Testament saith Exod. 20. Deut. 6. Thou shalt make no Image The New saith that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Matth. 5. Christ therefore hath left the commandments of the old Law unto the Church in which he saith Thou shalt not make any Image Of late years Images were in the Temple and honoured with pater noster heart and mind leg and knee Now they be applyed to another use to teach the people to be Lay-mens Books as Damascene c. saith O blasphemous and devillish Doctrine The most perfect Churches of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles used no such mean and we ought to follow them and the Word of God writ by the Prophets and Apostles The words of Gregory ad Seren. Episcop Mâ—ssil part 10. Ep. 4. should move no man though he say Quod legentibus Scriptura hoc ideotis pictura praestat cernentibus This is but Gregory's opinion Epiphanius was not of his mind He willed the occasion of ill to be taken out of the Church as Paul commandeth 1 Thes. 5. This Doctor was as all men know of singular learning and vertue Again against the Authority of Gregory the Great I set the Authority of Athanasius the Great who denieth in express words the Images to be the Books of the Lay people Lactantius Firmianus crieth so out against Images that he saith there can be no true Religion where they be Tertullian judgeth the same Loved we God we would be content with the Scripture Shall not the Patriarks Prophets Christ and his Apostles suffice the Church of God What although many learned men have approved Images should their wisdome maintain any contrary to the Word of God Such as defend them have nothing but sophistical arguments to blind the people with The Scripture nor Apostles Church used none Had all Asia Africa and Europe and Gabriel the Archangel descended from Heaven approved the use of Images forasmuch as the Apostles never taught nor wrote any such thing their Authority should have no place the Word of God solely and onely is to be prefer'd which forbiddeth Images ch 10. The Office of Christ to sanctifie us according to Iohn 17.1 sanctifie my self that they may be sanctified doth abrogate all other things that mans constitutions attribute any holiness unto as bewitched water c. for onely Christ sanctifieth and all holiness we must attribute unto him Sacraments must be used holily yet not have this Office of Christ added to them ch 11. In the later dayes when Christ as King was to be born the Angel declared the Power and Puissance of his Kingdome He shall reign over the house of Jacob and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1. Although the Commonwealth of the Church hath no certain place appointed where it shall remain as it was appointed in the old Law yet certain we be that this Kingdome of Christ remaineth upon the Earth and shall do till the Earth be burned Matth. 16.28 1 Cor. 15. Howbeit as Christ wan and obtained this Kingdome in the later dayes without shield or spear so doth he preserve it with his holy Spirit and not with carnal weapons My Kingdome is not of this world John 18. Meaning he would not reign in this world as a Prince of this world in pomp and pride but defend his people with his holy Spirit that the Devil and the World should not break their patience though many afflictions and sorrows should fight against them for the Truth 's sake Christ doth not deny to be King of the world but he meant not to reign worldlily to the hinderance and defacing of the Emperours Dignity and Title as the Jews falsly accused him as Cyrillus l. 12. c. 10. in Iohannem saith This Kingdome shall be ever persecuted till the worlds end Isaiah the Prophet described the Church of this present life saying He will give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction but he will not remove thy teachers chap. 30.20 Thus the Church shall alwayes remain but in affliction I know such as favour not the Truth will interpret my words that I condemn all Princes and Kings as enemies of the Gospel because they peaceably enjoy their Kingdomes whereas I wish them alwayes so to do to the glory of God but of the one thing I will assure every Prince of world The more sincere he is in the Cause of God the more shall be his Cross. God indeed preserveth above humane reason his Ministers as he did Iacob from the hands of Esau David from Saul Daniel from the Lions and Paul in the Ship when there was no humane hope of salvation Likewise he governeth his Church with his onely Laws The onely Law whereunto this Congregation is bound is the Gospel as Christ saith Iohn 4. The Holy Ghost shall teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said unto you Here Christ bindeth the Apostles and all the Church unto the things that he had taught them Such as teach the people to know the Commonwealth of the true Church by these signs the traditions of men and the succession of Bishops teach wrong Those two false opinions have given unto the succession of Bishops power to interpret the Scripture and power to make such Laws in the Church as it pleased them God hath given the Civil Magistrates power and authority to make such Laws for the Commonwealth as shall be agreeable with reason and not against Gods Law and likewise power to interpret the same Laws but this is not to be admitted in the Church unto whom God hath given the Gospel and interpreted the same by his onely Son taught the meaning and contents thereof himself The adversaries of the Truth defend many an errour under the name of the holy Church when the Church therefore is named diligently consider when the Articles they would defend were accepted of the Church by whom and who was the Author of them Leave not till the matter be brought unto the first original and most perfect Church of the Apostles If thou find by their writings that their Church used the thing that the Preacher would prove then accept it or else not Be not amazed though they speak of never so many years nor name never so many Doctors If either the Authority of Bishops or the greater part should have power to interpret the Scripture the sentence of the Pharisees should have been prefer'd before the sentence of Zachary Simion Elizabeth or the blessed Virgin Consider the true Church is many time but a small Congregation as Isaiah saith Unless God had left us a remnant we had been as Sodom Therefore the interpretation of the Scripture is not obligated to ordinary power nor the most part Beware of deceit when thou hearest the name of the Church The verity is then assaulted They call the Church of the Devil the holy Church many time Remember Christian Reader that the gift of interpreting the Scripture is
into thy hands I commend my Spirit Amen Keyser Leonard Keyser as he was led to the place where he was to be burnt said O Lord Jesus remain with me sustain and help me and give me force and power When the wood was ready to be set on fire he cried with a loud voice O Jesus I am thine have mercy upon me and save me Knox. Mr. Iohn Knox wearied with removing from place to place by reason of the Persecution that came upon him by the Bishop of St. Andrews was determined to have left Scotland and to have visited the Schools of Germany he had then no pleasure in England by reason that although the Popes Name was suppressed yet his Laws and Corruptons remained in full vigour but was prevailed with by some Gentlemen for their Childrens sake whose Education he had undertaken to go to St. Andrews that he might have the benefit of the Castle which was fortified against the Papists since the death of the Cardinal in it Thither he came An. 1547. where he was called to the Ministry after this manner Mr. Rough having shew'd in a Sermon what power the Congregation how small soever passing the number of two or three had to elect any man in the time of need as that was in whom they espied the gifts of God and how dangerous it was to refuse to hear the voice of such as desire to be instructed he directed his words to Mr. Knox saying Brother you shall not be offended although that I speak unto you that which I have in charge even from all those here present which is this In the Name of God and of his Son Jesus Christ and in the name of these that presently call you by my mouth I charge you that you refuse not this holy Vocation but as ye tender the glory of God the encrease of Christs Kingdome the edification of your Brethren and the comfort of me whom ye understand well enough to be oppressed by the multitude of labours that you take upon you the publick office and charge of preaching even as you look to avoid Gods heavy displeasure and desire that he shall multiply his graces upon you And in the end he said to those that were present was not this your charge to me and do ye not approve this Vocation They answered it is and we approve it Besides this Vocation that which necessitated Mr. Knox to enter in the publick place was his beating by his Pen Dean Annan a rotten Papist that had long troubled Mr. Rough in his Preaching from all defences that he was compelled to flie to his last refuge the Authority of the Church which said the Dean damned all Lutherans and Hereticks and therefore he would not dispute Whereupon Mr. Knox in the open audience of the Parish-Church of St. Andrews told the Dean thus As for your Roman Church as it is now corrupted and the Authority thereof wherein stands the hope of your victory I no more doubt but that it is the Synagogue of Satan and the head thereof called the Pope to be that man of sin of whom the Apostle speaks then I doubt that Jesus Christ suffered by the procurement of the visible Church of Ierusalem yea I offer my self by word or writing to prove the Roman Church this day farther to degenerate from the purity which was in the daies of the Apostles then was the Church of the Iews from the Ordinance given by Moses when they consented to the innocent death of Jesus Christ. The people hearing the offer cried with one consent We cannot all read your writings but we can all hear your preachings therefore we require you in the Name of God that ye let us hear the Probation of what you have affirmed for if it be true we have been miserably deceived The next Lords Day he preached on Dan. 7. And another King shall rise after them and he shall be unlike unto the first and he shall subdue three Kings and shall speak words against the most High and shall consume the Saints of the most High c. In the beginning of his Sermon he shewed the great love of God towards his Church whom he pleased to forewarn of dangers to come so many years before they came to pass After he made a short Discourse of the four Empires the Babylonian Persian Grecian and Roman in the destruction of the fourth rose up that last beast which he affirmed to be the Roman Church for to none other power that ever hath been yet do all the Notes that God shewed to the Prophets belong except to it alone and to it they do properly appertain as such as are not more then blind may clearly see Then he shewed that the Spirit in the New Testament gives to this King other new names as the man of sin the Antichrist the whore of Babylon which he proved to belong to the Papists and their head the Pope Hereupon he was with Mr. Rough convented before the Sub Prior of St. Andrews c. and several Articles were read against them The strangeness said the Sub Prior of these Articles which are gathered forth of your Doctrine have moved us to call for you to hear your Answers Mr. Knox said I for my part praise my God that I see such an Auditory but because it is long since that I have heard that ye are one that is not ignorant of the Truth I may crave of you in the Name of God yea and I appeal your conscience before that supreme Judge that if ye think any Article there expressed contrary to the Truth of God that ye oppose your self plainly unto it and suffer not the people to be therewith deceived but if in your conscience you know the Doctrine to be true then will I crave your Patrâ—cinie thereto that by your Authority the people may be moved the â—ather to believe the Truth The Sub Prior answered I come not here as a Judge but onely familiarly to talk and therefore I will neither allow nor condemn but if ye list I will reason Why may not the Church for good causes devise Ceremonies to decore the Sacraments and other Gods Service K. Because the Church ought to do nothing but in faith and ought not to go before but is bound to follow the voice of the true Pastor S. It is in faith that the Ceremonies are commanded and they have proper significations to help our faith they have a godly signification and therefore proceed from faith and are done in Faith K. It is not enough that man invent a Ceremony and then give it a signification according to his pleasure for so might the Ceremonies of the Gentiles and of Mahomet be maintained but if any thing proceed from faith it must have the Word of God for its assurance for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Now if ye will prove that your Ceremonies proceed from faith and do please God
and Confessours yea with thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion us like that in his glory we may be like him also O good God what are we on whom thou shouldest shew this great mercy O loving Lord forgive us our unthankfulness and sins O faithful Father give us thy holy Spirit now to cry in our hearts Abba dear Father to assure us of our eternal election in Christ to reveal more and more thy Truth unto us to confirm strengthen and stablish us so in the same that we may live and die in it as Vessels of thy mercy to thy glory and to the commodity of thy Church Indue us with the Spirit of thy wisdome that with good conscience we may alwayes so answer the enemies in thy cause as may turn to their conversion or confusion and our unspeakable consolation in Jesus Christ for whose sake we beseech thee henceforth to keep us to give us patience and to will none otherwise for deliverance or mitigation of our misery then may stand alwayes with thy good pleasure and merciful will towards us Grant this dear Father not onely to us in this place but also to all others elsewhere afflicted for thy Names sake through the death and merit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In his godly Meditations We are rather to be placed among the wicked then among thy children for that we are so shameless for our sin and careless for thy wrath which we may well say to be most grievous against us and evidently set forth in the taking away of our good King and the true Religion in the exile of thy Servants imprisonment of thy People misery of thy Children and death of thy Saints and by placing over us in authority thine enemies by the success thou gavest them in all that they took in hand by the returning again into our Countrey of Antichrist the Pope What shall we do what shall we say who can give us penitent hearts who can open our lips that our mouths might make acceptable confession unto thee O what now may we do Despair no for thou art God and therefore good thou art merciful and therefore thou forgivest sins with thee is mercy and propitiation and therefore thou art worshipped When Adam had sinned thou gavest him mercy before he desired it and wilt thou deny us mercy which now desire the same Adam excused his fault and accused thee but we accuse our selves and excuse thee and shall we be sent empty away Abraham was pulled out of Idolatry when the world was drown'd therein and art thou his God onely Israel in captivity in Egypt was graciously visited and delivered and dear God that same good Lord shall we alwayes be forgotten How often in the wilderness didst thou defer and spare thy plagues at the request of Moses when the people themselves made no Petition to thee and seeing we do not onely make our Petitions to thee but also have a Mediator for us now far above Moses even Jesus Christ shall we I say dear Lord depart ashamed Take into thy custody and governance for ever our souls and bodies our lives and all that ever we have Tempt us never further then thou wilt make us able to bear and alwayes as thy children guide us so that our life may please thee and our deaths praise thee through Jesus Christ our Lord for whose sake we heartily pray thee to grant these things c. not onely to us but c. especially for thy children that be in thraldome under their enemies in exile in prison poverty c. Be merciful to all the whole Realm of England grant us all true repentance and mitigation of our misery And if it be thy good will that thy holy Word and Religion may continue amongst us Pardon our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and if it be thy pleasure turn their hearts Oh mighty King and most High Almighty God who mercifully governest all things which thou hast made look down upon the faithful seed of Abraham c. consecrated to thee by the anointing of thy holy Spirit and appointed to thy Kingdome by thy eternal purpose free mercy and grace but yet as strangers wandring in this vile vile of misery brought forth daily by worldly Tyrants like Sheep to the slaughter Thou hast destroyed Pharaoh with all his Horse and Chariots puffed up with pride against thy people leading forth safely by the hands of thy mercy thy beloved Israel through the high waves of the roaring waters Thou O God the Lord of all Hosts and Armies didst first drive away from the Gates of thy people the blasphemous Senacherib slaying of his Army 85000 by the Angel in one night and after by his own Sons before his Idols didst kill the same blasphemous Idolater c. Thou didst transforâ— and change proud Nebuchadnezzar the enemy oâ— thy people into a bruit beast to eat grass and hayâ— to the horrible terrour of all worldly Tyrants c. Thou didst preserve those thy three Servants iâ— Babylon who with bold courage gave their bodies to the fire because they would not worship any dead Idol and when they were cast into the burning Furnace thou didst give them chearful hearts to rejoyce and sing Psalms and savedâ—â— unhurt the very hairs of their heads turnâ—ng the flame from them to devour their enemies Thou O Lord God by the might of thy right arm which governeth all broughtest Daniel thy Prophet safe into light and life forth of the dark Den of the devouring Lions c. Now also O heavenly Father beholder of all things to whom belongs vengeance thou seest and conâ—iderest how thy holy Name by the wicked Worldlings and blasphemons Idolaters is dishonoured thy sacred Word forsaken refused and despised thy holy Spirit provoked offended thy chosen Temple polluted and defiled Tarry not too long therefore but shew thy power speedily upon thy chosen Houshold which is so grievously vexed and so cruelly handled by thy open enemies Avenge thine own glorâ— and shorten these evil dayes for thine Elects sake Let thy Kingdome come of all thy Servants desired and though we have all offended thy Majesty Yet for thine own glory O merciful Lord suffer not the enemy of thy Son Christ the Romish Antichrist thus wretchedly to delude and draw from thee our poor brethren for whom thy Son once died that by his cruelty after so clear light they they should be made Captives to dumb Idols and devillish inventions of Popish Ceremonies thereunto pertaining Suffer him not to seduce the simple sort with this fond opinion that his false gods blind mumbling feigned Religion or his foolish Superstition doth give him such conquest such victories such triumph and so high an hand over us We know most certainly O Lord that it is not their arm and power but our sins and offences that hath delivered us to their fury and hath caused thee
and perswaded all that proâ—ess Gods Word manfully to persist in the defence of the same not with sword and violence but with suffering and loss of life rather then to deâ—ile themselves again with the whorish abominaon of the Romish Antichrist So the hour being come with my fact and example to ratifie confirm and protest the same to the hearts of all true Believers and to this end by the mighty assistance of Gods holy Spirit I resolved my self with much peace of conscience willingly to sustain whatsoever the Romish Antichrist should do against me When Mr. Warren the Chancellor willed 〈◊〉 chief Jaylor to carry me to the Bishop I laid 〈◊〉 his charge the cruel seeking of my death aâ—â— when he would have excused himself I told hâ—â— he could not wipe his hands so He was as gâ—â—â—â— of my blood before God as though he had muâ—thered me with his own hands He departed froâ— me saying I needed not to fear if I would be 〈◊〉 his belief God open his eyes and give him graâ—â— to believe this which he and all of his inclinatioâ— shall find I fear too true for their parts that 〈◊〉 they which cruelly maliciously and spitefully peâ—secute molest and afflict the Members of Chriâ—â— for their Conscience sake and for the true testâ—â—mony of Christs Word and cause them to be moâ—â— unjustly slain and murthered without speedy reâ—pentance shall dwell with the Devil and his Angeâ— in the fiery lake everlastingly where they shaâ—â— wish and desire cry and call but in vain as theâ—â— right companion Epulo to be refreshed of them whom in this world they contemned despised disdained as slaves misers and wretches The Bishop laid to my charge my not coming to Church Here I might have dallied with him and put him to his proofs Notwithstanding I answered him through Gods merciful help that I neither haâ— nor would come at their Church as long as their Mass was used there to save if I had them 〈◊〉 hundred lives The Bishop asking me whâ— should judge the Word I told him Christ waâ— content that the people should judge his Doctrine by searching the Scriptures and so was Paul Methinks ye should claim no farther priviledge noâ— preheminence then they had The Bishop telling me He was my Bishop and therefore I muâ—â— believe him If you say black is white said I must I also say as you say and believe the same because you say it is so If you will be believed because you be a Bishop Why find you fault with the people that believed Mr. Latimer Mr. Ridley Mr. Hooper c. that were Bishops Because they were Hereticks said the Bishop And may not you erre quoth I as well as they I looked for learning at my Lords hand to perswade me and he oppressed me onely with his Authority He said I dissented from the Church and asked me where my Church was before Kings Edward's time I desired him to shew me where their Church was in Elias time and what outward shew it had in Christs time The tidings that I should be carried to Lichfield did at first somewhat discourage me fearing least I should by reason of my great sickness through extream handling which I looked for have died in the Prison before I should come to my answer But I rebuked immediately with Gods Word this infidelity in my self c. after this manner What make I of God Is not his power as great in Lichfield as Coventry Doth not his providence extend as well to Lichfield as Coventry Was he not with Habakkuk Daniel Meshach and Ieremy in their most dangerous imprisonments He knows what things we have need of them He hath numbred all the hairs of our head The Sparrow falleth not to the ground without our heavenly Fathers will much more will he care for us if we be not faithless whom he hath made worthy to be witnesses of his truth So long as we put our trust in him we shall never be destitute of his help neither in prison nor in sickness nor in health nor in death nor before Kings nor before Bishops Not the Devil himself much less one of his Ministers shall be able to prevail against us With such like meditations I waxed chearful of good consolation and comfort So that hearing one say They could not provide Horses enough for us I said Let them carry us in a Dung-Cart for lack of Horses if they list I am well content for my part I told Iephcot the Chancellors Servant That they should have judgement without mercy that shewed no mercy and this mercy I found at his hand at Lichfield He put me into a Prison that same night where I continued till I was condemned in a place next to the Dungeon c. very cold with small light and there he allowed me a bundle of Straw instead of a Bed without Chair Form or any other thing to ease my self withall God of his mercy gave me great patience through prayer that night so that if it had been his pleasure I could have have been contented to have ended my life In the time of my imprisonment I gave my self continually to prayer and meditation of the merciful promises of God made unto all without exception of persons that call upon the Name of his dear Son Jesus Christ. I â—ound in my self daily amendment of health of body increase of peace in conscience and many consolations from God by the help of his holy Spirit sometime as it were a taste and glimmering of the life to come All for his onely Son Jesus Christs sake To him be all the praise for ever and ever The enemy ceased not many times sundry wayes to assault me Oftentimes objecting to my conscience my own unworthiness of the greatness of the benefit to be accounted amongst those that suffer for Christ for his Gospels sake Against him I replied with the Word of God on this sort What were all those whom God had chosen from the beginning to be his Witnesses and to carry his Name before the world Were they not men as well subject to sin and imperfections as other men be Who gave first unto him What hast thou that thou hast not received All have received of his fulness They were no bringers of any goodness to God but altogether receivers They chose not God first but God chose them They loved not God first but he loved them first Yea he both loved and chose them when they were his enemies full of sin and corruption as well as void of all goodness He is and will be the same God as rich in mercy as mighty as able as ready as willing to forgive sins without respect of persons to the worlds end of all them that call upon him God is near he is at hand he is with all with all I say and refuseth none excepteth none that faithâ—ully in true repentance call upon him in what hour what place or what time soever it be
the light of the Holy Ghost given unto the humble and penitent person that seeketh onely to honour God and not unto those persons that claim it by title or place because he is a Bishop or followed by succession Peter or Paul Remember therefore to examine all Doctrine by the Word of God for such as preach it aright have their infirmities and ignorance they may depart from the Truth or else build some superstition and false Doctrine upon the Gospel of Christ. Superstition is to be avoided false Doctrine to be abhorred whosoever be the Author thereof Prince Magistrate or Bishop As the Apostles made answer Acts 5. We ought to obey God rather then man ch 13. The Law is necessary for a justified man to teach him with what works he should exercise his faith will and obedience unto God We may not chuse works of our own wisdome to serve him withal He would have us to be governed by his Word as David saith Thy Word is a light unto my feet And Christ In vain do they worship me by the commands of men In the second Declaration Moses commandeth Deut. 4 that no man should decline from this Law neither to the right nor left hand i. e. That no man should adde to or take any thing from it but simply to observe it as it is given or written to us From this right line and true rule of Gods Word man erreth divers wayes Sometimes by ignorance because he knoweth not or will not know that onely the express Word of God sufficeth He holdeth with the most part and condemneth the better as it is to be seen at this present day This reason taketh place it is allowed of the most part and established by so many holy and learned Bishops therefore it is true c. Another way that leadeth from the Word of God is many times the power and authority of this world as we see by the Bishop of Rome and all his adherents who give more credit to one Charter and Gift of Constantine then to the whole Bible Another erreth by mistaking of the time making his superstition far elder then it is c. One saith thus My Father believed and should I believe the contrary Whereas no Law at all should be spoken of conscience but the onely Word of God which never altered nor can be altered Matt. 5. Luk. 10. Psal. 18.119 If Heavens and Earth made by word cannot be altered how much more the Word it self Unto which Law the conscience of man in matters of faith is bound onely Such as can interpret nothing will say I have an ill opinion of God in Heaven and of the superiour Powers on Earth because I damn the Disciples of the false Doctors with the Doctors and take from all Powers on Earth authority to prescribe unto their Subjects any Law touching Religion of the soul. As concerning those that be seduced by false Teachers St. Luke c. 6. and Ezekiel 3. and 13. judge as I do Both he that leadeth to damnation and he that is led falleth into the pit Notwithstanding I believe that in the midst of darkness when all the world as far as man might judge had sworn unto the Bishop of Rome Christ had his Elect that never consented to his false Laws as it was in the time of Elias 1 Kings 19. where God saith He had preserved seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal As many as die before us seduced by false Teachers without repentance the Scripture condemneth As many as believed them not but trusted to the Scripture or else deceived yet repented before they died live eternally in joy and solace and are saved as Iohn saith Rev. 13. in the blood of the Lamb. As touching the superiour Powers of the Earth it is not unknown to all men that have read and marked the Scripture that it pertaineth nothing to their Office to make any Law to govern the Consciences of their Subjects in Religion but to reign over them in this case as the Word of God commandeth Howbeit in their Realms they may make what Laws they will and as many as they will command them to be kept as long as it pleaseth them and change them at their pleasure as they shall see occasion for the wealth and commodity of their Realms Unto the which superiour Powers we owe all obedience both of body and goods and likewise our daily prayer for them to Almighty God c. And as many divers Commonwealths as there be so many divers Laws there may be Howbeit all Christian Kings and Kingdomes with other Magistrates should reign by one Law and govern the Churches of their Realms solely by the Word of God which is never to be changed Thus Christ commanded his Apostles to teach and their Audience to hear the things he commanded Matth. 28. Mark 16. Moses prescribeth unto his Audience seven Rules wherewith he prepareth them to the receiving of the ten Commandments 1 A right perswasion of Gods Word that God will undoubtedly give the good promised to the good and inflict the evil threatned against the evil 2 To have a right opinion of the Magistrates and superiour Powers of the Earth to give them no more nor any less honour and reverence then the Word of God commandeth For lack of this preparative the world hath erred from the Truth this many years Men do not look what Gods Word saith but extol the authority of mans Laws preferring the decree of a general or provincial Council before the Word of God 3 Another preparative is obedience both to God and man It were as good nere read the Law in case we mind not to be obedient 4 To observe jus gentium 5 To esteem the Doctrine of the Commandments as it is worthy 6 A true and right understanding of the Law not to constrain the letter against the mind of the Text but behold alwayes the consent of the Scripture 7 To adde nothing to this Law neither to take any thing from it If thou judgest that Gods Law containeth one part of such Doctrine as is necessary for mans salvation and the Bishops Laws another part thou contemnest and dishonourest the whole Law and the Giver thereof and offendest against that command Deut. 4.12 and Prov. 30. Every thing that we do for the honour of God not comanded by his Word is as strange and not accepted by God as all good intentions feigned works by man and all things commanded by general Councils not expressed in the Word of God by the Patriarks Prophets Christ and the Apostles which be and ever were before God the holy and Catholick Church Whosoever adde any thing to their Laws are the Church of Antichrist Deut. 4.12 Revel 22. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire i. e. such as he commanded not Read the Commentaries of Thom. Valâ—â—s and Nicol. iu Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 4. and they
Malefactour You have heard a Sentence of death pronounced against me by the Priests c. I stand in your presence whom God hath made Princes your Power is above their Tyranny before you do I expose my cause I cannot resist to suffer what you think just but least my lenity and patience should make you negligent in the defence of me in my just cause c. I dare not conceal That if you murder me which thing ye do if ye defend me not ye make your selves and this whole City guilty of my blood whereupon they freed him from the Sentence The same this Prophet did before Zedekiah This will more plainly appear in the fact of Saint Paul He appealed from all judgement of the Priests at Ierusalem to the Emperour It seems that his Cause was greatly to be suspected partly for that he refused the judgement of those that had most knowledge as all men supposed of Gods Will and Religion and partly because he appealed to the Emperour who then was at Rome far absent from Ierusalem a man ignorant of God and enemy to all vertue But the Apostle considering the nature of his enemies and what things they had intended against him did not fear to appeal from them c. grounding himself upon his innocency he neither regarded the displeasure of Festus nor the brunt of the ignorant multitude but appealed to Caesar c. What I think of mine own person God will reveal when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed c. But touching the Doctrine and Cause for which that adulterous and wicked generation of Antichrists Servants who will be called Bishops among you have condemned me I fear not neither do I shame to confess and avow before man and Angel to be the eternal truth of the eternal God and in that case I doubt not to compare my self with any member in whom the Truth hath been impugned since the beginning Seeing that my battel is against the proud and cruel hypocrites of this Age as that battel of those most excellent instruments was against the false Prophets and Malignant Church of their ages No man ought to think it strange that I compare my self with them with whom I sustain a common cause But lest that some doubt remain that I require more of you then you of conscience are bound to grant I purpose briefly but yet freely to speak what God by his Word doth assure me to be true 1 That in conscience you are bound to punish Malefactours and to defend Innocents imploring your help 2 That God requireth of you to provide that your Subjects be rightly instructed in his true Religion and that the same be by you reformed whensoever abuses do creep in by the malice of Satan and negligence of men 3 That you are bound to remove from Honour and to punish with Death if the Crime so require such as deceive the people or defraud them of that food of their souls I mean Gods lively Word After that Mâ—ses had declared what was true Religion viz. To honour God as he commanded adding nothing to his Word neither diminishing any thing from it and after also he had vehemently exhorted them to observe the same Law he denounceth the punishment against the transgressours If thy Brother Son Daughter Wife or Neighbour whom thou lovest as thine own life sollicite thee secret saying Let us go serve other gods c. let not thine eye spare him c. Observe here 1 That such as sollicitate onely to idolatry ought to be punished to death without favour or respect of person c. 2 That the punishment of such crimes as are Idolatry Blasphemy and others that touch the Majesty of God doth not appertain to Kings onely but also to the whole body of the people and every member thereof according to his vocation c. God even streightly commandeth that a City declining to idolatry should fall by the edge of the Sword and that the whole spoil of the same should be burned no portion of it reserved that the Lord may turn from the fury of his wrath c. hinting that by the defection and idolatry of a few Gods wrath is kindled against the whole which is never quenched till such punishment be taken upon the Offenders that whosoever served them in their idolatry be brought to destruction because that it is execrable and accursed before God If any think that this is contrary to the practise of the Apâ—stles who finding the Gentiles in idolatry did call them to repentance requiring no such punishment I answer That the Gentiles before the preaching of Christ were never avowed by God to be his people nor received into his houshold neither were his Laws given unto them to be kept in Religion nor Policy and therefore no corporal punishment was inflicted on them c. But after they repented of their idolatries and embraced and made one people with the believing Iews they were subject to the same Law as the Iews were and were liable to the same punisâ—ment if they returned to idolatry again In universal defections and a general revolt such as was in Israel after Ieroboam there is a diverse consideration for then because the whole people were conspired against God none could be found to execute the punishment God had appointed till God raised up Iehu whom he appointed for that purpose I know that your Bishops c. will cry A damned Heretick ought not to be heard But remember my Lords what I protested in the beginning upon which ground I continually stand I am no Heretick no deceivable Teacher but the Servant of Christ Jesus a Preacher of his infallible Verity innocent in all they can lay to my charge c. and therefore am unjustly condemned from which cruel Sentence I have appealed and do appeal as before in the mean time most humbly requiring your Honours to take me into your protection to be Auditors of my just defences granting unto me the same liberty which Ahab a wicked King and Israel at that time a blinded people granted to Elijah in the like case viz. that your Bishops and the whole rable of your Clergy may be called before you and before the people whom they have deceived that I be not condemned by multitude custome authority or law devised by man but that God himself may be judge betwixt me and my adversaries Let God I say speak by his Law Prophets Christ Jesus Apostles and so let him pronounce what Religion he approveth and then be my enemies never so many and appear they never so strong and learned no more do I fear victory then did Elijah being but one man against the multitude of Baal's Priests And if they think to have advantage by their Councils and Doctors this I farther offer to admit the one and the other as witnesses in all matters debatable three things which justly cannot
should do evil that good may come thereof though he meant nothing so c. Now my Lord will not think I dare say that St. Paul was too blame that he spake no more warily or more plainly to avoid the offence of the people but rather the people for that they took no better heed to his meaning yea he will pity the people who had been so long nuzled in the Doctrine of the Pharisees and wallowed so long in darkness of mans Traditions and Superstitions that they were unapt to receive the bright Light of the Truth and wholesome Doctrine of God uttered by St. Paul nor do I think that my Lord will require more circumspection in me then was in St. Paul when he did not escape slanderous reports of them that be of corrupt judgements who reported him to say whatsoever he appeared to them to say or whatsoever seemed to them to follow of his saying So they report us to say saith Paul so they speak evil of us whose damnation is just And I think the damnation of all such that evil report Preachers now adayes is just also yea Christ himself was mis-reported and falsly accused both as to his words and also as concerning the meaning of his words He said Destroy you they made it I can destroy He said This Temple they added Made with hands to bring it to a contrary sense He did mean of the Temple of his Body and they did wrest it to Solomon's Temple There be three sorts of persons which can make no credible information 1 Adversaries 2 Ignorant ones and without judgement 3 Whisperers which will spew out in hudder mudder more then they dare avow openly The first will not the second cannot the third dare not Therefore the relation of such is not credible and cannot occasion any indifferent Judge to make process against any man It is a great commendation to be evil spoken of them that be naught themselves and to be commended of such is many times no little reproach God send us all grace to wish well one to another and to speak well one of another Meseems it were more comely for my Lord if it were comely for me to say so to be a Preacher himself having so great a Cure as he hath then to be a Disquieter of Preachers and to preach nothing at all himself I am sure St. Paul the true Minister of God and faithful Dispenser of Gods Mysteries and right Exemplar of all true and very Bishops saith Though some preach Christ of envy thinking to obscure me and bring my authority into contempt some of good will thinking to comfort me notwithstanding so that Christ be preached I joy and will joy So much he regarded more the Glory of Christ and Promotion of Christs Doctrine to the edification of Souls then the Maintenance of his own Authority Reputation and Dâ—gnity considering that what Authority he had it was to Edification and not to Destruction Now I think it were no reproach to my Lord but rather very commendable to joy with Paul and be glad that Christ be preached qis vis modo yea though it were for envy in disdain despite and contempt of his Lordship The University of Cambridge hath Authority to admit twelve early of which I am one and the Kings Highness did decree That all admitted of Universities should preach throughout his Realm as long as they preached well To inhibit a Preacher admitted of the King is to disobey the King We low Subjects are bound to obey Powers and their Ordinances and are not the highest Subjects also who ought to give us an ensample of such obedience As for my preaching it self I trust in God my Lord of London cannot justly blame and reprove it if it be taken as I spake it or else it is not my preaching but his that falsly reporteth it as Martial saith to one that depraved his Book Quem recitas meus est O Fidentine libellus Sed male dum recitas incipit esse tuus In English thus Mine is the Book thou readest Fidentine But thou not reading right dost make it thine Now I hear that my Lord of London is informed and hath informed the King that I go about to defend Bilney and his cause against his Ordinaries and Iudges whereas I had nothing to do with Bilney except his Judges did him wrong for I did nothing else but admonish all Judges indifferently to do right It might have become a Preacher to say as I said though Bilney had never been born I have known Bilney a great while I think much better then ever did my Lord of London and to tell you the truth I have known hitherto few such so prompt and ready to do every man good after his power both friends and foes c. In sum a very simple good Soul nothing meet for this wretched world whose blind fashion and miserable state yet far from Christs Doctrine he could as evil bear and would sorrow lament and bewail it as much as any man that ever I knew I cannot but wonder if a man living so mercifully so charitably so patiently so continently so studiously and vertuously and killing his old Adam i. e. mortifying his evil effections and blind motions of his heart so diligently should die an evil death Let him that standeth beware that he fall not I am ignorant in things that I trust hereafter to know as I do now know things in which I have been ignorant heretofore It were too long to tell you what blindness I have been in and how long it was ere I could forsake such folly it was so incorporate in me but by continual prayer continual study of Scripture and oft communicating with men of more right judgement God hath delivered me c. yea men think that my Lord himself hath in times past thought that by Gods Law a man might marry his Brothers Wife who now both dares think and speak the contrary and yet this his boldness might have chanced in Pope Iulius his dayes to stand him either in a Fire or a Fagot Which thing pondered of my Lord might somewhat stir him up to charitable equity towards such who labour to do good as their power serveth with knowledge and do hurt to no man with their ignorance for there is no greater distance then between Gods Law and not Gods Law nor is it so or so because any man thinketh it so or so but because it is so or so indeed therefore we must think it so or so when God shall give us knowledge thereof for if it be indeed either so or not so it is so or not so though all the world have thought so these thousand years c. The matter is weighty as you say and ought to be substantially looked upon even as weighty as my life is worth but how to look substantially upon it otherwise know not I then to pray my Lord God night and day that as he hath emboldned me
the Will of God and fear not them that kill the body but have no power upon your souls My flesh repugneth marvellously against the Spirit but shortly I shall cast it away I beseech you pray for me O Lord my God into thy hands I commend my soul. Laurence I find three of this name recorded in the Book of Martyrs First Laurence the Deacon when Xistus his Pastour was martyred under the Emperour Valerianus was grieved that the Son should be secluded from the Father that he should not suffer with him Seeing him led alone as a Sheep to the slaughter he cried out to him O Dear Father whither goest thou without the company of thy dear Son whither hastenest thou O Reverend Pastour without thy Deacon never wast thou wont to offer sacrifice without thy Minister What crime is there in me that offendeth thy fatherhood Deniest thou unto him the fellowship of thy blood to whom thou hast committed the distribution of the Lords blood He having after three dayes respit promised the merciless Tyrant to declare where the Churches treasure lay caused a good company of poor Christians to be congregated and when the day of his answer was come and he was strictly charged to staud to his promise he stretching out his arms over the poor said These are the precious treasure of the Church these are the treasure indeed in whom the faith of Christ reigneth in whom Iesus Christ hath his mansion-place What more precious jewels can Christ have then those in whom he hath promised to dwell It is written I was hungry and ye gave me to eat I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink I was harbourless and ye lodged me Look what ye have done to the least of these the same have ye done to me No tongue is able to expreâ—s the Tyrant's fury and madness hereupon Kindle the fire of wood saith he make no spare Hath this Villain deluded the Emperour Away with him away with him whip him buffet him brain him Jesteth the Traitor with the Emperour roast him boyl him toss him turn him on pain of our high Displeasure do every one his office O ye Tormentors When he was on the fiery Gridiron which was as a soft Bed of Down to him he spake thus unto the Tyrant This side is now roasted enough Turn up O Tyrant great Essay whether roasted or raw Thou think the better meat Secondly Iohn Laurence who was burnt at Colchester March 29. An. 1555. He being not able to go being lamed with Irons in Prison was born to the fire in a Chair and whilst he sate in the fire the young children came about the fire and cried as well as they could Lord strengthen thy Servant and keep thy promise Lord strengthen thy Servant and keep thy promise Thirdly Henry Laurence who was burnt at Canterbury about the later end of August the same year He being required to put his hand to his Answers wrote Ye are all of Antichrist and him ye fol probably he would have written And him ye follow had not he been hindred Lawson Elizabeth Lawson continuing almost three years in Prison in which time her own Son and many others were burnt said often Good Lord what is the cause that I may not yet come to thee with thy children Well good Lord thy blessed Will be done and not mine This good old Woman about the age of sixty before she went to Prison had the Falling-sickness but she told a friend of hers That after she was apprehended she never had it more Leafe Bonner pressing Iohn Leafe an Apprentice of London to recant he said No but I will die in that Doctrine that Mr. Rogers Hooper Cardmaker c. died for My Lord you call mine Opinion Heresie it is the true Light of the Word of God and I profess I will never forsake my well-grounded Opinion whilst I have breath in my body When two Bills were sent to him in the Counter in Breadstreet the one containing a Recantation the other his Confessions to see which of them he would sign when that which contained his Confessions was read for he could neither read nor write in stead of a Pen he took a Pin and so pricking his hand sprinkled the blood upon the said Bill willing the Reader thereof to shew the Bishop that he had sealed the same Bill with his blood already Lewes Mrs. Ioyce Lewes was converted by Mr. Iohn Glover who after she was in some trouble willed her in any case not to meddle with that matter in respect of vain-glory or to get her self a Name shewing to her the great danger she was like to cast her self into if she should meddle in Gods matter otherwise then Christ doth teach When the Bishop reasoned with her she told him I find not these things in Gods Word which you urge and magnifie as things most needfull for mens Salvation If these things were in the same Word of God commanded I would with all my heart receive esteem and believe them The Bishop answering If thou wilt believe no more then is in the Scriptures concerning matters of Religion thou art in a damnable case she was amazed and being moved by the Spirit of God told him That his words were ungodly and wicked When news was brought of the coming down of the Writ de comburendo c. she sent for several Christians to consult with them how she might behave her self that her death might be more glorious to the Name of God comfortable to his people and most discomfortable to the enemies of God As for death said she I do not greatly pass when I behold the amiable Countenance of Christ my Dear Saviour the ugly face of death doth not greatly trouble me Two Priests sending her word that they were come to hear her Confession she sent them word again That she had made her Confession to Christ her Saviour at whose hands she was sure to have forgiveness of her sins As concerning the Cause for the which she should die she had no cause to confess that but rather to give unto God most humble praise that he did make her worthy to suffer death for his Word And as concerning that Absolution That they were able to give unto her by Authority from the Pope she did defie the same even from the bottom of her heart About three of the Clock in the morning before her Execution Satan questioned with her How she could tell that she was chosen to eternal life and that Christ died for her I grant that he died but that he died for thee How canst thou tell But Satan was soon put to flight and she comforted in Christ by arguing her Election and Christ dying for her in particular from her Vocation and the holy Spirit working in her heart love and desire towards God to please him and to be justified by him through Christ c. When the Sheriff about eight of the Clock
provided That they pass judgement concerning them out of the Scriptures and prove the contrary by testimonies thence Afterwards the Arch Bishop of Triers treated privately with him to perswade him Luther told him It was not sâ—fe for him to submit so momentous a business to them who after they had called him under safe conduct attempting him with new commands had condemned his Opinion and approved the Popes Bull. Afterwards the Arch Bishop desired Luther to shew what remedies there were in this case He answered None better then Gamalieâ—'s who said If this câ—unsel or work proceed of men it shall come to nâ—ught but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it Caesar and the States may write to the Pope that they are certain If this his purpose 〈◊〉 of God it will of iâ—s own accâ—rd come to nâ—ught within three yea within two years The Arch Bishop asking him What if the same Aâ—â—icles which the â—ouncil of Constance condemned be collected out of your Writings to be submitted to a Couâ—cil I may not said he and I will not hold my peace concerning such because I am certain the Word of God is condemned by their Decrees therefore I will rather lose life and head then abandon the manifest Word of the Lord. When Luther was commanded by the Emperour to return within one and twenty dayes under safe conduct He said It is as pleaseth the Lord. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. I humbly give most hearty thanks to the Emperour and all the Princes c. for so benign and favourable audience and for safe conduct to come and return I desire nothing of you but a reformation by the holy Scripture and that I do most earnestly desire Otherwise I am ready to suffer all things life and death shame and reproach for the Emperour and Empire reserving nothing for my self but onely the free Word of God to be confessed and testified by me In his Letter to his Father Know dear Father that your Son is come to this to be most certainly perswaded that nothing is before nothing more holy more religious then Gods command But you will say Didst thou ever doubt hereof Truly I did not onely doubt hereof but I was altogether ignorant that it was so and if you will suffer me I am ready to demonstrate that this ignorance was common to you with me If you had known that Gods Command is to be preferred before all things you would by your Paternal Authority have taken away my Monks Cole and if I had known it I should not have entred into the Monastery without your leave and against your consent But God hath caused all to work for good He would have me to experience the wisdome of the Universities and the holiness of the Monasteries that is that they should be known to me by many sins and impieties lest occasion should be given to wicked men to triumph over their future Adversary that I condemned what I knew not I therefore lived a Monk though without crime not without fault Will you now come and free me my Father The Lord hath come before you and freed me My Conscience is freed which is the richest liberty I am now a Monk and no Monk a new Creature not of the Pope but of Christ. The Pope doth indeed create Puppets that is Idols like himself in which Number I was once a poor seduced One but now freed by grace Your authority over me doth indeed remain intire But he that hath freed me hath greater authority over me Novemb. 21. 1521. In his Epistle to Prince Frederick The perils and dangers which seem to hang over your Person Dominions and Subjects and especially my self condemned by Edicts and Bulls by the Popes and Emperours Authority upon my return are not unobserved Certainly no less then a violent death is to be expected by me every hour But what shall I do God calls and urges me to return To this I am not induced by pride and contempt of the Emperour or of your Excellency or of any Magistrate for although sometimes we must not do what is commanded by man as when any thing is commanded contrary or repugnant to the Word of God yet the Power and Authority is never to be contemned but alwayes to be highly honoured But I am assured that the beginning of my Preaching at Wittenberg came not from my self but from God Neither can any kind of persecution and death teach me otherwise yea I think I prophesie rightly That no terrours nor cruelty shall be able to put out this Light Besides whilst I was absent from Wittenberg Satan hath entred in among my flock c. and I have resolved rather to regard the great necessity of that Church then the offending or pleasing your Excellency yea then the hatred and fury of the whole world Certainly this is my flock committed to me by the Lord These are my children in Christ. Shall I doubt whether I should câ—me to or stay from them for whom I ought to lose my life and chuse death which I shall God helping me willingly and cheerfully I do also very much fear least some great and horrible insurrection be in Germany to punish Germany ' s contempt of and ingratitude for the Blessings of God We see with how great liking applause and concurrency the Gospel is received by very many but many receive this Blessing carnally they plainly see the truth but do not walk in the truth as they ought The Ecclesiastical Tyranny is weakned and broken and that was all I aimed at in my Writings Now I see God will proceed farther and will sometime do the same that he did to Ierusalem when he overturned altogether both the Ecclesiastical and Political Government for persecuting the Gospel and other outrages I have lately begun to learn that not onely the Ecclesiastical Spiritual but the Political and Civil Authority ought to yield unto the Gospel c. Seeing therefore that God requires by Ezekiel that we be as a Wall unto the people I have thought it necessary to do all we can and ought by mutual counsels studies instructions admonitions exhortations for the averting or at least for the deferring â—f the anger and judgement of God This I dare affirm and wish that your Excellency were assured thereof that it is far otherwise concluded in Heaven then in the Convention at Norinberg and in short time we shall see that they who nâ—w dream that they have quite devâ—ured and eâ—ten up the Gospel have not so much as far fashiâ—n sake said Grâ—ce as the English expressiâ—n is for these untouched dainâ—ies The Gospel begins to be â—ppressed and therefore herein I ought not to regard any mortal I beseech therefâ—re your Excelâ—ency to take in good part my coming home without your command yea privity You are the Lord of my body and little fortunes but Christ of the souls to whâ—m he hath sent me c. I hope being confident
in all the will of God Whilst I was at Lancaster some of good will towards me but without knowledge that came to talk with me gave me the same counsel that Peter gave Christ as he went up to Ierusalem Master favour thy self c. But I answered with Christs sharp answer to Peter again Get thee behind me Satan and perceiving that they were an hinderance to me and that they savoured not the things which are of God but the things that are of men I made them plain answer that I neither could nor would follow their counsel but that by Gods grace I would both live and die with a pure Conscience and according as hitherto I had believed and professed for we ought in no wise said he to flatter and bear with them though they love us never so well which go about to pluck us away from the obedience which we owe unto God and to his Word but after Christs example sharply to rebuke them for their counsel God so strengthened me with his Spirit of boldness according to my humble request and prayer before everlasting thanks be given to him therefore that I was nothing afraid to speak to any that came to me no not even to Judges before whom I was thrice arraigned at the Bar among the Thieves with irons on my feet and put up my hand as others did but yet with boldness I spake unto them so long as they would suffer me They threatned and rebuked me for my preaching to the people out of Prison and for my praying and reading so loud that the people in the streets might hear When the Bishop of Chester came to Lancaster he was informed of me and desired to send for me and examine me but he said he would have nothing to do with Hereticks so hastily So hasty in judging and calling me Hereticks are our Bishops in their Lordly Dignities before they hear c. contrary to the Word of God which saith Condemn no man before thou hast tried out the truth of the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reform righteously Give no Sentence before thou hast heard the Cause but first let men tell out their tale and he that giveth Sentence in a matter before he hear it is a fool and worthy to be confounded It is no new thing for the Bishâ—ps to persecute the Truth and the Prophets of the Lord for their constancy in preaching of the true Faith Faith for so did their Pharisaical Fore-fathers Pashur was the Head Bishop of the Temple the Ring-leader of false Prophets the chief Heretick-taker that is as much as to say the Outthruster of true Godliness He imprisoned the Prophet Ieremy c. The ungracious Bishop Iâ—son was such another Machab. 2.4 Such were also the execrable and blind Bishops Annas and Caiaphas who never spake the Truth of God themselves unless it were against their wills unwittingly to their own destruction At Chester several times came to me and with all probability of words and Philosophy or worldly wisdome and deceitfull vanity after the traditions of men and the beggarly Ordinances and Laws of the world but not after Christ went about to perswade me to submit my self to the Church of Rome and to acknowledge the Pope to be Head thereof and to interpret the Scriptures no otherwise then that Church did I answered That I do acknowledge and believe one Holy Catholick Church without which there is no Salvation and that this Church is but one because it ever hath doth and shall confess one Onely God and him onely worship and one Onely Messiah and him onely trust for Salvation which Church is ruled and led by one Spirit one Word and one Faith c. and is built onely upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the Head-corner-stone and not upon the Romish Laws the Bishop of Rome being the supreme Head c. and that this Church is a little poor silly flock dispersed and scattered abroad as sheep without a shepherd in the midst of wolves or as a company of Orphans and fatherless children led and ruled by the onely Laws Counsels and Word of Christ who is the supreme Head thereof assisting succouring and defending her from all assaults errours troubles and persecutions wherewith she is ever compassed about I was thrust at with all violence of craft and subtilty but yet the Lord upheld me Everlasting thanks be to that merciful and faithful Lord who suffereth us not to be tempted above our might but in the midst of our troubles strengtheneth us with his holy Spirit of comfort and patience giveth us a mouth and wisdome how and what to speak where against all his Adversaries are not able to resist At another appearance before the Bishop c. the Chancellor charged him That he had preached most heretically and blasphemously in many Parishes within the Bishops Diocess against the Popes Authority the Catholick Church of Rome c. He answered That he neither heretically nor blasphemously preached or spake against any of the said Articles but simply and truly as occasion served and as it were thereunto forced in Conscience maintained the Truth touching those Articles as said he all you now present did acknowledge the same in King Edward's dayes After the Bishop of Chester had read half-ways the Sentence of Condemnation he asked him whether he would not have the Queens mercy in time He answered He did gladly desire the same and did love her Grace as faithfully as any of them but yet he durst not deny his Saviour Christ and so lose his mercy everlasting and win everlasting death Being again called upon by the people to recant and save his life he said I would as fain live as any of you if in so doing I should not deny my Master Christ and again he should deny me before his Father in Heaven When the Bishop had read out the Sentence he said Now I will no more pray for thee then I will pray for a Dog Mr. Marsh answered That notwithstanding he would pray for his Lordship When he was in the Dungeon and none suffered to come near him some of the Citizens would at a hole upon the wall of the City that went into the Dungeon ask him how he did He would answer them most cheerfully that he did well and thanked God most highly that he would vouchsafe of his mercy to appoint him to be a witness of his Truth and to suffer for the same wherein he did most rejoyce beseeching him that he would give him grace not to faint under the Cross but patiently bear the same to his glory and comfort of his Church When he came to the place of Execution one shewing him a Writing under the great Seal and telling him It was a Pardon for him if he would recant he said That he would gladly receive the same but forasmuch as it tended to pluck him from God he would not receive it upon
of Canterbury Rejoyce in the Lord and as you love me and the other my Reverend Fathers and Concaptives which undoubtedly are gloria Christi lament not our state but I beseech you to give to our Heavenly Father for his endless mercies and unspeakable benefits even in the midst of all our troubles given to us most hearty thanks for know ye that as the weight of his Cross hath encreased upon us so he hath not nor doth he cease to multiply his mercies to strengthen us and I trust yea by his grace I doubt nothing but he will so do for Christ our Masters sake even to the end West your old Companion and sometime my Chaplain alas hath relented but the Lord hath shortned his dayes soon after he had said Mass against his conscience he pined away and died for sorrow My daily Prayer is as God doth know and by Gods grace shall be so long as I live in this world for you my Dear Brethren that are fled out of your own Countrey because you will rather forsake all worldly things then the Truth of Gods Word that God our eternal Father for our Saviour Christs sake will daily encrease in you the gracious gift of his Heavenly Spirit to the true setting forth of his Glory and Gospel and make you to agree brotherly in the Truth of the same that there arise no root of bitterness among you that may infect that good seed which God hath sown in your hearts already and that your life may be pure and honest according to the Rule of Gods Word that others may be in love with your Doctrine and with you and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Now we expect nothing but the triumphant Crowns in the Lord of our Confession from our old enemy I commend my self humbly and heartily to your Prayers Dr. Grindal and to the rest of the Brethren with you dearly beloved by me in the Lord viz. Cheek Cox Turner Lever Sampson Chambers c. and others who love the Lord in Truth I commend also to you my Reverend Fathers and Fellow-prisoners in the Lord Thomas Cranmer now most worthy the Name of a true and great Shepherd yea Arch Bishop and Hugh Latimer that old Souldier of Christs and the true Apostle of our English Nation In his Letter to Augustine Bornher Brother Augustine I bless God with all my heart in his manifold merciful gifts given unto our dear Brethren in Christ specially to our Brother Rogers c. and also to Hooper Saunders and Tailor whom it hath pleased the Lord to set in the forefront of the Battel against his Adversaries and hath endued them all so far as I can hear to stand in the Confession of his Truth and to be content in his Cause and for his Gospels sake to lose their lives And evermore and without end blessed be our Heavenly Father for our dear and entirely beloved Brother Bradford whom now I perceive the Lord calleth for for I ween he will no longer suffer him to abide among the adulterous and wicked generation of this world I doubt not but he hath holpen those which are gone before in their journey that is hath animated and encouraged them to keep the high way and so to run that at length they might obtain the Prize The Lord be his comfort whereof I do not doubt I thank God heartily that ever I was acquainted with him and that ever I had such an one in my house I trust to God it shall please him of his goodness to strengthen me to make up the Trinity out of Paul's Church to suffer for Christ c. Upon the thirtieth of September 1555. Dr. Ridley with Father Latimer was brought before the Queens Commissioners to undergo his last Examination Whilst the Commission was reading he stood bare till he heard the Cardinal named and the Popes Holiness then he put on his Cap and being admonished by the Bishoy of Lincoln the Popes Delegate to pull it off he answered I do not put it on in contempt of your Lordship nor of the Cardinal in that he came of Royal Blood c. but that by this my behaviour I may make it appear that I acknowledge in no point the usurped Supremacy of Rome and therefore I contemn and despite all Authority coming from the Pope As for taking off my Cap do as it shall please your Lordships and I shall be content When Lincoln in a long Rhetorical Speech perswaded him to recant c. he said My Lord in your Exhortation I have marked especially three points which you used to perswade me to leave my Doctrine and Religion which I perfectly know and am throughly perswaded to be grounded not upon mans imaginations and decrees but upon the infallible Truth of Christs Gospel and to look back and return to the Romish See contrary to my Oath contrary to the Prerogative and Crown of this Realm and especially which moveth me most contrary to the expressed Word of God 1 That the See of Rome taking his â—eginning from Peter upon whom you say Christ hath builded his Church hath in all ages lineally from Bishop to Bishop been brought to this time 2 That the holy Fathers in their Writings from time to time have confessed the same 3 That I was once of the same Opinion For the first Christ in saying Upon this stone doth not mean Peter himself c. but his Confession that he was the Son of God upon this Rock-stone I will build my Church for this is the foundation and beginning of all Christianity with word heart and mind to confess that Christ is the Son of God Christs Church is built not on the frailty of man but upon the stable and infallible Word of God that Christ is the Son of God Whilst the See of Rome continued in the Promotion and setting forth of Gods glory and due preaching of the Gospel the Fathers commended and honoured Rome and so do I but after the Bishops of that See seeking their own pride and not Gods honour set themselves above Kings challenging to them the Title of Gods Vicars c. I cannot but with S. Gregory a Bishop of Rome confess that the Bishop of that place is the very true Antichrist whereof St. Iohn speaketh by the name of the Whore of Babylon For the third I cannot but confess I was once of the same Religion you are of yet so was St. Paul a Persecutour of Christ. Lincoln farther urging him to recant c. he said am fully perswaded that Christs Church is foundâ—d in every place where his Gospel is truly received and effectually followed Your gentleness is the same that Christ had of the High Priests Your Lordship saith You have no power to condemn me neither at any time to put a man to death so the High Priests said That it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death but committed Christ to Pilate neither would suffer him
to absolve Christ although he sought to do it What said Dr. Weston do you make the King Pilate No Dr. said Ridley I do but compare your deeds with Caiaphas his deeds and the High Priests who would condemn no man to death as you will not and yet would not suffer Pilate to deliver Christ. Being required to answer to his Articles presently though he had time given him till the morrow First said he I require the Notaries to take and write my Protestation that in no point I acknowledge your Authority or admit you to be my Judges as you are authorized from the Pope c. At last the Bishop of Lincoln with his Cap in his hand desired him to turn But Dr. Ridley made an absolute Answer That he was fully perswaded the Religion he defended to be grounded on Gods Word and therefore without great offence towards God great peril and damage of his soul he could not forsake his Master and Lord God For my part said Weston I take God to witness I am sorry for you I believe it well my Lord said Ridley forasmuch as one day it will be burthenous to your soul. After Sentence was read against him the Bishop of Glocester came to his Prison and would have perswaded him yet to recant upon promise of the Queens mercy but he answered him My Lord you know my mind fully herein and for the Doctrine which I have taught my conscience assures me it was sound and according to Gods Word to his glory be it spoken the which Doctrine the Lord God being my helper I will maintain so long as my tongue shall wag and breath is within my body and in confirmation thereof seal the same with my blood Do with me as it shall please God to suffer you I am well content to abide the same with all my heart The Servant is not above his Master if they dealt so cruelly with our Saviour Christ as the Scripture maketh mention and he suffered the same patiently how much more doth it become us his Servants The Bishop bidding him to hold his peace he answered That so long as his tongue and breath would suffer him he would speak against their abominable doings whatsoever hapned unto him for so doing When in the degrading of him they read We do take from you the Office of preaching the Gospel c. Dr. Ridley gave a great sigh and looking up towards Heaven said O Lord God forgive them this their wickedness After his Degradation Brooks the Bishop of Glocester refusing to talk with him he said Seeing that you will not suffer me to talk neither will vouchsafe to hear me what remedy but patience I refer my cause to my heavenly Father who will reform things that be amiss when it shall please him In his Supplication to the Queen It may please your Majesty for Christ our Saviours sake in a matter of Conscience and now not for my self but for other poor men to vouchsafe to hear and understand this humble Supplication It is so Honourable Princess that whilst I was Bishop of London divers Tenants took Leases of me and the Chaâ—ter for valuable considerations but now Bishop Bonner will not allow those Leases which must redound to many poor mens utter ruine Wherefore this is mine humble Supplication That either their Leases may stand or their moneys be restored to them and their former Leases now the Fines paid to me may easily be repaid if you will be pleased to command some portion of those Goods I left in my house to be sold for that end I suppose half of the value of my Plate will go nigh to restore all such Fines received When Bishop Brooks delivered Dr. Ridley to the Bailiffs charging them not to suffer any to speak with him and to bring him to the place of Execution when they were commanded he said God I thank thee and to thy praise be it spoken there is none of you all able to lay to my charge any open or notorious crime for if you could it should surely be laid in my lap I see very well you play the part of a proud Pharisee said Brooks exalting and praising your self No no no said Ridley to Gods glory onely is it spoken I confess my self to be a miserable wretched sinner and have great need of Gods help and mercy and do daily call and cry for the same The night before he suffered his Beard was washed and his legs and as he sate at Supper with Mr. Mr. Irish and Mrs. Irish he invited them to his Marriage To morrow said he I must be married and was as merry as ever in all his life Wishing his Sister he asked his Brother sitting at the Table Whether she could find in her heart to be there oâ— no yea I dare say said his Brother with all her heart I am glad to hear so much of her said Dr. Ridley At this talk Mrs. Irish wept whereupon Dr. Ridley said O Mrs. Irish you love me not now I see-well enough for in that you weep it doth appear you will not be at my Marriage neither are content therewith indeed you be not so much my friend as I thought you had been but quiet your self though my Breakfast shall be somewhat sharp and painfull yet I am sure my Supper shall be more pleasant and sweet When he arose from the Table his Brother offered him to watch all night with him but he said No no no that you shall not for I mind God willing to go to Bed and sleep as quietly to night â—s ever I did in my life When he espied Mr. Latimer at the Stake he ran to him embraced and kissed him and said Be of good heart Brother for God will either asswage the fury of the flame or else strengthen us to abide it After Dr. Smith had preached on 1 Cor. 13. If I give my Body to be burned c. Dr. Ridley kneeled down on his Knees towards the Lord Williams c. â—nd said I beseech you my Lord even for Christs like that I may speak but two or three words Whereupon the Bayliffs and Dr. Marshal Vice-Chancellor of Oxford ran hastily to him and with their hands stopped his mouth and said Mr. Ridley if you will recant you shall not onely have liberty to speak but your life Not otherwise said Ridley No said Marshal Well said Dr. Ridley so long is the breath is in my Body I will never deny my Lord Christ and his known Truth Gods Will be done in me I commit our Cause to Almighty God who shall indifferently judge all Being in his shirt he said O heavenly Father I give unto thee most hearty thanks for that thou â—ast called me to be a Professour of thee even unto death I beseech thee Lord God take mercy upon this Realm of England and deliver the same from all her enemies To the Smith he said Good Fellow knock in the Chain hard for the flesh
Commonwealth their minds by the sight of the outward Image might be withdrawn or wander from the matter To allow a most certain peril for an uncertain profit and the greatest danger for the smallest benefit in matters of Faith and Religion is a tempting of God and a grievous offence In the Primitive Church there were no Images in places of Assembly for Religion this the Heathens objected to the Christians for a crime as Origen and Arnobius testifie c. Lactantius saith It is not to be doubted that there is no Religion wheresoever is any Image Not onely by Varro's judgement but also by St. Augustine's approbation of Varro the most pure and chast observation of Religion and nearest the Truth is to be without Images By the judgement of this ancient Father Epiphanius to permit Images in Churches is against the Authority of Scripture meaning against the second Commandment c. Besides Epiphanius doth reject not onely graven and molten but painted Images Again he spared not the Image of Christ yea he did not onely remove it but with a vehemency of zeal cut in pieces and he is carefull that no such kind of painted Images be permitted in the Church It is manifest to them that read Histories that not onely Emperours but also divers and sundry Councils in the East Church have condemned and abolished Images both by Decrees and Examples But this notwithstanding experience hath declared That neither Councils nor Writings Preachings Decrees making of Laws prescribing of Punishments have holpen against Images to which Idolatry hath been committed nor against Idolatry whilst Images stood In his Letter to his Dear Brother and Reverend Fellow-Elder in Christ Iohn Hooper My dearly beloved Brother c. whom I reverence in the Lord c. Forasmuch as I understand by your works that we throughly agree and wholly consent together in those things which are the grounds and substantial points of our Religion against which the world so furiously rageth in our dayes howsoever in time past by certain by-matters and circumstances of Religion your wisdome and my simplicity I grant hath a little jarred each of us following the abundance of his own sense and judgement Now I say be you assured that even with my whole heart God is my witness in the bowels of Christ I love you in the Truth and for the Truths sake which abideth in us and as I am perswaded shall by the grace of God abide in us for evermore Because the world as I perceive Brother busily conspireth against Christ our Saviour with all possible force and power let us joyn hands together in Christ and if we cannot overthrow yet to our power and as much as in us lies let us shake those high Altitudes not with carnal but with spiritual weapons Let us also prepare our selves for death by which after our short afflictions here by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall triumph together with him in eternal glory I pray you Brother salute in my Name your Reverend Fellow-Prisoner and Venerable Father Dr. Cranmer by whom since the first day that I heard of his most godly and fatherly constancy in confessing the Truth of the Gospel I have conceived great consolation and joy in the Lord. It will also be to me great joy to hear of your constancy and fortitude in the Lords Quarrel I am earnestly moved to counsel you not to hasten the publishing of your Works especially under your own Name least your mouth should be stopped hereafter and all things taken away from the rest of the Prisoners whereby otherwise if it so please God may be able to do good to many Farewell in the Lord my most Dear Brother Once again and for ever in Christ my most Dear Brother farewell Rieux Dionysius de Rieux was one of them who was first burned at Melda or Meaux in France An. 1528. for saying That the Mass is a plain denial of the Death and Passion of Christ. He was alwayes wont to have in his mouth the Words of Christ He that denieth me before men him also will I deny before my Father Rogers Mr. Iohn Rogers preaching at Paul's Cross even after Queen Mary was come to the Tower of London confirmed the Truth of that Doctrine which he and others had there taught in King Edward's dayes exhorting the people constantly to remain in the same and to beware of all pestilent Popery Idolatry and Superstition For that Sermon he was called in Question In his Examination and Answer Ian. 22. 1555. I never granted King Henry the Eighth to have any Supremacy in spiritual things as are the forgiveness of sins giving of the holy Ghost authority to be a Judge above the Word of God The Chancellor asserting That the Parliament that abolished the Popes Supremacy was with most great cruelty constrained thereunto He answered With cruelty Why then I perceive that you take a wrong way with cruelty to perswade mens consciences for it should appear by your doings now that the cruelty then used hath not perswaded your consciences How would you then have your consciences perswaded with cruelty Sir Richard Southwell telling him That he would not burn in this year when it cometh to the Purpose he answered Sir I cannot tell but I trust to my Lord God yes lifting up his eyes to Heaven I desire the hearty and unfeigned help of the Prayers of all Christs true Members the true Imps of the true unfeigned Catholick Church that the Lord God of all consolation will now be my comfort aid strength buckler and shield as also of all my Brethren that are in the same case and distress that I and they all may despise all manner of threats and cruelty and even the bitter burning fire and the dreadfull dart of death and stick like true Souldiers to our dear and loving Captain Christ our onely Saviour and Redeemer and the onely true Head of the Church that doth all in us all which is the property of an Head and that we do not traiterously run out of his Tents or rather out of the plain field from him in the greatest jeopardy of the battel but that we may persevere in the fight if he will not otherwise deliver us till we be most cruelly slain of his enemies For this I most heartily and at this present with tears most instantly and earnestly desire and besâ—ech you all to pray In his second Examination and Answer Ian. 28 29. 1555. Should said the Chancellor when the Parliament hath concluded a thing any private person have authority to discuss whether they had done right or wrong No that may not be I answered shortly That all the Laws of men might not neither could rule the Word of God but that they all must be discussed and judged thereby and obey thereto and neither my conscience nor any Christians could be satisfied with such Laws as disagreed from that Word Mr. Hooper and Mr. Cardmaker were