Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

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scripture_n	apostle_n	call_v	lord_n	2,488	5	3.6285	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19602	The estate of the Church with the discourse of times, from the apostles vntill this present: also of the liues of all the emperours, popes of Rome, and Turkes: as also of the Kings of Fraunce, England, Scotland, Spaine, Portugall, Denmarke, &c. With all the memorable accidents of their times. Translated out of French into English by Simon Patrike, Gentleman.; L'estat de l'eglise. English.	Hainault, Jean de.; Crespin, Jean, d. 1572.; Patrick, Simon, d. 1613.	1602 (1602)	STC 6036; ESTC S109073	532,147	761

which they chose from among the people hauing charge of things which belonged to the Temple to Iustice and the gouernment of the Church When Iesus had chased from the Temple the buyers and sellers the next morning the high Priests and Elders of the people came to him asking by what authoritie he did those things Math. 21. About the 20. yeare of Christ and the fift of Tiberius as Eusebius saith in his Chronicle thirteene Townes of Asia were ouerthrowne by an Earthquake namely Ephesus Sardis Mesthenes Megechiere Cesarea Magnesia Philadelphia Hincel Tenus Cume Mirthina Apollonia Diahyrcania Such iudgements of God ought to serue for aduertisements and instructions vnto vs. Our Lord Iesus Christ exercised his Ministerie and office the space of three yeares three moneths and tenne dayes and the beginning is taken from his thirtieth yeare because in S. Luke it is said that Iesus began to be about thirtie yeares of age He suffered death and passion the yeare 34. according to the supputation of many authors Caius Caligula was an horrible Monster who by his wicked life despited heauen and earth vttering his furie through all the iurisdictions of the Romane Empire and by his Edicts would needs make himselfe a God But finally he was taken with a straunge death Iosephus maketh a singular recitall thereof in the 1. Chapter of the 20. booke of Antiquities Chareas Sabinus Aquila and others which of long time had conspired his death slew him cruelly after he had raigned three yeares tenne monethes and eight dayes His body as Suetonius rehearseth was secretly carried to the Gardens of Lamius and being halfe burnt was couered with a litle earth He was of the age of 24. yeares Such a Tirant who had prouoked both God and men against him could no otherwise end his daies Caligula banished Herod the Tetrarch who went to Rome at the perswasion of Herodias the yeare 40. into the Towne of Lions in Gaul where he died in pouertie with the said Herodias his harlot The same yeare the Iewes endured great afflictions One was at Alexandria vpon this occasion Caligula had ordained that through all the Iurisdiction of the Romanes there should be builded vnto him Temples and Aultars where they should worship him as God The Iewes alone resisted his impietie Then were there many Grecians in Alexandria who wished death vnto the Iewes therefore then they tooke occasion to make them odious vnto the Emperour except they obeyed his ordinance When it came to proofe the Iewes resisted it strongly and the sedition about it was such that many were slaine on both sides The cause was finally debated at Rome and Caligula a peruerse man made chase away Philo the Iewe who pleaded the Iewes cause Who then said It behooueth vs whom the Emperour hateth to take courage For it is necessarie that God should helpe when humane succours faileth Caligula vsed to say Would to God the Romane people had but one Head The Iewes also were greatly afflicted in Babilon of the Chaldeans and in Seleucia of Siria There were two brethren Iewes of base condition the one named Asniens and the other Anileus the which being Robbers and Theeues they gathered together a great number of Rake-hells and disordered persons Artanabus seeing this euill encrease thought good to remedie it But it was too late And finally mooued with the prowesse of these two yoong men receiued them into amitie and gaue them the gouernment of the Kingdome of Babilon See Ioseph in the 18. Booke and last Chapter Iesus Christ ascended visibly into Heauen to confirme his Resurrection the better and the glorie of his Kingdome 40. dayes after his Resurrection His Disciples yet dreamed of an earthly kingdome of Messias asked of him if he would not begin it But Iesus Christ after he had spoken of the eternall Kingdome and had blessed them was lifted vp aloft and a bright Cloude receiued him into Heauen where he sitteth at the right hand and power of God Now then we must consider what aduancements and encrease the Primitiue Church made by the Apostles and their Disciples that all the faithfull may know that Iesus Christ the King of glory remaineth not Idle in Heauen but by an admirable manner maintained gouerneth and aydeth his that his Gospell may be sowne through the world But as God shewed that honour to the Land of Canaan as to giue it the promises touching the Redeemer so there also by his death he obtained saluation vnto mankinde Aboue all Countries Asia the lesse had at that time the most flourishing Churches After the Ascention of Christ there was an excellent Church in Ierusalem In the first of the Acts it is recited that there were about sixe score persons at the beginning The holy scripture calleth Churches the publicke assemblies of many faithfull Tenne dayes after the Ascension was the Feast of Pentecost The Lord Iesus then raigning in Heauen at the right hand of his Father powred visibly and sensibly the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles which then were assembled at Ierusalem The word of the Lord tooke his course and the number of the faithfull by litle and litle encreased in Ierusalem by the preaching and miracles of the Apostles Behold the booke of the Acts for the first preachings and the persecutions which came after the death of our Lord. The 34. yeare after the Natiuitie of Christ and the 19. of the Kingdome of Tiberius after the death of S. Steuen the high Priests of Ierusalem stirred more and more grieuous persecutions against the Church Saul which is also Paul was chosen to persecute the faithfull for before his conuersion he burnt with false zeale espying into each house and drawing into prison all he could catch S. Ierome reciteth that S. Paul his parents dwelt in Sischal a Towne of Iuda but when the Romanes tooke the Countrie they went into Tharsis which is in Cilicia where Paul was borne His father was a Iewe of the Tribe of Beniamin and a Burgesse of Rome Act. Chap. 22. Many then were Martired others were constrained to retire themselues into Countries adiacent which occasioned the Gospell to be further spread abroad About the yeare fortie and fiue after the Natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ and twelue yeares after his Resurrection the third yeare of Caligula a great persecution was stirred by Herode Agrippa against the Christians wherein Iames the brother of Iohn was beheaded Peter put in prison but the Angell of the Lorde drewe them out most miraculously Soone after the Lord reuenged the death of his For it happened that this Herode went to Cesarea The cause was for that hee hadde enterprised a warre against the Tyrrians and Sidonians which they preuented by gaining the Chamberlaine Blastus and demaunding of a peace One day Herode sumptuously adorned sate downe in Throne and spake to them and the people made an acclamation as if GOD himselfe hadde spoken vnto them But Herode was incontinently strooken by the Angell

of the Lorde and was consumed with vermine and died miserably because hee yeelded no glorie vnto God and so the persecution ceased Heere is a second mirrour of Gods iudgement against such as oppresse the Church Saint Paul after his conuersion returned fiue times to Ierusalem At his last beeing there hee recited the Historie of his Ministerie in the assembly of the Elders of the Church His preachings were greatly spread abroad neither ceased hee to plant the Gospell wheresoeuer he went as it appeareth in the Acts. He preached at Rome by the space of two yeares although he was a prisoner Where before there was an assembly of the faithfull as the Epistle to the Romanes witnesseth Philippe the Apostle preached in Samaria where there was a Church which retired thither after the death of Saint Steuen In Azote the Church assembled from thence it went into the Maritine Townes Peter the Apostle also preached the Gospell in many Townes as is at large seene in the Historie of the Acts. Origine in his Tome vpon Genesis saith it seemeth that Peter preached in Pontus Galatia Asia Bithinia and Cappadocia to the dispearced Iewes There was also a Church in Babilon as he himselfe witnesseth in the fist of his first Epistle In Phinicia and Siria in Tyre Sidon Serentia Silicia Pamphilia Pisidia Attalia Lycaonia Also in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithinia Misia and Phrigia Vnto these did S. Peter write The seuen Churches of Asia are named in the Apocalips namely Ephesus Smirna Pergamus Thyatirus Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicia Aboue all the Church of Antioche was most famous where the Disciples were first called Christians Some say this was the thirtie and eight yeare after Christ others fortie Paul and Barnabas remained there one whole yeare Acts. 11. and 13. Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist after hee had preached the Gospell through all Asia he finally retired into the Towne of Ephesus where he remained many yeares From thence the Church might easily spread it selfe into Europe which was nigh therevnto Now we see the beginning of the Kingdome of Christ and as it were a renewment of the world About the yeare 42. the vengeance of God fell vpon Pilate For after the Iewes had accused him of too great crueltie Lord Vitellius then Gouernour of Siria commaunded him to goe to Rome to answere the accusations that were to bee laid against him But as hee was in the way hee died Tiberius as Iosephus reciteth in the eighteenth of Antiquities Chapter fiue Eutropius in his seuenth booke saith that Pilate was nipped and pinched with so great anguishes because Caligula troubled him that striking and beating himselfe with his owne hands he sought to destroy himselfe See Eusebius in his 2. booke Chap. 7. This same yeare it is held that Saint Mathew writte his Gospell in Iudea The same yeare the Tetrach ship of Herodes was deliuered to Agrippa and a great discomfiture now the second time was made of the Iewes in Babilon See Iosephus in the last Chapter of his Antiquities Claudius the fift Emperour was chosen to the Imperial dignitie the aforesaid yeare and raigned fourteen yeares and nine moneths Herodes Agrippa the yeare 15. and the third of Claudius held the Kingdome of Iudea of the gift of Caligula and Claudius Beeing departed from Rome to come to Ierusalem hee thought good to make a shew to the Iewes that he loued their Religion and after to gratifie the high Priests he put to death certaine of the faithfull At this time Churches were gouerned by the Apostles which were instructed in the schoole of the sonne of God and therefore there is no gouernment to be compared to this Yet in this time the dwell had his instruments in Churches gouernment that is to say false Apostles and false bretheren Euen alreadie wrought he the secret of Iniquitie by his Antichrist 2. Thessa 2. and 1. Iohn 2. and 4. There were Heretickes Titus 3. Dogges Philip. 3. Wolues and men speaking peruerse things Acts 20. People which were neither hotte nor colde Apoca. 3. If at this time Sathan had such license how bolde thinke we will he be now that they are gone Amongst them which now gouerned the Church some were giuen Apostles to visit Churches Their charge was to sowe the Gospell throughout the world They had no place assigned Besides the twelue Paul and Barnabas are called Apostles Acts 14. Epaphroditus is called the Apostle of the Philippians Philippians 2. Andronicus and Iunia are called notable amongst the Apostle Romanes sixteene Prophets are they which had the gift not onely to Interpret scripture but also to apply it to the true vse S. Paul preferreth Prophecie before all other gifts Euangelistes hadde an office which came nigh vnto the Apostleship The difference was onely in the degree of dignitie Of this estate was Timothie and his like which succoured the Apostles 2. Timoth. 4.5 Philip is called an Euangelist Act. 21. b. 8. Doctors were for the conseruation of the puritie of Religion that the holy doctrine might bee kept and published Saint Luke ioyneth Prophets with Doctors Acts. 13. a. 1. Priest signifieth Auncient not for that they were of an age but because age commonly hath with it more wisedome experience and grauitie Vnder this name are comprehended as well Pastors as such as were ordeined for the Regiment of the Church S. Peter calles himselfe Priest shewing thereby that it was a common name Deacons is a general name of seruice but is taken for such as had the charge to dispence the Almesses Actes 19. a. 22. Ministers or seruants are called Adioints or such as accompanied the Apostles in their viands Timothie and Erastus ministred to S. Paul Act. 19. a. 22. Bishop and Priest was then one same name and office Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Euagoras witnesseth it But afterward whilest Schismes endured one was chosen from amongest the Priests and set in the most principall place and called Bishoppe or Superintendent And therefore the office of Bishoppe was after helde to bee higher then the Priests Saint Paul commaunded Titus to place in euerie Towne Priests or Bishoppes Titus 1. a. 5.6.7 See Acts 20. f. 28. With the good seede which was all ouer as is said dispersed there beganne also heresies to be cast into the Lords field The first and most pernitious were the Simoniaques The originall whereof was Simon Magus borne in a Towne of Samaria which Iustin calleth Triton and Eusebius Gitton a man exercised in Letters who by his Arts enchaunted many in Samaria before Philip had conuerted them As is recited in the Acts. Chap. 8. After S. Peter had discouered his wicked Hipocrisie hee went away in such despite that making a mingle-mangle of the dreames of Philosophers and Painims with the religions of the Iewes and that which he learned of the Gospell he corrupted and transferred to his owne person that which was spoken of Iesus Christ of the holy Ghost and of the saluation of man

the Gothes Viscoths Huns and Scyths who hauing passed Danubia ran vpon Hungaria Epire and Thessalia endammaging much the countrey and burning certaine Townes He was ouercome and flying was wounded with a Dart and so fell from his horse and was put in a litle strawe-house to be healed Alanus the Victor pursued him the house whereinto he went was burnt none knowing he was retired thither This was the reward of his tirannie and crueltie against the faithfull And this came to him three yeares after the death of his brother hauing raigned fourteene yeares This battaile was the beginning of great warre that the Romane Empire after sustained Gratian sonne of Valentinian raigned eight yeares with his Vncle Valens three and with Theodosius 4. But his true Kingdome began after the death of Valens the yeare of our Lord 380. Hee reuoked from Exile the Catholique Bishoppes and put backe the Arrians He made Valentinian his litle brother on the fathers side his companion of the Empire Hauing called Theodosius out of Spaine hee gaue him part of the East Empire establishing him as a Ram-part against the Gothes and Huns which occupied Thrace and Daceas as their hereditary countreys Theodosius handled them hardly At his comming he obtained a great victorie against the Almaines But as he cherished too much some of those barbarous Nations which hee caused to come with him hyring them with Gold his owne souldiers bare him euill will insomuch that Maximus was chosen Emperour in England and passing into Fraunce with the Romane Army ouercame Gratian at Paris who fled to Lions where he was taken and killed trayterously by Androgius See Pomp. Laet. Aurel. Vict. Bapt. Egn. lib. 1. Paul Diac. lib. 1. and Oros lib. 7. chap. 33. Theodosius began his true Kingdome after the death of Gratian the yeare 386. He was of the line of Traian who was also sent by the Emperor Nerua to help the Common-wealth Theodosius maintained and amplified the Empire hee put to flight the Huns and Gothes in diuers battailes which came very farre into the Empire hee also graunted peace to the Persians Valentinian the second of that name the brother of the aforesaid Gratian on his fathers side being chased from Italie by Maximus with Iustin his mother Arrian which had wrought great troubles to Ambrose fled into the East towards Theodosius who receiued him and gaue him part of the Empire after hauing shewed him his fault and that because he rebelled against religion and persecuted the Catholiques he fel into this perill Valentinian was strangled seuen yeares at Vienna in Fraunce by his Chamberlaines at the suggestion of Eugenius and of Arbogastes So that it seemed he had strangled himselfe Theodosius tarried not long before hee ouercame Maximus vsurper of the Gaulois and Victor his sonne and Androgius their Coronell which caused Gratian to die Auenging the death of Valentinian he ouercame Eugenius the Tyrant and Arbogastes his companion in a notable victorie For the time the windes the snowe and hayle ranged themselues on his side who had fewe people in respect of the Armie of Eugenius Claudians Latine verses with exclamation witnesse it saying O welbeloued of God who gaue thee a winter armed for thy successors and made come to thy wages the Tempests and the windes c. The said Iustin hauing drawne into her errour Valentinian her sonne sought also to haue deceiued Ambrose but in vaine One day she sent a sort of souldiers to enuiron the Temple to make Ambrose come out who spake to them and said hee would not so easily forsake his place and that to wolues hee would not expose the sheepfolde nor the Temple to blasphemers And that if they determined to sley him let them do it within the temple and so should death please him Theodo li. 5. chap. 13. Reliques The beginning of adoration of Reliques may be reduced to this time Ruffin writeth of Theodosius before hee enterprised warre against Eugenius the tyrant himselfe went with the Priests visiting the Churches and before the Sepulchres of the Apostles made his Orisons and Praiers The contention betwixt Hierome and Vigilantius prest Bishop of Bercolne in Spaine doth sufficiently shewe that superstition was then come forward By the writings of Hierome which are stuffed rather with iniuries outrages then sound reasons out of the holy scriptures we may know that Vigilantius had reason to oppose himselfe to such Idolatry rather then veneration of the Martyrs The words of Hierome writing to Riparius are Thou saist that Vigilantius openeth againe his stinking mouth and spitteth his infection against the reliques of holy Martyrs calling vs which receiue them Cendrier Idolaters which do reuerence vnto dead mens bones And in the booke which he perticularly writ against Vigilantius saith One Vigilantius is risen vp which with an vncleane spirit against the spirit of Christ denieth that we must honour the Sepulchres of Martyrs condemneth Vigils c then addeth And thou sayest in thy booke that as long as we liue we may pray one for an other but after we be dead that the prayers are not heard and yet they pray for the vengeance of their bloud and cannot be heard In which thou proposest vnto me an Apogrypha Booke which thou and the like readest vnder the name of Esdras where it is written that after death none dare pray c. And thou darest out of the gulfe of thy brest vomit so filthy a mockery as to say the soules of Martyrs then loue their owne ashes and flie about them for being absent they cannot heare a poore sinner who by chance resorteth thither c. Briefly he alleadgeth for great meruailes whatsoeuer Vigilantius said but refuteth it not Hee addeth also that Vigilantius heretike saide that Alleluia should not be sung but at Easter That continencie of single life commaunded is heresie and the seede of whoordome It is also reported vnto me saith hee that against the authoritie of Paul vnto whom Peter Iohn and Iames gaue the right hands who commaunds to remember the poore thou forbiddest that any should send any comfort of money to Ierusalem for the vse of the Saints and maintainest that they doo better which vse their owne and which by litle and litle distribute fruites of their possessions then they which hauing solde their possessions giue all at once He saith yet Thou fearest and turnest away viperous tongue Monkes from their application and studie and sayest by way of argument If all men should shut themselues vp or goe into solitude who should celebrate Churches or who should gaine and winne seculer men c. Wee may know by this rehearsall that Vigilantius and other good Doctors of this time maintained that the adoration of Saints was drawne from the Ethnike superstition of the Gods into the Church of the Lord. The abuse came first from the too great praise of Saints It encreased afterward by the false perswasion of the intercession confirmed by signes and lying miracles The

repent their liues Also an other saying of S. Augustine we would haue you to remember which is this Nilfiat nocendi cupiditate omnia autē charitate proficiendi nihil fiat crudelitèr nihil inhumaniter That is let nothing be done through the charitie of profiting neither let any thing be done cruelly nor vngently Item of the same Augustine it is written In the feare and name of Christ I exhort you which of you so euer haue not the goods of this world be not greedie to haue them Such as haue them presume not too much vpon them For I say to haue them is not damnation but if you presume vpon them it is damnation If for the hauing of them ye shall seeme great in your owne sight or if you do forget the common condition of man through the excellencie of any thing you haue vse therein due discretiō therefore tempered with moderation which cup of discretion is drawne out of that fountaine of the Apostolicke preaching which saith Art thou loose from thy wife do not seeke to thy wife Art thou bound to thy wife do not seeke to be loosed from her Where also it followeth Such as haue wiues let them be as though they had them not And they that vse the world let them be as not vsing it Item concerning the widow he saith Let her marry to whom she will only the Lord. To marry in the Lord is nothing else but to attempt nothing in contracting of Matrimony which the Lord doth forbid Ieremie saith also Trust not to the words of lies staine not the Temple of the Lord. The which saying of Ieremie Hierome expounding saith thus This may agree also and be applied to such virgins as bragge and vaunt of their virginitie with an impudent face pretending chastitie when they haue an other thing in their conscience And knowe not how the Apostle defineth the virgin that she should be holy in bodie and also in spirit For what auaileth the chastitie of the bodie if the minde inwardly be deflowred Or if it haue not the other vertues which the Propheticall Sermon doth describe The which vertues for as much as we partly see to be in you and because we are not ignorant that this discretion although neglected in this part yet in the other actions of your life to be kept honestly of you do not dispaire but you will also soone amend the litle lacke which is behinde And therefore with as much grauitie as we can we cease not to call vpon you to correct and amend this your negligence For although touching our common calling a Bishop is greater then a Priest yet Augustine being lesse then Ierome notwithstanding the good correction proceeding from the lesser to the greater was not to be refused or disdained especially when he which was corrected was found to striue against the truth to please men For as Saint Augustine saith writing to Boniface The Disputations of all men be they neuer so Catholicke or approoued persons ought not to be had in steed of the Canonicall scriptures So that we may disproue or refuse sauing the honour and reuerence which is due vnto thē any thing that is in their writings if there be any thing found contrary to the truth And what can be found more contrary to the truth then this When as the truth it selfe speaking of continency not of one onely but of all men together the number onely excepted of them which haue professed continency saith Hee that can take let him take Which saying these men do turne and say Hee that cannot take let him be accursed And what can be more foolish amongst men thē when any Bishop or Archdeacon run themselues headlong into all kinde of lust adultery and Incest yet shame not to say that the chast marriage of Priests do stink before them And as void of all compassion of true righteousnes do not desire or admonish their Clarkes or fellowe seruants to abstain but command and enforce them as seruants violently to abstain vnto the which Imperious cōmandement or counsell of theirs they adde also this filthy foolish suggestion saying that it is more honest priuily to haue to do with many women then openly in the presence of many men to be bound to one wife Which truly they would not say if they were either of him or in him which saieth Woe be to you Pharisies who doo all things before men And the Psalmist Because they please men they are confounded for the Lord hath despised them These be the men who ought rather to perswade vs to be ashamed to sinne in his presence with whom all things are naked and discouered rather thē to seeme pure and neate in the presence of men These men therfore although through their sinful wickednes deserue no counsell of godlinesse to be giuen them yet we not forgetting our humanitie cease not to giue them counsell by the authoritie of Gods word which seeketh all mens saluation saying Thou hipocrite cast first the beame out of thine owne eye and then thou shalt see clearly to plucke the Mote out of thy brothers eye Moreouer this also we desire thee to attend what the Lord saith of the adulterous woman Which of you that is without sinne let him cast the first stone against her As though he would say If Moses bid you I also bid you But yet I require you that you be competent Ministers and executors of the lawe Take heed what you adde therevnto take heed also I pray you what you are your selues For if as the scripture saith thou well consider thy selfe thou wilt neuer defame nor detract from an other Moreouer it is also signified vnto vs that some there be of them which when they ought like good shepheards to giue their liues for the Lordes flocke yet are puffed vp with such pride that without all reason they seeme to rent and teare the Lords flocke with whippings and beatings Whose vnreasonable doings S. Gregorie bewailing thus Quid fiat de onibus quando pastores Lupi fiunt s That is what shall become of the sheep when Pastours themselues be Wolues But who is ouercome but he which exerciseth crueltie Or who shall iudge the persecutor but hee which gaue patiently his backe to stripes And this is the fruite which commeth to the Church by such persecutors also which commeth to the Cleargie by such spitefull handling of the Bishops or rather Infidels For why may you not call them Infidels of whom S. Paul thus speaketh and writeth to Timothie That in the latter daies there shall certaine depart from the faith giue heed to spirites of errour and doctrine of diuels of them which speake false through hipocrisie and hauing their consciences marked with an hotte Iron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates c. And this is if it be well marked the whole handfull of Darnel and Cockle growing amongst the Corne yea this is the accomplishment of

the consent of all the Cardinalls This man being in Venice in his hypocrisie inuented a new Sect of Monkes called Iesuites as if our Sauiour Iesus had ingendred such Popish Idolaters After this beeing made Cardinall as he departed from Venice to Rome he said vnto his Monkes which asked him whither he went Whither I go you cannot come now Abusing the scripture and prophaning the Lords words hee meant hereby that he left them shut vp in a Cloister in pouertie and miserie that he went vnto Rome to come vnto an high and mightie estate and dignitie wherevnto they could not come He writ a booke sometimes vnto Paul the third touching reformation of the Church but being become Pope he cared neither for Iesus Christ nor his Church In that booke he confirmeth almost all the poynts that we vse to reprehend in the Papists namely that the Church is so ruinated in Poperie that it is no more the Church of Iesus Christ but of the diuell For saith he Popes heape vp Doctors after their owne fancies and desires That Cardinalls and Bishops are cause that the name of Christ is blasphemed amongst people which vnder the colour of keyes gather great summes of money That wicked people are prouided for That Symoniacke Marchandices are greatly practised That Prelates burne with ambition and couetousnesse That horrible sinnes and iniquities are committed in Monasteries That the Towne of Rome is full of whoredomes and many such like More enormious and wicked things are committed at Rome then that which Theatin rehearseth in that booke for hee there only toucheth the vices abuses that are found in their common maner of liuing without making any mention of the contempt of the doctrine there vsed On Thursday the 16. day of May of this yeare there hapned a tumult at Geneua about 10. of the clocke in the night by the conspiracie of some which had for their stirrers Captaines certaine of the petit Councell of the Towne which not being able to beare so happie a prosperitie of the Gospell determined to chase away such as into that Towne had come from France to shun persecutions And as in the night time they ranne too and fro they cryed as for a false ensigne and token that the French were in Armes and the Towne betrayed but the French men stirred not out of their houses The commotion was bridled and stayed by certaine Lords of the Towne As for the seditious people some amongst them were executed others saued themselues by flight But the cause wherefore they would haue driuen away the French amongst others was because lately there were many of them receiued for Burgesses by meanes whereof their faction was weakened and the other part strengthned by the number of the new Burgesses which had bene added therevnto The French at this time raced many Castles by the Count Montferrat that they might haue victuals in greater assurance For if the enemie had occupied them Casal had bene brought into great necessitie In these parts was there a Towne called Vlpian which is of great importance The Spaniards held it then and it was revictualled at the comming of the Duke of Albe who had gathered together a great number of people Mariembourge also which the yeare before had beene taken in the lowe Countries from the Emperour was at the same time againe victualled by the French In the Countrie of Grisons there is a Towne nigh Italie called Lucarne which appertaineth vnto the whole communaltie of the Swisses The Citizens thereof required that they might be permitted to liue according vnto the reformation of the Gospell But because their Superiours and they were not of one Religion there was vpon deliberation diuers opinions Some agreed vnto their demaund others sought to hinder it So that there appeared towards some intestine and ciuill dissention yet in the end they of the Towne preuailed which wished that they should remaine in the Religion of their Auncestors and that they amongst them which accorded not therevnto might goe dwell otherwhere So were there found a great number which forsooke their naturall Countrey and withdrew vnto Zurich where they were receiued ioyfully and much relieued in their pouertie A great number of Vessels laden with all kindes of Marchandize came by Sea from Spaine towards Flaunders but vpon the coast of Normandie they were assailed with all force by the French which had espied them The combat amongst them was horrible many ships both of the one part and of the other were burnt and many sunke many a valiant man died there as wel by the sword as by burning and drowning The French in the end carried away some number of ships which they tooke into Diepe Hauen from whence they departed This happened in the moneth of August in the end of which moneth Phillip of Austrich repassed from England into Flaunders accompanied with a great number of English Gentlemen to finde the Emperour his father at Bruxels In September George Count de Montbellard the Duke of Wittemberge his Vncle tooke to wife Barbe the Lantgraues daughter The dissention of the Lords Supper and the presence of Christs body which had continued the space of thirtie whole yeares amongst the learned renewed againe in this time and there were published by certaine Ministers of Hambourge and Breme certaine litle bookes namely against Caluin and Iohn Alasco Caluin after answered them in earnest so did also Bullinger and Alasco who dedicating his booke to the King of Polongne greatly complained that without knowledge of the cause that without any disputation or amiable talke but onely vpon a certaine preiudice their doctrine was condemned after the maner of the Papists who in lieu of arguments from holy scripture proceed not but by force and commaundement The Marquesse of Marignan dying at Millaine the Cardinall of Trent was sent into Lombardie by the Emperour and King Phillip to bee there Gouernour At Naples the Duke of Albe was constituted About Christmas day the Pope according to his custome created new Cardinalls and amongst others Iohn Gropper the Archbishop of Cologne his Councellor Then also the Cardinall Poole being made Deacon Cardinall prest as they say began to say Masse For by the Popes lawe Deacons haue not yet that power In the beginning of Ianuarie happened great stormes and tempests in Saxonie Misne and Boheme Thunders and Lightnings which endaungered many places especially Churches In the same moneth at Vitodur in Suetia a litle Towne within two leagues of Zurich appeared in the night in one of the towers of the Church there a sparkling fire making such a noise as the Burgesses on all sides ran to put it out being come thither they found no flame yet it twise appeared that is to say the 4. 14. of the said moneth After this certaine of the Cantons of Suetia sollicited by the Pope got them to Rome whereas many maruelled King Phillip after he had receiued of his father the gouernment

haue bin to conserue and keepe the puritie of the Euangelicall doctrine but suffering to take roote I know not how that which tasted of carnall wisedome in so much that in the place of the true end marke which the Gospell proposeth vnto vs men began to establish vnto vs all the perfection of Christianitie in sufferings and afflictions for the Gospell and in arresting abiding a litle too subtilly vpon the stay of certaine fantastike persons springing from the schoole of Philosophers so fell by litle and litle to that vnhappinesse as to transforme the holy scripture into allegorike interpretations a maruellous baite for the curiositie of humane vnderstanding and a fountaine of infinite mischiefes in the Church True it is that the first inuentors of such things thought nothing lesse then that which came after So much then did the Lord humble his people But about the end of this periode euil was seene to aduance and ceremonies encrease in such sort that men enclined vnto Indaisme and Paganisme the loue of solitude and Munkery the abstinence from marriage and from certaine viands and meates on particular dayes many Feasts and other seeds of superstition after succeeding tooke a maruellous roote So the commencement of praiers for the dead and of the sacrifice of the Masse did then discouer themselues not that the intent of such as made mention of the dead to encourage the liuing constantly to serue God and which brought of their goods into the company of the faithfull for the comfort of the poore after the celebration of the Supper was to bring in the execrable Idolatrie which long time after sprung vp There were also introducted and brought into Baptisme certaine ceremonies yet not such as the ridiculous superstitions which since haue bin forged Finally the good intent began to shewe it selfe and from thenceforth to lift vp the head vntill at the last vpon the ende of the second time of the Church it rose vp aboue the word of God As for the third periode of the first time heerein it was happie in that God during that time raised vp diuers learned persons Greekes and Latines to oppose themselues with liuely voyce at Sinodes as also by their bookes whereof wee haue some number at this day against the impietie of infinite heretikes Amongst other S. Augustine was an excellent Doctor of the Church who notwithstanding is not alwaies so cleare as is to be desired Amongst the Latines this time also brought forth other great persons yet men also which yet is more seene in the Greeke Doctors lesse pure then the Latines especially in the right knowledge of the merite of Iesus Christ and all was the want of a pure and natiue intelligence of the Lords language in the Prophetike and Apostolike bookes Their allegorike interpretations had as it were gotten the vpper hand ceremonies maruellously encreased Monkeries began to take footing the true meanes to diuide the Church and to forge a new seruice of God afterward the veneration of the Martyrs Sepulchres paintings and after Images glistered in Churches The pure doctrine of the Lords Supper began to bee falsified for want of right vnderstanding the manner of Sacramentall speeches and the vertue of the alone sacrifice of Iesus Christ Bishops especially that of Rome thrust into the world and the misterie of iniquitie formed it selfe as it afterward should come into the light For Arrianisme hauing serued for a seed to Mahumatisme and the dispising of the celestall veritie with corruption of manners maintaining the audacitie and boldnesse of the Bishops of Rome this periode finishing gaue entry vnto straunge euils wherewith the Church was ouerthrowne a litle space after Let vs now say something of the second time of the Church which we diuide into two periodes The first from Phocas about the yeare 600. vntill Charlamaine by the space of 300. yeares The second from Charlamaine vnto Charles the fift of that name Emperour about 700. yeares In the first periode of this second time of the Church as the Antichrist of the East thrust himselfe well forward that of the West established his Throne and then was the doore open to all errours which notwithstanding entred not at once but came by litle and litle into the Church Aboue all the opinion of purgatorie fire and of the sacrifice for the dead were the foundation of the Papaltie and of all that vermine of their Cleargie and infinite Sects of Monkes which like Grashoppers from the deepe pit came to spread themselues through Europe But it was in the second periode of the second time that Idolatrie and superstitions obtained the vpper hand Insomuch that the poore Church as it were buried had no more any spring neither appeared there any token wherevpon to cast her eye but onely the inuocation of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost in Baptisme And although from time to time the Lord made shine some flames and torches in the bowells of that darkenesse to redargue and weaken such as rotted in so heauie and palpable ignorance yet was their blindness so lamentable and their sleepe so deepe that for one which lifted vp the head and to whom Antichrist gaue no release nor leaue to approach witnesse all such as during this periode opposed themselues neuer so litle against his tyrannie an infinite remained liuelesse and altogether dead The Lord making himselfe admirable in the mercie which he shewed vpon some and renowned in horrible and iust punishment of their ingratitude which loued better lyes then truth Who can heere recyte the superstitions Idolatries of Antichrist his crafts and subtilties to establish his kingdome and tirannie vpon bodies and soule He had his seruants and instruments of all sorts to leane fasten encrease and multiply his Throne in the Temple of GOD carrying in his browe the name of miserie sitting in the Temple of God calling himselfe God yet vnknown of such as called themselues Christians which he put off vntill the end of the world and to I know not what fancie and dreame of an Antichrist which should be borne but a litle before the second comming of the sonne of God Briefly the great spiritual Babilon the murdresse of soules had her kingdome during this period tyrannizing the Israell of God hid and dispearced in a litle number and by her impostures blasphemies and impieties mocked the true God Father of Iesus Christ whose name auowed with the mouth shee trode vnder her feet by her abhominable errour But the Lord willing to make his worke admirable which was to ruinate Babilon to destroy the man of sin by the breath of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his comming presented himselfe in the third time and by the ministerie of people feeble and of small appearance yet driuen and drawne on with the zeale of his glory first brought in y e knowledge of tongues then the celestial truth maugre all the strengthes of the world and in