The Dead Yet Speaking, Title page – Table of contents
ABEL REDEVIVUS or The dead yet speaking
By T. Fuller and other Eminent Divines.
Mors vltima linea rerum est
Nunc levior cippus non imprimit ossat
Laudat yosteritas, nunc non é manibus illis
Nunc non é tumulo fortunague favilla
Nascuntur viola? Pers: Sam 37
Sould by Iohn Stafford at the George at Fleete bridge 1652 Ro: Vaughan Sculp:
THE EPISTLE To the READER.
SVch honour (saith the aPsalme 149 9.Psalmist) have all his Saints. His Saints emphatically; Divine Providēce foreseeing that in after ages some would usurp the title of Sain…ship to whom it did not belong. His Saints exclusiuely, casting out Saints traitors as Becket and Garnet, Saint hy…ocrites, and many others; who in the same sence, as Auri sacra fames, may be termed Sacri or Sancti, Saints.
2. But, what honour have all his Saints? Marke what went before, as it is written, bu… by whom and where? Though Chapters and Verses be of later date, the holy Spirit might have cited the Book. O no! He, to quicken our Industry referres us to the Word at large. However, Search the Scriptures, and therein we shall meet with many honours afforded to the Saints; both whilst they were living, and when they were dead; on which alone we shall insist.
3 This honour also is twofold, either what God or what Man bestoweth upon them; the latter onelyonly is proper for our present purpose, and brancheth it selfe into Honour done to their Bodyes or to their Memories.
4 Of the former, is their Decent Interment, according to their quality: Thus Iehojadah was promoted to a Sepulcre amongst the Kings of Iudah; b2 Cron. 24.16.Hezechiah (whose signall holinesse was Paramount whilst he was living) had his Tombe advanced the c2 Cron. 32.33highest of all other Kings. However, this Honour hath not been universall to all Saints; many have missed thereof, especially in time of Persecution; as appears by the complaint of the Psalmist.
5 Honour to their Memories is more certaine, being sometimes paid them very abundantly, even from those who formerly were so niggardly and covetous, as not to afford them a good word in their life time:
— Defunctus amabitur idem.
Many are made Converts by the godly ends of good men; as the dMatth. 27.54.Centurian himself, who attended and ordered the crucifying of Christ, after his expiring, brake forth into that testimony of him, Verily this was the Sonne of God. So, such as rail at, revile, curse, condemne, persecute, execute pious People, speake other language of them, when such men have passed the Purgation of Death, and confesse them faithfull and sincere servants of God.
6 The last Honour, is Imi…ation of their vertuous examples. The Papists b…ag that Stapleton, their great controversiall Divine, was borne on that very day, whereon Sir Thomas More was put to death; but Providence so ordereth it, that out of the ashes of dead Saints, many living one… doe spring and sprout, by following the pious precedents of such godly persons deceased. This was a maine motive of publishing the ensuing Treatise, to furnish our present Age with a Magazeen of religious Patterns for their Imitation.
7 There is a Monument in Palestine, which at eAdricomius de terra sancta.Modinum was erected for the Maccabees, consisting of seven Pedestals, and on them as many Pyramids, under the bottoms whereof their Bodies lye buried, whilest their tops serve (even at this day) for Seamarkes to direct Marr…ners, sailing in the Mediterranean, towards the Haven of Ioppa in the H…ly Land. Not unlike whereunto, for the use and service thereof, is this following Discourse, m…de partly, to doe right to the memory of these Heroes deceased, and partly to guide and conduct us to arrive at the sam… h…ppinesse, by steering our course according to the purity of their lives, and constancy of their deaths.
8 Here may we finde many excellent Preachers, who first reformed themselves, that their Doctrine might take the better effect in others. For as one who would most mannerly intim…te to another any spot or foulenesse in his face, doth wipe hi… owne face in the same place, that so the other beholding him, may collect where and how, to amend any thing that is amisse: So these worthy Ministers gave others to understand how to rectifie their faults, by exemplary clensing and clearing their owne lives and Conversations.
9 But, Most remarkable are many Confessors (here briefly described) for their constancy in persecution; It was as Hegesippus reports, an observation of Antonius the Emperour, that the Christians were most couragious and confident alwayes in Earthquakes whilst his owne heathen Souldiers, were at such accidents most fearfull and disspirited; The same holds true here in many worthy Saints, in such concussions and commotions of Church and State, wherein all was almost turned upside-downe, they acquited themselves most fearless and valiant, still preferring a good conscience; a grace very worthy of our Imitation, especially in this Age, when the very Foundations are shaken, and most at a losse, how to behave themselves. God grant when men are at their wits end, they may be at the beginning of their faith, valiantly to hold out in the Truth.
10 But the valour of some Martyrs shewed most exalted Patience. The Roman Gladiators, set …orth and designed to Death, when despairing to come off alive, tooke all their care; honeste decumbere, to fall down in a decent posture; so contriving their Bodies into a modest Method, that no uncomlinesse might therein be discovered. So was it in these Martyrs (and ought to be in us, if called into their condition) all their sollicituousnesse was, taking leave of life to entertain Death with so sweet a deportment, that they might …etray no unworthinesse or meannesse in minde, in their latter end.
11 So much for the occasion and matter of this worke. As for the Makers thereof, they are many; some done by Doctor Featly, now at rest with God, viz. The lives of Iewell, Reynolds, Abbot and diverse others. Some by that reverend and learned Divine Master Gataker, viz. The Lives of Peter Martyr, Bale, Whitgi…t, Ridley, Whitaker, dThat, pa 523. and not that pag. 328. which was printed before a mor exact Copy was procured.Parker and others. Doctor Wille…s life by Doctor Smith, his Son in Law. Erasmus his life by the reverend Bishop of Kilmore. The life of Bishop Andrewes, by the judicious and industrious, my worthy friend Master Isaackson: and my meannesse wrote all the lives of Berengarius, Hus, Hierom of Prague, Archbishop Cranmer, Master Fox, Perkins, Iunius, &c. Save the most part of the Poetry was done by Master Quarles, Father and Son, sufficiently known for their abilities therein. The rest the Stationer got transcribed out of Mr. Holland and other Authors.
What remaines but to condole the sad condition of our dayes, comming short of the former Age, and daily wayning? thinnesse in Eminent Divines, caused from our present distractions. We read Ioshuah 3.16. that the waters of Iordan which came downe from above (namely from the two Springs of Ior and Dan) stood still, and the rest failed and were cut off, running into the the Sea of the Plaine (otherwise called the DEAD SEA) so that betwixt both, the river of Iordan was dryed up into a faire passage over it. I feare whilst the streame of a new supply from the two Fountaines of Learning and Religion in this Kingdome is much disturbed and partly obstructed in these tumultuous times, and whilst the present Generation of eminent Divines, maketh haste to their graves, able Ministers will almost be drayned dry in the Kingdome: The rather, because as the arrow mortally wounded Ahab betwixt the joynts of his Armour, so in the interstitium betwixt two Disciplines (and give me leave to tearme Discipline the Armour of the Church) Episcopacy put off, and another Government not as yet close buckled on, Prophanenesse and Licenciousnesse have given a great & grievous wound to the Church of God; for the speedy cure whereof joyn thy Prayers with his, who is
Thy servont in any Christian office, THO. FULLER. Walth. Abbey.
THE TABLE.
A
page
Amsdorsius.
246
Andreas.
387.
Andrewes.
440.
Abbat.
538.
B
Berengarius.
1.
Bilney.
121.
Bu…re.
153.
Bradford.
179.
Bugenhagius.
280.
Brentius.
292.
Bullenger.
329.
Boquine.
347.
Bucolizer.
364.
Babington.
455.
Beza.
465.
Bale.
502.
Benedictus.
520.
Bolton.
586.
C
Colet.
97.
Caralostadius.
113.
Capito.
135.
Cruciger.
144.
Cranmer.
223.
Calvin.
266.
C…emnisius.
307.
Chytraeus.
417.
Cowper.
558.
D
Diazeus.
142.
Deering.
341.
Danaeus.
408.
Drusius.
533.
E
Erasmus.
57.
Erpenius.
582.
F
Frith.
118.
Farellus.
286.
Fox.
377.
Fagius.
146.
G
George Prince of Anhalt.
164.
Grindall.
350.
Gilpin.
352.
Gulterus.
372.
Gerardus.
511.
Grynaeus.
535.
H
Husse.
…2.
Hooper.
172.
Hesperius.
264.
Humfried.
386.
Hemingius.
413.
Heerbrand.
415.
Holland.
500.
Hedio.
163.
I
Ierom of Prague.
21.
Iustas Ionas.
165.
Iohn a Lasco.
243.
Iewell
301.
Illiricus.
343.
Iunius.
441.
K
Knox.
319.
L
Luther.
31.
Leo Iudae.
136.
Latimer.
217.
M
Myconius.
138.
Melancthon.
234.
Marlorat.
245.
Musculus.
248.
N
Nowell.
422.
O
Oecolampadius.
109.
Olevian.
373.
P
Peter Martyr.
205.
Philpot.
221.
Pellican.
229.
Parker.
328 and 523.
Perkins.
431.
Polanus.
499.
Piscator.
564.
Pareus.
577.
R
Rogers.
167.
Ridley.
191.
Ram….
325.
Roll…k.
410.
Reynolds.
477.
S
Saunders.
169.
Strigelius
290.
Simlerus.
344.
Sohinus.
384.
Sadeel.
397.
Sands.
452.
Scaliger.
498.
Scultetus.
584.
T
Tindall.
126.
Taylor.
176.
Tremelius.
346.
Tossanus.
424.
Trelca…ius.
464.
V
Vrbanius Regius.
130.
Vergerius.
288.
Viretus.
299.
Vrsin.
361.
W
Wicklief.
8.
Wigandus.
367.
Whitaker.
401.
Whitgift.
457.
Willet.
565.
Whatley.
592.
Z
Zuinglius.
85
Zegedine.
314.
Zanchius.
390.