when we have done all we be unprofitable servants and faith onely in Christs blood saveth us How many Sacraments are there said he Two said she The one the Sacrament of Baptisme by which I am washed with water and regenerated by the Spirit and that washing is a token to me that I am a child of God the other the Sacrament of the Lords Sâ—pper which offered to me is a sure seal and testimony that I am by the blood of Christ which he shed for me on the Cross made partaker of the everlasting Kingdome There are seven said he By what Scripture said she find you that Well said he we will talk of that hereafter What do you receive in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Do you not receive the very body and blood of Christ No surely said she I believe that the Supper I neither receive flesh nor blood but Bread and Wine which Bread when it is broken and Wine when it is drunken putteth me in remembrance how that for my sins the Body of Christ was broken and his Blood shed on the Cross and with that Bread and Wine I receive the Benefits that come by the breaking of his Body and shedding of his Blood for our sins on the Cross. Why said he doth not Christ speak these words Take eat this is my Body Require you any plainer words Doth he not say it is his Body I grant he saith so said she and so he saith I am the Vine I am the Door and yet is not the Vine or the Door Doth nor St. Paul say He calleth things that are not as though they were When Fecknam took his leave he said That he was sorry for her for I am sure said he that we two shall never meet True it is said she that we shall never meet except God turn your heart for I am assured unless you repent and turn to God you are in an evil case and I pray God in the Bowels of mercy to send you his Holy Spirit In her Letter to her Father Father although it hath pleased God to hasten my death by you by whom my life should rather have been lengthened yet can I so patiently take it as I yield to God more hearty thanks for shortening my woful dayes then if all the world had been given unto my Possessions with life lengthened at my own will Although my death at hand to you seem right woful to me there is nothing that can be more welcome then from this vale of misery to aspire to that heavenly Throne of all joy and pleasure with Christ our Saviour in whose stedfast faith if it be lawful for the Daughter so to write to the Father the Lord that hitherto hath strengthened you so continue you that at last we may meet in Heaven with the Father the Son and the holy Ghost In her Letter to Mr. Harding formerly her Fathers Chaplain and a zealous Preacher of the Gospel but then tnrn'd Papist she writes thus As oft as I call to mind the dreadful and fearful saying of God That he which layeth hold on the Plough and looketh back is not meet for the Kingdome of Heaven and on the other side the comfortable words of our Saviour Christ to those That forsaking themselves do follow him I cannot but marvel at thee and lament thy Case who seemed sometime to be the lively Member of Christ but now the deformed Imp of the Devil sometime the beautiful Temple of God but now the filthy and stinking Kennel of Satan sometime the unspotted Spouse of Christ but now the shameless Paramour of Antichrist sometime my faithful Brother but now a Stranger and an Apostate sometime a stout Christian Souldier but now a cowardly Run-away yea when I consider these things I cannot but cry out upon thee thou seed of Satan and not of Iudah whom the Devil hath deceived the world hath beguiled and the desire of life subverted and made thee of a Christian an Infidel Wherefore hast thou taken the Testament of the Lord in thy mouth Wherefore hast thou instructed others to be strong in Christ when thou thy self dost now so shamefully shrink and so horribly abuse the Testament and the Law of the Lord When thou thy self preachest not to steal yet most abominably stealest not from men but from God and committing most hainous sacriledge robbest Christ thy Lord of his right members thy body and soul and choosest rather to live miserably with shame to the world then to die and gloriously with honour reign with Christ in whom even in death is life Why dost thou now shew thy self most weak when indeed thou oughtest to be most strong The strâ—â—gth of a fort is unknown before the assault but thou yieldest thy hold before any battery be made Oh wretched and unhappy man what art thou but dust and ashes and wilt thou resist thy Maker that fashioned and framed thee Wilt thou now forsake him that called thee from the custome-gathering of the Romish Antichristians to be an Ambassadour and Messenger of his Word He that first framed thee and since thy first Creation and Birth preserved thee nourished and kept thee yea and inspired thee with the Spirit of Knowledge I cannot say of grace shall he not now possess thee Darest thou deliver up thy self to another being not thine own but his How canst thou having knowledge or how darest thou neglect the law of the Lord and follow the vain traditions of men and whereas thou hast been a publick Professor of his Name become now a Defacer of his glory Wilt thou refuse the true God and worship the invention of man the golden Calf the whore of Bâ—bylon the Romish Religion the abominable Idol the most wicked Mass Wilt thou torment again rent and tear the most precâ—ous Body of our Saviour Christ with thy bodily and fleshly teeth Wilt thou take upon thee to offer up any Sacrifice unto God for our sins considering that Christ â—ffâ—red up himself as Pâ—uâ— saith uâ—â—n the Cross a liveâ—y Sacrifice once for all Can neither the punishment of the Israelites which for their Idolatry they oft received nor the terrible threatnings of the Prophets nor the curse of Gods own mouth fear thee to honour any other god then him Dost thou so regard him that spared not his dear and onely-Son for thee so diminishing yea utterly extinguishing his glory that thou wilt attribute the praise and honour due unto him to the Idols which have mouths and speak not eyes and see not ears and hear not whiâ—â—â—â—all perish with them that made thee Confounded be all they that worship them Christ oâ—â—ereth up himself once for all and wilt thou offer him up again daily at thy pleasure But thou wilt say thou dost it for a good intent Oh sink of sin Oh child of perdition Dost thou dream therein of a good intent where thy conscience bears thee witness of Gods threatned wrath against thee How did Saul how for
whole truth of his Word after the Doctrine of Christs Gospel these are bid in the time of Antichrists reign to flie into the Mountains i. e. places of safeguard The wo that followeth signifieth that such are then in extreme danger who are letted by any means whatsoever so that they be no wayes able to flie from the plague and Christs bidding to pray that our flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabbath day bids us to pray that we may flie in time and far enough from the danger of the plague Rev. 18. The Angel cries mightily with a loud voice Fliâ— my people out of Babylon lest you be infected with her faults and so be made partakers of her plagues for her offences and sins are grown so great that they come to Heaven Certainly the time doth approach and the Lords day is at hand Paul also that blessed Apostle forbids us 2 Cor. 6. to joyn our selves with the unfaithfull c. This counsel to depart the Realm some good persons may think good others may think it may indeed by Gods Word be lawfully done but not to be counselled to be done for they will peradventure say We should counsel a man alwayes to do that which is best of all and of most perfection but boldly in Christs Cause to spend a mans life is best of all and of most perfection and to flee may smell of cowardliness whereas in many things that which is best for one at sometimes is not best for all at all times and it is not meet for a child to covet to run before he can go But every true Christian either Brother or Sister after they be be called and brought into the wrestling-place to strive in Christs Cause for the best game i. e. to confess the Truth of the Gospel in hope of everlasting life should not shrink nor relent one inch nor give back whatsoever shall befall but to stand to their tackle and stick by it even unto death as they will Christ shall stick by them at the later day Some may think they may stay and escape the danger notwithstanding by keeping their Faith and Religion close to themselves inwardly worshipping God in spirit and truth and outwardly not transgressing common order Whereas Gods Word requireth not onely the belief of the heart but the confession of the mouth forbids not onely the thing that is evil but to abstain from all appearance of evil and both consenters and doers are accounted guilty by Gods Word and we may not do evil that good may come thereof Thy heart thou sayest God shall have and yet will suffer thy body to do the thing that God abhors Take heed O man what thou sayest thou canst not deceive the heart-searcher To give God thy heart is to give him thy whole heart to love him to dread him and to trust in him above all other things and he loveth God that keeps his commands and to dread God above all other is rather willingly to incur the danger and perill of all fearfull things then wittingly to do what God forbids and to trust in him above all things is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward and of his tuition and of his goodness and mercy and to prefer that above all things in the world seem they never so strong so wise or so good Now how canst thou say truly that God hath thus thy heart when thy deeds do declare far another thing Thy body O man is Gods and all the parts thereof even as thy soul is he made them both and Christ with his blood redemed them both and is Lord of both for he hath bought them both dearly and darest thou suffer any part of either of them to do service to Satan Surely in so doing thou committest sacriledge and dost rob God What is it to bear the mark of the Beast in the forehead and in the hand that St. Iohn speaketh of I suppose he bears the mark of the Beast in his forehead which is not ashamed of the Beasts wayes but will profess them openly and he beareth his mark in the hand that doth the works though he may be ashamed to own them It may be objected O Sir it is no small matter you speak of to depart from a mans own Native Countrey into a strange Realm Some have Lands and Possessions which they cannot carry with them Some have Father Mother Wife Children and Kinsfolk from whom to depart is as hard a thing and almost all one as to suffer death c. I grant here thou mayest heap a number of worldly in commodities which are very like to ensue the departure out of a mans own Countrey but what of all these and a thousand more of the like sort I will set against them all one saying of Christ which to the true Christian is able to countervail all these yea to weigh them down viz. If any man do come to me and do not hate Father and Mother he means and will not in his Cause forsake his Father and Mother c. he cannot be my Disciple It may further be objected Alas Sir I am an impotent man an aged man a sick man a lame man or I have so many small Infants a Wife which live by my labour if I leave them they will starve and I am not able to carry them with me such is my state what shall I do O lamentable state O sorrowfull heart that can neither depart nor without extreme perill is able to tarry still Of the state of such as are not able to flie the infection of the pestiferous plague of Antichrists abominations Christ lamenting not cursing saith Wo be to the great bellied and travelling women c. For these my heart mourneth the more the less I am able to give any comfortable counsel but this That alwayes as they look for everlasting life they abide still in the confession of his Truth whatsoever shall befall and for the rest to put their trust wholly in God who is able to save them against all appearance And commonly in extremities when all worldly comfort faileth and the danger is at highest then unto his he is wont after his accustomed mercy to be most ready to put his helping hand instance in Daniel the three Children Paul pluckt out of the mouth of the Lion in the Mount God raised up most of the Judges for the delivering of his people As to such instances it may be objected these were special miracles of God which now are ceased and to require them at Gods hands were it not to tempt God I grant such were great wonderfull works of God c. but Gods hand is as strong as ever it was and he is as good and as gracious as ever he was but in such as are put to death for his sake he doth more when in anguish of the torments he standeth by them and strengthneth them in their saith to suffer in confession of
when his hour was not yet come departed out of his Countrey into Samaria to avoid the malice of the Scribes and Pharisees and commanded his Apostles that if they were pursued in one place they should fly to another Thus did Paul and the other Apostles Albeit when it came to such a point that they could no longer escape then they evidenced that their flying before came not of fear but of godly wisdome to do more good and that they would not rashly without urgent necessity offer themselves to death which had been a tempting of God After he had recanted and was brought to Saint Mâ—ry's Church in Oxford where Dr. Cole after he had preached bitterly against him shewing why he was to be executed notwithstanding his Recantation prest him to evidence to the people his conversion to Popery Dr. Cranmer entreated the people to pray with him and for him that God would pardon his sins especially his Recantation After he had prayed he told them It is a sad thing to see so many so much dote upon the love of this false World and be so careful of it and so careless of Gods love or the World to come therefore this shall be my first exhortation thaâ— you set not your minds overmuch upon this glozing World but upon God and the World to come and to learn to know what this Lesson meaneth which St. Iohn teacheth That the Love of this World is hatred against God Let rich men consider and weigh three Scriptures Luke 18. It is hâ—rd for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of Heaven 1 John 3. He that hath the suâ—stance of this world and seeth his Brother in necessity and shutteth up his mercy from him how can he say that he loveth God James 5.1 2. Go to now ye rich men weep and hard for the miseries that are coming upon you your riches are corrupted Another exhortation is That next under God you obey your King and Queen willingly and gladly without murmuring or grudging They are Gods Mâ—nisters Whosoever resisteth them resisteth the Ordinance of God And now I come said he to the great thing that so much troubleth my Conscience more then any thing that ever I did or said in my whole life and that is the setting abroad a Writing contrary to the Truth which now here I renounce and refuse as things written with my hand contrary to the Truth which I thought in my heart and written for fear of death and to save my life if it might be And forasmuch as my hand offended writâ—ng contrary to my heart my hand shall first be punished therefore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned At the Stake when the fire began to burn near him he stretching out his arm put his right hand into the flame which he held so stedfast that all men might see his hand burned before his body was touched His eyes lifted up to Heaven he cried out even as long as he could speak O his unworthy hand His last words were the words of Stephen Lord Iesus receive my spirit Cromwel Thomas Lord Cromweâ— Earl of Essâ—x the morning that he was executed having chearfully eaten his break-fast passing out of the Prison down the Hill in the Tower met the Lord Hungerford going to Execution for other matter and perceiving him to be heavy and doleful he willed him to be of good comfort for if you repent said he of what you have done there is mercy enough for you with the Lord who for Christs sake will forgive you and though the break-fast we are going to be sharp yet trusting in the mercy of the Lord we shall have a joyful dinner In his Prayer on the Scaffold O Lord Jesus who art the onely health of all men living and the everlasting life of them which die in thee Being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed to thy mercy willingly now I leave this frail and wicked flesh in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise restore it to me again at the last day in the resurrection of the Jâ—st I see and acknowledge there is in my self no hope of salvation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy most merciful goodness Thou merciful Lord wast born for my sake didst suffer hunger and thirst for my sake didst teach pray and fast for my sake all thy holy actions and works thou wroughtest for my sake thou sufferedst most grievous pains and torments for my sake and finally thou gavest thy most precious body and blood to be shed on the Cross for my sake Now most merciful Saviour let all these things profit me c. Let thy blood cleanse and wash away the spots and foulness of â—â— sins let thy righteousness hide and cover my unâ—righteousness Cyprian He went in the time of Persecution into volunâ—tary Banishment lest as he said he should 〈◊〉 more hurt then good to the Congregation When he heard the sentence pronounced aâ—gainst him he said I thank God for freeing mâ— from the Prison of this Body He said Amen to his own sentence of Martyrdome The Proconsul bidding him consult abouâ— it he answered In so just a Cause there needs no deliberation D. Daigerfield William Daigerfield and Ioan his Wife who then gave suck to her tenth child being imprisoned in several Prisons Bishop Brooks sent for the man and told him that his Wife had recanted and so perswaded him to recant and so sent him to his Wife with a Form of Recantation with him which when his Wife saw her heart clave in sunder and she cried out Alas Husband thus long we have continued one and hath Satan so far pervaâ—led with you as to cause you to break the Vow which you made to God in Baptisme Hereupon he bewailed his promise and beg'd of God that he might not live so long as to call evil good and good evil light darkness or darkness light And accordingly it came to pass Damlip Mr. Adam Damlip when he had been almost two years in the Marshalsey considering how he could not employ his talent there to God's Glory as he desired though he had many Favours in Prison resolved to write to the Bishop of Winchester earnestlâ— to desire that he might come to his Tryal for said he I know the worst I can but lose my present life which I had rather do then here to remain and not to be suffered to use my talent to God's Glory When he understood by the Keeper that his suffering was near he was notwithstanding very merry and did eat his meat as well as ever he did in all his life insomuch that some at the Board said unto him they wondred how he could eat his meat so chearfully knowing he was so near his death Ah Masters said he Do you think that I have been so long God's Prisoner in the Marshalsey and have not yet learned to die Yes yes and I doubt not but God
for preaching to the people the pure truth of God taking Heaven and Earth to witness the same with him Gratwick Mr. Stephen Gratwick seeing the Bishops that sate upon to laugh said unto them Why do ye laugh Are ye confederate together for my blood and therein triumph You have more cause to look weightily upon the matter for I stand here before you upon life and death But you declare your selves what you are You are lapped in Lambs apparel but you are bent to have my blood Seeing you will have my blood let me say a little more for my self On Sunday last you preached this Truth If any man think himself Religious and bridleth not his tongue the same mans Religion is vain And yet in the mean time you seduced your tongue to slander us poor Prisoners there present in Iron hands burdening us with the names of Arrians Herodians Anabaptists Sacramentarians Pelagians And when we stood up to purge our selves thereof you said You would cut out our tongues and cause us to be pulled out of the Church by violence But there you gave your self a shrewd blow c. Being asked by the Bishop of Winchester if he would recant he said My faith is grounded more stedfastly then to change in a moment It is no process of time can alter me unless my faith were as the waves of the Sea When he was condemned he desired God with a loud voice That he would not lay his blood to their charge if it were his good will Green Mr. Bartlet Green wrote in Mr. Barâ—râ—m Calthrops Book a little before his death thus Two things have very much troubled me whilst I was in the Temple Pride and Gluttony which under the colour of Glory and good Fellowship drew me almost from God Forsomuch as vain-glory is so subtile an adversary that almost it woundeth deadly ere ever a man can perceive himself to be smitten therefore we ought so much the rather by continual prayer to labour for humbleness of mind Gluttony begâ—nneth under a charitable pretence of love and society and hath in it most uncharitableness Let us therefore watch and be sober for our adversary the Devil walketh about like a roaring Lion seekâ—ng whom he may devour Vale mi Bartrame mei memineris ut semper simillimi efficiamur Vale c. Farewell my Bartram and remember me that we may be alwayes like Farewell at Newgate Iâ—n 20. A. 1556. In his Letter to Mr. Philpot. Being accused that I spake against the Real Presence and the Sacrifice of the Mass and that I affirmed that their Church was the Church of Antichrist I confessed it and that I would continue therein though not maintain it by learning my conscience being satisfied in the truth which is sufficient to my salvation I told Mr. Welch Forasmuch as it pleaseth you to use me so familiarly for he behaved himself towards me as though I had been his equal I shall open my mind freely to you I consider my youth lack of wit and learning which would God it were but a little under the opinion that some men have of me But God is not bound to time wit or knowledge but rather chooseth the weak things of the world to confound the mighty neither can men appoint bounds to Gods mercy For I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy There is no respect of persons with God whether he be old or young rich or poor wise or foolish Fisher or Basket-maker God giveth knowledge of his truth through his free grace to whom he list Now I am brought hither before a great many Bishops and learned men to be made a fool and a laughing-stock but I weigh it not a rush for God knoweth that my whole study is to please him Besides that I care not for mans pleasure or displeasure As he was going to Newgate after he was condemned there met with him two Gentlemen that seeing him burst out into tears to whom Mr. Green said Ah my friends is this your comfort you are come to give me Must I who needed to have comfort ministred to me become now a comforter of you When he was going to and was at the Stake he repeated this Distich Christe Deus sine te spes est mihi nulla salutis Te duce vera sequir te duce falsa nego In English thus O Christ my God sure hope of health Besides thee I have none The truth I love and falshood hate By thee my guide alone These Verses he wrote in a Book of Mr. Hussey's of the Temple Behold thy self by me Such one was I as thou And thou in time shall â—e Even dust as I am now Bartlet Green In his Letter to his Friends of the Temple Very Friends are they which are knit together by the knot of Charity Charity doth not decay but increase in them that die faithfully If thy Friend be out of sight is thy friendship ended If he be carried into Heaven is Charity hindred thereby The Fathers of the Primitive Church gave thanks for their Friends that died in the Faith to prove that Charity died not with Death What saith Saint Paul We are members of his body of his flesh and of his blood we are members one of another Is the hand or Arm Foot or Leg a member when it is dissevered from the body What is it that couples us but love When all things shall fail love faileth never Hope hath his end when we get that we hoped for Faith is finished in Heaven Love endureth for ever Spiritual love I mean for carnal love when that which we love is lost doth perish with the flesh Neither was that ever but fleshly love which by distance of place or severing of bodies is parted asâ—nder If we keep Christs commandment in loving each other as he loved us then should our love be everlasting This friendship Paul felt when it moved him to say That neither length nor â—readth nâ—ither height nor depth should sever him from the love of Christ. Now you may say Why writeth thou this Truly to the end that if our friendship be stable you may accomplish this the last request of your Friend c. Mr. Fleetwood I beseech you remember Wittâ—ance and Cook two singular men among common Prisoners Mr. Fernham Mr. Fell and Mr. Hussey as I hope will dispatch Palmer and Richardson with his companions I pray you Mr. Palmer think on I. Grove an honest poor man Traâ—ford and Rice Apprice his Accomplices My Cousin Thomas Witton a Scrivener in Lombard-strâ—et hath promised to further their delivery at the least he can instruct you which way to work I doubt not but that Mr. Bowyer will labour for Goodwife Cooper for she is worthy to be holpen and Bâ—rard the Frenchman There be also divers others well-disposed men whose deliverance if you will not labour for yet I humbly beseech you to seek their relief For these and all other
that he disobeyed the Word of the Lord for a good intent was thrown from his worldly and temporal Kingdome Wilt thou for a good intent dishonour God offend thy Brother and danger thy soul wherefore Christ hath shed his most precious blood Wilt thou for a good intent pluck Christ out of Heaven and make his death void and deface the triumph of his Cross by offering him up daily Wilt thou either for fear of death or hope of life deny and refuse thy God who enriched thy poverty healed thy infirmity and yielded to thee his Victory if thou couldst have kept it Dost thou not consider that the thread of thy life hangeth upon him that made thee who can as he please either twine it harder to last the longer or untwine it again to break the sooner Dost thou not then remember the saying of David When thou tâ—kest away thy Spirit O Lord from men they die and are turâ—â—d again to their dust but when thou letâ—est thy breath 〈◊〉 forth they shall be made and thou shalt renew the face of the earth Remember the saying of Christ in his Gospel Whosoever seeketh to save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it Again Whâ—soever loveth Father or Mother above me is not meet for me He thâ—t will follow me let him forsake himself and take up his Cross and follow me What Cross the Cross of infamy and shame of misery and poâ—â—â—â—â— of affliction and persecution for his Names 〈◊〉 Let the oft falling of these Heavenly Showres 〈◊〉 thy stony heart Let the two-edged sword of Gods holy Word sheer asunder the sinews of worldly respects even to the marrow of thy carnal heart that thou mayest once again forsake thy self and embrace Christ and like as good subjects will not refuse to hazard all in the defence of their earthly and temporal Governour so fly not like a white-liver'd Milk-sop from the standing wherein thy chief Captain Christ hath hath set thee in array of this life Fight manfully come life come death the Quarrel is Gods and undoubtedly the Victory is ours But thou wilt say I will not break unity what not the unity of Satan and his members not the unity of darkness not the agreement of Antichrist and his adherents Tully saith of Amity Amicitia non est nisi inter bonos But mark my Friends yea Friend if thou beest not Gods enemy there is no unity but where Christ knitteth the knot among such as he is The agreement of all men is not an unity but a conspiracy Thou hast heard some threatnings against those that love themselves above Christ and against those that deny him for love of life saith he not He that denies me before men I will deny him before my Father in Heaven And to the same effect writeth Paul It is impossible that they which were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God if they fall away c. should be renâ—wed again by repentance And again If we shall willingly sin after we have received the knowledge of his Truth there is no oblation left for sin but the terrible expectation of judgement and fire which shall devour the adversaries Thus Paul writeth and this thou readest 〈◊〉 dost thou not quake and tremble Well if these teâ—rible and thundring threatnings cannot stir thee to cleave unto Christ and forsake the world yet let the sweet consolation and promises of the Scriptures let the example of Christ and his Apostles holy Martyrs and Confessours incourage thee to take faster hold of Christ. Hearken what he saith Blessed are you when men reviâ—e you and persecute you for my sake Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaveâ— For so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you Hear what Isaiah saith Fear not the curse of men be not afraid of their blasphemies for worms and moths shall eat them up like cloath and wooll but my righteousness shall endure for ever and my saving health from generation to generation What art thou then saith he that fearest a mortal man the child of man which fadeth away like the flower and forgetteth the Lord that made thee that spread out the Heavens and laid the foundation of the earth I am the Lord thy God that maketh the sea to rage and be still whose Name is the Lord of Hosts I shall put my Word in thy mouth and defend thee with the turning of the hand Christ also saith unto his Disciples They shall accuse you and bring you before Princes and Rulers for my Names sake and some of you they shall persecute and kill but fear you not and care you not what you shall say for it is â—e Spirit of your Father that speaketh within you even the hairs of your head are all numbred Lay up treasures for your selves where no thief cometh nor moth corrupteth Fear not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but fear him that hath power to destroy both soul and body If ye were not of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Let these and such like consolations taken out of Scriptures strengthen you to God-ward Let not the examples of holy men and women go out of your mind as Daniel and the rest of the Prophets of the three children c. Return return again into Christs war and as becometh faithful warriour put on that armour that St. Pauâ— teacheth to be most necessary for a Christian man And above all things take unto you the shield oâ— Faith and be you provoked by Christs own example to withstand the Devil to forsake the world and to become a true and â—aithful member of his mystical Body who spared not his own Body for our sins Throw down your self with the fear of his threatned vengeance for this so great and hainous â—ffence of Aposâ—acy and comfort your self on the other hand with the mercy blood and promise of him who is ready to turn unto you whensoever you turn unto him Disdain not to come again with the lost Son seeing you have so wandred with him Be not ashamed to turn again with him from the swill of Strangers to the delicate of your most benigne and lovâ—ng Father acknowledging that you have sinned both against Heaven and against Earth Against Heaven by staining the glorious Name of God and causing his most sincere and pure Word to be evil spoken of through you Against Earth by offending so many of your weak Brethren to whom you have been a stumbling block through your sudden sliding Be not ashamed to weep bitterly with Peter to wash away the filth and mire of your offensive fall to say with the Publican
said Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit In her troubles she writ the following Verse with a pin Non aliena putes homini quae obtingere possunt Sors hodierna mihi tunc erit illa tibi In English thus Think nothing strange which man cannot decline My Lot's to day to merren may le thine Deo juvante nil nocet livor malus Et non juvante nil juvat labor gravis Post tenebras spero lucem In English thus If God protect me malice cannot end me If not all I can do will not defend me After dark night I hope for light H. Haggar He was persecuted for saying A. 1520. that There shouâ—d be a battel of Priests and all the Priests should be slain and that the Priests should a while rule but they should all be destroyed for making of false gods That the men of the Church should be put down and the false gods that they mâ—ke and after that they should know more and then shouâ—d be a merry world Hale When Thomas Hale was taken by an Alderman of Bristow and another he said unto them You have sought my blood these two years and now much good do it you He was burned A. 1557. for saying The Sacrament of the Altar is an Idol Hall Nicholas Hall in his Answer to the first Article against him granted himself a Christian man and acknowledged the determinations of the holy Church i. e. of the Congregation or Body of Christ but denied to call the Catholick and Apostolick Church his Mother because he found not this Word Mother in the Scripture To the second he said That whereas before he held the Sacrament to be but onely a token or remembrance of Christ's death now he said that There is neither token nor remembrance becasue it is now misused and clean turned from Christs institution c. Hallewin Harman When Cornelius Hallewin of Antwerp had received a sharp Letter sent him from the Minister of the Flemish Church upon the occasion of a recantation spread and falsly fathered upon Cornelius the blood gushed out of his nose he spread abroad his arms and made pitiful out-cries What to deny the Truth said he God forbid O that the faithful should conceive so hardly of me Good God thou knowest I am innocent nor have I this way offended When he was condemned to die the Margrave offered him that he should die a more easie kind of death if he would give ear to the Priests which he had brought to him to Prison No Sir said he God forbid I should do such a thing Do ye with my body what ye will As they bound him and Harman of Amsterdam Harman willed the Margrave to take heed what he did for said he this will not go for payment in Gods sight in bereaving us thus of our Lives I wish you therefore to repent before it be too late You cannot long continue this tyrannous course for the Lord will shortly avenge it A Cross being offered them and a promise that they should be beheaded and not burnt if they would take it into their hands they said They would not give the least sign that might be of betraying the Truth and that it was all one to them what death they were put to so they died in and for the Lord. The punishment they said could last but for a while but the glory to come was eternal At the Stake Cornelius fell on his knees praying God to forgive his enemies who had sinned through ignorance When the Margrave of Antwerp offered Halleâ—iâ— and Harmar mitigation of torments upon abjuation We are resolved said they these momentary afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that shall be revealed Hallingdale Articles against Iohn Hallingdale 3 That during the reign of King Edward he did depart from his former Faith and Religion and so doth continue and determineth so to do as he saith to his life's end 4 That he hath divers times said That the Faith Religion and Ecclesiastical Service received observed and used now in this Realm is not good but against Gods command c. And that he will not in any wise conform himself to the same â—ut speak and think against it during his natural life 5 That he absenteth himself continually from his Parish Church c. 6 That he will not have his Child by his will as he saith confirmed by the Bishop Unto all which Articles he made this answer that he confessed all and every part to be true He told Bâ—nner that the blood of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth was found in the Babylonical Church which is the Church where the Pope is head Because I will not come to your Babylonical Church therefore you go about to condemn me Being demanded whether he would recant he answered That he would continue and persist in his Opinions to the death When the Sentence was read He openly thanked God that he never came into the Church since the abomination came into it When William Hallywell and the twelve more that were burnt in one Fire at Stratford the how near London were condemned and carried down thither to be burnt they were divided into two parts in two several Chambers Thereupon the Sheriffe came to the one part and told them That the other had recanted and their lives therefore should be saved willing and exhorting them to do the like and not to cast away themselves unto whom they answered That their Faith was not built on man but on Christ crucified Then the Sheriffe went to the other part and said the like to them but they answered as their Brethren had done before That their Faith was not built on man but on Christ and his Word Hamelin Mr. Philibert Hamelin of Tournay refusing offers of escape out of Prison said I esteem it altogetder unleseeming for a man that is called to preach Gods Word unto others to run away and to break Prison for fear of danger but rather to maintain the Truth taught even in the midst of the flaming fire After Sentence of death was past upon him he eat his meat as joyfully as though he had been in no danger speaking to them of the happiness of eternal life evidencing that A good conscience is a continual feast When he was apprehended there was apprehended with him his Host whom he thought he had converted but afterward he renounced Christ and his Word Whereupon he said unto him O unhaâ—py and more then miserable Is it possible for you to be so foolish as for the sâ—ving of a few dayes which you have â—o â—â—ve by the course of nature so to start away and deny the Truth Know you therefore that although you have by your folishness avoided the corporal fire yet your life shall be never the longer for you shall die before me and God shall not give you the grace that it shall
testifie before Gods enemies Gods Truth May 6. 1554. Yours and with you unto death in Christ J. H. In his Letter to his Wife As the Devil hath entred into their hearts that they themselves cannot or will not come to Christ to be instructed by his holy Word so can they not abide any others to become Christians and lead their lives after the Word of God but hate persecute rob imprison and kill them whether male or female though they have never offended Gods or Mans Law yea though they daily pray for them and wish them Gods grace having no respect to nature The Brother persecuteth the Brother the Father the Son and most dear Friends are become most mortal Enemies And no marvel for they have chosen sundry Masters the one the Devil the other God The one agree with the other as God and the Devil agree between themselves As he that was born after the flesh persecuted in times pâ—st him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Therefore forasmuch as we live in this life amongst so many great perils and dangers the onely remedy is what Christ hath appointed Ye shall possess your selves in patience When troubles come we must be patient and in no case violently nor seditiously to resist our persecutors because God hath such care of us that he will keep in the midst of all troubles the very hairs of our heads c. And seeing he hath such care of the hairs of our heads how much more doth he care for our life it self Their cruelty hath no farther power then God permitteth and that which cometh unto us by the will of our heavenly Father can be no harm loss destruction to us but rather gain wealth and felicity That the spirit of man may feel these consolations the giver of them the heavenly Father must be prayed unto for the merits of Christs Passion for it is not the nature of man that can be contented until it be regenerated and possessed with Gods Spirit to bear patiently the troubles of mind or body When the mind of man sees troubles on every side threatning poverty yea death except the man weigh these brittle and uncertain treasures that be taken from him with the riches of the life to come and this life of the body with the life in Christs blood and so for the love and certainty of the heavenly joyes contemn all things present doubtless he shall never be able to bear the loss of goods and life The Christian mans faith must be alwayes upon the resurrection of Christ when he is in trouble and in that glorious resurrection he shall see continual joy yea victory and triumph over all persecution trouble sin death hell the Devil and all other persecutors the tears and weepings of the faithful dried up their wounds healed their bodies made immortal in joy their souls for ever praising the Lord in conjuction and society everlasting with the blessed company of Gods Elect in perpetual joy If ye le risen with Christ seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father When he biddeth us seek the things that are above he requireth that our minds never cease from prayer and study in Gods Word until we see know and understand the vanities of this world the shortness and misery of this life and the treasures of the world to come the immortality thereof the joyes of that life and so never cease seeking until such time as we know certainly and be perswaded what a blessed man he is that seeketh the one and findeth it and careth not for the other though he lose it and in seeking to have right judgement between the life present and the life to come we shall find how little the pains imprisonment slanders lies and death it self is in the world in respect of pains everlasting the Prison infernal and Dungeon of Hell the Sentence of Gods Judgement and everlasting Death When a man hath by seeking the Word of God found out what the things above be then must he set his affections upon them And this Command is more hard then the other for for mans knowledge many times sees the best men know that there is a life to come better then this present c. Yet they set not their affection upon it they do more affect and love indeed a trifle of nothing in this world that pleaseth their affection then the treasure of all treasures in Heaven We must set our affections on things above i. e. when any thing worse then Heaven offereth it self to be ours if we will give our good wills to it and love it in our hearts then ought we to see by the judgement of Gods Word whether we may have it without Gods displeasure if we cannot if the riches of this world may not be gotten nor kept by Gods Law neither our lives continued without the denial of his honour we must set our affections upon the riches and life that is above and not upon things that be upon the earth This second Command requires that as our mind judgeth Heavenly things to be better then Earthly and the life to come better then the present life so we should chuse them before other and prefer them c. These things be easie to be spoken of but not so easie to be used and practised Read Psa. 88. wherein is contained the prayer of a man that being vexed with Adversaries and persecutions saw nothing but death and hell apprehending not onely man but God angry with him yet he by Prayer humbly resorted unto God and put the hope of his salvation in him whom he felt his enemy In this Command possess your lives by your patience God requires every one to be patient he saith not It is sufficient that other holy Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists and Martyrs continued their lives in patient suffering the troubles of this world but Christ saith it to every one of his people By your patience continue you your life not that man hath patience in himself but that he must have it for himself of God the onely Giver of it if he purpose to be a godly man Besides as our Profession and Religion requireth patience outwardly without resistance and force so requireth it patience of the mind and not to be angry with God although he use us that be his own creatures as him listeth We may not murmure against God but say alwayes his Judgements be right and just and rejoyce that it pleaseth him to use us as he used heretofore such as he most loved in this world Have a singular care to this command be glad and rejoyce c. he sheweth great cause why because your reward is great in Heaven Christ also takes from us all shame and rebuke as though it were not an honour to suffer for him because the wicked world doth curse and abhor such poor troubled Christians He placeth all
the hatred of all men against me As I was not so fervent in rebuking manifest iniquity as I should so was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christs Steward for the love of friends and carnal affection of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more residence in one place then in another having more respect to the pleasure of a few then the necessity of many Moreover remaining in one place I was not so diligent as mine office required but sometime by counsel of carnal friends I spared the body some time I spent in worldly business of particular friends and sometime in taking recreation c. And albeit men may judge these to be light and small offences yet I acknowledge that unless pardon should be granted unto me in Christs blood that every one of these three offences deserved damnation And beside these I am assaulted yea infected and corrupted with seeking the favour estimation and praise of men O Lord be merciful to my great offence and deal not with me according to my great iniquity but according to the multitude of thy mercies remove from me the burden of my sin for of purpose and mind to have avoided the vain displeasure of man I spared little to offend thy Majesty Think not that I thus accuse my self without cause to appear more holy or to accuse my Brethren No God is Judge to my Conscience that I do it from an unfeigned and sore troubled heart This great tempest cometh from the great mercy of our heavenly Father to provoke us to unfeigned repentance for neither Preacher nor Professor did rightly consider the time of our merciful visitation but we spent our time as though Gods Word had rather been preached to satisfie our phantasies then to reform our evil manners Which thing if we earnestly repent then shall Jesus Christ appear unto our comfort be the storm never so great Haste O Lord for thy Names sake Observe next the vehemency of the fear which the Disciples indured in that great danger of longer continuance then any before They were in the midst of the raging Sea and it was night and Christ their Comforter absent from them and cometh not to them neither in the first second nor third Watch. What fear think you were they in Such as be in like danger in England do by this storm better understand then my Pen can express What we read here to have chanced to Christs Disciples and their poor Boat the same thing hath chanced doth and will chance to the true Church travelling like a Ship in the Sea of this troublesome World to the Haven of eternal felicity The wind that alwayes hath blown against the Church of God is the malice of the Devil As the wind is invisible and yet the poor Disciples feel that it troubleth and letteth their Ship so the pestilent envy of the Devil worketh in Reprobates so subtily that it cannot be espied by Gods Elect nor by his Messengers till first they feel the blasts thereof to blow their Ship backward As the vehement wind causeth the waves of the Sea to rage and yet the dead water neither knoweth what it doth nor can cease from being troubled and troubling Christs Disciples in their poor Ship so by the envy and malice of the Devil are wicked and cruel both Subjects and Princes whose hearts are like the raging Sea compelled to persecute the true Church of Christ and yet so blinded that they see not their manifest iniquity nor can they cease to run to their own destruction The whole malice of the Devil hath alwayes this end to vex and overthrow Christs afflicted Church Albeit the Tyrants of the Earth have learned by long experience that they are never able to prevail against Gods Truth yet because they are bound Slaves to their Master the Devil they cannot cease to persecute the Members of Christ when the Devil bloweth his wind in the darkness of the night i. e. when the Light of Christs Gospel is taken away and the Devil reigneth by Idolatry Superstition and Tyranny It is fearful to be heard that the Devil hath such power over any man but yet the Word of God hath so instructed us and therefore we must believe it He is called the Prince and god of this world because he reigneth and is honoured by Tyranny and Idolatry in it He is called the Prince of darkness that hath power in the aire It is said he worketh in the children of unbelief c. And therefore wonder not that now the Devil rageth in his obedient Servants for this is their hour and power granted to them they cannot cease nor asswage their furious fumes for the Devil their Sire stirreth moveth and carrieth them at his will I do not attribute to him or them power at their pleasure but onely as God shall suffer When therefore I hear what the ravenous Lions do I pray O Lord those cruel Tyrants are loosed by thy hand to punish our former ingratitude whom we trust thou wilt not suffer to prevail for ever but when thou hast corrected us a little and hast declared to the world the tyranny that lurked in their boldened breasts then wilt thou break their jaw-bones and wilt shut them up in their Caves again that the generation and posterity following may praise thy holy Name before thy Congregation Amen I know that God shall yet shew mercy to his afflicted Church in England and repress the pride of these present Tyrants as he hath done those that were before us Therefore beloved Brethren in our Saviour Jesus Christ hold up to God your hands that are fainted through fear and hear the voice of your God who sweareth by himself that he will not suffer his Church to be oppressed for ever and that he will not despise our sobs to the end if we will rowe and strive against this vehement wind I mean if that ye will not turn back headlong to Idolatry then shall this storm be asswaged in despight of the Devil Be not moved from the sure Foundation of your Faith for albeit that Christ Iesus be absent from you as he was from his Disciples in that great storm by his bodily presence yet he is present by his mighty power and grace He standeth upon the mountain in security and rest i. e. his flesh and whole humanity is now in Heaven and can suffer no such trouble as once he did yet he is full of pity and compassion and doth consider all our travel anguish and labours wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he will suddenly appear to our great comfort The tyranny of this world cannot keep back his coming more then the blustering wind and raging Seas let Christ to come to his Disciples looking for present death We gave you warning of these dayes long ago for the reverence of Christs blood let these words be noted The same Truth that spake
stopt Romes breath And dead will be Romes death In this last Prayer Feb. 18. 1546. I pray God to preserve the Doctrine of his Gospel among us for the Pâ—pe and the Council of Trenâ— have grievous things in hand O heavenly Father my gracious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ thou God of all consolation I give thee hearty thanks that thou hast revealed to met thy Son Jesus Christ whom I believe whom I profess whom I glorifie whom the Pope and the reut of the wicked persecute and dishonour I beseech thee Lord Jesus Christ receive my soul. O my heavenly Father though I be taken out of this life and must lay down this frail body yet I certainly know that I shall live with thee eternally and that I cannot be taken out of thy hands Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou O God of Truth hast redeemed me In this last Will. O Lord God I thank thee that thou wouldst have me live a poor and indigent person upon earth I have neither house nor lands nor possessions nor money to leave Thou Lord hast given me Wife and children Them Lord I give back unto thee Nourish instruct and keep them O thou the Father of Orphans and Judge of the Widow as thou hast done to me so do to them When he saw his Daughter Magdalen ready to die he read to her Isa. 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise c. Adding My Daughter Enter thou into thy Chamber in peace I shall ere long â—e with thee for God will not permit me to see the punishment which hangs over the head of Germany When the Elector gave him a new Gown he said I am made too much of for if here we receive a full recompence for our labours we shall hope for none in another life I say flatly That God shall not put me off with these low things In the Cause of God said he I am content to undergo the hatred and violence of all the world When his head was out of order as it used to be towards his later end he would usually say Strike Lord strike mercifully I am prepared because by thy Word I am forgiven mine iniquities and have fed upon thy body and blood He used to say that three things would destroy Christian Religion Forgetfulness of the Blessings received by the Gospel security which reigns every where and worldly wisdome which will seek to bring all things into Order and to support the publick Peace by wicked counsels Erasmus said of him God hath given to this later age a sharp Physician and that because of the greatness of its diseases Mr. Fox saith of him That Luther a poor Fryer should be able to stand against the Pope was a great miracle that he should prevail against the Pope was a greater and after all to die in peace having so many enemies was the greatest of all When Myconius fell into a Consumption 1541. and wrote to Luther That he was sick unto life and not unto death Luther wrote back I pray Christ our Lord our salvation and health c. that I may not live to see thee and some others of our Colleagues to die and go to Heaven and leave me here among the Devils alone I pray God I may first lay down this dry exhausted and unprofitable Tabernacle Farewell and God forbid that I should hear of thy death while I live The Lord prolong thy life for me This I desire this I will and let my will be done Amen for this will hath the glory of God not my pleasure nor advantage for its end By and by hopeless Myconius recovered and lived six years longer even till after Luther's death Hence Iustus Ionas speaking of him saith That man could have of God what he pleased He would by no means endure that any should be called after his Name for said he the Doctrine which I teach is none of mine neither did Idie for any man neither would Paul 1 Cor. 3.4 c. endure such terms Besides we are all Christians and profess the Doctrine of Christ And lastly because the Papists use to do so calling themselves Pontificians whom we nought not to imitate M. Mallot Often have we hazarded our lives said Iohn Mallot a Souldier for the Emperour Charles the Fifth and shall we now shrink to die for the King of Kings Let us follow our Captain Man Thomas Man having broken Prison after his recantation said If I be taken again of the pild knave Priests I wist well I shall go the holy Angel and then be an Angel in Heaven Accordingly the Sheriffe of London when he had brought him into Smithfield to be burnt put him into Gods Angel He thanked God that he had been instrumental to convert seven hundred persons Marbeck Iohn Marbeck was a skilfull Organist in the Quire of Windsor a man of admirable industry and ingenuity His English Concordance the first that ever was in English Bishop Gardiner himself could not but commend as a piece of singular industry King Henry the Eighth hearing thereof said That he was better imployed then those Priests that accused him Being prest to discover Hereticks and being told he could not do God and the King greater service If I knew said he who were Hereticks indeed it were somewhat But if I should accuse him to be an Heretick that is none What a worm would that be in my conscience so long as I live Yea it were a great deal better for me to be out of this life then to live in such torment He being called a Dolt who would not discover them who should be sent for and would utter then all they can of him Whatsoever said he they shall say of me let them do it in the Name of God I will say no more of them nor of any man else then I know Being further prest to write down what he knew of such he thus prayed unto God O most merciful Father of Heaven thou that knowest the secret doings of all men have mercy upon thy poor Prisoner that is destitute of all help and comfort Assist me O Lord with thy special grace that to save this frail and vile body which shall turn to corruption in its time I have no power to say or to write any thing that may be to the casting away of my Christian Brother but rather O Lord let this vile flesh suffer at thy will and pleasure Grant this O most merciful Father for thy dear Son Jesus Christs sake Then he rose up and began to search his Conscience what he might write and at last writ thus Whereas your Lordship will have me to write of such things as I know not of my Fellows at home May it please your Lordship to understand that I cannot call to remembrance any manner of thing whereby I may justly accuse any one of them
been his Servant yet in all his time hath he not so much as once hurt me How then may I speak evil of my King and Sovereign Lord which hath thus preserved me The Proconsul still urging him to swear by Caesar's prosperity he replied If thou requirest this pretending that thou knowest not what I am Know then that I am a Christian and if thou desire to know the Doctrine of Christianity appoint a day and thou shalt hear I have thought it my duty thus to say unto you forsomuch as we are commanded to give unto the Governours and Powers ordained of God the hounour meet and due to them and not hurtfull unto us The Proconsul telling him he had wild Beasts to whom he would throw him unless he took a better way Polycarp said Let them come we have determined with our selves that we will not by repentance turn us from the better way to the worse but convenient it is that a man turn from things that be evil unto that which is good and just I will tame thee with fire replied the Proconsuâ— if thou set not by the wild Beasts nor yet repent Then said Polycarp you threaten me with fire which shall burn for the space of an hour and shall be within a little while after put out and extinguished but thou knowest not the fire of the judgement to come and of everlasting punishment which is reserved for the wicked and ungodly But why make you all these delayes Give me what death soever you list When they would have tyed him to the Stake with iron hoops he said Let me alone as I am For he that hath given me strength to come to the fire shall also give power that without this provision I shall abide and not stir in the midst of the fire When his hands were bound behind him he prayed thus O Father of thy welbeloved and blessed Son Iesus Christ by whom we have attained the knowledge of thee the God of Angels and Powers and of every creature and of all just men which live before thee I give thee thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to grant me this day that I may have my part among the Number of the Martyrs to drink of the Cup of Christ unto the resurrection of eternal Life both of body and soul through the operation of thy holy Spirit among whom I shall this day be received into thy sight for an acceptable sacrifice and as thou hast prepared and revealed the same before this time so thou hast accomplished the same O thou most true God which canst not lye Wherefore for all these things I praise thee I bless thee I glorifie thee by our everlasting Bishop Iesus Christ to whom be glory evermore Amen As soon as the fire was kindled some of his Church then present saw this marvellour thing The fire being like unto a Vault or Roof of an House and after the manner of a Shipmans Sail filled with wind compassed about the Martyr as with a certain Wall and he in the middle of the same not as Flesh that burned but as Gold and Silver when it is tried in the fire They smelt also a savour so sweet as if Myrrhe or some other precious Balm had given a scent When they saw that his body could not be consumed by fire one thrust him through with a Sword which being done so great a quantity of blood ran out of his body that the fire was quenched therewith Polycarp going with St. Iohn to a Bath at Ephesus and espying Cerinthus the Heretick in it said Eugiamus ocius c. Let us depart speedily for fear least the Bath wherein the Lords adversary is do fall upon us He so detested Hâ—reticks then when Marcion of his former acquaintance met him at Rome and wondring that he took no notice of him said unto him Dost thou not know me Polycâ—rp Yea said he I know thee well Thou art the eldest Son to the Devil His manner was to stop his ears if at any time he heard the wicked speeches of Heretieks and to â—â—un those very places where such speeches had been uttered He suffered Martyrdome in the seventh year of â—â—rus Anno Christi 170. and of his age 86. Praetorius Arias Praetorius the day before his death dream'd he saw a Coffin carried and asking whose it was he heard this answer That Christ was to be laid in his Sepulcher and that he should speedily follow him When he awaked he concluded his own death was not far off Whereupon he cried out He that followeth Christ walks well not in darkness Jesus be thou merciful to me a miserable sinner and draw me after thy self Prest Prest's Wife being asked by the Bishop of Exeter Whether she had not an Husband She answered That she had an Husband and Children and had them not So long as she was at liberty she refused neither Husband nor Children but now standing here as I do said she in the Cause of Christ and his Truth where I must forsake Christ or my Husband I am contented to stick onely to Christ my heavenly Spouse and renounce the other Here she making mention of the words of Christ He that leaveth not Father or Mother Sister or Brother or Husband c. The Bishop told her That Christ spake that of the holy Martyrs which died because they would not sacrifice to the false gods so said she I will rather die then I will do any worship to that foul Idol which with your Mass you make a god The Bishop telling her That if she had been an honest woman she would not have left her Husband and Children and run about the Countrey like a Fugitive She told him Sir I laboured for my living and as my Master Christ counselleth me When I was persecuted in one City I fled into another When I would have my Husband and Children to leave Idolatry and to worship God in Heaven he with his Children rebuked men and troubled me I fled not for whoredome nor for theft but because I would not be partaker with him and his of that foul Idol the Mass. During a Moneths liberty which was granted her by the Bishop she went into the Cathedral at Exeter and seeing a Dutchman making new Noses to certain fine Images which were disfigured in King Edwards time What a mad man art thou said she to make them new Noses which within a few dayes shall all lose their heads The Dutchman accused her and laid it hard to her charge and she said unto him Thou art accursed and so are thy Images He called her Whore Nay said she thy Images are Whores and thou art a Whore-hunter for doth not God say You go a whoring after strange gods figures of your own making When judgement was given against her she lifted up her voice and said I thank thee my Lord my God this day have I found that I long sought This favour they pretended after her Judgement That
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