The Tragedies of Tyrants Exercised Upon the Church of God, Chapter 2
Of the ſecond Tragical Acte or perſecution, wherein Iohn the Baptiſt was beheaded, Jeſus Chriſt the Sunne of God crucified, and his Diſciples diſperſed. Chapter. ii.
THe ſecond perſecution began Iohn Baptiſt firſte preacher of the Goſpell.at one time, with the preaching of the Goſpell, & Iohn the Baptiſte firſte preached the Goſpell, as S. Marke witneſſeth writting: how that the Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſte the Sun of God, began ſo as it was foretold by ye prophets, namely by the forerunner of of Chriſt, who prepared his waies, and made the mindes of men apt and ready to receaue Chriſte. Whiche Iohn the Baptiſt, pointed vntounto Chriſt, as it were What Iohn preached.with his finger, teſtefinge that he was the Lambe of God, that ſhoulde take away the ſinnes of the world. The ſame exhorted men to beléeue in Chriſte, and ſent his diſciples from him to Chriſte, as vntounto him in whome dwelled al fulneſſe, and through whom only the way was open vntounto euerlaſtinge life: affirminge that hée was the verie Sunne of God, into whoſe hande the father committed all thinges, and whoſoeuer béeléeued in him ſhould hauehave euerlaſtinge life, and whoſo béeleeued not, vppon him remained the wrath of God. Therewith alſo he ſharply rebuked the vices of men, exhortinge all to repentance, pronouncinge vntounto the impenitent and vnbéeléeuinge, the wrath of God and deſtructiō to hang ouer them. Theſe are mētioned by ye Euangeliſtes Mathew. 3. chap. Iohn. 1. and. 3. chap. and Luke. 3. chapter.
For this doctrines ſake, when as manie hated John and his diſciples, and ſpecially the high byſhoppes and prieſtes, who by meſſengers ſent vntounto him required an accoumpt of his doctrine, endeuoringe to ſtoppe, and hindre him from that function. Afterwarde, when he had rebuked Herode called Antipas of inceſt, which was ſun to Herod ſurnamed the great, that ſlew the children (for the ſame Antipas had taken away Iohn. 1.his owne brother Philippes wife and his daughter, and kept her openly for his owne wife) when, as I ſay, hée had preached againſt that wicked déede mutch blaminge the filthines of the fact was by the ſayd Herode apprehended, and caſt into priſon. Then on a time, Iohn taken.when Herod had made a ſolemne feaſt for his nobles and courtiars: amonge his greate and manie cuppes beinge ouerſéene and merie with wine, promiſed large rewardes vntounto Herodiadas the daughter, a ſtrumpet, béecauſe ſhée had daunced in his preſence, where ſhée beinge inſtructed by the ould harlot her mother, required the head of John the Baptiſt. Herod although hée knew… John to bée a godly and holy man, yet ſending the executioner: commaunded the innocent man without iudgment, his cauſe beinge vnhearde, ſhamefully, and through tyranicall luſt to bée ſlayn in the priſon. The daughter preſented the Head of John to the inceſtuous harlot Iohn beheaded.her mother, in the feaſt, and euen as ſhée was ſitting at the table. Which cruell déede, what greife and ſorow it brought to Johns diſciples, and al other godly men: euerie faithfull man maye eaſely repute with himſelf. Wherfore this perſecution by Herode committed, not only touched Iohn: but was greenous alſo to the reſt of the faithful.
Doublteſſe ſu…ch carnall reaſons as theſe are, perplexed the mindes of manie Sundry…e opinions of this dede.that time, why God ſuffred that man to be afflicted that was ſo dear vntounto the Lorde, and greater then whome there was none borne of a woman? Why permitted hée him by inceſtuous perſons ſo miſerablye to bée ſlayne in priſon, and they the meane time drowned in riotinge, drounkennes, and dauncinge? why hée ſuffred that holye head, diſdainfully to be touched and abuſed by the handes of a filthie harlot? Theſe thinges are ſtraunge in the ſight of men, and the fact it ſelf is horrible, yet no wyſe man ought to accuſe God in permittinge the ſame, which doth all thinge in iudgment, and iuſtice yea, if hée chaunce at theſe dayes to ſée verteous and godly men, miſerably ſlayne by the vngodly and wicked, and rereprochefully vſed, thus hée reaſoneth with himſelf: if God could beehold it, that ſo holy a man, Gods freende, the firſt miniſter of the Goſpell, ſhould ſo diſpightfully bée murthered in priſon, and his head alſo reprochfully handled: wée ought leſſe to merueyle if now like wiſe hée ſuffre the like to béefall to his fréences, who are not yet in ſo great eſtimation, and dignitie as John was.
But like as Johns cauſe was not therfore vniuſte, and Herodes iuſte, in that hee preuailed, and oppreſſed, and ſlew John: in our age likewiſe their doctrine and faith which abide perſecution, and are wofully ſlayn for Chriſt and his woordes ſake, is not therfore the woorſe, nether the faith of the perſecucions and murthers for that cauſe the better.
Semblably, as there was none other Cauſes of Herods parſecution.cauſe that mooued Herod to this perſecution and greeuous ſlaughter, then that hée would not bée rebuked in his wickednes, neither offend his bouſinge mates and inceſtuous harlot: ſo, manie perſecutions are raiſed by thoſe that will not bée reproued for Idolatrie for their ſins and wickedneſſe, perſecuting the innocent, that they may pleaſe wicked men, which prouoke them vntounto it.
In the ſame age, after John the baptiſt, Chriſtes doctrine.vnderunder Tyberius the Emperour, our lorde Jeſus Chriſt béegan to preache the goſpel, and to pronounce remiſſion of ſinnes, and life euerlaſtynge through faith in him, and alſo béegan ſharply to withſtande, and ſpeake againſt the falſe doctrin of the Teachers namely of the Phariſes, Scribes, and preiſtes ſeuerely accuſinge their hypocriſie, couetouſnes, and other crimes, warnings them alſo of the wrath of God which hunge ouer them, and exhortinge moreouer all men to repentance. Hée declared this doctrine, and deuine power, by ſundrie wounders and miracles, wherby it is ſet clere, and vndoubted, and as a man ſhould ſay ſhewed with handes, that hée was the ſunne of the liuinge God, the lorde that had power ouer ſatan, ſinne, death and hell.
But the high biſhops thoſe Teachers or religious men as they call them, which alonely ruled the roſte, and were of greateſt auctoritie in the counſell of the Jewes, the prieſtes likewiſe, and Leuits, acknowledged not Jeſus, as indéede he was, to be the true Meſſias: but they maliced him, and laid waite to take away his life. And at ſomtimes they called him Samaritane, ſomtime they ſaid hée was poſſeſſed with a diuell railinge, and reprochinge his doctrine, which they could in no wiſe abide, béecauſe it was quighte contrarie vntounto theirs.
For they ſpake litle or nothinge of Phariſaical doctrine.faith, but of woorkes only, how wée were iuſtified by the lawe or obſeruing the law, but ſpecially by ſacrifice: likewiſe they taught litle of Charitie, but applied all to their auarice makinge of the lordes houſe a verie ſhoppe of Merchandize. For in the temple were ſhéep and Dxen, and doues to bée ſold, for ſutch as offred ſacrifice, and for their farther gaine they had ſet vp tables for vſerie, and exchange. But Chriſte making a ſcourge of ſmall cordes: draue them all out of the temple, as well the ſhéepe oxen, and doues as thoſe that ſold them, as alſo the bankers, and exchangers, and all that ſold religion for monie.
Wherfore, for this cauſe only they Chriſtes perſecution.dayly perſecuted Chriſte, goinge about to ſtone him or kill him, and hée oftentimes conuaid himſelf away, flying out of Iudea in to Galile, and ſuſtained paciently ſundrie afflictions, reproches, and traueyles. And laſt of all, hée was béetraid, and ſold by one of his owne diſciples, apprehended, and brought into the eccleſiaſticall iudgment of the prieſtes, and by Pontius Pilate, the Romane Lieutenant, condemned to the death of ye croſſe, for no other cauſe, but for that, as indéede he was, hée affirmed himſelfe to bée the verie ſunne of the liuinge God, the trew Meſſias or Chriſte, the only, and eternall ſauiour of al the world. But before that he was brought vntounto the Lieutenant: ye ſeruāts and miniſters of the prieſts ſhamefully mocked, & miſuſed him in ye high biſhops hal: they blindfolded him, & ſpet in his face, buffeted him, reprochfully and diſdainfully intreating his diuine wiſdom Accuſation aginſt chriſtand maieſtie. In the morning, when they brought him before the lieutenant they falſly accuſed him to bee a ſeductor of the people, a ſeditious fellow, & well worthye to be hanged on the Croſſe.
But Pilate, when he had diligently examined all the matter, vnderſtanding the cauſe: ſundrye times pronounced that hee was not guiltie, and that hee could not condemne him by lawe, and notwithſtanding that hee was innocent, yet was he handled diſpightfullye. For he was led vntounto Herod, & by him contemptuouſly abuſed, flouted of his courtiars and galantes, with all ſcornfull demeanure. He was compared vntounto Barrabas, the moſt notorious théefe, His paſſionand murtherer of that age, whom the Jewes preferred before Chriſt, ſuppoſinge that hée was woorſe then that wicked villayn, whome all the worlde hated. Hée was ſcurged alſo, and crowned with a crowne of wreathed thorns, and being in this ſorte miſerably handled and tormented: was brought foorth into the ſight of the vnthankfull people. But for al this, there was no grace nor pardon to bée found, ſpecially amonge ye preiſtes, egginge the Lieutenant to cō demne the innocent, and ye hée ſhoulde permit them to leade him to execution, & to crucifie him béetwen two théeues. And when hée was in moſte gréeuous paines, and the very panges of death: he was moſte outragiouſly intreated with blaſphemous frumps, ſcornes, and reprocheful vſages. For the préeſtes with many other mo walking before ye croſſe vttred foorth ſundrie horrible and gréeuous woords againſt him, which are by S. Mathe diligently ſet downe in writinge. Amongſt which moſt gréeuous temptations and iniuries, in the midſt of theſe ſorowes, Chriſte yéelded vp the ghoſt vponupon the croſſe.
Whilſt Chriſte ſuffred theſe thinges his diſciples were miſerably diſperſed, and all the faythfull conceaued wounderfull and incredible ſorowe for the paſſion, and death of Chriſte. Manie fearfully doubted, leaſt at that time the doctrine of the Goſpell were wholy extinguiſhed. So that this perſecution which was againſt chriſte: both touched and troubled the whole Church, and all the faithfull. And although the enemies of Chriſt hoped that they had gotten the conqueſt, and deſtroyd the doctrine of the Goſpell: notwithſtandynge, their victorie made not the phariſaicall doctrine one iote the better, nor ye doctrine of the Goſpell: the woorſer. For it is no good conſequent: the Phariſes put Chriſte to death, wherefore, their doctrine is true, and Chriſtes falſe.
The cauſe which moued the Phariſes, and al other enemies of Chriſt to perſecute him: ſurely was none other, then ye they were deſierous to retaine their owne erronious doctrine, & oppreſſe the goſpell we the followers therof, wherby they might with ſecuritie enioye their raigne, luſtes, and pleaſures. And likewiſe in our age, many of ye Papiſts do perſecute ye faithful for none other cauſe
This is a comfort vntounto vsus, that in ſo great afliction, when the diſciples were ſcattered, & Chriſt of all men forſaken: yet only Iohn amōgſt al ye other diſcipls durſt boldlye approche to the croſſe of Chriſte, and ioyne himſelf vntounto Mary the vndefiled and perpetuall virgin the mother of our Lord, and Mary Magdelen Cleophas, with other moe. Heere, by their infirmitie the power of God is declared. Likewiſe Ioſeph, and Nicodemus valiently béehaued themſelues. Like as at this day alſo it falleth out, for wher as the trueth is taught to bée ſo greuouſly preſſed with perſecution, that there ſéemeth to be no man that taketh regard or care therof: then moſt times by the meaneſt ſort, and not ſeldome by noble and great perſonages, there bée newe and fortunate fowndations laid, wherby the trueth is wonderfully increaſed. Wherfore wée muſt not in the greateſt perſecutions, caſt of our hope and comfort.
Here, béefore althinges, this is to bée obſerued, that wée iudge far otherwiſe of Chriſtes death and paſſion, then of the death and affliction of Iohn and other ſainctes, who hauehave ſuffred perſecution for God and the truethes ſake, and with their bloude borne recorde to the heauenly trueth: but wée ought far more excellently to accompt of the blood and death of Chriſte. For as hée is the euerlaſtinge ſunne of God, and life vntounto all thoſe that béeleue in him: ſo his blood, death, and paſſion are a clenſinge ſacrifice, and a propitiation for the ſinnes of the whole worlde. For by his death wée obtayne life, and by his bloodſhed wée get remiſſion of ſinnes. And vntounto this opinion all the doctrine of the Prophetes, and Apoſtles bear witnes, ſpecially the epiſtle of Saint Paule to the Hebrues. Wherfore our life and forgiuenes of ſinns, is repoſed in ye deth and paſſion of Chriſte only, and not in the martyrdom, or paſſion of any ſainct.
Since therfore, Chriſte is the head of his Church, and hée ſuffred ſo manye thinges: by his example the church alſo learneth that it muſt ſuffer many things, as it is abundantlye ſhewen in the writings of the Euangeliſts and Apoſtles.