member of Iesus Christ. If you approoue of none interpretation of Scriptures but what proceeds from Rome you may easily affirme whatsoever you please There is nothing so absurd or so contrary to the truth of the eternall God which may not be wrested by their corrupt glosses as it may seeme to serue to a wicked cause With such kinde of men is no disputation to be held As for that which you inferre touching Arrius and the rest of that ranke it is nothing to the purpose For all the writings of the Prophets together with other manifest Scriptures whereunto we ought to haue recourse in doubts of this nature and to be concluded by them doe evidently confound Arrius and all the rest his partakers Consubstantiality which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is confirmed by very many evident testimonies of Scripture But so is not Transubstantiation which hath so molested the braines of Scotus Occam Biel and all the schoole Divines that many a time they are shrowdly put to it what they had best stay for removing the absurdities which arise therefrom Therefore it is apparant that it is a meere fiction without any foundation of Scripture So that Scotus as Bishop Tonstall did many times ingenuously confesse was of opinion that the Church might better and with more ease make vse of some more commodious exposition of those words in the holy Supper And the Bishop was of the minde that we ought to speake reverently of â—he holy Supper as did the auncient Fathers but that the opinion of Transubstantiation might well be let alone This thing also the same Bishop Tonstall was wont to affirme both in words and writings that Innocent the third knew not what he did when he put Transubstantiation among the Articles of faith and he said that Innocentius wanted learned men about him and indeed saith the Bishop if I had beene of his Councell I make no doubt but I might haue beene able to haue disswaded him from that resolution When Mr. Cheasey said that the Catholicks should doe well to giue way in the Article of Transubstantiation I heard not himselfe speak the words but one which heard him tolde me Whereas you write touching the imprisonment of him and others truly I am of the opinion that as for this present life they liue most quietly Nor doe I think that themselues could haue made choice of a more retired kinde of life if the sting of conscience trouble them not for maintaining a cause that is not good but built vpon the sand But if you will needes haue it that men must of necessity conniue at the beastly and abominable liues of so many Romane Bishops aboue thirty you may also finde fault with our Saviour himselfe for discovering so plainly the pernicious enormities both of the Pharises who in those times were accounted forfooth the holy Fathers and also of their Fathers then dead you may blame also the Prophet Esay who will not haue evill men to be called good denouncing a curse against that man who calleth him holy that is not holy find fault also with Saint Bernard who calleth them the Ministers of Antichrist Those things which other godly men haue written to this purpose doe worthily excuse vs. He blameth those things openly concerning which he confesseth that it is a shame to speake I reveale not hidden things saith he but I reprooue things publickely knowne vnto which thing we are even obliged by the commandement of God Esaia 58. 1. Shew my people their sinnes whereas you say that fiue Sacraments are rejected by vs you doe not say well rejected for wee vse them reverently according to the word of God nor doe we take away the name of a Sacrament as the word Sacrament is generally vsed as was the washing of feete and many other things which may retaine the name of a Sacrament in generall as also they doe among the Fathers But the auncient Fathers and some Schoole men doe aâ—firme that onely Baptisme and the Eucharist are properly called Sacraments It is also the testimony of Bessarion We read saith he of these two Sacraments onely manifestly delivered in the Gospell I wonder at you that you doe so wrest the words of Saint Paul to such a sence as that out of those words all the Ceremonies of the Masse may be established whereas you cannot be ignorant that the greatest part of them hath ben added many ages after by the Bishops of Rome Wee reade also that the Apostles consecrated with the words of the Gospell and with the Lords prayer Moreover whereas Saint Paul had even at that time ordayned already that the people should not only eate the bread with the Minister as his owne words doe manifestly prooue but also drinke of the cup you see how there fellowes haue vtterly â—obbed the Church of that ordiâ—ation of Christ and his Apostles but how iustly or by what good authority they haue done thus let theÌ„â—elues looke vnto it I could never in my reading find 〈…〉 ground of that authority I find the contrary to 〈◊〉 that all men are altogether forbidden to alter any thing touching the word and will of God delivered in the holy scriptures You say that the Scriptures allow prayer for the dead and that you know this well enough Saint Hierom saith that the booke of Macchaâ—â—s is profitable for manners not to establish doctrine You alledge that Saint Augustine doubted in many places whether there be a Purgatorie If that be a doubtfull poynt then it is not to be obtruded as an Article of faith but to be left indifferent For faith is a substance Heb 11. 1 and faith ought not to wauer saith Saint Iames The Bishop of Rochester writeth concerning Purgatory that amongst the Auncients there was either little or no mention of it And so long as there was no care taken for Prgatorie no man sought after Indulgences And so those innumerable gaynes by Pardons were never knowne before Purgatory was found out What shall we now say to bee meant by those words of Saint Paul esteeming gayne godline if this be not it This Mart hath fed and still doth feed many idle bellyes who stoutly driue away the word of God to the best of their abillity that they may not loose their Swine Howbeit at the last the truth shall prevaile how ever these men haue conspired together As touching that which you adde concerning the Invocation of Saints Saint Augustine exhorteth vs rather to stand to the Scriptures then either to his writings or the writings of others and not to build vpon his writings without the authoritie of Scriptures And surely in this poynt my conscience is resolued that there is not one poynt of all these which are controverted that is proved by more evident testimonyes of Scripture then this that God alone is to be prayed vnto and by one mediator namely Iesus Christ. Rom. 10. 13. How shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued We must beleeue
vnpardonable to offend the least of these locusts The holy Frier at supper time eate like a glutton and like a beast could not giue over tossing the pot vntill being overcome with drinke he exposed himselfe a shamefull spectacle to so chast and sober a family But in the morning as if he had beene some young Saint lately dropped from heaven he causeth the Bell to towle to the Sermon and in the midst thereof blustering out certaine good words he presumed to grow hot against some sinnes of the time and amongst the rest to thunder bouldly against drunkennesse Young Gilpin who had but newly got the vse of his tongue having observed as it seemed the hatefull basenesse of the man by his oversight the night before and now hearing the beast cry out so loud against these crimes which himselfe had so lately beene guilty of as he was sitting neere to his Mothers lap in the Church sodainly crieth out in these words O Mother doe you heare how this fellow dare speak against drunkennesse who was drunke himselfe yesternight at our house The Mother made speed to stop the childes mouth with her hand that he might speake no further After this the parents of the boy perceiving his disposition by many evident testimonies were diligently carefull to make him a scholler He had a schoolfellow one Edwin Airy whom afterwards he loved intirely for his good disposition and approoved honesty but Gilpin did farre excell the rest in acutenesse of wit Having therefore with great approbation passed his time in the Grammar-schoole he is by his parents who had now conceived great hope of their sonne sent to Oxford At that time in Oxford both learning and Relligion were in all things out of ioynt and over-grown with the rust of Barbarisme And now was young Gilpiâ— sixteene yeares of age at his comming to Oxford being in the yeare of our Lord 1533. Being entred in Queenes Colledge he profited wondrously in humane learning He became as almost all the good wits of that time very conversant in the writings of Erasmus He fell very close to the study Logick and Philosophy wherein he was observed to grow excellent and to beare away the bell in schooles He added to this his humane learning the singular knowledge of the Greeke and Hebrew wherein he made vse of the assistance and friendship of one Neale betwixt whom and this Gilpin was growne much familiarity by the affinity of their studies This Neale was a Fellow of New-Colledge and afterwards Professour of the Hebrew in Oxford And now after some few yeares carefully spent in these studies Gilpin began to be so famous and so beloved in Oxford that there was hardly any place of preferment for a scholler whereof the eminency of Gupâ—ns vertue had not rendred him worthy in the publick estimation There was then an enquiry made for men of more then ordinary learning and fame who might make vp a number of schollers in Christ-Church at that time newly begun and honour it with the commendation of learning Amongst these was our Gilpin one of the first elected At that time he had not fully attained to truth and sincerity in Relligion as having beene alwayes instructed in the traditions of the Church of Rome for in those dayes the most part of men did not regulate their Relligion and peity by the rule of Gods word but according to the Traditions of their Fathers received from hand to hand His minde although disposed to holinesse did for a while remaine in darknesse and being over-clouded with preiudiciall respects laboured vnder the burthen of superstition not without some shadow of Antiquity being more earnest against vices and corruptions of the time then against the traditions of the Fathers Therefore at that time Gilpin seemed a great vphoulder of the Popish Relligion He held disputation publickly against Iohn Hâ—â—per who was afterwards Bishop of Worcester and at the last a glorious Martyr of Christ. After the death of King Henry the eight when Edward the sixt was King Peter Martyr induced by the piety and Munificence of such a Prince read the Divinity Lecture in Oxford Against whom the Sophisters indeavoured to make opposition Chedsey Weston and Morgan who desired also to draw in Gilpin on their side that by his advise and help they might the more distract Peter Martir and the matter at last came to this push that Gilpin was produced to hould disputation against the positions of Peter Martir Vpon occasion of which dispute Gilpin to the end that he might defend his cause in hand adventureth more diligently then ordinary to examine the Scriptures and the auncient Fathers And by how much the more he studied to defend the cause which he had vndertaken so much the lesse confidence he began to haue therein because he supposed that he ought to stand for the truth which he stroue with all his might to discover and finde out But whiles he was zealously searching for the truth he began by little and little to haue a sight of his owne errours Whereupon Peter Martir was wont often to say that he was not much troubled either for Weston Morgan or the like but as for that Gilpin saith he I am very much mooved concerning him for he doth and speaketh all things with an vpright heart The rest seeme to me to be men who regard their bellies most of all and being most vnconstant are carried away as it were with every blast of ambition and covetousnesse But Gilpin reâ—ting firmely vpon gravity of manners and the testimony of a most laudable life seemeth to honour with his owne goodnesse the cause which he vndertaketh Yea and he did often pray vnto God that he would be pleased at the last to convert vnto his truth the heart of Gilpin being so inclinable to all honest desires And doubtlesse God heard the prayer of Peter Martir For from that time forward Gilpin drew neere to the knowledge of the truth not vpon a sodaine but as himselfe confessed by degrees Peter Martir had much illuminated Oxford with the truth of Divinity and the knowledge of humane learning Whereupon Gilpin resolved more earnestly to apply himselfe both by study and prayer to search out the truth To which purpose he determined to put in writing the disputation which had beene betwixt himselfe and Hooper But in the expressing and vnfoulding of the said controversie while he dwelt for a time vpon an accurate examination of the points which he had resolved to confute whiles he searcheth them to the bottome and regulateth the institutions of the Church to the authority of Scripture without which he well vnderstood that there could be no true Church at all he felt himselfe easily overcome and was not sory to be overcome by the truth Those draughts being found amongst Mr. Gilpiâ—s writings reserved in his private deske doe testifie his ingenuous and free confession together with the power of the truth and Gods great mercy in his conversion Whiles he
of them in which of these points reformation should begin in expectation of which thing I returned from Paris the more willingly answer was made vnto me that no way mâ—st be given to the ignorant multitude If say they we once confesse any errours at all they will straightway cry out that many other things also are worthy to be reformed besides those which we shall yeeld vnto them and so they will be still growing vpon vs that we shall never haue done reforming These things wounded me grievously and draue me to seeke out for peace of conscience After these things having preached two or three Sermons at Newcastle I began to explaine my conscience more at large where there were gathered twelue or thirteene Articles against me and sent to the Bishop And now had mine adversaries of the Clergy whom I had grievously provoked obtained what they had long looked for Nor would they giue over vntill the Bishop had called me before their faces to examine me in the point of the Sacrament The Bishop shewed me as much favour I suppose as he durst In Transubstantiation he would not trouble me onely he inquired concerning the reall presence which I granted and so was freed out of that danger And as touching the reall presence I found not my selfe fully resolved I supposed that therein lay hid a mystery aboue my capacity Neverthelesse my conscience did sometimes chide me for that I had before them yeelded in expresse words to a point which seemed vnto me doubtfull But I hoped that God would pardon mine igâ—orance and in time bring me to a greater light of knowledge The winter following Qâ—eene Mary departed this life and then I had begun to explaine my minde more fully For before that time for I must needes confesse the truth weaknesse ignorance and the terrours of mine adversaries had somewhat restrained me About Easter I was accused to the Bishop vpon many Articles both out of the Diocesse of Yorke and of Durham all which things neverthelesse hurt me no further then thus that the Bishop incited thereto by the complaints of mine adversaries struck my name out of his last Will and Testament forasmuch as the Plebeians and ordinary sort of people were extremely offended with me Now I in that I lost the Bishops Exequutorship found my selfe eased of a great burthen and was glad thereof But as for the favour of the multitude I hoped in time through the goodnesse of God to recover it againe that my preaching might profit the more to edification for otherwise I never desired the loue of the vulgar In harvest came the visitors and Doctor Sandes sent for me to Aukland and appointed me both time and place to preach against the primacy of Durham But he himselfe preaching the day before whiles he seemed vtterly to deny a reall presence had so wounded my tender conscience that the night following I could not sleep at all and I was much troubled in my minde whether I should preach the next day or not At the last I went almost out of my bed into the pulpit where I know not how it happened whether it was through my disquiet of conscience or want of sleep or in that I had offended God to goe vp against my conscience but me thought I did never feele such a want of vtterance and yet in my iudgement I had provided matter enough and waighty reasons The next day all the Ministers in the Diocesse were met to subscribe Now so it was that in a point or two of the Articles my conscience did not appeare to me so well resolved as I could haue wished Therefore I stept a little out of the way hoping that I might escape from being called But when my Curate came to the booke who I supposed would never haue stood at it by reason of some discourse I had formerly with him he withdrew himselfe as vnwilling to subscribe and thereupon I was called for and the booke held out vnto me when straightwayes I had these thoughts in my selfe My greatest confidence is reposed in this religion because it giveth glory to God and authority to the word of God for the rooting out of superstition and humane doctrines Onely mine heart doubted in certaine points of smaller consequence which God as â— hope shall in time reveale vnto me If I shall refuse I shall be a meanes to make many others to refuse and so consequently hinder the course of the word of God Therefore I subscribed and the night follovving I sent vnto Doctor Sandes my protestation touching those tvvo points vvhich had troubled me He being nothing offended tooke my protestation very courteously so my Curate subscribed also and the day follovving fell sicke And vvhiles I vvas gone along vvith the visitors to Kendall and Lancaster he dyed before my returne having not beene sicke a whole weeke Some supposed that subscription killed his heart others said his infirmity proceeded from excessiue drinking God onely knoweth what was the cause of his death In processe of time me thought I grew more and more strengthened and resolved but I will confesse the truth I had many and grievous temptations which would not let me sleepe for many nights and draue me betwixt sleeping and waking into such dreames as I think few men ever had the like My nature did ever desire to avoid controversies My chiefest comâ—ort and indeavour was to preach Christ and salvation through Christ plainly and sincerely and to comfort my selfe in the most sweet promises of holy Scripture and in pouring out my prayers to God The insatiable covetousnesse that could be restrained by no bounds of temperance and moderation together with the pride and carnall liberty and other vices of the same ranke which raigned among all sorts and degrees of people but most of all in vs the Priests and Ministers who ought to be as we are termed the Salt of the earth haue oftentimes broke my sleepes But recovering I quieted my selfe in God saying surely how much more the iniquity of men doth abound of 〈◊〉 the more glorious shall God appeare in purging sanctifying and preserving his elect people in the midst of a froward generation I was ever sollicitous and wary either in subscriptions or oathes not to be catched in a trap It appeared enough to me and suâ—ficient for the Doctours of the Church that all men were satisfied in the Scriptures and the Articles of the faith In other things as they are agreeable to Scripture because the holy Scripture ought to holde soveraigne place and preheminency aboue all the writings of all men I remember when I went to be admitted into Orders by the Bishop of Oxford that the Bishops Chaplaine did administer an oath vnto vs that we should allow the Ordinations already made or hereafter to be made Touching which oath when he considered somewhat seriously what it was to oblige our selues to ordinations to come concerning which we could resolue vpon nothing these things not only much