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
Firmicane the disciple of Arnobius 84 Eusebius Bishop of Cesaria in Palestine Reththius Bishop of Authun Methodius Athanasius Bishoppe of the citie of Alexandria 85 Eustache Bishop of Antioch Paphnutius of Egipt Maximus Macarius Bishop of Ierusalem Spiridion Bishop of Tremithe in Cyprus Nicholas Bishop of Mirrha in Lycia 86 Theodorike Bishoppe of Heraclia in Thrace Eusebius Bishop of Emesus Hillarie Bishop of Poityers in the Dukedome of Aquitaine in Fraunce 87 Liberius Bishop of Rome 88 Basile Bishoppe of Cesarea 89 Damasus borne in Spain Bishop of Rome succeeded after Liberius Anthon. 90 Vulphilas Bishop of Gothes in Sarmathia 91 Ambrose Bishop of Milaine 92 Vigilantius Bishoppe of Barcelon in Spaine 93 Apollinare of Laodicea Bishop of Syria 94 Hierome the sonne of one named Eusebius of the citie of Stridon 95 Chrisostome borne at Antioch and the disciple of Liberius Euagrius Theodolus Maximius were Bishops 96 Augustine Bishop of Hippo was diuinely raysed vp for to confute as well the errours of the Manichees as of the Pelagians and others 97 Possidonius of the countrie of Affrike bishoppe of Calme Celestin bishop of Rome Palades the grecian and Patricius were in Scotlād and in Ireland for to preach the faith Germaine Bishoppe of Auxerre Cirillus Bishop of Alexandrie 98 Sedulius Sozomenus Socrates Theodoritus Cassiodore 99 Eucherius Bishop of Lyons 100 Victor Bishop of a cytie in Numidia which is in Affricke called in latin Cartena Polichronius bishop of Ierusalem Archadius Probus Paschaius 101 Laetus bishop Eugenius bishop of Carthage 102 Proterius bishop of Alexandrie Peter of Rauenna Gennadius an elder of the church of Marseille Prosper Saluien Sidonius Germaine bishop of Capua Vaast bishop of Arras Fulgentius bishop of Ruspe in Affrike Autius bishop of Vienna Solemus bishop of Chartres Boetius a learned man Epiphanius Bishop of Phania 103 GElasius of Affrick bishop of Rome 104 Hormisda borne in Frese land in the citie of Campania gouerned the Church of Rome 105 Arator Gregorie bishop of Angres 106 Leander bishoppe of Seuille Serenus bishop of Marseillus 107 Isidorus the younger byshop of Hispalis Beda an English man 108 Theodorus Bishoppe of Rauenna Leger bishop of Authun 109 Willebroc bishop of Frisons 110 Boniface Archbishop of Mayence Burcardus Guntarius bishop 111 Alcuin Beda his scholar Felix bishop in Aquitain 112 Ansegisus who made 4. bookes of the decrees of Charlemaigne and of Lewis his sonne 113 Haymo the third Bishop of Albastat the disciple of Alcuinus Rabanus Strabus who collected out of the writings of the fathers and of the doctours the ordinarie glose 114 Bertrand a priest a learned man and well instructed in the true godlines 115 Vldriche bishop of Auspurge in Germanie which greatly resisted against the decrees of Pope Nicholas 116 Iohannes Scotus not Ihon the fiyer a learned man who wrote properly like as the foresaide Bertrande did concerning the bodie and bloud of Christ in the supper 117 Ratherius Bishop of Verone Aldeber of Bohemia Bishop of Prague 118 Burchardus bishoppe of Wormes who compyled the auncient canons 119 Berengarius borne at Toures Archdeacon of Anger 's mainteyned the opinion of the saide Bertrand and Iohannes Scotus 120 Sigebert who made a chronicle Hugo of the Saxon nation 121 Bernard of the countrey of Burgonia 122 Iohn of Saresburie Byshop of Charters stoode in defraunce against the wickednesse of the Popes and of the Cleargie 123 Arnolde bishop of Byxta 124 Waldo of Lyons of whō the Waldenses tooke their name like as of Luther came the Lutherians 125 Peter de vinca Chauncelor to the Emperour Fridericke the second did write many letters in the name of the Emperour complaining therein of the vnsatiable couetousnesse of the Pope 126 William de sainct Amour a Doctour of Paris a channon of Beauuais in his sermons cryed out against the hypocrisie of the prelates and other such like matters 128 Laurence an Englishman a doctour of Paris wrote a certaine booke against the monks the contents of which booke was that men should take heede of false prophets 129 Peter Cassiodorus an Italian well instructed in the worde of God 130 Dulcine of Nauarre who reproued the vices of the Churchmen 131 Arnoldus de villa nova who saide that in the sacrifice of the Altar the Priest did offer nothing vnto God 132 Wickliefe who seing true diuinitie to bee corrupted with a great many of rude questions and humaine inuentions was moued to remedie such a disorder 133 Sautree a priest inflamed with and pure religion 134 Iohn Hus of Bohemia 135 Hierome of Prague a Bohemian who was at the councel of Constance wheras was also Iohn Hus. 136 Clemangis a doctour of Paris Archdeacon of Baion wrote touching the corrupt estate of the church 137 Iohn Oldcastel knight of the order and one of the peeres of Englande who taught the courtiers a better manner of seruing Christ Iesus then they vsed 138 Grunelder of the order of priests Taylour an English man Radtgeber Drandorf Toraw All these were martyred for the maintenaunce of the trueth of the worde of God 139 Wyght an Englishman Richarde Houenden an Englishman martyred for the trueth of the gospell 140 Paul Crau of Bohemia Rhedon of the order Car melites in the kingdome of Fraunce Roger Dule Gentleman 141 Sauanarola al these were burned for mainteining the trueth 142 Luther necessarily raysed vp to reforme the church Zuinglius minister of the church of Zurich 143 Occolampadius minister of Basile 144 Bucer professour of diuinitie in England 145 Melancthon professour of Diuinitie at Wittenberge 146 Peter Martyr professour of diuinitie at Zurich Musculus at Berne Marlorate minister of the Church at Roan 147 Caluin minister of the Church at Geneua 148 FINIS
in the said booke briefly dissolued vnder these two questions to wit whether Christ be there in misterie and figure or according to the trueth Whither this bodie of Christ be the proper body which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Marie or not The which two questions hee debateth aswell on the one partie as on the other affirming concerning the first aswell by naturall reasons drawne from common vnderstanding as by euident testimonies of the holy scriptures and auncient doctours that the bodie and bloude be therin taken vnder the vaile and couerture of breade and wine figuratiuely and shadowed not visibly and euidently the which he calleth according to the trueth Also not clearely and openly but secreatly Concerning the other question by one and the same processe hee sheweth by infringible and inuincible argumentes that in this misterie is the spirituall bodie that there is a mistical and spirituall vnderstanding thereof and not the verie same bodie that he tooke of the virgin Marie He saith verely that the bodie of Christ is there inasmuch as the spirite of Christ is in the sacrament that is to say the power of the word of God the which doth not only féede the soule but also purgeth and cleanseth it For to sée this matter more at large you may reade the booke that is at this day extant in French and published abroade 116 In the yeare 964. Huldricke Bishoppe of Auspurge in Allemaigne did greatly withstand the decrées of Pope Nicholas he wrote vnto him one Epistle shewing among other thinges that he did amisse when he went about to compell the Clearks whom he ought to haue exhorted that they shoulde kéepe the chastitie of marriage by force and vyolēce to abide in continencie Saying also that this is deemed of all men violence when any bodie is constrayned to kéepe any particuler decrée contrary to the institution of the Gospel and against the doctrine of the holy Ghost He shewed plainely that the Lord in the old Testament hath constituted and ordeyned marriage for priests and that we do not reade that afterward he forbad it That euery one folowing the saying of the Apopostle in the 7. Chapt. to the Corinthians ought to haue his wife That hypocrites doe corrupt this sentence and falsely say that it appertayneth onely to the lay people and yet notwithstanding they make no difficultie of conscyence in any holy order whatsoeuer they be placed to abuse other mens wiues Also he sheweth that this sentence of the Apostle that is that euery one shoulde haue his wife excepteth no person but him that maketh profession of cōtinencie or him that hath determined to perseuer in virginitie according to the Lords will That the vowe of man cannot breake the commaundement of God That he who cannot contain ought to marry 1. Cor. 7. He also alleageth the Canons that is that the Bishop or minister ought in no wise put away his wife vnder a colour of Religion and that if he forsooke her he should be excomunicated and that if he abode in that obstinacie he should be vtterly dismissed and cast of from his calling That the bishop must be vnreproueable and the husbande of one wife and howe that the Apostle to the end that none should conuerte this sentence to one Church or congregation alone added consequently He that knoweth not howe to gouerne his housholde how shal he gouerne and guide the church of God he also sheweth that the glose of those is false who will expounde the Church to be the onely wife Also that those which alledge for their patrone and defendour S. Gregorie be ignoraunt not vnderstanding that perilous decrée made by S. Gregorie whiche was afterwarde purged by a worthie fruite of repentance for it is said that on a certaine day as the saide Gregorie sent to his poole for fish he had drawne vp out of the saide poole which he saw aboue sixe thousande heades of yong children wherat he being moued with true repentance beganne to wéepe and confessing that the decrée that he had made concerning the continencie of Priestes had béene cause of such a murther he then amended his fault as it is said by a worthy déede of repentance And after that he had condéemned his said decrée he praysed the councell of the Apostle to wit that it is better to marrie then to burne adding more on his part that it is better to marrie then to giue occasion of murther In the ende he confounded by many testimonies of the holy scripture the horrour of vowing continencie and following the saying of S. Paul 1. Timo. 4. he declared that it is the doctrine of Diuels to forbidde marriage Wherby we must note that the Lord in the middest of the furie and madnesse of the world rayseth vp some faithful ministers for to withstand the horrible spoyles of the aduersaries He that would sée at large the saide Epistle published nowe in French read the firste of Crespin vppon the estate of the Church out of the which I haue gathered some parte of these collections 117 In the yeare 869. was Iohannes Scotus it was not Iohn the Frier a learned man who was sent for out of France into England by Alfridus king of Englande who founded the Schoole or vniuersitie of Oxenforde whereas the said Scotus was president but afterward becomming a Monk he was slain by the Monks of the Conuent as he was teaching thē He wrot like as Bertrand did touching properly the body and bloude of Christe in the supper In that time or thereabouts the Normands being vanquished receiued the faith Naucl. The king of Bulgaria also about this time receiued the faith and willingly forsaking publike affaires he was made a Monke and left the realme to his sonne who reiected the faith so that his father came out of the monasterie and went againste him in battaile and hauing gotten the victorie he caused his eyes to bee digged out and kepte him in prison and gaue the kingdome to his yonger sonne and after he returned to the Monastery againe Naucle and Sigeb Adrian the Pope sent thrée legats vnto the Bulgarians being newly conuerted to wit Siluester Leopard and Dominicke for to institute ordinances concerning the affaires of the Church according to the Komaine forme and fashion but afterwarde they being persuaded by the Grekes reiected the latine ministers which thing bread great hatred betwixt the latine Church and the Greeke Church and all the contention of the said Churches happened through this Primate and for the diuersitie of ceremonies Naucl. Edmund the last king of the East Englishmen was slaine by the Paganes of Denmarke in the yeare 871. and is canonised a martyre 118 In the yeare 938. Ratherius Bishop of Verone wrot against the herisie of Anthromorphites which was renewed againe in that time saying that God had a corporall forme In the same time Spireneus Duke of Bohemia receiued the Christian faith thorough the persuasion of the Emperour Henricus Suppl Chro. Aldebert
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
due alone vnto him whom al the saintes must honour and reuerence and do put their trust in them which ought to be transserred to God onely and more ouer séeing they are so affectioned towards those images that they like better of and be more deuoute to one them then to another mine opinion is said he the of such do commit Idolatry and a deadly sinne against God vnto whom doth belong all honour glorie and praise Lastly hee saide that hee was thus perswaded that there dwelled none here below vpon earth but was in a pilgrimage either to goe vnto life or els to tende vnto torments That whoso doth so order his life that hee transgresseth the commaundements ordinances of God whither that he knoweth them not or will not knowe them hee must not hope for saluation albeit that hee raunge abroade to all the corners of ths worlde Contrariwise hee that shall kéepe the holy ordinances of God cannot perishe although hee neuer make voyage nor pilgrimage in his life vnto any place whither disordered men haue vsed to goe on pilgrimage There be also founde of his other principall articles as of the two natures in Christ diuine humaine and that like as his diuinitie was here béelowe on earth hidden and couered vnder humanity so in the sacrament of the Eucharistie there is bread and the bodie giuen vs to wit the breade which we sée and the bodie of Christ which wee sée not thus expressed hee his Faith touching the Sacrament c. Also that it is not necessarie for the obtayning of saluation to confesse his sinnes to his owne Curate or any other priest whilest he liueth Also hee denyed not onely the worshipping of Images but also that which we call the holy Crosse Furthermore he saide concerning the power of the keyes and touching the Pope Archbishoppes Bishops and other Prelates that the Pope is very Antichrist and that these Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates be his members and the fryers the tayle of Antichrist like as the Pope is the heade to whome no man ought to obey that is to say to the Pope Archbishops Bishoppes and other Prelats except they be followers of Christ and Peter in life and manners and in conuersation and that hee which is the best lyuer most pure in conuersation is the successour of Peter not otherwise It is reported moreouer that the saide Lorde Oldcastel saide with a loude voyce stretching his handes abroade and perswading those that were present These who iudge and woulde condemneme will beguile you all and leade both you themselues into hell and therefore beware of them To make short sentence of death was pronounced against him not withstanding he forbode a while after as it were banished and was sent away by a wile And at the last hee being taken againe and remayning constant without denying the trueth which he saw conteined in the holy scriptures was condemned to be burned And thus this valiant Doctour and Martyr fynished the course of his life and recommending his soule vnto God and praying for his ennimies after that hee had exhorted the people to applie themselues vnto the true faith and pure religion yelded vp his spirite vnto the Lord. He that woulde sée of him more at large let him read the booke of Martyrs 139 In the same time also that is 1418. 19. 20. and so consequently the Lord shewed sufficiently that the bloude of Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prague and of other good doctours and Martyrs of the Church fell not to the grounde for to be swallowed vp and come to nothing as some pretended but it did greatly fructifie with an incredible commoditie not onely in Englande and in Bohemia but also in Germanie and Fraunce and generally in other realmes countries and prouinces For God hath much more since that time shewed a clearer chaunge of thinges causing tongue to be renewed as messengers and arts to bee as forerunners to Dame veritie who immediately came forth with the brightnesse of the most cleare sunne that is the preaching of the Gospell wherein many times they haue excelled being fortified with all necessaries against darknesse Many haue dealt verie valiantly and haue not onely brought againe diuinitie to his naturall and first puritie but haue also endured martyrdome for a more ample witnessing thereof Amongst others one named Grunfelder a priest called to the order of Iesus Christ was burned in the citie of Rinsbourg in the yeare of our Lorde 1420. William Tayler an Englishe man a master in artes was also martyred The princial cause of the furie raysed vp against him was because hee had composed a booke against calling vpon or praying to saincts For that cause hee was burned in the citie of London in the yeare 1422. hee abode the fire verie constantly Henry Radtgeber of the order of Popish priests first did valyantly fight and endured a cruell death for the profession of the Gospel in the foresaide citie of Rinsbourg this was in the yeare 1423. Iohn Drandorfe of a noble house in the countrey of Misne was executed at Wormes in the yere following 1424. Peter Toraw was afterwarde martyred in the Citie of Spira anno 1426. Iohn Bale an English writer speaketh hereof in his booke of the famous men of England 140 In the yeare 1425. there was a Priest called William Wight an English man who hauing vsed to reade the sermons of Wicliefe chaunged his life wholly and acknowledging the filthinesse of his former life he forsooke his benefice whereby he had receiued large reuenewes After that hee following the holy ordinaunce of God tooke a wife Being maryed he applied himselfe to studie and teaching either publikely or priuately labouring to profite all men At the laste hee was taken in the citie of Norwich and there they layed against him thirtie articles for the which hee was cruelly burned by the procuring of the Bishop and this was in the yeare 1428. His wife following the example of her husband ceassed not according to her facultie for to instructe euery bodie and for this cause she was very hardly intreated by the saide Bishop Also in the yeare 1430. Richarde Houenden an English man and a Citizen of London could by no meanes bee withdrawen from the trueth for any perswasions that coulde bée alleaged and therefore he was condemned to be burned néere vnto the tower of London 141 Many good personages of dyuers Realmes haue greatly beene afflicted and persecuted in the yeares following because they spake and mainteined the pure trueth and haue spilte euen the vttermost drop of their bloude God notwithstanding assisted them the they might make the aduersaries of the puritie of his holy and diuine seruice the more ashamed In the Realme of Bohemia Paul Crau in the yeare 1431. was deliuered to the seculer power by a Bishoppe for to bee burned and that because hee blodly withstoode the wicked opinions of the people touching the Eucharistie inuocation of sainctes auricular confession and
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