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Aerius Redivivus :
OR THE
HISTORY
O F T H E
Presbyterians.
CONTAINING
ThcBEGINNINGS, PROGRESSE.and
SUCCESSES ofthat AftiveSea.
Their Oppofitions to Monarchical and Epifcopal
Government.
Their Innovations in the Church ; and their Inthmlments of the Kingdoms and Eftates of Chriftcndom in the purfuit of
thcir'Deiigns.
From the Tear i^^ 6 to the Tear 1^47.
By PETER HETLTN,D.D,
And chaplain ro Charles I. and Charles II. Monarchs of Great Britain.
Ctie ^econD CDittotr.
LONDON:
Printed by Rchert Batter shy for Chriftopher Wilkinfon at the Black Boy over
agamftS. Dunjlans Ch\itc\\, znd Thomas Archer under the Dial of
S. Dmpm Church in Fleetftreet, andjehn Crojlej in Oxford.
u. DC. Lxxn:
If
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,i. ^HfOD C;f;05;Ci' ^^'^
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A,. ,-..
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'To the Right Honorable ,
. \\,\i '\\
The Lords Spiritual & Temporal, anj
Common s jn Pafliarnent affemtilecl.
i,' -i
\0V uf4''hre nfhjh'humMy imftored foy, the "^atrona^^sf^A^ Poft^IiuniDU si/r/i> of mjdear mi h)^md Fhthers hdho- riom\mind\ mtheCaufecfth's Kmgr donis profipakd fettled ILeligion. Tom May TafelyMieve the Tith'Mdgs' rephHs^to \foM.t^ true and' genuine ^ut^i^^ of^ t^^Bool^^'(i\jd V/V 'mbfi h'imhly inthated that Ton ^Ould tot ; For- ^ Ton m-
m^ur^^cdrtfrmf\ihe Exm^m^iy^ofAt^ofs^.kfm You hafm.Jevifed,and Sacred jyiajefty confirmed, for
(Iff ear ill Up^^^tfMWkny, rphofeKudc humor W ungo- ^•verned Zeal ^ here re f relented . It ipould be an
(A) ' immodefl
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
immodefl boldnefs in me to prefs Tour belief jpith my Ajfertiom of the haffy performances herein. And they being for the mofipart but faithful CoUeBions of matter of Fad, tranfa&ed by the Anceftors of a Sed^ to this day more then enough n^arm in tht Boweh of thefe Kingdoms ^are toftand and fall in Tour Grave and Ju- dicious opinions y according to their correffondency mtb the Annals of your own and other Countreys. If I had nothing to plead for the Publication of this Hiflory, but the ^eal of a Son to preferve his Fathers Ojf-Jpring from treading too clofe after him to the Grave, I doubt not it npould eafily prevail withfo much Noblenefs as the High and Honorable Court of Parliament doth imply : But I am moreover apt to believe, that when Tour Wi^oms pleafe toconfider^that the Party here- by proved peccant , are ^ill fo far from Repentance, that they dare to boafi their Innocency, and vie Loyal- ty and peaceable mindednef sat the fame rate (at leaft they did before our late Troubles and prefent Diftem- pcrs made their Turbulencies and Seditions notori- ous \) I may then reafonably , I hope, beg Tour favor- able acceptance of this Dedication ; or at leaft depend upon that pardon from you, which the offended Party will be unwilling to allow to him, who though unworthy fo great an honor, craves leave tofubfcribe himfelf,
( Right Honorable Lords and Gentlemen )
Your moft Devoted and Obedient Servant,
Henry Heylyn,
The Pre-
THE
P R= E F A C E
i
^Ntcnding a complcat Hiftory of the Pres,' IhytmanSj in all the Principles, Pradticey, 'and moft remarkable Proceedings of that dangerous Seft j I am to take ^higher aim then the time ot CdVin ( though he be commonly pretended for the jFoijnder of it) and fetch their Pedigree from thole whofe ftcps they follow. For as our Saviput j&id to feme of the Jews, that they were of their father the PeVil, and the Ttiorks of their Father they ipohU do: So by their works, that is t© fay, by the (Jpinions which they hold, the Do(5trines which they preach, and the Difturbanccs by them made in theft parts of Chriftendom, we may beft find from what Original they derive themselves. I know that fome out of pure zeal unto the Caufc would fain in- title them to adefcent from the Jewifli Sanhedrim^ ordained by God himfclf in the time of Mofes : And that it mighc comply the bitter with "^thcir ends and purpofes , they have ctideavouted to make that fanaous Confitlory of x\i^
A Seventy
THE. <P ^E F J C E.
Seventy Elders, iiot only a co^orclinate power with that of Aio/w, and after his deceale with the Kings and Princes of that State in this Pablick Government j but a Powec Fa» ramount and Supreme^ froifi Which lay no appeal to any but to God himfelf : A power by v^hich they were ena- bled not onely to control the anions of their Kings and Princes, but alfo to correal; their pcrfons. Which as I can by no means grant to be inveited in the Sanhedrim by God himfelf, or otherwife ufurped and pradtifcd by them in the limes of that Monarchy ^ though poflibly they miglit pre- dominate in thofe times and intervals in which there was no King in IJiael (as fuch times there were ) fo neither can I yield unto the Presbyterians any fuch Prerogative^ as to de- rive, themfelvei and their pretenfions, whethcr4t: be over Kings or Bifliops, front the Jewifli Sanhedrim. And yet I fliall not grutch them an Antiquity as great as that which they defirc, as great as that of M^^ej- or the Jewifli Sanhedrim^ from which they woiildfo willingly derive them-
--'^^riVif^Hes^'iipbii^i'te fh "t^^rpii felled oppofition, ^Vwcll'toah 'Nionarchit^aJ as Ep1{c6paitibvernmenc,vve cm- tiot butgi^^ them art fextia^tioh ^roiri that famous Triurtt- \irAth^^Pah,'}yathdn's^t^d^jihiMhf^^c^^ in. a Defign a-
gai^ft Mops 2MciSam^igi\ii^ the Chier^rieft and the Su pretu? 1?titfce I tHbn'MVotHerWiTc^f different FamiHes/afnd having feffercifit Codwls ampr^gff t>icmfe1v6s. l^^or Daihah 2i\^d.4r *^^i^'^\(^(6'dfe¥cc'ndedPfr6W^'th^ ofiedeif^ the eUeft
Sd'n 6^ Fkthct^ Jdrt^ ^ ^h'dfficrcfore thought themfelves more fia^abte or 'tfh^^^ Sovcraigri^^p^er thtn'MefeSj who defccnded ftdfn.'a ybuti^^^t'hotrfe. ^' i\r?d i(p^4'3io'dght hirnfelf as nriuch iiegl^aed 'ilS^ft^ln^' M^kpljan-'ihci'6n of V;^eltq haye jSeei^ ttia(i64h^' Fi^ncejoPtije^'i^fikifc/f f/ (the principal f ami- iy'bf^the£eV/f^i'4Tei^*MHkat 6'^:^erfon) whtn he Inmrel'f d'fffc'eiideibPtiiedder fiMhcr. -Nor. was he able tGdifcern, Biitthat i^fHif^vvil^t-artf ilichif«icc'fiii^^ofhaving one Pn'eft ^bove the*'^refe'Sn plaix:^ ^ain^ power, 'the Iv^litie might fit
THE ? ^B F A C E.
as well upon his head as on that of Aaron^ whofe readincfs m complying wich the peoples humor in fetting up theGoldcn- CalF, had rcnd^ed him uncapable of fo great a cruft. Haying conferred their notes, and compared their grievahccs, thev were rcfolvcd to right thcmfelve?, and to have neither any Chief Prieft or Soveraign Prince to Lord it over them but to ere(5t a parity both in Sacred and Civil mattery^ as mofl: agree- able to the temper of a free born Nation. They had got little clfe by being fee at liberty from the Houfe of Bondage, if they ftiould no vv become the Vaffals of their Fajhers Children. But i? firft they were to form their Party s and they did it wijely drawing no fewer then two hundred arid fifty of tht chief men of the AlTembly to confpire with them in the Plot. ' Ani thatthey might allure the people to adhere untti them, they flatter thciii with an hope of an abfolute'Frecdbiti, ^nd fuch a power in Sacred matters, as (hould both aufhoriie' arid j(ii ftifie their approaches to the holy . Alrar, withoiit! the irit^'r- v^ntion of Prieft or Prelate. Whicfi htmg done, they boldly fliew themfclves againft Mofes and Aaron ', arld'tbld them plainly to their faces, that they took more upd;i th'em theii belonged to either j that all the Congrcgatidri w^s holy li- very onc'of them, in regard that God appeared fo vifibly 4- mongft them > and therefore that thej^' had done ttijit vvhicH they could not juftific, in lifting thertifelyes stb-ov^Vhe Cdif- gregation ofthe Lord. In which^rito be ob^rViif ^liat though fome of the chief Princes of the Houfc'of £>^ii/ '^tiA perhaps many alfoof the other Tribes did appear in tfife A^f- on ; yet it is plainly called in Scriptute; Tke Gkn-tapng^df fyah ; either becaufe the pra6bicfe''wai of Hs'CofttrivC' ment, or chiefly carried on by the'power an(f 'g!6dft:.ytf|jicll he and his Accomplices of the Tfibd of Levf'^hitd gafrteii amongft thecommon people, by jtieafon of their Iriterc^i and Concernments in Sacred matters : fo ekcdicnt are th'^ opportunities which are.aflforded to tihquiet and' feditious meiv^when either by a leeming zealtotheWorfliipofGbd" ot by fome fpecial place and intereft in his Publick Servicd, they are becorhc confidemfedc iti the eyes ofthe V«lgar.
A3 Thcfe
r H ^: r %E F J CE.
Thcfe w^rc the firft feeds of thoie dangerous Doftrincs,and jncft unvvarrantab'e prad:iccs, \^ liich afterwards brought forth fuch fad cifc^s toward the latter end of the Jewifh State, when the Phanfees began to draw unto themfelves the managing of all aff^xts, both Sacred and Civil. They were not igno- rant of that high difpleafure which God had manifcftly Ihcwn aeainft the principal Authors of that fifl Sedition, who un-- der the pretence of regu'ating the Authority ofhis two Chief Minifters, had put a baffle, as it weie, upon God himfelt, X whole Servants and Minifters they were. The Pharifces tlierefore were content, that both the Chief Priefl and the Su- preme Prince fliould ftill prefcrve their rank and ftarion, as iri former times i butfo, that neitherof them fhouM be a- tie to a6i: any thing of weight and moment, but as direded by their counfels, and influenced by their ailil'larxe. For the ODtainingof which point, what arts they ufed^ what pradi- cesthey let on foot, and by what artifices they prevailed up- Qn'mens affedions j as alfo into whatcalamitics they plunged that Nation.by the abufe of their Authority, having once ob- tained it> fhall be laiddown at; large in the following Hiflory- A.11 the particulars wlierepf, the Reader i J defired to obfcrve ciiftiB^ly> tliat ;he inay fee how panclually the Piesbyreri- ans of Qur tinies have played the Phariiees ; as well in the. getting of their power by leffcning the Authority both of Prince; and- Prelate, as. in cxafpcriartifig the people to a ^angerpu?. W.at forche deftrudtion of them both •■, the cal- IW ir;i ot^f oreiri Force* to abet their quarrel , the Fradiions ^nd'DivlfioflVamongitthfmlclvcs i and the moftwoful Dc- fplation, !. HKijch they-hay-c broagbt'upon thc^happieft and mofi flbtitiftitig Church; which^theSunof Righteoufncfs e^ ve^ {hined on linco tjie Primitive-..timcs, • NecoVww oyo^ neclat bBlfmjl.i»f- -, 7w/»/>ir;Could not make- himfelf more like A}»ptfi(riOy not t^er^cury play, the. part of Socix with mor^ teferr>blar)GC th^efijthc fjofuing Story may be parallel'd ih^^Wlafe'Combuftions J: A<aror For Af(or, Pare for Pirt, and Line |qr:%ine i, -there,. being, nothing alttrcd (in a
zh man-
THE ? ^'t:F /f C E,
manner) in that fearful Tragedle, but liic Srage or Theatre- Change the Stage from ^jlSine^ or the Reslm ofjuda^ and wefliall feethcfamcPlay aited over again in nnny parts and Provinccsof the Chriftian Church, /n which we fi.id cije Doctrines of the Pharifccs revived by fomc; their Hypocrine or pretended purity, taken up by others ; their Artifices ro en- creafe their party in the gaining of Profdytes, embraced and followed by a third, till they grew formidable to rhofc pow- ers under which they liv.'d ■■, and finally, the fame Confuhons introduced in all parts of Chriftendom, in which tlieir coun- fels have been followed Which li fhall generally reduce un- der thefe four he^ds ', that is to fay, The practices of the "Nova- tians in the North ^ the Arrims in the Eaft i the Do/iatifts in ^L fri(\^ot the Southern partsi and the ^Prifcillianifis in the Weftern. The arcs and fubtilcies of the PhanTees were at firft fuppos'd to be too Heterogeneous to be all found in any one Se£i: of Here:; ticks amongftthe Chriftians, till they were all united in the Presbyterians ; the Se<5ts or Hcreticks above mentioned, partis cipating more or lefs of their dangerous counfcls, as they con- ceived it neceffary to advance their particular ends : In the pur- fuance of which ends, as the Adrians ventured upon many points which were not known to the Noyatians, and (he Dona- ttjis upon many more, which were never praftifed by the ^rrr- ans ■ iothcPrifcillianijisd:d3.smuc\\ exceed the Donatifis in the arts of mifchief, as they themfelves have been exceeded by the Presbyterians in all the lamentable confequents and ef- feds thereof : \^hich I defire the Reader to conhder diftindly^ that he may be his own Plutarch, in fitting them, and every one of them with a perfect parallel in reference to thofcmen whofc Hiftory 1 (hall draw down from the time o(Cal<Tfin un- to thefe ourdays, tracing it from Gem'z/a into France^ from France into the H.therUncls^ from thtN thtrlanis to Scotland, and from thence to EngLnd : And in this fearch I fiiall adven- ture upon nothing but what is warranted by the Tcftimony ofunqueftioned Authors, from whofc fence I fliall never vary,
though
TH E <P ^E F J C E.
though I ma}' find it fcmctimes nccclTary notto Life chclr words And by Co doirg,! fliall Kctpmy felf unto the rules of aright Hiftorian,in delivering ncthingbut the Truth :, without omit- ting any thing lor fear, or fptakirgary thing in favour of the adverfe party, but as 1 fhall be juftified by good x\uthoricy.
THE
. ''^
The
"-.*■'.
G N T E N T S.
Lib. I.
V
'-."'' , CbiltainitT;? ,
• "JHpr*-' Hepfi hfiltutioH of ^fieshyt^ry in tlieToipn 0/ Geneva.. i th^ An^^artd
fl Praciices by vhich it was inifojed on the necl^ of that City, an'd pre fed upon all ]
JL t^he Churches of the Jieformathn j together mith the dangerous Principles and **
Popions of the chief Contrivers, in the purfuance of their projeFt^ from the yeari$i6totheyearis8s. ^..i,., ,.i,J • - .
Containing -,:-.., u
Their manifold Seditions, Confpiracies, and InfurreFlions in the Realm e/Ffance j their Libelling againfi the State, and the fV^f-i there raifed by their procurement from thejear [1$$9 to l$S$.
;:";;, ::. :. O
Containing
Their Po fit ions and Proceedings in the Higher Germany ; their dangerous DoBrines and Seditions ; their Innovations in the Church, and alteration in the Civil Government oftheBdgickProvinces,fromtheye^,i^^f^','tithr)e4rl%8i. ,. ^
(j];ontaining
Their Beginning, Progrefs and Pofitions ; their dangerous PraElices, InfurreEtio»s,And Confpiracies in the Realm of ScothxiA, from thejear 1 544, to the year 1 566.
,, • .J . , _ i J ■ ■ I ^ulan^f'. ,'1
Containing., ^ ,V.:*.3-bi
A farther difcovery of their dangerous DoElrines, their oppofitions to Afonarchical and Epifcopal Government in the Realm of Sbotlaiid -, their fecret PraH-ices and Confpiracies to advance their Difcipline ; together With their freijuent Treafons and Rebellions in the pfirfuance of the fame, from they ear 1^'$ till the year 1585. . hai,ho3i \ -;-\i.iA ).a ^^. . .iJ.;i a.-.'ii ■ ^ , . ' : ■ V
".r. ..'v; ' . i.-.'."\Vi(iW.. A^iX ^..?,^,^^■y
•■■'" ■; ■:■'•- A . :^ . ••."T ■••V ■.\Contiining. . .:. .
The beginning,progrefs, and proceedings of the Puritan Faftion>» ihi Realm of Eng- land, in reference to their Innovations both in Doctrines and Forms of Worflsip ; their Op- pofition totheChurch,and the Rules thereof ; from the beginning of the Reign of King Edward VI. 1 ^^S, to the fifteenth year of ^ueenEWzsheU], Anno 1572.
Lib.
THE CONTENTS.
Lib. VII.
Containing A Relation of their fecret and of en PraSiices; the Schijm and FaSionlrjthem raifedfor advancing the Geneviaii Dtfcipine in the Church of England, from the year 1572 M the ^ear 1584. -j ■ y , ■
Lib. VIII.
Containing The SeditioM fraUices and f options of the f aid Englifh Puritans ; their Lihellinfr^ Railings and Reviling^ m order to thefetting up of the holy Difcifline-j from theyear 1 584 totheycar 1589. The undntiful carriage cftheFrench^andthehorrii'Ieinfilenciesofthe Scottifh ?i€sb\tets ; from the jear i^S$ to the yean $92.
• ' - = • Lib. IX.
Containing Their DifoyaltieSyTreafont, and Seditions in France, the Co««r;i 0/ Eaft-Friefland, iind the J lies o/Britain, ht more particularly in England , together vith thefeveral Laws made again]} them, and the federal exceptions in purfuance oft hem, from theyear 1 589 to theyear IJSPS-
, , Lib. X,
Containing A relation of their Plots and PralHcej in the Realm ofEnghnd^their horrihlelnfolencies^ Treafons^and Seditions in the Kingdom of Scotiand,from the year 1595 to theyear 1603.
^ Lib.XL
'^"^ "■" . Containing
Their fuccefes either good or iad inEnghnd, Scotland, Ireland, and the Ifles of]ct- fey, from the jear 16OZ to theyear 162$ \ipithfomewhat touching their afatrs, as veil in France and Sweden, m the Bclgick Provinces.
, Lib. Xir:
:.w,' •V^.r-ijv ■■■....■\\:. . . \
d3?i^;.. ; !-t I -Containing
Their tutnultffating in the Eelgick Provinces j their Practices and InfurreBions in the Hichcr Geimany ; the frufl rating their defgn en the Churches of Btzndenhmg; there- volts of Trarfylvania, Hungary, Auftiia and Eohtmia, and the Rehetlions of the French ■, from theyear 161c to the year 162S. '■■ "
.xr~^, - .\> ^ib. Xlll.
;. , .:.,' \Cbntaining The InfurrcBionof theTreshyttmnand?vitkan¥a(\ion in the Realm c/ Scotland' ^ the Retellicns raifedhy them in t-X^ivA:, their horrid Sacrileges, Afurders, Spoils and Rapines In purfuit thereof; their Innovations both in DoBrine and Difcipline,andthe great Alteration made in the Civil Gcvtrt met.t-, from theyear 1536/0 theyear 1647, rphenthej werfJIriptefallCmmandiytheln^jp^ndems.
AERIVS
l:i
J E%IV S \EDlVIfp Si
O R T H E
HISTORY
O F T H E
Presbyterians.
-*"*
LIB. I.
Containing
The frJihJlitHtion of PreshytQik in the Town of Geneva. ■■, the Arts ami TraEikes by which it n^as impoftd on the nech^ of that City^ ■and preffed upon all the Churches of the (^formation ; totr ether with the dangerous Principles andPoftions of the chief Contri- yers in the purjuance of that projeU^from the Tear 153^ to the tear v^^^t^.
T fuch time as it pleafed God to raife up Mmi» Luther.a Divine o( Saxome, to write againft theer- roturs and corruptions of the Church o£ Rome-, Ulde- rick Ztiinglim , a Canon of the Church of Zurick^ endeavoured the like Reformation amongft the Srvitzers : but holding no intelligence v^^ith one an- other, they travelled divers ways in j)urruance of
, it J which firft produced fome Animofities between
themfelves, not to be reconciled by a Perfonal Conference,which by the Lintgr^ve of Hafm was procured between them ; but afterwards occa- "cvhed far more obfttnate rupturesbetweenthe followers of the Parties
B in
1517.
\
€t^t ^iHm otti^e 5^tc0l)tterian0«
in their feveral ftations. The Zuinglian Reformation was begun in defacing Images , decrying the cftablilhed Faftsand appointed Feftj- vals, aboliftiingfet forms otworfhip, denying the old Catholick Do- drine of a Real Prefence,and confequently all external reverence in the participation of the bleffed Sacrament •, which Luther ferioufly labour- ed to preferve in the fame eftate in which he found them at the prefent. They differed alfo in the Do(5trine of Predeftination , which Luther tau<»ht according to the current of the ancient Fathers , who lived and flourifhed before the writings of St. Auguftine j fothat the Remanifis had not any thifi§ to except againft in that particular, when it was canvaf- fed by the School-men in the Council oi Trent. But ZuingltHs taught, as was colleded from his writings , " That God was the total caufe of *' all our Works, both good and evil 5 that the Adultery of X>.w/W, the <J^ " cruelty o{ MMlm-i and the treafon o^^udai, were the works of God, *' as well as the vocation of Saul 5 that no man hath power to think *' well or ill, but that all cometh of abfolute neceflity ■■, that man doth " nothing towards his Predeftination , or Reprobation , but all is in " the Will of God 5 that the Predeftinate cannot be condemned , nor *' the Reprobate faved t, that the Eledt and Predeftinate are truely jufti- " fied 5 that the juftified are bound by Faith to believe they are in the " number of the Predeftinated ; that the juftified cannot fall from « Grace, but is rather bound to believe, that if he chance to fall from ''Grace, he ftiall receive it again ^ and finally, that thofe who are noc " in the number of the Predeftinate , ftiall never receive Grace, though «« offered to them. Which difference being added unto that of tne Sacrament, and eagerly purfued on both fides , occafioned fuch a mor- tal and implacable hatred between the parties, that the Lutherans have folemnly vowed rather to fall off roundly to the Church oi Rome , then yeild to thofe Predefiinarian aud Sucramcntar'j pejlilences, as they com- monly called them. But Zuinglim in the mean time carried it amongft the Srvitzers •, five of thofe thirteen Cantons entertain his Doltrine, the like did alfo divers Towns and Seignories which lay neareft to them ; of which Geneva in a fliort time became raoft confiderable.
1-4 Geneva is a City of the Alpian Provinces belonging anciently to the Allohroges , and from thence called Aurelia Allobrogtm by fome La- tine Writers ', fituated on the South-fide of the Lake Lemane^ oppofite t6 the City of L0zanne in the Canton of Berne , from which it is di- ftant fix Dutch Miles : the River Rhofm (having paiTed through the Lake with fo clear a colour , that it feemeth nor at all to mingle with the waters of it ) runneth the lower part thereof , over which there is a paffage by two fair Bridges-, one of them the more ancient, and the better Fortified , belonging heretofore to the old Helvetians , but bro- ken down by ifitliut Caftr , to hinder them from pafldng that way into CaHja. The compafs of the whole City not above two Miles , the Buildings fair , and for the moft part of Free-ftone -, the number of the Inhabitants about feventeen thoufand, and the whole Territory not exceeding a Diameter of fix Leagues where it is at the largeft. Brought under the obedience of the Romans by the power of Csfar :,it continued a member of that Empire 5 till the Burgundians , in the time of Ho»*riftf> poffcffed themselves of all thofe GaWck Proviacet which lay toward
the
ts^ ^ino^nt t]^ ^^^htmiam.
the Jlpes. In the Divifion of thofe Kingdoms by Charles the Bald it was'made a part oi Burgundie^czikdTra^sji&axia , becaufc inlay be- yond the Jour -^ and vf^^ by hhn conierred on Co»rade a. Saxo» Prince , Ton of Duke Wit'ihind the Third , and younger Brother of Robert the the £rftEarlof Anjca, At the expiring of whofe Line by which ic -had been held under feveral Titles of King ^ Earl , and Duke , it was by Rodelph the lail Prince beftowed on the Emperour Henry firnamed the Phick , as his neareft Kinfman • and by 'that means united to the German Empire , governed by foch Imperial Officers as were appointed by thofe Eraperours to their teveral Provinces 5 till by the weaknefs or improvidence of the Lords in Chief thofe Officers made themfelves -Hereditary Princes in their feveral Territories,
3. In which divifion of the prey the City and Seignory of Geneva^ which before was governed by Officiary and Titular Earls, accountable /
to the German Empire , was madea Soveraign Eftate under its own "^ Proprietary Earls , as the fole Lords of it. Betwixt thefe and the Bifhops (Suffragans to the Archbifliop o^Vienua in Daulphine) grew ma- ny quarrels for the abfolute command thereof. In time the Bifliops did obtain of the Emperour Frederick the firft , that they and their Suc- cefTors fliould be the fole Princes ofGene'va^ free from all Taxes,and not accountable to any but the Emperours: which notwithflanding, the Earl continuing ftiU to molefl the Bifliops , they were fain to call unto their aid the Eir\o( Savoy, who took upon him firfl as Prote(5tor onely, but afterwards as Lord in Chief. For when the Rights of the Earls of Geneva, by the Marriage o( Thomas Earl of Savoy with Beatrix a Daugh- ter of the Earls,fell into that Houfe; then Jnte or Jmade the firft of that name obtain'd of the Emperour , cha^efthe Fourth, to be Ficar General of the Empire in his ownCoantrey, and in that right Superiour to the Biihop in all Temporal matters : zxidAme or Amade the firfl Duke got from Pope Martin (to the great prejudice of the Bifliops) a Grant of all the Temporal Jurifdidions of it. After which time the Bifliops were conflrained to d6 homage to the Dukes of^^'y^;', and acknowled<Je . them for their Soveraign Lords: the Authority of the Dukes being grown fo great (notwithflanding that the people were immediately fub"^ jed unto their Bifhop onelyj that the Money in Geneva was flamped with the Dukes Name and Figure? Capital Offenders were pardoned by him -, no Sentence of Law executed, till his Officers firfl made ac- quainted 5 nor League contradled by the people of any validity with- out his Privity and Allowance ; and finally,the Keys of the Town pre- fcnted him as often as he fliould pleafe to lodge there : as once for in- ftance to Charles the Third , coming thither with Beatrix his Wife, Daughter of Portugal. But flill the City was immediately fubjed to the Bifhops only, who had as well the Civil as the Ecclefiaflial Jurifdidion over it, as is confeflby Calvin in a Letter unto Cardinal Sadolet,tho\igh as he (4) thought, extorted fraudulently , or by force, from the lawful d) mbebit Magiflrate : which lafli he added in defence of the Genevians^ who had v^siiid''^, ^ then newly wrefledthe Supream Authority outof the hands of the Bi- flri/H^i^^if fliop , and took it wholly upon themfelves •, it being no Felony (as he pines, fed m^- conceived) to irob the Thief, or to deprive him of a power, to which he f J"f' '" could pretend no Title but- an Ufurpacion.
B 2 4. In
Cl^e ]^ittojt o( tl^e i&jcgbf teriansJ.
I
1528; 4. In this condition it continued till the year 152S, when thofe of Berne, after a publick Difpuiation held, had made an Alterarion in Re-' ligion •, defacing Images , and innovating all things in the Church on the ZHingliM Principles. Vireatts and Farell/fs, two men exceeding ftu- dious of the Reformation , had gained fome footing in Oenevd. about that time, and laboured with the Bifliop to admit of fuch Akerecions as had been newly made in Seme. But when they faw no hopes of prevai- ling with him, they pradifcdon the lower part of the people,with whom they had gotten moll efteem •, and travelled fo effectually with them in it, that the Bifliop and his Clergie in a popular tumult are expelled the Town, never to be reftored to their former Power. After which they proceeded to reform the Church, defacing Images, and following in all points the example o{ Berne, as by Vnetm and farelLm they had been in- 1 ftruded 5 whofe doings in the fame were afterwards countenanced and
(lf;^/f k vi- (^)approved by CahiM^as himfelf confelTeth. Nor did they onely in that \^^?t^n^^' Tumult alter every thing which had difpleafed them in the Church, but fyrdgk M(o' changed the Government of the Town-, difclaming all AUegeance ei- comprobavi. ^[^^^ j-q their Bifhop Or their Dukc 5 and (landing on thtir own liberty as a Free Eftate, governed by a Common Council of 200 perfons, out of which four are chofen annually by the name of Syndicks , who lit as Judges in the Court , the Mayors and Bayliffs (as it were) of the Cor- poration. And for thisalfo tliey were mod indebted to the aftive coun- fels oi Farellus , whom CaIv?} therefore calls the Father of the publick c) Lihmatis liberty (c) -, and faith in an Epift le unto tliofe of Zurkk , dated 26 No- ixfdtrm, ruQYnher x 5533that the Cenevians did owe themfclvesCaf)wholly to his care (dj Vixiii'.is, and counfels. And it appears by Cdvin alfo , that the people could cui fe totos h^yg \)^tK\ content to live under their Bilhop , if the Bilbop could have ^ ^'"' " been content to reform Religion -. and more then fo, that they had de- ferved the greateft CenCures of the Church , if it hadbcenotherwife. For thus he writes in his laid letter to Cardinal i^^o/f^ • Tdcm nobis Hierarchiam fi exhibeant^ &c. If (faith he) they could offer to us fuch a Hierarchy, or Epifcopal Government , wherein the Bilhops (liall fo rule, as that they refufe not to fubmitthemfelves to Chrift^that they alfo de- pend upon him as their onely Head, and can be content to refer them- felves to him -, in which they will fo keep brotherly fociety amongft themfelves, as to be knit together by no other bond then that of Truth -, then furely, if there Ihall be any that will not fubmit themfelves to that Hierarchy reverently , and with the greateft obedience that may be , I muft confefs there is no kind oi AmthcmA , or calling to the Devil, which they are not worthy of. But in regard the Bilhop could not fatisiie them in their expectations, they are refolved to farisfie them- felves out of his Eftate •, and either for his fake , or their own, to caft off all relation to the Duke of Savoy ^ as their Patron Paramount. And though both Lords did afterwards unite againft them, and belieged the Town -, yet by the help of thofe of Berne (with whom they joyned themfelves in a ftri(ft Confederacie) they repulfed them both. Since which time they have ftrongly Fortified the Town on all fides , but moft efpecially on that fide which lies toward Savij 9 and would aever fince permit the Duke to arm any Boats or Galleys upon the Lake , for fear he might make ufe of them to their difadvantage,
5. The
^i^t l^iftojr of t^e ^jcjStrtcn'ansJ, ^
-»:-sr»
5. The Power and Dominion of that Citybeing thus put into the handsof the Common people , .it could not be expeded that any Difci- pline or good Order ihould be kept in the Church. The Common Council of the Town difpofed of all things as they pleaftd •, and if any Crime which anciently belonged to the Ecclefiaftical Ditcipline did happen to be committed in it j it was punifhed by order from the Coun^ cil. No Cenfures Ecclefiaftical , no Sentence of Excommunication was either thought on at Geneva^ or at that time in any other of the Po- pular Churches, modelled according to the form devifed by ZuwgHtis * Z'i{e)Eez,A hath obfervcd in the life of Cahtn. The like affirmed by Calyjn Cc) si quidtm alfo in his Letter above mentioned to thofe of Zz/r/V/f" -, who grants it ^-'''^'""^'""''■.' to have been a received opinion, withforae very grave and learned f^^TrU^''"
by his Father deftined to the Civil Laws : but his own inclinatioii'car-^ Tirnilanllm ried him rather to the ftudie of Divinity, in the purfuit whereof he firft F-'xcmmuni- began to phanfiethe Reformed Religion-, and finding no alTurance in ''^''''' the Realm o( France, refolved tofix himfelf in Strasbitrgh or Bajil. But taking Geneva in his way, upon the importunity o[ Farelltts , he-conde^ fcended to make that place the Scene of his adions and endeavours - and his aflcnt being once made known, he was forthwith admitted to be one of their Preachers , andiutheMoneth of ^fw^^^chofen their Divi- nity-Reader. Thisdone, he prefently negotiates with them notonely to abjure the Papacie, with all obedience to their Bilhop for the time to come, but to admit fome heads of Dodlrine,andfuch a(^)form of Difci- (s.)3;wd. plineas he and his CoUegues had devifed for them. And he prevailed ^^^''"^'n <^
Do-
in it at the laft , though with no fmall difficulty 5 the faid Difcipline fSwf- being ocnerally fworn and fubfcribed unto, 20 ^uly 1537, Which Form i-'"t compn- of DiKipline what it was I have now here found • but fure I am, that ^'["^''"" "J'"'^'
it had no affinity with the pradice of the Primitive Church-, which "''^/f. Caiv. (J>)Calvin plainly doth acknowledge in his letter to Sadolet^who had bb- 1 537- jedled it againft him. But the people being proud and headftrong , aiid '^)°'/'"i'''''-''« not willing to be ftrippcd fo eafily of the precious Liberty which fo hap- hahitrc!Z pily they had acquired , became foon weary of the yoke , though they ^■^''^"f'''"!^. difgaifed it under colour of not giving offence to thofe of Serne.Zat'ifk, ITq-nll'^dP and the reft of their Neighbours , whofe friendfliip was moft neceflary^''^^"'- for them in all time of trouble. But Cahm being peremptory not to ^53^- adminifter the Communion unto any of thofe who could not quietly without contradicftion fubmit themfelves unto the Difcipline which themfelvcshad fworn to 5 and having Farellus and CornldHs two of his AlTociatesin conjundion withhim, together with his two Aflbciatts,- is expelled the Town.
6. Three years, or thereabouts , he continued in his exile, bein^ bountifully entertain'd at Strasbur^h , where by his diligent Preachinc^ '
and laborious Writings he grew into a greater reputation then the reft of their Minifters •, the Fame whereof being daily ported to Geneva, made them firft fenfible of the lofs that they fuffered in him, and after- wards procured them to foUicitc the Chief Magiftrates of the City of strashrgh to licenfe his return unto them: from whence at laft with un-
refiftablc
f
mt !Piftoi^ tfim ^itmttviam.
""^ ' refiftable importunity he was again recalled by that unconftant multi- tude : A defire to which by no means he would hearken , anlefsboth they and all their Minifters would take a folemn Oath, to admit a com- pleat Form of Difcipline, not arbitrary, nor Ghangeable,but to remain in force for ever after. Upon affurance of their Conformity herein he returns unto them, like another Tully unto Reme •, and certainly we may (h) mc quif- fay of him, as the Hiftorian C^) doth of the other, that never man was \um iutex- baniftied with greater infolence, nor welcomed home again with an e- fuifus tli kvi-- .^^^ aladnefs. On the 1 3 day of Septemkr 1541, he is received into the «;t«S.'town, !Lnd on the 20 of Novemkr following he confirm'd his Difci- Paterc. Hift. pijug^ vvhich he had modelled in this manner : A ftanding Ecclefiaflical ''^1<AI Court to be eftablifhed -, perpetual Judges in that Court to be the Mi- * nifters-, others of the people annually chofen (twice fo many in number) 1 to be Judges together with them in the fame Court: this Court to have
'*^' cute of alFmens Manners , power of determining all kind of Ecclefiafti- cal caafes, and Authority to convent, to control, and to puniHi as far as with Excommunication, whcnfoever they ihould think to have de- ferved it,nonc either fmallor great excepted. To this device he brought the people to fubmit without any reludancie : for what caufe had they to fufpedl any yoke to bondage to be intended in that projeft, wherein they had a double Vote to each fingle Minifter , and confequently a double number o^ their fide upon all occafions. But when the firft year was expired , and that the Elders of that year were to leave their pla- ces they then perceived how much they had inthralled themfelves by thei'r own facility. And now they began to have fome fear , that the filling up of the Seats in the Confiftory with fo great a number of Lay- men °was but to pleafe the mindes of the people , to the end they might think themfelves of fome power therein •, that their Paftors being men of parts, and pradifed in affairs of that nature , would eafily over-rule the reft , though the greater number •, that the Lay-elders being onely annual and changed from one year to another , might firft or laft come nnder the fevere lafh of their Paftors, who were in a perpetual refi- dencie, if they fhould dare at any time to aft agalnft them by their dou- ble Vote 5 and that amongft the Minifters themfelves, one being far in eftimation above the reft, the reft of the voices are moft likely to be -gi- ven with reference to his will and pleafure ^ which what elfe were it in cffed , but to bring in Popery again by another name , in fetting over them a Supreme Paftor, or perpetual Refidence, with power to carry all
hjcfore him ^ ^
7. But nothing gave them more offence then the confidence of that yaft and unlimited power , which was to be put into the hands of the Tnsbpery , in reference unto crimes and perfons •, and the unhandfome manner of proceeding in it: for power was given unto them by the Rules of the Difcipline, not onely to proceed to Excommunication , if the cafe required it, againft Drnnkards, Whore- mafters, Blafphemers of Gods Holy Name , difturbers of the peace by Fighting, or contenti- ous words 5 but alfo againft fuch as pleafed themfelves with modeft Papcing , which was from henceforth loeked on as a grievous crime : and what difturbances and difquiets did enfue upon it, we fliall, fee anon. ^^j-^^re they onely Authorized to take notice of notorious crimes.
i.rilr^.- ^^^"
..■r\;
-^e l^ftoi^ of ti^c ^z^hi^tim^.
when they gave juft fcandal to the Church , or fuch as part in that ac- count by the voice of Fame y but alfo to inquire into the Uves and con- verfations of all forts of perfons , even to the private ordering of their feveral Families. In reference to which laftjthey are required to make a diligent and flrid: enquiry , whether men lived peaceably with their Wives, and kept their Families in good order} whether they ufecon- ftantly forae courfe of morning and evening Prayer in their feveral hou- fliolds , fit down at their Tables without faying Grace , or caufe their Childrcnor Servants diligently to frequent the Churches-, with many others of that nature. And co the end they may come the better to the knowledge of all particulars , it is not onely permitted by the Rules of their Difcipline to tamper with mens Neighbours.and corrupt their Ser- vants •, but to exaft an Oath of the parties themfelves, who are thereby required to make anfwer unto all fuch Articles as may or fliall be ten- i
dered to them in behalf of the Coniiflory : which odious and unneieh- bourly office is for the molt part executed by rhofc of the Laity, or at the leaft imputed wholly unto their pragmaticalnefs •, though the Lay- elders poflibly have done nothing in it, but by diredion from their Pa- llors. For fo it was contrived on purpofe by the wife Artificer that the Minifters might be thereby freed from that common hatred, which fuch a dangerous and faucie inquifition might elfe draw upon them. And yec thefe were not all the mifchicfs which their fubmitting to that yoke had drawn upon them •, by which they had enthralled themfelves to fach hard conditions, that if a man flood Excommunicate, or in contempt againft the cenfures of the Church for the fpaceof a twelve Moneth he was to fuffer a whole years banifhment by Decree of the Senate • not otherwife to be reftored but upon fubmiflion, and that fubmiflion to be made upon their knees in the open Church.
8. Thefe melancholick thoughts had not long pofTefsed them when an occafion was prefented to try their courage. Ferint^ Captain of the people, and of great power in that capacity amongft the multitude,pre- tends the common liberty to be much endangered by that new fubjedi- on, and openly makes head againft him in defence thereof. Ten years together did it ftruggle with the oppofition , and at laft was almoft ruined and opprelfed by it. For whereas the Confiftory had oiven Sentence againft one Bcrtilier ^ even in the higheft cenfure of Excom- munication 5 the Common-council net onely abfolved him from that cenfure under thtir Town-feal , but foolifltly decreed that Excommu- nication and Abfolution did properly belong to them. Upon this he is refolved again to quit the Town , and folemnly takes his leave of them at the end of one of his Sermons, which he had fitted for thet purpofe : but at the laft the Controvcrfie is reduced to thefe three queftions, wz. Firft, after what manner by Gods Ordinance , according to the Scri- pture Excommunication was to be exercifed. Secondly, whether it may not be exercifed fome other way then by fuch a Confiftory. Thirdly ,what the ufe of other Churches was in the like cafe. And be- ing reduced to thefe three queftions, it was fubmittedto the judgement and determination of four of the Helvetian Churches 5 to whofe Decree both parties were obliged to ftand. But Calvin knew beforehand what he was to truft to , having before prepared the Divines oiz»riek to
pronounce
8 •: 'Wi^t'^inot^oft^z^it^t^tttim^'
r-<
pronounce Sentence on his fide 5 of whom he earneftly defired that they would ferioilfly refped that caufe , on which the whole State of the Reli<^ion of the City did fo much depend •, that God and all good men were now inevitably in danger to be trampled on,if thofe four Churches did not declare for him and his Aflbciates , when the caufe was to be brought before them ^ that in the giving of the Sentence , they Hiould pafs an abfolute approbation upon the Difciplineof Gfwft;*! , asconfo- nant unto the Word of God,without any CautionSjQaalifications, Ifs or Ands : and finally, that they would exhort the Cenevian Citizens from thenceforth not to innovate or change the fame. Upon which pre-eno^agement they returned this Aiifwer, direded to the Common^ co\xnc\\o^ Geneva, by which their .jufement was required ^ that is to fay. That they had heard already oftTOfe Confiflorial Laws , and did i acknowledge them to be Godly Ordinances, drarving towards the Pre-
fcript or Word of God •, in which refped they did not think it oood for the Church o^Genenjo. to make any innovation in the fame, but rather to keep them as they were. This caution being interposed, that Lay-elders fliould be chofen from amongft themfelves •, that is to fay, ten of them to be yearly out of the Council of two hundred •, and the other two ( for there were to be but twelve in all ) to be el cded out of the more powerful Council of the five and twenty.
9. 'Now for the quarrel which he had with Captain Ferine , it was briefly this , as he himfelf relates the ftory in his own Epiitles, Dan- cing had been prohibited by his follicitatioii,when hefiril fettled in that Town •,- and he refolved to have his will obeyed in that , as in all things elfe.t ,-Eut on the contrary , this Perme^ together with one Cormtts (a man of like power amongft the people) one of ths Syndicks , or chief Ma<?iftrates in the C 3mm3n- wealth •, one of the Elders for the year, who was called Henricus , together with other oFtheir Friends, being merry at an Invitation, fell to dancing: Notice hereof b-nng given to C.ihin by fome falfe B.rother', they were all called into the Coafitbry, excepting Cor/iens and Perinus • and being interrogated thereupon, ^a) v«p:,..hn- (4) They lyed (faid he) moft impudently both to God and us, {moft Afo- mbfZmiti }olica//y %id.) At that (faid he) I grew offended, as the i ndignity of the fK7!t. "thing deferved -, and they perfifting in their contumacie, (^) I thought it
(b)cenluyit ^j. j.^ ^^^ j.[^^.jj-, ^q ^[^^[j- Qaths about it , {hy which it feems that the 04th
^."ITnUon- Ex Ofhcio may he ufed i»Geneva:,thoitgh cryed downmEnolziid;) (o faidfo
f-fionem adi- done. And they not onely did confefs their former dancing , but alfo
xi'^Epift. ad that upon that very day they had been dancing in the houfe of one Bal-
Fareii. thdfals Widow. On which confeffion he proceeded to the cenfurc of
all the parties , which certainly was (harp enough for fo fmall a fault,
(for a fault he was refolved to make it) the Sjndick being difplaced , the
Elder turned out of his Office , Ferine and his Wife clapt up in Prifon,
and all the reft expofed to fome open fliame. So he in his Epiftle to his
Friend Farcllns^ Anno \') 0^6. Llpon this ground Perinus always made
himfelf of the oppofite party , and thereupon follicired the relaxation
given to Bertilier ^ but in the end was forced together with the reft to
fubmit themfelves unto this yoke ; and the final fentence of the faid fouf
Churches was impofed upon them. And fowe have the true begining
oftheG^«rT'/4»Difcipline, begotten in Rebellion, born in Sedition, and
nurfedupby Fadion. lO.Thus
Lib. I. Ciie ^tftoj^ of ti)t ptt^htt^iam*
lo. Thus was the Difcipline confirmed, and Calvin feded in tKe Jurifdidion which he had afpired to : Bu-t long he could not be content with (o narrow a Diocefs as the Town and Territory of Sefieva 5 and would have thought himfelf negleiled , if all thofe Churches which embraced the ZMingli^n Dodrines had not withall received the Gene- I'm;? Difcipline 5 for the confirming whereof at home and thepromot- ing it in all parts abroad, there wasno pafTage in the Scripture, which either fpake of Elders or Excommunication , but he applyed the fame for juftifying the Authority of hhn^vj Presbjtery ^ in which the Lay- elders were confidered as diftimft from thofe which laboured in the -Word and Sacraments, but joyned with them in the exercife of a Ju-^ rifdi(flion ( even that of the Ordination alfo ) which concerned the Church. Affuredly, we are as much in love with the children of our Brains as of our Bodies, and do as earneltly defirethe preferment of them. Calvinh'xd no fooner conceived and brought forth this Difci- pline, but he caufed it firft to be nouriilied and brought up at the charge of Geneva. •, and when he found it ftrong enough to go abroad of it felf he afterwards commended it to the entertainment of all other Churches, in which he had attained to any credit : proceeding finally fo far, as to Impofe it upon the World as matter neceflary , and not to be refuled on pain of Gods highdifpleafure; by means whereof, what Jcaloufies, Heart-burning , Jars and Difcords have been occafioned in the Prnteftint Reformed Churches , will be made manifeft by the courfe of this prefent Hiftory : Which notwithftanding might eafily have been prevented , if the Orders which he devifed forthe ufe of this City had not been firft eftabliflied in themfelves,and then tendered unto others , as things everlaftingly required by the Law of that Lord of Lords, againft whofe Statutes there was no exception to be taken. In which refped it could not chufe but come topafs , that his Followers might condemn all other Churches which received it not , of manifeft difobedience to the Will of Chrift : And being once engaged, could not find a way how to retire again with Honour. Whenas the felf-fame Orders having been eftablifhed in a Form more wary and fufpence , and to remain in force no longer then God fhould give the opportunity of fome general Conference ; the Gcnevlans either never had obtruded this Difcipline on the reft of the Churches to their great dtfquiet , or left thcmfelves a fair liberty of giving off,when they perceived what trouble they had thereby raifedto tnemfelves and others,
1 1. Now for the means by which this Difcipline was made acceptable to the many Churches which had no der^tnAoinct on Geneva, nor onCd- vin neither; they were chiefly thefe, that is to fay, Firft, The great contentment which it gave the common People, to fee themfelves in- trufted with the weightieft matters in Religion : and thereby an equality with , if not (by reafon of their number, being two for one) fuperiority above their Minifters. Secondly, The great Reputation which Calvin had attained unto for his diligence in Writing and Preaching , whereby his Didtaces came to be as authentick araongft fome Divines , as ever the Popes Ipfe dixit was in the Church oi R&me. Thirdly, hisendea- roars to promote! that Platform in all other Churches , which was firft calculated for the Meridian of (7tf»f^'4onely: of which we {hall fpeak
C more
,o C]^cK^tao?^oftljci^lc?5tttetian0» Lib. I.
more particularly in the courfe of this Hiftory. Fourthly, the like en- deavours ufed by dez^a^ who not content to recommend it as convenient for the ufe of the Church (higher then which Cvl/^'i» did not go) im- pqfed it as a matter necefTary upon all the Churches •, fo neceffary, that it was utterly as unlawful to recede from this , as from the moft mate- rial Points of the Chriftian Faith : of which more hereafter. Fifthly, the felf-ends and ambition of particular Minifters, affeding the Supre- macy in their feveral PariOies-, that themfelves might Lord it over Gpds Inheritance, under pretence of fetting Chrift in his Throne. Up- on which grpnrd they did not only pate againft the Billiops with mdtct- oui words {2l% P/w^A-f/^^^ did againft the Apoftlesj but were refolved to C4(lthem out of the Churchy neither receiving themamon^fl themselves , nor fufferint^ thofe that would have done it if they might. Sixthly, the cqvetoufnefs of fome great perfons, and Lay-Patrons-, of which the one intended to raife themfelves great Fortunes by the fpoil of the Bi- flioprlcks •, and the other to return thofe Titles to their own proper ufe, to which they onely were to nominate fome deferving perfon. For com- paflin<J of which three laft ends,their followers drove on fo furiouflyjthac rather then their Difcipline fhould not be admitted , and the Epifcopal Government deftroyed in all the Churches , they are refolved to depofe Kinos, ruine Kingdoms 5 andfubvert the Fundamental conftitutions of all Civil States. J,.,- 12. Thus have we feen the Difcipline fetlcd at the laft, after many
ftraolin^s •, but fetled onely by the foreftalled judgement and determi- nation of four neighbouring Churches , which neither then did enter- tain it , nor could be ever lince induced to receive the fame. And we have took a general view of thofe Arts and Pra(aices by which it hath been pradtiied and impofed upon other Nations •, as alfo of thofe Grounds and motives, on which it was fo eagerly parfued by fome and advanced by others. We muft now therefore caft our eyes back on that Form of worfhip which was by him devifed at firft for the Church of Geneva, commended afterwards to all other Churches, which were not of the Lutheran Model 5 and finally received, if not impofeiupon moft Churches which imbraced the Difcipline. Which Form of Wor- fliip (what it was) may beft be gathered from the fummary or brief view thereof , which Beza tendereth to the ufe of the French and Dutch Churches, then eftabliftied in the City of London ^ and is this tliat fol- loweth. The publick Meetings of the Church to be held conftantly (i> corigr-:if.:i ou the Lotds {a) day , to be alike obferved both in Towns and- Vil- puiticiE'-cU- lacTts •, but fo, that in the greater Townsfomeotherday be fet apart, ^''''-Tl,^"'onmhlch the Word is to be Preached unto the people at convenient ^ez"E}ift.'2.\- times: Which laft I take to be the grounds of thofe Week-day- Le- dures, which afterwards were fet up in moft of the great Towns or Ci- ties of the Realm of England •, a Prayer to uflier in the Sermon, and an- other after it 5 the fraift'e of which two Prayers , both for Words and lylatter ^ wholly left unto the building of the Preacher : but the whole a<a.ion to be Saa^ified by the Singing of Pfalms. At all fuch Prayers , " the People to kneel reverently upon their knees. In the Adminiftrati- OPiQf Baptifm a Peclaration to be made in a certain Form,not onely of t^e- pr<i>3iifes ofthe, Gra^Q of G©d , but alfo of the Myfteries of that
Holy
d^ f tfto?^ of tft0 i^jejiljtterianjj.
II
Holy Sacrament •, {a) Sureties or Witnefses to be required at the Bapti- (^')TelHr,n ft» zing of Infants. The Lords Supper- to be Miniftred on the Lords day "'T'^'^TT' at the Morning-Sermon ; and that in fitting at the Table, (for no other Ihfmmld' gefture is allowed of-, ) the Men fit firft,and the Women after or below "■"'"f-i''- them : which though it might pafs well in the Gallick Churches , would hardly down without much chewing by the Wives of £«^/W. The publication of intended Marriages, (which we call ?^^ bidding of the Bins) to be made openly in the Church J andthefaid Marriages to be foleranized with Exhortation and Prayer. No Holy-days at all allow- ed of 5 nothing dire(5led in relation unto Chriftian Burials, orthevi- iiting of the Sick, or to the Thankfgiving of Women after child-birth - all which were pretermitted , as either fuperftitious or impertinent adions.
14. That naked Form of Worlhip which Cd'v'm had devifed for the Church of G'e»ex'4,not beautified with any of thole outward Ornaments • ^
which make Religion eUimable in the fight of the People •, and by the which the mindes of men are raifed to a contemplation of the ^lorious Majefty which they come together to adore: All ancient Forms and Ceremonies which had been recommended to the ufe of the Church even from the times of the Apoftles, r.jeded totally, as contrading fome filth and rubbidi in th-j times of Popery, without beinc^ called to anfwer for themfelves , or defend their innocencie. And as for the habit of the Minlftry, whether Sacred or Civil , as there was no courfe taken by the Rules of their Difcipline, or by the Kubricks of the Book of their publick Offices-, fo did they by themfelves and their Emif- faries endeavour to difcountenanceanddifcredit all other Churches in which diftind Veftures were retained. Whence came thofe manifold quarrels againft Coaps and Surplices 5 as alfo againft the Caps, GownSj and Tippets of the lower Clergie, the Rochets and Chimeres of the Bifhops , wherewith for more then twenty years they exercifed the pa- tience of the Church of England. But naked as it was , and utterly void of all outward Ornaments, this Form of Worship looked fo love- ly in the eyes of Cdvin , that he endeavoured to obtrude it on all Churches elfe. Having firft fetled his new Difcipline in the Town of Geneva^ Anno i54i,and cruflit -Pm««* and the reft in the Dancing bufi- 1547, nefs about five years after •, he thought himfelf to beof fuch confi'dence, that no Church was to be reformed but by his advice. Upon which ground of felf- opinion , he makes an offer of himfelf to Archbilhop Cranmer{h)^ as foon as he had heard of the Reformation which was(b;^/^«// here intended-, but Cranmer knew the man, and refufed the offer. '""*/'"/»- Which though in was enough to have kept him from venturing any fur- ^"'^'^'^ ther in the bnfinefs and afeirs o^ England x yet he refolvecf to be of counfel in all matters , whether called or not* And therefore havin*"- taken Order with Martin Bucer^ on his firft coming into England.tQ give 1
him fome account of the Englifli Liturgie ; he had no fooner fatisficd himfelf in the fight thereof , but he makes prcfently his exceptions and demurs upon it -, which afterwards became the fole ground of thofe many troubles, thofe horrible diforders and confufions, where- with his Fadion h;ive involved the Church ai EngUitd from that time to this.
1 1 ^e l^itto?^ of i\^t ^tt^\)tttmm Lib. i.
I J. For prefendy on the account which he received oftheEngliffi Liturgy , he writes back to Sneer , whom he requireth to be inltant (b)VtritHs with the Lord Protedor , {i>) that all fuch Rites as favoured of fuper- jiios,qui fiiptr- ^jjJqjj might be taken away : and how far that might reach we may 5'/^" «7im, eafily guefs. Next he difpatched a long Letter to the Protedor himfelf, uiunturh -j^ which he makes many exceptions againft the Liturgie 5 as namely ^''^"'' sLgiinHCemmemoratm of the dead :, which he acknowledgeth notwith-
ftandincrtobe Ancient-, alfo againft C/7r///»e, or OylinBaptifm , and the Apoftolical Rite of ExtreamUnBton •, though the laft be rather per- mitted then required by the Rules of that Book : which faid,he wifhcth {c)m omnia ^hat all theft Ceremonies fliould be abrogated ic) 5 and that vvithall he ahjdndi fe- ^Q^^^^ gQ forwards to reform the Church without fear or wit, without ^' ' regard of peace at home , or correfpondencie abroad-, fuch confidera-
tions being onely to be hand Civil matters , but not in matters of the (:-i),r» qua ni' Church , (d) wherein not any thing is to be exacted, which is not war- bii nun ad vei j^^jgj ^y jhe Word 5 and in the managing whereof (faith ht) there is yrbum txigi ^^^ ^^^ ^j^.^^^ ^^^^ diftafteful in the eyes of God then worldly Wifdomj (e3rfw/wo-^^,jg-jj^g^i„ j^oderating, cutting off, or going backward, but meerly tfcMaZ, as we are direded by his will revealed. In the next place, he toucheth '"^- on the Book oi Homilies , which very faintly he permits for a feafon on-
ly, but not allows of % and thereby gave the hint to many others, who ever fince almoft have decfauned againft them. But finding nothing to be done by the Lord Protedor , he try es his Fortune with the King, ^ ^ ^ ^' and with the Lords of the Council , and is refolved to venture once a- oain on Archbifhop Cr^nmer. In his Letter to the King he lets him know , that in the State of the Kingdom there were many things which required a prefent Reformation : in that to the moft Reverend Cmnmer^ that in the Service of this Church there was remaining a whole Mafs of (0 ^iMn Popery , (/) which feeraed not onely to deface , but in a manner to de- ebfcunt modn, ^^Qy Gods publick Worfliip: and finally, in thofe to the Lords of the im7bZ't Council , that they needed fome excitements to go forwards with the prum>- Work in hand, in reference to the Alteration (for that I take to be his ":;ZEpi(i. aim) of the publick Liturgle. •,,,.-
16. But not content to tamper by his Letters with thole Emment Perfons 5 he had his Agents in the Court , the City, the Univerfities, the Countrey , and the Convocation • all of them pradifing in their diftindt and proper Circuits, to bring the people to diflike that Form of Worfhip 3 which at the firft was looked on by them as an Heavenly Treafure, compofed by the efpecial aid of the Holy Ghoft. Their Adint^s of this kind for bringing down the Communion-Table, decry- \i\o the Reverent ufe of Kneeling at the Participation , inveighing a- galnft the fign of the Crofs , abolilhing all diftindion of days and times ' fnto Fafts and Feftivals, with many others of that nature , 'l purpofely omit till I come to EngUnd. Let it fuffice, that by the eagernefs of their foUicitations , more then for any thing which could be faulted in the Book it felf , it was brought under a review , and thereby altered to, a further diftaace then it had before from the Rituals of the Church of ,Rdme. But though it had much lefs of Rome then before it had, (thotigh nothing was meerly Roman, and not Primitive alfo) yet was it 1554. ftill as far off from the Rules of CetievAj as it was at that time 5 which
gave
Lib. I. m)t l$miv of t\)z i^jegjlj^ten'an^. 13
gave a new Alarm to Calvift , that he fliould take fo much pains , and trouble fo many of his Friends to fo little purpofe : And lon<y it fliaU not be before he lets us know his refentment of it. The En»lifh Pro- tejlAMs being fcattered in the Reign of Queen Mary^ betake themfelves to divers places in Germany^ at Geneva^ and araongft the Switzers. In German-) forae of them procure a Church in the City oiFrmkfert • bun they were fuch as had more mind to conform themfelves to CahinsMo- dels, then to the Licurgie oi England: and fuch a deviation thereupon was made from the Rules of this Church , as looked little better then an openSchifra. The bulinefs bad enough before, but made much worfe when (A WAT that great Incendiary of i'f^/^//?;?^,) took that charo-e upon him 5 when at his coming he found many not well pleafed wifh thofe alterations v/hich had been made by others from the Church of England ; which he refolved not to admit of, how much foever the con- tinuance of it had been recommended by fuch Divines as had retired tcJ ^ StrAsbtirgh^ Zurich^ and elfewhere. To over-ballance whofe Authori- ty, which he found much valued, he flees for fuccour unto C alvtn ^(tn<is, him a Summary or Abftrad: of the Englifli Bopk (in the Latine Tongue) and earneftly defires his opinion of it ; not doubting but all Opponents would fubmit to his final Sentence. What Cdvifh judgement was in the prefcnt Point, and what fentence he was like to give in the cafe before him , Knoxco\x\ii not bat have good affurance when he wrote that Letter, having lived with C^M';; at C^-^f^v^ , and publiflied fome Seditious Books from thence with his approbation , before his cominw unto Frankfort: and it fucceeded anfwerably to his exped;ation,as may appear by Calvin s anfwer to that Letter 5 which in regard it was the ground of all thofe troubles which afterwards were raifed a<^ain{l the Liturgy by the Puritan Fadion, I fhall here fubjoyn.
1 7. It is no [mall affliction to ms^ and in itfelfno lefs inconvenience , that 4 contention fJwHld be raifed between brethren ^r of effing the fame Faith , andlivinz Of bantf\)edmen or exiles for the fame Religion •, efpeciallyfgr fuch a Caufe, rvhich in this time of your differfion , ought to have been the Bond of Peace to bindyoii, the more firmly to one another: for what ought rather to be aimed at by '^ou in this woful condition , then that being torn aw ay from the hovels of your native Coun- trey , you fwuld tut your fives into a Church ^ which might receive you in her bofom^ conjoyned together {like the Children of the fame Parent) both in hearts and tongues ? But at this time in my opinion it is very unfeafonable , that troubles fwuldbe raifed amongjl you about Ceremonies and Forms of Prayer , {as happens commonly amongjl thofe who live in wantonnefs and eafe) by means whereof yoit have been hindered hitherto from growing into one body. I do not blame the con- fancy of thofe men , who being unwillingly drawn into it , do earneftly contend in an hone ft Caufe • but rather tkeftubbornnefs ofthofe, which hitherto hath hindered the Holy purpofe of forming and efldblijhing a Church amongftyou. For as I ufe tofl^ew my [elf both flexible and facile in things indifferent , as aU Rites and Cere- monies are -, yet I cannot always think it profitable to comply rvith thefooli[h way. r^-s in Litut- tvardnefs of fome few men, who are refolved to remit nothing of their Ancient Ctt- g'a Angiica- floms. (a) I cannot but obferve many tolerable fooleries in the Englijh Liturgy, ^y^^r^^hi- fuch as you have defribed it to me. By which two words (tho[e names oftoler- tis, muitas vi. able fooleries; / me4n onely this, that there is not fuch Smity or perfection, as ^(["ilfllf^''
1 4 C^e l^tfloj^ of i^z 1^ je?il)?tertan?i.
vens tohe dcfircd in it '^ which imf erf cations ^ notrvithfimdin^ not beingto he reme- died at tbefrfiy were to he horn with for a time^ in regard that no manifefi impe- ty was contained in them. Itwas therefore fo far Uwf id to begin with fuchheg' gtrly Rudiments , that the Learned , Grave and Godly Minifiers ofchnfl might he thereby encouraged for proceeding farther in fetting out jomewh at which might Prove more pure and perfe^. (b) if true Religion had for/iPedti// this time in S^n Angiia the church of England , it had been neceffary that many things in that Book viguifletfin- fhoffld have been o»>itted ^ and others altered to the better. But now that all fuch a^ufd'in"' i'rincipks are ont of force ^ and that you were to conflitnte a Church m another melius cor- pUce , and that you were at liberty to compofefiich a Form of IVorJhip which might reftummd-^ ^^ ry-^^^ ^^ ^^^ Church ^ and more conducc to Edifcation , then the other did -^ J efie oportct. know not what to think of thofe{c) who are fo much delighted in the dregs of Po- '(c) Qu* fibi p^yv But commonly men love thofe things befl^ to which they have been mofl ac- quos tsEcis'pa- cufiomed. which though in the firfl place it m^y feem a vain and childijh folly 5 pifticas ranto- ^^^ ;^ ^/,^ ff^xt flacc it may be cenfidsred , thatfuch a new Model is much different ^Mit. ^' from An alteration. Howfoever^ as I would not have you toofiiff and peremptory ^ if the infirmity of fame men fuffo themnot to come up unto your own de fires ^ fo I mufl needs admonifh others , not to be too much plea fed with their wants andigno- ranceS',nor to retard the co irfe andprogrefs of fo good a work by their own perverf- nefs 5 nor fnally, to be tranfforted m the manner byfuch afool/Jh Emulation. For •what other ground have they for this contention , but that they think it adifgrace to yeild unto better counfels ? But poffibly I mxy addrefs my words in vain to thcfe.^ rvho peradventare may not afcrihe fo ?mch unto me^ as to voachfafe to hearken unto any advice which doth proceed from fnch a dtf pic able Author, if any of them fear that any fmifler report will be raifedcfthem in England , as if they had for" faken that Religion for which they put themfelvcs into a voluntary exile • they are much deceived. For this ingenuous and fence ye Profcffton will rather compel thofe Godly men which are left behind , fen on fly to confide r what a deep Aoyis they are fallen into; whofe dangerous eflate will more grievoufly wound them , when they (hall fee that yo:t have travelled beyond the middle of that conrfc , from which they have beenfo unhappily retrained , or brought back again. Farewel my mofl dear Brethren , the faithful Servants of Jefus Chrill 5 and be you Jl ill under the governance andprote^ion of the Lord your God.
i§. This Letter bearing date on the fifteenth of the Calends of /*<?- hruary , and fuperfcribed in general to the Englifl) which remained ac Frankfort , carried fo great a Itrokc with the Knoxian Party , that there was no more talk of the -E^f///^ Liturgie •, the Order of Gf;?f 1^4 being immediately entertained in the place thereof. And when the matter was fo handled by Dr. Cox , firft Tutor, and then Almoner to King Edward the Sixth , brought thither by the noife of fo great a Schifm, that the Liturgie of England was again reftored 5 Knox was fo far from yeildin^ to the Gravity and Authority of that Learned man, that he in- veighed againft him in the Pulpit without fear or wit. ButC<?Arnoc able to endure a baffle from fo mean a fellow , informs againft him to the Senate touching fome pafiTages in one of his Seditious Pamphlets ; in which it is affirmed, that Queen J/^r; (whom elfewhere he calls by the odious name of ^ez,abel , and 3. Traytorefs to England) ought not to joyn her felf in Marriage with the Emperours Son , becaufe the Empe- rour himfelf maimained Idolatry^ and was a greater Emmy to Chrift then
ever
Lib. I. 'Wf)t ^rntm of tije 10?e0i3^terian!5.
15
ever was Nero. Knox hereupon departs by Moon-Iight,but howfoever ■quits the Town , and retires to Geneva ; leaving the Litur^ie for the prefent in a better condition then he had found it at his firfl coming thither. But Cox confldering with himfelf how neceflary Cdvins fa- vour might be to him , falutes him with a civil Letter , fubfcribed by himfelf and fourteen others ; all of them being men of Note in their feveral places : In which they excufed themfelves for having fet that Church in order without his advice 5 not without fome rejoycin^ that they had brought the greatefl part of thofe who withftood their doings to be of the fame Opinion with them. Which how aoreeable it was to Calvin^ may be feen by his return to Cox and his Adherents iCexo & Gre^dihus [uis ^ as the Latine hath itj bearing date ^C^;?^ 1/
ip. In which Letter (having firfl: craved pardon for not writint^ fooner) he lets them know that he had freely hgnified to Dr. Sampfon >
(a very fit man to be acquainted with his fecrets) what he conceived of the Difputes which were raifed at /"r^w^/tf;-/^-, as alto that he had been certified by fome Friends of his who complained much of it , chat they did ftand fo ftridly on the Englifh Ceremonies , as (hewed them to be too much wedded to th: Rites of their Country. And further certi- fied, that he had heard fomewhar of thofe Reafoi.s which they flood on raoft, for not receding any thing from the Form eftablifhed • but thev were fuch as might receive an ealie Anfwer : that he had writ to thofe of the oppofite party , to carry themfelves with moderation in the pre- fent bufinefs, though nothing was therein remitted by Cox and his and howfoever was now glad to hear that the difference was at laft compo- fed. He fpeaks next touching their {a) retaining of Crejjes^ Tapers^ and fuch other trifles of that nature , proceeding at the firfl from fuper'iHti- >mfl%!cel'' on; and thereupon infers, that they who fo earneflly contended for ^^^''^ •''•''^'' them, when it was in their choice not to do it , did draw to neer upon /JS/w the dregs. He adds, that he could fee no Reafon why they ihould '^■'""py nma charge the Church with frivolous and impertinent Ceremonies , which ^nTJIifA^ he (hould no way wrong if he called them dangerous \ when they were "dfconjiitm, left at liberty to €ompofe an Order for themfelves, more pure and {im-T'-^'^'"^'' pie: that in his judgement it was done with little Piety, and lefs Iw- w7«E«'- therly love ; on any clancular informations to call Knex in queflion • f""/'^^'. ^ (for fo I underflood him by his letter N.) and that they had done better ''*"''"'''"''^' to hare flay'd at home, then to have kindled the coals by fuch a piece of UQjuft cruelty in a Forein Countrey , by which others alfo were in- flamed : and finally, that he had written howfoever unto fome of the adverfe party, of whofe intent to leave that place he had been adverti- fed , that they Ihould continue where they were , and not violate the League of their Friendfhip by their feparations , with other things to that effeft. But notwithftanding this advice , many of the Schifmati- cal party removed from Frankfort^ and put themfelves into Geneva 5 the principal of which were Whittin^ham^ Knox, Goodman, and he which af- terwards was able to Ao more then all the reft , Mr. Francis Kaellis , al- lyed by Marriage to the Carfes , defcended from a younger Sifter of Queen Anne BuUen , and confequently neer of Kin to Queen Elizabeth, Thcfemen grew very great with Calvin , with whofe good leave they
put
&■
1 6 C^e W^m of ^^ ^je^b^tettan^. Lib. i.
put themTelves into the form of a Congregation, chofe K;tox and Good- manfot their Brethren , and in all points comformed themfelves to the Rules of that Church-, which afterwards they laboured to promore in \nBngUnd^ and adually did cffed in i'tref/rf;?^ , to theno fmall diftur: bance of either Kingdom. By the perfwafion of thefe men, he is refol- ved to try his Fortune once again on the Church o£ England^ before the refetling of the Liturgie under Q^ttn Elizabeth might render the dellgn impoifible, oratleaft unprofperous. To which end headdreffeth his defires to the Queen her felf, at her firft coming to the Crown. The like he doth to Mr. Secretary Cecily by his letters bearing date the 17. oi~JMmry 1 5 58, in which he makes mention of the other ; in both he fpurs them on to a Reformation, complaining that they had not fliewed fnch a forwardnefs in it, as all good men expected , and that caufe j-«- (i)Vt -Jktit quired. But above all things he defires that a pure {a) and perfect purus &in-^ Worlliip of God may be fully letled, that the Church, may be throughly ^t£---rcciT' purged of its former filth , and that the children of God in EngUr/d fu Ji/s dibus j-niaht be left at liberty to ufe fuch purity in all Ads of publick Wor- S/ S- fliip as to them feemed belt. And what dk could he aim at by thefe ex^ hvtiapud preflions (comparing them with the Contents of his two laft letters) but 7rJmil7'u^ that the former Liturgie fliould be aboliflied , or brought unto a neerer pJhk-jiciri conformity to the Rules of Geneva ; or at the Icaft, that liberty might be left to the Godly party , to ufe any other Form of Worlliip which they though ri\oxtfure ? But finding no fuch good return to either let. ter, as he had promifed to himfeJf, he leaves the caufc to be purfued by fuch Englidi Zealors, as he had trained up at Gcnevx., or otherwife had fetled their abode amongfl thtSrvitzers ^ where all let Forms of Wor- lliip were as much decryed , as they were with him. And that they ■ mi^'ht not flacken in the midft of their courfe , he recommends the ge- neral Superintendents of the Church oi EngUndto the care of 5f-<j,who after his deceafe fucceeded both in his place and power 5 of whofe prag- maticalnefs in purfuing this delign againft the Liturgie, condemning all cftablidied Orders of this Church, his interpoling in beiialf of fuch of his Followers as had been filenced , fufpended, or deprived for their inconformity, v?e ihlU fpeak more large at when we cam.e to EiJgUnd.
20. There happened another quarrel in the Church of England-, and he rauft needs make himfelf a party in it. Mr. J-ohn Hoofer having well deferved by his pains in Preaching and Publilhing fome Books, which Very much conduced to the peace of the Church , is nominated by the King to the See of Ghcefler. Willing enough he was to accept the charc^e •, but he had lived fo long at Zurich , in the Reign of King Hen- ri , where there was no diftindion of Apparel, either Sacred or Civil, that herefufed to wear fuch Robes at his Confccration,as by the Rules of the Church were required of him. And by the Rulesof the Church it was required , that for his ordinary Habit he fliould wear the Rochei and chimere^ With a fquarc Cap upon his head , and not officiate at the Altar' without his Coap , or perform any Ordination without his Cro- lier. Incouraged by his refufal , many of the inferiour Clergie take the'Hke e:tceptipns againft Caps and Surplices , as alfo againft Gowns and'Tipijcts , the diftind Habits of their Order. Upon this ground 'iX'i ' ■ '' ^ -. Archbifliop
31.1 q
Lib. I. Cljc f iftoii? Of tl)c ^?e0bttman0. 17
Archbifliop Cranmer makes a flop of hisiConfecration,' and would not be perl'waded tp-'difput.e withthimin ths^t.parcicular , though he much (kliredit. He had faftned fome depeSdanee n^on Dudley^ then Ear! o^Wiirwick., and afterwards created Duke of NorthimbeHnfid -^ who did not onely write his own letters , but obtained the Kings, that with- out prefllng him any further to conform himfclf to thofe Robes and Habits , the Biiliop fhould proceed immediately to his:Confecrafion. But Cranmer weighing the importance ;of that- ill Example, held off his hand, till he had fatisfied the Kiiig, and fi> cooled the Earl, thit ffooper was left unto himfelfj and f^ill continuing in his con- tumacy, was committed Prifoner. The news being brought to Ctthirt^ he mult needs play the Bifliop in another mans Diocefs , or rather the Archbilhop in another mans Province. But having little hope of |)re'-f vailing with Crmm;r^ who had before rejeded hisalfiitancein the Re-" formaition, he totally applies himfelf to the Duke o( Sommerfet <'■ And he writes to him to this purpofc; That the Papifts would grow every- day more infolent then other, unlefs the differences about the Ceremo- nies were firft compofed. But then they.were to be compofed in fuch a manner , as rather might encourage the dif&nters in their oppofition, then end in the reduction of them to a'due conformity. And to this end, he is unfeafonably inftant with him, to lend a helping hand to Hooper , as the head of that Fadion. By which encouragement,if not alfo by his fetting on , the like was done by Peter Martyr,- and by ^eh?t Jlafco -, the firft of which was made Divinity- Reader in oxon, and the other Preacher to the Dutch in London-, both ingaged infticklinc^for the unconformable Party againft the Veftmentsof the Church. °But they both gained as little by it as Calvin did 5 who feeing how little he effededin the Church oi England , more then the getting of the name of a Folypragmon, a meJler in fuch matters as concerned him not , gave over the affairs thereof to the charge o£ Bez-a •, who being younger then himfelf, and oflefs difcretion , might live to fee fome good fuccefs of his Travels in it. And he accordingly beftirred himfelf in this very quarrel, asif the fafety of the Church and the prefervation of Religion had been brought in danger •, writing his letters unto Grindal^ when Bi- fliop of London^ not to inlift fo far on thofe matters of Ceremony, as to deprive any of his Miniftery upon that account. He alfo fignifies unto the Brethren his diflike of thofe Veftments , and thereby ftrenathned and confirmed them in their former obftinacy : And finally, left no ftone unmoved, no kind of pradlice unattempted,by which this Church might be at laft neceffitated to a Reformation upon Cahim Principles, whofe counfels he purfued to the very laft.
21. But as for Calvin^he had fome other game to fly at, and of grea^ ter nature , then to difpute the lawfulnefs of Caps and Surplices , and other Veftments of the Clergie •, or to content himfelf with altferino- the old Forms of Government and publick VVorfliip : The Dodrine wa^ to be refined, and all Idolatry removed , whether it were Civil or Spi- ritual. In point of Dodrine he came neereft nnto that of ZuingUus, as well in reference to the Sacrament, as Predeftination •, bat pitched upon the laft for the main concernment, which was to difference bis own Fol- lowers from all other Chriftians. The ftraining of which ftrin^ tofo
D great
1 8 Ci^ W^Qiv Of t]^c ^ je^bttenanjs. Lib. i.
great a height,, hath made more difcord in the harmony of theChurch ofChrift, thenany other whaT|"oevcr. For not content to go the way of the Ancient Fathers , or.to.idy upon the judgment of St. Juguftine, Fuigentms , Proffer , or any others which have moderated his excefTcs in it , he muft needs add fo much- unto thofe extravagancies which he found in Zuinglius , as brought him under a fufpition with fome Ibbet men, for making God to be. the Author ofiia: For by his Dodirine God is made to lay on our Father jdam an abfolute and an unavoidable neceflity of falling into fin and mifery ^ that fo he might have oppor- tunity to manifeft his Mercy in Eleding fome fev/ of his Pofterity, and his Jtifticeintheremedilefs rejecting of all the reft. In which as he could find no countenance from the Ancient Fathers,fo he pretcndeth not to any ground for it in the Holy Scripture. For whereas fome ob- jected in Gods behalf, De certis verbis non extare^ that the Decree of Adams Fall , and confequently the involving of his whole Pofterity in fi« and mifery, was no where extant in the Word ^ he makes no other aafwertoit , then a qunfivero-. As if (faith hej God had made and created Man the moft exadl Piece of his Heavenly Workmanfliip,with- Out determining of his End^ either Heaven or Hell. And on this point he was fo refolutely bent, that nothing but an abfolute Decree for Adams Fall, fecoaded by the like for'the involving of all his Race in the fame perdition, would either ferve his turn, or preferve his credit. If any man ftiall dare to opine the contrary , as Cafiillo did , he muft be fure to be difgraced and cenfured-by him, asCaJliUowas-^ and as all others fince have been , which preiumed to queftion that determinati- on, for which himfelf can give us no better name than that of an Kcr- y/'^/e Decree, as indeed it is 5 z crndznd Hornhle Decree., to pre-ordain fo many Millions to deftrudion, and confequently unto fin, that he might
deftroy them.
22. I had notftoodfo long upon this particular, but in regard of thofe confufions and diftradiions which by his Followers have been oc- cafioned in the Church, by their adhering to this DodrinCjand labour- ing to obtrude it upon all mens confciences. The Ztanglian Gofpellers, as Bifhop //ctf'/^fr rightly calls them , began to fcatter their Predeftinary Dodrines in the Reign of King Bdvoard. But they effeded little in it, tillfuch of our Divines as had retired themfelves to Bafil^ Zurich , and ^mongft the Smtzers , or otherwifehad been brought up at the Feet of Cahift , encouraged by his Authority , and countenanced by his name, commended them to all the people of this Realm, for found Catholick verities. The like diligence was alfo ufed by his Difciples in all places elfe. By means whereof it came to be generally received , as a truth undoubted, and one of the moft necelTary Dodrines of Mans Salvation, in all the Churches of his Platform ; In which as his Dodrine in fome other points had firft prepared the way to bring in his Difcipline •, fo fo was it no hard matter for the Difcipline to fupport thefe Dodrines, and cruQi all them that durft oppofe them. Onely it was permitted unto Beza and his Difciples to be fomewhat milder then the reft, in pla- cing the DecreeofPredeftination before the Fall : which Cahiithim- felf, though in fome paflages of his Writingshemay feemto lookthe fame way alfo, hath placed more judicioully in Maffa corruftay in the cor- rupted
Lib. I. cije l^iftozr of tt)e l^^egslj^termnsf. r^
rupted mafs of mankind, and the more moderate Calvimanszs rightly preruppofe for a matter neceflary , before there could be any place for Elcliion or Reprobation oi particular Perfons, But being they concurred with the reft , as to the perfonal Eledion or Reprobation of particular men •, the reftoring of the benefit of our Saviours fufferings to thofe few particulars , (whom oiiely they had honoured with the olorious l^zmtoiGodsEleii) the working on them by the irrefiftable p^ower of Grace in the ad of Converfion , and bringing them infallibly by the continual alTiftance of the faid Grace unto life everlafting • there was hardly any notice taken of their Deviation 5 infomuch that they were fcarce beheld in the condition of erring brethren , though they differed -from them in the main Foundation which they built upon j but gene- rally palTed under the name of Cahinifis^ as the other did. Which Do- dtrines, though I charge not wholly on thefcore of Presbytery^in regard that many of our Englifl> Divines , who abhorred that Government appeared in favour of the fame 5 yet I may truely father them on the two grand Patrons of the Presbperians , by whom they have been fince expofed as their deareft Darling 5 and no lefs eagerly contended for, then the Holy Difcipline.
23. Another of C^/^'/>J great defigns was to cry down that Civil Ido- latry, which he conceived had been committed unto Kings and Princes in making them Supreme and uncontrollable in thtir feveral Countries. For pulling downof whofc Authority, even in Civil Matters, he attri- butes fuch power to fuch popular Officers as are by them appointed for the eafe of their Subjeds , that by his Doctrine they may call the Su- preme Magiftrate to a ftrid account , whenfoever they fhall chance to exceed thofe bounds which they had prefcribed unto themfelves 5 onely by which they may be circumlcribcd by others : For having in the lafl Chapter of his Inflittttions , firft publifhed in the year 1536, exceeding handfomely laid down the Dodrine of Obedience, and the unlawfulneft of Refiftance in what cafe foever^ he gives in theclofe fuch a qualifica- tion, as utterly overthrows his former Dodrine, and proved the fole ground of fuch Rebellions, Treafons and Alfaflinates as have disfigured the otherwife undefiled beauty of the Church of Chrift. Which paf- fages I {lull here lay down in the Authors words , with a tranflation by their fide , that the Reader may perceive there is no wrong done him ; and afterwards proceed to the difcovery of thofe fad effedts which have enfued upon them in too many places , wherein his Difcipline hath ci- ther been received or contended far. His Dodrine in which point iS this that foUoweth :
24. Neque emm ft ultio Domini efi 24. Nor may we think be- inftimt. /iJ.4.'
effranata , dominationis corre^io ideo caufe the punifhment of Licenti- f-" '^jJ'*
frotintu demandatum ncbis arbitre- ous Princes belongs to God , that
mur , quibus nullum almdquam pa- prefently this power is devolved on
rendi & patiendi datum efi manda- us , to whom no other warrant
turn. De frivAtis homitiibus femper hath been given by God,but onely
loquar. Namfi qui nunc fmt^o^M- to obey and fufer. Butftilllmuft
lares Magiftratus ad maderandttm be underftood of private perfons
D J For.
2^ -^Tftel^ifto^^ofti^e^je^iJttemngi. Lib. i
RegHmlibidtnemconfiitmiqudesoUm For if there be now zny Popular erant qui Lacedemoniis Regibus ojficers ordained to moderate the oppofite erant Ephori, rf;<fRoraanis licentioufnefs of Kings (fuch as Con[Hlibn5'Xt\\i\x\xi^\t\)\s^Mth^ht' were the Bfhori fet up of old a- nienfium Semtui Demarchi, & qua gainft the Kings o^ Sparta, the Tn- etiam forte fotefiatCy ut nunc res ha- bunes of the people againft the Ro-^ heMyfufJgimttir mfingulis MegniSytits wan Confuls , and the Demarchj Ordines > cttm fnmarios conventus againft the Athenian Senate , and feragmt:) adeo lUos feroctentt Re- with which power perhaps, as the o\xm.licenti<iifroo0ciointercedtre mn world goes, the three. States are wV<>, «f / Regibus imfotenter graj- feiz'd in each feveral Kingdom, fantihus , & Kumili flebectiU infid- when they are folemnly afTem- tantibui conniverunt , eonm diffimtt- bled •,) lb far am I from hindering Utiommmfartaferfidianoncarere af- them to put reftraints upon the frmcm y qtaapfuiilibertatem {ch]us exorbitant power of Kings, as fe, I>ei ordinatione ■, ttttorcs pojites m- their Office binds them ^ that I rmt)fraudiiknter frodunt. conceive them rather to be guilty
of a perfidious dillimulation , if they connive at Kings when they play the Tyrants, or wantonly in- fult on the common People , in that they treacheroufly betray the Subjects liberties , of which they knew they were made Guardians by Gods own Ordinance.
■ aj. Which dangerous Doftrinc being thus breathed and broached hyCahin , hath fmce been both profelTeJ and pradifedby all his Fol- lowers, as either they had opportunity to declare themrelves,or Itrength enough to put the fame in t;xeGUtion. Some of whole words I Ihall here adde as a taile to the reft,and then refer the reft to their proper pla- ces. And firft we will begin with Beza , who in his twenty fonrth E- piftle , infcribed to the Outlandifli Churches in England, doth reColve it .thus : if (a) any man (faith he) contr^irj to the Laxvs and Liberties ofhn repuiMnn-"'^ Native Coftntrej , jhallmake himfelfa Lord or Supreme Magifirnte over all the bus legibus, y^a . gy Ictng lawfully invefled with the Supreme Magiftracie , jltonld either m- Vile^g^is,Tefe '' jujiiyfpoil or deprive his Subje^s cf thofe Rights dnd I'nviledges which he hath Dominum (rvorn to them to oh[erve , or otherwise opprejs them by open Tjranny •, that then nm St"' ^^^ Ordinary andinferiour officers are to oppofe themfelves againfi them,nho both tuit, &c. by reafon of their feveral offices , and by Gods appointment, are bound in all fuch Epift. 24. ^ A^ j^ prote^ the Subje^s , not onely againfi For em, but Domefiick Tyrants. Which is as much as could be poffibly contained in fo narrow a cora- pafs : And if he were the Author (as feme fay he was) of the Book called Vindici/i contra Tyrannos , publifhed under the name of Stephanui BrntHs 5 there hath been no Rebellion raifed fince that Book was writ- teuj or likely to be raifed in the times enfuing , which may not honeft- ly be charged upon his account. But becaufe the Author of this Book is commonly reported to be meerly French , and none of the Genevian t)0(ftors 5 we may poflibly hear more of him in that part of our Hiftory- whicK rclateth to the Actings of the Presbyterians in the Realm of V, Frmcc,
Lib. I. is^lje f ifto^r Of t^e i^jejib^erian?!. 25
France. What was taught afterwards in purfuance of Cdvins Dodri. nes by Hottaman , and him that calls hirafclf Enfehms PhiUdelphos a- monglt the French-, hy Urfene md Fareus ^ in the Palatme ChurchsS' by Buchanan and Knox amougft the Scots, and by fome principal Difci- plinarians amongftthe Englifh, welhall hereafter fee in their proper places : And we Ihall then fee alfo what was done in point of practice ' rirft by the Princes of the Houfe of Bourbon , and afterwards by fora| great Lords of the Huguenot party againft Francis the Second^ Charles the Ninth, Henry the Tiiird , Loun the Thirteenth , Kings of J/:^;?^^ j by William Prince o^Orange^ and other of the Belgick Lords, in tht final Ab- dication of King P/^////' the Second ^ hy xht Hungarians md Bohemians in their revolting from the Princes of the Houfe of Aujlria • by the Rebel-- lious iTof^ , in depofing, imprifoning , and expelling af their rightful Queen, and finally, by the Gf /?m4» Fadion in the Realm o^ England ^ia their imbroylments of the Nation under Queen Elizabeth , and that ca- lamitous War (but more calamitous in the ififuc and conclufion of it; a- gainftC^^r/fjthe Firft. All which are built upon no other ground then this Dodrineof Crf/w« , accommodated and applyed to their feveral purpofes , as appears plainly by the Anfwerof the Scots to Queen Eligia- beth , who juftified the depofing of their natural and lawful Queen , on thofe words of Cahin^ which they relyed on for thp fole ground of that horrible Treafon , and their Indemnity therein -, of which more hereafter.
26. In the mean time I fliall content my felf with the followin*:^ paf- fage, faithfully gathered out of the Commonplaces oi William Bucaff^ Dl- vinity-Reader in thefmallUniverfity ofZ4jpp«»4, fituace on the Lake Lemancy in the Canton o( Berne, and confequently a neer Neighbour to the Town of Geneva t, who treating in his forty one Chapter of the Duty of jv/agiftates , propounds this queftion toward the clofe, viz. What a good Chrijlian ought to do ifhy a cruel Prince he be diflref^ed bj fome o-rie- vousandofen inptry ? To which he thus returns his Anfwer : That though Princes and Subjects have relation unto one another •, yet Subjeifs in the courfe of nature were before their Princes , and therefore that fuch Princes {if they ufurp not a plain Tyranny in their feveral Kingdoms ) are not Super iour to the reft by naturt^ in the ri^ht of Father hood , but are fettled by the fffrd^es andconfent of the people, on fuch conditions as originally mere agreed between them • and that it follows thereupon ., {according unto Buchanans Docfrme") that Subje^s are mt born for the good of their Kings , but that all Kings were made tofervefor the good of the people: that it is lawful to defend Religienby force of Arths •, not pnely againfl the afjatilts of fuch Forein Nations as have nojurifdi^ion over «•>-, hut alfo againft any part of the fame Common-wealth {the common content of th^ Eft ate s being firft obtained) which doth endeavour toftbvertit : that no violence ii to be offered to the perfon of the Sttfreme Magiftrate, though he play the Tyrant, by any private man whatfoever, except he be warranted thereunto by fome extra- ordinary andexprefs command from the Lord himfelf ; lut the oppreffion rather to he bom with patience , then that God fhould be offended by fuch rafh attempts : that the Vrotetlion of the Supreme Magiftrate was to he required againft the ua- ]uft opprefjions of inferiour Officers : and that in a free Common-wealth the Sft- freme Magiftrate is rather to be queftionedin a courfe of Law, then by epon Force 5 that Suhjeits may lawfully take up Arms in defence of their Wives and Children,
if
22
C]^e )$m}t of t^e ^jegbrtenanj}.
Lib. I.
if the chief Magi finite ma^e any violent a^ault uf on them . as Lyons ar.d other hriite Creatures fght to defend their young ones • this laft exemplified by that of Trajan, giving the SwOitd to the Captain of his Guard, with thefe fol- lovvino words : Hoc enfe pro mejufiafaaente , injufiafaciente contra me uta- that is to fay, That he fhouid ufe the Sword againft hirn in defence
r:s
of himCelf , and for the protection of all thofe who in regard of his Of- fice were fubjedl to him : that therefore it tvas well done hy the Switztrs to free themfehcs of their fidjecfwn to the Houfe e/ Auftria , when the Princes of the Houfe had exercifed more then ordinary cruelty in mofl farts of the Coimtrey 5 that Dividmizht lawfully have kiUedSznl , kcaufe he gave his Wife to another man, expelled him from his Native Countrey , murdered the Pnefisfordomg fome ^ood offices to him, andpurftied him from one place to another with his flying Army:, hut that he did forbear to do it^, lefi he fhoiild give an Example to the people c^Ifratl of killing their Kings , which other men prompted by ambition might be like enough to imitate. ^
< ■ 27. Such is the Commentary of Buchanns upon Calvins Text, by
which all Chriftian Kings are made accountable even in Civil Matters to the three Eftatcs, or any other ordinary Officers of their own ap- pointing. Which Doiftrines being once by him delivered, and infor- ced by others, what elfe could follow therecpon, but firft an under- valuing of their tranfcendent Authority, afterwards a contempt of their perfons •, and finally, a reviling of them with reproachful Language -t (ijunctlUrins Vwm hcucc it was that Calvin calls {a) Mary Qieen of England hy. the ' ' " name of Proferpine, affuring us that all the Devils in HcU were not half fo mifchievous •, and that Knox could not finde for her any better titles then that of 5Pf^4^f/, mifchievous JV/^ry of the Spaniards blood, thepro- feffed enemy of God. From hence it was, that Beza calls Mary Queen of Scots, by the names oi Medeaand Athaliah •, of which the one was no lefs infamous in the Sacred, then the other was in the Heathen (lory 5 that the Engllfli Puritans compared Queen Elizabeth to an idle Slut, who fwept the middle of the room, but left all the duft and filth thereof be- (^)inMiVmus hind the doors ^ that Didoclavius calls King ^ames {b) the greateft and Evangdii ho- mofl deadly enemy of the holy Gofpel •, and pofitively affirms {c) of all far'.DamJb'. Kings in general, they are naturally enemies to the Kingdom of Chrift. Epift. " And finally, from hence it was that the fedicious Author of the bafe ^lit m'^liin'"' a"<^ unworthy Dialogue,entituled Eufebiue Philadelphus^haih fo befpatte- om^blsRi- red the great Princes of the Houfe of f ranee, ^lat he hath made them ^d" \wa' ^^^ ^^^ '^§^y Monfters in their lulls and cruelty, which ere Nature 0 im. 1. Qjjyj,g(j . and could devife no fitter names for Queen il/4ry of 5f<?^/4«^, then thofe o^ Medea, Clytemneftra, Proferpine, with that of monfirum Exi- tiale "in the clofe of all : And that the late moft mighty Monarch of Gtea.t Britain, was handled by hisSubjedsof this Faction with no lefs fcurrility, then if he had been raifed on high for no other purpofe then to be made the mark againft which they were to ftioot their Arrows, even moft bitter words, the objed of all falfe tongues, and calumnious Pens. Thus do rhey deal with Kings and Princes, as Pilateln the Gof- j)el did with Chrift our Saviour, adorned them in their Royal Robes, with their Crowns and Sceptres, and then expofed them to the fcorn of the common Souldiers, the infolencies and reproaches of the Raskal
Rabble.
.- . : 28. Nor
Pra/erpixic illi us, rjKtetiiinc in Angliit urn- lies fkpsrat D'mbolos. Calv. in Amos,cap.7.
Lib. I ci^c ^tSojt Of ti^e piz&))^tmam, % 3
28. Nordorhcy deal much better with them, in reference to their power in Spiritual Matters -, which they make either none at all, or fuch as is lubfervient onely to the ufe of the Church. Calvin firft leads the way in th.s, as he did in the other, and fee ms exceedingly difpleafed with King Henry the Eighth^ for taking to him the Title of Supreme Head on Earth of the Church o^EngUnd. Of this he makes complaint in his Commentary on the 'jth of Jm0s -, not onely telling us (^) what iuconfiderate men they were who had conferred upon him any fuch Su- aiulmhis preraacy, but that himfelfwas very much difquieted and offended at "^'"'/"'"''"■', it. And though he be content to yield him fo much Authority, as ^fyi'r may enable him to make ufeof the Civil Sword to the proteding of ^'■'!^"ff»■ za-- the Church and the true Religion-, ytt he condemns all thofe of the ■"'"■ ^'^^ like inconfideratenefs, who make them more fpiritual ( that is to fay, jj.^'*^^^"^" * of greater power, in Sacred Matters ) then indeed they are. The Su- preme power according to the Rules QiCdvins Platform, belongs un- to the Confiftory, ClaiTes, or Synodical Meetings, to which he hath afcribed the delignation of all fuch as bear publick Office in the Church the appointing and proclaiming ofallfolemn Fails, the calling of all Councils or Synodical Meetings, the ccnfuring of all mifdemeanours in the Minifters of holy Church : in which laft they have made the Su- preme Magiftrate an incompetent Judge, and therefore his Authority and final Judgment in fuch cafes of no force at all. 5f;::<i treads clofc upon the heels of his Maftcr Calvin^ and will allow no other power to the Civil Magiftrate, then to proted the Church and the Miniftry of it, in propagating and promoting the True Worfliip of God. Itis, faith (J>) he, the office of the Civil Magiftrate to ufe the Sword in maintenance ^l ^f^^*'* and defence of Gods holy Church ^ as it is the duty of the Minifters and 'e'ft%dt//m Preachers of it, to implore their aid as well againft all fuch as refufe o- "^'4''"^''' bedience to the Decrees and Conftitutions of the Church, as againft /nw//&cr Hcrcticks and Tyrants, which endeavoured to fubvertthe fame. In E^^^-Ep'^- which particulers if the Magiftrate negledts to do his duty, and fliall ^'^' not diligently labour in fuppreffing Herefie, and executing the Decrees of the Church againft all opponents •, what can the people do, but fol- low the Example of the Mother- City, in taking that power upon them- felves, though to the total alteration and fubverfion of the publick Go- vernment. For from the Principles and practice of thefe great Refor- mers, it hath ever fince been taken up as a Ruled eafe amonffft all their Followers, that if Kings and Princes fliould refufe to reform Reli'^ion, that then the inferiour Magiftrates, or the common people, by the di- reftion of their Minifters, both may and ought to proceed to a Refor- mation and that by force of Arms alfo, if need fo require.
2p. That by this Rule the Scets did generally walk in their Refor- mation, under the Regencie of Mary of Lomign^ Queen-Do wa<^er to ^Ames the Fifth- and after her deceafe, in the Reign of her Daughter; we (hall ftiew hereafter. And we ftiall Ihew hereafter alfo, that it was publiflied for good Gemvlan Dodrine by our Englifh Puritms^ That if Princes hinder them that travel in the fearch of thU holy Dikl^Yuie, they are Tyrants te the Church and the Minifiers of it -, and king fo^ may hedefofed ly their SujeSis. Which though it be fomewhat more the Calvin taught as to that particular, yet the conclufion follows well enough on fuch
faulty
24 C]^e m^on of t^t ^jc0l)ttcnan0. Lib. i.
p
faulty Premifes •, which makes it feem the greater wonder in our En- alifh Puritans, 'that following him fo cloiely in purfuic of the Difci- pline, their difaffedion unto Kings and all Soveraign Princes, their manifeftcontemptof all publlck Liturgies, and p^rtinacioufly adhering to his Dodlrine of Predeltination •, they ftiould fo vifibly dilTcnt him in the point of the Sabbath. For whereas fome began to teach about thefe fa) Mordm times U) that the keeping holy of one day in fevcn was to be reckoned )ffeunhs did for the Moral part of the fourth Commandment ; he could not let it objnYtimm p^f^ ^yithout fome rcproof : for what, faith he, can be intended by ^l''inftftut. • thofemcn, but in defiance of the Jews to change the day, and then to lib. 2. c. 8. j^jj ^ areater Sanftity unto it then the J-ews ever did < Firft therefore, Sea. 34. ^^ decTares for his own Opinion, that he made no fuch reckoning of a (h)nHmrm feventh-day-Sabbath, (h) as to inthral the Church to a neceffity of sepcn-irim conformin" to it : Andfecondly, that he efteemed no otherwife of the ItuliEc"' Lords-day-'Sabbath, then of an Ecclefiaftical Conftitucion, {c) appoin- cit^is ajinn- te^jby oar Anceftorsin the place of thejewilli Sabbath 5 and therefore ^(T)'^mt alterable from one day to another at the Churches pleafure : Followed ttres in mum x\iQ^ein by all the Churches of his party, who thereupon permit all law- ^rogSmt!'^' ful Recreations, and many works of neccffary labour on the day it felf, provided that the people be not thereby hindred from giving their at- tendance in the Church at the times appointed. Infomuch, that in GenevA it felf all manlike exercifes, as running,vaulting,leaping, flioot- m^ and m.any others of that nature, are as indifferently indulged on the Lords day, as on any other. How far the Engliili Puritans depar- ted from their Mother-Church, both in Dodrine and Pradice (with reference to this particular) we fliall fee hereafter, when they could finde no other way to advance i'/'f^^j/fr)', and to decry the Reputation of the ancient Feftivals, then by ereding their new Sabbath in the hearts of the people. De transfe- 50. It is reported by ^ohn Barkley^in his book called Parenefis adScotos^ undnfoien'^ ^j^^j. (j^i^/^ qucc held a Confukation at Gene'uajoic transferring theLords IkTjf^- day from Sunday to Thurfday. Which though perhaps it may be true am quintion (confiderint^ the inclination of the man to new devices j) yet I conceive, Lib.i.c.ulc. ^^^^ ^^ ^^5 oreater projeds in his Head, and could finde other ways to advance his Difcipline, then by falling upon any fuch ridiculous and o- dious Counfel. He had many Irons in the fire, but took more care in hammerin<^ hisDifciple then all the reft-, Firftby entitling it to fome exprefs Warrant from the holy Scripture, and afterv/ards by coramen- aifi^ffS- ding it to all the Churches of the Reformation. In reference to the firft, defim, nift he fets US know in his Epiftle 10 Far elks, Sepemb. \6. 1543. {a) that Z'ZSiuc. the Church could not otherwife fubfift, then under fuch a Form of Go- mm^quait vernnaent, as is frejcribedintheWerd, and obferved in old times by the exverboDsi (^hurch. And in relation to the other, he was refolved to make his ZmeP&Tnhed ufc of that Authority, which hy his Commentaries on theScrip- vetiriE'-de' jQ^gs, his Book oi Infiitutions, and fome occafional Dicourfes againft SSL^EpTft. the Papifts, he had acquired in all the Proteflant and reformed Chur- <if/FareU. ches. Infomuch that Gaffer Liger us, a Divine of m«f^f/'_g'<;, by his Let- ters bearing date Pf^- 27. 15 H'^^knowledgeth the great benefit which mSmmt he had received by his Writings, acquaints him with the peaceable e- fudnos adhiic j^jjjg Qf the Church o{ Saxonic 5 but fignifies withall, (^) that Excom- """'" 'J^'- mmkation
Lib. i. Ci^c l^iftojt of ti^e ^jejib^terianjj, % 5
wmication was not ufed amongft them : whereunto Cah'm mikes this Anfwer, That he was glad to hear that the Church ofS/ixony continued in that condition ; but forty (f ) that it was not fo ftrenghned by the Nerves of Difcipline, as might prefer ve the fame inviolated to the ^^;:'f|!f^ ?""/'" times to come. He adds, that there could be nobetter wayof corre^ tfiv'/c'i- " diing vice, then by the joynt confent of all the Paftors of one City ; fj"'-^ "^rvos, {d) and that he never thought it meet, that the power of Excommuni- &"." "'" ^^' eating fliould refide in the Poftors onely, ( that is to (ay, not in con- (^)^">"i''^»i jundion with their £/iw-,) which laft he builds on thefe three Reafons. "l^VxcmL- Firft, in regard it is an odious and ungrateful Officcj next,becaufe fuch ""i^ndi fer- a. fole and abfolute power might eafily degenerate into tyranny 5 and pl^orljufj'i'^ finally, bccaufe the Apoftles had taught otherwife in it. By which we *">' e^ w »- fee, that as he builds his Difcipline on the Word of God, oratthej£/£ leaft on Apoftolical tradition, which comes clofe unto it -, fo he adven- ^pofou'tr^ tureth to commend it to the Lutheran Churches, in which his Reputati- '''''"""^• on was not half fo great, as amongft thofe AVhich had embraced the ZuingliAn Dodrines.
5 ;. But in the ZiiingltAn Churches he was grown more abfolute^ his Writings being fo highly valued, and hisperfonfoefteemedof in re- gard of his Writings, that moft of the Divines thereof depended wholly upon his judgment, and were willing to fubmit to any thing of his Prefcription. The Church of Stroihourgh^ where he had remained in the time of his exile, received his Difcipline with the firft, asfoonas it was finally cftabliflied in Geneva it felf. For it appeareth by the h^t- terwhichCafper O&tnams (em to Cahm^ bearing date y^/'r/Y 12. 1560. {a) that the Elderfhip was then well fettled in that Church, and the El- ''^/pn-mVI ders of it in a full pofTelfion of their power, the exercife whereof they '/ commons- are defired to fuipend in one particular, which is there offered to \\is^"J'J;"ll,f{, view. This Gaffer was chief Minifter of the Church of Tryers^ fo paf- «fw/.&c. <•»- fionately affeded to the name oicdvin^ that he accounted it for onejaf ^^'J^l/'^^^'^^*- hisgreateft honours to be (^) called a Cd/t^^'w^wPreacher. Acquaint- w,^/// J.' ing him with the condition of the Church of Trj^r^jhe tells him amongft f^f"'"'"'^'^* other things, that he found the people very willing to fubmit to Difci- cimmTe cd' pline 5 and thereupon intreats him for a Copy of thofe Laws and Or- '"''^''"'<i,&e. ders {c) which were obferved in the Confiftory of Geneva, to the end he rcja^f ^ cm^. might communicate them to fuch of the Senators as he knew to be ze- ftm'i ve^n of- loufly affeded. Calvin^ who was apt enough to hearken to his own ZT trll].'^ defires, fends him a large draught of the whole Platform, as well rela- mitti,&c. ting to the choice of the Members, either Lay or Minifters, as to the power and jurididion which they were to exercife, with all the penal- ties and particularities ( with reference unto crimes and perfons) which depended on it. And having given him that account, he thus clofeth with him : This fummary ( faith he ) / had thowrht fufficient, hy which, or out ef which (d) you may eaftly frame to your felf fuch a form of Govern- CdjExquofor- tnent^ as I have no reafon to f refer ibe. To you it affer tains modeflly tofuggefi mamaiiiHm thofe counfels, which you conceive to he mojt profitable for the ufe of the church- ""ammfm- that godly and difcreet men, who feldomtakeitilltobervelladvifed, may there- btriimdt- upon confider what is bejl to he done. Which words of his, though very *""' caureloufly couched, were fo well underftood by oberianus, that the Di- fcipline was firft admitted in that Church, and afterwards propagated
E " into
j^ Ci^el^ifto?¥Oft]^ei&>e0b|temn0, • Lib. i.
into thofe of the Neighbouring Provinces.
32. He hath another way of fcrewing himfelf into the good opini- on of fuch Kings and Princes as he conceived to be inclinable to the Reformation j fometimes congratulating with them for their good fucceCs i fometimes encouraging them to proceed in fo good a work 5 pf which fort were his Letters to Kipg^<afjvW the Sixth, to Queen Elij?,aheth^ and Mr. Secretary <:?«/ •, to the Prince Eledor PaUtim^ Di^ke of WirtinbHrgh^ Lantgrave of Heffe, But he beftirred himXclf in noplace more then he d\6.\^ PoUnd; which though he never vifitcd inperfon, yet. he was frequent in it by his Lines and Agents. The Augufiam Confeflion had been brought thither fome years before j of which he took but little notice. But he had heard no fooner that the Dodrines of Zuwglms began to get fome ground upon them, under the Reign oiSigifmmd, {ummtdAugufius-y when prefently he pofts his Let- ters to the King, and moft of the great Oncers which were thought to encline that way. Amongft which, he diretSs his Letters to Prince Kadz.evilky one of the Chief Palatines^ and Earl Marilial ; SfirtetnsCA'. fidanoi Siinder?:,ce^ and Lord high-Treafurcr •, to ^ohn Count oiTar- mcoy Cafielm o^Craco^ and Lord General of his Maje/ties Armies: be- fides many other CufteluKS-, and perfons of great power in the Affairs of that Kint^dom. In his firfl Letters to that King, dated the fourth of December 1554, he feems to cojigratulate with him for imbracing the Reformed Religion, (though in that point he was fomewhat out in his intelligence^ ) and thereupon exhorts him to be earneft in the propa- gating of the Faith and Gofpel, which in himfelf he had impreft • and that he would proceed to reform the Church from the dregs of Pope- ry, without regard to any of thofe dangers and inconveniences which might follow on it. But in his next addrefs (1555) he comes up more clofe, fpeaks (4) of evening a Tribunal or Throne to Chrtft •, fetting up fuch Caj^Mfzj^- ^ pgpfg^ Form of the true Religion, as came neereit to the Ordinance )mcerii Ri!'- of Chrift. And we know well, that in the meaning of his Party, the gio,per qum fettling o{ Presbytery was affirmed to be nothing elfe then fetting Ckrifl S£ui upon his Throne, holding the Sceptre of theHoly Difciplinein own erigitHr. right-hand. And fomewhat to this purpofe he had alfo written to the Count of Tarnaco, whom in his firft Letter he applauds for his great rea- dinefs to receive the Gofpel : But in his fecond, bearing date the nine- teenth of November 1558, he I'eems no lefs grieved that the Count demur- red on fomething which he had recommended to him, under pretence that (b) it was not fafe to alter any thing in the State of the Kingdom, (h) ii !l~it!t and that all innovations feemed to threaten fome great danger to it j Kcgniniimo- which cauteloufnefs In that great perfun could not relate to any alte- Zi'lfvitt ration in the State of Religion, in which an alteration had been made graves motiu for fomc years before 5 and therefore muft refer to fome Form of Di- ^■mmm. f^ipline which Calvin had commended to him for the ufe of thofe Chur- ches. And no man can conceive that he would recommend unto them any other Form then that which he devifed for the Church of Geneva.
32. But Calvin did not deal by Lcttes onely in the prefent bufinefs, but had his Agents in that Kingdom, who bufilyimployed therafelves to advance his projeds. Amongft whom none more pradical, or. pragmatical rather, then ^ohaAlafco^ of a Noble Family in that Coun-
Lib. I. €;ije ^iftojf of t^e i^je^b^tetisn^. i j
try, but aprofeffed CalviniM, both for Do(flrincand Difcipline 3 :^dr the promoting whereof, when hchadfetled himfelfand his Church in London^ Anno 1 5 5 o, he publifheth a Pamphlet in defence of Tutiug at the Holy Sacrament, incouraged thofe who had refufed conformity to, th'e Cap and Surplice^ and eagerly folicited il/. 5//«r (amdrtof greatparc§, but of more moderation ) to (hew himfelf on their behalf. Driven out of En^lunJ, he betakes himfelf to the Dukedom o( Saxony^ where he behaved himfelf with fuch indifcretion, that he was fain to quit thofe parts and retire to P^AiW, in which the greatnefs of his kindred was his beft protedion. There he fets up again for Calvin. By the Activity of this man, the diligence o( Utenhrmf, and the compliance of foiue great perfons upon Politick ends ; the Elderfhipis advanced in many places of that Kingdom, as appedrs by the Letters of the faid Utenhorias^, bearing date ^an. 27. 1 5 ^9. In which he fignifies unto him, that the moft illuftrious Prince, the Palaime oi Filnun^ Lithuank^ being come to the AfTembly of the States which was held at Fetrico-, refolved no^t to depart from thence before feme Convention of the Brethren fhould be held there alfc, to which {a) as well the Elders which his Highnefs (^J',?''^^ brought thither with him, as thofe that he found there at his coming, «/om,<7Cff»- Ihould confult together for the eftablifhing of a greater purity in Kites'^'^^'r '^"^"'^ and Ceremonies to be uled amonglt them. For with admimon of the addHxitjkc. Difcipline into Ltthan/a, Calvin exprclTeth no fmalljoy in his Letters to anamelcfs Friend in that Country, bearing date oifol/. q, 1561. In which he lets himknow how much he did congratulate the happinefs of the Realm o{ Poland,zx\d. more particularly of the Province o{ Lithuania^ that the Reformed Religion made fo great a progrefs in thofe Coun- tries, by which addition Chrifls Kingdom had been much enlarged 5 that his joy was very much increafed, (^) by hearing that together with <^; cum audio the fame Religion they received the Difcipline-, that it was not without ^'I<^'P''^fii* very good caufe, that he ufed to call the Difcipline the Nerves ef the pofeifwne churchy in regard of the great ftrength which it added to if. By ""j*''^'- which laft words we may perceive what kind of Church-Government it was which he commended to Ligerm before rcmembred, under this ve- ry title of the Nerves ef Difciflinei by which Religion was to be prefer- ved inviolable for the times to come.
33. In the Aflembly at Pefnco, before remembred, the Palatines^ and' other great men of the Kingdom, obtained a Privilcdge, {c) whereby it fc)ytminn- was made lawful for them to reform all the Churches under their com- 'biUtati libim. mand,& to reform them in fuch manner as to thenl feemed beft. It was ^^j'^.^'^p^^"^ then alfo moved by the Count of 7drnaco^ that the Bifhops rtiouldnoVvyZjw/^- longer hold their place or fuffrage in the Aflembly of Eftates, but keep '^"'^'':^ J""- themfelvesonly to fuch matters as concerned the Church: which though utcnh.Caiv'. it did not take effed, yet the attempt appeared fo dreadful in the eye of J^"- 27.1 559- thofe Prelates then prefenr, that they became more tradable and obfe-' quioHStogreat State- Officers, then they had been formerly. And what could follow hereupon,but that the great men being left to pleafe them- selves in their own Religion, and the Bilhopsnot daring tooppofe 5 not onely Zuingiiamfnt and the Difcipline, but many other Seds and Innova- . tions &ould get ground upon them -fin reference to the Difcipline, as it was fitted and accommodated to whole Realms and Nations, they had
E 2 not
2 8 C]^e l^ifto^^ of t]^e ^ jejslJttenanji, Lib. t
notonely their PreJ>ytenes^a.s in Cef3eva.,Strasl>ourg,znd.{omeotkst Cities^ but their Ghfjicd and Spodical Meetings, as in France and Scotland ; whereinthey took upon them to make Laws and Ordinances for the dirciftin^ of their Churches after Calvins Model. For in the Synod held at 7js^/?g-er, in the year 1564, it was Decreed that they fliould ufeno other Mufick in their Churches , then the finging of Pfalms (after the manner of Gf»^^'4, underftand it fo) condemning that which was then ufed intheChurchof-K<'»?f3 partly becaufe the Pfalms and Hymns were fung in the Latine Tongue, and partly becaufe the Priefls did bellow in them C as they pleafed to phrafe it ) like the Priefts of Baal. Concerning which we are to know, that the device of turning Dai'ids Pfalms into Rhyme and Meter was firft taken up by clement Manot, one of the Grooms of the Bed-chamber to King Francis thefirfl:-, who being much addi(5led to Poetry, and having fome acquaintance with thofe which were thought to wifli well to the Reformation, was perfwaded by the learned Vatahlns (Profeflor of the Hebrew Tongue iu the Univerfity of p4yrV)to excrcife his Poetical Phancy in tranflating fome of J)4'yi^/ Pfalnas. For whofe fatisfa(5lion and his own he tranflated the firft fifty of them into Callick Meters-, and after flying to Geneva^ grew acquaint- ed with Bcz,a^vf\\o in fome trad of time tranflated the other hundred al- fo, and caufed them to be fitted unto feveral Tunes. Which thereupon began to be fung in private Houfes, and by degrees to be taken up in all the Churches of the French and other Nations which followed the Ge- nevian Platform. For firft, in imitation of this Work o^M^rrots^ Stem- hdd^ a Groom of the Privy-Chamber toKing Edivardt\\Q Sixth, tranflat- ed thirty feven of them into Englilh Meter, Anno 1552, t'le reft made up by ^ohn Hopkins and fonie others, in the time of Queen Ma;y •, but moft efpecially by fuch as had retired unto Geneva in thofe very tim es. Followed therein by (ome Dutch Zealots, who having modelled their Reformation by the Rules o( Calvin, were willing to imbracethis No- velty amongft the reft. So as in little trad of time, the finging of thefe Pfalms in Meter becanve a moft efpecial part of their publick Worfhip^ and was eftemed as neceflary to the Service of God, as were the ads^f Prayer and Preaching, and whatfoeverelfe was efteemed moft Sacred. In the next place, to take away all difference in Apparel, whether Sa- cred or Civil, and all diftindion in thethoice of Meats and Drinks^ he (h)stuitum & accounted it {i>) a ridiculours and ungodly thing for thofe which are the w/rp/ Heirs of all things, (with dominion over all the Creatures) to fuffer mini & omni- thcmfclves to be reftraiucd by any fuperftitious ufe of Meats, Drinks, or 1",! "&c"c^ Veftments. The Temples built unto their hands they were contented to l/'e'^j#f;(. ^'^* make ufe of for their publick Meetings, being firft purged of Idols, Al- tars, the Bellowingsbef0rementioned,and other the like dregs of Popery^ though formerly they had been abufed (who fees not a Calvinian fpirit walking in all thefe linesOby the Priefts of Baal. They feem content alfo to allow their Minifters Meat, Drink and Wages 5 condemning thofe which grutch them fuch a forry Pittance, But as for Tithes, and Glebes, and Parfonage-Houfes,theykept them wholly to themfelves, that being the.Fifti they angled for in thofe troubled waters, and the chief bait thaif tempted them to fwallow down thofe alterations in.religion,which after- wards made them, a reproach and a by-word to the reft of Chriftendom.
34* r
Lib. I. Clje l^ifto?^ of ttie mt^hi^tzmn^.
ap
34. Ihavefome rcafont^s believe,that fitting at the Lords Table came firft in with Cahmffn, as being moft a|rteable to the Rules of the Difcipline and the Dodrine of the Zumglian Chnrck'Biit afterwards^up- on confideration of the fcandal which was given thereby, as well to'the ia?^er rf/?j as the Papifts •, {a) it was thought fit to change that pofture ''''>'^f/^'*''^" into {landing or kneeling., and then to charge the introduction of that J/to"™ fawcy cuftom on the JnaiK Hereticks, who looking on Chrift no other- ^/W««4 wife then their Elder Brother, thought it no robbery at all to be equal f"-'^^^'"".'""'' with him, {h) and fit down with him at his Table. And it was well for num. 4!"'^''' them, though it happened very ill for the peace of Chriftendom tha*- ^^-^ '^"'^■"•mii- they could finde fo fair a Plafter for fo foul a Soar. For fo it was, that '^m£^, both the Herefies of Aniui^tht impieties oi Servettis^the extravagancies ^'"•' ^''^^ ^^^^ of the Amhaptifts, and the exploded errors oE the Samofatemam, \Yho pripu!'^'"' from the leafi: reviver of them are now called Socimans^ crrevv up toae- ^ynod.' wia- ther in this Kingdom with the Dodirincof C^/w;?, andmi<?ht recefve *"''-^""^-^- feme good encouragement from the Riilesof his Difcipline° by which that flovenly gefture or pofture of fitting was impofed as necefTary. Nor was the Difcipline of force fufficient to reprefs thofe Herefies ' though Cahin thought it fuch a great prefervative of the true Relif^i- on, and that it was confirmed at the Synod of Sendomur 1570, (cWs (c) sicundum grounded on the Word of God, and warranted both by Chrifts com- .!5L^^5;, mand, and the example of his Apofiles; which gives the Freshyteria^ tumje/l ''^' Difcipline more Divine Inftitution, then Calvm durfl afcribe unto it or ^''^'^^'' '^ any of our Sabbatarians could ever find for their Lords-day-Sabbath. ?5£L: Some difference there was in the choice of their Elders, between thefe ^""^' ''' Folijh Churches, and the reft of that Platform •, the Government of the reft being merely popular ♦, but thefe retaining fomcwhat in them of an Ariftocracy. For befides the feveral Fresbyterks of particular Churches, they have a more general fuperintendencie in every Diocefs or any other large Diftrid, of what name fo ever. For manacling whereof fome of the principal Minifters are chofen by confent of then- Synods, whom they call by the RVimeof Spiritual Superhtemettts, each of them being aflbciated with two or three Elders of the Lay-Nobility5 andforthemoft part oftheranck and degree of Knights. By m^-ans whereof, they keep the ordinary Presbyteries and Parochial Seflions within the bounds appointed for them, nor fuffering them to intrench upon the priviledges of Prince or People, as they have done in other places, where they want this curb.
35. Leaving the Folijh Churches under this eftablifhment, we muft follow Calvininto Scotland^ where he imployed ^ohn Knox as his Vicar- General. He knew the fpirit of the man by his Fa(5tious Writinc^s, his adings in the Schifm at /"r^w^/or/, and thelong converfationwhtchhe had with him in GenevAitie\i-^ and having given him a Coramifllon to return to Scotland^ inftrufted and incouraged him in his followincr courfes. And Knox applyed himfelf fo well to his Inftrudions, that prefently on his return he inflamed the people to the defacincr of Ima- ges, the deftroying of Altars, demolifliing of MonafteriesandRelicri- 1'^^^^'''''^'''-' ous Houfes, and making havockof all things which formerly were ac- 'ZnUat counted Sacred. Tliis Cdvin calls (4) the propagation of the Gofpel, '''f^ p'^-s'-f/- and by his Letters doth congratulate with him for Iiis good fuccefs : i£urut'
So f^'' f/^ Utori
3°
^tje "^ifton of tt>c f^ie^bttcn'attjs.
Lib. I.
So thatif r/r/Z/sRule be true, a
nd
that there be little or no difference between the adviiing of mifchief, and the rejoycing at it vVhen the deed is done 5 ■ (^) Calviit muft be as guilty of thole fpoils and Sacrile- ges, as even Kmx himfelf. And that he might proceed as he had be- ve!mfim,a>ignn, he lays this Rule before himfor his future carriage •, that is to gaadeamfl- (g^y_^ that the Church was to be cleared from all filth which had iffued ?Vj mT* out' of errour and fuperftition •, {c) and the Myfteries of God were (c)Ft 'ic'cMii not to be defiled with idle and impertinent mixtures. Under which
and fuch a general Rule as hath no exceptions, there
{h)Nih!l ints- rtft otiiim
lordilitu piir- getHr, qn£ ex error: cs^ [uftrjlitiene manarunt, i^ ne fvedentur Dii Myfliri^i luiicris &• jtifipidn mix- turn. Calv. Knoxo, April
general Rule, and fuch a general Kule as nath no exceptions, was no Ceremony ufed in the Church of RomC:, though Primitive and Apoftolical in it felf, which was not prefently to be difcharged as i/ia. pure or idle, orotherwife abhominated, as fome part of the filth of Po- pery. And becaufe all things muft be done to the honour of O/w;?, he is confulted in all fuch doubts and emergent difficulties, as could not be fufficiently determined by a lefs Authority. It is reported in the Hiftory writ by Venerable Bede^ that when Augufltfie the Monk was fent into England by Pope Gregorj to convert the Saxons^ he met with many difficult and intricate cales, which he was not able to refolve. In which refped he fent them allin writing to the Pope himfelf, re- quiring his judgment in the fame, that he might have the better ground to proceed upcn^ either in ordering of fuch matters which concerned the Church, or determining finally fuch calcs as were brought before him. Kmx looks on Calvin with as great a Reverence, asAngupne did upon the Pope •, accounts him for the Supreme Paftor of the Refor- mation, and therefore fends his doubts unto him concerning the bapti- zing of Baftards, as alfo of the Children of Idolaters, and'Excommu- nicate perfons. He makes another ^^re alfo, but fuch asfeemed to be rather a Matter of Concupifcence, then a cafeof Confcience ^ whe- ther the Monks and Pariih-Priefts which remained in Scotland, were to receive their Tythes and Rents as in former times, confidering that they didnofervicein theChurchof Chrift. To which laft Ojare he re- turned fuch anfwer ( for in the other he was Orthodox and found e- nouf^h) as ferved to ftrip the Monks and Priefts of all their livelyhood; it being clearly his opinion, {a) that they oughf nor to be fed and cloathed at the publick charge, in regard they lived in idlenefs, and did nothin^^ for it •, but that they rather were to get their livings by the fweat of their brows, and by the labour of their hands. According to
(i) Monichis & Sicrificu' Hi victim ex publico non debere certum (ft, lit in otto inutilti de- giint,&-c.— SfdpotiiiS ut jhflo libon fibi vifl:im
qutruni. Calv. fhe Churches,
Knoxo, No- vemb.8.i5$9-
which refolution no man is fureof hisEftate, butmay be ftript of it as an idle boy, or an unprofitable fervant, when the Brethren pleafe.
36 But Calvins thoughts were not confined to Poland or to Scotland onely : He now pretends to a more general or Apoftolical care over all
' '" the Decrefals of (ome
fending abroad his Miffives like
former Popes.'-, which being made in reference to thofe emergent dif- ficulties which were brought before them, ferved afterwards fora ftand- ing Rule to regulate the like cafes for the times to come. It would be thought a matter of impertinency,or curiofity at the beft,to touch upon all particulars of this nature, in which he fignified his good pleafure to the reft of the Churches. The Reader may fatisfie himfelf out of his Epiftles, if he hath any lift or leifureto confult the fame; or otherwife may make a judgement of then by this fmall fcantling, as the wife Ma- thematician
ra ti-
Lib. I. Cl)e M^m of tl^c |0?e0ttter($n?i. 3 1
thematician took thejuft meafureof thebodyof Hcrcuks^ bytheim- prefllon which he made in the fand by one of his Feet, And therefore I (hall look no further then upon fuch ipecialities as have relation to the poftrine, Difcipline, or Forms of Worlhip, which are moil proper to -the reft. Some of the Brethren not; fully letled in a Church, had laid alide the finging of Pfalms, either for fear of being difcovered, or othervvife terrified and difcouraged by the threats of the adverfary. For this he reprehends them in a tedeoas Lctter,dated ^ul-j i9.i$^9.{i>) im- (hj V4u putesit to their fearfulncfs or pufiUanimity, accufeth them of plain ter- ""^'^'^^ ^t-.- ■giverfation, and ftiutting up all paflages againft the entrance of the SS^ Graces of Almighty God. The Brethren o^Mom PelyArd{(ox: I think*:h€ conliringh, former lived in Mettz,.,xht cheifCityof i,(>rm«) were required by the J^J^/tl/J-f." Guardians of their Prince (that is to (^.y^the Palatine o( Zuihook, and the ramini, <^ Duke of ?^/Wf»^<rrg-e) to hold conformity in fome Ceremonies with the '^'■'^/^^f Lutheran Church,as namely in the Form of their Catechifing, the man- ST "^ 'tf'*^-'.*-* ner of Adminiftringthe Holy Sacrament, the Form of publick Prayers, and Solemnizing of Marriages. Theywere required alfo to imploy them- felves in Preaching down the errours and corruptions of the Church of Home^xxi fomefmallScigniories which were lately fallen unto their Prince, and had not formerly been inftruded in the Dodrine of the Proteftant Churches. But abfolutely they refufed the one, and would do nothing in the other without Cdvins leave ; to whofe infallible judgement and determination they refer the points : whercunto he returns fuch anfwer by his Letters, bearing date Sepemher 25. 1 5 62 , as confirmed them in their firft refufal-, excepting more particularly againft fufferin^ Mid- wives to Baptize, and againft praying for the Joyful Refurreftion of a man deceafed, at the time of his Burial. But in the other he advifcth them to accept the charge 5 as vifibly conducing to the propa<?ation of the true Religion, and the inlarging of Chrifts Kingdorra.
37. SofortheDifciplinewhichfeemed to be d^vifed at firft upon hu- mane prudence, accommodated to the prefent condition of Geneva, one- ly •, the ufe of Excommunication had been difcontinued in the Prote- ftant Churches, and no fuch creatures or Lay-Elders heard of in the Primitive times, or glanced at in the holy Scriptures. So that to truft them with the power of the Church-cenfures, could not pretend to a- (^mcmtu ny ground in the Word of God, fuppofing that the ufe of Excommu- tu doctos^;-' nication was to be every where received. Calvin himfelf confeffes in^'// '^'^J,'""- his Letters unto thofe ofZimek, {a) that in the judgment of moft Lear- ]nm'^ihM ned and Religious men, there was no need of Excommunication under ^'""fi'!\'"^ Chriftian Princes. Beza acknowledgeth the like in the Life of Cahi/t-, T[fenLflrU and what Ligerm faith for the Church of Saxenie^ hath been fliewed f-xcpmmuni- already. But by degrees it came to be intituled to Divine Authority •, "^'** at firft commended as convenient, and at laft as neceflary. With the opinion of the Sacred and Divine Authority of the holy Difcipline, he bad fofar pofTelTed Saligniar^z man of Eminent power in the City o£ Pa- ris, and one that for thirty years before, had declared himfelf in fa- 'i^J,frT/eiLb' vour of the Reformation, that he acknowledgeth it in the end to be clrijiknl ""' Jfofidical : For in his Letter written unto Calvin on the Ides of Decern- '^'^"^f^^ "* her, he lets him know how vehemently hediddefire, that (^) they pl^Tikam'^' might have fuch a Form of Ecclefiaftical Pchty, ix% Cahin feemed to ># 'f^'-
" 11 mm.
breath,
^ J Ci^e K^tftoj^ of ti^e ^lesilJttenansJ. Lib. i.
breath, and could not be denyed to be Apoftolical. From hence it
was that he declared fo politively in his Epiftle to Popfim^ Fehruarj
, TT ir •><: t<:'nO, that the (0 Masiftrates were to be follicited for the Exer-
(c)Vt pMica. z^.ijjyi ,'_ D 11.1 A L- i-iT. .1
Authoritate, cife of bxcommunication by pubhck Authority-, which if it could
Excommitni- ^ Up obtained, the Minifters were to make this proteflation, that
ciifnvigm. they durft not give the Sacrament to unworthy receivers, for fear of
cominf^ und^r the cenfure of cafting that which was holy before Dogs
and Swine. More fully in his anfwer to fome queftions about the Di-
fcipline •, in which we finde ( and that goes very high indeed ) {d) that
^ad^%Ln- the fafety of the Church cannot otherwife be provided for, then by the
dim,%Lc. — free ufe of Excommunication, for the purifying of the fame from filth,"
i:igeat Bx-^^^^ the reftraint of licentioufnefs, abolilhing enormous crimes, and the
&" ' ' corredling of ill manners -, the moderate exerciie whereof he that will
not fuffer, doth plainly fliew himfelf to be no flieep of our Saviours Pa-
'^^^sa^ o fture.
2S. And fo far Cahin had proceeded, but he went no further -, nei- ther condemning the Eftace of Biftiops as Antichriftian and unlawful, nor thinking his Lay-elders fo extreamly neceflary, that no DecreeoF fz)?rmifio Excommunication could be paft without them. But Bez^, {a) who Sub V.Jo. fuccecded in the Chair of Cahm., isrefolvedonboth : For Calvin hz- cdvint Ml- ^.^^ ^^j.g eic'ht and twenty years in the Chair oi Geneva., ended his life "cf)MUbms in the year 15 64. During which rime he had attained to luch an height fucctfmm. qP Reputation, that even the Churches of the Srvitzers loft the name of Bez. tjift. 2.uingiiAns., and thought it no fmall honour to them, as well as thofe of German'j.i France., Pole., or Scotland, to be called Caviman. Onely the Eni^lifti held it out, and neither had imbraced his Dodlrines, nor recei- ved his Difcipline. And though the Puritan party in it took the name of Cahinifis ( our Divines commonly called Calvinijls, fay the two Informers ) yet both i:4r^a'M ftomached it to befo accounted, Mountaguelw anfwer to the two Informers doth proteft againft it, and all the truefons of the Church of j5//f/<i«^doasmuch difclaim it. £f;r.<i endeavoured what he could to introduce his Difcipline and Forms of Worfliipintoall the Churches which did pretend to any Reformation of their ancient Er- rours. In the purfuit whereof he drives on fo furioufly, Wkt ^ehu'm the holy Scriptures, as if na Kings or Princes were to ftand before him. Scarce was he fecled in his Chair, when one of his profeffed Champions for Presbytery puts himfelf into i/f/«ftf/i'fr^, which had not long after admitted the Calvinian Dodrines, but not fubmittedtothe Difcipline, as extrinfecal to them. This Champion therefore chal- lenges the Divines thereof to a Difputation, publickly holds forth this propofition, which he then defended 5 that is to fay, ThattoaMinifler ■with his Elders there is fower given hj exprefs warrant from Gods Word., to Excommunicate all offenders^ even the greatefi Prince. From hence proceed- ed that difpute which afterwards Eraflu-s ( of whom more hereafter ) maintained with Beza •, the point being put upon this iflfue , Whether all Chifrches ou^ht to have their Elderfbip invejled with a forver of Excommuni- cation-^ and that Lay elders ivere fgnece(Jary in every EUerPip, that nothing could k done without them. In which difpute ( as it is very well obferved by judicious Hooker) they feemed to divide the whole truth between thera •, Beza moft truely holding the neceflity of Excommunication in a
Church
Lib. I. €;ijc l$imv of tl^e i^^e^btteriangi. 33
Church well conftituted -, Brafiia no lefs truly fliewiug that there waS no neceflilty of Lay-elders to the Minifters of it. .
40. But his main bufinefs was to fettle the Calvinim Forms in the Realms oiBritain-^ in which he aimed at the acquiring of as great a name as Cdvin had obtained in France or Poland. Knox had already fo prevailed amongft the Scots., that though they once fubfcribed to the Rites and Ce- remonies of the Church olEngUni., yet he had brought them to admit fachaForm of Worfhip, as came more neertothe Example QiGmev^, And he had brought the Difcipline to fo good a forwardhefs^ that Bcz.a was rather wantt.ig to confirm then to introduce it, as fliall appear at large when w^ come t;)5f(?//.i/?i. But Knox had many opportunities to effed his bufinefs, during tneabfence of their Q^een/theRegencie of. Queen yJ/4r} of l-<>r/4/«, and chefenfcttlednefs of affairs in the State of that Kingdom, which the Brethren could not finde in England:, where, the Fabrkk of the State wasjoyned together with fuch Ligaments of Power and Wifdom, tliat they were able toadb liitle, and effed much; Icfs. Some oppofition they had made after their coming back from Franfon and Gemva, their two chief R ;treats, againft the Veftments of the Chuich, ani :hc dlftinction of Apparel becwtxc Priefts and Lay- men: In which fomc of them did proceed with fo vain an obft:inaciej that fome, of them were for a time fufpended, and othc;rs totally deprived of th-. ir Cures and Benefices^ fome of them alfo had begun to take excepdon a- gainft fome parts and Offices of the publick Liturgic-, refuiioe there- upon to conform unto it ^ and thereupon likely to incur the very [?■ pie penalties which' were inflided on^the other. In both thefe cafes they confult the Oracle , refolving to adhere to his determination in thi m- whatfoever it was. Firft therefore he applycs himfelf to Grind/ily then Bifliop of London., and very zealoufly aC^ded to the name of Calvin: to whom he fignifiesby his Letter of the .26 oi^nne 1 566, how much he was afRided with the fad reports our o( France and Gernuny, hy which he was advertifed that many Minifters in England , (4) being otherwife un- ^^t]^,X^" ''^^.'^ blameable both for Life and Do(5trine,had been cxaudoratcd ordtprived bCiluuipatl' by the Queens Authority, (the Billiops giving their confent and appro- "^i'"!"^ ^""f . bation)only for notfubfcribing to fome Rites and Ceremoniesj but more ^'Sl*w'' particularly,that divers of them were deprived,Tiotonely for refufin^ to "(^yji^circo wear(6)thofe Veftments which were peculiar to Baals Priefts in theJi^'/zS''' times of Popery,but for not conforming to fomeRites which had degene- ixa.i£ioratos, rated into moft lliameful fuperftitions,fuch as theCrofs inBaptifm, kneel- Sj^*i vs- ing at the Communion,and the like to thefe. That Baptifm was admit- i^n iUas sZu ted fometimes by Midwives. (rr)That power was left unto the Queen ^0^-,^^^^//%. ordain other Rites and Ceremonies,as (he faw occafion: and finallyjthat '■'-■-Imal' the Bifliops were inverted with the fole authority for orderin<7 matters in ^'"''"^- . . theChurch^C^jtheotherMinifters not advifedwith,or consulted in them. S$j/ni""
41. Such is die fubftance of his charge againft each particular point '^;<""'''or:<m whereof he bends his forces, as if he had a minde to batter down the tcp's'lfgU Bulworks of the Church of England., and lay it open to Geniva. I fliall ^^^jeftitefi' not note how much he blames the Ancient Fathers for bringing in fo ^/d^h.^d folk ■many Ceremonies into ufe and pra(5Uce, which either had been borrow- £p!fcop^s de "* cd from the ^ferpy, or derived from the Gentiles-, or how he magni.^eth "^Ecd'' the nakednefs and fimplicity of thofe Forein Churches which abomi- WLi 'm. nate nothing more then fuch outward trappings. But the refukpf all is "" P'^^''^'^
. this Epift. «.
34 ^^K ^<ftoj¥ Of tl)e fa^0i)ttemni5. Lib. i.
(e) ^icquid this (e),that whatfoever Rite or Ceremony was either brought into the "fepal-' Church from ths^em ot Gentiles, not warranted by the inftitution of nisin^ftw' Chrift, or by any examples of the Apoftles ; as alfo all fignificant ^ii"^'TJ m Ceremonies, which by no right were at firft brought ibito the Church, prxmchrip ouohtall at once to be prohibited and fupprefleJ, there being no hope ifitutmm ji^^f j.^e Church would otherwife be reftored to her native Beauty. I fopior'm Tx- onely note, that he compares the Crofs in Baptifm to the Brazen Ser- emfhm,&:c. pent:, abufcd as much to Superftition and Idolatry 5 and therefore to wmf ibid, be abrogated with as great a Zeal in a Church well ordered, as that I- ma<^e was dcftroyed by King ticzekiah. He falls foul alPj on that man- ner of fmging which was retained in the Queens Chapels, all the Ca- thedrals, and fome Parilh-Churches of this Kingdom, becaule per- Ca;c()orm;/f. j^gpj j^ ^^^ fet forth by Organs, andfuchMufical Inftruments(4) a§ 'qSlTa made it fitter (in his judgment) to be u fed in Dancing, then in Sa- ^_.aame,& de cred aiSions 5 and tended more to pleafe the ears, then to raife the affe- '^uliblfpoti- (ftions. Nor feems he better pleafed with that Authority which Was usquamcem- enjoyed and exercifed by the Archbifhop of Canterbury^ in granting movindii Mi- Licences for Pluralities, non-Refidence, contradin^ Marriaaes in the daui.mA. Church, and eating Flefti on days prohibited^ with mrinyotaer things of that nature, which he accounts not onely for fo many ftains and ble- mirties in the Face of Chriftendom, {h) but for a manifefl defeftion e- ven from Chrift himfelf -, in which rcfped they rather weretobe SS^mT commended then condemned andcenfured, that open'iy oppofed them- rupteuchri- felves agaiuft fuch corruptious. ;
SSi"' 42- Yetnotwithftanding thefe complaints he grants the Matters in cS de- difpute, and the Rites prefcribed, to be things indiffofent, not any way fcciio. Ibid, ijupious in themfelves, nor fuch as fliould neceffitate a ny man to forfakc* his Flock, rather thenyeild obedience and conformity 'to them. But then he adds, that if they do offend, whorather chufe to leave their Chur- ches, then to conform themfelves to thofe Rites and Yeftments againft their Confciences, (r) a greater guilt muft be contra<fted by thofe men (c)Midto ma- before God and his Angels, who rather chufe to fi»oil thefe Flocks pre reattt yf ^ble Paftors, then fuffer thofe Paftors to make choice of their own 'ZAmit Apparel -, or rather chufe to rob the people of the Food of their wieri,qHi fouIs, then fnfferthemto receive it otherwife then upon their knees. ftmbufn- But in his Letter of the next year he adventureth further, vltil^lpo- and makes it his requeft unto all the Bifhops, that forne fit Medicine be tiusfijiim- fQrthwirh applyed to the prefent mifchief, which did not onely give ZmShoc^ great fcandal to the weak and ignorant, but even to many Learned and fi:um iuo h^- Religious Pcrfous. And this he feems to charge upon them, as they will «i«Sd. anCvver for the contrary at the Judgement-Seat of Almighty God , to whom an account is to be given of the pooreft Sheep which ihould be forced to wander upon this occafionfromthereft of the Flock. Between the writing of which Letters, fome of their brethren had propounded their doubts unto him, touching the calling of the Minifters, as it was then, and ftill is ufed in the Church o{ EngUrtd-^ the wearing of the Cap and Surplice,, and other Veftments of the Clergy which was then required^ the Mufick and melodious finging in Cathedral Churchesj the interrogatories propofed to Infants at the time of their Baptifm 5 the finning of them with the fign of the Ctofs ^ kneeling at the Corn- muni^, adminiftring the fafflc in unjeavened Bread; though the laft
were
Lib. I. Cliefiftojf ofti^c^jegib^tman?{» 35
werelefc at liberty by the Rules of the Church, and ufei in fume few placesonely. Of all whichhenot onely fignifieda plain diflike, but endeavoured to ihew the errours and ablurdit ics contained in them ^ for fach they muft contain, if he pleafed to think lb. And what could follow Ca)«^«f^«- hereupon, but an open Schifm (4), a feparation from the Church^a reforc q'lm&fn- to Conventicles; which he takes notice of in his laft to Grinid^ but im- l'"^-'' JcMJmx putes it unto that feverity which was u fed by the Bifhops,in preffing 'SS/Tj*; fuchayoak of Ceremonies upon tender Confciences. The breach not f^^'fi" J "os' leflened, but made wider byanorher Letter direded to the Frer^ch and Tt%c.Bez. Dutch Cliurches at London {by, in which he fets before them the whole Epift. 23. Form of Worlliip which was eftablidied aiGenevi^ infiftethupon ^'^^'^J ^guntnilT' points, neither agreeable tj the Difciplineor Doctrine of the Church -^»^/w' eccU-. oi England-^ and finally, fo reft/ainsthe power of the Supreme Magi- •^'^'T ^'■'*'''"° ftrate, that he is left to the corredion and control of his under Officers. ^' '^^' Of which two Letters, that which was writ for fatisfadion of the En- glifti brethren bears date Oi!?.^. 2 4. 15 57, the other ^me 21, in the year next following.
43. With great Zeal he drives on in purfuit of the pifcipline , the Form and Power whereof we will firft lay down out of his Epiftles,arid then obfetve to what a height he doth endeavisurto advance the fame 5 excluding the Epifcopal Government, as Antichriftian, if not Diabo- lical. FirfUhen he tells us, that to each Minifter which officiates in the .>, ^^ ,. Country-Villages within the Signiory of Gen€Vit^{c)x.\vo Ovtr-(ecrs paj!^ adj'Jiii areelcdei as Affiflants to him 5 and that to them it appertains to keep ^''f '^*« '«- a watchful eye over all men in their feveral Parifhes, to convent fuch be- inampT-'' fore thera, as they finde blame- worthy, to admonijh them of their mif- hre omms deeds 5 and finally, if he cannot otherwife prevail upon them, to turn J'^X^J^f/^pi'j^; them over to the cenfure of the Elderfhip which refidesin the City.This ■^-o. Elderlhip he compounds of the fix ordinary Paftors, and twelve Lay- elders^the laft continually chofen from amongft the Senators, To whofe
charge and office it belongs to take notice of all fcandals and offences of what fort foever within the bounds affigned unto them, and every Thurfday to report to the Court or Confiftory what they have difcove- red. The parties thereupon are to be eonvented, fairly admonifliedof their faults, fometimes fufpended from the Sacrament, jf the cafe re- quire it, and excommunicated at the laft, if they prove imp'efiitent. To this" Elderfhip alfo it belongs, to judge in all cafes and concermtients of Matrimony, according to the Word of God, and the Laws of the City; to repel fuch from the CommuniQn as do not'fatisfie the Minlfters by a full confeffionof their Faith an(f%i>owledge. . And in 't^e company (p,^"^^^f . of an OMicer of each feveral Wai-d, to make a' (^iligent inquiry' ( over /i^jri^^s"^^^^^ them ) in every Family, {a) concerning their prb^ficiencie in the Word ^- ^4- of God, andtheways ofGodlinefs. , , ! ' ■ -
44. We muft next fee to what a height fj^ -cjoth endeaVotrr 'to ad- , ,- , .,'. vancethis Difcipline, which (if we takeit'on^his word) is hot to be ,, '.^ ^^ received onely as a matter neceffary, but to b,e had in equall Reverence dL 'fim^k- with the Word of God. Sarnixiu^ had acquainted" him wichXome news "'' "^"^ftj^.^"^' from Poland^conceming the Divifions and Subdivifionsin the Churches ^nlrc'cuf'' there •, whereunto Beza. makes his atifwer by his Letters of the firft of.«'^'>' &<:. NiVf.r»}Hr, i56tf-, {b) That Hnlefsfome Form of Ecclefiajiical I)ifctfm^ iwr- ^P'^- ■'4'
F 2 cording
• •m:^*
3^
Ci^e l^ifto^t of ti^c ^it^htttmm uh. t
(c)Scts unum ^ eandem ejji turn Do- ilrime turn Vifciplhti Authonm. Ibid.
alttn np- diitta, reci- pere. Ibid. '•t'ejTimetur «■ lia tyrarim, &£. Ibid.
cording to the Word of God, were recei'ved micng thew., he could not fee bj what means they wire able to remedy their difccrds^ cr to prevent the like for the time to come % that he had many times admired^ that beino rparned by the confujion of their Neighbours in Germany, they had not confidered before this time, as wellofihe necefjity to receive fuch Difcifline, as for the Strici obferving cfit when it iym received-, that there was onely one and the lelf-fame Au- thor, {c) both ofDo^rine and Difcipline; and therefore ihzt it mtifi feetn ftrange ( which I would have the Reader mark with his btfl attention ) to entertain one fart of the Word of God^ {d) andrejeli the other ^ that it was moft ridiculous toexpeft or think,that either the Laws could beoiafer- ved, or the Peace maintained, without Rules and Orders, in which '(A)^orjm the very life of the Law did fo much confift, that for the avoiding of vnbi'pmem, foBfie new TyrannyCe)which feemed to lye difguifed under the Mask and Vizard of the prefent Difcipline, they fhould not run themfelves into fuch Anarchy and difcords as were not otherwife to be prevented •, and finally, that no feverity could be feared in theufe of that Difcipline, as long as it was circumfcribed within the bounds and limits afligned un- to it by the Word of God, and moderated by the Rules of Chriftian charity. So, tliat we are not to admire, if the Difcipline be from hence- forth made a Note of the Church, every way as efTential to the nature of it, as the Word and Sacraments •, which as it is the common Do- ftrine of the Presbyterians, fo we muft look on Bezazs the Author of it; fuch Dodrine being never preached in the Church before.
45. But becaufe Beza feems to fpeak in that Epiftle concerning the neceflity of admitting fomc certain Form of Ecclefiaftical DHcipline, without pointing punctually and precifely uiito that of Geneva ', wc (O^mm tiUi ™"^ "^^^ ^^^ vih^Lt. Form of Difcipline he means,and whether a Chtirch- iMquoi Do- Government by Bifhops were intended in it. And firft he tells us in a itnniftmd poftfcript of a Letter to Knox^ dated the third of 5P»/;y 1569, wherein he much congratulates his good Fortune, (/) for joyning the Difcipline in his Reformation with the truth of Pontine, befeechinghim togo forward with it as he had begun, left it might happen to him as it did to others, either to flacken in their fpeed, or not be able to advance were they never fo willing. And we know well what Difcipline,what Form of Government and Worfliip had been by Knox eftabliftied in the Kirk of 5m/4«i. But fecondly, many of the Scats being ftill unfatisficd in the point of Epifcopacy,and not well pleaftd with any other Govern- ment of a late invention 5 it was thought fit to fend to Beza for his judg- mw, <j«9 urn raent in it, who was now looked upon as the Supreme Paftor, Suc- & Rtiigio- ceiTor unto Calvin:, both in place sSld power. Beza confiders of the bu- iJSll^ finefs, and by his Letters of the 12/^ of Jpril 1572, returns this Arv voarin£,re- ();t;tt,viz. That he beheld it as an extraordinary blefling on the Church l',dum\nSco- of Scotland, (a) That together with the true Religion, they alfo had tiam intH- rcccived the Difcipline for the Bond thereof. Both which he carneftly lifiii. Epift. cQ^^j^f £s them fo to hold together, as to be fure that there is no hope to (h)Hxc duo ft- keep the one, if they lofe the other : {b) which being faid in reference "'"^"^'mik to the Holy Difcipline, he next proceeds to fpend his judgment in the 'aimum'd'iu point of Epifcopacy. In reference to which, he firft tells them this 5 ;fr»;<i«e« «(>» thJ^t as the Biftiops were the firft means to advance the Pop:, fothe nfllbr pretended Bifliops would maintain the Reliques of the Popery. And
thea
con)ungetiu &c. Ep. 674.
hoc Dei mif
Lib. I. 'iS^i)c "^imf^ot i^tmt&\>^miam. /.;
then he adds, that it concerns all thofe to avoidthat Plague (c) (by which (c)Uancpejim he means undoubtedly the Epifcopal Order ; who pretend to any care r,/^""'^ ^'" of the Churches fafety. And therefore fince they had fo happily dif- llTclpm'. charged that calling in the Church of -^cotland^ {d) they never lliould Yl^- again admit it, though it might flatter thera with forae alTnrance ofiiUmZfam peace and unity. ajmittas,
46. What followed thereupon in Scotlafjd^ we fhall fee hereafter. ^at!"Zi^t But his defires of propagating the Genevixn Form5, was not to be re- i^thcie drained to that part of the Ifland. In his firft Letter unto Gnndd, he \C\l"'''^' doth not onely juitifie the Gencvtm Difcipline, and the whole Order of that Church in Sacred Offices, as grounded on the Word of God ^ but finJes great fault with the Epifcopal Government in the Church of £»?■- land^ and the great power which was afcribed unto the Queen in Spiri, ,tuai,Matters. How fo ^ Becaufe (faid he) he found nt» warrant fof it in the Word of God, or any of the ancient Canons, by which it mioht be lawful for the Civil Magiftrate (of his own Authority) either to » ,^.
abrogate old Ceremonies, or eltablifli new 5 or for the Bilhops onely to ordain and determine any thing, {e) without the judgment and C0r\fent u)mfoiut.- of their Presbyteries being firft obtained. And in his anfwer to the pifeopil'fbj-' Queries of the Englilh brethren, he findes no lefs fault with the manner f^^"'- ^^''^: ■ of proceedings in the Biihops Courts •, in regard that Excommunicati- ^Z'tZi't"" ons were not therein pafTed by the common confent of a Presbytery, "imidiovi if) but decreed onely by fome Civil Lawyers, or other Officers who EpSf'^' fate as Judges in the fame. But firft,the man was ignorant of the courfe (^J ^'""'^^ of thofe Courts, in which the fentence of Excommunication is never Sf^^/}^|i' 5'' publiflied or pronounced,butby the mouth of a Minifter ordained accor- qMomxHam]!!- ding to the Rules of the Church of England, And fecondly, it is to be '"^'^"jf^^J-J, conceived in Reafon, that any Batchelor or Dodor of the Civil Law is rim e-]ufm'odi far more fit to be imployed and trufted in theexercifeof that part of ^Z'''""'''''^^' Difcipline, then any Trades-man of Geneva, though poffibly of the ' ' number of the five and twenty. For the redrefs of which great mif- chief, and of many other, he applies himfelf unto the Queen, to whom he dedicates his Jnnotations on the New Teftament^ pub!i(hed in the year 1572. In the Epiftle whereunto, though he acknowledgeth that flie had reftored unto this Kingdom the true Worfhip of God, yet he iufi- nuates that there was wanting a full Reformation of Ecclefiaftical Di- fcipline •, that our Temples were not fully purged ^ that fome high places ftill remained, not yet aboliftied : and therefore willieth that thofe blemiflies might be removed, and thofe wants fupplyed. Finally, underftanding that a Parliament was then fhortly to be held in England., and that Carmrigk had prepared an Admmifton to prefent unto it ^ he muft needs interpofe his credit with a Peer of the Realm to advance the fervice,as appears plainly by his Letter of the fame year, and th« iV«»fx of ^w/jy. In which, though he approves the Dodrine, yet he con- demns the Government of the Churcn as moft imperfed, not onely de- ftitute of many things which were good and profitable, but alfoof fome others which were plainly neceffary.
47. But here it is to be obferved, that in his Letter to this great per- fon, whofoever he was, he fecms more cauteloHS and referved then ig that to Grindal-, but far more modeft then in thofe to Kmx, and the Eng,-
lilh
38 d^e!^iftojtofti^c^je0lii?tenan0. Lib. i.
lilh Brethren. The Government of £»f/4w^ was fo well fetled, as not to be ventured on too raihly . And therefore he muft firit fee what effed his coonfels had produced in ScotUnd-, before he openly aflauks the Eng- lifh hierarchy: But finding all things there agreeable to his hopes and wifties, he publifhed his Trad De Tnpltci Epfcofatu, calculated far the Meridian onely of the Kirk oi Scoilamias being writ at thedefire of the Lord Chancellor GlamffiU J but fo that it might generally ferve for all Great Britain : In which Book he informs his Reader of three forts of Bifho^s -, that is to fay, the Bifliop by Divide In^itmon^ being no other then the Minifter of a particular Church or Congregation -, the Bifhop by humane aff ointment, being the fame onely with the Prefident of a Convocation, or the Moderator (as they phrafe it) in fome Church- Af- fembly 5 and finally, the Devils Bijhops, fuch as prefume to take upon them the whole charge of a Diocefs, together with afuperiorityand jurifdiftion over other Minifters. Which Book was afterwards tran- llated into Engliihby Feildo(jVandfjvort/j, for the inftrudion and con- tent of fuch of the Brethren as did not underftand the Latine. To ferve as a Preface to which Work the Presbyterian Brethren publifli their Seditious Pamphlets in defence of the Difcipline, fomeinthe Englifli Tongue, fome in the Latine 5 but all of them Printed at Geneva : For in the year 1570 comes o\it The plain and full Declaration of Ecclefufiical Di- fciplme, according to the Word of Cod, withont the name of any Author, to gain credit to it. And Tiaverfe, afurious Zealot amongfl: the Englifli , had published at Geneva alfo in the Latine Tongue , a difcourfe of Ec- clefufiical Difcipline, according to the Word of God Cas" it was pretended) with the declining of the Church of England from the fame, v^»w 1574 ; which for the fame reafon muft be turned into EnglilTi alfo, and Printed at Geneva \v\t\\ Bezds Book ^nno 1580. What pains was took by fome of the DivDjes of England^ but more particularly by Dr. ^'^o^^^r/^w Dean of 5ii>-»?w, and Dt. Adrian Sa- ravia^ preferred upon the merit of thisfervice in the Church of Wefi- minfier, {hall be remembred ia a place. more proper for it, when we fliall come to a review of thofe difturbances which were occafioned in ■this Ciiurchby the/'*r/>4» Fadion. Moftof which did proceed from Bo other Fountain then the pragmaticalnefs of Beza^ the Dodrines of Calvin, and the Example of Geneva • which if they were fo influ- ential on the Realms of Britain^ though lying in'a colder climate, and fo far remote 5 it is to be prefumed that they were far more powerful in France ixn^ Germany, which lay nearer to them 5 and in the laft of which the people were of a more adive and MerttirialSi^ix\t.
48. What influence Cdvin had upon fome of the Princes, Cities and Divines of Germany, hath been partly touched upon before ; and how his Dodrines did prevail -in the Palatine Churches, and his Difcipline in many parts and Provinces of the GermMc Empire, may be i}io\yn here- after. \xv France he held intelligence with the King of NavaY, the Brethren of Rorten, Aix, idont-Peiier, and many leading men of the Htigonot party -, none of which can be thought to have asked his coun- Tel about purchafing Lands, the MarHages of their Children, or thepay- :-ment of Debts : And when the Fortune of the Wars, and the Kings juft anger neceflitated many of them to forfake their Country, they
found
Lib. I O^e!^iftojtoftl|e|^je0t)ftetiatT^. 3i»
found no place fo open to them as the Town of Cenevay and none:
more ready to befriend them then Calvin vizs, whofe Letters mu ft b^
fent to, all the Churches of the -ywf^ifrj^ and the Neighbouring Ger-
ma^jt for railing Contributions aqd Collediiops toward their relief;
which fo exafperated the French King, that he threacijcd to mafce
War upon the Town, as the fomenter of ;hofe 4ifcprds :\vhieh em-
broyled his Kingdom, (^ j the Receptacle of his Rf bel^^ th^e fielphos as if ^$Sc"uri7
■were of that Sacred G>acle which Soveraignly direded all aiJairs of nioi-f ;';<*'■'/'''»■»'/-
roent. But of thefe things, and how Beza did cp-pperate to t|ig "'xmmnf^
common troubles which did fo miferabjy diftrai^ the .peace, of -^"'^frr-jMc-
J^rmce. flwU be delivered more particularly ia -the folluwiria f"^ '■'' ^'"'^
•v, ' V J .• ■ .T -^. '"O barum. Calv.
JpOOJi. . J , fflBulIinger.
' 49. As fir the Town and Territory of Ge;ieva k feJf, it had fo f^f * cai. Juae/ fubmitted uato their Auehority, that Calvm wanted nothing of a Bi- ^^ °' fliop in it, but the Name and Title. The City of GeTieiiA had beeS anciently an Epifcopal See, confifting of many Pariflies and Country ■^ ,
Villages ^ all fubjed: by the Rules of the I^ifcipline unto one Presby- tery, of which C^/r/;? for the term of his life had the coi>ftant Pi:ece* dency (under the ftyle of Moderator) without whom nothing cOuldbe done which concerned the Church. And fitting as chief Prefident io the Court or Confiftory, he had fo great an influence on the Com- mon-council, as if he had been made perpetual jD/(^4/<»^ alfo, for ,Qtr dering the affairsof the Common-wealth. The like' Aothority was exercifed and enjoyed by Bez,A alfo, for the fpace of ten years or therer abouts, after his deceafe. At what time Lamherttts Dianfim^ one of the Minlftersof that City, thinking himfelf inferiour to him in no part of Scholarlhip, procured the Pre/idency in that Church to go by turns, that he and others might be capable of their courfes in it : By which means the Gen:via.ns being freed from thofe powerful Riders, would never fuffer themfelves to be bridled as they had been former- ly. For thereupon it was concluded by a Decree of the Senate, that the Presbytery fliould have no power to convent any man before them, till the Warrant was firft figned by one of the Syndics. Befides which curb, as the Elders are named by the lefTer Council, and con- firmed by the greater, the Minifters advice being firft had in the no- mination 5 fo do they take an Oath at their admillion, to keep the Ec- clefiajlical Ordinances of the Civil Magipate. In which refped; their Coniiftory doth not challenge an exorbitant and unlimited power, as the Comm'ffioner i of Chnfi (as they did afterwards in Scotia ',d) but as Commilfioners of the State or Seigniory 5 by which they are reftrained in the exercifeof that Jurifdidion, which otherwife they mi^^ht and would have challenged by their firft inftitution, and feemed at firft a yoke too infupportable for the necks of the people. In reference to their Neighbouring Princes, their City was fo advantageoufly feated, that even their Popifh Neighbours were more ready to fupport and aid them, then fuffer the Towntofall into the power of the Duke of Savoy. And then it is not to be doubted but fuch States and King- doms as were Zealous in the Reformation, did liberally contribute their afllftance to them. The confluence of fo many of the French as had retired thither in the heat- of the Civil Wars, had brought a mifera»
ble
^■^;:
40 Cl^ iptfto?^ Of n^z ^|Cfibttenati0. ' Lib. i.
ble Pla<^ue upnri them •, by which their nnmbrrs were fo leffened', and their ftren^th io weakned, that the Duke of Saz'oy took the opportu- nity to lay Siege Uiuo it : in which diftrefs theyfupplicate by Letters to all their Friends, orfuch as they conceived might wifh well unto them inthecaufeof Religion ♦, anidamongft others, to fome Bifhops and Noble-men of the Church of England-, Anno 1582. But Bcz.a havin<y writ to Traverfe^ a moft zealous Furitan,to negotiate in it, the bufinels fped the worfe for the Agents fake •, no great fupply being fent unto them at that time. But afterwards when they were diftrefled by the Savoyard, Annoi')%^, they were relieved with thirteen thou- fand Crowns from England, twenty four thoufand Crowns from the State of Venice j from France and Florence, with intelligence of the ene- mies purpofes : onelythe Scots, though otherwife moft zealous in ad- vancing the Difcipline, approved themfelves tohtixxxt Scots, orfilfe ! Brethren to therri. For having raifed great fums of mony, under pre- tence offending feafonable relief to their friends in Geneva ; the moft part of it was afldgned over to the Earl of Boihmll, then being in Re- bellion againft their King, and having many ways endeavoured to furprife his perfon, and in fine to take away his life. But this prank was not play'duntill fome years after, and therefore falls beyond the time of mydefign^ which was, and is, to draw down the fuccefles of ^t Presbyterians vathtvc feveral countries till the year isS'j, andthen to take them all together, as they related unto England, or were co- incident with the Ai^ions and Affairs thereof. But we muft make our ■way by France, as lying neareft to the practices of the Mother-city 5 though Scotland z.tz greater diftance firft took fire upon it, and Eng- land \^^% as foomattempted as the fz-ew^ themfelves.
tbs end of tk Firfi ^ook.
Lib. II.
4»
J E%IV S \ET>IV IVV Si
O R T H E
HISTORY
OFT H E
resbyterians.
L I B. n.
Containing
Tk manifold Seditions ^ Coufpiracies ^ and hifurreSHons in the ^alm of France, their Libelling againfi the State, and the JPars tlere raijid by their frocitrement^ frofn the year 155^^0
He Realm of FranUy having long fuffered under the corruptions of the Church of Romi^ was one ofthefirirWeftern Kingdoms which openly de- clared againft thofe abufes. Sertngartm ia the Neighbouring Jtal-j., had formerly oppofed the Grofs and Carnal Dodrines of the Papifts in the point of the Sacrament : Whofe opinions paffing into France from one hand to another,were at lail publickly maintained by Pf/^r mi/i<?, one of the Citizens of Ljms^ who added thcreut!to many bitter invedives againfl: the Supremacy of the Pope, the Adoration of Images, the Invocation of Saints, and the Dodrinc of Purgatory. His Followers, from the-place of his ha-
G bitation
4i Ci^e ^i^m ot t^^ ^Jt0i3ttervan0. Lib. ii
b;tation,were at flrft called in contempt, the poor mm of Ljons • as af- terwards, from the name of their Leader, they were by the Latines cal- led Wddenjes^ by the French La Faudotfe. But Lyons proving no fafe place for them, they retired into the more defart parts of Languedoc^ and fpreading on the banks of the River Albj, obcamed the name of ^/^/g-^. j"w in the Latine Writers, and of ic^^/%m/e in the French : fupported by RAjmond the Fourth, Earl of Tholouje^ they became fo in- folent, that they murtheted TrincAnel tbeir Vilcount in the City Be- ziers, and dafht out the teeth of their Biftiop, having taken Sanctua- ry in St. Magdalem Cburch, oneof the Churches of rhat City. For which high outrages, and many others of like nature which enlued up- on them, they were warred upon by Lewis the Ninth of France^Sk- named the Saiftt^ and many Noble Adventurers, who facrificed ma- ny of them in the felf-fame Church wherein they had fpilt the blood of others. After a long and bloody War, which ended in the year 1250, they were almoft rooted out of the Country alfo ; the rciidue or remainders of them having betook themfelves into the mountain- ous parts of DaulphinC:, Provence^ Pkmont^ and Savty^ for their greater fafety. By means whereof becoming neer Neighbours to the SmtzerS:, and polfibly managing fome traffick with the Town of Gf- neva, their Do(5trines could neither be unknown to Z«/«^//w amongft the one, nor to many Inhabitants of the other of beft note and
quality.
2. The reft o^ France had all this while continued in the Popes obe- dience, and held aa outward unifoimity in all points with the Church of Rome-j from which it was not much diverted by the Writings of Zuin4iui^ or the more moderate proceedings of the Luther an T>Q>^orSy who after the year 1517. had filled many Provinces of Germany with their opinions. But in the year 1533 the -^^^^^^^^i found an oppor- tunity to attempt upon it. For Francis the Firft favouring Learned men and Learning (as commonly they do, whofe Adiions are worthy a le.uned Pen) refolved to ereft a Llniverfiry at Paris^ making great offers to the moft Learned Scholars of Italy and Germany for their '^Entertainment. Luther Xd^ts hold of that advantage^, and lends Bucer^ and fome others of his ableft Followers •, who by difputing in fuch a confluence of Learned m;n, might give a ftrong elTay to bring in his Dodtrines. Nor wanted therefome which were taken with the' No- velty of them, efpecially becaufe fuch as were queftioned for Religion • had recourfe into jiquitaine^ to Margaret of FaloU, the Kings Siftersmar- ried to Henry of JlketKlns, of Navar-, who perhaps out of hatred to the Bifhop of Rome-, by whom her Husbands Father was deprived of that Kingdom, might be the more favourable to the. Lutherans-. -^ or rather moved (as Ihe cotifefled before her death j with commifc- ration to thofe condemned perfons that fled to her, protedlion, ihe 'became earneft: with her brother in defence of their perfons 5 fo 'that for ten years together Ihe was the chief means of maintaining the Do(acines of Luther in the Realm of France,^ Nor was the King fo bent in their Extermination, as otherwife he would have been, in re- gard of thofe many Sxitz. and Germans that ferved him in his Wars againft Chtrks the Fifth 5 till at laft^ b^ing gritvoufly
' offended
Lib. II. Clje J^ittojit Of t^e i^^esiibf terian^. 43
offended with the contumacy of the men, and their continual oppofi- tiqn to the Charch of Rome^ he publiihed many Edids and Procla- mations againftthem, not onely threatning, but executing his penal Laws, untillhe had at lad almoft extinguilhed t e name of Luthr in his Kingdom.
■ j. But C4/wW ftratagem fucceeded fomewhat better, whoimmedi- 154^, ately upon the Death of ¥riincis\\\tY\t^ (whilft King Hem'j was in- gag'd in the Wars with Charles') attempted France by fending, his Pamphlets from Genevj^ writ for the moft part in tie French Tongue, I'orthe better captivating and informing of the common people. And as he found many pofTefle J with Lnthers opinions, fo he himfejf infla-r med them with a Zeal to his own j the Vulgar being very p^-oud to be made Judge? in Religion, and pafs their Votes upon the abftrufeft Coatroverfies of the Chriftian Faith. So that in fliort time Ztiin^ gU:u was no more remembred, nor the Dodrine of Luther fo much followed as it had been formerly. The name of Cdvm carryinc^ it amongfi the Fnnch. The fudden propagating of whofe Opinions, both by preaching and writing, gave great offence unto the Papifts 5 but chiefly tr) c/;/rr/a Cardinal of LOrrAin, and his Brother i^r^wc^- i)uke of G«//e, then being in great power and favour with Kin^ //£>»- ?^ the Second. By whofe continual folHcitation, the King endeavou- red by many terrible and fevere executions to iupprefs them utterly • and did reduce his Followers at the laft to fuch a condition, that theydurll neither meet in publick, or by open day, but fecretly in Woods orPrivate-houfes-, and for themoft part in the night, to a- void difcovery. And at this time it was, and on this occafion,that the name of Hugonotswzs firft given them •, fo called from St. Hugo's Gatein theCityof Tioivrj, out of which they were obferved to pals to their fccret Meetings •, or from a night-fpirit, or Hobgobline, which they called St. ///frf-, to which they were refembled, for their confbnt night-walks. But neither the difgrace which that name imported, nor the feverityof the Kings Edicfhs fo prevailed upon them, but that they multiplied more and more in moff parts of the Realm ; efpecially in the Provinces which either were neareft to Geneva^ or lay more open towards the Sea, to the trade of the Englilh. And though the fear of the danger, and the Kings difpleafure, deterred fuch as fived within the air of the Court from adhering openly unto them ; yet had they manyfecret favourers in the Royal Palace, and not a few' of the No- bility, which gave them as much countenance as ths times could fuffcr. The certainty whereof appeared immediately on the death of King Henry ^ who left this Life at Paris on the tenth of ^uly^ Anno 559, leaving the Crown to Francis his Eldeft Son, then 1559. being but fifteen years of Age, neither in ftrength of body, nor in vigour of Spirit, enabled for the managing of "fo great an Em- pire.
4. This young King in his Fathers life-time had married Mary Queen of Scots^ Daughter and Heir of ^amcs the Fifth, by Mary of Lor- rain, a Daughter of the Houfe of (7»//e, and Sifter to the two great Favourites before remembred. This gave a great improvement f) the power and favour which the two Brothers had before, made
G 2 greater
44 d^e^tfl!0JT0ftt)Ct^|C^tt«tatt!5. Lib/ir.
©reaterby uniting them felves to Kiithcrtne dc llledjcis, tht,yoxing Kiit^S Mother 5 a Woman of a peftilent Wit, ind one cliatftudied nothing more then to maintain her own greatnefs againft all oppofers. By this confederacy the Princes of ihe Houfe of i<?//r^c«, Heirs in Reverfi- on ro the Crown, if the King and his three brothers .ibould depart without Iffue Male (asia ^ne theydid) were quite e;scl'Uded from -all office and impldy ment in the Court or State. The principal of which was Anthon'i Duke of Fendofme, and his brother Lewis Prince olConder, men not fo near in birth, as of different liumours -, the Duke being of an open nature, flexible in himfelf, and eafily wrought upon by othefS'i but on the other fide, the Prince was obferved to be of a more entefi prifing difpofition, violent (but of a violence mixed with cunning "in the carrying on of his defigns) and one chat would not patiently dif- femble the fmalleft injuries. Thefe two had drawn unto t!ieir lide the two Ch^plioas •, that is to fay, Gafper de Collignie Admiral of the Realm of Fanci^ and Monfieur ly Andilot his brother Gjmmander of the Infantry of that Kingdom -, to which O'iiiccs they had been adr vancedby the Duke of Mmtmorencj^ into whufe Family they had mar- ried, during the time of his Authority with tlie King deceafed , for whofe removal from the Court by the confederacy of the QaCen Mo- ther with the Houfe of Gui[e, they were as much difquieted, and as ;ipt for adion, as the Princes of the Houl'e of Boiirbo/i for the former Reafons. Many defigns were offered to confideracion in their private Meetings-, but none were more likely to effed their bufintfs, then to make themfelves theHeads of the Hugomt Fadionjwhich the two chap- liom had long favoured as far as they durft. By whofe affiftance they might draw all affairs to their own difpofing, get the Kings pcr- fon into' their power, fiiut the Queen-mother into a Cloyfler, and force the Gwi/f^ into JLcrmw out of which they came.
5. This counfel was the rather followed, becaufe it feemed moft aoreeable t>> the inclinations of the Qti_een of Nivar Daughter of Henr'^ of Alb.et and the Lady Margaret before-mentioned, and Wife of jfithony DakQ of Vendofm^ who in her Right acquired the title to that Kingdom. Which Princefs being naturally averfe from the Popes of Rome^ and no lefs powerfully tranfported by fome flattering hopes for the recovery of her Kingdoms, conceived no expedient fo effedual to revenge her felf upon theone, and Intlirone herfelf in the other, as the profecuting this defign to the very utmoft. Upon which ground ihe inculcated nothing more into the ears of her Hus- band, then that he muff not fuffer fuch an opportunity to flip out of his hands, for the recovery of the Crown which belonged unto her-, that he might make himfelf the Head of a mighty Fadlion, con- taining almoft half the ftrength of FruhU ^ that by fo doing he might exped affiftance from the German Princes of the fame Reli- gion, from Queen Elizuhcth of England^ and many difcontented Lords in the 5f/fzd' Proviiices, befides fuchof theCatholick party, eVen in France it felf, as were difpleafed ac the Oww-Regency of the Houfe of Giiife -J that by a flrong Conjunction of all theie intereffes he might not only get his ends upon the Gt/ifes^ but carry his Army crofs the Mountains, raajie himfelf Mafterof Narar, with all the
Rights
Lib. II. Clje ^^^# Of tlje ^it^trtzmM 45
'Uigius and' Royalties ,ap.pertaiirrig to if.^. But all ^ this -Vbuld not, fa pr'cvailoathe'Duke her HusBand, (vvliptii, we will henceforth ' call "the King of*. iV'^^r) as either •openly or under-hand tp promote'the enterpri'ie, which he conceived more like to hinder Ijis affairs rh,en to advance his hopes. For the Queen-Mother hav^ing ioaie iatelli- oenceofthefefecret practices, fends for him to the Court, commandc
genceofthefefecret practices, fends for hini to the Gourt, commands unro his care her Daughter. the Princefs jfaklL, affiaiacedto Hil'ip the Second King of Ji/d/^, and puts him chief into Commiffion for de- livering her upon the Borders to fuch ^/'^«///; Mini'fiers as were ap- pointed to receive' her. All which (he did (as ihe aflurcd him) forruo 'other ends, but cut of the great efteem^'i^hich flie had of his perfon, to pat him into a fair way for ingratiating him lelf with the Catholick King, and to give him fuch a hopeful opportunity for lollicitin" hi-s own affairs with the Grandees of Spain, as might much tend to his ad- vantage up m this imployment. Which device had [o wrought upon him, and he had been fo finely fitted by the Minifters of the Catholick King, that he thought himfelf in a better way to regain his Kingdom, then all the HugoKots in France, together \yith their Friends in Gcrmti- «}' and £»^/j«i, could chalk out unto him.
6. But notwithftauding this great coldnefs in the' King of Navar' the bufinefs was fo hotly followed by the Prince of ^okJc, the Admi- ral ColUgme, and his Brother D'Anjclot^ that the Hugonots were drawn to unite tcgtrher under the Princes ofthatHoufe. To which they were fpurred on the fafter by the praftices of Godfrey de U Bay, com- monly called ifw^W/'^, from thename of his Seigniory ^a man of a moft mifchievo'js Wit, and a dangerous Eloquence; who beincr forced to abandon his own Country for fome mifdemeanors, betook himfelf unto Geneva, wh-rehc grew great with Calvin, Beza, and the reft ofthe Confiftory-, and coming back again in the change of times, v/as thought the fitteft inftrument to promote this fervice, and draw the party to a body. Which being induftrioufly purfued, was in fine effedrd -, ma- ny great men, who had before concealed themfel ves in their affecfiions, declaring openly in favour of the Reformation, when they perceived it countenanced by fuch Potent Princes. To each of thefe, accordin<J as they found them qualified for parts and power, they afficrned their Provinces and Prccinfts, within the limits whereof thev were direded to raife Men, Arms, Money, and all other neceffaries, for carryin^^ on ofthe d.'-fign , but all things to be done in fo dole a manner, that no difcovery Ihouldbemade rill the deed was done. By this it was a- greed upon, that a certain number of them fiiould repair tp the Kinc» at Bloife, and tenJer a Petition to him in all humble manner for the free exercife ofthe Religion ;which they then profeffed, and for profef- fing which they had been perfecuted in the days of his Father. But thcfe Petitioners were to be backed with multitudes of armed men, gathered together from all parts on the day appointed-, whoonthe Kings denyal of fo juft a fuit, fliould violently break into the Court, feize on the perfon of the King, furprife the Queen, and put the Cwz/fJ to the Sword: And that being done, Likrty was to be Proclaimed, Free exercife of Religion granted by publick Edi6t, themanagery of affdirs committed to' the Prince of cWf, and all the reft of th'e Con- federates
^e Cl^e ^i^m of tl^e |0 je^b^teriair^. Lib. ii
federates gratified with rewards and honours. Impofllble it was, that in a bufinefs which r^equircd fo many hands, none ihould be found to ''ive inrelli^'ehce to the advcrfe party : which coming to the know- ledge of the Queen-Mother, and the Duke of G«{/f,, they removed th/Courtfrom Bloi^i a weak open Town, to the ftrong Caftle of Amhoife , pretending nothing but the giving of the King lome recrea- tion inthe Wopds adjoyning. But being once fetled in the Caftle, the Kin<^ is made acquainted with thethreatned danger, the Duke of Cutis appointed Lieut^iant-General of the Reahu of France. And^ by his care the matter was fo wifely handled, that without riiaknig any noife toaffriohtthe Confederates, the Petitioners were' admictea into the Town •, whilft in the Jtiekn time, feveral TroQpesof Hor^e were fent out by him to fall cnfuch of their Accomplices as wert' well Armed and ready to have done the liiifchief, if not thus preven- ted. <<5o 7' The iffue of the bufinefs was, that iff;«W/V the chief Ador ia ' it was killed in the fight, many of the reft flain, and fome taken Prifo? rers the whole body of them being routed and compelled to file: yet fuchwasthe clemency of the King, and the difcreet temper of the Cul{es^ in the courfe of this bufinefs, that a general pardon was pro- claimed on the iSth ofyI/4rcZ',(being the third day after th Execution) to all that being moved onely with the Zeal of Religion, had tntrcd themfelves into the Confpiracy, if within twentyfour hours they laid down their Arms, and retired to their own Houfes. But this did little edifie with thofe hot fpirits which had the conduft of the Caufe, and had befooled themfelves and others with the flattering hopes of gain- incthe Preeexercife of their Religion. It cannot bedenyedbut that they were ref^lvedfo to a(fl their parts, that Religion might not feem to have any hand in it, or at the leaft might not fcffer by it, if the plot mifcanied. To which end they procured the chief Lawyers of Francs and G'e>'?«4'^V-. and many of the reformed Divines of thegreateft emi- nence, to publifii fome Writings to this purpofe • that is to fay , that without violating the Majeftyof the King-, and the dignity of the law- ful Ma^iftrate, they might oppofe with Arms the violent Dominati- on of theHoufc of Guife^ who were given out for Enemies to the true Reliction, hinderers of the courfe of Juftice, and in tffe»51: no better then the Kings Jaylors, as the cafe then flood. But this Mask was quickly taken off, and the defign appeared bare faced without any ' vizard. For prefently upon the routing of the Forces in the Woods o{ Amhoife-, they caufed great tumults to be raifed in Poiffou, Langui- dec zvlA Provence. To which the Preachers of Gfwt';? were forthwith called, and they came as willingly-, their followers being' much in- creafed both in courage and numbers, as .well bv their vefiemency in fa) r« qnihu!- thePulpit, asrheir.private pradices. In Danlfheny, aud fome parts of rf^wProv'in- Provence^ {a) they proceeded further, feized upon divers of the Chur- ax d^pdphi- ^]^^^ f^j. j.[^g Exercife of their Religion, as if all matters had fucceed- S w/?'!'/ ed anfwerable to their expedation. But on the firft coming of fome hoministcm- forces from the Duke of Guife they fhrunkin again, and left the mfr^'f^V Country in the fame condition wherein firft they found it. Of this tornm }j>fi particular, Calvin f^ives notice unto Sullenzer..by his Letters of the 27th.
efntcm- i " ^ v> ^
potts, &c. ^ ^
Lib. II. €U liftoj^ of t^e ^tt^iytt^iam* 47
of Af<«j, Jmo 1560, complaining much of the extreme rafliaefs, and fool-hardiaefs of fome of that party, (^) whom no fober counfels could (^'J.'^'' ^«f'* reftrainfpom thofe inoagements which mi^ht have proved fo dan<?e- z"""""^"^- tous anddeltrnctive to the caute ot Religion. Which words of his ^'fA^»^/pV relate not onely to the Adion of Daulfhine and Provence^ but to fome of ?"" (''■^""' the attempts preceding, whatfoever they were, by him difcouraged "pf.^^rw and diffwaded, if we may believe him. vuitonon
8. But though we may believe him, as I think we may, the Pope ^,v^')"' ?«/)«- and Court of France were otherwife perfwaded of it. Reimdoes go- '^'■^ '''''^ /*" iiig from Gf/JfiJ^i, to nnite the party, was as unlikely to be done with' /^V'^"*''*''* out his allowance, as without his privity. But certainly the Mini- fters of Ge/jei/rf durft not leave their Flocks to Prtach Sedition to the French o£ Provence and i-rfw^wfis/*'^, if he had neither connived at it, oj advifed them to it «, {c) and fuch connivings differ but little from com- ^^^ ^"'^ mands, as we find in J'4/a;/4«. Once it is fure that the Pope fuggefted ^^jfLw/^*'' to the French King by the Bifhop oiviterho^ whomhefentin the m- """^"^^-S^bi. cure of Legate, that all the mifchief which troubled France^ and the Dei '^Ib^T" Poyfon which infeded that Kingdom and the Neighbouring Coun*- tri.s, (for fo I find in my Author j came from no other Fountain then the Lake of Geneva -^ that by digging at the very root, he might di- vert a great part of that nouridiment by which thofe mifchiefs were fomented-, aiid that by profecuting fuch a ForeinWar, he mi^hc evacuate thofe bad humours which diftempered his Kingdom: and therefore if the King be pleafed to engage herein, his Holincfs would not onely fend him fome convenient Aids, but move the Scotch Kino-, and the Duke o? Savoy ^ ro aflifthimalfo. But neither the Qaeen- Mothtr, nor the Guife flor the King adrd little in his own affairs)could approve the motion, partly for fear of giving offence unto iht Swit- z,ers^ with whom Gcveva had confederated thirty years before ^ and partly becaufe n me being like to engage in that War, but the Qi- tholicks onely, the Kingdom would thereby lye open to the adverfe party. But nothing more diverted the three Princes from concur- ring in it, then the impolfibility of complying with their feveral inte- reffes in the oifpofing of the Town when it ihould be taken. The Duke of Savoy would not enter into the War before he was affu- red by the other Princes that he fliould reap the profit of it- that be- longing a4i,ciently to his jurifdidion. But it agreed neither with the intereft o^ France nox Spain^ to make the Duke greater then he wAs, by fo fair aji addition as would be made to his Eftate, were it yeilded to him. The ^^rf^wr^:/ knew that the French Kln^ would never bring him into France^ or put into his hands fuch a forti^ed Pafs, by which he might enter when he pleafed. As on the other fide, the Spaniards v<rould\not fufferitto fall into the power of the /'^'fw/;, byreafon of its neer Neighbour- ho jd unto the County of Bun^undy-, which both then was, and ever fince hath been appendant on the Crown of Sfain. By reafon of which mutual diftrufts and jealoufics the Pope received no other anfwer to his motion in the Court of France^ but that it was impoffible to apply themfelves to matters abroad, when they were ex- ercifed at home with fo many concernments.
9. Thisanfwer pinched upon the Pope, wlio found as much con-
fufion
^8 Ci^e f ifto?^ of ti^e ^je^tttenangJ. lib. ii.
fufion in the State of ^i'/f»^<'»3 belonging for fome hundreds of years to theSe2of Komc, as tiie French could reafonably complain in the Bow- els of France. For lying as it did within the limits of Vrovence^ and be- ing vifitedwith fuch of the French Preachers as had been ftuo'ied at Ge/icva, the people generally became inclined unto Calv'ms Dodrines, and made profcfTion of the fame both in private and publick -, nay; they refolved upon thu^ lawfulnefs of taking up of Arms againft the Pope, though th'.ir natural Lord j partly upon pretence that the Country was uojuftly taken from the Earls of Tholoufe by the Pred^- ceffors of the Pope •, partly becaufe the prefent Pope could prove no true Lineal Succeflion from the firftUfurper^ but chiefly in regard that perfons EccleJiapCAl were difabled by Chrifts Commandments from cxercifincT any Temporal Jurifdidion over other men. Being thus refolved to rebel, they put themfelves, by thepcrfwalion of Alexander Cuilatine^ a profcffed Civilian, into the prctedion of Charles Count e.e MO'Ahrun.^ who had then taken Arms againft the King, in the Coun- try of Datilpbine. Menthrim accepts of the imployraent, enters the Territory of y^'w^w'^'^ with three thoufand Foot, reduceth the whole Country under his command-, the Popes Vice- Legate in the City be- ino hardly ablefor the prefent to make good the Caftle. But fo it hapncd, that the Cardinal of Toumon, whofe Niece the Count had married, being neer the place, prevailed with him after fome difcourfc to withdraw his Forces, and to retire nniQ Gene'v.i ^ afluring him not onely of his Majefties pardon, and the reftitution of his Goods which had been confifcated, but thathefliould have liberty of con- fcience 'alfo, which he prized farmore then both the other. By which Adtionthe people were neceffitated to return to their old obedience •, but with fo many fears and jealoufies on either fide, that many years Were fpent before the Pope could be alTured of the love of his Sub- jeds, or they rtlye upon the Clemency and good will of their Prince. Such iffue had the firft attempts of the Calvinians in the Realm of France.
10. Inthemean time it was determined by the Cabinet Council in the Court, to fmother the indignity of thefe infurre<flions, that the hotfpiritsof the i^'rfw^ might have time to cool, and afterwards to call them to a fober reckoning, when they leaft looked for it. In order whereunto, an Edidis publiHied in the Kings name, and fent to all the Parliamentary Courts of /"/-.li^cf (being at that time tight in all) concerning the holding of an AlTembly at Fountainhleau on the 2\ of Atignjl then next following, for compofing the diftra(5tions of the Kingdom. And in that Edidt he declares, that without any evident occafion, a great number of perfons had rifen and taken Arms againft him-, that he could not but impute the caufe thereof to \ht Hugonots onely, who having laid afide all belief to God, and all affedionsto their Country, endeavoured to difturb the peace of the Kingdom -, that he was willing^ notwithftanding, to pardon allluch, as having made acknowledgement of their errours, ihould return to their Hou- fes, and live conformable to the Rites of the Catholick Church, and in obedience to the Laws-, that therefore none of his Courts of Par- liament fliould proceed in matters of Religion, upon any manner of
infor-
Xib.ii. (iTije i^iftojtt of t\)t l^je^jj^tmanjs. 0
information for offences paft, but ro provide by all' reVerity for the fu- ture againft their commiting of the like : and finally, that for re- fornnirg all abules in Government, hc:fef(!)l<^ed upon the calling of aft Affembly, in which the Princes and mort eminent Perfons of the.King- dora fliouldconfult together: the faid AfTtmbly to be Iield a:t his Ma- jtfties Palace of Fofiyaam-Ueau on the twenty firfl of Auaujh then next folio wiHg, and free leave to bether-ein granted-toall mannertrf perfons, not onely to propound their grievances, but to'adviie ot\(omk expedient for rdrefs thereof. According unto which appointment the AlTembly holds, but neither the King of Navarnor the Princeof ^Gonde coald.be perfwaded to beprefentf, being both bent,-'as Tt a^ ■pearei i?ot long afcer, on feme further projedts. But it was ordered, that the Admiral Colligme, and his btother D'.-fWeto Ihould attend the {■ervice,to the end that nothing fliould be there concluded without their privity, or to the prejudice of their caufe. And that they mighf the better ftrikc a terrour into the Heart of the King, whom they con-^ ceived to have been frighted to the calling of the prefent Aifembly, the Admiral tenders a Petition in behalf of thofc of thz reformed Re- ligion in the Dukedom of Nomandj^ which they were ready to fub- Icribe with one hundred and fifty thoufand hands, if it were requi- red. To which the Cardinal of Lorrain as bravely aufw^e^-ed, that if ijoooo fedirions could be found in -Fr^^ff to- fubfcribe that paper, he doubted not but that there were a million of Loyal :Sub- yzik"^, who would be ready to encounter them, and oppbfe their ihfo- iencies.
II. In this AlTembly it was ordered by the common confent, that for re(5lifying of abufes amongft the Clergy, a meeting lliould beheld of Divines and Prelates, in which thofe difcords mi^ht be remedied, without innovating or difputiag in matters of Faith •, and that for fetling the affairs of the Kingdom, an Aflembly of the three Eftates fliould beheld at OrUance^ in the beginning of October-^ to which all perfons interefted were required to come. All which the Hugonots imputed to the confternation which they had brought upon the Court by their former rifings, and the great fear which was con- ceived of fome new infurredions, if all things were not regulated and reformed according unto their de/ires. Which mifconceit: fo wrought upDn the principal Leader?, that they refolved to make ufe of the prefent fears, by feizing o\\ fuch Towns aind places of confequence,as might enable tnem to defend both thcmfelves and their parties^ a- gainO: all opponents. And to that end it was concluded, that the King of Navar fliould feize upon all places in his way betwixt ^f4r» zti^Orleance ; that the City of P^w fliould be feized on by the help of the Marlhal o{ Mortmorencyxh^'D^ikf^'i Eldeft Son, who was Go- vernour of ic •, that they Ihould affure themfelves of Picardy by the Lords o[ Tcnepont and Botichavanne^ zndoi Brit. iin by the Duke of £/?4w^fy, who was powerful in it •, that being thus fortified, well armed, and bitter accompanied by i\\q Hugonots, whom they might prefume of, they fhould force the AlTembly of the Eflates to depofe the Queen, re- move the Guifes from the Government, declare the King to be in his mi- nority rill he came to twenty two years of age, appoint the KingofiVrf-
JO d^#ifto?r office I^?e0l3^temn0» Lib.ii.
VAY the Conftable, and the Prince of Conde , for his Tutors and Governours: which pradlice as it was confefsed by ^f^.j'aa ^^ U SaguCy one of the Servants of the King of Nnvar^ who had been intercepted in his journey to him 5 fo the confeflfion was confirmed by forae Letters from theVifdame of C^^r^^w which he had about him. But this dif- covery being kept fecret, the K«;^fl»eij having taken courage from the firft confpiracy At Amhoife^ and the open profeffion of the Admiral, began to raife fome new commotions in all parts of the Kingdom 5 and laying afidcall obedience and refpciSt of duty, not onely made open refiftance againft the Magiftrates, but had diredly taken arms in many places, and pradifcd to get into their hands fome principal Towns, to which they might retire in all times of danger: Amongft which none was more aimed at then the City o( Lyom^ a City of great Wealth and Trading, and where great numbers of the people were in- clined to C4/'z^i«j Dodrine, by reafon of their neer Neighbourhood to Geneva, and the Pruteftant Cantons. Upon this Town the Prince of Cendehad a plot, and was like to have carried ir, though in the end it fell out contrary to his expedation •, which forced him to withdraw himfelf to ^Mz-^j there to provide for the fecurityof himfelf and his
Brother.
12. But the King of iV/iT'^r, not being fo deeply interefted in thefe late defit^ns, in which his name had been made ufe of half againft his will, could not fo much diftruft himfelf and his perfonal fafety, as not to put himfelf into a readinefs for his journey to Orkmce. To which he could by no means perfwade the Prince, and was by him much laboured not to go in perfon, till they were certified that the Kinf^ was fending Forces to fetch them thence •, which could not be without the wafting of the Country, and the betraying of themfelves unto thofe fufpitions which otherwife they might hope to clear. No fooner were they come to Orkmce^ but the Prince was arretted of high Treafon, committed clofe Prifoner with a Guard upon him, the cog- nizance of his caufe appointed unto certain Delegates , his Procefs formed, and fentence of death pronounced againft him •, which que- ftionlefs had been executed both on him and the King of Navar, who was then alfo under a Guard, if the death of the young King had not intervened on the fifth of December^ which put the Court into new Counfcls, and preferved their lives. For the Queen wifely took in- to confideration, that if thefe two Princes were deftroyed , there could be no fit counterpoife for the Houfe of G»//e •, which poflibly might thereby be tempted to revive the old pretenfions of the Houfe of Lorrain-y as thedirecfl Heirs of Charles the Great. For which they could not have a better opportunity, then they had at the prefent •, the Eldeft of her three Sons not exceeding ten years of age, none of them of a vigorous conftitution, and therefore the more likely to want Friends in their greateft need. Upon thefe apprehenfions fbe fends fecretly for the King of iV^r^r, and came at laft. to this agree- ment, VIZ. that during the Minority of her fon King Charles the Ninth the Queen-mother flaouldbe declared Regent, and the King of jvavar Lord Lieutenant of France 5 all fupplications from the Provinces to he made to the Lord-Lieutenant •, but all Arabaffadors and Letters
of
Lib, II. Cl)c i^taojt Of t^t ^tt^h^tttmi^. 5 i
of Negotiation from forein Princes to Be prefented to' rh'eC^eeV.Vthar the. Prince oi Cor?de, the Vifdame o^ chartres, with all other Prifo- ners of their pany to be fet at liberty, and the fcnteiifes of their co^fi- demnations tobe fo declared null and void 5 that the Qaeeu-Re^e-'nt fhould make ufe of her power and intcreft with the Gatholick King, for reftoring to the King of Nav^tr the entire pofTeflfiyn of that Kirtg- tlom, crattheleaft the Kingdom of Sardinia^ as a recompence for it. And atlaftit wis alfo yielded, though' long firft, and publidied by the Edi(ftof the zSof ^anvarj^ That the Mapfirates jhotild be ordered ta re/cafe all Prifonen committed for matters of Religion/ and to Jlof any man- ner of I. i qui fit ion /if pointed for that purpofe againfl any Per f on rvhatfo- ever -, that they Jhould not fufer any dijputation in matters of Faith^ nor fermit particular Ferfo-iiS to revile one another with the Names cf Herctick and Papl/l 5 hut that all (hould live together in peace^ Abflitining fnm u.Lnful Jfjemblics ^ or to raife Scandals or Sedi- tion.
13. By this Edid the Doftrinrs of C-ilvin were firft counrenan- cedin the Realm of France^ under the pretence of hindring the effu- iionof more Chriftian blood: which carryed an appearance of mucH Chriftianity, though in plain truth it was to be afcribed to the Queens Ambition, who could devife no other way to prefcrve her Greatnefs, and counterbalance the Authority of the Houfe of Guife, But the i/«^(;/?t/^ not being content with a bare connivance, refolved to drive' it on to a Toleration •, and to drive it on in fuch a manner, and by fuch means only by which they had extorted (as they thought) thefe firft conceflions. . For thinking the Qieen-Regent not to be in a conl dition lo deny them any thing, much lefs to call them into queftion- for their future Adings, they prefently fell upon the open exercife of their own Religion, and every where exceedingly incrcafed both in power and numbers. In confidence whereof, by publick AfTemblies, infolent Speeches, and other adts the like unpleafing, they incurred the hatred and difdainof the Gatholick party ^ which put all places in- to tumult, and filled all the Provinces of the Kin^dora with feditious rumours : fo that contrary to the intention of thofe that gover- ned, and contrary to the common opinion, the remedy applyed to main- tain the State and preferve peace and concord in the Kings Minority, fell out to be dangerous and deftrudtive, and upon the matter occa- fioned all thofe dilTentions which they hoped by fo much carfe to havei. prevented. For as the Cardinal informed the Council, the Hiigonots were gr.nvn by this connivance to fo great a height, that the Priefts were not fuffered to celebrate their daily Sacrifices, or to make ufe of their own Pulpits •, that the Magiftrates were no longer obeyed in their jurifdidions-, and that all places raged with difcords, burnings and (laughters, through the peeviilinefs and prefumption of' thole, whoalfumed to themfelves a liberty of teaching and believing whatfover rhey lifted. Upon which points he fo enlarged himfelf with~^ his wonted eloquence, that neither the King of iV.^^'rfr, nor any other of that par- ■ly ci^uld make anv reply. And the Queen-Mother alfo being filent init, it was unanimoufly voted by the Lords of the Council, that all the Officers of the Crown fliould affemble at the Parliament of Paris on
H2 the
5*
Cl^t "^iHm ct ^ W^txttmn^, Xib. ii.
the thirteenth of ^uly., there to debate in the Kings prefencc of all thefe particulars, and to relblve upon fuch remedies as wer? n-ceffary for the future. At wKichtime it was by general confent erxprefly. ordered, upon complaint made of the infurreclion of the Hugonots in To many pla- ces that all the Mifiifters Ihould forthwith be expelled the Kingdom 5 that no manner of perfon fliould from thenceforth ufe any other Rites or Ceremonies in Religion, that were not held and taught by the Church of Rome -, and that all Affemblies of men armed or unarm- ed Ihould be interdidled , except it were of Catholicks in Catho- lick Churches,, for Divine performances according to the uiual Cuftom. . -^/'^ •,, v■il.^:>; ■ \
14. The Adtjiiral and the Prince of Co«^i? finding tfiemfelves unable to errors this ^4^, refolved upon another courfe to advance their par- ty, and to that end encouraged the Calvinmn Minifttrs to petition for a Diiputatioa in the Kings prefence, to be held between thtm and the Adverfarics of their Religion. Which Difputation being propounded, was oppofed by the Cardmal ofJlp/zr/ifl/;, .upsn a juft confideration of thofe inconveniencies which might follow on it ; the rather, in regard of the General Council then convened at Trcnt^ where they might fafely both propofe and difpute their Opinions. But on the other lide the Cardinal of Lonain^ being willing to imbrace the occafi. n for ma- JtiQcra general MuA'^r'^f his own Abilities, his fubtilty in Divinity, and his Art of fpeaking, prevailed fo far upon the reft, that the fiiic was granted, and a Conference thereupon anpointed to be lield at PoVy^^V, en the tenth day of Jugufi i') 6 1 . At wh ch time there aflera- ble.d for the Catho'ick party, the Cardinals of Toumo»^ Lorraw^ :Bou'ybon.j Armngmc and Cui(i^ with many B; (hops and l^relates of great'ft eminency, fome Doctors of the Sorbon^ and many great Di-^ vines from the Unlverlities. The Difputants authorized for the o- ther fide were of like eftetm amongfi: thofe of their own party and perfwafions ^ as namely^ Theodore Bez>a., Peter Mdrtjr^ Francis de St. Prf«/, ^ohrt jRamond-y and fohn Fizelle, with many other Minifters from Gf- nevA^ Germany-, and others of the Neighbouring Countries. But the refalt.of all was this, as commcaily it happeneth on the like occafi- ons, that both parties challenged to themfdves the Vidlory in it, and both indeed were vidtors in fome refpeds. For the King of Navar ■ appeared much unfatisfied by noting the differences of the Minifters arrongft th mfelves, fome of them adhering to the Aiigujime, and others to xhtHelvetim Con^tSxon., in fome points of Dodrine-, which- made him afterwards more cordial to the intercft of the Church of Rome, notwithftanding all the arg.umencs and infinuations ufed by his - Wife, a moft zealous Hugofsot^ to withdraw him from it. But the Hu- jonots gave out on the other fide, that they had made good their Do- 'drines, convinced the Catholick Dodors, confounded the Cardinal o^ Lor ruin ^ aad gotten Licenfe from the King to Preach, Which gave fuch coura?e to the reft of that Fadion, that they began of their own Authority to afTemblethemfelvesin fuch places as they thought moft convenient, and their Miniftersto. preach in publick. and their Preach- ings followed and frequented by fuch infinite multitudes, as well of the Nobility as the common People, that it was thought impoffible to
fupprefs,
Lib.ii. ®t;e mfto^v of t^e ^imttmrntk
53
fupprefs, and dangerous to difturb their Meetings. For fo ic was that if either the Magiftrates mokfled them in their Con^reoatiorrs' or the Catholicks attempted to drive them out of their^ Temples" without refpedto any Authority they'put themfelves into Arms- and in the middle of a full Peace, was made a ftiew of a moft terrible' and deftrudive War.
15. This being obfcrved'by thofe which fate at the Helme, and finding that thefe tempefts were occafioned by the Edidt of^^aV [^ was refolved to fteer their courfe by another wind. For the Queen being fetled in this Maxirae of State, That flie was not to fuffer one Fadtiontodeftroy the other, for fear {he fhould ranain a prey to the Vidor, not onely gave order for conventing all the Parliaments to a Common-Council, but earneftly follicited fora Paciiicadon • whicii gave beginning to the hmons E6i£t of January. ^ whereby k w, s ^ran- ted that the Hugonots lliould have the Free exercil'e of their R<?[ir.-iori.- that they might affemble to hearing of Sermons in any open "pi.'';,^ without their Cities, but on condition that they went unarmed, ^hli that the Officers of the place were there alfo pre feat. \Nh.iC:, Edid fo offended the chief Heads of the Catholick party, that a fb/i^ combination and confederacy was concluded on between the K'm^%f Navar^ the Conftable, and the Duke of Guife^ for maintenance of^the Religion of the Church of Rome. And this reduced the Queen-Re- gent to the like necefTiry of making a flrift union with the Admifal and th- Prince of OWf, whereby flic was affured of the power, of the Hugonots^ and they became as confident of her Protedion. In which condition they were able to form their Churches, to call: them into Provinces, Clafles, and other fubdivifions of a lefs capacity ; to fettle in them their Presbyteries and Synodical Meetings, grounded' ac- cording to their Rules of Cdvins Platforip, in Docftrine, Difcipline and Worihip. The Forms whereof being defcribed at larf'e in the former book, maythere befound without the troubleof a repetition. In fo much that it was certified to the Fathers in the Council of Trent that the /"rfwA //Af^o/?o^j were at that time diftributed into two thou- fand one hundred and fifty Churches, each of them, furnifhed with their proper and peculiar Preachers, according to a jufl: computation which Was taken of them : which computation was then made, to fatisfie the Queen-Regent in the ftrength of that party, for which fee could not otherwife declare her felf, unlefsfhe were firft made acquain- ted with their power and numbers. But being fatisfied in thofe points, flie began to fliew her felf much inclined to Cah'mjfm^ oave ear unto the Difcourfesof theMiniftersinher private Chamber, conferred fa- miliarly with the Prince, the Admiral, and many others in matters which concerned their Churches 5 and finally, fo difguifed her felf, that the Pope was notable to difcover at what port (lie aimed. Fdr fometimes flie would write unto him forfuch a Council as by theC^Z- vinians w-x-i defired, at other times for a national one to be held in France •, fo-netimes defiring that the Communion might be admini- ftred under both kinds, otherwhile requiring a Difpcnfation for Priefts to Marry •, nowfolliciting that Divine Service might be faid in the vul- gar tongue, then propofing fuch other like things as were widied and
preach-
54 ^^e I^iftoj^ of t^e ^2£!3l}f tenants. Lib. ii
preached for by the Hitgonots. By which diffimuhrions (lie amufed the World, but s^ave withal fo many notable advantages to the re- formation, that next to God ihe was the principal promoter and advan- cer of it ^ thongh this prolperity proved the caufe of thofe many mife- ries which afterwards cnfufd upon it.
i6. For by this means the Preachers having 'free accefs into thp Court, became exceedingly refpeded in the Cityof P/(W, wherein fhort time their followers did increafe tofogr^aca multitude, as ppc the prince of CtT^i^/t' into fuch a confidence, that he afiuraed unto him- felf the manageryof al great affairs : Which courfe fo vifibly tended to the diminution of the King of Navar^ that he refolved by ftrong hand to remove him. from Paris. And to that end, dire(5led both his M^fTages and his Letters to the Duke of Guife^ to cqme in ro help him. 'The Duke was then at ^dinviUe in the Proviiice o'i chamfaione^ and hap- pfnedinhis way upon a Village called r»?|/'g. where the Hugonots wzit afiembled in great numbers to hear a Sermon. A fcuffle unhappily is begun between fome of the Dukes Fo.'iti.nen, and not u fev/ of the more unadvifed and adventurous //«^<?«(^/-''' : which the Duke c miing to part, was Iiit with a blow of a ftone upcm one of his Cheeks, whicn forced him Avith the lofs of fome blood to retire again. Provoked with which indignity, his followers, being two Companies of Lances, charae in upon them with their Fire-locks, kill hxty of them in the place, and force the rcfl for prefervation of their lives into feveral houfcs. This accident is by the Hugo/icts o^w^noniio be a matter of defign 5 the execution done upon thofe fixty perfons, rauft be called a MafT^cre 5 and in revenge thereof the Kingdom fliall be filled with Blood .-md Kapine, Altars and Images defaced, Monafteries ruined and pulled down, and Churches bruitiilily polluted. The Qacen had fo long juggled between both parties, that now it was not fafe for her to declare for either. Upon which ground llie removed the Court to Fountain- hie Au^ and |eft them to play their own Games, as the Dice fliould run : The prefence of the King was looked upon as a matter of great importance, and either party laboured to get him into their pow- er. The City of OrlcAnce more efpecially was aimed at by the Prince of Condc:, as lying in the heart of the Kingdom, rich, large and popu- lous, fufficiently inclined to novelty and innovations •, and therefore thought the fitteft Stage for his future Aaings. Being thus refolved, he firfl fends D'Andelot with fome Forces to poffpfs the Town, and pofls himfelf towards Fonntatn-Ble.w\v\i\\ three rhoufand Horfe. But the Catholick Confederates had be^n there before him, and brought the King off fafely to his City of Paris : which being fignified to the Prince as he was on his way, he diverts tow irds Or/V^wf ^ and came thither in aluckie hour to relieve his friends: which having feized upon one of the Gates, and thereby got pofstfTion of that part of the City, was in apparent danger to be utterly broken by the Catholick party, if the P:ince had not come fo opportunely to renew the fight : but by his coming they prevailed, made themfelves Maflers of the City, and handlelled their new Government with the fpoil of all the Churches and Religious Houfes, which either they defaced, or laid wafte and de- folate. Amongft which none was ufed more courfely then the Church
of
Lib. II. ^fit^iUivot^tp0ti^tztia0, " 55
,of St. Croffe, being the Cathedral of that City 5 not fo jttiuch out ehf a diflike to all Cathedrals (though that ha,d been fufficjient to expofe it unto Spoil and Rapiae ) as out of hatred to the name. Uppi) -which furious piece of Zeal, they aftervvards dcftroyed all the litt]^ Crofses which they found in the way between Mofit Martyr and S,f . Denis, firft raifed in memory of Denis the iirft Bifliop of Parii., ,^^ one that pafseth in account for the chief Apollle of tl\e .Gdlid Hn^ tioiis.
17. But to proceed: to put fome fair coiourupon this foul adtion, a ;»/4»//>/?is writ and publiflied 5 in which the P^rince and his adhcr rents fignifie to all whom it might conceju, that they had taken amis for no other reafon, but to reftore the King and Queen to their perfo- nal liberty, kept Prifonersby the power and pra(ajce of the CaihoUclL Lords-, that obedience might be rendred in all places to his Male- flies Edids, which by the violence of fome men had been infrineed,5 and therefore that they were willing to lay down Arms,if the Confta- ble, the Duke of (7»//f, and the Marlballof St. Andrems fliould retire from P4r*f, leaving the King and Queen to their own difpofing ; and that liberty of Religion might be equally tolerated and maintained unto all alike. Thefe falfe Colours were wiped off by a like Remon- ftrancemadeby the Parliament of P^jw : In which it was declared a- mongft other things, that the Hugonots had firft broke thofe EdiiSs by going armed to their Affemblies, and without an Officer : That they had no pretence to excufe themfelves from the crime of Rebelli- on, confidering they had openly feized on many Towns^ raifed Soul- diers, affumed the Munition of the Kingdom, call many pieces of Ord- nance and Artillery, affumed unto themfelves the Coyningof Mony; and in a word, that they have wafted a great part of the publick Revenues, robbed all the rich Churches within their power, and de- ftroyed the reft, to the didionour of God, the fcandal of Religion, and the impoveriiliing of the Realm. The like anfwer was made alfo by the Conftable and the Duke of Gui^e in their own behalf, .declaring in the fame, that they were willing to retire, and. put themfelves into voluntary exile, upon condition that the Arms taken up againft the Kingmi^ht be quire laid down, the places kept againft him delive- red up, the Churches which were ruined reftored again, the Catho- lick Religion honourably preferved, and an intire obedience rendred to the lawful King, under theGovernment of the King of iV4^'4r, and the Regency of the Queen his Mother. Nor were the King and Queen wanting to make up the breach, by publiftiing that they were free from all reftraint, and that the Catholick Lords had but done their duty in waiting on them into Vxris -, that fince the Catholick: Lords were willing to retire from Court, the Prince of Conie had no reafon to remain at that diftance ; that therefore he and his adherents ought to put themfelves, together with the places which they had pof- feffed, into the obedience of the King -, which if they did, they Ihould not only have their feveral and refpedive Pardons for all matters paft, but be from thenceforth looked upon as his Loyal Subjects, without the leaft diminution of State or Honour.
18. Thefe Paper pellets being thus fpent, both fides prepare
morfe
5 6 C]^el^illo?¥oft]^1^>ej5lJ^tet(anj5. Lib. if.
m. *^
more furioully to charge each other. But firft the Prince of Conde, by the aid of the i/w^^^w/J, makes himfelfMafter of the great Towns and Cities 6f chief importance •, fuchaswere if<7«f«, the Farliamenta- ry City of the Dukedom of Normmdj •, the Ports of Diefe and Nerv-ha. 'ven -y the Cities of Angicrs^Tovres^Bloife, Fendojme^ Bourses and ?«/"- ^krs 5 which laft were reckoned for the greateft of all the Kingdom, except J?(!«f» and Faris-^ after which followed the rich City of Xjo«/, with that oiVnUnce in the Province o( Daulphiny, together with ahxioU all the ftrons places in Gufcoigfie a.nd Languedock^ Provinces in a man- ner wholly k go?t0i, except T/Wi/z/e, Beurdeaitx^ and perhaps Tome o- •the?S' -But becaufe neither the Contributions which came in from the HiH'dnofs^ though they were very large, nor the fpoil and pillage of tliole Cities which they took by force, were of themfelvcs fuflicient to maintainihe War 5 the Prince ot CoWf caufed all the Gold and Sil- ver in the Churches to be brought unto him, which he coyned int3 Moay. They made proviilon of all manner of ArtilLry and Ammu- nition which they took from moftof the Towns, and laid up in Oiie- ance, turning t e Covent of F r am ifcans into a Magazine, and there dif- pofiog all their (lores with great art and induftry. The ^ath-ilicks on the other lide drew their Tt^ces together, conlircing of 4000 Horie and fix thoufand Foot, moft. of them old experienced Souldiers, 'and • trained up in the Waragainfl C^^ir/a the Fifth. The Prince had rai- fed an Army of an equal number, that is to fay, thr.;e thoufand Horfe, and feven thoufand Foot ^ but, for the raoft part, raw and young Sooldiers, and fuch as fcarcely knew how to fland to their Arms: Andyetw'th thtfe weak forces he was grown fo jiigh, that nothing wojidcontent him. but the banifliment of the Conftable, the Cardinal of Lorratn^ and the Duke of Gutfe •, free liberty for the Hugonols to meet together for the Exercife of their Religion in walled TovvnS"; Cities and Churches to be publickly appointed for them-, the holding of the Towns which he was prefcntly poffelfed of as their abfolutc Lord, till tlie King were out of his Minority, 'which v/as to laft till he came to the age of two and twenty. He required alfo that the Popes Legate fliould be prefently commanded to leave the Kingdom : that the Hugonots fliould be capable of all Honours and Offices : and finally, that fecurity flioald be given by the Emperour, the Catho- lick King, the Queen of EngLnd^ the State of Venice, the Duke of Siivoy^ and the Republick of the Switzers, bv which they were to Hand obliged, tha^ neither the Conftablenor the Duke of 6*//f lliould xci\xn\mio France^ till the King was come unto the age before reraem- bred.
19. Thefe violent demands fo incenfed all thofe which had the Go- vernment of the State, that the Prince and his Adherents were pro-, claimed Traytors, and as fuch to be profecuted in a courfeof Law, if thev laid rot down their Arms by a day appointed. Which did as little benefit them, as the propofals of the Prince had pleafed the others. For thereupon the Hugonots united themfelves more ftridtlyint^ a con- > federacy to deliver the King, the Qaeen, the Kingdom, from the vio- lence of their oppofers, to ftand to one another in the defence of the E- dids, and altogether to fubmit to the Authority of th; Prince of Co;?J^,
as
Lib. II, c^e li'ftojt of ti^ t^iesJbttwtani
57
as the head of their Union : publifHing a tedious Declaration with their wonted confidence , t uehitig the motives which induced them to this Cbitibination; This more eftranged the Qaeea frOm them then fhe Tvasaifirft; andnowflie is refolved tobre^k them byfome means or othef , but rather to attempt it by Wit then by Force of Arms : And to this end fhe deals fo dexteroufly with the Conftable and the Duke of Cuifey that {he prevailed with them to leave the Court , and to pre- fer the common fafety of their Countrey before tlieir