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
these 1. That the true Church which is the mysticall body of Christ riseth out of Gods Word and continueth in the same and heareth not the voice of strangers 2. It makes no Lawes without Gods word 3. That the traditions of the Church cannot bind conscience except they be consonant to Gods Word 4. That Christ hath made full satisfaction for sin and he that saith there is any other way to salvation or to abolish sin denieth Christ 5. That Christ is not received corporally in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 6. That the Masse offered up for the quick and dead is contrary to the Word of God and disgracing the sacrifice of Christ 7. That Christ is only to be invocated as Mediator between God and man 8. That the Scripture sheweth no such place as Purgatory for the purging of soules after death and therefore all popish Ceremonies as Dirges Lamps and Tapers profit not the dead at all 9. That pictures and images of Saints are not to be set up in Churches or to be worshipped 10. That Matrimony is not denied to any order of men but by the word of God permitted to all men and because fornication is forbidden therefore single life is not to be forced upon people All which propositions were defended by Oecolampadius Bucer and others against all opposers and therefore ratified by the Senate and it was decreed that Masses Altars and Images should be abolished In memoriall of this Reformation they caused a pillar to be set up engraven with golden letters with the time when it was done namely 1528. many other Cities as Strousbrough Basil and Geneva followed their example But many other Towns popishly affected did side with Ferdinand the Emperours brother and Deputy in Germany to suppresse this Reformation in Berne and Zurik These Towns were the Lucernates Vrani Suitenses Vnternaldii and Tugiani who much abusing the Reformed Tigurines and Bernatas made them so angry that they stopped the waies to those five Towns that no victuals could come to them Upon this the five unreformed made war upon them and had the better in which skirmishing Zuinglius was slain and his body abused cut in pieces and burned yet the Reformed continued in their religion and peace was concluded by the mediation of the King of France and some Cantons of Switzerland Mathe. But how came England to be Protestants Phila. Henry the seventh King of England had two sons Arthur and Henry Prince Arthur the eldest married Katherine daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain and died without issue Then Henry the eighth his brother being King of England by the advice of his Counsellors and Nobles married the said Lady Katherine that so her dowry might not be carried out of England Which match though contrary to Gods Word was dispensed withall by Pope Julian the second and so continued twenty years Now Charls the fifth Emperour being in England promised to marrie the Lady Mary daughter to Henry the eighth by the said Queen Katherine which the Emperours Councill misliked because that the Lady Mary was begotten by King Henry and his brothers wife and so illegitimate therefore the Emperour forsook the match and married the King of Portugals daughter called Isabel Upon this King Henry's mind began to be troubled and the more because he foresaw that there could be no firm succession to the Crown by children so begotten He propounded therefore this question to all the Universities of Christendome viz. whether his marriage were lawfull they all agreed it was not therefore the King sought a divorce and desired the Popes consent The Pope sent Cardinall Campeius into England who together with Woolsey Cardinall of York was by his authority to judge the businesse Woolsey was inclined to the divorce till he perceived the Kings mind was bent to marry Anne Bulloin who was a Lutheran Of which he advertizing the Pope he sent for his Embassador Campeius who returned to Rome without determining the Kings cause But the King by Doctor Cranmers advice and the Civilians had Queen Katherine divorced therefore the Pope cursed King Henry and his Kingdome of England And the King abolished the Popes authority and tyranny in his Kingdome and enjoined that he should in his dominions only be called Bishop of Rome and that himselfe should be acknowledged supreame head of the Church of England This was the beginning of Reformation of popish abuses as in dissolving of Abbies and Monasteries in England and Wales though Henry the eighth continued in Romish doctrines To the number of 645. vid. Cambden Mr Fox his Martyro p. 2. and many blessed Martyrs were put to death in his time for professing the contrary even after he had abolished the Bishop of Romes authority as Lambert condemned by King Henry himselfe and also of many others by his authority and ministers such as Collins Cowbridge Leiton Puttedew Peke do testifie as also his setting out the six Articles maintaining page 1296. 1. Transubstantiation And secondly that the communion in both kinds is not necessary to be received And thirdly against Priests marriage And fourthly for vowing single life And fifthly Anno 31. regni H. 8. for maintaining the Masse and also sixthly auricular confession to be necessary Which Articles were commended to Commissioners to be put in execution and many good men suffered who held tenets contrary thereunto as Doctor Barns Heirom Garret Marbeck Filmer Testwood and Person and Bennet Kerby Clark Mendelsham and Mistrisse Anne Askew and others burned at Windsor and Ipswich in London and Kent all which shew that though King Henry the eighth did abolish the power of the Pope in Civill and Ecclesiastick matters in England yet popish doctrine was still maintained Mathe. I pray tell me how the Pope came to have such great authority in England in Civil and Ecclesiasticall affairs 2. How Englands Religion came to be corrupted which at first it seems was pure Rom. 1.8 as Romes faith was before the Pope turned Antichristian 3. How the Reformation went on which was revived by King Henry the eight so far as abolishing popish jurisdiction Phila. For the first you may find that the Pope came in by connivance of peaceable and quiet Princes who not discerning the Popes policy after Phocas the Emperour had made him universall Bishop how he did work upon Princes of weak judgement as also upon such as he found to be superstitious or that were litigious and stood in need of his help and so did wind himselfe by intrusion and used his possession with tyranny But this intrusion could never be warranted by any just claime through possession or submission to him in tract of time by custome or prescription the foundation of his first authority being surreptitious for we cannot find any Brittish or Saxon Kings that have obliged themselves or this Kingdome submissively to the Pope But you may find that when Austin the Monk was sent into England by Pope Greg. 1. to bring the Clergy to the ceremonies
Spain had deserted the government of the Netherlands and therefore they abjured him and took a new oath to the severall magistrates of every Town and Province among themselves The Prince of Orange about the eighteenth of March 1582. was shot in his chamber by a villain through the cheek but he escaped death and the villain was executed and the Frier that set him on to do the work Many other treasons and plots he escaped laied by the Spaniard and the Prince of Parma But at last one Baltazar Gerard pistol'd him at the enticement of one of the Prince of Parmas Councellors as he confessed in hope of a great reward After his death and funerals the States chose his second son Grave Maurice about eighteen years of age to be their head and appointed a Councell to assist him The Prince of Parma recovered now many Towns The French King could not help the Netherlands because he feared the Leaguers who began again to raise troubles in France about 1585. but counselled them to commend their cause to Queen Elizabeth which they did and she assisted them with men and monie and shee had delivered her in caution for the monie Flushing the Castle of Ramekins and Bril and the two sconces This made the Spaniards to use the English hardly that were in his dominions Upon which by Queen Elizabeths commission they recompenced themselves upon the Spaniard at Sea The Pope and the King of Spain therefore Gregor 13. that in England the reformed religion flourished and that the Queen Elizabeth was a great assistant to the Protestant abroad devised how to invade England and depose Queen Elizabeth which plot shewed it selfe some ten years after in the great Armado 1588. called invincible yet by Gods providence the winds scattered it and the English fiered and sunk many so that of an hundred and thirty tall ships scarce thirty returned to carry newes what became of the rest And thus God delivered Queen Elizabeth from this as well as many other particular plots against her roiall person Mathe. Popery being now abolished and even vanquished in England especially did it continue now in peace and unity Phila. No for with hearts griefe I must tell you that those who were protestants by profession yet proved many of them prophane and schismaticall and raised great troubles in the Church Others through surfeting upon peace and the plenty of preaching and printing fell into strange fancies and uncouth opinions to the great dishonour of God and the true Religion Mathe. What were these Phila. In the year 1579. one Matthew Hamont a plough-wright Matthew Hamont maintained horrible heresies against Christ who was burned at Norwich see Stowes chro p. 685. Others fell out with the Church about government and ceremonies as Robert Brown and Harrison by whom and their abetters in Zeland the Church of England was condemned as no Church Others of loose life brought in nicknames upon people more godly then themselves as you shall find hereafter which bred much difference and heart-burnings whispering and evill surmises by which the people have been carried some to prosecute some to persecute one another Mathe. But before we search England resolve me I pray whether or not were the reformed professors quiet and at unity beyond the seas from whom we took fire to reform popery O have not they filled England as well with dissention as at first with Reformation Phila. Heresies and schismes have been in all Churches as tares mong the wheat And so in Germany and the Netherlands ever after reformation strange people sprung up of more strange opinions then faces or fashions As in 1521. Luther having published his doctrine very prosperously whether out of envy to his glory or by mistaking his writings or by misunderstanding Scriptures a strange sect sprung up certainly by Satans instigation in Saxony who boasted that they talked with God and he with them and that he commanded them to kill all the wicked viz. all that would not be of their sect Melancthoâ— The first Author of this sect was one Nicolas Stock Nicholas Stock who pretended that God spake to him by an Angell and revealed his will to him in dreams and promised him the Empire of the world and that the Saints must live alone in the world and he must be their leader to kill all Kings and Princes and clense the Church He said he could discern of spirits and of the elect of God Next to him succeeds his scholler Muncerus Lembertus Hortensius de Anab. Thomas Muncerus who preached in Alset in Thuringia where he gave an oath to his associats who promised to assist him in executing his doctrine which was to kill all the ungodly Princes and Magistrates for which the Duke of Saxony banished him and so he went to Nurenberg and was driven also from thence and so he came to Muthus in Thuringia again and many of his old disciples resorted to him and received his doctrins as oracles especially that part Jo. Sleid. com lib. 5. wherein he declared that all mens goods should be common and all men free and of equall dignity This doctrine brought to him 40000. who fell to pillaging great mens houses and brought away Noble men bound But Count Mansfelt raised an army with other assistants to resist them Muncer preacheth to his company that they should prevaile according to Gods promise namely by abusing some places of Scripture as Psal 68.23 and Psal 149. and perswaded them that they should dip their feet in the blood of the wicked and that their shot could do them no harm Which oration made his followers refuse favor offered them viz. to deliver up the authors of that sedition and return in peace to their dwellings So the Princes discharged their Ordnance upon them and broke their intrenchments of carts and slew many thousands of them upon which they fled and dispersed themselves but most of them to Frankhus whom the Counts army followed and took the Town and Muncer therein and Phifer his associate and executed them and three hundred more Muncerus at his death could shew neither faith nor devotion After him riseth up Melchior Hoffman Melchior Hoffman Ch. Nelles p. 11. who said he was Elias but venting the same errors at Strausburgh was imprisoned and his followers suppressed Then next rose up John Becold John of Leyden a Taylor of Leyden 1533. with many Hollanders he comming to Munster in Wesphalia he kept Conventicles and so seduced many The Magistrates commanded them to depart the City they went out at one gate and came in at another saying they would not desert the cause of God They inticed many neighboring Towns to assist them by fair promises of spirituall wealth and worldly riches and freedome from paying rent tribute or tithes So they turned the Citizens out of the Town plundered the Churches and houses and made orders that the inhabitants should bring in all their mony into the common stock upon
marriages and thought fit it were permitted Paulus the second succeeds him He was as unlearned as Pius was learned He like some schismaticks now accounted humane learning heresie and so they may see their error is popish while they condemn learning as if it were popery Next comes Sixtus the fourth Innocentius the eight Alexander the sixt who imprisoned and banished many Cardinals Then followed Pius the third and next Julius the second who by the Emperour Maximilian and the King of Spain and France's aids spoiled the Venetians of many territories yet he received them again into favor and so discontented the Emperour and the King of France that they thought to depose him by their Councill at Pisa But he called another Councill at Rome which disanulled all they did at Pisa He lived in wars all his time Leo the tenth succeeds him He endevoured to suppresse Martin Luther but could not Adrianus the sixt followed and threatned the Duke of Saxony for maintaining Martin Luther Clement the seventh succeeds who poisoned many and was poisoned himselfe Paulus the third followeth whose authority in England was abrogated by King Henry the eighth who called himselfe supreme head in his own dominions in all causes Ecclesiastick and Civill He cursed King Henry the eighth of England therefore and interdicted the Kingdome ratified the order of Jesuites and called a Councill at Trent where the Protestants would not appear because they said that Councill was not lawfully called and the Pope sate Judge who was the party they were to accuse of errors and abusing the Church He carried the Councill to Bononia Iulius the third followed who brought it back again to Trent and sent in Queen Maries daies Cardinall Pool to absolve England from the interdiction of Paul the third But havock was made in England of Protestants Paulus the fourth followed who hated Charls the Emperour who resigned his government to his son Ferdinand and died in a Monastery The Pope approved not this election but Ferdinand esteemed not of his approbation Pius the fourth followed In his time the Councill of Trent called by Paul the third was dissolved which had sate six yeers only of eighteen But before that he sent an Embassador into England to invite the Clergy to that Councill but Queen Elizabeth would not suffer him to land Nor would the Germans send any Scotland also revolted from popery He massacred Protestants at Montalto in Italy to the number of eighty because they met at an house to hear a Sermon They were drawn out one by one and their throats cut but none recanted their Religion Pius the fifth followed who with the Venetians and the King of Spain and his own aids overcame the Turks at Lepanto under the conduct of John of Austria Gregory the thirteenth followed He founded a new Colledge for Jesuites and gave it great revenues to bring up schollers to convert the Germans The Guises faction and the Queen Mother made an horrid massacre in Paris of the Protestants whom they called Huguenots 1572. Which act this Pope commended and sent Charls King of France 40000. Duckats to set forward the war against them This Pope set forth a new Kalender Sixtus the fift followed who excommunicated the King of Navar and the Prince of Condie both Protestants Now was Henry the third killed by a Frier Clement the eighth absolved Henry the fourth King of France from the excommunication of Sixtus the fifth upon his abjuration of the protestation by his Orators which King was slain by a proselyte of the Jesuits called Ravilack Mathe. I desire to know how the Protestant Religion came in and whether it be ancient and how it hath been persecuted by the Pope his adherents whether Princes or Prelates and by what heresies opposed for the Papists still upbraid us that our Religion was begun by Luther who began an innovation in the time of Pope Leo the tenth Against whom Henry the eighth of England did write and obtained the title from the Pope of Defender of the faith Phila. You are to understand that the substantiall points of the Protestant Religion are the same which are grounded upon Scripture and maintained from the Primitive times by the Church Christian but obscured in tract of time by divers heresies and popish traditions which like tares and weeds over-grew the good seed which yet still appeared in divers places of the field of the Catholike Church plain enough to prove a visible being both of the truth and professors of it till the Protestants made a more full declaration of it by refining the old truths from the drosse of heresie and popish superstition Mathe. I desire to have a more plain view of those hereticks that turned from Gospell truths And secondly how the Pope sell off being that the Roman Church did oftentimes excommunicate those hereticks And thirdly how the Protestants came to reform themselves they being once in the bowels of the Romish Church Phila. You know I have shewed many already among the persecuting hereticks yet it shall not be irksome to me if it be not to you to view them a little better especially the Manicheans who sprung up before Arrius with which heresie Augustine was entangled but the Lord God that bringeth good out of evill converted him by the pains of Ambrose Bishop of Millain and he became a great light to Gods people and a confuter of that cursed heresie Manicheus opinions were that there were two beginnings one evil and the other good which is all one as to say there be two Gods No wonder if their patron Manes called himselfe the Holy Ghost Maniches as Montanus did if he proceeded from such principles This Manes forbade flesh and wine neglected the old Testament ascribed the sin of man not to his free will Vid. Aug. cont Mani but necessity because he said mans body was made of the substance of the Prince of darknesse He died a fearfull death Theo. l. 4. c. 4. For as Arrius voided his guts at a draught-house before he came to dispute against the truth so this Manes was sent for being a Persian by the King of Persia to cure his son who died in his hands and he was imprisoned but escaped yet heard of in Mesopotamia was taken and flead Socrat. l. 1. c. 21. and his skin stuffed and set up at the gate of the City Mathe. Sir lest it be too much trouble to you and no great benefit to me to recite all the heresies I desire only the chiefe of them which do directly oppose true Religion Phila. I intend so and therefore first I will shew you the ancient heresies and then the modern that you may see how far the latter are raked out of the former We find some holding God to be like a man because Gen. 1.21 God is said to make man after his image Anthropomorphites but that in the soule and the endowments thereof wisedome and righteousnesse The Author of this heresie was
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
and Ambrose Chrysostome makes Liturgies for their Churches And in the next age Gregory and Isidore did the like by collecting from former Liturgies which kind of form Calvin himselfe approveth and wisheth that there might be such a form from which no Minister might depart Mathe. Yet Calvin and his followers are against the Liturgy and discipline of the Church of England though it be a reformed Church even as the Papists are against Luther and him Phila. It is true Mr Calvins Reformation yet both Luther and he have been great refiners of Christian Religion from drosse and rust of superstition which cleaved thereunto and mud which it collected by running through the dirty channels of Rome that spirituall Babylon It is true that he being bred to the Civill Law yet studied Divinity wherein he proved a great proficient as by his writings appeareth in all which he consenteth with the Protestant truth professed He having occasion to leave France came to Geneva which City had lately been abandoned by the Bishop and Clergy thereof for fear of the people who began to rise against the popish religion there Their civill government was by Magistrates chosen yearly by the people and for Church-government they had then agreed upon none but they chose Calvin for their Preacher and Divinity Lecturer He with two other Ministers perswaded with some ado the people to bind themselves solemnly by oath First never to admit Popery again And secondly to obey such orders in the exercise of Religion as himselfe and the other two had contrived according to the Word of God They consented and yet within a little while repented of it And because Calvin and the other two Ministers would not administer the Communion to those that denied quiet obedience according to their oath those three Calvin and his two associats were banished the Town but within a few years they called him in again He told them that if he undertook to be their Pastor they must admit a compleat form of Church Discipline and should be sworn for ever to observe it The order was that there should be an Ecclesiasticall Court erected which should be alwaies standing that should consist of one Clergy man certaine and two Lay men annually chosen which seemed much to content the people they being alwaies to have the more voices but Calvin knew that the Ministers had ods enough having both art learning and the tongue of perswasion At last the people many of them disliked it and thought it no better then popish tyranny and imagined that Calvin had done all this to please his fantasy as Apelles that pretended to draw the picture of Venus and made it like his beloved Cratina Yet considering the time and place I see not what more acceptable government he could have set up therefore those people thought it better to condescend to him than to dismisse him to their own infamy since they had so importunately recalled him to them yet not many yeers after the Consistory or Ecclesiasticall Court having excommunicated Bertelier the Senate of the Town releaseth him under their common seale But Calvin resolved to withstand that decree at least by refusing to absolve or give the Sacrament to Bertelier which he resolutely did not and in the afternoon on the Lords day after his sermon took his leave of them saying I commend you to God and to the word of his grace and so bid them farewell They of Geneva sent to the Helvetian Churches for their judgement in Calvins discipline and whether they might better change then hold it It was answered that their ordinances were godly and enclined toward the Scripture and that they were better to hold them then to change so Mr Calvins discipline was accepted And as his name grew famous so was his discipline taken up by the French reformed Churches and Scotland and by some exalted in their Sermons so high that they have said that a Minister with his Eldership hath power given from God to excommunicate even Kings and Princes Beza and Erastus hath canvased this point of discipline The first saith that excommunication is a most necessary discipline and Erastus denieth the necessity of Lay Elders to be Ministers thereof By others it hath been cried up for the Lords discipline Mart. Marpr in l. 3. p. 8. yea and that all Christian Churches ought to receive it whether the governors of it will or not And England hath been threatned by libels that since the Brethren cannot prevaile by Petition to Prince Parliament and Councill we must thank our selves if such means be used to bring in discipline as will make all our hearts to ake And I beleeve such hath been used of late years but the disciplinarians have been prevented of their end by men of an higher genius then they have But this hath been the Helena that hath caused so much sharp contentions Mathe. It seemeth that Calvins discipline aimed at a parity of Clergy and Laitie which is the fourth point held by the Anabaptists of which I desire your judgement Phila. Calvin did indeed make them equall in censuring others by his discipline but not as the Anabaptists do for they would have no distinction between Clergy and Lay-men no not in exercising the ministeriall office but that all men perform it that will if gifted But God hath distinguished them as he did Aaron from the Levites and the Levites from the Laity yea before the Law there was that distinction Melchisedech was the Priest of the high God and it seems very nature taught it for Jethro was Priest of Midian And Egypt had Priests too distinct from other men And Christ said to his disciples go yee and teach all nations And St Paul doth plainly distinguish between the Pastor and flock Acts 20.28 and saith they that are taught should communicate to the teacher Gal. 6.6 for all the body must not be an eie or tongue Methinks the judgement that God hath shewed upon men usurping that office should be enough to convince the evill of this opinion as upon Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.31 Upon Miriam Vzza 2 Sam. 6.7 and Vzziah 2 Chro. 26.21 Mathe. They say there is no difference between a gifted Layman and a Clergyman but only ordination which adds no power to a man Phila. Yes it doth for though sufficiency or rather competency of gifts may enable a man to the office yet that ability cannot authorize him to perform the ministry and therefore he is to look for an outward calling by his superiour Rom. 10.15 for how can they preach unlesse they be sent Now they must be sent by such who by a continued succession from the Apostles can derive their ordinations Helver post c. 18. Bohem. Confes c. 9. Aug. Confes art 14. Wittemb Con. art 20. Bern. in Cant. which was long before the Church of Rome fell from the faith even 1600 years ago which calling of Ministers hath been followed by England and the reformed Church
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