spake and mainteined the pure trueth and haue spilte euen the vttermost drop of their bloude God notwithstanding assisted them the they might make the aduersaries of the puritie of his holy and diuine seruice the more ashamed In the Realme of Bohemia Paul Crau in the yeare 1431. was deliuered to the seculer power by a Bishoppe for to bee burned and that because hee blodly withstoode the wicked opinions of the people touching the Eucharistie inuocation of sainctes auricular confession and
whole worlde shoulde be thereat offended Christ in the scripture is named a stumbling stone which thing doth appertaine to all those that preach the gospell He saide that hee refused not to obey the lawes and the magistrate like as he protested that hee had alwayes taught the people to doe and as his kooks did witnesse howe greatly he estéemed the dignitie of lawes but that it was otherwise of decrées and statutes ecclesiasticall He aunswered also that he refused not to submit his bookes to the iudgement of the Emperour or to the estates of the Empire and to the iudgement of other men so that they woulde iudge by conduct of the worde of God the which hee saide was best that if they coulde not reproue him of errour hee coulde not chaunge his opinion For S. Paul commaundeth vs that we shall not beléeue an Angell comming from heauen if he bring any other Doctrine And to be shorte he was solicited menaced and assaulted on all sortes yea euen of all other Realmes countries and prouinces The kinge of Englande Henrie the eight wrot against him and chiefly reproued his iudgement concerning indulgences and other pointes Luther answered him Pope Leo thundered against him a long proces and condemned him as an heretike To conclude he suffered and abode with paine and trauaile the moste bitter and terrible assaults and combates that any man of his time did saying alwayes in the ende that he was readie rather to loose his life then to forsake the worde of GOD which is so manifest wherevppon he grounded his reasons which he vttered foorth That if any coulde shewe the contrarie all that he shoulde finde not conformable and agréeing to the trueth he woulde be readie to reuoke in any parte aswell of his writinges as Preachinges Therfore those do falsely accuse him that say he was led with ambition fantastical opinion wherby he might winne praise and please the princes of Germaine so as afterwarde he might chaunge also the estate politik But is this an ambition a presumption is this to séeke to be in great dignitie and exalted to honour and to liue more delicately then within a cloyster when a man knoweth that hee must willingly go into a most dangerous were into to terrible and cruel tormentes of death as this holy personage might well enough knowe by the people and others good and faithfull personages who had come thereto Others saide that he was possessed with a serpentine madnesse that he might inuenim the world with deadly poyson But I will not say any more to aunswere such sclaunderers and backbiters who doe gaine say them who they do manifestly perceiue haue sought the true doctrine of the word of GOD the which they haue preached and written which haue had the grace of GOD for to liue and die constantly for the mainteinance thereof But those men think in thēselues being inuenimed with the serpentine poyson of the deuilish spirite as by their fruites and workes stuffed with impietie vilanie and infection may easilie bee knowen and that which is contrarie to the honour of God and to the truth of his holy word to disgorge their stincking vomit yea all the mischief that they can deuise by any subtill meane like as the diuell putteth into their heades so that what is it that they dare not doe A prayer that Luther vsed to say dayly Confirme in vs O God that which thou haste wrought and finish the worke which thou hast begonne in vs to thy glorie Amen I wil not recite any more of this holy personage He departed out of this life in the yeare of our Lord 1546. hauing commended his soule into the handes of God and was buried honourably at Wittenberge Hee that wil see further of his life and deeds let him reade the booke of Martyrs also Sleidan and Melancthon haue described his life and gestes Huldrike Zuinglius was borne about the yere 1427. and when hee had trauailed a long time as well in the liberall artes as in the studie of Philosophie He imployed his studie to the schoole of dyuinitie he perceiued that that was but losse of time and that thorough worldly wisdome God and Philosophie were brued together so that of such pratling barbarousnes vaine glorie and other like thinges were risen and did grow and no hope of sound doctrine coulde be hoped for thereby He abode there notwithstanding as one that had espied the campe of his enimies vntill the people of Glaris chose him for their minister before that he entred orders which hee gat afterwarde for then he had not knowledg of the trueth Hauing entred into the ministerie he gaue himselfe wholly to studie especially of the holy scriptures for he then estéemed not humaine wrytings but so as they might stand with the holy scriptures and for preachings He was purposed for to learne Valerius Maximus without book because of memorable examples that be therein He sawe that these be thinges required of a minister that hee hath charge to teache the flocke of Christ that he be adorned with knowledge of manie things and aboue all with diuine knowledge then with the grace of speaking wel for to expound all things fitlie according as may serue for the vtilitie and capacitie of euery bodie For discharge of his dutie he was dayly expounding the olde and newe Testament shewing the proprieties of the text applying them according as he sawe profitable for them of that countrie Hee applyed himselfe to the knowledge of languages and learning at Saint Peter that the holy scripture is not vnderstoode by one particuler interpretation he lifted vp his eyes on hygh crauing for the holy ghost to be his teacher and praying dayly that he might obtaine the grace that he might be able to haue true vnderstanding by sence of the holy spirite Hee iudged of the Catholike Doctours as they iudged of themselues that they must be reade with iudgment and be examined by the canonicall scriptures as by the touchstone that otherwise by mingling with them Philosophie and humaine reasons they were commonly so corrupted that there is no meane how to make them agrée with the authority of the holy scripture Then he put his knowledge in practise so that hee interprised the battle against the greatest wickednesse Thereof came hatred raylings clamors ambushmentes of the children of this worlde against the holy seruant of God Zuinglius Hee went thence and afterwarde was sent for from Zurich to Suissa to be the Pastour being placed hee immediately after vttered forth in the chapter of the Chanons that which he had determined to teach the people to wit the historie of our Lorde Iesus Christ after S. Matthew to the intent that the vertue of him whose title ought to bee aduanced shoulde not lye buried to the detriment of the glorie of God and to the saluation of soules He protested that he did not expounde it by humane sence nor yet being bounde to the methode of any interpretour but by