bee led away, from this holy and pure truth. For this is certaine that the church is very well provided for, and is then chiefly built up, and kept in unity and unanimity, when the pure doctrin of the Goſpell without far-fetched ſubtilities, and emergent contentions is propounded to Chriſtian people, in ſimplicity of truth, as it is in Pſalm the 25. Let integrity and uprightneſſe preſerve me. Dated at Wittenbergh 3. Novemb. 1575.
Chap. XL.
I. IN the year after 1576 Maximilianus being dead, his ſonne Rudolphus ſucceeded him, who trod in his fathers ſteps, hee reigned peaceably untill the year on thouſand fix hundred and two no perſecution being in all that time concerning religion. In this year it was ſo brought about by the private practiſes of the Jeſuites and their inſtruments, that Rodolphus ſhould ſubſcribe to, and cauſe to be publiſhed an Edict drawne by them, concerning the renewing of a Decree of Wladiſlaus againſt the Piccardines; for noe other end, but that their Churches might be ſhut up for a time, the Patrons of the Brethren, the Noblemen proteſted that it did no way
