The Perpetual Visibility and Succession of the True Church in All Ages

TO THE READER.

K Ing Solomon, the Mirror of wisdom, who digged deepest into the richest Mines of divine and human knowledge, exhorts others to search after that which himself had found in such abundance: and he sets an edge upon our desires, by promising, If thou seekest after her as for silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasure, then shalt thou find the knowledge of God, &c. Of so precious a Talent when we have found any parcel, we ought not to hide it in a napkin, much less to bury it in the bowels of the earth, by concealment or suppression: for, Veritatem celare, est aurum sepelire; To conceal the Truth, is to bury gold, and thereby to deprive not only others, but our selves also, of the benefit and use thereof. Wherefore Saint Agustine sharply censureth such as would challenge a peculiar interest and propriety in this, which is the true common treasure of God's Church, saying, Veritas nec mea, nec tua, nec illius est, sed omnium nostrum, quos ad eius communionem publice vocas; admonens nos, vt nolimus eam habere priuatam, ne priuemur ea: The truth is neither mine, nor thine, nor his, but all ours in common, whom thou (O Lord) callest publicly to the communion thereof; dreadfully admonishing us, not to desire to have it private, lest we be deprived of it. Now, of all truth this day in controversy, there is none more sought after by some, than the visibility of the true Church, which retained the purity of the Apostles doctrine, unmixed with dregs of error and superstition, especially in the gloomy and dark Ages before Luther. As for higher times, and nearer the Apostles, such was the clarity and splendor of the pure Church, that in a manner it obscured the Sun. But, in succeeding and degenerating times, after the number of the name of the Beast, 666, it began much to be obscured and clouded with ignorance and superstition: and in the thousandth year, in which, Satan was let loose, and much more after, even till the happy reformation in these later Ages, it was so eclipsed, especially in the Western Parts of the world, that some confidently affirm, it was quite extinct. The Woman, clothed with the Sun, having the Moon under her feet, was now fled into the Wilderness, and had but a few Stars to discover her. By the conduct and luster whereof, yet many Wise-men followed her obscure track, and found her. Among whom, the most reverend, religious, learned, and painful Author of this enfuing Treatise, concerning The Visibility and Succession of the true Church, deserveth to be named in the first rank; who hath more particularly and perspicuously traveled in this Argument, than any in our English Tongue. It was the manner of the Heathen Race-runners, after they had finished their course, to deliver a Lamp or Taper to the next Runner. Semblably whereto, this Christian Antiquary shows unto thee, how the noble Worthies of the Christian world, and Fore-runners of our faith, after they had finished their course, delivered the Lamp of their doctrine from one to another: as (to omit other former-bearers of this Light) Bertram, to Berengarius; Berengarious, to Petrus Bruis; Petrus Bruis, to Waldo; Waldo, to Dulcinus; Dulcinus, to Gandune and Marsilius; they, to Wicklef; Wicklef, to Hus and Jerome of Prague; and their scholars, the Taborites, to Luther. This Treasure of Antiquity falling into my hands, and finding it hard to come-by, I thought fit to publish it, and make it more common; that so, all that love the truth, might clearly see in it the perfect Image of their Mother, the true Protestant Church, partly blubbered with tears, partly smeared with blood, by the cruelty of the Man of sin, and his Complices, in former Ages. About which doleful Image, we may fitly write these words of the Prophet Micah, for a Motto: Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall rise: when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a Light unto me. Such a Light he hath been Before, and In our days, and Henceforth will be, according to his promise; til he shall dispel all darkness, and consume the Man of sin with the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of his Comming. Even so come, Lord Jesus; come quickly.

A TREATISE OF the perpetual Visibility and Succession of the true CHURCH.

W EE teach, that as from the beginning long before the Incarnation of Christ, God ever had his Church, yet sometimes more visible and glorious, and sometimes more contracted, and obscured: so since the appearance of our Savior, at all times infallibly and without exception, there have been chosen children of God, who have retained his faith, and calling upon his name have studied to express their knowledge in their life, by retiring themselves both from the loose conversation of Libertines, and the profanation of Idolatrous persons. Neither ever was there any of our profession, which did teach or write the contrary. But whereas the Synagogue of Rome lays it down for a fundamental Rule, that this Church hath been and must be in all ages, a visible and conspicuous Congregation at the least, consisting of an apparent Hierarchy, so that at all times a man may point it out, and may repair thither, as to a matter eminent; yea, and in a sort pompous too; or to say as Stapleton speaketh when he doth most extenuate it, It is evermore visible in respect of her Governors and Sheepheards, but most of all for the Pope, or chief Pastor thereof. To which Pope, Bellarmine assigneth that he cannot err in judgment, and to the people and Clergy of Rome (where this sensible Church must principally be) that they cannot err with a personal error; so that all altogether err; we therein do dissent from them, and maintain, that although when the godly are most driven to extremities by Heresies or persecutions, they be visible each to other, and acquainted with some other brethren, who are in like case with themselves, yet they are not so apparent to other men, as that at all times they know where to find Assemblies, and Congregations of them. But that the Bishop of Rome, and his Pontifical Clergy, should have the face of the Church tied, and inseparably joined unto them, we can in no sort yield, but do disclaim it as a flattering tale, suggested to that Bishop by such parasites as are about him, and from time to time do depend upon him.

And that it may be seen what reason we have of this our assertion, we first show, that the estate of the faithful was frequently so, before the coming of Christ. For when it lay as hid in some few persons, within the single Families of the old Patriarchs, before and after the Flood, what great boast could there be made of it? Nay, when the Commonwealth of the Jews was much settled, into what straight was it brought, when David complained, Help Lord, for there is not one godly man left: for the faithful are failed from among the children of men? This being spoken, as it is most probable, in the days of Saul, aster the days of Samuel, and the slaughter of the Priests, how was it even in Judah and Jerusalem, when Isaiah cried out, that the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is heavy, from the sole of the foot unto the head, there is nothing whole therein? The estate of the Church being then most miserable, and all depraved, not only in manners, but in Religion, Idolatry being plentiful, as is manifest by the words in the same vision, For they shall be • confounded for the Okes which you have desired, and ye shall be ashamed for the G • rdens you have chosen: which intendeth the trees and pleasant places where they used their superstitions. Call to mind the days of Jeremiah, when he said, Run to and fro by the streets of Jerusalem, and behold now, and know, and inquire in the open places thereof, if ye can find a man, or if there be any that executeth Judgment, and seeketh the Truth, and I will spare it. And those of Ezech • l, testifying in this sort: I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. These things were spoken of Judah and Jerusalem, where alone at that time was that Church which was; the Israelites for their grievous sins, being long before carried away into captivity. You may add to this, if you will, the complaint of Micah, Woe is me for I am as the Summer gatherings, and as the Grapes of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desireth the first ripe fruits. The good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none righteous among men: they all lie in wait for blood: every man hunteth his brother with a net. If the Priests & people had not almost generally gone astray, and the whole face of the visible Church had not seemed to be defaced, would these Prophets thus have particularized, that one godly man was not left, and that one was not to be found, who had not declined from truth?

We doubt not but in those times the Lord had many faithful ones in secret, as he had seven thousand in Israel when Elias lived, of whom neither the enemies of the truth, nor scant that Prophet, did take any notice. The mark in the forehead is sometime known to few, but only to him that imprinted it there; yet this is a good hold for the Elect, The Lord knoweth who are his. But upon what might those, who were God's secret chosen outwardly build, when diverse times the Princes and people had corrupted their ways, and the Temple it self was polluted, and made a sink of Idolatry? For we find that things stood upon those terms in the days of Manasseh, when in the House of the Lord, even that house, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem will I put my Name, he built profane altars: and in the two Courts of the House of the Lord he built Altars for all the host of Heaven. Judge where in those days was the glory of the visible Church, or where it was a pretty while before that, when the Priest Uriah was as ready to set up in the Temple an Altar after the fashion of that which was in Damascus, as the King Ahaz was ready to command it. And then the Prince and Priests conspiring, there was scant any kind of gross Idolatry, which was not plentifully committed, Ahaz himself making his son to go through the fire after the abominations of the Heathen. And least it should be thought, that the people at least, did amend somewhat which was amiss, in the very next chapter it is witnessed in general, Yet Judah kept not the Commandments of the Lord their God, but walked according to the fashion of Israel, which they used. And by most probability, this outrage under Ahaz was the time, against which Isaiah so inveighed in the Vision before remembered. These things are so plain, that the greatest pillars of the Papacie cannot deny them; and therefore they are forced to another shift, as the Rhemists when they say, That there is a great difference between the Christian Church, and the Jews, ours resting upon better promises then theirs; which is a very poor evasion, in as much as every Divine may know, that there be as large and many promises, that the Church of the Jews should last until Christ's appearance in the flesh, as there be that the Congregation of God's Saints shall continue among the Gentiles until the day of Judgment. And • auing only for the time of the Babylonish captivity, there was one set external place of God's eminent service, that is, the Temple at Jerusalem, supported with such words, This is my rest forever, here will I dwell, 〈◊〉 and In Jerusalem shall my name 〈◊〉 ever: the like whereof through •• all the continuance of the New Testament, is not warrantable o •• of the Word for any one place wh ••• ever. Now it cannot be so much as superficially maintained out of the Scripture, that Rome it self hath any such promise, but rather out of the Revelation of S ^t . John, there are many substantial matters which make to the contrary.

But because by the strong shot of Truth they be beaten from the Bulwark of the Jewish Synagogue, and fly to the next hold of the later Testament; let us follow them thither. When our Savior Christ was borne, and for the most part afterward, till he was baptized, where shall we conceive was the visible Church? The Scribes and Pharisees possessed all the show, and they were no better then blind leaders of the blind. The Priesthood was long before and after bought and sold; and in Christ's own time it is evident out of the Scripture, that the highest spiritual dignity going by years, Annas and Caiaphas, and other unworthy men of that rabble did enjoy it. Upon the birth of Jesus, they were not glad, who should have most rejoiced in it: but all Ierufalem was troubled at it. And how they persisted afterward till Christ did manifest himself fully, may be guessed by diverse circumstances, which the Evangelists do mention after his birth. But when he came first into the world, of whom do we find speech made, but of some Shepherds in the field, of Simeon an old man, of Anna a most aged woman, both ready to go into their graves, of Joseph and Marie, Zacharias and Elizabeth, and very few others? and of these some might be soon dead, others might live out of the way at Bethlehem, or Nazareth, or in Egypt, and the Shepherds were in the fields about their Trades: but where there was the appearance of a visible Congregation can hardly be imagined. When our Savior had selected out his Apostles, they then were termed by the name of a Flock; but yet by their Master they were called but a little flock, where the Rhemists do confess, that in the beginning it was little indeed. At the death of Christ, when his body hanged on the cross for our sakes, and his Disciples were all fled, no man daring to show himself. Mary and John, and a few women were all the faithful that now appeared upon earth: and afterward while the Apostles & their followers walked very privately, or were assembled in a chamber, the Priests, and Scribes, and Pharisees were they who ruffled it in the streets, and bore the sway in the Temple; so that if a weak body had inquired for the Church, he might rather have been directed to them, who had the Law, and the Altars, and all sacred things in their custody, then to any other. When Stephen had been stoned, and for fear of the persecution which was at Jerusalem, the Disciples were all scattered; besides the Apostles, it may well be presumed, that for a time they which remained in the city where Stephen had lost his life, did not walk very openly. Truth it is, that after these things the Church was better settled, and the truth was more spread; but yet never was there any such privilege bestowed upon it, but that in the days of persecution, or some grievous apostasy, the faithful might be brought to a small visibility.

Our Saviors words intend so much, when alluding to the time of his second appearance, to judge the quick and the dead, he asketh, Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on earth? as meaning, that very little should then be found, in comparison of the Floodes and Ocean of iniquity which every where should abound. But God, to the end that he might not have us ignorant but warned before hand into what straights the Church should be brought, informeth us by Saint Paul, that the Lord shall not come, except there first be an apostasy, or revolt, or falling away, wherein Antichrist with great pride and disdain should show himself. This is solemnly spoken of by the Apostle, and by all both old and new, entreating of it, is observed to some matter of great note, that is to say, some main declining from somewhat. Many of our Papists fearing to touch this sore, which can in no case turn them to good, would have that interpreted, to note nothing else but the slipping of diverse regions & countries from their subjection to the Roman Empire. But Gregory Martin, and the other Rhemistes being overcome with the evidence of truth, are here a little more honest then ordinary, and speak to other purpose. Indeed they cannot tell how it will be taken at other Papists hands, that contrary to the custom of their fellows, in a matter of such moment, they should give way unto us; and therefore they do use these words in way of excuse, • Be it spoken under the correction of God's Church, and all learned Catholics. But to the point concerning the Apostasy, they deliver this: It is very like, that this great defection and revolt shall not be only from the Roman Empire, but especially from the Roman Church, and withal from most points of Christian Religion, (in the Margent it is, and from most Articles of the Catholic Faith. ) Here they would have us take the Romish belief for the Christian Religion, and Catholic faith: but that deserveth a long pause: we rather observe out of them, that this revolt is in matter of faith, and not only from the Empire; then which Gloss, nothing can be truer. Well then, if there must be so egregious an Apostasy, it will follow, that Antichrist so domineering, as by the Apostle he is described, will not be negligent so to repress the public service of God, that it shall not carry any lively head, or countenance, where he hath to do. So that certainly our Rhemistes yielding to this Exposition, do in substance confess so much, as that the apparancy of God's Congregation, in the time of the great defection, must be mightily eclipsed. Now the Lord, to the end he might establish his faithful, and arm them to expect this paucity of believers, and inconspicuousnes of his Church, and yet not be discouraged for that which should be past, present, or to come. And again, that there might be no doubt in a matter of this moment, letteth us further know, that the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God. It is not doubted of between the Romanists and us, but this Woman doeth represent the Church, concerning whom, being in the wilderness, it doth manifestly follow, that for the time of her abode there, which the Almighty had decreed, she should not be discerned; that is, by her enemies, who did & would chase her: notwithstanding, it is not to be doubted, but she knew where her self was. If the Romanist therefore, and persecuting adversary, did not ever see the Professors of the Gospel, it was no wonder: the woman was to remain in the Wilderness a part, and hid from them. The evidence of which matter is such, that as Master Fox observeth, for fear of diverse things in the Revelation of Saint John, (whereof this may worthily be one scant any Popish Writer for many years together, durst adventure to comment anything upon the Apocalypse, until our Rhemistes being desirous to shame the Pope, and themselves, with all who are wise, and adventured to set pen to paper. Having then a purpose to set forth and corrupt the New Testament, partly by their Translation, but most of all by their Annotations, they could not choose but say somewhat of the Revelation, although they profess, that it is as sparingly as may be, and as briefly; which is not for that the Volume of the Rhemish Testament groweth great, as they would color it, but for fear least they should too much lay open their own weakness, which while that Book is in the Bible, will never be concealed. Howsoever therefore, through their Volume, in many main matters, they be very silent where they should most speak, as of the Question of imputed righteousness, where the Apostle doeth most handle it, (a sore argument of their own conscience distrusting their cause, and even sinking under the weight of that chapter) yet here God over-ruling them, to say the truth, as he did Caiaphas, they interpret the woman to be the Church, flying from the great persecution, which shall be in the time of Antichrist. Indeed, to keep peace with their Lord and Mastes the Pope, they will not have this flight to be but in the very ending of the world; and so they would fetch it with a back Racket, that the woman should continue so in secret, but three years and a half, which (to keep all upright) they assign to be the time of Antichrists reign, and then the Judgment must come; which is a most fond evasion, seeing by that means men living at the appearance of Antichrist, should be able precisely to tell when the day should be, to wit, three years and a half after Antichrists entering. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son himself, save the Father only. It can never be made good, that the time, times, and half a time, the two and forty months, and the thousand, two hundred and sixty days, are so literally to be taken, as that they should contain exactly three ordinary years and a half. Your Roman Bishop in his declination, hath already been in the world much longer, and he is the greatest Antichrist that ever yet was manifested among men, and on whom many things in the Scripture signified, touching Antichrist, do directly and vnauoydably light.

Well, this revolt taking place, and the woman, the Church being in the wilderness, it is not to be doubted, but here and there be diverse, which serve God aright, the very gates of Hell not being able to prevail against them. And as these in general wheresoever dispersed, do make up the universal militant Church: so where any few of them, even in the smallest number, are assembled together, they may be said to be a particular Congregation, or Church. Where three are, saith Tertullian, there is a Church, although they be Lay persons. It is likely, that he alludeth to that saying of our Savior, Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them. He is with them as with members of his Church, to guide them and hear them, to bless them, and preserve them. And that such little assemblies are not unworthy the name of the Church, is plain by S. Paul's words to Philemon, where he sendeth greeting, not only to Philemon, and Appias, and Archippus, but to the Church in Philemon's house: for so the Rhemistes themselves translate it. In dangerous and Apostatating times, such petty assemblies do make up the general, and they belong unto the same mystical body, although they not only be not known to their persecutors, but many of them have no acquaintance with other. They have the same Head, the same Faith, the same Charity, the same Spirit, the same Holy Ghost is given to all Saints, joined one to the other in love, whether they know each other corporally, or do not know them, saith Saint Agustine. The want then of Acquaintance each with other, may keep the godly asunder, as well as the rage of their persecutors; both which are to be found in the case of Elias. But directly to follow further this Argument of the Ecclipse of the Churches glory, may it not be thought to be brought to a low ebb, when it is said of the second Beast, That he causeth all both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, that he should give them a mark in the right hand, or in their foreheads, and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name. And what else is signified, when so many are mentioned to have commerce with the Whore of Babylon; yea, all Nations are reported to have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. The ancient Fathers were not ignorant, that such times these might be, when they so oft compared the Church to the Moon, as Saint Ambrose. The Moon it self, whereby in the Oracles of the Prophets, the countenance of the Church is figured; when at the first rising again, she is renewed into the ages of the Moneth, she is hidden by the darkness of the night, and by little and little filling her horns, or right over against the Sun ending them, doth shine with the light of clear brightness. S. Agustine in one place doth for diverse respects liken the church unto the moon, and expoundeth the moon to signify it. In another place he hath the Sun is Christ, the Moon the Church; which as one the one side it doth intimate unto us, that the Moon hath no light but from the Sun; and the Church no light nor beauty, but from God: so on the other side it doth most lively put us in mind, that as the Moon continueth at the same stay, but increaseth and decreaseth, waxeth and waneth, is eclipsed by the interposition of the earth between her self and the Sun, and sometimes in the change cannot be seen, although it is never to be doubted but there is a Moon: so the church of Christ, whilst this troublesome world doth last, is now glorious, then shadowed; in one age in beauty, in an other age kept under; under some Princes in peace, under others in persecution; yea, sometimes so pressed with the extremity of the malicious, as that she is glad to remain retired into secret places, & not to appear openly to the malignant, albeit she never is nor can be extinguished, but hath a continual being. Unto which it may be added, that since faith doth much consist of things which are not seen; and we believe the holy Catholic church as an Article of our faith, it may follow, that it need not ever be eminently visible, and apparently sensible unto us.

For the better exemplification of this verity, it may be remembered what havoc was made by the Heathen Roman Emperors, and their deputies, against the flock of Christ, in the ten first persecutions: that in the Roman dominion, there was scant any to be heard of, who professed Christianity, but he was soon cut off by the sword, or otherwise. Did they in those times suffer any potent visibility of true Professors, or whē they once knew where they were, did they not forthwith labor to extirpate them? But in the days of Constantius, when the Arian Heresy had once gotten the head, where in the world did there appear any sensible Congregation, maintaining the Orthodox belief? Jerome's testimony of those days was, The whole world did sigh, and wondered that it self was Arian. The words are but few, but they are to the purpose. So said Saint Gregorius Presbyter, writing the life of Gregory Nazianzen, The Sect of the Arians had almost possessed all the coasts of the world, the power and impiety of the Emperor ministering unto it. The words of Constantius himself in Theodoret, do give testimony unto this. Neither doth Liberius the Roman Bishop say ought to the contrary. The speeches of the Arian Emperor against him and Athanasius are these; The whole world doth think that this is well. The whole world hath given sentence of his impiety. Thou alone doest embrace the friendship of that wicked man. And a little before that: Doeth so great a part of the world reside in thee Liberius, that thou alone doest dare to come in aid to that wicked man, and disturb the peace of the universal world? Whereunto Liberius did not take exception, saying, that the visible Church stood for him, and Athanasius, but rather giveth another reason, to make good his being alone; Be it that I am alone; notwithstanding for that the cause of the faith is not the worse: for a great while ago • e, there were three only found, who would resist the Kings commandment. Here the Church for any external show, was low brought: for if anybody held it up, it was Athanasius, who then played least in sight, and durst not appear. For this Liberius, who did for a time second him, did afterward shrink. He went at first into banishment in defense of the truth: but after that, he was solicited, and laid at by Fontunatianus, that he relented and condescended to subscribe to the Arian heresy, as Jerome witnesseth, who lived in that age, and was long conversant in Rome, and therefore could better report what was the issue of Liberius his constancy, then some others who do relate it otherwise. What can be said for him, Bellarmine hath: but yet enforced by the evident testimony of Athanasius, Hillary, and Jerome, he confesseth so much as I have here set down; but cover it he would, that he only consented to the external act of subscribing, but remained in heart Othodox. Why should it then be a marvel, if in process of time, Antichrist growing to greater strength, the Church should be in covert? It is no more then often fell out under the Jewish Synagogue, & hath been exemplified to have been since among the Christians, and was so evidently foretold before. In so much that by the example of the woman, it can not be the true Church, unless it should be hidden in the wilderness. Which while our Popish teachers deny to agree to their Romish Church, but profess that it hath ever been in sight, they themselves do by a consequent proclaim, that they are not the pure and undefiled flying woman, but another painted harlot and strumpet. The true Church is for a time out of sight in the wilderness; but so say they, was their Church never: and therefore will they, nill they, their Church is not the true Church.

And here, to the end that the slanderous calumniation of our adversaries may the more be manifested to all those, who will not willfully close their eyes against truth, I will a little show the vanity, & yet malicioiusness of their objection, when they say there was never any of our faith before the days of Luther, who in the year 1517, began for his part to display the kingdom of Antichrist. Where, I pray the Reader to consider, that the most part of those whom I shall cite, are Popish Writers, and no way partially affected towards us. We say then, that Martin Luther was not the first brocher of those points which he taught againit papistry; but as he did originally deduce them from the Scriptures, & out of the works of the ancient Fathers; so he did derine them also hereditarily from other, who immediately before him had taught the same doctrine, & left it both in books, & the hearts of men recommended unto him; as principal parties herein I name John Hus, & Jerome of Prague, and all such as were their scholars, in or about Bohemia; who before Luther's time oppugned the belief of the church of Rome, & their profession was not extinguished until his days, howsoever it before had been mainly assaulted. If we could learn this no where else, yet Fr. Guicciardine, an Italian, & Florentin Historiographer, would inform us of it, who writing of the year 1520, saith plainly, that Luther did set abroad the Heresies (as he termeth them) of the Bohemians; and he nameth there Hus and Jerome as former diuulgers of the same: and Petrus Messias a Spaniard therein agreeth with him, who mentioning the opinions of Hus and the Bohemians, saith, they were the seed of those errors, which were afterward in Germany, alluding to the doctrine of Luther. There is no man whose testimony in this behalf may be of more worth then John. Cochleus; First, because he wrote a large story of purpose concerning the Hussites, & therefore by his long search, reading, and writing, in that argument may be persumed to know as much as any. Secondly, because it may be well imagined, that he would fain nothing to do Luther good, in as much as he also wrote a volume purposely against that worthy servant of God, intending to rip up his whole life from year to year, and to censure all his works; yet this enemy of his, in the Story of the Hussites, doth plentifully satisfy us about the matter now in question. One where he telleth us, that Hus did slay souls for an hundred years together; neither yet doth he cease to slay them by the second death. Within an hundred years after him came in Luther, according as the said John Hus did prophecy not long before his death. And when it is added, that yet he doth not cease to slay; it is manifest, that his Doctrine remained till the days of Cochleus. In another place he relateth, that Luther did stir up seditions in Germany, by the Books of the Hussites. Afterward he calleth those, who were in Germany in his time, New Hussites. And again, Hus did so rent the unity of the Church, that unto this day there remaineth a pitiful division in Bohemia. He proceedeth in the same matter elsewhere, saying, That the people of Germany are now by Luther partakers of the Heresies of Hus, and Jerome. One sort of the followers of this John Hus, did call themselves Thaborites; and these were they, who most dissented of all from the Doctrine of Rome: Of these he speaketh thus: Unto this day remaineth the Sect of the Thaborites, in many places of Bohemia, and Morauia, under the name of Picards and Waldenses. Lastly, the same Cochleus, in the year 1534. doth wish that he may see the remainders or leavings of the Hussites to return to the Church, and the Germans to cast out all new Sectes. What can be more evident, then that the Doctrine of John Hus was sensibly and apparently continued somewhere, even till the days of Martin Luther? Unto which may be added, that whereas Luther began to show himself but in the year 1517, that very year, was ended the Council of Lateran held at Rome, and finished by Pope Leo the tenth. And there consultation was had of reforming the manners of the Church, and of recalling the Bohemians to the unity of the Church of Rome.

And as these Testimonies do convince, that the Christian Confession of Hus was not extinguished at the coming of Martin Luther: so may there be good reason assigned, why it did so long continue, in as much as it was embraced by many, and earnestly maintained even unto the death. When Hus began first to preach the people which used handy crafts did with great desire hear his sermons, & did read the scriptures, being turned by him into their mother tongue, so that they could dispute with the Priests; which the very women were able to do; yea, and one woman did make a Book. Not long after three of the scholars of this Preacher did affirm, that the Pope thē living was Antichrist; who had proclaimed a Croisado against a Christian King; that was Ladislaus, King of Naples, then infesting the lands of the Church of Rome. These three persons were martyred for this speech, and took their death patiently. In small process of time, this Doctrine so multiplied, that as Onuphrius hath, the Council of Constance was called principally for two things; the one was against the Hussites, the other to take away the Schism between the Popes. These of likelihood grew great, that now a general Council was called against them. Neither did the people only agree in faith with John Hus, but the Nobles of Bohemia stood apparently for him; in so much that they sent two several and solemn supplications to the Council of Constance in his behalf. And when these their request were neglected, and John Hus, and Jerome of Prague (contrary to the Emperors safe conduct given to the former of them) were burnt, the Nobles of Bohemia did mightily murmur against the Fathers of the Council; in so much that Sigismund the Emperor, to give them satisfaction on his behalf, did write unto them, excusing himself touching the death of these men, and laying the fault upon the Council. But this gave not contentment unto the Bohemians, now robbed of their principal Pastor, but being moved at the perfidiousness of those at Constance, they assembled themselves together, to the number of thirty thousand; and in the fields upon three hundred Tables erected for that purpose, they received the Eucharist in both kinds. Afterward, they rushing into the Churches and Monasteries, did break down the Images there. It was not long after, but that under Johannes Zizka, a Noble and victorious Warriour, these Hussites grew to be of Soldiers forty thousand in one army, who got into their hands the Castle of Prague, the chief City of Bohemia. Then not long after did Pope Martin the fifth publish a Croysado against these, whom he called Heretics, promising remission of their sins to such as could destroy them. Notwithstanding, these hated persons did still prosper, getting many Victories under Procopius, and other Captains, but especially under Zizka, who was of that dexterity, and felicity in his Wars, as that Cochleus almost amazed at his strange success, saith, That scant any History of the Greeks, or Hebrews, or Latins doeth mention such a General as Zizka was. He built a new City, as a refuge for his men, and called it Thabor, whereof diverse embracing the Doctrine of Hus, were afterward called Thaborites. A second time did Pope Martin proclaim a Croysado against them, granting remission of sins to all who did either fight, or contribute money against them. Upon which, there were at one time forty thousand Germane Horse men gathered to destroy them: but such was the terror of their name, that upon the approaching to them, the Horsemen of their own accord turned their backs and fled. The Popish Author saith, that there was in this some secret Judgment of God, but he thinketh the cause of their ill success, was, that they had Bishops and Priests to their Leaders and Captains. By this time came on the Council of Basil, which as Onuphrius saith, was held against the Hussites. This showeth that there were many, which may also appear, in that the Fathers at Basil, did by an Indulgence grant to the Bohemians this dispensation, That contrary to the Act of the Council of Constance, they might receive the Eucharist both in Bread and Wine. Genebrard, who was ever a true servant to the Pope, confesseth so much: but addeth withal, that the Cup was permitted unto them, because that always before had been their custom so to communicate: yet saith he, all was on that condition, That they should not find fault with the contrary use, nor sever themselves from the Catholic Church in other Rites and Doctrines. Cochleus nameth no such condition. Nay, to show that simply and directly it was yielded unto them, he reporteth, that the Legates of the Council of Basil, did thus expound that which was concluded in the Bohemians behalf. The Council doeth permit the Eucharist under both kinds; not tolerating it only as a thing evil, as to the Jews was permitted a Bill of Diuorce; but so, that by the authority of Christ and his Church, it is lawful and profitable to the worthy Receiuers. Where is it likely, that unless the Bohemians now after Husses death had been a strong party, the Antichristian rabble would have yielded to their importunity, so directly against the Canon of the next precedent Council? Indeed the Emperor Sigismund did afterward take a course to lessen their number, when he sent many of them into Hungaria against the Turks, that there they might either conquering win to him victories, or being conquered themselves, so be destroyed and perish. He who list to see more concerning the multitude of these Professors, let him but look on diverse places in the works of Aeneas Sylvius, who was afterward Pope, by the name of Pius the second, and he shall find him reporting of his own knowledge, as travailing himself into Bohemia, that they were many, and very earnest also in their Religion.

If here it should be replied, that these perhaps were base people, and of the vulgar, who thus followed John Hus; but men of learning and knowledge, or persons of authority, they had none to join with them; the course of the Story will easily clear the same, and show that they had both learned Pastors, and great Magistrates, who believed as they believed, and stood wholly with them. Of what literature Hus himself was, is evident by his works yet remaining, and by his personal withstanding the whole Council of Constance. And what learning, what eloquence, what memory, all admirable were in Jerome of Prague, as also with what singular patience he took his death, is most significantly delivered in an Epistle of Poggius, who as an eye witness beheld him, and seemed to be much affected with the singular parts of the man. Which noble testimony of that worthy Poggius, is acknowledged by Cochleus. Whilst these two lived, there were diverse Priests, and Preachers, which agreed in their doctrine; and in their Sermons reproved the Popish Clergy for their Simony, keeping of Concubines, avarice, riot, and Secular-like pride. But after the death of those two famous servants of God, their followers got to them a Bishop, who was a Suffragane to the Archbishop of Prague, and by him they put into holy Orders, as many Clerks as they would. Which the Archbishop took so ill, that he suspended his Suffragan. But it was not long after, that Conradus the Archbishop himself became a Hussite also, as the Author calleth him. Under this Conradus, as President of the assembly, these Hussites held a Council at Prague, in the year 1421, and there they compiled a Confession of their faith. This cause did the said Archbishop, and many Barons of Bohemia, afterward stiffly maintain, & complained against the Emperor Sigismund, for offering wrong to those of their Religion. Alexander also the Duke of Lituania, did give these Hussites aid, which moved Pope Martin the fifth to write unto him in this sort: Know, that thou couldest not give thy faith to Heretics, which are the violaters of the holy faith, and that thou doest sin deadly if thou shalt keep it, because there cannot be any fellowship of a Believer with an Infidel. Thus did the virtuous Pope write. In process of time there grew a parley between Sigismund the Emperor, and the Bohemians. There among the Compacts, this was one, That the Bishop should promote to holy Orders the Bohemians, even the Hussites, which were of the University of Prague. And they might well deserve to be reputed Vniuersity men: for Cochleus himself witnesseth, that the Priests of the Thaborites were skilled in arguing, and exercised in the holy Scripture. Kakizana, one of them did undertake to dispute with Capistranus, a great and learned Papist. By that time that the year 1453. was come, Aeneas: Sylvius doth complain, that the kingdom of Bohemia was wholly governed by Heretics. Now all the Nobility, all the Comminaltie is subject to an Heretike. That was one George of Gyrziko, Governor of the kingdom of Bohemia, under King Ladislaus. But when Ladislaus was dead, this George himself was by the Nobles, and people chosen King of that Country: And continuing the ancient profession of his Religion, about the year 1458. those of Vratislauia and Silesia do refuse to obey him, as being an Heretike. Notwithstanding Pope Pius the second then intending wars against the Turk, did by all means persuade them, that they should yield obedience unto him. This George, saith the Author, was borne and brought up in the heresy of the Hussites. Now when Pope Pius did interpose himself as a Mediator between the King and his subjects, George did require of the Pope, that he might keep the Compacts agreed upon at Basil, in behalf of the Bohemians. And when Pius would not yield thereunto, the King calleth together the Estates of his kingdom, and protesteth that he would live & die in those Compacts, and so did also the nobles which were Hussites. This was done at Prague in the year 1462. This resoluteness of his caused that Pope to tolerate many things in him. But Paul 2, who succeeded in that See of Rome, did excommunicate that King, & set up a Croisado against him. Also he gave to Matthias the King of Hungary, the title of King of Bohemia. Onuphrius in the life of Paul the 2. saith, that the Pope did excommunicate him, and deprive him of his kingdom. Indeed for seven years this George & Matthias did war for it, and Matthias got from him Morauia, and Silesia, & a good part of the kingdom of Bohemia: Vratislauia also, and some other Provinces and Cities did put themselves in subjection to Mathias. Yet did not George deal hardly with the Papists which were in Prague; but in his greatest extremity did use both the advise and aid of many Nobles of the popish belief. At length, after the continuance of war for seven years, Mathias concludeth a peace with king George, both against the will of the Pope, and the Emperor. And then this King was content to ask of the Pope an absolution from the Excommunication, some Princes being mediators for him in that respect. But before the Agents could return from Rome, the King died, in the year of our Lord, 1471. By this Story it is manifest, that both noble and learned of high account, were of that Christian Beliefe which John Hus taught, and were contented to adventure all things which they had in the world for the maintenance of the same.

Perhaps here it may be asked; but how shall we know that John Hus and his followers did embrace that Religion which is now professed in England? We find in Aeneas Sylvius, some opinions of theirs, which peradventure will scant be reputed currant among all English Protestants. He rehearseth these four of theirs: That they would receive the Sacraments in both kinds; that civil dominion is inhibited to Clergy men; that Preaching of the Word was permitted to all men; that public crimes are in no sort to be tolerated. I answer, that truth it is, that he there mentioneth only those; and whether he relateth them truly or no, it may be doubted, as anon I shall show, by laying open the custom of the enemies of the Gospel, in misreporting their doctrine. But elsewhere he delivereth other opinions of theirs, as against the Supremacy of the Pope against Purgatory, against Invocation of Saints, and such like matters. If we return to Cochleus, who was best acquainted with their matters, we shall find much more. As thus, Hus translated all the Books of Canonical Scripture into the Bohemian tongue, and the people did most diligently read them. They would have the holy Scriptures to be the only Judge in Controuersies. They held, that all Bishops and Priests are the Successors of the Apostles; that, not the Pope, but Christ is the head of the Church, neither are the Cardinals the body, but all that believe in Christ; that, that the Pope is not a member of the Church, but of the Devil, and his Synagogue; that one Pope was a woman: yea, Hus did preach, that the Pope is an abomination, and Antichrist. Also he calleth the general Council at Constance, The Synagogue of Satan. Another of his articles was, The Pope is the Beast in the Apocalypse. His Scholars after his death, brake down the Images in Churches and Monasteries: yea, Zizka did cast down all the churches, which were dedicated to the virgin Mary, or to any Saint; as if it were lawful only to build a Church to Almighty God. In his time the professors began to be distinguished in two companies; the one of thē did not so much dissent from the Pope as the other: Those which in fewer matters diffred from the Bishop of Rome, retained still the name of Hussites; they which disagreed in more, were called Thaborites, of Thabor, the city which Zizka built for them. And these were the greater number, and the stronger. There is in Cochleus a confession of faith made by one Iohann. Pezibram, a Bohemian, who was but a Hussite, and not well affected to the Thaborites, because he accounted them as a kind of Precisians, or Puritans in comparison of himself; yet this more mild man doth wish and beg of God, to see a reformation of the Church, that there might be redressed Symonies throughout all the world, most detestable, most wicked, setting to sale of all Sacraments, most insatiable avarice, most impudent fornications, most putrefied uncleannesses, rottennesses most abominable, Concubines keeping most polluted, manners most dissolute, most corrupt gestures and behauiors, harlotry everywhere too too much multiplied in the Clergy, wherewith alas the whole world lieth corruptly filthy. Also the Lucifer-like pride of the Clergy is exalted above God, their dainty & daily banquets, their abundant riches, and rich abundance, their disquietness most litigious being the chief root of the quarrels of the world, their curiosity most vain, their most unseemly pomp of apparel, their conversation most Secularlike, their most open transgression of all the Commandments of God, their most remiss care of souls, their most negligent regard of the word of God. This he saith for himself: but concerning the Thaborites, who indeed came nearer to the purity of the Gospel, he witnesseth of them, that they held, that material bread doth remain in the Sacrament; that the Saints now triumphant are not to be called upon; that there is no purgatory; that no suffrages or prayers are to be made for the dead. Also they allow not of the holy days almost of all the Saints, nor of Eve or Vigils that go before them; nor the consecrations of visible things, as salt, oil, holy water, Bels, and such like. They have a schismatical celebration of their Masses, that is, a several sort of Church-service, and refuse the most celebrious service of the Church, and the rites and administrations of almost all the Sacraments. Let our Papists now speak, whether they & we do not agree in the same doctrine altogether. For I doubt not but they who had received so much grace frō God, as to see all these things, were also partakers of farther knowledge in the mysteries of saluatiō.

While I have spokē thus largely concerning these good Christians in Bohemia, let not any man imagine that Christ's faithful flock was restrained within the compass of that country, so that godly men were else nowhere to be found. For certain it is, that between the times of Io. Hus, who was burnt in the year 1415, and the first standing up of M. Luther, were very many other who in that darkness did see what belonged unto the light of the Gospel. Among these may be reckoned as very memorable the Waldenses; who about the year 1508, do make an answer in defense of themselves; and therein as they testify that then they had Priests of their own: so they speak against Purgatory, and most openly against Transubstantiation. The same touching Transubstantiation they do in a Confession of theirs, where also they impugn Adoration of the Eucharist. There also they name the Prelates Vnsauor • Salt, and avouch that the execrabl • naughtiness, which was in them by the instinct of the Devil, did drive them away from the Sea of Rome. For the Papists in their Sermons did call one another Schismatics, Heretics, Sacrilegious false Prophets, ravening Wolves, the Beast and Whore in the Revelation, of these there were many in one part of France, who time out of mind had refused to bear the yoke of the Pope, and therefore in the days of Francis 1. King of France, by a bloody decree of that King, but by the execution of one Minerius a most cruel person; Merindol & Cabriers, with some other villages about them, were sacked and destroyed, men, women, & children, being slain; yea, diverse of them being stripped stark naked first, and then murdered, and forty poor women being burned in a Ba • ne. I may add unto these many worthy men here & there dispersed, whereof all cried out against the Church of Rome, and desired a reformation, and many of them apprehended, and delivered to other the true means of Justification, which is the nearest point of salvation. The Author of the 16 Century nameth about the year 1500, and somewhat after (but yet before Luther) Baptista Mantuanus, & Franciseus Picus, Earl of Mirandula, both which much inveighed agaiust the Clergy and their whole practice. Also one Doctor Keiserspergius; another called John: Hilton; a third named Doctor Andreas Proles, and Sauanorola, all groaning under the burden of those times. The Oration of Picus in the Coūcel of Later an is extant; where besides his most bitter taxing of the filthy behavior of the Clergy, he useth these words: Piety is almost sunk into superstition. How Mantuan doth every where pay the Romanists, may appear to those who read his works. But one place of him I will name;

Some of them I English thus.

The opinions of Sauanorola against Popery are many; and for them (howsoever it be otherwise coloured) he was burnt. In the matter of free Justification he is clear. And the same is written also of Trithemius, another learned man, who lived at that time. How in England Christ had in all these times Professors of the truth, I shall have occasion to show anon, when I come to speak of John Wiclefe.

In the mean while I shall not do amiss to mention some other whowere between the days of Io. Hus, & M. Luther. A special oppugner of the Papacy was the learned Laurentius Valla, a Roman Patritian, and Canon of S. John of Later an there. He wrote a Treatise of purpose against the forged donation of Constantine. He prouounceth of his own experience, That the Pope himself doth make war against peaceable people, & soweth discord between Cities & Princes. The Pope doth both thirst after men's riches, and swalloweth up his own. He maketh gain of not only the Common wealth, but the Estate Ecclesiastical, and the holy Ghost. The latter Popes do seem to labor this, that look how much the ancient Popes were wise, and holy, so much they will be wicked and foolish. He lived about the year 1420, and for the freeness of his speech and pen, was by the Pope driven into exile. About the same time lived Archdeacon Nicholaus Clemang • is, who rebuked many things in the Ecclesiastical state, and spake excellently in the matter of general Councils, and their circumstances, as hereafter may be declared. Petrus de Aliaco, Cardinal of Cambray, gave a Tract to the Council of Constance, touching the reformation of the Church. There doth he reprove many notable abuses of the Romanists, & giveth advise how to repress them; There should not be multiplied, saith he, such variety of Images and pictures in the Churches; there should not be so many holy days; there should not be so many new S ^ts canonized; Apocryphal writings should not be read in the churches on holy days; such numerosity & variety of religious persons not expedient; there are so many Orders of begging Friers, that their state is burtheusome to men, hurtful to hospitals, and to the poor; few do now study divinity, for the abuse of the Church of Rome, who hath despised Divines; all now turn to the law, & arts of gain. He saith, that it was then a proverb, The Church is come to that estate, that it is not worthy to be ruled, but by reprobates. He hath very much more, and in the end concludeth, That as there were 7000, who had not bowed to Baal: so it is to be hoped there be some, which desire the reformation of the Church. Imagine whether this Cardinal, if he had found company to have joined with him, would not have said much more. About that time lived Leonardus Aretinus, whose little book against Hypocrites is worth the reading. So is the oration of Antonius Cornelius Eynni • hanus, laying open the lewd lubric •• e of Priests in his days. So doth he detect many abuses and errors, who wrote The ten grievances of Germany; but those who compiled the hundred grievances of the German nation, do discover many more. Finally, he who list to see further, that God even in those dead days, had diverse servants, who by more then a glimpse did see the truth, and desired yet to be more plentifully instructed in religion, let him read the Catologus testium veritatis, lately set out, and there he shall find diverse, whom I have not named.

By this time I trust it is manifest how falls a slander that of the Papists is, that before the days of M. Luther, there was never any man of our religion. Til the time of the Council of Constance, this case is cleared. And beyond that, it is as easy to show, that I. Hus, & Jerome of Prague had their imediat antecessors in witnessing the faith of Christ For they were instructed & much helped by the Books of Io. Wiclif an English man; and therefore saith Platina, as spectators of Wiclife, they were condemned in the Council of Constance. AEneas Sylvius showeth the means how those Bohemians came to know the doctrine of Wiclife, he saith thus, He who first raised up the opinion of the Hussites, had them frō Oxford, carrying thence into Bohemia Wiclefs books de Realibus Vniuersalib', Coehleus, who by his good will would be taken for a great defender of Popery, giveth yet a larger testimony; for he saith, That as a Bohemian brought first into Bohemia Wiclefs books de Realibus Vniuer salibus; so there was afterward one Peter Paine, a Scholar of Wiclefs, who after the death of his Master came also into Bohemia, and brought with him Wiclef books, which were in quantity as great as S. Austin's works: many of these books did Hus afterward translate into their mother tongue. In plain terms, after this the Author delivereth it, That the Hussites & Thaborites were branches of Wiclefe. And in the same book Hus did commit spiritual fornication with many strangers, with Wiclefist the Dulcimist, &c. And in the next he avoucheth, that Hus & Jerome took their heresies frō Wiclef. And once again he termeth the Protestant Germās new Wiclefists. What an opinion of this man I. Hus had, may be fully seen by that wish of his, wherein he prayed, that he might there be where the soul of Wiclef was. Now what Wiclef did teach, may be easily gathered, if by nothing else, yet by the deadly hatred which the Romanists did carry towards him. The Council of Constance did define him to be an Heretike long after his death, & commanded that his bones should be taken up & burnt. Also Pope John 23. in a general Council at Rome, did before that time condemn him for an heretic; which the Hussites did but laugh at: but no man had a harder conceit of him then Cochl. who sticketh not to affirm, that he thinketh that the torments of Wiclefe are greater in hell, then those of Judas, or Nero. If God almighty had no better opinion of him, the man were in an ill case. But the best is, this choleric Criticke is not the Judge of all the world. He was angry belike, in behalf of Transubstantiation, concerning which he citeth this article of Wiclefe: There was never a greater heresy, then that which putteth the Accident without a Subject in the Eucharist. But he might have named more points, wherein that holy man did differ from the Church of Rome. The Council of Constance picketh out 45. articles of his Positions, which the learned Reader may find there. Yet doubtless many of them are falsely reported, which is a matter common with enemies of the truth, to pervert & misconster, that so they may more freely defame. There was one Wilh. Wideford, who took on him to answer 18. articles said to be Wiclefs, whence a man may gathersome of his doctrine. But that all things there said against him were not true, may well be obserud out of the same answer, declaring that he had many things concerning Wiclef; but only by a fame and report, and that is not the most certain relater. What positions indeed he held, may be seen in M. Fox, reporting his life and actions, as also in Catalogo testium veritatis. And those who be not learned, may esteem of thē by the doctrine of Io Hu • before rehearsed, who by the testimony of the Papists themselves, as I have shown, maintained the opinions of Wiclef.

Now that this worthy Champion & Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ went not alone, but had many English men and women, who in his life time, & after his death believed as he believed, and professed as he professed, is in the next place to be shown. Among the chief of his fautours, were John of Gant, (as Parsons the Jesuit confesseth) and Lord Henry Percy; the one of them Duke of Lancaster, the other Marshall of England. M. Fox citeth out a Register of the Archb. of Canterbury, a Mandate that the Conclusions of Wiclefe were preached in diverse and sundry places of the Archbishops Province, generally, commonly, and publicly. The same also is manifested by a letter of the Archbishop to the Bishop of London; and in a Monition directed to Oxford, where it is said, that certain Conclusions heretical and erroneous were generally and commonly preached and published in diverse places of the Province of Canterbury. There be extant also Letters of king Richard 2. directly signifying so much. But there is nothing which may more amply testify the spreading of his doctrine, then an Act of Parliament in the beginning almost of that young Kings days, where it is related, that there were diverse Preaching daily, not only in Churches and Church-yardes, but also in markets, fairs, & other open places, where as great congregation of people is, diverse Sermons containing heresies, and notorious errors.

This putteth me in mind of a written book which once I saw, being a Chronicle compiled by a Monk of Leicester Abby; who, writing of the time of the said King, reporteth at large, that the people in fairs and markets, and riding by the way, and almost everywhere, would talk of the Scripture, and reprove the customs of that time, as also the Priests; to the exceeding great trouble and offense of the Clergy. This they might the rather do out of the Word of God, because the Scriptures were then translated into English, as may be seen by diverse Copies written and remaining unto this day, supposed to be so turned by Wicklef. And it is very probable, that in Leicester shire there were many of those of whom the Monk Leicestrensis spake, since, at Lutterworth a Town in that County, John Wicklef was beneficed. But the greatest part of this learned man's abode was at the first in the University of Oxford, where he was both a Doctor and Reader in Divinity; and therefore is to be conceived to have many learned men partaking with him in his opinions. Master Fox saith (out of the Chronicle of S. Albanes ), that he had a Benefice in Oxford; of which he was deprived by Simon Sudbury, Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. It may be, this was nothing else but the Mastership or chief Governors place in Bailioll College; which I am persuaded that he had, since there are yet two ancient Writings in the treasury of that College (which I have seen), which were made in the name of John Wicklef, Master of that house, and that in the days of King Richard the Second. But while he lived, he had so many favorers in that Vniuersity, as that Master Robert Rigges ViceChancelor, and the two Proctors, took part with him; as also Nicholas Herford, Philip Repington and John Ashton, Preachers and Batchelors of Divinity, and grew into great question for his cause: where Repington in the end being Doctor, did slip from him. Yea, so far was his doctrine there spread, that Pope Gregory the Eleuenth, in the year 1378, did direct his B • ll to the Vniuersity of Oxford against the Doctrine and Articles of that learned man, even Rome it self ringing of his opinions in that Vniuersity. Neither did his Followers die when he himself died. But long after that, Pope Gregory the twelfth did direct down another Bull to Oxford against Wicklef; in which he used the same words which his Predecessors had, that is to say, that Wicklef did follow the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua, and of John of Gandune of unworthy memory: Which speech is worth the marking; to show, that this man also had his Predecessors. The Copy of this latter Bull is to be seen in the Book which that worthy lover of Antiquities, Master Hare, gave to our Vniuersity: where also is to be seen in the Constitution of a Provincial Council, celebrated at Oxford, a sharp Inquisition decreed by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury, against all, even the heads of Colleges and Halles, and others suspected of Lollardy and Wicleuisme. They might well suppose, that the Students of that place were entertainers of such doctrine, since about that very time a testimonial was given in their Congregation house under seal, in favor of John Wicklef: where these words are among other; God forbid, that our Prelates should have condemned a man of such honesty for an Heretic. And yet in the Council of Constance he was condemned for such a one, forty years after that he was dead and buried. But all would not serve to extirpate his Books or memory out of our Vniuersity: but even in the days of King Edward the Fourth, there were new letters directed to the Governors of that place, by the King himself, to make search for his Books, and to burn them. I have in my custody a fair ancient Record of that Vniuersity: which, by means of a good friend, I have gained back to this place. And therein is a solemn Letter directed from the Conuocation of Doctors and Masters, to the King; te • tifying, that according to their Soueraigns Commandment, they had with accurate diligence searched out the Books and Tracts of Wicklef himself, and of Reginald Pecock, and had burnt them. So much ado was it, and that in so long a space, to suppress the head whereunto Wicklefs doctrine was grown in the famous Vniuersity of Oxford.

How elsewhere in this Kingdom, his positions were spread, may be easily collected out of Geffry Chaucer: who, dying about the year 1400, may rightly be supposed to have lived while John. Wicklef lived. This Chaucer, who wanted neither wit nor learning, did at large paint-out the pride, lascivious, vicious, and intolerable behavior of the Pope, Cardinals and Clergy, even applying the name of Antichrist diverse times unto the Roman Bishop, and saying, that There were many in those days of the speakers mind; yea, finding fault with their faith, as well as with their manners. The whole tale is well worth the reading: but I will cite only a few verses.

This and a hundred times as much, he expresseth in a simple plough man's person; as evidently inferring, that the husbandman & meanest country body of that time, by the reading and hearing of the Word of God, could tell what was right and religious, and what otherwise; yea, and complain of the blindness, and impiety of the Romanists in that age. But if we would be advertised, what even Laymen in those times could do, let us look into the Declarations of Walter Bruite, who was in question for his opinion, before the Bishop of Hereford, in the year 1393, and gave up a a little book, containing those t •• ngs which he maintained. The true copy of that treatise is yet extant, and deserveth to be read. There we may find these and the like positions: that Bread remaineth in the Sacraments after Consecration; that The Pope is Antichrist; that Nothing is to be believed, but what may be confirmed out of the Scriptures; that The Pope is the Idol of desolation, sitting in the Temple of God; that Antichrist is not to come of the Tribe of Dan, neither only to reign three years and a half: that The City Apoc. 17, is Rome; that Our Justification is freely by faith alone; that The doctrine of the Pope differeth from that of Christ; that Miracles are no assurance of truth; that Men are not rashly to be reputed Saints; that The Pope hath not power beyond other Bishops, neither is the Head of the Church; that Papists mistake the keys of binding & loosing; that Infants dying before Baptism, are not therefore damned; that Auricular Confession is not prescribed in the Scripture; that The Canon Law is ill grounded; that The Pope deceiveth men in his pardons; that Absolution is to be sought at the hands of God only; that The Priests use vain prayers in the Masses; that Exorcismes and holy water are unlawful; that Priests do sin, who bargain to sing for the souls of men departed; that Religious men and women are devourers of widows houses; that Selling of orders and dirges is naught; that The Pope is the beast with the two horns like the Lamb, while he challengeth the double sword; that He seeketh to be worshipped as God; that Dux Cleri doth make up the number 666; that Worshipping of Images is idolatry; that Temporal goods may be taken from the Clergy offending. There was a great Papist, one William Wideford, whom before I mentioned, who giveth testimony to this Treatise of Bruite, whom he calleth Waltherus Britta in Latin; and writing against Wicklef, maketh twice mention of a book of his own, sent to the Bishop of Hereford (Dominum Erfordensem he calleth him) in confutation of the book of Walter Bruite.

While I write these things, I cannot but think upon the audacious absurdness of an ignorant popish Doctor; who blusheth not to utter, that it is most manifest, that All in England were Papists, without exception, from the first christening thereof, until this age of King Henry the Eight. He is doubtless an honest man, and worthy to be trusted on his word. It is not only manifest, but most manifest, not that the greatest part, but all; yea, and because it shall not be scanted, all without exception, were Papists, &c. Were John Wicklefs bones burnt, because he was a Papist? And were the Bulls of the pope denounced against him for that cause? And were the Arch-bishop Arundels constitutions against his Followers so severe, because they were Papists? The man is to be pitied for his simplicity. A man may know by the Laws, Proclamations, Letters and Proceedings by the State, against some as against Heretics, as also by the records of Bishops yet extant; and by the manifold executions and burnings afterward, that even in that deep time of ignorance, England did give most noble testimony of Christ's truth against Popery; even so far, as to the fiery trial. If the Christian Reader peruse the Ecclesiastical History of Master Fox, he shall find, how before the Council, William Sawtree a Priest was burnt, & after him John Badby; & that because they were Wickleuists or Lollards (as they then called them), and not because they were Papists. There are the reasons also and asseverations of Puruey and Thorpe against Popery, with diverse other matters. And is it not to be thought, that the Heretics increased, when a Synod was assembled in S. Paul 's Church at London, into the which came twelve Inquisitors, who in a former Synod were appointed to sift and scan the writings of Wicklef, wherein they found 246. Conclusions; all which they supposed to be heresy? But it is plain, that in the first year of King Henry the Fift, diverse were put to death as Lollards. Afterward the Lord Cobham was hanged, for a show, as if he had been a kind of Traitor: but he was then also burnt as a reputed Heretic. So was one John Claydon, for his Conscience, consumed to ashes. Not long after the coming of Henry the Sixt to the Kingdom, besides diverse which were questioned and much troubled about religion, Taylor and White, two Priests, and Houeden a Citizen of London, were burnt: and some other followed afterward. Neither did the days of King Edward the Fourth, and of King Henry the Seuenth, escape without the Martyrdom of sundry English, yielding up their lives for Jesus Christ his sake, and for the profession of the truth: The particular Stories of whom may be found in the Author above-named. The Clergy of those times did bear much sway with their Princes, and left no means unsought, no stone unturned, to keep up the dignity and preeminence of their romish Hierarchy, and the superstitious Idolatry which then was in use. Now, if in the Rain of all these Princes, so many were slaughtered for the testimony of a good conscience, how many weak brethren were there, who made not open profession of their faith? & how many did there lie hid, diverse of them in probability having confederates, and some of them being Priests, and therefore not unlikely to have learning both to confirm themselves in the truth, and such others as heard them? Thus have I both in England and else-where brought up the doctrine of the Gospel, until the time of John Wicklef, who flourished in the year 1371.

Heer it may please the Reader to remember, that the judgment (before cited) of two Popes, was, that Wicklef taught the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua, & of John of G •• dune. Of the later of these there yet appeareth no monument written; but he joined in opinion with the former. But as for Marsilius Patauinus, our Adversaries cannot but acknowledge him to be a very learned man, after the measure of the age wherein he lived, which was in the year 1324. He wrote a Book against the usurped power of the Bishop of Rome; which argument he entered into, in behalf of the Emperor Louis of Bauiere, who was mightily laid-at by three Popes successively. There the Author auoweth, as right and just, the supreme authority of the Emperor, displaying the iniquity of the Popes usurpation over Christian Princes, and general Councils: The book is worth the reading, to see Whether all in times past did allow of the Popes doctrine and proceedings; or not: his opinions are these; I that The Pope is not superior to other Bishops, and much less to the Emperor and civil Magistrates; 2 that Things are to be decided by the Scripture; 3 that Learned men of the Laity have voices in Councils; 4 that The Clergy and Pope himself are to be subject to Magistrates; 5 that The Church is the whole company of the faithful; 6 that Christ is the foundation and Head of the Church; and appointed no one to be his Vicar; 7 that priests may be married; 8 that Saint Peter was never at Rome; 9 that The Popish Synagogue is a den of thieves; 10 that The Doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed, because it leads to everlasting destruction. In the time of this Marsilius, lived the noble Poet •• ente, who wrote also a book against the pope, concerning the Monarchy of the Emperor: but, for taking part with Louis Bauiere, he was condemned for an Heretike, and his book as heretical. Then also wrote Occam directly to the same purpose: but for his labor therein, and his large reproof of the Papacie in other points, he was excommunicated by the Roman Bishop: which he so much contemned, that he not unwillingly died under that Sentence. About that time were here and there dispersed sundry godly men, who saw more than the common sort touching religion; as Hayabalus a Minorite, who frequently said in his Sermons, that The Church of Rome was the whore of Babylon, and that the Pope and his Cardinals were mere Antichrists: which propositions were held somewhat before also by Gerhardus and Dulcinus, two learned men. This Dulcinus may be thought to have many followers, since Cochleus could say, that John Hus committed spiritual fornication with the Wickleuists and with the Dulcinists. The same opinions concerning the Pope and Rome, did that rare man, Franciscus Petrarcha, seem fully to embrace, as may appear to any who will read his works, howsoever Cardinal Bellarmine labor to make the world believe otherwise, being desirous to have us think, that Petrarch spake not against the Pope, but some abuses in the Court of Rome. And to make it plain, that it was not a slight conceit, or only in a few, that The Pope was Antichrist, and Rome was Babylon, Apo. 17. God stirred up yet more in that age, who proclaimed the same matter; as, Petrus Johannes Biraensis, or Piranensis, who was a Minorite; and for teaching so, was digged up after that he was dead; and his body, after the Sentence of Clement the Sixt, was burnt. A few years after him, did Johannes de Rupe-sciss • , a Monk, teach the same doctrine; which, as every man may guess, doth ruinate the Papacy in every respect. Johannes Gerson came not so far, but saw in his age many horrible abuses of the Church of Rome, and in his writing spake liberally of it. And it did bite deep, when he disputed, that the Pope might be taken away safely from the Church, and yet no danger follow of it. But let us now go a little higher.

I mentioned before, how Cochleus saith, that John. H • s took his doctrine from the Wickleuists and the Dulcinists. Hear, I pray you, what he saith: Hus did commit spiritual fornication with many aliens; with the Wickleuists, the Dulcinists, with the Leonists, the Waldenses, the Albigenses, and other of that sort, enemies of the Church of Rome. These Leonists or poor-men of Lions, and Waldenses, and Albigenses, were the same men, but diversely, on diverse occasions, termed by the Roman Synagogue which hated them. Their opinion then did Hus maintain. AEneas Sylvius doth also witness the same; affirming, that the Hussites did embrace the opinions of the Waldenses. There you may see, that their doctrine was against the Primacy of the Pope, Purgatory, and such like matters. Genebrard, who saith, that these Waldenses began, Anno 1170. or, as some other will, 1218. rehearseth out of Sylvius these opinions of theirs; that Prayers for the dead, and Purgatory fire, are an invention of the Priests covetousness; that Holy Images are to be defaced; that Confirmation and Extreme Unction are no Sacraments; that Auricular Confession is a trifling thing. He who list, may see a great many more of their positions agreeing with the doctrine which we teach: which may well also be gathered from the Jesuits themselves. For, that is the cause that Bellarmine joineth these together as Heretics; the Berengarians, the Petrobrusians, the Waldenses, the Albigenses, the Wickleuists, the Hussites, the Lutherans, &c. And Louis Richcome, another of that Society, in his defense of the Mass against the Lord Plessis, saith, that The Ministers, for the confirming of their figurative sense in This is my body, have none for their Doctors, for their Ancients, for their Fathers, but Berengarius, Zwingli, Calvin, Carolastadius, Wicklef, the Albigenses, the Waldenses. These Waldenses then and Albigenses are ours, by the confession of our Adversaries; and of these long agone there were no small company. For, as Du Haillan, in the life of Philip the Third, King of France, speaketh; being driven from Lions in France, they withdrew themselves into Lombardy: where they so multiplied, that their doctrine began to spread through Italy, and came as far as Sicily. As the same Author writeth, Philippus Augustus came to his Kingdom, Anno 1180. which is now more then four hundred years since: and in his time it was, that the Albigenses did so increase in France, that the Pope and Princes adjoining were afraid of their number. He who readeth the Story of them, shall see that they are reported to have held many gross, wicked, and absurd opinions mingled with their true Doctrine. But Du Haillan the best and judicious Chronicler of France, and no partial witness in our behalf (since his profession touching Religion, was such, that he was employed to write that Story by King Henry the third), had not so little wit, but that he perceived those imputations to be laid on them in odium, and of purpose to procure their defamation. See how wisely he speaketh truth and his conscience; and yet so coucheth it, that his fellows might not be justly offended at his words. Although, saith he, these Albigenses had evil opinions, yet so it is, that these did not stir up the hate of the Pope and of great Princes against them so much, as their liberty of speech did, wherewith they used to blame the vices and dissoluteness of the said Princes and of the Clergy, yea, to tax the vices and actions of the Popes. This was the principal point which brought them into universal hatred, and which charged them with more evil opinions then they had. Now first, that they were not men infamous, either for their vile opinions or filthy conversation; and secondly, that they were not only base and poor people, it is evident by this, that so many noble and worthy men took part with them, yea, to the adventuring of their lives in their company, and for their behalf; as the Counts or Earls of Toulouse, of Coninges, of Bigorr, of Carmain, yea, the King of Aragon. And when Raymund, the Earl of Toulouse, was for his belief excommunicated by the Pope, and a Croisado was proclaimed against him and the Albigenses, as if they had been Saracens or Infidels, not only the Counties of Foix and Coninges came with all their strength to assist Raymund, but Alphonsus, the King of Aragon, came in his own person to his succor, as being his kinsman and his friend. And when all these were met together; the report is, saith Du Haillan, that the Army of these Heretics did consist of about the number of one hundred thousand fighting men. These things being thus discovered by men of your own part; be ashamed, you Papists, and blush to spread among your simple and credulous Followers, that never men did as we do, nor believed as we believe, before Luther 's time; but that all Christendom formerly liked of the papistical doctrine and proceedings. But because you shall hear one testimony further touching these Albigenses and Waldenses, how honest and truly religious they were, I will cite what one Reinerius, a man who did hate them, and was (as it is supposed) an Inquisitor against them, reported concerning them, now 300 years ago, or thereabout. Thus then, among much other matter, he saith of them: There were many Sects of Heretics long ago: among all which Sects that are or were, there is not one more pernicious to the Church of God, than that of the poor men of Lions, for three causes. First, because it is of longer continuance: some say, that it hath endured from the time of Sylvester: others say, that from the time of the Apostles. The second is, because it is more general: for, there is almost no Land into which this Sect doth not creep. The third, that whereas all other, by the immanity of their blasphemies against God, do make men abhor them; this of the Lyonists, having a great show of godliness, because they do live justly before men, and do believe all things well of God, and all the Articles which are contained in the Creed, only the Church of Rome they do blaspheme and hate: which the multitude is easy to believe. And as Sampson' s Foxes had their faces several ways, but their tails tied one to another: so Heretics are diverse in Sects among themselves, but in the impugning of the Church they are united. There can hardly be found a more honorable testimony out of the mouth or pen of a bitter and bloody Adversary as he was, who wrote this & much more concerning those good servants of God. We shall not need to ascend any higher, since he giveth witness of the antiquity of their profession long before his time: which otherwise to make plain, is as easy, as to deliver that which hitherto I have spoken. And it is not to be conceived, that Petrus Waldo (of whom the Waldenses took their name at Lions ) had his doctrine from nobody, but that of himself he attained to his own knowledge, since he was not deeply learned. Berengarius indeed was only called in question for denying Transubstantiation in the Sacrament; but it may well be thought, that in something else he dissented from the Church of Rome: and albeit by his own weakness, and the importunity of the Clergy, he yielded once or twice to recant and abjure the true doctrine which he held, yet he had many scholars, who by his example would not be driven from the right belief which they had apprehended. These scholars were in France in great numbers, and in diverse other lands: and Genebrard cannot conceal it, but that about the year of our Lord 1088, Basilius the Monk did set on foot again the error of Berengarius. And might not the doctrine of both these be sucked from Bertram, who wrote so learnedly and so directly out of the Scriptures and Fathers against the real presence and Transubstantiation, that the Index expurgatorius cannot tell what to make of him? But the Bishop of Eureux, under the name of Henry Constable, termeth him The great fore-runner of all the Sacramentaries: and Richcome the Jesuit disclaimeth him plainly as a Sacramentarie Heretic. Then Calvin and Zwingli were not the first who gain-said transubstantiation. Before our ascending thus high, we might tell you of Saint Bernard: whom although it is likely, at the first dash, you will challenge as your own; yet, when you have well advised on him, you may let him go again: for, albeit he had his errors, which he sucked from the age wherein he lived, and we may not in all things subscribe to his judgment, but say of him, as commonly it is spoken, Bernardus non vidit omnia; yet we find in him saniorem partem, a liberal profession of many good & sound points agreeable to the Gospel. He, for a fashion, acknowledgeth many matters to be in the Pope, and giveth him greater titles than any Papist can justify; but it is, by such insinuation, to win him more attention frō Eugenius: and then, having procured liberty, or rather taken it to himself, he schooleth and lesseneth the Pope plainly; showing, that he liked not of their ordinary courses, neither did he repute him to have that preeminence or prerogative which his Parasites did allow him. But, touching the matter of merit by good works, for justification alone by Christ, of free-will, for certain assurance of salvation in the death and by the strength of our Savior, and for disliking then the vile life of the Clergy, how clear, how learned, how copious is he! These things we teach together with him; and, notwithstanding his other slips, we doubt not but his soul doth rest with the Lord, God pardoning unto him his errors and his ignorances; which he, being carried with the stream of that Time; did never discuss, but took them as they were delivered to him, without scanning or examining. And to this good hope we are firmly induced by that Saying of Saint Paul; Other Foundation can no man lay, but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ: and if any man build on this Foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, timber, hay or stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest: for, the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work that he hath built-upon, abide, he shall receive wages: if any man's workburn, he shall lose, but he shall be safe himself. He held the Foundation of justification only by faith in Christ; and that our best deeds are but via Regni, non causa regnandi; the way to the Kingdom, not the cause of reigning: and for that cause, we doubt not but his soul is safe, though his hay and stubble of praying to Saints, and such other stuff as cannot endure the fire of the holy Ghost's trial, do burn and consume. And this is our judgment touching many other both before and after the time of Saint Bernard; that, holding Christ the Foundation aright, and groaning under the heavy burden of human traditions, satisfaction, and other popish trash, they, by a general repentance from their errors and lapses known and unknown, and by an assured faith in their Savior, did find favor with the Lord. Such as these were we hold to be God's good servants, to be of the number of the Elect; and, propter sanioren et meliorem partem, for their sounder and better part, to be of that Church, whereof we are to be members; of that body, whereof (by the grace of Christ) we are a portion.

And in this respect our settled and resolved judgment is, that when it is asked, Where our Church in former Ages was; we may, besides that which we have formerly answered, truly say, that it was in England, in France, in Spain, in Italy, yea, in Rome it self: Spiritus vbi vult spirat, the holy Ghost breatheth where it pleaseth: for who cannot conceive by the writings of many in former Ages, or by such touches as others do give concerning them, that diverse, who lived nearest the Whore of Babylon, did most detest her abomination; and, finding that the weakness and impurity of her doctrine could not truly satisfy the hungry and thirsty soul, did, according to that knowledge which Christ out of his Word revealed unto them, seek some means which was not ordinarily professed in that Time? And if it be asked, Who they were, and how they could lie hid from the world? It may truly be answered, that their case was like the case of them in the days of Elias, who were not known to that State which would have persecuted them. Now, why should not we think, but as God had his secret and invisible company at that time, in that most idolatrous Country: so, in the time of the deepest darkness, he had those which saw light; his Christian Children, among Antichrists Brood; such as embraced true Religion; among the superstitious? So that Italy, and Rome, and these Western parts, had some of God's Saints in all Ages, who, like Sea-fish, most fresh in the salt water, and being removed in their affections, though not in their persons, did with Lot vex their righteous souls in the midst of a spiritual Sodom, and kept themselves unspotted of the world. And yet it is not to be taken, that we coarctate the Church within those Provinces only which looked towards the See of Rome; but know, that God had thousands of his Elect elsewhere. Christians have been in India, even by perpetual descent, from the days of the Apostles; and so in Africa among the Abissines, in infinite and huge companies; besides such as have continued in Armenia, Asia the lesser, Egypt, but especially in the Greek Church, which was never so much as in show extinguished; and from whom the Russians and Muscouites had their Faith. Our Popish Lads would gladly shut all these out of Christ's Fold, because they acknowledge not the Bishop of Rome for their Universal Pastor: but we should do wrong to Almighty God, to pin his judgment upon the Popes sleeve, and to offer to pull from him so many ample Churches; whereas charity and common sense might put us in mind, that he might there have thousands throughout all Ages. Look to these places, ye Papists, and imagine, that if there had been none but these; yet the words of the Scripture, which in generality speak of a Spouse, had been true: and Christ had there had his body on earth, and the Church had not been utterly extinguished, if neither we nor the Synagogue of Rome had been extant.

But in as much as it cannot be denied, but that the prophesies concerning Antichrist, do most touch the Western world, Rome being by the holy Ghost evidently designed to be the seat of the Whore of Babylon, as also because our Romish Standard-bearers are more willing to talk of those parts then of any other, I will once return again to the Countries near adjoining. Then, in some parts of Christendom, how many men were there in all ages, who loathed both the See of Rome, and the whole courses of it, as the Israelites did loath the Egyptians bondage? Matthew Paris alone giveth as many notable experiments that way, as relating the Acts of the Emperor Frederick, who put out diverse declarations in detestation of the Pope; and adding elsewhere, further of his own, that Pope Gregory did absolve from the oath of fealty, all who were bound unto the Emperor; persuading them, that they should be faithful in unfaithfulness, obedient in disobedience. But so much deserved the Roman Churches lewdness, which is to be execrated of all men, that the Popes authority did merit to be harkened unto by few or none. He reporteth also of a certain Carthusian Monk at Cambridge, who cried out against the Pope, and said, that He was an Heretic, and that the Churches were profaned; and of Robert Grosthead, Bishop of Lincoln, who was a man both holy and learned in his time. This Lincolniensis, while he lived, had many combats with the Bishop of Rome, and openly resisted his barbarous tyranny in domineering so far in England, as to enjoin provision of the best Benefices to be taken up for Italian Boys; which for a Prebend in his Church of Lincoln, he would not yield unto; and for that cause was by the Pope excommunicated. But when he was dying, he most bitterly inveighed against the Roman Bishop and the Ecclesiastical persons, as the most wicked men that did live. In the same Author you may also find the conceit which the most reverend Arch-bishop of York, Sewaldus, had of them and their proceedings. What should I mention Joachim, who said, that in his time Antichrist was already born, and was in the City of Rome? or that Bishop of Florence, who lived about the year 1100, and did use to say, that Antichrist was then in the world? Which moved Pope Paschalis so much, as that he thought fit to inquire of him in a Council, and did there castigate him for it. Notable in this kind are the Contentions of Philippus Pulcher▪ the King of France, and his whole Clergy, against Boniface the Eightth. I might add to these, Petrus de Brus, and many other learned men, who laid the Axe to the very Root of Popery, and some in set Treatises oppugned one of their documents, and some assaulted other; but that the Writer of the Catalogus testium veritatis, as it is lately enlarged, and Master Fox, and Master Bale, and diverse other, have largely handled this▪ to the reading of whose Books, I do refer them who in particular desire to be more advertised in this behalf. Now, if these things do appear much by their own witness, and by the confession of Papists themselves, as also by such few Records, as (by God's providence so disposing) do yet remain; how many illustrious arguments might there have been of the Confession of our faith, if the Clergy and Magistracy of those dark times had not burned and suppressed all things which made against them, as I shown before, touching the Books of John Wickles & Reinald Pecock in Oxford? The Clergy in those days did almost rule all: and they had the custody of all Libraries, to ransack at their pleasure, or to put in and pull out: and they had power to search poor men's houses, and to destroy what was thought fit by them to be destroyed. But God, who would not have his truth utterly burned or buried in ashes, suffered a remnant to remain, yea, and that in England; albeit Potydor Virgil, with an Italian trick of his own, did here consume and destroy many worthy and ancient Monuments.

By this time, I may well suppose, that some vehement Papist is even ready to swell, with his belly full of exceptions against these things here said. And first he will begin & say, that we rake together, as the Ancestors and forerunners of our faith, such as were notorious Heretics; as Wicklef, or Hus, or the Waldenses, men condemned by Popes or general Councils: and Heretics, as Campian telleth us, are the dregs, and the bellows, and the fuel of hell. These, as our Papists commonly say, are already fire-brands of hell, and frying there in flames. It is no rare matter with the Synagogue of Rome, to pronounce such Sentences as these are. Our Rhemists, by their Consistoriall or Imperial Decree, have defined, that Calvin and Verone are not only Heretics, but Reprobates, for writing so as they have done, touching the Article of Predestination: Yea, they call Master Beza, a Reprobare also, although he were then alive, and long after too; how • oeuer the Jesuits some few years since, did, by a most ridiculous pamphlet or other news, spread it in France and Italy, that he was then dead, and that dying had recanted his Religion, and was returned to the Romish faith; which also Geneva did by his example. It is no news with Jesuits to lie, and therefore Master Beza must bear with them; and so had he need to do with the Rhemists also, who got hastily into God's Chair, and there concluded him to be a Reprobate. But indeed these good Christians before-named, of whom many lost their lives for the maintenance of God's truth, were Heretics in such a manner, as Christ was said to be a blasphemer; who indeed was both called so, and condemned to be such a one, by the counsel of the high Priests, Scribes and Rulers of the Synagogue. We do not believe, that a • l those are Heretics, whom your Papists will so call or account: for, you give us that name, which, maugre your malice, you shall never be able to prove against us. They are truly orthodox and right Catholics, who teach nothing but that whereof they have evident warrant out of the Word of God. And this we have, as hath been oft shown by men of our side, and in that question we are ready at all times to iump with you, for any part or all the Doctrine we profess. With Saint Paul therefore we say, that, After the way that you call heresy, so worship we the God of our Fathers. The same which you maliciously and pres • mptuously term schism and heresy, is that, whereupon, under our blessed Savior, we rest our souls; and by the Confession thereof, we hope to be saved in the day of the general Judgment. Do not you therefore take that for granted, which is so highly questioned betwixt us and you; but rather, if you can prove our Prof • ssion to be heretical, by God's grace we shall not shrink at any of your biggest objections.

Yea, but say you further, The Writers which make mention of these your Predecessors, do brand them with the holding of some most gross and damnable doctrine, which you yourselves will not avouch. My answer is, that we our selves do easily believe so much: for, did malice, I pray you, ever say well? The Apostles were at more times, and in more places than one, charged with many accusations; which yet, in truth, were but calumniations: The old Christians in the Primitive Church were slandered, to use incestuous company each with other, like Oedipus, and to eat up man's flesh at the banquet of Thyestes; yea, their own servants for fear were induced to lay such matters to their charge. Athanasius was accused to have cut off ones hand: and a harlot to his face would have calumniated him to have committed fornication with her. This practice was never more liberally frequented, than by the enemies of the Gospel in the late days of Popery. You may remember what I cited before out of Du Haillan, concerning matters falsely objected to the Albigenses. There is extant an excursitory Oration of the Waldenses; wherein they say, that, for that their faith which they were ready to justify, they were condemned, judged, captivated, and afflicted; and afterward that they were called Heretics: but in their Confession they have it directly; Of these criminations whereof we are blamed of tentimes, we are nothing at all guilty. The Pope and his Chaplains were fell & furious against them, because they did bite so near: and therefore, to disgrace them both in present and to posterity, they held it fit, that by speech, preaching and writing, it should be divulgated, that they taught monstrous blasphemies; that by that means the credulous people might be prejudicate; and so not only frighted from hearkening to them, but be much the readier to join in the prosecution of them to prison and to death. But what they indeed held, is declared before. When John Hus was at the Council of Constance, he did openly call God to witness, that He did neither preach nor teach those things which his Adversaries did object against him, neither that they ever came into his mind. Neither is it to be marvelled, that they did load his scholars with the like false accusations, when their malice was such towards them, as that they burnt many thousands of them in Barns: which was done by the treachery of one Mainardus. In other places the Romanists have still held the same course of slandering: which caused the Protestants to profess in the Diet at Augusta, that Divers opinions were falsely reported up and down, which wrongfully were fathered on them; and that those were not only estranged from the holy Scriptures, but that they were abhorrent even from common sense. And is it not probable, that long since, when much darkness did cover the face of the earth, that few had grace to perceive their doings, and fewer had authority to question their doctrine, the Pope-holy Clergy, which hated the true gospellers with all their harts, would pay them with vile & odious reports; when in this Age, wherein God hath afforded more plentiful means to discover their false-hoods, they do dare, not only in their Sermons, or in their secreter whisperings, but in their printed books, to proclaim abroad concerning us, most false and ungodly calumniations and imputations; as, that we do teach all looseness of life and libertinism by this our new Gospel; that we maintain, that All sins are equal; that we hold it as a Maxim, that God is the Author of sin; and whatsoever it pleaseth Master Campian and his Fellowes to invent and devise touching us: whereas we utterly disclaim these and the like positions, as execrable and ungodly; yea, that Mounti-bank, which once before I mentioned, hath not blushed to asseuere, that we so teach, as that by our doctrine the Protestants are bound in conscience, never to ask God forgiveness of their sins; and that They are bound in conscience to avoid all good works; as also, that We make God the only cause of sins; and hold, that God is worse than the devil. So shameless was this fellow grown, that he neither knoweth nor careth what he saith: and yet many a poor Papist, abused and gulled by the devils deceiving instruments, doth swallow such Gudgeons, and runneth away with these things; being as verily persuaded of them, as that the gospel is true. Such a hand the seminary Priests have over their disciples, that they may not read our Books, to see whether these objections be true or no; neither may they hear ought to the contrary. Now, if they thus use us, who can speak for our selves; will any man marvel, that those who professed the Verity two or three hundred years since, do taste of the malignant aspersions of those Times?

The Romanists, notwithstanding all this which hath been said, do not yet so leave us; but once more further add, that none of all those which hitherto have been named, or can be named, but in some known, consessed, and undoubted opinions, did vary from you: and therefore they and you may not be said to be all of one Church. Our Masters of Reims do think, that this lieth hardly upon us: and therefore thus vauntingly they urge; that They will not put the Protestants to prove, that there were 7000 of their Sect, when their new Elias Luther began: but let them prove, that there were seven, or any one, either then, or in all ages before him, that was in all points of his belief. What the old Fathers taught, we may have time hereafter to show: but for other of later time, it is most easy to manifest, that all those whom before I have named, did generally, for all main matters, teach the same that we now do teach. There is no Papist, who can truly, and without calumniating them, or feigning things upon them, demonstrate, that in causes which touch the substance of faith, or the foundation of Christian Religion, they did dissent from us. He that will try this, let him look on the Declaration of Walther Bruite, which I before mentioned; and let him read it set down by himself, and not reported by other. And what did that learned Lay-man deliver there, which was not the belief of Wicklef, and the rest of the English, professing the Gospel in those Times? But if there be, in some petty matters, yea, questions of some reasonable moment, difference of opinion between them and us, shall we not therefore be of the same Church with them, or they with us? Yes verily: for, otherwise many of the ancient Fathers should not be of the Communion of Saints, or Catholic Congregation, with those who came after them, and amended their errors: for, was not Lactantius spotted with the Millenary infection? and Cyprian with the matter of re-baptizing? Had not Agustine an opinion of the necessity of the Eucharist to be administered to children; and that infants, being dead without Baptism, were not only deprived of the fruition of heavenly joys, but were damned to the pit of hell, and to everlasting torments? And what man, religiously affected, will suspect, but that although S. Cyprian and the other African Bishops, assembled in a Council, did, concerning the new baptizing of those who were already baptized by Heretics, determine clean contrary to Cornelius and the rest of the Italian Bishops, yet they should not be of the same faith in general, and of the same holy Church whereof Cornelius was? Saint Agustine can thus write concerning Cyprian: Whereas that holy man Cyprian ( thinking otherwise of Baptism then the matter was which was afterward handled, & with most diligent consideration established) did remain in the Catholic Unity; both by the plentifulnesse of his charity, a recompense was made; and by the sickle of his suffering, there was a purging. In another place he saith, The authority of Cyprian doth not terrify me, but the humility of Cyprian doth refresh me. He meaneth, that if that worthy man had lived to have seen more light in that argument, or to behold what the succeeding time had revealed and concluded in that behalf, he would, in great humility and meekness of heart, have conformed himself, and yielded unto it: which may justly seem for a true defense of the Waldenses, Io. Wicklef, John Hus, or any other servant of God, who might seem, in matters of small moment, to vary from us.

And thus I trust, that by this time it appeareth to everyone who will not willfully cloze his eyes, and stop his ears against an apparent truth, that God hath at all times had his Children holding the verity of Christian Religion, and not approving of the filthy Superstitions and sacrilegious Idolatries of the abominable Antichrist of Rome: So that it is a most fond collection, that either the Popish Conuocation or Confusion are the right and undoubted Spouse of Jesus Christ; or else, that for one thousand years together there was no Church in the world. They doat much upon themselves, and on the opinion of their beauty, who, in such intolerable deformities, do predicate and magnify their Synagogue, as the unspotted wife & mystical body of our most blessed Savior. Truth it is, that, intending to blind the ignorant, and to abuse the simple, they labored, by all external pomp and show, to give to their hypocrisy & outward formality a settled opinion of piety & sanctity: and for that cause, there was no corner of the brain of man, or rather of men, in many Ages succeeding together, unsought, to procure glory to that which in it self was very vnglorious. Their care therefore was, to convert the eyes of all persons on their external hue, which was marvelously adorned and garnished to the sense with their Crosses set up or carried before some Prelates, with the triple Crown of their Popes, in the red Hats of their Cardinals, the precious attire of some in their Churches, their prodigious apparel abroad, the diverse colored Couls of their Monks, such singing & chanting with Organes, such ringing of Bells, such trimming of Images, and many more such sensible matters, as that neither the Jews nor the Gentiles had the like. And among all this, if true Religion in diverse were present, it is not to be marvelled at, if she were scant seen, or if no notice were taken of her for her poor, and untrimmed, or vngarnished hue, for her naked simplicity, and vnpainted integrity. It was the commendation given to Solomon's Beloved, by whom the Church is represented, that the Kings daughter is all glorious within; her beauty consisting of purity in faith, verity in doctrine, seuereness in behavior, innocence, patience, and such like spiritual complements. And these are as much contemned in others, by the Antichristian Rabble, as they are neglected in themselves: whereas their external pomp, on the contrary side, is as much despised by the Lord, as it is magnified in their fleshly and carnal imaginations. The Lord direct us in his own ways, and call home such as willfully, or by ignorance, have gone astray; that at length they may be reduced to the sheepfold of Christ Jesus: to whom, with his Father and the blessed Spirit, be praise for evermore. Amen.