in the said booke briefly dissolued vnder these two questions to wit whether Christ be there in misterie and figure or according to the trueth Whither this bodie of Christ be the proper body which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Marie or not The which two questions hee debateth aswell on the one partie as on the other affirming concerning the first aswell by naturall reasons drawne from common vnderstanding as by euident testimonies of the holy scriptures and auncient doctours that the bodie and bloude be therin taken vnder the vaile and couerture of breade and wine figuratiuely and shadowed not visibly and euidently the which he calleth according to the trueth Also not clearely and openly but secreatly Concerning the other question by one and the same processe hee sheweth by infringible and inuincible argumentes that in this misterie is the spirituall bodie that there is a mistical and spirituall vnderstanding thereof and not the verie same bodie that he tooke of the virgin Marie He saith verely that the bodie of Christ is there inasmuch as the spirite of Christ is in the sacrament that is to say the power of the word of God the which doth not only féede the soule but also purgeth and cleanseth it For to sée this matter more at large you may reade the booke that is at this day extant in French and published abroade 116 In the yeare 964. Huldricke Bishoppe of Auspurge in Allemaigne did greatly withstand the decrées of Pope Nicholas he wrote vnto him one Epistle shewing among other thinges that he did amisse when he went about to compell the Clearks whom he ought to haue exhorted that they shoulde kéepe the chastitie of marriage by force and vyolēce to abide in continencie Saying also that this is deemed of all men violence when any bodie is constrayned to kéepe any particuler decrée contrary to the institution of the Gospel and against the doctrine of the holy Ghost He shewed plainely that the Lord in the old Testament hath constituted and ordeyned marriage for priests and that we do not reade that afterward he forbad it That euery one folowing the saying of the Apopostle in the 7. Chapt. to the Corinthians ought to haue his wife That hypocrites doe corrupt this sentence and falsely say that it appertayneth onely to the lay people and yet notwithstanding they make no difficultie of conscyence in any holy order whatsoeuer they be placed to abuse other mens wiues Also he sheweth that this sentence of the Apostle that is that euery one shoulde haue his wife excepteth no person but him that maketh profession of cōtinencie or him that hath determined to perseuer in virginitie according to the Lords will That the vowe of man cannot breake the commaundement of God That he who cannot contain ought to marry 1. Cor. 7. He also alleageth the Canons that is that the Bishop or minister ought in no wise put away his wife vnder a colour of Religion and that if he forsooke her he should be excomunicated and that if he abode in that obstinacie he should be vtterly dismissed and cast of from his calling That the bishop must be vnreproueable and the husbande of one wife and howe that the Apostle to the end that none should conuerte this sentence to one Church or congregation alone added consequently He that knoweth not howe to gouerne his housholde how shal he gouerne and guide the church of God he also sheweth that the glose of those is false who will expounde the Church to be the onely wife Also that those which alledge for their patrone and defendour S. Gregorie be ignoraunt not vnderstanding that perilous decrée made by S. Gregorie whiche was afterwarde purged by a worthie fruite of repentance for it is said that on a certaine day as the saide Gregorie sent to his poole for fish he had drawne vp out of the saide poole which he saw aboue sixe thousande heades of yong children wherat he being moued with true repentance beganne to wéepe and confessing that the decrée that he had made concerning the continencie of Priestes had béene cause of such a murther he then amended his fault as it is said by a worthy déede of repentance And after that he had condéemned his said decrée he praysed the councell of the Apostle to wit that it is better to marrie then to burne adding more on his part that it is better to marrie then to giue occasion of murther In the ende he confounded by many testimonies of the holy scripture the horrour of vowing continencie and following the saying of S. Paul 1. Timo. 4. he declared that it is the doctrine of Diuels to forbidde marriage Wherby we must note that the Lord in the middest of the furie and madnesse of the world rayseth vp some faithful ministers for to withstand the horrible spoyles of the aduersaries He that would sée at large the saide Epistle published nowe in French read the firste of Crespin vppon the estate of the Church out of the which I haue gathered some parte of these collections 117 In the yeare 869. was Iohannes Scotus it was not Iohn the Frier a learned man who was sent for out of France into England by Alfridus king of Englande who founded the Schoole or vniuersitie of Oxenforde whereas the said Scotus was president but afterward becomming a Monk he was slain by the Monks of the Conuent as he was teaching thē He wrot like as Bertrand did touching properly the body and bloude of Christe in the supper In that time or thereabouts the Normands being vanquished receiued the faith Naucl. The king of Bulgaria also about this time receiued the faith and willingly forsaking publike affaires he was made a Monke and left the realme to his sonne who reiected the faith so that his father came out of the monasterie and went againste him in battaile and hauing gotten the victorie he caused his eyes to bee digged out and kepte him in prison and gaue the kingdome to his yonger sonne and after he returned to the Monastery againe Naucle and Sigeb Adrian the Pope sent thrée legats vnto the Bulgarians being newly conuerted to wit Siluester Leopard and Dominicke for to institute ordinances concerning the affaires of the Church according to the Komaine forme and fashion but afterwarde they being persuaded by the Grekes reiected the latine ministers which thing bread great hatred betwixt the latine Church and the Greeke Church and all the contention of the said Churches happened through this Primate and for the diuersitie of ceremonies Naucl. Edmund the last king of the East Englishmen was slaine by the Paganes of Denmarke in the yeare 871. and is canonised a martyre 118 In the yeare 938. Ratherius Bishop of Verone wrot against the herisie of Anthromorphites which was renewed againe in that time saying that God had a corporall forme In the same time Spireneus Duke of Bohemia receiued the Christian faith thorough the persuasion of the Emperour Henricus Suppl Chro. Aldebert
prelats and became odious so as they could in no wise abide him Finally this seignieur Acton was taken condēned by the saide edict of the kinge and hanged and burned There was executed also with him a gentleman one M. Browne And M. Iohn Beuerlai a minister and preacher of the word of God And that was in the yeare 1413. Iohn Maior witnesseth in his Scottish historie lib. 6. chap. 9. that about this time many others to the number of 36 and all of a noble stocke were condemned as heretikes by the bishop were burned according to that cruell edict This was in the very same yeare There were also two others of whome Fabius in his Chronicles speaketh to wit Iohn Claydon cordwayner and Richard Turmin Baker who also according to the seueritie of the ordinance were condemned and put to death To conclude we sée that there is neither estate neither order nor condition whereof God is not skilfull enough to drawe some for to stande in defence and to crie out against the superstitions false traditions of prelates 135 In the yeare 1405. or thereabout the Lord raised vp Iohn Hus of Bohemia who hauing studied in the vniuersitie of Oxeforde in England and hauing reade certeine bookes of Wicklief beganne to publishe that which hee had receiued concerning the trueth in a Temple of the Bohemians whereas he was chosen for the preacher and Preached both of festiuall dayes and holy dayes There he commended the doctrine of Wicklief vnto the people In the ende the Bohemians being instructed with this doctrine beganne to iudge of the Pope as he deserued not estéeming him the most excellent any longer nor of any higher degree then other bishops and therevpon they went about to reforme their doctrine by conclusions and articles following That the dignitie made not the minister or bishop the more honourable but the holines of life and good doctrine That the soules separated from the bodies goe streight way eyther to eternall blessednesse or else to euerlasting paines That there is no testimonie in all the holy scriptures by which it can be proued that there is any purgatorie after this life For to make oblations and sacrifices for trespasses is the inuention of couetous Priestes That the images of God or of sainctes the blessing of waters and other like thinges bee forged by men contrarie to the word of God That the order of begging friers were inuented by diuels That baptisme ought to bee administred with water without adding of oyle spittle or such filthi That the Temple of God is the worlde That those which build Temples Monasteries and oratories for to cloase him in doe goe about to locke vp his maiestie which is incomprehensible That the ornaments of Priestes as the chasubles corporals chalices platters c. are but vanity That in vaine do men séeke for helpe at the handes of sainctes and that it is but lost time to singe houres canonicall That fasting doeth merite nothing That the eucharistie ought to bee ministred vnder both kindes They reiected the Masse and kept only the communion of the supper the worde and the prayer and many other articles drawen out of the holye scripture Thus as the most parte of the schollers of the vniuersitie of Prague did followe Iohn Hus with many moe renoumed in knowledge and so did the most part of the nobilitie the Pope hauing assembled a councell at Constance caused the Emperour Sigismonde to fende for him who sent him his safe conducte And being there he was gretly sollicited to leaue off his opinion but he was constant vpholding his propositions and reasons to wit those which were grounded vppon the trueth of the holy scriptures Saying that the end principal scope of his doctrine was for to teache men repentance and remission of sinnes according to the trueth of the sonne of God the exposition of the holy doctours That if any were able to proue that he did the contrarie he was ready to acknowledge his faultes otherwise rather to suffer death then leane vnto mens traditions repugning to the doctrine of the Gospell After many disputations forasmuch as hee allowed not all that them liked he was at the laste condemned to be burned being beset with woode rounde aboute as the fire beganne he cryed thrise with a loude voyce O Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuing God haue pitie on me and thus he yelded vp the Ghost His ashes were caste by commaundement into Rhein to the intent that nothinge of him might be left vppon the earth neuerthelesse his memory can neuer be defaced in the hearts of the faithfull neyther by fire nor water nor anye manner of tormentes Whoso woulde se thereof more at large let him reade Iohn Crespin his booke of martyres 136 In the yeare after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ 1415. Hierom of Prague a Bohemiā beinge maruelously troubled for that he had heard that his countrie was oppressed by houshoulde enimies and neighboures by many false slaunders and that Iohn Hus was vilanously vsed by the said councell he went to Constance and there being ad uertised that the people went about to entrap him he retyred backe for certaine daies vnto a place not farre off for that he might not séeme to intrude him selfe wilfully into daungers He requested of the Emperour a safe conducte for to enter into the cittie and there to answere vnto such crimes and misdéedes as shoulde be brought against him and séeinge that he coulde get no safe conduit he was going home againe and was taken by the way by treason carried to Constance wheras in the presence of the Bishopes and prelates he made open confession of his faith True it is that he hauing béen altogeather pined away with longe kéepinge in prison and throughe many horrible threatnings he was vanquished by the weakenes of the flesh partly dreadinge the horrour of the torments and partly hoping to escape out of their vilanous and cruell handes he recited publikely before them all an abiuration which they had giuen him in writing Moreouer he was enioyned to say that Iohn Hus had ben worthily burned but for all this he escaped not but hee returned agayne to the same stincking and infectuous pryson where he was afore being there no better handled then before tyme. Then did the lord who neuer forsaketh his cause him to seale in his conscience his vile misdeed And therefore desiring to be brought agayne in to the whole assembly he first affirmed that he héeld with the Catholike and vniuersal Church al things the it holdeth which church abhorreth all errours an heresies Lastly he addeth this that of all the sinnes where with he euer had offended Gods diuine maiestie there was none that so much charged and gréeued his conscience as did this offence that hee had committed in the chaire of pestilence and execration whether he being fallen by infirmitie and by the horrour of death he was was constrained to goe back and
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
after Adrian was elected Pope he would neuer goe into the Church of Latran for to be consecrated except the saide Arnold were first banished the citie calling him heretike and a solicitour of the people of Rome for to maintaine their libertie In the same time was Peter de Blois who by his writinges touched the wickednesse of Church-men in a certaine epistle that he wrote to an officiall of a Bishop he exhorteth him to depart out of Babilon detesting the tyrannie of Bishops and of their officials calling them hellishe harpies who doe nothing else but pill and teare in peeces the Church of Iesus Christ He oftentimes named the eleargie Syria Edom the Calues of Bethel Idols of Egypt the fatte of Samaria Priestes of Baal and iudges that forge wicked lawes and by other like names he called them He saide thus of Rome all is subuerted at Rome through giftes the Monkes haue all libertie for siluer and redeme for yerely pensions all manner wickednes of the fleshe Their filthinesse beginneth to be song in the Tabernacles of Geth and in the streates of Ascalon Thus did the prince of Sodome and his disciples after him be set in the chaire of pestilence c. He that would sée more of him let him reade his writings 125 Then in the time afore mentioned being couered with darkenesse and horrible wickednesse as historiographers doe credibly reporte And then when as the Locustes and Vermines were flocked abroade in so great multitudes for to deuoure and eate vp that little greenenes that remained in the world we sée yet that the Lord hath raysed vp some good people for to go about to stoppe such gulfes in the middest of which raigned all infections and filthinesse in vnrighteousnesse and vngodlinesse Wherevpon we haue to consider that the Lorde doth not suffer such Monsters weout reprouing them for their horrible misdoinges and that hee will not wholy suffer the clearenes and puritie of his holy worde to be quenched albeit that the world deserue that it shoulde bee so because of the wicked fruites that the people doe bring foorth And also we may marke howe that by meanes in time and place hee bringeth againe as the dawning of the day his true light for the which at this time Waldo of Lions was also raised vp whose historie in this place it shall be good to consider The historie of Waldo 126 In the yeare 1160. or thereaboutes and in the raigne of the foresaide Emperour Friderike Barberosse Peter Waldo a citizen of Lyons a rich and learned man was astonied and brought into a trance in leaning to mans frailtie by meanes of a certaine man who at that time was with the saide Waldo and other the principall men of the foresaide citie of Lions recreating themselues and talking togither who sodainly fell downe dead in the presence of them all Which thing Waldo séeing amongest the rest wondered greatly and was stricken to the bottome of the heart so as he thought with himselfe that God did sufficiently declare to him by this example other like argumentes that he ought not so to grounde himselfe in earthly matters which be corruptible and frayle but that hee ought better then he had done afore looke vp on high to the heauenly life wherevnto he felte himselfe called by God And therefore he purposed with himselfe to regarde his life more narrowly and to repent and to meditate vppon true pietie And then he began to doe many almes deedes and to open his house to all men and to speake of repentance and true godlines to euery one that came to him about any businesse what soeuer it was This liberalitie drewe many poore and néedie so as they beganne to come by flocks vnto him and he dayly expounded vnto them somewhat out of the holy scriptures into the vulgar tongue for he was a learned man as the historie of that time and the Catalogue of the witnesses of the trueth doeth testifie The Bishop of that place and the prelates that doe carrie the keyes as they say and will not enter in themselues nor yet suffer others to enter beganne to murmure thereat that a lay or secular mā as they tearme them shoulde handle and declare the holy scriptures in the vulgar tongue and that he shoulde make assemblies in his house warned him vnder payne of excommunication to cease but for all that the zeale the Waldo had for the aduauncement of the glorie of God and the desire which the simple ones had for to learne was no whit diminished but on the contrary side the resistance and tyrannie of prelates gaue occasion to discouer the errours and superstitions of the Romaine see which were hidden in darkenesse The like thing happened in our time that is when as the Pope and the Priesthoode woulde not onely endure that Martin Luther shoulde reproue their indulgences they themselues were cause that their errours were more narrowly sought out and their abhominable blasphemies discouered It is easie then to consider that this traunce aforenamed which Waldo had was sent from God and the fruite and end also shewed the same for the traunce that moued Bruno to séeke for remedy and consolation at his owne fantasie without the word of God was of the Deuill and procéeded from his illusions And for to goe on further in speaking of Waldo of whom the Waldenses tooke their name He in the same time made a collection in his vulgare tongue of the places of the auncient fathers for to defende his adherents not onely by authoritie of the holy scriptures but also by testimonie of the doctours against the aduersaries It is verie likely by the historians yea by the writings of the aduersaries that this assemblie endured a certeine time as about the space of foure or fiue yeares that Waldo taught in the cytie of Lyons before that he was put to exile and banishment for inasmuch as he was mightie and had friends he was not so sone entrapped with daungers as after ward they were and thus the name of the poore in Lyons began to bee a byworde they were called Waldenses Lyonnistes Insabbati that is to say such as obserue no sabbothes nor feastes many other such names were deuised against them for to make them seeme detestable The doctrine of the Waldenses After that Waldo and his adherents were driuen out of Lyons some of them went backe into Lombardie whereas they multiplyed so that their doctrine began to bee spreade thorough Italy and came to Sicilia as the patents of Frederike the seconde conde set forth against them whilest he raigned do sufficiently declare By the recytal of those that haue writen against them and of Reinerius who lyued wrote shortly after that time it may bee gathered that their doctrine was this That we must giue credit to the holy scrptures onely concerning matters of saluation without staying vpon men That they do containe al whatsoeuer is necessarie for saluation that none other thing ought to be
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
conference and a diligent collection of the holy scriptures and by vnderstanding of the spirite the which he hoped to obtaine by praying hartely vnto God Moreouer it is reported of him that hee kept a very good order in preaching and that the simple might as well profite thereby as the best learned so as the hearer coulde hardely goe away but being more wise and enriched with knowledg of the Lord then he had afore And like as hee taught the trueth openly with great diligence so was he hardie and earnest to reproue vices crying against the oppressions of the poore against idle persons dronkards gluttons and others liuing in pleasures and vaine delights and superfluities Shortly after was sent thither from the Pope a preacher of pardons named Sampsō Millanois for to bribe and poll against whom Zuinglius stoode stoutly proued him a deceiuer naughtie fellow Zuinglius was menaced and the ill will of the enemies of the trueth inuenimed dayly more and more that many as wel in the citie as in the countrie in their sermons diffamed his doctrine as being wicked and not catholike And amongst others the Iacobins were the chiefe Zuinglius contrariwise mainteined it conformed to the holy scripturs and went about to set it forth And therefore the Senate of Zurich sent about the yeare 1523. to all the ministers of the Churches within the iurisdiction to appeare at the saide cytie the 29. of Ianuarie for to accorde of certeine dissentions about religion promising the euery man should be heard so much and so long as should be requisite Also the saide Senate did friendly intreat by letters the bishoppe of Constance to come thither or els to sende some of his people After that a great multitude of people were gathered together at the day appointed and also Iohn Faber the Bishops great Vicar come The Consull carued vp the matter saying that the assemblie had bene cyted because of the great dissention of doctrin that was raysed vp to the intent that if any bodie woulde say any thing against the doctrine of Zuinglius he should willingly vtter it forth And ye must note the before this time Zuinglius had cōprehēded his doctrine in 70. seuen articles had published thē to the intent the they might al come wel fortified to this assēbly disputation The consul for cōcluding of his purpose bad them confer dispute together Then the saide Faber after that he had declared wherfore he was sent laboured to perswade them the there was no place to decide those matters but the it shuld be done in the coūcel which shuld be kept there Zuinglius on the contrary pressed them on that they should make no delaye if he had any thinge to lay against him To whom he answered the he would refute his opinions by writing And after much adoe on both sids when as none wold offer to beginne the disputations they left the assembly and then the Senat caused to be proclaymed thorough al that countrie that forsaking mans traditions they shoulde preach sincerely thegospell the old and newe testament Then were great contentions amongst the Suisses about religion hatred burned then euery day more more in such sort that the other partes sent to Zurich by ambassage giuing thē to vnderstand of their ill case The men of Zurich made answere shewing thē the inestimable benefits and graces that God did amongest other people bestowe vppon them And that séeing they had the worde of God granted them they shoulde not feare any threatenings They gaue commandement that throughout all the precincte of their iurisdiction all the images should be taken away and burned which thing was done without anie tumult the 13. day of Iune in the yeare 1524. Within a certaine while after those that be called Chanons made certaine partes or couenantes with the Senate and it was consulted howe the goods reuenewes of the chapiter should be imployed And about the 13. of Aprill in the yeare 1525. by the commaundement of the councell the masse was vtterly abolished at Zurich through all that seignieurie and in stéed thereof the Lordes supper was instituted Ceremonies also were chaunged to reading of the prophets to prayer and to the preaching of the word Whoredome and adultrie was forbidden and iudges deputed for to know she affaires of mariage The priestes and monkes c. were cast out of the dores many laboured by sundrie meanes to put Zuinglius to death his house was besette in the night time for to haue taken him He was assaulted on all sids as well by writing as otherwise He withstoode the opinions of the Anabaptistes the which in his time began to spring vp He composed many bookes and commentaries vpon the holy scripture He died in the battaile that was raysed vp because of linings betwixt the fiue smal coastes the people of Zurich For the custome of the inhabitants of Zurich is such that when they march to battaile the chiefe minister must be in the troupe Look Sleidan and Oswald Micorinis who haue written hys life and actes at large 141 Oecolampadius of Germaine being of a conuent of Monkes of the order of S. Bridgide and demaunding libertie for his studie and faith besides certaine sermons that he wrot he published also a booke of confession very christian like and therefore intollerable amongst themarchants of ceremonies For because of this booke one that was a confessour of the Emperour brought him into greate daunger when as the estates of the Empire were assembled at Wormes He departed out of that cloyster and went vnto a noble worthie man Francis de Sickingen he began to amend againe the abuse of the masse and translated certain fragments out of Chrisostom Afterward he was at Basile thinking to haue put in print that he had composed There by the wil of the Senat councel of the citie notwithstanding the clamoures of Sophisters he began to read I saie publikelie and shortly after at the requeste of the Curate of S. Martins he toke in hand the charge of a preacher in his roume not without great despyte of those that mainteined the traditions of the Pope He preached the holy Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ fiue yeares without wage either of Curate or preacher He had great knowledge in diuers languages as the workes of Theophilactus Cyrillus and Chrisostom vpon Genesis do witnes There happened in that time a disputation about the eucharistie and being requested to say his opinion thereof he did it modestly according to the iudgement of the Elders whom he alleadged faithfully wherevppon grewe a great debate by meane that others did not take that which he had written in such sort as he ment Faber Eclzius and others appointed a disputation against the Suisses to be holdē at Bade wheras he alone susteined the cause of the trueth against the aduersaries He made many good commentaries vpon Esay Ieremie Agge Zacharie Malachie Daniell Iob Ezechiel vpon the Epistles of
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
Serpent of the fruit that was forbidden them they lost then the whole dignitie and excellencie of their first creation were quite spoyled of the great glory wherewith they were before indowed and were made seruants and bondslaues to him who by subtil sleights and wiles had so intangled them that he caused them to giue credite vnto him and to withdrawe them cleane out of the way of al felicitie and trueth and to fill them with all errours and wickednesse that he might make them in all thinges and by all thinges like vnto him selfe who in like sort through his ingratitude had fallen from all beatitude and goodnesse which GOD had first placed in him And thus God in the beginning hath made our first parents in all integritie of heart in trueth and righteousnesse good pure and perfect And the same diuell speaking by the mouth of the serpent was in the beginning pure and good For as Moses wrote being inspired with the spirite of God in the first chapter of Genesis at the end of the chapter GOD sawe all that he had made and behold it was excéeding good And hereby we may sée and knowe howe that this craftinesse and wickednesse in the serpent was not so created and made in him and that the diuell of his maliciousnesse and subtiltie vndertooke through deceits full of lyes to beguile and to allure vnto him Adam and Eua as in the end he did in déede through the iust iudgement of God And that bicause they cleaued not fast to the cōmaundement of God but rather were willing to sticke vnto the persuasion and counsel of sathan who for bicause he might put the same in effect had power to make the serpent speake one of the most craftiest beastes in the fieldes not that he was such by his owne nature but made such through the instigation of sathan who not only had for that present time permission at the handes of God so to frame his words in the mouth of this beast but afterward vnto many other brute beasts as the prophane histories do beare witnesse of such as haue spoken Wherevpon we haue to consider that the diuell séeketh from time to time by al meanes that he possibly can for to beguile men and to make them giue credit vnto lyes wherein he taketh great pleasure dimming al the eyes of their vnderstanding by certaine priuie and secrete meanes that he may kéepe them still vnder his subiection and thraldome Beholde here from whence do come so many false persuasions so many vntrue and wicked thoughtes ful of leasings wherevnto men do more leane then to the truth of God Marke here the chiefest fountaine of all disorders and woes which euer happened vnto the world marke the way which our forefathers tooke by which they fell from that high degrée of felicitie of peace of rest and of ioy wherevnto they were first appointed by God and by what meanes they with al their posteritie are falen and are tumbled headlongs into this great disorder and confusion in which we vntill this day sée our selues remaine in as much as we followe after them the same counsell that they did Therefore for as much as we knowe the fountaine or first originall of the maladie why should we not labour to cure the same by contrarie remedies séeing that wickednesse hath begunne to take roote we must followe the counsel and will of God and not regard the persuasions of sathan but let vs forsake him with all his counsels and imaginations and let vs go with prayers fastings and humble intreatings to require at the handes of God for his counsel and that he would instruct vs according to his will and that we may followe the same And we may thus assure our selues that we shall féele a wonderfull vnderstanding of the trueth of God of his good will which he hath declared in the doctrine of his holy Prophetes and Apostles of whome sathan would that we should haue no knowledge but rather that their memorie should be wholy extinguished for as much as he séeth that in them is declared the way of equitie the mediatour by whome we haue deliuerance out of the gulfe of all horrour and euill made manifest The diuel nowe séeing him selfe to be depriued of this excellent glory of God which shined very clearely in him at the beginning of his creation he in likewise hath assayed from our first parents to depriue vs eternally of this excellent glory and felicitie wherevnto he séeth no meanes offered him by God howe he may be any more restored But God who had created mankinde to the end he might be glorified thereby was willing to redéeme him againe although he was so alienated from him he would not so confound destroy spoyle and throwe him downe to hell nor giue him so ouer wholy to the diuell for to let him deale with him as him lusted but through his most great goodnesse mercy and grace he hath sustained and vpholden Adam and Eua shewing vnto them that he who is the enimie vnto all truth iustice and true felicitie they shall haue once in their powers to bruse his head albeit that in the mean time by his iust iudgement he suffered and was willing that he should sting and afflict them with diuers assaultes Nowe to the intent that Adam and Eua should be assured of their restauration euen in like sort as GOD by his diuine word and spirite had created made and fashioned all things in their being so also by the same word God hath decréed that the séede of the woman should breake the head of the serpent and by consequence shuld be deliuered vtterly from all his thraldome This word then being almightie subsisting in the essence of GOD from all eternitie by which the worlde and all things had bene made called vnto repentance Adam and Eua giuing them time and leasure to returne to reforme them selues againe vnto the obedience from which they had erred And thereby may we clearely vnderstand that it hath from the beginning of the world instructed and taught Adam For this word the sonne of GOD which reproued Adam for his fault and offence and which declared that the strength force that was in the serpent should be broken hath also taught and rebuked him for his misdoing letting him well vnderstand how abhominable a thing sinne is and howe many mischiefes it causeth the death and euerlasting participation in al ignominie and shame with this wicked craftie wretch that had brought him into such slauerie vnto him selfe that through him selfe or any other creature a full deliuerance from this subiection or perfect satisfaction for the abhominable sinne that he had committed against God could not be made but by the onely meanes of this promise by which alone Adam and Eua had knowledge that they were fréely pardoned without any mediation of their owne workes or merites And in all these thinges had they some sight and knowledge of by the inspiration of
did contemne at these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and essentiall as being straunge and not vsed in the holy scriptures The fathers shewed that they of necessitie were constrayned to vse these wordes for to signifie that the sonne was begotten of the substance of the father according to the whiche the sonne was consubstantiall with the father that is of the same essence and substance Moreouer they woulde then haue forbidden the ministers and Deacons for to dwell with their wiues But Paphnutius whom Constantine had in such reuerence that he woulde cause him oftentimes to come into his pallaice and imbrace him yea he would euen kisse the place whence he had his eye plucked out he rysing vp pronounced mariage to be honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled and he said that the company of a man with his wife is chastitie he perswaded the councell that they shoulde set forth no such lawes which shoulde giue occasion of fornication both to the men and to their wiues The councell liked his opinion and they ordeyned nothing concerning this but left vnto euery one lybertie to choose whither hee woulde marry or not according as he shoulde feele to be expedient for him or holsome whereby it was lawfull as before for the ministers to kéepe still their wiues and to marry But afterwards Syricius and Gregory the seuenth forbad such mariages whiche thing neuerthelesse the ministers of the East receiued not 87 During the Empyre of Constantius the sonne of Constantine the great in the yere 350. after the natiuitie of Iesus Christ there were also these greate personages Doctors in the Church Theodorus Bishop of Heraclia in Thrace Eusebius Bishop of Emesus Hillarie Bishop of Poitiers of Aquitaine in Fraunce who made a booke of the Trinytie against the Arrians many other bookes which are verie profitable 88 Liberius a Romaine borne was elected byshop in the yeare of Christ as S. Hierome writeth 352. and about the twelfe yeare of the Emperour Constance His confession was agréeable to the Catholike faith and hee wrote very Christianlike vnto Athanasius concerning God the father Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost as it may appeare by his Epistle which is ioyned with the workēs of Athanasius Athanase doth recorde in his Epistle made of them that leade a solitarie life that in the time of Constance the Emperour he sent to Rome one named Eusebius an Eunuke with letters by whiche he threatened him exile and on the other part offered him great giftes to allure him by that meanes to consent with Arrius and to subscribe vnto the condemnation of Athanasius but Liverius despysed both the threatnings and rewards as a sacrifice of blasphemie Whereupon the Emperour caused him to be brought out of Rome and comming towards him he menaced to put him to death But Liverius stoutly aunswered him I am readie to abide any thing rather then of Christians we should be called Arrians What art thou then saide the Emperour which with one naughtie fellowe troublest all the worlde Liberius saide vnto him The worde of faith dependeth not vpon a multitude Hée was then sent away againe by the Emperour Constance into Berchee which is a Citie of Thrace whereas when hee had béene two yeares hee was called for againe as witnesseth Theodoretus His restitution as some say was agréed vnto by the Emperour at the request of many of the citie of Rome and of the Bishops of the Weast The saide Athanasius saith in his Epistle aforenamed that Liberius after the two yeares of exile being brought in feare by threatnings feare of death yelded and subscribed to the condemnation of Athanasius 89 Basile bishop of Cesarea was also in the time of Valentinian and Valens Emperours whilest Valentinian liued the East Church was in rest agréeing to the decrées of the Synode of Nice but Valens made bulwarkes for to aduaunce Arrianisme withall against those that were called Homousiastes that is the true Catholickes and he styrred vp great persecutions especially in Antioch and in Laodicea His brother Valentinian reproued him therefore admonished him by letters as Zonoras wryteth but he was the more angrie therefore and minded to driue out of the country Basile bishoppe of Cesarea because that he woulde not at his commaundement communicats with Eudorius bishop of Constantinople an Arrian but the Lorde sent a sicknesse to his onely sonne the which he knowing to be the vengance of God conuerted from his wicked purpose and gaue eare certaine dayes vnto the sermons of Basile 90 Damasus borne in Spaine a Bishop of Rome succéeded Liberius in the yeare 363. in the raigne of Valence the Emperour for the wryting of Damasus looke Suidas and Hierome in his Epistle to Custach tome 4. which maketh mention of Damasus Of virginitie he saith reade the books the Damasus composed both in verse and prose He held in reuerence the Synode of Nicée condemned Auxentius Bishop of Millain an Arrian Theodor. lib. 4. Chap. 30. saith that with saint Ambrose hee stroue valiantly against heretykes condemning openly Sabellius Arrius Eunomius the Macedonians Marcellus the heresie of Apollinaris Hierome in the apologie against Iouinian calleth Damasus a singuler man and well learned in the scriptures and doctours of the church Athanase in his Epistle vnto the Byshoppes of Affrica calleth Damasus his most deare companion praysing his diligence for that he had assema Synode at Rome against the Arrians In the same time also was Anthonie who being a hundreth and fiftie yeares olde dyed He sawe in a dreame as it were hogges which trode vnder their féete the altars and waking said that the Church shal be once againe spoyled and dispersed by whoremongers adulterers monstrous men Melanchthon noteth this prophecy to be against the leacherous and voluptuous life of Priests and Monches 91 Vulphilas Bishoppe of Gothes in Sarmatia hist tripar lib. 8. translated the Bible into the Gothes language for the vse of his countrimen the like Hierome did in the Dalmatian tongue for the profite of the people there And in Croatia whiche is the lower Pannonia the Churches then the bishops vsed the holy scriptures translated into their vulgar languages 92 In the raigne of Theodosius and Valentinian Emperours in the yeare 386. Ambrose was Bishop of Milain His election was such that Aurentius an Arrian Bishop being gone from Milain there arose a great sedition betwixt the Arrians the catholickes concerning the election of the Bishop And at that time Ambrose being a Citizen was proconsul who considering this vprore because of his office went hastily vnto the Church whereas the people were assembled and after that hee had vsed many perswasions for to reuoke the people to a concorde there rose vp sodainly a common voyce with one consent that Ambrose must be Baptized who was alreadie cathechised and that after they shoulde consecrate him Bishop wherunto he would not agrée but by the commaundement of the Emperour Valentinian who incyted him thereto hee tooke
so great a slaughter were bent and they wholy wearied so that the Christians with ioyfulnesse of heart singing psalmes offered themselues vnto the death Sulpitius in his diuine historie lib. 2. saith that the Christians did then earnely craue for martyrdome that the ambition of the Cleargie did not afterward craue for any Bishops Looke Beda de temp rat and Drosius lib. 7. Chap. 25. 84 In the same time that is to say in the time of Dioclesian and Maximian Emperours There were also these good and holy personages Arnobius Pierius a minister of the Church of Alexādria Melitius Lucian minister of the Church of Antioche Phigeas an Egyptian excellent men Doctours of the Church and this was about 302. yeares after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus amongest the which Phileas and Lucian were martyred during the persecutiō of Dioclesian At that time also flourished Lactantius Firmiauus the disciple of Arnobius Constantius the father of Constantin the great as Eutropius maketh description of him was verie excellent ciuill méeke gentle liberall and desirous to be good to those that had any priuate authoritie vnder him This man had not the desire of great and mightie dominion and therefore parted he the Empire with Galerius and woulde rule but in France Brittaine and Spaine refusing the other kingdomes for the troublesome and difficulte gouernment of the same He was a great supporter and mainteiner of the Christians He was the first that gaue thē licence to liue after their accustomed manner This wonderfull act of his following besides other doth shew that he was a sincere worshipper of GOD and of the Christian religion Those which bare the chiefe offices among the Ethnikes draue out of the Emperours courte all the godly Christians wherevpon this ensued that the Emperours them selues at the last were destitute of helpe when such were driuen away which dwelling in their courtes and liuing a godly life powred out their prayers vnto God for the prosperous health both of the Empire and Emperour Cōstantius therfore minding at a certaine time to trie what sincere and good christians he had in his court called together al his officers seruants in the same faining himselfe to choose out such as would doe sacrifice to Deuils and that those onely shoulde dwell there and kéepe their offices and that those which woulde refuse to doe the same shoulde be thrust out and banished the court At this appointment all the courtiers deuided them selues in companies The Emperour marked which were the cōstantest and godliest from the rest and when some of them saide that they would willingly doe sacrifice and other some openly and boldly denied to do the same Then the Emperour sharply rebuked those which were so readie to doe sacrifice and iudged them as falfe traytours to God accounting them vnworthie to be in his court which were such traytours to God and forthwith commaunded that they onely shoulde be banished for the same But greatly he commended them which refused to doe sacrifice and confessed God affirming that they onely were worthie to be about a prince foorth with commaunding them that thence foorth they should be faithfull coūsellours and defendours both of his person kingdome and that he ment to haue them in more estimation then all the substance he had in his treasurie Eusebius in vita Constant Constantinus was sonne of Constantius the Emperour a good and vertuous Childe of a good vertuous father borne in Britaine whose mother was named Helena Daughter to king Coilus He was a most bountifull and gratious prince hauing a desire to nourish learning and good artes did oftentimes vse to read write studie himselfe he had maruelous good successe and prosperous atcheiuing of all thinges he tooke in hand which then was as truely supposed to procéede of this for that hee was so great a fauourer of the Christian faith which faith when he had once imbraced he did euer after most deuoutly and religiously reuerence and commaunded by especiall commissions and proclamations that euery man shoulde professe the same religion throughout all the Romaine Monarchie He first entred into the Empire by the mercifulnesse of GOD minding after long waues of dolful persecution to restore his Church vnto tranquilitie and peace Au. 311. Eusebius accompteth in his Chronicle his raigne continued as Eutropius affirmeth 31. yeares and two monethes great peace tranquilitie enoiyed the Church vnder the reigne of this good Emperour which tooke payne and trauell for the preseruation thereof First yea and that before he had subdued Licinius he set foorth many edictes for the restitution of the goods of the Church for the reuoking of the Christians out of exile for taking away the discension of the doctors out of the church for the setting of them frée from publike charges and such like 85 In the time of Constantine the great about the yere 320. after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus there were excellent Doctours in the Church to wit Eusebius bishop of Cesarea in Palestine of whose doing we haue very worthy books Rhetius bishop of Austun Methodius disciple of Origene who afterwarde was a bishop Athanasius bishop of the citie of Alexandria the which did confute the errours of Arrius Athanasius after that he had procured the benefite of the Church 46. yeares and abidden sundry persecutions in greate constancie and patience dyed about the yeare 367. After his death persecution was raysed vp in Alexandria by Valentius Hist tripart lib 8. Chap. 7. 86 In the yeare 326. after the natiuitie of Iesus in the 14. yeare of Constantine there was holden a councell at Nice against Arrius whereunto were called 318. Bishops amongst the which these were the principal Eustache Bishop of Antioch Paphnutius of Egypt and Maximus these had their eyes boared out for the faith Macarius Bishop of Ierusalem and many other personages that suffered persecution vnder cruell tyrants There was also Spiridion bishop of Tremith in Cyprus Nicholas bishop of Mirrha in Lycia a very auncient mā Also Athanase then Deacon of the Church of Alexandria Theophilus bishop of Alexandria Spiridion was he that in Lent offered fleshmeat vnto a pilgrime going in his iourney whereof hée himselfe did eate and caused him to eate saying that vnto cleane Christians all thinges are cleane Hist tripart lib. 1. Chap. 10. In the said councel there was a very sharpe and earnest contention on two sides the which the Emperour Constantine gaue eare vnto with great patience but at the last the Arrians fearing that they shoulde bee banished they made a countenance as though they woulde renounce their errour and to subscribe to the determination of the fathers excepting some as Athanasius declareth in the decrées of the Synode of Nice but the bishops after that they had perceiued their fraude and how they disguysed and wrested the trueth by words began to vse the worde of Essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say of the selfsame substance Then the Arrians
rather shut it as the Pharisees did Cōcerning vowes he disputeth that such as be foolishe and impossible ought to be broken That the hearers ought to discerne and iudge of the doctrine of their prelates and not to receiue euery thing that they say without due examination 141 In these latter times many errours haue bene corrected in the Church and the pure doctrine of the true seruice of God hath beene restored again by Martine Luther and by other good and true seruantes of God And concerning Luther who was borne of honest and renoumed parentes in the yere 1483. and he was called Martin because he was baptised on the day which many do call S. Martins day He after that he had spent some time in studie of the ciuill lawe went contrarie to the opinion of his parentes and friendes to a conuent of Augustins In that monasterie he with fastings and praiers applyed himselfe to the studie of holy scripturs And within a while after he was called to reade diuinitie in the vniuersitie of Wittenberge Then while he was in this course He in the yeare 1517. withstoode the bull published by Pope Leo promising absolution from all sinnes and the kingdome of heauen for a certaine summe of monie that they should giue For to handle his purpose the better and with the more edification he wrote to the Archibishop of Mayence giuing him to vnderstande what these questours ment and complayned greatly that the people steedfastly beléeued the after they had bought these pardons they coulde not choose but be saued as though there were no sinne howe great soeuer it were but the vertue of those pardons could blot out and as though the soules formented in the fire of purgatorie shoulde then haue bene out of paine should flie streight away into Paradice as soone as the monie was put into the chest He declared that the commaundement of Christ was to teach the Gospell and that the proper office of Bishoppes is to instruct the people praying the Archbishop that according to his dutie hee woulde vse his authoritie in prohibiting certaine bookes the some had published in defence of the foresaide facte and that those preachers might followe a better kinde of doctrine He sent also with those letters 95. propositions the which he had not long afore published at Wittenberg for to dispute on in which he treated largely of purgatory of true repentance of the office and dutie of charitie and of indulgences and pardons impugning the vnreasonable sermons of the bribers and that they did all for to séeke again the pure veritie The Archbishop aunswered nothing thereto Also he resisted and spake against a Iacobin named Tekel who caused indulgences pardons to be carried and soulde al abroade in that countrie He wrote also to Pope Leo setting before him the follies that the bribers taught and the extortion they vsed in vsing or rather abusing his authoritie Loe here the beginninges in which Luther did not meane nor regarde any chaunge of ceremonies neither did hee then wholly reiecte indulgences but onely requested that they woulde obserue a meane But after that through vnderstanding of the holy scriptures he had further profited by the grace of God euerie day more and more and had perceiued that the doctrine which he had begon to teache was agreing with the holy scriptures he sustained with a valiant courage all the assaultes of the enemies and al the hatred of the worlde abiding as vmnoueable as a brasse wall and caring for no danger He hauing had marueilous assaultes and disputations and hauing writen many bookes and receiued commaundement and safe conduct from the Emperour Charles the fifth he refused not to appeare before his maiestie at Wormes and before al the princes electours all the estates of the Empyre although many woulde haue diswaded him because that his bookes had béen there burned afore hande alleaging also what had happened to Iohn Hus. He aunswered worthely in that excellent assembly yéelding a good reason for the bookes that he had composed he prayed and besought thē that if there were any man that had ought to say against the doctrine whereof he made profession that he would not dissimule it but that he woulde vtter shewe forth his fault by testimonies of the holy scripture that he woulde be no Schismatike but woulde rather be the first that shoulde set his bookes on fire He shewed that the trueth is cause of troubles And that our Lorde Iesus Christ said that it is natural for the Gospel to moue great debates and alterations amongest such as sticke ouer much to parentes and to their kinsefolkes Moreouer he there warned the Emperour and all the princes to thinke grauely and with aduisemente howe they ought to deale and foresee least in condemning the doctrine offered them through a singular benefite of God they shoulde cause a great plague to hapen vnto all Germanie After many aduertisementes and being demanded whither he would mainteine his bookes or not he aunswered by and by that he woulde not reuoke any thing of that whiche hee had either written or taught except he were vanquished by testimonie of the scripture The sentence of the Emperour was against him and so were the assembly of princes saying that his auncestours had obeyed the Church of Rome and so woulde he and yet in the meane while he kepte his promise made vnto Luther so he sent him agayne safe and sounde to the place where he abode Luther was kept secret by certaine of the worthiest princes He was accused that his bookes raised great troubles He was threatened that if he stoode stiffe in his opinions he coulde not soiourne in any place of Germaine but he feared not any of their meaninges nor for all the hurtes and offences that they sayde might by his meanes happen submitting himselfe to endure death rather then to forsake the worde of God so apparant Then he pronounced openly that he had not reproued all the councels as some reported but onely the councell of Constance because that it condēned the worde of God as appeareth in the article of Iohn Hus which was condemned that is that the Church of Iesus Christe is the communion of the predestinate The councell of Constance condemned this article and so by consequence condemned this article of our faith I beléeue the holy vniuersall Church protesting then that hee refused not to spend his life bloud so as he might not be brought to this necessitie for to denie the manifest worde of God for in mainteining thereof he must rather obey God then men Concerning offence he answered that is double to wit of charitie and of faith The offence of charitie consisteth in manners and in life and is vtterly to be shunned That of faith or of doctrine it lieth in the worde of God and it ought not to be feared séeing that the trueth and will of the heauenly father in that he hath commaunded ought not to be dissanulled although the