The History of the Church of Great Britain from the birth of our Saviour untill the year of our Lord, 1667 with an exact succession of the bishops and the memorable acts of many of them : together with an addition of all the English cardinals, and the several orders of English monks, friars and nuns in former ages.

TO THE READER.

THere is no greater Priviledge bestowed by the Lord upon one Nation above others, than in the free use of the Sacred Scriptures and Ordi∣nances: Israel had much advantage above the Gentiles, chiefly, or principally, because un∣to them were committed the Oracles of God, the word of grace, the Covenant of life and peace, Rom. 3. 2. S. Paul els-where reckoning up the Priviledges of Israel, men∣tioneth this in several expressions as a prime Priviledge; The Covenants, the giving of the Law, and the Promises, Rom. 9. 4. all which are comprehended under the Oracles, and word of God. So saith the Psalmist, Psal. 147. 19, 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgements unto Israel: he hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for his judgements they have not known them. He make's no mention of the Tabernacle, or Temple, the Ark of the Covenant, the altar of burnt-offering, the golden altar of incense, the Ordinance of Circumcision, &c. though in these they were priviledged a∣bove other Nations; but he singleth out this as a prime privi∣ledge,

that he shewed them his word, his statutes and judge∣ments.

How deeply then is this nation of ours (even England) indebted to God, to whom the Lord hath committed his holy Oracles! how much are we bound to him for this unspeakable gift! And herein the singular goodness of God to this nation is much to be observed, not enely in visiting it with the Gospel for these last hundred years and more, but also in giving it the light of the Gospel very early, even in the Apostles dayes. Divers Writers of good credit do testifie, that even in those dayes the Britan's in our Isle did consent to Christian Reli∣gion, and pulickly professed it in their Churches, as well as other parts of the World.

The Authors of the Theatre of Great Britain, speaking of the Antiquity of the Christian Faith in Britain, testifie in this manner. As we have searched the first foundation of our Faith, so neither want we Testimonies concerning the continu∣ance of the same in this Land until following Posterities; al∣though the injury of Time and War have consumed many Re∣cords: for the Britan's that were daily strengthened in their received Faith by the Doctrine of many Learned and godly Men, left not their First-love with the Church of Ephesus, but rather took hold of the Skirts, as the Prophet speaketh, Zech. 8. 23. until the Tortures of Martyrdom cut them off by death. And those Fathers, even from the Disciples them∣selves, held a Succession in Doctrine (notwithstanding some Repugnancy was made by the Pagans) and Preached the Gospel with good success, even till the same, at length, went forth with a bolder countenance by the favourable E∣dicts of Adrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aure∣lius, Emperours of Rome, as Eusebius hath Noted, and in Britain was established by King Lucius; so called, as some Learned Men have observed, because a Prince of great lustre and glory; the Light of the Gospel breaking forth in this our Isle in such a perspicuo••s manner by his Con∣version,

that all Christian Churches took notice thereof: Of whom a great Antiquary thus speaketh,

Lucius in Christum credit, Christo{que} dicatas Ecclesias dotat, distinctas ordinat urbes.

Geoffery of Monmouth tells us that King Lucius being Bap∣tized together with his Subjects, destroyed the Temples of Idols, and Dedicated them to the onely living God, enlarge∣ing and augmenting them. Bishop Godwin saith, we have great cause with all thankfulness to Celebrate the Memory of that Excellent Prince King Lucius, by whom God did not onely bless this Land with so clear knowledge of the truth, but in such sort did it, as thereby He hath purchased unto the same the Title of Primogenita Ecclesiae, the most Antient, and first begotten of all the Churches in the world: for that although Christ was Preached els-where privately in ma∣ny other Nations long before the time of King Lucius, yet of all Nations Britain was the first that with publick appro∣bation of Prince and State received the Profession of Chri∣stian Religion. Of the Teachers of those times John Bale hath these verses,

Sic ut erat Celebris, &c.

As were the Britan's famous for their Zeal, To Gentile Gods, whilst such they did adore: So when the Heavens to Earth did Truth reveal, Blest was that Land with Truth, and Learnings store. Whence British Plains and Cambreas desart-ground, And Cornwal's Crags with glorious Saints abound.

The common consent of our Protestant Writers is, that in this time I now speak of, and from the beginning of Christi∣anity here, Britain never wanted Preachers of the true Faith. And when the persecuting Emperour's Reigned, and persecu∣tion raged, not onely in the Eastern parts, but in Italy,

France, and other Countreys in the Continent near unto us; this our Island (as another world) was almost quite free thereof, both before and after, until the nineteenth year of Dio∣clesian, in which there was a general persecution of Christi∣ans, (as Gildas, and others after him do witness) in that it ever had Kings not so depending on the persecuting Emper∣ours; and so far from the Name and Nature of persecutors, that they ever were friends and favourers of Christians. And for this cause many that were persecuted for Christianity in other Countries, fled hither for refuge, where for themselves they might more quietly enjoy the Liberty of their Conscience and Religion; and for others desirous to be instructed in the Truth thereof, and not kept back with such terrours of perse∣cution, as in other Countries, they might with more confidence and boldness, and with great hope of fruit and encrease Preach and Teach it unto them. This was a preparative to a more ge∣neral Conversion of this Nation to Christianity which followed afterwards. This Island was also the more quiet, in respect of the situation, remote distance, and separation from the rest of the chief commanding places of the Roman Empire.

The Name [England] some derived from the manner of the situation of this Island in the West and North: for that Eng, in the Antient Teutonick Tongue, as well as in the Modern, doth signifie narrow, strait, or a nook. And a Portugal alluding thereunto hath this verse,

Anglia terra ferax & fertilis Angulus Orbis, Insula praedives, quae toto vix eget orbe.

A fruitful Angle, [England] Thou, Another world art said: An Island rich, and hast no need of other Countrie's aid.

And although after this, many errours in Doctrine, and corruptions in Worship crept in more and more into our Church,

and the Pope encroaching by degrees, the Churches of God in this Land did much degenerate: as they did in other Nati∣ons, so that in Process of time the whole world wondered after the Beast, and they Worshipped the Beast, saying, who is like unto the Beast? Revel. 13. 3, 4. Yet even in the darkest times, when our Church suffered the greatest Ecclipse, when her Silver was become Dross, and her Wine was mixed with Water, it pleased God then to raise up some eminent Persons to stand up for the Defence of the Truth in this Na∣tion, and to discover the impostures of the Church of Rome. Yea, how many were there that suffered Martyrdom for the Gospel here in England, who detested Image-worship, and other abominations in the dayes of King Henry the fourth, King Henry the fift, and others afterward, long be∣fore Luther was born. These and the like in other Na∣tions may be called the forlorn Hope, who did obequi∣tare Antichristi castra, & ad pugnam elicere, advance up to, and ride round about the camp of Antichrist, and provoke him to the main-fight.

What wonderfull deliverances hath God wrought for this Church and Nation in several ways? When King Henry the eighth did renounce the Pope's Supremacy what plots were framed by diverse Princes against this Land to ruine it, and how gratiously did the Lord protect his people here from such a storm, though then he had but a very little flock in this place?

When Queen Mary matched with Philip of Spain, in what apparent danger was this Land to fall into miserable servitude and bondage under the Iron-yoak of the Spainard's, which diverse nations that have been subject to them have found intolerable? The blind and bloody zeal of Queen Mary was likely to have rooted out all the plants of God's right hand in this Land, and so have banished hence the true Church and Gospel of Christ, and so to have shut this Kingdom out of the bounds of the Church. There was great

expectation of Issue by that Marriage between the Spanish Prince and Queen Mary, who Her self also was a Spani∣ard by the Mother's side: and Solemn Forms of Thanks∣giving and Prayer were made for Her Conception and safe ••••••lvery: and besides an Act passed in Parliament, that if ••ueen Mary died in Child-bed, King Philip should have the Government of this Land during the Child's Nonage: and if these things had succeeded, into what misery might this Land have fallen? And (besides) had an Issue of that Marriage lived to Reign over England, together with other Dominions of the Spaniard, what had England been, but an Inferiour Tributary Province to be Governed as it pleased the Spanish Nation, even as was attempted in the Low-Countreys with Devilish cruelties? to say nothing of their horrible Massacres in the West-Indies. But here s••e the wonderful goodness of God, who dwelt in the midst of this Church as a Refuge. All this was prevented: Queen Marie's supposed Conception vanished, She was soon taken away by death, and King Philip of Spain had no longer any Interest in England.

Queen Elizabeth, a Noursing-mother to this Church Suc∣ceeded. She was born September the seventh, 1533. One cal∣leth Her Angliae Delitias, Europae Sydus, Mundi Phoenicem, &c. the joy of England, the Star of Europe, the Phoenix of the World: a Glass of God's Providence, and the Mirrour of His Mercy. And (as if the Devil had presaged, what a ••cour••e She would prove to the Roman greatness, and suggest∣ed it to Pope Clement the seventh) he is said to have made a Per••mptory Decree against Her, whilst She was in Her Mo∣ther's b••lly. This Pope himself being the Bastard of Julian de M••d••cis a Florentine, he avowed to make Her illegitimate, and un••apable of the Crown. The like did Pope Paul the third attempt, viz. To make that Royal Princess illegitimate when She was but two years Old. But as the Lord blessed Her then, so he did wonderfully preserve her all her Sister's R••ign, when many plots were laid to take away her life. But (as Seneca

told Nero) it was impossible for him to kill that man that must be his heir; so it was impossible for the malice of hell to accomplish the death of the Lady Elizabeth, whom the only∣wise God had appointed to be her Sister's Heir. So great a Reformation She wrought in England, that one saith of it, The Gospel had a swift passage here by diligent Preaching, by Printing good Books, by translating the holy Scriptures into the Vulgar Tongue, by Catechizing youth, by publick disputa∣tions, by recording the Martyrs, such a thing, as even the former age had even despaired of, the present age admireth, and the future shall stand amazed at. It is evident, that the Almighty God, who delighteth to shew his power in Weakness, was pleased in this Renowed Queen and her brother King Ed∣ward, to let the world see what great things he was able to effect by a Child and a Woman.

But what a multitude of plots were contrived for the destru∣ction of Queen Elizabeth, when the next heir to the Crown was a Papist, and an enemy to the truth of Christianity, and married to the Prince of France; so that had these plots succeeded, Eng∣land, in all probability, had been subjected to France in point of Civil Government, and to the Roman power in matters of Religion. Admire again the singular goodness of God in pro∣tecting Queen Elizabeth: and whilst the enemies of the Church were seeking ruine in the destruction of Her Royal Person; the French King that had Married the next heir to the English Crown, dieth and leaveth her a Widow without Issue, and she not many years after became a prisoner.

So eminent was Queen Elizabeth, that Thuanus, a professed Roman Catholick (but very ingenious) said, he heard the old Dutchess of Guise (whose sons were of the greatest Ene∣mies that Queen Elizabeth had) to say, that she was faelicissi∣ma & gloriosissima faemina, a most happy and a most glorious Woman. We know who made her to differ, and that she had not any thing which she had not received from above, there∣fore let us give the praise of all to God, who appointed her (I

am perswaded) to build the old wast places, to raise up the foundations of many generations: she found the Kingdom weak, she left it strong: she found it poor, she left it rich: they that were enemies to her and the Gospel which they professed and maintained, were mighty, and likely to oppose, viz. the French and Spaniards. They that were friends (as the Protestants in France and the Netherlands) were weak, and needed her help. But the Lord of Hosts made her a terrour to his and her enemies, and a succour to all his people at home and abroad. And (it seemeth) the Lord began betimes to cause his terrour to fall upon the Adversaries: for the Council of Trent ended in a very few years after she began her Reign; and a motion was made, that the Heads, or chief of the Protestants, should be excommunicated, and in particular Queen Elizabeth. But the Emperour Ferdinand sent them a message to cool their heat, and wrote to the Pope and the Legates, that if the Coun∣cil would not yield that fruit as was desired, that they might see an union of all Catholicks to reform the Church, at the least they should not give occasion to the Protestants to unite themselves more, which they would do in case they proceeded against the Queen of England: for undoubtedly they would by that means make a general league against the Catholicks, which would bring forth great inconveniences. And his admonition was so effectual, that the Pope desisted in Rome, and revoked the Commission given to the Legats in Trent.

About that time Christianity began to dawn in the Kingdom of Ireland, and suddenly after the Kingdom of Scotland em∣braced the Gospel of Christ, and Queen Elizabeth is made In∣strumental that way, who ayded the Reformed party in Scot∣land with great supplies of men and money against the Pope's faction both of French and Scotch.

The Gospel did so prevail in France also at that time, and the Protestants grew so numerous and considerable, the Queen-Mother, who was an enemy, yet seemed to temporize, and speak them fair; and wrote to the Pope for Reformation of

divers abuses to give them content: insomuch that a Learned man, then living in Germany, (though born in Italy) breaketh out in an Epistle to his friend, Totus terrarum orbis parturit Christum.

But now let us mark how the enemies of the Churches peace ra∣ged in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth: what hideous and damna∣ble treasons did they commit, and how did they thirst after the Royal blood of that peerless Princess? And when the Lord had confounded their plots, how did they seek to overwhelm and swal∣low us up with the power of Spain in the year, 1588. But af∣ter that in despite of the Pope and his Adherents that Noble Queen was carried to her grave in peace, full of dayes, riches, and honour, and her Successour both in her Kingdom and Re∣ligion was established in his Throne; how did these Romish Cannibals seek to exceed themselves in wickedness and horrible cruelty? they sought at one blow (as it were) to cut off the neck of this Church and State. A French Historian speaking of the bloody Massacre, saith, Wise men which were not ad∣dicted to the Protestants part, seeking all manner of ex∣cuse for that fact, did notwithstanding think, that in all Antiquity there could not be found an example of like cruelty. But the English Powder-plot doth so far exceed the French Massacre, that there is no degree of comparison. This cannot be paralelled. It was of such a transcendency (saith M. Mason) that all the Devils may seem to have holden a black Convocation in Hell, and there to have concluded such a Sul∣phurious and Acherontical device, as was never heard of since the world began. That wicked Popish crew being made drunk with the cup of spiritual fornications, held forth unto them by the Whore of Babylon, with unspeakable fury and madness did violate the Sacred Lawes, and break the strongest bands of common humanity; and meant to have represented a shadow of Hell, and Hellish-malice here upon earth, far exceeding the wickedness of Kain their Elder-brother, and exceeding all examples of Treason, Cruelty, and Murther, Except that of Judas.

The Pope and Court of Rome, who were wont to account England Puteum inexhaustum, a well never drawn dry, whilst they had the drawing of it, now seeing the golden springs like to run low, or rather to run another way, and not to empty themselves in their Cisterns; they, like Balaam loving the Wages of unright••••usness, were Raging mad, and cared not how much of the best Blood in the Land were spilt, so that it might make way for them again to the English gold. But the greater their rage was, the greater was God's mercy: the greater the dan∣ger, the greater the deliverance. The Lord was known by execu∣ting judgement; and those wicked wretches were snared in the work of their own hands.

Now let us consider what we were before the Christian Reli∣gion was first known to this Nation. What were the Britains but Pagans and Barbarous people? Yea, we read, that from the first submission of the Britans to the Romans, that Ambassa∣dours came from Britain to Rome, swearing Fealty in the Temple of Mars, offering gifts in the Capitol to the gods of the Romans. And for the Saxons, they were at first no better than the Britans: the Saxons were a Dutch and Pagan-na∣tion, and served Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury, till they were converted to the Faith of Christ, and renounced their Idols to serve the true and living God. Earcombent Reigning in Kent, after the death of his father King Ethelbald, is said to be the first of English Saxon Kings, that commanded Idols to be de∣stroyed in his whole Kingdom, about the year of Christ. 640.

2. Consider we the Apostasie of our forefathers in adhereing to the Roman faction, and then the renewed Apostasie at the death of King Edward the sixth, together with our unworthy and unfruitful walking under the Gospel, since the restoring of it by Queen Elizabeth.

3. Consider likewise the mighty out-stretched Arm of God in protecting his Church, and in preserving the truth of Religion among us still, notwithstanding the plots, designs, and contri∣vances

of Satan and his Instruments, and the many Enter∣prizes of the Papal power ever since the days of K. James: the great droves of Sectaries swarming like Locusts since our late unhappy Wars, who seemed to be Spirited and acted by the Je∣suites; their crying down Magistracy and Ministry, notwith∣standing all which the Christian Religion hath prevailed against all its adversaries. The consideration of all these things may give us ground of hope, that God will still vouchsafe to dwell with his Antient Inheritance: and therefore we may considently commend the care of this Church (his old habitation) to him∣self, who (I trust) will never suffer the Devils Instruments to ruine his palace, and to pull down the place of his An∣tient possession.

Notes

• Theatr. Magn. Brit.
• Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 9.
• Vsserius. de Brit. Eccles. Primord. P. 56.
• Godwin de de convers. Britan.
• Gild. lib. de ex∣cid. & Conqu. Br••tan.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉.
• Ecclesiae Ang∣licanae refor∣mationem de∣speras••••t aeta•• praeterita, ad∣miratur prae∣sens, obst••p••scet futura. Scul∣tet. Annal.
• Hist. Concil. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••ib. 8.
• Thuan. Hist. lib. 54. Anno 15••••.