Foxe's book of martyrs : a complete and authentic account of the lives, sufferings, and triumphant deaths of the primitive and Protestant martyrs in all parts of the world, with notes, comments and illustrations

Front matter

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Book I

An account of the ecclesiastical matters which passed in the Church of Christ from its first establishment till the period of three hundred years ; particularly showing the differences between the ancient and present Church of Rome ; in which the absurdity, impiety, and blasphemous doctrines of that Church in modern times are fully illustrated. a

CHRIST, in the gospel of St. Matthew, chap, xvi., hearing- the confession of Simon Peter, who first openly acknowledged him to be the Son of God, and perceiving the secret hand of his Father therein, answered again; and alluding to his name, called him a rock, upon which rock he would build his church so strong, that, the gates of hell should not prevail against it, &c. In these words three things are to be noted. First, that Christ will have a church in this world. Secondly, that the same church should be mightily impugned, not only by the world, but also by the utmost strength and powers of all hell. And, thirdly, that the same church, notwithstanding the efforts of the devil and all his malice, should continue. This prophecy of Christ we see wonderfully verified, insomuch that the whole course of the church to this day, seems nothing else but a verification of it. First, that Christ hath set up a church, needs no proof. Secondly, what force, what sides and sorts of men, of princes, kings, monarchs, governors, and rulers of this world, with their subjects publicly and privately, with all their strength and cunning, have bent themselves against this church. And, thirdly, how the said church, notwithstanding all this, hath yet endured.

To bring these events home to the minds of Christians, it will be necessary to treat in the following order :

First, of the suffering time of the church, which continued from the apostles' age about three hundred years.

Secondly, of the flourishing time of the church, which lasted other three hundred years.

Thirdly, of the declining time of the church, which comprehends other three hundred years, or about the thousandth year after the ceasing of persecution. During which space of time, the church, although ambitious and proud, was much altered from the simple sincerity of the primitive time; yet in outward profession of doctrine and religion, it was

a To the disgrace of all modern editions which we have seen of the " Lives of the Martyrs," this most interesting and truly historical part of the original work has been totally omitted.

1 B something tolerable, notwithstanding some corruption of doctrine, with superstition and hypocrisy, had then crept in.

Fourthly, followed the time of Antichrist, or, as it is scripturally called, the loosing of Satan, or desolation of the church, which contains the space of four hundred years. In this time both Christian doctrine and sincerity of life was almost extinguished ; particularly in the chief heads and rulers of the west church, through the means of the Roman bishops, especially from Gregory the seventh, called Hildebrand, Innocentius the third, and the friars who crept in with him, till the time of John Wickliffe and John Huss, during a space of four hundred years.

Fifthly and lastly, after this time of Antichrist reigning in the church of God by violence and tyranny, followed the reformation, or, as it may properly be called, the purging of the church of God, wherein Antichrist begins to be revealed, and his antichristian doctrine to be detected, the number of his church decreasing, and the number of the true church increasing greatly.

With respect to the church of Rome, in all the ages above specified, it challenged to itself the supreme title, and ringleading of the whole universal church on earth, by whose direction all other churches have been governed. In writing therefore of the church of Christ, one cannot but intermeddle with the acts and proceedings of the said church, because the doings and orderings of all other churches, from time to time, as well in England as in other nations, have chiefly depended upon it; in order to give a general description, briefly to show, as in a summary table, the misguiding of that church, comparing the former primitive state of the church of Rome with the latter times of the same, and then to proceed more at large with all the particulars thereof.

The title and style of that church was such, that it surpassed all other churches : being called the Holy Universal Mother Church, which could not err; and the bishop thereof, Holy Father the Pope, Bishop Universal, Prince of Priests, Supreme Head of the Universal Church, and Vicar of Christ on Earth, who must not be judged, having all knowledge of Scripture, and all laws contained within his breast.

The jurisdiction of that bishop was such, that, challenging to himself both the swords, that is, both the keys of the scripture and the sceptre of the laity, he not only subdued all bishops under him, but also advanced himself above kings and emperors, causing some of them to lie under his feet, some to hold his stirrup, others to lead his horse by the bridle, to kiss his feet, and placing and displacing emperors, kings, dukes, and earls, where and when he listed, taking upon him to translate the empire at his pleasure ; b first from Greece to France, from France

b The disgrace and contempt into which this Antichrist has now fallen, must convince all true Christians of the fulfilment of the scriptures, as they describe his overthrow. Nothing proves so clearly that Buonaparte was intended by the Almighty as a scourge to the nations of the Continent, as his conduct towards the popes of his time, whom he robbed, insulted, and trod under foot, with as great a degree of contumely as preceding popes did the rightful but bigoted sovereigns of great nations in former ages. Some years a#o, when the Editor of tins work was making a tour through Italy, he was shewn the statues of the popes which are preserved in the pantheon at Rome. It was shortly after the death of Pius VI.; and he remarked that there was only one niche remaining unfilled. The guide, with a melancholy shake of the head, observed that a prophecy had long pre-

POPISH USURPATIONS.

to Germany, preferring' and deposing whom he pleased, confirming them which were eleeted. Also being 1 emperor himself, sede vacante, pretending authority or power to invest bishops, to give benefices, to spoil churches, to give authority to bind and loose, to call general councils, to judge over them, to set up religions, to canonize saints, to take appeals, to bind consciences, to make laws, to dispense with the law and word of God, to deliver from purgatory, to command angels, &c.

This doctrine was tedious to students, pernicious to men's consciences, injurious to Christ, and contrary in itself.

But it should be noted, that all these deformities, vain title, pretended jurisdiction, heretical doctrine, and schismatical life, came not into the church of Rome at once, nor sprang with the beginning of the same church, but with long working, and continuance of time, by little and little crept in, and came not to full perfection- till the time partly of pope Sylvester, partly of pope Gregory the seventh in 1170, partly of Innocent the third, and finally of pope Boniface the eighth in 1300. Of these four popes, the first brought in the title, in the year of the Lord 670, which was never before publicly enacted and received or acknowledged in the church of Rome. The second brought in jurisdiction. The third, which was pope Innocent, with his rabble of monks and friars (amongst whom were Thomas Aquinas, Petrus Lombardus, Johannes Scotus) and such other bishops as succeeded in the see after him, corrupted and obscured the sincerity of Christ's doctrine and manners. And lastly, pope Boniface, the eighth, and Clement the fifth, added the temporal sword to be carried before them. x4nd they decreed, that no ejnperor (were he never so justly elected) should be sufficient and lawful, without the pope's admission. This was in the year 1300, whereby the pope's power was now brought to its full pride and perfection. And thus arose the corruption of the Romish church in continuance of years by degrees, and not at one time, as is here shown.

Hence the church of Rome, as it is now governed with this titular jurisdiction, and institution of doctrine, never descended from the primitive age of the apostles, or from their succession, nisi tantum cequivoce , et non univoce ; like as Sancta Maria picta non est Sancta Maria, et homo pictus non est homo : that is, as the picture of the Holy Virgin is not the Holy Virgin, and as a man painted on the wall is not a man : so it is to be said of the church of Rome, that although it hath the name of the church Apostolic, and doth bring forth a long genealogy of outward succession from the apostles, as the Pharisees in Christ's time brought their descent from Abraham their father ; yet all this is but only cequivoce, that is, the name only, and not in effect or matter.

With respect to the order and qualities of life, let us ask of this Ro-

vailed in that city, that when the niche in question should be Jilted there would be no need for any others. Since then the temporal authority of the pope has been degraded even to ridicule ; and every hour seems to prognosticate that the papal supremacy is approximating to its end, at least on the continent.

c JEquivoce, that is in name only, and not in deed. Univoce, that is both in name and also in definition and effect, agreeing with the name.

man clergy, where was this church of theirs which now is, in the ancient time of the primitive church of Rome ; with this pomp and pride ; witli this riches and superfluity ; with this gloria mundi, and name of cardinals ; with this extortion, bribing, buying and selling of spiritual dignities ; these annats, reformations, procurations, exactions, and other practices for money ; this avarice insatiable, ambition intolerable, fleshly filthiness most detestable, barbarousness and negligence in preaching, promise-breaking faithlessness, poisoning and supplanting one another; with such schisms and divisions, which never were more practised than in the elections and courts of Rome within these seven hundred years ; with such extreme cruelty, malice, and tyranny in burning and persecuting their poor brethren to death?

If a man were to write at large all the schisms that have been in the church of Rome since the time of Damasus the first, what a volume would it require ? Or if here should be recorded all whom this church hath burnt and put to death, who would be able to number them ?

If there were no other difference in the matter, but only corruption of life, all that we would tolerate, or impute to the common frailty of man, and charge them no farther than we might charge ourselves. But besides this deformity of life, wherein they have strayed from the former steps of the true church of Rome, we have to charge them in greater points, more nearly affecting the substantial ground of the church.

Although Victor, bishop of Rome, in the year 200, went about to excommunicate the east churches for the observance cf Easter day ; yet neither did he proceed therein, nor was he permitted by Ireneus so to do. And although Boniface the first, writing to the bishops of Carthage, required of them to send up their appellations to the church of Rome, alleging the decree of the Nicene council for his authority ; the bishops and clergy of Carthage assembling together in a general council (called the sixth council of Carthage) to the number of two hundred and seventeen bishops, after that they had perused the decrees in the authentic copies of the Nicene council, and found no such order, made a public decree, that none out of that country should make any appeal beyond the see, &c. It is no wonder if appeals were forbidden them to be made to Rome ; for here in England the kings would not permit any to appeal from them to Rome, till Henry II. from political motives submitted to the influence of pope Alexander III. on account of the murder of Thomas a Becket. And also in France the like prohibitions were expressly made by Ludovicus Pius, anno 1264, which forbade, by a public instrument called Pragmatica sanctio, all exactions of the pope's court within that realm. The like was done also by king Philip, named Le Bel, anno 1296, which not only restrained all sending or going of his subjects to Rome, but also that no money, armour, nor subsidy should be transported out of his realm. King Charles the fifth, surnamed the Wise, and his son likewise, Charles the sixth, also punished as traitors certain seditious persons for appealing to Rome.

The like resistance was made in France, against the pope's reservations, preventions, and other practices of his usurped jurisdiction, in the days of pope Martin the fifth, anno 1418, when king Henry the sixth in Eng-

LAWS OF JUSTINIAN. b

land, and king Charles the seventh in France, both accorded with the pope in investing and in the collation of benefices ; yet notwithstanding the high court of parliament in France did not admit the same, but still maintained the old liberty and customs of the French church. And when the duke of Bedford came with the king's letters patent to have the pope's procurations and reservations admitted, the parliament would not agree to it, but the king's procurator-general was obliged to interfere.

The Roman emperors made frequent attempts to curtail and check the powers of the popes. The emperor Honorius enacted a law, that none should be made bishops of Rome through ambition, charging all ecclesiastical ministers to cease from ambition; appointing, moreover, that if two were elected together, neither of them should be taken, but the election to proceed to another, who was to be chosen by a full consent of voices.

To this may be added also the law and constitution of Justinian the emperor, ratified and renewed afterwards in the council of Paris, in the time of king Ludovicus Pius ; where all bishops and priests were expressly forbidden to excommunicate any man before his cause was known and proved to be such, for which the ancient canons of the church would have him to be excommunicate. And if any should proceed contrary to this law, then the excommunicate person to be absolved by the authority of a higher decree, and the excommunicate to be sequestered from the communion, so long as should seem convenient to him that had the execution thereof, as is expressed 24. q. 3. De illicita. Justinian also, in his laws and constitutions, ordained many things of high importance in church matters, such as to have a determinate number of churchmen or clerks in churches ; also concerning monasteries and monks ; how bishops and priests should be ordained ; the removing of ecclesiastical persons from one church to another ; the constitution of the churches in Africa; and that the holy mysteries should not be performed in private houses, so that whoever should attempt the contrary should be deprived. Const. 58. Also concerning the order and manner of funerals; and that bishops should not keep from their flock. The same Justinian granted to the clergy of Constantinople the privilege of the secular court in cases only civil, and such as touched not the disturbance of the bishop : in all criminal causes he left them to the judgment of the secular court. He also gave laws and decrees for breach of matrimony. And in his Const. 123, after the doctrine of St. Paul, he commanded all bishops and priests to sound out their service and to celebrate the mysteries, not after a secret manner, but with a loud voice, so as they might not only be heard, but also that the faithful people might understand what was said and done; whereby we learn that divine prayers and service was then in the vulgar tongue.

These and numerous other instances that could be adduced, shew that even in the early ages of papacy the sovereigns of Europe were jealous of, and adverse to, the institutions and authority of the popes; insomuch that they thought it necessary to point out to the catholic bishops and b HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN MARTYRDOM.

priests what they ought to consider as their duty. Carolus Magnus, besides his other laws and political edicts, called five synods, one at Mentz, the second at Rome, the third at Rheims, the fourth at Cabilone, the fifth at Arelate, where sundry rites and ordinances were given to the clergy, about eight hundred and ten years after Christ. The same Carolus also decreed, that only the canonical books of Scripture should be read in the church and none other ; which before was also decreed anno 417, in the third general council of Carthage. This monarch also exhorted bishops and priests, to preach the word with a godly injunction; and ordered them to dispense with the superstition which is used at certain places in the burial of the dead.

The said kings and emperors likewise forbade that any freeman or citizen should enter the profession of a monk, without licence asked of the king; and added a double cause for this regulation, first, because many not for mere devotion, but for idleness, and avoiding the king's wars, do give themselves to religion; again, that many be craftily circumvented and deluded by subtle covetous persons seeking to get from that which they have; that no young children or boys should be shaven, or enter any profession, without the will of their parents; and that no young maiden should take the veil or profession of a nun before she came to sufficient discretion of years to discern and chuse what to follow. That none should be interred or buried thenceforth within the church: which also was decreed by Theodosius and Valentinianus forty years before them. The said Carolus, two and twenty years before this emperor, enacted that murderers, and such as were guilty of death by the law, should have no sanctuary by flying into the church, SfC. which also was decreed by Justinian three hundred years before Carolus. e

Amongst the numerous other improprieties of the modern church of Rome may be mentioned their vowsons and pluralities of benefices, which were then things as much unknown as they are now pernicious to the church, by taking away all free election of ministers from the flock of Christ.

As these inconveniences came and crept in chiefly by the pretended authority and jurisdiction abused in this latter church of Rome; so it cannot be denied, but the said latter church of Rome hath taken and attributed to itself much more than either the limits of God's word gives, or as stands with the example of the old Roman church, in these three things especially.

The first is this, that whatsoever the Scripture giveth and referreth, either to the whole church universally, or to every particular church severally, this present church of Rome doth arrogate to itself absolutely and only; both doing injury to other churches, and also abusing the Scrip-

e This singular historical fact forcibly shews the increase of the papal supremacy in modern ages. The sanctuary of the church, in catholic countries, is a safeguard for murderers and criminals of every description. In Italy and Spain, in particular, to the present day, a man who chuses to murder another in the public streets receives protection from entering the porches of a church, and a summary vengeance would fall upon any one who should molest him in such a sacred spot. One of the writers in the Spectator has introduced a beautiful story from a subject of this nature: it is the adventure of a gentleman who takes refuge in a church after killing his antagonist in a duel.

CORRUPTIONS OF THE POPE'S CHURCH. '

tares of God. For though the Scripture doth give authority to bind and loose, it liimteth it neither to person nor place, that is, not to the city of Home more than other cities, nor to the see of Peter more than to other apostles; but giveth it clearly to the church, whereof Peter did bear the figure, so that wheresoever the true church of Christ is, there is annexed power to bind and loose, given and taken merely as from Christ, and not immediately by the pope or bishop of Peter's see.

The second point wherein this present church of Rome abuses its jurisdiction contrary to the Scripture and steps of the old Roman church, is this, that it extendeth its authority farther and more amply, than either the warrant of the word, or example of time, will give. For although the church of Rome hath (as other particular churches have) authority to bind and absolve, yet it hath no authority to absolve subjects from their oath, subjection, and loyalty to their rulers and magistrates, to dispense with perjury , to pronounce remission where no earnest repentance is seen before, to number remission by days and years, to dispense with things expressly in the word forbidden, or to restrain that which the word maketh free, to divide religion into religions, to bind and burthen consciences with constitutions of men, to excommunicate for worldly matters, such as not ringing of bells at the bishop's coming, for not bringing litter for their horses, for not paying their fees and rents, for withholding the church goods, for holding on their prince's side in princely cases, for not going at the pope's commandment, for not agreeing to the pope's election in another prince's realm, with other such things more vain than these, &c. Again, although the Scripture giveth leave and authority to the bishop and church of Rome to minister sacraments ; yet it giveth no authority to make sacraments, much less to worship sacraments. And though their authority serveth to baptise men, yet it extendeth not to christen bells ; neither have they authority by any word of God to add to the word of God, or take from the same, to set up unwritten verities under pain of damnation, to make other articles of belief, to institute strange worship, otherwise than he hath prescribed who hath told us how he would be worshipped, &c.

The third abuse of the pope's jurisdiction is, that as in spiritual jurisdiction they have vehemently exceeded the bounds of Scripture, so they have impudently intermeddled themselves in the temporal jurisdiction, wherein they have nothing to do. Insomuch that they have translated their empire, they have deposed emperors, kings, princes, rulers, and senators of Rome, and set up others or the same again at their pleasure ; they have also proclaimed wars, and have warred themselves. And though emperors in ancient times have dignified them with titles, have enlarged them with donations, and they received their confirmation by the emperors, yet, like ungrateful clients to such benefactors, they afterwards stamped upon their necks, made them hold their stirrup, and also the bridle of their horse ; have likewise caused them to seek confirmation at their hand ; and, in fact, have made themselves emperors, sede vacante, et in discordia electionis, and also have been senators of the city ; moreover, have extorted by their own hands the plenary fulness of power and jurisdiction of both the swords, especially since the time of pope Hildebrand ; which Hildebrand deposing Henry, the fourth emperor, made him give attendance at his city gate. And after him pope Boniface the eighth shewed himself to the people on the first day like a bishop, with his keys before him ; and the next day in his robes imperial, having a naked sword borne before him, like an emperor ; this happened in the year 1298.

Thus having sufficiently shewn the manner of life, title, jurisdiction, and government of the pope's see (in all which points it is to be seen how this latter church of Rome hath receded from the true ancient church of Rome) it now remains to proceed to the fourth and last point, which is of doctrine, wherein consisteth the chief matter that is with us and against them, and which proves that they are neither to be reputed for true catholics, being altered so far from them ; nor we other than heretics, if we should now join with them. For the proof whereof, let us examine the doctrine and rites of the said church of Rome now used, and compare the same with the teaching of the ancient catholics, to the intent that such persons as have been hitherto, and yet are seduced by the false statements and image of this pretended church, perceiving what lieth within it, may be warned betimes either to avoid the peril, or if not, to blame none but themselves for their own wilful destruction.

And though I could here charge the new fangled church of the pope with seven or eight heinous crimes, such as blasphemy, idolatry, heresy, superstition, absurdity, vanity, cruelty, &c. yet to pass this matter with them, these two things I will and dare boldly affirm, that in this doctrine of the pope, now taught in the church of Rome, is neither any consolation of conscience, nor salvation of man's soul. For seeing there is no life nor soul's health but only in Christ, nor any promise of salvation or comfort made but only by faith in the Son of God, what assurance can there be of perfect peace, life, or salvation, where that which only maketh all, is least made of, and other things which are of least import are most esteemed ?

And, therefore, as it may be truly said that this doctrine of the pope is void of all true comfort and salvation, so likewise it seemeth that those which addict themselves so devoutly to the pope's learning, were never earnestly afflicted in conscience, never humbled in spirit, nor broken in heart ; never entered into any serious feeling of God's judgment, nor ever felt the strength of the law and of death. For if they had, they would soon have seen their own weakness, and been driven to Christ ; then would they have seen what a horrible thing it is to appear before God the judge, or once to think on him (as Luther says) without Christ; and, on the contrary, they would know what a glory, what a kingdom, what liberty and life it were to be in Christ Jesus by faith.

And thus were the old Romans first taught by St. Paul writing to them. The same did Cornelius the Roman, the first that was baptized of the Gentiles, learn of St. Peter when he received the Holy Ghost, not by the deeds of the law, but only by hearing the faith of Jesus preached. And in the same doctrine the said church of the Romans many years continued, so long as they were in affliction. And in the same doctrine the bishop of Rome with his Romans now also should still remain, if they were such ancient Catholics as they pretend, and

TRUE CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES. 9

would follow the old mother church of Rome; but what wonder if the Romans now in so long- a tract of time have lost their first sap, seeing that the church of the Galatians, in the very time of St. Paul, their schoolmaster, he being amongst them, had scarcely turned his back but they almost turned from the doctrine of faith.

And lest any should think that we here protest against the corrupt errors and deformities of this latter church of Rome from motives of any rancour, rather than necessary causes and demonstrations, I shall take some little pains to descry the particular branches and contents of the pope's doctrine, now set forth, to the intent that all true christian readers, comparing the one with the other, may discern what great alteration there is between the church of Rome that now is, and the church of Rome that then was planted by the apostles in the primitive time. And to open to the simple reader some way whereby he may the better judge in such matters of doctrine, and not be deceived in discerning truth from error. First, we will mention certain principles or general positions, as infallible rules or truths of the Scripture, whereby all other doctrines and opinions of men being tried and examined, may the more easily be judged whether they be true or contrary to the holy Scripture.

CERTAIN PRINCIPLES, OR GENERAL VERITIES, FOUNDED UPON THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD,

1. As sin and death came originally by the disobedience of one to all men of his generation by nature, so righteousness and life came originally by the obedience of one to all men regenerated of him by faith and baptism. Rom. 5.

2. The promise of God was freely given to our first parents without their deserving ; that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head. Gen. 3.

3. Promise was given freely to Abraham before he deserved any thing, that in his seed all nations should be blessed. Gen. 12.

4. To the word of God neither must we add nor take from it. Deut. 4.

5. He that doth the works of the law shall live therein. Lev. 18. Gal. 3.

6. Accursed is he who abideth not in every thing that is written in the book of the law. Deut. 27. Gal. 3.