The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

THE SECOND PART Containing the state of the Church; from the beginning of the Monarchie of the Romans, vntil Christs ascension. (Book 2)

The first Booke, of the Monarchie of the Ro∣mans, being the fourth in number.

The first Chapter, of the originall of the Roman Empire and fourth Monarchie.

ALexander by testament assigned the administration of the kingdom of the Iewes, vnto Queene Alexandra his wife. After whose death Aristobulus rose vp in armes against his brother Hircanus, and dispossessed him aswel of the priesthood, as of the kingdome. Hircanus therefore (by the perswasi∣on of Antipater father to Herod the great, a very factious and cruel man, whom king Alexander had highly aduanced) fled into Arabia, there humbling himself to the king, who (through the faire speeches and large promises of Antipater) prepared a strong army, and by that meanes placed Hircanus againe in his kingdome. But Areta king of Arabia was no sooner de∣parted, then Aristobulus came vppon Hircanus with a fresh might••e supplie. At that time Pompeius that worthy and va∣liant captaine, being then Consull of Rome, and hauing con∣quered Tigranes the king of Armenia, thought the cruell

warres betweene the two brethren, to be a fit occasion to dis∣possesse them both of the kingdome. Hee therefore came with a mightie power to Hierusalem, where he slew 1200 Iewes: restored the pristhood to Hircanus, carried away Aristobulus prisoner to Rome for a triumph, and made the Iewes subiects and tributaries to the Romanes. This was done in the age of the world 3909. after Rome was built 691. yeares,* 1.1 in the third yeare of the 179. Olympiade.

Pompeius surnamed the Great for his incomparable victories (for he subdued Armenia, Spaine, Affrica, Judea, Colchis, Albaina, Syria, Iberia, Arabia) did wonderfully en∣rich the Romaines, bringing at one triumph into their com∣mon treasurie 2000. talents of gold and siluer. It is written of him that hee excelled in martiall prowesse: hee subdued the valiant captaine Sertorius, and vanquished Mithridates the mightie king of Pontus. This Pompeius tooke to wife Iu∣lia the daughter of Iulius Cesar, who liued not long: after her death, the amitie betweene Pompey and Cesar decreased; and by reason of their insatiable ambition, ciuill warre brast out, in which Cesar vanquished Pompey, and Pompey fleeing into Egypt, was there slaine deceitfully. After whose death Iu∣lius Cesar enioyed Asia, Affrica, and all the Romaine empire, in the yeare of the world, three thousand, nine hundred, and foure and twentie, which was fiue and fourtie yeares before the birth of Christ, 706. yeares after the citie of Rome was built, in the second yeare of the 183. Olmypiade. Yet for the space of fiue yeares or more, he was grieuously molested with warres, and coulde not quietly enioy the Empire: hee liued in peace little more then fiue moneths.

Iulius Cesar was a verie vertuous, valiant, and mercifull Prince. When he came out of Egypt to Rome, he brought an excellent and skilfull mathematician with him: hee caused the yeares to be obserued after the course of the sunne, and pro∣cured the mathematicall science to bee taught throughout all Italy.

After the death of Iulius Cesar, Octauius Augustus suc∣ceeded, and raigned as Emperour after him, and was sur∣named Cesar. From henceforth all Emperours of Rome

were called Cesars, of Iulius Cesar, and Augusti, of Octaui∣us Augustus, their two first Emperours.

CHAP. II. Of the Emperour Nero.

NEro was the sixt Emperour or Cesar of the Romaines, in whome ended al the family of Augustus. In the begin∣ning of his empire; he liued for some yeares honestly: after∣ward he became horribly vicious; he exceeded in all naughtie dealing and tyrannie, & yet had his education vnder the graue, reuerend, and wise Seneca.

Nero was adopted into the empire by Claudius, who mar∣ried his mother Agrippina. He was so blodthirstie and cruel, that he caused his owne mother, his wife, his brother, and his deare friend Seneca, to be murthered cruelly.

In the dayes of Nero, a comet appeared for the space of sixe moneths; which was a rare and wonderfull thing.

Nero was the first Emperour of Rome, that by publique e∣dict caused the christians to be tormented: about the tenth yere of his raigne saint Peter and saint Paul were put to death at Rome. Saint Peter was crucified with his head downward; and saint Paul was beheaded with the sword.

Nero, besides all other his wicked actes, burnt Rome, and in the foureteenth yeere of his raigne (which was the two and thirtieth yeare of his age) hee receiued condigne punishment for his due deserts. He cutte his owne throate with his owne knife, and vttered these most execrable wordes, Haec est fides. This is my faith and beleefe.

CHAP. III. Of the ten persecutions of the christians, made by the ten Emperours of Rome.

THe first persecution was made by Nero, as is alredy said, the second by Domitianus, the third by Traianus, the fourth by Antoninus, the fift by Seuerus, the sixt by Maximi∣nus, the seuenth by Decius, the eight by Valerianus, the ninth by Aurelianus, the tenth by Dioclesianus.

The tenth and last persecution exceeded al the rest, as eccle∣siasticall histories make relation: the persecution was furthered by Maximianus, and continued by Maximinus; Maximianus in the east, and Dioclesianus in the west made such hauocke of the church, as the christiās could abide no where, without most bloody persecution: the temples were set on fire, the bookes of holy scripture were burnt, and many thousands slaine within the space of 30. dais. This persecution indured sundry yeres, to which the faithful soules seemed to allude in the Reuelatiō; when they desire God the iust iudge, to auenge their innocent blood.* 1.2

Dioclesianus restored Egypt to the empire, and when hee perceiued his authoritie to be weakened by reason of tumults and dissentious; he sought to strengthen himselfe by ioyning Maximianus vnto him, whome he made equall to himselfe in imperiall regiment.

These two Dioclesianus and Maximianus being nowe e∣quall in authoritie, were called Augusti: they both afterward gaue ouer the administration of the empire, and betooke them∣selues to the quiet state of a priuate life: Dioclesianus chose Galerius to supply his place, and Maximianus appointed Constantius in his stead.

Galerius and Constantius were not equal in power and au∣thoritie, but as viceroyes and substitutes; and therefore they were not called Augusti, but onely Cesars.

Maximianus would afterward haue returned to the admini∣stration of the empire, to the end that he might haue aduanced his sonne Maxentius to the imperial regiment; for which cause Constantius his sonne in law caused him to be slaine.

Dioclesianus hauing liued many yeares as a priuate man, at length slew himselfe; so to auoid the displeasure of Constantius and Licinius, to whom hee was suspected to take part with Maxentius their enemie.

Constantinus surnamed the Great, succeeded his father Con∣stantius, when hee had reigned foure yeares after the death of Dioclesianus. This Constantinus was the first christian Em∣perour, a zealous fauourer of Christes gospel, and the onely patrone of Christianitie.

CHAP. IIII. Of the siege of Hierusalem by Titus.

Titus the sonne of Vespasianus the Emperour of Rome, was a man of such valure, prudence, and humanitie, & so beau∣tified with all kinde of heroicall vertues, that he was common∣ly named in the mouth of euery man, Amor & delitiae humani generis, the onely delight of mankinde. In the second yeare of Vespasianus, in the moneth of Aprill, when the Iewes did ce∣lebrate their Passeouer, (at which time great concourse of peo∣ple was assembled from euery coast,) hee besieged the citie of Hierusalem, and the eight day of September, he conquered the same by force and assault.

Although the citie of Hierusalem,* 1.3 was fiue times taken and destroied before, by Nabuchodonozor▪ Asocheus, Antiochus, Pompeius, and Herodes; yet was there in the siege made by Titus, such famine, sedition, and domesticall desolation, as the like hath not been knowne in any citie. The mothers murthered their owne naturall children, and that done, boiled them, so to saturate their insatiable hunger. This seemeth incredible, but holy writ reporteth no lesse, as I haue prooued in the first book, and the eight chapter of the former part. The wiues snatched meate out of the mouthes of their husbandes, the children from their parentes, and the mothers plucked it out of the mouthes of their infantes. When they killed their children, and one another for want of foode; they could not doe the fact so se∣cretly, but it was espied, & taken from thē by others of greater

force: for so soone as their doores were shut, others suspecting that they were eating meate, came violently vpon them, and tooke from them the meat alreadie chewed in their mouth. Yea it is incredible to be tolde (saith Iosephus) what tortures and af∣flictions many suffered,* 1.4 to enforce them to disclose, where they had hid but one loafe of bread.

Iosephus being a Iew himselfe, and greatly fauouring his countrey men, (being taken prisoner of the Romaines long be∣fore, and at that time in great credite both with Titus and Ves∣pasianus his father,) laboured by all meanes possible to per∣swade the Iewes, that they well considering their own distresse and the mightie force of the aduerse part, woulde in time while there remained place for mercie, yeeld themselues to Titus, and giue vp their citie into his hands. But in vain was his oration; he had not eloquence to perswade them.

From king Dauid to the siege made by Titus, were 1179 yeares, & from the building of the city to the destruction therof, 2177. yeres. Yet such was the deformity of their sins, and their ingratitude in Gods sight; as neither the antiquitie of their Ci∣tie, neither their wōderful riches, neither their renown through∣out the world, nor the glorie of their religion, was able to de∣fend it from vtter desolation.

A noble woman, Marie by name, daughter to Eleazer, dwelling beyond Iordan, and flying to Hierusalem for aide, was there besieged with others.* 1.5 In the time of the great fa∣mine, she killed her own son; and when she had eaten part, she reserued the rest. Others perceiuing that shee had gotten some meate, did manace death vnto her, vnlesse shee woulde tell where it was hidde. Which shee doing for feare, they were all astonied at the sight thereof. It is my sonne (saith the woman) eate thereof, for I haue eaten before you. I woulde neither haue you more effeminate then a woman, nor more pitifull then a mother. O horrible monster of the worlde! What can bee more vnnaturall, then the fact? What more cruell, then the wordes? Ouer and besides those that were slaine in the famine, plague, and the sworde; sixteene thou∣sand were sent by Titus to Alexandria, there to doe seruile workes, as bondmen. Two thousand hee carried with him

for a triumph, whom in publicke spectacles hee proposed to be deuoured of wilde beastes.

CHAP. V. Of Constantinus surnamed the Great.

COnstantinus for his pietie and heroicall vertues, surnamed the Great, was the first Cesar that professed Christ and christianitie. He was a right christian in deed; as who for a ma∣nifest signe of his true zeale in religion, had the gospel of Christ Iesus caried publickly before him.

He commanded the holy Bibles to be copied out of his owne priuate charges, and to bee sent into all partes of Christen∣dome.

He called togither the learned men, from all partes of the world, to consult and giue their opinions, concerning contro∣uersies in religion. During which time of disputation, as also for their iournies to and fro, hee graunted them free allow∣ance, of all necessarie prouision. He withstoode the tyrannie of Maxentius, and restored peace vnto the Church.

He builded the citie of Constantinople, terming it by his owne name; where was before a goodly mart towne,* 1.6 then cal∣led Bizantium. Thither was the empire translated, and the ci∣tie called new Rome. For he enuironed it with large walles, and added magnificall building thereunto.

The obseruation.

The papistes here babling after their woonted maner, tell vs a tale of Robin hoode and little Iohn: that forsooth Con∣stantine was baptized in Rome of Siluester, that the very font in which he was christened, is this day to be seene there, and many other fabulous illations grounded thereupon. To which I answere first, with their owne deare frier and learned schoole∣man Victoria;* 1.7 that such doctrine was first inuented by their flattering and beggerly Canonistes. I say secondly, that

their owne canon law in the 96. distinction, termeth this kinde of doctrine,* 1.8 false, counterfeite, and not worthy of any credite. For the verie inscription it selfe, auoucheth roundly and boldly, that that which followeth, is but chaffe. Out of which wordes I note first, that the pope hath a long time seduced the worlde, [ 1] with fabulous vanities in printed bookes. I note secondly, that [ 2] the foundations vpon which all poperie is built, is nothing els but chaffe. For to these foundations, set downe in the 96. di∣stinction of their owne decrees (I doe not belie them, reade the place who listeth, and he shall finde it to be true) the popish Ca∣nonists make this plaine inscription, (Palea, Chaffe:) as if they should say; Gentle reader, be no longer seduced with such doc∣trine; for that which followeth, is but chaffe. If any liuing can yeeld a fitter exposition, I desire to know his skill. I note thirdly, that since the papists are enforced by the spirite of God, [ 3] to acknowledge the counterfeite groundes of the very principal articles in their religion published to the viewe of the worlde in their owne decrees and canon lawe; euery discreete and wise reader may easily perceiue, what credite ought to be giuen to their popish written vanities, Decretall epistles, Edictes, Ca∣nons, extrauagantes, & the like; wherwith they haue these many yeres,* 1.9 bewitched and dazeled the eyes of many men. I answere thirdly, that although they would haue vs to beleeue as an ar∣ticle of our Creede, that Constantine was baptized at Rome by Siluester. whereupon they ground many absurd consequentes; yet doe most holy, learned, and ancient writers, (S. Hierome, Eusebius, Socrates, Theodoritus, Sozomenus, Pomponius, and Cassiodorus,) affirme the same to be a fable, and that Con∣stantine was christened at Nicomedia.

CHAP. VI. Of the warres betweene Constantine and Maxentius.

The most religious Emperour Constantinus, preparing for warres against Maxentius, who had thirsted the bloud of chri∣stians, and fearing greatly the danger of the battell imminent, did often lift vp his eies towardes heauen, and humbly reque∣sted helpe at Gods hands. Being at that time a great fauourer

of christian religion, and a zealous worshipper of the euerliuing God, (albeit hee had not as yet receiued the signe of Christes passion) he saw in the firmament the euident signe of the crosse; which so glistered with fierie brightnesse, as he was astonied at the sight thereof. While he was doubting with himselfe, he be∣held the angels of God standing by him, and saying thus vnto him. Constantine, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. O Constantine, in this signe get thou the victorie. Constantine beeing ioyfull with this vsion, and assuring himselfe of the victory against Maxen∣tius; made in his owne forehead the signe of the crosse; which before he had seene in the firmament. So write Eusebius Caesariensis, Socrates, Sozomenus, Cassiodorus, and many others of approoued antiquitie. Whereupon the papistes would infer, that it is lawfull to make images, to set them vp in churches, and to adore the same religiously. For perspicuous confutation whereof, with a manifest declaration of the state of the contro∣uersie (because it is maliciously defended by some, vnsoundly impugned by others, of others not throughly vnderstood,) I purpose to set downe these few conclusions.

The first conclusion.

The signe of the crosse appeared to the Emperour Constan∣tine in the firmament, at what time as hee was afraid to ioyne battell with Maxentius.* 1.10 This conclusion is graunted and ap∣prooued, by the vniforme consent of all learned writers. Con∣stantinus himselfe (as Eusebius reporteth) affirmed the same to Eusebius, & confirmed the veritie therof with an oth: & not only Eusebius, but all the world for many hundreth yeares, gaue cre∣dite thereunto. Heereupon Constantinus and other christian kings generally, vsed the signe of the crosse vpon the garments of their souldiers; so often as they had warres with Infidels, and such as were enemies to the name of Christ Iesus. For then there was great cause so to doe, as since iust occasion hath been giuen to take the same away; which thing heereafter by Gods assistance more planly shall appeare.

The second conclusion.

Simplie and absolutely to make images for ciuill vse, is not prohibited by the word of God. This conclusion is to be proo∣ued, three speciall waies: By the authoritie of holy writ, by the testimonie of learned writers, and by the generall practise of christian kinges. Touching the first, God himselfe indued Be∣zaleel with the spirite of wisedome,* 1.11 vnderstanding, and know∣ledge, that he might worke curiously in gold, siluer, & brasse, in grauing stones, and in caruing woode, and in all maner of fine worke. In the temple of Salomon, were grauen Lillies, Pomegranates, Cherubins, Lions, and Palme trees. God commaunded Moses to make two Cherubines aboue the mer∣cie seate.* 1.12 He also commanded to make a fierie or brasen Ser∣pent, and to set it vp for a signe.

Touching the second, S. Basill is so farre from condem∣ning the ciuill vse of images, that he hath commended the ma∣king, and the vtilitie thereof. These are his expresse wordes; Nam magnifica in bellis gesta,* 1.13 & oratores saepenumero, & pi∣ctores pulcherrime demonstrant. Hi oratione, illi tabulis descri∣bentes atque ornantes, ambo{que} plures ad fortitudinem imitan∣dam inducentes. Quae enim sermo historiae per inductionem prae∣bet, eadem & pictura tacens per imitationem ostendit. For not onely Oratours oftentimes, but euen painters also doe finely pourtray, worthy martiall exploites: the one sort, by their fine oratiōs; the other, by their fitly pourtraied tables; both perswa∣ding many, to the imitation of fortitude. For whatsoeuer the historie doth performe by perswasion, the same doth the silent picture declare by imitation. In which wordes it is cleere, that S. Basill approoueth the ciuill and historicall vse of images. Eusebius Caesariensis maketh mention of the images of our Sauiour, of Peter, and Paul, which were not only in his time, but long before his daies. The historicall vse whereof, he nei∣ther reprooueth nor condemneth. S. Ambrose, Gregorius Mag∣nus,* 1.14 and many auncient fathers holde constantly the same opi∣nion.

Touching the third, Constantinus the first Christian Em∣perour

surnamed the Great, caused after his couersion,* 1.15 his owne image to be engrauen in his coyne: whose example therein, all christian kinges at all times in all ages, haue de fa∣cto, approoued to be good. For all kinges no one or other ex∣cepted, haue their inscriptions and images vpon their gold and money; neither were they at any time in any age, reprooued by anie learned writer for the same. Yea,* 1.16 our Sauiour Christ himselfe seemeth to approoue the same, when hee requiring to know whose inscription the money had; charged to giue to Ce∣sar, that which was his owne. In fine, the reformed churches in Germanie, this day allow thereof; and the church of Eng∣land approoueth the making of the signe of the crosse, in the forehead of baptized infantes.

The third conclusion.

To worship and adore images religiously, is superstitious and idolatricall. This conclusion is prooued, by the expresse commaundement of God. For in Exodus it is written thus:* 1.17 Thou shalt not make any grauē image, thou shalt not bow downe to them, nor worship them. And in Mathew; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,* 1.18 and him onely thou shalt serue. For which cause, S. Iohn could not be permitted to a∣dore the Angel, but was bidden to worship God.* 1.19 For which cause Moses cast the Tables out of his hands, brake them in peeces beneath the mountaine, burned the calfe in the fire,* 1.20 and grounded it vnto pouder. For which cause the holy ghost com∣mendeth Ezechias, for breaking in peeces the brasen serpent.* 1.21 For which cause Marcellina was condemned as an hereticke, who worshipped (as S. Augustine recordeth) the Images of Iesus, of Paul, of Homere, of Pythagoras.* 1.22 For which cause S. Epiphanius seeing the image of a saint hanging in the Church, tare the same in sunder,* 1.23 and aduised the wardens to bury some poore body with the vaile, and that no more any such vailes should be hanged vp in the Church. Yea, the same Epi∣phanius will not haue the blessed virgine Mary to be adored; much lesse her image. And if her image must be excluded, what

image I pray you,* 1.24 can be approued? for which cause, the coun∣cill of Elibertine decreed grauely, that nothing should be pain∣ted on the church walles, which is adored of the people. For which cause Lactantius pronounced freely,* 1.25 that where images are, there is no religion. Neither will it help the papists to an∣swer after their woonted manner; that Lactantius speaketh of such images as are adored for gods. For Lactantius maketh the selfe same obiection, in the person of the Gentiles; and in∣ueyeth against it bitterly, as a vaine, friuolous, and ridiculous thing. And because I wil proceed sincerely in this point, as in all other matters; I thinke it conuenient heere to alleadge his expresse words,* 1.26 which are these; Non ipsa, inquiunt, timemus, sed eos ad quorum imaginem ficta, & quorum nominibus conse∣crata sunt; nempe ideo timetis, quod eos in caelo esse arbitramini, neque enim si dij sunt, aliter fieri potest: curigitur oculos in cae∣lum non tollitis? ••••ur ad parietes, & ligna, & lapides potissi∣mum, quam illò spectatis, vbi eos esse creditis. We feare not, say they, the pictures or pourtraies, but them after whose images they be made, & to whose names they are consecrated. Doubt∣lesse ye therefore feare them, because ye thinke they are in hea∣uen. For if they be gods, it cannot otherwise come to passe. Why therfore do ye not lift vp your eyes to heauen? why doe ye rather looke vpon the walles, vpon stockes and ston••s, then thither, where ye think they are? In which words I note first, [ 1] that the Gentiles did not adore the images, but the persons re∣presented by the same (for of fearing and adoring Lactan. spea∣keth indifferently, throughout the whole chapter) & yet are they sharply reproued for their fact. I note secondly, that we must [ 2] not adhere and fix our minds vpon stocks, stones, and the ima∣ges of saints, but lift vp our hearts to heauen, where the saints now are. Worthily therefore doe we condemne the Papists; who do not only make images, but also adore the same; and that with the selfe same worship, which is due and proper to God alone: for so much auoucheth their owne deare doctor and canonized saint Aquinas,* 1.27 of the image of our Sauiour Christ. For which respect Gregorie surnamed the Great (who himself was a bishop of Rome) sharply reproued the adoration & wor∣ship of images,* 1.28 albeit he admitted & wel liked y^e ciuil vse therof

The second Booke, of Christs birth, baptisme, preaching, passion, resurrection, and ascension into Heauen; with other things coincident.

CHAP. I. Of Christs birth.

ABout the time that Elias the Cabba∣list foretolde, in the age of the worlde 3969. the eight calends of Ianuary, in the third yeere of the 194. Olym∣piade, the 32. yeere of king Herode, and the 42. yere of Augustus Cesar, was our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesus borne into this world. For al∣beit the 4000. yeres were not complete & fully ended, yet was his prediction true (as some report it) because he added, that God would shorten the time for his elect.

Our Lord and Sauiour was conceiued by the holighost,* 1.29 ta∣king flesh, blood, & bone of the blessed virgin Mary, made like vnto vs in all things (sinne onely excepted) true man and true God, hauing two perfect natures subsisting in one diuine per∣son; by reason of which hypostaticall vnion, his holie mother was truely called deipara and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as well the mother of God as of man.

Christ assuming the perfect nature of man, lost no part of his nature diuine, and consequently he must haue two willes, diuine and humane, of God and of man.

Christ assuming the perfect nature of man, must needs haue euery thing pertaining to the perfection thereof, among which the sensitiue appetite is one, which wee call sensualitie, yet in Christ Iesus there was no motion of sensualitie, which was not ordered by reason, and wholy obedient to the same. For the sensitiue appetite to be moued according to the course of it owne nature, was nothing repugnant to the diuine and reaso∣nable humane wil of Christ. The blessed virgin being 14 yeres

of age, conceiued Christ her son by the power of the holie ghost the 25. day of March. He was before all worlds, and by him al things were made;* 1.30 yet was he incarnat in the end of the world, borne after a new and miraculous maner of the virgin Marie,* 1.31 who was Saint Iosephs lawfull wife.

Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God, tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant, was poorely borne in a stall, and made him selfe of no reputation;* 1.32 and all this he did for the loue of man, to teach man humilitie, and to abase himselfe as Christ his Lorde and master gaue him ensample.* 1.33 In those dayes Cyrenius be∣ing gouernour of Syria, Augustus Cesar sent out an edict, to taxe all that were subiect to the Roman empire. Then Ioseph being of the house and linage of Dauid, went vp from Galile to be taxed in Bethlehem with Mary his wife, being then big with childe, where she brought forth Christ, and wrapping him in swadling clothes, laide him in a cratch, bicause there was no roome for them in the Inne.

So soone as Christ was borne, the angels of God nothing regarding the pride of mightie men, declared to the poore shep∣heards the godhead and office of the childe lying in the cribbe; how that he was borne to be the sauiour of the world.* 1.34 After the departure of the angels, the shepheards went to Bethlehem, where they found Marie, Ioseph, and the sweete babe lying in the cribbe: at their returne they published abroad, that which was tolde them of that childe.

CHAP. II. Of the infancie of our Sauiour Christ.

* 1.35WHen Christ Iesus was but eight dayes olde, he was cir∣cumcised, euen then beginning to spend his blood for the loue of man: for albeit he was the head of the church, yet was he subiect to the law, to deliuer man from the curse of the lawe.

* 1.36The 13. day after Christs natiuitie, certaine wise men came a long iourney out of the East, to adore the Sauiour of the world. And albeit Epiphanius affirmeth constantly that this comming was the second yere after Christs birth; yet S. Hie∣rome, S. Augustine, and other learned writers receiue the for∣mer opinion as most authenticall: and they haue great reason

so to do, because the scripture seemeth to say no lesse. For first, the wisemen or astronomers are said to come, when Christ was borne. Which phrase can not be fitly verified, but of a thing present or lately done. Againe, the wisemen found the babe in Bethlehem, and consequently they came before the day of the purification: for after that time, Christ is not knowne to haue bin in Bethlehem.* 1.37 And though the papists hold by a vain tradi∣tion, that these wise men were three kings of Cullen, Gaspar, Melchi••r, and Baltasar, yet is it neither certaine, that they were kings, neither yet that they were no more but three. And their owne reason thereof is very friuolous, because their bo∣dies are chalenged, to be as well at Millaine as at Colen. But here I must answer to some obiections, which seeme to fortifie Epiphanius his opinion.

The first doubt.

The parents of Christ were so poore at the day of purifica∣tion,* 1.38 that they were not able to offer a lambe according to the law for rich men,* 1.39 but were enforced to offer a paire of Turtle doues, or two yong pigeons: and therfore doubtlesse they had not receiued the rich treasures, which the wise men brought to Christ. I answer, that the blessed and humble virgin, as shee was free from all pride and ostentation, so was she not willing to change her poore state and condition, which she knew well pleased her sonne the sonne of God.

The second doubt.

King Herod slew all the male children in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from 2. yeeres old and vnder, according to the time which he had diligently learned of the wisemen. A∣mong the rest, he slew his owne sonne, as writeth Macrobius, who therefore wished rather to be Herodes hog, then his child: which certes he would neuer haue done, if there had bene but 13. daies betweene the apparition of the starre, and the com∣ming of the wisemen. I answer (which is the opinion of saint Austen, and saint Chrysostome) that the starre appeared so long before the natiuitie of Christ, as was sufficient for the wise men to dispatch their iourney, and to adore Christ shortelie

after he was borne. Neither is it of force to obiect (as some do) that the wise men could not come so farre in so short a space: for first, whether these wise men were of the posteritie of Balaam, and so came from Mesopotamia, as saint Chrysostome, saint Ie∣rome,* 1.40 and saint Ambrose thinke; or they came out of Arabia, which is the constant position of Iustinus;* 1.41 or they were Persi∣ans or Chaldeans, which the very name seemeth to prognosti∣cate;* 1.42 yet might they haue dispatched their iourney, in lesse then tenne dayes. For Hierusalem is distant from Aram (from whence Balak brought Balaam,) but 72. miles, from Vr of the Chaldees 212. miles. Againe, the starre appeared long before Christs birth, so that they might be there in time conue∣nient. Thirdly, in those countries they haue plentie of drome∣daries,* 1.43 one of which wil carie a man (as writeth Philostratur) 1000. furlongs in one day, that is, 125. English miles,

CHAP. III. Of the perfect age of Christ.

IEsus Christ when he was 30. yeeres of age, left Galilee, and came to the floud Iordan,* 1.44 where he was baptized of saint Iohn his precursor. By which act, he sanctified our baptisme in himselfe: the outward signe whereof putteth vs in minde, that we must change our liues, and become better; assuring vs as by a seale,* 1.45 that we are ingraffed into Christ; whereby our old man dieth, and the new man riseth vp againe.

So soone as Christ was baptized, a voice came downe from heauen saying;* 1.46 This is my beloued sonne, in whom I am wel pleased.* 1.47 This done, he was tēpted in the wildernes of y^e deuill. Christ hauing fasted 40. daies,* 1.48 and being tempted of the deuil, returned by the power of God into Galile; & after that a great fame was spread abroad of him in all the region, hee came to Nazareth, where he had beene brought vp, and as his custome was, went into the synagogue on the sabbaoth day, to expound the scriptures

Christ the third day after he came to Cana a towne in Ga∣lile, was present at a marriage, where he made water wine, the first myracle that euer he wrought.* 1.49

After Christ was baptised, he began to preach the Gospell, being 30. yeares of age, as is already saide. Which holy exer∣cise, hee practised almost three yeares before his passion: his preaching was in the yeare of Iubilee, because he preached the glad tidings of the gospell, the remission of sinnes, the salua∣tion of his people.

CHAP. IIII. Of Christs death and passion.

CHrist called twelue vnto him, whom hee named Apostles, and sent them into the whole world, to preach the gospel to al nations; that so they might be witnesses of his doctrine con∣firmed with many myrracles. Which doctrine being accom∣plished, hee offered vp himselfe an vnspotted sacrifice vpon the altar of the crosse, for the expiation of the sinnes of the worlde. And this he did the 18. yeare of Tiberius Cesar,* 1.50 in the eight Calends of Aprill, if wee follow Tertullians supputation a∣gainst the Iewes.

Christs passion began not onely in his taking and deliuerie vnto death, but euen from the verie instant of his conception, and continued vntill hee yeelded vp the ghost. For as Ludol∣phus writes learnedly, when Christ, as God foresaw in his di∣uine wisedome, the cruell and bitter torments, which hee was to suffer infallibly, hee coulde not but naturally sorrow for the same: as which were throughout all his body, throughout all the members of his body, and throughout all the inferior pow∣ers of his soule. He suffered in all his time, in all his body, in all his works. In time of his infancie, basenesse of his mothers womb, pouertie, asperitie, vilitie in the manger, persecution of y^e aduersarie, flight into Egypt. In time of his adolescencie, fre∣quent disputations, painful peregrinations, lothsome precipita∣tions, In his iuuenile age, most bitter & cruell death: for in his whole body, he sustained paines intollerable; in his eies the ef∣fusion of tēder teares, in his delicate eares, the hearing of con∣tumelies and execrable blasphemies; in his eie-lids the pangs of buffetting; in his nostrils the stinch of vglie spitting; in his sweete mouth, the bitternesse of vineger and gall, in his hands

the prints of the nailes, whipping and oft scourging, through∣out his blessed bodie. What he sustained in his works, cannot easily be expressed by the tongue of man. For they reuiled his diuine preaching, his most sacred conuersation, his miraculous operation. He was led as a lambe to be slaughtered, and as a theefe to be hanged; yet neither did he shew any impatience, nor sought any reuenge, albeit hee could haue caused a legion of Angels, to haue attended him at his only word: he was bound as a theefe, accused as a theefe, condemned as a theefe, he was crowned with a crowne of thornes among theeues, as if hee had beene the master theefe of all theeues; the iudge was iud∣ged, the King was derided, the Lord of all lords was turmoy∣led. And yet behold the wisedome of our heauenly Salomon; for as Adam trespassed on Fryday, so did he suffer on Fryday, as mans saluation seemed to require. Where we haue to con∣sider his patience, who was led as a lambe to be slaine, his hu∣militie, who was condemned with theeues; his charitie, who died for his enemies, his pouertie, who was borne in a manger, and this done, wee may worthily exclaime; O captaine where is thine ensigne? O prince, where is thy palace? O bishop, where is thy my••er? O king, where is thy diademe? After the consideration hereof, we must acknowledge, that Iesus Christ our sweete redeemer, suffered all these pangs, tortures, tor∣ments, and villanies, for the sinnes and loue of man, and ther∣fore that mans part and dutie is to abhorre, detest, and eschew sinne, and that for his sake and loue, who hath first so tenderly beloued vs.

CHAP. V. Of the houre of Christs death, and the circumstances of the same.

CHrist was led out of the walles of the earthly Ierusalem, into Golgotha, a foule place of dead mens carkases, so to declare vncleannesse indeede, not of himselfe who was most holy, most pure, most innocent, but of vs most wretched sin∣ners, whose sins he willingly tooke vpon him, to the ende that

we by faith in him, being made cleane through his bloud and passion, might bee brought into the heauenly Ierusalem, the ioy of all ioyes, the kingdome of heauen.

Christ suffered his bitter and healthfull passion, without the walles of the citie, a little before the sixt houre, and gaue vppe his blessed ghost at the ninth houre:* 1.51 so as hee was about three houres, in most cruell torments vpon the crosse. In which time from the sixt houre to the ninth, darknesse arose ouer al the land. Whereby wee may sensibly perceiue, how angrie God was against our sinnes, which hee so seuerely punished in his onely sonne. For euen at the feast of the Passeouer and in the full Moone, when the sunne shined ouer all the rest of the world, and at midday, that corner of the world, wherein so wic∣ked an act was committed, was couered with extreame dark∣nesse three houres together.

Christ hanged naked vpon the crosse, and was vilainously reproued, as if he had beene the most wicked caitife that euer was in the world, to the ende, that we being clothed with his righteousnesse, and blessed with his curses, and sanctified by his onely oblation, may be clensed from our sinnes and exalted vppe to heauen. But here it is expedent, that I answere to an important doubt.

The doubt.

Saint Iohn saith, that Christ suffered about the sixt houre, but Saint Marke affirmeth expressely,* 1.52 that he was crucified the third houre.

The answere.

For the exact explication of this graue obiection, wee must diligently obserue three things. First, that the Iewes deui∣ded as well the night as the day, into foure equall parts. Se∣condly, that they tearmed the foure parts of the night, vi∣gils, and the foure parts of the day, houres. Thirdly, that the names of y^e foure houres were these, the first, the third, the sixt, and the ninth, so that all the morning to nine of the clocke with vs, was called the first houre with them: from nine to twelue, the third houre; from twelue to three the sixt houre;* 1.53 from three

to night, the ninth houre. I therefore answere to the obiection, that S. Iohn and saint Marke do well agree; neither is the one dissonant to the other: for when S. Marke saith, that Christ was crucified the third houre, he meaneth in the end thereof, which was about noone, or almost the sixt houre, as S. Iohn declareth it: for euerie one of their houres contained three of our houres as is alreadie said. And euery day with them, both began and ended at sixe of the clocke with vs. Where I note by the way, that these houres are sometimes dilated, & made foure threes,* 1.54 like to our houres; for so we reade in S. Mathew, at the hyring of the labourers into the vineyard. But how∣soeuer the supputation was made, the midday euer iumped with the sixt houre, either in the ende or in the beginning there∣of. Which obseruations an•• distinction well remembred, ma∣ny obscure places in the scriptures will be euident.

CHAP. VI. Of Christs resurrection, and the adiuncts thereof.

AT such time as Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God suffered his passion, wonderfull and strange sights happe∣ned. The Sunne was darkened, the Moone being in the full gaue no light, (a thing so repugnant to nature, that Diony∣sius Areopagita pronounced boldely (though then an Eth∣nicke) that either the sonne of God was tormented,* 1.55 or else the worlde woulde bee dissolued;) the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine, earthquakes were seene, the rockes were clouen asunder,* 1.56 the graues were opened, and such as slept, arose with Christ to life againe.

Christ after his resurrection appeared sundry times; first, to Marie Magdalen, when she taried still at the sepulchre, to see Christ after his disciples were gone away to their owne home.* 1.57

Christ appeared the second time the selfe same day to two of his disciples,* 1.58 as they went to a towne called Emaus, which was distant from Ierusalem about three score furlongs.

The cause of the second apparition was this; because the saide disciples would not beleeue that which Mary Magdalen, and Ioanna, and Mary the mother of Iames, and other women, told them of Christs resurrection.

Christ appeared the third time to all the Disciples, (Tho∣mas onely excepted,* 1.59 who was then absent) which apparition was done the first day of the weeke, and when the doores were shut, where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes, and then Iesus stoode in the middes of them and be∣stowed his peace vpon them.

Christ after eight dayes appeared the fourth time to his disciples,* 1.60 comming into the middest of them euen when the doores were shut, and bidding Thomas to see his hands, and to put forth his hand into his side, and to be no longer incredu∣lous, but faithful.

Christ appeared the fift time to his Disciples, at the sea of Tiberias, where they were fishing, at whose word they casting out their net,* 1.61 were not able to draw it at all for the multitude of fishes. By these and other his apparitions, he made his re∣surrection manifest vnto the world. Sixtly, hee appeared to the eleuen Disciples in the mount of Galile.* 1.62 But from hence arise doubts very worthie the examination.

The first doubt.

Christ saith in Iohn, that hee appeared but thrise after his resurrection. To this I answere,* 1.63 that the ternarie number doth not determine the apparitions in themselues, but the di∣uersitie of dayes and times in which they were made, for al ap∣paritions made in one & the same day are reputed & named one

The second doubt.

It is saide in these apparitions, that Christ came into the middes of his Disciples and stoode among them,* 1.64 euen when they were within the house, & the doores closely shut. Wherby it appeareth euidently, that Christs body may be both in hea∣uen, and in the sacrament at one and the same time, for it no more repugneth, for one bodie to bee in diuers places at once, then for diuers bodies to be in one place at once. Which latter is here verified, of Christs body and the doore or walles of the house.

The answere.

I answere, that God cannot by his absolute power, make Christes body to be in diuers places at once: not because there is any defect in God, who is omnipotent; but because contra∣diction is implied in the thing which should be done. Which point I haue prooued euidently, in the 12. preamble of my Booke of Motiues. For the reasons there alleadged are effec∣tuall, if they be applied to this purpose. In like maner I say, that two bodies cannot be in one place at once; because to haue parts without parts and to occupie place, is of the formall and intrinsecall conceit of euery organicall and quantitatiue bodie, such as Christes true body is. Whereupon S. Augustine said truely and learnedly,* 1.65 that if occupation or spaces of places be taken away from bodies, they shall lose their essence, and be no bodies at all. So then, the entrance of Christ into the house when the doors were shut, and also his comming out of the se∣pulchre, when the stone was vnrolled away; neither doth nor can prooue, that two bodies were in one place at once, but that the doore and the stone gaue place for the time to Christes mightie power; like as the red Sea gaue place to the Israe∣lites, and they passed through the middest thereof. And as S. Peters chaines gaue place to his handes;* 1.66 and as the Iron gate opened to him of it owne accord. Furthermore, if Christes bo∣die can be in ten thousand places at once, as the papistes impu∣dently auouch; it must also follow, that it may be in infinite pla∣ces at once, which is the heresie of the Vbiquitaries.

For after this maner did S. Hierome reason against Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem, when hee laboured to prooue that our bodies may liue without meate after the resurrection.* 1.67 If a man may liue fourty daies without meate, saith S. Hierome, as Moses and Elias did by the power of God; then doubtles may he liue eternally, by the same power of God. In fine, this veri∣tie is made euident, by that argument, which Gods angel made to Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary comming to see the sepulchre. And because the argument is of force to confound all papistes in the world, if it be well vrged; I will alledge the argument as it is in the originall, and then make effectuall

application thereof.* 1.68 These are the expresse wordes of the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Hee is not heere, for he is risen, as he saide. Where I ob∣serue first, the assertion simplie in it selfe. Secondly, the cause and reason of the same assertion. The assertion is this; Christ is not in the sepulchre: the reason heereof is this; be∣cause Christ is risen. Nowe then, since Christ cannot be in the Sepulchre because he is risen; it followeth of necessitie, that either the angel of God inspired with Gods holy spirite, made a very foolish and friuolous argument, (which to affirme, is void of all christianitie) or els,* 1.69 that Christes body cannot be in two places at once; which is that, that I intend to proue. For if it were not as I say, the women might haue replied effectu∣ally against the angel thus; albeit Christ be risen as you say: yet may he be in the sepulchre also; because his body may be in two places at once: but the angel reputing it a thing cleere and euident, that Christes body could not be in two places at one & the selfe same time, concluded directly and forcibly as hee thought, Christes absence in the sepulchre, bicause he was ri∣sen againe. See the 3. part, 10. chapter, 4. conclusion, and 3. paragraphe.

CHAP. VII. Of Christes ascension and being in heauen.

CHrist hauing presented himselfe by many infallible tokens, after that hee had suffered his passion, conuersing visibly with his disciples by the space of fourtie daies (in which time he spoke of th••nges pertaining to the kingdome of God, & told them that they should be his witnesses in Hierusalem,* 1.70 & al Iu∣dea, & in Samaria, and vnto the vttermost part of the earth) he commanded them that they should not depart from Hierusalē, but shuld wait for the promise of the father; which things when he had spoken, hee was taken vp in a cloud out of their sight. While they looked stedfastly toward heauē, two men stood by them in white apparel, & said to them; ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing into heauen? this Iesus which is taken vp fro you into heuen, shal so come as ye haue seen him go into heuen. Then y^e disciples returned to Hierusalem frō the mount Oliuet which is neer to Hierusalē, being frō it a sabaoths dayes iorny,

which is about 2000. paces or two English miles.

While the Apostles (whose names are Peter, Iames the son of Zebedeus,* 1.71 Iohn, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartho∣lomew, Mathew, Iames the sonne of Alpheus, Symon Ze∣lotes, and Iudas Thaddeus,) expected the comming downe of the holy ghost at Hierusalem; there abode with them certain women, and Mary the mother of Iesus, and his brethren (that is his kinsfolkes.) For it was as well behooueable, to haue the wiues confirmed, as the husbandes; because they were af∣terward, to be partakers of the daungers with them. All which praied with one accord, not onely for the sending of the holy ghost, but also for deliuerance from present daungers, wherewith they were beset.

* 1.72Christ ascended vp into heauen, must there remaine vntill his second aduent, the day of doome general. And so he neither is, nor can be, in the round cake, as papistes impudently con∣tend.

After Christes ascension and comming of the holy Ghost, his apostles went abroad preaching the gospel to all nations: whose limites, actes, and death, the next chapter in particular maner shall describe.

CHAP. VIII. Of the seuerall precinctes, liues, and deathes of the Apostles, taken out of Epiphanius, Tertullian, Optatus, Eusebius, Oe∣cumenius, Nicephorus, and others.

Of Peter, and Philip.

S. Peter after that hee had preached the gospell of Iesus Christ,* 1.73 in Pōtus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithyma, & Italy, was crucified at Rome with his had downward vnder the em∣perour Nero, and buried there the third Calendes of Iulie. S. Paul the chosen vessel of God omnipotent, and the immouea∣ble piller of his church, was beheaded the same yere, & the 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, Mace∣donia, Thessalia, and Achaia.* 1.74 At the length the proconsul Aegaeas caused him to be crucified, because he perswaded Maxi∣milla his wife and Stantocles his brother, to detest his vnchri∣stian 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,* 1.75 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,* 1.76 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.* 1.77

Of Iohn.

S. Iohn his brother preached the gospel in Asia, and being driuen into exile in the Ile Pathmos by Domitian the em∣perour, he there both wrote the gospel, and had his reuelation.* 1.78 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 al∣beit 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,* 1.79 was wounded with dartes in his sides; and so being buried in Ca∣lamina 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,* 1.80 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 Theophila∣ctus 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.

* 1.81Saint Iames the son of Alpheus the brother of our Lord, surnamed Iustus, after he had preached at Gaza, Eleuthero∣polis, 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,* 1.82 Galilea, Samaria, Idumea, Arabia, Syria, and Me∣sopotamia, 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,* 1.83 called also Cananeus bicause he was borne in Cana Galilea, after he had preached the gospell in E∣gypt, Africa, Mauritania, Lybia, and in the occidentall parts, and had confirmed the same with many myracles, he was cru∣cified vnder Traianus, being 120. yeares of age.

Of Matthias.

* 1.84Saint 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 bles∣sed 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,* 1.85 Constan∣tinus, 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 go∣uernment, 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 a∣gainst 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,* 1.86 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, Con∣stantius 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 christi∣ans, 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 chri∣stian 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 Ro∣maines, 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, be∣cause through pouertie, they might sooner come to heauen.

CHAP. XI. Of the Manichees.

* 1.87THe Manichees began their heresie in the dayes of Aurelia∣nus 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 here∣sie 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 e∣ternall. 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, nei∣ther milke,* 1.88 neither doe they drinke wine, albeit they will eate grapes; they thinke that hearbes, trees, and plants, haue life in such manner, as they feele great paine when one cutteth or plucketh them vppe by the rootes, or otherwise: for this respect they deeme it an heynous offence, to purge the field from thornes and thistles, and so they condemne husbandrie, (the most innocent art of all,) as guiltie of many murders, yet they thinke husbandrie or tillage of the grounde to bee pardonable in their auditors, because by that their labor they

bring foode to their elect; in whose bellies the substance is pur∣ged, and the offence taken away. And consequently, although themselues do no murders actually, as they pretēd; yet do they liue of manifest murders, practised by others really. Where note by the way, that the church of the Manichees consisted of two sortes of people, their elect and their auditors.

They held this fantasticall opinion,* 1.89 that whosoeuer did eate flesh, should be made the same thing which he did eate. As for example, if a man did eate an hogge, he should be made a hog; if a bull, he should become a bull; if a bird, he should be a bird; if a fish, a fish, and so in the rest.

The Manichees held also, that if any man marry a wife,* 1.90 that same man so soone as he passeth out of this life, is changed in∣to another bodie, and becommeth a woman. Yea they say fur∣ther, that if a man kil a man, an asse, or other liuing thing, that man straight after his death, is changed into that liuing thing which he killed, be it a mouse, serpent, or whatsoeuer else.

The Manichees vse to blesse their meates in this man∣ner: O bread, neither did I reape thee,* 1.91 neither did I grinde thee, neither did I make thee, neither did I bake thee; but an o∣ther did al these things, and brought thee to me, my selfe there∣fore do eate thee without offence. These and other like mon∣strous assertions did this heresie bring forth. This is the grace that they vse.

CHAP. XII. Of the Pelagians, taken out of Saint Augustine.

PElagius sometime a monke, and a Brytan borne, extolled free-will so much,* 1.92 that hee ascribed little or nothing vnto grace. He affirmed that man may keepe all Gods holy com∣maundements, without his diuine grace: and being reprooued (saith saint Austen) for derogating so much from the grace of God; he answered with vnchristian subtiltie, that grace was therefore giuen to man, that hee might keepe Gods lawes with more facilitie.

That grace (saith Pelagius) without which wee can doe no∣thing that good is, is onely in our free-will: which free-will God ingraffed in our nature, without any our deserts: so that God helpeth vs by his law and doctrine to this end onely (saith Pelagius) that wee may learne what to hope for, and what to do; but not to do, what we know ought to be done.

The Pelagians hold (saith S. Austin) that infants in their carnall natiuitie, are so pure and free from originall sinne; that they neede not the second and spirituall regeneration, of water and the holie ghost. Now if any man would aske the Pelagi∣ans, to what end infants are baptized: They will answere forsooth (saieth saint Austen) that by this externall regenerati∣on they may haue accesse into heauen, and not thereby to be ab∣solued from the guilt of sinne. For if they die without Bap∣tisme, yet do they promise them eternall life, but without the kingdome of heauen. This is the heresie of Pelagius, which I haue sincerely recited out of saint Augustine, that excellent writer and immoueable pillar of Christs church, because many talke thereof, who seem not throughly to vnderstand the same. With which heresie how the papists agree, and how they dis∣sent from the same, shall (God willing) bee shewed when I come to the next Booke, in the chapter of mans Iustification.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Arrian heresie.

ARrius the heretike was the reader of diuinity in Alexandria, a man of great learning and eloquence,* 1.93 but withall, prowd and ambitious. He denied the diuinitie and godhead of Iesus Christ, affirming him to be pure man, and a meere creature. Which his blasphemous doctrine was dispersed throughout Egypt, Lybia, Alexandria, Thebais, and many other prouin∣ces.

Alexander a godly bishop laboured by all meanes possible, to dissuade Arrius from his pestiferous and execrable heresie: but all his trauell was in vaine, because many other bishops and cleargie men embraced the opinion of Arrius, and obsti∣nately defended the same.

The most christian emperour Constantinus worthily surna∣med

the Great, deepely lamenting the church of God to be di∣uided with schisme and dissention,* 1.94 sent Hosius the Bishop of Corduba in Spaine, to Alexander and Arrius with his owne hand-writing, earnestly exhorting them to set all dissention a∣side, and to agree in vnitie, peace, and trueth. But when the blessed Emperour could not preuaile in his holy purpose, hee commaunded al christian bishops to resort at a certaine day de∣signed, to Nice a citie in Bithynia, where this great contro∣uersie was decided before Constantine himselfe; and Arrius with his complices driuen into exile.

The Emperour Constantinus sent for Arrius into his pal∣lace, so meaning fully to make trial of his opinion:* 1.95 who when he asked Arrius if he were of the same opinion with the coun∣cill of Nice; Arrius without all deliberation and stay, subscri∣bed in the presence of the Emperour to the decrees of the saide councill. Then the emperour greatly admiring that fact, wil∣led Arrius to confirme his subscription with an othe: to which Arrius yeelded deceitfully, as he had done before: insomuch, that the Emperour being per••waded that Arrius was an or∣thodox and good christian, charged Alexander the bishop of A∣lexandria seuerely, to receiue Arrius againe into his woonted place and dignitie. Yet Alexander knowing Arrius to be an e∣nemy to God and his holy religion, and suspecting his dissi∣mulation with the Emperour his soueraigne; fearing God on the one side, and reuerencing his soueraigne on the other; gaue himselfe to deuout and earnest prayer, so commending the whole cause vnto God. While Alexander was thus deuout∣ly occupied, behold, news came vnto him, that as Arrius came from the emperours pallace, the worme of conscience did won∣derfully trouble him, and solubilitie of body did so vehemently assault him, that hee was inforced sodainely to withdraw him∣selfe to a common place, where while he sought to haue the or∣dinary course of nature, blood gushed but, all his inwards fell from him, and so he perished most miserably.

The secret subtiltie, wherwith Arrius fought to deceiue the godly and most christian Emperor, was this: Arrius wrote his execrable opinion of Christ, in a peece of paper kept close∣ly vnder his arme holes: that 〈◊〉〈◊〉, hee subscribed in the

presence of the Emperour: then the Emperour maruelling that he would so doe, vrged him to confirme the same with an oath. Arrius roundly tooke an oath, that he thought as he had written, meaning indeede of his first writing, which hee kept secretly vnder his arme-hole. Where euerie one may see how grieuous a sinne it is to dissemble with God and his annoin∣ted magistrate; for so much the rare inflicted punishment doth euidently conuince.

CHAP. XIIII. Of Nestorius and his heresie.

NEstorius Bishop of Constantinople, albeit hee denied not Christ to be god as Arrius did,* 1.96 yet he affirmed pure man to be borne of the blessed virgin, & that she therefore ought not to be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the mother of God. Whose heresie was condemned in the Ephesine councell, vnder Theodosius iunior then Emperour of Rome.

Nestorius his heresie consisted in this, that since the bles∣sed virgin was a woman, God could not be borne of her, and consequently she ought not to be called the mother of God. For although he neither denied in Christ, the deitie nor the huma∣nitie, yet did hee place two persons in Christ together with the two natures: and consequently he denied the wonderful hypo∣staticall vnion, which our christian faith acknowledgeth.

Arrius held, that Christ was only man, wholly voide of the nature and person of God: but Nestorius helde, that Christ had both the nature and person of God, as also both the nature and the person of man: which last was the formalitie of his heresie, and therefore ought well to be obserued of the reader. For albeit there be two natures in Christ, the nature of God, and the nature of man, yet is the••re but one onely person in Christ, which is the person or subsistence of God: for in that diuine person by vnspeakeable hypostaticall vnion, the true nature of man subsisteth, without the person of man. By rea∣son hereof it is truely saide, and christianly beleeued, the sonne of God was borne of the blessed virgin, the sonne of God did suffer torments, the sonne of God was crucified, the sonne of God rose againe the third day; the sonne of God ascen∣ded into heauen: All which Nestorius denied, because hee

seuered the natures, by multiplying persons in Christ Iesus. Christ therefore taking vpon him the nature of man,* 1.97 did single it from the person of man, vniting it to himselfe, and making it subsist in his diuine person; by reason of which supernatural v∣nion, Christ became perfect God and perfect man, hauing two distinct natures, subsisting in one indistinct person▪

CHAP. XV. Of Macedonius and his heresie.

MAcedonius the Bishop of Constantinople, denied the ho∣lyghost to be God: he said the sonne was God indeed,* 1.98 and equal with the father in substance, but the holyghost (with him) was without honor and dignitie, a seruant and minister, little better then the Angels.

For the condemnation of this wicked heretike and heresie, the second generall councell was holden at Constantinople, vnder the Emperours Gra••ianus and Theodosius: where were assembled 150. fathers, for that onely end and purpose.

CHAP. XVI. Of Eutiches and his heresie.

EUtiches (whose complices Dioscorus and Seuerus helde the same opinion,) was the Abbot of Constantinople, who,* 1.99 while hee sought to auoid the opinion of Nestorius diuiding one Christ into two sonnes and two persons, fell into another mischiefe, and taught more absurdly then Nestorius, to wit, that Christ had but one onely nature, after the hypostaticall vnion was accomplished, because the humanitie was absorpte of the diuinitie: for so Christs diuinitie vncapeable of all mor∣talitie, was pe••force made partaker of the bitter death vpon the crosse: as therfore Nestorius to auoide the confusion of natures, multiplied the persons; so contrariewise Eutiches, to auoide the multiplicitie of persons, admitted the confusion of natures.

These heretikes, Eutiches, Dioscorus, and Seuerus, were con∣demned by the fourth famous generall councel of Chalcedon, celebrated vnder Ualentinianus and Martianus the Empe∣rours, where were present 360. Bishops.

CHAP. XVII. Of Mahomet and the Saracens.

MAhomet descended of the Image of Ismael and Agar, and being a very poore orphane, ioyned himselfe to his kins∣woman Chadiga; first, as an hired seruant, afterward as her betrothed husband; & so was greatly enriched by her, as who was a woman of exceeding wealth Which Chadiga, when she took very heauily, that Mahomet was troubled with the faling euil; he told her, it was no disease, but that the archangel Ga∣briel then appeered to him, whose wonderfull maiestie because he was not able to behold, he fell groueling vpon the ground.

* 1.100This Mahomet professed himselfe to be the mighty prophet of the euerliuing God, & by that meanes stirred vp to sedition, great troupes of men aswel in Asia as in Africa: which people he infected with a new kind of religion, & perswaded them that they were called Saracens by Gods holy decree, of Sara the wife of Abraham; & that they were the lawful successors of that diuine promise that was made to Abraham & his seed for euer.

The form of the aforesaid mangled religion, Mahomet (who was borne and buried in Mecha a citie in Arabia) composed by the help of the Arrian monke Sergius, and called it the Alco∣ran: which word (Alcoran) in the Arabian language, signifieth (law or doctrine.) In which Alcoran they professe that Christ is a prophet, and an excellent doctour; but withall, they deny him to be God, and the true Sauiour of the world.

The Saracens called Arabians of the place, Ismaelites of Ismael, and Agarenes of Agar, being in wages vnder Hera∣clius the emperour,* 1.101 rebelled for want of pay about the yere of Christ 628. and within 38. yeeres they conquered all Syria, Damascus, Ierusalem, much of Assyria, and the greater part of Asia: al which they subdued to the religion of Mahomet, at that time but newly broched, and of the Arabians or Saracens first of all receiued. For so soone as the Agarenes dwelling in Arabia, and seruing in wars vnder Cesar, vnderstoode by pro∣clamation that they could no longer haue the emperours pay; they stirred vp sedition against the Romane captaines: by the meanes whereof the power of Mahomet encreased; to whome

the common people being destitute of an head, and in some di∣stresse for want of mony, did submit themselues, aswell for his great riches, as for other his singular gifts.

The Iewes, Arrians, and pseudochristians, did al embrace Mahomets Alcoran and mangled religion: they first subdued Arabia and part of Syria; for in Damascus Mahomet had his pallace.

The Saracens hauing mightily enlarged their dominions, diuided themselues into seuerall gouernements: they termed their chiefe lord Caeliphae, their next gouernour, Seriphes, next to him a Sultan, who was ouer euery prouince: at length, the empire was translated to the Turkes.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the originall of the Turkes.

THe Egyptians wearied with the yoke of the Romans, sub∣mitted themselues to the Saracens, and receiued their re∣ligion. They continued Saracens aboue 400. yeres, vntil such time as the Sultan of Syria conquered them, which was a∣bout the yeere of our Sauiour Iesus 1170. at which time he made himselfe Sultan of Egypt also: at length the multitude of captiues,* 1.102 which the Sultan had brought from the Tartari∣ans for his warres, growing mighty, killed the Sultan, & took to themselues the kingdome of Egypt. They called their king Turquemenius, and conquered al Asia the lesse from the Sul∣tan of Asia, which they termed Turkia. And thus they conti∣nued till Zelimus the great Turke conquered Egypt, and de∣stroied the gouernment of the Mamaluchies,* 1.103 which were chri∣stians that had denied their faith; so it remaineth vntil this day, vnder the Turke, holding the new no religion of Mahomet, as do all of the east for the greater part.

This kingdome or empire of the Turkes, began about the yere of our Lord 1300. in the dayes of Othomannus the rich and mighty Turke; for before it was of no reputation,* 1.104 though it had some being. The church of God flourished before this tyranny, one ful thousand yeeres, euen from the dayes of Con∣stantine the great. From this time the kingdome of Mahomet was called the empire of the Turkes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A. M. 3909.
• * 1.2

  Apoc. 6.10
• * 1.3

  Iosephus de bel∣lo. Iud lib. 7.6, 18
• * 1.4

  Ioseph. vbi sup. ca. 11.
• * 1.5

  An horrible fact, and vglie to be∣hold.
• * 1.6

  Sozom. lib. ••. c. ••.
• * 1.7

  Victor. in relect. 1. de potest. ec∣cles.
• * 1.8

  Dist. 96. cap. Constantinus.
• * 1.9

  Poperie hath long bewitched vs.
• * 1.10

  Euseb. de vit. Constan. lib. c. 22
• * 1.11

  Exod. 35. ••. 30
• * 1.12

  ••. Reg. 7. Exod. 25. v. 22. Num. 21. ver. 8.
• * 1.13

  Basilius in qua∣drag. martyres. to. ••. p. 397.
• * 1.14

  Eusebius hist. ec∣cles. libr. 7. c. 1••.
• * 1.15

  Euseb. de vit. Const. lib. 4.
• * 1.16

  Math. 22. Mark. 12. Luke 20.
• * 1.17

  Exod. 20. v. 4▪
• * 1.18

  Math. 4. v 10
• * 1.19

  Apoc. 19. v. 10.
• * 1.20

  Exod. 32. v 20.
• * 1.21

  2. Kin. 18. ver. 4
• * 1.22

  Aug. de haeres. haer. 7.
• * 1.23

  Epiphan. in epist. ad Io. Hier. haer. 79.
• * 1.24

  Concill. Elibert. can. 36.
• * 1.25

  Lactant. libr. 2 cap. 19.
• * 1.26

  Lactant. lib. 2. de origine erroris cap. 2.
• * 1.27

  Aquin. pa. 3. q. 25. ar. 2. and 3.
• * 1.28

  Gregor. ad Seren. epist. libr. 9. cap. 9.
• * 1.29

  Philip. 2. vers. 7. 1. Pet. 2. vers. 2••.
• * 1.30

  Luc. 1.31.
• * 1.31

  Matth. 1.18.
• * 1.32

  Philip. 2.7.
• * 1.33

  Luc. ••.1, 2.
• * 1.34

  Luc. 2.9, 16, 17
• * 1.35

  Luc. 2.21.
• * 1.36

  Epiphan. haer. 51
• * 1.37

  The Papists claime the wise∣mens bodies in diuers places.
• * 1.38

  Leuit. 12.6, ••▪
• * 1.39

  Luc. 2.••4.
• * 1.40

  Amb. in Luc.
• * 1.41

  Iustin. in tryph.
• * 1.42

  Num. 23. vers. 7.
• * 1.43

  A dromedaries iourney.
• * 1.44

  Math. 3. vers. 13.
• * 1.45

  Rom. 6. vers. 3, 4.
• * 1.46

  Math. 3. vers. 17.
• * 1.47

  Math. 4. vers. 1.
• * 1.48

  Math. 4. ver. 2, 14, 15, 16.
• * 1.49

  Iohn. 2. vers. 1, 9.
• * 1.50

  Tertull. aduersu Iudaeos. p. 134.
• * 1.51

  Heb. 13. vers. 12 Mat. 27. vers. 50 Mark. 15 vers. 25. Ioh. 19. ver. 14.
• * 1.52

  Iohn. 19. vers. 14 Mar. 15. vers. 25.
• * 1.53

  Partition of the day and night.
• * 1.54

  Mat. 20. verse. 1 &c.
• * 1.55

  Mar. 15. ver. 33.
• * 1.56

  Math. 27. vers. 51
• * 1.57

  ••ohn. 20. ve. 10 11.
• * 1.58

  li••. 24 verse 10, 13, 15, 17.
• * 1.59

  Iohn. 20. ver. 1••.
• * 1.60

  Iohn. 10. v. 26, 27
• * 1.61

  Math. 28. v. 16, 17
• * 1.62

  Iohn. 21. ver. 1.9
• * 1.63

  Iohn. 21. vers. 14. non sunt verba Christi sed euan∣gelist.
• * 1.64

  Ioh. 20. vers. 26.
• * 1.65

  August. ad Dar∣danum. Epist. 57.
• * 1.66

  Exod. 14. ver. 21. Psal. 136. ver. 13. and 14. Act. 12. v. 7.10.
• * 1.67

  Hier. ad Pam∣mach. to. 5. p. 80
• * 1.68

  Math. 21. v. 1.6.
• * 1.69

  A flat demon∣stration against poperie.
• * 1.70

  Act. 1. ver. 1.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & de in∣ceps.
• * 1.71

  Act. 1. v. 13.14
• * 1.72

  Act. 3. v. 21.
• * 1.73

  A. D. 44
• * 1.74

  Anno dom. 45
• * 1.75

  Iudaeus erat & Galileus.
• * 1.76

  A. D. 44
• * 1.77

  Act. 12. ver. 23▪
• * 1.78

  A. D. 104
• * 1.79

  A. D. 45
• * 1.80

  A. D. 41▪
• * 1.81

  Anno Dom. 63.
• * 1.82

  Anno Dom. 44.
• * 1.83

  Anno Dom. 107.
• * 1.84

  Anno Dom. 43.
• * 1.85

  Anno. Dom. 342.
• * 1.86

  Anno Dom, 365
• * 1.87

  An. Dom. 274
• * 1.88

  August. de heres. ad q.v. deum, 46. D.
• * 1.89

  Epiphan. haer. 66. lib. 2. to. pa. 205.
• * 1.90

  Epiphan. vbi sup.
• * 1.91

  Epiphan. in ca∣tal. dogmatum Manich.
• * 1.92

  Anno. Dom. 413
• * 1.93

  Anno Dom. 323
• * 1.94

  Niceph. li. ••. c. 1•• Euleb. de vita Constant. lib. 3. cap. 5.6.
• * 1.95

  Socrat. li. 2. ca. 2•• Nicephor. libr. 8. histor. cap. 51.
• * 1.96

  Anno Dom. 433
• * 1.97

  Note this poin•• well.
• * 1.98

  Anno. Dom•• 383.
• * 1.99

  Anno Do•• 456.
• * 1.100

  An. Dom. 623
• * 1.101

  Genes. 16.4. Genes. 17.20.
• * 1.102

  Anno Dom 1203
• * 1.103

  Anno Dom 1517
• * 1.104

  Anno Dom 1300