Matth. 26.3 and Elders of the people assembled themselues together into the Hall of the high Priest named Caiaphas and helde a Councel how they might take Iesus Christ by subtiltie and put him to death Certainly by these examples it is plainly proued that if it were sufficient to alledge the multitude the greatest number for to vnderproppe and vpholde a Church the false and bastardly Church shoulde euer preuaile in the matter get the better in that respecte because that the number which cleaueth to it and followeth and maintayneth it is alwayes the greatest August in Psalm 128. Let vs adde here a sentence of Saint Augustine From the time saith hee that the Saintes haue begun to be the Church hath beene and is on the earth Sometimes it was in Abel alone who was slaine by his wicked brother Cain Sometime it was in Henoch alone who was reiected of the vngodlie Sometimes it was in the onely house of Noah and he bare with or suffered all them that perished in the floude and the Arke swimming vpon the floudes was saued and set vpon the drie land Sometime in one onely Abraham of whome we knowe thus much that he suffered manie thinges by the wicked Sometimes in Lott alone and in his onely house in the middest of the Sodomites whose iniquities and vngodlinesse he indured and suffered so long till God drewe him as it were by violence from among them Sometimes in the onely Israelites tormented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians By these wordes that appeareth verie well to be true and right which I haue said to wit that the Church ought not to bee iudged or acknowledged by the great number The faithfull then shoulde not at this day bee offended though they bee but a small number despised and cast out as the filth and ofscouring of the worlde for because they are not of the worlde Iohn 15.19 but that God hath chosen and drawen them out of the worlde therefore beholde doth the world hate them They shoulde not doubte that the Church is not with them though that it be assaulted and persecuted of the greatest number of men and those the mightiest of greatest reputation and highest exalted and namely of the popes Cardinals Bishoppes 1 Cor. 1.27.28.29 parishe Priestes Abbots and other of the cleargie of Rome who indeede ought to maintaine and vpholde it For so it is that GOD hath chosen the foolish thinges of this world to confound the wise things the weake or feeble things to confounde the strong and the vile and despised thinges and those thinges which are not to bring to naught things that are to the ende that no fleshe shoulde reioyce in his presence Psal 118.22 Matt. 21.42 1. Pet. 2.7 And on the otherside the prophecies must of necessitie be wholy accomplished touching the stone which the builders beganne long agoe to reiect and which euen at this day they doe also refuse although it be the master stone or cheife stone of the corner in Sion elect pretious in them which stay them selues thereon and be builded vpon it But some will say wherefore then is it that God hath heretofore suffered so many people in so many ages and times to bee seduced and deceiued Yea wherefore doeth he at this day suffer the greater parte of the worlde to walke in the darkenesses of errour and ignorance Verily it is not our part to take vppon vs either to discouer or curiouslie to search the secrete causes of Gods eternal iudgement neither yet to laye or cast vppon him the faulte of our naughtinesse and vngodlines for certaine it is that hee doeth moste iustly gouerne and guide all thinges and therefore cannot doe iniurie or wronge to any man what so euer he doe Psal 51.5 Ephe. 2.3 seeing that wee are all conceiued and borne in iniquitie and are by nature the children of wrath guiltie of death and eternall damnation And therefore Saint Paule in fewe wordes dissoluing this difficultie contenteth himselfe to alledge the onely will and good pleasure of god without ascēding or going vp higher so much as one steppe Act. 14 1◠Act. 17.30 GOD saith hee in times passed hath suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes Neuerthelesse hee lefte not him selfe without witnesse in that hee did good c. And agayne The time of this ignorance God regarded not but nowe he admonisheth all men euery where to repent Notwithstanding also we may rightly say that God suffereth Sathan to haue so much power and might in the worlde as that he shoulde beare sway raigne ouer the greater parte to the end that he might thereby through his iust iudgement punishe men for their vnthankefulnesse and vnfaithfulnesse For it is not good reason that those which would not hearken vnto God neither receiue the truth which was offered them and who also euen willingly and of their owne accord haue despised and refused their owne saluation is it not meet I say that such shoulde be seduced deceiued through the subtilties and sleightes of the diuell and at the last cast from God and through his iust iudgement punished according as their vngodlinesse vnthankefulnesse deserueth Saint Paul writing vnto the Thessalonians sheweth and putteth downe this reason when hee saith 2. Thess 2.10 That because that they which perishe receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued God shall sende them stronge delusion that they shoulde beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth of the word but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This also fell sometimes and was laide vpon the Gentiles For from the beginning of the world Rom. 1.20 c. GOD made manifest vnto them his Godhead and his power and although this was not done by the preaching of men yet it was by the ministerie of the creatures in which his glorie was in such sorte manifested and shewed that a man may wel say they had in some sense a tongue as it were to shewe set foorth and rehearse the great power and the wonderfull workes of God But what thereof These straglers strayers hauing knowne God did not glorifie him as GOD neither yelded him thankes but became vaine in their imaginations and discourses and so foorth as Saint Paule sheweth of them in the first Chapter to the Romanes Who will then at this day say that GOD hath done them wrong when he giueth them ouer to the lustes of their owne heartes to filthinesse and their owne villanous affections through a spirite destitute and vnfurnished of all iudgement to commit things at no hand conuenient or seemely he punishing them after this manner according to their deserts and his owne most iust righteousnesse The same fell also in time heretofore vpon the poore and miserable Iewes For beholde our Lorde Iesus Christ who of his owne free will presented and offered him selfe vnto them being willing and readie to instruct and teach them in the
the man that indureth temptation for when he is tried hee shall receiue the crowne of life which which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Wherein yee reioyce though now for a season if neede require yee are in heauinesse through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fier might bee found vnto your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christe 1. Pet. 4.14 If yee be rayled vpon for the name of Christe blessed are yee for the spirite of glory of God resteth vpon you which on their part is yll spoken of but on your part glorified Mat. 5. 10.11 12. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil against you for my sake falsly Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Roma 8.28 Al thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euē to thē that are called according vnto his vnchaungeable purpose Phil. 2.27 In nothing feare your aduersaries which is to them a token of destruction but to you a token of saluation and that of God All the persecutions and afflictions which yee suffer are a manifeste token of the righteous iudgement of God 2. Thess 1.5.6.7 that yee may bee counted worthie of the kingdom of God for the which yee also suffer For it is a righteous thinge with God to recompence trybulation to them that trouble you and to you whiche are troubled deliueraunce and rest with vs When the Lorde Iesus shal shewe him selfe from heauen with his mightie Angels This is a true saying 2. Timo. 11 1◠That if wee die with Christe wee shall also liue with him and if wee suffer with hym wee shall also raigne vvith him Nowe out of these places wee gather a verye greate and singular comforte An exhortation to the faithfull paciently and couragiously to beare their crosse For in the firste place wee knowe that there is not any ignominie or shame in the persecutions and afflictions whiche we suffer for Iesus Christes sake but that they are a good and sweete smellynge sauour before GOD because he approoueth and alloweth our obedience when that by the Sacrifices of our selues wee doe most willinglye presente and offer our selues vnto him Moreouer our combat and fighting shall not bee without good hyre for rest and quietnes is set out vnto vs in our pain and trauel and eternall life in our death of which it is writtē Psal 116.15 Precious before the face of the Lord is the death of his Saints And we are wel assured that this our good god beholdeth from aboue our good will and the cōfession of his holy name which we make and yeeld and that as he aideth our strength and power so also that hee will crowne our victorie and rewarde in vs all that which hee hath giuen to vs and wyll honour that which he himselfe hath begun and made perfect in vs. In summe by these persecutions we aduaunce and thrust forwarde our selues to goe to the true and eternall dwelling places of the Martyres that wee may there clearely beholde God and that there we may be partakers of so excellēt a glory as all the afflictions sufferings of this present life euen as Sainte Paule saith are not worthie of Rom. 8.18 Isaiah 6.4 1. Cor. 2.9 For the things which the eye hath not sene neither the eare hath hearde neither came into mans heart are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him Wherefore let vs not feare them which kill the body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but let vs rather feare him which is able to to destroy both soule and body in Hell Mat. 10.32.33 Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men saith Iesus Christe him Will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny mee before menne him will I also deny before my father which is in heauen Hee that will saue his life shall loose it Mat. 10.39 and he that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it Let vs knowe and vnderstand this that from the beginning of the world it hath beene thus ordeined and determined that all which will liue godly in Iesus Christ shal suffer persecutiō 2. Tim. 3.12 And that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen For at the beginning the righteous Abell was slaine and put to death and after him all the righteous persons the Prophetes and Apostles sent by God whereof some were deliuered and cast to wilde beastes others died in prison through famine others were hanged and strangled others digged into earth buried quicke therein others drowned burned beheaded broken and ground as it were to peeces dismembred rosted boiled singed and sawed flayed all aliue stoned whipped c. And is ther any which is able to describe and set out all the tormēts which the tyrants as wel vnder the old as vnder the newe testament iudged the Christians worthie of Now the Lord Iesus hath set out vnto vs an example in himselfe teaching vs that none shall come to his kingdome but they which haue followed him by his owne way Mat. 16.24 Wherefore let vs not bee faint hearted for the persecutions and afflictions which shall come vnto vs but let vs shewe our selues strong and constant and let vs through a certain spirituall power and force pursue that euen to the end the way into which wee are entred If the waues billowes and surges of the Sea of this worlde lift vp themselues and rise against vs to swallow vs vp and to ouerwhelme vs if our enimies in great companies and bands compasse vs on euery side and assault vs Let vs crie with the apostles Mat. 8.25 Maister or Lord saue vs and he will deliuer vs out of al dangers If death feare vs let vs remember that Iesus Christ in dying hath brought this to passe that death is not death vnto vs but a very redy way to guide leade vs to life eternal glory If the world continue his assaultes against vs yea dubbleth them and trebbleth them as you would say Mat. 10.22 2. Timo. 2.5 let vs cal to our remembrance that he Which endureth vnto the end shal be saued and if any man striue for a maistery Mat. 28.20 Mat. 10.28 2. Tim. 1.12 Psal 112.6 he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do The sonne of God is our protector and defender who hath promised vs to be with vs alwaies euē vntil the worlds end If we die for him for his sake he will keepe our soules Pro. 10.7 and that which we haue committed vnto him shal be very sure in his hands euen
his mirrour or glasse the thirteene booke Vincentius in specul lib. 13. cap. 2. Marcel histo 2. and seconde Chapter Notwithstanding that booke which is called the Sea of Histories saith that being taken at the forenamed Marsilles hee there hanged himselfe with a halter being threscore yeeres olde Beholde a summarie and short description of the horrible punishmentes which the Lorde sent vpon the ten Emperours vnder whome and in whose dayes the tenne great persecutions against the Church fell out and were committed Now as the Emperors which succeded those did not all withholde themselues from persecuting the poore Christians so the hande of GOD was not shortened but that punishmente and vengeance was executed vpon the persecutors For that which Saint Cyprian saide in the Apologie or defence hee made against Demetrianus the Gouernour Cyprianus contra Demetrianum is verie true to witte that verie hardlie there was any man at any time who through wickednesse lifted vp him selfe against the Christians but that incontinently therevpon Gods vengeance and iustice followed him and pursued him therefore Galerius Volaterran li. 23 Galerius a cruell Emperour or rather in deed a tyrant hath verie well tryed and proued the same for hauing continued and increased the persecution begunne by Diocletian and hauing with all maner of punishmentes tormented the Christians both cruelly and furiously at the last hauing raigned thirteene yeares not beeing able to abide the tormentes and paynes of a certaine sicknesse wherewith hee was taken and helde thorowe impaciencie hee slue himselfe with his owne hande And some say that in the time of his sicknesse hee put his Phisitions to death because they coulde not heale him of which one declared said That his disease proceeded from the vengeance of God The death of Iulian the Apostata Iulian the Apostata may very well also testifie what end the persecucutors of gods childrē may looke waite for For the histories declare Theoderit lib. 3. cap. 25. Volaterran lib. 23. that he continuing the war against the Persiās which was begunne by the Emperours his predecessours and vpō the way hauing made a vowe againe to shed and spill the Christians blood and namely in Ierusalem and to make them or set them out openly as a shewe in some solemne place if hee came againe victorious and a conquerer as hee was entred into a desart and wildernesse he and his armie wandering vp and down together without guide or leading he was sodenly taken and striken with a stroke either of an arrow or a sworde or of some other weapon for none knoweth as the historiographers say wherewith or howe hee was striken and so dying in dispaire hauing not as then raigned twelue whole yeeres hee cried out with a horrible blasphemie keeping and holding his blood which gushed into his hand and casting it into the aire said O Galilean for so in desspite hee was wont to call Christe at the last thou hast ouercome thou hast ouercome Valens Theod. lib. 4. Cap. 19. Valens also did very well feele know the power of Gods vengeance in his miserable death It is saide of him that hauing receiued the doctrine of the Arrians a certain season after that he harkened vnto the instruction of Basil and receiued it but straight wayes hee returned to his former naturall disposition and assalted and set vpon Basil and when it so fell out that hee coulde not perswade him to ioyne or take part with the Arrians hee commanded that a Lawe and Decree shoulde bee made for his banishment And when hee was minded to subscribe the saide decree the pen was found bruised after a sodeine and maruellous maner so that hee coulde not therewith make a stroke only or signe of a letter They brought vnto him the second penne yea euen the thirde and it fell out in thē as with the first and notwithstāding hee yet indeuoured to vndersigne subscribe ratifie that decree but he felt that his right hande shoke and trembled Socrates lib. 4. cap. 36. Theodoret. lib. 4. cap. 36. Sozomen lib. 7. cap. 40. and then being feared hee tare the paper But shortly after hee died wickedly For in a certaine battaile which he had against the Gothes who rebelled against him being inforced thereto through famine and hunger hee was hurt with an arrowe Wherefore he fled and withdrewe himself into a small graunge or farme house in the fieldes with some of his people and being close or hidden there the Gothes set fire on it not knowing that Valens was therin and there he was burned all aliue And to the end that they which shoulde come after might haue a more euidēt testimony that this was in deede a punishment sent from God and that also in this wicked person there might alwayes be had an example of the wrath of God he remained without any buriall at all But when will it be that we shall make an ende if wee woulde largely pursue and recite the Catalogue or beadrole as you woulde say of tyrants and persecutors of the Churche who for a iust recompence of their cruelties haue beene punished by the hand of God and died miserably Wee should not want examples of former ages neither yet of our time For God hath alwaies had care ouer his Church maintaining it and punishing the riottes and murthers committed against it yea hee will alwayes mainteine it and will exercise and execute his iustice vpon them which would oppresse it because hee accounteth it as deare Zachari 2. 8. as the apple of his eye whiche shoulde bring vnto vs a singular comfort and instruction For it serueth well to comfort vs when we vnderstand that we haue a keeper and defender in heauen who in the middest of our afflictions will not forsake vs no not then when it seemeth vnto vs that the whole worlde conspireth and ariseth against vs. On the other side we ought to receiue and take instruction therby because that wee heare that God taketh vengeance in his good time and as pleaseth himselfe vpon them which persecute his Church to the end that we should spoyle our selues of and cast farre from vs all particuler affections or motions of reuengement and shoulde leaue the iudgemēt of our cause vnto god to whō alone as he saith Vengeāce to repay the same Deut. 32.35 Rom. 12.19 doth belong when he shall see good and meete And notwithstanding the tyrants and persecutors haue to learne by the aboue saide examples to haue in horror and wonderfull feare the great iudgements of God and to knowe that albeit God doe for a time defer and put of the punishment of those which ragingly and furiously fall vpon his welbeloued Saints yet such are not for all that any whit the more blessed The furie and wrath of God as one hath said walketh and goeth verye softly Valerius Maximus in his historie but after it hath beene long time deferred or foreslowed it doeth at the last
recompence that slownesse as it were long forebearing by very terrible torments yea it commeth and draweth nigh by little and little with feete of wooll as it were but being once arriued and come it declareth that it hath an arme of iron to bruise in peeces beat downe all vnrepentant wicked persons O blessed is he as a certaine Poet hath sayde who is made wise by an other mans daungers and examples I wishe that this might open the eies of the men of our time who doe openly bande and set themselues againste God and his Church For some there bee who are so arrogant and presumptuous that they take pleasure delight in no other thing then to murther and persecute poore innocent people as though they had made a couenant or agreement with death it self as Isaiah saith They lift vp thē selues aboue the clowdes Isaiah 28.15 neither haue they any tast or feeling of the iudgement of God and therefore they harden them selues in a cursed kinde of licentiousnesse But so much there is that their ende if they amend not shall make manifest an alteration and chaunge not looked for by which the Lorde when so seemeth good vnto himselfe knoweth rightly to execute his own iudgemēts yea that his hande although it appeare not that it seemeth as thogh hee had it shut vp in his bosome is notwithstanding nigh to ouerwhelme them and where as they lift vp them selues against heauen that hee will in a moment and twinkling of an eye make them to fal backwarde to the earth yea and cast them headlong to the deapth or bottome of Hell O that tyrants persecutors would thinke well of these matters But what What should a man doe to hard heartes and to blinded eies The wicked become more proude through the prosperitie which they haue in this worlde as though that no punishmēt for their cruelties were prepared for them It fareth with them as with Dionysius the tyrant who after he had spoyled and robbed a temple went to the Sea and seeing hee had a good wind beganne to say that the Gods fauoured Churche robbers or spoylers of temples So likewise these men when they beholde that their offences remaine vnpunished that their villanies wickednesses are not corrected immediatly they giue them selues ouer to worke wickednesse outragiously and to conclude in their carnal fleshly vnderstāding that there is no iudgement of God at all and that hee hath no punishments redy and prepared for their iniquities But as the holy Scripture determineth and pronounceth the quite and cleane contrary so ordinary and common experience of the examples of gods wrath doeth sufficiently shew vnto vs that when god spareth the wicked persecutors of his people for a time and maketh as though hee seemed not to looke vpon their extortions outrages and violences it is not because hee is fauourable vnto them neither because hee reacheth them his hande and helpeth them for it cannot otherwise bee but that one day as hee is a iuste iudge hee wyll giue vnto the enimies of his glorie and the good and saluation of his Children suche recompence and hyre as they shall haue deserued first in this life if it bee expedient that they may shamefully and wickedly ende their daies and afterwardes in the other worlde that they may vtterly perishe if they repent and amend not in this life and may bee tormented eternally in Hell fire where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth FINIS ¶ A Table conteining the principall matters handled in this present booke A AFflictions and the causes thereof Page 333. c. Afflictions of the church 274. Afflictions of the Church and the ends which God respecteth therein 340. Afflictions of the Church increase when the deliuerance thereof is nigh 325. Afflictions of the Church is alwayes ordered and gouerned by Gods hande 321. Afflictions come not without the prouidence of God 318. Afflictions and their issue in respect of the faithfull 345. Afflictions and their issue in respect of the persecutors 357. Ancientes 133. Antiochus 359 Apostles 128. Archebishops 69. 144. Aurelian 304 372. Augustine and in what sense he saide that hee would not beleeue the Gospel without the authoritie of the church 222. Auncient fathers did not acknowlege the bishop of Rome for Pope 92. c. B BBaptisme of the Roman Church 115. Bishop 69. 133. 143. Bishop vniuersal is a title of Antichrist when it is giuen to men 94. C CAlling see Vocation Cardinals 146. Censures 247. Censures three endes thereof 252. Censures of the Church must be applied with out respect of persons 255. Chaplines 140. Councels 202. Consistorie 241. Corrections and censures 247. Curates 142. Church whence it commeth 2. Church how many waies taken 2. Churche which is true hath two substantiall markes 15. Church and her continuance 55. Church and her head is Iesus Christ alone 68. Church and her holinesse 184. Church compared to a Palme tree roses lilies and to a Vine 332. Old Church of Rome what a one it was according to Tertullian his iudgement 106. Church catholike is one alone 11. Church catholike inuisible what it is 7. Church distinguished into three sortes 4. Church in what sense called the piller groūd of trueth 200. Church in what sense saide to be without spot or wrinckle 189. Church whether aboue the scripture 213. Church whether more old then the scripture 220. Church must not be iudged by the great number 58. Church whether it may erre 197. Church why called catholike 9. Church why saide to bee inuisible 12. Church represented by a bright lampe or firebrand in the middest of a burning or smoking furnace 330. Church represented by the burning bush 330. Church of Rome hath not the markes of the true church 19. Church of Rome is not the true church 102. Church of Rome hath not true vnitie 113. Church increaseth in the middest of persecutions 330. Church visible what it is 14. D DEcius 299.370 Deacons 136. Diaconisses 244. Dioclesian 305. 373. Discipline necessarie in the Church 235. Discipline incrocheth nothing vpon the magistrate 237. Doctors 132. Domitian 283. 365. Donation of Constantine to Siluester 87. E EVangelistes 130. Excōmunication 3. endes therof 252. Exposition of Scriptures and two principles necessary therein 20. Elders 135. G GAlerius 376. Galien 302. God deliuereth his church out of afflictions when it is time 327. God why he afflicteth rather his church then other people 319. God why he sendeth not succour to his church so soone as it is afflicted 323. H HEad of the church is Iesus Christ alone 68. Herode Agrippa 362. Herode Antipas 362. Herode the great 360. High or chiefe Bishop 97. Holinesse of the Church vnperfect 187. I IGnorance excuseth not 125. Iulian the Apostata 313. 377. K Keyes in the Church and the vse thereof 79. L Lawes Ecclesiasticall 258. M MArcus Aurelius 293. 357. Maximianus Herculien 305. 373. Maximinus 298. 369. Metropolitanes 69. 144. 149. Ministerie and howe much shoulde bee giuen thereto 179. Ministerie of the worde ordeined by God for our weakenesse sake 177. Ministerie necessary in the Churche 160. Ministers considered after two sortes 180. Ministers of the church their degrees or orders 128. Miracles are not sufficient to proue a calling 53 Multitude maketh nothing at al for the church 58. N Nero. 184. 364. O Orders of the Pope his cleargie 139. P POpe 97. 152. Pope and his blasphemies 75. Popes two at Rome at one time 91. Pastors 131. Patriarches 69. 149. Paule shoulde rather bee taken for Pope then Saint Peter 100. Persecutions of the Church 274. Persecutions of the Church ten great and general a discourse thereof 279. Persecutions come not without Gods prouidence 318. Persecution the first vnder Nero. 281. Persecution the second vnder Domitian 283. Persecution the third vnder Traian 284. Persecution the fourth vnder Marcus Aurelius 293. Persecution the fift vnder Seuerus 296. Persecution the sixt vnder Iulian Maximinus 298. Persecution the seuenth vnder Decius 299. Persecution the eight vnder Valerian and Galien 302. Persecution the nienth vnder Aurelian 304. Persecution the tenth vnder Dioclesian and Maximianus 305. Pharao 358. Peter whether he were Bishop of Rome is vncertaine 98. Peter was not the head of the Church 71. Pilate 363. Pontifex or high Bishop 97. Predecessours of ours who died in the faith of the Romane church whether saued or condemned 126. Priestes 140. Prophetes 129. Parsons 158. S SAbaoth changed to the Sunday 228. Sanctitie or holinesse of the churche is vnperfect 187. Sanctification how wrought in vs. 186. Sanctification and three degrees of it 69. Saincts in what fense wee are called 185. Sancherib 358. Seuerus 296. 269. Succession and three sortes thereof 26. Succession to what ende and in what sense the auncient Doctors vsed an argument taken there from 28. Sucession personall hath some times had a breache in the seate of Rome 35. Succession and calling of persons 24. T TRaian 284. 356. Teachers 132. V VAlens the Emperour 314. 378. Valerian 362. 371. Vicars 140. Vnitie in veritie is not in the Romishe church 113. Vocation of Pastors three thinges necessarie therein 39. Vocation ordinarie and extraordinary 47. FINIS