right Yet said Rolph take heed of him he is a blood-sucker c. I fear not said Alcock he shall do no more to me than God will give him leave and happy shall I be if God will call me to dye for his Truths sake In his first Letter to Hadley he writes thus O my Brethren of Hadley why are ye so soon turned from them which called you into the Grace of Christ to another Doctrine Though those should come unto you that have been your true Preachers and preach another way of salvation then by Jesus Christs death and passion hold them accursed yea if it were an Angel came from Heaven and would tell you that the sacrifice of Christs body upon the Cross once for all were not sufficient for all the sins of all those that shall be saved accursed be he Why cometh this plague upon us Cometh not this upon thee because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Thine own wickedness shall reprove thee and thy turning away shall condemn thee that thou mayest know how evil and hurtful a thing it is that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Algerius Pomponius Algerius Fox Vol. 2. pag. 181. whilst he was a Prisoner at Venice before he was burnt at Rome writ thus in his comfortable Letter to the Christians departed out of Babylon into Mount Sion To mitigate your sorrow which you take for me I cannot but impart unto you some portion of my joyes which I feel to the intent you may rejoyce with me I shall utter that which scarce any will believe I have found a nest of honey an honey-comb in the entrails of a Lion In the deep dark Dungeon I have found a Paradise of pleasure In the place of sorrow and death tranquility of hope and life when others do weep I do rejoyce when others do shake and tremble there I have found plenty of strength and boldness in strait bands and cold irons I have had rest Behold he that was once far from me now is present with me whom once I could scarce feel I now see most apparently whom once I saw afar off now I behold near at hand whom once I hungred for the same now approacheth and reacheth his hand unto me he doth comfort me and heapeth me up with gladness he driveth away all bitterness he ministreth strength and courage c. O how easie and sweet is the Lords yoke Learn ye well-beloved how amiable the Lord is how meek and merciful who visiteth his servants in temptations neither disdaineth he to keep company with us in such vile and stinking Caves Will the blind and incredulous world think you believe this or rather will it not say thus No thou wilt never be able to abide long the burning heat the pinching hardness of that place c. The rebukes and frowning faces of great men how wilt thou suffer Dost not thou consider thy pleasant Countrey the Riches of the World thy Kinsfolk the delicate pleasures and Honours of this life Dost thou forget the solace of thy Sciences and fruit of all thy Labours Wilt thou thus lose all thy labours which thou hast hitherto sustained Finally fearest thou not death which hangeth over thee O what a fool art thou which for one words speaking mayest salve all this and wilt not But now to answer Let this blind world hearken to this again What heat can there be more burning then that fire which is prepared for thee hereafter What things more hard and sharp and crooked than this present life which we lead What thing more odious and hateful than this world here present And let these worldly men here answer me What Countrey can we have more sweet than the Heavenly Countrey above What treasures more rich or precious than everlasting life and who be our Kinsmen but they which hear the Word of God Where be greater riches or dignities more honourable than in Heaven And as touching the Sciences let this foolish world consider Be not they ordained to know God whom unless we do know all our labours our night-watchings our studies and all our enterprises here serve to no purpose all is but labour lost Furthermore let the miserable worldly men answer me What remedy or safe refuge can there be unto him who lacks God who is the life medicine of all men how can he be said to fly from death when he himself is already dead in sin If Christ be the way verity life how can there be any life without Christ The solely heat of the Prison to me is coldness the cold winter to me is a fresh spring in the Lord. He that feareth not to be burned in the fire how will he fear the heat of weather Or what careth he for the pinching frost which burneth for the love of the Lord The place is sharp and tedious to them that be guilty but to the innocent it is mellifluous Here droppeth the delectable dew here floweth the pleasant Nectar here runneth the sweet milk here is plenty of all good things In this world there is no mansion firm to me and therefore I will travel up to the New Jerusalem which is in Heaven and which offereth it self to me without paying any Fine or Income I have travelled hitherto laboured and sweat early and late watching day and night and now my travels begin to come to effect What man can now cavil that these our labours are lost which have followed and found out the Lord and Maker of the World and which have changed death with life If to dye in the Lord be not to dye but to live most joyfully where is this wretched worldly Rebel which blameth us of folly for giving away our lives unto death O how delectable is this death to me to taste of the Lords Cup. I am accused of foolishness for that I do not rid my self out of these troubles when with one word I may But doth not Christ say Fear not them which kill the body but him which killeth both body and soul and whosoever shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father which is in Heaven and he that denyeth me before men him will Falso deny before my Heavenly Father Seeing the words of the Lord be so plain how or by what authority will this wise Counsellor approve this his counsel which he doth give God forbid that I should relinquish the commandements of God and follow the counsels of men for it is written Blessed is the man that hath not gone in the way of sinners and hath not stood in the counsel of the ungodly c. Psal 1.1 God forbid I should deny Christ where I ought to confess him I will not set more by my life then by my soul neither will I exchange the life to come for this world here present This Letter he underwrit thus From the delectable Orchard of Leonine Prison 12 Calend. August An. 1555. Allen. Sir Edmond Tyrrel bidding Rose
my friends get ye hence The presence of God to whose goodness I commend my soul is abundantly sufficiently for me Colver Sheep we are for the slaughter said Francis Colver to his two Sons Ward pa. 163. massacred together with himself this is no new thing let us follow millions of Martyrs through temporal death unto eternal life Coo. Roger Câ—â— being asked by the Bishop of Norwich Fox Vol. 3419. whether he would not obey the Kings Laws answered As far as they agree with the Word of God I will obey them Whether they agree with the Word of God or no we are bound to obey them said the Bishop though the King were an Infidel Coo replyed If Shadrach Meshach and Abednego had so done Nebuchadnezzar had never confessed the Living God Constantine Being carried with other Martyrs in a Dung-Cart to the place of Execution Ward pa. 154. he spake thus Well yet are we a precious odour and a sweet savour to God in Christ Cornford John Cornford one of the last five that suffered Martyrdome in Queen Mary's dayes when the Sentence should have been passed Fox Vol. 3. pag. 893. and they should have been executed by the Papists being moved in Spirit with a vehement zeal for God in the name of them all pronounced Sentence of Excommunication against the Papists in these words In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the most mighty God and by the power of the holy Spirit and the authority of his holy and Apostolick Church We do hereby give into the hands of Satan to be destroyed the bodies of those Blasphemers and Hereticks that do maintain any errour against his most holy Word or do condemn his most holy Truth for Heresie to the maintenance of any false Church or seigned Religion so that by this thy just judgment against thy Adversaries thy true Religion may be known to thy great glory and our comfort to the edifying of all our Nation Lord Jesus So be it It is observable that within six dayes after this Excommunication Quen Mary died and the tyranny of all English Papists with her Conlogue Brethren and Sisters said Peter Conlogue of Breda at the Stake be you alwayes obedient to the Word of God and fear not those that can kill the body Fox Vol. 3. pag. 50. for on the soul they can have no power as for me I am now going to meet my glorious Spouse the Lord Jesus Christ Cranmer When Dr. Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury was Excommunicated he said Fox Vol. 3. pag. 92. From this your Judgement and Sentence I appeal to the just Judgement of God Almighty trusting to be present with him in Heaven for whose presence in the Altar I am thus condemned In his Letter to Mr. Wilkinson Pa. 677. The true Comforter in all distresses is onely God through his Son Jesus Christ Whosoever hath him hath Comfort enough although he were in a Wilderness all alone He that hath twenty thousand in his company if God be absent is in a miserable Wilderness In him is all comfort and without him is none Wherefore I beseech you seek your dwelling there where you may truly and rightly serve God dwell in him have him ever dwelling in you After he had recanted and was brought to Saint Mary'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 Pa. 669. 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 that you set not your minds overmuch upon this glozing World but upon God and the World to come to learn to know what this Lesson meaneth which St. John teacheth That the Love of this World is hatred against God Let rich men consider and weigh three Scriptures Luke 18. It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heavin 1 John 3. He that hath the substance 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 howl for the miseries that are coming upon you your riches are corrupted Another exhortion is That next under God you obey your King and Queen willingly gladly without murmuring or grudging They are Gods Ministers 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 than 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 writing 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 Jesus receive my spirit Cromwel Thomas Lord Cromwel Earl of Essex Fox Vol. 2. pag. 529. 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 â—erceiving 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 Seaffold O Lord Jesus Pa. 515. 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 will in better wise restore it to me again at the last day in the resurrection of the Just I see and acknowledge there is in my self no hope of salvation but all my considence hope and trust is in
Allen to give her Father and Mother good counsel Fox Vol. 3. pag. 830. that they might become good Catholicks Sir said she they have a better Instructor than I for the Holy Ghost doth teach them I hope who I trust will not suffer them to erre Thereupon the Knight said It is time to look to such Hereticks Sir said she with that which you call Heresie do I worship my Lord God Then I perceive said Tyrrel you will burn with the rest for company No Sir said she not for company but for my Christs sake if so I be compelled and I hope in his mercies if he call me to it he will enable me to bear it To try her Tyrrel burnt the wrist of her hand with a candle till the very sinews crackt asunder saying often to her What whore wilt not thou cry To which she answered That she had no cause she thanked God but rather to rejoyce You said she have more cause to weep than I if you consider the matter well At last she said Sir have you done what you will do He answering yea and if thou think it be not well then mend it She replied Mend it Nay the Lord mend you and give you repentance if it be his will and now if you think it good to begin at the feet and burn the head also She being asked by one how she could abide the painful burning of her hand She said at first it was some grief to her but afterward the longer she burned the less she felt even well near none at all Almondus My Body dies said Almondus a Via my Spirit lives Gods Kingdom abides ever Ward c. pag. 157. God hath now given me the accomplishment of all my desires Alost Francis d' Alost Fox Vol. 3. Cont. p. 34. a Cutler in Flanders being conducted to Prison said Now you have taken me you think to deprive me of life and thereby to bring great damage to me but you are deceived for it is all one as if you took counters from me to fill my hand with a great sum of gold As he went to suffer he used that speech of the Apostle St. Peter I must now shortly put off this my earthly tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.10 which the love of Jesus my Lord constraineth me to do 2 Cor. 5.14 Amachue Turn said he the other side also Ward pa. 141. least raw flesh offend you Ambrose I have not so lived said he that I am ashamed to live longer Ward pa. 139 140. nor yet fear I death because I have a good Lord. To Calignon Valentinians Eunuch threatning death he said Well do you that which becomes an Eunuch I will suffer that which becomes a Bishop Andrew When the Proconsul threatned Andrew the Apostle with the Cross Fox Vol. 1 pag. 43. if he left not off his preaching I would never said he have preached the Doctrine of the Cross if I had feared the suffering of the Cross When he came to the Cross on which he was to be crucified he said O Cross most welcome and long look'd for with a willing mind joyfully I come to thee being the Scholar of him that did hang on thee Ward pa. 138. welcome O Christ longed and looked for I am the Scholar of him that was crucified long have I coveted to embrace thee in whom I am what I am Anvil Frederick Anvil of Bearne Ward pag. 156. to the Friers that willed him to call on the Virgin Mary three times repeated Thine O Lord is the Kingdom thine is the power and glory for ever and ever Let us fight let us fight Avant Satan avant Apprice Bonner asking John Apprice what he thought of the Sacrament of the Altar he answered Fox Vol. 3. pag. 700. The Doctrine you teach is so agreeable to the world and embraced of the same that it cannot be agreeable to the Word of God Ardley John Ardley being urged by Bonner to recant Fox Vol. 3. pag. 253. cryed out If every hair of my head were a man I would suffer death for my Religion Being again sollicited to recant No God forbid said he that I should do so for then I shall lose my soul Arethusius Marcus Arethusius having at the command of Constantinus pulled down a certain Temple Fox Vol 1. pag. 128. dedicated to Idols and instead thereof built up a Church where the Christians might congregate under Julianus he was beaten cast into a filthy sink put into a basket anointed with honey and broth hung abroad in the heat of the Sun as meat for Wasps to feed on hereby it was hoped he would be enforced either to build up again the Temple which he had destroyed or else give so much money as would pay for the building of the same This good man whilest he hung in the basket did not onely conceal his pains but derided those wicked instruments of his torments calling them base low terrene people and himself exalted and set on high when they told him they would be contented with a small sum of money from him He said It is as great a wickedness to confer one half-penny in case of impiety as if a man should bestow the whole Askew Mrs. Jane Askew being called by the Bishop of Winchester a Parrot told him that she was ready to suffer not onely his rebukes but all things that should follow besides yea and all that gladly To her Confession in Newgate she thus subscribed Written by me Jane Askew who neither wish death nor fear its might and as merry as one bound towards Heaven In her Confession of her Faith she saith Though God hath given me the bread of adversity and the waters of trouble yet not so much as my sins have deserved When Nicholas Sharton counselled her to recant as he had done she said It had been good for him never to have been born In an Answer to a Letter of Mr. Lacell's she writ thus O Friend most dearly beloved in God I marvail not a little what should move you to judge in me so slendar a faith as to fear death which is the end of all misery In the Lord I desire you not to believe of me such weakness for I doubt not but God will perform his work in me like as he hath begun When Wrisley Lord Chancellor sent to her Letters at the Stake offering her the Kings pardon if she would recant she refusing once to look upon them gave this answer That she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master Attalus He answered to every question Ward pa. 240. I am a Christian Being fired in an iron Chain Behold said he O you Romans this is to eat man's flesh which you falsly object to us Christians Audebert Blessed be God said Anne Audebert of Orleance for this Wedding Girdle meaning the Chain my first marriage was on this Lords Day Ward pa. 154. and now my second to my Spouse and Lord
Faith Burroughs in Moses Self-denial pa. 117. And first of all great preferments were offered him Basil rejected them with scorn Offer these things said he to Children When he was afterwards threatned grievously Threaten said he your Purple Gallants that give themselves to their pleasures When the Emperors Messenger promised him great preferment Alas Sir Clarks Lives Part 1. pag. 101. said this Bishop of Caesarea these speeches are fit to catch little Children that look after such things but we that are taught and nourished by the holy Scriptures are ready to suffer a thousand deaths rather than to suffer one syllable or tittle of the Scripture to be altered When the Emperour threatned to banish him Leighs Saints Encouragements in evil times pag. 9. c. if he obeyed not he said Those Bag-bears were to be propounded to Children but for his part though they might take away his life yet they could not hinder him from professing the Truth When Modestus the Praefect asked him Clark pag. 101. Know you not who we are that command it No body said Basil whilst you command such things Know ye not said the Praefect that we have Honours to bestow upon you They are but changeable said Basil like your selves Hereupon he threatned to confiscate his Goods to torment him to banish him or kill him he answered He need not fear confiscation that had nothing to lose nor banishment to whom Heaven onely is a Countrey nor torments when his body would be dash'd with one blow nor death which is the onely way to set him at liberty The Praefect telling him he was Mad he said Opto me in aeternum sic delirare I wish I may for ever be thus Mad. The Praefect another time threatning him with death he said Would it would fall out so well on my side that I might lay down this carkass of mine in the quarrel of Christ and in the defence of his Truth who is my Head and Captain The Praefect desiring that he would not by rashly answering throw himself away offered him a day and night to consider further of it but Basil said I have no need to take further counsel about this matter Look what I am to day the same thou shalt find me to morrow but I pray God that thou change not thy mind Benden Alice Benden For Vol. 3. pag. 796. when she was in Prison at Canterbury agreed with a fellow Prisoner to live both of them with two pence half penny a day to try thereby how well they could sustain penury and hunger before they were put to it At her first coming into the Bishops Prison she was much troubled and expostulated why her Lord did suffer her to be sequestred from her loving Fellows in so extreme misery But was comforted by these words Why art thou so heavy O my soul The right hand of the Lord can change all At the stake she took forth a shilling of Philip and Mary which her father had bowed and sent her when she was first in Prison desiring her Brother there present to return the same to her Father again that he might understand she never lacked money whilst she lay in Prison Bennet Mr. Thomas Bennet a School-master in Exceter For Vol. 2. 314. being press'd by a Doctor a Gray Frier to recant for putting upon the doors of the Cathedral in Schedules That the Pope is Antichrist and that we ought to worship God onely and not the Saints said I take God to record my life is not dear to me I am weary of it seeing your detestable doings to the utter destruction of Gods flock so that I desire death that I may no longer be partaker of your detestable idolatries and superstitions or be subject unto Antichrist your Pope Away from me I pray you vex my soul no longer ye shall not prevail If I should hear and follow you this day everlasting death should hang over me a just reward for them that prefer the life of this world before life eternal Berger Peter Berger burnt at Lions 1553. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 140. beholding the multitude at the stake said Great is the Harvest Lord send Labourers I see the heavens open to receive me Betken When she was brought to the Rack she said Fox Vol. 3. Suppl p. 49 My Masters wherefore will you put me to this torture seeing I have no way offended you Is it for my Faith's sake you need not torment me for that for as I was never ashamed to make confession thereof no more will I be now at this present before you I will freely shew you my mind therein But for all this when they proceeded on with what they intended Alas my Masters said she If it be so that I must suffer this pain then give me leave first to call upon God Her request they granted whilst she was praying one of the Commissioners was so surprised with fear and terrour that by and by he swouned and could not be fetcht again and so she escaped the torture Bilney Mr. Fox Vol. 2 pag. 268. Thomas Bilney in a Letter to Dr. Tonstal Bishop of London he gives this account of his conversion The woman which was twelve years vexed with the bloudy Flux had consumed all that she had upon Physicians and yet was still worse and worse until such time as she came to Christ and after she had once touched the hem of his vesture through faith she was healed O mighty power of the most High which I also most miserable sinner have ofâ—en tasted and felt Before I came to Christ I had likewise spent all I had upon ignorant Physicians They appointed me Fastings Watchings buying of Pardons and Masses c. But at last I heard speak of Jesus even then when the New Testament was first set out by Erasmus At first I was allured to read rather for the Latine having heard it was eloquently done than for the Word of God At the first reading I hit upon this sentence of Sr. Paul O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul in 1 Tim. 1. It is a true saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief This sentence through Gods instruction and inward working did so exhilarate my heart being before wounded with the guilt of my sins insomuch that my bruised bones leapt for joy after this the Scripture began to be more pleasant to me then the honey or the honey-comb Therein I learned that all my Travels all my Fasting and Watching all the redemption of Masses and Pardons without faith in Christ were but a hasty and swift running out of the right way or else much like the vesture made of Fig-leaves wherewithall Adam and Eve went about in vain to cover their nakedness and could never obtain quietness and rest till they believed in the promise of God that Christ the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents
of faith the passage of death shall be the more desired It is like a sailing over the sea to thy home and countrey it is like a medicine or purgation to the health of the soul and body It is the best Physician It is like a woman in travail for as the child â—eing delivered cometh into a more large place than the womb wherein it did lye before so the soul being delivered out of the body cometh into a much more large and fair place even into Heaven In his Prayer for the remission of sins Pa. 224 225. O gracious God who seekest all means possible how to bring thy children to the see ling and sure sense of thy mercy and therefore when prosperity will not serve then sendest thou adversity graciously correcting them here whom thou wilt shall with thee elsewhere live for ever We poor Misers give humble praises and thanks to thee Dear Father that thou hast vouchsafed us worthy of thy correction at this present hereby to work that which we in prosperity and liberty did neglect For the which neglecting and many other our grievous sins whereof we now accuse our selves before thee most merciful Lord thou mightest have most justly given us over and destroyed both souls and bodies But such is thy goodness towards us in Christ that thou seemest to forget all our offences and wilt that we should suffer this Cross now lay'd upon us for thy Truth and Gospels sake and so to be thy witnesses with the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Confessors yea with thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion us like Pa. 226. 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 more thy Truth unto us to confirm strengthen and stablish us so in the same that we may live and dye 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 than 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 See the godly Meditations of Mr. John Bradford pag. 415. We are rather to be placed among the wicked than 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 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 Pag. 6. O what now may we do Despair no for thou art God therefore good thou art merciful therefore thou forgivest sins with thee is mercy propitiation 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 Pag. 7. 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 only 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 Pag. 11. Take into thy custody and governance for ever our souls and bodies our lives and all that ever we have Tempt us never further than thou wilt make us able to bear and alwayes as thy children guide us so that our life may please thee 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 thraldom under their enemies in exile in prison poverty c. Pag. 12. 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 Pag. 49. 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 Kingdom by thy eternal purpose free mercy and grace but yet as strangers wandring in this vile vale of misery brought forth daily by worldly Tyrants like Sheep to the flaughter Thou hast destroyed Pharaob 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 Pag. 50. 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 transform and change proud Nebuchadnezzar the enemy of thy people into a bruit beast to eat grass and hay to the horrible terrour of all worldly Tyrants c. Thou didst preserve those thy three Servants in 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 Pag. 51. and savedst unhurt
to sist thee yet Christ thy good Captain pray'd that thy faith should not fail God's strength is made perfect by thy weakness c. But alas I lye like the lame man at the Pools side and every one goeth into the place of health before me In his Letter to William Tyms Satan hath two great pieces of Ordnance to shoot at you with the which he cannot hurt you because you have two bul-warks to defend you The first of these terrible Guns that he hath shot at you is fear and infidelity for the uglesomness of death and horrour of your many and great sins But this pellet is easily put away with the sure shield of faith in the most precious death and bloodshedding of our dear Lord and onely Saviour Jesus Christ whom the Father hath given to us wholly to be ours for evermore and with him hath given us all things as Paul saith so that though we be never so great sinners yet Christ is made unto us holiness righteousness and justification He hath clothed us in all his merits c. and taken to himself all our sin c. so that if any should be now condemned for the same it must needs be Jesus Christ who hath taken them upon him But indeed he hath made satisfaction for them to the uttermost so that for his sake they shall never be imputed to us if they were a thousand times more than they be The other pestilent Piece he shooteth off at you is to provoke you to put some part of your trust and considence in your self and in your own holiness and righteousness that you may that way rob God of his glory and Christ of the honour and dignity of his death but blessed be the Lord God you have also a full strong Bâ—l-work to beat back this pestilent Pellet even the pure Law of God which proveth the best of us all damnable sinners in the sight of God and that our best works are polluted in such sort as the Prophet describes them with the which manner of speaking our free-will Pharisees are much offended for it felleth all mans righteousness to the ground In his Letter to Mr. Augustine Bernher Pray for me that I may be strong hardy to lay a good load on that bloody beast of Babylon O that I might so strike him down that he should never be able to rise again but that stroke belongeth onely to the Lord to strike at his coming which I hope will be shortly Carpenter All Bavaria said George Carpenter is not so dear to me as my wife and children Ward pag. 156. yet for Christs sake I will forsake them cheerfully Carver Mr. Derick Carver Fox Vol. 3. pag. 385. being asked by Bonner whether he would stand for his Confession answered He would for your Doctrine is poyson and forcery If Christ were here you would put him to a worse death than he was put to before At the stake he spake thus Dear Brethren and Sisters I am come here to seal with my blood Christs Gospel because that I know it to be true As many of you as do believe upon the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost unto everlasting life see you do the works pertaining to the same As many of you as do believe on the Pope of Rome you do believe to your utter condemnation and except the great mercy of God prevent not you shall burn in Hell perpetually In his Prayer O Lord my God thou hast written He that will not forsake wife children house and all that ever he hath and take up his cross and follow thee is not worthy of thee Lord thou knowest that I have forsaken all to come unto thee Lord have mercy upon me for unto thee I commend my Spirit and my soul doth rejoyce in thee Chrysostome Eudaxia the Emperess having sent him a very threatning message he gave this answer Go Clark ' s first Volume of Lives pag. 145. tell her Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but sin When she had procured his banishment as he went forth of the City he said None of these things trouble me but I said within my self if the Queen will let her banish me the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof if she will let her cast me into the sea I will remember Jonah if she will let her cast me into a burning fiery Furnace or among wild beasts the three children Daniel were so dealt with if she will let her stone me or cut off my head I have St. Stephen and the Baptist my blessed Companions if she will let her take away all my substance Naked came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither again He used to say the Devil 's first assault is violent resist that and his second will be weaker and that being resisted he proves a Coward Clarebachius I believe said Adolphus Clarebachius that there is not a merrier heart in the world at this instant than mine is Ward pag. 159. Behold you shall see me die by that faith I have lived in Cobham See Sir John Oldcastle under the Letter O Clark When Roger Clark was sentenced Fox Vol. pag. 569. he said with much vehemency Fight for your God for he hath not long to continue At the Stake he cried out to the people Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Coligni Jasper Coligni Fox Vol. 3 pag. 57. Clarks Martyrology c. pag. 41. of his life great Admiral of France who was slain in the Massacre at Paris August 24. 1572. being shot in the left Arm with two Bullets and the fore singer of the right hand broke off with a third and being told by a Gentleman that it was to be feared the Bullets were poysoned he said All must be as it pleaseth God Seeing his Friends weep which held his Arm whilst the Incisions were made he said My Friends why do you weep I judge my self happy that bear these wounds for the Cause of my God To Mr. Merlin his Chaplain he said These wounds my Friend are Gods blessings The smart indeed is troublesome but I acknowledge the will of my Lord therein and I bless his Majests who hath been pleased thus to honour me and to lay any pain upon me for his holy Names sake Let us beg of him that he will enable me to persevere to the end Speaking concerning those that wounded him I know assuredly said he that it is not in their power to hurt me No though they should kill me for my death is a most certain passage to eternal life N When the Blood-hounds brake open the house where he lay wounded he spake thus I perceive what is a doing I was never afraid of death and I am ready to undergo it patiently for which I have long since prepared my self I bless God that I shall die in the Lord. I now need no longer any help of man therefore
thy most merciful goodness Thou merciful Lord wast born for thy sake didst suffer hunger 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 sport and soulness of my sins let thy righteousness hide and cover my unrighteousness Cyprian He went in the time of Persecution into voluntary Banishment Clark's first Volume of Lives pag. 51. Leigh's Saints Encouragements in evil times pag. 10. lest as he said he should do more hurt than good to the Congregation When he heard the sentence pronounced against him he said I thank God for freeing me from the Prison of this Body He said Amen to his own sentence of Martyrdome The Proconsul bidding him consult 〈…〉 it he answered In so just a Cause there needs no deliberation D. Daigerfield William Daigerfield and Joan his Wise who then gaue 〈◊〉 to her tenth child being imprisoned in several Prisons Fox Vol. 3â— pag. 759. Bishop Brooks sent for the man and told him that his Wise had recanted and so perswathod him to recant and so sent him to his Wife with a Form of Recantation with him which when his Wife say her heart clave in sunder and she dried out Alas Husband this long we have contributed one and hath Satan so far prevailed with you as to cause you to break the Voâ—â— which you made to God in Baptisme Hereupon 〈◊〉 bewailed his promise 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 〈…〉 to pass Damlip Mr. Adam Damlip Fox Vol. 2. pag. 564. 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 earnestly 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 than here to remain and nor 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 mercy and did eat his meat as well as over 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 for near his death Al 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 will strengthen me therein When he was told that his four Quarters should he hanged at four parts of Calice and his Head upon the Lanthern-gate Then shall I not need said he to provide for my Burial Dilos Alas said James Delos to the Monks that called him proud Heretick here I get nothing but shame Ward pag. 1151. I expect indeed preferment hereafter Denley Mr. John Denley being entreated by Bishop Bonner to recant said Fox Vol. 3. pag. 388. God save me from your Counsel In the Fire with the burning flame about him he sung a Psalm and having his face hurt with a Fagot hurled at him he left singing for a while and clapt his 〈◊〉 in his bleeding face and afterwards put his hands abroad and â—ung again till he died Dionysius Dionystus Arâ—pagâ—â—a who seeing the general Eclipse of the Sun at Christ's death Clarks first volume of Lives p. 12. said to one Either the God of Nature now suffers or the frame of the World shall be dissolved and to another God unknown in the flesh doth suffer When he was apprehended by Sisinius the Praesect and sharply reproved for preaching against the worship of their Gods and required to confess his errour said That they were no gods whom they worshipped but Idols the works of mens hands and that it was through meer ignorance solly and idolatry that they adored them adding that there was but one true God as he had preached After he was grievously tormented he was brought before Sisinius the second time who sentenced him to be beheaded forthwith Dyonisius told him he worshipped such Gods as would perish like Dung upon the Earth but as for my self said he come life come death I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth He pray'd thus at his death O Lord God Almighty thou onely begotten Son and Holy Spirit O Sacred Trinity which are without beginning and in whom is no division Receive the soul of thy Servant in peace who is put to death for thy Cause and Gospel He used to say That he desired these two thingâ— of God 1 That he might know the Truth himself and 2 That he might preach it as he ought to others Driver Alice Driver in her first Examination Fox Vol. 3. pag. 886. having got her Adversaries to acknowledge that a Sacrament is a sign and that it was Christ's Body his Disciples did eat the night before he was crucified Seeing it is said she a sign it cannot be the thing signified and how could it be Christs Body that was crucified seeing his Disciples had eaten him up over night except he had two Bodies At the end of her second Examination Pa. 887. She said Have you no more to say God be honoured You be not able to resist the Spirit of God in me a poor Woman I was an honest poor man's Daughter never brought up in the University as you have been but I have driven the Plough before my Father many a time I thank God yet notwithstanding in the desence of God's Truth and in the Cause of my Mr. Christ by his Grace I will set my foot against the foot of any of you all in the maintenance and defence of the same and if I had a thousand lives they should go for payment thereof When she was tied to the Stake Fox Vol. 3 pag. 888. and the iron Chain put about her neck O said she here is a goodly Neckerchief blessed be God for it Drowry Thomas Drowry the blind Boy Fox Vol. 3. pag. 703. to whom Bishop Hooper as he was going to the Stake after he had examined him said Ah poor Boy God hath taken from thee thy outward sight but he hath given thee another sight much more precious He that endued thy soul with the eye of Knowledge and Faith Shortly after Bishop Hooper's Martyrdome was cast into Prison Afterwards the Chancellor of Glocester asking him who taught him that Heresie that Christ's Body was not really present in the Sacrament of the Altar he said You Mr. Chancellor when in yonder
keep us and also comfort us with the Holy Ghost and set our Conscience at peace and make us be glad in God Pag. 69 c. c. Christian patience hath certain conditions whereby it is known to be true patience 1 It grudgeth not neither excuseth it self as though it should suffer unworthily for his sins wherefore he sitteth down and holdeth his peace as Jeremiah saith 2 It casteth all carefulness on God and committeth it self wholly to God that Gods will be done and not his 3 It humbleth himself and casteth off the pleasures of the World A Prep to the Cross Pag. 70. 4 He is merry and ready to suffer yet more heavy and grievous evils We must look for help in all afflictions for God promiseth his help saying I am with you Fear ye not I will strengthen you But the manner Pag. 72. time and kind of help is unknown unto us that Faith and Hope may have place which sticketh to these things which are not seen nor heard God delivereâ—â— when most need is Pag. 76. that his glory may shine the brighter He will therefore help Pag. 89. when we be in â— manner compelled to despair in all humane help and when all carnal counsel deceiveth us for God only will be glorified He doth prolong help for our utility and profit Pa. 91. that he might exercise and prove Faith by temptation so that he onely might possess the title and name of Helper He that believeth makes not haste Pag. 92 93. He which yet seems a far off shall appear at the end and shall not lye although he tarry yet look for him for he is coming and at the last he shall come and shall not be slow It is also a great comfort to them that be in affliction to remember that they have Christ See cha 12 of the Prep to the Cross l. 1. and c. 12. l. 2. See p. 105. and his Prophets and Apostles and all good and holy men for their examples Furthermore it is a great comfort to the godly that the wicked whom God doth use as a rod to scourge the godly go not clear away without punishment whom he maketh either shamefully ashamed or through their own counsel he doth take them and bringeth them into the same destruction which they themselves have studied and found out for others The cause is For he that huâ—teth one faithful Pa. 109 110. wrongeth not onely him but God who doth revenge the injury and wrong done to the faithful as injury done to himself He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Saul Saul why persecutest thou me If thou beest tempted concerning the Gospel Pa. 136 c. or suffering persecution for the Gospel think of these Scriptures He that receiveth not my Cross and follows not me is not worthy of me If any man will come after me let him forsake himself and take his Cross and follow me For he that will save his soul shall lose it Contrariwise he that loseth his soul for my sake shall find it He that will confess me before men I will confess him before my Father The Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy The Servant is not above his Lord all they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution If thou must dye and leave Wife and Children and thy dear Friends say The Lord shall be their Defender for God both will and is able to cherish mine to nourish and defend them for he is the Father of the fatherless and the Widows Husband I forget things behind my back See also chap. 16. l. 2. and endeavour my self to those things that are before my face They that have Wives let them be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not If Satan say thou must forsake the world what then Answer thou contrariwise I shall attain Heaven For blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. All the world lyeth in wickedness All that are born of God overcome the world and this is the victory which overcometh the world our faith All the world shall perish with its lusts and desires Love not the world nor the things of the world We are strangers in this world citizens of Heaven Ye sons of men why love ye vanities and seek lies how long love you infancy or childhood The godly have most comfort See p. 176 c. of the Preparation c. though in this life they be as sheep ordained to be flain and seem forsaken of God c. yet they do not despair no not in death but are sure they shall pass through death to life eternal c. Also they have this comfort that their death is good and precious they also know that through Christs death death is overcome and abolished Pa. 180. Christ by his death hath changed their death into a sleep Such as be at the point of death Pa. 184. ought to take comfort and be strong in that they know that they carry with them both Letter and Token which is Baptisme whereby their death is incorporate with the death of Christ and that it is not their death so much as the death of Christ Wherefore let them surely trust that they shall overcome as that death of Christ hath overcome Pa. 191. Unto the godly it is a great comfort that they know that death is not in the power of Tyrants nor put into the hand of any Creature least they should be much troubled c. they shall onely die when it pleaseth the Lord. We cannot live any longer than the Lord hath appointed and we shall not die Pa. 193. though we be in the greatest peril and extream jeopardy before our hour Then wherefore should they fear death Pa. 202. they cannot live longer than God hath appointed nor die any sooner It is the comfort of the godly in all adversity See pag. 205 c. that through the Grace of God they shall be revived and raised up as well the body as the soul the souls to Justice the bodies to Glory This hope the wicked have not Pa. 223 224. c. It is a great comfort that affliction shall not endure continually and the afflictions of this time are not worthy of the Glory which shall be shewed upon us Our trouble which is but temporal and light worketh an exceeding eternal weight of Glory unto us who look not on the things that are seen but on them which are not seen If a man praise a very fool saith Mr. Frith in his Preface to his Mirrour and think his wit good and profound he is indeed more fool than the other Thus seeing man praiseth and commends riches honour c. and such other vain and transitory things which are but as a dream and vanish like a flower of the field when a man should have most need of them he himself is more vain than
those things which are but vanity If God hath opened the eyes of thy mind saith the Mirrour it self and have given thee Spirit Wâ—sdome through the knowledge of his Word See the glass to know thy self p. 13. 14 c. boast not thy self of it but rather fear and tremble for a chargeable Office is committed unto theâ— which if thou fulfil it is like to cost thee thy life at one time or other with much trouble and persecution but if thou fulfill it not then shall thâ— Office be thy Damnation For St. Paul saith Wâ— is to me if I preach not And by the Prophet Ezekiâ— God saith If I say unto the wicked that he shall die tâ— death and thou shew him not of it the wicked shall 〈◊〉 in his iniquity but I shall require his blood at thy hand But peradventure our Divines would expound these Texts onely of them that are sent and have cure of souls Whereunto I answer That every man that hath the light of Gods Word revealed unto him is sent wheresoever he seeth necessity 〈◊〉 hath the cure of his Neighbours soul e. g. If God hath given me my sight and I perceive a blind man going in the way which is ready for lack of fight to fall into a pit wherein he would likely perish I am bound by Gods Command to guide him till he be past that jeopardy or else if he perish therein his blood shall be required at my hands Thus if I perceive my Neighbour like to perish for lack of Christs Doctrine then am I bound to instruct him with the knowledge God hath given me or else his blood shall be required at my hand Peradventure they will say that there is already one appointed to watch the Pit c. and therefore I am discharged and need take no thought Whereunto I answer I would be glad that so it were notwithstanding if I perceive that the Watchmen be asleep or run to the Alehouse c. and through his negligence espy my Neighbour in danger of the Pit then am I nevertheless bound to lead him from it I think that God hath sent me at that time to save that soul from perishing and the Law of God and Nature that bindeth me thereunto which chargeth me to love my Neighbour as my self Hag. 1. to do unto him as I would be done unto If God hath given thee riches c. thou art yet the very owner of them but God is the Owner who saith by the Prophet Gold is mine and silver is mine and he hath for a season made thee a Steward of them to see whether thou wilt be faithful in the distribution of them according to his Commands Our spiritual Possessionaries are double Thieves and Murtherers as concerning the body besides their murthering of the soul for lack of Gods Word which they will neither preach or suffer any other to do it purely but persecute them and put them unto most cruel death First they are Thieves and Murtherers because they distribute not what they have from charitable Forefathers to the intent it should have been ministred unto the Poor but upon Horses Coaches c. gorgeous apparel and delicate fare c. Thus they defraud the Poor of their bread and so are Thieves and because this bread is their life they are Murtherers also Besides they are Thieves and Murtherers for withdrawing their perfect Members from labour whereby they might minister unto their Neighbours necessities I speak of as many as are not occupied about preaching Gods Word Besides these and many other Treatises he wrote also several choice Letters whilest he was Prisoner in the Tower In his Letter to the faithful Followers of Christs Gospel See his Works pag. 81 82. he thus expresseth himself It cannot be express'd Dearly Beloved in the Lord what joy and comfort it is to my heart to perceive how the Word of God hath wrought and continually worketh among you so that I find no small number walking in the wayes of the Lord according as he gave us Commandment willing that we should love each other as he loved us Now have I experience of the saith which is in you and can testifieâ— that it is without simulation that ye love not iâ— word and tongue onely but in deed and truth What can be more trial of a faithful heart than tâ— adventure not onely to aid and succour by the means of other which without danger may not be admitted unto us but also personally to visit the Poor oppressed and see that nothing be lacking unto them but that they have both ghostly comfort and bodily sustenance notwithstanding the strait inhibition and terrible meancing of these worldly Rulers even ready to abide the extreamest jeopardies that Tyrants can imagine This is an evidence that you have prepared your selves to the Cross of Christ according to the Counsel of the Wise man which saith My Son when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord prepare thy self unto tribulation This is an evidence that you have cast up your accounts and have wherewith to finish the Tower which ye have begun to build and I doubt not but he that hath begun this work in you shall for his Glory accomplish the same even unto the coming of the Lord which shall give unto every man according to his deeds And albeit God of his secret Judgements for a time keep the rod from some of them that ensue his steps yet let them surely reckon upon it for there is no doubt but all which will live devoutly in Christ must suffer persecution for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth and chasteneth every child that he receiveth If ye be not under correction of which we are all partakers then are ye bastards and not children Nevertheless we may not suppose that our most loving Father should do that because he rejoyceth in our blood or punishment but he doth it for our singular profit that we may be partakers of Holiness and that the remnants of sin which through the frailty of our Members rebel against the Spirit and Will causing our works to go unperfectly forward and may some deal be suppressed least they should subdue us and reign over us Of these things God had given me the speculation before and now it hath pleased him to put in ure and practise upon me I ever thought yea and do think that to walk after Gods Word would cost me my life at one time or another and although the Kings Grace should take me into his Favour and not suffer the bloody Edomites to have their pleasures upon me yet will I not think that I am escaped but that God hath onely deserred it for a season to the intent that I should work somewhat that he hath appointed me to do and so to use me to his Glory And I beseech all the faithful followers of the Lord to arm themselves with the same supposition marking themselves with the sign of the Cross not
the Lord hath taught me to eschew evil and do good Seest thou not said they how these opinions have troubled the world and how many of the learneder sort do contradict them So far is it off said he that the Doctrine of the Gospel should be the cause of troubles debates and strife swhich reign in the world These troubles indeed arise from the rage of men And as for your learned men it is impossible for humane wisdom to comprehend the Doctrine of God for which cause Christ saith Father I thank thee that thou hast hid these secrets from the wise men of the world and hast revealed them unto Babes When those two Malefactors that were coupled with him brake Prison and fled he might have escaped but fearing his flight might be imputed to the godly Christians in the City he would not flye When he was advertised of his Sentence He thanked God for advancing him to so high an honour at to be counted worthy to suffer for his Name As he passed forth from the Court viewing the people who waited to see him he said See here how this wicked world rewards the poor Servants of Christ Whilest I gave my self to drunkenness c. I was never in danger of these bands lifting up his hands which were bound I was then counted a good fellow and at that time who but I But no sooner began I by conversion to ask after a godly life but the world made war upon me and became my enemy persecuting and imprisoning me and now last of all sending me to the place where I must pay my last debt Mat. 10.24 Joh. 15.20 But the Servant is no better than his Lord for seeing they persecuted him no question they will persecute us At the Stake he said Brethren I fight under the Standard and in the quarrel of my great Lord and Caâ—tain Christ I am now going to be trucified follow you me when God of his goodness shall call you to it He was burnt Nov. 4. An. 1560. Hierome I find two of this Name 1. Fox Vol. 2 pag. 524. Mr. William Hierome Vicar of Stepney near London Being accused for preaching against Magistrates he affirmed as before he had preached That no Magistrate of himself could make any Law or Laws to bind the inferiour people unless it were by the power and authority of his or their Princes to him or them given but only the Prince Adding If the Prince make Laws consenting to Gods Laws we are bound to obey them and if he make Laws repugnant to the Laws of God c. yet we are bound not violently to resist or grudge against him At the Stake he gave the following Exhortation to the people Pa. 527. I say unto you good Brethren that God hath bought us all with no small price neither with gold nor silver nor other such things of small value but with his â—â—st precious blood Be not unthankful therefore but do what you can to keep his Commandments Pa. 528. i. e. love your Brethren If God hath sent thee plenty help thy neighbour that hath need give him good counsel if he lack Bear your Cross with Christ Let all Christians put no trust nor confidence in their works but in the blood of Christ to whom I commit my soul beseeching you all to pray to God for me and for my Brethren here present with us c. 2. Mr. Hierome of Prague When he was brought Prisoner to Constance Fox Vol. 1. Pag. 832. several of the Bishops said unto him Hierome why didst thou fly and didst not appear when thou wast cited He answered Because I could not have any safe conduct c. and I would not my self be the occasion of my perils and danger but if I had known of this citation although I had been in Bohemis I would have returned again When certain cried out Let him be burned Pa. 833. let him be burned He answered If my death doth delight and please you in the Name of God let it be so When he was welcomed to Prison by a Friend of Mr. Hus saying to him Be constant and fear not death for the Truths sake of the which when you were at liberty you did preach so much goodness He answered Truly Brother I do not fear death and forasmuch as we know that we have spoken much thereof in times past let us now see what may be known or done in effect Vitus Asking him how he did He answered Truly Brother I do very well After a long sore imprisonment he was forced to recant and consent unto the death of Mr. John Hus that he was justly condemned and put to death but his hopes of freedome thereupon were disappointed Pa. 834. for they caused him to be carried back unto the same Prison but not so straitly chained and bound as before After his Recantation and Consent to the death of Mr. Hus he refused to answer to any Questions propounded to him in private except he might be brought before the Council They supposing he would confirm his former Recantation sent for him May 25. An. 1416. When he was brought before them Pa. 835. he began with Prayer to God beseeching him to give him Spirit ability and utterance which might most tend to the profit and salvation of his own soul Then he spake unto them thus I know that theâ—e have been many excellent men which have suffered much otherwise than they have deserved being oppressed with false witnesses and condemned with wrong judgement as Socrates Plato Anaxagoras Zeno Boetius Moses Joseph Isaiah Daniel and almost all the Prophets c. John Baptist Christ Stephen and all the Apostles who were condemned to death not as good men but as seditious stirrers up of the people contemners of the gods and evil doers This was the old manner of ancient and learned men and most holy Elders that in matters of Faith they did differ many times in Arguments not to destroy the Faith but to find out the Verity So did Augustine and Hierome dissent As for Mr. Hus he was a good just and holy man â—o his knowledge and much unworthy that death which he did suffer Pa. 836. At last he added That all the sins that ever he had committed did not so much gnaw and trouble his conscience as did that only sin which he had committed in that most pestiferous fact when as in his Recantation he had unjustly spoken against that good and holy man and his Doctrine and especially in consenting to his wicked condemnation Concluding that he did utterly revoke that wicked Recantation which he made in that cursed place and that he did it through weakness of heart and fear of death and that whatsoever he had spoken against that blessed man he had altogether lied upon him and that it did repent him with his whole heart that ever he did it Being again brought forth to have judgement given him and prest to recant what
pretence of the true Religian c. that have killed more souls with heresie and superstition than all the Tyrants that ever killed bodies by fire sword or banishment c. and all souls that trust to these Hypocrites live to the Devil in everlasting pain as is declared by Hells following the pale Horse These pale Hypocrites stave stirred up Earthquakes i. e. he Princes of the world against Christs Church They have darkned the Sun and made the Moon bloody and have caused the Stars to fall from Heaven i.e. they have darkned with mists and daily darken the Sun of Gods word Pa. 159. imprisoned and chaised and butchered Gods true Preachers which â—nch only light at the Sun of Gods Word that their light cannot shine unto the world as they would Whereupon it comes to pass that many Christians fall from Gods true Word to hypocrisie most devillish superstition and idolatry In his Letter to Bishop Farrar Dr. Taylor Mr. Bradford and Mr. Philpot Prisoners in the Kings Bench in Southwark I am advertised that we shall be carried shortly to Cambridge there to dispute for the faith and for the Religion of Christ which is most true that we have and do profess I am as I doubt not ye be in Christ ready not only to go to Cambridge but also to suffer by Gods help death it self in the maintenance thereof I write this to comfort you in the Lord that the time draweth near and is at hand that we shall testifie before Gods enemies Gods Truth Yours and with you unto death in Christ J. H. May 6. 1554. In his Letter to his Wife Pa. 160. 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 buâ— 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 Gen. 21. Gal. 4. As he that was born after the flesh persecuted in times past 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 only remedy is what Christ hath appointed Luke 21. Ye shall possess yourselves 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 head how much more doth he care for our life it self Their cruelty hath no farther power than 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 conjunction and society everlasting with the blessed company of Gods Elect in perpetual joy Col. 3. If ye be 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 untill we see know and understand the vanities of this world the shortness end 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 Pa. 161. to have right judgement between the life present and the life to come we shall find how little the pains imprisonment standers 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 seâ— his affections upon them And this Command is more hard than the other for mans knowledge many times sees the best men know that there is a life to come better than 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 than the treasure of all treasures in Heaven We must set our affections on things above i. e. when any thing worse than 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 than Earthly and the life to come better than 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
Macabees that the wicked did burn the Law of God and killed them that had the same Again under the New Testament they burned the Saints with the Books of the Law of God Remember the sayings of our merciful Saviour by which he forewarneth us There shall be saith he before the Day of Judgement great tribulation Mat. 24. such as was not from the beginning until this day nor shall be afterwards So that even the Elect of God should be deceived if it were possible but for their sakes those dayes shall be shortned The Council of Constance shall not extend to Bobemia for I think that many of them which are of the Council shall die before they shall get from you my Books They shall depart from the Council and be scattered abroad throughout all parts of the world like Storks and then they shall know when Winter cometh what they did in Summer I trust in God that he will send after me those that shall be more valiant and there are alive at this day that shall make more manifest the malice of Antichrist and shall give their lives to the death for the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall give both to you and me the joyes of life everlasting This Epistle was written upon St. John Baptist's day in Prison and in cold Irons I having this Meditation with my self that John was beheaded in his Prison and Bonds for the Word of God In another Letter I desire you if any man at any time have noted any levity either in my talk or in my conditions that he do not follow the same but pray to God for me Pa. 827. to pardon me that sin of lightness I look next day for the Sentence of death having a full trust that he will not leave me to deny his truth c. How mercifully the Lord God hath dealt with me in marvellous temptations ye shall know when as hereafter by the help of Christ we shall all meet together in the joy of the world to come I beseech you pray to God for our enemies In another Letter to a Minister My dear Brother be diligent in preaching the Gospel neglect not your Vocation labour like a blessed Souldier of Christ First live godlily and holily Secondly teach faithfully and truly Thirdly be an example to others in well doing that you be not reprehended in your sayings Preach continually but be short and fruitful Never affirm or maintain those things that be uncertain or doubtful Exhort men to the confession of their Faith Against fleshly lust preach continally all that ever you can for that is the raging beast which devoureth men for whom the flesh of Christ did suffer In another Letter Pa. 828. O holy God how largely doth Antichrist extend his power and cruelty But I trust that his power shall be shortned and his iniquity shall be detected more and more amongst the faithful people Let Antichrist rage so much as he will yet he shall not prevail against Christ I am greatly comforted in those words of our Saviour Happy be you when men shall hate you and shall separate you and shall rebuke you and shall cast out your name as execrable for the Son of mâ—n Rejoyce and be glad Luke 6. for great is your reward in Heaven O worthy yea a most worthy consolation which not to understand but to practise in time of tribulation Jam. 1. is an hard Lesson Certainly it is a great matter for a man to rejoyce in trouble and to take it for joy to be in divers temptations A light matter it is to speak it and to expound it but a great matter to fulfill it For why our most patient and most valiant Champion himself c. was troubled in spirit and said My soul is heavy unto death c. and yet he notwithstanding being so troubled said to his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled O most merciful Christ draw us weak creatures after thee for except thou shouldst draw us we are not able to follow thee Without thâ—â— we can do nothing much less enter into the cruel death for thy sake Give us that prompt and ready spirit a bold heart an upright faith a firm hope and perfect charity that we may give our lives patiently and joyfully for thy Names sake In another Letter Pa. 829. I love the counsel of the Lord above gold and precious stones Wherefore I trust in the mercy of Jesus Christ that he will give me his Spirit to stand in his Truth Pray to the Lord for the spirit is ready but the flesh is weak Know this for certain that I have had great conflicts by dreams in such sort as I had much ado to refrain from crying out I dreamed of the Popes escape before he went and after the Lord John had told me thereof immediately in the night it was told me that the Pope should return to you again I dreamed also of the apprehending Mr. Hierom although not in full manner as it was done All the imprisonments whither and how I am carried were opened to me before although not fully after the same form and circumstance Many Serpents oftentimes appeared to me having heads also in their tail but none of them could bite me These things I write not esteeming my self a Prophet or that I extol my self but onely to signifie to you what temptations I had in body and also in mind and what great fear I had lest I should transgress the Commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ In a Letter to the Lord John de Clum I pray you expound to me the dream of this night I saw how that in my Church of Bethlem they came to raze all the Images of Christ and did put them out The next day after I arose and saw many Painters which made more fairer Images and many more then I had done before which thing I was very glad and joyful to behold And the Painters with much people about them said Let the Bishops and Priests come now and put out these Pictures Which being done much people seemed to me in Bethlem to rejoyce and I with them and I awaking therewith felt my self to laugh c. This Vision the Lord John and Mr. Hus himself in his Book of Epistles Ep. 45. see meth to expound and applieth the Images of Christ to the preaching of Christ and of his life The which preaching and doctrine of Christ though the Pope and Cardinals should extinguish in him yet did he foresee and declare that the time should come wherein the same doctrine should be revived again by others so plenteously that the Pope with all his power should not be able to prevail against it In the Forty eight Epistle Pa. 830. seeming to speak with the same Spirit of Prophesie he hath these words But I trust those things which I have spoken within the House hereafter shall be preached upon the top of the House In a certain Treatise
whether we fear more God or man It was an easie thing to hold with Christ whilst the Prince and world held with him but now the world hateth him it is the true trial who be his Wherefore in the Name and in the Vertue Strength and Power of his holy Spirit prepare your selves in any case to adversity and constancy Let us not run away when it is most time to fight Remember none shall be crowned but such as fight manfully and he that endureth to the end shall be saved Ye must now turn all your cogitations from the peril you see and mark the felicity that followeth the peril either victory in this world of your enemies or else a surrender of this life to inherit the everlasting Kingdome Beware of beholding too much the felicity or misery of this world for the consideration and too earnest or love fear of either of them draweth from God Wherefore think with your selves as touching the felicity of the world it is good but yet none otherwise than it standeth with the favor of God It is to be kept but yet so far forth as by keeping of it we lose not God It is good abiding and tarrying still among our friends here but yet so that we tarry noâ— therewithal in Gods displeasare and hereafter dwell with the Devils in fire everlasting There is nothing under God but may be kept so that God being above all things we have be not lost Of adversity judge the same Imprisonment is painful but yet liberty upon evil conditions is more painful The Prisons stink but yet not so much as sweet Houses where the fear and true honour of God is lacking I must be alone and solitary It is better to be so and have God with me then to be in company with the wicked Loss of Goods is great but loss of Gods grace and favour is greater I am a poor simple creature and cannot tell how to answer before such a great sort of noble learned and wise men It is better to make answer before the pomp and pride of wicked men than to stand naked in the fight of all Heaven and Earth before the just God at the later day I shall die then by the hands of the cruel man He is blessed that loseth his life full of miseries and findeth the life of eternal joyes It is pain and grief to depart from Goods and Friends but yet not so much as to depart from grace and heaven it self Pa. 157. Wherefore there is neither felicity nor adversity of this world that can appear to be great if it be weighed with the joyes or pains in the world to come I can do no more but pray for you do the same for me for Gods sake For my part I thank the heavenly Father I have made mine accounts and appointed my self unto the will of the heavenly Father as he will so I will by his grace I am a precious jewel now and daintily kept never so daintily for neither mine own man nor any of the Servants of the House may come to me but my Keeper alone Jan. 23. 1555. In another Letter Pa. 158. The grace mercy and Peace of God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ be with you my dear Brethren and with all those that unfeignedly love and embrace his holy Gospel Amen We must give God thanks for the Truth he hath opened c. and pray unto him that we deny it not nor dishonour it with idolatry but that we may have strength and patience rather to die ten times over than to deny him once Blessed shall we be if ever God make us worthy of that honour to shed our blood for his Names sake and blessed then shall we think those Parents which brought us into this world that we should be carried from this mortality into immortality Col. 3. If we follow the command of Paul that saith If ye be risen with Christ seek these things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God we shall neither depart from the vain transitory goods of this world nor from this wretched and mortal life with so great pains as others do There is no better way to be used in this troublesome time for your consolation than many times to have Assemblies together of such men and women as be of your Religion in Christ and there to take and renew among your selves the truth of your Religion to see what ye be by the Word of God and to remember what ye were before ye came to the knowledge thereof to weigh and confer the dreams and false yes of the Preachers that now preach with the Word of God that retaineth all truth and by such talk and familiar resorting together ye shall the better find out all their lies that now go about to deceive you and also both know and love the Truth that God hath opened to us It is much requisite that the Members of Christ comfort one another make prayers together confer one with another so shall ye be stronger and Gods spirit shall not be absent from you but in the midst of you to teach you to comfort you to make you wise in all godly things patient in adversity and strong in persecution Ye see how the Congregation of the wicked by helping one another make their wicked Religion and themselves strong against Gods Truth and his people Ye may perceive by the life of our fore-fathers that Christs words In the world ye shall have trouble He that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution be true for none of all his before our time escaped trouble then shall ye perceive that it is but a folly for one that professeth Christ truly to look for the love of the world Ye be no better than your fore-fathers Be glad that ye may be counted worthy Souldiers for this War and pray to God when ye come together that he will use and order you and your doings 1 That ye glorifie God 2 That ye edifie the Church and Congregation 3 That ye profit your own souls In all our doings beware ye be not deceived for although this time be not yet so bloody and tyrannous as the time of our fore-fathers that could not bear the Name of Christ without danger of life and goods yet is our time more perillous for soul and body Therefore of us Christ said Luke 18. Think ye when the Son of man cometh he shall find faith upon the earth He speaks not of being christened and in name a Christian but of saving Faith and doubtless the scarcity of Faith is now more and will I fear increase than it was in the time of the greatest Tyrants that ever were In Rev. 6. ye may perceive that at the opening of the fourth Seal came our a pale Horse and he that sate upon him was called Death and Hell followed him This Horse is the time when Hypocrites and Dissemblers entred into the Church under