before that beene present at a collogue and conference at Marpurge his minde tooke such a tast of true Religion as that after hauing receiued his Dukedome hee procured carefully the same true Religion to be preached vnto his subiects Neither hath God vsed these meanes onely for the propagation and aduancement of his word but also many other courses that haue beene maruellous For I call Hungary to witnesse that euen Souldiers and men of Warre haue giuen furtherance to Gods word For whereas the Dutch Army brought thither by King Ferdinandus had in it many Lutheranes by their meanes that Kingdome better discerned of Popish Idolatry Italy also may testifie the like of it selfe when both the Army of Charles the fifth besieged the Pope and some dissentions began to growe betweene the Pope and the Venetians To the number of these other meanes I may also adde diuine and spirituall songs which hauing beene made by Preachers of the Gospell and accustomed to be sung by poore Schollers insinuated and closely conuaied the knowledge of the truth into an infinite number of men in Germany and the Low-countries and chiefely in Hungary where for the want of the Art of Printing this meanes was deuised that the songs which had beene endited by the teachers young boyes and schollers should deuoutely and sweetely sing not onely at mens doores but euen at feasts and banquets Moreouer I thinke that I may truely say that it hath beene a great meanes to further the knowledge of the trueth that particular Schooles haue beene founded and erected in many places and that disputations haue beene held by the professors of the Gospell with the Papists Of which sort are the disputations held at that time at Lipswick in the yeare 1519 1519. at Zurich and Bresla 1523 at Basile 1524 at Norimberge 1523. 1525 at Bathe in Switherland 1526 at Bern 1528 at 1524. London 1549 and such like 1525. 6 Another likenes betweene this age and the primatiue 1526. Church may bee in this that the enemies of 1528. the trueth set vpon the Christians of the primitiue 1549. Church sometimes with seueritie of edicts and proclamations after which grieuous punishments and at the length by open warre in the very like maner for the space of these hundred yeares grieuous Proclamations haue beene often published against true Religion and the professors of it And when they little preuailed they killed infinite multitudes of men by fire and water by the sword and by hanging and many other kinds of punishments and when neither these meanes had the like successe which they desired they came at length to this that strong Armies were leuied and brought into Germany the Low-countries and into France to haue rooted out true Religion if it had beene possible Further also as in that time the heathen Emperours whether they would or no heard the confessions and Apologies of the Christian faith which are extant and to be read in Iustin Martyr Athenagoras Tertullian and others Euen so in this our age Kings and Kesars haue of necessitie beene made to take notice and information of the trueth of the Gospell which in all things they did not approue of For who is ignorant that the Emperour Charles the fifth was present at the publicke reading of the confession of Ausburge so named of the Citie where this was done Likewise to King Ferdinandus a confession of their faith was both exhibited and read by the brethren and professors in Bohemia and Morauia We read likewise that Frauncis the first King of Fraunce heard with his owne eares the famous confession of the Christians of Merindole Also Theodore Beza in the conference at Poessy the King and the Queene yea all Fraunce in a manner hearing it deliuered the Articles of our faith so soundly and so effectually as that the Cardinall of Lorraine saide that hee wished that either Beza had beene dumbe or that all the States there present had beene deafe that day 7 Yet will we not stay heere but obserue another point of comparison for in the primitiue Church there were very many Christians who as the Ecclesiasticall History doth witnesse professed the truth of the Gospell with the losse of their goods and also of their very life it selfe So likewise in these hundred yeares last past God hath set before our eyes notable and famous examples of Christian constancy in an infinite number of most worthy persons men and women rich and poore learned and vnlearned noble and vn-noble The regard of the time will not suffer me heere to enlarge my selfe yet can I not by any meanes passe by in silence in Germany the houses and the families of the Electors to wit that the house of Brandeburge Saxony and the Palatine haue brought forth those heroicall persons to whom you may truely apply the speach which by the Apostle is vttered of Moses that they esteemed the reproach of Christ to be greater riches then the treasures of the Egyptians First let vs goe to the house of Brandburge and call to minde George the Marquesse of Brandenburge who being then to King Lewis the great Prefect and Gouernour of his Court retained with his helpe and defended with his aide the Christians in Silesia Bohemia and Hungary being charged and burdned with diuers slaunders After also when the Emperour Charles the fift in the assembly at Ausburge published a seuere edict and Proclamation with a most grieuous punishment added to it charging all men to abandon the Religion of the Gospell the saide Lord Marquesse had this honourable report of his constancy that fearing nothing the Emperours indignation hee boldly saide kneeling before his Maiestie that he had rather yeeld his head to be smitten and cut off then to depart the least iot from the truth which he had once acknowledged and receiued which when hee once had spoken openly they say that the Emperour answered that the cutting off his head was not sought for Will yee goe from Brandeburg to Saxonie There we shall see Duke Henry the progenitour of the two most gratious Electors Mauricius and Augustus worthily shewing how deepe rootes the loue of the Gospell had taken in him For when his brother George Duke of Saxony who was a most earnest defender of the Popish Religion a litle before his death hauing caused it to be signified to him by messengers sent for that purpose that hee would make him his heire vpon condition that he would forsake the Religion Euangelical reformed but if he refused to performe the condition that he would giue all his dominions to King Ferdinandus Duke Henry of whom I spake answering presently saide plainly and expresly to him this your message euidently representeth and bringeth into my minde that which is written in the holy Scriptures when Sathan promised to Christ the Kingdomes of the whole world vpon condition that falling downe at his feete hee would worship and adore him Doe you thinke that I esteeme any worldly riches
A SECVLAR SERMON CONCERNING THE DOctrine of the Gospell by the goodnes and power of God restored in the fifteenth age from the birth of our Lord Iesus Christ MADE BY THE REVEREND AND WORthy Preacher Mr. ABRAHAM SCVLTETVS in the High-dutch tongue AFTER BY ANOTHER TRANSLAted into Latin and now out of Latin into English LONDON Printed by William Iones dwelling in Red-crosse streete neare S. Giles Church Anno 1618. A SECVLAR SERMON MADE IN THE Arch-Palatine court in the yeare 1617. And of Ianuary the first a Seculum i 〈…〉 tin signifieth 〈…〉 age contain 〈…〉 an hundered yeares There 〈…〉 this Sermon 〈…〉 called secular 〈…〉 cause it cont 〈…〉 neth the story 〈…〉 the last hun 〈…〉 yeares whe 〈…〉 the Gospell 〈…〉 restored from 〈…〉 yeare 1517 〈…〉 this yeare 〈…〉 THat which is written by the Kingly Prophet Dauid wee see Psa 145. certainely helpeth at this present The mercy of God is ouer all his workes For from this mercy wee doe freely acknowledge that wee haue receiued this benefit that we liue and in good health begin this new yeare From this mercy it is that being free from pestilence and death wee haue not seene bloody warres nor other publicke calamities From the same mercy we haue receiued it that by the celebration of the Natiuitie of Christ which we haue heere liberty solemnly to keepe we ioyfully vnderstand how for our good Christ was borne at Bethlehem how the Angels sweetely delighted vs with their hymnes how the shepheards of Bethlehem daunced with a holy ioy and how Simeon and Anna entertained with kisses the Sauiour newly borne Goe too then O Palatinate magnifie the Lord thy God with due praises and thou O Heidleberg with pious affection publish his name and glory which is most worthy to bee worshipped and adorned And because now this is the hundred yeere since which time the euerlasting and Almightie God looking vpon our Auncestors with the eye of his grace and fauour deliuered them out of the horrible darknesse of Popery and brought them into the cleare and faire light of the Gospell let vs also looking backe to these times behold and consider how gracious God hath declared himselfe to his Church in the saide hundred yeares and how mercifully hee hath gathered it together hauing beene before dispersed and scattered heere and there and being gathered how wonderfully hee hath preserued it vnto this present time 2 For so it will be made manifest that the Lord Iesus Christ doeth worthily and agreeably to his proceeding beare the name of Iesus that is a Sauiour that was giuen at his Circumcision expressing it by really sauing his people and to be our true Iesus and Sauiour not onely by the excellency of his merit but also by the vertue and power of his effectuall operation and working which he sheweth out most mightily in and towards his Church and people Moreouer also as I perswade my selfe here will be matter and occasion aboundantly ministred vnto vs for the celebration and praise of the name of God where we shall behold his wisedome omnipotency goodnes and iustice euery where most clearly shining in his gouernment of the Church in this century or last hundred yeeres And that I may shortly comprehend all this matter euen as God in times past reformed the world by the Apostles and their faithfull successors So likewise in the fifteenth hundred yeere from the birth of Christ God I say began to order the reformation and gouernment of his Church All which things my purpose is at this present euidently to shewe and demonstrate vnto you 1 Whereas it behoued that Christ should be borne one thousand sixe hundred and seuenteene yeeres agone God sent Iohn Baptist as a forerunner that hee might prepare and make ready a way for the Lord In like sort when the same Christ was as it were to bee borne againe it pleased God that diuers preparatory helpes and furtherances to the rest that was to follow should be furnished before he tooke in hand the reformation it selfe of Christian Religion Amongst which meanes of preparing way to the saide reformation most worthily I may name and account first the liberall arts and sciences and the daily exercises of good sciences and chiefely of the three learned tongues and languages as instruments to make way to the reformation that was to follow In the next place I nominate and ranke Vniuersities and particular Schooles as they call them which by a commendable purpose and worthy example for imitation and following were in that time partly founded and erected and partly also preserued and enlarged To these I adde also the inuention of the Art of Printing which before had ben vtterly vnknowne and by meanes whereof it came to passe that Doctor Luthers bookes being dispersed and spread into diuers and most large countries and nations came into very many mens hands and were euery where read and diligently studied Here also amongst the aforesaide meanes the translation of the Scriptures is not to be passed by but attentiuely to be considered For in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred and fifteene the olde Testament sawe the light that was to bee wished for being published in print in the originall Hebrew tongue by Frauncis Ximenius being Arch-bishop of Toledo and a Cardinall and so likewise was the new Testament printed in the yeere next following Which bookes opened the eies of many and maruelously raised their desire so that being inflamed with a zeale diligently to knowe and search out the heauenly trueth they might easily discerne how far the Popes of Rome had departed from the puritie of the Scripture 2 In time past also when Christ went about the reformation of the world hee called not to that seruice the Scribes and Pharisees which were of great authoritie but hee chose vnto it twelue Disciples men despised by the world and esteemed base which for the most part were fisher-men So likewise one hundred yeeres agone Christ taking in hand the worke of a new reformation vsed not thereunto any purple-cloathed Praelate nor Cardinall whose names were most florishing and famous but he raised vp hereunto for this seruice Martin Luther a Monke of the order of the Augustinians Phillip Melanchthon a professor and reader of the Greeke tongue in the Vniuersitie of Wittenberg and two Priests of small account to wit Huldrich Zwinglius and Iohn Oecolampadius 3 Moreouer the doctrine of the Gospell breaking out at the first publishing of it by the Apostles with a diuine and most powerfull force suddenly like the lightning enlightned the vniuersall world so as euen in the time of Irenaeus reported to haue bin taught by Polycarpus scholler to Iohn the Apostle Christ came to be famously known by the nations and people both of the East and West parts of the world euen so when as one hundred yeeres agone after that the Idolatry of the Papists running as if they had beene mad or bewitched after the worship of Images being discouered the
through Germany with such successe of many victories as he could haue wished yet was notable by any meanes to conquer subdue the Gospell in Germany That in Fraunce six Kings continually succeeding one another and employing all their forces and vsing many and diuers meanes and practises for it yet haue not beene able to effect the suppression of the reformed Churches in Fraunce That Philip the second the greatest King that hath beene of Spaine hath wasted all the treasure which he had gathered in the East and in the West for the rooting out of Religion partly in Fraunce and partly in England and chiefely in the Low countries and that with no other euent and successe but that these huge masses of treasure being exhausted and lost and his Kingdome being cast into many great straits and difficulties of debt before his death full sore against his will he heard this message deliuered to him that the reformed Churches in France England and the Low-countriâ—s did prosper and flourish as they had done in any former time Which things being so worthily doe we all extoll and magnifie this most gracious goodnes and mercy of our God who in goodnes add power excelleth all whereby when we were drowned in the midst of a sea of errors and darkenesse in Popery hath illuminated and enlightned vs with the most clear goodly light of the knowledge of himselfe and of his Gospell For if in the old Testament the godly so often celebrated and praised with songs the redemption of the people of Israel out of Egypt and from their enemies of Madian surely we haue far greater cause why wee should magnifie with all praise and honour our maruellous deliuerances from the Idolatry of Anti-christ Moreouer this historicall commemoration and rehearsall of the admirable wonderfull worke which we haue heard to haue beene performed by God in his Church ought to giue encouragement to all the faithfull with greater alacritie and chearfulnesse and with greater strength and constancy to keepe and retaine the truth which they haue once acknowledged which being grounded and founded stedfastly and securely in the holy Scripture hath beene againe and newly confirmed in these last hundred yeares by so singular and excellent miracles And this we ought the rather to doe because wee knowe that our Sauiour Iesus doth still liue and wee are certainly perswaded that as he hath done hitherto so likewise alwayes hereafter hee will gather gouerne and preserue his Church Now let vs also remember that it is our part and dutie to worship and honour this Iesus our Sauiour with our mouth with our hearts and with all our strength For he it is as the Angell expresly testifieth which will saue and preserue his people Of which people they onely are to bee accompted who doe not walke nor liue according to the flesh but according to the Spirit whereof who seeth not this to follow That he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and that he who is none of Christs cannot in any sort enioy the comfort of this name of a Sauiour Let vs then embrace our most faithfull Sauiour let vs loue him let vs feare him and let vs honour him So without all doubt we shall prooue by experience that he wil renew againe hereafter vnto vs his auncient fauour and will most mightely protect vs his Christian Church by his patronage and defence from all our enemies both of soule and body For this saith Amen that is that true and faithfull witnesse the gates of hell shall not preuaile against my Church To this mighty and great Sauiour be thankes honour and glory for all the comfort helpe and benefits hitherto bestowed vpon vs both now and in all ages for euer and euer Amen THE PRAYER MOst Gracious God and mercifull father we giue thee thankes for all thy benefits wherewith hitherto thou hast largely and bountefully blessed vs. O Lord my God thy thoughts are great and thy workes admirable and wonderfull which thou settest before vs to behold and consider Nothing can nor ought to be compared vnto thee I will declare thy workes and speake of them although they exceed all account and number Wee acknowledge it to proceede from thy grace and fauour that in all places thou hast miraculously gathered a people that is pleasing and acceptable vnto thee that thou hast wisely gouerned and mightily preserued the same Especially wee praise thee that it hath pleased thee to call vs in these countries to the Communion of thy Sonne Iesus Christ and that this day thou hast graunted thy grace to vs sitting by the cratch of thy new borne Sonne to heare how sweetâ—ly the Angels sung their heauâ—nly hymne and song and how ioyfully they greeted and congratulated vs for the exceeding great benefit of thy Sonne sent to take our flesh and nature vpon him And not onely to heare this but moreouer also to see how the shepheards did adore him Simeon and Anna blessed him the wise men that came to him from the East did honour him with gold myrrh and frankincense Blessed bee thy holy name for euermore for these and all other benefits which thou doest bestow vpon vp and wherwith thou doest adorne vs. Gracious God and mercifull Father we beseech thee also for the time to come to shew forth thy maruellous workes amongst vs and alwayes to gather a Church to thy selfe amongst vs and graciously to preserue this which thou hast already gathered that the number of them may daily encrease who may truly acknowledge thee and thy Sonne Iesus Christ and may celebrate and magnifie thee both in this life and also in that which is to come for euermore Furthermore with earnest prayers wee beseech thee as thou hast done hitherto so likewise hereafter graciously and mercifully to turne away from vs the fury of warre the scarcitie and dearth of victuals and the plague of pestilence and whatsoeuer besides may bee hurtfull to our countries Driue away also farre from vs the most sauage crueltie of the Pope and of his adhaerents hinder and restraine his counsels that they take not effect Contrariwise we bâ—seech thee to grace and adorne with all maner of blessings the Emperours Maiesty the Royall dignitie of the King of great Britaine as also all other Christian Kings the Electors of the Empire and other Princes especially tâ—e most illustrious and gratious Prince Frederick Count-Palatine Elector our gratious Lord together with the most illustrious Princesse his wife and the Princesse daughter of the late Elector and our young Princes and all the noble house of the Counts-Palatines Princes Electors with their Counsellors and Officers maintaine and preserue them all with thy gracious patronage protection and defence Take care also we beseech thee of all Widowes and Orphanes and preserue our bodies with the comfort of health and crowne our life with Christian vprightnesse and integritie Helpe all those which endure diuers afflictions especially such as suffer grieuous persecutions for the truths sake Make them knowe by their experience that Iesus our Sauiour is more able to comfort them then all the world to make them to sorrow Finally when the short terme and time of our life shall passe away refresh and comfort vs before wee depart from hence and receiuing vs into the armes of thy mercy translate vs out of this old world to that new one which is not finished nor ended with any course of the Sunne or of the Moone but wherein thy selfe art to bee the Sunne the Moone and all in all things these mercies we aske in the name of Iesus Christ and pray also further as he hath taught vs. Our Father c. FINIS Errata PAg 3. helpeth r. fulfileth p. 4. adorned r. adored p. 17. Treptquine r. Trepto were r was p. 20. r. the Smalcaldian warre p. 22. r. with for which p. 24. retained for releeued p. 25. him r. them ibid. some r. home p. 52. l. 2. r. there was set out c. p. 33. r. in their Churches p. 39. adde for and. pag vltima daughter read Dowager