as there is but one God so is there one onely religion as no papist can denie Since therefore Gods worde and religion telleth vs that all meates are at al times indifferent as I haue prooued it followeth necessarily that the popes religion which teacheth the contrary is to be abhorred The fift proposition Albeit a certaine kinde of fast nowe in our Englishe tongue called Lent was of old obserued before Easter yet is that fast neither warranted by the Scriptures neither commaunded by the apostles neither vniformly practised in the primitiue church but left indifferent to bee vsed as it seemeth good to euerie one I say first called in English Lent because in the learned tongues and of al writers it is termed y e fast of 40. daies Why it shuld be so called the coÌ„mon people latter papists giue this reason because forsooth Christ fasted fortie dayes but that this their wise reason so supposed is most absurd and too too childish I will conuince by manifest demonstrations First because if Christes fast were a paterne of our Lent then shoulde we aswell forbeare fish as flesh which no papist will be bound vnto Secondly by that reason and rule we should neither eat nor drinke by the space of fortie daies Thirdly by that law we ought to eate flesh vpon maundy Thursday vnlesse they will say that the Paschall lambe was no flesh indeede but a fish of the Sea Fourthly because Christ fasted not at that time of the yeare in which the papistes keepe their Lent Adde hereunto that the said number of forty daies fast was euer too too variable as all approoued ecclesiasticall histories make relation The old Romanes fasted three weekes before Easter intermitting their fast weekly vpoÌ„ their Saturdaies Sundaies The Slauonians Alexandrians and Grecians fasted sixe weekes Others coÌ„tinued their fast for the space of 7. weeks but they fasted only 5. daies in euery weeke Our latter papists perceiuing a grosse error in the reckoning or supputation of Lent inuented a new no fortified bulwark That is y e pope added foure daies in the beginning which they commonly call clensing daies to supply the want And yet haue they not the number as they wishe For if the Sundaies be not in their computation then haue they a mingle mangle Lent If they be reckoned they surpasse their number by sixe daies So that their number no way falleth iumpe I say secondly not warranted by the Scriptures because neither the old nor the newe Testament maketh any mention thereof Christ indeed willed vs to fast and pray but hee neither assigned the time nor limitted the daies Besides this the popish maner of fasting is neither agreeable to Christes fast neither to the fast of the apostles nor of Moses nor of Elias nor of Dauid nor of Hester nor of Spiridion nor of any other authenticall fast as I haue prooued I say thirdly not vniformely obserued in the primitiue church First because as is said some obserue one maner some another some keepe mo weeks some fewer Secondly because as Socrates writeth some eate nothing that liueth some of liuing things eate onely fish some eate fishe and birdes some eat herbes and egges some eate only bread othersome eat nothing at all other some at night eat all kinde of meates I say fourthly not commanded by the Apostles but left indifferent First because we finde no such commandement in the holy Scriptures Againe because ecclesiasticall histories do expresly testifie the same Because saith Cassiodorus there is no law made for fasting I thinke the Apostles left this matter to our owne consideration that euerie one shoulde doe without feare or necessitie what seemed conuenient for him The sixt proposition Popishe faâ—â—ing is ridiculous and hurtfull both to soule and body I say first ridiculous first because they prohibite to eate egges cheese milke and butter and yet permit all maner of strong wines all kindes of most delicate fishes and other dainties whatsoeuer flesh only excepted And yet doe sundry men like as well of fishe as of fleshe if not better Againe because wines and sundry kindes of fishe bring forth all those inordinate effectes for brideling whereof fasting is appointed no lesse then fleshe or rather more Thirdly because in all their fastes the richer sorte fill their bellies at noone with daintie dishes Which is asmuch as anie reasonable idle man will aske for his diet any day vnlesse it be for fashion sake Fourthly because at night they will haue Wines Fruites Figges Almondes Dates Raysinges Marmalate conserues of Cherries Wardens and like dainties Fiftly because they vse to stuffe their paunches so full at noone as they may well endure vntill the next day Sixtly because great iniury is done vnto y e poore by this kind of popish fasting For whereas the riche either are neere the Sea or else haue store of Fishes within themselues or at least haue money enough to prouide the same others haue all the three other some want all yet doth the Popishe ridiculous lawe abandon the poore as well as the riche from Egges Cheese Butter and Milke the onely foode that they haue to liue vpon Seuenthly because all the day long they commonly will drinke wine eate bread Simnels Manchetes and Fruites and feede thereon at night as if it were an ordinarie setled dinner And if they referre their dinner till night as sundrie doe for better liking sundrie times and as Englishe men haue done of latter dayes generally vpon Christmas Eeue then do they practise the former priuiledge in eating and drinking liberally at noone Eightly because to auoide the penaltie of the popishe lawe heerein some haue feined themselues sicke that were not so other some haue ridden abroad of purpose that so they might fill their bellies without suspition Yea though one drinke euery day till he be drunken yet doth he not breake his fast by popish doctrin I say secondly hurtfull to the soule because by meanes heereof many haue beleeued false doctrine to be the word of God and not onely so but they haue also iudged and condemned themselues for transgressing mens traditions as the very lawes of God Wherein while they sought to establish their owne righteousnesse they fell from the righteousnesse of God For to put religion in mens traditions is flatly to abandon the worship of the liuing God Yea by reason of these fastes their soules were after in damnable state I prooue it because they perswaded themselues that they were aswell bound to keepe the popes lawes therein as the flat commandements of God and consequently so often as they brake them which was no rare thing so often did they commit damnable sinne because their actes were not of faith I say thirdly hurtfull to the body first because many haue shortened their daies by forbearing necessary food which they did through fond perswasion of popishe holinesse Secondly because the poore soules are so
same day at Rome and S. Philip that blessed disciple of Christ was about the same time crucified at Hierapolis a citie in Asia Of Andrew and Bartholomew S. Andrew preached the gospel in Scythia Thracia Macedonia Thessalia and Achaia At the length the proconsul Aegaeas caused him to be crucified because he perswaded Maximilla his wife and Stantocles his brother to detest his vnchristian impietie and to embrace the faith of Christ Iesus Hee was buried in Achaia with his auncestors S. Bartholomew after he had preached the gospel to the Indians was at length rewarded with the cruell torture of the crosse and buried in Armenia the great Of Iames the sonne of Zebedee S. Iames the sonne of Zebedeus preached the gospel to the twelue tribes which were in dispersion and for his paines was at the length beheaded of Herod the Tetrarch who was also called Agrippa He was buried in the citie Marmarica and king Herod who beheaded him was eaten vp with wormes Of Iohn S. Iohn his brother preached the gospel in Asia and being driuen into exile in the Ile Pathmos by Domitian the emperour he there both wrote the gospel and had his reuelation He died at Ephesus in the time of Traianus the Emperour Where note by the way to auoid the varietie which seemeth in some of the auncient fathers and historiographers that albeit Domitian banished S. Iohn into Pathmos yet did S. Iohn suruiue Domitian and died in the daies and reigne of Traian Of Thomas S. Thomas called also Didymus after he had preached to the Parthians Medes Persians and Indians was wounded with dartes in his sides and so being buried in Calamina a citie in India came to him whose sides he before had felt Christ Iesus Of Mathew S. Mathew of a publican became an Apostle preached the gospel of Christ zealously and conuerted many to the christian faith Hee wrote the gospel in the Hebrew tongue and was buried in Hierapolis Where note by the way that although many of the old writers affirme S. Mathew to haue written in Hebrew yet some learned do think that he wrote in greeke which opinion I preferre as more probable but how soeuer that be it skilleth not much for the Greeke which now is only exstant is admitted of all as authenticall Yea as Theophilactus recordeth they that holde saint Mathew to haue written in hebrew do not denie but Saint Iohn translated it into greeke and consequently since S. Iohn was no lesse inspired with the holy ghost then Saint Mathew it must needes follow that the greeke copie is as authenticall as the Hebrew if any such could be found Of Iames the sonne of Alphee Saint Iames the son of Alpheus the brother of our Lord surnamed Iustus after he had preached at Gaza Eleutheropolis and other countreyes adiacent was made the Bishop of Hierusalem where he was stoned to death of the Iewes and buried in the temple Of Iudas Thaddaeus Saint Iudas Thaddeus called also Lebbeus preached in Iudea Galilea Samaria Idumea Arabia Syria and Mesopotamia at the length he came to Edessa where preaching the gospel of peace he died in peace Of Symon Zelotes Saint Symon surnamed Zelotes for his great zeale towards his master Christ Iesus called also Cananeus bicause he was borne in Cana Galilea after he had preached the gospell in Egypt Africa Mauritania Lybia and in the occidentall parts and had confirmed the same with many myracles he was crucified vnder Traianus being 120. yeares of age Of Matthias Saint Matthias one of the 70. disciples was reckoned with the eleuen in stead of Iudas Iscarioth He preached in Ethiopia where he suffered many tortures was almost stoned to death and then beheaded An addition for the complement of this chapter Saint Iames the Great and Saint Iohn the Euangelist were the sonnes of Zebedeus the husband of Salome Saint Iames the lesse surnamed Iustus and the brother of our Lord Saint Iudas Thaddeus and Symon Zelotes were the sons of Cleophas the husband of Mary who was sister to the blessed virgin Mary CHAP. IX Of the three sonnes of Constantine COnstantine when he had raigned 38. yeares appointed by his last will and testament that his three sonnes Constantinus Constantius and Constans should rule the Empire in seuerall parts seuerally to wit Constantinus in France Spaine and Germanie Constantius in the East Constans in Italie and Illyricum Constantinus was not content with partiall assigned gouernment but desired to haue the sole and onely administration of the Empire for which cause hauing too much confidence in the power of man specially in an euil cause he made warres against his brother Constans in Italie but by that occasion he was slaine and so his brother Constans possessed al the West Empire CHAP. X Of Iulianus apostata IVlianus Apostata was nephew to Constantius and brother to Gallus he was so excellent wel learned that in his youth he read the scriptures publikely in the church of Nicomedia afterwards he went to the famous vniuersitie of Athens and studied there but after the death of his brother Gallus Constantius sent him into France and Germanie Not farre from Argentoratum hee put to flight 30 thousand Almains for which cause by the fauour of the souldiers he was sodainely at Argentoratum designed Emperour At such time as great dissention arose among christians through diuersitie of opinions in Religion in so much that some dispaired and other some fell to Idolatrie then the new Emperour Iulianus preferring his owne sonne before the true worship of God and thinking that to abandon the christian religion was to aduance his royall and imperiall estate forsooke the Christian faith denied Christ openly and became an Apostata He inhibited christians to serue in warres amongst the Romaines he ouerthrew the schooles of learning and spoyled the churches of their treasures Which thing hee did in derision telling the Christians that hee fauoured them in so doing because through pouertie they might sooner come to heauen CHAP. XI Of the Manichees THe Manichees began their heresie in the dayes of Aurelianus Emperor of Rome whose grand-master was Manes a Persian borne This Manes dispersed his poyson in very large circuits First in Arabia after that in Africa This heresie increased so mightily as it coulde not be quenched by the space of two hundred yeares this was the fundamentall ground of their false and hereticall doctrine that there are two Gods the one good and the other bad and yet both to be eternall This doctrine seemed plausible to mans reason at the first publishing thereof for since God is good of his owne nature and yet euill aboundeth in the worlde it seemeth to followe necessarily that as there is a good God so there must also bee a peculiar euill God equall to the good God in power and eternitie The Manichees will neither eate flesh neither egges neither milke neither doe they drinke wine albeit they will
repraesentet totam ecclesiam vniuersalem tamen in veritate ibi non est vera ecclesia vniuersalis sed repraesentatiue quia vniuersalis ecclesia coÌ„stituitur ex collectione omnium fidelium Vnde omnes fideles orbis constituunt istam ecclesiam vniuersalem cuius caput sponsus est ipse Christus Papa auteÌ„ est vicarius Christi non verè caput ecclesiae vt notat glossa in Clem. Ne Romani de elect quae notabiliter dicit quòd mortuo papâ ecclesia non est sine capite ista est illa ecclesia quae errare non potest Vnde possibile est quòd vera fides Christi remaneret in vno solo ita quod verum est dicere quod fides non deficit in ecclesia Sequitur Christus ante passionem orauerat pro Perro vt noÌ„ deficeret fides sua ergo non dicitur deficere nec etiam errare si remanet vera fides in vno solo For concerning matters of faith euen the iudgement of one that is a meere lay man ought to be preferred before the sentence of the pope if that lay person could bring better reasons out of the old and new testament then did the pope And it skilleth not if one say that a councel cannot erre because Christ praied for his church that it should not faile For I say that although a general councel represent the whole vniuersall church yet in trueth there is not truely the vniuersall Church but representatiuely For the vniuersall church consisteth of the collection of all the faithful Whereupon all the faithfull in the world make this church vniuersall wherof Christ himself is the head The pope is the vicar of Christ but not truely the head of the church as noteth the glosse vpon the Clementines which saith notably that when the pope is dead the Church wanteth not an head and this is that Church which cannot erre Whereupon it is possible that the true faith of Christ might remaine in one alone and so it may truely be said y t the faith faileth not in the church Christ before his passion praied for Peter that his faith should not faile therefore the church is not said to faile neither to erre so long as the true faith abideth in one onely Out of these wordes I note first that by the opinion of the great Papist Panormitan a meere lay mans iudgement euen in matters of faith ought to be accepted and receiued before the popes constitution if the lay man bring better reasons out of the scriptures then the pope doth Which saying doubtlesse is the foundation of the doctrine this day established in the church of England in all other reformed churches throughout the world Neither doe we craue more of the papistes then their owne doctors will affoord vs. I note secondly that a generall councell may erre because it is not the catholike or vniuersall church indeed I note thirdly that that church which cannot erre is not the visible companie of pastors and doctors but the inuisible societie of all the faithfull in the worlde Where by inuisible I meane not that any of the elect is inuisible in his corporal consistence but that the vniuersall congregation of the faithfull as vniuersall is inuisible that is to say that no one mortall man seeth or knoweth all true beleeuers in the church In which sense is truely verified the saying of Elias when hee cried out that he only was left alone For albeit it be true that there was a visible church in Iudea vnder the good kinges Asa and Iosaphat euen when Elias made his complaint that he was left alone and although also that Abdias had told Elias that hee had hid an C. prophets by L. in a caue so as Elias could not be ignoraunt of a visible church in the worlde yet is it most true with all this that the vniuersall church as vniuersall was inuisible to Elias and that there were many thousandes of true beleeuers euen then in Samaria whom â—lias neither saw nor knew And therefore did God answere him saying I haue reserued to my selfe seuen thousand men which haue not bowed the knee to Baall I note fourthly that howsoeuer the visible bishops and pastors erre yet doth not the vniuersal church erre so long as the faith remaineth in any one whosoeuer I note fiftly that as in the time of Elias there were seuen thousand faithfull persons whom he knew not euen so were there in those daies when Martin Luther began his reformation many thousandes among the papists that sincerely beleeued the gospel whom hee neither saw nor knew The 6 replie The scripture telleth vs that the church cannot erre For as the Apostle saith it is the house of the liuing God the pillar and ground of trueth Therefore either Gods apostle teacheth false doctrine or els doubtlesse the trueth must euer be in the church The answere I answere that the true church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ doth neuer erre wholly and generally in the fundamentall pointes of religion and such as are necessary for our saluation I say first the true church of God because the societie of the visible pastors are not euer the mysticall members of Christ. I say secondly wholly and generally because albeit the trueth may faile for a time in the pastors of the church yet shall it neuer perish in the elect and true members thereof For though particular churches may erre in particular pointes yet shall the whole church neuer erre in the articles of necessary doctrine Though the elect may erre in part and at sometime yet shal they neuer erre either all generally or any one finally For whom and in respect of whom the church is rightly called the pillar of trueth This my exposition is made good by the testimonie of S. Austen whose words be these SecundaÌ„ ergo Sabbathi non debemus intelligere nisi ecclesiaÌ„ Christi sed ecclesiaÌ„ Christi in sanctis ecclesiam Christi in his qui scripti sunt in coelo ecclesiaÌ„ Christi in â—is qui mundi huius tentationibus non cedunt Ipsi enim digni sunt nomine firmameÌ„ti ergo ecclesia Christi in his qui firmi sunt appellata est firmamentum quae est in quit ecclesia dei viui columna firmamentum veritatis Therefore we may not vnderstand the second of the sabboth to bee any other then the church of Christ yet the church of Christ in the saints the church of Christ in those which are not ouercome with the tentations of this wicked world for they are worthy the name of firmament therefore the church of Christ is called the firmament in those that are firme which is saith hee the church of the liuing God the piller and firmament of truth The like saying hath S. Augustine in many other places but especially where he writeth against the Donatists Saint Chrysostome expoundeth this place of the veritie it selfe
impotencie of nature nor by the gift of continencie but the pope chargeth them that are eunuches no way to abstaine from marriage solemnely therefore the popes commaundement is against Gods holy ordinance Theodoretus confirmeth this point in these words Rectè autem posuit illud prohibentium contrahere matrimonium Neque enim celibatum ac continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi coÌ„pellunt He put that rightly forbidding to marry he blameth not single life continencie but accuseth them that by positiue lawes compel to put such things in execution This lawe therefore of the pope is intollerable For which cause saint Clemens auoucheth them to do iniury to nature that will not vse wedlocke for procreation of children The latter parte of this proposition the apostle setteth downe so plainely as it is needelesse to say any more in that behalfe These are Saint Paules owne wordes But the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of deuilles which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hote yron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats In these wordes it is very cleere that saint Paul termeth the prohibition of marriage and of meates the flat doctrine of the deuill For after hee had declared wherein the mysterie of true religion consisteth which is taught in the true church of Christ hee foorthwith giueth euident markes of the mysterie of iniquitie which is maintained in the false church of Antichrist in whose synagogue the highest points of religion are the prohibition of marriage and of meates And who seeth not this day this to bee the state of the church of Rome as in which church they are specially and in a manner onely reputed religious who obey the prohibition of marriage and also of meates And it will not helpe the Papistes to say as their woonted manner is that they neither prohibite marriage generally nor as an vnlawfull thing For first saint Paul speaketh not generally of marriage but of the precise marriage of Bishoppes Priests and Deacons This doe I prooue because so soone as hee had declared the duetie of Bishoppes Priestes and Deacons with their wiues and children by and by in the beginning of the next chapter hee addeth that in the latter dayes marriage shall bee prohibited by the doctrine of the deuill Where the worde But doeth effectually insinuate that he speaketh precisely of the marriage of ecclesiasticall persons by him aboue named Againe the words Forbidding and Commanding argue authoritie in them that restraine marriage and so it partaineth not onely to the old heretikes the Manichees the Tatians the Eucratites the Marcionists the Patritians and the Apostolickes but much more to the late Popes of Rome who strictly commaunde the whole world to abstaine from that whereof God himselfe hath granted the lawfull vse For what is to bee extolled aboue God if not to alter and chang his holie words Bishops Priests and Deacons haue alwaies beene married in the East church euen from our Sauiour Christ vntill these our dayes This I proue by the testimonie of the sixt generall councell of Constantinople where 289. Bishoppes were assembled in the yeare of our Lorde 677. In the thirteenth canon of this famous councill three speciall things are decreed First that Priests Deacons and subdeacons may haue the lawfull vse of wedlocke at such times as they do not execute the ministerie Secondly this councell excommunicateth all those Priests and Deacons that after their orders put away their former wiues vnder pretence of religion Thirdly it excommunicateth all such as labour to separate Priests and Deacons from the vse and companie of their wiues And after all this this great synode addeth this worthie and memorable obseruation to witte that they haue thus decreed albeit the lawes of Rome be otherwise Where I note by the way that so many learned bishoppes contemned the vsurped primacie of the church of Rome I proue it secondly by the verdict of their owne canon law which is the flatte opinion of Pope Vrban as their owne Gratian telleth vs his expresse words are these Cum ergo ex sacerdotibus nati in summos pontifices supra legantur esse proâ—oti non sunt intelligendi de fornicatione sed de legitimis coniugiis nati quae sacerdotibus ante prohibitionem vbique licita erant in orientali ecclesia vsque hodie eis licere probantur When therefore wee reade that the sonnes of Priests are made Popes wee must not vnderstand bastardes but sonnes borne in honest marriage which marriage was euery where lawfull for Priests before the late prohibition and is also lawfull this day in the East Church for which cause the late councell of Florence left the marriage of Priests to the free election of the Greekes Yea their owne deare Fryer and graue archbishoppe Antoninus confirmeth the same in these words Quia Graci etiam in sacerdotio coniugio vtuntur For the Greekes ioyne the vse of matrimonie euen with the priesthood Bishops Priests and Deacons were likewise married in the West and Latin church for the space almost of foure hundred yeares without any prohibition at all And afterward in some places for many hundreth yeeres This is the probation After that Christ hadde granted marriage for all men appointing such to vse it for an wholsome medicine as wanted the gift of continencie after that Saint Paul had pronounced freely marriage to bee honourable in all sorts of men after that the Apostles had decreed that neither Bishops Priests nor deacons shoulde leaue the companie of their wiues vnder pretence of religion after that many holy Bishops priests and deacons had liued laudably in the Church and had vsed the honest helâ— of holy wedlocke aboue three hundreth eightie and fiue yeares al which I haue alreadie proued then one Syricius aduaunced to the popedome in the yeare of Christ 385. seduced by Satan published wicked doctrine and prohibited marriage as an vnlawfull thing Which matter because it is verie imporâ—ant and the wordes of our holy father the pope so blasphemous as hardly anie will beleeue him to haue so written but hee that readeth the same I will alleage his wordes at large Thus therefore doth hee write in expresse tearmes Quod dignum pudicum honestum est suademus vt sacerdotes Leuitae cum suis vxoribus non coeant quia in ministerio diuino quotidianis necessitatibus occupantur ad Corinthios namque sic Paulus scribit Abstinete vos vt vacetis orationi si ergo Laicis abstinentia imperatur vt possint deprecantes audiri quanto magis sacerdos vtisque omni momento paratus esse debet munditiae puritate securus ne aut sacrificium offerat aut baptizare cogatur quisi contaminatus est carnali concupiscentia quid faciet excusabitur qua
Anno mundi 3197 32 Kings 36 Tantens Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 40 Kings 36 Thineus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Dercilus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 40 Kings 36 Eupales Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 38 Kings 36 Laosthenes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 45 Kings 36 Piriciades Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Ophrateus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 20 Kings 36 Ophratanes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 50 Kings 36 Ocrazapes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 41 Kings 36 Sardanapalê° Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 20 Kings 36 Sardanapalus was the last king of the Assyrians that possessed the whole monarchie he was a man of very bad behauiour and being â—â—ercome in battell by Arbaces hee burnt himselfe to death by fire This monarchie indured 1240. yeeres after Eusebius but see the fourth section following and marke it attentiuely After that Sardanapalus the vicious and effeminate monarke had burnt himselfe together with his riches Phul Belochus the president of Babylon and Arbaces ruler of the Medes diuided the monarchie betweene them Phul Belochus had Babylon and Assyria Arbaces enioyed Media and Persia. The kings that took part with Arbaces were termed the Kings of the Medes Such as followed Belochus the Kings of the Assyrians Chaldeans or Babylonians The court lay first at Niniueh after at Babylon Arbaces the Mede subdued the Assyrians and translated the Empire to the Medes From hencefoorth many alterations chanced in the monarkie After Herodotus the Assyrians held the monarchie 500. yeeres from which time now the Assyrians now the Medes now the Chaldeans had the vpper hand At the length the Medes being more mightie then the rest subdued Babylon and quietly enioyed the whole empire The kings of y e Medes Arbaces Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 28 Sosarnus Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 30 Medidus Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 40 Cardiceas Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 15 Diôcles Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 54 Phaortes Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 24 Cyaraxes or Cyaxares Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 32 Astyages Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 38 The monarkie of the Assyrians which is also called the monarkie of the Chaldeans and of the Babylonians because they sometime inioyed it though with small felicitie beganne about the age of the world 2008. and continued about 1470. yeeres at what time Darius king of the Medes with Cyrus his sonne in law wanne Babylon and killed Balthazar Dan. 5. verses 30 31. The third section of Balthazar Balthazar king of Babylon when hee was drinking wine commanded the golden vesselâ—es which his father had brough from the temple in Hierusalem to be set before him that hee his princes his wiues and his concubines might drinke therein they drunke wine and praised the gods of gold siluer brassâ— and stone But what followed al this idololatricall ioy in the very same houre there appeared fingers of a mans hand writing vpon the wall of the kings pallace so that the kings countenance changed and his thoughts troubled him The ioynts of his loynes were loosed his knees smote one against the other and he cried mightily Dan. 5. verse 2 3 5 6 7. Behold here the end of idolatrie and superstition Balthazar foorthwith after he had adored his false gods was tormented as is said the same night he was staine and Darius the Mede inioyed the kingdome verse 30 31. A wonderful example for al kings and monarkes euer to serue the liuing God and to set foorth his pure religion The fourth section of the diuersitie in computation Eusebius and some others reckon the monarchie of the Assyrians from Ninus and so it continued 1240. yeeres as is saide in the second section Yet others who seeme to followe Philo and Metasthenes beginne the monarchie in the 8. yeere of Nabuchodonosors reigne and then it indured onely seuentie yeeres for Nabuchodonosor raigned 45. yeeres Euil-merodach his sonne 30. yeres and Balthazar his sonne 3. yeres Such as will in this maner make their supputation must reckon the first monarchie to be of the Babylonians not of the Assyrians Genebrardus reckoneth the monarchie to haue continued 78. yeares that is eight yeares before the captiuitie because the first yeare of Nabuchodnosor fell in the end of the third yeare of Ioachim Dan. 1. and was the fourth of Ioachim Iere. 25. but so the veritie of the historie be granted it skilleth not much to varie the name CHAP. II. Of the kings of the Assyrians and Babilonians after the death of Sardanapalus and the diuision of the monarchie PHul Belochus was the first king of the Assyrians after the diuision of the Empire and death of Sardanapalus hee was a magnificall and fortunate Prince and Niniue was his pallace he was president of Babilon in the time of Sardanapalus after whose miserable death he enioyed halfe of the monarchie as I haue shewed in the first chapter and second section he ruled 48. yeares in all Phull Assar surnamed Tiglath was the second king of the Assyrians he was a verie bad king he destroyed Galile and led some of the tribes into captiuitie he raigned 23. yeares Salmanasar was the third king of the Assyrians hee was a tyrannicall and cruell king this Salmanasar destroyed the kingdome of Israel besieged Samaria tooke it battered it downe slew the king and led away into Media the people that remained after the slaughter for hee was ruler in that countrey and he raigned eleuen yeares Sennacherib the fourth king of the Assyrians was an arrogant wicked godlesse man he bent himself against god with sacrilegious and blasphemous speeches he sent a great host against Hierusalem but Gods Angell smote in his armie an hundred foure score and fiue thousand insomuch that he was enforced to retire and to dwell againe in Niniue For his blasphemie against god an horrible death befel vpon him for as he was in the temple worshipping his God Nisroch Adramelech and Saresar his owne sonnes smat him with the sword and they escaped when they had slaine him into the land of Armenia 4. King 18 19 chap. so was he murdered euen before the idoll whom he adored for God and by them by whom he ought by nature to haue bin defended he raigned 15. yeares That the wickednes of this Senacherib might be noted of all posterities his image was set vp in Egypt with this inscription ouer it as writeth Herodotus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say Whosoeuer shall behold mee with his corporall eies let him learne by my calamitie to honour
doubtles if not al shalbe without miters all the dayes of their life In these and like false signes and sottish ceremonies with which they haue a long time bewitched Gods people doth wholy consist their antichristian religion CHAP. XI Of the original of certaine odde Popish superstitions The first diuision Of changing the Popes name POpe Sergius the second being somewhat ashamed of his ancient name because it sounded not pleasantly in mens eares for he was called Os Porci Swine-mouth changed his old name and tearmed himselfe Sergius This Sergius liued more then 840. yeares after Christ from which time the maner of Popes hath beene to change their names so soone as they aspired to the popedome So writeth their owne deare friends Platina and Carranza These are Carranzaes wordes Sergius 2. sub Lothario primo Germano Caesare 3. primus mutauit suum nomē Nam antea Os Porci fuit appellatus Sergius the second in the raigne of Lotharius the first the third emperour of the Germans changed his name For before that time he was called swine-mouth a name verie vnfit for his holines and therefore with great reason did he change it and with the like spirit of pride I would say of humilitie other Popes since do imitate the same maner The second diuision Of kissing the Popes feete IVstinianus the Emperour after hee had sent for the Pope Constantinus to come to him at Nicomedia receiued him very honourably and sent him backe againe but first of a certaine fondly conceiued humilitie he fell downe and kissed the Popes feete This Iustinianus raigned more then 700. yeares after Christ and heere began the kissing of the Popes feete which as it was done then by the emperour vpon a fond zeale so is it this day continued with intollerable superstition The third diuision Of praying vpon Beades AFter that the people of God had liued aboue a thousand yeares vsing altogether godly bookes of prayer one Peter an eremite a French-man borne perceiuing the nature of men to bee desirous of nouelties was the first that inuented praying vppon beades Thus writeth Polydorus Virgilius a Papist by profession From hence sprang Rosaries Corones Lady psalters and a thousand superstitious kinds of prayers Whereof to rehearse the originall is a sufficient confutation The 4. diuision Of wearing a Cardinals hat INnocentius the fourth of that name who liued more then one thousand two hundred and fortie yeares after Christ first ordained that Cardinals should ride on horses in the streetes and haue a red hat carried before them by which hat they ought to remember that they should bee readie to sheade their blood for the gospell sake so saith their owne Platina The 5. diuision Of the paschall Torch THe papists vse vpon Easter eeue which they terme sabbathum sanctum to hallow a torch or taper of waxe which they call caerea paschalis in which they instill crossewise fiue hallowed greines To this taper they ascribe great holynesse and reserue it till the ascension or Pentecost Neuerthelesse it was first inuented by Pope Sozimus foure hundred yeares after Christ. This Sozimus falsified the decrees of the Nicene councell as I haue proued afore so to maintaine the vsurped primacie of the church of Rome The 6. diuision Of the number of Popish prayers at their masse The superstition vsed in poperie is to too grosse and ridiculous For either they must haue but one prayer one secret and one post-communion which three are alway in number equall or else the same must be three fiue or seuen but in no case two And why I pray you Because forsooth God is not pleased with an euen number So writeth their great Maister of ceremonies in these expresse wordes Quia vero numero Deus gaudet impari quidam obseruant vt impares dicant in missa orationes videlicet vel vnamitantum vel tres vel quinque vel septem Vnam ad designandum fidei vnitatem Tres ad significandum mysterium trinitatis quia Christus ter in passione orauit dicens Pater si fieri potest transeat à me calix iste Quinque ad designandum quinque plagas Christi septem ad designandum spiritum gratiae septi formis seu septem dona spiritus sancti Deus enim diuisionem discordiam detestatur Vnde cùm caeterorum dierum operibus benediceret operibus tamen secundae diei benedixisse non legitur Eo quod binarius numerus primò ab vnitate reeedebat ab eo caeteri diuisibiles numeri originem sortiuntur impar numerus est mundus Because god taketh pleasure in an odde number some obserue alway to say od praiers at masse to wit either one only or else three or else fiue or seuen One to signifie the vnitie of faith three to signifie y e mysterie of the Trinitie that Christ praied thrise in his passion saying Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Fiue to signifie the fiue wounds of Christ. Seuen to signify y e spirit of seuenfold grace or the seuen gifts of the holy ghost for God detesteth diuision discord Wherefore when he blessed the works of the other dayes we doe not reade that hee blessed the workes of the second day and that because the number of two departeth first from vnitie and the other diuisible numbers take their originall of it and the odde number is pure and cleane Out of these words I note first that where our master Durand saith that some obserue to say odde praiers wee must not thinke that he would except any for their Tridentine rubricke appointeth all in generall to obserue that order I note secondly that as their Pighius affirmed the scripture to be like a nose of waxe so do they all at their pleasures appite it to euerie trifle as if it were a nose of waxe indeede For I pray thee gentle Reader what sottish applications are these here mentioned nay how bolde are our papists to wrest the scriptures as they list and yet do they neuer cease to impute that to others which is their owne peculiar fault I note thirdly that God is delighted with od numbers but not with euen for so saith master Durand and he proueth it out of their canon law Whereupon I inferre first that God is not pleased with the ten commandements which he gaue himself Secondly that hee is not pleased with the 12. articles of our faith which the apostles left by tradition as they say Thirdly that he was not pleased with the number of the 12. apostles perhaps therefore Iudas betrayed him to make the number odde Yet to say so cannot serue the turne because the apostles shortly after elected Mathias in his roome Fourthly that the words omitted in the works of the second day do not argue either liking in the odde number or disliking in the euen For the same words are added both in the fourth