the time of Traian the Emperour about the yeare of Iesus Christ 101. In that time were likewise other Bishops as Titus Bishop of Crete and others of whom mention is made in the Acts and in the Epistles of S. Paul that is to wit Apollo Aristarchus Gayus Derbée Iason Erastus Sosipater Tychicus Secundus Syluanus Tertius Quartus Sosthenes Epaphras Iesus the iust Demas Archippus Bishop of the Colossiās Eubulus Pudens Linus Artenas and Zenas and Dionifius Areepagita Bishop of the Athenians 64 In the yeare 65. Annianus was ordeyned Bishop of Alexandria and he gouerned the Church 22. yeares looke the historie Ecclesiasticus booke 2. chapter 23. In the yeare 66. beganne the first persecution which was in the 10. yeare of Nero and it abode vntill his death By the commaundement of this tyrant the citie of Rome was set on fire and for to shunne the report of such an act he laide the fault vpon the Christians and caused them to be executed with sundry kindes of death Those that named thē selues Christiās which name was thē so odious as if they had bene enimies to all mankinde and those that were accused hereof by the prisoners besides the other hurtes and abuses that they suffered abode this approbrie that being clad in beastes skinnes they were bayted torne in pieces with dogs some were attached and hanged on the crosse others burned in the fire so as of them were kindled fires for to giue light in the night Thus Cornelius Tacitus witnesseth 65 Ignatius a disciple of S. Iohn the Euangelist was ordeyned the second Bishop of Antioch he was caried prisoner vnto Rome for to be cast amongest the wilde beastes and to be made a spectacle vnto the people He going through Syria to Rome and passing through the countrey of Asia preached in all places where he went to the people and to the congregation the Christian faith and he exhorted the Christians to perseuere in the trueth and to beware of the infections of heretiques which then beganne to budde and that they should kéepe diligently the doctrine that they had receiued of the Apostles The cause of this persecution was for that hauing reproued in Antioch the idolatry of Traian he was apprehended as a seditious person and as being culpable lesae maiestatis and he was deliuered in charge to tenne souldiers or rather tormentors for to be caried to Rome and to be deliuered to the Lyons Whereof Ignatius him selfe saith I haue fought against beastes from Syria vnto Rome by sea and by land night and day among tenne Leopards c. Ireneus in his 5. booke speaking of Ignatius condemned to be cast vnto beastes affirmeth that he saide I am the wheate of Iesus Christ and I shall be ground with the téeth of beastes so as I may be made the bread of God 66 In the time of Domitian the Emperour who raised vp persecution against the Christians Clement Bishop of Rome which was martyred vnder Traianus instituted in his time Notaries for to write the actes of the martyrs their constancie and patience for an example and perpetuall memorie In the yeare of the Lord Iesus 88. Albilius was ordeyned Bishop of Alexandria and was Bishoppe there twelue yeares 67 Anacletus Bishop of Rome of the nation of Gréekes an Athenian gouerned the Church thrée yeares and two monethes He ordeyned that Ecclesiasticall persons should twise in the yeare haue a Synode or cōgregation for the affaires of the church He by his writings exhorted the people amongest other things that they should honor and reuerence their ministers Who so speaketh euill of the ministers saith he speaketh euill of Christ and he iudgeged him separated from Christ He was martyred in the reigne of Traianus Looke the first volume of Councels 68 Euaristus Bishop of Rome who was martyred in the last yeare of the Emperour Traian ordeyned that there should be elected seuen Deacons in euery citie the which should marke and watch the Bishop in preaching and teaching to the people and these he ordeyned for a testimonie of the worde of God and to the end that none should lay to his charge that he had preached euill and against the trueth He ordeyned that mariage should be openly celebrated in the Church That the Church should obey the Bishop and that the Bishop should neuer forsake his Church so long as he liued no more then the husband should forsake his wife or the wife her husband 69 Quadratus Bishop of Athens a disciple of the Apostles presented a booke of Apologie to Adrian the fiftéenth Emperour for the defence of the Christian faith Aristides an Athenian Philosopher being a faithfull man composed a like booke Wherevpon Adriā sent to Minutius Fondanus deputie in Asia that he should no more persecute the Christians but that if they did any thing contrarie to the lawes he would that iudgement should procéede according to the qualitie of the crime That if any body accused thē slaunderously he willed such a one should be punished for his maliciousnesse and that they shuld haue no harme 70 Polycarpus the disciple of Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle was Bishop of Smyrna in Ionia which is in Asia the lesse beneath Ephesus he liued till he was very olde Ireneus saith that he was ordeyned Bishop there by the Apostles it is very likely in déede that he beganne his ministerie in the second or thirde yeare of Traian S. Hierome in his catalogue saith that he was sent by Saint Iohn the Euangelist he offended in the 68. yeare after the passion of Christ as it is reported Ireneus saith of him that one day as Marcion met him he saide vnto him Take counsel and knowledge with vs Polycarpus aunswered him againe I knowe that thou art the chiefest sonne of Sathan The remnant of the life of Polycarpus was in the time of Marcus Antonius and of Lucius Verus the Emperours The chiefest gouernours of the Empire did then stirre vp such persecution against the christians that it extended to them of the citie of Smyrna whereof Polycarpus had bene Bishop long time and there he was burned when he had serued the Church of God about 70. yeares this was in the seuenth yeare of this saide Emperour As some say he was 80. yeares olde The prayer of Polycarpus that he made before his death is in the fourth booke of the Ecclesiastical historyes 71 In the time of Antonius Pius in the 10. yere of his raigne Marke comming from the Gentlyles was elected byshop of the Church at Ierusalem the which citie after the sacking and spoyle made by Tytus vntill that of Adrian had succéeding by order fiue chiefe Bishops Eusebius maketh mention of them in his third booke and first chapter Then after the spoyle made by Adrian there was no more any Church and congregation gathered together there saue of the Gentyls and they appointed Bishops amongst themselues for the Iewes then bearing armes against the Romaines were at the last discomfited and there were killed
this vice was most daungerous of all others wherewithal the Church was wholly infected He stoode against the orders of monkes and especially the begging sort accusing and blaming them for because they troubled the Churches he alleaged testimonies out the scriptures which made mention of Antichrist and of his adherents and applying it vnto the time present he proued by thirtie nine tokens that the begging Fryers were false Apostles Hee expounded this place of the holy Gospell If thou wilt be perfect go and sell all that thou hast c. Matt. 19. Chap. vers 11. Whereupon the begging fryers doe founde their order and hee gaue to note that this place is not vnderstoode of actuall pouerty as the sophisters doe argue but in habituall that is to say that Iesus Christ demaundeth of vs not that we should cast away and rid off that we haue but that we shoulde be readie whensoeuer the confession of the name of God and the glorie of Iesus Christ shall require to abandon not onely that which we possesse but our owne soule and not onely as it is declared in S. Luke Chap. 14. vers 26. to forsake father and mother yea to hate both them and our owne liues in respect thereof To conclude Iesus Christ wolde that we should forsake all when the confession of the trueth do require Mathew Paris an english historiographer wryteth that in the same time there was greate contention in the vniuersitie of Paris againste the monkes who by multitudes woulde oppugne and beate downe all that they lusted hauing forged a new booke full of errours and blasphemies the which they had renued and intituled Euangelium Aeternum that is to say the euerlasting Gospell which booke they woulde haue published abroade Then for to appease this tumult there were sixe appoynted out of the schole who were at that time the most famous in al the vniuersity amongst whom was Guil. de sanct Amour for to sende vnto Rome to the Pope and to shewe the insolencie and blasphemy of the monkes The monks sent also on their partes and after great contention their errours touching their eternall Gospell was condemned But the Pope with certaine Cardinals and Monkes did not represse the tyranny of these begging monks writing that it was greatly néedefull that such souldiars shoulde become most mightie all abroade These bee the very wordes of Matthew Paris who was in the same time There is also a booke founde to haue bene written in the same time intituled de periculis mundi that is to say of the daungers of the world which the papists attributed to Guillame de sainct Amour making him onely of this opinion but it appeareth to haue béene written by many and conteineth the complaints against this new vermin of monks with an aduertisement to the Church that great euils will come thereby The saide sainct Amour was condemned for an heretike wherevpon rose great adoe betwéene the scholars of Paris but for fulfilling of the Popes commaundement M. William was banished out of Fraunce Some holde opinion that certaine of his bookes are vntill this present day in the lybrarie of Sorbona and many other Doctours haue written the like To conclude we sée that albeit the trueth is dayly reiected and banished yet notwithstanding it groweth vp euery day more and more in time and place For what though it be reiected and banished neuerthelesse for al the great bulwarks that can be deuised against it they can in no wise hinder but that the trueth will shine yea in the middest of the most profounde and thicke darkenesse in the tempests and outrages of our time Wherevppon wee must acknowledge that it is no humaine worke for that it seemeth feble but that it is of God who in his time will bestowe on vs so singular a grace benefite 129 Laurence an Englishe man a doctour of Paris in the yeare 1275. mainteined the opinion of M. Guillam de saint Amour and wrote agaist the Monks one booke containing an admonition to beware of false prophetes and one other booke by which he defendeth the foresaide saint Amour The booke that these Monkes had set foorth afore of the eternall and spirituall Gospell was burned openly and for to couer their filthines and impudencie they made the people beléeue that a certaine monke who was deade long afore had composed the same Petrus Iohannes was about the yeare of our Lorde 1290. which taught and maintained manie thinges against the Pope prouing that he was Antichrist and that the sinagogue of Rome was great Babylon He wrote vppon Mathew vppon the Epistles and vpon the Apocalyps Mention of this Petrus Iohannes is made in Nicho. Emericus in lib. Inquisitionum c. And because the Pope coulde not burne him aliue afore his death he caused his bones to be taken vp and burned Robertus Gillus who being borne of a right noble parentage for deuotion sake was made a Dominicke frier about the same yeare of our Lorde 1290. This man as appeareth by his visions and the prophetie of Hildegardis his visiōs all tend against the spiritualtie of Rome Where in the fift chapter he calleth plainly the Pope an Idole which hauing eyes seeth not neither lusteth to sée the abhominations of his people nor the excessiue enormitie of their voluptuosnes But onely to sée to heaping vp of his treasure and hauing a mouth speaketh not but saith I haue set good men ouer them whiche is sufficient for me to doe them good either by my selfe or by some other And it followeth in the same Chapter woe be to that Idole woe be to the mightie and proude who shall be equall in earth to that Idole He hath exalted vp his name in earth saying who shall bring me vnder Is not my house compared with mightie potentates of the land I am higher then Emperours kings or princes knightes on their horse backe do seruice vnto me That which my fathers had not before me that haue I done to me c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certaine chronicle is declared how God would punish the simonie and auarice of the cleargie with such plague that riuers shoulde runne with bloud c. It is said that there is remaining a gret volume of his visions which are not yet abroade for those which are extant are but a briefe extract out of his visions and reuelations Dante 's an Italian writer a Florentin liued in the time of Lodouicus the Emperour in the yeare 1300. and tooke parte with Marsilius Patauinus against thrée sortes of men which he said were enemies to the trueth That is the Pope Secondly the order of religious men which count themselues the children of the Church when they are children of the diuell their father Thirdly the doctors of decrées and decretals Certaine of his writinges be extant abroade wherein hee proueth the Pope not to be aboue the Emperor nor to haue any right or iurisdiction in the empire He refused the donation of Constantine to be
knowe his true pathes by which this man retyreth out of darkenesse and endeuoureth to leaue off his wicked labours And that the vine which the right hande of GOD hath planted shal be filled with good braunches That he ought to take héede vnto the worde of God and to the Prophetie of Ieremie chap. 22. for to withstande such interprises who saith thus Thou O pastour which hast dispersed my people and hast cast them out of their habitations behold I wil visit vpon thée the malyce of thy enterprises and there shall not be a man of thy séede which shall sit vppon the seat of Dauid nor shall haue any more power in Iuda so that thy nest shal be a desert and ruinous as Sodome and Gomorra Also that if it happen he be not dreaded by these words nor leaue off from his enterprises nor make restitution of that which he hath taken that they finge for him that is so wickedly hardened the hundreth and eight Psalme As for vs wee will singe dayly prayses openly through Iesus Christ to him vnto whome all thinges do obey For to sée the course thereof more narrowely worde for word looke the saide Epistle the whiche hath beene writen out transtated out of an old booke founde in Englande in the Church of S. Alban He that woulde sée it perfectly let him reade the liues of the Bishoppes and Popes of Rome taken out of the great Catalogue of the writinges of England set forth by Iohn Bale 131 In the yeare 1314. or thereaboutes there was a man named Dulcin of Nauarre who blamed the vices of Churchmen and was executed with his wife Those that bee called Dulcins tooke their name of this Dulcin Naucl. They saide that the authority which Iesus Christ hath giuen to the Church was expyred because of the wickednesse of the Prelates and that the Church of Rome was reproued because it was become a whore Also that they were the Church and followed the rule of the Apostles That al the prelates since Pope Syluester haue bene preuaricatours because they lyued not in true humilitie and that therfore they ought to haue no tythes payed them Many of the adherents of Dulcin were taken about 144. persons dwelling in the mountaynes of Piemount 132 In the same time to wit 1315. and in the raigne of the Emperour Henry the seuenth of that name was a good and faithfull man Arnoldus de villa noua an expert Phisition and an excellent Mathematitian Some say that hee was of Chalons others of Narbonna He was at that time iudged an heretike because he saide that sathan had caused all Christian people to erre out of the right way That the faith of Christians then was none other but such a faith as deuils had That those which bee in the cloysters be out of charitie and doe condemne themselues in falsifying the doctrine of Iesus Christ and leading Christians vnto hell That the diuines haue maliciously and wickedly mingled the songes of Philosophers with the holy scriptures That in the sacrifice of the altar the Priest offereth nothing vnto God and that masses do neither profite the lyuing nor the deade He proued by Daniel and by Sybilla Erithrea that Antichrist in full tyrannie did persecute the faithfull Furthermore in his bookes which hee made of medicine hee wrote against the Iacopins that it was lawfull to eate fleshe A cutting sworde against the Thomistes an admonition of Iesus Christ vnto the Christians Of the craftinesse of false Prophets Of miserie of the Cymbals of the Church Of the consummation of the world other bookes He was iudged an heretyke by the Iacopins of Tarracon Lastly being sent vnto the Pope by Fredericke king of Sicilia he dyed in the way and was buried at Genes being a true champion of our Lord. In the yeare 1328. or there abouts Pope Iohn the 23. wrote vnto the gréekes that there was but one onely Church ouer which he was the head and vicar of Iesus Christ To whom the Gréekes aunswered in fewe wordes thus We doe verely beleue that thy power is very great ouer thy subiectes we cannot abide thy extreame pride nor satisfie thine auarice The deuill be with thée for GOD is with vs. By which breuitie of words they declared what was al the maner of the Popes liuing his estate looke thou Maundeuile lib. 7. Marsilius Patauinus compiled and exhibited vnto the Emperour Ludouike a worthy worke intituled Defensor Pacis written in the Emperours behalfe against the Pope Wherin both Godly and learnedly disputing against the Pope he proueth al bishops and Priests to be equal and that the Pope hath no superioritie aboue other Bishoppes much lesse aboue the Emperour That the worde of God ought to be onely the chiefe iudge in deciding and determining causes ecclesiasticall That not onely spirituall persons but lay men also being Godly learned ought to be admitted into generall councels That the Clergie and the Pope ought to be subiect vnto magistrates That the Church is the vniuersitie of the faithfull and that the foundation and heade of the Church is Christ and that he neuer appointed any vicar or Pope ouer his vniuersall Church That Bishops ought to be chosen euery one by their owne Church and Clergie that the marriage of priestes may lawfully bee permitted That S. Peter was neuer at Rome That the Cleargie and Synagoge of the Pope is a denne of théeues That the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leadeth to eternall destruction And the corrupte manners of the Christians doe spring and flow out of the wickednes of the churchmen c. he disputeth moreouer in an other worke of frée iustification by grace and extenuateth merites saying that they are no efficient causes of our saluation but onely fine qua non that is to say that workes be no cause of our iustification but yet our iustification goeth not without them for which his doctrine most sounde and Catholicke he was condemned by the Pope Anno. 1324. by the Popes decree extrauagant Chap. Licet intra Doctrinam Concerning the which man and his doctrine I thought good thus much to commit to writing to the intent men may sée that they which charge this doctrine nowe taught in the Church with the note of noueltie or newenesse how ignorant and vnskilfull they bee in the hystories and order of times forepast Iacobus Misnensis who wrote of the comming of Antichrist In the same hee maketh mention of a certeine learned man whose name was Militzius saith he which was a famous and worthy preacher in Perga He lyued about the yeare 1366. long before Hus before Wicklieffe also In the same his writing hee declareth howe the same good man Militzius was constrayned by the spirite of God to goe to Rome and there publikely to preach that afterwarde before the inquisitour he affirmed the same That the same mightie and great Antichrist the which the scriptures make mention of was alredie come He affirmed
that he had subscribed to the condemnation of Iohn hus and had sayed many things against that good man and against Wiclief who hee saide had openly manifested by wordes the detestable liues of the Bishops and prelates had touched them to the quicke in their books hauing iustly writen and spoken of their misdéedes and peruerse traditions Wherfore he being now by the grace and goodnes of God brought to the same chaire againe he vtterly repented of that horrible sinne and declared that the subscription that he had made was voyde for they had verie wrongfully burned that holy man In the end he being willed to recant then immediately or else he shoulde be vsed as the other was he chose rather to dye And he was condemned to be burned hauing put on him a crown of paper like as Iohn Hus had wher on were painted diuels round about And he saide that Iesus Christe for the loue of him a poore sinner had borne a greater paine and that for the good will that he had shewed him he also woulde go willingly to execution and going he song with prayers himnes and calling vppon God And when the woode was set about him hee cryed with a loude voyce O Lorde into thy handes I cōmende my spirite if you would sée further of him looke Crespin in his booke of martyrs The Bohemians vnderstanding what was done at Constance against the doctours they sacked and spoyled the conuents and monasteries of that countrie and set them on fire and then they withdrewe them selues frō the subiection of the Pope of Rome Looke Naucl. 137 The Realme of Fraunce also at that time was not destitute of true doctours who faithfully executed their charge in declaring the light and the day of the Lord amongst whom Nicholas Clemangis a doctour of Paris and Archdeacon of Bayonna in the yeare 1417. hath left a certaine testimony in wryting touching the corrupt estate of the church shewing forth the fountaine of all mischiefes oppressions and calamities that the Church hath endured and that still it shall abide thorough the horrible violence crueltie tyrannie and insatiable rigour of him who calleth himselfe the heade on the the earth and of his members He saide that the sectes and seditions raysed vp against the Churches by the furies of hel do declare what peace fraternitie they haue amongst them And that the infernall and schismaticall hydra beginning at him that calleth himselfe heade of the Church and budding very abundantly and spreading the rootes by the furies hath infected al the colleges and assemblies thorough the séede of the Viper To conclude I knowe not how in so few words I shoulde comprehende in what a straunge sort hee speaketh of this fountaine and the horrible confusion of the Church of Rome He therefore that will sée more of the wrytings of the saide Nicholas Clemangis which are worthy to bee reade of all faithfull Christians let him looke in the last edition of Iohn Crespin his booke of martyrs fol. 60. Wherupon I say we must note that albeit God doth sufficiently declare vnto vs by his holy word the meane howe to beware of rauening Wolues clad in shéepes rayment and howe we may know them as well by their doctrine as by their works neuerthelesse he hath alwayes raysed vp some good men for to warne his shéepe the more to take héede of false pastours 138 There is no order nor condition of which god doth not know how to draw some to send them into the field to battaile to encounter with false pastours which would so stoutly earnestly maintein superstitions abhominable traditions repugning against his holy worde And amongst others of that time 1418. the history of one excellent Lord of Englande is worthy to bee recorded with the worthyest of the world to wit of Iohn Oldeastel Lorde Cobham knight of the order one of the péeres of England He was one of the chiefest doctours of his time who taught the courtiers that they shoulde serue Christ better then they did He was adorned with excellent vertues and for his noble and vertuous déedes he was promoted to great dignities and honours He had this gifte most excellent that hee cared not greatly for any glorie and honour of the world the which doth soone fade away but hee rather acrounted it all his diguity and felicitie that he might vndertake to doe seruice to the Prince of princes which is Iesus Christ the sonne of God The instructions of Wiclief stoode him in great steade He had such an vnderstanding of the true religion and Godlinesse that he made no difficultie to receiue vnder his protection al those the maintayned the good doctrine and were in daunger therefore Hee sustayned dyuers times great assaultes and daungerous and chiefely the Machinations and secreat practises of wicked Byshops King Henrie the fifte loued him greatly albeit that he knewe the most part of his dealing but at the last hee yelded to the Bishoppes thorough their false reportes and forsooke this noble knight as the furious appetite of the Archbishops and his complices required He was once or twice cyted by the Archbishop He of long time regarded not his curses and excomunications The king sent vnto him an Herault and immediately hee obeyed and went vnto the king He presented vnto him his confession written in which he reciteth by order the articles of the créede and vpon euery article a briese exposition The king wolde not receyue this confession other artycles be founde which he presented to the Archbishop contaning in somme foure poynts where of the one is that he beleueth that in the sacrament of the supper we receyue the body of Christ vnder the kindes forme of bread and wine the same body that was borne of the virgin Marie was crucified dead and buried and lastly rose againe the third day after his death and was exalted to the right hand of the father immortal and tryumpheth now for euer with him being partaker of his eternall glorie And as concernyng the sacrament that they call penitence or penaunce he hath written therof worde for worde his faith saying thus I beléeue that it is very necessarie for euery one that aspireth vnto saluation to wit that hee must repent of his life passed by a true confession and contrition vnsained that in such sort as is set forth in the holy scriptures otherwise there is no hope of saluation Concerning their thirde sacrament he saide touching images that it doth not appertaine to a true fayth true it is the since Christian faith was brought into the world they also were put in exercyse thorow permission to serue for a kalender as they call yt to the ignorant to the ende that by the view thereof they mighte the more easily see the passions holy examples as well of Christ as of his faythfull and holy seruantes but sythens that there is such abuse of that representation and that men do attrybute vnto the images of Saints that which is
S. Paul to the Romaines and to the Hebrewes vppon the Gospell of S. Iohn and vpon the Canonicall epistle He departed out of this life at the end of Nouēber in the yeare 1531. Whoso wil read more largely of his life let him read Simon Gryneus Wolfgangus the booke of Martyrs Bucer a learned man was also in the time of Luther and Zuinglius hee gaue also greate light throughout all Christendome not only by pure doctrine but also by holinesse of life Iohn Caluin in the preface of his comentaries vppon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romaines speaking of certaine good deuines of that time and naming expresly Bucer saith of him in these wordes This man besides the profounde and excellent knowledge that he had in many matters besids the fine wit and that he had read much and besids many and sundrie vertues that he had in which none at this present doth excell him yea few comparable to him had this prayse proper and particular that none of his time applyed himselfe more to the interpretation of the holy scripturs and that with greater diligence then he He was sent for from Strausbourg to refourme the Churches of Colloine He preached to the godly being in great daunger amongest the Spaniards at that time the Emperour came down through Rhein who by his ambassadours did earnestly intreate the Archbishop to giue him libertie He for religion fled into England whereas hee was courteously intreated and had the charge of interpreting the holy scriptures in the vniuersitie Hee was diligent in writing Comentaries and sundrie workes And amongest other towarde his latter yeares he composed a booke of the kingdome of Iesus Christ our Sauiour which hee gaue to the worthie kinge of Englande shewing the way how the reformation of true Christian religion must be had and howe a Realme and Christian common weale ought to be gouerned according to the will of God A booke worthie to bee read of kinges princes and Lords The seauen and tweentith day of Februarie in the yeare 1551. Bucer departed this life at Cambridge and was honourably buried and praysed by Epitaphes of learned men Looke Sleidan in his historie of religion and of the common weale in the booke of Martyrs 145 Phillip Melancthon an excellent man in doctrine prudence and pietie was borne in the yere 1497. in a citie called in latine Bretta appertayning to the Prince Palatine He was a doctour in the Church and vniuersitie of Wittemberge He disputed against the aduersaries of the puritie of Gods true seruice diuers times with liuely infallible argumēts by which he shewed what good true foundation he had vppon the holy scriptures whereby he confounded all the aduersaries He made and composed diuers bookes aswell of humanitie as also Commentaries and common places vppon the holy scripture which be extante at this present He liued 63. yeares and died in the yeare 1560. and was honourably buried Peter martyr a Florentine a doctour and professour in diuinity in a Church of Zurich in Suisse wrote the Cathechisme in Italian that is the exposition of the principall articles of Christian religion He made a treatise of the sacrament of the Eucharistie and many Commentaries both on the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romaines and to the Corinthians and also vppon the Iudges and Samuel with others Augustine Marlorate hauing a certaine time exercised the function of a good and faithful pastour in the seignieuries of Berne was at the last elected minister of the Church of Rouan in which he faithfully discharged his duetie and therefore was taken and hanged he dyed constantly yelding vp his spirite to the Lorde in the yeare 1569. He had a great dexteritie in collecting the opinions of the Doctours aswell olde as newe vpon Esay Genesis and the Psalmes and on the new Testament also wherevnto he added his own he made certaine pretie treatises and amongst others one of sinne against holy the Ghost Musculus a Germaine a Doctour in the Church of Berne made diuers good and large commun places vpon the holy scripture and also good commentaries that be founde til this present He dyed in the said citie of Berne was honorably buryed 1563. 147 Amongst al others the bookes of Iohn Caluin minister of the word of God at Geneua can sufficiently testifie with what faithfulnesse singular giftes graces God had adorned him according to the necessitie of the time And what constancie he had in mainteyning the Lords quarell To be short in as much as his works be yet extant and his memoriall rife I will make of him no further discourse referring the reader to his works that he hath written Nowe yée may sée by this discourse howe God hath from the first creation of Adam and Eue had and conserued his Church and hath thorough all ages raised some vp and giuen them knowledge of his trueth and hath by weaklings of the worlde ouerthrowen whole garrisōs of the wicked worldlings to the end that all men might know that the Lorde alone is almightie that his light is vnquenchable his power infinite his mercy towards his vnspeakable and that although he suffereth wickednesse to florish for a time yet he wil whē he séeth time make his kingdome triumph ouer all To which God thrée persons and one eternall deitie be all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen FINIS A Table containing the dinumeration or catalogue of the Doctours of the Church of God of whom mention is made in the discourse following GOd by his sonne and spirite instructed Adam and Eue and from time to time made him to haue vnderstanding in his church Adam was ordeyned a Bishop and Doctour thorough the promise that was made of the seed of the woman 1. Of the sonnes of Adam were Doctours of the Church Abel 2. Seth was substituted vnto the ministerie 3. Enos Cainam Malaleel Iared 4. He noch an excellent doctour amongst the fathers who also was transported vnto God out of this miserable life to an euerlasting life 5 Mathusalem 6 Lamech These nine before named being excellent personages were helpers vnto Adam in the Doctrine and worke of the Church for to teach and instruct the true seruants of God 7 After them succeeded in the gouernment of the Church Noe. 8 Sem the sonne of Noe a Doctour of the Church of God 9 Arphaxad the sonne of Sem. Sale Heber Phaleg Reu. Sarug Nachor Thare the father of Abraham This is the first order of the doctors of the church of God to wit the order of the fathers whose gouernance endured about the space of 2023. yeares The second order of the gouernours of the Church of God is of the Patriarches Abraham with his posteritie bare rule and guided the Church of God and Isaac succeeded him 11 Iacob a bishoppe of the church of God for his time And afterwarde did succede the twelue Patriarches and Cahat the sonne of Leui. Amram the sonne of Cahat and father vnto
A TESTIMONIE OF THE TRVE Church of God CONFJRMED AS WELL BY THE DOCTRINE AS LIVES OF SVNDRY HOLY MEN BOTH PATRIARKES AND PROPHETES AND ALSO BY THE APOSTLES AND THEIR TRVE SVCCESSOVRS WHEREIN IS MANIFESTLY SHEWED HOW THAT GOD hath in all ages raysed vp some yea euen in most horrible darkenesse which haue beene faithfull Stewards and true dispencers of his will with a Catalogue of their names TRANSLATED OVT OF French by William Phiston AT LONDON Printed by H.M. for Thomas Charde at the signe of the Helmet in Pauls Church yarde TO THE WORTHIE AND RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL M. A. Nowell Deane of Paules William Phiston wisheth the enioying of all true felicitie IF that Philosophie which is but an obscure and vnperfect knowledge of things naturall and morall hath beene so highly esteemed amongest the Paganes not onely with those nations which were holden for ciuil and best gouerned but also with those of the barbarous sorte like as witnesseth Diogenes Laertius writing of the liues and sentences of Philosophers that the Persians had their Magi the Babylonians Assyrians their Chaldaei the Indians their Gymnosophistae the Gaules their Druidae whiche were also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whome these nations honoured and held for their knowledge in great price why shoulde not we much rather who liue not onely vnder a verie temperate Climate and are a nation not onely accounted amongest those which are called ciuill but whereas Philosophie I meane not that of thinges naturall or morall such as was vsed and esteemed among the heathen but whereas the Christian and verie true Philosophie is professed all abroade and of some I doubt not imbraced reuerently esteeme the memorie of such as bee or haue beene wise philosophers and profounde expositours and instructers of the true deuine and right spirituall and heauenly knowledge which doctrine we ought withall earnest diligence to seke and with most ioyfull heartes to imbrace chiefely for the excellencie there of which is exceeding all humane science as far as the heauen is distant from the earth and also in respecte of our owne benefite because it maketh vs partakers of the verie diuine and spirituall knowledge of Gods omnipotent goodnesse shewing vs the way to eternall felicitie for which doctrine spiritual philosophie our profit receiued thereby although we ought to attribute the whole and chiefest glorie and thankes vnto God alone the onely author thereof yet it will be profitable to register imperpetuall memorie the names of some godly setters foorth of the saide trueth whose memoriall may serue to incite others to follow the like zeale godly vertues not that they shuld be estemed Gods to haue won heauen with their merites after the iudgement of heathen infidels nor yet to be prayed vnto for as Caluin truely reporteth God alone will haue the seignieure and will be exalted in his people as indeed of right he is most worthie in asmuch as he is the Lorde of all and our onely benefactor and patrone In consideration whereof I haue demed it not amisse right worthie and worshipfull to be cause of publishing this present discourse partly to the end that such as haue not either monie at wil to buy it or not sufficient laysure to reade ouer M. Foxe his booke of Martyres would willingly seek for the antiquitie of the same faith and religion that true Christians nowe holde and imbrace may haue for a small price wherein to find the same somewhat effectually and partly for that men may see howe that in other realmes whereas great persecution and tyrannies haue beene begonne and cruelly executed and especially in the countries of Allemaigne France yet vnto this day many do resist against as their forefathers haue some in all ages done withstand the rage of Antichrist and his hirelings that notwithstanding the vprors caused in France of late yeares with the great effusion of bloud moued by Sathan against the flocke of Christ besids the innumerable multitude of other valiant souldiars and professours of Christes trueth some haue maugre the heard of Gods enemies published the worthie gestes of Gods true seruants through al ages to the encouraging of their godly successours to the opprobrie condemnation of the wicked as may appeare by Iohn Crespin others mētroned in this present discours Which discourse I haue thought good to offer vnto your worship as to a true patron of godlines vertue beseching you to accept herein of my simple good will Tui obseruantiss W. Ph. SIMON DE VOYON TO ALL THOSE THAT DESIRE TO BE OF THE SAME CHVRCH AND TRVE RELIGION OF GOD THE which hath beene from the beginning of the world and shall be for euermore health and peace through our Lord Iesus Christ ALbeit that many good and learned men haue made mention in their books of the doctors of the Church of God yet I haue ben of this opinion that it will not be a thing vnprofitable at this present to publish vp̄o the like matter this present discourse being collected out of diuerse authours and compiled in one after the manner and fashion that you see deeming that it will be profitable to many who haue not leasure at wil to read much to see hereby vnderstand of a continuall order of good doctors wh̄o God hath raysed vp from the beginning of the world vntil this present time how God hath euerlastingly collected for himselfe a perpetuall Church through the word of the gospell from this masse of sinne that is to say of men amongest wh̄o the gospel which we heare at this present hath at all times shinned in the middest of most thicke darkenesse And hereby we may see and vnderstand that there neuer hath ben any maner of religon neither can be which hath continued so long and hath had such efficacie and vertue so continuall an order such and so wonderful a doctrine conteined in the holy scriptures as hath the Church of God had the which like as shall be shewed in the discourse following God himself hath minded euer since the beginning of the worlde to teach declare by the voice of his own son after that he hath sēt his doctrin before by the ministerie of the holy fathers Patriarches Prophetes Gouernours Priestes and Apostles and lastly hath conserued the same by a singular grace and goodnesse vntil this present time through faithfull Bishops and good pastours and doctours of the Church of God being sent frō time to time and still placed in the roumes of others their predecessours the which same shal be conserued also defended by a singular grace and goodnes of God euen vnto the glorious comming of his sonne our lord Iesus Christ And thus seing that God himselfe hath established blished and ordeined the ministery of his word which we at this present do follow we nede not to dout but that he doth and will alwaies mainteine the same as may easily be vnderstoode by the effectes of all tymes For
and deputed for the gouernance Ecclesiasticall were these to wit the Prophetes Nathan and Gad and the high Priest Sadoc and Abimelech with them a great companie of holy and wise personages of whome is witnessed in the bookes of the Psalmes as Asaph the sonne of Chore Haman Ethan and others 19 Salomon the sonne of Dauid succéeded his father by whome he had left him a great deale of costly stuffe wherewith he beganne to build in the fourth yeare of his reigne a Temple for the Lorde the which in seuen yeares after was finished He wrote the bookes of the Prouerbes of Ecclesiastes and the booke called Cantica canticorum he kept the gouernement by the space of 40. yeares lastly the kingdome was deuided and brought to confusion bicause of his adulteries and such other wickednes Then albeit that the true doctrine of God and his right seruice were darkened and polluted and that abhominable idolatries were brought in by Salomon being nowe olde and corrupted through the entisements of women which abhominations were afterward maintained also and augmented by the wicked and vnfaithfull Kinges of Israel as Ieroboam Nadab Baasa Ella Simri Amri and Achab and furthermore by the wicked Kinges of Iuda as Roboam and Abias yet notwithstanding the Lord did not suffer his Church to be vnprouided for for he raysed vp still some good men as in the kingdome of Roboam was the Prophet Semeia who instructed both him and the Princes of Iuda of the will of the Lord. The Prophet Ado was also in that time 1. Kings 12.2 Chron. 12. Ieroboam offering sacrifice vnto the golden Calues 1. Kings 13. Was reproued by the prophet Iadi of whome is made mention 2. Chron. 9. chap. vers 29. In the same time was also the prophet Ahias who speaking vnto the wife of Ieroboam told her that the king her husband did prouoke the Lord vnto anger with his idolatries he shewed also of the vengeance that would light vpon him for his sinnes 1. Kings 14. Azarias the prophet exhorted Asa the King of Iuda to put idolatrie away out of his realme which thing the King did in déede 2. Chron. 15. Hanani séeing this reproued the saide Asa for bicause he did put his trust in the king of Syria and not in God 2. Chron. 16. Iehu the prophet by the word of the Lord threatened Baasa the king of Israel bicause he walked in the way of Ieroboam causing the people to sinne 1. Kings 16. To conclude other good prophets were raised vp by GOD for to conserue and mainteine his true seruice for to rebuke also the Kings and people for their idolatries and abhominable misdoings as were Elie the Thesbite and Iosue the sonne of Nun of whom mention is made in the fift booke of Kings chap. 16. at the end of the chapter 20 Elie the Thesbite was in the time of Achab the King of Israel and was diuinely raised vp for to purge againe the doctrine and to kindle againe the light thereof This man sustained terrible combats and battels against king Achab a man full of hypocrisie and vnfaithfulnesse and against the cruell Quéene Iezabel and against the priestes of Baal He wrought great myracles he through his prayers shut vp and opened againe the heauens he also raysed againe men from death and lastly after that he had gouerned the Church more then 40. yeares and had sustained many and great dangers was diuinely caried vp into heauen with a whirlewinde This nowe was done in the middle age of the world for Elias was raised vp when the world had continued 3000. yeares after the creation By this God would haue vs to vnderstande that he hath reserued an other life for his faithfull seruants wherevnto they must be translated 21 Eliseus was substituted in the roome of Elias who sustained great and maruellous dangers wrought myracles discouered the ambushments of the king of Syria 2. Kings 6. Hauing gouerned the Church almost 70. yeares He dyed in the time of Ioas king of Israel The prophetes of his time were Micheas which was before him whose prophecie we haue amongst vs vntill this present time after him was Zacharie the sonne of Ioiada the priest in the time of king Ioas. 22 Isaias or Esay succéeded immediatly after who beganne to prophecie in the dayes of Ozias Ioathan Achas and Ezechias teaching purely the trueth of God with admonitions reproofes threatnings consolations applying the doctrine as a soueraine medicine according as he sawe the people haue néede He set foorth faithfully many good prophecies and reuelations which he had receiued of God concerning the promise of Christ his office and kingdome the fauour of the Lord toward his Church the calling of the Gentiles and the felowship of them with the Iewes like as is sufficiently set foorth and declared in his booke the which is a collection extracted of the Sermons that he made vnto the people euen as be the bookes of the other prophets for the custome was amongest the prophets after that they had expounded and declared vnto the people the doctrine and will of God to compile a briefe summarie of their preachings and to set them vp on the gates which were afterward laide vp and reserued for a perpetuall memorie like as may be gathered out of the second chapter of Abacuc and out of the eight of his booke Thus the Lorde through his prouidence hath conserued in his Church by the meanes of his ministers of the Temple the doctrine that at appointed times was put in the mouthes of his prophetes to the intent that as he hath alwaies bene and is alwayes one and the very same God alwaies one and the same spirit constant and vnchangeable so one and the very same doctrine being pure and stedfast should continue in his Church for euer The prophetes which were in his time are Ionas Amos Micheas Osée Nowe Esay after that he had done great things he gouerned the Church about 80. yeres In his time the kingdom of Israell was destroyed bicause of the vngodlinesse they were caried away captiue by Salmanazar king of Assyria It is found by writings that the king Manasses caused Esay to be cut asunder in the middest 23 Ieremie endued with the spirite of God for to prophecie beginning by the commandement of the Lord in the 13. yeare of Iosias continued ten yeres vnder his reigne afterward he abode thrée monthes vnder Ioachaz 11. yeres vnder Eliacim surnamed Ioacim other thrée monethes vnder Ioacim and lastly vnder Zedekias 11. yeares euen vntill the carying away vnto Babylon and the deliuerance of him 70. yeares after He also foreshewed the destruction and ouerthrowe of many kingdomes and nations and howe they should be brought vnder the power and obedience of the Babylonians and finally he foretolde of the decay and bringing to confusion of proud Babylon with all the tyrannie there vsed and that this should by brought to passe by the handes of the Medes and of the Persians their
neare neighbors Moreouer the saide prophet vsed very good exhortations and instructions amongest the people in setting before their eyes the threatenings of the Lorde and the execution of his iustice which drewe neare bicause of the obstinacie and stubbornesse in their iniquitie he ministred also cōsolation in shewing their deliuerance and comfort that the Lorde would send them after their afflictions and this did he for to strengthen the faith and confidence of the faithfull the which he sent principally vnto Christe as vnto the fountaine of all deliuerance and to the felicitie of his kingdome and comming of whom he also made mention in many places of his booke He gouerned the Church more then 40. yeares and liued after the desolation of Ierusalem He then séeing this desolation and abiding many troubles and persecutions he had foretolde thereof and afterward sawe it with great anguish of heart when he was olde He was led away into Egypt wheras he rebuked boldly the people and their principal gouernours He was afterward stoned by Tahaphnes and died The prophets that were in his time were Sophonie Abacuc Abdias 24 Daniel being but young was in the time when Ieremie was olde and was instructed vnder him He was caried away to Babylon with the king Ioacim in the third yeare of his reigne and in the yeare since the creation of the world 33 44. The Lorde who had defended him from danger willing to haue him serue for the profit of his Church adorned him with many graces and excellent gifts and amongst other giftes with the spirit of prophecie as appeareth by that that is contained in his booke whereas he declareth the reuelations which he had receiued of GOD touching the estate of the world vnder the foure Monarchies vntill the end thereof He foreshewed also the time of Christes cōming the excellencie of his kingdome the power giuen vnto Antichrist for to annoy the faithfull children of GOD and the time howe long this power shall continue lastly the iudgement that shal be executed by Christ a King triumphant for the exaltation and glory of his faithfull seruants and for the ruine and destruction of the wicked Now after that this Daniel had wrought great things in Babylon as well concerning the order of the Church as the ciuill policie and gouernement and hauing giuen a great light to the true doctrine of God amongest his people He gouerned about 90. yeares 25 Ezechiel beganne to prophecie in the time of king Ioacim surnamed Iechonias shewing him the danger that he was in in declaring to him that which the Lorde had determined to doe concerning the destruction and ruine of Ierusalem bicause of the sinnes of the people that had prouoked the wrath and iudgement of GOD against the same citie the which Nabuchodonozor the king of Babylon did at that time besiege and forced the people afterwards to yelde them selues captiues He foretolde also and declared what was to come as well to the Iewes as to other nations thereaboutes 26 Osée the sonne of Beeri beganne to prophecie in the times of Ozias Ioas Achas kings of Iuda and in the time of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel and as a true prophete he shewed vnto his people which was the kingdome of the ten tribes their sinnes and iniquities and he reproued them euery one of their execrable idolatrie wherby they heaped vp against them selues the wrath and vengeance of God shewing vnto them that the rod of his iustice was stretched out against them and exhorting them to repentance and a true conuersiō He foretolde them of their captiuitie into Assyria Afterward he added a consolation for the faithfull assuring them of their deliuerance by the meane of the deliuerer promised by the Lord vnto his Church 27 Of Ioel the Hebrues be vncertaine in what time he was a prophet Some iudge that he was in the time of Manasses But we néede not be so curious in séeking out that matter for if it had bene so necessarie it should not haue bene omitted by the holy Ghost which inspired this prophet to exhort the people vnto a conuersion and true repentance and incited them to haue recourse to the grace and mercy of God in contemplation of the only bountie and frée liberalitie grounded vpon the Messias and true annoynted of the Lorde of whose kingdome he made demonstratiō with the excellent riches thereof which bee the giftes and graces of the spirite of god the which he hath foreshewed that they must be bestowed and distributed vnto faithful seruants whom God shal haue appointed for the dispensation of the ministery of the saide kingdome as S. Peter expoundeth Actes 2. 28 Amos being a shepheard and a simple man was wonderfully instructed by the Lorde and moued by his spirit in the time of Ozias king of Iuda and of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel He declared and shewed vnto the Church of GOD the mysteries touching the displaying of sinnes and exhortation to repent and amend and a sure hope of saluation by the meane of the Messias whose comming and kingdome he spake of before He prophecied first against the vnfaithfull nations which dwelt neare to the people of Israel afterward against the kingdome of Israel to wit of the tenne tribes and then consequently against the kingdome of Iuda and the Temple of the Lorde foretelling of the afflictions that would happen vnto them bicause of their iniquities 29 Of Addias the prophet some do iudge that it was he who in the time of the persecution caused by Achab Iezabel did hide in a caue an hundred prophets 1. Kings 18.3 Others thinke that he was an Idumean and that he gaue wholy him self vnto the Lord in receiuing his lawe In this matter we néede not be greatly scrupulous but rather in the doctrine and prophecie that he had receiued of the holy Ghost the which in as much as he in his booke threateneth the Idumeans doth teach vs of the vengeance and iudgements of God against the aduersaries of his Church and of the deliuerance and conseruation therof of the which he prophecied and of the kingdome of Christ 30 In Ionas may be séene the doctrine set forth in the Church concerning the death and resurrection of Christe and the publishing of the Gospel the which must be wrought among the Gentiles after the saide resurrection euen as Ionas shewed and declared after that he came out of the whales belly publishing the word of the Lord in Niniuie the chiefe citie of the Monarchie of the Assyrians And like as Ionas profiting not amongest his owne people was sent vnto strangers and Infidels the people of Israel continuing blinde so the Lord hath transported his Gospell from his owne peculiar people who contemned it and hath giuen it to the Gentiles leauing that people in blindnesse and obstinacie bicause of their contempt It appeareth by that which is written in the first of the Kings 14.15 what Ionas was and in what time he
Actes of the Apostles Origine in his thirds tome vpon Genesis saith that Peter preached in Pontus Galatia Asia Bythinia and Cappadocia amongest the Iewes that were dispersed He had a Church in Babylon as he him selfe witnesseth in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle likewise in Phenicia and Syria in Lyre Sidon Selencia Cilicia Pamphilia Pisidia Attalia Lycaonia Also in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bythinia Mysia and Phrigia Saint Peter hath written vnto these The seuen Churches of Asia be named in the Apocalypse that is to say Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatira Sardus Philadelphia and Laodicea Aboue all others the Church of Antioch had the same whereas the disciples were first named Christians Hierome Nicephorus Euthalius the Deacon and others do say that Peter was crucified the 14. yeare of Nero which was the 37. yeare after the conuersion of Saint Paul How then can it be that Linus Bishop of Rome succéeded him in the seat Apostolike as some would mainteine euen vntil this present time séeing that Linus was martyred a yeare before Saint Peter For a simple restorer of the Papacie doth thus write who hath made two great bookes of Councels the which were composed in the citie of Colloine Hereby may be séene howe firme the foundation of the Papacie is If Linus were chiefe Byshop of Rome in the time of Nero it is most certaine that Peter was not 53 Andrewe the brother of Peter preached the Gospell vnto the Scythians and vnto the Sogdiens and Satians as Saint Hierome writeth 54 Iames the iust the brother of our Lord Iesus as S. Hierome writeth gouerned the Church at Hierusalem thrée yeares that is to wit vntill the 7. yeare of Nero and he was cast from the top of the Temple downe by the commandement of the sonne of Annas then high Priest after was stoned and lastly slaine with a fullers beame 55 Iames the sonne of Zebedée brother of Iohn the Guangelist as Saint Hierome writeth preached the Gospell vnto the tribes of the Iewes that were dispersed In this time great persecution arose by Herode Agrippa against the Christians in which Iames the brother of Iohn was beheaded Actes 12. Peter was cast in prison but the Angel of the Lord wonderfully deliuered him thence 56 Matthewe who from a Publicane was called by Iesus Christ to the office of an Apostle He first wrote his Gospell in Iewrie in the Hebrue tongue for those that were of the Circumcision and afterward it was translated into Gréeke as appeareth at this present He preached the Gospell in Ethiopia Bartholomewe in India Matthias in the other Ethiopia whereas the riuer Asper doth enter into the port of Hisse Phillip preached in Samaria whereas was a Church gathered together againe after the death of Stephan In Azotus he assēbled a Church thence he went to the cities and townes by the sea coast 57 Thomas as it is found written preached the Gospell to the Parthians Medes Persians and in Germanie to the Hircanians and to the Bactrians and Magians Saint Hierome also writeth that Simon Cananeus surnamed Iudas brother to Iames the iust succéeded his brother Iames in the gouernement of the Church at Ierusalem and that he liued 120. yeares notwithstanding Eusebius according to Egesippus saith that Simon the sonne of Cleophas was substituted in the roome of Iames. He saith that he liued 120 yeares and that he was crucified in the dayes of Traiane the Emperour 58 Iohn the Apostle the sonne of Zebedée gouerned the Church at Ephesus of which thing Ireneus hath also made mention True it is that the Church at Ephesus was founded by Paul but it was edified by Iohn who abode in the gouernement thereof vntill the time of Traian S. Hierome saith that Iohn died 66. yeares after the passion of our Lorde Iesus in the citie of Ephesus and that he was buried there 59 Paul the Apostle being afore time a persecutour and blasphemer was conuerted to Iesus Christe the very same yeare that Iesus Christ ascended into heauen that is to say about the end of the 19. yeare of Tiberius in which yeare also he beganne to preach the Gospell in the citie of Damasco Afterward as he him selfe reciteth in his Epistle to the Galathians he went into Arabia from thence he returned to Damascus Consequently he sowed the Gospell through a great part of the world hauing passed through Iewrie Cilicia Cyprus Pamphilia Lycaonia Phrygia Galatia Mysia Ionia Macedonia Grecia and Achaia After this he was lead prisoner vnto Rome to the Emperour Nero where he was kept two yeares After wards as it is found in writing being let loose he preched the Gospell 10. yeares and lastly by the commandement of Nero he was put to death in the 13. yere of the saide Nero and in the 36. yeare after the resurrection of the sonne of God He preached the Gospell by the space 36. yeares The second of the fift order be the disciples of the Apostles 60 The Apostles then had great store of disciples especially Paul Iohn of whome is many times mention made as well in the Actes as in the Epipistles of S. Paul Amongest the saide disciples the chiefest were these Barnabas who was also called an apostle act 14.14 Epaphroditus was also named an Apostle of the Philippians Phil. 2.25 Andronicus and Iunia be also named notable amongest the Apostles in the 16. to the Romaines Simon that was called Niger Lucius Cyrenensis Manahem Iudas Barsabas and Silas Saint Luke in the Acts 13. 15. calleth them Prophets and Doctours amongest which it is saide that Lucius Cyrenensis preached first the Gospell along by Danau in the reigne of Liberius which they call Ratisbone and that Marke the disciple of Paul preached in the citie of Passeau which standeth ouer Danubius Crescence at Mayence and to the Gaules Clement at Mets Trophim at Arles 61 Luke was a familiar companion with Paul whole Gospell we haue the which Gospell he wrote according as he had receiued it of Paul and the other Apostles and one other booke wrote he which is named the Actes of the Apostles Saint Hierome maketh mention that he liued 84. yeares and that he was buried at Constantinople 62 Marke wrote his Gospell hauing receiued it as it were at the mouth of Peter and he gouerned the Church of Alexandria in Egypt where also be was burned for the Gospell sake in the 8. yeare of Nero and 33. yeares after the resurrection of our Lord Iesus The third of the fift order be the Bishops 63 Nowe we must vnderstand that the name of a Bishop in the auncient Church was attributed vnto one of the ministers in euery assembly onely for to obserue an order and not that he had any domination ouer others Furthermore the office both of the Bishops and also of other Priestes or Ministers was that they should apply them selues wholy to the preaching of the word and administration of the Sacramentes Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus was martyred in
at one onely battaile 58. thousand men as Nicephorus saith Anselme speaketh of 50. thousand and of fifty fortresses that were taken and 985. Villages destroyed both by famine and fire and bloudsheade And all the rest of the Iewes were driuen away from Ierusalem and solde into all partes of the worlde So terrible a destruction as they had by Titus might sufficiently teach them that the kingdome was taken away from them like as the Prophets had foretolde them but it came so to passe that they felt almost as great a punishment at the seconde time as they had at the first Then many Christians of the Gentyles gathering themselues together elected as before I was telling Marke for their Bishop who was the 16. Cassianus the 17. Publius the 18. Maximius the 19. Gayan the 21. Symmache the 22. Caius the 23. Iulian secundus the 24. Capito the 25. This is recorded of Eusebius lib. 5. Chap. 12. For asmuch as the Church of the Gentyles had then their habitation there the Lorde woulde declare that the true Messias was alreadie come and that they ought to looke for none other 72 In the time of Marcus Aurelius Antonius about the yeare 160. after the natiuitie of Iesus Christ Melito borne in Asia was Bishop of Sardis he wrote to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius concerning the Christian faith Theophilus bishoppe of Antioche wrote against Marcion Apollinaire Denis bishop of Corinth Iustus bishop of Vienna wer Martyrs for the faith There were also Philip bishoppe of Créete or Candie Egesippus Iustin the Philosopher Modestus Musan and certaine others of whose bookes we haue but fewe Eusebius doth partely and Hierome partely rehearse the bookes written by them 73 Eleutherius borne at Nicopolis in Gréece gouerned the Church of Rome 15. yeare and more in the time of Marcus Aurelius the 17. Emperour in the yeare of Christ 179. he gaue commaundement against the Seueriens herisie that then raigned Also that no Christian for any ceremong should forsake any kinde of meates accustomed to bee eaten 1. volume of councells 74 Ireneus the scholar of Polycarpus was ordeyned byshop of Lions after that Photin bishop of the said Church had suffered Martyrdome when he was 90. yeares old and with him a greate many moe Frenchmen Hee was in the time of Prince Commodus about 170. or a 180. yeares after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus It is saide that hée was put to death in the citie of Smyrna vnder the raigne of Maximine Hée lyued aboue fourescore yeares There was great persecution in the Church about that time and it lasted very long For the Paganes were offended because that the Christians reproued and sought to abolysh their olde accustomed manners of worshipping and the Religion of their auncestours And for this cause a great multitude of Christians were put to death all abroade in dyuers countryes and regions especially aboue all others the Doctours Bishops and Pastours of the Churches Nowe during these venemous rages and horible crueltie of the Deuil God preserued some faithfull Doctours and prolonged the liues of some others to the ende that by them the pure doctrine might be conserued and publyshed abroad amongst whiche were Polycarpus Ireneus and others 75 About this time or shortly after lyued Theodotion bishoppe of Ephesus of Alexandria Pautene Miltiades Appollonius Serapion and Policrates of whose liues Eusebius and S. Hierome make larger demonstration and of their bookes also All the which sustayned sundrie combattes against many heretykes to wit Marcion Montanus Valentinian and the Hermogenians and diuers others 76 Victor bishop of Rome gouerned the church 10. yeares in the time of Didius Iulianus Milancius Emperours Hée ordeyned that those which woulde not reconcile themselues shoulde be depriued of the table of the Lorde 77 About 200. yeares after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus in the raigne of Seuerus Pertinax Antonius Carcalla Emperours was Tertullian of Affrica of the citie of Carthage His bookes be nowe extant in which Cyprian tooke so great pleasure as saint Hierome wryteth that he woulde not passe ouer one day without reading some of his workes It is written of him that he lyued vntill the last age 78 Leonides the father of Origene was martyred for the faith he had his head cut off in the persecutions stirred vp against the Christians by the Emperour Seuerus in the tenth yeare of his Empyre Origene his sonne being then young of 17. yeares of age saide my father take héede that in no wise you change and swarue from the trueth you haue begon This Origene after that the goods of his Father were confiscate for the faith kept and mainteined his mother and brethren with teaching schole and being but eightéene yeares olde he was called by the Bishop of Alexandria in Egypte to the office of a Catechiser for to instructe children and straungers Out of his schoole came many Martyrs If any woulde sée what was his life his manners exercises writinges and bookes let him haue recourse to Eusebius in the ecclesiasticall historie in the sixt booke He lyued vntill the time of Gallus that is vntill the 70. yeare of his age Amonius the philosopher was his maister who perseuered in the Christian faith vntill he died Origene was 255. yeares after the natiuitie of our Lorde Suidas saith that he was buried in the citie of Cyr. In that time was also Tryphon Minutius Felix that was a Romain Berillus Hippolitus Alexander bishop of Cappadocia Iulius Affricanus Gregorie bishop of Pontus in Nercesarea Dionise bishop of the citie of Alexandria all which for the most part had béene the scholers of Origene 79 Vrbane a Romaine Bishop of Rome gouerned the Church 8. or 9. yeares in the time of the Emperour Heliogabalus Damasus saith that he was of a holy life so as he drewe certeine Gentlemen as Tyburtius and Valerian the husbande of S. Cecil to the Christian faith Moreouer Damasus saith that he ordeined that the Churches shoulde possesse landes farmes and other possessions and that the saide goods should be common and distributed for the sustenance of the mynisters the poore and the notaries called the protonotaryes who wrote the actes of the martyrs 80 Cyprian of the country of Affrica bishop of Carthage suffered martyrdom vnder the empyre of Valerian and Galerien in the yeare after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus 260. Nowe in that time that is to say in the reigne of Dionisius the Emperour arose great persecution and thereof Nicephorus saith in his fifth booke and twenty Chapter that it is as easie to number the multitude of those that suffered in this persecution as it is to number the sande of the sea Alexander bishop of Ierusalem honourable because of his pietie and age was brought before the seat iudiciall in Cesarea and after that he had made confession of his faith he died in prison Babyle byshop of Nicomedie Asclepiades of Antioche Germane Theophilus Cesarius Vital Polichronius bishop of Babylon Serapion Apolline the
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
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
the office vppon him and then the Emperour gaue thankes vnto God for that he had called this man from the gouernement of bodies vnto gouerning of soules Such was the election of the Bishoppes by the people Then within a while after Iustine hauing drawen his sonne Valentinian into his errour assayed to haue allured Ambrose also thereto but it was in vaine And albeit that one day a bande of soldiars did beset the temple for to make Ambrose come out he not withstanding was constant and made them a Bishoplike aunswere saying vnto thē that hee woulde not not so easily depart from that place neither that he would leaue the flocke vnto the power of Wolues nor yet the Temple vnto blasphemers That and if they were purposed to kill him they should doe it within the Temple and that hee woulde bee content to dye Looke Theodor. lib. 5. Chap. 3. 93 Vigilantius Bishop of Barcelon in Spaine was in the raigne of Theodosius the Emperour he stoode in defence against the idolatrie and worshipping of the bodies of Martyrs like as S. Hierome writing to Riparius maketh sufficient demonstration and saith that whilest we liue we should pray one for another but after that wee be deade our prayers cannot be hearde Moreouer he saide The commaundement of continencie or to abstaine from mariage is heresie and the séede of whooredome 94 In the yeare 380. was Appollinaire of Laodicia Bishop of Syria who wrote thirtie bookes against the madnesse of Porphirie and as Suidas saith hee translated into Heroick verses the most parte of the Hebrewe writings Some doe hold opinion that he did the like also with the Psalmes 95 In the yeare after the natinitie of our Lord Iesus Christ 390. was sainct Hierome the sonne of one named Eusebius of the citie of Stridon who made many bookes homilyes and commentaries vpon the holy Byble whose translation thereuppon we haue vntill this present time He dyed when he was 91. yeares olde The debate that was then betwixt Hierome and the aforenamed Vigilantius bishop of Barcelon in Spaine sheweth the superstition began long before Of which matter we may sée ynough how Vigilantius and other good Doctours of that time auouched that the adoration of the Saincts was drawne from the superstition of the Paganes In that time were also Seuerien who aboue all other things is praysed vnto the people because of his eloquence and worthie sermons made vnto the people also Theodorus a Moncke Lucian a Priest of Ierusalem Martin bishop of Tours and Seuerus Sulpitius 96 About the yeare 402. after the natiuity of our Lorde Iesus and in the reigne of Arcadus and Honorus Emperours was Chrisostome borne at Antioche the disciple of Libanus the Philosopher he was an Auditor of Andragatius the Philosopher who forsooke the estate of an aduocate and followed Euagrius with his other two companions Theodosius and Maximius who were afterwarde bishops after that they had profited well in the holy scriptures in the Monasteries For in those dayes the Monasteries were common schooles and the Abbots or Priours that were presidents there did teach publyckely the holy scriptures Chrisostome was bolde and free in rebuking sinnes especially in his publicke sermons and for that cause was he hated of the Cleargie He withstoode Gainas who requested of the Emperour that he might obtaine a Temple at Constantinople for his people Looke Hist tripar lib. 10. Chapt. 6 Whoso list to sée the life of Chrisostome Palladius hath composed it 97 S. Augustine was Bishoppe of Hippo and was raysed vp by the power of God for to refute the errours aswell of the Manichees as of the Pelagians who saide that Adam hurt onely but himselfe in sinning nothing his successours Then Sathan by this subtility made them thorow cloaking their disease to be incurable But heretikes being vanquished by manifest testimonies of the holy scripture that sinne was descended from the first man into all his posteritie they cauelled that it was descended by imitation and not by generation Wherefore the holy men of that time and amongst the rest S. Auguistine was forced to shewe howe that we are not corrupted by the wickednes which we drawe from others by example but that we bring our peruersitie euen from our mothers wombe Furthermore whereas they sayed that we are not iustified by the mercy of God thorough Iesus Christ without our owne merites and that by our owne workes and naturall vertues wee doe purchase true and entyre iustice before God It doeth appeare howe Saint Augustine shewed that by faith alone we bee iustified forasmuch as faith doth imbrace him that iustifieth to wit CHRIST our LORD with whome it vniteth and conioyneth vs in such sort that we be made partakers of him and of all the goods that hee hath and that all good workes ought to come thereof that is to say of Iesus dwelling in vs by the frée force and efficacie whereof we begin to will that which is good and to apply our selues thereto Nowe in what price and estimation we shoulde holde the bookes of Saint Augustine the reader may sufficiently discerne He dyed being 76. yeres of age in the time whē the citie of which he was bishop that is to say Hippo was besieged by the Vandales He gouerned the said Church 40 yeares Whoso will sée his life Possidonius hath written it 98 Vnder the Emperour Theodosius the yonger about the yeare 430. after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus there were gouernours in the Church these good men Possidonius of Affrica Bishoppe of Calme Celestine Bishop of Rome who sent Palladius a Grecian and Patricius into Scotland Ireland for to preach the faith He sent also into England Saint Germaine Bishoppe of Auxerre againste the heresie of the Pelagians He ordeined that no shoulde not medle in the parish of an other Also that no Bishop shoulde be elected contrarie to the will of the people but that the consent both of the cleargie and of the people should be required The Church in that time was gretly troubled specially in Affrica the chiefest men of the church were sent to exile martyred by Gensericus king of Vandales Moreouer in that time was holden the councell at Ephesus in the which was Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria chiefe Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople was condempned by two hundred Bishops who forged two persons in Iesus Christ the one of man and the other of God and he coulde not abyde that men should call the Virgin Marie the Mother of God by communication of properties This councell was holden in the tenth yeare of Theodosius the yonger and in the yeare after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus 437. 99 Sedulius Possidonius Sozenus Socrates and Theodoritus were also in the time aboue named who set downe in writing the Churche matters Cassiodor us also made a briefe collection of their bookes and of the bookes of Theodorite the whiche haue bene chaunged by Epiphanius a schooler and he of these thrée hath made one
historie which is named Tripartite 100 In that time also was Eucherius bishop of Lyons who wrote many bookes and commentaries amongest others vppon Genesis and vpon the bookes of the Kinges which bookes are found extant vntill this present 101 In the yeare 440. or there aboutes after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus in the raigne of Valentinian the Emperour Victor bishop of a citie in Numidia which is in Affrica called in latine Cartena cōposed a booke against the Arrians presented the same vnto Gensericus king of the Vandales Arrian Polichronius Bishop of Ierusalem was at that time driuen away out of his countrie He sold in the time of famine all his substance and gaue the price thereof to the poore Archadius Probus Paschasius were also at that time in great price reputation with the forsaide Gensericus but hee seeing that he could not persuade thē vnto the sect of Arrianisme after that he had cruelly abused them caused them to be at the last martyred with others some bishops he displaced and the bookes of religion and christian faith were burned 102 In the yeare 476 Honoricus Kinge of Vandales stirred vp greate persecutiō in Affrica against the Christians and foure thowsand nine hundred seuentie and sixe were sent to exile without sparing eyther age or sexe afterwarde in diuers times and by sundry kindes of torture they were put to death Some had theire handes cutt off others theire tongues Within a while after vnder the shadowe of councel he caused all the bishops to be assembled the doctours and other catholikes who to the number of thée hundreds twéenty fower as P. Diaconus wrot or as others witnes foure hundreds fortie foure were sent to exile and caused the Catholickes to be shut in the Temples and gaue them to the Arrians One Bishop named Latus was burned that he might giue example vnto others Eugenius the Bishop of Carthage with moe thē fiue hundreds of the Cleargie after grieuous tormentinges were committed to exile but within two yeares after the saide Honoricus died miserably with vermine and Gonthamundus succéeded him This Gonthamundus sent for Eugenius the Bishop of Carthage againe at whose request all the residue were called home againe and then the Churches also were open 103 In the raigne of the Emperous Martian Leo Zeno about the yeare after the natiuitie of Christe 490. were these good personages to wit Proterius bishop of Alexandria Paschasius Peter de Rauenna Gennadius minister of the Church of Marseille all which did confute the errours of Eutiches Also Prosper Saluian Sidonius Germaine Bishop of Capua Vaast Bishoppe of Arras Fulgence Bishop of Raspe in Affrica Autius Bishop of Vienna Solenus who preached Christ and was bishop of Charters Boetius a lerned man who was put to death by the commaundement of the Empepour Theodorike an Arrian Also in the same time was Epiphanius Bishop of Pauie a verie auncient man who brought into cōcorde and good quietnes the people of Liguria he also brought with him frō Burgonie many captiues aswell for money as by his good and holy life by which he obtained the redeeming of sixe thousande captiues Paule the Deacon Nauclerus after him 104 In the time of the Emperour Anastasius in the 494. yeare Gelasius of Affrica gouerned the Church of Rome 5. yeares His father was bishop named Valericus Nauclere Some do attribute vnto him the distinction of the Authentike bookes and of the Apocrypha He made mention of many bookes of Apocripha as the booke called the assumption of the virgin Marie Also the Canons of the apostles c. Look the first volume of Councels He composed fiue bookes against Nestorius and Eutyches Also two against the Arrians and one treatise of excommunication He restored againe Messenus the bishoppe after that he had knowen his penitence He excommunicated the Emperour Anastasius because that he fauoured Acatius other heretikes He commanded the Ministers that they should minister the communion but vnder both kindes not vnder one alone He declared at Rome in the middest of the councell that in the Eucharistie neither the substance of the bread and wine nor yet the nature were changed but that therein as in an image the flesh and bloud of our Lorde was represented and that in the sacrament they both were exhibited vnto the faithful He declared there also that those ought to be excommunicated which did not giue take the sacrament of the Eucharistie whole Looke the fist volume of councels Gennadius was in the time bishop of Marseille 105 In the yere 518 Hornusda borne in Freselande in the citie of Campania gouerned the church of Rome nine yeares He ordeined that mariages should be celebrated publikely and solemnely Suppl Chron. At that time was holden a councell at Rome against the Eutychians in which also it was ordeined that he which had made an honorable amendes should not be admitted to the ecclesiasticall ministerie Suppl Chron. Many Munks corrupted with the Nestoriā heresie because they woulde not be persuaded by the exhortations of Hormisda but rather sowed noisome and slaunderous speaches against him were banyshed out of Rome against whose hypocrisie he wrot He sollicited by letters Messingers Iohn bishop of Constantinople the companion of Acatius and the Emperour himselfe for to leaue the sect of Eutiches but Athanase not only despised his admonitions butsent his Ambassadours backe saying that it belonged to the Emperour for to commaund and not to the bishop of Rome Paule the Deacon addeth of the Emperour besides all that that he made them goe homewarde againe by sea into Italie in a shippe that was light and vnbalassed forbidding them to take lande in Grece but that they shoulde passe straight on being light without any carriage Anastase supporting the errour of Eutyches when he was 80. yeares olde dyed being stricken with lightening in the 25. yeare of his Empire Hormisda is renoumed for hauing done greate almes déedes for the poore and for that he condemned the heresie of the Manichées which had begonne to hudde and for burning their bookes 106 In the time of the Emperour Iustinian about the yeare 530. after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ was Arator who composed the Actes of the Apostles in Hexameter verses and Gregory bishoppe of Langres who was married Fascicul Temp. The councel of Tours was holden at that time At the saide councel in the fift chapter it was ordeyned that euerie citie shoulde nourish the poore straungers as much as it was able so that the poore might not be constrayned to begge from place to place In the thirde chapter that euerie bishop shoulde kéepe his wife like as his sister and that he shoulde gouerne both his house and familie aswell as the Church so as there might be no suspicion of him 107 In the raigne of the Emperour Mauritius in the yeare 591. the Wisigots were conuerted vnto the catholike faith they left the heresie of the Arrians by the meanes
of of Recardus or Richarde their king and Leander bishop of Seuile The confession of their faith was sent vnto the councell of Tolete There happened in the time a great controuersie about the primacie of the church for Iohn Bishop of Constantinople was pronounced and declared in the whole Synode of the Grekes vniuersall Patriarch and Mauritius the Emperour commaunded Gregorie bishop of Rome to obey the saide Patriarche of Constantinople but Gregorie woulde not abide that any Bishop shoulde be vniuersall aboue all the rest whereof it came that they called themselues servauntes of the seruauntes of God Looke Gregorie in the 32. Epistle to Mauritius and 28. to Iohn the Patriarche Looke Iohn Caluin his Institution of Christian religion lib. 4. chapter 7. section 4. Some woulde name this Gregorie to be one of the foure Doctours of the Church with Augustine Hierome Ambrose but histories doe make sufficient demonstration what a Doctour he was séeing that he hath brought in a rablement of superstitiōs contrarie to the worde of God Concerning which matter I will not say that the others had such puritie of doctrine sucked and drawen out of the holy scriptures as they ought To conclude in the time of this Gregorie the ecclesiasticall doctrine had almost lost his puritie for it was imbrued and darkened with humaine traditions for monkerie did then take rote and beginne to flourishe and many and sundrie kindes of superstitions were dayly brought in And after the time of Gregorie the great there grewe on still more horible and bitter darkenesse notwithstanding the Lorde hath alwayes raysed vp some good persons that men might vnderstand that all ought to be cut away and forsaken that is contrary to the holy worde of God About this said time was Serenus Bishop of Marseille who caused the images of saints and of our Lorde Iesus Christ to be broken because hee sawe the people worshippe them Then Gregorie reproued him for breaking them but he praysed him for that he forbad the people to honour them Looke the register or booke of his Epistles 10. parte Epistle 4. and Polidore Virgill lib. 6. chap. 13. 108 During the raigne of the Emperour Phocas and in the yeare of our Lorde 604. the primacie of the Pope was established a little before that the abhominable secte of Mahomet beganne to spread the hornes abroad in Asia which being once published abroade farre ouer did corrupt obscure deface the true doctrine in manie places and regions Then albeit that after the time of Gregorie the great there arose vp great multitudes of Monkes some of them being more carefull of their bellyes then to labour for to vnderstande by the holy scriptures the puritie of that true seruice which GOD requireth of vs and although the wrytings of so great a multitude haue brought great plentie of darkenes rather then of light into the Church I will neuerthelesse in speaking of other good men in their order make mention of the most discréete amongst them who had some iudgement and doctrine with them in which notwithstanding were some errours by reason of the confusion of doctrines which had then great libertie Isidorus the younger Bishop of Hispalis composed many bookes Hée flourished in the yeare of our Lorde 630. Within certaine space after was Beda a priest and moncke who was an English man hee lefte behinde him a great multitude of bookes and made commentaries vppon the most part of the bookes of the holy scripture 109 In the yeare 684. and in the raigne of the Emperour Constantine the fourth was holden a generall councell at Constantinople of 289. bishops against the Monothelites who denyed two willes and natures in Christ George bishop of Constantinople forsooke his heresie But Macarius Bishop of Antioch did not leaue it wherefore hee was driuen from his bishoppricke In this councell the discension that was betwixt the East church and the West church was appeased There it was permitted vnto the ministers of Gréece for to haue wiues lawfully and to liue in mariage but not to the ministers of the west church The authour of the booke intituled Fasciculus temporum yeldeth a reason thereof saying that they had vowed chastitie of their owne accorde vnder Gregory but what shall they do then that haue not the gift of continencie And moreouer can they vowe for others that come after them Furthermore they vowed by constrainte and authoritie of the councels as it appeareth here before It was there also ordayned that none should carie any infant to bee baptized except he knewe the Lords prayer and the beliefe of the faithfull Looke the seconde volume of councels Also that they should make no vow against mariage and that the priestes who did separate themselues from their wiues because of their orders shoulde be excluded from the communion Looke Peter Viret in his Dialogue to them of Orbe In that time was Theodore Archbishop of Rauenna who was a great almes giuer and sought howe to kéepe the cleargie in good manners for which cause he was hated of them Naucl. Leger bishop of Authun was also at that time whom Chrion prince of the Pallaice of Fraunce in the time of Theodoricus caused his eyes to bee pulled out the soales of his féete to be cut his tongue and his lippes to be mangled after he caused his heade to be taken off Naucl. and Chron. Sig. This Chrion cast downe Lambert from the Bishopprick of Vtrech Aime byshop of Sens was banished by Chrion Chron. Sig. 110 In the yeare 694. after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and in the raigne of Iustinian the second the Saxons being yet Paganes receiued the Christian Faith by the meane of Sergius Bishop of Rome according to the saying of Sup. Chron. The saide Sergius sent Vmbred vnto the Frysons for to conuert them to the faith Rabod their Duke woulde not thereto agrée alleaging that it was better to follow many then a fewe But afterwardes he being vanquished in war by Pepin great maister of Fraunce the Frisons receiued the faith being taught by one Willebroc a bishop or by Clement as some say 111 In the raigne of Constantine the fifte Emperour of that name and about the yeare 742. was holden a councell in Fraunce by Boniface archbishop of Mayence Burcardus Guntarius other bishops which had not bene fourescore yeares before insomuch that it was saide that religion in Fraunce was cast vnder féete and wasted so saith Naucl. There it was ordeyned that they shoulde euery yeare haue a Synode in Fraunce the church men shoulde carrye no armour They were forbidden hunting that they shoulde kéepe no manner of hounds or hawkes That euery Priest and bishoppe shoulde kéepe himselfe within his parish and there should labour to roote out olde heresies of Paganisme and the errours of sacrificing for the deade the deuinations sorceries and other immolations that were vsed after the manner of the Pagans about the churches vnder the names of Martyrs and confessours vide Naucl.
At Constantinople was assembled a councell by the aforenamed Emperour in the fourteneth yeare of his Empyre whereas were 300. and thirtie bishops there was commaundement giuen that all the images of sainctes shoulde be taken away and burned Also the Emperour made his subiects to sweare that they shoulde no more worshippe any image of God nor of sainctes but condemned to the death al those that shoulde call vppon the virgin Marie for helpe and those that should haue in their houses any reliques of sainctes He commaunded the Monkes to marry and the Nonnes to follow the estate of marriage Sig. Afterwards he sent to the Pope the conclusions of this councell commaunding him to cast the images out of Churches Sabin king of Bulgarie caused all the images in his kingdome to be beaten downe after the example of Constantine wherupon he gat fauour with the Emperour Naucl. 112 In the yeare 782. or thereaboutes after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ wās Alcuin otherwise called Albin the disciple of worthie Beda a monke and afterwardes Abbot of S. Martins in Tours maister to Charlemaigne he composed thrée bookes of the trinitie and many other bookes At that time raigned Constātine the sixte of that name the 76. Emperour of Constantinople the son of Leo the fourth who against the will of his mother Hierene caused the images of the temples to be beaten downe about the which not long before she had assēbled a councel at Nice at the request of Pope Adrian and of Therasius Archebishop of Constantinople as Sig. In this councel there were 325. bishops Naucl. And there it was decréed not onely that they should haue images but also that they shoulde of right be worshipped and that all the gainsayers shoulde be excomunicated But this decrée was shortly abolished by Constantine as is afore saide Chron. Euseb Moreouer within a while after that is to say in the yeare 792. was holden a Synode in Spaine in a citie called Elyberis or Granato whereas did assemble ninetene bishops thirtie and sixe priestes or ministers Felix Bishoppe of Aquitaine was there president There it was concluded especially amongst other poynts that that there should not be in Churches any images or payntings 113 During the raigne of Charlemaigne king of Fraunce who was Emperour though that hee had not gotten the imperiall crowne in the yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ 801. was Ansegisus the Abbot who made foure bookes of the decrées of Charlemaigne of Lewis his sonne Amongst all other things and aboue al things hee would that the Bishopps shoulde preache vnto the people the true doctrine gathered out of the holy scriptures and no otherwise alleaging therefore the saying of Gregorie That a minister who is without the sunne of preaching kindleth against himselfe the wrath of the hidden iudge He also ordeined that no person shoulde make profession of Monachisme without lycence of the king for to shunne many deceypts He would that there should be but a fewe feasts ordeyned he repressed the superfluitie of ministers ordeyning that they shoulde be nourished with the reuenewes of the Church with the poore Furthermore in the time of Charlemaigne and in the meane time whilest he passed his Winter at Francfort vpon the Meine a Councell was holden of a great multitude of Bishops in which the decrée of the councell of Nice concerning worshipping of images holden by Hierene as is aforesaide was pronounced false and condemned of all men c. Charlemaigne caused to be published a booke in his name against images the which agréed with the articles of the saide Councell Furthermore hée made aunswere to two bookes which were founde to haue bene written by Adrian the Pope to Therasius the Patriarch and to the Emperour of Constantinople By this writing Charlemaigne taxed and secreatly condemned Adrian without naming of idolatrie There was also one councell holden at Cauaillon vnder Charlemaigne in which amongst other superstitions that were there condemned the going of Pilgrimage for religions sake was sharpely repressed in the 45. Canon alleaging the saying of S. Hierome No man ought to be praysed for that hée hath séene Ierusalem but for that hee hath lyued well c. It is saide of Charlemaigne that he reproued the Archbishoppe of Mayence named Boniface because hée had a crosse all couered with golde beset with pretious stones for occasion so offering hee checked him and saide that it was rather the furniture of an Emperour then of a pastour 114 Haymo Byshop of Albastat scholler of Alcuinus did write vpon all the bookes aswell of the olde as of the newe Testament as is euident yet at this present He dyed in the raigne of the Emperour Lewis the sonne of Charlemaigne in the yere of Christ 834. In his time was also Rabanus who was first a Monke of the order of S. Benit and Abbot of Fulden afterward he was archbishop of Mayence who was also a disciple of Alcuinus he also made commentaries vpon all the bookes of the Byble He dyed in the yeare of our Lorde 855. Strabus was his scholler of whom it is founde written that he was the first that collected the ordinary glose of the writings of the fathers and doctours the which glose was afterwarde augmented by many others who added sentences therto 115 Bertrand a Priest a learned man well instructed in the true Godlynesse flourished in the time of the Emperour Lotharie in the yeare 840. He wrote many good workes of which it is saide that they did not come all to our hands He wrote a very commendable worke to King Charles the brother of Lotharie that is one booke of predestination and one other of the bodie bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ The cause why he composed that booke wherein he writeth very learnedly of the supper of the Lorde was by the aduise and commaundement of King Charles le chauue that he might bring the people into one and the true opinion who were then deuided touching the said misterie So that one sort saide that Christ was therein taken and eaten in misterie and was figured vnder the Elements of breade and wine some saide on the contrarie that all that which was séene in the saide misterie was chaunged and conuerted and as many doe say vnto this day transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ Some said that it was figuratiuely or euidētly this was the proper bodie of Christ which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Mary with the which he is ascended into heauen others saide that it was the spirituall bodie that is the misterie representation figure vnderstanding and spirituall apprehension of the proper bodie and bloude of Christ deliuered to the death for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification All which opinions are founde remayning till this present for some holde still transubstantiation others impanatiō others a metaphore but somewhat reall Others there were who acknowledged nothing els but méere breade and wyne all which doubtes be
of Bohemia bishop of Prague went to Pannonia for to preach the faith and baptised the king of Hungaria From whence he went to Prusia whereas he was martyred 119 In the raigne of Henrie the seconde of that name Duke of Bauiere who obtained the Empire by election in the yeare 1005. Burchardus firste a Monke of Lob disciple of Albert afore mentioned was bishop of Wormes he compiled the old canons which afterward were abridged by Gratian or rather corrupted as it may easily be iudged in conferring the one with the other Rhenanus in his annotations vpon Tertullian 120 In the raigne of Henrie the thirde of that name and in the yeare 1039. lyued Berengarius a Doctour borne at Tours Archedeacon of Angres who maintained the opinion of the foresaid Iohannes Scotus and Bertran concerning the Eucharistie And in the yeare of Christ 1051. Pope Leo assēbled a councell at Verseill whereas was first handled the opinion of Transubstantiation albeit that this worde had beene inuented not long afore and there was condemned the opinion of Iohannes Scotus and Bertran Berengarius appeared not at the saide councel but sent thither two clearkes and as they went about to excuse Berengarius and to shewe reasons therefore they were beaten with fistes and put in prison Looke howe Decolampadius reasoneth therabout Arnulphus Archbishop of Lugdune Liued in the time of Honorius the seconde 1127. as writeth Hugo Platina Sabellicus He was a man learned zealous and of great deuotion and a worthie preacher he came to Rome in his preaching he rebuked the dissolute and Lasciuious losenes incontinencie auarice and immoderate prid of the cleargie procuring all to followe Christe and his Apostles in pouertie rather and purenes of life By reason whereof this man was well accepted and highly liked of the nobilitie of Rome for a true disciple of Christe but of the Cardinals and the cleargie no lesse hated then fauoured of the other In so much that proudly in the night season they tooke him and destroyed him This his Martyrdome sayth he was reuealed to him before from God by an Angell he béeing in the desert when hée was sent foorth to preach wherevppon he saide to them publikely with these wordes I knowe sayth he ye séeke my life and knowe ye will make me a way priuely But why because I preach to you the trueth and blame your pride stoutnes auarice incontinencie with your vnmeasurable gréedines in getting and heaping vp riches Therefore be you displeased with me I take héere heauen and earth to witnesse that I haue preached to you that I was cōmanded of the Lord. but you contemne me your creatour who by his onely sonne hath redéemed you and no maruell if ye séeke my death being a sinfull person preaching to you the trueth when as if S. Peter were here this day and rebuked your vices which doe so multiply aboue all measure you woulde not spare him neyther And as he was expressing this with a loude voyce he saide moreouer for my part I am not afraide of death for the truths sake but this I say to you that God will looke vppon your iniquities and will be reuenged you being full of all impuritie play the blinde guides to the people committed to you leading them the way to hell A God hee is of reuengeance Thus the hatred of the cleargie being incensed against him for preaching the trueth conspired against him and laying priuie waite for him tooke him and drowned him Sabellicus and Platina saith they hanged him Diuerse and sundry articles he held which are set downe in the two volumes of the generall Councels 121 About the yeare of our Lorde 1110. Sigebert florished who as it may well appeare was a verie expert man like as his Chronicle yeeldeth testimonie In the yeare 1126. Hugo of the Saxon nation and surnamed of saint Victor the diuine of Paris was in that time at Paris Amongest his writings are founde many complaintes against the disorders of the Clearkes in his time 122 Bernard first Abbot of Claireuaux a Burgonion borne flourished about the yeare 1140. By the writings of S. Bernard we may knowe how that in that time miserably corrupted he stroue against the impietie of the Pops and Churchmen Look his sermon 67. he calleth them the ministers of Antichrist in the sermon 57. to Pope Eugenius and in the sermon 33. vpon the Canticles he saith oftentimes how that the prelates are become Pilates He reproued Eugenius because he letting alone the word of God aduanced mans traditions Hugo a Cardinall in his postille vppon Saint Iohn alleageth that S. Bernarde saith in a certain place thus It séemeth O good Iesus that all the vniuersitie of Christians professed haue conspired against thee and that those be chiefest of the conspiration which do obtaine the prymacy in thy church About the end of his days he declared sufficiently that he knewe perfectly the true doctrine of iustification through Iesus Christ whom alone he had for his refuge casting aside all other holynes and righteousnes His writing do yéeld certeine testimony of him he died being 63. yeares olde Nauel 123 Iohn of Saresburie Bishoppe of Chartres was in the yeare 1157. Who sharply withstoode the wickednes of the Popes and of the Cleargie He wrote a booke intytuled Obiurgatorium Cleric In his booke intituled Policraticus he saith thus In the Romishe Churche be set the Scribes and Pharisées lading the shoulders of men with importable burthens The highe prieste is heauy to all men yea wholly importable and past the strength of man to beare His legates doe so disperse themselues abroade as if sathan were come out frō the presence of the Lord for to torment the Churche Iudgment against the people none other thinge but a verie marchandise They tustifie the wicked for golde and siluer and delight in matters that are vngodly They eate the sinnes of the people they be therwith clothed norished in all excesse whereas the true worshippers do worshippe the Lorde in spirite He that sticketh not vnto their doctrine is eyther iudged an heritike or a schysmatike c. There haue béen oftentimes good doctors in the Churche but they durst not say nor write all that which was néedefull In a booke intituled Speculum it is saide that this good Bishop Iohn amongst other complaintes hath somtimes ben heard say vnto Pope Adrian the fourth with whome he was very familiar on this wise That the Pope hath beene truely called a sernaunt of seruauntes because hee serued the Romaines that were seruantes to auarice The saide Pope Adrian sometimes woulde say vnto the saide Bishop Iohn That many Popes did succede rather Romulus in murthers and parricides then saint Peter in feading the flockes 124 In the yeare 1127. and in the raigne of Friderike Barberosse the Emperour Arnolde bishoppe of Bixta stode in contention against the administration of ciuill matters of the temporall sword which the cleargie had vsurped And therefore R. Barns saith that
also that the Church by their negligence shoulde become desolate and that iniquitie shoulde abound that is by reason of Mammon master of iniquitie Also he saide that there were in the Church of Christ Idols which shoulde destroy Ierusalem and make the Temple desolate but were cloaked by hypocrisie further that there bee many which denie Christ for that they kéepe silence neither doe they heare Christ whome all the worlde shoulde know and should confesse his veritie before men which also wittingly doe detaine the veritie and Iustice of God Hee taught openly that in the Pope Cardinals Bishops Prelates Priestes and other religious men was no trueth but that onely he and such as held with him taught the true way of saluation Mathias Parisiensis a Bohemian borne who about the yeare of our Lorde 1370. wrote a large booke of Antichrist and proueth him already come and noteth the Pope to be the same In this booke he doth greatly eniue againste the wickednesse of the cleargie and against the neglecting of their dutie in gouerning the Church The Locustes mentioned in the Apocalyps hee saith be the hypocrites raigning in the Church The workes of Antichrist he saith be these the fables and inuentions of men raigning in the Church the Images and fayned reliques that are worshipped euery where Item that men doe worship euery one his proper sainct and sauiour beside Christ so that euery man and citie almost hath his diuers and peculiar Christ He taught and affirmed moreouer that godlynesse and true worship of God are not bounde to place persons or times to bee hearde more in this place then in an other at this time more then at an other c. Hee was greatly and much offended with monks and friers for neglecting or rather burying the worde of Christ and in stéed thereof for celebrating and setting vp their owne rules and Canons affirming it to be much hurtfull to true Godlinesse for that Priestes Monkes and Nunnes do account themselues onely spirituall and all other to be lay and secular attributing onely to themselues the opinion of holynesse and contemning all other men with all their politicke administration and office as prophane in comparison of their owne He further writeth that Antichrist hath seduced al vniuersities and Colleges of learned men so that they teach no sincere doctrine neither giue any light to the Christians with their teaching Finally he forewarneth that it will come to passe that God yet once againe will raise vp godly teachers who being feruent in the spirite and zeale of Helias shall disclose and refute the errours of Antichrist alleadgeth the sayings and writings of the vniuersitie of Paris also the writings of Guliel de sanct Amour Henricus de Hassia an excellent learned and famous man He wrote an Epistle vnto Iacobus Carisiensis Bishop of Normacia inserted in his booke de erroribus Christianorum In the same Epistle the authour doth greatly accuse the spirituall men of euery order yea the most holiest of all other the Pope himselfe of many and great vices Hee saide that the Ecclesiasticall gouernours in the primatiue Church were compared to the Sunne shining in the day time and the politicall gouernours to the Moone shyning in the night But the spirituall men he said that nowe are doe neither shine in the day time nor yet in the night time but rather with their darkenesse doe obscure both day night that is with their filthy liuing ignoraunce impietie Hee citeth also out of the prophesie of Hildegardis these words Therefore doth the deuill in himselfe speake of you Priests daintie bankets and feasts wherein is all voluptuousnes doe I finde amongst these men In so much that mine eyes mine eares my belly my vaynes bee euen filled with the froth of them and my brestes stande astrout with the riches of them c. Lastly saith he they euery day more and more as lucyfer doe séeke to clymbe higher and higher till that euery day with him more and more they fall déeper and déeper Hee liued Anno. 1371. Nilus was Archbishop of Thessolonica and lyued 1380. He wrote a long worke against the Latins that is against such as tooke part helde with the Churche of Rome His booke first being written in Gréek was after translated into Latin and lately nowe into English in this our time In the first Chap. of his booke he layeth all the blame and fault of the discention and schisme betwene the East and the West Church vppon the Pope Hee affirmed that the Pope onely woulde commaunde what him lusted were it neuer so contrarie to all the olde and auncient Cannons That hee would heare and followe no mans aduise that hee would not permit any free Councels to be assembled c. In the second Chapt. of his booke hee purposedly maketh a verie learned disputation for first he declareth that he had no whit at all by Gods commaundement but onely by humaine Lawe any dignitie more then others Bishops which dignitie the Councels the fathers and Emperours haue graunted vnto him neither did they graunt the same for any other consideration more or greater ordinaunce then for that the same citie then had the Empery of all the whole world and not at al for that that Peter was there or not there c. 133 In the yeare 1383. Iohn wikliefe liued in England who hauing of long time made profession of diuinitie at Oxenforde a citte and vniuersitie in Englande and hee séeing that true diuinitie was vilely corrupted with much filthinesse of questions and inuentions set forth by the Pope he coulde not but lament in his hearte and determined to remedy such a disorder He sawe well that hee coulde not without great trouble remoue away abuses and that those that had so long time growen in the hearts of men could not easilie be rooted out on a sodaine And therefore he thought good to deale there with by little and little First he made this assaye against the aduersaries of the trueth that is he disputed against them of small matters that by that meane he might open an entrie to great things and amongest other hee had to deale with a certain monke named Iohn kenyngham Of these small beginnings they came to higher matters Hee at the last disputed concerninge the sacrament of the supper Therein this good man had great resistaunce affirming openlye in scholes that his principall intent was to take away idolatrie that raigned in the Church concerning this matter But marke what mischiefe happened a man coulde not so soone touth this wounde without causing great sorrowe to the worlde The monkes and especially the begging fort were in a furie the Bishops would haue knowledge of this matter He alleaged the authoritie of the auncient Doctours of the Church in those poyntes wherein they agréed with the holy scriptures declaring that there is no trueth but that which is contayned in them As for the decretistes he vtterly reiected them He stedfastly mainteined that in the sacrament
of the supper the accidents be not without the subiect that is to say that the whitenesse and roundnesse of the breade be not without the bread to wit that contrary to transubstantion which the priests haue forged the breade abideth bread and the wine contynueth in the proper substance Moreouer the conclusions proposed by him at the towne of Lambeth be these If that any Princes or Lordes or any others haue made any donations vnto the mynisters of the Church there is therin a secreate condition to wit that God shoulde be honoured and that the faithfull should be edified And if this condition ceasse then they may take away from wicked pastours that which they had giuen them any excommunication or other whatsoeuer to the contrary notwithstanding That if these dealinges of men were let alone the cleargie which were of couetous persons will bring all the world into their hands Also that the Pope may lawfully be reproued by those whom he kéepeth in obedience vnder him and that for the vtilitie of the Church he may be accused both of the clearks and lay people That the Pope as great a Lord as he reporteth himselfe to be must thinke that he is a brother vnto others and that if he sinne he ought to be brotherly corrected and heare corrections brotherly And when as by the holy scripture his heresie or errour is shewed him he ought not to be obstinate And by many other conclusions he shewed euidently the abuse of the Pope and of the cleargy and how that their possessions of so great reuenewes be vniust To conclude he was assaulted by many and amongest others the begging monkes who rose against him by greate flockes But the Lorde gaue him for a protectour the Kinge Edwarde vnder whose raigne he had some lybertie to speake the truth Richarde the successour of the said Edwarde persecuted and banished him Within a while after he was called again from banishment and returned vnto the parrishe of whiche he was pastour and there like a lustie champion of the Lorde he aboade alwayes constant euen vntill the death he died in the yeare of our Lorde 1388. fortie and one yeares after his death he was digged vp againe by the commandement of the Pope and his bones were burned and the ashes thereof cast into the water but Iesus Christ dieth not in his faithful ones vse the tyrants what cruelty they can He composed many bookes the which were burned in the citie of Oxenford in the yere 1410. there be certaine notwithstanding reserued still for to declare that God hath alwayes some faithfull seruantes who doe resist the errours of the world Amongest his writinges there is an Epistle which he sent to Pope Vrbane He that woulde sée more at large of him and of his historie let him looke in the booke of Martyrs 134 In the persecution raysed vp against Wiclief and in the yere 1400. Sautree a priest imbraced with zeale of true pure religion craued and requested in the ful Parliament the audience might be granted him for the cōmon profit of all the Realme Then albeit that his request was honest and ciuill and that he gaue to vnderstande that he coulde bring great profite yet he was not hearde for the bishops perceiuing that he came caused him to be attached of heresie and for the seauen articles condemned disgraded and burned him Looke Fabius in his Chronicles and Iohn Crespin in the booke of martyrs William Thorpe an Englishman was also a valiant martyre of our Lorde Iesus Christ He sustayned great assaultes of many prelats of of the Church of Rome without forsaking his vocation which was to instruct the people according to the pure word of God And therefore he woulde not agrée to preach the superstitions and humaine inuentions which he declared to be contrarie to the institution of the holy scriptures he was condemned hauing yeelded a testimonie of his faith Nowe of many pointes well worth the noting vpon the interrogations propounded to him I will recite for to auoyde great prolixitie one onely that is that he being demaunded of the Archbishop of Canterburie primate of Englande and Chauncelour of the whole Realme what the Church did signifie he answered that it is Iesus Christe and the companie of saincts Which thing the said Archbishop confessed to be true in respect of heauen but he demaunded further what the Church was here below on earth It is deuided into two partes answered the said Williā Thorp the one of the two parts which is the better hath obtained victorie ouer the enemies and triumpheth nowe with Christe in great ioy the other part fighteth here still on earth by the sworde of faith against the continuall bulwarkes of Sathan of the fleshe and of the worlde There is no strength so violent no pompe so proud no fire of afflictions and persecutions so burning no tyrannie so cruel no reasons of Doctours so discording nor opinions so diuerse which can withdrawe them from the right rule of faith and of the holy scriptures For they be fortyfied by the worde of God in Christ and firmely stablished as vppon a sure rocke that can not be remoued Looke Iohn Crespin in his booke of martyrs Within a while after the death of Iohn Wiclief there arose greate persecution in Englande against the faithfull for the truth of the Gospell which then began to take déepe rooting The worthiest men in the Realme were not then spared the lord Cobham a knight of the order one of the peeres of England was there apprehended but he was executed after these that we nowe speake off And therefore according to the order of time we will hereafter speake of him more at large for he was an excellent martyr of our Lorde Iesus Christ King Henrie then by publike ordinaunce made an edicte and set foorth through the persuasions of the bishoppes and prelates terrible punishmentes for all them that should follow the doctrine of Wicliefe vsing so great seueritie against them that he helde them not onely for heretikes but also as guiltie of treason And for this cause it was ordeined that they should be punished with two sortes of punishmentes that is that they should be both hanged and burned and there was neither fréedome nor any priuiledge whereby they coulde enioye profite so maliciously were they bente againste the faithfull séeking all meanes againste them and in that time they called al them Wicleffians who read the scriptures in the vulgar tongue and which made their assemblies in secrete places in the darke preaching in woodes and bushes Then the Bishops being armed with this edicte of the king exercised great tyrannie against manie good people and many poore innocentes and amongest other against Roger Acton a knight of the order and a true nobleman adorned with great vertues he abhorred the wicked traditions of the Pope had his affections withdrawen from him and from all his assistants For that cause it is reported that he was hated amongest the
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
Moyses gouerned the church 12 Moyses and Aaron great excellent restorers of the church of God 13 Iosue and with him was in the gouernement Ecclesiastical Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest Othoniel being dyuinely stirred vp at the prayer that the people made vnto God And likewise gouerned in the church 14 Debora a prophetisse and Barac had the like gouernaunce 15 Gedeon and others that followed by order the number of whom ye may find in the booke of the Iudges The gouerning of the patriarches endured aboute 850. yeares 16 The Prophets bee in the thirde order of the doctours of the Church of God and began at Samuel 17 Dauid a prophet and king and with him were deputed and apointed to the gouernment of the church of God the Prophets Nathan Gad and the high priests Sadoc and Abimelech 18 Salomon the son of Dauid succeeded his father Semeia the prophet Ado the prophet Iadi the prophet Ahias the prophet Hanani the prophet Azarias the prophet Iohn the Prophet Iosue the sonne of Nun the prophet All these prophetes haue reproued the Kinges and people for their Idolatries and abhominable misdeeds 19 Elie the Thesbite raysed vp by the power of God for to purge doctrine againe forthwith to kindle the lyght thereof 20 Elizeus substituted in the roume of Elie. 21 Isaias succeeded immediately after Elizeus and in his time were the prophets Amos Micheas Osee 22 Ieremie gouerned the church more then 40. yeres and in his time also were gouernours the Prophets Sophonie Abacuc and Abdie 23 Danyell was instructed by Ieremie gouerned the Church in his time 24 Ezechiel the Prophet 25 Osee the prophet 26 Ioel the Prophet 27 Amos the Prophet 28 Abdias the Prophet 29 Ionas the Prophet 30 Micheas the Prophet 31 Nahum the Prophet 32 Abacuc the Prophet 33 Sophonie the Prophet 34 Aggee the Prophet 35 Zacharie the Prophet 36 Malachy was the last propher that was amongst the Iewes before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ This is the thirde order of the Doctours of the church of God to wit that of the Prophets the gouernement of whome endured about 600. yeares 37 The gouernours high priests be in the fourth rable and order of the the Doctours of the Church that were after the returne from the captiuity of Babilon vntill the comming of Iesus Christ the sonne of God Mardocheus 38 Iehosue or Iesus with the conductor Zorobabell 39 Ioachim Esdras Nehemias others that gouerned in the Church 40 Symon and Eleazar being brethren and the sonnes of Onias 41 Simon the iust 42 Matathias the high Priest 43 Iudas Machabeus being raised vp by the power of God 44 Ionathas the brother of Iudas Machabeus succeeded him 45 Simon the third sonne of Matathias 46 Iohn Hircanus the great 47 Mathan the graundfather of the virgin Marie Ioachim who also was named Elie father of the virgin Marie 48 Simeon Anna. Zacharie the high Priest 49 This is the fourth rablement and order of the gouernaunce of the Church since the returne from the captiuitie euen vntil Christ and this endured about 500. yeares The fift and last order of the Doctours of the Church of god is that whiche wee beginne from Iohn Baptist our Lord Iesus Christ Iohn Baptist the sonne of Zacharie the Priest 50 Iesus Christ the sonne of the eternall God tooke humain flesh vpon him of the virgin Marie c. 51 Now here be placed in the fift order the Apostles their disciples the Bishops the pastours the Doctours ministers the which the sonne of God hath raised vp in short space after vnto other ages for the conseruation and maintenance of the ministerie of the word and of his Church The first are the Apostles Peter the Apostle 52 Andrewe the brother of Peter the Apostle 53 Iames the sonne of Alphee the Apostle 54 Iames the sonne of Zebede the Apostle 55 Mathew the Apostle and Euangelist Bartholomewe the Apostle Mathias the Apostle Phillip the Apostle 56 Thomas the Apostle 57 Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist 58 Paul a persecutour conuerted vnto Iesus Christ made an Apostle 59 The second of the fift order be the disciples Amongst many Disciples of the Apostles these here named haued haue ben the principall Barnabas who was also named an Apostle Epaphroditus who was in like sort named an Apoof the Phillippians Andronicus and Iunia were reputed notable amongst the Apostles Simon which was called Niger Lucius Cyreneus Manahem Iudas Barsabas Silas S. Luke called them doctours and prophets Crescence Clement Trophimus 60 Luke the Euangelist and companion of S. Paul 61 Marke the Euangelist disciple of S. Peter 62 The third sort that were of this fift order be the Bishops Timothie bishop of Ephesus Titus bishop of Creete Apollo Aristarcus Gayus Derbe Iason Sosipater Tychicus Secundus Syluanus Tertius Quartus Sosthenes Epaphras Iesus the iust Demas Anthippus bishop of the Colossians Eubulus Pudens Linus Artenas Zenas Dyonise Areopagita bishop of the Athenians 63 Annianus the first bishop of Alexandrie 64 Ignatius the Disciple of sainct Iohn the Euangelist and seconde bishop of Antioch 65 Clement bishop of Rome 66 Anaclete bishoppe of Rome 67 Quadratus disciple of the Apostles bishop of Athens 68 Euaristus bishoppe of Rome 69 Policarpe disciple of S. Iohn the Euangelist was bishop of Smyrna 70 Mark being come of the Gentils was elected bishop of Ierusalem after the saccage made by Titus These succeeded then afterward Cassianus Publius Maximus Symmache Caius Iulian the 2. Capito 71 Melito of Asia bishop of Sardis Thophilus bishop of Antioch Apollinare Dyonise Bishop of Corinth Iustus bishop of Vienna Phillip bishop of Crete or Candie Egesippus Iustin the philosopher Modestus Musan 72 Eleutherius bishoppe of Rome 73 Ireneus scholar to Policarpus bishop of Lyons 74 Theodotian bishop of Ephesus Miltiades Apillonius Serapion Policrates 75 Victor bishop of Rome 76 Tertullian of the country of Affrica that is to say of Carthage 77 Leonides Amonius Origene Tryphon Minutius Felix Berille Hyppolitus Alexander bishop of Capadoce Iules the Affricane Gregory bishop of Pōtus Dyonise bishop of the citie of Alexandrie all these almost were the discyples of Origene 78 Vrbane bishop of Rome 79 Cyprian of the countrie of Affrike bishop of Carthage Whereas is spoken of those that in his time made abiuration denying againe the truth of the holy gospel what the iudgemente of God against them was and in like sort of them in our time Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem Babile bishop of Nicomedie Asclepiades of Antioch Theophilus Cesarius Vital Polichronius bishop of Babilone 80 Xistus of Athens bishop of Rome Laurentius the first of the seauen Deacons of the Church of Rome 81 Archelaus Bishop of Mesopotamia Anatholius 82 Anthimius Bishop of Nicomedie Albine greatlye renoumed who also receiued the the crowne of a martyr 83 Arnobius Pierius Melitius Lucien Phigeas the Egyptian These here mentioned were excellent doctours of the Church of their time Lactantius