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.

A briefe Discourse of the Churches estate from the death of Iesus Christ, vntill this present.

ALl which hath bene succinctly said in this booke touching the estate of the Church,* 1.1 should remember the Reader of three di∣uers times in the consideration of the go∣uernment of the house of God, the better to marke things as they came, and to haue thereof a certaine abridgement in his me∣morie.

We take the first time of the Christian Church,* 1.2 from the be∣ginning of the Apostles preaching vntil the Empire of Phocas: which is ordinarily distinguished into three periodes. 1. The first of about 70. yeares from the Lords Ascention, vntill the death of the Apostles, and of their first Disciples. 2. The second began at the Empire of Traian, and stretched by the space of 200. yeares vntill Constantine: which time also was honoured with the presence of certain of the Apostles Disciples, & other excellent Pastors of the Church, and faithfull Martyrs of Iesus Christ. 3. The third frō Cōstantine vntil Phocas, which is the last periode of the first time of the Church, about 300. years: during which, the Church had many great Doctors, Greeks & Latins.

As for the first periode of the first time,* 1.3 it is very certaine that neuer Christian Church was more happie thē during that time, whether we consider the doctrine taught by the Apostles and their first successors, or wee contemplate all the parts of the Ministerie, and of the Ecclesiasticall discipline.

Now for the doctrine we haue by a singular grace of God, the Apostles Epistles whereby it is easie to gather a body and sum∣mary of all that which euery Christiā ought to know touching his saluation. And that which is more, if they which came af∣ter the Apostles had continued to build vpon the foundation which they had laid, the Church had remained in his first spiri∣tuall splendor and brightnesse: the simplicitie then being such and so great in doctrine, in the maner of teaching, and in cere∣monies, that the sheepheards and sheepe, were altogether eli∣uated vnto the heauenly Father through Iesus Christ; liuing moreouer in such charitie & concord, as truly this world might be well called the golden world. For although that in the A∣postles time and their next successors, there rose vp certaine mutinous persons to trouble the happie rest of the Church, this hurt not much, the maiestie of the spirit of God discouering it selfe in such sort in the preaching of the Gospell, that all the world was constrained to acknowledge in this infirmitie of the seruants of God, an admirable efficacie, to biing all wise∣dome and humane power captiue vnder the obedience of Iesus Christ. True it is, that alreadie Sathan thought vpō his affaires, and brought forth his practises with greater force then euer be∣fore, building his Sinagogue nigh vnto the Church. For euen when the Apostles themselues liued, certaine Iewes and Gen∣tiles making the same profession of Christianisme, fought a∣gainst Iesus Christ in diuers maners, as S. Paul his Epistles doo witnesse. And what diligence soeuer the seruants of God vsed to eradicate and root out the tares which the enemie did sowe: yet remained there the seedes thereof in the bosome of the Church during the periodes following: God meaning to hum∣ble his, and to shewe them that truly they had and would al∣waies haue cause to fight in this life, but that the triumph ther∣of was reserued for the other world. For as for the strength of the persecutors since the Apostles time, it hath alwaies shew∣ed it true, that the bloud of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church.

But let this be said in a word, onely to awake the Reader and to prepare him to a diligent meditation of the Ecclesiasti∣call

historie. Now something is to be said of the second periode of the first time. The Apostolike men,* 1.4 armed with the vertue and power of y^e Lord, maintained constantly the truth, amongst all the tempests and stormes of persecution, and in despite of Gentilisme, & of diuers heresies which boldly began to left vp their heads. In so much, that great maruel it was, that so soone af∣ter so great light, men should see the East in many places coue∣red with so deep darknes, many goodly Churches ruinated, and the doctrine of saluatiō transported otherwhere. Yet the grea∣test euil was in the bowels of the Church it selfe; many Pastors wherof, not being so attentiue as of reason they shuld 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 suffe∣rings 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 in∣to allegorike interpretations, a maruellous baite for the curio∣sitie of humane vnderstanding, and a fountaine of infinite mis∣chiefes 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 en∣crease in such sort, that men enclined vnto Indaisme and Paga∣nisme, 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 succee∣ding, tooke a maruellous roote. So the commencement of prai∣ers for the dead, and of the sacrifice of the Masse, did then dis∣couer 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 ridicu∣lous 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.

* 1.5As 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 liue∣ly voyce at Sinodes, as also by their bookes, whereof wee haue some number at this day, against the impietie of infinite here∣tikes.

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, espe∣cially 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 vp∣per 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 gliste∣red in Churches. The pure doctrine of the Lords Supper be∣gan to bee falsified for want of right vnderstanding the man∣ner of Sacramentall speeches, and the vertue of the alone sa∣crifice 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 ha∣uing 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 peri∣ode 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,* 1.6 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 opini∣on 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 Grashop∣pers from the deepe pit, came to spread themselues through Eu∣rope. But it was in the second periode of the second time,* 1.7 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 rot∣ted in so heauie and palpable ignorance: yet was their blind∣ness 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 infi∣nite 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 in∣gratitude, 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 bo∣dies 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 mi∣serie, 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 fan∣cie and dreame of an Antichrist which should be borne but a li∣tle before the second comming of the sonne of God. Briefly, the great spiritual Babilon, the murdresse of soules, had her king∣dome during this period, tyrannizing the Israell of God, hid and dispearced in a litle number and by her impostures, blas∣phemies and impieties, mocked the true God, & Father of Ie∣sus Christ, whose name auowed with the mouth, shee trode vn∣der her feet, by her abhominable errour.

* 1.8But 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, presen∣ted 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 sixtie yeares hath made vs againe see all the maruells of the worlds passed in the gouernment of his Church, as well in the efficacie of his word, as in the vertue thereof, to maintaine it, to fortifie his seruants, against all sorts of enemies, within and without, and to represse tyrants, Apostates, heretikes and hi∣pocrites: which we hope he will pursue more and more, and we pray him to do it for the loue of Iesus Christ his sonne, vntill that great Sauiour appeare in the cloudes, to iudge the qucke and the dead. Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Three times of the Christi∣an Church.
• * 1.2

  The first from the preaching of the Apo∣stles vntill Phocas, di∣stinguished into three periodes.
• * 1.3

  Of the first periode of the first time of y^e Church.
• * 1.4

  Of the second periode of the first time of the Church.
• * 1.5

  Of the third periode of the first time of the Church.
• * 1.6

  The second time of the Church frō Phocas vn∣til Charls. 5. The first periode.
• * 1.7

  The second periode.
• * 1.8

  The third time of the Church from Charles the fift, til this pre∣sent time.