Ecclesiastical history epitomized containing a faithful account of ye birth life & doctrine, crucifixion & ascension of ye holy Iesus : with the lives of ye apostles evangelists & primitive fathers & other famous men in ye Christian Church both antient & modern who have couragiously confessed & suffered glorious martyrdomes & persecutions under several tyrannical governours both heathenish and Romish : faithfully continued to ye reformation and since deduced to this present age / carefully collected by J.S. ... ; in two parts.

THE INTRODUCTION, TO THE LIVES OE THE DOCTORS, And other Godly MEN, that were CHIEF.

HAving briefly run over the Lives of the Fathers, at least such as were the greatest Promoters of the Gos∣pel, and Christian Doctrine, to ad∣vance the true Church as it was left by Christ, and his Apostles; I shall now proceed to the Modern Divines, and such as God raised up to oppose the Superstitions and Idolatries that crept into it when it became subject to the Popes of Rome, after the first 600 years, for then the Ancient way of Worship was laid aside, and

a Trade made of Religion, as it is by the Ro∣mish Clergy at this day; then with the Gospel of our blessed Lord and Saviour they mixed the Traditions of men, the Popes frequently under∣taking to dispence with Scripture, to Institute Sacraments of their own Invention, set up Idols in Churches, pray for the Dead, worship Saints, and the like; but as in all Ages God had a pe∣culiar Church to himself, and our Saviour has promised, that the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it: So I say, when the Publick Church was so much degenerated from its Pri∣mitive Worship, that it had almost lost the name of Christianity for that of Paganisme, by set∣ting up their abominable Idols, though under o∣ther Titles, God raised up his faithful Servants openly to oppose such monstrous wickedness, only to teach the Ignorant, who had so long been led astray in the dark mists of Error, the way to saving knowledg, and accordingly gave a blessing to their Preaching and Doctrine, as we shall see in the Lives of the great Doctors of the Re∣formed Church: And first I shall begin with John Wicklif, our Country man, who durst to the hazard of his Life, oppose the avarice and cruel dealing of the Bishop of Rome; in the Reign of King Edward the Third, as hereafter will more plainly appear.