he that beleueth the Gospel beleueth God To beleue the Gospel is this That Christ is the Sauiour of the world Iohn 4. Christ is our Sauiour Luke 2. Christ bought vs with his bloud Heb. 13. 1. Pet. 1. Apo. 5 Christ washed vs with his bloud Apoc. 1. Christ offered himselfe for vs. Heb. 9. Christ bare our sinnes on his owne backe c. 1. Pet. 2. The 17. proposition The 17. proposition He that beleueth not the Gospel beleueth not God Argument Fe. He that beleueth not Gods word beleueth not God himselfe Maior ri The Gospel is Gods worde o. Ergo he that beleueth not the Gospel beleueth not God him selfe Minor Conclus and consequently he that beeleueth not those things aboue wrytten and such other beleueth not God The 18. proposition The 18. proposition He that beleueth the Gospel shal be safe Go ye into all the worlde and preache the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but he that beleueth not shal be condemned Mark 16. A comparison betwene faith and incredulitie A comparison betweene Fayth and Incredulity FAith is the roote of all good Incredulitie is the roote of all euill Faith maketh God and man good frendes Incredulitie maketh them foes Faith bringeth God and man together Incredulitie sundereth them All that faith doth pleaseth God All that Incredulitie doth displeaseth God Faith onely maketh a man good and rightuous Incredulitie onely maketh him vniust and euill Faith maketh a man a member of Christ. Incredulitie maketh him a member of the deuill Feith maketh a man the inheritour of heauen Incredulitie maketh him inheritour of hell Faith maketh a man the seruaunt of God Incredulitie maketh him the seruaunt of the deuill Faith sheweth vs God to be a swete father Incredulitie sheweth him a terrible iudge Faith holdeth stiffe by the word of God Incredulitie wauereth here and there Faith counteth and holdeth God to be true Incredulitie holdeth him false and a lier Faith knoweth God Incredulitie knoweth him not Faith loueth both God and his neighbour Incredulitie loueth neither of them Faith onely saueth vs. Incredulitie onely condemneth vs. Faith extolleth God and his deedes Incredulitie extolleth her selfe and her owne deedes Of hope HOpe is a trusty looking after the thing that is promised vs to come as we hope after the euerlasting ioy which Christ hath promised vnto all that beleue in him We should put our hope and trust in God a lonely and in no other thing What hope is IT is good to trust in God and not in man Psal. 118. He that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prou. 28. It is good to trust in God and not in princes Psal. 118. They shall be like vnto the Images whych they make and all that trust in them Psal. 115. He that trusteth in his owne thoughtes doth vngodly Prou. 12. Cursed be he that trusteth in man Ier. 17. Bid y e rich men of thys world that they trust not in their vnstable richesse but that they trust in the liuyng God 1. Tim. 6. It is hard for them that trust in mony to enter into the kingdome of heauen Luke 18. Moreouer we should trust in him onely that may helpe vs God onely may helpe vs therefore we should trust in him onely Well are they that trust in God and woe to them that trust not in him Psal. 2. Ier. 17. Well is that man that trusteth in God for God shall be his trust Psal. 14. Eccles. 34. He y t trusteth in him shal vnderstand the verity Sap. 3. They shall all reioyce that trust in thee they shall euer be glad and thou wilt defend them Psal. 5. Of Charitie CHaritie is the loue of thy neighbor The rule of charity is this Doe as thou wouldest be done to The rule of Charitye for Christe holdeth al alike the rich the poore the frend and the foe the thankfull and vnthankfull the kinseman and stranger A comparison betwene Faith Hope and Charitie FAith commeth of the worde of God A difference betweene Faith Hope charitye Hope commeth of faith and Charitie springeth of them both Faith beleeueth the word Hope trusteth after it that is promised by the word Charity doth good vnto her neyghbor thorow the loue that it hath to God and gladnes that is wythin her selfe Faith looketh to God and hys worde Hope looketh vnto his gift and reward Charity looketh on her neighbours profite Faith receaueth God Hope receaueth hys rewarde Charitie loueth her neighbour with a glad heart and that without any respect of reward Faith pertaineth to God onely Hope to hys rewarde and Charitie to her neighbour The doctrine of workes No maner of workes make vs rightwise WE beleeue that a man shal be iustified without workes What good workes doe Rom. 3. No man is iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christe and we beleeue in Iesu Christe that we may be iustified by the faith of Christe and not by the deedes of the lawe For if righteousnesse come by the lawe then died Christ in vaine Gal. 2. That no man is iustified by the lawe is manifest for a rightwise man liueth by his faith but y e law is not of faith Moreouer sith Christ the maker of heauen earth Act. 17. and al that is therein behoued to die for vs we are compelled to graunt that we were so farre drowned sunken in sin Workes doe not make vs righteous that neither our deedes nor al the treasures that euer God made or myght make coulde haue holpen vs out of them therfore no dedes no Workes may make vs rightwise No workes make vs vnrightwise IF any euell workes make vs vnrighteous then the contrary workes should make vs rightwise Argumentū a contrario sensu But it is prooued that no woorkes can make vs rightwise therefore no workes maketh vs vnrightwise Workes maketh vs neither good nor euill IT is proued that woorkes neither maketh vs rightwise nor vnrightwise Workes make vs neither good nor euill before God therfore no works make vs either good or euill For rightwise and good are one thing vnrightwise and euil likewise one Good workes make not a good man nor euill workes an euill man but a good man bringeth foorth good workes and an euill man euill workes Good fruite maketh not the tree good nor euill fruite the tree euill but a good tree beareth good frute and an euill tree euil frute A good man can not doe euill workes nor an euill man good workes for a good tree can not beare euill fruite The goodnes of the tree goeth before his fruite nor an euill tree good frute A man is good ere he do good workes and euill ere hee do euil works for the tree is good ere it beare good frute and euil ere it beare euil frute Euery man and the workes of man are eyther good or euill
looseth his life for the Gospels sake the same shal be sure to finde it eternally Do not ye knowe that the way to saluation is not the broade way which manye run in but the straight way which fewe now walke in Before persecution came men might partly haue stand in a doubt by the outward estate of the world with vs although by Gods woorde it was plaine whether was the high way king Edâ—â—rdâ— tyme 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉 be knoâ—en for there was as many that pretended the gospell as poperie but nowe the sunne is risen the winde bloweth so that the corne which hathe not taken fast roote can not nor will not abide and therefore easily yee may see the straight way by the smal number that passeth thorowe it Who will now aduenture their goods and life for Christes sake whiche yet gaue his life for our sakes Wee are now become Gergesites 〈◊〉 8. â—â—â—gesites 〈◊〉 more by 〈…〉 that would rather loose Christe then our Porkets A faithfull wife is neuer tried so to be but when shee reiecteth and withstandeth woers A faithfull Christian is then founde so to be when hys faith is assaulted If wee be not able I meane if wee will not forsake this world for Gods glory and Gospels sake trow ye that God will make vs able or geue vs a will to forsake it for natures sake Die ye must once and leaue al ye haue God knoweth how soone and when will ye or will ye not and seeing perforce ye must do this will ye not willingly now doe it for Gods sake If ye goe to Masse and do as the most part doeth then may ye liue at rest quietly but if ye deny to goe to it then shall ye goe to prison lose your goodes leaue your children comfortles yea lose your life also But my dearly beloued open the eyes of your faith see how short a thing this life is euen a very shadow and smoke Againe see how intollerable the punishment of hel fire is and that endles Last of all looke on the ioyes incompreheÌ„sible which God hath prepared for all them worlde without ende which loose eyther landes or goodes for his names sake And then doe ye reason thus If we goe to Masse the greatest enemie that Christe hath though for a little time we shall liue in quiet and leaue to our children that they may liue heereafter yet shall we displease God fall into his handes which is horrible to hypocrites and be in wonderful hazarde of falling from eternal ioy into eternal misery first of soul and then of body with the Deuil and all Idolaters Againe we shall wante peace of conscience which surmounteth all the riches of the world and for our children who knoweth whether God will visite our Idolatrie on them in this life yea our house and goods are in danger of loosing as our liues be through many casualties when God is angry with vs he can send alwaies when he will one meane or an other to take all from vs for our sinnes and to cast vs into care for our owne sakes which wil not come into some litle trouble for his sake On this sort reason with your selues and then doubtlesse God will worke otherwise with you and in you then ye are ware of Where nowe ye thinke your selues vnable to abide persecutioÌ„ be most assured if so be ye purpose not to forsake God that God will make you so able to beare his Crosse that therein you shall reioyce Faithful is God 1. Cor. 10. God will geue ability not 〈◊〉 to beare his Crosse but alâ—o to reioyce in bearing sayth Paul which wil not tempt you further then he wil make you able to beare yea hee will geue you an outscape in the Crosse which shal be to your comfort Thinke howe great a benefite it is if God will vouche you worthy thys honour to suffer losse of any thing for his sake He myghte iustly cast most greeuous plagues vpon you and yet now he will correct you with that rod wherby you shal be made like to his Christe that for euer ye may raigne wyth him Suffer your selues therfore now to be made like to Christ for els yee shall neuer be made like vnto him The Deuill woulde gladly haue you nowe to ouerthrowe that which godly ye haue of long time professed Oh howe woulde he triumph if he could winne his purpose Oh howe would the Papistes triumph against Gods gospell in you Oh howe would you confirme them in their wicked Poperie Oh how would the poore children of God be discomforted if now ye should go to masse and other idolatrous seruice and doe as the world doth Hath God deliuered you from y e Sweate to serue hym so Hath God myraculously restored you to healthe from your greeuous Agewes for suche a purpose Hath God geuen you such blessings in this world and good things al the daies of your life hitherto and nowe of equitie will ye not receiue at his hands and for his sake some euill God forbid I hope better of you Use prayer and cast your care vpon God commit your children into his hands geue to God your goods bodies and liues as he hath geuen them or rather sent them vnto you Say wyth Iob God hathe geuen and God hathe taken away hys name be praised for euer Caste your care vppon hym I saye for hee is carefull for you A great blessing of God to suffer for his sake and take it amongest the greatest blessings of God to suffer for his sake I trust he hath kept you hitherto to that ende And I beseeche thee O mercifull Father for Iesus Christes sake that thou wouldest be mercifull vnto vs comforte vs wyth thy grace and strengthen vs in thy trueth that in heart we may beleeue and in tongue boldly confesse thy Gospell to thy glorye and our eternall saluation Amen Pray for me and I by Gods grace will doe the same for you Iohn Bradford An admonition to certaine professours of the Gospell to beware they fall not from it in consenting to the Romish religion by the example of other halting and double faced Gospellers THe peace of Christe whiche is the true effecte of Gods Gospell beleued my dearly beloued be more and more plentifully perceiued of you An other letter or admonition of M. Bradford to certayne godly professors of Gods truth through the grace of our dere father by the mighty working of the holy spirite our comforter Amen Thoughe I haue many lettes presently to hinder mee from wryting vnto you yet being desired I could not but something signifie my ready good will in this behalfe so much as I may when I can not so much as I would You heare and see howe Sathan bestirreth hym raging as a roaring Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partly what stormes he hath raised vp to drowne the poore Boate of Christe I meane hys Churche You see howe terribly
sufferaunce might be found vnexcusable and seeme to consent to that which you do not resist Here we omitte and passe ouer what enormity and more the enormity that is that such a great and so deuoute a nation should by one fryer who relinquishing the Catholique fayth and Christian religion which he before professed playeth the Apostata hath lyed to God be nowe seduced from that way whiche first * * Christ and his Apostles taught vs that we are saued by Fayth onely in the Sonne of God the same doeth Luther preache and the Pope denyeth Holy Martyrs and fathers in the old time ministred the Communion in both kindes to the people and taught that fayth was necessary in receauing the Sacramentes the same doth Luther affirme and the Pope denyeth the old way of the fathers was this that they neuer had any aduocates and mediators but Christ alone and that they neuer solde the merites of Christes passion for money In the same way doeth Luther now walke whereas the pope hath deuised a newe way to walke in for money with an hundreth other new deuises newe sectes and newe ordinances which the olde fathers neuer knewe Christ our redemer his blessed apostles haue opened vnto vs which so many Martyrs so many holy Fathers so many greate learned men also your owne foreelders and old auncitours haue alwayes hitherto walked in as though onely Luther had all wit and cunning as though he onely nowe first had receiued the holy ghost as the heretick Montanus vsed to boast of himselfe or as though the Church froÌ„ which Christ our sauiour promised himselfe neuer to depart hath erred hitherto alwayes in darcke shadowes of ignorance and perdition tyll now it should be illuminate with newe râ—splendent beames of Luther Al which thinges there is no doubt but to such as haue iudgement will seeme ridiculous but yet may be pernitious to simple and ignoraunt mindes and to the other which being wery of all good order do gape stil for new changes may breed matter and occasion of such mischiefes as partly your selues haue experienced already And therfore do you not consider O princes and people of Germany that these be but prefaces preambles to those euils and mischiefes which Luther with the secte of his Lutherianes do intend purpose here after * * The doctrine of Luther hath bin preached in Germanie aboue these 40. yeares and yet is there neuer a Prince nor Magistrate nor Citizen in Germany God be praysed which by the doctrine of Luther is worse by one halfepeny whereas by the pope good reckenyng hath beene made that Germany hath bin worse by 3000000. Florens by the yeare Out of the territory of the bishop of Ments amounteth to the Pope for the Archbishops Palle 26000. Florens In the counsel of Basil it was openly declared that 9. Millions of Gold were gathered in the tyme of Pope Martyne and translated to Rome Pag. 698. Nowe let the Princes of Germany consider this Do you not see playnly perceiue with your eyes that this defending of the verity of the Gospell first begun by the Lutherians to be pretended is now manifest to be but an inuentioÌ„ to spoile your goods which they haue long inteÌ„ded Or do you thinke that these sonnes of iniquity do tend to any other thing then vnder the name of liberty to supplant obedience and so to open a generall * * The preaching of ChristiaÌ„ libertie of the soule breaketh no ciuil order touching the outwarde Obedience of the bodie But the Pope would haue the soules of men in his bondage and therfore he can not abide this inwarde libertie of the spirite to be touched for that were agaynst the popes purse and profite which were an heresie intollerable licence to euery man to do what him listeth And suppose you that they will any thing regard your commauÌ„dementes or esteeme * * This is no good consequent Luther burned the popes stinckyng decretals Ergo hee wil not sticke also to burn the bookes of the ciuil law your lawes whiche so contemptuously vilipend the holy Canons and decrees of the fathers yea and the most holy Councels also to whose authorite the Emperors lawes haue alwayes geuen roome and place not onely vilipeÌ„d them but also with a diabolicall audacitye haue not feared to rent them in pieces and set them on a light fire They which refuse to render due obedience to priestes to byshops yea to the high bishop of al which dayly before your owne faces make theyr bootyes of Church goodes and of thinges consecrated to God thinke ye that they will refrayne theyr sacrilegious handes froÌ„ the spoyle of lay mens goods yea that they wil not plucke from you whatsoeuer they can rap or reaue The persecuting pagans in the olde time did obiect to the old Fathers of the Primatiue church the blasphemies of Thyestes supper and of the incest of Oedipus the worshipping also of an Asses head pag. 43.39 In much like sort doth the pope heere lay vnto Luther riots rebellions and all mischiefes hee can deuise not because they be true but because hee would haue the world so to beleue Finally to conclude how can you hope that they will more spare you or hold theyr murthering handes from your throates which haue bene so bold to vexe to kill to slay the Lordes annoynted which are not to be toucbed Nay thinke you not contrary but this miserable calamity will at length redound vpon you your goodes your houses wiues children dominioâ—s possessions these your temples which you hallow reuereÌ„ce except you prouide some speedy remedy agaynst the same Wherefore we exhort your fraternities nobilities deuotions of all and singuler in the Lord and beseech you for Christian charity religion for which religion your forefathers oft times haue geuen their bloud to vpholde and encrease the same and notwithstanding require you also in vertue of that obedience which all Christians owe to God blessed S Peter Obedience to God and to S. Peter and to his vicare do not well match together by the Scripture for the obedience to the Creator is one and the obedience to the creature is an other and to his Vicar here in earth that setting aside all other quarrels and dissentions among our selues you conferre your helping handes euery man to quench this publique fire and endeuour and study the best way ye can howe to reduce the sayd M. Luther and all other fautours of these tumultes and errours to better conformitye and trade both of lyfe and fayth And if they which be infected shal refuse to heare your admonitioÌ„s yet proued that the other part which yet remayneth sound by the same contagion be not corrupted He to whom all secretes of men are open doth know how we both for our nature and also for our pastorall office whereto we are called are much more prone to remit then to reuenge But when this
in his handes with wyne water the patine the host all which thinges the sayd bysh which disgraded him tooke froÌ„ him saying we take away froÌ„ thee or coÌ„maund to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ thee all power to offer sacrifice vnto God to say Masse aswell for y e quicke as the dead Moreouer Priests annoynted fingers y e Bysh. scraped y e nayles of both his hands with a peece of glasse saying By this scrapyng we take away froÌ„ thee all power to sacrifice to coÌ„secrate to blesse which thou hast receiued by the annoyntyng of thy haÌ„ds Then he tooke from him the Chesille saying by good right we do dispoyle thee of this priestly ornameÌ„t The Chesile which signifieth charitie for certainly y u hast forsakeÌ„ the same all innocencie Then taking away the stole he sayd The Stole Thou hast vilanously reiected despised the signe of our Lord which is represented by this stole wherefore we take it away froÌ„ thee and make thee vnable to exercise and vse the office of Priesthood all other things apperteinyng to Priesthood The degradation of y e order of Priesthood beyng thus ended they proceeded to the order of Deacon The Gospell booke TheÌ„ the ministers gaue him the booke of the Gospels which the Bysh. tooke away saying we take away from thee all power to read y e Gospels in the Church of God for it apperteineth onely to such as are worthy After this he spoyled him of the Dalmatike which is the vesture that the DeacoÌ„s vse The Dalmatike saying we depriue thee of this Leuiticall order for somuch as thou hast not fulfilled thy ministerie office The Stole behinde his backe After this the bysh tooke away the stole froÌ„ behind his backe saying we iustly take away from thee the white stole which thou haddest receiued vndefiledly The Epistle booke which also thou oughtest to haue borne in the presence of our Lord and to the end that the people dedicate vnto the name of Christ may take by thee example we prohibite thee any more to exercise or vse the office of Deaconshyp Bennet and Collet Then they proceeded to the disgradyng of Subdeaconshyp taking away from him the booke of the Epistles his Subdeacons vesture deposed him from reading of the Epistles in the Church of God Exorcist Lectorship so orderly proceedyng vnto all the other orders disgraded him from the order of Benet and Collet from the order of Exorcist from the Lectorshyp and last of all froÌ„ the office of Doorekeeper taking froÌ„ him the keyes Dorekeper coÌ„maundyng him hereafter not to opeÌ„ or shut the Reuestry nor to ring any more belles in the Church That done The Church-dore keyes the bysh went forward to disgrade him from his first shauing takyng away his Surplice sayd vnto him by y e authoritie of God almighty the father the sonne the holy ghost by our authoritie we take from thee all Clerkely habite Ringing of Belles The Surplice and dispoyle thee of all ornament of religion Also we depose and disgrade thee of all order benefite priuilege of the Clergy as one vnworthy of that profession we commit thee to the seruitude ignominie of the secular estate The Popes Clergy accompteth the secular state ignominious seruile The royall signe of priesthoode TheÌ„ the Byshop tooke the sheeres and began to clyp his head saying in this maner we cast thee out as an vnthaÌ„kfull child of the Lordes heritage whereunto thou wast called and take away from thy head the crowne which is the royall signe of Priesthood through thine owne wickednesse and malice The Bishop also added these wordes that whiche thou hast song with thy mouth thou hast not beleeued with thy hart nor accomplished in worke wherefore we take from thee the office of singing in the Churche of God The disgrading thus ended the procurator fiscall of the Court and citie of Metz Singing in the Church required of the Notary an instrument or copie of the disgrading Then the ministers of the Bishop turned him out of his clerkely habite and put vpon him the apparell of a seculer man That done for so much as he which is disgraded Pope Inâ—ocent author of disgraâ—â—ng according to the institution of Pope Innocent the third ought to be deliuered vnto the seculer court the Bishop that disgraded him proceeded no further but said in this manner we pronounce that the seculer court shall receiue thee into their charge being thus disgraded of all clerkly honour and priuilege This done the Bishop after a certaine maner intreated the seculer Iudge for him Note here these persecutors how they will seeme outwardly to be lambes but inwardly are rauening Wolues sayeng My Lord Iudge we pray you as hartily as we can for the loue of God and the contemplatioÌ„ of tender pitie mercie and for y e respect of our praiers that you will not in any point do any thing that shal be hurtful vnto this miserable man or tending to his death or maiming of his body These thinges thus done the seculer Iudge of the towne of Uike confirming the foresaid sentence coÌ„demned the said maister Iohn Castellane to be burned quicke which death he suffred the xij day of Ianuary 1525. with such a constancie that not onely a great company of ignorant people were thereby drawne to the knowledge of the veritie but also a great number which had already some taste thereof were greatly confirmed by that his constant and valiant death * The burning of Iohn Castellane It would fill another volume to comprehend the actes stories of all them which in other countreys at the rising of the Gospell suffered for the same But praised be y e Lord euery Region almost hath his owne history writer which sufficiently hath discharged that part of duty as euery one in matters of his owne countrey is best acquainted wherfore I shall the lesse neede to ouerstraine my trauaile or to ouercharge this volume therwith Only it shall suffice me to collect iij. or iiij histories recorded by Oecolampadius and the rest to bring into a briefe table so returning to occupy my self w t our own domestical matters here done at home ¶ The history of a good pastour murthered for the preaching of the Gospell written by I. Oecolampadius IN the yeare of our Lord 1525. there was a certaine good and godly minister A good Priest for euill will who had coÌ„mitted something in the Commotion there rased by the rusticall clownes of the countrey which they said that knew him was but of small importance He because he had offended his prince before not with any fact or crime but with some word something sharply spoken was therefore condemned to be hanged After sentence was geuen there was a Gentleman of a cruell hart sent with a certaine troupe of men to apprehend the said priest and to hang him Who
and therefore taking to them a good courage they determined to begin preaching againe albeit secretly for two principall causes Be wise lyke Serpentes The one for feare of mouing the Duke and hindering the voyage of their messengers hauing yet some hope of good successe The other that no occasion might be geuen to the souldiers of further trouble and outrage for that was it which they especially desired Also they of Angrongne were fully determined as soone as their messengers were returned from the Duke to preach openly what newes soeuer they brought were they good or euill and furthermore not to be contributaries to the finding of the garrison neither yet to suffer the same to enter into Angrongne The messengers of the Angronians cruelly entreated The messengers which were sent to the Duke being at Uerceil were there deteined vj. weekes and all that while were cruelly handled by the Popish Doctours and were constrayned by force and violence to promise to returne to the Masse Furthermore they would haue constrayned them to promise the same in the behalfe of the rest but they would not After they were presented to the Duke the Secretary Gastaut tooke the supplication of the Waldoys out of the messengers hands and deliuered another After they had presented themselues to the Duke and asked pardon for bearing of armour they were constrayned also to craue pardon of the Popes Legate which at the bginning they would in no case do Now when these messengers were returned bringing these wofull newes and the people vnderstood that there was a new commaundement geuen out that they shoulde returne to the Masse also that the Popish preachers were appointed A new coÌ„maundement to the Angronians to goe to masse and ready to come vnto them and they commanded to go to fetch them and entertaine them accordingly there was wonderfull lamentation weeping and mourning for this great calamitie Heereupon they of the valley of Luserne and of Boby being assembled together by one assent sente two Ministers wyth certaine other of the people to the Churches of Pragela which be in the countrey of Dolphine to signifie vnto them the piteous estate of the poore Churches of the valleyes of Piemont to haue their counsell and aduise howe to preuent the greate daungers at hande if it were possible For this cause they fell all to prayer and after they had long called vpon GOD desiring hys grace and the spirit of discretion and counsell well to consider of those waightie and vrgent affayres wherewyth they were oppressed in the ende it was concluded that all the people dwelling in the sayde valley and mountaynes of Piemont and those of Dolphine should ioyne in a league together Whereupon they all promised by Gods grace and assistance Gods assistance in time of neede to mainteyne the pure preaching of the Gospell and administration of the holy Sacraments the one to ayde and assist the other and to render all obedience to theyr superiours so farre as they were commaunded by the worde of God Moreouer that it should be lawfull for none of the same valleyes to promise or conclude any thyng touching the estate of religion without the consent of the rest of the valleyes and for more sure confirmation of the sayde league certayne of the Ministers and Elders of the Churches of Dolphine were sente to the valley of Luserne to vnderstand if they woulde geue theyr consente heereunto and ratifye the same These messengers the Ministers and others of Dolphine being arriued in the euening at the village of Boby the people being there assembled word was brought that the next day euery housholder should appeare in the Counsel house to knowe whethey they would returne to the Masse or no The people of Pyemoâ—â— brought into great distres and that they whiche woulde receiue the Masse should quietly enioy their houses and they whiche woulde not shoulde be deliuered to the Iustices and condemned to be burned or sent to the Galleyes Wherefore the people was brought to thys extremitie eyther to dye or flee or else to renounce God To flee it seemed them best if the great snowe had not let them Wherefore seeing themselues in such distresse they most gladly consented to the league After this they exhorted one another sayeng For as much as we shall be all called for to morrow to renounce and forsake our God and reuolt agayne to Idolatrie let vs now make solemne protestation that we will vtterly forsake the false religion of the Pope and that we will liue and dye in the maintenance and confession of Gods holy word Let vs all go to morrow into the Temple to heare the word of God and after let vs cast downe to the ground all the Idoles and aultars To this euery man agreed sayeng Let vs so do yea and that the very same houre in the which they haue appointed vs to be at the Counsell house The nexte day after Images and altars brokeÌ„ downe in the Church of Boby they assembled themselues in the Churche of Boby and as soone as they came into the Temple without anye further delaye they beate downe the Images and caste downe the aultars After the Sermon they went to Uillars to do the like there By the way they encountered with a bande of souldyers whyche were goyng to spoyle a village named Le val Guichard and to take the poore inhabitaÌ„ts prisoners The souldiers seeyng them so yll appointed mocked them and discharged theyr handgunnes vppon them thynking at the first brunt to haue put them to flight But they valiantly defended themselues Images and altars cast downe in the Church of Villars and with stones chased them euen to the Fortresse When they came to Uillars they beate downe theyr Images and aultars and afterwardes besieged the fortresse and demaunded the prisoners whiche were there deteyned The same daye the Iudge of Luserne called Podesta went to the Counsell house to enrolle the names of those whiche woulde returne to the Masse but seeyng what was done hee was sore afrayde and desired the people to suffer hym to returne quietly which they wyllingly graunted vnto hym Diuers Gentlemen also of the valley came thyther with the Iudge to make theyr poore tenauntes to forsake God but seeyng the tumult they were fayne to flee into the Castle where they and the Garrison were besieged tenne dayes together not without great daunger of theyr lyues The seconde daye of the sege the Captayne of Toure wente with a companye of souldyers thinking to raise the siege God geueth victorye to his seruants but they were by those that kept the passages eyther slaine or discomfited As much was done the third daye The fourth day he returned with three bandes An other combat betweene the Waldois their enemies and with the Garrison of Tour which caused a furious combat wherein many of the enemies were slayne but a greate number hurt and yet of those that besieged the Fort there was
suffer the sayde Smith to minister in hys cure all Easter tyme and fifteene dayes after and that at theyr departure out of Englande hee supped wyth them at the Bell in newe fishestreete and agayne at theyr returne into Englande dyd meete them at the sayde Bell and there lente vnto the sayde Smyth a Priestes gowne He obiected moreouer agaynste hym in the same Articles that he had affyrmed at Cambridge 1. that hee dyd not set a bottell of hay by the Popes or Byshops cursse 2. and that God byndeth vs to impossible thynges that hee may saue vs only by hys mercy 3. and also that though yong children bee baptised yet they can not be saued except they had fayth 4. and lastly that it was agaynst Gods law to burne Heretikes Unto these Articles after long imprisonment and greate threates of the Byshop and hys Uicare he at last aunswered makyng fyrst hys appeale vnto the Kyng Wherein hee shewed that forasmuch as the Byshop had most vniustly and contrary to all due order of lawe and the equitie thereof proceeded agaynst hym as well in falsely defaming hym wyth the cryme of Heresie wythout hauing any iust proofe or publicke defamation thereof as also contrary to all iustice keepyng hym in most straight prison so long time both to the great daunger of hys lyfe by greeuous sickenesse taken thereby as especially to hys no small griefe that through hys absence hys flocke whereof hee had charge were not fedde with the word of God and his Sacraments as he would and then to minister vnto hym suche Articles mingled wyth interrogatories as neyther touched anye heresie nor transgression of any lawe but rather shewing a minde to picke quarels agaynste hym and other innocent people He therefore for the causes alleadged was compelled and did appeale from hym and all hys officers vnto the Kings Maiestie whome vnder God he had for hys most iust and lawfull refuge and defender againste all iniuries From whyche appeale although hee minded not at anye tyme to departe yet because hee would not shewe hymselfe obstinate agaynst the Byshop beeing hys Ordinary although he had most iust cause to suspect his vniust proceeding agaynst hym hee was neuerthelesse content to exhibite vnto him this hys aunswere Firste that howsoeuer the Byshop was priuately enformed yet because hee was not Publice diffamatus apud bonos graues accordyng to lawe he was not by the lawe bounde to aunswere to any of those Articles And as touching the first sixe Articles as whether he was at Wittenberge and spake with Luther or anye other or bought or read any of theyr bookes c. because none of those thyngs were forbidden hym by any lawe neyther that he was publickly accused of them for that it was permitted to many good men to haue them he was not bound to aunsweare neyther was he to be examined of them But as touching the marriage of Maister Simon Smyth with Ioane Bennore he graunted that he knew thereof by the declaration of Mayster Smyth but that he gaue hys mayde counsayle thereunto he vtterly denyed And as concerning the contracting of the mariage betweene them he thought it not at all against Gods lawe who at the first creation made mariage lawfull for all men Neither thought he it vnlawfull for him after their marriage either to keepe hym as hys Curate or else to lend or geue him any thyng needefull wherein hee sayde he shewed more charitie then the Byshop who had taken all thyngs from them and therefore he desired to haue it proued by the Scriptures that Priests marriages were not lawfull Against whome Foxford the Byshops vicare often alledged generall Counsayles and determinations of the Church but no Scriptures still vrging hym to abiure hys Articles which Patmore long tyme refused and stickyng a great while to his former aunsweres at last was threatened by Foxforde to haue the definitiue sentence read agaynst him Whereupon he aunswered that he beleued the holy Churche as a Christen man ought to do and bycause it passed his capacitie he desired to be instructed and if the Scriptures did teach it he would beleue it For he knew not the contrary by the Scriptures but that a Priest mought marry a wife howbeit by the lawes of y e Church he thought that a Priest might not marry But the Chauncelor still so vrged him to shew whether a Priest mought marry w tout offence to God that at length he grauÌ„ted that Priestes might not marry without offence to God bycause the Church had forbidden it therfore a Priest could not marry without deadly sinne Now as touchyng the foure last Articles he denyed that he spake theÌ„ as they were put agaynst him but he graunted that he mought perhaps iesâ—yngly say that a bottell of hay were more profitable to him theÌ„ the Popes curse Which he thought true Also to the secoÌ„d he affirmed that God had set before vs by his preceptes and commaundements the way to iustice which way was not in maÌ„s power to go and keepe therfore Paule sayth ad Gallathas 3. quod lex erat ordinata per Angelos but yet to fulfill it it was in manu id est in potestate intercessoris that none that shal be saued shall accoÌ„pt their saluation vnto their own deedes or thanke their own iustice in obseruyng the law for it was in no mans power to obserue it But shall geue all thankes to the mercies and goodnes of God according to the Psalme Laudate DominuÌ„ omnes gentes and accordyng to the saying of Paule vt qui gloriatur in Domino glorietur Which hath sent his sonne to do for vs y t which was not in our own power to do For if it had bene in our owne power to fulfill the law Christ had bene sent to vs without cause to doe for vs that thyng which we our selues could haue done that is to say fulfill the law As for the third he spake not for he did neuer knowne that any may be Baptised without fayth which fayth in asmuch as it is the gift of God why may it not bee geuen to peruulis To the last he sayd that if he spake it he ment it not of those that S. Barnard called heretickes with more adulterers theeues murtherers with other opeÌ„ sinners which blaspheme God by their mouthes callyng good euill and euill good makyng light darkenesse and darkenesse light But he ment it of such as men call heretickes accordyng to the testimony of S. Paule Act. 24. I liue after the way sayth he that men call heresie Whom Christ doth foretell that ye shall burne persecute to death After these aunsweres thus made the Byshop with his persecutyng Foxforde dealt so hardly with this good man partly by straight imprisonment and partly by threates to proceede agaynst him that in the end he was fayne through humaine infirmitie to submit himselfe and was abiured and coÌ„demned to perpetuall prison with losse both of his benefice as also of all his
well such as say that a man being buried in a gray Friers frocke shall so haue remission of the the third part of his sinnes as is graunted in a Bull vnto the sayd Religion and such like For as S. Augustine shall make with me in his book called Enchiridion after he hath confuted the opinioÌ„ of some that in the church of Christ liuing in mischiefe vngraciously taking therof no repentaunce did yet falsly deeme that they shoulde be saued through the clensing of purgatorye where hee concludeth thus Suche a thing after this life to be sayth he is not incredible but whether it be so or no a doubt may be therof moued or a question demanded The same wordes doth he agayn recite in a booke called Quaestiones ad dulcium or dulcitium I wotte not whether he is called and there he intreateth the same more copiously and would I might see the place once agayne To this agreeth S. Paule writing thus to the Cor. Omnes nos manifestari oportet coram tribunali Christi vt reportet quisque eapuae fiunt per corpus iuxta id quod fecit siue bonum siue malum For we must al appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill And againe where he writeth vnto the Hebrues I trow it be said in this wise Memores sitis vinctorum tanquam vna cum illis vincti Heb. 13. eorum qui affliguntur veluti ipsi quoque versantes in corpore Remember theÌ„ that are in bondes euen as though ye were bound with them be mindfull of them which are in affliction as if ye were also aflicted in the body To the 14. where you aske whether holy Martyrs Apostles Aunswere to the 14. article and Confessours departed from this worlde ought to be honoured called vpon and praied vnto I answere as touching the honouring of them with the very wordes of S. Augustine in his booke De Vera religione in his last leafe Praying to Saintes where he saith thus Non sit nobis religio cultus hom inum mortuorum Quia si piè vixerunt non sic habentur vt tales quaerant honores sed illum à nobis coli volunt quo illuminaÌ„te laetantur * Id est eiusdem meriti euius ipsi sunt participes meriti sui nos esse consortes honorandi sunt ergo propter imitationem non adorandi propter religionem Si autem malè vixerunt ubicunque sunt non sunt colendi Agayne a litle after the same he saith Nam idipsum actum est temporali dispensatione ad salutem nostram vt naturam humanam ipsa Dei virtus Dei sapientia incommutabilis consubstantialis patri coaeternus suscipere dignaretur per quam nos doceret id esse homini colendum quod ab omni creatura intellectuali rationali colendum est Hoc est ipsos optimos angelos excellentissima Dei ministeria velle credamus vt vnum cum ipsis colamus Deum cuius contemplatione beati sunt neque enim nos videndo angelum beati sumus sed videndo veritatem qua ipsosetiam diligimus Angelos his congratulamur Nec inuidemus ê™ ea paratiores vel nullis molestijs interpedieÌ„tibus perfruuÌ„tur sed magis eos diligimus quoniaÌ„ nos tale ali quid sperare a coÌ„muni domino iussi sumê° Quare honoramus eos charitate non seruitute nec eis templa construimus Nolunt enim se sic honorari a nobis Angels woulde haue no Temples builded to them quia nos ipsi cùm boni sumus templa suÌ„mi Dei esse nouerunt Rectè itaque scribitur homineÌ„ ab Angelo prohibitum ne se adoraret sed vnum Deum sub quo ille esset conseruus Thus saith S. Augustine handling the same matter a little after more at large The content of this vnto you I expound that knowe no Latine for I couet that all persons shoulde knowe both my thought in this and all maner of doing to the intent that of all persons I would haue true report and testimony what soeuer shal betide me Saint Augustine in these wordes would haue Men departed are not to be worshipped that we should worshippe no men departed be they neuer so good and holy for they seeke no such honour but would haue vs to worshippe God alone no nor yet no Aungell ne honour the same but onely the imitation of them following their good actes in our liuing as they followed our moste mercifull God whiles they were aliue not building Churches in the name or honour of them for they woulde haue no suche honour done vnto them it is to them no pleasure but contrariwise No the Aungels will not that we shoulde builde any Churches in reuerence of them but woulde that with them wee shoulde honour the originall marke and performer of all They refuse all honour sauing that whiche is called honor charitatis which is nothing els but to be loued Thus sayth Saint Augustine Whiche loue we shall testify in following their good actes by helping the poore or helpelesse with almes and mercy The best worshipping of Saintes is in following their good actes and dealing truely in worde and deede according to our state and calling both towardes God and man Which is no light matter to them that do consider the thing well But whosoeuer shall truely and duely follow that trade shall feele it I dare say as the burden of Christes Crosse was vnto him right weyghty and grieuous when he bare it to Caluarie sauing that we neede not to feare for he hath promised to bee with vs in tribulation to ridde vs from the same For the Prophete Dauid sayth Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur Psal. 35. quia Dominus supponit manum suam That is to witte when a iust person beginneth to fall hee shall not be borne flatte downe to be broken for the Lord shall put his hand vnder him to reare him vp againe And in the Gospell he biddeth Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis onerati est is ego reficiam vos That is to say Come you vnto me all that do trauaile and are sore charged and I shall comfort or refresh you Take my yoke vppon you learning of mee that am softe and meeke minded Math. 11. and you shall finde ease thereby in your soules for my yoke is easy and my burden light See you here how he is euer ready to supporte them that for truth shall sustein the chargable and sore vexations put vpon them of the world which cannot endure the trueth to preuayle and the vntruth to be disclosed As touching inuocation that is to witte calling vpon them we haue in Scripture Inuocation how we should call vpon almighty God in all necessities or tribulations As in the Psalmes euery where as in
22. article Christ sayde to Peter Feede my sheepe Iohn 21. And thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren Luke 22. And to his Apostles he sayd Goe ye into all the world and preache the Gospell This heresie is onely to the Pope but none at all to God c. Againe S. Paule 1. Corinth 1. sayth That Christ sent him not to baptise but to preache To what other office or function he sent the Pope let thē iudge which consider the Scriptures 23 If thou binde thy selfe to chastitie to obteyne that whyche Christ purchased for thee so surely art thou an Infidell fol. 175. 23 article Reade and conferre the place of Tindall which is thys Chastitie canst thou not geue to God further then God lendeth it thee The place annexed If thou canst not liue chaste thou art boūd to marry or to be damned c. For to what purpose thou bendest thy selfe must be seene If thou do it to obteyne thereby that which Christ hath purchased for thee so art thou an Infidell Chastitye and hast no parte with Christ. If thou wilt see more of this matter looke in Deuteronomy and there shalt thou finde it more largely intreated c. 24 He denieth rebuketh and damneth miracles fol. 176. 24. article The words in Tindals Obedience be these And when they crie miracles The place annexed Miracles how farre to be beleued miracles remember that God hathe made an euerlasting Testamente whiche is in Christes bloud against which we may receiue no miracles no neither the preaching of Paule himselfe if he come agayne by his owne teaching to the Galathians neither yet by the preaching of the Aungels of heauen c. The end of Gods miracles is good the end of these miracles is euill For the offerings which are the cause of the miracles do but minister and maintaine vice sinne and all abhomination and are geuen to them that haue too much so that for very aboundance they some out theyr owne shame and corrupt the whole world with the stinch of their filthines c. 25 He sayth that no man should serue God with good intent or zeale 25. article for it is playne Idolatry fol. 177. The place is this in the Obedience Remember Saule was cast away of God for euer for his good intente God requireth obedience vnto his word The place annexed Good intentes without Gods word God abhorreth and abhorreth all good intents and good zeales which are without Gods worde for they are nothing else but playne Idolatry and woorshipping of false Gods c. ¶ Heere followe other heresies and errours collected by the Byshops out of the booke called the Reuelation of Antichrist with the places of the booke out of the which they were gathered annexed to the same 1. TO binde a man perpetually to any vowe of Religion is without doubt an errour fol. 19. Articles out of the booke called the reuelation of Antichrist The place of the booke called the Reuelation whence this Article is gathered is this as foloweth Whiche the Fathers did neither make nor keepe he meaneth vowes but with the libertie of the spirite binding no man perpetually to them For if they did without doubt they erred according to mans fragilitie 2 To say the constitutions of Religion are good because holy men did ordeyne them 2. article as Augustine Benedict Fraunces Dominicke and such other and to folow such examples of Fathers is to leaue the fayth fol. 19. The place of the article is this But they obiect the statutes and ordinances are good Holy men did make them The place annexed as Augustine Benedict Bernard Fraunces Dominicke and such other To this I aunswer That is euen it that Christ and the Apostles did meane that these works shuld be like to those things which are taught in the Gospell for that they call counterfeiting of the doctrine and priuily bringing in of sectes and heresies because they take only of the fathers examples of workes and leaue the faith c. 3 All morall diuines haue a wicked conscience full of scrupulositie 2. Pet. 2. fol. 3. 3. article Morall diuines be they whose doctrine and hope of saluation consisteth in morall vertues rather then in christian faith apprehending the free promises of God in Christ. And they that be such can neuer be certified in conscience of their saluation but alwayes be full of feare and scrupulositie S. Paule therefore sayeth It is therefore of faith that it might come by grace and y e promise might be firme and sure to the whole seede Rom. 4. Rom. 4. 4 Morall vertues as iustice temperance strength chastitie described by naturall reason maketh a Synagogue ◠article and corrupteth Christes fayth fol. 64. The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelation is this So many he the Pope he meaneth corrupteth as he hath subdued and led vnder his lawes and imperie The place annexed And who is he in the world that is not subiect vnder him except they be infants or peraduenture some simple persons which are reserued by the inscrutable counsell and prouision of God O thou man of sinne O thou sonne of perdition O thou abhomination O thou corrupter O thou author of euill consciences O thou false maister of good consciences O thou enemie of faith and christen libertie who is able to rehearse yea or to comprehend in his mind the infinite waues of this monstrous * By this king he meaneth the king of 〈◊〉 which Daniell speaketh of 〈◊〉 the 8. chapter Kings euils If he had ordeined these his lawes in those workes of vertues that are commended in the ten precepts or else in such as the philosophers and naturall reason did describe as are iustice strength temperance chastitie mildnes truth goodnes and such other peraduenture they shoulde only haue made a Sinagoge or else haue ordeyned in the world a certaine ciuill iustice for through these also fayth should haue bene corrupted as it was amōgst the Iewes Howbeit nowe hee keepeth not himselfe within these boundes but runneth at riot and more at large raising infinite tempests of mischiefe entising and drawing vs to ceremonies and his owne fayned traditions and bindeth vs like asses and ignorant fooles yea and stockes vnto them c. 5 Christ tooke away all lawes and maketh vs free and at liberty and most of all he suppresseth all ceremonies fol. 65.63 5. article The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelation is this Christ taking away all lawes to make vs free The place annexed and at libertie did most of all suppresse and disanull the ceremonies which did consist in places persons garmēts meates dayes and such other so that their vse shoulde be to all men most free and indifferent c. What he meaneth by taking away all lawes he declareth a little before saieng he hath not deliuered vs from the law but from the power violence
called Captayn Borthwike Who being accused of heresy as the papistes call it and cited therefore an 1540. and not appearing and escaping out into other countryes was condemned for the same being absent by the sentence of Dauid Beaton Archbishop of S. Andrewes and other Prelates of Scotland and all his goodes confiscate and his picture at last burned in the open market place Whose story with his articles obiected agaynst him and his confutations of the same here ensueth in processe vnder expressed as followeth * The Act or Processe or certayne Articles agaynst Syr Iohn Borthwike Knight in Scotland with the aunswere and confutation of the sayd Borthwike whose preface to the reader here foloweth BY the helpe of a certayne frend of mine there came certayne articles vnto my hand for the which the Scottish Cardinal and such other like of his sect and affinity did cōdemne me as an hereticke Captaine Borthwick◠And for so much as this condēnation should not lacke his cloke or defence they gathered together a great number of witnesses where as besides the bare names of the witnesses they alledged none other profe at all Wherefore I thought good to bestow some labour in refelling these articles which they could not proue partly that I might take awaye from all true Christians the occasion of all euill suspition as though that I beyng vanquished or ouerthrowne by theyr threatnings would deny Christ and partly that theyr errours being thereby made manifest they should euen for very shame repent or els hereafter y e lesse abuse y e furor or madnesse of such wytnesses to shed bloud Therefore I will first confirme by euident testimonyes of the Scriptures those things whiche in times past I haue taught and afterwarde I will refell theyr vayne Sophistication wherby they go about to subuert the trueth of God SYr Iohn Borthwike knight commonly called Captain Borthwike being accused suspected slaundered and convicte by witnesse without all doubt of greater estimation then he himselfe in the yeare of our Lord. 1540. the 28. day of May in the cloister of S. Andrewes in the presence of the most reuerēt Fathers Gawine Archbishop of Glasquene Chauncellour of Scotland William Bishop of Aburdin Henry of Candicatia Iohn Bishop of Brecknock and William of Dumbar Byshoppes Andrew of Mellrowes George of Dunerueling Iohn of Paslet Iohn of Lōdorse Rob. of Rillos Wil. of Rulrose Abbots Mācolalyne of Quiterne and Iohn of Pettin vaim Pryors Mayster Alexander Kalfour Uicar of Kitman Rector of Lawe officiall of Sayncte Andrewes Iohn Winton Suppriour Iohn Anand and Thomas Eminghame Chanons of Saynt Andrewes Iohn Tompson with vniuersity of Saynt Andrewes and Mayster Iohn Maior and Peter Capelland Batchelers of Diuinity and doctours Martine Ballfour Batcheller of Diuinitye and of his fellow Pryour of the Fryers Augustynes of the same Cittye Iohn Tulidaffe Warden of the Fryers Mynors and Iohn Paterson of the same Couent and also in the presence of the most noble mighty and honourable Lords George of Huntelo Iames of Arrain William Marshal William of Monnetros Erles Malcolme Lord of Flemming Chamberlaine of Scotland Iohn Lord of Linsey Iohn L. of Erskine George L. of Seton Iames Hamelton of Finwart Water L. of S. Iohn M. Iames of Colinton Clarke to the Kings Register with diuers other Lordes Barons and honest persons beyng called desired together for witnes that he did hold publish and openly teach these errors followyng The first Article That our holy father the Pope as Christes vicar hath not neither can exercise greater autoritie ouer Christians here on earth then any other bishop or prelate Borthwike These holy ones do magnify their Lord by like title as common theeues and robbers are accustomed to preferre the captaines and ringleaders of their robberies and mischiefs calling them in euery place the most honest good men where as likewise it is euidēt y t in the whole world there is no man more geuen to riot which more greedily doth seeke after all kynde of delicatenes and wantonnesse and finally aboundeth with all kynde of vice as treason murder rapine and all kynd of such euils Furthermore where as they affirme him to be the vicar of Christ here in earth it shall be easily conuinced when as it shall be made manifest that he hath not nor cannot exercise more power or autoritie ouer christians then any other bishop or prelate For vnto that office of beyng vicar they referre that great autoritie the which they do so greatly boast and brag of which beyng taken away the office of vicar doth also fall and decay But now to attempt the matter I wil first demand of the mainteiners of this preheminence and autority whereupon they wil ground the same I know that they will aunswer vnto me that Peter had power autority ouer the other Apostles and consequently ouer the vniuersall church the which power by succession is translated vnto the bishops of Rome But how vnshamefastly they do lye herein any may easily perceiue which hath but any small sparke of iudgement in him When as he shal heare the testimonies of the scriptures which we will alleage to confirme this our opinion For Peter in the xv of the Actes In the counsell doth declare what is to be done and admonisheth vs what of necessitie we ought to doe And he there did also heare other speake and did not onely geue them place to say theyr myndes but also permit and receiue their iudgement and where as they decreed hee followed and obeyed the same Is this then to haue power ouer others Furthermore where as in his first epistle he writeth vnto bishops and pastors he doth not commād them as a superior or head ouer them by power and authoritie but maketh them his fellowe companions and gently exhorteth thē as is accustomed to be done betweene equals of degree for these are his wordes I beseech and desire the bishops and pastors which are amongst you for so much as I my selfe am also a bishop and a witnesse of the afflictions of Christ and also a partaker of the glorye which shall be reuealed that they do diligently feede the flocke of Christ which is committed vnto them Why then do they so chalenge vnto them the autority of Peter which he neuer acknowledged in himselfe Truly I do not dout but if that Peter were here present he would with like seueritie rebuke their folly and madnes as Moses in times past did vnto Iosua which burned with too earnest a zeale towards hym I doubt not but that many in this fayned authoritie of Peter do seeke out more vayne helps to maintaine and vpholde the tiranny of Popes rather then to make him ruler and gouernour ouer all other For where as in the 8. chapiter of the Acts he is commaunded by hys fellowes to go with Iohn into Samaria he did not refuse so to do In so much then as the apostles do send him they declare thereby that they doe not count him
and follow them in doyng the lyke But I deny that the Apostles in that behalfe did make any new decree or ordinaunce for so much as Peter in the same counsell pronounceth God to be tempted if any yoke be layd vpon the neckes of the Disciples Euen he hymselfe doth subuert and ouerthrowe hys owne sentence Aunswere to the reasons aboue if they consent to lay any yoke vppon them But a yoke is layd vpon them if the Apostles by their owne authoritie do decree to prohibite the Gentils not to touch any thyng offered vnto Idoles or strangled but you will say they do write that they should abstayne from those thinges I graunt that they do so write But what doth S. Iames declare That the Gentils which are conuerted vnto God are not to be troubled and vexed in such externe decrees and outward elementes as these be And the Apostle sufficiently declareth that he goeth about nothyng lesse theÌ„ to restraine the libertie of the Gentiles but onely to admonish and warne them how they should moderate and rule themselues amongest their brethren lest they should abuse their libertie to the offence of the others They alledge furthermore that which is written in the 23. of Mathew the Scribes and Phariseis haue siâ—ten in the chayre of Moyses therefore all thyngs what so euer they commaund you to obserue and keepe An other reasoÌ„ the same obserue and do but do you not as they doe I aunswer the Lord in this place doth inuey agaynst the manners of the Pharisies simply instructing his hearers which before he had taught that albeit they could perceiue or see nothyng in their lyfe which they should follow yet for all that they should not refuse to doe those thyngs which they dyd teach by the worde I say by the worde and not of theyr owne head The 10. Article Diuers and many wayes he hath sayd holden and also affirmed and openly taught that there is no religion to be obserued or kept but simply to be abolished and destroyed as it is now in England and despising all religion affirmyng that it is but abusing of the people he hath taught that their habites and vestures are deformed and very monstrous hauyng in them no maner of vtilitie or holynesse inducyng and alluryng as much as in him laye all the adherentes of hys opinion that all religion in the kyngdome of Scotland should be subuerted and vtterly taken away to the great offence of the Catholicke Church and the diminishing and detrimen of the Christian Religion Borthwike The Prophet Esay in hys fift chapter cryeth out saying Wo be vnto you which call euill good and good euill darkenesse lyght and lyght darkenesse sower sweete and sweete sower And followeth in the same place in the sayd Prophetes Wo sayth he to you that be wise and Sapient in your owne eyes and prudent in your owne estimation No man can denye but that the Cardinall of Scotland and hys adherentes to be vnder this most heauy and grieuous curse when as they doe so generally confound the Christian religion and their wicked Monkery that they do entitle them both by one name of holinesse I trust I will make it appeare more manifest then the day that they do it by a sacrilegious audacitie or boldnesse vnto such as settyng a parte all preposterous affection wyll embrace the truth when as she doth manifestlye shewe her selfe But before I enter into the matter I will all men to vnderstand that I do not touche that kynd of Monkery whiche Saint Augustine and other so often make mention of As in which the Monkes beyng gathered together vtterly contemnyng and despising the vanities of this world dyd lead a most chaste and godly lyfe liuyng in prayer readyng and disputations not puffed vp wyth pryde nor contentious with frowardnesse neyther full of enuie no man possessed any thing of hys owne no man was chargeable or burdenous vnto others they wrought with theyr handes to gette that which might sustayne the body the spirit and mynd not let and hindered from God Whatsoeuer did superabound more then was necessarye for their sustentation as by the restraint of their delicious and delicate fare much did redound of the labours of their hands it was with such diligence distributed vnto y e poore and nedy as it was not with greater diligence gotten by them which did geue the same For they by no meanes went about to haue aboundaunce lyeng by them but sought all meanes possible that nothyng should remayne by them more then sufficient besides this no man was forced to any extremitie which he could not beare or suffer no man had any thyng layd vpon hym which he refused neyther was he condemned of the rest which confessed hymselfe vnable to imitate or follow they had alwayes in their mynde how commendable a thyng loue and charitie was they remembered that all things are cleane vnto them which are cleane Therefore they did not refuse or reiect any kynds of meate as polluted or defiled but all their whole industry and labor was applied to subdue lust and concupiscence and to retayne loue amongst brethren Many of them did drinke no wine yet notwithstandyng they thought not themselues defiled therewithall For vnto such as were sicke and diseased who could not recouer the health of their body without the same they did most gently permit it And where as many foolishly refused the same they brotherly admonished them to take heede that they became not rather the weaker then the hollier thorough theyr vayne superstition Hetherto I haue repeated that which Saint Augustine writeth of the Monkes in his tyme wherby I would as it were paint out in a table what maner of Monkery there was in the old tyme that all men might vnderstand how great difference there is betweene that and the monkery in these our latter dayes For he would haue all extreme compulsion to be taken away in such things as by the worde of God are left to vs at libertye Precepts of meÌ„ more cruelly exacted then the precepts of god But nowe a dayes there is nothing more seuerely and cruelly exacted For they say it is a remedilesse offence if any do but neuer so little swarue from their prescript order in coulor or kind of garment or in any kynd of meat or in any other friuolous or vayne ceremony Saint Augustine doth straightly affirme that it is not lawfull for Monkes to lyue idle vpon other mens labor he plainly denieth that in his tyme there was any such example of any well ordered Monastery but our Monkes do constitute the principall part of holynesse in idlenesse which they call a contemplatiue lyfe wherfore the state of Monkery of the olde tyme and of these our dayes is in all points so diuers Idlenes pleasure the weapoÌ„s of the auncient enemye that scarse can any thing be more vnlike I will not say vtterly contrary for our Monkes not content with that godlinesse to the
Sir Iohn Borthwike called captaine Borthwike beinge suspected infamed and accused of the errours and heresies before said and wicked doctrines manifoldly condeÌ„pned as is aforesayd by lawfull prooues against hym in euery of the premisses had being conuicte and lawfully cited and called not appearing but as a fugitiue runne away and absent euen as though hee were present to be an heretike and is and hath bene conuict as an heretike And as a conuicte heretike and heresiarche to be punished and chastened with due punishment and afterward to be deliuered and left vnto the secular power Moreouer we confiscate and make forfette and by these presents declare and decree to be confiscated and made forfette all and singular his goodes mooueables and vnmooueables howe so euer and by what so euer title they be gotten and in what place or partie so euer they be and all his offices what so euer he hath hetherto had reseruing notwithstanding the dowrye and such part and portion oâ— his goodes Thomas Forret Priest The picture of Borthwick curâ—ed and condemned as by the law custome and right of this Realme vnto parsones confiscate ought to appertaine Also we decree that the picture of the said Iohn Borthwike being formed made and painted to his likenesse be caried thorow this our citie to our Cathedral church and afterward to the market crosse of the same citie and there in token of maledictioÌ„ and cursse and to the terror and example of others and for a perpetual remembraunce of his obstinacie and condemnation to be burned Likewise we declare and Decree that notwithstanding if the sayd I. Borthwike be here after apprehended or takeÌ„ y t hee shall suffer suche like punishment due by order of lawe vnto heretikes without any hope of grace or mercye to be obtained in that behalfe Also we plainly admonishe and warne by the tenour of these presentes all singular faithfull Christians both menne and women of what dignitie state degree order condition or preheminence so euer they be or with what so euer dignitie or honour ecclesiasticall or temporall they be honoured with all that from thys day forwarde they doe not receiue or harbour the said sir Iohn Borthwike commonly called captaine Borthwike being accused conuict and declared an hereticke and Archeheretike into their houses hospitals castels Cities Townes villages or other cottages what so euer they be or by anye manner of meanes admit him thereunto either by helping him wyth meate drinke or victualles or any other thynge what so euer it be they do shewe vnto him any manner of humanitie helpe comforte or solace vnder the paine and penaltie of greater and further excommunication confiscation and forfeitures and if it happen that they be founde culpable or fautie in the premisses that they shal be accused therefore as the fauourers receiuers defenders maintainers and abetters of heretikes and shall be punished therfore according to the order of law and with such paine and punishment as shal be due vnto men in such behalfe And nowe to prosecute such other as followed beginning first in order wyth Thom. Forret and his fellowes Their storie is this Persecuters Martyrs Their Causes Dauid Beton Bishop and Cardinall of S. Andrewes George Treichton Bishop of Dunkelden Tho. Forret priest Frier Iohn Kelowe Fryer Benarage Duncane Sympson priest Rob. Foster a gentlemaÌ„ with three or foure other men of Striuelyng Martyrs NOt longe after the burning of Dauid Stratton and maister Gurlay aboue mentioned in the daies of Dauid Beaton bishop and Cardinall of S. Andrewes George Treichton B. of Dunkelden a canon of Saint Colmes Inche and vicar of Dolone called Dean Thomas Forret preached euery sonday to hys parishners the Epistle or Gospell as it fell for the time which then was a great nouelty in Scotlande to see any man preach except a blacke frier or a gray frier and therefore the friers enuied him and accused him to the Bishop of Dunkelden in whose diocesse he remained as an heretike and one that shewed the mysteries of the Scriptures to the vulgare people in English to make the Clergie detestable in the sighte of the people The bishop of Dunkelden mooued by the friers instigation called the said Deane Thomas George Treichton 〈◊〉 of Dunkelden and persecutâ—r and said to him my ioy Deane Thomas I loue you wel and therfore I must geue you my counsel how you shal rule and guide your selfe To whom Thom. said I thank your Lordship hartily Then the B. began his counsaile on this maner My ioy Deane Thomas Tho. Forret preacheth and will take no mortuary nor Clâ—iâ—ome of hys parishioners Ergo he is an â—ereticke against the Popes Catholicke church I am enfourmed that you preache the Epistle or Gospell euery Sonday to your Parishners and that you take not the kowe nor the vpmoste cloth from your Parishners which thing is very preiudiciall to the church men and therefore my ioy Deane Thomas I would you tooke your kow and your vpmost cloth as other church men do or els it is too much to preach euery sonday for in so doing you may make the people thinke that wee shoulde preache likewise But it is enoughe for you when you finde any good Epistle or any good gospell that setteth foorth the libertie of the holy churche to preache that and let the rest be Thomas answeared My Lorde I thinke that none of my parishners wil complaine that I take not the kowe nor the vppermost cloth but will gladly geue me the same together with any other thinge that they haue and I will geue and communicate with them anye thing that I haue and so my Lord we agree right wel and there is no discord among vs. And where your Lordshippe sayeth it is too muche to preache euery Sonday in deede I thinke it is too little It is to much in the popes Church to preache euery sonday The Bishop of Dunkelden was not ordayned to preache and also woulde wishe that your Lordship did the like Naye nay Deane Thomas sayeth my Lorde let that be for we are not ordained to preache Then sayde Thomas when your Lordship biddeth me preache when I finde any good Epistle or a good Gospell truely my Lorde I haue reade the newe Testament and the olde and all the Epistles and the Gospels and among them all I could neuer finde any euil Epistle or any euil Gospell but if your Lordship will shewe me the good Epistle and the good Gospell and the euill Epistle and the euill Gospell then I shall preache the good and omit the euill Then spake my Lord stoutly and saide I thanke God that I neuer knewe what the olde and newe Testamente was A prouerbe in Scotland and of these wordes rose a Prouerbe which is common in Scotland Yee are like the Bishop of Dunkeldene that knewe neither newe nor olde lawe therefore Deane Thomas I will knowe nothing but my Portous and my Pontifical Go your way and let
and to deny our kingdome as to require that our lawes may be brokeÌ„ vnto 21. yeres Be we not your crowned anoynted and established king wherein then be we of lesse maiestie of lesse authoritie or lesse state then our progenitors kings of this realme except your vnkindnes our vnnaturalnes wil diminish our estimation We haue hitherto since the death of our father by the good aduise and counsaile of our deare and entirely beloued vncle kept our state maintained our realme preserued our honour defended our people from all enemies we haue hitherto bene feared and dreade of our ennemies yea of princes kings and nations yea heerein we be nothing inferiors to any our progenitours which grace we knowledge to be geuen vs from God and how els but by good obedience of our people good counsaile of our magistrates due execution of our lawes By authoritye of oure kingdom England hitherto hath gained honour during our raigne it hath wonne of the enemie and not lost It hath bene maruailed that we â—f so yong yeres haue raigned so nobly so royally so quietly Younge yeares by 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 And howe chanceth it that you our subiectes of that our countrey of Deuonshire will geue the first occasion to slander this our realme of Englande to geue courage to the ennemye to note our Realme of the euil of rebellion to make it a pray to our old enemies to diminish our honour which God hath geuen our father leaft our good vncle and Counsail preserued vnto vs What greater euill could ye commit then euen now when our forraine enemie in Scotland and vppon the sea seeketh to inuade vs to arise in thys manner againste our lawe to prouoke our wrath to aske our vengeance and to geue vs an occasion to spende that force vpon you whyche we meant to bestow vpon our enemies to beginne to slay you with that sworde which we drewe foorth agaynste the Scots and other enemies to make a conquest of our owne people whych otherwise shoulde haue bene of the whole Realme of Scotland Thus â—arre yee see we haue descended from oure highe maiestie for loue to consider you in your base and simple ignorance and haue bene coÌ„tent to send you an instruction like a fatherly Prince who of iustice might haue sent you your destructioÌ„ like a king to rebels now let you know that as you see our mercy abuÌ„dant so if ye prouoke vs further wee sweare to you by the liuing God by whome wee raigne ye shal fele the power of y e same God in our sword which how mighty it is no subiect knoweth how puissant it is no priuate man can iudge how mortall it is no English heart dare thinke But surely surely as your Lord and Prince your onely king and maister we say to you repent your selues take our mercy without delay or els we wil foorth with extend our princely power execute our sharpe sword against you as against very Infidels and Turkes and rather aduenture our owne roial person state and power then the same shall not be executed And if you wil prooue the example of our mercy learne of certaine which lately did arise pretending some griefâ—s and yet acknowledging their offeÌ„ces haue not only receiued most humbly their pardon but feele also by our order to whom al publike order only pertaineth redresse deuised for their griefs In the end we admonish you of your dueties to God whom ye shal answere in the day of the Lord and of your dueties toward vs whom ye shal answere by our order take our mercy whilest God so enclineth vs least when yee shall be constrained to aske wee shall be too much hardened in heart to grauÌ„t it you and where ye shall nowe heare of mercy mercy and life ye shall then heare of iustice iustice and death Geuen at Richmond the 8. day of Iuly the third yeare of our raigne Besides the Articles of these Deuonshire men aboue meÌ„tioned the sayd rebels sent vp also not long after a supplication to the king wherunto answere again was made by the kings learned Counsaile which here to make short leisure serueth not to rehearse Ouer and besides to behold the malitious working of those popish Priests to kindle more the sparke of sedition in the peoples hearts what bruites and rumours did they raise vp against the king and his Counsaile makinge the vulgare multitude to beleeue that they should be made to pay first for their sheepe then for their geese and pigges also and suche other thinges like and what soeuer they had in store or should put in their mouths they must fine therfore to the king Of all which matter neuer a worde was eyther thought or meant But this seemed matter fitte for such priests whereby to set the Prince and hys subiects together by the eares Against this seditious company of rebels was apoynted and sent by the king and his counsaile Syr Iohn Russel knight Lord priuy Seale as Lieutenant general of the kings armie of whome chiefly depended the charge and achiuaunce of that voyage in the West partes To hym also were adioyned as in parte of ordinary counsail in those affaires vnder him syr William Harbert syr Iohn Pawlet Syr Hugh Pawlet Syr Thom. Specke wyth the Lorde Gray and other besides Thus the sayde Lorde priuie Seale accompanied wyth the Lord Gray aduauncing his power against the rebels although in number of soldiers not equally furnished like to the other yet throughe the gratious assistaunce of the Lordes helpe fighting in his cause and geuing the aduenture against the enemie about the latter end of Iuly Anno 1549. gaue them the repulse Who notwythstanding recouering them selues againe wyth suche stomackes as they had encountred the seconde time with the foresayde Lorde priuie Seale about the beginning of August following of whom through the Lords mighty power they with their whole cause of false religion were vtterly vanquished and ouerthrowen In the which victorie a great woorke of Gods mightye power vndoubtedly did appeare For althoughe the number of the rebels did surmounte in great quantitie the power and strength of the Lorde priuie Seale and theyr stomackes were so fiercely set vpon al desperate aduentures and though the power of Sir W. Harbert being the same time at Bristow was not yet presently come which shuld haue ioyned with the Lorde priuie Seale yet all thys notwithstanding the goodnes of the Lorde so wrought on the kings behalfe more then any industry of man which in al respects in handling that matter was very raw and farre behinde that the victorie fell to the kings parte vnder the valiant guiding of the aforesayd L. priuie Seale so that the popishe rebels not onely lost the fielde The great goodnes of God in the 〈…〉 the â—â—bells but a great parte of them also lost their liues lying there slain miserably in the chase to the compasse of 2. miles space Where also were taken and apprehended the chiefetaines
that he had found heretofore at the handes of the B. of Caunterbury and the rest of y e Colleagues in this matter much extremitie and crueltie iniuries losses and griefes contrary to Gods law and the lawes and statutes of this Realme and agaynst Iustice charitie and good order beyng well assured if they were not stayed but proceeded they would adde more euill to euill losse to losse displeasure to displeasure as sayde he their seruants haue reported and they agreeable doe shew the same Agayne in the sayde appeale he shewed that the Byshop of Canterbury and the other Commissioners ought to haue considered and done better in that matter for honour and obedience to the Kings Maiestie which hetherto they haue not done said he in that they haue not giuen place to hys prouocations and appellations heretofore made vnto hys grace iustly and lawfully and vpon good and iust causes namely for the vniust griefes they did agaynst him which he sayd to appeare in the Actes of that matter as in pronouncyng hym contumacem vnreasonably without good cause and further in assignyng the terme ad audiendum finale decretum and in committyng hym to straight prisone as appeareth in theyr Actes Therefore he dyd not onelye Ex abundanti ad omnem iuris cautelam decline and refuse theyr pretensed iurisdiction as before but also by these presentes here shewed he dyd appeale from the sayd Byshop of Caunterbury and the rest vnto the Kinges Maiestie askyng also those Letters of Appeale which the lawe doth admitte saying he dyd not intend to goe from hys former prouocations and appellations but to ioyne and cleaue vnto them in euery part and parcell submittyng hymselfe to the protection and defence of the Kinges Maiestie and he therein made intimation to the Byshoppe of Caunterbury and the sayd Colleagues to all intentes and purposes that might come thereof Furthermore as touchyng the Supplication aboue mentioned which Boner as we sayd put vp in writyng to the Commissioners the Copie thereof here vnder likewyse ensueth ¶ The Supplication of Boner to the Chauncellor of England with all the rest of the Kings Maiesties most honourable priuy Counsaile PLease iâ— your most honourable good Lordships with my most humble recommendations to vnderstand The copy of Boners supplicatioÌ„ that albeit I haue accordyng to the lawes statutes and ordinaunces of this realme made supplicatioâ— prouocation and appellation vnto the kyngs most excelleâ—â— Maiestie from the vnlawfull and wycked processe of the Archbishop of Caunterbury the byshoppe of Rochester Maister Secretary Smith and the Deane of Paules as also as well from their vniust interlocutorie as also their diffinitiue sentence whereby in law I ought to haue libertie to come abroad and prosecute the same yet such is the malignitie of the Iudges agaynst me with bearing and maintenaunce of other which sundry and many ways haue sought my ruine and destruction that I am here penned and locked vp vsed very extremely at their pleasure and for the contentation of the sayd Maister Smith and not suffred to finde sureties or to goe abroad to prosecute and sue my sayd appellation In consideration whereof it may please your said good Lordships to take some order and redresse herein especially for that it is now the tyme that the Kings subsidie now due ought to be called vpon and iustice also ministred vnto his Maiesties subiects which beyng as I now am I cannot be suffered to doe And thus without further extending my letter therein consideryng that your great wisedomes experience and goodnesse can gather of a little what is expedient and necessary for the whole I doe beseech almighty God to preserue and keepe well all your honourable good Lordships Written in hast this 7. of October 1549. in the Marshalsey Your honourable Lordshyps poore Orator most bounden Bedes man Edmund London These thynges ended the Archbyshop said vnto him My Lord where you say that you come coacted The Archbishop answered to the words of Boner or els ye would not haue appeared I do much maruell of you For you would therby make vs and this audience here beleue that because you are a prisoner ye ought not therefore to aunswer Which if it were true were enough to confound the whole state of this Realme For I dare say that of the greatest prisoners and rebels that euer your keeper there meaning the Undermarshall hath had vnder hym he cannot shewe me one that hath vsed such defence as you here haue done Well quoth the B. if my keper were learned in y e lawes I could shew him my mynd therein Boner Well sayde the Archbyshop I haue read ouer all the Lawes as well as you The archbishop Secretary Smith but to an other ende and purpose then you did and yet I can finde no suche priuiledge in this matter Then M. Secretary Smith did very sore burthen and charge hym how disobediently and rebelliously he had always behaued himselfe towards the Kings Maiestie and his authoritie Whereupon the B. vnder his protestation aunswered agayne Boner that he was the kings Maiesties lawfull and true subiect and did acknowledge his highnesse to be his gracious soueraigne Lord or els he would not haue appealed vnto him as he had yea would gladly lay his hands and his necke also vnder his graces feete and therefore he desired that his highnesse lawes and iustice might be ministred vnto him Yea quoth Maister Secretary you say wel my Lord Secretary Smith Boner compared to the rebells of Deuonshire but I pray you what others haue all these rebels both in Northfolke Deuonshire and Cornewall and other places done Haue they not said thus We be the kings true Subiectes we acknowledge hym for our Kyng and we will obey his lawes with such lyke and yet when eyther Commaundement Letter or Pardon was brought vnto them from his Maiestie they beleeued it not but sayd it was forged and made vnder a hedge and was Gentlemens doyngs so that in deede they would not nor dyd obey any thing Ah sir sayd the B. I perceyue your meanyng Boner as who should say that the Bish. of London is a rebell like them Yea by my troth quoth the Secretary The people laughing at Boner D. May. Whereat the people laughed Then the Deane of Paules said vnto him that he maruelled much and was very sory to see him so vntractable that he would not suffer the Iudges to speake To whome the B. disdainfully aunswered Well M. Deane Boner with his tauntes you must say somewhat And likewise at an other tyme as the Deane was speaking he interrupted him and sayd You may speake when your turne commeth Secretary Smith Then said Secretary Smith I would you knew your duetie I would quoth he agayne you knew it as wel as I with an infinite more of other such stubburne and contemptuous talke and behauiour towardes them Boner which the Commissioners waying and perceiuyng no likelihood
it were to let them plainely see the difference that is betweene the order of the Church seruice set forth by king Edward in the Englishe tongue comparing it with the popish seruice then vsed in the Latine tongue The first he sayd was good because it was accordyng to the worde of God Corinth 14. and the order of the primatiue Church The other he sayd was euill and though in that euill hee intermingled some good Latine wordes yet was it but as a little hony or milke mingled with a great deale of poyson to make them to drinke vp al. This was the summe of hys sermon In the after noone hee was ready in his Churche to haue geuen an other exhortation to his people M. Saunders apprehended by B. Boner at his sermon Sir Iohn Mordant accuser of L. Saunders Preaching of Gods word made treason with Bishop Boner But the B. of London interrupted him by sending an officer for hym This officer charged him vpon the payne of disobedience and contumacie forthwith to come to the Bishop his maister Thus as the Apostles were brought out of the Temple where they were teaching vnto the rulers of y e priests so was Laurence Saunders brought before this Byshop in his Pallace of London who had in his company the aforenamed Sir Iohn Mordant some of his Chapleins The bishop layd no more to Laurence Saunders charge but treason for breaking the Queenes proclamation heresie and sedition for his Sermon The treason and sedition his charitie was content to let slip vntill an other time But an hereticke hee woulde now proue him and all those he sayd which did teach and beleue that the administration of the Sacramentes and al orders of the Church are most pure which doe come most nigh to the order of the primitiue Church For the Church was then but in her infancie and could not abide that perfection whiche was afterward to be furnished with ceremonies And for this cause Christ himselfe after hym the Apostles did in many thinges beare with the rudenes of y e Church Ceremonies inuented onely for weake infirmitie To this Laurence SauÌ„ders answered w t the authoritie of S. Augustine that ceremonies were euen from the beginning inuented and ordayned for the rude infancy weake infirmitie of man and therefore it was a token of the more perfection of the primitiue Church y t it had fewe ceremonies and of the rudenes of the Church Papisticall because it had so many ceremonies partly blasphemous partly vnsauery and vnprofitable After much talke had concerning this matter the Byshop willed him to write what he beleeued of transubstantiation B. Boner sekâ—th the bloud of M. Saunders Laurence Saunders did so saying My Lorde ye do seeke my bloud and ye shall haue it I pray God that ye may be so baptised in it that ye may therafter loath bloud-sucking and become a better man This writing the Byshop kept for his purpose euen to cut the writers throate as shall appeare heereafter The Byshop when he had his will sent Laurence Saunders to the Lord Chauncellour as Annas sent Christ to Cayphas M. Saunders senâ— from Annas to Cayphas and lyke fauour found Saunders as Christ his Mayster did before him But the Chauncellour beeing not at home Saunders was constrayned to tary for him by the space of foure houres in the vtter chamber where he found a Chaplein of the Bishops very merily disposed with certeine Gentlemen playing at the Tables with diuers other of the same family or house occupied there in the same exercise All this time Saunders stood very modestly and soberly at the screene or Cupbord bareheaded Syr Iohn Mordant his guide or leader walking vp and downe by hym who as I sayd before was then one of the Counsell At the last the Byshop returned from the Court whome as soone as he was entred a great many suters met and receiued so that before he could get out of one house into another halfe an hour was passed At the last he came into the chamber where Saunders was and went through into another chamber where in the meane way Saunders leader gaue him a writing containing the cause or rather the accusation of the sayd Saunders which when he had pervsed where is the man sayd the Byshop Then Saunders being brought forth to the place of examination first most lowly and meekely kneeled downe and made curtesie before the table where the Byshop did sit Unto whom the Byshop spake on this wise How hapneth it sayd he that notwithstandyng the Queenes Proclamation to the contrary Wichesters talk with M. Saunders you haue enterprised to preach Saunders denyed that he dyd preache Saying that for so much as he saw the perilious tymes now at hande he did but according as he was admonished M. Saunders answere to M. Winchester and warned by Ezechiel the Prophet exhort his flocke and Parishioners to perseuer and stand stedfastly in the doctrine which they had learned saying also that he was moued and pricked forward thereunto by that place of the Apostle wherein he was commaunded rather to obey God then man and moreouer that nothing more moued or stirred hym thereunto then his owne conscience A goodly conscience surely sayd the Byshop This your conscience could make our Queene a Bastard or misbegotten Winchester Would it not I pray you Then sayd Saunders we sayd he do not declare or say that the Queene is base or misbegotten neither go aboute any such matter M. Saunders But for that let them care whose writings are yet in the hands of men witnessing the same not without the great reproch and shame of the Authour A priuy nippe to Winchester priuely taunting the Byshop hymselfe which had before to get the fauour of Henry 8. written and set foorth in print a booke of true obedience wherein he had openly declared Queene Mary to be a Bastard Winchesters booke de vera obedientia Now M. Saunders going forwards in his purpose sayd We do only professe and teach the sinceritie and puritie of the word the which albeit it be now forbidden vs to preache with our mouthes yet notwithstanding I do not doubt but that our bloud hereafter shall manifest the same The Byshop being in thys sort pretily nipped and touched said Cary away this frensie foole to prison Note how Winchester confuteth M. Saunders Unto whome M. Saunders aunswered that he did geue God thankes which had geuen hym at the last a place of rest and quietnesse where as he might pray for the Byshops conuersion Furthermore he that did lye with him afterwardes in prison in the same bed A notable example of the Lord comforting his seruauntes in their troubles reported that he heard him say that euen in the time of his examination he was wonderfully comforted in so much as not only in spirite but also in body he receaued a certayne taste of that holy communion of
gift of spirit and courage God had geuen to this godly and blessed martyr At what time Doctour Taylour was depriued of hys benefice of Hadley there was one called Syr Robert Bracher a false pretensed Protestant in king Edwardes dayes and afterward a deadly enemy to the same ReligioÌ„ who was also one of them that so vnmercifully thrust Doctor Taylors wife and children out of the dores as she her selfe yet can testify notwithstanding the same now since became a Protestant agayne This Syr Robert Bracher aforesayde Syr Robâ—â—â— Bracherâ— coÌ„ming 〈◊〉 Hadley comming to Hadley to the buriall of a certayne frend of his and Gods great enemy one Walter Clarke albeit he came somewhat to late to the market as he sayd yet desirous to vtter such Popishe pelfe and packeware as he brought with him hee opened there his baggage of pestilent doctrine A popisâ— Sermon Syr 〈◊〉 Bracher preaching in the same towne of Hadley agaynst iustification of fayth of the corporall presence of praying for the dead and Auricular confession Whereof Doctour Taylour hauing vnderstanding by Letters writeth agayn to them of Hadley directing his Letter to his wife in confutation of the sayde Popish poysoned Sermon the Copy of which Letter we thought not vnworthy here in the ende of this story to bee annexed as vnder foloweth ¶ A Letter of Doctor Taylour of Hadley written to his wife DEare wife This cap was a 〈◊〉 cap sent M· Couâ—â—dale to 〈◊〉 Taylor 〈◊〉 his wyfe I pray God be euer with vs through Christ our onely Mediator Amen I thanke you for my cap I am something proud of it for it is one steppe from the Clergy in these dayes I thanke God my hart is cleane deuided from theyr proceedinges for I knowe that no man can serue two maisters specially if they agree no better theÌ„ Christ and Antichrist do I am glad that Hadley can skill of such packing ware as was brought thether the first day of May last past Christes sheepe can discerne Christes voyce from the voice of straungers theeues or hirelings The packebringer was sory that he came to late to the funerall market of his faithfull friend· But here I will leaue them both to Gods iudgement and somethyng touch the matter whereof the packer made mention on his openyng day At the first he called the Scripture as I heare full of darke sentences but in deed it is called of Dauid a candle to our feete and a light to our pathes Our Sauior Christ calleth hys word the light which euill doers do flee from and hate least their deeds should be reprooued thereby S. Paule would haue vs to walke as children of light and in any wyse not to continue in ignorance or darkenes But all we in the world pertaine to two princes eyther to the father of light truth or els to the prince of darkenes and lyes In these dayes preachers declare euidently of whome they are sent and with what spirit they speake to what prince they belong 〈◊〉 stripe 〈◊〉 falsely 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 to be â—eare and 〈◊〉 For they cry out against Gods Lightes Sunne Moone Starres torches lampes lanternes cressets and candles in Gods booke the Bible prouided of Gods great goodnes and mercy to auoyd all foule darknes cloudes and mistes or dangerous doutfull wayes in this our iourney to our heaueÌ„ly father long home mansion houses and dearely purchased heritage Esay gods faithfull messenger sayth Woe be vnto them that call sweete sower good euill and light darkenes Therfore commeth my people into captiuitie because they haue no vnderstanding Our Sauiour Christ pronounceth errours and heresies to remaine among the people so long as ignorance of the scriptures remayneth And hereby it appeareth to all good consciences what they meane which defame or accuse Gods blessed word beyng full of light as though it were full of darkenes These Owles would haue all day lights scraped out of bookes hartes and Churches Oh Lord turne their heartes and tongues bowe them from the waye of darkenesse least they goe to the prince of darkenesse and be cast into the pit of vtter darkenes where is weepyng and gnashyng of teeth Now touching the packes of wooll and the packes of cloth I feare they were as all other wares bee transubstantiate into flockes The Popes packe ware Iustification by workes Corporall pâ—esence Praying for soules Auricular confession euen his very finest packing stuffe against onely faith iustifieng and for the corporal presence of Christes body in the sacrament for praying for soules departed and for auricular confession Abrahams iustification by fayth by grace by promise and not by workes is plainly set forth both in the epistle to the Rom. cap. 4. and to the Gal. ca. 3. and Abrahams works of obedience in offring vp his sonne so long after his iustification must needes be taken as a fruite of a good tree iustifieng before men and not of iustification before God for then had man to glory in then dyd Christ die in vayne And where as the 6 chap. of Iohn was alledged to proue that Christ did geue his body corporally in his supper eueÌ„ as he had promised in the sayd 6. chap. it is most vntrue Against the corporall presence For onely he gaue his body sacramentally spiritually and effectually in his supper to the faythfull Apostles and corporally he gaue it in a bloudy sacrifice for the lyfe of the worlde vppon the crosse once for all There in hys owne person Chrâ—sts body geuen in the Supper spiritually vpon the croâ—se corporally in hys owne naturall body he bare all our sinnes By whose stripes we were healed as S. Peter proueth 1. Pet. 2. and Esay 53. In deed receiuyng Christs sacrament accordingly as it was instituted we receyue Christes body Christs bloud euen as I sayd before the Apostles dyd But the popish Masse is another matter The Masse as it is now is but one of Antichrists youngest daughters in the which the deuill is rather present and receyued Against the Masse The Masse the Popes youngest daâ—ghter Dâ—scription of the popes â—ingdome then our sauiour the second person in Trinitie God and man O Lord God heauenly father for Christes sake we beseeche thee to turne agayne England to the right way it was in in K. Edwards tyme from this Babylonicall stewish spirituall whoredome conspiracie tyranny detestable enormities false doctrine heresie hardnes of hart and coÌ„tempt of thy word and commaundements from this euident and open idolatry sacriledge simonie blasphemy superstition hypocrisie transubstantiate angell of lyght and day deuill kyngdome of lyes foule vayne schismes sects sedition apostasie gay sweete poyson honied and sugred viperous venome wily woluishnesse sathanicall subtletie and abhomination in the sight of God and of all such as put on the true spectacles of holy scripture I am the more playne now in this matter because I feare greatly that many will be to much ready to go from Christ to
with Eue to the lying spirite which woulde haue you now to despayre no he goeth more craftilye to worke howbeit to that ende if you should geue eare vnto it which God forbid but to doubt and stand in a mammering and so shoulde you neuer truely loue God but serue him of a seruile feare least he shoulde cast you off for your vnworthines and vnthankefulnes as though your thankfulnes or worthines were anye causes with God why he hath chosen you or will finally keepe you Ah myne owne deare harte Christ onely Christ only and his mercy truth In him is the cause of your election This Christ this mercy All ouâ— election is 〈◊〉 and for Christ onlâ— this truth of God remayneth for euer is certayne for euer I saye for euer If an Aungel from heauen should tell you contrary accursed be he Your thankfulnes and worthines are fruites and effectes of your election they are no causes These fruites and effectes shal be so much more fruitfull and effectual by how much you wauer not Therefore my dearely beloued arise and remember from whence you are fallen Psalm 120 You haue a shepheard which neither slumbreth nor sleepeth No man nor deuill can pul you out of his handes Night and day he commaundeth his Aungels to keepe you Haue you forgotten what I read to you out of the Psalme Psalm 23. The Lorde is my shepheard I can want nothing Do you not know that god sparred Noe in the Arke on the out side so that hee coulde not get out Psalm 90. So hath he done to you my good sister so hath he done to you Ten thousande shall fall on youre right hande and twenty thousand on your left hand yet no euill shal touch you Say boldly therefore Psal. 125. Many a tyme from my youth vpp they haue fought agaynst me but they haue not preuayled no nor neuer shall preuayle for the Lord is round about hys people And who are the people of God but such as hope in him Happy are they that hope in the Lorde and you are one of those my deare heart Though feeling fayle yet hope holâ— fast for I am assured you haue hoped in the Lord I haue your woordes to shewe moste manifestly and I knowe they were written vnfaynedly I neede not to say that euen before God you haue simply confessed to me and y t oftentimes no lesse And once if you had this hope as you doubtlesse had it though now you seele it not yet shall you feele it agayne for the anger of the Lorde lasteth but a moment but his mercy lasteth for euer Tel me my deare heart who hath so weakned you The eye of fayth must looke vpoâ— nothing 〈◊〉 but onely 〈◊〉 Christ crâ—â—cified Surely not a perswasion which came from him that called you For why should ye wauer Why shoulde ye wauer and be so heauy harted Whome looke you on On youre selfe on your worthines on your thankfulnes on that whiche God requireth of you as fayth hope loue feare ioy c. TheÌ„ can you not but wauer in deed for what haue you as God requireth Beleue you hope you loue you c. as muche as ye shoulde doe No no nor neuer can in this life Ah my dearly beloued haue you so soone forgotten y t which euer should be had in memory namely that when you would shoulde be certayne and quiet in conscience then should your fayth burst throughout al things not onely that you haue in you or els are in heaueÌ„ earth or hell vntill it come to Christ crucified and the eternall sweete mercies and goodnes of God in Christ Here here is the resting place here is your Spouses bed creepe into it and in your armes of fayth embrace him bewayle your weakenes your vnworthines your diffideÌ„ce c. and you shall see he will turne to you What sayde I you shall â—eeâ— Nay I should haue sayd You shall feele hee will turne to you You know that Moses when he went to the mount to talke with God he entred into a darck cloude and Helias had his face couered when God passed by Both these deare frendes of God heard God but they sawe him not but you woulde be preferred before them See nowe my deare hart how couetous you are Ah bee thankefull bee thankefull But God be praysed youre couetousnesse is Moyses couetousnes Well with him you shal be satisfied But when Forsooth when he shall appeare Here is not the time of seeing but as it were in a glasse Isaac was deceiued because he was not content with hearing onely Psalm 16. Therfore to make an end of these many words wherwith I feare me I doe but trouble you from better exercises in asmuch as you are in deede the childe of God electe in Christ before the beginning of all times in as much as you are geueÌ„ to the custody of Christ as one of Gods most precious iewels in as much as Christ is faythfull hytherto hath all power so y t you shall neuer perish no onâ— heare of your head shall not be lost I beseeche you I pray you I desire you I craue at your hands with all my very heart I aske of you with hand penne tongue and minde in Christ through Christ for Christ for his name bloude mercies power and truthes sake my most entirely beloued sister that you admit no doubting of Gods final mercies towardes you howe so euer you feele your selfe but complaine to God and craue of him as of your tender and deare father al things and in that time which shal be most oportune you shall finde and feele farre aboue that your heart or the heart of any creature can conceiue to your eternall ioy Amen Amen Amen The good spirit of God alwaies kepe vs as hys deare children he comfort you as I desire to be comforted my dearely beloued for euermore Amen I breake vp thus abruptly because our common prayer time calleth me The peace of Christe dwell in both our hearts for euer Amen As for the reporte of W. Po. if it be as you heare you must prepare to beare it The 〈…〉 vpoÌ„ 〈…〉 It is wrytten on heauens doore Do wel and heare euil Be content therfore to heare what soeuer the enemie shall imagine to blot you withall Gods holy spirite alwaies comfort and keepe you Amen Amen This 8. of August by him that in the Lord desireth to you as well and as much felicitie as to his owne heart Iohn Bradford Heere followeth an other letter of hys wrytten to the good Lady Uane wherein he resolueth certaine questions which shee demaunded This Lady Uane was a speciall Nourse Commenâ—â—tion of 〈◊〉 â—ady â—ane and a great supporter to her power of the godly Saints which were imprisoned in Queene Maries time Unto whom diuers Letters I haue both of M. Philpot Carelesse Traherne Thomas Rose and of other moe wherein they render vnto her moste gratefull thankes
Christ haue lesse trow you which hath so bitterly dearely bought it If your husband could not admitte an excuse how your hart is his onely if he should haue taken your body in bed with another do you thinke that Christ will allow your body at Masse although your heart consent not to it â—sal 125. God esteemeth his children not onely of their hartes but of their pure hands and workes Reg 19. 〈…〉 and therefore in Helias tyme he counted none to be his seruants and people but such as had not bowed their knees to Baall as now he doth not in England accompt any other to be his derlings which know the truth in hart and deny it in theyr deeds as do our Masse Gospellers We ought to desire aboue all thyngs the sanctifieng of Gods holy name and the commyng of his kingdom and shall we then see his name blasphemed so horribly as it is at Masse by making it a sacrifice propitiatorie and setting forth a false Christ of the Priests and bakers makyng to be worshipped as GOD and say nothing The Iewes rent their clothes asunder in seeyng or hearing any thyng blasphemously done or spoken against God and shall we yet come to Church where Masse is and be mute Paule and Barnabas rent their clothes to see the people of Lycaonia to offer sacrifice vnto them and shall we see sacrifice and gods seruice done to an inanimate creature and be mumme What thing helpeth more or so much Antichrists kingdom as doth the Masse The Masse destroyeth pâ—eaching and the kingâ—om of Christ. And what destroyeth preachyng and the kyngdome of Christ vpon earth more then it doth And how can we then say Let thy kyngdome come and go to Masse How can we pray before God Thy will be done on earth when we will do our owne will and the will of our father or friendes How pray we Deliuer vs from euill which knowyng the Masse to be euill do come to it But what goe I about to light a candle in the Noone day that is to tell you that we may not go to Masse or to the congregation where it is except it be to reprooue it in that all men in so doyng do but dissemble both with God and man And is dissembling now to be allowed How loÌ„g will men yet halt on both knees saith God Halting sayeth Paule bringeth out of the way that is to say out of Christ which is the way so that he which is not in him shal wither away and be cast into hell fire For Christ will be ashamed of them before his father which be now ashamed of his truth before this wicked generation He diâ—suadeth her â—rom the Masse Therfore my good maistresse take good heed for it had bene better for you neuer to haue knowen the truth and there through to haue escaped from papisticall vncleanes then now to returne to it making eftsoones your meÌ„bers beyng members of righteousnesse members of vnrighteousnesse as you do if you do but goe to the Church where Masse is Be pure therefore and keepe your selfe from all filth of the spirit and of the flesh Abstaine not onely from all euil but from all appearance of euill And so the God of peace shall be with you the glory of God shall gouerne you the spirite of God shall sanctifie you and be with you for euer to keepe you from all euill and to comfort you in all your distresse and trouble which is but short if you consider the eternitie you shall enioy in glory and felicitie in the Lorde which vndoubtedly you shall not fayle but inherite for euer if so be you as the elect chylde of God put your trust in hys mercy call vpon hys name vnfainedly and yeld not ouer to the wicked world but sticke still agaynst it vnto the ende God for his holy names sake which is properly the God of the Widowes be your good and deare Father for euer and helpe you alwayes as I my selfe would bee holpen at hys handes in all thynges and especially in this hys owne cause Amen Amen Iohn Bradford ¶ To one by whome he had receyued much comfort and reliefe in his trouble and imprisonment THe mercy of God in Christ peculiar to hys children A letter of thankes to a good benâ—factour of his be euermore felt of you my derely beloued in the Lord Amen When I consider with my selfe the benefites whiche God hath shewed vnto me by your meanes if I had so good and thankfull a hart as I would I had I could not with dry eies geue him thanks for certainly they are very many and great And now beyng yet still the Lords prisoner I perceiue from him mo benefits by you For y e which I thinke my selfe so much bounde to you my good brother although you were but the instrument by whome God wrought and blessed me that I looke not to come out of your debt by any pleasure or seruice that I shall euer be able to do you in this lyfe I shall hartily praye vnto God therefore to requite you the good you haue done to me for hys sake for I know that which you haue done you haue done it simply in respect of God his word He therefore geue you daily more and more to be coÌ„firmed in his truth and word and so plentifully poure vpon you the riches of his holy spirit and heauenly treasures layd vp in store for you that your corporall and earthly riches may be vsed of you as Sacraments and significations thereof the more to desire the one that is the heauenly the lesse to esteeme the other that is the earthly For Sathans sollicitation is so to set before you the earthly that therein and therby you should not haue accesse to the consideration of the heauenly but as one bewitched should vtterly forget them altogether become a louer and worshipper of the earthlye Mammon and so to fall to couetousnes Châ—ist forsaken of many for the presâ—â—uing of worldly pelfe and a desire to be rich by that meanes to bring you into many noisome and hurtfull lustes as now a dayes I heare of many whiche haue vtterly forsaken God and all his heauenly riches for Antichrists pleasure and the preseruing of theyr worldly pelfe which they imagine to leaue to their posterity wherof they are vncertaine as they may be most certaine they leaue to them Gods wrath and vengeance in his tyme to be sent by visitation if they in tyme hartily repent not preuent not the same by earnest prayer Wherein my good brother if you be diligent harty and perseuere I am sure God will preserue you from euill and from yelding your selfe to do as the world now doth by allowyng in bodily fact in the Romish seruice that which the inward cogitation and mynd doth disallow But if you be cold in prayer and come into consideration of earthly present things simply then shall you fall into faithlesse
EUery tree and the fruites therof are either good or euil Either make yee the tree good Good fruites are signes of a good tree but not the cause therof and the fruite good also or els make the tree euill and the fruite of it likewise euill Math. 12. A good man is knowen by his workes for a good man doth good workes and an euil man euil workes Ye shall know theÌ„ by their fruit for a good tree beareth good fruite and an euil tree euill fruit A maÌ„ is likened to the tree and his workes to the fruit of the tree Beware of the false Prophetes which come to you in shepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues ye shall know them by theyr fruits Luke 7. None of our workes either saue vs or condemne vs. Obiection IF woorks make vs neither rightuous nor vnrightuous then thou wilt say it maketh no matter what we doe I answer if thou do euill it is a sure argument that thou art euill Aunswere and wantest faith If thou do good it is an argument that thou art good haste faith for a good tree beareth good fruite and an euill tree euill fruite Yet good fruite maketh not the tree good nor euill fruite the tree euill so that man is good ere he do good dedes and euill ere he do euil dedes The man is the tree his workes are the fruite â—ayth maketh the maÌ„ good A good man maketh good workes To say that our workes do saue vs is to deny that Christ is our Sauiour FAith maketh the good tree and incredulity the euill tree such a tree such fruite such a man such workes For all thynges that are done in faith please God and are good workes and all that are done without faith displease God and are euill workes Who so euer beleeueth or thinketh to be saued by hys workes denieth that Christe is his Sauiour that Christe dyed for him and all things that pertaine to Christe For howe is hee thy Sauiour if thou mightest saue thy selfe by thy works or wherto should he die for thee if any workes might haue saued thee What is this to say Christ died for thee Uerely that thou shouldest haue died perpetually and Christ to deliuer thee from death died for thee and chaunged thy perpetual death into hys owne death For thou madest the fault and he suffered the payne and that for the loue he had to thee before thou wast borne when thou haddest done neyther good nor euill Nowe seeing he hath payed thy dette thou needest not neyther canst thou pay it but shouldest be damned if hys bloud were not But sithe hee was punished for thee thou shalt not be punished Finally he hath deliuered thee from thy coÌ„demnation and all euil and desireth nought of thee but that thou wylt acknowledge what hee hath done for thee and beare it in minde and that thou wouldest helpe other for hys sake both in woorde and deede euen as he hath holpen thee for nought and wythout reward O how ready would we be to helpe other if we knewe his goodnes and gentlenes towards vs He is a good and a gentle Lord for he doth all for nought Let vs I beseeche you therfore folow his footesteppes whom all the worlde ought to praise and worship Amen He that thinketh to be saued by his workes calleth himselfe Christ. No Sauiour but Christ. FOr he calleth himselfe the Sauiour which pertaineth to Christ onely What is a Sauiour but he that saueth and he sayeth I saued my selfe which is as much to say as I am Christ for Christ onely is the Sauiour of the worlde We should do no good workes for the intent to get the inheritance of heauen or remission of sinne No remyssioÌ„ but in Christ. FOr whosoeuer beleueth to get the inheritaÌ„ce of heauen or remission of sinne through works he beleueth not to get the same for Christes sake And they that beleeue not that theyr sinnes are forgeuen them and that they shall be saued for Christes sake they beleeue not the Gospell For the Gospel sayth you shall be saued for Christes sake your sinnes are forgeuen for Christes sake He that beleeueth not the Gospell beleeueth not God So it foloweth that they which beleue to be saued by their woorkes or to get remission of their sinnes by their owne dedes beleeue not God but recouÌ„t him as a lier and so vtterly deny him to be God Obiection Thou wilt say shall we then do no good deedes Aunswer I say not so but I say we should doe no good workes Good workes excluded not to be lefte vndone but not to iustyfie vs wheÌ„ theâ— are done for the intent to get the inheritance of heauen or remission of sinne For if we beleue to get the inheritaunce of heauen through good workes then we beleue not to get it through the promise of God Or if we think to get remission of our sinnes by our dedes then we beleeue not that they are forgeuen vs and so we count God a lier For God sayth thou shalt haue the inheritaunce of heauen for my sonnes sake thy sinnes are forgeuen thee for my sonnes sake and you say it is not so but I wil win it through my works Thus you see I coÌ„demne not good dedes Not the doing of good workes but the trusting in good workes condemned but I condeÌ„ne the false trust in any workes for all the workes wherin a man putteth any confidence are therwith poysoned become euil Wherfore thou must do good works but beware thou do them not to deserue any good thorough them for if thou doe thou receiuest the good not as the giftes of God but as dette to thee and makest thy selfe fellow with God because y u wilt take nothing of hym for nought And what needeth hee any thing of thine which geueth all thyng and is not the poorer Therfore do nothing to him but take of hym for he is a gentle Lord and with a gladder will geueth vs al that we neede then we can take it of hym if then we want ought let vs wite our selues Presse not therefore to the inheritaunce of heauen thorough presumption of thy good works for if thou do thou countest thy selfe holy and equal to God because thou wilt take nothing of hym for noughte and so shalt thou fall as Lucifer fell for his pride FINIS Certaine briefe Notes or declarations vpon the foresayd places of M. Patrike THis litle treatise of M. Patricks places Notes albeit in quantitie it be but short yet in effecte it comprehendeth matter able to fill large volumes declaring to vs the true doctrine of the lawe of the Gospel of faith and of works with the nature and properties also the difference of the same The lawe the Gospell how they are to be ioyned how to be seperated Which difference is thus to be vnderstanded that in the cause of saluation and in the office of