first written in Greeke by Gregory the 3. and afterward translated out of Greeke into Latine by pope Zachary vide supra pag. 130. Likewise that worthy and Imperiall sermon iâ—â—tuâ—ed Eusebij pamphili Sermo ad Conuentum Sanctorum hath to thys day wrongfully borne the name of Eusebius Where as in very truth it was made by the good Emperour Constantinus himselfe in his owne heroicall stile in latine and afterward translated out of Latine into Greeke by Eusebius as he himselfe confesseth in hys worke De vita Constant. lib. 4. But as touching this sermon although the name be chaunged so godly and fruitful it is that it â—attereth not much vnder whose name it be read yet worthy to be read vnder the name of none so much as of the Emperor CoÌ„stantine himselfe who was the true author and owner therof Briefly except it be the bookes onely of the new Testament and of the olde what is almost in the popes church but either it is mingled or depraued or altered or corrupted either by some additions interlased or by some diminutioÌ„ mangled and gelded or by some glose adulterate or with manifest lies contaminate So that in theyr doctrine standeth little truth in theyr Legendes Portues masse-bookes lesse trueth in their miracles and Reliques least truth of all Neyther yet doe theyr sacramentes remayne cleare and voyd of manifest lyes and corruption And specially here commeth in the mayster bee whiche bringeth in much sweet hony into Popes hiues the maister lye I mean of all lyes where the P. leauing not one cromme of bread nor drop of wine in the reuerent communion vntruly and idolatrously taketh away all substaunce of bread from it turning the whole substaunce of bread into the substaunce of Christes owne body which substaunce of bread if the Pope take from the sacrament then muste he also take the breaking from it for breaking and the body of Christ can in no wise stand litterally together by the scripture Thus then as this is proued by the word of God to be a manifest lye so thinke not much good Reader hereat as though I passed the bondes of modestie in calling it the Archlye or maister lie of all lies Because vppon this one an infinite number of other lyes and erroures in the popes churche as handmaydes doe wayte and depend But forsomuch as I stand here not to charge other meÌ„ so muche as to defende my selfe ceasing therefore or rather differing for a time to stir this stinking pudle of these wilfull and intended lyes and vntruthes whiche in the Popes Religion and in papistes bookes be innumerable I will now returne to those vntruthes and impudent lies which M. Cope hath hunted out in my history of Actes Monuments first beginning with those vntruthes which he carpeth in the storye of the foresayde syr Iohn Oldcastle and syr Roger Acton Browne and the rest And first where he layeth to my charge that I cal them Martyrs whiche were traytors and seditious rebels agaynst the king and theyr Country to this I haue aunswered before sufficiently Now here then must the reader needes stay a little at M. Copes request to see my vanitie and impudencye yet more fully and amply repressed in refuting a certain place in my Latine story concerning the kinges statute made at Leiceister whiche place and wordes by him alledged be these pag. 1â—7 Quocirca Rex indicto Lecestriae concilio quòd fortâ—ssis Londini ob Cabhami fautores non erat tutum proposito edicto immanem denunciat poenam his quicunque deinceps hoc doctrinae genus sectarentur vsqueâ—deo in eos seuerus vt non modo haereticos sed perduelliones etiam haberi aâ— pâ—o inde gemino eos supplicio suspendio simul inceÌ„dio afficiendos statueriâ— c. Eâ— mox Adeo ille vires rationesque intendebat omnes aduersus Wicklenianos Wicleuiani ad temporis decebantur quicunque Scripturas Dei sua lingua lectirarent Vpon these wordes out of my foresayd Latine booke alledged maister Cope perswadeth himselfe to haue great aduauntage agaynst me to proue me a notorious lyer in three sondry pointes First in that whereas I say that the king did hold his parliament at Leicester adding thys by the way of Parenthesis quod fortassis Londini ob Cobhami fautores non erat tutum c. here he concludeth thereby simpliciter and precisely that the Lord Cobham and syr Roger Acton with his fellowes were traytors c. Whereby a man may soone shape a cauiller by the shadowe of mayster Cope For where as my Dialysis out of the texte speaketh doubtfully and vncertaynely by this word fortassis meaning in deede the king to be in feare of the Gospellers that he durst not hold his Parliament at London but went to Leiceister he argueth precisely therfore that the Lord Cobham sir Roger Acton and his fellowes went about to kil the king Secondly where I affirme that the king in that Parliament made a grieuous law agaynst al such did hold the doctrine of Wickliffe that they should be taken hereafter not for heretiques but also for fellons or rebels or traytors and therefore should sustayne a double punishement both to be hanged and also to be burned c. Here coÌ„meth in maister Momus with his Cope on his backe and prouing me to be a lyer denyeth playnly that the king made any suche statute vid. pag. 835. line 6. where hys wordes be these Atqui quod haeretici pro perduellionibus deinceps geminatas poenas suspeÌ„dij incendij luerent vt nugatur Foxus nullo modo illic traditur c. First here woulde bee asked of maister Cope what hee calleth patriae hostes et proditores if he call these traytours then let vs see whether they that followed the sect of wycliffe were made traytours heretiques by the kings law or not And first let vs heare what sayth Polydore Virgil his owne witnes in this behalfe whose words in his xxii booke pag. 441. be these Quare publice edixit vt si vspiam deinceps reperirentur qui eam sequerentur sectam patriae hostes haberentur quò sine omni lenitate seuerius ac ocyus de illis supplicium sumeretur c. That is wherefore it was by publique statute decreed that whosoeuer were founde hereafter to follow the sect of Wyckliffe should be accounted for traytors whereby without all lenitie they shoulde be punished more seuerely and quickly c. Thus haue you maister Cope the playne testimonie of Polydore with mee And because ye shall further see your selfe more impudent in carping then I am in deprauing of histories you shall vnderstand moreouer and heare what Thomas Walden one of your owne catholique brotherhode who was also himselfe aliue a doer in the same Parliament being the prouincial of the Carmelites saith in this matter writing to Pope Martin whose very wordes in Latine here follow written in
regenerated by fayth in Christ before they begin to do any good worke of charitie or any other good deede 10. Item the doctrine of S. Paule perpending the high glory of a Christen mans state in Christ Iesus by faith first setteth him in a perfect peace with almightie God Rom. 5. Secondly exempteth him from all condemnatiō Rom. 8. Thirdly it matcheth him with aungels it equalleth him with Saints and felow citizens of heauen it nūbereth him with the housholde of God and inheriteth him with Iesus Christ himselfe Ephes. 2. Fourthly it adopteth him from the state of a seruaunt to the state of the sonne of God crying Abba father Gal. 4. Fiftly it openeth to him a bolde accesse and entraunce to the high maiestie and throne of grace Ephes. 2. Heb. 4. Sixtlye it subiecteth all thinges vnder him as ministers yea the Apostles themselues in their hiest office death life thinges present thinges to come with the whole worlde besides and assigneth him no spirituall head but onely Christ saying And you are Christes and Christ is Gods 1. Cor. 3. Seuenthly it aduaunceth and setteth him in a spirituall liberty or freedome aboue all terrours of spirite rising either of Gods lawe or mans lawe aboue all dreadfull feares of sinne damnation malediction reiection death hell or purgatory aboue al seruile bondage of ceremonies mens precepts traditions superstitious vses yokes customes or what els soeuer oppresseth and intangleth the spirituall freedome of a conscience with Christ hath set at libertie And requireth moreouer that wee walke and stande stout in that liberty with the free sonne of Sara whereto we are brought and not suffer our selues any more to bee clogged with any such seruile bondage that is to meane although we must be content to subiect our bodies to all seruice to all men yet that we yeld not our spirituall consciences and soules as slaues and seruants to be subiect to the feare or bondage of any terrene thing in this world forasmuch as we are in that part made Lordes and Princes ouer all things whatsoeuer can harme or binde or terrifie vs. Ga. 4. Colloss 2. 11. Item the right vayne of S. Paules doctrine putteth no difference nor obseruation in dayes and tymes Gal. 4. Col. 2. 12. Item it leaueth all meates to be indifferent wyth thankes giuing to serue the necessitie of the body and not the body to serue them Col. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 13. Item it permitteth marriage without restraint or exception lawfull and also expedient for all men hauyng neede thereof 1. Cor. 7. 14. Item it admitteth no sacrifice for sinne but the sacrifice of Christ alone and that done once for all with bloude For without bloud there is no remission of sinne whiche onely is applied to vs by fayth by nothing els Heb. 9. 15. Item as touching the holy Communion by the letters of S. Paule to the Cor. 11. we vnderstande that the vse then amongst them was to haue the participation of the bread called the Lordes body and of the cup called the Lordes bloud administred not at an altar but at a plaine bord or table the congregation there meeting together after the time of their supper where not the minister alone did receaue and the other looked on but the whole congregation togither did cōmunicate with reuerence thankes giuyng not lifting ouer the Priestes head nor worshipyng nor kneeling nor knocking their brestes but eyther sittyng at the supper or standing after the supper According to which forme the Muscouites yet to this day followyng the old rite of the Country although being drowned otherwise in much superstition vse to receaue it after they be risen from their diner standing Experience wherof was seene here at London the first day of October 1569. 16. Item the sayde Apostle besides the sacramentall supper maketh mention of Baptisme or washing of regeneration although he himselfe Baptised but few 1. Cor. 1. of the other sacraments he maketh no mention 17. Item by the same doctrine of S. Paule no tongue is to be vsed in the congregation which is not knowen and doth not edifie 1. Cor 14. 18. Item the rule of S. Paules doctrine subiecteth euery creature vnder the obedience of Kinges and Princes and ordinary Magistrates ordeined of God to haue the sword and authoritie of publike regiment to order and dispose in all thinges not contrary to God whatsoeuer perteineth to the maintenance of the good or to the correction of the euil from whose iurisdiction there is no exemption of vocations of persons whether they be Ecclesiasticall or politicall And therfore to this office appertaineth to preserue peace to set things in lawfull order to conserue Christian discipline in the Church of Christ to remooue offences to bridle the disobedient to prouide and procure wholesome and faithfull teachers ouer the people to maintaine learning and set vp schooles to haue ouersight not onely of the people but also of all Ecclesiastical ministers to see to euery one to do his dutye to remooue or punish such as be negligent also to call Councels and Synodes to prouide the Church goodes to be faithfullye dispensed by the handes of true dealers to the sustentation of the Church of true teachers to the publike necessitie of the poore c. 19. Furthermore by S. Paules doctrine the Ministers and superintendentes of Christes Church haue their authoritie and armour likewise to them limited which armour is onely spiritual and not carnal wherby they fight not against flesh bloud but against the power of darkenes errour and sinne against the spirituall seduction and crastines in heauenly things against the works and proceedings of Sathan the Prince of this worlde in comforting weak consciences against the terrors of the deuil and desperation and finally against euery cogitation lifted vp against Christ to subdue euery celsitude to the subiection and power of Christ Iesu the sonne of God An other briefe recapitulation of the same BRiefly and in a compendious summe to reduce the whole doctrine of S. Paule in these fiue pointes chieflie it consisteth 1. First in setting foorth the grace great loue and good-will and free promises of God the Father in Christ Iesus his sonne to mankinde which so loued the worlde that he hath giuen his owne sonne for the redemption thereof Iohn 3. which gaue his sonne to die for vs being his enimies Rom. 5. which hath quickned vs being dead in sinne Ephes. 2. which so mercifully hath reconciled the world to himselfe by his sonne and also by his ambassadours desireth vs to be reconciled vnto him 2. Cor. 5. who hath giuē his owne sonne to be sinne for vs. 2. Cor. 5. to be accursed for vs. Gal. 3. which by firme promise hath assured vs of our inheritance Rom. 4. which not by the works of righteousnes that we haue done but of his owne mercy hath saued vs by the washing of regeneration Tit. 3. c. 2. The
And as these suffered to in Asia so in Rome suffered Felicitas with her 7 children who vnder this M. Antoninus Verus sustayned also the cruelty of this persecution The names of whose children Bergomensis and other histories doe thus recite Ianuarius Felix Philippe Siluanus Alexander Vitalis Martialis Of whom her first and eldest sonne Ianuarius after he was whipped and scourged with roddes was prest to death with leaden waightes Felix and Phillippe had their braynes beaten out with maules Siluanus was cast downe headlong and had his necke broken Furthermore Alexander Vitalis and Martialis was beheaded Last of all Felicitas the mother otherwise then the accustomed maner was for such as hadde borne Children was slayne with the sword Ex Supplem In the rage of this fourth persecution vnder the raigne of Antonius Pius suffered also good Iustinus a man in learning and Philosophy excellent a great defender of Christian Religion Who first exhibited unto the Emperour to the Senate a booke or Apologie in the defence of the Christians and afterward himselfe also dyed a Martyr Of whom in the history of Euseb. Lib. 4. cap. 16. it is thus recorded That about what tyme or a little before that Polycarpus with other diuers Sainctes suffered Martyrdome in Pargamopolis a Cittie of Asia this Iustinus as is aforesayd preâ—ented a booke in defence of our doctrine to the Emperour to wit vnto Antonius and to the Senate After which he was also crowned with like Martyrdome vnto those whome he in his booke had defended through the malicious meanes and crafty circumuention of Crescens This Crescens was a Philosopher confirming hys lyfe and maners to the Cynical sect whom for because this Iustinus had reproued in open audience and had borne away the victory of the trueth which he defended he therefore as much as in him lay did worke procure vnto him this crowne of Martyrdome And this did also Iustine him selfe a Philosopher no lesse famous by hys profession foresee and declare in hys foresayd Apology telling almost all those thinges before hand which should happen vnto him by these words saying And I looke after this good turne that I be slayne goyng by the way eyther of some of those whom I haue named and to haue my braynes beaten out with a bat or els of Crescens whom I cannot call a Phylosopher but rather a vayne boaster For it is not conuenient to call him a Philosopher whiche openly professeth thinges to him vnknowne and whereof he hath no skil saying and reporting of vs that the Christians be vngodly irreligiouse And all to please and flatter them which are reduced by errour For whether he obiecteth against vs the doctrine of the Christians whiche he hath not read yet is he very malicious and worse then the vnlearned ideotes who for the most part vse not to dispute or iudge of thinges they know not and to beare witnes of the fame Or put case that he had read them yet vnderstandeth he not the maiestie of the matters therein conteined or if peraduenture he vnderstandeth them and doth it for thys purpose that he would not be counted as one of them then is he so much the more wicked and malicious and the bondslaue of vyle beastly both fame and feare For this I testifie of him geuing you truely to vnderstand that for a truth which I declare vnto you how that I haue apposed him and haue put vnto him many questions whereby I know and perceaue that he vnderstandeth nothing But if so be that this our disputatioÌ„ with him hath not come vnto your eares I am ready to communicate vnto you agayn those questions which I demaunded of him whiche things shall not be vnfit for your Princely honour to heare But if ye knowe and vnderstand both what thinges I haue examined him of as also what aunswere he hath made it shal be apparant vnto you that he is altogether ignoraunt of our doctrine and learning or els if he knoweth the same he dare not vtter it for feare of hys auditors which thing as I sayd before is a proofe that he is no Philosopher but a slaue to vayne glory which maketh none accompt of that which his own Mayster Socrates had in so great estimation And thus much of Iustine out of Iustine himselfe Now to verifie that which Iustine here of him selfe doth prophecie that Crescens would and did procure his death Tacianus a man brought vp of a childe in the institutions of the Gentiles and obtayned in the same not a little fame and which also left behinde him many good monumentes and Commentaries writeth in hys booke agaynst the Gentiles in this sort And Iustine sayth he that most excellent learned man full well spake and vttered his minde that the afore recited men were lyke vnto theeues or lyers by the high way side And in the sayd book speaking afterward of certaine Philosophers the sayd Tacianus inferreth thus Crescens therefore sayth he when he came first into that great Cittie passed all other in the vicious loue of children and was very much geuen to couetousnes and where he taught that men ought not to regard death he himself doth feare death that he did all his indeuour to oppresse Iustine with death as with the most greatest euill that was and all because that Iustine speaking trueth reproued the Philosophers to be men onely for the belly and deceauers and this was the cause of Iustines Martyrdome Hierome in his Ecclesiasticall Catalogue thus writeth Iustine when in the Cittie of Rome he had his disputations and had reprooued Crescens the Cinike for a great blasphemer of the Christians for a bellygod and a man fearing death and also a follower of lust and lechery at the last by his indeuour and conspiracie was accused to be a Christian and for Christ shed his bloud in the yeare of our Lord. 154. vnder Marcus Antonius as the Cronicles doe witnes Abb Vrsperg and Eusebius in his Cronicle in the xiii yeare of the Emperour Antoninus Among these aboue recited is also to be numbred Praxedis a blessed virgine the daughter of a Citizen of Rome who in the tyme of Anicetus there Byshop was so brought vp in the doctrine of Christ and so affected to hys religion that she with her sister Potentiana bestowed all her patrimony vpon the relieuing of poore Christians geuing all her time to fasting and prayer and to the burryng of the bodyes of the Martyrs And after she had made free all her famelie with her seruauntes after the death of her sister she also departed and was buryed in peace Under the same Antoninus also suffered Ptolomeus and Lucius for the confession of Christ in a Cittie of Egipt called Alexandria whose history because it is described in the Apology of Iustinus Martyr I thought therefore so to set forth the same as it is alledged in Eusebius declaring the manner and occasion
to note by the waye because this distinction is fathered vpon Cyprian which is false for this Cyprian was not in the time of Iulian not by 200. yeares and so likewise by the other Cyprian which died Martyr vnder Diocletian Of anye Cyprian besides these two we read not Neither is it credible that if there were any such Cyprian he would euer haue written of any such matter of the difference and mutuall nede of ChristiaÌ„ Emperours and Christen Popes When as that Emperour being an Apostata neither regarded Christ nor cared for any Pope About this tyme and vnder the same Emperour Valerianus suffered also Xistus or Sixtus the seconde of that name Byshop of Rome who being accused of his aduersaries to be a ChristiaÌ„ was brought with his vj. deacons to the place of execution where he with Nemesius other hys Deacons were beheaded and suffered Martyrdome Laurence in the same time being also Deacon folowed after complayning to Xistus as one being greued that he might not also suffer with him but to be secluded as the sonne froÌ„ the father To whom the Bishop aunswering againe declared that within thre daies he should folow after In the meane time hee willed him to go home and to distribute his treasures if he had any vnto the poore The iudge belike hearing mentioÌ„ to be made of treasures to be giuen to the poore and thinking that Laurence had great store of treasure in his custody coÌ„maunded him to bring the same vnto him according as the discourse of his storye here vnder written more fully may appeare Which history because it is set foorth more at large in Prudentius Ambrose and other writers and containeth in it mo things in it worthy to be noted of the Reader we haue therfore with the more dilygence here inserted the more ample description of the same to the further admiration of his patience and God his glory shewed in him Now then as order requireth let vs enter the story of that most constaunt and couragious Martir of Christ S. Laurence whose words and works deserue to be as freshe and greene in Christian harts as is the florishing Laurel tree This thirsty hart longing after the water of lyfe desirous to passe vnto it through the straight doore of bitter death when on a time he saw his vigilaunt Shephearde Xistus led as an harmles lambe of harmefull tyrauntes to his death cried out with open mouth and hart inuincible saying O deare father whether goest thou without the company of thy deare sonne Whether hastenest thou O reuerend Priest without thy Deacon Neuer wast thou wont to offer sacrifice without thy minister What cryme is there in me that offendeth thy fatherhod Hast thou proued me vnnaturall Now try swete father whether thou hast chosen a faithfull minister or not Deniest thou vnto him the fellowship of thy bloud to whom thou hast committed the destribution of the Lordes bloud See that thy iudgement be not misliked whilest thy fortitude is liked lauded The abasing of the scholer is the disgracing of the Maister What haue we not learned that worthy Maisters haue obtained most worthy same by the worthy actes of their Disciples and Scholers Finally Abraham sacryficed his onely begotten Isaac Stoned Stephen prepared the way to preaching Peâ—er euen so father declare thy manifold vertues by me thy sonne Offer thou him that proferreth him selfe Graunt that the body of thy scholer may be sacrificed whose mind with good letters thou hast beautefied These wordes with teares S. Laurence vttered not becauâ—e his master should suffer but for that he might not be suffered to tast of deaths cup which he thirsted aâ—ter Then Xistus to his sonne shaped this aunswere I forsake thee not O my sonne I giue thee to wit that a sharper conflict remaineth for thee A feeble and weak old man am I and therefore run the rase of a lighter easier death But lusty and young thou art and more lustely yea more gloriously shalt thou triumph ouer this tiraunt Thy time approcheth cease to wepe lament three daies after thou shalt follow me Decent is it that this space of time come betwene the Priest the Leuite It may not beseeme thee O sweete Pupill to triumphe vnder thy master least it be said he wanted an helper Why crauest thou to be pertaker with me in my passion I bequeath vnto thee the whole inheritaunce Why requirest thou to enioy my presence let weake scholers go before and the stroÌ„ger come after that those without maister may get the victory which haue no neede by maister to be gouerned So Helias left behynde him his beloued Heliseus I yeelde vp into thy handes the succession of my vertues Such was their contention not vnmeete for so godly a priest so zelous a minister striuing with themselues who shoulde first suffer for the name of Christ Iesu. In tragical histories we haue it mentioned that through ioy admiration people claped their handes wheÌ„ Pylades named himselfe Orestes Orestes as truth it was affirmed himselfe to bee Orestes Pylades wishing to die for Orestes Orestes not suffering Pylades to loose his life for his sake But neither of them might escape death for both these louers were gilty of bloud the one committing the facte the other consenting But this our Laurence the Martyr most constant was by no meanes enforced to make this profer sauing onely by his ardent zeale and feruent spirite who thirsting after the cup of Maytirdome had it shortly after filled to the hard brymme Now let vs draw neare to the fire of Martyred Laurence that our colde hartes may be warmed thereby The mercylesse tyraunt vnderstanding this vertuous Leuite not onely to be a minister of the Sacramentes but a distributer also of the Church riches whereof mention is made before in the wordes of Xistus promised to himselfe a double pray by the appresion of one silly soule First with the rake of Auarice to scrape to himselfe the treasuâ—e of poore Christians then with the firy forke of tyranny so to tosse and turmoyle them that they should waxe weary of their Christian profession With furious face and cruell countenaunce the greedy wolfe demaunded where this Deacon Laurence had bestowed the substaunce of the Church Who crauing three dayes respite promised to declare where the treasure might he had In the meane time he caused a good number of poore Christians to be congregated So when the day of his aunswere was come the persecutor straightly charged him to staÌ„d to hys promise Then valiant LaureÌ„ce stretching out his armes ouer the poore sayde These are the precious treasure of the church These are the treasure in deede in whom the faith of Christ raigneth in whome Iesus Christ hath his mansion place What more precious Iuels can Christ haue theÌ„ those in whoÌ„ he hath promised to dwel For so it is written I was hungry ye gaue me to eate I was thirsty and
Phileas the byshop of the Thumitanes a man singularly well learned hath described in his epistle to the Thumitanes the copy wherof Eusebius hath in his 8. booke x. chapter out of the which we meane here briefly to recite somewhat Because sayth he euery man might torment the holy Martyrs as they listed themselues some beat them with cudgels some with rods some with whippes some with thongs and some with cordes and this example of beating was in sundry wise executed and with much crueltie For some of them hauyng their handes bound behynde their backes were lifted vp vpon tymber logs and with certaine instruments their members ioints were stretched forth whereon their whole bodies hanging were subiect to the will of the tormentors who were commaunded to afflict them with all maner of torments and not on their sides onely like as homicides were but vpon their bellies thighes and legges they scratched them with the talents and clawes of wylde beasts Some other were seene to hang by one hand vpon the engine wherby they might feele the more grieuous pullyng out of the rest of their ioyntes and members Some other were suche sort bound vnto pillers with their faces turned to the wall hauing no stay vnder their feete and were violently wayed downe with the payse of their bodies that by reason of their straight binding they beyng drawn out might be more greuously tormēted And this suffered they not onely during the tyme of their examination and while the Shiriffe had to do with them but also the whole day long And whilest the Iudge went thus from one to another he by his authoritie appointed certaine officers to attende vpon those he left and not to be let downe vntill either through the intollerablenes of the payne or by the extremitie of cold they being neare the point of death should be let downe and so were they haled vpon the ground And further they were commaunded that they should shew not so much as one sparke of mercy or compassion vpon vs but so extremely and furiously did deale with vs as though our soules and bodies should haue died together And therfore yet an other torment our aduersaries deuised to augmēt our former plagues After that they had most lamentably beaten them they deuised moreouer a new kinde of racke wherein they lying vpright were stretched by both the feete aboue the fourth stop or hole with sharpe shels or shares strowed vnder them after a strange kind of engine to vs here vnknowen Other some were cast downe vpon the pauement where they were oppressed so thicke and so grieuously with tormentes that it is not almost to be thought what afflictions they suffred Thus they lying in paines and torments some died therwith not a little shaming and confounding their enemies by their singular pacience Some halfe dead and halfe aliue were thrust into prison where shortly after by paynes and woundes of their bodies they ended their bitter life Some again beyng cured of their woundes by their indurance in prison were more confirmed who beyng put to the choise whether they would come to their cursed sacrifice and enioy their wicked libertie or els sustaine the sentence of death did willingly and without delay abide the extremitie remembring with themselues what is written in the Scriptures He that sacrificeth sayth he to straunge Gods shall be exterminate c. Item thou shalt not haue any strange Gods beside me c. Thus much wrote Phileas to the Congregation where he was Bishop before he receyued the sentence of death beyng yet in bandes and in the same exhorteth his brethren constantly to persist after his death in the truth of Christ professed Euseb Lib 8. cap. 10. Sabellicus in his vij Ennead and viij booke sayth that that christened man which tore and pulled down the wicked Edict of the Emperour in Nicomedia beyng stript and beaten that the bones appeared and after washed in salt and vineger was then slaine with this cruell kind of torment But Platina writeth that Dorotheus and Gorgonius exhorteth him to dye so constantly But as all their torments were for their horriblenesse meruailous and notable and therewithall so studiously deuised no lesse greuous and sharpe so notwithstāding therwith were these Martyrs neither dismayd nor ouercome but rather thereby confirmed and strengthened so merily and ioyfully sustained they what so euer was put vnto them Eusebius sayth that he himselfe beheld and sawe the huge and great persecution that was done in Thebaide in so much that the very swordes of the hangmen and persecutors beyng blunt with the great and often slaughter they themselues for wearines sate downe to rest them and other were fayne to take their places And yet all this notwithstanding the murthered christians shewed their meruailous readines willingnes and diuine fortitude which they were indued with with stout courage ioy and smiling receiuing the sentence of death pronounced vpon thē and song euen vnto the last gaspe Hymnes and Psalmes to God So did also the Martyrs of Alexandria as witnesseth Phileas aboue mentioned The holy martyrs saith he keping Christ in their myndes beyng led with the loue of better rewards sustained not onely at one tyme whatsoeuer labour and deuised punishments they had to lay vpon them but now also the second tyme haue done the same and haue borne all the manaces of the cruell souldiors not onely in wordes wherwith they threatned them but also whatsoeuer in deede and worke they could deuise to their destruction and that with most manly stomackes excluding all feare with the perfection of their inspeakable loue towards Christ whose great strength and fortitude cānot by wordes bee expressed And Sulpitius sayth in the second booke of his sacred history that then the Christians with more greedie desire preased and sought for Martyrdome then now they desire bishoprikes Although some there were also as I haue sayd that with feare and threatnings and by their owne infirmitie were ouercome and went backe Eusebius Lib. 8. cap. 3. Amongst whom Socrates nameth Miletius Lib. 1. cap. 6. and Athanasius in his second Apologie nameth the bishop of Licus a Citie in little Egypt whom Peter the Bishop of Alexandria excōmunicated for that in this persecution he sacrificed to the Gentiles Gods Of the fall of Marcellinus the Byshop of Rome I will speake afterwardes For he beyng perswaded by others and specially of the Emperour Dioclesian himselfe did sacrifice whereupon he was excōmunicated but afterwardes he repēting the same was agayne receaued into the congregation and made Martyr as Platina and the compiler of the booke of the general coūcels affirme The number of the Martyrs increased daily sometymes tenne sometymes twenty were slaine at once some whiles 30. and oftentymes 60. and otherwhiles a C. in one day men women and children by diuers kindes of death Eusebius Lib 8. cap. 9 also Damasus Beda Orosius Honorius and others do witnes that there were slayne
Iohn Wickliffe wrote certayne bookes which he called a Dialogue a Trialogue besides many other treatises and works the which he both wrot and taught in the which he wrot the aforesayd and many other damnable execrable articles The which his books for the publication and aduauncement of his peruers doctrine he did set forth opeÌ„ly for euery man to read Wherby beside many offeÌ„ces great hurt damages of soules hath ensued in diuers regions countryes but specially in the kingdomes of England and Boheme Against whom the maisters and Doctors of the Vniuersities of Oxforde and Prage rising vp in the truth and verity of God according to the order of schooles within a while after did reprooue and condemne the sayd Arcicles Moreouer the most reuerent fathers the archbishops and bishops for that time present of CaÌ„terbury Yorke and Prage Legats of the Apostolick sea in the kingdome of England and Boheme did condemne the bookes of the sayd Wickliffe to be burnt And the sayd Archbishoppe of Prage commissarye of the Apostolicke sea did likewise in this behalf determin iudge And moreouer he did forbid that any of those bookes whiche did remayne vnburned should not be hereafter any more reade And agayne these things being brought to the knowledge vnderstanding of the Apostolicke sea aud the generall councell The Bishop of Rome in his last Councell condemned the sayde bookes treatises and volumes commaunding them to be openly burned Most straightly forbidding that any men which should beare the name of Christ should be so hardy either to keep read or expound any of the sayde bookes or treatises volumes or workes or by any meanes to vse or occupy them either els to alledge theÌ„ opeÌ„ly or priuely but to their reproofe infamy And to the intent that this most dauÌ„gerous and filthy doctrine should be vtterly wiped away out of the Church he gaue commaundemeÌ„t through out al places that the Ordinaries should diligeÌ„tly enquire and seeke out by the Apostolick authority and Ecclesiasticall censure for all such bookes treatises volumes workes And the same so being found to burne consume theÌ„ with fire prouiding withall that if there be any such fouÌ„d which will not obey the same processe to be made agaynst them as agaynst the fauourers and mayntayners of heresies And this most holy Synode hath caused the sayd 45. Articles to be examined and oft times perused by manye most reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome Cardinals Bishops Abbots maisters of diuinitye and Doctours of both lawes besides a great number of other learned men the which Articles being so examined it was found as in truth it was no lesse that many yea a great number of theÌ„ to be notoriously for heretical reproued and condemned by the holy fathers other some not to be Catholick but erroneous some full of offence and blasphemy Certayn of theÌ„ offensiue vnto godlye eares and many of theÌ„ to be rashfull and seditious It is found also that his bookes do contain many Articles of like effect and quality and that they doe induce and bring into the Church vnâ—ouÌ„d and vnwholesome doctrine contrary vnto the fayth and ordinance of the Church Wherefore in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ this sacred Synode ratefying and approuing the senteÌ„ces and iudgements of the Archbishops counsell of Rome do by this theyr decree and ordinance perpetually for euer more condemne and reproue the sayd Articles and euery one of them his bookes which he intituled his Dialogue and Trialogue all other bookes of the same author volumes treatises workes by what name so euer they bee entituled or called the which we wil here to be sufficiently expressed and named Also we forbid the reading learning exposition or alledging of any of the sayd bookes vnto all faythfull Christians but so farreforth as shall tend to the reproofe of the same forbidding all and singular Catholick persons vnder the payn of curse that from henceforth they be not so hardy openly to preach teach or holde or by any meanes to alledge the sayd Articles or any of them except as is aforesayd that it do tend vnto the reproofe of them commaunding all those bookes treatises works and volumes aforesayd to be openly burned as it was decreed in the Synode at Rome as is afore expressed For the execution wherof duely to be obserued and done the sayd sacred Synode doth straitly charge commaund the ordinaries of the places diligently to attend looke vnto the matter according as it appertayneth vnto euery maÌ„s duty by the Canonicall lawes and ordinaunces What were these articles here condemned by this couÌ„cell collected out of all his workes and exhibited to yâ— sayd CouÌ„cell to the number of 45. The copy of them foloweth vnder written * Certaine other Articles gathered out of Wickeliffes bookes by his aduersaries to the number of 45. exhibited vp to the Councell of Constance after his death and in the same councell condemned BEsides the 24. Articles aboue mentioned there were other also gathered out of his books to the number of 45. in all which his malicious aduersaryes peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibite vp to the CouÌ„cel of Constance which to repeat all though it be not here needfull yet to recite certayn of them as they stand in that Councell it shall not be superfluous 25. All such as be hyred for temporall liuing to pray for other offend and sinne of simony 26. The prayer of the reprobate preuayleth for no man 27. Halowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders be reserued to the Pope Bishops onely for the respect of temporall lucre 28. Graduations and Doctorships in Vniuersities and Colledges as they be vsed coÌ„duce nothing to the church 29. The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antechrist 30. Such as fouÌ„d build Monasteries do offend sinne and all such as enter into the same be meÌ„bers of the deuil 31. To enrich the Clergy is agaynst the rule of Christ. 32. Siluester the Pope Constantine the Emperor were deceiued in geuing taking possessions into the Church 33. A Deacon or Priest my preach the word of God with out the authority of the Apostolick sea 34. Such as enter into order or religion monasticall are therby vnable to keep Gods commaundements and also to atteine to the kingdome of heauen except they reurne from the same 35. The Pope with all his Clergye hauing those great possessions as they haue be heretiques in so hauing the secular powers in so suffering them do not well 36. The Church of Rome is the sinagoge of Sathan neither is the Pope immediately the vicare of Christ nor of yâ— Apostles 37. The Decretals of the Pope be Apochripha and seduce from the sayth of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles 38. The Emperor and secular Lordes be seduced which so enrich
vnto conscience doth edefy vnto eternall damnation As it is said as touching the restitutioÌ„ of the spoyled goods Chap. Literas porro But to omit the hearing of the word of God for feare of excommunicatioÌ„ of men is a thing which is done against conscience Therefore to omit the hearing of the worde of God for excoÌ„munication doth edefy vnto eternal damnatioÌ„ And therfore coÌ„sequeÌ„tly ought not to be done for feare of any excommunication Wherfore a woman being iudged vnto a man whom she knoweth to be within the degrees of coÌ„sanguinity which Gods law hath prohibited ought not to obey that iudgement least that she offend against God but meekly patiently to sustain the excommunication as it appereth in the chapter before alledged So likewise all true christians ought rather then to offend agaynst God meekly to suffer the excoÌ„munication of men theÌ„ to omit the hearing of the word of God To this purpose also serueth that which is spoken in the 11. quest 3. He that feareth the omnipoteÌ„t God will not presume by any meanes to do any thing contrary vnto the gospell or apostles either contrary vnto the Prophetes or the institutions of yâ— holy fathers By these premises the 2. part o. this article is manifest that all such as do omit the hearing of the word of God for feare of excommunication of men they are already excommunicated And forsomuch as all christians being of lawfull age not repenting at the end shal be counted in a maner as traitors of Christ in the day of iudgement because that they were vnfaythfull seruauntes of Christ. Therefore they which through feare omit the preaching hearing the word of God for the excommunication of men shall be counted as trayers of Christ and shall render account therof vnto the Lord whereupon Chrisostome touching both those sorts in the 41 Homely shewing how the Lord woulde haue some to be teachers and other some to be disciples sayth thus For vnto those which he would haue to be teachers he speaketh thus by his Prophet Esay Ye priestes speak in the harts of the people for if the priestes do not manifest all the truth vnto the people they shall reÌ„der accouÌ„t therof at the day of iudgemeÌ„t And likewise if the people do not learne the truth they shal also geue an account at the day of iudgemeÌ„t It is also made more euideÌ„t by him vpoÌ„ the tenth of Mathew Do not feare them which kill the body least that through the feare of death you do not frely speak that which you haue heard neither boldly preach that vnto all meÌ„ which you alone haue heard in your eares So that hereby alone it is euideÌ„t that not onely he is a betrayer of the truth which transgressing the truth doth openly speak lyes in the stead of truth But he also which doth not freely pronounce or doth not freely defend the truth which he ought boldly to defeÌ„d is also a traytor vnto the truth For like as the Priest is a debter to preach the truth which he hath heard of the Lord eueÌ„ so the lay man is bound to defend the truth which he hath heard of the minister approued by the scriptures which if he do not then is he a traytor vnto the truth For stedfast beliefe with the hart preuayleth vnto righteousnes the confession which is made with the mouth helpeth vnto saluation Thus much writeth Chrisostome Who together with the people meekely bearing the excommunication of the Bishops freely preached truth and the people heard him and so by hys word and his workes he freely taught the truth least he should be a Traytor vnto the truth consequently be counted as a Traytour vnto our Lord Iesu Christ in the day of iudgement And thus the third part of the Article aforesayde is manifest ¶ The defension of the xv Article of Iohn Wickliffe by Iohn Husse IT is lawfull for any Deacon or Priest to preach the worde of God without the authority of the Apostolicke Sea or of his Catholickes Fir I vnderstand here by the authority of the Apostolicke Sea properly his speciall consent authorising And likewise I vnderstand by authority of the Bishop a speciall consent of the Bishop authorising the sayde Deacon or Priest to preach Now as touching the truth of this Article I thus argue like as after matrimony once complete the man and wife may lawfully without any speciall liceÌ„ce of the Pope or Bishop procreate carnall children So likewise Deacons or Priestes by the motion of God through the Gospell of Iesu Christ may lawfully without any speciall licence either of the Pope or Bishoppe generate spirituall children Ergo this Article is true and the antecedent is thus proued For as it is an acceptable worke vnto God for man and wife without the speciall licence of the Pope or Bishop to generate carnall children so it is acceptable vnto him that Deacons or Priests by the motion of God through the Gospel of Iesu Christ should lawfully generate spirituall children without the speciall licence of the Pope or of any other Byshop Ergo the assumptio is true But if any man wil deny this similitude let him shew the diuersitye Yea seing it is worse not to receiue or to choake the seed of Gods word then the carnall seed So contrarywise is it better to receiue and sow abroad that seed of the word of God whereby children might be raysed vp vnto God then to receiue or geue such seede whereby carnall children may be gotten Whereupon our Sauiour in the 10. of Mathew sayth thus whosoeuer doth not receiue you neither heareth your wordes wype of the duste from your feete verelye I say vnto you that in the daye of iudgement it shal be more better vnto the Lande of Sodome and Gomer then to that City Also a Deacon or Priest being sturred by the spirite of Iesus Christ may preache the word of God without the speciall licence of the Pope or Bishop Ergo it is lawful for him so to do The consequent is thus manifest for so much as the spirite of God mooâ—ing the Deacon or Priest vnto the preaching of the Gospell is of greater force then anye prohibition of Pope or Bishop inuented by man Ergo according vnto the rule of the Apostles they ought infallibly to be obedieÌ„t vnto the spirit of Christ which doth so moue them therunto and rather to obey God then man Actes 5. Also by like reason as Heldad and Medad vpon whom the spirit of God did rest did lawfully prophecy without requiring any licence at Moyses handes as it is written Numery 11. by the same reason may the meeek minister of Christ vpon whom the spirite of God doth rest without the requiring any licence either of the Pope or Bishoppe may lawfully preache the worde of God vnto the people And would to God in this behalfe all Prelats had the spirite of Moyses for it is sayd Numeri 11. That when as
of sinnes the vprising of the flesh and euerlasting life Amen And for a more large declaration sayth he of thys my sayth in the Catholicke Churche I stedfastly beleue that there is but one God almighty in and of whose Godhead are these three persons the father the sonne and the holye Ghost and that those three persons are the selfe same God almighty I beleue also that the second person of this most blessed Trinitie in most conuenient tune appoynted therunto afore tooke flesh and bloud of the most blessed virgin Mary for the sauegarde and redemption of the vniuersall kind of man which was afore lost in Adams offence Moreouer I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ our Lord thus being both God and man is the onely head of the whole Christian Churche and that all those that hathe bene or shal be saued be members of this most holy church And this holy Churche I thinke to be deuided into three sortes or companyes Wherof the first sort be now in heauen and they are the sayntes from hence departed These as they were here coÌ„uersant conformed alwayes their liues to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncing Sathan the world and the flesh with all their concupiscences and euils The second sort are in Purgatory if any suche place be in the scriptures abiding the mercy of God and a full deliueraunce of payne The third sort are here vpon the earth and be called the Church millitant For day and night they contend against crafty assaultes of the deuill the flattering prosperities of this world and the rebellious filthines of the flesh This latter congregation by the iust ordinance of God is also seuered into three diuers estates that is to say into priesthood knighthood and the commons Among whom the will of God is that the one should ayd the other but not destroy the other The priestes first of al secluded from all worldlines should conforme theyr liues vtterly to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shoulde they be occupyed in preaching and teaching the scriptures purely and in geuing wholesome examples of good liuing to the other two degrees of men More modest also more louing gentle and lowly in spirite should they be then ano other sortes of people In knighthood are all they which beare sword by law of office These should defend Gods lawes and see that the Gospell were purely taught conforming theyr liues to that same and secluding all false preachers yea these ought rather to hazard their liues theÌ„ to suffer such wicked decrees as either blemisheth the eternall Testament of God or yet letteth the free passage therof whereby heresies schismes might spring in the Churche For of none other arise they as I suppose then of erroneous constitutioÌ„s craftely first creeping in vnder hipocriticall lies for aduauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressours tyrauntes and theeues to see the clergie supported so long as they teach purely pray rightly and minister the Sacramentes freely And if they see them doe otherwise they are bound by the law of office to compell them to chaung their doinges to see all thinges performed according to gods prescript ordinaunce The latter fellowship of this Church are the common people whose duery is to beare their good mindes true obedience to the aforesayd ministers of God theyr kinges ciuill gouernours and Priestes The right office of these is iustly to occupy euery man his facultie be it marchaundise handicraft or the tilthe of the ground And so one of them to be as an helper to an other following alwayes in their sortes the iust commaundementes of the Lord God Ouer and besidés all this I most faythfully beleeue the the Sacramentes of Christes Churche are necessary to all Christen beleuers this alwayes seen to that they be truly ministred according to Christes first institution and ordinaunce And forasmuch as I am maliciously most falsly accused of a misbeliefe in the sacrament of the aulter to the hurtfull slaunder of many I signifie here vnto all men that this is my fayth concerning that I beleue in that Sacrament to be contayned very Christes body and bloud vnder the similitudes of bread and wyne yea the same body that was conceiued of the holy ghost borne of that virgine Mary done on the crosse dyed that was buryed arose the thyrd day from the death and is now glorified in heauen I also beleue the vniuersall law of God to be most true and perfect and they which doe not so follow it in theyr fayth and works at one time or an other can neuer be saned Where as he that seketh it in fayth accepteth it learneth it delighteth therin and performeth it in loue shall cast for it the felicitie of euerlasting Innocencie Finally this is my fayth also that God will aske no more of a Christen beleuer in this life but onely to obey that preceptes of that most blessed law If any Prelates of the Church require more or els any other kinde of obedience then this to be vsed he contemneth Christ exalting hymselfe aboue God and so becommeth an open Antichrist Al the premisses I beleue particularly and generally all that God hath left in his holy scripture that I should beleeue Instantly desiring you my siege Lord and most worthye king that this confession of mine may be iustly examined by the most godly wise and learned men of your Realme And if it be found in all pointes agreeing to the veritie theÌ„ let it be so allowed and I therupon holden for none other then a true Christian. If it be proued otherwise then let it be vtterly coÌ„demned prouided alwayes that I be taught a better beliefe by the word of God and I shall most reuerently at all times obey therunto This briefe confession of this fayth the Lorde Cobham wrote as is mentioned afore and so tooke it with him to the court offering it withall meekenes vnto the kyng to read it ouer The king would in no case receaue it but coÌ„manded it to be deliuered vnto theÌ„ that should be his iudges Then desired he in the kinges presence that an hundred knightes and Esquiers might be suffered to come in vpon hys purgation which he knew woulde cleare hym of all heresies Moreouer he offered himselâ—e after the lawe of armes to fight for life or death in any man liuing Christen or heathen in the quarrell of hys fayth the king and the Lordes of hys Councell excepted Finally with all geÌ„tlenes he protested before all that were present that he wold refuse no maner of correction that shold after the lawes of God he ministred vnto him but that he would at al times with all meekenes obey it Notwithstanding all this the king suffered him to be sommoned personally in his owne priuy chamber Then sayd the Lord Cobham to the king that he had appeled from the
not their owne glory as false prophets doe Signe 30. is that true prophets doe not force vpon the solemne salutatioÌ„s of men as false prophets doe Signe 31. is that false prophets resort to other mens bordes and flatter them for a mâ—ales meate which true propâ—ets doe not Signe 32. is that true prophets doe not hate their enemies as false prophets doe Signe 33. is that true prophets do not persecute men as the false prophets doe Signe 34. is that true prophets preach to those which be not yet conuerted which the false prophets do not Signe 35. is that true prophets chiefly preach in their owne dioces and not in other mens Signe 36. is that faâ—â—â— prophâ—â—â— attributeâ—â— to themselues 〈◊〉 which tâ—â—y neuer die Signe 37. is that false prophets â—o cleaue and leane to logicall and philosopâ—â—call reasoâ— Signe 3â— is that false prophets do loue carrâ—â—lâ— and not spiâ—ituallâ— Signe 39. is that falâ—e 〈◊〉 prophets is hunt after the friendship of the world Whatsoeueâ— doth perishe in the church of God for waÌ„t of preachers shall be required A detestable booke of the Fryers called Euangelium â—â—ernum The eternall and spiritual Gospell of the Fryers condemned with much a do of the Pope â—aurentius Anglicus condemned of the pope Desensio Gulielmi Caâ—endum â— pseudo propheâ—â—s The Pope Antichrist The synagogue of Rome to be great Babylon Ex Nicolao Emerico in libro suaruÌ„ inquisitionum Petrus Ioannes burned after his death Robertus Gallus prophesieth against the Pope The Pope described The visions of Robertus Gallus The state of the church of Româ— described The scholemen and the friuolous questions described The reformation of the church presignified The simonie and auarice of the clergie to be punished The story of R. Grostede Byshop of Lincoln Ex Nic. Triuet Rob. Grostede a Southfolke man borne The commendation of Rob. Grostede The bookes and workes of Rob. Grostede Anno. 1253. The death of R. Grostede Malleus Romanorum Grosthedus The trouble of R. Grost with the Pope An vnreasonable letter of the Pope * Recte dictum fortassis filio * Confectis The Popeâ— vnreasonable letter Excomâ—â—nication â—bused A double â—ommendaâ—ion of B. Grosted The answer of R. Groâ—â—ed to the Pope Power giueÌ„â—o ministers to edificatioÌ„ only not to destruction Two principall princes of darknes Lucifer and Antichrist * He meaâ—ieth either Christ the Church or els Peter and Paule * Idest both to Christ and hiâ— Church Ex Maâ— Paris ad verbuâ— Well sworne maister pope Giles Cardinall defendeth Robâ—rt Grosted to the pope The godly talke of R. Grosted in time of his sicknes Heresis quid Definition of heresie The P. proued here an heretick The saying of Gregory The Pope accused of heresie Certain Aphorismes or articles layd of R. Grosted against the B. of Rome The Pope accused â—n his 〈◊〉 clause 〈…〉 The Pâ—â—â—sed for â—â—â—gating 〈◊〉 then is 〈◊〉 to him 〈◊〉 proued 〈◊〉 to be equal but 〈◊〉 to his preâ—â—cessours The Pâ—â—â— sed for râ—â—â—ing the 〈◊〉 and foundations of his predecessâ—â— Proued thaâ— the Pope â— liue is 〈◊〉 our to hiâ— predecessâ—â— before him And therfore to haâ— no authoritie to infringe the priuilegâ—es of other Popes Proued by example 〈◊〉 Benet thâ— men more auncienâ—â—â— time oughâ— to be prefâ—â—red in higher reuerâ—â—â— The Pope accused for maintainâ—â— of vsurâ— Against râ—â— reâ—s The 〈◊〉 practise of vsurers The Popes Vsurers worse then the Iewes Craftie subtilâ—ie of the Pope to get money Men signed to the holy land sold for money lyke sheepe by the Pope Remission of sinnes solde for money The Pope accused to be iniurious â—â— churches in his prouisions and seleruations The Pope accused to be iniurious to the Abbot of S. Albons The Pope accused for violent extortion The Pope accused for troubling corrupting learned men of the spiritualtie with his temporal aâ—â—ayres The Pope accused for vnlawfull dispensation Ex Mat. Paris The death of R. Grosted Byshop of Lincoln What the reuenues of the Popes Clarkes here in England came to by yeare Ex Cestrensis lib. 7. The Pope stroken with the staffe of Grost Bysh. of Lincoln Anno. 1254. Ex Mat. Paris Ex Flâ—r hist. Senibalde papâ— miserime The Popes new and true stile giuen by Grost Bish. of Lincoln The Pope disquieted in his minde The reuenge of God vpon pope Innocent The Popes army vanquished and confounded The death of Pope Innocent 4. Anno. 1255. A note to the reader concerning the appearing of dead men Dissention betwene the arch of Cant. and the Church of Lincolne Excommunication abused Appellation made to Rome Henry LexintoÌ„ B. of Lincolne A childe crucified of the Iews at Lincolne Ex Nic. Triuet Ex Cestrens l. 7 cap. 34. Ex Flor. hist. The Iewes expulsed out of Fraunce A childe â—â—cumcised â— the Iewes and kept a whole yeare to be crucâ—fied The Ieweâ— aske leaue to depart the realme of England Ex Eâ—loâ—â— Iewes burned at Nâ—â—thampton A Iewe faâ—len into a priuey wold not be takeâ— out for keeping his Sabboth day Superstitious falling noted in Walter arch of Yorke Ex Flo. hist. Superstition in seeking saluation by wronge meanes The Pope iniurious to the Church of England A prebendship of paâ—â—s giuen both of the Pope and of the king at one time to two seuerall persons The Popes donation preferred before the kinges Two Romain clarkes going to complaine were 〈…〉 the way The story of Mat. Paris here ceaseth Pope Alexander 3. maâ—er warre The Popes army slaine Lewlinus K. of Wales warâ—eth against the kyng Lewlinus the K. coÌ„corded Ex Polychro nico lib. 7. Ex autore Eulogij Anno. 1257. Pope Alexander to make shifte for money maâ—eth the king beleue his sonne should be kyng of Apulia Richaâ—de the kings brotâ—er made king of Almaine What câ—â—ill discorde worketh worketh Resignation of the Earledâ—me of Normandy and Angâ—ew Ex Gual Gisburn The conflict skirmish betweene the Northern Welth men and the Southern men in Oxford Variance betweene â—he studentes and the Friers in Paris Variance betweene the Vniuersitie of Oxforde and Cambridge Variance betweene the Archb. of Cant. and the chapter of Lincolne Variance betweene the Archb. of Cant. and the chapter of London Ex Flor. â—â—st Litle peace in the Popes Church Historiâ—s profitable for example The occasions of commotion betweene the kyng and the Nobles Anno. 1260. Straungers hauing all the wealth of the realme vnder the kyng Ex Gualt Gisburnensi The wordes of the Nobles to the kyng The K. gâ—â—â— teth to â—â— Lordes A sitting â—â— the king and Lordes at Oxford The prouiâ—â—ons or lawâ—â— maâ—e at Oxforde The King swearetâ— to the prouâ—â—ons maâ—â— aâ— Oxford The kinges brethren â—gainst the prouisions of Oxford The prouiâ—â—ons of Oâ—forde Ex historiâ— Gâ—alteâ—â— Gisburnensis God grauâ—â— this lawe might take place agaiâ—â— God graâ—â—â— the like 〈◊〉 againe foâ— the wealth of the realm Diuers in this counâ—â— impoisoâ—t The kynâ— repenteâ—â—â— his othe Anno. 1261. The K. sneth to the pope
with vij or viij heynous crimes as blasphemy Idolatry heresie superstition absurditie vanitie crueltie and contrarietie as which neither agreeth with the old learning of their forelders nor yet with thēselues in sundry points yet after a more temperate sort to passe this matter wyth them these ij things I will dare boldly affirme that in this doctrine of the Pope nowe taught in the Church of Rome is neither any consolation of conscience nor saluation of mans soule For seeing there is no life nor soule health but onely in Christ nor any promise of saluation or comfort made but only by faith in the sonne of God what assurance then can there be of perfect peace life or saluatiō where that which onely maketh all is least made of and other things which make least are most esteemed For to say the simple truth what els is the whole course and body of the popes law now set foorth but a doctrine of laws a heape of ceremonies a teaching of traditions a meditation of merites a foundation of new Religions al which conferre not one iote to the iustification of our soules before the terrible iudgement of God And therefore as it may be truely saide this doctrine of the Pope to be voyd of all true comfort and saluation so likewise it seemeth that these which addict themselues so deuoutly to the popes learning were neuer earnestly afflicted in conscience neuer humbled in spirite nor broken in hart neuer entred into any serious feeling of Gods iudgement nor euer felt the strength of the law of death For if they had they shoulde soone haue seene their owne weakenes and be driuen to Christ then should they haue seene what a horrible thing it is to appeare before GOD the father or once to thinke on him as Luther saith without christ And on the contrarye side then shoulde they know what a glory what a kingdome what liberty and life it were to be in Christ Iesus by faith holding their inheritance not with the bondsonne of Agar but with the free sonne of Sara by promise and not by the law by grace and not by works by gift and not by deseruing that god onely might be praysed and not man And thus were the olde Romaines first taughty by S. Paule writing to the Romanes The same did Cornelius the Romaine and first that was Baptised of all the Gentiles learne of S. Peter when he receaued the holy Ghost not by the deedes of the law but onely by hearing the faith of Iesus preached And in the same doctrine the sayd Church of the Romaines many yeares continued so long as they were in affliction And in the same doctrine the byshop of Rome with his Romanes now also should still remayne if they were such auncient Catholickes as they pretende and woulde follow the old mother Church of Rome and holde the first liquor wherewith they were first seasoned But the sweete verdor and sent of that liquor and pleasant must is nowe cleane put out through other vnsauery infusions of the Popes thrusting in so that almost no tast nor peece remaineth of all that primitiue doctrine which S. Paule and other Apostles first planted among the Gentiles And what maruell if the Romanes now in so long tract of time haue lost their first sap seyng the Church of the Galathians then in the very time of S. Paule their Schoolemaister he being amongst them had not so soone turned his backe a little but they were all turned almost from the doctrine of fayth and had much a doo to be recouered againe Of this defection and falling from faith S. Paule expressely foretelleth vs in his letters both to the Thessalonians and also to Timothe where he sheweth that a defection shall come and that certaine shall depart from the faith attending to spirits of errour c. 1. Tim. 4. And to know what errours these shall be the circumstance plainly leadeth vs to vnderstande in the same place where the sayd Apostle speaketh of marked consciences forbidding men to marry and to eate meates ordeined of God to be taken with thankes giuing for mans sustenance most euidently as with his finger pointeth out vnto vs the church of Rome which not in these pointes onely but also in all other conditions almost is vtterly reuolted from the pure originall sincerity of that doctrine which Saint Paule planted in the Churche of the Romanes and of all other Gentiles ¶ The Summe of S. Paules doctrine deliuered to the Gentiles 1. FIrst the doctrine of S. Paule ascribeth all our iustification freely meerly to faith onely in Christ as to the onely meanes and cause immediate whereby the merites of Christes passion be applyed vnto vs without any other respect of worke or workes of the law whatsoeuer and in this doctrine the Church of the Romanes was first planted 2. Secondly the same doctrine of S. Paule cutting of and excluding all glory of mans deseruing stayeth onely vpon Gods promise and vpon grace not mans merites vpon mercy not mans labouring or running vpon election and calling not mans willing c. 3. Thirdly the same doctrine casting downe the strength of man and his integra naturalia as the scholes doe terme them concludeth all fleshe vnder sinne and maketh the same destitute of the glory of God 4. Item it maketh manifest difference betweene the law and the Gospell declaring the vse and ende of them to be diuers the one to kill the other to quicken the one to cōdemne the other to iustifie the one to haue an ende and a tyme the other to be perpetuall c. 5. Item the same doctrine of S. Paule as it sheweth a difference betweene the law and the Gospell so it maketh no lesse difference betweene Iusticia Dei and Iusticia propria that is the righteousnes of God and the righteousnes of man abhorryng the one that is man 's owne righteousnes comming by the law and works and embracing the other which God imputeth freely and graciously to vs for Christ his sonnes sake in whom we beleeue 6. Item it wipeth away al traditions and constitutions of men whatsoeuer especially from binding of conscience calling them beggerly elements of this world 7. Likewise it reiecteth and wipeth away al curious subtilities and superfluous speculations knoweth nothing els but Christ onely Crucified which is onely the obiect whereunto our faith looketh 8. Furthermore as the same doctrine of S. Paule defineth al men to be transgressours by disobedience of one Adam though they neuer touched the Aple comming of his stocke by nature so doth it prooue all men to be iustified by the obedience of one though they did not his obedience being likewise borne of him by spirituall regeneration and faith 9. And therfore as all men comming of Adam be condemned originally before they grow vp to commit anye sinne agaynst the law so all men be saued originally being