forth to fight the cause of truth against the Pope even out of the Cloister of Augustinian Friers in the reign of the Emperour Charls the fifth who much endeavoured to suppresse him 1. By convening the estates of Germany at the Town of Worms But before I come to his story you may see that there was in every age some that professed the Protestant tenets of Religion before Luthers time I could reckon abundance more but I avoid prolixity and reserve the reader to the Catalogues and Martyrologies of Religious men I return therefore to Martin Luther who being summoned appeared at the Convention at Worms but would revoke nothing of his writings which were concerning 1. The grounds of Christian Religion The second contained a reproofe and detection of papacy and popish doctrines and manners The third sort contained an opposition of those particular persons who did abet and maintain the Roman tyranny and deface his writings none of which he would recant He had safe conduct back again to his own Country but the Emperour to please the Pope who had not yet confirmed him in his Empire sent out a Writ of outlawry against Luther and all his adherents commanding Luther to be apprehended and his books burnt Then followed another Convention at Norinbergh of the estates of Germany to suppresse Luther to which the Pope excited them by his Legate Cheregatus But the estates found it dangerous to proceed with rigor against him but desired to reserse it to the next free Councill called in Germany and in the mean time they would take care to prevent disorders But in the mean time an hundred grievances at least were presented by the Germans to that Convention and by them to the Pope the chiefe whereof were 1. That many things were prohibited by humane constitution that were not prohibited of God and many things rejected which were of God commanded 2. That the Popes pardons were insufferable which perswading the people of the power of them was the cause of many abominations committed because for mony they might be pardoned 3. That Ecclesiasticall men are free from the secular power whatever they commit 4. That Priests are suffered to have Concubines for monie and the chaster men are compelled to pay monie for them and so may have them if they will But no answer came either from Pope Adrian or Clement the seventh after him though he sent Cardinall Campeius to the next Convention at Norinberg But Ferdinand the Emperours brother and Cardinall Campeius the Duke of Bavaria and some Bishops Joan. Sleidan Comment assembled themselves in a Conventicle at Ratisbone and ratified certaine Articles against Luther and his books Afterward were two other Conventions at Spiers in the first many bils of complaints were put up against Monks and Friers and the priviledges of the Clergy above the Civill power Also against holy daies and that the difference of meats and ceremonies might be free and that the Emperour would appoint a Provnciall Councill since a generall could not be had in Germany for matters of Religion or else suspend the decree of Worms against the followers of Luther and himselfe the last was granted And at the next convention at Spiers was by a few Princes decreed That such Cities as had altered Religion should make no farther change and that other places should obey the decree of Wormes till a generall Councill That all men should use the masse that would even where it was abolished That Anabaptists should be punished to death and ministers should teach by the Churches interpretations That the doctrine of the Lords Supper should not be received That no Princes should receive strangers that for Religion came to their dominions This was resisted by the Duke of Saxony and the Prince of Brandenberg and the Princes of Luneberg and the Landgrave of Hesse and some others and made protestation against it and that name is given to all that decline the Romish Religion The name Protestants To these did cleave fourteen Cities who appealed to the Emperour and a generall Councill or a Provinciall They sent Embassadors to the Emperour who handled them very roughly with threatnings Therefore the Protestants bound themselves in a Covenant at Smalcaldy to assist each other if any of them were pursued for Religion This discontented the Councill of the Empire The Emperour published a decree that though the confession presented to him at the Town Augusta was consuted to which the Protestants were not suffered to reply The Augustane Confession but willed to return to the Romish Church yet he would give them a space to return In which time they should keep peace and alter Religion no farther but suffer every man to follow the Church of Rome that pleased The Protestants answered they could not obey that decree with a safe conscience Therefore the Emperour set forth another Decree wherein he confirmed the Romish Religion in all points and that his Court called the Chamber should proceed against the Protestants in judgement and that no Protestant Prince should bear office in his Court and that all Papists should be taken into his protection against their own Princes therefore the Protestants and their Embassadors met again at Smalcaldy and confirmed their league begun Vlricus Zuinglius after this being Preacher of Zurick shewed himselfe also against the Popes pardons and other corruptions he was opposed by the popish preachers The Senate of Zurick appoints a publike disputation Zuinglius sets out seventy Articles before hand to be disputed of Faber Stapulensis whom the Bishop of Constance sent to dispute against Zuinglius declined the disputation and referred it to a generall Councill Therefore the Senate proclaimed throughout all their territories that the traditions of men should be abolished and the Gospell of Christ purely taught out of the Old and New Testament Against which the Helvetians convened at Lucerna and decreed that no man should deride the Masse and that Luther should not be mentioned that Images should not be violated and that all decrees of the Bishop of Constance should be obeied and in 1625. appointed a disputation at Baden to maintain popish tenets of transubstantiation and the Masse invocation of Saints and for the maintenance of Images and Purgatory which Ecchius offred to maintain and prove He was opposed by Oecolampadius Preacher of Basil and others Zuinglius was not permitted by the Senate of Zurick to be there because the Helvetians were his fierce and deadly enemies It was concluded that all should remain in that Religion they had hitherto kept and should admit of no new doctrine in their dominions but should sollow the authority of the Councill The Senate and people of Berne not content herewith one of the chiefe Cities of Helvetia assigned a disputation there to be held called all the Bishops about them thereunto granted safe conduct to all that would come thither The disputation was to be decided by Scriptures the Propositions to be disputed upon were
and notorious sinners are not of the Church militant because they fight not against sin but subject themselves to it having not the spirit that lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5.17 whereas in the members of the Church militant Christ liveth by the holy spirit deriving to them sense life and spirituall motion Nor do we number hypocrites to be of the Church militant though in the visible Church by partaking of the doctrine and Sacraments because they want those vertues and graces which proves one to be a member of the mysticall body of Christ as faith to apprehend Christ the head and foundation and to be united to him and therefore can bear no fruit in him but must be taken away Iohn 15.2 though they be in Church visible which Church the Papists only acknowledging may well hold that the true Church is alwaies visible Mathe. Why is it not so Phila. You are to consider that the tearm or word Church is diversly understood First for the universall company of beleevers and so it is invisible and therefore it is said in the Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Church now faith is the evidence of things not seen Secondly Church is taken for a company of men in particular places professing one and the same true religion and so it is visible Again if you take the Church in the externall form of it namely for a company of men met together to perform Church duties so the Church is visible but if you take it in its internall form consisting in efficacious calling and faith so it is invisible for it is hard to judge who hath these graces Therefore certainly neither the whole Catholick Church nor all that part of it called militant is visible But some part of the Church militant hath and is but yet is not necessary to be alwaies visible but may possibly lie hid and unappearing at some times Aug. in lib. 5. cont Donat. c. 17 Rev. 13.13 14 In which regard the Church is called a garden inclosed and a fountain sealed Cant. 4.11 and the weapons of her warfare to be spirituall 2 Cor. 10.4 When Antichrist reigned over the world where was then the Church visible surely fled like the woman Rev. 12.16 into some solitary place as Eliah was forced to do by Iesabel 1 Kin. 19.10 Indeed there hath been and I fear will be again when our Sun will be darkned and her Moon will not give her light and our Stars fall from the Churches heaven And when you see the abomination of heresies schisme and libertinisme set up in Gods Temple let him that is in Christianity fly to the Scripture for there you shall only find what the true Church is namely certain people called at divers houres some at the first some at the second others at the third So at the beginning middle and end of the world and not all alike at all times sometimes clouded sometimes more resplendent so that it is not alwaies visible nor alwaies alike visible Mathe. Whether is the visible Church subject to defects or errors Phila. Yes for Adam and Eve fell in Paradise and afterward the world was so wicked that the Church remained only in Noahs family And after God had chosen the people of Israel to be his Church they worshipped the golden Calfe and for that and other sins we find them left without Religion Priest or Law 2 Chron. 5. and their Temple ruin'd and themselves dispersed Christ saith that faith shal hardly be found on the earth 2 Thes 2. and St Paul prophecieth of a generall apostacy So in the time of Athanasius the Christian world was over-run with Arianisme only Athanasius stood for Christ that he was of the same substance with the Father But he was but one man and one man could not make a Church so that the Church as well as the Moon may suffer an eclipse especially when the sword shall awake against the shepherd Zach. 13.7 and he shall be smitten and the sheep scattered So likewise the visible Church may erre not the Church Catholick and universall for truth could not be found then upon earth nor any visible militant Church for then they have no truth to fight for But the visible Church as it consisteth of its outward matter and form namely of a company of men exercised about Ecclesiasticall matters may erre and so it did before the Law in the time of the Patriarks and under the Law as the Church of Israel and since the Law For the visible Church of the Jewes persecuted the Christians and the Disciples were all offended and stumbled at Christs sufferings and hardly beleeved at first his resurrection yea and after it erred about his Kingdome Acts 1.6 which they thought should be earthly So they doubted a while about the calling of the Gentiles Acts 10.20 cap. 11.2 So we find the Church of the Corinths full of division 1 Cor. 1.11 and schismes and doubts of the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. and the Church of Galatia falling back to Judaisme by circumcision Gal. 5.1 2 3. Yea all the Eastern Churches as wel as the seven Churches of the lesser Asia have had their errors and remaine in some as the Papists say even till now Yea generall Councils have not been free for one hath disallowed what the other hath allowed and both cannot therefore be true As the Councill of Franckford broke down the Images in Churches Aug. lib. de unita Eccles c. 3. which the second Councill of Nice restored and so many others did one contradict another which sheweth the Churches imperfection and that it stands not with her nature to be free from error for then if she did once erre she could be no longer a Church Therefore the Church of Rome if it be a visible Church can chalenge no such prerogative especially since Antichrist sitteth there as chiefe governor Hier. in Epist Rustic since which time by avarice the Law is perished from the Priest and vision from the Prophet Mathe. I pray tell me the notes of a true visible Church Phila. I suppose you mean particular Churches in severall nations For the universall Catholike Church is rather to be beleeved then seen as is implied in that Article of the Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Church There be therefore three notes of a true visible Church First a sincere preaching of the Word Secondly a pure dispensation of Sacraments And thirdly a right administration of discipline These are the notes of a true Church though all of them are not sound alwaies and at the same time in a Church As the Jewes for forty years in the wildernesse wanted circumcision so sometime some ministers may possibly through ignorance infirmity or fear or to please greatnesse depart from sincere doctrine and so by the dragons taile many stars are cast to the earth and by some of them the waters are made bitter Rev. 8.11 yet may it be a true Church so long as
one Ardaeus a Syrian Then followed the Messalians called Euchitae because they thought the whole duty of man consisted in praiers not hearing by which St Paul tels us that faith is begotten by which praier must be offered up They were also called Enthusiasts because when they were transported they thought the spirit was infused into them Theo. l. 4. c. 7. so that they needed neither holy discipline for the body as fasting nor doctrine for the soule Apollinaris followed who denied Christ to have any humane soule but that his divinity supplied the place of it But then Christ was not perfect man Donatus Bishop of Numidia held that the Catholick was bounded among those of his society in Africa and that no baptisme was rightly administred but by them The wildest branch of this heresie was the Circumcilionists who would cast themselves down from clifts and rocks and into fire and water out of assurance that it was martyrdome and fruits of their faith Our Quakers are like them Aug. con Donat. Collyridiani worshipped the Virgin Mary and offered cakes to her Epiph. cont haeres as the Jewes did to the Queen of heaven and as the Papists do adore her as a mediatrix There were some also after these that said Joseph knew Mary after she had borne Christ because of the word in Mat. 1.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till which word signifieth never oftentimes As 1 Sam. 15.25 So Mat. 28.20 Samuel saw Saul no more till the day his death i. never So 1 Sam. 6.23 Michal had no child till the day of her death and all the Fathers generally hold she was a perpetual virgin and so have taken those words of the Apostles Creed born of the Virgin Mary as if of one that ever was a virgin Yea some of them have argued it from Ezek. 44.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of allegory that as the East gate of the Temple was to be shut up that no man might enter in nor go out there but the Prince So was the blessed Virgins body made the Temple of the Holy Ghost and her womb only for the ingresse and egresse of Messiah the Prince And though that some of the disciples were called Christs brethren as James and Joses Simon and Iude we know that those were so called in Scripture that were but Cozen germans and so these might be the sons of Iosephs brother or sisters or of Maries sister as Iames is said to be the son of Mary Cleophas Danaeus de heres fo 224. Epiph. de heres fol. 166. Or some might be the sons of Ioseph by a former wife if he were eighty yeers of age before he was contracted to Mary and so the more unlikely to know her after the flesh These hereticks were of the same mind with Nestorius and Helvidius who succeeded them But these were called from their opinion Antidicomarianitae After them sprang up the Seleucians that said that the Chaos of which God made the world was coeternall with God and that Angels created the souls of men Aug. and that Christ did not carry our nature up to heaven as it is said Acts 2.34 and cap. 3.23 Rom. 8.34 Ephes 1.20 but that he left his body in the body of the Sun These received not baptisme by water They denied the resurrection of the body and said only that was performed by succession of generation which it may be they borrowed partly from Plato and Pythagoras Himeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.18 Pelagius affirmed that men by nature were able to fulfill the law of God contrary to Rom. 8.7 And denied originall sin contrary to Psal 51.5 and that it came not by propagation but imitation of Adams sin and that children need not be baptized for remission of sin Aug. con Pela and that the holy men that confessed sin did it rather for example of humility then for any necessity or guiltinesse Nestorius followed who denied the personall union of the divine and humane nature of which the blessed Virgin was the medium or mean and in that respect only called the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mother of God because she brought forth him that was by union both God and man inseparably and Nestorius would have her called only the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mother of Christ and therefore condemned by the first Councill of Ephesus and banished by Theodosius the Emperour and his tongue rotted in his mouth Eutyches confounded two natures in Christ humane and divine by saying that the divine swallowed up the humane and so Christ had only the divine nature He was condemned by the generall Councill of Chalcedon where sate 630. Fathers and the Emperour Martianus and it was decreed That the natures of Christ though united yet were not confounded Next followed those that worshipped the crosse and divers images which filth the Church of Rome hath licked up together with the worship of reliques One Godescalcus a Dutch man said that by predestination men were forced both to do good and evill About 1100. yeers after Christ a kind of monomachy arose between the Greek and Latine Churches about the bread in the Sacrament whether it should be leavened or unleavened The Greek Church was called Fermentarii the Latine Azymitae the first did leven it the other did not After this one Petrus Abolandus a French man said the Holy Ghost was the soul of the world and not of the substance of God the Father Almericus also of France said that God was the essence of all creatures and that they all should be converted into God again The Paleneni about Tholouze in France affirmed that a man might attain to such perfection in this world that he might be void of all sin and that such were not subject to any Civill or Ecclesiastick power that they had no need of praier and fasting or any exercise whereby grace may be increased These laid some grounds upon which the Anabaptists build now Others under a colour of Religion and charity made all things common and women also These surely began the Family of Love About 1600. years after Christ sprang up the Anabaprists but before I come to speak of them and others following from their time I must tell you according to your question how and when the Protestants came in and how persecuted by Papists and opposed by hereticks and schismaticks Mathe. I thank you for your remembrance and entreat you so to do Phila. You must take notice that the Protestant Religion hath been maintained in her doctrine from the beginning of the Primitive times First by the Bishops of Rome themselves for the first 300. years after Christ and many of them were Confessors and Martyrs though their pride began to appear 100. years before in Zepherinus and other Bishops following him as hath been declared before But after that they were grown rich and potent by the favour of Emperours and got
called Dunce of the Town in Scotland where he was born but of a most subtile wit But God still stirred up some to maintain the cause of his truth As Arnoldus de nova villa a Spaniard who held in his time That the devill had seduced the world from the truth of Christ That the faith then commonly taught was the faith of devils That Christian people were led by the Pope to hell That the Cloisters had no charity and falsified the doctrine of Christ That the Ministers did not well to mix Philosophy with Divinity That masses are not to be celebrated nor that Priests ought to sacrifice for the dead All which the Protestants hold Gulielmus de Sancto Amore a Master of the University of Paris applied all the texts of Scripture that make against Antichrist to the Pope and his Clergy and proved the Friers to be false Prophets and writ against their wilfull poverty shewing that Christ when he said Mat. 19.21 Go and sell all thou hast and give it to the poor did not intend actuall but habituall poverty namely that we should not impoverish our selves when no need requireth but that in our affections we should be ready so to do when the confession of Christ and his glory shall require it that then we be ready to leave all for his sake So say the Protestants also But this man was condemned for an heretick and exiled and his books burnt So Laurence an English man and a Master of Paris 1300. and Peter John a Minorite and Robertus Gallus a Dominican Frier wrote that the Pope was Antichrist and Rome was great Babylon and that the Pope was an Idoll that had eies but would not see the abominations of his Church for desire of riches So the Protestants hold likewise Robert Gostred Bishop of Lincoln would not admit at the Popes command for an Italian boy to be one of the Prebends of his Church but writ to him that it was a devilish sin to defraud the people of the preaching of the Word by setting those in place that could not perform the Ministeriall office but only take the milke and wooll of Christs sheep He prophecied in his sicknesse that the Church should not be delivered from Romes Aegyptian bondage but by a bloody sword So think the Protestants Marsilius Patavinus affirmed that the Pope had not authority over other Bishops much lesse over the Emperour 1400. lib. defens pacis and that the Pope and the Clergy should be subject to Magistrates and that the head of the Church is Christ and that he never appointed any Vicar to be universall head thereof that Bishops ought to be chosen by the Clergy and that the marriage of Priests is lawfull and that St Peter was never at Rome that the Church of Rome is a den of theeves and that Popish doctrine leads to eternall death So hold the Protestants also Michael Cesenas Provinciall of the Grey Friers writ against the Popes pride and supremacy and cals him Antichrist and Rome Babylon the great whore drunk with the blood of the Saints that there were two Churches one of the wicked very flourishing wherein the Pope reigned the other of godly men afflicted over whom Christ reigned So hold the Protestants This man had many followers The Pope cursed him and burned many of them as they did also the Protestants John Wickliffe a Professor of Divinity in Oxford in King Edward the thirds time wrote many learned books of Logick and Philosophy Morality and Divinity and of the speculative Art He discovered the error of the Papists about Sacraments and so made himselfe many enemies But he had many friends and followers beyond the seas as John Huss and Jerome of Prague In whose defence fifty four Nobles of Moravia writ sharp reprehending the popish party for taxing Bohemia and Moravia with heresie Mr Moor. And many Nobles of England about the year 1385. did maintain Wickliffs doctrine namely Lord Montague Lord Clifford Earle of Salisbury Lord Latimer and Nevill Mathe. What were the points of Wickliffs doctrine Phila. That the substance of bread and wine remained in the Sacrament of the Altar after the words of consecration 2. That it is not found that Christ instituted or confirmed a Masse 3. That it is presumption to affirm that the children of the faithfull dying unbaptized are damned 4. That in St Pauls time there were but two orders of Clerks namely Elders and Deacons 5. That the causes of divorcement for spirituall consanguinity or affinity are not founded on the Scriptures 6. That he which is in the Church most serviceable and humble is Christ neerest Vicar in the Church militant 7. That if extrme or corporall unction were a Sacrament neither Christ nor his Apostles would have omitted it 8. That whatsoever the Pope commandeth without a cleare deduction from the Scriptures is to be accounted hereticall 9. That it is folly to beleeve the Popes pardons 10. That it is not necessary to beleeve the Church of Rome to be the supreme head of other Churches 11. That a Priest may preach the Word of God with authority from the Pope 12. That the Church of Rome is the synagogue of Satan nor is the Pope the Vicar of Christ nor of his Apostles 13. That if any man enter into a private Religion he is made thereby the more unfit to serve God The Protestants follow these positions John Huss the Bohemian followeth Wickliffe in time and doctrine for which he was burnt by the Councill of Constance though he was promised safe conduct His great offence was that he appealed to Jesus Christ which they took for a contempt of the Apostolike See Some report of this good Martyr that though they burnt the Goose for so Huss signifieth yet out of his ashes should rise a Swan so Luther signifieth that should trouble them worse then he had done So Luther did indeed Jerom of Prague died also as did John Huss about the year 1415. Hieronymus Savonarala an Italian Monk was a great adversary to the popish Clergy yet preaching nothing but the plain word of God as touching 1. The free justification in Christ through faith 2. That the communion ought to be administred in both kinds 3. That popish pardons were of no effect 4. Denied the Popes supremacy 5. Preached against the filthinesse of the Cardinals and Clergy 6. That the Keies were not only given to Peter 7. That the Pope did neither follow the life nor doctrine of Christ and that he attributed more to his own pardons then to Christs merits and therefore was Antichrist 8. That the Popes excommunications are not to be feared and he that doth fear them is excommunicated of God 9. That auricular confession is not necessary All which he stood unto with two Friers who were all three hanged openly and then burned And now began the Art of Printing which did ruine the Pope more then preaching Martin Luther was by the speciall providence of God called
and then some to set up his truth as you have see And lastly Luther to oppose the Popes errors and King Henry the eighth to imitate his successors by abolishing his authority in England Now then to your third Question How Reformation went on after King Henry the eighth I have shewed you though that King did write against Luther and abolished the Popes power yet he persecuted the Protestants and those that professed Luthers doctrin of which there were many by reason of his books dispersed in England Luther himselfe was much troubled The Pope sends forth his roaring Bull against him he answereth it and appeals to the next generall Councill But his doctrine was very acceptable to good Christians generally though in some points they differed from him He died in â—slebia in the County of Mansfelt Febr. 17. 1546. where he was born Mathe. How thrived the Protestant Religion after Luther Phila. Beyond the seas fell out great troubles A Councill was called at Ratisbone to end controversies of Religion but no agreement and so the Emperour referred the controversie to the next generall or provinciall Councill of Germany but still the popish side desired to suppresse Luthers doctrine but yet decrees against Protestants were suspended yet the fire of malice broke out against them for Henry Duke of Brunsick invaded their Cities the Duke of Saxony resists him in the name of all the Protestants confederate at Smalcaldy and won all his dominions The Emperour and the King of France make peace and both covenant to join to restore the Romish Religion which cost France and Germany great troubles for the King of France sent Minerius Governor of Provence against the Waldenses of whom you have heard who dwelt in some part of that Countrie as in Merindol and Cabriere They of Merindol for fear fled into the woods He spoiled and burned their Towns left desolate Cabriere was delivered upon composition but yet none were spared but some killed in Churches some burned in barns some smothered in caves others sent to the Gallies others starved in the woods But God strook Minerius with a sad disease a fire scorched him within his limbs rotted made bloody urine and died in torments The Emperour Charls the fifth by policy suppresseth these Princes that upheld the Protestants as the Duke of Saxony and others as the Landgrave of Hesse About the year 1546. when the Councill of Trent was gathered to convene where the Emperour and the Pope made a league against the protestants and the Pope gave 200000 Crowns to make war against them to the Venetians and maintained an army for a while to cut them off The Emperour laboured hard with many of the Princes to submit to the Councill of Trent as also the free Cities and in hope they would he desired that the Councill of Trent which was carried from Trent to Bononia might come to Trent again which they refused upon which the Emperour disanulled all they did at Bononia and said he would take care of Religion himselfe And to this end consulted with Princes and Bishops about it who drew out a book of Reformation called Interim to which few would consent and many fled away to other Countries because they would not allow it As Musculus preacher of Ausburgh fled to Switzerland Brentius from Suere to the Duke of Wirtembergh Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius from Germany to England The Pope himselfe would not allow it without correction because it allowed the marriage of Priests and the use of the Sacraments in both kinds though it maintained the rest of the Roman Religion But especially the City of Magdeburgh withstood the book nor acknowledged the Councill of Trent Mathe. How went things now in England Phila. King Edward the sixth now reigning the masse was there forbidden by Parliament and a Book of Common Praier set forth in the English tongue with an order of administration of Sacraments Bonner Bishop of London and Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for their obstinate defence of Romish doctrine were imprisoned But King Edward dying Queen Mary let them out and made great havock of the Protestants and restored the Popes supremacy and the masse in England and got the Parliament to crave absolution of the Pope and Cardinall Pool to absolve the Realm See Fox his Martyrology She neither spared Bishops Ministers nor common people nor spared those who had set her forward to obtain the Crown Her persecution was sharp but God shortned it by her death and Queen Elizabeth whose death was intended succeeded her Mathe. How thrived the Protestants cause now in England and other Countries Phila. In England popish Religion was abolished and the Popes supremacy disanulled King Edwards profession followed Anno 1. Eliza. and his Book of Common Praier allowed again by Parliament But Ferdinand the Emperour succceeding Charls the fift would endure no alteration of Religion and Henry the second King of France would not admit it neither but moved persecution but he being killed by the splinter of a spear at Tilting Francis the second his son succeeds and marrieth Mary Queen of Scots of the Guisian Family which Family endeavoured to abolish the Protestant Religion in France and sent an army into Scotland too for the same purpose which by the aids of Queen Elizabeth was forced to retire This King of France by the advice of the Guisians called a nationall Councill at Orleance under colour to settle Religion But there the Prince of Condie was seized upon and accused of practise against the King But this King shortly died and the Prince of Condie was cleared by a Parliament at Paris and young King Charls the ninth was committed to the care of the Queen Mother and the King of Navar. These governors appoint a disputation by the advice of the States of the Realme at Poyssie 1561. which was four years before Calvin died where Theodore Beza preacher of Geneva and Peter Martyr and Marlorat and the protestant party had the better and the popish side as the Cardinall of Lorain and others concluded with them that Christians do eat in the Sacrament spiritually by faith the body of Christ which died for for us although the Doctors of Sorbon would not agree thereto and so that disputation broke off After which the number of protestants increased and much fear there was of uproars But the Queen Mother assembled the estates at St Germane and made an Edict in January that the professors of the reformed Religion should assemble to hear sermons without the Town and unarmed which grieved the Guisian and popish faction who sought to get the King and Queen Mother into their hands and prevented the King of Navar from the reformed Religion upon hope to have the Kingdome of Navar restored to him againe by Philip King of Spain at the Popes mediation In the mean time the Duke of Guise raiseth an army First Civil war in France and murdered 1500. hundred poor unarmed protestants at Church in the
from the King and the Assembly to disable the King of Navar from succession to the Crown of France The other Leaguers at Paris were mad for the death of the Duke of Guise and railed at the King raised mony for wars against him and the Doctors of Sorbon declared the people of France free from their obedience to the King and so might take arms against him Upon this the Parliament at Bloyes dissolves and the King prepares to suppresse the rebellion at Paris To this purpose he took truce with the King of Navar by whose forces he discomfited the Leaguers and intended to besiege Paris but the Leaguers prevented him by procuring Frier Jaques to kill the King who did it in his chamber with a knife while he read a letter the Frier brought him This was done in that chamber say some wherein the massacre at Paris was formerly plotted this King being then Duke of Anjou and chiefe in the plot Mathe. How fared it then with the Protestants Phila. Henry the third before he died of that wound the Frier gave him which was not many hours after declared the King of Navar lawfull successour who after his funerall confounded the Leaguers in many Battels July 25. 1593. But he then began to halt in Religion for the Doctors of Sorbon and divers Bishops prevailed with him to hear masse in St Dennis Church But still the Leaguers hated him and sent one Peter Burrier to slay him by the instigation of a Capuchin Frier a Priest and a Jesuite but he was prevented Upon this the King published his declaration prescribing a months liberty to all that would come in and submit to his government but else they should afterwards find no favour from him By this means many Towns yielded to him and at last Paris it selfe which he entred so peaceably that within two hours the shops were all set open as if no wars had been But the wicked Leaguers again plotted his death by one John Castil Decem. 27. 1594 who came into the Kings chamber at the Louver among the Presse and strook at the King with a knife who stooping in taking leave of his Lords was strook by it on the right cheek and one of his teeth cut out This traitor as he confessed was a scholar of the Jesuits French Hist p. 874. and executed and the Jesuits banished out of France This King received many of his enemies into favour as the Duke de Mayenne and Nemours and enterteined peace with King Philip of Spain by the Popes mediation This King escaped many treasons plotted against his life And yet 1604. restored the Jesuits again and afterward admitted them to go into Navar and Berne to the great discontent of the Judges and Officers of that Country yet 1606. this King made speciall good orders in the behalfe of the reformed Religion confirming the Edict of Nantes 1598. concerning their pacification But this halting between two opinions did not certainly please God for though he suffered the Protestants to have a nationall Synod at Gap concerning their doctrin and discipline and therein to declare the Pope to be Antichrist foretold by the word of God and made it one of the Articles of their confession yet taking no warning by that stroke given on his mouth formerly he was strook to the heart by a cursed villain one Frances Ravillac riding in his Caroch even the next day after his Queens coronation day moved thereunto as he confessed by no other reason but because the King maintained two religions in France and by reading the book of Mariana the Spanish Jesuite and Bellarmins book of the Popes temporall power which books by a decree of the Colledge of Sorbon and by sentence of the Parliament were burnt as also Jasper Scoppius his book containing the same doctrine tending to the subjects rebellion against Princes 1612. This soule fact was suspected to be of the Jesuits plotting however Father Cotton endevoured to wipe off the aspersion yet the Author of the book called Anticotton refused it and proved the Jesuits to be the maintainers of that doctrine and were guilty of this Kings death by Ravilac's own confession to father Aubigny who being examined upon it said that God had given him the grace alwaies to forget what he heard in confession and so he saved his neck by that fine and false excuse But he that cals light out of darknesse brought out of this damnable act more respect to the Protestant and a check to the Pope For now the great chamber called the Tornelle made a decree against the Popes temporall power And the Protestants began an assembly of the reformed Churches at Saumur where Monsier de Bulloin told them from the King and Queen Regent that all their just requests should be favourably answered and whatsoever had been promised should be paied And the Universitie of Paris concludes against the Jesuits and propounds to them by Monsieur Servin four Articles to subscribe 1. That the Pope hath no temporall power over Kings nor can he by excommunication deprive them of their estates or dignity 2. That the Councill is above the Pope 3. That Clergy men ought to reveal conspiracies against the King or Kingdome to the magistrate though it be revealed in confession 4. That Clergy men are subject to the secular Prince or politicall magistrate Mathe. How sped the reformed Religionnow among the Netherlands Phila. They having suffered much misery under Duke de Alva their governor History of the Netherlands who had in his time executed 1860 people beside by wars and tumults as you have heard and Don John of Austria being little better the States Generall called Matthias Arch-Duke of Austria to be their governor He appoints the Prince of Orange for his Lievtenant which much displeased the Earl of Lalain who expected that dignity so that Don John by this discontented siding defeated the Netherlands Army The Duke of Anjou offers aid to the States it is accepted and prospereth against Don John and he is chosen at last Lord of the Netherlands Yet for all these wars and troubles the reformed Religion thrived For notwithstanding the Popes Bull offering pardon of sins and life eternall to all that would take part with Don John against the Prince of Orange yet Amsterdam agreed with the States of Holland and turned all the popish magistrates and Friers Monks and Priests out of the Town and pulled down the images in the Churches and suffered only the reformed Religion to be exercised so they drove the Jesuites and Friers out of Antwerp and granted Churches to the Protestants In Gaunt they whipped and burnt Friers for committing Sodomy At last the Prince of Orange accepts the government of Flanders and in the year 1580. images and cloisters were demolished in Deventer Swool and Vtrich And being the King of Spain would allow no Religion in his dominions but the Roman the General Estates set forth an Edict whereby was declared that the King of
the unrepentant yea sins before they are committed yea they say it is lesse dangerous to break Gods Commandements then the Popes as to break the Sabbath rather then an holy day or the Lent fast and flesh eaten on Friday is more punished then theft or adultery Again he maintains the doctrine of devils by forbidding marriage and meats 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 and maintains heathenisme for true Religion by commanding the worship of images and the adoration of dead Saints which was the practice of the heathens in worshipping of their Daemons Beside this Antichrist doth equall if not prefer the blessed Virgin Mary before Christ as may be seen by the titles they give unto her as the Turks set Mahomet above Christ And farther his religion is patched up of other petty Antichrists and therefore certainly he is the great Antichrist For as the Valentinian hereticks and Marcion when they were confuted by Scripture they said that the Scriptures were insufficient obscure and of no authority so do the Papists Aug. cont Pelag. Epipha her 42. So as the Pelagians held free will to remain in man fallen for the choosing of any spirituall good so do the Papists So the Marcionite held women might baptize so do the Papists Iren. l. 1. c. 13. The Carpocratians denied to Lay men the reading of the Scriptures so do the Papists that their mystery of iniquity may not be discovered The Manicheans held the body of Christ to be but imaginary so do the Papists in that they tell us of the body of Christ in the Sacrament without its true proprieties Aug. haer 71. And as they gave only the bread in the Sacrament so do the popish Priests The Tassiani did forbid Priests marriage so doth the Pope Euseb lib. 5. eccl hist c. 17. Montanus invented lawes for fasting so did the Papists The Collyridiani worshipped the Virgin Mary whom Epiphanius cals idolaters haeres 79. The Marcionits preferred virginity above all things Epiph. haeres 2. so do the Papists The Carpocratians had images of Christ to worship so have the Papists And the hereticks called Apostolici admitted none into their fraternity unlesse they deprived themselves of their goods and renounced matrimony so do the popish Monks and Friers The Armeni worshipped the crosse so do the Papists And also in many other things the Pope licks up the vomit of old heathenisme and heresie and differs from the true Christian Religion in sixty and odd severall points But beside the papacy appeareth to be the great Anrichrist because he denieth Jesus to be Christ not in words 1 John 2.22 but in effect because he denieth the person of Christ and his office For in his doctrine of transubstantiation in the Lords Supper he denieth the proprieties of Christs humane nature and by consequent his Mediatorship So he makes void his Propheticall office as if he had not perfectly revealed the will of his Father John 15.15 and therefore the Pope deviceth other doctrines as necessary to salvation So he disanuls Christs Priestly office by setting other Priests to offer a sacrifice of the masse for quick and dead Heb. 10.14 and annihilates his sole Mediatorship and intercession 1 Tim. 2.5 by appointing the mediation of Saints Also he abrogates Christs Kingly office by assuming to himselfe all power in heaven and in earth Concil Lateran sess 10. yea arrogates to himselfe power over soules departed to send them to purgatory and fetch them out at his pleasure Clem. 6. in sua bulla Rev. 13.13 Nicol. Lyra. in cap. 4. Daniel or to canonize them Saints as he thinks fit Again he useth false signs and lying wonders 2 Thes 2.9 pretending to cast out devils and make images to sweat weep or smile which kind of wonders if they had any semblance of truth yet are not to be expected in these latter times however they were necessary in the first planting of the Church Greg hom 19. in Eâ—ang and ministers are rather to be judged to be true because they do none rather then otherwise saith Chrysost in 49. hom on Mat. for they were necessary that the world might beleeve yet after men do beleeve Aug. lib. 22. de civil dei it were strange to expect miracles But beside the Pope exerciseth the power Civill and Ecclesiastick as Rev. 13.12 whereby the power of the first beast is meant in authentique Writers the power of the Roman Empire which was much wounded and weakned Rev. 13.12 but healed by the Popes taking on himselfe the authority thereof and so becomes rich and potent being adored with gold and silver and adorned with purple and scarlet Rev. 17.4 And farther you may know this beast by his marks of cruelty and therefore as the first beasts bodily shape is likened to a Leopard Rev. 13.2 his mouth like a lion and his feet like a bear as if all the cruell properties of Daniels beasts were met in him together with the blasphemous tongue of Antiochus Epiphanes whom Polybius cals Epimanes the mad man So the Popes cruelty and tyranny is set forth in the second Beast Rev. 13.11 like a lamb but spake like a dragon exercising it on true Christians as it is foretold Rev. 13.15 17. that all that would not worship the first beasts image that is the Pope himselfe should be killed and that none should buy or sell but such as bore some mark of his obedience Otto the first to Pope John the twelfth 942. as the mark of the Beast by his ordination of Priests and oath taken of Emperours and Princes or that bore his name by imposition on the people called Papists of Papa Grat. distinct Q. 3. the Pope or Roman Catholicks or else that had the number of his name by subjecting themselves to the soveraignty of the Latine Church as Michael Paleologus was fain to promise to Gregory the tenth 1273. at Lions in France that he would subject himselfe and his people to him till which time he would suffer no aid to go out of the West to relieve the Christian Greek Churches in the East And thus he sits in the Temple of God as a politick tyrant that is in their consciences whom he hath seduced and commanded to serve him who would seem to be the true Church and Temple of God and yet are in the mean time but the Citizens of spirituall Babylon which is interpreted to be Rome by St John built on seven hils It is true that he speaks of two beasts Rev. 17.9 Rev. 13.1 11. the first is generally taken to be the successive heathenish estate of the Roman Empire which persecuted the Christians openly the other the successive estate of Popes after the apostacy from the Gospel-truth who by idolatry superstition and persecution and Seat in Rome became the image of the first Beast It is simple to think that Antichrist is one man as it were to say that Israel were the name of one man only whereas
31 Confutation of those that reject Scriptures p. 32 Of Scriptures translation p. 33 The judge of Scriptures sense p. 34 How the Scripturesets out God to us p. 35 Of Gods attributes p. 36 How God is to be considered of before the Creation p. 37 Of Angels their degrees p. 38 46 Their fall and sin p. 47 Of Gods operations in himselfe and to us-ward p. 39 Of predestination p. 40 Of Gods externall works p. 45 The world not eternall nor made by it selfe p. 45 46 The place of evill Angels p. 49 What use of the stars p. 53 Why Christians retain the names of Planets on their week daies as did the heathen p. 54 Of the Creation of man p. 55 Of the souls immortality p. 59 Of mans fall p. 61 How the hope of felicity was given and continued to man p. 63 Of the types of Christ p. 64 Of their analogy with the New Testament p. 65 Of the promises and prophecies of Christs Nativity Death Resurrection and Ascension p. 84 Of the departure of the Scepter from Judah p. 85 The necessity of Christs birth by a Virgin p. 86 Of the spirituall relations that Christs Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension hath to us p. 89 How Christs conception is applied to the Holy Ghost ibid. The effects of that conception upon us p. 90 Of the blessed Virgins conception of Christ p. 92 The spirituall effects of Christs birth upon us p. 95 No sin cleaving to Christs conception p. 93 How Christ suffered being God and man p. 96 How could he being just be put justly to death for the unjust p. 98 Of Christs carriage before Pilate and Herod p. 101 The meaning and end of his sufferings p. 103 The testimony of his Godhead in his sufferings p. 106 The necessity of his death p. 107 Whether Christ died in his nature or his person ibid. How Christ was slain from the beginning of the world and yet toward the end p. 108 The mystery of his bones not broken and his side pierced p. 108 Of his burial p. 109 Of his descending into hell p. 111 The honor he got by his resurrection p. 112 Of reverence due to his name p. 113 The benefits ue have by his resurrection p. 114 By his ascension p. 115 By his session in heaven ibid. And by his comming to judgement p. 116 The necessity of the last judgement and of that day p. 117 Of the signs of it p. 118 Of the trial of men then p. 119 The second part beginning next to 119. but figured by 115. Why the Jewes beleeved not in Christ p. 115 Their punishment p. 116 The transferring of the Gospell to the Gentiles p. 117 Association of Christians p. 119 Their first meeting places of Christians for worship p. 120 Their first Churches p. 121 Their persecutions by the Jewes and some others p. 123 Their persecutions by some Emperors p. 123 Persecutions by Hereticks and some others p. 131 Persecution from the Western Church p. 133 Of the growth of Popedome ibid. Popish succession p. 134 How came in the Protestant Religion p. 145 Of heresie and Hereticks before Corstantine p. 128 Persecutions by Arrians p. 131 And by Eutychians p. 132 A view of ancient heresies and modern p. 146 By whom Protestant doctrines were held before Luther p. 148 How the Protestant Religion came into England p. 156 How the Pope got authority in England p. 157 How Christian Religion was first corrupted in England p. 159 How reformation in Religion went on after H. 8 p. 160 How it thrived in England and in forreign parts p. 161 How the English Church was troubled after reformation p. 169 Of the old and new Anabap. p. 171 Baptisme of Infants p. 178 Rebaptization p. 180 Of Litourgie p. 181 Calvins Church government p. 183 Parity of Clergy and Laity p. 185 Of oaths ibid. Sects troubling the Protestant Church p. 187 Gods punishments on divers Sectaries p. 207 Of Bishops and Presbyters p. 208 Forms of governing in all ages by superiours p. 212 Bishops accounted superiour and Presbyters second p. 221 Of election of Pastours p. 225 Government of Churches by Bishops p. 228 How Bishops derived from Rome or otherwise p. 229 Why some are enemies to Bishops p. 230 Of Litourgies and Ceremonies p. 231 Of requisites in a setled Church p. 239 Of the Holy Ghost and his operations on Church people p. 240 Of the sin against the Holy Ghost p. 242 Of the Church p. 244 Of Abrahams faith p. 250 The marks of a true Christian p. 252 Advancement of sanctification p. 256 Of repentance p. 257 Of the Catholike Church p. 261 Of the Church militant p. 264 Of the Churches head p. 265 Of Antichrist p. 267 Why St Paul so covertly describeth the Antichrist p. 272 Whether hereticks and schismaticks be of the body of the Church militant p. 273 Of the Churches visibility p. 275 Of the notes of a true visible Church p. 276 What Church hath those notes p. 278 The good of a nationall Councill p. 279 Of the Communion of Saints ibid. The reason of two Sacraments p. 280 That parents may with confidence bring children to baptisme p. 280 That men may receive the Lords Supper with a mixed assembly p. 281 Of a fit Communicant p. 282 How Christ is to be remembred in the Sacrament p. 285 What congregation is best to associate ones selfe withall and what Church is the safest p. 286 Of the holiness of the Church or place of Gods worship p. 287 Of the Lords day p. 288 FINIS