Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…

In the beginning of Reformation, the Waldenses were so aspersed, that the story says of them, there was not one Arrow in the quiver of malice, but it was drawn forth and shot at them. Luther, ¹Calvin, Beza, Oecolampadius, Bullinger, and the rest are by some in writing rendered the most black and vile pieces that the earth bore, both in their lives and deaths. I find it recorded of Zuinglius, that he was a man so eminent, as his friends made him almost a God; and so traduced by his enemies, that one would wonder the earth did not open and swallow up such ⟨p. 169⟩a man. The like dealings did that worthy instrument of God Mr. Knox find, who in Queen Mary's time fled with divers others to Frankford; when men of vile contentious spirits could not prevail against him any other way, they sought to asperse him, and that so maliciously, as his life was in danger, accusing him to the Governors of Frankford, for a Sermon preached in England; in which the Emperor was concerned: The words were these, O England, England, if thou wilt obstinately return into Egypt, that is, if thou contracting marriage, confederacy or league with such Princes as do maintain and advance Idolatry, such as the Emperor who is no less enemy to Christ then Nero; if for the pleasure of such Princes, thou return to thine old abominations, then assuredly, O England, thou shalt be plagued and be brought to desolation, by the means of those whose favour thou seekest.

In the beginning of Reformation, the Waldenses were so aspersed, that the story sayes of them, there was not one Arrow in the quiver of malice, but it was drawne forth and shot at them. Luther, ¹Calvin, Beza, Oecolampadius, Bullinger, and the rest are by some in writing rendred the most black and vile pieces that the earth bore, both in their lives and deaths. I find it recorded of Zuinglius, that he was a man so eminent, as his friends made him almost a God; and so traduced by his enemies, that one would wonder the earth did not open and swallow up such ⟨p. 169⟩a man. The like dealings did that worthy instrument of God Mr. Knox finde, who in Queene Maries time fled with divers others to Frankford; when men of vile contentious spirits could not prevaile against him any other way, they sought to asperse him, and that so maliciously, as his life was in danger, accusing him to the Governours of Frankford, for a Sermon preached in England; in which the Emperour was concerned: The words were these, O England, England, if thou wilt obstinately rurne into Egypt, that is, if thou contracting marriage, confederacy or league with such Princes as doe maintaine and advance Idolatry, such as the Emperour who is no lesse enemy to Christ then Nero; if for the pleasure of such Princes, thou returne to thine old abhominations, then assuredly, O England, thou shalt be plagued and be brought to desolation, by the meanes of those whose favour thou seekest.